If you're down in this part of Dorset, everyone's going to tell you to go to the Square and…read moreCompass. Which you should do. It's old and lovely and a fantastic destination pub. But you should make a point of heading to this place as well. Perhaps the friendliest landlord I've seen in an age. Serving a wide selection of very well-kept local ales, with his thoughts on the condition of each. And really fab food. There's a very standard pub grub menu, but we ordered the specials. I was fabulously full but he said "try the Shepherd's Pie". Which I did. And it was, quite honestly, the best shepherd's pie I have ever eaten. I am still, 24 hours later, recovering. Fabulous food, service, beer, etc. This is a local pub for all sorts of people-- local or not. It's unknown but it shouldn't be.

The Square and Compass is such a gem if you're looking for an authentic pub experience in the…read moreEnglish countryside! The views alone are worth the visit, but the unique character of the place makes it even better. From the beer garden in the back to the small museum of fossils and local artifacts, it really has a one-of-a-kind charm. One thing I loved was the quirky "Woodhenge" sculpture in the parking lot--made from tree trunks, it's been standing since 2015 despite the local council initially wanting it taken down. It's still there as of my recent visit, and it's a fun little sight that adds even more personality to the place. The menu is limited, but that's part of the charm! I had the sausage roll, and it was sooo good! The warm, flaky crust and flavorful sausage made for the perfect pub snack. We sat inside since it was a warm day, and the locals couldn't have been friendlier. My friend and I (a pair of Americans) were welcomed like old friends, which made the whole experience even more special. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area--especially if you want to enjoy the local history, great beer, and a fantastic countryside view.

A couple of friends and I once went for a hike along the South West Coast Path in Dorset. It took…read moreus a couple of hours and was really nice: good weather, beautiful sea views, rolling pastures, and a great pub at the end. That pub turned out to be the Square and Compass. When we arrived it was warm and sunny, and most people were sitting on the dozens of outside tables, rocks, or just on the grass, enoying the sunshine. Oddly, a large number of chickens were strolling through the assembled patrons, but no one - drinker nor chicken - seemed to mind. There was a band playing some Beatles covers, too, though they finished shortly after we arrived. This is a proper country pub, long, low and very old wood and stone. They keep kegs of real ale and cider in a pump room here, so you order at the hatch. Check the Dinosaur Room while you're there. I won't say any more, since it deserves to be a surprise. I can't imagine a more relaxed, laid-back, country pub. The only downside was that although we'd planned to take a local bus back to Swanage, where our car was parked, those services don't run on Sundays. The day was so nice we decided to walk back anyway (along the road, though, a much shorter trip than the coastal path). EDIT: I was back again today, and despite the weather being crap - or maybe because of it - this pub was even better. We walked down to the ocean, to watch the surf pound the cliffs by the old quarry. We wedged into one of the tiny rooms and ate pasties and drank Ringwood ale. We gazed in wonder at the bizarre little fossil-and-beach-item museum at the back.

We were recomended to come here so we gave it a go. Lovely pub from the outside. Very pretty on the…read moreinside too. The dining area is very spacious. The staff was super friendly and service was good. Not rushed. The food was very very tasty. Portions are quite big so a main meal is probably enough. It looks like everything is homemade.....certainly the steak and ale pie! For an animal lover the best part is also to be greated by the pub cat Smokey: super friendly and full of cuddles

Of course you want to come here for a pint or a pot of tea after a blustery time at the castle…read more Lovely atmosphere and decent food, nice folks helping to get your food and drink to you. I'm glad we went.

What a hidden gem of a pub, recently reopened after many years. It has been fully refurbished with…read moretouches of rustic wood and is a very comfortable, warm pub with a lively atmosphere, down a Dorset lane. All home cooked food, quickly prepared and brought to your table. There is a menu of light meals but more substantial offerings are on a blackboard above the bar, such as: roast pork with vegetables, Boeuf Bourguignon with vegetables or cauli/broccoli cheese crumble with/without new potatoes to name a few. There's also a special puddings menu. Delicious coffee is served with Pringle type mint chocolates. Prices are very reasonable. Upstairs is a complete surprise, with lots of comfy chairs and books to browse. This floor leads onto a large decked, roofed area which would be ideal in the summer of a leisurely evening drink. The loos are great too! Well behaved dogs allowed and are even given a few chews as a reward. Highly recommended.

Great little town pub,only stopped for a swift plnt, staff excellent, friendly atmosphere.read more

Very pleasant atmosphere, very warm and welcoming staff. Great food…read more Starters we ate the scallops and black pudding scotch egg. Delicious.

great pub ,extensive menu, excellent range of beers, situated in alovely quiet part of dorsetread more

Excellent! An old fashioned local with added good (very good) food. Fine beer, friendly staff, good…read moremix of customers, and a real character for a pub dog. Not to be missed.

Incredible. Absolutely wonderful steak and sides, perfect pours on ales/beer/stout - and great…read moreservice by Kaya. The 4 members of our party were extremely impressed with all.

Nice location but really bad service. Expect to wait between 30-45 mins for your food particularly…read moreon a Sunday.

I am surprised this is the first review of the pub, have been to this pub many times over the last…read morethirty odd years, have eaten here many times and found the food to be very good, gets busy in the summer months, but well worth it, good beer garden.

5 stars for the food and incredibly friendly service-…read more We popped in here after finding it on Tripadvisor. It gets good reviews and I now know why - it's GREAT! Open air bar/restaurant with a really relaxed atmosphere. The Miller lite cans were only $1!!!! Can you believe that? $1 ???? Seriously, that's a bargain even if they were only 10oz cans! Anyway, the food was super delicious as we had the jerked wings and curried goat. 3 wings were super spicy and 3 were jerked. The super spicy wasn't too bad though the owner gave us an unlabeled bottle of hot sauce to kick it up and umm....that was hot(spicy) - and I love spicy food. The jerked wings were delicious and meaty. The curried goat was incredible - moist and fell off the bone. I wish we would have gotten another order. A special note to the owner - thanks for the trick Long Island iced tea. That was funny and thanks for a great time at your place. We'll be back!!!

The $7 round trip water taxi almost takes you very close to Lazy Lizard. The food was Amazing;…read moresome of the best curries I have ever had. The Jerk Chicken Philly was excellent. The fried fish was super moist and tender. All the dipping sauces were excellent. Be sure to try the onion rings with their chili sauce. The yellow curry mustard with their fried calamari was awesome. Oh, the Pina coladas were excellent as well. All the prices were very affordable.