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.
Update: November 2011. The pub has re-opened under new management.
Beers are from Hall and Woodhouse including Fursty Ferret and Tanglefoot. 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 31 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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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get away from it all, music in the background, although sometimes a little too soft and repetitive, and sometimes a bit out of date, which is not everyone's taste, but the landlord and landlady are real nice people who deserve to do well and we hope they do.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.
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I have been drinking at the Boars Head now for many years. The new owners are great! They have worked hard to change the pub for the better. The decor is lovely and inside is always clean, however outside could do with some t.l.c.
The service is slow but the food makes up for it. I am not so sure about the fancy food, however I had the burger, very impressed! Fish and chips - again great. One side of the menu is pub food and it's good. The otherside is the fancy stuff, which to be honest I don't think many people enjoy as the resturant is always empty.
Recently I have noticed a change in the atmosphere. It can be seen that staff have left and the ones left are struggling. Not sure what has gone on there, but it's all doom and gloom.
I went in on Saturday night with some friends and we sat in the corner at the beginning of the evening. We planned to go into town and enjoy the rest of the evening. The DJ started to set up and we wondered if he would be any good, so we stayed for a while. It ended up with us all having shots and we all got very drunk. I had such a great evening. The atmosphere was fun. A large party of youths came in with paint all over them. I thought to myself I would be leaving very soon but they made the night! It was great, I think this is the kind of evening the pub needs. Liven it up a bit.
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Arrived here quite by accident after being told to visit another pub not too far away and feeling rather let down! The restaurant was very busy catering for a large birthday party so we were not expecting to be catered for to be honest, so were very pleased when we were told they could accommodate us. The meals were excellent (my partner had the haddock, I had the chicken and mushrooms), the service was just as good and all washed down with a great pint of Guinness for me and a glass of coke for my charming partner! From the restaurant we then went to the bar where we were entertained by a brilliant guitarist/singer! All in all I can safely say it was a very enjoyable evening. Thank you!
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Lovely people but..... I thought the menu was very pretentious and food bland. Chips were horrible, skinny deep fried, frozen supermarket standard. Overall, just too expensive, not value for money.
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Had heard good things since the refurb in the County Times so gave it a whirl. Very, very disappointed. From the outside, it seems they need to give the place a good clean. Staff gave the impression that a smile and good service were too tricky for them. Main menu very expensive, bar menu just about OK so we chose from that instead. My husband enjoyed his burger, I had a ciabatta which I couldn't finish. On asking for an extra napkin to wrap it in, I was told I had to sign a disclaimer that I wouldn't sue if I became ill taking the food off the premises! There's a first for me. Wonder why they made me do that? Such a shame as it used to be a really good pub to eat in. There are plenty of other good dining pubs in and around Horsham. We will definitely not be going back.
Older reviews
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Have not been in the pub for a while so decided to visit after walking home from town on Saturday 18th - only to find it was shut until Monday. The closed sign looked like someone could not be bothered to clean it as you could only just read it. I cannot believe, with people living upstairs, and with the amount of staff, that they could not open; they must have lost a lot of trade from people sledging over over the road.
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We have been to the Boars Head three times over the past three years. First visit in about 2007 presented great food and the best sticky toffee pud ever. Second visit was the worst food in about 2009ish. Third visit was today, November 2010. It has had a revamp and new owners? Looked good on entering, nice décor but the food was not good. Kids had roast beef and as I was cutting it I struggled because it was really tough; hubby concurred beef was over cooked and veggies were over cooked as well. I had the special seafood dish. Scallops were beautifully cooked but the rest was tough and there was not much flavour to the dish either. Overall, we will not be trying it again. Pity because it has the potential to be a fantastic venue.
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We found the pub by chance and were very impressed. The restaurant side is very inviting and quite cosy, the food was excellent, makes a nice change to have food freshly prepared using local ingredients, instead of "plastic pub food". Staff were also friendly. Can't fault it.
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This pub used to be our local on gorgeous walks across Denne Park. It's heartbreaking to see the inside ripped out and I can't understand why they've taken out the character and comfort to leave a weird array of cold-looking kitchen tables and bare floors. Eugh. So uninviting! Doesn't suit the building at all, looks like an MFI showroom. They still serve good beer but it's only comfortable if you sit outside. So sad.
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Went for a wedding anniversary meal and to see what it was like now. Where has the pub gone? I thought it was a country pub! Too trendy now. Worst of all, poncy food - tasted great but too small portions. My wife was still hungry and she is not a huge eater. Asked for cooked duck, not pink - it came pink. It went back so I finished my small portion of bubble and squeak with a bit of fish on top. Ordered a side portion of veg to bulk the meal up. I got peas and carrots. Not enough. This used to be a great pub but it's not now and it will be a while if ever I go again.
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We said we would give this place at least a month and we did. However, it's not for us or our friends, there's no music, little seating, and no basic down to earth food. The place feels like an art gallery/library and we all noted there is less parking; there was room for six cars in each segment, now you can only get three. Not a country pub but more your London yuppie pub.
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Looking better since re-opening, although the staff were reluctant to accept food orders at the bar. It's still a pub! However the food was excellent, best burger this side of Surrey (which has many upmarket pubs). We need this sort of uplift as long as the menu doesn't get too fancy and pricey. Good start, keep giving the Black Jug some competition for the more discerning patrons.
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Pub now feels bare and more like a canteen. We wanted to sit outside and were told that they would switch on the heaters; however they never switched them on so we moved indoors where we were just as cold! Menu is not vegetarian or vegan friendly and there is only one option for a true vegetarian, bubble and squeak (mash and peas with an egg and hollandaise sauce that tastes of nothing). Nice burger though apparently! But the place is trying to be too fancy.
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Great menu, great staff. Wow - what a wonderful upgrade for this pub! As soon as you walk in the door you feel the energy and passion of the staff. The decor has been really nicely upgraded and the patio dining area is just lovely with beautiful views of the Sussex countryside. Most importantly for me, the menu is really interesting, full of local fare and when you eat it the food is fabulous and great value for money. In my experience there is no other pub in the area that has a menu to match it. Go try it and find out for yourself!
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An update since our last review. It's good to see the Boars Head back with very friendly staff that make you feel welcome. They have made a really good job at cleaning up the place and outside has had a face lift so ideal in the summer. On the downside, the feedback we have had from most people we know is there's not enough tables so if you're out with friends, you may be disappointed with having to stand.
The pub has lost its cosy feel, it's quite hollow and we still have not heard any music. The outside is now open to the weather with no heaters and the tables and chairs are not designed for spending the evening on. Quick round up: great for a quick drink but not with a crowd and although we have heard the food is good we did not see any basic bar snacks.
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This pub is now the best pub in Horsham by miles, beer good, food great but the new managers are the best thing....so friendly. My new local!
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Well-deserved shake-up. New managers make you genuinely welcome. Several bitters on tap - all used regularly - most under £3 and served by knowledgeable mine host and hostess, who have have worked wonders on re-opening the Boar. Will return asap to test the food but those dining looked more than happy.
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Great decor and a fantastic view from a wonderful balcony. The beer is kept well and the food was excellent. The service was friendly and efficient. Will definitely visit again.
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Nice to see the pub is open again. Ventured in last Sunday on a walk with the dog. It may be clean but any character has sadly been stripped from the pub, leaving a barn-like open feel, with no atmosphere and it has lost its country cosy feel. The restaurant does look very nice but the menu, like a lot of pubs, seems overpriced.
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Very good refurbishment and lovely staff. Food delicious if you can wait 40 minutes. That was the only negative.
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The Boars Head is now back up and running. Looks nice, but will it bring back the locals? To be fair, it's early days, but on first inspection it looks really nice and clean. Staff are friendly and polite. On the negative side, it looks like it's going to be a typical yuppie bar with cordon bleu food, and the sound of silence looming. If like us, you are out for a country walk with your dirty dogs, not sure yet if we will be welcome. Not able to comment on the food as we are country folk and did not see any basic bar snacks being offered. Still need to see if offering Sunday roast. Need to try the pub at different times to get a better feel for the place. Will keep you posted.
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I have been to this pub a few times and I have always found the staff really helpful. Nice food and a great outdoor area to sit and relax with the sun going down, listening to the music they provide.
Pub score - No Good · - Excellent
