The Best Dressed Crab in Isle of Wight

We were told about 'The Best Dressed Crab ' from our host where we stayed 👍 According to Google Maps, only a 7 minute drive from our location, we picked a day and phoned ahead to make a reservation ( don't visit without booking prior to going ). Because of local roadworks in place, it took nearly an hour to reach our destination 😩 We parked up alongside the river and proceeded to walk down the jetty to what looked like a mobile home in the river🥺 When we entered the hut, we were pleasantly surprised at how cosy and welcoming it was. We were shown to our table, and menus were received 👍 The menu was well put together with various dishes to tempt you from a crab sandwich to a full seafood platter🥲 We chose the seafood platter, and boy was that a great option, we had clams, prawns, crevettees, dressed crabs, mussels, lobster, and crab claws, all on top of a fresh salad tray with leaves, rocket and baby tomatoes, and two large chunks of baguette ( see photos ) all washed down with some prosseco and English ale it was very very tasty. It satisfied us thoroughly, so there was no room for dessert . Cannot recommend this place highly enough just wish we lived closer as I think this would be where I spent most of my hard earned English pounds in❤️ Please be aware that they can run out of seafood as they are governed by what they catch fresh that morning

An idyllic spot to eat excellent shellfish (the dressed crab was superb) and watch birdlife on one of the Isle of Wight's many tidal estuaries.

Fantastic fresh seafood in a sublime setting

Amazing seafood, very tranquil atmosphere and surroundings.

Went for lunch (2 of us) on a rainy midweek day. We ordered the seafood platter (£84) plus some fries and a bottle of wine. The platter was pretty good but let down by the small amount of bread and butter - asked for some more and was amused to see that we were charged an additional £1.50 for a second small baguette. But at least the second baguette ( the part baked type) was warm. The staff were not attentive although pleasant when they did notice us. Only one other occupied table, presumably due to the weather and time of year. I don’t think we would make a special trip again. We appreciated being able to bring our 2 small dogs.

This restaurant is in a stunning location in Bembridge harbour, allowing us to enjoy wonderful fresh seafood with a view. I had the dressed crab which was extremely good, and the chips were also excellent.

Lovely food in a unusual place. Eating crab on a floating restaurant.

Excellent seafood platter, very fresh. Nice watching all the goings on in the harbour while you eat, both wildlife, swans, ducks and seagulls, and the harbourmaster ferring people to their boats. Very busy, need to book. Friendly service ; seafood platter, with baguette (for two), prawn salad, ( with good portion of prawns in a mary rose sauce), two medium glasses of wine, and a soft drink, £128.

We booked three weeks in advance for a 2 o’clock sitting and of all the restaurants on the island chose this one for a special family day out as we’ve been here before. But wow, it’s gone downhill, we waited an hour for our food after sitting there for 50 minutes where only told then that they had no lobster or Crab left. They managed to make up one dressed Crab on the seafood platter which was basically prawns and salad but after we complained, they waived the charge for this, so they did the right thing. Nice location, nice day, no one seem to be in charge very poor service.

We dropped in for coffee and there was another table occupied by locals chatting. Their food looked good. We had to go elsewhere due to time. We booked to return the next day, but due to horrendous weather we had to cancel. Such a pity as I was salivating at the thought. Next time. It was clean, friendly, welcoming and the food looked amazing.

A MaZING. Just perfect. A perfect spot in the sun to stop and enjoy some seafood. When in the island it is a must. The menu is spot on right down to the portion of chips which I must say were fantastic too. We ordered crab salad and prawn baguette with a side order of chips and two coffees (weird mix perhaps). Everything was done to perfection. Service, speed of order and of course flavour, freshness and presentation. Ideally we would have booked but we managed to bag a seat outside. Will be back often to try out the other items on the menu.

Small menu but wonderful food in a wonderful setting. Sit outside if the weather’s Ok

Very disappointed. Having waited weeks to come here only for it to be a huge disappointment. Over rated and over priced. The crab salad had very little taste to it, and crab is a firm favourite of mine. The prawn salad was simply a very small prawn cocktail minus the sauce, very little taste. It’s safe to say we will not return. A nice venue with great views, lovely staff and that’s all - so very disappointed

It's a wonderful location, especially when the sun is out and the tide is in. The standard of food and service is good. But since our last visit, they have taken crab sandwiches off the menu, and it was that I was looking forward to. A tip: if you're tempted by the prawn salad, get a prawn baguette instead as it's much better value. We had one of each; they included about the same amount of prawns and the same amount of salad, and the baguette dish had twice as much bread. But the salad dish costs almost 40% more.

Can’t fault this place, picturesque location, friendly atmosphere and of course excellent food. Had the Hot Crab ramekin with salad, probably the tastiest Crab I have had in my life, a treat for the tastebuds, gets very busy too which is always a great sign so well worth booking a table, nice outside seating area too if the weathers good.

Booking needed herde, what a gem of a place! Floating on the harbour, this tiny cafe serves up fresh seafood in a bright environment, cherery staff and nice service. The car park is quite tiny and the walk along the pontoon a bit concerning when raining, no hand rails ... but we made it! Two of us had the sharer seafood platter and one the crab salad, all beautifully presented, delicious and we were very happy with our food. I've read the reviews for the place, my 94 year old Mum thought it was lovely, my world traveller husband thought it was lovely as did I.

What a fantastic lunch, we dropped in on our way cycling around the island and were lucky to get a table, it was a very wet day so the warm cuppa and delicious hot crab ramekin did just the job 🦀

We were unable to get in on our last visit and took the first available table we could get. The food and wine order was swiftly and efficiently taken and we watched wading birds in the mud while we waited. Couldn’t choose between the Crab and the Lobster salads so had one of each. With a smallish menu you would expect things to be done well- and they were. Ice- bucket?- tick. Check-backs?- tick. Crackers and picks? - tick. Our table was rebooked later but we were under no pressure to finish and enjoyed the ambience and rising tide.

Booking is recommended. We missed out on crab salad again. Yet everything is fresh and don’t underestimate the sandwiches. Wish they have more parking though.

A great place to eat at lunchtime (12.00 or 14.00 sittings) especially if it's warm and sunny. Must book in advance to avoid disappointment

Food ok, service ok, atmosphere ok. Had heard such great things but the reality was underwhelming & expensive for portion size. Won't rush back. On the plus side was dog friendly.

Popped in on the off chance although I don't generally like seafood unlike my other half.The staff were polite and efficient and rustled up something basic for me and my partner enjoyed her prawn salad .Wonderful views across Bembridge harbour and a cool restaurant on a hot day.

Another delicious crab lunch at the Best Dressed Crab - so fresh. Very lucky to have this almost on my doorstep!

Lovely setting ! But such a shame for the long wait for service !!white wine was warm not even chilled when complained a wine caller with ice given but took 40 minutes for it to cool !! Heard the next table complain about cold coffee so made a conscious effort to ask for a hot coffee but still just warm on arrival When sent back it had been micro waved but still warm in the middle !! For £84 for the platter it was rather small with only half a small baguette each and only mayonnaise for a sauce Not worth the money I’m afraid

A lovely treat - we had the crab salad which was very good.

Easy to book,really friendly staff,great food and brilliant service ,well done

Lots of negative reviews recently but don’t pay them much heed. This is our second time visiting while on holiday (came last year as well). Both times the food has been top notch - it’s not the cheapest but it’s certainly the freshest we’ve had and makes the cost worthwhile in our eyes. Service was fine - not Michelin star amazing, but they were polite and efficient and the wait was reasonable considering how busy they were. Will definitely be coming back if we visit again in future. Go for the platter - you won’t regret it :) Oh and you can take your dog too which is a rare thing in decent eateries.

Cute little place . Just had coffee but imaging the food is good

Absolutely fabulous. We had the best seafood platter ever. The lobster was amazing. Location is fantastic and it is very popular so you have to book ahead.

It was nice but wouldn't say it was any better than other dressed crab salads I've had.

Lovely location overlooking Bembridge harbour. Poor service from young inexperienced staff. Prawn salad very disappointing, plenty of prawns but very small and tasteless, salad was a few leaves and two half cherry tomatoes and half a baguette (like those ready to cook ones!) Overpriced, wont' be going again. Oh, and they don't take cash!

We bought crab to take away , it was delicious

Fresh seafood at one of the islands most popular spots - tasty crab and prawn dishes - worth making a reservation to make sure you get a table

We used to come here very regularly for a crab sandwich, which were always excellent, best on the Island even. Every time we had a visitor we introduced them to this lovely little restaurant. Since Covid, sadly these sandwiches are no longer on the menu, once we found them as a 'special'. We came to the conclusion the restaurant has found they can make a lot more money by selling crab as part of a salad meal, so only offer sandwiches if a glut of crab? The salads, including the seafood platter, are very much a lettuce affair and not really for us, although we have tried a few when disappointed no crab sandwich. Probably won't ever go back again.

Only had coffee, was very nice, and quick.

We had a lunch with The Best Dressed Crab on Thursday , 18th July. Pre- booking is imperative. If you are looking for a cheap burger and fries then go elsewhere! The establishment is light and airy, the staff first rate and very friendly and polite. The food is fantastic! We had lobster salads which were beautifully presented and plenty of it. The lobster tasted marvelous as did the salad which was fresh and crisp. Not a cheap meal but, in my opinion, worth every penny, and I don't often say that! If I could give 10 stars, I would, as it was such a great experience. If you want to push the boat out a bit, then I can certainly recommend this restaurant! You won't regret it, I promise.

Absolutely amazing food..we see this place on the TV at the start of the year and it was our holiday treat 10/10

It really is. The best crab ever

We had lunch here today and it was fantastic. The staff were efficient and knowledgeable and the food was first class. I would advise booking to avoid any disappointment as it's quite a small place and very popular. If I ever return to the island I'll be coming back here. Parking is limited.

Very popular Great fresh sea food parking can be difficult

Having seen this place on TV we decided to book a lunch for while we were in the Isle of Wight on holiday as a special treat. We had the platter which comprised of mussels clams prawns crevettes lobster and crab. Not cheap at £85 but as a special treat we thought it would be worth it. It looked impressive, but it was all padded out with lettuce leaves. There were a few cherry tomatoes and a part baked baguette between us. The seafood was very cold like it had been frozen and apart from the crab pretty tasteless. It would of been nice to have a dressing of some sort with it. Soft drinks were over priced and service was not great. I've never spent so much money on lunch and still felt hungry. I might not have been so upset if I hadn't been looking forward to it for the last 6 months.

Sat outside in a large group. The food was amazing and not as expensive as I had thought.

great location, parking too. Food was great to, we see it on that Susan Calman UK holidays show, all very good, it is top dollar though, £85 for the 2 platter share.

Lovely cafe in the bay, a floating cafe. Lobster and crab speciality, had both with salad and chips, excellent. If possible go when the tide is high. At low tide the bay is just green 'stuff'.

What an amazing place to go to! The food was fantastic, so fresh and prepared beautifully! The staff were great and made us feel welcomed. Very delicious, great atmosphere. The toilet was clean. Tables were clean. Floor was clean!! 10/10 I’ll definitely be going there again!

We were so looking forward to this place. With all the hype and recomendations. Service a little slow but hey ho. Ordered lobster salad. What a disgrace. A large prawn on afew leaves of lettuce, 2 halves of cherry toms and a couple red onion rings. £28.00 thank you enjoy if you can. The best bit were the chips but £4.50 for a cereal bowl full. Absoulute let down.

Had a delicious sea food platter lunch here. The food was great, the restaurant style was simple, the views very scenic. Just felt the waiting staff were missing a conductor, they were a bit lackluster. Always worth booking ahead.

I walked into the restaurant a young boy asked whether we had booked, I said no. The Young boy was very unprofessional with a lot of whispering going on with another young girl in front of us, it felt like we were being judged. The boy walked off and the young girl told us they were fully booked and offered the takeaway menu but we refused due to the way we were treated. The correct way of approaching the situation is knowing your tables when customers come in… sorry we are fully booked and would you like the takeaway menu.

Brilliant place! Wonderful food! Quite expensive but not considering the quality. Be prepared to walk - there's very little parking and it's quite a way from the nearest public car park.

Delicious and fresh food. Was able to seat and serve us even though we got there just before they closed.

Exquisite everything I hoped for.

My partner and I had a lovely meal on Saturday and what a lovely meal we both had highly recommended

Seafood platter was exceptional. Service was slow and a bit erratic, but they were understaffed. We will be coming back for sure!

Absolutly the best meal we have ever had! Hadnt booked so was very lucky to get a table when we arrived. Decided to go for the seafood platter for two. Wow!! What an incredible meal. So much fresh seafood and a perfect selection too. Lobster, prawns, clams, mussels, and drsssed crab. So good we are returning again tommorow! Best to book ahead as very popular.

What a lovely place to have lunch at. Great weather, great tasty food. But I thought the staff looked rushed a bit. But it's still a great experience for all to injury.

We had a late lunch at the Floating cafe today. We order a seafood platter for two and a lovely bottom of Chablis to go with it. The deck seating was lovely, the weather today was a little hit and miss. We didn’t have the best of sunshine, it was a little bit windy at times but we consider ourselves very luck with the weather because there was no rain when we had our lunch. The platter was lovely but next time I probably would go for just lobster or crab because cold mussels are not really my thing. Saying that, we thoroughly enjoyed the dressed crabs, lobster, prawns and salad. Although the weather was a bit grey today, we are certain that it would be amazing to be sat at the deck outside when the weather is glorious. This place is not big, so I suggest booking ahead. The staff is helpful and friendly. It is certainly worth a visit if you found yourselves at Bembridge.😉

1st time back on island in 60years

Went to the restaurant from Kent came highly recommended The lobster was hard when I asked for some implements and some condiments I was told the chef said no very blan. Such a shame as we travelled from Kent UK specifically to go there. But it was nice to see a family of children working with mum and very good.

This is a must visit restaurant for anyone into shellfish. The food is amazing and all staff friendly and attentive. I will definitely visit here again when I am next on the island.

Lovely setting and friendly staff. Seafood was OK. We had the whole lobster, which was...OK, but nothing special Frozen chips were successfully fried, but perhaps the cooking team need to understand that part-cooked baguettes can't be re-heated on a radiator. It's not difficult - put them in an oven at 200 deg for 10 mins. Also, stale ready-made salad dressing makes everything on the plate (including the bagged salad) taste like stale ready-made salad dressing. Oh - and a whole lobster needs more than a quarter of a lemon, but the lovely server helped out with that. The wine was nice and cold

Nice place in stunning surroundings you need to book , issues with our service orders mixed up but were rectified and didn't spoil our meal,the meals are on the pricey side but are fresh .

Only serves crab by appointment. Disappointing. Outside seating suffers from constantly banging door. Friendly staff.

Always book a visit when we drop onto IoW. Never disappoints, fresh lobster is a must and fingers crossed for the weather with an outside table. Just great food and lovely people that run it

Wonderful lobster lunch today when passing through Bembridge on our way to Sandown. Highly Recommended for 🦞 Lobster and/or 🦀 Crab Salad, with beautiful views of the harbour. Excellent food and service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crevette salads are melt in the mouth delicious !

Generally we all enjoyed the crab and lobster. The prawn salad was a bit tasteless with tiny prawns. Very disappointed by the baguette.. I had visions of a lovely fresh crisp item with a fluffy inside. What we got was a par baked vacuum packed item that was hardly cooked and very solid.

We had a sharing platter which was very nice a little expensive at £85 but we were on holiday, 2 things I didn't like firstly it's cashless personally I usually avoid any business that won't take cash . and secondly when given the card machine it's got several things to press 3 with tips and one with no tip , Tips are for good service to poorly paid waiting staff not the owner of a business , i thought this was a real cheek ! Also I couldn't understand why it looked like a builder's canteen inside .

Not what I expected, its like a portacabin, boring no decor, like going into a builders cafe, food is bland, no taste , small portions, and crab was dry, so very disappointed

B-E -A -UTIFUL!! View. Fantastic baguettes Friendly staff

Disappointed. Lobster salad very mediocre.

Best dressed crab I have had and I have had a lot!!

Beautiful views, great service and gorgeous food. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

Slow service on the Isle of Wight falls into one of two categories. Either piece of life on the island, genuinely terrible service. Sadly, this falls into the latter more than the former. We had a reservation for 2 pm and didn’t even get drinks until around 2.45. It was easily an hour after we arrived before we got some food. At least two tables who arrived after us was served and had their meals delivered before us. There was hardly anything in way of an apology until we actually complained We suggested by way of gesture, the restaurant could discount the price of one bottle of Prosecco, they brought us another free of charge. The wholesale cost of two bottles means they still made a profit. Food is fine, although overpriced for what was ordered, sharing fish platter looked amazing. But one of our party had the coronation chicken sandwich which was average at best. The restaurant feels more like a backstreet Café than it does a restaurant. There are far better places to eat and drink on the Isle of Wight. Save your money and eat elsewhere.

Very quiet lunchtime visit, excellent quality seafood.

Amazing food and amazing experience! The staff was very kind and professional! I'd recommend booking in advance as the place is small and popular! Best crab I've ever had! Would definitely go back again!

The nicest dressed crab baguette I've had!

We love this place every time we come to the iow we always come here best seafood on the island, the crab is on another level, can’t wait to return

We couldn’t wait to visit this little restaurant again after a one year absence. It continues to serve, amazing seafood, mainly lobster and crab, the freshest you can find on the island. Very pleasant and super fast service, we enjoyed absolutely the freshest, delicious dressed crab and salad, and crab filled baguettes. We were lucky to have a beautiful day in February, it’s best to make a reservation as this restaurant is extremely popular with the tourists and locals alike. Highly recommended!

Wonderful place! So lucky and grateful to get a table on a Sunday lunchtime.... Definitely return!

Came here on New Year’s Day and what a joy it was. Great , friendly service (blonde lady was excellent) , fantastic fresh food, lovely setting and beautiful views. It was an 11/10 for me. Can’t wait to return :)

We visited on new years eve and the crab was horrible, I've not tasted crab like it, the 4 dressed crabs we had all tasted the same, bitter with an almost chemical after taste. We usually buy the platter but after experiencing over cooked lobster and mussels with the same texture of a 20p bouncy ball last time, we avoided it to be greeted by bad crab , then they tried to charge us over £230 for the privilege. The lady added lots onto the tablet/till we didn't order, we told her what we ordered and she said she would sort it and come over, then left us sat waiting for 15 minutes. this place has lost its friendly appeal. I'm truly gutted as this was a nice place

The food is absolutely delicious, prices are so reasonable.. Thank you so much!

The crab ramekin is absolutely to die for!

Fabulous cafe service generous portions of everything on the menu. I had trouble holding my. Crab sandwich. Service was handled impeçably by a lovely 14yr. old girl. We were not sure 8f she was family or not but her parents should be very proud of her. She showed great confidence and integrity. We will return without doubt.

Great food. Fresh, flavourful and lovely environment

15 stars! Really, it’s that good. The seafood platter for 2 is an absolute delight. Best fresh seafood on the island, or anywhere….

A floating restaurant with fresh crab or lobster. Superb views of harbour

Went there and was really surprised how very good it was.

Bought some fresh crabs from the shop here and loved them, great value and super fresh! Even got given great instructions on how to serve them 😋

Our second visit. Crab sandwiches to die for !

We were lucky to just walk in and get an inside table on a Monday at 2pm. Very pleasant quick service, did not like wine served from miniature bottles. However the crab baguette and crab salad were so out of this world delicious, so fresh and sweet, that we would give 10 stars if possible. Very nice view of the marina, we really enjoyed being on this floating cafe. Our only regret is not having enough time in our itinerary to visit again.

We were lucky to just walk in and get an inside table at 2pm. Very pleasant quick service, did not like wine served from miniature bottles. However the crab baguette and crab salad were so out of this world delicious, so fresh and sweet, that we would give 10 stars if possible. Very nice view of the marina, we really enjoyed being on this floating cafe. Our only regret is not having enough time in our itinerary to visit again.

No crab or lobster was available on our visit, so we were a little disappointed.

A very windy and wet day. Choppy sea causing the restaurant to sway slightly whilst try to eat. It made the visit interesting, but still had a great meal with drinks. There were seven people in our group for meals and drinks. Limited parking here.

Just the best crab salad ever! We loved everything about our visit. Thank you

Booked a table outside on a Sunday. Enjoy lovely views over the water. Simple menu but perfectly fresh and tasty. We had lobster and crab, the crab was amazing. We shared a mixed chilled bottle of Rose from Provence. All the staff were friendly and efficient. Unisex toilet nice and clean. Highly recommend.

Menu somewhat limited, but food excellent. Mostly served lobster, crab and prawns. No desserts available. A little on the expensive side, but this was a birthday treat for my partner, so we splashed out. The lobster and dressed crab were to die for. We went to the sister establishment just down the road for dessert, which was again excellent. Sticky toffee pudding and lemon cheesecake gorgeous. Menu had more to offer in the way of classics, but the Best Dressed Crab and Lobster ideal for a special treat. I can recommend them both.

Unfortunately the day we drove there with our mouths watering in anticipation of a much praised crab sandwich, sticker on the door saying no sandwiches or baguettes that day, only dressed crab. Oh well, try again in 2024 on our next holiday to the IOW 😢

Probably the best crab baguettes and salads on the island 👍

What a fantastic spot, excellent crab along with a flawless service, with a wonderful view. Totally recommend and will most definitely be returning