The Stapleton Arms in North Dorset

Friendly welcome and simply amazing food!

Staff amazing and beautiful in nature. Food was delicious and plentiful range of local ciders blow my mind ..literally

First time at this pub, and it was superb. Great quiet village location. The drink selection was great, and seriously, the food was some of the best I've ever had! Will definitely be back

I had the pleasure of staying in Buckhorn Weston this week and got to visit The Stapleton Arms. Lovely pub which ticks all my boxes - lovely sunny garden, very good food, good selection of beer and cider, scampi fries and really friendly staff. A real find.

A great pub serving good local food, with good friendly staff and reasonably priced meals.

Had my sisters wedding here on friday just want to say how amazing the food was ..

Exactly what you need in a pub.

We are blessed to live in the same village as this wonderful pub. We often stop in for a drink after a dog walk or to meet friends for lunch or supper. Food is always fantastic, I recently had the sea bass which was superb but today we shared a 'Billy' pizza for lunch which was delicious. Fantastic staff, especially the two young girls who served us today, and a wonderful atmosphere to boot... Definitely worth a visit, but probably best to book first as it does get busy...

If you are a carnivorous kinda person then you will be just fine eating here , sadly us veggies aren't so lucky 😔,visited for Sunday lunch with a large group everyone else ordered the meat options I ordered what was described on the menu as butternut squash sweet potato patty with Ragu all the roast trimmings and vegetarian gravy WELL my disappointment on being presented the food was evident,the so called butternut squash and sweet potato patty was in fact a cheap veggie burger you can buy from any freezer cabinet the ones with corn and carrots,I should know I've eaten plenty of them 🙈but that's not what I was paying for ,and the Ragu was in fact slightly burnt roast onion and peppers again not what was advertised and don't get me started on the so called veg gravy ,it was like green salt water ,I get enough salt water on my wild water swims ,not really palatable on a Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes ect ,I just think they miss an opportunity here as they do serve good food so why not extend that to veggie/vegan options with a little more imagination,a mushroom wellington for instance or cauliflower steak ,to mention a couple and look at a recipe for a really good veg gravy,Jst caramelized onions mushrooms,veg stock and a little cornflour and seasoning is a simple option much more appropriate to a veggie Sunday lunch ,I left absolutely gutted and starving as my meal was inedible,though the coconut panacotta was yummy and filled a little hole and others seemed happy ,just maybe the chef needs to up his veg game Also the manager was a tad defensive when I stressed my point ,maybe just take on board what your paying customers are saying ,I was polite and explained my views and felt a tad let down by the attitude of well we have vegetarian options and people like them ,if a seasoned veggie is giving an honest polite opinion just take it on board there are a couple more reviews on here stating same about veg options and many will have same opinion but not write a review,so listen to your customers;) ....on a plus great log fire and a cute country pub

Large group of girls enjoyed Sunday Lunch. Food was lovely although the vegetarian option wasn't great. Deserts were really good.

Sadly too filled with tables for diners, and not enough space for drinkers any longer. Shame, as the character of the pub has suffered as a result

Not just Irish eyes were smiling at the Stapleton Arms on Sunday which was St Patricks Day. In fact, smiles all around accompanied the lovey food and perfect Guinness that Jo and Phil were serving. Our Sunday lunch was superb and the old pub heaving with families and friends enjoying the hospitality that this old Inn is famous for. A hidden gem in the South Somerset countryside and well worth a visit.

Great food and friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

Very enjoyable. Excellent food at a decent price, lovely environment, friendly staff. OK with dogs, good beers from clean taps. A lovely country pub. So glad it's back.

Went in on Christmas day.. Great place, great atmosphere too....

I live near this pub. It is currently closed and speculation as to its future is rife , I feel very sorry for the young couple who were running it and wish them well for the future . I believe they had their hands full with a new baby and allowed the day to day running to be done for the most part by low grade staff. During 2019 I went in here on four occasions which went as follows . April; evening meal for four; pleasant but dreadfully incompetent young waitress . senior(?) barman totally disinterested almost disdainful spent entire evening with elbows on counter chatting to a couple of mates . Late April weekday lunch , not quite as bad but service still sloppy . May . Sunday lunch We sat outside and were attended to by a young man called Danny . He was absolutely excellent and would be a great asset to any pub or hotel . Weekday evening June. called in for a pint at quarter to ten , probably a dozen customers still there . Girl of about twenty behind the bar said I was lucky to get served , another two minutes and she was going to turn the pumps off and start cleaning them . Although she didn't actually say it , I was really expecting her to say something along the lines of "Now don't you dare come in here making a nuisance of yourself like this ever again!" So fair enough I haven't

Pub closed, management vanished!. Beer at £5 a pint, ridiculous food prices no heating on, very few customers, no menu and sour management - doubt if it will re-open in the near future

Wonderful food (fish and chip is a favourite), friendly staff and a good selection of beers, ciders, wines and spits. Traditional homely decor with an open fire

Everyone deserves a second chance, so I went back despite a lukewarm experience last time. A mistake. I went to the bar with £10, which wasn't enough to pay for the 2 pints I ordered. The atmosphere was frosty and we just didn't feel very welcome. I looked at the most recent review and this prompted me to look on social media. I was shocked to see the contempt the landlady has for the local villagers, publically insulting them. I've been visiting this pub for over 20 years but sadly I won't be back until this landlady goes.

Very disappointed to see our local pub actively supporting fox hunting and hosting the local hunt meet, which resulted in hounds running rampant about the village scaring our pets and nearly causing an accident as they bolt across the road. The food here has always been overpriced and pretentious, with an air of snobbery from those who frequent, but we always supported the pub previously due to looking out for the local guy (despite various changes of management over the years.) Each change in management brings more gimmicks and tacky (yet still overpriced) themed evenings, yet never actually gives us what we need. The village needs a pub with good drinks and pub grub, not overpriced gasto nonsense. And as for their current management supporting an illegal countryside bloodsport, don't dare comment your opinion on such or else you might be blocked from their social media! Such a democratic society we live in - one might think they had something to hide!

This is a lovely, warm and friendly country pub - cosy atmosphere and great food. I spent my Friday night sat by the open fire, enjoying the live band with a glass of wine. I'll be back soon!

Lots going on so decided to eat out rather that cook at home. Booked a table in the resteraunt as the bar tables were all takenHad the burger with triple cooked chips which was excellent. Service was good.We had been told that there was no decaff coffee but this was found later in the evening and we were served one for free. How's that for customer service.Would definitely recommend the Stapleton arms for eating out.

I have always loved this pub, with beautiful Georgian features, friendly atmosphere and excellent food, wine & beer.I took my (elderly) mother for lunch today and cannot thank Dan (and his chefs) for such a warm welcome, outstanding food and lovely wine. We will be returning soon, not least for a really good Sunday roast lunch.

There are some places you've been to in the past which were good, but times change. In the case of the Stapleton Arms change has been for the better. This is a pub restaurant with a menu thats aspirations are realistic and that delivers on quality and value.Mussels are not the easiest thing to cook and when a chef goes off piste to prepare moule mariner, it's a risk. Whoever cooked my dish was gifted, to the extent that they challenged the purveyors in Brugges who are the consummate professionals.Lamb rump was the choice for my partner who devoured it in silence... just as inspector Montalbano says food should be eaten. My rib-eye was exactly right, cooked as requested with a salad that was fresh, and I emphasise fresh, because too many chefs forget that they are judged on the simple things.A cheese board comprised of simple local cheeses completed the evening and honestly, one between three was fine.Those that know where the Stapleton Arms is will know that unless you live in the village, a taxi is required. When ours unfortunately was involved in an accident en-route to pick us up (driver safe but vehicle unserviceable) the day (or evening) was saved by the owner who valiantly stepped in to drive us home, thank you.Wine choice was a Marlborough sauvignon blanc with enough fruit but not too much to overpower the squid and mussel starters. A good Cote du Rhone worked well with the rib eye and lamb and at £20 was a bargain.Verdict? Good value with a great atmosphere.

Wow! This place continues to be the friendliest ever pub. Fabulous staff who really go overboard to make you feel welcome. The food is scrumptious, and comes with a creative touch to its presentation.

Now coming to the end of a week's stay locally and although the pub food was OK the 2 times that we ate in the evenings, mainly because it is walking distance from our accommodation, the choice is limited with few options should you want to dine there more often.

Easter Sunday my family went to the Stapleton for a roast lunch and I am afraid we were not impressed by the meal or the service. The roast dinners were served by a very abrupt and rather unwelcoming waitress. The food was served with dark brown meaty gravy on and as two of our party were vegetarians, my daughter queried the gravy as being vege? The waitress told us it was indeed vegetarian gravy but I beg to differ. why was everybody else in our party who were not vegetarians given exactly the same dark brown meaty gravy too? We were given one bowl of green veg which was not enough and we had to ask for more. The roast potatoes were deep fried and not cooked with the meat so were not that tasty. We had one bowl of very mushy cauliflower . This veg was between 7 of us. We had to ask for condiments and extra gravy. It was never offered we had to keep asking for these things. The extra gravy was supposed to be one small jug of vegetarian and one ordinary. The two jugs contained exactly the same again, dark brown meaty gravy. We asked the waitress again which was vege and she said they both were? After eating the meal we were told the Easter egg hunt was finished and as we had 4 littleuns with us I had brought with me 4 plastic eggs with big eggs in so we hid them for the kids. My daughter then suggested about filling the plastic eggs up again with some smaller ones that were in a basket on the bar inside. I went in with my little grandson and his little cousin Poly and we stood by the bar and asked nicely if we could have a few to pop in the plastic eggs to do a wee hunt for the kids again. The waitress who we believe now is the landlady completely ignored me, Pollys mother who was stood behind me could not believe her rude attitude. I do believe the pub does not encourage children to go there by the landlady’s attitude to them. I am sorry we will not be booking to go there again. At the price we paid for our meal , which was high end I would say not good value in food or in customer service.

Visited for mother’s day treat, literally the best roast ever! Lovely, customer focused staff and such a nice relaxed atmosphere. The kids menu was great too. Knocks spots off of other eateries for miles around. Definitely be back again soon.

Visited for a first time with family and friends. The menu was simple and uncluttered and the choices we made from the duck, moules and fish option were all cooked and served to perfection. Finished off with a cheeseboard and a recommended sweet ended a great evening.

This is a pretty pub in a lovely village, but is sadly not what it was. There is little atmosphere, the service is somewhat surly and the drinks are expensive. It seems most of the locals have stopped visiting - it is always quiet. Time for a change of landlord to breathe some life back in?

Unfortunately, I think they’re at a wall. This place used to have a lot of potential but not everything is very same same!

Great service. Amazing food. Friendly atmosphere . Will be definitely back again with friends. Thank you guys!!!

14 of us popped in on the off chance,the menu was extensive the pub has a great traditional modern twist decor.the food was excellent as was the service.nothing was too much trouble.

We have been adopted by Montgomery, The pub cat. It is a lovely pub to visit, amazing food, great service, a good selection of gins and other spirits. On most Sunday nights you will find us drinking here.Good vibes.

A jolly nice watering hole in the depths of the county that makes any journey worth while. Very friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere are aided and abetted by a superb menu and a fine selection of ales or wine. Well worth a visit.

We were visiting friends and they had pre booked The Stapleton Arms on previous good experiences, However, sadly, this time the experience wasn't so great.

I love the Stapleton Arms, I have been a number of times because of the amazing food and friendly staff, however, at the weekend I was extremely upset and appalled by one of the waitresses. I have seen this particular waitress in there a lot but have luckily always been helped by other staff in there.

This was a family dinner to celebrate a birthday. I had fish and chips which were the best ever with fantastic triple cooked chips, My grandson had a burger the size of the Eiffel Tower! Lovely spacious bar area and helpful and cheerful service.

We booked very last minute and to be fair it was last on our list of places to visit for a Sunday Roast, but what a surprise! All of our roasts were plentiful, the veg was perfectly cooked, still with a slight crunch, the gravy had so much flavour and you could tell the meat wasn't cooked a day or two before. Desserts were also very tasty and felt very content after our meal. We will be going back.

Was a little apprehensive. Last time we ate here was pretty average. Had Mac and cheese, game burger, deluxe burger, chicken ham and mushroom pie and child's chicken goujons. Every meal was 5 out of 5. Triple cooked chips are to die for. Thanks team for an excellent evening. Have paid £13 for a burger before in other pubs. £14 may seem a bit steep but the quality of the meal was worth every penny.

Lovely village pub and a fantastic place to stay. Great craft beers and ciders and a fantastic mix of delicious foods. I did come here expecting a big Caribbean influence due to one of the earlier reviews but alas there was no dreadlocks in sight nor was there one meal on their superb menu that gave that impression. Highly recommend this place and I will definitely be comping back..

This is a lovely country pub which we have visited in the past and this time found it under new management.

Love this place for a roast but seriously the flies were so bad I couldn’t finish my meal! Problems with a country pub I suppose ‍♀️ However the reason for my review was that after ordering my little glass of red, the barmaid sneakily refilled the bottle half way from a pump under the counter! If your going to use a pump that’s fine, just be transparent please.

En route to holiday in Dorset, found the Stapleton Arms, looked good, nice location - so stopped for lunch. Very friendly warm welcome, ordered drinks and sat outside in the sunshine. Ordered small lunch - Steak Ciabata and the Risotto. Both excellent and good value. Having read the negative reviews, I totally disagree. Good food, good value and friendly service.

Visited this one earlier this year but forgot to write a review as we were looking for venues for a function. We had a great meal and the staff where helpful. We’d return may be soon.

Mid week lunchtime visit having never visited before. Called in for lunch as passing the door. Welcomed by a younger chap, drinks served, the pub wasn't busy but he made a point of telling us he was busy. The real ale was not cellar temperature so maybe it was the first pint pulled, but was crystal clear and would have been delicious at a few degrees cooler.

Maybe it was a bad day, maybe the chef was off sick...

I stop in different hotels 4 days a week every week and this is one of the best I've been in. Also I spent a lot of time in the USA last year and ate some amazing burgers. How ever the gourmet burgers here are THE BEST. So much so I had to compliment the chef personally. Awesome clean rooms as well. Keep up the good work.

Called in here as it is local to where my daughter has started work. We didn’t have a reservation and the place was busy which is always encouraging just after Christmas. The bar areas were all occupied so we went into their dining room which was warm and inviting. The food here is definitely high quality whilst still being reasonably priced. We were served quickly and went away satisfied. I can recommend this place and will be returning i can assure you. Having subsequently read some rather harsh reviews I can honestly say that they must have been either very unlucky or less than honest with the review! This is a really fab place and one that we will return to again.

Unfortunately I have to bring myself to write a review on Tripadvisor because our experience of this pub was remarkably appalling. We arrived and were greeted with a very rude reception. The owner turned round to us and said "What do you want"!. We were all astounded to hear this. We were their to dine and instead we got seated in the bar area and not the restaurant. The table was very uneven, eating was virtually impossible. The waitress was miserable and did not crack a smile once. We had dirty knife and forks that were wrapped in a wet napkin thrown on our table. We booked our Christmas meal from the Christmas menu in October, the member of staff that booked our table at that time did not mention to me anything about having to pre order our food 5 days prior to our scheduled meal. So when the whole family turned up, expecting a three course Christmas meal we we were told that the food had to be booked 5 days before. We were the only table booked and eating throughout the whole evening. The owner threw regular pub grub menus on our table. The food was below average. The chips tasted like they were fried at least 4 times, literally full and dripping in grease. The duck was not succulent, it was over cooked and dry. We love dogs but when you are trying to have a family meal and talk the last thing we want to hear is a group of dogs barking at each other. If we were seated in the restaurant then we would not have heard the dogs as much. This noise consistently made the babies in the group cry. The staff and owner were not interested in making sure our experience was 'good' (at the very least). The ambiance was awful. This appalling establishment is very over priced and a disappointment. We felt like The Stapleton Arms had stolen from us. They ruined our family Christmas meal.

Stopped of at the Stapleton arms when on business in the area.What a great little place,the staff and landlord are very friendly and can’t do enough for you.The rooms are very nice and cosy and the food is absolutely top notch,I can well recommend the prawn linguine and the rib eye.Again I can’t fault the food it’s that good.This place is well worth a visit and I enjoyed it so much I’m staying next week and it’s now my favourite place in the area after staying at probably every hotel in the area,a little gem :-)

The Stapleton Arms could teach the big hotel chains a thing or two.

Monday lunchtime and it was very quiet

Had a fantastic meal best pork loin I’ve ever had, clearly a popular place to eat, lovely friendly comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, we will definitely eat here again very soon Tina & Colin

Wanted to my kids for a late sunday lunch and was delighted to see the Stapleton does food all day on a sunday (a far too rare event these days). Called to book a table and had a friendly and helpful staff member take my details and make the reservation.

Positives: Food was very good, especially my wife's Cod Loin, which was fantastic. Negatives: A large glass of house white and a pint: £14.10! That takes the edge off the enjoyment, apart from the occasionally patchy service and noise (even in the restaurant) which others...

Ambience: awful. Incredibly loud made worse by large loud family with screechy children. Service: poor. Staff were pleasant but kept mentioning solutions without providing them. Service was slow. Had to ask for main, when it arrived instantly - had obviously just been sitting waiting. Kept offering ketchup when inappropriate to food and more drinks when we had half a bottle of wine.Wine: poor to averageFood: poor to average. Terrine was salty, with burnt figs, just turned over to hide charring. Duck was overcooked and chewy. Broccoli was rock hard...Dessert: No idea, we left earlyPrice: high. Very high consideringOverall experience: dreadful, one of the worst ever. Ruined a birthday treat.

We haven't been to the Stapleton for a while and sadly won't be returning for a while either. The staff were certainly very friendly but we ordered fish pie, salty, whitebait and French fries, very salty and Caesar salad, chicken was very salty. Such a shame. The puds were lovely. We did tell the waiter when asked if the food was ok and they were very apologetic and said we weren't the only ones to complain about the food being too salty. It wasn't a cheap meal and very disappointing as it was a lovely evening apart from the food.

Really like this place. Generally relaxed atmosphere. They are evidently punting at the slightly higher end of the market, but they deliver. Went in for lunch and I had pork, whilst son had a very nice burger (inevitably). Both excellent. Very nice beer as well.

We had a very pleasant one night stay. Accommodation very comfortable, staff helpful and friendly, delicious food and beautiful old pub. Perfect!

I read recent TripAdvisor reviews before coming, and they nearly put me off! The manager was unwelcoming and took my debit card before allowing me to order food and sit outside. The menu mostly offers hot meat-based dishes, a couple of burgers (meat and veggie) and a salad, so perhaps not ideal for a hot summer evening! BUT My Caesar salad (although slow to arrive) was excellent... warm chicken, little gem lettuce, Parmesan, etc, all delicious. My mate's burger was really good, and the chips stayed crisp to the last one. We sat outside in the evening sun and had a surprisingly enjoyable meal. The pub itself does not feel very friendly or welcoming, the staff were slightly offhand and disinterested (I wasn't asked whether we had enjoyed our meal and I was invited to help myself to my debit card from a pint jar full of other people's cards!) but the food was good. £30 for 2 soft drinks, one burger and one salad. Is that expensive for pub food or is The Stapleton Arms trying to be a restaurant?

Used to be a traditional village pub serving traditional food at reasonable prices. Now changed into something else completely out of character of the location.

We have been here twice since new management. First time food was sent back by a neighbouring table. This time my own Crispy duck was so overcooked it was unpleasant and sat on a bed of manky lettuce. The manager was almost aggressive when I asked if i could order something else instead. i opted for soup which came with far from fresh white bread and the soup itself was unusually salty. I couldn't eat it but didn't send it back as I wanted avoid another unpleasant confrontation with the manager. He charged us for both uneaten dishes. We certainly won't be going back there while its under his management.

Went to the Stapleton arms with our son, his wife, our 5 month old granddaughter and a dog. We were all welcome!The bar where we ate was so comfortable - tables if you wanted, sofas if you wanted it more relaxed. Atmosphere was traditional.Food and drink excellent - good ales on tap and very well kept. Food was outstanding - well prepared and presented. Don't think we left anything other than a few peas from a very generous portion. We had a shared baked Camembert followed by fish pie, ribs, moules mariniere and half a lobster! All were delicious.Service extremely good and very friendly.

We hadn't been to the Stapleton Arms since the change of ownership but we were very disappointed by not only the lack of choice and variety on the menu but also the standard of food. The chicken wings were slightly underdone and bland, the salad lacked inspiration and the service was quite slow. I would also question the quality of the wine list. Finally, It was unprofessional for the manger to rebuke one of his staff in front of me for what appeared to be an extremely trivial matter, if I were her I would leave! We will not be going back to eat.

We've now eaten 3 times since the new management took over recently and I felt compelled to write a review to let people know what super meals my friends and family now enjoy at this delightful village pub. The service is just the right amount of knowledgeable information, checking all ok and leaving us to enjoy our own company. The menus are varied and interesting. The drinks selection is excellent. On every occasion the food arrived in good time and the portions were generous and very well presented - my guests were genuinely wow'd by the look of the dishes as they arrived and the nom nom noises confirmed they tasted as good as they looked. Personally I can definitely recommend the blade of beef, caesar salad and home-made burgers and I look forward to sampling the others too.Well done Stapleton Arms!

Relaxed and comfortable with friendly staff. The menu was imaginative. The food was tasty & nicely presented.

We stayed last weekend and couldn't believe our luck, a lovely room with a huge bathroom and luxurious roll top bath. Room was well decorated and the bed extra comfy, we were really worried about the noise from the pub....but not a thing.Fresh milk rather than those little fake milk things was a nice touch.Meal on the evening was lovely, burger was lush and obviously good quality, wife had pork belly and loved it, breakfast was exceptional the next day, obviously very good quality ingredients. Wife was in love with her boiled egg and toast soldiers.Warm welcoming staff, who will do anything to help, we would definitely stay again. We stayed in a local spa hotel the nite before which was nowhere near the standards they have at the stapleton arms. Keep up the good work....see you soon!

I've been coming here on and off for over 10 years. I understand there's new management and the pub is now lacking something. It's now just a pub and on a Saturday afternoon, 2 of the 3 pumped ales were off. Worse though was the state of the beer garden. At least 8 piles of dog mess left by selfish dog owners. The new management should be enforcing and tidying this up. Not in a rush to go back to be honest.

Hadn't been for a while as good had been a bit hit and miss, with quite a lot of miss. Under new ownership and an excellent Sunday lunch, no wonder it was packed, not a spare table but they still squeezed us in on the sofas by the fire. Super friendly, excellent service and we will be back as regulars

We had a meal here on a Saturday night and chose to eat in the bar rather than the dining room as they had some live music. Always a pleasant atmosphere, attentive staff, good wine and beer, good surroundings, what's not to like. Menu always good and varied and something for everyone.We started with bread, olives and nuts followed by a beef dish and a burger and then excellent puddings. All hot and well cooked and presented.

The Stapleton Arms has been our local for 6 years now. We have celebrated many occasions here including our wedding. After discovering there was to be a change of ownership we were looking forward to positive changes and getting to know the new owners. After several visits and food we now feel that the spirit of the pub has gone.The first time we visited was after work for a drink (this is something done regularly, especially in the summer months). The bar was empty except for a couple of gents at the end of the bar where we had walked in. We were served our drinks but there was no where to sit as all the tables in the bar were reserved. Whilst at the bar one of the gents at the bar was belittling one of the members of staff and I felt extremely awkward. Some other people arrived and they were welcomed by the gent at the bar so I assume that he was the new owner. We left shortly after as no where to sit.The second time we visited it was for drinks again but later in the evening. Again, no one welcomed us even though the bar was empty. There was a few people eating but no atmosphere and felt the staff were not relaxed and on edge. The last time we visited was on Saturday to take my father for a meal with the rest of our family. There were two staff behind the bar, the younger was really lovely and sweet and the other seemed to not have a clue what she was doing.There is no kids menu so we were given an idea of what 'they might' have. The menu has reduced and there is no lunchtime options apart from 3 basics on the special board. It was actually very hard to choose what to eat. We ordered two burgers from the menu and a ploughman's sandwich with chips plus two kids meals. When we ordered we said that we struggled to order and the old menu worked. The older bar lady snapped 'well we have taken it over now' and turned her back to key in the order on the till. I was in the pub trade for 15 years and am a personal licence holder. I was trying to offer constructive advice not criticism.The meals arrived although rather slow. The burgers were ok although extremely greasy. The fat literally dripped from them. Brioche was burnt and the bacon so hard it couldn't be eaten. Some of the triple cooked chips were hard in the middle and rather limp. However, the ultimate shock was the ploughman's sandwich. This consisted of standard white bread with a bit of cheese and pickle. Cut in two and placed on top of each other. The small basket of chips filled the other half of the plate. There was no garnish or anything else that would constitute a 'ploughman's'. At the cost of almost £10 you would not expect this. It was simply awful!On a positive new pumps have been installed and they do look very nice. However, it seems that instead of the seasonal 'cocktails' offered, there is now lots of gin on offer. I am not sure how well this will do. The majority of the locals have always struck me as beer or cider drinkers.It appears that all of the old staff are no longer employed. Something I am sure will affect trade as the old staff made the pub what it was. I am not sure if any were locals but if they were I would expect this would cause hostility within the village and perhaps that is why when we visited there has not been a single face that we recognised either behind the bar or as a customer.We do not live in the village of Buckhorn but by distance it has been our local. We may go back in the summer to see if things have changed but at this moment the lack of customer service and warm welcomes I feel it will be the same.

Eight of us met for Saturday lunch on a wet day. Good beer - good wine. At least four of us very happy with the grub.Two of us ordered prawn sandwiches with wasabi on brown bread, which arrived on rather stale ciabatta rolls with only a feint trace of wasabi. The staff were very nice when I said the sandwiches were disappointing and didn't charge for them.If it doesn't seem to have the good atmosphere it had before the change of ownership, it might partly be because the locals are less in evidence than they were before. Prior to getting a tab going, I paid £10.40 for two drinks and a bag of crisps (a pint of stout and a small glass of red wine) - that's pretty steep for this part of the world.The friends who had fish pie said it was good, but .....

We heard it was under new management so were keen to visit for dinner. We chose the dinning room which was a mistake as it was gloomily lit and apparently the light could not be turned up! For an evening menu, the choice was limited, but starters were average to good. But the two main courses, Warm Caesar Salad and Fish and chips were disastrous. The salad was undressed, the croutons soggy and the chicken tasteless. We have been used to light beer batter and fine chips at the Stapleton in the past - no longer on this occasion. So it was a disappointment - every restaurant has a bad night. What is unnecessary though was the apparent indifference shown by the staff when we were invited to comment. The final downer was when the bill came with an added beer which we had not ordered.

The lamb starter was very nice but I was disappointed with my burger, well not the burger itself but the roll and chips. The roll was soggy and the chips were still hard in the middle, at no point were we asked if our meals were ok so didn't bother moaning when it was to late

We booked in at the Stapleton for lunch today. My last visit, about 4 years ago, was at Christmas time. We had a Christmas dinner on that day. This was very posh and very small. Today I went armed for the same type of meal, so, I asked for the starter option followed by a main meal of beef. My thoughts were the starter followed by a small main dish would be just right. How dear. Preconceived ideas.My starter came and it was almost enough for a main meal. Very well presented and scrumptious. I had salmon with poached egg, green leaves and bread.Then came the main meal. Again very nicely presented and the size nothing like my last visit! There was plenty on my plate. This included a huge Yorkshire pudding, parsnips, roast pototoes, sweet potatoe in their skins, mashed swede, cabbage and beef. It seems there had been a change of propieter since I last came here.Well worth a visit, I say...

I had a Christmas dinner here last year with a large group of people.It was very delicious, however they were extremely mean with the parsnips. Just one per plate. To me, a Christmas dinner is not complete without parsnips but I felt that one parsnip was very mean and disappointing. Also not enough gravy. When asked for more gravy and veg to share around they were brought, but very reluctantly and we were made to feel that this was an inconvenience for them

We have been to The Stapleton Arms intermittently for more than 25 years and whilst it has had ups and downs it is currently doing very well judging from today and our most recent visits.It is out of the way and quiet.The rotating range of guest beers always seem well kept.Today we had whitebait with bloody mary mayo (and a nice green salad - very fresh) followed by an incredibly tasty roast stuffed partridge - I really recommend this.

We stayed at a nearby cottage for the weekend and we were told about the Stapleton Arms by the owner of the cottage Dave, and he was spot on !!! Great food and beer, with a well run team at the pub nothing was to much trouble, we were made most welcome with our dog from start to finish. Well Done !! Paul& Gill

Looking for a lite bite on a Sunday evening we discovered the Stapleton Arms. Doesn't look much from the outside but once you walk in you get a friendly welcome for you and your four legged friends :)Good menu choices, good food and decent portion sizes. All in a pleasant place and one that I'd be happy to go back to...

We called in for lunch on a very hot August day and settled ourselves in the beer garden. We chose from the somewhat limited lunch menu and were sadly disappointed when the fish dishes arrived served in a wire container on a slate board. I do not feel comfortable when the food is not served on a plate as I do not feel that a wire container or a slate can be cleaned as well as a china plate.The meal was rather average and the sauce requested did not arrive and we therefore decided not to order desserts which was a shame as the surroundings were pleasant enough.The dining room looked quite elegant and maybe if we lived near by we would enjoy an evening meal from the more substantial evening menu.We are always looking for new venues to add to our favourite Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire eateries but will not be adding The Stapleton Arms after today's experience.

We visited The Stapleton Arms at Buckhorn weston this weekend for Sunday lunch. I do not know why we have not tried it recently as it is very local to us but we were pleasantly surprised, the food was very good quality and very tasty, the service was very attentive ,the price is a bit above average but not extreme.There is a relaxed atmosphere and i would imagine it is a well supported local i think it may be open all day but food does not start till 6 O'clock so we sat in the pretty garden and enjoyed a drink whilst waiting.I would certainly be putting it on my return list, and would recommend it to anyone else to try - i do not think they would be disappointed.

Great food, good drinks, nice beer garden, good atmosphere and friendly staff. Can't ask for much more.

The food is pretty average, the prices are high and despite that they can't quite afford plates for everyone and have to resort to putting your food on a slate roof tile in some instances. Why is that? We live locally, visit currently twice a year but only in the hope that it's improved or reverted back to a real pub.... here's hoping

Good food and pleasant service in this charming and comfortable village pub. Dogs are made very welcome too.

Friends booked a table here for an evening meal. We ate here 12months ago & enjoyed it we enjoyed it here again staff very friendly & attentive food was good presented well & tasted fresh I had the Gin cured salmon with pickled beetroot & chicken ceasar salad all great friends all happy with their choices as well glad to see this great pub serving good food

While the front of house is still excellent, the food still is lacking. We live near the Stapleton Arms and used to visit a lot, enjoying delicious, if slightly expensive meals. The Stapleton Arms was always a good place to go for a special occasion. The last four visits over the last few years have been really disappointing. We decided to give it another chance this evening as it is about a year ago since our last visit. Sadly, there has been no improvement. I ordered the fish of the day. I didn't ask before ordering what the fish was. I eat fish a lot and can distinguish the taste. This time however, I couldn't. It was totally tasteless, although the crust on it was good. I had to ask and was told it was mullet. I did send it back for the chef to taste and the manager came back and said that they agreed that it tasted too meaty, not like mullet and provided me with another dish, which was ok but not what I wanted. It is a shame the the chef didn't come and apologise, but the manager was perfectly pleasant about it. When we left the pub at 9.05, the pub and restaurant were completely empty. I think this just about sums it up. We won't be making another visit. There are plenty of really good pubs in neighbouring villages. Such a shame.

We called in on the off chance looking for a late-ish lunch and were pleased to be told that the chef had just made some veggie burgers (we are both vegetarians) so we settled for that rather than a sandwich. The burgers were pretty good and the chips were excellent, but it would have been much easier to eat on a plate rather than a board. I felt it was a little bit pricey overall, but I can't fault the friendliness of the staff and the service we were given. If you are looking for somewhere to have a pint, I wouldn't bother as it seems geared up for food more than anything else, but it's worth a visit if you're in the area. The entrance to the car park is a bit dicey, especially if you have a low vehicle. You could easily bottom out in the potholes.

Choose this as a stop off on the back from Bristol and wanted a cosy pub, room and informal dinner. The owners and staff were very welcoming and helpful and the room a good size with a big bathroom. Dinner was in the dining room and good menu and choices and always enough staff on hand.Breakfast was great and served in the main pub area, lovely cooked breakfast, papers and very relaxed. Lots of information on local events and walks and had a walk from the pub after breakfast. Pretty well everything that we were looking for in a night away and will be definitely be going back in the summer.

We were visiting friends locally and popped in for a "light snack". Decor looked clinical but inviting and there were a few locals also snacking and chatting. Ordered Creamed Crab with linguine for myself and Chicken Liver pate with onion marmalade for the wife. The chicken liver pate came with half a slice of bread toasted and cut in half again, with a large spoon of onion marmalade and a wedge of pate. Total food content about £1.50, price charged £7.50. She ran out of toast after four bites! The linguine wasn't much better - very tasty but mostly like a creamed crab soup with linguine added and a token piece of watercress; again £7 odd. I was expected to eat this with a knife and fork! The staff, presumably the manager and chef were gaily chatting at the bar after this had been served and seemed surprised when I requested a spoon to actually eat my meal. Like a lot of gastro pubs nowadays, this was light on ingredients and poor value for money.

Although quiet Sunday evening there was good atmosphere. Staff very friendly and helpful with explaining menu.

Arrived at 2.15 to be told the kitchen has closed almost an hour early. I understand restaurants/pubs have quiet days and that chefs work crazy long hours and want to get a break in when possible, but to have zero food available almost an hour before lunch service is meant to finish is just bad practice. I was hugely looking forward to lunch here, but had to drive the 40 mins back home with an empty stomach!

Booked the restaurant for 40 people for our company Christmas meal. Very pleased with the whole evening,everybody agreed the food was excellent and the service was very good. All food was got out on time and considering there was 40 meals we could not fault the whole experience. Thankyou to all the staff for letting our evening go so smoothly. Cullingford Carpets Ltd

Chose the Stapleton as a good place to meet my parents who were coming up from Somerset.The pub has a really beautiful restaurant room as well as great big tables in the bar area. Lots of families with dogs and very well behaved children, talking to the families and not playing on electronics!! Good selection of ales and had a lovely Christmassy prosecco cocktail.I am not a roast dinner lover so we chose this pub as they had a really good selection of starters and good fish and veggie options but the roast beef looked so good when it was being brought out I had to order it.It was amazing... Huge perfect Yorkshire pudding, braised red cabbage, sweet and sticky, perfect creamed leeks and little crunchy baby carrots. Hubby had my parsnips as I don't like them and he said they were delicious. Roast beef was perfect, thinly sliced, rare and melted in the mouth. Really good thick tasty gravy. Mum had the brill and she said is was very good (she is very fussy!) Desserts were delicious, dad and I had rocky road from the kids menu as we had seen it being brought to the children behind us, with honeycombe ice cream, soooo good! Hubby had sticky toffee, also very very good.Great service, really lovely atmosphere, couldn't fault it. Wish we lived closer....

The menu looked very good, four choices of starter, main course and dessert. I chose the game terrine to start and it was a mistake .there was a great deal of gelee surrounding some quite hard meat which should have been minced. The real shock was when I bit into a lump of sea salt in the terrine which made me think I should have chosen the soup. The blade of been for the main course was absolutely wonderful, cooked to perfection with fresh vegetables and mashed potato. The sauce was outstanding with a hint of either five spice or star anise, it was perfection. I am a sucker for crumble of any sort and chose the allegedly spiced apple crumble on offer. What came was what appeared to be commercial apple sauce with somethings brown and vague and crumbly on the top. It would have helped if the waitress had warned me that it had just (presumably) come out of the mcrowave oven because I burned my thumb on the dish.. The staff were very pleasant and had dressed up to make the clientele think it was Halloween. I had a brandy with my coffee but it came in a large tumbler not in a brandy glass. Training the staff really helps!

We stayed here as part of a Foot Trails self guided walk (very professional organisation). Good comfortable accomodation and delicious pub food.

We called in for a pub lunch and what a find. Good beer, great food and a warm welcome. All in all a good experience. The menu is varied enough to offer something for everyone and the quality is good. We had beer battered fish and the hamburger, both were excellent.

Four of us ate here on a Saturday night, having booked in advance for the restaurant. On arrival we were given the choice of eating in the bar or the restaurant. Strange I thought! The table was not set as one might expect in a restaurant with the cutlery grouped together on a paper serviette. 3 of us had the squid, which we were undecided whether it was supposed to be served hot or cold. It was very rubbery and extremely chewy, quite awful. The terrine was good, yet the bread served with it was far from fresh. For main course I had the Thai, Bass ( 2 insubstantial slices, the size of fish fingers) served on a oversized bed of noodles. Vegetables in the noddles were undercooked if not raw, the "broth" was excessively hot. My partner's partridge was good, but little detail had been paid to presentation. The sweet was particularly poor, the pastry of the custard tart was soggy, as if had been kept in the fridge for a number of days. The ice cream was extremely bland. We decided to split the bill, yet the waitress decided to round the bill up, in order to simplify, what appeared to be, her inadequate Maths. The pub looked good, but I wouldn't waste good money eating here.

Very welcoming pub in a cute village.Easy parkingOutdoor seating at back, with giant size board games to play and also at the front to admire the village street scene.The bar area is light, airy and spacious with tables and comfy sofas - greeted with smiles by the folk behind the bar.Main dining room feels more formal, with lovely "Jane Austen" blue walls and old wooden tables and chairs in tasteful a range of upholstered seat fabrics. Loved the fish eye mirror above the fireplace.Menu was fabulous, portions were generous (I can't comment on dessert) and I highly recommend the "Posh Flora" special cocktails.All in all a lovely evening.

We had a family cousins party on Saturday night here. The manager(?) who took our orders was really lovely. We had an area all set aside for us and when we all got seated it was a lovely atmosphere. My only beef with the food I had was that my fish (fish & chips) was full of bones so you couldn't really eat any of it. All the food came in large portions which was great and out of a table of 15 plus people only two of us had an issue with something. The dessert portions are large and yummy, and so no one went hungry. I'd recommend this place if you are in the area. Good parking facilities and happy staff.