Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 22nd February 2026) with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Oak, Dorchester
Dewlish
Postal town: Dorchester
DT2 7ND
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Peter Forster left this review about The Oak
Staying in the village and this is the only place to go in the evening. A fairly large country village pub. Inside there is one room taking up the front of the building. All is very clean and tidy. The layout of the tables suggests that it is a food orientated establishment. There is a strong community feel, with locals and families engaged in conversation with the staff. Despite this visitors are made to feel welcome. Butcombe Original was well looked after and pretty good (NBSS 3.5). The food was above average pub food. My only complaint was I tried to sneak over for a lunch time pint (I was on holiday) and it was closed. All in all a pleasant place for an evening meal but a bit off the beaten track for me to return any time soon. Hard to choose between a 6 and a 7 so being slightly generous.
On 18th February 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 9 recommendations about 9 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Oak
Country pub in the village of Dewlish which had several locals in the front bar on my late Tuesday evening visit. There is a large bar/dining room to the front and a smaller games room with a TV and a pool table to the rear. There is a garden beyond that, which was too dark to see.
In the front room, all of the tables were made out for food, but nobody was eating. Boards to the side of the bar displayed a list of desserts, such as Apple & Raspberry Crumble, Syrup Sponge or Chocolate Fudge Cake for £7. Another board promoted various flavours of Purbeck Ice Cream priced at £6.50 for 3 scoops! B & B accommodation was also advertised.
Pop music was playing in the front room. Although, there was also a piano, in case anybody fancied a tinkle. The pub dartboard could also be found in this area.
On the bar, two handpulls were clipped with Butcombe Original & Morland Original. A third was unclipped. Ciders fetched from the cellar were Weston's Rosie's Pig & Purbeck Cider Company Joe's Farmhouse Dry & Katy Perry.
A nice village local. I enjoyed my cider, but the ale range was not too exciting.
On 1st October 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3394 recommendations about 3392 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Oak
A sympathetically renovated country pub in a picturesque but working village, previously owned by Hall and Woodhouse, whose plaque can still be seen on the wall at the front, now a freehouse. The interior has retained its character despite the renovations, and now has newish wooden flooring throughout, some areas of pine panelling on the walls and wood burning stoves to warm the draughty bars. The front two rooms have been knocked through to form a large, L-shaped bar with tables for diners as well as plenty of vertical drinking space. There is also a dartboard in a cabinet, but it didn't look like it was used much, there was no ocky and there was a table placed under it. The rear room has been retained as a village bar with a pool table, tv screen and separate, small counter. The locals were a full cross-section of the village, the staff were friendly and very welcoming, dogs were welcomed. Food was excellent, simple, well cooked and reasonably priced. The beer justifies the GBG entry: Plains Ales's Hairy Hooker, Butcombe's Rare Breed and Piddle's Martyr on draft plus a real cider, all in first class condition. An excellent pub, definitely worth making an effort to find (even stay over, as they do B&B) and somewhere I'd be happy to while away many hours.
On 23rd November 2015
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3703 recommendations about 3664 pubs]