Phelips Arms in South Somerset

The last night of our holiday so we visited the Phelips Arms for dinner. A wonderfully warm and friendly welcome and great food. Dog friendly too! Hope to see them again when we visit Montacute in the future. Would highly recommend it you are in the area.

What a lovely B&B , location is great ,parking is good .Our room was lovely and spotless. The bed was comfy , and the bathroom was clean. We had dinner in the pub the first night ,the food was excellent Breakfast was good, too . We sat out in the gardens ,which was lovely .

Been before and enjoyed but went for the Sunday Carvery. Good food, good service with right amount of attention and didn't break the pocket. Very good and will return.

We chose Phelips Arms as it was right next to Montacute House which we visited in the morning. The pub is pleasant and on looking at the menu and specials, we thought we were in for a treat. The menu is not your usual pub grub, the price is reasonable but not your "cheap" pub price. I ordered the sea food platter and my partner opted for the beef bouguignon. When the fish platter arrived, I knew it wasn't right. Everything on the plate was a colour of beige, it was obvious that they were from the freezer to the fryer. It would have been ok if they were of good quality frozen food but these were not good quality. I had a bite of the calamari and had to look at it to make sure it was calamari as I wasn't sure what the taste was. There were some prawns wrapped in pastry, again, not sure if it was actually a prawn. The worst was the mini fish cake, I cut into it, the smell hit my nose and I put it to one side. I didn't want to try it as I doubt it was fresh. On seeing my reaction, my partner swapped his beef bouguignon with mine. He came to the same conclusion. The beef bouguignon was not much better. The beef was dry and the sauce was tasteless according to my partner although I thought it was edible compare to the fish platter. The best thing on the plate was the mash potatoes. It is such a shame, the place has a good atmosphere, the bar tender was helpful and pleasant but we could not wait to leave for fear of being asked about the food as I'm not sure how to even let them know how dire the meal was. I can see the reviews here and some people obviously have had good experiences. We must be the few unfortunate ones. Unfortunately, the food was so unpleasant it is unlikely we would visit again.

Went for lunch today with family we don't see very often, and It was absolutely lovely. Great food, great service and lovely atmosphere. Looking forward to visiting again soon.

Wow - what an experience. The hosts couldn’t have been friendlier, the food, beer and wine were lovely and a great breakfast served earlier so I could get home to my dogs. Can’t recommend highly enough.

We had a nice Sunday lunch from the carvery and nice puddings. It was disappointing that the coffee machine was not working as it would have been nice to continue a social lunch with a good coffee.

Arrived at the pub met by Ann who made us feel very welcome. A lovely log fire in the hearth. We intended to stay one night but stayed 2. The room was welcoming and spotless beds very comfortable. We ate with friends on 2 evenings lovely food and breakfast, local beer excellent. Very reasonable priced home cooked food no ping meals here! Great atmosphere and would highly recommend this venue. Will be back

A nice pub with a lovely host but .... Cold inside , no fire on . Beef pie had some dry bits in in , potatoes had an unusual taste and my food was not very hot . Apple and pear crumble had no crumble and again not hot . What a shame this pub could do so much better . I will not return, but all the best to the owners.

Excellent lunch. Service was prompt and professional. Nice pub and charming village. I will visit this venue again in the near future.

Great Pub to stay at and the food was good. Very welcoming hosts and they were great with our dogs. It was a bit of pain not being able to leave our dogs to sleep in the room when we popped for dinner but I can understand why that is the case as I’m sure not all dogs would be that well behaved. The room was clean and had everything you needed. We did pop to the other pub for a drink as this one is closed from 3-6pm but it’s not an issue. Only suggestion I would make is to add baked beans to breakfast👍🏻.

Just visited the Phelips Arms for dinner tonight and have had an amazing meal. Such good value too. Being coeliac , eating out is usually so limiting and boring but here, just about everything is gluten free or can be adapted. Lovely surroundings, the waitress was lovely and very attentive, really recommend.

Love this place,we went for a date night last Saturday evening and I loved the cute little village pub.. I was shocked at how lovely it was inside and didn’t expect it to be like it was,as I usually drive past and just see the front .the food was great ,service is great and we rtn today for a carvery which was lovely. The young waitresses both times have been lovely too .😊

A great pub for a Sunday roast. Food was delicious, hot and tasty. Very good value too - cant get a roast in many pubs for £13 these days. Really appreciated their efforts to provide gluten free elements too - Yorkshire puddings were GF and amazing!

Charming pub, great location. I visited on a Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed a BBQ and excellent local ales.

Another enjoyable visit and the food offering has improved again. Well done all involved. I understand a new chef has been hired.

We went in for lunch and a drink, nice inside but a slightly chaotic atmosphere , the lady serving was on her own and trying to serve drinks and take orders. We ordered the sharing cheese ploughmans and drinks. The food arrived on a board, I had to ask for plates. as the waiter forgot to bring them. The food was good, fresh and tasty, but such a small serving, I don’t eat a lot but I was surprised it was so tiny. If you are hungry eat elsewhere.

Last minute overnight booking due to a leg injury and I couldn't drive home. The manager possibly owner needs a course in customer service, surly and off hand at all stages of the customer interface. No provision on Sunday morning to sit anywhere down stairs and certainly no opprtunity for a coffee or tea until after 9am, I had already driven for 60 miles by then and without a drink or snack. During the dinner hour, the young trainee was washing up cutlery in a jug of brown water in front of diners and the whole experience rates as one of the worst ever while travelling alone. Do try somewhere else! It was very expensive for what was on offer.

Haven’t been here for a while but won’t leave it long before I return. Very welcoming efficient staff. Excellent food. Good choice on the menu

Lovely friendly atmosphere, cosy fire, yummy food and good service, situated in the beautiful village of Montacute. A fantastic local but also a must visit for visitors to Montacute!

The food at the Phelips over the last 10 days has improved dramatically keep up the good work. The cook made the effort to check the food was ok after it was served.

Always eat at The Philips Arms when visiting friends. First visit 1985! Watched the rugby and then had a superb steak and frites as good as any I have eaten in France. Great welcome and atmosphere.

I’m a local in Montacute and think the Phelips Arms is great. We quite often have a meal there and it’s consistently good honest pub fare. I particularly like the steak and ale pie and their lemon meringue sundae is to die for! There are quite often live music and regular quiz nights. Highly recommended.

Great food in a cosy, friendly environment. Staff were very welcoming and very helpful. I will definitely be returning.

when we arrived at first everything seemed ok but our food was terrible we had a very long wait and when it arrived it was not even what we ordered and it was luke warm on a cold plate when we told somebody about this...

This was our first visit to this pub, but will not be our last. Extremely friendly and efficient and altho the pub was busy, the kitchen obviously runs well. The pub welcomes dogs and my cockapoo was most pleased to be offered a biscuit as...

Had two good meals in this pub a few weeks ago would definitely use again next time we are in the area comfortable and welcoming staff

Enjoyed lunch with friends. Friendly service and good food enjoyed by all. Cody log fire and comfortable seating added to the relaxed atmosphere.

We had a lovely works Christmas meal at the Phelips Arms in Montacute a few years ago and it was very good. We decided to give them a try again this year. What a fantastic evening we all had. There were 23 people who came...

Seemed nice enough people. The food was average and expensive. Mind you, I have been used to cheap stoke sub hamdon working men's club prices; half a lime and soda is 50p, Phelips is £1.80. Pint of beer at £4.50, is £2.80 to £3.40 at...

Have been here a few times. Very friendly and great service. Went to a Halloween themed Quiz night. So much fun , Anne was on form as usual. Food is always served promptly and nice and Hot , very reasonable prices. Definitely go on the...

Unfortunately due to the Queen's funeral my event got cancelled and I contacted the owner to see if i could re-arrange my booking for a couple of weeks time. I spoke with the wife of this family team. I appreciate the reason for the change...

To be honest, I should have reviewed the Phelips before. However, we’ve just been for the Sunday BBQ and it really was fabulous. The Landlords keep a really good pint, you’re sure of a great welcome and it’s a lovely place to be. The food...

Great food, good atmosphere and stunning village. Trixie the dog is the main attraction! Well worth the visit. Lovely breakfast!

We have just moved to the area and on our first night out went here. Food was absolutely gorgeous. Served hot. Great portions. Great service They have a brilliant “Skittles Alley”. Proper wooden skittles, so much fun. 2 dart boards, lovely garden area and clean...

I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon here and thoroughly recommend it. Luckily the weather was good enough for us to sit out in the charming and very pretty garden. On my previous visit I ate in the pub and this was an equally...

I was amazed to read previous reviews as today when my husband and I visited for lunch we found a warm welcome both from the staff and landlord. We could not fault the food we had, in fact it was delicious, well presented and extremely...

Dropped in here for lunch during a country walk. The pub is pleasant enough as is the beer garden, but the food is bottom-end pub grub, which could be forgiven if it was priced to match; sadly it isn't. £15.50 for a handful of freezer...

Good service from the barmaid on arrival and had a nice pint of the local beer. Ordered the lasagne and chips. Unfortunately the chef had left the lasagne in the oven much too long. Came out with a crispy top and very dry, no sign...

There is a really lovely atmosphere here that my mother and I really appreciated. I phoned ahead to book and check out the accessibility for a wheelchair user - all level, but a slight issue with a narrow entrance and an outward opening door. Staff,...

Had a lovely lunch here (four incl an 8 yo).... Great quality food accompanied by a Palmers ale. Friendly host and will be back whenever we are on the area. Book ahead a as popular!

Superb meal for early Valentines meal. £36.00 for a three course meal with free two glasses of Prosecco, the food was superb, very fresh and cooked to perfection. The staff were very friendly, accommadation was clean and comfortable and a super fresh full breakfast.

Perfect friendly pub that cooks a great homemade style carvery…such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere right from the start, our dog was made welcome and offered a treat then served straight away with drinks. A proper quality true pub with wonderful service and a very...

This is a regular haunt of ours. Very enjoyable meal from a menu with plenty of choice. Lovely village pub with very friendly staff. Always an enjoyable evening.

We’ve been in Somerset for a week now and it’s fair to say our food experiences have been like the weather - hit and miss! After another underwhelming meal last night I took to Tripadvisor and came across the Phelips Arms Immediately the atmosphere was...

We are all vegan and two of us gluten free too. I was very impressed with the number of options that were vegan. I had two gluten free rolls with pesto tomato and cheese, salad vegan coleslaw and crisps it was delicious. My daughter had...

I had booked Sunday lunch to coincide with a visit to Montecute House which is but a few yards away from the pub. We were shown to our table and were advised that the chef would be 'ready' for us soon. We didn't have long...

We popped in here for a quick drink after visiting Montacute House , landlord was extremely friendly, we ended up having 2 drinks. The pub was so welcoming, staff were very Covid aware. Well done guys, this is exactly how a pub should be.

Recently stayed in Montacute and visited this pub several times for food and drinks. Beautiful garden area. Great food and friendly service. Ann and Charles were lovely and welcoming. Thank you!

Our first visit to this excellent pub. Well organised Re Covid requirements and excellent toilets. Able to enjoy lunch in the garden. 3 x ham, egg and chips plus 1x Cornish pasty and chips - all superbly cooked and the beer (Dorset Gold) was thoroughly...

Hubby and I had a delicious lunch. Midday at The Philips. Chose the Christmas menu. Hot and well cooked and generous portion. Log fire was burning, festive Christmas lights. Ann and Charles were very friendly and overall a lovely treat. Very clean and cosy pub....

Stopped here with friends. We had soups and breads and one had rhubarb and custard - all good. This is a Palmers pub so ale is decent too. Service was pleasant and efficient. when this lousy pandemic is over we'll be back.

We stopped here at the end of a long walk. I didn't get the names of the publicans but both were so friendly, chatty and welcoming. I had a veggie burger and my wife the lasagne, both delightful. The local cider packed a punch too!...

Excellent service very friendly and helpful and excellent food will recommend 💯 and will be back again

We had an evening meal at The Phelips Arms whilst camping locally. The meals were served promptly and were freshly cooked . Can not fault the very reasonably priced meal or the welcome and service. Also much appreciated the good choice of Gluten free options. Would certainly recommend and would return again if we are ever in the area again . Thank you

Great lunch in the courtyard garden. The hunters chicken was enormous and tasty and the rest of my family had steak and ale pie which was great too. The Dorest ales were superb. The village of Monatcute is very pretty, lovely half hour walk from the Masons Arms Odicombe where we were staying

I wish we'd stayed for longer in Montacute. If we had, the Phelips Arms would definitely have been on our list of places to eat. The restaurant not open every day and, sadly we didn't have a free evening to spend there. I say 'sadly', because when we did drop in for a drink one afternoon, we watched enviously as other people's plates went to and fro through on the way to their tables. It looked delicious. The beer garden, by the way, is lovely - it's really thoughtfully planted and a very tranquil little space.As it was, the beer was excellent and the welcome was very friendly. The landlord found time to chat for a few minutes to ask how we were, ensure that all was well and to offer some suggestions about things to do locally. They've put some thought into their COVID precautions, too. My only small criticism is that, although you're encouraged to use your phone camera to scan a QR code to provide contact tracing details, the signal is very poor locally and it's rather hard to accomplish. That's hardly the Phelips Arms fault, but another method of contact tracing might help.Anyway - another reason to return to Montacute in future. Recommended.

Friendly service and really lovely food. As it was Eat out to Help out the pub was very busy but there was a one way system and lots of sanitiser about so it still felt safe. The pizza we ordered for our children was too big for them to finish so the staff even wrapped it up for us to take home. Will definitely visit again.

Our group was made up of meat eaters and vegans and there was plenty of choice for both.The vegan options were different to the usual dishes that are on menus and they had the best vegan pudding that we’ve eaten in a long time. The staff were really friendly and knowledgeable about the items on the menu. The pub is set in a beautiful location and the interior decor further reflects this. A really enjoyable visit - great food, drink and staff.

I know pubs have had a hard time over the last few months but this was the singularly most unfriendly establishment I've visited in a long time. We arrived as the kitchen shut at 2 pm so just had 2 non alcoholic drinks & one packet of crisps. We were directed into the garden as if they were doing us a favour serving us. And to add insult to injury, although advertising the "Eat Out to Help Out" offer, they did not seem to pass it onto us, or our drinks were the most expensive ginger ales ever! As they locked the door behind us, to return & argue was a step too far. There are other places in the village to go to where one might fare better.

We called in first just for a drink but as it was quite full and we hadn't booked we had to sit in the Skittle Alley which wasn't great. We went again a few days later for lunch however and sat in the main room - the food was wonderful and very good value even without the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Never felt so welcome as me and my friend did !! The hosts here were fantastic so friendly and welcoming it’s hard to believe!! The place was clean all social distancing was all kept to the rules ...so this place gets a massive 10/10 !! Thank you so much guys we will be back xxRoss and Dan

Very hospitable landlords and waitress. Really felt safe with current distance measures in place....couldn't fault the establishment I'm that department. Menu was mediocre with large portions being visibly served. Enjoyable and refreshing to be out in a local pub.

We dropped in without a booking for a quick meal early evening. . We were accomodated quickly and staff were very friendly. Food was okay , nothing more than that . Arrived after about 10 minutes which makes me wonder how much a microwave was involved.My main surprises were the Covid 19 practices or lack of them.There was hand sanitiser on the entrance and exit , and a vague one way system in place .There were no screens at the bar , staff did not wear masks and life just seemed to continue as normal. During our visit , bar staff decided to take the empties out the back. They had to pass within 12 inches of our table with the member of staff coughing and spluttering.I am not in a vulnerable group and do not have particular concerns, but compared to the measures our local pub have taken in Hampshire, this was an absolute mickey take .Would not bother going back.

First time here and we all had a superb dinner........the best chips we’ve ever had. Very friendly owners and staff and great service ! We’ll be going back before we go home from our holiday.

Very enjoyable Sunday lunch.We booked and were pleased we had. Nice carvery although a little cramped. Nicely cooked although unsure it was worth paying for a large one. £3 extra for an extra slice of meat. Great cider and a nice ambience

Good service. Lovely village - right next doot to Montecute House. Very good food at decent price. We had a great lunch.

Came here for dinner after meeting daughter and son in law off the train at Yeovil Junction as it was on our way home. Really pleasant experience - nice surroundings and excellent food. Good value too Will definitely visit again

I had lunch with friends in this traditional pub in the lovely village of Montacute one quiet weekday lunch time. We enjoyed 3 courses chosen from the varied regular menu which had vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. Each course one was excellent and was served nice and hot by the friendly staff. The pub had a decent selection of real ales. There is ample free parking available and it is very convenient for a visit to the nearby famous Montacute House. You should note that food is not normally served on Mondays. We would have no hesitation eating here again, very highly recommended.

Ann & Charles the owners/ landlords were incredibly welcoming & kind. Introduced us to other locals visiting the pub; a lovely chatty & friendly vibe in a beautiful cosy pub on our visit just before Christmas. Ann & Charles also shared lots of the fascinating history of the pub & Montacute with us. We ordered two baguettes for lunch.. beautifully presented, huge portions & all tasted absolutely delicious. Chips on the side were some of the best we’ve tasted for years. Incredibly great value for money. Highly recommended as a ‘must go to’ for both the food & drinks.

A pub in the heart of a beautiful village - Family friendly, dog friendly, good food and friendly staff x

7 of us ate on a Wednesday lunchtime in December. Excellent food, well cooked with great service, Charles and Ann are very welcoming

Stopped in for a drink after visiting the National Trust property. The landlord Charles was very friendly and welcoming, the beer and cider were excellent and the fire was warming. Really nice pub with lovely atmosphere, I would definitely recommend a visit to anyone and I hope to return in the future.

We come here from different parts of the South because it's roughly equidistant so it's a once a year thing so the review hopefully shows that standards are constant. We use the skittles room where we have plenty of room and there is a pool table and the skittles to keep the children occupied. Service is friendly and efficient and not overbearing. The highlight is the carvery which is excellent. The servings are generous and the meat especially is succulent. The serving staff at the carvery are very friendly and good with the children.

My sister and I visited the Phelips Arms yesterday (15 November 2019) for lunch. The service was excellent and the home cooked steak ale pie was delicious. Also the home made mackerel pate starter was really wonderful. The prices were reasonable top. We couldn't recommend it more highly.

Enjoyed a an evening of skittles and accompanying carvery for a large party celebrating a 70th Birthday.

We popped in here for lunch whilst visiting Montrachet House. We received a lovely welcome and the fire was lit! Good selection of food and friendly service. Excellent fresh food with good portion sizes. Will certainly visit again.

We were staying in the area and visited this pub twice, once for lunch and once for an evening drink. They serve nice food, have a good selection of beers and wines and are very friendly. There is an enclosed beer garden at the back of the pub and plenty of space for our two large hounds.

After visiting Montacute House we went for lunch at Phelips. We have never been here before but we were pleased with our choice. A couple own this business since a year ago and we found a friendly welcome and conversation. We had scampi goujons and steak and ale pie. Both excellent. No hesitation in recommending.

Popped into this lovely quaint pub for a little bite to eat whilst visiting Montacute National Trust..Really good portions and the gravy was superb

So accommodating so polite so helpful and all we did was to pop in for lunch before we went over the road to montacute house..... absolutely nothing was too much bother and we have a very quiet snack lunch in a wonderful atmosphere.

We called in for a light lunch and ordered jacket potatoes. We were both really taken with the quality of the fillings and the salad that accompanied the potatoes. We sat in the garden, which was quiet and really pleasant in the sunshine and enjoyed a filling and good quality lunch. Staff were pleasant and helpful and happy to bring everything out to the garden for us.

We enjoyed a nice meal and drinks here. The menu wss good, and had some variety. It was within walki g distance to where we were staying.

A spontaneous visit with my sister for lunch at this hostelry was a delightful surprise. The service was by both the young waiter and the young lady behind the bar was both courteous and attentive, but not overbearing. My sister opted for the smaller lunch option of a lasagne with salad. If that's the small portion, the normal must be massive! I chose a very tasty baguette of bacon, brie, and cranberry. Always a good combination, and the bread was deliciously crusty. Two empty plates were testament to the tasty food. The prices were extremely reasonable too. The Phelips Arms is a must visit place for refreshments should be in the area (especially for Montacute House, a one minute walk away).

Nice homemade steak pie....we shall go back, I would like to sit in the bar in the winter! Shame the staff made several mistakes with our bill...guess they were inexperienced

We stayed here for one night when visiting Montacute House as it was very handy(100m from entrance).We were made welcome by the owner and she gave us a choice of rooms.They were clean and tidy and had everything you’d want including bath robes.The evening meal menu was varied and reasonably priced.They were very accommodating to our dietary requirements and the meal was excellent.Breakfast next morning was arranged to suit us and again was just what we wanted.We will definitely stay here again.

A lovely atmosphere welcomes you to a charming old inn full of character. The lunch and dinner menu's offer great food at very reasonable prices. Highly reccomendable.

A country pub in a nice village. Great ambiance and friendly service Good good value for the prices with generous portions. Not posh dining but affordable quality pub grub

Lovely old pub in this picturesque village. Good selection of Palmers ales, plus bottled beers, and decent wines. Very nice food had by all, and decent coffee.

A great little B&B; in a very friendly village pub. Loads of character, and all you need for a comfortable night. Breakfast was amazing for the price and finished off a great stay.

Very pleasant comfortable pub just a couple of minutes walk from Montacute House. Just had a drink there but the food looks good from what I coud see

We stopped in the village to get a pub lunch, the village was celebrating the church fete so there was bunting across all the houses, it all looked very pretty. My husband was really pleased to see that Beef Bourginon was on the menu and I went for the Thai Green curry. They were both very filling with plenty of meat in each dish, my husband cleared his plate and I managed to eat most of mine. As mine had been a little too spicy for me we decided to share a portion of their ice-cream. This was three scoops so we chose vanilla, vanilla with honeycomb and raspberry ripple. It was the first ice-cream that we had had whilst we were away and it was gorgeous, delightfully creamy and full of flavour. The landlord and his wife were very friendly as was the pub dog who kept on looking to see if anyone had dropped any food - despite a neckerchief saying Do Not Feed Me!

Had lunch here on a recent visit to Montacute House. Very welcoming staff. I chose smoked haddock with eggs, my husband chose steak and ale pie. This is one of his favourites. He said this one was excellent. My eggs were poached to perfection. I then heard this was the last haddock. Another positive for me, meant it was not out of a freezer. Good sized portion too. They also have rooms. If we lived further away we would contemplate staying. We will return.

Super setting within Montacute, tastefully decorates, good beer, good selection of food, friendly, helpful staff b

We visited for lunch and both chose Fish and Chips. The chips were double or triple fried, the fish was well cooked and the batter was crispy, rather like tempura. The portion size was generous to say the least and precluded us from trying a pudding. The pub had a good selection of proper beer as well as the usual eurofizz and the staff were friendly and welcoming. This is a dog friendly pub ideal for a day out perhaps combined with a visit to Montacute house which is only a few metres away, we parked there and walked into the village.

Visited lunch time and evening. Excellent food beer and wine. Booked again for later in the week. Very friendly owners and staff.

We enjoyed drinks in the pub on two evenings, and had one dinner. The beer and cider were well kept, and the bar staff were friendly. The whole atmosphere in the bar was quiet and polite. The food was good honest fare, very well portioned, and freshly cooked.

Wonderful pub. Clean and comfortable and very welcoming. I had a wonderful lunch - which was delicious and reasonably priced - unusual these days!

Second time here in the last year, passing through while on business. Really nice and peaceful, had the steak and ale pie this time. Outstanding. Usual locals and the owners dog - very dog friendly place. Good value and welcoming.

Popped in for a nosey. Lovely village pub. Nice small but adequate beer garden out back.