Rick Stein in Poole

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.

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.

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

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

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

Really nice lunch, not too busy so goid 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!

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

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 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 ☹️

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.

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 💕

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

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

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.

Initially went to Tandy next door (not friendly waiter so left) but so glad we went here Staff at Rick stein super friendly lovely place

Celebrated a Golden Wedding while staying on Brownsea Island. A very memorable experience.

Was disappointed in my meal, wife was the same. I doubt I'd go to another Rick Stein restaurant. It was a lovely outlook.

Had a lovely meal on Saturday night. Great service and the food was stunning.

Had been here lots for lunch and dinner but didn't know they also do breakfast. Went two weeks in a row to try it out and it was really good both times. Very relaxing atmosphere helped by incredible views of the harbour. It's right on the water so watching waves and boats bob is a very zen way to start the weekend. Service is excellent. Quite slow the first time and very prompt the second. Staff are warm and welcoming. Food quality and value were brilliant. Hollandaise was gorgeous. If you're on a budget but want to try a Stein's definitely go for breakfast. Paid carpark opposite which gets very busy in the season. Lovely hand cream in the loos.

Overpriced. Our local chippy does much better fish and chips for half the price. Waitress didn't know anything about the drinks available and even forgot to bring us any cutlery. No loo roll in the ladies either..... Jokers. Triumph of reputation over delivery.

Best thing is the view, food pretty good. Service excellent. The decor was nautical and very relaxing. Smashing place

We chose from the lunch set menu. We were not disappointed at all. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We were lucky enough to have a harbour view, although not by the window, still a great view. Felt welcomed by the staff and well looked after. Didn't order drinks, just had tap water. Good value for money for the quality of food.

Unfortunately I am not overexcited when to many people, when overcrowded. Tables to close... But then again, probably it's only me Otherwise spot on.

Great food, good service, ambience of a care home.

We came to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, looking forward to the food, but also the view. The sunset across the harbour just made it extra special! We had quite a few dishes, all cooked and presented beautifully. Really great service from start to finish, attentive and friendly.

Wonderful lunch on a Monday to celebrate our wedding! The food was simply wonderful and the service was second to none!

Giving this restaurant a second chance after a somewhat negative previous experience when the service was appalling. This time, it was faultless. Three of us agreed that we had a chilled luncheon experience, with excellent food, chosen from the affordable lunch menu. Our waiter 'Manuel' was patient and helpful with suggestions to suit my two lactose and gluten intolerant friends. I look forward to returning.

Best restaurant in the Rick Stein group. The view over the harbour, the ambience and decor inside, the food, the menu...the best! Dined here recently for dinner on Saturday night and as you can imagine, it was very, very busy. There was a slight delay to our table being available, but Louis (Manager) and the team (despite being rushed off their feet) made sure we were really looked after and went out of their way for us to know it. As you can see from the pictures, we had the fish and chips and salmon - both heavenly. Drinks/Desserts wonderful too. To top off a wonderful evening, given the delay, they also made sure we got home safely. All around amazing and I can't wait to be back! Thank you Louis and team!!!!

Visiting on a day when understaffed, food good if no a little over priced. Atmosphere was flat, very bright dining room.

Early evening dinner in the bar with our dog, food excellent, staff very attentive to all our needs, whole restaurant very clean, bar staff very friendly and well presented, been here before, lot of people may be put off by the name of the restaurant, but for a great meal with really good food wine and deserts, very reasonable for what is presented

Good food but seriously pricey.

Cosy restaurant with a fantastic view.

What a lovely time we had! The food was lovely. My husband and I both had the crispy mackerel salad for starter which was fantastic, and then for our mains, my husband had the fillet steak and I had the salmon with cucumber. Initially I wasn't going to have a dessert, but my husband persuaded me and I chose the berry compote pavlova which was huge. My husband had the bakewell tart which he thoroughly enjoyed. You didn't wait long between courses which was great and our waiter was lovely. Infact, all the staff were great, they were all smiles and very welcoming. We will definitely be going back. Thankyou for a lovely experience.

Food was simply delicious am so glad we decided to eat here. Venue overlooking the harbour is stunning. I had muscles,chicken fricassee and ice cream partner had cheese soufflé, crab linguine and millefoi. All of the dishes were super. Staff were great too would highly recommend.

We went to the restaurant after booking 2 weeks in advance for a special family occasion. We had pre-warned that the only child attending had dairy and egg allergies. We confirmed our booking and on arrival, soon realised that my son couldn't eat anything on the mains of the kids menu. We eventually chose crudités with humus and tomato soup (they couldn't give us humus or bread with them due to allergens; had they told us before, we would have found somewhere else) The rest of the experience was underwhelming. In restaurant like this we would have thought the food would have been better, but I've had better prawns from Asda. We had fruit de Mer, the seafood tasted bland as if it was frozen, which has never been my experience from a sea front restaurant. The service was slow, it took 90 minutes for our mains to come out (surprising for fruit de mar and 3 portions of fish and chips) I definitely wouldn't not go back

Was exceptional in every way! Fruit de Mer was to die for!

I am now done with Rick Stein at Sandbanks. Our first visit was for breakfast: despite literally no more than a dozen people seated on a Saturday, the food took an eternity to arrive. When it did, it was no better than your average "caff". The next visit was to try the set lunch. Again, literally a handful of customers and the food took forever. The chicken sumac main was so tiny, we genuinely thought it was the starter. Last weekend, with friends visiting, we thought we'd give dinner a go. Service was all over the place - at one point I had to get up to get a member of staff to come to our table. Our drinks order was forgotten; when it arrived, it was what another table had ordered. The coconut prawn starter was beyond tasteless, and the medium-well fillet steak main arrived cremated to a crisp, with a stone-cold broccoli side dish. No offer was made to take away the other guests dishes, so they sat there eating very slowly whilst we awaited the return of the steak. When the bill arrived - just under £500 for four of us - no apology was given, no offer of, say, the desserts being complimentary, and the 12.5% service charge wasn't even removed! I have contacted both the restaurant and Head Office, but am still awaiting a reply. I should have known better, really - many's the time in my experience that these celebrity-branded restaurants fail to deliver. The restaurant looks absolutely stunning at night with sensational views, but it is very much a case of the Emperor's new clothes. Just because 'Arry Redknapp and a lot of Bournemouth FC players and wags like to be Instagrammed there does not make it an even decent restaurant. Prepare to have your wallet emptied, and a kebab on your way home.

Did a takeaway Fish and Chips, Click and Collect which worked perfectly it was fresh Tatar sauce in a container, lovely

Fantastic as always. Great sea food with a classic menu.

Absolutely fantastic restaurant. All the staff are amazing. Food is amazing. It is an experience and not just a place to eat. One of Rick's best restaurants for sure.

I wanted to like this place but here we are. The first misstep was that we were left waiting at our table for more than 15 minutes without any of the servers asking for our drink orders. We felt ignored and almost walked out. The second misstep was asking for the bill. It took another 15 minutes to arrive. When my dining partner reminded them, we got 2 bills. The food was middling. The wine was good. Ultimately the experience was unmemorable. It’s a shame because this was our first wedding anniversary meal.

Awful experience, this restaurant has gone dramatically downhill. The staff had totally lost control. Lady front of house was clearing tables, the barman (only 2) were fetching and carrying drinks to tables when it took over 30 mins to get served a drink, it was a car crash. We arrived early for a drink, and an 8pm table, we eventually ate our mains at 10:15pm! Outrageous! Seriously would not bother!

Dissatisfied and disappointed. The food was fresh but unimaginative and doesn’t meet the price point. We nearly walked out as we were left at our table for around 15/20 mins, whilst plenty of staff checked other tables around us. The same happened at the end of the meal when we asked for the bill but again we were left waiting for another 15/20 mins. I made reservations several weeks ago to ensure we had a memorable wedding anniversary, only for it to be tarnished. I also mentioned in the reservation that it was our wedding anniversary, but this was completely ignored.

This is on a class on its own. Expect to pay more for superior food, proffesional service, and an altogether wonderful eating experience.

The most awful experience we have had dining out. We had the same lunch set menu. As soon as we left we fell seriously ill with sickness, diarrhoea, fever and lethargic. 5 plus days to recover. The manager admitted it was the fish which is shocking coming from a celebrity chef who specialises in fish and seafood! We officially complained, the company they use for complaints (strange a restaurant brand has a company to handle this). This seems to make sure all complains are erased and not taken seriously unless you go to A&E or send your own faeces to get analysed. You have to pay extra for the service too even if you had good or bad service how arrogant is that!! I will not recommend this restaurant or any of this brand. We are even put off eating fish now!! Well done Rick Steins!

I do not usually write Google reviews but this time it felt important to share the unpleasant and awkward experience my partner and I had at this restaurant. We did not book and were hopeful to get a table but on arrival we were made to feel so unwelcome as two members of staff spoke between themselves, deciding whether to host us or not when the restaurant was visibly quiet. We were thankful that they did. We sat waiting to order drinks for more than 25 minutes until we had to leave our table to get somebody’s attention. A family situated behind us arrived much later than us and received their food before anyone came to take even our drinks order. We felt extremely uncomfortable about this, especially since a group of people dining on a table nearby noticed. When our food did arrive it was mediocre. We waited so long for our table to be cleared after eating that we ended up not even considering dessert and paying the bill at the server’s area before leaving. We felt like we were being looked down on although we were dressed appropriately, polite, respectful and hopeful for a lovely evening meal. Unfortunately, we will not be returning.

I'm a bit biased because this restaurant is where I took my partner on our first date, so it is a bit special to us. That said, we wouldn't keep going back if we didn't like it. It's not good. It's fantastic. Lovely food and polished service in a very fine but unpretentious environment. Prices are okay too, considering it's located in one of the most affluent spots in the country.

Lovely food in a lovely setting, had a meal in the harbour view section.

Had great service and great food despite the restaurant being full we were really taken care of.

Great food and great service, thanks so much

I had chips, which was fresh, crispy and tasty.

A real treat whilst taking some down time with my girls. However complex tastes for younglings. The staff super polite and attentative. Set menu was lovely the truffle chips devine. All in all cant wait to go back

Was in the restaurant over 3 hours, was asked once throughout the whole sitting if we would like any more drinks wasn’t even asked if the food was ok. We waited an hour between start and main to then be served rock hard potatoes, rock hard carrots and no broccoli as the ordered. We then ate our fish very slowly as we was told the potatoes and broccoli would be out shortly. We finished our main courses without any potatoes or broccoli, about 5 minutes after we finished our main course the broccoli came out with no potatoes. We was then told the 2nd batch of potatoes were still cooked rock hard so wouldn’t be served. Then between finishing our mains and having a dessert and getting the bill it was another 45 minutes. This is one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The service was sub standard and have had better in cheap chain restaurants. Very disappointed in the whole meal and wouldn’t recommend anyone to go.

The food at sandbanks was so fresh and so delicious, we loved it. There’s a lot of options on the menu, I really appreciate that a lot of the flavours are very classic but really well done. I had the sole with a shrimp butter and it was beautiful, my husband had the lobster and it was like butter. We weren’t able to dine with the terrace view but we didn’t book, so this wasn’t unexpected. I imagine this would complete the experience. The restaurant is fitted beautifully, the cocktails and wine were spot on and the staff were really helpful. It is on the more expensive side but it’s really worth the money. Really good quality food and drinks and flawless service, will definitely return if we’re in the area!

Expected a better experience than what we had. Could only be seated outside which would have been fine if it wasn't so breezy. Lovely view and was offered blankets, a bit of outdoor heating would work much better. Food was mediocre. We've had better food for half the price. On the plus side, our youngest got to taste the calamari, free of charge which she enjoyed. If you are expecting a quality meal, made to Rick Steins standard, book elsewhere

Very expensive coffee and croissant.

Electricity went out and we had to leave the building. Unfortunately because we were still having lunch.

Love the food. Best fish and chips I have ever tasted. The ice cream is just melt-in-the-mouth DELICIOUS. Would totally recommend this to anyone I know. The service is incredible, along with all the food.