The Dolphin

The service was warm and friendly, and the desserts were excellent. We had the two steaks for £50 deal, which was good value, so I would recommend it. But Dad had to wait for his meal and dessert while the rest of us had ours, and he wasn’t happy about that. I felt bad for him and would have liked all the meals to come out together.

We were a group of ten who travelled from across the country, hired a car and booked hotels for this Christmas dinner. After spending about six hours there, we had to cancel our other plans, and the evening nearly ruined Christmas for us. At £100 each, it was nowhere near what we expected. A small discount came only after we pushed hard, which felt unfair when so much food had been left uneaten. The meal itself was very poor. Most people barely touched their Christmas dinners; mine was so salty I managed only a few bites, and none of it tasted fresh despite being described that way. We kept having to go to the bar for water. Dessert took another hour to arrive, came in tiny portions, and five of us left it. One course never arrived at all, and there was ongoing confusion over the cheeseboard. The delays were the worst part. We waited an hour for bread and butter, then another hour for starters. My soup tasted good but was cold. After one more hour, the mains arrived, with the table still uncleared. Someone was handed a hot plate and burned their hands. The waitress was clearly under pressure, so we didn't make a fuss. At first, things seemed promising: the table was nicely set, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the staff were friendly. We had ordered six coffees before taking a walk, then realised afterwards that the cups had been only half full. I don't usually leave negative reviews, but this was far below expectations.

We keep coming back to The Dolphin for Sunday roasts, which says a lot about how good they are. If you're looking for the cheapest, cheerful pub meal, this probably isn't the place. But the quality, customer care and refined dining experience are all there, at a very reasonable price.

The staff were wonderfully friendly, and we had a lovely time. The pub is quaint and beautiful, with a lovely garden and modern rooms that are clean, tidy and full of character. Food is cooked fresh to order, using local ingredients when possible. There's a good range of meat, fish and vegetarian options, and they cater for allergies and intolerances.