Black Horse Hookwood — Restaurant in Mole Valley

The Black Horse in Horley sits comfortably in the “pub with ambitions” category, a local trying to play on a slightly grander stage. It’s a fine aspiration, but aspirations alone don’t guarantee results, and here, it’s a mixed bag.

Let’s start with the Mediterranean salad, priced at an eyebrow-raising £13.95. At that price, you’d expect a dish that sings of sun-dappled coastal markets and fresh sea air. Instead, what arrives is a bowl of chopped lettuce, some decent-enough olives, the odd sun-dried tomato, croutons, and a scattering of feta. The ingredients are undeniably fresh, but it’s a salad without a story, a dish that lacks the drama or complexity of something worthy of its price tag. Where’s the grilled aubergine or courgette? The roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts? It’s as if someone took the idea of the Mediterranean, stripped it of its romance, and replaced it with sweetness, a dressing so sugary it should come with a dental warning.

The onion bhaji was a far better effort. Crisp, golden, and warmly spiced, it managed to deliver a little joy. That said, the garnish of wilted spinach and a stray tip of lettuce felt like an afterthought, and the drizzle of reduced balsamic was a nod to culinary trends that died with flip phones. But still, it was good enough to make you forgive these minor missteps.

Then there was the curry, which was genuinely excellent. Deep, rich, and perfectly spiced, it showed a level of care and understanding that suggests someone in that kitchen knows what they’re doing. The rice, fluffy and fragrant, was the perfect companion. It’s the kind of dish that makes you wonder why the rest of the menu doesn’t quite rise to meet it.

The staff, at least, are a credit to the place: friendly, efficient, and genuinely pleasant. They help lift the experience and make you want to root for the Black Horse. And to be fair, not everything on the menu carries the same high price tag as the salad. Most items are reasonably priced, leaning towards the upper end of pub dining but not outrageously so.

The Black Horse has the bones of something great. The setting is welcoming, the service is excellent, and some of the dishes genuinely shine. But if it wants to justify its higher price points, it needs to refine its offering. Right now, it feels like a pub that’s reaching for greatness but hasn’t quite figured out how...

Went to Black Horse with a friend for a pre cinema lunch, been going there for couple of decades and hoc Was almost empty. On Friday 26th October at approximately midday -1230.my friend and I decided to pop in for a bite to eat prior to Crawley cinema thinking we would choose a cosy pub as oppose to the many eateries near cinema.

I ordered egg holandndaise, she ordered potato & leek soup. The girl serving at the bar was sweet and I asked for a gluten free roll instead of the muffin. I stupidly paid first for our meal and drinks.

Our order arrived, mine first, a poached egg so tiny , it was literally just over the diameter of a £2 coin.. obviously I didn't get my tape measure out, we should have taken a photo, it was remote on a huge plate with just the roll in cellophane, no bacon, no butter.

My friends soup arrived, the menu described a baton to accompany it. However it was merely a very small hard diagonally sliced piece of bread possibly ciabatta, again no butter, the soup was not very hot but she stated it was about 6/10 taste wise. She was disappointed.

We caught the attention of the waiting staff and asked where my crispy bacon was, within less than a minute , our came my back which she unceremoniously slid onto my plate, clearly this was not fresh & had been insufficiently nuked in the microwave, it was greasy & Luke warm. We ate most of our meals as hungry but when the waitress asked if it had been okay, we started as described above and how the cost of £7.50 for my egg hollandaise was disgusting and how if I hadn't already paid, I would at that point have refused to pay the full amount.. She apologised but made no effort to speak to a manager or offer us a complimentary "anything" to make amends or keep our custom, she just said she didn't set the prices,v so we left very disappointed and not wanting to come back. What was worse was I wrote a polite email to management who didn't even bother with an acknowledgment let alone an apology or offer of compensation. Seems no one cares for...

I am writing to provide feedback on a recent visit to your restaurant, which unfortunately fell short of expectations.

We made a booking online and specifically requested a table away from the entrance, as I suffer from an autoimmune condition that leaves me constantly cold. Upon arrival, we were seated at a table right next to the double doors, which was highly uncomfortable given the -4°C temperature outside. Although staff mentioned there was a radiator nearby, it was barely warm and did little to improve the situation.

Our experience with the service and food was equally disappointing. After ordering, we waited nearly an hour for our food to arrive, and no one checked on us during this time. When the food finally arrived, it was underwhelming. The chicken, in particular, was dry and tough, and overall, the dishes lacked the quality I expect when dining out. Unfortunately, I could have prepared a better meal at home.

Additionally, there was no follow-up from the staff to ask if the food was satisfactory or to offer us another drink. We also waited an excessive amount of time to receive the bill.

Overall, this was a very disappointing experience, and I would not recommend your restaurant based on this visit. I believe in providing feedback to help improve future service and hope you will take these points into...