Promenade Park in Maldon is a fantastic spot for a day out, especially if you're looking to enjoy both green space and a bit of seaside charm. The park sits right by the water, with a small beach area that’s perfect for a paddle or just soaking up some sun. There are plenty of walking tracks that wind through the park. The open grassy areas are great for picnics, ball games, or simply stretching out with a good book. You’ll find a decent selection of food stalls, especially during weekends and events, offering everything from ice cream to tasty hot meals. Plus, with several pubs nearby, there’s no shortage of options for a proper sit-down meal or a refreshing drink. Public toilets are available and well-maintained, which is always a plus on a longer visit. Whether you're with family, friends, or just enjoying some solo time, Promenade Park has something for everyone. A great blend of nature, water, and local charm.

We visited the park in late September 2025. We were on a weekend glamping trip with our family, including the grandchildren. The park was lovely for the kids, as there is plenty to do and it wasn't too busy. There is good parking and we had no trouble finding a spot.

A beautiful waterside park with many attractions, plenty of places to eat and lots of seating, a huge field for picnics and shady avenues of trees. If you can get here early in the morning as the sunrises, you’re in for a treat.

The prom is one of my all time favourite places. However as I no longer live in Maldon we have to drive and today we wanted a quiet grassy spot and we knew the far end of one of the main fields would do the trick after having to leave previous venue just before 5pm. We wanted to be there about 3 hours so we could gently sort out tea and eat it. You are talking 5.30pm to 8.30pm. I expected to pay fair enough but £8 for 3 hours parking on a Sunday evening is too much. If it was upto £5 we would of happily used and their would be a 5 star review. I do also think £8 for a full day is fair.

Such a lovely place to spend the day.. a zoo, crazy golf, woods, and a a scenic walk path. Lovely cafes and restaurants

Great place. Only been there In the summer 🌞 Places to eat, nice views and play fun areas for the kids

Nice place for a walk around. Good playground for the kids too.

Aw, cute little place with an interactive element where they tell you about the various furry and multi-legged critters, and you can stroke/touch them. My son and his friend enjoyed answering questions and encountering the animals up close. It is very small and a little cramped, I enjoy Whipsnade for it's openness and very large enclosures so the reason for 4 not 5 stars is just the space issue, I felt a bit for the animals in small pens. That said, they didn't have big creatures like lions or elephants, so perhaps these creatures don't need such a large space. The whole promenade area is well worth a visit. There is a crazy golf opposite and a nice walk near all the boats.

Family run small Zoo for rescue animals. From going to looking around, it was a great experience. The keepers we're knowledgeable and very helpful. Enjoyed their talks and looked closely at the animals. Highly recommend. Thank you for a great day.

Had a superb time this morning at the zoo, enjoying the private tour we’d pre-booked. It was extremely professional and the guide was superb, providing details of each of the animals and answering our many questions. Our son is in a wheelchair but the layout of the zoo is extremely accessible including when accessing the reptile area. The guide could not have been more helpful even offering to bring a chair into the meerkat enclosure. Our visit was extremely interactive, feeding lots of the animals, handling a few, and even sitting with the meerkats. Nothing was rushed, and we genuinely had the best zoo experience of our lives! The animals are so well cared for, and that may be evidenced not just by their looks but via their behaviour, and how they engage with the keepers and the visitors. Most animals are rescue animals so we’re lucky to have a place such as this to take them in. Thanks again to the Zoo. Support this place and help contribute the vital funds to keep it running.

Had a really nice day out here. Took my younger sister and she enjoyed stroking the animals. Staff were all really friendly and kind to her. I recommend going as you're directly supporting the animals - most of which are rescues.

£32 to touch 3 animals and it’s called a petting zoo,the donkeys are cornered off but it’s a petting zoo?A crow is in a cage and the ducks enclosure is bigger than the pigs enclosure, we barely saw any animals and there was chickens in the same pen as guinea pigs…it just seemed so unethical

Lovely member of staff always filled with information about the animals with what they like to eat, where they come from sleeping patterns etc. Lovely food, plenty of different drinks available cold or hot! My kids love every minute of it specially when meeting animals and being able to interact with them.

We had a lovely time visiting this charming, family-run zoo with our two young children (aged four and two). It’s a perfect size for little ones to explore without feeling overwhelmed, and there’s a great variety of exotic animals to see and learn about. A special mention goes to Zoo Keeper James, who was incredibly informative and personable. His animal talk was engaging for both kids and adults — we all learned something new and really appreciated his passion and knowledge. We’ll definitely be back the next time we’re in the area. Thank you for a wonderful day!

I mostly come here for a drink overlooking the river and occasionally food. The food is just your standard pub food, nothing to write home about but tasty none the less. Reasonable prices for food and drink, staff are always pleasant. Dogs welcome in the bar too! Always recommend if people are in Maldon

Visited the Queens Head on a very busy Friday night following a lovely summers day. Pre booking essential and you get a choice of inside or a fairly well protected,outside. We chose to have a drink outside and eat inside in the lovely Dining room with views across the river. This pub is actually on the Quayside next to where the old Thames river barges berth so it makes this spot very interesting. The food was served in a timely fashion,considering how busy it was, by a friendly,helpful server. Two of us chose Haddock and chips which were very nice indeed. Parking can be an issue with lots of restricted 'Resident Only' areas and the nearest public car parks a fair walk away and some closing at 8.00pm! so do your research before you leave but well worth it for this special place.

Sat outside with lovely views. Food tasty, had a Tuna jacket potato with salad, prices were average. Staff were a little miserable.

Amazing experience. Welcomed our fur baby, great food, all home made. Will definitely return. 😍 even a dog dinner

Really nice place.. Food was great.. The haddock and chips very nice.. Good service and a spot on location

You'd think being a busy crowded pub the food would be a bit average, but you'd be wrong. The haddock was superb, light crisp batter encasing perfectly cooked fluffy white fish. The chips were spot on too. They have a good selection of beers and the service is rapid and friendly. Definitely worth seeking out, especially when you can sit in the sunshine with a delightful view of the river and Thames barges. A perfect place to enjoy the last of the summer sun. 5/8/25 Still great food and fast service and now they have a huge covered area out the front, so rain and hot sun are not problems

We went for a family meal and was not disappointed. Portion sizes were very generous, staff were friendly and helpful. We booked a table in the restaurant but sat outside as the weather was beautiful. Lovely peaceful views while enjoying delicious freshly cooked food.

Went there for the first time. Bright and lively atmosphere. Clean. Attentive Staff. The tapas was nice. The seafood curry and slow cooked pork with black beans was very tasty. Will definitely go there again..

Delightful staff, great menu, and the food was spectacular 👌🏻 definitely recommend the sweet potato chips, and the onion rings are SO GOOD they're huge and fluffy, absolutely perfect. Virgin strawberry daiquiri was good, but a little tasteless so I'm going to get the alcoholic one next time 💜

Absolutely love this place. Been here a few times and always receive friendly and helpful service, delicious food and drink, and a wonderful ambience, regardless whether it's lunch or evening. Recently went for Mother's Day and it was so delightful, especially with a glass of prosecco on the house for the mums! and a wonderful singer @joannapowermusic Highly recommend Cafe Brazil!

Excellent choice of fresh, excellent quality food all reasonably priced. Great cocktail menu, perfect desserts also on the menu, and one of the best Latte's in town. Easily recommended.

Had a lovely meal at Cafe Brazil, it has a good atmosphere & is run by a family. The food was delicious. We shared tapas dishes for starters, the calamares were delicious, albondigas and the cheese bread balls were too. My husband had the picahna steak with fries and an egg and I had the fish and seafood curry. Looking forward to visiting again soon.

Myself and my best friend came to Cafe Brazil for lunch on Saturday and was not disappointed! This was my first meal out in 6 weeks and it was incredible!! The service and the food was unreal! Below is a picture of my main meal, Seafood Panelinha. It was absolutely beautiful! Will definitely be back as soon as I can!

Had dinner here with some work colleagues tonight. Nice place, incredibly friendly staff and good service. We went all out and had starters, mains and desserts and everything was superb. Would definitely visit again if I’m ever back in the area.

We had a really lovely evening! The food was unique and delicious. We tried two of the recommended specials and weren’t disappointed, they were both full of flavour. It’s a shame the Changezi Chicken isn’t on the main menu! The staff were genuine and warm, felt very welcome. We’d happily come back anytime, thank you!

Lovely lovely food and owners! The food was delicious, and this is traditional home cooked Indian food it’s not like your other curry house. Would recommend!

The best of the best. The Gohil’s have done it again but this time, it’s next level. You simply must go and see and taste for yourselves. Stunning restaurant with attention to detail. Warm, welcoming atmosphere. And the food! Wow. Sensational. Five stars just isn’t enough!

I've lived in Maldon my entire life and I can honestly say that this is the best curry I've ever eaten - not just in Maldon but literally ever. No slop served here. Just authentic Indian curries, cooked by Indians. The manager was very friendly and expounded upon his family's culinary philosophy: they don't serve anything they wouldn't eat themselves. Hence we ordered the chicken samosas as one of our starters and were told that, because the chef wasn't happy with their quality, they were no longer available to order (the substitute was extremely satisfying). I got the sense that they genuinely cared about the food they were serving - and you can tell. Delicious flavours. Great service. Will be visiting again, no question. What a wonderful place to have on our high street.

First time going to the restaurant tonight and it was superb. My wife has a nut allergy and they couldn’t have been more accommodating which was very reassuring. The starters were full of flavour and were so tasty. The waiter was brilliant and even brought out samples of the sauces for one of the main dishes to see if we liked it. I will definitely be back and I couldn’t recommend this restaurant enough. 10/10

I cannot recommend King Curries highly enough. You can just tell the difference — it’s the real deal. Fresh ingredients, real Indian food — the most delicious curry I’ve ever had, I’ve never had a curry like this! The bhajis especially were so delicious! The staff are so friendly too, they went out of their way to give us a great experience and make us feel welcome. I loved it here.

Hands down the best Indian I have ever had. The staff are polite and helpful. The owners are fantastic with their personal recommendations and very clearly love their food and show real passion for their culture. It was a genuine treat to eat here and we will be back to try the monthly special curries.

Not bad but not as good as the reviews say. The good points are a nice big bright clean restaurant and what we saw of the waiters they were polite and friendly but that's about it. My Jalfrezi was nice and hot/spicy but the chicken felt old and chewy, there was hardly any veg in it other than onion where most others I've had are full of peppers and tomatoes etc .. and my naan was soggy and not cooked in the middle. The best dish was my saag aloo which was spicy and cooked nicely. I know we were there late with no one else in the restaurant but having I guess was a manager talking loudly on a phone in a foreign language and staff in the kitchen talking loud and shouting all of which I could hear over the music was off putting and ruined the experience after a long working day. So I didn't hate it but I will not be rushing back anytime soon sadly

Order food from here and when received my food it was full of oil and when I rang them to tell them they got rude on phone couldn’t hardly speak any English and hanged up the phone this restaurant as gone down hill with change over with new owners I would well stay away from this restaurant

New to area and ordered a delivery meal. Was scheduled for arrival after 36 mins, perfect! Only an hour later it still hadn't arrived, so contacted restaurant who were pretty clueless but said they'd contact driver. Driver called, after chasing restaurant again, to advise meal was in his car, had been for 20 mins and he'd be with us in another 10 mins!! Not wanting to risk food poisoning and not having a microwave to reheat 30 mins old food we suggested it was returned to the restaurant. Very disappointing first and last experience of this restaurant.

Lovely food, excellent service. Two of our party were 40 minutes late, the staff were so helpful and understanding. Couldn't ask for better

Well read past reviews which left an unclear history and recent activity so decided to try it on return from holiday yesterday. Well what a surprise I have looked in when walking past and seen a very small dark seating area but this is for deliveries and take away!! Down the right hand side is a very open bright area of tables and also a row of private glazed side cubicles for 2 to 4 persons - all white bright and clean. First time there so ordered favourite dishes to enable comparison with others restaurants . Well I now have a new favourite curry house! Stunning flavours and presentation good size potions and a reasonable price taking into account Starmer get 20% !!! Service was impeccable and even the wine list was reasonably priced. My waist line won’t allow too many visits but will be back soon to try other dishes and trying to get my kids over for a birthday party…… highly recommended

This restaurant has recently been taken over. A friend and I ordered a collection to enjoy at home, when arriving to collect was standing in the foyer for around 3-5 minutes before anyone welcomed me bearing in mind five waiters were just chatting at the bar. The food was hot, smelt fresh. When going to eat it the chicken was soft and some pieces were much firmer so wasn’t consistent. The amount of red colouring in the tikka masala was crazy. Flavours were very bland and not very strong. Such a shame as this used to be our favourite here. Don’t think we shall be retuning unfortunately.

It is not the same Balti Bhujon since they have changed hands. Just got back and ate the takeaway the food is not the same taste unfortunately. I have been eating their for 16yrs and Abdul ran this restaurant perfectly, the food was top , tasting. Not anymore.

I went here during their country fair, it's a very interesting and enjoyable place to visit. Lots to see and do in the main museum, then there's a fun miniature railway outside to enjoy. The place also has a beautiful model village you can have a look around, all the volunteers are polite, friendly and very helpful.

I've been to the Museum of Power on a few occasions but it is by far the best on event days when the sun is shining. I attended a classic car show in the grounds wish was among the best I've seen. Inside the main building there are some examples of engines, kept working by very diligent volunteers. Honestly though, I don't think the exhibits have changed in years.

This museum offers a compelling experience, featuring numerous interactive exhibits designed for children. The on-site cafe provides a convenient amenity, and the exhibits themselves are quite fascinating. The grounds are also beautifully maintained.

Visited with my grandchildren during the summer holidays. Free parking. Free to enter. Free entry to the model village. Small charge for the train ride and a charge to go into the museum. Nice cafe on site. Areas suitable for picnics. Special events are run throughout the year. We returned for a model village candlelight evening, which happen on Fridays in October, the children absolutely loved it. Run by an army of volunteers, who do an amazing job, this place is worth a visit!

I recently went the Museum of Power show on 20th July as part of the Brentwood Model Boat Club display. As well as a gazebo with models on display we were able to sail our models on the River Blackwater much appreciated by visitors. The Museum had many things to do and see and now has an excellent cafe for refreshments. If you have never visited it is a special place to look round with a great display of all things steam ranging from a huge triple expansion pump engine to irons.

Small interesting museum of power. Machinery reminded me of a factory I worked in. A good stopping point for a nice lunch as well. Good food.

We have visited the museum many times for different occasions and have always had such a lovely experience. Last night we visited the Astaria Village by candle light (over 500 hand lit candles) with our 3 children and we had such a magical time! Alan and Dave have put so much hard work and dedication into the magical fairy village and we even got to see them catch a fairy! We honestly had such a wholesome experience and felt so lucky to have these people in the world that do so much just for the happiness of others! The event was completely free and these was a discreet fundraising pot for charity. There was also a lovely touch to light a candle in memory of a loss of a baby and there was a special area where these candles could be hung and left to burn all night, it was a very beautiful and very touching experience which was met with such compassion. We ended the night on a lovely ride in the dark on the miniature steam train followed by cake and a cup of tea in the lovely cafe! Would highly recommend and will be back again!! Definitely go for a wonderful magical experience and have a chat with the lovely Alan and Dave and they may even share a magic trick or two with you! Thank you for a wonderful evening x

Great place. Has 3 floors. Disabled and baby changing room on first floor then toilets upstairs. Lots of weapons and clothing. Small car park but it’s not that busy when we came. It was nice to visit and friendly staff. They prefer card rather than cash. You can book online then pay in person

A wonderful museum filled to the brim with a wide selection of military memorabilia from across history. Compromised of about 3/4 rooms which are densely packed and well laid out. Uniforms, weapons, badges, ordnance and more from the middle ages to present. Staff were absolutely lovely and extremely knowledgeable willing to answer all sorts of questions. Spent around 2 hours inside but easily could have spent more. 5/5 would recommend.

A hidden gem if you are into military memorabilia. The museum hosts the Donnington Historic Weapons Collection, a collection of weapons accumulated by MoD Donnington in Shropshire, over a long period of time. The curator is particularly knowledgeable.

This was a superb find for me as looking for something to do. What an incredible museum with the biggest display of guns in the country. Over three floors this museum has displays of all original items from different theatres of war and includes , special forces, spies and home front. Spears, swords, uniforms and weapons. You will need a good couple of hours to see everything, very informative displays. Definitely worth a visit as the best that I have seen and a hidden secret. There is free parking, admission is £9.50 for adults. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am to 5pm. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice and knowledgeable lady, Julie Ann Miller.

Around £10 per person, with limited parking on the site, but the area isn't busy, so you should be able to find parking. The museum is larger than it looks and it has a huge collection of scary things! No other way to describe guns and bombs! Recommend a visit! I spent a couple of hours there myself.

What an absolutely fantastic hidden gem! One man's stunning, eclectic collection. Run by really enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers, who are present to share interesting facts and point out rare and unusual items and give more information when requested and answer our many questions! (I think the gentleman's name was Dave... thank you!) Free parking on site. Tickets very reasonably priced. Usually closed Monday and Tuesday, but open every day for school holidays. A list of items does not do the collection justice so I won't try, however the spy section was really cool and the Victoria Cross display. Husband is ex military and was really impressed with the scope and detail. The collection spans 3 floors and is well laid out in sections. If you get overwhelmed with everything there is to see, seek out the yellow labelled items (rarest items or something interesting/different) No cafe, just a coffee machine. Plenty of chairs to rest. Photos allowed. 100% worth a visit.

This place is well worth a visit. I took my 10 year old grandson. All I heard while I was there was, "Nanny come and look at this", "wow nanny look at that". It's far bigger than it looks from the outside. Lifts on each floor and a drinks machine with seating area. I will definitely go there again.

Visited the swan for drinks only great cocktails. Friendly staff and a good atmosphere. Couldn't comment on rooms food looks good and at reasonable prices

It's a quaint hotel on a High Street. It's established within a modernized old structure. Service was non-existent on Monday and Tuesday when we stayed there. We couldn't have even breakfast in the hotel. Of course to be fair, the management had informed us about this at the time of reservation. Difficult to say if it was value for money in Maldon.

First time at this Hotel for a meeting in their private room. Nice friendly people. Seems a generally pleasant environment and dog friendly which is vital for me as I travel everywhere with my dog.

Had a lovely lunch here on Mother’s Day. The staff were very friendly and accommodated our dietary needs with ease, and the goodie bag given to the mums at the end of the meal was so thoughtful and such a lovely surprise:)

We went there today for my husbands 80th we had the Sunday roast it's one of the best we have had . Very tasty hot meat veg cooked perfect .Thankyou for making his birthday special xx

Stopped in for a pint of Ghost Ship and fish'n'chips. Both excellent. Friendly and efficient staff. Immaculate toilets. Recommended!

It’s the third time we’ve been to the Swan the first time we had roast beef and I did say to the young lady that’s the roast was Luke warm at the best the second time it was the same so we gave it another go because to be quite honest, the flavour is really lovely.. so we went again this Sunday and it was awful! sent the food back because it was cold when it was brought back to us, it was still lukewarm… and it’s a real shame lovely looking pub really nice staff but unfortunately, the people in the kitchen are letting it down… and I’m afraid to say we won’t be going there again. You’re paying £20 for a roast dinner and it’s stone cold.😢

I come here quite often for a coffee (obviously!) while my son has his afternoon nap, the service is always very good. The last few times I've been served by a lady with unmistakably pink hair (Jasmine I think I overheard someone call her?), she always seems genuinely happy, offers a smile with her service, and makes pleasant small talk while she serves you. With what I imagine are hundreds of customers a day, keeping that up and seeming genuine about it is impressive. Too often in any establishment you're often served without much enthusiasm, and I do understand why, so its refreshing that the staff here all do seem to care and seem to have a good relationship between them which is nice to be around for 30 minutes or so while the boy has his nap!

I always do click and collect here in the mornings when I’m working in Maldon, usually 2 or 3 days a week. The ladies are always so friendly (even though I sometimes have a big order from all my colleagues!) and nothing is too much trouble.

i was served by kiri and she was so lovely and friendly. offering butter with my croissant and ultimately just being friendly. i just wanted to say this about her because one person can really make your day despite it going bad so far. coffee and food also delicious

It's ok for a coffee shop friendly perlight helpful as i went in with my mobilt scotter & the staff moverd a load of chairs & table out of way so I cod park easy

Enjoyable cup of coffee and cake. Not busy (Sunday early afternoon) so it was an opportunity for a quiet catch-up with my sister, comfy seats, no irritatingly noisy children and the chance to people-watch. Efficient service and pleasant staff. First visit to this branch, will definitely visit again.

Great service and polite staff. The coffee shop was clean and trays were cleared quickly. Majority of the seating was a bit kitchen chair type but there are a few comfy chairs and a banquette. Coffee was great and the toasties were tasty. Clearly the Internet connection was good judging by the number of laptops in use.

Super helpful staff, helping me with the app and getting me the best deal. 👍

Slowest Mcdonalds ever, 45mins for 1 big mac that came out wrong anyway. Left my food sitting getting cold while I waited. New food came eventually and was bussin tbf

Literally nobody to be found on the counter. Waited and waited. Eventually called out to somebody in the kitchen as I wanted to use the disabled toilet. It took 10 minutes and 3 people to locate the key!!!! I ordered food on the screen and wanted to pay at the counter as card wouldn't work on the screen. A VERY slow process!!!! Painful. Food took forever. I had to chase it up. Definitely a place to avoid. Probably too busy with the Just Eat collections

I've been to a variety of different McDonald locations in my time all across the country and i have to say that this is by far the worst. The service is slow both inside and in the drive through EVEN during hours where there are 3 cars in the drive through. Items are frequently incorrect and/or completely missing. The food itself is hit and miss with it 9 times out of 10 being bad. On that one occasion when the food is "good" its more sub par. Obviously its fast food so i don't expect quality on the level of a 3 star Michelin restaurant but i'd at least expect my chicken to not be rock solid, fries cold and stale or my non fizzy drink to somehow become a coke. If you do end up going here, id suggest checking your food before driving away and making sure you get your receipt.

What is wrong with this place. I go here very rarely for myself, but occasionally get food with my kids. Tonight I ordered a double Big Mac, which is not hard to make in my eyes. They advised me to park up as they were too busy to deal with a normal Wednesday evening crowd. The food eventually turns up and we drive off home. Upon arriving and heating the food up as it was cold I open my burger to see my Big Mac instead of a double and strangely the lettuce around the burger I stead of in it. To add insult to injury there was no sauce. Is it that hard to make a burger or am I missing something here. If a manager reads this do contact me to discuss further and even gift me my burger as I have paid for it and not got it.

The place is disgusting 🫣 Absolute dirt inside. Grimey sticky tables, ordering screen systems not working and full of scum. Toilets had zero soap in the dispenser. I don't care if this is a fast food place, no excuse for it being so grim! Give this place a wide birth. Needs an inspection. It wasn't busy either.

Not very busy but service for customers inside restaurant was poor. Long waiting times, 20 plus minutes. Our order was forgotten and when we chased it up it turned up cold. The drive through orders seemed to take priority over the restaurant. This is not the first time we’ve had cold food here. We weren’t the only dissatisfied customers. We won’t be using this restaurant again. No stars awarded and it certainly wasn’t fast food!!!!

Popped in to get my daughter a quick dinner on the way home. What a complete joke. No milkshakes or sprite at 9 on a Friday night. Then have to wait over 20 minutes in the car park for the food to not turn up. Had to go over to the window to see what was going on. Kitchen was full of people standing around not knowing what is going on. Another 10 minutes later I managed to wave a member of staff down wandering around the car park. Had the right food but wrong reg on the paperwork. How hard is this really?

Maldon Smokehouse I have been meaning to visit for a while since the new management & I finally managed to go a couple of Saturdays ago, and I’m so glad I did. The food was absolutely fantastic, and the customer service was warm and friendly, served with a smile. On top of that, the views are breathtaking – the perfect backdrop to a lovely meal. I would highly recommend this place for its beautiful setting, great service, and delicious food. I’m already looking forward to my next visit. Thank you!

I revisited this local fish restaurant after many years, having nearly forgotten about it—now I remember why. On arrival, things started on a promising note. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the wine list was surprisingly good. We enjoyed a lovely bottle of white wine, which, unfortunately, turned out to be the highlight of the meal I later learned the team behind the restaurant also runs a local pub, possibly the Victoria. It was also mentioned that they had only recently taken over the restaurant a few weeks ago, and—oddly—I was told they shouldn’t even bother changing things because “the locals love it.” That might be true, but if you’re running a restaurant, you should be putting your own mark on it and striving for quality, not coasting on goodwill. Or no goodwill Let’s talk about the food. My wife requested a simple mains smoked salmon and prawns. You’d think this would be a standard request at a seafood restaurant, but it required a special ask to the chef—as if she’d ordered foie gras with a side of caviar. She made it clear she didn’t want roll mops or cockles, yet what arrived looked like a dog’s dinner. Even the bread was served in a doggy bag—no idea if that’s a quirky Maldon thing or just a misguided attempt at rustic charm. I really wanted fish and chips .Yes freshly caught off a boat in the North Sea. As there website shows people fishing with fly rods and deep sea tackle!! Then underneath the picture poop about cocktails. I could scream on all aspects of this restaurant from food to website. Fish and chips offered was pollock and chips . Is this some type of cost cutting exercise?? Don't tell me it's to save the fish stocks? Turning this down I was recommended the burger. Big mistake. It came out with two patties that were as dry as the Sierra Desert, slapped onto a bun that had clearly seen better days. The garnish? A tomato slice the size of a bus and not in a good way. I sent it back—not out of malice, but because it genuinely wasn’t edible. I even told them I’d pay for it regardless. The chef’s response? He tried to justify the dryness by saying, “It can’t be moist because of the quality of meat we use.” That’s one of the most baffling excuses I’ve heard in a kitchen. The decor didn’t help. I politely pointed out to the owner that the rustic tables looked more neglected than charming. The reply? “Our customers like this style.” Really? Or is that just wishful thinking? This place might be passable for some of the local crowd, but if you’re serious about building a great business, you need to set your benchmark higher—and keep working toward it. I paid for my burger in full, even though it was taken off the bill. Would I return? Not in this lifetime.

Such a tranquil spot with a lovely outdoors area. Such friendly staff. The food was good value for money and good quality.

Visited yesterday with my husband and my daughters family. We were welcomed by the lovely staff and led to our table...the drinks were served promptly and then we decided what to eat. It was so lovely to all be able to choose different dishes..my daughter and I devoured the sea food overboard and our other halves relished their meals. I cannot fault this gem of a find in any way. Perfection ... 10/10 * We are already planning our next visit. Thank you x

Went for lunch today for Hubby's birthday and wasn't disappointed. Lovely place, great staff. The food was amazing 👏 🤩

Very nice surroundings with excellent food most definitely will return 10/10 😋👌

My husband and I visited with our young son a couple of weeks ago and we were blown away by the service here. I have allergies which can be difficult to cater for but the staff went over and above to make sure I could have a range of options from the menu. I also felt very confident as they took my allergies extremely seriously! The food was amazing especially the seafood platter and it was a first time visit for us so we were very happy with such a beautiful lunch! We have recommended to our friends and family and will most definitely be visiting again! Thank you!

We came here on recommendation and so glad we did. We went for lunch in the mess, so no need to pay entry, only pay if you're visiting the exhibits. Daughter had the jacket potato and my wife and I had the roast dinner. It was truly fantastic. Lovely staff, unique atmosphere of eating in an old RAF mess, good value. Thoroughly recommended.

Fantastic site with enthusiastic volunteers that give free tours of the site. The museum itself is really interesting as are the 2 aircraft hangers that house replica aeroplanes. You will not go hungry here as there is a very nice mess which provides extensive menu.

Attended the Living History Weekend at Stow Maries Aerodrome today and it was brilliant. This was our first visit to Stow Maries, even though we live nearby, but it won't be our last. Our guide, Tim, was very knowledgeable and it was obvious that this place has a special place in his heart. There is so much WW1 history here. It is dog and child friendly and has good access for wheelchair users. Thoroughly good day out.

A brilliant day. Volunteers are so welcoming and the museum is excellent. It was a Flight Event, so pretty busy, but catering facilities coped well. The air displays were excellent...on an overcast day, you see more of the planes as you're not squinting in bright sunshine. The in/out for the car park was well managed too. Great to see the last airworthy Fairey Swordfish, both on the ground and later airborne.

First time at the Stow Maries airshow, it was brilliant! As a lover of all things aviation, it was great to see aircraft you don't find at the larger airshows. Fantastic location, authentic and maintained by what is clearly a very dedicated team of volunteers. I look forward to many more afternoons at Stow!

First visit to Stow Maries for me and what a brilliant, brilliant site, steeped in history and atmosphere. The largest WW1 aerodrome in Europe and greatest collection of intact RFC buildings was the venue for the Living History WW1 weekend. Absolutely superb. Welcoming, accommodating and knowledgable staff, excellent value for money, OUTSTANDING food, exceptional facilities and interesting, informative collections. A wonderful site and well worth a good, long visit.

Excellent WWI Aviation museum with great flying display. Ample parking. Dog friendly.

The kids enjoyed the soft play, but a couple of things let the visit down. We were told we weren’t allowed tap water and had to buy bottled — not ideal on a hot day with little ones running around, especially when one of their bottles leaked. Also, someone had been sick just outside the under 2’s play area. Staff slightly cleaned it up but didn’t put a sign out, so my partner accidentally walked on the wet carpet it in socks and couldn’t join in with the kids after that. I ended up juggling a toddler and a baby solo — not exactly relaxing! Could be great with a bit more attention to hygiene and family-friendly basics

Wow! Fantastic! Ended up going 3 days on the trot and it was over 40mile drive there. Helpful and attentive staff, very fair priced, absolutely loads to do. We have 3 boys and there was soooo much for them to explore. Clean, friendly, fun and recently refurbished I believe. It's an unexpected gold mine hidden in Maldon. Credit to the team there.

This place is dirty and run down. Ripped equipment with foam/padding falling out and old food squashed into the carpet. The place by face value is every kids dream until any decent parent looks at the state of the equipment and just how filthy the place really is for their child. I crawled into one of the tunnels to retrieve my 3 year old son and a clump of grey fluff/dust fell of the top of the tunnel and into my lap! At any given moment I was antibac wiping my son’s hands. So many other great soft plays about, don’t waste your money people.

Nice large area for the children to play. Unfortunately, the amount of dust everywhere you look is crazy.

Awful place, it does not look like the photos on here from 6 years ago but rather one the place time forgot. The green slides sways when kids go down it and it is dusty everywhere. My under 5 year old got told to leave the under 5 area when she was playing quietly (NO IDEA WHY!) To add insult to injury, we spent a lot of money going in and at the Cafe but they refused to give us tap water when we asked and pointed us to a sign saying it was their policy. A very young and incredibly rude employee behind the cafe stated that they don't have to as they don't serve alcohol. Zero manners at all and so unnecessary, especially when we had just bought coffees and cakes. This place needs to be shut down and condemned. I will never be back and sincerely regret giving a penny of my money to this place when they clearly don't give a hoot about the welfare of the kids who attend.

This place is the Tardis of indoor soft play places. As you enter through the child safe entrance and exit area, you can see it sprawl out ahead of you. It's across 2 floors with viewing seating areas on both levels. There's a cafe on site with extremely reasonable prices too. There are staff on hand to assist and keep the entire place clean and run smoothly. They hold birthday parties there with a separate party room.

Filthy place.. so dark, dusty and gloomy. Well overpriced for what it is! After paying almost £19 for entry, £20 on food and snacks, I asked for some tap water for my 2 year old, to be told that they don’t give out tap water & legally don’t have to as they’re don’t serve alcohol. That is just pure greed not providing tap water to thirsty children. Disgusting business should be ashamed.

Been visiting Maldon for many years. Its well worth a visit to the Quay especially if you are interested in Thames Barges. We usually park the car in Promenade Park (pay) because of very limited parking at the Quay (1 hour) and walk beside the river up to the Hythe. Loads of free activities for children along the way, plenty of fast food and ice cream vendors, accessible toilets, loads of seating. There are 2 pubs at the Hythe. The Queens Head and Fish on the Quay. In my opinion the Queens head is much the better place, right on the quay, quick service, excellent food and beers, dog friendly, with very reasonable prices.

Good place to see the Thames barges. Depending on the tide you can also go on a Thames barge cruise. The quay is nice to walk along right up to the end where there is a historic statue. There is a park for kids to play, a seafood shack and small cafe

Maldon High Street leads straight down to the Hythe Quay where famous Thames barges sport their russet red sails in a splendid array of colour and charm. Trips are available on the barges depending the high tide times. The area has two main pubs and is the start of the pleasant promenade walk.

Oldest river in England, and the quay built as a port by the Romans

Wow what a fantastic Quay, lots of Old Thames barges, some being renovated, great pubs for drinks and food, great history here, there was vikings landed and fought off again and again, fantastic bird wildlife, its a great place for young children, an outdoor swimming pool and play areas, just love it.

Historic Thames sailing barges which take passengers in season. The town of Maldon is delightful.

Nice walks and views

Another fantastic dog friendly find. Big beer garden area and childrens playground to the rear of the car park. Nice selection of beers and spirits. Have a great system of ordering food in from local takeaways and supply eco cutlery for customers to eat with. Nice friendly staff and apparently will soon start to have live music.

This pub is so beautiful and had a wonderful atmosphere, we did go during the rugby so was very busy but the staff was still smiling and making sure everyone needs were met. With the food I was really shocked they had a vegan menu which was huge along side an amazing normal menu! I went for the Mac and cheese veggie chicken burger with fake bacon and BBQ sauce, oh my word it was the best burger I have had in ages! Thank you so much!!! My partner said his was really good too, plus the halloumi we had on the side. I really recommend this pub if your near it!

Great cocktails and beers and lovely staff. Spacious garden area and car park. Allows takeaways to be brought in and can ask for wooden cutlery, was offered a plate as well. Regular karaoke and quiz nights also, highly recommend.

This is a proper pub that clearly takes care and pride in what and how they serve. The beer was first class, including the Guinness. The service was quick and friendly. The pub has a friendly vibe. I highly recommend it.

Popped into the Black Rabbit for the first time in years. Absolutely beautiful place, Great selection of beers and IPAs. Staff are brilliant! The new manager Chloe served us, lovely young lady. We were looking for food but she told us about bringing in our own takeaway which is great! Can’t wait to come back Friday night for a beer and a Chinese. Thanks again!!

Very scruffy pub and not much atmosphere. Staff were pleasant but £9.90 for 1 and a half pints of Neckoil? Total rip off.

Great food, fantastic drinks on tap and behind the bar. Very friendly and professional bar staff.

We came to the Prince of Wales for our corporate away day. They looked after us so well. We did some shooting in the field, we walked to a local vineyard for a wine tasting and have a lovely dinner in their newly constructed wooden marquee. The chef and his team put together a sharing platter menu for us. The Orangery space also has a good wifi connection and a TV to connect presentations to. We had a great time and would highly recommend the pub for a business get together.

Superbly cooked locally produced food! We’ve always loved this pub - great old country pub atmosphere, an impressive range of real ale and good food. The new owners have taken the food up a notch too. We had Sunday roast this week - really tasty Sutton Hoo chicken and local beef. The team are helpful and knowledgeable providing excellent service. We also enjoyed the live music filtering into the pub from the garden. We will definitely be back soon.

Absolutely loved my visit to this pub! The fish and chips were some of the best I’ve had in ages. To top it off, there was a live band playing that night and they were fantastic which really added to the atmosphere. The whole place had such a warm, welcoming vibe. The staff were lovely too, friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. Can’t wait to come back!

Visited today for the first time in 20 years. We had an amazing lunch, lots of variety. Was warned there was a bit of a wait for food, but we thought it arrived in really good time for such freshly cooked meals. Excellent quality, and brilliant staff. George was friendly and welcoming. The ladies behind the bar were also very friendly, I look forward to coming back x

The first visit was great, so of course we had to come back to check the consistency! And we weren’t disappointed. Food was amazing again. Despite not booking, and it was Father’s Day they managed to accommodate us. The fact they serve Hawkstone was a winner and then it felt rude not to try the other ales. This brilliant, friendly, vibrant pub is fast becoming a firm favourite. You should go, you really should! You won’t be disappointed.

Nice cosy pub popped inform quick drink. Love staff seems to have a good range of drinks but sadly had run out of a few that is was after and the coffee machine was out of service at the time. I will however go again as nice setting, lovely decor and atmosphere was just right for me.

Lovely pub with nice sunny beer garden. They had a bbq on and the lamb cutlets were big and packed full of flavour. Highly recommend for a nice drink or a really good meal. Didn’t rate rooms as didn’t stay there.