Heron Iow in Isle of Wight

This was a real find for us on our first night on the island. Think it may have ruined us for anywhere else. The service was friendly and respectful and the food.... Tremendous! Enticing presentation and truly delicious flavours. As vegetarians we always appreciate chefs who make us feel included in the culinary experience. Thank you.

An awful experience. Ruined by a rowdy, rude table of 10 using terrible language who were upsetting everyone in their presence, at no point was this dealt with by the staff?? Also every dish was filled with an extremely rich sauce (after around 7 small courses, it gets a bit much) and each was very, very salty. Considering the price of everything this was a very disappointing evening that my wide and I had been looking forward to, When we complained to the staff, all we got was “ next time we will sit you away from large groups”….. Based on this experience we will most certainly not be coming back.

We were expecting incredible food and a class dining experience. What we experienced couldn’t be further from that expectation. A truly appalling experience! We were sat downstairs in the cellar area next to a group of eight and another couple. During our five courses we were treated to the most incredibly loud swearing and shouting from the group next to us, to the point that we couldn’t hear each other. Their behaviour was disgusting and at no point was this managed by the restaurant even after I let the waiting staff know how awful it was. They proceeded to burn something at the table and we then had to be blasted with cold air to clear the stench. The food tasted as if the chef had had an accident with the salt cellar. So so salty!! Each course was extremely rich and after five of them I was left feeling sick and harangued by the noise, we couldn’t wait to leave and asked for the bill early just to get away. In short… food is overpriced, too salty and too rich! Management need to manage roudy and uncouth diners to protect others’ dining experience.

My husband and I had lunch here, having a few intolerances and a fussy husband food wise, I’m always a little nervous with a fixed menu, but they kindly altered a couple of items for me, husband tried items he wouldn’t usually, he also had the wine flight that complimented the food wonderfully, and we both had a lovely meal, can’t wait to return. Restaurant was very busy, it’s not very large, so recommend booking.

Another excellent experience with the Heron team. The lounge served excellent beers and cocktails with great service, the singer on the evening was also brilliant. The restaurant was well presented with a lovely ambiance and the staff are a credit to the business. The food was outstanding with an excellent offering, the wine list is also worthy of praise. Highly recommended and well worth a visit to both the Lounge and Restaurant. The previous Aubrey review in my opinion is unfair and unnecessary, the Heron team are outstanding and well worth the 100’s of 5 Star reviews. Looking forward to our next visit already.

We have seen this place and heard how good it was but just hadn’t got around to going. My husband booked us in for Valentine’s Day. We declined going to the lounge simply because we were having dinner early and there was hot enough time between finishing work and our reservation. The last time we had been here was when this is where the Alamo was located. It was a pleasant surprise at the sophisticated decor and I always love being able to see in the kitchen. The food was a delight and I was envious of my husband who had the wine pairing (I was the driver). All of the food was delicious but if I had to choose, the standouts for me were the baked roll, the artichoke , the cheese soufflé , the butter milk ice cream. We will be back ……. Very soon and we need to try the Heron Lounge and the new restaurant in Cowes that’s opening this year.

This was our third visit to the Heron in the last year. All three experiences have been exceptional. All the courses from the valentines menu were tasty, well balanced and we left full and satisfied arguing over what the best course was. The Soufflé perhaps. The wine flight was paired nicely, I maybe would have liked a fuller bodied red than the Pinot noir with the Sirloin but it worked fine with the dish. They have a really friendly, welcoming and knowledgable team who make you comfortable and relaxed from the cocktail bar through to the restaurant. Well done Alex and the team.

Heron Ryde my favourite restaurant on the island at the moment, I have a few more to visit but right now for the food and decor it’s number 1 . The food execution excellent , the presentation the ambiance cannot be faulted. We went tonight Saturday 16 th of December, I have been looking forwards to this for weeks , we are a table of Four friend two couples, my partner and I have been before and have been singing the praises of Alex Kimber’s cooking to our friends long and loud. We have an 8:30 booking in the Restaurant so we decided to also book a 7:30 table in the lounge ( on suggestion of the restaurant team. Great cocktails in the lounge The Cosmopolitan! gets an 9 out of ten lovely staff attentive service ( the evenings entertainment maybe a little too loud for the space enjoyed by most but toned and turned down volume wise could have worked better, but just my opinion) 8:35 into the restaurant seated downstairs our preference, both couples having the 7 course blind menu with Wine pairing. One of our party not a fan of red wine, not problem, they substitute for white where applicable, Great! can we have the Al a Carte Cheese dish to finish, Yes! of course! superb! The food arrives, course after course of deliciousness…! Our friend are totally impressed we are enjoying this meal to the ninth degree, the wine are as delicious as the food expertly described by our wine waiter Ann Marie who also prepared excellent “Negroni’s” my partner was very impressed which is high praise itself. All is going swimmingly everyone is happy, almost content….. The chees course has been demolished in record time and the waiter take our order for coffee’s…… Then the proverbial Spanner is thrown into the Works!!!! Our waitress who has been lovely thus far, if a little speedy in her speech when describing dishes, comes to tell us Coffee will not be possible as they are opening Sunday and the staff need to get home early as to in the next day…….! Now anyone who anyone in the Food & Beverage industry, knows it’s not the first course that is remembered the most , but it is the Last…! Now after recommending and singing the praises of the restaurant for several weeks prior to this evening and after enjoying such a marvellous meal not forgetting cocktails next door in the lounge …. To fall at the final hurdle So , so , galactically , spectacularly, weakly…..is absolutely a poor show. Those who choose to come to you and embellish your business deserve better ……. Whilst I should be Happy, by one seemingly simple action, I find myself far from Happy. Final Appraisal: Not Good , Try Harder , Do Better D -.

We really enjoyed our meal here, quality of food was excellent along with the service. Look forward to returning again in the future.

A disappointing experience. After hearing/reading good reviews I was excited to visit the Heron. The menu was limited resulting in a few members of the party having a chip butty as a starter! After we were seated we waited over 15 mins before we got up to find a waiter to order drinks and to be provided with a menu. When we asked for a draft beer the waiter made a comment that he would have to go to the cocktail bar a few doors away where we had started our evening. We had to chase for drinks that were missing from the order. Asked for my steak to be cooked blue, ipad only had an option of rare/medium rare/medium or well done! We had a nice evening but that was due to the good company not location. To summarise limited selection on menu, poor service, small portions - many more nicer places to enjoy a meal.

We are big foodies and it’s not often something gives us that wow factor but this place and the food was outstanding. Every dish was expertly made, we could see the chefs working in the kitchen and the taste and flavour of everything was incredible. Would give more than 5 stars if we could and will definitely return if in the area. It wasn’t overpriced either and for starters, sides, mains, wine and beer for the 2 if us we paid £84 which is very acceptable for what we had, it was very tasty beautiful and food, service was great too. What a little gem!!

If you are on the IoW you really must go to the Heron. An open kitchen adds to the amazing food experience you will enjoy. The chef's are real culinary artists and the waiters are spot on. Truly a WOW dinner. One minor point was that the menu listed in an unusual manner (at least for us) but after discussing with our waitress it all became clear and proved to be fabulous.

Our first visit to Heron. The restaurant exudes sophistication and this little haven offers food with wonderful textures and tastes. The presentation of the food is first class. The staff are very attentive. Will keep this place in mind for future celebrations.

My partner booked Heron as a treat and because we had a rare opportunity to eat out together. We had been before for her 50th a year or so ago and was heartened from the outset that it is clear this business continues to go from strength to strength. We booked for an early dinner and went to their bar just along the road for a fabulous cocktail and a welcome selection of amuse bouche. We then took the short walk to the main restaurant and were warmly welcomed by the from of house like we were regular customers. We had a fantastic table opposite the open kitchen. We plumped for the 7 course taster menu and spent the next couple of hours in absolute bliss! Course after course delivered excellent and surprising flavor combinations. Could not fault a single dish. Pacing of the meal was perfect and the staff were attentive but not intrusive, which is a difficult skill to manage. Despite it being a Friday evening and busy we were made to feel like we were the only customers. Easily the best dining experience on the Island in our humble opinion. Can't wait for our next special occasion so we can have an excuse to return. Thank you to everyone for making our evening so special.

This place was recommended to me by new colleagues, and as a massive foodie I was waiting for a place where the food blew me away AND the service was excellent. Being a previous hospitality worker I would say I'm particular about service but the waitress was outstanding and this place was everything I have been waiting for in regards to excellent food and service to match. Everything down to the music playlist was amazing. We had drinks in the longe which were even carried through for us when we couldn't finish in time for our reservation. The initial service of complimentary canapés set the tone for the whole evening, with both the lounge bar lady and restaurant server talking through dishes. The dishes of which were extraordinary thoughtful in terms of presentation and flavour. 100/10 will be recommending as a high class but surprisingly affordable dining experience. You will be seeing me often x

We visited the Heron on Saturday, 2nd September for a special occasion. It was incredibly disappointing and extremely poor value. The food was not “delectable”, the sommelier was not knowledgable, and the ambience dull with the staff rushing around creating a stressful atmosphere. The cost...

The food at The Heron is an absolute delight. Every mouthful is pure pleasure, full of flavour and textures. It was so good we booked it again for the last night of our holidays. Sadly we don’t live on the IoW. We would highly, highly...

We all went for the 7 course tasting menu and 100% delighted with the food. See pics attached. Classy but affordable tasty dishes in stylish surroundings with friendly, professional staff. What's not to love!

What there was is ok , but I thought that minimalist cuisine portions had gone out of fashion? £12.50 for a liver of cheese the size of a piece of a Dairylea portion took the biscuit-but they did have the grace to remove it from...

Fantastic meal in a very good restaurant, all the food was served to perfection. You get what you pay for - go here and you won't be disappointed ! Will definitely be back on our next visit to the IoW !

We come here regularly and it is always a fantastic experience. The food (we had the tasting menu) was superb (it always is) and the ambiance is great. When we arrived home we immediately booked for our next visit. We always do.

This place is very special. We went for our wedding anniversary and it exceed our expectations. Service exceptional. Will be back. Go, you won’t regret it.

Sensational food experience! We enjoyed the blind tasting menu paired with wines. As good as anything we’ve had in London….and much better value for money. Astonished this team don’t have a Michelin star…only a matter of time I suspect. Service was great as well, and...

I visited Heron on Saturday evening with my wife to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. We had a phenomenal evening. We both enjoyed the seven course tasting menu with wine pairing, the service and the food was exceptional. We sat on the table next the...

Been to the Heron a few times and always been amazed by the food.Sadly it looks like something has changed for the worse. The starters were nit only of poor quality but small, the main dishes were very much posh pub grub rather than high...

Absolutely amazing food and service as always, if this was in London it would be Michelin star, a hidden gem in the Isle of Wight.

My wife and I went to Heron for our wedding anniversary. Very impressed, the menu was varied with plenty of choice and when the courses were served each was a delight. In summary this was some of the best restaurant food we have experienced. The...

Visited after our friend recommended and would definitely recommend ourselves. We went for the tasting menu with wine pairing. All ingredients expertly cooked and the sauces were packed with flavour. Lucy was so knowledgable about both our food and wines and made us feel very...

This was a first visit to The Heron, having heard great things about it from friends, we were not disappointed - the food and service was amazing, delicious and truly special - and they were also extremely careful with catering for all our difficult dietary...

Had excellent pre dinner drinks in the Heron bar before a fabulous meal and service in the restaurant. Cannot recommend highly enough. Must do place to visit in Ryde

What a superb meal. The meal 7 course tasting menu at the Heron restaurant is like doing the tango with a stranger. You enter the dance floor uncertain of what to expect and when the music stops at the end, you are left breathless and...

Absolutely beautiful food, sometimes the line's get blurred between pub food & restaurant but this is fine dining at it's clearist.Had the seven course taster menu and each course had so much flavour and cooked to perfection.Great place and great friendly and knowledgeable staff at...

The most tastiest /stunning food ! Such a lovely intimate venue. Staff and chefs were so polite and helpful and went out of the way to cater for my current needs. We done the blind tasting menu and every single course was sooooo yummy. I...

Wow! Wow! Wow! What an amazing experience at this restaurant. We hopped on a hovercraft from Southsea over to Ryde, had beautiful cocktails @heron_lounge_ryde, then spent the rest of the evening eating the most delicious beautifully presented food! we had the 7 course tasting menu...

This place has gone down hill. Used to go here regularly with some business partners, but the service and value has changed drastically Waitress was disorganised and the prices have shot up for the same quality. I understand businesses are needing to do this, but...

Overpriced for what was on offer. Onion soup good , cottage pie as main course fine , but very small serving and cheese portion was the size of a Dairylea slice , which I refused to pay for and was removed from the bill.

Disappointed. Venue cold Felt pressured into tasting menu. One main was lukewarm Really need to replace pudding plate. Too noisy with cutlery. No kidding. Won't be rushing back which is a shame as keen to support island businesses

Our 1st visit and it wont be our last. If your a foodie then this place has to be on your list. Its not cheap but the best stuff never is ! Good service, fab food, my favs being the beef croustade, the roasted cauliflower...

My daughter and I had the 7 course tasting menu which was completely faultless. We loved every dish which was beautifully presented and charmingly served. Probably one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return.

Special occasion evening out , we were recommended to visit the Heron just off Union Street in Ryde and it paid off! Charming staff, extremely lovely food and dessert. We had the chefs choice tasting menu and everything was just perfect.

Scanning the menu, everything looked amazing and we struggled to decide, so we ended up going for the 7 course blind tasting menu plus wine pairing. The chef and sommelier picked courses for us, so each course was a surprise. Wine arrive first, which gave...

We’ve been meaning eat here for as long as we had heard it had opened, just not been able to get there until now. Reviews read were great. We were certainly not disappointed. Super menu, great service, wonderful food, paired with great wines. Can’t rate...

Super food prepared and served with care and pride, Tiny criticism, it is quite noisy especially if there is a party with loud voices but no fault of the restaurant.

Various friends had visited, and told us how good it was. Being back on the island and meeting with friends, we decided to book to see for ourselves. Hidden away in a side street at the end of Union Street, the restaurant looked very welcoming...

Technically brilliant, amazing use of texture and flavours to create the most awesome dishes. Very professional, knowledgeable staff were welcoming and it was great to watch the chef at work while preparing each dish of deliciousness. We started the evening in the Heron Lounge with...

Astonishing, albeit slightly complicated, food served with great attention to detail. Very good wine at sensible prices. We've been here twice. The only adverse comment last time was that some dishes were a bit salty but that wasn't the case the second time. Expensive, but...

Another visit to the heron for the 7 course taster menu, and again absolutely incredible. Always feel very welcome, Thank you xx

This is a Chef who in years to come will win many awards, the food would grace any table in the finest restaurants anywhere. Wonderful.

We have eaten in the cottage once and expected solid Food from Alex and Laura What we did not expect was the fine dining experience extraordinaire we were treated to The food scene on the island is getting better and better with Robert Thompson’s new...

We ate at The Heron a year ago - twice and returned again on our first night back on the Isle of Wight this year. We sat upstairs which meant we could see the kitchen at work. The seven-course menu allowed each person pick dishes...

Not sure why it only showing 1 review as l reviewed this a while ago. Fantastic food wonderful service. Totally enjoyable food experience. Did the 7 course taster this time. Great that you can see chef at work, nothing to hide.

There are so many really excellent restaurants on the Isle of Wight. After dinner our party concluded that the heron is “at another level”. This is my third visit and I agree. Nothing more to say well done to the hard working team there.

We love Heron. The tastes, clever presentation, textures, unique combinations are exquisite. A perfect restaurant experience. Everyone working there is professional and friendly and the chef is a genius

We had the tasting menu tonight and it was all delicious. Food was beautifully prepared and flavours balanced to perfection. Charming waitresses provided faultless service. Will certainly be returning here when next we visit the island.

We have eaten in some lovely award winning places. But at the Heron none of this deconstructed, freeze dried, foam stuff. The food is beautifully prepared and served to perfection. It's only a matter of time that the Heron will get the accolades it truly...

Visited the heron again last night as a family for the blind tasting menu. Nothing you can say on here will ever do it justice, you need to go and experience it. Starting at the heron lounge for a relaxing pre drink. Then into the...

We were recommended to visit this restaurant just off the esplanade took a little search to find it. I had decided to book a few weeks ahead of our trip. Good job I did as the time I wanted was already booked up so went...

On arriving, staff were attentive and spent time going through the menu and the chef's vision. Everything we ordered was perfect but the onions, tomatoes, hake and mackerel dishes will remain highlights for a long time. Highly recommended.

have been here now 4 times and it simply is the best, by far, on the island (and also probably across the water) ambience, staff and food are first class and at London standards. Well done to all at The Heron-keep the great work up....

Recent visit this week - first time & last time. Poor service & disjointed business model. Website is very misleading - we expected the cocktail bar to be vibrant & welcoming for our pre dinner drinks - very unwelcome atmosphere & staff very disengaged. It’s...

little more to say really than WOW, great value for the quality and taste of what is created in this kitchen. Ryde is certainly lucky to have this restaurant. We have been fortunate to eat in many places around the UK and abroad and find...

Probably the most delicious meal I have had and living in central London we are spoiled with choice, get a table before all the non islanders find out about this place!

Wow what an amazing meal we had tonight. First class service and really really good food. The whole experience is top class and I will definitely be back soon. If you have not been you need to go if you like high quality food

Still very much open! The restaurant closed for a short period as the team went ‘on tour’ but is now firmly open again and hitting its customary culinary highs. Heron lounge is a good spot for a pre-pea dial cocktail and is just next door.

What an amazing foodie experience! We loved the 7 course tasting and wine pairing menu and would highly recommend it. And the adjacent cocktail bar beforehand was fab too!

Heron has an interesting dining concept that was expertly and patiently explained by our polite and friendly waitress after we had been presented with the menus. It can only be described as a ‘pick and mix’ style seven course multi-choice taster menu. Once you’ve finished...

Absolutely delicious food 10 out of 10! We sat close enough to watch the chef! Amazing! Such care and pride in delivering perfection on a plate. We had the 7 course taster menu! Excellent.

Superb food just the most fantastic well presented food. The staff and chef are all lovely as well. The chefs tasting menu was so good we came back again to try out the rest of the menu !

I came away disappointed with what I had experienced in light of the cost and expectation. Understand that it’s a growing venture and really wish them well but there are some things to consider here, in order to really justify the prices.

My wife and I stayed in Ryde for four nights and our meal in Heron IoW was definitely the highlight of our stay in the town. The restaurant serves a seven-course taster menu, which you can eat ‘blind’ if you prefer at a set cost...

Tiny portions so very expensive for what you get. Yorkshire pudding the size of a spoon, tough meat and overcooked turbot. Such a shame. The majority of reviewers seem to love it here so it must have been a bad day.

Our first visit to Heron IoW. This restaurant is an absolute Isle of Wight gem, and well worth visiting. Great food, excellent service - we will be returning……….soon

My husband and I ate here and we were very impressed. The food was amazing! Staff were helpful and friendly and the owner/chef came out to speak to diners. We had the 7 course taster menu and I tried food I never thought that I...

We have eaten here several times and our visit never fails to disappoint Staff are super friendly, menu changes regularly ,and food always tasty , often sourced locally. My only tiny tiny criticism is that the decor is a bit ordinary and maybe a tea-lite...

Our first visit to this new restaurant in the town. Unfortunately for a technical hitch our order didn't go through to the kitchen and our starter didn't get prepared until we asked a waitress 40 min later. The main course of lamb was very good...

The service was exceptional, from explaining the menu - which is based on the idea of having several smaller courses - to looking after us afterwards. There was a slightly noisy other party in the restaurant and not only were the staff apologetic, we were...

A small restaurant with an open kitchen packing a big punch! Truly exceptional food, local suppliers, big flavours and attention to detail. Small sharing plates with lots of choice. Service was great. Good wine list. We sat upstairs in view of the kitchen. There is...

We enjoyed being seated with an open view of the kitchen - very impressed to see the two chefs working so calmly getting all the food out. With the menu structure as it is, they could be at any stage with any table at any...

Remarkable to see a restaurant all but full by 7pm but that was the case on a Wednesday evening visit to Heron, a place that more than lives up to the praise noted from others’ reviews. How great to see a chef that doesn’t dictate...

Unique new place on the Isle Of Wight - superb food, so many different courses to choose from small amuse bouche style portions and normal sized main portions. Theres also the option to have a 7 course set menu. There’s something for everyone. There’s not...

We were recommended this restaurant by a work client,lovely welcoming staff excellent food Open kitchen so we saw the chef preparing our meals, interesting modern take on each course,menus were explained clearly by our waitress. We would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to any...

We booked fir Tuesday but was called on Monday afternoon by Alex to ask if we could step back to Wednesday as he only had two tables booked. As we live in Ryde I agreed but was disappointed that when we did go on Wednesday...

We had heard good reviews from friends who had eaten here. A friendly young lady explained the menu to us. The food was beautifully presented but unfortunately on tasting we found that all the dishes were too salty. Even one of our party who likes...

A brilliant night spent at The Heron. Having heard about this restaurant from friends, I was eager to come here for my birthday and it did not disappoint. The menu is structured over seven different courses - you have the option of picking one or...

I had my first visit to Heron on Saturday and I wasn’t left disappointed. The restaurant has been done up beautifully; the service was impeccable (friendly but professional) and the food was absolutely DELICIOUS!! It was an amazing evening and I can’t wait to go...

We booked an early table and sat upstairs. The service was outstanding and the food was amazing. We were two couples with many years of foodie experiences between us …. The food was exceptional and will be back as soon as possible to try the...

Husband and I went for anniversary meal. Firstly toast with soup was chargrilled, if served at home it would have been described as burnt.. it tasted horrible. Lobster souffle had a pleasant taste but unpleasant texture. My main course of shepherd's pie was cold. I...

We have just had the most amazing meal, everything was wonderful, great food, the new menu is superb. We really love it there, great chef, really friendly staff and the taster menu was great! We'll be going back very soon!

Significant eating. Normal people cooking and serving. Bulk up with their good home made chips. Fine dining the British way. If you want more seasoning the salt is on your table. I envy those that go there.

We had a lovely meal at Heron. So much food, we were very full! It was all beautiful. Everything was rich and packed with flavour. The service matched the quality of the food. We’ll be back!

A real gem tucked away down a side street, but well worth the effort of seeking out. The kitchen is on full display, so any ‘foodie’ can watch as the chefs toil away. Small and intimate, a real dining experience backup with wonderful food. Highly...

A truly excellent meal - especially fun was the unusual menu (confit of celeriac with beetroot for example), the personal touch of a good chat with the owner, very personal service and great wine pairings. Highly recommend.

My husband and I went for dinner at the Heron for the first time a few weeks ago. The waiting staff were brilliant, they explained the menu and answered any questions we had. They were extremely tentative, they really took the time to make us...

We had yet another fantastic meal here. The staff are highly experienced and the food is exquisite. We have already booked another two visits.

Our second visit to Heron and highly recommend! Food is excellently chosen, cooked and presented and it is great that the owners take the time to come and chat to learn about your experience and views on the food. A TOP dining experience for Ryde

We have been here now twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. The food is outstanding and staff is great and very friendly. Visiting this restaurant is the perfect night out and we are already looking forward to our next visit.

Amazing restaurant , food was outstanding. The only criticism was that you miss the open kitchen if you’re seated downstairs , which is a rather gloomy place , so that was disappointing but everything else was 5*

We booked this after being recommended Heron IOW by the mother -in law. What a delight it was too. The staff were very informative and the menu was varied for everyone. The food was of a very good standard and the the flavours were on...

We had a fantastic meal. Great atmosphere and delicious food. The waitstaff were incredibly helpful. We can’t wait to visit again and will Highly recommended a visit here to our friends and family.

Alex and Laura have created a jewel of a restaurant that never fails to impress us. We visited recently to bring my “foodie” mother for a fantastic meal out and she was also very impressed. It’s amazing watching Alex create while you wait….nothing hidden! Delicious...