Rick Stein in Poole

The NEW bar menu is incredible... most expensive thing on there circa £20 ... totally recommend but don't all go as I don't get a table..staff are great and a all round great place to be ... not the same as the restaurant upstairs but equally as cool

Would not recommend this restaurant for vegetarians or vegans. Only two options for vegetarians, with a 50/50 option I was unlucky to pick the risotto (which was tasteless mush) and I couldn’t even finish. Can’t believe that they can only prepare two vegetarian dishes with such highly regarded professional chefs.

Staff & location lovely but unfortunately the food was mediocre. Won’t be returning.

Tricky one, this. We visited twice - once almost asa walk-in and then a few days later on the back of that visit. Let's start with the good stuff. The location is wonderful and the staff are pretty much all welcoming, friendly and professional. Prices are actually not as ludicrous as you might expect. It's not a cheap meal, but it isn't generally too eyebrow raising. Our first visit found us sat at a table for two in the window looking over the sea. Lovely. And the welcome was brilliant. Now for the less good. First visit we had the Spinach soup and Bombay Salmon Masala. Both were OK but not especially flavourful. I liked the soup but the salmon was watery and very bland. A professional would say "delicate" but that's semantics. We booked to come back at the weekend anyway, this time with my mother in law, and asked for a similar table, which we were assured should be no problem. On arrival we were shown to our table which was right at the back of the sea view area. We asked if we could have the table in front of us so my mother in law could enjoy the view, and were told that it was already booked. Also for three people. The logic escapes me - why was this booking more important than us? Especially as (a) we were told that tables aren't guaranteed (so they could move) and (b) they hadn't arrived by the time we left. Having the message delivered from the manager (instead of their coming over to explain) wasn't a good way to deal with it. Anyway. Food. Fish and chips is hard to get wrong and it was indeed very good. My mother in law had the Sea Bass which she reported as being bland. So overall a mixed bag. I was genuinely disappointed as I was expecting a taste sensation but at the same time the parts that were good were very good indeed... I'm not going to condemn it but it could definitely have been better.

We had a wonderful time at Rick Stein Sandbanks. Tyla was our waitress and was incredibly kind and thoughtful. We had such a pleasant experience and really enjoyed the food (halloumi appetiser is a must)

Excellent dishes, great decor and super nice atmosphere. Very very good!

Perfect choice for a summer's day . Best restaurant in this area

Had dinner in the restaurant. The meal was very nice indeed with an amazing view. The staff were attentive and polite. The food was as you would expect and for what you get the pricing was about right. Good separation of the bar area and restaurant as we didn't hear anything until we left and found the bar quite lively.

Had a lovely breakfast here on Sunday

Had an overall disappointing experience, Food ok, but far from an experience

Good a table in the dining bar. Amazing food, great atmosphere and great service. Would recommend booking earlier for great views over the sea.

only the welcome we if the rest ain’t at any level or quality from food to evice

As good as the view- perfect Alan Wilkinson - Architect St.Moritz Switzerland

I was taken there Saturday 3rd May for my birthday, the staff were brilliant and a lovely table, the prawn starter was amazing but the crab linguine was very bland and myself and my neice had to search for any crab, it was was hard to find if I said it was a spoonful that would be very generous of me! Catherine cox.

Consistently terrible service levels. I live locally (5min away) so through word of mouth I know that Steins in Sandbanks has not got a good customer service reputation, but I had Australian guests staying with me and they watched Rick Stein on TV in Aus so wanted to dine at the restaurant. We went on 5th May 2025 and got there about 8.20pm, the Bar dining was empty except for 1 other group of 6, so not busy at all and 3 at the bar. We were not shown to a table and eventually after 10 mins waiting i had to walk to bar to ask for drinks. I was 'repremanded' by the waitress and told she would come to me (even though nobody had even acknowledged we were there (bear in mind the place is empty!!) 5 min later she came over and took our drinks order, 10 min later still no drinks, so i approach bar again and ask where our drinks were, the barman told me there were no drinks on order!! Then the waitress appeared and told me she would bring them down. She then took out food order as she delivered the drinks, its now nearly 9pm!!! I ordered the mussels to start and asked for bread and butter with it, which i was told it came with. The mussels and bread arrived but no butter, I asked can butter be brought, 5 min later still no butter so again I had to ask again, eventually that was brought. I then asked the male waiter (barman) if i could order more bread, which he said yes but it is £1 extra, which was OK by me, he brought the bread but no butter so i asked if i could get more butter (a simple ask) to which he turned to me and said "Why didn't you ask me for butter when you ordered the bread?, now I have to go back and get butter" I was gobsmacked by this attitude, 100% confrontational to a customer!! He also added that the butter would be £1 extra!!! I asked to speak to the manager immediately and she to be fair was good and very apologetic for the way we were treated. They removed the barman from the bar and the service area straight away. The food we had was all good as you'd expect for the price and rep of restaurant. However the service levels are just simply awful, nobody asked us if we needed more drinks, if our food was good. When we ordered desert they served us Baileys Coffee instead of Baileys that we ordered. Bear in mind the bar area was empty, our table of 3 and a group of 6, so 10% full. I see from other reviews from yesterday they all had awful service. There are so many better establishments to eat locally, South Deep, Rockwater, Flamingo Cafe, the Cliff, Dancing Moose, Brittania to name but a few. Trust the locals, DO NOT get ripped off by eating here, unbelievably they still charged a service fee, as if it was their right!! I never ever right reviews, but on the odd occasion with this bad a service i've had to. The waiters/barmans attitude was unbelievably bad. Very disappointed.

First time I have come across a Penang Laksa that DOES NOT come with noodles. £18 for just mushrooms is a joke. Service was really slow as well. I would recommend going somewhere else for sure.

We booked a table for 1pm but arrived slightly earlier so decided to eat in the ‘relaxed’ bar area. It took 20 minutes after being shown to our table for anyone to take our order of drinks and food. This was the only time for the rest of the 2hrs we were there that we got asked if we wanted anything at all. 50 min later our food arrived, cold. Ofcourse we made the manager aware of this only to be challenged and told they have a very good system. No apology or any further conversation as she simply walked away. We couldn’t turn to anyone else to speak to as no one had time to speak to us by the time we got their attention. Food, other than cooking on arrival was very good but the service and general manners of the staff on this renowned establishment were terrible for the cost of what you pay for. Extremely disappointed

Not welcoming on arrival, table service practically non existent. We had to chase waiters to ask for condiments. Empty plates and glasses not cleared despite additional items being delivered to the table. Medium steak bavette was overcooked and the tacos had a weird taste of pine like someone had just cleaned the kitchen surfaces and the tacos had got in the way! Had the Paris-Brest for dessert - the cream was over whipped and grainy with zero praline in it. Clearly not a good day in the kitchen. Only good thing of note was the children’s fish and chips was good quality fish and good sized portion. When we raised the issue of the bavette and the Paris-Brest, the waitress was less than bothered but did begrudgingly remove the bavette from the bill. Not what I’d expect from a Rick Stein restaurant sadly

Went for my aunt's birthday lunch, staff were lovely and made her feel very special, we had a table with a beautiful view. The coconut prawn starter was delicious as was the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Unfortunately the crab linguine which myself and my aunt had was a real let down, if there was a dessert spoon of flaked crab in there I'm being generous, a lot of money for a bowl of pasta and chopped tomatoes. The cocktails were delicious though. I would eat there again but definitely a different main course.

Not the kind of service I would expect for the sort of establishment it is made out to be unfortunately. Food was what I would expect at a standard pub which I was surprised about. However we were by far most disappointed regards the service we received. No attentiveness shown from waiting staff - may have been too rushed off themselves but we were there for 3.5 hours for a 3 course meal with no update from the waiting staff. Simple things like checking on drinks and how our food was were completely missed. Very over-priced for what it is so wouldn’t recommend if your after a 5 star service or are savvy with your money

Quite unkempt place with a stale smell, no hosts, the phone is not answering. You will wait forever for the dishes, as well for the drinks, then they will be thrown chaotically onto the table (including allergens for allergy sufferers) by unfriendly staff, some of them with a strong fume of alcohol. The owners are vying with each other to advertise the site, where there is no one to even make a cup of coffee, plus 12.5% charge for "service". That's ridiculous. Do you really want to pay for their banquets?

Not going to go again! Completely overrated! We started with oysters which were the best part of the meal but not the best I've had. Then we had mussels which had a packet mix style sauce which didn't go with the mussels at all!! We then had hake dish which was OK but nothing outstanding, and the curry which was tasteless with undercooked beans!!!! We didn't risking dessert. Wine was good and nice view but I think my local pub does better food.

“I visited your restaurant for the first time on Monday with a friend. We ordered sashimi and oysters. The oysters were quite small, possibly due to the season, but what truly concerned me was the sashimi — it had a greenish liquid on it that resembled bile and the taste is very bitter. It looked quite unfresh .At first, I didn’t think it was a big issue and went ahead with the meal. However, shortly after leaving the restaurant, I began to feel unwell. Once I returned to London, I experienced severe stomach pain, which lasted for the next two days and prevented me from returning to work or eating properly. I have since made a doctor’s appointment and truly hope this is nothing serious. I wanted to bring this to your attention in case there’s an issue with food handling that needs to be addressed.

Great Restaurant ..Good food ..service excellent & I suppose if you're lucky ( which we were ( a table by the windows that open with views across Poole Harbour ..& on the stunning day that it was just lovely ...

Delicious food,friendly staff, fabulous location

Went to a fabulous charity coffee morning there.

Overrated!! Scallops overcooked, fish had bones in and half the batter on the fish was crispy other half soggy, chips some were undercooked, peas were warm, curry was lumpy, tartare sauce no taste. Pint was nice so was lemon 🍋 only thing good about my experience was the view.

You pay for the view and service. Took my family for an Easter Monday dinner.The food was less than impressive.

We had the best lunch for our anniversary. It was a last minute decision while out walking. The food, drinks and that view was unbelievable. The hake and the crab linguine was so delicious. Went down really well with the vodka melon cocktails.

We have been coming regularly for 5+ years. Service always friendly and food quality good, but kitchen service tends to be lumpy and slow and this lets them down. Starters fly out, but drinks and mains tend to take a disproportionate amount of time. Waiting an estimated average of 25 mins for a drink, or 45 mins between starter and main is not normal.

Lovely breakfast by the window. Service was professional and quality of the food very high.

Pet peeve when you're treated lesser because you're traveling solo. Can't rate their food because I decided to not give them my money for that. I picked them for the experience including seaside view so I asked for a better table window side but because I was only 1 was only permitted the wall. I worked in hospitality - I get it it - if they were busy (they weren't. Also a solo diner for breakfast will be a fast turnover). The insult was the top coveted window tables: 2 of 3 tables sat empty the 45 min I was there. I decided to salvage the experience & just have a glass of wine bar side. Silly me. My glass was empty for over 10 min and after the 2nd time the hostess/waitress was at the table next to me along with the waitress who'd taken my order -- I still couldn't even get eye contact from either of them. Another pet peeve: having to say excuse me loud enough to get attn.

Nice food and overall tasty. The service in general was a bit C level.

Avoid. My god the amount they charge and when you get your main it's like a starter. It tastes no better than any chip shop, so you are paying for the name. £18 for what is shown below, you could have a meal twice the size for less in a traditional chip shop.

Visited for breakfast, we had a sleeping baby in a buggy and were told no we could not take the buggy upstairs to the dining area. Really not sure why as there was plenty of space around our table. Awkwardly had to wake a sleeping baby to take upstairs. It took a long time to have our orders taken, once taken took even longer for the food to arrive. No apologies, no explanation. The staff were cold and I don't think I had one smile, and we were there for a birthday celebration. The food was good, I had the crab omelette, although could have been served with bread or a salad. Sadly I would not return, especially with children as they did not feel welcomed. A shame, as I admire Rick Stein and have had good experiences at his other restaurants.

Really enjoyed this restaurant and setting. Food was wonderful. Service excellent

Overall impression was terrible. I took my family of six for Sunday lunch on 6th April. The food was overpriced, bland and without credit. The staff did not seem to have had any training and we're not welcoming. This restaurant is past it's sell by date and should be an embarrassment to its owner. If it had not been a family lunch l would have complained and asked for the service charge to be removed, at the least. The Indonesian fish curry (£33 + 12.5% service) that l ordered was pathetic, three bland prawns and a few bits of fish swimming in some bland sauce. Also the only alternative to fish was a chicken dish. So if any of the party did not want fish, tough. Did l mention the toilets! Male facilities closed and the disabled toilet was filthy! Overall l was not only disappointed, l was angry. Also why does every 5 star review get a comment from the owner but negative reviews are ignored. There are so many good restaurants in this country that provide quality food at a fair price, with enthusiastic staff that are welcoming and enjoy their work. Don't bother with this one. No stars are deserved.

Had some great meals here but it can vary in quality and experience depending on when you go

Very disappointed in the fish , overcooked sticky & lots of big bits of bone. Starter squid like rubber. I was happy to pay the extortionate price for a meal to remember, but this is an experience I'd like to forget!

Have been to Rick Steins restaurant , cafe and bistro in Padstow numerous times and have always had great service and food and also stayed at the restaurant. So while staying near Sandbanks with a friend for her birthday took her to the Rick Steins restaurant in Sandbanks for what I thought would be a treat. What a disaster!! My husband waited over 45 minutes for his main course which we had to chase for twice. When it finally came, after my friend and I had finished our deserts, it was lukewarm so had to go back. The bill included a service charge which I asked to be removed - I would have expected this to have been removed by the staff in view of poor service - not have to ask. When our drinks arrived there was an extra drink which hadn’t been ordered so they took it away but I’ve just checked the bill and see I was charged for it!!! Ok it wasn’t a huge amount but it is indicative of the extremely poor service. Would not go back.

Amazing service. Staff must of noticed I was uncomfortable where we were sat. And came and moved us to a table with a harbour view!! Very attentive of them xx

Let's start with the positive aspects: I appreciated the hard work of the young waiters, and I was particularly pleased with the seafood taste dishes offered to the kids. However, the downside was the quality of the food. I don't usually dine in places like this, but for £25, I expected a delicious pasta dish. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. It wasn't bad, but it was nothing I couldn't have made myself (and I don't cook). This sentiment was echoed by all the other adults at the table who shared similar thoughts about their dishes. Overall, it was disappointing.

Positives: - lovely atmosphere and interior vibe - attentive and friendly staff Negatives: - food is underwhelming. Beige. Flatbreads tasted stale and cauliflower florets were soft and mushy - soggy noodles in sea bass. Generally expect much more refined, crispier and colourful food all round. Especially for the price.

I had lunch here this afternoon with a friend and Bertie, my friend’s Schnauzer. What a fantastic experience! Bertie was warmly welcomed—it’s always wonderful to see dog-friendly places. Our lovely waitress, Karen, suggested the Share and Compare lunch special, and I can’t recommend it enough. Definitely visit and dine here—you won’t be disappointed! GB

We have visited the restaurant last night for dinner. Our table was booked for 17:30 as it was the only slot available, for 3 people. We were there for a special birthday so we somehow had high expectations. Unfortunately we arrived about 20 minutes late to the restaurant and the first thing we were made aware of was that the table has to be free by 20:00 for another booking. We were then seated at a great table, towards the back of the restaurant, with a sea view. Despite having limited time for our dinner the order wasn't taken untill around 20 minutes from being seated. We have then ordered a stir-fried salt and pepper squid, a seafood gnocchi and garlic prawns with soft polenta for starters, crab linguine and 2 seafood curry for mains. The food arrived late, the squid was more of a salad than a stir-fry, the prawns were delicious , however they were served with bread instead of polenta, the linguine was way overcooked, the seafood gnocchi was ok and the curry was delicious. We have also ordered desert and we had 2 bottles of wine which was very nice. I must say that it was a rather disappointing experience as it was reasonably pricey. Our high expectations were definitely not met, the service was slow and was lacking attention, I had dropped my fork and I had to ask 3 times to be brought another one, the main course plates drips of probably dried sauces under the rim, the prawn starter did not match the description on the menu. There were people that have arrived after us and received their food long before us.

Our visit to Rick Stein Poole did not disappoint. Jasmine was attentive and professional. Food was delicious and well priced. Thanks to all the staff, I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Special occasion meal. Expected fantastic food. We ate off the set menu. The food was cold and tasteless. Asked for another drink which didn't arrive. Wouldn't recommend

Great location but disappointing lunch I’m afraid to say for someone whose recipes & career I’ve followed since the 90’s. This fish restaurant is running at about 30% min for good quality produce, cooking & value for money. If a Dover Sole is to be £50 it has to be perfect, my husband’s was overcooked & truffle chips soggy. Indonesian fish curry was bland & lacked any Indonesian character, tasteless supermarket prawns & didn't bother with dessert. I could go on but word restricted, a real shame to experience yet another great chef sell out to inferior standards, a far cry from an ethos I admired

Food and service top drawer .last come here 5 years ago and nothings changed from that perspective .Impressive 👏

A place of refined dining down by "the beach". Just a stones throw from the Bournemouth littoral this is a perfect place for dinner after a walk along the beach or a sail around the harbour. Delicious food, heavily slanted towards seafood but you'd expect that but a smattering of other dishes too. An interesting excellent service, the staff highly professional and knowledgeable. And a reasonable price too!

Just had my wife’s surprise 50th birthday with a large group of friends and I have to say the hospitality and quality of food was simply fantastic. Well done to all involved

Absolutley lovley evening, staff are all amazing and the food was delicious.

Love it here! So good that they host charity events

Loved the food and the service was amazing

The place was lovely bit it was chilly. The staff were wonderfully attentive, professional and warming. The barman and his cocktails book outstanding! However, my husband has had much better fish and chips elsewhere. The scallops were gritty and my crab linguine had shell in it. So considering its owner, location and pricing it was a disappointing dinner. Maybe it’s just the location and name you’re paying for…..

I booked a table for 5 on Friday evening 21/2/25. This was our last night of our trip to Sandbanks. We were really looking forward to our evening. We arrived at 7.50pm for our 8pm reservation. The table was ready so we were seated upstairs at a nice table. We ordered drinks promptly and a bottle of wine. The drinks arrived and we ordered our meals. Starters:- raw fish platter, Coconut prawns and scallops, we were sharing as not wanting to spoil our main meal. The sushi fish was ok, nothing special. The scallops were ok, they were tasty. The prawns were tasteless! I’d go as far as saying very tasteless, one of the worst starters I’ve ever had. The plates were cleared and literally straight after, the mains arrived. I had the fish curry, very bland! my husband had the salmon, not very well presented, literally a piece of salmon and a few veg. My daughter had the butternut risotto (vegan) - very average, she’s had better. My son had crab linguine, just spaghetti pasta in oil with crab, again very average. My son’s girlfriend had sea bass, she said it was nice! Nothing to shout about. All in all very average meals. We left a lot of the food as we didn’t enjoy it. We weren’t checked back on our food, we didn’t complain at the time as there were other people dining, we didn’t want to cause a fuss. Literally as soon as we’d finished we were asked if we wanted deserts, I said can we wait a while we’ve just finished our meals. Another waiter then came over and just placed the desert menus in front of us all. By this time we were feeling very rushed and not enjoying our experience. We didn’t order deserts, we asked for the bill. I’m sure the whole dining experience probably lasted an hour/ hour and half tops. The waiter was pleasant. We decided to finish our drinks in the bar downstairs, we had one more drink and then left. I felt very disappointed. Just because it has the name ‘ Rick Steins’ doesn’t mean you can serve average food and get away with it. The presentation, the imagination and the taste did not meet the high standard I’m sure you’re trying to achieve. You seriously need to look at each dish, create something different, not just a meal anyone can prepare at home and probably with more taste. We visit a lot of restaurants and honestly would not visit Rick Steins restaurant again.

I really do not know what has happened to Rick Stein Sandbanks. I have been eating at Rick Steins for over 25 years including his fish and chip shop in Padstow. On Sunday we took my sister in law all the way from the USA to experience the great Rick Stein. What a disappointment! No staff at reception, ignored by the barman for at least 20 minutes after which time we asked to be taken to our table. We were not impressed with the food which has sadly gone down hill. The crab linguine had no crab in it and was so spicy hot we had to send it back. When you go to an expensive restaurant like Rick Steins you expect better. We will now find a restaurant that values their customers. I suppose when you become so famous maybe you think you don’t need to bother anymore!

It's nice, not really worth the overall cost. The service was ok, forgot a couple of sides (even though there was only 4 of us) Food was ok as well, again nothing to write home about, especially considering we were paying c£350 for 3 adults and a child. Overall we were all a bit over the 'event' before it had even finished.

Lovely food, atmosphere and service. Will be returning. Picturesque view of course.

It was OK if expensive- although that was expected. However the actual fish and chips was not as good as I had in a local pub a few days ago, (at half the price), the fish was dry, batter a bit chewy, chips a bit soft. The worst part was having all those flunkeys fussing and flapping around me. I have simple tastes I guess. However the views across the harbour are spectacular, so worth it I guess for that alone.

For our wedding anniversary, my wife said she had always wanted to try Rick Stein so we duly booked and we are so glad we did. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and looked after and nothing was too much trouble. We were given a table with a lovely view across the southern end of Poole Harbour (see photo for view from our table) We ordered from a set menu and the food was absolutely delicious. As one who absolutely loves the Scottish dish, Cullen Skink, I have eaten it many times but none better than I had here. I ate it slowly to appreciate every delicious mouthful! We had mentioned that we were booking to have an anniversary dinner and the staff not only congratulated us verbally but we were also surprised with a plate delivered as we were enjoying dessert that had strawberries and some heart-shaped chocolates with ‘Happy Anniversary’ written in the most yummy chocolate sauce. This was a free gesture from the restaurant and a very nice touch which we really appreciated. We can’t thank them enough for making our 37th anniversary so special, they’ll be seeing us again for sure!

When you charge these prices and use the name Rick Stein, the customer expects something better than anywhere else. We were full of expectation and looking forward to seeing how the best handle service, but we were disappointed. We arrived on time and sat at the bar for our first drinks, which took too long to arrive. One of them was forgotten. OUr Latvian bartender was a happy chirpy fellow and made us feel welcome. His other colleagues seemed very cold and unwelcoming, almost aloof. Surely, first impressions are most important? Moving to the table, we were impressed with the beautiful layout of the restaurant, the decor and the table spacing. The view would have been wonderful during the day, but we will have to save that for a future lunchtime visit. We had the impression throughout the evening that noone actually 'owned' our table, in terms of service. The wine was poured and tasted, but noone refilled our glasses during dinner. Has this been stopped now at service here? I remember when the waiter's job was to fill us up with wine and check that we are satisfied. We ordered our dinners were brought in good time. I had the oysters chantieres and Dover sole, both of which were excellent; my wife had two starters, the first being the

Really nice lunch, not too busy so goid service

A wonderful evening. The staff were polite and attentive. The atmosphere was lovely and food was on point. Looking forward to going back.

Great value fixed menu lunch. Top quality, nice atmosphere and attentive service.

Nice food, but my wife cooks easily as good as this. Service and atmosphere is excellent though! 12.5% service charge is a bit rich when the prices are so high anyway!!! Leaves a bit of a bad taste!

The welcome was lovely; warm and friendly. We were shown to our table and were lucky enough to be overlooking Poole Harbour for a 13.30 lunch. The food menu provides plenty of choice with the expected seafood and alternative options. The wine list is extensive and the hosts are happy to guide and advise. Plenty of cocktails, beers and soft drinks too. The standards are very high and the stars here are the chefs and the FOH hosts/servers. Food quality is outstanding as is service. A very good lunchtime treat and worth every penny.

Great food and location. Staff are always very friendly, and a good atmosphere too.

I stopped by Rick Stein Sandbanks for a late afternoon cocktail and catch up with some friends. The restaurant is beautiful and has a very warm and welcome atmosphere. The staff who served us were very friendly and attentive, and all the cocktails came out extremely well made. I will certainly return in the future for lunch or dinner, as the menu looks fabulous.

I have tried to make a reservation via their booking service online twice and haven’t had a response. If this is an example of customer service then I wouldn’t recommend. Very disappointed ☹️

Visited for lunch on a beautiful sunny day, which made the most of our table by the window. Scallops starter was quite underwhelming and dry, but the soup was very tasty. We both had the Dover sole which was cooked well and meaty. However the available choices of sides was very limited and unimaginative. Paid a considerable amount for a Victoria Sponge as a birthday surprise. Our server played along and delivered it as planned. It looked the part, but was unlike any Victoria Sponge I have ever had before very dry and very rough texture… Could not fault the service, but the cake quality did take the shine off the event

Perfect spot for us as we took an Airbnb above. Very good service and lovely views onto Poole harbour. Rather let down by the small portions and high cost.

Great location and very professional staff and service. Food is good without being memorable (drowning a scallop in soya sauce?). Linguine was very nice though

A Must-Visit in Sandbanks for Seafood Lovers Rick Stein’s is always a pleasure to visit. The relaxed atmosphere makes the dining experience even more enjoyable, whether you choose to sit in the bar for a more casual meal or opt for the restaurant with its stunning views across the sea to the islands. If you love fresh fish and a great selection of wine, this is the perfect spot. The food is consistently excellent, and the laid-back yet attentive service enhances the experience. A fantastic place to unwind and enjoy top-quality seafood in a beautiful setting—highly recommended if you’re in Sandbanks!

We were a party of 7 including 2 children. The children's food was awful. The adults food was ok but nothing special. The service was unbelievably bad and the wait for courses and the bill - far too long.it was my first visit to a Rick Stein anywhere and I will NEVER visit one again! It was supposed to be a special celebration for my wife's birthday. It was AWFUL!

Very nice dinner, amazing atmosphere. Its very relaxing, good services. Its lovely that you can bring your dog in some areas of the restaurant.

Absolutely adore this place! Another fantastic lunch with hubby, BIL and SIL. We chose the festive menu as just wanted a light lunch but it was so good, we ended up with all 3 courses! The langoustine bisque was flavoursome, rich and spicy; SIL said her gunard quenelles were lovely. We then had the salmon en croute x2, hake and the confit duck. Puds were panna cotta and 3 strudel! All washed down with an aperol and a bottle of Ricks Sauvignon. Waitress was professional, friendly and funny. Made our day. If you book, try and get a window seat….our view was just perfect. I ended my trip by buying 3 of Jill Steins hand wash products which smell divine! Can’t wait to go back!

A really enjoyable evening meal. Excellent food and perfect service. Thank you. A McMillan Landscaper.

Decided to treat ourselves to a nice lunch after a morning out on the coast. Hadn’t booked so were seated in the more casual “bar” area downstairs - or more accurately seated ourselves! Promptly ignored throughout the rest of our meal- had to persistently ask for menus, to place our order, main course, dessert etc. No one offered to take our coats or top up our drinks. We may as well have been invisible. Very disappointing service despite lots of staff working, and certainly not up to the standards of such an expensive restaurant. Food was fine but not exceptional. Will choose somewhere else next time!

Perfect ambience, good lightning and rustic clear walls and excellent furniture and fittings.

Great restaurant! I had my birthday there 🎉 Delicious food 👍 Service at a very high level 👏 I had a wonderful time there. Thank you 💕

Bright airy fundraising coffee morning. Team attentive and eager to help

Regular diners here, took my staff out last night for our Christmas gathering and the service was terrible, we waited 20 mins for initial service and 15 mins for drinks following service and it was like this all night . meals not cooked to standards resulting in meals being remade as well. Very shocked for our favourite place but it needed to be said so hopefully someone reads this that matters can do something about it

Excellent service and exceptional food.. our wine was selected for us and was a perfect choice. The perfect date night out will definitely go again

Joe the barmen making absolutely stupendous and stunning cocktails! Best strawberry daiquiri in my experience! 🩷

Lovely food and staff. However the night we went (Fri 6th Dec) they had a DJ playing club music loudly. We also had a dog and after a while it was too much for them and also ruined the atmosphere for us. Not the nice quiet and relaxed meal we planned. The reason for three stars is that I would hesitate to book again, in case a DJ again.

Really relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and brilliant service. Thank you Andre for making our first visit a memorable one. We will definitely be back.

Xmas menu included excellent goats cheese souffle, salmon en crut with sides and Xmas pudding, all cooked to perfection! Welcome and service was friendly and efficient.... extremely pleasant meal!

Visited for the second time and unfortunately was disappointed with fish and chips . The batter was soggy and gooey. Food wasnt hot either, just warm.

My favourite restaurant in town. I highly recommend the Lobster Thermidor Masterclass!

What an absolutely beautiful lunch we had here. The oysters were so fresh, and the lobster thermidor was just incredible

A special occasion sadly let down by lack of reimbursement and attitude following an accident... After returning to what used to be our favourite restaurant, there was an honest accident with a round of cocktails being spilled all over myself and the table (smashing glass and drink all over me). Quick to make the staff member not feel bad, I didn't make a fuss. After cleaning up what they could, we had the drinks replaced and told they'd "make it right with the bill". The manager subsequently came over to offer a half-arsed apology, asking if I could just go home to change - which wasn't a feasible option. He then provided his business card and said they would cover any dry cleaning. Wanting to get back to the special occasion we swiftly moved on to enjoy some yummy food that totalled a rather sizeable bill. At the end, they only removed the welcome drinks from the bill (keeping the service charge, might I add) and wanting to avoid the awkwardness we moved on, with the satisfaction of dry cleaning being covered. However, 3 months later, after providing receipt evidence of the dry cleaning, multiple chasers, and attempts to escalate to head office, I have been ignored on both fronts (apart from a single note that my escalation to front office was forwarded onto the restaurant who were already ignoring me). I'm now considerably out of pocket for the dry cleaning (entire outfit + jacket) and only a marginal amount being deducted from the bill on the night. This has truly been an awful customer experience that really mired the whole night, with the minimal reduction and lack of care from the manager, and then follow up efforts to request reimbursement for the dry cleaning being ignored - even after an initial acknowledgement from head office. Sadly, we are on the hunt for a new favourite in the local area... the oysters were nice at least.

Some of the waiters need to wake up and realise they are there to serve food and drinks, not to be condescending or ignore customers. Food can be good, but I like it hot and not after it has been hanging around for a while. Some dishes have been on the menu for at least 2 years - gets a bit tedious. Had enough of the pretentious waiters on the last three visits, will give it a miss for a year or two and hope it improves.

If you like fine dining you will love this place

Always fabulous. Understated luxury dining for fish lovers. Stunning views over Poole harbour

Lunch in the dog friendly "bar" area. It's bright, airy, and comfortable. We all (including Mill Moo) enjoyed the traditional fish and chips. A decent portion of beautiful cod with big flakes. A nice touch was the curry sauce 👌 The service was impeccable and not overbearing. A great experience, though I wouldn't have expected less.

Dining here is lovely, but very overrated. I found the food to be subpar what you should expect with food that lacked seasoning. Apart from that service is great and the location is great. Breakfast here is always nice too.

Great food and the views are lovely well worth a visit....not cheap though

Unwelcoming Reception Experience - (October 18, 7:30 PM) Dear Rick Stein Sandbanks Team, I am writing to share some feedback regarding our visit on the evening of October 18th at 7:30 PM. Unfortunately, our first impression upon arriving at your restaurant was far from welcoming. The lady at the front desk appeared to be more focused on inspecting our clothes rather than offering a polite and professional greeting. For all four of us, it was clear she was looking us over from head to toe, without a smile or eye contact, which made us feel uncomfortable and out of place. This is certainly not the reception anyone would expect when dining at an esteemed establishment like yours. This behavior made us feel judged and out of place, despite the fact that all four of us were dressed appropriately and presentable. This kind of attitude is far from what anyone would expect, especially from a restaurant with such a high reputation. I would suggest some additional training on customer interaction to ensure that every guest is made to feel welcome, regardless of their 'background' or 'appearance'. That said, I would like to praise the male waiter who served us during the meal. He was a true professional, with great knowledge and a friendly demeanor, which did help improve our overall experience. I hope this feedback will encourage improvements in how guests are greeted at the front desk to ensure a more positive and welcoming atmosphere in the future. Kind regards

My dream come true. What a place. Us New Zealanders really enjoyed having lunch here. Could not fault.