The Lobster Shack — Restaurant in Canterbury

Really let down by its attention to detail. Arrived at 8.15pm to an echoey room that could/should have been a really inviting space but was let down by the teenage staff that, although perfectly friendly, were completely lacking in initiative and customer service training. Music when finally turned on was generic 80s pop. Sparkling water was confused with still. They couldn’t take our order because their devices weren’t working so eventually we had to go out to the outside service area to order (could the staff not have bridged this gap?) No one seemed to care that we were there and waiting to order. Everything you wanted you had to stand up/walk to the bar to get anyone’s attention for, etc etc. The incredible outside terrace right on the water could have been so much more inviting with some lighting but at dusk it was so poorly lit (no lighting whatsoever) that we decided to move inside. Being told that QR codes are their preference for ordering when you have more than 6 staff bobbing around doing nothing is just ridiculous (and I think they still take card-only payments???) The open kitchen is a lovely touch but when you are faced with the chef eating whilst preparing your food it sort of loses its lustre. We would probably have enjoyed our food much more if the staff weren’t obviously closing down the restaurant and spraying down/scrubbing the tables all around us at 8.45pm. Ok, I understand if they had have said they were about to close when we arrived but no such warning and after we ordered £200 worth of food and drinks, clearly there for a proper dinner not just a quick bite, I would have expected the courtesy of allowing us to enjoy our food in an ordinary restaurant environment. When our food arrived we had no cutlery or plates, and our order was missing two items which unless we had chased up would have been totally forgotten about. The frustrating thing is this place could be outstanding. The seafood platter we had was surprisingly generous and mostly really good quality. The style of cutlery and the little pots of sauces on the dishes were in-keeping with the lobster shack vibe, as was the vaulted ceiling and wooden tables/chairs. The views out to sea were stunning. You have to walk down a really ugly industrial complex to get to the restaurant, but that actually enhances the overall feel of the place as you expect that you’re going to find a proper working/authentic lobster/oyster shack at the end. Our experience would have been much more worth the trek (and money) if these guys could smarten up their act, but unfortunately after today’s experience we wouldn’t be rushing back. Maybe get a restaurant consultant in to tidy up some frayed ends? Even tourists can be discerning these days. The devil really is...

We stayed in Whitstable for a few days. A lovely small town. Great location and lots of restaurants.

We looked forward to dine here the first night. We knew there are no reservations, you just wait in line until a table of your liking gets free (inside our outside with a view).

We arrived around 7pm and waited for a table outside. It only took about 20mins, which was less than expected. Our Bulldog was welcome as well.

Got a table with amazing sunset views. Breathtaking. Sadly the location and the sunset were the only highlights that night.

We enjoy fish and seafood. All over the world. Normandy, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Thailand, Japan. And so on. We've had our share of great and not so great fish and seafood. Sadly the food here belongs to the latter.

Visually it was a feast for your eyes. But sadly not for your taste buds. The lobster was pretty small and very dry. Overcooked and overpriced. The oysters just ok, nowhere near irish, french or scottish quality. Not creamy enough. The shrimps were fine. But nothing near great. Best to drown them in the sauce and Mayo that came with The seafood platter was all cold food - but we knew that before ordering, nothing wrong with that. It's just the quality that was missing overall. The salmon was possibly the worst. Low quality, smelly fish. Seasnails were ok, but the small shrimp not. Just tried one. Fries came with the lobster. Soft and soggy. There was also bread and salad. I enjoyed the bread and butter the most of the whole meal. Which is a sad statement.

Had some wine with our meal. 20cl mini-bottles of a quality that's best to forget.

Staff was very very busy, but ok. And as I said, the views are amazing. But you could grab some take-out food anywhere and sit down somewhere on the Whitstable beach and get the same view.

We really wanted to enjoy this place. But quality wasn't there. And the prices for that really way too high. Whitstable is a place to come back to one day. The Lobster...

Would give zero stars if possible. Not usually one to write reviews at all or moan about restaurant experiences but this one takes the cake - haven’t had an experience like this in my adult life.

The first red flag was, we had to pay upfront. My partner and I ordered the lobster, 1/2 dozen oysters and a drink each, and the bill was over £100. We are happy to pay that for seafood. However, when the waitress came back immediately with the card machine in hand, we were taken aback, but obliged.

To be honest, the drinks were good, can’t go wrong with a pint, and the oysters were excellent.

Then came the lobster within 3 minutes of placing the entire order, which itself was slightly concerning. It had been very certainly been cooked a day before and heated under the grill for a minute before serving. It was tough, chewy, inedible and ice cold in certain parts - not what you expect for £60 served on a bed of wilted salad and bleak greasy chips. It would pinch to pay £20 for this mess.

We were never asked if we would like water or even if the food was good. I beckoned the impatient looking waitress to ask for a glass of water and when the lobster was cooked - she brought us some water and said the lobster was cooked today and walked away immediately. Didn’t bother to ask us if something was wrong or if the meal was okay.

We left without another word. The one saving grace is that we managed to save another couple from having to go through the experience - who we met while exiting at the door of the restaurant - from going through a similar experience.

I would recommend that if anyone is keen to go, go for the drinks and the seaside view, nothing beyond.

FYI- I went back as soon as I realised we were charged a service charge and requested a refund which the restaurant provided. Attached the actual abomination of a receipt in case anyone...