Better known to some of us as The George (and what is wrong with that?) Bel & the Dragon has a bustling and well run dining room and offers very good food and (as always, at a price) a superior wine list of absorbing interest. Dishes are presented with pleasing care, none better than the Succulent Pork, clearly cooked for many slow hours if not days and surrounded by all sorts of vegetables and sauce. Locals pile in and the bar always seems in a roar. In rooms dating from 1540 you would expect vertiginous stairs, creaks, draughts, offstage noises shared among fellow guests and some trendy well distressed furnishings and you will not be disappointed, but you will also enjoy fine fine bed linen and top hole housekeeping standards. And little Odiham is a delight.
409zm
Very Disappointing. A group of us met for dinner, the service was extremely slow, there was definitely not enough staff for how many customers were in the restaurant and bar. The food sounded nice but was very slow to arrive bland. However to top off the experience the next day multiple people in the group had food poisoning. We wont be returning again
155MikeM
This place has gone downhill at a rate of knots since the change of management. The furniture in the bar area is not only tatty but filthy, shabby chic is acceptable but not shabby junk, it’s not helped by customers allowing their dogs to clamber all over it. The staff are under trained and not au fait with the concept of customer service. My family and I used The B and D on a regular basis and enjoyed it but now it’s just a place for a quick drink if it suits but not to eat. A great shame as with decent management and some money spent on improvements and staff training it could once again be a good destination.
Tom T
2pm sitting for Christmas Lunch 25 Dec 2023 – Bel and the Dragon, Odiham. Hook. Upon arrival I saw the manager who I met a few days before leaving the premises and not return. Maybe at this point I should have realised things were not quite right. Signed in and got ourselves some drinks and was asked to wait and to be called. Whilst waiting, and got chatting to other customers, they had been waiting for over an hour. None of the staff had a clue when we would be sitting. I could see many customers complaining and staff crying, which isn’t a good look. We persevered and thought these things happen. Still waiting for two hours, after continuing to find out and to manage to speak to a staff member, he said, “I honestly do not know when you will be seated” Someone else from the team spoke to me and said he would be back in 30 seconds. 20 minutes later we were seated and then just abandoned for at least 30 minutes. My wife went to the bar to order drinks, only to be told that someone would come to our table. This never happened. I looked around and saw many customers disillusioned and spotted a couple and child who were waiting with us in the snug and bar who were seated before us still without food apart from their child who was provided with the wrong dish. I was at this point contemplating leaving. This is Christmas Day – Christmas lunch, which was becoming dinner. I turned around spoke to the family I had met earlier, and they said they are leaving as the starter they had was poor and service rubbish. At that point I managed to speak to a member of staff and said we are leaving and demanded my money back, to which they obliged. My wife was spoken to by a staff member whilst I was arranging my refund and he told her that the food would be free. We still left knowing full well, that we would be waiting for hours. We have been to the Bel & Dragon in Odiham and Churt many times before, for Christmas lunch and for general dinners, but will never again step foot inside this establishment. It was Christmas day and me and my family were looking forward to a great experience only to be subjected to many hours waiting, staff not knowing what was going on. Total disarray and staff crying. No management on hand for the staff and customers and understaffed in all departments. This experience was a hugely disappointing and the management team at the Bel & the Dragon should be ashamed for letting me and my family down as well as many others. I cooked when we got home. Tom
Rachel H
Very disappointing. Food sounded good on the menu but didn’t live up to par. Bland food or the flavours didn’t work. Service was already added , when it also needs work. They didn’t ask at all how the food was. Won’t be visiting again
Sim1wyatt
Excellent service and food was fantastic. Thank you to Chloe who provided the excellent service. Food was a very good standard. Well done the Bel and the Dragon
Issy H
I rarely comment on experiences but felt compelled to do so. The ambience was flat, the service was mediocre and the meal was appalling.
Richard Jackson
Lovely meals and excellent service. Thank you. ?
Gillian Fountain
An extremely pleasant afternoon sat outside on a sunny afternoon.The pub was recommended to me by a friend.I hadn’t taken into account there was private parking at the back. Noted for future use.The inside looked lovely and colourful all decked out in Autumn colours.The staff were welcoming and helpful, and they took cards AND cash.I’m definitely returning and making this my new go to local place to meet.
Gemma Cole
Dined at the restaurant on a Sunday. Lovely food and good service. Vegan options too
Took my mother for a nights stay for her birthday. What a disappointment from start to finish. We were greeted by a rather abrupt woman who initially tried to charge an extra £50 for the rooms. Having to sort that out in front of my mum was not a great start. I booked two premium double rooms. Once you walk past the smelly toilets and we entered our rooms we were very underwhelmed. The cleaners need to be told how to clean, dust everywhere. The toilets were filthy! My mums tv wasn’t plugged in. The meal was also very disappointing and again, I was overcharged for the wine. The breakfast was not hot and the waiter looked like he had a hangover and very scruffy. In checking out I had to pay the additional extra but was meant to have had £37 per person towards dinner on the package which of course had not been applied. No apology and again embarrassing in front of my mum having to discuss costs when it was her birthday. Will definitely not be returning, a real disappointment!
Justin Kelly
Superb hotel with professional friendly staff providing delicious dishes, great service and atmosphere. Thank you to all here for taking such great care of our group. 10/10Rooms: Traditional Inn with beautiful wooden support beams.
S753LVtonyh
Enjoyable stop off for early morning Cappuccino, spoilt by an extremely surly bar person. Was told there were no saucers when the coffee was served in a tea cup. As a result of not keeping the pos machine in place long enough the transaction did not go through. He then came over to the table and stated my card had been rejected! It went through perfectly fine when represented. The guy gave the impression he was too good to work behind a bar.
Simone H
Excellent, extremely busy but still received first class service. Each plate of food was delicious. We went for the roast dinner on Sunday and it did not disappoint. Outstanding. Great wine Menu available. We will definitely visit again. Thank you
shawn d
Had a chicken sunday roast. It was more like a chick (as opposed to chicken) and such small portions. 1.5 potatoes, half a carrot a few leaves. Then they had the cheek to add a £6.50 service charge Had to go home and cook dinner
Better known to some of us as The George (and what is wrong with that?) Bel & the Dragon has a bustling and well run dining room and offers very good food and (as always, at a price) a superior wine list of absorbing interest. Dishes are presented with pleasing care, none better than the Succulent Pork, clearly cooked for many slow hours if not days and surrounded by all sorts of vegetables and sauce. Locals pile in and the bar always seems in a roar. In rooms dating from 1540 you would expect vertiginous stairs, creaks, draughts, offstage noises shared among fellow guests and some trendy well distressed furnishings and you will not be disappointed, but you will also enjoy fine fine bed linen and top hole housekeeping standards. And little Odiham is a delight.
Very Disappointing. A group of us met for dinner, the service was extremely slow, there was definitely not enough staff for how many customers were in the restaurant and bar. The food sounded nice but was very slow to arrive bland. However to top off the experience the next day multiple people in the group had food poisoning. We wont be returning again
This place has gone downhill at a rate of knots since the change of management. The furniture in the bar area is not only tatty but filthy, shabby chic is acceptable but not shabby junk, it’s not helped by customers allowing their dogs to clamber all over it. The staff are under trained and not au fait with the concept of customer service. My family and I used The B and D on a regular basis and enjoyed it but now it’s just a place for a quick drink if it suits but not to eat. A great shame as with decent management and some money spent on improvements and staff training it could once again be a good destination.
2pm sitting for Christmas Lunch 25 Dec 2023 – Bel and the Dragon, Odiham. Hook. Upon arrival I saw the manager who I met a few days before leaving the premises and not return. Maybe at this point I should have realised things were not quite right. Signed in and got ourselves some drinks and was asked to wait and to be called. Whilst waiting, and got chatting to other customers, they had been waiting for over an hour. None of the staff had a clue when we would be sitting. I could see many customers complaining and staff crying, which isn’t a good look. We persevered and thought these things happen. Still waiting for two hours, after continuing to find out and to manage to speak to a staff member, he said, “I honestly do not know when you will be seated” Someone else from the team spoke to me and said he would be back in 30 seconds. 20 minutes later we were seated and then just abandoned for at least 30 minutes. My wife went to the bar to order drinks, only to be told that someone would come to our table. This never happened. I looked around and saw many customers disillusioned and spotted a couple and child who were waiting with us in the snug and bar who were seated before us still without food apart from their child who was provided with the wrong dish. I was at this point contemplating leaving. This is Christmas Day – Christmas lunch, which was becoming dinner. I turned around spoke to the family I had met earlier, and they said they are leaving as the starter they had was poor and service rubbish. At that point I managed to speak to a member of staff and said we are leaving and demanded my money back, to which they obliged. My wife was spoken to by a staff member whilst I was arranging my refund and he told her that the food would be free. We still left knowing full well, that we would be waiting for hours. We have been to the Bel & Dragon in Odiham and Churt many times before, for Christmas lunch and for general dinners, but will never again step foot inside this establishment. It was Christmas day and me and my family were looking forward to a great experience only to be subjected to many hours waiting, staff not knowing what was going on. Total disarray and staff crying. No management on hand for the staff and customers and understaffed in all departments. This experience was a hugely disappointing and the management team at the Bel & the Dragon should be ashamed for letting me and my family down as well as many others. I cooked when we got home. Tom
Very disappointing. Food sounded good on the menu but didn’t live up to par. Bland food or the flavours didn’t work. Service was already added , when it also needs work. They didn’t ask at all how the food was. Won’t be visiting again
Excellent service and food was fantastic. Thank you to Chloe who provided the excellent service. Food was a very good standard. Well done the Bel and the Dragon
I rarely comment on experiences but felt compelled to do so. The ambience was flat, the service was mediocre and the meal was appalling.
Lovely meals and excellent service. Thank you. ?
An extremely pleasant afternoon sat outside on a sunny afternoon.The pub was recommended to me by a friend.I hadn’t taken into account there was private parking at the back. Noted for future use.The inside looked lovely and colourful all decked out in Autumn colours.The staff were welcoming and helpful, and they took cards AND cash.I’m definitely returning and making this my new go to local place to meet.
Dined at the restaurant on a Sunday. Lovely food and good service. Vegan options too
Restaurantji Recommends
Took my mother for a nights stay for her birthday. What a disappointment from start to finish. We were greeted by a rather abrupt woman who initially tried to charge an extra £50 for the rooms. Having to sort that out in front of my mum was not a great start. I booked two premium double rooms. Once you walk past the smelly toilets and we entered our rooms we were very underwhelmed. The cleaners need to be told how to clean, dust everywhere. The toilets were filthy! My mums tv wasn’t plugged in. The meal was also very disappointing and again, I was overcharged for the wine. The breakfast was not hot and the waiter looked like he had a hangover and very scruffy. In checking out I had to pay the additional extra but was meant to have had £37 per person towards dinner on the package which of course had not been applied. No apology and again embarrassing in front of my mum having to discuss costs when it was her birthday. Will definitely not be returning, a real disappointment!
Superb hotel with professional friendly staff providing delicious dishes, great service and atmosphere. Thank you to all here for taking such great care of our group. 10/10Rooms: Traditional Inn with beautiful wooden support beams.
Enjoyable stop off for early morning Cappuccino, spoilt by an extremely surly bar person. Was told there were no saucers when the coffee was served in a tea cup. As a result of not keeping the pos machine in place long enough the transaction did not go through. He then came over to the table and stated my card had been rejected! It went through perfectly fine when represented. The guy gave the impression he was too good to work behind a bar.
Excellent, extremely busy but still received first class service. Each plate of food was delicious. We went for the roast dinner on Sunday and it did not disappoint. Outstanding. Great wine Menu available. We will definitely visit again. Thank you
Had a chicken sunday roast. It was more like a chick (as opposed to chicken) and such small portions. 1.5 potatoes, half a carrot a few leaves. Then they had the cheek to add a £6.50 service charge Had to go home and cook dinner