Hix Oyster & Fish House in West Dorset

I’ve waited 6 weeks to write this review. It’s considered because I know Hospitality has been difficult since Covid. We went to this restaurant to celebrate our 30th anniversary - my partner had chosen it over other restaurants near us in Dorset. It was a fabulous stormy day with great views from the dining room. We were welcomed and given a perfect table - ‘sticky’ - but never mind it’s a big day! Had a lovely glass of English sparkling and then our starters arrived. Mine had congealed food on it, clearly left over from a previous service. The server did a double take too but decided to ignore it…and so did I. (I know that, at this point I should have said something but I just didn’t want to ruin our meal. And, by the way, I don’t think it should be up to the customer to complain, the staff should apologise and replace immediately.) We ordered another glass of wine which just didn’t turn up until we asked again at least 20 mins later. Small things are now accumulating... This is how an expensive meal goes from poor to pitiful. Our mains came (we didn’t mind that it was very slow - it was a Sunday and we were there to enjoy the moment). The additional vegetables were just rock hard. My fish had some unrecognisable ‘innards’ - not roe. We had fully intended to stay for pudding, coffee, dessert wine etc etc but we just looked at each other (30 years of dining out at great restaurants together) and decided to call it a day. We were so deflated… So disappointing. To the restaurant: please take notice of our comments. We want lovely restaurants to go to in Dorset - think about what you’re being told in good faith and up your game.

We have been following Mark Hix's progress for some time and thought we would visit his restaurant in Lyme Regis to support his recovery. We were so disappointed. Although we booked several weeks before it was as though we were not expected when we arrived. On a Thursday night in busy Lyme Regis there were only 3 tables occupied when we left. The menu was very limited indeed. Even with the vegetarian option, the only starter my husband could have was beetroot salad. I had cuttlefish croquets. He had haddock and chips and I had brill for mains. Everything was mediocre. We had just seen loads of crabs and lobsters been landed at Illfracombe the day before, so please don't say the seafood wasn't available. My husband complained ( I cannot remember the last time this happened-beware the quiet man) and the Manager gave us a 10% discount - itemised as a friends and family discount. We wish you well Mark but not at our expense again.

The food was fantastic, the service excellent and the views to die for ! They catered for my wifes gluten allergy, and She could choose just about anything on the menu. This is rare in Devon ! The chocolate mouse was exceptional and the portion was huge. This is a restaurant for foodies who love fresh fish and seasonal local produce.

We initially had a good impression when we arrived to warm welcome. We ordered our drinks and then food from the menu. The starter arrived promptly and my scallops were excellent though my wife's mushroom starter was a bit oily. We both had a main course of sole which was very oily snd did cause some concern to my wife who isn't keen on oily food. We were told it was oil seed rape that had been put on. We went ahead and subsequently my wife had to go and be sick much to her surprise as she had not expected that reaction. We informed the restaurant who said we should have informed them to her "allergy"! It is not an allergy but a reaction to far too much oil seed rape covering the fish, an ingredient that was not shown on the menu at all. On presentation of the bill (a lot but expected) I was somewhat annoyed to find we had been charged £2 for a jug (not bottled) of water which added injury. In retrospect we should have sent the sole back. We left not happy and sadly are unlikely to return as we had a lovely meal there a few years ago. I recommend anyone going to query exactly how it was prepared as the menu was not an acute guide in our case. Our waitress was good though.

We had an amazing lunch today, celebrating our 25th anniversary. Everything we ate and drank was delicious. With reference to other reviews, yes it’s expensive. But for a special occasion worth every penny.

Ok - so I was excited about visiting here. Nice view and a limited menu ( usually a good sign that they don’t spread themselves thin and focus on what they do well), but apart from the oysters and the fish and chip on the kids menu, the mains just didn’t deliver. If you are going to be pricey that’s fine, but the food has to then step up. I’m afraid to say it was low on quantity and a little low on flavour.

Food was excellent, a very friendly and efficient service from Feebie and Jack. We had the mixed grill for 2. Scate, plaice and whole mackerel. Fresh, tasty and well prepared. K

We ate here in February 2024 and had a lovely meal. It was relaxed and the staff were friendly. I had haddock, chips and peas, and my wife had the Hake. Really good food.

Extremely disappointed, wanted a good seafood restaurant for a birthday trip to Lyme Regis , this came up , I emailed the restaurant to ask what the likelihood of seafood was and they said depending on what was available on the day but the menu...

A really weird and disappointing experience. Went for Sunday brunch, for the entire time my wife and I were the only other couple in the place, it wasn't busy. Ordered food then waited 45 minutes for it to arrive, coffees had been drunk and there...

Fabulous views, fabulous service and fabulous oysters beer and cocktails. We had a wonderful time . The service we received from Belle was amazing . She is so knowledgable about both the food and cocktails and made our visit very special. My husband and I...

We hgd an excellent lunch with an amazing view. I was a bit concerned having read some of the reviews, but I'm glad I decided to see and taste for myself. First of all, the restaurant is in a brilliant location, perched above the harbour...

Unfortunately our New Year’s Eve experience turned out to be a disappointing ordeal. However good the food is, our starters and desserts were exceptional, it doesn’t compensate for poor restaurant management. We arrived a little early for our 5pm fixed price menu NY dinner but...

Booked by some friends as they had heard good things about this place. Very disappointing experience. We were seated at our table which was still dirty from the previous occupants, salt and pepper all over the place. Knives missing from 2 place settings. Not a...

Such relaxed vibes, delicious food and brilliant views. Thanks so much, we loved it and can’t wait to come back x

Very disappointed! We decided on the shared fish platter, £60. What arrived was literally a large baking tray with a grilled plaice, all intact. An 8-10 cm piece of Sea bass and a smallish gurnard with some garnishing on top and a little bowl of...

Had a lovely birthday lunch here and from the moment we walked in we were thoroughly looked after. I had a couple of glasses of wine and the Hix Smokehouse Trout to start which was excellent, then a lobster salad with fries which was fantastic....

Fantastic food in a stunning location with a superb atmosphere, all served by the wonderful Lauren, who really made our evening! You have to try the cockle popcorn!

We've dined at The Oyster & Fish House ever since Mark Hix opened it. We stayed loyal when the empire collapsed and he bought back this place. We supported him through lockdown when things were tough. We've dined in his kitchen in Charmouth. We supported...

Save your money, go elsewhere. Terrible service. We waited over an hour to be served after ordering. Staff were loud and scruffy. Terribly expencive. Over £200.00 for a bit of overcooked bony fish, honestly hardly enough food, we sent back the salad which was bitter...

Dear Mr Hix, We love your kitchen a lot, your restaurant's location is a dream and we are so happy to have discovered your restaurant among the rest of Lyme Regis lamentable dining establishments; However, with the best of intentions, we would make some comments...

We had a fantastic meal on Friday night. It was an anniversary meal and they allocated us a lovely window seat. Having selected our choices from a tasty looking menu, it was explained the prawns came whole. Not a problem for a man who regularly...

This is a special place. We had a table by the window in the early evening in stormy weather, and saw the huge waves crashing over the Cobb. There can be few better views on the south coast. And the fish is special too -...

Very beautiful location, but your paying for it with the prices, food was nice but I wouldn’t say the best. If price is no object then give it a go, service is nice and friendly make sure you book early if you want lobster and...

Our last night of a week in West Dorset, so we thought we’d end our trip with a special night . We had the Lobster and Lemon Sole , but the star of the show was the Popcorn Cockles. They were excellent ! Service good...

Very nice venue and food with friendly staff, great views and nice walks around the gardens surrounding the restaurant.

A really great lunch today. Perfect plump mussels and delicious sea bass. We had thought the menu looked pricey for lunchtime but ended up having one main and a few starters between the three of us and it turned into a festive spread. Frito Misto...

Went here for a birthday dinner whilst spending three days in Lyme Regis. The service was very good, staff were friendly, attentive and helpful with allergy issues. The menu was comprehensive, food fresh and tasty and who doesn't love a white linen napkin! The buffalo...

Great vibe, fantastic fresh food and stunning views. We both had sea bass which was delicious. Staff very personable and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend

We were made to feel welcome from the moment we entered the restaurant. The service was warm, friendly and knowledgeable. We were introduced to Tonnix - a lovely curated red wine from Portugal. Our wine waiter was so helpful, letting us sample a couple of...

Really lovely evening. Three courses for myself and my partner with all food being absolutely fantastic. The chorizo and focaccia starters and blackened mackerel main being the highlights. Really friendly staff which as always makes an experience even better.

Four of us went with expectation, only to come away underwhelmed & feeling that for what could have been a lovely lunch was a total let down. Yes, you could taste the fish was fresh, but most good restaurants' in the area have fresh produce....

Amazing restaurant, delicious food. A highlight was the Fritto Misto that our children loved. Our 8 year old rated the evening 10/10.

Such an amazing experience with probably one of the best views for dinner you could find. Incredibly attentive and friendly service and my monkfish was to die for. Could not recommend highly enough. A brilliant dinner.

Nice location but when somewhere charges for £3 tap water when you spend £80 on cocktails and wine and the food is over prepared I would not recommend going here. Not to mention the high service charge. Avoid

Cannot fault this restaurant - service was outstanding and so accommodating to a group of six of us - the team read the table and connected with us - casual but so professional - seafood so fresh and expertly cooked - flavored and delicious -...

We chose this restaurant because it was featured on the current Dorset programme on TV with John Titmarch. It is supposed to be fresh fish caught by the owner, not so. The fish appears to be caught by several local fisherman from different boats. The...

The setting is lovely but the food isn't quite up to it. The smoked trout starter was superb. The rest of the meal was OK, but nothing special, and certainly not special enough for the price. The staff are friendly and willing, but service is...

Felt underwhelmed! Table was sticky! Cutlery ,glassware and China was basic.tables around us needed clearing.. staff were friendly knowlegeable and helpful but service poor.Food was good, but have hadas good elsewhere.restaurant itself was in need of a paint job and was saved by the phenomenal...

Following experience at the late lamented Fox Inn ,was looking forward to trying Hix's main restaurant. Should have gone to the Hive Beach Cafe near Burton Bradstock instead. On a scale of 0 to 10 Food quality. 8.5 Ambiance /view 8 Service 4, Level of...

The team are so welcoming and friendly. The young lady that served us was amazing and made us feel at ease and even helped show me how to fillet my fish without making me feel stupid. Food was very good.

Gave 5 stars last year but feel it has lost its edge. Meet and greet non existent, staff too busy. Bar service slow. We salivated over mushrooms on toast last time, but this time a plate of moosh. I love salt, but even I found...

Food was very good, a little menu but ok, staff friendly and welcoming. However, very noisey, no atmosphere, a little claustrophobic,does not live up to the expectations. Prawn burger so dry, but mussels were good and oysters. Not the place for little children, oh and...

Little or no greeting on arrival despite staff just”being there” and ignoring our presence. Very condescending attitude displayed by the person in charge. V Food was just ok but very disappointing considering the “so called” reputation of this establishment. Ate at Tom’s Fish Restaurant the...

We went to this restaurant with very high expectations and excitement having visited Lyme Regis for many years. Sadly we were disappointed. £34.00 for Steak alone (another £4.75 for the chips more still if you wanted vegetables) you would have hoped it was cooked as...

We had a most enjoyable meal here last night. We visited 5 years ago and it was still as good. We enjoyed the general ambience of the restaurant- lively , friendly and welcoming . The views are stunning. The waiter was attentive , the mussels...

To walk into a restaurant with a sticky floor and dirty tables is not a good start. Restaurant practically empty as lunch service had finished and instead of a welcome greeting we were first told ‘you need to be out by 5. Service ok but...

Superb dinner at Hix Oyster and Fish House, superb cuttlefish croquettes as a starter, and beautiful mixed fish main (inclouding fresh scallops, sea bas and plaice), with delicious new potatoes on the side, my wife had a fantastic cheeseboard, and a great broad bean flalfel...

The staff here were lovely but the food wasn't up to expectations. We had heard about this restaurant through our English friends and were expecting great food. The fish soup wasn't too bad but I was expecting some muscle dishes that were hot. The prawn...

Shocked to be served a fish tail with probably a quarter or third of a fish, when ordering Grilled Sea Bass, which, in every other fish restaurant I have patronised , is a whole fish. Most disappointing. However, service and ambience, excellent

Service was friendly but pretty patchy. Young team, who appeared undertrained and unsupervised. The food was poor. Either bland or massively over seasoned, and greasy. Not great at all.

I have just read the negative reviews and saddened these folks had not had the wonderful experience I had 2 weeks ago. The restaurant was only open for our group of approx 30 people -hence not the norm. I cannot over emphasise how wonderful the...

Turned up here without booking as it wasn’t main holiday season for dinner. We were very lucky to get in; booking could well be advisable. The staff friendly and greeted us well. We were offered a table with a great view of the bay. The...

First the positives. Staff were friendly, my wife enjoyed her oysters, I had a very good ray wing. But then. After forty minutes we still had not been served drinks. Then over twenty minutes more until the oysters arrived, another twenty plus before starters arrived,...

How anyone could give this amazing restaurant less than five stars defeats me. Our lunch was delicious, the service exemplary and the view to die for. We're going back later in the week at the end of our holiday. Might have to consider a move...

I booked a table as a surprise for my partners 30th birthday over a month before our visit. We turned up on the dot, as they specifically say not to arrive early as they don't have space to accommodate; only to find our table had...

We had a very good meal here. Everything was nicely cooked and nicely presented. The service was friendly and efficient. The location is splendid and the restaurant has lovely views out to sea. We went on a Friday evening and the restaurant was very busy...

Lovely location with a great view of the harbor. food was cooked very well and the serving staff helped us with the menu and the wine. later the place got full with a big party and it got too loud.

Expected better quality food, Thought the crispy prawns were a genuinely unpleasant texture and really overpriced. Fish and chips were ok but some of the chips weren’t cooked properly. Just found it really expensive for an average meal, really disappointing as we are real foodies and had travelled especially for it.

Absolutely delicious meal with awesome service! We had a window seat with the most incredible view. The staff were attentive and knowledgable and the food was delicious, would highly recommend!!

Fantastic - beautiful food and lovely service. Will definitely return.

A wonderful lunch with friends, great food and attentive service. Thank you

Very few non fish options - steak main course for nonfish Water was average. Wine list not enough variety. Arrived early seated downstairs - fine but very untidy and very much an after thought. Too expensive does not compare to London equivalents restaurants when charging London prices.

Fantastic restaurant, with fine food to match the amazing views. The Oysters and the Fish Plater come highly recommended. All the staff were friendly and offered the best in customer service. Could not recommend this restaurant enough.

Nice enought but service was extremely slow. Food was fine but not as good as i thought it would be because of Hix been such a good chef..

Great food and fantastic service from all of the staff and mgmt. especially for our little ones. Couldn't do enough. Food was as we hoped, simple, fresh and tasty !

Service was perfect, the right balance of helpfulness and friendliness. The food was super - would recommend the mixed fish for two.

No the first time at HIX. Set in a superb location. Whilst the food was good it lacked any creativity based on the cost. I had a skate wing with capers. It would have looked nicer with some thought. A little garnish and brown butter would have improved its appearance. Whilst we were aware the wine is overpriced it was the lack of innovation in presentation that is disappointing. Service and staff excellent

Lovely place sure the views are great at lunchtime but difficult during the winter evenings. Tables by the windows draughty due to ill fitting window. Not a problem if you are suitably dressed.

i was disappointed the first time I ate here so waited a decade before returning. That was evidently too soon as things were worse rather than better. Mussels for starter were surprisingly tasteless. The fish and chips were worse than anything from a shack on the seafront - meagre, tasteless, greasy, in an overcooked batter. Wine ok. You would expect better given the Hix reputation and price. On the other hand it is nicely kitted out and in a splendid location. It could even raise its not insubstantial prices if it served decent food.

Having visited this restaurant many times over the years since it opened, this was our best dining experience yet.

Although a long time loyal patron of the Hix, no dinner has come close to the experience I had on Friday. The steak I had was cooked to perfection; the fat perfectly caramelised, the innards perfectly rare and flavourful. The staff were, as always, happy to accommodate any requests I made (long live the Sidecar cocktail!), and the atmosphere was complete perfection, though we were the only people there...that might’ve helped.

Food was generally good but a pet hate of mine is the mains come without any vegetables or potatoes, these are available at extra cost and small portions. Service very good and wine choice well thought out.

One of the best lunches I have had! Make sure you have the chocolate mousse.

We visited on a quiet Saturday in February and were lucky to get a window seat - the view is spirit lifting. The food was delicious. We shared some prawns, the shells of which were taken back to the kitchen for a quick deep fry/crisp up - loved the contrast in texture and the fact that nothing is wasted. For mains we had hakes head and mussels - again it was delicious. Couldn't eat more than a single truffle for dessert which was just perfect. Service was charming but unobtrusive. I really enjoy eating here.

Excellent food and lovely friendly service. Would recommend.

Fantastic from start to finish, excellent food, excellent location but the service was the thing that really stood out, turned it from a dinning experience to a personal experience. Thank you to everyone at HIX

It was a shame there were no prawns left on the Menu, meaning that an already small menu was compromised. The lady who served us was lovely but before she came to deal with us the guy who seated us said he’d bring bread, didn’t bring bread. That’s a small thing but the missing prawns did disappoint.

Outstanding service Fantastic food Exceptional location Can’t wait to go again soon

A lovely meal in a beautiful setting overlooking the Jurassic Coast. Highly recommend.

We had expected something really special, but were sadly disappointed. Our waitress was lovely but the wine waiter forgot to bring our wine. OUr table was over what sounded like an extractor fan/generator so there was a constant vibration through the chairs. One starter was delicious - three crispy oysters, but the other was a complete rip off - a few green leaves with rather a dull dressing and one oyster. Mains - - the hake with herring milts was good and the slab of pork with 8 or so mussels was ok, but 0/0 for presentation. Mains come with no vegetables, which at that price really grated. Pudding was a delicious chocolate mousse but again no finesse in presentation - it was a spoonful dolloped onto a plate. Great location, good atmosphere but very overpriced.

Loved the location with its window on the ever changing light across the Cobb and harbour, we had mixed sun, rain and wind at the weekend. Nice attentive staff, tasty food, good craft beer and selection of wines. Only criticism is that there is only one toilet shared between boys and girls, which can be a problem in busier times.

The best place to enjoy a delicious lunch whilst the gales of Storm Denis lashed the Cobb below!

Great wine list and lovely fresh crab!

Great food! The staff were polite and friendly. I would highly recommend this restaurant

Lots of problems trying to pay the bill maybe due to storm Dennis! However the food, ambience and charming service more than made up for it.

Beautiful scenic restaurant with delicious fresh fish .... attention to detail from the team was excellent. Highly recommend. Many thanks to the team at Hix.

Lovely evening, a celebration to welcome friends to the area. Service was attentive, professional and friendly. Food delicious, a good range of options from fish and chips to more exotic dishes. A lovely place to see the sea and enjoy wonderful fish.

Lovely food and service, as always. Very attentive re allergies etc.

Lovely food in a nice atmosphere. However, wine was a little expensive considering the poor quality. Service was pleasant if a litte slow - we waited an hour for our mains without being informed of any delay. However, luckily we were in no rush but would've been nice to be kept informed

Lovely food, lovely setting, lovely staff - all in all a lovely night!

Food choice on the menu was good although the grilled brill was overcooked and a little dry. A small point but how difficult is it for a good restaurant to serve really fresh bread? - ours had definitely been cut well before we got there and was far too dry to enjoy. The service was generally very good and the staff very friendly too. However, we were disappointed that our request to be seated in a certain area was ignored despite that table being left free for the whole entire evening. Overall, we were a little disappointed with our visit on this occasion having been been quite impressed on previous visits.

fish curry was horrible. Very rude guy serving us. Didn’t make us feel welcome

We had a lovely lunch despite a couple of surprisingly basic missteps in the cooking. The setting is breathtakingly lovely and the restaurant is both attractive and comfortable. The service is excellent -- attentive and friendly. The oysters were superb but we were surprised that the fish of the day and the spaghetti for the crab and chilli pasta dish were both slightly overdone. Overcooking the fish and pasta are fairly basic errors for a restaurant specialising in fish and charging steep prices. The desserts were outstanding however. We did find it an expensive meal but would still return for the view, service and for the dishes which were done well. The service definitely saved us from being irritated by the parts that were less well done and the waiting staff should be commended...

Wonderful sea-food restaurant, superb location and excellent service

Really nice lunch and everything was just great except my only adverse comment was the very high cost of the wine. We chose a bottle of Tonnix white wine, which is a Qunita De La Rosa wine from Portugal that is a personally blended wine by Mark Hix and Mitch Tonks. We paid £40 for the bottle at the Hix Oyster and Fish House restaurant and then the very next day we happened to have lunch at Rockfish Exmouth owned by Mitch Tonks and the very same bottle of wine was £28. We enjoyed the wine so much that I ordered a 6 bottle case from a supplier in Portugal which cost £59 (less than £10/bottle) delivered to my door. So Hix is marking up the wine at least 4 times the cost and Rockfish less than 3 times, which is fair for a restaurant. Different levels of restaurant admittedly but a stark difference in pricing strategy.

Our second visit with friends who live locally. The food and service were excellent. The restaurant was quiet on a cold Sunday late afternoon in January. Our waitress was very attentive without being over the top. I'd certainly recommend a visit and we'll certainly be returning. Thanks very much.

We have been a number of times to this restaurant and it never disappoints. Great food, lovely atmosphere and very friendly staff.

As ever, everything was just right. Attentive staff, interesting menu and lovely food

Always a very pleasing place to dine. The service is superb and the food quality also. We found the starter quite spicy and they went out of their way to make sure the main was able to be to our taste. Lovely fish and chips with a really nice minted pea mash - an added extra treat. Wines smooth and classy.