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Detail Pages
The Dolphin, Newbury
Newbury
RG14 5DT
Pub Type
Star Pubs & Bars (Heineken)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Dolphin
I was the only customer during a recent Wednesday afternoon visit to the Dolphin. The interior is L-shaped with a small seating area with fireplace to the right of the entrance. The bar faces a mix of high tables with stools and standard furniture that runs up the left hand wall. Behind the bar to the right is another small seating area where the friendly barmaid was doing some work on a laptop. A short corridor at the rear passes a window fronted seating area on the right that looks more like an office and a dining area to the left. Out the back is a long patio with seating. There is a television that was switched off and there was some low background music playing.
The bar supports a premium keg range alongside four handpumps which were drawing TT Landlord (x2), Bath Ales’s Gem and Weston’s Old Rosie Cider. Also available from the bar counter are cakes and croissants, which I think gives an excellent idea as to what this place is like.
On 29th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Dolphin
Impressive upmarket refurb that has given the place a new lease of life, even though it won’t find much favour with the more traditional pub-goer. Internally it is split, the left side is light and bright, whilst the right side is dark blue. There are also two rooms further back. Rugby Union on the tellybox. Four pumps with three ales and Black Rat cider which raised hopes. Sadly the ales were a let-down, the Bath Gem (a beer I know well) was a bit thin and reedy and the Wye Valley HPA wasn’t up to muster. It's an improvement for sure, but there’s capacity for better.
September 2013
An odd place, half refurbished and half still awful (check the carpet!) but I’ll assume the benefit of the doubt is with the pub and it will all look lovely come Christmas, especially as the exterior signage seems to be aiming this pub higher up the food chain than many of its nearest geographic rivals. The rear conservatory function room was still in a state from previous use, presumably from the night before. Two ales, Theakston bitter and Caledonian Flying Scotsman; the Theakstons was serviceable. Sky Sports, basic rear patio, live music. At present not one I’d be overly interested in revisiting but perhaps in a few months’ time that may have changed? Rated 5
On 15th November 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Dolphin
As Quinno suggested back in 2013, I checked out the carpet, its 80% grime and 20% carpet, the whole pub is rather tatty with ony Bombardier and London Pride on offer in the ale stakes,there is Sky sports advertised and also a pool table.I can't find much to recommend here.
On 5th June 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Dolphin
Newbury's mystery pub – it has no signs giving its name on the front although I was assured it did on the back side facing towards the bus station. A typical town pub, now open plan, it has two bars, one either side of the double front where I suppose older rooms have been knocked through. The area to the right is smaller, while to the left is a longer, thinner room, only the left hand counter has handpumps. The three stumps have London Pride, Taylors Landlord and a guest, beer condition was good but seemed a bit carbonated for a cask ale. Furnishings are a mix of candle powered, brown, tables and chairs with a few armchairs, trendy grey tongue and groove and even fairy lit twigs. There is a, I believe complete, collection of John Ireland's Making Guinness cartoons as decoration so the trendy modern bar look doesn't quite come off, but still a reasonable pub for a couple.
On 11th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]