THE TURK'S HEAD, Exeter - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number

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Details

About

Located in the heart of the city centre next to the Guildhall is one of the regions oldest pubs and a favourite watering hole of Charles Dickens - or so we believe. Recently restored to its former glory, The Turk's Head is back with a bang and ready to showcase it's 700+ year history.

CUISINES

French, American, Bar, Asian, British, Pub

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Outdoor Seating, Seating, Serves Alcohol

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4.0

74 reviews

Excellent

47

Very good

6

Average

8

Poor

6

Terrible

7

Cherry E

Cornwall60 contributions

Sunday lunch and overnight stay

Mar 2022 • none

Great central location, easy to find. Quirky old place with a microbrewery and lots of history. Staff extremely helpful and approachable Sunday lunch - delicious roast beef, well presented and veggies cooked perfectly. Roof terrace ideal on a warm day but also has patio heaters for evening or cooler days Lots of choice of drinks including their own brews which change regularly Dog friendly Quiz night on a Sunday is a lot of fun Accommodation is above the pub and you need to be able to climb quite a lot of narrow windy stairs to get to your room. Bedrooms are en-suite, well decorated, double size shower with plenty of hot water and Rituals shower gel, soap, body lotion TV and coffee machine, iron and board in room and plenty of space to hang clothes Earplugs provided but I didn’t need them. There was more noise from the City traffic than there was from the pub or customers. There is a box for your key if you want to check out early in the morning and overnight parking is round the corner in the council Guildhall car park for £15 all day charge.

Written 28 March 2022

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.

Forestwalker

Wales295 contributions

Good selection if a little expensive

Oct 2022 • couples

Great selection of ales, ciders and bottles. "Real pub" feel (and smell), rustic feel to the furniture. Pie and mash was a it curious. Small pie and very solid mash ut edible if a little steep at £15.50. Another pub in the city where a pint costs a minimum of £5.50 which considering it is brewed 20' from the bar is a bit rich. No middle men, no transport etc.

Written 5 October 2022

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.

patjmj

Cullompton9 contributions

Disappointing, has potential

Oct 2021 • family

Good beers the staff are really friendly and a nice feel to it but the food let it down. Asked what the pie of the day was, was told it was steak but turned out to be something minced… didn’t taste of much so not easy to work out. Everything else was a bit cold and bland, the burger was Cooked but had gone cold and the bacon was bordering on raw. They seemed fairly understaffed and struggling to keep up so that may explain a few things. Kids food was well priced and decent portions so no complaints there.

Written 18 October 2021

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.

Anne S

44 contributions

The Beers are good, but the food ain’t special.

Oct 2021 • none

This is a bar with happens to serve a bit of pub food. Don’t go expecting anything special, cos it ain’t! I had beer battered fish, which had never even been near any beer let alone battered in it. The batter was a stodgy layer of goo, totally inedible, with a reasonable portion of chips, weird tartare sauce that had inedible lumps in it and a tiny portion of peas. My friends had burgers which were ok, but frankly you’d be better going to that well known chain and get something you know. The final choice was the steak pie, probably the best of the bunch. We arrived to sticky tables which we asked to be wiped and sticky menus. Not a great experience.

Written 12 October 2021

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.

Simon D

Exeter14 contributions

Great Pub

Sept 2023 • couples

Since its reopening I have visited the turks on a few occasions but this is my 1st review. The people who have completed the revamp should be applauded, they have really done a great job at not only the decoration but also recreating a great atmosphere which was there before. Lots of room upstairs has been added with extra bars and a great little suntrap of a courtyard. Although prices are what you would expect for a city centre pub there are a good selection of drinks available and they also have thier own micro brewery on site for those who like that sort of thing The staff obviously take pride in where they work and offer a clean and friendly environment for you to relax with a pint

Written 5 September 2023

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.

Turks Head

Hello, Thank you very much for the lovely review! We take pride in our pub and we're glad you enjoyed your visit with us :) We hope to welcome you back again soon.

Written 7 September 2023

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

Jake W

9 contributions

Honestly this place is incredible

Apr 2024 • friends

Absolutely one of the best pubs I’ve been to ever, amazing staff, beer brewed as locally as on site and tasting out of this world, menu was spot on, had chicken tenders and wings and was all cookers perfectly and a great lunch snack. Wish I lived closer I’d be there every day! They sell their own merchandise, unfortunately they didn’t have my size however was offered the one off the Batman’s back, 🥵🥵🥵

Written 18 April 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.

Turks Head

Thank you Jake for the wonderful review!

Written 29 April 2024

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

princessmelus

London73 contributions

Great pub, ideal for friends, family meet ups, or just casual drinks!

Aug 2023 • couples

This pub was recommended by the pub staff at the Farmer's Union which is near where we were staying. The Turk's Head was really spacious, lots of room and they run their own micro brewery on site. They show sports in the side seating areas. and you can purchase food here as well. Great selection of beers and spirits for all drinks and prices are reasonably marked as well. Lots of opportunity to sit with friends, catch up with relatives and welcomes in lots of families who love to meet up and catch up. Great little pub and located right on the High Street, so it's great location after you've visited a few shops and some great Exeter landmarks too!

Written 18 August 2023

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.

Turks Head

Hello, Thank you for the wonderful review! We're really glad you enjoyed your visit to The Turks and we hope you'll visit us again soon!

Written 4 September 2023

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

purplevonny

210 contributions

Lovely old pub in Exeter

Oct 2022 • none

We stayed for one Sunday Night at the start of October. Sunday lunch was fabulous. Our room (room 5) was great, very spacious, lovely amenities and comfy bed but very, very noisy late at night. This is not a fault of Turks Head, it's just being in the centre of a city. The shouting outside stopped about 3.30am on a Monday morning, ear plugs were provided. For me, the ear plugs kept falling out. However, my husband slept peacefully through the night. The staff were exceptional in their helpfulness, all were cheerful and welcoming and the food for both Sunday lunch and also for breakfast, were first class. I would stress that rooms 5 and 6 are up narrow winding staircases so big suitcases would not be easy to carry up there. However, we only had small bags so all was good!! The Turks Head is in the centre of town so good for all the shops, the cathedral and easy walking distance to the quay. It is very reasonably priced for the standard of accommodation. We really enjoyed our visit and felt very well looked after.

Written 3 October 2022

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.

Scaramanda

Devon27 contributions

All basis covered and we will return

Jan 2023 • none

A fantastic place located in the heart of the city. This was our first visit and certainly will not be our last. The owners clearly state that you will experience noise and we did. It was great! We are well over 55 and thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant energetic atmosphere that we remembered from our youth! The room provided us with ear plugs and eye masks but we didn’t need them as the music stopped quite early in the morning and we drifted off to sleep and didn’t stir until 8am. Our room was well equipped and spotless. Breakfast was tasty and the staff were brilliant. The only thing that could prevent us from returning are old knees as there are a lot of stairs.

Written 15 January 2023

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.

AmyButters

Exeter19 contributions

Great day

Mar 2024 • friends

Booked the Turks head for Easter Sunday drinks. They very graciously let me book a table even though we were not eating food, and they wouldn’t usually do drinks only bookings on a Sunday like Easter. We did end up spending a small fortune as the drinks aren’t the cheapest however the service was great, the drinks fresh and enjoyable, and overall we really enjoyed ourselves.

Written 3 April 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.

Turks Head

Thank you Amy for the lovely review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed your time with us :)

Written 7 April 2024

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

Maria Thomas

Ubud41 contributions

Turks Head Hotel ~ my absolute favorite hotel to date

Jan 2023 • solo

I went to stay at The Turks Head because as soon as I went there for a drink in the week, everything about it just felt so perfect for me. The rooms are beautiful and the attention to detail is unlike I've experienced even in flash hotels in London, India, Australia, Israel and anywhere else I've stayed around the world! The staff are all lovely, the breakfast is delicious. I had the best couple of nights sleep I've had in literally months and I didn't even need to use the eye mask or ear plugs provided. A wonderful place for me to find. Will 100% be such a regular that they'll probably end up limiting my stays lol jokes obviously. Thank you Turks Head from the bottom of my heart ♡

Written 21 January 2023

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.

MMackDevon

418 contributions

Lovely rooms

Mar 2022 • none

We stayed here for 1 night recently. Friendly, easy check in. We had room 6, the Penthouse Room, which was right at the top of some narrow windy stairs, fine for us as we only had an overnight bag but it would have been a challenge if we had a suitcase. Lovely spacious and comfortable room with nice décor and some lovely touches. The room was generally quiet, some noise from outside in the early hours but it's a city centre and there is nothing to be done about that, we made use of the earplugs provided. We have 2 more dates already booked here and are hoping to get the same room again. Lovely stay!.

Written 14 March 2022

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.

Lucy E

18 contributions

Friendly staff, lovely pub

Sept 2021 • friends

Lovely pub. Good variety of different ales that they brew themselves as well as normal drinks, lovely snack type food, inviting interior and really friendly staff members. Would definitely recommend. Went for a work leaving do and they had plenty of space for us on a long table at the top. I had the nachos which were tasty.

Written 29 December 2021

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.

Mum_from_Totnes

Totnes132 contributions

Great roast dinner. Wonderful staff

Sept 2022 • family

Really good roast dinner. Couldn’t finish it but really tasty, the beef was slightly well cooked for me personally but great all the same. Good choice of wines. Lovely clean loos with rituals products. Staff were all very welcoming. Thank you. Will come again

Written 2 October 2022

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.

Paul C

12 contributions

A cosy double indeed.

Dec 2022 • none

Stayed here for two nights in a cosy double. the room was exactly is the description describes it. Small and cosy but with high quality fixtures and fittings. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, the beer was good and the breakfast amazingly so. The rooms are above a busy pub that stays open until 12midnight and so you should expect some noise, however the hotel contacted us in advance and advised us about this and provided sleep masks and ear plugs. We did not need them as it happens. Would definitely recommend this hotel and would stay there again.

Written 18 December 2022

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.

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