Riddle & Finns The Beach in Brighton and Hove

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!

Great food, lovely views, friendly staff.

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!

Exquisite food. Fabulous setting and view of the beach. Impeccable service from Rebecca, who gave recommendations for the specials which really were awesome. The mullet with seafood aioli and a tomato and olive salsa was so delicate and fresh. A truely exceptional dish. The scallops with mango and chilli salsa were cooked to perfection and I could've eaten another plate they were so moreish. My partner had the seafood risotto which had such depth if flavour and succulent seafood. Outstanding meal.

Over priced and tiny portions. Left there feeling hungry after spending over £150 on dinner for 2

Shame for stuff so rude we always go there they said we dont have a free table

Beautiful views over Brighton. Fresh seafood and attentive service. A bit pricey but good for a special lunch on a sunny day

The view so beautiful but the stuff is so rude

Went for a special occasion and was not let down. Friendly staff, great food and a super excellent time was had.

Yesterday I enjoyed a memorable lunch outside at this super restaurant - delicious food in a perfect setting under a blue sky. My waitress was very helpful in explaining the choices available. While consuming the bread with dips I chose the calamari starter followed by the fish curry as the main course and finally the passionfruit posset and can thoroughly recommend all three. The meal was complimented by a couple of limoncello spritz. The service was exemplary with the courses being presented to me with the right time in between and although busy I felt very relaxed in spending as much time there as I wanted to.

An excellent venue for lunch that has both interior and exterior seating. Food is good, table staff are friendly and a good wine selection.

We had a wonderful late lunch at Riddle & Finns The Beach. We risked a walk in at 3pm on a Tuesday and were fortunate enough to get the last unoccupied table. Sitting outside in the sun, watching as the waves lapped against the beach the location couldn’t have been more perfect. Our drink orders were taken and shortly after we were given a bread basket with all sorts of yummy accompaniments to taste. For mains we ordered half lobster pad Thai slaw and Thai lobster ravioli. Both dishes were fresh and truly delicious. An absolutely wonderful meal, on a great setting with lovely staff. We will definitely be back and have recommended to our friends.

Great food by the beach. Great staff and the food was excellent. Fresh seafood. Great value for the price. Kids menu meals are great too.

What an amazing restaurant in Brighton. Food was amazing and our waitress Sophie was super charming, helpful and nice.

You can see the sea and the atmosphere is very nice 😚 The food is seafood and usually delicious 🍽️ The service from the staff was not bad and they had nice smiles👏

Honestly, stuff is not credible at all. They first check what you wear and then give you a table. I suggest to change this culture. Very toxic. Specifically the blond man with a moustache shouldn’t be welcoming people. Told us there are no table for a few hours, then we saw another couple get a table right after us.

Great seafood restaurant by the sea. Wide range of shellfish and fish! Nice friendly service. Bit of a funny atmosphere with the pricey seafood paired with the pumping music from surrounding bars and clubs - but all part and parcel with the Brighton pier atmosphere I suppose!

Lovely spot on the beach. Consistently great food, lovely atmosphere, service mostly efficient but always pleasant.

Oysters and the Langoustines were just unbelievably AMAZING 🤩 Perfect restaurant and perfect sea food 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Great food and excellent service.

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

Food really average, seafood linguini flavourless, seafood risotto same,.with a rice cooked too quickly. Service very bad, we had to get up and ask for the menu, we ordered champagne that took 20mn to come... until 1 waitress took care of us, the only one who seemed to know her job. After paying £220, we left, without anyone seeing us to day bye, that's how much they were not focused on customers! For a place that pretends to be high-end restaurant, that's a failure!

Simply fantastic! Great food..Excellent views of the sea and above all superb friendly service!

Very nice place. Beautiful appearance,Delicious food and good prices. Nice place place when you Like good food

My wife and I came here first on a 3 course starter tour (3 sets of starters from 3 restaurants, highly recommended). The Oysters were unreal, I had a lovely little champagne guiness cocktail to wash them down. The pate bread plate was a must aswell. My only slight knock would be that our drinks came last, but it was very busy. Otherwise full marks.

We recently ordered a hot seafood platter, but to our surprise, it arrived cold. When we informed our waitress, Sofi, she responded with a sarcastic and dismissive "hilarious," which left us speechless. I have never experienced such unprofessional behavior from a waitress before. The service was disappointing, and the food was tasteless. We expected much better, and unfortunately, this experience fell far short of acceptable. Would not recommend this place based on our experience.

Absolutely love both venues in Brighton. There were a couple of things out of stock when we last visited which was disappointing but we loved the food we had, the staff were really lovely and it was an amazing atmosphere overlooking the beach, helped by a beautiful sunny day!

Absolutely fantastic food, atmosphere literal perfection!! Will definitely return, and Max thanks for the lovely table!

Amazing food, excellent customer service and extra attention to detail! Favourite restaurant!

I can't remember a better birthday! Planning g with Courtney was a delight. all six of us were divided as to where to go, the wind being gusty. You had a table for us just inside the door, and held it for us a good time. My 82nd birthday, and they wouldn't let us eat outside to the East, even though you offered to create a table there. the quality of attention was very special. I felt I'd known you for years. Perfect setting. No need to hunt for service, you were always there when needed. what ..."Copy review

Popped out for a quiet afternoon lunch. It was exquisite. Quality food and great service very friendly from start to finish.

We came to this restaurant for a celebratory dinner and to be honest the manager's bad and weird attitude put a bit of a dampener on it. We arrived early hoping to have drinks at 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon, which although it was the summer shouldn't be unheard of. We were told they could not accommodate our group of 7 even though there were spare un-reserved tables available that were large enough for us. To be honest his strange explanation to why they couldn't seat us was patronising and frankly bizarre. Additionally only the manager appears to have the authority to greet people at the entrance, so we were left standing for a fair amount of time until he was back from his break/errand. When we came back for our reservation, luckily we found the food was delicious, but when we asked for more bread, that we were happy to pay for, we were told that we had eaten our allocated amount and there was no more bread available. Although the food was tasty, the price tag and our experience does not warrant another trip back to this restaurant for us. I'm sure this restaurant will continue to be popular due to its location, but I would rather spend my money elsewhere.

I ate fresh and tasty oyster there. The foods were tasty too and I will definitely visit again.

One of the best places to relish seafood

Well here we go again… Local resident who has dined regularly at Riddle & Finns for many years. Visited 3 times in the last few weeks and had such varied experience on every visit. Yes the location is fabulous on a sunny day overlooking the sea. Yes the food can be good, yes the service can be good. However it’s like visiting a different restaurant each time. The most recent visit on Wednesday 31st July was the most rude experience to receive yet. Two of us arrived as a walk in at 4pm (advertised opening hours 12:00/midday to 10pm) virtually empty restaurant inside 5 of the main tables empty, bar area empty and counted 7 available tables outside empty/available. Was told they are fully booked as expecting some “large” parties (4pm in the afternoon on a Wednesday). Was told no can do and to book and try later/come back after 6pm??!! The manager/waiter who informed us of this was abrupt and of a no can do attitude. Decided not to question the infinite wisdom that actually it was empty and went for a coffee downstairs on seafront. When walking past an hour later same tables empty and more tables empty? No large parties to be seen! Clearly the chap who told us the info earlier was maybe not telling the truth?! We took ourselves off to Englishes Fish restaurant 5 min walk away and spent our hard earned £200 with them. Now bear this in mind , arrived same time same restaurant twice earlier in the week before at similar times met by different waiter/manager who couldn’t have been more helpful. However on the two previous visits other diners were complaining on very slow service inconsistency of orders/forgotten orders and also speed of food from order. Not the best environment to be sat as a fellow diner hearing all this. Also previously bread would be served at the start of every meal with fresh dips of horseradish, mackerel etc, on our last visits these were nowhere to be seen and one diner who requested bread was told the restaurant didn’t serve bread? Will be taking Riddle & Finns off our places to dine. Sort it out guys as yet another local customer (who pays on average £250 per sitting) lost to other establishments who actually know how to look after a long term guest/diner.

My happy place any time I visit Brighton. Try their black velvet with some oysters

Great place. We visit whenever in thenarea! Food is great, service is awesome and the view is beautiful.

Location YES! Great views and and staff friendly and attentive. But the food just didn't really deliver for the money we paid - all just a bit disappointing. We had a big celebration meal and tried lots of dishes, but the best bit was the bread and dips at the start - delicious.

Great seafood and everything taste so good. Price is reasonable considering the quality of seafood.

Very nice restaurant right by the sea, but unfortunately overpriced and somewhat strange waiters. Tables are free and it says you have to wait 45 minutes for a table. 45 minutes later all the tables were still empty but we got one. The waitresses were very nice but inattentive. Despite the late time (already 9 p.m.), we had to wait over 30 minutes for the food. There are probably not enough of them in the kitchen. The fish platter for £65 for two people didn't really fill anyone up, you couldn't even order bread. Very unfortunate

Staff were incredible, food was delicious, everything was great. Perfect way to celebrate my graduation!

Great supper at this awesome venue perched just above Brighton beach

We dined at this fabulous restaurant on Monday night first time after regularly visiting the Lanes. Happy to say that the service here was even better!! Maxim was so charming and accommodating when we arrived and we loved being served by Lottie. The whole experience was really special. Thank you so much for having us. A perfect night.

Wonderful spot with lovely food! Everything was perfect, well done.

Absolutely lovely experience at R and F on the beach yesterday. Sun was out which helped. Beautiful fish and great staff, it is expensive but worth it as a treat.

Great location. Excellent staff. Lovely food. Enjoyed a nice bottle of rosé..

My wife offer me lunch for my birthday on a Wednesday sunny day, we had a booking and were seated outside. The drinks were ok, had a cocktail each and a bottle of wine, we kept asking for ice but the waiter kept forgetting, probably took 4-5 tries and 30 min. Then the starter had the oysters and there were really nice, I did enjoyed them! Then my wife had the salmon starter and as soon the plate was down the seagulls came to steal the salmon! Life … the maitre d came to us saying “oh you were not made aware that the seagulls love the salmon?!” Well no otherwise she wouldn’t have picked it.. he offered to replace the dish but didn’t offer the menu to see what other starters could my wife have since the seagullgate. So in the end no starter for my wife, we didn’t eat together. Then the main, it took a while but I didn’t mind it as no stress, holiday etc. My wife had the lobster ravioli and I ordered a whole lobster with potatoes. Well to my surprise the waiter brought a crab (wrong crustacean) and the ravioli. I mentioned it to the waiter and apologised said it will take 3-4-5 minutes to get you a lobster. Turns out my wife ate her ravioli on her own as I receive the lobster 30 min after so again we didn’t eat together. And he forgot the potatoes! The lobster was for me overcooked but that’s my taste I guess. To say to least, we came for my birthday and we didn’t even eat together many mistakes and just a bit careless from the staff I would say. So we left disappointed and definitely not worth the cost. Ah and yes we did receive chocolate for my birthday that was a nice touch, the only “meal” we actually ate together!

The food was better before. Service so-so

A great seafood restaurant with attentive service and wonderful views

Great service. Attentive and accommodating to our large table. Food was fresh and tasty (although wouldn’t order the cold seafood platter next time). Staff went above and beyond- would highly recommend!

the view was great, it can be quite windy if you eat outside. Food was great, even though the desserts were not on par with the savoury dishes.

We were a walk in, as when I wanted to book wasn’t available. But I did my research and knew this place would be incredible. We were greeted by a wonderful gent (10/10 host) got us a perfect viewing seat of the ocean. As Londoners we were just happy to be by the sea but our seats were immaculate. So hats off to him. Our waitress Lottie, what a lovely women! We were only planning to stay for oysters and a drink but ended up staying for more. I wanted scallops but her specials recommendations made us want to stay. That salsa verde sauce, I kept close after it was so good. Oysters best I’ve ever had. Also as a memory hoarder, I loved that she let me keep the shells, with no judgment and only encouragement. Croquettes were amazing, calamari delicious. Yannoe what £6 for those heritage tomatoes are a bargain because I’d eat them in a larger portion as a main. As an ex chef I’m blown away. Also if you get a stamp card if you spend over £75 (which for two people is so reasonable). Big stars to Lottie, host and the kitchen. A must visit in Brighton fully!

Average food, very poor service, neglecting Asian guests

Nice location although didn’t enjoy sharing the table with strangers (seating arrangement is strange). Food was ok, pate had bones in which got stuck in my throat (a warning would’ve been nice). Lobster & muscle was average. Sadly we won’t be back.

Great location and phenomenal food. I’ll be thinking about the scallop appetizer for a long time, it was so good, we ordered it twice! The calamari is also outstanding, as is the clam chowder. I highly recommend this restaurant and hope I can visit again in the future!

We are regular diners across the country are increasingly refusing to pay the ever greater service charge. Originally the service charge was known as a "Tip" and it was given for good service. It has become obligatory addition operable by embarrassing a diner should it be refused, at £62.00 we refused to pay it, had it deducted from the bill which caused an air of discontent, once removed we gave the waitress £40.00 cash which felt adequate. The whole experience was superb, but £62.00 service charge is just too much.

Had an absolutely beautiful meal here. Everything was just perfect and our waitress was fabulous. Location fantastic. A wonderful evening and highly recommend!

Fabulous location on a stunning evening. Food exceptional, great friendly, knowledgeable staff.

We had a really good experience there. Alisson who was taking our orders was very friendly and helpful, she made our night even more special.

Great food slow service ran out of mixed greens at 3pm in the afternoon on a busy weekend fish soup was great but unfortunately service let it down

The place is the best from my point view for The catch of the day fish. I have taken “Bream” Fish with has scales. The food, services and atmosphere are fabulous and I will visit again

Amazing food the service is impeccable and the space is very cute,the staff are very friendly and accommodating I highly recommended poping by when you are in Brighton

Great Sea food and desserts! The waiter was friendly! Some of us took fresh fishes : catch of the day and it’s best I ever had, the oysters were great and perfect location by the beach. Friendly staffs!

It's not for me. Maybe I caught it on a bad day. But at those prices I won't risk another chapter

Everything was fresh and very tasty. Prices reasonable, but higher than the average restaurant. Seemed like a real treat! I highly recommend the seafood linguine. The salad was served unusually, but the mustard dressing on it made this delicious. I did find it very weird to sit side by side to the person I was dining with. Never had this anywhere else. I'm not even sure of the reason to be honest. Parking on the nearby roadside, midweek was ok.

I visited with my husband and in-laws on 17/6/24. This was my first time dining at R&F and it was wonderful. When we arrived we were seated promptly and we were delighted with a welcome basket of bread and condiments to start us off. Our drinks came nice and quickly and we sat near the bar which was nice as we got to see the mixologists in action. I had the lemoncello spritz which was so refreshing. Highly recommend. The food was really well presented and tasted delicious. My mother in law requested he sole be removed off the bone and our wonderful waitress Alison said she would do it for her and she did it perfectly. Alison explained she had only been with the company a short time. Alison thank you you made our experience truly memorable. Alison was very knowledgeable of the menu and specials, knew how to debone the fish perfectly after being shown twice and worked the room attending to everyone’s needs. As a customer service/ retail manager myself I can say it’s hard to find employees who deliver this level of service and Alison will be a key player at R&F. Thank you to all who were working on our visit as everyone had a hand in making our time very special. We will definitely be back.

Excellent food and service with a modern dining twist where you share tables with others which could be a hit or miss , fortunately our experience with others was fine.

Went to Brighton last weekend and family suggested riddle and Finns for fresh and tasty seafood. We had few starters and 2 mains, everything was so fresh and delicious. The staff were helpful and professional. If you are Brighton do not miss this place!

Warm, welcoming and professional service, delicious food and amazing sea view atmosphere. Just the perfect spot!

Effectively an expensive meal with long wait times and not exactly large portions but largely the setting of the restaurant and taste of everything make the experience a worthwhile one. 5 stars but only by a whisker as a lunch with a few sides was comfortably north of 100 a head with a few drinks. The staff were also exceptionally welcoming and friendly.

Mixed feelings about this place. The seating arrangement is awkward and uncomfortable. The 'complimentary' bread basket comes with a cover charge - noone mentions this, which is poor service. Waiting staff push you to spend more and more which I didn't appreciate. Food was ok but the service and atmosphere was lacking

Great location Great views out to sea

Didn’t get a chance to visit, wanted to celebrate a birthday but got told they only have high tables so not suitable for wheelchair uses. Was too cold to sit outside. Not having some seating for less able & wheelchair users should be a must in this day & age.

Service was incredible as was the food.

The quality of the dishes is there, and the oysters are ultra fresh! I recommend for a romantic night or with friends. Prices are reasonable for the quality. When you arrive we offer you bread with tarama, salmon pâté... Which is rare in England.

I would advise not to visit this restraunt, i arrived to have a lunch,I asked for a table for two, I was informed to wait for the manager, the manager then came looked me and my mother up and down and stated that the establishment was fully booked and we would need a reservation,the third time this has happened, we then left and saw a couple look at the menu they then spoke to the manager and he gave them a table,some sort of discrimination policy going on here,ended up at the Regency, where I spent £400 and indulged In fresh sea food,oysters,king prawns, lobster and sword fish with a perfectly chilled Bottle of 2008 Don P, staff was amazing with an outstanding service,I would advise you visit there instead.

We were visiting Brighton for two nights and this place was recommended to us by a friend. The oysters were so fresh and they had an excellent scallop special. Staff was very warm, and the place was a great atmosphere by the beach. Thank you for an excellent meal!

Warm and welcoming service from the hello at the door and gentleman who helped us with our table. We were so lucky to get an outside table The bread and dips butters and fish were so tasty I could have eaten a bucket load of those food was delicious (scallops and tempura prawns) and when we rather embarrassingly didn’t know how to crack open the crab our waiter helped us out (for reference if you get the crab salad it’s not dressed crab ! Haha) a great start to our girls day out and my 4 year old daughters first time in Brighton , thanks guys you made our day :)

We love Riddle & Finns. The food is fantastic, staff is great and the lovely view is just a cherry on top. We have been going to R&F for quite some years now and the quality of the food never changes, we have always had an amazing dinner there.

The best seafood restaurant I have ever experienced. Couldn’t fault a thing 😌