The Cowherds in Southampton

Went on the Festive Dog walk hosted by Harry. Lots of people turned out and we had a lovely walk around the common. Went back for coffee and a mince pie and the pub. Harry was friendly and attentive. Nice to meet fellow doggy people! 😊

Hi I have to say Gemma made our experience at the cowherds a very special memorie,my son has autism and can get quite anxious when going out for food,but Gemma was instantly so kind and helpful,the food was spot on,everything was in the right place. It's a beautiful place to take family,right next to the common ,so you can walk those extra pounds of before or after your meal.Many thanks to all at the Cowherds,especially Gemma x

Roy did an excellent job serving our table. The food was good and flow between the courses was good will be back next year …………………..

First time eating out on Christmas Day. Very impressed, food lovely and service was very tentative never had empty glasses or plates left on table. Would definitely come again.

Excellent , efficient friendly service by Gemma Good was absolutely delicious Arrived with no delay Lovely atmosphere even though very busy on Christmas Eve

Lovely place, great food, great service.

Fab warm and welcoming environment. We will be back.

Staff was Freindly and our Waitress was helpful looked after us well and kind. Was really Meal. Starters were and Pudding was nice. I was impressed with other starter and Cheesecake should of had that. Pork belly was really nice. One thing Is that was expecting Caramelised Mini Apple pie with it. Would of been perfect but there 2 Festive menus saying different things and wasn't clear enough. The Apple was cold and it didn't really go with the dish. Wasn't impressed but dish itself i enjoyed it and tasted good. Was impressed with the Festive Turkey Never seen a good Festive Turkey like that before. Thanks for having us 🙏. Will happy to come back again.

Lovely location, friendly staff and good value for money overall.

Excellent food, great service from Ray - nothing was too much trouble

Fantastic place, only shame was some starter options were sold out at only 6pm.

The service was incredible and the food was amazing. Gemma was so welcoming and engaging, especially with my 4 year old which made us all feel so welcome. 10/10 would recommend.

Really nice place to eat and drink. Highly recommended.

Always a great service and food, thank you Gemma, staff and the chefs!

Great atmosphere, ample parking. Went here for Sunday Lunch. Would recommend. Good portions and tasty food. Our waitress Gemma was very attentive and friendly 👍 Would recommend - great menu choices.

Great pub with open fires in an amazing location

Had our Xmas get together with friends at the Cowherds. We had an excellent meal good portions. Service was very good, staff were helpful and friendly. The Manager was a great hoste and always trying to please. Will recommend to friends and family. See you in the New Year.

Had not only an amazing Sunday roast but the best service from our lead waitress Leonor and also Amy and Ray! Totally recommend!

Joined a group of friends and had the fixed Christmas menu. Apart from being slightly cramped, a table for two was used for three people, the experience was very good. The food was excellent, as was the service. Our waitress, Gemma, was cheerful throughout. Nothing seemed to phase her, despite the pub being very busy, and she was always attentive. It was the best Christmas lunch we have had in quite a few years, and we will be returning next year.

Nice place to visit it was a meet up with friends for a drink and a meal. Would definitely use again.

Delicious food in comfortable pub with welcoming and efficient staff.

Informed staff of my dietary requirements & impressed by their knowledge of menu items. Friendly and helpful staff. Portion size of vegan roast good, pastry on Wellington amazing considering no diary. But more carrots or parsnips, vegetables overall required especially as paying £16.95!

Been a regular visitor to Southampton in the last year and always passed coming and going past The Cowherds. Atmosphere was lovely and pleasant, the food was immense, faultless and freshly cooked to perfection, but was not too long of a wait either, staff polite, helpful, cleanliness was spot on. Will gladly be coming again on my next trip down, if not tomorrow for my second night I'm away. A***** would highly recommend and this is an unbiased opinion as I live in Spalding Lincolnshire so have no ties with Tje Cowherds and travel down or stay over to watch Football.

Stopped by for a coffee after a dog walk on the common. Tuesday morning so not v busy. Good for a quiet chat. Dog friendly. The ladies loo has weirdly big gaps under the door and partitions. Didn't feel v private or comfortable but maybe that's just me.

Had an excellent meal and was served by Leonor, who provided fantastic customer service and was very attentive! Lovely atmosphere inside and would definitely come again! Thank you!

Not a very good meal, undercooked potatoes and meal was only warm

We thought the menu was great, the food lived up to the menu's promise and it was served in a timely and friendly fashion, so all good!

Brilliant customer service experience from head office (Harry) and Nathan at Cowherds… Thank you Cowherds!

Been to the cowheards many times and a great place to have a few drinks (no matter the weather). Stopped in recently and was served by Jade who was kind, quick with our drinks and made lovely cocktails (brilliant bartender!). If you're ever looking for a homely vibes pub with great bar staff, this is the place to go!

Whenever I'm near Southampton common I make sure to stop in at the cowherds, recently popped in for some drinks and a bite to eat and was served at the bar by Jade, absolutely lovely service and excellent drinks made promptly, would give 10 stars if I could

We have been coming here years and every time we come it gets more expensive and the food portions are smaller. My partner had the brisket sandwich yesterday and it was like they used the ends of the bread and forgot to make any brisket, it was tiny! And so different to last time we had it about 6 months ago... just would like consistency if it's going to be that expensive. Staff lovely... place could do with a little decor.. falling down in places.

I'm no stranger to The Cowherds and it's definitely become a go-to pub over the years for me. If you're looking for a family friendly option with a warming atmosphere and scrumptious food, then The Cowherds is for you! The staff are particularly helpful and kind, they will always go out of their way to make sure you feel welcomed. Jade and Harry have always got a smile on their face, making returning a pleasure. One of the perks for me is the vast vegetarian options available, not only this, the location too as it's situated right by the Common so it's especially lovely in the summer. Dogs are also welcome and even water bowls are provided! Most deserving of 5/5 stars.

Great lunch. Thank you Luke for your service!

Food amazing - especially recommend the Signature Burger - service very good. Generally a nice place to be with good atmosphere, but decor "tired" in places and toilets really need a complete refit.

A prime location we've driven by many times over the years and visited having taken the hound for a stroll on the common. The menu is 'standard fayre' for a chain, it's retained it's charm as obviously a very old public house, a little tired in places and in need of some TLC (Toilets) and as what seems to be the case in many pubs, bars and restaurants the staff can't seem to see dirty tables or clear glasses and plates, this was no different. We had a mix of prawn skewers, humous and flat bread (over cooked) and smaller plates - it was 'ok' did the job but nothing really very exciting. If you want a quick bite after a walk, this will do the job although I doubt you'll put it in your top 5 to come back to.

Great food and service. We were served by Warwick who was very friendly and recommended great food

Food and service were excellent. The location was exactly what we needed as we were staying in a nearby hotel (Elizabeth House) and could walk.

Great food as always. We love the Sunday roasts. Aaron was very polite and provided an excellent service

I haven't been to this pub for years but we arrived last night with NO where to sit everywhere was Booked up

Lovely place to have dinner with the family, everyone is super lovely especially Antonia who was very sweet and very accommodating!

The staff were a delight, helpful and very hard working. The food was delicious.

Just popped in for a cuppa after a walk on the Common. Great service, great tea and lovely atmosphere 👌

Nice ambiance, lovely food and excellent service from Terry. He was friendly, welcoming and looked after us whilst we enjoyed a delicious lunch to celebrate my husbands Birthday.

Absolutely amazing service. Love this place.

Booked a table, very busy, did not have their signature dish available at 5pm🤔. The staff were very friendly and the food we had was good.

Delicious food - hard to choose as so many lovely things on menu. Good range of drinks, especially non-alcoholic choices. Friendly service.

Great pub and fantastic service from Terry. Our son is at the uni so it’s our place to go when visiting him . Great starters and roast only let down by the undercooked roast potatoes. Will definitely be back .

Lovely food! great service! Would definitely come again

Very nice meal, what shone out was our hostess Leanor, most helpful and understanding.

Service (waiter Luke) was really good and food was delicious!

Beautiful pub, great staff andThe food was just amazing ,will definitely come back .

My partner and I went for a date night on a Thursday. The food was mouth warering good and decent portions. The service was amazing with each staff memeber friendly bubbly and attentive. We had a lady with black and white hair who we had a little chat with at the end of our meal. She was nothing but brilliant the whole time we where there. (Wishing her safe travels whilst moving back up north)

Sunday lunch with friends. Our waiter, Aaron, was lovely - attentive and friendly without being over the top. Six of us all had different starters, mains and puddings and no one had any complaints - food was plentiful and delicious. Pub was crowded but tables are well spaced so the atmosphere was just right for us.

Very pleasant place for a Sunday lunch. Excellent menu and very pleasant staff.

Lovely pub with a great atmosphere for every occasion. The food was very tasty and well cooked with just the right portion size.

A lovely return to the Cowherds after being away for some time, but still excellent food and drinks as always. Very friendly and helpful service from Terry, we will be back!

Came out for a Sunday Roast Dinner. Was very nice with excellent service from Terry. Very popular so make sure you book early for a table! 10/10 would come

Party of 4 for Sunday roast. Great service from Luke. It was really busy, but we didn't have to wait long for food. Great experience

We came for a Sunday roast and our server Luke was absolutely amazing. 100% recommend this place especially if Luke is looking after you.

Great pub, lovely atmosphere. Went for Sunday evening meal and was given 1st class service by Aaron. £30.00 per head. We'll be back 😀

Good food, beer 🍺 service and atmosphere.

We came to The Cowherds on a Sunday evening, we hadn't booked a table but were greeted by Ray who kindly found us a table and was an absolute delight throughout our stay. He is a credit to you and provides amazing customer service. The food was also amazing! Thank you Cowherds and thank you Ray! 4 very happy (well fed) customers! :)

Our service was received by ray! Absolutely amazing. Had our table ready for us straight away had incredible service throughout our meal. Honestly can’t thank ray enough. Always thinking one step ahead. Spectacular service 🙂

Sunday roast was amazing as always. Our waiter (Luke) was excellent - very attentive and friendly. A lovely family atmosphere :)

Hello! I am 46 years old. In the city of Southampton, I am looking for a kitchen assistant job in a pub and restaurant for Saturday and Sunday, weekends only. I work full-time in the kitchen of a pub and restaurant. I have more than 3 years and 4 months of experience as a hotel kitchen porter. I have hotel references.

Really chill atmosphere that made it so easy to spend loads of time here relaxing and enjoying our evening. Food was exceptional and our server, Antonia, was a joy all evening and only added to the experience. Was our first time back here in several years since leaving university, and was a wonderful reminder of how much we loved this place

Absolutely Excellent, lovely food, excellent service, will definitely be going again

Had a fantastic evening at The Cowherds Southampton, with great company—Sean and friend, John White, all the way from Ireland! The food was superb, but the evening ended on a strange note. Can you believe the coffee machine was shut down by 21:30 (with no warning)? So, no post-dinner coffee for us! Never been denied a coffee at the end of a meal before! After firmly being told coffee was not an option we were presented with a dessert menu with—you guessed it—coffee as an option! 🤔🤔 😂🤣

We love dining at the Cowherds, as the meals, and service is totally exceptional

Great meal on Wednesday, all four enjoyed our different dishes and the service from Terry was excellent as usual.

We have had the best ever Sunday roast at this absolutely gorgeous restaurant with an amazing service without the slightest mistake from Leonor even if it was 11 of us. Thank you. The choice of the Trio Sunday Roast with three different meats on my plate was a dream come true for me, not even mention about the way everything was presented on the plats that made it look mouthwatering before even tasting it. The best choice to make dear hard working husband's birthday even more special. So sorry we got too excited so we forgot to take any pictures of the food.

The food was lovely. Plates were warm. Staff were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the food which was helpful for my husbands IBS.

Went for lunch with friends midweek. It was very busy and bustling. Food was good.

Large party of friend for Birthday celebration,good food and excellent service

Lovely old pub full of character in a beautiful location on the common

This is not my favourite pub/restaurant as it gets very busy at times. I have even been turned away in the past, because there was no room in the Inn. Having said that, I can't fault the food that I had on my recent visit. The Lamb Duo was amazing. There was a long wait, as usual, to order food at the bar, but the service was otherwise OK. The Cowherds is part of the Vintage Inns group, so do keep your eyes peeled for any special offers...

Went for a birthday dinner yesterday which was ruined because they had no mint or horseradish sauce . I even offered to go to a local store to purchase some but they had apparently already tried that which was just a lie . I just don’t understand why the people that run the pub don’t simply inform the customer when they order Lamb or Beef that there is no sauce available . So easy ! Nice people at the pub but poor service .

Excellent Sunday lunch very capably served by Aaron, who made sure all of our allergy questions were answered and offered decent alternative options. Very enjoyable occasion. Thanks!

We're becoming regular visitors to Southampton due to our daughter starting Uni there and The Cowherds is going to become our regular stop off. Food & service has been amazing on both occasions so far. This time Warwick made us welcome & offered exceptional service on top of delicious hot food.

Amazing Sunday roast and great value for money. Service was very friendly and attentive by Leonor.

Luke was our server and he was exceptionally polite and had great customer service, food was also amazing, will definitely be back for more

Food always fantastic, Luke our server was brilliant, great atmosphere and can’t wait to come back.

Had a really lovely time yesterday evening while my friends and I ordered dinner. The staff were nice and friendly, and Keirah provided excellent customer service by checking in on us and just having a bit of conversation without making us feel like we needed to hurry. The food was hot when it was served and definitely delicious, I'd highly recommend eating here if you're in the area

Had a lovely breakfast here for my birthday, all the staff were lovely and the food was great! The manager Harry was extremely helpful and knowledgable, taking the time to talk to us without feeling rushed. Thank you again to all the staff, we will most definitely be back soon!

Came here for my nans 80th birthday. Food was absolutely fantastic! There was such a lovely atmosphere in the pub. We were served by the manager, I’m sure his name was Harry, he was very attentive and couldn’t do anymore for us! Nan said Harry made her 80th birthday the best! Thank you so much!

I found egg shells in my food. When I complained, no remedy was received.

No staff around to show us to our table, ended up finding our reserved table ourselves. Chips were stone cold and fish was overcooked & rubbery. Food came VERY slowly, we got the skewers 5 mins before the rest of the dish, then another 5 mins for others in the party to get their meals (we were only a table of 4). The waitress said that she had been on break and when she came back she saw our food ready to go. I’m assuming she was working alone but the service level was unacceptable for a Saturday afternoon!

First time visiting and wow what a lovely place! The decor is lovely with plenty of comfortable seating arrangements to dine. We were served by Harry who was lovely and attentive and had a good knowledge of the wine on the menu! Food menu had a great selection to choose from, I had the brisket sandwich which was delicious. Will be returning soon!

Luke was an excellent server. Very efficient. Friendly. Excellent food. Really good service and chat. We all had a lovely time.

Had a really nice sever named Jade. Was very informative and had great recommendations

Amy served us and was fantastic, the food (albeit the snack we bought) was timely and delicious) 5 Stars!!

Friendly and welcoming staff (Harry ) . Food was great - Especially the Bannofee schoux bun and Beef Brisket sandwich 😋

Arancini balls were delicious with hummus. Soup was tomato cold and Heinz out a tin Prawn skewers were delicious as were the chips. Refunded the soup and all was good!

Visited on a late Sunday afternoon for Sunday roasts. Beef and vegetarian options were unavailable. Service was slow (hit and miss). Food was expensive and just about acceptable.

Antonia was awesome and the food was great

Only place that is consistent with its roast dinners, they are always amazing. We have been served by Luke a few times now and he’s always great, really friendly and always happy. Looking forward to the next time !

Visited for lunch. We were pressured off a table after an hour and 15 minutes of sitting down, at the start of being given desserts (which took ages to be served) we are told we have 10 mins to eat and get off the table and presented the bill whilst trying to eat our food quickly. Appalled by this service, your food is not cheap and expect to be treated better and allowed time to eat!!! I've spent a lot of money in the past here and am extremely disappointed in being treated this way. Will not be back!

No complaints from me. Have been before. All as expected. Perhaps more vegetarian options. If they are good enough, meat eaters will order them.

We visited the Cowherds for a meal following a family funeral. There were 17 of us. We pre-ordered our mains and ordered desserts on the day. Everything about our visit was seamless. The food didn't come out too quickly but equally we weren't sat round waiting for ages. Every dish was tasty and cooked well. Desserts were great, especially the mini puddings and drinks. The service was excellent. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Great home cooked food, generous portions. Negatives...not full menu available, loos and waitress should stand away during payment. But mostly 👍