Fighting Cocks - Isle of Wight

We arrived early for our reserved table and were seated fairly promptly by a friendly staff member. We were instructed to press a 'call' button when ready to order. Unfortunately, we were not directed to the 'Specials' board. The menu was extensive, and based on a recommendation from a neighboring table, we ordered two IOW Steak Ale Pies. The pie itself was excellent, but the accompanying vegetables were cold and inconsistent. One serving had red cabbage, broccoli, swede, and a thin slice of parsnip, while the other had cauliflower, red cabbage, carrots, parsnip, and what we believed to be turnip. The vegetables were inedible. The chips were decent, but the mash appeared to be frozen and microwaved, lacking butter for flavor. The gravy was thick and scampi with chips and peas were good. We were disappointed by the lack of check-back from the staff and our 'call' button going unanswered, preventing us from giving feedback on our dissatisfaction. The waitress who cleared the table did not inquire about our dining experience. We opted not to have dessert and had to go to the bar after waiting 10 minutes for the bill. The waitress who took payment said she would pass on our feedback to the kitchen. Overall, we felt our experience at Fighting Cocks could have been handled better, as we were not the only customers to leave after a disappointing meal on October 8th, 2023.

Saw this pub while passing on the bus and decided to return after reading the reviews. It was the last night of our holiday so wanted somewhere nice. We were surprised it was so busy at five o'clock but they managed to fit us in. We loved the electronic call device on each table. We loved the menu there was plenty of choice. We also liked the fact that there was a smaller portion option on many of the dishes our portions were plenty!.

If you wish to sit inside then book a table. we arrived without a booking and they accommodated us with an outside table. Adjusted the menu to our taste. Quick service. Very helpful staff.

We visited the Fighting Cocks with relatives who were holidaying with us. We used to be regulars, so had good experiences and knew the food to be very good. Unfortunately we were left feeling very disappointed and quite embarrassed. Every chair at our table was shabby and torn (pointed out by our relatives). Upon ordering, I stood at the bar for a number of minutes being completely ignored by all staff. I understand they were relatively busy (half full) but an acknowledgment and “I’ll be with your shortly” would have been nice. The food was dry. We all had chicken which was chewy and tough for all of us. And even though it was served with sauce, it was so dry and the chips were greasy. We apologised to our relatives and assured them standards had really dropped and there were definitely better places to eat on the Island. We won’t be returning and we will be taking our family somewhere worthy to make up for the poor experience.

Just excellent breakfast.. Says it all.. sorry to waffle on to make up the minimum words.. It is just superb..