East End Arms in New Forest

Absolutely delicious Sunday lunch in a lovely pub with great service. Portions were generous and everything was really tasty. We’d definitely recommend an return.

Clean and cozy rooms with very comfortable beds and a newly renovated bathroom. The restaurant had a very welcoming atmosphere with lots of photographs of celebrities. We enjoyed our meals there as the food was delicious and freshly made, the staff was really friendly and helpful. Every morning before breakfast we went to look, if the donkeys were already in front of the pub and every time they were there waiting for the pub to open ;-) we enjoyed these unique moments very much

We are from Australia and regular New Forest visitors. There was a new menu starting today. We had the Scotch Egg and the Chicken Supreme. Both dishes were generous portions and totally delicious. We are booking for next Wednesday it was that good. Very posh food!!!

The food in the restaurant was really good. The sea bass with arancini, artichokes etc was outstanding. Everyone else said their food was superb. We were also staying in the pub. Everything was clean and the staff were very friendly. A great experience.

We've just moved to the area and popped in for a drink. Barman wasn't very interested but the real problem is they only accept card payment. NO CASH. So we won't return.

Went for Sunday lunch today , very poor roast beef over overcooked, vegetables and roast potatoes poor and all luke warm , Certainly not worth the money , tried a tart tartan , undercooked mess on a plate , sent back , overall lovely service rubbish food

One guy serving on sun a Bank holiday weekend nice pub beautiful surroundings felt a bit out of place as customers were rude and a bit uppity felt like a fart in a space suit was going there as John illsey owned it as I am a fan of dire straits loved the old pic's of popstars and rockstars

Never been here before, had dinner with friends. Loved it. Atmosphere fine, food very good but what really made it for me were the servers. Perfectly at ease, exceptionally competent, personable and just....perfect. Speaking with one, she told us she's been here four years. Now, from personal experience it must be a well-run place to keep people that motivated for that long with the beautiful demeanour they have. I'll certainly be back when in England. Thank you

The East End Arms was once a regular dining place to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately I/we haven’t visited since covid. To say I was disappointed with the transformation from tasty delicious restaurant with a mouth watering choices to a barely adequate pub food establishment was a shock. On arrival at our table we were offered four crumpled pieces of A4 paper which apparently contained the menu, which was very limited to say the least and actually has NO resemblance to the online choices which looked delicious. Instead four very limited main courses…..a sad demise ! However the mussels and pate were very palatable and pleasant. Unfortunately as the staff were clearing away our starters and even before the finger bowls had been removed our main course was literally dropped on the table without warning ! Most establishments allow a breather between courses to digest and cogitate over the previous course. When queried the staff blamed it on the Chef, as if that was acceptable ! As it was the “burgers” were petit to say the least and as for the chicken schnitzel it looked more like an over cooked KFC fillet which is probably an insult to KFC ! It was just an overcooked dry fillet of chicken covered in a thick batter, not flattened or finessed to appeal to the discerning palate. After that we decided to skip desert !!

Very disappointing and limited menu. The food was ok - just - but cooked without any flair or skill. The portion of smoked mackerel pate starter was too small and my tomato and burrata felt plonked on a plate - no dressing (although balsamic and oil were brought when we asked for it). A real pity. However, much praise for the waiting staff ( I think Daisy was there) who were charming and smiling. They were let down by the chef.

Great little pub in a fantastic setting serving top class food and beverages. Staff were friendly and we could take our dogs into the public bar we will return.

Good location near Beaulieu, good food, nice rooms.

Lovely country pub with good food and beautiful location. Also benefits from the visiting New Forest ponies!

We can only assume that this place is past it’s heyday. We booked a couple of months back and were really looking forward to our evening. The ambience and decor were very nice. However, the menu was poor with very limited choice and no option to vary as everything was pre-prepared. As someone with a bi-valve allergy that ruled out several options. Often in that situation I would choose a vegetarian alternative but there was only one on the menu and it was a pretty poor dish. So I chose rack of lamb and my husband the hake. These arrived and the portions were tiny. A rack of lamb consisting of two tiny ribs - each with lamb on barely bigger than a 50p piece. The hake wasn’t even a full fillet - just a slice that might have been an inch wide. We were so shocked - especially given the prices - £27 for two ribs! We did say we weren’t happy and to be fair they removed one main course from the bill. As a result we could not recommend this place to anyone.

Had a very welcome and pleasant stay at the East End Arms. Staff were very nice and food was incredible! (Recommend the bacon chops). The room was very clean and cosy for me, my partner & toddler. Breakfast was delicious, best I’ve had in a long time. Overall great experience and will return!

On our arrival today we were looking forward to receiving a warm welcome and excellent food as promised by the Website, Oh Dear what a disappointing visit we had. There was no hint of a welcome, smile or recognition. We were passed over in favour of other customers, and when we were finally served it was with much disdain and no eye contact. On asking for a menu a grunt ensured and two pieces of grubby looking paper were handed to us with no explanation of wait time or availability. We chose to just have two portions of Fries as we were by now feeling uncomfortable. Whilst waiting a lady we assumed to be the Manager appeared and then proceeded to scowl at some new customers who had just arrived, seated them on a small table and told them off about bringing there dog in! When our food arrived it was placed on a dirty table and considering they were open baskets of food we both found this incredibly off-putting. This was a business trip for us as we were in the Area looking for places to reccomend for the large popular campsite that My Husband will be Managing throughout the busy spring summer months which is within walking distance to this pub. This is such a shame as we have instructed Our Head Office to remove this establisment from our list of places that we reccomend.

Great place. Food was superb , staff lovely . Just a really nice place in a great location. Looking forward to returning.

Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff. Very busy. I recommend you book if you want to eat.

Great local atmosphere pub, with good beers and fantastic food at good prices. The new Chef has put a wonderful spin on some classics. Look out for some themed evenings, wine tasting and music nights are always great fun!

Dropped in for a bite to eat on a Saturday lunchtime , very warm welcome ( staff v friendly throughout) Pleased to advise that any previous problems in the kitchen , have clearly been resolved as the food was fantastic . Even I ( a dedicated meat eater ) would have ordered the Vegetarian options , which my wife had , including a very well conceived Roasted Beetroot dish - but my Jerk Chicken was similarly great. Thanks for a great time - see you soon

Wonderful place me the mrs and the hound loved it ❤️ ♥️

The East End Arms has been a favourite of certain family members for some time so we gave it a try with them. I think they were more disappointed than us. The website says they are between chefs so I would like to cut them some slack. The staff are friendly, the decor nice and the atmosphere built up over the lunchtime though it was so busy that you feel somewhat squeezed in and need to disturb other tables to move in and out. The food was ok, not special, and a very limited menu… possibly because of no regular chef or maybe that’s what they do on Sundays. The reputation is good and we feel that today was probably a one off so we shall come back but perhaps with lower expectations.

Driving through the New Forest and not really heading anywhere in particular we came across the East End Arms (funny as we live in West End which is about 45 min drive away) so thought we would pop in for some lunch. We decided to sit in the bar as apposed to the dinning room, it was really cozy with the log fire burning and we were greeted by a lovely lady. We ordered Mussels which were cooked in Cider, Cream & Samfire with crusty baguette and a Roast Beef Sandwich. I had a lovely coffee and him indoors had a pint of Guinness, the food was really lovely, although the mussels were quite small they were tasty and the liquor was delicious especially with the crusty bread dunked in it and plenty of beautiful roast beef in the sandwich. All in all a very lovely lunch in a lovely cozy country pub with lovely friendly staff...we would definitely call in again if we find ourselves in East End.

Just dropped in for lunch on the off-chance... food was really great. Will be back! Service great too.

Came here for dinner whilst staying nearby, and then a few days later for a drink. Food was lovely, service was pretty good, and had a lovely atmosphere.

The plant based options are much smaller and less interesting than the normal ones so would not recommend for vegans.

Ever since buying a house in Lymington almost a year ago I've been looking forward to an evening at the east end arms. I went tonight and it not only met but surpassed expectations. Principally, because we were all (esp. my 10 yr old daughter and her friend) so beautifully looked after by Daisy. We'll definitely be returning and cannot recommend highly enough.

Booked Sunday lunch . Liked it nice friendly service and beer was good. Whilst the roast beef was tasty we would have welcomed more vegetables the portion for two was small. The wine was on the expensive side. Overall ok but room for improvement on the experience.

The fact that I chose the East End Arms as our base for Hampshire travels for two nights in September was in no small part due to my love for Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler. While I was never expecting to get an opportunity to mingle with John Illsley himself, I have to admit that my pilgrimage of sorts quickly turned to disappointment due to the current state of one of Hampshire's most renowned inns. The place seems laid back, which is all well and good - but it might seem that by now it has become a tad too laid back for its own good. Cobwebs and dead insects every which way you turn, noisy windows, towels that are teetering far too close to disintegration, decidedly tired furnishings, frankly disinterested staff, rather poor breakfast and no chef so no opportunity for in-house lunch or dinner. While we had been duly notified of the latter, none of the former was expected, or particularly enjoyable. To some extent, any one of those might be chalked down to the inimitable countryside charm - but in this instance, they combine to ensure an end result that was decidedly less than charming.

The room was a bit too warm. But the staff and service were wonderful.

We took friends to dine. The starters were OK but the main course of Fish and Chips were not. The batter on the fish was very thick and seemed mixed with mustard as was the tartar sauce making it inedible. The service seemed also limited with all staff disappearing for quite long stretches. Although the staff did make some compensation by discounting the drinks bill, the whole experience was a far cry from our many previous enjoyable visits to the East End Arms.

Popped in whilst passing on a bike ride. Nice covered garden setting. Staff were friendly and attentative. We ordered ham hock terrine and warm bread with olives and balsamic. For starter. My friend and i shared. The ham hock was amazing. Both of us marvelled at the consistency and flavour. Bread was tasty and fresh. Went down very well indeed. We both had the burger which came out with crunchy seasoned fries. Fries were amazing. But the burger. Well the burger was probably the best i have eaten for many many years. Even better than the ones i make for myself and the restaurants i used to chef at. Really good beef taste. Tender and juicey. Crispy bacon was as described and also very tasty. And the cheese was cooked into the bacon and also crispy. Just like those American diners on route 66. We enjoyed it so much we decided to have pudding as we seemed to be on a perfect gastronomic roll. Pudding came. I had creme bruile and my friend had banoffee pie. Again the bruile was cooked to perfection. smooth and soft with just the right amount of caramel. The banoffee pie looked amazing i didn't get to try any as my friend scoffed it all. But he said it was fantastic. Can't recommend this establishment enough. Absolutely fabulous. Wasn't the cheapest. But the price of food has shot up over the past 18months and i have paid more at Michelin starred restaurants and the food hasn't been as good.

We decided on this place after spotting it in the Michelin guide, which after our experience questions why it is in there in the first place?It is a lovely setting, especially on a warm summers evening, but some of the roads that lead to it must have been designed for motorbikes or horse and cart use only, talk about tight! In all fairness the hospitality industry has been hammered during the pandemic so this observation is to give constructive feedback for the owners to improve, not just to rubbish it and deter people from going. First impressions of the main dining room were not good. The windows were filthy and unfortunately this was highlighted by the position of the sun at the time. A glass of wine was served in a glass that had similar streaks to the windows of the pub. The place needs a damn good clean! Its harsh, I know, but for the paying public this is not on. A starter of crab perked us up a bit due to it being fresh and delicious. A main of fish and chips was outstanding, a proper deep golden crunchy batter surrounding an ample piece of beautiful fish. I personally had a nightmare with a main of Monkfish, which had the membrane and cartilage left in place, and damage at the end of the tail. I left this as it was inedible and unappetising. The staff offered me an alternative which I politely refused. Service seemed a bit chaotic, with staff looking stressed and out of control. Work needs to be done on cleanliness, and dining room service/management. Finally, One of the service staff needs to refrain from asking ....'are you done?' when removing empty plates from tables...Parents say this to toddlers when they have finished crapping on a potty! Have a bit of class please! unlike this author!I wish you (the staff) all the very best for the future.

We reserved for lunch and outdoor dining. We had the daily specials. For starters I had the Lemon and Dill crab whilst my partner had the warm bread board and olives. Then I ordered the Crusted Hake whilst my partner had the pork tenderloin. My main course was flavourful tasty and well presented. The pork was tender and tasty but could have done with a bit more jus. Otherwise both dishes were superb. The young staff were friendly and obliging whilst the older staff could do with a bit more of customer focus and care. We shared a chocolate brownie sundae which was moorish but indulgent. The total bill with three large glasses of wine a side salad and tea and coffee was well in excess of £100.00. So in COVID-19 times it’s a bit pricey. In hindsight on our next visit here a main course and a drink would suffice.

We took some friends who hadn’t dined here before. We shared bread and olives to start. Then I chose Lemon Sole with Capers and New Potatoes. I was told that was all it came with so I ordered extra broccoli, only to find it came with salad. The fish was nice, but small. Others chose Veggie Burger, Beef Burger and Mushroom Pasta. Sadly the pasta was too rich to finish - perhaps too much cream? Service was excellent and friendly. We’ll be back.

We have just stayed at The East End Arms, New Forest near Lymington so I write this as it is all fresh in my mind! Food - superb!Beds - excellentRooms - very comfortable, well thought outService - 5 StarLocation - incredibleNow, what more can I say? I wasn't expecting the standard of food we were served which was nothing short of "Superb". Accompanied by 5 star service from a lovely team of folk who really care about delivering good service and customer's positive experience. The rooms are well equipped with a coffee machine, TV and lovely bathroom. The beds and pillows were wonderful.Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and highly recommend this hotel and a visit to this area which is of outstanding natural beauty.Well done guys! Thank you all.Francis & Diane

Excellent welcome, excellent staff and service, food, albeit all we had was sandwiches, phew , fantastic value no shortage of quality filling, we both left feeling stuffed, we will definitely make a return, next time for dinner in the restaurant.

Enjoyable lunch taking my elderly friend to a pub which she has visited many times and says she has always had good food. Had 3 courses, all were delicious, well presented and arrived in good time. Prices for main courses in £13 to £22, medium sort of cost. Will go again

Uninterested/ rude staff, waited for almost half an hour for drinks, went into the bar to enquire as to what the hold up was and staff were chatting in the corner.

Food and service were both excellent- thank you Alex! We went back it was so good and have recommended to our friends who holiday in the New Forest. We liked it so much we want to stay next time we visit.

Had high expectations for this pub. Asked what beers were available this was evidently a real chore for the server in a covid age when you are not allowed to go to the bar and look for yourself. He reluctantly reeled of a list of lagers and under pressure told us which ales he was serving. First pint of ale vinegary so abandoned and had lager so gassy, trying to escape from glass. Food took an age to come and not very good. We were cold in that pub.

Visited for a sunny evening drink with 3 adults. I was keen to ‘show off’ this lovely pub to my guests, having visited myself on many occasions before. Sadly, the middle-aged blonde lady at the bar, who we spoke too regarding seating areas for drinks only, was miserable and altogether unwelcoming. We were all surprised by her attitude, so much so that we decided to leave. Why work in the hospitality industry, when your attitude can have this affect on your guests?

Spent a few lovely evenings at The East End Arms this bank holiday weekend. As always, the service was fantastic, beautiful garden, and enjoyed some great acoustic music whilst we were there. Didn’t eat on this occasion, but the food is always lovely. Lovely place to be.

First night in the mew forest staying nearby, perfect relaxed well cooked food. Friendly quality service, relaxed approach with no rushing the customer. Highly recommended.

Enjoyed a lovely afternoon and delicious meal with my son and his partner, excellent service and good value

Had Jacobs Ladder for supper and it did not resemble the true recipe, it was ribs with no flavour. The senior waiter was unfriendly, had no personality or interest and made us feel like we should be grateful to be there. Such a shame

Twelve of us dined here at two tables. We were in a heated marquee, which only had an open doorway, so hardly qualified as ‘outdoors’! However I enjoyed a fabulous lunch of plaice stuffed with scallop and prawn mousse with a chive and caviar sauce.

I have been an occasional visitor here for many years and it has always been good. One of the few pubs in the Forest where food is freshly prepared rather than cooked from frozen or a sealed bag. It also manages to maintain the feel of a real pub, for those that want to enjoy a beer with fine food, This last visit, just before Tier restrictions kicked in was a revelation. This is the sort of food that the judges look for on Masterchef. "Bursting" with flavour as they would say. My belly of pork cooked overnight, on the specials was the best ever and truly outstanding as was the other starers and mains we ordered. Just loved the cooking. Congratulations.

I stayed at the pub for 5 days with a friend. Lovely friendly welcoming staff. Felt very safe with all the measures put in place. Very interesting mix of people from locals to passers by, in cars on foot, on bikesEnjoyed sitting on the tables outside facing the road where people popped in for a drink and chatted, maybe after work, maybe before a meal. Great mix of people here for various reasons and all welcomed equallyThe products in the bedroom were off high quality and a great coffee machineInteresting to see the cows passing by and the daily visits from two donkeysTables well spaced in the restaurant that was mostly full in the eveningWe appreciated the owner and his wife speaking to us on our last night, asking us if we had enjoyed our stayWe enjoyed the food so much we did not eat elsewhere

We were staying just up the road & came here a lot! 2 lunches (end of October / early November) & many visits for San Miguel. Thank you to Hilary & all of your colleagues, for making us feel so welcome. & to the owner, (for calling out for service) when he didn't think that my partner had been seen yet & was looking thirsty!!

Apologies for the pun and maybe ‘dire’ is a little harsh but then again maybe it’s not. We (me and my two teenage children) ate at the East End Arms whilst on half-term break in Lymington. I was looking forward to the meal; some good gastro pub food washed down with some of the local Ringwood ale, in a pub owned by a member of one of my favourite bands. So this was really disappointing. The smoked chicken salad was okay but tiny and not worth the price tag. My kids both like their steaks but the medium rare they ordered came overcooked and smothered in some barbecue type tomato sauce which they both scraped off. I suspect the sauce was trying to hide the inadequacies of the meat. When you’re charging £25 for a steak it had better be good and these were not. They were put in to sharp perspective by the truly excellent steaks that the kids had the following night at White Tails restaurant in Brockenhurst which were fabulous and cheaper.I ordered the mushroom risotto which was not even made with arborio rice but with some kind of bulger wheat or cousous. That’s not risotto! It would have been nice to have been told that before ordering. After the meal I then discovered that there as a specials board which the staff had failed to mention! I pointed out all of these points and manager did at least take off the risotto. A really disappointing experience which seems to be in contrast to many other visitors, so perhaps this was an off night. At least the Ringwood beer was good.

The food is honestly outstanding here! They change the menu regularly so there is always something amazing and new to try. Service is fantastic Lovely local pub Best in the new forest!!!

Beautiful place to stay rooms were very clean and plenty of space. The coffee machine in the room was a nice touch and the additional little extras were lovely such as the chocolate. We had a cooked breakfast cooked to perfection. The icing on the cake was when I met John Illsley such a lovely chap and he took time to talk to us socially distancing of course. He really cares about ensuring the guests have a pleasurable stay. The staff were also very exceptional in particular Alex they all went above and beyond to accommodate us. Looking forward to my next trip already

Always a great meal at the east end arms, a well thought out menu using seasonal produce! My halibut was perfect the fish jus was 10/10! Staff were attentive and following the Covid rules brilliantly without compromising on service! Cheers guys, will be back soon

We enjoyed a very good dinner. Food was excellent and staff very friendly. All covid measures were in place.Very difficult to get a table, we booked with days in advance (you would expect this for a good place), however people on the phone were rude and didn't seem interested in providing availability.

We had a midweek break in nearby Norleywood and was able to walk to the pub a Tuesday lunchtime.What an experience, the food was delicious, we had the trout and guinea fowl, the trout was as good as I’ve eaten anywhere and prices reasonable for the quality. Drinks were normal pub prices and service friendly.

Exquisite food, quiet enchanting environment in the garden. We have a well behaved golden retriever so enjoyed a lovely meal in the garden under a Moroccan canopy and heat lamp to take the autumnal chill out of the air. Our food was cooked to perfection and it was a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

Delightful 2 night stay in a very comfortable room. We ate in the hotel both nights and the food could not have been improved upon! Lovely ambience and friendly staff - could not have been more accommodating. A wonderful relaxing stay - thank you so much - we will be back! Allen and Lindsey x

Stopped in without a reservation and were accommodated inside. Light lunch of fillet of beef salad and crayfish salad. The beef was done to perfection. These were starters but served us well as a light lunch Beautiful poached pear for dessert.

Despite covid restrictions, we had an amazing meal for my wife's birthday. We sat in the outdoor eating area on a warm and pleasant evening. The food was superb. It's a bit out of the way but well worth it.

We just spent a night here having had 2 nights in Lyndhurst and this was our favourite stay. Lovely welcome from the lady behind the bar who despite seeming to be rushed off her feet serving customers was still friendly and helpful, in stark contrast to the welcome we got in the other hotel we stayed in. Had a nice lunch and even better dinner that night. Great evening menu and great to see a Portuguese wine offered. Lovely weather enabled us to sit out in the garden which was great. Room was spacious and bed was huge. All staff really friendly and we will definitely visit again. The afternoon visit from the local wild donkeys as we had a drink outside also made us smile!

Five of us dined in their garden, taking advantage of the Gov’s ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme. Three of us chose a Half Lobster with salad and chips, one had Stone Bass and one Steak. All were excellent and the servers were friendly and efficient. We’ll happily return.

Our first trip out, using the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme. The safety measures are to a very high standard, while the service remains as good as ever. Delicious lunch - I had Guinea Fowl Fritter to start, Monkfish with Chorizo for main and Salted Caramel Tart for pudding. All fantastic. Plenty of outdoor space, well spaced-out and covered, if necessary. Highly recommended.

Not usually one for reviews, however, our experience at east end arms was terrible!After eventually placing our order for food, we then had to wait approximately 1.5 hours for it to arrive. Upon noticing several tables receiving their food prior to us, even though we had ordered before them, we politely asked one of the waitresses when we could expect to have our food. She smirked and simply stated that our food was one its way and that the chefs were following a specific order.... To our bewilderment, they brought out the starters and mains at the same time! Upon asking why they brought all the food out all at once, she said that one of her colleagues said that this was what we requested. This was simply not the case. The starters were extremely average. The tuna was overcooked and the accompanying salad was non-existent. The other tomato and mozzarella salad was a measly portion and a poor excuse for a starter. As the mains had been previously brought to us - around 25 mins prior with the starter - it was clear that we had not received fresh portions. They had simply been placed in the oven / microwave to keep warm. In terms of the food itself, the stone bass was ok. We ordered two portions of monkfish, one was extremely small and tough; it was clearly the end of the fish. The other monkfish was average. Due to our experience, they offered us complimentary drinks and took off the service charge from the bill The complimentary wine was evidently the cheapest stuff they had on offer. We also noticed that the table behind us had to wait over 30 minutes just to order their food! We noticed that the new manageress in charge of the pub came by for a bit to sort out the property next door. Not once did she enter the building to check up on everything / make sure things were running smoothly. On previous occasions, we observed that she was rude, hostile and abrupt to several tables, especially those with children. You would think that post the lockdown, the pub (and manageress) would be eager to provide an excellent guest experience and try to increase customer loyalty. From our view, they were not bothered at all. As local residents, we have frequented this pub during the past decade and have seen it get progressively worse. Unfortunately, we will not be returning.

Drove with friend to the New Forest, looking to plan a walking holiday for 16 walking friends. On the recommendation of the Telegraph went to East End Limited for lunch. I ordered the Sea Bass and friend had the Hamburger. My Sea Bass arrived on a small soggy mixture of chopped beans and peas, swimming in butter. The Bass fillet was 2/3 of one fillet, tiny and over fried. The Burger was over cooked on a dry bun. The waitress allowed us to order chips, no mention of it coming with fries. On telling the totally uninterested waitress my complaint, we were told they had taken our ‘Coffees’ off the bill. We had only ordered one coffee.Give East End Limited a pass if you are in the area.

A proper pub 🍻 - a rare find, good beer, unpretentious and even a few axes if you fancy chopping some wood for the fireplace 🙌

I have been to the East End Arms a number of times over many years. On this occasion, the scallops were great as was the liver for the main course. A few simple and basic things are wrong - we had two bottles of white wine neither of which were cold and they did not appear to have a full sized wine bucket to aid the cooling process, just a wine tube with ice in the bottom of it. This does nothing to cool the wine. I requested English mustard for my liver and this came on a pre-prepared service dish that had been kept in the fridge, why serve fridge cold mustard with hot food, easier for the kitchen and service teams but not really ideal for the customer. The staff are pleasent but lack professionalism, whilst appreciating that this in a country pub with rooms and restaurant they should be offering higher standards of service at the prices charges. The staff are engaging but we felt rushed throughout the dining experience. The service of drinks was prompt and efficient. Best summed up by "close but not cigar"! We would like to go back but will NOT rush back!

My wife and I tried the East End Arms for the first time on a flying, early January visit to Lymington having been recommended to try the place by a local art gallery owner. It was a Monday evening and as expected the restaurant area was pretty quiet.Nevertheless, the atmosphere was tremendous. The staff were attentive and fun. Dinner was the best we have experienced in the area and that includes Chewton Glen. The wine list is limited, not necessarily the great chateaux but it is true quality .... super value for money. Not only will we go back, it is now our number one restaurant destination when we return to our home in Lymington. ...... we have already reserved a table for a party with friends in February.

This was a lovely old pub though I found getting there a problem. Beware of relying on a sat nav as mine led me along roads with grass growing in the middle. My friend came from the opposite direction and had the same problem. It is actually near to Hatchet Pond. The main course was very good, a nice piece of hake with various vegetables. The bread and butter pudding tasted nice but was rather stodgy.Service was pleasant and efficient.

A lovely old pub in a rural spot with a better than average restaurant. Our lunch was excellent although one dish would have benefitted from more veg. served on the side. Top quality lamb was served on mash and there were a few carrots and minted peas - little more than a garnish. A small side dish of veg would have been much appreciated. Nevertheless, I would return in a trice for the ambience and quality of food/cooking. Superb gem hidden in the country.

Just visited this pub today for lunch. Ordered two sandwiches at 13.25 they finally arrived at 14.30 having been chased twice. When ordering they didn't give us a hint it would take so long. Sadly the smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado sandwich came without cream cheese or avocado. The manager was not in the pub, the assistant manageress's attitude? Its not my fault, its the kitchen. She then walks off and wouldn't talk to me. I insisted on my money back which was virtually thrown at me, as I couldn't bear to wait another hour. There was no apology. The other staff also just walked away. I don't think I have experienced such breathtaking rudeness or appalling customer service for a while. The table next to us had waited even longer. We will not be rushing to revisit.

Arrived and they had mislaid booking. Said they would check if they had room after seeing email if booking! Pub was empty! Staff very unfriendly and very difficult to get drinks before meal. wrong starters arrived. Mains good but still poor atmosphere. Never again!

Went for lunch yesterday. Table of 4.. the room is interesting with a music theme, The food was lovely; well cooked and immaculately presented... when it eventually arrived!! Table was booked for 1pm, food served at 2.30 - apparently our order had been lost between us and the kitchen - when we asked where it was, they discovered this and still took another 45 minutes to serve. They weren’t busy, and the senior lady running the show couldn’t have cared less - in fact she didn’t smile the entire time we were there. When we paid the bill the waitress said ‘sorry about the wait for the food’ and still charged for everything... the correct thing would have been to at least take the extra round of drinks we bought while waiting, off the bill. Lovely pub, but there are plenty of other lovely pubs to try in that area and that’s what we’ll do.

We ate at this friendly local pub twice as a group of 8 ranging from young teens to "experienced" adult diners.On both occasions the service was friendly and meticulous with good but not intrusive attention to detail. Front of house could not be faulted even on a very hot and fully booked Sunday lunchtime. The menu was fresh and well balanced with plenty of local fish. Sunday roast was excellent with a sirloin of beef or roast pork as the main event. Evening dining was more adventurous with everything from sole to lamb rump arriving in good time and cooked to perfection. Portions were generous but not ridiculous. Not having large appetites we can't comment on the starters though they were tempting, the deserts were tasty, sweet and well presented.All together a good experience on both occasions with none of the faultsnoted on previous reviews.

Went here for a special occasion - Fawlty Towers personified. Waited 30 minutes before being asked what we wanted, and made it clear had a really bad reaction to chili. By the time we had cruised through the bread, and waited an hour for the first course our granddaughter was getting hungry. Other tables around us were similarly complaining about not being asked to order, wrong orders and they then gave me a vegetable side laced with chili - not as shown on the menu. The starter of mixed fish to share was good, but came without any plates to eat off -so was a messy and unpleasant experience until we asked for some. The mains whilst flavorful were dry and lacked any sauce or gravy. They were also tepid. By the time the main course arrived we had been there well over 1.5 hours and had sat with the empty plates for starters on the table for ages without them being removed. There were plenty of young staff - looking either bored, fed up, using their phones or avoiding all eye contact. No attempt to find out if we had everything we wanted, clear tables or just do what they were paid to do - serve. They then tried to charge us for the returned side, and when it was pointed out that having eaten a bit of this there could be an adverse reaction, we were told the chef had been “told off” for adding an ingredient not shown on the description. No apology made in the first instance.. At best slapdash, at worst negligent. Our daughter in law spent her hard-earned salary to treat us and we felt rather sorry about this . As we left another set of would-be diners, whose booking had not been correctly recorded were told they could not be seated and would have to go elsewhere. Someone needs to get a grip of this mess as what was previously a half decent pub is probably best avoided.

Four of us arrived for a reservation, from the time of arrival we felt invisible. we finally, after about 20 mins got menus, having made our choice we had to find someone to take our order, when we were told we had 'old' menus and new one provided. After another 10 - 15 mins we again asked someone to take our order. After a while they came back to say some dishes were off and could we re-chose.

Pleasant wooden floored surroundings in dining room with great food and good service; also enjoyed all the wall art photographs of musicians.

Saturday lunch was a delightful surprise. Varied and interesting menu; delicious food and friendly service. Value for money in a pretty rural setting. Highly recommended.

Booked here for Mother's day-(booking essential only 10 tables)two sittings

Awful, we both chose the beef burger,red in the middle, chips had no colour on them.

We were a table of four and made to feel very welcome. The food we had from start to finish including desert was excellent

Went for a meal as liked the look of the menu on line. Cosy little bar for a drink before going into the restaurant. Food pricey but very good. Service at the bar very slow. Lovey young friendly waitress, not so friendly older waitress who could not manage a goodbye after spending over £100 for both of on lunch. Customer service costs nothing but means everything. Won't be rushing back when next in the area.

Just eaten at this place. Cosy warm atmosphere. Friendly attentive staff. Beautifully cooked fish and really nice cold Sauvignon Blanc. We had the Cod with chorizo which was well presented and cooked to perfection and crispy battered haddock - don’t forget to ask for tomato sauce !! Definitely worth a visit.

We just happened to pass the East End Arms and thought we would give it a try.

Went for lunch on a Friday - good and varied menu choices which are not your standard pub grub. The starters chosen in our group included monkfish tempura, Thai salmon fish cakes with chilli, and homemade ham hock fritter with quail egg. All were of generous size - especially the fritter and beautifully presented.

Came here for lunch on New Years day 2019 with some friends who live nearby.

My husband and I had heard good reports about this restaurant, so we made a point to try it for Sunday Roast. The lamb was perfectly prepared, nice vegetables. We had reservations in the dining room but were able to get a table in the bar where the atmosphere was more tranquil, with locals and their dogs. Pleasant. We will return again.

Stuck in traffic outside Lyndhurst (surprise) we booked this for lunch on the off chance but it was a lovely quiet place. Good food and a lovely atmosphere.

Pequeño hotel en un lugar paradisiaco, que maravilla de lugar.

We have had both lunch and dinner in the past at this unspoilt pub/restaurant and its always been good. This time we were a group of nine celebrating a slgnificant birthday, and both the kitchen and front of house combined to make our evening one of the best I can recall in a number of years . Daniela and her colleagues smoothly looked after us , with the kitchen producing a wide variety of creative dishes to a very high standard. Thanks, we will be back soon. Martin

We love this place. We have now stayed three times. Every time has been a wonderful experience. It has a wonderful atmosphere. The staff are very friendly,welcoming and make you feel comfortable. Even the regulars in the "Pub" area made us feel welcome and we joined in the local chit chat.

We visited the East End Arms three times in the week we stayed in the area - twice for a meal and once for a 'sundowner'. As we had our dog with us we ate outside in the sunny garden terrace to the side. The service was very good, wine selection and ale totally acceptable and the food excellent. Prices are at a metropolitan 'gastropub' level but, from our experience, are backed up by the quality of what they provided. Would return!

Admittedly it was a lovely summers evening and the doors to the garden where open but it certainly helped set the scene for perfect evening meal. Varied menu with both our lamb and duck cooked as we like them. Good ambience with a number of regulars eating there. Also handy to be able to play guess the celeb from the numerous black and white photos around the walls. Will return soon.

Lovely looking traditional pub. The bar had many fascinating black and white photographic portraits of music and tv /theatre artists. Delightful garden area too. Food expensive but don't mind if it's quality. Unfortunately we were left unimpressed with our £8.50 sandwiches. The beef and horseradish was ok but one slice of bread was not fresh, the 'strong cheddar' and lovely sounding onion marmalade was nothing short of an extremely cheap tasting cheese and pickle sandwich. Again, one slice of the bloomer bread was not fresh and the portion of cheese was not generous. It came with a very small pot of skinny fries (choice between this and crisps) and a couple of luttice leaves with dressing on them. Please, if you are charging this much (£17.00 for two sandwiches), good quality and plentiful ingredients, a more generous 'salad' and fresh bread should be standard.

Booked in advance as we have heard how popular it is . A lovely table not overcrowded dining area. The staff are excellent both ladies very nice and helpful. The food was the nearest I have had to perfection in a long time. The whole dining experience here was superb. A party of 7 all food arrived together and correct. Not hurried in between courses and the menu had a wide variety of dishes. A lovely evening from start to finish. It’s not a pub chain so food is more expensive but so worth it. Highly recommend a visit. I would definitely return .

This pub may be most famous for being owned by one of Dire Straits - but that's certainly not the only reason to recommend it . We stayed for three nights having specifically looked for an informal pub with rooms where we could just step out of the door into the New Forest countryside - but also enjoy some good food.

Nice food, excellent service. There is a bar and separate restuarnant.Not cheap but the food is excellent and the staff are very helpful, nothing is too much trouble. I'd definitely recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Having initially taken the wrong door in to the public bar which was completely jam packed and brimming with life we were a tad relieved to slip in to the quieter restaurant side of the premises; two completely different but equally super vibes.

I know I'm opening a can of worms here, but went to the charming East End Arms recently . I'm not a big eater so only had a main. roe deer from Beaulieu estate very soft. in fact too soft as not hung enough rather ruined the dish. Still they had x30 covers, not bad in middle of forest on a Friday in February. service smashing. shame about the meat.... too young

We had lunch here today. The menu was interesting and fresh. Poached crispy egg on pancetta and Parmesan. Venison saddle with kalettes and chocolate sauce, stone bass with sautéed potatoes. Chocolate fondant with ice cream. All really nice, lovely pub, friendly staff and an open log fire fire but feel it was overpriced. £17 for a very small portion of venison and £16 for one small fillet of stone bass. Food was good but all of it was overpriced.