Leons Bistro on the Waterfront in Gosport

Excellent location, right on the beach overlooking the IoW. Food delicious and fresh. Calamari rings crispy and tasty. Fish lightly battered and good portion size. Helped that the weather was exquisitely warm and sunny for early April but will definitely be back if in the area again!

Very nice. Dog friendly. A bit expensive.

I love this place! My friends and i always drop in when taking one of our walks along Lee. And we as a family have been here for breakfast and lunch - all 15 of us...and they manage our bookings extremely well. Food is always lovely and the staff are very friendly and helpful. See you again soon! X

pleasant atmosphere, friendliness of staff depends on the shift, tasty food

Beautiful setting and friendly staff. Two burgers ordered were very good unfortunately fish & chips ordered were very disappointing, all greasy batter and hardly any fish and at £22 certainly not worth it.

I didnt even know this place existed. I still thought it was a cafe selling crappy coffee and soggy chips. This is far from that. It is a top restaurant with amazing food, amazing service and the views are also amazing. Probably the best place locally to eat. Can’t wait to go back.

Lovely restaurant and location but had breakfast bap and was very disappointed. Was tiny in size and at £10.50 was a ripp off if I'm onnest

Very delicious Sunday roast (pork belly) and a lot of gravy 😋 Fish n chips have been ok but overpriced, as my friends said. Great view and sunny spot

Great menu for full meals, snacks, coffee etc, I've had breakfasts, lunches, coffees etc here all good. Indoor and outdoor seating, immediate sea views. Great place

Went for Sunday lunch. Positives. Attentive service, very clean, spacious and relaxed atmosphere. The starters and desserts were very good. Negatives. Went for a Sunday roast but Meat, potatoes and Yorkies a real let down. Beef tough, potatoes cold, yorkies overcooked. Also asked staff if they could order us a local taxi... no!! Despite spending nearly £200 and leaving a tip. Would go again for a drink, possibly food in the evening but avoid if for a Sunday roast dinner.

A beautiful location ,happy friendly staff ,excellent kitchen. We have been some 4 times over the last two months ,never had a bad meal.the fish is really fresh,my husband used is really picky about fish and he loves it here. The portion size is generous and the garnishes are a delight ,price wise you get what you pay for fresh caught not frozen fish with excellent quality,good accompaniments and if you choose well excellent fresh light pickles ,the fennel and the pomegranate are particularly lovely light and savory. The Sunday roasts are wonderful too and the veggies are superb again price wise herriford beef served how you like it is not cheap but again the serving is generous and plenty of vegtables well priced and worth the money Desserts look fabulous too ,personally I can’t do pud after a large main. The choice of wine and cocktails is ppretty good too and what you would expect to pay at a good restaurant and this is a good restaurant not a seaside cafe. We love it at On The Waterx.

Last week I took a friend to On the Water for lunch. She asked for some bread to go with a starter and was charged £4 yes £4 extra. I sent a private message to the Restaurant but received no reply. My meal was really good value for money but they let themselves down big time over the bread.

Nice place right along the beach. Had sandwiches. They are proper chunky sandwich so well worth it. Had some books and toys for our daughter to keep her entertained

Found this place today had an excellent lunch. Good menu. Staff were very good. Interior decor superb. Well worth a visit.

Dog friendly beach side restaurant at Lee-on-Solent. There were towels in the porch in a basket to dry wet paws before bringing dogs in. (Nice touch) great atmosphere 👌

Food was incredible. Five star quality. The only let down would be the service. Staff clearly trying their best, just poor leadership and direction for front of house. For top quality food, you’d expect top quality service - drinks not being carried on a tray, no check backs and no top ups on drinks unless requested. Atleast the food was 5*!! Well done team kitchen!

Excellent food again. Staff always very helpful. Great location for an early morning coffee, lunch and dinner when open. Just be aware the OTW Irish Coffee is an ice cold baileys and cream not the traditional hot coffee and whiskey and cream. Thank you for taking the trouble to make us one.

THE best roast dinner we've had. All the family agreed! The beef and pork were melt in the mouth and everything else was perfect. And so much. We will definitely be returning! 🤤

Excellent food and service, thanks to the chef and Caz will definitley visit again!

Very nice place and location, in real sea front with spectucular view. Can't say nothing about food, i come for my locksmith job, open car for On The Water customer.

The chicken roast was excellent and a good portion without being too big. The dessert was awful - pistachio cheesecake - horrible texture and no flavour. I couldn't eat it and told the waitress - I was still charged full price! It was not busy when we were there but service was very slow!

New Year at On the Water. Loving it. Food has been outstanding. Great atmosphere. Dancing to come.

Lovely sea front views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight in this friendly restaurant with a tasty menu and friendly service. The menu is good, includes vegan options and plenty of sea food. We had the mussels, which are great. Oysters in season. Dog friendly, indoor and outdoor seating available in all seasons. Booking recommended.

Good experience but drinks are very expensive. Dont think I'll return because of that

Had lunch here today , so impressed ! The mussels were just amazing, great views across the Solent , dog and family friendly, can’t wait to return x

Lovely location just off the beach, along the promenade. Easy parking close by and on the road above. Great views over the Solent to the IoW, even in wintertime. Sheltered outdoor seating if thecrain holds off with views through glass screens over the sea. Food is always good. Service is great, even when they are busy. Coffee has been poor in the past (weak & washy) but today 15th December it was a lot better than it has been in recent weeks, months. Perhaps they've changed their beans supplier. Tea drinks are fine too, if that's your tipple.

The Christmas Party Night here was exemplary. Staff were wonderful; helpful and smiling throughout. Massive thanks to kitchen staff, the meal was fabulous, a bit different from the norm and it was hot (where needed!), very nicely presented and tasty. Music was great. Well done DJ you read the floor. It was all perfect. Huge Well Done at all On The Water. 🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄

I went to a party here on Saturday night, it had a Christmas set menu, and I never hold out too much hope for the food at these things. It was hands down the best Christmas set menu I've ever had. Lovely food, reasonably priced, very generous portions (we were all stuffed!) and very nice and attentive staff. It was my first visit and I will definitely be back!

Was there with a large party for christmas dinner. Food was delivered in a timely manner, served together with everything correct, very well organised. Servers were attentive, polite and did a fantastic job to serve the amazing food. Atmosphere and location were great with fantastic views and great lighting and decor inside. Would recommend, great job from the whole team.

Unsmiling staff on arrival, no pleasantries. The venue lacked atmosphere. No personal service. Sitting in the restaurant we had to find staff to request additional drinks and dessert. No bill presented just told what to pay. Sunday roast pork was tender but the roast beef was blue and we had to ask for it to be cooked! Some vegetables needed more cooking. Never had steamed parsnips with a roast before. Dessert portions too large. Extra spoon of custard was £2!!!

Had travelled quite a long distance. Had difficulty to find a parking so arrived a bit late. When arrived the waitress asked what I like to drink and I ordered a pint of ale. She was now bringing the food to the table and I realised that my friend had fish and chips. I had ordered roast chicken but the fish looked very delicious. I asked the waitress if I could change my order as my food had not been brought in. She replied that she needs to check with her manager. She then came back after couple of minutes with the pint of beer and said that she checked with her manager and I could change my order. Had the food and which was delicious. When u received the bill, I was charged for 3 course of meal. I was shocked. I asked why and the said you changed the order. Never going to visit the place. Although the view is very good but the way the treat you is appalling. Very poor.

The quality of food and service are both superb. It’s not surprising that this venue is always busy! You can’t beat quality and we enjoyed a delicious lunch there today. Sitting in the autumn sunshine it was a real treat! Looking forward to returning in the near future.

Such a wonderful place on the beach. Dog friendly. Lovely interior and beautiful design. I just wanted to have a hot chocolate on my walk. I went in and I was seated, but long minutes passed by and I had to chase an employee to give me the list of the drinks. I mean, come on! I told when I arrived that I would like to have a drink, why the lady couldn't give me the menu withouth chasing her up, when the place wasn't busy at all and there was enough staff on duty. I wasn't impressed how bored and not customer focused the ladies were there. I wasn't that welcomed and I felt like I could just stand up and leave, noone would notice. I wrote this review to give a honest feedback and a chance to improve. The employees should be way much more proactive and welcoming. I liked sitting inside, loved the place, but not the service. There is a kids corner too with books.

I really recommend it for beach environments food I loved it

Fishy Friday, great fish and chips in fact I’ve had them at Rick Steins Padstow recently and OTW’s were much better.

Lovely coffee and Red Velvet cake, friendly service, lovely view over the Solent

Very expensive but beautiful location

Stopped for an ice cream next to the park. Rum and raisin, full of ice and half melted, mostly seemed to be air. Mr whippy would have been better than this.

Went for a special celebration. Food was good but the customer service was so poor. We wished we had gone and spent our money (just under £300) in any other restaurant.

Very nice place bit expensive and you have to pay to park but right on sea front so good view

Had a coffee outside the view was beautiful and peaceful

Just back from the most incredible meal on Lee seafront. Roast beef and amazing roast potatoes along with more veggies than you can shake a stick at followed by the most delicious white chocolate and pistachio cheesecake with pistachio ice cream I've ever tasted. If you’re from around the Lee on Solent area I really can’t recommend the Sunday lunches at On The Water highly enough.

Great place to be at peace with the ocean.

We took our Goddaughter for lunch and she chose the Fish and Chips at £22. On arriving at our table the batter looked over cooked. The actual dish was all batter and hardly any fish. On informing the staff the only comment was we will inform the kitchen of your comments.

Early evening was quiet but service and food excellent. The restaurant looks really cool, with good views of the solent. Very friendly and efficient staff. Clientelle were relaxed and happy.

Good restaurant near the water. Crowded inside, but a lot of outside tables.

Good service, food and lovely atmosphere.

Great location Friendly staff Food mediocre and pricy.

Great location but you pay for it. Had the smoked mackerel pate which had the single end of a crusty loaf. Ordered more bread for £3.75 which was a single slice of dry bread. Lovely place, good food but overpriced.

Beautiful setting and plenty of outdoor seating. We had the breakfast bap and egg and bacon bap. Both very tasty and fresh. Coffee quite small and a little weak but ok. I thought the breakfast menu was quite pricey. Service was friendly and didn’t wait too long for our food.

Plush and high end eating place. I struggled to find a sandwich that I wanted for lunch, but the menu was of a good variety. Service was good too

Good food reasonably priced Let down by poor service. Server had issue with uncleared bill at our outside table - nothing to do with us. Proceeded to ignore me while trying to sort this out. Still ignored me as I suggested we move to another table so I could order and pay for food. Then they could sort their problem out. This simple suggestion was ignored. Anyway food was good. And staff other than those at counter were fine

We were in the area thanks to the Victorious Festival and wanted to enjoy a brunch/ lunch by the sea before going home. On the water had mixed reviews on TripAdvisor but I couldn’t find anywhere else by the sea so we thought to give it a try! I wish we hadn’t. The staff is what lets this place down more than anything, it’s as if you get punished for wanting to sit outside and enjoy the rare sunshine we get in the UK and for us we hadn’t seen the sea in some time! The prices are what you expect but the quality of coffee was poor, no choice of a Bloody Mary and absolutely everything you order you have to go inside to do. When the drinks finally arrive we ask for a tea spoon and sugar, and told everything is at a station you have to grab yourself. It wasn’t busy and we’re surrounded by dirty tables that haven’t been cleared in the 20 minutes we’ve been sat plus the waitress even walks past that table to deliver the drinks. We arrived 11:30 so had to wait till 12 before we could look at the lunch menu, understandably it was the period where the kitchen gets ready from breakfast to lunch ( I imagine). Were refused to even look at menus before 12 and were allowed them after said time. We order and I was undecided the menu reads great, with fish options and a few meat and veggie. I had seen the TripAdvisor reviews before arrival so I asked the lady at the ordering desk what’s good and she hesitantly tried to point out the classics. Anyway I went with the special in the end which had everything I wanted from a seafood restaurant by the beach and I hoped it would be of the non frozen kind mussels, prawns etc at a cost of £27. Our friends order a few bits and bobs and said it was all fine and mine was edible too although it definitely isn’t fresh fish and the taste boring. The colours looks to be there for flavour but that feeling goes the moment you start eating. Also who wants whitebait the size of fish fingers? No side plates, fresh lemon slices or finger bowls provided. You get your own cutlery and napkins and again we’re sat with empty plates until an hour after we left after a couple more drinks. The staff need training and also learn to give the customer a nice experience. This is not the case and you could see that on every persons face who were sat outside. The only ones truly enjoying themselves are the dogs!

Lovely find after a walk along the beach. Great choice of fish. Hummus highly recommended as a starer to share. Main courses, generous portions and something different on the menu. Dessert to die for. Friendly staff. Definitely worth a visit.

Very nice nice staff had cup tea and carrot cake two pots of tea and two pieces of cake 13 pounds very nice and not over priced

An all you can eat breakfast 😋 and doggy friendly too.

Great food, service and atmosphere, definitely recommend

So, let's start by saying this place is alright. The food is on the better side, but I struggle to give more than 3/3.5 due to the cost and the coffee! The location is good, food is good but just doesn't warrant the price. Likewise, the coffee is truly not good. Paying high prices for poor machine coffee isn't ideal. I wouldn't avoid, but also not first choice.

Having ended up here by chance it was a pleasant surprise both for the quality of the food and for the place and the service.

For the prices you'd expect cleaner tables 😅 even for a sunny afternoon, hygiene is a basic standard.

Lauren was a delightful host. The food was excellent. A great breakfast to set us up for the day.

Beautiful place and is exactly what it states on the water very clean and staff were very pleasant food beautiful this is more of a luxury restaurant but it is boasting stunning views dog friendly toilets also for the lady's if your caught out they had feminine products very nice touch many places ignore this issue having sisters I know how important this is

Fish and chips over looking harbour, excellent value

Best chicken wings I've ever had with crispy skin and garnished with spicy sauce and chopped onions and chilli's. Main course was jerk monkfish for me and gnocchi for my wife, all beautifully presented and great taste.

The staff were exceptional in their attentiveness to detail and all their help. We would especially like to thank Ellie for all her care and attention that went ‘above and beyond’ so that Mums 90th celebration was all it could have been and more! Thank you! We’ll be back …

Not what it used to be more of a seaside cafe now.

Used this for breakfast. It’s expensive which is fine but I have an egg allergy and they refused to recognise this by swapping the eggs on my breakfast for something else. So they expected me to pay for it even though I cannot eat them. When paying £15 for breakfast it’s not good enough and they had no interest in my view. All about money then rather than customer service which is a shame

Used this for breakfast on Sunday 11 August. It’s expensive which is fine and with those prices you would expect the customer would be at the forefront of their thinking. I planned to spend £15 on a breakfast which is pricey but you assume it will be good. I have an egg allergy and therefore asked about the possibility of swapping this for another item. They refused point blank, no discussion, did not even bother to ask what I would want to swap for, just a straight no. I discussed the fact that it was an allergy and whether it would be reasonable under the circumstances to offer swapping the eggs on my breakfast for something else but no discussion just a refusal. So they expected me to pay for it even though I cannot eat them. When paying £15 for breakfast it’s not good enough and they had no interest in my view. Allergies are a real thing and refusal to even discuss it was in my view unacceptable. So I had some overpriced toast instead and they lost out on £11 of business. Sadly this tells me that the customer is of absolutely no interest and it’s all about money then rather than customer service which is a shame.

Great cafe on the seafront,and the food was excellent.

Always a lovely place to visit 😊

This was a surprise dinner for my birthday. I love fish and I was spoilt for choice. I decided on the White bait starter which was so yummy and the Jerk Monkfish main coarse which was absolutely gorgeous. I also had a raspberry gin fizz cocktail. This is not a cheap destination but if you want quality with a super view, then this is perfect

Travelled from quite far to this cafe as we have enjoyed meals here before. However we were shocked by prices £12.95 for sandwich with crisps and £22 for fish and chips! Bailed out even though we had paid £2.80 for parking. V disappointing.

We stopped here for lunch, after a lovely walk along the sea front. The food we had was delicious and the food came quite quickly. The people serving us, were very friendly and polite. This place is wheelchair accessible. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

I went for lunch here with my mum on a lovely, sunny day. We'd never been before but I run past it at Parkrun and was curious. Our experience was absolutely delightful. My mum loved her coronation chicken sandwich and I enjoyed the hummus, but the tomato bruschetta was incredible! But the thing that really stood out was the staff. We were mostly served by one young woman, but we had three or four people come over at various points when she was busy elsewhere. We found they were all extremely polite, attentive but not overbearing but the little touches we noticed were what really impressed us. Very soon after people left, someone was over cleaning the table, sweeping crumbs from the floor and even fluffing up the pillows on the comfy chairs! When my mum spilled her drink, I'd barely started wiping the table with my napkin before someone came over with more napkins to help. It is a bit pricier than average but I found the food was a couple steps above standard pub grub, which locally tends to be pretty poor and not that much cheaper really. Plus the sizes are very generous. The tomato bruschetta was a starter but it was more than enough for lunch and I didn't really need the hummus as well. But I also feel the staff and the little touches mentioned above are what you're paying for too. They worked as a team and seemed like a well-oiled machine. Will definitely be coming back for the service, that bruschetta and to try some other things on the menu too.

Good food although a little pricey but you do get a good portion size. Excellent service. Worth a visit if you haven't been. Sat outside and watched the Spitfire flying by several times, awesome. Perfect location right on the waterfront.

Lovely place, well decorated, clean and directly on the sea front. Food is expensive but was very well cooked and presented and the staff were helpful and friendly.

More like £40 to £50 per person

Fantastic service and food …Cari real credit to your business service with a smile personified 5* will come again

Fantastic food and fantastic service, Cari real credit to your business service with a smile personified 5* will visit again

Always good food here. Lovely brunch.

Staff were excellent great service and very attentive with a lovely smile

Lovely restaurant bar, great location generous food servings with a good choice in the menu. Wonderful staff all attentive welcoming and friendly. I had a lovely evening enjoying the sun and views over the Solent whilst catching up with family

Really nice cafe and restaurant. Only tried cakes so far (5*) but having lunch next week.

Lovely spot with great ocean views. Burger was fantastic.

It's ok. Just ok. Quite pricey.

We had the most amazing afternoon here yesterday for a birthday celebration with family and friends We were reserved an area with comfy sofas which was perfect The staff were amazing and the service was faultless We mainly had drinks but did have chips, onion rings and the most amazing garlic bread We have had a meal here before which was excellent value for money I would highly recommend Lovely food, amazing staff and superb view. Thank you to Emma and the team x

What is normally a really good place has been let down by the approach to allowing dogs into the restaurant itself. A lovely evening with lovely staff who were really attentive to us on our table. For me the issue with the dogs is too disgusting to ignore. One table were feeding their dog with pieces of their own dinner during their meal, and on another table, the dog was allowed to be sat on the sofa chair. How much contamination of that sofa was taking place with the dog directly in contact? I mentioned it to the staff member who did actually go and say something to the owner of the dog. I accept, but don't agree with, dogs inside restaurants but please, please, have a seperate area, where dog owners can sit with their dogs, that is away from people who don't want to be sat amongst the dogs. Please have a clearly displayed dog code that is enforced.

We booked this restaurant for a meet-up with friends due to its location, offering great views across the Solent. We all enjoyed a good lunch with friendly service, making the occasion one to remember.

Nice place loads of space. Food expensive for what it was. Serving staff were friendly and food came out quickly.

Still sat here waiting for them to return to take our next order, asked the lady who was collecting glasses and next thing I know, our bill arrives ….wow probably list out on £40 pud and drinks , owners must have too much profit rolling in

Stunning cauliflower steak, the taste was unbelievable. The presentation was outstanding, although this meal was £19 it was worth every penny.

Dear all! May I please say, and I rarely send emails to restaurants as I have done yours, but what a fantastic lunch all 4 of us had yesterday! I love food, good food that is, and to find somewhere local around Gosport and Lee on Solent which is as outstanding as we experienced yesterday in your restaurant was absolutely joyous! The way we were greeted at the door, to finding us a table because we arrived early, to the ambiance, warm, friendly and chilled atmosphere, and then the exquisite food, is a rarity these days, but you excelled in all areas. Your food is absolutely beautiful, delicious and stunning from start to finish. I applaud your chefs for the way they present and cook each dish! You can tell it in the way it tastes and in the way they respect whatever ingredients are placed in front of you be it animal or plant based! Thank you to you all for such a wonderful experience you gave us all yesterday, and we will be back very soon! Don’t read and believe the negative comments about this place, I can assure you, they’re completely wrong! Keep up the fantastic work in all that you do! 4 extremely happy customers who will be back very very soon 👍😋

Unsophisticated menu lacking flavours

I treated my wife & grand-daughter to breakfast Brilliant location with stunning coastal views. Lovely cafe/restaurant, well appointed, clean and welcoming, as were the staff - at first. We ordered cold drinks to and my grand-daughter & I ordered a cod & chips (£22 each) and my wife had a fish finger sandwich (£14) Not cheap but the view is worth half the money. Unfortunately the fish was not! It was very small, dry with an unpleasant after taste. The batter was stodgy and not crisp. Inedible! I just could not eat it and looking at my grand-daughter, saw that she was having the same problem and surrendered her knife and fork, pronouncing the meal inedible. I agreed and waiting for someone to come - but no one did. We waited for a long time until a waitress came sheepishly and asked if we had finished. I said that we had not started and explained why. Eventually the manager came over and said that she would not charge us for the poor food and offered this as a favour to us. I announced that she was not doing us a favour as I wouldn't be paying for the fish anyway. Net Result Fish finger sandwich & 3 cold drinks £30 and us having to find somewhere else to eat.

Great location with lovely views of the Solent. Food was good, six of us had quite a variety and everyone enjoyed their meal. We spend 3 hours there in the end as we were having such a nice time

Good food excellent service. Coming again. Any discount for second visit🤔😮🤩🤗👍?...!!!! Seriously thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Amazing. Great service and the salmon with accompaniments was out of this world.

We love it here and struggle to understand why 4.2 is the average. I give it 5* as the food is superb, always beautifully cooked. I often opt for fish of the day. But anything I’ve ever ordered has been lovely. We are comfortable, the ambience is great, and the staff look after us really well.

Nice spot on the seafront. Live music. Been a couple times can get busy, but no complaints.

A very pleasant welcome followed by great, friendly and efficient service. Meals perhaps a little expensive, but aligned to quality and quantity. My only slight reservation .... I missed the daily special board, that was not prominent! Otherwise I'd definitely have opted for the tempting and unusual fish dish on there. Oh well. Maybe next time!