The Mailmans Arms in New Forest

Lovely friendly pub even though they were very busy...well done

This has to be the best pub in Lyndhurst by for. Starting with the location. Situated on the main Street and having a fantastic outdoor area. The inside of the pub is well maintained and has a great atmosphere. The staff were simply amazing, very friendly and welcoming and attentive. We sat outside and space was easy to find. The food was great. It was certainly home cooked and portion size was perfect. I would certainly recommend this pub and make every effort to go there first and foremost. first class A1.

Lovely independent pub. Fully decked out for Halloween, when we went. You get the impression that they are trying to be different to the chains, which I loved. We only had one drink as we had to go but seeing the food come out, I wished we’d stayed for lunch. Next door to the Ferrari garage, who can resist a pint and a drool? This might by me…took me a while to understand the pub’s name. Not sure why. Font style? Punctuation? Blonde moment? Struck me that it took me a moment to know what it was called when I text my wife where I was. Small point. Lovely pub.

Saturday 28th September 2024 (lunchtime) We went in thinking how lovely. Left feeling disappointed. We ordered food and a drink, sat waiting, time was not too important, we were there to relax. I received my baguette and chips and was told my husbands food was just on its way. 20 min later, no food . We enquired of its whereabouts and got a look of 'hey? What do you mean?' We were asked what it was, and then she went to the till to see if it was ordered. Clearly, it was not. Sat for another 5/ 10 mins and decided to ask for a refund for both meals (as I was not eating without my husband eating his food),which we got no questions asked. If the staff paid as much attention to the customers and their job as they did to the dachshund puppy that was there, we may have had a nice meal??????

We visited Lyndhust yesterday for the first time in many, many years and was pleased to find it completely unspoilt. We had a beer at The Mailmans and ordered their "Brits Board" - WhatsApp absolute triumph. Hand carved Ham, local Cheddar, mature Brie, Goats Cheese, fresh baked bread, salad, homemade Coleslaw, and Chutney. So much food and really tasty. All this for £22.00 - when an uninspiring, deep fried Carb fest at the pub we are staying at was £25.00. Just to complete our nostalgiafest we were joined by a swarm of Wasps!

Absolutely love this pub. We sat outside for the day and watched the day go by beer after beer, then had some dinner, which was lovely as well....literally couldn't fault it. Service was excellent, and the staff were helpful and polite. Definitely will be returning.

5 out of 5!!! Best roast in Lyndhurst! Will be back next Sunday, thank you Mailman’s! Made to feel welcome and very reasonable prices, I would be happy to pay more for what we got. And my dog even got a doggy Roast!

Just above and beyond expectations. After a recent experience at another pub where two drinks had cost the best part of £20 we were sceptical but medium glass of wine and pint of IPA was just over £10. We decided to order a seafood platter for two - wow - it was delicious and above expectations - loved it. Staff were friendly and helpful especially the young waiter. Thank you

Fantastic vegetarian nut roast! We also had someone in our group who is gluten free and they were able to do her a Sunday roast with gluten free Yorkshire pud! Everyone loved their meals.

We stayed here for a week and are due to go home tomorrow. What a lovely place to stay. Incredibly central with shops, bars and restaurants within walking distance but the room and the service was amazing. The room is clean and comfortable and has everything you could possibly want. The room was cleaned daily to a high standard and topped up with teas, coffees, milks etc. The breakfast each morning was lovely and the staff really friendly. Special shout out to Evangelina who was superb from start to finish. Would definitely recommend!

Very slow service. Order was for 2 meals Same, then 1 came out 10mins before the other. Most people like eating together.

Greeted by Manzie who had been keeping me updated since booking. Very easy check in and shown to our room. Very pleased how clean it was, looks like it had been recently refurbished and done to a high standard. Nice selection of tea and coffee in room and toiletries in bathroom. Window overlooked gardens of the pub. Music always finished by 10.30 and wasn't a problem at all. Breakfast was served in The Stag next door and was fabulous. My only niggle was the shower. Although clearly new, the cubicle was small and the water pressure very low. That's the only reason for not giving 5 stars.

At £7 a pint we drank and left. Ridiculous prices! No need what so ever to charge extortionate prices like this. Good location, sun trap but wouldn't set foot inside again to be ripped off. Disgraceful

Nice pub, gluten-free food is well catered for and there is gluten-free beer. Nice service, we felt very welcome!

Didn't eat but nice pub for a drink

I am a coeliac and therefore gluten free and often find it really difficult to find good food and feel able to trust that there will be no cross contamination. The chef at the Mailman’s came out personally to speak to me and created an amazing gluten free surf and turf platter for my friend and I. It was truly delicious and I felt totally reassured that it would be safe for me to eat.

Thank you so much to James, nothing has been too much trouble for him, he has been very friendly and helpful and made our day, what an asset to you

We enjoyed our visit here, very nice to sit out the front as its central in Lyndhurst. Drinks prices are in line with New Forest ones. Would recommend! Didn't have food but the Sunday roasts looked fab!

Visited with friends for Bopfest. a great afternoon and evening. Fabulous music and a very worthy cause. Service was too class, food was delicious.

Barmaid was friendly and helpful. Sat outside on a lovely sunny day. Ordered food from the new menu which the barmaid advised had only been introduced a week ago. 4 of us shared nachos, chorizo, ribs, muscles, fries and hallumi fries. Food was fantastic and only took 15mins to be served after we ordered.

Came here a few times over the weekend. After walking, round Lyndhurst. some nice drinks and had these in the garden. Friendly bar staff.

Sat in the sunshine in the garden - lovely. Food was great and very tasty. Thoroughly recommended.

We booked one night at the Mailmans while we were travelling through the New Forest and had a great stay. We were able to park behind their 'sister' pub The Stag and enjoyed breakfast there the following morning. The room seemed brand new, it was a very comfy bed and lovely linen. The room has tea and coffee making facilities and I appreciated that there was soy milk. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. We would stay again if we are ever in the area.

This is possibly the best pub I've ever been to. Aside from the good food and drinks the garden with pods and games room are fantastic. The boudoir, the decor, the toilets, everything was just so nice and a lovely atmosphere. Oh and dog friendly too. What a fab place.

We booked to stay for two nights and are so happy we did. The staff are incredibly welcoming, friendly and professional. The room (No 1) we stayed in was immaculate , comfortable and very modern. The food was fresh and tasted amazing. Overall we were extremely happy and highly recommend. We would definitely stay again.

Food amazing but service even better. Staff are great highly recommend. Defiantly be returning will not drive passed to g anywhere else.

I go with friends, the staff are very friendly and there’s a lot of benefits for bikers. Would totally recommend if you ride a motorbike, you can park for free in the forecourt and hang out!

This spot is great for meeting up with friends and having great food and drink! The staff are very friendly and accommodating!

Went here 3 nights in a row and loved it! The booths are amazing plus there is a pool table in the back. Evie is a legend!!

Surly staff, £7 pints, left after an hour with no food. They then came and asked what we had ordered. They said they were rush off their feet. There was one other person eating the whole time I was there. Absolutely hapless setup, in an empty pub Swerve So… The plot entirely thickened. The manager was entirely apologetic and offered to refund the 2 £20 burgers and serve us pizzas. We asked what had happened to the burgers and he said they were ready in the kitchen but he didn’t want to give them to us 🤷🏻‍♂️ He also offered us two pints. A pretty decent fix. I thought. He kept telling us he would get us some pints for about 30 minutes before I ended up having to go and get them myself even though it seemed like there was barely anyone in there. We tried to contactless the refund, it never went through, they gave us a receipt that had a different card number on. Then… The landlord came to our table and started kicking off about my original review before I had amended it as I wrote it before we left. I had said that I hadn’t amended it yet but was going too, he threw us out aggressive and incoherently, whilst telling me my review was entirely correct 🤷🏻‍♂️.

Great place at weekend live singers etc. Came on a Tuesday barman seamed rushed almost threw my change at me and it went in one of the drinks I had bought and then seemed frustrated when I asked him to Change it.

Only popped in for a pint, but, it was very clean, great seating area outside and really friendly staff. Would definitely go back again.

Exceptional! So much better since being taken over! Lovely garden and the dog house is certainly worth a visit! Cant wait to come back!

The freshly styled Mailmans has such a great vibe and I love the new menu. Being local, I used to favour other pubs on the high street but this has become a new favourite to enjoy a light meal with friends or a little drink in the garden. Friendly staff top it off!

Phoned the establishment 2 hours prior asking if they had a particular sporting event showing, to which they replied one screen would have it on, then proceeded to arrive for the event and have it on a screen away from others in the area where not many people were watching to have it on, ordered drinks and food and then they turned the event off 20 mins into it to play a footbalĺ match that is playing on every other screen. Asked very nicely multiple times to which we were told we could have it on, only then to be told no theyre too busy. Food was good.

Paid extra for Yorkshire’s and they were forgotten, also had the wrong gravy for one of the carvery’s, expensive for what we had really.

Lively pub, clean and full of life

Good food, their small plates were small portions and expensive for what they were but were all very tasty. (4 prawns for £8!) Waiting staff resolved our only issue quickly and without fuss

Great service and great food. One of the best Sunday Roasts I’ve had

Absolutely fantastic start to finish! What great skills the chef has! Throughly recommend ! Must visit when in town ! Well done team !

Advertised sport but not showing football!!

Wow we live locally and have never visited the mailman and from walking in the door we were met with a very warm welcome from Natasha. She recommended the food which we opted for 3 dishes for £20: Funky salad BBQ crispy pork belly bite Mailmans bbq pork ribs. The food was amazing and so tasty not what you expect from pub grub the chef knocked it out of the park. I will be back and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this pub as it's superb in location, atmosphere and brilliant food.

Since the Mailman’s has changed ownership, it’s one of my favourite places in Lyndhurst. The food is super good, the Asian style dishes are so flavourful and are cooked fresh …. Unlike some other places. The staff are all friendly and the vibe is lovely.

Welcoming, clean and really really high quality food! Would recommend! Guinness top notch.

Sports bar now but front still nice and old. Reasonably priced. Plenty of seating inside. Clean and tidy

Looks newly refurbished but felt somehow unloved. Not many people in, one of the toilets was out of order (?)

Had a wonderful family meal here today, all went for the carvery although other meals are available. The roast is absolutely lovely, one of the best we’ve had, lovely staff very friendly, and very good service. Would definitely recommend a visit, And in Lyndhurst too, so lovely 😊

Quaint pub/restaurant Nice personel Enjoy your meal

Das Essen ist gut und das Personal ist nett.

It was the first time of visiting this venue. We booked before hand for Sunday carvery. We arrived early and were able to go to our table. We were in a small room away from the main bar so not really any atmosphere. The staff were polite and ok, although the owner and carvery server was very chatty and pleasant. The food itself was absolutely amazing, so generous with the meat (there were 4 to choose from) which was delicious,probably the biggest selection of veg I've seen on a carvery, pork crackling and pigs in blankets included in the price. We would recommend eating here to everyone, but book first. Absolutely fabulous meal thank you

My partner and I visited the Mailman’s Arms in Lyndhurst on Sunday, August 27th, for a Sunday lunch. The food prepared by the chef at the carvery was exceptional, and we were pleased with the warm and welcoming atmosphere on that side. However, our overall experience was marred by the unfriendly demeanor of the waiting staff. At the time of settling our bill, I mentioned that I held a military discount card, which I understood was accepted at Greene King pubs. Regrettably, the waitress behind the bar responded curtly, stating that they do not honour the card at this establishment. Despite pointing out that the Mailman’s Arms is a Greene King pub, as indicated by the signs outside, her tone remained offensive and dismissive. This encounter left both my partner and me disheartened. I feel compelled to highlight that the behaviour of this young and immature staff member tarnished our perception of the Mailman’s Arms. As someone who has served their country, the lack of respect shown to me was disheartening, especially in the context of the poignant "Lest We Forget" sign with a soldier depicted on the wall outside. It's evident that this staff member seemed to have forgotten the sentiment behind those words. Unfortunately, our experience was overshadowed by the poor service and rudeness displayed by this particular staff member. While the food and drinks were commendable, the impact of subpar service on an establishment's reputation cannot be overlooked. It is with regret that I express my dissatisfaction, as the lasting memory of our visit will likely be shaped by this interaction. Due to the discourteous treatment we encountered, it is unlikely that we will choose to revisit the Mailman’s Arms in the future. Furthermore, I cannot in good conscience recommend this establishment in my online articles or within my community, given the negative encounter we had. Regardless of the quality of the offerings, the shadow cast by subpar service and rudeness lingers, ultimately undermining the reputation of the establishment.

Went in for a pint and was informed it was table service only ok so I said I'd sit in the garden. Gardens closed sorry. All tables out front were taken so had no option than to go next door to the stag. Very strange set up.

Best Sunday roast in the new forest!

Unable to give zero stars due to the fact in peak season this pub was closed! Unbelievable to think that in a busy village in August they'd rather remain shut.

Lovely pub in the heart of lyndhurst, great beer well prepared food, very tasty, good service even though it was very busy, you just have to wait your turn, young girls with a smile on their faces, ps check out the ferraris next door

Great Sunday carvery well worth £15.00

Popped in for a drink and ended up having a light lunch. Is all table service and worked perfectly. Lovely young lady served us and I have to add the roast beef sandwich was delicious!!!

We had diner in the Mailmans Arms with our 2 kids of 5 and 7 years old. What a nice place this is. Our eldest even had lots of fun with one of the owners, although he doesn't speak English. So thanks very much for the very pleasant and tasteful diner!

Ostensibly just a run of the mill Greene King pub, but very odd as it only has table service. Tried to order a pint at the bar to be told to sit down (politely) and would be served at the table. Not great if you just want to nip in for a drink and peruse their selection. Odd.

Very nice pub. Great service good food

Lovely staff, lovely food.Dont miss there Sunday carvery.😋

Great pub well worth a visit if you're in Lyndhurst.

I liked it here, andvtable service earned it an extra star from me. We didn't eat, but the pub has a good selection of beers and friendly and attentive serving staff. The pub is wheelchair accessible with good room between tables. Parking is in a carpark across the road about 200m away. There is a small outside area that is roadside. I believe the pub is dog friendly. I would certainly return.

Called in for some food late afternoon after drive around area. Service was excellent from help with my wife in wheelchair through to food/ drink orders.The food was large size well cooked and presented, all of us happy not just with the food but also with the staff who were friendly ,chatty and helpful.

Food is over price 9.99 for a bree and bacon panni. Have pods in the garden that are nice but you have to pay for them! £5 for two hours. With the price of food etc that was a bit of a shock.

We were staying in the area and our host suggested The Mailmans Arms for a roast. We are so glad we went. Best carvery I have ever had. Generous portions , all the meat was fabulous and plenty of veg and sides to go with it. The girls serving were all helpful and smiley. We will be more than happy to travel the 2 hour drive from home just to have this again.

Really enjoyed the carvery. Great choices and piping hot. Will definitely be back 🍽.

Yea it was good, but staff should at least allow you to sit down before pouncing on you, asking can I help you what you want for a drink

Amazing service, amazing food. A favourite place to eat or drink

Even though they were short staffed, we were treated and served well. Food was very nice 😋

Visited today for a Sunday carvery. Really impressed by the friendly helpful staff and fantastic choice on the delicious carvery. Also catered for vegetarian roast too! Highly recommended.

Fabulous food full on a main course!!!

A Great pub in a fantastic location. Highly recommended 👌

Really enjoyed, our visit. Great friendly table service. Nice beer garden.

Amazing carvery on a Sunday!! Service excellent! Food delicious and veg hot!!!!

Great pub, very friendly staff, excellent table service

I felt a bit thirsty and decided to get a drink and sit outside for the sunshine. I was driving so naturally opted for a soft lemonade. I always like a Green King pub and it was a nice place. I sat down and the drink was brought to me. Price for the lemonade £3.80!!!! 😳 It came as a bit of a shock. I’m not sure if I’ll visit for a drink here again….

Lunch visit with Wife in the sunshine. Sat out in the beer garden and had some great pub grub. Dog friendly, table service, friendly attentive staff. Liked the look of the chalets in the garden. Lovely flowers,We will return.

Lovely little pub in Lyndhurst, popped in for a couple of drinks whilst visiting was greeted by a lovely friendly welcoming lady, it was a table service only so just as we came through the door she asked if we were eating or just drinks, it was just drinks so she took our order amd told us to take a seat outside and she would bring it out for us! We aren't used to table service just for drinks at our local pubs so it threw us a bit, I planned on sitting inside, (I'm a redhead and had had enough of the sun) but I got the feeling Inside was for dining? I could have asked but it wasn't to much bother for just a quick drink, just not what we are used to at a pub! service very efficient and with a friendly smile. Nice little place.

One of the very best roast dinners I've had and the staff was great and friendly. Highly recommend giving this place a try.

The best service and amazing food. We come in on a Sunday for a roast carvery and the flavour of the home cooked roast was amazing. Great atmosphere and great staff 🥰

Friendly staff. Good food, if a bit pricy. Well kept beer.

Table service. The food is excellent. Friendly helpful staff.

Cheaper than most in Lyndhurst. Has a complete table service, even for drinks only - which kind of works. Nice clean pub with good beer.

Classic pub with decent and tasty food and nice outside seating. ☀️

Friendly service, good village pub

Lovely food and great service in a wonderful village setting. Really enjoyed our visit 😃

Having read other reviews I think we must have caught it on an off day! We were warmly welcomed and the service was prompt. The portions were generous, the food hot, but unfortunately lacking in taste. My wife declared her beef bourguignon “insipid” and my “rustic chilli” could have done with more, er, chilli.

Had a carvery last Sunday. Ham, pork and turkey all delicious. Honeycomb cheesecake was amazing. The staff were so accommodating and couldn't have done more. Would have been 5 stars, but husband had the the beef, which was not great.

Nice place, good carvery pleasant atmosphere staff polite and attentive. The wife enjoyed her Chucky faced ice cream.

Great service, great food Lovely clean pub.

Nice traditional pub with friendly staff 👍

Nice selection of meats and vegetables at the Carvery.

Not sure if they want to be a pub or a restaurant, walked in on a Sunday lunch time for a drink and not particularly welcoming. Told full up, had to ask if we were allowed in garden. Girls serving were pleasant. Covids over, go back to being a pub please.

Absolute diamond of a find. Food and service were excellent. I had a carvery and was delicious.

Carvery was excellent, hot & plentiful. The the staff were great as well & beer nice too. Didn’t feel crowded in there which was nice and caught some sun outside before lunch. What’s not to like!

First time having a pie at this pub, not only is it excellent service, the pie was outstanding, freshly homemade with only the best ingredients!! Ten outta ten recommend, get yourself down for great British pie week starting 6th March!!!

As good as ever and the staff are absolutely amazing. They always go out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. We've NEVER had a bad meal here.

Lovely food with attentive staff

Lovely little pub just off Lyndhurst high street. Wonderful staff and dog friendly. I definitely recommend getting some food while you're there because it is fantastic, I've never had a better steak and kidney pie.