The Smuggler's Inn in West Dorset

Half term family visit for lunch. Lovely, old pub with loads of character. Lunch was underwhelming though. Overpriced for size of portions and waitress serving us gave the impression that she would rather be elsewhere. This nonchalance added to the disappointing experience. The attitude of staff really does impact on the overall experience. On a positive note- we all enjoyed the tasty fries.

Smugglers Inn is a really beautiful little pub. We had a really warm welcome from staff, the service was very quick, the waitress was very knowledgable about food intolerances/allergies. We couldn’t fault the food at all your get a large portion and the food is cooked perfectly so really good value for money. Would definitely come back

Very disappointing meal. Had the beef shin and it was mainly gravy. Couple bits of meat and couple bits of fat and still hungry at the end of the meal. Definitely not what I expect for £18.75. Service was good but I didn’t notice that a 10% charge had been added to the bill and the receipt is laid out in a deceptive way where there is a space for you to add a tip which I did for the service … definitely not for the food. Wouldn’t recommend. :-(

Beautiful pub but ok food Food was ok had Sunday lunch - £18 for it to be ok. And on the bill they added a 10% service charge (only to 2x adult and 1x 3 year old eating)

I have been visiting the Smugglers for many years, but never stayed in the rooms ! My partner and I decided to stay over after a wonderful coastal walk . From arriving the team made us very welcome and informed us of everything going on and where everything was.We were escorted to our room and to our surprise it was amazing clean, comfortable and beautiful .We then went down for dinner and drinks. Food was excellent and the staff couldn’t do enough for us and could teach a lot of other establishments how things are done. Great team and a beautiful building.

Lovely service, efficient, friendly and helpful staff. Great atmosphere. We will definitely return, highly recommended

Great staff, especially Ellis. Delicious food and drinks 🍺 Lovely place to come for a meal. Thanks!

Great service and food and venue we will definitely come again Food was delish great range of drinks

Came on sunday for roasts with friends and we were all very happy. Visited again today for lunch and had the pie and mash not a huge meal but more than ample for a sunny spring lunch. Matched with a nice glass of Malbec. Negatives is the no cash policy really annoys me!!!

We stayed for 3 nights and had a lovely time. All the team were very friendly. Sunday evening, we came back for an early supper on what had clearly been a busy sunday, but everything was in control and food lovely. Great breakfasts as well. Possibly could suggest the stairs and side entrance is a bit tired. Not helped by bin detritus outside the door when leaving in the morning.

We visited as a family of 3, plus dog for the first time. Can’t fault the service. We had a few different requirements for our meals, nothing was too much trouble. Visited at 15:15 on 4th of April and spent about an hour and half here. Pub was quite busy inside. All of the team we encountered were friendly and happy to help. Food delivered within 10-15 mins, tables cleared promptly. Ordered steak and ale pie, cheese and tomato toastie and child’s burger, plus desserts. Everybody was happy with their meals and portions. Great location, good atmosphere and will be back when we visit the area again. Thank you.

Went for Easter Sunday lunch. Fabulous food and service. Staff very friendly and attentive. Will definitely visit again and recommend.

Another lovely meal and excellent service, can't wait to visit again and also a dog friendly pub. See you soon, thank you.

Very nice stay. Decent and nicely decorated room with comfortable bed and quite big bathroom. Rooms are situated over pub, so during peak season they may be quite noisy. Nice food is served at the pub. Small breakfast buffet and hot selection from the menu. Tasty.

We had great Fish’n Chips on the fish friday, perfect atmosphere, very friendly served👍🏻 Thanks to the team

Great pub, great food and a free dessert! What's not to like. Also got involved with the quiz night which was entertaining!!

Food is lovely here, beautiful location and staff are always friendly Prices are reasonable and we liked that on Sundays you don't have to have a roast, you can also order off the main menu.

We arrived after a cold walk. We were warmly greeted and served promptly. The staff were friendly and the pub had a relaxed atmosphere. Our food was delicious. We had scotch eggs followed by the tanglefoot pie which was a ‘proper’ shortcrust pastry pie with gravy. My wife had the Papperdelle pasta which was also delicious. We would definitely come again.

Although this is in a great location, the food left a lot to be desired! I ordered Steak Frites and my husband ordered Salmon with bubble and squeak and vegetables. The Salmon at least was edible but very bland in taste. The steak was so tough that I could hardly cut it with a steak knife let alone chew it! To his credit, the waiter was most apologetic and offered me an alternative. I chose a chicken dish this time but was once again very disappointed with the quality of the meat, it was very dry. I didn’t bother to complain again. We both had a dessert which turned out to be the highlight of our meal. I can’t fault the service we received, most of the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. If we are ever brave enough to try again, we will pick from the starters and desserts, I wouldn’t chance the Main menu after that experience.

Visited The Smugglers in the evening as we are regulars living fairly locally. The pub had a special offer for 33% off food on a Monday so we booked a table. The staff are so friendly but we found ourselves waiting almost an hour before asking if we could order food. The guy that seated us said find a table & he would be over soon to take our order. We got our own drinks from the bar & sat down at a table. The wait was ok as we were chatting but we thought the wait to order was excessive. The pub wasn’t overly busy. The food was fine. We always leave a nice tip but wasn’t going to due to the wait on this occasion. Checking the receipt afterwards we noticed that an optional 10% service charge (for 2 people!!) had been added to our bill. I really do not agree with this at all but understand why it is done in certain establishments. So something to be aware of when you visit.

We had the most wonderful meal here and the service was impeccable. We will definitely be back. Everything was fresh and the staff couldn't have been more accommodating.

We had such a wonderful Sunday involving a long walk along the coast path with our dog, lunch at the Smuggle's Inn and back again. The pub is wonderful, full of character with great food and very dog friendly. Our waitress, Tiffany was lovely, very friendly, welcoming and efficient. The food was very nice; I had the veggie roast, my son had the beef roast and my husband had fish and chips, all high quality. We will definitely be returning.

Went here for my daughters 40th Birthday. We all pre ordered the food and from start to finish we could not fault the food and service. The staff were exceptional and catered for all our needs. Please try and visit The Smugglers with its gorgeous surroundings aswell. Thank you.

Stayed overnight at Smugglers Inn and selected as dog friendly and looked quirky. We had afternoon drinks, evening meal and breakfast the following day. Food was delicious, reasonably priced. Great value for money, clean and very friendly staff, would highly recommend and will return.

The fact this relatively remote place was packed on a Saturday lunchtime in January tells you something about how good it is. There was a slight miscommunication between the bar and restaurant so we thought we were going to miss out on our table but we spoke up and it was sorted and we didn't have to wait very long at all. It's not the *very* cheapest place to eat but you get what you pay for as the food . Being on holiday we both indulged in the choc. mousse (vegan-friendly BTW) and it was rich and delicious, with the berry compote not overwhelmed by the mousse, great flavours

I took a friend for lunch. The service was excellent and the premises warm and welcoming. My friend had Fish and chips, which said was lovely. Good portions and nicely presented. I ordered the fish pie….. unfortunately it was quite small, very dry with only one bit of fish inside a pastry case. A few carrots and leeks around the base. I informed the cashier, who did deduct the glass of wine, but at £18 I was not impressed. Such a shame as it really spoilt the meal.

Took advantage of their January meal discount. Food was nice & service was prompt & friendly. Went to pay the bill & found an additional item had been added, not a great issue & was removed. The thing that spoilt the visit was the fact that a service charge had been added, for 2 people! Unfortunately my wife paid the bill & only told me after, I would have asked them to remove this. We would have left a tip but that was out choice to make. This is a classic case of being ripped off & it may seem petty but this is why I left a low score. We are all struggling money wise but it’s not our responsibility to supplement an organisations wage bill by them automatically adding a service charge.

Just by chance on a drive out on boxing day found this absolutely lovely place to eat & have a quick mulled wine with hubby. The young guy who served us was absolutely amazing. He emptied the last of the mulled wine for me , was so pleasant charming & helpful. On leaving he even helped me down the step & held out his arm to support. So sorry I didn't get his name but it was about 4pm am disabled & use walking stick. A very big thank you to this sweet kind young man. Hope he has a wonderful new year

Very quaint old pub with character right on the Dorset Coast ( but you’ll have to navigate some local goat tracks to get to the beach). Good service but they didn’t take cash which was irritating. Good pub and worth the visit.

Great location. Nice atmosphere. Charming pub close to the beach. Friendly service. Locally brewed beer.

We drove down a narrow road to get to the Inn. Parking was difficult, the car park full and cars squeezed in all all along the road. We really only wanted an ice-cream and a view of the sea. The pub was bustling with people and seemed very popular. It turned out to be too difficult a climb for us (older citizens) to get down to the rocky beach but we did have a pleasant view out over the sea. Wear good shoes if you attempt the climb.

Waited 25 minutes at the bar, staff knew we was there but ignored us, even though I had book a table. Then when seated another 20 minutes to take our order. The place was quiet so god knows how rhey would cope if they were...

Had Sunday dinner shocker! Beef was non existent. Cauliflower was just all stalk. Came back few days later to give another chance. Ordered Egg mayo sandwich was all rocket and F all else. Send Help!!!

Beautiful location and history to boot! Friendly staff.,plenty of outdoor seatting..dog friendly im assuming...near to beach if you are up to the challenge to reach it..wellies recommended!

We had a light bite and a meal. I wasn't sure about the light bite Cheese and biscuits. The pieces of cheese looked really small compared with the amount of biscuits. What there was of the cheese was very tasty and a nice selection of...

Beautiful pub, lovely traditional feel to it. We only popped in for a drink but the staff were so welcoming and lovely. Will be sure to return for food or even better to stay. It’s an incredible setting and beautiful building.

Food average, service poor. 1 meal didn’t arrive with the other 3, when we asked where it was we were met with disinterest (it wasn’t busy). Lovely setting. Take care cc charged 3 times for 1 bar bill.

What an amazing young staff team, who could really show exceptional service to their customers. The food was absolutely amazing! The location is stunning with a quiet beach and campsite nearby! Absolutely top notch!! 😀

It is worth visiting this pub for the location alone! We also enjoyed our drinks, charcuterie board and fish finger sandwich. QR code ordering available which we find very convenient. Dogs welcome.

Order online from your table and pay in advance, wait 20 minutes for food and drink to be delivered, then get up and walk across busy dining area to find cutlery, eat main course, order desert from your table, wait another 20 minutes for it...

Another lovely meal at the Smugglers. Good choice of food. Great atmosphere. Although it was very busy our food came really quick.

Wonderful looking pub located just up from a hidden beach. Lots of space indoors and outdoors. Adult portions were distinctively average in size - especially for the price. Service was pleasant. £15+ for a small bowl of chilli, blob of cream and a handful of...

This was a much needed break after a long walk in the blazing heat along a spectacular coastline. Nice friendly atmosphere, lots of outdoor and indoor seating with music playing outdoors to give that particular vibe. Sadly they didn’t have any J2O which surprised me....

Card only. Ordered drink then told card only. I only had cash. I was with a walking group who offered to pay. I refused on principle. Nothing to say card only. Went without drink 😔

Location perfect after a long walk on the coastal path, FoH staff were great, beer was good but the food service and quality was on the whole dreadful. Long long wait, misplaced orders, small and inconsistent portion sizes and very average food quality. Yes it’s...

The place was nice enough, very busy. The food came very quickly, it is just a shame the portion size was pathetic. My Luke warm bowl of soup came half full with a super market, wafer thin slice of bread. Unfortunately, the flavour was also...

Lovely pub in great location, nice for a drink outside, just avoid eating there. Poor quality meals with a long wait. Definitely worth a visit though.

Sunday lunch, roast dinner. Staff charming. Dinner was shockingly awful. If a place advertises roast dinners up until late afternoon, the later ones should be as good and as fresh as the earlier ones. Cold hard roast potatoes that had been kept warm for hours,...

Excellent food and attentive service. Easy to book a table on line. Dog friendly, dogs need to be on a lead. Friendly warm welcome and good atmosphere.

Great little pub down the round from our campsite. Lovely food, lovely staff and not too expensive. Great to sit outside when the sun is shining.

Me and my partner had a ride weekend up to durdle door and stopped by smugglers inn pre booked and the place is fantastic the stuff friendly we Appsolultly loved the location the food and the ride on the custom cruiser I had the beer...

My partner and I stayed at the inn/pub in June 2023 for five nights which included breakfast. The pub is located in a pretty rural setting with a short walk down to the beach. On arrival, a member of staff was friendly and welcoming and...

Excellent pub Great food Good value for your money Wonderful setting Friendly and helpful staff We will always enjoy this place

Hard earned Money wasted on this establishment, 2 cod and chips 2 drinks £43 ,my partner went home with a sick stomach, we reckon old dirty oil everything was cooked in very dissatisfied for the money we paid, would've been better fed in a greasy...

Absolutely love this place and love coming here . We’ve been coming for a drink For a couple of years now however this was the first time we had eaten there . The food was poor . I had the fish and chips and it...

We had been to this pub a few times before while visiting the area but this was the first time of eating there. What a disappointment as the food was pricey but we expected a nice meal. Both our meals were like kids portions. The...

Very mixed reviews about this place. Good points:- - really nice location, they even got nice shady area outside however I feel there should of been more staff outside to clear tables as I only saw one member of staff clearing table and he even...

Definitely the place to visit if you’re in the area. Super friendly staff who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. We ate there 3 times and every meal was delicious!! The wine was a tad expensive but the atmosphere and service...

The pub is is a lovely setting overlooking the sea and is very picturesque . Outside space is spacious and pretty gardens . We ate inside and both chose lamb cutlets which were delicious . We aren’t big eaters but both found the portions on...

Visited this beautiful charming character thatched pub we have eaten here many times but found that a lot had changed since we had last visited, ordered fish & chips and burger & chips and noticed that the portion sizes were a lot smaller also the...

The staff were friendly and helpful - they have changed the ordering so you have to go to the bar to order which I understand many places now use this system- I have been several times before and never been disappointed with the food but...

My husband and I visited on Friday afternoon, weather was beautiful. Needed a few more umbrellas for a little more shade. We had lunch and drinksthe food was average. We had our two small dogs with us plenty of fresh water available for them. We...

We enjoyed dinner here last night and had a nice evening out, thats why we have rated it as average. Ovbiously a lovely location , however, there are a few areas for improvement. When we arrived just before 6pm it was quiet in the pub...

Beautiful location. Sadly a spoonful of beans, a small portion of hake and three pieces of courgette was not good value for a main meal over £20. We left after eating and filled up elsewhere.

After visiting for many years here, I was shocked that they no longer offer table service. After finding a staff member they gave me a menu with 30% of the menu missing, then got in queue with other customers to order at the bar. They...

Arrived via the coastal path from Ringstead Bay, great walk about 1 mile to pub. On arrival greeted by very friendly staff. There was a limited menu as no food delivery due to bank holiday Monday the day before, but still plenty to choose from....

Grate food friendly staff very welcoming brilliant location car parking not good early is better we arrived 5.15 pm just one space left .

Lovely old building but the food wasn’t great. The pub was busy and it showed in the quality and presentation of the food. We paid £28 for what should have been a sirloin steak but it was very thin and dry and had no flavour,...

We came here for lunch and was very impressed with the friendly helpful staff, our dog was also welcomed with a big smile! Great food and well priced. Would definitely recommend! Thank you Rafi!

Beautiful pub and stunning setting, but unfortunately the food was awful..we had fish and chips..fish was very oily and tasted old, we had a awful taste left that made us feel sick. We come from N.wales where the fish is caught local and is fresh..this...

Amazing location - sunset and fab beer. Tucked away just off the coastal walk ideal start point or drop in as you walk.

This is a beautiful 13th century pub, stunning inside and out. The service was excellent, my lamb with asparagus was delicious and the wicked sticky toffee pudding was to die for! My husband was well pleased with his coq au vin and our friends, who...

We had the most amazing meal here. The homemade pie was delicious. Great surroundings and attentive staff. Couldn’t fault this place. We all enjoyed our meals. Booked tomorrow for Sunday lunch.

Such a beautiful pub! Food is insane!! I was extremely fussy and the chef catered for my fussy requests! I’m so glad I found this place! Gorgeous pub inside and lovely friendly staff!! Beautiful outside area with a stunning stream running through! Will definitely return...

Brilliant location, super friendly staff, incredible food, such a lovely place!! Would recommend to anyone, thank you for such a wonderful experience Smugglers Inn!

Lovely place really gorgeous grounds in good weather would be lovely to sit outside. Decent menu, good sized kids portions which is a bonus with hungry boys. Kids burger was great, the steak and ale pie was delicious but would have preferred it with something...

Absolutely lovely lunch today, thank you. We asked that you give us a suitable table, for the specific needs of our child and you had remembered and it made the visit so much easier. Wonderful food. Charming service. Gorgeous setting. Chilled atmosphere. The fish was...

This is a lovely old pub, full of atmosphere. It was pretty busy on a Thursday lunchtime and we had a bit of a wait. My fish pie was excellent, very tasty and piping hot but my husband was disappointed with his fish and chips....

Really impressed with this pub, visited on a Saturday lunchtime in February and it was buzzing! Lovely decor and dog friendly. The staff were really friendly and the menu was fantastic. Including very good vegan options and a vegan cheesecake! Very happy!

Had a wonderful Valentine’s Day at the Smugglers inn . Wonderful happy and polite staff, Lovely well cooked food , Plenty of choice on menu, My partner is Vegan and was well catered for . Also lovely clean and spacious bedroom. All in all a...

Have visited the Smugglers for many years and it is the best its ever been. Staff lovely, room lovely, had dinner in the evening for four and we all enjoyed our supper. Breakfast in the morning was beautifully displayed. Only downside was the cooked breakfast....

We have visited this wonderful pub many times over the past 18 months with both family and friends. On every occasion we have found both the food and staff to be excellent. The friendliest pub we know! The quality of the staff throughout all these...

We have eaten here before & even stayed a few years ago. This was our 1st visit though post covid & good to see it’s as good as ever. After walking from Ringstead Bay we decided to pop in for a drink & quick snack....

Beautiful pub, very friendly and relaxed. Amazing Sunday Lunch Staff very polite, friendly and accommodating , but does get busy at the weekends - so recommend booking.

We have had the most amazing stay at this pub. ALL the Staff have been friendly and helpful. The food is fantastic and our room is super. The Smugglers is very dog friendly and there are two large fields at the back to walk dogs...

I can understand why this place is so busy even on a windy lunchtime in October. The location (on the Southwest Coastal Trail) is perfect for a refreshment stop. The garden area is huge and there’s heaps of room inside too. The staff were friendly...

My favourite pub in the UK. Great atmosphere!! Amazing food and a perfect location - 5 minute walk from our campsite. Can't wait to go back!!!!

Through a surprise birthday lunch for my wife and six friends, had a fantastic time due much to the wonderful waitress and of cause the excellent food and ambiance of the pub, her name has gone completely but I do remember she was from Portugal.

This a great pub with huge character and charm in an amazing location. The staff are very fast and friendly and the food is good, decent pub food. If you are in the area you should definitely give this place a visit. Be sure to...

We followed a sign from the main road and we were not disappointed. The place was packed but we found a table outside. Bar service for drinks was very friendly, quick and efficient. We ordered our food from the outside order point, again friendly, quick...

Came here last year for a coffee at Lunch time and was impressed by the setting so we booked an evening meal slot this year for 6.30pm. Arrived bang on time and as we walked down we could see people queuing outside, as we got...

All over the service was slow, only one waitress which I don’t believe is fair, the food was pretty tasteless and bland. The outdoor and indoor seating had charm, the staff were lovely even tho some other guests were acting vile towards them, the toilets...

So the food came pretty quickly...however the food was substandard. Hummus and flatbread came with an abundance of hummus but 3 tiny bits of flatbread. Fish and chips was ok...the fish was lovely but at a guess there were between 7 and 12 chips. The...

Had been for coffee at the beginning of the year and thought I would bring the family here for lunch. We didn't actually book a table but was offered inside or out and opted for inside as a bit overcast one new waitress seamed to...

My husband and I have just holidayed in Devon, we visited Weymouth on one of the hottest days of the early summer. Whilst in the area we visited the Smugglers Inn for a late lunch/early tea. The setting is fantastic down in a dip, you...

Was looking forward for a visit and it didn’t disappoint, service excellent very nice staff, lunch food was superb, the whitebait small and crispy and never repeated on you later like you usually get, maybe as these are smaller, cheese cobb lovely, it’s a well...

Visited back in April but I have only just created my Trip-advisor account and I had such a great time here that I thought it only right to leave a review. We came out for a meal for my sisters birthday and the staff were...

My partner said we needed go as he had been a few years ago and wanted to take me. What a place! friendly staff and, good food. We went on a Thursday for a drink and ended up staying and ordering the baked camembert which...

Sad to say that our experience was not as good as many of the previous reviews that swayed us to book a table . I was looking forward to having a nice Sunday roast, we arrived early for our table booking and had a drink...

Having walked along the coast from Lulworth Cove on a hot sunny day the Smugglers Inn was a great place to stop for lunch. We sat outside on one of the many outside tables and ordered a sandwich. The service was efficient and the sandwiches...