Miller & Carter Haywards Heath — Restaurant in Mid Sussex

Birthday meal - ok but not great.

First off - staff were great. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. We didn’t have to wait long to order which was great.

Sadly that’s where the good ends.

When we arrived it was quiet at 18:30 which was a perfect time, we had a good table and were comfortable, the noise levels were minimal and it had a number of diners in but not overcrowded. However, as the evening progressed it became louder and louder, to the point I couldn’t hear my partner across the table. I guess it also didn’t help having a party of 6 turn up next to us, but personal space and volume control wouldn’t have gone a-miss.

In general, food presentation was great and it looked appetising. The steak had nice char lines on it and a little melted butter on it, plus a garnish.

The starter was nice. We had a Camembert sharer which was tasty, loads of cheese and some bread sticks for it. The chilli jam was good too. I would recommend this.

As soon as that was cleared from the table the steak arrived, literally within a minute. So fast. I ordered a Sirloin cooked medium rare and my girlfriend ordered a rump cooked medium.

The rump was more red and rare than the sirloin.

My sirloin was quite sinue-y, I have had sirloins before which melt in the mouth yet this one was quite hard to cut and a bit heavy going. My girlfriend’s rump steak looked okay, albeit very red for medium which she wasn’t too keen on, but she said similar that it was quite hard to get through with the sinuey bits of what she ate.

My lettuce wedge was ok but after I had some with the sauce on it I had to leave the rest. It was supposed to be bacon and a honey dressing but it was almost pure vinaigrette on it - so overpowering, it was actually quite sore on the tongue and difficult to eat.

The onion loaf is great though and the new potatoes were lovely.

Once the food was done (as much as we could handle) coupled with the noise levels, we decided to get out quick. It was disappointing though as we came here before and it was amazing in all ways, the food was quality and delicious, melt in the mouth. Sadly not this time.

To reiterate though, our waitress was great - as were the other staff - but the food sadly didn’t live up to our hopes and definitely doesn’t justify the high price tags (we spent about £90 between 2 of us) neither really did the atmosphere. The dining area visually looks nice and inviting but with all the noise and how compact it is, it wasn’t too pleasant. We won’t be going back...

I’ll start with the positives – we booked a table via phone for 8 people for my daughter’s 18th birthday, booking taken, nice suggestion to bring cake and candles, and they said they’d bring out at end of meal. Arrived on the evening, checking in, had the menu explained to us, and advised they would step us through the options. After that it started going downhill.

When asking for a glass for daughter to share a bottle of wine, she was asked for ID. We hadn’t thought to bring any with us, as haven’t had issues at other restaurants, and with an 18 badge, and two helium balloons attached to her, thought that may count! After questioning it with the waitress, did ask to speak with the manager about this, two waitresses and manager then said no, it’s not allowed – questioned again saying not had this before, and after a quick google, confirmed that the law is 16 & 17s are allowed when eating with adults. Finally explained that all staff inc manager are juniors, and it’s not allowed as there is no licenced employees who can serve – and this is common across their restaurant chain. Although annoyed at this, my daughter was OK, so just ordered soft drinks for her, but service then did drop.

Now review of the food – my kids all enjoyed the calamari, although I thought it tasted a little processed, my parent’s in law didn’t think much of the prawn cocktails. My steak was good, cooked well, but others (6 of us ordered steak) were mixed. Parents in law had the lamb, and said it was very good. Fries were very dry/overcooked. On prompting they brought up the cake, and we then decided to take it home, 8 mains, 5 starters, bottle and a half of wine , 3 beers, and soft drinks, was around £320 (inc already added service charge). Giving 2 stars as some of the food was edible – even though I want to give none. Would suggest that staff advise when people book (especially when we stated it was for an 18th birthday), they tell people to bring ID. ...

As an American tourist on my very first night in England, I was eager to experience a traditional British steakhouse. I had heard great things about Miller and Carter in Hayward's Heath, so I decided to give it a try.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately struck by its cozy and old-style pub house ambiance. The warm and welcoming atmosphere set the stage for a memorable dining experience.

The menu at Miller and Carter offered a variety of options, allowing you to customize your steak exactly the way you wanted. I opted for the ribeye steak, and I must say, it was truly outstanding. The meat was cooked to perfection, tender, and packed with flavor, meeting my American expectations for a top-notch steak.

The "pick your side, pick your sauce, and pick your cut of meat" concept was a delightful surprise. I paired my ribeye with a delicious picture-perfect salad and a mouthwatering sauce that complemented the steak perfectly. This level of personalization made the meal feel tailor-made to my preferences.

While the prices might be on the higher side, I found that the quality of the meal justified the cost. The attention to detail in the preparation and presentation of the food was commendable.

What stood out even more was the warm reception I received as an American visitor. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made me feel right at home in this English steakhouse. It was a memorable introduction to English cuisine, and I left Miller and Carter in Hayward's Heath with a newfound appreciation for British...