The Swan in Maldon

Best Sunday pub roast we’ve ever had! We definitely will be returning, delicious roast beef, huge portions with all the trimmings! And a homely environment too!

We made a 50 min trip to this lovely little pub for Sunday lunch and we're not disappointed. We had a warm welcome and picked the table we wanted. We had both decided on starters and mains, but then saw the size of the roast dinners and decided to go straight for the main course. We both had the roast beef dinner and it was the best roast we have had. There was a generous portion of beef, which was very tender and tasty. 3 huge Lovely roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots, green beans, peas, cauliflower cheese, pig in blanket, stuffing, home made Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Wonderful. We then had the homemade Cherry bakewell tart Crumble and ice cream, delicious. We were so pleased we made the trip and will definitely be returning. Thank you to all at the Swan.

Don't bother unless you're a local you won't get served. Served other customers before us waited 15 minutes and left..,

Excellent food, the best we have had in a long time, seven fresh vegetables cooked to perfection, well done Phil. Bar/waiter Jeff was spot on, well done, clearing tables plus doing the lovely log fire, but needed a bit of professional help from other staff, friendly girl but not very helpful and told a table near us that their desserts were slow as they were busy elsewhere, not the best thing to say, although they were very busy, she could have been handled it better. We will return though, lovely quant pub and very cosy.

A friendly old pub. The welcome was warm, the food an egg sandwich, a fish finger sandwich and a side of halloumi fries (naughty but very nice) were excellent. The pub is cosy with a real fire blazing and is obviously popular with the locals. My greyhound was welcome too. A real find and if I was ever in the area again, I wouldn't hesitate to call in.

Went for a sunday lunch. Absolutely amazing. Lovely staff. Went because we had a gift voucher. Will definitely be returning.

Visited following reading reviews on here. Attended for my birthday and we were not left disappointedZ We came for the Sunday roasts, but the Chef went above and beyond to cater for those who weren’t “roast fans” and kindly provided a few meals from the normal main menu. Roast dinners were amazing! For the price, would’ve like to have seen extra potatoes / veg added, but other than that, superb! Only negative was too much gravy on the plate - would’ve preferred gravy jugs, allowing people to apply their own! I’m someone who doesn’t like a lot of gravy…

We stayed overnight in our motorhome (Britstops) at this friendly pub. Unfortunately we were too late for the Sunday roast but enjoyed a couple of pints in the bar with the friendly locals. We look forward to a return visit next time we are in the area, hopefully to enjoy a meal as well.

On entering this 500 year old pub we were immediately made to feel welcome. The lady behind the bar (who I assume was the owner) was very friendly and pleasant. The overall atmosphere was very good. The food was freshly prepared, well presented and very tasty at a reasonable price. It has been several years since I last visited this pub but it certainly will not be several years until I return. A really enjoyable lunch experience with friends.

What a lovely little pub with welcoming staff and very dog friendly. The roast (choice of beef or chicken, we had one of each) was perfectly cooked and presented. Great meat, Yorkshires, roasties and lovely fresh vegetables. Very rarely do you get extras like stuffing and pigs in blankets but both were included. I totally recommend you try this pub if you’re in the area.

Great Sunday Lunch with friends. Starters were very tasty and generous main courses. Marke sure you are hungry and they are a hearty potions! Lovely friendly staff and chef - great local pub overall. We will be back to taste more dishes and Guniness!!! Thanks to all for a great afternoon.

I went along with the wife and two friends to the Swan for the Sunday roast. We were seated by the friendly staff right in front of the roaring fire which was wonderful as it was a cold evening. The pub had a lovely friendly feel about out along with its real historical decor. This was explained by the owner Phil that came out to see us. The Sunday lunch was amazing it had all the trimmings and more than amble portions. The food was cooked to perfection. I was glad we never did the starter because the main course was huge. The desert was home cooked and amazing. The service was simply excellent. We will certainly be back soon. Thanks to Phil and his great team.

Despite living in the area and regularly going for drinks at The Swan, we visited the pub for a roast dinner for the first time today. I’d heard very good things about the food, and we were certainly not disappointed. Three of us had roast beef, and one had roast chicken, and every single item on the plate couldn’t have been better. The meat was perfectly cooked, the veg well-seasoned and with just enough bite, and there were delicious trimmings you wouldn’t normally get with beef (stuffing and pigs in blankets). We all agreed it was one of the best pub roasts we’ve had in years - if not ever. As ever, the service is friendly and professional, and the atmosphere lovely. Now all we have to do is resist booking ourselves in every single weekend!

Lovely pub, with excellent lunch time pub food especially the fish finger sandwiches. Really enjoyed these.

Four of us had Sunday Roast 3 beef and 1 veggie option They came with all the trimmings etc. Absolutely delicious and a good choice of starters and mains too. Thoroughly recommend. Lovely friendly staff and great service.

I booked to bring my family in for a Sunday roast whilst they were visiting. There were seven of us and most ordered lamb roast whilst I had the beef. The portion sizes were extremely generous and the meal itself was superb. All of my family members raved about their meal and enjoyed it very much. The only downside…….we were all too full for dessert! The service was also perfect. We will definitely be back again and will recommend to others. Many thanks for a lovely afternoon.

This was our first visit to this little pub in the heart of the village. It had a large front garden with lots of picnic tables - ideal for a sunny lunch outside. We were greeted at the front door by a large dog which backed away as we entered to order food and drinks. We mentioned that there were several piles of dog poo around the picnic tables, in the hope that someone would clear them up. Unfortunately nobody did. The service was slow but the toasted sandwiches were good. Would we go there again? Probably not as eating outside with dog poo nearby is not pleasant. A shame, as this little pub, with its large garden, has lots of potential.

Second visit to The Swan and, as before, the reason was to meet up with former work colleagues. Excellent atmosphere with friendly helpful staff and, as it was a cold day, a log fire burning in the grate. Good selection of beers, ciders and tasty pub grub at a reasonable price. Will definitely be back

Wow!! What a roast dinner that was!! 6 of us had a roast, beef, lamb and chicken and all were amazing!! The best pub roast we have eaten!! The staff were so friendly and it was such a wonderfully idyllic pub. Wish we were local so we could visit again!!

popped in principally to meet old work colleagues. What a beautiful pub. great ambiance, staff and owners so friendly. We all had food which was timely and very tasty. definitely can't wait for next visit. Of course the beer is the real winner. Fantastic ales

Despite the pandemic and rules for pubs,the food is great and staff amazing so helpful,,,,we where v well catered for whislt being covid safe.....the food may of been a little extra wait,,,but definitely worth waiting for.Highly recommended,lovely beers.

Really friendly staff, absolutely mahoooosive roast dinners - I counted six veg. We all had beef so nothing to compare - but that was really lovely.

If you’re looking for a country pub with great food and space to enjoy it, this is the place. Lovely garden and a genuine ancient place. This is the sort of thing I seek out when travelling to a England from Australia. Publican is a...

So today we popped into this beautiful little pub to see Phil the owner but he was not there. As we turned up so did quite a few other people and everyone wanted food. The lady behind the bar took it all in her stride...

I enjoy my visits here. It’s very homely. Friendly staff good beer. It is also dog friendly, which is very useful for my friend.

If you close your eyes and imagine the quintessential British village pub the swan at little Totham is what you will be imagining. A fantastic little country pub that had both friendly staff and patrons. We went for Sunday lunch and were not disappointed. Walked...

Visited at lunch time with a group of walkers - the landlord was very welcoming, The food was well presented and very tasty. It was also good value. There was a decent choice of well kept beers.

Have used this pub for many years as I am a fan of real ales of which there are at least four on at any one time and are served straight from the barrel (firkin). Always friendly staff, quaint look (pub not staff), real fire...

Visited The Swan for the first time last Sunday, with my husband and mother. Lovely warm and inviting country pub. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Phil the owner is an extremely nice man and it's not surprising that his staff are equally as pleasant. Our...

In the area for the weekend and found the Swan had good reviews and close to where we are staying. Lovely friendly local village pub .The starters very nice but the roast beef lunch beautiful.Very generous portion sizes as well.Thoroughly recommended

Popped in for lunch with a friend last week. Pub was busy having been descended on by a large number from a cycling club. We were told there would potentially be a delay for food coming out but still did not have too long to...

Visited this pub for Sunday lunch with my wife on a friends recommendation and was not disappointed! The best Sunday roast we have had.Expertly cooked large portions and loved the complimentary starter.Highly recommend eating at this venue.Many thanks

Booked at late notice, managed to bag a table in the bar. Very pretty local pub/restaurant with bags of character. Staff were very polite and helpful. We ordered three roast dinners and were really looking forward to the deserts, however unfortunately we waited over 45...

We hardly ever write online reviews but we feel we really must do so following our visit to The Swan today. We went for Sunday lunch and were blown away by the quality and quantity of the food. The Sunday roast was the best pub...

Visited 25th August after a lovely dog walk in nearby goldhanger along the river. Dog welcome inside but lovely beer garden as well. My wife and I both had Sunday roast, I had beef and my wife ham (chicken or triple meat roast also an...

What a fantastic village pub. Lush gardens, cosy bar, dog friendly, plus the most AMAZING roast dinner, compliments to the landlord and to the chef. This place is first class and definitely worth a visit. Thank you !

The happy atmosphere you could feel as soon as you walked in the door.

6 people at Sunday lunch.....the table was set with white cloths, linen napkins and candles. Looked beautiful and inviting

This was a reunion of sorts for two Aussies and their school friends from the UK and partners,. We had a fantastic lunch, were made extremely welcome by the landlord. We had scampi, a vege burger and a ploughmans between us and loved every bite. Beer choice was excellent and very very good it was too. Highly recommended.

On the strength of good Trip Advisor reports, rang the pub to book dinner. Lady answered, said they don't generally do food, only on special 'food evenings'. Things have apparently changed!.

Really traditional country pub, excellent selection of beers etc, great pub food, friendly bar staff, delightful location. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT??!!

I visited the swan with a friend for lunch last month. I loved it in there,the atmosphere, food, staff... i couldn’t fault any of it, best pub I have been to in a VERY long time, can’t wait to return and have already recommended it to lots of friends and family. The lady who served us was so lovely and welcoming we felt at ease as soon as we walked in. Good country pub. Thank you

We visited The Swan a week ago and enjoyed some of the delicious ales they have.

We stumbled upon this place on Father’s Day and luckily for us they had a beer festival! Band and beer tent in the garden. They also had wood fired pizzas on the go too. Beautiful pub with helpful friendly staff. £10 minimum on card payments but you can get cash back at the bar. Made for great Father’s Day

Visited with a crowd of friends. Lots of beers and ciders on offer! Bbq very tasty and a great band playing in the beer garden! Staff very friendly what more could you ask for!

searched trip advisor for a pub with food near to us and this popped up. So glad we decided to eat here for my daughters birthday lunch as the the atmosphere was lovely , really warm and friendly. Food and service was excellent and couldn't have found a nicer place to eat if we tried.

We had been recommended to The Swan by some local experts and as some other reviewers have said thought, "Are we in the right place?".

After searching trip advisor for places to eat nearby, we settled upon The Swan. Reviews all seemed positive and we do like to try new places. Eventually found it tucked back from the main road after driving past it three times!!

We came here on Sunday after checking it was dog friendly - and we were not disappointed!

Superb country pub. Lots of real Ale and guest Beers. Friendly bar staff and owners. Food is very good. The June Beer Festival is a must.

We booked this for a surprise lunch and agree with many of the other positive comments on Trip Advisor. Friendly staff who wanted to go the extra mile to help us, great food and beer. Have told our friends to visit.

Great little pub, friendly atmosphere, great staff, fabulous beer, guest ales, Fantastic fire in the winter, and beautiful German Shepard to pamper

This is a real old country pub, good ale, in the winter lovely log fire, great pub food lunch times, the pub is a great place in the evenings, people go in just to chat and of course have the odd wine or two, dog friendly as well.

Popped in for a Sunday Lunch and immediately felt at ease, as the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Nothing was a problem. During our tasty lunch Kirsten was on hand to make sure everything was fine and later Phil came out from the kitchen...

Have had 2 family parties here to date. One was an evening bbq , the other a buffet lunch - both were brilliant and every guest commented on the superb food and friendly helpful staff. The landlord provided Marquees for the occasions which was perfect...

Fue una visita encantadora cerveza estaba fría pero la bienvenida estaba caliente que estaba bastante concurrida cuando llegamos, pero es un lugar precioso no importa la espera

Browsing the web we came across a beer festival in this pub. Not having visited before we decided to take a trip out and check it out. What a find!Lovely ‘quaint’ old pub, a traditional ale house with friendly service and, more to the point, a fantastic selection of real ales. My heaven. Marquees set up in the garden with barrels ready to be imbibed. Quiet during the day but, I am sure, extremely busy in the evening.Going to keep an eye out to visit next year with friends.

This pub is great, a good selection of real ales, friendly staff and a great beer garden. We had an enjoyable lunch that was served quickly. This is a village pub where you are made to feel welcome and it always appears to be busy.

I normally meet up with a couple of cycling buddies for a ride on a Tuesday night and having just moved out to Great Totham we explored around the area. Popped in to the Swan for a pint to check it out and ended up leaving after 11pm.Nice selection of beer and cider and lovely atmosphere with friendly staff and landlord. Even Baxter the dog was friendly.Will definitely be back for more beer and to sample the food.

So we live in the village and normally a group of 5-6 couples try and do something without the children at Xmas. This involves babysitters and cabs.Not in 2015.I asked Phil if we could book the restaurant for just us. On a Saturday. He said yes.So 12th December we went down after having previously ordered our food and RELAXED.My food was cranberry and brie, roast turkey et all and Xmas pud. But we had the choice of 3 starter's 3 mains and 3 desserts .Nicole and kirsten were great and deserved the tip.But it's not just Xmas. Petanque quiz nights beer festivals.I have no idea what the person was complaining about above but seriously it's village life. We talk to people.Get over yourself

I don't mean the pub, I mean my earlier review/s. Some how or another they ended up as being in Ashford. I dare say anyone who loks up decent pubs in Ashford may find that a bit puzzling. ''Phil & Kirsten, never heard of 'em!''.Be that as it may...never had a bad pint (only badly poured when Kirsten's on it).Sunday dinner is sound. Locals seem pretty welcoming. Staff are all more or less friendly. Quiz nights are a hoot (usually last Saturday of the month).Child friendly ( :-( ); dog friendly; nice garden for summer months; excellent range of beers, many (if not all) locally brewed. What's not to like?

We had Sunday lunch for 7 of us, and it was excellent. This is our local but it's the first time we've tried Sunday roast. We will certainly be doing it again - we couldn't fault it.This is a lovely pub with brilliant owners, so pleased Phil and Kirsten came to the village!

Great old country pub. Great landlord and landlady.food wholesome and good selection. Staff very friendly and helpful. Children and dogs welcome.various real ales and ciders on sale.

Shame food is only available at certain times. Great setting, it is just a shame about the lack of food really

The glass for my wine was not clean and the barmaid very kindly tipped my wine into a clean glass, rather than pouring me a new one. Our ploughman's lunches were very average in quality and quantity and probably not helped by the spider which was crawling in the lettuce.The landlord sat our side of the bar with a rep from a 'catering ready meals' firm and in front of us four couples in the bar talked about the products and quantities and how he could promote them. He didn't enquire with us if everything had been ok and we left without finishing our lunches.We were very unimpressed.

Great Beer - Great Beer -Great Beer - Did I mention the beer is fantastic here - This is my absolute favorite pub in Essex bar non I have actually consider moving to be nearer to it . I am writing this whilst at work on a cruise ship in the Caribbean Sea just off the coast of Jamaica and I would rather be in the Swan having a wonderful draft English beer. On my last visit there where 8 Real ales available on draft. I tried all of them and although not all to my taste they was in the best possible condition. The food is good too. Mainly though it's about the beer for and fantastic village atmosphere I like in the wonderfully English Country Pub. I cannot recommend this place more it is central to village life and well supported by the community. The couple who run the pub are great people very welcoming and hospitable. I am looking forward to drinking there again when I am next home -

A proper pub - roaring fire, loads of great beers (something like 10 on the bar, plus several more from a recent beer festival). Food was good, very friendly landlord. Go here if you want a proper pub!

Lovely pub. Superb lunches and excellent choice of ales. Actually, a bit disappointing today as there were only seven to choose from! A very pretty very old building. Like (some) pubs used to be and like pubs should try to be.