Best Places and Services in Guildford, Surrey (2025)

Rating: 5 / 5

Fab experience from the moment we arrived. We had the steak sharer and it did not disappoint, it was absolutely delicious! Every single morsel was eaten and thoroughly enjoyed and steak was cooked perfectly. Staff were all happy and attentive which made the atmosphere cosy and warm and inviting. Just lush.

Rating: 5 / 5

It’s a very happy and wonderful lunch time with my daughter.She liked the orange confit duck leg so much. For me the pork belly was very special and yummy.The atmosphere was so relaxing and the team was very polite and friendly with smiling face!Good service at all!We would highly recommend our friends and family to have an amazing gathering here.

Rating: 5 / 5

We had a very enjoyable breakfast. The atmosphere is great, the staff very kind and attentive, and the food and drinks very tasty!

Rating: 5 / 5

I like this place! I went a few times with friends, we had different food and deserts and we liked everything in this restaurant! The service was good, so friendly and with a cosy atmosphere.

Rating: 5 / 5

Fantastic restaurant and fantastic staff Archie was sooo attentive and so welcoming! He made sure all the food was correctly catered for my milk and egg allergy! Delicious roast pork!

Rating: 5 / 5

Food and atmosphere all ok, as you would expect from a up market chain of restaurants. The staff can make or break a premises and the tall barman, I think his name was Tom certainly helps make the Seahorse a place to return to, professional, attentive and very likeable. On a separate note my wife and daughter were more taken with how good looking he was. Many thanks to all for a very pleasant and enjoyable experience.

Rating: 4 / 5

A tasteful older building with pleasant decor and lighting, and a garden, just outside Guildford on the main road through Shalford. Friendly and helpful staff, though our table was behind a wall, and e found it hard to get their attention at first! Lovely pizza, and a pleasant healthy panzanella salad, though the salad could have been better presented maybe. The main thing I liked was the sense of humour of the staff. And the music was set just right, and not too obtrusive. I visit every few years. Maybe a little bit of decoration necessary to bring the place up to scratch. But generally nice and relaxed, and fairly stylish.

Rating: 5 / 5

We had lunch as a large extended family group. The service was excellent and could not have been better. All of the food was delicious and well presented, apart from one main dish that was not great. However, when we informed the staff member who served us, they immediately offered to replace it or give us a free dessert, in the end the cost of the meal was removed from our bill. Overall the dining experience was wonderful, the food was tasty and well presented and the staff were great. We will definitely return and I would definitely recommend The Seahorse.

Rating: 5 / 5

Absolutely amazing service. Best full English breakfast to get. Super nice staff. Very helpful. We had an amazing view of the castle. Oh it's a true English experience. So happy we tried it out. Will be back for more.

Rating: 5 / 5

The whole experience was exactly what I've come to expect and love from The Ivy - creative and tasty food served with a smile in a beautiful setting. We went for the festive set menu and no complaints from any of us. Our server (unfortunately didn't catch their name - hooped earing, we sat on the banquet in the far left corner near the windows 1800-2000) was an absolute dream. Highly recommend. Actually out of all The Ivy's I've eaten at, I think the service here has been the best.

Rating: 5 / 5

My family and I dined here for lunch today and really enjoyed our experience. I booked our table using the Ivy Rewards App which was quick and convenient and I was able to earn rewards points for our visit. We received a fabulous and warm welcome from Toby which set the scene for a great lunch. We were seated in a corner booth which was comfortable and had a beautiful view of Guildford Castle. We dined from the 1917 set menu (£19.17 per person) which we found to be exceptionally good value for the quality of food provided. Service was also lovely from the wonderful Hector who was very accommodating, friendly and professional. All in all, it was a super lunch in a beautiful venue with great service and good value. We will definitely be returning. Thank you to all of the team for a wonderful day.

Rating: 4 / 5

I visited the Ivy Castle View with a couple of work friends for a social lunch. The decor in this place is quite striking and nicely executed, with the bonus of having a view of the old castle from some of the tables. I have read various reviews complaining about the service, but I have to say from my experience that this was pretty good, being neither slow or rushed, despite the restaurant being fairly full. The food is quite expensive overall for gastro-style cooking, and adding a few side dishes to the main courses soon cranks up the meal cost considerably. That said, there are plenty of choices on the wine list at reasonable prices, and everything we ate was nicely prepared and presented. The roasted scallops starter with the truffle and parmesan emulsion is worthy of mention as a stand-out dish. Likewise, the soy-glazed blackened cod is well worth trying. Overall, this was a pleasant, if not somewhat pricey, dining experience.

Rating: 5 / 5

Fizela it’s so lovely, she made beautiful late art and she’s very helpful and friendly

Rating: 5 / 5

This place is always crowded.but their coffee is outstanding. I like their waffles aswell. Staff are friendly and helpful. I am definitely recommending this place. 😍｡⁠◕⁠‿

Rating: 5 / 5

If you don’t believe this review, read the rest. A pulsating bar with a top notch menu. Don’t miss the cocktail master class with the excellent Ben beforehand to get the party in the swing from the off. The subtle lighting and refreshing furnishings all lend to a terrific atmosphere. Combining the cocktails with a set menu also represents good value. Enjoy - we certainly did!

Rating: 5 / 5

We were staying at The Harbour Hotel as an anniversary treat and so we decided to have a meal here. There was a great atmosphere on arrival, with the experience from start to finish being amazing. I couldn't fault the service at all and the food was absolutely amazing. Our server Finn was also great. I certainly would highly recommended The Long Bar & Grill.

Rating: 5 / 5

Came here to try the new menu, as a group we couldn't decide what to order - all sounded so delicious so ordered lots of starters to share which we're all great. I would especially recommend the monkfish risotto as a main. Service was also fantastic, very attentive and the wine went down a treat! Thank you the whole team, will be back soon!

Rating: 5 / 5

My second visit and both times have been very good. Both the bar and restaurant staff are fantastic. Finn was looking after my group and he was brilliant, and compliments to chef, the burgers were insane! Def return next time I’m in town.

Rating: 5 / 5

I was wandering randomly around Guildford when I stumbled into the Cosy Club. The atmosphere from the bottom of the stairs and all the way up is magical and cosy! Wood paneling and cool photos make this a place well worth hanging out in. They had a great gluten free menu which made ordering easy. I got the bacon salad and every bite was super delicious. My only criticism is that it felt a little small for the price. But overall I had a really wonderful experience and would be back again.

Rating: 5 / 5

Visited on a Friday, late afternoon, nice vibe and well decorated for Christmas. Managed to get through 3 bottles of Prosecco. I would have preferred table service if I'm honest but no queues at the bar so not too bad. Bar staff could do with being more friendly. We recommend this place for pre-dinner drinks in central Guildford.

Rating: 4 / 5

Love the decor, we had good time, there was a deal on cocktails which our server didn't tell us about. The food was tasty but seemed a little pricey for what it was. Overall we did enjoy our evening

Rating: 5 / 5

The cosy club which can take a thousand guests 😂. As big as the venue is, the way it is decorated really makes it cosy. You can come here in ones and twos or tens and twenties. We had breakfast and it was super tasty and had a lovely variety to choose from... Not just the run of the mill items. Staff were attentive and friendly. Lovely vibe.

Rating: 4 / 5

This is a great location and a well designed space but …. It was unclear how to get service and there were a lot of leftovers from last night on some tables - including ash tray (shell) on the floor. I only had coffee which was very good and will definitely return but needs more focus.

Rating: 4 / 5

The Boathouse is a fantastic little cafe tucked away by the river. They clearly use high-quality ingredients, and it shows in every dish. Their breakfast is a real treat - the sausages are packed with meat, the spinach is perfectly seasoned, and the hash browns are crispy little bites of potato goodness. I particularly loved the English breakfast. The sourdough toast was delicious, the eggs were cooked to perfection, and the whole meal was just really well balanced. The cafe itself is lovely, with great views of the river. It's the perfect place to relax and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Rating: 5 / 5

We went for lunch and what a wonderful place. Staff lovely, attentive, welcoming and very friendly. The food was fantastic. Very tasty and beautifully presented. Location by the river is a great addition to Guildford and very good wheelchair accessibility. There is a large car park right next door , so parking is not a problem. This is a place I would definitely visit again.

Rating: 4 / 5

Bills are coeliac accredited, so always a good chain restaurant when looking for somewhere to eat with gluten free options. The gluten free menu is still quite big and the food is always good. Pretty decent size meals too.

Rating: 5 / 5

Excellent service, was busy, but accommodated us quickly and in a professional manner. Ordering was quick and our drinks came quickly. Food also arrived quickly and was very good, eggs also cooked well. Reasonably priced for Guildford also.

Rating: 5 / 5

Come here for fast, affordable, healthy option meals. I massively underestimated Bills, considering it just another chain restaurant, but in reality serves a range of great, well balanced, well portioned, reasonably priced tasty meals. I came here for brunch and was not disappointed. The vegan selection is varied enough to cater for most.

Rating: 5 / 5

My friends and I went here last weekend for brunch, and the experience was fantastic! It was super busy (as expected on a Saturday), and since we didn’t have a reservation, we had to wait an hour. However, despite the crowd, the service was excellent. A special shoutout to our lovely hostess, Hannah, who made us feel so welcome. The food was amazing—great taste, generous portions, and definitely worth the price. We tried the English breakfast and the burger, both of which were delicious! Plus, they serve brunch until 5 PM, which is perfect for late risers like me. The freshly squeezed orange juice was a refreshing bonus. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I’ll definitely be coming back!

Rating: 5 / 5

This place made me love British food and Guinness. Fish and chips are seasoned just right and delicious plainly. Guinness Draft Beer is so attractive every time that I want to revisit the UK.

Rating: 5 / 5

Fantastic food today. We had the shared roast and my son had the sea bass. Super fresh and the roast was superb. You could taste each part, cooked perfectly. The staff were really friendly. Highly recommend. Can't wait to come back.

Rating: 5 / 5

Had the pan fried sea bass and the fish and chips. Both were very tasty. The chef made the lemon sauce for the sea bass to perfection. Totally tasty. Highly recommend.

Rating: 5 / 5

Thank you SO MUCH to The Drummond Team!! My Christmas dinner was AMAZING, made it all the way to work and didn’t even need to heat it up, everything was perfection. MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄

Rating: 4 / 5

Expensive, but a great array of spanish tapas.. tasty and different. The fried aubergine were delicious. Tucked away in the back street.. it's a popular place so make sure you book.

Rating: 4 / 5

Really good food and very attentive service. It was very quiet when we were (one 1 other table) there so lacked a bit of atmosphere. It was Sunday lunchtime so maybe that's a quiet period for them. The only thing I'd really look to improve is a small point, which is the coffee. Had a cappuccino expecting it to taste like a coffee made straight from beans as you'd expect from a restaurant, but it actually tasted like one of those nasty sachet coffees - really disappointing and quite unpleasant to drink. The rest was great though and I'd definitely go again (but would avoid the coffee!)

Rating: 5 / 5

Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! I’ve been here 3 times and it’s been great every time. We ordered the croquettes, artichokes, squid, tomato bruschetta, pork shoulder and meatballs. It was all perfect, can’t even choose my favourite. The ambience is great, pretty and good lighting. Be warned though - it’s very expensive for a small plate of tapas. About £8.50 for four meatballs. You have to spend a lot to actually be full. I’m still peckish while writing this but have run out of money.

Rating: 5 / 5

Superb choice of dishes freshly cooked and delicious. Service was attentive but not too much. Average cost (£125 for 4 people including a bottle of wine and service charge.) based on 3 dishes per person to share. Enjoyable experience and happy to recommend this restaurant.