The Boars Head... Horsham
Telephone 01403 267268 · Map · Reviews
OS Map : Landranger 187 · Map reference TQ 164 296
Description
The Boars Head is a friendly pub with an elevated position overlooking the south of Horsham. It has an outside patio terrace and a conservatory with views over Horsham to the Surrey Hills. The flag-stoned bar has a separate restaurant area that leads on to the terrace. There has been a pub here since 1830 [it was originally called the Fox and Hounds] although the building, which used to be a farm, dates back to 1761.
Beers are from Hall and Woodhouse. The restaurant can be hired out for weddings and other functions.
How to get there
By car
The pub is in Worthing Road about a mile from Horsham town centre.
Cycling
The shortest route from Horsham is to cycle south on Worthing Road and the pub is on the right before the A24 Hop Oast roundabout. Worthing Road can be busy - so use caution when turning right into the pub.
Suggested cycling routes from here
From the back of the pub, cycle past the pub car park. Follow the road up-hill and then round to the left, under the A24 and past Christ's Hospital entrance on the right. Continue on this road and the Bax Castle is on the left, 2 miles [3.25 km] from the Boars Head.
The Hen and Chicken in Southwater is also near the Boars Head.
Your reviews
The Boars Head There are 24 customer reviews with an average rating of
Disclaimer: All reviews and ratings on this website are personal opinions by pub-goers. Horsham Pub Guide publishes comments at our editorial discretion but we are not responsible for comments made.
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We see the pub has been painted so no more NHS waiting room look about it. Also, nice to see they are trying to get customers in by offering a new lunch menu - about time too. But they still need to do more as they are never busy no matter what time of the day. Have not seen the landlady for a while, hope she has not left.
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Finally, the Boar's Head is now back to being a warm, welcoming and friendly local pub. Very much worth a visit, I am looking forward to going back and trying the new menu. Well done.
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Over-priced food, still too fancy for a pub in the middle of town and Southwater. Friday night no music, quiet and cold. Sat outside to see the cover over the door has been taken down, which was nice on cold wet night. A pub that has lost its appeal for someone who was once a loyal local.
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Just had Sunday lunch here for six adults and five children - with some who hadn't booked. The meals were terrific - roast beef with all the trimmings cooked very well, ditto roast chicken. Not the cheapest but definitely worth it. Very accommodating changing things around for the kids and the entire menu was available in very generous half portions for them. Good wines and beers. Stunned it wasn't busier really, highly recommended.
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We visited Tuesday evening for a family meal. The liqueur coffee we ordered for my niece visiting from Australia, they could not make - so we sent it back. My son-in-law had a coffee which was one mouthful in a silly little cup. I think there were very poor choices on menu and the portions were much too small and much too pricey for a pub. We definitely won't be going there again. Also, the wine by the bottle was horrendously expensive, for example Malbec for £28.99 (we buy this for £9.99) - so why do they need to overprice the wines? This is definitely not a pub we will visit again.
Older reviews
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Good - the place is cleaner than it has been in years and the food is fantastic. Bad - the prices are more Central London than West Sussex and the atmosphere poor.
This pub should be a success, it is a lovely building in a great location. However, the lack of music and sparse decoration make it feel clinical and the welcome was less than warm. Staff are a mixed bag - some good, some not. The new management have driven away the regular punters by not offering Badgers and removing the stools from around the bar - hence no 'local' feel to the place. The clear bar top and general lack of character only add to the 'Waiting Room' feel. This is not offset by the stuffed Boar's Head on the wall.
I so want this pub to be good, but am disappointed by the current set-up. Either the management need to take a look at who their market are or we wait for another slow and painful decline until somebody else has a crack. Wake up and smell the beer!
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If this is what an NHS waiting room is like, I am going to try to get ill more often! The service is delightful in a calm and attractively decorated space. I had a quick bar snack of fresh bread, still warm from the oven, good olive oil, bresaola carpaccio with goats cheese and rocket. Delicious with lovely refreshing flavours. The Tempranillo went well with it (unusual to find a wine this good sold by the glass). The cost was about £12 including coffee. Best value I have had for a long time and I can't wait to revisit with more time to spare to try the rest of the menu .
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What have they done?! This pub now resembles a hospital waiting room that serves alcohol....maybe a good idea for the NHS but not a country pub! Bright walls, bright lighting, no atmosphere, no music, no interaction with staff and expensive London pricing on the beer...C'mon please....will the next landlord get it right....we just want a country pub....I suppose we'll just have to wait for the next one and maybe they will just listen to the locals!
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Lovely lunch...good food, good views, very pleasant and helpful staff...now to be a regular stopping place..and the puddings are to die for!
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My wife and I have been loyal locals to this pub now for ten years and have seen landlords and landladies come and go. Here we go again, why? Are the new people intent on trying to turn this pub into a London yuppie bar, when others have tried, with their Michelin food? Who wants it? We saw the sign, proper pub, proper food on the door, I don't think so. We look forward to bangers and mash or a country ploughman's after a country walk but not to be it seems. If this pub can survive on buisness clientèle alone with their fancy food - good luck to them.
On a good note, it's nice to see the downstairs patio open although they will need to keep the hedge in trim as this spoils the view of Surrey hills. However, waiting for the next people to take over...
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I must have read the sign, said proper pub food..... just another attempt at posh dining in a bland environment with bad service. Sorry but I have come home after eating there and I am hungry. Shame the food wasn't filling. It was 40 mins to take food order and had to go find a waitress three times to get service. Hate to say this but it's not South Lodge. Marrowbone burger, yuk, beef burger would be better. In my opinion, a seriously poncey menu and small portions. When will they learn? Next landlord coming....
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I totally disagree with the comment made below. This pub is serving exceptional Michelin standard food in a fantastic environment. Definitely worthy of a visit.
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Went to pub on launch day 28/3/12 - could not believe that they had not got the place ready - no pictures on the walls, everything just looked so bare and clinical...service ok-ish. Won't be going back - such a shame because I used to love this pub a couple of years back.
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I hear the pub is about to close again. Dave and Izzy are the best landlord and landlady since Dave and Fiona and they've done a good job at getting customers back to the pub. Will be sadly missed, they put the pub back to the country local we all knew and loved.
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It's good to see this pub is back as a country pub, it's warm, cosy, comfortable, and the staff are friendly. They have a nice outside area for those that want to get away from it all, music in the background, although sometimes a little too soft and repetitive, and sometimes a bit out of date, which is not everyone's taste, but the landlord and landlady are real nice people who deserve to do well and we hope they do.
The food is really good although we thought a little too small in the amount you get for the cost, and a little fancy; the menu is a little pricey based on other eating places in the area. They don't offer a children's menu but will accommodate if you ask - and the amount of people we heard asking for something basic that's not on the menu surely should be ringing bells by now. We did try the Sunday roast to get an idea of what the food is like. Be warned, we were surprised to find you only get two very small cuts of meat, two small roast spuds, and a big Yorkshire pud burnt, so you cannot see what's on your plate, and the veg comes out in a little bowl that you share. While we were there, we heard three other tables complain amongst themselves. You may be surprised to hear, no gravy, you have to ask for it, as three other tables did. And we didn't get offered any pud. Not a good first experience but we are sure things will improve over time when they get an idea of who's using the place and keeping it going.
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Twelve of us had our work Xmas meal there yesterday. We were made very welcome by the friendly staff. The food was delicious and good-sized portions. I'll be going back for sure.
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Went on Saturday for a birthday lunch, staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was lovely and the atmosphere was great! Recommend it for a nice afternoon meal.
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After the previous landlord's attempts at fine dining at ridiculous prices, I was relieved to see the new tenants have got good old fashioned pub food back on the menu. I have now enjoyed three meals with family and friends at the pub and would say it is worth a go. My only negative points would be: Why is the roast dinner served in a bowl? Why was my beef on top of my roast potatoes? It just made them soggy? Apart from a few arty type chef fiddlings the food is great - just give me a plate please.
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Had a very pleasant meal at the Boars Head yesterday evening. Good home-cooked food and a very nice atmosphere. Will definitely visit again.
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Had lunch at the Boars Head today. Was a bit worried at first because there weren't many people, which is sometimes a bad sign, but needn't have worried. The staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for us. The menu isn't exactly broad, but sometimes it's better to focus on fewer but well cooked meals. I had veggie quiche which came with chunky chips and a big salad and it was delicious - none of your bought in and warmed up mass-produced stuff - this was obviously prepared and cooked on the premises and was fresh and tasty. My companions had pasta and risotto and both looked fresh and home-made. Would definitely go again. The only negative thing was slight lack of atmosphere as there were only a couple of other people in there, but I hope the pub can gain a good reputation by word of mouth and get more of a crowd in, as they definitely deserve to do well.
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Nice to see the pub open again. Went in on Saturday afternoon not long after it reopened and met Dave the new landlord. Very friendly and so is Finn the pub dog. We sat out the back and looked after him as it was his first day there. Will try the food soon but nice to see it is not expensive and a nice variety.
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After visiting the Boars Head during the previous tenure it was hard to get excited about returning. The all NEW Boars is so different. The staff were friendly and helpful and the bar was full of people and had a great atmosphere. I will be returning for a meal at some point. If you have been before or are avoiding it because of what you have heard about the place, I suggest taking another look. If people stay away because of its history then it will not succeed when it deserves to.
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Pub's closed again? Such a shame, it started to become a lovely place to spend an evening. Good food and drink, nice staff. Not much else you could have asked for.
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I have recently moved back to Horsham after being In France for six months. I have always thought that the Boars could be a great pub! The old owners had it like it was a night club, I am glad to see it's back to a stylish and clean country pub.
Pub score - No Good · - Excellent
