Custom House in Poole

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.

Excellent meal compliments to the chefs first class!

Really lovely place! The food is absolutely delicious!

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.

The food was lovely especially the chips

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 !

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

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...

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.

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!

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...

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…

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

We often have breakfast here but this is the first time we have had lunch and fair to say we were not disappointed. We arrived and were promptly seated in the courtyard area. The atmosphere, being on the quay is vibrant with an air of...

We have been to Custom House for breakfast, a tea or glass of wine several times and always had a good experience. We finally went for dinner on Saturday and the evening really lived up to all we had hoped for. Great menu, good food...

Saturday afternoon lunch/dinner out with some girlfriends, we were seated in the sunshine, but arrived slightly too late to order lunch (kitchen re-opened later at 6pm) no problem, we enjoyed fantastic drinks. Its so nice when people put a bit of effort into serving drinks...

We stumbled on this place on a Thursday evening in May, staying overnight in Poole to catch an early morning ferry to Cherbourg. The restaurant looked full, but the staff found us a table by the door. I had fish and chips. Which was excellent....

Unquestionably the best full English breakfast in Dorset, if not planet earth. Local produce, perfect eggs and faultless service with minimal wait times. We come here at least once a month around payday. You MUST try it. 11/10. Ps. Quayside views are to die for....

Can't say we were happy with the food. They need a new chef really. I ordered Coconut, Lime and Chilli Chicken which really was not as suggested on the Menu, The chicken had two slabs of butter and a wedge of Lime. The butter did...

We stayed in the rooms above the Bistro. Beautiful room, very clean, comfortable bed and en-suite shower room. Lovely double aspect view of harbour from our room. Coffee and hospitality at the Bistro was excellent. We collected our key from letting agency in the town...

Apart from lovely food and excellent service, a BIG shout out to the manager and her staff for helping us last Saturday, 3rd June in the evening, when our friend became suddenly very unwell and blocked the doorway for half an hour! They were all...

My wife and I moved to Poole in June last year. Prior to this we used to have a boat and spend many weekends and holidays are d this area. The Custom House was always our favourite place to eat, relax and drink. Amazing food,...

Selected Custom House Poole for family & friends for birthday drinks. Nikki & her team could not have been more helpful. Nikki reserved a private area, indoor & outdoor, for us so that we could decide on the day which was best suited weather wise....

Lovely early dinner here yesterday. Best chowder ever! Service is a little slow but hey it was a glorious sunny day so busy outside with people drinking but we had nowhere to be! Had a yummy roast there 2 weeks before. Highly recommend 🤩

Lovely staff, Lovely welcome and lovely food, what more do you need, well worth a visit. We will definitely be going back.

We have just had an exceptionally good meal at this friendly and well run restaurant. The service is excellent and the quality of the food is very good. I have just had the delicious mackerel pate and wonderful beef brisket. We regularly eat here and...

We popped in last Saturday evening for dinner and wow! The food was delicious! Loved the decor too! We will return. Yummy

The best fish & chips I have EVER had!! And apparently the mussels were very good too! Lovely bright decor, very friendly staff and an excellent menu. We were all spoilt for choice! Normally I would not choose fish & chips, but I decided to...

Four of us booked for a birthday celebration and had a great time. Nikki and the staff were very welcoming, friendly and attentive. All of our courses were superb, and a candle in the final sweet was the icing on the soufflé! There is plenty...

On a wet March night, it was a warm welcome with excellent food. We had taken the precaution of booking a table earlier in the day, and glad that we did, as shortly after we arrived at 19:30 they were full and turning people away....

Visited on a wet,cold Monday evening didn’t make a booking in advance, staff set up an area for us, turned up the heating and delivered a superb meal. Service with a smile .

My sister and brother-in-law treated us here for our Wedding Anniversary, Greeted with a warm welcome, the menu was varied and interesting, I chose the fillet of Haddock with triple fried chips, my sister chose Pork Schnitzel Both meals wer beatifully presented with flavour to...

We always enjoy visiting The Custom House, after many visits we are never disappointed. Food and service are excellent.

Visited restaurant on Boxing Day afternoon for a meal for 15 of us. An excellent experience with great food, very helpful and friendly staff, and a very organised and helpful host of Nikki. The food was excellent, freshly cooked and nothing was too much trouble....

Highly recommend the Custom House, we went Saturday evening for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed everything they had to offer from the food, service and cost, nothing was too much trouble. We had mussels, steaks, katsu curry all was incredible, the waiting staff were attentive and...

My wife, Pam and I travelled from Northumberland to collect a new vehicle. We ate the most fantastic meal in The Custom House. Candles lit, a table for 2 in the window overlooking the quay, Nicky and her staff were so friendly and attentive, the...

Went for a meal for my daughters anniversary, the food was of their usual high standards and the service also brilliant, well done Fab and Nikki and staff.

We have breakfast here once a week and it never fails to impress, quality ingredients well executed. All the waitresses are friendly and attentive and Nikki is one of the best owner managers we have ever seen in action. The building and decor are stunning...

It was just the two of us for dinner and we were given a seat by the window. Simple cafe style decor with wooden tables. We were in a small room with teo other tables and overlooked the Quay itself. We both enjoyed our meals...

Had a lovely early evening meal here again.Never fails to impress.Fab service,food and decor.Always will be a favourate.Quality landlady. Nicky.

Didn't manage to get in for a meal as we were short of time but had a few drinks there sat outside watching them work on the sunseekers. Reasonable price and really pleasant service. Will go back and try the food.

We live in Poole and it is our custom on occasion to walk onto the quay for a light lunch and glass of wine. We do not find the menu particularly easy but they do a superb BLT which I have to say is one...

Had breakfast here, 5 of us ordered, all dishes were well cooked & very tasty, would definitely recommend. Drinks & service was also very good

Decided to stop here for lunch and drinks. Nice location sitting outside overlooking Poole Quay. Friendly staff, quick service, reasonable prices; nachos, bruschetta, Peroni, ginger beer total £23.20. Recommended.

The Customs house Cafe never disappoints , the menu has a superb selection of dishes , they are beautifully cooked and presented. The service is professional & friendly . Thank you Nicky and Fabritsio.

we only came for drinks so can’t comment on the food. We sat outside and enjoyed our drinks very much. However it loses points for us as inside (when we went in to use the toilets) smelled horrid and put us off wanting to eat...

Great service & lovely food, good range with vegetarian & gluten free. Just one suggestion, the meringue dessert would have been so much more special & delicious if it had included home made meringue rather than shop bought, & fresh berries rather than defrosted.

I have already reviewed The Custom House and given a top rating but felt it necessary to reply to a negative report given by traceyg555 - if she lives locally then she would know that our popular holiday area has problems every Spring/Summer with Travellers...

Excellent freshly cooked English breakfast as well as tasty eggs benedict, lovely staff, lovely location. Can't fault it!

Amazing service, awesome food and lovely waitress and waiter. I think I’d go as far too say we had the best food we’ve had in a very long while. Perfect evening

Visited Poole on numerous occasions but never been in this venue Decided to have late afternoon drink on a very hot Sunday. A few people were quietly sitting outside so we found a table and ordered drinks from a friendly young person Moments later it...

Great place on the quay, great choice of food on the menu and staff are extremely helpful. We chose fish and chips and the chowder, both superb and very reasonably priced, will definitely go back when in the area again.

Friendly and welcoming with both interior and exterior tables, the food is simple and tasty and excellent value. Very helpful staff, always smiling.

Only popped in for early evening drinks. Saw no diners so assumed that the kitchen had closed. Whilst several customers were sitting outside, as we did, none were inside and it appeared quite small. A small dining room to the left and a small bar...