The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays
The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Description
Pub in former customs house, with marble topped bar, sofas, parquet floors and waterside terrace.
attractions: Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Spinnaker Tower, HMS Victory, Mary Rose Museum, HMS Warrior, Round Tower, New Theatre Royal, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, restaurants: Slug & Lettuce - Portsmouth, The Isambard Kingdom Brunel - JD Wetherspoon, The Still & West, Old Portsmouth, Ship Anson, Las Iguanas - Portsmouth - Gunwharf Quays, All Bar One Portsmouth, Nando's Portsmouth, The Dockyard Pub Portsmouth, Spice Island, Brewhouse & Kitchen - Portsmouth
Ratings
Description
Pub in former customs house, with marble topped bar, sofas, parquet floors and waterside terrace.
Posts
This is a splendid place to stop for a bite to eat, or a drink. An historic building that played a major part in the history of the area; it has been very sensitively restored. There are lots of interesting facts, pictures, drawings that adorn the walls and these help to provide some continuity with its heritage. The seats and tables all offer a sense of comfort and charm, whilst still maintaining a sense of hygiene. It might be thought that the smaller rooms would make it feel a bit cramped, but I felt that it was more cosy, with a sense of privacy. They offer some very interesting local ales, as well as a few more modern drinks. The food is superb, with a pretty good range to choose from. It's just a few steps from the car park under the shopping area, and the walkway in front of the building also helps to provide a slightly older style ambiance in keeping with the overall affect. I noticed that they are sympathetic to dogs and young children.
Anthony SutcliffeAnthony Sutcliffe
10
Looked a great pub from outside. Has sheltered outdoor seating to the front. Fullers pub with choice of 6 handpulled cask beers.... but no staff serving who knew anything about bitter, nor how to pull a cask ale. For goodness sake, Fullers, train your staff! I asked for a half of handpulled bitter and got presented with a flat as a pancake glass of liquid, no head whatsoever. Flat drinks pulled so ignorantly taste awful, it affects the beer taste. So when you don't know what you're doing, you might as well be serving water. The young lass whippersnapper who "pulled" my half tried to justify it by "explaining" "it's not meant to be a fizzy drink." !!!! And this said to someone from the trade who ran pubs and knew and knows how to pull cask beers. I was about to give her the benefit of the doubt and just select a different beer, but then whippersnapper 2, male version, had just pulled a drink for another customer from my 2nd choice beer and that was flat as a proverbial as well. Two young staff, both clueless and untrained on how to serve a beer, well, I just said forget it. No point having 6 handpulled cask beers for sale but a clueless crew who can't operate the pumps. Train your staff!
Ambrose's Legit Honest ReviewsAmbrose's Legit Honest Reviews
10
Can only base this review on the Christmas meal I had. Not overly impressed especially for £30. The starter was ham hock. Essentially it was shredded ham with chutney. Was served in the shape and looks like it was straight out of a tin of premium cat food. The main of turkey consisted of 1 slice of turkey roll rather than sliced turkey. The pigs in blankets were undercooked and apart from the potatoes, was not overly generous. The grand finale was the rum baba dessert. A lovely soft rum soaked sponge coated in syrup with some cream was expected. What arrived on the other hand could be used to knock someone out if the need arised! The syrup was thin and almost non exsistant. The sponge was incredibly dry. Cannot fault the serving staff. They were prompt and courteous. I can only base my experience on the meal I had but it will be the only one I'll have from this establishment.
J KennyJ Kenny
20
I ordered "Burrata & balsamic marinated tomatoes" from the Small Plate menu as I wasn't feeling for a full-size lunch. I understand the term Small Plate. But, what I received was a half-empty mini plate for £12.50. I don't mind paying for the food, but I am looking for value. However, this was a joke on the plate. It wasn't even the whole Burrata torn into 5 (?) pieces. I am not even sure it was Burrata, as it tasted more like mozzarella from Costco. There were 3 rather thin wedges of tomatoes and 4 stone hard pieces of bread or whatever it was. The cost of all the ingredients on the plate could be max. £4. The labour cost had to be peanuts as creating this complicated delicacy had to take like a minute. Thank you. This was our first and last visit.
Martina KantorMartina Kantor
40
I recently had the pleasure of dining and drinking at The Old Customs House in Portsmouth and it was an exceptional experience. The range of food offered was excellent, with a variety of options to suit all tastes. The dishes were beautifully presented and delicious, particularly the seafood options. The ale selection was also impressive, with a variety of local ales and ciders on tap. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and drinks, making for a great dining experience. The atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends or a romantic evening out. I highly recommend The Old Customs House for anyone looking for great food, drinks and atmosphere
Duncan AndrewsDuncan Andrews
00
Absolutely terrible experience. We ordered burrata with tomatoes and bread, garlic baguette, and fries. What they called 'burrata' was just mozzarella, with a mushy tomato and rock-hard day-old bread. The garlic baguette was nothing more than a cheap, white bake-at-home baguette with a smear of butter and a single garlic clove. Both dishes were poorly presented and tasted awful. The fries were just okay, but there was no service, and no one bothered to ask how the food was. The best thing was the Pepsi Max, because you can't really mess that up. Would not recommend!
NilsNils
60
Nearby Attractions Of The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays
Gunwharf Quays
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Spinnaker Tower
HMS Victory
Mary Rose Museum
HMS Warrior
Round Tower
New Theatre Royal
National Museum of the Royal Navy
Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery

Gunwharf Quays
4.4
(12K)Click for details

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
4.7
(6.1K)Click for details

Spinnaker Tower
4.6
(3.7K)Click for details

HMS Victory
4.8
(3.3K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays
Slug & Lettuce - Portsmouth
The Isambard Kingdom Brunel - JD Wetherspoon
The Still & West, Old Portsmouth
Ship Anson
Las Iguanas - Portsmouth - Gunwharf Quays
All Bar One Portsmouth
Nando's Portsmouth
The Dockyard Pub Portsmouth
Spice Island
Brewhouse & Kitchen - Portsmouth

Slug & Lettuce - Portsmouth
4.2
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The Isambard Kingdom Brunel - JD Wetherspoon
3.9
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The Still & West, Old Portsmouth
4.4
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Ship Anson
4.5
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