The Dumbbell in Chiltern

Was great value and could fault the service and how fresh and lovely the food was. Highly recommended

Without a doubt, I was served the worst food I have ever tried in my life. Ordered hunters chicken. Served dry bacon completely covered with awful cheap melted cheese and a thin, small sliver of chicken breast that was entirely tasteless. Did not eat more than a couple mouthfuls. Tried again with the chicken curry. Tasteless, chicken was chewy, seemed entirely microwaved; terrible. Couldn’t eat it. If I had. I may have been ill as the chicken wasn’t even cooked/microwaved properly. Been to hundreds of pubs, this was the first time I left without being fed.Even the diet coke had an unusual aftertaste to it, but I didn’t feel it was worth mentioning that, given the more immediate issue being the food.Mum’s fish (sea bass) was edible as she had eaten it, though the veg was horribly overcooked, but it seems like their fish dishes aren’t as bad as everything else on the menu, not that this is a compliment. The fish was by no means good, just the least bad compared to what I tried. At least it appeared partly fresh. Came as it had 4* reviews on average, but we should have read the reviews as they were not really about the food. No one else was really eating there, which should have given a big enough clue. Service was friendly, but when the food is this bad, it makes you wonder how they can describe themselves as a ‘pub’. Seems like such a waste of an otherwise good venue. Be warned, if you want even just acceptable pub food, go elsewhere.

The sun was shining probably for the last time in 2021 and we fancied sitting outside so called and they managed to accommodate usThose who know the pub know it has a huge gardenHad lovely drinks, great service from the proprietors and dinner.The food was acceptable but the charm and service made up for the food

Wifey & I were staying locally and dropped in for late lunch. Wifey had the Sunday roast and I had the ham,eggs & chips. Wifeys dinner was enormous and very tasty albeit the parsnips being hard and the stuffing deep fried. My dinner was delicious washed down with a couple of pints of DoomBar. Altogether a lovely meal and we’ll definitely be back!

Today I took my disabled son and 5 year old grandson to the Dumb Bell. I last visited just over five years ago when I took my late husband out for the day. This visit, if a little poignant, was just as good as the first one. The staff were very friendly, and the food was superb. The portions were generous, both adult and child sizes. My son declared his ham, egg, and chips to be “all right, not bad”, the highest accolade in his autistic vocabulary, I loved my scampi and chips and was only sorry that my small appetite meant I had to leave a few chips and peas. Joseph thoroughly enjoyed his kiddy meal. Overall a great success, and I hope I don’t leave it so long until my next visit.

Have visited a couple of times before..hence the hold off at reviewing.. But they have never let me down and service is without doubt the best I've experienced from any establishment. Also by a long distance the Guinness served here is excellent and food is always on point.

Good quality wine and lovely service. Enjoyed the atmosphere and really look forward to seeing you again after lockdown x

I had dinner with a friend , nothing was an issue , very helpful and clean , the food was of eceptional standard , excellent all round , will defo go back 😎👍

Nice to get a warm welcome from friendly helpful staff.Covid should not be an excuse to make you feel unwelcome as it sadly does in many places now.The Dumbell adheres to Government guidelines but still makes you feel valued.Thank you for a lovely evening :)

As stated in a number of reviews, the setting is indeed idyllic. On the lovely Summer day in which my family a I went, the garden provided a beautiful environment in which to eat lunch. This is where the good reviews stop. The burger my partner and I ordered was not ‘home cooked’ but intact something that was clearly heated up. The chips were under cooked, and the side of coleslaw provided a single mouthful. The roast dinners my other family members had look ok, and the meat cooked well, but overall, for the prices charged, you would be better off looking elsewhere for a Sunday dinner.

This was a great place for a family carvery including a new born. The tokens they gave out to take up to the servery were a little odd, but they worked. There was a big queue at one point but for most of our time there you wouldn’t have had to wait. The food was awesome and really good value - would definitely recommend.

A classic country pub hidden down the back lanes. A very warm welcome and very attentive service. A place to relax and feel comfortableThe choice of fish specials is amazing. On the first visit I had a whole sea bass, for the second visit I chose a whole sea bream from specials including whole trout and whole mackerel. An unpretentious gastropub with sensible prices - sea bream was 12 pounds. Cooking was to a very good basic standard giving an enjoyable plate of food.

I organised a surprise 60th birthday party for my husband in the function room here. The staff were superb, I couldn't fault them. Big shout out particularly for Wendy who made sure everything was in place and Charlie who, on the night, made sure everything went smoothly. The food was good value for money and was served fresh and where applicable, hot! They also catered for vegetarian and gluten free (although gluten free was only sandwiches they were all freshly made). They were also very accommodating for us to bring our own cake and a selection of sweet jars and loads of decorations. Big bonus as well - the drinks are not too expensive! Thank you so much for making this occasion really special. Highly recommended.

This is where Leslie Henson got his divorce, if confused refer to the excellent book Mercury Presides by Daphne Fielding

We found this gorgeous pub when travelling to Heathrow. Off the beaten tracks, it is in a perfect location. The staff is really friendly! The quality of the food is exceptional. Can’t find anything negative at all... I truly recommend .

I asked the wonderful staff at the Dumb Bell if I could host a surprise party there. They reserved the area, hung up a huge banner for me, provided and hung balloons and gave us a round of complimentary drinks. They were totally amazing, I cannot thank them enough for going above and beyond for us. Pat and Wendy are class. The dumb bell is a proper pub- with a proper pub atmosphere. Thank you guys!

A lovely little out of the way pub. My fiancè and I love the carvery, and the staff are always so lovely. Great value, and they cater very well for vegetarians- they don't pour a bad Guinness either!

Booked for 15 people on Sunday 10th November to celebrate my birthday. Carvery was excellent with 5 choices of meat, all beautifully cooked and the vegetables were plentiful and tasty. The staff were very pleasant and the service we received from them was brilliant.

Went for lunch on a recommendation for the carvery. Although meat was tasty, vegetables were over cooked and tasteless. The only reason it’s not a lower rating is the fact that the staff were friendly and the restaurant clean. Certainly nit the best roast as others have reviewed.

Had a fantastic birthday celebration with 40 family and friends. The Dumb Bell was brilliant in making all the arrangements for us and then helping us make the best of a beautiful sunny day. The garden was perfect for the kids and helped ensure everyone enjoyed the afternoon/evening. The finger buffet was delicious and the service we had was impeccable! Recommend it to all!

We had a birthday lunch at your restaurant yesterday I was appalled at the service to begin with the host had ordered a pie which when served was cold he asked the waitress to reheat it. She questioned his request but did it my lunch was served a few moments later it was stone cold and I asked the waitress to take it away and reheat it and she questioned me she did offer me something else and I said no I just wanted the same dish served hot . When she questioned me I said that as the dish was fish and included muscles it was to be served properly cooked and I would not eat it cold I found my visit disappointing and will not be returning which is such a pity As it is an idyllic pub in a wonderful setting

This was the first time we have visited and we will definitely be returning. One of the best Sunday Roasts I’ve had in a pub. All home cooked beautifully, with a selection of 5 meats, and loads of veg options too. Absolutely delicious, I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a home cooked roast dinner!

Lunchtime visit.Ordered two ploughman's,wanted a ham and a cheese but was told that you get both on the same meal.My wife cannot have cheese so we ended up swopping ham from my to hers and vice versa.After about 25 mins we were told that there was a delay because the order had not gone through to the kitchen.There was then a further ten minute wait.For the price we expected a decent meal but we got two slices of not very thick ham and the same with the cheese.The salad was inedible due to the fact it was swimming in oil,which had managed to cover the whole plate.At nearly £10 each it amounted to basically an expensive cheese or ham roll.We last came here several years ago and the food was delicious.Sad to say,we will definitely not be returning.

We used to like the food here and came back after some time particularly looking forward to the onion rings. What a let down. Before they were beer battered, light and crispy. Now they're straight from the freezer bag and greasy.

Fue fantástico, hicimos una celebración de condolencia y resulto por parte del lugar muy bien y muy agradable, servicio esmerado, lugar especial y típico ...

Good quality nice surrounding and good value will be back many times easy to get to plenty of parking

I had the pleasure of studying out this way when I was in college and I’m pretty sure I spent more time at this countryside pub than anywhere else. Now some 16 years later I have returned and found it just as fantastic as I remember. Here everyone seems like a local and treats you like you live just up the road. Food is fantastic, beer is cold and the conversation is great. Send our love to Wendy, Pat, Dave and Simon. If you’re police officer bring them your patch! They have WiFi too

We ended up here after walking our dogs across the fields. It is a typical out of the way country pub. The nice thing about the Dumbbell is that you can take your dogs inside and nobody minds. We had a couple of baguettes for lunch and they were nice. The staff were very friendly and helpful and I think that is what makes the Dumbbell a success. It seems to attract the locals and regulars as the bar staff knew customers names.

The new management seem lovely, the food great & the Sunday carvery great value & unmissable. Five or so of us have been coming here for years, & we all agree - we really don't like the harsh eco lighting, bright white walls & stark new make-over generally. It was a cosy, country local, but even the snug bar has a strip light in one part and a TV - surely one TV is enough? you can't get away from it... We'd still come for the Sunday roasts, but not an evening drink. It's a real shame - hope they fix it.

The Sunday Roast is a carvery of the very highest standard, the meat, veg is superb, well worth a visit. Car Parking is plenty and the outside space for adults and children is excellent.

We went to the Dumb Bell for Sunday lunch. The food was amazing and the waitress could not have been more helpful and pleasant. We had a main course and a dessert and both courses were delicious. I can't wait to go back again. The garden was lovely too so will be great to sit outside in the summer.

Absolutely brilliant food. I had beef stew. Very clean. Table was being cleaned as I retired to the bar. Brilliant

We had our wedding dinner here. Absolutely gorgeous food. Wonderful staff. Great service. Patrick, Wendy and all staff couldn't do enough for us. Would definitely recommend this for a wedding party.

Great food fair price really enjoyed meal friendly staff great service it's a local to not just a eating house great mixture between the two will be going back

We always get a friendly welcome from all the staff. Warm and cosy in winter with a roaring log fire and a good garden for warmer days. Very varied menu with great fish a speciality, well cooked, good value pub grub! Support your local or see it go.

I've been there plenty of times. Good food,great service and homely. Oh yes, and plenty of parking space

Just said it. Grey meat and no taste. Stay away.need to add one more characters to make it up to 100 to explain how poor this was.

Dropped in here for lunch after going to the Chiltern Open Air Museum. The carpark is huge as is the garden which is also full of kids swings etc. The pub has a formal restaurant as well as seating in the bar area. The lady behind the bar was absolutely delightful and very accommodating. The food was very tasty and portions a good size. They even had my favourite beer (Doombar).

I don’t really like Sunday roasts - especially the prices charged for them - but at £9.95 for 5 different meats (beef, lamb, turkey, ham and pork) this was amazing value along with loads of help yourself veg. On arrival the pub and car park were packed so this was a good sign. We had booked and it’s a good job we did!

Enjoyed a fantastic family party at this wonderful pub. Great service, great food and drinks. Great night was had by all.

We visited family in Rickmansworth and went out with friends to this lovely pub, we all had fillet steak and what a lovely evening it was, steak cooked to perfection and the staff were really lovely especially the young lady who served us, who was new to the pub.

I was brought a Groupon voucher for this pub which included 2 courses for 2 people plus a glad of wine each, the lady who served us Wendy was lovely, we changed our starter to a sharer dish and paid the additional, the main meal was just huge I couldn't finish it all I had fish and chips just lovely and to finish we had a pudding to share

Excellent food good choice menu.We found this pub by chance and what a find.My wife had the sword fish which was excellent as she had had it in santorini.It was better than there.I had the dumbbell special chicken which was excellent too.The pub has two children's play areas 1 for tots with plenty of toys.The other a climbing frame a slide.The carvery looked very good with a choice of 6 to 7meats.There was plenty of seating inside and in the garden.Well worth a visit.Will return

Stopped by for a quick drink whilst passing through the area. Nice traditional place which looked like it had a very large dining area at the back.

We have been coming here for years, and have always enjoyed the vast menu and the cosiness of the pub.

This has always been such a tatty looking pub from outside, but it now looks fabulous and really inviting. Can’t wait to go check out the inside and their food to see if it’s all been upgraded.

This pub does not answer their phone and the email address is not correct. I should have been warned by that. I think you will all understand what I am saying!!

Visited this pub recently and was pleasantly surprised at the ambiance of the property, felt very comfortable and the gardens are lovely, I had a big breakfast and my friend had an omelette, both meals were well cooked and tasty, I would have given a 5 rating but I don't eat sausages or black pudding that was nearly half the breakfast, I did ask if I could swoop these for extra bacon, but felt that it was a problem so didn't push it, but they did wrap up what I left for my dog and she enjoyed it so no waste.

Booked for lunch using a Groupon voucher. The restaurant was more a kin to a canteen and looked as if it needed a good clean.

Burgers were fantastic and home made ice cream was amazing. Pub could do with a revamp but looks like that is work in progress. Staff were friendly and food couldn’t be faulted.

After playing a friendly nearby we decided that afterwards we would have our end of season awards ceremony at the Dumbbell.

Absolutely great place for family’s Very nice and friendly staff could not be more happy with our experience will definitely be returning

Very impressed with the work completed on the outside, although mainly geared up for young families. four meals ordered including a shared starter.

A group booking was made for a large number, and confirmed again by phone in the morning, for the carvery. Admittedly it was very very busy, but when our group got there the carvery was closed. They said we could order from the main menu, of which they had only four.....ordering took such a long time. In the end we waited around two hours for food from ordering to receiving it. When the orders were taken they took the name and the table number too but when food was brought out the waitress just called out what it was and the first hand up seemed to get it rather than the names or table numbers being referred to, this meant two of our group didn't get any food at all until they complained and were told their food had come out ages ago.. then one order came out wrong, a comment was made by the person who received the wrong order to another person in our group and someone from the pub then was very abusive .....we will never go back. It seems that our booking was not important, and we weren't worth phoning to say the carvery was shut, which we had specifically booked. Yes it was busy but it was just a shambles. We will never go back.

Saw this on Groupon and thought we would try it out prior to purchasing a voucher. Bit difficult to find as a bit tucked away. Olde Worlde pub with a very large garden area and playground for kids. Friendly staff and good food. They also do a Sunday carvery with 5 roasts! At a reasonable price. I had the Chicken Caesar salad and my husband had smoked haddock with egg and croquette potatoes. The chicken was very moist and cooked to perfection which was a change from other places where it can be dry and chewy. Will ask for extra dressing next time. Very large portion that I unfortunately could not finish. My husbands haddock was well cooked but his egg was a bit too runny for his taste. Have now purchased our Groupon voucher and looking forward to revisiting.

Could not get any where near the bar. Not very inviting. We booked table for 6.30pm. But after 5 minutes of waiting to get served we made the decision to eat else where this is something that we have never done before. We have always given the place a chance. Full of rowdy locals and as soon as you walked in it was as if we did not belong there. Very uncomfortable

Went to this pub today and the quality of the food was so bad that we left it and went elsewhere (not something I've ever done before). We simply couldn't stomach eating it. The BLT sandwich was soggy and slimy with undercooked, rubbery bacon and cheap, greasy curly fries. The haddock and egg was even worse - dried up, over-cooked, greasy haddock, a badly cooked egg and dreary, flavourless greying veg. Absolutely awful.

My husband & I recently had a two course meal with a glass of wine at this pub using a Groupon voucher.

The food was ok you had a choice of a lot of meat which was nice and they gave you a slices of each the meat was very nice,but what let them down was you didn't get a proper sausage it was some frozen thing...

Enjoyed my first Mother's Day at The Dumbell. Was greeted with a lovely warm welcome. A beautiful cosy country pub with a huge garden , which I look forward to enjoying in the summer. We had the roast carvery, which was hot fresh and delicious. A choice of lamb, beef, gammon and chicken. The beef was perfectly pink and tender. Great selection of steamed and roasted vegetables, with a proper rich gravy. Will definitely be back to sample the normal menu!

Been 3 times now, good value, staff try very hard to make it nice but..... lots of very bad swearing from regulars. Not nice infront of ladies. Been like that every time I went. Wouldn’t go sgain.

Went here for the Sunday Carvery and was not disappointed. The meats were tender and the vegetable tasted organic. The service was second to none. Very friendly and great atmosphere. Very reasonably priced and large portions. We would go back again. 5 stars .

One of the best carvery's we have had in years, everything superbly cooked and huge choice of vegetables, and very good value for money, congrats to the chef and kitchen staff, they certainly know what they are doing. Lovely old Inn and tables laid in the traditional style. The staff were great, very friendly and chatty and very efficient.

Under new management the new manager has worked hard to improve this place. A lot more brighter gone are nearly all the horrific tat that hung from the ceiling and around the sides, the walls are bright the eating area looks fantastic and the garden is amazing. The food here is still good quality but thankfully the menu has been reduced.

My 11 year old son & I walked the dogs up today. Robbie ordered a burger & I hit the carvery. He enjoyed his meal, presentation was lovely, his burger was juicy. My meal, was beautiful. I opted for lamb beef & gammon with roast spuds, carrots, cabbage, Yorkshire, stuffing, baby sausages, parsnips (beautiful) collie-broc cheese. I have zero complaints. Beautiful food, spot on Guinness & smiley staff.

My colleague recommended the Dumb Bell as she goes there to eat quite regularly. It was my first time in this pub as I was a visitor.

Probably 18 months since last visit and we tried the DumbBell on the off chance late on Sunday afternoon. It's the same kitchen team producing great and substantial pub food with excellent and friendly service. Two courses were enough to completely stuff us. I had the steak and Kidney pie which was awesome. It's one if tbe few pubs that can mix eating with genuine pubbing successfully, I'll be back.

On our first visit, Annie and I just stopped off for afternoon drinks and nibbles (olives and bread) The bar attendant Charlee (Charlene) was very friendly and welcoming, as were the locals in the bar. We sat and chatted for ages. We were so impressed that we returned for dinner with our daughter and two sisters. We were welcomed like long lost friends. The service was great, Steve the chef was very understanding about the girls' dietary needs and served up some delicious meals. Jan and Terry were great behind the bar and at the table. It is worth a walk around the bars and to examine the various old prints and paintings on the walls, the steins and mugs hanging from the ceiling are interesting. The food and drinks menus are quite varied and reasonably priced. It is a dog friendly pub, with a jar of "dog treats" on the bar. We really enjoyed our evening.

So...take your average Pub quiz....add a very tall, allegedly well dressed, self confessed Diva for a quizmaster...who is both profoundly and profanely non PC (Andrew) and you'll start to get an idea of what this quiz is like...add to that groups of loud and willingly interactive quizzers who are warm, welcoming and wickedly encouraging of the 'witty' banter...then if Carlsberg did quizzes ...... Not for the feint hearted or easily offended...especially if you are from 'up North' .....but a reeght good larf. It's loud, it's fun and Andrew will have you squirming and laughing at the same time....try it if you dare

My parent's have been going to the quiz night at The Dumbbell every Thursday for around a year now and I frequently join them. What makes this pub quiz far more superior than any of the others in the country is the quiz master Andrew. He's funny, lively and makes a regular pub quiz a great night out. He brings his A-game every week.

Wifey, friends and I popped in on Saturday night for a quick repast and noticed that it's recently changed hands. Gone are all the clutter and nik naks. The walls have been painted and the toilets refurbished . It makes the place look bigger !!

Un poco lejos de todo, pero una vez lo has encontrado sin duda volveremos. Hay mucho para elegir el menú, y aunque tuvimos que esperar, todo estaba preparado y delicioso. freshy El helado casero es para morirse y a pesar de estar lleno nos alegramos hizo la habitación para ellos. Algunas de las fotos no le hacen justicia ya que los jardines son actualmente ser modernizado y contribuyen a una muy agradable fuera de zona de estar. El personal es muy amable y nada es demasiado problema. Ha cambiado de manos, pero nos aseguraron que, aparte de las mejoras que se desarrollan en la actualidad todo seguirá siendo la misma, excelente relación calidad-precio y buen servicio amable.

Had fish, chips and mushy peas. Fish wasn't filleted and tasteless, chips were frozen and mushies were watery. Eaton Mess pud was squirty cream and a couple of strawberries. Beer wasn't much better and not going back tonight.

Foul language, rash remarks and overall dickery. An absolute great time, fun quiz and highly recommended. Could only do with some questions for the 90s kids (yes that was a fun dig :) )

We found this really lovely pub, with great home-cooked food (vast menu!) and a brilliant quiz hosted by Andrew!

Great fun at the Dum Bell pub, quiz master Andrew provided his own wonderfully eccentric style to the quiz.

Took the family over to the Dumb Bell this afternoon. Food was very good and the grand children also enjoyed the bouncey castle etc. Well worth a visit, even without kids..... Excellent value for money is an understatement.

Superb little pub with great food which you can have in the restaruant at the back of the pub. Food was superb and really a good varied menu. Staff were very helpful. Later on that evening they had Tina turner tribute band which was very good and had us all up dancing. This pub is about 2 miles from centre of chalfont St. Peter but got a cab both ways very easy. Will definitely return there

I was told the carvery finishes at 19:00hrs so I booked a table for four at 18:30hrs however the meat looked dry and the vegetables were not too appealing either so we opted for the main menu The meat was just okay but the vegetables were from the carvery and these where over cooked and what looked like mash I believed it was cauliflower Staff very friendly and the services were good but the place it's also very rundown with cables on show including al the extension leads (fire hazard)Will not recommend for food but perhaps for a drink

We have lived close to this pub for over 30 years and had only visited a couple of times until friends told us about the weekly quiz. We have now made it the venue for our night out each week with friends or just as a couple. I would not recommend it to serious quizzers as it is not the usual pub question and answer session but more of a great social evening with questions and prizes. Andrew, who presents the quiz is very welcoming, slightly shocking, very ott and absolutely fabulous! We have not yet eaten there but our friends regularly have a pre-quiz meal and the drinks are reasonably priced. Very old fashioned pub, full of nicknaks and a no frills type of decor.Looking forward to our visit next week for another good night out!

We run (hash) ever Tuesday evening come rain or shine from a pubs within a 10-mile radius of High Wycombe, then all meet back at the pub we set off from for drinks, chips, and chat. All the pubs are assessed on 4 categories, (each marked out of 10 points), which we then rank during the year on our website. SummaryAt the end of Rickmansworth Lane, on the cliff edge overlooking the M.25, the Dumb Bell rises out of the darkness like an ocean liner, replete with lights. One has to decide if it is the QM2 or the Titanic, this based on ones expectations of what a boozer should be. Large, it has a multiplicity of rooms and nooks, all of which are dressed either in the shabby chic mode or are just plain tatty, again dependent on personal opinion or possibly on how much ale has been sunk.Beer 7/10A Good Stuffing!. A great name for an Xmas ale,this from Wells, but somewhat spoiled by the £4.10 price. T.Taylor Landlord and Pride also similarly pricey with Courage Worst(Best?) at £3.75. Mumblings from The BG regarding "bacteria". Us mere beer mortals called it twangy!Non-beer 5/10The reasonably priced L & S was well offset by the coke which came in at £1.80 a half and, I am told, an eye watering £3.60 for a proper sized glass. Those hashers of that strange soft persuasion seen sobbing quietly into their fizz.Chips 9/10Not only large bowls of Beefsteak style RSJ sized chips but pizzas too. The chips, however, required gloves to tackle having been subjected to Mach 6 on the oven. No veggie pizzas - bloody liberty!!Hashmosphere 7/10A warm welcome from the staff who pointed us in the direction of a small end room. However, a pretty convivial gathering with time to admire the strange collection of pub clutter and peeling wallpaper. Somewhat bizarre mix of footie and politics on the two large tellies and another Magneto blurb from the GM completed matters. Noted that Magneto didn't put in an appearance tho.

This is a pub the way they used to look before they were all gastronomed. Beams, bric a brac and friendly staff. The menu was extensive and very good value, the meals came with interesting vegetables. The pub is very tucked away down a single track lane but just by the M25, so it's a good stopover if you can find it.I only gave it four stars instead of 5 because the service was a little slow. Otherwise, great little place.

One of the few place in the are still doing a Roast dinner the way it should be. Plates loaded up high with good food in a very unique pub. Been here during the week and the steak is always hits the right buttons as do the specials of the day.It's got a huge beer garden at the rear but I like to sit out front, there's a real buzz to the place with a cross section of regulars.Great place just to come for drink but you will end up staying longer than you think!

this is a lively pub for locals with a character landlord. the food here is more pub standard than restaurant standard but there is a good choice. thye do fresh fish or takeaway - go for the entire experience.

The menu offered plenty of comfort, pub food, all prepared and freshly home cooked. Our food and drink was good value for the money. The decor can be described as old fashion, but the staff and service were great.

28 of our 'drinking club with a running problem' had organised a day out from Bedfordshire to gallivant around the Chalfont countryside and we were all looking forward to taking lunch at the Dumbbell having seen your website.We were not disappointed with the traditional presence of a welcoming pub with good service and generous platefuls of food. If any of us are back in the area, we will definitely be returning to the Dumpbell.

I am writing this review in response to the two previous reviews which I think were unfair. I am a regular attendee of the Thursday night quiz with Andrew. He may not be to everyone's taste but he is a genuinely nice guy with a very naughty sense of humour. He makes the weekly quiz a lot of fun. The language is sometimes fruity but this is a pub, not a WI meeting. He did not single out this table maliciously, everyone gets their turn for a tongue lashing! It is all in good humour and makes for a thoroughly entertaining evening. Andrew is the reason people come back week after week. The Dumb Bell is a very friendly community pub. The staff try very hard to please and whenever we have eaten there we have found the food hearty, and the portions huge. I am very sorry these people were offended but no one was laughing at them, perhaps they were a little sensitive because it was the anniversary of their mother's death. All I would say is please join us again. We are a friendly crowd!

I am a quiz regular and I must say how much I enjoy my Thursday nights at the Dumbbell. The quiz master, Andrew, injects a pleasing variety of humour and bad taste into the evenings all of which should be taken with good grace as it is intended. The real ale is always very drinkable and the overall atmosphere is very friendly.Highly recommend a night out at the Dumbbell Quiz

A very good evening. Nice traditional pub with great staff and a warm welcome. The quiz was fast moving and lively with plenty of audience participation and robust repartee between teams and quizmaster. Very fun and lively and not like an exam! Enjoy it. Some had food as well and said very good.

We are part of the regulars who attend the quiz on a Thursday evening and were present when 'the gang of three' threw a strop and stormed out, infact to be accurate it was us that won the drinks but because we had just bought a round said that they should be given to the young folk in the corner who were having a meal and had joined in the quiz. We Agree that Andrew can be offensive but his outrageous behaviour is all part of the fun of this quiz which none of us take too seriously and go for the fun and banter with the other teams and the Quiz master. Its a Quiz of only 55 questions and lasts about an hour or so. Its fun with a serious amount of adult humour. Yes some times you might want to fill Andrew's face in but this should not detract from the pub, the fun and the general friendlyness of the place. Try it and form your own judgement.

For the past couple of weeks we have enjoyed the entertainment of the weekly "pub quiz" at the Dumb Bell... Andrew the Quiz Master, is one in a million... and has us all in stitches (and he's a nice guy too) - even if his language is a bit colourful, and maybe not everyones taste, is all harmless fun..., now we are not avid quiz players, and most weeks we come last, but it's all in the name of having a good night out, meeting new people, and not taking things too seriously.... life is too short at the end of the day.... and the comradeship from the other teams is fabulous... So if you fancy a good night out, with great company and fabulous home cooked food (I recommend the burgers and the fish and chips)... then you can't go wrong..... And their Sunday Lunch is pretty special too.. but make sure you book..... ooh and I defy you to eat the Full English - not for the faint hearted.... 5*** we have recommended The Dumb Bell to many friends and will continue to do so.... keep up the great work... and Andrew - WE LOVE YOU.... xx

The food was amazing, the service was second to none.I will be there again soon.Please if you are in the area give the Dumbell a try, you will not be disappointed!

The dumbbell has to be the best restaurant we have eaten in service was second to none food fantastic staff friendly attentive we were overwhelmed by the service

We have been going to this pub for the last two years after coming across it on a drive. Originally it was a nice family run pub with nice to great food that was reasonably priced, it wasn't perfect but the atmosphere was so friendly you could ignore it's small issues. But since changing hands it has dramatically dropped in quality. The food is sickly, I ordered chicken strips and I got a massive stack of chicken that was dripping in fat and made me feel ill. We went to the pub for the quiz, in memory of our late mum who passed away a year to the day so thought it would be a fun and enjoyable way to memorialise our mother. The quiz master, Andrew, was a little loud, sweary and brash but it was all in good humour. We played along but were mocked for "looking poor" despite the fact we were better dressed than most there and was offered free drinks because no one got the answer for the "free round round" even though we got it right (Tallest leading man, we answered Vince Vaughn who is 1.96m, Christopher Lee was the answer who is also 1.96m). We laughed it off and played along. But than once the scores were given out we were mocked for being "retarded" when we came last. We refused to sit around and be mocked anymore by a bad impression of Graham Norton doing a Rik Mayall impression. We were told if we didn't like it "don't come back" so we won't and nor should anyone else. What a tip full of rude, obnoxious people and that's me being nice.

I have been going to the dumb bell for a good few number of years and have seen it decline massively in all areas. The food used to be enjoyable to eat and tasty, nowadays it is neither. The garden used to have chickens, rabbits and was well maintained, it is now over grown and there are no longer any animals. The dart board is terribly positioned, if you want to play it you've got to arrive when it first opens otherwise you have no chance. But the reason I feel compelled to now right a review is because we went on to the pub quiz, which was meant to start at 8 but started nearer half past, and when it did the quiz master Andrew was swearing after every word and question. At first it's a little comical but after a while it is both childish and unnecessary, after a round to win a free drink which no one got the question right so as we were new to the quiz were awarded, Andrew said we "looked poor" to which a 'regular' agreed with and some individuals laughed at these comments, which I'm sure anyone would agree with are not funny or required. Also as we new to the quiz he called us virgins, which is fine, but he later went on to joke that me, my sister and brother looked like virgins, how is this funny?Andrew was slow with the questions and at times were drawn out and each one interjected with a swear word or two. Then after it was scored and it transpired we had come last he rejoiced in the fact he had finally found some "retards" after looking for ages, to which once again the 'regulars' laughed. This to us was the last straw so me, my sister and brother walked out, he said he was just 'joking' but I'm sure there is no-one who would find this a joke neither funny nor banter. As we left Andrew said if we didn't like it we didn't have to come back. At least one good fact was learnt tonight.So over a two and half hour period we had had an unsatisfying meal, we had been called poor, we were implied to be virgins, we had to wait a long time between rounds for cigarette breaks for Andrew and most wrongly of all we were called retarded! All of which is deplorable and inexcusable.

Please sort out the garden. This could be the loveliest place with a little TLC. For now it looks like a tornado or a war has taken plCe recently.

Very friendly atmosphere , tasty food especially breakfasts(best ever! ) and Sunday's roast . I am so happy to leave near by . RECOMENDED

great food great staff and couldn't complain about anything i would highly recommend going there and trying yourselfs

What a pleasure to find the Dumb Bell as unspoilt as the last time we visited - which we worked out was probably 30 years ago! It's had a bit of a makeover (it is 30 years) but is just as friendly - if a little less rough than when Ozzy (Osbourne) used to prop up a corner. On a baking hot day the real ale and fish based menu was a pleasure as was the welcome. It goes high on the 'must go back soon' list.

Buckinghamshire in the main has 'average' eating places.However, the food at the Dumb Bell is fantastic. A Very big choice is availble.The staff bend over backward. Sure the building is 'rustic', yet that is part of its charm.Plenty of parking space. A big field for children to play in.Good selection of beers. What more do you want. There will always be the moaners!