The Amberwood in Christchurch

We ate from the Lunch Menu which had a good selection and is well priced. Our food was delicious. We don't understand the comments re poor service. We found the staff friendly and service very good. I have no doubt that we will be back.

At nearby Hoburne Naish, a stay for our 30th wedding anniversary. Stopped here for lunch today. Staff extremely welcoming and couldn't have been more accomodating. Nothing too much trouble. Food absolutely delicious. And set menu such good value. Well done. Wish we lived closer as we would be regulars.

Delicious lunch today, lunch menu is good value with a nice selection. I'm sure we'll be back!

Booked a few weeks ago for a wake. The food options were a nice selection 😁 Service was good, they kept the coffee and teas topped up.

Nice place but dinner very tasteless. Great that they accept dogs though.

Lovely pub and nice atmosphere, but awful service: Me and my friend came here for a few drinks over lunch. I brought a drink and sat at the bar. The bartender then asks my friend if he wanted to keep his empty drink bottle for decoration purposes, so I was made to offer them a drink myself. After we had been sat for about 30 minutes, we were asked where we would be going for lunch, and recommend other establishments that offered good food. We said we would like to have food here, but had to get our own menus. When we went to order food, which they knew we were going to do, they were too busy to take our order as they were serving a wake. Hence we went to the bartender's recommended pub.

Dinner on a Saturday evening for a group of friends. Seemed a little chaotic on arrival, but shown to our table and order taken. Food itself was average at best, but unfortunately on bringing it to the table the waitress managed to tip a peppercorn sauce onto one diner, across their shirt and jumper on the back of the chair. Mistakes happen, but the follow up showed a complete disregard for the customer experience. No apology followed from the waitress, she put a towel on the back of the chair and walked off. We assumed to get something to clean up the mess, but never returned. When we raised this with another waitress she said she’d ask the Manager. Another waitress appeared, said she was in charge that evening but hadn’t experienced anything like this so didn’t know what to do. Eventually someone else appeared and apologised saying to email details of dry cleaning bills. Unfortunately the items can’t be dry cleaned and have been left ruined. Subsequent emails have been completely ignored by the pub.

On holiday with my parents and husband and dog last week in Hoburne Park and booked the Amberwood as we have been in the past (prior to the refurb) and knew they did gluten free stuff for me, and was dog friendly. All the staff were so friendly and helpful, going above and beyond. They were so patient and kind, especially with my Dad - who has Parkinson's, and let us sit where was best for him - and our dog who likes to be out of the way. The menu choices were great for all the non GF people in our family and good enough for me and we all enjoyed the food we had. We also really like the refurb. It's much more open now and modern. We also found it really good value for money and will definitely be back when we are next in the area.

A few years i tried this pub for a roast dinner. It's not local to me but the roast was so good we came back every Sunday which was equally as good each visit. When they closed for a refurbishment I hadn't been back since then but today I visited with my sister who was very impressed with the food that she wants to bring her husband back. I heard its got new owners but the food was just as good & delicious as before. I can't wait to come back again. Roasts are so delicious 😋

I've seen more smiles and friendliness at funerals than I saw yesterday lunchtime. Website says friendly, well maybe this word means something different these days. Burger very good but chips with grotty skins, full of black bits. 🙁

The first visit since the new owners took over The Amberwood Inn. The menu had changed a bit. But the quality of the food was just as good. I had prawn cocktail to start, then gammon egg and chips for main meal. All freshly cooked and served lovely and hot. Good size portion. This pub is a little gem just of the A35.

We booked the Family room for a small gathering after a funeral. The staff at The Amberwood could not have been more helpful and respectful. There was plenty of food for all those gathered and the quality was very good. It was all just perfect for what we wanted. Thank you

Fantastic cuisine, super nice staff. Wonderful flair. When we are back in southern England we will come back.

Excellent food and service. I have visited once a week over the last 2 months. The quality of ingredients is high and the dishes imaginative but not pricey. I rarely write reviews lately but feel bound to put the record straight after reading some negative comments about this establishment. I'm not negating other reviewers in any way and everyone has their opinion. I just wanted to share my experience.

We had a reception here after our mother's funeral. Everything was laid out as discussed with the Manager & the buffet & refreshments were very good. The staff on duty that day were all friendly & efficient & when someone in our group was taken ill they showed empathy & remained calm until paramedics arrived to give treatment.

Didn't eat here but good beers as we popped in for one on the way home.

Having recently booked the Amberwood in walkford to celebrate my late Dad’s life I have to say how impressed we were with the service we received. The food was excellent, the staff professional and the venue warm and welcoming. It really was the perfect venue for our family and friends to get together. eat, drink and celebrate the life of a wonderful man!

Having had several good experiences over the last two years during previous holidays we were looking forward to a return visit. We phoned to book a table for the evening which was confirmed but told we should arrive five minutes early. On arrival we were shown to a table, our drinks arrived promptly. It appeared that there were just two members of staff covering the tables and the bar. When our food arrived some 40 minutes later one of the meals was incomplete. The waitress disappeared and didn’t return to check everything was ok. We were eventually able to track down the other member of staff to flag the missing vegetables, he found and presented the missing items then returned again about 15 minutes later, with some more potatoes, the other party members had nearly finished their meals. He then tried to clear away the dish with the original vegetables in. At the end of the meal when we asked to speak with a manager to complain, but we were told their was no one in authority available. The waiter offered a discount on the bill or a dessert as compensation. We were very disappointed, and did not want to return again later in the week.

Went for Sunday lunch today, very disappointed with Sunday lunch, so called roast potatoes were terrible (did not eat them) my meat (Turkey) very stringy and very dry, had to ask for extra gravy, but was still dry. Service needs a lot of attention, new staff need more help! Sorry to say all the above as we do eat here a lot when on holiday, but we won’t be going back for Sunday lunch again.

After having two brilliant meals here when on holiday last year, we were eager to return this year. However, we were greatly disappointed. Having ordered food, we then waited 40 minutes before it was served. The jacket potato and vegetables were missing from the lamb steak and the waitress didn’t even return to check if we required any sauces or if everything was ok with the meal. When we tracked down another waiter to bring the missing vegetables , he did so but then returned 15 minutes later (when we had nearly finished our meals) to offer new potatoes as an apology (bearing in mind the meal had come with a jacket potato) and then tried to clear away the dish with the original vegetables in. At the end of the meal when we asked to speak with a manager to complain, we were told she was not working that night so instead had to speak with a waiter. He offered a discount on the bill as compensation, but this did not compensate for the spoilt evening! We were incredibly disappointed with our visit and sadly will not be returning again!

OK, so we decided to go for lunch on Saturday as we fancied a drive out as well and booked for 12.30 We were geated by an amazing young lady who was extremely polite and said we can sit where we like.so we sat by the window. She showed us the specials board which was very inviting along with the lunch menu. The prices looked reasonable too. So there was 4 of us and we all ordered something different - chicken supreme, the chicken on the special board which was breast filled with peppers and wrapped in bacon, lamb steak and the beef lasagna. When the meals arrived all 4 of us were massively impressed and to be honest, the plates were all polished off. The food was cooked to perfection and the sauces were wonderful. The lunch was a real nice experience and we would like to thank the team (especially the chef) for providing wonderful food. We shall be going back (again).

The food here is exceptionally good. None of your ping dinner sameness of the big chains. This is chef-cooked, top notch food that is prepared with love and presented with care. Served by staff who are professional and friendly. Worth a journey to be able to savour the experience. Highly recommended

We and our friends enjoyed our meals.

Amazing place and service. Party of 27 excellently served even with all the changes we needed and requested

My host at the B&B gave a good recommendation and i was'nt disapointed. It was a busy night and I still felt very welcome. The food was very good. And the Manager is very charming

I booked lunch and rang ahead to advise that one of the guests would be in a wheelchair. I was pleased to see on arrival that a table had been prepared for that wheelchair. This was very welcome as the vast number of places we visit don't prepare for our situation. Preparing for our visit shows respect and it was much appreciated. The food was very good and we had a lovely meal and will certainly be going back.

Beautiful pub, very friendly and the food is delicious. The waitress was great, with just the right amount of attention. My husband had the brown crab cakes to start then Monkfish and I had chicken with hasselback potatoes, green beans and a tomato, bacon and tarragon sauce. This was followed by blueberry and prosecco cheesecake and I had salted caramel ice cream. The price was a very fair reflection of the quality of the food. Unfortunately I don't live in the country otherwise I would visit regularly.

Nice place polite staff and regulars

A fabulous local pub with good food, good wine and beer choices and really attentive, helpful staff. Meals are reasonably priced and there are good set menu options Mon-Fri. There are no shortcomings at this pace at all. Very well run!

Wake for 45. Staff were attentive but descriet. Everything was organised in an appropriate manner. Plenty of good quality refresments. Communication with Bill and his staff from the initial enquiry has been relaxed and without pressure. Family and guest have all been very complementary. Thank you

They definitely have a really good chef here, the food is top notch Lovely comfortable pub

Booked and went for a Birthday lunch yesterday. Very limited choice of food available. Waitress on her own doing numerous tasks. We didn't get our requested water and orders were taken out of sequence. None of the food we ordered could be provided apparently. Not even a prawn cocktail. We left very disappointed. Ruined Birthday plans. We are local people and wish to inform others of what to expect at the Amberwood now.

Great lunch today with friends at this lovely pub. Food was excellent and at £18 for two courses or £22 for three, it was great value. Service, too, was perfect with no waiting for anything. We will definitely return.

Lovely place, good service and value

Best meal in a long time. Rib-eye steak with all the trimmings and ice-cream after. Couple of pints of Badgers Best, and a jazz band live in the dining room. Can't beat that!

We didn't eat this time but had an amazing evening as the Wise Guys were playing. The band are great and this was the 4th time we have seen them. The bar staff did a fantastic job. Thank you.

A very nice pub with superb service, the waitress was very good. Helpful, smiley and knowledgeable, could not ask for more. Food was very good, but menu has changed, so maybe just a couple more options of standard pub grub would be welcome. Overall a very pleasant experience.

Pleasant visit. Nice atmosphere and staff.

Popped in for lunch without booking. Luckily we were offered a Booth table. The food was excellent, as was the service. I had the steak & ale suet pudding. My wife chose the pork medallions with apple, mustard & sage sauce. Both were delicious and with generous portions. Prices reasonable by current standards. Never been dissaappointed here.

Had our Auntie's wake here and there was plenty of room. Thank you. 🤓

We come here for a wake it was a very nice country gastro pub food was nice and service was great the server for us was amazing

Having never been in the area before we randomly popped into this pub on our walk. We ordered off the lunch menu and the children’s menu and the food was absolutely wonderful! I ordered the lasagna for my little girl and I would have happily eaten that myself! Even the salad dressing on our side salad tasted homemade and super tasty. Lovely atmosphere, very clean and the staff were very attentive and kind. Highly recommend! Their evening menu looks very lovely too so may have to pop back for that.

The place, the meal and the staff were all great, haven’t been here for a long time, despite living very near. Gave it a try because a neighbour told us it was now really good again, and they weren’t wrong. Had really good meals, there was six of us, and the staff were great. Do what I did and give it another try, you won’t be sorry!

Just had one of the best meals at The Amberwood. 4 of us have had a really lovely meal this evening. Thursday April 4th

Steak and chips was lovely. Restaurant is dog friendly, and the staff were very good and efficient. Would happily eat here again.

Our family visited today to celebrate our Mum's 91st Birthday. The waitress, Tanny, who was a ray of sunshine, recognised that both our parents have disability issues, and without prompting, asked if they would prefer chairs with arms. How thoughtful! Throughout our stay, nothing was too much trouble. Tanny even asked if we would like a break between collecting our empty dinner plates and bringing us our deserts. We weren't rushed, we all enjoyed our delicious meals, and the service was second to none. Well done Amberwood. Your chef and waitress are a credit to you. Thank you for making our Mums Birthday a happy, relaxed one. We will definitely be returning.

Forget the local upmarket hotels and restaurants, this dining pub is excellent in every way.

I haven’t been here since the refurbishment and I must say they have really made a good job. Cosy yet plenty of spaces between tables. Food and service excellent

Went to the Amberwood today at lunch time for lunch . Have to say the one member of staff did an out of this world job at running the bar and restaurant. The food was good and we enjoyed it. The fish and chips was the best I had at the Amberwood in the last year. Hope next time more staff are on hand. But 10 out of 10 to the staff member working today. Hope he has a great weekend.

We called about 11am to see if they could accommodate a party of 13 for 13.30 the same day. We arrived and a table was set up ready. Never been before but very nice pub well decorated and we received a warm welcome. Food was excellent and staff very friendly. Will eat here again without question when back visiting in the area

Valentine meal - awful. Wasn't made aware of pre-ordering food when booking the table. We were told 'there might have some monkfish leftover'. The waitress argued that were were informed of the pre-ordering whilst at our table which wasn't the case plus inappropriate. Menu is nowhere near as good as it was when we visited last September. Now basic, pricey and we found it difficult to find something we'd want for a special evening meal. Weren't offered any further drinks beyond our initial G&T and glass of wine, waiting staff non-attentive. Openly dismissive to another customer who enquired about lactose free desserts and another customer had to ask for milk for his coffee even though he ordered a white coffee. We weren't offered coffee. Bill brought to the table as a curled up till receipt rolling about the table. When we asked to pay by card the waitress announced loudly the amount due (just under £75 gor the 2 of us). I contacted the Amberwood directly but no response hence this review. Sadly won't be dining there for a very long time.

We went for an improv dinner. We had trouble finding a place as we had not booked anywhere. The Amberwood were welcoming and friendly. The bar was busy and it gave a nice buzz to the place. We had chicken supreme, pork chops and two kids meals. All were excellent, particularly the adult meals. The waiting staff continued to be friendly and attentive throughout the time. We definitely will visit again when back down.

Beautiful pub inside and out Staff were very polite, food was fantastic! This is a place to come to but best to book a table in advance

We had my dad's wake here the food was very good the staff were nice and the surrounding lovely.

Didn’t eat , so can’t comment on the food

First time I've been to The Amberwood Inn for a few years and I was pleasantly surprised. The decor was good and the food was excellent and service was good especially as there were 11 of us having lunch together. I will be going again and thoroughly recommend.

We would thoroughly recommend this venue for special functions. They did a marvelous job of hosting a wake for my late Sister-in-Law. The food was excellent and plentiful and the service was top quality. Thank you Bill and all the staff.

Food was great but fairly expensive. £140 for 5 mains and 4 puds. Nice for an occasion.

Really nice home cooked food. Warm & homely on a cold winters night. Just what I needed 😊

Really friendly staff in a relaxed atmosphere. Really dog friendly and a good size Sunday lunch. Wish more pubs were like this one.

Wonderful selection on menu cooked to perfection and reasonably priced. Cosy atmosphere with excellent and attentive servuce.

Thank you so much for the wonderful Christmas drinks. Really made Christmas with the family meeting up with the locals for a festive drink. Keep up the great work. And Merry Christmas to you both and your family. 5 stars.

Friendly service. Good food. And very cosy wood burner x

Our Christmas Party for 42 people was fabulous. Julio the chef did us proud. All our meals tasted delicious, were hot and beautifully presented. Bill, Tanny and Laura were a great team and ensured everything went smoothly. Excellent service. A 5 star from all of us and a huge thank you for making our day special and memorable.

Everything was perfect from the friendly greeting we received when we arrived to the lovely atmosphere, excellent service and superb food. Will definitely be going back.

Fantastic place. Specially barmen Cengo Fantastic guy. Thanks for everything 😀 Wonderfull night...

Everything was top class. Great menu, great service and very tasty food. Amazing value for money

A very enjoyable lunch in a pleasant environment with friendly staff. A good value menu that was well prepared and presented.

The service was extremely good, very friendly staff who worked hard as there was 31 of us, but nothing seemed too much for them, the food was gorgeous, and very good value for money, it was delivered within a timely manner, the chef was very accommadating and ensured everyone was catered for, lovely atmosphere, everyone had a fantastic time. We will certainly be using the amberwood again next year.

What a great time we had at this ideal place to hold a Christmas function, it almost brought that Bing Crosby feeling that children get with all the twinkling lights and good company. We were there to celebrate our third annual Christmas luncheon for Helen Talbot's Thursday afternoon Art Class. This venue was held before at the Lord Bute but I am not sure that this is far superior and with a bit of luck, we will repeat the experience next year. Thank you to the Amberwood management and staff for your hard work.

The Amberwood was a welcome respite from an otherwise miserable December day. The whole place is nicely decorated throughout and if you can judge its popularity by the customer numbers than it is win, win! The food was very nice indeed, and the portion size is just right. All piping hot and nicely presented. There is also a good range of beers and cider and everything else at the bar. We found the staff extremely friendly and the service second to none. Thanks, Amberwood.

An Art group that I belong to are proposing to go to the Amberwood for our Christmas meal and I did an Investigatory trip to see if the gaffer has tried to let the spirit of the season shine through. In my opinion he has succeeded admirably. I will up date my review after our meal. The Amberwood is fab.

Dropped in and had a lovely lunch. Decent alcohol-free gin, lager & cider (great for drivers), a nice menu & great service

We held a wake here due to its proximity to Hinton Woodland Burial Ground. So glad we did, as the food, atmosphere and venue was lovely. Around 30 of us were very well looked after. I would definitely recommend it. Thanks.

The pub that should be on everyone’s doorstep. Great atmosphere, lovely staff, comfortable and welcoming.

We had another fantastic meal at The Amberwood Inn.

A lovely place to stop for a drink or meal. Good sized car park. The pub is very nicely decorated inside with a nice bar area. Friendly staff and a good drink selection available. I enjoyed a glass of wine by the lovely warm log burner. Hope to come back soon and try from the food menu. Overall well worth a visit🙂

The service was incredibly slow and the food was very poor. Safe to say I will not be taking my family back there for a meal ever again.

we went for Sunday lunch the meat was slices of beef that were under cooked the lamb was fatty the roast potatoes were half cooked we spoke to the owner politely stating that we had visited before had scampi it was nice however the food was uneatable the owner was very dismissive we wont be returning

Had a roast here, was very nice. Only down side was we looked at the menu online to see they did Turkey, but when we arrived they didn't have any. a little bit disappointed as we picked this pla e for the Turkey Roast. Had the beef instead and it was lovely. My partner had the Lamb which was also tender and lovely. Will definitely be back again, hopefully when they are serving Turkey 🙂.

Excellent food and a great selection on the menu.

We went here on a recommendation and we are very glad we did. Good food , my wife had the gammon and I had a ribeye . Both were vert good portions and worth the money.. We are going back for Sunday lunch to try that out...

We haven't been to The Amberwood for a while and decided to drop in for an early evening dinner after a Friendly indoor bowls match at East Dorset Indoor Bowls Club. My wife order the seafood linguine plus a side order of garlic bread and I chose the rabbit casserole with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Both main courses arrived in a timely manner, were nicely presented and delicious to eat. I also had the apple and apricot crumble with custard for dessert which was also very enjoyable. We both thought the redecoration of the restaurant and bar was overdue and had been tastefully done making for a very spacious dining area. We will definitely return as this is still quite a local pub although we now live in Christchurch and not Walkford itself.

Very nice lunch and friendly staff.Decor good.

Our friend Wendy deserved us treating her out for a meal following her heroic babysitting adventures while we were on holiday. Our choice was the Amberwood which had recently been totally upgraded. The inside of the pub is a fusion of old and new and has been completed most sympathetically by the interior designer. The waitresses are perfect and the food is delicious, so all in all we could not have chosen better. The cost of the meal was reasonable but to give it a five star the menu could have been slightly cheaper. The Amberwood really rates a 4.5 on the Tripadvisor scale which I would have given it had it been possible.

Excellent food, great customer service, lovely comfortable seating, cosy atmosphere.

Return visit two months on but very disappointed this time. The roast lamb was fatty and the turnip/swede was solid to cut. Lasagne did not appear fresh as expected, a little dry and crusty. The calves liver had to be returned as it was tough and stringy obviously poor quality. On a positive note, the service was excellent.

Fantastic pub , nice outdoor area , spacious inviting bar and restaurant

Wow, best coffee in town. Had lovely chicken curry, nice staff, attentive service. Lovely visit.

Tasty food reasonably priced.Service excellent will definitely be back.

Quite simply, we often pop into The Amberwood for lunch or evening meal and it's a great place to meet friends. Recently renovated and dog friendly, the staff are friendly and helpful, the food is freshly prepared. The environment is relaxed .

We visited twice while we were on holiday. They were very dog friendly bringing him a bowl of water. The Sunday dinner was lovely but the meal midweek was a little bland, but we would visit again.

Went after a funeral. I don't know what the food budget was but it was very poor and not enough for the people that attended. Would not recommend.

Lovely roast dinner and great atmosphere

I've driven past the Amber wood most days for years. Today we decided to stop and eat, and so glad we did. The decor was very fresh and inviting. Welcomed with a hello by the barman as soon as we step through the door. Intially intended to have a Sunday roast but upon seeing the menu I went for the crispy pork belly starter and cod loin & scallops main. My partner went more traditional prawn cocktail and steak (no mushrooms - allergic). I was subsequently informed that they were out of cod loin so I went for seafood spaghetti. My starter was wonderful. If they added a couple of roast spuds and a bit of veg it would have as a main meal. Prawn cocktail also got a thumbs up from the other half. After starters, two enormous main meals arrived, unfortunately my partners had mushrooms but they immediately admitted their mistake and recooked her meal. My seafood spaghetti was out of this world. So glad they were out of the cod. A huge portion but the majority of the bowl was full of seafood and not spaghetti. Delicious. Wish I'd dropped in before but will make more reqular stops to make sure this was not a one off

Always good food and good service.

The restaurant changed hands earlier this year and the food had improved markedly, that is, until our last visit when the chef hand changed. The Sunday roast was not nearly as good as previously, the roasted pork loin was paper thin and scraggly, the portions of vegetables and potatoes were smaller ( I left still feeling hungry ) The food was also not hot enough We had made consecutive bookings but will wait a while and see if things get back to as good as they were, which was very good indeed.

Not very busy. Lovely staff super food massive portions.

One of the best for food and atmosphere.

Lovely relaxed evening, good food and great service. We had the bonus of it being quiz night, we were pretty poor but really enjoyed it. Everyone very friendly.