The Bold Forester in Winchester

Unaccommodating, rude and belittling. Asked on a Friday evening at 19.00 if we could come down for a table of 4 for drinks, food and pool, and the man that answered the phone said no don’t bother we are closing soon as we have no customers. It’s a shame as we would have spent allot of money with them, hopefully making opening the pub worth while! Never will I go here again with such rude customer service. The man on the end of the phone hung up on me, after me asking why are you closing so soon? Hope it makes it through the next year and if it doesn’t we know why!

What a feast! We went for the roast - beef and turkey - both roasted to perfection, tender and moist. Beautiful roast potatoes and carrots, swede puree, creamed leeks, green beans and cauliflower cheese - everything full of flavour and cooked just right - crunchy and soft where needed. The only 'complain' is the portion size - I couldn't finish mine although I wanted to!

Absolutely lovely food,generous portions and friendly staff,we visit regularly and would highly recommend. Never had a bad meal at this lovely county pub.

Great roast and service. I'd recommend booking. We did a walk in the woods then a short walk along the country roads to the pub. The fire was roaring.

We were looking for a nice place to have our last meal before returning home after a few days away, and this amazing place did not disappoint. Amazingly tasty food, portions to satisfy the most eager hunger, and kind and friendly service to match. Highly recommend this place, and we will definitely be back in the future. Thank you for making our last night more special than we anything. Big hugs 🤗

We reserved a table for 12:30 Saturday lunch based on the reviews and because the pub is dog-friendly. There was no need to reserve, whilst the bar seating area was half full we were shown the empty restaurant and asked to sit wherever we wished. We were quickly served with drinks and then ordered 2 starters and 2 mains. Whilst being generous and well presented the stuffed mushrooms were too salty and the pate was just OK. The main courses were also generous but very disappointing. The daily special of sea bass lacked crispy freshness and the sauté potatoes were halved new potatoes dark brown and soggy. The pork belly was well cooked but lacked any flavour and the potato mash well mixed with too much oil and mustard grain. Perhaps we visited on the wrong day and at the wrong time?

Hidden gem Sunday roasts outstanding meals great value for money oap deals £10 for 2 courses Wednesday to Friday. Great garden play area ample parking staff great service fantastic priced meals and drinks sadly not busy during weeks will definitely be back and is one of the only pubs with 5star health ratings

Lovely, beautiful place. I loved the grilled pork belly. Service was good and quick.

Spur of the moment and an impromptu visit but what a lovely meal. Staff, service and the food were exceptional! Steak and ale pie was one of the nicest I have ever been served. Atmosphere only as it was late in the evening and quiet. Will definitely return! Thank you!

Met up with friends for the afternoon drinks, young girl was rushed off her feet, it was busy on food ,we didn't eat but what was going past us looked nice...toilets were clean and lovely garden area . Loads of parking.

Have had 2 lovely roast dinners here. Staff polite and friendly. Good size portions.

What an amazing find! The food was just what was needed. Great price. Good value for money. Great choice and most of all, served hot and tasted great. Could not fault it. And what is more, very friendly local people that actually took the time to speak to us. Will certainly be going back again!! Thank you for a lovely evening.

Had a lovely pub lunch here after taking the dog for a walk in the woods. Parents are OAP so they got a great 2 course for £10 deal (cottage pie, gammon egg & chips with a cute little dessert and I had the veg tagliatelle for £12). Good was fab, landlady was wonderful and we sat in the spacious beer garden. Quiet as we arrived 230 on a weekday afternoon but can imagine the place being very popular in good weather and weekends. Def worth a drive out.

Quite simply the best roast dinner you can get on the South coast. Been eating here for ages, didn't leave a review out of selfishness, sorry.... Unfortunately, now we're moving away so I can tell you all about it. Check it out, you will NOT be disappointed I promise you.

First, but definitely not last visit here! Staff and atmosphere were lovely. The food was delicious, and the portions were huge in the best way! A great range of food but not overwhelming. Garden was great, with plenty of tables and a fab looking play area! Looking forward to returning!

We go for food frequently on our own as a couple and Also take the family up there, Huge portions and amazing food never ever had a bad meal here highly recommend 👌👌

I had the belly of pork and my wife had the chicken with mushroom sauce,the plates were pilled high I could not clear my plate .The server said did she want to take the rest of her meal home and he put it in a takeaway box ,she had it for her dinner the next day. The food was of a high standard.

Amazing food, waitresses and land lady were so efficient they terrified us so didn't really get time to pick exactly what we wanted, very very busy, parking was awful, we sat by the swing doors to tje kitchen which spoiled things a lot, so every 5 seconds someone burst through which was off putting. Very very busy but the food as I say was amazing and no fault found there, just make sure you know what you want promptly as you may get an abrupt service if you don't!!

We sat outside and had a lovely ploughman's So can't say about atmosphere but very good service. Very much enjoyed

It's a nice country pub. Went there for lunch while visiting family. The food is mixed, my brother-in-law and sister had pies which were apparently excellent and far exceeded their expectations. I picked a homemade lasagna though and while it wasn't bad it was just a bit bland. Good size portions mind and some good beers/ales on tap. Plus they allow dogs in which is a plus in my book. The garden is big and the tables are well spread. Overall I thought it was good. I'd go away but I would order something else for sure.

Lovely find...fab food, good prices, dog friendly 😋 nice staff. Great little pub.

Good beer and nice staff and customers. Would like to see Moondance from Triple F at some time.

Lovely food, great service. It was my first time here, definitely not the last. Our waitress was amazing, really friendly and professional, she recommended really nice food. Thanks

The best Sunday roast. Always consistent and tasty. Will be moving away soon and sad to not be able to come regularly anymore but will try to make special trips on a Sunday when we can. Lovely people and staff too.

Visited the bold forester for lunch whilst visiting family in the area, the pub is very nice inside, decorated nicely and feels very inviting. The food was lovely both myself and my partner had the pork belly which was amazing. My sister in law ordered the chicken but did not want the garlic sauce but they didn't mind changing this for gravy when she made the request. The young lady who was serving us was lovely (sorry didn't get her name but it was a Saturday lunchtime) she was polite, helpful, attentive and made sure we had a wonderful lunch. My partner also had a seasonal crumble which he polished off in no time! Please visit here if you just want a relaxing meal, chatting with friends/family accompanied by gorgeous food. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g4212761-d13546881-r946937777-The_Bold_Forester-Soberton_Hampshire_England.html#

3rd time in 2 weeks,absolutely amazing food on each occasion,amazing portion sizes and cost we’ll be going again soon 👌xx

Good choice of dishes...portions huge, be warned you may not be able to do starters AND puds. Service was excellent bearing in mind they had a party of 20 in. Seated us away from the celebrations, and no delay on service. Can recommend the pork belly. Yum.

Popped in for a spot of food on a random one and what a find ! Food was absolutely delicious and the locals a real laugh . What a lovely pub ! Wil be our new go to for food and pub from now on ! Pop in you won’t be disappointed

This is one of our local pubs which has recently been done up. Sadly it is let down be the terrible lighting which is far too bright and destroys any sense of intimacy. The food is pretty average but the beer is well looked after and generally good. If it wants to attract back the locals, it will need to change the lights!!

Great venue to eat and drink with outstanding food with friendly staff.

The food was good, fresh and a decent amount and the establishment was nice. The staff were warm and welcoming and t

Lovely food and a warm welcome as usual. Very quiet dining room but full menu available. Steak pie must have had a whole cow in it. Very filling and delicious.

Third visit here to this cosy pub. Had superb mussels before but this time Coronation chicken baguettes. The bread was as fresh as it could be, the chicken superb, best-ever chips. Well done.

This is our favourite pub for a roast dinner! Everyone that works there is extremely lovely, and the food is always consistent, I mean always! From 2021 going for a roast to now in 2024 it has remained consistent which I think is something to be really proud of for a business, because I know when I recommend this place, they will have a good meal, 10/10!!! Thank you for being such a lovely, homely, consistent pub! Oh and they are also so friendly to the kids when we bring them and accommodating!

Warm welcome from sole member of staff working the front of house, which is always a nice bonus. Ordered kids fish and chips to arrive first when we ordered drinks, arrived very quickly and a huge portion too. Ordered two mains one from the special Cottage Pie with seasonal vegetables and Cajun chicken burger. Food was great quality traditional home style pub food, cottage pie was made with good quality mince, wasn’t a microwave special. Chicken burger was a proper piece of chicken in herbs and spices rather than just a frozen burger. Traditional log burner in the corner too, which we sat by, always gives a bit more atmosphere! Will definitely be returning go try the Sunday roast!

2nd time we have been here with a very large group including approx 10 kids. Considering it's a small pub, they did a great job both times. Food was good pub food, served with a smile and all pretty good in terms of timing (we ordered a lot of food!) All the options you need (veggie, sandwich, specials, big mains, kids menu). We will head back again in the summer, really pleased this place has reinvented itself!

Very clean and tidy country pub in Soberton Heath. Sunday lunch previously was great. Nice games room too.Well worth a visit.

Vistes this pub for the first time, soaking wet as was hiking. The greeting from the young barmaid the very nice and made to feel welcome. Order drinks and food. I highly recommend the ham,egg, chips and peas, absolutely lovely. This pub has ample parking and good outdoor space. Highly recommended

Nice food & good staff. No faults here

Lacks atmosphere. Unfortunately we went in when it was not very busy apart from some guys and a elderly lady who did nothing but moan

Our first visit to the bold forester won't be the last The food is very very good there is a regular menu but also there is a specials board Good size portions are served , I had a delicious homemade lasagne and my mrs had the pork belly both were absolutely lovely There were 3 real ale bitters on tap, I chose "wallops wood" by local brewers "Bowman Brewery" All of the waitresses were very friendly and the service was good Try the bold forester you will love it

This had some really good reviews so I am disappointed to write that my visit here wasn't one that would see me wanting to come back in a hurry. The location is nice, the decor is modern and clean, the staff are friendly, the biggest let down is the food. Our table ordered 2 jacket potatoes and the plates were collected with barely a 3rd eaten yet we weren't asked if everything was OK. The potatoes were brown on the inside and tasted horrible. Drinks were good.

Lovely find for a Sunday meal! Stumbled upon this pub on google when looking for somewhere to eat after a walk in Soberton. And i'm sooo glad we did because it was great! Food was really nice, good selection for adults and children. Waitresses were lovely and made a real effort to make sure we had everything we needed and edited the menu a bit for my daughter who has allergies. And the pub itself was beautiful, cosy and the music playlist was 10/10. another star added for the play area as was the best quality play area i've seen in a pub garden for a long time, was in good condition and my daughter had great fun.

Lovely meal tonight, food was excellent . The staff were very friendly and helpful. We will be back . We did pub stopover with our motorhome and were made very welcome.

Great food, I recommend the Sunday Roast as well as the week day menu 👍

Absolutely fabulous food, best we have had in a long time recommended to many. Choice of Cider's needs work.

Great food and great service....

One of the best roast dinners I have ever had will definitely go back and recommend to others I would like to thank all of the staff who made our visit to the pub well worth the journey

Excellent lunch and service very friendly staff.

We really enjoyed our meal here. Good variety of food at a good price and quality. Will definitely be going back. Lovely little garden with children's play area. Bike rack for locking your bikes up and plenty of parking.

Lovely atmosphere and a lovely pub/restaurant.

Very impressed with the Bold Forester. Food was beautiful, nice pint and the staff were incredibly helpful and pleasant. Very dog friendly too, which was a huge bonus. We will definitely be back.

We love this pub. Out on a bike ride and stopped for lunch. Lovely food very friendly staff.

Good food great portions and nice welcoming staff would definitely return and recommend

Such a lovely and friendly pub with amazing food. Couldn't rate any higher.

The food, the beer, and the service are excellent with a big car park and garden. They need to do something about the exterior, which is a little drab. New pub sign?

Lovely beer garden and dog friendly

A lovely pub for an Easter drink in the garden, very dog friendly.

Liked it very much myself and a lady friend dropped in had the most enjoyable meal plus the staff and service where great 😃👍

Great Sunday lunch! One of the best ive had forva while

What a lovely place great food friendly staff nice location

Just popped in for a pint whilst we were out on a walk. Lovely pub, friendly bar staff. Would definitely come again. 👍👍

Very good food. Just a pleasant country pub with a decent restaurant. Definitely worth a visit. Bar staff are a pleasure to talk with.

Friendly staff, good coffee. Will definitely go back and try the menu.

Nice place, good service but food was a bit mediocre. Thai red prawn curry was just curry sauce and prawns, no vegetables. Macaroni cheese was fusilli not macaroni!

Nice pub , bright and airy. Decent vibe

Great food, lovely staff and a proper pub. Plus a woodburner and great beer 🍺.

Visited on 28th Jan 2023 for birthday meal. Food amazing and service was absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much!

Traditional English country pub.

Excellent food and friendly service, myself and 3 grandsons ate here 3 nights, had visited earlier in the year and was very impressed hence the reason for our return

Amazing evening, welcoming atmosphere and delicious roast dinner . A polite phone call before we arrived to take our order to ensure they kept enough food as it was an extra busy Sunday. Was a definite bonus , well worth a visit.

We have been looking for a new place to eat and drink since lockdown ended. Today we finally found it. Lovely food, nice people, flower pots on tap. What else can we ask for... Oh yes did I mention fruit ciders :).

We visited this evening after a day walking on the South Downs. The pub was as warm and cosy as the welcome. We ordered steak and kidney and the chicken, ham and leek pie - absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend a visit.

Hi went here on Sunday 18th , had a huge menu but we all went for the really love sunday dinner we all had beef, and veg, followed by i had fruit crumble lovely and my mother in law had a sticky date pudding really nice, staff are really love and very friendly, must go back there and try the the rest of the menu hopefully its as nice as the Sunday rost, to hell with the diet.

A warm welcome to all dogs welcome food excellent

Went today for Sunday Lunch for 11 people, never been before food and service were excellent, recommend 👍

Just had Sunday lunch here. Absolutely delicious. Great atmosphere,Very friendly ,helpful and accommodating.staff. Would highly recommend

Fabulous food, huge portions, reasonable value, friendly service - lovely we will definitely return!

Lovely beer garden, husband loved the beers.

Great pub great food very friendly staff

We had a lovely Sunday afternoon meal here, sat in the garden so the children could run-around in the play area. Meals were amazingly nice and more than enough to fill a hole. Service was speedy and we didn't feel forgotten considering we sat outside.

Nice ambiance, airy dining area, friendly staff & delicious Apricot Posset for dessert

Have visited twice recently & thoroughly recommend. Lovely friendly atmosphere, staff are lovely, food is fab. Both times we ate the mussels with chips - the best I've eaten in the UK.

Beautiful Sunday roast and dog friendly xxxxx

Good roast, new staff need more training but were making a decent effort. Food was excellent though and pub was nice as a venue. Garden good for the kids too

Excellent food, excellent surroundings and a friendly, hospitable host, thank you.

Lovely country pub. Great for the kids....

Lovely old country pub. Good menu - excellent fish and chips but many other more specialist dishes. Good service and excellent value.

Popped in for an impromptu dinner for two. The service was excellent. The team friendly. Food was amazing and very tasty. We requested a takeaway box for the starter we couldn't finish. Nothing was too much trouble. Thank you for a lovely evening. We can't wait to visit again.

Drinks only but food coming out looked lovely.

Recently found this gem of a pub. The food is top quality, great selection of drinks, dog friendly, a pool table if you fancy a game and play area in garden for the kids. Great combination and recommend. We will be regulars from now on

Parked our motorhome in carpark. Lovely pub, made to feel welcome by locals and staff. Will definitely be back!

What amazing food. Great atmosphere with friendly staff. We were able to park our Motorhome overnight which was brilliant. I cannot stress enough about the food absolutely delicious. Will be going again

The Best Sunday Lunch I have had for I do not know how many years. 6 of us and Starters that you would get at the finest restaurants. All other establishments in a 6 mile locality will have to up their game. No wonder we had to book in advance. There was one downside we ate everything and so no room for Sweet. But it was worth it. Service was excellent with articulate and accommodating Staff

Called up for a table today and made a booking. We arrived and was greeted straight away. Two roast dinners and puddings later, left with a full belly and knowledge of a good pub to get a pint and a great roast dinner. Will be coming back.

Atmosphere was brilliant. As was the food

Great food and lovely staff. Beer not half bad either. So difficult to find such a nice country pub anymore. Shame more local people will not support them. These people only show up if it is going to close!!!!!

Had lunch today food was excellent and good value. A very friendly pub will definitely be back

BRILLIANT place for Sunday lunch. Thanks everyone! Lovely food, helpful service, clean environment with respectful masked waitresses. Let's all help to keep respectful places like this OPEN - masks at the bar, masks to walk about..... then we can continue to enjoy a pint, food and company.

Late Sunday lunch on a sunny day. I've been going to this pub periodically since I was a child, with my parents. The new look is lovely and fresh and makes the old place appear so much larger. In some respects it's a shame to have lost the old country pub feel and pool table but... Garden looked lovely but I didn't take a tour. The food was really nice, really well presented. Priced at the higher end of reasonable. The service was not good. 1 hour wait from sitting at booking time to first food on the table. Seemed short staffed. The staff that were there were very nice and happy but did say to us that the issue with the wait was people sitting in the garden ordering food, that hadn't booked. Not quite sure how that should slow booked restaurant service? Will give it another go. 11/21 update: we had another go and I'm glad we did... I even found the pool table stashed away in a lovely area around the corner from the restraunt. Food was great again, the service was spot on and the staff were much more attentive this time but the garden was empty.