Riddle and finn in Brighton and Hove

Among the worst experiences I have ever had. Impossible to get service, for what felt ostensibly like xenophobia. Every table that had been sat after us had ordered, received drinks, and even started eating. After sitting for 30 minutes with no one coming to take even a cocktail order, we asked for the bill so we could leave. That took another 10 minutes. All in all, a waste of fourty minutes, an abysmal service experience, and an utter disappointment. Take your business elsewhere.

2nd time here and it was amazing again. Gabrielle looked after us and she was very attentive and informative. Would highly recommend and will be coming back for round 3

Gabrielle was amazing - fantastic food & service

Incredible incredible incredible. The food and service Devine. The location is perfect. City was our waitress and she was just fabulous and had the chef make my mums favourite key lime pie which wasn’t on the menu! Highly recommend and we will definitely be back!

Wouldn’t bother, Visited this afternoon to a half empty restaurant. After a quick couple glasses of champagne on the terrace… Rudely turned away by waiting staff as don’t do Drinks only when eating, may be worth reminding them that they only work in this establishment. Enjoy the empty seats

From the moment we walked in, everything about our evening was exceptional. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the food—wow, the food was absolutely phenomenal. Every dish we tried was packed with flavor and beautifully presented. You could really tell that fresh, high-quality ingredients were used with care and creativity. What made the experience even better was the incredible service. Our server, Milo, was attentive, friendly, and genuinely passionate about the menu. He offered great recommendations and made sure everything was perfect throughout the meal. It’s rare to find someone who strikes the perfect balance between professional and personable, but Milo nailed it.

Superlative, consistently delicious, amazing sea food and a wonderful team. The bread with such an incredible selection of pate and spreads. Mussels, chowder which was so luxurious, yet so nice, and today's special scallops with a pesto and asparagus sauce. Incredible. The dover sole was perfect, while the Haddock with Bacon, colcannon, and incredible sauce and poached egg, was utterly phenomenal. So tasty. The mussels were significant portions for main and starter and were "meaty" and "by crumps delicious" The brownie and hazelnut mille fieulle was absolutely the best desert ever. So tasty. We have a challenging party, including octogenarians, with disabilities and the attention to care by the team began weeks before hand, followed up with check in and courtesy call on the day to ensure we were well looked after. Thank you. This sets out the true difference in customer service between very good and fantastic, beyond expectations even for an excellent establishment such as this. Previously we've turned up and dined like kings, it's when one has challenging aspects that the difference is made, and the team MADE the difference.

We are here for my daughter's birthday. The food was amazing and we really enjoyed the drinks. There was a great atmosphere at the restaurant and the service was friendly.

Dining doesn’t get better than this. View of Brighton beach at sunset; fantastic, attentive, friendly staff; exceptional food and drinks.

We had a lovely afternoon at the beach and a lovely reunion with my dear friend

Booked to celebrate our 3rd anniversary whilst staying in Brighton for the weekend. We had the most amazing meal, the atmosphere was great and the wine was incredible. Would highly recommend a visit not only for special occasions but also on the regular. Thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon.

It was nice to be able to sit on the terrace with the view of the sea but the service was so so and the food fairly expensive for what it is.

As much as the haddock was well presented on a base of mashed potatoes and the taste was great, the portion didn't account for 29 pounds given the small size of the fish. I guess the cost got inflated by the location, a restaurant pretty much on the shore. Other than that, the service was everything but not great. I had to remember a bottle of water twice, and food was delivered in a non sync manner between guests. My review accounts only fit my experience, because the cost of other guests was indeed greater due to their selection.

Great place to eat! We had oysters and fresh crab salad which was delicious! The staff we lovely and friendly and the service was great !

First time visit .. I know the sun helps but super food really good service and highly recommended ..

Came for dinner on a weekend and was lucky to find a seat. The place was very popular. Only places available were outside but that was more of an advantage. More space than in the cramped insides and just by the sea. Ordered oysters which were great, then the seared scallops, seafood risotto and the croquette. I can only recommend scallops and oysters. I wasn't a big fan of risotto though my partner liked it and croquette was objectively bad. Skip it. It was quite expensive but it was right next to the sea. I don't think I'll visit again but I know many people will really enjoy it.

Wonderful views over the sea, central location. Great friendly staff. Excellent fruit de Mer and lobster dishes.

Expensive but worth it. The menu has just the right balance of classic versus innovative, where simple, high quality ingredients do the talking. Well chosen wines. Attentive service. There's a reason this is a local institution.

So today we went to Riddle and Finns on the beach. I asked if the outdoors were open... I was told no (in a very authoritative way). So left. Only to see that people were actually being actively seated and being served on the outside. Needless to say I won't be going there again. And maybe the individual with the nose ring needs to get his attitude in check. Terrible.

Took full advantage of a glorious sunny spring day and headed to the South Coast for a coastal dog walk from Newhaven to Brighton with our four-legged friend. We definitely earned our supper and booked an early table at Riddle & Finns on the seafront. It’s a brilliant spot—two storeys above the beach, ideal for a bit of people-watching while enjoying some absolutely five-star fresh fish. We kicked things off with oysters: fresh, fat, and seriously delicious. Then we grazed on thick-cut smoked salmon, whole crab, and prawn tempura, all served with a bread basket and a cracking taramasalata and mackerel pâté. The quality of the fish was genuinely outstanding—couldn’t rate it higher. The young team were fantastic—professional, super helpful, and dishing out top-tier banter that really lifted the whole experience. All while the sun beamed down on us from a cloudless blue sky. The perfect lunch, in the perfect spot, on the perfect day.

Best in Brighton for food and service.

Milo was our waiter and he was fantastic. His service was friendly, efficient and welcoming. House wine was light and went down a treat. We had bread basket, scallops and clam chowder to start - all were delicious, especially the chowder! Halibut and linguine to finish - we had a slight food issue but Milo rectified this for us and we left happy. Thanks again :)

Sadly editing this. Previously loved Riddle and Finns The Beach. And in the Lanes. Went for our post race reward dinner on Sunday. Great expectations! We left after 25 minutes having been effectively ignored. Did not bode well for the remainder of a £300 lunch so cut our losses nearby and rescued the day. To match the wonderful situation and excellent menu the business needs to focus 110% on treating customers decently on arrival. Sadly on this occasion they were very poor.

We have been several times and have never been disappointed. The service is friendly and helpful. The view is beautiful and the food delicious. Always book to eat here as it is a prime restaurant with good views so often very busy.

Excellent for sunset. The oysters are great- the Rockefeller were awesome- the Koreans Oyster was amazing. Little pricey- but fish was fresh and well prepared

Enjoying cocktails and seafood dishes while watching the sunset by the beach was definitely charming. However, the taste didn’t quite live up to the price. Although we had a reservation, the place was extremely noisy during our visit, making it hard to fully enjoy our meal and time together. The staff didn’t seem particularly friendly or welcoming either as well.

Great place for seafood. Amazing oysters with great variety. Also thank you for little treat for us. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Great food great view would highly recommend

Thanks for a lovely evening, as was my wife birthday and we was looked after brilliantly by the staff.

A fantastic menu full of quality fish and shell fish a must for any seafood lover. We were very disappointed with the seating, as they are tables of 8 and you can end up sitting next to and opposite other people in very close proximity. We had the hot seafood platter to start. Full of flavour, cooked very well, bit lacked presentation. For our main, surf and turf, now o know my way around a lobster, but many don’t and for the price you are paying, I think the kitchen should have dressed the lobster. The steak was ok, but again for the cost, lacked in size. The restaurant was busy and it is apparent its busy, it’s just to small a venue and lacks that one or two little things, which I believe you should get when spending a lot of money of good food.

Riddle & Finns is small with high tables inside and normal seating outside. The atmosphere has a buzz but is not overly noisy. The staff are knowledgeable and attentive to all diners even when at full capacity. Seafood is fantastic and delicious 🥰🥰

Delicious food and amazing service!!! Highly recommend!!

Absolutely a must try. We loved the clam chowder. Very authentic and surf and turf was amazing 😍

From the moment we walked in until the moment we walked out, we received the best service from two individuals—one being Joel, and I didn’t manage to get the name of the other! My partner and I were celebrating our anniversary, and because we had such a lovely time in November, we decided to celebrate it at Riddle and Finns by the beach today. The individual who greeted us instantly recognised us, and since our table wasn’t ready, he seated us at the bar and was very attentive! The food was exceptional, with lots of dishes recommended, and they walked us through the dishes we chose. The atmosphere was amazing, and we even had a lovely chat with two other guests opposite us, as it was side-by-side dining. The vanilla brandy was delightful as well! It was definitely a great recommendation from the lovely guy who served us. I need to get a bottle before we leave Brighton, as I learned it’s a hidden gem here! Toward the end of the night, we were given a special anniversary plate with truffles, which made our night! Thank you to everyone—servers and chefs—who made it extra special. We will definitely be bringing friends and family next time!

We went this evening for my birthday (booked by my boyfriend) and we were treated like royalty!! Amazing service, delicious food, and a very generous drink on the house. Could not recommend highly enough. Can’t wait to come back with friends! PS- amazing pickle martinis!!!

Very posh place, great views and great location. Clam chowder was pretty good. The special of the day was a pork croquette with raw scallop and burnt apple spread, this was so interesting and flavorful. Definitely the highlight of the two dishes I tried.

Fabulous food and drink, but exceptional service from the team. Just wonderful.

Lovely experience! The food was delicious, and Giorgia, the waitress was very nice and gentle!

First time here in Brighton and what a GEM I found in this place… good food, drinks and with a wonderful view… lovely staff to take care of you (Ruby) and what you need in life… a WiFi may be… ;)

Located right on the coast, this oyster bar offers stunning ocean views and fresh, high-quality seafood. Staff were great and overall had a wonderful meal.

Visited for drinks then returned for lunch Both occasions were great John and Max and their lovely lady colleague (can’t recall name sorry) were excellent as was the food We will be back!

all in here is perfect！｛Pear lemonade｝loveeeeee

We had an ultimate legend as our waiter sorry we don’t know his name but he had clear glasses and a kind smile. He was very knowledgable about the whole menu and he made our friends birthday a memorable on with a free dessert oyster!!! This made such a massive difference and honestly we had so much fun. This made us feel so valued as customers and we will definitely be back again!!! This guy deserves a pay rise or a promotion!! What a king <3

The best seafood I've ever eaten, and all the staff were diligent and friendly. A special shout-out to our server City, she made a special day all the more special.

That was possibly one of the best meals I've ever had. We went here for our engagement dinner and the staff were fantastic (especially City who served us). The food, atmosphere and service was more than I could ask for.

Lovely food and in a great spot, friendly unpretentious service.

Excellent service great food lovely atmosphere

Me and my partner have just dined here for valentines day and i can say without a doubt it was the best date we've ever been on!! For starters, our waiter John was the most lovely person, he was so attentive and respectful throughout the entire meal. We had the clam chowder, lobster, calamari, and the most gorgeous mussels. The views and atmosphere were 10/10 and i truly recommend dining here; its 100% worth every penny!!

We were walking along the beach and came here by chance. It would have been hard to come up with a better choice that day. Super! Thank you.

Went here for a valentines day, the restaurant was absolutely packed full but our food and drinks still came very promptly and service was absolutely incredible, very attentive. Our server was John and he did an incredible job, especially considering the amount of people he had to serve. The food was absolutely exceptional. We ordered clam chowder, calamari and mussels as well as 2 half lobsters. The calamari was some of the best I have ever had and the lobster was absolutely delicious, especially the sauce. Cocktails were also absolutely stunning. Very impressive and good portion sizes. Free bread also came with the table. Do be aware that there is a 12.5% service charge, however this was very much expected and we were very willing to pay it. All in all it was a great experience, and we will be visiting again.

Good food, excellent service very very pleasant evening. Shout out Pauline and Jim for the good craic.

Great seafood and during the day, great views

A fantastic experience. Great food , great service and a fabulous time was had by all ten of us!! Will be back for sure and singing your praises to everyone I know. We had the group menu and the food was as good as I had had on Ile De Rae - it brought back some fantastic memories.

Although it is a smaller venue (shared, long tables), it has a bright and pleasant atmosphere, especially with an ocean view. The food was prepared by someone who must be trained as a chef, the various plates we ordered (smoked haddock fillet, smashed young potatoes on prosciutto, and a number of small plates) were visually appealing. The seaweed old fashioned (rum cocktail @ $14) was so fabulous, my husband had another. We will have to go back for dessert another time, because we were already satisfied. It's a bit pricey for us to go here on a regular basis, but special occasions will bring us back.

Lobster was good. Dover sole a little disappointing. Good service

Absolutely amazing experience. The staff are amazing and make you feel welcome and special. Food was delicious and fantastic attention to detail with the presentation. A wonderful place that we will definitely return to. Highly recommend if you love seafood and what a special experience.

If you love sea food ,the best place to be .

Exceptional! Our host Maxime was extremely welcoming and even though the restaurant was extremely busy, was super attentive and warm. A true asset! Food is light and very fresh, the watermelon hot sauce on the oysters to die for and the the attention to detail is spectacular, would highly recommend!

Thank you to Johnathon for looking after us today. Most enjoyable lunch, service was great!

My dad and I went for lunch today at riddle and Finns and were blown away by not only the delicious food but the outstanding service. The atmosphere was lovely paired with pleasant sea view. Would highly recommend to any seafood lover.

Lovely friendly & helpful staff. Food was great too.

It used to be great, been our go-to place to host friends in Brighton. But it’s lost consistency in taste, don’t always get what’s expected. Generally it’s still a great restaurant but I need more courage to bring friends here.

Had a lovely trip to Brighton and was recommended this Seafood Resturant. We did arrive 10 mins early and was seated straight away so good start. Our server was attentive and explained the menu. So we had all the prices so knew that this was going to be pricey, but you get what you pay for right ? ..... Wrong ! Scallops x 2 for starters £30 , okay well they were nice , but not wow nice , okay on then to mains 1/2 lobster thermador 35.00 chips x 2 12.00 plus 1 whole Lobster 68.00 Dessert platter 15.00 and 2 non alcohol cocktails so with added service charge this total bill came to 223.00 . Now my lobster 1/2 I'd say was worth 35.00. The whole lobster on the other hand was an absolute insult , it was not even worth tackelling for the meat !! 4 bitesize mouthfulls and its gone ! And the taste was very underwhelming. We did tell the server who replied that some maybe smaller than others ! Well then I would suggest charge accordingly for size so patrons do not end up being charged 68.00 and very dissatisfied with your menu. So all in all, would I return ? 100% no It was overated , overpriced and after spending the amount we did still ended up leaving hungry , I've had better surf and turf in my local and paid less.

2 lovers who love seafood shared: Oysters, Caviar, Scallops, Chowder and Crab washed down with an English Sparkling Wine.

Well, I’m sorry but I’ve been very ill from food poisoning as soon as I got home, and today I have high fever and have been throwing up quite a bit. Not what I was expecting.

Great service fabulous food ..staff were awesome 👌

Very welcoming, knowledgable and warm staff - front of house was delightful and really made it a special occasion for us. Many thanks

We are Brighton locals that have visited Riddles for over 13 years, but sadly our last visit will be our last. The menu is not as extensive as it’s been in the past, the bread and condiments has been paired back (no mackerel pate) for the same price. We were there for a special birthday and two mains were delivered undercooked and cold. Replacement dishes were promised but everyone lease had finished their food before the replacement dish was delivered. One of our party gave up. Riddle cannot afford to cheese off locals that keep it going throughout the winter. We were so disappointed we left a half full loyalty card on the table, and will never return. Riddle is not cheap and dinners deserve better.

Staff are great - very welcoming and knowledgeable, and the food is delicious. My favourite place to come for lunch.

They got free bread for everyone. I ordered seafood risotto and chips and broccoli. The seafood risotto served with small portions, even my cats eats more than that apparently, also the seafood is not that fresh, it’s kinda sour.

A perfect visit every time. Possibly the best service, from start to finish. The food is exceptionally good, too. But the service. Outstanding. My 9yr son ordered the linguine. Whilst it was great, it was too picante. Our waitress, replaced his dish, with the same, shellfish linguine (No Chili) within minutes. I thank you again.

Years ago, I randomly walked into Riddle & Finn after finding it in an alleyway, and had a smashing dinner experience. So when meeting up with a friend in Brighton, there was only one choice I was interested in, but this time, we booked a table at their beach location. Would definitely recommend their scallops as a starter which melt in the mouth, but sadly, their New England Clam Chowder left more to be desired. The potatoes were too chunky and browning, and although the broth was delicious, there wasn't enough of it compared to all the vegetables, with bacon overriding any clams actually found in the dish. The half lobster was worth the price, and the desserts provided a fantastic end. I HIGHLY recommend their elderflower vodka sour as we ordered about 5 of them, and staff were exceptional!

Really enjoyable seafood restaurant. Small restaurant witj counter style tables to sit next to each other. Everything was fresh and tasted great. Service was attentive and engaging, nothing was too much trouble.

Always superb from start to finish

Great food, lovely views, friendly staff.

We had a wonderful pre-concert meal last Friday. Sitting down at 5.30 we took in the surroundings which are perfectly set out for the space. The food was excellent and all serving staff were super friendly and helpful with advice on the menu. The only very minor point was the lack of beer options. A small tankard of black velvet for £17 is a bit steep and the only other option was a can of Guinness. That was fine for me, but others would probably appreciate a couple of other options. I love West Coast IPAs with a seafood platter as an example. We had the classic seafood platter which was good for 2 hungry people, along with a portion of fries and the warm beetroot salad. Everything was amazing and well presented. Not cheap, but we would say very good value. We will definitely come back.

Georgia, our server, went above and beyond to give us an amazing time. Riddle and Finn, take note, she is an asset to your restaurant. Thank you so much for excellent service and food. See you soon.

The view is great, the restaurant is beautiful, and the food is delicious. The seafood is very fresh, and the risotto is highly recommended 🐟

The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff and manager were incredibly friendly. I will definitely go back for sure!

Lovely restaurant, service and food, we visited twice in two days. Highly recommended

Fully lived up to expectations - the food, service and venue were incredible. The scallops and tiramisu were absolutely tremendous and the staff even had a birthday dessert as a surprise for my partner which was a lovely touch, 10/10!

7 of us went. my friends from Greece always want to go there. It never fails us. Good food great service. Hard working chefs. Thank you riddle

Super Sea food 😋 great location overlooking Brighton beach. Friendly service. We 👍

We were here last week for the Octoberbest menu. While the selection of food and flavour was great, the service was far from good. We arrived 5 minutes early to our booking and were seated immediately. We then had to wait an hour and 20 minutes before our first course arrived after being promised multiple times that the food was “seconds away”. Normally I wouldn’t mind this since the place was busy, but about 5 other couples who had arrived 20 to 30 minutes after we did were somehow already on their second course. It also didn’t help that we had gone through our 3 drink pairing before any of the food arrived. When the food did arrive, it was delicious and the courses were generous but being starved half to death due to the wait definitely put a damper on things. The soup we had for our starter was the highlight of the meal. All in all, good food but pack a snack to munch on while you watch everyone else eat before you.

Riddle & Finns offers an outstanding outdoor dining experience, where the combination of exquisite seafood and a charming atmosphere creates an unforgettable meal. The quality of the dishes is exceptional, with each one showcasing fresh, beautifully prepared ingredients that highlight the best of seasonal seafood. Dining outside enhances the experience, allowing guests to enjoy the lively surroundings while indulging in their expertly crafted menu. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable, ensuring every aspect of the meal is catered to with professionalism and warmth. For those seeking top-tier seafood dining in an elegant outdoor setting, Riddle & Finns is an excellent choice.

Outstanding food, service at atmosphere…. Oysters were sublime, razor clams and new favourite and the lobster Thermidor was just Devine!

Excellent service, friendly, attentive without being intrusive. Jersey oysters excellent, langoustines excellent. Convivial atmosphere with shared tables. One complaint. My 9 year old nephew had the fish goujons which were over salted. I’d allow the customer to salt their own food, especially with the children’s menu, which is why I knocked one star off the food score.

This was our first visit, but certainly not our last. The seafood platters, both cold and hot, were fabulous. Everything was cooked to perfection, and the service was excellent as well.

Unfortunately we never had the opportunity to try the food so can’t comment on that. However, service was appalling! We were seated and drink order taken which started out OK. Then we waited (with our menus sitting in front of us) for about 20 minutes before a server returned. We finally flagged down a server and placed our food order. Once again, we waited with no visit from anyone to ask if we wanted another drink, water, nothing. We finally opted to leave the restaurant. When we spoke with the host about why we were leaving, he was extremely rude and told us to leave and ‘don’t come back!’ I cannot recommend this restaurant when there are so many other options in the area.

You can't miss this one @ england

Nice view by the side side, oysters and shellfish are excellent quality and nicely cooked

Great food - tasted really fresh. The team were so welcoming and attentive without it feeling too much- a hard balance! They were also all really kind to our kids which meant the world to us.

Outstanding. Great quality food and very friendly service. Fantastic view of the beach and pier

Delicious!!!!! If you like fish it is the place to go - wide variety, fresh, and mouth watering.

Went for lunch and sat outside as it was a lovely sunny day. Everything was excellent. The seafood platter was amazing and very fresh. Service was very efficient and friendly. Lovely relaxed atmosphere.

The food was very good, everything was so freshly made with lots of butter and herbs. Though the mussels had sand. We ordered the hot sea food platter, sea bream, langostine, half lobster and halibut fillet. We were offered if we want to sit on the terrace, which was a great experience because the weather was beautiful. The service was super slow, though, maybe because it was busy, but we waited for long time to get the sea food platter and mains and the dessert. Front of house guy was great, very welcoming and knew what he was doing. However, our waitress was super moody and unprofessional , did not smile, barely talked to us, and every time we wanted to order something she was nowhere to be seen or ignored us straightaway. Just arrogant. It could have been an amazing experience overall but because of that, it wasn't. We didn't catch her name, but she had braids. The whole time, her attitude was rude. So the moment we saw the front of house guy we just ordered to him and he was delightful. I noticed something when we were leaving, usually at sea food bars/restaurants when sea food is served you get some sort of wet wipes, or some warm water with lemon because your hands are going to get dirty but we never received anything like that. When we were leaving we noticed that every table on the balcony had bowl with wipe and lemon, which to be honest made me feel kind of let down because we just paid over £30 for service which seemed like it wasn't well deserved. Prices are high, and service is unadequate. I'm not sure we will be back there, to be honest.

The food is fantastic, but the waiter's attitude is quite rude for a restaurant of this caliber. The service felt worse than what you'd expect at a casual fish and chips spot, leaving me not inclined to return. Leave me a comment that the restaurant acknowledged this and I will delete this post. Thanks

Beautiful venue above the beach. Seafood specialities choices were excellent. Gracie took my order. She is a credit to the restaurant. Attentive and very friendly

Had a wonderful meal and dining experience. From watching a beautiful sun set to after dinner petit four.

Outstanding, friendly, and engaged staff! The lemon sole fresh fish of the day was impeccably prepared with herb oil. We went for my wife's birthday and had a wonderful time … thank you!