Vineyard, Lamberhurstback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Top grub in a gastro pub that lends itself more to being a restaurant rather than country Inn. Prices are fairly high,but the menu varied and food cooked to a high standard. The wine menu offered some good choices too.
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Now renamed "The Vineyard", the pub has been completely refurbished, and is now a delightful place to go for a meal, The only problem on each of the four times I have visited has been the quality of the beer. Despite being served straight from the casks behind the bar, each time the beer has been flat and lifeless.
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We've driven past this pub a thousand times and thought it looked delightful, but never had occasion to call in. Finally arranged a meal with friends there and enjoyed good food and Harveys Sussex (and a lively & entertaining pub quiz) but guess what � it's changing hands in a few days' time! So not a lot of point in writing a detailed description of our evening! Apparently the new people are French so look out for some big changes at The Swan.
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Wouldn't have dreamt of visiting a 3.3 rated pub had I had known in advance. As it happens, the beer choice,although limited, was fine and the food and service excellent. It would seem that most of the poor reviews here relate to the food so it appears we hit it on a good night.
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10 of us went for a birthday meal on Sunday a few weeks ago and we were absolutely appalled by the service and food. The more 'mature' waitress was patronising and rude and the entire occasion was ruined by the service and poor quality food. We complained and had our bill reduced but we went elsewhere (Carlucchios in TWells) for our desserts where the service was exceptional. We will never return. Who on earth gave them awards???? Surely someone was having a joke.
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this place used to be run by a cocky bloke that really didnt have a clue about customer service and just interested about money...it has now been taken over by a really friendly couple, that i belive were the managers previously, the menu and food quality has improved dramatically and the food is good and worth the money now, for once i am saying well done for all at the swan! long may it continue!
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We went for Sunday lunch. Our table was located at the focus of the paths between the kitchen, the cash register, the lavatory and the exit. Anyone going anywhere nudged past us.
A bog standard Sunday roast and a coffee took two and a half hours to dish up(the chef was apparently in pain from a bad back!)
The food quality was just about OK but the roast potatoes and the Yorkshire pudding were overdone, and everything had obviously been hanging around in a warm cabinet for some time before we got it.
Mein host was of the chippy diamond geyser variety. Had the occasion not been my mother in law's birthday party causing a disinclination on my part to create a scene, my response to his charmless enquiry 'everything all right then?' would have received a much more trenchant response. If he's reading this, everything wasn't all right, and we won't be going back.
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I went with my partner and 2 children to this pub today (Father's Day) having booked 6 weeks in advance after seeing it had won "pub of the year' for 2007. All I can say is that the food and service was dreadful, the only saving grace being the children's climbing frame that my two really enjoyed.
For a start the waitress/waiters did not tell us about any of the specials and we only found out about them when we went to the loo and saw them on the board. The staff were very disorganised (even though there were quite a few of them) and the food, when it arrived, was of very poor quality - think 1980s bad school dinners and it will give you some idea. It was also v expensive for what it was. We counted ourselves lucky though as we only had to endure the experience for just over an hour, the poor people on the table next to us had to wait over an hour and half for their main course even though the pub was less than half empty. Walking through the pub I heard nothing but staff apologising to customers for some reason or another, and also had the misfortune of hearing the poor couple with their 2 children near us being spoken to in the most rudest of manners by the manager/barman because they dared to question something on the menu. All in all a HUGE disappointment and needless to say we will not be returning.
Nic75 - 15 Jun 2008 19:51 |
What a shame! decided to go here for a father's day lunch having enjoyed a very good meal some years ago. We even ordered the same dish we had had had previously, when it arrived we didn't recognise it and couldn't understand how they could charge 11.95 for a burger and a handful of frozen chips which were described on the menu as 'straw frites'. We decided to send it back and order something else. A few minutes later a very aggressive man told us that we were being unreasonable and that he didn't need our money! My five year old son was frightened by this man's unpleasant manner. We left feeling very disappointed and will certainly never go there again.
kakat - 15 Jun 2008 18:32 |
Lunch today - fish pie and salad, this was salmon & smoked haddock, but no haddock, just 4 long bones with tasteless salmon. The salad was one lettuce leaf, an eighth of a tomato, a slice of cucumber and 3 small cubes of pepper. this was �10.95 plus suggested gratuity (after a 30 minute wait, then a further long wait for the inflated bill). They're having a laugh I think. Dreadful.
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We went to the pub at lunch time to be told it was fully booked but was informed they were taking bookings for the evening siiting.This we unfortunately did and to our dismay was initially informed that there was a number of items no longer available onthe menu for that evening.
Not to be easily put off and after waiting a considerable amount of time to have our order taken you can imagine our dismay when one of the starters arrived with frozen uncooked chips in the moules!
The main course that followed in dribs and drabs(I hasten to add that parts of the starters still remained on our table as the main was trying to be delivered)two out of the five meals appeared but without the veg.the childrens arrived with cold chips,cold gravy and no veg. to be seen!
The waitress, a sweet girlwith many tasks to undertake (including cullinery tasks)bought the manager to speak with me.
Whilst explaining things to him his mobile phone went off not once, nor twice but three times thus I did not believe my comments were taken very seriously at all.In fact his comment after appologising was to in fact ask me to return to prove this episode was not the norm. Needless to say we will not be taking his advice.
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Heard about The Swan then read some mixed reviews on this site so we thought we would go for a look. I can see how The beer in the evening site has little. relevance to the swan as they only have 2/3 ales on tap, but the wine and lager selection is V good WOW "PERONI" on draft. We had a great lunch and found the menu varied and interesting and great value. Also were able to enjoy the spring sunshine in the Garden. We loved it and r looking forward to eating there again this weekend
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We were looking forward to nice meal out for my partners birthday (5 Persons). We were sat down at a nice table and told that the mussells were off the menu, then told me could only order off the Al' A Catre menu which was very limited and expensive, this menu also included desserts. The food we ordered was very good, but when asked if I wanted a dessert the waitress turned up with a small piece of paper with items which weren't on the offered menu. When I complained the manager then proceeded to tell us that the menu was being changed.
At no point in the booking of this meal were we told that the menu was restricted, and then even at the start of the meal we were not informed. The restaurant was not busy, and the manager just didn't care about our complaints.
I wasn't after a discount, as it was a special occasion for my partner which was let down by poor service.
To add insult, they even added 10% to the bill for service. My understanding is that you pay for service when it is actually good service.
We will not be going back there again.
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My wife and i have returned to the swan recently, and i have to say it has changed drasticly in serice and quality over the last few months, there is a new chef who i know as a matter of fact and he is a class a chef, the quality of food is 10x better than it was and the service was top noch, although the prices do suprise me. the manegeress has now moved on as far as i understand, and i agree you do not have to have an a level in english to run a pub but there is a certain degree of customer service and common courtsey that is required for such a customerr facing job. now quite impressed with the food but only a 7 purely for the price.
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My Husband and I(no not them)plus one small dog have eaten many times at the Swan, Lamberhurst so I felt I had to offer my views when I read the 'user views' recently.
We have always received a very warm welcome and have sampled most of the menu, which I would regard as varied and a bit different. The food is excellent, plentiful and always beautifully presented. As for portions being small, in my opinion they're quite the opposite. On our last visit we had apple crumble, luckily we only ordered one as even with two hearty appetites we had a job to eat it all. My Husband often has steak [which he has to share with said dog] and still finds plenty left for himself. The sandwiches may be �6.50 but they're a meal in themselves with lashings of filling and a crispy fresh salad.
Yes, I'll admit the service can be a bit slow but what does it matter - you're hardly rushing back to the office - unless it's in the middle of a field.
This is a levely old country pub which we're more than happy to sit in for a few hours. We always sit in the Bar and have ever only heard one customer complain. On paying he was asked if he had enjoyed his meal......"I didn't expect to find a bone in the fish pie". Well, it gave us a good laugh!
Any pub or restaurant that serves food quicker is probably just sticking it in a microwave. If food is cooked to order you've got to expect to wait.
Yes, weekends are extremely busy and you do need to book, but surely this is a good sign?
As for the Manageress - she's lovely - I did'nt know you needed A Level in English Language to manage a pub - still we live and learn.
Lastly, just tell Mervyn to stop coming for his 'tasteless food' - it'll leave more room for us!
All in all, if you're not in too much of a hurry, I'd happily give the Swan 10 out of 10.
Lawton/Jill/Denzil
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This is the second time I have given this pub a a chance. The first time was disastrous, and sadly the second time was no better. Whilst the food was bearable on the second visit, the service was non existant. We had one course in our visit which lasted an agonising 2 hours and 45 minutes. The first 45 minutes was spent waiting for someone to take our order. The last 35 minutes spent waiting for a simple cup of coffee. We dared not order a dessert as we had to back at work the next morning!! We also had to literally get in the queue when it came to complaining whilst another poor Customer tried to get a simpleice cream for his child for which he had already waited 40 minuted for.
My rating of 1 is purely for the childrens play area!!
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Called in for lunch with friends about 1 on a Saturday - first reaction 'have you booked? no chance' Next barman knocked my pint down front, drenching my clothes while rushing past then offered to 'top it up in a minute'. Ignored me and went to attend to vitally important credit card transaction, then when challenged was grudging in his remorse. No one appeared to be actually eating so couldn't comment on food, but they were 'expecting a party of 16' - no sign of them while we were ther, so 7 quick lunches didn't seem diffricult to us!
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My overwhelming feeling is that this pub should be excellent, certainly the board outside states that it has won a number of recent accolades. However, despite the fact that, on the whole, the staff are charming and the atmosphere is very welcoming, I never cease to be disappointed by the food (which is very expensive for what it is and often a little tasteless - not to mention slow).
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My wife and I booked a party for 6 recently at The Swan, and on first impressions it was very nice, cosmetically a little bit OTT for an 'olde English' pub but nevertheless were intrigued by what people had said about their 'wide range' of ales and their food... 2 Ales Harvey�s and one other from a local brewery nice touch but hardly a wide range. Food on the whole was not too bad, except for the over-cooked tiny fillet steak @ 18 quid, because the steak was very overdone I called the young waitress over to ask her if I could have a replacement steak as this one was over cooked. She said "hold on I�ll get someone to deal with that for you" any waitress of a restaurant of these prices should have taken the steak and replaced it there and then. Next the 'Manager' came over, large blonde girl, and said 'what�s the problem' and I explained my issue with the steak and she replied, and I quote "oh the chef's not gunna be very happy with you but I�ll see what he says�. Eventually after about 25 minutes it came back, it plate same garnishes, different steak. The steak was very nice but with the accompaniments stone cold, I didn't particularly enjoy it! We didn't have dessert and I asked for the bill. The bill was presented to the table, and I was shocked to see there was a 10% service charge added to my bill, and as the 'manager' was darn right rude to me I asked the waitress to see the Landlord, she very politely said that the landlord was not there but would get the manager. So same girl 'manager' came over, again and I quote "what�s the problem" very abruptly, I explained the situation, she asked me �what was wrong with the service you was given� I know brilliant English!!! After a squabble she eventually took the service charge off and I paid, waiting at the table for our guests to come back from the loo just before we left, I heard the manager talking to the chef in full kitchen clothing having a pint and a cigarette at the bar and she was saying that my guests and I were stuck up moaners and that she hoped she didn't see us again. All in all not recommended as the 'manageress' of sorts was extremely rude and her customer services and people skills were absolutely non-existent! Good luck future diners at the swan Lamberhurst! 1 out of ten as the rest of the staff seemed quite pleasent.
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How refreshing. a traditional inn that has had a sympathetic makeover still with the ale drinker in mind.
my partner and i live locally and have supported the swan for some time, still it offers great beer , food and atmosphere. well done all at the swan
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Is it a pub or is it a restaurant? Well there is a tiny bar complete with chavs sitting at the counter smoking but the rest of the place, which is owned by the vineyard, is given over to food. They claim to be a gastropub, so everything fancied up in oversized soup plates, �6-50 for a sandwich and so on which is all very well if you get to eat it. We were told to take a table and they would come and take our food order. Nobody did for forty minutes despite us being sat right by the
counter. They then quoted a forty-five minute wait on top before we got fed. Of course we had long since given up any hope and had resorted to crisps for lunch. And they weren't the slightest bit apologetic for such dire service. So two points only for a delicious pint of Harveys.
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