The Oyster & Fish House

If you are a seafood lover, and love a foodie experience that you won’t get anywhere else, and you want to spoil yourself, then this is the place to be! Even if you’re not staying in Lyme Regis, it really is worth a drive to dine here. Having grown up on the coast, I’ve eaten a lot of seafood, and thought I’d had most versions of it, however, my mind was genuinely blown away by the beautifully delicious, but novel twists on food I thought I knew!! Cockle popcorn, scrumpy fried oyster with scotch bonnet mayonnaise, 6 oysters with ponzu to die for, and a whole grilled mackerel with gremolata! I shall never forget these dishes! Desert was also amazing, with the finest pastry I’ve ever tasted. Front of house legend, Phoebe, was as much part of the experience, and her knowledge of all of the dishes was as impressive as her manner, and efficiency. It was an all-round wonderful experience that we’ll do again as soon as we can!!

A fantastic meal. The seafood was extremely fresh and everything was made with great care and attention to detail. It’s the first time we’ve had cockles popcorn and it was delicious - especially with vinegar drizzled on top. The mussels were divine and the prawn burger was very filling and packed with prawn. The scrumpy (fried oyster) was very well made - considering how wet oysters can get, it was impressive that they came out so crispy. The team was attentive and the place has a lovely view. Very glad we found this place during our visit and managed to book a table.

We held our wedding reception at the Oyster and Fish House on 27/04/24 and we cannot thank everyone in the team enough for helping to make our wedding day so special. The service from the moment we booked was great, Jo and Nic were very responsive to any of our questions and helped to plan and prep our day by meeting with us several times beforehand to ensure everything was planned the way we had imagined. In addition we had a meeting with Mark Hix where he helped to design a bespoke menu. Thank you so much Mark, the menu was incredible! On the wedding morning the staff were incredibly helpful and set the tables and decorations up for us. Everything was laid out perfectly on arrival and all the guests were greeted warmly with champagne and gorgeous canapes. The staff were fantastic and brilliant hosts, chatting with all our guests and ensuring everyone's glasses were topped up as needed. We also want to thank the chefs, the food was exceptional, plentiful and beautifully presented. We could not finish it all despite our best efforts! It really was a day to remember, and our wedding felt unique and special to us. We had 38 guests in total, the size of the restaurant was perfect for providing an intimate setting. The beautiful view of the coast and Cobb is also a bonus. Before our wedding we had eaten at the Oyster and Fish House several times, and on each occasion the food and service were faultless, we will definitely be back. We would like to say thank you again to everyone at the Oyster and Fish House! Hannah and Ben

Absolutely lovely evening with a fantastic view over Lyme Regis and the port. The food, although we only went for starter and oysters, was absolutely delicious and fresh as they come. The staff were, attentive, friendly and just amazing. Yes, as a few others have commented it is a pricier than usual restaurant but it’s worth it for a special evening.

Great views. Attentive staff. Good food. Fair to expensive on pricing. My 3rd visit over the years. Place and decor is now looking tired. Very sticky tables. Easily resolved with some linen table cloths. Smoke from kitchen irritated my partner's eyes. Unlikely to return.

This was everything we had wished for and well worth the journey. Fabulous location, lip-smackingly delicious food and cheerful service. We were even treated to some birthday truffles. The cockle popcorn, prawn burger and asparagus soup came route 1 from culinary heaven. Check out the counter seats too; best view in the house! This is what great British hospitality is all about. Bravo!!

Excellent restaurant. Great food and absolutely delightful staff. From the moment we walked in until home timeFreya and Matt looked after us so well. Try their Voignier as an aperitif, delicious. I had the Cauliflower Pekora followed by the whole blackened Sea Bream and then Isle of Wight blue cheese. My wife had the fritto misto with some salad and fries followed by iced and chocolate sauce. All the food was cooked to perfection with gorgeous flavours. The decor and sublime panoramic views go further to make a wonderful dining experience. We'll done Mark Hix and his team! Perfect.

Great staff, food was great. Reason for only 3 stars is that they gave us not the nicest table in the house as there were a couple of larger tables which made a lot of noise and we sat right next to it. So no option anymore to dine in peace or talk to each other. They should consider this better in the future or let guests know in advance. We managed to get a table outside, but also there was a larger table. Put in middle of 3x tables with couples. Maybe logistically organise this better so all have a good time.

Food was tasty and ambiance lovely. But Iwould not recommend- 1. they included a compulsory service charge. 2. It was an unpleasant surprise to learn that if you pay with cash they do not provide change, they just take your money. This policy was not disclosed when we handed over 80 pounds for the meal. After a good meal that leaves a bitter taste.

Not being a seafood lover, we went to Hix for the sake of my partner's love of fish. In saying that I did brave the crab starter (dressed) and found it to be absolutely delicious. My partner also had the crab and felt the same. Enough seafood for me I looked to the steak for my main. This was tender, juicy and well seasoned. I had asked for it to be cooked medium-rare, but it came to me more medium. However, it was so tasty I didn't mind. With the tomato and basil salad to accompany I was very impressed. My partner, on the recommendation of our waiter had the huss which he had never tried before. He loved his main also... We greedily decided to have pudding as well, as coming to this restaurant for us was a treat because the prices aren't necessarily in our usual budget for dining out. Anyway, I stuck with sorbet because by this stage I was quite full. My partner went for the buttermilk tart with the salted caramel ice cream. Well! He was in heaven... I did have a sneaky taste of his and it was absolutely lush. That ice cream is something else!! All in all, we really enjoyed the two hours or so we spent lolling about. We didn't feel rushed, the staff were incredibly helpful and professional yet still casual enough to make us feel comfortable. Thanks a lot guys, we'll be sure to tell all our friends in Oxford!

We were here on a Sunday night in September. It wasn't terribly busy and the service was good. Food was ok. Not bad, not wow, prices a tad bit high for what you get. Honestly, if this place weren't so hyped we would have given it more stars. We were expecting it to be something life-changing and it just turned out to be pretty good. Also, and this is just my opinion, but a five-star restaurant shouldn't have furnishings that look straight out of the IKEA catalog. The ambiance is an important part of a restaurant's appeal.

This must be the best restaurant along the coast. It is certainly one of the prettiest. Perched atop a hill overlooking the sea, with large windows around two sides, and a lovely deck/bar, where you can sit outside. Not only do they have fresh seafood, but the wine list is also excellent. Definitely make a reservation, as they are quite busy.

This used to be a fish restaurant and now it is a ponceraunt. Having grown up in the area and now living back in the area - a group of us went to the restaurant to see the New London restaurant that has arrived in the area. We did not eat a full meal - we all have good jobs but come on guys we are not paying that for some fish - even if we could see the beautiful sea. Our group of 10 spent about an hour (non weekend day) we had 1 glass of champagne each and 3 oysters - £25 bill each. We soon left and went to the lovely communal garden drank wine and enjoyed the fresh air like the olden days. So if you want to be in a tardis that is trying to be london in lyme and are prepared to pay for it then feel free you may enjoy this place otherwise don't bother.

My wife and two teenaged children went for a late lunch on a lovely sunny afternoon. View - Absolutly beautiful. I guess this is the main point to this place. Food - Good honest sea food, no better and no worse than Loch Fyne. Lovely simple and well cooked and spot on in for this seaside resort. Service - Nothing more than fine here but equally no problems. VFM - This is where Hix falls down. £160 for two adults and two children with only two small glasses of wine to drink, to my mind is probably about twice what of should have been and for that reason I would say certainly, go and have a drink, but then go and eat at the nearest Loch Fyne!

We stopped in to check out the menu on Tuesday, there were no early tables available until Thursday, so we made a reservation for 6:45pm. At that time I asked the manager if we could have either of the tables for two by the corner window. He told us they could not guarantee either of those tables because they didn't reserve by table. We accepted that as a fair policy. When we got to the restaurant five minutes early both tables that we had requested were empty so I asked for one and was told they were reserved for others. When I questioned the policy they said they assign tables and those were assigned. I do not like being lied to! Be truthful tell me they are saved for your special customers or what ever. We decided to stay so on with the review. Views outstanding, service was slow to find us but once we had our server, service was acceptable. I had the fried oyster starter they were excellent. My wife had soup and it was also good +, for dinner we split the fish called the "dory" and it was excellent. I noticed bread was served at another table but we were not asked. Go for the food but don't expect much more, also note they do add an automatic gratuity.

I can never quite make my mind up about places like this. I like the chef and what he does and anyone who opens a decent fish restaurant on the British coast has my vote. But is it really good or not? Well I think it is. The but comes later. First excellent starters of cuttlefish, smoked salmon and scallops although odd that the salmon arrives on its own with no lemon, bread, mayonnaise etc. Mains all good. Generously filled fish pie, decent fish and chips, excellent steamed bream and grilled lemon sole. Puddings to die for particularly the absolutely delicious rhubarb trifle. All of this served in a very pleasant setting overlooking Lyme Bay a short walk down the hill from the Cobb Street car park on the hill out of town. Service good, friendly and efficient. The issue? Price. Starters £8-£10. Mains £12-£24 for a crab curry. Puds in the region of £7. Extras like sides, soft drinks etc £3+. This all quickly adds up to a hefty bill. All plus 12.5% service charge. So, a great addition, fabulous setting, well run and more than decent food but at a price that makes it more for the special occasion than regular visit.

Lovely view and very nice staff, but not up to par. If you order a starter stick with Mussels, soup or Cockle Popcorn. The FIsh Pie was excellent and a good portion, but the dressed crab will leave you hungry, get it undressed instead. The curry is nice, but too small a portion, the sole was very blah blah and not much meat on it. The salads tasted like it wasn't dressed and the potatoes that came with the undressed crab were not tasty, just over buttered. Off the kids menu, our kid had fish fingers and didn't like the batter, that's a first.

Here's the deal. The restaurant is in a great location. The building is very attractivegreen oak, white fittings, fab view. We went mid weekso Mark isn't around. The prices are the same as at the weekend but I kinda hope the food isn't.because we've booked a s* or bust revisit with the friends I took ( birthday treat) and it would need to be a lot better to be an ongoing feature in our west country lives. trouble is that a) both I and the birthday girl can cook; b) we have both lived in London for many years and have eaten at all the best places thereand in France/Italy. We like restaurants where the staff are passionate about the food (this is why something as simple as the Town Mill's offering in Lyme works so well). The staff on Wed night (with one exception) did not seem to know about the food. We guessed they wouldn't know the difference between a red mullet and a black bream if they had name tags on. They were polite enough, even sweet enoughbut really not professional or knowledgeable enough for a £50 per head resto. If you are going to charge London prices in the country, your food has to be better than good. It has to delight and thrill. We eat very well down here at our own tables, thank you. We demand a lot from our expensive restaurants. Smoked salmon which sweats because it was a) made from too fat a fish in the first place ; and b) was plonked on a hot plateis not a thrill. A mixed grilled platter which includes a bit of bass which is greasy on the outside and dry inside is not endearing. A skate wing which challenges you to doubt whether or not it had been frozen and tastes weary is not alluring. When coffee comes before the pudding,with no option, that is simply uncool. OK, so my palate has been spoiled by the deliciousness of fish caught and cooked off the back of a boat in the Cook Islandsand by exceptional food (at comparable prices) in restaurants in London..or, say, Rick Stein's or The Riversidebut I am not impossible to please. I am, however, more difficult to please at that £50 a head mark. I expect delight. And when the front of house says *yes, it does get hot and stuffy here, but we don't care because the food is delicious I almost urge my mate to cancel the next bookingbecause you just DON'T say thatunless you REALLY know what you are delivering.and that you can deliver it. Oh yes, and another thing! You can REALLY hear the kitchen! Aaaagh! AND!!! we had scrumptious bread with our pre-dinner treats ( tempura samphire, very good, pea pods ) but NONE with the mussels (starter) or smoked salmon( starter) . How weird is that??? I feel a rant coming on.

I've eaten here five times now - always at lunchtime and happily when the sun was shining. The setting gets 10/10 as does the wine list but the rest of the experience - service and food - is a lottery and that's not good enough at these prices. From the fabulous Jonathan (ex-Brindisa) to the sulky blond who covers when he is off, from the spectacularly good monkfish cheeks to the tasteless mackerel with ice-cold green tomato salad etc etc etc. Portion control weaves wildly from over-facing (a whole chicken served to a 14 year old) to downright stingy (the seafood salad starter at over £12!) Will they survive the winter, when most restaurants round here rely on their regular local clientele..? I'd be surprised - the lack of consistency and above all, the silly prices have put most of us off - and I imagine the restaurant's lacking in warmth and atmosphere on a cold winter's night.

I cannot say anymore about the location than anybody else that has complimented this place. I do however agree with the majority of reviews that this is not value for money. I guess if you ' want to be seen !' eating here then you have to pay the premium to be ' seen' The food certainly is not worth the price

Went for a treat when on hol there; promised a window table which was denied us - insensitively. Wonderful oysters, good starters, average mains..(boring John Dorey; small amount of unexciting fish, with an ill matching sauce, for £20. Cold chips, unremarkable veg. Wine overpriced -(but good, though limited) Altogether disappointing & not worth money. We left before puds. No 'discretionary' tip left! Very expensive food should be exciting and special - it was neither.

We visited the restaurant on a Friday at 5pm having phone ahead for a booking on the terrace as we had a small dog with us. We weren't told that the terrace was very small with a narrow ledge for food & drinks and bar stools but were prepared to overlook that because the situation is superb and it was a beautiful day. We had to wait while menus were being printed and ordered drinks to quench thirsty initially. Main gripe was the very slow service....we were there in total over two hours and just to eat starters & mains...too annoyed to order desserts. Prices high, lobster starter for £18 was a small portion and had to be returned as half of it was undercooked and I was told that it would be taken back to the kitchen "if you're not happy with it" (It wasn't supposed to be sushi!) At no time did anyone ask if we required further drinks or whether the meal was ok. The bill initially for two beers, one soft drink, three starters & two mains was £114.This was reduced to £96 when we made our feelings clear and would have rigorously contested the "service charge" anyway. We also (with the exception of the young female waitress) found the two male members of staff sullen & unsmiling. From the vibes inside the restaurant other people were being kept waiting far too long also. Such a shame. It takes more than a brilliant location to attract return customers and we certainly won't be coming back. Very disappointed seafood & fish lover.

I took my family to dinner at HIX for a special experience. This was a big mistake as the restaurant was a major disappointment on almost every count. I guess I should have read and trusted the reviews online, and the lack of encouragement given by a few local friends who have previously had a similar let down. To help the reader of this review decide whether to visit Hix in Lyme Regis here are my observations:- Specific table reservation was honoured; location and sea view is spectacular; there are too many tables crammed in like sardines and not what I expect from a high class expensive restaurant; painted table tops questionably hygienic especially when they have to be used in lieu of side plates which are not provided ( presumably because the tables are too small); the service was pretty awful, unattentive, did not remove used item from table, we were left to pour our own wine after an amateur tasting, very hard to attract attention of servers despite waving arms on at least three occasions, average food and greatly overpriced eg almost £40 for a plain grilled modest lobster; overpriced limited wine list; failed to serve additional bread requested until too late!! There were other faults but I think this already makes the point. We shall not return to this restaurant nor reccommend it to anyone. I believe the whole experience could be transformed if the staff were suitably trained and motivated to provide a wonderful experience to each and every customer by providing service excellence. In our experience the staff gave very little indication of interest in providing outstanding service, and to add insult to injury this establishment has the arrogance to state that a discretionary service charge of 12.5% would be added to the bill!! This despicable practice not only makes a mockery of the term discretionary but it also reinforces the lack of motivation to provide service excellence since the staff know the service charge will almost invariably be paid regardless of the service provided!! I paid it, decided to skip the expensive desserts, and intend not to return.

This restaurant is in a fantastic location so I kept telling myself I was paying for the view! Couldn't fault the quality or presentation of the food (except for the chips which looked very much like they'd come out of a packet), though I did feel that the menu was a bit limited. We had scallops to start, I had delicious halibut with samphire and clams, and my husband had the lobster which he said was delicious. However the price put me off ever going again. The cheapest main course was £13 for pollack fish fingers and chips, but most mains were around the £19-25 mark, plus side orders of veg. Puddings were all £6.75. We visit Lyme Regis every year and were regular customers of the wonderful fish restaurant that operated in this building a few years ago, so we know it's possible to operate a very good and atmospheric fish restaurant out of this location without charging a fortune. But Hix prices strike me as excessively high (is he charging London prices in the provinces I wonder?). I've had meals of the same or better quality than this at a lower price and at £140 for two adults and one small child, this is a restaurant we won't be visiting again because although the meal was good, it wasn't that good. Another thing to mention is that the air conditioning unit in the kitchen (which is below the restaurant itself) is clearly audible and the restaurant floor vibrates. Think they need to get some soundproofing sorted out! On the staff front our waitress was cheerful and friendly throughout and thoroughly deserved her tip, but the other staff were fairly aloof. Glad we tried the place but we'll sit next to the mini-golf to take advantage of the view next time instead of dining with Mr Hix.

Recently my wife and I had occasion to go to this restaurant and despite the warnings and bad reviews we decided that we should make up our own minds, an expensive mistake! I began with some oysters; they Looked quite interesting the way they were presented; unfortunately the shallot vinegar that arrived with them was so strong and aggressive that it totally spoilt the oysters, perhaps I should have tasted the vinegar beforehand, but as I like oysters and have eaten them in many good restaurants I presumed that they would know how to prepare such a simple thing, they didn't even serve a spoon for the vinegar. For my next course I chose the pumpkin and goats cheese salad , they roasted the pumpkin with the skin on, skin which was virtually impossible to remove so I ate it, not at all enjoyable, if they had used something like an ishi kuri (not sure of spelling) it would have been far better as the flavour is fantastic and you can eat the skin. My wife chose the fish soup and enjoyed it. For main course I had scallops and they were cooked perfectly the garlic butter was also very good. My wife had the lobster and monkfish curry; you could not taste the lobster which by the way was like rubber, the monkfish went well with the sauce and was well cooked , they would have been better off making just a monkfish curry, the rice that came with it was undercooked to the point of being crunchy and inedible. We decided to take cheese next; for £7 we received a small piece of cheddar on a wooden board with a spoonful of the most disgusting not properly matured aggressive chutney that either of us had ever tasted. For dessert we had the chocolate mousse which we both enjoyed even though presentation left a lot to be desired. We had a lovely evening because we were having an evening out together ,something that doesn't happen so much when you have young children (not a complaint by the way) but for over £100 with only had two glasses of wine and a glass of port ( wine and port were both very good) is a great deal of money defiantly unwarranted for the standard of food provided, I have eaten in Michelin stared restaurants and paid far more and felt that it was well worth it, Hix's Oyster Bar is really not worth the money!