Harbour View Restaurant and Bar in Poole

Quiet when we came so got a great table with a view of the harbour. Good tasty quality food for the price, and nice friendly service as well.

This is our second time to eat here and, honestly, we would go back much more often if we lived closer. The choice of seafood is extensive and the quality is first class. The service is relaxed and friendly, just as it should be. And then, as if that wasn't enough, the views from the terrace are absolutely gorgeous. Highly recommended.

Popped in for a coffee on 4th August, and as a coeliac, I was hoping to pick up maybe a bag of crisps for a snack but was surprised to see they offered gluten free bread for sandwiches (at a small extra 80p, reasonable compared to other places). The ladies were lovely about my dietary needs and produced a delicious, full packed bacon, cranberry, and brie club style sandwich. The lady said the sandwiches are normally made with 2 slices of bread but gave an extra layer as the gf bread slices are always so small. It was sooo good, I'd have taken another if I hadn't been so full 😃 thank you

They have really good food and the staff are really nice

Disappointing soft play, very small. TV on - why? Should be no more than £3, 50p for additional adults to reflect what is offered. Nice and friendly staff. Arcade is good.

Despite this place being right on the quay and having a massive sign, I don't feel like many people know it's there. Shame because it's a great cafe. Spotlessly clean with really lovely staff. Good range of fresh cooked breakfasts and sandwiches. Some of the best views on the Quay. Perfect place to relax and watch the harbour.

My partner is lactose intolerant, and the staff went out of their way to accommodate her. Lovely staff, lovely views, lovely place 😊

We had a fantastic evening on Saturday. The service by all the staff was excellent and the food that we had was exceptional to say the least. It was our anniversary meal and we are so happy to have gone there. It will certainly not be our last as I can’t praise this enough.

Very good value for money, and good quality food.

We arrived for our evening meal & were greeted by some lovely friendly staff, we walked through reception to be greeted by an absolutely incredible view across the harbour & to the left is the sea. It had been a lovely sunny day so the sunset was truly incredible. Our food was fantastic & cooked using fresh ingredients with outstanding attention to detail, it was very tasty. as the evening progressed we enjoyed our wonderful three course meal & watched the sunset it was a fabulous experience.

Nice place for snacks and fun games for kids with a lovely view.

We have stayed here maybe 5 times in as many weeks and the restaurant is the place to bag your breakfast. Fabulous views as so close to the waterfront. Try and avoid getting there at 09.50am as you are immediately told they are closing in 10 minutes! More Good morning greetings guys and less clock watching.

On the positive side 4 out of the 6 meals were very nice ( curry and pie). The steaks were awful and well over cooked when we asked for rare. One was replaced with a risotto which was good. The meals are overpriced at around £14. The room is dated and very warm. Tables not impressive with bowls overflowing with sachets of salt and pepper. Not great ambiance considering the lovely views. Money needs to be spent on the place,

The arcade was amazing, had fun

We came here as we stayed at the thistle and was pleasantly surprised, the food was soooo tasty, hot, fresh and well presented, unbeatable views of the harbour, we had soup the salmon, and the risotto, it was absolutely delicious, waiting staff very friendly and attentive, would definitely recommend, Thank you

We were staying at the Thistle hotel and usually have a drink in the downstairs bar but it was closed so went to the Harbour View Bar. Comfortable, but like everything about the hotel now the staff are expected to do more than one job. The girl we had serving was good but you had to wait for her to finish another job, not her fault, the whole hotel is being run with insufficient staff

Proper cafe Friendly service and good food

Great coffee and hot too. Nice view from the window upstairs. Well worth a visit.

The grandchildren love it here. The staff are very patient with them.

We eat evening meal and breakfast here whilst staying at the hotel. The food was excellent with a good variety and well presented.

Lovely views and great coffee x x

We discovered this brilliant cafe in the summer the menu choice is good it's always busy when we go lovely staff wot more can you ask for

Best breakfast ever well cooked and hot

Nice little cafe with the addition of an amusement arcade section and pirate themed mini-golf upstairs.

Coin pushing machines. What more can a 40 year old want!? Love it!

Poor service and mediocre food. Idle waitress not bothered to clear dirty tables.

Found mould on my child's sandwich. Was refunded the cost of the item, but should never have happened in the first place, especially in a place parents frequent with their children.

The food here is lovely and a great selection for kids food. I have only been there for Neptunes, which is the soft play area above the cafe but that's amazing too. Plenty of seating and always clean and the staff come to clean quite often. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and there is enough there to keep them both entertained while not being so big that i'll loose one of them.

Great place for the little ones to play in the soft area, and nice reasonably priced cafe, serving good basic food. Nice view over the harbour if you can get a window seat. Definitely recommended.

Good food and good views of the harbour

Arrived after 8pm on a Friday night, Luckily they could seat us in the restaurant. We had harbour view which was amazing. The restaurant was lovely and clean, staff were all very friendly. Food was excellent and very good value. Drinks were very reasonable. Definitely eat there again.

Only had 2 toilets , cleaner was very disrespectful and listing into my conversation with my friends and back chatting me

Great service great food nice little pit stop

A friend and I went for afternoon tea (a gift given to us). I had never been to the Thistle before. We got to the front desk and waited around then rung the desk bell and still waited a good few minutes before someone came out and told us to go upstairs. We then waited an uncomfortable few minutes for someone to seat us. The afternoon tea was mediocre. Crusts obviously cut off simple bread. Some cakes dry and the scones obviously warmed in the microwave but not fresh. There was no music, no atmosphere and it was dead. Despite it being so quiet, there were remains of some cake and crumbs under our table from a previous guest. If it wasn’t for my friends company it would have been boring. Nothing to write home about and certainly would not go again or pay the prices they charge for what you get. Needs a major overhaul in service and atmosphere as well as quality of product.

Really enjoyed our visit to the cafe, just what we needed, not to busy as we were here in off peak season

Last year the food at the Christmas party was so good I was really looking forward to this night out but I was incredibly disappointed. The pate I ordered was very ordinary a and the toast which accompanied it was soggy. I had risotto which had very little flavour and the Christmas pudding was again very ordinary.with thin custard. Last year we had a half bottle of wine with the meal, this year a fruit punch, very cheaply made.

Lovely venue with views over the harbour.Easy access by car as one can use their car park free when registering details at reception.Friendly staff & good food.Perfect for work or social functions

Have been here a few times and always enjoyed the food but this evening the pork belly with black pudding mash, red cabbage and cauliflower cheese was outstanding. The pork was so tender and meaty and cooked perfectly. All the flavours complemented each other and it was beautifully presented. Delicious. Helped by the lovely staff, particularly my waitress Sam who remembered my drink and the pudding I had last time! Thoroughly recommend this restaurant. Keep up the good work in the kitchen. Looking forward to my return visit

Arrived with our deal for moules/frites and wine for 2 and were shown to a table with a fantastic view of the port. The waitress was charming and very efficient - Anna Z - was on the bill. If you read this Quay management this lady is a gem! We had starters - a fish terrine and a duck terrine followed by the mains which were served with a massive wedge of bread. I think the sauce may have had blue cheese in - superb! My wife could not eat a sweet but I went for the dark chocolate cheesecake with clotted cream - awesome. Finished off with a decaff filter coffee and an americano with cream for me. We had 2 glasses of red wine which was very smooth. All in all a brilliant meal. We will return for more.

Great prices and menus for kids! Main reason we visit :)

limited menu but it has what you need , excellent views of harbour , kidz soft play zone wiith friendly staff and good food , idea for brunch

We booked for afternoon tea 3 weeks in advance and we were contacted the day before our arrival to confirm the booking for 3 People, when we arrived the table was only set for two. The restaurant was empty but we were shown to the worst table in the the whole place. The cakes and sandwiches arrived it looked like they had been thrown on the plates, we asked the waitress if we could swap a couple of the sandwiches her response was i don't think the chef will be happy with having to do that , you would think we asked for the world not two piddly sandwiches. We were never once asked if we would like anymore tea. We won't be going back

My husband and myself had lovely meal at this moderately priced restaurant. We had a window table overlooking the harbour service was excellent no hurrying and waiter very friendly all staff welcoming would definitely recommend this restaurant.The food was presented as you would expect in fine dining and all courses piping hot and tasty.

I don’t expect much from a place when all I’ve ordered is tea for two but some basics would be nice. If I’m getting a cup, call me old fashioned but I do expect a saucer. If I’ve asked for sugar and it comes along, how about a tea spoon to stir?

The view was good looking down at the quay. The ambience welcoming. After the initial start being lovely. It went downhill from there. My processco was warm, the sandwiches were average. They were prepared and straight out of the fridge. The desserts were also average. For an experience like the one advertised on Groupon. It was a disappointment. when I went to the toilets there was a horrible smell in there which summed up the whole experience

I purchased a Groupon Voucher for an afternoon tea with Prosecco for 2. My mum and I arrived and were told we were upstairs in the restaurant. We were then greeted by a friendly waitress who showed us to our table. It had beautiful views over the harbour. We were given the choice of tea or coffee and they had arrived along with our prosecco within 5 minutes. 10 minutes after that our sandwiches and cakes arrived. There were 3 different choices (Ham and Tomato, egg and watercress, and Tuna mayonnaise) these were lovely and fresh (my only complaint would be less butter but this may be just my preference). We also had 2 scones with butter, jam and clotted cream and a nice selection of other cakes (8 small slices) the cakes were beautiful and fresh and I really have nothing bad to say. Service was outstanding, 2 waitresses that asked if everything ok but didn't hang around. I would definately do this again and I'm also looking forward to having lunch there. (There were people eating lunch and the food looked amazing)

Lovely 1st floor location overlooking Poole harbour.Ideal for weddings,parties etc.Food good & staff friendly.Free car park

Went for afternoon tea, restaurant area very elegant with views over the harbour. However when the tea arrived we found the sandwiches very cold and the bread hard in places. It was as if they had been kept uncovered in the fridge. There is no excuse for this as these visits are booked in advance so the sandwiches could easily be made fresh. The cakes were okay but the scones were extremely hard on the outside and none of us ate it all. Not the best tea we've had but certainly the best location.

If you like a restaurant with an excellent view and really good food then come here.

Reasonable price and nice portion size. Served by two friendly gents. Was nice to sit by the window and watch the activity in the harbour.

Excellent food and choice. Staff friendly although in bar before dinner I asked for a gin and bitter lemon and got a gin and half pint of beer!! She didn't know what bitter lemon was! It wasn't at all busy even though it was during summer holidays. Used by locals.

Reservamos el té de la tarde a través de groupon. Sí conseguimos mucho más barato pero. . . . bocadillos eran rancias, huevos, jamón y carne asada. Más mantequilla de la abundante! Selección: elección justa, pero de nuevo no gusto muy fresco. Si hubiéramos tenido que pagar el precio completo para este estaría pidiendo dinero.

Bien, para empezar. . . Nos. En primer lugar, envió a una gran sala para eventos que era bastante escaso. cutre y Entonces Esperamos un rato para la camarera, que parecía que aparecen en todo este desastre de poco frecuente para el té de la tarde. Entonces ella apareció y nos sirvió el peor té que he visto, realmente horrible. Pan duro, moho en las fresas, tartas y bollos tienda comprar hard. También se suponía que era para dos personas, pero algunos de los pasteles incluso habían sido cortadas por la mitad! La camarera luego compramos el té y rápidamente de nuevo a la izquierda sin dejar la leche, a dejarme deambulando cerca de la recepción tratando de encontrarla. . . Y terminamos o debería decir, tenía suficiente ya que había dejado todas las tartas, ya que estaban tan mal y ahora la camarera había desaparecido totalmente. Nos fuimos a través de recepción y hacerles saber lo que nos defraudó. . Me dijeron que iban a pasar a el director general. . Creo dudoso.. Esto arruinó nuestra tarde, ya estábamos deseando. Arrinconada en una habitación horrible y luego sirven basura. El hotel parece horrible desde fuera y me temo que no hay nada mejor una vez dentro. Tres palabras a la gente. Evitar evitar evitar.. Necesitan mejorar si quieren cualquiera para venir, y pensar que cobran 60 libras por el té de la tarde! ! Jokers. . .

Mi marido y yo visitamos hoy para el té de la tarde con un bono máximo de té para 2 (costo £19. 95 en vez de 60 libras). Nos sirvieron con una copa de Prosecco, que era muy agradable, entonces ofrecieron una variedad de té de hierbas, pero que decidí incluyendo normal para el té de desayuno, que se servía en un recipiente básico blanco bastante simple. Nos trajeron nuestro té en una embarcación de tres niveles - esta torta stand canapés incluido en la planta de berros contaminados, atún y huevo y pepino y jamón con tomate - estos estaban bien, pero me pareció que el jamón y el tomate bastante seco un dedo de cada llenado por persona. También fueron una pequeña selección de pasteles en miniatura - algunas de las cuales eran bastante seco y para ser brutalmente honesta no especial para una merienda. Luego estaban los 2 bollos (uno cada uno) - por desgracia no hay opción de simple o fruta y personalmente creo que un poco extraño tener scones con crema y mermelada de frutas. Por desgracia estos bollos eran muy duras en el exterior y muy seco en el interior y no la cantidad de mantequilla, nata (muy pequeña) o mermelada podría ayudar a ahorrar - ¡mina como es la peor bollo que he comido. En general, no estuvimos muy impresionados con este té y aunque estaba en una oferta de lujo, la calidad debe ser buena y sin duda no merece la normal 60 libras! ! Nos ganas de esto y la única ventaja era el amable miembro del personal que nos atiende.

Añadir 4 libras de la noche si estás pensando de aparcamiento aquí por la noche. . . El restaurante está decorado con buen gusto. . . Que eas muy muy tranquilo, lo que me sorprendió un jueves por la noche. . Las vistas de la marina y 200 hectáreas son encantadoras. . La comida (pescado y patatas fritas) fue rápido, caliente, sabroso y decoradas con muy buen gusto. La tarta era divina (pero soy un fan de tarta). . El personal era eficiente, dando un servicio amable con una sonrisa, que falta mucho hoy en día. . Pero no costaba nada seguro como el infierno de los clientes da una buena sensación. . Sí, me gusta el lugar. .

Yo había comprado un cupón de groupon (Highlife/uno de esos sitios) y tomamos yo y mi madre aquí para el té de la tarde.

Tenía el té de la tarde aquí y ¡Qué decepción! ! Sé que era un bono de groupon, pero no estaba bien. Tuvimos que coger dos sillas altos donde mugrientos y así advertir y no confiar en que podían celebrar mi hijo. Le pregunté a la camarera por un paño para limpiar la calle de una tela pero_ no fuimos y conseguimos una nueva silla alta lo que era como ella y sucio no hay problema en aclarar la cena del último niño permanece en el suelo. Los sándwiches y todavía tenía costras en la selección era diminuto y no se parece en nada a la imagen que anuncian. No hablamos con ningún equipo waitressing como no quería interrumpir ellos! ! ! ! ! También mi marido necesitaba usar la sala para cambiar pañales. . . . Qué es en el Ladies wc! ! ! ! ! Lo único bueno era el equipo de recepción era muy servicial y muy amable. Lástima y hubiera querido irme a otro sitio.

We booked the Thistle restaurant and just before we left I spotted some negative reviews. We decided to keep our booking however and I am so pleased we did.We had stated in advance that we had a 'tastecard' and I had asked if there was a possibility of a window seat. Neither were a problem. It was a stunning view overlooking the boats all lit up. The service was prompt but we were not hurried, by a very efficient friendly young waitress. Our starters were good, I had tomato and red pepper soup. It was piping hot which is the only way I like my soup. My husband had melon and he was pleased with his.We both chose pan fried chicken with seasonal veg and mustard mash, and a tarragon sauce, the veg was quite al dente but tasty. No complaints at all. The meal was ample and hot.We also had dessert and coffee, and with our tastecard it was a total of just over £30:00!Unbelievably value.What I appreciated was good service and good good, and being treated equal to the hotel patrons and full paying customers, as unfortunately if you have a tastecard, this isn't always the case.Many thanks for a lovely evening.

Bank Holiday Stay - I appreciate Bank Holiday weekends are extremely busy therefore I would expected management to be prepared and make sure the restaurant could cope and that I would not be expected to visit the restaurant personally for room service as no one picked up the phone. Having ordered was told the restaurant was extremely busy and the food would therefore take longer - only three tables were taken. Then when I returned to the room had a call to say they no longer had the dish I wanted so I choose an alternative dish to my surprise when it arrived it it was the smallest piece of salmon I had ever seen (glad they think I'm on a diet). The mugs in the room were dirty so had to wash them otherwise room was acceptable. Do not think I will rush to stay here again - its in an excellent location so you prices not cheap so you would think they would make an effort!!!

Had lunch on a Living Social deal, only good thing was the view, awful food, uninterested staff, terrible service although restaurant practically empty, would never return. The reason for the late submission of this review is that I thought it had been posted months ago, but obviously was an oversight on my part

Was given an afternoon tea as an anniversary gift...all I can say is DONT bother. We arrived to the most unapproachable receptionist who twice gave us directions to our room that wasn't there. Eventually I insisted she escort us to our room...well what a shamble...it was just a saloon room with no table ready for us or another couple..after waiting nearly an hour our sandwiches arrive...we had to ask for the glass of wine that was meant to given to us on arrival....Poor quality service and food....never ever again...oh plus if you want an afternoon tea with a huge tv playing the cricket match and music playing as well then be my guest.

We had a 90th birthday party here for my mum on a Sunday lunchtime. Amazing staff and fabulous food. The chef and his team were incredible. My children and grandchildren were arriving from all over the country and as it was a Bank Holiday weekend they, of course, had many traffic problems, and consequently got delayed. Not only was the chef very understanding but he ensured all 18 of us got great food! Can't thank him and his team enough for helping to make mum's 90th perfect. Would not hesitate to recommend the Harbour View Restaurant at The Thistle and we all thank them for a great experience and fabulous food.

We popped in here for a drink before dinner at the Jetty. Perfect setting for a pre dinner drink but we were kept waiting for 10 minutes to order a drink, whilst 3 members of staff chatted at the bar. A senior staff member took our order in the end and he did apologise. Upon leaving not one of the now 5 members of staff in the bar said goodbye. Very dissapointed.

I visited the Thistle hotel in March and spoke to events there regarding using one of their two bars for 1.5 hours on 2nd April for pre-dinner drinks. I advised there would be 60 people and would they be able to accommodate us for the time discussed. I was shown both bar areas and requested the Harbour View on the 1st Floor as it overlooks the harbour. The lady I spoke to advised that catering for this amount of people would not be a problem and wrote it in the hotel diary and advised that enough staff would be available on the night. When I arrived at the hotel, some of my guest were in the foyer trying to find out if any staff would be available to serve people drinks in the Harbour Bar, there was currently one person, who had no sense of any urgency in serving anyone at all...... I was advised by some guest that there was a lack of interest regarding the question. I then spoke to the reception staff and received the same response, but not with any apology or sense of wanting to make the situation better. Eventually after about 40 minutes we had 2 bar staff who then proceeded to serve drinks, slowly, not particularly friendly and had also run out of several drinks. I do appreciated that 60 people descending at around the same time is a challenge, however, we did not turn up unannounced (or so I thought) The reason I visited prior to the evening was to ensure that this venue was suitable for my party. The thistle missed out on a lot of money at the bar that evening and appeared unconcerned for the wait time. Considering half of my guest were staying in the hotel also, the service received was shocking and put a dampener on the start of my birthday celebration. Fortunately... The guildhall tavern transformed the evening, nothing was too much trouble and everyone was able to get a drink in a timely fashion.

This was our fourth visit over the last two years. Today we took our Mothers for Sunday Lunch.Dining room has had its decor updated, however still worn dining chairs that need replacing, also they were quiet low for the table height.It was so nice to see virtually every table full with patrons.The Carvery and wide range of vegetables was excellent, great choice and cooked to perfection.Unfortunately the service let it down:We were shown to our table, but no explanation was given as to what to do in respect of each course. No wine list left or drink order taken. After 10 minutes or so we just went up to the Carvery.We had to call someone over to order some drinks, which then took some time to arrive. Bottle of wine in a bucket was just put on the table for us to open and pour ourselves. We only realised after pouring it that it was not the wine we had ordered. However it was quite acceptable and we drank it.After our Dessert dishes were cleared, no staff member offered us tea/coffee, we had to ask. Finally on receipt of the bill we had to tell them to add the meals as only our drinks had been charged!I work in hospitality and all rather worrying, and such a shame.

No welcome, poor service, mediocre food and a terrible table. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend it.Having booked for the 12.30 sitting, we arrived in good time at about 12.10 and reported to reception. The receptionist seemed a bit put out and told us the restaurant was upstairs. We walked up the stairs and found ourselves in a spacious open area, restaurant with tables laid on our left side, bar lounge on the right. There were one or two staff around, putting finishing touches to the tables. Three parties of guests were seated in the lounge. We waited to see where we should go.We waited for a considerable time. After a while it became embarrassing. Were we doing the right thing? Perhaps this restaurant did not greet people? Were we standing in the right place? We must be; there was the host stand, a wooden lectern, though it was empty and unattended. We waited so long it even crossed my mind to wonder if we had the right day! Ridiculous, I know, but that is how odd it felt, waiting there being ignored.Eventually a waiter approached and I gave our name. He frowned over a seating plan for some time so I wondered if our booking had been lost. He found our name eventually and said we could go to the bar. He didn’t seat us or wait on us, just gave permission and indicated where it was. I ordered drinks, and two bottles and three glasses were placed on the bar in front of me. I asked for a tray. After some searching, a grubby one was produced. I carried the drinks over to my guests and we sat and chatted. There was an electric fire on the wall, not switched on. It didn’t seem very festiveWhen 12.30 arrived it became evident that we were not going to be invited to our table. It was up to us to report back. We did, and were shown our table.A tiny table, by the kitchen door. It was a minimum sized table for two. For three it was ludicrous. It was not clear who was looking after us (nobody really), but a young woman near by, informally dressed in a Christmas jersey and antlers, was evidently staff. I said to her ‘This table is very small for three’. She replied ‘There is a limited number of tables’ and walked away. It was at this point I would have left if there was any other option. No welcome at all, and now this tiny table, in a corner by the kitchen! How could they give us such a miserable spot? Why did they not say when I booked, that they were full?We seated ourselves and tried to see whether we could manage. But really, it was too small. I didn’t have a tape measure. 70 cm square perhaps? Crammed with crockery, cutlery and glasses, it was laid comprehensively in advance with everything from bread rolls to coffee cups already there. There would have been no room for food; plates would not have fitted on. The water jug was on a corner ready to be knocked off when we lifted our cutlery. I said it was poorly laid. My son joked that it was remarkably well laid, in having so much packed on. He bravely got up and mentioned again, to another member of staff, how very small the table was. This person listened and brought another small table so we were able to spread ourselves and the crockery out, thank goodness. We were still by the kitchen door, though. Cornered, with the traffic of staff walking to and from between us and the other diners. On the other side of their route was the spacious restaurant, tables of all sizes all laid up and It seemed like only half of them occupied. Why could they not have seated us somewhere better? At one of the empty tables by the window perhaps? What did we do, to be given this punishment corner? Nothing; we have never been there before. It was galling to see all those good tables empty, all the way through. Why not give us one of those and then re-lay it? Moving us off to the lounge for coffee, if necessary. I saw no overlap in the sittings, though. Many of the tables were empty all the time we were there.A waiter arrived with our first courses and insisted I must have ordered fish, though I hadn’t. However then someone else came up with my soup. It was tepid but tasted quite good. My guests had other things, which they did not seem to like much.The next course was a sorbet, drenched in sweet sparkling wine. Not good, so we left it.It was clear by now that whole meal was going to be pretty grim and we must make the best of it. We pulled our crackers and put the paper hats on. We agreed it was so awful we should try to laugh. I could help thinking, though, that the manager, wherever he was, would be unimpressed by the way we were not offered drinks. A trail of gloomy waiters was passing back and forth next to our table, working systematically at taking out plates of food from the kitchen. But none of them attended to us. Was the jug of water all we would get? Surely there is profit in selling drinks? If I were the manager I’d be encouraging people to treat themselves on such an occasion. Eventually we gave in and asked; my son flagged down a waiter and we were able to order. It didn’t seem as though the wine was likely to be very good here, so I ordered just a glass and my companions soft drinks.Time went by. The main courses arrived, without the drinks. We started to eat. I wondered if I would have finished before I got my glass of wine. We caught someone’s attention and asked if we could either have the drinks, or cancel them . The waitress expedited them and said they would be on the house. I appreciated her attempt to put that right.The main course was not great. Two of us had beef and one, turkey. My son said the turkey was like school dinners. His girlfriend said her beef was tough and left most of it. The thing that got me down particularly was the constant trail of staff walking back and forth from the kitchen right in front of me . It felt like eating by the side of a road. We really did try to be cheerful, but it was hard. The waiters did not look happy, they had dour expressions as they passed. Did they not want to be here? Who was in charge? Were some key staff absent? Why not a bit of festive spirit? That is what other restaurants I have been to are like, on Christmas Day. This was miserable.For dessert, gf and I had ordered apple and almond tart. The pastry was hard. I sawed at mine ineffectually and could not cut a piece off. Gf ground a small hole in the base of hers. My son helpfully whacked it with the edge of his spoon and managed to chip it slightly. Coffee came with a jug of cold milk, 70’s style. No options of hot milk, cream etc offered. My younger companions, accustomed to the higher standards of today, were surprised to not to be offered a choice even in this ‘mass catering’ environment. We were not offered drinks following the meal, which I found disappointing as I usually like a glass of cognac or a liqueur. However, we decided not to bother trying to get one and to ask for the bill. Other tables were already leaving.The drinks we had been told were on the house were on the bill. Not much to my surprise, by now. I mentioned it but said it did not matter. I was really feeling pretty unhappy by this time. As the host, I had been obliged by the restaurant to offer this poor hospitality to my guests. Another waitress came up and said she would amend the bill, but I gave her the full amount, on principle. It was nothing in the scale of things. This depressing event had cost me the best part of £200 in total and been utterly inhospitable. I felt cheated by the whole experience. I had booked and paid in advance in good faith, and we had looked forward to it. We were given in return the most dismal Christmas dinner we have ever had.

Visited on a Living Social lunch deal. For some reason this had to be at 2.30 even though there was only one other couple in the dining room. The reception area is very nice and modern, but the dining room could not be more lacking in atmosphere, tired or dated. The water jug needed a good clean, chairs stained, horrible cutlery. There was one disinterested female staff member on duty, later to be replaced by an equally disinterested male. Service slow, food horrible, not even asked if we would like a coffee. Will neither recommend nor return

have to say this restaurant is part of the thistle, so it goes to say it's 1st class.we've eaten here several times whilst staying here.good food good staff great view.

Reception was very helpful and polite helped with the parking. £15 for 24 hours or £5 if a guest.Venue location and food was good . The waitress clearing the tables was very efficient and polite.Felt like the barman was new as he seamed unsure about the location of drinks and then he informed me they had run out of Prosecco ! On the next round they run out of Jack Daniels as well !!Come on Thistle

We've been several times as a family for their carvery & the food & service is usually very good. But on this occasion the service was appalling. When I said there weren't enough seats at the table the waiter looked at me as if I was mad! He then proceeded to pull my young daughter out of a chair & move her to another table There was no table service for drinks, & the same waiter said that people had made complaints about our kids running around. They're 3 & 4 - I can't tie them to a chair! It seemed the only person who had a problem was him.Needless to say we will not be returning if our family are treated like that.

We don't often eat at restaurants in hotels but it was pouring down and we could use our Tastecard (two meals for the price of one) so we booked a table for 7 o'clock. We had a table by the window, which offered a fabulous view of the boats in the marina and Brownsea Island beyond. We soon received our drinks but there was no sign of the olives we had ordered. Eventually I asked. "I thought you wanted them with your main course," replied our waitress. Actually, they were listed as 'sides' on the menu, so I guess that was my fault. But who has olives as a side dish? We had a long wait for our main course, Chicken Teriyaki, which was tasty enough. Noodles? Plenty. Chicken? Not so much. Then we were tempted by the sticky toffee sundae, but after another long wait we were sadly disappointed. The crunchy honeycomb stuck to our teeth and the sticky toffee pudding part was dry and boring. It was 9 o'clock when we left. Two hours for two courses? Not good enough.I was tempted not to leave a tip, but when it came to it I didn't have the heart. The waitress had been friendly enough. I signed for the meal to be charged to our room and added a tip. Our waitress confided that such tips finished up with the manager, they were not passed on to the staff. That strikes me as mean, very mean. If I wanted the waitress to have a tip I should cross it off the room charge and give her cash. Sadly, I had gone down to the restaurant without cash. I just hope that Mr. Thistle pays a living wage to his waitresses.

Great views of harbour - ruined by awful manager, dire food and slow service. As others point out, avoid. We ate as a group of 4 after ignoring some reviews here but regret it now. Never reviewed before but joined to warn others. Go somewhere else, seriously.

We booked a harbour view table upstairs weeks ago for nine persons , when we got there we found a wedding going on and the manager tried to put us in a side room with no view ! Week apology , they clearly did not really care!Avoid .

Booked for a group of us to visit this restaurant and couldn't have been happier with the evening. When we arrived we were abl to sit on the terraces and enjoy the amazing view and atmosphere. A little later we were shown to our table which was by the window. The food was incredible and everyone enjoyed the dishes we were served. The staff were incredibly attentive.I really can't recommend this venue enough if you want a more refined experience! I will definitely be back :)

Situated inside the Thistle Poole Quay.First floor views of the marina and across to Brownsea Island, lovely.Small Bar area to have a drink before you have your meal.Food quality and taste very good.Staff engaged and very attentive.Went for Sunday lunch but there were no Menus on the table and the only choice seemed to be the carvery. We asked 3 different staff what the deal/cost was for different courses but got no straight answer. Why not just put a one page Menu on the table explaining it - simples!Drinks a bit pricey but food good value.Atmosphere was ok but quiet when we went. Would make for a good special occasion venue being roomy enough and with the views too.

I have been here quite a few times. The view is stunning. I could sit here all day, but I am not sure I can afford it. The sandwiches are not too cheap but you get a meal size portion - if not two! We had dinner on a Friday night and the service, meal was exceedingly good. What's more, they had perfect entertainment that was classy and not loud. It was a saxophonist playing fairly muted romantic music in the background, combine that with a good meal, wine and a stunning view - what more could a romantic couple want?! If I were to be really picky, I would say that the menu could do with traveling further towards the Mitchelin star range along with the wine list just to make it 100% perfect! And I have heard that the food does fluctuate according to the chef and his or her mood...However, I am really splitting hairs now!

Lovely restaurant staff were brilliant too, very clean spacious newly decorated .. Will definatley be returning, I don't know how anyone can say otherwise, I was shocked to see the negative reviews on here, I'm a really fussy eater and I can honestly say my French onion soup was amazing

Very good service fantastic view of Marina Food reasonable and not overly expensive. Will visit again as part of a trip to stay at the hotel.

Brilliant waiter in Angel - really excellent food and drink - view to die for overlooking the harbour from a window seat. Couples placed at suitable distances from one another (not piled into one section for the convenience of the staff) and I would go back BUT the waitress helping Angel let it down a bit - she was overly keen and doesn't get the sublety required to provide good service. She really annoyed me but luckily Angel was SO good he compensated. would have had an excellent otherwise.

Worth the walk to enjoy the lovely views from the 1st floor bar, can watch the RNLI training whilst enjoying drinks. The drinks are well priced and the staff friendly, didn't have food but it all looked well cooked and well presented.

I used the restaurant for 3 consecutive nights and for breakfast each morning. The staff are great, very helpful, very pleasant and attentive.Breakfast is good, there is a plenty to choose from, continental, full English, cereals, fruit juices. They are all there and there is plenty of choice.However, there is a capacity issue in the evening. The kitchen couldn't cope with anything more than a coach party on each night. We had to wait until they were served before we could eat. I found this frustrating as the restaurant was only half full. The menu is very basic with a limited choice.Given the lovely location and the excellent staff I think the Hotel management is missing a golden opportunity to have an exceptional eating venue

Don't bother going here for a cappuccino. My son and I had 2 here earlier this evening and I can say without doubt they serve the most revolting coffee I have ever had in my life. And also it was the most expensive I have ever paid too - at 3.50 a small cup! More expensive that the Hotel du Vin on the other side of the Quay. Should have gone to Cafe Nero and had a large Cap with extra shot and a chocolate off the counter and would have still had change!

Had a lovely meal , great choice ,great people so welcoming .Fantastic location.. Went for a walk later on Sand banks beach ;) love this place !

Excellent food in a superb setting with attentive staff - all dining experiences should be like this

My nephew had his 1st birthday party at the thistle Poole in January. It was a really great day well organised and nothing was to much trouble for the staff. Fantastic friendly restaurant staff and a great location and views

If there was a category between the two, that is how I would have marked our visit to the restaurant. On arrival our booking wasn't in the diary (booking register) even though we booked on check in.Starter of Tiger prawn cocktails were really tasty with a good number of tiger prawns.The duck was a little over cooked and the skin not crispy. Lemon sole was nice and cooked fresh. Cheese and biscuits,(it is what it is) the sticky toffee sundae disappointing.The staff were engaging, polite and attentive.The Restaurant is in a great location, giving a lovely view over the harbour, Try to book a table by a window.We had breakfast in the restaurant in the morning. There was a wide choice available, pastries, cold buffet and hot cooked breakfast available. Staff very helpful and attentive.

A great lunch time treat for those special occasions with friends and family. Sit comfortably and soak up the beautiful Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island with little boats slowly moving in and out of the harbour. The food is beautifully presented, fresh cooked, and very tasty. Lunch time specials give a small selection but enough variety to entertain a wide palette and is reasonably priced

Seven of us booked for Sunday lunch at the Thistle - we are all local so knew what to expect, unfortunately it still hasn't improved - Sunday lunch is a carvery, with buffet starters and desserts, we booked for 1.30 pm, there was hardly anything left on the starters buffet so most of us had soup (one choice only) - the carvery was very poor with little choice, the chef apologised and said they had run out due to numbers eating there - rather strange as they were hardly any diners in the Harbour View restaurant, we declined desserts - this hotel needs improve its standards if it continues to charge £12.50 pp for a very average two course carvery

I am sorry that I had the misfortune to eat in this place. The food was dire and my steak could have been mistaken for a bit of leather. The price was extortionate. Having just come back from Jersey where we were getting more food for less money at a higher quality has made this doubly disappointing. Also my wife felt the restaurant smelt a little of urine. To find something positive the view was good and staff friendly

First the positives: having booked a birthday meal for 10, a nicely decorated table had been set up overlooking the beautiful Poole Harbour and the birthday girl had 'Happy Birthday' piped in chocolate on her dessert plate...But - on arrival, we had to share the menus as they did not have enough. I had to ask for an extra one and were then snatched away to be given to other diners. I asked if they had bitter; the waitress looked confused and then replied that they could add something to my lager (?!) I had a lager, but then noticed that they did indeed have bitter. Two of our party had to wait an age for their drinks, having asked twice. The order was then taken wrongly and the waitress had to come back to double check. The starters were fine but the main courses not so. Two had calves liver which said 'served pink' on the menu: nothing of the sort. Two of us had the sirloin steak (£23) one rare and one rare medium. They were both totally overcooked so we had to send them back. The waitress said they would take 20 minutes. When I queried this with the manager, I eventually asked if it was because they are frozen to which he replied, 'Yes'. It made us wonder how much of the food is simply defrosted having been delivered frozen. The desserts were ok but overpriced and when one of our party asked what the steamed plum pudding was and the waitress pointed out where it was on the menu instead of describing the dish (eventually she said 'dry') we realised that we may just have stepped into Fawlty Towers circa 1975.

I was staying at the hotel and decided to eat the restaurant. The resteraunt was half full at the most and there seemed to be plenty of staff. After I ordered my main course and a glass of wine I was basically ignored and had to try and get someone's attention for another glass of wine. After the main course which was OK but very expensive for what it was I was given the desert menu. No one returned to take my desert order. Sat there for a while with empty wine glass, empty water glass and then decided to leave. Very disapointing. I felt as a single diner I was not worth their while.

The evening my husband and I visited the Harbour View restaurant and bar in Poole the restaurant had been taken over by the sixth form of a local school for their end of year prom so a downstairs meeting room was being used as a temporary restaurant. Unfortunately there was no atmosphere, the background music was a radio station and it felt as if we were eating in a canteen. We had to wait what felt like hours for each course to appear and although the food was okay the portions were very small. We were there on a Tablepouncer deal so we only paid 50% for the food, but if we'd been paying the full price we'd have been overcharged. For my main course I had fish from the special board which consisted of the smallest piece of cod I've ever seen with a few breadcrumbs covering the top, two or three sliced new potatoes and six cherry tomatoes, and this would have been £14.95. The waiting staff were helpful but the whole evening was very disappointing. Needless to say, we won't be returning.

My Wife and I had purchase a Champagne Cream Tea for two at this Hotel, via Living Social. We booked and went on Tuesday 14th Feb. Food was ok, but the "Champagne" was poured from a bottle wrapped in a teatowel.On leaving, we asked the barman if we could see the bottle as we were the last of three couples taking tea. It was not Champagne, but sparkling wine. The barman immediately offered two glasses of Champagne without being asked. We asked for the duty Manager, and a Mr Somer (Operations Manager) then arrived. We explained the problem, and he suggested that they had run out of Champagne (at 1730 on Valentines Day?), at which point we advised him of the barmans offer. The adjacent table (booked through Groupon) then voiced their concerns also. As we do not live near Poole, offers of replacement tea of no use, Mr Somer stated that he was unable to refund as booked through Living Social. So we were offered and accepted a bottle of Champagne. Mr Somer took our card, and was to send an email explaining what had caused this....mistake?...deception?Five days later, no email, so have just spoken to Craig Findleton (General Manager). He knew nothing of this prooblem, not been at work this week.So, don't believe them when they sell you "Champagne", and don't believe them when they say they are taking your complaint seriously.We will now be contacting Living Social, Dorset Trading Standards and Thistle Group, we wonder how many (hundreds?) have been dupped.