The Gurnards Head

The décor is lovely. It is a modern take on how an English pub should be. The drinks are all great — I had a very local cider from st burryan (excuse the spelling). My parents go here a lot for lunch and tell me that they do a very good deal in a three course meal…
I think perhaps if I had ordered something different then this place may have scored higher in the stars department… I ordered the gnocchi (one of my favourite things to order in most places) and it was just plain weird!!! They put it with broccoli, peas and onions and the flavours just did not go well together… as for the gnocchi itself it was home made but the consistency was like an undercooked lump of mashed potato. Please gurnards head… take this off the menu and let’s try again cos it was RUBBISH!!!

This is a really smashing pub … but if you want to eat you have to book in advance, especially in the busy season. If you turn up out of the blue (walking along the coastal path for example) they may be able to fit you in, but will not do so at the expense of the other booked customers.
The food is tasty, the wine and beer good and we found the staff very friendly. Walked here across the fields from Zennor and came back we liked it so much.
If you are staying in or near St Ives, try to come and eat here — but book ahead.

I used to enjoy and love this place.
Being in Cornwall again last week a friend asked me if I wanted to go for a meal and we decided to try Gurnard Head again. We drove up on Monday afternoon 25^th Oct to book a table, for Tuesday night.
The front window is FULL of Michelin, recommended stickers, and every other possible award or recommendation possible, in fact so many it looks a mess.
Is it me? Have I got two heads? No, but they are so rude, unhelpful and would go as far as to say they look at you as if you are so beneath them they do not even want to speak to you.
My friend (who is an actor and the friendliest person you could meet) spoke to the bar staff, asking if it was possible to book a table, (so it is not just me) the end result was he said did not want to book after how we were spoken to by the staff.
We were told we could ONLY book for 8.30, not, we are sorry that is the only space we have etc as most restaurants would do, we asked to see a menu, and were told no, as it changes every day! They just seem so unwilling to treat you as a customer more as an inconvenience to them. We asked about eating in the bar, and they said at the bar we said no at a table in the bar, and the barman snapped in the bar at a table same thing, well unless you check it you may end up eating at the bar, there is no need to be so snappy and rude. It is too late to arrive to find you are having a meal actually sitting at the bar
What a way to run a business, do the owners know?
I wanted to eat and spend money with them, but was driven away by attitude. Why would you spend money in a place that treats you like that?
The young blond tall barman we dealt with made us feel we were not welcome, and spoke to us like dirt, we had a coffee and left, have they no idea how to serve customers, do they care? I think not, they seem to have so many reviews that they do not care, I wish I could witness the Michelin reviewers visits, as they must know who they are, as no way on earth is this a friendly place.
The bar looked very tatty, I would hope it is called shabby chic, but think it is more just tatty, worn and shabby.
On a positive note a young chef came to the bar to check the evenings bookings and he smiled over at us, and a customer passing through asked him if he was the chef and complemented him on the fabulous meal they had just had.
My question to the owners is, are you aware how many customers are being driven away by your rude staff, or are the rude staff the owners?
We went away and went to a different restaurant, and had a great meal and friendly service.
Best to stay away from Gurnard Head, far better and friendlier places to eat in Cornwall.

In the back of beyond, this is a destination in its own right. Good food and ale, with tables in the garden. This is a great place for lunch before or after a walk along the spectacular cliffs. Simple tasty lunches have included tomato pappardelle; beer battered hake and chips; braised lamb with chard & polenta. All about £7−10. Traditional pub lunches like ploughmans £5.50; ½ pint prawns, bread, mayonnaise £3.