Jolly Sailor - Maldon

The restaurant had only one friendly staff member, while the rest appeared uninterested. The food was good and the service was efficient. However, the owner was rude. I sat at the bar and noticed the owner making bookings with a dog sitting on the bar. When we ordered coffee, the owner informed the waitress that they only had 15 minutes. The waitress apologized for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, there was no room to just have a drink. Overall, I would not return to this restaurant.

We absolutely adore seafood, so when we came across a tempting Groupon offer for a seafood meal, we couldn't resist giving it a try. We were familiar with The Jolly Sailor from previous visits to The Basin, where we had enjoyed a few drinks on the seawall but had never dined inside. Our first impressions were that of a traditional pub, with a separate area for dining. We arrived early and had a couple of drinks at very reasonable prices with friendly service. We decided to see if we could be seated early and had no problem at all. The restaurant section was bustling and packed with customers. We were impressed to see a table near us with about 18 guests all enjoying fish and chips, which looked delicious. Our own feast arrived shortly after, consisting of cockles, shrimps, smoked mackerel, crayfish, smoked salmon, whitebait, calamari, bread, dip, chips, and salad. Just when we thought we couldn't eat anymore, a pot of steaming mussels arrived at our table. The waitress saw the surprised looks on our faces and reassured us to take our time. The atmosphere was lively, the staff were friendly yet professional, and we absolutely loved the pub. We are already looking forward to returning in the near future. A big thank you to everyone, including the kitchen staff, for a wonderful evening.

This charming pub has a lovely view of the river. They usually have 2 or 3 different ales available and the food is reasonably priced. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit.

Had a very pleasant overnight stay in nice room overlooking the Hythe and big sailing boats. Had excellent crab salad meal in the evening poached eggs on crushed avacado on toast for breakfast not served till 9am, bit late). Friendly reception, nice atmosphere and terrific location down by the harbour.

A lovely lunch with our grandson. Kids eat free on a Monday and Tuesday and it is a ‘pop up Thai kitchen’ on these days lunch times I think). Good selection of beers and soft drinks. Children’s menu was good, the beef burger with cheese and chips went down very well. We had stir fried sweet and sour chicken which was delicious. If you are in the area well worth a visit.