The Hut Reviews 10

We have had some nice meals here over the years but they need to sort out their customer service! My daughter booked us a table for Mother’s Day but her baby was admitted to hospital so she asked me to cancel, I called them but nobody answered the phone so I left a message as time was getting on, telling them that we could sadly no longer come. My daughter then got a very shitty phone call from them for not turning up! That was all she needed for her first Mother’s Day whilst sat by her baby’s bedside in the children’s ward. Shame on you. !!

No customer welcome no Thank you as we left. Quality and price of food was laughable there much better restaurants to eat in on the island. Would not recommend one bit. All staff need retraining.

There are few places in the world where every visit feels like the first,fresh, exciting, and yet comfortingly familiar. The Hut in Colwell Bay is one of those rare gems. Time and time again, my family and I find ourselves drawn back to this extraordinary seafront sanctuary, never tiring of its breathtaking setting, flawless service, and exquisite cuisine.

From the very moment we arrive, we’re greeted with the warmest of welcomes. The meet-and-greet reception, led by the ever-attentive Evie, Ameerah, and their wonderful team, is always a seamless balance of professionalism and genuine hospitality. We are guided to our table,always with a view of the sea,with polite nods and friendly exchanges as we pass the bar, greeted by familiar faces like Brad, Keelan, Jacob, Ester, and others who radiate charm and positive energy.

James, the restaurant manager, is a consummate host,ever-present and genuinely welcoming. Senior team members Pippa and Rhys, both serving as Assistant General Managers, lead by example, embodying the kind of calm, capable professionalism that quietly defines excellence.

The waiting staff deserve their own round of applause. From Hannah, Charlene, and Phoebe to newer team members like Olly and the second Phoebe, each one plays a vital role in delivering a consistently elevated experience. Their attentiveness, warmth, and seamless coordination are testament to the high standards upheld throughout the restaurant.

And then, of course, there’s the food,an experience unto itself. The menu is a seasonal celebration of coastal cuisine, thoughtfully crafted to cater to a range of tastes while showcasing the best of local bounty. The ever-popular popcorn shrimp is a playful delight this season, while my personal favourite,the delicately cooked lemon sole,is simply unmatched. The famed Big Fish Board is a showstopper, proudly displaying the daily catch: fresh lobsters, John Dory, sea bass, pink bream and more, all brought in that morning and prepared with masterful simplicity. Whether you’re a devoted seafood lover or simply craving a well-executed classic, the menu at The Hut satisfies every appetite with flair.

For discerning diners who crave that elusive blend of style, substance, and soul,the kind you read about in glossy magazines or watch unfold in films,The Hut delivers all that and more. The sunsets here are nothing short of spellbinding. As the sky shifts into its golden hour symphony, the rhythmic beats from the speakers infuse the air with a vibrant, infectious energy that makes you sway without realising. It’s pure escapism.

Even the boat team,Russ, Ellie, and their ever-smiling crew,add a touch of magic to the experience, offering seamless tender services to and from moored boats, all with a wave and a friendly grin.

You might think that returning to the same restaurant over and over again would risk monotony. And yet, The Hut defies that logic. Instead, it draws you in deeper,like a faithful partner,with each return visit strengthening the bond. It’s more than a restaurant. It’s a ritual. A love affair with fine food, sea air, joyful atmosphere, and the people who make it all so effortlessly memorable.

To George, Matt, and general manager Steve,my sincere thanks. You have championed a true admiral among the fleet of restaurants on the island, and long may The Hut continue to sail with the same impeccable spirit and standard.

Harold Davies
CEO
Globexpert Ltd

Sent me the wrong item for two times. And they didn’t refund the delivery fee unless u chase back the money for a thousand times!

Order number 643670830. I’ve ordered a sandals Tory Burch sandals and I’ve an empty box. There was no sandals in the box and when I’ve contacted the hut they told me they won’t refund or replace my order. Would never recommend anyone to order from them.

Food, pretty good, service with a smile and a lovely location with sea views but why allow dogs on seats in such a place, if you make a reservation, why bring your dogs along? I like animals but in the right place, not a food establishment.
I wonder if I could bring my Parrot?Cat/Goldfish?

Great prices and quick delivery. Would use again

We came for a work dinner, picked a beautiful evening .
Our server was very friendly
My only issue was the presentation of our £39 steak .....and watercress! ...
fries on the side. All tastes great.
And again when lemon tart came, presentation could of been better.
All other Meals were well presented
Waited for a round of drinks and 3 staff stood around chatting...... disappointed.

Being guests at the exhilarating 10 year anniversary party that was stupendously organized was truly an honour and beyond our wildest expectations.

We drank the finest pink champagne from the grange in Hampshire all night for over 4 hours and feasted on the most succulent and freshest of lobsters, prawns and seafood that even the Mediterranean seaside restaurants would have been envious of .

The staff were at their finest making sure all glasses were filled promptly and first class service throughout.

The entertainment with specially flown in from Portugal being a quartet delighting everyone with favorites and taking us all down memory lane .
Thinking that was it we were then surprised with an astounding violinist who tackled the most challenging and rhythmic of tunes flawlessly causing everyone to participate and clap rapturously.
The icing on the cake was another surprise musical appearance from a saxophonist ensuring that even the most challenged couldn’t resist strutting their stuff .

Desserts a plenty and rose wine that just kept flowing like the waves outside reminding us just how special The Hut is .

Truly the Admiral of English coastal restaurants and a bucket list “ must “

Thank you everyone at the Hut and we look forward to returning soon.

Harold Davies and family.

We went to The Hut yesterday (Saturday) evening, only to find that they had no record of our on-line booking. The website had taken my details but the reservation had not gone through, and the restaurant was now fully booked.

For organisations like Wightlink and HMRC, customer service is a high priority and their websites are designed so that this sort of problem is a "never" event: it is impossible to you to come out of Wightlink having thought you have booked a ferry (but not actually booked it) or to come out of HMRC having thought you have submitted your tax return, but not actually having done that. This is because bad outcomes of any sort are bad for both of them, so both of them invest heavily in their website technology, something The Hut needs to do but doesnt.

Pippa, the lady in charge, offered us a restaurant table after a ninety minute wait, or a pair of hard flat stools in the bar area on which to consume their (highly-priced) food, both of which we declined. Indicating the busy dining-room behind her, she made the observation that there was a button marked "confirm" in the process, and that everybody else had managed to negotiate the on-line booking service. This told us two things: a) The Hut unashamedly does not cater for those it considers to be technophobic imbeciles b) She had a full restaurant, so why should she care?

Happily for us, we were able to find a table at The Terrace in Yarmouth, where we enjoyed a fabulous meal paired with one of the yummiest dessert wines I have ever tasted.

When booking on-line at The Hut, watch out! If going to The Hut is a big thing for you, with a sizeable party or good friends / romantic partner you want to treat, for goodness sake when booking speak to a real person to avoid disappointment (especially if you are technophobic imbecile like me), else look elsewhere.

The Hut needs to up its game. The competition is alive and kicking, and whereas high-end dining in West Wight used to be sparsely available pre-covid, that is no longer the case (The Terrace I have mentioned, The Red Lion in Freshwater serves superb food and service with good availability at lunchtimes).

As for Pippa, she was incautious enough to give us her name, thinking perhaps that she had done a good job in mollifying us when in fact she had done a really bad job.

We cant review The Hut's food because we never got to it, though the menu outside looked really great. As for ambiance, we are familiar with Folie Douce in Val D'Isere, and The Hut is evidently pitching itself as IOW's answer to that. It is brightly lit and clearly a fun place, and if your digestive system is the sort that works best with loud, fast and very bouncy music, a visit to The Hut will help a lot.