Waterloo Arms — Restaurant in New Forest

Welcoming Staff, Historic Charm, Mixed Food

Booked a table in advance as we were staying locally. Had dinner at this quaint 17th-century New Forest hostelry. The thatched roof and period features give it real character. We were made to feel very welcome—by the landlady, I believe—who was friendly, attentive, and quietly accommodating throughout. The pub has a relaxed, easygoing feel. There’s a garden and plenty of outdoor seating, including covered areas for eating outside. We chose to eat indoors.

Food was mixed. I had the trout, which was nicely done, and the vegetables were good. My husband had the curry—it wasn’t to his taste, and he was a little disappointed with his meal. Our child had the children’s meal: burger and cheesy chips. They kindly made the substitution, but there didn’t seem to be many chips—he ended up asking for some of mine, and I had to share to make sure he had enough. A few more would’ve made the difference.

For dessert, I had the gluten-free sticky toffee pudding with custard. It was a bit dry—not gooey like it should be—but fine. There was a reasonably good choice of gluten-free options on the menu, which was refreshing to see. I didn’t feel excluded, as I often do in other pubs.

Toilets were clean and well maintained. Parking is limited—worth noting if arriving by car, especially during busy periods. It started getting quite busy not long after we arrived.

While we were there, a customer’s dog nipped another customer. It wasn’t dramatic and didn’t affect the ambience directly, but it did make things feel uncomfortable.

I would return—the welcome was sincere, the setting has charm, and it was good to see thoughtful gluten-free options included without fuss. The thatched roof—the building’s crowning glory—was partially covered with a tarp and clearly in need of attention, which was sad to see. But the atmosphere and kindness made a...

Found this inn on the internet and visited while having a couple of days on the south coast. We popped in to see if we needed to book a table for the next evening. On arrival we were taken to a lovely table and were given enough time to look through the menu. Our drinks arrived very quickly and our meal followed soon after. Rib eye steak with all the trimmings and steak and ale pie. Both were absolutely delicious. We were both comfortably full. Laura and her colleagues made us both feel welcome and treasured. The Waterloo Arms looked amazing from outside, the interior didn't let it down and we will be going back again on our next visit to the area. I am fussy about the food we eat and the service we receive and I would happily recommend visiting if you are in the area. As normal please keep this between us two! Monday.

We decided to go back again on Tuesday, I had the Scampi for a smaller appetite and he had curry again for the smaller appetite. We both left comfortably full. Laura wasn't working today so we met Michelle, the landlady, who was very nice and again we both felt like we were valued customers. We will be returning in the future. I would be happy to recommend the Waterloo Arms to anyone visiting the Lyndhurst area. If you live nearby, then I'm totally jealous, you are lucky and I hope you...

We popped in for a drink in the afternoon and we're so impressed with the staff and venue we decided to eat at the Waterloo Arms in the evening. Laura greeted us so warmly-she was super friendly and so cheerful. The landlord had dropped in and took time out of his day to chat to us- he is one of Life's characters and had some really interesting stories to tell. The pub is such a beautiful place with nearly as much character as the landlord! There were plenty of unusual artifacts to look at and lots of original features. There's a nice selection of beer and plenty of seating too. The food was exactly what we wanted-good quality and home cooked. We both chose the steak and ale pie and I liked the fact that you could opt for a smaller portion. It was absolutely delicious and probably the best pie I have ever eaten. I chose the sticky toffee pudding and my husband had the syrup sponge pudding. Both were amazing, but be warned, they are big portions! We literally waddled to the sofa area! We were stuffed. If you are in the area, the Waterloo Arms is definitely worth a visit. No doubt we will return when we visit the New...