Sole Bay Fish Company in Waveney

Clever place - go for fish and chips and leave it there. ordered 2 cod and chips - wasn't cod. but probably few places are. we thought excellent. mushy peas - great size portion of them. the sea food platters we saw - ting crab [legal?] - crayfish tails - Booker or Costco - miniscule lobsters - not ones swimming in the tank. not freshly caught as too small - where huge profit made. specials - unsaleable sole as so small - just avoid and have whitefish and chips. Staff lovely and place nice. trick on wine - 10% alcohol for many to lower duty - at £25 for housewine - works out at about £32 if normal strength. mr owner knows what he is doing - good luck to him but stick to whitefish and chips and this place will make you happy.

Well, we’ve waited so long for you guys to open again. It didn’t disappoint it was just as good if not better! Staff were lovely and friendly. We travelled 66 miles to get there and would do it again and again! The best fish & chips ever, along with all the fresh fish that we came away with. So good thank you guys! Looking forward to our return…

Absolutely wonderful place. Great staff, witty, friendly and very attentive. The food and wine are terrific, wonderful tasty menu and generous portions. The design of the place demonstrates the care, attention and the abilities of owner Darren. A Southwold must. Probably best to book!

Excellent restaurant. So happy it’s now back open and better than ever. Beautiful fresh seafood, the staff are all so helpful and friendly. The rebuild is spot on and so impressive. Love it here & would highly recommend.

We called midweek for fish and chips and was very disappointed. Having been several times in the past year this visit was well below par. The fish was very small. I asked for cod but it was more like a Plaice fillet, very flat. Because of this it was very overcooked. Perhaps I went on a bad day but for what they charge you can’t have bad days. Roll on the day when Mrs T’s reopens next door.

Nice chips small portions for the money. Very rude staff who humiliated me and at me twice i was told I couldn’t wait inside although i was the only customer at the counter very rude, i said they were taking the mickey but they said wait outside it was quite clear they were laughing at me. My buzzer sounded i collected our order and put salt and vinegar on . They continued making fun of me, I couldn’t bring myself to reply i felt so humiliated and laughe hysterically as i waled off with my family. And after a 48 year career in retail management I felt insulted and still do. A good product but as they have no competition locally they obviously don’t care who or what they employ how sad .

Enjoyed a fabulous al fresco lunch (crevettes, fish and chips). Lovely place to sit and watch the world go by, superb fresh seafood.

The food was genuinely lovely however the slow service to order was a bit of a let down. I don’t mind queuing but I think there could definitely be a better system. The girl taking orders also had to make up all the drinks and that made the queue very slow. We waited about 40 mins to order which felt excessive. Once we’d ordered the food came fairly quickly and was delicious. The place was ok but lots of leftover bottles scattered around which made it a bit messy.

If I could give the takeaway zero stars I would! Didn’t get to eat here, husband went to park the car (and pay for the car parking) while I waited for him at the takeaway site. This was about an hour and half before they were due to close. Noticed a guy seemed to be clearing up and asked if they were closing, was told they were. We had checked they would be open before making our way there and nowhere did it say they would be closing early! No apology when I said that they were supposed to be open until 5, just a “sometimes we close early”. Appalling customer service! From two very hungry potential customers!

Loved this place. Great spot on the moorings on Southwold. It must be good, as the seating was packed. The food was excellent and there was a good vibe. The staff were very lovely and the food freshly cooked and hot. They have a liquor licence, so a pint or glass of wine with your fish supper, what could be better.

We had eaten here two days before and had a wonderful meal so decided to get a takeaway order for the whole family of 10. Unfortunately parts of the order were missed and instead of apologising and putting the missing items in to cook straight away we were told we had to queue up again and reorder. By the time the missing food arrived (20 mins) the original order was luke warm and the batter was soggy. Some of the staff were abrupt and unhelpful and one didn’t even believe the order had been missed and looked through the food to check! When we received the food - it wasn’t clear what was cod and what was haddock - orders hadn’t been labelled, meals hadn’t been put together and some items were bagged up separately. Also fish cakes contained shrimps - we were not told on ordering and it wasn’t mentioned on the menu. Shrimps/prawns are an allergen and this could have had serious repurcussions. Considering we spent £140 this was a disappointing experience - the food would have been lovely if we could have eaten it straight away and not had to wait for the missing items.

Fantastic fish and chips. We ordered a takeaway. There was a large queue which moved quickly and then a 15 minute wait whilst the fish was cooked fresh for us. We enjoyed our food sitting on a bench looking over the beach. Tasty fish, we had skate and haddock and shared some chips.

What a great place for fish and chips. Read about it on TA and other peoples views sold it to us. And rightly so. It is about a 20 minute walk from the town. Follow the beach road and turn onto a gravel road for about half a mile passing some harbour sheds. The road isn’t great condition but bear with it. The Sole Bay company is outdoor dining only at present. Order at a bar area and given a buzzer when food ready and then served to you. Lovely side pots of tartar sauce and tomato ketchup (which you pay for). Excellent portions of fish and chips even the children’s portions. Quick service. Overlooking the estuary. Definitely go back. Shuts 5pm midweek and 7pm weekends so do not miss out. Enjoy

Top quality nosh, excellent! Would definitely recommend! Very busy when I went and was served extremely quickly and greeted with a smile!

We visited after eating fish and chips at the takeaway shop in Southwold the previous day. As the indoor restaurant isn't open, we sat outside and it was very busy. We ordered via a hut and the food was really delicious and fresh! Good service and the staff were friendly. Good choices on the menu and there is also a fishmongers next door which sells fresh produce. Shame it was a bit windy outside but we had a great lunch anyway!

“Everyone” knows about this lovely “secret” (and if that’s not a hint to get there early…). The quality of the fish, chips & the wonderful batter was superb. We opted for the haddock as we dare to be different &, what a great choice it was! If all haddock tasted this good, I’d be off the cod for good. There’s a couple of things that, sadly, might deter some of you. Owing to a recent fire, the Sole Bay Fish Company at Walberswick currently (Autumn’23) only offers outside seating & doesn’t do cups of tea. Not a big problem on a warm Saturday afternoon in September but, nonetheless, a pity. Let’s hope that they get permission to rebuild. In the meantime, bring a layer or two to wear.

We had walked from Dunwich so had worked up an appetite. It was a sunny Saturday so there was a bit of a wait but we got chatting to people and time flew by… after all it’s not a bad place to sit and chill! The food was spot on. I did laugh when my two fairly small prawns arrived on a plate but they were so delicious that they’re forgiven for that and I would have them again. I saw a review complaining about the price for sauces but they neglected to mention you get a massive pot so could easily share between 2 or 3 people. Can’t wait to visit again

The freshest oysters you can imagine, shucked right infront of us, alongside a pint of shell-on prawns, washed down with two local ciders. Sat in the sun, overlooking the river. Doesn’t get much better! We will be back

Just had the worst fish & chips EVER!!! Fish mostly tasteless batter and incredibly dry fish. Chips dry, eaten here before and it’s been ok. Also queued got almost 2 hours, absolutely awful

What a treat! Fresh seafood, great selection and friendly service. We chose dressed crab with a baguette - yum! The platters and fish n chips looked delicious too. Highly recommend 😍

Amazing place to eat and enjoy the scenery. Friendly staff , easy Tom order and the grilled lobster was to die for! Thank you

It's worth knowing that everything is cooked in beef fat so if you eat fish but not red meat you'll be stuck. Also, sauces are an additional 95p.

Good service and a lovely setting. At £6.50 I thought my 2 fish gujons with half a portion of chips was very generous and tasty and well worth the money. The homemade mushy peas I had been very much looking foward to were a huge letdown! I was very excitedly expecting them to be like the propper ones you get on norwich or Great Yarmouth market but unfortunately they seemed to have just put boiled peas in a blender which really marred my experience to say the least. The crevettes were far too expensive and not worth all the faff involved in eating them. Had I read the price before ordingering it there is no way I'd have paid 95p for mayonnaise - it was nice but that is an absolute rip-off. My mum enjoyed her cod and chips.

Didn't eat here, instead went to their wet fish counter and bought freshly caught prawns, dressed crab and sea bass fillets. All were really really tasty. Couldn't fail to be as just caught. Went to the outlet on the quay by the small harbour. There are a few fish shops down there, very atmospheric with the boats and a great view across to Walberswick.

One of the best fish and chip shops on the Suffolk coast a good choice of fish from their own boat (s) They have done well to get going again after the fire

Didn't want to have fish and chips so went into the fishmongers part and they made us a fantastic platter which was simply the best. Great value and excellent quality! And cold bottles of beer!

We normally use Mrs t but the fire has sadly put pay to that. Our F and C was greasy and over cooked, tartare sauce bland and uninteresting, curry sauce tasted of powder, not very pleasant. The place itself is dirty, it may only be a takeaway but when you put out tables you need to clear and clean them. Rubbish and grime everywhere. The worst bit was when the chap in front of me tried to get another fork. He followed after the boy who brings out the food. He was met by some greasy tattooed fryer operative who told him he should nt be there , there is a “fuc*ing big sign, and basically told him to f**k off and slammed the door. I think that attitude sums up the whole place. I’m more than happy to fu** off and not return.

Fantastic fish and chips glad the manager is back everything is back to normal. Well worth a visit fresh fish, great service .

A fabulous pub- great location, friendly staff and delicious food. Would highly recommend a visit here to anyone in Southwold.

Great fish and chips by the harbour. Have to sit outside due to the recent fire, but well worth it. Food is fresh and place is busy

Fantastic fish and chips! Really top notch and curry sauce was rich and tasty! Portion size was great, condiments were generous! Oh, and Adnam's Beer too! Yes please!

After a wonderful walk along the beach and back we made our way down the harbour to look at the results of the devastating fire at both fish & chips places we had used in the past , we were very much surprised to see...

Sole Bay suffered a disastrous start to the late-Spring/early-Summer season when their main premises at the Harbour was gutted by fire during the night of 1 May 2023. But not to be deterred, the owner and his stalwart staff stepped up to the challenge and,...

Visited with family foodies for a special occasion. Came recommended and finally managed to get a table to coincide with our visits to the area. Worth the effort and delivered the culinary and ambiance experience that was anticipated. The Lobster sharing platter did not disappoint...

Went here with some friends for lunch. Probably some of the best fish and chips I’ve had!! Oysters were delicious and super fresh. All washed down with a couple of pints of Ghost Ship. Will definitely visit again

Enjoyed an absolutely fantastic lunch at Sole Bay Fish Co. Oysters and chargrilled crevettes to start with then we built our own platter for main course. Absolutely delicious, fresh fish and seafood and finished off with pretty much the nicest coffee I've ever had. The...

What a find and hidden gem. All these years of visiting Southwold and now we discover it has a ‘harbour’ and fish shack. This was a wonderful experience. Lobster so fresh and beautifully presented. Washed down with a really good lager. Looking forward to visiting...

We booked this immediately booking our visit to Southwold as the website said it was advisable, we are so glad we did. The seafood platter was very tasty and beautifully presented, the pic de pinoult wine excellent and all the staff were friendly, efficient and...

Fantastic meal as usual, had my favourite table with the view of the town. New staff but very welcoming to me, my brother, best friend and my dog Lucy x

Went here for take away whilst renting a house for a week . Great batter on fish. Fish white chips cooked in beef dripping !!

The Sole Bay Fish Co. has very fresh seafood. Unfortunately, the road is in VERY bad condition to get there, there are HUGE pot holes that can swallow a small car, they were filled with water the day of our visit. We enjoyed the rock...

Went on their web-site and booked a Lunch for a disabled woman who was 85 that day.. In the Special Requests section, I wrote "Birthday Lunch for elderly lady with mobility issues. Easy-access table please" Was hoping that they might actually READ that and react...

Visited at Christmas and it was great so we went back on our visit to Southwold this time, just as fabulous with superb service and great value It is also dog friendly Make sure to book as it is very busy

Arrived at the restaurant without a booking having foolishly walked the 25 mins with my 2 children (baby & 4yo who were tired and cranky)! Restaurant was full however the waitress Holly (I believe - apologies if I’ve got this wrong!) made an effort to...

Popped in after enjoying a cold walk along the harbour Lovely warm restaurant Perfectly cooked cod, chips and mushy peas Friendly efficient service Booked to come back later in the month with family, who are visiting from South Shields

Booked this Restaurant for dining with visiting friends walking from Walberswick with our dog (nice to be able to find a dog friendly restaurant) First Class meal enjoyed with very attentive staff. Shall certainly be visiting again.

We stopped for some lunch, the restaurant was full inside, but you can sit outside under cover and have the same menu just outside. The food was very good, we both enjoyed our meals, would stop back the next time we visit Southwold.

We took my daughter and her two girls for a fish & chop lunch. The choice is very extensive, one granddaughter had moules, two of the party had haddock and chips, another a sausage and a fishcake for myself. We ate this on the outdoor...

Had this booked for sometime for my partners birthday . Slightly disappointed on arrival we were told they were out of lobster as I think that was what he had in mind , perhaps I should of preordered . We almost left to go to...

Perfect setting, friendly staff, a ace fish finger sandwich with a nice cup of tea! Life is swell…. I would have been sad to miss it.

We both had fish and chips. The 20 minutes in the queue was followed by only a 15 minute wait for the food, brilliant considering the length of the queue. Really hot and tasty and delicious as usual, highly recommended !

What a fantastic anniversary lunch at this restaurant and I also bought fresh fish from the counter to take home the next day. We pushed the boat out as it was a special occasion and the restaurant did not fail to deliver. Thank you, the...

Visit twice a year with friends - is a sort of ritual ! They live in Northants and we get together in Southwold both at the end and at the beginning of the season. This place is lovely! East on the beach, indoors or in...

Watched a member of staff humiliate a young boy with autism for taking the lid off the salt shaker. Before shaming a little boy with learning difficulties perhaps talk to the parents or better still just replace the salt, without announcing your annoyance to everyone....

Food 5 / 5 Service 5 / 5 Ambience 5 / 5 Value for Money 5 / 5 Likelyhood of return 5 / 5 This is my 4th visit and I have chosen a different dish each time and each one has been delicious 😋...

We are a large family of 12 adults, 4 children and 2 dogs and were given the private room for lunch which was perfect. As always the food was excellent , especially the amazing lobster and chips! The service was friendly, efficient and nothing was...

What a beautiful, rustic-perfectly positioned fish restaurant. We had a delicious birthday celebratory meal here on a cold January Friday lunchtime. The food was well presented, hot & perfectly cooked. The staff were friendly, obliging and professional. Highly recommend & look forward to returning!

Wow. Waiting for takeaway for at least 30 mins. Queue of families in the cold. Without any advance warning they come and lock the door in our faces. If you close at a specific time it is usual practise to have a sign or a...

Be under no illusions, this is an incredible place on the edge of an interesting river. Yes, you can have traditional cod and chips. But you can also eat lobster, oysters.....you can even order your very own mixed platter. Now, it may seem a bit...

Quality of fish is excellent & very fresh staff are friendly and helpful lovely ambience we have been coming for years and never been disappointed consistently good, can’t wait for our next visit we drive from London.

Amazing! We come to south wolds every year for the weekend just to go to this restaurant, it’s a hidden gem and never disappoints. The staff are fantastic and the seafood is out of this world. A must have to anyone to go. We couldn’t...

A birthday lunch to remember. The dishes of crevettes and mussels were a delight. The staff are friendly and attentive. The ambience is good. To eat in the restaurant it is advisable to book.

Our first trip here but not the last. It's obviously a popular spot, with a good atmosphere, and most people seemed to be regulars. I had the dressed crab and chips, which was lovely and fresh. Service was friendly and efficient, we didn't feel rushed...

Wow - a maté recommendation we followed up and glad we did Worth every penny and a great walk along the beach to get to - we were so full afterwards Fantastic authentic experience Cheers

We have been regulars here since the end of lockdown. We park for free in the town and choose a different walk marsh or beach there are various routes to choose. These usually last about an hour and we arrive for midday. We do always...

Bought 4 skate wings and some crayfish tails. Are the crayfish tails very tasty and brought the skate home. Cooked to the next day and they were beautiful. Wish I’d bought more but no room in the freezer.

Exceptional staff and food. Great friendly welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended, but book in advance as it’s very popular!

A delightful place to visit. If you like fish you'll love this place. Excellent fish menu. You can choose exactually want from a varied menu. Friendly and helpful staff. I've been three times and will be back

We stumbled across this restaurant, take-away and fresh fish shop by accident. It’s great to be able to support an in-shore fishing enterprise. The fresh fish has to be seen to be believed, the biggest Sea Bass I’ve ever seen caught just offshore with lobster,...

Whole day put out as paid for fish and chips and had to wait for 45 minutes for it to be made. Food was good but the wait which we were not informed about put our days plans out. Tell customers if there is a...

Fantastic lobster and haddock. Well worth a visit and found by chance. Very glad we did! Helpful and friendly team. Great rose choice.

Beautiful food. Only disappointment was I made it very clear I had booked the visit as a surprise. Was told they would need to call & confirm my booking. Advised them I was driving a long way & my friend would be with me in...

Wonderful lunch! The beer-battered oysters with lemon mayo were a triumph as a shared starter - we paired it with some lovely artisan bread. My husband had the sea bass as a main and I had the crevettes. Both dishes were outstanding. Service was friendly,...

We have been here a number of times and always have the best experience. Fresh food and well cooked, great wines, and attentive staff. Had a mixed platter to start and the battered oysters were wonderful. We both had a main with haddock and plaice...

Be warned - completely unaware of allergens in food. When asked for gluten free options we were met with a simple ‘we don’t do that here’. Although advised of GF requirements I suspect there was some contamination as our GF member wasn’t well afterwards… In...

We have eaten here before sitting outside but this time we sat inside and we was a party of 6 we ordered 3 sharing platters chips and some oysters and was all lovely and fresh and the service was brilliant. We all had a lovely...

Waited over half an hour for 2 cod and 1 chips and a tartar sauce. I saw they had 6 tickets on and the place wasn’t crowded or necessarily busy. Seemed to be lots of staff with not much activity. All of which came to...

When push comes to shove, our profit is more important than your enjoyment. No more drinks and move across the room, we need your table in ten minutes for a bigger party. The food had been enjoyable but the atmosphere was destroyed in an instant....

Fish & Chips were average. I had Rock & Chips, 2 small (over cooked) pieces of fish. Others in our party found the portions & quality disappointing too. Should have realised why there was a queue next door (Mrs T) as food much better. Bought...

Good ambience. Friendly efficient staff. Great service. Sea bass really fresh beautifully presented with salad and yummy chips. Book early to avoid disappointment.

We ate here twice and each time was just great. The food is excellent but don’t expect puddings - it is basically an upmarket fish and chip shop. We had haddock and chips, lobster and chips and oysters and chips. All were fantastic and cooked...

Super friendly service, lovely food and lots of great atmosphere. Perfect place to get a feel for Southwold. A must visit!

Service rushed , food tasteless and dry . Peas arrived 10 mins after mains served. Skate wing could not be eaten . On collection of plates and seeing non had been eating the server hastily piled them up and removed with out asking how we...

When visiting Southwold had a delicious lunch at the Sole Bay FIsh Restaurant. The service was excellent and the people friendly. It is essential to book. There is a take away service if you can't get into the restaurant and you can also buy freshly...

On a really hot July day we ate inside for a delicious lunch in their lovely cool interior. It was one of those occasions where you covet the meals of your fellow diners as the food is delivered to surrounding tables - but not to...

Our first visit at the rather unusual time of 2:45pm, the only time they could fit us in and the last sitting until the school holidays. We decided to have a 'design your own ' sharing fish platter, chosing from a huge range of options...

We have eaten here 4 times over the period of a few years whilst on holiday. Always great food and great service. The restaurant is a gem and a lovely atmosphere. Staff are wonderful, and the food is superb if you are looking for a...

Get there close to opening time as this place can get busy. Beautifully located along the harbour, this place provides the most authentic setting to enjoy some very tasty fresh seafood accompanied by a choice of wines and local Adnams beers. Indoor and outdoor seating...

Cod and chips was very disappointing. The cod portion was very thin and not cheap. Expected better. Shame as we came here on a recommendation.

First time at this restaurant and we throughly enjoyed it, so much so we rebooked for September, really get service with great attention, we even popped in the next morning to buy some wet fish for supper when we got home

Fantastic mixed seafood player with beer battered oyster and chargrilled crevettes with a nice bottle of Pinot. The restaurant was fully booked but what a better way to enjoy fresh seafood than in the fresh air. Really friendly people that were extremely attentive. A real...

It’s rustic but wonderful, it’s not rick steins but Rick doesn’t buy amazing local fresh fish like these People do ! The staff were wonderfully charming and polite, don’t believe the other reviews ! Hard working women working flat out show them respect and be...

From the service to the food it was a lovely afternoon at Sole Bay! 🐟 The starters were beautifully presented & tasted so fresh. We had crayfish & crab with the bread & baguettes 😍 Our mains came out & again were served flawlessly &...

We love the restaurant, food and people. Coming here always makes us smile. Our dog even knows the way once he comes up the beach.

Me and my family were down suffolk on holiday we had heard good things about the sole bay so we went to check it out we couldn't get into the restraunt which looked beautiful so we ate outside but then we went to buy some...

friendly staff let down by the kitchen. Starter arrived with notified allergen on it. Then waited 3/4 hour for the main course. Offered a free coffee in recompense. By the time the food came had gone off the whole idea. The large prawns were okay,...

Over the years we have been regular visitors to Southwold quay and Walberswick. Sole Bay presented plenty of hype about their fish and seafood and boasts an impressive fish counter: however, the service let us (and a few others) down. The sea bass came overcooked...

Love this restaurant. Our favourite fish and chips in Southwold, we won’t go anywhere else! We love the side garden or the outdoor seating area out the front! Restaurant nice too. Great food and worth every penny!!!!

Have been wanting to visit Southwold for sometime and as we were staying nearby and it being 20 years since my wife and I's first date decided to have luch here. We went for the Mixed Seafood platter with a few Oysters thrown in for...

Had cod chips n tartare sauce. We only wanted 2 cod and 1 chips but for some reason, that did not seem possible. The fish was small, thin and grey not in the least fleshy flakes. Cooked in Beef fat, not for us. Tartare sauce...