The Waterside Totland Bay in Isle of Wight

Dropped in for lunch. We were given a great table by a seaview window. Superb choice of dishes, showing imagination and flair on the part of the chef. Everything freshly cooked. Good portions. Service discreet yet attentive, from the very agreeable staff. We much enjoyed our meal and left a sizeable tip. One small comment: on sunny days it is very warm in the window seats and an open window would have been welcome. We should have asked.

We eat here quite often - the food and service are consistently excellent. The specials, which change on a daily basis, are always imaginative and well presented. There are meat, seafood and vegetarian options aplenty, with dishes to suit each all palettes. The mussel chowder on the current menu is sensational and it’s worth visiting The Waterfront just to try this! Every member of the staff team is friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming, which creates a comfortable and relaxed dining atmosphere each and every time we visit. The views of the sea are unmatched - it feels like you are on a boat such is the closeness of the water. You are sure to witness magical sunsets and awesome wave shows depending on the weather! Thank you to the whole team here - both kitchen staff and front of house work together to create a great dining experience. We always look forward to dining here.

Superb Roast on Sunday! We had a new years visit for the weekend over new year and visited everyday attests for drinks. The roast was divine! Greeted by lovely staff, our requests for a large table and children was executed providing plastic cutlery also for our toddler. Staff were very happy and helpful there’s an air of good team spirit we witnessed a lot between staff - it’s a great atmosphere to be around. Service was paced great not rushed nor slow. Just right. The portions were amazing and to taste food that evidently is not just bought but fresh and for some items such as the brownie for dessert we were informed was made and baked freshly from the WF kitchen - we could tell from the taste! Prices are very fair especially with the portion sizes! The restaurant has beautiful views even when the waves are crashing! and a real family vibe with well behaved fur friends who visit in the dog friendly area too! A truly lovely visit, a hidden gem tucked away in Totland bay. Not to be missed.

Only gave this one star rating because you can’t give a Zero rating - food was five star but the service was shocking from start to finish. What a thoroughly miserable bunch of female staff, not one of them capable of a smile or a please or a thank you between them. We felt harassed throughout our meal, at one point 2 members of staff hovering wanting to know if we wanted dessert. Dinner was served by Lucy either slamming the plate down or sliding it across the table. Our friend had to go to bar to ask for the bill and we went from being harassed all evening to being ignored - in the end I went up and asked if they actually wanted our money. I then said in the 7 years we have been going there we have never experienced such terrible service which was met with a shrug and couldn’t care less attitude - we only live down the road but we won’t be going back in a hurry - there are plenty of places in West Wight that serve equally good food but have brilliant staff.

We had a lovely meal. Accommodating staff, lovely food. Camembert starter was great. Steak tender and plentiful. Smokie was great. Could’ve done with slightly less leek and a bit more haddock, but we left full.

Currently serving their Christmas Menu, The Waterfront scores again on both quality food and value and is highly recommended for couples or groups.

A beautiful location for a drink, but it was spoiled by a lack of service. All four of us stood near the bar and was ignored for a few minutes ( the restaurant was 95% empty at the time ) so we approached the bar to order some drinks. About a minute later a man standing at the bar drinking a beer said “you will have to drink those outside, all these tables are reserved” To which I replied “cant’t we drink them at the small barrel tables near the door” to which he agreed. Turned out to be the manager, found him quite abrupt and seemed to be having verbal digs at his staff the whole time we was there. Every table in the restaurant was completely empty at the time 🤷🏼‍♂️

Very good restaurant, right on the waterfront with fabulous views! Weekends are busy as you would expect. We ate on a Sunday night in October which was just a little quieter but still full of atmosphere. Food was good and plentiful. Lots of choice in the menu, with pasta, fish and meat. Prices were average for type of restaurant. Staff were good and friendly. All in all, a lovely restaurant by the sea

Lovely location on the quayside - very good service; excellent local beers and lovely, well cooked food. Very hard to find any criticism - very good value for money

Steak Saturday better than staying at home such great value we really enjoyed it, very good service and nice food wine 🍷😃

Couldn't fault the service, prices and venue. Food was absolutely lovely and of good quality. Dog friendly. We had a selection from the menu and everything was so good. Because we had 2 dogs with us they put us just the right place so not...

I’m sure the food is great and it is a place to be, obviously my face didn’t fit as I was ignored by 5 staff members all too busy to greet me or meet my eye to help me to a table. My question was...

Superb spot right on the water and is probably the killer destination on sunny evenings. Good mix of clientele and a varied menu to suit. Was busy for a Sunday evening but that filtered away early. I had the Thai green tiger prawn curry and...

The best dining experience!! Booked a meal for my friends birthday, a group of us wanted somewhere beautiful on the seafront so picked the waterfront! I mentioned while easily booking online I must add, that it was for a birthday and that I’d be bringing...

It was OK and the staff were friendly. This waterside restaurant is in the next bay along from the infamous Hut. Both have great locations. The Hut is about 30% more expensive (for standard menu items) but 200% better value. The Waterfront dishes were what...

The restaurant was fairly close to the accommodation we booked for our cycle tour of the IOW so thought we’d pop in on the way there. It was a Friday night and when we got there, they told us we needed to have booked a...

Wow! Didn’t expect to find this here! Fabulous menu of specials plus a la carte, small bites, cakes and desserts. We ate well and very reasonably priced, fabulous atmosphere and attentive happy servers. On the promenade overlooking Totland Bay with Hurst Castle in the distance...

I ordered the seafood pasta which was ok. Lots of sauce and mussels but not much else. I asked for Parmesan which I believe is integral to a pasta dish ( I know the Italians don’t approve of fish and cheese!) and was told it...

Lovely fish and chips followed by beautiful desserts (can hardly move now). Our dog was made very welcome with his own water bowl and a biscuit. Service was warm and friendly. A great find. The weather wasn’t great but still nice to watch the sea...

Popped over to the island for a few days & ended up here on Friday late afternoon. We hadn't booked, rookie error, but they managed to accommodate us with a table, that we had to vacate by 7pm (plenty of time to eat) that had...

Great Views and Outdoor Seating Swarmed by wasps (obviously nothing they can do about this) Service was atrocious. If you sit outside there is no table service, you can not run a tap so have to pay as you go. The male manager walks around...

This is our second visit having dined there last year it was a must to return and to ensure our table (as its so popular) I booked the table before my holiday. Unfortunately we were late to our meal (I called to advise/apologise) but they...

Very disappointed with the Dressed Crab. The rocket salad and chips were nice but the dressed crab was very poor. It was served in a plastic shell and was full of the cheaper brown meat with just a sprinkling of white meat on the top....

The view is amazing, which is a good job because its not all wonderful. Having booked 2 months in advance after visiting the website and being informed this was a British & Mediterranean eatery with a Vegan Option & Sunday Lunch my Wife & I...

Had a fantastic lunch here with friends and their dog. Food was great. I had the Whole Mackerel from the specials menu and it was the best I’ve ever had. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Especially Caroline who managed to take time to...

The food and location were great but the service got off to a bad start which left us with and unwelcome feeling. We had a booking for 2.30pm and arrived at 2.40pm due to having to park at the other end of the car park...

Overall slightly disappointed with this dining experience. For starters, the tuna sashimi wasn’t particularly impressive (4 small slices with some cold vermicelli) and the baked Camembert sharer only came with 4 sticks of bread, not enough! The mains were an improvement although, my sea bass...

Really disappointed to have a similar experience for a second time here. We thought we would give it another go after very rude ignorant staff but yet again, it was certainly not a warm or welcoming experience. We felt like we were an inconvenience to...

Attentive Staff, awesome food, beautiful views great location. Wow!! Maria attended to us over lunch, faultless awesome, we have recently moved to the island and have to say this is the best experience overall in dining here. We are in hospitality and applaud the owners...

After reading all the positive reviews we were really looking forward to eating here. However, picked up on a weird vibe as soon as we arrived. Staff were aloof and not at all welcoming. We were sat at a table directly outside the bathrooms, which...

We had a family meal here last week for 6 people and a dog, the food was amazing, lots of choice and very spolit for choice. The staff were beyond lovely, very welcoming and accommodating. This is what makes the experience, we ate at popular...

Visited for my husband's birthday along with our two sons. We had a lovely evening with fantastic food, great views and a superb, friendly service. Our order was 2x fish and chips, the chicken, bacon and mushroom pasta and the Maple Bourbon BBQ Ribs. For...

We went for a sandwich at lunch and ended up with 'light bites' which we all thought were delicious. My cured salmon with beetroot, pickled cucumber and soured cream with horseradish was superb. It was bordering on gourmet at the price of a sandwich. Add...

The Waterfront offered both amazing food and amazing service! There was a lot of variety to the menu, providing something for everyone. Be sure to book as fills up very quickly!

Had an amazing lunch today at the Waterfront, the food was delicious, and the service and hospitality was fantastic. Well done for making out wedding anniversary lunch so special, they even decorated our table, much appreciated. We would highly recommend.

The food was great, expensive, but good. However, the windows were not clean so, no actual sea view (they should be cleaned daily I would say, the keep them salt free). That was a bit irrelevant though, due to the fact that we were not...

Fantastic evening, fabulous food with lovely staff. We had a large party with 4 generations and everyone had a great time. This was a birthday celebration and they decorated the table specially for us.

We actually visited The Waterfront twice during our 8 day stay…we love it so much. Love the fact that a number of the staff have been there for all of the 6 years we have visited now. The menu is extensive with a good selection...

Great place to eat. Had a fantastic table in the dining area looking out to see. Friendly welcoming service and super food

This restaurant claims to provide gluten-free options for many menu items. This is a fallacy, which they admit once you get there. They use the same fryer for everything. When I asked them why they advertise things on the menu as gluten-free, which clearly aren't,...

We visited the Waterfront recently. Situated with OMG views of the Solent made a perfect spot to eat and drink. Our wallets appreciated the lower key venue compared to The Hut down the road which the day before got a proper battering. The manager seemed...

We went on a blustery wet day and loved it as we sat watching the waves and weather eating or food. The staff are all friendly and couldnt do enough for us. The food was excellent and the oudding superb! I can see it being...

Lovely unexpected lunch, at The Waterfront. We had walked to the Red Lion in Freshwater to find the kitchen closed. Glad we Googled and found this lovely restaurant on the sea front. Friendly greeting and quickly shown to a table. We had our small dog,...

This is our go to restaurant...its got it all... lovely food beautifully presented, (regularly changed specials too), friendly & attentive staff (nothing is too much trouble!), and the location is amazing! Never disappointed. Well done to the whole team. NT.

Superb food, very well cooked and presented and offers great value for money. Staff really welcoming and will definitely visit again when in the area.

Overall a Very Bad Unsatisfactory Experience encountered by all, mainly due to the very poor reception received by the "Up Themselves" management who were quite rude to us in relation to where we preferred to sit being that if you are not dining you cannot...

The food is very overpriced for what it is unfortunately. The staff were rude and we're not welcoming at all.

Came here for dinner on two nights during our stay at The Bay Colwell - superb location with beautiful sea views. Service was always attentive and friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed the food which included a delicious seafood hot pot, like a posh fish pie -...

What a perfect place to see a sunset could have been anywhere . meal, food excellent , staff very nice and friendly , Nice to sit and listen to the waves outside restaurant.

Always loved going here due to amazing location and views and the food has always been great. However, our personal experience today was not so great. The food is now not so good, smaller portions, not much veg with Sunday Roast and some dishes are...

We were a party of seven with 1 wheelchair user, Pav found us a place, even though we had not booked and was the perfect gentleman, helping us through the door and to the table with the wheelchair, despite being extremely busy. The staff were...

My Daughter and her friend booked this place while we were on a holiday to the Isle of Wight.It was her friends mum's birthday .While we didn't expect razz matazz.It was a little flat we were given a table at the very back of the...

Amazing setting and great attentive service. Food was good but not quite as good as the views and service. A really great place to watch the beautiful sunsets with a cold glass of your favourite tipple.

We visited twice during our break in the Isle of wight and have a great time on both visits. Really good quality food - we tried the steak pie, rump steak and a couple of the fish specials which were all really tasty and fresh....

Beautiful food in a beautiful location. Even though we visited on a busy bank holiday the food and drinks arrived promptly. We booked online a couple of days ahead and were really glad we did so. After finishing our food we took our drinks outside...

First time to the Isle of Wight and this was the first place we came across to have food. The views were absolutely stunning and felt like I was abroad. The beach was a stone throw away and the food was delicious and I would...

This restaurant is in a great location right on the seafront and has an imaginative menu. The second visit in the last few months proved their ability to cater for a very busy bank holiday weekend with quality service, attractive food, a wide drinks choice...

Pleasant place to lunch overlooking the sea. We just had sandwiches, good, but noticed they did a roaring trade with more substantial meals.

This is our second visit. Once again the food was delicious (the best fish and chips I have eaten in a long time), the staff were very friendly and the sunset was amazing.

We have been visiting the nearby Hut on a number of occasions and decided to try The Waterfront. Equally fantastic location with easy parking. We had a dog so although we booked in the bar we decided to eat outside as the weather was glorious....

My husband chose this restaurant for our anniversary dinner while on our first visit to the Isle of Wight. It is a lovely restaurant with an amazing view, and we had a very pleasant evening. The staff were all friendly and helpful, and the mussel...

Outstanding food, lovely views while having lunch, staff were friendly, I would a must if you are in the area. Very clean

Just had a lovely dinner here with my husband and two young children. We had a warm welcome as soon as we stepped in through the door. The food was delicious, excellent service, incredibly friendly staff and the view is obviously unreal. Couldn’t fault it....

Great food Tasty food Fantastic view Down a hill then turn left, you can drive along for parking. Motorbikes for free.

The person sho took our order kept making reference to my apparent demeanour - I imagnine because I have permanent frown lines on my forehead - I'm sorry, that is who I am - he referred to me as "Mr Happy" and said "cheer up"...

Lovely dinner here what a pleasure great atmosphere wonderful service and great food. Situated right on the sea front brilliant to watch the sun set whilst enjoying a lovely meal.

We ate here whilst staying locally and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. A good choice of "pub classics" plus - all well cooked and served by friendly staff. The location is second to none as the sunsets are sensational. I wouldn't hesitate to eat here again...

A really great lunch. Lovely views in the sunshine. The menu was interesting and well cooked. The front of house could not be faulted. Caroline and her team could not have been more welcoming and throughout the restaurant all the staff seemed to want to...

It is located in a fabulous position, right above the beach and facing almost due West. Comfortable accommodation and good service and, although the menu is relatively limited, there was a varied choice and what my wife and I chose was very good. As it...

Great location. Didn’t book but went early so they fitted us in! Peak season book or you won’t get in. Lovely food. Very clean. Great location.

We went for an evening meal with my parents and all had a lovely meal. We eat there quite regularly and always have a delicious meal. You cannot beat their fish and chips! It’s a lovely setting, the staff are friendly and attentive and they...

Called in here after the frankly underwhelming'Needles' experience and things rapidly improved! The location is stunning, right by the sea in a remote location. The building itself has had a complicated history, however it makes a great bar and restaurant! We had fish and chips...

We ate three meals here, two in the restaurant and one on the outdoor seating. The food is fantastic and good value for money and the daily specials are well worth a look. The staff are friendly and attentive and the location is gorgeous.

We had a fabulous meal here over the Easter weekend, great food, very attentive service and we watched an incredible sunset, wouldn’t hesitate to recommend

Lovely place on the beach with gorgeous views. Fantastic food for adults and children and friendly service.you can pop in for a drink as well.

We came as a family of seven and enjoyed the food and drink very much. The beer was kept well and the the service was prompt and attentive. We will be returning!

The views from the restaurant are beautiful. On arrival we were seated at a very sticky table which was not great but did not put us of as the place looked very clean and inviting. We ordered sandwiches which arrived and tasted lovely until we...

We used to go regularly to this bar/restaurant but it fell in standards a few years back. However, following some positive tips from friends we gave it a try last night and was delighted with the menu range, the warm welcome from staff, the very...

Really tasty sensible food here, served promptly and cheerfully. The ambience is great- a huge arched ceiling, but intimate tables seated looking out to the seashore right at your feet. We loved it! The menu was varied and fairly priced. The food served attractively. We...

Went in on the off chance for a light lunch. Whitebait for me and muscles chowder for my companion. Both were excellent tasty fare. Good value, polite friendly service and brilliant views.

Great location. Great food. Friendly staff. Went out of their way to pop decorations on the table for a family birthday even though it was only 4 of us :)

Very disappointing night out to what was a favourite local restaurant for me. My steak was so tough I couldn't eat it, tasteless trimmings apart from the chips! Old tumblers used for gin and tonic, not attractive at all. Dated worn crockery used for dessert...

Valentines meal tonight was amazing. Food was fantastic, worthy of an award! Decor really tastefully done, staff friendly and attentive and gentle music playing in the background. To top it all reasonable prices so great value for money.

What a beautiful bar / restaurant in such an amazing place! We visited in Feb 2023 on a couples holiday after a frantic few weeks and we stumbled upon this place by chance. The staff are so welcoming and made us feel like locals (massive...

I really wanted to like this place but it just seemed weird. The culture of the place seemed off. Most of the staff were polite enough but all seemed to be busy doing stuff other than checking up on customers. My wife was served a...

Nice location, shame the staff/management were Not more diligent in warning their customers that the traffic wardens were very active in this area! £12 for a jackets spud with just an average size portion of filling seems a bit excessive and also a very basic...

Came here for a coffee and also a Sunday lunch with our new puppy. Great to find somewhere so dog friendly and with such a lovely location right down by the seashore. Great atmosphere, good range of food on the menu and the staff were...

We went for lunch 6 of us after a meeting, service was good and the lunch was lovely , all in all a good time was had.

Came here for drinks with family after a long walk along the beach. Staff were really friendly and a good range of drinks to choose from (hot & cold).

I have eaten here a couple of times and it was excellent. Food really good, service really good, wonderful views and pet friendly! I would highly recommend.

A great attraction of this restaurant has to be its location and the view, so when we arrived after dark in grotty weather and sprayed by the breaking waves, I had my doubts. Inside however all was wonderful. The service friendly and cheerful and the...

Our first ever visit here for my birthday lunch, it wont be the last , we thoroughly enjoyed the fish and scampi and chips ( we shared both). The desert wasnt quite what i expected but delicious , the mulled wine with cinammon stick and...

Just had the most fabulous fresh fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce which is absolutely perfect with the crispy batter and chips. Beautiful setting. Warm welcome. Out of season so lovely and quiet but you'd definitely need to book in high season. A must...

We had a special celebratory meal with about 40 Staff were excellent everything ran smoothly Everything out on time Special thanks to Kim and Pavo Thanks guys

I visited the Waterfront with friends, a few of us are vegetarian & we were very disappointed by the menu choices. Not only was there a poor/small selection of dishes to choose from - but the meal portion sizes were considerably small (smaller or of...

We stayed for three nights in Totland and ate here every night - the food was so good that it wouldn't have been worth getting the bus elsewhere. The service was very friendly, welcoming and attentive each night. The menu has a great choice and...

Great service. Great food. Great staff, always happy to help would highly recommend. Especially loved the cheesy leeks

This is the second time we have visited in the last month and the food and service has been consistently excellent. The restaurant was packed today but the staff went out of their way to give us a lovely warm welcome. The service was excellent...

We were looking for a lovely bay and indeed this is one with one of the best located restaurants on the island It was 3pm so fancied a coffee and to explore the restaurant for eating later with our extended family. The place was quite...

What a lovely place! We are over visiting family so booked a large table for 13 including kids and honestly couldn’t of asked for better. The food was incredible and the service was the best we have ever had. Polite professional and friendly. Highly recommend!