Ye Olde Smack in Southend-on-Sea

Excellent pub, every time we go we are served by Graeme who is so efficient and polite, such great customer service!

Dog and family friendly place. Incredible views from the back of the estuary. The food is delicious and a great range of ales and beers. Graeme the barman is a legend. I recently ate the fish n chips which were very good and then the last thing I had was this duck hash plate which was really delicious.

Great atmosphere, came here with partner and dog on a Tuesday afternoon, sat by the water and had a few pints and then some foo. Decent portions and well priced. 2 for 1 on beers was a nice surprise! Friendly bar staff.

Love coming to the Olde Smack! Lovely views, cosy environment and great service from Graeme, who always looks after us 💛

Fairly middle-of-the-range in quality, service, menu, and ambiance. Fairly un-noteworthy. My vegetarian roast dinner was mildly underwhelming, but was not bad by any means.

Very impressed with the bar service especially the guy called Graham. Will return thanks.

I went to Ye Olde Smack in Leigh-on-Sea this weekend and was thoroughly impressed by Graham's outstanding service. His professionalism, attentiveness, and friendly demeanour truly enhanced our dining experience. Graham went above and beyond to ensure we felt welcome and well taken care of throughout our visit.​ The atmosphere of the pub is charming and inviting, complemented by a delightful menu and a great selection of drinks. Being there in person made the experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend Ye Olde Smack to anyone looking for excellent food, a warm ambiance, and top-notch service. Kudos to Graham for making our visit memorable.

Fantastic staff at The Smack. I love it when you walk in and the barman pours your pint without asking you. Graeme is a star.

Lovely pub in Leigh-on-Sea with the best steak and ale pie I've tasted 😃. Quite noisy but fine. There's outside seating too so you can look at the sea as you eat and drink.

Ye olde smack is a fabulous pub in the old town of Leigh-on-sea. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Nothing is ever too much trouble even when the pub is very crowded. Special mentions for Graham and Francis who are always very professional and serve us with a smile even though they are clearly very busy. This pub helps us to feel part of the community that we miss in other parts the of Leigh. Thank you!

Graham was amazing, so attentive and made sure the busy bar was maintained well. Great attention to detail, will definitely be coming back

Graham was an absolute gem, he made our experience, thanks Graham <3 UTG

Great atmosphere, brilliant staff. Graeme was an absolute pleasure and super accommodating, thank you for your help. Would highly recommend to anyone.

Have been a few times. We love sitting on the back deck in the sun. As usual we had a lovely relaxing time. We ordered food and it came up quickly and tasted delicious. The service was excellent, attentive and friendly. I love to see happy waiting staff. My husband said that when he went to the bar, he was served by Graham who was very helpful in choosing a wine.

Couldn’t recommend this place enough, amazing staff, brilliant drinks and 10/10 food! get down here!

I have to say Graeme was amazing! and provided a fantastic service to myself and my family. Such a lovely atmosphere along with the brilliant service. We couldn’t fault the evening.

I always come down here when I'm in Leigh, it's my favourite place to go, to enjoy a glass of wine and I can't fault the food, it's always delicious. I love the atmosphere and there's always something going on during the week/weekend that's entertaining for everyone. I'm usually visiting with family, and we're always made to feel welcome. Graham is always a pleasure to see, he always makes time to catch up and takes an interest which makes you feel valued, I think that's a lovely quality to have. I would also like to mention Francis whom has always been a splendid host and always goes the extra mile to make your evening more enjoyable. This is a great place to be all year round.

Was greeted by a lovely gentleman called Graeme, he was very attentive to our needs as we had a dog and bought over a bowl of water for our dog and some treats. He was also very very kind and made our experience very enjoyable! All the staff are amazing! Highly recommend!

Graham is the most welcoming Barman in Essex. Always a pleasure

I recently visited Ye Olde Smack and had a mixed experience. The food was genuinely impressive — well-prepared, flavorful, and served hot. However, the experience was dampened by one particularly rude staff member behind the bar. From the moment we arrived, his attitude felt dismissive and unwelcoming, not only to myself but other customers. which really took away from the overall vibe. Everyone else on staff seemed polite enough, but that one interaction left a sour taste. It’s a shame because the kitchen clearly knows what they’re doing. If the service matched the quality of the food, this place could easily be a favorite. Here’s hoping management takes note and works on the customer service side of things.

10 out of 10 !!! Amazing food and had a lovely night on a night our! Cheap pints amazing food. came here about ten times within a month and absolutely love it !!!

Had a lovely family lunch at Ye Olde Smack. Amazing food, service, and ambience. Brilliant afternoon. No hesitation in recommending the venue and my Duck Hash meal, which was something to behold. Heartfelt thanks.

Cozy pub with great staff, but the food isn’t great. Cardboard-like cold fries, and a very mid roast. The vegan burger was tasty, but unremarkable though.

Graham and the team are always welcoming, chatty and quick with their service. Even in busy periods its easy to get served. The food and range of drinks on offer is great too. My favourite spot is the balcony, it's a real sun trap and perfect when the tide is in.

Lovely atmosphere. Great food & service. Perfect for family dining . Very welcoming. Highly recommended.

Always a great night out with live music on the weekend, enjoying the sunshine, thank you to the fantastic bar team. we love our local pub 🥰🍻

Great views, interesting menu variation on traditional themes friendly service

Great place to go to, especially on a sunny day!!! One of my favourite!!!

Been there a few times , all different age groups and families .. one of our favourites in the Old Town .

Nice pub with a great selection of drinks! Filip made our visit even better! Will be back

Ye Olde Smack (or just the Smack to the locals) is large traditional pub in the heart of the Old Town. Its perennially popular with locals & tourists alike and has plenty to offer in the way of entertainment. I popped in on Saturday night when there was a band playing, and the place was rocking! It has a nice, sunny terrace (though not large) but is near the beach. The food is reasonably priced and properly produced in the kitchen-the pies are particularly good. The bar staff are attentive and work hard to get you served promptly, even at the busy times.

Very friendly and enthusiastic staff very nice quiet setting and Billybob was very helpful during my visit 👍

Needs a lick of paint and men's toilets are a disgrace. However, good selection of drinks, atmosphere is decent, and it's in a very nice spot.

Proper old fashioned pub vibe, great music and atmosphere. On the food front, a lot of the menu is pretty ropey pub fayre but if you go for the squid, haloumi and chips it's all good. Some of the staff are fab - big shout to Graham and Ethan who are consistently absolute stars - the place would be a lot less without these two legends

Great pub. Barman Graham is fantastic, excellent customer service

Very dark inside, even during a bright Spring day. No parking nearby so arrive very early or park at the train station. Not enough staff behind the bar at weekends so service cancelled take a white. Food quality was good considering how dingey the pub appears. Some confusion over our food order which caused some consternation. Wouldn't come here for a birthday party but might to watch the rugby or a decent binge before a night out. Not really where I'd bring children.

Popped in for a pint after walking from Southend. I wanted a lovely, quiet pint of Guinness. I got that.

Lovely pub with niece views across the sea ( when in). Wish there were more cask ales esp. Stouts on offer. Had a variety of bar food starters. Did the job. Thanks!

Pros: super dog friendly. The drinks are fine. They play the sports. Cons: service is so slow, food comes out cold and you've finished your meal but your friends still hasn't arrived, and on top of it all you've already paid so you can't complain and ask for money off or something to compensate the poor quality and service. Even if they offered a free dessert or drink you'd be waiting forever for it and it woild be the wrong temperature.

Packed on a sunny Spring Saturday. Recommend you book a table.

Dog friendly. Lovely views and very welcoming.

Did nit eat but food looked so good

Great place to stop for a bite to eat really good food and service thanks Chris

Went for Sunday lunch with family and had a lovely experience. I had the roast dinner, which was delicious, and the fish and chips came highly recommended by my family. Mum had the fish and chips, which were beautifully presented and cooked perfectly. The desserts were fresh, and the timing between courses was spot on. The whole place had a warm, relaxing Sunday afternoon vibe. Would definitely recommend!

I don’t come over that way often but was pleased we went in. Food was lush and Claire was lovely, welcoming and went above and beyond. Will definitely go again and I’ll be bringing my mum next time 💯 all round great place 🤩🤩🤩

Where should I start I had an amazing time her everything was perfect and the lady that was serving me Claire she was absolutely amazing and made my visit will definitely be coming back

2 stars because a pint of level head is £6.90. It's £5.50 in the pub next-door.

Friendly, welcoming, and a great atmosphere Great service, dog friendly, live music and nothing is to much trouble Will be back again and again

Absolutely lovely pub, such a nice atmosphere on a Thursday evening. Great food and even greater wine! Was served by Callum, such a polite and friendly young man. Will definitely be back soon.

absolutely lovely pub, very home like atmosphere

Great location and good hospitality , Francis was an excellent host who really looked after us and the other guests , he worked hard and made the whole experience special.

Amazing night And especially Francis he make our night so Friendly and amazing service definitely we come back Much love

Great pub with great food and a great atmosphere!

Great dog friendly pub, great sun trap out the front.

Love coming to this pub, always such a great atmosphere. The bar staff are always friendly no matter how busy it is, Especially Greame, who is super attentive and always has a smile On his face.

Brilliant service again thank you to Graeme our barman who made us feel welcome. Love this place such a great atmosphere.

Great pub great food and drinks - great staff. Graeme Donnelly behind the bar really looked after us - will definitely go back again !

We love the ye old smack, my old friend Graham who works here, is just a top man… and he got good control and great attitude, great pub!

The best Pub in old leigh!! Fantastic service, ive been visiting for years, graeme in particular is always a pleasure to see behind the bar, would highly recommend the smack!!

Best pub in Essex by far! Amazing food Amazing atmosphere and super friendly staff 👌

Great place for food and drinks. One of the nicest pub in Leigh.

Lovely place to visit winter or summer…cosy and friendly.

Absolutely amazing pub, great atmosphere and live music for the cherry on top

January, we sat outside on the terrace one of those rare January days where the sun was shining , the tide was up , big ships were sailing past and it was hard to imagine ANYWHERE, you would rather be, a few beers or Proseccos ,..paradise, people Moan about the winter button a day like today it was heaven on earth. Lovely place this nice people whats not like and so close to home ,we felt as if we were on holiday!. Highly recommended.

I’ve been here countless times over the last 20 years, and before the pandemic, this was a favourite of mine for food. Sadly, my recent experience has changed to a negative point. The prices have increased significantly, but the food quality was not up to its usual reputation. The food was warm at best, but the steaks were very chewy and void of flavour. The portion sizes have also significantly decreased, and it’s no longer worth the money. The staff also didn’t take away our plates till after we’d left; so we were sat with dirty plates for the entirety of our stay. The positive points is that it’s dog friendly. Fine for drinks, but until there’s been a solution to the smaller portion sizes, expensive costs of the food and an improvement of food quality, then I won’t be eating here.

Lovely charming place right at the sea with a sea view if you catch the tables up front wich isn’t a problem in January 😉 Service is really friendly too

The pub felt very inclusive on arrival with families, dogs & babies etc But the food menu definitely wasn’t The options for Gluten Free are not existent on the menu and nothing is labelled with GF or wheat free symbols. You can ask at the bar when ordering but the staff knowledge is very poor and also the guy that served me rolled his eyes and huffed as I asked him questions. And when the food arrived my sons meal at no surprise came incorrectly and had to be sent back If you have any allergen to foods this is not the place for you to eat. Would not use again 1. due to options available and 2. Lack of interest's to help from staff

We pre-booked a festive lunch for our work Christmas lunch. When we arrived, the barman just looked at us. We said we’d come for our pre-booked lunch. He pointed to a table in the corner and said sit over there. So we sat for 30 minutes and no one came with our food. We went to the bar and got told they don’t do table service and we have to order at the bar. But we had pre-booked our food online and paid £20 deposit. Eventually they understood and went to cook our food . Another 30 mins past and the price of drinks were extortionate. The tables were old worn and shoddy . No effort made for Christmas lunches . Not even a table cloth or cracker. The toilets were even less desirable , no locks on doors and looked like a few punch ups had gone on in there. The food came and it was lovely. Then we went to pay and they didn’t know how to split the bill. We stood for about 40 mins while the man worked out how to use the till. In the end one of us paid, but they didn’t not take off my £20 deposit and said it would be refunded to my card , which they swiped. A few hours later I get a call asking me to go in to collect £20 cash. I was long gone by then as it’s a 30-40 minute drive from me. I have had no time to go and get it and why should I when diesel and parking would cost nearly £20. I have emailed them to ask for them to refund to my card and had no reply. Let’s just say the service was so shocking that I won’t be going back.

Lovely pub with a great atmosphere

We have been to the smack twice lately and on both occasions we have received excellent and friendly service- especially from Graham; who, even after the kitchens were closed one time , snuck in and found me a much appreciated dessert ! I can heartily recommend the Smack’s own Ale ( which Graham also steered me towards). Food was great, views are lovely - we watched the sun set over the water while we finished our drinks. Top notch!

Great Pub- come here all the time with friends and never had a bad experience- really great service, especially from Graeme, lovely to chat to and a great bartender!! and the atmosphere is amazing. Couldn’t recommend enough- the Smack is one of the best pubs in leigh!!!! :)

Great venue to hold get togethers for occasions. We celebrated a friends engagement the service was amazing as was the food. Definitely recommend!

It is a special place, which I particularly like, to which I return with love every time I have the opportunity. I spent a nice time with my friends here.

Lovely meal just had, attentive staff thanks to Graham for keeping us supplied with drinks and food.

I was with you Saturday we ordered food to our table and drinks, which was great then we then ordered ore drinks from our table, then two more of our group turned up we ordered there food but could not order drinks to the table ,this had been turned off from the app, so i went to the bar i gave up after an hour waiting ,i went back to our table expecting my friends would have been served there food but no ! i asked a Gentleman i belived to be the manager well first of all i told him i had been at the bar for an hour, he replied its busy !!!! why there was no more staff i have no idea any way i asked how long our food would be he said 30 minutes , i asked if he could get us some drinks he said no we would have to go back to the bar, he did say he refund my money for the food transaction 243430044000010248239 £35.75 which he did not do! We went a few doors down to the Peter boat which like your place was packed but was served stright away when we asked about food they said we are full at the minute give us half an hour, and we did enjoy the rest of the night, first time i had been in the Peter boat but will not be the last. have a great day you may want to pop in you self and see how a pub is run.

Overall a good experience and great experience, The service was great however more staff would have been nice. The server was very attentive and tried to accommodate as best he could.

honestly the best pub around! Service was really quick and the decorations made the experience even better !! thank you Graeme and Caitlin you guys are the best!

Really friendly staff, popped in for a quick drink with the dog and was given very quick service. Ethan was really great at the bar, he asked me how my day was and got some treats for my dog as well. Overall would recommend if you’re looking for somewhere in Leigh for a drink.

Love the smack.friendly service and good environment.massive beer selection and we spent afternoon going through the many whiskeys!! Great place day or evening!

Food amazing, atmosphere was phenomenal and the music/band was amazing too. Ego coming back

So nice just pop in for BEER and Meal. Nice staff and helpful. PUBS need more people going in them and keep them around. Children welcome and fill welcome.

Well as a local myself who is a regular I invited my colleagues/friends to visit for pre Christmas dinner. We booked for a Tuesday for 2pm and took advantage of the Christmas menu. We had a mixture it Duck (which was amazing) Turkey (really lovely) and a festive burger. The starters and puddings were also taken advantage of. We wasn’t rushed, the team looked after us as though we were guests to there home and were very attentive. I maybe bias as I am a regular with my two big dogs but they team have really got it right. It felt festive but not over the top. My group enjoyed it so much they all want to plan a revisit after Christmas. As a regular you did me proud today. Thanks to all the team including the fabulous management, bar staff and chefs for a lovely afternoon in your hospitality 👏👏👏

I was charged for an extra drink 😕 the refund was quick when challenged.

Serving staff and bar staff really helpful and friendly. Food was good could have done with few more roast potatoes but was very nice .

Really cool atmosphere and great decor throughout. Very friendly staff. Lucinda was super helpful. Would recommend and return.

Had a lovely little lunch today I’ve travelled down from London This is a sometimes go to but had a great time today Can I just say thank you so much to tamzyn - brilliant service, such a lovely lady - see you again soon

Good little cruiser by the sea, food was awesome

Great pub with great atmosphere! Very friendly helpful staff . Stopped here for lunch good food and drinks and it’s right by the sea . Definitely come here again

Stopped at the pub for lunch today, and we had such a nice time!! The food is great, the service is super nice (thank you Francis for being so welcoming), but most importantly, what set it apart for us is that it is extremely dog friendly 🐶 dogs are allowed inside, they even have a dog station with water and treats. Our doggy loved it. We will definitely come back. Thank you!!

The old smack has bright the in side bar slightly but will need any other staff member on hand to assist when astablisment get buissy.

Fantastic pub in a great location, has a real ye Olde pub feel which goes with the name. The food tasted fantastic and was presented well, decent size portions too which can be hard to find these days. Relaxed atmosphere with friendly, chatty staff all in all we had a great visit and would definitely return.

Great pub with very friendly staff and good selection of wine. One of the best fish and chips in the area. Highly recommend

Great service and food roast beef was amasing.friendly staff.have to come back definitely will be coming back. See you soon

So, as a local I can say that this is the best staffing the Smack has had. I used to visit here often prior to moving to Leigh. Francis, Daniel and all the team are doing a great job. They are friendly, approachable and personal. They can have a great chat with everyone and make you feel super comfortable whether you’re a local or just visiting. Recently, I had a few drinks here and a small appetiser. Very happy with how quick the service was and despite it being super busy, you can find quiet alcoves and spaces to tune out.

It's a lovely pub, didn't eat on this occasion, but have in the past and the food was good. Always a nice atmosphere.

Tamzyn serves like no other. Pay rise. Now

Give Lou and tamzin a pay rise!!!! Cutest people ever

Best place to spend time with good beer at true pub with its history.

Great local pub with a warm, welcoming atmosphere! The food and drinks are good, but what really sets this place apart is the excellent service. Graeme, our favourite barman, always goes above and beyond to make sure we have a great experience. Friendly, attentive, and full of laughs.

A lovely homely feel on a cold evening. Welcome staff Clean. Great food and lovely drinks. (Thank you for the extra sauce pot lorenzo).