The Watch House

The best fish and chips I EVER ate! The staff is lovely, the location and views are perfect, we had a lovely lunch and lovely time with my friends. Thank you!

Lovely staff and every dish was perfect! So glad we popped in during our visit to St Mawes

After opting out from the Rising Sun due to the cast-off attitude of the hostess, we decided to try the Watch House. I guess everything happens for a reason. Incredible food served in a great atmosphere by attentive and caring staff. We had the seafood curry and the hake bourguignon and finished with the lemon posset. Everything was amazingly good and all very reasonable. If you want something special you should certainly consider the Watch House, it's highly recommended.

Booked The Watch house to celebrate my wife’s 80th Birthday. Good was excellent, staff were brilliant, Daniel even inscribed Happy Birthday in chocolate on a dessert plate. Great job!

First of all it was end of November, so no tourists. The service was geared towards the locals and accordingly terrible. The woman serving was surly and clearly didn't want to be there. The wait time was stupid, a chap who'd ordered about 20 mins before us and had gone to have a pint, still had to wait.... and to top it all I actually watched her weigh the fish and cut bits off before putting it into the fryer. It was small and mediocre. The chips were ok, if a tad dark.... Old oil me thinks... Also I ordered mushy peas. At the hefty price of £2.50 I expected something lovely. What I got was fresh (frozen) peas squashed. Literally. That's it. Tasted horrible... I checked the menu again and it even says smashed peas or something like that. They should warn you when you order mushy peas!! But as the staff clearly just wanted to see the back of us that was probably too much to ask... Btw, we are locals, and will never go there again.

Poor fish, super thin, over cooked and super oily. Not worth the price either. Terrible curry sauce.

Best Chips I've ever had with a rating below 4. What I got was crunchy cooked chips to perfection, apart from the odd chip, which is what we all desire. If you want crunchy chips then come here. If you want soggy to soft chips like most chippies & don't want the risk of overcooked chips then go elsewhere. However I will point out that although cooked to perfection I ordered them plain, and they did taste bland so I had to add salt and vinegar to it to bring out the taste. I will also add these tasted exactly the same as the 3rd best chippy in Devon that I visited in March. Contrary to bad reviews which I ignored , I clearly went on a day when the expert was working (Thursday around 6pm) Price & Size: When they come in boxes you will always know they are going to be more expensive and smaller portions compared to the chippies that sell them in paper, which is usually not at the seaside. With its poor rating that maybe the place needs a new management structure as the standards here seem to be inconsistent. On my next visit here i will be asking bystanders how the chips taste if this place continues to get negative reviews. The choice is yours.

Once again an outstanding meal at the Watch House, one of the best places to eat fresh seafood I have ever had the pleasure of dining at. Outrageously good seafood chowder today, the rest of the family loved the perfect Fish and Chips and the Korean Chicken roll. Absolutely unmissable restaurant

Excellent, gourmet level food in a humble dining room with 4 booths and just 14 other chairs, staffed by friendly, helpful servers. Note, the name has changed since the previous review written in 2010. The 'Old' has been deleted. The restaurant is now The Watch House. Google map the location. The address says Truro but the actual tiny seaside village is St. Maws. Use the public parking just to the right of building. The car park sign is obvious. 75 parking spots available. Then walk 200 yards to the eatery. My meal: delicious sweet potato purée. Slightly spicy with chili oil. Liquified with coconut milk. Croutons in a side cup to top onto the soup. Fish was whole sautéed plaice in clarified butter topped samphire & capers. Adequate cup of chips on the side. Fried correctly and delicious. Wife's meal: roasted tiger prawns, spicy exterior, juicy meat. I was a little surprised that the portion of 6 shrimp was considered a meal, as my plaice dish was comparatively huge. Also, shrimp came with no sides. So for £20 This dish is overpriced. But Barbara was satisfied. She ordered an extra side salad for £4. It was sparkling fresh. Small selection of locally made beers (by the bootle, no,casks), wines and a few cocktails on the menu. I had an ale made in neighboring Penryn, it was satisfying. Barbara had a glass of South African Pinot noir. It was passable at best. (I'm a wine snob from Northern California) Verdict: good food, excellent service, not cheap. Meal described above price was £55. You can eat more economically. Fish and chips will set you back £14.

Two stars for the friendly staff, but that's it. A disappointing lunch in a sticky pub. Don't mind cheap food for cheap prices, but this wasn't cheap. There are much better lunch venues in St Mawes.