The Rock Lodge in Canterbury

We booked a table of 10 for a birthday celebration and were required to pay a £10 per person deposit to secure the reservation. Upon arrival, the staff were accommodating, especially with our birthday cake, and greeted us warmly. The drinks order was taken promptly, and since we had pre-ordered our meals, there was no need to wait to place our food order. However, the food took a considerable amount of time to arrive. While some of our group enjoyed their meals, others were less satisfied. The least enjoyed dish was the steak, which was unfortunately very tough and chewy. The couple who ordered the Moules Frites found it decent, but they both felt unwell the following day. While this could be coincidental, it’s worth noting. On a more positive note, the meat platter was excellent—delicious and generously portioned, easily enough to share between two people. It was definitely a highlight of the menu. After our main courses, the staff brought out the cake, and they made the moment enjoyable, continuing their excellent service in that regard. Unfortunately, the experience was marred by incredibly slow service. We spent over three hours at the table, with long waits between courses, which really affected the evening. When it came time to pay, the waitress insisted that tips should be given in cash, so we complied. The venue has a policy of not allowing re-entry after 11 pm, and as it was 10:35 pm, we barely had time to grab a drink elsewhere and return for the entertainment. The bouncers were rude, as has been the case in previous visits. When we returned at 10:55 pm, despite having spoken to them earlier, they demanded ID again and were unnecessarily unpleasant to our group. After we left, I realized the £100 deposit had not been deducted from our bill. When we returned the next morning to collect the remainder of our cake (which had mysteriously lost all its chocolate truffles from the top), I inquired about the deposit. The staff member was polite and assured me it had been accounted for, but I wasn’t convinced. After emailing the restaurant, I received a response a week later confirming that the deposit had, in fact, not been deducted and would be refunded to the person who booked. After missing the call back, the booker attempted to contact the restaurant several times over the next few weeks. They returned our call once, but it took multiple failed calls on our end before we finally reached them. Overall, our experience was soured by the slow service, unpleasant door staff and the mishandling of the deposit. £100 is a significant amount to overlook, and had I not rechecked the bill, it would have added to what was already an expensive meal.

So initially first impressions were good, nice decor etc good music. But like every business and service and product sale, things go wrong. That's life, stuff happens doesn't it.. The measure of any business is how it handles it. I've worked in hospitality, I've worked in loads of pubs, restaurants and my family have had pubs, restaurants and a hotel. When something goes wrong, surely it's pretty much known you" apologise." We had been told there were two tables ahead of us. Fine. We had been told there would be bit of a wait. I asked about bread because we didn't want the bread to be treated like a starter where we have to then wait longer for a main. She said there are two tables ahead of you so I said OK let's have the bread first. How long does a bit of a wait mean to anyone because we had to wait according to them, 47 mins. And that's OK. We got in at 18 30 and were fed at around 19.47 After about 40 mins I went to the waitress to ask how much longer a normal response is " I'm so sorry, let me go and check". Not here, I was treated to more information about chef and the two tables ahead of us as if I was a toddler. I've been to hundreds of restaurants in my life where either you apologise for clearly over booking, being greedy and taking bookings you can't forfill in a reasonable time line or you offer compensation,or just apologise profusely. Not here! They just want to tell you about chefs time management issues. Did she want me to buy poor chef a drink?? Or go and help him?? Meanwhile I've got two hungry children just sat waiting and waiting and moaning and moaning! We've not enjoyed our time in whitstable and we thought last night we had found somewhere really good to eat. At the end without any humility or apologies a new waitress comes with a cheery " is everything OK" when the bill comes. When I said again I'm not happy about the wait she "told me off" for not waiting to hear more about chefs issues with cooking management. Absolutely no care in the world as she took 120 pounds off us. She was argumentative and rude. And tried to waste more of my life talking about chef. No effort at all to apologise. No appreciation that we had our meal ruined. I wonder if I said I'm so sorry we can't pay you now we've had two meals out today already and my money isn't organised so you will have to wait???? Unbelievable folks.

We came for dinner before a show, and the food is a-mazing!! I had the catch of the day, which was Sea Bass and beautifully done with potato dauphinois and great veg, and my girlfriend had Tacos. Beautifully presented, you could be in a top class restaurant!! Lovely seeing and ambience! A good diverse menu… will definitely come again. Staff can’t do enough, highly recommend!

BLOODY BRILLIANT!! We visited the rock lodge through a recommendation whilst staying in the area and my gosh it did not disappoint! The atmosphere was incredible. Fridays and Saturdays you’re treated to live music which really makes the evening! We had the pleasure of seeing ‘Phat Gandolf’ and what a band they were! What was going to be an early night turned into a great date night (we changed our taxi time twice because the music was so good). Will definitely be back for another stein when in town! Highly recommend!

Lovely place thank you an amazing place. Aaron you're gorgeous 🥰

Came here for dinner and it exceeded our expectations. The steak was absolutely Devine and cooked to perfection. We waited a little time for each course but food was freshly cooked so understandable. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff they were attentive and helpful. I would highly recommend this place to everyone and we will definitely be coming back. 5⭐️

So cosy and friendly staff. Only came in for a couple of drinks but the food looked good so will eat there next time

Really great venue, super friendly and attentive staff. Belting Sunday roast too! And the dog had one for free! Highly recommend.

Great dinner and a great atmosphere on a Saturday night with live music

Always good. Great place great owner and brilliant staff

Lovely Sunday lunch with family. Would recommend a visit to anyone. Staff were very welcoming and attentive. Food was great and they even managed to get us an extra slice of beef for an 8 year old who gobbled up the first serving!

Sat on their lovely balcony and enjoyed a wonderful vegan roast dinner and a couple of crisp, cold beers. Friendly and attentive staff, fun decor, reasonable prices and just good vibes. Would (and will) recommend.

A fantastic restaurant, which is themed on a ski lodge. The staff are friendly and attentive. The food is delicious, we had the fish sharing platter to start, and burger, brisket burger, steak, and ribs for our mains *****

Excellent. Well worth the hour trip. Staff on point 💯 food was banging! Carrots 🥕 were amazing! P The decor is amazing 👏

Excellent fish n chips! One of the best I've eaten. Very welcoming and smiling staff.

Excellent fish and chips with cod, very good puree of small weights with mint, very smiling waitresses. Looking forward to coming back ☺️

Really nice venue, love the alps and it was a real good reflection. Food was really nice and a great balcony to enjoy dinner on. Will be back again

It was a real mixed bag, both the staff and the atmosphere were pleasant but the food wasn’t up to scratch. The mac and cheese lacked cheese, although the texture was nice. The mussels and chips were below average, mussels where mostly dry and the ‘creamy’ sauce had no cream in it. The steak was also average and came medium instead of medium rare. The fish and chips where decent. Nice location, nice staff, if they get the food right it will be on the money.

Almost empty and expensive, go over the road to wetherspoons for cheap beer..

Nice food, good drinks and always friendly bar staff! A local favourite! Had one of the nicest expresso martinis in here this week. Definitely worth a visit! 👍🏼

Staff were lovely but we came during a Wednesday when it was empty (they were looking to close when we arrived). They stayed open for longer and we appreciated it. Music is reasonable and drinks were refreshing. Not the cheapest for Whitstable but ok for one night. The decor is lovely but as we were the only ones, it was as difficult to rate the atmosphere. We will come back on a busy weekend and see what it’s like.

What a lovely little restaurant/bar! The decor is brilliant and the menu has good choices. We were visiting from Essex and had a table book on a Sat night @ 7pm. The kitchen experienced a serious incident where their head chef has to be taken to a&e so they were left extremely short staffed in the kitchen. It meant we had a long wait for our food, but once this was (eventually) explained to us, of course we were understanding. The lady who served us (sorry I don’t know your name but she had brown hair in a bun) dealt with it all so well and was working so hard. The food was absolutely delicious when it came up and was very well presented. They compensated us for the issues that night (which was greatly appreciated) and we made our way downstairs to the bar area where there was a dj who was fantastic, playing songs to get us in the England Football mood for the final! We will definitely come back if visiting again as we appreciate this was a one off incident.

We came on Friday for dinner and the whole experience was incredible! Service was amazing, staff made you feel welcome, food was delicious, can thoroughly recommend the monkfish and brisket burger. Was such a lovely meal that we came back on the Saturday evening. Next time we are back in the area will definitely be visiting again.

A very warm welcome and friendly staff who went the extra mile to make our visit special. The food was excellent. Our waitress Hannah was exceptionally helpful.

What a unbelievable place for good food and Service.The meals we had were brilliant best bit of pork I have ever had.Such friendly staff who couldn't do a enough for us all the time we were there.Please if you are in Whitstable do your self a big favour and visit "The Rock Lodge" you will not be disappointed.David and Caroline on 05/05/2024.

Sunday lunch, here, on a recent visit. Excellent along with staff who were keen to please.

Great meal in a lovely restaurant! Had the veggie option, and without doubt the nicest French fries I’ve had for ages. Really nice settings, music in the background, friendly and chatty staff. Prices were ok as well. Would return to them

I consider myself a bit of a roast dinner connoisseur… and tbh I’m usually disappointed with the roasts restaurants have to offer, but…. The roast here was fabulous! Each element was delicious but the roast potatoes were epic, and the red cabbage (usually I hate this) was delicious! Also the staff were great, especially our servers Teagan and Rosie!!! We will be returning!!

Lovely Food, nicely decorated. Great drinks what more could you ask for.

Super impressed with the roasts and general quality of the food. Super dog friendly, even serving our doggo his own roast dinner in a bowl. Legends. The alpine theme isn't our thing but it's much nicer inside than it looks from the outside, plus the excellent service and quality food will bring us back again.

Lovely meal at the rock lodge tonight greeted as soon as we walked through the door, very friendly staff, lovely food and very important for me dog friendly. lovely experience and will be coming back !

Sunday roast was really nice and flavourful, attention to detail on all the sides and the service & staff were lovely. Definitely one of the best places in Whitstable for a roast dinner 👍

Really friendly staff, great service. Bonkers decor but felt cosy and fun. We had Sunday roast and was delicious. Huge portion, lovely presentation. Good value. We would totally recommend it.

The food, ambience and service here is outstanding. My family and I eat here as often as we can… Aaron, is the owner and is a genuinely nice chap who works really hard. We recommend this fabulous restaurant to absolutely everyone we know. Honestly, I don’t know a single person who isn’t blown away. This is an honest and unbiased review… it pains me to recommend it too much in case it gets so busy we can’t book! Next time we go (which will be soon)… I’ll leave another review and post some photos of the STUNNING Sunday Roast.

excellent food, service and atmosphere! one of the best sunday roasts i’ve ever had by far. We were served by Teegan and Rikki, and both were an absolute joy.

Mother’s Day lunch at the rock lodge free glass of fizz for the mums on arrival. The roast could not have been better. Great service from Teegan+Rikki. We will definitely be back.

Went to the rock lodge for lunch for Mother’s Day was hands down the best roast I’ve had in whitstable. Staff were really friendly and helpful and could not fault the service one bit. Good beer selection too👍 highly recommend.

Treated to a lovely Sunday lunch ,glasses of bubbly for us Mums.Service and food ‘tip top’.Really lovely the way it feels like a Ski chalet.Would throughly recommend.

Had a fabulous Mother’s Day’s lunch at this restaurant today with my family. It’s dog friendly so Albus came too and enjoyed his own doggy dinner. The restaurant is cleverly themed on a ski lodge, with a great ambience, and excellent staff and service. We all had traditional Sunday lunch which was absolutely delicious. Because it was Mother’s Day myself and my daughter could have a free glass of Prosecco! Such a nice touch.

Hello, I am a self confessed roast snob and this roast is fantastic. My sister very much wants me to mention the generous portions. You get a LOT of gravy, and when we were there, there was a tequila rose cheesecake special. What more could a hun ask for? The staff are very friendly and it's a cozy, fun atmosphere. I've also tried the non-roast options another time and they were exquisite!

Mother’s Day lunch at the rock lodge free glass of fizz for the mums on arrival. Great service from Teegan+Rikki and the roast was amazing.

Another amazing experience, food was superb as usual! Thank you Sarah for looking after us I would highly dec come to the food here

We had a really nice meal here. The ambulance is great staff friendly, see you again soon 😀

This is a great concept and the host makes it work so well starting with a friendly welcome. Tasty food, relaxed and cosy environment - one that all ages can enjoy. Definitely would return and if I were local I'm sure it would be a regular haunt.

Went for cocktails / drinks on Sat night. Lovely cocktails and great ambience. Service was very good and would definitely come again. Could hear ourselves talk :-)

A Top quality Sunday roast we couldn't fault it . The extra pig's in blankets are a lovely touch (Not just for Christmas! ) and the cauliflower cheese was also excellent. The service was very good despite it being busy .

Me and my girlfriend went here on a Sunday it was the best Sunday roast we had ever had the staff there were friendly and where really acomadating..will definitely go back

Couldn't fault it, food was nice, service was excellent, pleasant experience at a reasonable cost, will be visiting again.

Second time visiting this really welcoming bar/restaurant. We had a few snacks between our party of 6, all delicious. The service from Aaron and Susie was great. Thank you. Would definitely recommend.

Excellent atmosphere. Staff were really warm and friendly. Food was great. I'm gluten intolerant and the staff went out of their way to accommodate me. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Will be back

Came with a group of friends on Saturday night in the restaurant food was fabulous! Our waitress Sarah was very accommodating and looked after us well the atmosphere was brilliant in this place after we carried on our night with drinks downstairs at the bar where I had the perfect espresso martini definitely recommend as will be back again!

Had a fantastic Sunday roast, loved the restaurant and was very well priced, will definitely be back. Xx

We went there on Saturday between a matinee and evening performance of The Pantomime (Mother Goose) in Whitstable. We had to get in and out in double quick time. Fortunately for us. we were looked after by the superstar Rosie. The food was really excellent, great service Rosie was excellent in every way, really well suited to the job she has of being "front of house" Thanks

Always forget how amazing and relaxing this place is during the day. The team make you feel extremely welcome which makes this place so great. Great selection for both food and drink coupled with a genuine atmosphere created by Aaron and the team

Always forget how amazing and relaxing this place is during the day. The team make you feel extremely welcome which makes this place so great. Great selection for both food and drink coupled with a genuine atmosphere created by Aaron and the team

We were greated by a lovely waitress called Tegan who was very attentive and provided great service for us. Food was excellent and lovely drinks. Will definitely be returning and will recommend to all!

Après-Ski style bar in the heart of Whitstable with good vibes and atmosphere

Great food and staff. Great atmosphere will be returning for sure

We really loved this place. Didn't know what to expect (the name made me think it was a fish n chip restaurant), was delighted to eat and drink here, and our big dog was welcomed to. First time I've ever seen TV screens showing something I wanted to watch, snow scenes and people showing off their skills. Sound down, gentle indie music playing through the speakers. Decor was great, as was the food. Staff too. We'll be back.

Excellent venue in the style of an apre ski lodge with good food.

The Rock Lodge was recommended to us by a friend as we were staying in Whitstable and were coming from Essex! Well what can we say - from the moment we walked in until the moment we walked out the service, food and staff were fantastic. Such a friendly, pretty welcoming atmosphere. Would 100% recommend. Thank you for making our New Year's Eve lunch so lovely. Xx

Fantastic food, great atmosphere and lovely staff!! The Rock Lodge is beautifully decorated which gives it a cozy relaxed feeling. A outdoor balcony is a great place to dine, drink and people watch on a summer’s evening Definitely we will be going back!!

Don’t normally leave reviews but I cannot ignore this experience I had with Rocklodge for my Christmas do with my friends. I am a regular customer of this fine establishment when I am home and they did not disappoint when we had a large group of 16! To start with , just how organising a large group goes…. We had a few drop outs and change around (some near the last moments!) but how Rock Lodge dealt with this was so professional and friendly! I want to give a special shout out to two of the servers who dealt with our group for our meal - Teegan and Sarah you were absolutely amazing ! You paid so much attention to all of our needs and were so welcoming / polite. You were both so down to earth and I speak on behalf of our group that we all loved you ! Going on to the food…. Unreal! We were expecting good things but everyone’s socks were officially blown off! Considering we only paid 36ish per head we got really premium two courses ! Shout out to the chefs (you know ball ⚽️) Would highly recommend this to locals and travellers alike 🕺 Cannot wait to come again , keep up the amazing work!

Love this little gem, decor is great. Staff are pleasant & friendly. Told there was likely to be 30min wait for food. Was a bit longer but we were walk ins not pre book. Dish was delicious loved the parsnips. Good portion size, great price!! Sarah was great waitress

Delicious and generous Sunday roast lunch in beef, pork and vegetarian. Lively atmosphere and fabulous staff. Will def go back. Thank you

Amazing Sunday roast with a great happy fun waitress, thank you Sarah for a wonderful time and looking after us so well

Just been to this fantastic restaurant for the BEST Sunday lunch ever! Sarah our waitress was fabulous, nothing was too much trouble. The atmosphere and food was divine. I can’t wait for next Sunday YUM! YUM!

OMG has to be the best roast ever!! Every part first class, beef, yorkshire, veg and pots perfection. Great atmosphere- highly recommended (though leave space for our return 😂)

Went friday evening, great food, great band on. Will definitely be visitng again and recommending to friends & family.

Had an amazing Sunday roast at Rock Lodge. Absolutely delicious and the staff were fantastic too. They even made a free roast dinner for our puppy! All 3 of us ate every bite x

Nice venue great atmosphere, great live music, friendly staff and great coffees

Staff could be more welcoming in asking how you are and asking what could they get for you rather than just looking at you expecting you to talk first!!

Went to the Rocklodge with some friends had a lovely roast on a Sunday The staff are brilliant very polite also great decor. Will definitely be eating there again

we booked a Sunday roast for our family and dog. We received a warm welcome and our dog was offered water. The service was brilliant and the food was superb. We also received a free Sunday roast for our dog, what a treat!! would definitely...

Went for Sunday lunch, it was amazing. so tasty and good value. The service was also top notch. I love they way they also cater for dogs. Will definately return

Very friendly staff and the Sunday lunch was absolutely brilliant. Sarah our waitress was very informative and looked after us well. Both the pork belly and the beef were cooked perfectly.

Have been here a few times and last night didn’t disappoint. Fab start to our Saturday night, Sarah was the perfect hostess, looking after our party of 11 with ease and they can be a tough audience….will be back for sure.

Greatly enjoyed our evening with Aaron and staff. It was the night of the UK semifinal rugby which was interesting to watch to say the least and was a great venue to be at. Personnel friendliness was appreciated and kindness for our little doggy campanions!...

Nice Sunday roast, great service!

Service was the best I have had since being in England for almost 2 years. That is thanks to the bartender Aaron who was fantastic! Food was also really delish!!!

We came across this place where we had a great Bloody Mary! The decor was nicely done, a good view out the front window for people watching. Super friendly staff and the menu looked good (unfortunately we had already eaten). We enjoyed all the music they played as well! There's also an outdoor terrace overlooking the high street if you're eating.

After visiting back in summer and being turned away by the door staff, I received an email from the owner who could not have been more apologetic, explaining the situation and rectifying it by inviting us back for a free 3 course meal. We came...

Landed here in an off piste visit to Whitstable, luckily on the unusually warm weekend in October. Sat upstairs on the balcony overlooking the road. We only wanted to snack so opted for poutine (loaded fries) and lobster Mac-cini (a play on arancini). Food was...

Nice place for a drink and good music bar

What a lovely place to spend an evening. Great entertainment and the staff are amazing. I came in here alone and felt like part of a big family. Aaron is a superstar while managing the bar and musicians he still chatted and made me feel...

Fabulous Sunday roast! The pork belly was the best I’ve had, and very generous portions. The little doggie roast they brought out for our pup was such a nice touch and he loved it, looked like the other doggos enjoyed theirs too! Friendly attentive staff...

Always good and the dog loves it!

Amazing service and food with attention to detail and fantastic distinguishable interior design! Limoncello shots on the house at the end was a lovely touch. Would definitely return again and recommend to others.

The best roast dinner in town, the battered parsnip seals the deal! The warm and friendly atmosphere makes a great place to go with family for a lovely Sunday.

Incredible experience being hosted at the Rock Lodge for my 30th end of August. The space, the vibe and staff are just incredible. Will definitely be revisiting for food next time :) If you're ever in Whitstable, make sure you drop on by. Free parking can be found at the primary school three doors up at St Alphege at the weekend for a small donation or on -road parking on Nelson road

Such a nice place, great atmosphere and friendly staff.

Cozy lovely place to have a drink or enjoy food. Enjoying the beer and cider here…

We booked as the reviews were good and it looked a little different. Overall it was ok but there were no wine prices on the wine list. We were given a range of prices for the various bottles but on the bill the price was...

My friends and I went to “world food wednesday” for my friends birthday and it was AMAZING! The theme was Chinese and the food was absolutely unreal. We sat on the balcony which was so lovely. Thank you to Rosie and Hannah for the great...

Never been here before but it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Atmosphere was lovely, staff friendly and generally happy to have us there. This is a very dog friendly restaurant. You do book for downstairs with a further upstairs dining area...

Was away for the weekend with my girls and come across The Rocklodge. OMG what a fantastic place, went on Friday night and a great band was playing, we danced and had cocktails made by Sarah which were totally amazing, It was such a brilliant...

I went to the Rock Lodge to watch the Women’s World Cup final. The bartenders/staff clearly had to start earlier than usual for a Sunday and it was busier than I have seen before, but they were not fazed at all. They were friendly and helpful. Excellent service! Will definitely be back and recommend to others.

What a fantastic place, great staff, had a few drinks whilst watching England Ladies play football last Saturday. Highly recommended

Visiting Whitstable for the weekend to celebrate. We came across Rock lodge, what a find. Great atmosphere , staff super friendly, great wine yes it was early!!! We had the best couple of hours, with some locals would recommend. It’s a gem

I actually can’t review much apart from the service as we didn’t actually eat here. After booking online and having the reservation confirmed, when we got there, we were told that there was no space, despite having a reservation. I reserved a table and put...