The Swan at Westgate in Thanet

Popular pub, nice sea view, restaurant is fine and as you would expect mid range but nice.

Manager lets down the pub although food not great either! Drink spilt all over us - complete accident. We were not rude at all to the waitress even though the manager is claiming we were and saying we reduced two members of staff to tears?! Absolute rubbish. The waitress we had after the first one - ( assuming the manager told her not to serve us and she probably got told off) we had a lovely young waitress who was absolutely fine with us. The manager said she would take drinks off the bill however did not specify which drinks and then proceeded to say no just two cokes. The drink went absolutely everywhere - my partners nephew was very upset as his trousers were soaked. Again not their fault however - we queried which drinks and asked if the full round could be taken off due to us having soaked clothes. The manager said yes that’s ok but so you know this will be taken out of her wages. We were all disgusted and shocked. I am now even more shocked she is fabricating what actually happened. What a vile woman!

Call it unfortunate if you will. We last visited here about 5 years ago and vouched to never go back after an awful experience. We went back today for my father in laws birthday for a table of 8. There was an unfortunate event where one of the staff had spilt 2 pints of coke over my 4 year old, my mother in law including white cotton trainers, my wife’s suede Ugg boots, father in laws coat, my mother in laws Mother’s Day present, my wife’s phone, my sons whole new outfit, sunglasses and a new toy that he got as a reward for a good school report. They were quick to apologise, obviously through no fault of the waitress as accidents do happen. But as a business owner myself I know that as a service based business you have to do a little more than knock off two soft drinks off the bill for an appalling start and depending if we can get the drink stains out of clothing and footwear possibly hundreds of pounds worth of damage. When the bill came out we were pretty suprised to find they had left the service charge and had only knocked off a few quid for the cokes with no extra apology. When we sent the bill back after not being happy with it asking perhaps they need to do a little more work on the price and maybe just take the bottle of wine off at least as an apology. What I presume as the manager came out. (She didn’t introduce herself so I’m only assuming) saying they couldn’t take £22 off our bill since it was a lot of money for a small local business and accidents happen but would knock another £4 off for a glass of ale. We said we weren’t entirely happy with that especially after the large drink spill and having to send some food back for being overcooked. Fine she says I’ll take £22 off but it’ll be coming out of the staff member who knocked the drinks over wages so if you’re happy doing that to her then so be it. Which is actually just a bit savage considering you’ve only just said a phrase earlier that accidents happen. Perhaps as a business you should just take ownership for mistakes like this and not give the sob story or threat of staff losing earnings or being a small business. Accidents do happen but it’s how you deal with them that is make or break. Personally speaking if I had spilt two entire drinks over three people and their belongings I’d be offering a lot more than a couple quid off their bill and would have seen if anything was damaged and if anything was damaged that we could’ve put right. She still didn’t come out to apologise and just sent a different staff member to deal with the reduced bill in the end. But hey, people have different takes on what customer service is and this manager in particular thought that earning £140 was more important than leaving customers with a good experience over a bad one and ending up with a 1* review. I guess all it’s done if affirm my view I had from 5 years ago not to ever go back until ownership/ management changes. Also, this is my no means a gripe at the waiting staff. The girls done what they could within their remit and were great. They shouldnt have wages docked for management not taking ownership of a problem. By law (Employment Rights Act 1996), an employer can only make a deduction from someone's wages anyway IE: it's required by law – for example tax. So if the staff member who was having wages “deducted” does read this and does in fact have wages deducted I’d be reporting that further up the line.

Manager extremely rude and very unfair to staff

All good but the table next to ours had a dog with them. Dogs should be allowed in a restaurant.

We often stop by for a drink and a meal with the dogs. We are greeted with a smile and the food is always spot on. Highly recommend for a roast too!

Lovely atmosphere and staff so welcoming we cone regularly also had meals here the service and food are always very good, would highly recommend it. looking forward to our wedding here.

Always friendly Lovely views accross the bay

Great food and beverage service. Friendly and helpful staff

Attended a friend’s birthday party at The Swan what a great venue so well organised service,food and entertainment was just brilliant We finished our weekend with a beautiful Sunday lunch and live music hopefully we will return sometime

I go to the carvery sometimes and that is really lovely. The cosy part of the bar is,lovely also.

The carvery was plentiful and was constantly refilled food was hot and delicious, the staff were very helpful and friendly and the room was spacious and you weren’t all sitting on top of each other. All in all a very pleasant experience we will definitely be back

Loved our meal at this pub. Very nice pub, clean and tidy and very modern. The food was amazing and s very good price. I did feel the waitress could have been a bit more friendly though.

We arrived and were shown to our table and served with a sparkling wine followed by a large choice of canapes. We all had a delicious salmon and prawn starter. The main was a choice from the carvery turkey, beef, pork and pigs in blankets or a beef and onion pie. There was a choice of approx. 8 different vegetables plus roasted chestnuts. Xmas pudding is a must for all of us. We dine at this venue regularly the food and service is always excellent.

A brilliant function room for monthly quizzes and christmas parties. Table service for drinks is very convenient and all the staff are welcoming and friendly.

Restaurant, pub, hotel lobby, holiday homes Cabernet area? You tell me

We had our staff Christmas party at the Swan on 13/12/24. The Venue was the perfect size and in a great location for all of us with plenty of parking outside. I was booking for a group of nearly 60 and had a little technical hitch with booking (my fault) and despite this, Karen and the team at the Venue managed to sort it all out for me - going above and beyond! The evening was great and all who attended really enjoyed themselves, including the food and the disco - which we made full use of until the end of the night. The Swan made it a lovely event and the organisation of the food (carvery style for main) was organised seamlessly which was so impressive for such a large group of people! The food was lovely - absolutely no complaints from anyone except that they had eaten too much! The staff at the Swan did everything possible to make our staff party the best one we have had for a number of years - so good in fact that staff are already asking me to book them up for next year!

Went to the Swan with friends to celebrate New Year's. And what an absolutely fabulous night it was. Michelle and her staff put on a great evening, looking after our every need. And the singer was superb! Would highly recommend going here..

NYE 2024, Company amazing, food excellent music by none other than the Miles Elliot was outstanding, an extremely comfortable setting. A must for anybody who is looking for good entertainment and a lovely atmosphere with plenty of good food choices, the Swan is one of the best places in Westgate to go for an all round lovely enjoyable time.and there is always entertainment to be seen staff are also very attentive.

Went to the swan on new years eve and had a fantastic evening. The singer was just amazing and the food was top notch. The host michelle was absolutely brilliant, making suer everyone enjoyed themselves. Highly recommend this place.

Went there for Xmas party, waitresses were very good and attentive. Food was ok, not very hot. The DJ was terrible, music was awful. Don't know what he got paid asked for requests, didn't even play them.

I visited with my daughter, son in law and two granddaughters, one of them autistic, plus a greyhound and my brother who has long term mental illness. I only mention the mental health, neurodivergent and canine aspects because we were a potentially challenging group. Sharon, who looked after us, put everyone so at ease that it was one of our happiest lunches together. The care for the dog (water and treats) helped the younger girl so much that she ordered her own food for almost the first time. I loved the way Sharon was patient with my brother as he dithered over his order - she really respected and honoured the customer and we were impressed and grateful. Add in - the food was great, menu for younger guests was good and decent value for money and ambience. Nice pint too! Good service makes SO much difference. Really recommend.

We visited for a carvery on a Sunday afternoon. We have had a carvery here before but this visit especially was so tasty! Super quick service and polite members of staff. Our desserts were wonderful and I was happy to see more of a variety of desserts than our last visit. We often pop in for a drink when passing on a dog walk and love how dog friendly the Swan is. We will continue to visit! Thanks team!

Ten of us came to you tonight, 22nd December 2024, the meal was extremely good and we all enjoyed it very much. Service good, all came our together, checked to make sure we were OK, the sweets were lovely. We will be back thank you.

Great place to reasonable prices friendly staff pork belly is amazing

Wonderful restaurant, excellent service and good value.

Servo is brilliant as well as the drink choice and upkeep of the place

Very friendly and welcoming staff . The food is always very fresh and tasty. Good selection of beers. In the summer it's lovely outside area is lovely with sea a stones throw away

I’m an American visiting Westgate-on-Sea where I found the food, service, and ambiance at the Swan absolutely fantastic. The baked camembert was delicious as was the sea bass and my dinner companion’s Thai curry. Our server was extremely attentive and courteous, and the roaring fire and Christmas decorations made for a very cozy atmosphere. Cannot recommend highly enough.

An amazing Sunday roast carvery dinner! Plenty of lovely tasty and nicely cooked meats with and extensive range of fresh vegetables. The service was exception and we were well looked after, especially by the lovely Michelle and Holly! Very reasonably priced as well representing great value for money. All in all a wonderful experience. Thank you to all at the Swan not forgetting the behind the scenes chefs who did a lot of the hard work! THANK YOU!!

Great beer selection, hard working staff, an adorable manageress, Michelle, good food and quality entertainment.

This was where we went for our sister-in-laws wake. A very sad occasion, but the Swan made it a good send-off. Well done to all of the staff. Thank you.

A great place to eat and drink food was out of this world cannot wait to go back and so dog friendly thank you

Great food, very nice pint of gadds .malbec very reasonable and priced fairly.

Food not good watery curry and clumpy rice

Beautiful place for a private function. Staff were friendly and food was lovely. Sea views and private entrance for function room with bar.

My partner and I visited the swan for a Sunday roast. The carvery was lovely, the food was fresh, hot and a good selection. It was very busy however no shortage of food. We will definitely be visiting again soon.

It was a dreadful food was all cut and potatoes were. Nearly black roast pots al the veg was awful all mushy my daughter's wanted salad managed said I will do it this time only not a good reply there were 7 of us nobody enjoyed their meal total for the meal was nearly £150 pounds.

Squeezed us in last minute last week, very friendly and dog friendly too! Very welcoming and polite staff.

Excellent Bar food. Good choice of Real Ales. Lovely company.

Can't comment on the food as only had drinks. Great place for drinks outside, no need to go to the bar as it's table service. Nice view on a warm sunny day.

We used the function room for a commemoration of a friends life following his death 18 months ago. Michelle was very very helpful, along with all of her staff. We had our own dedicated team for the actual event, who were very polite, courteous and professional. The function room has been refurbished since we last used it and is an excellent venue for any function, with all tables dressed and lovely calming lighting, with attention to detail everywhere. The room hire was also very reasonable and nothing was a problem for Michelle or her staffing team... all we needed to do was ask for something and it was done! Excellent location and the absolute perfect venue overlooking the sea front. Thank you for making the night such a wonderful success!

Friends wake, what a lovely place, perfect location by the sea.

We drove past at first as it was not obviously a pub/restaurant from the outside but we were delighted once we went inside. The restaurant is a large comfortable space. Warm and welcoming. The staff are friendly and helpful. Food is good and they have some decent ales. The prices were fair for a very nice restaurant but there was a special offer of fresh caught fish and chips which was delicious and excellent value for money. If I lived in the area we would be regulars. Worth finding and highly recommended.

Lovely carvery welcoming atmosphere and polite and attentive staff 5 star

Had drinks outside , lovely staff

Esther our waitress was absolutely brilliant. Very professional and so helpful .

Lovely food, they always make u feel at home x

Absolutely exceptional carvery. Delicious pudding after too. Atmosphere was lovely as always & staff polite and courteous

Lovely roast cooked to perfection wide choice of vegetables. Singer afterwards was an added bonus. Would definitely recommend for carvery.

We were on a hike and decided to take a break at The Swan and keep enjoying the beautiful views of the sea. I ordered the Sunday carvery but I can only agree with the praise from previous reviewers. It wasn’t just delicious, the portion was also great. A friend ordered a battered fish and he was also satisfied with the quality of the food. I definitely recommend the carvery.

Excellent carvery offering for Sunday tea

Lovely pub, but no easy parking areas. There is a great view from this pub and they do instant table service which was fast and the staff were really friendly I had the hunters chicken which was okay but not the best I’ve ever had.

A drink only visit in Jun24. The food looked great and we will be back when it’s less busy to try. We sat inside for a drink, as the pub was extremely busy outside during a very hot summer day. The staff were attentive, polite and friendly and drinks reasonably priced. They also hold live music events several times a month and list is displayed on who’s playing and time table. WC’s were clean and tidy. The pub looked like it had received a recent make over in Jun24. During our visit, it was table service and again, although very busy, drinks arrived promptly.

Went there a few weeks ago, food took over an hour to arrive by the time it come it was dark and cold outside so we couldn’t see what you was eating…. Would have been nice to have been told prior of possible delays. If it wasn’t for paying in advance I would of have walked away.

Called in for an impromptu meal - didn't realise they had live music on or that their carvery shut at 5pm but atmosphere was good and service was attentive however the food offering was very average - hope to try their carvery and it is better

Very slow & poor service, got our drinks order wrong followed by an hour for our starters to arrive. Mains were cold & we had to chase for our dessert as it seemed to have been forgotten? A very poor experience, upon this evening's visit I certainly wouldn't recommend..

A great place to eat and drink on a sunny day! I highly recommend this place especially the Thai green curry, was delicious.

Great seafront pub serving good grub at reasonable prices. Held grandsons 7th birthday party here and were extremely well looked after by very attentive staff

Thanks for lovely time. See you soon

This pub is on the seafront with dining restaurant, outside dining and bar dining. The Staff are very attentive and welcoming and the food is amazing. Although busy the food was prompt and hot. Waiter service is to your seat. Honestly the staff are amazing. What a fab time we had and we dined there 3 times in one week . Well done to this establishment oh and the sunsets are awesome.

We held my brothers wake here, a fantastic venue with good food and excellent service. Thank you.

Nice restaurant, with a view of the beach and bay. Friendly service, electronic reservation possible. Waiting time a little too long. The food is tasty and the atmosphere is appealing.

What a great place for a Sunday carvery. Not been here before, driving past and decided to stop, so glad we did. Food great, staff welcoming and friendly. We will definitely return.

Can sit outside and watch the sunset .. good vibe .. pool table .. can hire function room for parties. Food is always amazing, specials menu changes weekly so worth checking website.

I booked The Swan for my mother's wake. Michelle the manager who booked us and sorted out the food was amazing, helpful with nothing too much trouble. We arrived to be greeted by a lady with a smile on her face and shown to a beautiful private space with round tables with linen and wonderful table pieces all made the venue a relaxing place to be. The food was then brought out WOW! What an amazing choice from sandwiches, seafood platter to coleslaw and potato salad all prepared to perfection, tasty and enjoyed by everyone. Praise also to Lorraine and the lovely gentleman behind the bar who were attentive and was always on hand if we needed anything. If you ever need a venue for a wake, private function here is your place. Thank you to everyone at The Swan for making it so special and would return 100% again.

I booked The Swan for my mother’s wake. Michelle the manager who booked us and sorted out the food was amazing, helpful with nothing too much trouble. We arrived to be greeted by a lady with a smile on her face and shown to a beautiful private space with round tables with linen and wonderful table pieces all made the venue a relaxing place to be. The food was then brought out WOW! What an amazing choice from sandwiches, seafood platter to coleslaw and potato salad all prepared to perfection, tasty and enjoyed by everyone. Praise also to Lorraine and the lovely gentleman behind the bar who were attentive and was always on hand if we needed anything. If you ever need a venue for a wake, private function here is your place. Thank you to everyone at The Swan for making it so special and would return 100% again.

Lovely seafront pub good selection of drinks and food

Thank you so much for the beautiful venue and hospitality and kindness given to us by Sharon and Jake at our late mother’s wake the Setting was Absolutely Perfect with Sea Views and Ample Parking for Everyone. Nothing was too much trouble and the food was Fabulous thanks

What a lovely pub. It’s got every thing, great food, entertainment and staff. The roast is the best I have had eating out. The landlady keeps every thing spotless and the service is just great. Specially Phil’s table service. He knows what you want even before you know ! Highly recommended 👍 well done guys

I used to live in Westgate for 4 years and still being quite local, go back very regularly. I am part of their Quiz Team, thanks to Phil, a wonderful, "all-rounder" and now a special friend to me. He is always so polite, considerate and checks up on me regularly. (I am 71 next week, but only look circa 50ish! Lol!) He is extremely popular with everyone, of all ages, gender, adults, children and even the dogs! He is missed, when he is not on duty! I also enjoy the live music, inside or out, but most particularly, MILES ELLIOTT, who is a fantastic, Soul, Motown, Reggae, Swing, plus other genres singer. He fills the place, both inside and out and I know a lot of people travel from quite a distance to hear him sing and entertain the crowds! We also eat there at times. In fact, all the staff are friendly and very competent, but as I said, definitely PHIL and MILES, my favourites!!! Irene Addison. 1st.July, 2024.

Last visited at the end of covid when treated by staff as children. Given instructions where to sit etc etc. not appreciated so did not return. Went back tonight for first time in two years and realise why we don’t go there, such a bore. More like a social club than a pub, no atmosphere. Maybe try again in another two years!!!

Absolutely lovley roast best around here by far. Food fresh and good quality. Friendly staff Good value for money

Really good place to have a Sunday Carvery, great service, not bad price. Peas were a bit tough that was only thing everything else great.

On the whole a great location and friendly atmosphere. Food was ok and staff were polite however a staff member took a half full glass of mine whilst I used the toilet which was annoying and it wasn't replaced!

Very friendly lady behind the bar Made this place a little gem. Food was great and homemade, good quality and decent portion size.

My partner and I booked our engagement party here. While this wasn't our first time at the venue, it was our first time booking and Michelle and the team made it a breeze. Everything from the decorations to the food was perfect and the service from Jake, Holly and Cameron gave a seamless experience that was second to none! They were so kind, so proactive and so helpful throughout and they made sure that everything ran smoothly!

Good food lovely staff reasonably priced and amazing views

Peaceful sea side town. It'll humble you to the core if you're from one of the big cities. Truly calming and good fun. Just remember to buy booze before everything closes

Lovely place to drink . Very friendly staff . Great atmosphere .

The food and drinks are good and the real ale is particularly great. However the service is not so good when it's busy on the terrace. A 15 minute wait for 1 drink is unacceptable for example. Improve this and its 5 stars all day long.

Lovely location and really nice staff and customers. Food portions are quite large but otherwise a nice place to visit. Has excellent disabled access.

Enjoyed our meal, waitresses were lovely, we were dining with 4 children and 4 adults, children were well behaved but at one point got up and moved to sit by the fire (which was not on), my husband got up to tell the children to come back to the table and at that point was approached by the manager and told to control our children, our son is 2 and had not caused any disruption or disturbed any diners, he could see my husband was dealing with the situation, the comments were unnecessary and spoiled the atmosphere and our dining experience. If you don’t want children to eat in your restaurant don’t have a child’s menu.

A lovely birthday lunch with family.Friendly staff,warm and comfortable restaurant and beautiful view.

I went with a friend to the Swan and ordered a Masaman Curry and was told they didn’t have it. Ordered chicken in wine sauce and they didn’t have it. Ordered something else didn’t have it. My friend did the same. Everything we ordered nothing. In the end I said what do you have. We had to order something we didn’t really want which was not good. It also took a long time to arrive. I have been here before and food has been ok. Never the best but enjoyable. Sorry Swan. Can’t eat here again.

I popped in while on a 'tourist' break in town for a couple of days... It's a fantastic location and The Swan is clearly very well run. The London Pride beer was perfect and I got the 'happy hour' price which was great value. The bar service was fast and friendly, and I didn't feel like a 'visitor' even though I was amongst local regulars. Thanks for helping to make my trip all the more enjoyable 👍🏼🙏🏾

Table service only but worth it

We only had drinks on this visit but the swan is a great place to visit.

Wow, what a lovely find. Booked online earlier in the week looking for Sunday roast by the coast. Menu was quite varied and rice was excellent value for money. Seated in the dining room (rather than the ‘carvery room’) which was delightful along with log fire. Food was very good and the services was really decent (doesn’t seem always to be the case these days) Will definitely be back!

Was here for the quiz, great fun, reasonable prices.

Since its refurbishment with new owners The Swan has changed significantly for the better. Good food and drink, combined with courteous and professional staff.

Amazing food, service, interiors and scenery. Love coming here when meeting up with friends for drinks & lunch.

Venue (function room) was a lovely place to have a carvery after a brisk walk to Margate and back. Food was really good - Thai Green Curry very flavoursome and a generous serving. I also tried a slice of the roast beef - succulent and tender. Staff very friendly and efficient.

Been here many times..good honest food including a Fabulous Sunday carvery. All prices well and potions generous. Never been disappointed. Staff are spot on...and very accomodating even if they're full they try their utmost to squeeze you in somewhere.

Went here with the fitsteps club and even though there were a lot of us eating drinking and dancing the lovely food just kept coming, buffet style. The hot and cold food was all delicious. Ordering drinks was a breeze and they were served in seconds. It's a very well run place

Had a lovely Christmas lunch today. Thank you so much to all the staff who were friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. We were a family with a wheelchair and a high chair. Everyone was accommodated comfortably. Food was great and everyone had a great time. Thank you!!

Came for our work Xmas party and we wasn't disappointed great atmosphere and great food x

Amazing service & amazing food. Highly recommended. 😊

I do love this place, reasonable prices for a restaurant on the sea front which I love on a hot sunny day. The restaurant is very modern deco and is extremely stylish, the food is fabulous but expect to spend your money if you are not a light eater, mostly adults customer range, the staff are always happy to help and seem very busy but need to listen to the customers orders because we have a couple of mistakes which didn't ruin the evening. Worth a visit even to experience it and I can guarantee that you will have a return visit. Anyone who give a bad review on 'The Swan' must be having a bad day because I found nothing wrong with this place

Lovely staff, table service if desired.