The new Crazy Goose establishment opened its doors in February, and I made my way to the Lanes neighborhood to see what all the fuss was about.

Situated in the old Coal Shed location on Boyce’s Street in the Lanes area, Crazy Goose represents a gastropub concept developed by Black Rock Restaurants, a locally-owned Brighton company that manages several of the city’s most successful dining establishments including the steak-focused Coal Shed (which first launched in 2011), Tutto, Burnt Orange, and The Salt Room.

Since 2011, Black Rock has built a solid reputation throughout Brighton. Each venue maintains its own unique character and menu offerings, yet they all share a commitment to excellent service, quality cooking, and attractive interior design.

Honestly, Crazy Goose doesn’t feel particularly like a traditional pub, despite featuring a beautiful marble-topped bar with stools and a carefully selected range of draught beers including Guinness and their own house-made IPA on tap.

The furniture arrangement, particularly those bentwood back chairs, gave me more of a bistro atmosphere than a typical drinking establishment. However, it’s definitely a relaxed setting, and once regulars start coming in, they’ll know they can stop by for just a drink without needing to order food, though the daily bar snacks listed on the blackboard are sure to tempt patrons.

I brought along my colleague Steve for a visit. Our drinking preferences differ considerably—I typically enjoy martinis in hotel lounges while Steve is more at home in grittier local bars. Fortunately, when we settled at one of the high tables by the window, both our preferences were easily met. Steve ordered a pint of Guinness, which I thought was reasonably priced at £6.50 given the central Lanes location, while I enjoyed a well-made Ramsbury vodka martini for £12, which is standard pricing in Brighton for a drink of this quality.

Now for the food: the menu offers ten starters that also work well as smaller plates, followed by eight main courses plus accompaniments. A separate dessert menu provides four options. The menu leans heavily toward meat and seafood, and surprisingly for Brighton, vegan choices are quite limited, though there are ample gluten-free options, which made me very satisfied.

We began by sharing a plate of three devilled eggs—a creative take on traditional coronation chicken flavors, with a hidden layer of mango chutney beneath. At £6, this was the most affordable starter and worth every cent. For research purposes, we also selected the priciest starter: a trio of roasted Scottish scallops priced at £18. While it’s common to describe such seafood as juicy, these certainly were, with flavorful roe still attached. They came topped with an ultra-thin pancetta crisp and a delicate silver skin onion over a lightly spiced rich gravy containing pieces of pancetta and chorizo. This dish is definitely a strong contender for my top ten list of 2026 meals. The presentation was also exceptional.

For my main course, I chose the lemon sole meunière served with samphire, capers, and a rich brown butter sauce. At £26 for a generous portion, I believe you’d be hard-pressed to find such fresh fish elsewhere in the city at this price point. My only slight concern is that I prefer to control the amount of lemon I add when fish is prepared this simply, rather than having the chef’s presentation pre-determined. I’ll remember to mention this to my server on my next visit, as I’ll definitely be ordering this delicious dish again.

Steve selected the ribeye steak with peppercorn sauce and triple cooked chips at £28. It was a quality cut, cooked to a perfect medium doneness with flame-charred edges providing a slightly crisp, beefy flavor and texture. The rendered fat melted beautifully in the mouth. Served with a portion of proper chips included in the price, it certainly impressed Steve, who ate with evident enjoyment. For dessert, we shared a crème brûlée—a flawless version of this classic with plenty of vanilla and a perfectly caramelized sugar crust.

None of the dishes are overly complicated—this is meant to be quality pub fare, after all—and the ingredients definitely speak for themselves. What really stands out is the execution; it’s genuinely superior to any similar establishment in the city. I’ve been quite enthusiastic in this review, but I mean every word: Crazy Goose really impressed me.

For those wanting to try Crazy Goose, they offer a set menu daily from noon until 5pm, with two courses available for £20 or three courses for £24.

Crazy Goose is located at 8 Boyce’s Street, Brighton BN1 1AN.

For reservations, call 01273 929 079 or visit www.thecrazygoose.co.uk.