Fantastic experience. Rather busy, with a 5 minute wait for a table but overall fantastic.
Paul Preece
Great position overlooking the sea, friendly staff, but dull menu let's it down also specials on the blackboard usually runs out by lunchtime.
Winco47
We booked a table for three to have lunch on a Wednesday. We have eaten here many times before so knew what to expect. Good service and hot food is the order of the day here. The table was ready when we arrived and we ordered without delay. Two of us had the large fish and chips and it was better than ever. A large piece of battered fish with chips and peas and all nice and hot. Our other diner had one of the ‘specials’ of the day which was a chicken and leek pie. Lots of chicken, bacon and leek in the pie. It had a nice light pastry top. The accompanying vegetables were also very good, kale and carrots. Again it was all nice and hot. We ended the meal with three cappuccino coffees and yes again, nice and hot. There are a lot of restaurants that could do well to come here and see what this restaurant does well on a daily basis. They may learn something! So to sum up - good hot food and good service. I have no hesitation in awarding it 5 bubbles.
MARTIN C
I called in to the castle for breakfast and asked for a full English without beans. The meal turned up and looked good but the piece of sourdough toast was so small that I went to the counter and asked for another slice as I didn't have any beans. The waitress went into the kitchen and came back a couple of minutes later followed by an older person (who I later found out was the manageress) who told me with a snarl that "we don't do swap outs. It quite clearly states that on the menu but I can sell you a piece". I thought how mean. It wasn't as if I wanted another sausage, just a piece of toast in place of the beans. Just think what a little goodwill would have achieved instead of me spreading the word of poor customer service !! And while mentioning sausages, they are rubbish. Everything else appeared to be good quality but when you are paying top dollar, you would expect to have a local sausage !!
Steph Green
Staff were friendly and attentive. Lovely views and food was tasty. Plenty of choice on the menu.
Scottybucks
Amazing views in a beautiful historic building. The food tasted very much home made, tasty fish cakes with a delicious warm tartare sauce. Fresh sardines with a chimmichurri sauce. They had good gluten free option also. Wine was good value.
Mus K
Brilliant location to have a bite to eat after the walk around the reserve. Staff are always friendly, approachable and deliver exceptional service. Great food & the Amstel beer on tap is most refreshing. Visited here a few times and the service/food is consistently good.
John McGruer
Very tasty bistro food. Good vegetarian , and GF options. Excellent coffee and cakes. Indoor or outside seating with a sea view.Dietary restrictions: Good GF and vegetarian options.
Jon Allen
Had booked in advance to celebrate my Dads 90th birthday. Great food and the service was good. Thanks
This is a great place to stop off and refuel. Offer gluten free dishes so that is always a bonus when Thai all you can eat. Staff very helpful in ensuring the meal was gf. Had the meat of the day from the specials board, very tasty!
David G
The restaurant is within Durlston Castle.There is easy access on the flat and a lift if required to other levels.The staff are pleasant but very strict on ordering times for food i.e breakfast is until 11.15 precise and ordering lunch is not till 12 noon.you cannot order lunch even 5 minutes before.Dogs are allowed in the restaurant which has inside and outside seating.We had the small fish and chips and they were very hot and delicious.Downside is that the toilets are below the restaurant where there are steep winding stone steps to them or there is a one floor lift.Toilets are ultra clean models in and ancient castle.
Julie W
Wonderful place, views, the staff are amazing and the food is always lovely. We both enjoyed the full english breakfast and mine the gluten free! Wow! The best gluten free breakfast! Thank you very much team seventh wave x
Eva Torok
We had a very nice day out with my girls at Durlston castle and the surrounding area on Wednesday. Unfortunately the only one unpleasant experience happened in the cafe.We have ordered some food and a hot chocholate for my daughter.My daughter spooned the hot chocholate and after a couple of spoonful she was chewing on something strange, it was a big fly in the drink.I have returned the hot chocholate and asking for a new one politely if it would be possible, expecting either a polite no or a polite yes.Instead of the lady behind the counter said unpolitely 'but you have already had the half of it' I said no worries but she with another frown turned and handed me a cup filled with a bit of hot chocholate at the bottom of the cup.I felt really awkward after this experience.Hope my rewiew helps to improve your customer service.
Zoe Hambleton-Lord
We visited Durlston Country Park today to enjoy a nice walk and enjoy the views. We decided to have a coffee before we set off walking, but sadly our experience in the cafe completely ruined the day. Ordered two hot drinks and cake, but then made the fatal mistake of having them in takeaway cups thinking it would be easier and safer due to the cafe packed with children. Once sat down with our drinks and cake a very rude member of staff came over to inform us that we shouldn’t be sat in the cafe area because we had chosen to have our order in a takeaway cup. She told us we would have to move if other customers wanted to use the table and there was nowhere else to put them! Well of course half way through our order, which wasn’t any less price wise for a takeaway, she came over and told us we needed to move.My husband told her we would have a proper cup instead to put our drinks into at which point she told us we couldn’t and had to move. When I asked why we needed to move when we were paying customers who had paid the same as everyone else she told me it was “policy”. I checked the website and found that the picnic tables she was telling us to move to are for customers who bring their own food and drink. When I pointed this out and asked where the sign was that made clear we had to move, she told me there wasn’t one but that they are busy. To make matters worse this lady was the manager!While the place is lovely, the very rude woman who made a complete show of us in front of all the other customers, completely let it down. Even the couple at the table next to us were completely shocked by her behaviour. We will never ever return to cafe again and it has put us off of visiting at all in the future to be honest. A complaint, for which I hope they have a genuine policy, will be made tomorrow.
Fantastic experience. Rather busy, with a 5 minute wait for a table but overall fantastic.
Great position overlooking the sea, friendly staff, but dull menu let's it down also specials on the blackboard usually runs out by lunchtime.
We booked a table for three to have lunch on a Wednesday. We have eaten here many times before so knew what to expect. Good service and hot food is the order of the day here. The table was ready when we arrived and we ordered without delay. Two of us had the large fish and chips and it was better than ever. A large piece of battered fish with chips and peas and all nice and hot. Our other diner had one of the ‘specials’ of the day which was a chicken and leek pie. Lots of chicken, bacon and leek in the pie. It had a nice light pastry top. The accompanying vegetables were also very good, kale and carrots. Again it was all nice and hot. We ended the meal with three cappuccino coffees and yes again, nice and hot. There are a lot of restaurants that could do well to come here and see what this restaurant does well on a daily basis. They may learn something! So to sum up - good hot food and good service. I have no hesitation in awarding it 5 bubbles.
I called in to the castle for breakfast and asked for a full English without beans. The meal turned up and looked good but the piece of sourdough toast was so small that I went to the counter and asked for another slice as I didn't have any beans. The waitress went into the kitchen and came back a couple of minutes later followed by an older person (who I later found out was the manageress) who told me with a snarl that "we don't do swap outs. It quite clearly states that on the menu but I can sell you a piece". I thought how mean. It wasn't as if I wanted another sausage, just a piece of toast in place of the beans. Just think what a little goodwill would have achieved instead of me spreading the word of poor customer service !! And while mentioning sausages, they are rubbish. Everything else appeared to be good quality but when you are paying top dollar, you would expect to have a local sausage !!
Staff were friendly and attentive. Lovely views and food was tasty. Plenty of choice on the menu.
Amazing views in a beautiful historic building. The food tasted very much home made, tasty fish cakes with a delicious warm tartare sauce. Fresh sardines with a chimmichurri sauce. They had good gluten free option also. Wine was good value.
Brilliant location to have a bite to eat after the walk around the reserve. Staff are always friendly, approachable and deliver exceptional service. Great food & the Amstel beer on tap is most refreshing. Visited here a few times and the service/food is consistently good.
Very tasty bistro food. Good vegetarian , and GF options. Excellent coffee and cakes. Indoor or outside seating with a sea view.Dietary restrictions: Good GF and vegetarian options.
Had booked in advance to celebrate my Dads 90th birthday. Great food and the service was good. Thanks
Enjoyed the food and the staff were friendly.
Restaurantji Recommends
This is a great place to stop off and refuel. Offer gluten free dishes so that is always a bonus when Thai all you can eat. Staff very helpful in ensuring the meal was gf. Had the meat of the day from the specials board, very tasty!
The restaurant is within Durlston Castle.There is easy access on the flat and a lift if required to other levels.The staff are pleasant but very strict on ordering times for food i.e breakfast is until 11.15 precise and ordering lunch is not till 12 noon.you cannot order lunch even 5 minutes before.Dogs are allowed in the restaurant which has inside and outside seating.We had the small fish and chips and they were very hot and delicious.Downside is that the toilets are below the restaurant where there are steep winding stone steps to them or there is a one floor lift.Toilets are ultra clean models in and ancient castle.
Wonderful place, views, the staff are amazing and the food is always lovely. We both enjoyed the full english breakfast and mine the gluten free! Wow! The best gluten free breakfast! Thank you very much team seventh wave x
We had a very nice day out with my girls at Durlston castle and the surrounding area on Wednesday. Unfortunately the only one unpleasant experience happened in the cafe.We have ordered some food and a hot chocholate for my daughter.My daughter spooned the hot chocholate and after a couple of spoonful she was chewing on something strange, it was a big fly in the drink.I have returned the hot chocholate and asking for a new one politely if it would be possible, expecting either a polite no or a polite yes.Instead of the lady behind the counter said unpolitely 'but you have already had the half of it' I said no worries but she with another frown turned and handed me a cup filled with a bit of hot chocholate at the bottom of the cup.I felt really awkward after this experience.Hope my rewiew helps to improve your customer service.
We visited Durlston Country Park today to enjoy a nice walk and enjoy the views. We decided to have a coffee before we set off walking, but sadly our experience in the cafe completely ruined the day. Ordered two hot drinks and cake, but then made the fatal mistake of having them in takeaway cups thinking it would be easier and safer due to the cafe packed with children. Once sat down with our drinks and cake a very rude member of staff came over to inform us that we shouldn’t be sat in the cafe area because we had chosen to have our order in a takeaway cup. She told us we would have to move if other customers wanted to use the table and there was nowhere else to put them! Well of course half way through our order, which wasn’t any less price wise for a takeaway, she came over and told us we needed to move.My husband told her we would have a proper cup instead to put our drinks into at which point she told us we couldn’t and had to move. When I asked why we needed to move when we were paying customers who had paid the same as everyone else she told me it was “policy”. I checked the website and found that the picnic tables she was telling us to move to are for customers who bring their own food and drink. When I pointed this out and asked where the sign was that made clear we had to move, she told me there wasn’t one but that they are busy. To make matters worse this lady was the manager!While the place is lovely, the very rude woman who made a complete show of us in front of all the other customers, completely let it down. Even the couple at the table next to us were completely shocked by her behaviour. We will never ever return to cafe again and it has put us off of visiting at all in the future to be honest. A complaint, for which I hope they have a genuine policy, will be made tomorrow.