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Hours
Sun
8:00 AM - 10:30 PM
Mon
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Tue
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wed
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thu
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Fri
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sat
8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Bar, British, Pub, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
Special occasions, Romantic, Large groups, Bar scene, Business meetings
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
A truly special place to drink, dine and stay at the edge of the picturesque market town of Romsey. The Cromwell Arms boasts locally-sourced specialties, a host of perfectly-stored ales and wines, and a fabulous marquee. It’s the perfect place to rest a while on the South Coast.
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late Night
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.0
585 reviews
Excellent
236
Very good
153
Average
95
Poor
55
Terrible
46
Janice M
United Kingdom5 contributions
Jan 2020 • friends
Whilst we could not fault the breakfast, the service was sadly lacking. Having booked in December for 10am, we were advised whilst one of our party was receiving her gifts, that breakfast stops at 10 (basically could you hurry up), so we quickly made our choices and the food did not disappoint. However, when we finished eating and whilst we were having a birthday drink, we were told in a very off hand manner that our table was needed at 1 (it was 11.30). After this we were aware of the staff's keenness for us to leave, and we felt very uncomfortable. If we had been offered another table it would have been acceptable but we were still finishing our meal and it ended our breakfast on a slightly sour note. If breakfast finishes at 10 we could not understand why our booking was accepted and no mention was made when it was confirmed the day before. The food saved the day!
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Hi Janice,
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. I really am sorry you felt the service was hurrying you along on this occasion - it really was not intentional. As you mention, my colleague did let you know at 11.30am we needed the table back for 1pm only to make you aware and not to rush you. I'm sorry this didn't come across in this way. While it wasn't reiterated when you amended your booking on Saturday, we did explain that our last breakfast bookings are at 10am when the table was booked after the Quiz back in December. Unfortunately this is just a practicality of the size of our kitchen/oven space and needing to prepare our lovely Sunday roasts ready for lunch service at midday.
I do hope you understand, and hopefully we'll see you again soon.
Sean
Written January 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Keith
Totton622 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
We like The Cromwell Arms and have been coming here for years.
Over time, the pub and hotel have been updated, morphed & improved to the current excellent establishment.
We booked for New Year’s Day and had a tremendous lunch of potted duck followed by an enormous portion of shoulder of lamb (me) and Tempura Prawns followed by roast beef (her).
The service is first-rate, the dining room warm and friendly, the food superb. It’s a Fuller’s Kitchen so we expect it to be good but thankfully unlike the Station Hotel in Ashurst, we weren’t disappointed with anything.
Who knows? Next time we might book a room...
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thank you for the lovely review about your visit to us on New Year's Day, and for your continued custom :D I'll pass on your lovely comments to our kitchen team and hopefully we'll see you again soon!
Sean
PS. Our bedrooms are lovely too! You should treat yourself!
Written January 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David G
2 contributions
Feb 2020 • family
We went for a family Sunday lunch for 8 adults and a 1 year old, the staff were very helpful and attentive, they gave us a really nice table in an alcove. The food was very nice and well presented, we asked for a few vegetables for our 1 year old grandson, he was given a little bowl with vegetables, Yorkshire pud, and roast potatoes (again very nice).
We definitely will be coming back and would reccomend
Also our family booked 2 rooms for the Saturday night, the rooms were very clean and decorated lovely with coffee and tea making facilities, we will stay here again.
So as you can read, everthing we experienced was brilliant. Thank you to the staff for making the stay and meals very enjoyable
Written February 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Hi David,
thank you so much for your lovely in -dept review of your recent visit. We appreciate your recommendations and lovely comments. I will pass on your feedback to the team who will be thrilled by this recognition.
We hope to see you again at the Cromwell Arms soon.
Best wishes,
Lucia
Written February 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
UKcommuter
80 contributions
May 2021 • friends
Very Covid secure, lovely venue and fantastic staff. However our roasts were vastly overpriced. Considering they charge £17 for the beef roast I was expecting good things, but the meat was chewy, cold and pretty grim. Our gravy was also congealed. Plus, you only get two potatoes. Both of which were also cold. In fact the portions in general were pretty stingy.
Our food took 45 minutes to arrive and I'd eaten everything that was edible within minutes of it arriving. I didn't have the heart to mention it to our lovely waitress as she was clearly doing the best she could, but in hindsight I wish I did.
Again, very Covid secure and clean, with great staff, but poor value for money food wise. Go elsewhere.
Written May 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thank you for the feedback from your visit to us for Sunday Roasts. I really am sorry the roast beef fell short of expectations and have passed on your comments to my head chef. Things are a little frustrating at the moment for us following reopening but we really do appreciate your custom and do hope you'll consider us for a second chance as things get back to normal.
Sean
Written June 23, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
rebeccaannemurray
Comber15 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
Visited this place for the 2nd time and it was completely different.
Ordered the hanger steak as I had read reviews about it. The first one was sent back because it was stone cold. The second one or maybe the first arrived again, it was still the same, luke warm and so chewy I couldn't cut it or swallow it. The bernaise sauce which accompanied it was also cold and acidic.
Ordered the cheese board at £9, mediocre cheeses with a bunch of grapes and supermarket biscuits.
Really disappointed.
I wasn't charged for the steak but didn't really go out to get onion rings and cheese.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Thank you for your feedback Rebecca. I really am sorry your experience fell short of expectations and have raised this with our kitchen team. I would appreciate a little more information about when you dined with us so would appreciate if you have the time to get in touch with us directly.
Thanks again,
Sean
Written January 28, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alex450212
Southampton365 contributions
May 2021 • none
I have been to the CA on a number of occasions with friends and family and have never been disappointed. This time was different. My chicken wings were fine, though difficult to eat delicately, but my friend's asparagus spears were overpriced for what they were, the truffled mayonnaise apparently being the most expensive item. Poor value. We both had Norfolk chicken Kiev as our main. My understanding has always been that there is some sort of filling in a chicken Kiev but there was none.
You may be wondering why I have nevertheless given three stars rather two. This was my third pub lunch of the week (bad planning): the food on the first two occasions was fine but the service very slow. It was the reverse here but on all three occasions I have played the post-COVID card on their behalf and assumed that things can only get better. I have to say, however, that the three most recent reviews showing on the right side of this page give cause for concern but on the plus side their organisation during the stop/start lockdowns has been very efficient.
Written June 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thank you for kind, concise feedback on your visit to us Alex. I really am sorry your experience with us fell short of expectations. Since reopening in April we really have been exceptionally busy which has caused us rather a few headaches. We are finally starting to get there but I am sorry that your visit wasn't what it should have been. The feedback is appreciated though and I will pass it along to my head chef.
It is a little over-used at the moment but please bare with us. We really do know things are not quite where they should be but we are working hard to make sure they do get there as soon as we can!
Sean
Written June 23, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
C&S Travel Bugs
London94 contributions
Sep 2020 • couples
Our second stay and this time we spent 3 nights here. It's a great place to stay, ten mins walk into town and ideally situated for exploring the surrounding areas.
The place was very clean with lots hand gel available throughout. A request for masks to be worn in corridors etc was adhered to by the majority of responsible guests.
Room was spotless and comfortable and we slept very well.
We had one meal in restaurant on Friday evening. A small menu but all was very good and the Argentinian Malbec especially enjoyable. All the staff are great but special thanks to the housekeeping ladies who kept us supplied with teabags, water and fresh towels, not to mention the yummy biscuits!
If anything spoilt our time spent here it is the parents who think everyone likes to hear their children screaming in the corridors and shouting in the restaurant. Sad they cannot teach them from an early age how to behave in public.
Good breakfasts set us up for our days out and we noticed tables and chairs were thoroughly cleaned when people left which made us feel confident.
As good a time as our first stay (we missed the complimentary bottle beer in our room) even though life is greatly changed since then. We will be back again soon!
Written September 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Thank you guys for the lovely review from your stay with us. It's fantastic to hear that, especially in these strange times, you had a great time with us and didn't find too much amiss from pre-COVID days! We are slowly getting back to things being more normal with regards to our menus and the little touches in our room and, while we're not taking things for granted, it's still really lovely to see our lovely guests again.
Hopefully it won't be long before you're back in Romsey again!
Sean
Written September 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Julie Kes
13 contributions
Aug 2020 • friends
‘Grilled’ halloumi was raw with the caesar salad. Came with about 5 lettuce leaves. Has vegetarian symbol next to it but asked to be certain and was told there were anchovies in the sauce.
Another friend’s caesar salad was requested without anchovies and it came with 5.
Vegan chargrilled salad was 11 pounds and consisted of broccoli on a bed of quinoa.
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us Julie. I really am sorry the food you received with us was so disappointing and certainly not what we hope to ever offer our guests. While there is a confusing typo on the menu over the halloumi, the team know they should be clarifying whether guests would like the dish vegetarian or not, but there is no excuse for it being served raw.
I will pass on all your feedback to my head chef and please do believe what we offer at The Cromwell Arms is much better than the experience you had.
Thank you again,
Sean
Written August 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
brownalexander
Southampton35 contributions
Sep 2020 • family
The Cromwell arms have a very organised and efficient system dealing with the current Covid 19 crisis. We were explained the details at the door and then taken straight to our table. We all (6) had a very nice what l would call home cooked roast dinners ranging from pork, chicken and a delicious vegetarian nut roast. It was also nice to see HSB on tap bought straight to the table. I can highly recommend the Cromwell arms even more so at this difficult time due to its excellent organisation and service.
Written September 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oliverc489
Thank yo so much for your excellent review and such a lovely words. We are happy that you enjoyed your visit at the Cromwell Arms and thank you very much for recommending us to others!
We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Lucia
Written October 1, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
VBB
London6 contributions
May 2021 • none
I booked breakfast with a colleague. The welcome and service were good but the food was very poor. Nearly £12 for an English breakfast is vastly overpriced and particularly so when all you receive are two over cooked eggs, a single very average sausage, two rashes of very poor quality streaky bacon, a small mushroom, half a tomato and a small slice piece of the most hideous black pudding I have ever tasted. Messing up a standard breakfast like this indicates a lack of respect for customers. In fairness, I took the matter up with the manager before writing this review. He blames the problem on being busy and post Covid arrangements! He did not really address the issues and certainly did not give me any confidence that the situation will improve. I see recent reviews have flagged up similar problems and we will not be returning. Why would anyone take the risk given the number of decent pubs and restaurants nearby in Romsey.
Written May 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thank you for the feedback regarding your visit to us for breakfast. I must say our breakfasts are something we are proud of - being a well rated hotel it's the last thing people remember and we put particular effort into ensuring they are spot on. The COVID arrangements mentioned at the time refer to the fact that all aspects of our breakfast offer must come from the kitchen at the moment - there is no breakfast buffet and as silly as it sounds, this makes everything much harder!
Please do accept my apologies though and I do hope you'll give us another chance in the future!
Sean
Written June 23, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PFTraveller62
Eastleigh844 contributions
Aug 2022 • couples
Having booked a table for the Wednesday Jazz in the Garden evening, we arrived to find out that the Jazz music was cancelled. However, we grabbed our drinks directly at the bar and sat down outside. Our allocated table was not ideal for eating so we went asked for a table inside.
The starter of puréed beetroot and flat breads was delicious so we were hopeful of the evening. Whilst waiting for our mains, the only other couple in the restaurant had their started but did not like it so paid up and left. Our mains arrived. Burger & Chips was fine but ordinary and no garnish and the chicken dish was bland, dry and had varying temperatures. We asked for a pint of London Pride (Fuller’s Pub) and was told they had run out. A third person came to the table to collect the plates and asked if we wanted deserts which we said yes. After a long wait and the staff walking around looking busy but nobody to serve inside, we gave up, paid & left. Despite a great location, pleasant staff when they spoke to you, the place seemed to lack management and the food was below par.
Written August 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Graham C
New Forest National Park Hampshire7 contributions
May 2021 • family
My daughter had a great vegetable lasagne here a couple of months ago. We had a family get together over lunch but we were left disappointed by the portion sizes and quality. My tofu based dish was mostly salad, and another guest had a Bakewell tart that looked like a small portion of Mr Kipling with a swirl of colour on the plate. My wife's desert was also small. The place was quite full, but my daughter was embarrassed as this was her recommendation. The best bit for me was the pint of Darkstar beer, oh dear, We won't be back in a hurry. Overpriced, small portions
Written May 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thank you for the feedback Graham - I'm sorry your visit to us was so disappointing. We do try and strike a balance between using great, locally sourced ingredients and charging a fair price, but it's a fine line and I will pass on your comments to our head chef. Things are rather challenging at the moment but I do hope you'll give us another chance in the future.
Sean
Written June 23, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Andrew Pike
Romsey3 contributions
Oct 2021 • friends
Pleasant atmosphere, apart from a few drunk idiots in the courtyard, but was a Saturday night. Good drinks selection and great beer. We were a group of 4 adults and all felt the good was very average other than the fish and chips. The burger was very underwhelming and £16 for a piece of salmon felt extremely overpriced. The aubergine dish on its own was not enough for a main and had average flavour. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Food quality and price was a big let down.
Written October 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phil4Kaz
Southampton111 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
Went for Sunday lunch with a table of eight. Whilst the food looked good the service from the kitchen was painfully slow. It must have been five minutes between the first our mains arriving and last. Two of us tried the roast chicken and two the roast lamb. Even though my roast lamb was last but one from the kitchen it was unfortunately lukewarm at best. It had clearly been plated up sometime earlier and been allowed to cool down whilst the other food of steaks and beef burgers had finished cooking.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean O
Thanks for the review guys, and the feedback. I really am sorry their was such a long delay on you receiving your meals yesterday and have discussed this with those working the shift. We really do try and make sure everything goes out as quickly as possible and isn't hanging around to be spoiled under heat lamps.
I do hope you'll still keep us in mind if you're ever in the area again.
Sean
Written January 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Twhitter
Southampton19 contributions
Apr 2022 • couples
We were out for a drive on a Sunday and dropped in here on the off chance, to have some lunch. It is a Fullers pub/hotel and, to be honest I didn't have high hopes as I've had poor experiences in other Fullers outlets. However, the Cromwell Arms is outstanding! From the friendly, cheerful, and helpful young staff to the quality of the food we could not fault it. Roast beef was cooked perfectly and accompanied by a delicious Yorkshire pudding and medley of vegetables. A "standard" burger was anything BUT standard......juicy burger with melted gouda, red onion and fresh tomato slice with excellent proper chips! If only there had been some salt and white pepper in the cauliflower cheese side dish......
Don't drive past this pub without trying it!
Written April 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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