This has to be one of the greatest pubs i've ever been to in terms of food…read more If you like big portions and good quality i highly recommend this small pub! Awesome would be a mild word to use!!

We called in for lunch. A friendly staff and a pleasant ambiance welcomed us. This is an old…read morevillage pub that offers great food and beer. They also support local community events and activities. Toilets are clean and parking is available. I had the best steak and kidney pudding and all the trimmings while my daughter enjoyed the vegetarian menu, vegan options are also available. The Royal Oak is the essence of what a rural pub needs to be to survive these days. Only a mile or so off the A36 but in a beautiful old village. I heartily recommend, but do book early as this is a place sure to be popular with cyclists, tourists, locals and passing trade.

WOW!! I hadn't been in here for a few years despite living nearby, but I called in for Sunday lunch…read morea few weeks ago after my dear mum said it had changed hands and things were on the up. I have to say the food was superb, at the time I think i even said it was the best sunday lunch i had ever had, I think I was a little taken a back by the quality of the food on offer. They have successfully managed to retain some of the old charm and proper pub feel, while making the dining a cosy, friendly experience that is all about locally produced food. The lamb had already sold out (turn up early or book on the phone if you don't want to miss out) so the three of us had duck, chicken and beef. Each dish was cooked pretty much to perfection and the home made yorkshire puddings were great. Sunday lunch just how it should be! This pub focusses on local, fresh produce all of which is prepared on site and served in simple, traditional dishes. The menu is short, but in my opinion that is the way it should be, as it means each dish excels. It is always so disheartening to find a pub that has 30 dishes on the menu as you can almost guarantee each one will be mediocre. Not the case with this pub. To top it all off the ales are well kept, the Bowmans "swift one" was a very refreshing pint and anything on tap from Hopback is a safe bet. All in all this pub comes very highly recommended, great food, nice atmosphere, good beers and friendly service, what more could you want?!

One of the best surprises in Hampshire, fantastic ambience, nice service and the food was just…read moreincredible. I had a lamb roast that was divide, my wife had an incredible mushroom gnocchi and my daughter had a what seemed a never end.tower of fine chicken breast, English bacon and cheese with a good portion of home made barbecue sauce. Lovely lunch in the middle of the New Forest.

ATTACKED BY MEMBER OF STAFF After a verbal argument with an…read more18yr old immature barmaid, i was sitting down at the table and was attacked from behind receiving numerous injuries to my head and face, resulting in going to court being found that the employee was wrong and I was acting in self defence after I defended myself, the landlord is yet to accept this as why would he want to as it would do his business harm. Obviously his small minded opinion is beyond a court of law, Beware!!! Your entering a goldfish bowl area here... DO NOT COMPLAIN.... To many young immature self conceited teens work here. Her sister then entered the property i was staying at and tried to stab me whilst I was asleep, I was lucky to wake up and suffered injury as I caught the knife as it was thrust down towards my neck, she is awaiting sentencing. Please see this link below to see the injuries I recieved from a barmaid and the letter of decision from the court. Ask your self do you want to go to a place like this. What a lovely place!!! photo link below http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardconnor/sets/72157626035112166/

Can't fault this place! Very pretty from the outside and quaint, on the inside. It's been nicely…read moredone up. Cosy and homey, there's plenty of seating to choose from. Lovely nooks and crannies with couches and more, and a nice patio for warmer weather. If you're looking for a traditional British pub, you've come to the right place. Reasonable prices too. There's a lovely bar with enough beers on tap to suit all palates and more in the fridge. As for the food, they have most of the pub favourites along with steaks and salads as well as some vegetarian options. The set menu is on from Mon-Thurs and is great value at £11.99 for two courses + £2 for three or for a steak meal. I couldn't fit it in, but dessert was full sized and delicious too. Some had a berry crumble or a melba panacotta. If you're in the area, this place is well worth a visit, it won't disappoint!

Great place, super location; super menu local style food- fresh and very well prepared; well…read morepriced; service super; Worth a visit - had lunch there; live music Sunday evenings!

3 stars for the food, 1/2 star for the space/location, 1/2 star for the view! superb meal of lamb…read morewith gnocchi, peas, fine beans and lamb jus - gorgeous gorgeous pieces of lamb, perfectly cooked and accompanied with sautéed gnocchi and veg with their light and delicate flavors shining bright (peas never tasted so good). absolutely dreamy view of countryside at sunset. definitely would have you given a rare 5 star if not for the casual level of service - certainly not terrible or even bad, very easy going and friendly, perfect for small town.

Food was pretty average, service was fine, nice place, but nothing to get too excited aboutread more

I have had a most memorable meal at the Boot - a simple affair in the bar that will linger long in…read moremy memory. All we had were grouse (from the famous Stockbridge butchers, Robinson's) and a bottle of Gevrey Chambertin, but it was perfect. The wine was decanted at our request and was absolutely delicious; rich and smooth, and was the perfect accompaniment to the grouse. The grouse arrived whole in a glorious rich gravy and dressed with spinach, game chips and bread sauce, and looked as good as it tasted. It was one of the finest meals one could have. The grouse was £21.50 - very reasonable. The wine cost considerably more. The service was perfect and the ambience, surrounded by locals, everything that a good pub should 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.