The Chequers (new ownership March 2025) — Restaurant in Sevenoaks

Truly unbelievably shocking service... Lovely venue, and a beautiful pub. Thats where the positives end... Such a shame as it's a great setting for a drink. My brothers and I have joked about some of the service stories we have of this pub, as it really is mind boggling how little they consider service as a priority for the customers coming in the door. This one takes the biscuit. Ordered 2 Harvey's, first pint fills, second less than half and splutters. The barrels gone, fine..it happens. Takes then much longer than most publicans to change...but whatever. Firstly they tell me they will change it and "top up" the second pint?? I question that and ask for fresh pints, the girl say she would. She gives 1 fresh pint, but i didn't like the other pint from the last of the barrel, and ask if if it could be changed. They said no?? But not only that they look down and say "nah it looks fine". I still say well I don't like it and would like it to be changed. She then, (as this is where I was I'm truly shocked at their lack of awareness of service) passes my pint around the bar, and asks what the other customers think of my pint! It passes from hand to hand, all having a look and a sniff, and finds it way back round the bar to infront of me, with the 3 girls behind the bar all saying "see it's fine". Would you do that with a plate of food in a restaurant?? Can these people taste with their eyes?? I persist and say how shocked I am at the lack of service, and their approach to try and embarass a customer who has come in to enjoy their venue and spend some money. Theu say they have a checklist to follow and they are happy with the pint?!?! God knows what that means...all 3 girls behind the bar look very unsure of themselves around what to do. None of they had the training or authority to deal with a customer who needed their assistance. Having paid already for both pints, (and a bowl of Bombay mix!) I look around 1 last time, sigh....and walked out the pub leaving the drinks at the bar. Then!! I walk off to the Anchor pub, get a lovely welcome to the from the very personable brilliant staff, and before even hearing of my woes in the chequers, they pour me and my brother 3 free tasters of the resident beers, ask us what we think. Me and my brother look at each other and laugh, and enjoy our evening and rejoice that there is still somewhere in sevenoaks where you really feel at home. Thank you Barry and Phil at the Anchor. Absolutely...

Sceptical I was when my favourite pub in sevenoaks was renovating… stories of it being turned into a burger diner, taking down my beloved dart board and doing rid of the popular and fairly new pool table for a more “sophisticated, no roughian” vibes. Another Restoration Pub was the fear; out of place if not in a 3 piece suit and ball gown dress listening to boring lift music whilst sipping on over priced water.

Was a pleasant surprise when the Chequers did eventually open again to it being a nice vibe. Here’s the reasons I changed my mind.

Bar staff are incredibly friendly, not snobbish at all and full of welcome. I have enjoyed the chattiness as someone that tends to be on their own.

Prices for drinks didn’t increase at all. I was worried they would increase the prices to london standards in order to cover the cost of the refurbishment but was pleasantly surprised to find it stayed the same.

Atmosphere is better to be fair, there’s a much nicer feel to the space now and the redecoration is nice. My only question mark is painting the gorgeous oak beams into the same white as the rest of the walls and ceiling… missed a trick with the darker original colour but hey, I’m not paid the big bucks of the interior designer.

Then the sad story of the loss of the dart board. I love my darts and was sad to say goodbye to this… HOWEVER!!! the addition of the CHESS BOARD!!! A HIT!!! replacing one of my passions with another, I feel heard here and puts a smile on my face seeing everyone enjoy a good game of chess, chequers and backgammon.

The food. The food is marlowes. For me, over priced and an occasional treat. Though they are known as the best burgers in town, they used to be in brioche buns but now gone backwards to standard bread buns. Probably to cover costs but the addition of ploughman’s boards is a good shout.

At the end of the day, I was sceptical at first but I think they did a really good job. Think the live music could be better on a Friday when people want to let loose, less lift music vibe but that’s pretty much it. Playlist over speakers is better, garden better, people better, good improvement that deserves a...

Visited a few weeks back on a Friday evening with some friends and was disappointed to see that the Chequers was seemingly struggling to recover from the Pandemic and lockdowns. What was previously a sligthly more 'mature' and smarter venue compared to the Oak Tavern and The Restoration has lost that touch, and seemingly, its identity.

Despite the period decor and hops on the ceiling the atmosphere was more 'student union'. Two of the three staff were wearing scruffy T-Shirts and grey jogging bottoms and only became animated when a crowd of their younger friends approached the bar. Prior to that them seemed thoroughly miserable. When I approached to order the surly bar tender turned his back, seemingly disintersted. It was only then I noticed he was fixated on the till rather than engaging with me directly.

Pre-covid the pub marketed itself as a little bit Gastro but certainly had a good menu of pub classics and more sophosticated mains cooked on site. Food choices are now limited to sourdough Pizza or burgers provided by an external business. Our four Pizzas and a side salad all arrived separately and about 10 minutes apart (despite being assured that they wouldn't). Only after ordering were we told that they would be served in pizza boxes (due to Covid!) The salad also came in a box with no cutlery and so when I asked for some I was presented with a wooden fork! Pizza toppings were good but overall it was very dry but that may be the sour-dough experience.

As others have mentioned, the boxes weren't cleared away so we made use of one of the many empty tables despite this being peak time on a Friday night.

Overall it was very disappointing. I suspect that the pub is under new management since Covid as the service, attire and food are significantly different from before. Recovery, post Covid, in the hospitality industry must be hard enough and is, and I'm sure very competitive. I don't think that the Chequers is giving itself the best chance or attracting it's lost clientele back if it's not going to make a little more...