The Drift Inn - New Forest

We went to this pub for Saturday lunch, as it has always been a favorite of ours. However, our experience this time was disappointing. The menu was lackluster, the prices were high, and the service was terrible. They accidentally burnt my child with a hot plate, but showed no concern or offered any assistance. The atmosphere was cold, even though they usually have cozy log fires. Starters and mains were served together, and our server seemed lost and inattentive. We had to repeatedly ask for missing dishes and dessert took forever to arrive. We had to chase down the staff for the bill, and even then, the response was minimal. The setting was lovely, but the service was extremely lacking and disappointing.

The roast beef on Sunday was good, with generous portions of Yorkshire pudding. My 89-year-old Mum doesn't eat much, so she opted for the half-price child's portion. The burger was excellent, and the pint of Camden IPA was enjoyable. The price per person ranged from £20-30. The food was rated 4 out of 5, service was rated 5 out of 5, and the atmosphere was rated 4 out of 5. Recommended dishes include the Sunday Roast and Forest Burger.

This was our first time visiting this restaurant and we were quite disappointed. To start, they did not have any sparkling water available, which was fine. When my husband asked for an alternative, he was given soda water despite expressing his dislike for it. He requested lime and soda instead, but only received a slice of lime with his wine after a 10-minute wait. The waitress lacked customer service skills and did not seem friendly. It took another 10 minutes for my husband's drink to arrive, and even then, it was just a plain soda water with lime. The food was alright, although it was not very hot. No staff came to check if everything was satisfactory or to offer dessert. In the end, we paid the bill and left, as nobody attended to us. Unfortunately, we won't be returning to this restaurant. It was not even busy, so there is no excuse for the lack of service.

Price per person: £20–30 Food: 3 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 3

Fantastic service. Turned up after other plans were aborted without a reservation and they fitted us in. Made sure our dinner was perfect and nothing was too much trouble. Food was superb and very tasty Price per person: £30–40 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 4