Marine Gardens Restaurant — Restaurant in Worthing

We booked for Christmas Day dinner. This was meant to be a real treat for us, 2 adults and 2 children and the first time we have had Christmas dinner out.

We booked well in advance and paid the £10 per head ‘deposit’ in cash. We also called up in advance, as requested, to provide our food order from the Christmas Day menu. Price for adults was advertised at £55 and for children £25. I asked if it was a different menu for children twice, but was told they could cook something ‘off menu’ if we wanted, however the kids like a Christmas dinner so they chose the menu.

We had a 1pm sitting which was fortunate as there hadn’t been anyone on our table prior. The system was strange, we had to queue up and order drinks at the till and add to our table tab to settle at the end, but we also had to go up and queue at the till to tell them when we were ready for food…

Sittings were 2 hours and we didn’t get a starter until almost 2pm, starters were great. At this point, staff were pretty chilled and friendly. After starters we waited and waited and waited.. the meals finally arrived and some didn’t have the same veg, or any Yorkshires etc so we split between us as it was clear the staff were now under pressure.

Approaching 3pm the next sittings were arriving to a big queue, we had only just finished our mains and had yet to queue up (in the now massive queues of people settling bills) to order our puddings. We managed to do it via a staff member who was lovely, but very overwhelmed. More waiting and we then gave up and asked for it to be packaged up so we could take it home. The people waiting for our table were put ‘temporarily’ on the table in front of us and were continually looking over to check our ‘progress’ which was quite uncomfortable.

Puddings finally came wrapped up and I sent my family outside while I queued to settle the bill. After a long wait I was overcharged by £90 which took a long time to sort out. I was incorrectly charged 4 adults as opposed to 2 adults and 2 children and then told that the ‘deposit’ (paid in advance) is not a deposit but a ‘holding fee’ and does not come off the bill! I mentioned that this was not made clear and a deposit is in fact a part payment. I really felt for the person taking payment as clearly I wasn’t the only person with bill issues. This was not a cheap meal and I had saved for the total cost, so to find additional charges at the end was quite disappointing and not a conversation I wanted to be having Christmas Day, especially with the hard working staff member who was facing lots of disappointed people at the till.

All in all a very expensive chaotic Christmas meal that left us disappointed carrying home the last of it in takeaway containers. Although some people didn’t actually get to eat at all so I feel for...

A Gem Worth Discovering

Rarely does one encounter an establishment that so effortlessly combines simplicity with excellence. From the moment I arrived, it was evident that this restaurant values both substance and subtlety.

The coffee—rich, smooth, and expertly brewed—was nothing short of exceptional. It possessed that elusive balance: bold enough to awaken the senses, yet refined enough to savour slowly. Clearly, someone here understands the science of extraction and the art of flavour.

Service was another highlight. Attentive without being intrusive, the staff conducted themselves with quiet confidence and genuine warmth. It's a rare pleasure to be looked after by people who anticipate needs before they're voiced.

Equally impressive was the cleanliness—every surface gleamed, every corner maintained to a near-clinical standard, yet the atmosphere remained inviting rather than sterile. Cleanliness, when so well executed, becomes part of the dining experience itself.

The location, too, deserves mention. Tranquil, almost meditative, it provided a welcome pause from the usual clatter of daily life. It's the kind of place where thoughts can breathe and conversations can flow without interruption.

In short, this is not just a restaurant—it’s a masterclass in how calm, quality, and care can elevate the ordinary into something memorable. I...

Booked for a family Christmas meal 10 of us, arrived at 4:45pm for 5pm sit down, had to wait half hour to be seated. Our table wasn’t laid, table was sticky, no cutlery or serviettes or Christmas crackers that we could see had been on previous tables. Starters came out, Camembert was ok, as were the prawns but the parsnip soup was utterly foul tasted of salt and was lumpy, next four turkey dinners were served, 10 mins later we call a waitress over who gets the manager as we ask where the rest of our dinners are and the fact these four dinners were now cold! Manager realised that we had been given another tables dinners who were also waiting! These were taken and about 15 mins later dinners were finally served, but they were awful, rock hard black potatoes, burnt parsnips and carrots, the meat tasted like dry ham, and it was cold. The puddings weren’t much better, the whole experience was very disappointing! And to top it off my partner has been throwing up and I can only help but think it was Christmas dinner at Marine Gardens! I would avoid at...