The Basketmakers Arms, Brighton

The Basketmakers is a decent pub with amazing, diverse selections of food. I’ve tried a few meals there now and they’ve been of epic proportions and utterly delicious each time. Even when visiting with a large group at a peak lunchtime everyone was been chuffed to bits with their meals. It gets very busy, even at lunchtimes during the week, but is worth getting there early if you can. It has quite an ‘old man pub’ feel to it, but this makes it feel really cosy and – probably because of its location in the centre of the North Laine – it always attracts a friendly, mixed crowd.

Best bit? Taking time to open all of the tin boxes that cover the walls – people write messages and leave them in here - some are insightful, some are hilarious!

The basketmakers is so cozy that even bug in a rug would be jealous of the people that find themselves here for an afternoon drink.

It did seem that everyone here new everybody else, I'm not sure if they came together or were forced into itnimacy by an intimate venue?

The food was good but not brilliant. But it seemd to be honest pub food without too many flim-flam gastro adatives.

I searched the internet for a good local Pub to have a Sunday lunch and the Basket Makers Arms did not disappoint, I've lived in Brighton for 7 years and this was my first visit. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, I hate it when you walk into a place and it's seems cliquey. Anyway this place is the complete opposite, what a find, I think I'll be a regular for the Sunday roast.

At the moment this is my favourite pub in all of Brighton. Snuggled away in North Laine, if I didn't know where it was I would probably never find it - that's it's beauty, tucked behind all the hubbub. The Basketmakers is a classic, 'picture-book' pub: the ceilings are low, the tables are wooden and haphazard and the bar is full of gleaming brass and wooden ale pumps. The walls are completely covered in old signs and tobacco tins, which adds the most fantastic quality to the place and means you spend the first half and hour in there just gazing around and taking it all in.

I love that the place is small, cosy and always cluttered with a chatting, laughing mix of people. The drinks are a little pricier than most places (which seems to put off the student crowds), but I think it's worth the extra to sit somewhere I enjoy so much. The food, however, definitely makes up for the slightly pricier drinks - fantastically priced, the portions are humongous and everything is locally sourced. If you want to eat here though, get in early or you'll be eating standing up – the place is always packed which is testament to just how good it is.

Last time I was there I had the most INCREDIBLE steak and chips; a huge rump, cooked to perfection – gloriously red inside and melt-in-the-mouth. At £8.95 (£7.95 without the brandy peppercorn sauce, but why would you do that, eh?) for more than I could eat, the traditional pub meals are amazing value. My friend had their fish stew (£5.50) which was another enormous portion, smelt delicious and was flavoured to perfection.

The Basketmakers Arms comes absolutely, 100% recommended. If you've lived in Brighton for a while and have never been here, you're really missing out.

The Basket Makers Arms is a delightful little pub in the North Laines. I doubt if snug was ever a more appropriate word. It’s a traditional little place serving the usual pub drinks including a range of ales, ciders and some pretty special whiskies. Its low ceilings and mock Tudor beams make it a typical cosy British boozer. What give the Basket Makers Arms its character though are hundreds of old tobacco tins that decorate its interior walls. In each one is a little message written by previous punters. The act of reading and writing messages has become somewhat of a tradition here so I doubt you’ll ever read the same thing twice. From immature doodles to sentimental poems these messages are exactly the sort of things that make a place really memorable. Along with friendly staff and reasonable prices this makes the Basket Makers Arms one of my favourite pubs in town.

If this isn’t one of the best pubs in Britain, not just Brighton, I know nothing about beer, pubs or having a jolly old time. Great street corner location, full of character, first class ales, malt-of-the-month offer, and famous for the tin boxes on the walls, everyone who’s drinking in this pub (students, bohemians, creative types) is clearly loving every minute of it. Wonderful.

If you live in Brighton or go there often you definitely know this one. If you’ve never been to Brighton, well, that’s a damn shame!
Brighton’s Best Pubs claims that this IS Brighton’s best pub based on real ales, food and atmosphere.
I agree that it has top atmosphere with various old tobacco tins tacked on walls for decor with crazy messages left inside by punters. Good amusement if you go alone. And you can write your own message and leave inside! Yes, they have fantasic real ale. Yes, they have killer burgers. But after noon it is very hard to get a table!!! Even though, friendly people and staff makes up for it! I went alone on a Saturday in late afternoon when it was an absolute mad house! I did find a table and did finally get to order after a good wait for which my burger and HSB totally made up for! And I didn’t even feel uncomfortable sitting there all by my lonesome.
My advice: stop reading this and just go!!!

This pub has long been widely regarded as one of Brighton’s finest, and whilst I don’t have a problem with this place, I’ve yet to quite get onboard with that school of thought. I imagine the charm for people mostly lies in the authentic qualities it has, combined with good food. I tend to think the decor makes it feel a little cluttered, but it certainly has a different feel to 95% of all other pubs in the town. No doubting that the staff are friendly enough, and there seems to be a lot of pride in the ales on offer. Recommended for a bit of sanctuary and a good bite to eat.

A good solid pub. The food is a little bland but you get good healthy portionis

This is a great little pub with a good selection and nice vibe. Friendly, polite staff which is always a bonus. I haven’t eaten here but I hear the food is good too.

This is how pubs should be. Decent range of very well-kept beers, great staff, comfortable laid-back atmosphere. It ticks all the boxes for terrific, traditional old skool pub and still manages to buzz with life. I love it. Best pub in Brighton.

As a publican myself i must say this great pub has served excellent quality beer and food for many years. Welcoming staff and friendly customers.

This place is always busy with a mixed crowd. They other a variety of Real Ales. It can be a bit pricey but worth it. They are respected for their food as well. Its a bit hidden but once discovred is then put on ones regular visit lists.

The Basketmakers is a real little gem of a pub hidden in some little lane in Brighton. I've never been anywhere quite like here, given the tradition of the punters scrawling tiny little notes and hiding them in the myriad old tobacco tins on the wall! This is UNBELIEVABLY fun! You can find wisdom, rhyme, phone numbers, lyrics and sheer randomness contained within.

But let's get down to business. On the beer side of things - it's a Fullers joint. This means, of course:

Pride
ESB
Discovery
HSB (Gales - but bought by Fullers I learned)
Chiswick Bitter

You can't go wrong with Pride, ESB or Discovery, so I was happy. There may have been a non-Fullers guest. Or maybe not!

Excellent place.

This is a good pub in the cooler, calmer side of Brighton. Very busy on a Saturday night but with a friendly atmosphere and plenty of staff so you don't have to queue for long at the bar. Staff were a bit overenthusiastic when it came to chucking out time, but other than that were friendly enough. The best thing about this pub is the things that you can find secretly hidden in the wall decorations...

This is one of my favourate pubs in Brighton and in my opinion the best burger and chips you'll get. The only thing I used to not like was that it was always really smokey but with the ban I can't even complain about that.
It's traditional decor makes it a favourate for for the older Brightonian but with it's central and trendy location it's also a winner with the 30 something croud and students. In the summer there are a few tables outside on the street and in the winter it can get pretty cramped but it just adds to it's charm.

Regarded by many aficionados as the best all-round pub in Brighton, the Basketmaker's Arms is a busy, traditional local, close to the North Laines area of Brighton.

Nearly every square inch of the interior is decorated with smoking memorabilia - cigarette cards, old adverts, you name it. But the focus is on high quality real ales, good pub food, and good service.

The choice of beers is good and they are very well kept: and some reckon it does the best burgers in Brighton. The staff are friendly and very efficient, even when it gets busy - which is does, especially on weekend evenings.

My only criticism is that it can get a bit smoky for my taste, but this will not be a problem after smoking is banned inside from 1 July 2007.