Convivial and Charming - review added on Fri 24th Sep 2004

The owners are most warm and welcoming to visitors. The meals are freshly prepared and well seasoned. The Lady of the Inn is sincere with her greetings and food. The Gentleman of the Inn pours a wonderful story along with a pint. Outsiders most assuredly feel at home immediately. The owners make one feel their English pride.

Overall:	8
Food:	10
Service:	10
Ambiance:	10

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YUK! - review added on Wed 12th Oct 2005

Hello, I have used your website on numerous occaisions in order to locate good pubs and resteraunts when we have friends over, and have remianed a quietly satisfied customer until now. The George and Dragon in Speldhurst It has come under new managament within the last year and is by far the worst place I have visited in the last 2 years. When our food arrived I had to read the menu again to remind myself that I was eating Pork. The person I was with ordered a Spanish seafood soup which was 80% crab shells (no meat) and the rest a weak tomatoe sauce. The owners dined on the table next to us, then thier friends showed up so they moved other people around - who were already eating!!! - just so they could accomodate themselves. The were loud and obnoxious and made one feel as though you were impossing on their private dinner party.

Overall:	2
Food:	2
Service:	4
Ambiance:	4

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Great - review added on Tue 15th Nov 2005

I recently held my 40th birthday lunch at the George and Dragon (15 people). We were well looked after, the choice from the extensive menu arrived hot - considering we ordered most items - and the wine kept flowing.I have subsequently eaten lunch there a few times and the food and servie is always superb.

Overall:	8
Food:	8
Service:	10
Ambiance:	10

Recommended Dishes: cold venison sandwich, the Sunday Roast Beef

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Highly Recommended - review added on Sun 11th Dec 2005

The George and Dragon Inn is, without exception, one of the finest establishments we have dined at for some time. We arrived on a glorious sunny Sunday just as the village church bells rang 12. Upon entering this 800 year Inn, we were (warmly) greeted by the owner and his young, yet professional team. After a drink at the bar we were shown to the seperate non smoking section of the restaurant. Our friendly waitress was well versed with the menu and able to answer any questions we put to her. She informed us which dishes were not available due to the incredibly busy day they'd had the day before(nothing worse than making your selection only then to be told they had ran out!.) Our choice of seared scallops with black pudding and foie gras with pear for starters left us salvitating for our mains of Rib eye beef and haunch of venison. All dishes arrived in good time and freshly cooked to perfection. The flavours were incredible and the portion size was spot on. Our cheese platter rounded off an amazing Sunday lunch. From a well balanced and interesting wine list we selected a Billi Billi Australian Shiraz Grenache Cabernet blend. A superb wine and great value at under £15. I could go on but I think you should have the gist of this review by now. The George and Dragon Inn is worth the drive if you live as we do in Brighton and is a must if visiting Tunbridge Wells. We'll be back!

Overall:	10
Food:	10
Service:	10
Ambiance:	10

Recommended Dishes: Scallops with black pudding. Haunch of Venison

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Not Yuk, with Luck! - review added on Fri 10th Feb 2006

I was amused by the Yuk! review (12 Oct 05) and might have been annoyed myself that day. But we went more recently (Jan 06) and had a meal that was excellent in parts and pretty good in most of the others. The young staff were v. friendly but had to do a fair amount of running around - service a bit hit and miss at times but better than my own sad attempts at waiting/bar tending. Food - liked the venison though it is unusually rare unless you ask, liked the unusual smoked eel starter, and the pasta starter, less impressed by the skate wing. Menu has a quite a nice 'local' Ashdown Forest feel that's appropriate to the room. If you have not been there before, the dining room upstairs is very striking with massive wooden beams quite beyond most country pubs - but the table placement can make some areas feel a bit cramped, possibly better to book slightly before or after the busiest times. While the old architecture is truly exceptional, it's not always quite clear if the venue is going for knowing rural restaurant or distressed country pub (prices and some quirky touches more the former, general performance and minor decor more the latter - the restaurant and stairway floors needed a good sweep the day we were there). Bar downstairs is very atmospheric in a beams and big fires sort of way - kids can't go in the main bar, but there is a plainer non-smoking bar next door that is quite comfortable. Good pint. Generally quite kid welcoming. I'm ticking quite enjoyable below but actually it was somewhere between that and outstanding. I will certainly go back at some point, which is the real acid test.

Overall:	6
Food:	6
Service:	6
Ambiance:	8

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THE CHEF - review added on Tue 11th Apr 2006

Recently the chef was visiting the colonies (U.S.A.). If his food is as good as his description and enthusiasm ,this restaurant would make an overseas trip a must just to eat there. We plan on doing just that.A. Holland

Overall:	10
Food:	0
Service:	0
Ambiance:	0

Recommended Dishes: After the trip

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