The Bold Forester in New Forest

We went for a family get-together (18of us!) for a birthday celebration. We were kept in the bar area for about 30mins after our booking time then taken to our table. Within a minute of being sat down they started to serve the (pre-ordered) meals, which were of a good quality. About 40minutes after finishing our meals, I went to the bar to ask for a children’s dessert menu and was asked if I would like adult dessert menus too. Obviously took those! Another 20minutes went by and our main course plates STILL hadn’t been cleared so we went back to the bar to order a dessert for our 3 year old. It was £19-£27 for an adult roast and £13 for a child’s roast (even for a 3-yo!). Overall the food was good, but the service felt very pushy to begin with but completely non-existent after we were given our main courses.

Great food, will return next time we are in the New Forest.

I’ve had a lot of hit and miss experiences here. I’ve been for the Sunday roast before which has been lovely, and it is a lovely little pub. But more recently the food has gone downhill and is really overpriced for what you get. We had a reservation for Mother’s Day, and when we turned up they had no tables free, despite us booking well in advance. We waited at the bar where we could tell the same had happened to other people and eventually gave up left and got a take away at home instead. You cannot accept walk ins over people that have pre booked a table. Have not returned since as staff were not apologetic or helpful at all.

Food could have been a bit warmer.

Tasty food and friendly staff. Arriving about 1pm on a Saturday there was quite a long wait about 50 minutes, but not so unusual at that time.

What a meal! From the Fish and Chips my Daughter had which she said was and I quote "enormous". To the 🐗 Sausages that were beautiful! And the Turkey curry.(We didn't have turkey this year) and I had the Stack burger it was very big and very tasty too. Prices are a little steep but worth every penny/pound. I would recommend a visit, make sure you book in advance to be safe.

The food was beautiful here, the staff were all standing behind the bar talking, I was going to take our plates upto the bar when we had finished, it must of been an hour after finishing, my son in law in the end went up and asked for the desert menu, they then came and cleared our plates, expensive food, wouldn't go again because of the service .

We had a lovely Sunday lunch here, great service and delicious food. I would recommend this place for a relaxing family lunch with a country pub atmosphere

1st the good points. Great selection on menu for adults, vegetarians and vegans. Plus a children's menu. Lots of on-site parking. Restaurant area and separate pub dining area. The two adults who were with me had a good size meal for the money and they loved the food. Now the not so good part. I paid £21.99 for seabass and vegetables. For this money I did expect a whole fish. All I got was one thin and very small fillet with a tiny amount of squash puree with potatoes and broccoli. Even the child's plate of food had more on. So I am sorry to say I was incredibly disappointed and felt it just wasn't good value which is such a shame as the other three plates of food looked amazing. Plus I came away hungry due to such a tiny portion size compared to the others.

Not too bad. The food was okay and the staff were very good. Would go again.

Table booked for 1400, not ready, waited 15 minutes to be seated, ten minutes for order food, now 1310 and still no food so can’t comment on quality, totally pd off

Lovely pub, nice location. Staff were very friendly and chatty, very good with the children. We had Sunday toast on our visit. Roast beef was tasty, but roast chicken was a little dry. They’d run out of parsnips unfortunately. Yorkshire puddings were huge. Had an apple crumble for pudding. Whilst very tasty, and not overly sweet (custard was so nice!), I definitely wouldn’t call it a crumble. I don’t think the top had seen an oven, so was more like oat dust. Still went down well. Also, no signal on Three here

My wife and I both had a starter and main in the Bold Forester on Wednesday evening. The starters were great, but the mains were unfortunately awful. She had the Steak & Ale Pie, I had Ribs where both dishes were very dry and seemingly over-cooked ... as if they had been cooked days previously and reheated. My wife could not eat her pie because it was so dry and hard around the edges and was not charged for that meal (would have expected no less). However, I was starving after having driven back from Colchester that afternoon, and had eaten a few of the ribs ... I was only offered a 30% discount on that meal ... for ribs that were too dry and crusty in places with an applied sauce that just pooled across the top! My wife and I both eat my chips (we were hungry). On reflection, the Bold Forester should not have charged for my meal either. We were EXTREMELY disappointed in the food and also for being charged £35 for two drinks, two starters, and effectively a portion of chips. Really not happy and will probably never go to the Bold Forester again. Website says freshly cooked food - I would say certainly not on Wednesday. 05 Sep Update: I Emailed the Bold Forester with my complaint and to offer them the opportunity to respond - ignored ... Also, after I checked my bill on returning home, transpired that the 30% discount offered was fiction; hence, why I now also consider the staff-member dishonest and will never go to the Bold Forester again! Shame, because they used to be good ... now, they fully deserve my negative comments and rating.

Excellent service and staff very helpful and friendly wide choice of food and drinks. Large car park with disabled access.

A surprise birthday meal for 6 adults. The staff played along to the surprise and through out our time there were very polite and helpful. Food ordered was very good well prepared and of a good amount with nothing wasted. We shall be visitng again.

ABSOLUTELY AWFUL FOOD! Living locally I’ve tried this place a few times. It’s cozy so I’ve given it a few chances but the food is awful. We’ve had 2 bad, 1 good (although a really long wait with only 2 tables in) and the final one today, really bad! Nachos was literally a bag of Doritos with some cheeses melted over it in the microwave for £10.99. The portion was one bag of Doritos!! That was sent back. Then we had the main courses, the 2 fish and chips (a pub staple!) were over cooked beyond belief. There was no edible fish in the incinerated batter! I would have been embarrassed to bring them out! When we sent them back the manager even admitted ‘she couldn’t deny they were over cooked’ (understatement!) We decided to send all the meals back as we now wouldn’t be eating together which was the whole point of going out for a meal and the server and manager then got funny with us being quite abrupt and short! Not what you expect, it should be us getting funny with you, ruining our evening! Each meal was £20+ so not cheap and all the server could say was, we’ve had lots of changes lately! Maybe so but not my problem and last time I came you couldn’t cook a simple portion of cheesy chips, they were sent back twice before we gave up!! Avoid at all costs and if you’ve booked for Christmas CANCEL NOW to avoid disappointment!!!! Will never return here!

Steph the new manager was so helpful today! My dads surprised 60th and she went above and beyond to help and assist. Food was lovely and great customer service, definitely be returning

Didn't have time to eat, but the beer was good.

Very good food and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Not a gastropub as advertised. Average food at expensive prices, possibly some of it reheated from frozen. Sitting outside just gives a view of the car park. Inside a bit grey.

Took an hour and a half to get a main , this was after everyone else’s food came out and was eaten and then waiting another 20 minutes for it to be plated up and then without having a main meal for nearly two hours got a refund

Called in for a bite to eat & we were really disappointed. Ordered 2 x burgers & they were awful. Poor quality and tasteless. One was really undercooked. Even the dogs wouldn’t eat them. Don’t waste your money - we left feeling that we had been totally ripped off & will not be returning. £48 for 2 inedible burgers, a soft drink & a glass of wine. Not cheap either! Edited to add that this was on a Sunday evening.

Staff very attentive, good food, large car park that we could get our motorhome into. We would return if ever in the area :-)

We stopped off here as we were passing through. It’s a cozy looking pub and clean. The staff are really friendly and we were greeted straight away when arriving. The place was completely deserted when we arrived (around 14:30 on a Wednesday) and only a couple came in after us. We were seated and served straight away but be prepared for a wait for food as it’s cooked to order(I’ve seen others complain about the wait time but it’s expected). We had the Lamb Kofta from the specials board, this was quite tasty but it didn’t taste too much like lamb and the fries were rock solid. We also had the ‘Big N Bold’ burger. This was bland and needed some sort of sauce as the patty was dry. Oh and they are dog friendly. There’s adequate free parking and children are welcome.

If you want horrible food this is the place to come, the service is so poor, waiting time well just don't bother wasting your time or money here.

Worst Sunday lunch I’ve ever had. Boiled chicken. zero seasoning. Just white boiled chicken. 2 kids chicken roasts and 2 adults £71! I wish I’d taken a photo.

Lovely club sandwich and chilli and parmisan fries👌

Lovely staff, great atmosphere 👍 A shame the garden area has been closed!?

My wife and I had a wonderful meal this evening. I had steak and ale pie, which was to die for and my wife had glazed gammon. The staff were super friendly and helpful. One of the best nights out we've had since being here. Highly recommended.

Went yesterday whilst on my way home can’t fault the pub as whole the only negative was the cost of the food but overall was very nice was taken care of by a gentleman called Paul .was helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and the wines as well

The Bangers & mash and the burger were very poor, was much nicer food the last time I came in Feb.

Really nice pub, didn't feel too crowded which was great as we had 2 dogs with us. Lovely food and good service.

Service exceptionally slow. Food mediocre but chicken burger dry and inedible and fish pie nasty with hard veg. Desserts OK except ice cream sundaes tasted of detergent. Manager aware and apologetic and gave 10% off plus removed 2 desserts but still extremely expensive considering had no edible food !!

I realised it was fathers day and they were very busy with large groups BUT we were a group of 6 and waited a long time, 1 hour for our order to be taken and another long time for it to be served and a very long wait between courses. I did mention this to the waiting staff .

Limited food, nice location in the new forest but may need to do more with pub and pub garden for atmosphere

Inedible beef for the Sunday roast…not only inedible but uncuttable. All three meals the same. Mediocre meal generally, peas hard, broccoli just about cooked..reheated roast potatoes and sausage. Did complain at the time and given replacement meats not to the value and fifteen minutes later. Hence requested to take away. I was really disappointed ..I cook a roast every week, but as it was my birthday I thought I would have a break. Lesson learned, will not return.

Oh dear...we have eaten here before and travelled from Southampton for a special occasion. The table was booked for 12.30 and we arrived on time. We had our two grand daughters with us and this is the time of day they have lunch. We arrived on time and were shown to our table which was next to the bar, despite us advising we had children and asking to eat away from that area, in the main restaurant area. By 2.00 pm the food had still not arrived and we were aware a number of other tables were also waiting. Our young grand daughters were by now very hungry and fed up of waiting, as anyone with young children can imagine. I asked one of the staff when we could expect our food and pointed out we had been waiting an hour and a half so far. We received an apology and were advised that they would check. We were subsequently advised it would be another 15 minutes at least. We made them aware of our feelings and how unacceptable this was, particularly bearing in mind we have children with us. A manager came over and asked if on arriving we had been made aware of the likely waiting time. We pointed out that no one had advised us of any such thing and to make it worse no one in almost two hours had voluntarily come over to us to update and apologise. We eventually received our food, almost 2 hours in and the food was nice. The manager offered free sweets and the children enjoyed the ice cream. We will now be loathe to visit again, which is a shame.

Will not be returning when our food came it looked amazing however looks can be very misleading. Steak and ale pie was disgusting it tasted and looked like the gravy had been over done and then left to dry out barely any meat so was just very thick gravy with maybe 1 piece of meat, the veg was under cooked broccoli was actually cold like it had just come out of the fridge, mash was nice, eggs were good however the gammon was not cooked the fat was still white the meat had blood spots and looked like a rainbow, chips were good Overall we spend over £100 on 6 drinks (only 2 alcoholic) and 2 adults meals and 4 children's meals was not worth the money. Kids meals £10 each gammon egg and chips £16 Steak and ale pie was nearly £19 Definitely do NOT recommend

Very dissatisfied, with 2 out of five meals, my son’s chicken was very dry, unable to cut it, let alone chew. My meal was meant to be Pulled pork and Mac n cheese, but no cheese, and no sauce, it was edible, not no taste. So, that is one restaurant that will be crossed off our list

Great food, great selection of drinks. Dog friendly, child friendly.

Recently under a new manager and a new head chef and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised! The staff were all very welcoming, friendly and attentive. The food was delicious, I had the curried Goat and the meat melted in my mouth! Already plan to take more fiends and family there and would highly recommend

The liver and bacon was okay but Chefs Special..... Mississippi mud pie was awful, needed a hammer to try and break the base, so hard and crunchy. Had to pick it up with my hands to try and eat it. Amazing I didn't break any teeth!

Nice open space. Good service and reasonable prices.

Excellent food and service. Sunday roast was amazing.

Unfortunately, hardly any veggie/vegan options which was very disappointing. We waited for 40 mins for our order in spite of the restaurant being empty, so thought initially they forgot our order. The fried cauliflower was sadly inedible as it had no flavour and the stem was too hard to bite through; the celeriac steak was ok, but the peppercorn sauce was way too salty. The steak pie looked better than it tasted. 🙁 Having said that, chunky chips were perfect and so was the mashed potatoes… I’d say they need to expand their menu to cater for plant-based diners. Cute & cosy pub, which we’ve been to before and thought it was great, so a little disappointing this time.

Excellent pub, very friendly staff, huge portions of food!

Great food, bit pricey but well worth it

We visited The Bold Forester for Sunday lunch, and from start to finish we were incredibly well looked after by the entire team. The roasts are extremely good - I had the porchetta which was really lovely and was a generous portion. I only wish we had room for dessert as the cakes looked great too. There were also a good range of local beers available. As noted on their website The Bold Forester is dog friendly. If indoors you'll be sat in the bar area but as the weather was nice we opted to sit outside instead. Water was provided for our dog without us even asking which was a lovely touch.

Was busy. But didn't have to wait long for the food. The food was really nice. Will definitely be going back again

Nice place to stop off for a drink.

Good food and Friendly staff. Will return soon.

Very poor Sunday roast, inedible roast potatoes, expensive for what it is.

Dropped in as we were passing for lunch, staff were friendly, Holly was our waitress. Ordered rabbit for starters, with curried Goat and plain Jane burger for mains, all great and tasty.

Start of our Sunday lunch tour around Hampshire. Had pork belly which was very well cooked and accompanied by a great selection of vegetables. Service was also high quality. The quibble I had was that we were sat by the door was a bit chilly. Couldn't fault anything else though.

We’ve been going here for years but now the coffee is so weak that we had to buy a black coffee and get an extra shot to put in it to get a reasonable cup of coffee. We were told, you will have to pay for the shot! Obviously 🙄 They have stopped their breakfasts which is what we went for and all I could have at 10:30 was cake. As a side note, their chips are cooked with the same oil as the fish which as a vegetarian is awful. Sad really!

My food was disgusting and had the ribs if that's what you could call them

Very slow service even though it wasn’t busy. Took 20 minutes just to get the bill while staff were just stood talking. Our table was pretty much ignored. Food was average, very bland and overpriced for what it was. Had better fish and chips in Wetherspoons.

Lovely atmosphere friendly staff great choice of drinks and food highly recommended

Had a Chicken Burrito in here today. It was absolutely vile.Stodgy cheese laden bilge wrapped in a mile of thinfoil and greasepaper. And to cap it all off,I saw something today, that I though I would never see in a lifetime, I was presented with a green leaf salad, with melted cheese on top!. . Lazy Lazy

Cornish cider, delicious crisps and sunshine. What more can you ask for

Stopped off for a late lunch with the dog..very welcoming and friendly. Food very tasty. Loved the dog Wall of fame. Our dog had her photo taken and added to the wall..really lovely idea. Took some lovely cake home as we were fall..would definitely recommend and will visit when we are down South again.

Great character pub/restaurant. Ricky is a great host and welcomes everyone even if he’s so busy doing the job of 3 staff. We used to love Mark too but he’s gone to other pub. Eating areas always busy and food looks great. The pub welcomes its groups like the Knitting circle and Frontline Band practice every Tuesday night!!! Toilets and car park could do with some TLC. Hearing from other users: The coffee machine needs to be replaced. Cakes look good but coffee not what it used to be? Needs barrister style upgrade

Mother’s Day meal with my family pre book table and meal today at 12. Great food and fantastic service lovely atmosphere. Thank you so much enjoyed my day

My experience at this charming country pub restaurant has been nothing short of delightful on both occasions I have visited. The atmosphere exudes a warm and welcoming feel, with its lively and bustling environment contributing to the overall feel of the place. The extensive variety of food options available never fails to impress, and the consistently excellent taste keeps me coming back for more. One of the most impressive aspects of this establishment is the impeccable service provided by the staff. The prompt arrival of my food coupled with the friendly and hospitable demeanor of the team members truly enhanced my dining experience. Despite its slightly secluded location, the ample parking available makes accessing this gem a breeze. Furthermore, the pet-friendly policy, complete with a dedicated keg and picture wall for furry companions, adds a unique and endearing touch that showcases the venue's inclusive and welcoming nature. In conclusion, this country pub restaurant offers not only delicious food but also a cozy and inviting setting that is perfect for any occasion. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a fantastic meal in a picturesque and hospitable environment.

I had a roast, but potatoes were reheated, too many carotts and only a tiny bit of cabbage and no other veg. Beef gravy in Yorkshire was tasty.

Fabulous food and super service. Had roast dinners which were superb. Served quickly. Service was faultless. Would highly recommend.

Excellent pub, great food and service plus the added benefit of having a large dog friendly area and outdoor seating.

Shocking experience, management extremely rude and turned away our party of 12 because 2 more family members showed up. Pub was virtually empty and were treated like we weren’t welcome. Also, we were told we would have to order in groups of 6!!? Really bad customer service experience and will not return

Amazing Pie and Crumble. Staff are very friendly.

I treated my daughter to a meal here and was pleased with the food quality and tentativeness of the staff, also being set in the New Forrest had a lovely charm. I would definitely visit this pub again.

Visited for Valentines Day dinner. Was disappointed by the atmosphere, thought it would be busier (out of their hands, I know). Pub was clean, tidy and well presented. Staff greeted us and were very friendly. Waited a while for drinks. We ordered starters, mains and sides. It was all hot and well presented. Overall I would return but wouldn’t be in a hurry

Out for a Roast after a long dog walk ; no booking but probably advisable. Very welcoming , dog friendly ,busy & lovely atmosphere in upgraded / presentable rustic surroundings. Chris , the host on arrival , & his team were all very accommodating / professional. Menu choice / quality - very good Sunday lunch ( Gammon & Pork ) - 1st class. Food presentation & flavour - excellent. Drink range & presentation - good. Value ? - as expected / not bad. Overall : this “Gastro” food pub is a credit to the Freehold owners - definitely worth a visit 😀. Re-visit ? - yes.

Went out for an evening meal with my husband and 7 year old for my 50th birthday. Arrived at 6.30 and there were quite a few tables of people eating (busier than I expected for a wet midweek night in February!) We were given the choice of 2 tables. Service was polite, friendly and attentive whilst being unobtrusive. Food was delicious and plentiful (we had the seafood sharing platter, smoked pork belly, child’s sausage and chips, with a spare sausage to take home for the dog! chocolate brownie which was extremely chocolaty and nutty and Baileys croissant bread and butter pudding) and it was excellent value for money. Thank you!

Didnt eat here but had first date here and was lovley peaceful and homley

Very disappointed. As most ratings on here were ‘Excellent’, we thought we’d try it. Was very quiet but again it was a Monday lunchtime. Took ages for the order to come considering we were the only ones then eating! Burger was cremated, the bacon dried out and the bun was cold. Hubby tried to enjoy but just gave up as well as chips had obviously been refried. My soup was to come with toasted bread. One slice of bread arrived, dry on one side where it was flashed under grill but not toasted and other side soft as never saw the grill! Not really a complex meal to create! Asked for decaffeinated coffee and only granule available as coffee machine has no decaffeinated! Waiter/Houseman was very polite but obviously issues with catering staff and reimbursed us for the burger meal £17.99! Not the cheapest so definitely expected better quality. Sad, as could be a great location/business. Maybe it has changed hands since the excellent reviews were written!

Having been recommended to us by my son we came for lunch today. The pub was quiet, car park nearly empty. The pub itself looked good with welcoming decor. The menu looked okay with a fine choice of different meals on offer. The front of house team were welcoming and the service was good. My wife and I chose a soup for her and a burger meal for myself. At the time of ordering (13:30) the restaurant was almost empty with the last two other guest just finishing off their meals. To my mind this then left the kitchen to only need to prepare our lunch, this should not have been a challenge. Soup would have been prepared earlier, so needed to be reheated before adding as a side garnish a slice of toast cut in half. The burger should not have taken long on the grill/griddle with the garnish of bacon, cheese and sauce added to a hot burger bun. This then finished off with a lettuce, onion, cabbage garnish and dressing. The side order of French fries should be nice and freshly cooked given the lack of customers in the restaurant at the time. The soup was hot and pleasant but served with a slice of bread that had barely been toasted on one side only. The burger was one step off of being completely cremated. The bacon looked very over cooked and dried out. The bun was cold. The salad garnish was simple but nice with a pleasant dressing. The French fries looked and tasted like they were old fries reheated in the fat with perhaps a few fresh fries thrown in. This meal, in my opinion was thrown together by someone who lacked any degree of care or skill in the kitchen, I was somewhat disappointed that somebody was actually prepared to insult a customer by putting this in front of them! I was not happy. The staff at the front of house were understandably embarrassed and could not apologies enough offering to cook me a fresh burger. I declined and chose to accept not being charged for my partially consumed meal. I was very hungry and determined not to make a fuss given that my wife and I had just been to a funeral but I just could not eat this sub-standard plate of food. We paid for the remainder of the meal and left. I recommend getting a chef in the kitchen! One more week of this standard will ruin the reputation you once may have had.

worst english brackfast that you can eat, all that food has expired taste, toast boiled in oil.

This pub was an absolutely lovely cosy setting, we sat in a booth which was private and intimate but still could feel the vibe of the rest of the restaurant! THE FOOD - was unbelievable, highly recommend the BBQ beef brisket, and the steak and ale pie. 100% would recommend going here if you want an affordable but unbelievable dinner.

Beautiful pub. Staff are so lovely and friendly. The food was delicious 😋

We went to the bold forester on Sunday for lunch very busy but the food was excellent & staff were very attentive & friendly. See you again soon.

Never again we come her for lunch food overcooked quality really low not up to scratch service horrible some new management sorry will not be returning

Family of 4 we come here for Sunday lunch and left very disappointed service been really slow and quality of the food not great at all Am afraid we won’t be returning Shame As it use to be a good pub for food

I've enjoyed a meal which was nice and the drinks choice is amazing as well as the wine and spirits too. Great place to visit. Can't wait to use the beer garden

Popped here as our usual lunch pub is closed and had a great meal, service was quick, food was tasty and well priced

We had the pleasure of having dinner here last night , staff were really attentive , food was amazing and menu had so many different options on. Will return any time we are in the area. One of the best pub dinner experiences we’ve had even with our 3 small children trying to escape all meal

Amazing food. Great atmosphere. Polite and friendly staff. We stopped off after a day out in the New Forest. The choices on the menu catered for everyone and the portion sizes were excellent. Would highly recommend.

I had high hopes, but to be honest, I was disappointed. There was little atmosphere when we went, service was polite but perfunctory, and the food was mediocre. Glad I gave it a go, but won't be rushing back.

Lovely hot homemade sausage and onion chutney sausage rolls. Great Brioche bacon buns and chocolate muffins for a light breakfast. Thanks Tina, we'll see you soon. Barry, Debbie, Jean and Polly.

Portion sizes not brilliant but food is OK

Visited the Bold Forester last week, and myself and my husband both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I decided to go for the beef chilli from the specials board, which certainly was special! My husband went for the fish and chips, and it was great to see that they offered a smaller portion for people who may have a smaller appetite. To top our evening off, the service we experienced was delightful - extra big thanks to Ricardo for making us feel welcome! We will definitely be returning in the future.

We’ve eaten many times here as a family so I thought it about time I write a trip advisor review. One of our favourite ‘posh pub’ spots to eat out. The wait staff are always excellent (Ricardo especially, remembering our family every time!), the food is great (special shout out to the burgers) and a really lovely, cosy atmosphere.

Brilliant pub on the outskirts of the Forest. Really easy to get to from Southampton area. Lovely staff and brilliant Chicken & Beef Burgers alongside the Garlic, Cheese chibatta. Would recommend for family’s, dog walkers or a date night!

Unfortunately on this occasion, was told to photograph specials menu by entrance no information at the table.Menu has not changed for a long time and some choices not available. Missing Boston Beans from both of our meals, response just an apology I noticed wine served to another table customer had to open the bottle themselves.I get the impression that the waiting staff are not entirely happy in their work and could provide a better standard of service not very professional in my view , pity as overall experience in the past has been much better, probably won't be retuning any time soon.

Stumbled upon this place by chance. Service was exceptional, seated straight away, drinks order taken straight away. Ordered our food which was served 20 minutes later. Fish and Chips was really good, crispy batter, delicate fish flavour, no bones or skin. Chunky chips were cooked to perfection. Overall a great place for a drink or a meal.

Came here for Xmas dinner arrived at 1230 and left at five,this was not through choice but from the incredibly slow service it was a five course meal and there was an hour between each course which was a nightmare when you have little children ,on several occasions we asked if this could be sped up but it fell on deaf ears .we got a drink when we arrived but at no pint after that were we served again and regularly had to go to the bar to get our own drinks as table service was shocking. The food was ok but not hot ,when we came to pay the bill we explained how unhappy we were at having to be there five hours and not even a sorry , we had already paid the deposit and the meal in advance so expecting a bill of around 50-75 for drinks were amazed at a bill of £140 when we questioned this it was explained a £81 service charge had been added in which due to the poor service and lack of service we found disgusting We have had two other Xmas meals this month with bigger parties at different locations and neither charged us a service charge and the food and service we had from them was excellent so a hefty tip was left . This has put me off coming to the bold forester again and we certainly will be looking to plan a meal elsewhere for next Christmas so do yourself a favour and avoid like the the plague

Tends to specialise in higher quality meals and good presentation. Certainly worth a visit, but may need a bit of patience before it arrives.

We had a family meal January this year, no complaints, so chose the venue for Christmas Eve family celebration so disappointed every meal was warm/cold yorkshires burnt meat dried up sausage and bacon and I think a slice of stuffing so dried that it was...

Rubbish nearly all meals returned, more than once. Would not return again. Had visited many times before, and been okay. Just total rubbish this day and others also complained.

Fantastic meal! Hadn't been since the refurbishment, but will definitely become a regular! Great food, cosy atmosphere and brilliant service! Will be back many times for sure...

Excellent service from Hannah Alice and Holly this evening, i couldn’t recommend this pub more. Food was brilliant with my friend having the hunters chicken and myself the steak pie, this is the perfect place for those looking for delicious food, warm atmosphere and friendly...