Sands by the Sea in Southend-on-Sea

Great Staff, good food great view.

My favourite place for a cream tea, looking out over the Thames.

I do not recommend afternoon tea here! We booked for a 40th birthday treat thinking it would be special…..this place is a café, smells like a greasy one and looks like a canteen. The price for afternoon tea was £27.50 even though the website says £20 but it isn’t even worth £10 each. Chicken sandwiches were gristlely but the worst thing was the date on our clotted cream was 2 days out of date!!! When we questioned it we were told not to worry, it won’t hurt us as the cream has been frozen so it isn’t out of date!! We even showed them the manufacturers website which says they do not recommend freezing the product as it affects the texture and taste. They just said their packaging said it can be frozen. Honestly I think everything was frozen except the pot of tea, completely over priced and not somewhere to go to celebrate. Be warned.

Probably one of the worst fish and chips I've ever been to. And the prices were ridiculous as well The fish was absolutely dry and soggy, the chips were soggy and lukewarm. On top of that, the portion sizes are completely off. The only difference between a large and small is the size of the plate, because the contents are completely the same Didn't matter, because the food was so bad, nobody could finish it..

The staff went above & beyond to accommodate our group. Food took longer than expected due to being a busy evening, however they offered to hold food whilst we went outside to watch the fireworks. On return food was delivered hot & tasty. Amazing service.

I ordered a salmon fillet, and it was truly awful. Dry and tasteless. How can you sell such garbage for £16.50? Your prices are on par with places like Salsa or Ask Italia, but there, they would never serve me overcooked, dry fish! This is supposed to be a salmon fillet, not fried fish! It should be cooked in the oven at a low temperature, covered in foil to keep it moist. I will never eat your food again! If you can’t cook, just close the restaurant. I thought this was a nice restaurant by the sea, but it turned out to be a low-grade, overpriced canteen! Train your chefs on how to cook salmon, and why wasn’t it even seasoned? Haven’t you heard of salt? Even the salad was awful—no olive oil, no vinegar, just bland greens! Don’t order salmon here!

Nice restaurant, great location

Food is very expensive shop around the sea front. Small portions for price.

Compliments to lovely staff, they are just following orders Who ever s managing , frozen unappetising dross. The chef s got to be his mate to serve such dross. Just my opinion, it obviously works . I won't eat there ever

Just had a light lunch sitting out in the sunshine. Was our first visit and would return

The meal was good but the place was a bit in a mess.

Best place for takeaway or dining in. There is indoor and outdoor seating options with magnificent views. Definitely be going there again.

Staff was were very helpful very best and food was very fresh tasty and good portions we were 8 people and we enjoyed our food very much thanks

I been there and I catch amazing karaoke… I really like this place.

Lovely situated place and clean, and the food is tasty but the portion size different between the loaded fries classed as a light bite and a main sausage and chips meal was weird, loaded fries had twice the amount of chips where the main meal had a child's portion of chips, and for 12 quid not worth it.

Regulars for fish and chips and deserts, nice, great views.

This place has gone down hill! Kids are literally running the restaurant. By far not enough chips also the fish on the largest option was very small compared to other peoples who ordered a small version of the same food! All of our food come out wrong and at different times considering we was a birthday party of 8! Lots of workers bringing out a gherkin, slices of bread & drinks one by one Great location previously was a great restaurant, this is the place to go if you want to be ripped off & served by kids on work experience that cannot work a till or give you the correct food with zero customer service skills or common sense but that basically sums this place up along with the management who choose to let it get this bad

Food is ok, nothing special. Fish batter soggy.. portion sizes make no sense. Table with 8 adults with 4 kids. 3 adults ordered the small portion of cod and chips, no difference in size between large and small apart from plate size. Took at least 10 minutes between the first plate coming out to the last which led to cold food. Tartare sauce didn't come out until some of us had finished. Waitress didn't know what anything was.. calling curry sauce mushy peas and cod is scampi apparently... Half of the sides were on the wrong plates Had to order extra food for the kids which still hasn't come out while I write this review, so will have to take it with us when it arrives

Thank you very much for a lovely meal. The food was great staff nice and friendly. Would strongly recommend this venue the food was fantastic.

We booked a table for 12 people which was suitably laid ready for us with cutlery and serviettes. Each person could choose and pay for their meal individually which suited us. Once ordered the food was quickly prepared and nicely presented.

Really good food and service would recommend

Very cool atmosphere, what I found most strange was the fact that it was empty on a sunny Sunday 🤷🏼‍♂️. The food leaves a little to be desired, but it's not overpriced and the atmosphere makes up for it.

If i could put zero i would my cod was rotton pink and hard inside my son also refused his fish fingers which he usually loves and waited an hour for drinks which we had to remind them we were waiting for!

as soon as we entered they refused to let us sit because we had a small 1kg dog under the stroller that couldn't even touch the floor. they didn't even allow us to sit outside. I tried to talk to the manager who didn't want to listen to reason.

I’m really disappointed thought that trying a different fish and chip shop would be just as nice as Clark’s but this one had me so ill, I got food poisoned from your fish on Friday and I’m still ill and it’s Sunday, I’m never coming to this place ever again, I only had a week off work and now I’m back to work feeling ill, I’m really not happy, for anyone thinking of going here be careful of the fish

Always a great time! The fish & chips... Mmmmmm so good

Food good atmosphere good only 4 star because went for an all-inclusive cream tea and we're still charged for drinks this was refunded when it was pointed out and notice after eating the cream tea the cream portions were a week out of date staff were friendly and helpful so 4 stars is no reflection on them.

Worse chips I've ever tried eating. You know they're bad when even the seagulls leave you alone with them

We can here the 23rd March. After 3pm. The food came up with great portions that are value for money. The staff were patient and helpful with our needs. We had a lovely view of the sea. Quick service. Clean environment and happy friendly staff.

You get better fish and chips in London. I could not help but noticed that brown people and family with noisy kids are seated at a more secluded room at the back. Hope it was just a coincidence.

I was pleasantly surprised by the good service we received.and the freindly staff.and i was happy with the food.i had scampi and chips.

Not the best, plenty of beverages but unfortunately the afternoon tea was not good.. cakes were all stale 😞

Food was raw we only ordered chips and curry sauce every chip came out like it had a dunk in the fryer and back out was solid raw potato majority of them woth a semi cooked surface. we didn't even eat it. As the disappointment was more so as we were so hungry from being on the beach and adventure island all day I would rather wait for good food than be served this and the prices for what you get better off going to a proper chippy like we normally do but decided to have a change and try. Curry sauce was bland and watery Asked for bread and butter comes in triangles ?? I get this is how some do it but if you wanted a chip butty there's not alot you can fit into a triangle the kids ate the bread and butter and we had to sought after something edible to eat after this. Safe to say we will never return to this place. Atmosphere is zero service was mininal. No real interaction with anyone because it was very you order there you go and they were off. Nothing about our visit would get us to return and I'm.glad it was only chips and curry sauce we ordered as a full meal would have been terrible All came to £40 for x4 x2 curry sauce x2 juices x1 cider x1 bottle of bud as only draught is carlsberg no other draught options. I would recommend going elsewhere

A nice place to visit with your family and have a glare view of the sea. A lot of outdoor activities go on around this place. Many families are seen taking turns to have their choice meals at the time of my visit. The attendants especially the lady who took my order was honest and helpful. She was cheerful and sweetly engaging. The food was ok. I however did not like the fish. There was so much oil in the fish even though it was hot and crisp. Nice place in general if you wish to take time off and meet people…..

Good food. Used a 'children eat free' coupon from Adventure Island next door which enables a child to eat free for every paying adult after 3pm. Came out fairly quick. Was a little bit unkept, but can imagine this is due to many people coming and going. Would eat there again if using a voucher as it came to a reasonable price by using it.

Enjoyed fish and chips here before going to the theater service was good even though it was a bank holiday

Went here New years Day 2024 . I can tell you it was the worst fish and chips I have ever had in Southend I ordered cod what I got wasn't cod it was some cod replacement it wasn't pleasant. I would not recommend this place or any of the food here. I will definitely never cross the fresh hold again

Lovely Staff friendly and attentive

Fish & chips were tasteless. Even the vinegar was like sprinkling water instead! Not recommended.

Staff so friendly and accommodating.

After some fun at adventure soft play we decided to grab lunch at Sands. We were served by I believe liviana (sorry if I'm wrong) terrible with names. Food was delicious, there was halal chicken on kids menu and the service was great x

Great Christmas party choice food was good

Monthly jazz night with Digby Fairweather and friends. Great musicians, very friendly staff and excellent venue

First time there for an afternoon tea but such a great service, beautiful view and delicious coffee + snacks. Thank you!

Stopped here after a day in adventure Island. Food was well presented and was cooked through. Portion size was amazing.

Nice fish and chips friendly staff

We celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary on 16th September here and cannot express my gratitude enough to everyone who helped make it the best night for my parents and everyone who came to celebrate. I would especially like to thank Christine for going above and beyond from beggining to end.

Visited Sunday 24 September at lunchtime. Overpriced compared with other fish and chips shops in the area. Staff friendly, but very slow service and the restaurant was not at full. Cheesy chips were so cold the cheese would not melt!

Chips definitely reheated not fresh fish awful one was returned as no fish all batter , replacement cod was watery definitely frozen mush inedible peas like bullets , cost £37 and inedible would not recommend

Nice restaurant, service was very good. Was hard to find a clean table, had to ask a member of staff to clear and clean a table for us.

The food was so bad. Worst mac and cheese and had the worst coffee. Doesn’t give the food as described on the menu. Can’t even make the proper cheesy chips.

to begin with, the service provided by the girls is excellent, with an equal amount of politeness and friendliness, the food I ordered the smoked haddock dish and it was delicious, the only thing I got was that because it is such a well-organized place, there is a lack of options on the table, but I indicated

The fish and chips were outstanding, and the atmosphere was enjoyable. The serving staff provided excellent service. However, the experience with the till staff was less than satisfactory. Despite a fairly large order, she appeared disinterested and somewhat borderline rude when taking the order. Nevertheless, the overall experience was pleasant. If you're visiting Southend-on-Sea or Adventure Island theme park, this is a great place to savor traditional British fish and chips.

Really nice place to eat with amazing views the food was fantastic and staff friendly even though the restaurant was heaving and very busy they still kept service with a smile and handled the request of customers

It’s a very unhygienic place with bad food. My child ate chicken nuggets yesterday and it was so uncooked and hard and is vomiting today. Made a bad decision to go here.

Location with a great view. I came at a busy time when most of the tables were dirty. Unfortunately I had to clean one of them to be able to sit down.

🐟 tastes blank, however fresh slow food services

Good food Ata good price. Staff were brilliant only downer easy that goes tables are not cleaned quickly enough and we had our dessert with all the rubbish from our mains still on the table. A bit more attention to cleanliness would make this a top place!

Adorable little spot for a snack or meal! We had a lovely late dinner here today & thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Cute vegan menu - LOVED my vegan battered sausage & great food in general. Chips were some of the best I've ever had, lovely fish & chip shop style chips without the horrible aftertaste or fatty/oily coating! Highly recommended, would definitely come again. Son wanted me to mention how delicious the chicken goujons were.z

My friend had her wedding in the functional space at Sands by the sea. It was such a lovely day. The staff were , attentive, very nice and went the extra mile to do whatever was needed Being able to see the sea from the venue was a great addition as well.

Just off the busy seafront is this little hidden oasis an alternative to typical seafront cafes. Decided to opt for the Triple Sliced sweet chili Sandwich along with a florida Orange. My drink arrived fairly prompt along with the Sandwich a short time after. The waiter was quite good and suggested that I try it with bacon next time. The Sandwich was quite filling and tasted great you could tell it was all fresh ingredients and care an attention was taken to hand make and present this. The florida Orange was a perfect compliment to the dish and we sat on the decking area over watching the sea. Definitely a perfect lunch break and a little treat that could beat any supermarket meal deal or home made soggy sandwich, I actually thought this was the poshest sandwich I've ever had after all His Majesty the King and Queen have dined here although I doubt they were on a lunch break. This was my second visit to this restaurant and defiantly not my last as I have grazed over the menu and the afternoon tea for two has caught my eye maybe on a day off to treat my Mother along with an open top bus ride along the seafront that stops pretty much 2 minutes away from the restaurant. I visited between 3pm & 4pm so avoided the lunch time rush of families and day trippers. The atmosphere was relaxed la couple of well dressed ladies drinking wine out of a cooler on the wicker sun furniture just made it seem like being somewhere on the Rivera. Well done and thank you for treating me with such excellent service.

Very overpriced poor fish batter. Chips undercooked and greasy Service a bit appalling as had to get cutlery. Staff not customer friendly. Won't be returning.

Used to be nice restaurant, now a casual canteen with many tables outside that hasn’t been cleaned and tidied away for a while, and poor quality fish - mostly batter and hardly any actual fish for £15!! Not impressed. A point for being by the sea:

Lovely sea front restaurant with lovely views of the sea and the pier. Reasonable prices. Served by friendly staff.

The place is ok. Food is literally frozen Iceland products. Most of it deep fried but yeah, it is what it is. Prices are not stupid high so you get what you pay for. Very nice staff tho. Can't remember the ladies name, blond short hair, she gave me manager vibes. Very pleasant person and really nice and sociable.

Food nice. Coffee not nice, and less than half a cup just all froth!

Nice atmosphere and staff were polite. Food wasn't the best. My daughter had Childs macaroni cheese and it was a plate of greated cheese with odd bits of pizza mixed in. Wasn't melted at all. Jacket potato was nice though and came with plenty of filling and salad.

The staff are unfriendly and rude. The atmosphere is stiff and dead. We were there with our children after a day on the beach so we had a few small snacks that we put on the table. Staff told us we're not allowed to eat our own food there- fine - we put the snacks away and ordered drinks and ice cream. Two 3 year old's took their shoes off and were playing in the outdoor patio area. The nasty female bartender rudely ordered us to put the shoes back on. We put the shoes back on as requested. Then the kids took a nearly empty packet of crisps out of a bag without us even noticing as the adults were chatting. Next thing 3 burly security guards came over and told us we had to leave as we had been asked 6 times not to eat our own food - 6 times! Staff were blatantly lying especially the repellent dark haired lady with glasses who works behind the bar. The 3 large men then stood over us intimidatingly until we left. Totally uncalled for and ridiculous! If the staff wanted us to leave why not come over and ask? Why call 3 security guards? We were a group of 3 ladies and the kids were all under 9 years old. Do not go to this place. Lots of other nice cafes, restaurants and bars nearby so avoid this one.

Lovely atmosphere but little disappointed with prices £15.95 for fish n chips and mushy peas!! However don’t mind paying the price if the food compliment it … sadly the chips were cold and fish wasn’t as big as I normally have.. the service however is excellent and the place itself is lovely and friendly welcoming staff! Although this may be a busy time and chef may of been under pressure

Went with my friend and it’s safe to say neither of us had a great time. After a long day of sitting around waiting for the grandchildren, we thought “this sounds like a nice place, we’ll take them here”. Well we were completely wrong. Someone tell me why 99% of the children were screaming or crying. My grandchildren got fed up after eating a handful of chips and my meal wasn’t the best either. Very bland. My friend and her grandchildren did not like their food either, and we left without finishing our meals. Don’t go here, there are much better places only a step further away.

Food is over priced. Rides are not that great. Ok for childrens

Great location, good food at a reasonable price. Family friendly

Terrible customer service, ruined our day!

Ordered Gluton free Fish and chips, when my order came out the batter looked far too dark and crispy for it to be GF I asked the boy to confirm it was GF and he said oh your order didn’t come through as GF I’m sorry I will get you a GF one! A good job I questioned him as a coeliac I would of been very ill very quickly! 😡🤢🤮

Disgusting place, went there today for the first time. Our food was served just warm, not hot. The salad had an extreme sour taste to it, couldnt eat it. As soon as I finished eating I got extreme stomach aches and was in agony. When walking out I noticed 90% of the peoples plates were only 20% eaten! Everyone else had left their food!! Will never go back there.

Fish and cod - dreadful, frozen from iceland shop.Tined mushy peas and cheap chips.. never again

Good food..not the usual seaside prices...couldn't fault the service

Highly recommend this place x Very friendly with lovely staff , along with good food 😋 and a view out to sea who wouldn't want to visit x Highly recommend the afternoon tea Ideal if you want to catch up with friends or family x

Staff very welcoming and nothing is an issue, food is fantastic would highly recommended. Well done Sands staff it's a 5☆☆☆☆☆ from me.

Very busy. Lovely food. Lovely staff

We disappointed with our heritage fish and chips. The fish wasn't quite fully cooked, some of the batter was semi liquid too. It was piping hot though which is more than can be said for the chips and peas. Both were only tepid as if they had been say on the side awaiting the fish. I think they were dealing with the take away side of the business ahead of those paying more in the restaurant. Waitresses were very polite

Shockingly bad, took my family to Adventure Island at the end of last summer 2022 and was given a flyer promo/offer for kids meals. Thought we would give it a go and what a disaster it turned out to be. Food was abysmal, undercooked, raw and overall just poor quality. To top it off, the staff really didn't care. My kids were left hungry and upset. Really disappointing end to what was a great family day out! Avoid 👎

chlorine flavoured cola Mmmm... delicious (no)

Fantastic customer service, staff are so friendly and helpful. Great views out to sea. Food is ok, good selection for kids.

Bang average and expensive for what it is.

Ideal restaurant for families and children. Staff are very friendly, helpful and polite. Spacious and well organised considering the amount of people there when we went. Food was served promptly and was hot. Good variety for kids and families. The small cod and chips was ample. Will always head here when in C Southend for the day with family.

Fantastic day out. Staff are amazing.

Cant heat up beans food left to stand cold then served and the attitude of the kitchen and waiting staff is shocking.

Attended a Christmas party night last night. Had a great night the Christmas meal buffet was well organised and plenty of lovey food for everyone, the disco was great and the staff so happy, friendly and helpful. Great value for money night out. Already pencilled in for next year 👍

A truly wonderful afternoon tea

Catered the best they could .For 70 people .But service was slow .As to a lack of waiters. They did their best but some of the food got cold

Really bad place. Manager running the place has a really nasty attitude and refused to refund cold fish and hard chips. Extremely expensive. Won’t be coming back

Rapid service, lovey staff, lovely sea view and pukka food!

Food was good our seating area and view amazing. (Please clean tables carefully)

Food was off Good Quality. Served Fadt enough. But I pricr abit Higher. COD x 3, Salmon X 1 and One Vegan Burger + Large Chips Costed £98.

Nice fish and chips and friendly staff

Booked for an afternoon tea for a hen party and was disappointed at the lack of thought for where we allocated our table (tucked in the corner out of the way) may I add the party of hens were of the older generation at stated in the booking Service took forever and whilst the food was of good quality we had to ask numerous times for our drinks to be delivered to our table Overpriced warm prosecco was somewhat of a disappointment But hats off to the chef for the delicious selection of food

They sadly didn’t let pour my shot of vodka in my drink bought from the theme park. They also don’t accept £50 note for some reason.

Lovely family meal overlooking the sea, would recommend the calamaris 👌

Overall meal was nice and good size. We shared the fish and chips as we knew it would be quite big. However could have served more Calamari. It wasn't too crowded when we went and the staff were pleasant. Prices are a bit high than usual but you get what you pay for (main dish wise - since it was quite big).