have been in the Dolphin on few occasions. I have actually been on a brewery tour organised by the pub. That was to the Irving Brewing company, just off the island. The beer they brew is great, a real treat. The Dolphin sell the entire range from Irving. However, when I last went in there and asked for a pint of one of Irving's beers, I can't remember which. It was served flat as a pancake, no life in it at all. I mentioned this to the barman, who said that was how it is supposed to be served. I then mentioned to him that I'd done the brewery tour, with them, and that it is most certainly not how it is served. He then, reluctantly offered me a replacement. I chose another Irving, which wasn't much better, I drank up and left vowing never to go back. It is not the first time I've had a disappointing pint in there. I am convinced that they don't keep a good cellar

Ed
14-Nov-09

Great location, great interior, fabulous beers and an inticing menu.  Unfortunately v little atmosphere and the food quality does not live up to the menu.  A heartbeat away from a fantastic venu.

Peter
01-Sept-09

Five of us visited The Dolphin at 19.30 on Friday 24th July for a meal.  We found a table straight away and was told that someone would be with us shortly.  Ten minutes later the menus arrived.  Some time after we had to attract the attention of a waitress to take our order as no one came back to us.   Forty minutes later the next table became occupied and they soon had their starters and finished them before we had been served ours.  Only after catching the attention of 2 members of staff did our starters arrive.  We then watched as our neighbours ate their main meal.  When we asked the waitress what the delay was she replied that they only had one chef on that evening, on a busy Friday!!  Nobody had mentioned a staff shortage when we ordered otherwise we would not have stayed. 

When we questioned how long our main course would take, the waitress disappeared only to return with the news that there would be a further delay.  We immediately started to leave the Dolphin when a 2nd waitress appeared and apologised and said that we should have been told about a possible long delay when we first arrived.  When we got outside another staff member appeared and tried to get us to return, but as he could  not guarantee an immediate meal we left saying we would never return. 

The moral of this story is, don't go to the Dolphin to eat unless you are prepared to wait two hours for your meal, as that was how long we were in that establishment for, without being fed.  Never again will we visit that establishment

Michele Corrigan
26-July-09

'Having been attracted by the review recommending this as an ideal place for a QUIET drink 'with no fruit machines or other distractions' it was disappointing to be assailed by music at a level which made quiet conversation impossible.  Also, having waited twenty-three minutes from ordering to appearance of the meal, it was reasonable to expect the food to be hot. However, my companion's meal had to be taken back to be reheated for more than five minutes

Audrey Martin
25-April-09