The Horse & Groom, Charlton — Restaurant in England

On 5th April we held a dinner party for my 60th birthday, at The Horse & Groom. I had begun planning this back in January and Kes, the manager, was extremely helpful from the start. We arrived on spec during a Sunday lunch service, and despite being very busy Kes kindly showed us their private function room called “The Stables” (this can accommodate up to 30 guests seated) and “The Snug” which was more suitable for our numbers as we were inviting 12 friends.

Knowing this was an important occasion Kes, and her colleague Amra, were great at making suggestions about how they could help us by dressing the room with any bunting or decorations we might like and, they kindly offered us use of their flower arrangements and candles to make the area look charming.

On the evening, we were met by Callum who showed us to “The Snug” where the room was set up with our decorations, place cards and lovely vases of flowers – it looked fabulous. Throughout the night Kes and Marcus made sure that everything ran smoothly and kept the drinks coming and served our meal. The food was wonderful, and Tom and Chelsea (the chefs) did an excellent job. Everyone who had the steak commented on the quality of the meat, those who had chicken said it was perfect and juicy and everyone loved the chips. Following dessert Kes brought out my husband’s birthday cake and, after we had sung Happy Birthday, kindly cut and boxed it up for our friends to take home.

My wife is quite a fussy party organizer (her words!) and can’t thank Kes enough for her great patience in answering all my questions in the lead up to the day and her skills and attention to detail that made the party run so smoothly. We had a great time, and all our friends did too. This was definitely because of the hard work of Kes and the team. I can’t recommend The Horse & Groom highly enough. We’ll definitely be back for lunches and dinners and also, any future...

Booked Sunday lunch for daughters 24th birthday, a table for 8 at 1.30. On arrival was shown to a table out the back, which was a grim area. The heaters were ridiculously hot and made everyone feel uncomfortable, they were turned off on request. The waitress eventually came and said they were short staffed and long delays were likely. Then she reeled off what food was unavailable, a bit shocking at so early in lunch service. We should’ve left then but as daughters birthday and 2 members had travelled a long way decided to stay. Big mistake. Drinks arrived and Prosecco was flat. The waitress came to take food order and we were then told there was no chicken available. This leaving us just a couple of options! Went to the bar on a couple of occasions to get drinks as no service to table, and to check where food was. After 1.5 hours the food arrived. When we thought it couldn’t get any worse it certainly did! The roast dinners were inedible, meat so tough you couldn’t cut it, potatoes not cooked and kale was raw. Clearly no chef working in the kitchen, no one with any experience would send food out like this. We felt sorry for front house staff as they were run off their feet apologising and trying to keep people happy, it wasn’t their fault. Danielle, Summer and Euan, you should be proud of yourselves and I sincerely hope management acknowledge you! We were told that we didn’t have to pay, but this certainly didn’t make up for such a terrible experience which was supposed to be a birthday celebration. We came home and cooked! This place has always been great as we have visited several times before so not sure what went so desperately wrong yesterday. Will not be...

Exceptional Hospitality: A Memorable Stay at The Horse and Groom Inn

I recently had the pleasure of staying at The Horse and Groom Inn in Charlton for the third time, and I must say, it was, as ever, an exceptional experience! - largely due to the warm and friendly service an incredible team provides. From the moment we arrived, we felt really welcomed.

A special shoutout to the manager, Kes, who sets the tone for such a positive atmosphere. Kes went above and beyond to ensure our stay was perfect, taking the time to check in throughout our visit. It's rare to encounter such a hands-on manager who clearly leads by example and inspires their team to do the same.

All the other staff there were equally fantastic. I want to commend Sophie, Rachel, Summer, Harry, and Dani, who were all on duty during our stay. Each one of them was incredibly friendly, always ready with a smile, and eager to help with anything we needed.

What really stood out was how genuine the service felt. It wasn't just about doing a job; it was clear that the staff truly cared about making sure every guest had the best possible experience. Their warmth and hospitality created such a welcoming environment that we felt like we were staying with friends rather than at a hotel.

Having stayed here a few times, I can say that, from the impeccable service to the thoughtful gestures throughout, The Horse and Groom Inn truly exceeded my expectations. If you're looking for a stay where the staff goes above and beyond to make you feel valued and at home, this is the place to be. I can't wait to return—thank you, Kes, Sophie, Rachel, Summer, Harry, and Dani, for making our stay...