please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Just moved to the area & I must agree with all the previous comments. It's not a drinking pub but an eatery. Staff seemed to be friendly and hard working but I only went in for a couple of pints with an old friend. Found a couple of comfy seats near the bar but there seemed to no other drinking tables, They assumed you wanted to eat. Interestingly after approx. 10pm the place is almost empty and some drinkers arrived (after football training) so this might be a good time to go. Drank Doom Bar which was excellent.
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Agree completely with previous post. The poor old Curlew had just mellowed from the previous assault from the brigade with too much mushroom paint and a mistaken belief that Starbucks Stylie furniture is appropriate for a country pub - and now this. The etched glass panels have driven the nails into the coffin. All remaining atmosphere gone - greedy shoe-horning in of extra tables and nowhere left for locals to sit except a mean little area with nasty little chairs right next to the 'rent a mob' table. So now you can have over-excited twits braying in your ear. Still, if you're reading this and think nail bars are a good idea, or you drive a glaring white 4x4 with blingy headlights, you'll probably love it.
I'll be at the Owl's Nest.
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Sad, very sad. Avoid like the plague. It's very obvious that corporate greed has taken over, big time. The recent refit has sucked out the last traces of any ambience the place had. Overpriced, pre-packaged corporate good taste. I have been a regular there for the last 7 years or so and it has had it's ups and downs, but now, it's finished. Such a shame.
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I was going to sit down and try and write some sort of witty review for the recent abominable experience my wife and I had at this restaurant but my time will be better spent on more productive things, although I will say:
Cold flavourless food, rude staff and an offensive manager!
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Well we paid our annual visit to our local,we only live over the road,and despite it being a mid week lunchtime it was pretty busy.
The wife picked the only thing on the menu that was un-available,still despite the omens we stuck to our task,well we had walked all the way over there,and with her changed order we sat and watched the world go by,,,,,
My steak+fries were OK,nothing special but what do you expect from a place relying on Brake's version of haute cuisine,no it was the wifes fish that arrived with the wrong sauce that let the place down.
To be fair they offered her a free pud+coffee after explaining they were so busy the guy operating the micro-wave got confused.
Still despite the expected glitch the beer was grand just like an ale should be and at �2:90 a throw pretty good value.
I might even go over for the odd pint or three unless folk taking up a table just for a beer+a yap instead of eating is frowned upon then maybe i'll order a sarnie which looked pretty good as they passed by our table.
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Much improved of late. Change of management seems to be working. Food is much better and they are trying some real ales from smaller breweries. It's much busier than it was last time I posted. Hope they keep it up!
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The pub has changed management once again and their has been massive improvement which is shown by the popularity. The car park is generally chocka now! Beer OK, menu is good but there is a lack of consitany of quality, one time is fabulous, next time we went recently same dishes were of much poorer standard.
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Food has gone down a good deal since being taken over and refurbished. Aparently something to do with budgets and targets set by the brewery...?
The staff are great and do their best and are very welcoming, although at times there are not enough of them. The portions are generally quite small now and the quality is not much to write home about. It used to be very good indeed, hopefully, it will revive itself.
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would visit here very regularly until visit 23rd dec 2007. arriving at 6pm so not a rush on. food arrived at the table before we had time to buy a drink. lamb shank with mash etc.Mash was instant and was so sloppy it ran of my spoon, Gravy had a thick layer of fat on top and lamb was very over cooked. On complaining to the waitress she went off to speak to someone. No-one came over and apologised and we were
very disappointed. Then on driving past a couple of weeks later we noticed the Brakes lorry in the carpark, microwaved rubbish not home cooked food!!!!!
Enough said!!!
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Another poor quality chain pub in a kitsch 'farmhouse' style. We had some poor quality microwaved fare in there- and check this- the guy who couldn't speak english had to walk about with the foul tasting sauces because there weren't enough to go round! Another reason to bail out of Britain...nice enough people go there though- which makes a change for Bournemouth!
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Will post a more positive comment if I ever gain entry!! Tried New Years Day for dinner and it was closed!! Tried again last week and was closed again!! Suggest you call first!!
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Still a very nice pub, which shares its menu with the Lambs Green in Corfe Mullen and the Bakers Arms.
We have dined here recently on two occasions for Sunday lunch. - I'd advise anyone to arrive before 12pm unless you dont mind waiting for a table, as this pub was packed full just minutes after 12 on both ocasions. The food is tasty and promptly served, however two of our party had to send the food back as it was not hot enough. To our suprise a NEW plate of food was sent out, rather than heating up the existing food.
The food is plentiful and the prices are reasonable.
I cant fault the service here either, all the staff are very welcoming and friendly.
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The quality of the food has dropped since I last reviewed this place (May 2007)
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Pub is OK. Been through management change and facelift. Service and food had previously been going downhill fast, but seems to be better since the change. Good food, menu a little lacklustre and suffers from lack of change (but then chain owned). Beer kept reasonably well. Would recommend it for occasional visit.
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I have been very impressed with the sunday lunch at this pub, and on a separate occasion we stopped in for a sarnie, I ordered Ham with a bowl of chips and my wife ordered Cheese with a side of Chips, Both Sandwiches were literal Door Stops with shredded Ham and cheese respecively, made a very interesting snack.
very good pub!
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Great pub to take the family to for lunch or dinner. Service is excellent and the food is tasty and well priced. Recommended!
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As a regular visitor (6 occasions), this pub always seem to offer very efficient service with food waiting times of 10 minutes or under. Our food has until today always been of a very good standard. The today's visit though suffered with overcooked (brown) chips and fish that was both undercooked slightly and also quite tasteless.
Not to be put off though, the ambience and friendly and fast service will draw me back to this place again. Another day and maybe a different product. We shall see!!
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Have been there several times for Saturday lunch in last few months. Lovely relaxed ambience, very friendly and helpful staff. Very high standard of food. Best pub I know in the area for eating out. Would recommend it to anyone.
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I have never had a bad meal here & none of my guests have ever made an adverse comment, except that when busy, the staff do take their time but they have a lot to do. Most are attentive & pleasant. The toilets have always been clean. I wonder if those detractors ever brought their criticisms to the management's attention? I hope they did rather than just resort to back-stabbing on this public site. I also dine at Harbour Hieghts which is much more expensive.......!
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Gotta say busy and crowded and cramped but we had some bloody good grub ...Would I go again ? Big question as it was very rushed and the girls serving were stressed out ...yeah guess I would but no hurry !
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had a lovely night with my partner & friends. Log fires roaring , friendly & efficient staff. Meals a little slow but worth the wait. will visit again when in the area. Good wine list
anonymous - 22 Nov 2006 18:32 |
It amazes me how popular this place is considering the locals avoid it like the plague,the drains were beginning to hum a bit last time i walked past,probably all the grease from the kitchen.
If you are mad enough to try this joint please dont park in Church Lane as its hard enough to get out as it is.
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Mitchells & Butlers Vintage Inn Uk
Therefore long wait because of lack staff, and staff who do as little as possible.
Garden was full of dirty glasses and empty plates.
The Food is care off Brake Bros Nuked & fried food.
No character
Avoid
anonymous - 9 Aug 2006 11:26 |
One final,final thing my wife said the loo's were a disgrace,filthy,no paper or soap
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This is our "Local",the good lady wife had had a bad day so i offered to take her out for a bite to eat."Where shall we go?,i can't be arsed to drive very far lets go over the road for our annual visit"
Oh dear,where shall i start!The beer was good"Ringwood Best"reasonably priced for a change.
As i don't get junk food at home i decided to indulge myself with the Cheese and Bacon Burger served with mixed salad and seasoned "Chips"
The sorry looking effort arrived and regret set in,the bap was good,what it contained was not,a sorry excuse for a burger a couple of rashers of bacon topped off with a Kraft cheese slice which refused to melt because the burger wasn't hot enough.The burger looked like it had been cooked yesterday.
The seasoned "Chips" were extruded fries in the "Mcdonalds stylie" thus xxxxxxx horrible.
My meal was bad enough then the wifes Cadjun Swordfish with seasoned potato wedges arrived,Cadjun means a little spicy in my book,but the fish was dry,and without a hint of any spice/seasoning whatsoever.The wedges looked like they had been cooked hours before and dinked,thus they were limp+soggy.
Unlike most other establishments nobody asked if our meal was "OK" maybe they have got fed up with the adverse comments.
Still it could have been worse the chap on the next table ordered at the same time as us and was still waiting when we left,they did give him a free drink though when he complained,but only a half i noticed.
One final point,just in case anyone from The Curlew reads this,fix the floorboards near the bar,your chair going up and down every time someone walks by gets on your nerves after a while.
Oh i forgot our next door neighbours were there as well,the first time for 4 years.Their comment"never again"
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Went in for a beer after work.
had to wait ages to be served and then had to sit at a dirty table. no attempt to clear the tables or empty ashtrays. awful.
anonymous - 9 Apr 2006 23:19 |
You are right Peter although I can think of a few pubs that I wish 'only' did London Pride and Bass. Anyway, different people running the show these days and the whole atmosphere is much lighter. Food is good and the beer garden is popular.
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The Curlew seems like a proper pub from the outside. It has the curlew bird sign out on the road, and the inside is very tradional. The decore is perfect, with old oak beams and log fires in the winter. Their bar however is limited, as they only sell London Pride and Bass. There are no local ales, and at the back of the bar there is an extensive wine rack. The impression here, is that they do not like the beer trade - and there are no regulars. Anyway, the food is first class at the this very winey establishment. The curlew however, is a large coastal bird - and this is inland Dorset. So the nature of the place is not genuine. We are left with a big question - - when is a pub not a pub?
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Really great pub, friendly staff, good food and really good value for money,
Clare Hirrel - 15 Nov 2003 17:38 |
we were overcharged for 4 drinks ..beware
john B. - 1 Aug 2003 11:17 |
This is allegedley a family pub but this is the place where a family was asked to leave because their 9 (YES NINE) years old son was wearing a Chelsea shirt. (Fair enough if it had been Spurs). Can't have youngsters wearing football shirts lowering the tone can we? This is West Parley after all don't you know. The thing is this place is nothing special and even if it was such snobbery is an affront. Place is fake from top to bottom. Piles of logs dotted around! What's that all about? Bar staff no more than competent. Decent beer? Er, no.
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