The Oak Room Restaurant in West Dorset

We ate here as we were staying in the hotel (Royal lion) for a couple of nights and had a nice meal. We both opted for fish dishes and whilst the menu is not extensive we were both happy with our food and accompanying wine. The menu is reasonably priced compared to some in Lyme Regis and the service was good. The price of restaurants in Lyme seems to have increased significantly since Covid and availability is sometimes limited (staffing seems to be an issue here as with many places). The hotel restaurant used to be located in a large room on the first floor and had a more inventive menu although the room itself was a bit too formal for my taste

Very old world charm with really great service and food. When we came in it reminded us of the type of restaurant our parents would eat in or we might eat in back in the 70's but dont ket that stop you. The food is excellent as is the service. Very relaxing place to eat and probably the only restaurant when my wife and I both had there courses because they were all so tempting. The menu is a set menu but with plenty of choice and the majority of diners appeared to be residents. We did a lot of research and pre booked dinner at 5 different restaurants before we went to Lyme. 2 days before we left Dom's (catering for a friends wedding) and the Alexandra (not catering for non residents) emailed us within 5 minutes of each other to cancel our reservation. Why did they accept them in. the first place and only give us 2 days notice! The Oak Room was one of the substitutes. Of the five restaurants we ate in during our stay this one was number 2 and we were really please with our choice

food was 1st class we could not fault it plenty of choice well cooked and extremely tasty ,staff were so cheerful and helpful nothing too much trouble

Absolutely lovely food and atmosphere. We went in a group of 4 for an evening meal and the whole thing was perfect. The staff were very attentive. The food was beautiful - thoroughly recommend the lamb dish. Couldn’t have asked for a better evening.

Just eaten in the main restaurant and it was awful. The amuse bouche was actually horrible with a sour sharp flavour that sadly remained, the starter was very uninspiring, the main got worse. We both ordered steak, they both turned up burnt side up. We should have complained. I can’t believe the chef would be so unaware as to serve the food like that, perhaps it was left too long under the pass while S/he made the revolting peppercorn sauce because they’d run out of Stilton. There were 3 covers, how come they ran out? The bill was only £20 less than the 3 courses we had the night before in Hix. We’re only in Lyme Regis two nights for my husband’s birthday. I’m so disappointed and furious at how much we spent. We told the bar supervisor when we paid we were unhappy and he couldn’t be less interested. Therein perhaps lies the problem.

It proclaims itself to be an “elegant and sumptuous” high-end, fine-dining establishment - no denim allowed; and booking was said to be essential. The evening we visited, there were a few couples dotted around the perimeter wall of the vast panelled room, so the main body of the room was empty and it was deadly quiet and totally atmosphere-less. Food was very indifferent - one course was sent back as being unsatisfactory, and replaced. Service was friendly enough, but inexperienced. (It was obviously a night off for the Maitre d’H and the pianist, but that’s fair enough). A classic example of over-promising and under-delivering which, inevitably, leaves a lingering feeling of disappointment. If I were ever to return, I would forego the chandeliers and the aforementioned elegance and sumptuousness and opt for food in the bar - probably no less good, a lot less pretentious and a great deal more jolly.

Front of house fine. Fillet steak ordered medium rare arrived charcoal black both sides. Silly error to order venison out of season, it was rubbery and not eaten. Shame because we usually love the Oak Room have now to revise future booking.

An old fashioned English seaside hotel restaurant. Staff were great. The food was very good. The "one less star" was due to chocolate on one pudding when asked for it to be excluded due to intollerances!

Had dinner here with family (some of them were staying in the hotel, but we didn't, so this comment relates only to the 'oak room' restaurant). Reasonable, rather limited menu (just one vegetarian main course); food quite good, but pricey (£20 for a modest steak, £15-16 for monkfish or brill). I guess you're paying partly for the old-world ambience, wood panels, etc. Service (including rather old-world maitre d'hôte) efficient. I'm no expert, but I reckon you could better for a bit less in Lyme.

Only ate here in the evening but very disappointed. Fish pie advertised as “contains local seafood” only contained salmon. I had salmon supreme but the fish portion could not have been much smaller. Would not return.

As it was my birthday we decided to have dinner in the Oak Room. It was a quiet Sunday evening but it was all very pleasant. The room is lovely, beautiful tables, white tablecloths etc. Staff are lovely, very attentive and helpful. We both had roast beef plus all the trimmings, which was beautifully cooked. The after dinner chocolates were gorgeous, unfortunately I had eaten pudding which meant I could only manage 1 of the chocs. Yes, we would go back.

My wife and I ate here in the evening. A good meal for each of us. Prices are a bit steep, but the surroundings and the excellent service make this well worth it. The dining room is elegant, well-furnished and peaceful. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and professional. The food is good. All in all, a very pleasant evening experience.

lacking in atmosphere and experienced staff! no ambience, dining room not full, but a lovely panelled room, with a pianist playing, but young inexperienced staff, and slow service. the first course of smoked salmon was ok, but nothing outstanding - basically a prawn cocktail with salmon!, main meal of fish was ok - but the accompanying parmentier potatoes were cold - probably not heated enough in the microwave, but the sticky toffee pudding was very tasty. Expensive for a very average meal, looking into the bar area - would probably have got a better meal and certainly more lively with lots more people in there - as it was a Saturday night! Lots of better restaurants in lovely seaside town.

Seven of us chose to visit this lovely hotel to have a more formal, dressy Christmas dinner. We were staying in Lyme for the weekend and two from the group had enjoyed staying and eating in the hotel earlier in the year, and had spoken highly of the experience. We started the evening in the Hotel's oak panelled cosy pub for a drink before moving to the Oak Room for our meal. We were all very surprised indeed to find that apart form a couple dining, we were the only other diners there. This was a Saturday evening, half way through December and it deserved to be full- the room was so impressive and beautifully decorated that it lends itself perfectly to Christmas (and celebrations of all kinds). There was a pianist playing in the background and the staff were all so pleasant and welcoming. The whole meal was absolutely lovely.We all had three courses, which were attractively presented and I would recommend the lamb main. After the meal, we discussed possibly returning next year, during the weekend immediately prior to Christmas.

Family enjoyed a superb dinner here last night. Excellent cuisine, service from happy polite knowledgeable staff, every thing was perfect along with the gentle playing of the piano tinkling away to music that fitted the occasion and surrounding. The light refreshing chilled wine flowed well for us ladies, as did the 'apple coffees' for the men,(cider !!) . We started the evening in the well appointed busy bar, for pre dinner drinks, and the waiter came to take us up to the formal dining room and to help with coats and drinks, along with a silver salver with a snowy white towel upon it. The dining room was busy, well lit from gorgeous lit chandeliers and the hum of happy diners clinking glasses was heard. An excellent choice of starters, mains and puds to tempt us from the well executed daily changing menu. Scallops with crispy ham and black pudding crumb for some of us, others had grilled halloumi cheese salad and I the delicious smoked salmon and crayfish cocktail. All very yummy. Mains of steak for some, lamb for my husband and I the amazingly cooked plaice, really excellent. Puds we had , mille feulle, choc bavois and the delectable lemon possett - asked for before the day and there it was, fantastic, mega thanks. All followed by cafetieres of hot good coffee, fudge and choc truffles, ooh so good. Thank you all for such a really good night of super food, great wines, good music, and pleasant surroundings and lovely front of house staff. Thoroughly recommend, you cannot go wrong here, it is really lovely. xxx

Good home cooked food. Tempura vegetables and creamy mushrooms to start, followed by puff pastry steak and ale pie and home made cheeseburger. Apple crumble and chocolate fudge cake for dessert. Bottle of wine plus two extra glasses. Bill was £77 - not bad for lovely food in pleasant local pub. Dining area quite small, so might need to book. Service friendly.

Very nice welcome and helpful staff, Recommended by friends to us and now recommended br me to everyone. Daily specials good value, Very good pub food..Or better to say good food :)

During our stay in Lyme Regis, we have had two meals here. It has a nice atmosphere, quiete no piped music, and the food is of good quality. Vegetarians are catered for with several options when we went.

We both enjoyed all courses of our meal in this upstairs restaurant. Service was prompt too. The room is very traditional, but clean , with nice white tablecloths. You can also eat in the bar, but we didn't try that.

Comimos en el bar el sábado de Pascua - había un montón de clientes, pero esto no sustituye el servicio del personal extraordinariamente difícil, era amable y servicial. El bar acoge a los perros, lo cual fue una ventaja para nosotros. Los precios son muy razonables. Pastel de pescado era excelente, aunque el boeuf a la Bourguignon era un rompecabezas - más que a la Bourguignon, Gulash con una sugerencia que había sido contratado varias sobras. Pero vamos a volver.

Fuimos al hotel para las bebidas en el bar agradable y acogedor decidió en comida cuando vimos la calidad de la comida que venía teníamos las hamburguesas que estaban muy sabrosos y buena relación calidad-precio excelente, los baños estaban muy limpias y luminosas

Had dinner and chose off the fish board, salmon with boiled potatoes, parsley or herb butter and salad.The meal cost about 12.95 and consisted of a slim slice of salmon no more than one inch in width, with about four boiled potatoes cut in half with the parsley or herb butter and a small and I mean small dish of salad leaves with one and a half cherry sized tomatoes. Not worth the money, tasted bland, you can do much better for this money in Lyme.

We were surprised to find the panelled dining room and white linen table cloths in this restaurant in the Royal Lion Hotel. We were promptly seated and served drinks. The service was excellent throughout. The menu is quite traditional, but all the food was cooked very well with good ingredients. From the starters, the smoked mackerel to the game terrine to cauliflower soup with truffle oil were all excellent. From the main courses, the duck with duck hash and celeriac purée was excellent, the steak very good and the sea bass good. A very good meal and evening out.

The Oak Room has a lovely old-fashioned style about it, and the food is freshly-sourced, modern and tasty. We enjoyed a lovely dinner for two, reasonable value for the money, and both thought the service hit the right note of enough attention without being overbearing.

We had already booked into our accommodation in Lyme Regis but chose to venture out in to the idyllic seaside Town that we often visit, and chose to check out The Royal Lion Hotel for an Evening meal as a non resident, but were much put off by the price of the menu, a man who I assume was the restaurant manager appeared to not have a care in the world and was not terribly helpful when we asked if there was an alternative menu, and to top if off the piano was being played very badly so all in all we chose to seek our evening meal elsewhere.

We were in Lyme earlier in the year and though we live only a few miles away had never tried the hotel restaurant for dinner, we called in and a table was available.The menu was varied and very well cooked and presented.The wine list was well chosen.Service was excellent, all in all a very good meal.

We were a party of four on a Sunday lunchtime; the restaurant wasn't overly busy but atmosphere pleasant enough. Three of us ordered roast beef Sunday roasts, the other a sirloin steak. The roasts were good, tasty and the roast beef just right. The steak however was not rare, as ordered, but was raw...about a millimetre cooked top and bottom, the rest so blue you couldn't cut it....it was raw. We sent it back and were asked if we wanted another...as if!! We replaced it with another roast. No apology was offered at the time or when we settled the bill. I don't think anyone there cared.

We came into the hotel looking for a perfect cream tea for two. What we got was like a scene from fawlty towers....worryingly the manager took our order, overcharging us as he didnt realise the cream tea came with a pot of tea so proceeded to charge us on top for the tea....then we had to go to find our order as it hadnt arrived after waiting for 30 mins....then once chased the waitress then only brought one scone and one tea...! So we ate separately !

Lovely room with friendly staff. Food was good - not great. Prices were high end and we felt the food didn't quite meet expectations but great surroundings

Popped into this charming looking hotel on the way back up the hill from the harbour for a bite to eat with the family. Lovely interior as most places are in Lyme Regis, had a lovely pint of Otter beer and we made our choice for the menu. My little girl is a little fussy so as she choose fish and chips off the kids menu and it came with minted Pepsi asked when ordering if she could have normal peas which appeared further down the kids menu. I'll check with the chef was the response followed by ' chef says we don't have normal peas' which seemed a little odd as they were listed on the menu further down. I asked for the the steak off the main menu, which was a plain sirloin with chips and the normal accompaniments, but as they had a special of rump steak with peppercorn sauce and new potatoes and vegetables I asked if I could have some peppercorn sauce to which I was told we don't do peppercorn sauce. I pointed out it was on the specials menu and was then told, I will check with the chef and then' no sorry we need all the peppercorn sauce for the specials as if we give you some one of the specials won't have peppercorn sauce. Ok. What if I have the special rump steak special with the peppercorn sauce but have chips instead of new potatoes (I am on holiday and don't normally eat chips so looking to be a little opulent. Unfortunately this was also not possible, so I gave up and finished the order with my wife's shepherds pie. Received the food in 15 minutes which I would suggest as my steak was coldish means was pre cooked and was an awful steak. Not wishing to progress the experience but as my steak was dry I asked for some French mustard. They don't do French mustard so I took the English grateful for anything to help me finish my steak at this point. My wife pie was great and the kids fish and chips also good but with minted peas. Overall I was very disappointed with the total lack of flexibility but was prepared to forgive and work with them to start with, but the steak was awful and probably could have done with some disguise in the form of a sauce to be honest. Still lovely looking place in a good location.

There are two places to eat in this really nice old fashioned Inn- one is in the busy bar downstairs where they also had some great beers and the second is upstairs in an elegant dining room with polite more formal service. The food looked better than it tasted and portions were rather modest. My smoked mackerel with a smear of horse radish sauce was pleasant and duck meats were reasonable if over elaborated presented. Possibly a case of ambition being somewhat greater than ability.

Spent last 3 evenings eating food in the bar amazing flavours and great service and relaxing atmosphere.

I enjoyed my scampi but my friend thought the steak was average, saying that we did both enjoy what we had.

We were struggling to find a decent restaurant before we happened upon the Royal Lion and ended up eating there both nights we were in Lyme Regis. Decent food at a good price and courteous, pleasing service.

Our whole family from 8 to 70 enjoyed dinner here and we were treated like royalty. The food was fabulous and they didn't mind putting everything in separate dishes for my fussy son.

We needed a decent family evening meal in a friendly environment during a one night stay in Lyme Regis. We opted for the Royal Lion rather than some tired-looking restaurants and had a delightful evening. The open fire was roaring, the choice of ales was very good, the service was friendly, and the food was just what we needed - choices that were simple and easy on the eye, good value, and tasty. Having spent the recent Christmas in sunnier climes where it never felt like Christmas, this cosy evening in the Royal Lion was the typical British pub experience I'd missed over the festive period.

A horrible atmosphere and rather 'superior' front of house front of house. Plates removed almost as soon as cutlery put down. Minuscule portions of mediocre food definitely not worth the money. Same at breakfast and a rather uncomfortable feeling just dower. Hotel however is very nice avoid eating here or in the adjoining bar. as poor as the restaurant. Staff PR training required.

The ground floor bar reflects the old coaching inn dating from 1610. The new restaurant on the first floor is clumsy from the outside and somber within (see photograph). It is spacious with a mock timber-beamed ceiling and plain wood panelled walls. There are white table cloths and upholstered chairs. On a weekday evening in January only three tables were occupied.I started with scallops wrapped in pancetta with butternut squash puree (see photograph). These were sea-dived Lyme bay scallops, but they were surprisingly tasteless. Next I had roast lamb with broccoli and fondant potato, which was simple but perfectly cooked. A companion complimented the RisottoThere is a wine list on which everything costs £18 a bottle, which is a good idea. The range is reasonable. We chose a pinot noir from the Languedoc Roussillon by Rare Vinyards which was fine.Cost £35 per person excluding alcohol. The three course menu is £30, but the scallops were extra.

I'd been told by the people I was with that breakfast at the Royal Lion was really good. It wasn't. We ate at 9.30 - closing at 10, but it seemed we were too late. The mini croissants were almost finished and weren't replaced, we had the last, but the rest of our table and guests who arrived later missed out. They weren't replaced. The buffet was ok, but not what you'd expect. The cooked breakfast was disappointing. Dried up bacon, scrambled egg looked old and tired, it had been waiting patiently as had the black pudding. There was also no offer of more toast. It's a shame they can't get breakfast right and I'm sure that my raised expectations contributed to my lack of satisfaction. I wasn't paying, but there was nothing in this breakfast, the food, ambience or service that made it worth the £12.50 charged.

We had a nice meal in here starting with a relaxing drink prior to our meal, which was good value for money. Friendly too.

Stayed at the hotel on a DB&B basis so sampled their 3 course meals in this restaurant. Reasonable choices for a set menu with good, fast service & good cooked food. Also, a good wine list with some very reasonably priced options. Rather quiet, staid atmosphere with polite, old fashioned service with little waiting for the food between courses. Good venue for the more mature (like us) who like a quiet meal where you can have a leisurely talk to each other. Not the place for you if you want a lively night out!

We had friends for the weekend and so we booked a table in the Dining Room for the four of us. From the moment we arrived to the end of the yummy dinner we received courteous, attentive attention with smiley happy staff. The formal dining room is delightful and not stuffy at all. You climb the wide stairs to go to the Oak Restaurant which is a bright airy room. The pianist played discreetly in the background which enhanced the atmosphere. The chandeliers glistened and shone in the night light and the seating was spacious and lovely as there was plenty of space between tables which allowed one to chat away and not feel one was overheard all the time.The dinner menu choices are plentiful and there will certainly be something for even the pickiest of people.The bread choices were excellent and the butter in little dishes with lids was just right. We all chose different starters, well the ones who had a starter. The ham hock terrine was delicious and meaty, and the scallops were juicy and creamy and the crisp pancetta crisp as it should be. Our main courses were utterly delicious, the rump of lamb pink and juicy, the fish, with crisp skin and flaky white flesh, the asparagus ravioli in a beautiful cream sauce, and my chicken wrapped in pancetta gorgeous. Plenty of veg in lovely bowls and piping hot chips to share for us all. We were stuffed but still found room for a few puds. Banoffee pie and salted caramel ice cream was delicious as was my lemon posset with raspberry ice, thank you so very much, I could have eaten that all night,A creme brulee too was yummy.We had decent bottles of red and white wine to wash it all down and was chosen with the right amount of subtle flavours to enhance our wonderful dinner.Plenty of water came as needed, without asking and was just perfect.The coffee cafeteria was hot and delicious and I drank plenty along with way too much wine.A really excellent dining experience which I hope to be able to do again soon with friends and family.This is the perfect setting and ambience for a dining experience a little different from the norm in Lyme Regis and I have no hesitation in recommending this place to anyone.Thank you so much for making our evening so enjoyable.

The food and drink here were excellent - this is one of Lyme Regis' top restaurants. The pricing policy for wine was interesting - all wines were the same price!

Refused a table for dinner. We can only think it was because of the rain coats and flip flops. What a shame you turned down £240 plus drinks. Apparently David Attenborough stayed here! - I wonder if he wore flip flops and still got fed? Shame on you but, Thank you for turning us away we had a great meal at Lal Qilla the Indian for half the price.

I called in one evening whilst on a short 2 day visit to Lyme, and although a little late, was easily able to order food. In fact I noticed several customers ordering food quite some time after I had done so.The pub is very traditional, and maintains much of it's original charm and ambience: waitresses dressed traditionally, a bar with carved wooden panels and seats, and the 'feel' of being a good traditional English pub.The menu is not extensive, but I did order from the bar menu and not the restaurant, where I imagine the offering would be greater. However I rather applaud a menu that does not have an extensive list of dishes, as a lengthy menu often suggests pre prepared food, chilled or frozen, and the ham, egg and chips I ordered was most certainly freshly prepared and cooked.Service, I have to say, was really very slow, and the time between ordering, and the food arriving, on a night not overburdened with customers, was a bit excessive, about 40 minutes. But I was in no rush, the beer was excellent, and the ambience suited me fine.The quality of the food when it came was excellent Such a large portion that I could not eat it all, and the service from the waitresses and bar staff was charming.Looking for a traditional pub that serves good grub? This lis it.

Beautiful restaurant in a beautiful building - A little pricey but if it is a special occasion why not !

Taking a break during the Fossil Festival we went to the Royal Lion for lunch. It's an old, traditional building on the main street of Lyme, with dark painted beams.Two roasts were offered (pork and beef) & the plates that passed looked good with large Yorkshire puddings. Our group stuck to Caesar's salads & Greek salad (both offered as smaller starter or regular size mains) and sandwiches. The salads were excellent, well dressed, lots of moist chicken, with anchovy. The Greek salad had rocket, lots of olives & feta. Sandwiches (white or brown) were served with crisps & dressed salad garnish. We all enjoyed our food a lot.

We decided to try this place as some friends had been before, it's a pleasant looking place, we were greeted by the bar man as we entered which is always nice, my wife ordered the tempura prawns and I ordered the 8oz burger, the food was served fairly promptly and was presented well, sadly the burger was tasteless and seemed to have been deep fried rather than griddled, it was not a quality product which I would of expected from a good establishment, having said that everything else we had ordered was fine the service was very good.

I am local but every time I've tried the Royal Lion I have found the service a bit off-hand. This recent visit was yet another of many attempts to brave the menu - the choices for eating out are limited in January when a lot of places in Lyme are closed. But the bar staff actually put us off so badly we left before ordering. I know loads of nice outgoing 18-24 year olds in the area that would serve the Royal Lion well behind the bar and chat to anyone happily, why have they got grumpy unhelpful bar staff that clearly would rather not have to talk to anyone? This place needs to turn down the lights, stoke up the fire and candles, get 4 or 5 popular cocktails on the menu and find some bar staff that actually like people!! Then they'd be busy all year round!

Called in here for an early supper before leaving Lyme. It is about half way down the high street. Very traditional both internally & externally. Staff both friendly & welcoming. Food was good, not brilliant, but good average pub style grub. Probably wouldn't revisit as there are so many other options in Lyme Regis.

Half way down the main street of Lyme, this is in a great location. We ate in the main bar area rather than the restaurant, but found the food to be very good indeed. Very warm and very pleasant, we found the staff extremely good and helpful. They had about 5 red and 5 whites available by the glass, with a good selection of other drinks too.All in all a very good visit, somewhat a shame they allow dogs to trot through the bar though - often dragged by their incapable owners. Don't let this put you off necessarily, I would still recommend a visit.

On entering the bar one is put in mind of bygone days of P.G Wodehouse. Hoping to meet Lord Emsworth at the bar, we were slightly disappointed to find most of the clientèle on their mobile phones This is an attractive restaurant unspoilt by the influx of tourists. The staff are well presented and friendly, but the service is slow. It s clearly popular because it is quintessentially 'Old School'. I have tasted a better Sunday Lunch.The vegetables were slightly bland, there was a dearth of gravy but to give credit that was rectified after a quick mention, and the Roast was passable.The Yorkshire pudding on the other hand was sublime! One comment I do have is that although the meal seems reasonable beware of the bar prices!

Excellent food, very fresh, tasty and well cooked. Good, prompt service in a pleasant atmosphere. I would heartily recommend eating here and would do so again myself.

Absolutely brilliant. Great quality English menu and all served faultlessly. Good quality ingredients used. Perfectly cooked.

Ate in the bar by the log fire. Good quality local ale, reasonable steak and kidney pudding BUT my wifes local plaice was very small and swamped in garlic butter. Commented to manager on my way to toilet but he never thought to come and say anything to my wife!

We stayed at the Royal Lion for 3 nights and ate in the restaurant every night.White,crisp linen,water glasses topped up and the tomato bread on offer was delicious.The set menu usually consisted of at least 2 fish main,1 meat and 1 veggie.The portions are a good size meaning you can eat all three courses comfortably.The scallops on sweet potato with chorizo and smoked duck for starters were super.We always received a little taster from the chef while waiting for the starters.Main courses- the plaice,cod and skate wings were all excellent,fresh,juicy,seasoned well and the mash was yummy.The wild mushroom risotto with rocket was very good.Mains were served with a bowl of fresh vegetables.Desserts were a brulee,fresh fruit,cheeses plus another.The passion fruit panacotta with honeycomb was amazing and the baileys creme brulee,creamy bottom with a gorgeous crunchy top.Sticky toffee pudding was light and tasty.Service was very good.Breakfasts were plentiful,5 cereal choices,tinned and fresh fruit,croissants,5 fruit juices,yoghurts followed by hot choices.Thankyou all,Debbie and David Green x

We like this place, a pleasant bar with a lovely warm fire and a nice atmosphereA notice invites you to ask for the extensive wine list. We did, and we're told that they did not have one as all the wines were the same price, so happily chose a bottle of Pinot Noir.The food was served very quickly, in the bar it was typical pub food, perfectly acceptable but nothing special. Sadly the crab cakes not only had no taste of crab- they did not even taste of fish..Nevertheless on a cold winters night we enjoyed the warm cosy bar and our bottle of wine.

Everything was cooked fresh, steak and chips were lovely, will definitely be back. Cosy atmosphere, it was nice and warm with the log fire. Also dog friendly!

We arrived in Lyme Regis after a long car journey and were keen to have a decent meal - and the Royal Lion did not let us down in any aspect at all.Decor and service are impeccable for a "walk in" hotel restaurant - Gareth and the staff were welcoming and friendly. A great selection of locally-produced drinks (ales and cider) at a reasonable price - and the food was fabulous. We recommend the Sunday Roast - the beef was top quality, as well as the rest of the plate. Fresh vegetables to accompany a large Yorkshire pudding and crispy roast potatoes. We also sampled the Inn Fish Pie which was delicious, topped with mature cheddar cheese and a fresh salad on the side.Highly recommended if you want a good meal served in excellent surroundings. Well worth the visit - thank you very much!

I enjoyed a fab Sunday roast here with my hubby whilst on holiday in Lyme. Lovely large portions of roast beef, the most amazing crispy roasties, yorkshire pud and veg. We didn't have a pud as we were so full. The service was fine, but the waitress wanted to take my husbands plate away before I had finished eating and wouldn't take no for an answer . We thought this a bit odd. On a separate note, the loos are amazingly clean and fitted out to such a high standard. This is not something I usually rave about (I'm not a part time loo inspector) but I was rather impressed!Will certainly return.

Had our AGM dinner here for eight persons – so disappointed. Sat in bar for drinks and order food in restaurant - later waiter told us that they had no Cod fillet and offered Mullet instead – Ok for the three who ordered it. If they had served a fish finger it would have been bigger than the portion served on a Blob of mashed potato with some green garnish. Others complained that the plaice was not cooked. The only positive was one Octopus starter which was apparently orgasmic. For a premier hotel in Lyme Regis the restaurant Sucks.

I popped into the bar yesterday evening with the intention of ordering liquor coffees for myself and my friends. However I was shocked to be put off of ordering by the bar man Gareth. His words were "we do serve liquor coffees but I will warn you they do cost £7.95 each". When I replied that's a little pricey he told me it was because they take so long to prepare. I myself am a restauranteur and I could not see why they took so long or why that would affect the price so I asked him. His reply was "I would need to find another member of staff to cover the bar whilst I prepare the coffees". I am still bamboozled as to why it takes so long to prepare a coffee with a shot of alcohol and bit of floating cream, maybe I have been making them wrong for the past ten years. I am also shocked that a member of staff would actually try to deter me from ordering a high priced drink, he suggested I order a standard coffee and liquor separately instead!!! If this was a member of my staff I would be having serious words. Had I been told they were priced highly due to the best liquors and special blend coffee I would have willingly paid.In the end we opted for cappuccinos which to be quite honest were very milky coffees with no foam!

I recently got engaged in Lyme Regis, We through a surprise party here for my fiancée. Myself and some of my party booked into the Royal Lion, We stayed in the king Edwards room which is spacious and decorated to theme, comfy and clean....perfect. After the surprise we headed down stairs to the cosy bar lounge where we were congratulated by the staff and handed complimentary bubbles! we then took a party of 14 up to their Oak Room restaurant and had the best meal of the weekend! Will return again as the stay was fabulous!

The restaurant is a lovely place to dine, the food is very tasty and the menu is varied. There is silver service provided by a pleasant and fairly efficient team but this can sometimes be a little slow and laboured.

Interesting options, especially the specials. Nice atmosphere in the bar - only popped in for a drink while in Lyme on holiday, but chose to eat there after seeing various yummy-looking food going past! Good if you want to eat something 'light' but your partner wants two courses - much easier to do this in a bar rather than a restaurant - and can just walk in without booking.Friendly staff. Lone diners and people with dogs clearly welcome, and that was good to see too. Wide choice of wine by the glass +free Wi-Fi.

Stayed here for one night B&B, although we have stayed before five years ago.Breakfast was mainly buffet, with the expected offerings of cereal, yogurt, fruit (obviously from a tin), juices and pastries. Pastries were disappointingly small, when compared to other B&Bs that I have stayed at in the area.Cooked breakfast option also provided, with the full plate of sausage, bacon (a little thick and undercooked), black pudding (undercooked), beans (for some reason in a separate pot, and slightly cold), tomato and egg - I had mine scrambled and, like the beans, it was a little cold and also a bit overcooked.The black (only mention this so he can be identified and rewarded by the management, as I didn't get his name) waiter that brought the cooked food was very polite and obviously well trained, and should go far. However, the rest of the staff need a collective rocket up their rear ends! We were greeted by whom I presumed to be the head waiter (as he was wearing suit jacket, which obviously made him, in his own mind, superior) whose opening line was "what's your room number?". No, "good morning" or other such pleasantries. I was so taken aback, I thought I must have misheard, but he greeted the neighbouring table in exactly the same manner.Clearing of the empty plates was painfully slow, to such an extent that we had to pile our own up just to get a little space. The staff spent too much time clearing tables of guests who had finished and left the restaurant (and it was by now 9.15/9.30, so breakfast was nearly over), rather than concentrating on the people who were actually there. Also, apart from the black waiter, there was no eye contact from any of them.Management need to review their recruiting policy!

Evening meal booked for two in restaurantOrdered sole looked ok but when turned over ran with blood.... Lots of explanations as to why but no thought for us the customer.....had to ask for a reduction in the bill as it was offered to us in full..terrible customer relations.... Wife was ill all night & next dayOriginal review was removed!!!

Formal but friendly restaurant with good choice of well crafted food, good kids menu and great pianist at weekends. Great soups!. Nothing to fault in my opinion.

Excellent food, great service, fantsastic environment. The food is just perfect, melt in the mouth food, beautifully presented, portion sizes are just right. When you get the food you almlost dont want to eat it as it would spoil the beautiful presentation. Everything is cooked perfectly, full of flavour, service is spot on. Just the best place we have found to eat in Lyme Regis it is simply gorgeous

Visited on Thursday 15th May for lunch. My reason for writing this review is soley due to the excellent service provided by the waitress (Susie) who was second to none. We enjoyed a delicious Ham Sandwich (really good ham my wife says) and a Croque Monsier (Toasted ham & cheese) along with a bowl of homemade chips (exceptional) 2xglasses of very nice wine and a coffee. It was delicious and all this for just £24.80. We ate in the bar which was atmospheric, friendly and very comfortable. Whilst enjoying this my wife had a coughing fit! and without prompting Susie appeared with a glass of water and a kind word. Well done to Susie and well done Royal Lion for employing her, as the service she offered is quite unusual these days. We will be back.....................................

We booked a meal at the hotel without realising we could have had a bar meal, which looking at the menu looked much more appertising. On arrival we were invited upstairs and after being seated we were asked our room number, we could have faked it and provided a number, as there were no obvious checks like show us your keys or give us your name, however honesty is the best policy we told them we had booked a table and suprise suprise they recognised us. The meal was superbly cooked and surprised us in its sublety in flavours, the chef is i to be complemented on his/her delivery. The desserts were equally of a high standard, the waiting staff were evidentlytrained to a high standard, yet there is something missing, the atmosphere seems to have stuck at about 1961, the service was briliant but regimented rather than friendly and cordial. I think the major problem being that when any restaurant wishes to maintain a high standard, despite how hard working and customer focused the employees are, there needs to be an understanding of different cultures and the fact that English is not always the first or even the second language, so equally what we expect is not what necessarily is expected to deliver. Not the staffs fault, but do wonder how this hotel will adapt o the children of the 970's, especially as I first visited this hotel in 1974.

Ordered rib eye steak x3... 2 were just about edible, one was inedible. Service was terrible and we were told 'we should of complained about the steak earlier', but the barman/waiter was mostly never to be seen. Atmosphere was similar to a morgue, beer was average and after eating the whitebait, thought we wouldn't risk them the embarrassment of touching anything else. To be fair, the chips were okay but the musty old peoples home smell was rather off-putting. Wouldn't go again.. bad attitude... 2 out of 10.

Four of us ate in the bar area for a Sunday lunch which was very good value. Food was lovely and well presented. There were two options that day of either pork or beef, the pork was first class with lovely crackling and very good roast potatoes, lots of veg and cauliflower cheese. Staff were pleasant and the bar was a relaxing area to have lunch. I will return if in the area again.

We had a lovely Sunday roast dinner,all the trimmings and the veg were served separately, really good quality food. Lovely atmosphere sat by a roaring fire. Will defiantly visit again when next in Lyme. Only fault, no French Mustard!

Cozy lounge bar, cold winter January day so the fire was roaring creating a lovely atmosphere.We had a small birthday lunchtime gathering table reserved for us and all set up nicely , everything we had pre ordered was ready and waiting. Service was good, food was of a good standard and reasonably priced. Very nice for a hotel bar, I find lots of these places are over priced and lacking in atmosphere, but would definitely visit again.

We dined next to the fireplace and the chef came out to make sure we were content with our order. Very nice food and wine.

After a walk along the promenade and up through the gardens....where to eat.From the outside although not impressive we thought lets give this a try.Upon entry we found an atmospheric traditional old English Hotel Restaurant.Although off season and operating with a reduced work force we were provided with a 1st class service by very helpful and considerate staff.There was a surprisingly extensive menu and after only a short wait we received excellent value for money meals.All in all a good experience and one we hope to repeat .

Having had a good meal in the bar on the first night of our stay in Lyme, we decided to try the restaurant at the Royal Lion on our second evening. Billed as "fine-dining", we were a bit suspicious, but on entering the wonderful wood panelled dining room, we were greeted by very friendly staff, who were clearly dedicated to their jobs, very professional and attentive. It was nice to be given a choice of tables, rather than being told where to sit, as is often the case. The food lived up to the standard of the surroundings. We both had the pate as starter, but were pleasantly surprised to be given a delightful amuse bouche of smoked salmon with a prawn mousse before our starters were served. My main was pork cobbler, which was delicious, whilst my partner was equally pleased with his choice of fish stew. At a fixed price of £22.95 for 2 courses,and reasonably priced wine, including coffee and petit fours (a 3 course option was also available), this was excellent value for money. We were regularly offered bread and our water glasses were filled on a regular basis, without us feeling that we were being watched over or interrupted. It is worth adding that the bar food is also good, and we ate downstairs again on the third night of our stay, the liver and bacon was especially nice. With a good choice of local ales and a log fire, the ambiance is relaxing and friendly. The staff in this place, whether in the bar or the restaurant, are amazing and a credit to the management. Nothing was too much trouble.

A rainy Sunday afternoon, found a table for a relaxed Sunday lunch. Ordered at the bar, traditional roasts and one meal from the menu, simple fish cakes.25 minutes into our 45 minute wait for lunch a waiter informed us 'fish cakes were off'Rather taken aback my companion asked for scampi with potatoes not chips.A query addressed to the manager as to the delay was quickly and politely answered.Our meals duly arrived with scampi complete with chips!On protesting the meal was whisked away, a bowl of potatoes arrived. The scampi returned complete with the chips which the waitress was determined to serve! A demand was then made for the said unwanted chips to be removed, success!The meal was as expected, not notable but okay. Upon leaving were politely informed by the waiter, that had we expressed a preference for fish cakes earlier we ( the guests) would not have had a problem. We were left pondering how early our request needed to be submitted, the day before perhaps? The experience was comfortable, the area clean, staff training poor and meal planning rather hit and miss.

Really impressed by the service. Only went in for drinks, but the bar staff had good knowledge and gave plenty of tasters. Atmosphere was perfect, comfy sofas and calm space to catch up with friends and family.

We just stopped for lunch here and had the seafood platter, it was acceptable at best, but nothing prepared me for what my guts went through later on in the day, my girlfriend didn't eat the whitebait, but I had some and it didn't taste very fresh at all, and it could not have been anything else that I had eaten during the day that caused me to be so violently ill.It's experiences like these that give individual restaurants a bad name and why the likes of Weatherspoons are so successful.Cleanliness and food hygiene is imperative especially where fish is concerned and it certainly didn't apply on this occasion.

This is the first time we have eaten here. Generally in the height of Summer it's too busy and then short staffed. With numerous questionable reviews I was hardly tempted to rush there either. In any case, I gave it a try and wasn't disappointed. Slightly pricey for what you get, but the quality of what we had was very good. Would I go back ? Yes. But the pricing was just a tad higher than others in Lyme. And add that to the lack of service, I'd only return there out of season.

Went with wife, daughter, son in law and 2 grand kids. Worst meal I have had for many years. Roast meat tough yorkshires over cooked and inedible, service slow. Avoid at all costs.

How rare to get 5 star service in any three star hotel. I am disabled and a somewhat "difficult" customer but these people went the country mile for me. Older buildings are always difficult for the disabled but the staff more than compensated. Rooms and common parts are in first rate rate decorative order - just an all round great experience. I might add, that whilst now retired, I travelled the world on business for 50 years and I do know the difference.Big thanks to the staff especially Rachel. Had a great bar meal and breakfast. Didn't much like the chips but the salmon and haddock fish cakes would have had Wallace & Torrode foaming at the mouth with joy....as for breakfast.. just an excellent full monty.Thanks again for making my stay enjoyable & 'easy'... Keith Hardy

Saw the advert outside for the seafood platter. Thought we'd try it as we've had a few round the Dorset area & they've always been fresh, plentiful & tasty. This though was horrible. Out of a catering pack, rolls of greasy smoked salmon, over fried whitebait & tiny prawns in Marie rose. All for the price of £14!!!!!! Avoid.

Popped in here with my family on a rainy day for a quick lunch, we enjoyed the food, crab sandwiches and a seafood platter. Was rather cramped though and there were no baby changing facilities which you would expect in a hotel though they informed me that they were having some fitted soon.

The staff could not have been friendlier or more helpful listening well and meeting all of our needsThe food was not bad nor was it good it really did live up to average.We ate later than the natives who all appear to eat at 7.00pm and we sat down at 8.45 so the restaurant was almost empty and after 10 minutes the pianist (who provided the atmosphere) left and it lacked any atmosphere after this point

Having just arrived in Lyme on the friday we were still relaxing in to it all come sunday so decided to go for a sunday lunch at the Royal Lion. Me and Hannah both had roast beef with all the trimmings are it came quickly with a bowl of mixed vegetables and cauliflower cheese which was a pleasant surprise. It had only been the night before we had been talking about cauliflower cheese lol. Next time we are in Lyme Regis we will definately be popping in for sunday lunch again.

We had evening meals in the bar a couple of times in our week's visit to Lyme. The food was simple and well cooked - fish and chips (really good chips!), liver bacon and mash etc. - the veg was nice and fresh. Standard pub fare, but good if that's what you fancy.

Poor, old-fashioned design seems endemic in rural Britain and this place is a perfect example. Food is lacking invention or enthusiasm - or any sense that food can taste fantastic. It attracts a certain kind of clientele but clearly I'm not one of them. Waited ages for service and wasn't impressed with what we got at the end of it. Having said that, it's ok for a quick pint and has comfortable chairs.

We called in for lunch with friends. I had already been there; calling in for a drink the previous year on a visit to Lyme. This hotel is an old coaching inn on the main street, Broad Street, of Lyme Regis.The open fire was ablaze and we escaped into one of the cooler more distant parts of the spacious bar lounge for our stay. There is a second public room.Apart from the very pleasant and comfortable surroundings, the bar had a good selection of drinks available. I think there were 4 real ale draught beers, three lagers and other beers.The menu was extensive and all four meals were first class, attractively presented and delicious. Service was first class.I do not often have lunch but this was very enjoyable and good value for money; many leagues above similar offerings in the area.Highly recommended.

We passed through Lyme Regis and had a meal here and we were very impressed with the place. The staff were very friendly and helpful; and the meal (a little pricey ) was worth every penny. Loved the atmosphere the interior was lovely, if we pass through again we'll be back.

We ate here with friends who were staying in Lyme and booked here as they found very few restaurants open on a Monday night. We were slightly wary when we arrived at the restaurant a it was a little quiet and on first impressions 'rather posh!', however, in this hotel restaurant which felt like it transported us back to the 1930's, we enjoyed a lovely evening. The waiting staff were extremely efficient, pleasant and curteous. Our orders were taken and food delivered at exactly the right time, (some restaurants keep you waiting hours or rush you through). We were even served with a mini starter compliments of the chef!. I had the butternut squash, which was completely delicious, but the other three meals were enjoyed equally as much. I certainly could not find one single complaint regards the food, which is rather unusual nowadays. My husband and I come from Exeter, but would love to stay the night at the Royal as the ambience is one of complete relaxation......Oh one small mention....we found it very amusing, but during our 3 hour visit, the same track of tango music repeated itself, you may want to check the record and give it a clean!

We ate here three times during the week, my wife ventured no further than the calf's liver while I tried the pie and the guinea-fowl, all were excellent. The staff are well trained and most friendly, the beer is well looked after and the selection of malt whisky to suit all tastes. When we asked to see a room we were invited to return the following lunchtime and showed the whole hotel . We will be staying here on our next visit to Lyme, consistently good.

First time here spent the morning in the lounge with a colleague and then had lunch for two (not particularly good). We also had hot drinks in the morning. The time spent in the deserted lounge amounted to approx two hours. In spite of this next time we went (a couple of weeks later) I was frowned upon when I asked if it would be ok to spend some time in the (still empty) lounge area. When I asked if everything was ok I was told in a quite condescending way that I had spent too long there last time. So we left and went somewhere else. We had a really nice lunch at the Millside Restaurant instead whose service and quality of food puts the Red Lion to shame.

At urging of a family member, we had dinner here. I think the place has lots of history and reputation, so this family member was very keen to go here. I am on a limited food plan for health reasons, so when I do eat my evening meal, I want to be able to really enjoy it. It was not to be at the Royal Lion. Very small portions, even by British standards; my mussels were almost cold; mushy, cool chips. It must have been written all over my face because not one person of our group of four adults asked how the food was! Save yourself the trouble, go elsewhere!

We liked the atmosphere in this pub on the two previous nights we'd been in for a drink so we stopped for food on our third visit. We didn't go for anything fancy, just fish and chips, but the portions were generous and the fish tasted very fresh. I can't comment on there other food options but for a simple supper we were very happy with the price, service and quality of the food.You can read more about our visit in my travel diaries at pencer.org.

Having heard from other friends that the Hotel has a Pianist, we were keen to visit the Royal Lion Hotel Lyme Regis, as My Wife Loves Piano Music. However during our stay we never heard 1 note! All we heard was some boring Music over the Awful Speakers in the Oak Room restaurant, just not the same as having a Pianist playing for you. Hopefully is we should visit again the Pianist will be Playing?!

Just telling you in case you decide to pop in for a drink and find the cost is extortionate. Vod=£2.40, mixer=£1.50, not a cheap round!! :(

We booked into restaurant and had a drink in the bar where we were tempted to stay as the food looked really good. In the restaurant however we could not fault the food, presentation and choice. We both agreed it was the best meal we had had for a while and were still talking about it the next day. Atmosphere was good and the staff friendly and helpful.