What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Royal Oak and Castle Inn
Review
About
Travellers' Choice
2024
We are a traditional village pub opposite the historic Pevensey Castle. We have a large walled beer garden, with children's play area. Stop by and have a relaxing drink, light bite or full meal in our cosy restaurant or garden. Dogs and children welcome. Home Made Dishes feature on our Extensive Bar Menu and Sunday Lunches. Parties catered for including: Weddings, Birthdays, Wakes, Christmas Parties, New Year's Eve and more.
Features
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Dog Friendly
Free Wifi
Full Bar
Gift Cards Available
Highchairs Available
Outdoor Seating
Parking Available
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Location
Parking Available
Does this restaurant have a full bar?
Save this restaurant
Hours
Closed now
• Opens at 11:00 AM
Sunday
10:00 - 22:00
Monday
11:00 - 23:00
Tuesday
11:00 - 23:00
Wednesday
11:00 - 23:00
Thursday
11:00 - 23:00
Friday
11:00 - 23:00
Saturday
10:00 - 23:30
Contribute
4.3
525 reviews
Excellent
318
Very good
102
Average
47
Poor
38
Terrible
20
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Avril D
9 contributions
Oct 2024 • family
Went here with my elderly mum for Sunday roast. The staff were all super friendly and chatted to us every time they came to the table. The food was really plentiful and well cooked; they were happy to leave some of the vegetables off of my mum's plate as she wouldn't have eaten them. Lovely and cosy with a friendly atmosphere. Always enjoy coming here whenever I'm in Eastbourne.
Written 27 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RovingJourneyman
Hessigheim76 contributions
Sept 2023 • couples
The menu offers a selection of regional dishes as well as some classics from international cuisine. Everything is very tasty and beautifully presented. The dessert selection also includes homemade ice cream, which we found to be exceptionally good.
The restaurant is very cozy, with a pleasant atmosphere. The service was always impeccable, with very friendly and extremely attentive staff.
We liked it so much that we ate there several times on vacation.
Written 27 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue W
Cheltenham12 contributions
Sept 2024 • family
Great food , excellently presented and reasonably priced. The burger was well seasoned, and served with a generous amount of relish and really well seasoned chips .
Excellent, friendly and welcoming staff who go out of their way to assist customers who have dietary requirements. Considering it was a busy lunch, food arrived promptly and service was great. Thank you .
Written 11 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
businesstraveller49
18 contributions
Mar 2025 • couples
Staff excellent, menu good, service good, food overpriced for small portions. 1 of us had chicken with leeks which was tough, a complaint was raised and a 20% price reduction, for that dish was offered!! Shan’t be rushing back.
Written 10 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally Scott
Eastbourne19 contributions
Jul 2024 • friends
Went for what I was hoping would be a nice Sunday lunch today 7 July.
The potatoes were hardly roasted. White in colour and hard. Can only presume they had only been in oven for 5 mins. After asking the waitress if we could have some more potatoes that were cooked was told they were and the chef had cooked them to a new technique! We would have to wait 20 mins as another batch was going in the oven. We didn’t want to have to wait while we would have finished our plate. I said that perhaps they cld take something off the bill to which we were told we could have just 1 free pudding!! Needless to say won’t be going back again. Bad customer service on top of everything else.
Written 7 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
H F
Hello
Im sorry you were not happy with your visit, if requesting more potatoes these obviously would need to be cooked and therefor you would have to wait. The staff did what they could to accommodate your requests and all the staff are very pleasant, none of them have bad service.
Written 21 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
wendy G
Bexhill-on-Sea854 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Good food - the gluten free battered cod and chips was a real bonus! The special fried courgette bites were appreciated by many in our group. The gluten free sticky toffee pudding is amazing - don’t think you need the mini fudge cubes on it though. It really doesn’t need them as the sponge and sauce is delicious. Good choice on menu with some large and small portions offered.
Enjoyed our meal thank you.
Written 11 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe T
Hastings4 contributions
Jan 2025 • couples
The food was decent;
I had gluten-free battered cod. It was nice, as were the sticky pork bites.
My partner's stuffed pork was dry and the crackling didn't crackle.
The staff were polite and welcoming.
Only one cider on tap, inches, would have liked a dry cider though appreciate inches is probably fine to suit most.
I was disappointed when told we couldn't use the dartboard in the bar ( as it was for the darts team only). I can't understand the rationale at all as; even if the board itself is owned by the team (as stated by the barwoman), the idea that regular punters can't use it in the team's absence is baffling. We left to throw arrows and buy drinks and snacks elsewhere. Dartboards are cheap (even competition standard boards) when considering any wear and tear we'd have caused would have been more than made up for by our bar purchases. One for the owners to ponder on...
Written 26 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amie G
1 contribution
Jun 2024 • family
We had the beef burger and chips, beetroot and squash roast and a chicken roast. Very pleasantly surprised as able to get a table even though Fathers day and busy and it was a last minute booking. Although cheese board wasn't on the menu as a dessert we asked and they accommodated and it was large and lovely. Cheesecake was homemade and lovely. Staff very friendly, attentive and dog friendly with lovely garden in fantastic location. Would highly recommend as a lunch or dinner venue and especially lovely in the summer. 5 star. Opposite castle. We sometimes find it difficult to find a good restauran.
Written 16 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrian38
20 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
This review is sincere. have spent the last 18 years residing in Eastbourne North Harbour. The Pub has an amazing garden and is a terrific place for dog walkers. I thought the food was extremely pricey for what they were offering, though. Today, I took a long walk across the beautiful countryside. We halted for lunch. The menu claimed to utilise the Poppy Seeds Bakery in Eastbourne, which I am familiar with and frequently use for their amazing bread. However, the bread was not fresh—contemplate the picture of the prawn roll for yourself.
Written 19 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
H F
Hello Adrian,
I can assure you that we do use Poppyseed bakery for our cottage rolls and bloomer loafs which are used for the bread on dishes & garlic bread. and ordered fresh. I have reviewed the photo you have put up and I agree with you that is not the standard that I expect, there should be a few more prawns and a good amount of sauce. Im sorry you were not happy soon this occasion I can assure you that I will be following this up with the kitchen team.
Written 21 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
stewart h
Eastbourne45 contributions
Feb 2025 • family
Not really family friendly.
We had a lunch at this establishment. Food was ok but the time involved in getting the 2 courses was exceptional slow and to make matters worse there are no baby changing facilities at all. We changed our granddaughter (2) on a table in the outside dinning area as did another parent.
So my take is could do a lot better.
Written 22 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
H F
Dear customer
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t fully meet expectations.
Regarding baby changing facilities, we do have a foldaway changing table available upon request in our small toilets, as indicated by a notice inside. Additionally, baby changing facilities are available in the public toilets at the entrance to the beer garden in the car park. We understand this may not have been immediately clear, and we appreciate your feedback on this matter.
As for the wait time, we always strive to serve our guests as efficiently as possible, even during busy periods. Our food is freshly prepared to order, which can sometimes take a little longer. After reviewing service times over the weekend, no table waited longer than 45 minutes, but we apologise if it felt like a longer wait for you.
We were also disappointed to hear you felt we are not family-friendly. We take great pride in being a welcoming space for families offering, highchairs, children’s books, magazines, two games shelves, and a dedicated children’s area (which is temporarily closed due to weather conditions for safety reasons). We truly value families dining with us and always aim to create an enjoyable experience for all.
We appreciate your visit and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for a more enjoyable experience.
Best regards,
Hayley
Written 24 February 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mandy C
22 contributions
Jul 2023 • couples
This is the second time my husband and I have been and both times we found it superb. Sat in the lovely beer garden with our two dogs which were welcomed with water bowls provided and clips attached to the table so we could clip their leads onto it.
Food arrived quickly after ordering and was served both times by a really friendly and happy lady called Kim. She was chatty and made sure we had everything we needed and came back to check on us half way through our meal. I went to the bar for another drink and again was served by Kim. Again, I was served with a happy smile and friendly conversation.
The meal we had was lush. It was very tasty, nicely presented and very enjoyable.
We will defiantly be back very soon
Written 20 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eleanor F
1 contribution
Dec 2024 • couples
We went into the Royal Oak and Castle with our friends for lunch. Impeccable service, such friendly staff who can’t do enough for you. Food looked and tasted amazing. We had the Chicken and Bacon pie of the day and the Bacon wrapped stuffed chicken, absolutely delicious. We will be back, couldn’t recommend more!
Written 24 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ryefield
London2 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
Really sorry to say this, but the roast we had today was awful! Frozen veg, dry turkey, small amounts of flavourless meat, soggy potatoes and a raw parsnip, potatoes were almost boiled! £18 per meal, never again.
Written 8 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
H F
Dear Tracey
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the atmosphere of our pub and found our staff to be friendly and courteous. However, we’re truly sorry that your Sunday roast didn’t meet your expectations, especially after you’ve had positive experiences with us before.
We’re particularly concerned by your comments about the turkey, roast potatoes, parsnip, and portion size. Please rest assured that all our ingredients are sourced fresh and not frozen, so we’ll be looking into why the quality didn’t reflect that on this occasion. Our goal is always to serve meals that delight our guests, and it’s clear we missed the mark. We will be reviewing this with our kitchen team to ensure that improvements are made.
After reviewing this with our front-of-house team, they confirmed a check-back was done during your meal and again at the end. We noticed that all but one plate had been finished. If you had brought these issues to our attention at the time, we would have been more than happy to address them and make things right for you on the spot.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
Written 9 December 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MARK D
West Malling64 contributions
Jul 2021 • none
My husband and I went into this pub on 19/07/2021
The serving staff were pleasant enough and we had a shandy and ordered to large cod and chip meals.
It took a while to arrive but when we saw the meal we knew why! The fish was way over cooked on my wifes plate and both fish were a dark brown! Nothing golden there!
The peas were cold and the chips were not the best either.
My wife tasted the white fish that she had in the batter, which was certainly not a large portion and left the rest. 5 sachets of vinegar were put on the batter to try and soften it! She gave up. The serving girl kept walking past and quietly laughing.
This was because my wife had been asked if she wanted another piece and her response was "not another piece, it will probably be the same"!
This was because ALL of the time were were sat at our table the chef could be heard shouting orders to the staff, which they were saying they could not hear, and generally talking to anyone who went into the kitchen. That included a delivery man.
He thought it was reasonable to take £3 off down to a small portion as I had at the white bit of the fish and dinner. He did not even apologise and we could still hear him chatting and shouting as we left
Never again and his customer service and courteousness could be greatly improved. Also his treatment of his staff! Dont bother to waste your money as the meals are not worth it. Go into Pevensey itself. He gets his business as the only pub outside the castle which is shut, so everyone goes in there. SHAME!
Written 24 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marc F
Hello,
The staff certianlly would not have been laughing at you/ your table, none of the staff here are like that.
The staff member informed me about your meal and that you were not happy, you were provided a £3 discount to the smaller size cod as 1 of you had a clear plate and eaten your whole meal and one has left a small amount of batter & the skin part of the fish, everything else had been eaten.
We will not provide full discounts for customers who have eaten their meals.
Had you informed us sooner into the meal we would have been more than happy to cook you a different meal.
The delivery man was in fact the cheese delivery which yes we would have been talking to as we place the order face to fcae on site and our chef and our reps have a great relationship.
All staff that enter the kitchen to deliver food/complete washing up etc communicate a lot so you will hear talking as communication is key in this environment.
The Chef is not the owner, in fact is a female owner, and our tam is very close and have an amazing relationship, working in a hot kitchen and communication is what gets us though.
I do feel that you have taken your review to a personal note towards the chef, i'm sorry you feel your experience was so awful.
I am sorry that you feel your visit was not satisfactory.
Written 26 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stuart W
2 contributions
Sept 2024 • couples
What a difference to the Smugglers down the road. Beautiful location next to the Castle, welcoming, you can actually drink and be served in the bar, just like one might expect in a pub and a great choice of beers for those into real ale, about 5 in all, including Long Man which is rapidly becoming a favorite. A beautiful garden and a covered area too in case it does get busy, something I might expect from a pub that thinks it’s a restaurant but this pub doesn’t take such a narrow perspective. Obviously this is run by someone who understands and respects the drinker as well as the eater, rather than treats them with contempt. Just wish we had come here first.
Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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