Dukes in East Devon

Ten of us enjoyed a super get together in the conservatory location on the 12th October repeating our last year's visit and once again not disappointed. A variation of appetisers and main courses were enjoyed by us all with a few enjoying the desserts who had the room to eat more. Service on the ball all night as expected and food quality up to expectation. Prices have risen since last year but still acceptable. We have already agreed to return in 2025.

Good food and a good service, but wow, it felt like the staff had somewhere to be afterwards! Was there a party to go to? The service was very rushed and we didn’t have time to breathe from starter to dessert!! Such a shame considering everything else was to a good standard…

During our annual week's holiday to the area we ate here on 2 occasions. Whilst we did wait a little while for the food to arrive on Sunday that was a good thing as Sunday lunch proved to be excellent and cooked to perfection. On the back of this we returned later in the week for lunch, and, if anything, the food was even better! My husband said that it was the best bream he has ever had and the quality of the others was very good. Attentive service during a busy lunch time - could not fault it.

Overall a little underwhelming. The service was ok and the food ok but lacked any imagination and was ok. Beer was meant to be a light beer but was amber and served warm so defo not for me. I wouldn't rush back even though it was pleasant sat outside.

Noted some underwhelming reviews - have to say quality of food (served hot and fresh) for both breakfast and dinner was excellent and topped by excellent service!

Day out ..love this restaurant...have always had great food. Mussels & whitebait starters are so tasty. Mains Pork Tenderloin & Tuscan chicken pasta ..drinks nice cool room lovely friendly staff..well done will be back agsin soon

Plenty of tables in this warm and welcoming restaurant. The menu was outstanding, I don't think I've ever seen guinea fowl on a menu before. Myself and my Daughter had the sea bass which was cooked to perfection. Good children's menu too and all at reasonable prices. Thank you.

Lovely inn on Sidmouth seafront. Great location, great value and great staff. Cost me £82 for a compact double with a sea view + breakfast in August. Can’t grumble at that! I’ll definitely be returning.

As usual, Duke's was great last night. We were unavoidably 10 minutes late but they were understanding about that. A high chair was ready and colouring pencils and pictures/puzzles for the 6 year old. The meal was pretty good and we all enjoyed ourselves. Thank you.

Absolute rip off!, My wife had a ham & mustard sandwich & I had the cheese & pickle plus chunky chips. I think that they must be using a laser beam of sorts to cut the ham as a good gust of wind would have blown it off the bread, there must be a world shortage of mustard as it was barely visible. The cheese sandwich was not much better & probably cut with the same laser. Side salad was ok but the accompanying crisps were stale. Not good enough for £9 each. We have visited here several times but won’t anymore.

Disappointed. The vegetarian roast was meagre in comparison to others we saw brought out - one tiny floret of broccoli and two of cauliflower. We also had to ask for the Yorkshire pudding which was missing. The beef & horseradish sandwich came without horseradish (but with a bonus hair). The management seem to have tried to take the place upmarket but don’t seem to have realised that you need to up the service and food and not just hike prices. You can’t drop in for a drink any more. We wont bother going back.

Dropped in here by chance & really enjoyed it. Good friendly service all the way through. Cheeseburger was excellent. V tasty with an excellent coleslaw. Mum enjoyed her cottage pie. Lovely local beer served with it. It was raining whilst we were there but there is a great outdoor seating area for warmer weather. Well worth it.

My husband and I have stayed at Dukes for many years. It’s in the perfect spot, right on the sea front and we always treat ourselves to a room with a view! The food and service has always been good until our most recent visit in February. We booked a table on our first night for our anniversary and the second night we ate in the Conservatory. The first night was fab, good food, good atmosphere and friendly staff. However, on the second night we were left extremely disappointed. We’d checked with a member of staff what was the latest time to order food and were told 8:30pm. This gave us time to have a drink in the bar beforehand and unwind. At 8:00pm a different member of staff approached us for our food order. When we asked if we could wait until 8:30pm he was very disgruntled and rude. He wanted to know there and then if we were having starters and dessert. As we hadn’t even looked at a menu yet how were we supposed to know what we fancied and how full we’d be? So, declined a starter and dessert and literally went with the mains - missed a sale there! Food was lovely as always but just as we finished eating the same guy came over and told us the bar was closing. This was approx 10:00pm. No-one informed us that it was a reduced service, that they were closing early and that you won’t be able to relax and enjoy your evening because they all want to go home. The room rate doesn’t change throughout the year so why should the service. We were left feeling that we were nothing but an inconvenience and that our business wasn’t important. I would have thought given the current climate and the effect it’s having - especially on hospitality that there would have been a bit more interest in your customer experience. Such a shame Dukes Team - very disappointing experience.

We went for mothers day and I was expecting better after reading so many good reviews,2 roast potatoes and 2 slices of quite chewy beef and vegetables, the Yorkshire pudding was impressive though,I wouldn't normally go for a pudding but I was still needing food so I had the cheesecake which was huge but very dry it wasn't the best food experience but the staff where lovely.

I asked the family, who were staying in Sidmouth, if we could go to Dukes for lunch. As usual, we had a very good meal. The staff were friendly and attentive. Everywhere is clean.

Went for my Aunt’s 97th Birthday. Had a glorious Sunday roast and lovely wine. Service was amazing, especially our waiter with the dark hair and beard his service was totally above and beyond and thank you for organising the special birthday dessert and getting everyone to sing for her, you smashed it!! Huge thanks for making her/our lunch extra special 😀

Stopped randomly for lunch on 27 December 2023. Staff were all polite and efficient. We had the fish sandwich, halloumi salad and a side of fries, with drinks. Overall, pleasant environment, pleasant staff and good food and drinks. Would recommend and will come back based on our experience.

We made a mistake by calling in at lunchtime for coffee and cakes, as they were really busy so we expected to wait. The drinks arrived, but we had almost finished by the time the cakes were served. We suggested to the waitress that it may be good to explain if there was going to be a delay with the food and perhaps the drinks could be ordered a bit later. The food and drinks were extremely good quality. The manager came to our table, he immediately understood and offered a compromise. The situation was resolved with quiet professionalism, great communication and excellent customer service. Lovely place, good atmosphere, I would definitely recommend and would not hesitate to return.

Management non existent and very slow service. No one seemed to be in charge and they had two people guarding the entrance and not nearly enough serving customers.

The location is fantastic, great views of the sea. The atmosphere is both stylish and cosy, relaxed and comfortable. We had a warm welcome and were shown to our table where a waitress quickly arrived to take our drinks order. The menu looked delicious and the waitress pleasantly and efficiently sorted out my queries as to what I could and couldn't eat on the menu due to dietary restrictions . I chose steak,salad and chips and thoroughly enjoyed them. My husband and mother in law chose lemon sole and were not at all happy. M.i.l. thought hers was underdone while husband's was so overcooked it had turned mushy. The waitress did offer to change my husband's but he was so put off he had lost his appetite. The desserts they chose were described as ok but nothing special.Would we go again? Probably not.

What a find, a great place for a meal. The staff were friendly and the service was excellent. The food was very good and great value for money. We were hoping to eat there for a second time but unfortunately storm Ciaran had other plans for us. Would definitely re visit.

Stayed here whilst walking the South West path. Staff were excellent, room was lovely and price was very reasonable. Would def stay again if back in the region.

We came here it was absolutely delicious My soup was lovely Steak was lovely All lovely Very clean All fantastic Well worth it Very good price

After Storm Ciaran we decided to venture out on a miserable Thursday evening in Sidmouth. After 2 attempts to find somewhere to eat with no success, we ended up at Dukes. How pleased we were that they had a couple of tables free. We were greeted warmly and there was a good selection of dishes on the menus. We decided on the fish pie and mussels and both dishes were really tasty and good portions. We both really enjoyed the food and the staff were friendly. I hadn’t intended to write a review but the recent negative reviews were not our experience of this restaurant.

Dukes is a large eaterie that we discovered on the Friday of our long weekend in Sidmouth. We booked in for Sunday lunch ( roasts available) but chose instead a couple of bowls of salt, chilli and ginger squid. The squid were predominantly whole baby squid and mighty good with the ginger and soy dipping sauce. A nice addition would have been a wedge of lemon and a sweet chilli dip, more akin to the chilli and spring onion garnish. We followed this with traditional battered cod and chips and a fish pie. Both were good choices but i would like to have seen a greater variety of fish in my pie, rather than just salmon and white fish..some prawns and monkfish for example as the dish was a little pricey at £19. 4 " Guys " non alco IPA and a cola brought the bill to a slightly expensive £66. The service was however good. Automatic service charging is NOT protocol in Sidmouth as a whole, so my £7 cash tip offering was gratefully recieved by our proficient server. ** Sidmouth is a very dog friendly village and as such, be prepared to eat alongside our "well behaved" canine friends.

We haven’t eaten at The Duke for quite a while but wanted to give it another chance. Wish we hadn’t because the roast beef lunch wasn’t good at all. The only warm thing on the plates were the potatoes, while the meat and veg was...

The waitress was lovely and efficiant. That is where the good parts end. The food was only just passable, i had Hake my partner had Plaice. Both were tasteless. Portion size was very small, not worth the price. will never be back. Then to finish...

My sister and I, with our friend meet every Friday and each chooses the venue. First time I’ve been to Dukes. My sister had the Hake which she enjoyed but at £17, was poor value. Our friend ordered chicken burger but asked for it without...

Parking a big problem, only a few parking places, so have to pay to park overnight, room very average, small bathroom, too hot towel rail made the room hot, uncomfortable bed, double, very basic furniture, curtains too short for windows so let light in, breakfast...

We hadn't booked but got a table outside. The fish specials were really good, we started with smoked salmon and Brixham seafood chowder. I had the plaice over sliced, roasted baby potatoes in a butter sauce and my wife has sea bass. All were excellent.

Love this restaurant booked a table for 3 o'clock was greeted by a very pleasant young man ( sorry didn't get his name ) taken to our table nice and clean lovely comfortable seats . Our waitress was a very pleasant professional young lady called...

The Dukes is a lovely place to stay, right on the esplande, and if you have a sea view room, you see and hear the sea. The staff are so friendly, and helpful, in particular Dan, the manager. Excellent customer service. Great breakfasts, and the...

This place is awesome, the good amazing & the staff so so friendly & such a lovely little place to watch the sun set!

Glad we booked as this appeared to be a popular restaurant. There is a good range of food on the menu to suit most palate and at a reasonable price. The visit was on a Thursday night which is curry night and a free dessert...

Thanks for the lovely food ! Hands up to the kitchen staff! And a big thank you to Robbie for being a great host. Great staff make a difference. :)

We love coming here for a swift drink on a Wednesday With our Dobermans 💕. Our son has rugby training on a Wednesday evening & whilst he trains we walk the dogs and pop in to Dukes, we haven’t been all summer due to tourist...

We arrived early for our booking but got in straight away as our table was ready. I ordered lemonade and a dash of lime but got soda with lime, decided to let that go. First course was mushroom soup with thyme. Tasted ok even though...

Bank holiday weekend. Yes, you should book beforehand if you wish, but we did get a table, then waited an hour for kitchen to prep next set. Understood. All we can say is that the Seafood Chowder was delicious. Ho hum on all else including...

Shown to a table, given the menu and told we couldn't buy a drink from the bar and it was table service only. And that is where the service stopped. Twenty minutes later and we are still waiting to place an order for two drinks....

Staff here very friendly, welcoming and attentive. The room we were in was spacious and clean and well equipped. However it was unbearably hot in the room at night despite it being a cool spell weather wise and a noisy extractor fan meant we didn’t...

We visited Sidmouth yesterday and enjoyed another lunch in Dukes. My husband had fish and chips and really enjoyed it. Cooked to perfection - fresh and flaky fish and the batter was lovely and crispy too. I had the bbq chicken burger with homemade coleslaw...

The meat carvery was enjoyed by the men and the vegetarian tart was ok if a little heavy on the chunks of onion. My friend chose fish pie but was disappointed that she had to share the vegetables from our roast dinners which made the...

Just enjoyed another delicious lunch at Dukes. We have eaten in Dukes on several occasions; the quality of food is excellent, the staff are welcoming and friendly. The Inn is modern inside and a great place to sit outside too. Highly recommend and we shall...

enjoyed an excellent roast lunch. I have many food intolerences and the staff could not have been kinder to ensure that I had a lunch I could enjoy.

A very nice Sunday lunch. Excellent well cooked sirloin of beef. If you are fed up with carveries then try Dukes for a contemporary sunday lunch in pleasant surroundings at a sensible price and with good service. We sat in the conservatory but it did...

buzzy local pub with tasty fresh local fish on the menu. booking essential. attentive friendly staff

Spent a lovely 2 nights here very pleased with our room , staff were both friendly and helpful was last here 2 years ago and nice to see it hasn't changed would definitely stay here again

Our's was a one night stop in Sidmouth. 'Dukes' had been recommended by my travel companions as they had eaten here on a number of previous occasions. Very busy, so our booking was quite late (8.30p.m.). Excellent food (we all had fish options) and good...

We were staying in the area for a few days and had not booked anywhere so off chance we visited Dukes and they managed to give us a table for two and this was early evening.It seemed as though a number of diners had gone...

The single room I booked for one night was clean, tidy, well appointed and reasonably priced. After about 9pm, there was no noise from the customers of the bar, dining room or outside area. The problem that arose has a comic side; but only if...

Been to dukes lots over the years and will honestly say it is one of the best places to sit an eat in the area! Food is a little on the expesive side but is normally worth the money. There is a large choice of...

My wife and I stopped off here whist walking the prom for a drink and a bit of brunch. I went into the bar to order food and our drinks. The drinks came very quickly and the food followed on a short time later. The...

Tuesday night is fish and chip night at the Duke. We had high hopes as we had called in for a drink at lunchtime and saw lots of people having fish and chips and they looked delicious, unfortunately on Tuesday night they were not. Our...

Family visiting from overseas meeting up for Sunday lunch. When we booked we had to lunch early at 12 noon as they were extremely busy. We were on time and given an excellent round table for the five of us. We were made very welcome...

Pleasant courtyard setting near the seafront. Friendly efficient service. We both had cod and chips which comes with garden or mushy peas. Beautifully cooked with not too much batter on the fish. Scrummy bottle of Mussel Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Very enjoyable!

The decor and cleanliness were very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The breakfast was excellent and reasonably priced. I had eggs benedict and my husband had the full breakfast. Both were very good and my husband said his was one of the...

I was on a walking break and it was lovely to come back for good wholesome food and drinks. Very friendly staff and very attentive. Very busy but plenty of space to while away the day. Glad I came back

The service and speed was fine, but the burger was not good. For £12 you should be getting something decent, but my burger was one of the worst I've had. Overcooked and in an unsuitable brioche bun it was disappointing. The chef should not be sending out beef as dried out as that.

Super quick service and v friendly, helpful staff. Great selection of foods. Dog friendly (outside and in bar) and great for big families. Recommend sitting inside if you want to avoid screaming kids though.

Dukes is always my first port of call when I visit Sidmouth.

My family and i visited only yesterday , the staff were friendly and helpful but the service to getting our food was'nt great , firstly i ordered before my parents for me and my children . But my parents food came out first and i had to ask were our food was and it came out just as my parents had finished eating. My children were hungry and starting playing up because we had been forgotten. When we got our food the boys looked and tasted great , but my sandwich looked like it had been slapped together. I was offered a refund for my dinner , which the money got taken from my bank again instead of refunded. The food was yummy , but it had cause me to be come stressed as my children played up and we didnt eat as a family. The staff were great and got the kids ice cream and gave me a full refund . Ive checked my bank today and no refund in there at the moment only the money i was charged twice. Its a shame as a great location and food . Ill be returning there tomorrow if no refund shows in my account.

Okay. Crab sandwich fell a bit short. It’s more of a crab pate, a thick paste like spread. For £9 you’d expect a sandwich with a mix of dark and white meat. The fish and chips was hot and fresh, and the service is polite, but bearing in mind that all of their competitors are serving the same for a lower price, I think they need to improve. Probably wouldn’t be in a hurry to rush back if I were in the area again, that said they’ve got a great spot with an outdoor area right in front of the sea...

Unfortunately even though we had an email confirmation booking for dinner, they hadn’t got it in their diary. Only seat they were able to offer us was on the end of the bar by the toilets even though we offered to wait for restaurant seats we had booked. Felt as if staff were complacent with us and didn’t seem to care so we left to have takeaway fish and chips from nearby instead which ended up a good feed whilst watching the surfers.

A pleasant, friendly atmosphere is noticeable as one enters the building. Customers can choose to eat in the bar or the restaurant are - or even out in the courtyard on a sunny day/evening. Staff are pleasant and competent . Seafood is delicious and well presented.

It's busy so was pleased to get a table to relax. Food for a few of us was really good with very helpful staff.

Dukes is right on the seafront at Sidmouth and has a large outdoor seating area which is great in the summer.

We had not been into Dukes recently and were impressed with the new bar area, We booked a table in dog friendly area and were looked after very well by two barmen and the male manager, who has worked there for a long time. The rump steak we ordered was very well cooked and I was pleased that I could order sweet potato fries at no extra cost. The house white wine was very nice and better than the Australian one that you used to have in the past.

Enjoyed a very tasty Roast this Sunday sat outside in the sunshine. Lovely atmosphere made even better by the very attentive, friendly, staff.

We had been recommended this pub for dinner and were not disappointed. Wednesday night was steak night so two of our party went for the steaks which were cooked perfectly to our specific tastes. The third member of our party chose the fish and chips which was also well cooked. Staff were friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend this pub for food.

At £9 for a ‘crab mayo’ sandwich, I expected far more than the ungainly thick bread sandwich with a thin pasting of ‘very mayo’ crab! I would have sent it straight back but my daughter was ‘treating’ me. Come on Dukes, be fair - your mark up would be great enough without having to scrimp on the filling!

Good food, atmosphere and location (on the seafront). Definitely recommend for visits with company!!

Visited here and had a one night stay, wish it was longer!

We had an evening meal there last night (04/07/19), but we hadn't pre-booked. Fortunately a table had just been cleared opposite the side bar so we didn't need to wait. There were vegan options available which was more than what other places in this area could offer. I had the "Moving Mountains" burger with skin-on fries whilst my partner had a 12" Margherita. The food tasted delicious and freshly prepared.

We visited for a Sunday roast on Father's Day. Despite booking a table we were made to wait for about 25 minutes. The meat was ok. Pork crackling was lacking as were the vegetables. Vegetables don't cost as much as meat so please increase the portions!

Lovely atmosphere friendly crowd & lovely to be dancing by the sea! As only went for evening entertainment can't comment on food or accommodation! Wine seemed to go down well though!

I was trying to get into the Hotel Elizabeth as it looked very nice indeed but there was no room, so they said we might have a room in Dukes. I had to book it as I had a very important day so said yes. Wondering what i might have let myself in for, I arrived to be greeted by the manager who was friendly and very helpful, checking in was simple and easy, I was upgraded to a double room, The room had just been refurbished to a high standard, new carpets, tea & coffee facilities and water were provided. The en-suite was lovely and the shower nice and powerful. Once settled I went downstairs to the bar to have a drink, all the staff were friendly and helpful so all in all a lovely clean, newly refurbished place to stay, would not hesitate to book to stay there again. As an end note the breakfast was lovely too.

It is great eating sandwiches and having your favourite drink in the sunshine. The service was as good as the food.

Food was so so. Decent selection of dishes. Was disappointed that after our mains were taken away and we asked for the dessert menu we were ignored for 30 minutes. Could understand if the waitress forgot but nobody came to offer more drinks or check on us. Cost themselves money and tainted our experience. Would try other options in the town if we visit again.

I have been a regular diner here for 7 years, but was very disappointed today. I had the Thai red tofu curry. Now I love a good curry, and have eaten in Thai restaurants on many occasions. I had low expectations, but I had no idea how disappointing the dish would be. The vegetables were tasteless, and the tofu was bland (easy to marinade and add flavour). I could have coped with these if the sauce itself had been good. Sadly, it lacked any of the traditional red Thai spice flavours, it was the texture of ketchup (too thick), and the only spice I recognised was the heat from chilli (medium heat). There was none of the typical depth of flavour, and the accompanying rice was plain boiled and not fragrant. They should stick to what they can do well, burgers and fish and chips. For a restaurant, this is expensive, average pub food. I also noticed that the waiting staff who have previously dressed smartly, are now wearing blue denim jeans, and even denim shorts! Nothing wrong with this in the right circumstances, In my view, this cheapens the feel of the restaurant.

I popped in for drinks prior to eating elsewhere.Dont get me wrong I’ve eaten at Dukes on various occasions,and it’s always been excellent. The bar area is relatively small,but well laid out. Next time I think i’ll be dining again!

I popped in for a quick drink whilst staying in Sidmouth. The place was buzzing,with great atmosphere.They are certainly doing something very right......keep up the good work.

We had a Family meal in the conservatory, excellent portion sizes and quality. An all year round venue.

Superb fresh fish supper, excellent service,and very attentive staff which made for a very memorable evening with our catering retired friends, would certainly recommend Dukes of Sidmouth🍷

A great experience to enjoy a meal with perfect service and delicious food. There’s nothing further to add. Keep up the good work. Thanks.

This was an excellent place to stay with the B&B; upstairs and the restaurant downstairs. Throughout my stay the staff were really helpful and welcoming, nothing was too much trouble. The food was excellent. I had both breakfast and dinner and they catered well for allergies and intolerances.

Definitivamente reserve aquí si puede, pero también puede caminar por la calle y tomar buena suerte, muchos asientos afuera, también se llevan perros. fish and chips fue increíble, tan grande que no pude terminarlo, un poco caro que tu tienda de chips, pero vale la pena cada centavo si quieres algo un poco especial.

I wasn't sure what to expect on a busy Bank Holiday and Easter Sunday. We found a table outside and expected it to be a long wait on food due to how busy it was. The friendly waitress assured us it would only be 15-20mins. We ordered (still slightly dubious), my 6, year old ordering from the well-priced children's menu. Low and behold our food arrived in good time and it exceeded expectations. My wife's roast beef was a great cut, generous portion and cooked to perfection. I went for the fish and chips, not cheap at £13.50, but a huge portion of good quality fish. Nice atmosphere, very friendly staff and a great spot being so close to the beach. Will be returning.

Ridiculous price for take away fish and chips, chips dry and hard mushy peas just mashed up peas not real ones, would def not recommend but couldn’t find a chippy

The food was fantastic - we all ordered different things and every dish was really tasty. The staff were really friendly, and the atmosphere was lovely.

We popped in for drinks first night Then pudding the next Third day we went for a three course meal Welcoming, great food and great ambience. Good portions and lots of happy customers every time we went. Fab location too so close to the front

Interesting new decor apart from a staff desk overlooking four diners. However main courses consistently good but oh dear well overcooked veg which tasted bland and looked uninteresting, this is not up to your standards.

Excellent evening at Dukes. Great menu lovely food I had the pork . We were made to feel very welcome, staff attentive and helpful lovely atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

Booked a few hours in advance as Dukes can get busy.

Pleasant staff in a large restaurant with indoor and outdoor tables. Food was served quite quickly and was tasty but the prawn sandwich came on "doorstep" thickness bread which although reasonably soft was quite difficult to eat because it was so big. I ended up separating the bread and the filling and eating the prawns with a fork. Nice vegetable crisps. The cheese toastie was also a really generous size with a good helping of salad.

Last time we visited we were slightly disappointed as behaviour in bar not good. Back to excellence on both visits this week. Friendly, very efficient service, local produce well cooked and piping hot, a wide menu with lots of good fish dishes. Very dog friendly in bar. Easy to reserve. We have visited fairly often on short breaks and will be back.

We struggled to find a table as it's very busy, maybe worth booking in advance. We had fish and chips which was huge, we had to fight to find the chips under the fish. They could do with bigger plates. Most of the staff were very friendly

Found this place whilst staying in one of the hotels in town. Met family who have children and suited all ages. Lovely atmosphere and good choice on menu. Imagine would be great in summer

Finding it difficult to get a Restaurant that was Wheelchair Friendly we saw this one

I wondered where well-to-do people who live in Sidmouth dine out of an evening. But, I don't think they do, or are rather the well-to-do residents of Sidmouth there not to live but rather to die, and so they don't go out of an evening because they are afraid of dying in the restaurant? I might be a little harsh, but it has to be said that over half of the population of Sidmouth were probably born far away, and that half of the population is grey-haired. The two populations are actually one and the same.

Have had positive experiences at Dukes for many years but always for drinks and have never stayed for food.