Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co - Whitstable, Kent
Description
Sorry, no description available for Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co.Style of food on offer: Seafood
Price Guide: £30.01 - £45.00
Accessibility for disabled: partially accessible
Bar Facilities: Full bar
Smoking policy: Smoking permitted
Review Summary
Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co has received 11 reviews, giving the following average ratings (out of 10 - higher is better):| Overall: | 4.4 |
| Food: | 5.2 |
| Service: | 5.1 |
| Ambiance: | 6.5 |
The reviews can be seen in full below these details.
Recommended dishes: Loads! None that we had Halibut, Moules and the ice creams are to die for! Seabass and the Oysters Nothing - its all pretty average
Address and Contact Details
|
Horsebridge Horsebridge Whitstable Kent England CT5 1AN |
Telephone: 01227 276856 Website: Click here Opening Hours: Tues-Sunday 12:00-14:30 Tues-Saturday 18:00-21:30 |
Other Information
Accepted payment methods:Bank Debit Cards
American Express
Cheques
Visa
Diners' Club
MasterCard/Eurocard
Dress code: Dressy casual
Customer Reviews for Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co - Whitstable
Top stuff (wish they'd change the menu more often) - review added on Sun 16th Jan 2005
This is really the place you want when you go to Whitstable and is frequently the restaurant that people are talking about when they say "oh Whitstable - that's got a really great seafood restaurant".Well it has and it is. For starters the fried oysters with chilli dipping sauce are just *superb* and there are a number of similar simple signature dishes that will have seafood lover's toes tapping. For main there are some beautifully cooked fishes (combination of locally caught and Billingsgate's finest) whose hallmark is probably simplicity of preparation and delivery. Think roast sea bass with a whole clove of unpeeled garlic inserted in it middle with rosemary or whole crab served as it is mayonaise. As always, the eponymous local Oysters are a feature and delicacy.Wine list is to be very much recommended. There are some superb picks at the lower end which other local restaurants need to learn from an awful lot. Yes, wine matters. It also extends towards the more exclusive ends if you want to treat yourself although at a mark-up that will leave you pleasantly pleased if your usual experience if rip-off-London.A beach front setting rounds this one off and on a spring or summer's day it can be a heady venue (although most tables don't have a good sea view despite the beach location) for hanging out, eating delicious food and crunching along the shingle beach looking at all the sailing boats. One complaint - PLEASE change the menu a little more often!Other than Wheeler's (unbelievable 12 seat restaurant which is also unbelievably difficult to get a table) this is the best Whitstable has to offer and a place that will leave you smiling
Recommended Dishes: Loads!
What a Place! - review added on Tue 28th Feb 2006
Where do I start with this restaurant, its a top notch place to dine out. I decided to try out the WOFC after a tip off from a good friend who is also a top chef in London. On entering the restaurant you feel a great welcoming atmosphere and are greeted by a young but professional service team. It is a clean and nicely set out dining area. For starters I had deep fried squid with garlic mayo, which I could taste paprika on the squid, that was a very nice touch. Should also add that the waiting staff had served it all in time with other meals on the table and had been efficient in drink services. Onto the main course I decided to opt for the massive whole roasted seabass with garlic and rosemary which was absolutely superb. The whole group had said how fresh they had found the fish on their various meals. Even though it was a busy night in the restaurant this didn't stop them providing a very pleasant meal and night out for me and my family. I was also fortunate to get chatting to one the chefs after his shift and he was a very well mannered young chap and showed me the professional service and courtesy went throughout the staff from front to back.So if you are looking for a place to go out for a meal I highly recommend the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co.
Review added on Mon 17th Jul 2006
We arrived as it opened at 6.30pm on Saturday for our reserved table. The waitress sat us in a table where two of our dining guests had hot sun facing directly into their eyes. We kindly asked to be moved to only be told "sorry but we are fully booked tonight"in a very rude manner. All the table around us were empty. We decided to leave as we wouldn't have enjoyed the meal. I am glad we did after noticing the main meals between £17-20 and starters were £10. It seemed expensive for the very rude and unaccommodating service. I have since found out several friends have eaten in there and they said the food was quite nice but all experienced rude service that ruined their night out.
Don't bother! - review added on Thu 12th Apr 2007
If you like oysters fine - anything else forget it! I have never been presented with such an unispired plate of food and it isn't cheap! Grilled salmon with ailoi equaled a large lump of plain salmon which had been plonked on a grill for a few minutes - three - yes just three tiny plain boiled new potatoes and a very large dollop of mayonaise. Quite revolting. Completely lacking in imagination or taste. If you like food - forget it. Tables were crowded and atmosphere impersonal. Will not go back.
Recommended Dishes: None that we had
Great service! Great food! Great Place! - review added on Mon 13th Aug 2007
We visited on a Wednesday evening and everything about our meal from start to finish was superb! We were greeted at the door by two stunningly beautiful smiley young ladies who accomodated to our needs throughout. My husband and I had heard about the restaurant through friends and decided to visit ourselves and we will definately be back.You must try this place and keep an eye out for the two lovely waitresses by the name of Ellie and Emily!
Recommended Dishes: Halibut, Moules and the ice creams are to die for!
Great view shame about the food - review added on Mon 24th Sep 2007
moved to Whitstable last year and finally gave it a try earlier in the year. It was overpriced and uninspiring food and the portions were miserly. If you want fish go and eat at Wheelers. The service was brusque and slow. From talking to others who have been in Whitstable longer; there was a time when WOFC was good but it is just resting on its laurels and taking advantage of the fact it has a good view. There are better places in Whitstable go there instead!
Shame about the food and service - review added on Sun 13th Jan 2008
Decided to take the family for a special meal. Bad choice! Service was poor and very slow. Don't the waitresses know how to smile? Customers are obviously viewed as an inconvenience. Food was overpriced and what miserly portions. Not a place I would recommend to anyone. So disappointing overall. Paid for the meal in full, but didn't leave a tip.
Review added on Sun 23rd Mar 2008
Decided to try the upstairs Dredgermans Court for lunch. Looks nice but Service poor and very slow. Waited and waited. Only wanted a salmon salad and some local oysters. Informed after 20 minutes no salmon. Re-ordered alternative salad and after 45 minutes still nothing. Decided to leave it and eat elsewhere. Don't bother until service improves . Can't rate food as we did not get any!
Amazingly bad service, mediocre food - review added on Tue 8th Apr 2008
The oysters are ok, but then they would be. The room is lovely. The waitresses are almost comedy-bad - not incompetent, but so rude and hostile that it's almost incredible. It took 25 minutes for us to be asked if we wanted a drink, or even to order. When a child spilled some water, they all stood there and stared - no offer of help mopping up. It wasn't just our party - all the tables near us were muttering about the same. The lobster was revolting, fluffy and overcooked. We'd been so excited about coming here - the whole experience was hugely dissappointing.
Great food Rubbish Service - review added on Tue 12th Aug 2008
My partner and i dined here on the weekend while away in kent for the weekend from London. It can higly recmommended from a variety of sources. The food was fantastic, the oysters on par with Bluff oysters from NZ.However the service on the other had was below poor.For a restaurant with such high reviews there were approx 12 waiting staff on that night, who seemed to want to spend most of the night talking to each other, about the party the night before and each others hair do.Our pre dinner drink glasses remained on our table for the whole meal.We were only asked once for a drinks order, in which we even had to chase up after a 15 minute wait. We then had another 15 minute wait to get someones attention for a dessert order (still the empty glasses remained)Then again we had to wait nearly 20 minutes for someone to bring the bill and even more time for them to collect my card for payment.The girl even then looked down at us as I had removed the 10% service charge due to my unhappy experience.Another point would have to be as this is a place that caters for families also, one of the waiting staff was working with her chest just about falling our of her top.
Recommended Dishes: Seabass and the Oysters
Overpriced and Average - review added on Fri 7th Nov 2008
Sadly the previous reviews are just a continuation of what, if it were put together, would constitute an enormous and comprehensive case against the accused restaurant which would certainly result in a guilty verdict. They are charged with the following:Poor and often rude service,average and sometimes poor cooking, boring and stagnant menu virtually unchanged since the opening of the restaurant, cheap tricks and by and large cheap wine all at a price that could induce a fall from one of the distinctly wobbly chairs (the staff wouldn't notice if you did). The cooking is no more skilled than an averagely adept person would make for a midweek meal.If you enjoy eating there you would probably rate McDonalds and KFC as gourmet cooking too. Get a sandwich and sit on the beach with a bottle of nice wine- you'll enjoy it much more. The only real positive is the location and simple decor (or is it just cheap?) which may sway you into a false sense of security if you are slightly drunk,and with some nice people, that is.
Recommended Dishes: Nothing - its all pretty average
This is really the place you want when you go to Whitstable and is frequently the restaurant that people are talking about when they say "oh Whitstable - that's got a really great seafood restaurant".Well it has and it is. For starters the fried oysters with chilli dipping sauce are just *superb* and there are a number of similar simple signature dishes that will have seafood lover's toes tapping. For main there are some beautifully cooked fishes (combination of locally caught and Billingsgate's finest) whose hallmark is probably simplicity of preparation and delivery. Think roast sea bass with a whole clove of unpeeled garlic inserted in it middle with rosemary or whole crab served as it is mayonaise. As always, the eponymous local Oysters are a feature and delicacy.Wine list is to be very much recommended. There are some superb picks at the lower end which other local restaurants need to learn from an awful lot. Yes, wine matters. It also extends towards the more exclusive ends if you want to treat yourself although at a mark-up that will leave you pleasantly pleased if your usual experience if rip-off-London.A beach front setting rounds this one off and on a spring or summer's day it can be a heady venue (although most tables don't have a good sea view despite the beach location) for hanging out, eating delicious food and crunching along the shingle beach looking at all the sailing boats. One complaint - PLEASE change the menu a little more often!Other than Wheeler's (unbelievable 12 seat restaurant which is also unbelievably difficult to get a table) this is the best Whitstable has to offer and a place that will leave you smiling
| Overall: | 8 |
| Food: | 8 |
| Service: | 8 |
| Ambiance: | 8 |
Recommended Dishes: Loads!
What a Place! - review added on Tue 28th Feb 2006
Where do I start with this restaurant, its a top notch place to dine out. I decided to try out the WOFC after a tip off from a good friend who is also a top chef in London. On entering the restaurant you feel a great welcoming atmosphere and are greeted by a young but professional service team. It is a clean and nicely set out dining area. For starters I had deep fried squid with garlic mayo, which I could taste paprika on the squid, that was a very nice touch. Should also add that the waiting staff had served it all in time with other meals on the table and had been efficient in drink services. Onto the main course I decided to opt for the massive whole roasted seabass with garlic and rosemary which was absolutely superb. The whole group had said how fresh they had found the fish on their various meals. Even though it was a busy night in the restaurant this didn't stop them providing a very pleasant meal and night out for me and my family. I was also fortunate to get chatting to one the chefs after his shift and he was a very well mannered young chap and showed me the professional service and courtesy went throughout the staff from front to back.So if you are looking for a place to go out for a meal I highly recommend the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Co.
| Overall: | 10 |
| Food: | 8 |
| Service: | 10 |
| Ambiance: | 8 |
Review added on Mon 17th Jul 2006
We arrived as it opened at 6.30pm on Saturday for our reserved table. The waitress sat us in a table where two of our dining guests had hot sun facing directly into their eyes. We kindly asked to be moved to only be told "sorry but we are fully booked tonight"in a very rude manner. All the table around us were empty. We decided to leave as we wouldn't have enjoyed the meal. I am glad we did after noticing the main meals between £17-20 and starters were £10. It seemed expensive for the very rude and unaccommodating service. I have since found out several friends have eaten in there and they said the food was quite nice but all experienced rude service that ruined their night out.
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 2 |
| Service: | 2 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Don't bother! - review added on Thu 12th Apr 2007
If you like oysters fine - anything else forget it! I have never been presented with such an unispired plate of food and it isn't cheap! Grilled salmon with ailoi equaled a large lump of plain salmon which had been plonked on a grill for a few minutes - three - yes just three tiny plain boiled new potatoes and a very large dollop of mayonaise. Quite revolting. Completely lacking in imagination or taste. If you like food - forget it. Tables were crowded and atmosphere impersonal. Will not go back.
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 2 |
| Service: | 6 |
| Ambiance: | 4 |
Recommended Dishes: None that we had
Great service! Great food! Great Place! - review added on Mon 13th Aug 2007
We visited on a Wednesday evening and everything about our meal from start to finish was superb! We were greeted at the door by two stunningly beautiful smiley young ladies who accomodated to our needs throughout. My husband and I had heard about the restaurant through friends and decided to visit ourselves and we will definately be back.You must try this place and keep an eye out for the two lovely waitresses by the name of Ellie and Emily!
| Overall: | 10 |
| Food: | 10 |
| Service: | 10 |
| Ambiance: | 10 |
Recommended Dishes: Halibut, Moules and the ice creams are to die for!
Great view shame about the food - review added on Mon 24th Sep 2007
moved to Whitstable last year and finally gave it a try earlier in the year. It was overpriced and uninspiring food and the portions were miserly. If you want fish go and eat at Wheelers. The service was brusque and slow. From talking to others who have been in Whitstable longer; there was a time when WOFC was good but it is just resting on its laurels and taking advantage of the fact it has a good view. There are better places in Whitstable go there instead!
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 2 |
| Service: | 4 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Shame about the food and service - review added on Sun 13th Jan 2008
Decided to take the family for a special meal. Bad choice! Service was poor and very slow. Don't the waitresses know how to smile? Customers are obviously viewed as an inconvenience. Food was overpriced and what miserly portions. Not a place I would recommend to anyone. So disappointing overall. Paid for the meal in full, but didn't leave a tip.
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 4 |
| Service: | 4 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Review added on Sun 23rd Mar 2008
Decided to try the upstairs Dredgermans Court for lunch. Looks nice but Service poor and very slow. Waited and waited. Only wanted a salmon salad and some local oysters. Informed after 20 minutes no salmon. Re-ordered alternative salad and after 45 minutes still nothing. Decided to leave it and eat elsewhere. Don't bother until service improves . Can't rate food as we did not get any!
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 0 |
| Service: | 2 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Amazingly bad service, mediocre food - review added on Tue 8th Apr 2008
The oysters are ok, but then they would be. The room is lovely. The waitresses are almost comedy-bad - not incompetent, but so rude and hostile that it's almost incredible. It took 25 minutes for us to be asked if we wanted a drink, or even to order. When a child spilled some water, they all stood there and stared - no offer of help mopping up. It wasn't just our party - all the tables near us were muttering about the same. The lobster was revolting, fluffy and overcooked. We'd been so excited about coming here - the whole experience was hugely dissappointing.
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 4 |
| Service: | 2 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Great food Rubbish Service - review added on Tue 12th Aug 2008
My partner and i dined here on the weekend while away in kent for the weekend from London. It can higly recmommended from a variety of sources. The food was fantastic, the oysters on par with Bluff oysters from NZ.However the service on the other had was below poor.For a restaurant with such high reviews there were approx 12 waiting staff on that night, who seemed to want to spend most of the night talking to each other, about the party the night before and each others hair do.Our pre dinner drink glasses remained on our table for the whole meal.We were only asked once for a drinks order, in which we even had to chase up after a 15 minute wait. We then had another 15 minute wait to get someones attention for a dessert order (still the empty glasses remained)Then again we had to wait nearly 20 minutes for someone to bring the bill and even more time for them to collect my card for payment.The girl even then looked down at us as I had removed the 10% service charge due to my unhappy experience.Another point would have to be as this is a place that caters for families also, one of the waiting staff was working with her chest just about falling our of her top.
| Overall: | 6 |
| Food: | 10 |
| Service: | 4 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Recommended Dishes: Seabass and the Oysters
Overpriced and Average - review added on Fri 7th Nov 2008
Sadly the previous reviews are just a continuation of what, if it were put together, would constitute an enormous and comprehensive case against the accused restaurant which would certainly result in a guilty verdict. They are charged with the following:Poor and often rude service,average and sometimes poor cooking, boring and stagnant menu virtually unchanged since the opening of the restaurant, cheap tricks and by and large cheap wine all at a price that could induce a fall from one of the distinctly wobbly chairs (the staff wouldn't notice if you did). The cooking is no more skilled than an averagely adept person would make for a midweek meal.If you enjoy eating there you would probably rate McDonalds and KFC as gourmet cooking too. Get a sandwich and sit on the beach with a bottle of nice wine- you'll enjoy it much more. The only real positive is the location and simple decor (or is it just cheap?) which may sway you into a false sense of security if you are slightly drunk,and with some nice people, that is.
| Overall: | 2 |
| Food: | 2 |
| Service: | 4 |
| Ambiance: | 6 |
Recommended Dishes: Nothing - its all pretty average
Review What You Eat uses modified ChefMoz data as well as our own - you can add entries direct to ChefMoz via the following links:
|