Leons Bistro on the Waterfront in Gosport

This place has gone down hill . Dog owners allowing their dogs to sit on their laps eating food from tables . It's disgusting and very unhygienic. Staff stroking dogs then bringing food out to tables without washing their hands .

I'm so sad to write this. We have always been such huge fans of OTW. Sadly we won't be returning. The toilets were absolutely filthy! There was toilet roll on the sides and floor, wee on the seats and toilet itself needed a good clean. The menus had food smeared on them both. It was seriously off putting. The food was poor too. The wrong food was bought out. So we didn't even eat together. When food finally arrived it was completely cold. Food not as advertised and veg was microwaved and wilted. It was a disaster! Our friends also dined that day on our recommendation. They too commented on the dirty menus and toilets. They waited over an hour for over salted cold food and didn't get to eat together as food was not served together nor as advertised. If you are bold enough to charge £15 plus for a starter, this must reflect in the atmosphere, hygiene and especially the food. There were empty muscles and empty clam shells!! Who serves this!! The staff work really hard and front of house are all so lovely. Shame to see this place go so downhill and pretty much over night! Gutted is an understatement. I often host large events at this venue and dine frequently. We had planned our wedding reception here too. Sad to say, we won't be hosting anything here nor shall we dine here again.

Queued for 20 minutes as the place was busy, got to the front of the que and was told we are not serving anyone else unless we have a booking. We only wanted a drink but were told not enough staff. I asked to speak to the manager but was told (very rudely) there are no managers available. they should have served the 10 people in the que drinks and then said no more. this has been my go to place in lee for the past few years, I am very disappointed.

This is a fantastic venue over the last few weeks between me and my partner we have eaten here several times , and its always been fantastic food and service. Today we all went for a roast dinner and it’s honestly the best roast i have eaten at any restaurant. This really is a little gem on the south coast .

Mmmm. So disappointed. The venue is fab but unfortunately the food was not. Frozen mussels despite being told they were fresh - fresh mussels are not mushy! Herb-brined chicken was a little better. Truffle and parmesan chips were the best part of the meal. This area is crying out for somewhere good to eat - you need to up your game if you want this to be OTW. £117 for two courses and some drinks is pretty steep especially when the quality was poor.

Went on a whim for late lunch with a friend. Food was fabulous and the staff very friendly and polite. Best chips we have ever had, but word of warning grown up version of kids sausage and chips had 4 huge tasty sausages. Only managed 3. Will definitely come again the merlot was delish as was the sea breeze mocktail.

Just completed the park run and went into a half empty On the Water for a coffee with 4 others.We have been in there many a time without booking. We were asked if we’d booked and replied no. We were told there was no room so we went elsewhere. Two of our friends stayed outside to help the park run with admin stuff and an hour later the place was still half empty. Never mind eh?

Went here Sunday 7 January about 16:30 with my little girl 5 years old waited on the queue for 20 minutes,other ppl jumping the queue and got tables without booking,in the end I went to the desk and asked if they have table for two ,the girl behind the bar said do you have booking,she look around and said no we don’t have any space and the restaurant was empty,plus to make the matter worse was because she sat people which came after us and ignored us.

Despite having made a booking and attended on time the place was a shambles; only serving brunch (at 2.30) and in any event, we were told the kitchen was closed - despite our booking. No mention was made of the mid afternoon brunch only menu when we booked a week or so before. Our party included elderly and infirm and it was tricky to access (which we had expected) but not the sheer level of ineptitude once we arrived. We had no option but to leave. Not a good experience.

£13.50 for a fish finger sandwich! Chips were extra £2. Only 2 fish fingers in the sandwich. Tasty but poor value for money. Was plenty of room for a 3rd fish finger, dare I say it a 4th for that price! Disappointing. Won’t be back

My son treated us to lunch today, it was absolutely delicious. Loved each of the 3 courses we had. Lovely staff who were run off their feet but still really friendly and helpful. Great views of the sea and really cosy. Loved it! Can’t wait for the next seasons menu so I can go again

Question - A table for 22 on a blustery Sunday morning to celebrate a 50th birthday - what could go wrong? Answer - nothing! A fantastic morning - excellent service from friendly staff and orders delivered exactly as our pre-order! Great tasting food including vegetarian options and zero complaints! Fully recommended!

As a family group of 20 we were perfectly looked after the minute we arrived. The food was delicious, hot and we all ate together which is no mean feat. The service was so good and everyone had a great time.

Food was fine but service absolutely shocking. Had to ask for menus, then had to ask if we could order even though it’s usually table service and we were sat right by the counter. Then had to queue for ages to ask to pay the bill. Restaurant was relatively quiet and three staff on but not greeting people or offering menus or tables etc. People were clearing tables themselves to sit down whilst the staff stood around eating crisps m. Really poor.

We went here today for Sunday lunch , I can honestly say the food was first class, we had the local Hampshire roast beef Sunday lunch ,it was absolutely delicious the fresh vegetables were very fresh and full of flavour, we will be back next week and can only recommend coming here for Sunday lunch

This was the fourth time I've been for a Christmas party meal and disco at this restaurant, and the food was by far the best I've had there - beautifully cooked and presented, on warm plates, with great service. We had the whole venue to ourselves, and despite numbers depleting due to the Covid situation, the team were happy for us to keep our sole use. We were able to email through our seating plan on the day, and there was plenty of space between tables. The DJ and dance floor set up in the lounge area was a great idea, - again, giving us plenty of space. We will definitely return.

After a lovely Sunday morning walk along the sea-front, decided to go in for a coffee, was greeted by elderly gentleman, not wearing a mask ,took us to a table , that was still dirty from previous customer, removed the 2 dirty cups then continued to wipe the wet table with his hands and walked away. We couldn't believe what we had just seen, no sanitiser, no cloth, no mask and sitting us at a dirty table. I don't think so

I attended a Christmas party night the social distancing and care was great. The service was excellent. The food was the best Christmas meal I have had. The food was beautifully cooked, beautifully presented,served piping hot and felt like it was cooked just for me. The whole party of 16 felt the same. Well done to the staff you do a great job and we will be back !

We attended On The Water and were so impressed with the quality of food and the service. It was all absolutely excellent. We were with quite a big group who also commented about the delicious food and excellent service. Nothing was too much trouble. Many many thanks to Luke the manager, Sam the chef and all your amazing team! We would name you all if we knew them. What a fab bunch!

We had our works Christmas party at this venue and we had a great time. We could not fault any part of the evening. The host was very attentive without being intrusive and his staff were excellent too, some unintentionally being drawn into the festivities happening on the dance floor.We had a 3 course Christmas menu with choices for all 3 courses and the food was excellent.There was a disco provided too and the DJ did an excellent job getting everyone into the party spirit.All in all a brilliant night and I would recommend this venue.

Turned up to the restaurant and signs outside suggested take your table number and then order at the bar. Signs inside said wait to be seated. Older guy who was pleasant told many customers to wait to be seated. I just found this bizarre as it was easy to see who was coming in.Breakfast was good (warm not hot) but a little expensive, even if you have got a view of the Solent. The young man who was making the drinks was very busy and the young lady who took my money was very good. Today was the Gosport Half Marathon and to have just 3 staff serving was a little ambitious. I went to pay and was told to wait a few minutes whilst the 3 trays of drinks were served to customers. I will try again soon but if no improvement, it will be my last visit.

Have been going to this place for 6 years every week, however since COVID I hadn’t stopped for breakfast so thought it was time to try again.Huge improvement of the decoration inside, looks much more upmarket than before. Staff are very friendly and welcoming.My negative is the prices have gone a little crazy, £14 for a breakfast that says ‘large’ I’ve dined at local cafes to many Michelin star restaurants so happy to pay for my food. It’s not a large breakfast but a ‘normal’ size, it’s fresh and well cooked but very much overpriced. I appreciate the cost to refurbish the place must have been costly but that was very much overdue. I question how many customers will enjoy paying the £14…

Really good food. I had hake which is my favourite fish. Great menu and lovely setting. Friendly staff. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Have eaten here a couple of times as it’s fairly local to us. Always found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. The setting is wonderful, especially in the nice weather it’s great to sit outside as the tables and chairs are lovely, very sturdy and comfortable and with large umbrellas for shade if required. Had an evening meal here last night and was very disappointed. Staff were friendly but we waited about 15-20 minutes after our starter for our main course. No explanation given, however they did apologise for the wait. Several options weren’t available on the menu which is fine and this was explained several times to us. Our meal was nice enough but the sting in the tail is the price of the drinks! £3.50 for a glass of coke or lemonade (watered down I think!) . It’s a lovely spot for a drink and ice cream at lunchtime, lunch is ok but not sure they’ve quite got it all together for evening meals.

My wife and I went to On The Water on Saturday 18th Sept.Really lovely sunny day and the perfect setting for a few drinks and nibbles, who needs the Med?.Staff rushed off their feet as it was very busy but still very attentive.We ordered the squid was a delight as always, as was the sharing platter.We wanted the mussles as a main to share but only had the starter portion left. This was the only slight disappointment they were amazing and the sauce was one of the best I've tasted, only wish it came with more bread to mop it up!!! but understand the supply issues at the moment. We will be back (to have a main portion of the mussles)

My husband and I stopped for a light lunch with our twin granddaughters aged 1yr. I am particular when stopping especially if I have the grandchildren. They need to eat when you are out and a highchair is essential if you want to avoid a mess. These are my observations and which contributed to a very enjoyable lunch. We were greeted and seated very quickly. Two highchairs were made available to us. It was a pleasant day so we choose to eat outside. We liked the chairs and umbrella coverage. Service was positive and helpful from everyone. I liked the China plates, teapots and cups. My husband is s 'plain eater' they were able to accommodate his burger without the cheese and pickles . He said it was delicious and came with fries and onion rings. I had the tomato starter . It was a good option forme watching my weight! Overall it was a very good experience for us. I spoke with Charlie the Assistant Manager and expressed how helpful all the staff were and how happy we were with our lunch and overall experience. It was a Monday but they also had an event taking place inside. This did not effect our hot good taking any longer. We will definitely return. Mr and Mrs Dawkins Salisbury

We dined here indoors on a busy Saturday evening. The service we received, notwithstanding the fact that the restaurant was busy, was excellent and the waitress very friendly. We both enjoyed a nicely-cooked hearty meal - my partner chose the 'special of the day' which was baked sole. I would have given them 5 stars but the live guitarist playing in the adjacent lounge was simply dreadful, playing exactly the wrong sort of music for a relaxing meal by the sea.

Visited 0930 on Saturday 4th September. We knew they only did breakfast baps and pastries before we arrived, not full breakfasts. Although breakfasts are advertised on their signage. The sign on the front says wait to be seated, don’t bother, you’ll still be waiting till next week. Went to the bar and asked for a menu and sat outside. Looked at the menu and it was a lunch menu. Went back in and asked the unhappy and rude waitress for a breakfast menu. She told me they no longer do breakfasts. So we walked out, checked their advertising board which clearly states breakfasts 0900. I don’t have problem with them not doing breakfast, just don’t advertise that you do, and maybe even state they don’t do breakfasts anymore. We have had some good meals and breakfasts there, and some bad experiences, it is very up and down. Would you risk you Christmas dinner there? Plenty of better places in Lee on the Solent for breakfast, lunch and dinners.

Didnt eat here as was very busy. Had a drink from takeaway. Toilets very dirty. Guess lots of people just use them after being on beach.

Great location, right on the beach front. Excellent fish and chips. The service was a bit ad-hoc, but they quickly fixed a mistake and were very friendly.

We visited the area with intention to grab lunch somewhere. This place was near by and we decided to give it a go. We were welcomed and seated pretty much straight away. With only seconds after looking into the menu we were asked for drink and food order. We mentioned we only jus sat down and waitress mentioned she will give us a minute. Literally a minute is all we needed. We sat for 15 mins waiting, all staff avoiding any eye contact but eventually we managed to get someone's attention to place an order. During that time we had a "pleasure"of listening to chief shouting at a waitress, telling her its always her making mistakes, that she asked several times about the order that has now turned to be wrong and food was send back etc Food itself was average. Half way through our meal, kitchen staff decided to have a karaoke and scream along to songs they must have been listening too. Don't get me wrong, I'm all up for people enjoying their time at work, but with an open kitchen there should be some consideration for customers...? Overall experience was low therefore I would not recommend or ever go back in there again.

This is an ideally situated venue, directly on the seafront, which makes it naturally attractive whatever the weather. Four of us met for lunch on a Monday, I'm not sue if the day of the week was the reason for the lack of jacket potatoes chosen by one of our party. A salad advertised as a starter was selected as a substitute, which appeared with half a boiled egg on a small bed of rocket, a few pieces of cucumber and a couple of halved cherry tomatoes - charged at £5.95. Probably the cost of producing this salad would have been less than 75p, so a very substantial mark up was made. This would put me off returning, which is a pity as it's in such a great location.

Visited on a sunny Sunday mid-morning. Looking for morning coffee, cake, savoury snack or light lunch. All that was on offer was bacon rolls/hot dogs/ ice cream and drinks in paper cups. Seems that the kitchen does not open until lunch-time (12 pm) so no proper food before then. Missed opportunity for owners in what is a popular beach walking spot for all ages.

Really friendly welcome from the owner and great table with plenty of room for our table of 7. Polite and timely waitress, and some really good draught lager and pale ale.Starters were tasty - we had the squid, garlic flat bread and olives. We then didn’t have to wait long for fish n chips, good portion size and fresh.Puddings were good too, the brandy snap looked the best of all. Definitely recommend and going to come back.

Found this place after we parked up and had a windy walk by the sea front. We were shown a table after we had purchased ice creams for the children next door as they didn’t do pre packed ice creams. It’s a lovely clean restaurant, friendly helpful staff. A pianist was also playing in the next room.Will definitely return.

So much potential but let down by lack of menu choice, limited menu to start with which is fine but then half of that not available is poor. Made worse by the most appalling service, run by clueless untrained staff, not seated with menus, no cutlery, no napkins and on view eating by staff behind bar and next to kitchen out of an icecream tub.

How very disappointing. We were frequent visitor to this beautifully located bistro called Leon's . Under new management it has lost everything it had going for it. The menu has been decimated. Especially the breakfast one. No full breakfast. Just a very mediocre microwaved bacon or sausage bap and toasted tea cake. It screams I don't care. If someone took this over who had just a small amount of catering knowledge. It could be a great place again, but right now it's a waste of a beautiful location. From now on we'll go to the cafe across the road where they can serve up a breakfast. What a shame. I do wonder what was the point in spending money to refurbish the place, only to present an awful menu like that.Very very disappointed.

We went for breakfast and arrived at 10:30 am and had the choice of seats. Thank goodness we got there early, as by 11:15 the whole of the inside was full. A bit too cold to sit outside.I could not fault the service, the food, or the atmosphere. The whole place was buzzing, which included an enormous delivery of beer and food for this coming weekend. My husband and I both had breakfast which was lovely. Hot coffee, which is very different from the previous owners. The whole place has been transformed and i’m very impressed by the amount of work going on, the staff, and the atmosphere. The toilets are a huge improvement too. Will definitely return.

Lunch time visit - really pleasant and friendly staff, great location, quick service and awesome quality of food. A milkshake for my son, and a beer for me, salt & pepper squid starter beautifully presented and very tasty, mains of the magnificent cheeseburger and perfect fish &chips with top quality tartare sauce and good old mushy peas. To be honest they were not really chips but rather gourmet, skin-on fries! I left a 20% tip and will happily visit again.

Spent Saturday afternoon here, had a wine,beer, two lovely tasty meals, iced cream coffee was fabulous. A bit limited on menu choice but keeping it safe for staff and visitors. Beautiful views.

Had lunch here. Very limited menu and even that was not fulfilled! Order at a counter and then food brought to you by waitress. Had to go to a separate place to order cold drinks! and take own drinks on a tray. Separate places for orders for each table and paid separately, crazy. Coleslaw on menu not available but weren’t told this. No sandwiches, apart from fish goujons, which lacked the coleslaw so was quite dry. Toilets are very small and awkward to get in. Have been here before recently and experienced poor service.Avoid unless just having coffee.

Mid afternoon Sunday visit for a bite to eat/drink. Seated by the host pretty quickly, but it took a long time for our order to be taken (15-20mins) even though it was only 65% full.Ordered the Chicken/Mozz/bacon sandwich with On the Skin Sirracha fries. The sandwich left a lot to be desired. It was luke warm verging on cold with extremely wilted rocket, clearly it had been sat far too long waiting to be served. I ate it without complaining as was far to hungry and didn't have too much time, but If I had more time I would have definitely complained.The service was slow, a handful of young girls stood around outside the building chatting, but not being very attentive so had to wave/call out for serviceThe location and view, albeit an extremely good one shouldn't overide and deflect the quality of food/service.Stopped by again midweek a week later early eve just for a drink and checked out the evening menu which was extremely limited in content and what I'd considerto be very poor. Definitely not a place to go to eat in the evening, the daytime menu is more comprehensive.The venue is in the process of being upgraded with glass screening to protect you from the wind, but it's not yet complete and one end of the outdoor seating area is currently akin a building site.

Morning coffee and a light breakfast - nice surroundings, attentive and friendly staff and a good vibe. Will definitely return for a lunch or dinner.

Last night our 2 households booked in at On The Water. We were 4 adults and 3 children. The doors were pulled back giving the most wonderfully Mediterranean feel, even the kids said they felt like they were on holiday!There was a band on, the whole place was busy and yet you were never left waiting long for service. The staff were attentive and friendly and indeed looked like they were enjoying their shifts. The evening menu is slightly limited, and sadly they had run out of Mussels when we got there, but our alternative food choices were delicious. The OTW bacon and cheese burger was huge and so juicy!As cocktail drinkers it would be nice to see that menu opened up a little wider, however I get the distinct feeling they have decided to keep choices minimal in order to focus on doing those things really well - which they do.Overall a fantastic evening for all the family. Location is stunning, staff are superb and we will definitely be coming back regularly!

Popped in for a late lunch on the off chance. Helpful staff found us a table inside with a great view of the sea. Small menu but what they do they do very well. Couple of drinks and not rushed even though the sitting was over so sat looking at the amazing view of yachts drifting past in the sunshine. If your looking for somewhere to eat in Lee on Solent this is the place.

We booked online for a table at 530pm thinking. We arrived to find quite a few young staff just hanging around. It didn’t appear that anyone was actually supervising them which meant there was no consistency to the service. We went inside to be told they were closing early so it was only lunch menu - choice of burger or fish and chips basically. The server couldn’t get the electronic gadget to work initially. We were not offered cutlery or even napkins for out started and had to ask for our main course.the food was okay but not fantastic. We then had our main courses cleared away by one server who pattered back and forth to at tying a couple of plates at a time, we were then left for a while and then asked if we would like the bill. It was obvious they were packing up as the kitchen was cleaned so they obviously did not want us to order dessert. We were tempted to insist on desserts but decided it was not worth the bother. So we left after paying a bill that was incorrect and extremely disappointed. I will definitely not be returning. Absolutely no idea of customer service, and no sign of any management at all.

Managed to get a table during a busy Sunday lunch time. The staff were so friendly, attentive and informative. The chicken caesar salad and halloumi burger were fantastic and I would highly recommend. We will definitely return.

We had a superb evening on Thursday at On the Water. Whilst it was wet outside the view is always something special. We sat in the restaurant section and had some great food.Shared starters between four of us, then on to fish of the day, burger, steak and the vegetarian pasta. The desserts sounded wonderful so we shared two between four!! The lemon panna cotta and the cookie. Staff are young, pleasant, attentive and looked after us well. Thank you.

Early Sunday stroll with my Daughter. Popped in to this place, it was absolutely buzzing with customers yet the staff were super friendly and welcoming. Lovely coffee and a breakfast sandwich for me and my daughter had hot chocolate and a croissant. Stunning view of the solent whilst enjoying our breakfast. Can’t wait to return!

We chose to eat breakfast here early on a fine Sunday morning mainly because of the view, as we had a table outside at the front. The restaurant had changed hands and name since our previous visit, and it seems the change is, mostly, for the better. I would have given this place 5-stars if they offered a full breakfast; the breakfast baps we had were generously filled and tasty, but they are not the same as a 'proper breakfast' in my opinion.However, this was partially compensated for by the friendly and helpful staff, who made us feel very welcome and at ease as soon as we arrived. The new management seem to have a top team doing the 'front of house', and we shall return for a lunch or dinner when we are next staying in Lee. Well done to all concerned.

Great location, good service and friendly staff, a lovely place to have a rest and see the world go by.

Genuinely impressed.Before the revamp,Leons as it was known was largely very quiet,the menu was ambitious to see the least,but nonetheless enjoyable.It just couldn't attract the footfall,that the seafront generates.However,under the new management and refurb' On the Water offers a unique alternative menu,yes its not an expansive choice,but the portions are generous,presentation excellent,service spot on and a view to die for.If its full english,sausage ,eggs,chips and that or burger,beans and hash browns this,you need to be in a Cafe',two brilliant ones come to mind right on the seafront!O T W is a work in progress,but give it a chance!

We came down for a sunny lunch and enjoyed the most wonderful bottle of rose and delicious food. The ambience and service was second to none. Our waitress Fran and host Dexter were so attentive under the leadership skills of Luke. The food came promptly and was absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to return to this beautiful spot by the sea! Thank you to the whole team!

Visited the restaurant with my partner in June with high expectations. We ordered the Meze for starter which turned out to be 2 pieces of toast with a couple of dips, extremely dry carrots which looked like they’d been peeled 3 days prior and a soggy cucumber cut up into little bits. It stated on the menu that it would be flatbread so when we asked a member of staff she said that they didn’t have any left so decided to give us toast! The steak was very average with 1 flat mushroom and a handful of chips. We then received the wrong bill and was charged an extra £20. This was refunded but the whole experience was awful. Extremely disappointed and won’t be going back.

They have changed the breakfast menu and it’s awful. No English breakfast. No eggs benedict. Just cheap, nasty items; limited to things like bacon rolls and tea cakes. When we asked the manager why he’d changed things, he said he didn’t make enough profit/money from the nicer breakfast items so they’d stopped doing them. He said if we didn’t like it we should go to the Penguin or Bluebird on the high street. Immensely distrectful to their customers, only caring about profit. We’re a family who have often visited over the years, but we won’t be going back with this menu and attitude.

Our first visit since the renovation. Very impressed with the warm welcome and service. Limited menu but we like this! Food was delicious and well presented. Nice ambience, clean washrooms. Value for money. We will definitely be returning to this splendid venue.

Very poor. Menu awful, ok if you like burgers! Wine list very limited and grossly overpriced . Decor little different from before. OK if you can brave the weather, Good location on the beach, shame about everything else.

Lovely location but the menu is poor with such a limited choice. I had the burger which was soggy in a revolting sauce and my husband had a very small - for £12 - fish and chips. I don't think you will survive if you carry on for much longer like this!! Saturday nights at least deserves a special menu surely otherwise better off at home tbh!!

Great new layout, furniture and menu. Staff warm, friendly and service cannot be faulted. A really great experience next to the water and views of the IOW

A good, safe welcome and attentive staff (even though their electronic gadgets were crap (what's wrong with a pad and a pen?)).Unfortunately, since our last visit, the menu's gone downhll faster than an Alpine skiier, no sandwiches or "small" eats plus the beer selection is not great.Lovely location, let's hope that, post lockdown, the menus are extended. Good luck guys!

We had a brilliant table by the sea, sun was shining and the service was fantastic. Shout out to Fran who was looking after us! Reasonable prices, excellent food - will definitely be back!

We had burgers and chips, and it was very good - In the words of Boris Johnson. We sat at a beautiful new BLUE bench, with the sea side at our feet and it was very good. Beautiful and blue

Breakfast on a lovely sunny Sunday morning..... First Class...excellent service will definitely be back ...

Like others - have been here previously and didn’t have very high expectations but it was a beautiful day today and it was the perfect place to have lunch.What a great improvement. The staff were so polite, attentive and couldn’t have been more helpful - on what was a very busy day. We had 2 x dirty fries, and a Jacket potato with prawns and salad trimmings....it was well cooked, not greasy and the fish and chips which were coming out of the kitchen looked delicious - as did all of the other food (and cakes!) We will definitely be back....oh, and they also got the COVID safe bit spot on too!

The owners can spend as much as they like on the premises, but until they sort out customer service, nothing will ever change.

I left a pretty negative review a few years back and after all this time, had occasion to return with no great expectations, but I'm happy to report a massive improvement. Most important, compared to my previous review, all of the staff were pleasant, professional, and attentive, and this alone makes all the difference. But on this occasion, we had a Sunday Roast, not just an ice-cream and it was excellent throughout, and competitively priced. There is a refurb underway but this could become THE ONLY place to go very soon.

Delicious Sunday lunch and good value. Amazing location and even at the end of October it was great. In the summer it must feel like you are on the Riviera. Well worth a visit with a glass of wine on the terrace.

Great service, excellent food! Staff very attentive and all COVID measures adhered to. We had the Fish and chips, because it’s by the sea! Very generous portions.

We loved this place. It is exactly as they advertise and exactly what you’d expect. What a fabulous location with views over the sea. The staff are friendly and very helpful. We went there for lunch and had the yummiest meal! We will definitely be back.

Went here this morning with friends for breakfast. The staff were lovely, very friendly and attentive. Food was excellent, scrambled egg and avocado on sourdough. Swift service.

Went to Lee on Solent today as the weather was so nice, we decided to have lunch and as Leon’s was near by we thought we would go there. We were advised that we may have to wait for a table as they were busy, also told food would take about 20mins when ordered. After about 10mins we were shown to a table and after about another 10 mins a waiter took our order. The couple on the table next to us said they had been waiting 50mins already. Our drinks arrived quite quickly which was nice how ever we also had to wait another 45 mins for our order to arrive, still we were not in a rush and took in the great views. There was another group of people that arrived after us who seemed to know the owners, some 20 mins after us. Strange thing is they had there meals a good 10mins before us, obviously it helps to be friends with the owners.The food we ordered was very nice just a real pity about the poor customer service.

Visited on a Sunday lunch with a friend and didn’t have the best experience.It wasn’t until after we ordered that we were advised there was a wait in the kitchen which we thought was peculiar as it wasn’t exceptionally busy, we then had to ask 3 times for our drinks orders. When the food did eventually come our ‘door step’ sandwiches were the size on a Hovis medium loaf that I buy at the super market. The filling wasn’t overly generous either. Although it tasted ok it was pricey for what was a mediocre sarnie and service.

Cycling with my boys we have seen this lovely place on the beach front and decided to take a break. Got the table quickly and felt amazing when we have also recieved menu cards seeing it was very busy. We were informed that the orders will be taken at the table outside we were sitting. Unfortunately after 20 minutes I had to go indoors to enquire whether it was still the case. Very energetic staff were polite and informed us about food options and customised our order what was really nice. The fresh orange juice we have ordered was delivered as carton juice to our dissapoinment without checking with us it was ok. Need to say I did enjoy the place with lovely views and space but I was a bit shocked by staff not desinfecting the tables once they were emptied. New customers were allowed to sit there once their name and contact details were taken. Some customers managed to sneak in avoiding that stage altogether. Well - it is still a lovely place to take a break!

Had a fabulous vegetarian breaky here. Everything cooked really well, vegetable sausages and not pretend meat which was a real plus for me. All of it still hot when arrived and that included the toast. Also ordered just scrambled eggs and beans for my little one. The scrambled egg was cooked really well. Not wet and sloppy. I do find Leon's a bit pricey but understand there fabulous location probably makes there rent higher. So it's not somewhere I would go on a regular basis to eat but will definitely return for there breakfast. I haven't tried any other meals.

The food was decent and a reasonable portion. The view was pretty and the servers were good. Slightly pricey for what it was and the live music was alright but slightly loud. The country songs were better. Our receipt was incorrectly calculated but was adjusted quickly after. Overall, it was alright.

Came here just for some hot drinks originally as i went along the beach for a walk with family. We ordered 4 hot drinks, they forgot about my mums drink by the time she FINALLY got her drink we all had finished our drinks, bearing in mine they were hot and we managed to finish them so she was waiting a long time. I ordered a pizza aswell with the drinks and when it came out it was cold, looked like someone who was blind put it together wouldn’t even feed it to my dogs quite frankly! When the waitor come back over I said I can’t eat it and I would like it off the bill, and he simply looked at me and said “well what’s wrong with it” “ why dont you want it” “ I need to tell the chefs what’s wrong with it” in which i Was in shock why as I customer I would be getting second guest as why I wouldn’t eat the edible looking food. no customer service skills at all, none of the staff looked like they knew what they were doing just standing around talking. Worst experience will not be returning.

First trip down this way and chanced upon this place whilst out braving the squally weather. I love eating on the beach no matter the weather so we booked for that night. I recommend this place for it's decent, tasty food, but mostly for the delightful staff who are smiley, energetic, friendly, efficient and made us and our three boys of 11 and 13 respectively feel very welcome and happy. Thank you Leons Bistro!

There's a decent plan to keep everyone safe and this place really is right on the beach. That said the cheerful and willing staff are in need of training. Are they all new? Also when the price of a prawn sandwich is higher than usual for the area one does expect a really good one. Not so. The bread was thick and soft but the prawn in Marie Rose sauce filling was a mass of cheap, knobbly prawns, in a sauce as thick a milk which made the bread collapse and the sauce drip all over me. Not good. Might go back for coffee some time.

Fantastic location. I look forward to when they get their service organised. We intended to stay for lunch but after being served by 3 different people just to get coffees we decided to go else where for lunch.

How this place manages to stay open is beyond me, staff rude and the place was filthy dirty. Walked in and out within 30 seconds, can't beleive it took that long. There is no excuse what so ever for rudness even before you get a menu shoved at you.....try The Shack about 10 minute walk further up the beach and you will not be dissapointed, you only have to read the reviews on both places to see which one comes out on top.

Visited today and didn't have a good experience at all. Slow service, poor food and dirty.It took 15-20 minutes for drinks and 45minutes for two bacon sandwiches, a round of toast and eggs Benedict.I had to chase up the food twice and cancelled another coffee as I had waited too long. My son wouldn't eat his sandwich as he said it tasted funny and it had a hair on it. Did pass on comments to manager who took off the price of a coffee and apologised but he didn't seemed bothered or surprised by the issues. Then there is the covid side... arrows on the floor facing each other so you dont know which way to go and tables far from 2 meters apart and I would say not even 1 metre apart.The floor was filthy and the waitress carried the knives and forks in her back pocket. Toilets were anything but clean!will never go back. Ruined my Dads birthday breakfast!!

Visited on Wednesday.....the coke was flat, our starters arrived to be fair they ok, after over an hour waiting for our main meals, we went to find out where they were, the lady said they hadn’t started cooking it! Staff seemed young and there was no organisation.

I can honestly say I have never experienced such awful service. I tried to book online but didn’t get confirmation so we decided go down and take a chance. When we arrived at 4.15pm and were told they don’t serve food until 5pm but if we were happy to wait then they had a table. We sat down, ordered some drinks and relaxed waiting til 5pm to order food, when the drinks arrived the waitress accidentally spilt my husband pint on us and was very apologetic and got him another pint straight away - accidents happened and she dealt with it very well. We then ask to see the food menus so we could order at 5pm, she got us the menus and said she would be back at 5 to take our order. 5pm came and we were then asked if we made a reservation (they knew we hadn’t as their book system appeared to be down). After waiting 45mins with an 18 month hungry baby we told we couldn’t order food as we hadn’t reserved, although we were sat at a table! Why they couldn’t tell us that when we arrived I don’t know, there was no apology and the girl that showed us to the table initially lied and said she didn’t show us to her table so she didn’t know why we weren’t told. It was hot and we had been there 45 minutes but I was still able to remember who showed us to our table! Not being able to order food we given a bill for drinks we only had while we waited for food and left. The lack of apology or any attempt to resolve their mistake was absolutely shocking. Needless to say, although we are local and often walked to Leon’s for a coffee or lunch, we even enjoyed Christmas dinner there a few years ago, we will not be returning. It shouldn’t be hard to hospitable particularly when you are in the hospitality industry. Our custom will be going to other local restaurants in the future.

Visited Sunday for brunch - hot, sunny morning in August and they simply could not cope! Waited 1 hour 10 mins for “ok” food - however dirty glasses and a hair on the plate was not.Spoke to our waitress but her reply “we weren’t expecting it to be busy” didn’t cut and she offered no apology. As a note aside, whilst we were there (and had plenty of time on our hands) patrons were changing tables when they became available and the tables were not wiped after vacating. We also had a table next to us move their table closer so they could benefit from an umbrella - meaning this was not then socially distanced.

I knew it would be a mistake booking for the evening when two days previous I saw wheelie bins full of rubbish being pushed through the restaurant passed customers eating lunch on a very hot and afternoon. But my partner wanted evening supper by the sea, so we booked. So where do I start.. from the booking being completely messed up on arrival, being shown to a table that had not been cleared or wiped down, to a messy unswept eating area outside, the total inexperience of the young staff, to the cheap tasting wine at extortionate prices and the final blow of the evening after waiting 40 mins for our food to come we find out the order had not been put through to the kitchen. I felt like I was in an episode of Faulty Towers!! Under new management says the sign outside, again Leon's bistro gets it wrong, but this time the dinning experience is much worse.

Great location,yards from the beach and the glistening sea. The lovely food took a little time to appear,not surprising as the whole place was very busy, however helpful staff were very attentative whilst we waited. Back for the cakes next time we visit

Where to start. I’d booked online the day before. Nothing to tell me it hadn’t gone through and no confirmation. I called before arriving, I was told the booking system was down, so made a reservation for 09.30. I arrive at the allotted time. I’m shown to my seat and given a menu, 10 minutes later someone comes back to take my order. After 30 mins of waiting I ask where my coffee is. Shortly after it arrives. Now 45 mins and passed and still no breakfast, I ask where it is. 5 mins later it arrives, stone cold!! So I tell them I’m not happy and want to pay for the coffee and leave. I then have to wait for the bill. I express my unhappiness and thankfully end up not paying for my coffee either. I’m not sure why when there are so many members of staff that things done quite seem to go smoothly. Maybe they need a bit of extra training but having ended up at a second place after this my experience was much better and the staff also young. I would suggest that the staff learn the table numbers for a start as even this seemed to baffle them.

I attended at 12.30 with my daughter, her brother and his wife and child. We order drinks in which one arrived followed by the others 35mins later. This was only after asking twice as where they were. These drinks arrived and were actually the wrong drinks so had to be made again!! Food was ordered and arrived within half hour. Once again... the wrong food!! What was supposed to be a doorstop was a standard sandwich, the macaroni cheese was watery and barely cheesy at all, the pepperoni pizza had more tomato puree on it then cheese and pepperoni combined and tasted bitter. Didn't even look like a pizza... more like a flatbread with puree on top. Our side salad was forgotten about and when arrived was incorrect again. To top it off we waited 20mins for the bill to arrive and an extra 20mins for someone to return so we could pay. We were asked if we wanted food swapped but had given up and didn't want the extra wait. We left 2 meals untouched and picked at the rest. Hope to return again when improvements to the quality and quality of food improves. JQ

My daughter and I visited this morning for breakfast. On arrival, we saw that there was a few customers but not “busy”. After ordering, we waited 15 minutes for our drinks. My daughters milkshake turned up and then after another 8 minutes I had to ask where my coffee was. I was told they were being made by separate people so would come at separate times- this is not acceptable. 40 minutes after ordering I asked to where our food order was and was told it was being plated up. 10 minutes later our food finally arrived and were told that the kitchen was very busy. Why take so many orders if the kitchen cannot keep up OR tell your customers when arriving there will be a massive wait. The food was not great (the toast was burnt and the eggs hard boiled) and ridiculously overpriced for what it was.

Great place to social distance and listen to live music outside. Limited menu (but something for everyone. Lush cakes and dessert. AMAZING views

We went to Leons for my granddaughter’s birthday. My daughter in law and myself ordered macaronni cheese topped with breadcrumbs which we thought was pretty overpriced at £10.95 but we were even more astonished when it arrived 40 minutes later. It was served in a bowl the size of a mug with simple part baked garlic bread and no breadcrumbs on top! We were really upset and annoyed and vowed not to return. When we were asked if everything was ok, we said ‘well actually no, it was very disappointing and a very small portion’. It turns out they gave us a child’s portion! We had an apology and obviously only charged for a kids meal but that wasnt the point, the meal was ruined! We were not even offered a discount of the bill or the offer of a free drink? We wont be visiting again!

We decided to stop for a drink whilst out for a walk. 1x can of coke, half a pint of beer and 1x pint of beer. Cost £9.50. Will not return at those prices. Beware as no menus on tables outside.

I spent a good 4 hours here in good company on a rainy Monday afternoon. We all very much enjoyed the food in which I had the prawn salad. Service was fast and waitresses were very helpful in ensuring we got everything we needed including extra drinks and condiments. Food was to an excellent standard and presented beautifully. The view wasn't so great due to the weather but the atmosphere inside made it 10x better. Evertwhere was very clean and all staff ensured covid regulations were met including track and trace details being taken. I'd highly recommend coming here for a lunch no matter the weather. It was a very relaxing afternoon which was enjoyed by all.Thanks!!

Watch out for prices. I was charged £2.70 for a baby size 99 Mr. whippy without a flake (take-away). Cost me 50p for the same thing from the local ice-cream van the other day.

We were greeted with a welcoming smile and clear Covid precautionary instructions. We chose an outside table as we had our family dog with us, who was also greeted in a friendly way. Service was courteous and we were made to feel that we could spend a leisurely time over a meal, no rush. The food was very good, presented nicely and an ample serving.We finished with an ice cream sundae, from the Marsh field farm range, which they had some fantastic flavours of.Overall very pleased with our leisurely lunch by the beach, will definately return to sample other meals from the menu.Thank you to all the staff.

A thoroughly enjoyable experience, with a quality meal and in a hygienic environment with a fantastic view. I visited here recently for my breakfast and went for the Big Breakfast, which was very filling, I especially enjoyed the Cumberland Sausage. The service was spot on and despite the world's current problems, good service times and frequent sanitation and hygiene where kept throughout the restaurant. I will be visiting again soon with my friends, this time for an afternoon or evening meal, where I expect I will have the same fantastic experience. Very Recommended.

Sat down and gave our details at 14.20, ordered drinks and food by 14.30.. Began to become a little impatient when it was half an hour later and nothing had arrived. No food no manager no staff, drinks were nearly empty and still no sight of our food. Finally after waiting another 15 minutes our food arrived and then the second dissapointment, the chicken ceasar salad for the price 11£ you would expect a nice sized salad instead it wasn't even the portion of one normal side salad the pizza was the most ridiculous pizza served i have ever seen. When someone orders a pizza we expect also to see one nice round full pizza baked and cooked well, not four slices of 'pizza'. If the owner wants to make money they must think about quality instead of ripping off customers!!Just upset no manager was around with an apology for our food.With a lovely view we expected better.

Can 100% confirm this place has really out done itself when it comes to hygiene and food quality, I was really impressed they had someone outside and able to allocate us seating, also providing free hand gel and the staff also we very welcoming.Food was also so good! I had the beef burger with added cheese and a it was PERFECT! Arguably the best burger I’ve ever had with big chunky chips!

Visited Leon’s for lunch with my boyfriend today and we both had a wonderful time. The food was amazing as was the service, the staff were very welcoming and seemed to followed all the current guidelines with hygiene and social distancing. We sat in the panoramic lounge which was sheltered but still nice and airy and had amazing views of the sea. Would totally recommend for a meal out with family or friends.

A very enjoyable lunch in the sun with a cold beer, good service from Hannah. The food was nice, the beer was better but the view over the Sea was the best bit. Will be visiting again on Saturday when they have live music.