Horns Inn in East Dorset

Just had a 90th birthday lunch at the Horns Inn for 15 people. We had booked the small private room for this event which was perfect. The food for all of us was delicious, hot and served beautifully. Liam + his team of 3 girls looked after us all so well - nothing was too much trouble for them. Thank you to them all. Would also like to thank JJ for his help with arrangements beforehand. The Horns Inn is a lovely pub and local to my Mum and is one of our favourite lunchtime venues. Would definitely recommend.

Visited with 4 friends post New Year. Luckily for me the Sunday roast menu was on offer. I had the 3 meat option. All food was very good and plenty of it. One friend has poor appetite and was allowed a kiddie size. I had a flat white which was super size. I didn't have a sweet. The ones who did were happy with the choice. Would happily visit again as it was very reasonable.

Food was good but was very disappointed with the unhelpful manager. I had an e-mail with 40% off, which I clicked on the link and booked a table. Fair enough I didn't read it properly that you had to quote a code in the notes, but to be told nothing could be done was baffling. At any other restaurant you just show the code on your phone but not at the Horns Inn Ferndown. Used to go there a lot but will never go again, unhelpful management and no customer service skills whatsoever. Told "it quite clearly states", which to be fair it does, but anywhere else they would have honoured it. Still, plenty of other places to eat in Ferndown. The e-mail in your reply doesn't work? My e-mail to you has bounced back?

Been going here for years. Used to be great but the last three times has been bad. The vegetables were not just cold but frozen. I spat out some sprouts on my plate that were frozen and told them about it. They just heated up the ones on my plate including the chewed up ones. Gone way down hill. Three strikes and they are out now.

Nice and cosy. Plenty of space.

A very very good visit here Friday 03 january. Couldnt fault anything. The food was hot and tasty. The staff were very friendly and delivered excellent service. Good value. Warm and cosy. Nice quiet area too

Large outside seating area.great service

Had a lovely boxing day meal this afternoon, food was lovely, a lovely Christmas meal for all five of us, the staff were so very friendly and helpful with our two elderly members of the family!

Unfortunately our meal wasn't great at all, service was very slow, I think we visited on a busy evening, although we did have a group booking, it was a disappointing evening.

Had our office Christmas dinner here - lovely comfy pub - food was exceptional and all the staff were efficient and very welcoming - highly recommended

After being here a few times before, we planned our work Christmas party here. 3 course set menu was fantastic, particularly the smoked salmon and the chocolate torte. Would highly recommend. Service was friendly and efficient. Considering there was so many of us, the food came out amazingly timed. Thank you Horns Inn

Went for a festive afternoon tea, absolutely amazing, staff were lovely and lovely atmosphere.

I am trying to call the pub and I’m talking to a silly robot. This is a joke. Why would you not have a real person the other end

Visited today after being gifted a voucher for a roast and wine for 2. Looks lovely on arrival, staff are welcoming and polite. We’re not big drinkers so we asked to swap the wines for shandies which they obliged without issue. Roasts arrived in good time, however, the food was very disappointing, one beef and one pork roast, both meats were quite tough, roast potatoes were soggy, mash was instant and a measly portion of veg. The broccoli was crisp and the gravy was thick and tasty which warranted the one star here. We also ordered extra crackling and a giant pig in blanket. Giant is not a fair reflection, it was an average sausage with one strip of bacon in the middle which frankly could have done with longer in the oven, for £3 felt like a rip off. The extra crackling for £5.50 was a bowl of pork scratchings! We returned these for a refund which they gave without question we advised this was misleading and inaccurate of what is expected for pork crackling on a menu. Apparently company wide policy but still not acceptable for the price in my opinion. Overall we were left quite disappointed, we felt it not fair to complain for a free lunch as it was gifted but the extras we did pay for didn’t cut the mustard! I won’t be hurrying back for a roast any time soon!

This is the worst pub I have ever been to in Dorset, let alone ferndown. The service and the food was terrible. They are basically stealing hard earned money from their customers. When we went in we were not given our reserved table and had to request another table to be cleaned. When ordering food staff ignored us and were curt. They didn’t even wipe the table. They didn’t give us any cutlery and we had to ask them 3 times. It was a 45 minute wait for food. When we did get the food it was just bad- I can’t understand how they’re charging these prices for the food. Please see the photos I have attached- would you pay £10 for two pieces of white bread and cheese? If I had the money, I would pay people NOT to go the horns in. (The only member of staff who gave good service was a very nice and hardworking Australian waitress). We felt disappointed because we wasted over £50 at that establishment.

We hired the private room out for my friends baby shower, which was free and we ordered the deluxe buffet. The staff and food was A star we left there stuffed little piggies :)

Staff very friendly, jamie was very helpful. Food was lovely and very cosy atmosphere

We popped in after my husband having an MRI at Bournemouth Hospital. It was absolutely fantastic, we both had steak and it was delicious. Friendly, quick service and a great atmosphere. Thank you

Great place, lovely food, reasonably priced.

We came here for a family dinner on Saturday evening. The pub has free parking' and a large garden area great in the summer. But the atmosphere from the bar man and our waitress was hostile. One for asking if we all could be reseated somewhere else due to being by the entrance door ! And it was almost too much to serve us, and all 4 of us were made to feel uncomfortable. There was a younger female waitress, who was very polite. Our waitress realised she had been rude and gone to far' so she made an effort to turn a negative into a positive. But we were offended by the her reaction which made an ever lasting impression. It was ashame that the Barman didn't follow suit ' he seemed very unhappy when we previous ask him for no ice polity' but he was very put out' that he had to empty the glasses as he forgot after taking our orders. We understand it was busy, but the customer service is just as important as the food, which food we couldn't fault. Unfortunately we won't ever come back or our parents who made the trip here. Very disappointed as this was a special occasion .

Excellent service and very nice food. Very much recommend and will defiantly return. Super team that works here!!!!!!

A fabulous brunch experience to celebrate with my partner. Everyone was wonderfully welcoming, especially JJ whose warmth and passion for pride month made us feel right at home! I highly recommend to anyone of our LGBTQIA family Xx

Avoid this place like the plague. Worst meal we have ever had, not just one meal but all of them.Very poor attitude by both waitresses. Kids meal looked like the mash had been sitting on the plate for days. Shame you cannot give minus stars.

A Massive THANK YOU to the staff. We had our grandmothers wake here. The staff must have worked so hard to get the meals,drinks and sides sorted for us all as we were ordering so much. They set aside a space for us and allowed us to congregate away from others. The food was well presented and did not disappoint, it was hot and full of flavour. baby changing facility’s were clean and locked away. 10/10 from all of us.

Good food and service, will return

Brilliant experience, friendly staff, excellent roast dinner, hot plates and hot food

Came here again for lunch, the service was excellent and the food came quick, hot and tasty. Music was good, creating a great atmosphere.

Had lovely food and excellent service from the staff especially J J who is always so friendly every time we come to eat there....will come back soon.☺️

Fabulous food. Very happy to be able to have our dog sit with us. Service was okay but it would have been nice to have been asked if we needed anything as we would have liked some condiments. Lovely pub, will come again!

Lovely food and lovely staff. Will come again soon. Great service from Dan

We had a great business meeting in the cosy room. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the room was well-equipped for a business occasion.

Disinterested staff, dirty tables, refused Monday discount because hadn't prebooked and would not allow us to book a table once we'd arrived. No starters available and the food served was poor quality even for pub food.

Zoe delivered the best service I have received for a long time. Anything I asked was no problem and she was so enthusiastic to respond to any request of any of my party. I would recommend attending the horns for any sort of of occasion

Me and husband visited early evening 4th October, we both had the beef rib, did not disappoint , cooked to perfection, served by smiling staff. A lovely place, have been a few times and will continue to do so.

For a pub chain, the food was quite good. Good portion size.

We love this place. Good food and beer. Friendly staff

Another delicious meal served quickly by great staff

Had a recent dinner here. Booked online which was simple. Table was ready and waiting. All 4 of us were eating, the lasagna and scampi were so tasty. We ordered drinks throughout our visit which arrived promptly. Nice wine selection. Service was attentive. We would come back to eat here again.

Had lunchtime special Hunters Chicken which was excellent. Good value and nicely presented.

5 friends went for dinner. We booked a table and everything went very smoothly. Nice varied dinner menu with something for everyone, fairly traditional meals with options for vegetarian and vegan. We were served by JJ who was fabulous and couldn’t have done more to make our meal enjoyable and made us all smile with his great smile and cheerful enthusiasm. I had the lamb shank which was delicious. They made it very easy by opening a tab at the bar and no issues with splitting the bill. Good range of drinks on offer as well. Would recommend for a very pleasant fairly casual dining experience that won’t break the bank.

Went to celebrate a friends birthday staff couldn't do enough to help. Food was absolutely spot on. Even though there was an England match on it wasn't to noisy. The whole visit was perfect thanks all

What a warm welcome- thank you for making us feel so welcome! We are so grateful your hospitality. Thanks for making us feel so welcome.

I met up with some old work colleagues and we ended up going to the horns first time I had been here for a few years because it was a bit out of the way. Price was reasonable with a very friendly atmosphere and they had a quiz on which although we never took part was very good. The food going by looked great although we didn't eat prices again very reasonable. I would highly recommend a trip to this lovely pub

Nice big car park. Really tasty food, lots of choices and friendly efficient staff. Will be back!

We had lunch at The Horns Inn. The food was good, the atmosphere was amazing, and let's not forget the lovely staff.

Older blonde woman very work shy, let the service down, everyone else was brilliant Sadly had sold out of dish requested.

Amazing food, service a little slow in comparison to business

Had a great Sunday roast here recently with family. Good roast Great service

Two of us, just for drinks as usual. Very warm welcome and a great service by JJ at the bar. I ordered a pint of "Proper Job" and 'er indoors' had a pint of "Tribute" shandy, dimpled handles? no problem for JJ. Going outside, we had a good choice of seating, some under parasols, some under trees and some in the sun, even a couple of deckchairs. The dining area was busy for a Tuesday lunchtime, but the diners looked happy. My wife ( bless her ) can be a bit picky and difficult to please, not this time, she said it was probably one of her favourite pubs and she felt very comfortable and relaxed, in fact she wanted to stay longer. All in all, a lovely time and a special thanks to JJ, a credit to your establishment.

JJ made our visit a very special occasion with his cheerful and helpful manner and personality. Definitely 5 star service.

I have visited here a few times and they cannot do enough for you very friendly good selection of food 👌

Food is good, staff friendly and a great pub garden.

Very nice place, food and service was very good, and our dog had his own fish and chip dinner.

Disappointed that, as a treat to our guests,wanted to order a bottle of Sancerre from the menu only to find that it wasn't available (with inference that it had never been available). Also ordered from the 2-course menu ,only to find,when ordering the sweets,that that menu was not in fact available at the weekend and that that particular menu should have been removed from the table before we took our seats. Seems that I am only complaining as indeed I am,....about the admin. On the plus side,the food was absolutely excellent.

I’m not one to write reviews but I was shocked to say the least.I was extremely disappointed with the behavior of the manager at this establishment. I witnessed him shouting at his staff in front of customers on the bar and then carried this behaviour on in the kitchen, This is both unprofessional and disrespectful. It's completely unacceptable to treat employees this way, especially in a work environment. This kind of behavior not only creates a toxic atmosphere for the team but also reflects poorly on the business. I hope the company addresses this issue and ensures that the manager treats their staff with the respect that they deserve. The scene was uncomfortable and left me questioning the professionalism of this place. A manager’s role is to lead by example, not to belittle or intimidate those who work under them. There is no excuse for such unprofessional behaviour. I don’t think I will be returning which is a shame because the food was nice.

Visited today with my sister, had the signature gammon steak, with egg and pineapple wedge very nice( a few slight niggles though)1. the gammon did seem to be VARY salty and 2 although onion rings and grilled tomato were stated on the menu, they were conspicuous by their absence on my plate!!

Awful experience dining here, rude staff, moaned when some of our group paid in cash, also only 4 items on menu gluten free, shouted loudly across whole pub. "I'd better go and sort that gluten free woman out" food was overcooked and dry didn't get 25% of bill even though went on Monday and it's advertised, wouldn't go back here if you paid me

Stunning outside area, great food and superb service.

Good service at the bar service with the food was terrible had one bite out of it and wasnt even asked why....good atmosphere but youd be better eating tesco ready meals, mash literally had a skin from being microwaved so long...servers need customer service training

Went for dinner had one mouthful which I almost spat out...service when it came to the food was non existent, ended up eating a bag of crisps will go somewhere else for food unless it's for a drink its definitely not a pub worth visiting

The food there is brilliant and I've had the hunters chicken multiple times now. Whenever I'm free I try to go to the pub quiz for a laugh.

Nice pub but the food was diabolical. I will never eat here again.

Had a fantastic experience at the Horns Inn this week! Liam was really lovely and helped us choose our drinks. Food was lovely, will definitely be back

The food was amazing. It came out quick and hot and was cooked to perfection. I couldn't recommend this place anymore the staff provided quick and really good service

Starters were good, as were the mains. My only complaint would be that the gravy was very watery and poured all over my dinner. The service on the other hand was appalling! It was our first time visiting so we were unsure on where our dogs were allowed to go so, we waited for an employee to advise us where we could all sit. We were ignored by two members of the team. So I then went over to the bar and was pointed to a table in a rude manner “this way”. This was within the first 5 minutes of entering. A lady (didn’t get her name) delivered our mains asked if we wanted/needed anything else which was nice, but I’m guessing she finished her shift as we didn’t see her again. No one else checked back on us when we were eating our mains to ensure everything was okay. Once finished, about 15 minutes had passed and no one had cleared our plates. I noticed Becca (I believe her name was) looked over at our dirty table at least 3 times and ignored us and John walked passed our table at least 4 times and ignored us which was very disappointing. It was about 30 minutes before our table was cleared. I would not recommend to anyone which is a shame because the food was good but service really let it down.

Zoe was excellent and the food is incredible and well priced. The team all work so hard especially in this hot weather. The place is clean and tidy and tables get cleared really quick. All round great place

The pub has a great atmosphere and is well decorated unfortunately the food was very average, burnt sausages and the meal had been sitting for a while, waiting to be brought out

Excellent food and amazing service. Brilliant time. The lamb shank was very good and the hunter chicken equally as good

Had a nice meal and drink and we'll be back another time.

Over-cooked and very dry burger, over-cooked Hunter's Chicken, but the two orders of fish and chips were apparently good. Service mediocre - as we were not given cutlery and two of our party had to start to eating with their fingers. I understand the waiter was distracted by another customer, but our food was stone cold by the time our cutlery arrived.

Brilliant service, great roast dinner and lovely atmosphere, what else could you ask for on a Sunday afternoon! Saw advert for your new picnics, may have to give it a try!!

We had an enjoyable lunch today with friends

Three couples starters all enjoyed main also as described on menu unfortunately the two deserts ordered where not . Rhubarb sunda no rhubarb compote no candy floss spray cream three frozen solid raspberries ice cream custard rhubarb crumble small portion substituted fruit choice such a shame a disappointment end to a meal

Food was lovely, we both had chicken, bacon and avocado sandwich servied with chunky chips and salad, service and staff were friendly and helpful, the sun was shining, so all in all, great lunch with friend

Visited for lunch. Not much veggie food on the menu. So i had the only main available. Pasta parcels. Sadly for nearly £15 i got only 6 empty parcels that were not cooked properly. The tops were like cardboard. So at £2.50 per parcel they were vastly overpriced. With a portion size that resembled a starter. My friend had the hunters chicked for the same price. 30 mouthfulls compared with 5 for me. And my wife was given a glass with what looked like a bogey. Stuck to the rim. Which they changed, but should be checking glasses before pouring drinks.

Popped in on my lunch break and had the simple roast beef. It was lovely and a real treat for a Monday. Food was piping hot and looked great. The service was efficient and friendly. Thank you

Sent chicken goujons back as sauce was not served on the side as I thought it would be. Was asked to pay again. Normally if something is not to a customer’s liking you can send back for adjustment without paying again? Very odd to pay again.

Lovely celebration birthday meal. Very friendly pub food excellent.

The food was nice, but the tables and chairs were very dirty

Was in the area and found this restaurant by coincidence. Exceptional ambient coupled with good parking facilities makes the choice to dine here easier. Very good food and friendly staff, definitely recommend and would love to come again.

Honestly so disappointed. Went to the Horns tonight for a good time with friends for the ABBA tribute and I could not have had a worse experience. When we arrived it took several minutes to find the reservation (6 people for 7pm) then the comedy of issues began. I get not having table service but when ordering through the App 25-30 mins for drinks to be delivered and then being brought without a tray was bad. This was closely followed by the wait time for food. We ordered a sharer starter fish and chips and a burger, all of which arrived at the same time about 30mins after the rest of the tables food. We ordered separately between couples but within minutes of each other, a small delay would have been fine but it was too long a wait. When the food did arrive, the plates were roasting hot and the food fried and crispy like it had been under a heat lamp for too long. For a total price of £70ish I expect more. Ordering at the bar was not much better, long waits could be expected but when I placed an order after 10mins at the bar , a Moretti and Bacacardi and coke it took nearly 5 mins after the person disappeared apparently for glasses which were warm. I loved the horns it was a local go to but whoever is in charge needs to think either about capacity for food or gets more staff for busy nights like the Friday before a bank holiday. Honestly overpriced and poor quality service and food. I will seriously be reconsidering going back

We celebrated my dad's birthday at Horns Inn, and once again, it was a lovely experience. The atmosphere was cozy, perfect for a family gathering. The food was delicious. Horns Inn remains one of our family's favorite spot for good reason. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great food and a welcoming atmosphere!

Looked busy but managed to get a table. Service with a smile. Zoe and JJ were amazing. Zoe nothing was to much and always polite and great to see her coming back to check everything was OK, top notch service with a smile. JJ was polite a laugh and again always smiling. Coming from Southampton to eat with my dad for his birthday and it was very much worth the drive. Thank you for a lovely meal, Easily the best fish and chips I've had for a good number of years.

Awful lack of sevice and knowledge. Bar was quiert only me waiting when barman with beard acknowledged i was waiting yet once he'd taken the drink into the restaurant came back and served another customer who had just walked up to the bar. How disgusting and un professional to do that especially when he'd already acknowledged me. Good bar staff should be able to control a packed bar let aline a quiet one. His attitude was disgusting and we left. We certainly will not be back. It goes to show the type of company that employ such appauling staff. The two female staff serving earlier also saw me yet prefered to just stand around doing nothing. He also looked as if he could do with a good bath.

Very friendly staff .Good service

Amazing service from all of the staff at The Horns Inn, but especially from our server Phil. We were a large party of 20 and he delivered great customer service.

Visited as part of a large group for a milestone birthday. Our group was well looked after, all our menu changes were taken care of. Phil was serving us and he was absolutely fantastic, patient, and took great care of our group!

On our way back from a holiday day out looking for somewhere to eat, we chanced upon the Horns Inn. Welcoming from the get go, the team sat us by the window with beautiful views of its rural setting and served drinks. The extensive menu had something for all and the prices incredibly reasonable, better than that was the food dished up, generous portions and absolutely delicious! With the very relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and drink combined with the very attentive team made it the perfect end to a great day. Cannot recommend the Horn Inn highly enough, thank you Wendy and the team for the positive experience on our much needed break. See you again when we’re next down!

A shame that 3 items on menu not available as there hadn't been a delivery. Two of the meals were not hot and mine was just passable. Not really worth the money. A pity as local to us.

Best pub meal I've had in years. My wife, I and our two teenage boys came for a meal this evening and all had the set menu. Excellent value, 2 of us had gammon and 2 had hunters chicken. All highly recommended. Food was really superb and portion size very good. Service from Jackie and other staff all very good. Can't wait to return.

Best pub meal I've had in years. My wife, I and our two teenage boys came for a meal this evening and all had the set menu. Excellent value, 2 of us had gammon and 2 had hunters chicken. All highly recommended. Food was really superb and portion size very good. Service from Jackie and other staff all very good. Can't wait to return.

Really lovely pub with good quality grub.

Impromptu evening out with family. Great menu, even accommodated a fussy eater that the menu didn't cover without issue. All 5 of us had a lovely meal. Jackie went out of her way to ensure all was ok, cannot complain.

The food was lovely. However, I personally like table service. The place is bright and spacious, but fellow diners, I do not wish to hear your conversations or bad language. Car park could do with some lights at night. Definitely recommend this establishment

A lovely pub, very welcoming staff. Great food - the Lamb shank was beautifully cooked. Lots of parking

Really enjoyed my meal. In lovely surroundings.

Have been coming to this pub/restaurant for years. Can honestly say this was the worst meal/experience I have a had to date. Had booked a table ahead, and nobody came to seat us. Waited for an hour to have a lunch. Eventually when meal was brought out it was very dry and unappetising looking. Did speak to manager about this who just said he would speak to his kitchen staff wasn’t remotely interested. I’m more disappointed as it was for my friend’s birthday and the experience was a shambles. I’ve seen the manager being unprofessional on multiple occasions, even scolding one of the staff loudly in-front of all customers. Thumbs up to the restaurant staff, thumbs down to the manager. He shouldn’t be working there that’s for sure.

The food was of satisfactory quality. The service was somewhat disjointed and the staff seemed a bit confused about our booking despite a deposit being taken

All very nice, food excellent, service a bit slow

I went alone for a quick lunch (£9) and it was very nice, big portion and tasty. It was quick and nice, all the sandwiches come with chips or fries, you won’t get disappointed. Sara was helpful and friendly