The Kata Rocks Clubhouse — Restaurant in Karon

I have been to Kata Rocks restaurant several times. Usually, in fact almost every time, the service is superb, the food excellent, the ambience very comfortable and sophisticated. They have live music in the evenings. The prices are commensurate with the quality. In other words you pay extra.

Invariably I have gone there for dinner. Today, for the first time, I went for breakfast. I was a bit disappointed. Perhaps their morning service team is not as well-trained as the superb evening team. I ordered the Thai Eggs Benedict, which were very tasty. However, my companion ordered the English breakfast. What we got were 2 servings of Thai Eggs Benedict. I mentioned the mistake, but my companion agreed to stay with the dish served. There were no salt and pepper shakers at the table. I asked for those and the waitress brought them. However, a few minutes later, the people at the next table apparently asked for salt. The waitress came to our table and without a word, or a question as to whether we were finished with the salt, simply took the salt grinder and put it on the other table. There were only two tables with customers - ours and theirs. I expected the staff to have access to more than one salt shaker/grinder. The last item is not as serious, but it started to rain, with a strong wind. I expected a service person to be in the dining area at all times, as there is in the evenings, but the lady at the next table and I had to try to catch flying napkins and leaves. Until a person came to close the sliding doors. All in all, a disappointing...

I recently had dinner at the restaurant in Kata Rocks and, although the setting was undeniably beautiful, the overall experience didn’t quite meet my expectations. The view is spectacular, especially at sunset, but the atmosphere felt a little too formal and distant for a seaside venue. I was hoping for something that felt more relaxed and connected to the Phuket island spirit.

The menu presentation was elegant, yet I found the food somewhat overdesigned — technically refined, but missing the warmth and flavor that make dining memorable. The dishes looked impressive, but the taste didn’t stand out compared to many other restaurants in Phuket, even those at a lower price point.

The service was polite and efficient, but I felt the staff were more focused on maintaining a luxury image than creating a welcoming dining experience. It was all very professional, yet I missed a genuine sense of hospitality. For me, it felt a bit more like dining in a design hotel rather than enjoying a relaxed meal by the sea.

Prices were on the higher end, which would have been fine if the experience had matched the expectation. Unfortunately, I left feeling that the meal was beautiful to look at, but emotionally flat — a bit like the setting itself: stunning, but lacking warmth.

Overall, it’s a lovely place to visit once for the view, but not somewhere I’d return for the food alone. It’s perfect for those who value presentation and aesthetics above all else, but personally, I prefer restaurants with a bit more soul, flavor, and...

Pros: Food was good. On the pricier side, but the flavour was unmatched. The view is gorgeous.

Cons: Upon arrival, we were shown to our table that was booked online and we thought that we were lucky enough to get a pool side table. What the staff members didn't tell us was that the table that we didn't ask to sit at, had a mimum spend of 2000 baht per person. We were approached mid way through our main meal of the minimum spend due to the table beside us complaining about not being told either when they received their bill. This really ruined the atmosphere. A great photo for instagram seems to outweigh common courtesy... other people in the restaurant crowd the front tables to take photos ALL evening. Staff members allow people to intrude into your private space even while you are eating! Again, really ruining the atmosphere of 'high class dining'. This alone makes me question how you can charge someone a minimum for a 'better experience' if everyone is going to crowd your space for free anyway... After being told about the minimum spend, customer service plummeted severely. We had to get up and ask for the bill because it was almost like we were forgotten about after their mistakes. The drinks...