If, like us, you have been spending hard earned cash at Crab & Lobster for many years years, you may be disappointed to learn it recently changed hands and the wonderful experience is no more! Food and service were very poor. They now sport a...very limited menu (10 mains to be precise and at least 6 of those are either steak or lobster or a combination of both - which they blamed on Covid!). The fab selection and ace chefs left with the previous owners. The food was average at best, small portions and very overpriced. £76 for the surf and turf which we would happily pay for in an exclusive restaurant. They have removed the beer tap (and uniqueness of the hotel) and incorporated a bar which means you no longer can quaff your own drinks or their inclusive Fosters, but instead are only allowed to purchase their drinks for the hot tub. Hot tub camera's will take care of the policing and rest assured they will be all over you like a cheap suit if you dare to take anything in there. The staff were stretched and stressed in parts. Oh, and if you write to complain, the GM will respond to you when nudged again to say "sorry you felt underwhelmed but we feel there are too many items on the list to address." Tbf there were a lot on the list but the experience was so bad and believe me, we are not complainers. We are more than happy to pay premium prices for great food and service. Oh, and did you know that YOU CAN ORDER UBER EATS to your room now? When we checked out and informed the staff of our dissatisfaction on food and service, that was the response which was in innocence tbf, but still, Uber Eats at the Crab and Lobster! lol that says it all. Anyway, If I were you, I would wait until the Angel at Topcliffe opens and spend your money there if you are in the area and staying.More

We stayed for 1 night sat 11th nov . On arrival we were shown to the ritz room ,No heating on,the room was cold,the bed was far too big for the room we both banged our knees several times, we ate in the restaurant the...meal was so salty ,didn't enjoy it at all .definitely won't be returning,,on our way out the chap on reception asked if everything had been OK? When I said not really he said oh sorry to hear that and just carried on taking the payment safe to say won't be recommending to our friends.More

First time visit. I don’t eat fish and had always previously dismissed going here on the basis it was a fish restaurant, but there is actually a good choice of non fish dishes. Staff very welcoming on arrival. Staff attentive during the meal, although main...courses took a while to arrive. Food was very nice and it was nice for my fellow diners to be able to enjoy lobster etc, whilst I enjoyed steak. The dining area felt a little chilly, a point which I note some other recent reviews have also mentioned. Menu states 10% discretionary service charge, which personally if the service and food has been good I don’t have an issue with and would usually leave such. I asked for the bill and a service charge had been included and did not state the % but it was actually 15% instead of 10%. Pardon the pun but found this rather fishy. Asked for bill to be amended. I don’t like people taking the Michael and this left a bad taste and alone would put us off returning.More

Scott was amazing, brilliant service and brilliant food. Great starters, mains were next level and nicely presented desert

First time visit & we enjoyed the whole experience. From the moment we walked in the staff were welcoming, Sasha took care of us with lots of smiles, & that really makes a difference if you know what I mean. They have 2 dinning rooms...and we choose to sit in the conservatory, the design was just gorgeous & unique. All the food was divine, but the highlight for me was the mussels that just melted in my mouth and the cocktails that were made to perfection by Abigal. Will certainly be back for more , that's what I told all the lovely managers that checked on us, because a great restaurant is not based on food only. THANK YOU EVERYONE AT CRAB 🦀 & LOBSTER 🦞More

Having visited this restaurant regularly pre-Covid, I decided to book this as a special birthday treat for my husband. We are a large party, 8 adults and 7 children. I paid the £150 deposit beforehand and then was really surprised when we arrived to find...they only had 1/3 of the highchairs I had requested. Surely they should have planned for this when I booked it in September. They were only able to provide one children’s menu, this had to be passed around! The food was excellent, but gosh was the service poor. All the children had finished their meals before the adults had finished their starters. All in all it took about 3 hours to complete the food service. I asked for the bill when the puddings arrived as the party were so fed up of waiting they just wanted to go home. I asked the barman why food was so slow and he did apologise and said another large party arrived at the same time. If this is the case, they need to stagger their bookings better so that service is not compromised. I am really disappointed and won’t be hurrying back unfortunately.More

We have frequented this establishment several times in the past and always found it quite special. A place to go as a real treat. I hadn’t been for some time, how it has changed. On arrival I thought it looked shabby and dirty and not...just a few cobwebs. I tried to ignore that, it was a dark, wet and dismal day so perhaps that didn’t help. We were greeted by a friendly young man but he seemed confused at our booking. We had booked for 4 adults and a dog and so knew we had to be in the bar area. There was no table prepared for us. So we stood and waited until the young man set the table. There were no other customers in the bar and the restaurant seems quiet, it was 1pm so a busy time for restaurants but this was not as I remember it from previous visits when it was buzzing. I was dressed in winter clothing and didn’t take off my coat, I was too cold. The place was VERY cold. My husband and I were seated and soon after we settled down our friends arrived. They too left their coats on. After we mentioned the cold the young man brought a heater and plugged it in near to our table. It helped. My friend left on a body warmer and scarf. We asked for the noisy music to be reduced and eventually after asking someone else it was. We selected from table d’hôte menu. 2 courses £30. We all chose what sounded like a delicious white onion soup. My husband quite liked it but the rest of us not so much. Main courses were:- 2x sea bass, quite tasty and nicely cooked but very meagre portions and no extra veg. Butternut squash risotto which seems well revived and a good portion. A chicken dish which my husband and enjoyed and said was enough. We had coffee. The service throughout the meal was noticeably unprofessional and disappointing. We were passing each other cutlery and plates. Waiters were handing meals to us to pass to another person, leaning over us and asking us to pass stuff to them when we were talking. The bill for this average experience which included 10% service charge was about £160 for 4 of us with no alcoholic drinks. We had to then use a reserve toilet as there was a problem with the usual facilities. The whole experience, apart from enjoying our friends company, was at least disappointing and at most thoroughly depressing. Whatever happened to this wonderful establishment. We probably won’t be returning unless we see reviews improve.More

My wife and I have been going to the crab and lobster for many years, however recently we feel the place is not what it used to be. The atmosphere is good but a bit packed in. The food is good but the menu needs...refreshing more often. The wine prices are very high indeed. Who wants to pay a fortune for a bottle of wine with fish and chips. I understand you pay not just for the food and drink but also the atmosphere, service and the ambiance of the place which all goes toward an enjoyable experience. It is also important to have well trained staff, which I believe they do, who will deliver all that is required and that costs money. But in my opinion the crab under its present management has lost sight of the value for money all of its customers require as well. We feel the place has become over priced and not value for money as in the past. I hope the management listen and act on the feedback and be loyal to their customers as there are plenty of really good value for money restaurants in the area.More

Finally eat in the restaurant part. Served by tom and Fallon impeccable service and exceptional food. Fish soup and halibut to die for. Husband steak looked good too. All in all great evening. Hotel review will be separate.

5th visit and will be our last, very poor service and menu choices consisted of 3 Lobster dishes, 3 Steaks and one vegetarian risotto, no specials board, the menu was just given to us on printed paper and did not reflect the choices online which...we were looking forward too. Why would you have a menu with 3 of the same thing is ridiculous, no chicken, Lamb etc. Service was very poor, we had to ask for drinks, not all food came out together no steak knives offered but should have been so on the whole very disappointing, there was 8 of us with a bill of nearly £600 and for that money I would expect and have on previous visits impeccable service.More

The food was ultimately nice, which some may think that’s all their is to a meal out. But I have to say the service was appalling…due to having a well behaved dog with us we sat in the bar area which we knew about, booked...and was fine. Problem was it was FREEZING! We asked about this and was told time after time it would be rectified, however the staff kept on re-opening the outside doors next to where we were sat despite knowing how cold it was. We were sat down only to wait 15 minutes plus, no drinks order forthcoming…wasn’t so much of an issue as I chose to walk up to the bar only to be ushered back to my table and told “staff were on there way”. This clearly wasn’t the case as this happened a couple of Times after. Food was ordered, staff got the order wrong, bringing the wrong dishes, trying to take the correct dishes away from the table- absolutely all over the place. Dessert arrives- cold. Just no excuse. Staff knew the experience which we had and still bring out a cold sponge desert with cold sauce..? Starter really good, main good once it arrived, dessert shocking. In the interest of fairness, I have to say staff discounted the bill for drinks and the food dessert, fair enough but ultimately despite issue after issue the staff just seemed to not care or rectify or make an effort. Won’t be coming again. This place was booming 5 plus years ago, like with any restaurant; people vote with their feet and this was clear from the lack of atmosphere today.More

Lovely ambiance and lovely food! Huge shoutout to Fallon who was an amazing server and looked after us very well. He’s a credit to you.