The Hampton

this place used to be good but now its a place that thinks it’s a hot spot, but it’s really not. do not get food here as the portions are tiny and drinks are over-​priced!

I went to this pub for the first time last week and was happily very impressed by it. It’s a little off the beaten track for me, located in an area that I don’t usually find myself in, but I must say it was worth the jaunt!
The pub is designed like a fairly standard Brighton pub, with dim lighting, plenty of seating and a lovely little outdoor seating area with benches and the like. The place was fairly empty when we arrived, so it was easy to grab a table and make ourselves comfortable.
Originally, I was only supposed to meet my friend here for a drink but upon spying the tasty selection of food on offer, we just couldn’t help ourselves and ended up ordering dinner as well. I ordered the chicken quesadilla and it was unbelievably tasty! Great portion and very reasonable price also!
The bar staff were great, as you would expect, and the atmosphere in the pub built up nicely as the night went. I really enjoyed this place and will definitely be back!

Have only just discovered this pub and what a find! Unusual ales in tip-​top condition. Delicious food (including 2−4−1 on huge burgers every Thursday) and friendly staff. Delightful beer garden where you can almost believe that you are somewhere abroad on a hot day. I’ll be back.

Pub nearest my house when I lived in Brighton, and I have fond memories of quiet (and not so quiet) pints with friends there. Always found it to be welcoming, decent food, beer in good shape. I miss it.

When taking a scenic walk around Brighton, and then getting extremely lost, I accidentally found The Hampton.
When you step inside, you are greeted by deep colours and a recently refurbished bar and décor. The outside is the real winner though, despite being surrounded by houses, The Hampton have crafted a lovely concrete junge beer garden.
It can’t house many, but I really like the atmosphere both inside and out. They also a good happy hour up until about 7pm on most nights, as well as barbecues in the summer time.

Ok I’m going to stick up for the Hampton because I think it deserves more credit. As far as drinks are concerned there are much worse places in Brighton. Frankly, I’ve quite enjoyed my recent visits and would happily drink here on any occasion. I have to admit that the atmosphere is perhaps it’s only flaw. Not because it’s bad but because it’s the kind of place where you’d expect it to be much better. However, The Hampton has an ace up its sleeve; great value Sunday roasts. I recently enjoyed a fine pork belly roast, which featured meat of the most flavoursome variety. While they might not be the most adventurous of dishes, the portions are hearty enough to leave your average person stroking their belly in satisfaction. The food might not be particularly distinctive but you can’t argue with a £6.95 price tag.
For sun lovers there is a large garden out the back, which plays host to a series of BBQs in the warmer months and with TVs inside, even the sports fans will be happy. Whilst not a superb pub, The Hampton will please more people than its exterior lets on. Basically, it’s a mid-​range pub with a bit of class as opposed to a classy pub that’s a bit mid-​range.

I spent a great New Year Eve’s at The Hampton a few years ago that ended with most people dancing on the chairs and tables to Run DMC.
Since then however, I’ve been back to the pub on a handful of occasions and left disappointed. The drinks are expensive and although they stock Guiness and ale on tap, they don’t stock most of my favourite spirits. The atmosphere is also flat compared to The Windmill up the street. My biggest grumble however, is the deejay that was there the last two nights I went. I don’t mind a bit of old skool hip hop or disco but I object to bad 80s pop and tired electro!

I visited the Hampton for the first time last weekend and was pleasantly surprised. Having walked past on numerous occasions, I had always envisaged it as a bit of a dingy, dank pub full of men watching football on a big screen. I couldn’t really have been more wrong! The Hampton is nicely decorated with red walls and areas of painted exposed brick and retro-​inspired printed wall paper. Now, I am usually quite scathing about printed wall paper– there’s something so try-​hard about it– but in this instance I overlooked it, as the overall effect was a good one! The red walls create a cosy, inviting atmosphere and they have some really unusual light fittings that cast a warm glow. I was there on a Friday night– the place was packed to the rafters and there was a DJ spinning some really good tunes. Despite the busyness we were served right away by a really lovely barmaid who didn’t seem bothered by our dithery, slow decision-​making. We sat outside in the heated patio area and although it was incredibly windy, we managed to find a cosy corner to enjoy our cider in. I can imagine on a warm summer’s day this would be a gorgeous spot to gather with friends and soak up some rays, whilst enjoying a beverage or two…

From the outside, the Hampton looks like a pretty ordinary pub: Georgian-​style bow windows in a traditional brick frontage, next to the Clergy House of St Mary Magdalene’s RC church.
Inside, however, comes as something of a shock: the bright, 70’s décor indicates that it’s clearly quite a funky bar. Owned by the Brighton-​based Zel group, it’s been revamped to cater for the 20– and 30-​something market, with vibrant coloured walls (dark turquoise and red — together), art by local artists and what appears to be a fireplace made out of huge slabs of crazy paving.
There’s a long bar area with a separate seating area to one side at the front, and a small enclosed patio space at the rear for smokers; seating is either on modern slimline banquettes or wooden chairs/​tables. Expect lots of candles, too.
Drinks include a couple of real ales (Harvey’s Sussex Bitter and Adnam’s Explorer on our visit) as well as the usual range of lagers, spirits ad wines. They serve food Tuesdays to Sundays (12−21h); on Sundays there’s a roast dinner menu, and on other days a snack menu of light bites, sandwiches and baguettes, as well as a Thai fusion menu. We’ve not eaten here, but it seems reasonably popular.
The average punters seem to be about 25, with lots of students, who clearly enjoy the resident DJ nights. They have a loyalty card, a Facebook group and on Sundays allow people to play DJ for the night with their own singles. Alternatively, you could play one of the boardgames.
The music is loud, although not quite as deafening as some venues, although it’s still not really my thing. The other downer for me is that the aroma of smoke from the smoking area can drift through into the back of the bar area if the wind is in the wrong direction.
However, the beer is reasonably well kept, staff are nice and you can usually get a seat, so worth considering as a central but slightly out of town venue.