The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays

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#109 of 540 Restaurants in PortsmouthBar, British, $$ - $$$

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The Old Customs House, Gunwharf Quays

Review

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Website

+44 23 9283 2333Improve this listing

About

One of Portsmouth's original naval buildings, The Old Customs House in the heart of Gunwharf Quays is always ready to serve. So whether you try the fresh food or premium drinks, you won't be let down.

Features

CUISINES

Bar, British, Pub, Gastropub

Meal types

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

American Express

Buffet

Digital Payments

Discover

Dog Friendly

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Mastercard

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Private Dining

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Street Parking

Table Service

Visa

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Location

Vernon Building Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth PO1 3TY England

Parking Available, Street Parking

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Closed now

• Opens at 10:00 AM

Sunday

10:00 AM - 10:30 PM

Monday

10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Tuesday

10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Wednesday

10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Thursday

10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Friday

10:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Saturday

10:00 AM - 12:00 AM

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3.8

1,663 reviews

Excellent

607

Very good

512

Average

256

Poor

162

Terrible

126

Amanda H

29 contributions

Expensive and lacking in service.

Nov 2024 • family

Lovely location and very nicely decorated for Xmas. On arrival there was no one to meet us and we had to wander about looking for someone to seat us. The table once there was perfect. Our waitress unfortunately had not much to say and was very quiet and meek and had turned and gone before we had even finished ordering on several occasions and I had to go and find her to order the food. Her name was Courtney, young girl, but no people skills or confidence whatsoever and showed no customer service and we did not feel valued as customers, or welcome. The food was good, but very expensive, my daughter had the most expensive lamb option, but she did not enjoy it due to fat and grisle. Overall it was nice and I really enjoyed my vegetarian option, but would not return again due to the poor waitress service and very expensive prices.

Written November 26, 2024

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.

Megan O

27 contributions

Quirky and well run pub

Sep 2024 • family

We pre-booked for lunch and we’re running late and the staff were very accomodating. We ordered using the app and the service was effecient. The pub is interesting, with lots of different rooms and outside space. We all ordered off the specials menu and really enjoyed our food. The only downside was that crab special burger came as a whole soft shell crab fried. I think if the menu was clearer about how this was served it would save confusion as we assumed it would come as a party. Other than that, all great

Written September 14, 2024

Lesley P

3 contributions

Over priced and not good quality

Nov 2024 • family

I was surprised when initially looking at the prices but thought if food was good it would be okay. Three of us had the Lamb roast. The dearest roast option. Two mainly had fat, I had plenty of meat, but it was very chewy. Three had the crumble for dessert. I wish I had taken a picture of the custard pot. As it was the size the mint sauce was in for the Lamb. We laughed as couldn’t believe it, especially as I had just remarked, I liked plenty of custard with crumble, otherwise it’s too dry…. We immediately asked for some more for both people, one more slightly larger pot turned up but again too small for custard. Also when they poured it out it looked like thin mustard. Apparently it tasted of custard powder so we surmised it was so runny as hadn’t been bought to the boil and cooked. The other persons extra turned up when they had nearly finished, so not much point. This time in a very small metal dish that may well have been used to heat the liquid on a ho, but no where deep enough to allow it to rise when it reached correct heat to cook in ! You woukd normally expect custard if not already on the dessert to be in a separate jug. It’s not like it’s expensive. Needless to say although as a family group we enjoyed our reunion. The food was expensive and very disappointing…

Written November 8, 2024

Keith And Helen F

1 contribution

Terrible

Dec 2024 • family

we booked a table and pre ordered our meal 22nd December for 8 people 2 of whom were visiting from Spain. (Sunday lunch @ over £28 ) the table was booked for 4 o'clock. we sat and waited and 2 people hadn't pre ordered so they ordered and their food arrived and we asked 10 mins later about our food and we're told they had forgotten and it wouldn't be long. 30 mins later at 5 o'clock our food arrived!!!! virtually cold!!!! fatty meat and hard roast potatoes, not happy!!! we complained and received a 25% reduction. the place was cold uninviting and grubby. definitely definitely not good.

Written December 23, 2024

tootsie58

Isle of Wight42 contributions

Disappointed!

Feb 2025 • couples

We have eaten here before and was very good. We ate in the pub area, it was fairly busy. The staff were great and attentive, we ordered at the bar. We ordered haddock and chips and cold peas. When my meal arrived it smelt odd, cut into the fish and all I could smell was ammonia, so obviously off. The waitress came over and asked if we were ok, I said no, she apologised and got me another meal, all I can say was at least the meal was hot this time, my partner did not enjoy his meal because he was eating alone while I waited for a replacement. It was quite an expensive meal, compared to other places we have eaten, we shall not return for a meal just a drink, maybe. But have to add the staff were excellent.

Written February 28, 2025

Chipmunk2530

Waterlooville3 contributions

First & Last time we visit Fullers in Gunwharf

Apr 2024 • couples

This is the first and LAST time we will visit the Old Custom House after yesterdays visit to Gunwharf. My husband & I both ordered the Haddock & chips meal which mentioned it included mushy mint peas and tartare sauce. The haddock was hot but not very large, the chips crispy and fine but the so called mushy peas were just a very few hard peas with a fresh mint leaf chopped in with it and put into the smallest little dish ever and was served to us COLD and in another dish the same was held something that was called tartare sauce ( tasted nothing like tartare but just something creamy and bland with hard bits, nothing like a gherkin in sight! Needless to say we only ate the fish & chips. This meal cost us £18.50 each (so we paid £37 plus £6.60 for their own Lucky Saint non-alcoholic lager & £3.35 for a glass of Pepsi Max) total bill £46.95! We left this pub feeling very disappointed & ripped -off by Fullers!!

Written April 10, 2024

Amanda C

Fareham8 contributions

Don’t bother eating here

Dec 2024 • business

Had our team Christmas lunch here. I was ignored by waiter when I questioned the lack of sauce on my prawn cocktail. Our traditional Xmas meal consisted of turkey ( which was nice) 3 Brussels sprouts, half a carrot, half a parsnip, 1 pig in blanket, 4 tiny roast potatoes that were so pale they clearly hadn’t seen the inside of a hot oven for long. The cheese board was just as bad, crackers and grapes overload with tiny nuggets of cheese Cost us £26 each, we felt like we’d been mugged . They also tried to charge us for meals we’d cancelled well in advance We won’t be back . Can’t believe the hospitality industry still can’t get a Xmas meal right .

Written December 20, 2024

Emma Walsh

1 contribution

Not great at all

Mar 2024 • family

I paid £45 for 2 cold roast dinners. They were missing the cauliflower cheese, I had 3 uncooked roast potatoes and my friend found a hair in her food. They then proceeded to tell us that it was a hair from the chicken skin and not a human hair🤢 appalled if I’m honest. Looks lovely but terrible terrible food. Much rather go Nando’s oh and I also paid £5.50 for extra broccoli that wasn’t cooked either 🤟🏼

Written March 4, 2024

Sabrina P

1 contribution

Would give minus rating if I could. Disgusting staff and manager and nasty food and service. Avoid avoid avoid

May 2023 • none

This place is awful. It used to be great but not anymore! I don’t know where to start. First of all the food is disgusting, burnt and cold food. Rude staff and the cleanliness of this place has gone down so much. Our last (and final) trip there was it for us. We went there for dinner and everything was too much. We got sat on a dirty table with other peoples plates and drinks left there and when we asked them to clean it they just said sit down and wait were busy so anyway we sat down (feeling filthy) after asking them 7 times they came and took the plates and drinks but did not clean the tables the food came and the table was filthy. While the guy left our food on another table we saw flies landing on it and when he was cleaning he kept moaning about how short staffed they were like it was my business. In the end I decided to go and speak to a manager, when I walked where they were he was gossiping about me and my family to her already and moaning that he had to clean a table. When I told her everything she was just straight up rude. When the manager was a man it was better she’s obviously not training them right if she’s got no manners. AVOID you’ll be disappointed. There are so many other restaurants in gunwharf you don’t need to pay for horrible food and service. We work hard for our money.

Written May 1, 2023

Stuart W

1 contribution

The rain was more inviting than this place!

Oct 2024 • friends

Do not bother going here unless you want to be ripped off! Worst Sunday lunch in the area - making the word 'Traditional' in their marketing ploy an absolute joke. Possibly the worst run Fuller's in the area!

Written October 20, 2024

Debbie23g

Portchester70 contributions

Bad experience and upset stomach.

Apr 2024 • family

We have been here many times before and have always enjoyed our visit - albeit very pricey. But this time I had the fish and chips and was very ill afterwards with a poorly tum and sickness. The batter was soggy and the fish was grey and had no flavour - apart from tasting off. I said to the waitress that I wasn't prepared to pay for it - something that I'd hardly touched and that had made me ill, and fair enough I wasn't charged for the meal. However, I wasn't asked how I was or offered any apology! I have noticed that there have been other people that have been here and have had a reaction to the food with upset stomachs and I'm wondering if anyone from the company actually reads these reviews and will do anything to ensure that this doesn't happen again. I will get in touch with the head office but just wanted to warn people looking at reviews that this happened.

Written May 5, 2024

leader19

Walt Disney World7 contributions

Unacceptable delay

Aug 2024 • family

We were a party of 6 visiting at lunchtime. The welcome was good and we were shown to the table. First thing we noticed was the top of the table was sticky, as were others in the room. I assume that cleaning the table had removed the varnish protection. In any event we ordered drinks and the meals. It just seemed to take an inordinate amount of time for the meals to be served. There were young children in the party and the wait was unacceptable. The meals themselves were well prepared

Written August 8, 2024

chris

Ivybridge26 contributions

Have a drink - but maybe pass on the food

Jul 2024 • couples

We booked a table for 7 and arrived about 15 mins early, stood in hallway waiting as staff walked by ignoring us, until eventually managed to track on down and shown to table. Pleasant enough room, table by a window. Staff member arrived quickly to take drinks order, and then we ordered food a few minutes later. Ordered bread and whipped garlic butter. Not especially inspiring when it arrived - standard part baked French stick, with butter that was hardly whipped and mostly melted. Then we waited. And waited. Over 40 minutes later eventually our mains arrived. Steak had been ordered medium rare and arrived medium well. Linguine was passable. We did not order dessert, having been let down by indifferent service and a very poor steak. The location is good, but this was not a good experience to match that location.

Written July 11, 2024

Steve R

Winchester39 contributions

Great food and service

Oct 2023 • business

Gunwharf Quays has a lot of places to eat and drink but this is the traditional pub offering and it didn’t disappoint. I haven’t been here for a while but glad I decided to have lunch here while in the area. A good food choice and great service. I ordered a club sandwich and triple cooked chips which were both delicious. You can order at your table via the website and although the site suggested a 35 min wait due to it being busy (it was!) the drinks were served within a few minutes and the food after maybe 15 mins so perfect 🤩 The waiter checked after 5 mins or so that I was happy with the food. Service overall was friendly and professional. I’ll definitely be back.

Written November 1, 2023

southcoastdiner

4 contributions

Amazing food awful sevice

Sep 2023 • family

The food was brilliant the service dreadful. Having run pubs for 15 years I was extremely disappointed with the lack of service from a fullers pub. I think it was possible the worst I have ever had sat at the table handed menus without any sort of conversation followed by having to go to the bar to order drinks and finally getting to order food 20 minutes later food arrived and wasn't cleared for another 20 minutes after finishing then another 30 minute wait before we got up to leave and were finally offered the bill

Written October 3, 2023