The Dartmouth Arms

Great local pub with a lovely dining area at the back. Very relaxed atmosphere and great food.

It gets worse… I tried to reserve a table by calling them today. I called at 9am to be told that I had to call back later. Apparently only the Manager can take reservations as no one else understands the system. So I call back later, get the manager who tells me she is too busy to talk to me and I have to call back later.
I’m not calling back again, I’m going somewhere else.

I don’t remember why I thought this, but this place had the best damn chips I’ve ever had. I don’t even recall what else I ate as it paled into insignificance next to these chips. Must. go. back :)

Some very lovely friends brought us here for a Saturday afternoon lunch. The place looks small but is actually ‘long’ inside; there is a beer garden but it wasnt quite sitting outside weather so we’ll hae to do that next time.
Being a Saturday, it was instantly cocktail o’clock. I had a Tom Collins which was really good (gin, lemon juice, soda), Mrs K a really nice mango & raspberry cider, someone had an Apple Martini which was stronnnnng and the designated driver (not because he was driving, but because he had just come out of the dentist) had a dreamy coke, which isnt very interesting, but I just wanted to say ‘dreamy coke’ which I mispelt as ‘dreamy c*ck’ heehee!)
Anyway, the drinks and food were good though my steak sandwich was a little tough; they also gave us olives/​bread while we waited although I cant tell you if they were gratis as friends paid (see why they’re our «lovely friends» now? They are also lovely btw).
I would defo come back here if in the area.

It’s an arty pub with paintings on the walls, so probably different from the average boozer. I enjoyed the nice wine and also the fresh cocktail I had there. The music selection ranges from approximately the eighties to today, so it’s varied and funny. Altogether a pub I really enjoyed.

The Dartmouth Arms is a great pub, perfect for a quick pint after work, but most importantly a brill restaurant… any day of the week except Sundays!!!
They have a different menu on Sundays, not as ‘gastro’ as normal, with the emphasis on the roast dinners (not a bad thing, as we expected it to be great here). We tried it, and it was very dissappointing. It’s almost like the [normally brilliant] chef had given up, with the roast too bland and too small (just two small potatoes?).
To add insult to injury, a guy was serving that day that we hadn’t seen in there before, and he was rude to everyone! Seriously, throwing food on the table, ignoring waiting customers who had booked. We couldn’t believe his arrogance, so he didn’t get any tip whatsoever.
Anyway, it still gets 4 stars from me, as it’s normally brilliant. Just give Sundays a miss.

Upmarket bar, the sort of place generally associated with Dulwich now, but that every Forest Hill business should aspire to be like!
It’s a very friendly bar with extremely stylish and modern décor, friendly barmen and the food is actually extremely good (not your usual pub grub!), especially the steaks (although unsurprisingly expensive!) I just hope one day every eatery in Forest Hill will match the standards of The Dartmouth Arms!

This is a really nice pub for drinking, but is even better if you fancy a good steak (they are good!).
I really like the way the two sections of the pub are seperated from each other, one section like a traditional boozer, the other a restaurant.

The Dartmouth Arms basically makes Forest Hill. Nice, posh Sunday lunches and a good gastropub room, lovely food in general (they seem to use Samphire a lot. No idea why but it’s quite nice. Good steak as well, and decent portions) and friendly staff. The front room is well presented as well, and there’s a small beer gardeny place out the back. I always liked meeting friends there when I lived in SE23 and quite miss it now I’ve left for pastures new!

If I lived in Forest Hill I think I would spend a large portion of my time in here. This pub is huge and well decorated with its own resident artist and art by other local artists adorning the restaurant walls. You have the feeling that people have put a lot of thought into all elements of this venture and it shows. The bar serves a number of tap and bottle beers and boasts a extensive cocktail and wine list. The front section of the bar feels like a traditional boozer and is very relaxed and friendly. If you head back from the main bar you enter the restaurant which offers a varied repertoire of starters, mains and deserts all made from fresh, local produce and all of a consistently good standard. If you are on a budget go at lunchtime or early evening to benefit from the special set menus. On top of the cozy pub area and the top notch restaurant there is a small beer garden to soak up the summer rays. This place is unrivalled in the area and is therefore always buzzing making it a great night out any day of the week.

Whether you are looking for smart cocktails for a sophiticated evening or an afternoon coffee and newspaper browse whilst you wait for a train (the Forest Hill station is metres away), this bit of class in an otherwise uninspiring high street will certainly meet your needs.
The Dartmouth Arms is an incredibly friendly yet intimate spot with a top notch gastropub menu and a great winelist. The food is cooked to order and can be viewed being prepared in the open kitchen.
The décor is stylish and the evenings are beautifully lit and whilst it is modern it still feels like a charming olde pub rather than a bar.