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4,5

Based on 150 opinions finded in 1 websites

4.5Ambience4.5Cuisine4.0Price4.5Service
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Score
OpinionsNoteTripAdvisor1504.5

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Had a fantastic evening at the River Rat. The staff are so friendly and accommodating and the food is amazing. Would recommend this restaurant and could not have had a better evening in Hamble.

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Nomad07571073080 . 2021-06-06

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Little gem! Lovely setting with a beautiful unique outdoor seating areas. Wine was great quality! Beef was pink and perfect! Yorkshire puddings were picturesque and still had substance! Veg was colourful and fresh! Gravy was rich and thick! Will definitely be back!

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georgepaulwise . 2021-06-06

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River Rat was recommended by a friend who runs another business in Hamble and I must say we were surprised and not at all disappointed when we visited for a meal.The welcome was wonderful and the staff very professional. We ate outside in the amazing and beautiful garden area where there are heaters to keep you comfortable on a cold day. The food was superb in both taste and presentation and we were well looked after by the staff. Will certainly return here.

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jeffandnickic . 2021-06-04

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Just visited the River Rat for evening meal. We sat upstairs but there were tables in a pretty garden. Room was decorated lovely and had a relaxing atmosphere. Good variety of food on menu. Also a specials board. We had a sharing dish of olives a ciabatta, husband had steak I chose the lamb from the specials board. Husband had a hazelnut brownie with peanut butter ice cream, I had the Earl grey tea infused sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. The whole meal was absolutely amazing ! Molly and the rest of the staff were so friendly and efficient. Would definitely recommend, we will be coming back again.

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Travel658023 . 2021-06-03

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Family and dog for Sunday lunch. Really lovely welcome and service. Elliot was a charming waiter and dealt with all our high maintenance requests. Starters of squid and brushetta were lovely. Roast lamb perfect. Beautiful garden setting and no feeling of being rushed. Will return soon.

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katieeA2571AE . 2021-05-09

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My partner found this place randomly online and we thought we would give it a go. Beautiful venue, amazing food and lovely staff. Allowed us to have a fantastic and very needed date.

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TheLostBaker . 2021-05-02

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Ate here Friday evening, delicious food, attentive service and Poppy the Labrador also enjoyed her treats and all the fuss! We had the crayfish special to start, very tasty, followed by the steak, and duck leg, couldn’t fault it. The garden is a lovely al fresco setting, we will be back soon I hope!

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WessexGirl147 . 2021-04-25

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Great a local restaurant which is perfect. Great food great staff and covid aware. We sat out in the garden in a warm gazebo with my family for a Christmas meal. It was fab. Starters mains and desserts all arriving hot and a good break in between Great wine list. The Rioja being my fav They also love the dog with treats on the bar friendly staff who are very much on the ball with everything. My fav local restaurant by a mile Tks mark & Anna marie + misty

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Tilermark . 2021-01-03

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Lovely little restaurant in the heart of Hamble. We booked early and were not disappointed. Service was fabulous and the food was scrumptious with no wait time between courses. Very good social distancing in place. I had the steak which was beautiful and my partner had the fish pie which was incredible. Really good value for money I would recommend this little gem.

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MelissaM3078 . 2020-11-07

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A great find in our own area. Defo worth a visit , we came on friday night for a meal which was really nice and very friendly staff.then we came back on sunday fro the roast.perfect. Great roast meat great veg Such a great place. Made us feel really welcome and they just loved the dog.beauiful garden with heaters over the tables. This will now be a regular haunt for us for sure.

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Tilermark . 2020-11-01

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Popped in here today for the wine and cheeseboard offer 4-5pm every Saturday Great value £25 for 2 glasses of wine and a lovely cheeseboard. Beautiful setting and Covid-19 safe. Would recommend.

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HelenM460 . 2020-10-24

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We went to The River Rat for Sunday lunch with friends and sat in one of the heated garden huts. What a brilliant idea they are as the day was not that warm but we were lovely and cosy inside..The food was brilliant and the service great with lovely friendly staff.If you are looking for something a bit different then you can’t get better!Highly recommend.

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Roger B . 2020-10-19

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This place comes highly rated but I don't get those judgements.First there's quality of menu/ food.Second is the complete lack of restaurant vibe.The Sunday lunch menu was interesting but the food quality and quantity strongly favoured meat dishes. Roasts were fine, solid home cooking while sadly, the vegetarian dishes were tiny and basic.I could forgive them that but there was zero atmosphere is the room we were eating. I'm sorry but this is not a place I could recommend on Trip Advisor.Top tip, save yourself a few quid, don't go to the Rat, buy a sandwich at the Coop & eat it by the water.

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d_jones25 . 2020-10-19

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Lovely lunch today sat in garden with heaters sheltered from the rain. Fab meal and service and dog friendly! Deserves to be supported in these horrid times. Great food River Rat!

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516paulinej . 2020-10-04

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Saturday evening birthday dinner. We were in one of the enclosed pods in the garden - just wonderful. Service was faultless. Food is very good. A range of menu options plus specials board. Two of our party had perfectly cooked salmon. One had the burger - excellent meat. I had the Caribbean chicken curry with rice n’ peas - lovely spicing. Covid measures very good.

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david s . 2020-09-27

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We were lucky enough to go for dinner last Saturday evening. In the run up Laura and Sarah had been very helpful with bookings as our party size and Covid rules changed. We ate in the lovely garden, we were warned to wrap up warm but it was slightly sheltered from the wind so no problem. The ambience was great, everyone was comfortably spaced, well apart, but the lighting meant there was still a great atmosphere. The food and wine was excellent, a relatively small menu which is always a good sign of freshness, the sea bass was lovely. But I would say that the service from all the staff was the best of many good things about this place. Thanks Sarah and all who looked after us that evening. We'll be back!

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nsf297 . 2020-09-24

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Went in for Sunday roast, hadn’t booked but we managed to get a table for two; ordered pork belly and a mini roast for the mrs. and sides of broccoli cheese. Good sized portions and decent cuts of meat, but unfortunately there were quite a few shortfalls once we dug in. Broccoli cheese was more of a broccoli & milk, quite sickling so I couldn’t eat it. Pork was impossible to slice with the cutlery at hand, potatoes were burnt and some of the veg wasn’t cooked. Also some weird (parsnip?) shavings in the Yorkshire pud which tasted quite awful and most of which were unchewable.Staff was nice enough and they took off our broccoli cheese sides, but the overall experience was quite underwhelming. We were out of there in less than 30 min.

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jehosaphattt . 2020-09-13

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Passing through Hamble on a walk on a Saturday afternoon, having not had lunch, we spotted the ‘Bbq 2-4’ sign and went in. So glad we did - a charming shady back garden, good SD in place, and a lovely barbecued lunch with salads and a glass of wine for a reasonable price. Recommended!

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engelska11 . 2020-09-01

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Got our allocated table changed on arrival as it was right outside the door to the garden and a bit shady/closed in....ask to be out in the main garden area or even one of the straw covered cabin things ...they look cool but are for , maybe, parties of 4 rather than 2/3... .Food ..we enjoyed a .mix of selections including a very good mild chicken thigh curry which was super flavoursome. Blood orange sorbet also very much enjoyed . 8.5 out of 10 for the food...remember that I am picky!A lovely relaxed outdoor space...but watch for the steep stairs up to the toilets.

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TorranceTraveller . 2020-08-24

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Came here at the start of August on a Saturday and sat in the garden. Very good social distancing practices in place and the food was excellent, with vegan options available. The staff were all very friendly and professional. Also, saw two hedgehogs which are apparently locals so this really completed the evening.

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talk2fran . 2020-08-20

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Have just enjoyed a lovely family lunch here, weather awful but we were cosy in a garden breeze house with the heater on. Toddler with us liked the “little house”. Staff all really nice and efficient and food delicious. Felt a safe environment too.

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Pamela H . 2020-08-16

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A lovely evening sitting outside in their garden. However, charged £129 for £60 table. Had a explain to them the simple maths of our order. This got the bill down to £80 which was still £20 over. Eventually after much frustrating deliberation the correct total was agreed upon. This is what let it down on an otherwise very pleasant evening with polite and attentive service, good food and drink.

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Darlingdoo . 2020-08-06

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Went to this gem of a restaurant on Friday evening 31 July for the first time for a birthday meal with friends and the experience was wonderful. We sat in one of the thatched huts in their magical twinkling light lit garden. Food, service and atmosphere were all excellent and prices realistic too. On our doorstep so definitely will be going again, and again etc.but would be very happy to visit even if I had to spend time to drive there.

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F6942AUjanett . 2020-08-03

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Came here for Sunday lunch today 2/8/2020 Food was amazing, can not fault it at all! Staff very attentive & friendly! Stunning setting... a little hidden gem!! Now looking for 50% discount off our bill ....lol 😂

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Lisa C . 2020-08-02

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We visited last night after all other birthday celebrations had to be cancelled. Delicious food, brilliant service and a team that made the new normal feel normal. Thank you. 🙏🏻

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Litch16 . 2020-07-19

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Excellent service and a delicious Sunday lunch in a beautiful garden. We felt very safe and will definitely visit again

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randall1362 . 2020-07-19

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Hi My Husband Ray and I went to River Rat in Hamble for my Birthday on Tuesday 3rd of March, we had a fantastic meal, nice and hot. We recieved excellent service with a smile, and were looked after extremely well. I would definitely recomend this Restuarant to anyone, looking forward to trying their Sunday Lunch soon. I give it 100 out of 100, for Excellent service and the food is excellent.

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Extraordinary527129 . 2020-03-11

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Very friendly, very quick service, excellent food!!! Came on Saturday night, place was busy but not crowded, soup was nice but nothing to brave about, however the fish was delicious, one of the best I ate for long time. Highly recommended!!!

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U L . 2020-02-29

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We were invited to the River Rat and it proved to be everything that we thought it would be.Upon arrival during Storm Ciara we were warmly greeted and immediately felt welcome and shown to our table.Following a gin and tonic, of which they had many gins to choose from, our order was taken and starter was a beautiful leek and potato soup. it was piping hot and peppery and so lovely and warming on a storm fueled wet Winters day.We both then had roast beef for main course and it arrived surrounded with a variety of vegetables and a large Yorkshire pudding.All of the food was hot, delicious and plentiful.We didn't sample dessert as the main had satisfied us.we finished with an Irish coffee.The whole experience was lovely, the food was lovely, the service was excellent and the whole lunch experience was brilliant.I couldn't have wished for a better Sunday lunch. If you are looking for a top venue and great place to eat with lovely service then this is somewhere to go.

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KevintheKing . 2020-02-09

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We had a delightful meal here on New Year's Eve - the service was excellent and the staff all charming and friendly. The food was good and interesting, and the place has a great look.

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delaberi . 2020-01-03

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Just had a wonderful Sunday Roast, it really was beautiful. We had roast beef, it was truly delicious and a perfect portion size. Beef was tender and potatoes were really crispy and fluffy in the middle with a great selection on veg. Can’t wait to go back and try the pork. Excellent food and excellent service, thank you!

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821vikkib . 2019-12-01

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I had the delight of being taken out to dine at River Rat for Sunday lunch today. From start to finish it was the most exquisite experience, a beautiful setting, fabulous atmosphere and friendly warm welcome with every attention to detail being totally spot on. The roast was absolutely delicious, portions generous and cooked to perfection and the dessert simply mouthwatering, not to mention the slightly decadent lunchtime Espresso Martini (well why not). I have to say River Rat is a total jewel in the Crown in Hamble and I cannot wait to return.

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Just-Jo1 . 2019-11-17

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A celebration for a special birthday and we couldn’t have chosen better. From the moment we walked in to the quaint restaurant, our experience just got better and better. Fabulous staff who looked after us exceptionally well to the most amazing food. Go and experience this great restaurant run by two sisters.

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tracyjC4613NE . 2019-11-02

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We were optimistic about The River Rat when we arrived and read the interesting menu, which had a well chosen variety of dishes. The atmosphere and decor was pleasant, and the staff were friendly. However, as a restaurant it proved to be the first place where I have been compelled to have a starter and pudding because the main course was inedible! Our party had a table that was crammed into a corner where the staff couldn’t reach to serve ( this was not a snack being served, but main courses costing £28). It was also so cold that the waitress offered us blankets. I can understand this if we had been outside, but we were inside in October. We should have been warm! Starters - soup was delicious but the vegetable fritters were overcooked. The trouble came with the main courses. Venison was well cooked but on a very skimpy bed of over salted vegetables. But edible. The ‘Catch of the Day’ was a red snapper on a bed of red pepper risotto. This in fact was a rubbery piece of undercooked fish on a heavily chilli flavoured undercooked risotto. Even when our table’s two portions were sent back, they were returned just as bad! By this time our partners had eaten their meals, and we had lost the will to live. The poor waitress did her best and was profoundly embarrassed, but why didn’t the chef or the manager show their faces to apologise? We are experienced diners, and excellent home cooks, so we know our food. And this was bad. In fact the worst overall experience I have ever suffered. Stick to the basics and get them right is a good mantra to follow. The River Rat did not achieve this.

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Pat C . 2019-10-20

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Max & Lucia looked after us last night, brilliant service and super friendly. We dined in the garden in a pod which was really lovely and with heating in the pod kept us cosy. Loved the location and the atmosphere as we walked in was lovely. I had minted lamb which was delicious! Great flavours and first time I’ve had a quails egg. My friend had the fillet steak which looked amazing. We’ll definitely be back, thank you new owners Sarah, Laura and team, you’re doing a great job ladies.

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ShirlsWJ . 2019-10-20

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We managed to get a booking for a Saturday night and we were offered a garden pod which was very warm and comfortable. The poor staff got soaked serving us but nothing was too much trouble and worked together to ensure we were well looked after.

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christobeldix . 2019-10-20

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My Partner and I visited on Sunday in our quest to find a decent Sunday roast and we ended up finding an exceptional one.

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Morg350 . 2019-10-09

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We visited on Sunday for lunch, we were seated in a garden pod which was lovely & warm, 2 of us had pork belly which was cooked perfectly, the crackling was amazing! 1 had lamb shank which fell off the bone & 1 roast beef which was pink & just right. Great food & service from all the staff & will definitely be returning.

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deborahrS6987ND . 2019-10-09

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Great location in Hable le Rice and the food was excellent. We've lived in the area for 5 years (LowerSwanwick) and it was great (if embarassing!) to find somewhere new. All the dishes whether meat or fish were spot on. We understand that the place is under new management; they've got off to a very good start.

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Franco S . 2019-10-03

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Thank you River Rat for a lovely evening. We we were seated surprisingly in a pod in the garden. The garden is beautiful and beautifully lit and have two pods currently in the garden which are equipped with heaters to keep you warm.

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vix1977_12 . 2019-09-28

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Lovely evening, great menu, the food was excellent, local fish and produce, staff attentive but not over the top, will definitely eat here again. One of the best places to eat in Hamble village

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seano174 . 2019-09-25

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Four of us went to ‪the River Rat‬ for my mums birthday last week, we were sat in a lovely table at the top of the garden with a heater which kept us ladies nice and toasty. Food was amazing - we all had different starters which were lovely, 3 of us had the steak (all cooked perfectly) and I had a tasty fish dish. We were all too stuffed to have a dessert but they very kindly brought out a birthday board with the most delicious brownies on! Great service, delicious food, friendly and efficient staff - will definitely be back!

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PookiePerks . 2019-09-23

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The service was not very good and the food was only average for what was an expensive meal. Very disappointing

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jillolverman . 2019-09-12

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Amazing evening for a surprise birthday dinner. Laura and her team worked really hard to make it special. We had one vegan, someone who loves steak (and who has a nut allergy) and someone who ordered fish. It all came out together and was perfectly cooked. Cocktails and dessert also awesome and the setting was beautiful. Will definitely be back!!

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Queen_claire33 . 2019-09-08

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First visit but we will definitely be back! Attentive staff, even though a couple were new & told us so. Food was first class and we have eaten in many fine restaurants over the years, all home cooked, fresh & served hot. The menu isn’t vast but myself I prefer that but there was also a ‘specials’ board to choose from. I had the lamb which was melt in the mouth & very tasty & my husband had the steak and he thought it was ‘on par’ with the Hawksmore in London. Lovely clean toilets which is a must for me which some people will laugh at I know. The only thing and it’s not even a ‘thing’ really is they didn’t have any Tia Maria for my liquor coffee but I had drambuie instead which was actually really nice! Great gin menu also, we had a couple of those! Thank you for a lovely anniversary meal.

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splodgesarah . 2019-08-30

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Perfect evening! The food was delicious. Both meat and vegetarian options both mouth-wateringly flavoursome. The atmosphere was relaxed and the service was attentive and friendly. The garden is something very special, so beautifully laid out and enchanting after dark with the subtle lighting. We were seated in one of the marvellous wooden huts that over look the garden, such a lovely way to while away an evening. We'll most definitely be back!

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thekajfish . 2019-08-28

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We came on a fully booked Saturday night and the food and service was brilliant. The new owners clearly know what they are doing and very exciting to see what they will do with the place!

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sophie_021444 . 2019-08-11

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Been a customer of River Rat for 9 yrs & immediately knew restaurant had changed hands. No friendly greeting no eye contact no ambience no music place in disarray. no complaints about food or wine but get your act together or I will not be re visiting

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Pippaj62 . 2019-07-19

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We took some friends to our favourite Hamble restaurant to celebrate their engagement, and as usual we were not disappointed.

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jimbosails . 2019-06-23

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We visited this restaurant for the first time on Saturday 15th June and were pleasantly surprised with the service, food and drinks. Everything about it was faultless and if you are visiting Hamble village it is well worth a visit and highly recommended

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RubyPinky . 2019-06-16

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Warm professional welcome greeted our family group. We had reserved a garden hut which was ideal being both exclusive and heated (as the night air cooled).

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annsM2570LU . 2019-06-15

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I’ve just celebrated my birthday here as a private event for 50 people and we had the most fabulous evening. Frances and her lovely team looked after everyone beautifully. Every guest was greeted with a drink, coat taken away on arrival etc and the service was seamless all evening! Dinner was delicious (as always!), glasses always topped up and the garden was so pretty and beautifully lit with hundreds of fairy lights. Dancing afterwards finished a perfect night! I would highly recommend The River Rat for a private event or a fantastic dinner out! Huge thanks Frances for a brilliant evening and the best birthday.

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CamillainHamble . 2019-04-30

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We’ve just spent our wedding anniversary evening here and it couldn’t have been better. Food - delicious, service - perfect, setting - beautiful. We had a lovely time and we will be going back.

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annelloyd . 2019-03-06

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Food was amazing, couldn't fault it. Service was attentive even though they were busy on the evening. The bill was what we expected for a special evening of wining and dining.

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Teresa W . 2019-02-28

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We visited this Restaurant as a late booking whilst away with work. Lovely little restaurant tucked away at the bottom of Hamble. Nice décor and style. Menu was small but filled with plenty of quality. Starters, Main and Desserts were absolutely cooked to perfection. Waitress was very helpful and had a good knowledge of the Speciality Gins on Offer.Very impressed and would visit again.

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Matthew D . 2019-02-03

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Delightful ambience and friendly attentive staff. The food was delicious and well presented, coupled with a comprehensive wine list.

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peterbO9637SR . 2018-12-31

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Not open as advertised and resulted in a wasted 1 and a half hours.

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DoverSoleorTurbot . 2018-12-04

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We had a great meal at the River Rat last night with our party enjoying the varied menu, including escargots, lobster soup, watercress and pea soup, fillet steak, duck and plaice - and some good puds too. The River Rat has a huge gin selection from which we chose our aperitifs, beautifully garnished, and then moved on to a delicious Pinot noir and then a Rioja.

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Hambler007 . 2018-12-02

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What a great recommendation from our accommodation host. Really great service and even better food / wine. We were a largest group and sometime its very difficult for everybody to be pleased - we didn't have one grumble. We will return. Thank you for a great Saturday night out

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513petert . 2018-10-29

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Early evening, seated in the wonderful illuminated garden inside a heated thatched yurt and eating wonderful food .. great hosts and a wonderful chef

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Rod C . 2018-10-01

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Visited this restaurant with a group of friends for a birthday, the food and drinks were delicious. When we first arrived and told we were sitting in the garden at first I thought it would be a bit chilly but when we were taken outside we were seated in this cute little round marquee type seating area, enclosed which had patio heaters and was very cosy perfect for a group of 8.

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Hoops1981 . 2018-09-12

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We love the River Rat. Since moving to Hamble earlier this year Francey and Mike have made us and our little dog Winnie feel so welcome and at home. The food is fabulous (the cote de beouf is devine) and we've had so much enjoyment introducing our friends to this little gem of a restaurant. The garden is an oasis (especially in the sun!) with a fab gin menu and the huts are perfect for a meal with friends.

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naomiandsimon . 2018-09-05

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After looking at the menu, reviews and photos I definitely expected more.

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Chevellewhite1 . 2018-08-22

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Lovely outside seating in the well kept garden - perfect for a summer evening. Great choice of gins and wines. Food well prepared and presented using many local ingredients.

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Linda S . 2018-08-18

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Table for 6. Entertaining 2 foreign guests after a tough day in the office! Excellent venue....ambience great....relaxed but professional. Food menu limited but everything looked and tasted excellent. Quality of food was first rate. Plenty of space to relax in outside. Service excellent. Would recommend any of the steaks on the menu in particular. Will be back.

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X5063WYdavidb . 2018-08-03

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Had an excellent meal on Saturday night. Lovely garden, good, attentive and friendly service, and very good food.

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j0hnryan . 2018-07-23

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This place is a bit of a Tardis. Unimposing from the outside and small at first glance if you pop your head through the door but the outside terrace and garden are beautiful.

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TerryandJane . 2018-07-18

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What a fantastic place. We held a dinnner for 20 to celebrate our children's graduation and the experience was excellent.

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Jeff M . 2018-07-11

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OMG this place is amazing. I had my hen night last night and I had a sectioned off area of the garden and was able to decorate it, the tapas were lovely, we had a little hut and tables and chairs, games, prosecco and table service. Anna and Kate were absolutely brilliant, attentive and Kate was so funny and my guests loved the evening. A massive thank you to Frances too who kept in touch with me since booking it several months ago. I was lucky as had beautiful hot weather and it was the ‘Round the Island’ yacht race. We went to the club next door after too which was good. Highly recommend and so so glad I picked this beautiful place for my event :)

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Cheryl055 . 2018-07-08

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A last minute booking on a busy Friday evening was well rewarded. Good food, pretty setting , finishing in the garden for coffee and after dinner drinks. The service was a tad slow at times but extremely friendly and we were in no rush. Will certainly go again as there were many dishes that we all wanted to try.

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Thomas W . 2018-06-18

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A wonderful atmosphere, great for romantic rondevues, fresh food, lovely setting,staff attentive without being smothering.

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jayne f . 2018-06-10

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I had a large group (12 or so) from work with me, and some of us were vegetarian. The meal was very good and the service too. Good value too.

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Paul H . 2018-05-18

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5 of us booked a table for a Saturday night at 7:30, and when we arrived, were seated upstairs at a nice round table - great for allowing all to speak to each other.

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Ajay98765 . 2018-05-13

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The River Rat offers excellent food and wine to suit many a palet and the staff combined with the atmosphere make for an enjoyable evening.

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ChrisAnders2014 . 2018-04-30

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Amazing location. Fabulous food and super friendly staff. We were moored in port Hamble and drunk brandy outside sheltered from thunder storm. A very memorable evening. Will be back very soon.. The man with the cabs !!

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Tony F . 2018-04-25

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River Rats did our four person party proud.

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Ivestayedhereagain . 2018-04-18

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Poor (cheap ?) ingredients prepared and cooked without care and detail. Chewy steaks, dull veg, unimaginative starters, sorry but it really was not up to scratch. Apart for that, lovely place, friendly staff, but ...

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breeze777 . 2018-03-28

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highly recommend ... food excellent, service exceptional, ambiance delightful .. what a find !! ... found by pure chance whilst visiting the lovely place of Hamble ... well worth a visit, you will not be disappointed !!

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oxpac . 2018-03-03

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A little gem of a place ... wow what can one say but fantastic food and service. Have eaten here many time and have never been disappointed. it is a most 🥂🌼

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Joanne W . 2018-02-18

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Our favourite restaurant in Southampton. Love this little gem. The pods in the garden are great and work better in the winter where you can get all cosy, just like private dining too.

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821vikkib . 2018-02-12

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We were house sitting in Hamble and we booked here for our anniversary. The friendly professional service was exceptional as was the food & wine! Highly recommended.

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awesome_oracle . 2017-12-30

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Four of us for a Christmas dinner. The food and service were excellent as usual. We’ll be back again soon!

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SteveeJn . 2017-12-22

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We have passed by so many times but no more. We have eaten at the River Rat three times now....

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GinoSussex_England . 2017-12-18

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Out with friends in the Hamble area - which is gorgeous! Came across this place and booked. The staff were...

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Chatterbox999 . 2017-12-04

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This was our first visit to the restaurant. We'd been told it was good, but had not managed to get...

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Helen A . 2017-10-12

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We visited in August and had dinner in the garden, which was pleasant if you don't mind eating next to...

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habanero367 . 2017-10-03

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A trip to the River Rat is an occasional treat, as it isn't particularly wallet friendly, and we visited last night to thank a friend for some above and beyond assistance.

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James D . 2017-09-22

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Over rated, over priced, terrible service, and the food presented looked nothing like the photos. We went midweek when it was quiet, we were only one of two bookings that evening, yet we were taken upstairs away from the main floor for some reason. When shown to your table you’re offered a main menu, a tappas/horderves menu, a wine list and an extensive menu of Gins. We ordered our Gins along with some horderves so that could peruse through the menu at ease. The drinks are very well presented however we didn’t see our horderves which arrived with our staters. When ordering our food we quickly realised we where dealing with a pretty dim waitress who seemed new to the job, she couldn’t count, or understand the orders. As I mentioned before, there were only two covers that night yet the service appeared rushed and set to the chefs agenda and not ours. As the main course arrived at our table, the waitress hadn’t even cleared the starters, upon which she expleted a loud ‘Oh F……! So by the time she cleared our table and re-served our mains the food was cold. She also served us the wrong bottle of wine (to the restaurants loss) since it was three times the price of the ordered bottle. To be honest, the restaurant owner should never have placed this poor girl in such a situation and she should have been supervised on the main floor first before being sent to work solo on the upstairs floor.

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monday s . 2017-09-17

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I brought my husband and his parents here last weekend as we wanted to try somewhere new and the reviews on trip advisor were very good.

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blancnma . 2017-09-03

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I've reviewed the Rat before but felt the need to do so again since the bar has been added.

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Caz740 . 2017-08-31

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Had a lovely dinner with friends here recently. The food was incredible and we loved the gin! The Owner and staff were so friendly and accommodating. We will be back soon!

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hlm2001 . 2017-08-24

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The dressed Brixham crab is excellent and my only reason for 4 of 5 is that it is served with skinny fries rather than proper chips. It seems that the restaurant is succumbing to the craze of skinny fries being served everywhere in British restaurants when proper chips would be better.

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ER_SVG . 2017-08-19

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Nice atmosphere,food good but overpriced.The service was a bit hit and miss.Would return if someone else was paying sums up my thoughts about this establishment.

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blfSouthampton . 2017-08-17

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Wife ( who's been here once before) and I enjoyed a pleasant meal here on our anniversary. Garden is just great with two enclosed pergola-type seating areas and a few other tables outside. About 10 or so tables inside too . Alacarte menu plus a tapas one to choose from. The food as with most places these days isn't cheap and wine v expensive but food is GOOD and we were both full on leaving. Very friendly staff as well which does make a change. Plus of course the location, in the villagey bit of Hamble. Well worth a visit and we shall return

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Clive W . 2017-08-17

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We had a lovely meal at River rat which is a sweet little place right in the centre of hamble village. The service was wonderful- very friendly, my only complaint was that neither mine or my friend's steak (both requested as medium-rare) came as they should have been, both were blue. Also pretty expensive, otherwise, good, honest fare.

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HLE84 . 2017-08-06

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Been many times always good but last night was excellent, great atmosphere lovely outside dining, owners delightful, best lobster I've had for ages!My husbands Chateaubriand he said was excellent

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legaleagle2014 . 2017-08-04

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The restaurant is quite quirky and very welcoming. The service was very good as was the food . We sat inside as the weather was not good enough to be outside, which was a shame as the table we had was not good , right by the toilets with everyone constantly coming past ( it is also a bar so lots of people) . We will try it again but will book a table away from the loo's .

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Sandie P . 2017-07-25

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Got taken here by friends for a surprise birthday treat - we were in one of the outside 'pods' and from the moment I sat down I knew it was going to be great! It rained but didn't bother us (sorry for the waiting staff!) - twinkly fairy lights and a heater and lots of fun. The garden was lovely and it was nice to have our own private party - we were able to laugh and not worry about bothering others.A drinks waiter ensured that we received good advice on what to order and brought us some delicious cocktails after the meal.salt and pepper squid to start for me - probably the best I've tasted, and a tried some of the coconut prawns too which were delicious! Three of us ordered rib eye steaks which were lovely (my friend felt hers was more medium, than medium rare which was requested) but we all devoured them!We decided against dessert and ordered more cocktails! A boozy evening with good food, service and ambience. I've already emailed to go back!

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Sashapooch . 2017-07-23

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The place is nice, the wine selection was moderate. The steak was not so good, missed the needed doneness and looked like boiled instead of grilled.

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Denis R . 2017-07-18

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The patio area is really nice & food delicious! Great gin menu too. Very enjoyable evening, would highly recommend!

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mruth29 . 2017-07-12

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4,5

261 Opinions

Gaff Rigger
location-iconMercury Yacht Harbour Satchell Lane Satchel Lane, Hamble SO31 4HQ England
British

A lovely location, a little on the expensive side but the food is very good as is the atmosphere.

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