Gaff Rigger in Eastleigh

Arrived for drinks on Saturday afternoon 3ish. There was only one other couple drinking so not busy. Four of us sat down, waitress came over, gave us our menus and asked what we'd like so quickly, but as we didn't know she quite abruptly said, oh I'll come back when you've decided! Her tone was rude, we all agreed. We took a few more minutes choosing 4 drinks, one meal and two sides. When she returned and took our order she again responded in a totally inappropriate way. Is that it?? But in a way of meaning, hardly worth the order! Her tone was unacceptable, short and curt. My family were visiting this weekend, and as I'd been here before and had great service I thought I'd bring them to Gaff Rigger. But this time it was not great. I felt strongly enough about the bad service to write this review.

From the warm, inclusive welcome through the outstanding mains to the totally greedy trio of excellent desserts all delivered with a friendly and informative smile, a totally excellent experience. Well done Gaff - great job - we'll be back, often! Thank you.

Great warm welcome food excellent worth a visit

Popped in for lunch, no problem getting a visitors berth Excellent in all respects from the food to our 4 year old, to the friendliness towards our little dog. Will be back

You can sit outside or inside at this first floor restaurant with it's view over the River Hamble and marinas which is superb. The young staff are extremely helpful and service is first class. We were there in a group of six ,with my 89 year old stepfather on his Friday birthday, and they couldn't have been kinder. Menu is mainly seafood, but includes all other categories with a large specials board. Prices are quite high but better value than many others in the Hamble area. Mercury marina is off the beaten track off Satchell Lane and has lots of parking. You can also peruse the boats for sale, and dream...

The Gaff Rigger at Mercury Yacht Harbour is a gem on the edge of the Hamble River! I love the welcoming vibe – it's the perfect spot to drop by anytime, whether you're solo or with friends. They serve everything from coffee and breakfast to afternoon tea, lunch, dinner, and even just drinks. The flexibility in their menu really caters to any appetite. The bar area is fantastic for unwinding, with good wifi and a great selection of nibbles to go with your drink. The atmosphere is casual yet stylish, creating a relaxing environment for enjoying food and drink. The waterfront marina location is stunning, with options for both indoor and al fresco dining. A special shoutout to our waitress, Samantha, and waiter, Ruben, who were incredibly friendly and kind. Their excellent service made our visit even better. And the food – absolutely delicious! Highly recommend checking out The Gaff Rigger. It’s a delightful spot with a lovely atmosphere and great service.

A little disappointed. The view is splendid but the meals a little disappointing. The dessert on Sunday, however, was great.

Poor service and the quality of food in particular breakfast has declined. The breakfast had use to be very good but now the bacon has thick rind.

We booked Hamble Marina Campsite for our short break They say on their website there is a bar and restaurant onsite They also add in the site rules Do not leave dogs unattended in caravan or motor home Yet the onsite bar and restaurant is NO DOGS ALLOWED What is the point of this? Most motorhomers or caravaners have dogs At the bottom of the stairs is a Dog rule sign Yet it doesn’t say NO DOGS Absolutely bizarre They lost out on our customer Spend in the local community? Not at Hamble campsite We were very welcomed at Banana Wharf where we spent our money

Not dog friendly at all, very disappointed. Where are you meant to eat if it rains and you have your dog with you? The signs are false advertising and the staff were rude!

Very welcoming team and good food made for a fantastic couple of evenings.

I made a reservation at this restaurant yesterday using the contact information because 2 months ago I ate the best mussels I've ever had here. Today, after a 1.5 hour detour, I went straight to the restaurant to make a reservation and said that I was coming for the mussels and that I had highly recommended them to my wife. We got to the table at 7 p.m. and the same woman who made the reservation said, by the way, we don't have any mussels left today. It couldn't be worse, sorry.

We had lunch here. The staff were friendly and attentive. The food was excellent. Of particular note was what accompanied the dressed crab, which was clearly freshly and carefully prepared. We shall return tomorrow for breakfast.

Fantastic location and not a dog in sight, heaven. The usual welcome and nothing is to much . A great menu and well served. The views are excellent.

We came here just now for breakfast. Two members of staff conducting an informal interview when we arrived . They told us they'd come to us once they'd finished their interview. ......right okay but theres two of you. As someone who also works in hospitality this is hands down the most bizarre thing ever. Whilst you're open, the customer takes precedence over an interview for a few minutes. Especially when there are TWO interviewees. Not only this but we entertained the idea, waited 10 mins and still nothing which is a long time when you haven't even been offered a menu

£7 for a portion of chips and another £7 for a shandy and £3 for a soda water seemed a bit steep to me!

It's funny how some establishments survive despite being so openly unfriendly, unwelcoming and just darn right rude. We arrived for evening drinks having had a wonderful day walking, eating and drinking at some really lovely pubs in Hamble. With two dogs in tow we were welcomed at these other establishments with open arms and a smile. We were treated just the same as any other customer - very well. However, the Gaff Rigger obviously doesn't get that. Despite an empty bar and an empty restaurant we were not allowed to access the veranda upstairs in the outside early evening sun because dogs were not allowed. We could sit on the plastic, wet, cold (in the shade) area next to the car park, because dogs were not allowed inside and to get to the veranda, we had to go up the stairs. Not in the bar or in the restaurant - just the stairs. Pathetic. I echo previous reviews and would suggest that management need a reality check. We were the party that were going to order 6 bottles of champagne to celebrate a house sale and a big birthday. You missed out big time. Needless to say we won't be returning - ever.

Been to the Gaff Rigger many a time for breakfast, lunch, dinner & just drinks and each time has been brilliant. Staff always friendly and helpful, food just gorgeous and it is always spotlessly clean. The wine list is great, they also serve my favourite Cava Vilarnau, so beats Prosecco! Lovely chill out music too. Can’t fault the establishment and for me it so majorly ticks my box as dogs are not allowed upstairs. They’re allowed downstairs. Many a time a dog (I know it’s not the dog’s fault but the owner) has ruined my visit to other establishments by their wining, barking, sniffing round food and the owners being pathetic with them. The views are spectacular looking upstream and across the river, beautiful location.

Visited this restaurant at the marina and was delighted with their fish and chips.

A lovely location, a little on the expensive side but the food is very good as is the atmosphere.

Had a delightful lunch here today, a set 3 course menu for £16 including a drink - it was absolutely delicious! Small portions but beautifully presented and tasted delicious so very good value. On top of that, it’s a wonderful setting!

Came in for lunch on 15th February for our sister’s birthday. We weren’t made to feel very welcome at all right from the start. We were greeted by ‘have you booked’ in an unfriendly tone. When stating we hadn’t , we were abruptly instructed to sit down until we could be served. When we were served, we requested a seat in the restaurant for dining, we were directed to a table just inside with the comment that this would be easier for the Manager. She was obviously running the bar as well as the restaurant and felt overwhelmed. There seemed to be just one other couple in the restaurant! This was fine with us but the manner was appalling! When I mentioned the two for one offer, my head was bitten off with the fact that the deal was only if you’d made a booking in advance, which was fine as I was just asking, there was no argument from me!! We found the atmosphere from the Manager most chilly and off putting. Shame because we’d come out for a simple birthday lunch. I overheard the comment - thank god I’m on holiday next week - most unprofessional .

On a dark and rainy February evening we needed some spoiling and the new menu at the Gaff Rigger didn't disappoint. We snacked on the moreish popcorn cockles while we deliberated over the starters and main courses. Our starters included pan seared scalIops and mini fish cakes. For the main event, I opted for the bouillabaisse, which was packed with fish and seafood, a really hearty and comforting dish. We really didn't need dessert but it would have been regrettable to have missed out on the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. Delicious.

Perfect location over looking the Hamble with an excellent set lunch menu and to top it off not a dog in sight . Service is 1st class . Very enjoyable.

Excellent food, 5 star customer service, superb Sunday roast

Just been and tested out the new menu .. fish cakes 10/10 .. rib eye and lobster j10/10.. raspberry and white chocolate cheese cake was unreal!! Was the cherry on the icing well done to the waitress as the Service was outstanding.. chefs done a real good job!! this place is definitely a hidden gem tucked away in a stunning location will be taking family back Sunday for the roast dinner

The only place in Hamble that will not allow dogs (other than the ketch rigger - same owners) even though it is huge and has four seperate parts to the restaurant - shame on you - move with the times - no wonder it’s empty !!! Shame as staff are lovely

Warm and inviting after being out in the elements on the boat. Kind staff and good service 👌 The Burger is a must-try 👌

The food and service in the Gaff Rigger is always exceptional. I have eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner on different occasions, including the winter season and always been pleasantly surprised at the affordable quality. Great atmosphere, amazing views and a relaxing welcoming experience. Thank you team.

Lovely views and setting, nice food, drink and staff. 👌

Great food, good beer, excellent staff. Excellent value rather than cheap! I have worked my way through most of the bar menu, all very good

Great location, nice atmosphere and good food. A good little stop off

Great place for breakfast - comfy sofa overlooking the marina, fantastic cooked breakfast

4 men had coffee and pastries ( fresh and tasty) before nipping out for final sail of season for a couple of hours, then returned after stripping sails, etc, for a late lunch. The same gent, possibly Reuben, was on duty and, with good humour, served us a superb 3 course lunch at £15 which included a glass of wine or half a beer! Whilst the portions weren't massive, it was incredibly tasty, I had calemari, sweet and sour pork with rice and crumble, and to be honest, it was more than enough. The view looking over the marina is fabulous in all weathers

Regular visitors, nice chilled bar with brilliant views. Great service with delicious food served to match. Having visited for breakfasts lunches and dinners. I can happily recommend 👍

Just had a few drinks (4) each lovely girl server very friendly

Good food and very friendly staff. Easy to get to and plenty of parking. We were there for a party and it was lovely.

I’ll deal with the negative first, because its a problem throughout ALL of Hamble’s eateries, and that its sexist approach to table staff which is predominantly young female. This has left a huge employment problem for our local male youths who seem to be placed out of sight in the kitchen, or not employed at all. By far the worst offender is Banana Wharf at Port Hamble, where its sexist manager has selected and instructed his young girls to don tight T-shirts with blue denim hot pants and flaunt their assets to sell more pints. It is for this reason that I have to at least commend the manageress at the Gaff Rigger who adopts a simple black dress code for her female table staff, and who apply their service with friendliness and charm - Well done for that! The USP for the Gaff Rigger is undoubtedly the Chef!! His understanding of sea food and his command of the kitchen is superb. If I was young again looking for direction and inspiration in this trade, I wouldn't mind working for him. We sat close to the service hatch, we saw every plate go out, and including our meals, the quality and presentation was fantastic. As a Hamble resident I now rank the Gaff Rigger as the top eatery in the Village. It has the best view over the river, its has the finest range and quality of food, its staff are friendly, and furthermore the parking is FREE !!!!

Visited the marina for an afternoon stop off, to be greeted by a rude lady at the top of the stairs who managed to ‘bark’ no dogs at us as we walked up. Pointed at scruffy unmade tables outside on the concrete. The only Marina cafe/restaurant we have ever been too who wont allow dogs. Even the most prestigious yacht clubs allow dogs! Walked out. If you can’t be polite you’re in the wrong business to attract custom.

Lovely location for breakfast but disappointing table service and mediocre food. Pricey for yhe quality.

Completely forgotten this place was here. Lovely people. Big shout out to the Dock master who was really kind and helpful. Oh, and the whippy ice cream was amazing...👍

Amazing quality cooking from Chef Chris. Fresh ingredients, and lots of choice. The menu of the day offers superb value. Three courses plus a drink. Location is lovey by the water anytime of year but today, in the sunshine there was a real holiday vibe.

Seafood gnocchi was the best dish I've eaten out in a long time. Informal, relaxed, lovely view over marina and great service.

Really lovely food - especially the seafood. Good flavour combinations Friendly service and nice views over the Hamble.

What an excellent place. Friendly service, exquisite food, fab drinks, amazing views. My husband said his fish was the best he’d ever had and my monk fish and prawn Thai curry was so gorgeously flavourful. We all loved it. Thank you, we will be back

Just go!!! You won't be disappointed. If you are you are possibly a serial complainer. Great food, great location. We've been before with a party of 12 and the service and food were still spot on

Lovely hidden gem. Amazing Oysters and wine on a sunny afternoon with incredible views out on the harbour. The staff are very attentive and friendly. Would definitely recommend.

The food was absolutely amazing and the server was so kind and friendly.

Nice place to sit, eat and watch the boats in the marina.... Staff friendly

I recently stayed with my family in a marine lodge in Mercury Yacht Harbour, so we had The Gaff Rigger as our local drinking and watering hole for a week. We thoroughly enjoyed our several trips there - variously for breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometimes just for a drink. Lovely, freshly cooked food, friendly service and a really pleasant atmosphere. Many thanks to Karen and the team.

What can I say but excellent all round. Friendly helpful staff.. great meals from an extensive menu. Lovely atmosphere with wonderful views. Also child friendly 👍🏼 Highly recommend

Amazing food, barely a wait for food, great accommodating staff and a good atmosphere.

Gorgeous place! Visited for breakfast and it was lovely! The location is beautiful with the view. The food was perfect, great quality and the waitress we had was patient with us and a credit to your team. Thank you! 100% recommended

Came for brunch with my family. Waitress was extremely efficient impressively taking 5 people orders with no note pad. the Food was delicious we all enjoyed our meals 😋. Highly recommend.

Great service, however the crab sandwich tasted like sardines, and was disappointing. Not great value, wished I had ordered the kids fish and chips!

We were a rather large group of 15 people, including a baby and 3 children. We were unsure whether we were eating or just having drinks and to feed the children! Whatever we wished to do was no trouble at all. Ruben the manager and...

Very nice restaurant, fantastic location and the burger we had was the best burger I have ever had at a restaurant 😋

Nice setting, good beer and a really good service provided by the staff. We will certainly be back.

Enjoyed the food but disappointed on entry as the stairwell was full of flies. Chairs were uncomfortable. We had the burger and the prawn curry. Curry was nice and flavoursome but very watery. Burger was tasty and nice and moist. In our opinion nothing justified...

Had a meal for my daughters 16th, they catered for 30 people. Service was 1st class and food was excellent. All orders correct and great organisation. Couldn't of asked for anything more, WELL DONE GAFF RIGGER 👍👍👍

We dropped in for our usual morning snack of mussels and this time my wife had the salad. The mussels were the best yet with a super onion broth. The small portion was more than adequate and the mussels were big and juicy. Olivia gave...

Fantastic place to eat after having previously been let down by a local pub on the day... Lovely food, great view, what more could you ask for? Will be coming back.

Excellent location first class service and food . And the iceing on the cake it's NOT dog friendly.

Food was very poor and service was not much better.

Lovely food and a great view out over the River Hamble!

Excellent lunch, chose fish specials and shared with partner. Never had poor fish here and preperation is excellent.

Very warm greeting from a lady who seemed genuinely happy to welcome us and who provided excellent service throughout our stay. I’d go back for that alone! Visited the Gaff Rigger with a couple of friends - I’d helped them bring their yacht to the...

Great place to go for breakfast

This restaurant is a nice place to enjoy breakfast or a lunch. The food is good and staff are very friendly.

This is a great bar/restaurant. I have been working close by all week and eaten in the bar pretty much every other day. Everything I have selected off the menu has been excellent, served with poise and panache, and good value. The crew are very...

They state they are dog friendly but clearly not. Even before walking upstairs we were told dogs were not allowed up there even on the outside terrace and we had to sit at the tables on the quayside which are just for public use and...

Very enjoyable lunch. Food and service was fantastic. Will definitely be returning, great views and nice vibe.

I had my baby shower afternoon tea at Gaff Rigger yesterday and it was excellent. We had plenty of pots of tea with lots of food, a selection of sandwiches, sausage rolls, scones & cakes and all were delicious and great value! The staff were very friendly, attentive and extremely accommodating to our requirements, even bringing out separate sandwich requests and letting us decorate our area. We had our afternoon tea in the restaurant which was a lovely space with great views of the marina, I would definitely recommend this venue for a special event!

Nice but expensive not very ocondating

My first course was Potted Ham Hock. Flavour good but spoiled by containing many pieces of bone and splinters. Second course was Poached Smoked Haddock. Fish was ok but accompanied by flavourless mashed potato only. ' could have supplied vegetables - say, asparagus tips. My third course was Lime Sorbet. A small ramekin dish arrived with a dollop of creme fraiche and some biscuit crumbs garnished with a very thin slice of crystallised lime - absolute rubbish. Gin and tonics were served in extremely large wine goblets brimful with far too much ice, a straw and no lime wedge. All I could taste was water (with the aid of the straw). I did not see the final shared bill for our table of several persons but our drinks tally seemed excessive. All very disappointing.

Lovely breakfast on a wet miserable Saturday with my family

Attached to Mercury marina this cafe/bar makes no compromise on food. Good quality at a price which is right for the Hamble.

Sometimes marina based restaurants are nothing but an overpriced disappointment. The Gaff Rigger is a notable exception. Mercury is our home berth and we regularly visit the restaurant both for snacks/drinks and full meals. The quality of food is excellent and pretty consistent. The menu can be a bit limited but there is always something tasty to be found. Oh and the service is first rate!

Gaff Rigger experience was very nice. They have several nice seating options - outdoors, on the deck overlooking the marina, conservatory (play area for kids with Lego blocks), bar, outdoors and another restaurant enclosure - so lots of choice. And the food and drinks were nice, they have the usual pub fare, but always offer a couple of special menu items. Among nibbles, highly recommend tempura prawns with wasabi.

Lovely food in lovely location, food was excellent, quality ingredients well cooked and presented, staff friendly and service good

We dropped in for a mid morning snack and after initially being told mussels and sausage ciabatta was not available until lunch time the chef kindly produced them. I had a small portion of mussels which was massive and my wife had a sausage ciabatta...

Visited twice whilst on holiday in the area - unusual for us to return to a place within a very short space of time. The menu appears to be limited but the specials to supplement the main menu were very very good. On both occasions...

Ate there for the first time today and will definitely be going back. The food was fresh, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Would definitely recommend the fish taco's and crab ciabatta. Not sure the other person calling it standard "pub grub" is talking about the same place. I don't think I've ever seen Fish Taco's or Lobster Linguini on a Green King or Weatherspoons menu!

An enjoyable bar/restaurant in the Mercury marina. We've eaten there often and never been disappointed. Service has always been good and the food is pretty reliable. The regular menu is fairly standard "Pub Grub" and they often have at least one more exotic special.

Had a really lovely meal here last night. The food was delicious, the service great and the location beautiful. Will definitely go again.

Lovely hidden gem. Friendly staff. Comfortable and spacious upstairs. Plenty of room to sit outside when the weather is good.

We had a fantastic meal at Gaff Rigger, food was delicious and staff were absolutely amazing with my daughter! Prepared for anything with coloring books, Legos, special order dessert (milk intolerance ) and actually playing with, which meant I had a first adult meal in...

We dropped in for a coffee and snack. I had their mussels and my wife had the avocado on toast with two poached eggs. Dining in the sunshine on their terrace was very pleasant as was the large leather sofas in the lounge for further...

We have been customers of the Gaff Rigger for many years even before it was called the Gaff Rigger. Bank holiday weekend was OK, but not the best. Atmosphere was so so, and staff looked as if they were forced to be there! Food was...

First time we've had a roast here and we weren't disappointed! My roast beef was perfect! Along with the roast pork and the mussels. Always enjoy visiting this hidden gem! The staff are always friendly and welcoming and even the Chef came out to check we were happy and had enough which was a lovely touch, yes we were all very happy, so compliments to the chef! See you again soon ;)

great service but food i over priced for what it is i had a burger and it was £17.00

A good meal, although the seating is cramped in the restaurant. We were a large group on 3 tables but the rest of the room was empty so we could of been given a bit more space. I'd definitely go again just for the view.

Sadly will not be going back ,Staff we could not fault but the food hugely disappointing ;; took some friends there for lunch the pasta dish our friend had was a starter size £14. !!!!,,,, fish and chips more batter than fish , and mushy...

Went with friends for a light lunch - and we all felt the meal was pricey for what was dished up. The beef sandwich and fish finger sandwich tasted fine, but the tiny side coleslaw was the only addition and at £9 each did not...

Great little place for some food, or just a drink and a nice view over the water.

A very friendly place with excellent food and drink. A nice outlook over the marina and, I would imagine as we were here in winter, a fantastic place to eat in the summer when the evenings are lighter and the view is better.

Fantastic food, great view and lovely staff. Would highly recommend for solo dining to family gatherings. Gorgeous setting.

Wonderful food, drinks and staff . Top chef. 10/10 .. 😉

Great location with excellent views over the marina and Hamble river, breakfast was tasty but a bit cold, staff were lovely, thought it was good value.

Fantastic spot for lunch. Lovely views. Also yumm sandwiches.