The Olive Branch, Wimborne in East Dorset

We came here purely to see our favourite waitress Clare after hearing she had moved on. She never disappoints and makes your visit so personal, kind and fun. Food was good and had a real relax Christmas vibe, loved it! Xmas meal was fab, turkey delicious. Of course we will return, it's not just the food but the people and real community vibe is so nice X good to see our Clare again!

Totally over priced for what I had rip off I had Nduj chicken asked could I swop my potatoes/ chips and have just carrots and broccoli instead. I was told no sorry we can’t do that. So for £17.95 I was given I very small piece of chicken thigh size with a handful of wilted lambs tail Lettice 2 cherry tomatoes chopped in half. That was it my dinner. I can’t have potatoes so thought they would be more helpful. I could have ordered my carrots etc but that would be £4 on top . So the meal would have cost £21.95. My friends dinner was the same as mine except she had a very small pot of chips and the same poor salad the same as mine. How can they justify this price it was the size of a starter.

I love going to the Olive Branch and was excited to be making the most of their Monday offer of 33% off.. I met my friend there and we chose t vegetarian meals from the menu. A curry and a tart. The food was special as you would expect.

We used to love this place for the chilled atmosphere and friendly staff. But it seems that it is slightly not the same somehow It's sounds weird but it doesn't feel the same,the staff are now just OK where as before they were great. The meals are OK but again not great. And the prices have increased but not for the better. So this review is Glass half empty Glass half full sort of review. We love this place but something is not quite right.

Had a surprise birthday at the olive branch ,fabulous service, gorgeous food ,staff very friendly, attentive and polite , worth a visit one and all

All 3 of us ordered fish and chips which were excellent and 33% off ! Lovely pint of fursty ferret as well. Great service from a delightful waitress. Recommended

We had been up early and driven for a long time. We were intent on finding an independent pub, not a chain for a decent roast dinner. We settled on The Olive Branch. Orders swiftly placed, moving indoors as the smell of smoke outside is too invasive. Met with a great welcome from a male and female member of staff, the pub was busy and buzzy. It gave me a good feeling. The veg roast was very average, both dinners not hot. We didn’t waste time sending them back. The sourdough bread? This is not proper sourdough. Don’t waste your money ordering this. We also ordered the extra platter on the side consisting of pigs in blanket, yorkshires, potatoes and cauliflower cheese. Our dog enjoyed it very much. All very average, very cold. Again too hungry to send back. Pint of beer £6.80, far too much to consider making this a regular occurrence. Gave them one last try on desert, banoffee cheesecake. Priced at £7.50/8 I expected a slab. It was a really poor slither. Doused in a poor quality caramel drizzle. Not delicious and luxurious as described on the menu. The kitchen are letting the front of house down. Please serve hot food and not watery gravy! £100+ on a very average lunch. Really not on guys.

The service here is the biggest problem. I’ve been here now 3 or 4 times and I have to say this lunch will be my last. When you are paying mid range for ok food you at least expect good quality service. The staff all look miserable apart from one young lady behind the bar. No check back, no thanks. Very very poor. Doesn’t anyone train FOH staff anymore? Won’t be back again.

Found this place online when we knew we’d be visiting Wimborne. What a find. Our host, (the receipt says Orlana) was a credit to the restaurant; friendly and accommodating as were the other people we encountered. I had line of sight into the kitchen and the chef really cared about what he was sending out. The food was very reasonably priced considering the high quality. Some nice quirks and well presented. And the taste was just delicious and fresh. We are vegetarian and a vegan and the plant based options were varied and plentiful. I can’t understand the people moaning on here. Yes drinks were pricey, but none more so than any city centre high end establishment. If you want cheap, then go and visit Wetherspoons where you’ll obviously be happier. The prices are displayed and I didn’t see anyone being forced at knifepoint to stay and consume the drinks. We will 100% visit next time we are in Wimborne. Thank you for a great meal and service.

I would like to congratulate your staff for making our large group so welcome yesterday. It is difficult to book anywhere for a large group over 20 people. We had all preordered and the friendly and efficient staff looked after us brilliantly. Our food was all nicely presented, tasty and promptly served. We all enjoyed our meals, we had a variety of choices from the menu. Sorting out the payment of the bill was also handled brilliant by a pleasant staff member. I hope you enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed your establishment.

Disappointing food and service. We had not eaten at the Olive Branch for a while, but used to eat here a lot and had always had a good experience previously. The interior is the same but, sadly, the service and food are not. The main issue was the service which was lacklustre and disinterested. The staff member who served us forgot part our order and we had to repeat it. Service was very slow and it took ages to receive starter of bread and olives. We had asked for a portion of bread and olives for two to share and what arrived were two large bowls of olives (one each) and 8 slices of pre-sliced sourdough bread (which meant that we had to pay for double the amount, while also leaving a large amount of leftovers). We were not asked if we wanted like more drinks during the meal and, in the end, we decided to leave without ordering dessert and coffees due to slow service and a long wait for food. When we asked for the bill, we then had to wait ages to pay while the staff member serving our table stood nearby with the card machine in her hand and chatted to someone who did not appear to be a customer (as that person waved to and seemed to know several staff members around the restaurant). My partner even went up to a till to try to pay and, eventually, the server arrived with the card machine. By that stage the restaurant had become quiet - so there no excuse for delay and I don’t think we were even asked if we had enjoyed our meal. Food was average and not worth the prices (chicken with a small amount of butter sauce, a handful of chips and salad leaves - £16.95 and a cheeseburger £17.25) and nothing special. When I booked the table I had mentioned it was a birthday celebration (as the booking form asked for further information) and no mention was made of that at all. The whole experience was disappointing. Franky, I wish I had booked somewhere else. Service was so bad, it is the first time that I have not left a tip.

I'm pleased to recommend this long-established pub in the centre of Wimborne, having eaten here on many occasions over the past 25 years. Myself and my chums, were all very pleased with the lovely Steak and Ale Pie which contained a good amount of beef and the right amount of rich gravy - so important!

We ordered two coffees and confirmed where we were sitting. The table as with others nearby was full of cups and saucers from previous occupants. After sitting for 30 minutes with no sign of anyone and nobody clearing tables we became despondent. We tried to catch the eye of the coffee preparer who seemed very relaxed and unaware of the chaos around him but to no avail. After 45 minutes we decided we’d had enough and would have walked out had we not paid. We managed to intercept a young man to ask to see the manager only to be told it was the awareness challenged coffee procurer who rigidly continued his customer averse head down zen. He did not want to talk or apologise but just nodded to the assistant when our refund was requested. Worst service in a restaurant we’ve experienced.

Four of us had an evening meal which was very good 3 had burgers and I had fish and chips the food was very good could not fault the staff were very friendly and polite, the food just about value for money but the Olive branch is a really nice restaurant/pub as we were staying at the Albion this is the venue for your breakfast, oh what a difference we ordered a full English and assorted, eggs, bacon sausages etc it wasn't overly busy but the wait for food was around 40 mins as we were sitting facing the kitchen we could see there was very little urgency and dishes were plated very slowly with food sitting for some time, as the order was cooked everything seemed to be cooked one at a time, when our food did eventually arrive most of it was cold not very nice, also the continental breakfast looked old and dry probably just kept being put out every morning, I would recommend the dinner but definitely not the breakfast

Lovely Sunday lunch! I had roast beef and it was very good! Lovely potatoes, large Yorkshire and tasty veg too. Will definitely come again!

My wife and I regularly meet up with two other couples for breakfast. 2 times out of 3 we meet at The Olive Branch in Wimborne. The service is good and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed. The choice on the menu is great for us all as we all have slightly different tastes. The staff are always so friendly and helpful.

Been here several times when visiting my uncle in Broadstone, as we always bring our dog with us and it's dog friendly. Great styling, atmosphere, food and service. It's our go-to place to eat whenever we're in the area now.

Went here with my daughter and daughter in-law for Sunday lunch. Food and drink came quickly but a portion of chips was forgotten. Waited 20 minutes so couldn’t eat with the rest of my dinner. Waiter said the kitchen ‘is being rubbish today’. When they did arrive it was just batter scraps with 2 actual chips. Very expensive for sub-standard food and was told to leave as the table was needed pretty much as soon as I had paid. Very rude and will not be going back, any time soon.

Great food best desserts and awesome service as always - nothing too much trouble and plenty of room for high chair and our dog!

Warm welcome from friendly staff & excellent food served all day. Great to be able to watch the chefs at work too

Great food & excellent customer service. Went for Sunday lunch. Mum's roast beef was tender & a big portion. My nut roast was really tasty. Girls said their burgers were really good. Attentive staff - we were really looked after. We will be back! Thank you

Popped in for a late lunch. All staff were friendly and attentive. They only had one alcohol free beer, Heineken,although I did spot a Thatchers zero on the drinks list. After ordering at 3pm we waited. Had a second drink and waited. It was quiet but then we spotted other people eating who had ordered after us. We hate making a fuss but after 50mins we enquired after our food. The waitress went to check and returned to tell us the order went through on the bar but hadn’t made it to the kitchen. We thought about giving up and leaving then a charming man came and apologised and said he had refunded the whole cost of the food although it has not yet returned to our credit card. Hopefully it will. He offered a free drink whilst we waited. We ordered two lattes but even they took a while to come. The food arrived. My flat iron steak was excellent and I enjoyed my meal. My husbands Shepherd’s pie was tiny and he said just had an overpowering taste of mint. Vegetables were poor. One slice of leek, two pieces of carrot and three tiny pieces of broccoli. We will not return. I just want to say the three members of staff that served us were very friendly and cheerful

We dined here for lunch and left hungry! The portion shepherds’ pie was tiny for £18 plus and was accompanied only with a token portion of vegetables. I would not go back here.

Very disappointing visit to the olive branch alpine bar. We went for a few festive drinks but all that played in the background was Jason derulo and when I asked to play some Christmas songs they were not bothered and refused. Tables were left as reserved yet no one ever came and staff did not remove. Mulled wine also a bit too tangy and burnt. Would not recommend the alpine bar

Wanted to give credit to the Team at The Olive Branch. We were a large group, visiting in December with the quality of each meal being delicious and the service being top notch! Thank you again for a very enjoyable evening.

The Olive Branch is well worth a visit. On this occasion our visit was just for a few beers. Perfect pints of IPA sat in front of a big log fire in big comfortable chairs. Whats not to like.

£78 for three roast dinners and two cokes......WOW!! So, three roast beef and despite the price the beef was tough, roasts were soggy and overall wasn't a great meal. Waitress was lovely but the food was very average at best. Came to pay the bill...

My husband had the steak which was a very small portion and tough. I had the BLT which had cold streaky bacon. Both included skin on fries which were very greasy. The food prices here are very overpriced and very poor quality. I would to...

Have eaten twice at the Olive Branch in the evening. Good food and a great selection of drinks. Staff attentive and helpful. Have also enjoyed breakfast twice while staying at the sister site 1777 at the Albion. Whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks, pop...

Disappointed, absolutely bang average. Table for 3 booked. Daughters 21st, but we hadn't mentioned it, just wanted a good quality meal, good service, nice quality time with daughter, didn't get any of that! I would say the place was quiet, verging on very quiet, maybe...

We all had the roast beef, it was so tough we asked for steak knives. There was no flavour and the food was luke warm. Dessert was the Chocolate Brownie which was lovely until we found hair in it. They replaced the Brownie and deducted...

Faultless service by Archie ... so attentive and gave us a wonderful dining experience for the whole family, including our Golden Retriever. Will definitely return

Good food, great service :) I ordered the wrong sharing platter by mistake, and thought they'd missed off the scotch egg (the horror 😱). Staff (Archie I think) were so polite and brought me a scotch egg even tho it was my error 😞 and...

Comfortable and welcoming pub with secluded areas with armchairs. 2 gin and tonics , a glass of white wine , a pint of beer and 4 packets of crisps cost over £41 .

Changed a bit (aesthetically) since my last visit (years ago!) Beautiful food, great service, friendly staff, room to breathe. Faultless. Thankyou ❤️

I booked a celebration lunch for friends, but as they don't accept cash, we were forced to leave and find an alternative place to eat at short notice. So we didn't eat there. Our short stay was extremely noisy and unpleasant.

I had lunch with family. We all enjoyed our food, and the service from staff was impeccable. I definitely recommend.

Very disappointed! Served a cold Sunday roast beef dinner with only 2 small roast potatoes and very few vegetables! The beef was chewy and tasteless. We refused to eat the meal and went elsewhere! However, we must acknowledge how helpful and friendly the waiting staff...

We had steak and lamb medallions. Both were excellent. Sticky toffee and bonfire pie were yummy. Atmosphere was very pleasant and service was very good.

Excellent quality breakfast and beautifully cooked. Very friendly staff. Best breakfast in Wimborne!

Excellent service, lush cocktails and great food. We were served by Max B, who despite having a busy section, gave an incredible customer service. Max helped us with our drink choices. Food was lovely and hot and my meal was adapted to my needs. Max,...

Such a lovely setting with a gorgeous outside area. All the staff are so friendly and welcoming. They absolutely deserve a 5* rating. That said, my reasoning for the 3 * rating is 1) that the drinks are way overpriced!! Just under £19 for a...

Received a good welcome from the young man behind the bar. Although we booked a table we were shown to an enormous sized table which was set for a lot more people than in our group. The food was good . The drinks were very...

Went for breakfast last week, despite booking we seemed to be a surprise for them We had to ask to make an order as we'd been ignored. Finally got a coffee 30 minutes after arriving. Breakfast was mediocre at best. Eggs were rubbery and my...

Cashless only. On the expensive side. Live music and entertainment sometimes alright. Outside area and bar staff fine

I wish I had read the reviews before going. They do not take cash only card. We only had cash so someone had to go home to get a card. We couldn’t talk to each other as the music was so loud and it took...

Couldn't fault the food and service, but it appears that Hall and Woodhouse have removed the right to pay with cash. I should have checked before we went there. Sadly I will not be going to any of their establishments in the future.

We stopped in here for a quick lunch on a rainy Thursday, there was plenty of available seating inside. We checked out the menu which seemed fairly limited at lunchtime. Food and drinks were ordered at the bar which was fairly quick and painless,. All...

The food was ok but didn't justify the price paid £25.00 for two small bottles of Prosecco (3 glasses) extortionate!!!!!! More than London prices what a rip off!!!!

Just popped in for coffee but ended up staying for breakfast. Very friendly helpful staff. Good food

A repeated visit to the olive branch. Good food, service and selection of drinks. Certainly worth visiting if in Wimborne!

Couldn’t cater for my diabetic son. The only place I’ve been to that doesn’t provide a carb count on their online menu. Didn’t have one when asked in restaurant either. So couldn’t order anything for him and sorted alternative after. Very limited parking for size...

What an utter shambles!! Turned up for a quiet dinner booked with friends. There was an awful DJ playing stupidly loud music all night whilst we tried to eat. My friend found a piece if gravel in his pudding that almost chipped a tooth. And...

Disappointed Fathers Day. Service was slow, not the fault of the young girl server, she was on her own in the restaurant. Waited 20 mins for drinks order. Roast beef was undercooked and chewy. Tried to talk to management and ignored. Not again on a...

We visited on Father’s Day and were a table of 8. The young lady who served us our drinks at the bar was very nice and a real asset to the business. The food was a good standard, and everyone enjoyed their meals, apart from...

Avoid of you wish to save money. I bought 4 drinks, nothing extravagant at all, during The Wimborne Folk Festival. Cost- £47.00. The pub was deliberately taking as much money from people as they could on a busy local weekend where they would have had...

The food was ok but the portions were appalling. It looked like it was made for a very small child. I can’t say it tasted horrible because it didn’t. There was just a very small portion size of any type of food and I watched...

We visited on our arrival in Wimborne to get our bearings as would be having breakfast there during our stay. (1777 The Albion doesn’t have kitchen facilities) We were pleasantly surprised when we walked in to find not only a well stocked bar, a coffee...

Breakfast in the Olive Branch Wimborne. Excellent value for money. Food well cooked and presented,so much better than an earlier visit. Will definitely go again.

Gave up! Arrived for lunch without a booking, eventually shown to a table which needed clearing and was told it would be cleared soon, after 10 minutes we cleared the table ourselves and went to the ordering area to ask if the table could be...

Such a super Restaurant, great Customer Service, the garlic and cheese flatbreads were amazing! The children's meals were good too. We both had flatbreads my Husbands Spiced Lamb Kofta and Pomegranate was divine as was my Moroccan Chicken one, (we shared half each!) My sweet...

I thought the recent reviews were harsh especially in regard to drinks prices. We had two course dinner, a pint and two glasses of wine for £62 which I thought was far from expensive. There is a wine list with pricing so this should be...

Although a pleasant pub building to visit. The price of drinks is astronomic - 2 pints of lager & 2 glasses of white wine (large) - £36.50 ! ! - won’t be ripped off again. Several pubs in Wimborne offer much better value for money

What a shame. We decided, as Wimborne residents, to give you one last shot. A meal out with friends. We warned them in advance that this was a gamble...had had good times in the past but it could be hit and miss, unfortunately tonight was...

Three adults, two children: one pint of beer, one Prosecco large, one ‘no secco’ large and two pints of coke(a cola) five packets of crisps/nuts. £39.50. Thanks and never again.

We went to The Olive branch yesterday (28th) for lunch as my daughters were visiting as I frequently go there and wanted a good place to eat. It turned out to be an awful experience leaving us all very upset. We walked in and found...

On a visit to he Olive Branch. Lovely atmosphere, friendly, welcoming staff, well kept ales and two lit and warming log burners. When its cold outside what more could you ask of a pub

Absolutely awful , scrambled eggs on toast. Well the toast was burnt scrambled egg and I mean 1 egg was on the side 2 bits of rock hard burnt toast 1 knob of butter . I asked for a side of grilled tomatoes and a...

Had a bad experience few months back, but thought would try again, still not impressed , food not good, service terrible

We went for a family drink on Boxing Day. The temperature was wintery, inside was cold. The two lovely fires didnt have a spark between them. Sitting inside, having a drink with coats on is not very festive.

At 16.55 one day last year my wife and I came to the Olive Branch. There was a clear notice indicating that all the restaurant tables were booked for the evening. My wife enquired at the bar whether we could have a table as we...

Note: I frequent olive branch restaurant fairly regularly and its usually great). The Alpine bar on the other hand falls below standard. Yesterday - Sunday (at 4pm!) they had "run out" of mulled wine. No apology. But it was the same story last Christmas when...

Very disappointed. Took the family and children for a meal and booked early as we have wanted to go for the last couple of years. We expected a lovely Christmassy atmosphere only to find football on the big screen. When we asked them to change...

What a genuinely lovely experience. Not only was the food delicious but the most memorable part of our meal was Jacob the absolutely lovely, Whitty, funny and still respectful and professional waiter ! What a lovely chap - he deserves a pay rise !

The staff were super friendly, and the service was brilliant and it was very cosy. The best buffet breakfast I have seen with freshly cooked croissants

Called for a last minute table for 5 at 8:30 (and as a waitress i know how annoying this is!!) after a terrible experience elsewhere and they were nothing but accommodating. Warm welcome when we came in, drinks straight away, absolutely delicious food (duck, kiev...

Fantastic lunchtime experience celebrating a birthday with friends. Staff were humorous, friendly and attentive Food was excellent and great value Highly recommend

Great location, car park can get busy… But for a laid back lunch… a place to out on your list.. Dogs welcome

We arrived just after 9:30pm for drinks and a bar snack. Just the two of us looking for a quiet corner for drinks. This pub / restaurant has seriously gone done hill since our last visit. The place was rowdy, a disco similar to what...

As a fussy eater, I could not fault any aspect of the meal I had this evening. The duck confit was amazing and the team were more than happy to swap in the accompaniments from another dish so I had delicious red cabbage, tenderstem broccoli,...

Visit to Olive Branch for dinner. Most of the vegetarian options were not available. Falafel - off, aubergine main off, fritters off. It was ridiculous. We were offered roasted cauliflower, which were delicious but £6 for 6 small florets. Special mention to our waiter Gareth,...

Booked early dinner for 15 friends in advance a few weeks ago. Sent menu choices in advance for all diners as requested. Checked at lunchtime today it was all as planned - was told it was. When we arrived it was chaos. No table reserved...

We arranged to visit The Olive Branch after a family funeral. We had booked outside but were worried about the weather. No need. The sun came out but just to be safe the management, Scott, had set up a place inside in case. Very thoughtful....

Lovely pub with extensive seating area. Good menu and excellent service from friendly staff. I had a delicious Sunday Roast which came with plenty of different vegetables and the pork and roast potatoes were excellent.

Great food great service from Cloe , would have preferred a running egg on my ham , attention too details kitchen staff but really good overall

Booked this for Sunday lunch this Bank Hol Was concerned about bad reviews. Had a great lunch with very attentive service. Foos eas hot. Pie and gravy really tasty. Do give this a try. We sat in the smoke-free garden. Lovely.

Had a great evening with the in-laws in the large garden area outside - it’s fantastic that this place has all that space, especially when the weather is great! The food was a little pricey but good quality and the drinks were enjoyable. Thanks for...

Alone on the day before so called in for a lunch. Lovely waitress found me a table and had lovely southern fried chicken flat bread and it was perfect, really tasty.

Loud, no tables, service is the worst you'll find, and rude and ignorant. Spoons acoss the road is actually better.

Just dropped in for a quick snack on a Sun eve. Great service lovely spacious indoor and outdoor space lovely food and friendly service.

Visited on a warm evening to celebrate an occasion and found a table outdoors- when the table was eventually cleared it was not sprayed or wiped so we had residue of previous occupants dinner. That was not nice just for that reason let alone hygiene...

I met a friend from Poole here as it's roughly halfway between our houses. They won points initially for having a good range of soft / alcohol-free drinks. I had booked a table but we decided to eat outside as the weather was nice, so...

Visiting Wimborne for the Tivoli Theatre we pooped into the Olive Branch because it looked nice from the outside. We ordered a scotch egg starter to share, a Sirloin Steak and Beef Pie to follow with a couple of side dishes. The scotch egg came...

This was a spontaneous stop off on our way back home from a holiday. The car park is fairly small for the size of the pub. It was on a Friday early evening on a very hot day and the garden was packed. We ate...

Came for a lunchtime drink but couldn’t find a clean outside table to sit at, empty chairs but tables laden with used crockery/glasses. Made a space and 2 hours later still surrounded by dirty tables. Feel sorry for the staff as clearly understaffed. Not good...

Have been coming here frequently over the last 5 or so years but the meal I had this evening was the worst I'd had here. I ordered the fish and chips,.which sounded delicious on paper, but the actual meal was anything but. It was so...

We spent a lovely early evening at the Wimborne Folk Festival in The Olive Branch garden. Unfortunately it was spoilt by the lack of staff, one girl, in the busy indoor bar even though she was asking for help. This was compounded by three drinkers...

Very disappointed we had duck and the steak. The duck didn’t smell right, so I didn’t eat anything and the steak was chewy. We asked for water for the table which we never got and had to ask for steak knife as it wasn’t given...

Have just been to olive branch at 10.13 pm asked to drink up and leave as we were the only people in there, we had between us spent £ 50 and asked to leave within 40 minutes Won't be going back

Fantastic evening here as always. The service was super speedy and friendly. We started with drinks in the garden at a table with heat lamp and then moved into the restaurant area for food. Me and my husband come here every time we come home...