The Butchers Arms in Forest of Dean

A beautifully restored pub. The staff are so friendly and the service is impeccable. The food is top quality. Only negative, I wanted some ice cream with my desert, A marble size portion appeared, it was delicious but the £3 charge was not justified.

Brilliant service, food was excellent, we had the hunters chicken (best onions rings), Steak and ale pie with mash (lots of beef but slightly salt gravy), The captain burger (well put together, tasty, succulent and good quality ingredients), fish and chips (nicely fried, not too heavy battery) and Chargilled sausage (well seasoned with fried onions and fried bacon bits on top, very tasty). This place is off the scale for the whole experience 10/10 doesn't justify how good it is. Would love to come back, highly recommended.

Very delicious food , amazing service, beautiful pub and super friendly atmosphere. Really highly recommended!

Always great food and service 👌

The Roast Potato That Changed My Life ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Would sell my soul for another) I have seen the light, and it is golden brown, crispy, and glistening with just the right amount of oil. This roast potato wasn’t just food; it was a religious experience. One bite, and I swear I heard a choir of angels singing in the distance. The exterior? A perfect crunch that could shatter the foundations of weak-willed diets. The inside? Fluffier than a cloud that’s just been through a premium car wash. The seasoning? So well-balanced it deserves its own TED Talk. I don’t know who made this masterpiece, but I’d like to shake their hand (or marry them). I briefly considered carrying a tiny velvet ring box and proposing on the spot. If I could legally adopt this potato, I would. In conclusion, if all potatoes were like this, I’d never eat anything else. 12/10. Life-changing. I am a new person now.

I visited recently with my partner for the Sunday lunch. Probably the best Sunday lunch out I’ve had ever, big portions and quality was amazing! Staff cannot do enough for you whilst you are there, keeping drinks topped up and very attentive! Nice and warm pub in the cold weather too

We've eaten at this beautiful pub/restaurant twice now and it's definitely on my favourites list! It's the quintessential English country pub! It's absolutely beautiful inside. Sooo inviting, cosy and warm. The welcome we received on both occasions couldn't have been friendlier. The service is fab. Again very friendly and informative about the menu. Then there's the food! Best fillet steak I've ever had I think! Everything was absolutely delicious. We can't fault anything about this gorgeous pub and will definitely be revisiting......alot!!

Amazing friendly service, lovely atmosphere, the chef knows his stuff. Steak and ribs cooked to *perfection* get your stomach filled and your soul FED! home made custard on dessert was the cherry on top. Best meal in a long time, worth every penny!

Looked nice enough but staff made very sure we were uncomfortable enough not to actually stay. We were told that the tables for dining were all booked (fair enough). When we asked if we can stay at the bar just for drinks, were told all bar tables are taken. When asked if we can stand at the bar or if we just can't come in at all we were told it's ok to come in and stand at bar but that all tables are booked (that was already understood by this point) . While walking towards the bar - it was again pointed out that the empty tables we were walking past were booked, not that anyone asked again or try to sit at one. Upon saying that we understood that already and asking the other member of staff who was at the bar if we can just stand there and get some drinks, she saw fit to take a condescending tone to say "we don't have to be like that because her colleague was only telling us that the tables are booked". We got it already...he said it 7 times, and quite frankly, if you didn't want any more custom you should have just turned us back at the door . Appreciate it might be a popular place during the weekend due to lack of alternatives in the area, but I'm sure in the long run the lack of staff education or just genuine hospitality will start to bite.... maybe it's different for locals.

Fantastic place lovely people running it always a good meal

it was a great meal, and the service was excellent and it was very relaxed atmosphere, I would recommend it

What a fantastic place. A warm welcome on arrival. Great selection of beers and wines. My wife and I had a burger and I can say it was one of the best we’ve ever eaten. Really great find and lovely staff. Other places I’ve been to recently could really learn about how to look after people and treat customers with respect from The Butchers Arms staff. Will definitely return.

Lovely old pub, really welcoming and friendly staff. Visited with friends and their little one who was a very fussy eater and nothing on the kids menu was suitable so a quick word with the staff and they were able to rustle somethinup for him! Food was gorgeous and portion sizes were very generous. Highly recommmend and will definitely be returning

2 adults, 14yr old and my coeliac 10yr old. 10yr old had the kids cheeseburger with a GF bun, she was thrilled to be able to have a burger! Staff were super knowledgeable, when I called up beforehand and in person. Chips are cooked with gluten containing items but they offered her various substitutions, she settled for a jacket. 14yr old had a burger as big as his head and my husband had the ribs which were equally generous! I had the Fillet steak and it was beautiful and cooked perfectly. Good selection of desserts and one happy coeliac again got to choose from 3 or 4 options which is near on unheard of! Between us we had the crumble, a brownie and sticky toffee pudding. All generously sized and really nice. Staff were attentive and friendly and food came out quickly despite being very very busy. Was a lovely, cosy setting with twinkly lights and just what we wanted. Couldn't fault anything!

Came as a late walk in with 4 friends on Friday night looking for dessert after a few drinks. Staff were very accommodating and friendly and made space for us. Lovely menu and varied options. Great selection of alcoholic drinks, staff were very helpful in making accommodations for food preferences. Cozy atmosphere - 10/10 would strongly reccomend!

Lovely place and very attentive staff. Steak (Ribeye) was the best I have had in 20+ years. Cooked to perfection. Lovely atmosphere and will return. Thank you

Really good pub. Welcoming, dog friendly and lovely food. Would highly recommend.

We were a group of 5 who had a Sunday roast dinner here yesterday. The staff, service and the food are very worthy of 5 stars. The Sunday dinner was amazing. We were staying nearby in the Forest of Dean and so pleased we found The Butchers Arms.

Staff were helpful and very efficient. Food was really good, all enjoyed our meals

Excellent Sunday Dinner!!!! Great staff!!

Best chicken burger I've ever had!

Have brought all of my friends and family to eat here and never had a less than stellar experience. All of the food is great - freshly cooked and homemade

Really good food as always and plenty of it!

What a find! We had opted to holiday in Clearwell so thought we would try the local pub and attempting to book a table on a Tuesday proved difficult which spoke volumes! The pub itself is beautiful: charming, warm and welcoming; tastefully decorated with subtle modern decor in a traditional beautiful stone building, and from the offset, staff were charming, attentive and ready to make every aspect of the visit perfect. Even the music could not have been any better! The menu looked appetising and, as the name suggests, is very meat heavy. It did not disappoint: a simple menu but no aspect had been neglected in the planning and preparation. Fat chips, thin chips all fluffy and crispy, burgers to die for, the sides were all fresh and tasty. I am admittedly hard to please when dining out as there is so much dross out there but, as much as I did try, I could not find fault with the building, services or food, especially as they were clearly short staffed. Thank you, we will be back.

Great place, all round great food, staff and decent portions too

Could not fault. Excellent ale, and amazing food. After seeing portion sizes we just went for main courses and shared a dessert. My rump steak was excellent and melted in the mouth. Would love to come again but remember to book as very popular

Found the pub by using Google maps and looking for somewhere in the direction we were heading. This pub has more of a burger and grill menu then your normal pub classics etc which was a bit of a disappointment but the food that we got really made up for it. Service with taking order and drinks was really quick, just a little slow coming out the kitchen considering there was only 2 tables in the pub at the time and we managed to place our order first

Only negative is that we only had a chance to visit once

Came here during the August bank Holiday with a group of friends (our apologies for not calling ahead) But the staff were very accommodating and put a table together for us which we couldn't be more grateful for. The food was absolutely amazing and the service was above and beyond, highly recommend this lovely pub!

Wow… you have to try the burgers!! They are amazing

Great pub. Friendly staff, found us a table on bank holiday Monday even though we didn't have a booking. Food was delicious and good value. Pub was kid friendly. Will definitely return!

Myself and 11 of my friends popped in on a Saturday without a booking. The staff were extremely friendly and were honest with us on wait times, but still found us a table and served us drinks. All 12 of us said it was the best pub food we have ever had, and that the burgers were incredible. The staff were also extremely friendly and helpful and catered for our exact need. Would highly recommend this pub.

We'd walked out of the Lion Inn in Trellech earlier and managed to get in here at extremely short notice on a Saturday night. It was right next to our hotel so we could have saved a 40 minute round trip to the Lion ! The greeting was warm and friendly, the service was excellent as was the food, wine and beer. Should have come straight here

Always fantastic. Food and staff are excellent.

Lovely atmosphere. Food was amazing. Service excellent and friendly. Also gave us take out box so we could take a dessert home. Highly recommended.

Disappointing Sirloin Steak which was gristly and had a high proration of fat. Ambience was good but I felt the meat was poor quality.

One excellent place, staff so welcoming. Food was delicious and sitting in garden was so lovely and atmospheric with the lights and pond and waterfall . Excellent, thankyou

Honestly, it's one of the best roast beefs I have had! Walk in roast. Great service. Nice pub garden.

Best Pub ever 😁 the food was so delicious 😋

Excellent thank you. Great steak and sauce.

I have visited a number of times now and have never been disappointed. The food is absolutely incredible, the steak especially! Service is also brilliant and a lovely atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

A small cosy pub. Not the very best pub food I've ever had, but not bad either. Always book a table, it's a tiny place.

You will not find a better steak for many a mile. Staff very attentive. Have a great meal here!

Excellent food and service! I’ve been back in the UK for 4 weeks and this is the best food we’ve had. Service was warm and friendly, atmosphere cozy. Everything tasted home made and nothing too much trouble. Kids even wanted to go back for breakfast 😂

Visited here early June for dinner on chance we could get a table. No problem. Very welcoming staff and helpful. Had lovely nachos to share then between us enjoyed a pie, burger and fish and chips. Nice and cosy inside. Highly recommend

After a lovely walk around Puzzlewood we took the five minute drive down the road to Tudor House, a place we checked out the reviews of beforehand. We both opted for a burger, one BBQ and one Vegetarian, both came quickly and tasted great with high quality ingredients and had a lot more than your average burger. The restaurant itself was very country pub and couldn't be faulted. We probably wouldn't be local again, but if we were we'd certainly return.

Had a lovely sunday lunch at the Butchers Arms. First time we've have been, lovely building in and out, food was pretty good though my sister in law had the beef and she found it fatty, which is unusual for topside. I had the chicken, very nice. Being from yorkshire, we had to sample their yorkshire puds, i would give them 7.5/10 for them but a good attempt. For the starter, i had the mushrooms, loved them. Over all, if we are staying in the forest of dean again, i would come back. I would recommend booking a table in advance, few weeks in advance so not to be disappointed.

Excellent Atmosphere, Owners very knowledgeable on their ales & meat sources. Steaks cooked to perfection, super juicy & very tasty. Very accommodating to dietary preferences and happy to substitute certain parts of the meal with alternatives to suit.

Lovely friendly staff and helpful with the menu. Everything is cooked to order. The lamb kofta were very good, well presented and colourful. A feast for the eyes. We didn't have the burgers but they looked huge and nothing was left on the plates by the diners so I guess that speaks for itself. Rosie's pig rhubarb cider is a fun drink with a great name and history to the name also.

Just had lunch at the Butchers Arms, the steak & ale pie was fantastic, my wife had lamb koftas that she said were delicious. We would highly recommend and the service was first class, very courteous and attentive.

Enjoyed a beautiful meal with my family - great service and peaceful surroundings Would recommend

Lovely place great service and food

Recommended by a local at clearwell caves, what a lovely pub! They have rooms if you want to stay but we were just stopping for lunch, but we'll go back before we leave. Great staff and the food was lovely. Dog friendly and a nice pub garden with a water feature and patio cover if you want shade (if you are lucky enough to get sun!) Would recommend to anyone

Lovely Village pub but with a bit more style... Scott and Kerry were so friendly and attentive... Food amazing too... Highly recommend this place . Best cheese cake EVER

Best pub food around! The service was amazing from the get go, the staff were extremely helpful, knew everything about each dish and we're very helpful and engaging. The food was next level, cannot recommend enough!

Service was honestly the best I have ever experienced in a pub. Scott was a brilliant member of staff who engaged well and showed good knowledge of food and beverages, and made sure we were completely happy at all times during service. Food was PHENOMENAL! A must visit location! Will definitely be revisiting! Beautiful interior and beer garden!

Fabulous! Recommend the ribs but everything on this menu is cooked to perfection 👌

3 Exceptional Dinner Services The biggest thank you to Kerry, Scott and wonderful culinary team whom provided us with 3 exceptional dinners and service. On par with any restaurant experience in the South West winery region of Western Australia. Vegan and Vegetarian selections catered for, great wine and beer selections. Visiting this wonderful venue is a must when visiting Clearwell and surrounds. Thank you so much for making us feel incredibly welcome each time.

Lovely place, friendly, good food and really nice staff.

This establishment is truly exceptional and deserves the highest possible rating. It boasts numerous distinctive characteristics, and its layout and decor are impeccable. The staff are exceptionally friendly and accommodating, ensuring a pleasant experience for all guests. The culinary offerings are truly remarkable, and I can confidently say that the meal I had there was the finest I have ever tasted. Even my father, who is notoriously critical of steaks, thoroughly enjoyed his meal and complimented it wholeheartedly, which is a testament to the exceptional quality of the food.

This establishment is truly exceptional and deserves the highest possible rating. It boasts numerous distinctive characteristics, and its layout and decor are impeccable. The staff are exceptionally friendly and accommodating, ensuring a pleasant experience for all guests. The culinary offerings are truly remarkable, and I can confidently say that the meal I had there was the finest I have ever tasted. Even my father, who is notoriously critical of steaks, thoroughly enjoyed his meal and complimented it wholeheartedly, which is a testament to the exceptional quality of the food.

The most wonderful quality of food and the service by Scott and Kerry exceptional. The meals were on par with any meals had at wonderful home venues in Perth and South West eatery / micro brewery and vineyard venues in Western Australia such as Yallingup, Dunsborough and Margaret River. Thank you for such a wonderful local stay experience. Looking forward to our next meal!

The food exceeded our expectations. We all enjoyed what we had. The service was excellent too. We went there for lunch on a Monday while we were on holiday in the area. If we're ever in the area again, we would visit again. The village it's in looks nice for a visit and walk too.

Absolutely amazing food. The wings were delicious. Mmmmm wings 🤤

Called in on the off chance and have to say the food was delicious staff where very friendly and knowledgeable of the area

Have just been for a family meal celebrating my husbands birthday the food was absolutley delicious ! lovely atmosphere and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. Will definetly be going back and would highly recommend.

Sunday evening visit. The pub was very busy but the service was excellent being both friendly and professional. Good atmosphere. Food was very well presented and steaks great quality. Value for money? Maybe a bit on the pricey side for steak and chips .

My wife and I stopped here for a pint on our holiday, and then came back for lunch a few days later. The staff were welcoming and friendly, we chose to sit outside as the sun was out. There is a nice little water feature in the terrace. I ordered the Captain burger, and my wife had the Chicken ceaser burger and both were delicious. The beef brisket on the Captain burger is to die for, and home made. A proper hand made burger, with good texture. My wife said the ceaser burger was just as good. All good arrived promptly, and very hot which is great. 100% would recommend.

Homely style pub with large restaurant and bar side. The food is nice quality with a good selection of food and drink. Large carpark

Had an amazing experience at the Butcher Arms. Booked for Sunday lunch whilst visiting the Forest of Dean for the weekend. Accommodated us as a large party & with our dog. The food was exceptional & would highly recommend the roast dinner, steak & ale pie & the burgers. The manager & the staff couldn’t do enough for us. The venue & location was beautiful & the food amazing. Definitely a highlight of our weekend away.

Probably the best rump steak ever.

Food is excellent. The portions are big and absolutely delicious. The scotch egg was the best I have had and the burger tasty. Service was very good too. Would definitely recommend

Had dinner at the Butchers Arms. Service was excellent and food was very good, although the chili glaze on the sausage was too sweet. However, definitely recommend

Fantastic food as usual and great service thank you!

Fantastic experience. Nice atmosphere, welcoming staff, attentive and friendly. Realised quite quickly it was all about the burgers and grill. x5 burger later and we were all happy, kids said it was the best burger they had! Pub food at restaurant standard. Recommend.

Honestly the best little pub we have ever been to. Superbly attentive knowledgable staff, fabulous old nostalgic building and the food was to die for!

Great for gluten free - staff understood cross contamination and were able to advise. Food was amazing and a good choice especially for puddings, which is so often what lets places down.

We visited for a meal on 1st March. Service was excellent and food was amazing

Nice clean pub, with indoor and outdoor seating. Car parking facilities. We were seated but not given menus at the same time, which I did think a little peculiar. Got served drinks and eventually got our menus. I felt a bit embarrassed as I had to ask the barmaid what the little numbers were under the food as it wasn't clear that was the price due to no £ sign. I also was a bit embarrassed as the cost was above our usual budget. The food came and looked nice, was piping hot. Served nicely. Even though it was abit expensive for us, I would still recommend to other guests.

The staff were welcoming and attentive throughout. The burgers (or ‘stacks’ as they’re referred), although on the pricier side, are amongst best in the area and well worth a try. Dogs are welcome and they have a good selection of drinks on offer. One point to note: do check your bill before paying - we noticed an extra item on ours which we were told had been added by accident due their ordering system. The staff accepted their mistake and corrected it without issue but we got the sense it wasn’t the first time it had happened.

It was our first time visiting this lovely pub the food was absolutely delicious. Quick service. Friendly staff too. We shall come again. Thank you !

Went here while staying close by and hadn’t been for 25 years so wanted to bring back old memories. The food here is just outstanding. Every single part of our meal was utter perfection. The scotch egg starter was unreal! The most beautiful sirloin steak with a mouth watering blue cheese sauce. This is possibly the nicest food I have eaten in 15/20 years. Service from Scott was excellent. We will definitely return and recommend to anyone we speak to. Wish I could rate higher than 5! Hate off guys!

Visited from London, this place has a lovely, cosy ambience and such a friendly guy who appeared to be running the place. We had burgers, but they were so much more than just burgers. Really delicious. Fab deserts. We thought the prices were really reasonable too. Thanks for forming part of a wonderful trip to Gloucestershire.

Amazing lunch. All staff were so friendly. We got a lovely window seat. Fish and chips was delicious, amazing batter, fish perfectly cooked, crunchy thick chips with flakey salt and served with the best mushy peas and a fab tartare sauce. My boyfriend got the steak and ale pie with mash and it was devoured!! It came with lotssss of gravy too which was such a bonus. Thank you!

The waiter who served us was helping with all allergies and just very kind in general .The service was super quick. The dinning area was covered in really nice fairy lights and the tables were clean and when we made a reservation the high chair was already at the table ready for us to sit down and the food was incredible

We were in a party of eight for lunch.The place is well kept and the food and service in the most part was very good. The ball did get dropped a little when it came to desert, from taking the order and to bringing it to the table was past the point of you thinking they had forgotten you. When they did eventually bring the deserts, they like the rest of the food where very nice.

Everything was great especially the service.

Fantastic food, excellent service. The staff are very friendly & the quality & potion sizes of the food are amazing. Would definitely recommend this lovely village pub.

Lovely food, with a very welcoming staff. The table near a beautiful wood burning stove was a real bonus.

Booked for a meal for 4, chose the venue from the Internet as I do not live in the area. Food was very good, service excellent and very good value for the whole experience. The staff and owner should be very proud of the exceptional service they provide, and if ever I return to the area, I will have no hesitation in returning and thoroughly recommend them.

FANTASTIC meal. Steak cooked perfectly, peppercorn sauce was the best I've ever had. And Scott, our waiter, made everything even better.

Went down saturday the 30th december, without any reservation at around mid day, we were greeted by friendly faces who explained nicely there would a wait for food as there were a large group who had pre ordered. We had our drinks and sat for around 15 minites ti then be seated and sjow the menu which was absolutely fine, as said, we hadnt booked any tables so we expected a wait. I ordered the rump steak, medium with peppercorn sauce. It took a while to arrive, but the place was slowly becoming busier and from what i overheard some staff had called in sick so i beleive their may have been only a small team on, but when the food arrived it was amazing. Presentation was the best, it was cooked perfectly, the sides thst came with it were brilliant and hot. Everything was brilliant. It was all so good how could we say no to dessert. Of the group we tried the bayleys matleaser cheesecake and the pecan brownie. The cheesecake was so good (as was the little shot of baylesy that came with it) thepecan brownie looked warm and gooey, and the sauce was rich. I would honestly say this was one of the best meals weve had in a long time, sadly i didnt get any pictures of the food as it was too good looking to wait once it arrived. All i would say for anyone looking to go, it is a bit more exoensive than certain places, but you pay for what you get here, and what you get is great and worth it. Will be returning at some point.

Lovely food and efficient services as always

Absolutely superb Christmas Eve lunch. The food was amazing. Excellent choice of drinks, the Rioja was splendid. There is always a warm welcome and the service is friendly and efficient. Thank you

Had lunch on Christmas Eve after reading the very good reviews. Warm welcome from the staff in this very attractive, characterful pub. Great choice of food and good drinks menu, including cocktails. Food was excellent and my bread and butter Christmas pudding was the best dessert I’ve ever had on a pub menu. Generous portions with nothing giving the feeling that it had been heated up in a microwave. Good value for money. A most enjoyable 2 hour visit.

We went for an early dinner after a long hike in The Forest of Dean. The food was stellar. The service was great and the environment clean and comfortable. Highly recommend.

Booked at the last minute. Was made to feel very welcome. Staff very friendly and helpful. Quality of food was excellent and very filling. A brilliant pub highly recommend a visit . Top quality.

All food was 10/10 could not fault anything!! Definitely the best place to eat around the forest, will 100% be back! Absolutely delicious.

Loved our meal at the Butchers Arms...a real treat! Everything we had was cooked perfectly. Great service too and reasonable prices.

Went for lunch with family enjoyed the meal