It can be found between Woking and Guildford and has a pub garden perfect for a pint in the sun
The Jovial Sailor can be found on Portsmouth Road in Ripley, not far from Woking and Guildford(Image: Surrey Live)
Surrey is home to a plethora of great country pubs, with food offerings as good as you can get in any restaurant.
There is one village pub though which I believe has nearly all you’d want for a day-out this Spring and its just a short drive from Woking and Guildford.
This being the Jovial Sailor in Ripley. The historic pub is known locally for its great carvery and beer garden, however it is yet to stake its claim as one of the county’s best.
You’ll find the Jovial Sailor on Portsmouth Road and inside, it’s a traditional pub, with low hanging ceilings and a timber-framed interior but there are some additions to the inside which give it an up-market feel.
The pub has a very large canopied garden seating area with a children’s playground just meters away(Image: Surrey Live)
Outside is where the pub really sets its head above the rest with dozens of benches covered by a canopy, alongside three sheds which have been cleverly converted into private dining areas.
Towards the back of the garden is a fully fledged children’s playground for 12-year-olds and under.
The pub itself dates back as far as 1745, making it a mainstay for residents of Send, Ripley and Burntcommon for centuries. It is now under the ownership of Baron’s Pub Company.
I visited the Ripley establishment on Sunday, March 1 for a meal with family to celebrate a relative’s birthday.
We were kindly seated by staff in one of the private dining sheds, which while slightly cramped, was an appreciated contrast from the hustle and bustle you may experience when dining in pubs across the UK on a Sunday afternoon.
Inside one of the private dining ‘sheds'(Image: Surrey Live)
Looking at the menu, I was pleased to see such a variety of offerings, definitely more akin to a restaurant. From pub classics, starters and small plates, fajitas, burgers, brunch and lunchtime offerings alongside arguably the most popular, Sunday carvery which is served from 12pm until 5pm.
I decided on confit duck with peppercorn sauce, potato dauphinoise and vegetables (£20.95) while my family all chose to go for the small adult carvery (£16).
The staff at the Jovial Sailor have a smart system whereby they aim for those getting a carvery to receive their ‘tickets’ for it five minutes before those not getting a carvery receive their meals, allowing for everyone to eat at the same time.
An image of the roast meat selection at the carvery when we visited(Image: Surrey Live)
The carvery offers what my family describe as a “great selection” of roast meats, from chicken to beef and even duck. This is all accompanied by large Yorkshire puddings, parsnips, roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy and other sauces.
It did not feel like long after we ordered that we received the carvery tickets and my confit duck arrived. My advice would be to go for the carvery as soon as you get your tickets, as the queue can get slightly lengthy.
An image of my confit duck before I tucked in(Image: Surrey Live)
Considering I had never tried English roast duck, I was very please with my meal. The duck fell off the bone with ease and was a pleasure to eat with the peppercorn sauce and creamy potato dauphinoise. If I find myself returning to the Jovial Sailor, its definitely something I’ll get again.
Once my relatives began returning with their meals, I can’t say I wasn’t jealous of all they’d managed to pile onto their plates.
The small adults carvery allowed for two roast meats, which my family say were “delicious”. Alongside the Yorkshire puddings and sausage, which they all said were “lovely too”, with the gravy also receiving many complements.
The pub’s assistant manager pictured behind the bar. On my visit, all staff were full of smiles and happy to help(Image: Surrey Live)
It is not just us who have a lot of praise for the Jovial Sailor’s offerings, with the pub having a 4.4 out of five rating on TripAdvisor from over 600 reviews. For this, it has received a ‘Traveller’s Choice’ Award.
One TripAdvisor reviewer from December 2025, described the pub as having a “lovely, calm and charming atmosphere”. Inside, it has a “cosy and upmarket feel”, the reviewer said, while the garden is also “beautiful”.
The food was described as “outstanding” and having an “exceptional” gluten free range, alongside “excellent” service.
The Jovial Sailor’ made headlines back in September 2023 when an SUV crashed right into its front porch in an incident where no one was injured however the 200-year-old building did suffer some damage.
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