The Spotted Dog in Uttlesford

Great service with amazing food

I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a fantastic Sunday roast at The Spotted Dog in Great Dunmow. From the moment we arrived the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Despite the restaurant being extremely busy, the service was nothing short of excellent. Jon, the manager, was fantastic—his attention to detail and commitment to ensuring a great dining experience truly stood out. Our waiters, Joe and Gabe, were equally impressive.Their professionalism and efficiency made us feel valued and well taken care of. The meal was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked meats, flavorful gravy, and a good selection of fresh vegetables. The Spotted Dog exceeded my expectations,I highly recommend.

What a lovely pub. We came across The Spotted Dog by fluke. Hence we hadn't booked a table but we were made so welcome by both Taya (apologies if I have spelt your name incorrectly) and manager Jon. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch. The service was wonderful - thank you to both of you. We only wished we lived nearer to the pub. Sorry for smashing the glass.

Today we had an amazing Sunday roast here as a family. The service was excellent from the moment we walked in. The roast beef was beautiful, and my 3 year old ate all of her child’s portion too! I would also recommend the coconut sorbet… we cannot wait to return. Thanks guys x

Lovely place, cosy n warm atmosphere. Food excellent, service with a lovely smile. Would definitely recommend.

Very nice tranquil pub and restaurant. Great food and friendly service. Not the cheapest but you get a great menu and choice of good wines etc… highly recommended. Shout out to Jonathan who works there, very professional and attentive.

Enjoyed a well prepared and seasoned fish and chips.

We had my son-in-laws 40th birthday, meal here on Saturday night. There were 29 of us in the private room. Sean and the staff could not have done any better. He was absolutely brilliant. The food was superb. 29 empty plates proved that. Thank you for all your hard work. You made a perfect evening even better. 👍

What a little corner of heaven, its a beautiful place with delightful décor matched by the lovely friendly helpful staff and delicious food...I believe it was Richard who took care of us, what a star along with a young lady who was equally helpful. What a find...I wish I lived closer but I will definitely make an effort to return. Don't change anything.

This is a lovely pub with good food and service. The lunch menu however is limited and after a few visits you have pretty much gone through the menu. If they were to update it and add some other choices we may well make a return visit.

Excellent in every way! There were six grown-ups, a baby and a dog all having lunch on a sunny Sunday. The service was faultless. We were able to take drinks and order food in the garden, and were never hurried along. We took the food inside, and it was excellent, tasty meat, great roast potatoes and other veg, the cauliflower cheese was a delight. Looking forward to going back.

We had a really lovely meal with friends at The Spotted Dog on Thursday evening. The staff were very accommodating and welcoming, and the food was delicious. I would highly recommend the Spotted Dog.

Had a great lunch here. Whilst the menu is not huge, the food all four of us had was delicious. The service by the two young female staff was superb. Reasonable prices too for a ‘gastronomic style’ pub. Will definitely go back and try one of the steak nights . You need a car to get there but well worth the journey. Wholeheartedly recommend. More of a restaurant than bar area inside but plenty of tables outside where you do not need to eat.

Nice place only gripe menu a bit lacking but food we all had was nice

We visited for a family birthday and enjoyed some excellent food at the Pub We booked a table for lunch and had an excellent choice of meals on offer, from regular pub favorites through to other choices for kids and vegetarians alike. The staff were very accommodating for our needs and flexible with the menu to suit everyone's taste A nice comfortable restaurant with some good beers on draft to enjoy Great service and a reminder of how good a pub can be!

Just had the most amazing afternoon tea. Well presented, the sandwiches were very tasty and the cakes delicious. The staff was were very welcoming abd really looked after us.

I cannot fault service and the staff are so polite. I have just had the t bone steak and it’s the best I have ever had. I will be coming again Thankyou the staff at the spotted dog 😊😊

Fantastic restaurant, one of our favourites. We went on steak night and had the most amazing piece of steak I have ever tasted! The staff are all very helpful and friendly and even though this is a more 'upmarket' restaurant our three children were welcome and all found something they liked off the children's menu.

I really wanted to give this five stars across the board. The atmosphere was wonderful and the walk staff were excellent. The appetizers and dessert were delicious. Everything was plated absolutely beautifully. The main course that i has, however, was very disappointing. The chicken was cooked well, however the au jus tasted more like vinegar water and less like something that added to the flavor of the overall dish. A simple chicken gravy would have looked no where as upscale but would have been better. The potatoes were virtually flavorless and could have had at least some salt, and with the au jus addition, it was just not enjoyable. I would say it was just the one dish that was underwhelming, but most of my party felt the same about their own main courses, although we all agreed that everything else was wonderful. Could have been just an if night for the chef and I know the menu does change, so I would probably try again another time.

Fantastic grown up food. When we stay for 3 courses, we know its worth it. Dog friendly. Looking forward to returning as the menu choices look very inviting.

The lunch menu was so great I had a hard time choosing. I decided on the fish and chips and was not disappointed, it was excellent. Service was friendly and very professional. The decor and ambiance of this rural pub is just so lovely - I will definitely be returning!

2 couples arrived today for lunch at 1pm. Booked table-on 28march. No vegetarian main courses left so had to have 2 starters. If you know you have a large party booked for lunch (which happened on this day)surely you would ensure you had enough vegetarian mains available for other diners. Disappointing.

Very good food, although getting a bit expensive.

Had lovely meal here with the hubby. Both agreed was worth coming back. Good service and lovely vibes. See you again soon!

Went on a Thursday evening to meet up with friends. It was 'burger night' and at £22 for a burger and a drink it was incredible value and really tasty too. Loved it. We will return.

My best friend treated me to a wonderful lunch at the Spotted dog for my birthday. It was my first time of visiting and the experience from start to finish was wonderful. We did book in advance being on a Saturday and I’d say to do so as it was busy. We are a hearty 3 courses, with fresh bread, lovely fish and chips and a devilishly good chocolate pudding. Service was fab and we will definitely be returning!

Lovely welcome. Great food, spotlessly clean. Dog friendly.

We haven't eaten here for a few years and have to say that we were thrilled that the choice and standard of food were amazing. They offered a good selection of Gluten Free options.

An outstanding restaurant. The food quality and flavours were very good and presented marvellously. Lovely setting and the service was very good and friendly. Highly recommend this restaurant

What a delicious meal we had for Mother’s Day We had the lamb that was to die for and thanks to our waitress, Isabel who was so tentative and looked after us

We visited the spotted dog in March and it was great !! The food was lovely and service seamless ! But the best part of it all was John the waiter he was amazing and really attentive. Awesome work guys 👍🏻👍🏻

Sunday lunch for us at a 3pm booking. Super roast platter, with amazing well cooked veggies. good Argentina red at an affordable price. Staff very accommodating to my broken ankle. Checked out the general menu and impressed.Highly recommend and will return to this gastro pub.

Lovely pub, food was great and the staff friendly and helpful.

Tasty food, professional & friendly staff. Our first visit with friends & we will go back and would def recommend it,

This place is amazing ! Quite new to the area so I thought we would try this place . Excellent food and very warm,cosy atmosphere. Staff are so well mannered and try anything to make your experience a first class one . We tried the shared Sunday roast and it was so beautifully cooked . We just could not fault this lovely place and we shall definitely return .

Excellent Sunday roast .. no frozen food hastily re-heated or soggy veg. My sticky toffee pudding was a little solid for my taste with too much sauce but the creme brulee and pannacotta got top marks. A special mention of Carol who was so welcoming and attentive, a real asset.

Nice front of house welcome, nice looking pub inside which is also spacious. We went for a Sunday roast and the portion sizes are extremely small. £19.50 for the beef and you get two wafer thin small slices of beef. It would barely count as a starter. We left feeling hungry and went to find somewhere else to eat. It’s a shame because it could be much better if there was more focus on offering a better Sunday roast experience. It’s not a fine dining establishment which I feel it is trying to be.

I sat on a very uncomfortable chair, my experience would have been better if the chair I exchanged it for after people had left would have been better. Good food averaging at £20 for a main.

What a lovely find. Lovely staff and incredible food. Highly recommended

2 junge Brüder, die sich sehr viel Mühe geben. Schönes Ambiente und leckeres Essen.

What a great little find, great food great service.would highly recommend and we can't wait to try the Sunday roast!!

This is a wonderful pub for lunch or dinner. The menu is reassuringly limited indicating that it’s not all pre-prepped and in a freezer. Having discovered it just a short while ago we have been attending quite regularly for lunch and dinner. The food has always been of a really high quality and very reasonably priced. Service is great - as one would expect from an owner managed business. There is a focus on very friendly attendants who have been well trained on what they are serving. Long may it continue

Found this little gem whilst on a weekend away. What can I say it was completely awesome. The front of house who served us, Carol was a real gem. So so lovely and smiley. The atmosphere and decor were really great. The food was on another level, probably the best roast we have ever eaten. Followed by to die for bread and butter pudding. We live 3 hours away, but it would almost be worth the day trip just to visit this pub again. 5 star xx

Very nice food excellent fish and chips and really good service

Surprisingly delicious food for a pub :) We visited it on Sunday on our way back from motorbike tour, extremely busy but managed to get some Sunday roast and fish and chips. It’s plenty of outdoor space and good if u wanna take a break from city craziness and just have a good foodie.

Lovely pub, really good Sunday lunch and outstanding service. All the staff were so friendly and helpful and lovely with the kids giving them activity sheets & crayons on arrival. They were also incredibly accommodating as half of our party got delayed and arrived 45 minutes late but the staff were really understanding and nice about it despite having a fully booked service. Definitely recommended.

Loved my fish balls starter, however the risotto was too much and rather heavy. Lovely girl serving and the atmosphere really good

Was nice food. Wouldn't rush back for the ambience even though there were a few tables in there wasn't much of an atmosphere.

Very friendly welcome. Dining ambience is very relaxing with great quality seasonal food. We will definitely revisit..

Just brilliant food, lovely atmosphere, and fantastic service! Highly recommend

Visited for a birthday lunch with four other people. We were seated right next to the kitchen door, which, after 5-minutes we realised wouldn't be a great spot, as the music from the chefs drowned out the gentle ambience that was playing throughout the floor. We asked if we could be seated elsewhere, to which the staff member who helped seat us agreed would be best to do so. We instead were seated in a smaller room, which was dog friendly (and we were warned of this prior to being sat here) and very pleasant. The food was delicious and dessert was fantastic. The visit was excellent and I would definitely suggest dining here for a lunch or dinner, either with a doggo or without.

We had a 2 course lunch time meal. Because of our diet requirements, the staff were very kind and helpful. Everything about the experience was excellent.

Had the Sunday lunch sharing platter. Lovely food, good staff and well worth the visit.

Best roast Beef I have ever tasted.

Beautiful country pub with superb chef! We followed the amazing Molly from her last job as she provided the very best in service & and we were not disappointed. Molly has such a way with people and is the main reason we now go to The Spotted Dog, however she is now complimented by an amazing chef and team which gives a wonderful experience. Food, service and atmosphere is the very best …

It was amazing and the steak is better then any steak I have ever had, the service was amazing and everyone was really friendly plus the atmosphere was really cool, big wooden support beams over a fireplace with just stunning decoration, I recommend this restaurant more than any other I have ever been to!

This was a little stop off at a country pub for a drink on a Sunday. Smiling staff.Lovely environment. Will deffo stop there again and sample the food.

Stopped here on a bike ride for a couple of drinks and a bowl of chips, and sat out in the sun on the patio. When we came to leave we had a flat tire, and needed a taxi to get back to our car. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and went above and beyond to call taxi companies for us and store our bikes out of sight until we could come back to get them. Would happily get stranded here again. The chips were very nice too.

Lovely place for a Sunday roast - had the chicken roast today, was beautifully presented and just the right amount. Had gingerbread sponge for dessert which I would say was more of a sticky toffee pudding in flavour but also delicious. Sat in the lounge area as this part was dog friendly, also finished off outside as it was a sunny day - nice sun trap on the patio out the front but also has a garden area fenced for children.

Gr8 place..good delicious 😋..staff friendly & attentive..dogs welcome too

had a couple of pints and some starters...... Everything was exemplary x

We come here now and again when we visit relatives in the area, always excellent in every way. Would thoroughly recommend.

We have just come back from an amazing lunch ( Friday 24 Feb ). Excellent service and delicious food and wine. We cannot wait to return! Highly recommend!

Molly and her team were wonderful. It was like being welcomed home and lots of fuss and cuddles with our dog. The food and service were first class. Will definitely be going back. Can't recommend them enough.

Good food and varied menu. Good service and friendly staff. Bit overpriced for country restaurant. More of a treat meal.

Tasty food Polite service Lovely venue Waiting for dogs to be allowed in. The staff said that they were waiting for carpet to be removed but I don't think that necessary

What a gem of a place! Food was beautifully presented and delicious. Fabulous service and lovely atmosphere. Can't wait to go back soon x

Excellent service very friendly staff. We would highly recommend it.

Missed the warm welcome of days gone by, uncooperative regarding seating

Went with Friends on Friday evening, enjoyed so much we went back for a family Sunday lunch. Service was really good and the food was even better. Also serves a good selection of wines, ale’s, lager and cider

Came here with my boyfriend for Sunday lunch, food was lovely and very friendly staff!

The first time my family and I have visited The Spotted Dog and what a great choice of venue we made. Great food with just the right sized portions, spotlessly clean premises and great but unobtrusive staff. Will certainly go again

My first time at The Spotted Dog but, on this experience, it won't be the last. Great food, good atmosphere, spotlessly clean, helpful but unobtrusive staff. Thoroughly recommended

This was our first time, and it will be our last time. The starter came out cold and we had to wait for the cutlery for at least 5 minutes after the food arrived. We both had the Fish and Chips for the main and it came out like it had been run underneath a tap of oil all soggy it was disgusting, and the 3 children’s meals were tasteless my 4-year-old said it was horrible and wouldn’t eat it. So, we had to drive home and cook them a pizza it was shameful especially as they charge top prices. The overall service was awful, the girl who worked there forgot our order of drinks and i had to ask for them twice, I wouldn't mind but the place wasn't even that busy. The whole experience was very disappointing which is a shame as it could be a nice little gem of a place. Wouldn’t go back.

The Spotted Dog was exceptional today! We were greeted and seated quickly and drinks offered and delivered in next to no time. Menus on hand and orders taken without delay. Main portions were hot and generous, variety was good, intolerances taken into account. Puddings looked good as I only wanted a coffee after the roast beef main. Staff were smart, attentive and unbeatable that there were only 3 behind in the kitchen making in all happen. Every one in our party was well pleased we’d made the effort to go somewhere just that little bit different and yes I’d say better.

Been here twice recently. Food absolutely flawless, service excellent. Environment very nice. What else do you need? Phenominal

Another excellent meal here last night, every course was a delight…even the bread!! Perfect service, quick, friendly yet informal and not overpriced which is a lovely change from most places you eat at, at this standard.

What a find!! Drove past here last week by accident and thought I absolutely must try it. So today I thought I’d bring out very own spotty dog and my parents. The food did not disappoint and the service was absolutely exceptional. The portion sizes were big and the quality of meats on offer was so tender that it literally melted in your mouth. The sharing roast was excellent and my parents also really enjoyed it. Even Charlie dog enjoyed his bit of beef! Lovely unspoilt location on a quiet road surrounded by farmers fields and public footpaths. Lovely little patio / suntrap, extra enclosed garden and beautiful decorated inside. Dogs seem welcome outside also. Please visit these little secret independent and show them some love they deserve. You will not be disappointed. 10/10….bravo

Absolutely lovely food very helpful and polite staff. We turn up in jeans and T-shirts as we had been out for a ride on a motorcycle and no-one batted an eye if fact the waiter showed interest in the bike 😁 which always helps . We will definitely go back .

Superb - the food was absolutely incredible. Nice vibes and good service. A flawless meal

Went to the spotted dog today for a Sunday lunch with a dear friend .looks nice from the outside but as soon as you walk inside you are greeted by a warm friendly face asking how they can help .it was clean welcoming and staff extremely helpful. Now the wine list was good but the food extraordinarily the roast beef was so good I consumed the lot before taking a photo. Oops but i did take a pic of the vanilla cheesecake superb .well done spotted dog we will be back

Top-notch food with friendly service. Really glad we stopped for dinner. The menu is quite extensive but everything we had was cooked beautifully and presented so nicely. Make sure you leave room for dessert - there are some very imaginative choices on offer. The crème brulé was wonderful, the iced gingerbread parfait was exquisite. Not cheap but definitely worth it.

Excellent food and service. Particularly impressive given that the chef was apparently working single-handed the day we visited after a colleague had called in sick.

£2.40 for half a pint of coke or a pint is absolutely disgusting g

Due to the passing of a favourite Aunt, Pamela Fotheringham of High Easter, and having been told that she met with friends at the Spotted Dog, we felt it would be appropriate to have her wake there. We visited on a Monday morning (normally closed) and by chance met the Manager Neil Doyle who was so kind and helpful at a tender time for us. He put together such a fantastic array of buffet food that everyone commented how good it was. Our grateful thanks to him his staff and the revamped bistro pub for all they did. I cannot recommend this hostelry high enough. Thank you Neil!

Our first visit and will return. A lovely pub restaurant with pleasant indoor and outdoor seating. A warm welcome with attentive service. We all thoroughly enjoyed our food along with some lovely wine.

A really lovely relaxed afternoon lunch with great company, delicious food, excellent wine and friendly staff. Thank you. We will definitely be back!

Unbelievable food (the cheesecake is unreal) and lovely service, will be returning soon for sure!

Lovely meal. Great service BUT we had a disabled lady with us who could not use the toilet. It needed a grab rail in there opposite the door to hold on to. Came out again!

Awful communication. Had booked a table weeks in advance, due to bad weather had to move it inside. Was told different things by 3 different staff members only to be told the day before they couldn’t fit us inside. Very disappointing customer service.

We had a wonderful meal, the new owners have kept up the standards of the previous owners. Will be coming back soon .

Absolutely beautiful food here, and fab service. Nice chilled atmosphere and will definitely be coming back until we try all the courses. Risotto ace.

This lovely establishment is not one to miss out on! The Spotted Dog has recently reopened, having the chance to meet the new owner Neil whilst we was dining was a great experience to speak to him and hear his visions with where to take this quirky country pub. The interior is decorated spot on to fit the style and feel, making it warm and inviting. The ambience was met with music suitably tailored to the guests. Me and my partner called last minute hoping for a Sunday roast and were pleasantly surprised when they was more than happy to accommodate us in the kitchen, even though they'd just shut the kitchen - great touch! (Thank you again!). Choosing the sharing platter Sunday roast for 2 which came with all the meats and trimmings was a great option for us - which we thoroughly enjoyed! We don't see this option at many pubs! The food was delicious and we couldn't fault our meal or the service we received. This was our first visit and as a local spot to us we will certainly be back in the future 😊☺️

Excellent food, nice spot for lunch

Teething problems in the kitchen apparently. Long long wait for main course, cancelled desserts (how long does it take to serve ice cream?) disappointing

A really good lunch BUT total disaster. It was the last meal as they are retiring today! Best wishes to you both

Excellent quality food & service

Had a lovely meal here whilst staying in dunmow. Really tasty pork. The red pepper and tomato soup was delicious. Good service .

Great food and service, only recommendation would be to play some music to create atmosphere.

Brilliant food & sparkling service.