The Urchin in Brighton and Hove

Firstly the good bit - the food is excellent- great red wine, oysters, Moules and frites. I enjoyed it. Well done the chef. Where the owners were let down. The disinterested staff. Told it was table service 25 minutes later I am still waiting. I go up to the bar to order with the same member of staff who told me table service! No apology. Charged me £4.50 service. Again went up & paid my own bill! My advice - whilst your staff were ‘business like’ maybe some training to lose the ‘I’m too good for this’ attitude? Don’t over promise and u see deliver re table service and on top of that don’t charge me service. You aren’t that special for what is an expensive meal.

Warm friendly pub, great atmosphere with an incredible menu. We had Malaysian prawns which were out of this world. We all agreed it was the tastiest thing we’d all had in a really long time. The depth of flavour was amazing. We also had some oysters which tasted super fresh and delicious. I would come back in a heart beat and wish we lived nearer to enjoy it more often.

The best seafood restaurant I have been to in as long as I can remember. Everything we had and shared was tasty and outstanding. The service was impeccable. An absolute pleasure.

Amazing food and flavours. We loved the spicy Scallops, large prawns in asian curry, the big crab and potted shrimp. It was an innovative seafood feast. Lovely ambience and nice outdoor space too

Simply the best mussels ever - even better than in France! Vine selection good as well. This is a top and very good value gastro pub. Highly recommended!

This is quite local to us and is our go to seafood place! Best pot of muscles and lobsters in Hove. Quite a large portion and reasonably priced. Has a really cute outside area and they are dog friendly too.

Attractive venue with large covered terrace. Welcoming, well timed and efficient service. High quality ingredients, including some rarely served in UK (soft shell crab, cuttlefish) and interesting combinations (clam pakoras, raw scallop with peach). Several varieties of beer brewed on site: loved the Oyster Stout. Not the cheapest lunch but definitely worth it. We would not hesitate to return. Oh, if any of your group want pizza, burgers or, in fact, any meat, there is none!

Went here they had a festival/event on the day the waiter was very rude said we was at a table her regulars sit at and we had to move before they kicked off. Finally found a table the squid was horrid and chewy and the mussels come out stone cold. We then had are glasses of alcohol transferred to plastic by the waitress then she said she refused table service and we had to pay half way through our meal. Wasn’t impressed at all normally pretty good here.

Fantastic shellfish, 🦪 yummy oysters, local lagers and brilliant service. Tables outside are lovely, undercover and heaters if it gets chilly. Top Hove restaurant 👌

Delicious food, large portions and knowledgeable staff. Perfect casual evening out for shellfish lovers with a contemporary pub atmosphere.

Working away from home so a solo dinner for me, due to work I travel and like to visit local restaurants. This was a lovely experience. Greeting was great, service was great, wine was great (house white) and the food was spot on. Have to have seafood if you are on the coast surely? If I’m in Hove again I will be back.

Great seafood and good staff! A must visit if you like seafood. The chipotle prawn and lobster Caesar salad was brilliant.

Brilliant local brewed beer and seafood. Really friendly staff, great service and simply stunning food. My favourite local pub for sure

When you get given the menu decide what you want and are then told they don’t have it I doesn’t bode well. Why not say what you don’t have before giving the customer the choice? To order coffee at the end and to be told that there isn’t any is also pretty frustrating

Delicious food. Who would have thought seaweed could taste so good?? Along with all the other delicious local seafood offerings. Top spot.

What a find! we were staying in Hove, one night only and decided upon this place for our evening meal. Very nice place, friendly, we were sat outside but had a heater nearby so all was good. For starters we took the Scallops and the Burrata, both very tasty and not too big. For mains we both had the Malaysian prawns in a spicy lentil sauce, amazing! really nice bottle of rose on the menu too. Overall we had a great experience and highly recommend.

Lovely Father’s Day today. Service and Food Amazing as per usual. Wonderful staff, can’t recommend highly enough.

Gorgeous meal in a lovely relaxed setting. We couldn’t get in for dinner so had a nice lunch with a few glasses of wine and really enjoyed it. Every course was delicious, service excellent and atmosphere easy going.

The service was excellent thanks to Nathaniel. We have been to the urchin many times before but the food just didn’t seem it’s normal exceptionally high standard. There was half the amount of salt and pepper squid normally served and half the seasoning. The squid was served with broccoli I thought this was a bit odd. The Malaysian prawns had less lentils and It was a very long wait for the main to arrive. Such a shame!

The food is always good but today it was exceptional. Great staff super friendly and relaxed atmosphere and a fantastic meal.

The most delicious seafood served by very friendly staff. Lovely atmosphere and allowed to enjoy a wonderful meal at our leisure. Would highly recommend. Can’t wait to go back .

I’ve eaten at the Urchin quite a few times over the years since its transformation from conventional pub to seafood gastropub. I’ve always been impressed by the food and most of the times I’ve been impressed by the service.However, my last visit a couple of days ago left me dismayed. Especially at a time when the service industry is on its knees.I don’t mind when a pub strictly interprets the current COVID rules strictly. It’s their prerogative. When a pub applies them arbitrarily, it’s really infuriating.Despite supposed table service, we had to chase the staff. Then, we were rushed to order (as the kitchen was stopping taking orders at 830pm despite advertised to be open to 930pm and letting us book a table at 8pm) and once the kitchen closed we weren’t allowed to buy another drink (and another table that arrived after us was able to buy more rounds after us). When challenged the staff produced specious reasons. Finally, my complaint has gone unanswered.It’s such a shame as it’s a nicely appointed and well set out place offering good food but it is one that’s been let down by very, very poor service.

Exceptional seafood pub serving best amazing seafood dishes and tapas ever a micro brewery too with fab choice of beers gins etc staff fabulous and so accomodating just can not fault this little gem social distance rules etc spot on simply the best pub ever trust me ! Neil Winstone Alfriston

I’ve eaten here three times before lockdown and always enjoyed delicious food and excellent customer service.On the day of his A level results I took my son to celebrate.Our experience:Missing dishes Cold foodA £50 lobster minus it’s legs and clawsNO APOLOGY OR RECOGNITION THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE ON THE DAYI wrote to give feedback before completing a Tripadvisor review and I received this email from the own/manager:“thanks for your email and I’m sorry you had a sub-par experience with us last night. It seems like we definitely dropped the ball and I’m sorry that you weren’t offered some sort of discount for what was evidently not to standard service and a breakdown in communication. I will speak to the team that were on last night. I’m of the opinion that it is perfectly reasonable to make mistakes but there is redemption to be had in how we make up for them and from your email I sense that there was not sufficient effort put into making up for the errors made. In light of that I would like to offer you a meal for 2, for you and your son to return and give us another go. If that is something you are interested in please respond to this email with a postal address and I will send you a letter with an offer to that effect.”It’s over a month since I sent my first of two responses and The Urchin have done nothing to make up for acknowledged by them poor standards of service, mistakes and insufficient effort to make up for errors made.No meal for two letter has been sent.I’m very sad and disappointed to say I cannot currently recommend this (formerly great) gastropub

Oysters followed by Languistine and Scallops with lobster for our main. Savoured every mouthful. The staff were very helpful and friendly. It was very unexpected highlight of the weekend away.

Food and service was excellent as was the price. Every thing on the menu chalk board looked good. Covid safe. We will definitely return on our next trip to Brighton

Pre booked table for four. Ate in bar area as we had a dog with us.Good Covid safest up.Small menu of local seafood in the quality ingredients simply treated school.All delicious and good sized portions. Malaysian prawn main was stand out dish- salty tamarind soupy lentils with six enormous prawns.Fresh crab fab value at £16 for a big beast.Fresh fish delivered when we were eating.I'm told the microbrewery beers were excellent too.

Went last night for a meal with a couple of friends. I’ve been many times before because this is my local and it is consistently good. We were given the heads up when we sat down that the kitchen was busier than normal so there would be a bit of a wait, a while later a waitress told us they were sorry about the wait (we hadn’t really noticed) and that our order would be out next. As an apology they gave us a free drink which was lovely. Our food was all great and they even gave us some sourdough to take home because they had loads left over. Couldn’t fault their customer service and the quality of food.

Booked a table for two whilst in the area.Well covid set out,so safe Ordered starters and a pint of their own pale ale and a shandy.beer was fruity and refreshing really enjoyable. Prawn skewers and salt and pepper squid both very tasty and well presented. Prawns were delicious had fries also nice.Then had Malaysian prawns for the main with with fresh bread. Absolutely fantastic. Very flavoursome, again prawns were delicious. Spicy but not overwhelming. Loved it, even with reduced menu and restrictions. Will definitely return.

Small menu and blackboard specials. Everything freshly cooked. The mussels were excellent, plump and tasty. It was about £20 a head for two courses.Friendly service. On a hot summer night, the dining room was too stuffy and discouraged us from lingering. Although there were fans the windows appear to have limiting opening. Tables outside are only for walk ups. We shall definitely return when the nights are cooler.

We visited here for lunch and what a great hidden gem.Amazing Paella,Crab Fishcakes & Squid with friendly impeccable service.Highly recommend and advisable to get there early to guarantee an outside table.

My wife and I dined here last Saturday lunchtime. Small but varied menu. All the food was cooked to perfection, we will definitely be going back. Lookout for the Specials Board, we weren't shown it unfortunately.

Relatively difficult to book a table as so popular but the simple well priced and brilliantly executed menu is superb.

Nice little restaurant tucked away. Good choice of food. I had crab for main and they were only small and in a hot stock. Wish I'd gone for what my husband had. Apart from that everything else was delicious. Will go again.

We arrived for Sunday lunch to be greeted by a a friendly and welcoming host and bar staff who soon had our drinks sorted.Our meal was a combination of two large servings of paella along with scallops. Everything including the side dishes of fries and bread was great. The brownie desert went down well. The Urchin has a really good atmosphere and we will be coming back asap

I have just failed to book a table at this venue which I have always regarded highly. Last evening, at 2200, I telephoned and left a message requesting a reservation. As a backup, I sent an email with the same request and asked for confirmation either by email or SMS. Both requests were ignored so I telephoned late afternoon and was advised that they were fully booked and unable to help. The person to whom I spoke clearly did not give a damn and provided the fatuous excuse that he was not on duty this morning!Avoid!

It was the second time we have been to the urchin and it was fantastic. We started with oysters and a bottle of Sauvignon Followed by Southern American style prawn gumbo and a whole crab with fries and bread and more wine. My boyfriend then had another plate of oysters the pig! I recall the meal came to around £90 which I thought was very reasonable given the quality of the food and service. We will be back.

A cracking, if somewhat unusual "seafood" resturant. Lovely spot for lunch or dinner. Tucked away so a bit of a hidden gem..

Having recently developed a new found love for seafood my hubby brought me here for my birthday and my goodness what a treat! Every single thing on the menu sounded amazing an we had a hard time not ordering everything. They have a vast variety of beers and drinks and all a reasonable price. The set up of the place also works well for those wanting to just have a drink and those looking for a nice place for a meal as the two halves are slightly separated. As for recommendations we ordered the salt and pepper squid, the lobster hot dog, crispy crab, prawns, scallops, and the chocolate brownie with beet root ice cream - most from the specials board. Everyone was AMAZING but the favs were the lobster hot dog and the crispy crab and of course the brownie :) Can't wait to come back!! and also forgot to mention we left without a crazy expensive check even with all we ordered. Hard to beat a place like this and look forward to coming back to try more yummy plates.

Recommended by family was taken here for a birthday meal. Great atmosphere, cozy and a little chaotic, and great seafood.

Menu focuses on prawns mussels and crab, with specials on the blackboard, all of which got rave reviews from our party of 7. The Malaysian prawns were very flavoursome. The presentation is rustic in hammered copper pots and the table is oak. Not a tablecloth type of place. Friendly enough . It’s small and independent so often has run out of some dishes which is is understandable. The mains definitely need side orders for average appetites and order some bread to soak up the delicious sauces. Don’t expect to be able to order coffee or tea as it’s not available ( not that the machine was broken it’s just not in the menu) that was a little disappointing as it’s just what we all fancied after lunch but they recommended a place down the road. Parking not available it’s permit holders only just in case you were wondering. You can always do a Tesco shop at the same time though and use their park.

I'm lucky enough to live within 10 minutes walk of the Urchin. Shellsfish is the speciality and there is usually a vegetarian option. As a love of both I have never been disappointed. Great selection of beers for all palates, including the Laraikin range of ales, brewed on site.

Had a lovely dinner here on a busy Saturday eve with my partner. Service was swift, attentive and friendly despite all the tables being full. We enjoyed our starters (the sauce with the clams was incredible and I had far too much bread mopping it all up). The scallop main was a stand out for me, they were perfectly cooked and I loved the curried parsnip purée, yum. All washed down with a bottle of Viognier, would certainly return and recommend.

First off, the staff we incredibly unacommodating with allergies. I had to use all my negotiation prowess to get us some bar nuts to replace edemame beans for a soy allergy. And dont let the rustic pub vibe fool you - there is some vanity at play here. When we came here for October-best we felt robbed by the end of it. It was a "taster menu", which in this case meant we paid 20 quid each for very little (for dessert we got two slices of pie to split between three of us). For 60 quid we could have ordered a feast at any other decent seafood place in brighton. The mussels were meh, they can fry a decent scallop and the key lime pie was actually good - it's a shame the experience left me with such a bitter taste in my mouth.

Superb pub restaurant just off the beaten track in Hove East Sussex a must visit for all shell fish and most things seafood absolutely fabulous venue delicious perfectly served food great range of local beers lovely friendly staff and management well done the team can't wait to return great ambience too ! Congratulations. ..

Such an amazing pub/ restaurant. We have visited with friends for a catch-up dinner and the place did not disappoint. It's small and cosy with an amazing wine list and great and small but delicious menu. We were greeted and served by Lily, definitely an asset to the company. If you love seafood it is a must when in Hove! (Malaysian prawns are finger licking good - literally)

We went with family and 2 of us had a wonderful meal, the Malaysian prawns were delicious and highly recommended. The men had the crab which was disappointing so definitely don't recommend that but there are plenty more things to choose from. Worth a visit

Food portions small mostly looks like starters. I paid 18 quid for scallops dish but it not worst it. (small as a starter) Cheque, once arrived, was with additional items.... We ask to remove what was not ordered. However for the second cheque mistake appeared again. Food was good and tasty. But common, we had 5 items added to cheque that we didn't order.

We were looking for a seafood lunch and booked at the Urchin. What I did not know is that fusion between Asian and seafood. It is just splendid. Malaysian prawns are to be discovered and so are the Viet and Cajun Prawns or the Coconut and Laksa mussels.

I liked the Urchin frlm the moment i arrived. Leaving a wet and cold street and arriving into a very warm, friendly environment with a delicious smell of food!

Superbe lieu, y avons passé un très bon moment, une bonne ambiance en plus. Le repas homard et crabe était excellent.

Well not exactly but I did eat a whole one last night and OMG it was gorgeous ! Possibly the best one I’ve ever eaten and I’ve had a few in my long time on earth. My other half had the king prawns so the finger bowls came in very handy. The service is great - very relaxed but attentive. We really weren’t sure what to expect once we had crossed the railway line in Tesco car park but this place is a hidden seafood gem - part pub, part restaurant and a small menu of brilliant seafood. We had Oysters, Crabs, Prawns, Chips, Salad, Bread and a nice bottle of Viognier - all for £70! Seafood at its very best served by very nice people.

Just a wonderful long lunch there. The clam chowder was the best I have had outside of on the wharf in San Francisco!

Whilst on staycation in Brighton we had lunch at the Urchin - absolutely the best seafood we had during our stay, hands down. The drinks selection was spot on and local, and the seafood was perfect. Langoustines, oysters, and we both had mussels as mains, literally dreamy! The decor was gorgeous too, definitely a seafood / marine vibe.

Top shellfish in a great local pub. A cracking local resource. Jay Raynor was not wrong when he reviewed this for the Observer,

This restaurant has a really good vibe Great seafood, fantastic service and their own brewed beer. Perfect!

This is my favourite food pub in Brighton as it combines just the right relaxed vibe, excellent beer and wine and seafood at the right price with a twist. Lovely service to boot.... Always a treat.

As pubs go the food here is amongst the best pub food we have eaten.

Fantastic little gastro-pub with superb service. We had a table for three for Sunday lunch. The menu was small but everything on it was perfect. I had potted crab, followed by scallops with chorizo and sweetcorn. Both absolutely amazing! Washed it down with some of their home-brewed beer which was also delicious. Ended with the cheeseboard which was a solid portion with a good variety of well-chosen cheeses. All the staff were friendly, relaxed and attentive - can’t recommend it highly enough!!

A great pub offering truly delicious and innovative seafood and fish dishes, some and delicious. Paired with excellent wines or their award winning brews, this one is a winner in Hove.

We've been meaning to come here for a while and they managed to squeeze three of us in on a busy saturday night. From the outside it looks a typical albeit busy pub tucked away in the back streets of Hove. Inside however is a superb range of beers and a seating area packed with people enjoying first class food. Its all about shellfish - don't come here with anyone who would prefer a meat option. We had half a dozen oysters, shared three starters of potted crab, salt and pepper squid and octopus then had 2 mains of Malaysian Prawns and one of the special of Viet - Cajun Prawns. Both dishes were superb, 6 fat and juicy shell on prawns in a flavoursome, gently spicy and filling broth / sauce. Finger bowls and kitchen roll on the table encourage you to dig in with your fingers. Together with two portions of excellent fries it made for a filling meal.

We found The Urchin on Google and saw that it had good reviews on Tripadvisor, so we decided to give it a try. We were a party of 6, including my 83 year old mum who was visiting from Malaysia and my two boys, aged 9 and 11, so quite a range of ages and tastes.

Been a number of times now And has never dissapointed . Prawn and Crab dishes our favourites . Good value.

Celebrated our 49th Wedding Anniversary at this smashing Pub/Restaurant.

This is definitely the best pub in Hove. It always has the best beer and nice wine. Also the food is superb.

The urchin is by far one of our favorite places to eat and drink in Brighton, the seafood is amazing and the range of good wines and beers is excellent, highly recommend!

We went here recently for a few drinks and a meal and we had a really lovely time. The atmosphere was delightful. Think we have found ourselves one of Hove's little gems.

Awesome restaurant, definitely recommend for seafood. Food was flavorful and interesting. The atmosphere was also lovely with the outside patio.

Lovely food, majority fish options and all very tasty. Good service and a nice pub to hang out drink and eat in. Thoroughly recommend!

We had a quick stop-off here on a day out and wished we had more time. Lovely range of beers, great looking food - a clear specialty in seafood. Would hurry back as soon as possible

Good selection of beer, seafood based menu and good oysters in a relaxed bar setting with nice outside space.

This is our second and certainly won't be our last visit to the Urchin. It takes as an hour to get there so its more of a special occasion/something to celebrate for us to make the effort to get there but its worth the effort.

I came here with a friend as I have just moved into the area. We stumbled across this place by pure chance and it was hands down the best sea food I have had in a very long time. The mussels and prawns from the main menu with the tenderstem brocolli in miso butter from the specials and oyster shots with bloody Mary’s. The chips were amazing too! Came very quickly and the pub is light and airy and was all round an amazing experience.

I arrived with a friend just after 9pm on Saturday 29 June. My friend ordered mussels in garlic wine sauce. I ordered the crab with chips and salad. My friend got the mussels just after 10pm, no sign of the crab. After a further 15 mins the crab still hadn't arrived. I asked the staff about this who thought I hadn't ordered anything! This was strange as the person who took the ordered went into some detail explaining the crab was in the whole shell and needed to be broken, I said that was okay. Not a good experience, I can't comment on the food as I didn't get what I ordered.

I arrived with a friend just after 9pm on Saturday 29 June. My friend ordered mussels in garlic wine sauce. I ordered the crab with chips and salad. My friend got the mussels just after 10pm, no sign of the crab. After a further 15 mins the crab still hadn't arrived. I asked the staff about this who thought I hadn't ordered anything! This was strange as the person who took the ordered went into some detail explaining the crab was in the whole shell and needed to be broken, I said that was okay. Not a good experience, I can't comment on the food as I didn't get what I ordered.

We managed to get a table despite not booking and it being very busy- we would recommend booking in the future. The waiter was extremely friendly and helpful even though he had lots of customers to serve and it was apparently his second shift. Food was great and the outdoor area has a lovely atmosphere with flowers and fairy lights.

We ate at The Urchin while visiting friends in Hove last weekend. I’d heard good things about the restaurant, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s safe to say we were spoilt for choice with the menu, but I’d already decided I’d be having the potted crab before arriving, which helped. Thankfully it was just as good as I’d hoped and a very generous portion.

Lovely restaurant, quirky place, really nice food and service and also a good atmosphere. Book in advance, small place and usually very busy.

Thus pub is tucked away off Blatchington Road but well worth finding. I had the most delicious Mussels and my friend had crab and prawns.

Had a wonderful time at the Urchin in Hove, a lovely vibe, fantastic food and our server Aileen was a superstar! Everyone should go!

I came here about a month a go after hearing good things but was sadly disappointed. I ordered the mussels which were overcooked to the point where they were inedible, my partner's prawn curry was better but was severely overpriced at £15 for what it was.

Just popped in on the off chance Only good point nice lady behind bar Hubby ordered a cray fish salad with avocado 80 % of the dish was leaves three tiny slices of avocado and a few bits of crayfish Cost £8-9

When we really want to eat something fishy or seafood this is the place we go to. The dishes are very creative and well seasoned. The best that I have had is the blue cheese and Guinness mussels. Was too good, didn't have the time for a pic. Highly recommend the pub for any occasion

A lovely, welcoming and relaxing environment - Food is wonderful and staff are very helpful, we had made a booking which they could not find, but were still able to accommodate us at short notice!

Nice selection of ales on offer from their micro-brewery ... the pils/pale ale was particularly good. As for the food its difficult to begin as it was all so mouthwateringly tasty. Mussels in cream or a smoked bacon sauce ... thai curried prawns, freshly cooked langoustines. Wanna go back!

Now I'm confused. The jury says The Urchin is great with it's dockyard-themed decor...including the seafood menu. It looks so much better since it had a makeover. The location is pretty good. They've created their own little outdoor area down the side. They even brew their own beer in the basement apparently! All very commendable. The downside? The clientele...without a shadow of a doubt. When we walked in, the 'restaurant' side of the pub looked very civilized with people enjoying a Sunday evening meal - although I'm not entirely sure how enjoyable it was due to the bar side...a few feet away. There were a couple of large tables of drunken rowdy women (possibly a hen do?) Who had clearly drunk one too many...and were still being served. We sat outside and could still hear every screamed syllable! The atmosphere was quite edgy and, an hour or two later, when we popped in to use the toilet (we had been at an open air cinema and there had been an agreement to use the pub toilets) there had clearly been some altercation as there was a large group of them outside and one woman was overheard apologising very loudly for another's actions. Tacky.

Relaxed atmosphere, great food. Good selection of beers. Order inside at the bar and let the waiters know your table number if you sit outside.

Stopped at The Urchin for a few drinks & a spot of lunch. Had forgotten how fabulous it is there! We ordered the butternut squash croquettes with pesto to share. They were so delicious! The pesto was incredible. Easily the nicest light bites I’ve had in a very long time. They were so good I was reluctant to share.

We visited the Urchin with friends over the bank holiday weekend and I specifically said I wasn't going to eat anything because I couldn't afford it and I can tell you that I 100% did not stick to that!!

Lovely meal with fresh, tasty seafood and washed down with some great craft beer. Great atmosphere for couples or small groups of friends. Off the beaten track but really worth a visit. Overall experience really good and great service! Quite unique.

This is one of the best seafood restaurants in E Sussex , reasonable price and lovely friendly staff. Will definitely be going again

We'd taken an early slot as tables get booked up fast here so a bit strange sitting down to dinner Saturday teatime. However, the servers made us welcome and answered all the questions we had about how the various dishes were put together. The squid to start was awesome and my main Malaysian prawns dish was equally delicious. My wife's scallops were a bit bland and my friend's prawn and squid dish arrived tepid. This was soon rectified. The beers we had were brewed on the premises and very good. I'm not sure they sell many desserts as we were quite full by now and decided to share. Unfortunately the meringue was a bit tired but, again, quickly replaced. Overall feeling is that the food is absolutely fabulous, the beers awesome and the servers are fantastic but just a couple of details let it down. I'm sure we'll be back. We just need to save up!

Although we live just outside Hove we learnt about The Urchin in Cornwall on a fishing trip with the fisherman who supplies their delicious oysters and we love this place.

Service very pleasant but the lobster was as tough as old boots. The garlic butter sauce was tasteless. Was really looking forward to this meal and ended up very disappointed.

The Urchin is a lovel corner pub building in a quiet residential area of Hove. The servers were very pleasant and welcoming. The food was very nice without being spectacular. They have a short menu and a specials board. It was a bit disappointing that the main dish I ordered had run out - our table was booked for 7pm, so not exactly late. We were advised on booking that they operated a 2 hour reservation slot. We did feel a little rushed. We had barely started our pre-dinner drinks at the table before a carafe of white wine and glasses were brought to the table. Plates were cleared quickly. The Urchin doesn't do hot drinks - so a little odd not to be able to have a coffee after dinner. There was a fast turnover of people in the dining room so not very relaxed overall.

Great atmosphere! Although we didn’t eat... the menu looked amazing! Lovely little suburban and stylish bar / restaurant

There are times when you cannot say that you didn't know what you were letting yourself in for. The Urchin nails its colours to the mast, announcing seafood and craft beer. And on that score, it does not disappoint. It appears to do both well, albeit at a price, but that's not really surprising either. That aside, it's a bit characterless, going for minimalist décour instead of the finely tuned Victoriana / Hipster humour junkshop look of other similarly upscale hostelries. Worth a pop in for a shellfish blow out, a beard-rubbing craft beer sampling session or both.

I am such a fan of The Urchin! Been a regular customer there for over two years now and not planning to stop visiting this gem. It’s a great place to come in the summer on your own with a book, to socialise with friends and to come on a date night too. Great staff, superb food and wine and fantastic hospitality. See you soon!

Fabulous seafood! Very well cooked ie not overdone! The waitress,sorry did not get her name , young blonde lady with her hair tied up was knowledgable about the menu and fantastic! Nice bar and beers. Good wine selection to suit all pockets. I think this is very good value for money. Second time we have been and was on a par with last visit.

I’ve not left a review for The Urchin before which is a bit of an oversight on my part, seeing as this is one of my favourite places to eat in Brighton and Hove. It suits all kinds of occasions, quick lunch, dates, birthday celebrations...all perfect. Atmosphere is always welcoming, decor stylish, wine list excellent and in general just a nice place to be. The food is fantastic. Mainly seafood with a couple of other options, be warned if you aren’t a fan of seafood go somewhere else and let someone who will appreciate it have your table ha. Presentation is always excellent. Highlights of food I’ve eaten are, Malaysian prawns, lobster mac and cheese, so many different scallops, Thai mussels and my staple moules mariniere, a classic expertly delivered with a shed load of Flourpot Bakery bread.