The Waterside Totland Bay in Isle of Wight

Stunning location. For a coffee or a full 3 course meal Staff are friendly. And the place is dog friendly which is a bonus This is a place you can guarantee is always open even if it’s stormy outside a Seating area to watch the crazy waves inside Also outdoor seating for sunny days There food here is to die for Absolutely delicious We have had fish and chips amongst sandwiches And even Sunday lunch Which had flavours. That woke up my taste buds It’s a generous portion too But too delicious to leave Choice of puddings As well coffees and alcoholic beverages on offer Highly recommended

Disappointed, have eaten here before and both service and food were previously better. The best part of dining experience was the lovely view. Service was anything but attentive, would have ordered another drink had someone asked. Waited so long to order food, ( after drinks were served and was ready to order at that point). Similar long wait for desert menu, so didn’t bother with that in the end and went and bought cake elsewhere. Most meals looked good but I clearly chose badly, I would not recommend the sea bass dish, the very small portion of fish floating on what was basically a butter bean soup, with the advertised chorizo and kale very sparse. It needed a chunk of bread or something, quite acidic and gave me indigestion. Priced at £19 was poor value. I would’ve complained but the meal was my friends treat and I didn’t want to spoil for her.

Another excellent dining experience at this excellent place. The menu is varied, imaginative and interesting, the food freshly prepared ( so takes several minutes to arrive.... be patient: it is worth it!) There is a "specials" selection. I had delicious breast of lamb, rolled and stuffed, beautifully served up with expertly prepared vegetables and a delicious sauce in a little jug. Six generous noisettes of lamb - tender (slow-cooked) and SO tasty. My friends had different dishes and were as delighted as I was. Service is extremely efficient, discreet but friendly and cheerful. A passing enquiry is made to check you are enjoying the food.... we were! Leave a cash tip if you are happy. Great views of Hurst Castle, the Solent, its smaller ships and the north-west coast of the Island As you will have realized, we recommend this place unreservedly.

The Waterfront is without doubt my favourite go to place on The Island either for a drink to watch the amazing sunsets in summer or storms in winter as the waves crash over the roof. The bands that appear especially on Sunday in the summer are great fun and the music and entertainment is always first class whether it is Burns Night or Halloween you are guaranteed a great night. As a local we use the waterfront all year Lorna and Adrian along with their friendly attentive staff are a credit to the venue and a warm welcome is always on hand. Finally the food I have been going to The Waterfront for over 25 years more often since we moved to The Island five years ago and I have never had a bad meal. The menu is always changing to reflect the seasons and availability of local produce. The chef and staff go out of their way to provide a first class experience and I have never left the restaurant hungry. My only problem is usually choosing whether to have a Waterfont favourite or something from the daily specials menu. This is a family run business and the owners and staff work very hard all year to offer a fantastic dining experience for all locals and visitors to the beautiful Totland Bay and this is a great opportunity to say thank you and great work all!

Great service and food. Staff were friendly but not intrusive. Reasonable variety in menu. Reasonable prices. Will certainly return

Will never return here. Location was the only decent thing. Booked last October to take our parents as a treat. 3 asks to get a drink of water then no return the entire meal to see in we wanted our other drinks replenished. One meal came entirely the wrong order, had to send back and eat on my own. When I did get the right one it was okay but the white wine and garlic sauce tasted only of cream and nothing else. Mum's burger was so hard she couldn't eat the £18 burger, fries were cold; she ate a few bites of just the burger and a couple slices of tomato. Mum from an era of not complaining didn't want to say anything but, and I have the photo, you can see from her plate the barely eaten burger, fully left fries and bread roll. Dad having looked forward to his gluten free fish and chips was served up burnt dry chips, he never leaves any he left some. Our other group member also leaving some for the same reasons. I will say the calamari was good. Tuna Poke dry and unseasoned. Belly pork nice enough but a tiny scrap on it. They had also served a table well before us despite us being there first, not a big deal but this was on account of them seemingly just forgetting for ages to clear our starter plates. Honesty for me eating alone they should have provided some discount at their error. Yes they said sorry but it was such a bad experience with my 80+ year old parents. I would say the staff are nice but that does not cut terrible service, mostly awful cooking. Go there for a beer and ask for hot fries or try the calamari. Aside from that give it a wide birth - maybe they were having a bad day but there is little I could say positive.

5 great seafood right on the beach good selection of beers and wine. Sea food pasta /hake with orzo. Great sun set. 6pound to park your car is a bit noughty

Had an impromptu late lunch here today. Brilliant views, great food and welcoming staff who genuinely seem to enjoy their job.

Very disappointed, we had a lovely walk along seafront to have tea and cake at this recommended restaurant. On arrival the first disappointment was they didn’t do cake, only biscuits. Tea arrived; teapot not very clean ( stainless) served in Lavazza coffee cups! The tea was very nice but one of the teaspoons was very dirty. The people on the next table also commented on the teapot not being very clean. We were going to book an evening meal but if the teaspoons are dirty, we gave a meal a miss!

This bar is in a fantastic spot with superb views, The staff are attentive polite and professional, The beer is cold and the food is fantastic We went twice in the 1 week we spent on the Isle of Wight. Its a must if you are lucky enough to be in the area.

So having read some of these reviews I just had to say I’ve not had a Thai Curry that good in 20 years, such a lovely location with magnificent sunset and the owners were so lovely and welcoming to us and our two small dogs. Definitely be back next time we visit. Thankyou the Waterfont and staff, Geordie, Kate, Dutch and Dylan x

So pleased we found this gem! Just had cup of tea on first visit but then wanted to come back for dinner! Glad we did! Superb setting, attentive staff and great food!

Great location, beautiful sunset. Food was good, staff were friendly. Walked there from Norton Green, along the sea front. Very nice.

What a gem. They welcome dogs in the bar area which was great. The staff were extremely friendly and couldn’t help out enough. The food was lovely and a very nice choice. I would highly recommend if you don’t want the normal boring tourist food at the Needles, just drive 10 mins to Totland Bay for a clean & very friendly restaurant. 5*****

Had a great meal at the Waterfront Restaurant, Totland Bay. From the welcome on arrival, excellent service and great food which was very well prepared and presented, we really enjoyed our meal. I had the BBQ ribs and my wife had the Hake fillet both of which are recommended. Look forward to returning again in the future.

Amazing restaurant with beautiful food and views to die for... So relaxing. Staff are very welcoming and helpful... Live music too. Right on the beach for beautiful sunset views.

Efficient online booking. Staff very friendly. We were served our food within 15 minutes of arriving. Food was excellent quality. Would definitely recommend and return.

We found this place by chance after visiting the Needles. It turned out to be an excellent discovery. This is a lovely restaurant right on the water. There is a good selection of beer on tap and a decent wine list. The food was generally very good: both the fish & chips and scampi & chips were delicious, though my son was a bit disappointed by his burger. Prices were very reasonable; service was friendly and attentive.

Lovely Mother’s Day with family, fantastic food, great music from Emily Wilde lovely atmosphere and 100% to all the staff who worked so hard to make our day special thank you 🥰 Mac Pete Amanda Dame Bella-Raii Michelle and Alin

Arrived just after noon with two dogs. Slightly concerned that they were closed as the entrance was being power showered! Not an ideal start but thereafter every thing was fine. Friendly efficient service and good food. Will return, and recommend.

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.

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...

We’d been meaning to try The Waterfront for a couple of years and enjoyed a very nice lunch. It helped that that weather was lovely. Fantastic views and good food and service. A good choice of mains and desserts. Attentive staff. Reasonably priced. Felt very...

Amazing location and lovely food. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Vegan options were some of the best we have ever tasted.

Same title as another review but it really is. We had Fish & Chips and Scampi & Chips. Very generous serving, well cooked and presented. Batter was perfect. I was able to book a table by a window a week before as busy holiday season....

Me and my friends can’t stop talking about this place. It was amazing on every setting. The location, the service and the food. Especially the food. I have been gluten free for just over a year and have got used to going out and only...

Whilst staying local to Totland we popped into this bar for a couple of drinks. It lies right on the seafront in a very desirable setting, both clean and modern. The inside is lovely and though I cannot comment on food quality, the menu looked...

The staff were brilliant and really accommodating. The food was so good and the location is truly stunning. Lorna even dealt fantastically with a group who turned up late but seemed to think the world should stop for them. Even though Lorna really tried to...

Definitely our favourite restaurant so far this holiday, all 6 of us loved it here, we had a table in the window looking out over the sea, 3 of us had the satay chicken starter & 1 had the cheese garlic bread, there was enough...

Fantastic and prompt service. Child friendly. Good selection of drinks. Varied menu. Beautiful setting. Amazing fish and chips! Highly recommend.

Te best meal we have had this week in the IOW. We have been before and this visit lived up to our expectations. The food was excellent, fresh and well presented. The service was excellent and everyone made the experience very enjoyable. Planning our next...

Fantastic service, genuinely helpful! And food is to die for!❤️ Will definitely be visiting when I’m down again! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🎉❤️😆

Fantastic food; reasonable prices; most amazing view - and the friendliest team of staff we came across on the Island!

Once you get past the somewhat officious guy on the front desk this restaurant is simply wonderful. Some places trade just on their location (pictures we sent to friends from our table by the window looking across the azure water on a beautiful sunny day...

We had dinner here, starting with drinks on the terrace outside, then moving inside for our meal. Service was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and very efficient, there was lots of space around us (including a separate drinks table at the end of our main table -...

Four of us ate here on the night of 31 July 2021. Although we were late for our reservation time by about 15 minutes -- traffic!! -- we were seated immediately without any fuss. The food was excellent. For starters, two of us had the...

Excellent service. Arrived on wrong day of my reservation my error but despite being booked out they managed to accommodate us. Service was top class, attentive and with a smile from all the staff. The food was great with a wide choice on the menu....

Would have loved to be able to review the food here but can only comment on the way we were treated when we wanted a lunchtime meal with our young children. We were told there were no tables available inside ( in a near empty...

I booked the waterfront for 6 People for supper two months before our visit and emailed two weeks beforehand to check all was confirmed. We arrived yesterday at 5.30 pm and on giving the booking name, I was very matter of factly told our table...

Had some problems with our booking, but staffs sorted it out within a minutes. Beautiful view. Food is an average, but when you look at the prices, you can’t expect michelin star quality. Excellent staffs. Please bear in mind, you have to book a table...

The restaurant was great a lovely place to bring family friends and for couples. Would recommend and definitely deserves Travellers Choice

So pleased to see the Waterfront has smartened up, especially as it now has competition just along the prom. We received a nice welcome, had a happy, efficient waiter and really enjoyed our meals. The menu has changed, concentrating on fewer dishes. Well done The...

Good location, which is why they can get away with awful food and still be fully booked. We were made to feel unwelcome, none of us finished our meal.

I always want to see the positives in life, but the Waterfront in beautiful Totland Bay was such a disappointment. Everything felt ‘clunky’ and awkward and as though we were a bit of an inconvenience being there. The food was a big let down too...

Great lunch, good service, good food. We are aware that they have had some staff problems, but coped very well during our visit.

Excellent paella, risotto and chicken burger overlooking the sea. Tables well spaced out and service very good. Will certainly go back again

We found the food superb, pleasing to a strict vegan - a really original and delicious starter of mushroom profiterole, followed by an equally delicious vegan cashew, butternut squash carbonara - and those were not the only choices! Also pleading to a meat/fish eater who...

The four of us enjoyed a fabulous meal in a great setting. Highly recommend but you need to book in advance, it’s very popular

We only visited the bar & beer garden as the restaurant was fully booked. Excellent staff & service, a great choice of gins & beers in a wonderful location

Each year we return to this lovely place...and each year we enjoy wonderful food in the most beautiful setting.. with views overlooking the Bay that make lasting memories ... lt can be reached by car down the road that leads to the pier, or on...

Loved The Waterfront at Totland, the views of the sunset over the water were beautiful! Meals were delicious, staff were very friendly and service was efficient. Couldn’t fault it!

We had dinner for 5 and each of us including a slightly picky 4 year old had a lovely meal. Not one of us could fault anything. Would highly recommend.

Called on the off chance and managed to bag a cancellation (Always worth a go). Food and service excellent. Would come again.

Having booked this meal, we were surprised to find it right on the shore. The menu was very comprehensive and the choice was excellent. We all had a seafood related dish which was delicious. Staff were really nice and helpful. The knickerbocker glory was absolutely...

Able to walk to this bar from our holiday rental, and did so twice. Sat outside in the sunshine enjoying a drink. Didnt eat here as was fully booked, but it looked good.

Stunning location, booking is a must. Plenty of parking. Staff are super attentive and helpful. Perfectly acceptable menu, although vegan pudding options have soy milk in them - which caused my husband a problem.

great location and view , good food and service all covid procedures appear to be in place. would recommend a visit

What can I say, a warm and friendly greeting for both us and our dog from all the staff. The food was delicious and portions large. Fortunately we shared a starter as the generous portion was enough for us both and left room for one...

Both of our meals were overcooked. Seabass was chewy and pie was dry, so it was very disappointing. Staff very friendly though and the view was great.

After finding a table for us at very short notice in this extremely busy restaurant we were greeted by the staff upon arrival and shown to our table. The staff were all very pleasant and incredibly convivial. The food was out of this world and...

We had a Saturday lunch for a birthday and loved it. When arriving had drinks served quickly. Everyone knew about gluten free and coeliac requirements. I had the prawns to start (amazing!), a gluten free garlic bread (great value for money) and the traditional fish...

We approached the Waterfront today (lovely weather) the lady working there told us that we could not eat on an outside table, only inside, but we could have a drink on an outside table. What on earth is the reason for this stupidity? An establishment...

After visiting The Needles, we stopped off at this idyllic location at Topland Bay but unfortunately no food was being served outside and we hadn't booked.Consequently, we enjoyed the most wonderful crisps and beers on the bench-type seats on the adjacent sloping ground.The sun was...

The food and service was always prefect and the staff we very professional and freindly. My party and I visited last year and visiting the isle again this year we re visited the waterfront we ended up eating here every night for the whole week...

Not sure how you can mess crab up as bad as these guys did, but this was truly a brutally disappointing meal. We had the tiger prawns to start (they were good!), and then the seafood stew and dressed crab special for mains, both of...

Like many, we were hesitant to return to a pub after eighteen months away. We loved The Waterfront before the pandemic, having regularly frequented for more than a quarter of a century, and the food was as good as ever. All in all, a fantastic...

Having been here several years ago, we went again with some friends, who had independently suggested we visit. We booked our table, staff were helpful, friendly and amusing! My crab gratin starter was deliciously crabby, the Mediterranean Fish Stew was tasty, but I would have...

Rude, indifferent, staff. Waitress looked put out to have to ask if an item contained gluten. Over priced meal. Lovely location hence the one star.

We were lucky to get a table right by the picture windows overlooking the bay. Tables are well spaced and the plastic screening between them does not detract from the experience - rather, it reduces the noise, which we liked. We watched the sun going...

We dropped in here as we were out walking from our campsite. We were very lucky they could fit us in without booking. Staff were great and the restaurant is fabulous. Views out to sea and the mainland . Food and drinks menu was very...

Popped into the Waterside at Totland late afternoon yesterday whilst on a day trip from the mainland and was greeted by lovely, friendly and helpful staff. Although I hadn't booked they managed to find us a table overlooking the sea. We ordered as soon as...

Had very high hopes but sadly, 3 of 4 mains were below average. Pasta that had been shown a sauce but didn't seem to be given any, and the toughest steak with gristle for £19 I have ever eaten. Chicken starters were ok but you...

This was our 2nd visit (1st been in 2019). We were not disappointed. Although busy and only had table for 2 hours we had a really lovely meal and the staff were helpful and friendly. All measures were in place for Covid 19 and we...

We booked our table in advance and were disappointed with our experience. It was perfect in every way. The staff were friendly and efficient and nothing was too much trouble. The range of meals on offer was tremendous and well cooked and presented, It was...

Had a feeling from the moment I walked in that I should have walked straight back out without eating. The staff were rude, two Girls behind the bar were not even wearing their masks, which I thought was silly considering there was a one way...

good food good price recommend booking first busy some of the specials are really superb but can run out . they do tell you when giving the menu

Luckily got a booking for 6. Food was very tasty. Well presented and service was very efficient. We will return very soon. Fish and chips hit the mark along with other selections from the menu

If you have any dietary needs or preferences don’t rely on going off what’s stated on the menu. I have a dairy allergy and am vegetarian, so I often go with the vegan options. As a “vegan menu” is splashed all over the website and...

“That’s a problem” said the front of house person as he pointed at our dog. We’d been allocated a restaurant table but dogs are only allowed in the bar, terrace and outside. The tables could not be swapped because a “large group” were coming (Max...

Have visited the waterfront many times and it is a great location. The only thing which spoiled the visit was what I presume the manger shouting at the staff to get outside and clear tables a more discreet approach may be more appropriate !!. Other...

Perfect for a family lunch. We had 2 tables, 1 for children (aged 8-10) and 1 for adults Service was friendly and efficient. Food was delicious, especially the specials. Kids portions were generous too. Stunning views, and all in all a lovely experience We we...

I haven’t eaten here for years but a friend recommended lunch here as she had been recently visited and had a lovely meal. We had children of all different ages and everyone picked something different. I have to say I was amazed at the quality...

Our week on the Isle of Wight was made perfect by having The Waterfront as our local restaurant. Being the first week that eating inside was permitted meant that they were fully booked for each evening, not at all surprised! But we were lucky enough...

Wonderful views and good food. Staff wear masks and clean tables but hand the same sticky plastic menus to everyone without wiping them. Single use menus are advised during Covid.

Went here for lunch after visiting Alum Bay and had a lovely experience sitting watching the sea whilst eating! Calamari and tiger prawns were highlights for starters, followed by fish and chips, paella and burger for mains! The dessert special of millionaire slice was delicious,...

Found this by accident today and so glad we did !!! Outstanding service from everyone , food was amazing and so much of it and all at such a good price , such as relaxed atmosphere and COVId safe , cannot believe our lucky find

Having just popped down to see Totland Bay we saw the restaurant and decided to ‘give it a try’. So glad we did as we had a lovely lunch l, fish pie and hake with samphire and risotto. Accompanied by very nice wine it is...

Great food at reasonable prices. Situated overlooking the sea, this restaurant serves very very fresh fish, beautifully paired with accompaniments. We ate there most times during our nearby stay, due to the excellent food.

Our first meal out after lockdown, and we weren't disappointed. 6 of us booked a table overlooking the sea, and as in the past, we had superb food and fantastic friendly service. Definitely our favourite isle of wight restaurant.

This place is a must visit! We arrived just before 12 and were greeted by lovely member of staff .once seated we were asked to kindly checkin and offered the menus. We were at no point rushed to order or pay after eating which was...

Went to this pub restaurant for lunch. Got a table straight away. Staff were very friendly. I had the lamb rump which was incredible. Followed by a knickerbocker glory, which was large and very nice. Amazing view, right on the sea front. If you are...

Went to this restaurant on the first night of our long weekend holiday and can’t fault the experience! You can’t book but we only had to wait a few minutes to get in and staff were available and attentive from the moment we joined the...

We enjoyed a superb takeaway meal, which we did due to heavy rain and could not sit outside! Great fish n chips, and haddock risotto. Friendly staff, good value. Nice location by the sea. Also returned for beer to watch sunset - loved it here

Amazing food and gorgeous location! We had the Seafood Linguine special and it was incredible. Service was great as well!

Stopped for a drink on long coastal walk, with our dog. Staff were very friendly and welcoming, although we didn't want food (just had a picnic). Tables cleaned after use, etc. Contactless payment. Dog-friendly. And great beer. Highly recommend and wish we could have eaten...

Only popped in for a quick drink mid walk but once we saw the fish and chips came out that was it!! I had crab gratin and chips and my husband had for and chips.both absolutely superb!!! Exceptional cleaning being carried out after each customer....