Yep, this place is great. We were wandering along the seafront looking for a place to have our…read morefirst plate of oysters and spotted this place with a few tables out front. Very casual. On the board, they advertise various kinds of oysters, fish and chips and half lobsters. They were out of the cheapest oysters so we got the local tressels, half dozen for £10. Still a good deal as they are much more in London. We also ordered a raspberry wheat beer. As we waited, we spotted the fish and chips which is ENORMOUS. Seriously, if you can, order that too. The half lobster looked pretty good too, and a great deal at £13.50. Our oysters were large, fresh and delicious, so good we came back later for another round. I was thrilled with the place. Definitely would come back for a visit.

A+ casual beachside dining. Sitting back in deck chairs in the sun with fabulous raw oysters, fish…read moreand chips and lobsters. Great experience and a very relaxed atmosphere. They also serve local beers here. I had the kentish ale which was very smooth.

We stayed in Whitstable for a few days. A lovely small town. Great location and lots of…read morerestaurants. We looked forward to dine here the first night. We knew there are no reservations, you just wait in line until a table of your liking gets free (inside our outside with a view). We arrived around 7pm and waited for a table outside. It only took about 20mins, which was less than expected. Our Bulldog was welcome as well. Got a table with amazing sunset views. Breathtaking. Sadly the location and the sunset were the only highlights that night. We enjoy fish and seafood. All over the world. Normandy, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Thailand, Japan. And so on. We've had our share of great and not so great fish and seafood. Sadly the food here belongs to the latter. Visually it was a feast for your eyes. But sadly not for your taste buds. The lobster was pretty small and very dry. Overcooked and overpriced. The oysters just ok, nowhere near irish, french or scottish quality. Not creamy enough. The shrimps were fine. But nothing near great. Best to drown them in the sauce and Mayo that came with The seafood platter was all cold food - but we knew that before ordering, nothing wrong with that. It's just the quality that was missing overall. The salmon was possibly the worst. Low quality, smelly fish. Seasnails were ok, but the small shrimp not. Just tried one. Fries came with the lobster. Soft and soggy. There was also bread and salad. I enjoyed the bread and butter the most of the whole meal. Which is a sad statement. Had some wine with our meal. 20cl mini-bottles of a quality that's best to forget. Staff was very very busy, but ok. And as I said, the views are amazing. But you could grab some take-out food anywhere and sit down somewhere on the Whitstable beach and get the same view. We really wanted to enjoy this place. But quality wasn't there. And the prices for that really way too high. Whitstable is a place to come back to one day. The Lobster Shack isn't.

Where do I start. We queued up outside to be told to be told to find our own table and then we had…read moreto order via an awkward app that charged for sending in the order. We ordered a pint of lager, a glass of prosecco, 6 oysters; a whole lobster with chilli and chorizo, a prawn and lobster roll and because the app wasn't clear, extra chips and a side salad. The £6 pint of warm lager and £8 glass of cheap prosecco came with and in plastic glasses. This was the highlight of our meal. There was no lobster detectable in the lobster and prawn roll and the prawns were almost frozen. The chips were damp and arrived in a paper tray; these are not twice cooked potato sticks of excellence, these tasted straight from the freezer to the fryer. My girlfriend wanted some ketchup to go on the damp chips, but it needs to be ordered via the app at 20p per sachet plus ordering fee. The bill at this point was North of £80 and they want 25p for sauce sachets. The salad was a limp, uninteresting mix of lettuce and cucumber with an unpleasant gloopy vinaigrette over it. The £37 lobster arrived and it was small, dried out and tough. I didn't even know it was possible to dry out a lobster while cooking it, perhaps it had been split lying under a heat lamp for half an hour. The oysters hadn't arrived. I'd had enough. So I called over a waitress. I explained my lobster was dry and tough and the oysters hadn't arrived. She literally just shrugged, that's it, nothing else. We asked if we could see the manager. A young man came over and asked with a surly, aggressive manner what the problem was. I explained that the lobster was dry and actually tough and he almost sneered "do you want another one or a refund?". No apology, no sorry, just a replacement or refund offer. I asked for the refund. I then went on to ask when the oysters were coming. To which he responded that the food delivered in whatever order it came out of the kitchen. I explained that I'm fine with this but the starter shouldn't arrive after dessert has arrived or one has left the restaurant. Instead of an apology what I got was a defiant "I've got three people shucking oysters" Which he had, at that moment, for 25 of the previous 30 minutes it was one guy working on his own. I could see him from my table. This is a case of the manager thinking that his problems should be mine when in fact my problems should be his. I am after all, the one paying for the service that he is failing to deliver with a bad attitude. I didn't mention any of the other issues with the food as the angry manager just didn't seem interested customer satisfaction or service. He left our table instructing me to go to the counter and ask for a refund before we left. My oysters must have been prioritised as they arrived on a plastic tray five minutes later. I ate the oysters which tasted nice, but had their revenge on me half an hour after we left, which was surprising as I can eat anything without issue. Perhaps there's something in the old saying about only eating shellfish when there is an R in the month. Neither of us needed to use the toilets when we were there, which is great because you need to queue outside for them. We left the Lobster Shack with the chips, salads and lobster uneaten on the table; the table service here is just delivery and clear up after you have left. All over we had an appalling experience. Even after the refund I'd ended up spending £45 for some warm drinks, half a dozen oysters and a prawn bun. It could have been turned around with a polite, friendly apology of some sort. So often what could have been a poor experience is saved by good staff who understand customer service. They don't here. The location is great, the building is great it has the ambience of a West Coast surf bar. That's where the good stuff stops. The barely existent service is surly and . unpleasant, the food awful and awfully expensive. Warm drinks in plastics cups. This is not a West Coast surf bar. I can't imagine it gets any business from locals, it's a place tourists go, regret and never return to. I certainly won't be going again and I've been eating at the parent restaurant, the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company for 30 years.

Rocksalt created a perfect evening for us: Amazing food, delicious cocktails, smart friendly…read moreservice. I can't think of anything I'd want to improve on: Fresh local fish, beautifully presented in a friendly atmosphere that can't be duplicated. Well done.

First time visit. Had drinks in the bar before dinner. What can I say? Amazing view from the…read moredeck and a list of interesting drinks to choose from. Dinner was incredible from start to finish. We started with the oysters. They were the best I ever had. So fresh, so good. I chose the lamb for the entree. Never had I ever had such such a tasty lamb dish. I'm afraid I will never have lamb this incredible again. Finished off the dinner with the apple sorbet. Yummy. I am so glad I selected this restaurant. I highly recommend it.

I Like Wheelers....always have. But I like the Oyster house too....Which is better?!…read moreTheres only one way to find out. Not in a fight. Oyster House wins of course...But Wheelers is such a cute little place - a bit like your nans house....in a cosy way.

My first wonderful lobster was at Wheelers in Old Compton…read moreStreet,London with some luminaries of the art world who virtually lived there, & my last was at this unpretentious little place in Whitstable. I know which place I prefer : here by a long shot. Fabulous for all the reasons given by the other reviewers. I am now so nostalgic to return. Hey, maybe I'll just ring them now & go this weekend!I did go! : just as good as ever : just more expensive Fabulous oysters 70p each -elsewhere in Whitstable 50p/60p but bigger & top quality hereThen I went back more recently. Got food poisoning. The owners refused to accept responsibility & made no apology. For that alone,I will never return. How sad

I have been a regular since birth, quite literally. My dad was in here even when I was being born…read more I love the staff and all the locals. I call it my 3rd home. Parties? sorted karaoke? sorted Pool? sorted Food? SORTED Laughs? sorted Hangovers? SORTED! all in all, I intend on going here for another 25 years and taking my children in here when that day comes.

From the owner: Lively welcoming village pub and restaurantread more

Had a really great dining experience here last weekend, would definitely recommend booking ahead as…read morethe restaurant is quite tiny. Came on Friday which is sushi night, everything was delicious, especially the soft shell crab roll. Took almost 2 hours from start to finish of the meal as each item is brought out as it is cooked, so make sure you have time to spare, but it is worth the wait! Was a bit pricey for the amount of food we received, but very nice quality.

Special little restaurant--book ahead! Only opened a few months ago. Gorgeous seafood, fab wine,…read morecharming team. Minor feedback for the kitchen: greens could be dressed. Everything else was perfect. You are a beam of wonder in a small town with limited dining options. Thank God you arrived! You made our visit.

Delicious in Dover! Solid fish and chips, excellent sea bream, and pints! I had a pint of Kentish…read morePip and I think it's my new favorite cider. Traveled down from London earlier in the day and skipped lunch so we were rather hungry and opted for an early dinner, just after 4PM. There were other diners about, and patrons at the bar it but it was understandably not full at that time of day. The decor was nostalgic and befitting a spot on the marina. The waitstaff were efficient, friendly, and accommodating. We shared an unexpectedly tall slice of their yummy banoffee pie to end the meal. If this were in my neighborhood, I'd dine in often!

The fish and chips was delicious. And the service wonderful. Definitely check it out!…read more It has outdoor seating for beautiful days, as well.

Solid 4 stars for this seafood joint in Coastal England within this cute town of Whistable…read more Reservations are strongly encouraged! Luckily, I came for lunch with a reservation right when they open and got seated on their outdoor balcony with a lovely view. I can probably eat 12 fresh oysters just by myself, they were super fresh and tasty! I ordered the Crab and Winkle Fish Pie and they did NOT skimp on the fish. I was surprised when the entree was brought out, I expected the fish to be in the pie, similarly to American-style chicken pot pies. Regardless of the presentation, it was good. The lobster roll was delicious too, wish I had gotten that after sampling a few bites. Overall, a cute restaurant and a great experience. By the time I was leaving, the restaurant was packed. Opt to sit outside on the balcony if possible, especially on a sunny day! #19/2019

You will be sadly disappointed at this spot! Prices are extremely high for the food. The oysters…read morewere the smallest I have ever seen! I would recommend eating downstairs.

Cold food, cold service, cold restaurant. What food that was edible and not sent back wasn't nice…read more It was as if they just bought it all frozen from Brake Brothers and dished it out as finer dining. You're better off going to the chippy and sitting on the beach. It will be better food, warm, cheaper and it will be warmer on the beach! Ph not forgetting the 12.5% service charge!! Not the place it used to be. They've really taken their eye off the ball here.

The attention to detail in the decor, service and cuisine are notable. Each dish arrived looking…read morelike a work of art and tasting like the Chef is striving toward a Michelin star. The halibut with cockles, kale and fluffy cauliflower puree had exquisite flavor and balance. The skin on the halibut was perfectly crisp in contrast to the flakiness of the halibut. The wine list has been carefully chosen, too! We're planning to return in the summer with our family.