The Quay Restaurant in North Devon

Enjoyed a family meal here lovely setting food good everything cooked well, loved the art work and properly a must place to visit when in Ilfracombe

We spent a lovely evening with a large group of friends having a meal here prior to a wedding the following day.

Great coffee served by friendly staff in a lovely Ilfracombe spot at the harbour. Clean, well appointed venue.

Me and my partner were saddened and bemused to hear that The Quay was closing. By far much better service and food than Thomas Carr's Olive Room restaurant down the road.

Despite only being given a week's notice that this is closing, the staff did an amazing job carrying on with excellent service. I hope they all fine employment elsewhere soon, all credit to them. The locals are so sad this is closing.

Amazing meal in amazing surroundings. The food was perfectly cooked, and simply presented. Definitely on the list to go back to.

We called in for a mid morning scone,jam and cream and a coffee. We can honestly say it was the best scone either of us had ever tasted.Made on the premises I believe. Jam went on first of course.

We visited The Quay with friends and had a fabulous meal and the staff were amazing despite being told they were closing down. I would certainly employ the staff and chef to work for me if I was in the restaurant business.

This restaurant may be slightly more expensive than others but with good reason. The food is truly remarkable! A great selwction of drinks and fabulous staff. Views remarkable! Highly recommend a visit.

Great view of the sea, excellent service and good, tasty unpretentious food. Quirky Damien Hirst décor, prices reasonable for the location and good portions. Certainly worth a visit.

With a fabulous view of the sea and an interesting interior with art installations on every wall this place is worth a visit for that alone. The food was good, however we expected a rather more experimental menu from a restaurant partly owned by Damian Hurst. Staff very friendly but dare I say a little too attentive. (But better that than the reverse!) The perfect place after viewing Verity.

As friends that are “foodies”.... I can honestly say that the meal we received tonight was absolutely amazing ... every single course left me wanting to lick the plate (I didn’t) .. every course had our taste buds tingling ... and the service was amazing ... an experience we will never forget .. thankyou for a wonderful evening

Visited for lunch with my husband and our baby. Staff were helpful and friendly in accommodating us and the needs of our little one. The cocktails were as amazing as the food and coffee; highlights were the French martini and the fondant dessert which was perfect! Ilfracombe are lucky to have such a wonderful restaurant and situated so close to the wonderful Verity! Thanks for making it a lovely outing!

I had the crab bisque and it had great depth of flavour! And the bread served was light and delicious. Service was informal and prompt. Certainly worth a visit for some dining in a romantic setting.

Well worth a visit. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The restaurant looks out over the harbour with the added attraction of some of Damien Hurst's artwork. The atmosphere is relaxed and not rushed. Thank you.

Booked, but unable to get a window seat, still a very good view. Took a visitor for evening meal as it is a regular haunt for us.

Damien Hirst's footprint can be easily seen at this well located restaurant, on Ilfracombe's harbourside, from the minature Verity statue near the bar area, to the butterflies and other works around the walls. The staff are friendly and service is good. The menu is large enough to give plenty of options but it is not pretentious and the food is well done. Pricing is not over the top either. The only thing I feel was somewhat negative was that when I gave feedback that the chicken was (very) over salted, whilst this was passed back to the kitchen, no attempt was made to recompense by way of some money off the bill (the main course was spoiled by too much salt) or drink for example. Notwithstanding this, we enjoyed the meal overal and also our experience. We would recommend for lunch or dinner (great views) and would return.

Booked in for Sunday lunch .. not very busy but didn’t really expect it to be .. lovely restaurant with a really nice feel to it ..we had a table at the back over looking the sea which was nice.. decent varied menu & good wine list .. food & service was excellent & would definitely recommend.

We went for a meal and a few drinks. I had the lamb and my wife had the steak both were very good. The staff were friendly and helpful

This is a nice gem in ilfracombe. We had crab claw, duck liver pate and goats cheese tart for starters. For mains we had chicken in a lovely sauce, clam linguine, and battered hake. First time i have tried hake as not a great fish lover but it was lovely and the batter was really crispy with crispy chips. Hubby had bread and butter pudding which was yummy and i had espresso martini. It was all very nice.

We've been to The Quay at Ilfracombe a few times before today's visit for tea and cake, it had always been very nice so we decided to pop in for some lunch. When we left we all agreed that a restaurant can only rely on its decor and the Damien Hirst name for so long.

Amazing food, the flavors they can make are out of this world! I loved this place the seabass was stunning best I've ever had and ever will. All the dishes we had were beautifully presented and very tasty. The staff were brilliant, and the cocktails are great too.

Another amazing meal here and the best seafood I’ve tasted in north Devon. The scallops were amazing and so was the cod. Creme brûlée was made to perfection. Keep up the good work!

100% recommend this place. The food was brilliant - menu is very focused on fish being in a fishing village. My partner had the fish of the day which was excellent. I had the steak and chips which is difficult to get right but this place nailed it - it's as good as if not better than Hawksmoor. The restaurant itself is also beautiful, a really light cheerful space looking out onto the sea and super friendly, capable staff. The prices are a bit more London than Devon as it's more of a special occasion place, but absolutely worth it for the quality of the food. There's also a cafe downstairs serving proper coffee.

Called here a few times for some fab cocktails and great hot chocolates whilst on holiday. Lovely overlooking the harbour. The menu for the restaurant looked great...sad we didn't try it (quite expensive).

As you would expect from a restaurant owned by Damian Hirst the surroundings were special giving a lot to talk about. The food did not disappoint, the service was very good considering how busy the place was. I think you need to book in advance to ensure a table.

Four of us visited The Quay for dinner, expecting a wonderful evening after reading the reviews on tripadvisor. Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed. The staff weren’t very friendly, the toilets were dirty and the food was incredibly salty. Shame, but wouldn’t go again.

Ate in the Atlantic room twice in 2 weeks. Great view of rolling sea. Food excellent. Mussels and scallops both great starters. Had fish one night, lamb the other. Both were lovely. In a town where fish and chips and burgers dominate, it was good to find somewhere serving a more refined menu. Prices not too scary either. You can also get inexpensive wine (as well as expensive). Don’t be put off if downstairs is full( or empty) the restaurant is upstairs!

Es ist ratsam einen Tisch zu reservieren!

We visited the restaurant for a family lunch and wasn’t disappointed. The food was excellent, service great and the view was superb,out into the sea. Very slick, white linen laid tables, really well designed outlet. The quality of the food was fantastic and I would highly recommend the steak, delicious. I will definitely go back and recommend a visit. Not cheap, however you pay for what you get.

Ottimo rapporto qualità prezzo, cucina delicata , alcuni piatti anche ricercati ma comunque il sapore non viene alterato , location con vista mare che aggiunge un tocco di atmosfera, da provare assolutamente!

Have called in for both a meal which I must say was amazing ( a bit more pricey) and also popped in for a drink and to people watch, staff were nice and didn’t change from if you were eating or just having a drink. Fresh clean and has an art feel. Staff are friendly and quick at service with the smile, food is well presented and taste amazing.

Fantastic meal and service last night at The Quay. Atmosphere wa spot on - just beautiful decor and ambiance. Service relaxed yet knowledgeable and professional. As you looked around the restaurant you could see how much people were enjoying themselves and their food! Our food was cooked to perfection and superb quality - we had fishcakes, the sea bass & Spaghetti alle Vongole and finished off with Salted caramel chocolate fondant with peanut butter ice cream. Absolutely recommended.

Turned up with out a reservation on a Saturday but staff were very friendly and helpful in finding us a table. Food was wonderful. Had delicious fish of the day. Nice atmosphere too.

Really good food, rather expensive for just a pasta dish but it was yummy! Nice staff and a very clean and crisp environment! Definitely one to visit if you’re not counting the pennies!!

Headed into town for a quick bite as we had just arrived on holiday. We hadn’t looked at reviews so just walked around town until we stumbled across this place. Very nice setting and ambience , they were fully booked in the restaurant ( always a good sign)but had a spot for us in the bar area . Kids had pasta dishes , whilst we had the special . Well cooked and good service . I would recommend this place !

This was our third visit and i have to say that the standards have not slipped. The food was excellent and well presented. The staff were attentive and polite. I highly recommend this restaurant.

We pre booked our meal and had a fantastic view looking out to sea on the third floor, highly recommended. The food was delicious and the staff were so polite and attentive. Lovely meal and a great place.

Nice venue. We popped in on two late evenings for drinks - coffees and spirits. A nice place with friendly staff. In the day when we walked past the food looked great.

Suburb . Well priced and good fresh food . All welcome no need to book but advised . Enjoy good clean refreshing . Tad chilly but that aircon I guess on a hot day .

Tasty, subtle. Perfect place to taste the Lundy crab after a relaxing day in this beautiful town. Great service (short haired with glasses). Cheers to all the staff!

Fantastic olives and anchovies with a bottle of wine in a delightful setting. We’ve heard nothing but good locally about the restaurant menu too.

Enjoyed a relaxed lunch in the upstairs restaurant. Although not cheap, the food was good as was the service.

Booked this restaurant during a last minute getaway to Ilfracombe! Staff were friendly and the service was exceptional, lovely views from inside the restaurant out to the sea! Food was amazing especially the lobster we both had for main course and was certainly worth the extra expense. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone you will not be disappointed!!

Friendly and accommodating staff. My husband and I had a lovely meal and my 5 year old son particularly enjoyed his pasta Bolognese.

We stopped off for lunch after a boat trip in the harbour, it was busy but the food was good, albeit a bit on the expensive side.

This restaurant is coowned by Damian Hurst and the decor shows it. Very clean and lovely views over the ocean from the first floor dining area. Very accommodating with children's meals. All of the food was piping hot and tasted devine.The soup of the day was Pea and Mint which was piping hot and full of flavour. My wife said her chicken meal is one of the best she has ever had for flavour. I had a Nicoise Salad that was presented beautifully and tasted as good as it looked. We had some of the chips for the boys which were fantastic. This meal including all drinks, 2 beers, glass of Malbec and soft drinks for the boys was £107 including tip. All in all worth every penny as the service was perfect.

This restaurant has a great location if you want to sit and watch the world go by in a quaint harbour town. We arrived too late to eat but still enjoyed good service, local cider and some well presented nibbles which left us well satisfied. We were spectators when one of the numerous seagulls performed an incredibly adept swoop to nick a scoop from a lady's ice cream cone and watched the horse and trap take tourists up and down the quay. All this after we had admired the craggy coast and the dramatic sculpture by Damien Hirst.

Visited for dinner and have to say was super impressed. We heard mixed reviews, but the service was great (the female head waitress seemed knowledgable, although the other younger waitress seemed a little inexperienced), the location, setting and food went above our expectations. Fabulous downstairs bar with views of the harbour and the room upstairs had beautiful sea views.

Visited last night, 6 of us, aged 33-70.

Dined here last night and it was truly special. Service immaculate, all food beautiful and the decor was obviously divine. The most special art though in this Damian Hirst restaurant was the view.

Mycket bra mat, verkligt fin fisk och perfekt tillagad kyckling, och musslorna var också riktigt goda. Mycket bra service och bra utbud av drycker, även vin per glas och halvflaskor. Toppen!

We popped in twice for evening drinks and coffees. Great service from very friendly helpful staff. The view over the harbour is stunning

First impressions are that this restaurant should be fine dining of sorts. It's not. Whilst the waiting staff are absolutely approachable and friendly service skills need a little work. Being left for 10 mins to then be told there were no tables even though we had booked was not a good start. The starters were of passable quality however one of our mains 'the rack of lamb' was not, when the comment was made it was served almost cold, it was removed however the sides were left to go cold. The same plate of food was returned obviously put in something like a microwave to re heat. This is not how a restaurant of this supposed quality should be operating. The waiting staff were the only redeeming factor of this visit. I can only imagine the owner has lost complete interest in the running of the establishment. If you want a mediocre meal with good service i can recommend it.

This is a lovely bar/restaurant that overlooks Ilfracombe harbour. We stopped in for both drinks and food and on both occasions staff where friendly, chatty and helpful. Even on the second occasion when we were looking slightly worse for wear after a long run on Lundy. All the food we had was lovely, brilliant mackerel and a great risotto.

We have just celebrated my husband’s 60th Birthday with 14 family and friends at The Quay.

I would like the Restaurant to read this as an Active Criticism. They do need to be made aware of their shortcomings.

went in there for a drink in the evening , a nice place to sit and chill , some people were eating in the bar food looked very nice, main restaurant up stairs very nice but you may need to book

One afternoon we popped in for a coffee and cake. The service was very good and the waitress was lovely. She told us about the restaurant upstairs and said we could go and have a look if we wanted. We did. We were pleasantly surprised at the different levels and the seating areas. We decided to eat there on the Monday night, we were offered a table with a sea view, which was lovely. The service was very good. We had the Oysters and then Rack of Lamb and a dessert. All the food was amazing.

We often come here with the family, great food and always great wine, on a hot day the doors are open, on a stormy day you can watch the sea crashing about. Love it.

Beautiful food, delicious wine and great service! Loved it. I had the sea bass which was beautifully simple; crisp skin and soft flesh. We were up on the mezzanine so had the view of the sea which was lovely. Will definitely be back.

We went here on the 4th of June to celebrate our wedding Anniversary. It was a Monday night, so we didn't book a table, we arrived with our Jack Russell And Sat at a table on the pavement and wanted... About 15 minutes later member of the floor staff came out to us and we said we'd like to order food. He said no they were full. This was a blatant lie as there were two tables occupied inside and we were the only ones outside.

It started with morning coffee then, an evening drink, we had not realised there was a restaurant of such high quality above the ground floor until we got talking to some guests who had just eaten there, so we decided to book for the next evening. Everything about this place is amazing the staff are friendly the food was exceptional and the setting is perfect, downstairs you have a view of the harbour upstairs depending if you are front or back you either have a seaview and can watch the sun go down (if its been out) or you can watch the activity in the harbour . This was a real treat and a must for all you foodies out there.

Walked past this restaurant and felt pulled in to check out the menu. Booked a table without consulting TA! Lovely airy dining room with views over to Lundy. Emily our waitress looked after us very well. Food was lovely even for the vegetarian. Couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing evening.

Had a meal out at The Quay on a recent trip to Ilfracombe and can't recommend it highly enough! The food was absolutely divine, quite sincerely the nicest meal out I can remember having this many a year. The service was amazing - every person we spoke to was so warm and welcoming and made us feel like royalty. Add in the fascinating Damien Hirst artworks and you've got all the ingredients (pun not intended!) for an unforgettable night out. Can't wait to come back!

Popped in for lunch as when we were passing we noticed a couples delicious looking meal. We had fresh hake and chips with homemade tartar sauce. Very yummy. Great food, great coffee and great service. Thank you. Oh and the arts not to shabby either

I had reservations about eating here. I thought it would be expensive and I wondered whether the artwork might put me off my food. I need not have worried though it was lovely. The service was very good, the food was excellent and the cost was surprisingly reasonable. The artwork was just cheerful seaside stuff, not that impressive but nice and bright! (Not that I know anything about art).

Quirky, as you might expect from this Damien Hirst-owned eatery, with examples of his art work adorning the place and a stunning boat hull shaped dining room looking out into the Bristol Channel.

Service excellent, ambiance relaxing with great seas view.

As a treat I booked a table for a lunchtime reunion. There were five of us that trained together 40 years ago. I haven’t been before despite walking past on many occasions as I thought it would be prohibitively costly. As it happens, for the service and quality of food, it really wasn’t too expensive.

Overlooking the bay with outdoor seating. Friendly staff and good food and drinks. Lots of locals to chat with

My husband and I were extremely pleased with the friendly service, the food was good quality, excellently cooked and reasonably priced, would definitely recommend

Visited with family on Sunday evening very quiet staff pleasant enough but did not to know details of menu food was average but small portions decor very strange would not rush back.

We went in the open door at 10:20 with a view to having coffee and booking a table for dinner tonight. “We don’t open until 10:30, you can wait if you like”. We did not like. Glad to see British hospitality at its very best!

We stopped for a tea and coffee so couldn’t comment on the food. The wallpaper and pictures are odd to me. Service was ok. I had a tea and the bag was split.

Short visit to Ilfracombe we called into the Quay Restaurant for afternoon tea nice friendly service we only had tea but very nice sat outside overlooking the small harbour. Well worth a visit.

So Damien Hirst is known to the masses for his formaldehyde cow ... shark ... fish ... he has spent much time spent carving his name in history with dissections of pickled animals ... Then I stumbled on this place down by the harbour in...

We had an excellent meal here, the seafood was so fresh and tasted magnificent! The service was also exceptional. I must add the coffee was also excellent with stunning views at the back and at the front of the restaurant! 10 out of 10 !

Myself and my partner visited The Quay, during our stay in Ilfracombe, after reading all of the fantastic reviews. I had the Lundy crab claw for starter, Pork belly for main and chocolate fondant for dessert. The starter was basic and uninspiring. The pork belly...

We booked for a Thursday night meal after having just coffee some months before and loved the restaurant itself, the coffee and the staff at that visit - we were invited then to look around at the upstairs restaurant area, we were sold. Our evening...

Very impressive food, surroundings and service. Up stairs in this restaurant is very unusual, but comfortable. Fish was beautifully cooked, steak was fantastic. The staff were attentive and friendly. Nice table linen, china and cutlery set off the beautiful food.

Excellent meal overlooking the harbour. Had oysters for starters, which were stunning, and then the fish of the day. Staff were professional, friendly and discreetly attentive. Good car park within 100 metres.

Fantastic view of the sea from the Atlantic room which is shaped like an upturned boat hull. Friendly staff and nice paced service. The fish of the day, pollack with mussels and pancetta, was light, fresh and delicious and my son and brother in law...

Wow what a place. From start to finish this restaurant impressed us all. The meal was PERFECT. We have eaten in some amazing restaurant and all 6 of us agreed this is in the top 3 from all over the world. We would travel 5...

Recently attended this restaurant with my family whilst on holiday in Ilfracombe. A really pretty view from the upstairs part of the restaurant. The cocktails were delicious and the staff really friendly and attentive. The food was outstanding, beautiful starters - parfait, mussels and scollops....

Early evening on a Sunday, great table, very relaxed atmosphere. Reasonable choice on each course but was out of season. Excellent service and attention.

Lovely setting, friendly staff and great food! As a veggie I have an inbuilt scepticism but the butternut squash risotto was delicious. It's only my second 9/10 ever (and it's not too expensive)

We had a lovely evening here for a group event. The food was wonderful and the staff were friendly and efficient. We had a whole area to ourselves, which was lovely for our big group.

My daughter booked this restaurant as a present for Mother's Day for my wife. Generally speaking, the food was good, not massive amounts, but well cooked and presented. However.... There were only two choices of vegetarian meals on the menu, one if which was the...

I am surprised by the number of five star reviews for this restaurant. In my opinion is was average, there was nothing to complain about but nothing to make you want to return. The soup was average the main course average and the wine average....

If you want to have full access to everything on the menu book an earlier table time not a later sitting which they do offer. Do not book the day before they close for a few days as they may not have everything on the...

Had a family meal here to celebrate a 70th birthday. Was sat upstairs were is was busy and full of atmosphere. Food was fantastic - everyone had something different and it was all good. Staff were attentive and friendly. Even brought out a sparkler candle...

We went in on a wet weekend morning, finding the ground floor coffee shop and staff very welcoming. Very much out of season with most places closed, so maybe not surprising that there wasn’t a wide selection of cakes to go with our tea.

Much better to go in and experience this lovely coffee shop with its own restuarant upstairs. Food look good but we only had a drink on our visit.

Christmas 'Group meal' with the family. The salmon starter was probably the best fish starter i have ever eaten. SErvice was excellent. The dining room was very quirky...not to my taste. Thank you

We visited yesterday evening, last minute booking. Meal was fine but fortunately for the restaurant, we have def had better. Given its festive season and staffing, wont complain, they did there best with staff they had available.

Not only are the staff really friendly but the food is delicious. Even though price is slightly higher than an average restaurent in the area the quality of food was worth it.

Hurray, ilfracombe has a first class independent restaurant/ bar. Only experienced the bar but enjoyed the good service and would definitely go back for a meal. Original, elegant and a great location. Well worth a visit.

Well presented and prepared food in a very nice setting. Sea bass cooked to perfection and amazing oysters were my favourite.

Stopped in Ilfracombe for a couple of nights - had the most delicious cocktails on the thursday , then headed back for a meal on the friday . Starters and main courses were exceptional . Our French waitress was really attentive and extremely knowledgeable.