The Yachtsman Arms in Tendring

Delicious food, lovely atmosphere, great staff and a yummy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at great prices. We recommend it.

This rapidly became our favourite eating place in Brightlingsea. Amazing service and food. Made this Yorkshire couple very welcome, sad to have gone home but we will be back.

Had high hopes but it turned out to be a typical Greene King mediocre offering. My party all agreed that dessert - treacle tart - was outside our previous experience. It had the faintest flavour of golden syrup, but the consistency of bouncy latex. Chef - please look at a recipe. Don't think we shall return.

Wow what an amazing place this is! The food was delicious and the service great. Excellent choice of beers and ales too. Lovely location

Upon arrival was told they do not accept the blue licht card which I said you are a greenking pub online? Anyway , heard it was a fish restaurant , but hardly no fish on menu??? We were also given the wrong bottle of wine, not enough bread to go with the pate! Service was a tad slow , husband had eaten his starter before mine came out x

Very good meal; mostly seafood. Staff helpful, gave advice. Some dishes had littel twists to add interest. Wide menu and specials. FAirly quick service, decent price Enjoyed fish pie and bakewell dessert Got a bit hot and noisy, but difficult to solve that one. Thanks

What a find! We were staying in Brightlingsea for the week and ate here 4 times plus called in for just drinks. Food was excellent every time and we tried quite a lot of the menu. Drinks are very reasonably priced.Good background music and very happy staff. Everyone we came into contact with was pleasant, helpful and all seemed to be happy working there. Would definitely recommend.

First class place. Superb food, really friendly staff and great atmosphere. No wonder they’re always busy and full of locals. Cromer Crab was so tasty

We just had an amazing meal. The food was outstanding. Restuarant quality at pub grub prices. Our server Millie was a credit to the business. All the food was served quickly and was cooked to perfection. Pub itself was very clean and decorated nicely. Fish was fried freshly and beer batter was amazing. We both had starters which were lovely (Whitebait and deep fried brie) My wife had a butternut squash taggine with cous cous which she loved. Deserts appeared to be homemade too (strawberry and white chocolate cheese cake and sticky toffee pudding (both with ice cream). The ale was delicious too, had a Greene and Kings abbot ale. Would 100% go back again. Great value and lovely food.

Can’t fault this place. Waiting staff really polite and attentive, the food is first class. Good side portions and freshly cooked, really tasty and beautifully presented. Our go to place now. 💙 5 star ⭐️

Popped in on Easter Monday after a long walk with the dog on the off chance there might be a spot for us to have some lunch and do some training with the dog too! Fortunately, even though the pub was busy inside and out, there was a table free for us and pup to sit at. Plenty of dog bowls for water available and even though it did take a little while to have our drinks order taken, we understood as the ladies in the bar were very busy serving food and drink to patrons who had arrived before us. Once our order was taken, the drinks arrived swiftly and we ordered our food. Again as it was a busy day, we understood there would be a little wait for food but gave us an opportunity to do some training with our vocal and very friendly Staffy who just wanted to say hello to everyone. Food was very enjoyable, so much so, we just had to have a dessert and a couple more drinks! Staff were very friendly and accommodating even though they were very busy. Definitely will have to pop in again on our next visit!

Been several times during the year and it never disappoints. The Tuna is to die for, that it’s best I’ve ever had, beats the Spanish any day. I’ve also had the Ham, Egg and Chips, beautifully flavoured home baked ham, so full of flavour. Service is great, place is away packed. My son goes for the burgers and my husband the fish pie. Keep up the good work !

We visited the Yachtsman’s Arms twice during a winter break this year and both times the food was excellent as was the atmosphere and the customer service. It was busy even in Winter and the food was very reasonably priced for the quality. We will return!

Had a lovely meal yesterday when we came down to Brightlingsea to visit family. Pub is located right by the harbour which is a lovely spot Staff are very friendly, attentive and helpful Food was lovely , good honest pub grub, well cooked and presented , nice size portions and a good selection on the menu Beer was great too, enjoyed the IPA Thanks

Visited the yachthmans today for the first time in 4 years, after my mum moved from brightlingsea. We just fancied a drive out to remind ourselves how lovely the town is. After a walk round, we had to go in for lunch. So pleased to see it was pretty much how I remembered it. Food was excellent and the staff were so friendly, as were the locals as I always remembered . Bought back some happy memories. Hope to see them again soon.

Been coming to Brightlingsea for 15 years as my mum lives here and I absolutely love this place! The staff have always been friendly and nothing is to much trouble. I love the menu there’s always something to suit all our differing tastes in food as a family and as a couple. The bar area is comfortably and the restaurant is just as it should be. There are games available to play like connect four and uno to keep the children occupied or thrash your partner 😂. There’s a heated outside area also. There’s a lot of pubs in Brightlingsea but this is definitely a winner.

We dined at the Yachtsman twice, once at lunchtime and again the following evening. Food both days was excellent, large portions and reasonably priced. In fact it was good home cooked food. My husband had the ham, eggs and chips both times, the ham was some of the best he'd had. I had fish and chips and then the following day their fish pie special again both were excellent and large portions. Also we shared an apple & rhubarb crumble with custard, it was delicious, it was also big enough for two. Staff were friendly and welcoming as well. Would definitely go there again if we are visiting in the future.

Superb, friendly pub/restaurant. Prices really reasonable and excellent food at the right price! Service is immaculate with friendly and attentive staff.

Great food and great service, would highly recommend! When paying we asked one of the girls if the gentlemen behind the bar was the bar manager, he was multi tasking to the max and definitely seemed to have order of everything that was going on, Including other staff members. Exceptional job! We were told he wasn’t, we really hope he receives the recognition he deserves. We will be back!

Had an excellent meal for our 40th wedding anniversary. Brie really good Steaks Cooked to perfection and desserts very nice. Had a really nice night

Perfect pub, easy to book but on a sunny Sunday we were still able to get a table outside. Great kid menu and reasonably priced. Large menu of adults, great seafood and roasts. Staff efficient and friendly. Great selection of drinks. Would recommend and return. Thank you 😊

A busy pub, serving what looked like very good food, and reasonably price, we only stopped for a drink, Rear garden has fairly old wooden seats, and probably could do with a rub down and re vanish, front benches much cleaner, staff friendly

Great pub in Brightlingsea. Staff were really welcoming. I can personally recommend the veggie burger. It was the tastiest, greenest burger! Delicious. Crab was also a winner, my partner could of eaten more of it though as it was so good. If visiting Brightlingsea, pop in here.

Nous avons eu un très bon accueil, le service est agréable et bien fait. Tous les plats étaient très bien cuit, surtout le Fish and chips. Un très bon PUB.

This pub was recommended to us. We went for Sunday lunch and were not disappointed. We were staying in the area and had a dog with us but this wasn’t a problem as there is a separate area for those guests with a dog. Our roast dinner was lovely with the beef cooked perfectly. The service was also excellent from the two servers in the restaurant and the barman. Sunday lunch is very popular here so best to book.

Chose this unassuming little pub on the first night of our short break simply due to its proximity to our accommodation. Lovely cosy atmosphere and friendly staff but the food was something else. So often places say they do homemade food but this genuinely was....

We booked a table for twelve people after a ramble. The staff were very welcoming and efficient. We all enjoyed our meals which were ordered individually and hot and tasty. Deserts were also delicious. Definitely would recommend.

Very friendly and welcoming staff , quick service, gave us the time we needed to decide what we wanted. Meal was lovely, my only criticism is that the veg was a bit too crunchy for me , otherwise it was lovely and plenty of it....

Many thanks to all the staff at The Yatchsman yet again for a lovely Christmas Eve evening. It was quite quite for Christmas Eve and we had a chat with lovely Hannah,who is always so friendly and welcoming. Happy New year to all the staff....

I’ve visited here a few times and can’t recommend it highly enough… Great menu and much to choose from with a specials menu also. The staff are very attentive, great atmosphere, the people who work there and the public are very friendly and the food...

We’ve been to the yachtsmans many times, food is always fab and good value for money with friendly and welcoming staff. Always something different to try on the specials! Can’t wait to come back for another delicious meal!

We had a table for 6 for our sons Birthday meal. We had all our meals off the Specials Menu this time the slow cooked braised beef casserole on a bed of mash, the Trout supreme & the Cod dish were all freshly cooked, presented...

It’s always busy and a reliable place to go to. I had been several times always loved there prawns in garlic. But reading through the menu this evening I was disappointed as I normally make most of the dishes at home, so the menu was...

This was our first choice for a lunch for the 2 of us or for a bigger celebration with family or friends but no more. We visited early summer to be "welcomed" by a member of staff who was bossy and inattentive. Our request to...

Went for a meal while on holiday, very pleased with decor, atmosphere. food, service & price! Wish it was nearer!

Wonderful meal at the pub such a varied menu all meals presented lovely , very good staff great night out with friends will definitely visit again, well done all

We stayed locally a month ago and found this lovely pub while searching for a dog friendly restaurant for Sunday lunch. We were so impressed. The food is outstanding. So often we try a pub Sunday lunch and it’s so mediocre…..this was lovely. Really nice...

After a casual afternoon with friends, we went for a walk along the seafront before stopping at the Yachstmans Arms for a meal. Although we arrived quite close to the end of cooking for the day, we were welcomed in and were soon seated and...

Great food, served in a hospitable environment by 'can do' staff - at very reasonable cost. We were fortunate enough to be staying nearby for a week, and were happy to visit the establishment on 4 occasions.

I had a return trip to this lovely pub 2day, and took my friend & her dog...We had the pork Belly which was delicious. We couidnt fault the food, the attentive, friendly staff, booked ahead as we had the 2 dogs, which would recommend.

We popped in today (Sunday afternoon) on the off chance that there would be a table free, and there was. It's a great sign that the pub was busy, and working safely with the Coronavirus sensibly. Not much of a wait for food to arrive...

Booked a table for Sunday lunch which turned out to be a brilliant decision. We were impressed with the Covid protection methods being deployed I.E., distancing, sanitizers and face coverings. Even though the pub was busy we did not feel crowded at all. The food was excellent with the Prawn & Crayfish tail cocktail a highlight. Sunday Roast was really good value and a good plate full. We had Peroni beer on tap and a glass of wine with the meal, all well presented and good quality.The most striking aspect of our visit was how hard all of the staff were working to make it a memorable visit for all customers. Nothing was too much trouble, and even though we arrived early we were made to feel welcome and told that we might have to wait a little bit for our order, which was no problem. Superb effort.

Lovely pub right near the Seafront and Old Shipyard. I returned to Brightlingsea after having lived there many years ago. Was pleased to see a lot of things had not changed too much. This pub has had a makeover and a decent outside eating area makes it very pleasurable eating al fresco. The staff were friendly very attentive and the service was very fast. The food was excellent and my crab was heaven. Served with chips as well, very happy. My partner had the haddock and chips and mushy peas which was also amazing. Great food, great pub and great atmosphere amongst the locals. Worth the trip from Dartford and will hopefully return in the not too distant future. Yummy!

We visited this pub with our two young girls for a last minute early dinner. They gave us a table outside which was perfect. Lovely staff and food. Great atmosphere and followed covid procedures well.

When visiting the Yachtsmans Arm we had amazing service , very friendly and helpful and patient as I couldnt decide what I wanted to eat. Definitely will be visiting again. 🙂

Great find on a walk. Outdoor seating all set up to be Covid safe. Staff were friendly and atmosphere great. Food was delicious

This pub was really well set up for COVID, it was easy to get a table on the same day. The staff were so attentive throughout and really seemed to enjoy their work! The food was really tasty, nachos to start (could only have been better with an option for pulled pork!) Wouldn't bother with the ribs again...needed a bit longer on the grill. However the Cajun chicken and steak were well cooked perfectly seasoned and served to perfection! Not enrolled in the Eat Out to Help out scheme but overall a lovely meal.

Booked online booking confirmed shortly afterwards. Had the sharing seafood platter not very big but the fish was lovely, then had mussels which were huge and delicious my husband had battered haddock which was fantastic. The place was very safe sanitizers throughout, toilets very clean and safe. Staff wearing masks and very friendly. Great find on trip advisor.

Our first visit to Brightlingsea, and we really enjoyed our day out.The food at The yachtsman Arms was excellent! The staff were friendly, the food was freshly cooked. Best fish and chips I've ever had!Would definitely eat here again, wish we lived closer. Thank you everyone.

We chose to come here & have our drinks & something to eat since government eased lockdown restrictions & we certainly wasn’t disappointed!The waitresses were very welcoming, polite, helpful & fully following strict measures re wearing ppe face coverings inc table service too.We sat outside, ordered our drinks & looked through the huge selection that their food menu had to offer A decent selection that also caters for vegetarians (as we are) I would recommend this pub to anyone, plus it’s my local too.

The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars was the speed of service but to fair it was just after the COVID restrictions being partially lifted so fairs fair. We enjoyed the meals and the staff were very friendly. Would definitely return and probably will!

While staying in the area we booked dinner here as it was open following lockdown. Really nice food and good service. Well managed considering the constraints opening after lockdown.

A lovely pub in a great location. Serves yummy food and has a nice, friendly atmosphere. We brought our parents here and had a lovely meal in the beer garden. We will be back!

Good atmosphere, the food is tasty and good value for money. There is an open fire making it pleasant for colder days and dogs are welcomed.

What a lovely place! The menu was full of tempting options; it was hard to choose what to have. The staff were exceptionally friendly and very helpful. The atmosphere was great, it's one of those cosy pubs with a gentle buzz but enough space to be apart from other diners. I only had a sandwich but that was lovely, and my friend said the homemade fish pie was delicious. I'll definitely return with family.

It was the second visit for food and this visit was just as good as the first. Excellent starter with good mains and desserts and reasonably priced with good staff means it's well worth a visit. In my opinion that is 😁

Entertained here by an elderly relative who took us to this hostelry on the advice of friends. Good friends, good advice ! Great atmosphere ( no frills ), lovely staff and super food at realistic prices. Hearty portions for sure. The best (fresh) veg. I've had in a long time. Having had the cheese board to follow my fish pie ( excellent ) my one regret is that I forgot to ask whence they sourced the goats' cheese - surely a prize-winner.

Really happy with meal yesterday for 3. Food tasty and plentiful. Nice ambience eg candles ect. Nice lady serving ( probably owner)

The pub knew we were coming but we didn't have to order in advance. We got our drinks at the bar and the waitress came to the tables and took our food orders.The service was first class. There were a lot of choices and there were lots of empty plates when we finished.I had cod and chips and a mushy pea puree with home made tarter sauce it was delicious.I believe the fish pie was first class too, the vegetables were cooked to perfection. One of our men had muscles with white wine and cream sauce, chips and french bread, I had never seen such a massive dish of muscles which he said were absolutely delicious. The steak and kidney puddings, fresh veg and mashed potatoes were excellent too as was the liver and bacon. No complaints as far as I know. I will certainly come back.

Eaten here a few times and it’s easily the best place to eat in Brightlingsea. Proper British food and so much more, different daily specials so always something for every taste. Staff very friendly, can’t fault anything.

Would like to let people know that we as a pub are open every day 12 noon, it's just the...

Great service, friendly staff, the food is fantastic! Had a steak there and it was cooked to perfection! And great value for money too. Highly recommend!

We ate three times at The Yachtsman Arms. Breakfast is excellent and you can choose what size you would prefer or have something smaller. We had a full breakfast and scrambled eggs on toast, both of which were cooked to perfection. The inside bar area may be quite plain inside but the eating area was more modern, fresh and very clean. The outside area was pleasant to sit in when eating lunch. We also had lunch twice here and there was a good selection on the menu plus the food was served timely and was delicious. Pity it didn't also serve early evening meals as there weren't any pubs nearby that did.

Whilst working in Brightlingsea, I had the pleasure of visiting The Yachtsman on a number of occasions. The staff were always friendly, and the drinks very reasonably priced. A good place to meet up with your friends if you're off into Colchester for a night out.