Twenty Seven Harbour Street — Restaurant in Thanet

Unreasonable owner towards children or family. We followed most of their rules: not bring prams, not need high chair. We are in fact 2 unrelated separate family units and was happy to be served as separate parties in separate tables and not to talk to each other. But we were kicked out by the lady restaurant owner before ordering any food because she was very strict with the 4 people maximum per party policy and she did tend to interpret people’s words in very negative ways. We can still feel the pains she brought to us post the 3 days planned foodie weekend at Broadstairs. I initially did not want to share this, but my other foodie friends have strongly encouraged me to write this 1st Google review so that our experience is shared and help other small family like us. In short, if you happen to know more than 3 people or are with children, please avoid this restaurant. Broadstairs has plenty of other small plate restaurants, which offer high standard food, but is more adaptive for a group of more than 4 people. I still gave 2 stars as the gentleman waiter who initially greeted and served us was kind. He even offered us first if we wanted him to check if okay to combine tables after he noticed I ask grandma to sit in our table. The restaurant owner was reasonable not charge our credit cards £20 per person after she kicked us out. But things did turn very ugly and scary as soon the restaurant lady owner found out that we booked 2 separate tables for 2 women, 1 grandmother, 1 man and 2 two years old well-behaved children. It was true we were 2 separate family units. She just could not let go of us until she killed her prey and kicked us out together. I did not raise my voice and insisted we could sit separately and not talk to each other. She was hostile and repeated 3 times we did not understand her rules. Both kids were a bit scared but still quietly leaning on her mother and my husband. I didn’t beg her on bended knees. But I kept a brave smile and said this honest comment calmly: “Although we really don’t understand why you have to be so strict with this 4 people per party rule (after we have dined successfully at the stricter 10 seating restaurant DOS without issues). We are really not interested to write anything online even we have been talked down like this, so please do not worry how we feel at this moment. Our young kids are hungry soon, we just wanted to enjoy some food and enjoy ourselves at your restaurant first. Could you please just stop this booking debate and let us move on from this situation and allow us to order some food first.” But then, the restaurant owner decided to take a negative view about my words in her own head and even classified the fact that I have managed to speak calmly to her with a brave smile under her hostile attitude as “passive aggressive” . Then, she raised her voice even more and started truly shouting at us in public and ordered us to leave. Both my friend and I have tried many restaurants in our life, ranged from different 3 stars Michelin star restaurants across the globe to local street food. We look different to the restaurant owner, but we were raised in the UK and are working hard every day for our kids and contributed to the UK. I guess the owner is keen to keep her restaurant intimate, thus have this booking policy. We did fully understand her policy, thus followed rules. But our mistake was to have faith in this restaurant and took up the kind offer from her staff. Nevertheless, we were not deserved to be treated so lowly like serious criminals and humiliated in public by a restaurant owner like this. During our foodie weekend, in contrast to this restaurant, we were welcomed by different friendly people at Broadstairs and warmly served by other even higher standard restaurants, including the more exclusive 10 seating only restaurant DOS, which only served £50 set menu per person and has same owner of 1 Michelin star restaurant STARK, as well as the lovely Kebbells restaurant, which was also a small plate concept restaurant with beautiful interior and...

THIEVES - As a local resident, I have supported this restaurant on numerous occasions and was due to eat there again in December 2022 with my wife. We had a £75 voucher for Wyatt & Jones bought for us by a family member and we were going to use this as part payment towards our evening. However, on the day leading up to our reservation, my Dad was taken seriously ill and was rushed into Medway Hospital, where sadly, he’s remained ever since. The voucher was due to expire, so I attempted to contact the restaurant directly by telephone to explain the situation. This wasn’t possible as they never answered the phone or provided a way of leaving a voice message. I therefore cancelled the booking in the method the restaurant suggested, to avoid losing our £50 deposit. I spent the next week or so focusing on visiting my Dad in hospital, but tried multiple times during this period and the following weeks to contact the restaurant to ask them if they would be willing to extend the expiry date, even just into January, due to the unforeseen circumstances of our cancellation.

After about 20 phone calls and a several ignored emails, I finally got this response: “Unfortunately we are unable to redeem expired vouchers or extend vouchers beyond the 12 month period after their purchase date. This is a standard across the industry for vouchers but also after the expired period we are unable to enter the voucher codes due to expiration. My apologies. Jan Wyatt.” I was completely taken back by her response, as I’m well aware that Wyatt & Jones is a family run business and they could easily have shown sympathy and offered us a goodwill gesture, at least. There was no mention of my Dad’s ill health in her email, it was cold, selfish and uncaring. She says that it’s standard across the industry for vouchers not to be extended beyond their expiry date, but this is plainly a lie and I for one have had a hotel voucher and a restaurant voucher extended well past their initial expiry dates and this has become common practice since the pandemic. I cannot understand why Wyatt & Jones would lower themselves to “steal” that £75, which is basically what they’ve done. That voucher was bought and paid for by somebody dear to us in our family and we cannot bring ourselves to tell them what has happened.

Wyatt & Jones clearly needs training as to how to treat their customers. This email, which you receive automatically after any correspondence you send them, very much sets the tone for the way they manage their business: “If you wish to bring a dog you can now book via our website, we have three options that are dog friendly, if you can not see a button for a dog friendly table they are all fully booked. Dogs will only be accepted if they are booked on the dog friendly tables.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT CANCELLATIONS VIA EMAIL DUE TO THE EMAIL NOT BEING MONITORED 24 HRS A DAY.

WE DO NOT TAKE BOOKINGS FOR MORE THAN 4 PEOPLE. MULTIPLE BOOKINGS FOR ONE PARTY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. CHILDREN AND ADULTS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE BOOKING. WE DO NOT ACCEPT PRAMS AND PUSHCHAIRS AND DO NOT HAVE HIGHCHAIRS AVAILABLE.”

I will NEVER step foot in this restaurant again and would kindly ask anybody reading this review to...

Really like the concept of small plates. Restaurant recommends 5-6 plates between two people and it’s perfect amount to share. Sourdough bread is fantastic and really compliments some of the dishes. Our bread came with butter and salt, absolutely delicious. Jersey Rock Oysters - fresh, clean and huge. I have never seen oysters that huge. My partner really enjoyed them. Scarlet prawn ceviche, garlic chilli, Kentish rateseed oil - one of the best plates we ordered. The prawn is tender and well seasoned. The crispy garlic and chilli just heavenly delicious and goes soo well with the sourdough bread. I cleaned my whole plate. Courgette flower, goats curd, honey - what a surprise. I have had courgette flower before but this is something else. The filling and crispy flower is just perfect match. Cornish mackerel, tiger prawns, mussels, sobrassada paella - full on flavours, generous with seafood, if anything maybe slightly dry. But it didnt stop us to finish it. UK ex dairy sirloin (medium rare), mushroom xo butter - really nice, tender, well seasoned and cooked stake. (Medium rare is the default way they cook their stake - can’t order any orther way) The whole dinner was very nice, all foods were nicely seasoned, well cooked from fresh produce and delicious. Atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely. It’s rather small and busy restaurant, so little tip is to turn up on time...