The Ship Inn

A lovely place for a quiet drink, though it also works well for a family get-together. The food is really tasty and both it and the drinks are reasonably priced. The staff, manager and owner are all wonderful.

We were considering staying for food, but changed our minds after seeing how a group with two children was treated. A staff member sharply told them children couldn't be in the bar after 6pm, even though it was still 40 minutes before then. The whole pub turned to look, and the group seemed so uncomfortable they left straight away. We went elsewhere for better service. Before that, the staff had already seemed unfriendly, and the food looked quite expensive for service like this. Local friends later told us the pub has a reputation for rude staff.

The food was excellent and the team gave great service on a busy evening. It's also a handy base for exploring Burnham and the Dengie peninsula. We'll definitely return.

The meal with friends was lovely, but sitting beside the bar made it so loud that we couldn't talk. We hadn't seen each other in ages, so that was a real shame, and we left as soon as we'd finished eating. I'd suggest asking for a table at the back of the restaurant.