Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co Reviews

We visited the restaurant this weekend and were appalled by the service we received. It took 20 minutes to order a drink and the restaurant wasn't even full. When the food did arrive, in two of six dishes the fish was under cooked and raw by the bone. When returned we heard nothing back for 10 minutes so decided to leave. An absolute shambles! Looking at the selection of fish and prices on the menu I was looking forward to dinner at Whitstable, but the food was uninspired and seriously overpriced.

I felt the prices are way too high and the food is below average. The members of staff were also unfriendly.

We liked the lovely setting, but oh, the prices! The service was indifferent and off-hand, and the basic setting did not have a bit of linen. I feel paying extra for vegetables is so yesterday. It looks like a bistro - bistro food, but top notch prices. All those down from London kept it going, but I think we have made our last visit.

We visited Whitstable for the first time today and dined at the Oyster Fishery Co. As a Londoner who eats at some excellent restaurants I was a little surprised at the bill which was, frankly, higher than many West End establishments such as, say, Bentley's Oyster Bar.

The service was very friendly, but slow, and the food was of good quality, but the price of, say, the crab (white meat a little on the dry side) was way over what I would pay in London and, of course, France. The oysters were also very pricey. Wine prices were, again, high: needs cheaper choices on the list. At the prices of the main courses, why do they charge extra for vegetables?

The chips and tomato salad were terrific, but those prices on basic tables and paper napkins? Hum. If the prices were 25% to 30% lower I would say it was a great place to go and the ambiance and location are fantastic - great beer, too. I will go back but not before trying a few other places, first. Loved Whitstable and only took 1 hr 25 mins from London!

Not bad, that was the first time we had eaten there with a party of nine. For food 7/10 is the rating I gave. The prices were too high, maybe I’m biased due to being in trade. The giant dressed fresh crabs retail at £2.50 so who knows what the price for ambience could be.

We used to go several years ago but, when it got so overpriced and the staff gave you the impression that customers were an inconvenience, we changed to the Hotel Continental, which initially did excellent lunchtime set menus for £10. As they are owned by the same people the same thing happened.

A very good looking venue, that's about it. The management/owners should care more about the food they are serving. Poor quality and poor taste for quite expensive dishes.

Eighteen pounds for a crab simply dropped in salty boiling water two or three days before serving it (that's what it tasted like at least) and served on a naked dish IS far too much! A twenty pound half lobster should taste of lobster, not butter and garlic only.

Ten years ago I visited and was very impressed, but my last visit on 29/1/05 I was very disappointed. On a quiet Saturday evening the service was very sluggish and abrupt, the presentation of the food very poor as was the standard of cooking, a crab salad was left under the hot lights for so long it had started too cook !! Now very over priced for the standard and quality given, such a shame, still a lovely building in a lovely location but I will not return unless there is a big change!