The Suffolk in Suffolk Coastal

Arrived and got a friendly greeting. Sat at my table and ordered my food from the menu, which isn't the longest but enough choice. Starter was escargot with the pastis flame, absolutely delicious and helped by more bread for mopping up! Main was a slightly odd skate wing, Indian spiced. The green vegetables were ok, but sadly prep was poor and washing was inadequate so they still had grit in! D3ssert was a chocolate mousse, nice flavours, undramatic texture and overall experience. Toilets clean. Staff efficient and organised if small delays clearing plates and serving next course. Minor issue only. Needs tweak to get to next level. Ps nice Kombucha cocktail.

Have just come back from a two night stay and we absolutely loved it. The room was spacious, the bed was comfy, we lived the free snacks and cocktails. But best of all was the staff. All really friendly and super helpful. We ate in the restaurant last night and it was great, as were the breakfasts. Just a super place to stay.

Had a wonderful evening here. Food and service both excellent. I had oysters followed by some sort of fish wellington, which I was a bit dubious about at first sight but was one of the nicest fish dishes I've ever had (much thanks to the waiter for steering me away from steak and chips). Treacle tart for pud finished it all off perfectly.

My husband and I were eagerly anticipating a super lunch especially after reading Jay Rayner’s gushing review in The Guardian. Unfortunately the experience proved to be well below the hype. The service was woefully slow. The tap water provided was tepid and not freshly drawn from the tap. I noticed this was undoubtedly because there were approximately a dozen carafes already filled, standing at room temperature on a sideboard. The tables are so close to the banquette, I was unable to squeeze to my seat without dragging the table out. Then there was a palaver about repositioning it without it wobbling. The sourdough scraps and butter were laughable, and almost inedible, although we eventually felt the need to eat them since the starters arrived 45 mins after we had ordered, and the restaurant was only half full. Soup de Poisson was acceptable, although lukewarm, as were my scallops. They arrived in a tasteless whitish sauce. After a disappointing start, we thought the mains would be an improvement…………..oh dear. After another wait of over 40 mins, our halibut en croute arrived. The green veg although tasty, was tepid. The dauphinoise potato was also tasty, but ironically was so hot, we were cautioned by the waitress that we should be careful when handling. The halibut en croute at £34 per head was pitifully small. The halibut was like a white mush surrounded by a tasteless lobster mousse enveloped in pastry which on investigation turned out to be uncooked on the base. Not just soggy, but actually uncooked! Well by now we were totally deflated. We didn’t feel willing to waste any more money on desserts or coffee, so we asked for the bill, £120 for 2 people, paid and left, never to return. Considering we had one beer and one apple juice, no wine, I feel completely fleeced. It is a pretentious restaurant with underwhelming quality food, which I will not be recommending to others. The staff were friendly enough, but not once did they ask if we were happy with the food.

Booked for Christmas Eve as a treat for my husband who does most of the cooking. We all had fish dishes and enjoyed them greatly. Crab starter had amazing flavours. Wine was lovely staff were friendly and attentive. Crème brûlée was the best I have ever had. Atmosphere was relaxed and festive and we didn’t want to leave. Shame the rooms were all taken!

We went there to celebrate our anniversary, our friends anniversary and one of their birthdays and were really looking forward to it. What a mistake! It was quite noisy and the table where they seated us was large and because of the noise, it was not that easy to talk. We were then asked to place our order within 5 minutes of sitting down from a waiter who basically appeared to show no empathy to his customers and as it was something we were not ready to do, we didn't. When he returned, we placed our orders for starters and mains and that is when the ISSUE kicked in. On ordering, one of us asked whether the salad, which was part of the shared brill, could be replaced by a side of chargrilled cabbage. The initial comment was, well, it may not be available but on checking, it was at £7. This is where our angst kicked in. OK, £7 is nothing but as a gesture, we felt the charge should be wavered given that the yet to be served meal and the yet to be ordered wine, was going to cost in excess of £300 and that was not including any dessert. The answer was basically 'tough', you pay or it does not happen. We summoned the manager, again whose empathy to customers, was apparently missing as well and though she was more understanding after giving our comments more than once and did eventually agree, the attitude we had faced from her and the waiter had really upset us and in the end we just got up and walked out. So, in conclusion, anyone visiting Aldeburgh should give this restaurant a wide berth.

Went to the Suffolk to celebrate our friends wedding anniversary and also my birthday and wedding anniversary two days earlier. It was a review in a Waitrose magazine that persuaded us to book! We have never walked out of a restaurant before, so this is a first. It could have all been avoided if the staff and manager had had a more sensible approach to dealing with a simple request to substitute the lettuce for grilled cabbage, but no they would not do it without making it clear that there would be a £7 charge, that is until we got up to leave. It may seem a trivial thing, but the whole meal would have been £300plus , they did finally see sense, but by then it was too late, they had already spoiled our evening, which was saved by another restaurant in the town where we had eaten a previous night and went out of there way to accommodate us, even though their kitchen was about to close.

Drove an hour specially for lunch at The Suffolk for my husband’s birthday but was very disappointed and won’t be returning or recommending despite living in Suffolk. The fish was well cooked but overall the food was either bland or over salted to the point of being inedible ( even the kitchen staff couldn’t eat the fries and another table dining in the restaurant also complained that the food was almost too salty to eat) and expensive with extras such as vegetables and potatoes available at an additional cost. Presentation was completely lacking especially the poached pears and a 125ml of white wine at £15.50 over the top. No set lunchtime menu, limited choice on the menu,no little extra touch in recognition of my husband’s birthday. The only real positive was the young waitress who was kind,understanding and empathetic. The restaurant was cold ( only two other tables were booked) so we left to have tea and coffee at The Wentworth to warm up and relax. Will be going there for lunch next time.

A sublime evening tonight, one of the best meals we’ve had in a good few years. Exquisite, roasted whole brill filleted at the table with salad and chips, with a piquant and herb packed tartare sauce - wasn’t cheap but great value. The wild mushroom parfait starter was astonishing, such depth of flavour and smooth texture. Space is calm, modern and comfortable. Staff friendly, knowledgeable and seemingly very enthusiastic about the menu. Absolutely super

This is a must do restaurant in Aldeburgh. You need to book as it gets very busy - I couldn't go on my birthday (Saturday) so booked for the Sunday. The ambiance was just right, but, as it was quiet due to Storm Isha, it was a little cold. However, I'd prefer that to being too hot. Food was exquisite. We had Crab, clam chowder and game terrine to start, all of which was fresh and tasty. Main course was Monkfish, steak and Halibut. My choice of the Halibut en croute was fabulous. perfectly cooked and presented. I ended the meal with a chocolate mousse - I've run out of adjectives to describe how much I enjoyed it! Pricewise, the food was very reasonable, considering the quality. Wines a little pricey. Really can't fault The Suffolk and will be going again when next in town.

We have stayed in Aldeburgh before, but this was our first visit to The Suffolk, having read an article about it in the Daily Telegraph. Luckily, when my satnav said that we were close, I stopped and asked a lady for directions, and she said “It’s that beautiful Georgian building over there”….she was correct, and it was very helpful, because there was no sign on the outside to indicate food or accommodation - very exclusive! Our room was lovely, and very contemporary – not huge, but perfectly adequate for our one night stay, and it benefited from a smaller adjoining “Walk In” cupboard / room, where there was plenty of space to keep our luggage and hang up coats and dresses etc. – all very convenient. The bathroom was absolutely fine, again, probably described as “compact” but perfectly arranged with good quality fixtures and fittings. In the main area downstairs, there is one small room with tables and chairs where we had a drink on arrival, but sadly they don’t offer draft beer, which is one of my weaknesses . We ate in the restaurant in the evening and the meal was excellent, we both ordered scallops followed by brill to share and the fish was absolutely huge and delicious. Breakfast the next morning was absolutely excellent with superb yoghurt and fruit to start, followed by a full English – 5 stars! All the staff that we encountered were lovely, friendly and professional, and we definitely will be making a return visit. Aldeburgh is a beautiful seaside town and as we were there in January (soon after the New Year celebrations had ended) it was incredibly relaxing and we were blessed with beautiful weather. It doesn’t have any of the amusement arcades of other seaside resorts (thank goodness!) but it does have beautiful architecture and a lovely “vibe” about it and The Suffolk suits that perfectly.

Excellent and interesting seafood and fish restaurant in a nice room in the middle of Aldeburgh. Starters of pigeon breast - very good - and the dressed suffolk crab was delicious. Main of monkfish in curry sauce was a little disappointing but the halibut en croute was superb. It's pricey and the wine list isn't cheap but the quality of the food was very good. Only 4 stars because the overall quality of experience didn't quite match the prices.

Our first time dining at the Suffolk as a family. Given two of us are vegan, we knew the menu would not fully cater for us all, however we all marvelled at the food we were served. The escargots were the best I have ever eaten, and I have consumed many, many dishes of these in France over the years. Our Son agreed, albeit it was his first taste of the dish. Mains of steak and monkfish curry were flavoursome and cooked very well. The vegans amongst us very much enjoyed their soup and beetroot starters which were served as larger main courses. Our wine was perfectly chilled and the service from the young team was efficient and friendly. Being ever-so-fussy, we would rather not have been seated close to the busy coffee machine, but that did not detract from a most pleasant lunch. 10/10

I was left in my kennel on wheels for a family lunch on Christmas Eve. It turns out that those of us with four legs are welcome, even in the restaurant as opposed to the bar, with which I’m familiar. But I’m not complaining, as I got to sample leftovers helpfully packed in foil. The old master raved about this lunch: fantastic brill, served to share for two or three, a lovely lemon sole (which we don’t tend to see here, while we’re spoilt for Dover Sole), a wonderful pigeon starter, curried monkfish (much enjoyed by Grandma, the old master’s mother) and very tasty steaks. I got a bit of most of the above, but fortunately none of the old master’s snails (which were sensational he tells me) - not really my bag tbh… Grandma started with oysters from Butley Creek, which she much enjoyed apparently. Again, not really my cup of tea, but a chacun son gout, as I like to say. Needless to say, none of the half dozen made it into my package, I’m relieved to report… It sounds to have been a great lunch all round: the team has now truly settled in and hit their stride: charming service, as ever, but now hugely professional and highly efficient. And the fish - especially the brill special - was absolutely tip top. Apparently the old man was pleasantly surprised by the bill. For food and wine of this quality The Suffolk delivers great value, he says. In London (don’t bother - it’s over-rated, in this discerning whippet’s opinion) you’d pay at least twice as much he tells me…

Totally recommend the food and the service. Very clean, excellent helpful staff and the food was exquisite. The halibut en croute is a must try. A special place for a special catch up with friends

Lovely room on the second floor. Well appointed with great toiletries. In the restaurant we had brill as we oysters and scallops all of the food was fresh and delicious. We had a lovely experience.

Superb Lunches. Two visits whilst we were on our hols in Aldeburgh. Excellent menu and wine list. Crab Starter to be recommended Delicious Sharing Sea Bass. Enjoyed a great table location to enable our 2 pooches to relax also.

Really excellent restaurant. Very friendly and very knowledgable staff. We both had three courses and both enjoyed all of them. If you get the chance, book a table, you won’t be disappointed

Exemplary in every conceivable way. The welcome from the friendly staff, the ambience and furnishings, the superb bar and most importantly the menus and food are outstanding. A first choice restaurant with rooms every time.

I’ve just read Adam W’s review, and his night was spoilt by there not being a single-portion meat dish on the menu. Ironically, we visited the same evening, a little earlier than Adam, and so was ours. There were 4 of us, 3 keen to try the fish, and one who never eats it. The only single person meat dish was the sirloin steak, which was off, as it appears it has been for at least a week. Well, we suggested, split the cote de boeuf into two portions. It’s quite likely, we said, that someone else will be in the same position. There was much discussion with various people, but the answer kept coming back as no, the chef would not split the large steak. No clear reason was given, which I am sure means that it was financial - you can charge £80 for a sharing steak, but not £40 each for two smaller ones. So our meat eater made do with just a French onion soup and a dessert. Two of us had visited in March and had a lovely time at a very reasonable cost. It was very annoying that we subject our poor friend to this scanty meal. Come on, guys, plenty of people don’t eat fish, so in larger groups you are likely to have a meat eater. Give them a dinner they can enjoy without having to nip out for a curry afterwards.

We've been wanting to visit The Suffolk as a family for a while - Aldeburgh has been in need of a place like this for ages - but we've always been put off by the menu as our 16 y/o isn't a fan of fish - unless its from the famous chippy up the road... But we decided to give it a go as there was sirloin steak on the menu which would have suited him perfectly. Really disappointed to find that they'd run out of steaks and there was nothing else on the menu that appealed (he was never going to go for turbot, lobster of halibut). He ended up with kid's goujons and chips - which would have been fine if he'd been eight years old... I know its a fish restaurant - but they really should offer a decent alternative if someone in the party isn't a fish lover... My first and second choices for starters (moules and sweetbreads) were also unavailable, so I ordered oysters and asked for some bread. Somewhat unbelievably they told me 'I'm afraid we're out of bread'. To be fair, they did eventually find me a few crusts but there was no bread for the rest of the table. My other son and my wife ordered the halibut - and guess what? A few minutes later the waiter returned to say that they'd just served the last of the halibut! They were offered sea bass instead - which wasn't on the menu so I've no idea how they rustled that up - an emergency find from the back of the freezer perhaps? That all said the food was all tasty - though my half lobster was pretty small - and the serving staff were all great. We were told that this has never happened before but I've noticed a trip advisor review from three days before we were there saying that the moules, sweetbreads and sirloin were all off the menu...That's not the level of organisation you'd expect from a Michelin starred restaurant and to be honest, it did compromise our enjoyment of the evening.

I live 90 mins away but was hoping for some great food as there isn’t much on offer near us. Sur-Mer has been recommended so we went to try. Admittedly this was a Sunday evening, but there were ?30 people in. I know the suppliers listed in the menu (dingley dell, Sutton hoo etc) all excellent - duck, pork, chicken, beef looked like they would be on offer for non fish lovers. Sadly beef only, but no sirloins (£30) left. T- bone (£90) or cote de boeuf (£100) for 2. No meat for 1. Cooked over coals. With a really small menu, it is impossible to keep a balance if you get the kitchen ordering wrong. Starters same issue…. No moules mariniere left from the starters leaving the minority interests of French onion soup, sweetbreads and beetroot…. Plus crab or scallops, again nothing from the non fish suppliers. The staff were helpful and as the above T-bone came with charred lettuce, they switched this. Meat flavour was nice, but it’s hard to control the cooking over coals in a busy kitchen. The menu needs a rethink if the aim is to include most diners. The wines by the glass options were excellent - 175ml only. Puddings and cheese excellent - well ok the almond tart pastry was over baked but the flavour was super. Beurre blanc sauce with samphire and mussels was excellent, but the turbot (soggy skin) cooked on the bone was served without any potatoes or carbs so I added leek/potato colcannon (chips were not listed as a side but were offered) Tapas type Bar snacks which we had before sitting down in the restaurant to avoid a teenager not being able to eat a restaurant starter (see options above) were pretty good. Overall, No where near 1 Michelin star, and if everything is on, the review would be more positive as this place could be great. If you like all things fish/shellfish, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Sue mer, but the problem is that veggies/ meat eaters who eat some fish aren’t really catered for very well without feeling awkward and seeing what the chef can do off menu.

The staff upon arrival were great and gave us a lovely welcome on a cold and rainy evening. The menu is concise, but feels completely in keeping with the area. The mussels to start went perfectly with a glass of picpoul. I’m told the beetroot tartare was also exceptional and fresh. The turbot and halibut mains were generous and one could tell the fish was fresh. After a crème brûlée, we went to the bar and enjoyed a very tasty cocktail while listening to the vinyl being played on the turntable.

We visited last week. Buzzing. We had almost cancelled our booking as the menu choices were not terribly inspiring for us, although probably are for others. We swerved the lobster due to reviews by other dinners re. size - v - price. Steak? We were in a Michelin starred restaurant that specialises in fish so no. We decided to go with The Suffolk for the experience despite choices of dishes that didn't strongly appeal. Thought we'd rely on the specials as added choice. We didn't know what they were until we got there. That didn't work. Two specials, 1st, a whole brill for two filleted at your table, £100. 2nd, a whole seabass for two filleted at your table £100. I like Brill but not Seabass. My husband likes Seabass but not keen on Brill. We also like to chose different dishes so we can try each others. Bit pricey as well we thought. We ordered the halibut and turbot, ended up swapping as I didn't enjoy my halibut and he was happy to swap the turbot - the buerre blanc was fantastic. He loved the halibut. Jack Sprat! However, the starters. Oh those sweetbreads! Don't see them on the menu very often but these were just sublime. Fresh in and tasted so. Oysters. Had to be careful with bits of shell but they were so fresh as well. The team though. They were clearly under pressure and they did not let it show a bit - so professional. Downstairs was packed, the roof terrace was packed, they only had one drinks waiter (the other had gone sick), to service all these people as well as fielding people walking in through the door. We had to ask several times for drinks but didn't like to be too impatient although ordering food before receiving a cocktail was just not going to happen. That day must have been his worst nightmare, he and waiting staff still carried on, unruffled. Our waiter was great, totally cool. For that you have to applaud him and the rest of the team. However the drinks service sadly disrupted the flow of the meal.

I ate a delightful meal here last night. Picked white crab with brown crab and pickled cucumber trimming followed by turbot in a beurre blanc sauce with a mirepoix of samphire and capers. Summer pudding to round off. The restaurant is buzzy and the service friendly.