Thompson's Bell in Dover

Having just come home to cry me eyes out after spending Mothering Sunday at The Thompson Bell, that my faily booked as a treat for me!!! The only vegetarian option was not available. My plate arrived with 3 undercooked cold roast potatoes, half a parsnip which was overcooked and a cold yorkshire pudding. The side vegetables where cold and overcooked to a mush. When I complained, I had no response and we was charged the full price for it for inedible meal!! We also had to wait half an hour before was could sit at out our booked table, then another half an hour to have our order taken. Then around another half hour for our 'meal' to arrive. We also had to ask for our cutlery!! Never ever again will I step through the door!

Came in today for Mothers Day, did have to wait 15 mins for our table as the table we were allocated was just being finished off by the previous booking. This was absolutely no problem whatsoever. The staff were apologetic but so helpful and accommodating and to be honest, we enjoyed relaxing as a family and enjoying each others company! The food was beautiful, I’m vegan and time was taken to provide vegan gravy and a delicious vegan meal - The sausages were cooked to perfection which is rare for veggie sausages! We heard a couple of tables moaning which we found really sad. The staff were all so lovely and I don’t think the people complaining took into account just how busy they were and how hard the staff were trying. We saw the landlady after and considering she had just cooked for 200 people she was so bubbly and friendly - with her, the staff, the food and the general atmosphere, this is definitely somewhere we will visit very frequently. Thank you and well done!

We booked Sunday lunch and see the price said £11-50, Having had lunch and went to pay and were told it would be£44-00. We were charged extra for vegetables,they should change the way they display the price! We were disappointed and feel we were cheated.

This place has so much potential and the landlady, who is always very pleasant, is pulling all the stops out to encourage business in, which I admire, but it's the simple things that aren't being addressed that, I believe stop The Bell being anything more than "OK" and prevent me from having a quality local that I'd happily visit week in, week out. It's not all bad, staff are nice, I have never had poor quality food there and the place can look cosy (is that big log burner functional? I wish it was!) BUT... Whether the pub has two people in it, or twenty, staff shouldn't all just congregate by the dart board focussing on their game of darts, having a social and vaping. Focus on your customers. On the subject of vaping, it is a HUGE put off that the staff, landlady included, do so, both behind and in front of the bar. The Bell is seemingly trying to encourage more diners; but this counteracts all efforts. Again, irrespective of the number of customers, it is very off putting for the team members to be playing their choice of music (rap/grime/other genres a 40yr old is too old to know the name of), and very loud!! Who doesn't love music, but sacrifice personal preferences for easier listening tunes at a comfortable level for the greater good of the business. It is because of both of the above points that when enjoying a cosy/romantic meal with the other half, we left as soon the mains were done. Had the place been a nicer experience, we would have had desserts and a couple more drinks. It is unfortunate that given the choice of driving to town and going anywhere else, or walking one minute to this pub, that town wins every time. Perhaps with the right changes me and the family (and extended family), would probably visit more regularly!

Nice pub and people. Food was good. Pity the manager and chef actually vaped inside the pub. The manager just after he pulled a pint, and the chef as he came out of the kitchen. Kitchen door was closed, so for all we know he was vaping in the kitchen. Put us off a bit.

OMG. What an amazing Sunday lunch, if you haven’t been here before it’s a must and only £10. DELICIOUS 🤤 I cannot recommend it enough

Took my mum for Sunday lunch for her birthday today. Sunday roast was amazing. Best Sunday dinner I've had in a long long time. All the staff were lovely and chatty. Lovely pub with a lovely atmosphere. Would def recommend.

Fantastic pub, especially if you like your darts! Great selection of beers/wines/ciders/spirits. Lovely menu with generous portion sizes. If you’re looking for somewhere in Deal that caters for all of the above then The Thompson’s Bell is the place! Highly recommended.

Myself and my family have been to the Thompson Bell many times and we have always enjoyed our time there. The food is always lovely and the staff make you feel very welcome. I love that it has a homely feel so we spend many an hour there. I have recommended the pub several times to my friends and they have all said how lovely it is. They always comment on the standard of the food and how amazing it is. It's a gem of a pub and the best in town.

Just wanted to shout out how amazing this place is, we have been here multiple times for different occasions, be it a cooked meal on a Sunday carvery, weddings, birthdays and even karaoke and quiz nights, we always go and have so much fun, the food is simply beautiful and the management and team are so lovely, friendly and go above and beyond to cater for their customers and make them happy, they support local charities and families too.. I would definitely highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to go have a lovely dinner, book an occasion party or just go for a drink, it's a friendly atmosphere and such a beautifully designed pub with a hard working team making the place the best it's ever been.. keep being amazing Thompson bell gang x

Lunch served promptly despite there being a lot of people attending a wake. The hunters chicken was delicious and filling (cat and dog are happy with the doggy bag) . Salad instead of veg made a good change. The chicken burger was equally tasty. No room for dessert. Thank you to Hayley and your team

We came here for some drinks and some nibbles, absolutely lovely place. Staff were really friendly and helpful, atmosphere was welcoming and warm and really nice interior. We sat indoors but looked like it had a really nice garden as well! Would definitely recommend ☺️

Came in a while ago for a meal with my partner, food was incredible, staff were on another level, friendly and always on hand to serve quickly with a smile. I have come in a few times now just for a drink and socialise with staff which is a fading trend in most other pubs. New landlady has really done wonderful things to this pub with outstanding food and showing of all my favorite sports events. I highly recommend this pub if you miss how pubs used to be!

I have lived in this area most of my life but always drove past without a thought. On the outside it seems like a small pub. I was invited by friends to join them for a birthday gathering and I was honestly overwhelmed by the size inside and the large pub garden. The staff were very friendly and catered to our every needs. The food was so good we had to take a sizable doggy bag home to enjoy the next day. I did some research on trip advisor and was sceptical of the VERY mixed reviews, I can only guess there is a sorry punter out there with nothing better to do as the service, food and establishment were beyond what I expected. We are looking to book our own party in the near future. Highly recommend.

We moved round the corner last year and couldn’t have asked for a better local. The staff are always friendly and the food is great. Added bonus is having a pool table, dart boards and even a little garden which keeps my kids more than occupied. I think the new land lady has done a fabulous job of it all. Looking forward to meeting friends there next week for food and drinks.

Don’t usually leave reviews however particularly impressed with the food here. Nice big portions and cooked to perfection. Staff friendly and accommodating too. Looking forward to my next visit ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️