River Rat Hamble — Restaurant in Eastleigh

We were booked in for our friends 50th birthday weekend meal. Unfortunately one friend wasn’t able to make it. We checked in and said we were a table of six and not seven (nothing was mentioned). We ordered cocktails (some commented quite bland, my mojito and was as weak as). I ordered aubergine parmigiana - I had five slices of smallish aubergine cooked with tomato sauce on top (expected a gratin style) a side salad of leaves, red onion, two cherry toms and cucumber and two big bits of garlic bread. It was very underwhelming and at £16.95 extremely overpriced. Three others had bbq jerk chicken, rice & beans and a pineapple salsa - all said chicken was ok but overall meal was very dry and very little salsa so asked for some sauces which did arrive quite promptly. Portion sizes quite small and again for the price very top heavy. When bill came there was a miscellaneous drinks charge of £10 - when queried it this was for the friend that couldn’t make it. We had cocktails, two courses and spent over £200 and they want to slip in an additional £10 charge!!! We spoke to the manergeress on the way out who was very defensive and said they had lost money because they could have used another table if they had known prior to our arrival there was six of us instead of seven (which is utter poppycock) as absolutely no way was there room - as at the end of our table was walkway through to toilets. Overall food was bland, expensive for quality and portion size (young waitresses were very good and attentive) but we were offended the slipped in the £10 charge under a drinks heading and definitely wouldn’t either...

We recently hosted our wedding reception at the River Rat Bistro, and it was nothing short of incredible. From the very beginning, the staff went above and beyond to make sure every detail was just right. Their professionalism, warmth, and genuine care made us and our guests feel welcomed and well taken care of throughout the entire event.

The service was seamless — attentive without being intrusive, and always delivered with a smile. Every request we had was met with enthusiasm and efficiency. The team worked so hard behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly, and it truly showed.

The food was absolutely delicious — fresh, beautifully presented, and enjoyed by all. The ambiance of the venue, with its cozy charm m, provided the perfect backdrop for a night we’ll never forget.

We can’t thank the River Rat Bistro enough for helping make our special day so memorable. If you're considering this venue for any event, especially a wedding reception, we wholeheartedly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you again!

Mr and...

What can I say about this amazing little gem of a find. We hosted our wedding reception here on the 8th of Aug 2025 and have only wonderful things to say about how the whole reception was arranged from beginning to end. Sarah and Rhi and the team outshone themselves and went above and beyond to host all our guests and keep everything flowing perfectly. From the initial consultation, discussing menus and accomodating different dietary needs and drinks right through to music and making sure the evening went without a hitch. It was quite an international group and every need was met with genuine attentiveness and such an amazingly friendly attitude from all the staff, nothing was too much trouble . The feedback from all the guests was so positive and some have even decided to return for their own venues.

Thank you so very much all of you for making our special day be everything that we hoped it would be .

I Couldn't recommend this wonderful place any more to anybody looking for a special venue to hold their wedding...