The Bull Inn in East Dorset

Lovely pub. Great ambience. Local beer is very good. Food is fantastic. I had the steak and kidney suet pudding and it was perfect. Easily the best meal I have had in many years. I don’t live locally which may be just as well as I would be in there most days eating that. My friend’s food was also great and we liked everything about the place. Highly recommend.

First visited two years ago when we stayed for the night and had a wonderful time. We returned today for Sunday lunch. Actually we retuned today for possibly the BEST Sunday lunch ever! Exceptional service, amazing food and a perfect setting. One regret…..we didn’t stay the night! Brilliant all over. Will return again very soon; not leaving it two years this time.

Been going in the Bull for many years. On this occasion I took an American friend for an early dinner. Unfortunately, we were five minutes early for dinner so we were told we could only sit next to the door instead of in the restaurant area. 5 minutes later, people were seated in the restaurant area. Fish and chips were ok. Had it a couple of times now. Just something doesn't taste right. Not the nice fat chips and fresh fish you could expect.

Not a lot of atmosphere and the outdoor seating could really do with a source of Heating .

Staff friendly and helpful, lovely venue and location. Food lovely, a bit pricey, but it is Sonning on Thames 🙂

First thing is the girl who served us was amazing. That's where it ended. 45 mins to get our starter, then our main which didn't arrive for another 20 mins was supposed to be a chicken and pesto sandwich and falafel wrap. The sandwich may has well have been from a tescos meal deal (in fact doing a disservice to Tesco) and the Falafel sandwich and chip was cold. Again the girl who served us was so apologetic and offered us a free drink and she took the service charge away. Such a shame as this pub came highly recommended. We drove 30 mins to go there. We won't rush back.

Only used the restaurant, which was good. Parking was challenging, but we managed find a spot reasonably nearby.

What a lovely pub! It was recommended by a couple I chanced upon while walking along the Thames.

The most dishonest menu description and overpriced food ever. Ordered 3 meals: 2 other tables who came in after were given their food before us. Told it was because the burgers are made ‘fresh’ Really?!! So every burger ordered the chef minces the beef, adds onions and seasonings and makes a patty then cooks it?! Unlikely else on a busy lunch they wouldn’t get served at all possibly. Anyway burger came out cooked on the outside. Red raw and barely warm inside. The steak sandwich was gristly. The ploughman’s? Well! It had a triangle of mild(not extra mature) cheddar that was dry along the edges as it had been poorly wrapped. Pickles? One pickled onion. Coleslaw was so off it had split and was sour. One cos lettuce leaf. One slice of tomato. £15-50p

Everything fantastic, food, staff , decor, outside area and overall atmosphere great. I will definitely be returning as all the food looked so good I want to try more!

Lovely lunch with my family. A great pub with delicious food.

Great pub, lovely location, quiet courtyard with tables to eat, super food and beer

We had high hopes of The Bull after reading other reviews but we left feeling the food was overpriced and under delivered. Service was ok although difficult to get attention and the plates very simple with no finesse that the prices would suggest. The wine list also felt haphazard with cellar reds and whites mixed up and generally not following frequent convention of ascending price. It was all OK but hard to recommend. Sorry.

An amazing pub with great customer service. Great atmosphere, lovely food.

Enjoyed a Sunday lunch there recently, parking is a nightmare though

Lovely village , river walk and perfect for early Summer visit. Near to Henley On Thames. The Bull ideally situated

This typical countryside side village pub has a wonderful atmosphere and the staff are very helpful, and polite. They do not serve food until 6pm which is slightly disappointing but they do accept dogs. They are situated in the lower part of sonning village not to far away from the Riverside. They have a wide variety of food to choose from and the food is quite expensive depending on what you get. The food makes up for that though as it is so good. If you decide to go to sonning or passing through I would say this is the place to go for food and a good price on drinks. I haven't stayed in any of the rooms, that is why the low score but I'm sure they are comfortable and to a high standard the same as the service and food. The best place in sonning as far as I am concerned. Before I go just like to say they also have little treats for the dogs which are free.

A lovely atmospheric place for a sunny evening pint or two

Charming old pub in the English countryside. We booked the Cozy room. It had everything we needed (except a closet) and was very comfortable. The staff were very friendly and helpful, the room was clean and well serviced. The included breakfast was excellent, in selection, quality and preparation. This is a great pub to sit outside for a drink and a chat in quaint country surroundings. We ate dinner there 3 times and it was always great. I think we tried most dishes on the menu. Parking was a pain due to the tiny lot, they said more free parking was available in the village, but that was equally hard to find and involved a walk (sometimes in the frequent English rain). We will nevertheless definitely visit again and put up with the parking.

Visited for the 2nd time & was so impressed. i wish i lived closer as the area is beautiful and great for strolling around, but the food & the service are brilliant! I couldn't fault our waitress who was wonderful & the food was spot on, despite our booking being very big & fussy! I love this place, and we will be back!

Lovely pub in the centre of Sonning. Good beer selection.

Lovely Inn Very good food friendly and helpful staff 😀 Nice cosy and quiet room 👍

Went here for my birthday meal in December. I asked if I could replace the regular chips in my meal with their truffle chips and pay a bit extra. I was told that this was not possible and that the truffle chips could only be bought as a separate side. I was told by the waitress that "they are not the same thing to the chef!" in a rather flippant manner. Rather disappointed by the response, especially seeing other reviews mention how accommodating the chefs are. Overall the service we received by our server was a little on the too-familiar side, which is not always desired, the food was good and we do enjoy the outdoor seating in the summer for drinks.

We booked a table for lunch and the food was really tasty! The atmosphere was amazing like you’re travelling back in time!

Always guaranteed a friendly welcome from all staff at the bull they all work very hard to make every visit enjoyable. Great choice of gins, beers, and wine and delicious meals. Dog friendly as well. Really recommend you visit wether it's just stopping in after a walk along the river for a drink or a meal, you will always be made welcome. Their fish n chips are yummy and if you don't want to stop you can always order fish n chips to take home. Food and drinks are expensive

Very nice place, great service and food. Needles to mention good beer of course too. Had been their for Dinner so cannot comment about the rooms

Ein superschönes altes , englisches Pub. In einem 500 Jahre alten Fachwerkhaus! Das Essen ist exzellent. Das Servicepersonal super freundlich und aufmerksam. - Gerne werde ich bei meinem nächsten Besuch auch eine Übernachting buchen. Ein schönes Erlebnis, dass einen in das alte England eintauchen lässt.

Beautiful character pub/ Inn in lovely Sonning, 3 miles outside of Reading centre! Charming bar staff and front reception. Food, a cut above the gastro pub. Rooms clean and boutique in decor. Bed very comfortable, lovely bedding, complimentary drinks and coffee pod machine. Bathroom more in keeping with a 5 star hotel. I look forward to staying with the team at the Bull Inn

We booked a table here for lunch and on arrival we struggles to find parking as the car park by the restaurant was full. On entering it took a while to be acknowledged by the staff and shown to our table, but we settled in a lovely room where most of the other tables were taken. We chose the two-course lunch menu and enjoyed the soup and fish pie were were nicely served. When we were ready to pay and leave, it again took a while to be noticed by staff - they may have been under-staffed on the day. Nevertheless, we came away satisfied.

Not a welcoming atmosphere, to say the least: the manner of the lady behind the bar was unfriendly to the point of rudeness when I called in for a drink on New Year's Day.This is a lovely looking old pub in a very scenic village - and I hoped its quaintness would be enhanced by a warm and friendly atmosphere inside. Unfortunately this was not the case.

My review is regarding the restaurant. It is over priced. My previous visits whhen I enjoyed fish and chips for £20 have been good, but to pay over £100 for an average 3 course meal (albeit on New Year's Eve) was very poor value.

Incredibly miserable and rude workers, dead atmosphere (the graveyard next to it has much more life), hugely overpriced and overrated non-pub-like food, atmosphere like a funeral. How can you make a beautiful place like this SO bad?? I can imagine it is running at a loss or far, far below its potential as a business. I used to go here because of the location - next to Theresa May's church and in the village of Sonning where George Clooney owns a house! And of course next to a beautiful river walk. But unfortunately it is now so bad that no normal friendly person goes anywhere near it. Even on New Years Day it is utterly dead. The food is average, portion sizes miniscule and hugely overpriced. You guys are a pub, so make nice rustic pub food. The most unfortunate thing is the atmosphere in such a beautiful place. It could be so fun and warm yet somehow again the owners have created an atmosphere which makes you feel tense just by walking past. I have been to more fun funerals. How, how, how can you muck up something this good?

Lovely old pub. Staff are friendly and its such a quirky place. If you are tall it will feel tiny! But its worth the visit.

Lovely meal, with 6 of us but spoilt by two dogs fighting in the bar throughout the evening, the landlord did nothing to deal with the situation.

Cosy bar, lunch from set menu very good and good value

Excellent highly recommend staying

I had the best fish and chips ever! I didn't know haddock can taste so good! Yummy 😋

A very beautiful pub serving great food! There’s seating inside and out too depending on the weather. Service wasn’t the quickest but the quality of the food made up for it.

In the top two roasts eaten out.. cracking menu and quality, thank you. Historic building & cosy. Cauliflower cheese served as standard is a winner. Will be returning ps: thank Vinny for the tasty broccoli and blue 😆

Great service, food and atmosphere. Highly recommended

Absolutely beautiful old pub in the lovely village of Sonning. Great food and well decorated rooms, with modern touches but retaining its charm.

We had lunch with family and it was really lovely. We were served by Katie and the service was great. The food was good too. The location is perfect! We will definitely come back.

Excellent food, excellent service - really friendly and attentive staff who went above and beyond. Parking is a bit of a nightmare but that’s Sonning for you!

Wystrój i konstrukcja budynku w stylu XXVIII wieku. Kawa o super smaku. Miła obsługa. Nie mam nnych zastrzeżeń. Nie korzystałem z pokoi gościnnych. Obiekt położony blisko Tamizy.

Lovely pub in Sonning, close to the Thames. Quite magical to walk to, from the Thames Path, past a church. Really well-preserved inside, with some cozy spots. Food is excellent, have eaten there a few times and never had a bad meal. Staff are really friendly and efficient. Large outdoor area too and dog friendly.

Lovely old pub. Varied and interesting menu, well executed.

I waited over 30 minutes for a tiny breakfast so I do not recommend it for a night if you're on a business trip.

Lovely old world pub. Didn't stay just had food and drinks. Only issue was parking.

Not your usual pub food...really interesting menu delivered some really tasty meals. Service was professional, friendly and quick, thanks for a superb lunch in a beautiful setting.

Loved the Sunday roast. Very generous.

On this one occasion, myself and my partner came for an evening meal. Elinor was very attentive and helpful during our visit, even checking if my small Merlot should be the listed size on the menu (175ml) or if I’d prefer the smaller 125ml, which I did so I am pleased she pointed it out and offered. Our food was outstanding - we had bread and marrow butter each, two starters, two mains, a dessert to share, a few drinks and a green tea - all was served very quickly despite it being a busy evening, but that did not affect the quality of the food or the service from Elinor and the other wait staff. A really lovely evening spent here - I’d highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding! Parking can be a bit difficult sometimes so always consider that when visiting, but otherwise a really great place to come to.

What a wonderful find from a Google maps search for a pub in Sonning. We had a lunch after leaving Reading Crematorium. It was conveniently situated within a few miles. The food was great. I had corn fed chicken with a pasty, sauce and fresh kale. It was obvious they cared about the food. Staff were helpful and friendly and there was a good ambience. Very good experience.

A really beautiful pub in Sonning. The food was delicious. The wooden beams are just incredible, you feel like you’re stepping back in time.

Didn't stay at the hotel so can only really reviwe the pub. This is a really nice pub. Really old, traditional feel. A brilliant location and a lovely atmosphere.

My service dog love this place so much nice to relax and be in a peaceful place staff aways must you fill welcome aways

Gorgeous venue, super attentive staff and beautiful food. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely little old and cosy pub. Good choice on lunchtime menu and tasty sandwiches. Service a little slow, but fine for a relaxed drink or meal.

Myself and my two sisters visited The Bull in August 2023. I feel compelled to write a review as the food was SO delicious. I chose the fish pie and a lemon and rhubarb pudding. Both of these were exceptional. We will be visiting again - highly recommended.

Great food fantastic location friendly staff also Dog friendly with dog treats

Great place to eat, drink & stay.

Used it as a meeting place for our 50th year college reunion 🫂

Get there early if you want to park a car. Food lovely. Service good. River walk, gorgeous.

We only went for a drink this time but I love this place, its so peaceful.

Tasty food, well kept ales and lovely setting. Lots to see in the immediate area if you fancy a walk (long or short) before refreshments. Parking is a bit tricky but look to park a bit away and / or drop off and park.

Best Sunday roast I have had in a long time. Sticky toffee pudding is a must!

Lovely food, service was a little slow, short staffed I think the only cause, parking is always difficult but always manage it and it is always worthwhile when you get in. Lovely touch that they called and asked if we wanted a Sunday dinner keeping for our reservation

Traditional pub in the centre of Sonning with plenty of outdoor seating. Visited on an impromptu local cycle trip and had a couple of drinks sitting outside in the sun, followed by dinner in the cosy interior. Good food, service and beer.

Came here for a couple of drinks/ something to eat and to enjoy the surroundings. Staff here were super friendly and very welcoming. The food was really nice and the portions particularly big which is always a nice suprise. The environment and location are excellent. You just need to know it's there!

Went for dinner with two friends whilst on the river. All the food was really excellent. Far better than a typical Fullers pub (not that that is a criticism). Would recommend. Our server was also very good.

Popped in for a quick coffee and discovered they had cake too. Fantastic invention and about time pubs sold cakes.

I had a celebratory meal on 3rd July with my daughter and son in law. My crispy duck egg starter with asparagus and hollandaise sauce was delicious. The corn fed chicken main was also great. Our waitress was delightful and very helpful.

Only ate at the restaurant but the beer was good so was the atmosphere and the fish and chips.

Such a beautiful historic place. Everyone was friendly and helpful.

It's a neat and old styled restaurant with avg range of food options. Even though we booked a week ago, we're given limited food choice, Say no chicken in the Lunch menu... That was shocking !!! If you have a dish on your menu and you have a week to go, how on earth is it not possible to get this served... Even I felt like the waiter was in a hurry while taking the orders.. Well on a good note, Some of the dishes are really delicious, Say, the coffee cake is a must try... The fish pie you see in the pics was good too.. fish n chips was okay'ish.. IMO, it's a good quiet place to get a beer and have a long conversation..but don't expect too much if you are there just for food..

Really disappointed with the room. The carpet was filthy along with the bedside rug containing dead flies. Sweet packed at the back of bedside cabinet and the filth under the bed was disgusting. Only one plug socket worked where kettle was. Wrong fire safety instructions as to extinguisher locations on back of door. Toilet seat loose, toilet roll holder broken, shelf above sink had glass missing, toilet brush handle broken. The evening meal was disappointing as the mashed potatoes were cold and only got replaced by the time wee had finished everything else. Breakfast was far from great with burnt sausage and totally dried out bacon.

Food very nice, we went for lunch, atmosphere good. Nightmare to get parking

Nice very old pub . Not cheap 2 pints and a coke £17 . Only one person behind the bar so 15 minutes waiting time

Staff are very friendly and helpful

Great hotel food very good service quick and efficient location outstanding next to the church and short walk to the river but very small carpark

Not great, food average, service poor. Better to go to the Coppa Club down the road.

Gone too foody. Still great beer, but unless you're outside , the experience is purely aperitif to anc expectant meal. Sad really.

Un sitio muy acogedor y agradable. Típico inglés. La tarta riquísima. El personal muy amable

Delicious Sunday lunch - beautiful food, generous portions and great service.

Very quirky rooms. Bit small and the walls are thin. Food is outstanding

Good modern British food. Good ambience. Good service.

Had Sunday roast and the food was outstanding and plentiful. Service a little slow, but we weren't in a hurry. Would recommend every time.

Dined in with my partner for lunch. The food was great, the staff were excellent and the establishment is cosy with a lot of character. We’ll be back 😊

An enjoyable dinner was had by all. Thank you.

Lovely old hotel. Great staff very helpful. Needs more staff in the evening but so does everywhere.

Average food for the money and very poor service.

I arrived on a Sunday, and met a friend for Sunday lunch. The menu was mostly traditional Sunday roast, but of far greater quality than simply a "Sunday pub roast". A wonderful succulent lamb shank with Yorkshire pudding, crisp roast potatoes - faultless. In fairness, the price was more than you would pay in the average pub, but worth every penny. Terrific, friendly service in both hotel and restaurant. The morning breakfast was also very good indeed. One of the best sausages I have had in a very long time. My room was large, a generous shower room, all linens and towels of excellent quality. Very comfortable bed. Spotlessly clean. I came to go to a party at the Mill (see review), and returned after the bar had shut, but if you want an early night perhaps avoid room no 1, as it is right over the busy bar! Also bear in mind that this is a very old inn indeed, and absolutely charming, but if you are very tall - mind your head! I recommend the Bull unreservedly

Once you can actually get in through the front door and fight your way past the dogs then the beer is OK. Whoever thought of taking one third of the bar space and all the entrance area up with a reception desk hasn't a clue. Wobbly old people booking tables and turning around to leave as a dozen walkers try to get in! Don't fall over the wee bench with dog biscuits on! And don't be surprised to suddenly have a random dog nuzzling you under the table while you wait your lunch! Need to have the "locals snug door" open and just that area for dogs. They seemed to be everywhere! Then the bar area by the fire for drinkers and then up the steps and restaurant for diners. Spending upwards of £200 on lunch for six and being plagued by dogs and peoples elbows in my head was jolly annoying!

The two lads serving were great first of all, hence the 2 stars. Overall, the service was just really slow. The food was very over priced. Chicken tasted like it had been reheated so was dry, also parts of the dish were missing.

We went in today and had a warm wecome. The staff and service real good. The small menu had big taste. The desserts just as good. Would come back again. Excellent village location in Berkshire.

We came here for a Sunday lunch. A little underwhelmed upon entry, it seemed a little tired and in need of a refresh but I suppose it all worked with the tutor aesthetic. We ordered and the food took maybe a little bit longer than I would like to come out (this was very marginal). But the food itself was great. Special praise reserved for the desserts. The service was lovely if a little slow, maybe I need to relax a little on a Sunday lunchtime. I'd defo come back

Fantastic food and a great selection of beer's and wine

Un lugar muy bonito y tranquilo! El personal muy atento y amable y la comida buenísima. Sólo fuimos a comer ...y nos encantó!!

Food is amazing! It a great place to stop on a dog walk to have a cup of coffee and a snack. The Sunday Roasts are fantastic!

Great hospitality, very welcoming. The barman remembers your drinks ready for a reorder. The toilets are immaculately clean, very impressed.

Went in for a quick drink on a Sunday evening. probably a mistake. Was difficult to find somewhere to sit if you were not eating. They have a nice covered exterior area but without heaters not a place for winter or spring.