Gaff Rigger — Restaurant in Eastleigh

Came in for lunch on 15th February for our sister’s birthday. We weren’t made to feel very welcome at all right from the start. We were greeted by ‘have you booked’ in an unfriendly tone. When stating we hadn’t , we were abruptly instructed to sit down until we could be served. When we were served, we requested a seat in the restaurant for dining, we were directed to a table just inside with the comment that this would be easier for the Manager. She was obviously running the bar as well as the restaurant and felt overwhelmed. There seemed to be just one other couple in the restaurant! This was fine with us but the manner was appalling! When I mentioned the two for one offer, my head was bitten off with the fact that the deal was only if you’d made a booking in advance, which was fine as I was just asking, there was no argument from me!!

We found the atmosphere from the Manager most chilly and off putting. Shame because we’d come out for a simple birthday lunch. I overheard the comment - thank god I’m on holiday next week - most...

The Gaff Rigger at Mercury Yacht Harbour is a gem on the edge of the Hamble River! I love the welcoming vibe – it's the perfect spot to drop by anytime, whether you're solo or with friends. They serve everything from coffee and breakfast to afternoon tea, lunch, dinner, and even just drinks. The flexibility in their menu really caters to any appetite.

The bar area is fantastic for unwinding, with good wifi and a great selection of nibbles to go with your drink. The atmosphere is casual yet stylish, creating a relaxing environment for enjoying food and drink. The waterfront marina location is stunning, with options for both indoor and al fresco dining.

A special shoutout to our waitress, Samantha, and waiter, Ruben, who were incredibly friendly and kind. Their excellent service made our visit even better. And the food – absolutely delicious!

Highly recommend checking out The Gaff Rigger. It’s a delightful spot with a lovely atmosphere and...

Nice food, but we felt that the staff who served our table was a bit rude.. we made a mistake as we ordered fish tacos and the menu didn’t say it had prawn on it (we don’t eat shellfish) and when it came to the table we said that unfortunately we couldn’t eat it and she could take it back. Her answer was “you’re still gonna have to pay for it” in my opinion it was rude, we WERE gonna pay for it anyway as we’re good people, but good service also means trying to make the customer have a good experience, maybe asking if we wanted a replacement or something? It was just rude. Also at the end I asked if we could have a dessert to take away and she said sure, you can have any but you will have to take the tin back to us.. uhm what? And I explained we were only passing by the area, and she suggested I could have a KitKat as dessert to takeaway 😂. Ok. I’m not a horrible person so giving 4 stars as I think our waitress may have...