The Lion Inn in West Somerset

I drank at the lion inn for a couple of years and was constantly harassed by the local idiot. One evening the local idiot threatened and attacked me as l tried to leave,, avoid this pub at all costs !

We’ve been staying in timberscombe for a few days and been into the lion inn every evening. We have felt so welcome and regulars have chatted to us each time. Malcolm is such a welcoming host. Our dogs have probably made as many friends as we have and on occasion there have been almost as many dogs as people. Such a great village pub - a community hub at its best

We found the atmospehere of a good local with many regulars poping in for a pint. The food was well presented and tasty, the service was very good and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The Lamb Shankes were good home cooking and my husband enjoyed the mussels.

We had a wonderful lunch at the Lion with our family served by Sam who gave a fantastic service . The food was excellent . Nice atmosphere and very welcoming of our 4 dogs.

We had a fantastic meal here for a family of 10 with very varied tastes, in a stylish understated environment. Great original vegetarian options as well as meat and fish, good service and puppy made welcome. Owners also kindly took care of stuff we left behind and we opened up early to let us collect it. Would highly recommend and come again.

Well we have been coming to Timberscomb many years and have ways come to this little pub and had the best nights.. dancing to the live bands and gaving the best nighrs..but not any more will i ever come back here the food was bland the wsitress didnt order correctly we said "oh we didn't realise the meal we ordered came with pasta..she didnt say it was part of the mean as we thought we were getting meatballs and chips"would not recomend the meal..the menu is not laid out correctly..if is a meal its a main.. the starter is laid out as tempting bites.. so if uts a starter then lable it as starter. When the bill came they charged us for a full meal..£40 dearer... we asked to speak with landlored ..he came over..with attitude.. his demeanour was agressive.."saying well you eat it didnt you".. no we didnt as it wasnt what we orderd.. he came back with a new bill..i said thank you very much when we left and he ignored us..so this will be our last time in this pub...

overall the food was good except for the triple cooked chips which were very greasy, soggy and limp and not as you would expect triple cooked chips to be. We didn't eat the chips and mentioned to the waitress when she came to collect our plates that we were disappointed with them. The landlady came over to our table with a very poor approach and bad attitude blaming the potatoes that were delivered, she was argumentative and very defensive. We didn't receive an apology and I can honestly say that her demeanour was quite shocking, I have never been treated like this ever in a pub after offering some simple feedback

We had the best Sunday lunch ever at the Lion Inn. This is an understated pub from the outside but don’t let that fool you, the food is awesome. The beef melted in our mouths and was served with roast potatoes, roast carrots, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire pudding, and lots of gravy. It was the tastiest Sunday lunch ever! Well worth a visit.

We ate at The Lion twice during a recent holiday in the area. Our first meal there was Sunday lunch. Wow! It was wonderful! We both chose to have pork and really enjoyed it. The meat was tasty and tender, the veggies were cooked to perfection and the service was spot on. My husband (a big of a beer snob!!) thought the Exmoor Gold was the best pint he'd had all holiday (and he sampled a few good ones during the fortnight!!). On the strength of the experience, we went back for an evening meal and, again, did not regret it! OH had portobello mushroom starter and I had scallops and chorizo - gorgeous!! He then had belly pork and I had Italian meatballs. Both were tasty and much enjoyed! No room for pudding! Thanks to all at The Lion for two memorable meals!

We visited a few times on our weeks holiday, and found the locals/dogs really welcoming along with the staff. We had a delicious meal on our first visit, belly pork and steak cooked to perfection. On our second occasion we just had starters again both very good. And third visit to eat just as good. We certainly would go back if ever in the area.

Alan the proprietor, chef, and barman extraordinaire was very welcoming and took time to chat with us and shared some top chef tips with me. We ate here three times during our weeks holiday. His roast beef on Sunday was the best I have ever had. Also his roast belly pork was tender, very well rendered and crispy. Gravy with something extra! It was the addition of beer or cider which gave it that extra edge. Triple cooked chips to die for. Fresh veggies cooked beautifully. Also an amazing array of gins to try too.

Had a ride round Exmoor and not much open came across this by chance so decided to stop for lunch. Had light bites but very good Lady that served us was so welcoming and friendly as were the locals in the pub would highly recommend a stop here when driving round.

We stopped en route from Minehead to Watchet. Unfortunately the kitchen was temporarily closed that day, however, charming barmaid gave us a warm welcome and we sat outside and enjoyed two pints of #SanMiguel and two packets of crisps. Pub was spotless clean, especially the toilets. No 'overkill' covid shouty notices for a change. Apparently this freehold pub is under recent (one year) new management - clearly a strong start by the new owners. I wish them all the very best - on the strength of our visit they deserve it.

We ate here two evenings in a row and found the food to be tasty and freshly cooked. There was also a good choice of meals including some vegetarian options. The staff were very welcoming and friendly.

We had Sunday lunch with friends, best Sunday lunch for miles , plenty of meat on the plate and lots of vegetables and good friendly service.

My partner & I spent an evening at the Lion Inn for dinner. Whilst the family who have taken over the pub were very friendly and keen to make us feel welcome, we had the following experience which left us feeling a little let down upon leaving the pub:1. Having ordered a fillet steak we were not asked how we wanted the steak cooking. 2. A normal knife was laid on the table for the meal, with no sign of a steak knife.3. The £24 steak didn’t come with any sauce, or any side dishes without further cost. It was expensive for what turned out to be an average fillet steak. 4. From sitting at our table to main courses being served took 1 hour and 50 minutes. 5. Despite other tables being asked if they would like more drinks, and our table having empty glasses, nobody approached to ask if we would like to order more drinks. It is clear that the current management have a vision for what type of pub they are trying to create, but it isn’t there yet. The menu choice and pricing is not matching the quality of the food or experience.

We ordered three meals to collect due to the current lockdown regs; Braised Pork Belly with cider gravy, mash and veg; Home-baked honey glazed ham, egg & chips; and sausage and chips. Less than 30 minutes after making a phone order we picked up and brought back. The food was excellent quality and it stayed hot for the length of the meal. The braised pork belly was perfect - crunchy crackling and tender meat beneath and the triple-cooked chips were just right (and more than we could eat!) Can't wait for the pub to be allowed to open fully and enjoy this wonderful food and experience the full country pub atmosphere.

Excellent sunday roast, plenty of meat and vegetables and the roast potatoes are amazing. very good service well done to the new people.

Absolutely amazing food, this is probably one of the best Sunday lunches we have had in a pub for a very long time. Everything was cooked to perfection and there was plenty of it! The pub was warm with a lovely cosy fire roaring which made the atmosphere so welcoming. This really is a pub worth visiting, and we will definitely be returning. Thank you to the owners and staff for the experience and kind hospitality.

We visited last evening to celebrate our son’s birthday, we had a most enjoyable experience the food was excellent the pub was really homely with a lovely fire on what was a cold evening, the staff were very friendly and helpful. Great ambiance well done to owners and staff

My husband and I ate here 15th October 2020. The staff are very friendly, the ambiance is pleasant, the pub is well organised, adhering well to COVID restrictions, and the beer is well kept. My husband ordered the roast rabbit which he enjoyed. The vegetables were excellent, the rabbit he said was a little tough but roast rabbit is not easy. I am vegetarian so ordered the vege burger which came with triple cooked chips. The chips were very good but I have to say that the vege burger was somewhat disappointing. It consisted of just a simply grilled mushroom in a bun with lettuce, tomato and gherkin which i really would not describe as a burger. Over all, however I still have to mark as very good because most aspects of our visit to the Lion Inn were great.

We were met with a warm welcome, a roaring fire, great ales a good selection of wines. We ate there on 4 occasions and all the food was excellent and plentiful. We will definitely visit again along with our dog.

We stayed in the village for a week in August. We ate twice, once from the menu, and we went back again for the Sunday roast. Both meals were excellent - good size portions and good value. Important to us was that they allowed well behaved dogs, and there were plenty of gluten free choices on the mains. There were several dogs already in the bar, and in was nice to be able to eat out with our own dog tucked under the table without feeling like a nuisance. We did try to go back again but were unsuccessful., We had been warned to book but were unable to get a table on Wednesday evening despite asking on Wednesday lunchtime.

Visited here on a Sat lunch time had lovely pub grub, don’t get these types of pubs anymore, owners were friendly and couldn’t do enough for us, highly recommend.

My wife and I had a really nice Saturday whilst camping close to Timberscombe. The service was excellent, nice choice of beers and wines and the food was perfect. Really tasty and judt right amount. Even spoilt ourselves with desert.

We booked to eat here as part of a 3 day mini break. The welcome was fantastic with everyone being warm and friendly. A good selection of beers and all the other 'usual suspects' behind the bar. There was a good selection of food available with a nicely varied menu. I have to say that this was the best pub food I've ever had, every dish was bursting with flavour and cooked to perfection. The food here is better than a lot of so called 'high end' restaurants. We'd originally only booked to eat on the Tuesday but decided, there and then, to book for the Wednesday too. If you want outstanding service, outstanding food and outstanding value then look no further than The Lion.

Best meal of our 3 week holiday in Somerset. Quality of food and Service was excellent . Extremely friendly and welcoming to both us and our 2 dogs. Will definitely visit again on our next trip in October. Lynda & Richard From Gloucestershire

4 of us went for a family meal. The service and Welcombe by the staff was so warm and welcoming. We went for Sunday roast which did not disappoint. The beef and was tender and juicy perfectly cooked the vegetables were spot on. I highly recommended The Lion Inn.

As new owners of The Great House B&B in Timberscombe, we were keen to be able to recommend The Lion to our guests, as it is the only place to eat/drink in the village.We are delighted to say that, having eaten there on several occasions since the new managers took over, we find the food, staff and atmosphere all first class. The freshly decorated main dining room in particular is a great place to enjoy a leisurely meal.The MUCH longer opening hours and new menu are a huge hit - you can even order a light meal at 4pm if you want to!

As a group of 4 we went for dinner as The Lion was reopening with new landlords. We all had a lovely meal and the atmosphere was fab. We will definitely be back and recommending the pub to friends and visitors :)

Not serving food, limited opening due to COVID. Got the impression they were only wanting to open for locals to drink. Had a sign "this is Exmoor , cash only", which is completely different to other establishments in the current times. Shame as I'd read so many positive recommendations.y

I was in Timberscombe by chance and dropped in to the Red Lion for lunch. I had a really delicious meal with great service ( and great value, considering the quality), sitting by a roaring woodburner. There was a really nice atmosphere with lots of locals and dogs! I would definitely return.

We've been before and have to come everytime we visit family. The food really is excellent. The homity pie is now on the main menu which is welcomed by the whole of our family. Really excellent food.

Very pleased to find this pub served such good food when we were staying in Timberscombe. It was busy and we were glad to have made the effort to book ahead. A good range on the menu, well cooked and the portions were generous. Friendly and attentive staff, particularly Susie. Many thanks

Just Fabulous! Proper food cooked properly. Oh and the gravy!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️ so warm and welcoming. We will be going back as soon as possible!!!!!

We had a Sunday roast today. Amazing food, plenty of it and beautifully cooked. This pub is friendly and welcoming not just by the landlord and landlady but by all the staff and the local people. I really recommend a visit here.

A lovely lunch in a traditional pub with a log fire and locals at the bar. Staff were all very friendly and the service very good.

Friendly host and staff. The ample Sunday lunch is very tasty, served hot with the best roast potatoes. Gluten free accommodated no problem. The boxed cider was very good, Thatchers was also on tap and a selection of bottled available. Beer was well kept. Nice atmosphere, log burner and requisite locals with dogs, made for a relaxing time. We will be back.

Just want to start by saying the food is EXCELLENT! Hats off to the kitchen staff, however front of house team let them down. They were unwelcoming, barely made eye contact and took about 5 mins to greet us.. they were not busy, just talking to people at the bar (who already had drinks.) However they did apologise for an error made.

We came here with friends the night before our wedding for a meal. The team were very welcoming and very apologetic about being busy and that we might have to wait for food. This wasn’t an issue to us as we were there to relax and enjoy time with our friends. There is a large selection of drink s available including a full gin menu. The homity pie was to die for, by far the best one that I’ve ever had. The portions were plenty and would recommend to others to try this quaint pub.

We had booked Sunday Lunch for my wife and myself plus three children and spouses and six grandsons - 14 in all. .The main course was carvery style with a choice of beef, pork, or turkey. It was well cooked, well presented, and the helpings were very generous. The desserts took a bit of time to arrive but were just as good. A great experience, and highly recommended.

We had some visitors and after a recommendation we decided to try the Lion Inn. The atmosphere was very welcoming and the restaurant was nicely decorated. There was a choice of meats so we had Pork and Beef. The dinner arrived and it looked tasty and was very tasty, especially the gravy. We certainly weren’t disappointed and would go again.

Nice village pub with very friendly staff and dogs welcome in bar areas, above average typical pub food at reasonable prices. Parking not always easy.

Great sunday roast, had a sample of all three on offer, beef, lamb & pork, all lovely with roast pots, stuffing, roast carrots, yorkshire , etc, served with a lovely gravy & excellent vedge. Struggled a bit towards the end, (big portion), but managed to sample some excellent desserts, also.

Really lovely meal, delicious veg Malay curry which my husband loved and I had the homity pie and veg which was on the specials board. well presented, good service and very good value for money.

A very nice English Pub serving excellent ales (well kept) and good food. A lovely setting in the middle of the village - very much worth a visit.

Had a weekend just outside of Dunster, 12 adults, 6 kids (6 years down to 4 months) and four dogs. We booked well in advance and weren't disappointed. The Sunday roast was excellent, pork, beef, turkey and lamb shanks, plenty of vegetables and proper gravy. Never underestimate the power of proper gravy! I had the pork, yea, it comes with crackling. Why do some places not offer the crackling? And went for the cherry and berry crumble and custard, washed down with a pint of Thatchers Gold. Honestly couldn't fault any of it. Stay were great and the locals didn't mind is taking the place over for 90 minutes or so. Well worth checking out, we'll certainly be back next time we're in the area

Staying nearby we chose to eat here as it was within walking distance. The menu choice is fairly typical standard for a pub, but don’t let this deceive you. We went for prawn starters, Thai curry & ice cream. Every course was excellent. Honestly it was the best Thai curry, with perfect rice I’ve had. Selection of ice cream super & really high quality. Service was good, attentive & efficient. Good value. You won’t be disappointed

I'd never been to the Lion before, never really wanted to as it always struck me as a rather dark grotty pub....but it's not now! New ownership and a facelift has turned it into a central part of the community. A proper country pub with excellent food, great atmosphere, lovely friendly staff, accommodating, great menu and don't even get me started on their special gin menu! Well done, an example of really getting it right and I can't wait to return, Oh, and pitched just right cost-wise too!

I am pleased to see that our local pub is attracting reviews on this site as it was closed for a couple of years and only re-opened last year having been refurbished, but retained its character. There is a good choice of real ale and cider here and also a fairly extensive gin selection. The food is good wholesome pub fayre with enough variety to please all. It is very dog friendly (to the point of providing free dog treats in a tin on the bar). Roaring log fire when cold and two nice rooms off the bar in which to sit and eat. There is also some limited bench seating outside at the front when the weather is fine. Pool and Darts also available in a separate room. Spotless toilets.

We visited the "Lion" for Sunday lunch, we were greeted by all the bar staff in a friendly way, they gave us a menu and told us of the meats available, we were shown to our table number 8. Our meals arrived after a short time, 2 had Pork and 2 had beef. plenty of vegetables all cooked to perfection. The sweet selection was to die for.

Made a point of returning to this pub after not visiting for a few years. good selection of beers and Cider on offer with free snacks at sunday lunch, we had sunday lunch here and enjoyed local produce cooked and served very well, the local white pork was superb.

Very, very good Sunday lunch. Loved it. The only slight negative was that the smaller dining room felt a bit sterile - a bit more colour perhaps? But a lovely atmosphere in the bar and a good welcome.

We dropped in for lunch at The Lion when out walking. Soup, chilli, ham/egg/chips all excellent, good quality and straightforward. Beer, cider, coffee all good. Friendly efficient staff (Theresa). Under £10 a head! Will go again and so should anyone else passing.

We went here for lunch before getting to our holiday home in the village. They have a great little menu which means you know that the food isn’t sitting in a freezer waiting to be defrosted before cooking and putting on the plate. We had one if the light bites which was really good and tasty. We asked about Sunday lunch because we were a large family on our annual weekend get together. We booked our lunch places and good job we did. This is obviously a very popular place for Sunday lunches and with good reason. Not only was there a decent portion on each place with a choice of 3 meats, with the option of having all three if you wanted, lots of great roast potatoes and roasted carrots. There was also separate fresh vegetables in a good quantity and really good gravey. We all had variations on our plates and everyone completely cleared them. It was a real pleasure to eat in this lovely friendly pub restaurant. If you are anywhere near Timberscombe or Dunster, which is only a couple of miles away, book your table.

After a 4 hour journey we were hungry and wow the food is amazing .... the Thai chicken curry was so tasty, the chick melted in the mouth. Steak burger was also mouth watering .. large portions and excellent value for money.

We visited the lion inn for a drink and were greeted by the friendly landlord and his wife. The pub has just recently re opened after being completely refurbished. It is very clean and the woodburner was lit making it very warm and cosy. The kitchen is still undergoing refurbishment so no food as of yet. There was a play room with pool table and dart board for our little boy to play. Overall this is a lovely country pub with a fantastic atmosphere and we will definitely be visiting again very soon.

Pasar un domingo a mediodía allí con la familia. cálido, acogedor y buena decoración, las cervezas locales perfecta, y la cena de cerdo asado delicioso. El menú era extenso y a un precio razonable. Tuve las Apple crumble y frutas de verano que era preciosa!

Alquilamos una cabaña un par de puertas de León. Cenamos allí dos veces y tengo que decir que la comida estaba deliciosa en ambas ocasiones. Tienen un chef que toma gran orgullo en lo que come.

It was lovely and cosy friendly staff enjoyed my curry and pudding and liked the pine furniture also it was nice and clean.

I phoned before going, to ask if they would be showing the rugby they were so I went .I wasn't to be disappointed England won and to top it off a well presented and very tasty ham and mustard ciabatta with a pint of doombar to die for.thanks for a cracking session.

Went to the lion pub with the family and was pleasantly surprised by the menu choice. Well prepared and presented and with chatty staff . Nice choice of desserts.

Very slow service. Average food, Staff not attentive. For similar cost , there are much better options nearby.

La persona que negativamente 'revisado' este fantástico pub sin ni siquiera ir dentro ( ¿cómo TripAdvisor permitir esto?) realmente perdido. La acogida es cálida, la casa de comida cocinada a un estándar muy alto. todavía recuerdo una posset limón muy maravilloso comí allí más de cuatro años. muy buena comida y un muy agradable y relajante atmósfera. Muy recomendable.

Viniendo al final de nuestra estancia en Timberscombe y he estado en el Lion Inn al menos cuatro veces en la semana que he estado aquí.

Luego fuimos a León semana pasada con familiares que los visitaban y tenía una muy buena noche. Nos hicieron sentir bienvenidos y había una buena variedad de cervezas y un par de sidras.

Visited The Lion on three evenings whilst staying at rental property in Timberscombe. A very warm welcome, and everyone was very frinedly. It was obvious that four legged friends were also welcome and our Spaniel was made at home. Ate on the Saturday night where we booked table. Food was served promptly, was freshly cooked and of excellent quality. Would recommend to anyone staying locally, And would re visit if we are in the area again.

We stayed in a holiday cottage in the village and ate 3 times in the pub. The food was good honest pub grub, served piping hot an at a reasonable price. The atmosphere was most welcoming. Dogs are welcome, but there are clearly defined areas where they are not allowed which is very fair. We will certainly return.

We were going to book here but were advised against it by our holiday rental owners who directed us up the road to the Royal Oak at Luxborough. I am very pleased as we drove past later that evening and it looked pretty empty and soul less. Cant comment on the food but the atmosphere was not attracting me in.

This is the third year in a row we have visited The Lion Inn and it has never let us down. This year we were part of a table of 10! All the food was promptly served together (we had ordered earlier in the day!) and was lovely. The service is great with an air of nothing is too much trouble. Will be back next year!

Good food, good price and friendly Landlord. A good place to relax after a days walking on the moor. The pub we went to is in Timberscombe near Dunster.

Ate here with a large group staying in a rented house up the road. We had warned them in advance that we were coming but hadn't pre-ordered or anything. Our meals came out really quickly and the food was great, the beef was cooked perfectly. Some people went for desserts which were home cooked and excellent. Overall the service was very good, attentive but not annoying. The standard of food was also very good, not fine dining but great pub fayre and superb value, recommended.

Ok the first time but after that menu retricted and some items not available.