The Rock Inn — Restaurant in Sevenoaks

The place was nice enough, lovely old pub. Very quaint and traditionally decorated. There was sufficient parking for our group and the staff were very attentive. Unfortunately the food really let this place down. It's not cheap which you don't mind at all when the food is up to spec.

Our group ordered from the main menu and the roast menu. The roast was £50 and it's a sharing platter. The waiter told us it was for 3 ppl or 2 adults and 2 kids so we ordered one for 2 adults and 2 small teens. We told them when we ordered that it was for us four and the rest of the table placed their orders, when the food came it was 3 of everything, 3 carrots, 3 parsnips slithers, 3 yorkies and 3 pigs in blankets and 9 roasties which were more like boiled potatoes as they were definitely not roasted, (3 of everything is an odd number was usually it would be a couple of a family ordering). It meant one of us literally had 3 potatoes and some cabbage and meat. One of the kids ordered Mac and cheese. This was awful, she had one bite and refused to eat anymore as it was the American packet cheese sauce, bright orange and swimming in it. Not a traditional man n cheese. We ordered desserts, £8 each I believe. Brownies were ok but the Eton mess was massed up meringue with cream and 2 pieces of frozen strawberries, not even real ones and it's strawberry season. Hugely disappointed. Drinks are also very expensive. £60 for a bottle of prosecco or £30 for a cheap white which we went for in the end. Such a shame the food let it down. We definitely won't be back as there are some amazing other pubs within a 2 miles radius.

Edit- as you will see from the reply, this is the type of people that own this place. What do I have to gain from lying? I don't live locally or know anyone who does, I was a disappointed tourist leaving an honest response. "We mash the strawberries to a pulp to improve flavour" 🤣, hilarious. We use our own special mac n cheese recipe so it's not a traditional one, maybe tell kids that when they order. It definitely tasted very floury and packet like to us. But with a chef (who does weekly roast services over in Oxford ) and a baker in our party we are clearly wrong. We were definitely told the cheapest fizz was £60 as I clearly remember my father saying he wasn't paying that (all the women are usually fizz drinkers so we would usually order prosecco and didn't) maybe you had staff on that day that didn't know your menu well enough. All I'll say is, if you are told as a customer you are lying (for what reason? we left and paid, we aren't trying to get money off) and they protest that much, they clearly are having issues. Also it takes them over 6 months to respond to their reviews, slow, like the service. Edited my star rating to reflect...

I'm still thinking about how good this dinner was, one day later. The Rock Inn was great, go there.

We were a bit unsure where we'd go for dinner. We wanted a pub meal but there were a lot of options. I saw a lot of glowing reviews about the Rock Inn and we gave it a shot.

Summary of the experience - in a world of franchise and corporate owned "local pubs", this is a truly independent and local establishment that serves its community and, as much as possible, sources all ingredients from the very local area. The menu details the distribution arrangements the Rock Inn has for their different core ingredients: beef from this particular farm 3km away, venison from that particular farm 4km away, milk from such and such reciprocal farm in the next town, pigs... Actually, the Rock Inn now farms their own pigs for use. I guess it's just easier that way? They have a map of all of their sources and there was nothing outside of the south-east. Incredible! Being local, sustainable, and accountable to this level takes effort and isn't cheap. Huge props to the staff at the Rock Inn to make it work!

Menu was a little limited (due to ingredient sourcing approaches) but there were lots of enticing options. There was no drinks menu but the staff were knowledgeable of everything on tap and could find a solution to any drink we wanted. The owner was doing a lot of the waiting tables and he had a great charm and charisma and we had a great time and were taken well care of.

The interior is a hand-done hodge podge but felt very nice. Lots of horse bridle buckles and decorations and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a hitching post outside. This is the sort of local establishment I wish I could live near such that I could be a regular. This is the sort of actually local pub that is for the local community, from the local community, enriches the local community, and is comprised of the local community.

Want a...

After a week of rank drizzly London the Rock was a literal TONic (with gin).

I always prefer good atmosphere to good food, but this pub has both in a relaxed, unforced blend.

Stepping through the low dark wooden door into a warm and busy bar area, the Tudor decor is like stepping back into an older time with no Netflix and phones but ales and steak and chatter…🥩

And as the night glided past us, it felt like someone’s last minute house party where we’d stumbled in and been welcomed.

A party in the Tudor period, but with dogs, dinner and disco.

Both food and atmosphere were memorable, cosy and fun with Saturday night energy, chatty easygoing bar staff, bill withers and what might have been the lock stock soundtrack blasting through the speakers. Merlot with the sirloin, sticky toffee pudding. Little chat with the DJ. Just good vibes.

There was a Labrador under my feet during the entire meal and we didn’t notice because the vibe was so GOOD. What can I say, it made me glad my rubbish half arsed vegan phase is over. That said, the chips were banging. Vegans 🥑 can still have a cracking evening with chips and vibes at the Rock. Go there!

Ps only thing I’d change is the Union Jack 🇬🇧 cushions, which left connotations of...