The Suffolk in Suffolk Coastal

We've eaten at The Suffolk Sur-Mer 5 times now since they opened permanently (after doing a pop-up season). We had 2 great experience and 3 incredibly disappointing ones. Mainly due to poor service and shockingly small fish portions. High price, high expectation and very poor delivery. The menu is interesting and the food well prepared but I'm afraid we won't come back.

4.5 stars but rounded up to 5… We had a great weekday lunch in the restaurant. Contrary to what others have said, we found the portion sizes to be generous and the quality of the food generally reflected the cost. We were made to feel welcome with our dog - lots of other diners also had dogs with them. Staff were friendly and efficient. Adressing the following niggles would make this a solid 5* for me: - Notwithstanding that this is a fish restaurant, veggie options are very limited - We weren’t asked at any point in our meal how we were finding the food. Thankfully everything was fine, but it is generally a common courtesy for waiting staff to check in - We weren’t offered the Prix Fixe menu despite this being advertised on the restaurant’s social media - £6 for a side of chips felt extortionate when the (very nice) dauphinoise came in at only £7

Just back from a fabulous stay at this wonderful hotel. We stayed in the Butley room which was lovely. The staff are excellent especially Drew on Sunday evening and Oliver on Monday morning at breakfast. Would highly recommend this hotel , lots of nice touches to make your stay even more enjoyable. We will look forward to visiting again. Thank you :-)

We stayed at The Suffolk for a night during half term. The rooms are delightful, we had a sea view and our dog and children were made very welcome! Staff are lovely and the dinner we had was absolutely superb - in fact my 14 yr old daughter said it was the best meal she had ever had! (Would definitely recommend the scallops if they are on the menu and the steak was cooked to perfection! Thank you for a great night!

The hotel is beautifully decorated and there are some really charming touches like a charcuterie board and complimentary cocktails for hotel guests. The breakfast was delicious. Service was really friendly but a little hit and miss. We went to sit on the roof terrace and bar man said he’d be up to take our order… after 10 mins we gave in and came inside. I would stay again as the location was lovely. No free parking until after 6pm so we paid and then moved the car later on.

Superb lunch at the Suffolk today with friends and small unruly children. We had a great space in the conservatory type area which made us less anxious about our noise and mess. The scallop gratin was sublime, as was the halibut. Also a very good selection of wines. Gave us lots of food options for the kids. Really rated our experience.

Incredible food in the centre of Aldeburgh. Simple, elegant, special and service to remember. We recommend to all we know.

Great food, friendly efficient staff. The cheese soufflé was amazing! A fabulous addition to the Aldeburgh food scene.

Service was decent but I was genuinely shocked to pay £34 for Turbot as a main and find it consisted of enough fish for 3 bites. It felt like a kids portion. I explained my disappointment to the Manager and to be fair she agreed and arranged for a second portion. This arrived undercooked. Dinner was £440 for 4 and we left there hungry. There are value better food options in the town with superior menus and food quality.

Had cocktails here in Sunday evening. Really delicious cocktails! and the little seaweed sesame snacks were amazing! Really recommend. But take a coat as they don’t heat it well at all - which spoils the ambience quite a lot.

My wife and I stayed on Saturday night to celebrate our Silver Wedding anniversary. Lovely room and fantastic meals, the vibe and general atmosphere really make it different. But the cherry on the cake, is the truly magnificent service from the entire team, literally nothing is too much trouble. Fantastic, we've already decided to return annually for our anniversary.

Having had several lovely visits for a morning coffee, visited last week to be told that they only do cold drinks? Very disappointed.

An amazing stay at The Suffolk Sur-Mer last May. A great weekend escape from London. And the food... As a French person, it was one of the best dinners I've had in the UK, with excellent value for money. Highly recommended!

We went to this restaurant after finding it on the Michelin site which normally brings together “good restaurants”. What a disappointment... Nice place, well decorated, but super noisy and you eat on your neighbor's lap. The waiters/waitresses are nevertheless attentive and friendly. The decoration of the tables was beautiful. On the other hand, the dishes are not at all refined, too oily especially for the snails, the two small clams served in a shell on a piece of paper... nothing beautiful and all that already for more than £30 combined... too small quantities when it comes to the main course with paid/expensive side dishes to add. And the prices are beyond expensive! A 7cm by 5cm piece of halibut for £38!!! There was only a small handful of samphire underneath. So disappointed that we sent off our meal and went to buy dessert in the COOP next door. In short, we will not come back and we will not recommend.

Have visited twice and each time had to wait 5 to 10 minutes to be shown to the table. When you're booked in my expectation is to be greeted at the door not hang about. At the end of the meal again no 'thanks for visiting, hope to see you again'. The man was firmly stuck on his computer. Food is glorious and service within the restaurant is good but you just get the impression that you're not valued

A wonderful meal in the sunshine on their beautiful terrace. Suffolk Bass cooked to perfection with a glass of Provence Rose, my mood in a glass. Fantastic service, spot on playlist. It doesn’t get better.

Delicious food served by friendly staff in a very comfortable and relaxed environment. Special mention to Ollie who explained the menu and wines so well and made some great recommendations! Can’t wait to go back.

Really, really disappointed with the service on this visit. Regularly visit the rooftop bar, always happy. The service has gone downhill with alarming speed. Such a shame. 😳

We went there for an afternoon drink. The location is perfect, overseeing the beautiful beach. The only issue was the manager? (lady with short hair) who was quite rude and abrupt

What a wonderful evening we had at The Suffolk last night! Visited from London for the weekend. Fantastic service at the bar before hand (we ordered oysters and the olives). Service in the main dining room was personal, attentive and extremely friendly. Food, we ordered the scallop for starter, Brill special (chips in particular were wow) all very delicious and perfect size for two fish lovers. All washed down with a lovely bottle of Sancerre. Retired back in the bar with lots of cocktails. I wish I could remember our servers names but she was absolutely wonderful. The food was generally brilliant. But what makes this place stellar is the service. It was such an enjoyable evening and we could have sat there for hours more. Although we racked up an expensive bill, the value for money was definitely there. A lovely kind bonus was that we didn’t manage to find a taxi and Drew kindly drove us home!!! Cannot wait to come and visit again and it’ll be a staple of every Suffolk visit now.

Brilliant food. Amazing atmosphere. Hottest waiter I’ve ever seen - thanks for the champagne ;)

The perfect weekend retreat - comfy bed, nice soaps, spacious room, big bathrobes for a morning swim which couldn’t be closer. The food was really good, both the breakfast and for dinner. Breakfast service and at reception was really nice and helpful.

An amazing “ foodie “ experience with great service but very pricey restaurant! Muddled seating if you want drinks upstairs you have to eat their barbecue and you can’t order off the A la carte. Mixed messages over terrace seating not explained online.

Amazing food and service. Love the wine list. Sea food at its best. My 7 year old loves the terrace and they manage to get him to eat olives!

Fantastic fish restaurant, we had the special which was a whole Brill done in butter with new potatoes, beautifully cooked and so sweet. The service is excellent and a good selection of wines and beers.

We started having a drink on the lovely Terrace. The view was magnificent, overlooking the North Sea. The actual restaurant is very nice. The food came quickly and freshly grilled from the outside grill. The food was very flavorful and delicious. All the waiters and waitresses were very nice and helpful. If you are in this area then we highly recommend having lunch or dinner at the Suffolk Sur-Mer restaurant. We will try to come back as soon as possible.

Such a shame, the concept is great but the service is always short of good. Basic stuff, like knowing who came in when, is not noted and ultimately customers are let down. Great future if they get a bit more professional.

Limited menu but have always found the food to be good. Service duri g ou4 meal was well below previous standards. Some examples were upon arrival, despite it not being very busy (at 2:30pm) we were sat between 2 other tables. The young waitress then proceeded to advise us of the specials "white fish" (would have been nice to have been told what white fish) and 120 kilos of lobster which she then quickly changed to 120 pounds (weight or cost?). We had a main course (cod) and dessert ( chocolate tart) but had to ask for a spoon to eat the dessert with. The waitresses seemed more bothered about talking to each other than serving the guests. We had to several times call across the restaurant to get their attention. As we left we passed within 3 feet of the manageress and a number of waitresses by the door, not even a "Thank you, goodbye". For a restaurant that charges London prices and is trying to operate as a premium restaurant, this most certainly wasn't our experience. We haven't encountered this lower level of service before so you would hope that it is a blip.

We have just returned (last night) from a wonderful weekend stay at The Suffolk. We would like to thank you and your staff for looking after us so well. Our room "Orford Ness" was magnificent and a joy to wake up to the sea views. The meal we had on Saturday evening was sublime, especially the Whole Brill, which was probably enough to feed four people (though we did manage to eat it all between the two of us). Breakfast on both days was also wonderful. All of your staff members that we met were attentive, professional and made us feel very special. Many thanks once again, and I'm sure that we will return again in the future.

Wonderful! Had fabulous three day visit, room was great, comfortable bed, plenty of storage and super products. Food is excellent, service spot on from a young and enthusiastic team. Good wine list. It really is the only place to go in town.

It was ok. For £220 for two, one could expect better. Positives - 1. Oysters fabulous (local). 2. Smoked prawn bar snack fabulous. 3. Good wine list. 4. Dressed crab was good (albeit not in the shell which is what dressed usually implies.) Issues (and advice to mgmt). 1. Limited menu - only 1 fish dish (very plain cod). Plus 2 crustaceans and Brill for 3 or 4! 2. Inexperienced waitresses - couldn’t explain food well 3. Told cod would come with broad beans - came with soggy samphire and spinach. Despite highlighting the fact, they did not offer a reduction in the bill. Just blamed chef. 5. Coffees were cold - taken off the bill. 6. Sirloin £38! 7. Scallop starter covered in breadcrumbs (croutons). Why? Who thinks that is a good idea for a fresh scallop. Having said all that - it was a good night out albeit expensive for what it was. And did not live up to reviews we had read.

Wonderful spot. Always delicious food and lovely service.

We had a fabulous meal here to celebrate my wife's birthday. We booked advance for lunch as we know the town can get busy at weekends and this appeared a wise decision as the restaurant quickly filled up around up. The service was friendly, attentive and informative, we chose to have a daily special of Brill this was filleted beautiful at the table and demonstrate some great service and interaction from the young lady looking after us. Crab, scallops, brill and chocolate torte were all sublime. Thanks to all the team for a fabulous meal and great experience.

We've had a very pleasant evening here, friendly, attentive staff and excellent food. For us we appreciate the importance of restaurants using local suppliers, a menu that provides enough choice, but isn't too extensive, means quality not quantity. Local asparagus was delicious, and the cod with samphire, broad beans, sea spinach & peas a perfect portion and so tasty, which left enough room for desserts, panacotta with a perfect wobble and pears with sabayon and blackberries. Shame we're going home tomorrow or we would be back!

Appalling welcome by the middle aged woman Maitre D. How people get jobs in the customer service who behave like this is quite unbelievable. I wouldn’t go back because of her unnecessary attitude. Sort out your staff.

The birthday celebration at Suffolk sur-mer was a disappointment, earning a 1/5 star rating. The restaurant failed to respect and understand dietary restrictions despite prior communication and confirmation. The service was lackluster, and sadly, it didn't seem like they liked tourists. The general presentation of the restaurant was rushed and confusing, with the staff suggesting dishes unsuitable for our guests with dietary restrictions. They also informed us that they could not prepare any dish without dairy. The front of house service was also disappointing, with our drinks orders forgotten and our table reservation overlooked. We waited 30 minutes at the bar for a drink and ended up just asking for a table to eat. The main concern was due to the serving staff being unable to accommodate a guest with gluten and dairy allergies and a vegetarian who abstains from eggs. By default they served wholemeal bread and butter to a gluten and dairy-free guest without explanation and then recommended a cheese-heavy dish, assuring it was lactose-free, which once it arrived, was clearly not. The only vegetarian option was a basic side salad that they called a garden salad... it was just iceberg lettuce and some arugula. While the food two starters and one main that we did manage to consume was delicious, it did not make up for the overall experience. The management acknowledged their mistakes and compensated us with free starters and mains. However, we hope they take these criticisms to heart and improve their service and training: it is not safe or okay to present a dish that clearly isn't diary free as lactose-free- lucky that nothing bad happened.

Fantastic dinner. Had the brill. Expensive but super quality and super service. Went to the roof top terrace for drinks after dinner. 👍

A birthday dinner for me that was simply delicious. Perfectly cooked scallops with samphire. Simple but delicious. Followed by Cote de boeuf, chips & bearnaise. Paired with a pinot noir. A real treat and excellent cookery. Thank you Chef Tom & team. This style of cooking does not happen easily. A wonderful birthday treat 😊👩‍🍳

Ate tonight in restaurant excellent food albeit west end prices . But no oysters despite first evening service , excuse supplier runs out, change supplier! Also thick bread and slab of butter and when I suggested to manager nice bread olive oil and balsamic vinegar more in keeping with fine cuisine response was people like it!! Really?

Very nice bar and restaurant with a roof top terrace o erlookingvthe beach - hence the 5 star location. Great service, friendly staff, good wine but very limited selection of beer.

The food was honestly outstanding. Fairly simple sounding set menu but every dish was clearly put together by someone who understands subtle flavours. Beautiful roof terrace with ocean views.

Unfortunately we didn’t have a great experience here. So I can’t recommend. Went for a family members birthday. Despite the food getting rave reviews, the options were limited if you had dietary requirements. One of our party was actually recommended a dish that was falsely claimed to be allergen free. Potentially disastrous ☹️ The service was already very slow and not very attentive… But it felt like after that mistake, we were virtually ignored for the rest of our evening there. Most of our party went home hungry as all that was available was salad. The good news is that they have a decent wine selection, which you can order if you can get the staffs attention ☹️ The hotel looks nice, and it’s got a beautiful view…. But it’s let down by the restaurant. It’s almost like a different restaurant was reviewed in the newspapers and the Michelin guide.

Stayed last weekend for three nights. So much to really like, most especially the food, but certainly areas for improvement. Initially room had a bad smell. We reported this, but it wasn’t passed on. Quickly dealt with (simply dry shower drain) by the manager, but then she ignored us for the next couple of days,rather than checking it was remedied. No mirror for hair drying, make up. Nice bathroom. Only 2 coat hangers per person and when we asked for more we were told to take some from the restaurant rack and take them up ourselves! Rather poor for a £250 a night room. The main problem is that residents are ignored, whereas locals are treated really well. Couldn’t guarantee a pre dinner drink in the bar, but locals had table booked and plenty of attention from the manager. Irritating and mildly offensive. Breakfast restaurant manger really friendly and attentive . Lovely location, but won’t be returning.

The Suffolk was amazing, the staff are friendly you have a family feeling when you walk in there, the food was sublime, delicious and quick to be served, wait staff were efficient, polite and accommodating, nothing was too much trouble. The room we stayed in Abraham bosom was beautiful, clean had everything you need, towels dressing gowns, hand towels and flannels. Shower was to die for, powerful and shower gel, shampoo& conditioner all included..breakfast was simply delish and set us up for a good day of wandering the area...thank you all at The Suffolk for making our 25th wedding anniversary one to remember. The Suffolk also welcomes Dog shown by the owners Jack Russel who is in the building with him at all times, so all in all friendly to humans and dogs alike xx

Agree with those who say there is a problem with front of house staff, waited ages to get served a drink in empty front bar, had to hail someone eventaully, staff were nice but a bit dippy and all worked as if students on a break. Great place in so many ways and it is probably difficult to get staff in tiny seaside towns, so I get that. Had a lovely meal though and staff student dippiness is often charming and well meaning. Since above review, I had meal in the restaurant with lovely food and attentive service

Had a wonderful stay at the Suffolk. Excellent room and service. Dinner in the restaurant was superb well worth a visit. The terrace in warmer weather is great place to spend a few hours relaxing.

Went for a meal for a family birthday. Totally transactional service which detracted from the meal and enjoyment. Fully focused on how quickly they could turn around the table - clearing payses as soon as finished, not noticing water had run out- couldn’t wait to get the next people in. Wrong vibe - not good- recommend going somewhere that cares more about the experience than the number of sittings they can get in

Beautiful meal of lobster and chips, finished with treacle tart. Staff were very friendly and attentive, and the restaurant area was beautiful with a nice ambience. Definitely worth a visit, we will be back again soon.

The service is awful. We’ve been sitting on the terrace for about 35/40 minutes and have just got some drinks. It’s not that busy. My husband had to go downstairs to order drinks about 15 minutes after we’d sat down, only to have the waitress come upstairs and check what we wanted 15 minutes later. When we did get drinks we were randomly given different sizes of wine. No bar snacks served between 3.30 and 5, unless you’re the people sitting next to us who either waited for 50 minutes or so, or were able to order for some reason. We weren’t allowed. Also 20 minutes for someone to come and clear the plates (from the people before) off our table.

Just simply exquisite! Happy staff , locally sourced seafood and meats , oyster flavoured gin from the local distillery Fishers too !

We had a wonderful evening here. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the food was delicious. Perfect for a special occasion

The most delicious food, beautifully fresh. Lovely service too. Would definitely recommend.

Severe food poisoning and awful customer service. I don’t usually leave reviews but unfortunately after my husband and I suffered severe food poisoning from this restaurant last month I feel I should inform others. We were poisoned from their rock oysters - presumably the water which they had been prepared in was contaminated. I am aware that there is always a high risk when consuming raw seafood, however what was most disappointing was their customer service following the incident. We emailed them to make them aware we were ill. It took them a week to reply with an initial response. They told us that they were investigating the matter with their suppliers and would get back to us but they never did! No explanation, apology or even an offer to compensate our meal. Very disappointing for a restaurant of this price point and reputation.

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.

Mostly great restaurant experience 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! Dessert 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.

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.

Ate and stayed here for a birthday meal on Friday 16th. The room was lovely, the food was excellent and the service was fantastic. 4th time here. It won’t be our last.

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.

Delicious meal. Superb quality, nice atmosphere, great service. Lives up to Jay Rayner review!

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.

Aldeburgh Sur mer chefs definitely know how to cook but are let down by front of house and a lack of finesse by some of the more junior waiting staff who had not been trained to a sufficient standard to match the prices and our expectations. Cutlery thrown onto the table, ‘being asked what do you want now?’ and having to ask 5 or 6 times for a beer are a few examples of the shambles that greeted us. But the biggest problem was the way in which our family member in a wheelchair was treated. We had done a lot of work prior to the booking to ensure a seamless experience but all in vain, still the same old kerfuffle greeted us as though people in wheelchairs don’t tend to eat in posh restaurants. A glass of champagne on the house didn’t make up for this oversight on their part. And finally the portion size of the turbot has been mentioned in other reviews. Extremely bad experience given the positive reviews we had read before.

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.

Just finished lunch. No prawns available No chowder available No cote de boeuf available No choc mousse available And no alternative offered Slow service Empty restaurant Not coming back

We had such a nice stay in one of their posh rooms - everyone was so friendly & the drinks and breakie were brilliant - thanks very much X

Beautiful meal over Christmas. Delicious food and cocktails and attentive and personalised service. Dog friendly which was a big plus for us. Not cheap but no faults at all.

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.

Had dinner in the restaurant only. Great scallops to start and a near perfect venison main dish. Great service. Definitely will return when I'm next in Aldeburgh.

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…

Friendly and good service with very good food

Very friendly staff, good service, and a pleasant atmosphere. You are not rushed, which adds to the overall experience.

I couldn’t find any fault with this restaurant, the food was just amazing and the service was wonderful. Would highly recommend this to anyone who loves seafood

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.

This is a great place to eat and to enjoy amazing food. Dog friendly, people friendly and food friendly! Service was great and the menu offered a wide range that show cases the best that Suffolk has to offer. The chef displayed a great love of cooking and how to prepare and serve food that you would enjoy eating. A great addition to our places to eat!

Lovely lunch though food was not quite up to previous visit standards. Staff are always exceptionally great.

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

Great place. Amazing food. Staff were fantastic ,particularly the restaurant manager.

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.

A lovely Dinner @ Suffolk Sur Mer - the Oysters to start, Lobster & Frits and the Raspberry Mille Fuille were amazing.

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’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.

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.

Weird rules! They have a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the sea but do not allow hot drinks to be consumed on it! We ordered a wine and a coffee but we’re told that it was against the rules and we would have to go inside to drink the coffee! Needless to say, we didn’t order anything and won’t return

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.

We went to the Suffolk on a Friday night. The meal was very good and I had a great glass of red wine whose name I forget. I had the 1/2 Lobster which was cooked perfectly, taken out of its shell (including a claw) and shared some starters including local oysters which were lovely and snails. Snails were a little disappointing for me as I would have preferred more seasoning and more garlic, but still good. I would recommend it and would definitely go again if I got the chance.

Very disappointing. The ambience and location is nice but it is let down by the below average food at London+ prices. My scallops (starter) and half lobster (main) were too greasy, very salty, and pretty small, while the Eton mess dessert was far too sweet. The lobster came with chips, but other guests' dishes just came on their own - simple piece of fish and bland sauce at over £25 each. They think they are a fine dining restaurant that can justify charging these prices, but sadly they are not.

Excellent food and outstanding service. A visit to The Suffolk in Aldeburgh is essential. From the moment we walked in, we felt very welcome and relaxed. The staff were incredible, very attentive but not in an overbearing way. Nothing was too much trouble. Lunch was delicious using local produce - we opted for the Scallops and beetroot tartare to start followed by the Dover Sole and Lobster. This restaurant is also incredibly child and dog friendly. My 3 year old chose cod goujons and chips and cleaned her plate. Also worth a note is the great selection of drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The shirley temple was a big hit as was the light and buttery chablis. Make sure you enjoy a drink on the terrace. We will definitely be back soon.

As always the food is good quality it's the front of house service that let's it down time and again. Went for supper on a Saturday evening starters arrived within seconds... and then the wait.. chased twice for mains and no response waited best part of sn hour between courses.Took off the service charge and serving staff down right rude. Won't be back anytime soon.

Very impressed with first visit here last night. Lovely seafood dishes. My main course of Turbot with smoked mussel butter was a delight. Also great to go out for dinner on a Sunday evening and not have the limited choice one usually gets when out for dinner on Sunday evenings. The seating is comfortable and the ambiance and decor promotes a lovely seaside feel. Nice helpful staff too. A walk on the beach on a warm evening afterwards was an added bonus. Would suggest best to book in advance, seems very popular and most walk ins could not get a table.

Great food and service... 5 stars