Riddle and Finns The Beach in Brighton and Hove

Absolutely smashing my waiter Joel was just incredibly, such personality I felt so welcome and then food was amazing, 10/10 will come again.

Amazing view and food. Went for a lunchtime cocktail and decided to have a light lunchtime special. A lovely experience. Very friendly and efficient.

Christian was an amazing waiter! Explained everything so well and treated us with respect, explained all the fresh food and went through the drinks menu.

We visited for lunch having been gifted a voucher. The side by side seating is a little odd, but this is clearly stated on the website and again when you arrive, and we wouldn't let that stop us visiting again. The atmosphere is lovely, partly due to the amazing sea views, and partly due to the fantastic staff. Our waitress was friendly and informative, but not overbearing, and whilst the service was on the slower side, this allowed us to enjoy the view and each other's company. At no point were we rushed, and each course arrived in good time. The bread basket with assorted accompaniments arrived swiftly after we sat down, and we really enjoyed the salmon it came with. The food is all very fresh, and I was keen to try the seafood risotto as this is my go-to order when I see it on any menu. It was delicious, with a good balance of seafood and rice. My dining companion had the fish curry from the specials menu, which was not too spicy, and the curry did not overpower the fish it was paired with. We left feeling full but not uncomfortably so. It was an expensive meal, but felt like a real treat that lived up to our expectations.

Unless you are white do not visit this place. Looked us up and down decided that as one of us was black we were not wanted even though place was practically empty.

We went to this restaurant last night for an early dinner. We were really disappointed. The service was incredible slow (fine if the restaurant is busy but it was v. Quiet) . We ordered two beers and it took 15 minutes for them to arrive and we could see the waiters just chatting to each other. The food was nice but seriously overpriced- I’ve had better seafood linguine for less money. Overall- I wish we went somewhere else!

Absolutely best restaurant for fish ,staff fantastic, atmosphere relaxing and you really feel like the staff actually care that you have a nice time fabulous 👌

We had a wonderful meal here. Fantastic drinks and food menu. Our waiter Tom was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. One of our favourite Brighton restaurants. Many thanks.

Lovely food, nice place to go, but my gripe was with the food voucher that was bought for me from my son for a Christmas present. It was a £150.00 voucher for dinner. Had a lovely meal that came to £76.55 total food bill, but when you give them the voucher they take all of the £150.00. They will not give you another voucher for the the remainder of what you didn’t spend. I think the voucher thing was a big rip off

We popped in on the off chance and were lucky enough to get two spaces at the bar - the best seats in the house. Service was excellent - thank you to Blair, Christian, Daniel, Tom & Georgia for being professional, efficient, helpful and fun! The oysters - both hot and cold - were excellent (try the one with panko crumb) as were the scallops and the champagne. Then the Bloody Mary (topped with an oyster) made by Daniel. Decadent and delicious (the drink! 😂). A couple of amazing hours.

The reputation of this place was the main reason for choosing it, however it was an underwhelming experience all round. The guy serving us was brusque & managed to get the order wrong (although a new main course was prepared). He seemed more interested in some pretty young ladies sat on the same island as us rather than paying attention to the few other punters in the restaurant. We ordered Bouillabaisse fish soups & one hake dish. The food was average and the soup was lacking taste which given this type of dish, is unusual. When you throw in the cost, around £50 a head, it really doesn't encourage one to return

Booked a table for Xmas Eve with my son as a special treat as we both love seafood and despite having lived in Brighton for most of my life I had never visited The Beach restaurant and had heard good things. The restaurant is not cheap, with a menu and prices that wouldn’t look out of place in a hotel in London’s West End. What a pity the service and ambience don’t match. We were sat next to each other - very close side by side - rather than opposite each other. When I asked if I could move to another chair so I could face the person I was dining with, the waitress said ‘that’s not how we roll here, it’s against policy, don’t knock it until you try it’. An unusual choice of words, bordering on rude, I thought. From that point on I decided that my original intention of paying in excess of £200 for good champagne and fruit de mer for 2 was not how ‘I was going to roll’. We instead ordered a glass each, a starter and a special. Before the starter arrived, another server came over to us and asked if we could ‘play musical chairs’ and move, mid meal from our seats by the window to new seats at the end of a different table, away from the window, with traffic from the outside door and waiting staff serving tables directly behind us. I wanted to point out how utterly unaccommodating they had been regarding our seating request and how rich it was that their tone had completely changed now they wanted us to move so they could seat a large group that has just walked in off the street. Making more money from more covers was obviously more important than looking after the wishes of someone who had booked a month ago. But it wasn’t worth turning a really disappointing experience into even more of a negative one by being confrontational so we played ‘musical chairs’ and accepted their offer of a free glass of champagne each for our trouble. We were moved to a table where two diners were busy complaining loudly about their meal and being offered vouchers as compensation. Our food was nice but not exceptional and as the whole experience had left us feeling deflated we didn’t bother with dessert and left as quickly as we could. I rarely bother writing restaurant reviews, especially negative ones, but I was so surprised by the lack of customer-centred service at this restaurant, I wanted to share our experience in the hope that the owners see this and review the way their serving staff talk to and look after customers. In the meantime, for exceptional food and service, I will stick with Fourth & Church in Hove.

We have wanted to come to Riddle & Finns for a long time but always found it difficult to get a table at the Lanes restaurant. So we decided to come to the beach restaurant for lunch, for a friend’s birthday treat. The food and drinks was very nice with a good selection available. But what really made it for us was the location, right on the beach. The atmosphere was great with sharing tables, where we met people from other groups. And finally, the staff were all lovely and tentative, including the new server Kelly who did an amazing job looking after us.

We were greeted by Daniel on our arrival and shown to our table, a bread basket arrived with 4 different dips, I liked them all. I had a house Bloody Mary topped with an oyster which was very very tasty. Had the oyster Rockefeller which was ok, I’ve had better. Main course was Dover sole with fried cauliflower Parmesan shavings and Romesco sauce and mixed greens with garlic butter, all excellent especially the cauliflower 11 out of 10 Unfortunately no room for dessert I would highly recommend a visit

A really lovely vibe at great prices. We were served by Lollie who was brilliant, to be fair anyone I spoke to seemed brilliant. Well done the management!! The food was great, the location is really nice. I really liked the sitting on a long table with strangers. The two girls' sat opposite us were really lovely characters. The sort of place you wished you lived closer. When in Brighton I will eat here. Thanks guys!

Great location, fun atmosphere and staff. Food was over complicated and price was high. Loved sharing tables and whole vibe.

I'm not a great fish eater, but Riddle and Finns could covert me. Our waitress recommended the daily special, which was fillet of bream cooked in such a way that the skin (which often puts me off fish) was not just edible but delicious. They...

I’ve eaten here many times and this place never disappoints. Best seafood in town hands down! Excellent seafood, attention to detail. Superb staff

Food was good but certainly not great. Had better in Mersey! Staff Very welcoming at first. Given bread as soon as you walk in, comes with dips which you do not ask for, then you’re charged £12.50 per basket. Extremely sneaky!!! And An absolute disgrace!...

We arrived on a rain soaked night and were welcomed warmly and seated within minutes. We had three different members of staff serving us - all were excellent. It's rare to receive such good customer service - friendly, efficient and extremely kind when they overheard...

As others have said great location right by the beach. The food is good - the seafood pasta tasty with an okay amount of seafood, the fish soup very good. Our issue was the layout - if a couple you perch on high stools next...

Really interesting place overlooking the sea, right on the seafront. The seating is in the form of bar stalls, lined against long tables.This gives everyone an opportunity to make the most of the views. Good menu, and a separate Gluten Free one, all in all...

Had an absolutely brilliant night with my mum, brother, and best mate. The atmosphere was perfect, and the cocktails were fab! Our server John was fantastic, he was super attentive, kind, talkative, making the night very enjoyable! The food was superb, a lovely range of...

A first rate fish restaurant and it was genuinely lovely to know that my fish had been caught that day. Our servers Jessica and CJ were top class and CJ even offered to fillet my lemon sole at the table. Thanks all, our meal was...

Sunday lunch. We have walked past here on numerous visits to Brighton and have not tried it. Mainly because we thought it was just a Champagne & Oyster bar. Looking at the menu, they have a very good selection of seafood to tempt us. It...

Arrived Sunday, husband, myself & 8yr old afternoon booking. Firstly we had to wait ages at the door for anyone to come and greet us - 2nd the table we were taken too outside looked like it really needed a good clean! Menu typical of...

Very disappointing lunch. Ordered the lobster which was very small but also tough and chewy. When I complained I was advised that I should have complained earlier. No adjustment was made to the bill. Very disappointing experience.

We were looking forward to a meal at Riddle &Finn after a previous visit, where we ate outside overlooking the sea. Yesterday we were told in no uncertain terms “We are not serving outside”. It was a bright sunny day. We were ushered to a...

Food quality not comparable to local alternatives. Drinks selection poor, black velvet small and overpriced at £15 for less than half a pint.

First time here for birthday meal. Made welcome on arrival and seated near the kitchen - good to see the efficient way everything worked there. We were looked after brilliantly by Jorja who was incredibly speedy as she went round all her tables with an...

Oh my goodness what a TREAT! Lovely lovely staff (thank you Alice) -attentive & efficient. We were welcomed & seated, made friends with people sharing the table & bought a beautiful bowl of breads & dips, which we unceremoniously dived into. A Bloody Mary with...

The food and service is fantastic at Riddle and Finns. The seafood risotto was the best I’ve ever had. Everything from the food to the cocktails was top notch. I was also really impressed with the level of service. My partner ordered the lobster and...

The menu stated ‘whole crab’ for £30 but on being served all the meat in the carapace (body) had been removed except for 2 small spoon fulls. Asked where the rest of the meat was and they said none has been removed and it was...

Very expensive for what it is, had much better elsewhere, seems a touristy gimmick restaurant rather than genuinely fresh good seafood. Go to English’s instead if you are in Brighton! Great location but that’s all you get, and you are sat next to strangers…

Disappointed overall. It was chaotic in the restaurant and we couldn’t be accommodated for a drink arriving 15 minutes before our table was booked. The food wasn’t up to our expectations, fish was over cooked and the accompanying poached egg was hard. White wine was...

As a Brighton resident I have visited Riddle & Finns on numerous occasions, however this evening has totally put me off ever going there again. After a glorious day in Brighton we headed there for dinner booked for 8.30pm. Not for the first time, we...

From the moment we arrive to the restaurant to ask for the table to the payment, EVERYTHING AMAZING. Fish obviously are very good and service was spot on by Maxim !!!

The food here is excellent, with great views over the sea (even better when the light holds up). Has shared tables on stools. Serving staff friendly, although we did't need to be told after every selection that is was "amazing" or "fantastic" (it was a...

Finally a proper sea food restaurant! A very interesting and well executed menu. You can tell that all the seafood is super fresh and the presentation is spot on. Our server Maxim was fun and professional and made us have a great experience all around....

We didn't like seating side by side, I want to face my wife, it was her birthday, we had to face noisy strangers, the policy on seating side by side on my opinion sould be changed. I orderd a fish soup, it had 4 (four)...

Great place to enjoy the evening. Delicious quality seafood, lively atmosphere, and then there’s the view! Will definitely go back even if I also particularly appreciate the original venue in the Lanes.

We come here when we want a special meal with fresh fish in Brighton but sadly this visit did not live up to expectations. The service was just terrible - inattentive and disinterested. Some of the dishes were great, others less so. When we mentioned...

Perfect birthday meal, love the complimentary bread and dips on arrival. We had the tempura monkfish and the scallops, then the haddock and the plaice. Lovely meal and great service, the resturant was lovely and bright, so we had the sun set whilst we were...

This used to be our favourite fish restaurant in Brighton having visited many times. The food we had was lovely, however, the noise levels in the restaurant ridiculous, so much so, we either had to shout across the table at each other or not converse...

Food was 10/10, especially the braised octopus and the smoked haddock. I have been here several times in the past and this was definitely the best the food has ever been. Our waiter was Tom and he was excellent and a really nice person. He...

Very poor service, not very attentive. Found out the reason why once the bill arrived……compulsory 12.5% service charge means they don’t have to try!!

The seafood served here is fresh, nicely prepared and well presented. The champagne cocktail I thoroughly enjoyed was the RIDDLING RASPBERRY and I had 2. YOU GOT IT! I AM NOW OFF DUTY! The 2 appetizers I enjoyed were the SALT AND PEPPER CRISPY SQUID...

My husband bought me here for my 40th birthday. We had a couple of drinks before so only had one during our meal. Our waitress was fantastic and was new and really lovely. We shared a platter together. It is expensive but it’s really good...

Delicious food with excellent sea view. Stting on stools looking out to sea is a welcome novelty. Definitely a place to return to

As long time customers of Riddle and Finns in the lanes and the previous beach we looked forward to trying the new beach. You might imagine that a £150 lunch would have decent service to go with it. You would be wrong. Comical service began...

Overpriced food, stingy portion sizes and inconsistent service. Felt mostly ignored. Manager is rude and dismissive. Used to love this place but it’s no where near good enough now for the prices they charge. Shame as it could be (and was) brilliant, but you need...

I could not comment on the food we didn’t make it that far, was with a friend and the restaurant was empty when we arrived apart from a family and people outside, we were told on arrival we had to sit next to each other...

We was booking a table for lunch. We arrived earlier we was asking for table outside the receptionist told us that is a waiting list of two tables. Meantime 4 tables left. I asked manager if we can get a table he refused and he...

Amazing atmosphere, very welcoming staff and our host Maxim was very professional and helpful. Food was delicious with good portions. I recommend the catch of the day. And the oysters was wonderful. Thank you Maxim

Went for a dinner again at Riddle and Finn’s. We were seated and an amazing individual called Christian took our order. Guy was great. Singing to songs and attendance throughout. We were in for nearly 3 hours and was a pleasure throughout, food was amazing...

Beautiful little restaurant that my partner and I came across just whilst walking around Brighton for the day. Friendly and fun staff (Special mention to Kimberly and the man who I think may have been management, as they were both exceptional). The food was gorgeous,...

The restaurant is superbly located with great views. If you're lucky enough to be seated outside when the weather is nice, then it's fantastic vantage point to take in the pier, beach and the passing people on the promenade. The food was all excellent, although...

If you enjoy fresh seafood prepared well and to a decent standard, AVOID. Tempura batter was thick like at a bad fish and chip shop, squid tasted old and chewy, the crab tasted dehydrated and the pesto beneath my sea bass was bland- if you...

Popped to Riddle and Finns with a friend this evening. We were seated at the same table as a couple on a date. Right opposite them and within breathing distance of their food in fact. We were not sure whose bread was whose. All very...

Dining on the beach is often a rewarding experience. An evening at Riddles is no exception. You share a table of up eight people. No problem for us especially as one of the strangers was actor John Simm and his family! There's a nice touch...

We were big fans of the original restaurant before it moved. This was our first experience here as booking only opened recently. Venue is great, view unfortunately ruined by really dirty windows! Bit strange, couldn’t take photos with the background as it was so dirty....

Food was nice and all the staff were lovely other than the manager. On arrival we were greeted with “do you have a reservation?” We explained we didnt and he was like “nope, nothing” even though lots of empty tables. He sat us outside and...

Wow amazing food and service. Christian is an exceptional waiter and I’m hard to please after 30 years working in the luxury travel industry. The food was delicious and the resultant beautiful and oozing great ambience. The mackerel - yum! It would be a shame...

Ridiculous amount of seafood incoming. I’m sure Brighton has some other great restaurants but when you know, you know! 💛 So we ate exclusively at Riddle and Finns - Twice at the The Seaside one and once at the Lanes. Just absolutely OUT OF THIS...

Very busy restaurant and very buzzy. You have to share a table with other guests, so if you want intimacy forget it. The staff are great. We were told there was no lobster, no linguistines and no smoked haddock so had to settle for a...

I thought the overall experience was poor. The restaurant was very busy, clearly understaffed, the outside terrace was dirty as were the toilets and the overall offer was tainted. However the food was top class as was our server, John.

Alway book your table it's worth the effort. They do have walk in at quiet times. 5 star food, 5 star service 5 star hygene. We had a lovely young waitress who was excellent in her post, it's a credit to you being so young...

The food was great. The service was less impressive. I was attended to by about 5 different staff, and overall felt poorly attended to.

I used to love this restaurant but... its just not the same. Before lock down we used to go to the lanes once a week for dinner and it was great. Since then the food and service has been poor at beat. I won't be...

We had a great meal overlooking the beach. The menu is extensive and very good quality. My wife had the cod curry and I had the seafood linguine. We had our own table outside. Not sure I would like to share one inside

Waited with great anticipation for this special dinner for my husbands 75th birthday.little attention paid to us on arrival and we were seated in a corner and more or less forgotten about.ordering our food eventually was a big disappointment, no lobster ,no langoustines, so we...

Beautiful restaurant with excellent, fresh, seafood, chic atmosphere, & a sea view. Seating is at long shared tables, so if you’re seeking a more intimate vibe, I would book outside. Highly recommended.

From the very beginning we waited, then waited and then a little longer: and that was just for the drinks, which when they came were wrong. We then finally got to order the food, ok, we were in six so it was just one table...

Fantastic seafood restaurant, hake, crab, smoked haddock was thoroughly enjoyed by us all. Gavi wine perfect for our meal. Celebrating anniversaries.

After waiting 10 minutes to be seated, despite having a reservation, we finally were shown to an outdoors table hoping to get enjoy the view whilst eating our meal. We waited a further 20 minutes without so much as a glance from a member of...

We were looking for that quintessential seafood lunch, and this place definitely delivered. Everything from the complimentary bread & dips to the delicious food and views, you cannot overlook Riddle & Finns along the Brighton beach. We ordered the pan fried lemon & parsley scallops,...

We were very well looked after by the staff, who were courteous, patient and friendly without being intrusive. The food was enjoyed by all of us. We started with a couple of oysters (the difference between the varieties was explained to us). One of our...

My daughter and I visited this restaurant( in the Lanes), 2 weeks ago for her birthday. It was our first time here and we were not disappointed. We had oysters for starters and the seafood platter for 2. All were wonderfully fresh. The dessert we...

Unable to serve walk in on a Tuesday afternoon without a 1 hour wait . The place was more than half empty and they turned away my party of two and another party of two ahead of me on the excuse that they had bookings...

Dinner visit. In summary overpriced and under delivered in terms of both quality and quantity ! Starters were just okay but scallops and oysters were small and not good value. Lemon sole was small and thin and approaching the end of it’s shelf life ....

Our first visit and wow I’m so impressed! I had the mussels followed by haddock fillet. It was so good. The fish was cooked beautifully and served on a bed of colcannon with a beautiful champagne sauce. My partner had oysters followed by the sashimi...

Arrived and told by 4 members of staff that the manager would see us soon. We had a voucher but when given the bill it hadn’t been taken off. Our waitress however was wonderful. Without wanting to be ageist she was more senior. I would...

The food was nice. However, the toilets were very dirty. The toilet seat was broken and somewhat dangerous. The chef casually grazed on food for the entirety of our visit. Not entirely appropriate when visitors are paying a considerable amount for the food. The manager...

This is a must to go for a meal if you like seafood. The staff were lovely and could give good recommendations. We enjoyed everything and will definitely be visiting again. If there was one negative is has to be only having the choice of...

A most enjoyable experience with a window seat and a delicious meal. Service was attentive and good. All in all a pleasant surprise topped with sunny weather

It was a great seafood lunch. Right in front of Brighton beach. You have to prebook; otherwise, you may sort out any alternatives. We ordered Dover Oysters, seafood linguine, Risotto and Sole which were fresh and yummy. Be advised that you would be allocated to...

As a local family living only half an hour away from Brighton we regularly pop down for meals at some of the lovely restaurants on offer in the city. We always aim for the more upmarket establishments. We had always thought Riddle and Finns was...

We have previously visited R&F on the beach several times before they moved locations and was always impressed with the view, the service and the food. Having visited over the Bank Holiday weekend we were surprised to find the restaurant had moved location, and changed...

Wasn’t sure what to expect when I booked this place. What I found was a simply buzzing restaurant in really unusual location. In what must have been an old seafront shelter an iconic eatery has been created. Unusually. It has high seated shared tables so...

If your visiting Brighton and dining out, and you want to spoil yourself, EAT HERE! Best oysters I’ve ever had, starter…..main top quality, great flavours, loved every minute, all topped off with friendly service.

Absolutely delicious late lunch. The classic seafood was my favourite Champagne and desserts. Sarah was an outstanding waitress. A fabulous afternoon.

This restaurant was recommended by a friend who is local. We had a lovely table by the windows as I’ve asked them while booking. The atmosphere was really nice though sharing tables with strangers could be awkward at the beginning - but it ended up...

WE CAME HERE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY FRIENDS. I CAME WITH MY DAUGHTER ,HER HUSBAND AND THEIR 2 SMALL CHILDREN . 2 OF HUS HAD OYSTERS FOR STARTER AND THEN MUSSELS MARINIERE FOR MAIN DISH . THE OYSTERS WERE GOOD...

Used to be a real fan of Riddle and Finns but now feel it has really lost what made it magical. This was the first visit to this branch. I had been to the lanes and the previous beach venue many times. The side by...

We have been to the restaurant before and sat outside on a beautiful summers day. We enjoyed our visit so much we decided to return. This time things were a little less polished. We booked a table early in the evening, the restaurant was empty...

Excellent food and excellent everything , on r of the best seafood restaurants in the UK and one of my personal favourites.

A first visit to this venue having been regulars in The Lanes. A lovely spot, great views and a lovely room. Four of us shared a dozen oysters then starters of tuna, tempura prawns, potted shrimp and scallops, all excellent. Mains were a seafood linguine...

When you are told something is amazing and then it doesn’t live up to what you expected you are literally left with a bad taste in your mouth. And we paid £93 for two starters two mains and one cranberry juice!!! We didn’t choose the...

First time here with friends, really nice and bright location for a restaurant with 360 degree sea views. The service was excellent and choice of seafood very good. The quality of the food was excellent and all 6 of us enjoyed what we eat. I...

We visited on a Saturday evening, having booked a table for three. This restaurant is shared seating, but we did not feel cramped in anyway. The views were fabulous and the food was absolutely amazing, along with the service. Two of us had the sashimi...