The Dog Inn

The indoor pub area was filthy, and the tables were so sticky we decided against ordering food. We went ahead with two pints, but the glasses were dirty too, and my missus didn't finish hers. The landlady and her partner were eating pub food and drinking at one of the tables while working on a laptop, with documents and a printer beside them. It felt like they'd turned the pub into their personal office, with free food, while the barman browsed his phone waiting for customers. Nobody was cleaning or seemed to care. A disappointing visit. Really a *dog* inn.

We ended up eating at Crosshands.... We'd been staying at the Crosshands Hotel uphill from Old Sodbury and had to walk past the Dog Inn on the way back, so we checked both menus. The Dog Inn looked far better, and we planned to eat there. The kitchen wasn't opening for about half an hour, so we went in for a pint first. The female bartender didn't seem interested in customers and could barely manage more than five words a minute. When I ordered a second pint, she responded with a rolling, smoker-like cough, then said, "6 pounds".

The pub is nice, with a good atmosphere and friendly staff, but the Sunday roast was disappointing. The potatoes were the only thing that seemed roasted. The chicken was very bland and came across as boiled, and the vegetables were boiled too, with no seasoning, not even salt.

The pub’s in a handy spot and parking was easy. We’d booked because we were told to, but when the four of us arrived there weren’t many people around, and the others soon left. We ended up as the only group, with the fire dying down and the room getting cold. The food was really good apart from my plate, where a large cauliflower floret was cold. It’s a rustic pub, nothing fancy.