Cove Restaurant & Bar in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Terrible restaurant.Just read it is now up for Sale since January 2024.Thank Goodness He ruined what was a fantastic restaurant

Wow. What a lovely evening. We were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed the tasting menu. Superb food , beautifully presented and plentiful. Thank you for making our evening so special.

Lovely place, very friendly staff and an excellent food. The restaurant was dog friendly. Excellent wines and Drinks.

Visited the Cove for a business lunch. Preordered as they requested for a table of 7 which to be honest, we shouldn’t have bothered as parts of our meal were not delivered, we had to request some of the sides which did not show up half way through the meal. We would have asked earlier but there was no sign of any of the three waiters for most of our meal as besides our group, the restaurant was empty, on a sunny, September, Friday lunchtime. Due to this, there was zero atmosphere and a dull vibe. No music or ambiance. The interior decor is tired and unflattering, and the ceiling in the glass area is covered in mould spots and red wine marks. The view over the beach is gorgeous, of course, thank goodness! The wine was expensive and twice the waiter came back to say they didn’t have a bottle we had ordered. Cocktails were good. The waiter who served our amuse bouche did not know what the dish was so had to go back to the kitchen to ask. Our steak sauces came out late. Our steaks were overcooked and mine tasted almost a bit boiled. Everything came out on boiling hot plates, including the starters, which alluded to the fact everything was being heated up, and not all that fresh. The fish dishes were very good, including the crab remick starter and the deserts got a thumbs up. The bill was just shy of £1000 and it just didn’t live up to expectations in the slightest. It feels soulless and really needs some friendly faces and an update - come on Michael Caines, this place feels forgotten about and it was once a vibrant and thriving restaurant! With so much competition coming from excellent eateries in Falmouth, I cannot see this place staying open for much longer.

Thursday 24th August 2023, My husband and I drove up to the pretty cove of Maenporth, where we were going to have dinner at a ‘Michelin’ award winning Cornish restaurant called ‘The Cove’. The restaurant overlooked the beach at Maenporth in a prime position with wonderful views over the beach. My husband and I were greeted warmly and seated on the terrace overlooking the beach, where we had pre-dinner drinks and pursued their extensive and wonderful menu. My husband had a pint of ‘Atlantic Ale’ and I had a mock tail called ‘Life’s A Peach’. We ordered and when our food was ready we were escorted to our table by the window overlooking the beach. Our waiters for the evening were Harry and Fin and they were very professional in everything that they did for us and nothing was too much trouble for them and it was all done with humour and a smile. My husband had the mussels in a white wine and cream sauce served with fresh crusty bread for mopping up his starter. I had scallops, salmon caviar and black pudding bon bons served with rocket salad and a lovely dressing. The starters were lovely and light and just the right size to get the palate started. For our main course both my husband and I had Crab in Garlic with a pastry shell, My husband had his served with salad and chips. I had mine served with salad and buttered new potatoes. The crab was sublime and wonderfully delicious. We washed all this wonderful food down with a nice bottle of white chilled Chardonnay wine, which went perfectly with the meal. My husband for his dessert had the warm milk chocolate mousse, which he said was delicious. I had the dark chocolate mousse in a chocolate pot, on chocolate crumb with honeycomb and served with honeycomb ice cream. It was a sweet to ‘Live For’ as it was simply delicious. We did not bother with tea or coffee afterwards, as we were both well fed and very content. . Afterwards, we strolled slowly back to the car park and watched a wonderful sunset - The end to a perfect evening.

We visited the Cove as it was the closest restaurant to our air bnb that we could find. Expectations weren’t high but goodness me the food was incredible, staff were attentive and cost was reasonable for this type of establishment. I had the Thai green seafood curry and king prawns to start. The wine was perfectly paired to the subtle flavours in the Thai Curry and I could not manage a dessert although I was informed by my family that these were also excellent. If you are looking for the best mussels you have tasted and prawns that are of a very significant size then book the Cove you will not be disappointed.

They refused to serve us asking if we had booked. There were plenty of tables and they admitted they had insufficient staff. Pathetic.

We visited The Cove for dinner on the last night of our week's holiday and to celebrate our Silver Wedding which was earlier in the week. Unlike the earlier reviewer we didn't find anything to complain about in the restaurant or it's furnishings. The covered terrace is a lovely place to eat. Service was excellent and the staff went our of their way to provide me with alternatives to ingredients I am allergic to. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and would love to visit again if the opportunity arises.

There is something missing in this restaurant. The eating area needs an upgrade including the tables and flooring. Considering this is Michael Caine’s restaurant, it doesn’t feel like you are dining in a well known chef’s restaurant. I think the staff tried quite hard to provide a good service, but somehow it missed the mark, for example, one table was cleared and mussel shells were dropped and kicked across the floor inside of being picked up. The mushroom risotto overpowered the hake. Some of the wine is overpriced. Overall underwhelming.

We booked lunch for extended family whilst on holiday; had to pre-order food which is fine for 10 people... But it felt like one of those mass catered Christmas meals you go to where it's just 'get the food out on time'. The people serving us were friendly, but for example we didn't get asked if we wanted more drinks during the meal which was weird. The food I would rate as the best thing about it- we all loved our fish/seafood starters particularly and desserts, but I think it just goes to show that a great restaurant experience is much more than food. Wasn't knocked out by the quality of the decor/finish in the place, but it has a lovely view of the beach. I'm not sure how well the place would do elsewhere. We paid about £80 a head for 3 course lunch with 1 drink each and I feel like the experience didn't match that price.

Booked in August for a table for two for dinner to celebrate our anniversary on 5 September. Confirmation email received. We live in Kent and we were staying for a few days in Padstow. Made the 1 hour journey to The Cove to find the restaurant was closed. So disappointing. Emailed the restaurant and still no response/apology. Website shows the place should have been opened. Appalling. Should have stuck with Rick!,

First of all, we went to the Restaurant for dinner and we remained satisfied. Eating with that postcard view (Maenport Beach) is a memorable experience. You can enjoy the view while simply having drinks on the bar terrace. In that case, we recommend bringing a jacket as it may get windy and chilly in the evening. We had a Set Menu and the seafood was really fresh, well presented and appealing. The service is kind and professional. The only critic is that such a fancy place should not use paper serviettes. All in all, we would love to return to try new recipes.

Slightly disappointed with environment, needs a little updating and care. Food was good. Service good. But for a restaurant with Michael Caine as owner I would have expected more. The atmosphere was lacking as only 2 other tables eating at 8.00pm. I would best describe this place as a casual bistro , probably better during the busy day period. Only one non alcohol beer available and they had run out of Australian Chardonnay. Not value for money.

Went last night with family,fabulous food and service was absolutely stunning headed up by James.Food choices superb, dishes wonderfully presented.Will be back soon as live locally

Not smart for a known chefs restaurant. Food okay nothing special. Service charge huge for not very good service. Drinks over priced. So never again.

I have been with my partner after Petra having drinks and the place is superb! We were attended by Zeyad and he treated like at home. He has been so Kind to us, polite and always taking care of us. Absolutely recommended!

Fantastic food-Fantastic location-fantastic price. Had - crab remike Stone bass Chocolate Crunchie All plates superb. We will be back

We live locally, had a week off work spent at home and decided to support a local business, having not eaten there since it changed hands.We went along to the Cove after a coastal walk. We looked forward to a glass of chilled wine and...

Have read the mixed reviews on The Cove and was surprised by the negative ones about the food and service. We went for the tasting menu and wine pairing. I will admit it’s not cheap but so worth it. Each course was accompanied by a...

Terrible Attitude of Staff ! Went in to look at Menu ,asked member of staff and was told” You can’t book tonight,fully booked “ Instead of saying Good Afternoon,how May I help, sorry fully booked tonight but May we offer you another night “ Strangely...

We wanted a special supper to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary and this looked like a great view and with the celebrity endorsement a sure thing. The food was nothing special - the temperature of my meal was not good and the taste was...

Wow Wow Wow What a fantastic experience we had here. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome, great drinks to start. Fabulous view, spotless. Lovely selection on the menu, I found it difficult choosing. Now I really don’t like artichokes but...

Finally had the chance to dine at The Cove this evening and I can only speak of good things. The restaurant has a wonderful seaside view, was very warm and inviting and the staff members were especially lovely. The food was amazing and of the...

Really impressed with this lovely restaurant as it serves delicious, and beautifully presented quality food in a non-pretentious setting. Delicious mocktails. Great views and a lovely ambience.

Fantastic restaurant in a glorious setting overlooking the beach The food was fantastic we went for lunch Sunday roast was sublime and my wife had Hake risotto amazing Crab and Ceviche to start both brilliant Staff were excellent It’s £45 2 courses cheapest bottle red...

Poorest night ever in a reputedly top expensive restaurant. Service abysmal, main course was cold and congealed while waiting for ordered sides. Ruined a birthday night out, Staff polite and apologetic but only excuse was they were busy! Clearly overbooked. Will not go again.

Myself and my husband along with our 2 dogs treated ourselves to a meal out while on holiday. And indeed it was a treat. Food was amazing. If it wasn't frowned upon in public, I'd have locked my plate clean. We had several different people...

Michael Caines - very disappointed with the standard of your restaurant in Maenporth. Whilst the food was very good & the few staff available were working very hard, having to wait for 25 minutes to have empty plates taken away is below our expectation for...

Visited for a birthday meal - it was brilliant! We had three courses, all amazing. Service was flawless. Beautiful views and lovely atmosphere.

We had lunch and it was very, very good. We hadn't booked and we had a warm friendly welcome. The lunch menu had three choices for each course at a very reasonable price. Each course was delicious and the quality of the ingredients was exceptional....

We went there as a treat for my mother in law who was visiting Cornwall. First of all when we arrived the parking area was poorly signed and lit. It was not apparent where the entrance of the restaurant was. Signage was also an issue...

We booked this restaurant for a recent visit to Cornwall, on the basis of its great reviews, Michelin rating etc, and good sea views etc. Unfortunately only the views lived up to the hype... The restaurant itself was ok, fairly nicely done out and good layout. The views were fantastic looking out onto the bay!The staff tried their best, but it was not the level of service you would expect from a Michelin restaurant... we were served by about 4 different people during our meal, when you would really expect to have a more personable experience and looked after by one of the waiting staff throughout your meal. We were really rushed throughout, even though the restaurant was very quiet. We had received our starters, drinks, mains, and the bill within an hour of being there! This did ruin the experience a lot for us, as you tend to try and enjoy the occasion when dining at a 'nicer' restaurant...On top of this, the food itself I cannot imagine was freshly prepared, only due to the fact the starter arrived 3 minutes after ordering, and the main 10 minutes after that... We had the Monkfish and the Cod, and it was definitely nothing to shout about.The prices were what you would expect for a fine dining experience with Michelin star food, however this was not what was served here, so the value was awful! The main courses are around £25, but this does not include any sides, i.e. chips/potatoes, vegetables etc. For 2 people, we paid for 2 drinks, starters and mains £120... for a meal and service I would have felt more expecting to pay around £60 for.The whole vibe was more of a cheap beach bar vibe, and definitely not a fine dining or Michelin star restaurant. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant at all for quality food, and an enjoyable dinner, but possibly somewhere to visit for a drink or light snack to take a break from the beach if you are nearby.

As we had many enjoyable meals at The Cove with the previous owner, our daughter chose to have her wedding reception here and we were not disappointed it was amazing. Therefore we had high expectations last evening, especially considering this is now Michelin’s star Restraurant, but we were bitterly disappointed, the standard of food has definitely declined. Although the staff were polite and friendly the whole experience was sub standard.For an evening venue the menu was poor, with very little choice and a mismatch of options eg curry but no rice available. The printed menu itself was something you would expect find in a beach bar (Large piece of card).When our choice of red wine was delivered to our table it was just plonked down un opened the waitress did not offer us the chance to taste it, as is customary when serving red wine. Presentation of food was poor, basically we were served over priced beach food. Beware of the cheeky 12.5% discretionary service charge added at the bottom of your bill. We feel that the management need to decide if this is a high end Restraurant or a beach bar, it can’t be both. We wont be returning and we don’t see many, if any locals choosing to dine here.Date of visit evening of 12th Sept 2021

This is a lovely location with wonderful views.We had good service but disappointed to have to ask for water for the table on 3 occasions before we received it.The meal was mixed, my wife had the duck which was delicious, however I had the curried monkfish which was really disappointing as I felt it was overwhelmed by the tarragon.Overall we did have an enjoyable lunch.

We had pre booked our table before holidaying in the area so didn’t know what to expect when we arrived. I was kind of expecting a nice well presented restaurant but was surprised to find something a bit less. Our table was inside a glass lean to on the front of the building on decking. I wasn’t really expecting dinner to be served at a rattan garden table. Staff were friendly enough but looked a bit sloppy, as was the service. Ok for a beach bar but not for the prices being charged. There was no atmosphere in the restaurant and tables were too near the host station so staff discussions could be heard by diners. The menu is a mixed bag with expensive starters and dessert and reasonably priced mains- until you add on the must have sides. The food I ordered was a bit tasteless- smoked salmon and plaice ( cold). My husband had the fish and chips which was really good but served on paper! Other little things could have been remedied- butter warm enough to spread, condiments, tomatoes at room temperature etc. I did complain about my fish being cold but was told it was the environment rather than it being undercooked a reduction in price was made but not removed from the bill. 12.5% service charge is a bit heavy too for the style of restaurant. In conclusion I feel this could be a lovely restaurant with a few tweaks and redefining the target market. Is it high end dining or beach food?? We wouldn’t return.

Considering the cost and supposed quality of the cove this was pretty underwhelming. What was good…nice setting, food presentation, food came out very hot and was cooked nicely. What needs improvement…Flavour! This was lacking in all our dishes. Service…again not terrible but considering the cost it lacked a bit of quality and polishing. Cocktails…weren’t well mixed. 12.5% service charge!!

Took my wife and daughter her for supper. Kirsty our waitress was super efficient as was all the staff who delivered our meal and cleared our table. The food is tasty and well presented but over priced in my humble opinion . Having to order sides to compliment my main always leaves bad taste in my mouth. The 12.5% service charge is also excessive. The staff certainly deserved the customary 10% of which I had no problem with and if it wasn't on the bill I would have added it anyway. All in all an enjoyable evening with my family but would I return ? The jury is out.

We had been to a wonderful restaurant two days prior to coming here and we really looking forward to this we had tried to book the best restaurants (in terns of ratings) for our staycation holiday.When walking into the restaurant, it felt so drab! The restaurant which could have felt welcoming had zero ambiance! There was no friendly greet, no music, no candles etc or just anything at all to give it a special feel. My main issues however were even worse than this. When going to the loo, i was really surprised to find cardboard boxes had been thrown on a sofa near the toilets (staff obviously didn’t care to hide the rubbish). Next to my chair inside the restaurant was a tub of water (I had no idea what it was for so tucked it under my chair). During the meal, a member of staff came over and just casually said ‘shall I get rid of that dog water for you’. The worst part was the food and drink. I ordered a cocktail and honestly I couldn’t believe the amount in the half filled glass and it cost £11 (which I knew when ordering however it was almost ridiculous how much was in the glass). I ordered a burger to eat which really I couldn’t imagine could go wrong and it was just terrible (a very thin chewy hamburger style burger) and the other meals at the table were very poor quality too.We were a bit mortified at the 12.5% service charge we paid with the bill and during the drive back to our accommodation decided that the restaurant food, service etc was so bad that we really should have flagged it up at the time but of course nobody wants an awkward situation.

Plus points first; they allow dogs in the covered terrace. The view is nice. That’s about it. The service was woeful; extremely slow and they forgot things when they finally got to us. The food was alright, but really no better than midfield pub food. The menu was also a bit limited and lacking in imagination. The wine was mediocre and the measures did not appear to, er, measure up although I obviously did not measure them. We almost walked out but we were hungry and had no other options. I’d say the bill was at least double that which would be warranted based on the quality of the food.

Had a delightful Saturday lunch here with friends. V grown up place, not really for kids. Tables well spaced both in and out. Light and airy with lovely views. Food and drink good but service excellent. Am very keen to revisit.

When they asked for credit card details to charge us if we did not turn up, I had no problem. When we turned up and they were closed without any notice should they not pay me?

As below. Utterly utterly unprofessional. We had booked weeks ago knowing how difficult the peak season can be. No phone call, no missed call, no email despite having all these details. There. Is. No. Excuse. To treat customers with this much disdain says a lot about the culture of an organisation. The worst of it is we had an email threatening to charge us £40 a head if we didn’t show up!

Really looking forward to eating at The Cove - turned up at 8pm by taxi for a confirmed reservation. Notice on window stating closed due to Covid. The note also stated they had tried to contact all reservations by email and phone. This is categorically untrue. The table had been booked for 3 weeks and had received an email confirmation. Why then did I not receive an email stating the closure. No missed phone calls from them either.It is one thing not contacting their guests but to actually lie about it is completely unacceptable and very unprofessional. They know they are situated in a remote location so all efforts should have been made to contact everybody. There simply is no excuse.Michael Caines should be very worried about this restaurant if his staff are going to perform this badly.We were not the only people talking about this unprofessional attitude over the last few days in Falmouth.

We turned up here by taxi for a confirmed reservation for 10 for lunch. Notice on the door said closed due to Covid. No excuse not to notify us. No chance of finding anywhere else for this Saturday special celebration! Very disappointed, quite spoilt my day.

A restaurant with a magnificent outlook and excellent service providing a slightly unsettling mix of beach bistro with evening fine dining. I think it ultimately does work, but I found it somewhat bizarre to be paying something over £150 a head for a meal with children running around the table at the outset! The atmosphere did improve as the evening progressed and the kids presumably went to bed! Michael Caine’s influence is clear with tip top presentation and texture. Flavour was a little more hit and miss in one or two dishes, but generally very good. We also chose the wine flight to go with the fine dining tasting menu - all the wines were nicely matched with each course, but the amounts given in the glass are not terribly generous. So all in all a pleasant venue for special occasions, though expect to pay a lot!

The celebration was a birthday & pre-wedding celebration. We started with Michael Caines own Champagne (which was very nice). The service was good, with just the right level of presence and the food was excellent. I had sea bream ceviche and the special of local Cadgwith turbot with scallop and samphire. All the dishes looked great and everyone enjoyed their food. This is a Michael Caines restaurant and my expectations were high.I’d visited The Cove in its previous format -and was surprised the toilets hadn’t been upgraded. I rate a restaurant by the food, service and toilets (if they aren’t spotless - are the kitchens?) In this case the corners of the floor looked grubby and there was tissue left in the floor - which my daughter had mentioned an hour earlier. A small thing - and so easy to improve! So come on Michael Caines - add a bit of luxury to your loos!!

my family were staying with my parents in cornwall as they live there and they booked us lunch at The Cove as none of us had been before. I read the tripadvisor reviews the day of our booking and became a little nervous of what our lunch would be like as recent reviews weren't good! But we felt the bad reviews weren't deserved based on the experience we had. We had a friendly welcome on arrival and were shown to our table which my parents asked to be near an open window to be as COVID safe as possible. The gentleman looking after our table went through the specials with us and took out drinks order, the drinks then promptly arrived. We all had starters and a main and we all agreed each of our dishes was very tasty and nicely presented. Clean plates all round! a few of us had dessert including me and it was a perfect end to our meal. During our meal, our waiter regularly checked on us to see if we needed any more drinks etc. All the staff we came into contact with were friendly and polite. So overall 10/10! good service, excellent food and priced about right for the standard of the food given. The only small niggle we had was that they allowed dogs into the restaurant. We dont mind of course if they're guide or assistance dogs but "general" dogs we don't think should be in restaurants as we dont think it's very hygienic. But the dogs were well behaved and quiet which was good at least. We assume they allow people to bring their dogs in to try and secure as much revenue from people as possible. eg also to tempt in dog walkers passing by. So we all agreed we'd return to The Cove again. My parents said they may book to try dinner there one evening. See what that's like.

Almost every aspect of the front of house from the incorrect orders, drinks never arriving and table being cleared before all diners were finished made this a frustrating experience, add to that the very poor value for money and a 12.5% service charge and its not a place I will return.The food was cooked well how ever portions are miserly and you need to order side dishes a plenty if you are to get enough to eat after a Cornish day out.Michelin stars are far too easily come by these days.

I have read a number of reviews that criticise the food and service and even though this often subjective it was quite the contrary with us.We went on a beautiful sunny weekday and were able to have a late lunch - the whole setting is out of this world - the terrace and interior are spacious very modern with subtle decor and comfortable furnishings and importantly floor to ceiling windows which let in maximum light.Even before you think of food you can really appreciate and absorb this unspoilt unconditional uncluttered natural setting setting with ocean extending out to the horizon.Obviously if you are time restrained and caught up the frenetic speed of modern life slow service does not suit but at least you are not amongst the dense concrete of downtown Falmouth.It is also important to be aware that there have been major issues with staff and recruitment and lack of suitable accommodation locally in these challenging covid times and this has an impactAs for the food - it was amazing.The sea bream carpaccio and pistachio soufflé were of the highest quality and good value and this made the dining experience complete.I do say these dishes were fine dining standard and was pleased it was not Michelin star style of formality and linen tablecloths and liveried staff.The food spoke.During our two weeks in Cornwall we ate at some of the best rated restaurant and this is one. of the m out memorable for overall experience

Superb setting with views of the sea, very warm and attentive service team, very varied menu from Fish and Chips through to steaks and duck dishes, special vegetarian menu. Cafe atmosphere and children warmly received, highly recommend

Booked up months in advance for a special evening meal and the start was promising with an unbelievably beautiful beach view and kind and attentive service. The atmosphere is very casual, this suited us however some may feel it a bit out of keeping with the price point and in offering a fine dining tasting menu. We thought to treat ourselves to the signature tasting menu alongside a glass of champagne each and a bottle of wine to share, making a total of £260 for the two of us (tip included). Unfortunately though the food was pleasant it was no where near the standard to be expected from a Michelin recommendation and around double the money we’d expect to pay for this quality. The cerviche lacked bite and freshness. The terrine dry. Cod slightly overcooked as well as the beef. And a pistachio soufflé to finish that was slightly curdled with an eggy taste. I think that if the owners and managers scrapped the fine dining side to the menu and kept the place as a casual seafood bar/restaurant with simple dishes done well this would make more sense. The setting and the staff were lovely but we couldn’t help but feel a sting paying this much money for average food.

Staying on vacation locally and booked this restaurant for our final evening. Having dined here as a child and it now being awarded a Michelin star (and Michael Caine’s name) we expected much more. We have eaten at many Michelin starred restaurants and this was not anywhere near that level. We ordered focaccia to start which we found out when presented with our dish that was sold out so ended up with “fresh out of the oven bloomer” which was colder than room temperature, as if straight out of a fridge. The main was brought to us before our starter was even half eaten, so when we had finished and the main was served to us, we were informed it had been remade and replated; we are certain it wasn’t. The duck however saved the day. It was cooked nicely and the vegetables and sides were even better (although delicious, not Michelin star level). Offered a free dessert which was acceptable. The Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was gorgeous. All in all, a beautiful setting but left disappointed. A comical evening for us.

Amazing location, we had high expectations but the service wasn't great, I'd expect a Michelin recommended restaurant to be attentive but one drink for all 3 courses (empty after first) isn't what expected. Food was good until the souffle which tasted like an omelette. Not ones to complain but when we asked not to pay the service charge the dirty look we received just confirmed they don't offer good service!

Came for lunch on a hot day. The starters and mains were very appetising, though on the small side and you certainly needed at least one side dish for the mains (at an additional cost). Despite the negative mentions about the staff in previous reviews, we found them to be friendly and efficient, even though they told us they were short staffed and that we might have to wait - which in the event we didn't.2 starters, 2 mains and 1 dessert plus 1 small glass of rose and 2 coffees came to £102 which included the "discretionary" service charge of 12.5%.Frankly they are pushing it a bit with the prices, but in our case the food was excellent and we felt that, as a one-off, it was worth it.

The food was very mediocre, my starter was excellent ( sea bream ) but followed by a very plain veggie burger ! A little bit like pub grub,was expecting better because of the association with Mr Caines.

Disappointed sadly, thought food choice was limited and over priced for what you got. Sea bream starter was lovely and enjoyed monkfish but ate elsewhere during our stay in Falmouth which was nicer food and better value.Service was ok but not very personal. Think you pay for location which is nice but would not say exceptional.

Lovely setting but too formal so appeared unfriendly. The Sea Bream starters was exceptional but all our main courses were average. The burgers ( veggie and beef) were disappointing, also on wooden boards which is one of my wife's pet hates. I had the Monkfish which was good but have had mains this week that were better than this at half the price.

The location is simply lovely and the waiting staff were very pleasant.The food was good but I have to agree with some other reviewers that the price point was on the higher side for what we had - although I have no doubt the quality of the ingredients was very good indeed.The service was unbelievably slow. Staff did not advise whether dishes came with accompaniments so sides were ordered later in the meal. Our drinks arrived at the end of our meal - after we reminded staff twice.

Oh goodness. Bring back the old days when the cove wasn’t run by a celebrity chef. Used to be so so lovely and now it’s just terrible. - food average , staff not engaging at all and prices ridiculous. Please sort this as being a Cornish local girl you’ve got everything going - view, space kitchen. Just shows that Michael is spreading himself too thin and not paying attention to his restaurant in Falmouth. A terrible experience.

The setting is love, the staff were friendly and professional, and while the food was nice the menu choice was quite limited; there was very little to differentiate the restaurant from many local pubs which offer the same choices at better value. We went as a family treat, but my wife and I left feeling underwhelmed.

Beautiful view and very friendly staff. The food was good quality and very well cooked.However:1. We were never offered bread2. Main courses have become more expensive and I was advised I’d also have to have a side because “it doesn’t come with much” 3. Despite being a fine dining restaurant, it’s also full of dogs, even in the evening, who then proceed to bark, shake hair/ sand/ water and generally spoil the atmosphere.4. The wine was taken away to be opened rather than opened at the table. Not a big deal but poor form given the standards they aspire to.Probably an excellent place for afternoon drinks or a relaxed lunch but certainly not the restaurant it was a few years ago.

Fabulous situation; best view from a restaurant ever. Good food. Shame about the two conflicting wine lists (we were charged the higher price despite querying before the wine was opened) and the pervasive smell of wet dog. The barking didn’t add to the experience either.

The restaurant setting is beautiful with incredible views over the beach. The restaurant itself appeared tired in places, the toilets in particular need some tlc and were not very clean! Unfortunately, the food did not live up to our expectations. Our starters and main courses completely lacked flavour and needed lots more seasoning. We both had 2 different monkfish dishes which were slightly overcooked and bland, very disappointing! I have also never had a terrine that comes without an accompaniment such as bread or chutney until I ate here, a very expensive starter that tasted like cold left over roast chicken! The one positive was the bread and butter dessert which we luckily shared, it was huge! Very tasty and comforting.Overall, a very expensive and underwhelming dining experience.

We were so excited to get a table and celebrate my wife’s birthday at the Cove! How I wish we hadn’t driven an hour for such poor food…..It started well with a bread basket - but then no side plates and the most frenzied waiter you’ve ever met! The decor being straight from the 80’s and in need of a refresh…. If you’re charging these prices then make the effort eh!!!Drinks ordered - champagne for the boss. Food! Haha! My wife’s Fillet steak with bearnaise… yep! They sent out curdled and then we waiting 5 mins to get someone’s attention! The steak being the size of a £2 coin, chewy and dry! We got a fresh sauce, but it wasn’t much better. You’d get better in any local pub…. It was not enjoyable. Desserts - the waiter pointing out the ‘happy birthday’ piece of chocolate on the soufflé lol! Really didn’t rate this place at all… £186 for 4 plates of food and bottle of bubbles….

We arrived on the wrong day ! Dealt with ease and a friendly smile and thankfully a table was found.It was raining outside where we would normally eat , inside was not our favourite place to be ,Dogs, Babies and piped music ..but we felt grateful to be there anyway.Ceviche for starters was ok ..maybe a couple of extra pieces of grapefruit would have lifted it a little .My Cod was good as was Hubbys Monkfish … loved the mashed potato.Friends and family shake their heads and hold their breath when I request Soufflé…however on this occasion they mentally did backflips …it was a divine dessert of Pistachio , light as a feather …best I have tasted in a restaurant !We return to this restaurant because it meets our need to have a relaxed experience with good food ,without pretension and staff that the owners can be proud of.A walk on the beach afterwards and the opportunity to plan another visit on our day off.

Food not up to the standard you would expect from a restaurant that Michael Caines has put his name too. overpriced poor value, the scallop and oyster starter I could have done better myself at home, the roasted cod was slightly over cooked and dry. Would expect better from Michael Cannes.Definitely one to avoid,

Visited for a family birthday and unfortunately left feeling a little disappointed and under fed. You definitely need to have all three courses minimum. I ordered the cod which was small in size with a sprinkling of crab, and came with no veg or potatoes, these were extra. It tasted very nice but felt more like a starter in size. We would have had desert but the service was lacking in attention and we got bored of waiting, so decided to leave. We were basically left to our own devices through the whole meal, no one asked if we wanted more drinks or how was the food etc. They also added on service charge, this was a bit much considering we didn’t get any. On the plus side my Brother loved his steak!

We visited this restaurant twice whilst we were on holiday. The first visit was very good. Service was excellent and food was very good. We also visited last September and meal and service was very good. On our second visit what a difference. Service was terrible. We were shown to our table very quickly but went downhill from there. We waited ages for our order to be taken and even longer for the food to arrive. Food was good but expensive. They forgot my husbands coffee and when reminded did bring it and did not charge us for the coffee. Not happy that service charge is included. We always leave a good tip but will never leave a tip when service charge is included. The average rating was given due to the poor service on our second visit and the service charge. Must admit we had similar quality meals at other restaurants in the locality but prices were much cheaper and service was much better. Lovely views of Maenporth beach from the restaurant

Perched on the shoreline overlooking Maenporth Beach, this award-winning restaurant offers the full dining experience - and spectacular views. It's a great stop for an alfreso lunch on the wooden decked outside area. But if it's a cooler evening, you can can still enjoy the sea and star with a table behind the panoramic glass screening and doors. Owned by actor Michael Caine, the Cove has a big reputation and came well recommended. I was not disappointed by the quality of the food - all locally sourced - or the exemplary service. I started with a few beautifully garnished oysters before tucking into a starter Cornish sea bream ceviche (see my picture) and a main course of honey roast duck breast. There's a variety of tasting menus, if you're into that sort of thing, and the wine list is impressive. The bar also serves a wide selection of Cornish gins - the raspberry one I tried was deliciious. This without doubt must be among the best restaurants in the county. It's well worth splashing out for a top-quality evening of food and sheer class.

Lovely setting. Restaurant and facilities are looking a bit tired. The food was ok, but we didn’t think it was up to the expected and advertised standard. Very mediocre. We didn’t think it was good value for the money we paid.

Had dinner here last week and we both thought it was great. The staff were welcoming, polite and attentive and were a credit to the restaurant. The food was wonderful. Per the attached specials board I had the Brill and it was delicious. Between the two of us we had all of the specials and they were all first class. Lovely location too although we were unlucky it was a misty murky night, but that still had a certain charm to it as well!! Thanks for a lovely night!

So the short review would be… great food let down by the service!It’s a big place and has the beachside bar and restaurant feel to it. A nice vista of the cove and the outside tables will be lovely on a warm Summer’s evening.The chefs are producing some lovely food. We started with the Thai crab cake and the sea bream ceviche. Both lovely and well presented. The presentation for the ceviche was beautiful. I almost didn’t want to blemish it with my fork!The Cornish duck breast and the fish special were also perfect. Pink duck crispy outside. The fish was served with shrimps and butter. Both went down well.I loved the cheese board - a very good selection of local cheese and a good portion. Made me very happy. The banana and lime parfait was also a treat.Decent range of wine although our waiter couldn’t pour it without having to rest the neck on the glass and still spilling some! All in all we were served by 3 staff, and it was all a bit muddled and hap hazard.Really sorry to say this because the quality of the food was spot on. Hard to get experienced staff at the moment, so hopefully they will learn and get better. I got the sense that a number of them were very new. Not sure.We would definitely go back there, and would look forward to some very good cooking. Hopefully the service will be at a level that does justice to the food.We still enjoyed our meal, and the staff were friendly and polite. Just need to sharpen service.We would definitely go back.

We arrived early but the staff were welcoming and accommodating. We had the sharing platter and rib eye steak, the steak was cooked to perfection. It was lovely being able to enjoy our food while looking over the bay!

We had dinner at this lovely restaurant, oysters, bread basket & haddock & chips. The food was lovely, the view was fantastic. The only downside is that they add 12.5% service charge to your bill. They do warn you of this and it’s discretionary. If I want to tip then that’s my decision and not theirs. So in principle we asked for it to be removed & they were extremely grumpy about it! I will definitely return as the food was great though.

Well run restaurant set above the beach with panoramic sea views. Very friendly and helpful staff who changed our indoor table for one on the terrace overlooking the beach. The duck, Cornish burger and roast cod were enjoyed and the meals offered for young children cheerfully devoured. Not cheap but an enjoyable experience. Desserts were beautiful as was the Cornish cheese board.

Feel you pay for the view here. The food is ok but not amazing given the price which was the highest of any of the restaurants we visited. The starter of sea bream cervice was nice. The curried monkfish which was over cooked came with a measly 3 mussels. My son enjoyed the burger though.

Exceptional food and friendly service. One of the nicest meals we have had for a long time! Glad we chose to eat here on the last night of our holiday.

Overuse of covid cleaning left plates and glasses stuck to the table .My duck was very ordinary with no sauce / jus .Another diners steak was tough .Find paying for any vegetables a bit steep .Wonderful location ,but not matched by the food .

Beautiful seaview from our table. A memorable seafood dinner in a county of excellent seafood restaurants. Surprisingly good!

Michael Caine, I recommend that you take a more personal interest in this new restaurant if you expect success and care about your reputation.The meal we had to celebrate a 50th birthday last night was at best average. From wine and starter mix ups (1 dish being served 15 minutes after the others), lukewarm cod and chips or overcooked burger buns to having to remind staff that we were still waiting for deserts 10 minutes after they had brought the coffees to the table - they had forgotten! From initial email communications with the restaurant, we were promised a desert with a celebratory birthday message on if 'I identified the birthday girl'. That never happened. When I asked to see the manager there were 2 different stories "she was in the office/had gone home". The staff were polite, if not a little disinterested and spent most of the evening appearing to be chatting around the bar area and the service as a result was extremely slow. When the £400 plus bill arrived, we were told the service charge had been removed because of 'all the mix ups'. I have always been under the impression that a service charge should be discretionary according to the service delivered so this offer was hollow and, at the very least, insulting. The waitress explained the mix ups as being a new staff and post covid. Slightly hard to accept this reason as restaurants have been up and running for nearly 2 months and all that we have visited so far have been welcoming and working hard to re-establish good reputations. I am afraid The Cove at Maenporth totally missed the mark.

Booked this restaurant three weeks before our holiday in Cornwall as we didn’t want to miss out on what we hoped would be a fabulous dining experience, originally just for two but phoned ahead today and increased the numbers to four, no issues and very accommodating.On arrival we were early once again no issues and shown straight to our table, right from the off the staff were polite, attentive, knowledgeable and nothing too much trouble. The girls chose a sharing starter while the adults went for the scallops/oysters and the smoked salmon, great presentation and wonderful tastes, loved the seaweed butter on the shell fish. Mains came in the shape of a roasted cod, executed perfectly with wonderful Thai notes from the purée, Roasted duck breast, delicate honey flavour and a medium rare cook, one complaint here! A tiny bit more meat on the plate please :0) the girls went for pork chop and burger, clean plates showed how much they enjoyed those choices. The dessert was the dish of the night for this review, stunning pistachio soufflés with ice cream and custard to compliment, nothing more to say about that, two of us ordered it three of us ate it and all agreed amazing.In summary staff, location, view and the food all worked together to give us a great family evening. People need to realise how difficult these last 18 months have been for places like this! For them to be back up on their feet and giving this kind of service they fully deserve this review.

On a short break to Cornwall booked for dinner. Service good but choice and quality of food very underwhelming. By 6.30 on a Friday evening one of the two main course specials already unavailable. Really disappointed

Having had to secure a booking with a credit card which is followed up by a threatening confirmation email stating “ Should you wish to cancel your reservation or reduce the number of guests for any reason with less than 24 hours’ notice an automatic cancellation charge of £40.00 per person will be applied to any Lunch reservations” it was very very disappointing to be kept waiting for 25 minutes while they scrabbled around trying to find us a table. We were then dumped in an empty area at the back of the restaurant with no other guests. The table was sticky, allegedly due to the antibac they use to clean the tables, maybe find another way to clean the tables? The drinks took a further 20 minutes to arrive. The food was just ok, not fabulous. The menu itself was an awful laminated design, more in keeping with a cheap and cheerful burger joint. I wish the old owners were still in charge. Michael Caines - your reputation is doing nothing for this restaurant and this restaurant is doing nothing for your reputation. The only thing going for The Cove is the setting. It will be a long while before we return.

Disappointed. For what has the making of a fantastic restaurant, unfortunately did not deliver. We left £160 out of pocket and muttering ‘I’ve had better food at home’. Not what we expected. Shame

It has always been a lovely setting, but once had very good, inventive and varied food. No longer.Crabcake starter, small crab content and tasteless. Terrine unexciting but pleasant flavour. Pea risotto unmemorable. Fish and chips, well decent haddock but, fish and chips.... Grilled pork chop tender and tasty but a grilled pork chop!My point is that nothing was awful and nothing memorable but nothing that could not be turned out in any modest kitchen. The prices are not especially modest.Waitress neglected to point out the fish special which we saw by accident later in the meal on a blackboard.Lack of any inventive cooking from a 'Michelin' celeb restaurant and a menu which does not change from one month to the next apart from one daily special. Train the kitchen and then turn on the production linePeople around complained of small portions, ours were fine.Service was attentive (apart from 'specials' omission).If menu were a quarter the size and someone could cook inventively it would deserve the celeb reputation, as it is I would not rush back.

The restaurant has a lovely view of the cove, when the weather allows. Unfortunately we picked a very wet day. The interior is attractive and the staff delightful. We both chose lobster thermidor for our main corse. It was a tiny portion for £30. I found part of a claw - half a lobster should be exactly that! I ate lobster thermidor at Rick Stein’s Restaurant in Padstow two years ago and it was twice the size for £24. I wouldn’t recommend this - fish and chips is probably better value.

Having read the reviews I was looking forward to dinner here but was left really disappointed, I am genuinely shocked that people think this is good quality as in our opinion it was average pub food standard. You can tell a lot about a restaurant from the bread selection, the bread in this case was slightly stale and £4.50 and that set the tone really. I ordered fish and chips, it was awful. There was more batter than fish and the chips were soggy oven chips, the portion was also tiny. My partner had a Thai fish cake to start which was tasteless, followed by the beef tenderloin which at £30 you would have expected a little more than three small pieces and a few vegetables. There was nothing wrong with it, just a little bland.The service was fine, all the staff were friendly, COVID precautions were all in place and the view was stunning. Plastic chairs were a little uncomfortable.If the meal had come to £50 then fair enough but it was nearly double that, I had one course and my partner had two. We are comparing this to a number of lovely meals in Padstow, notably Rick Steins Seafood restaurant, which was another level in terms of quality and less expensive.I am genuinely shocked that anyone would think this was a high standard of cooking.

I booked The Cove to celebrate my husband’s birthday while we were on holiday in Maenporth. I ordered the hake which was the daily special and this was excellent. However my husband and daughter ordered the Cove Burgers which they both found very disappointing. The Cove is in a fantastic location and we had a pleasant evening but the food does need to match. There are so many restaurants and pubs serving gourmet burgers these days it was surprising these were so average.

We really enjoyed a Sunday lunch at The Cove. The food and service were great and it was good value too.

I normally don’t write reviews but felt this meal was overpriced and underwhelming Stumbled across this restaurant while visiting Meanporth Beach during our stay in Falmouth and called in for a drink. Ordered a brandy Alexander cocktail which came with apologies for the wait as none of the staff had made one before. Decided to ask if they had any tables for the following day. Booked for lunch and really looking forward to what I thought would be a lovely meal. How disappointed I was. We ordered smoked salmon and Thai crab cake to start. The crab cake had very faint hint of Thai to it. Quite tasteless. The smoked salmon on the other hand was nice. For mains fillet steak and curried monkfish with mussels and grain mustard and tarragon cream sauce. First they brought us the meals for the table next to us. Waiter didn’t know the difference between duck and fillet steak. They were swiftly taken away and then brought back out to the table next to us. The Steak cooked as requested but quite stingy on the accompaniments. One mushroom and basket of chips. The sauce with the curried monkfish had a weird taste and certainly no hint of tarragon which I love. Struggled to eat this and I’m not a fussy eater - one of the pieces of monkfish was a bit on the raw side for my liking. Decided to have dessert. I chose the special vanilla creme brûlée with grapefruit and biscuit. The biscuit went flying as dessert brought to the table which was quickly replaced. The brûlée had a lovely crunch but inside it was a disappointing runny vanilla cream. Not sure if grapefruit is the right addition for this !? Asked for black Americano coffee to finish. The cup 3/4 full and came with milk!? all in all very mediocre and overpriced. The position of this restaurant is fabulous shame we can’t say the same about the food!

Having been gifted a voucher last Xmas for The Cove we were concerned about the more recent reviews of this restaurant since being taken over by Michael Caines earlier in the year. We visited for lunch on a sunny day in December with low expectations but have to say we came away totally happy with both the service and standard of our food. Staff were attentive, very polite and professional, and the food cooked to perfection. We look forward to a return visit which we hope will be just as enjoyable!

As the title said, the food tasted ok but the portion size is highly disappointing and won't be ordering again, the jerk chicken didn't come with any sauce and the shredded chicken that comes with the loaded chips it may as well have just been a portion of chips

We came for lunch to celebrate my husbands birthday, he was very excited and expected a meal on par or even better than we had experienced in previous years. With Michael Caines name above the door we hoped for a memorable lunch.We were greeted with a friendly welcome and offered a choice of tables, the hostess did say the glass room was cold so we opted to sit in the restaurant. I can’t imagine who thought it would be a good idea to paint the restaurant that blue . I sympathise with restaurant owners trying to survive in this climate however not much has been done to put a fresh mark on this restaurant since taking over. The toilets need to be checked regularly, one of the hand-basins had sand in and one of the loo lids kept coming down whilst I was using it. I had requested a vegan option when booking . The veg/vegan menu was offered so chose the ‘crown prince ‘Nothing much to say it was very mediocre. My husband was happy with his choice of scallops to start although 2 scallops for £14 seems pretty high , his fillet steak was ok , again quite pricey for a standard steak & chips. The staff were pleasant , but the whole restaurant lacks atmosphere. We would have left a tip anyway but not happy that 12.5 % service charge is added to the bill. Wont rush back as we didn’t get the experience we hoped for .

Come on Michael Caines this place could be really good but you need to get it sorted out !The staff are all young and keen as mustard but in desperate need of training .And the food is bland and tasteless !

Our second visit under new ownership. Excellent evening as with first visit. Crab cake starter and monkfish mains delicious (both had the same). Monkfish portions actually very generous. With a couple of sides for two people a filling meal (at least for us) which we very much enjoyed.Michael Caines’ name may have raised expectations too much as this is not a Michelin star restaurant. Similarly the prices are not Michelin star prices and reasonably reflect the quality of the food and setting. However, the wine list is more expensive than one would expect at this restaurant; especially if you wanted a bottle of champagne.The COVID-19 measures are superb and while sitting in the conservatory may be cooler than expected in a restaurant we were fine and gladly traded this for COVID safety. They do provide blankets if you want them.

We had been looking forward to a meal here all week but we should have read some recent reviews on here first.Although I'm vegetarian we weren't offered the veg menu and weren't told about specials. When you pay that much for a meal you probably wouldn't expect the menu on a piece of card with all the breakfast and lunch meals also on there, Wetherspoons style.It was pretty cold sitting where we were and it was so dark you couldn't really see what we were eating. What I could see is that my husband paid £21 for 4 bits of duck and some kale. Later emailed and confirmed they had indeed left off the root veg. My main was 'roasted crown prince', 1 slice of butternut squash felt a bit unnecessarily tight. Couldn't taste the truffle or recall any wild mushrooms.It seems like you really do need to order sides to help make the main feel anything more than a starter.Not really sure if whacking the service charge on the bill is right for a place like this.We left feeling hungry and bank account £75 lighter (with tap water and no deserts!) and b-lined for microwave desert from Lidl to try and compensate ourselves.

Over priced for very under whelming food. Had to sit in my coat as freezing, service charge 12.5% for normal service and nothing special. Mediocre at best and will not be returning.

Arrived at our table and noticed how cold it was sat in the balcony area asked the waiter if we could change our table to inside the restaurant was told that the other tables where taken. Thats when we should of left the restaurant. The food very mediocre and over priced with service charge 12.5% for this. Never have I had to eat dinner wearing my coat shall not be recommending or returning.

We have been a few times now and I decided to come here for my birthday lunch. The views are stunning, staff good and our meal was top notch. A very enjoyable day but I do have to say it was a tad chilly at the table, so with winter coming this needs to be addressed, for customers comfort, but this didn’t ruin my visit.

I have been to the Cove many times before it changed hands and was always top excellent but on booking this for our 51st wedding anniversary were very disappointed with every aspect of the evening the one thing that was very good was sparkling glasses and beautiful cutlery but on ordering a champagne cocktail at £16.99 which was only half full we thought this is all so pretentious!! The food very mediocre I wouldn’t bother far too expensive for what you get