please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Visited with my brother following a few miles walk, nice bright airy pub selling the local brewer, Long Man's ales. 2 on sale, the 4% Best Bitter, and the 4.2% Copper Hop, which we drank, it was in good form and was a very nice deep amber bitter!
As we had a packed lunch, we didn't eat here, though the food looked to be pretty good!
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Came in Saturday lunch about 12 - already a few in and they kept coming. Most were there for food, the menu looked great. Had there ales on all from Long Man - Best, Old Man and Blonde, had the first two - the Old Man was particularly good.
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Lovely Pub, friendly staff, nice atmosphere, good food & ales.
Doom Bar, Summer Lightening, Harveys & Long Blonde from the local
Long man Brewery.
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Arrived here expecting a grotty dark interior with a grumpy landlord and scampi and chips on the menu. How wrong I was! Staff were very friendly, beer and food were excellent. Toilets very clean. And excellent wooden games on tables. Although we went at lunchtime, there was plenty of atmosphere/charm. Highly recommended - we'll be back.
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Superb country pub which ticks all the boxes. On a cold February day what could be better than an open fire, friendly service , Harveys Old and steak and Guiness casserole with dumplings. Possibly a chunk of bread to mop up the gravy but thats just me. Actually I'm thinking of starting a chunk of bread campaign as quite often I've had to leave really nice gravy. Are you with me!!!!
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Good beer, nice atmosphere. Didn't try the food but the place was packed on a January Saturday lunchtime, so it's obviously popular.
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Pleasant, easy going pub. Good atmosphere and I've always found good chatty service, although I've always been off peak. The wooden games on the tabletops are a nice touch! A reasonable menu, but not a lot at the bottom end. 2-3 ales, including (currently) Harveys Best-of course- Timothy Taylor Landlord and Summer Lightning, which needed to be a degree cooler. Excellent start or finish for a walk and delightful surroundings just off the A27. A good place to drop in on, especially if you are a Druid as its been awarded a 'Most Druid Friendly Pub Award' by the Sussex Gorsead. Didn't notice mistletoe and mead on the menu, but I wasn't there at the Solstice...
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We have been here only a few times as not local but love this pub. Food choice is great and a good atmosphere.
However, when we went last they took an eternity and when we'd been waiting over 45 minutes for our main and noticed that the pub was almost empty asked if they still planned on serving us our main. Guy checked and told us it was just being served up. 15 minutes later our food turned up.
I would have been ok if they apologised and admitted that they had forgotten us but over an hour after are starter two meals turned up at different times and they didn't even think it was worth apologising over. poor service
I must admit however, that the food was very nice as always.
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Bring back the African peanut stew and don't dare to serve half a portion for �10 when a group of walkers shows up ( I'd got value for money two weeks earlier when doing the reccie).
Nice friendly pub, wisely welcoming to walkers ( must be their life's blood).
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Handy for walkers, and for a quick stop-off from the A27. Clearly sign-posted and in sight from the Wilmington crossroads.
Food choice is generally good. Small outside seating area to the front. Pity that the fresh-squeezed orange juice from a few years ago has now gone. But, good beers and wine selection available.
Somehow does not seem to be so regularly used by local folk . . . just our impression
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We went to the Giants rest for our Christmas dinner with some friends and were surprised to see how quiet it was.... that is until the end of the evening when it became quite clear as to why there were very few customers at what should be a very busy time.
The food was average, certainly nothing to write home about, and the menu was very expensive with not a lot of choice.
The service was attrocious and we had to ask someone to come and clear our table as the staff were more interested in chatting than looking after their customers.
Overall a very dissappointing evening and definatly would not visit again!!
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Called in on a Wednesday Lunch time recently.
The Giants Rest is a real foodies pub,
I had South Downs Rabbit and Bacon pie with new potatoes, cabbage and rattatouille...... GORGEOUS and the rabbit of course tasted of Thyme this is because the rabbits hereabouts munch on it all day, and the flavour comes through. It was succulent and tender!
You can't get more local than a South Downs Rabbit at Wilmington, it was a very good and unusual dish at �9
The other 3 in our party had ham and bubble and squeek which they were not so happy with, complaining that the B and S was mushy and not fried well and was not much more than mash!
AH .. Glad I had That Rabbit then!
There were a variety of pub favourite dishes, I counted 6 different types of sausages available including wild boar to have with mash and some other interesting home made pies to choose from
There was a huge blackboard with plenty of choice.
Beer was good, we all (apart from one who had Harveys at �2.75 a pint excellent) drank a nice Summer Ale which at 5% was very tasty and also very potent!
A nice unspoilt country pub which although fairly busy still sported good friendly service and genuine home made food.
A refreshing change to plastic portion controlled pre cooked and frozen catering company food and tastless over cooked frozen chips. We will be going back (we muttered about it to the barman so hopefully the Bubble and Squeek will improve)
For me 8 10 Try it for a pleasent change!
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Seemed quite food orientated but the beer was good. Harvey's Best at �2.75.
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Friendly chef, nice interior although rather empty when we went, and the young man behind the bar had obviously been partying too hard as he spoke really loudly!! Good food although my great aunt didn't take to the African peanut/ sweet potato stew and hardly touched it. It would have been nice if the staff (and don't forget it was empty) had offered her something else/noticed she hadn't eaten it. Good spot for a vist to the Long Man.
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Super pub near near the giant of wilmington,
nice beers and a very good selection of food.
Recommended.
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After a walk up to the Long man, me ad my other half were hungry and thirsty, after spotting this pub on the way to our walk, we went back there.
It was the most enjoyable pub meal ive had in ages, as mentioned before, it was disapointing to my other half that sandwiches were not on the menu, but his Brie ploughmans was lovely. I had the Advocado salad with ham and huge chunks of warm crusty bread ....................lovely.................lovely
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Thank you so much Giants Rest!!! I was driving back from Seaford and came over a bit funny, felt very poorly. I took the Litlington/Wilmington Road and stopped first at the Plough and Horses, which was shut. I thought I was going to pass out by this point and continued my drive to the Giants Rest. I have had several lovely evening meals here so felt safe in their hands. All I needed was a quick sandwich and a drink to sustain and repair me.
Much to my despair, no sarnies on the menu but the kind bar man asked in the kitchen and they agreed. They should do sandwiches, I know its only a sandwich, but honestly, it as the loveliest malted brown bread, hand cut, thick and crusty. I had home cooked ham which they have for their ploughmans. The tastiest ham I have had in a long time, cut almost as thick as the bread! A little side salad with the most moreish coleslaw and olives which didnt taste anything like thoses awful salted briney ones you get in pots in Tescos. I spend a lot of time in rural Catalonia, Spain where every restaurant gives you a plate ful of olives from the local co-operative, fresh from the trees. These tasted just like those!
As for the service, super! Very accomodating and I was very comforted on this howling wet day by the log fire. There was a few people in for a monday lunch, a nice buzz about the place. Thanks again Giants Rest, you made my day!
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Arrived early evening after a climb up the hill with the Long Man. Sat outside with a few others whilst inside was empty with large wooden tables with pub games unoccupied. Lacked the atmosphere of the other pubs but that was possibly due to arriving as the sun was setting on a rare warm day and leaving soon after to get a train back to Lewes
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Similar to, but slightly more pubby than, the Sussex Ox in the next village. More drinkers after the food finished, and beer range and quality was pretty good, but I can see why reviewers felt emphasis too much on the food.
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Saturday afternoon and 2 people in the bar and 6 in the beer garden i wonder why...
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as mentioned before by other reviewers , this is a restaurant !!! food and service above average but too many tables crammed in and no room for drinkers to sit. i would recommend this if you want good food but maybe on a week night as is so busy weekends .
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The food and welcome here are both above average. Yes, they pack a lot of tables in, but it`s well worth it. Food prices are slightly higher than average but the quality is very good and above all the staff make you feel important, and that they value your custom. I`d definitely recommend this to anyone.
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We visited on Sunday lunchtime, glad we booked as restaurant was full. It�s quite a small venue, but have tightly packed as many tables as possible. The previous diners had not finished, so had to wait about 15 minutes, but then informed no children allowed at the bar area. Luckily it was a sunny winter day so sat outside, but if the weather had been horrible�.
There are no pre-printed menu's and as we had a table in the corner had to stand in middle of the restaurant viewing the selection on the blackboard. You have to order food at the bar. This I thought was a good idea in this place. Staff were all very friendly..
There is no childrens menu, but said would do small portion of any main course. We did not have to wait too long for the food, but the kids amused themselves with the numerous wooden puzzles around. The food was nicely cooked but portions only average, not much vegetables served, sweats however were delicious, overall thought a bit overpriced.
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Definately more a restaurant now. Went for a quick drink and surprised that we were unable to sit at any of the available 3 tables which were reserved but which no one sat at for the full hour we were there. Won't bother again.
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On a recent visit had a really good meal, its is definately a restaurant! Service was good and its nice to see a changing menu.
The staff were really nice too.
I was pleasantly surprised because from the outside it looks like any old pub.
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I thought the food was very good in both quality and quantity. Perhaps a little overpriced. Very pleasant and efficient staff. Yes it's definitely more of a restaurant than a pub, but there were three real ales available. The Harvey's Best and Taylor Landlord were in good condition. I did not try the other one, which was Summer Lightning. Can be reached by the Cuckmere Ramblers Bus at weekends.
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Food has got back to what it used to be like. Decent beer and wine. Can be too busy and is really a restuarant - but who cares if you want a decent meal out?
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Although the quality of the food remains good the portions appear to have diminish in size in particular the vegetables.On this basis the menu is rather expensive as is the wine list.Beer and lager ok and smoking ban made for a pleasant atmosphere. Outside seating very old and could well mark light coloured clothes and should be chopped up for firewood. This has been one of my favourite country pubs in the past but more attractive better value for money alternatives in the area will have my custom in future where hopefully I will not still feel hungry after a meal!
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Went again this Saturday. Good points were it is a non smoking pub, though it is really a restaurant now.
Bad points, Food very mediocre vegetables very poor and limited, expensive for what it is, also very hot and stuffy.
On balance our last visit.
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good home cooked food can get crowded and noisy choice of real ales, blackboard menu ,friendly owner,never had a disappointing meal to date!
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When we went we thought the food very over priced and certainly not value for money, it gave the impression of being a gastro pub, but the quality of the food certanly did not live up to its aspirations.
Nick - 1 Jun 2004 13:01 |
Gastro pub in the middle of the South Downs, near the Long Man of Willington so hence the name. Huge selection of good grub, couple of nice beers, dodgy decor and a different game on each table (but no playing intructions).
Pretty good if you're hungry.
Scott - 10 Feb 2004 13:10 |
