please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Buddle Inn was third and last pub we visited in Niton yesterday. After visits to Joe's Bar and the White Lion, the Buddle was the busiest of the three. It's a cosy pub which clearly specialises in food. Once at the bar, we were summoned to the till for our food order to be taken. Ordering drinks instead seemed to catch them by surprise. They have a house beer called Smugglers from Timothy Taylor, alongside Landlord and Sharp's Doom Bar. There was no real cider. Popular with families, there is a roaring open fire in winter. From the front, there is a nice view across the sea. Not really a drinkers' pub. For that, head to Joe's Bar in the village's post office.
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Reputedly a former smugglers' inn and I can well believe it. All the character and charm you can want. Doom Bar, Bombardier and Yates' Buddle Brew were on sale - I tried the latter which was decent but probably not helped by the hot weather which caused it to lose its condition pretty quickly.
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Idyllic spot but the music was too loud for us to chat. Boring Doom Bar and a couple of big regional beers on offer alongside two from Yates for the bus weekend.
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A lovely pub set in a superb location ,3 Ales on including a local .Old Rosie Cider on tap food looked good ,also a good garden to sit out in on a summers day.
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I must admit I'm a Youngs man, I went to school within spitting distance of the bewery and I began drinking mild & bitter long before it was legal for me to do so. I'm also very fond of the Buddle. I don't get to visit the IOW as often as I would like but always try to get to the pub when I do. I have never been disappointed, so it was great to see Youngs London Bitter on tap and an Isle of Wight crab salad on the menu.
Six bitters, including the local brews, Goddards & Yates (how I miss Burts) and my mate was suprised and delighted to see and taste Flowers Bitter, albeit on keg, but then wasn't it always?
Service, as usual, was swift and efficient, the staff and customers very friendly and the weather just the job for a bit of al fresco dining. I have no hesitation in rating this pub maximum points
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We too found this when on the way to visit St Catherines Lighthouse.
I can't remember it being called the Buddle Inn then, though, but I have the right place from the description of flagstone floor and wood panelling with lots of alcoves. They served us a good meal and the memories of our visit were fond ones.
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What outstanding service in a beautiful 16th century pub/resturaunt!
My family & I were so overwhelmed with the great service, attention to detail & warm atmosphere at the Buddle Inn, we have visited many times throughout our holiday.
Recently under new management & with new staff, we found it very friendly with fantastic meals each time.
They have live music on weekend evenings & live jazz every Sunday, now with a decking area on the patio area outside. It is a beautiful place with fantastic views across the channel.
Cannot wait to revisit next time we are over.
A credit to the island!
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Heading down from the Coast Path I was really looking forward to visiting this pub. What a disappointment � extreme short measure on my pint, surly staff and a chap who followed me outside stood in the doorway smoking then spat on the patio. Hope this is not true of other people�s experiences.
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A nice old pub - flagstone floor and decent beer. Had some lovely crab sandwiches and not a bad price for food in the IoW. Staff upset my partner who paid by credit card when they asked if he wanted to add a tip before he'd even tasted his food. How would you know yet?
chick - 27 Jul 2008 12:14 |
My wife got served a hair in her food here and because it was in a seperate vegetable bowl they worked out what percentage of the meal that was and offered me �1.60 back.
On the strength of that truly abysmal customer service I will never visit the pub again.
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My wife and I found out about The Buddle Inn through an Isle of Wight brochure. We found this pub to have a lot of history, it is really a beautiful pub. Not only that but when we first stopped in for a mid-day pint the bartender was very hospitable and she shared some of the history of the place. The pub overlooks the water and is very picturesque. I enjoyed a Flowers bitter and my wife enjoyed a Carling. Later that evening after touring the southern part of the island we stopped back for a terrific dinner. I am baffled that this pub has a rating lower than an 8. I think the place is under new ownership because it was one of the nicest pubs we visited in England. - Dean
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Walking the coastal path from Ventnor to Chale a Sunday in August The Buddle in was the perfect place to dine. After a visit down to the Lighthouse we had a good lunch at the pub. The place was crowded as we arrived (all outside seatings were occupied), but it's not a problem waiting for your meal as long as they serve proper ale.
A pub full of character, worth visiting.
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The Buddle Inn's location reminds me of the Bankes Arms in Studland, Dorset. It has the same amazing views across the English Channel and the same olde worlde feel to it; your typical country pub. Good beer, nice atmosphere and a reasonable seating area out front with a decent car park across the road. We visited on a very quiet Monday night in October, when there were only two other people there, trying to decide what to order from the good-looking menu. We'd already ordered (the Buddle Pie - with apricot, thyme and chicken - and cajun chicken) and waited only 15 minutes for it to be served, but it was only so-so. The pie was good but the veg were undercooked (the menu said they are cooked "al dante" - I'd say they were merely shown the pan of boiling water). By the way, my rating for the pub is heavily swayed by the ambience and the views. It's best visited at lunchtime during the week, preferably outside the tourist season if you're planning to eat.
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My girlfriend and I stumbled on The Buddle Inn last week while trying to find St. Catherine's Lighthouse, which we never did find. The approach to the pub was everything you could wish for, it's a beautiful looking place. We went in and ordered some drinks, the beer tasted great and the chap behind the bar was accommodating and courteous. We walked outside as it was a nice day. There was a friendly couple sitting on the patio who'd come over from Bournemouth, can't ask for a better endorsement for a pub than that can you? We also saw a chap walk in by a side door who we later saw on the return ferry to the mainland. He was a great bloke. All in all, a lovely little pub. It comes recommended.
anonymous - 30 Apr 2006 11:58 |
I went here for a Christmas do this year, food and service was excellent. Best christmas dinner I've ever been out for. Also eaten and drank here several occasions before and never had any complaints.
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used to be good here, but now it has gone down so fast, waited ages for food, in the end we just walked out.
anonymous - 21 Oct 2005 17:28 |
Visited this pub in August 2005 for evening meal as a party of 8. After submitting our order we waited for 1 hour 40 minutes for the food to arrive during which time many other people had gone to the cash desk to complain about the wait. The landlady's attitude was that nowhere else was quicker so they might as well stay! We tried to order a glass of wine as advertise on chalk board but were told they had run out. The food was of poor quality and the student waitresses who served us looked overworked and under stress. Not a pleasant evening out.
anonymous - 27 Aug 2005 22:37 |
This pub is full of charitar, not cheep but good selection of real ales, and excelent sea views, it has just got to be visited on warm summer evenings.
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please dont bring this pub down its steepd in history and the poeple are very freindly the food is fresh and good for value not been for two years but it will be the first pub i visit when i go back.
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Very food oriented, with only a small drinking area, this pub looks as if it has known better times when we visited, the garden, which includes a miniature model village type thing was overgrown and the plaster from some of the wall pinting s starting to peel. The beer was decidedly average. Date of visit July 04. vote 5
Jimbo Smith - 25 Jul 2004 10:29 |
