The Dolphin, St Denys

We've liked the Dolphin since arriving in Southampton back in 2014. Family friendly, relaxed, and offering food all day and every day. Inside has always offered a woody, cosy place to relax with little nooks and crannies - we particularly liked the wood panelled corner room where we could play games with our daughter while waiting for food to arrive. It seems we arrived just as new owners had taken over - an experienced couple with an interest in beer. Occasionally a small farm would turn up in the car park, where for a small fee children could pet sheep or pigs. It's long been one of the pubs on the traditional St Denys - Bevois pub crawl with a decent selection of beers - nothing outrageous or too modern and "crafty", but with something different now and again.

The wood panelled room, March 2016

The last few times we went, the pub was starting to look scruffy, especially outside, and opening hours were starting to be random and uncertain. Unaware to us, the pub closed in May 2018, and new owners took over in time for the World Cup. We came for a France game during the 2018 World Cup, but when we sat at a table outside the people in the next table said that their friends were going to be using it - I asked where their friends were, and they said they were on the way. We looked around, and there were no other tables. It felt rather unfriendly (it was a large table, and their own table was also large with only two people on it). I felt like arguing it out, but that would have created a tension, and we wouldn't have enjoyed the game. It felt to us that the place had changed too much, and we wouldn't come back.

Dolphin mini farm, Spring/Summer 2016 

However, Myles and I are visiting all the Southampton pubs that do lunchtime food. And I thought it was time to revisit The Dolphin. The place is cleaner and tidier than it had been toward the end of 2017, and it has been rejigged inside. The wood panelled snug is now a pool room, and many of the tables and chairs are high stools, with a few low sofas or benches. There are only a couple of tables inside where you can sit comfortably to eat. Some of the laid back, cosy charm has gone. It's difficult to know what sort of vibe the current owners are going for, as there is a mix of bare wood and cheap glitzy lighting with musical instruments and paraphernalia on the walls and ceiling. It lacks focus. It feels unfinished and awkward. It is a bar or is it a pub? Who is the intended clientele?  Probably not middle aged families or beared beer drinkers.

Pub crawl with Ian, Nov 2016

The new owners have a dog who is allowed to roam freely. This has caused a number of complaints on TripAdvisor regarding dog poo on the artificial grass.

Eight casks, but the selection is often seen beers from major
breweries rather than unusual beers from local breweries

We had the cod rarebit from the small lunchtime menu (the table menu appears to be only for the evening - the lunchtime menu is on the specials board, and is about seven items). You can have one of the items plus a pint for £10, which seems reasonable. The food took a while coming, and was served on a cold plate (I don't do that at home - it only takes a moment to heat a plate in the microwave, and putting hot food on a cold plate means the food goes cold quickly); however it was tasty, and we both enjoyed it.

Lunch with Myles, Sept 2019 

I'm keeping an open mind about the place. It's certainly better than it was toward the end of 2017, but I prefer the old cosy, laid back family orientated Dolphin of 2015/2016 which accurately described itself as a country pub in town.

Beers drunk here include Robinsons Trooper Red n Black,
 Langham  Saison, Longdog Lamplight, Marston's 61 Deep. 

Date:  Sept 2019    Score:  5


30 Osborne Road South
St Denys
SO17 2EZ

Enterprise Inns


Open: Noon to 11pm
Food: Noon to 9pm


* WhatPub 
* TripAdvisor 
* Dolphin  

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Enterprise Inns (Ei Group)