The Saxon Arms at Stratton in West Dorset

Superb food as always, great friendly staff. All good from starters to pudding were excellent. The chicken coq au vin was excellent.

Everything ordered was excellent, both for main course or sweet. The service was first class, and all portions were generous. Excellent value for money. We shall return!

What a great find. The pub was busy on a Sunday evening but the food was great, the staff were very helpful and the portion size large. It had a great atmosphere and felt like a proper English pub. Nothing was too much trouble and we came away stuffed! We’ll done to the owner and staff for giving us such a great evening.

We have been to the Saxon Arms many times and it is always excellent. We had intended going to somewhere further afield on this occasion but on reading their reviews we changed our minds and we are pleased that we did. The Saxon Arms welcome is always friendly and the service is very attentive but never intrusive. Drinks quickly appeared along with the menus. We did not have to wait for long before our food arrived and it was hot, well presented and tasty. Chicken curry if you must know! The lemon posset pudding is to die for. The prices are more than reasonable. I should add, as this is a pub, that they really know how to look after their beer and I drank Timothy Taylor's "Landlord". Thanks to Duncan and his Hungarian colleague for another hugely enjoyable visit.

First visit to this fantastic pub. The fish and chips were delicious. Service was excellent and the dogs particularly enjoyed all the attention. Would highly recommend and will return when in the area.

Lovely meal spoilt by the barman using the F expletive constantly whilst we were eating. Second visit, but won’t be going there again.

Service was great, everyone was very helpful. Food was amazing, family had steaks which they were very happy with and the mussels were super tasty. The best part of the dinner were the desserts! Bailey’s cheesecake was absolutely delicious and all the others looked very tasty too. Would definitely recommend and will be back again soon!

Absolutely disgusting food - straight from the freezer entirely incredible. Extremely rude staff. I live nearby. Would never go again unless

We were greeted with a very warm welcome. Food choice was good. Service was excellent and we all enjoyed the food and drinks.

We visited for a light lunch on our way to Cerne Abbas. We shared a delicious steak and onion baguette and a Timothy Taylor's bitter.

A popular pub/restaurant easily accessible from the A35. Meals were of a high quality, moderately priced and served by attentive staff. Well worth visiting, watch out for special evenings such as Spanish and steaks. Highly recommended. Usually busy so it’s important to book. Sunday lunch is particularly good

My mother, partner, myself and our Westie were visiting Weymouth and we asked our holiday letting company for recommendations on places to dine, one of the recommendations was The Saxon Arms, i called to make a reservation for Saturday 18th May at 19.00, this was our experience. On calling the establishment a very polite gentle named Duncan took my reservation, he was so polite and courteous and this created a great first impression. On the evening of our reservation we were welcomed and seated at our table, a member of the team took our drinks order promptly and the customer service experience was unquestionable , our food order was taken shortly afterwards after the team member confirmed we were ready, we ordered starters and main courses, the food arrived with excellent timing and was of good quality and piping hot, the service delivery was always with a smile. We spoke to the landlady and passed on our positive comments, the establishment is dog friendly and our Westie was offered treats from a jar on the bar which was a lovely thought, we also met the landlady’s dog whose name was Nelly, it was so nice to be in a village pubs where we are not locals and felt as though our custom was appreciated, some village pubs can be a little stand offish with people who are not local but this was not the case at the Saxon Arms. Our experience was 100% enjoyable and I’d like to recommend this establishment to anyone who is in the area, you will I’m sure have an enjoyable evening as we did, Great Food & Drink, Frindly & Efficient Service and a Genuine Passion to ensure the experience is a positive one. Thank you to you all, we were very impressed and will have no hesitation in making a return visit when we are once again in the area, You have an excellent team and we wish you well in all you do. Ian

Food excellent but spoilt by barman expressig his political views very loudly to some customers and then last orders called at 9.30 and asked to leave at 10.00 spoilt the evening. Food service was good and hot.

We have known The Saxon Arms since it opened and have always enjoyed he food and ambience but recently our experience has been marred by excessively noisy staff. Generally welcoming and helpful but the banter between one member with others is loud and intrusive . The food and service are always excellent but this one member seems unaware that customers are not interested in his opinions on practically everything going on. Not sure that we need a second helping!

Warm welcome, smiley efficient polite staff in this traditional country pub. Compliments to chef for great British menu and food. Two liver and bacon on day1, pork chop and pie of the day on day2, fresh seasonal veg, chunky chips, all served hot and cooked to perfection! Hope to return when visiting area.

This is one of the very best pubs for lunch in the UK. It has a fantastic ambience, is warm and comfortable, has great beer they know how to look after, a real extra cosy fire, and an excellent menu with daily specials. I was visiting my parents in Maiden Newton, and we always came here. What makes it extra special is the manager Alex who runs a great team of staff - very warm, friendly, attentive and funny. Rarely have I come across someone who really does look after you and your guests with such kindness and attention to detail. Thank you, Alex, and thanks to the fantastic team and special pub. 10/10 from me.

What a team .. although we were strangers visiting their local, we were treated very well, the food was lovely cooked by Neil, and wonderfully served by the hosts, Jon & Duncan. Thank you so much for making two strangers feel so welcomed.

This is a lovely pub - both for its appearance (thatched, flint-stone, lovely indoors with well arranged seating) and the high quality of food. We have been here several times when staying in Dorset and I highly recommend it. We always book as it is a popular place. They have a good variety of dishes on their menu and also offer a generous specials board - we have really savoured the food. The sticky toffee pudding is absolutely delicious. Praise must also go to the staff who are warm and friendly and look after their guests well.

Nothing great here. Pretty standard pub menu and not particularly well executed. Dull lasagne, overpriced at £15.50. Service enthusiastic.... Christmas Day had been such a success that they had run out of Prosecco.

Twenty of us chose to have a group Christmas Dinner at the Saxon Arms. We can’t thank the staff enough. We were all blown away with the quality and quantity of food and the attentiveness of service from Alex, Jemima and Anna on Monday night. Thanks also to the chefs Marcin, Mark and Neil too. Now all we need is an excuse to come again 😜 Highly Recommended Thank you, Thank you Thank you!

Wonderful service. The staff served us quickly and were very friendly. Delicious food. Really lovely experience.

I absolutely love coming to this pub when I'm visiting my parents in Maiden Newton. Great outdoors, great indoors, has an open fire during winter, really well-kept ales and a great affordable menu with different specials whenever I visit. But even more than all this the staff are always so welcoming and they have now been there quite some time so we have got to know them well. A special thanks to Alex, who always makes like for me (and my family when they are with me) and my parents feel so welcome. Look forward to coming back soon, Mark

Excellent food, will definitely be returning. Pleasant friendly staff good atmosphere very clean. Highly recommend

We drove down from West Sussex to see family in Dorchester. They booked a table at the Saxon Arms. When we arrived we were welcomed to our reserved table with our dog. The menu choices were good. Service was fast. The food was plentiful, hot and delicious! The staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough for us and Oscar our dog. We must say it was the Best Pub we have been to in a while. We would highly recommend.

Absolutely fabulous, great pub with good beer and great food, staff couldn’t be more helpful, especially the nice Hungarian bartender. Highly recommend

Child portion of Lasagna and when I called the head waiter over he just made a joke of it and walked off.

A very quiet afternoon with just a few customers but a simple order of 2 drinks and crisps caused 5 mistakes and queries. Had to tell the inefficient barman 3 times what flavour crisps we needs (only 1 packet!). The cappuccino arrived as a latte and the beer was a short measure only topped up after being requested. How they manage when it’s busy I have no idea.

Great food, great drinks, great music and yes great price too. 👍 We were out looking for petrol and passed by then came back just to check it out. Will return before holiday finishes.

Four of us visited for a family lunch yesterday where we had prebooked our table.The service was excellent from the 3 members of staff where they were very attentive but not overbearing.I had the Bass with vegetables,new potatoes and a lovely sauce which I would highly recommend.Puddings were also excellent which indluded eton mess and lemon posset.There is a great selection of real ales.Prices are reasonable.There are limited car parking spaces so be prepared for a small walk from the on road parking

Called here as first port of call not what we thought it would be , advised we were a party of seven at 6pm, told we could have a table at 6:45pm. On arrival met by extremely pleasant and helpful staff. Table was free so we settled for the evening. What can I say? In a nutshell - meal superb for all concerned, service top class and more importantly, interaction with the children in our party was so appreciated! Fate obviously led us here, and we will definitely be back! Thank you all for a wonderful family night out .

Excellent service, comfortable seating and the best Sunday Roast! Called on the off chance and luckily they could accommodate us. From the warm welcome to the beautifully presented meal we were very impressed indeed.

My partner & I chose to come here for our wedding meal & we are so glad we did! We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal, The 2 course menu is brilliant and the food was just amazing! Inside is gorgeous & the service was great,...

Ordered pie, chips and veg. I had finished the pie and chips before the veg. arrived so I told the waitress it was too late and sent it back. On paying the bill the manager made a big thing about not charging for the veg....

Always love coming here really nice pub and food. We all enjoyed our meals and really friendly efficient waitress however I was a bit disappointed only one vegan option and it was a burger. I would definitely come back if there were more than one...

We were a party of 6 for evening meal on a Sunday, staying in nearby Maiden Newton. We were shown to our table and served by a Spanish waiter who was friendly and helpful. We skipped starters and chose mains - 3 Caesar Salads, 2...

Lovely birthday dinner at The Saxon Arms at Stratton with starters of Tempura Prawn and Stuffed Portobello Bluecheese mushroom then mains of Pie of the Day and Saxon Burger 🍔 Lovely atmosphere for Ginny’s birthday dinner party last night and great company, lovely catchup chats...

Have been before will go again. We went on a Sunday but I did not have the carvery.. Service was excellent as was my food.

Lovely food but the service could be improved. One waiter came over with a mouthful of food and made the assumption we wanted the bill when in fact we did not. Another member of the team was very rude and made us feel quite unwelcome...

We travelled from Worcester, Kent and Essex to surprise my sister for her 65th birthday. She thought just her, husband and Mother In Law were going but we got there early to dress table and have fun. That we did with celebrating her special birthday...

I went to the Saxon Arms for what I thought was a birthday meal with my husband and Mother-in-law, who is 94, when I got there as a surprise my brothers and cousin and partners were there having travelled the day before to get here...

Meal for 4, lasagne,ribeye,quiche and curry. All served perfectly by Alex. We spoke to the chef Martin about dietary requirements before ordering who couldn't be more helpful. The ribeye is a must for steak lovers FYI,cooked to perfection. Thankyou all for a great service.

Service is nop notch, Jem is very attentive and great with customers. Food is another level and literally the best burger we have ever had. Very happy customers here. Keep up the great food and service.

Fantastic food. well presented and piping hot. could not fault anything about the meal or service. we had 2 burgers, scampi and lasagne all of which were superb.

We had a great evening at the Saxon Arms. Our orders were taken by a French gentleman. He was very professional and friendly. The food was hot, it came up quickly and the potions were really generous. My wife couldn’t eat all her whitebait starter,...

We booked a table for a late Mother’s Day lunch for my mother-in-law. Me and my husband had starters, I had the whitebait and was a. large plate, and my husband had the French onion soup, both delicious. For mains we had the beef cheeks...

Earlier this month we were moving house and wanted to be “fed”. A bit of peace in the chaos and we got this by he bucketful at the Saxon Arms. Food was top quality and my favourite, a steak cooked blue was perfection (usually served...

Our first visit to this brilliant pub, we found the service and food to be first rate. Although the pub was fairly busy, the staff ensured that we had prompt and curious service. Over many years of pub visiting this rated as one of the...

We travelled a long way to this pub to meet friends and we were not disappointed. We had the fixed price two course lunch with added desserts. The staff were nice and friendly and the food was very good. The Biscoff Cheesecake was recommended and...

Fantastic food and service. Lots of choice and very reasonably priced. Food was very good and the service was fantastic very quick service. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Really enjoyable evening would highly recommend. We shall be back.

Wonderful food, lovely atmosphere, great choice on the menu, service was excellent, we will be back again soon.

The young staff were friendly and obviously trying. However, when asked how was my meal I said it was full of grease and very poor. There was no reply, they simply set to clearing the table. Oh well, that’s one way to handle a customers...

Excellent food, had the Xmas set menu really friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Good quality produce would definitely come again!

Wonderful ambience, great staff and fab food. Had booked but appeared not to be on the books but quickly resolved seamlessly and a table found (thankfully!)

Whilst visiting Dorset we decided to meet up with friends who live locally for a meal at the Saxon Arms. We were given a warm welcome and presented with the menu. I was very disappointed because to save time in the pub I had looked...

A beautiful pub located in a quaint village on the outskirts of Dorchester with a wonder log fire and extremely friendly staff. The service is some of the best around! However… the food is just okay. If you’re after a burger, there are definitely better...

Came here for a works lunch last minute really friendly and efficient staff. We had a selection of starters and mains and all really enjoyed our food. The quality was really high standard of the food and would definitely come again.

15 of us went for Sunday lunch and in spite of being a large group the service was excellent. Food also great including good veggie options. Jam roly poly was awesome!

Stopped by for Sunday lunch with my wife and parents. Really nice atmosphere, food and service was very good. Sunday roast was delicious.

Great Beer. Lovely Pub, fabulous food! What’s not to like? The staff are all very friendly, & welcoming. As a stranger, booked for next night straight away! We had the Duo of Calves Liver & Braised Oxtail, with Dauphinois Pots, Tenderstem & Sugar Snaps. Lambs...

We visit this pub/restaurant, about twice a year maybe more over the last 15 years. It was always excellent, but our last visit was far from good. We initially booked as we were told this was advisable, we arrived to find the restaurant empty, but...

Stayed in Weymouth and visited Dorchester for the day, have been here a couple of times in the past as dog friendly and this visit did not disappoint. The food was delicious and generous portions, two-course special is worth every penny! We opted for starter...

We visited whilst on a short break in the area. What a find! Lovely pub, friendly staff and fabulous food! A great place to visit and dog friendly too. Would highly recommend!

Delicious food on steak night. Perfect sized portions, perfectly cooked. Staff very friendly and attentive. Dog friendly. We would recommend

Whilst on holiday in Weymouth, we were looking for somewhere to have a family meal for our wedding anniversary, after looking at many places, we found the Saxon Arms, and what a brilliant find it was! A beautiful picturesque building, in a lovely village setting....

Superb Lunch ad usual , good variety on menus . A visit is a must , it’s our favourite pub and we come every week . Dogs ad well very welcome

We visited the Saxon Arms on Monday evening for an early meal. Didn't book, but was lucky enough to get a table. The place was surprisingly packed and busy. What a fantastic found! Extensive menu with great many choices and the dinner was just perfect...

Sunday lunch was a treat to end a busy week of moving home. The setting is delightful in a picturesque willage. We opted for traditional roasts although every item on the menu and the specials looked appetising. Portions were generous, nicely cooked and served by...

liked the building, the food was good, they didn't have enough wine lists, short on staff possibly, service was really slow with drinks and food, don't pop in for a quick evening meal as it was a wednesday when visited and the place was rammed!

We had a pleasant time at the saxon arms aitedn by alex who was very efficient and hardworking.and pleasant as were the waitresses We had the sunday roast turkey crown and all the trimmings and Eton mess for dessert scrumptious a lovely lunch and drinks....

I absolutely recommend this place to everyone. The food is fantastic especially the beef roast dinner . The staff are so friendly and attentive. The pub is super clean and has such a comfortable country pub feel!

Due to Covid lock down, this was our first visit for over a year. Staff very welcome. Had a table in the main Restaurant, Wide choice of Menu, I always enjoy their Liver, that was my choice. My Wife choose the Gammon, Egg and Chips....

We visited the Saxon last Sunday. We had booked beforehand and were not disappointed with the whole experience. Welcoming staff and a lovely building in a village setting. Both Sunday roasts were excellent. Couldn't fault anything, delicious food which was served promptly. A visit to...

We tried the Saxon Arms today for the first time. A great village pub. The welcome was very friendly, we had a lovely lunch in nice surroundings. Main course and either a starter or pudding for £16.95 We had mains and pudding and were cooked...

Service was great with timely arrival of lunch, courteous and friendly staff who didn't bother you overly. My moules were well cooked with great sauce but could've been a little bigger. Family members roasts looked great and were fully enjoyed by all with tender beef...

This is my second visit to this charming pub and I honestly didn’t think I could enjoy it more than my first amazing visit but I really did. The choice of dishes on the menu is amazing, so many fantastic meals that I couldn’t decide...

From the second we walked in the door, to when we left, our experience today has been first class. Fantastic welcoming staff, well kept beer and as good a Sunday Roast as we've had anywhere. Thank you Stratton Arms for a lovely lunch, we'll be...

The evening started okay, service is slightly lacking but not terrible. All food came out in a timely manner but when the swordfish arrived it was very dull and grey in colour. The mistake happened when I actually ate it and then spent the rest...

Visited the Saxon Arms whilst on a staycation in Dorchester. Where to start! Staff were friendly and welcoming. Great atmosphere and feel to the pub. Now… the food! Portion size was great and the food was just impeccable. Will be coming back when next down...

This was a last minute booking and we had never sat inside before. Staff were really friendly when we arrived and the place was packed. There was a great 'Specials Board' along with a really good menu choice. We shared a starter of chicken satay...

First visit and went to bar. Barman loudly blowing nose in tissue paper. Does not wash hands: my wife looks at him, but no response. We order two drinks which are dispensed with his unclean hands. Once we are seated and, in a loud voice,...

Upon walking in to the pub we were simply ignored (even though waitresses walked past us). It took an older gentleman to come through to the bar and address our arrival with a waitress (he was very friendly). There was an older lady who I...

We last visited in 2019 and enjoyed our roast dinner. This time it was even better. Polite and friendly staff, dog friendly, choice of 3 meats and veg option roast dinners along with a small portion (which was plenty big enough for a 10 year...

Had a wonderful evening with friends. A very warm welcome from attentive, very friendly professional staff. Food was absolutely delicious , the menu had lots of choice, and was not overly expensive.

Came here for dinner one evening with family. The food was excellent, well cooked and well presented. There was a good selection of real ales on tap too. I would eat here again.

This is a spacious pub. There is reasonable parking. The tables are well spaced and the service was good. The menu is typical pub food. The food was good with an emphasis on quality.

The meal was timed for 1.00pm and our orders were quickly taken and drinks brought .We both chose the special roast in our case the shoulder of lamb .The food was absolutely fantastic really good roast potatoes and a mixture of vegetables plus a dish...

We arrived without booking a table and were told that the pub was full but that a table would be available in 1/2 hour. After a few minutes a very helpful waitress came over and said that the table was ready. All the staff were...

Had a excellent Sunday lunch yesterday didn't get there till 4 -30 Staff where lovely Highley recommended .

Our host offered to book us into somewhere local for dinner and he didn't let us down. We were very impressed with the ambience, service and the food at this popular pub and it was a good thing we had been booked in as it...

On spec visit for late lunch. Fast attentive service. My white bait starter was genuinely the best I have ever had and no heads! Enough for a main course. The other starter was a sea food salad again great. Ham egg and chips, good but...

great restaurant, very accommodating and they even do deals Monday to Thursday. we visited twice on our 3 night stay!

Met with friends and had a lovely lunch. The staff were very attentive and helpful. The meals were delivered quickly and my Caesar salad was delicious. 2 of my friends had the sea bass off the special board and said it was well cooked and lovely.

Family visit to the Saxon Arms for a lunch in the sunshine. Really friendly staff welcomed us on arrival and were very prompt with drinks, menus and our food order. The food was really excellent and well worth the £15.95 for two courses. All five of us had a lovely main course (burger, lasagne, lambs liver and ploughman’s) and all plates were emptied. The desserts were all great too (brownie, Eton Mess and cheesecake) and again plates were licked clean. Again the staff were attentive and friendly. I would definitely recommend this pub and will certainly be eating there again soon

We dined here as a family last night, we hadn’t booked but they made us all feel very welcome. The food was excellent and all very fresh, staff were very friendly and helpful and we’d love to come again.

We were hungry, the weather was blazin, and we managed to get a table. Despite the heat we went for a Sunday roast. It was excellent. Well worth stopping off here and we will certainly go back.

Ate here twice whilst staying in the area. Service was excellent, staff friendly. Good menu and food did not disappoint. Good specials board. Food arrived promptly and was delicious. Very reasonably priced.

The Saxon is local to me & I eat here regularly, If you are wanting a great Sunday roast. This is the place to go. The special boards are always varied with great choices. The food is always 10/10 & service is excellent. Hence the reason why we keep coming back.

We ordered one cheese and one ham ploughman's for lunch. This came with a generous portion of both the cheese and ham, and also came with pâté, pickled onion, apple, coleslaw, celery and a jar of chutney. We enjoyed it with two ciders in the sun.Unfortunately, this was served with only one small chunk of sunflower bread. Having requested more, we were bought two slithers of different lower quality brown bread which felt like a token gesture. The meal was ruined by this, as it felt the request was being humoured. Similarly, the people next to us also requested additional bread, and were equally irritated by the token bread that came. The catering staff should try eating the ploughman's with one slice of bread to understand the need for more than one slice of bread to enjoy it.

We have just completed a one week stay in Dorchester, not having explored the area previously. We noticed a good many - and visited a few - attractive and enticing country pubs, but the Saxon was our favourite, and the only one we went to twice. The village itself is picturesque, whist the pub is eye-catching. We were very surprised to learn of its age (No spoilers here!). The staff were uniformly excellent - friendly, cheerful, most capable - and we were made to feel very welcome on both occasions. We felt spoiled for choice with regards to the menu choices. All of our selections were high quality, generous in amount and really good value. Had we stayed a second week, I reckon we would have called in at least twice more, despite the appeal of so many other pubs, such is the impression the Saxon Arms and its staff made on us. Recommended unreservedly!

Returning home from a long day out we started to get hungry and looked on google maps for a pub with food on our routeConvenient to driving was the Saxon inn and what unexpected luck it was finding it. We arrived bang on opening time and phoned the pub in case it would be awkward being turned away as we hadn’t booked ( with the current pandemic booking a table is almost a must And we had already been turned away by a different pub 30 minutes earlier )We had a lovely welcome. ….. doors open come right in we were toldSeated ordered and we made the first 2 orders from the Saxons new steak menu. Great choice. Lovely steaks. And great hostsIf your in the area. And need food. This is the place to go