BITE user comments - privateersman
Comments by privateersman
I just need to reply to the comments below who say that Paul and Sarah are great people. I really believe they are and each time I have met them they are pleasant, friendly and appear keen to make sure our visit is pleasurable. Our favourite times to visit are Friday or Saturday night or Sunday lunchtime. But (BIG BUT) they are not there; nowhere to be seen; the staff do what they want - some are pleasant and professional some are not. But our landlords would not know as they are not there. The most important times in the life of any pub and they are absent. I think they the view running a pub as a 9-5 job. Its a great shame as I really do want to see our village pub being a vibrant, popular place - bringing in people from miles around.
One good point is that they have a new chef who turns out a good fare.
10 Sep 2011 12:16
Nice enough pub but rubbish food. Agree with previous reviewer that this is a restaurant rather than a pub. The beer is kept well but the food is substandard in many ways. Each course tasted like it had been warmed up. Nothing seemed fresh/freshly cooked. This is probably because the menu is far to extensive for a country pub/restaurant.
12 Aug 2011 23:35
We were in the other night at about 8:30. We asked if they were serving food. The surly barmaid gave a sharp intake of breath as she looked at the clock. Turned back to us and stared as if we were being weighed up. Then said "oh I suppose it will be OK". Not a good start at all. I am concerned that the good start that Sarah and Paul made is now a bit of a honeymoon. We have been in several times now since they took over and very rarely see them. I don't think they see how their staff are treating customers. My belief is that they should be in the bar leading by example. The evening staff, sometimes polite and sometime surly will determine the success of this pub.
23 Nov 2010 22:43
Please don't be put off by the food prices. The restaurant has a very good fish menu which is excellent, original and well presented. Find another local if all you want is cheap pub grub!! We have eaten there many times and never been disappointed. The comments about it being cliquey have some merit especially when it's quiet and you may find yourself amongst a small group of regulars but I'm not sure what the landlord can do about this. But don't be too put off - it's not the Slaughtered Lamb!! Overall this is a quiet village pub selling good beer, good wine and good food. It's a classic old -fashioned pub which is fast disappearing in this land of ours so I ask you to give it a try.
23 Nov 2010 22:26
The Black Horse is now warm, bright and friendly. In the 2 weeks since the new landlords (Paul and Sarah) have taken over, there has been a liveliness and a welcoming atmosphere that just makes you want to go back. The bar staff are friendly and professional and customer service appears to be their watchword. Good pub food on offer using local produce. Pluckley is a beautiful small village and is completed by a pub like the Black Horse at its heart. Well done guys!! I am really looking forward to the Black Horse becoming the well-renowned Kentish pub it once was.
30 Aug 2010 07:35
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Who'd a Thought It, Grafty Green
I have rated this as 5 because it really is a 50/50 pub/restaurant; 50/50 in terms of quality, food, décor, and service. It was a Sunday night and the Sunday Lunch menu was still being served consisting mainly of roast dinners but I had the flat-iron stake which was just tremendous, really well cooked and served with the most delicious chunky chips. The rest of my party had the roast dinners where the meat and gravy were really nice but the veg was very soggy and under-seasoned with unimpressive roast potatoes (don't you think that you could forgive almost anything if you had crispy and fresh roast spuds!). There were two young lady waitresses who were very sweet and charming and really tried their best but were not familiar with the menu (even though it was a simple Sunday Lunch menu) and their knowledge of the wine list was zero. The décor of the Who's Have Thought It is also 50/50 but clearly a lot of money has been spent but the style may not be to everyone's taste with zebra skin and snake skin patterns everywhere, the place is very 80's in appearance with 80's music piped in the restaurant but for all this opulence we had cheap paper napkins - very strange.
6 May 2013 10:42