Red Rover in Test Valley

This place looked lovely and the staff were polite but we won’t be returning. My husband and I ordered pies and the kids had macaroni cheese with veg. Unfortunately my pie came out cold with one small piece of broccoli as the veg and some dried mash potato. My husband had a warm pie with an equally disappointing amount of veg. The staff apologised and replaced my pie with another even colder beef and ale pie that was now soggy too. I sent it back and declined their kind offer of a replacement. The children had corn on the cob that was slimy and overcooked but they liked the rest of their dinner. We did get a refund for the two cold pies. On leaving I noticed the toilets were dirty and there was a lot of dog hair all over the floors. I hope they take this review as an opportunity to improve the quality of the place.

Great place highly recommend lovely staff

We stopped by this place after visiting Paultons Park because we wanted to eat. The reviews were good and we decided to stop by this place. When we went in and sat down at a table, no one even came up to us for 20 minutes, then we moved to another table because the previous table was too dirty and sticky, but the other table was the same. We sat and waited for another 15 minutes, none of the waiters came up to us, after which my husband himself went up to the waiter and said that we were ready to place an order, but we were told that the cook was working alone and we would have to wait another hour. In connection with which we had to leave this place. Therefore, I don’t know how good the food is in this place, but the tables were dirty and the waiters ignored us for a very long time and no one came up. Therefore, the impressions of this place are not very good, unfortunately.

Met friends as a halfway venue for lunch...Basic Greene King pub menu..which was cooked well and enjoyable...could do with a bit of refurbishment..but staff were friendly and helpful...

Shout out to jake and alex best bar men in the pub

Good pub grub garden needs some TLC.

Jake and Alex were great hosts! Always got a smile and the gin was on point

Food is really nice and service is quite efficient. Staff is friendly and a positive atmosphere. Dog friendly as well with a nice garden space

Lovely and friendly staff, food was great, very good value , plus are little dog enjoyed her meal from the doggie menu, we will definitely be back again 😋

Great food, friendly staff, nice atmosphere 😁 Recommend.

Good food, helpful staff, peaceful atmosphere. We have a daughter with health concerns, and they were happy to accommodate us, even as a walk-in on a weekday evening.

Had Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas and Tartar Sauce Plus 1 side of mash. Fish was amazing, crispy on the outside juicy on the inside. Chips were good as well. Mushy peas were one of the best I've had and the tartar was tasty. The mash I wasn't so keen on, it was chewy and could've been creamier. Service was good, waiter checked on us whilst we were eating, overall friendly staff. However, we weren't given knifes and forks till after we got our food, so we had to steal from another tables. Was also given a used glass which still had beer inside. Inside was very nice, but outside was a bit drab. Overall I'd give 3.5/5

We have used the rover many times and usually really enjoy it, unfortunately we went last night and we're very disappointed.while the food was good apart from my Mac & cheese which looked as if it had been poured from a tin no cheese on top and not browned under grill we had made a booking online and when we arrived it hadn't even been looked at and no table was reserved the table we were given was dirty and sticky we waited ages for our starters which was two lots of garlic bread the mains took so long we had to ask what had happened to them,but the worst thing was the service not at all friendly or interested in customer and the lad behind the bar I overheard actually arguing with a customer who had disputed his bill, definitely not the friendly atmosphere we are used to there

We were a party of four who all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, can not fault it, the staff were really friendly and polite, we will be going back.

Lovely food, with pleasant staff. Very quiet due to road closure.

Stopped here unexpectedly on a Sunday evening, returning home from Peppa Pig World. Had low expectations as a ‘Green King’, but the roast dinner was VERY nice and great value. Kids roast for £4.99 and a very good size. Service 10/10!! Would definitely recommend.

Lovely quaint village pub. A beer on a summers day and a walk across the road in the new forest. What more can you ask for?

Came here for lunch with my family for my birthday and had such a lovely time. The food and service were great and the place is dog friendly which was perfect for us. They even do doggy dinners and deserts! The manager Luke was really attentive and made my birthday really special!

Food was lovely, the staff are friendly and helpful. Good prices, even the dog was happy

Very nice place to eat lovely food and warm atmosphere

Service food was good. However the table were very sticky and needed a good clean. Various steps inside need not have *Mind the Step * warnings & in fact a lady missed the step on the way to the toilets and fell down. No staff appeared to help.

Popped in for a quiet beer and some lunch with an old friend. Couldn't have been better.

Have had meals here many times but sadly the meal on Thursday was not up to usual standard. My lasagna was burnt at the edges and not very appetizing. You'll have to do better for us to return, sorry.

Great value for money and staff are very pleasant and helpful.

Great places, nice food, good prices and excellent friendly professional staff

We popped into the Red Rover on the off chance yesterday evening to get something to eat, forgetting it was Father's Day and the Euros were on later. Despite being very busy, the service was excellent and the food was delicious. We did not have to wait for our drinks at all and the food service was very good too. All the staff were very friendly and good at their jobs with attention to detail. We would definitely go there again.

Food good staff nice and friendly

Stopped off on way to catch ferry, food was good, service was impressive, well impressed.

Great food, great atmosphere, great place. I'll be coming back here again.

Really nice food and great service. Very friendly staff.

Staff very helpful and pleasant well worth the visit will definitely be back

What a lovely place popped in with our dog and ordered food and a dog sausage dinner and it didn't disappoint, the food was delicious and the dog dinner was brilliant, the staff were lovely and so friendly, 100% going again and recommend this place.

Always stop off here on way home from visiting family. Never had a bad meal. I do not normally leave reviews, but our last visit (2 days ago) warrented comment. We went for the gammon meal on the 2 for £15 offer. The size and quality of the dish was outstanding and incredibly good value for money. I even spoke to the manager to tell him it was TOO cheap, he said it was Green Kings policy to offer these deals for customers as an incentive. It certainly worked in our case and will definitely continue to visit on our travels. A mention also to the helpful and attentive staff, a credit to your team. Dennis Bridger

Very friendly. Great food. Very nice place to eat with the family.

Food was nothing to write home about, just okay, but for the price I wasn't expecting anything gourmet. Kids menu was extensive, and staff were very friendly and attentive, probably fine for a few drinks and a snack!

Visit in May. Lunch with friend. Booked online this morning. Decent pies 🥧🥧, great value and very attentive staff. Good Car Park 🅿️. Real value for money. A second visit… clearly chosen a ‘difficult day’. Explanation… only one Chef in.. so food delayed. My real issue… choosing to sit in the garden which meant ‘PAY AS YOU GO’. So, drinks ordered… they arrive… go into pay… food ordered (delayed as only one chef) … arrives… go in and pay 😳. Fully appreciate policy might be needed to avoid ‘runners’ who don’t pay but PLEASE surely discretion needed… we’re in our ‘later years’ and clearly weren’t going to RUN FOR IT 😳. PS Garden needs some work. Food good value for money 👍

Nice atmosphere, dog friendly pub with 'dog menu' . Reasonably priced menu good food.

Avoid. Waited hour & Half for food, Not worth waiting for! Served others with food who came in after us. Out of 4 meals, only 1 enjoyed. reluctantly paid the bill after complaining. Will not be going back. Shame as my idea as we hadn't been there for such a long time!

Absolutely appalling. Last time I rated this place 3/5. I can't believe its got worse. We were told there was a 30 minute wait for food, fine, however it actually took an hour and a half. No updates given. Finally it came out, 3 out of 4 meals were awful. Over cooked. Chewy, and just disgusting. There was only a handful of tables occupied too. So not busy. This certainly seems to just keep getting worse. Avoid.

Had a lovely duo roast of turkey and beef.. and sticky toffee pudd with custard.. very friendly staff..

Clean, tidy, cosy pub. Friendly staff. The food was very tasty and delivered to the table in super quick time. Just 1 teeny tiny suggestion if you order All Day Brunch take your own Brown sauce as they don't do it 😩 update:- 60th Birthday meal with friends and our little puppy. Fantastic service. Great food. Lovely end to a lovely day 👍

The food was okay. Dinner and pudding. Service was okay. The servers were polite and friendly.

Had a mixed grill, could not cut the sausage it was rubber and the rest was dry. Everyone else seamed to be enjoying there food.

Only in for a quick drink n charge my phone. Really nice friendly bunch,I'd make it my local if I lived near by

We arrived at 7pm on a Sunday where only two people where working. Only one other table was there in the restaurant. The menus took so long we eventually got them ourselves. Then we had to go to the bar to order as no one came to the table, we found 5 items where unavailable which we weren't told. We then had to change our order. We waited for 40 minutes for food, when we asked where the food was it was bought to us in dribs and drabes. It took around 15 minutes to get all our food. The food was dreadful, some food was burnt from being under the heat lamps and others were cold. We sent some food back but it came out just as awful. Only afterwards did they inform us the chef wasn't even working that night and it was the manager in the kitchen. If we had known that we would never have ordered food. Absolute disgrace and we will not be back again for food which is a shame as we only live around the corner.

Very much improvement with food excellent and service was very friendly and efficient.

Just stopped for coffee and cake. But the welcome, service and price was excellent. Very friendly owners and staff. Will definitely come back to try the food properly another time. Very dog friendly have a fab dog menu that I know two dogs who will like to try.

Food was generally ok but truly unbelievably slow service. We were there 3 hours for a three course lunch. I'd hate to think what it's like on a busy day.

Having visited again after a bad experience My family and I had a fantastic meal served by friendly attentive staff. Really good

Only stopped in for a drink post fishing on a nearby lake, the place seemed pleasant enough, I had a quick look through the menu and it sounded very nice with reasonable prices too.

Great selection of food. Lovely pub and atmosphere

Good food. Good prices and a surprisingly good veggie menu too. Well worth a visit. Edit - still good food, still great value, still a comfortable and welcoming environment.

Oldie woldie charm in this pub/restaurant very reasonably priced food and some food menu offers. Large eating area indoors and outside in the garden. Dog friendly too. Had the pub classic fish and chips with peas which was very nice. Would definitely call back.

Reasonable choice to choose from, nice friendly staff.

Glad we called in on the off chance. Really good value for money. I recommend the Chicken Schnitzel

Great food, polite staff which unfortunately isn't a norm nowadays, an all round pleasant place to be.

We have booked a meal here twice recently and been let down at the last minute by being told they are not serving food. Not even a phone call. As this was for a birthday meal it was very disappointing. Won't be booking again.

We have been to this pub 3 times over the last few months and every time have been told that they won't serve us food because they don't have enough staff (the pub has been empty each time). Don't bother going.

Great pub with varied, good value menu. Historic building with interesting decor. Great garden for summertime!

Having eaten here several times before, March being the last time, we decided to visit again last night. Usually great service and nothing too much trouble but last night service was extremely slow, meals smaller and unappetising. Several choices not available and couldn't get a hot drink due to no milk. Very disappointed as it was our family Christmas meal.

...I and three friends had the worst Christmas meal you could imagine... actually, I don't think you could imagine it...wake up Green King. Stop embarrassing your employees and demeaning your customers.

Was OK vegetables could have been cooked a bit longer carrots were hard.

Came in today with my puppy. All the staff are lovely,very friendly and welcoming. Nothing is too much trouble. Food was delicious. The puppy loved her doggy dinner. Thank you everyone who works there!

What can I say ….. what a lovely warm welcome a home away from home. Chris, Alex and the team made me feel so welcome. The food was delicious, warm, well presented and good value for money! The environment immaculate with subtle lighting. Will defo be visiting again! The staff worked so hard: Thanks again guys xx

Dropped in for lunch unplanned after visiting family. Although we hadn't booked they said it was fine and had a table for 4. Very pleasant atmosphere, food was very nice and a good price.

Came in Sunday, the roasts were perfectly cooked such a lovely meal!

I came here on Tuesday I was greeted by a lovely lady and she was very delightful , we where for are food and it was very Devine and delicious the fish was so crispy the way I love it , my friend had the chicken pie and let’s just say lt looked very scrumptious next time I’m in I will be getting one as the mash looked so fluffy and creamy over all grate experience will come here with the family

Great food Great staff Nice place to relax and chill

What a lovely pub came in Thursday for steak offer was not disappointed the food was delicious and great value for money we were informed there was a new manager and new menu the manager came over and introduced himself to us as he was a very chatty and nice guy we regularly come for a meal recently the kitchen was closed a lot but he informed us kitchen now fully open and a new menu and a new chef if your passing by pop in we highly recommend

Myself and four family members booked a table in the restaurant for 12.30 and arrived early. Although it wasn't very busy at the time, we were very disappointed with the service, there were only two staff working. When we eventually ordered our food, it took over 45 mins to arrive. The food however, was very good. When we had finished we waited nearly another hour but the tables were not cleared and we were never asked if we wanted more drinks or a dessert, so we paid up and went to another venue for our coffees and cakes. This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have had.

Food was absolutely awful- used to be OK but pub also needs updating and loos were disgusting

Lovely cozy welcoming friendly pub

Very rude waitress on arrival, seemed cross that we had not booked. Then she told us there was a 45 minute wait. She sat us down and we ordered, the food arrived with in 10 minutes. Would have been nice if mustard was avaliable. The young man and younger lady were both very friendly,

Lovely cozy little pub just off the main road, nice staff and duty manager. Food what you expect. Well done Chris and the team

The roast lamb shank was excellent with veg and gravy. Great atmosphere in the restaurant area and bar well stocked. Many thanks for a great Sunday lunch.

Gone downhill shockingly since new management, staff clearly not happy, shouted at by manager which is incredibly unprofessional, food awful. Avoid.

The pub was ok, typical of a chain pub like this. What was frustrating is that of the 7 meals we ordered, 4 were not available. This wasn't made clear until we were stood at the bar ordering and was quite annoying. When we did finally order, the food was fine and no complaints on that. The table was sticky and not so nice to sit at and the gents toilets were pretty disgusting. Staff were polite, but didn't make up for the bad bits

the staff were very helpful and friendly and the food was good pub grub every comfortable atmosphere we had a game of darts good fun and dog friendly very nice

Very pleasant pub with lovely staff. Very dog friendly. Nice food at reasonable prices. Can’t fault it.

Lovely staff, very good value meal, steaks were perfect and the dessert yummy!

Couldn't have dinner here as they were only allowing people who had booked a table not blaming anyone as the chef was off sick and had a stand in . Shame really we had heard so nice things about the pub. So sorry Couldn't give stars for food,service,or atmosphere. Will try next year.

Visited today and we were extremely impressed. From the moment we arrived Chris made us feel so welcome and explained that he has recently become the new manager. We ordered food, I had the gammon steak and my friend had the sirloin steak. The food came out piping hot and cooked to perfection, it was so delicious we gave our compliments to chef Tamzen. If I was going to be super critical I'd say that the bar staff could be more efficient with their duties. Excluding that the whole experience was wonderful from start to finish. What a fantastic place to go for 1st rate food, surroundings and management. We wish Chris, Tamzen and his team all the very best for the future and look forward returning very soon. Highly recommend this pub for fantastic food, families and even your canine companions.

Staff were so lovely and professional, we have focaccia and chips, focaccia was so tasty but didn't seem very fresh and was dry and hard around the edges, but we were too hungry to care! Chips just need cooking a little longer as they were a bit pale and hard. It wouldnt stop us visiting again, nice hidden gem!

Was passing by on Friday so we popped in for food the pub looks lovely inside , staff really welcoming and friendly they have a brand new menu we were informed with lots to choose from and a good price too , food was lovely and fresh and hot we will be coming back again thank you everyone at the red rover

Not good. No staff.food disappointing.

Nice atmosphere food very good value you feel your not being ripped off

pub was very quiet not many customers .They were not serving any meals there chef was not there .Had a couple of Newcastle Brown bottles of beer hopefully they will be serving food next time .They have a nice beer garden at the back and dog friendly .

Excellent pub just off the road. Great find. Lovely food at a great price. Very welcoming and friendly staff. Great and enough seating with ample parking.

What happened? We used the Rover often enjoying a steak on a Sunday. Not been since June, visited on 20th August, the car park was empty, inside the tables moved around, bric a brack had disappeared outside furniture gone and only two tables occupied on a Sunday lunchtime! We ordered our usual steaks, medium, they came, my husband's was fine but mine when l cut it was red raw, almost blue. I asked for it to be cooked a little longer, it wasn't gone too long and came back, on the same plate,still running with blood, the chips sitting in it, no effort had been made to keep them hot whilst my steak was supposedly being cooked again, we normally have a couple of drinks and a dessert, but didn't bother, the other customers left, no effort was made by the group of staff lounging by the bar area to clear the dirty tables, we asked if there had been a change of management when we went to settle our bill, were were told yes. What a shame, the busy thriving atmosphere, garden furniture, bric a brac and customers and chef must have left along with them. We won't be returning, poor food, miserable staff and no atmosphere any more.

The worst meal I've had in a long time. Chicken had been warmed in a microwave and didn't taste like it had seen an oven. Coleslaw had turned and salad had to be spat out. The best item on the plate were the onion rings! In total between us we bought 4 meals and each one was terrible. After leaving the pub I felt ill. My stomach was upset and unfortunately spoilt what was otherwise an enjoyable evening with friends bot spent at the pub. The service was good, but the food was terrible.

Even though it was a reduced menu I would recommend others to visit and eat there. Chef was very accommodating of modifications we requested. Friendly staff, made to feel welcome 🤗

Had a lovely time at the Red Rover yesterday, service from Kai and Jess was great and good food. There was a bit of wait on food but the staff informed us and kept us up to date.

Visited the pub on Monday 21st August. The food served was inedible . Our card payment was refunded, but is yet to show on my account 9 days later. I have tried phoning several times and no one picks up.

Super friendly pub that my family and I love to visit. The staff are so nice and the service was great each time we visited , we recommended this pub to all our friends and family

Had main course, never offered dessert menu or asked if we wanted another drink

What a place. Despite all the issues this place has faced over the last few weeks the service everytime i go there is top teir! Would recommend to anyone and everyone

Very nice pub food. But the best was the staff

It was a nice evening even tho we didn't speak sooner bout a lamb shank that we didnt discover was cold until we got to the middle then another couple next to us said there’s were still frozen i began to get worried i would end up ill, and as this was a birthday meal kind of spoiled the evening as we’ve been several times before without any problems, but the girl who served us was lovely all throughout our evening and she kindly knocked something off the price for the problem when we paid for it.

After a long walk with the dogs, this just what we needed, A great pint of Citra and Fish & Chips. The dogs got a dinner and treats as well but the staff deserve a special mention. It is so nice to see a happy workplace where the staff obviously enjoy being there. Will come again

Had a table booked today for 13.15 but arrived a little early. Food order taken at 13.30 which was fine. GF starter wasn’t available. 3 starters arrived at 14.20 with another arriving after the first 3 had finished eating, we had to ask where it was and were told it was on its way and we wouldn’t be charged for it, fair enough. Main courses then arrived about 14.55. I had requested no potato but extra salad on my GF meal, it came with chips and hardly any salad! At least 7 people left the restaurant because they had waited so long. The food was not brilliant and was served looking as if it had done in a hurry. The waiting staff looked very stressed and were apologetic. It certainly wasn’t up to the standard of other Green King pubs I have eaten in recently with an identical menu. When the bill came we had been charged for a starter they didn’t have and the one that arrived late. I understand the pub is under new management but they really do need to sort out what is happening in the kitchen. I don’t think we will be the only ones who will not be visiting again. Such a shame as Green King pubs are usually very good value for money. UPDATE: I have been contacted by Red Rover who were very apologetic and have asked if we would give them another chance as they were having issues on that day. We will be going for a replacement meal in September as I’m always willing to give places an opportunity to rectify a situation. Watch this space!