The Crab & Lobster Tap — Restaurant in England

What an incredulous evening! We decided to go to the Crab and Lobster for our evening meal. They had no bookings that evening so we had no problem planning a time. My partner has some food allergies which I shared with the manager. He dutifully checked with the chef and we were impressed when he phoned us back to say that there were limited choices and did we still want to eat at the pub. Yes we did, one of the options fitted her bill.

Being 200 yards from the sea I wanted fish pie, one of my favourite fish dishes and I checked it was available. Perfect it was. When we arrived, the manager asked whether we had changed our minds about our meals, and we hadn’t. We said there’s no rush, fish pie takes a while to put together and cook. We ordered wine and within 5 minutes the meals arrived, slightly worrying?

My partner’s fries were hot but tired looking, the rest ok. I plunged into the pie, not great mash, but didn’t come up with any fish. I persevered and started to search under the mash with my fork, I struggled to find any solid fish. All very mushy and guey. Very underwhelming and deflating. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I complained about food in a restaurant, but this meal felt like mash on thick, sloppy soup. So I complained.

Pretty quickly the chef returned with my meal with a couple of pieces of non- fleshy, slippery fish saying there were 6 of these in the dish and then said sorry and walked away. Clearly all fish pies had the same contents. There was no discussion as to whether I wanted it replaced or changed.

We sat at the table therefore assuming it was going to be replaced. 20 minutes passed, my partner had just about finished her meal, when the manager came over to enquire about what I had ordered, because the chef had just left?

We were astonished. I recounted the state of play saying there was no discussion and had assumed our wait was for another fish pie being cooked. In reality reheated. Nothing! The manager apologised and dutifully offered to return the money we had already paid for the entire meal. Strange in itself having to pay ahead of eating?

Starving I popped into Tesco and bought a perfect fish pie for a third of the price!!

Probably won’t be returning in a hurry!! Beware the vagaries...

Best pub and food in town!

The Crab and Lobster Tap is everything you’d hope to find in a proper village pub – fresh food, warm service, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like part of the family.

The food here is outstanding. When I say fresh, I mean it in the truest sense – it reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking: wholesome, hearty, and made with care. Nothing felt processed or reheated; every dish was clearly made from scratch, with proper ingredients and attention to detail. You can taste the difference in every bite, and it’s the kind of meal you’d happily come back for time and time again.

The staff are simply lovely. On a busy Saturday night, they still managed to be attentive, kind, and genuinely welcoming. Nothing was too much trouble, and they went out of their way to make sure everyone felt looked after. Even the owner was mingling with guests, chatting and checking in with people personally, which gave the whole evening a really thoughtful and special touch. To top it off, the chef even came out to check that our food was good – despite the pub being absolutely packed. That level of care is rare and really stood out.

The vibe is spot-on – lively yet relaxed, with the perfect balance of buzz and comfort. It’s clear that both locals and visitors love this spot, and with good reason. On top of that, the prices are very reasonable for the quality of food and service you receive – excellent value all around.

Without a doubt, this is the best pub stop in the village. If you’re in Ventnor, do yourself a favour and make sure you visit. I would happily pay for this food again and again. Wholeheartedly...

We enjoyed our visits here so much last year we returned this year. Comfortable local pub to relax with a drink, play cards or game with family and enjoy a freshly cooked meal. Quiz night on Thursdays, needs booking, no food that evening. Would recommend booking in general to avoid disappointment. Staff were very friendly and very helpful catering to our son who has a dairy allergy. Happily adapted the special of the day (10oz steak) to be dairy free which son was delighted with as he didn't fancy the vegan (& therefore DF) options already on the menu. Younger son was impressed by the generous child portion of ham, egg and chips he received though he needed a little help to finish it off. The fish pie was delicious, creamy and piping hot. Hubby was equally very happy with his crab au gratin which unfortunately he ate so greedily I didn't get a chance to taste 🤣, he assures me it was delicious! Desserts are yummy too but not dairy free, hopefully the Crab&Lobster don't mind me saying that you can grab vegan ice cream and other allergy free varieties just down the hill at another great...