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The Rainbow, Eastbourne, East Sussex

The Rainbow

3.9
3.9
736 Reviews
£25 and under
British

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
In showing this building some love, local businesswoman Shoes Simes has said that she hopes to help make her pub more food-led and family-friendly. In doing so she hopes to turn this local building of historical importance into an establishment for local families and friends to enjoy together. It all started 13 years ago when she first saw the building and she knew straight away that this was the pub for her and finally her dreams have come true, with a full refurbishment, this pub is now ready to be revealed to Eastbourne in all its glory. Once functioning as an old Moot Court, eventually turning into a restaurant in the 1970s, before it boomed as a pub trading as The Rainbow. It eventually changed to The Counting House and saw a new lease of life as the garden grew to be a popular haunt of all in old town. Returning with a change of name to the older style of The Rainbow, and with it a focus on food again.

For outdoor reservations, please contact the restaurant directly.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    British, Gastro Pub, Beer Garden
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Bar Daily 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    01323 731158
  • Website
    https://www.facebook.com/TheRainbowEB/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Matthew Veness

Experiences

  • DRINKING ONLY

    Multiple dates available
    Please only select this option if you are DRINKING ONLY!

Menu

Festive Fayre Menu available from November 22nd until 21st December Excluding Sundays

Starters

  • Potted Salmon and Crayfish

    Caper and Dill, Brown Bread and butter (GFO)

    • Spiced Root Vegetable Soup

      Root vegetable Crisps (V, VG, GF)

      • Twice Baked Cheese Souffle

        Blacksticks Cheese Sauce (V)

        • Smoked Duck Terrine

          Apple and Plum Chutney, Toasted Brioche (GFO)

          • Whipped Goats Cheese

            Chive, Beetroot, Walnut (V, GF)

            Mains

            • Turkey Breast

              Slow cooked Turkey Leg, Chipolata, Apricot and Rosemary Stuffing, Duck Fat Roasted Potato, Honey Carrot and Parsnip, Brussels sprouts and Pan Gravy

              • Fillet of Sea-bass

                Crayfish Beurre Blanc, Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Tower, New Potato

                • Roasted 'Tofurkey' Pithivier

                  Roasted Potatoes, Carrot and Parsnip, Sprouts, Pan Gravy (V, VG)

                  • Prime Roasted 8oz Ribeye Steak

                    Fries, Mushroom and Tomato, Chimichurri – Supplement £10

                    • Beef Wellington

                      Honey Carrot and Parsnip, Creamed Mash Potato, Veal Jus – Supplement £12.50

                      Desserts

                      • Christmas Pudding

                        Brandy sauce

                        • Spiced Carrot Cake

                          Cinnamon and Cardamom Custard

                          • Triple Chocolate Brownie

                            Chocolate Cream and Crumb (VG, GF)

                            • Sticky Toffee and Pear Pudding

                              Salted Toffee Sauce

                              Last updated: 17 September 2024

                              What 736 people are saying

                              Overall ratings and reviews

                              Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                              3.9
                              3.9 based on recent ratings
                              • 3.8Food
                              • 4.1Service
                              • 4.1Ambience
                              • 3.7Value

                              Noise • Energetic

                              736 Reviews

                              1. Victoria

                                Brighton

                                1 review

                                5.0

                                1 review

                                Dined on 23 September 2024

                                1. Overall 5
                                2. Food 5
                                3. Service 5
                                4. Ambience 5
                                We had a lovely early dinner at the Rainbow. We took my autistic brother, and the staff were polite, friendly and welcoming, and fully accommodated his needs, i.e allowing us to choose a quiet place to sit, offering to give him more time to choose his drink if he needed it. The food was great (beefburger, chicken burger, squid linguine, followed by the brownie and a waffle with ice cream). We really enjoyed ourselves. Thank you.

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                              2. caroline

                                London

                                4 reviews

                                vip
                                2.0

                                4 reviews

                                Dined on 15 September 2024

                                1. Overall 2
                                2. Food 1
                                3. Service 4
                                4. Ambience 3
                                The meal was very disappointing. The quality of the food was extremely poor, not what we were expecting after many good meals at the Rainbow.

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                              3. pamela

                                London

                                2 reviews

                                3.0

                                2 reviews

                                Dined on 31 August 2024

                                1. Overall 3
                                2. Food 2
                                3. Service 4
                                4. Ambience 5
                                Food is a disappointment. Crispy squid is the worse! Undercooked, thick and gummy. Gyoza had a creamy dipping sauce?! what was that about?? Pork belly was underflavoured and tough. I suggest they stick to regular pub food. Such a beautiful pub with plenty of character.Food was a let down!

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                              4. Katie

                                Kent

                                1 review

                                1.0

                                1 review

                                Dined on 17 August 2024

                                1. Overall 1
                                2. Food 1
                                3. Service 1
                                4. Ambience 1
                                We arrived on Saturday evening, it was so busy I’m sure down to airborne. I can appreciate the fact it was busy and this wasn’t why I’m here giving a bad review. However the way the staff delt with the busy evening was awful. We arrived in plenty of time to the restaurant for our booked table, in which we booked online, I had then called to confirm as I knew it would be busy. When arriving it was so hard to know who was in charge of seating people let alone when we asked where our table was to be told by two different members of team they don’t know it’s their first day. We then just sat at a table and got told to leave by member of staff saying they were getting it ready for someone else. We answered saying could you just find us our booked table. And they still couldn’t. The lack of team work and organisation was terrible. We decided after just hanging around for 20 mins it was time to just leave and went to the pub up the road instead.

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                              5. OpenTable Diner

                                East Sussex

                                1 review

                                2.0

                                1 review

                                Dined on 23 July 2024

                                1. Overall 2
                                2. Food 2
                                3. Service 2
                                4. Ambience 1
                                I reversed an out side table, when we arrived I had a look around and found some reserved tables but with no name, we were just looking and another customer was very rude and said the whole outside was reserved for a private function and to move away. I went inside to find out what had happened with our reservation. It took along time to get served although there was no one waiting ahead of us, the staff were busy doing other things, eventually when the bartender came over I said we had a reservation and they didn't know what to do, they went off to ask someone else, a manager I presume who was very rude huffed and rolled his eyes and said to just them just tell them find a table out side in this area, when we went to the area by the main door there were no tables available to seat us all, we waited around for awhile and eventually someone moved across and offered us some of their table. We couldn't all sit together. Which was ashame, as it was a pre arranged get together of friends and we had travelled from all over Sussex. We specifically booked with the rainbow to ensure a table that could accommodate us all. And had we been informed of this unavailability we would have gone else where or rearranged. It wasn't a very nice atmosphere and I felt the booking service a complete waste of time. Perhaps when functions are on - limits should be set to outside bookings to avoid disappointment and also to improve wait times and service. This isn't my first visit and perhaps I've been unlucky. I'm usually pretty chilled/understanding and easy going but everytime I have visited something has gone wrong, with either service or reservations or food or rude staff. So I sadly wouldn't recommend or return now.

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                              6. SarahM

                                East Sussex

                                2 reviews

                                1.0

                                2 reviews

                                Dined on 8 June 2024

                                1. Overall 1
                                2. Food 1
                                3. Service 1
                                4. Ambience 2
                                Really disappointed. Food was not good. We ordered pizza, chips and salad to share between two of us. The chips came out... Then the salad 10 mins later... Then the pizza 30 mins later. And it's was like a cheap frozen pizza from a supermarket. We got it refunded because it was a joke!

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                              7. PaulD

                                West Sussex

                                7 reviews

                                5.0

                                7 reviews

                                Dined on 17 April 2024

                                1. Overall 5
                                2. Food 4
                                3. Service 5
                                4. Ambience 5
                                What a great pub! Was recommended this from our host and it was great. Good service, very good value food, one of the best sticky toffee puddings we’ve ever had - and we have a lot! I only gave it a 4 for the food because my chicken, which was lemon and herb, had little lemon taste and was slightly over done - just being fussy really. A lovely evening in a wonderful pub. Would thoroughly recommend.

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                              8. NikJ

                                East Sussex

                                1 review

                                3.0

                                1 review

                                Dined on 7 April 2024

                                1. Overall 3
                                2. Food 2
                                3. Service 4
                                4. Ambience 5
                                Lovely place, nice staff but disappointed, having booked, to have been told on arrival sold out of Sunday lunch menu and we had to wait while they worked out a new menu. We stayed because it would be difficult to go somewhere else at such short notice. The alternative menu was OK but not the experience we booked and were looking forward too hence the rating

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                              9. AnnaS

                                East Sussex

                                6 reviews

                                5.0

                                6 reviews

                                Dined on 8 March 2024

                                1. Overall 5
                                2. Food 5
                                3. Service 5
                                4. Ambience 4
                                Good atmosphere, nice surroundings with log wood burner , attentive friendly staff & very tasty food ! Will definitely return , great location for pre theatre supper

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                              10. RichardD

                                London

                                10 reviews

                                5.0

                                10 reviews

                                Dined on 22 February 2024

                                1. Overall 5
                                2. Food 5
                                3. Service 5
                                4. Ambience 5
                                Tried this pub for lunch on a first visit. We'll definitely be back again. Two welcoming (gas) 'real' log fires. Some v g Spanish wines on the list, Harvey's beers and a Bolney Estate white sparkling wine (didn't try them all 😅). Both starters and mains freshly prepared. Excellent 10oz sirloin steak for £24 with all usual trimmings. Battered haddock slightly overcooked but this may be personal. Very generous portions. Desserts, limited choice but both apple and rhubarb crumble and chocolate cheesecake were declared delicious. Good coffee to finish lunch by the fire. Service was very good - voluntary addition for service placed on the bill - approx £40/head for 3, including bottle of wine and 1 liqueur. Water with ice & lemon included.

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                              FAQs

                              You can order delivery directly from The Rainbow using the Order Online button.

                              The Rainbow is rated 3.9 stars by 736 OpenTable diners.

                              Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                              Make a booking

                              2 people
                              19:00
                              Booked 3 times today
                              Experiences are available.

                              Order delivery or takeout

                              Google Map for The Rainbow

                              Star Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1NB

                              Additional information

                              • Area
                                Eastbourne
                              • Hours of Operation
                                Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Bar Daily 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
                              • Price
                                £25 and under
                              • Cuisines
                                British, Gastro Pub, Beer Garden
                              • Dining style
                                Casual Dining
                              • Dress code
                                Casual Dress
                              • Parking details
                                Private Lot
                              • Public transit
                              • Payment Options
                                AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
                              • Executive Chef
                                Matthew Veness
                              • Additional
                                Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan
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