Smoking Lobster Ventnor in Isle of Wight

Excellent. Food was delicious. A very popular place on the Esplanade so worth booking in advance.

Excellent experience, would recommend the taster menu with wine pairing. Friendly, prompt service with another level of food and high class wine to complement the dishes. A must if you’re in the area!

Recently dinned at Smoking Lobster at Ventnor. We had the share seafoods platter for 2. The food was made with fresh, good quality ingredients, and the dishes were well-prepared. The sea bass from the platter have no flavour that will make you think wow more like nah it’s bland and fried sushi is a no. The lobster wasn’t anything special and it basically flame grilled with some chives and butter than charge you £125. The tuna sashimi was good and doesn’t taste fishy. Overall the foods are not the best and it’s just above average and not with a lot of flavour. The atmosphere was cosy and lovely, making for a pleasant setting to have dinner. It’s a good place for photos. However, the prices were surprisingly high, more akin to what you'd expect in central London rather than a small island like the Isle of Wight. While the quality justified some premium, the overall value felt unbalanced. Service needs to be more efficient and attentive as it was little slow and inattentive. There also seemed to be a lack of efficient communication between front of house staff, which led to being incorrectly charged for two extra. However, it was quickly resolved. The staffs are helpful and friendly.

We recently visited The Smoking Lobster on the Isle of Wight. The seafood was fresh and the flavors were a creative blend of traditional seafood and pan-Asian influences. However, the service was a bit slow, and while the food tasted good, the pricing felt quite steep. We ordered just a sharing platter for two and two sodas, and the bill came to £150. At that price, you could easily find more variety, better service, and an overall superior experience at seafood spots in London’s Soho. Overall, a mixed experience — great ingredients, but not the best value for money.

Absolutely everything about our meal here was perfect, the staff were lovely, the food was fantastic and the drinks were delicious, I wish I lived next door! I highly recommend dining here, we havent stopped talking about it since. We ordered cocktails to start which were different and well made, we had a fish platter to share which was plenty for two but then we ordered some more bits just because they were so tasty not because we needed it! Finished on another cocktail, absolutely superb!

This little gem of a place is situated directly opposite the beach. Incredible food and friendly, knowledgeable staff go above and beyond to make it a memorable experience. BOOK! This place is fairly small and we were really lucky to get a table a few days before. Not to be missed

Good in every respect but, for the money, it absolutely should be

Pre booked a table weeks in advance for my wife birthday. Was offered a table right by the main door. I complained I was not happy with the seating only to be told I did NOT request not sit by the door. Does anyone want to sit by the door,the toilet or the kitchen?. Frankly this is poor customer service. Perhaps they are busy enough not to care. I will not bother with this restaurant again. Good luck, you will need it.

Delicate, amazing food. Cocktails are just as good. Incredible staff there, go check it out.

A lovely evening with delicious food and excellent service. Well worth a visit

Delicious fresh seafood in a cozy seaside restaurant. With an Asian fusion flare, this restaurant is a must visit while in Ventnor. The staff were kind and attentive and the cocktails were also a highlight!

You get to see the kitchen and the sea 😁and food is the best

Apart from being my 73rd birthday, April 1st, 2025, will stay in my mind forever as the day I enjoyed the best meal I've ever eaten. I have occasionally dined in 2 or 3 star restaurants, haven't we all, but the Smoking Lobster ticked all of the same boxes for a lot less money. The atmosphere was fantastic with about 24 excited diners (a few well behaved children as well) all excitedly tucking in to some of the best food available on the I.O.W. I chose the small plate menu, four choices for that and a fifth choice to act as a starter. My starter was a simple dish of pan fried Scallops ina house sauce. Tender and sweet it was almost perfect except there was no small spoon or piece of bread with which to devour the delicious sauce. Amazing. Next up were the two small plates and two sides. Tender beef cheek nestling on top of a delicious bowl of risotto with crunchy small vegetables running through it. This, along side fantastic cubes of Char Sui Pork Belly cooked to Tender perfection matched beautifully with the unusual but lingering savour taste of Japanese noodles in a peanut sauce (ask the waiter how it's made). I'm a red wine man myself, but all of this delightful food was washed down with an excellent bottle of Chabils. We all had a brilliant time and will be sure to come again when we're next on the island.

What a pearl on the Isle of Wight!!! This must be the best restaurant on the island. I cannot understand why some restaurants have got such high ratings when this deserves an even higher rating? The food is exceptional! Every dish was delicious from the peanut noodles to the iberico pork and lobster. Excellent food. Excellent wine. Cannot fault it! Miss here, you miss out!

The food was exquisite - very fresh and a tasty interesting blend of flavours. Such a pleasure to find a restaurant that felt a bit different. Professional but relaxed. Worth the price, especially as we ate the early evening special menu.

First time visit, it was at lunchtime and as we couldn't decide what to eat we asked the servers (Steve and John) to choose for us. The food was exceptional, service was first class. Very friendly helpful staff. Honestly it's well worth a visit would highly recommend this restaurant.

Fantastic meal last night - love this restaurant. Brilliant vibe and the food is delicious. We had to be away by 7.20 otherwise we would have stayed and enjoyed the espresso martinis. The doughnuts were amazing 🤩 The manager is exceptional

One of the best restaurants on the Isle of Wight with no doubt , not only the food was good but service was superb. Very good atmosphere, very profesional team from the kitchen to the waiters and manager they all were very welcoming and attentive. We got a pre ordered sea food platter for dinner, they rang us in the morning to confirm this, and it didn't disappoint us at all; mixture of flavours, seasonings and nicely displayed. Good selection of cocktails and wines. Restaurant was full so I would recommend to book in advance to avoid disappointments. Thank you again!

A good location with a nice ambience. Some of the dishes were excellent (scallops were great), which also means some were not (the risotto tasted like water). The cost coupled with this inconsistency makes it a place I wouldn't recommend.

Faultless. Service lovely, wine excellent, seafood player full of delights, wonderful puds. Love it.

Pricey, but worth every penny! We went with friends when visiting the Isle of Wight. They have recently gone to a small plates menu, and all looked good, so we decided to have one of each and share between the four of us. Every dish was distinctive and delicious, though a particular favourite with all of us was the cheek risotto. The atmosphere was warm and the staff very friendly. It is quite expensive, the bill for the four of us with wine was well over £200, but it was a very special meal, so I would have to say well worth it as a special treat.

This place is utterly amazing for food... So good. Value for money. Service great...

Excellent food and service. 5 stars.

Ah, Ventnor in February, a windswept corner of the Isle of Wight, where the seagulls outnumber humans. But fear not, intrepid gourmand, for there's a beacon of culinary warmth to be found amidst the gale-force gusts. The Smoking Lobster, perched right on the beachfront, beckons like a siren with the promise of something rather special. And special it is. Forget your soggy chips n gravy, this is a haven of modern Japanese-Chinese fusion, where the freshest local seafood is treated with the reverence it deserves. Each dish arrives as a meticulously crafted artwork, a testament to the kitchen's dedication and skill. Tenderstem tempura, crisp and ethereal, practically floats off the plate, while maki rolls, packed with vibrant flavour, sing a siren song of their own. The staff are a delight – warm and friendly. Their recommendations are spot-on, guiding you through a menu that's as exciting as it is unexpected. The Smoking Lobster, my friends, is a triumph. It's a culinary oasis in a seaside town that they forgot to shut down, a place where innovation and flavour collide with the force of a rogue wave. Go, and be prepared to be swept away.

Delicious food, and super friendly staff. The atmosphere was really nice in the restaurant and there is a beautiful view of the ocean.

Food was okay. The amount was very minimal. If you want good seafood that tastes better, more in portion and costs less, go to Da vinci.

Brilliant restaurant on seafront. Gorgeous food and lovely wines by the glass.

First time there, will not be my last, I went for lobster but this time of year needs to be ordered, so I had a tasters lunch, wasn't disappointed, everything was perfect, staff were very helpful. I'll get my lobster next time .

I had such a lovely birthday meal with my family, we all truly enjoyed our food. Hannah is a wonderful host and she makes excellent cocktails. Scallops, lobster and apple tart were my favourite courses. My children enjoyed tempura fish and tempura prawns and thought donuts were wonderful.

The go to seafood restaurant on the island. Lovely Asian influences and bold culinary statements. Location right on the seafront. Cosy in winter. Can’t wait to go again.

Fantastic little find, right on the seafront, great service, and the food was impeccable. The brioche lobster is not to be missed, out of this world!

Had lunch today. Lovely staff. Brill food. Michael Coyle Lawdit Solicitors

A beautiful little restraunt by the sea. And not only was it cute with great staff, the food was truly out of this world. I had Tuna Otoro and a lobster burger and I can honestly say in 30 years it's probably the best seafood restraunt I've been too. Would 100% recommend if you're visiting the IOW and fancy some lovely seafood.

We really enjoyed our evening at the Smoking Lobster. Our food was absolutely delicious and our host was really friendly and welcoming. The children’s menu had lots of choice - our son chose a starter from it then had monkfish tempura (man menu), which he devoured! I had lobster and my husband tuna. All amazing. This is our second time to the restaurant and both visits have been excellent. We are only here for a few days and had to return!

I ate outside overlooking the beach and sea. Great food as I've come to expect from the Smoking Lobster restaurants, and even off season the service was great.

Such great food and atmosphere. Jonathan was fun and so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about everything about Smoking Lobster and the Isle of Wight in general. Fantastic evening.

Amazing meal , had the special menu that they’re offering (2 courses £25, 3 courses £30) and couldn’t fault it. Same size portions as the a la carte menu but a fraction of the price. Good selection to choose from, very welcoming staff and highly recommended. The pineapple carpaccio was delicious!

Absolutely my Fav place to eat always amazing food service atmosphere and must for anyone who love great food

Wonderful meal in lovely buzzy restaurant by the beach. Really great service, the dishes explained one by one which is always welcomed when visiting a new place with an inventive menu. We had lobster and local bass and both dishes excellent, plus some tasty starters, really enjoyed it

Wonderful staff fantastic location a must visit in Ventnor and indeed the island

Fresh lobsters and local bass.Beautiful oceanview.

Excellent place to go to dinner and have a good time when you are on the island

Fabulous food with great service from very knowledgeable staff restaurant is small and intimate booking is essential we had the seafood platter for two to share which basically all the menu on one plate

Great dinner, very friendly staff, and in a great location.

Great food, service and atmosphere. This place is worth a visit when on the isle of wight. Be sure to book a table as it's always busy. We went on a Tuesday night at 8:30pm and it was busy even then.

Having visited on many occasions when we lived in the South of England, we made our fist visit since moving to Scotland. Not only as good as ever but now BETTER. The additional range of deserts makes the occasion complete. The service is still warm and professional and the Tartare of beef was the very best I have ever had. I cannot wait to come back..........SOON.

Wonderful spot - amazing service. The food was good although a little slow on the day we went but we had good wine to drink and felt relaxed so it was no bother. The atmosphere is very laid back and friendly and our waiter was amazing with our son. Would definitely go again without hesitation and highly recommend. The handmade baby doughnuts were delicious!

brilliant. We had the beef tatare and turnip and quails eggs starter plus the monkfish tempura main all of which was exquisite. Need to book and not cheap but absolutely worth it

A birthday present of the restaurant's gift card brought me here and what a successful present it was. Looking over the sea added to the setting. But the seafood was what we came for. They had a special lunch menu that looked enthusing and very reasonably priced but as it was a special treat we went for the full menu. Excellent tempura king prawns for me and well presented scallops for my wife . I enjoyed the generous proportions of tempura monkfish while my wife enjoyed a succulent half local lobster. Yes certainly a place to revisit or might try it's other restaurant in Cowes

The whole evening was superb, awesome food, great service and an excellent atmosphere..... Highly recommend! 👌🏼

A beautiful starter of King prawn tempura with a chilli dip. I had the half lobster which was delicious and the best Expresso Martini to finish my birthday meal. Highly recommend!

The service was amazing; Chloe was the best waitress! The food was super fresh and crispy delicious. 🤤

Yummy lobster, addictive cocktails and angel waitresses with ain’t no sunshine by Bill Withers playing in the background. When leaving I told the waitress “I hope to see you soon again” when that was her line to say lol. Pure escapism 👌

Great vibe about this place : the staff act this is the best job ever. And the food may be the best on the island (seriously).

Really good food, amazing service ( thank you for the blankets!). We were lucky to get a table, definitely book in advance as was fully booked. Staff were friendly but not intrusive. Food comes as our top 3 restaurant seafood ever. Give it a try.

A delicious meal with warm, friendly service. The dishes were all full of flavour. My steak was a little overcooked but nothing major. Highly recommended if you can get a table!

Had two fantastic meals here. Great service and the food was brilliant. Recommend the Japanese Coffee and the Pecan pie!

Exceptional food, original take on pan Asian fish. Really loved it. Ginger seabass delicious. Lobster brioche utterly memorable. Tempura vegetables beyond nom. Book. Go.

This was a treat out from my Daughter, to be honest the staff were helpful and polite, but the main star is the food just amazing

The food at Smoking Lobster was excellent! There wasn’t a single dish I disliked while dining in here. I loved all the starters including the Chinese Turnip, Tuna Tataki, and the Seared Scallops! The mains were had, which consisted of the fish of the day (stone bass) and the crowd-favorite Lobster were both also really good. I highly recommend Smoking Lobster for anybody who loves food. The portions are quite on the small side and the prices are steep compared to other restaurants in the area but the flavors just work and the food was wonderful. I had to deduct a star on service because the kitchen was packed while we were there so we had a huge gap between our starters and mains, otherwise the staff were generally very friendly and helpful. Bookings are recommended.

Kindly fitted us in without a booking for a quick main and cocktails. Had a couple of fresh fillets(stone bass and bream), delicious. I could keep eating and eating the lovely slaw too. Great friendly service, perfect wine and cocktails. Thanks guys.x

Fantastic food and a great atmosphere. Me and the wife have in to temptation and went for the platter for 2 (pictured) along with a couple of side dishes and IoW cheeses to finish. Stunning food, and amazing outlook. Not cheap at £240 for 4 including food and drinks but very much worth it.

Food was absolutely delicious here, best meal that I had on the island. View of the sea is also stunning, - if you want to see a nice vibrant trendy town I would also recommend going to visit the smoking lobster in Cowes which serves amazing pan Asian cuisine.

Amazing food and a lovely view. We had the platter for 2.

Me and my partner came here for my birthday meal and it did not disappoint! All the food was so fresh and cooked to perfection. All the staff was so helpful and even offered a blanket because we were sitting outside. We were treated like royalty and was a real treat for us.

I loved the Japanese elements of the seafood, with the furikake fries having a flavourful seasoning and amazing crunch, would also recommend the kombucha as it had a light refreshing taste which was not too sweet.

Excellent service, high quality food, friendly staff, strongly recommend,

Would 100% recommend this restaurant! Very understated from the outside but lovely seaside-style decor inside and the food is just sensational (beef fillet tarare to start, seafood platter for main and cappuccino brulee for dessert). One of the best meals out we had in a while. We were lucky enough to have a window seat with a view out over the sea too. The staff are a real credit to this restaurant and were all really friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable about the food. Thanks!

The food was very good, but very expensive for what was offered. What particularly bothered me about the large seafood platter was that most of the items were baked. The restaurant itself is no better equipped than your average fish and chip restaurant. Everything is extremely narrow and crammed together. Our dog had no problem here.

We had seafood platers for two~ Prawns is amazing ~ You’d better to know how to use chopsticks to enjoy that lovely sea bass

Wonderful place. Service was first class and the food was incredible. We had main course yellow fin tuna steak and rib cut steak and deserts were out of this world. Really fab evening

Service and food was excellent- special occasion for my wife's special birthday - we had the Seafood Platter which was excellent although the evening was slightly tarnished when we ordered special coffees at the end of the meal. When the coffees were delivered at the table we were basically told to drink up as the next reservation was waiting for our table - nothing was mentioned before we ordered the coffees. Would we recommend this place to eat Yes.

One of our favourite places in earth. Views to quench the eyes, food to please the senses. My wife was also recommended a French wine that she loved. Thanks, see you next year

Seafood platter was superb. Lobster soft & succulent, tuna ceviche delicate, seabass beautifully cooked as were tempura king prawns. Unusual to find a place that gets it all right. Highly recommend. Well done chef & staff

Was more like a weather's spoons all you could hear was ppl talking very loud & noisy so if you looking for a romantic meal for 2 you would have to go when it was empty.its to small we were on a very small table & we ordered the seafood platter for 2 & there was barely any room.the lobster was dry & bland & the prawns didn't taste of anything they gave us more prawns as they had run out of scallops & had not been open long so that means they didn't have any to start with so was very disappointed i mean what seafood restaurant does not have scallops, the sea bass was cooked perfect,the tuna was nice but no seasoning the crab was bland no seasoning it wasn't worth £120.00 I am no chef but I could & have cooked it better myself.it felt really rushed but to be fare we couldn't wait to get out it was that loud so I didn't make a complaint as I just wanted to get away from the noise.me & my husband was expecting a nice place & nice food to eat seeing how it's a 2 rosette restaurant.i don't know how.its called smoking lobster but there was no way the lobster had been on a grill.we was there on holiday & absolutely love ventnor but would not go back here.very disappointed.the front of house staff were nice but was running round & to busy trying to get people in & out.felt like a fast food place rather than a restaurant. To small to loud & food was mediocre it spoilt our evening & expectations sorry but it is definitely not worth 2 rosette

Absolutely packed restaurant. Very friendly staff. Semi-open kitchen working flat out. Good menu with some interesting flavour choices, and beautifully-prepared food. Highly recommended. You won't get in if you don't book.

Great food. But you need to book.

Myself and my partner had travelled over from London for the weekend, friends of ours had recommended Smoking Lobster as one of the best restaurants in Ventnor so we were excited for our booking, unfortunately we didn’t get the experience we expected to get. we booked a table earlier in the day where the lady that we spoke to seemed to be hesitant in offering us a table, but we managed to get in at 8.45pm. When we arrived we were offered a drink while our table was being prepared, we sat down around 8.50pm to be told that they had no Lobster!!! The waitress Molly couldn’t be more apologetic about the situation and tried to resolve it by offering a complimentary drink for the inconvenience but was rudely turned down by the manager which left out us without many options for dinner as most places stop serving or close at 9pm. Real shame that the manager couldn’t take the time to come and apologise for not having Lobster available when the restaurant is named after the dish, but thank you Molly for great customer service maybe we’ll try again next time we’re over.

Best meal EVER food service setting death row meal I would come back to the Isle of Wight just to come here DO NOT MISS IT

OMG !!! You have got to come here for the seafood platter if on the island. Absolutely flawless service, and the most amazing food. Thank you guys for a lovely experience

The food and service was outstanding, the only thing that spoiled our experience, was the restaurant allowing 3 girls in who they KNEW personally (the manager/server hugged them at the door) to sit down next to our table. They were clearly drinking/drunk already and serving them even more alcohol. They were shouting, laughing obnoxiously loud and their conversation was the loudest in the room by far consistently the entire hour we were there. The only time they stopped shouting for a second was when their food arrived. I’m not saying it’s wrong for the restaurant to host people they know personally or are associated with, I would have just thought that they would have told them to quiet down a little bit, especially if they knew them personally. Which was obvious with all the hugs and heart gestures at the door… those 3 girls need to chill a little bit next time and remember it’s not just a friends gathering there are other people trying to eat and hear their own conversations over them too. Otherwise the food was perfect.

Great food and good vibe👍🏼 Recommended! And also we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Talei for her amazing and welcoming service! :)

We were a table of 5 that were accommodated at short notice. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and special. The cocktails, particularly the coconut margarita were incredible. The food was sublime, from the whole bass, bass fillet, seared Yellowstone tuna and halibut. Well presented, tasty and cooked perfectly. Worth every penny. Would highly recommend

A beautiful venue in a beautiful seafront town, friendly staff and out of this world sea food. The sea food platter and lobster are amazing!!!

Me and my partner went for dinner here last night and can definitely day it's the best meal we have ever eaten. The food is out of this world! The cocktails don't disappoint either. Staff were fantastic, friendly, inviting and very professional. Was expecting the bill to come to more than it was as well. Will visit again next time I'm on the island. Thank you for such an amazing experience

Extremely small portions, and the food was below average.

We had the seafood platter and it was amazing. Very good service and nice to have sea view.

Although we're vegan, there is still a fab choice on the menu....the lions mane was insanely good 💚

We had an evening reservation. Fabulous food, great cocktails and wine. Friendly service. We pushed the boat out, as it were, last night on the island and so had lobster and fish platter. So worth it I'm my opinion.

Arrived 5.45 told only half lobster left we had book at 6.45 no food so said we pay for wine and the manger said don't pay for the wine and he was sorry they had no lobster which was very nice of him and he said please came Back we will try again but will make shaw there is lobster

Amazing food, especially the lobster in the platter!

We arrived on Friday afternoon for lunch to be greeted by a lady who from word go, gave us such a warm welcome and made us and our dog feel like friends, rather than just customers. We chose the seafood platter. It was, without doubt one of the best meals we have had in a long time! Every single element of the platter was perfectly executed and the asian inspired flavours excited our palates to the maximum. The portion size was ample and it’s a must if you ever go to Ventnor! Thank you team Smoking Lobster!

Had a great time at the smoking lobster, no wonder it's a locals' favourite! Book early!

Best restaurant in the Isle of Wight. We love this place and come back every year as a special treat. The seafood platter is beyond sublime and doughnuts great.

Even though it was out of season, we were the only ones in, but it soon had people walk in. The staff were very friendly, polite, helpful & attentive. It was someone's birthday & they brought her a cake with a candle in it & we all joined in singing happy birthday, it brought tears to her eyes. She wasn't expecting it. The food was excellent, we had a good selection of starters, then mains. It was absolutely amazing, my sister, that had lived & worked in Japan was blown away with the food. We had an excellent afternoon.

Absolutely 5🌟 everything! Seriously good food, great staff, brilliant ambiance, I would definitely recommend smoking lobster to anyone on the island, I'll be going back for 2nds . 😋

Group of 5 of us, food presentation and taste was excellent as was the service

Lovely place, best food in Cowes and friendliest staff. Couldn't reccomend it any more.

Excellent food and service, will happily travel back to the Isle of Wight to eat here again.

Amazing dinner, great atmosphere