Abbey Wharf — Restaurant in Whitby

Oh dear!

Let's start with booking. Part of the draw was the idea that we could sit outside and look out over the harbour. The booking page didn't give that option. You could choose "mezzanine" (defaulted) or not. No description and, never having been in there before, we didn't know which to choose. We chose "mezzanine". And put in the comments that we'd like an outside table. And we got the mezzanine, which is a pleasant enough space but upstairs with no real view.

There is no drinks menu. REALLY????

I thought I'd go decadent and get the halibut and chips. How disappointing! I was given a number of ways to have the halibut cooked and chose battered as reasonably forgiving so that the chef coudn't make a mess of it. I was wrong. The batter was thin, flat and chewy. I was expecting thick, bubbly and crispy. The fish itself was a big, generous portion, but it was overcooked, a bit dry and a bit chewy. I should really have sent it back. And the chips were amongst the worst I've ever had. Soft and soggy to the point of being almost mushy: the ones at the bottom were just falling apart. My wife's wild boar burger was OK, and that was about it. Chips are amongst her favourite foods and she didn't even finish hers, saying they weren't worth the calories.

The waiter did come and ask how it was, but timed it when we both had mouthfuls of food. My wife did a mime that it wasn't great and he showed no interest and disappeared without enquiring further. It felt like it was part of the script and he had no genuine interest.

We decided not to order desserts as we didn't want to give them any more of our money. Not that the extremely limited selection was interesting anyway. Instead we went to the CoOp and bought...

Beautiful Balcony: The venue features an extensive balcony that wraps around the building, offering stunning panoramic views of the Whitby harbour, including the East and West Piers. This seems to be a major highlight for many visitors, who enjoy watching the boats and the general hustle and bustle of the town from this vantage point. Some reviews specifically mention being able to sit on the balcony with a drink or meal and soak in the atmosphere. Very Spacious: Abbey Wharf is frequently described as a very spacious venue. It has a large restaurant area that can seat over 250 guests, a mezzanine level for larger parties and reservations, and a separate takeaway area. The generous space creates a relaxed atmosphere, accommodating different elements of food, drink, and live music without feeling cramped. The building itself is a Grade II listed building, formerly a covered market and then a factory, which likely contributes to its large, open layout. In addition to the balcony and spaciousness, other positive points from reviews include: Food: A menu with a strong focus on seafood, as well as meat dishes and vegetarian/gluten-free options. The fish is sourced from local suppliers and the steaks are from a local butcher. Drinks: A well-stocked bar with over 20 gins, its own beer brewed by Whitby Brewery, and a variety of other drinks. Atmosphere: A relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere during the day, which becomes livelier in the evenings with live music events. It's also dog-friendly in certain areas. Views: Beyond the balcony, the restaurant and mezzanine levels also offer great views of the harbour through...

A busy, noisy place full of families/kids which is great if that's what you're looking for but not if you're a couple looking for a nice quiet meal out. We both ordered the fish morney, from the specials menu, but were sadly disappointed. There was far too much bread crumbs on the top which soaked up what little sauce there was making it quite stodgy. It tasted fishy but apart from the odd tiny prawn you could not distinguish any type of fish as it had been shredded into tiny pieces, so no nice chunks of fish. The chips were cooked well, but not the best I've had. The restaurant itself is in a good location right on the side of the river, with seating outside on the balcony, if it's sunny. Alas when we went it had been raining so all the chairs were wet through. It's a large, bright open plan type restaurant with alot of seating on 2 levels, you have to climb a short flight of stairs to enter, but there is a chair lift for wheelchair users or those who cannot climb stairs. It's self ordering, so you either order from the bar or download the app. There was also a separate ice cream bar which again you could order from or use the app. I also noticed a self service row of beer pumps, I'm assuming that you enter your card details then it allows you to pour your own, which saves you queuing up at the bar when it's really busy. There were a few hand pump beers on, at thd bar, including Doom Bar as well as the usual lagers/ciders etc. Unfortunately it's not somewhere I would go again, too much like a family pub selling typical...