Harbour Lights in Tendring

We have visited this restaurant on and off over the last 25 years. It now has a very reduced menu, no carvery but did have a roast dinner with a choice of 2 meats.They were seriously lacking in staff and a blackboard outside was advertising for all kinds of staff. Our table was booked for 2.30 and after ordering we waited an hour for our starters. We then had another wait for the main courses with a couple of the orders incorrect. The food was barely warm. We finally got our bill at 5.15. We didn't bother with desserts.Our waitress was very pleasant but admitted that they were very short staffed.The restaurant was fairly empty. We remember the days when it would be full and you had to queue for a table. A sign of the times perhaps.Such a shame as the setting is lovely. Hope it is able to improve and become the restaurant it always used to be

A number of items on the menu were not available,  the steak burger buns were stale (£14.95),even though they insisted they were toasted!the Fish pie didn't list that shellfish was in it, a total disregard for allergies & against the law! The Fosters beer was warm! In all an expensive restaurant with very little quality.

Booked for father's day and had the roast dinner for £14.95. I was really disappointed only one choice of meat offered so I chose Turkey and by the looks of it ended up with the last scrappings. No proper slice and the vegetables were hard. Certainly not good quality or value for money. Sadly I've had better at a Toby carvery. Other than a disappointing meal staff are pleasant and the view's are beautiful.

We took my dad there for Father's Day. Room for improvement but guess national staffing problems really an issue as it's a bit of the beaten track. Front of house staff excellent. The roast beef was rather well done. Apparently the vegetable curry was good. Personally I think this place needs a whole new set up to make it more of a "destination". Maybe selling local crafts with a smaller restaurant etc. It's such a beautiful setting!

I would really recommend harbour lights for a special occasion. We visited harbour lights for my Nan’s 90th birthday.The staff were great we were greeted and shown to our table offered drinks, offered individual wooden spoons to allow us to split the bill rather than one massive bill which was great and prevented that annoying split the bill scenario at the end of the meal.We decorated the table and bought our own balloons, flowers and birthday cake.We all ordered our food either off the menu or Carvery.The staff offered to advise when food off the menu would be coming out so we could all eat together which was great.No complaints for the food, really lovely, hot and served quickly.Staff clearly the table quickly after we had finished eating.We were provided with a knife to cut our cake and plates and cutlery to eat.Really lovely experience had by all.

Really good food and lovely staff. View over the Marina are delightful, even more appreciated on a sunny but freezing cold day!Face covering and sanitizer still in place. Convenient parking.Many thanks.

Beautiful surroundings. I last went 10 years ago and it's now so modern and clean.The food was great and cooked too perfection.Although we had the carvery, the veg was perfect. No soggy cabbage here. Other customers food looked very tasty too.The service could of been a bit quicker and organised better but they were short staffed and training new people up.

So disappointed. Been pre-covid for meals, so booked for Mother’s Day.Bar service excellent. Waitress service slow, but pleasant ladies.Carvery meal got thumbs up.2 meals good ( one a child’s)2 meals the same ordered- however one was rocket hot, the other barely warm.1 meal missing garnish/ mushy peas. Not the end of the world but disappointing.Final meal hot in some places, cold in others.Training obviously required in microwave use.When complaints passed on to the kitchen we could hear ‘chefs’ shouting and arguing. Not what customers should be aware of.Final bill was reduced after some haggling.We will go back to enjoy a drink and the scenery but I will never eat there again. Such a shame.

Staff very pleasant food was good glad it’s not one of the business that has closed. Keep it up.

Good service. Lovely view over marina Food is average. My meal tasted very salty. Quantity is excellent. No one could help or over any assistance. So left more than half. Good job I could taste my partners meal. That was lovely.