Finbar's of West Bay in Thanet

Unique view of the sea with sunset. The food and service were excellent - I have to change my mind that only France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹 and Switzerland 🇨🇭 have very good food. Local is recommended.

Had a great lunch, no. 1 location, no. 1 food & no. 1 service. Definitely be back 😍

It's with some regret that I feel the need to put this review on. I have eaten here previously but won't in future because I'm apparently not welcome back .My wife and son had perfectly adequate meals, mine however was not at all satisfactory. I ordered the Boullibaise it contained 6 mussells, 4 small and 1 large prawn in a soup and no fish at all . I've eaten Boullibaise from Padstow to Marseille and it always varies depending on season and chef.When I complained to the waiter I was told you appear to have eaten it all why didn't I complain before . The staff were dealing with a table of 14 who arrived at the same time as my meal so they were very occupied A 5 pound discount off the bill was offered if I didn't put a bad review on which I refused .Then the manager arrived and asked if I wanted to see the chef who promptly arrived and practically called both myself and wife a liar when I explained what I received. He then angrily stormed off saying"your not welcome back" The entire cost of my meal was deducted eventually. I won't return .

We booked Finbar’s for a party of 14 celebrating my 60th birthday and were all delighted. On a beautiful summer’s evening, it’s a dream location over the bay but the service was both warm and efficient and the food was fabulous !

Excellent, beautiful in every way. Thank you.

Wow what an amazing find. Wonderful beach and sea views. Staff excellent. Then there is the food The Steak tataki was one of the best things my daughter had ever eaten and she frequents only the best places in London . The Seafood Bouillabaisse was perfect , the samfire made it wonderful. Everything was perfect.

Just popped in for drink tonight and made to feel very welcome. Alice and Jules were very lovely to meet and credit to the place. Highly recommend. Food looked great as well what I saw

Great place to stop whilst out cycling

We walked along the coast & then went to Finbar’s of West Bay. Five ladies we had a wonderful lunch & dessert Staff were lovely We will definitely return

Well what can I say? Was every bit as I had imagined here. The location is amazing. We were lucky enough to have picked a perfect weather day. The view of the sea and sunset were one of the best I’ve seen. Spent a good few hours here just relaxing. The food was just out of this world. Compliments to the chef. Only one thing which would be They had a live singer downstairs early evening and music on inside the bar upstairs so both music was conflicting. I would have liked to have heard one or the other. To be honest when I entered the restaurant the music in there was great and up beat. It was our anniversary and we wanted to go somewhere special. This place came up trumps in every way. Staff were attentive and polite. Will definitely be returning

The service was very friendly and attentive, the view across the beach from the balcony was fantastic and we enjoyed all the food, roast cauliflower, and desserts. Very extensive menu and look forward to returning to try some other dishes.

I have to agree with others, this restaurant used to be absolutely fantastic but it appears to have gone very downhill. I visited about 6 weeks ago and unfortunately me and husband left after having been left for 20 mins at a table without a menu or drink! We recently visited again this week to give it another try as we had a voucher to use and it was a special birthday - once again we were left for at least 15 mins before taking a drinks order, this is basic stuff! I even had to go in and ask if we could order drinks. It is such a shame as they really were not busy either, front of house really could do with some improvements. The tapas was ok but nothing special, had better locally. Come on Finbars, what's going on?!

Best breakfast around here guys! Thanks again x

Good food . This place is spotless. Make sure you're hungry.

Great setting Food very good. Smallish menu with lots of fish/seafood Very helpful staff Lovely vibe about the place - definitely going back soon

What a fantastic restaurant. Food was 1st class. If you get a chance you should get to Finbars for a geart meal .88

Great location and view across West Bay. Superb food and very efficient, friendly service. The catch of the day, which was halibut was excellent. Cannot wait for my next visit.

AMAZING! me and my family came here on fathers day for a lovely meal. we prebooked in advance so we could have the sharing Sutton hoo chicken. the service was absolutely perfect, couldn't have asked for better staff they were so helpful and caring coming up to our table and checking on us making sure we were happy. the chicken came out precut ready for us to enjoy along side some amazing roasties and sides absolutely delicious 10/10 compliments to the chef were made. 100% worth the experience and we will be back.

A lovely restaurant with great views ideally placed. Food always excellent! And brilliant staff! Another excellent lunch only one pic as ate everything else before I remembered !

This place has seemed a bit marmite over the years. Some people told me they don't rate it some loved it. So decided to try it myself for the first time and have to say the food was top notch. Great presentation and well flavoured. Scotch egg for starter and halibut for main. Both superb. Staff were friendly and attentive without being in your face. Really can't fault it. Yes it's pricey but if the food is that good I am prepared to fork out. Quite a lot out of my budget range to go frequently but for a special occasion would definitely go again.

Very nice restaurant with excellent service and great views out to sea ..

Amazing food and staff - hughly recommend and cant wait to come back!

Each visit had been perfect. Yesterday was no exception, lovely day for my sisters birthday.

Sensational restaurant, a wonderful hidden gem worth the visit. Tegan - our waitress - was just amazing.

Wow, what an amazing evening to celebrate mum’s 80th birthday. We had a large booking of 12 people and the whole evening was perfect. Food was delicious and served together. Staff so attentive and friendly. A very special evening and one we will cherish. Thank you team Finbars!!

Amazing staff and service careful to details, fantastic view, delicious and fresh fish

Our third visit to Finbars, fabulous food & sevice, my wife & I are retired chefs, myself having worked at the Savoy & my wife for the Roux brothers, we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience.

This was probably my fifth visit to Finbars, this time with a group of retired chemists. The service was impeccable, the food beautifully done and the venue has a truly fabulous view. Top marks Finbars!

We went on a bank holiday weekend, we were surprised to find the restaurant practically empty, we soon found out why. The Staff, in particular one lady extremely rude and argumentative. You shouldn’t be in hospitality business if you can’t take criticism. You see not everyone would appreciate having the floor moped with acrid smelling bleach wafting up, when your still eating your steak. And being asked why you pulled a face when drinking your cocktail! Such a shame as it’s such a lovely spot. The proprietors seriously need to retrain & send staff to charm school. I would add Weights & measures really need to pay a visit.. Spend your hard earned somewhere else is my tip.

Lovely little restaurant with nice views overlooking the beach. Food was good, service was a little slow at times but satisfactory. Steak was nice but was large and not served with enough fries to balance, could definitely do with serving more fries with the steak. Chocolate Ganache was hands down winner of desserts, everyone loved it! Recommend a visit.

Went today for the first time. Loved the location, loved the service, loved the food...its an instant favourite and will return with friends. If you havent been...try it!

What can I say . Lovely all the way from the staff and the views .

This is no reflection on the staff , there just wasn't enough staff. On two occasions whilst there the queue was to the door. Food was OK and served promptly and still hot, how the staff managed that under the circumstances is a miracle.

Wow, really had a pleasant surprise today to come to the best seaside venue in Thanet Sinbar and have such an incredible meal. The starters were amazing and the main fish was delightfully so it's super happy and we definitely will be back here again soon.

Not very good. At 7.15 on a Saturday evening several items were not available from the menu, namely bread, which made me need to change my starter, what is the point of mussels without bread. The lamb dish, after being sent back, was still undercooked, chewy and inedible. The front of house staff were pleasant, but could not compensate for the lack of professionalism in the the kitchen.

This is not fine dining. Rusty cheap chairs and some old cheap curtain sectioning off part of the dining area. Filthy dirty glasses and no it wasn’t from the salt in the dishwasher like the waitress said, they were dirty! The chef has supposed to have worked in a Michelin star restaurant before, yet he can’t even send out a hot chowder soup! It was luke warm. My husband’s chicken thigh wasn’t cooked enough either, pink and chewy! Patronising waitress told him that’s what thighs are like! He couldn’t eat it. The waitress apologised with a grin on her face and really didn’t care and took the money for the full amount. We will not be returning.

Great Sunday roast, but a little expensive. Staff are always great.

We went to the little cafe below the restaurant. Bit overpriced for what you got for a beach cafe.

Stop off for a quick beverage, nice setting over looking the sea. Cater for Vegans which is great. Prices are a little expensive but you pay for what you get. The only downside was it was so noisy we couldn't hear each other talking. Pet friendly which is great when you want a rest between walkies. I would recommend this place.

Had a lovely birthday meal. Good selection of local dishes and the staff were brilliant. Highly recommended with a brilliant view of the sunset.

Went there after my sisters funeral yesterday, had food and drinks, lovely place,staff very friendly.

It's always fabulous! Great food, great service, friendly staff and dog friendly. Never had a bad meal, it's always great value and delicious!

Lovely restaurant great food would recommend will definitely go again 😊👍

Sold out of Sunday lunch but chef sorted out some good food.

Beautiful meal and great service. Table inside by the window overlooking the sea is a lovely view but very chilly so wrap up warm.

Had an amazing lunch - food was exceptional. Staff were very attentive and friendly. A lovely experience, would highly recommend.

Such good food. Best burger I’ve actually ever had and living in London, I’ve had a lot of burgers. :) Beautiful setting. We went in winter, so it must be glorious in summer. Last time we visited was before Covid, so I didn’t hold my expectations high….yet the food was just as delicious and the staff were lovely too!

Food excellent and good value. Beautiful view over West Bay. Highly recommend

Great food, great location and a great team that were engaging and attentive. We'll certainly be back!

We had a fabulous evening with friends here. The food was delicious with unusual twists and great value. A relaxing atmosphere. We will definitely return very soon.

Wow can’t thank Finbar’s enough!! We had my hen do meal here and everything about it was stunning. The views, the incredibly lovely and attentive staff, the decorations and the food. Everyone loved their dishes and we had such a great time. Thank you so much to all the staff!

Really lovely restaurant, food was absolutely perfect. There's not many places around here I've been that will serve a steak cooked blue, and it's a really good indicator of how good a place is in terms of hygiene, freshness, and skill if they do. The steak was gorgeous (bavette is my favourite cut) portions were just right. Poached pear was really elegantly spiced - not heavy handed with it as many places tend towards - and refreshing. Overall the seasoning for every dish we had showed a great degree of skill and care; nothing was bland, nothing was unbalanced or over-salted, and honestly I didn't expect it to be so good for the price. It's about middling on cost, I'd say, but the quality is absolutely top. The service staff were all absolutely lovely too, very patient when we took our time figuring out what we want (we forgot to ask for a corner or side table and find being surrounded a little overwhelming so took a bit to settle ourselves - such is life when you're ND). Menu is clear and uncluttered, and vegetarian options and gluten free options are clearly marked, tho I didn't focus on what they were once I saw they had my favourite cut of steak. We took a short flight of stairs from the grass at the top and then a ramp to get in, but I think there is a long long ramp led route along the bay we might have been able to take - all I can definitely say is that the place is AMBULANT disabled accessible, with space in the toilet to prop your stick, though it didn't have an explicitly accessible toilet (not that I saw). The wooden ramp in front of the door was a bit slippy under my stick in the rain, which I think may just be my needing to replace the rubbery bit at the bottom - it's been happening everywhere lately. The view over the bay is gorgeous too. Honestly a gem, definitely recommended.

Delicious cod dish and the poached pear desert was divine - really impressed

Lovely food, amazing views, and wonderful service. What a fantastic restaurant.

The view is fantastic and sitting outside on the terrace on a nice evening is stunning. Next time though I would watch the sunset on the beach and then go somewhere else for dinner. First, the positive. Our server was fantastic - very friendly, professional and helpful. She was attentive throughout the meal and very quickly corrected a small mistake on our bill at the end. There are a few more negatives unfortunately. I had the burger and it was incredibly greasy. It was OK initially but left a nasty taste in my mouth and feeling in my stomach all evening and night, I could even still taste it this morning. The bun was also cold - not room temperature cold, refrigerated cold - which made me feel it had just been taken straight from the fridge or defrosted and put on my plate. To contrast this, my partner did say the pan fried cod was quite nice. The desserts were very nice too, perhaps a bit too sweet towards the end but not extreme. As I said above, service from our waitress individually was excellent but the restaurant overall was very slow. This was despite having what appeared to be one staff member to every 2-4 customers - behind the bar inside was absolutely packed. A good proportion of these staff looked like they were aged 12-16 as well. To illustrate the pace of service, my partner and I each had one drink, one main and one dessert - we were there for 2 hours and 15 mins. As a specific example, when we requested the dessert menu it took about 15 mins for it to come and then a further 15-20 mins for someone to come back for our order. I've been to places that are much worse but this is definitely on the slow end.

Wanted an ice cream joined a queue but gave up as no one wanted to serve.

Chaotic service qué, not well planned. A bit too expensive as well.

Beautiful location with amazing views, stand out service and superb food. Had a lovely meal here and the staff could not have been more attentive or kind. Highly recommend.

Absolutely lovely and attentive wait staff and delicious big portions of brilliant food. And the view is the best I have ever seen from a restaurant. 100% recommend!!! The ladies that served us were a delight.

Simple food, great taste, fab views.

Amazing food , amazing staff, lovely Irish hospitality. Lovely views . A must go

I did not eat there. The scenery was very nice to see the sun setting over the sea. I only went there for drinks. Service was adequate.

We could not fault this place, upset we hadn't come sooner. beautiful view shared with great company in a fantastic atmosphere. Food blew me out of the water with some of the best pork belly I have ever had. Service was fantastic & welcoming also, look forward to returning!

We dined here on our last night of the holiday to celebrate the graduation of our 2 sons with the whole family, all 15 of us! The table was set up with banners and decorations and the view of the sunset was amazing. The service was impeccable from all the staff. The food was the biggest surprise though! Chorizo scotch egg starter caused food envy followed by the catch of the day with crispy potatoes and the best Caesar chicken salad ever. Kelly also allowed us to bring in a cake for dessert which was brought out on a platter , fully decorated. Thank you so much for an unforgettable evening and we hope to come back the next time we are down your way. We all agreed this was one of the best restaurants we have ever dined in and we dine out a lot. Don’t miss this place if you’re ever in Westgate on sea.

We came a few weeks ago and had a lovely afternoon with friends, the staff were so genuinely friendly & couldn't do enough to make us welcome. We decided to come again today & eat as it was a birthday of a good friend, we were not disappointed! Fab food, the same great service & they even helped us to hide from the birthday girl & surprise her, dressed the table & made a fuss of her. Your staff are a credit to you and we'll be back again! Thanks so much x

We have been here multiple times but visited again on Saturday night. We booked at the last minute and were accommodated with no problems. The welcome was incredibly warm and friendly and genuine, which is sadly rare these days. We ordered a delicious bottle of Australian Chardonnay. Starters were amazing. The tikka arancini balls with paprika vegan yogurt sauce were superb. Our guest had the toast with prawns. She pronounced it divine and devoured it with relish. She had the “perfectly cooked cod” for her main. We had the butternut squash. The seasoning to give it the flavour of fennel was work of a genius chef and tasted fantastic. Service was efficient and friendly as well as being very attentive despite the place being full and busy. The entire team are well trained and really seem proud of the work they are doing. A cheeseboard with fabulous honey was the final course for my partner. Our guest and I had the chocolate mousse with lemon curd, chocolate rocks and meringue. It was sublime and a very large portion which we both loved. This place is consistently good and the staff are excellent. The kitchen seems to go from strength to strength. They have a changing menu which always includes some really well thought out veggie and vegan dishes and not the usual mushroom risotto. Bravo and thanks to the entire team at this superb restaurant. A lot of places could learn from this venue with its exemplary cuisine and service with no pretension. Loved it and looking forward to our next visit.

We had made an online reservation for the outdoors space for tonight 7pm. 4.40pm they call us from the restaurant to say it’s raining and that they want to cancel our reservation (we live opposite the restaurant!). I suggested that we wouldnt mind if it is a last minute cancellation as the weather forecast on my phone was suggesting that its going to be better at 7pm and maybe we should wait and see? They advised that its going to rain and that they want to cancel- very diplomatic professional answer! This is a picture of the current weather with no big clouds around…

Lovely little restaurant with great views. The food was delicious (I had the hake) and the team was really accommodating of my 14 month old. Would definitely go back.

Loved the pan fried cod..delish

Fantastic place to celebrate my 40th birthday with friends. Kate and the team were superb - accommodating and being attentive. Food was great. Location is amazing - next to the beach, looking out to sea. Highly recommend.

Only had coffee but was very good and a lovely view out to sea.

Such a great place to come with friends and family! We had booked for a large table outside, but due to weather we were forced to come inside. The staff accommodated us so well, and were friendly throughout. The food was incredible too, totally worth the money. Unreal wine list as well, just so much to enjoy here!

Something about the view makes everything taste twice as good.

It must’ve changed hands We’ve had good food here before now it’s terrible it’s more like a pub menu and the place was dirty. (Ignore those pictures, it’s not like that anymore) They sat us down without menus and when we asked if we could have service the waitress was really moody and not professional whatsoever. Very disappointing do not go here because it will ruin your day.

Such a perfect spot for a Pimms and a pretty sunset.

I can honestly say there are not many places that are worthy of 5stars across the board but finbar's is. The food I can't fault. The atmosphere is just right The location second to none. Thank you for a lovely lunch we will be back soon (table 10)

The restaurant has beautiful views and a choice of sitting outside or in. The menu is nice and compact, which is great but we had some minor issues with excessive salt and soggy new potatoes and not much taste to the cod. The service was very slow considering it was a non busy lunchtime. The staff are very friendly and helpful but in my view it is a lovely restaurant that needs to tighten up a few things.

We had a beautiful evening here for our anniversary The food was lovely and staff were brillant Looked after us all evening and what a beautiful view We will be back

Food ok but not great and overpriced. Staff attentive and friendly. Lovely views over the sea

Scrummy Sunday lunch enjoyed by us all at the weekend. The lemon posset was perfect.

Family get together to celebrate my birthday The service was spot on, food was delicious and the atmosphere made it such a lovely evening Highly recommend

Scrummy chowder.....always! Now eaten there and had this delicious dish four times. Perfect. And such lovely,attentive staff too. I highly recommend Finbars x

Oh my goodness, your team ACED my brother’s beautiful wedding meal/evening bank holiday Saturday!!! AMAZING food, fab staff, perfect atmosphere and you even nailed the sunset for them! Thank you all so much for your efforts, they had the most special day - it was all perfect! Special shout out to Lauren who read the room and interacted impeccably! Kelly was discreetly in full calm control and nothing at all was too much trouble for anyone - every want and need was met, all with a super relaxed atmosphere. Honestly, every person from our party was overwhelmed with the meal and service, so even guests who’d travelled for the occasion will be heading back to Finbars now! Thank you, thank you, thank you - can’t recommend you guys enough! xxx

Amazing food and staff friendly and attentive. Had a lovely birthday meal!

Pleasant stop for a cup of tea, can't comment on food as I didn't eat here

Lovely evening out for our anniversary. Food was gorgeous 😍 wait staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

Really lovely lunch, excellent menu, I struggled to choose as such good options. Excellent service and wonderful views.

HARD TO FAULT! A superb location with wonderful views. The service was both friendly, timely and professional and the food exquisite, a varied menu to suit most tastesOnly regret that it does not open midweek for lunch. You won’t be dissapointed.

Lovely new addition to Westgate. We had the seafood chowder which was delicious and my Dad had the cod which he loved. He also said that the apple pie was the best he'd ever had. The restaurant is lovely, the staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and quite reasonable. We were even treated to a view of a seal in the water from where we were sitting. Will definitely be back.

Location is great with a good view and step free access. Service was excellent, very friendly and helpful. Food was very tasty. Will definitely return on our next trip.

Very good,price and excellent service.

Excellent atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff, food very good, prices fair. Views around the bay very enjoyable.

Wow, fresh & delicious food, fab service, and a stunning view. You couldn't really ask for more! I recently ate lunch here with colleagues and ordered the Club sandwich, which looked fantastic, and you can see by the picture it looks very fresh and of a generous portion size! The fries were so tasty I would maybe say the best I've had. My colleague ordered the salt beef sandwich and commented on how good that was, too. I was lucky enough for the sun to be shining, although foggy, but the view was absolutely stunning. I definitely want to have dinner whilst the sun sets. It's the perfect location to be honest and would be suitable for date nights, catch ups, special occasions, sunday family lunch, holiday dinners - it really suits all. The team were super friendly and attentive, too. I need to plan my next visit!

Stopped off for tea and toast. My husband had the best scrambled egg on toast. Lovely view of the sea 🌊 great service. Dogs allowed which is a bonus for us. Seating inside or out. We will be back again soon.

So booked a table. Waited over 30 mins had to go to bar and ask for a menu. Waited another 15 mins and went to bar to ask to order. Starters were served within 15 mins all good. Main was served within in 15 mins. One of which, a chicken dish was raw. When we pointed this out this to the waitress she was very dismissive and said it was probed. Please see picture of blood/raw chicken. We said we would not pay as I work within science, I know how dangerous campylobacter etc is especially the damage it can cause to internal organs.especially your gall bladder. We was disgusted with the rudness.and brush off attitude from the waitress and chef. I have Never left a negative response in all my life, but because of the blasé and negative response to a.very serious and damaging illness food positioning can cause from chicken I feel no option than to warn people.

Amazing place to eat, great food and stunning views.

A busy and popular food venue friendly to dogs and people. Great views across West Bay.

Lovely and lively staff happy atmosphere attentive service and good grub.

Went new years day for a brunch everything spot on.. great.... highly recommend

Absolutely stunning views, fantastic food, drinks and staff 😊