Foresters Arms in New Forest

Really disappointing - and very expensive for the quality they are serving up. We came here after reading good reviews, when we arrived the car park was quite empty on a Saturday night and we should have taken that as a sign. The food is very expensive and incredibly overpriced for the quality - dry and not fresh fish & greasy chips. We left almost a £100 lighter and feeling very disappointed - we could have spent half of this and been more satisfied elsewhere. I would suggest avoiding.

Nice rustic pub. However, we arrived punctually for our 1.30pm reservation but had to wait nearly 30 minutes to be brought a menu and then another 20 minutes to order. The wrong drink was served, the place was cold although crowded with people and dogs as no heating on a very cold day. After 1 hour 10 minutes of waiting in the cold feeling hungry we asked to move to a vacated table away from the door and were told they can't give us a larger table for 2 people. The pub emptied out and remained half empty. Two other people then brought their meal and sat where we had asked to sit which was very annoying. Not all meat options were available by the time we ordered, we were told they were still cooking meats. We had the feeling we were made to wait as they were too busy to serve us. In that case they shouldn't have taken bookings for that time. We could have gone elsewhere and eaten when we wanted to. Finally we got our dinner at about 2.45pm. The sunday lunch was actually good but everything else quite poor.

We have visited this pub on a couple of occasions in the past and always been really happy with food and service. So when we decided to return to the New Forest for a short break we didn’t hesitate to book Sunday lunch. However, we were left feeling disappointed, our table was booked for 3pm, we did arrive early so we were happy to wait but they seated us within 5 mins which we thought was great. Our food & drinks order was taken within 15 mins which was fine, however we were told there was no roast beef which was disappointing so early in the afternoon, we both fancied a glass of red wine and when we asked what wines they had..the reply was “I don’t know” We then waited about half hour for 1 glass of red wine even though we ordered 2. The food took at least another half hour. Had we had our drinks earlier we would have certainly had another round and had the service been better we would have stayed for dessert & coffee…the chicken was a chicken breast, we did expect a roast chicken. However the cauliflower cheese was lovely and the veg cooked really well. I think it could be a case of staff training, that said the young lady behind the bar who served us was lovely. Overall such a shame as previously we have enjoyed meals here.

Our meals were all exceptional. Full of flavour & huge portions. Lovely Gluten free beer too. Friendly staff, dog friendly & and great atmosphere. To top it all the donkeys were outside

Really nice friendly ( and dog friendly) pub with great service and food. Lots of choice with daily specials and take -away also available! Stayed nearby for a week and ate different delicious meals here every night, and there’s a pub quiz on Sundays too 😊 Such a shame this isn’t our local !

Very disappointing lunchtime visit over bank holiday. Not busy at all but service very unwelcoming and slow. Menu expensive and uninspiring. Sausage and onion baguettes came without any onions. So many better places to visit in the area so won't be returning anytime soon. Shame, used to be a reliable option after a dog walk.

Visited with friends after a walk. Long wait to be served - they don’t have enough staff. Not a welcoming reception - we hadn’t booked which didn’t seem to go down well. The food was ok, but nothing special. No courtesy check after our meals were served. We were asked to leave our card behind the bar whilst sitting in the beer garden (in case we ran off!) - we were then given someone else’s card when we came to pay the bill. This should be a nice pub, but they’re not set up for busy days which made is feel unwelcome.

An enjoyable dinner on Saturday evening. We had booked in advance and our table was ready on arrival. We chose the avocado & prawn salad and the Thai red curry - both really nice. The Sauvignon Blanc was chilled just right and was fair value at £24: the Henry’s IPA was on top form and I had quite a few of them! Service was friendly and efficient and we were well looked after. We have visited this pub over many years and seen several changes of management - happy to say it is now in good hands.

Lovely location I’m the new forest with a very pretty pub garden. Classic country pub style which was exactly what we wanted to finish our holiday to the new forest. When deciding where to eat I visited the website and found a vast menu with many options and a banner stating that kids ate free all day every day. I had to call to book a table as there were 10 of us, when I mentioned the menu I was told in advance it was just roast dinners, pizzas and salads on a Sunday - ideal despite being limited. Sadly the service was lacking to say the least - the bar staff were incredibly bland and couldn’t crack a smile. We were seated by an awkward teenager and despite the fact we had booked in advance there was no reservation on any table for us and we had to sit split across 3 tables - disappointing. Ordered on a tab - they held our card behind the bar, not a problem at all. However when we asked about the kids eat free options we were rudely and abruptly informed that their website was incorrect and they couldn’t update it the correct days online. No apologies or an offer of free squash as a gesture just rudeness. This wasn’t our reason for visiting so we decided to stay, however if we were not a financially stable family and been in such a position pay for all the meals it would have meant leaving and upsetting the family. Most of the drinks were cold and refreshing but sadly the bitter top was stale and tasted rotten. The food came out in a decent time even though it was slightly disjointed. We were disappointed by the quality of the food - burnt bases to the pizzas, flavourless beef and pale grey looking chicken. Wanted to order more drinks - the alcoholic drinks came out no problem but the pitcher of squash didn’t materialise - when we asked again we were told that they didn’t do pitchers of squash despite already having one. Bizarre. No one asked if our food was ok despite waiting hand and foot on a larger party next to us - making us feel neglected and uncomfortable. We decided to pay and leave as our experience was tainted already but it got worse. I wanted to check the bill was correct as we had originally been given 3 pizzas but had only ordered 2… I didn’t want to be over charged by mistake. The girl behind the bar - the same as we had ordered from checked the bill for me even though I had asked for a print out. She said ‘well you’ve only been charged for 2’ I once again asked for a print out as we were splitting the bill and she frowned as if it was terribly inconvenient. We stepped aside to work it out and then went to pay - an older lady over heard our breakdown and butted on regarding the service charge. ‘Is that a large group? Have you added the service charge? ‘You must add the service charge’ Honestly - how rude. We were paying our bill in full they were going to get their service charge!!! We paid as quickly as we could and left - I mentioned to my Mother in law and friend that we shall not be returning to which the girl behind the bar noted ‘no one’s perfect’ Delightful. I would urge holiday makers and day trippers to avoid at all costs. £20 for a roast with microwave beef £17 for a burnt pizza with too much sauce £4.80 for a lemonade plus £2.40 for squash in it. Our bill was over £200!!! AVOID!!!

Family evening dinner (party of 7), main meals included lamb shank (superb - best yet), chicken tagliatelle (loads of chicken), chicken burger, scampi, Cumberland sausages, nachos and deserts. Fantastic meal (all eaten by all) and service , (very friendly, attentive and reasonable for New Forest), dined in the garden as it was a hot evening. (Very minor criticism would have liked brownies / apple pie to be warm and a better selection of ice cream). Back to the good standard and food that we have previously experienced here. Thanks for a lovely meal and getting the lamb shank in especially for us, so glad we got chatting to the lovely lady manager when we popped up for a drink! Will definitely be back more often!!!!

Having spent our last day in the new forest. We had a trip back to Gloucester in front of us. We was all hungry and come across the foresters Arms. We saw the sign outside for food so we stopped. Walked in to a friendly welcome from the staff. There was 7 of us and I asked if we could have a table. They were busy but they kindly squeeze us in. We all had the Sunday roasts. I have to say it was one of the best roasts I had. We all said the same. Set us up for our journey home. I’d would truly recommend it. On the way out we come across the famous New Forest donkeys drinking from a bath! Great end to a lovely holiday. Definitely going to be a return visit when we are back down in August.

Found by accident, so we thought we would give it a go, apparently under new management. The food was excellent, the staff very pleasant. Lovely surrounding and beer garden, nice and quiet. We will definitely be going back.

Lovely old pub. Friendly staff. Good food always but the best Sunday Lunches and their pre Xmas menu was lovely. Thoroughly recomended

We went here twice with our family during our stay in the new Forest. Friendly staff and great food! We shall come again! Good options for vegetarians and children too

Popped in on New Years Eve with 2 dogs for a drink and stayed for lunch. Fantastic service, really good food. Will go again.

We visited on a Monday for the set lunch menu. A joy in all aspects. Menu excelllent value 2 courses £15. We had the sausages and chips and the game pie with plentiful veg. Staff friendly and welcoming. We shall return very soon. Proper traditional New Forest pub serving good wholesome food

Fabulous Sunday lunch after an excellent forest walk x Great vegetarian nut roast too! Very friendly team z

Fabulous home cooked food in a cosy pub. Can recommend the lamb shank, sausages, and curry. Food was fresh and beautifully presented.

This is now our ‘go to’ restaurant when we stay at Godshill (Sandyballs). The food is delicious, the restaurant has a lovely homely feel to it and the staff are relaxed but still attentive. More importantly for us, most of their meals are available as gluten free so lots of wonderful choices. Easily drivable from Godshill but also a lovely walk during the daytime through part of the forest. Thoroughly recommend.

We called in for lunch on a Tuesday without booking. We were really impressed, the food was excellent and the staff friendly and attentive. Would highly recommend and we have already booked to return.

We had a really good meal here on a Thursday lunchtime. It was a wet day and I’m glad I booked a table indoors, as it was fairly busy. Staff were very attentive, ploughmans was huge and tasty, best Guinness I’ve had for a long time. Wish we lived nearer! See you again one day.

We have visited a few times this year already and both the food and service is always good. Great location near some lovely walks.

My husband and I did a long walk in the New Forest and stopped here for a drink, but ended up having lunch as the options were fantastic. I have coeliac disease and this place was more than able to cater. So many great choices. I ended up having the buckwheat salad and it was delicious. The service was quick and efficient.

We enjoyed our dinner on a busy Friday evening. Focaccia & olives to start, followed by the beef burger (excellent) and the fish & chips (good, though the batter was a little heavy). The 6X was on top form and the Sauvignon was also really good but expensive at £36 a bottle. The staff were friendly and efficient and overall we had a good time. Dogs and children are welcome and there’s lots of outdoor space as well as inside. NB: the pub does not accept cash - it’s card only…

Superb lunch at very reasonable prices. Washed down with a pint of excellent 6x. Good friendly service in the lovely garden. I will definitely come here again.

Nestled in New Forest, ponies looking on. Friendly staff excellent meals, portions but large for us but a chef who can cook. Recommend this pub.

We had a terrible meal here that was grossly over-priced, inedible and clearly microwaved. My partner and I both had upset stomachs the day after which really took the shine off our day. Having said that, service was quick and friendly. Would still very much avoid in future!

Previously popped in for a drink but this time we booked lunch for 4. 2 x burgers, which were amazing, beef burger was excellent, top quality. 1 x steak and 1 x sausage and mash, again both excellent. Service was great as well. Fantastic lunch, best pub meal in years. Will recommend and we will return

greeted promptly by very attentive team member table service if eating so great very quick with menus and quick drink service menu is fairly extensive and mid ranged in price my partner and i both had medallions of pork in the best tasting mustard creamy sauce and naughty but nice desserts well worth a visit well done lovely service

Good pub, ambience and good service but food very ordinary. Disappointing food, a dish of trout was served with a white wine sauce which was very gloopy and quite unpleasant. When asked at the end of the meal, if our experience was okay? we explained that the sauce was poor and unpleasant, rather than being apologetic, the manager seemed not to care at all and indeed to be angered. Certainly not the attitude that would encourage us to visit the Foresters Arms again.

Sat in garden. Food and drinks are excellent and fast service. Very helpful staff. One young lady particularly good. Yes, discretionary service charge is included, but if you want great service, it's worth paying for.

This pub was a great spot for lunch on our circular walk in the New Forest. Lovely beer garden outside with a view to the donkeys and horses. I had the meat pie for lunch and found the beef a bit disapointing, was expecting slow...

We had a fantastic family lunch here- my extended family have many allergies which the pub catered very well for The food was fantastic and great service. It was a little pricey but I guess you get what you pay for however - £75 for...

We came here for a Father’s Day lunch after a lovely walk. The service was excellent, very polite and friendly staff. The food was delicious with plenty of options. We very much enjoyed the beer garden. Would recommend!

This was a gorgeous pub with a great menu. My dad is gluten free, and certainly didn’t expect to have such a good selection, even down to the Sunday roasts. The wine selection is brilliant, we shared starters and then had the small version of...

Lovely location, known locally as the Donkey Pub as livestock roam freely on surrounding roads. Beware the cattle grid at the car park entrance! Ordered roast beef which wasn’t the best quality but plenty of vegetables came with it. Cauliflower cheese was insipid and needed...

Delicious food, good service, lovely location and atmosphere. Highly recommend the sandwiches and burgers. Family & pet friendly.

Sat in the lovely pub garden to enjoy our lunch but goodness do they take a long time to get your meal to your table. We were on our second round of drinks before it arrived and they were not very busy. Whilst at our...

Lovely looking pub, food quite good. Don’t like the service charge being added automatically on the bill. I know we could have asked for it to be taken off but felt the staff were not approachable to do that, so kept quiet and paid!

Returning after about five years with my wife, I had forgotten what a wonderful pub this is. The mainly wooden decor and furniture gave it a feel and ambience in keeping with its rural surroundings. The welcome was warm, the service efficient and friendly, the...

We booked second sitting and arrived in plenty of time, the waitress told us all roast beef had all gone, the main course took over an hour and a half to arrive and one main course of lamb was forgotten, ten percent service charge added...

Lovely friendly welcome and amazing service. Food was gorgeous and really good value. Would definitely recommend and I will be going again soon

Nice place, friendly staff, happy dogs. Pork roast on a Sunday was average to tasteless and repeated quite a lot. Service charge added on automatically. Overall overpriced for the quality.

I’ll be honest, we came across this place as we couldn’t get in to another pub not far away. But wow, we’re glad we came in! My wife read a couple of mixed reviews on the way but after having dined and drank there, we...

Very rarely write a review, but having spend a lot of time online finding a good pub in the New Forest for me and my childen, I was really impressed. Simple menu, with very good pub food, friendly staff and very good value for money....

Visited with a party of 25 for our work Christmas meal yesterday. We had pre-ordered our menu choices and everything ran very smoothly. We had the whole dining area to ourselves, which was lucky, as we made a lot of noise! The food was wonderful...

Lovely location, great building, have had great food here in the past and been treated well by the staff. But sweet baby Jesus, this place has hit the skids (as other recent reviews say). Icy atmosphere, perfunctory table service, and truly terrible food. Example: Both...

My husband and I visited for a lunchtime drink. The atmosphere was not welcoming with a tablet being used to allocate a table - wine prices were high for average wines, when my husband tried to pay with cash he was spoken to rudely and...

Excellent food big portions. Staff could not be more helpful. Very enjoyable lunch with friends. Would visit again.

I organised 30 car enthusiasts to an evening dinner at the Foresters Arms this week. All thirty fitted very well into the dining area, and the staff did amazingly well as the food and drink orders were coming thick and fast. The various meals that...

Been visiting this pub for decades. The system of tablet and being abruptly spoken to then ushered to a table which has been decided but the tablet user we didn’t like. It’s. It what you say it’s how you say it. Courtesy is required on...

Went for an impromptu lunch visit on the way back from holiday in Dorset , as heard about the donkeys who visit the pub. Sadly no donkeys today but horses instead. Staff and host were lovely. The pub is really nice and decor is lovely....

We were visitiing this pub for the first time to meet up with old friends. Unquestionably, the welcome we had and the service we were given was quietly exceptional. Staff were very helpful, very attentive and, it has to be said, their service was nothing...

Lovely little spot for lunch in the forest, staff were very prompt and helpful, food arrived quick. Very tasty lunch. Definitely recommend the baguettes! Great spot.

Just had food there , very poor over priced , quality awful , 2 of us to eat and one beer 47 pounds with 4.70 table service

Great lunch, fab service. Lovely selection on the menu. Friendly staff. Loved sitting outside to appreciate the weather and watch the donkeys

Our first visit to The Foresters Arms and probably the last. On a positive note, it's a lovely pub full of atmosphere and the service from Josh was friendly, attentive and helpful. Sadly the same could not be said for the lunch. The roast chicken...

I stopped here for lunch while walking in this are of the New Forest. Really recommend, so friendly and accommodating, lovely menu too!

Returned to the Forresters pleased to say baguettes are back on the menu can thoroughly recommend the smoked trout and prawn! Thank you

The atmosphere in this pub is lovely. Unfortunately the food is not good. We had sunday roasts and all the veg and potatoes is served on the plate with lots of gravy poured all over it. Would much prefer these separate as we don't like...

We visit the New Forest frequently and always visit The Forresters - mainly for Sunday lunch but in the week also. Always very pleased with our meals. However visited this evening and were hugely disappointed. Last table booking on a Sunday was 6.30pm - obviously...

Lovely setting great looking pub just the place to stop off have a drink and something to eat. That's the good bit Went for a pint of cider £5.50 wow that hurt Ordered the Burger £15.35 When it arrived had to order more mayo tomato...

Further to the review from MikeMyDay who we visited with whilst on holiday, the “off” burger gave my husband horrendous food poisoning. We would not visit here again. We told fellow campers about our experience and they too have decided to eat elsewhere rather than...

Our accommodation recommended visiting here for drinks and dinner as it had been refurbished recently and new ownership. We found the food lovely. We didn’t realised we had booked at the end of their opening times (5.30 on a Sunday) so the menu was reduced...

We stayed in the area and were very pleasantly surprised when we ate here with 2 adults and 2 children. Our food was fantastic. We had salads stuffed chicken and venison pie. Everyone enjoyed it. The kids portion with almost too big. They could only...

Not too busy when we turned up at 7:00pm on a Monday evening so we were quickly shown to our table. It’s table service only and the pub does not take cash - only cards. We enjoyed the fish of the day (sea bream I...

A really lovely find. Popped in for lunch, didn’t book, but was plenty of space in the garden. Friendly staff, efficient service and the most amazing ploughman’s - very generous portion! Delicious carrot chutney!

The perfect new forest pub for a meal. Lots of traditional character inside and a large garden with plenty of seating under the trees. No road noise. Donkeys come up to the fence. The staff are friendly and efficient. The meal was one of the...

I Went for a walk in dinner with friends, an impolite and up herself staff member or landlady gave us such a cold and uninviting welcome, we turned around and took our business elsewhere. I hope for the pubs sake she was just having a...

Our lovely local but please get rid of table service and all the signs. Allow bikes in to the garden. It all feels like too many instructions! Can we not just stand at the bar and order a beer?

Popped in here as staying in a holiday cottage around the corner. Unfortunately, kitchen closed at 3.00 so didn't eat here so just had 2 drinks instead. £5.30 for a pint of cider! Even at New Forest prices, that is expensive. If I had that...

Super thanks to the Foresters for serving up such delicious food to 8 of us following our forest cycle. Excellent choice of dishes. Everyone enjoyed their food and I particularly loved my 3 cheese ploughmans and what a choice of these were had on offer....

So imagine finding a pub literally 100 yards from your cottage let. They advertised take away beer so popped round at 4.40pm to order some before closing at 5pm. A very moody lady (same one who served us dinner the night before) said they had...

dont be fooled by the carefully worded menue. the food is basic but with a premium price tag. the staff were unnecessarily moody when asked basic questions and then seemed to develop a personality transplant once the kitchens were open. food was fast out but...

We did not stay because even though there are dog pics on Tripadvisor no dogs are allowed. Would suggest this gets updated

Stopped for lunch. First item on menu Cheese Souffle, sounded good. Ordered, waited, food came. Inside of souffle stone cold. Sent back, promised another, this came . still uncooked in middle. Decided to leave. One uncooked dish is an unfortunate mistake, two is unforgivable. The...

First review for a while and I'm pleased to say it's a positive one. First of all, do check the opening times before visiting. This place is lovely. We were staying locally and popped in a number of times for food and a couple of...

Great location under the trees and nice beer garden. Large car park which is handy. The barman was very attentive. The selection of beers was limited, menu was also not very extensive. My wife ordered one item of the menu and we got stung with...

We have just had an amazing sunday roast . Pork Belly was outstanding . Staff were friendly , efficient and welcoming. We took our 6 mth old labrador after a huge walk and ao nice to find such a great pub which accepts dogs. We...

We enjoyed a lovely lunch in the garden and looked after by a great team of staff. A very friendly welcome and the meals we chose were delicious. We were able to enjoy our meal in the sunshine in the garden which was perfect and...

Normally when you visit an inn or restaurant you can always find something to say wasn’t quite right. Not on the case, wonderful food, attentive and polite service with reasonable prices. After a long walk what more can you ask for? Oh yes it’s woofer...

Having been to this pub on holiday on numerous occasions for the last 10+ years we were disappointed. Pub seems to have a standard menu which now a number of pubs have. The previous menu which had family favourites such as scamp, gammon, lamp shank,...

We had a week holidaying localy to celebrate my parents diamond wedding anniversary, we booked for the friday evening and they were made to feel very special by the lovely blond landlady and the young lady who served us. we go to the area two...

As the title rightly says, I have been coming to the new forest with my family for years! And everytime we make sure to go back to the Forresters Arms! It’s a great quaint pub and has a lovely buzz to it no matter what...

An absolutely fantastic Mother's Day lunch. There were 11 in our group but the service was efficient and staff were so friendly, nothing was too much trouble. The food was amazing as it always is. A huge thank you to an excellent team.

Thank you so much to Jade and the Team for working so hard to make Mothers Day so lovely! 😀 Wonderful meal, and as a Mum I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Such a lovely touch. Liz Austin x

Dropped in by chance on Saturday lunchtime and although very busy we were warmly welcomed and a table found. We both had the pheasant which was excellent. There was a lovely atmosphere and the service was spot on. I would recommend this place to anyone...

Our first visit out to the Foresters and we weren’t disappointed. The food was well prepared, excellent flavour & delivered to our table by friendly, attentive staff. Thank you, we will be returning!

We were really impressed by this place today. We had a meal with friend a & family for my husband’s 40th. The staff were lovely and very accommodating. The food was excellent, particularly the fish. Great location with forest walks nearby and plenty of parking....

Lovely New Forest pub. Four of us enjoyed hearty meals and two of us had a nice glass of wine. Attentive, friendly staff. Lovely warm fire. Donkeys at the gate waiting for some affection. Children and dogs were welcome (not that we had any). Nice...

We gave eaten here twice as a family in December and January. Food was excellent on both occasions with a good choice of meat, fish and veggie food. Sausages and salmon coulibiac superb. Good amount even for our 2 teenage boys. Good polite service and...

A great place to stop in the New Forest. Friendly, cozy pub with great food, generous portions and a lovely atmosphere.

A wonderful find. Easy to book on line and although the menu isn’t extensive there was enough choice for all of us. The atmosphere, staff, food and beer were amazing. Large portions and good value for money. Will be coming back.

Excellent first visit to this lovely pub. Welcomed by the new manager and shown to our table. We all enjoyed our main courses very much. We will be back!

Spontaneous visit at 5pm on a Tuesday evening. Warmly welcomed by the new Manager. Let us know they don’t start serving dinner till 5:30pm. But would be more than happy to get us drinks and provide us menu’s. Made sure we had a lovely table...

My friend and I both chose the special of seared trout on a bed of sautéed potatoes. Very nice meal and nicely presented at this lovely New Forest pub. But the whole experience was made even enjoyable by the very friendly, attentive manager Jo.

Had a lovely lunch after a long walk, shame the waitress was not very welcoming and should not be working in this kind of industry, no people skills and twice she took my glass before I had finished my drink! The manager on the other...

Arrived at just before 9pm for a pint and a chat with a friend. Halfway through the pint we were approached by a friendly waiter chap who asked whether we wanted anything else as it was last orders. Ordered another and on arrival of our...

Annual visit to new forest. Love the place and food but always leave feeling the price is higher than should be.. in comparison to other places we have visited that are equally / better good food. Still brilliant place, staff friendly, food good. Please stop...

Our first visit to the Forestors but certainly not our last. Fantastic food. Large portions and perfectly cooked; a delight to eat and not overpriced. Stylish decor. Staff were attentive and friendly. Liked the idea of the set service charge as I'm never sure of...