The Old Thatched Cottage Restaurant — Restaurant in Weston-super-Mare

Having found this outwardly lovely restaurant I, my wife, daughter & 2 friends thought we'd enjoy an expensive but gorgeous meal together. The prices are what you would expect for "award winning" food & there were photos of Jamie Oliver etc amongst previous guests. He should probably think about getting them to take the picture down...

Things didnt start well as when we arrived despite 80% of the tables being empty we were ushered into the bar whilst a table was made up. Fair enough I thought but then there was no one staffing the bar so we were just waiting around for 10 minutes.

There seemed no shortage of staff buzzing around in & out but all rushing doing their own thing - no one to ask if we were standing at the bar for a reason...

The drinks price came in at a whopping £17.90 for 2 pints, a glass of wine & 2 small lemonades. Again we shrugged it off & were eventually shown to a table some 20-30 mins after arriving.

By this time we had all decided on what we wanted. Of the 3 steaks on offer my friend & I chose the T-Bone only to be told they'd just run out. This was an early meal (4pm) so I found this to be extremely frustrating & poor given there were only 3 on the menu & the whole dinner service lay ahead of them.

My daughters choice from the kiddy menu wasnt available either so at this stage we were seriously thinking of leaving. I only wish we had as when the meal arrived after a considerable wait the steaks werent hot. They had obviously been left on the side whilst they cooked other things but when you're paying these prices there's just no excuse for lukewarm food.

My friends "medium" done steak came out 1st - it was overdone. My "medium-rare" steak came out next & was more done than my friends...

My wife's salmon was a success except for the over exuberance on the oil. My other friends "supreme" did not fair so well. The top 2 layers were fine but then she found a wet mush which was supposed to be a herb potato (boiled potatos) cake. Again someone had just smothered the bottom layer in olive oil creating a mess that tasted the same as it looked.

At no time did anyone check if the food was OK. there seemed no organisation between the staff who seemed to be all over the place except looking after people (i.e most of our drinks were finished by the time we got the food but there was no offer to get us more). The whole atmosphere was off & with the lack of attentiveness it was as though we were in the way. Had they been busy i would have ignored this but we're talking a third full being generous.

By the time we had finished (the bits that were worth eating) we just wanted the bill. When it came we saw they had kindly added the bar bill on again, even though we had already paid this! Not only that but it was cheaper on the bill than what we paid by over £2 making it £15 instead of best part of £18

We told the person of course & asked him to check whether we had been overcharged at the bar. He came back & advised "we werent sure if you'd paid for your drinks so we put it on your bill"! Perhaps asking next time would be a better idea as it summed up the shoddy service we'd had since we arrived - completely oblivious to our visit & a lack of attention.

We never were told if we'd been overcharged at the bar - by this stage we were just completely disgusted with the place - aggrieved at having paid exorbitant prices in the hope of a great meal - only to be ripped off with substandard, over cooked, over priced lukewarm food.

I don't think Jamie Oliver has been here in a while... We certainly will never ever...

🌊 Seaside Charm and Culinary Delight at The Thatched Cottage

Positioned nicely on Weston-super-Mare seafront, The Thatched Cottage offers more than just a meal—it’s an experience wrapped in coastal charm and warm hospitality. We chose to sit outside, where the view of the sea framed our evening beautifully. The outdoor seating is dog-friendly, which made it all the more enjoyable for our four-legged companions. With table fire heaters casting a gentle glow, the atmosphere was cosy and relaxed—perfect for unwinding.

🍤 Starters: A Tale of Two Dishes

We began with two seafood starters: prawns and calamari. The prawns, sautéed in butter, chilli, and lemon, were a standout—rich, zesty, and perfectly balanced. The calamari, while tasty, didn’t quite match the prawns’ excellence. The batter was more tempura-like but lacked crispness, and the squid itself was sliced a little thin. Still, the flavor held its own and paired nicely with the seaside breeze.

🐟 Main Course: Ling with a Zing

For mains, we both opted for the Catch of the Day, which happened to be Ling—a lesser-known fish that turned out to be a delightful surprise. Grilled to perfection and served with a lemon caper butter, small boiled potatoes, and fresh broccoli, the dish was simple, elegant, and expertly executed. Each element complemented the other, letting the freshness of the ingredients shine.

🍓 Dessert: A Sweet Finale

To finish, I indulged in the fresh strawberry Eton Mess, topped with Chantilly cream. It was everything you’d hope for in a summer dessert—light, fruity, and indulgent without being heavy.

🌟 Final Thoughts

From the timely and friendly service to the great-tasting food and welcoming atmosphere, The Thatched Cottage delivered a memorable dining experience. Whether you're a local or just passing through, it’s a spot that combines seaside serenity with satisfying plates. Highly recommended for a relaxed meal with a view—and your dogs will...

I visited today and was so disappointed with the food and the atmosphere. We moved from Weston over a year ago now, but when we used to live there myself and my fella would regularly visit for Sunday lunch, this USED to be the best place in Weston for a Sunday roast. Every thing has changed. We were told today that the old manager (someone who had managed this place for a long time) was no longer the Manager, I am guessing this is why everything has changed so much. I have to say he was very good at making you feel welcome and made sure everything was just right. Sadly this is no longer the case, the pate was shop brought (it used to be made in the kitchen and was amazing) the salad on my pate plate was limp and had no dressing (it used to be good quality fresh salad with a lovely dressing) I had a mix of beef and pork on my plate, the pork tasted and looked like reformed pork. The roast potatoes were half cooked,, some half cooked and some looked like they had been in the oven for about 2 mins. The cauliflower cheese was grey in colour and tasted horrible. Carrots and parsnips looked like they had past there sell by date. It’s really not nice writing this as the last time we visited we had 1 of the best roasts we have ever had and the then manager had been so welcoming and it was always a pleasure to see him. We won’t be visiting again as we now believe with Steve it will never be the same and his standards have obviously not been followed. The owners really should have kept him no matter what the cost. It’s not the same place (by far) without him. P.S it used to be packed and if you fancied just walking I. With no booking they could not get you in as they were already full up and had lots of people booked in with reserved tables. From what I saw yesterday this is no longer the case, it was only half full and you really didn’t need to book, so I guess I’m not the only customer who has...