Spitfire Ainsdale — Restaurant in Sefton

Eager to try here as we live local and having previously visited the place when it was The Arion. We went as a family of five (plus a well behaved dog) on a Sunday and enjoyed the best carvery we've had in Southport and surrounding areas - and we've tried quite a few!

On this occasion, there were three meats to choose from: beef, pork and turkey, each cooked to perfection, and the accompaniments were highly impressive, both for variety and taste, with everything freshly cooked. There were roast potatoes (cooked in goose fat), mashed potatoes, yorkshire pudding, broccoli, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, white cabbage, peas, carrot/swede mash, and the most amazing stuffing balls. Plus the best beef gravy I've ever had! I thought £10.95 for an adult carvery of this standard was excellent value.

There is a smaller menu on a Sunday because of the carvery, which naturally occupies the chefs, but our daughter, who's a fussy eater, loved the children's menu and her selection of chicken goujons. The desserts were also fantastic and further showcases the excellence of the kitchen staff. Mention must also go all the waiting-on staff we encountered, courteous, helpful, nothing was too much trouble. And the place itself looks fantastic after its overhaul with a very inviting, spacious, relaxing interior and comfy seating.

We'll definitely be back to try out the lunch menu and main menu very soon, and I know just where to go if ever in need of a Sunday carvery. If the standard of food from our first visit is anything to go by, then we have every confidence that our next visit will be just as amazing. Well done to all the team at the Spitfire, great to see the place busy, and I reckon you'll be receiving our...

We were meeting up with family to celebrate our late Dad. Family members had travelled from all over the North West to come to the area, where Dad is buried.

So we decided to all meet at the a Spitfire as this was close-by. Yes it looks impressive from the outside and decor inside, but the service was embarrassing to the cliché of a Gordon Ramsay clip!!

We ordered separately (as you might for a family of 15.)

With 10 mins between the three orders you would expect the food to be served in a similar fashion.

The Barmaid was great, professional and welcoming and the only member of staff who didn’t let the place down!

We had the first order arrive quite quickly, after a mix-up over whether or not the kitchen had, or had not run out of sausages for the all-day breakfast!!

We never saw the rest..40mins later, kids getting restless, so we enquired.. we were then asked by the manager what we had ordered and what had arrived.. and told it was on the way.

Another 20 mins later, we’re starting to think we’ve been forgotten.. so we went to enquire again.. by this point we weren’t the only table wondering what was going on as it wasnt exactly a busy day.. The attitude of the manager was pretty appalling and blamed us for ordering separately, confusing her and said that she “..doesn’t usually refund customers once the order was received!.. but would do it this once!” WELL..!! You don’t need to worry about having the difficulty of having to do that again…!!!

I don’t think we’d risk it a second time 🙈😆 There is a fair few options nearby that won’t ruin your day and have the kids all hangry or crying because you can’t serve a...

They have done a lot of work to the pub inside and out and looks good, we went for some food but although the food I ordered looked good I couldn't eat it as the order was wrong as the food had undisclosed items on the plate and unfortunately I have allergies so had to return it hence the 3 star the menu needs to disclose items and the staff need to be more informed of what the meals consist of . The remainder of my party mainly enjoyed there meal . Unfortunately although I posted a fairly good review of the pub and there food apart from mine to which I said looked good the owner appears to want to be sarcastic about lettuce and tomatoes but if you don't like something you don't like it and there was a large amount of coleslaw also not on the menu that I have allergies to I tried to be fair about the meal and did not put the pub down and did not make a fuss or demand a new meal but if they can't take a bit of constructive feedback without being sarcastic then so be it it...