The Kings Arms in West Dorset

We were in Thornford for one night and thought we’d stay local for dinner. Lovely pub, welcoming owners and staff. Food was tasty and plentiful. We’re both vegan and had the bean chilli which was very tasty, reasonably priced and filling. Beernd wine was good too! Excellent spot and lots of locals, always a good sign.

Travelled from London recently attend family funeral, wake held at Kings Arms , decor, excellent food, staff service, all perfect, there is a small outside play area ideal for children and a games room , thanks to everyone at The Kings Arms.

Fantastic meal and service. Lovely decor. Friendly staff. Especially impressed by the ginger sponge- enormous portion, light and fragrant.

Another lovely evening meal here, this time for 7 of us on a Friday night. Friendly service, lovely fresh & tasty food. A good menu choice & a good drinks menu. Father in law enjoyed the selection of local ales.

Very generous portions of deeeeelicious food, served by lovely smiling staff. We will most certainly return! Thank you.

Excellent, modestly priced food. Great beer selection and quality. Good service. Clean and tasteful decor. Lovely outdoor seating areas. All in a lovely village setting. The only improvement would be a box of local cider behind the bar!

We have been to this pub on numerous occasions for lunch and always great food. As we were a couple on our own on Christmas Day we decided to book for lunch. In past years we have been to other pubs and ‘posh hotels’ but this was honestly the very best Christmas lunch we’ve had. Moist turkey served with nine different vegetables, 3 pigs in blankets and bacon wrapped stuffing. All well presented. Only pub ever to offer canapés (which were very nice) and the first drink on the house! Never had that before. The waiters (all young teenagers?) were efficient, polite and attentive. It was very busy but we were not rushed in anyway. All in all a truly great meal and made 10 times better because I hadn’t had to cook it!! Worth every penny. Thank you to all the hard working staff and in particular to the great chef there

We just returned from Christmas day dinner family of 6 .From the moment we arrived everything was fantastic.We were presented with a beautifully laid table and added extras .The food was amazing ,presented beautifully and plenty of it .We could not fault it at all .The young staff serving were very attentive and went out their way to make it a great experience. Overall it was fantastic and we booked again for next year. Thankyou to everyone there for making it a stress free day xx

After a terrible experience at The Helyer arms in East Coker, we came across this gem of a pub. We arrived slightly out of sorts after being abused by the Landlord of the Helyer Arms and just wanted to sit and try to claw back what was supposed to be a special day and the first time we had eaten out since the lock downs began!We were greeted by the loveliest of hosts, a dear young lass who couldn't have been more welcoming. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine on their terrace which was stylishly created with cushions and tables, very nice to see their efforts.We were very hungry by now and so opted for the fish and chips, which were beautifully cooked, the fish was moist and the batter crisp and fresh. The chips were great too!So glad we found this place and we will definitely be recommending it to all our friends and family and we intend to revisit very soon. Thank you all, this is how it should be done!

It was busy but the staff kept smiling, they were all friendly helpful and very informative. Unfortunately they had run out of some things and we had to wait for food but, we were kept informed and they apologised. I work in hospitality and understand how hard this week has been, they were the perfect hosts. Will definitely visit again.

We ate here two nights during our stay in the village, Mat the owner was friendly and welcoming as were all the staff. We had whitebait and then the beef and ale pie on the first night, it was all beautifully cooked and obviously home made. On the second night we had a chilli nest and a beef curry and then shared an Eaton Mess, again it was wonderful, very tasty. Our thanks to the chef.It was nice to be in a village pub where the locals will chat and have a laugh with you and one that welcomes your dog ( in the bar area). We certainly would recommend this pub to anyone in the area.

Six of us booked into this pub,knowing from previous visits that the food would be good, even if the menu was restricted.Our visit was brightened by by Lauren, our waitress who managed to find more ways of confusing the chef with her antics on her laptop, than you can shake a stick at!!!!!!!Ultimately we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch, and desserts, and vowed to return even if it was only to see Lauren!!!!

The Kings Arms is a lovely pub. The food is really nice at good prices and the staff are always friendly. They are really good with the new current rules around the virus, and we defiantly felt safe. Would definitely recommend.

Excellent menu with all dietary requirements catered for. Large portions but not expensive. Definitely worth a visit with friendly and helpful staff.

Met family for a lovely lunch on Saturday, welcoming staff and a dog friendly pub. Good food , freshly cooked and presented well

We don't write reviews very often, but this particular pub was worthy of such. Starting with the Palmer's beer, through to the fish and chips and the sponge puddings. The service was excellent and reasonably priced. Looks like The Kings Arms has cracked the code.

The meal very hot and plentiful. Service good with all details of the ingredients. Waitresses very sociable and friendly and stopped to talk. For a midday visit it was marvellous. I

Nice, welcoming atmosphere. Friendly staff. Lovely food served in decent portions at a good price. Plus an open fire. What's not to like? Will be back for sure.

cullen skink to start then - haggis is the dish at the heart of Burns Night followed bystrawberry cranachan , cheese board,oatcakes then tea or coffee.A range of toasts and of course address to the haggis. Several kilts seen on the premies. What great food loads of it wonderful staff not only serving mut taking part in event

A lovely pub with great atmosphere and wonderful food. We have been twice now and both visits were very enjoyable.

We have just had Christmas Day lunch here and it was absolutely delicious. Roast potatoes that were crispy, fluffy and perfectly cooked. Parsnips that were gorgeous. The service was exceptional and no rushing you between courses. Thank you all for making a special day.

Always a warm welcome at this establishment, 5 of us had an early Christmas get together on the 6th and all had a 3 course meal,the service was excellent as was each course of food.All I can say is Rob & Matt are doing an excellent job running this great little Country Pub.

Group of four booked into this pub for lunch.Drinks served quickly, but remainder of service rather slow, but there was a big party enjoying Christmas lunches.We all chose different dishes and we were all happy with our choices.Desserts were very good, with the cheese board,and the meringue getting particular praise.Only downside was the coffee, which was a bit stewed.For the price of under £10 for two courses the meals were real value for money.

Two course Christmas lunch £15 three course £20 what superb value all the trimmings,,great presentation,more than ample food on the plate,wonderful friendly staff Yummy yummy and real ale at the bar .

Nice village pub with great ambiance and a friendly publican

Went here today to celebrate a special wedding anniversary. Sunday lunch was perfect, piping hot, tasty with a good selection of fresh vegetables. Strawberry cheesecake was amazing. It is such a friendly pub and the waiting staff were attentive but not over powering like some places. Would definitely recommend kings arms for tasty fresh home cooked food at very reasonable prices. We will make this are regular place to eat out.

We popped in here for some food and were pleasantly surprised. We were given a good welcome and ordered some drinks first.

Found this pub restaurant just passing by. Excellent menu, well cooked, returned again during our holiday. Nice that the chef came out to enquiry about our visit too. Good wine list, good service. Dog friendly in bar. We tucked ours up in the car, so we could enjoy the lovely restaurant! Friendly and welcoming

We booked for a party of 6. The menu was basic, nothing difficult or exciting, I ordered gammon, they got my order wrong and they obviously scrapped the wrong bits off and put the new bits on. So half my meal was cold and a couple of bits were hot. They also missed a couple of sides. Poor food and uninspiring menu. I would give it a miss.

What a brilliant pub. Popped in for lunch on Saturday without booking - we were a group of 4 adults and 4 kids. Immediately made to feel welcome and a table was set up for us. We ordered from the lunchtime special and kids menus and weren’t disappointed. Portions perfect, food really tasty (you could tell the sausages on the kids meals were proper butchers ones rather than those horrible mass produced ones you normally get!). Puddings were also really tasty and great value for money. Will definitely be back again.

Relaxed atmosphere, pleasant village location, friendly staff and good value food. We chose to use the restaurant rather than the bar. Gents loo a little 'pokey' and parking not brilliant (mainly on-street) but neither really detracted from the overall experience. TV in the bar but (hopefully) not on all the time. No loud customers spoiling it for others (too often experienced) or bad language, so definitely a bonus. Recommended.

Lovely pub, visited the pub a number of times over the course of our holiday and enjoyed every visit! Very relaxed atmosphere with good food, great beer and friendly staff, and to top it off it is dog friendly as well. Now all I need to do is find a way to move it 160 miles so it's closer to home

We are here on holiday and have come to the pub most days. Welcoming staff and good food. Shame there aren't more pubs like this closer to where I live. Would definitely recommend

I can never ever fault a meal at The King's Arms, the landlord is always welcoming and the staff there are very friendly. Would highly recommend this lovely village pub!

Excellent food, which is reasonably priced and a friendly atmosphere. Thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here. I would definitely recommend it

We are new to this area, and have visited this pub a few times now ( in the last month)

We visited the Kings Arms on recommendation of a family member.

The welcome from not only the owners but also the locals was great. Large selection of beers and the food is really good. We have stayed in this village twice and will be there for Christmas. Have booked lunch at the pub. Looking forward to it.

Arranged a surprise birthday meal for Father-in-Law's 80th Birthday which was attended by 30 family members.

Wife and I had an excellent sunday lunch. Everything cooked to perfection and piping hot, what more can you ask. Oh, the roast spuds...perfect.

Took the family for fish night and so glad we chose to eat here. Superb fish and chips and great value. Friendly service and great selection of beers. Everything a local pub should be.

My dad invited me and my fiancé here for a New Year’s Eve carvers as it’s his local, and it was so good!

Four portions of fresh hand battered cod and chips plus two drinks each for £32. Took advantage of the small portion Friday night special offer. Delicious steaming hot food, friendly service and lovely atmosphere.Highly recommended!

Popped in for a quick Christmas drink with friends, great atmosphere and all the diners we spoke to said what a lovely meal. We loved the ambience and appreciated this asset to the village! Well done Matt and Rob!

Went with a group of friends for a Christmas meal and the whole experience was brilliant.

This for me is everything a village pub should be. We had a very warm welcome from the new owners, great beers, really good honest food (not gastro thank god!) and really dog friendly. Lovely atmosphere and a log fire, all boxes ticked! We wish Matt, Rob and team all the best for the future and we look forward to returning.

Rented a cottage down the road from this pub, came here for Friday lunch and was instantly welcomed by Matt the barman/owner. Very friendly, chatty and nothing was too much trouble, ended up having lunch and dinner here Saturday and Sunday lunch which I must say was delicious, had roast pork with homemade Yorkshire and potatoes with a plate full of veg, all was absolutely delicious, took two puddings home!! We had our two dogs with us and the owner gave us 4 lamb bones for the dogs on leaving on the Sunday! They lasted minutes!!! All The staff are very professional, very friendly and all very welcoming. Thank you all for making it such a lovely weekend. We wish you all the luck for the future.

Enjoyed a very nice Sunday lunch here with my family. We all had turkey which was very nice. Portion sizes were very generous and everything was well cooked and hot on arrival at the table. Staff were very friendly and nothing too much trouble. The pub was quiet busy so advisable to book a table. Highly recommended.

Glad we booked a table! Full tables,helpful friendly staff, great good beautifully cooked with very generous portions

Went on pie night and it didn't disappoint. Lots of meat, great pastry and extra gravy. Mash to die for. Brilliant. Only quibble is that it would be nice (on pie night) to be told, when seated, choice of pies without having to ask and to be given specials options without having to ask. But it's the food that counts and that was grand.

My previous review following a visit to this establishment is now superceded by this latest visit. We took up the offer of a return visit by the landlord free of charge as we were very disappointed the first time. I have to say that this time the roast was superb. Nice potatoes, lovely and plentiful vegetables nicely prapared and lovely Turkey and gammon. Puds were also a delight! I can recommend the elderflower sorbet. Also it was my birthday and Rob and his team left me a birthday message on my table and some balloons! Very thoughtful indeed thank you. Following this experience I have no hesitation in recommending the Kings Arms to you and have booked my family in for lunch in a couple of weeks also.

For £5 An all day breakfast, sausages,bacon,egg,baked beans,fried tomato,chips Buy a pint of real ale and totl bill under £10 Log fire crackling in the corner a murmer of conversation No loud music,No TV, A real village pub,welcoming,friendly staff

What drivel I read on this page from blinkered, stiff and poorly written reports about The Kings Arms.

We have eaten on two occasions at the Kings Arms, both times the food was excellent and really good value. Agree with other comments, front of house staff are really friendly and keen to ensure you feel welcomed and valued. My husband really enjoyed the guest ales and cider.

Have just got back from having a lovely Sunday roast cannot fault it the potatoes were crispy and lovely section of fresh veg and locally produced turkey followed by homemade crumble, well done lads shall definitely be back again.

My In-laws live just around the corner from the pub so I’ve eaten there a few times.

We have visited the kings Arms roughly 7 times now and from the minute you walk in the door you are met with a warm welcome. Front of house staff are just right! Attentive.. but not OTT.

We’ve now eaten here several times with different friends from all age groups. All have been impressed with the quality and range of meals offered. Today six of us sat down and ordered five different meals..... All arrived piping hot, and at the same time, served very politely and attentively by Sarah, our waitress. All of our group were impressed, and excellent value. Liked the ambience of the bar, love what Mat and Rob are achieving, back to a real local!

Great reception from owners and staff, excellent lunch 3 choices of Sunday roast plus vegetarian option. Excellent improvement to garden and outside areas, refurbishment of the restaurant in progress together with redecoration. Very good home made menu including pizza's and special nights. Forthcoming events in the pipe line. Give these guys a chance Rome wasn't built in a day. Looking forward to Christmas and other planned occasions.

I have been using this pub/restaurant for 2 and half years visiting family in Thornford. This place has certainly improved since the new ownership team have taken over. The atmosphere has improved dramatically, and the food was exquisite. The new owners have put in a great effort to make the place homely and welcoming.

Just moved to the area.. so...... A really good choice on the menu.. nice homely pub and a great selection of beers. The food is good. The building used to have a dining room not dissimilar to a Butlins Bingo hall buts thats gone and the dining room is much nicer.

Would highly recommend for a warm welcome & tasty pub food various themed nights pizza, curry, pie nights, Sunday lunch with 1-3 course’s. Local ales & ciders. Thank you for making us feel welcome

New owners have only been there for a few weeks and the previous owners did a great Sunday roast, but we could rarely get a table because we were not regular. This was the first time I tried the "new" Sunday lunch and was very glad I did. The meat was freshly carved (not from a pre sliced catering pack - lots of local pubs do that!), with a fantastic selection of obviously fresh vegetables and homemade gravy. Better roast than my Mum's and that's saying a lot! The vegetarian option was also well received and the vegetarian gravy was much appreciated. Well done Rob and Matt, you've made it into a much friendlier place and I love the changes so far to the awful "Butlins" style dining room. Keep up the good work!

Had been meaning to visit for ages. Unfortunately we have left it too late to sample The previous incumbent’s cooking. The new owners offer what appears to be a good value set menu at up to £12.00 for 3 courses, but too much quantity for us at lunch so we just chose single dishes from the menu. Still good value but very typically non-gastro pub grub. Ham egg and chips fairly typical, better quality and tastier cheddar in the panino would improve that choice. Sweet potato fries were excellent. Not and expensive lunch so that’s okay.

What a shame, was such a lovely place to have a Sunday roast

We live locally and have never tried the pub before. Friendly atmosphere and nice surroundings. We inquired about food and were told yes thats fine but there will be about a 30 minute wait. Not a problem drink first then eat. Menu was not a complicated one and we chose 2 very simple burgers. 30 mins later we were informed that they had run out of Chicken ok I said I will have beef...........well sir we only have one beef left. I was somewhat bemused, Saturday night, the simplest things on the menu and very little available. So I plumped for Beef and Ale pie..................and yes they had beef and ale and so food was delivered after about another 30 mins. Food very average but palatable. Apparently the owners are new and so I will give them some grace, but please make sure you have the basics on the menu for a Saturday night.

My partner and I have been going to the Kings Arms on a Sunday regularly for lunch for 4 years now and always eagerly looked forward to it. Having been absent for some 8 weeks due to my being housebound following surgery, we booked to go today for the first time in a while. We knew that it was under new management but were prepared to have an open mind.

My family and I have been regulars to this pub for Sunday lunch for the past couple years. The food has always been great, leaving us stuffed and happy, and service was always fantastic. We had always requested a specific table which the previous owner knew, and we call up in advance and booked the same table for this visit. We were excited to visit again for a birthday celebration.

Last Sunday took two friends for lunch. Great service, cold white wine! Food excellent, 1veggie meal, all served piping hot, vegetable just right and plenty of them! The atmosphere was welcoming and relaxing,staff albeit mostly young were attentive and cheerful. Just remember the old village motto, if you don't use it you lose it!!.

I have been here a few times and all I can say is don't believe everything you read on here!

We booked a table for a Saturday evening and when we arrived the girl behind the bar asked us what we wanted to drink before taking us to our table. Apparently you can only order drinks at the table whilst in the middle of eating. The menu was a source of amusement due to several errors, including a lasagne priced at £98.95! It actually only cost £8.95 and was very tasty until I found a small piece of red and white paper with a thin black line between, presumably packaging from one of the ingredients! The vegetable curry was apparently tasty, although a bit too runny. The chocolate brownie torte was amazing - looked very impressive, good size and tasty. It was just odd that it contained sultanas, which didn't really go, but still enjoyable. The waffles were a bit disappointing because you would expect them to have been warmed, but otherwise ok. The bill took a little while to come, but waitress was apologetic and it was getting busier by that point.

Four of us ordered lunch 12.45pm. Not particularly busy. Two of us ordered chicken pie and two ordered fish and chips. 5 minutes after ordering we were told they had run out of chicken pie. So instead ordered 4 fish and chips only to be told after anther 5 minutes, only 3 fish available! So reluctantly one of us had the Thai fish cake. A small little fishcake but with lots of chips. The fish was very dry and we tried to make it more moist by adding mayonnaise from the plastic container which was empty - ditto the sauce bottle. The excuse was the bottles were left by their predecessors! All in all a big disappointment but lots of excuses from the affable chap behind the bar. A discount was asked for - and given, but would have preferred to pay full price and have a decent meal. May try again at a later date.

Maybe it’s because it’s early days, but my recent visit to this pub left me so disappointed with the food. As it’s under new management, I was really hoping for the new incoming team to “up their game” and produce a better level of fare over the run of the mill type of “pub grub” food that we’ve come to expect from this establishment. Unfortunately, they’ve still got a way to go before they find me visiting them any time soon.

Now under new management and already improvements have been made. The outside garden has been tidied up, and has the addition of hanging baskets, creating a welcoming approach and, although the new landlords had only been there a few days and had a limited menu, everything we ate was delicious - in particular the homemade Thai fishcakes, the Cajun blackened spice halloumi & mushroom burger and the steak, ale & mushroom pie. Portions were just right - plenty on your plate, but not overwhelming, and very reasonable prices for the quality of the food. The pub is both child and dog friendly and you are greeted with a pleasant welcome. The new landlords have plans to add live music and to host community events with the aim of making the pub welcoming to all and have had a flying start. Highly recommended!

This gem is very friendly and welcoming with a lovely chatty atmosphere . The home cooked food was delicious with a good choice of non-meat meals and the prices very reasonable . I will certainly be visiting again .

This pub continues to serve quality food at affordable prices togther with a good range of real ales and other drinks.

Lovely home cooked food, great veggie options,v reasonable prices, great ampmoshere. Much improved, a lovely local pub.

This is a very nice place, the staff are friendly and polite, the food was really tasty good portion sizes and great value for money would definately recommend to anyone in coming here as nice atmosphere and felt very relaxed aswell so all round a great place.

Returned for a further meal at The Kings Arms during our holiday in Dorset. Friendly staff and good generous portions. Ate in the bar area as the dogs were allowed in.

Friendly, welcoming staff and great food. Generous portions and varied menu. Would visit again if in the area

11 of us had a Family Lunch for my husband's 70th Birthday. Exellent service. The food was piping hot and loads of different vegetables. The staff all young , were cheery and good mannered . My husband and I have eaten here before but the rest of them not, all said it was the best roast they have had in a pub.

Good beers and wine and fantastic home cooked food. Need I say more. All you want from a good night out with family and friends.

So nice to visit your local Pub and get such a warm welcome and such good food. Sunday Lunch was superb and mid week lunches are a must.

Good afternoon, how are you? nice to see you, is everything ok?

We visited here for the steak night. We shared a starter of garlic mushrooms which were lovely and fresh.

Had been before for a mid week quickie lunch but Sunday surpassed expectations! Booked about 2 weeks before but even then the only table that could be squuzed in for us at 12.30 was in the bar, not in the more spacious and quieter large restaurant area.

We went to eat with friends. When the table was booked we were asked to pre order but my partner and i was unable to do this. We arrived 40 minutes before we were due to be seated and asked for the menu. We were given the menu and then it was taken from us and told we could only pick from a reduced menu as we had not pre ordered. Then the ignorant landlord said "she (the cook i guess) was not going to cook for you". I would have left but were meeting friends.Then out of the 10 meals one of the mains and one desert came out wrong. When we ate,there was only two other guests eating. Basic microwaved food

Always a lovely meal. Great choices and small portions for the smaller appetite. Sunday lunch is particularly good.. Usually six...

You get a very friendly welcome at this lovely pub and I can highly recommend the steak dinner night and...

Visited with family for the Wednesday steak night. The food was pretty good; the starter (breaded brie) was nothing spectacular...

About a dozen of us met up for a meal, the food was very good, the staff were friendly and...

had a very good meal hear sat eve the mixed grill was cooked to perfection and the wife had baked...

Un enorme gracias a Leigh y especialmente Terri por cuidarnos tan bien la semana pasada. La selección de entrantes, platos principales y postres todos suite fue excelente, abundante y a un precio razonable. Una buena selección de cervezas y vinos a un precio muy razonable y el puerto. Estoy seguro de que aquellos que nos quedamos realmente impresionados y estoy seguro de que volveremos con otros. Muchas gracias de nuevo y estoy seguro que volveremos

Un gran pub y ambiente. Fantásticos anfitriones, comida super que llegó rápidamente y había un montón de cosas. Un gran almuerzo de domingo no se puede perder!

For a great pub location with great food and drink, we sadly encountered a disappointing reception and ambience of unwontedness, we are fairly sure it was the result of racism as the body language spoke loudly! and sadly I overheard a racist comment between barman and punter :-( My sisters family were visiting us so their were a few Indians, my English husband was very sad and cross to hear this on our return home!

Visited this Pub, (four of use) for Lunch. Had rang and booked a Table in the dinning area. Arrived much earlier than booked, which was no problem, My Wife not sure which white wine to have, was offered a tasterfor her to try,nice bit of P.R. Drinks to hand, we were shown to our table. Special board for the day, was varied and more than enough to choose from. We all ordered different mains, from a good member of Staff. Sweets then followed. We all felt that every effort had been made to make our Lunch enjoyable. Our first visit , will not be our last. If in this area of Dorset, do make this a Pub on your short list.to visit.

Took Father for dinner here while on holiday. Superb food and good value as well. Excellent food selection and staff very helpful. Dog friendly.We will visit here again.

Classic village pub but with a very good Sunday lunch served with a smile. Visited with extended family and we all had a Sunday lunch from the Sunday menu and it was excellent. One of the best I have ever had in terms of portions and quality. There were 10 different vegetable on the table to choose from! It was also great value compared to the chain pubs. Would go back in a heart beat!

Lovely freshly cooked sunday lunch. Turkey with several choices for veg, lovely roast potatoes and parsnips plus generous helping of turkey and pigs in blankets too.Although we didnt have a starter they looked great choices. Desserts were yummy and I had a chocolate brownie which was to die for.Pub serves a selection of real ales which is changed regularly. They also do evening meals which are just as good.

Had a very nice lunch with a couple of friends we all enjoyed our food which was very well presented and a reasonable price as well