The Barsham Arms

The pub has a lovely atmosphere and is really well appointed. The staff gave us a warm welcome and made sure we felt comfortable, with friendly service throughout. There was a good choice of local ales, and the house wine was perfectly acceptable. A few menu items weren’t available, but there was still plenty to choose from, and the food was excellent quality with generous portions. The pea shoots salad and tempura prawns were delicious. My grandson devoured the pigeon breast and said it was the best ever, while my chicken with crisp Parma ham was tasty and filling. The chocolate mousse was the letdown for me, too heavy and rich.

The food was lovely and the service was attentive, welcoming and friendly. The toilets were clean, too. We’d first found this place a few years ago and had a great, busy Sunday lunch. This time we came for an early evening meal at 5pm, and the restaurant was almost empty. It felt odd being the only family there, though that couldn’t really be helped. Other guests started arriving around 6:30pm, presumably for booked tables, so perhaps there wasn’t much passing trade that day. The first impression could have been better for the price. Our table was sticky, possibly from the wrong cleaning fluid, and four flies were hovering around, though there was no smell. The menu was very limited, and none of us saw anything we were particularly craving, even though we eat out a lot and try lots of things. They do have children’s options like chicken goujons and fish fingers, but those weren’t listed on the menu. The kitchen still turned out really tasty food, but for the prices I’d have liked a bit more attention to detail out front and a menu that felt a touch more expensive. It’s still worth a visit for nice eats in this beautiful historic building.

We booked again for next week after finding this lovely pub. We went for an early dinner and had plenty of space between the tables. The menu is fairly small, but the food was excellent quality, desserts included. The staff were great, too.

The relaxed, comfortable setting and friendly staff made for a good visit, and the three young children in our group all enjoyed their meals. The starters were excellent. The main courses were good, though with the prices and the high standard of the starters, we expected a bit more flavour from some of them. My fish and chips was good, but the haddock had its skin left on under the batter, which isn’t my preference. I can’t remember the last time I had battered fish served that way. The food and service were very good overall.