The Turks Head in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Fab lunch in a fab place with really great staff……what more could you want! 3rd time we have been and it doesn’t disappoint.

Following an aquatic work out at the nearby geo-thermal lido we required suitable sustenance. The Turk’s Head more than provided this. In spades, with super friendly staff. A pint of Birra Morretti and a steak sandwich. But no ordinary sandwich, oh no, chef Patrick had seared the British beef in garlic, butter and rosemary and the heavenly frites were light as oxygen itself. The flavoursome combination left us lost for superlatives. Beautiful. Thank you Lynda Joan and Martin Paul X

Visited here on Wednesday evening (9th October). What a great pub - very atmospheric and on an equally pleasant and atmospheric street in Penzance. The young staff were very welcoming, friendly and helpful. This included recommending an excellent local beer (Verdant Light Bulb - extra pale ale) and chatting about the history of the pub. Very good fish & chips - which was sufficient on this occasion along with a couple of pints of the refreshing Light Bulb. However, for anyone in Penzance on a Wednesday it is the pub's 'Supper Club' with a very good value two-course offer plus an offer on a bottle of wine, which the staff made me aware of immediately I sat down. Big thanks for a superb experience.

Great welcome. Lovely friendly team. We got a nice seat by the fire. Guinness was yummy. We had a delicious meal, burgers & chips. Lovely atmosphere, mixture of tourists & locals. We have visited many times over the years.

Great location along a cute historic street. It's a very busy bar area with tables scattered around. We had pre-booked online, so had a small table reserved in the back. Our waitress was awesome, helping me to choose a meal that would keep me safe from a capsicum allergy. She ran up and down the stairs to the kitchen to consult the chef, several times. Our food was served within short time, and was very good. I had chosen the chicken schnitzel with seasonable vegetables as a side dish. This is a great spot to enjoy dinner in a historic pub. And great that it is open on Monday night when many others are closed.

We were sure to make a dinner booking for a Monday night as many restaurants in Penzance are closed. We were seated immediately at a table that had our name on it. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful in assisting to choose a meal that would not affect a capsicum allergy. She went out of her way to speak with the chef several times. I chose the chicken schnitzel with a side of seasonable vegetables. The chicken was tender and very tasty. The food was presented in quick time and we were in and out of the restaurant in a little over an hour, despite it being super busy. This is a great little spot, but I'd suggest booking, which can be done online. The pub is located on a beautiful historic street which made it even more appealing.

Friendly staff, good setting. One of the best pub in pz

Olde worlde pub but they do the olde worlde rather well. The history is interesting and the interior hasn't been over-restored; see the photos. It's a couple of weeks since we went and I can't remember what we ate or drank because there was a fascinating group from Reading who were doing a sort of art tour and knew a lot about many many things. You can see the menu in the photos. But lack of memory doesn't detract from the very pleasant experience and the most helpful service; those bits I do remember!

What a wonderful pub. Old school look with dark wood everywhere. Eccentric layout, but you come for the food which is brilliant. Had multiple pints which were great as well. Ate here twice in two days and we will be back again. The staff were very accommodating. Come here, you won't regret it.

Excellent sunday roast, with a very good vegan/vegetarian option. Dog friendly pub. We booked a table via the website.

Rustic atmosphere, nice service.

We have visited this establishment on and off over the past 20 years and find it disappointing to report that standards are not as they were. The food was of an unremarkable quality, hardly in keeping with the price and failed to meet with expectations. The bar staff were notified as to the shortcomings but shrugged them off as unworthy of meaningful comment. From a health and safety perspective the lower dining room is a venue to be avoided in our judgement. The stairway is ill lit, has low beams which are difficult to see and has steps which are inconsistent in height. Anyone who is unlucky to lose their footing will have the benefit of a large glass panel handily positioned at the foot of the stairs which will succeed in breaking their fall. Aside from these rather negative comments, the waitress was excellent.

A pub just a few steps away turned our family of 11 away and gave no reason. We were pretty disappointed ……. then we enquired at the Turk’s Head and not only did they welcome us with open arms, they gave us excellent service all night and we were served incredible, fresh, home cooked food. We each had something different but each plate was immaculately cooked and the portion sizes were decent. They made our night. This is a lovely Cornish pub that won’t disappoint.

A pub just a few steps away turned our family of 11 away and gave no reason. We were pretty disappointed ……. then we enquired at the Turk’s Head and not only did they welcome us with open arms, they gave us excellent service all night and we were served incredible, fresh, home cooked food. We each had something different but each plate was immaculately cooked and the portion sizes were decent. They made our night. This is a lovely Cornish pub that won’t disappoint.

Called in for a swift pint on Tuesday evening. An interesting interior and the food menu looked inviting. Will return for a meal next time in Penzance.

Called in for a swift pint on Tuesday evening. An interesting interior and the food menu looked inviting. Will return for a meal next time in Penzance.

Surprisingly good food, and an amazingly quirky pub.

Never had a dodgy pint in here, and the food is amazing. A must visit to any night out in Pz

Came upon this quaint little pub while exploring the old town behind the seafront. It's very easy to spot because of the colourful flags on the front of the building. It's also a very ancient pub ( 800 years old according to the chatty young barman who served me), with wooden beams and nautical pictures on the walls. There's even a smuggler's passage hidden beneath the pub. It's sealed off now because it's unsafe, but you can go down some steep steps to the basement to see the old wooden door leading to it. There's a nice little beer garden at the back, but I had lunch in the cosy bar. The staff were both hospitable and friendly. Chose a local cider from a very extensive drinks menu, and it was really good. Plenty to choose from on the lunch menu too, including sandwiches, traditional pub favourites and seafood dishes, but I only wanted something light, so I ordered two of the bar snacks: tempura vegetables with a Japanese dipping sauce, and pea and mint arancinis with lemon mascapone. The portions were generous, and what a delicious mix of flavours! Good value for money too. Enjoyed the time I spent at this pub, and would highly recommend!

Very friendly staff, professional, great food and good vibes. The hotel was easy to get to. We had the crab and prawn linguine special and it was delicious. Highly recommend a visit.

Lovely food, staff and ambience

Very warm welcome and managed to fit us in between bookings. Lovely friendly staff 🙂

Found this on a whim on Trip Advisor myself. Fancied somewhere different in the area. It was bar service to sit in the garden but food was brought out in a reasonable time. We ordered Shepherds Pie, a burger and the 4 starters for £25, it was tasty and reasonable portions. Just bear in mind, direction dependent, it's up hill to get to.

Booked a table to have a Sunday roast, never got a chance to have food as the servers forgot about our table and served multiple tables before us and they ran out of the roast beef that we came there for. Would not return, no recompense just an apology. Well sorry we wasted our time by visiting your establishment.

Decent beer but trying to get a meal was a joke. Was refused servive because "we are too busy and a big table of 10 is expected".. What! If that isnt how to destroy a business I dont know what is. On the high side as well. A pint and a half... over £8. I wont recommend or return.

Super food. Highly recommend the Tapas selection.

Sadly we didn't eat But a lovely little pub

Came across this pub by chance, but my luck was certainly in! Staff were friendly and helpful, excellent selection of beers and the food was fresh, tasty and hot. It also had a lovely olde worlde atmosphere missing in so many pubs Highly recommended!

Disappointing meal. The food was very bland and lacked flavour. They also mixed up our order - we informed the waitress and she never returned with the item which was odd. The staff on the bar seemed friendly though and the garden was quite nice. The inside of the bar is very dark and dingy.

Great food in a very old pub. Friendly, helpful staff. Definitely recommend.

We visited as a family of 5 plus dog on 31st July 2024. We'd eaten in The Turks Head during our holiday in 2023 and enjoyed it so much we wanted to return and we weren't disappointed. The staff were all friendly, service was good and the food was excellent. The decor and atmosphere are just right for such an historic pub. My youngest daughter enjoyed seeing the smugglers' door downstairs. The courtyard garden looked gorgeous and next time we visit we'll aim to eat out there.

Absolutely recommended, delicious food, friendly service and pleasant atmosphere

Found here after wandering the area looking for meal and drink on very hot day and met by lovely young staff who were very knowledgeable about the various beers and drinks and great lunch menu. Then we thoroughly enjoyed the best fish and chips! This place a shining light in a very drab town. Wish them further success.

A truly wonderful pub. A terrific atmosphere, excellent food and ale and first class staff. Highly recommended.

Tables crammed into a small area as a result constant disruption from members of staff squeezing past. Cutlery in drawers right behind one of our seats. We had an issue with a rude member of staff. Asked 4 times for them to get manager refused sneeringly each time. Manager claims to know her staff yet was nowhere to be seen and couldn't answer why staff member sneeringly refused to get her Average food. Part of our order was obviously held back. Pathetic attempt to punish a paying customer Childish attitude to customers

On holiday in Cornwall and spent the morning being depressed at the tacky pit of despair that is Lands End. Stopped in Penzance for food on the way back to the campsite and thought the Turks Head looked good. It was great, a lovely traditional pub with great food and a relaxed atmosphere. We were seated straight away, by very friendly and welcoming waitress. The food was really tasty and good value and all the staff were really friendly. A great find, definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Great pub for a lunchtime and evening meal.when the staff are On top form..

A local pub full of everyone who knew each other. Food was fine

Great food, service was on the most part very good, excellent fish and chips. Dressed green salad was just spinach, raw red onion and a few tiny pieces of radish however, for £4 I’m not complaining. Nice pub and would come back again!

Lovely food and atmosphere. Staff are lovely too. I scored service lower as there was a long period of time to take our order, nearly an hour. However o ce ordered it arrived in good time.

Great little pub. Fabulous, friendly and attentive bar staff. Beer garden being refurbished but still looking lovely.

Worse service ever. Someone needs to step up and fix this team. DON’t BOTHER!

A super cozy pub with good beer, good food. The staff is very nice.

We stumbled upon this great little pub last week whilst on holiday in Newlyn, what a gem! The staff were fantastic, really helpful and friendly. The food was great, we had the burger and the fish finger sandwich, they have a lovely little garden out the back full of beautiful plants, trees and flowers. Would highly recommended.

Great serive and delious good, cooked all fresh.

We had reserved for dinner, which is recommended. A quaint, cozy pub whose staff were very friendly and quick. Since it was peak time, we waited a while for the food, but it wasn't bad given the atmosphere. Unfortunately there was only fish & chips and no other fish dishes. But the portion was large and tasty. You can always go in for a drink at the bar.

Really nice food and friendly staff

Unique setting. Excellent ales and service.

Super little pub that looks very small on the front but extends inside into many levels and through to the beer garden at the rear. Very nice staff and Landlady who have this treasure of a pub looking amazing throughout. Parking is limited outside, but this is a beautiful grade listed pub and is definitely worth a visit if in the area. It was refurbished to a very high standard 2 years ago but very in keeping with this traditional very old pub... ( One of the oldest in the area ) Lots of seating throughout Including a private dining area down stairs. 😎

Small but excellent menu, freshly changing and seasonal. Be prepared to pay accordingly, for local steak ( most expensive thing) at £30. I would call this mid range and definitely value for money - given the quality!

Good food, good beer, nice ambience. The staff could be a bit friendlier.

Nice food, good service, lovely staff

One of the best places with friendly service and fine food with Guinness. Thanks

Great food, friendly service, real ales. Perfect.

Brilliant, unfussy pub in Penzance. The little garden at the back is a hidden gem. Try a pint of the “Offshore”—an award winning Pilsner.

Had a lovely dinner and a few drinks here. Had the special which was a chicken pie with mash and my sister had steak which was beautifully cooked to her preference. Both had a mixed fruit crumble and custard for pudding (hardly had room for it) but still delicious. Highly recommend for dinner and drinks. We were too late to see any entertainment etc. Lovely old pub and well worth the 5 stars!

Good food and drink, great atmosphere and fabulous staff

Out of the driving rain and greeting by a roaring fire and friendly staff would were only too pleased to give our large party (eight) seating. The food was proper hearty pub grub and they provided table service. The decor is traditionally quaint and the atmosphere was one of happy, chatty punters. It has a beer garden with extra seating and decent choice of ales. Thank you being so accommodating.

We only had a pint here but the service was brilliant.

Loved the atmosphere and the Offshore beer on draft.

Great atmosphere, great friendly helpful staff and great pub food. The steak was great and the two vegan options were made by someone who had thought about what vegans like to eat! Really good suet pudding and wellington and delicious chips. All that and Verdant lightbulb too!

Food and drink were lovely. Service was a bit hit and miss, but overall, a great place to enjoy an evening out.

This medieval style pub is a must visit in penzance...

Only had a beer but was a lovely pint of Verdant by the fire. Classic trad beers too. Dog friendly.

Lovely little social pub with a good beer line up.

I have just the best pub roast ever. Beef, vegetables and yorkshire pudding all cooked to perfection in just the right quantities. Superb gravy. Awesome!!!

Food very very poor and gave me food poisoning, soggy chicken, chewy squid… very expensive also, however lovely atmosphere and staff were lovely…

Cool bar with an old fashioned atmosphere.

Always visit the Turks head for a meal.in PZ if we can A1 food and service always!

Excellent overall experience! I had the pan fried trout, which was perfectly cooked, really tender! Really enjoyed the atmosphere in general. Friendly staff, great setting, nice beers. (Although watch your head on the low doorways!)

It was really good to see a pub so busy and our food was excellent. The ladies on duty were friendly, chatty and very welcoming. As locals we’ll definitely go back again!

Really great pub. We got there early and got the last of (about) 6 tables. Honest pub food, riotous waitress. Service terrific. Prices very reasonable.

Love this pub, it’s had a revamp inside which is in keeping with the age of the pub and the food was home made pub grub! 🤤 friendly and helpful staff. Doggy friendly to 🐶

Popped by for beer and decided to have a snack, onion rings and bowl of fries, both were of good quality and the crispiness of the coatings were perfect.

Old looking pub, good selection of beer.

So much history and character to this fascinating pub. The ages were lovely and although I didn’t eat the food did look nice. The manager was especially friendly and had a good long chat with us - taking us through the history of the pub. Would recommend if you’re in Penzance

Our go to pub in Penzance. Happy staff (over 2 visits), excellent atmosphere and good food combined to get us as return patrons despite plenty of other options. Happy to and easily recommend the Turks Head. 5 kangaroos 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘👍

I ought to say that I keep a bar and own a pub myself so looking round you could it was being run properly. Firstly it was v clean. No sticky table tops, windows gleamed and the glasses were clean, something you would expect but actually is quite rare nowadays. Secondly the staff were attentive and responsive to customers needs. Third the Food was not typical Pub Fayre. I had the belly pork and my wife had the home made steak and ale pie, both cooked and presented perfectly. Overall This pub just felt right. Full of character and atmosphere. Great service and excellent food.

Excellent meaty shepherd's pie made with slow cooked shoulder of lamb, plus plenty of well cooked vegetables...and classic fruit crumble desert...on our second visit the service was awful...

Best pub in Penzance great food, great beer and a wonderful fire burning in the corner. We have visited this pub for many years and will continue to visit

Really nice characterful pub. Good range of items on the menu. Very friendly staff. Had a very nice meal here on our return from The Scillies and as we only wanted a lightish meal they said we could have something from the lunch menu.Thoroughly recommend

The staff were amazing and a lovely selection of drinks. Plenty of games to use on your visit. Lovely garden and amazing food!!

Context: Ate here one night while in Penzance in Sep-2023. They were busy and we had no reservation so we ended up in the basement room with a few other people, next to the smugglers tunnel. Positives: Warm and welcoming. Good food. Good portions. Super friendly staff. Free wifi. Historic. Negatives: None Summary: Worth a visit

Context: Ate here one night while in Penzance in Sep-2023. They were busy and we had no reservation so we ended up in the basement room with a few other people, next to the smugglers tunnel. Positives: Warm and welcoming. Good food. Good portions. Super friendly staff. Free wifi. Historic. Negatives: None Summary: Worth a visit

My absolute favourite PZ pub ❤️

This pub was close to our apartment so we came here several nights after being out and about all day. The BLT sandwich on a sourdough bagette was delicious as was everything else we ate. The staff went out of their way to find us a comfortable spot to sit and we were lucky to have Becs waiting on us a couple nights in a row. She's the best ever, thanks Becs!

Went for a drink only on Monday and enjoyed the atmosphere so much we went back on Tuesday to eat and drink. The food was so good. The girls serving were great to

Wetherspoons quality food at double the price. A mile from Newlyn harbour yet dreadful quality (obv. frozen fish) dished out at £20 with frozen chips and a measly portion of mushy peas. Preying on unsuspecting tourist me thinks.

We love this pub and it's always on the must do list when we visit. Had a very friendly welcome the minute we walked through the door. Decided almost immediately that this was the place where we would be having our lunch . Although we have been there many times this is the first time we have eaten there. We chose the fishfinger roll which was the perfect size as we knew were eating later . Well cooked in a crunchy batter with a top homemade tartare sauce . Ale was excellent perfect temperature,too many times ale is served too cold ,tasted great . Staff ( two lovely ladies )sorry we didn't catch their names were so friendly and were very accommodating to our very nervous dog . Can't wait for another visit especially as there is fish pie on the menu.

Been a while since we visited the Turks Head and we were delighted to have a lunch treat there. Delicious food and excellent service. Always feel relaxed and welcome. Thanks to everyone for all your hard work. Can highly recommend this atmospheric and historic pub!

Great food, a fun pub. The fish pie was absolutely fantastic 😋.

Oh my god the food is amazing. Had the four for £22 and it did not disapoint. What an amazing pub and staff are so friendly too. If you visit penzanze then go here.

Cozy pub, friendly staff and good atmosphere. We went here for the sunday roast and enjoyed it. Great to also have a good vegan option!

Ohne Reservierung durften wir nur hinten im Hof Platz nehmen,die Bedienung hatte offenbar nicht viel Zeit für die Gäste dort oder nur ein chitty-chatty mit Bekannten,wir fühlten uns in den anderen Pubs und Restaurants,die wir auf unserer Reise besuchten wesentlich willkommener,das Essen(wir hatten den Gebackenen Käse)war für 15£ nicht besonders, trockenes Brot (angeblich handgemacht), ein paar Spritzer karamellisierte Zwiebel auf einem Camembert,der wie aus einem Supermarkt schmeckte,das war’s..trocken eben.. dieser Ort ist mal wieder ein Beispiel,das zuviel gute Bewertungen zwar viele Gäste locken aber der Service ist nur: schnell Geld machen.. von mir leider keine Empfehlung

A good pub, split level local with proper tables and chairs, 3 ales on the bar.

Great little pub. Service fantastic with friendly happy staff. The rooms are full of character, food is very well done pub food and good value for money.

As we were staying in Penzance, thought it would be rude not to pay a visit to one if not thee oldest Pubs in town. Have been a couple of times, one for a meal and again in the evening for a couple of drinks. Friendly staff, great food and vibe within the place. Defo worth a visit when passing.

Excellent food and a very warm and friendly welcome from all the staff popped in for a family meal and so glad we did I had a prawn and crab linguine absolutely delicious we also ordered fish and chips and the kids had burgers not one complaint from any one great food at a responsible price would definitely recommend

800 Jahre alter Pub, man fühlt sich total zurück versetzt in früheren Zeiten. Leckere Vorspeise und guter Cider. Uriger Pub.

What a great experience to eat in one of the oldest pubs. Founded in the 13th century. Truly a must-see!