Ilchester Arms in West Dorset - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Enjoyed a fabulous Sunday lunch in the rear beer garden of the Ilchester Arms today. We all tried a different roast; I had the nut roast, lovely big slice of homemade nut roast. The pork was thickly cut and served with crunchy crackling, the turkey was moist and plentiful and the beef tender. Hubby would have preferred it a little pinker but still said it was delicious. All were served with crispy roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips alongside a side dish of cauliflower, broccoli, runner beans (possibly home grown) and cabbage. Lovely choice of desserts - a range of ice creams, my husband enjoyed the knickerbocker glory, I ordered the decadent brownie. Service was efficient and quick, beer garden lovely in the sunshine

Sunday lunch, table was really sticky, beef tasty but only two very thin pieces. Very strange having to eat with a steak knife. Potatoes very hard so steak knife came in handy . Very expensive for the amount of meat .

What a wonderful find. Sunday Lunch was superb; meats, roast potatoes, veg and gravy all perfect. Good size portion with the regular size. The pub itself has a great friendly atmosphere and the staff are all friendly and efficient. Rounded off perfectly with a lovely (non bubbly pop) cider. Highly recommended

Ate here 4 evenings in a row as the food was so good - tasty, well-presented and reasonably priced. The staff were really friendly and helpful and welcomed the dogs too. If you’re in the area I don’t think you could do better!

Lovely pub. We arrived early and they allowed us to sit for our meal early. Soup starter was big, I didn't finish mine as wanted to leave room for my Sunday Roast. BIG roast dinner. Meat and Roasters a plenty! My only criticism would be that the Roasters were not very fresh, but that's it. Good hearty meal.

This was an annual visit for Sunday lunch, and it is disappointing that previous standards appear to have declined: the roast dinner looked attractive but the beef was chewy rather than tender, the potatoes rather overcooked, and the gravy poorly prepared. It was not clear whether food is ordered at the bar or table, and when finished, our plates were not cleared, and no desserts were offered.: very different from our previous experience, and we noticed that there was much less of a busy atmosphere than in our previous experience - perhaps others have noticed the change too?

We have been to the Ilchester Arms many times and will continue to do so because the food, service and atmosphere is excellent. Sunday lunch and evening meals have been really enjoyable.

very good had sausage and mash could Not fault meal and service very good beer good prices and a plus no music

Absolutely great stay. Always a friendly welcoming. Traditional old pub with lovely rooms, very clean and fresh. Lots of local ales on tap and the food is great, freshly cooked and most locally sourced.

So pleased we found this pub! The service was friendly and welcoming, the garden is well kept and shady in places BUT the food was absolutely delicious!! I really wanted to have a salad but didn't fancy the 2 on the menu as don't eat meat, on request I had a salad with falafel and it was to die for, that dressing of nettles, ginger and lime was so good. My plate was pilled high with a large selection of Very fresh veg and I enjoyed every bite. My husband had fish and he couldn't get it into his month fast enough, it was so good :) We enjoyed it so much we went back 2 days later, I had the same salad (of course) and my husband tried your sausages which he said were top quality, our Westie had a bit and he also agreed. Well done to you all for such great food, service and atmosphere. We will be back!

Lovely food however let down by the service and attitude of staff. First problem was a pint which did not taste correct, I had taken this back to the bar to explain and this wasn’t taken very well by the staff. Second problem whilst still eating desserts we were told the table was booked out again in 10 minutes time! Never before have I been rushed to get off and out of a restaurant.

We prebooked for a midweek evening meal and we’re glad we did as the pub was full. The food was very good and the portions generous. We dined as a family, there were no kids menu but the option for a small portion on every meal, which is so much nicer than the usual offerings on a kids menu. The puddings were lovely and they accommodated our kids well with a lovely plum sorbet!

Sunday Lunch, just perfect. Busy bustling country pub, friendly helpful staff, perfectly cooked full on roast dinner with big choice of meats or veggi options, and good selection of home made puds. Very reasonably priced. Will definitely visit again

Extremely pleasant lunch in an Olde English country pub. Staff very helpful and pleasant. Well presented and enjoyable fayre and a special mention goes to the rhubarb panna cotta. Good outside seating and plenty of parking. This is a family pub so be prepared for well behaved dogs and not so well behaved children.

Really nice menu for pub grub. Makes a change not to have chips with everything and the opportunity to have lots of fresh tasty vegetables.

Really good pub grub, lots of it and really tasty. Service friendly and accommodating. A recommended visit.

What gem of a pub; huge portions & all food was delicious. The staff are so welcoming & made such a fuss of our dog👏👏 Thankyou x

We had booked for Sunday lunch. 2 size plated meals - home cooking. very good. Simple range of food on offer but acceptable.

What a friendly welcoming pub , we didn’t eat here just had a drink to cool down after our walk of colmers hill . So nice to sit outside and watch the world go by . Will Definatly be returning and for food next time .

This pub in the quaint village of symmondsbury was an excellent find. The staff were so friendly and helpful going above and beyond to make me a hot toddy and helping me locate my late Dad's childhood home. The food was delicious, I ordered a burger and it was one of the nicest burgers I have ever eaten. Highly recommend the Illchester Arms and will visit again next time we come to Dorset. Thank you

As we don't have track & trace on our phones, we asked if there was a form we could fill in like everywhere else - there wasn't. Staff nice, food awful. We must have chosen a bad night. There was nothing I could eat on the menu as I can't eat fish, don't like chicken and the veg option wasn't to my liking. In these circumstances I usually end up having a steak.....but there was no steak. I ended up having a steak burger, not keen on them but hey ho (because I had to have something as I was hungry) ate around the outside as inside was red. The chips were horrible - they looked and tasted like yesterdays boiled potatoes. We've been there lots of times in the past and food was always good - what's happened. The only tasty part was the salad.

We came to the pub on Friday 25th September and had dinner here, the staff were super friendly and helpful and everyone followed the social distancing guidelines within the pub.We all had something different for tea, plenty of selection even with a limited menu and huge portion sizes. The Scampi and chips was lovely and I also had sticky toffee pudding. Highly recommend if you are in the area!!!

Excellent food, very helpful staff. Properly Covid aware. Dog friendly. Great service & food arrived hot when served Outside seating & parking

Enjoyed a lovely early evening of with well cooked simple food. The staff were pleasant and friendly if a little new to the job , or so it felt. Would recommend as somewhere to enjoy early doors decor carpets etc a touch tired.

Sunday lunch here was excellent especially the slow cooked pork belly.We asked for extra gravy and were surprised to be charged £1 for a very small jug.Afterwards in the garden the locals were treated to a large bowl of roast potatoes and gravy which they offered to share with us!Despite this we returned a few days later for lunch. Best ploughman’s we’ve had in years. A generous plateful with lovely ham, cheese, scotch egg etc.Booking is a bit bizarre. We weren’t sure if there would be two or four of us so we enquired as to general availability. We were told to call back when we were sure of numbers but just turned up to find only one table occupied.This is a friendly locals pub a bit off the beaten track but well worth seeking out. A short drive from Bridport.Recommended

Excellent. Good food and beer. Big beer garden (though plenty of wasps). Not open every day but will certainly visit on next trip to this part of Dorset

Had a pleasant meal and the staff were friendly. Returned for a drink outside the next day and was plagued by wasps - this was also a big problem at the Symondsbury kitchen but they at least had some traps to try and reduce the problem. It’s also a bit scruffy outside and in need of some TLC. Think it could be a lot better.

Visited recently with my wife and two children (7 and 4) on a Thursday evening and had a very enjoyable meal. The pub have set themselves up well for social distancing, and it felt very safe. For starters I had the scallops and my wife had the chorizo scotch egg. The scotch egg was excellent and I wished I had chosen that too. For mains, my wife had the scallops and I have the local Dover Sole, which was really delicious. My children chose from the children’s menu and had fish and chips and burger and chips which they both enjoyed. We all had dessert too. Myself and my daughter both had the sticky toffee pudding, but the standout dessert was my wife’s cheesecake - outstanding! Good local beers on tap too.

We were impressed with the friendly, efficient staff from the initial booking to arriving , food service and the excellent meal . Wonderful Dover Sole and Spicy Paella served with a smile. This is a proper English Pub in style, cosiness, location and the welcome. We will return thank you.

After escaping the locust like hordes of holiday makers in Lyme Regis, we looked for somewhere to have lunch and happened upon the Ilchester arms. I am at a loss to understand the negative views on this site. We were checked in and offered a table immediately with our drinks order being taken. We ordered our meals(fish and chips and pavlova desserts) and they arrived very quickly and were delicious. Our waitress was friendly and efficient and we were unable to fault anything. The only negative comment which I have seen mentioned before was that it was a bit pricey and I would agree. £13 for fish and chips plus other somewhat high prices! Suggest that if the owners reduced their prices by a pound or two then this would be the perfect hostelry!

Delicious food in this out of the way local. Lyme Bay Dover sole with samphire was a particular highlight. The decor belies the excellent food. Much to recommend it including friendly staff. They welcome dogs in the dining room.

Popped to The Ilchester Arms after reading reviews and a recommendation from family. Was a very hot day (30 degrees) so we came for a quick lunch sitting in the garden. Very lovely grounds (bit of a breeze!) accommodated the dog well also. Umbrellas provided at each table for shade. Were given two menus, lunch menu and the summer specials. We ordered the ricotta gnocchi and a ploughman’s to eat. These came very quickly after ordering. I was very impressed with the homemade gnocchi, the roasted red pepper sauce was divine and the crunchy kale made it. My partner was very impressed with the portion sizes of the ploughman’s. He particularly enjoyed the scotch egg. Overall a fantastic lunch, would definitely say give The Ilchester Arms a go if you’re in the area.

Booked this restaurant last minute as we wanted to find somewhere away from the coast. My Husband and I have been here before with Friends. Two of us had the Paella which was lovely but I was a bit disappointed to only find 1 prawn in mine as I love prawns but the mussels were lovely. My Husband had a beef burger which he said was far better quality than he had eaten recently at another popular coastal pub and my Brother in law had a huge fish and chips. We sat in the garden which was lovely due to the weather. It was a busy place with people having to queue outside to go to the bar or order food. Maybe a table service outside would remove this issue. Overall a beautiful pub in a lovely quaint village which is also dog friendly. We will definitely be back in the future

First visit to a pub since lockdown This would be our local pub if we lived nearby Excellent staff/greeting/and food Holly and will make a great team and we wish them all the best for the future the attention to detail is second to none Great eve and look forward to going back

Fabulous Sunday lunch. The pub was really busy, but amazing well run. Superb food and fantastic service, all whilst maintaining social restrictions. If this female manager asks you for a job. Employ her now! Young, but utterly professional and in control.

We ate dinner here twice in three days as it was so good. The pub is lovely inside, classic old style. The menu is good and the food was excellent both times - strongly recommend the steak and the fish and chips, but others looked good too. I must also compliment the staff who were very friendly, efficient and attentive - well done!

We were recommended this pub as a good place to eat so thought we would give it a go not very impressed. Covid signage confusing a one way system which double backed on itself as only one way in and out of restaurant area. We watched a waitress collect glasses from the garden placing her fingers in the glasses to hold them and then come straight in put glasses behind the bar pick up a pad and pen and go off to take an order, no hand washing, no anti bac after having your hands in a glass that someone has had their mouth round just somehow felt very wrong. Food was ok although nothing special. As for the pub itself fairy lights and plastic mistletoe everywhere with wires trailing on the floor and overloaded plug sockets, wall lights with no bulbs inside and cobwebs on ceiling just looking genrally uncared for. We did hear the landlady telling another table her and her husband are off to run a better pub, we assume for the same chain. Hopefully this pub will get someone in who gives the place a little bit of love, as it needs it. Must say the young waitress with the long black hair was amazing very polite and pleasant and really knew her stuff.

We went to our first post covid pub.The staff were charming and efficient. Management had clearly worked hard to protect staff and customers alive. We sat outside had a lovely ploughman's in glorious sunshine with a good pint of the best.What's not to like!Thanks we will be back!

We’ve dined before at the Ilchester Arms, but, we’ve not had Sunday lunch there for a while. We visited today and were delighted with, well, everything.The decor was more contemporary than we remember, but, still cosy, with a relaxed feel.I’ve ‘pestered’ to book-we’ve worked all through lockdown and had a recent trauma, so we really wanted to eat well and relax.... and not have to cook!From booking, right through to leaving today, everyone I’ve spoken with has been really friendly and informative (about new protocols etc).The greeting today was warm, the food was actually perfect; I can’t think of any improvement possible.I had the beef and asked for it to be a more well done cut-it was cooked to perfection and tasted like ‘proper’ traditional beef.My husband said the slow-roast pork melted in the mouth, like the softest pulled pork-tender and tasty.There was a medley of fresh, colourful vegetables, crispy roasties, tangy cauliflower cheese and a huge Yorkshire pudding-which perfectly soaked up the rich gravy. Everything tasted freshly cooked and was piping hot.Service at the table worked fine (for drinks too) and was attentive....so nice to be checked on-doesn’t happen always these days! Additional requests...(mustard/more gravy) appeared in a flash.Really well done to Holly and Will and All. You must have worked so hard, in uncertain times, so that us customers would feel looked after and relaxed and could enjoy a fabulous ‘home cooked’ meal, without any of the work and no washing up! More than ever, we both really valued today and can’t wait to return.

We visited here a few times, food is always delicious and the portions are huge! Extremely good value for money! Highly recommend the fish and chips and the steak burger!! Thanks Will and Holly, we will be back!!

Always lovely food in the restaurant but during lockdown the delivered fish and chips have been delicious and something to really look forward to. Thank you.

Another great takeaway at the weekend, Holly and Will are really doing a great job in these difficult times.The food is good and is delivered piping hot. Cant wait to visit the pub when things go back to normal.

Recently had a takeaway from the Ilchester and wow what a meal. Incredible food and plenty of it for an extremely reasonable price. Would recommend to anyone.

Thrilled The Ilchester has been able to offer takeaway during covid lockdown. Their signature fish and chips are always a go-to for me and my husband. Last takeaway I enjoyed the chicken burger and the heavenly brownie. Always a special treat on a Friday night for us to order from Will and Holly. Thank you for providing us with great tasting takeaway!

While most pubs are closed during Covid19 lockdown, the Ilchester Arms are offering a takeaway service and delivery on Friday and Saturday nights. Probably one of the best I've had for a long time, food was excellent, and portion sizes were amazing, especially the fish. A must for anyone in lockdown.

As the whole family have been craving a decent burger, we thought we'd give the Ilchester Arms takeaway a go. The fact that it took 20 tries to get through on the phone (always engaged) boded well I thought, must be popular.Our food arrived hot (and early) and was absolutely gorgeous! Huge chunky hand-cut chips and fresh salad leaves. And thick, juicy delicious steak burgers with just a hint of pink - mouth-watering. The chicken burger was equally lush (I'm told by the one who ordered it). The portions were filling enough that we havent yet managed to tackle the brownies and apple cakes we'd ordered!We will definitely use this service again, and once this lockdown is over, pop in for a pint too.Thanks Holly and Will, lovely stuff!

Love this pub, hands down the best in bridport. Had 2 fish and chips delivered to my door, Not just any fish and chips possibly the best I have ever had.Can't wait until I can actually visit the pub and have a nice cold pint in the the beer garden.

You know that feeling when you taste something and your eyes close and you think/whisper/mumble OH MY GOD!! That is what The food taste like, amazing does not do it justice!!!! Plus when it comes to service, no one goes beyond what is required more than Holly and Will!!! I’d give 10* if I could!!!

This is a good example of a classic English pub. A very welcoming bar which is good for walkers and dogs, with a very comprehensive menu. We booked a table for lunch and were given a place in the restaurant. Very attentive staff and the best mussels I have had in ages.

I have previously rated this place very highly but on the night we visited it just didn't hit the previous heights. Food was average until the pudding which was inedible - told the waitress - response was a shrug of the shoulders. As I say, probably a bad night.

This has become a must-visit pub on our trips to this part of Dorset three or four times a year. Our recent visit for an evening meal was all one could wish for at a country pub. There was an immediate warm and friendly greeting and a roaring open fire. A pint (or two) of well kept ale was enjoyed while perusing the menu and daily specials blackboard. To start we chose the chorizo scotch egg and the mussels in a cream and white wine sauce - both superb in quality and flavour, and each of generous proportions. We both enjoyed the homemade beefburger with pickles and handcut chips, selected from the specials board, and again of high quality and a generous helping. The pub is very efficiently run, the service is excellent, not hurried, and the premises are spotless. Our only slight criticism is that we did not have room to sample the mouth-watering puddings this time around. But we will be back! It was interesting to hear from a neighbouring table a customer querying no vegetables with one meal, yet acknowledging none were on the menu. They were advised they could order side veg if they so wished, but no, they were happy with their meal. A minute or so later a waitress visited their table with a vegetable selection saying it was 'with Chef's compliments'. A very nice touch indeed, and one that will be remembered.

Warm and cosy with a lovely smell of woodsmoke. Stopped for a mid walk drink and were welcoming. Coffee good. Would stop again

We arrived last Saturday and were staying in the area so dropped in for a drink on Saturday. We were greeted by a really lovely young lady called Gemma. She made us really welcome and took the time to chat about the local area. We were booked in for lunch on Sunday and Gemma was working. She took the time to come and say hello and helped to make our second visit as welcoming as the first. My husband had whitebait as his starter then we both had the roast beef which was absolutely delicious. We wish we had a pub this good close to home and would like to thank everyone for their contribution to making our break fantastic. We look forward to returning later in the year.

Was staying nearby and popped in for an evening drink one night.What a pretty pub. Has the look and ambiance of a ‘proper ‘ pub. Unfortunately did not have the opportunity to eat but would love to visit again when on holiday.

At the last minute on Friday afternoon my partner and I decided to take a break in the Lyme Regis area and were fortunate enough to find a lovely holiday cottage in Bridport. Our hosts recommended us to try the Illchester Arms .... and I am so glad we took their advice.

We had seen the signs on the main road while stating nearby over xmas and on returning from a trip to Lyme Regis we decided to call in well we were more than glad we did . The pub has lovely decor and was decked out nicely for xmas the outside looked well maintained and welcoming.

Very nice pub very welcoming ,we had mulled wine 🍷 it was scrummy we will return at some point next year .

Last month we went to this place to eat, as we had always been pleased and very happy with the food and the atmosphere.It is a very nice pub. However, on this occasion, perhaps the chef was away, but I had the worst main course I have ever encountered. The starter was a celeriac soup which had no taste of celeriac at all, although it was hot and of good consistency. The main course was the let down. Belly pork !! the crackling was rock hard with half an inch of soft fat under it, and then swimming in a cream sauce on four slices of potato and soggy greenary. It all looked grey, tasted dreadful and I left most of it. The Ice cream sweet was good, this was not the tasty meals we have had on several previous occasions. Sadly we will not be going back again.

I booked this for part of a surprise 50th Birthday weekend. The staff were amazing, the food great home cooked and delicious. I had to phone several times to change table size, timings etc and the staff were always very helpful and kind. The pub is warm and cosy, we were inside for winter, but outside looked beautiful too.

A random choice of location to meet up with family to exchange Christmas gifts as it is mid way between Exeter and Christchurch. We don't usually do reviews but the food was so good we felt we had to at least let others know. A proper 'pubby pub' with friendly staff and locals drinking at the bar. However rather than the usual 'pub fare' we were treated to some excellent freshly cooked food. The 'runny' scotch egg starter was superb as were the scallops that my God Daughter chose and the sea food chowder main course was just excellent. We live in a part of the country where it is only a short drive to get to a Rick Stein's or The Chewton Glen but to be honest it is worth driving for an hour and a bit to eat here where the food is as good or better and almost half the price. An excellent lunch was had by all. Thanks.

Had a lovely meal at this pub. I had duck leg which was very tasty and my husband had fish and chips which was also very tasty. Lovely cosy pub with excellent attentive staff.

Visited here today after a stomp from

Visited for dinner midweek in bar and enjoyed the warm friendly atmosphere and real log fire.

The reviews below sum it up. Go and eat here. You will not be disappointed. We ate: yummy homemade crackerbread with honey whipped goats cheese; had sea food chowder and a local burger; we saw the side dish of onion rings on another customers table - proper lightly battered homemade crispy onion rings - and couldn’t resist; Tonka bean tart with sorbet and the must not be missed gin sorbet. All of it was delicious, beautifully cooked and thoughtfully presented.

Incredible food! Absolutely amazing pork belly and scallops. The staff are really friendly too! We will definitely be going back!

A lovely family and dog friendly pub.Great food and service would definitely visit again if in the area.

We have visited this wonderful pub many times in the last year or so and everytime it's superb. Our last visit was around our Silver Wedding Anniversary and little did we know that the staff had decorated our table especially for us with flowers and balloons etc - an absolutely lovely touch that really shows the wonderful nature of the staff who run this pub. The Landlady Holly has a smile to die for and always welcomes us superbly and Will her Husband and his kitchen of superb chefs are in my mind the best couple I've seen running a pub in a long time. The food is quality - I don't need to say much more than that, and the fact that we often drive for 45 mins from Exmouth to here shows how highly we rate it. If you live nearby and you haven't visited your really missing an absolute treat.

Super birthday meal for 20 people. We ordered in advance to make things easier and it worked like clockwork.

The food was top quality, the staff were also very nice and helpful. It was nice to bring the dog with us!

Popped in for dinner while staying nearby based on reviews. Really nicely situated pub off the beaten track, with a chocolate box appeal. Made to feel welcome with young children. Only ate main courses, which were scallops, mussels and kids burger meal. All really nicely prepared, hot and tasty. Well conditioned beer. Would definitely go back.

We called in here on the way back from a day out and, whilst it is a little bit off the beaten track, this gem is worth the detour. The team were very welcoming, food was fantastic and we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

While stopping in the area we visited for a family meal on our last night of a family holiday. Party included 6 adults 1 toddler and 2 under one year olds. Nothing was too much trouble and we made very welcome and seated in the restaurant. The food was great and all the family enjoyed our evening. We went outside into the garden for coffee and the children enjoyed the small play area. Great evening to end our perfect family holiday in Dorset. Would certainly visit again if in the area.

Absolutely fantastic experience. Nothing was to much trouble. We were made very welcome. Parking was a little bit difficult

We were staying locally and popped in for a couple of eve drinks. We looked at the menu and decided to go back as it looked lovely. We were advised to book as they were always busy ( that has to be a clue as to the quality they provide) and so arranged for lunch the following day. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, both was too much trouble. The beer was also very drinkable, we had the Palmers 200, that slipped down a treat! The menu was well balanced and full of difficult choices, it all sounded so tasty. I had the scallops and chorizo to start, my wife was saving herself for a pudding so elected not to have one ( which means eating half of mine just to see what it’s like). It was delicious and beautifully prepared, 10 out of 10 from me! For our mains I chose the steak burger and my wife the fish and chips, once again beautifully prepared, fresh and very tasty. For pudding we chose the Tonka berry cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding and at the risk of repeating myself, once again beautifully prepared and really tasty. All in all I can not find fault with any part of our visits and will definitely be returning, thank you to all at the Illchester arms.

Camping in nearby Pilsdon and popped here for a spot of lunch. Much more than your standard ‘pub grub’. The food is delicious and of a very high standard. I highly recommend the scotch egg and the mussels. Lovely atmosphere with seating out the front and back so you can enjoy the sunshine.

We came here for lunch for a party of 18 and the food was excellent. Service very good too, we were all really pleased! Thank you.

A lovely pub to finish a walk over the hills from Chideock. Warm welcome, lovely ambience, great beer, food good. Will certainly visit again.

After a 3 mile walk around the area we were desperate for fabulous food and we were not disappointed!

We stumbled across this gorgeous looking pub and decide to go in for lunch. Quick friendly service. The fish in chips is gluten free. My wife can’t eat wheat so this was ideal. We both had the same and it was the best fish and chips we’ve had. Thanks again. We will be back when we are next in Bridport

A group of us go out for lunch locally each month. This time 9 of us descended on the Ilchester Arms. We ran a tab and all drinks were served in the bar immediately and we were directed to the restaurant dining room. A nicely appointed and well set out table. A complicated order of starter and main portions and drinks were ably handled by the charming waitress, who took the order accurately and with good humour.

Popped in for a solo dinner and went for the scallops and pork belly. Outstanding. Great meal, very good portion size and nice price. Have already recommended to friends who live locally. Will be back!!

Went here for Sunday lunch with the kids (3+5), they have a lovely pub garden, with a little playing area, swings, slide and monkey bars. Enough to keep them happy. Food choice was great and I was amazed how quick the food arrived, well priced and very nice too. Will definitely be back

Didn't know gluten free batter could taste so good! Well what a surprise all the batter and chips are gluten free and really crispy and spot on!!

We visited twice while in the area on holiday and had two very nice meals.

We booked the pub for a celebration lunch for 14 including several different allergies and an age range from 3 to 77.

Our first night on our short break to Dorset, food was thoroughly disappointing. Belly pork had no veg or sauce, was very dry and burnt on the bottom. Bouillabaisse was just some fish chucked in a Tomato pasta sauce, or that’s how it tasted! Would 100% not recommend :(

We were let down by another local pub, and called the Ilchester Arms to book a table for a celebration dinner for ten. The response could not have been more better. The lady manager agreed to the booking, and we enjoyed a delightful and delicious dinner backed by excellent service. Highly recommended.

Ate at this pub two nights on the trot. Came with friends whilst staying nearby. The food was great and the staff were very friendly and efficient. After the first night we just had to come back. Would highly recommend.

A pleasant pub off the beaten track. with large beer garden and adequate parking, Inside the bar is snug and welcoming. Enjoyed a good pint of Palmers IPA which is brewed in Bridport. Would certainly return if down that way. I cannot report on the food as I did not eat there.

Very friendly pub. Had a wonderful meal, very good chef, best mussels my husband has had....pork belly was great!! If you love chocolate cream eggs covered in chocolate brownie this dessert is for you! Nice landlord and lovely waitress. Couldn’t score higher due to dirty cutlery

The Ilchester Arms is a beautiful pub set in a great location. I found it a shame the seating out the front was so cheap and tacky looking.

Visited this superbly located pub last year, food and service was really poor and had no intention of repeating the experience. However did so on a very busy bank holiday Monday. What a transformation, only had crab sandwiches with portion of chips but the quality was excellent and served promptly. Had a perfect pint of Palmers Copper served by friendly helpful lady. We are locals and following our recent experience we will be returning. Enjoyed.

Excellent value super quality food Excellent range of beer and wine Attentive staff with excellent interpersonal skills felt at ease all the time Thank you

Stopped on our way up Colmers hill. Had lunch here. Didn't really want to expect having read previous reviews but we were pleasantly surprised. Warm welcome with large open fire. Dog freindly. We had two meals from the special menu and was the nicest meal out for a while. Will go back again soon.

Stopped here with our three golden retrievers and baby, very friendly reception and delicious food, the chips were amazing.

We went as a group and the main courses were dreadful. Chips were very dry, full of bruises and dark discolouration, the steaks over cooked and tough, the scampi straight out of a frozen bag of cheap 'more batter than fish' product. Very disappointing because the location is pleasant.

We booked a dinner table and ate in the bar. We were promptly served by the friendly waitress/bar person, who had taken our booking. I had a perfect pint of Palmer's IPA. We shared the starter of homemade sourdough bread with olives and oil.My wife had the Fish pie, she cannot have shellfish and her enquiry was answered quickly and accurately. It was a very generous portion and was excellent. I had an unusual dish from the Specials Board 'Oxtail, pork and kidney pie' with thrice cooked chips. The pie had a flaky pastry topping and was very nice indeed. I thought the chips were soft all over and not brilliant. I then had a really good cup of coffee and my wife had the salted caramel ice cream. With the sole exception of slightly indifferent chips the whole experience was very, very good indeed. I would highly recommend this place and I look forward to the summer months when they open earlier for morning coffee

Disinterested barmaid, bland food. You could tell ir was very cheap ungredients being used. Not one positive thing to say about our experience at the Ilchester Arms. Wont be going back.

Pubs in a beautiful location! Staff are lovely and friendly! Delicious food, never disappoints, would strongly recommend to anyone! :)

We only went for a drink here after a 10k walk. However the outside was beautiful and inside was cosy with lots of fairy lights and an open fire. Set in the pretty village of Symondsbury. Would recommend .