The White Bear Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells

After posting the following review, Catherine from the pub contacted me directly, apologised for the confusion over drinks and offered us a £66 voucher. My friends and I visited the pub last Saturday and had a lovely meal and service was great. Mistakes happen, but they can be forgiven if they are acknowledged and rectified. Hope to visit the pub again soon. Thank you. A beautiful eclectic pub with a great atmosphere, but sadly the food didn't live up to much and ridiculous price for drinks! We ordered a blush prosecco before being seated at our table so did not have a menu. After dining we asked for the bill and the prosecco was £66! I feel the service staff should have warned us the blush prosecco was double the price of normal prosecco. Very disappointing, won't be going back

Food was pretty poor to be honest , very basic and very expensive for what it was.

Great pub restaurant along TW high street! Close to the station, minutes walk. Cosy and warm vibes. Lovely staff. I would rate the food 7/10, and the portions were generous. Menu lacks variety though but we went on a Sunday and had the roast. Definitely get the pigs in “duvet” as a side.

I get that it's royal tunbridge Wells but for the price of 2 drinks i'd expect the red carpet the drink extortionate prices

The place and the service could not be faulted but the food leaves a lot to be desired. The starters were very good and cannot fault but the main courses that we ordered were very poor quality. The filet steak was extremely salty and very dry. The two burgers were very evidently pre cooked and then reheated as they were extremely tough to cut and eat. The risotto was tasteless, mushy and totally inedible. The desert that we chose of apple and pear crumble was strewed fruit sprinkled with crushed granola biscuits. After we advised the server of our do satisfaction she offered to replace the risotto but we had been out of the food and were not prepared to wait 40 mins for something new. We had to ask to remove the risotto from the bill

this was intended to be our 30th wedding anniversary celebration, unfortunately it was very disappointing, the food was awful. I had what I thought would be a delicious burger but it was like trying to eat a rubber tyre, and the chips were made with rotten potatoes, burger buns were stone cold out of the fridge. All in all a dreadful plate of food, we complained to our waiter which brought no response. Not a place to be revisited nor recommended

Absolutely love this restaurant. The outside area, both in winter and summer, provide a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy amazing food and drinks.

Taken through to extended bar area which was cold, ordered food which was frankly second rate (The batter on the fish was like concrete) and toilets were dirty and smelt. Cannot return and managers need to up their game!!

Hello. I just want to know, is smoking allowed outside?

Amazing pub with delicious food 😋

What a find! We were struggling to locate anywhere with the kitchen open for late lunch (that wasn’t a cafe serving sandwiches) and got very lucky with the white bear. Dog friendly and super attentive from the moment we walked in from the cold rainy outdoors. Dog water and adorable treats brought to us the second we sat down 🧡 The atmosphere is super cosy with lovely low lighting and candles on every table - really calm and relaxing. The food was super lovely, enjoyed a generous portion of fish and chips from their lunch menu and left feeling stuffed! The staff were fantastic and very friendly, checking in on us to bring our courses within perfect timing. Ignore the other horrible reviews and go have a brilliant pub lunch at this spot, won’t disappoint 👌🏼

2nd time visited, really nice place, great service, good atmosphere, will go back..

An unfortunate experience at the white bear. No coordination from the staff. Was told when ordering that certain drink were not available. The food was basic and not good quality. The burger we ordered was hard, overcooked and full of cartilage. I would not recommend accept to have a quick drink.

Nice atmosphere when we visited last week.

Fantastic pub, lovely décor, great service, superb wines

Went down to white bear today for some brunch only to find the establishment closed with no warning on their website waste of a journey

Lovely staff. Nice atmosphere. Greasy fish Cold mushy peas

We booked Sunday lunch in The Orangery. The decor was amazing and so was the food.

Hadn’t been there since October when we had a poor experience however, this time staff were very attentive and made every effort to make sure we were satisfied. Food and wine good too.

This place is really well presented and nice to be in. The staff are friendly as well.

A lovely and deceptively spacious pub diner in the centre of town. Parking is a couple of minutes walk but worth the effort. We'll decorated and comfortable. Staff are welcoming and friendly. Recommended.

Nice decor/atmosphere. Food good. Table service good. The main problem with this venue is that when you step in the front door there’s no one to welcome you. We walked up to the bar but were ignored for around 10 minutes. Finally someone spoke to us and we were told to find a table and come back to order. It was only when I reiterated that we had booked that I was told to go around the corner to the restaurant area. No signs. No greeting. There needs to be a greeting point inside the front door to direct people.

Great service , looked after well by the staff with a smile and enthusiasm. Food was great too !

Visited the White Bear on the 27th Dec with friends. We were sat out the back part which was atmospheric & the ambience was great, buzzing but not too loud. Our table was booked for 2pm & we didnt stagger out til 7pm! Our Waitress was knowledgable & friendly & we werent rushed at all. Food was great, tasty & good choice on the menu. We spent far too much on wine but that was our own fault 😅 Had visited in the past when it was the old Tun Wells Bar & Grill & it seemed just as good. Thank you.

Visited on xmas day 2023 for lunch with hub and 2 adult kids. Lots of pressure to get it right and they did. Room beautifully dressed, food honestly fantastic and service warm, friendly and efficient. I am usually the xmas cook and running around but eating out meant we were all round the table together for 3 hours. Perfect. Thank you!!

The White Bear in Tunbridge Wells offers a delightful experience marked by its warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff's friendly and welcoming attitude stands out, creating a positive first impression. During my visit, I indulged in the Parfait and triple-cooked chips paired with a refreshing beer or two ( well it is Christmas ) 😊 The Parfait was tasty and the triple-cooked chips were a crispy and satisfying accompaniment, adding a nice touch to the overall dining experience. The attention to detail in the preparation of these dishes was evident, reflecting the culinary expertise of the kitchen. What truly impressed me was the swift service – a testament to the staff's efficiency and dedication. The prompt delivery of my order contributed to a seamless and enjoyable dining experience. The White Bear's commitment to both quality cuisine and exceptional service makes it a standout choice in Tunbridge Wells. Whether you're seeking a casual snack or something more substantial, the White Bear offers a welcoming ambiance.

Brevity is necessary here, as wasting my time will be adding insult to injuty. Food for the price atrocious. Scallops the size of button holes and tasteless.Forty minutes [ to include two "any chance " chase ups] between courses. Steak and mushroom pies: five......yes bloody FIVE small pieces of tasteless offerings, obviously cooked from frozen in an all "singing all dancing" microwave, to such a degree that I literally burnt my thumb on the pastry! Not ideal with which to begin the festive season with the extended family.........

Whispering Angel by the bottle 🥂🥂❤️❤️

Smart pub, great comfy armchairs, great location and good food.

Found it a bit pretentious and not particularly friendly. Only pub we've been in in Tunbridge Wells that didn't make us feel welcome.

We came here for our Christmas meal. I do not normally like to leave negative reviews but unfortunately we had a number of issues. Some of the dishes were misrepresented on the menu and did not come with all the listed ingredients. For example, the brussel sprouts with bacon and chestnuts did not arrive with chestnuts. The raclette potato did not come with pickles and possibly also not with reclette. When our mains arrived they were scant and cold. The meat was dry and the potatoes were hard, you couldn't even cut them. Some of the mains arrived incomplete. On request, we were given fresh potatoes. At the end of the meal when we received the bill, the £60 deposit had not been deducted and we had to ask to have it removed. Had we not have noticed this, we would have paid it twice. To the credit of the staff, they were very kind and when we made them aware at the end of the meal, they did deduct money from our bill. However, overall I would be unable to recommend this restaurant based on our experiences.

Lucy M was a fantastic waitress and the floor manager was also engaging and chatty, and the experience was massively improved by their friendly and positive attitudes

I organised a 30th dinner with friends for my partner and I was not disappointed! We had Henry who was super friendly and really accommodating. He was very attentive and went the extra mile, give this guy a raise! The food was great. Will defiantly be coming back!

Can’t fault Henry who looked after us but the food… was late, cold and very disappointing. Starters in particular were poor, none of the main ingredients listed in the description, no cheese on Raclette! Burrata was not even a 8th of one ball…! The main was COLD and the roast potatoes tasted like they were from a deep fat fryer with old oil, no seasoning on the table and puddings were all extremely small! For one of the more pricy set Christmas Menus in town we expected a good tasty meal :(

Very good restaurant, the seats are spacious and the atmosphere cozy.

My husband and I had lunch at the White Bear on 21 November in Tunbridge Wells. We had not visited this restaurant before and found it most cosy and warm. Graham served us and was most gracious and helpful. His assistant Nathan was also very friendly and courteous. Happy Christmas to you both. Mr and Mrs Philip Purdon Herts.

We visited the White Bear for a family meal. The food was great, and everyone enjoyed their meals. It was busy and buzzing, with quite loud music. Lots of selection on the menu. Great place for a celebration.

Great atmosphere. Average Food (served late and not hot). Prices too high.

It’s a lovely pub. Really nice atmosphere. Staff are great, but not enough of them. Only one person behind the bar.

Had a lovely roast today, definitely up there with the best I’ve had. Always known this place for a banging roast but today was different gravy. Big compliments to chef :)

This is definitely my favourite place at Tunbridge Wells. From the moment I walked in everything was just perfect. The interior, music, even the temperature was just right. There is so many places overheated or just cold. I am very precise in what I like and yes The white bear gets all the high score from me. I also wish to say that the people working there are supper professional and friendly. Honestly top class. Food was divine. I had great cup of coffee which was made up to my liking with genuine kindness and patience from the girl called Anna. She is an asset to this already great place. For lunch I had set menu, mushrooms on toast which were so delicious and haddock with chips. Chefs are doing fantastic job there too. I will be definitely keep coming back. Thank you guys for creating such a lovely place. Sylwia

We visited White Bear for the first time last night and enjoyed the food and atmosphere very much. We would like to add a special mention to Anna who served us perfectly.

Beautiful place, warm and comfortable. Nice food, high quality produce. Very accommodating with daughters allergies during preorder stage via email. Very quiet and yet service was extremely slow, with hungry kids. Needed to go and collect our own drinks from the bar because waitress was taking order, making drinks etc all on her own. Would definitely return it was obviously just a slow evening.

Great atmosphere and a couple of drinks here with friends. Would definitely return. Lots of seating area

Nice place, good food. Worth a visit

Only popped in for predinner drinks, but will be back soon ! Loved the vibe!

Great lunch and brilliant service from Graham and Maddie Will definitely return ps They also serve Harvey’s!

Graham ... charming and very professional and helpful. Lovely happy chirpy chap!

Aaran was a great waiter. Lovely food and great atmosphere! Gravy could have been thicker for all round 5s.

Pros: Fantastic food, especially the Sunday roast, beautiful outside terrace area, great atmosphere. Cons: Poor service (staff unaware of menu, food missing from order, being completely ignored when trying to order drinks at the bar).

First time here whilst visiting Tunbridge Wells, it was the nicer pubs on the high street that we compared. For Sunday lunch we arrived early to get space for traditional roast - good thing too, as within 20mins the restaurant was packed. Recommend the pork belly roast if you're not a fan of beef. The roast portion size was smaller than what we're used to but it did not disappoint, there was just enough space for a shared dessert. Staff were lovely, tried their best to stay attentive even though it looked like they were short staffed, at least in our section. They worked really fast and kept all tables clean and tidy, hats off to them. The decor was main reason for choosing this spot, we spotted the beautiful furniture from outside, made it very cosy. We couldn't hear any background music but it helped keep it relaxed and quiet. Overall, ☆ Service: 4/5 ☆ Food: 3/5 ☆ Hygiene: 4/5 ☆ Ambience: 3.5/5 ☆ Decor: 5/5

A meal which was fine. The fish needed more seasoning. Wine was well priced for what we had. Music volume was good for a pub on a Friday night to enjoy a dinner with friends (when you reach that age).

We had a very nice meal here over the weekend, we have never been here before. The staff are very friendly and helpful , it was nice to see some very well-behaved dogs that are allowed in the area we had our meal

I have been to the white bear on many occasions and always left with a smile, so for my birthday I booked a table to celebrate for Sunday lunch 4.15. We sat at he back of the pub/restaurant this was the first thing that was to unravel a long list of disappointing things cold and very understaffed it start badly. We ordered our food, then was told that there was NO quarter of chickens and NO cauliflower cheese left and NO a large bottles of water. Then pudding time ! Great we was all going to enjoy out sticky toffee puddings , sadly NOT ! None left, Can we take my grandsons Mac & cheese home as he never ate it we asked ? It came in a squashes ball of tinfoil!!! Please don’t take booking’s that you can not accommodate it leaves people like us who was celebrating a birthday extremely disappointed and unhappy !! The bill was reduced but still a family celebration was not what we all hoped it would be ! Please white bear order over your booking allowances for food and puddings you have the booking info to work from ! It will be a shame if you don’t take this as positive and adjust your procedures, Thanks

Place looks amazing , really nice atmosphere. But the most important food is really good flavour as well as presentation. Good service nothing was to much to ask . Definitely we will visit again ☺️

The White Bear is a stylish Young's pub in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It's a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, and its food menu has something to offer everyone. Overall, I've impressed with the food at the White Bear. The dishes are well-prepared and made with fresh, good-quality ingredients. The menu is also varied, so there's something to suit everyone's taste.

Great food and service from Henry ..thank u for making Monday night special.. and the autumn menu..is great ...

Best Sunday Roast in Tunbridge Wells I have had so far! Tunbridge Wells has a lot on offer for Sunday roasts and I am working my way through them. The chicken although a little dry was excused due to the gravy being scrumptious. Good portion size and selection of veg which is sometimes a disappointment, but these guys nailed it. Service was ok, our waitress was lovely but it seemed under staffed. Atmosphere was calm and chilled for a Sunday and kid friendly.

Some reviews say the food is “out of this world”, well I’m not sure what planet they’re from. The chicken supreme was far from that. Instead it was bland, boring and totally lacking in any punch. There was supposed to be bacon with it and all I could spot was a few tiny flecks. I wouldn’t recommend this meal, especially at £20, it’s a waste of money. The croquettes were very fatty inside, surely they’d cut the fat off and make it a little more palatable. The jam was a bit odd, not really something I’d pair with these. Overall the staff didn’t attend to our table, our empty starter plates were left next to our mains, staff didn’t take away empty’s throughout our experience. Finally, the beer was flat, it was too expensive, and overall I’d like my £60 back. Do not go here, you may as well pop down the road for many more options. Comfy chairs though.

Served by Henry C, charming, helpful and friendly guy. One dessert was late arriving and he was quick to notice and came to explain. Lucy P also waited on our table and was warm friendly and polite, both are brilliant front of house staff. The food was amazing and so tasty. Highly recommend the roast dinner, just add apple sauce to the pork and you have nailed it. Even though the dining area is large, it had a friendly atmosphere and not too noisy.

What a great place. Really good service and fantastic food. Only negative was paying. Service charge is already added to the bill, 12.5%, but happy to pay. When given the card machine it was asking for a tip to be added. Got the impression this wasn’t a mistake.

Used the whitebear many times, the food was pretty good, the waitress was good but seemed to be let down by the slow kitchen.

Booked for my uncles 50th for a very chilled drinks and dinner. Was a superb evening and was served by Henry who was equally as good. Fab evening and thank you Henry for a lovely time!

Delicious and good value. Lovely environment and great location

Great pub. Lovely outside space. Friendly staff and great food.

whilst the drinks were a little pricey, we did enjoy the bar and outside area. we went here 3 times over a weekend. decent selection of wins and beers.

Great food and service. Lovely recommendations on the food also from Lucy P

It has a nice atmosphere but unfortunately the food could could have been better. We had the camembert to share which was quite bitter, so it would have been nice if it was served with cranberry. I had the white bear burger for my main but the 2 patties were way too overcooked and not very well seasoned.

Service amazing. Henry was awesome and attentive.

Great food, its tucked away on the high st with good service and delicious food thats worth the money

Mediocre at best. It looks the part however it's expensive, it's never the same bar staff which means they don't know what they are doing and the toilets are frankly dirty.

Beautiful pub with gorgeous decor and a great atmosphere. Food was delicious and the service was excellent.

This place is so amazing! And Henry and Lucy took special care of us! This is the best place ever!!!!

Excellent customer service. Food very good. Portions on the small side.

Disappointing. Expecting a lot better. Food was overcooked, portions small and Sunday roast was not a classic roast meal - prepared cold veg, no gravy, could only do beef "as it comes" so had a dry , small 1/2 chicken instead. Shame. Wont rush back.

Really disappointing. Booked a table in the orangery and then on arrival we were told it was empty so hadn't been opened. Meal was fine but after spending close to £150 we ordered coffee only to be told they didn't have any milk. As the pub wasn't busy enough to open the orangery, I would have assumed there would have been someone available to pop out and buy a couple of pints of milk from the corner shop about 20 yards away. Won't be first on our list when we invite friends for lunch on Tunbridge Wells.

Great pub at the end of the high street. Great service and good choice of beer.

Lovely place never been before and I will be coming back

Our first time here. A lovely welcome, exceptionally clean pub, attentive but not intrusive service, the food was fabulous. We enjoyed the whole experience so much we will be returning again and again! Ps the cask beers were great too

We stopped after a long walk. Staff were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is cosy and stylish with lots of natural light. Food was pub food. We had the fish and chips and burger. The burger was a bit too close to a fast food for my liking. Dog friendly. Will be back.

I had a great dining experience, I visited on the 3/7/23. It was quiet when me and my friend arrived, which made for a nice relaxed atmosphere. The general decor of the establishment is nice, a mix of traditional and.modern touches throughout. The staff were friendly, attentive and well mannered. Both myself and my friend had the soup to start and the Game and Celeriac pie for the main course, both dishes were delicious. However, particularly the main course, the pie was one of the best I have ever eaten, the mash potato was well done, but the creamed cabbage was the star of the dish. It was creamy, light and exquisite. Overall I was very pleased and would highly recommend.

Wonderful pub and restaurant with a superb menu and great choice for vegan/vegetarian as well as all the expected range. Lovely staff, not rushed but given time to enjoy the space. Highly recommended. Great lunch and afternoon

It was very quiet as it was 3pm on a Tuesday. Stopped to get a drink and light bite before a later dinner. Service was great, food was very quick, but not very good. Had the bread - 8 thick slices with oil and balsamic. The white bread was nice, but the brown was so dry and tasteless. Also ordered the hake goujons - they were horrible. Tough fish that just didn't taste good. We actually sent them back. The last thing we ordered were the potato wedges. They were just about edible but, again, tasteless. A distinct lack of seasoning. I've eaten here once before and didn't have a good experience - the quality of the food just doesn't reflect the high price tag. Such a shame as the venue is lovely.

Had a lovely lunch, place was busy as a Saturday afternoon and staff clearly overloaded but very pleasant and friendly..food was well presented and tasty...2nd time here and would definitely come again

Gorgeous food and great attentive and engaging staff

The courtyard was a lovely environment for sunny lunch with colleagues. Service and food were both good. Will go back.

Great venue for birthday cocktails! They reserved a lovely section of the bar area, staff were friendly and accommodating, drinks were flowing. Highly recommend!

I generally have low expectations around pub food but this was excellent - often I wonder whether there’s really a chef back there but I don’t doubt it here 😊

Unimaginative menu (steak, burgers, fish and chips), lack of lighter / interesting options, quality nothing special, long wait until food arrived. Decor is very nice. Used to go when it was Tunbridge Wells Bar and Grill (which was great) but now owned by Young's pubs. Wouldn't highly recommend unless you want very traditional, boring and slightly expensive meals.

Lovely pub and brilliantly friendly staff! Delicious paloma cocktail and beautiful presentation, shout out to Abi and Solo who were helpful and lovely

A beautiful querky pub in the heart of The Pantiles. Generous portions of food even if it wasn't the tastiest ive had. Staff were excellent.

Youngs Pub Good selection if beer and wine and bubbles . Olives and Anchovies were a good accompaniment. Fish dishes looked excellent . Not your normal pub grub 👍 No oysters unfortunately but garlic prawns looked lovely

Perfect for a pint but very expensive.

Great food, cocktails, service and atmosphere. I will definitely come back.

great atmosphere and helpful staff. the option to order via the app was straightforward.

I've been to the White Bear a couple of times this year (2023) and whilst the venue is nice and the food is lovely, the service is horrendously slow. You practically have to stand on your chair and wave your arms to get them to take a drinks / food order, or even get the bill at the end. Have serious second thoughts about going back again for that reason alone.

Love this pub - always a great atmosphere. The foot is delicious too.

Great food, drinks and service! We went there with a big group for our grandmother's 97th birthday and had a lovely time. The waiter, Henry, was welcoming and attentive. I highly recommend a visit to the white bear!

Such a great pub! Thoroughly recommend the ambiance, staff, location.

Roomy pub and restaurant, great food, lovely outside area and n8ce music