The Seagate

Someone from this business manages this listing.

1,606 reviews

#6 of 6 Restaurants in Appledore$$ - $$$, Bar, Seafood, British

+44 1237 472589+ Add website

Hours

Sun

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Mon

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Tue

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Wed

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Thu

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Fri

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sat

8:00 am - 10:00 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

1,606 reviews

#6 of 6 Restaurants in Appledore

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Bar, Seafood, British, Pub, Gastropub

“Excellent Sunday Roast”

“Partner had a veggie burger, said it was great.”

“... , the portion was huge, My wife had the sea bass and it was lovely too.”

“And the cherry on the cake, the burger cost the best part of £20.”

Location and contact

Seagate Hotel The Quay, Appledore EX39 1QS England

+44 1237 472589

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Details

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About

Quayside Inn with bar, restaurant and 17 letting rooms. Lovely views across the Torridge estuary towards Instow, outside seating and small car park, situated in Appledore, a lovely quaint fishing village in the heart of North Devon.

CUISINES

Bar, Seafood, British, Pub, Gastropub

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Dog Friendly

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4.0

1,606 reviews

Excellent

904

Very good

381

Average

153

Poor

Terrible

Barnoisofthenorth

South Molton7 contributions

A DisappointingSunday Lunch

Jan 2020 • none

Come on the Seagate! What's happening????? A disappointing trip I'm afraid. We've eaten at the Seagate plenty of times before, but something has changed and sadly not for the better! We booked a table for 14:00hrs after a nice dog walk on the beach. We turned up and were shown to our table at 13:45hrs and had ordered our food by 14:00. Forty Five minutes later our food turned up. My £17.50 roast was ok but the chicken was cold as was the kale. I'd had to literally wave at the waiter to get another drink and was starving by the time my food turned up. I'd also had to ask if we'd been forgotten with the answer being "yours is the next ticket along, should be out soon" It's the most I've ever actually paid for a roast. The restaurant was not particularly busy, although the all male staff would have you believe otherwise. The lads working may have felt like it was busy, but they were trying to run the bar as well as wait at tables. More staff required? The table behind us asked twice for some Cauliflower cheese that should have come out with their meal. It was delivered late to a round of applause for comedic value. Another table was heard to complain about the Chocolate Browny. We were given a 20% discount and a free drink as compensation which was agreeable. However, it's not been like this on previous visits and it's always very disappointing when service and quality drops with a premium price tag. The setting is great and the seagate is a nice visit, but someone needs to get a grip before it becomes somewhere people actually consider not visiting because of previous bad experiences. We'll be back, but when I'm paying strong money for a Sunday roast, I'll be expecting a much better level of service and all of my meal to be hot........

Written 19 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SeagateAppledore

Thank you for taking the time to leave us some feedback, I have contacted you directly to try and resolve this issue. Chelsea (Deputy Manager)

Written 3 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

13Ruthie

Christchurch116 contributions

Disappointing Service

Oct 2020 • couples

We booked a table for a romantic dinner for two and were very disappointed to be allocated a table in the bar area adjacent to a very noisy party having drinks only. We were given the covid regulations by the host greeting us in a very aggressive manner. Once seated we were asked for our drinks order but we asked for time to choose out food so we could select an appropriate wine to complement our food. This seemed to upset the waitress who did not return for 20 minutes to take our order. Her manner was abrupt and patronising. My partner asked for French mustard to complement his steak but was told only English mustard was available. This is surprising in this type of venue. Although the food was excellent the ambience and attitude of the waitress was extremely disappointing. We were hoping to book a short break at the hotel in the coming months but based on this experience will not be returning.

Written 14 October 2020

SeagateAppledore

Hi Ruthie, we are disappointed to hear that you did not have a more positive experience with us at The Seagate Hotel. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and will use this as an opportunity to improve. Kind regards, Chelsea, Sean and The Seagate Team.

Written 20 October 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

nigel t

8 contributions

Eat out to help out

Aug 2020 • couples

Thought we'd make use of the scheme. My dining companion and I decided on the Risotto and the rib eye steak. My companion (vegetarian) chose the Risotto which was cooked perfectly. Smelled and tasted delicious. My choice (carnivore) was the rib eye. It is suppose to be the premium cut but I was disappointed with the thickness of cut and at £25 felt cheated. Just as well it was on offer. It says something when the plate is bulked up with chips. The accompanying garnish wasn't up to much. Less chips, more garnish and better steak and it would have made it better. It wasn't exactly "heaving" as our server had intimated but at no point during our meal was there any interaction ie "how is your food?" etc. Lovely place. Will visit again. Hoping the steak will improve.

Written 3 September 2020

Hilary H

Stockton Heath2 contributions

Unhelpful

Feb 2020 • none

We visited intending to eat however I asked if I could possibly change one of the accompanying vegetables (puréed celeriac) to kale ( already being served with a different main meal option). The bar person seemed grumpy at being asked and went to the kitchen to find out, the answer was yes but at a £1 extra charge! It was a stormy February night and there were only 4 couples in the entire bar/restaurant area. We decided not to eat there and certainly won't on any of our other 3 holidays down to Appledore every year, with anything from 2 to 8 adults that we usually visit with. Shortsighted I would say in a tough environment for businesses

Written 25 February 2020

Craig R

Greater Manchester8 contributions

Poor service and poor food

Aug 2020 • family

We went here this evening (family of 4) and I have to admit I was really looking forward to it as the menu looked great, plus I had saved myself for a good meal! The evening started with a drink outside however the drinks took 15 mins to arrive, I appreciate through covid you can’t walk up and order a drink but 15 mins??? (ordered on the app as requested) is not on. Anyway we sat down at 8pm as per booking and ordered at 8.10 - all going well! The starters arrived 30 minutes later ( 2 lots of burnt squid and a very tasty smoked mackerel pate). Spent a further 15 mins getting another drink and eventually at 920our mains arrived but staggered. 2 lots of mussels of which we ordered the large portions but it would appear we got the small versions looking at the table next door. The mussels were over cooked and in fact I had nearly finished them by the time the fries arrived. Kids burger (no complaints) and a fish pie with ‘fresh’ spinach however it turned out the spinach was still frozen! My wife was offered replacement spinach however it turns out they had ran out and someone came back 10 mins later with a bowl of peas (my wife hates peas). The fish pie was non descript but ok Infact my wife said the best bit was the cheese top! We simply didn’t have time to wait for dessert when offered at 945. Nobody checked in with us that all ok, first plates from starters were left on the table for over 30 mins, no dirty glasses were cleared for the duration of our visit! I asked for the fish pie to be discounted from the bill which it was. This may have been eat out to help out but still not worth it, we had booked for Saturday but have now cancelled, one of the worst restaurants In Terms of service and food that I have eaten in for a long while - not recommended

Written 10 August 2020

SeagateAppledore

We truly appreciate your honest feedback. Falling short of meeting your expectations is not to the standards we strive to achieve, and we humbly ask for the opportunity to make this right. Thank you providing this information so we can improve upon our services. We hope to hear from you soon. Sean and the team.

Written 1 October 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

lydf1_03

Worcester4 contributions

Excellent accommodation and service

Feb 2020 • couples

My husband and I have been visiting Appledore for the last 4 years with our dog and usually stay in a self catering cottage, however, on seeing the winter offer, we decided to book for 3 nights at the Seagate and what a brilliant decision it was! We had room 18 which was based about 100 yards along the quay. It was very spacious and clean with a huge bed, sofa, TV and lovely bathroom. To top it off, the large windows gave us the beautiful view across the estuary to Instow. Breakfast each morning was top quality and the staff were very attentive and friendly. We ate at the Seagate on 2 of the 3 evenings and were equally impressed with the quality of the food, drinks and service. One of the things that made our stay so enjoyable is the way that our dog was equally welcomed and accepted - she has felt right at home! We will certainly be returning.

Written 20 February 2020

SeagateAppledore

Thank you for the fabulous recommendation and for taking the time to share your experience with us, it really is appreciated by myself and The Seagate Team. I'm pleased to hear you all had a lovely stay and all felt very much at home! We hope to welcome you back again in the future. Kind regards Chelsea

Written 22 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Edward P

Romsey56 contributions

My wife and I had a lovely

Sept 2020 • none

My wife and I had a lovely stay here whilst in Appledore for my uncles wedding. Despite reading some reviews that the food wasn’t that great, we both really enjoyed our choices and thought it was both tasty and good value. I had the mussels, followed by burger and my wife had fish of the day. Breakfast was delicious too. We were staying there along with some of our family members in different rooms. It transpired that we were paying higher rates than others in our party. When I questioned this with management after we had returned home on the Monday, Seagate management instantly refunded us the difference without question so that we were all paying the same rates. This shows good management in my opinion and we would definitely stay here again as a result when we visit Appledore again in the future. It’s right on the sea front and very central, walking distance to everything in Appledore. Big public car park opposite is good value too, only £6 for entire weekend (Friday pm - Sunday pm). Overall review - highly recommend, excellent location, very nice food, very welcoming staff and rooms were lovely. Will stay here again

Written 22 September 2020

SeagateAppledore

Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how we did. We hope you have a great day! Sean and the team.

Written 27 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TJA950

Gillingham1581 contributions

Good value for money and superb food and service

Sept 2020 • none

We went on spec. for lunch and were quickly accommodated by friendly and efficient staff. From the moment we approached this establishment, we felt safe with the Covid19 arrangements which were excellent and properly applied at all times. The menu was very good but we opted for a light lunch and chose the chicken sandwich and smashed butter beans which were both excellent and great value for money. The drinks arrived quickly and so did the food, nicely presented and delicious. They keep a good pint too. Very impressed.

Written 3 October 2020

SeagateAppledore

We are so happy to read such a great review about The Seagate Hotel! We appreciate your kind words and high rating. We hope to see you again. Chelsea, Sean and The Seagate Team

Written 20 October 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lizzydripping

Great Torrington14 contributions

Disappointing

Jul 2021 • none

The waiters were very friendly but could not make up for the poor quality fish in batter (th fish was grey coloured) and the expensive mackeral dish. My husband was also charged for a salad wich replaced the chips and peas, which was really unfair. Whilst my mackeral dish was very tasty, at £16.50 for 1 mackeral and some smashed potatoes, it was not good value. The dining area was dark, cold and needed a big facelift.

Written 9 August 2021

Seagate Hotel, Appledore

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, we would like to reassure you that all your points have been taken on board. Kind regards The Seagate Team.

Written 7 December 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

HJB1993

8 contributions

Disappointing

Sept 2019 • none

We have stayed at the Seagate twice now having visited for an evening meal when we stayed in the local area previously. It’s dog friendly and so are the rooms however this is the only plus point. The menu is very limited and being vegan there was nothing marked as vegan on the menu despite it saying it was vegan friendly. Breakfast was also disappointing, I asked for a vegan breakfast and it came with butter, I then asked if there was a vegan alternative and I never got an answer from the waitress. It was also disappointing there was no dairy free milk on offer! The staff also appear too busy all the time and the customer service element was missing particularly at breakfast and on arrival. The room itself was disappointing. We deliberately booked one in the main building as we did not want one on the ground floor in the quay building as we had stayed in these before and the wet room floods the bathroom and the bedroom! Also given the proximity to the pavement you can’t have the windows or shutters open so the room itself is dark and hot!! I said when we were told where our room was that we’d booked the main building but the guy didn’t seem to care about this... really disappointed. We ended up eating at the Royal George every night and have since booked to stay here... a million times better than the Seagate.

Written 11 March 2020

Susan

Braunton1 contribution

We had a lovely time

Jan 2020 • none

We were a family of 9 adults and 3 children celebrating a birthday with a table booked for 12.30. Two of our party turned up late because of a train cancellation and tagged their order onto the order that had already gone through to the kitchen. They were only served a couple of minutes later than the main party which was good going because the restaurant was quite busy at that time. The food was good, the waiter who seemed to be carrying the load for the entire place was friendly, smiley and brilliant at his job. I have read the previous review from someone from South Molton who was there at the same time who obviously didn't have the same positive experience as we did. We were the table who clapped when the cauliflower cheese arrived but I'm afraid the story behind that is not as assumed by the other diner. In fact my son said all the way through his meal "I wish I'd ordered the cauliflower cheese" So he ordered it after he had finished his meal and it came quickly. The applause was for my son, not some sarcastic comment on slow service. The waiter went off shift before we left and came to introduce us to the waiter taking over from him, another friendly, smiley man. Lovely customer service. As I say at the top of my review, we had a lovely time.

Written 19 January 2020

SeagateAppledore

Hi Susan Thank you for taking the time to leave us this fantastic review, and for all your comments about our wonderful team! It's lovely to receive praise for all their hard work they put in. This review has been shown to the member of staff in question. I'm delighted to hear you had a lovely visit. We hope to welcome you back again. Chelsea and The Seagate Team

Written 3 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mezzarani

5 contributions

Two long waits for food

Aug 2020 • family

I’ve been to The Seagate on many occasions and the food and service has been great. Unfortunately on the last two visits, there was a very long wait at lunch time for our food to arrive. The first being just over an hour and the second 45-50 mins. On the first occasion we were provided with free deserts on the second we did not bother to complain. When the food did arrive it was delicious 😋 I would suggest that front of house warn diners on arrival about the waiting times, as if you have hungry children or just hungry grown ups waiting for food they are liable to get ‘hangry’ 😀 We had pre booked on the app which was very smooth but I just wonder if they are trying to cram too many diners in due to loss of revenue through Covid-19. I also wonder whether portion sizes are effected by the ‘Eat out to help out scheme’?

Written 27 August 2020

SeagateAppledore

Written 1 October 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bellaboo

Bristol122 contributions

Rude staff member

Aug 2021 • couples

We were on holiday, therefore, we booked in advance, and made it clear we were bringing a dog, when we arrived we were greeted at the door by a young man, I said we had a reservation with a dog, he seemed disgruntled by this and said we could not sit in the dining area and we would have to sit in the bar area, this wasn’t a problem for us as it was comfy and really nice, he showed us to our table and gave us menus, 5 minutes later he came back and asked us what we wanted to order, he was abrupt to say the least, we had already decided to order the roast beef Sunday lunch, which incidentally was expensive, he then asked what we wanted to drink, I had not chosen yet, however, he just stood there waiting and then said very rudely, “what do you want”? We waited half an hour for the food, again they pride themselves on fresh ingredients and cooked to order, the roast was very good, plenty of it, the beef superb. Another couple came and sat by us, the same young man who had showed us to our table etc. Told them once they were ready to order they should order at the bar, he did not tell us to do that, therefore in my opinion that is why he was rude to us, why did he not just say, you are meant to order at the bar, perhaps he was having a bad day, we were looking forward to our lunch as the reviews were very good ie helpful friendly staff, excellent food and very dog friendly, unfortunately, they did not seem dog friendly either we did not find one bowl of water for a dog, inside or outside, very disappointing in the attitude of the staff member, a shame as it put a damper on experience.

Written 24 August 2021

Seagate Hotel, Appledore

Thank you for your review, we would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the way you were left feeling after your visit. This is not what we expect from our team, and it is certainly something that we have worked very hard to ensure doesn't happen again. We do hope that next time you visit the area you will give us an opportunity to welcome you back for a more positive experience. Kind regards The Seagate Team.

Written 7 December 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Benjamin C

Dorking2 contributions

Just another gastro pub with a poor menu and poorer service.

Jun 2021 • couples

We booked a table for 2 and were greeted politely. The manager was a lovely chap and the restaurant had a nice ambience reflecting it's clear popularity. Our drinks order was taken by a fairly "unenthusiastic" waiter who didn't allow much time for decisions on food, however, we were starving so we both opted for each one of the two specials. Gastro pubs are abundant where we live, so one of our biggest excitements about visiting Devon was all the fresh seafood to try. Unfortunately one of the specials was sold out with no prior warning or any sort of apology from the water, so I opted for the fish and chips, disappointed with the rest of the menu. Following the rushed decision, I decided to flag someone down and make a quick change. I ended up having to wander through the restaurant, coincidentally finding our waiter who told me a change would be no problem at all, but the chicken and leek pie I had settled on was also sold out... This was frustrating since the rest of the menu was quite limited and pretty uninspiring. Plus, it is usually common practice to inform guests of any unavailable dishes at some point before they order. The manager then seated a couple and their huge golden retriever next to us. Though we both love dogs, and love a pub that is dog friendly, a relatively upmarket restaurant isn't the ideal setting to spend a romantic dinner next to a big smelly retriever (for us anyway). It was also alarming how often the manager popped over to give the dog a good scratching which certainly didn't help the smell and had us wondering how well he was actually scrubbing up each time! When the food arrived I was impressed with the fish and chips, but the tuna steak my partner had ordered from the specials was seriously disappointing. It was well over cooked and the crushed new potatoes were nothing more than that. My partner admits she isn't the greatest culinary master, but I know either of us could have done a better job. Tuna steak certainly shouldn't be tough or chewy... I tried a piece and recalled flank steaks having less bite. All in all I'm sure the restaurant has its moments that live up to the reviews, but this was not such an occasion. I am so disappointed with such a beautifully located restaurant surrounded with the potential to deliver a truly exciting menu of local produce instead creating a really rather poor experience for the both of us.

Written 22 June 2021

Seagate Hotel, Appledore

So very disappointing to read you didn't enjoy your visit. I can assure you that as the manager, I have never given any dog on the premises 'a good scratching' so can only assume that it was a member of the team, who all wash their hands constantly in these current times. Our Market fish specials are limited in number as they are delivered fresh daily, are very popular and unfortunately can & do run out in the evenings, my sincere apologies. All our dishes are homemade & again, as we are an incredibly busy pub & hotel we can, on occasions, sell out, as was the case with our homemade pie on this occasion. I sincerely apologise that this wasnt communicated to you at the time you wished to alter your order. We do hope you give us another chance and I'm sure on your next visit, you would have an entirely positive experience. Kind regards, Mark & team

Written 22 June 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Louise B

1 contribution

Last night experience

Aug 2020 • family

We were told the day before that they were full for dinner although they had space via their online booking system which we promptly booked. We had our meal during the first week of the Eat in To Help Out Scheme. The food was very good but sadly had run out of steak! Service could have been better at the beginning as we were left with no menus for 20 mins and had to catch the eye of the waiter. From then on the service was attentive and food superb. Polite and hard working staff. Would go again!

Written 5 August 2020

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