The Dorset Soldier — Restaurant in England

A true gem in Poole!

Recently, I visited The Dorset Soldier with my family, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm smiles and outstanding service from the staff. Everyone was extremely attentive, helpful, and welcoming, making us feel right at home.

The pub is conveniently located and easy to find, with ample and accessible parking – a big plus for families. The atmosphere is cozy and traditional, offering that classic British pub vibe with a special touch of hospitality.

For families with children, The Dorset Soldier is simply perfect. The outdoor playground is fantastic, providing endless fun for the little ones while parents can relax and enjoy a drink. It’s always great to find a place that considers the family experience, and in this regard, they absolutely nailed it.

As for the food, I can only praise it! I tried the Fish and Chips and the Carbonara, and both were delicious. The Fish and Chips were outstanding – fresh fish, perfectly crispy, and very flavorful, paired with well-seasoned chips. The Carbonara was creamy, with an incredible texture and a taste that clearly shows the care put into its preparation. The portions were generous, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality provided.

The pub also offers a great selection of drinks, and my friends and I enjoyed trying some of the local beers – all well served and perfectly chilled. The indoor space is well maintained, with a typical pub decor and a spacious hall, while the outdoor area is a perfect spot to enjoy sunny days.

Moreover, it's evident that the owners care about providing a complete and enjoyable experience for their customers. The attention to detail and willingness to accommodate special requests make this place truly stand out.

I highly recommend The Dorset Soldier to anyone looking for an authentic British pub experience, with great food, a family-friendly environment, and dedicated staff. We will...

Went to this pub today, had over an hour wait for food. watched people come in after us, eat their meal and pudding left before we'd even received ours. Waiter was apologetic for the long wait as they had more customers than they had expected, admitted they'd had a mix up on our meal. Food came, chips were cold, cod was soggy, gammon fatty. Adult meals were the same size as the child's meals. Decided to ask for the manager and was greeted by a shaking, angry manageress who was ready for a row, straight away told us we were complaining about waiting for 25minutes but we couldn't get a word In edgeways to explain we had waited over an hour. She wasn't prepared to listen to anything we had to say said there's two sides to every story, implying we were liars, kept interrupting us to say she was going to get the time on the ticket to prove us wrong, no apology, no customer service skills, rude, arrogant. Table was sticky and unclean. Upon leaving we decided to let the kids play in the play area whilst we waited for the bill, my mother sat on the picnic bench which collapsed and I was nearly impaled by a rotten piece of bench that flew up. Shame as this was a birthday meal defiantly won't be...

Horrendous service, very rude young staff. Served put of date condiments which ruined the entire meal. Steak was severely over done. When questioned about the out of date condiments they become very aggressive and dismissive. Landlord eventually agreed to take the steak meal off the bill. Paid for the bill we started to walk away and the young chap who had too much to say muttered for us not to come back. Completely out of order. We was a party of 6 adults and 3 children. The children refused to eat the mains. The adults didn't enjoy the mains. Alot of food was left. They couldn't understand that someone with an autoimmune disorder could get ill when eating out of date food/condiments. Would give this place a zero if I could. We also ordered ice cream for the children, considering the ice cream was £4.25 I was fully expecting more than a quarter scoop. I have never known such arrogance from teenage staff members. Disgusting behaviour and even worse...