East Pier in Fife

excellent food and service - a real gem in the St Monans: the smoked sea bass - WOW!!! well recommended

After hearing of the reputation and reading the predominantly great reviews we were so excited to eat at the East Pier but the food was so disappointing. The environment was super - temperature, music, decoration, service were all cool and spot on. It was very dark, but perhaps they don't want you to look too closely at the food..? It started well, my husband had the cullen skink which was one of the best he had tasted. I had the Vietnamese kebab which came with a huge pile of white rice, a bare kebab of well cooked cod and salmon, a cardboard tub of nuts and another of sauce. No vegetables whatsoever, the dish was so plain and boring. My husband had the sea bass which was described as whole but separating the fish from the bones was really hard work. It came with chips that looked like any from a bag of 'frozen chips' and yes, a delicious chutney. What a shame. East Pier have got everything else right but not the food on this occasion

Incredible food in a fantastic restaurant. Lamb, sea bass and haddock. Great service and staff! A perfect evening with friends. Loved it!

Fabulous seafood menu & a delicious meal in this gem of a find in St Monans. Staff were friendly and helpful, portions were sizeable, outside seating is dog-friendly. The outside eating area is covered on 3 sides so it is quite open to the elements. Luckily we were able to get a late booking for our group but they were unresponsive via Facebook which was a bit disappointing.

This is a quirky place. I think if you are expecting a high end restaurant experience you could be disappointed, this is essentially a sea food shack serving food in paper boxes with some indoor and outdoor seating. It’s very busy, the young staff are great but they work hard for their money and they can’t be everywhere at once hence you have to be prepared to wait a bit for your drinks or to get the bill. The food is without doubt excellent and the simple but creative menu has something for everyone. The tempura prawns are a great starter and the Vietnamese fish kebab is divine. If you are seated outside it can be breezy and cool so wrap up well! There are some negative reviews on here, I think simply because some people just don’t get the concept. No complaints from us, great food, friendly staff and good views!

Delicious food, great location, great atmosphere. We ate there twice in one week!! We had Cullen Skink, Gazpacho, Vietnam fish skewer, mackerel fillets - all delicious.

Stumbled upon this eatery and so glad wze did. Its bit pricey but worth every bite. The crab parcels were lovely and the spicy sauce complimented them . The prawns were gorgeous crunchy batter that melts in your mouth. We were sat on the upstairs terrace so the views were great too.

Excellente cuisine avec des produits locaux. Plats copieux et savoureux. Par contre, très difficile pour le client de s'adapter à l'organisation de cet établissement. Peu de créneaux d'ouverture: pas ouvert tous les jours, rarement en soirée et peu de places. Réservations à l'avance indispensables. Plats à emporter très difficiles à obtenir lorsque l'établissement est complet. Dommage car c'est très bon !

Food great, service great, management terrible. There were 7 of us in our party having a combination of starters and mains - I only ordered a man, the hake which according to the menu took 20 mins preparation time. Starters came and went, enjoyed by everyone. Mains came, apart from 2, one of which arrived several minutes later. I queried my main which was missing and was reassured it was on its way, but 5 mins later was told that the order had been lost somewhere - no apology but a replacement main was offered but declined as my fellow diners had nearly finished and we were constrained for time by the bus timetable. Eventually the manager showed up to ask if everything was ok and was told what had happened - again no apology. For my inconvenience I was offered a free drink. I would have expected the manager to have been informed immediately of my missing meal and for him to sort things out. I told him on the way out that I was disappointed with the service but he was disinterested and only wanted an argument. This is a successful and popular business and most people would have a good experience, but the measure of a business is how they react when something goes wrong and in my case they were very much left wanting. Because of the incident neither we, or our friends would ever dine there again.

We like the Smokehouse, and think it serves pretty decent fish and seafood in a nice informal setting. We have been supporters of the place since it first opened, but were quite disappointed when we attempted to pop in for a take away for two people one Wednesday lunchtime. We drove along, went in to order two main options to take away home to eat in the garden, and were met with a standoffish 'have you booked?' to which I replied that no we hadn't and were just here for a take away. It was 12 noon and the place was deserted, with the exception of a couple of table sitting outside. The owner shrugged his shoulders and just said, well you needed to book a slot on the website even for a take away, and those are usually booked up a week in advance. To me this seems such an odd way of running things - no opportunity for an impromptu drop in or for tourists walking along the coastal path for example, hoping to stop for a bite of lunch. We left and went to the Wee Chippy in Anstruther and were better off. We noticed that the prices at the Smokehouse have shot up rather significantly too. It's difficult to think that we would ever come back, but then it seems that repeat customers might not be the target audience...

Quirky, fun and delicious seafood lunch. Contrary to some reviews, after a slightly lengthy process to get our table, the service was very good. We sat inside. Might be tempted to risk outside seating next time. We'll certainly come back as the food was stunning and good value too. The booking process is a bit of a faff, but is essential to secure a table.

Sunday lunch was just perfection. Fresh seafood, imaginatively and quite beautifully prepared, brilliant wines and a lovely draft pilsner together the very best of service. The location too is breathtaking. thanks so much!!

Do yourself and your wallet a favour - go to one of the fish sheds in St Monans on the main road next to the vet and buy a cooked lobster for about £12-£14, put on some oven chips and that’s you saved £20-£25. You will eat exactly the same meal bar a few salad leaves. The staff were nice enough but the owner’s attitude is pretty poor - who is doing who the favour here? We hadn’t booked as the website wasn’t working and we may as well have told him that we’d just escaped from Barlinnie. Clearly this was all a huge inconvenience despite there being several tables available and so I assume it was seen as a difficulty due to staffing or kitchen size. So, overall, although the setting is lovely and the food tasty enough we just didn’t feel particularly welcome which is made all the worse by the amount the owner is charging.

I had occasion to eat here whilst holidaying in st Monans and was looking forward to it. The beer battered haddock and chips shows on their website as £12.50 but their price on their menu was hiked up to £16.50 when eating in the Smokehouse? Restaurant? an increase of 30%. The starter which I had the crab croquettes were £9.50 and this wouldn’t have cost even a fraction of that to source this is nothing but profiteering. The eatery area is lovely but the owner didn’t even approach us to ask how was your meal etc and no acknowledgement when leaving. Closed on Mondays/Tuesdays they must be taking it in, I don’t know of many businesses that could afford to do without 2 days trade and even then they’re on restricted hrs 15 approx per week.

We visited the restaurant after reading previous reviews. It did not disappoint. We booked as this restaurant is very busy most of the time . We arrived too early our table wasn’t ready but we managed to sit outside for half an hour . The food was amazing we had prawns and hot smoked salmon which were perfect . Good size portions . The staff were very friendly and helpful . Would highly recommend a visit . We will be back when in the lovely east Neuk again . Thank you .

Lovely place and food, especially the grilled octopus. Felt welcomed and would return in the future for the outside terrace.

We booked dinner to take away as we were staying locally and had been in the sea all day! We had the lobster and the lamb and it was incredible. My daughter said it was the best lamb she had ever eaten! Incredibly tasty food...

The unique, no nonsense, utilitarian setting was very starkly contrasted with the truly enjoyable and well prepared food. A must.

Booked ahead for lunch and already on the first day of bookings being taken only outside under the gazebo was available. A fresh and damp day, luckily the gazebo has perspex sides so it didn't matter so much. Had chargrilled octopus which was absolutely delicious....

We walked along the costal path from Elie for a takeaway lunch under the gazebo. Perfect spot. Perfect food. Relaxed and great ambience. Highly recommended a visit. Will definitely return.

Was really looking forward to eating here for the first time . The food was good...smoked tempura prawns delicious although Asian dip was far too salty. My husband's hot smoked sea bass was delicious too. We don't like over attentive staff but there was a...

Thank you so much for the lovely dinner Friday and lunch Saturday. All the food was delicious and the salad was lovely and fresh. My friends all thoroughly enjoyed all their meals. See you soon.

The indoors seating is up a flight of stairs and holds about 30, so booking is probably essential (there is outdoor seating, both upstairs and adjacent to the building). We were lucky to get parking on the street almost at the door. More of a...

Lovely spot to eat spoilt by unruly dogs and poor service. I know the dogs are not the responsibility of the restaurant owners but they do allow them in and, if they behave badly, it disrupts the other guests. Nor is it good to see...

Fab owners, fab staff and fab food. We hadn’t booked but Kilp managed to slot us in for a takeaway. Not been for a while and as great as I remember. I had the smoked sea bass, the hot smoke takes the ordinary fish to...

Apparently our table we booked for 12pm was for 1.5 hrs. We had starter and as my son was nearing finishing his langostines we were told they needed the table back. Service had been slow but we had but delayed anything. There would be no...

Outstanding lunch. The lobster was superb and the smoked langoustine were some of the best shellfish I’ve ever tasted. Staff were efficient and charming. Very busy and rightfully so. You do need to book to avoid being disappointed. Am looking forward to my next visit.

An amazing meal for a family of ten to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had excellent food as ever and everyone cleared their plates. We had sea bass, lobster, tempura prawns, octopus, smoked fish curry and we loved it all, this has to be just...

Great find and amazing food (mainly fish). Friendly service and unpretentious. Would definitely go back. Make sure you book ahead.

Can’t comment on the food as after one hour and 15 minutes the main course still hadn’t arrived. The waitress staff were friendly but standing around not in tune with their tables, not apologising for delays, not asking if customers would like another drink. Half...

I think this is probably the nicest fish restaurant I’ve been to. 6 of us for lunch - a large list of starters and mains. I went for the crab croquettes followed by smoked sea bass. Both dishes were excellently prepared and presented. The place...

I stumbled upon the website by accident and decided to visit for lunch. We booked a table on-line. The place is situated in a quaint little village by the sea - some parking is available outside but there is a car park just a couple...

Arrived at our holiday cottage in St Monans & had reserved a slot for take away. We hurried back ‘home’ & the fish & chips were amazing & the tartar sauce sublime!

This is a hidden Jem in St Monans with the most amazing fish and chips and so much other wonderful things on the menu. I stopped off at the end of a day on the Fife coastal path and wasn’t aware I had to book...

Can not recommend this place enough. The second visit and yet again didn't disappoint. The food is a seafood lovers heaven. Staff were amazing slotting us in when we just turned up for take out as booking app couldn't take us for another 3hrs. Politely...

Multiple great meals here, so felt it is about time we should leave a review. Latest visit we had salmon, then cod & chips. All sublime and excellent service in a perfect setting. Stormy weather outside only enhanced the atmosphere with log burner making it...

Absolutely love East Pier. Last week was my 2nd visit. New Winter menu available. They did a vegan Fish and Chips. It was absolutely delicious. The nearest replica of real fish that I’ve ever tasted and freshly cooked in a lovely crisp batter and served...

We discovered the Smoke House by chance in summer 2021 and had the most amazing langoustine sitting on the harbour wall. So we had to visit again next time we were in the area. This time we booked for lunch and langoustine were not on...

As per title, spot on in all respects. Gorgeous food (the smoke spot on), great service and lovely ambience on a drizzly Sunday evening. Topped off by the best pavlova I’ve eaten ever in Scotland (high praise from a kiwi!). Thanks to the team. We...

So let down by this experience I will break it down Ambience - it is very small and tables were not cleaned properly , I was seated next to a framed picture which I can only describe as disgusting !! It was splattered with food...

This restaurant must have one of the best locations possible with fabulous views inside and out from all the tables Service here is of the highest quality with young and friendly and very professional staff The seafood menu is very varied and all of the...

We arrived late on a Friday lunchtime ., fortunately this was a less than usually busy day and we were delighted to be given a table inside and in the main restaurant! Booking otherwise is essential .. we just happened to be very fortunate! Starters...

We had the most delicious meal at the East Pier! The rain poured, the outside area remained fantastically warm and mostly dry and the food was out of this world. St Monans is a real find for food. The East Pier is open April to...

Booked here for lunch and wasn't disappointed. We had Cullen Skink and the Sardines for starters, they were both delicious. We then had the prawn tempura and the fish curry which were both great, portions are huge though so we were absolutely stuffed. The Smokehouse...

In a word my lobster was awful. It was very cold straight from the fridge and drowned in sauce. The claw wasn’t cracked, no finger bowl and only a cheap paper serviette. The maître d’ was sort of apologetic but that was all. My meal...

We were lucky to get a table, without booking. Sat on the terrace upstairs, with a beautiful view. Dining is informal - starters came on plates however, the main meals came in a brown 'carry out' box. I had smoked tempura prawns with an Asian...

There were 4 of us who ate in the restaurant, the service was very friendly and efficient, the food was sublime. The setting looking over the Firth of Forth was great also. I tried the smoked scallops which were fantastic. The tempura prawns were excellent...

My family enjoyed eating a range of food from across the nice menu. We enjoyed the food but being served it in fast food cardboard boxes ……. In an indoor restaurant…..was surprising.

We live reasonably locally and the Smokehouse is our go to place whenever we have people staying. Always a great welcome there and the food is always outstanding. I normally have the hot smoked salmon (with extra tarragon mayo!) whilst my wife normally has the...

This place is in a stunning location on the pier at St. Monan's, overlooking the harbour and firth of Forth. Only open limited hours and books up quickly, and booking process a bit tedious (online only). Service seemed chaotic, and customer service not their strong...

Arrived in St Monans for two day visit and came to this eatery but they were full that night so asked if could book for the next night and they advised could only fit us in under the gazebo outside which we thought would be...

Thank you so much for a most memorable visit today. How you manage to produce to such a standard so consistently and source to perfection is amazing. Cannot recommend highly enough for every single aspect of what makes for an outstanding experience.

We have been trying to get a table here whilst on holiday for years, but covid opening times were not convenient. Now that the opening times and booking arrangements have changed we were able to have lunch on 16th June. It was excellent. A great...

My daughter and I have just had lunch at this restaurant, she had prawn tempura and I had the fish curry, both were absolutely perfect, one of the best fish curries I have ever had! The meal was such a reasonable price. The staff were...

After a nice walk from St Monans to Elie and back on Sunday afternoon we were looking forward to a takeaway meal from the East Pier Smokehouse. Mid to late afternoon there was nothing on offer apart from soup to carry out. My favourite, Cullen...

Lovely restaurant just two minutes walk from our holiday accommodation. The service was excellent and the food just delicious. We had a great view over the water and couldn’t fault the whole experience.

The food here is good and the place is always busy so I suppose they don't need to worry to much about customer service nor the fact that I won't be going back. I've visited here about six times, always been impressed with the food...

we thought it was a restaurant when we booked an indoor table. It was disappointing to find out that everything including soup was served in takeaway boxes. If you order the sea bass please be aware it is complete and on the bone.

Can all the moaners on here try to recognise what hospitality has gone through recently? Being less demanding and more compassionate might make all the difference. We enjoyed a very special lunch here today, well enhanced by the location of course, but also a log...

Enjoyed another wonderful lunch with friends last weekend, and will be back in a few days for what will probably be our last visit this season. The quality of the food has been consistently exceptional, and the staff have been excellent. The standout meals for...

I have had so many great meals here and can’t say enough good things about it. The food is divine and the location can’t be beaten on a sunny day. I generally dine with my husband but have been with friends on a few occasions...

Visited here with a very large group of friends including children and to say our visit was disappointing after much anticipation would be somewhat of an understatement. I had previously visited last year as a couple and my recollection of the food was so amazing I could wait to revisit and had highly recommended to our large group as a must while on our first camping trip together. Big mistake!! The difficulty experienced in arranging the booking in advance for such a large group prior to our trip away should have been a red flag to us however we tried to excuse this and instead looked forward to what we were certain would be a seamless and enjoyable experience when we arrived. Second big mistake!! We had ordered in advance online as requested, booked several slots in advance as requested, all of this despite several calls & emails asking if we could order by phone due to being such a large group and could we be seated together as such a large group. Turns out it was easier for them after all to confirm the order by phone and for us all to dine at the same time without the need for all the slots booked however this was again after having made this as difficult and stressful as possible for us. We’d asked for a large table outside upstairs to be set up for us (similar to what they had posted on Instagram only a couple of weeks before) but sadly it seems this was not ever an option. We weren’t looking for any special treatment but we were making a very large order which I am sure would be very appealing to most businesses especially towards the end of a summer season and was just looking for it to be seamless and enjoyable, nothing more and nothing less. Would love to know what the lucky recipients of this table from the previous Instagram story had to do to get this service from the Smokehouse team!! Whilst I appreciate as was pointed out to us on the day seating is unreserved however if everyone turns up for their slot I don’t even think there would be enough seats to accommodate everyone as there is very limited seating. There was no attempt to try and accommodate us all together and instead we were spread out in areas throughout the restaurant, not together and making it more difficult for the servers coming out with the drinks and food orders. Last year tables and chairs were all the way down the pier. Anyway, sadly the service did not get any better and for me the food certainly did not match up to my previous visit part of which could possibly have been attributed partly to the disappointment on the service we’d already experienced. Unfortunately the service did not get any better when it came to paying the bill and in fact Basil Fawlty has nothing on this guy!! The point has been well made to us that this is not a restaurant, this is a smokehouse. If you want a restaurant experience go to a restaurant!! Point made!! Point accepted!! My suggestion though would be check the definition of a restaurant in the dictionary and perhaps whilst there also check the definition of a smokehouse. I’m afraid whether you like it or not you are a restaurant and surely paying guests deserve to be treated with some kind of regard instead of the complete disregard you showed to our group. Im addition I’m sure the advance booking works for your team however from what I can see it means diners do not get the benefit of ordering any of the specials so if it’s advance orders only what is the point of having the specials? All I can say from a personal point of view is that this has made me really sorry I recommended to friends and it’s left such a bad taste for me and all of our party that I will certainly never return and will definitely look to spend my money somewhere where it would be more appreciated next time I’m in the area. Times are hard enough just now for everyone without an experience such as this.

Do yourself a favour and don’t give this place your custom! We ate here today with friends, booked well in advance and also provided the full order in advance. Prior to arriving the order provided was then confirmed and they got it wrong, so fixed this again… several red flags even before we went. Anyway, arrived today, was our table ready, no!? So why take bookings and ask for orders in advance?! Asked to stand on the street and take our own drink order (our party was large and had a few children as well), very strange?! Eventually we sorted out our own seating, having to sit apart (remember we booked this well in advance!) food was good… however, service was just terrible. After querying nearly 15 mins to pay, the gentlemen asked if everything was ok. He got a straight answer. His reply “this is not a restaurant, this is a smokehouse!, if you want a restaurant experience then book a restaurant.” This summed up everything about the mentality of the staff in this place, they couldn’t care less about customer service and happy just to take the passing trade and deliver “smokehouse quality” (whatever that is!?) and demand restaurant prices. Do yourself a favour and avoid this place, they do not deserve your custom. If Carlsberg done smokehouses, it’s certainly wouldn’t be the east pier smokehouse! Just remember it’s not a restaurant!

All booked in advance for a large party of 14. Friends had eaten here before and it was thoroughly recommended. The initial booking experience was made more complicated and awkward by the insistence of staff to take online bookings only, not over the phone, even though it was a large and varied order with limitations on the online booking system (you can only book for a maximum of 6 people on the online booking system) the popularity of this place and the fact that its now only open for lunch on a Saturday and Sunday, meant that there was a risk of booking slots being taken whilst attempting to satisfy the entirety of our party. 3 separate online bookings were needed for our party of 14. Despite our request to do this over the phone, the smokehouse (not a restaurant) insisted we complete multiple bookings online. Red flag number one. Zero accommodation for the customer. After placing the booking, detailing the order via email in order to remove any ambiguity, the smokehouse (again, not a restaurant) phoned us (!?) in order to confirm all details. If only someone had suggested placing the order over the phone in the first place. As it turned out there were some inaccuracies in their interpretation of the order and after a conversation it was soon clarified what was actually required when we would arrive for our meal. Satisfied now that we had the place booked and we would get the food we ordered, the only thing to do now was turn up and enjoy the meal.Our party of 14 arrived on time and we were directed to queue at the entrance. We nominated one from our party to queue so that they were aware of our arrival and could begin preparing our pre booked and pre determined meals as specified DAYS before. The staff after being informed of our arrival then instructed our nominee, also a paying customer, to take the drinks order. Handed over a drink menu and pointed them outside to where the other 13 customers were stood, and had been for around 15 minutes at this point. A short attempt at taking and remembering a drink order for 14 people (no pad and pen was provided for our temporary waiting staff volunteer) and then more queuing to place the order, it was very quickly becoming clear that the first priority was certainly NOT the welcome or organisation of taking orders or even any sort of direction as to where we might be seated.After being left to mill around in the street for another 5 minutes, we were eventually encouraged to 'find yourselves a seat'. This isn't the largest establishment (not a restaurant) and it would have been a reasonable expectation to assume that there may be 14 seats at tables within a reasonable distance of each other given the 6 day lead time for any booking. Alas this was not the case. With very little direction or assistance from the staff we managed to seat ourselves. The maximum amount permitted to seat together is currently 12. Not inclusive of under 12 year olds, which numbered 4 in our booking, meant that there was no COVID related restrictions to our party's seating arrangements. There was no foresight in ensuring adequate seating for such a large group which no doubt affected other customers as we organised ourselves into 4 separate groups in different areas of the smokehouse (definitely not a restaurant).The waiting staff were pleasant and friendly when serving our food and the food itself was very good, the displacement of our group made their job more difficult than it should have been and negatively impacted our experience. When settling the bill and on being asked if everything was to our satisfaction, it was mentioned that possibly it might have been better to be seated together. At this point the response from the staff member was somewhat surprising and very passive aggressive. The point was laboured at why it wasn't their responsibility or concern where we were sat, and apparently we couldn't all legally be sat together due to current restrictions anyway and if we expected a restaurant experience or service then we should book a restaurant, because this is a smokehouse. NOT a restaurant. I had to insist that the person in question stop talking and settled the bill.We left disappointed and quite honestly shocked by the rudeness we were faced with when asked for feedback. If you want food from here get the takeaway option. We won't be back.

You have to book well ahead for this place and that is because it is superb! There is only a small restaurant area but it is so atmospheric. The staff are brilliant - friendly and helpful.. If you like sea food, you will not be disappointed here - sublime. but they also offer lovely non-seafood too. I had the seafood curry which was delicious. great value for money. I shall return!

This was a first visit here for food & it didn’t disappoint. We ordered our food in advance and the system worked well. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly and efficient . Will definitely visit again

We decided to try to get lunch at the East Pier Smokehouse on a Wed lunchtime. We did not have a booking. We queued at the window for people with no bookings for 15 minutes. My wife having recently had a knee replacement on crutches. The staff ignored us - they were not that busy to speak to us. Finally after our wait we were told bluntly and quite rudely they were full and were not doing takeaways!We are locals and eat there regularly and were very dissapointed. It would have take only a moment to tell the people in the queue they were full and not offering a take away service. No recognition was given to us and certainly not to my wife on crutches!The food is excellent - however the rudeness and ignorance of this particular staff individual was not acceptable. We will look for other venues.. which is a shame after being loyal customers for many years...Please don't bother turning up in the hope of food, book and hope.

Just returned from a week long stay in St Monans. We ate at the smokehouse on 3 of the 7 nights we were there. Every meal was exceptional! We had a variety of dishes and they were all lovely! We loved the atmosphere; watching the sea and the harbour as we ate. It can get windy but we found a spot right by the sea wall that was protected. The service was exceptional. The smokehouse is run by warm, friendly people. We really recommend it!

A resident we spoke to in Elie recommended the EastPier Smoke house for their Lobster and chis, so we thought we would try it for lunch. We hadn't booked so joined the queue at the window. The very nice and patient guy at the window said that they were fully booked for lunch but that they could serve us up a box each of the smoked langoustine special. Wow !Special is an understatement, the best langoustine i have ever tasted and such a treat. We expected to have to wait 30 minutes or so but as the langoustine were served without anything cooked to accompany them they appeared within a couple of minutes.We will be making the East Pier Smoke House an essential part of any future visit to St Andrews.Next time we will make sure to book in advance.

I chose hot smoked sea bass as a main and it was the most delicious meal I've ever eaten. The starter and desert were perfect too. Great location and friendly staff.

This is a wonderful place to have lunch or dinner. The food is delicious, especially the fish and chips, and the lamb. Lots of customers seem to have fresh lobster which looks great. All are served with delicious sauce and fresh salad. The pavlova portion is big enough to share between two. Good beer and wine selection as well as soft drinks.Very helpful staff, always pleasant. You are able to sit outside on the harbour or under the gazebo. Also has indoor eating which I am told is lovely. We prefer to eat outside and watch the sea / harbour activity. Warning- you have to book in advance online, and spaces book up very fast for good reason. Oh, and dogs are made welcome too

I had some of the best seafood of my life at the East Pier, incredibly fresh and well prepared. The location is lovely, right on the pier, with nice indoors and outdoors dining space.The restaurant fashions itself as a takeaway, even when dining in, but in the end what matters is substance, isn't it?Just be aware that the booking experience is very unflexible. You need to book online, whether you dine in or eat out, with a bit of advance, too.It's definitely a place to visit

This is a beautiful place to spend an evening... the food is delicious, the beer is excellent, the staff are friendly and well organised. It was our first visit and we look forward to returning.

Popped along for this recommended place. Got there and were told that no tables available (fair enough). Also told we had to use their website to order food to take away and could not order at the window…..but could not order on the web as they had no availAbility. Thought it was all a bit strange. Then whilst we were still stood there another couple walked up asked if they could order food which they did at the window without need of going on the web. Apparently you can order food if your face fits !

East Pier Smokehouse is located in the centre of St Monans. Whether you are staying there or not it's a place everyone gravitates too. The food is delicious, fantastic quality and super freshly caught and smoked with a delicate perfume that enhances the individual taste of each ingredient. The team are amazingly helpful. Book if you know in advance you are going to be there to avoid disappointment. Its always super busy because its super delicious. Takeaway is also great. Beer on the pier if you only want drinks. Trust me you'll want to eat when you see and smell how good everything is.

I usually come here a lot but this time the management was really shocking. I have no doubt in saying that the food was fantastic and It would be greatly appreciated if you could inform me of the chef. I genuinely was very dissatisfied with the service and the management but other than that the food was great.

We love coming here - always really friendly efficient service, outstanding food, great views and the highlight of our monthly visits.

The food was very good and the staff were brilliant. Was served by a young girl I believe her name was Mia her customer service was spot on. However I disagree with the way the owners spoke to their staff and due to this I will not be back.

Completely put off by the rude front of house man who was not interested unless you had a booking. Customer service - non existent. Sent to other window to queue again to see if they had anything to offer! Very rude, unprofessional and unhelpful!!Such a shame as we had been looking forward to what looked like lovely food. Avoid at all costs!

My family and I were on a day trip to Anstruther and after asking a few people where they’d recommend to eat, we were told the East Pier Smokehouse at St Monans was good. We called and were told there were no reservations but if we came along, they’d see what they could do. We drove the 10 minutes and when we arrived, my wife explained that we’d called along and although we hadn’t a reservation, could they accommodate us. My wife was told that maybe they could. Depending on what we were ordering and if she knew what we were having, it would be helpful. My Son and I were still in the car so we hadn’t a chance to look at a menu. We didn’t even know if we’d be served. Anyway, we had a look at the menu and were told the dishes we ordered weren’t an option as they’d take half an hour to cook. We were then told all that was available was Cod and chips. So we said we’d go with that. The person serving us then told us there was nothing available. So we said thank you and began to walk away. Just at that, the person serving us shouted to us that they could do Cod and chips. This was in front of people which was embarrassing. Anyway, we had the Cod and chips. The food was great. The location was stunning. The service was terrible and we were made to feel like we were a nuisance. Unless you’ve booked, I’d forget it. We saw loads of other people being turned away too.

I enjoyed my meal here. Crab cakes were lovely. I’m not keen on ordering a week in advance, as sometimes there are specials and you can’t change your order!I really don’t like having my meal piled up in a cardboard box at the prices charged.Very basic hard seating

Stopped off here a couple of weeks ago and noticed the restaurant while we were viewing the harbour. Found a table on the harbour and ordered the langoustines. Meal was served quickly and it was a treat. The only thing missing was a cold glass of white wine but unfortunately I was driving.Others were having the lobster and it too looked mouth watering.The one thing I would say is arrived or order your meal early before the food runs out due to demand. That says it all.

We were very lucky with the weather and were able to eat outside enjoying the fabulous location. We loved our food - were happy to pre-order but a shame the prawns were sold out as we'd have loved them as an extra.

Right on the pier, as the name suggests, with outdoor and limited indoor seating. Well organised booking and preordering system on line which worked well as on arrival we only had to wait a couple of minutes to confirm our presence and order drinks and pay. A buzzer system leads the waiter to your table. Once the food is ready. Great smoked fish and fresh lobster all served beautifully in a takeaway container but with proposer cutlery! Great taste and combined with the views and the seaside atmosphere makes for a great occasion.

We had planned a Father’s Day lunch with my son in law, daughter and her 2 young boys aged 5 and 3. We have been to the East Pier before thoroughly enjoying the level of service, atmosphere, location and quality of food.Our meal had been pre ordered, as per the restaurant’s wishes, at 1.55pm. We arrived on time and thankfully managed to find an excellent table over looking the harbour. 40 minutes later we were still waiting for our food. We received no level of communication/update from the waiters and had 2 hungry young children to contend with. The food arrived all together and was beautifully presented, and once again the quality was first class. The lobster claws hold some of the tastiest meat but no crackers were provided. We asked about this and were advised that when they provided the necessary implements in the past they had been stolen. We were eventually offered a set of pliers which did the job perfectly well.We were told by other customers that they hadn’t used the booking system and were duly served, perhaps this is why we had experienced such a long delay in us receiving our food.None the less we had a brilliant time and will definitely be back.

I just love this place! From the fabulous food to the lovely friendly service. Can’t fault it. We had the prawn tempura and crab cakes. Delicious. And the best coffee ever.

Disappointing. We booked for 2.30pm, the last afternoon sitting. We got our starter which was fine but before we had finished the waitress came with our main, when we said we were still eating our starter she apologised and said the kitchen was closing. The waitress took it away to let us finish but as soon as we were she was back with our main. It was busy so some people must like it but we felt we were rushed with the food so it's not for us. The food was ok but have had better. Won't be back.

Lobster and chips was our usual order of the day. Sitting on the roof terrace on a beautifully sunny calm day overlooking the harbour. You need to pre-order but that is not a problem and works well. The lobster with tarragon mayo was excellent and the chips were East Neuk crispy perfect!

The East Pier Smokehouse is always great. You can see the boats coming in and bringing lobsters etc straight to the smokehouse door, so you know everything is fresh. You need to book and it is very busy but well worth the trip.

We ventured down to st monans for a daytrip and were overjoyed to discover the east pier smokehouse! The takeout was fully booked for the day but the kitchen agreed to fit us in - they didnt have to but they did anyway, we are very glad they did!!Mackerel with rhubard and cod wrap were outstanding, wished i was staying there so i could go back everyday and try the whole menu its that good!

We managed to get a booking online for lunchtime today. (you have to book in advance due to Covid regs and popularity). The food and service was first class, despite some disgruntled people not being happy that they couldn't just walk up and order. Be honest people, if you can do that during a pandemic, it's not where you want to eat.

My wife and I visited the East Pier Smokehouse on Sunday 2nd May 2021. We chose our staters and main courses on line. I had a bowl of Cullen Skink which was delicious. My wife had Smoked Salmon. My main course was Smoked Hake with a bean salad with Sanford with a portion of French fries. The portions were huge and totally fantastic. My wife had a whole sea bass which included French fries. I had a bottle of Bulmer’s Original cider and my wife ordered a dry White House wine. The setting is great with picnic tables just at the side of the harbour. There is a roof terrace which has tables. The place is very well organised with a window where food is ordered and paid for. You must book in advance online. Teas, drinks and coffees are available without booking. They give you a digital buzzer which sounds when your food is ready to be uplifted at the window. The tables which have the seats tipped forward indicate that the table and chairs have been sanitised. I can thoroughly recommend this place for a lunch. The food is superb and everything is very well organised. We used the local bus service to get to St Monans from Lundin Links.

Feel really sorry for the staff that work here, owner is the most arrogant person I’ve ever met, had intended to eat here but £25 for 4 drinks and a mouthful of abuse from the owner was enough for me, don’t waste your time going here !

First time we visited the area two years ago and had an amazing smoked seabass here. This month celebrating special birthday in St.Andrews decided to go back as didn’t have such a good smoked fish anywhere else. It did not disappoint. Amazing! Lovely atmosphere! Friendly staff. Highly recommend. Looking forward to returning one day, hopefully soon. Thank you!

The food at the East Pier Smokehouse tastes just as delicious as it smells. We had the Hot Smoked Sea Bass & Lobster...both melt in the mouth scrumptious. Great menu & lovely, friendly staff. We can't wait to go back.

We came upon this place by chance as we walked the Fife Coastal Path. The setting is superb and would bear comparison with some Mediterranean beach restaurants we have visited. The portians are not over generous but the quality more than made up for this.I chose dressed crab which came with ssome ocal bread; I would have preferred more bread but the seasoning was perfect.My wife chose the lobster and was very pleased.

Lunch for four and all enjoyed the food. My smoked Hake was light and full of flavour with a bean salad. Other dishes were all well received. Great location weather permitting. Definitely on the to do list if you’re in the area

I had dressed crab as a starter. It wasn’t great. Lacked any oomph - maybe a piece of lemon would have helped. Didn’t eat it all, brown meat poorly dressed. He had crab cake, very average, and on the small side.Mains - me: yellow fish curry w rice. Very nice but my home cooked fish curry beats it by a mile. Nothing special. He: Hake w beans. Again, nice enough but lacking in flavour. Neither of us finished our dishes.Dessert- me: creme brûlée. My favourite, and I regard myself as something of an expert, having eaten this all over France. This was excellent, and redeemed the whole meal for me. The creme was quite soft, but this didn’t detract in any way. He- pavlova: couldn’t fault it. Over all, meal was good but don’t see us rushing back!

Drinks overpriced, owner rude although other staff were pleasant, chose not to stay for food. Great location though. Would not recommend and definitely won't go back.

Visited during a limited service. Meals served in cardboard takeaway boxes did not detract from the quality of the food. We ordered dressed crab / bbq lamb & smoked salmon / fish & chips. Absolutely gorgeous. Great service & quality food. Well worth a visit.