The Smoking Lobster

Review summary

1. J

   James

   London

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined on 28 August 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   We had a lovely night at the lovely pop up restaurant. Food was gorgeous. Especially as there isn’t many fine dining places in Salcombe. Would definitely recommend.
   

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2. J

   James

   London

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 25 August 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   It seems like a young team running the restaurant and they are clearly trying hard to set up a pop up fine dining restaurant in the old Yacht Club building. I am afraid for us it didn't work, mainly because the quality of the food was poor and it was vastly over priced for the level of food served. We paid over £160 for a meal for 2 and I have had better pub dinners.
   

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3. C

   Charles

   London

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 25 August 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Fantastic food as always. Love it all every time. Other restaurants on Salcombe are just as expensive but not as good!. Remember this is a pop up - not an established restaurant. If you want established - go to Number 27 in Kingsbridge- their main michelin rated restaurant for a real treat!!
   

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4. E

   Ervin

   Cambridge

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on 25 August 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   The venue looked like they borrowed it from the council to organise this diner. The service was made by inexperienced young staff with no knowledge of what they were serving. The food was nothing special, we ordered 1/2 lobster and the when it was served was missing the big arm. When we left the table next to us approached us to ask about our experience and they expressed their complaints to us also. Similar problems. This it’s a a bit of rip off. Avoid at all cost. You better off at the Crab Shack across the bay.
   

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5. M

   Marius

   Norfolk/Suffolk

   1 review

   2.0

   1 review

   Dined on 25 August 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   The overall experience was disappointing, serving staff appeared to be inexperienced. The food was average.
   

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6. J

   John

   VIP

   Devon

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on 21 August 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   There’s nowhere better on a sunny day, sitting on the lovely terrace with a view over Salcombe estuary and feasting on delicious bbq lobster.
   

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7. L

   Lyndon

   Warwickshire

   19 reviews

   1.0

   19 reviews

   Dined on 20 August 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   The service was very hit and miss. The atmosphere at the Smoking Lobster was sterile and it was chilly inside. The staff were not pulling together and did not give the impression that they had worked together before, which was very odd. But the main criticism was for the food. Nice nibbles, but otherwise disappointing. My linguini was tasty but cold. The steaks were like leather and had been poorly cooked. The promised famous Twenty Seven sauce failed to materialise. And we had so many chips! Despite telling the order taker that we would share a side of fries, he failed to point out that the steaks would anyway come with these. They were cold and not very good chips. While a pop-up, nevertheless the food should be good, nicely presented, and served competently. Because it is not a cheap venue. Given the strength of the cross-branding with the parent restaurant Twenty Seven in nearby Kingsbridge, the Salcombe pop-up needs much tighter supervision and attention to detail, to avoid damaging the credibility of Twenty Seven and its chef owner Jamie Rogers.
   

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8. J

   James

   Devon

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on 17 August 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   Lovely food but overall not great service and everyone seemed very confused.
   

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9. K

   Karen

   London

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 9 August 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   I don’t often write reviews. But I think this needs to be said. Firstly, as always in Salcombe, the most beautiful setting and views. But, it was probably the most chaotic restaurant I have been to for years. They had far too many covers, staff were poorly trained and everyone was waiting ages for their food. The food coming out was going to the wrong tables. It started to turn into a scene from Faulty Towers. I ended up offering my fries to a very hungry young couple. But, the food when it came was very good, and it could be the best restaurant in Salcombe if it was managed properly. I would love to recommend this pop up, but they just need to down and address these issues.
   

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10. L

    Laura

    Warwickshire

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 August 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2

    Sadly the night we went the service was not good. There were issues all round with the bar service, the kitchen and the staff. We sat at 7.30 to be served our starter at 9pm and our main at 9.30pm. It is a shame as the food when it came was very nice, but there was clearly lots of issues with the running of the evening. Young waiters with little experience and lots of confusion during the service. Front of house could only apologise to the majority of customers as most tables were complaining. I hope it was just a one off night as the food and the setting is lovely. They did take the drinks off of our bill at the end.
    

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