Smugglers — Restaurant in Thanet

Good service but really poor food.

The building is completely ruined from the cheap modern decor, it seems criminal to strip out the old, and replace cheaply with new but that’s only my opinion on the building.

Service was good, ladies were very attentive and helpful. Menu reads well, I would say pricy considering the quality of food and portion sizes.

What’s served is insulting against what is charged, the chilli beef starter is tiny off cuts of beef, in a cheap and toxic chilli sauce for £12.95, nobody is convinced by the garnish to make up the plate.

Roast beef was extremely chewy and had no taste, roast potatoes were even frozen or precooked a few days before. The vegetables again had no flavour or taste and were limited to carrots, peas and courgettes. Kids meals were expensive and again poor quality, the chips tasted of grease, and chicken was burnt.

At the time, there was only us and one other table seated, it makes sense why they had spaces for us and everyone locally were fully booked.

We paid in full as it’s not like us to argue, keep the money and improve things. Unfortunately we wouldn’t be returning. The restaurant is completely stuck in the 90’s and we urge you to try other local businesses who are doing amazing things locally for the same...

What used to be one of Thanet's best restaurants for its wonderful service, flavours and presentation has sadly become a shadow of its former self. I have now eaten here 3 times since lockdown and sadly the decline of the Smugglers is quite apparent. Firstly I do not expect to see a cat wondering around the restaurant begging for food, whilst I understand this cat has been around the Smugglers for sometime, when you are paying high prices this for me does not paint a good picture and not to mention the hygiene risk! Unfortunately the quality of the produce that are sourced are not the same quality as what has been used on previous occasions, resulting in a very chewy texture and a bland taste. This brings me on to my next point of the presentation as if you enjoy a bit of steak slapped on a plate with some pea's like you get in Weatherspoon's this certainly is the place for you. What happened to the attentive detail?! The service was also not to the standards you expect for a so called 'high class' restaurant, or should I say once was.

Sadly we will not be returning to the Smugglers as there are far nicer places to eat for...

We were really looking forward to having our first Sunday lunch at Smugglers for nearly two years but the term total let down is an understatement. Both myself and my mother in law opted for the chicken wrapped in bacon whist my partner chose for the beef. Usually chicken is accompanied with stuffing and beef with a Yorkshire pudding, this however is not the case at the smugglers, you get whatever happens to land on your plate. After fighting my way through an abnormally large amount of peas, I discovered the chicken wrapped in “bacon” whilst mine appeared to have not even come into contact with any form of cooking facilities, my mother in laws was practically burnt. We complained to the waitress who dutifully offered the standard apology and then asked us if we would like the desert menu when I think she already knew the answer. All in all, without doubt the worst Sunday roast I have ever been served and we will definitely not be returning ever again. Avoid...