Custom House in Poole

Lovely cozy place. Good food. Good views. Fast service.love it.It closed during covid,and refurbished,just as good ,if not better.The best manager,who employs the best staff.11 out of 10 from me,love the inside and outside seating with scenery.A definitely must visit if in the area.

A beautiful place in a wonderful setting, boats going by, delicious lunch and such a blessing to be here. And to see Fabrizio and Nikki again. Come and see for yourselves. I can recommend the sea bass, absolutely delicious x

Very disappointed with our visit to the Custom House yesterday. The service was terrible. The Sunday roast, although very nice, was well over priced for the amount of food on the plate. Its one of the most expensive Sunday roasts I have had in a long time. As regards vegetables there was 2-3 slices of carrot and two small sprigs of broccoli. I was still hungry after eating it. Shame as its a lovely setting.

What a wonderful experience! I visited Custom House today (Sunday, 27 October) for breakfast with my cousin. The atmosphere was lovely. The food was well presented and delicious. The hostess was extremely attentive and caring. The other staff were very skilled. I’m visiting from New Zealand, hence I won’t be back soon but I can assure you that when I do, I’ll return to CH. Thank you.

Cosy, great beer. Lovely sitting outside in the sunshine

We are currently on holiday with our furbaby and found this little gem 💎 of a bistro. Food and service were exceptional we would highly recommend

We have been to the Custom House on several previous occasions, but relatively infrequently, over a period of time. We know from those visits that they serve a really excellent Moules Frites. So as we don't visit very often, and we love our Moules Frites, we find it impossible to move away from that to anything else on their menu! Today was no exception. The Moules were large, succulent, and perfectly cooked, in a very creamy sauce. The chips were also excellent; crunchy on the outside and soft inside. We'll look forward to our next visit!

Great food, good service and pleasant atmosphere. Lovely meal and wine.A busy evening but the staff were still really attentive. Would definitely return and recommend.

We had family visiting from Canada and wanted a good lunch venue and are very happy we chose this restaurant as it was fantastic in every way. As there were 5 in our group and one person elderly we explained this in advance and were given a perfect table that was separate so we had plenty of room and could talk as we had a lot of catching up to do. The menu is great, lunch specials and a regular menu. Plenty of choice for everyone. The service was perfect and the food delicious. Would highly recommend and return.

We arrived at the Custom House as part of the Seafood & Sounds Festival. The outside was a picture, lovely furniture and blossoming flowers. The staff were friendly and attentive and a great selection of seafood specials for the celebration weekend. The sushi was the best I have ever had and the presentation was amazing. Thanks for a great event as there was a fantastic musician playing and some great food and drink on offer

Pre-booked for a wedding party, food was served altogether and on time, staff were attentive but not overbearing. Location was excellent. A revisit for lunch this time did not fail to please. Good menu choice and crispy batter on my fish. Excellent.

My friend and I had our Sunday dinner here recently having booked it via email. As you can see it was fantastic. We had a couple of meals last year and were eager to return. Custom House food and staff are A1. We cannot recommend it enough. Special thanks to Nikki and her team :) We had another meal later in the week, this time we both had the pork schnitzel, it was fabulous. If you are visiting Poole, visit Custom House you will not be disappointed :)

Received a warm welcome and was shown to our seats. Lovely menu that caters for all tastes. Food was well presented and oh so delicious. I would definitely recommend a meal here 🙂

They do a super full English breakfast. Fresh, high quality ingredients, decent sized portions and the waiting staff were great, friendly and attentive. They also catered well for our son's gluten intolerance, substituting "normal" bread and removing the hash browns. It's a great setting to watch the "world go by", close to the SunSeeker factory. It's not "cheap" but we felt good value for the quality/location/service. Also, it's dog friendly, at least outside.

We had three delicious breakfasts at the Custom House in Poole and thoroughly recommend it. Great ambience, surrounded by lovely flowers, and a little bit away from the hustle and bustle of the seafront. Our waiter, Archie, could not have been more attentive, polite and courteous. He is a credit to an already great establishment. We will definitely go again !

Popped in for lunch, very friendly service. Food was delicious and really good portion size. Would highly recommend.

Had lunch there this afternoon, 18th August, well all I can say is this restaurant has it all, nice surroundings, really friendly young waitresses who know how to do the job, we've been to a lot of places where they didn't have a clue, but this team have nailed it, and the food is absolutely amazing, everything was perfect, we we're only going to have to courses but it was so delicious we had dessert as well, and really glad we did, brilliant meal well done to all of you at custom house, we'll be back again

Very accommodating friendly staff clean. Food is excellent and fresh. Compliments to chef! Would recommend if you are in Poole quay

Extremely rude abrasive waitress, we were basically told by her to get out as the empty table (within the empty restaurant), we'd sat at was reserved as she hadn't had a chance to put the reserved sign on it yet. It was totally unnecessary to speak to us in that manner, we will never go there again!

Great place to eat or just a coffee

Good breakfast and lunch/evening meals

Fabulous staff great food & wine Arrived on my own as was travelling solo and they fitted me in food was quick to arrive despite them being very busy as it was very hot today. Fantastic service

We went to the Customer House Bar & Bistro last Thursday night and it was rocking! A group of 19 of us enjoyed some excellent food mango & lime chicken, seafood chowder, burgers and Thai moules- all delicious. Served by friendly and helpful staff. Although the bistro was full the staff were very attentive and charming. There was a live band playing outside - Curveball who were fantastic and a crowd of about 150 gathered with people being encouraged to dance and what an atmosphere! Thanks for such a wonderful experience. We saw the fireworks at 10pm then more music. Thank-you for a fun filled evening with amazing food and drink. We loved it.

Lovely place, great food, lovely coffee, friendly staff, all good, would come back.

Nice place, good service, very nice food.

Visiting Poole for the night and found this absolute gem with a great menu, lovely food and friendly welcoming staff. Great place for dinner.

Nikki & the team were amazing, we booked The Custom House for a large family lunch before getting married in the Guildhall. Nikki understood our timing requirements, she liaised with me to ensure we had pre-ordered and have everything planned so we wouldn't be late. The team were lovely, the food was amazing and I would highly recommend The Custom House to anyone visiting Poole!

Lovely atmosphere and gorgeous food. The bruschetta was an explosion of flavours, and the fish & chips absolutely delicious (sweet, delicate - no doubt that was fresh!). I spent my birthday there and the staff was lovely: they reserved for me and my husband the spot on the window (by the harbour), and they even served the dessert singing happy birthday to me :)

We were staying in the rooms above. Both them and the bistro were very good.

Sometimes noisy but otherwise a truly fabulous evening meal out with family. Muscles cooked to perfection, so much so my 88 year old mother raved about it all weekend. Sister muscles and chips ... just loads and scrumptious. Service was jus t super and shout out to Eve who was an absolute winner. Rated 4.6 on tripadvisor now, shouldbe a 5.0 plus. A little gem in Poole. Can I gush anymore?! Truly wonder night out. Thanks to all.

Popped in for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the pork schnitzel. Staff friendly and attentive too

Popped in for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the pork schnitzel. Staff friendly and attentive too. Decent selection of beers on tap too

We enjoyed a first class visit to Customs House. It was a last minute booking for our daughter’s birthday & we were so lucky to be accommodated on a busy bank holiday. Before we arrived we were contacted by management to inform us of any shortages on menu items which we thought was very considerate & and lovely touch. Throughout the evening we received impeccable service & excellent fresh seafood meals from the friendliest of hosts. We were also so grateful to be able to sit at the table of our choice. It will definitely be our first point of call on our next visit to Poole.

A lovely location, especially eating outside now that the weather has improved. A great spot, nice & relaxed & no pressure to leave.

I visited the place accidentally. In both occasions, despite the fact that we were late and without booking,the staff were great , accommodate us for lunch in very short notice.Food was absolutely delicious, friendly atmosphere, excellent service. This will be my preferred place when I am in Poole area.

A lovely old building has been transformed into an amazing place to eat. Superb food, fantastic staff, perfect atmosphere.

We only popped in to have a coffee and get out of the rain. Everyone was so lovely we are going back for dinner. The coffee was good too.

Fantastic food and service. Went for the soup of the day, beef brisket and tartufo al pistachio. All were excellent, especially the brisket and desert. The young service staff were all upbeat and friendly making it an unforgettable experience.

Lovely friendly staff who served us quickly with drinks when we arrived. Two of our group had the burgers which were delicious and huge! I had the brisket, which was brilliant in a cold wet day and my other friend had a chicken and tarragon dish which he said was great. The bistro was buzzy and the food was excellent. Thanks for a great evening

Great food and always a friendly welcome

Fabulous food, the waiting staff were friendly and attentive. A wee gem.

If it was up to me there would be 6 stars, it's one excellent establishment hats off to the chef, loved our visit & lunch.

Really lovely place! The food is absolutely delicious!

Excellent meal compliments to the chefs first class!

Food was good. Service was good.

Just have a really good meal, unable to fault food and service .

Not a huge choice on beers, but still one of the nicest places to stop for a drink but more an eating venue

Lovely place, great staff and food was excellent. We phoned fairly last minute on a Saturday night to reserve and they initially were full (which is understandable), so it was appreciated when the person I spoke to called me back when a table finished their meal faster than expected, and we had a comfortable table by a window looking out over the quay. They have the balance between fine dining and a relaxed atmosphere spot on, and our food was delicious. I had the beet bourguignon, which was so tasty with yummy mash, portion sizes are good, without being hard to finish. The place was busy but we were served and seated without waiting - would confidently recommend this restaurant to someone looking for a special meal in a lovely setting, which is also relaxed enough to turn up in either jeans or your best frock. A great meal really just needs excellent service and great food in a lovely setting - but that's actually a very hard thing to achieve! This place does that. Thanks for fitting us in without it feeling at all rushed, guys!

Excellent friendly service, fabulous foo. 3 starters. Bhaji, mackerel pate and scotch egg, all delicious. Lovely atmosphere and cute decoration,

Lovely little place, great service and decent tea cakes

We eat breakfast and lunch here atleast once a week and I can thoroughly recommend it. The building is stunning and of course the food is excellent. All the waitresses and waiters are so attentive and friendly. Definitely worth a visit when you are in the area, you will not be disappointed

Christmas Eve 2023, great food & service for Brunch, even though we were a large group. Never been there before, but they were so helpful on the phone when I booked, & we had a good time, so I will definitely visit again.

I highly recommend this bar. My wife and I had a fabulous Friday afternoon lunch here. Having perused many other eateries on the harbour front the delicious-sounding menu temped in us. We were not disappointed, we were greeted with a smile and sat at a lovely round table in the window. The room was light, with a welcome feel to it and tasteful decor. The service was friendly and efficient throughout the meal and the food was well presented and delicious. The only very minor negative comment I have is that my pint Doom Bar was served way too cold, it was the same temperature as the lagers. This was disappointing but the rest of our lunch was so enjoyable it didn't spoil the occasion and our whole experience was well worth 5 stars.

We popped in on New Year’s Day and had Bacon and Sausage Sarnies which were superb. Melting butter, smoked bacon and proper sausages on wholemeal bread - Yummy! That alone would have rated a 5……. I left me much loved and travelled thermos cup on the table (D’oh), so called them Yes they had and would look after it until Thursday 4th. Now reunited with my cup, and had their Smoked Mackerel pate nibbles, fantastic! What made it was that Nicky returned my cup, took the note off it and THEN cleaned the sellotape residue off it as well. That’s customer service.

Sadly the service here is terrible. It’s in a great location but asking three times just to see a menu is really poor. It’s been this was the last few times we’ve been so won’t be going back, there are other bars/cafes I would rather give my money to.

What a beutiful restaurant ,so cosy ,very friendly staff ,and the food deliouse . We could not have asked for more ,we were here for a hospital appointment and decided to stay the night and have a meal .... A WISE DECISION ..will do it again

What a find! The Custons House was perfect for our evening meal. Great ambience, cosy inside, delicious meal and friendly staff. Situated right in the Quay. Just perfect.

Really friendly and helpful staff and good was good 👍

We attended a Christmas Charity event this week and had the tastiest meal. Celeriac soup with chestnuts and crispy sage. The main meal was excellent and veggies were delicious. The Christmas pudding was great as were the staff. Yesterday I had a Christmas lunch at Hotel Du Vin - very disappointing. Top marks to the Customer House Team and a Merry Christmas

I only had coffee but lovely place

Lovely place. Would definitely eat there again.All very good 👍

We ate here twice during a week spent in Poole, once with a booking and once because we just wanted to go back, and each visit was a delight. We have eaten a lot of meals in a lot of restaurants over the years and I simply can't think of anywhere better - the food, the ambiance, the staff - all top rate and highly recommended. The only down side is that we don't live in Poole!

Food fantastic - decor very attractive - lovely staff - our baby welcomed - half the price of hotel du vin over the road and twice as nice

Fabulous hospitality team and amazing food ..

So glad we decided on eating here as the food and service was 5 star . As soon as we arrived we were treated with excellent service from a lovely chap . The food was amazing . My husband had sirloin and said it was one of the best steaks he has had . I had the line caught haddock which was also amazing . Chips were so crunchy and delicious. So happy we came across this place and recommend it highly . Definitely will be back when we are next in Poole.

Visited to celebrate my birthday. Well cooked food beautifully presented and excellent service. No problem ordering a gluten free meal. The waitresses singing Happy Birthday and bringing me a little g/f cake with a candle was a lovely unexpected treat. Thank you.

Delicious meal, both had mackerel pate starter, my husband had mussels (quote: best he'd ever had) for main and I had salmon and prawn with noodles, absolutely amazing food, unfortunately we were too full for desserts, service was really good and our waitress was friendly, we'd definitely go back

Fantastic food ,not even paid yet great service worth every penny

We enjoyed a snack lunch outside. We chose the venue as it outside tables, was in the sunshine and out of the wind!

Great place for a drink. Didnt try the food but looked good.

Staff at the Custom House are always friendly and welcoming. The menu is lovely and there is a good drinks selection. The setting is lovely, with lots of seating outside and cosy seating sections inside. It is definitely my preferred bar/restaurant on Poole Quay.

Fabulous meal celebrating my birthday with friends. Best Moules Marinières I have had in years ! The service was excellent, really friendly ! Definitely recommend this restaurant and we will return !

The food was lovely especially the chips

Great Menu. Lighter bites for Lunch. We had fish finger sandwich (massive and proper fish) and the Aubergine and Haloumi stack (on sourdough with hummus) which was a delight. Very professional staff - prompt and friendly service.

Sitting outside the Custom House on a sunny day with our dogs is simply perfect. The staff are friendly and although sometimes service is a tad slow, this is because they are busy, which is testament to the great place it is and one where...

Food was very good, and received in a timely manner. People around us were also enjoying the food. However, the issue arises in the service, but staff members were very uninterested in talking or even smiling at thier guests. It made for a cold atmosphere also acknowledged by the 3 tables around us. Food was very good, and staff need to smile, and we won’t be back as much as we liked the food, as the atmosphere made by the staff was very morbid. We have been here twice and the staff have been the same both times.

The Forest Mushroom Bruchette was divine, the Panna Cote rather pedestrian (too custard-like and overwhelmed by the berry compote). Service was friendly and helpful, atmosphere quiet (it was a Tuesday evening).

We have had breakfast here atleast once a week for over a year and it never fails to impress. We can recommend the full English with a glass of Malbec or if you are not a day drinker a great Americano coffee. Love the building/setting...

An absolute gem, food lovely and the staff pleasant and friendly and helpful. Fish and chips, with proper triple cooked chips, I’d highly recommend if you’re at Poole Quay

What a fantastic place. Went here for lunch, and I loved it so much I went back in the evening. The food was excellent and beautifully presented.

Absolutely blown away by this place. We stopped in Poole for a couple of nights on the way to Jersey and ended up eating here for 3 out of 4 meals. Lovely atmosphere and service and the food was absolutely top notch. Simple high quality...

Great customer service, but comes at a price, expensive compared with other local businesses. Very poor value for money.

This is a very unassuming bistro that punches well beyond its weight. I will certainly be going back. We hat the schnitzel, burger, mussels and fish soup. The last 2 being magnificent. Our older party members had the Schnitzel and burger. both were good, fresh...

Across the road from Poole Quay. Friendly staff, Good choice of food. Would recommend a visit.

Absolutely loved it. Best mussles I ever had in the UK! Delicious and good portions! The team is really sweet and lovely, even clearing seagulls away in a funny and lovely manner to ensure you enjoy a nice hassle free meal and experience!

Walked past this buzzing Bistro many times and finally decided to visit. The food was good, staff very friendly and hard working. Great atmosphere and a decent wine list! Only one negative for me personally, give me a plate not a slate…

Visited for the first time today - were allocated a lovely family room to ourselves and the staff who waited on us could not have been more helpful, especially as we requested extra bits and pieces for our brunch dishes. Food was excellent and we...

We were lucky to get one of the last two tables ( we hadn’t booked) ; the staff were welcoming and attentive. Though it was full, service was good and our food delicious.

Went in tonight to have dinner. We ordered a pork schnitzel & a beef burger. The food was plentiful and came in good time. The taste of it was very average though. The burger wasn’t horrible but was nothing special either. The bun tasted a...

Despite going to Poole Quay nearly every weekend my husband and I had never been in to Custom House, we’re very pleased we finally did. It was lunch time and we hadn’t booked, we were greeted warmly by Nikki who told us food could be...

Delightful location and superb brunch. The waffles are divine. Quay side location and the outside tables are great, lovely coffees and great service.

Service was second to none. Very attentive and knowledgeable servers who arranged for items from the standard menu to be prepared gluten free. The meal was superb and good value.

We went for a drink at lunch time on one of our days in Poole, it is a lovely spot on the corner where you can sit and watch the world go by! We then had dinner on our last day, it was lovely! Very...

lovely atmosphere, fantastic staff providing a personal and friendly service and the food was superb. so good we went back the following night. cannot fault this place. will definitely eat here again when we return to visit Poole.

This was our second visit for a late lunch and it never fails to disappoint! The food and service is excellent. This time we had the sharing platter plus the nachos, followed by the chicken, pork and mussels. All the food is delicious but the...

We caught last orders for breakfast and it really was a good catch! Freshly cooked and delicious! We had a full cooked breakfast and a small cooked breakfast. Everything was perfectly cooked and presented. We would visit again if in the area? Definitely!!

What a place! We have visited on the past 3 Thursday evenings to have a meal with friends, listen to live music and then watch the fireworks. The food is so tasty especially the spaghetti with the cured pork cheek. The chowder is always a...

The location is, of course, splendid. Right on the quayside but set back far enough from the hustle and bustle without interfering with people watching. We had been intending to lunch at another establishment but when we saw the Moules Frites on the menu, we...

The service at the customs house was excellent the staff were very friendly. Me and my friends husband ordered burgers, sadly both our burgers were very dry. It was as if they had been cooked some time before and kept warm somewhere so they were...

Lovely meal with great service - will definitely visit again - the staff were lovely and well priced