The Dolphin Restaurant & Takeaway Ilfracombe — Restaurant in North Devon

I don't normally leave reviews but after the service we received, it's only fair that people know before they go in. Walking in, we were greeted with a nice girl who took us to a table, cannot fault her at all. However, the woman who served us was very, very rude, I have never met anyone who doesn't know how to serve customers nicely. She was appalling. Firstly, when she was taking my mum's order she said "who's next?" So while I was then saying what I wanted she basically told me to shut up as she was asking what my mum wanted to drink. Then, when she took my order, she asked if I wanted a small portion and I said "no thank you" and she said in a horrible voice "so you want a big then". Once she took our order, the young girl came up and asked us to pay. She offered that we could all pay separately, however when we did this, the woman who served us did not like this at all and made it very complicated. She was throwing stuff about and being horrible to the other employees there. I found one of the employees in the toilet crying, so she had obviously shouted at her. They made us feel very unwelcome which is a shame because we had been in there before when we visited Devon a few years ago and they were lovely then but now, it's just horrible. The food was fine but I will NEVER go in to this restaurant again. Not until, the staff gets some lessons in how to treat their customers. Very disappointed and definitely...

We ordered to take away today- during the school Easter holidays and we had quite a wait. About 25 mins. They didn't look particularly busy in the take away but could have been busy in the restaurant. I'm happy waiting for a good fish and chips. My only gripe was when the server sneezed into some kitchen roll in her hands and rubbed them onto blue roll then down her apron. I asked her very nicely if she wouldn't mind washing her hands as I had watched her and her reply shocked me. She told me that as they don't have any anti bac hand sanitiser, they have been informed that they just have to vigorously wipe their hands in the blue roll and for extra measure, she wipes them on her apron. This is certainly not how you clean your hands. Bacteria isn't just wiped away with vigorous hand rubbing, germs and viruses also aren't removed with anti bac gel! Why she had been told this, I do not know but when asked, she did go off to find some gel to clean her hands with. I don't want to be a 'Karen' but I also don't want to get any illnesses from poor hand washing! At least get some anti bac gel behind the counter but somewhere hands could be washed properly would be much better! If Covid taught us anything, it should at least be how to...

Bad first (not that bad ..😆) A bit old and dated, dispite the newish tile panelling Batter was nice but a little oily on the fish (soaked into the batter)

The good.. HUGE battered fish - (suggest you just get the small one) cooked perfectly Sirloin steak was tender and cooked perfectly (ordered medium) I was pleasantly surprised on the quality, as it's a basic takeaway with a restaurant attached and it was under £20, so no top steak restaurant - but kudos to the chef, best £20 steak I've had, and better than some classier $$$$ places I've been, For that £20 I also got onion rings (perfect), salad - quality greens, few cut up bits of capsicum a couple of mushrooms, tomato, fried tomato too and plenty of chips cooked perfectly and very nice. (but best chips in UK I've had is at Lochgilphead - Scotland)

Constructive criticism only - I was VERY happy given the price, Way better than a lot of places I've been to so far in the UK, and would definitely eat the same dishes again. Staff were friendly... This is at the end of the tourist season...