The Rocks

The food we had was fabulous. Dinner was delicious, and the cooked breakfast was excellent too: the best Eggs Benedict I've ever had, and my partner said the black pudding was the best he'd ever had. We stayed two midweek nights on an Itison deal and, despite feeling a bit unsure after reading some reviews, we thoroughly enjoyed it. There weren't many guests or staff, which felt a little odd. Janie seemed to be there most of the time, doing everything except cooking. She was friendly, helpful and professional, even with a lot to handle. When she wasn't there, there were no staff and the front door was locked, though we had a key. Food wasn't delivered once and a plumbing emergency shut the kitchen, but Janie handled the problems professionally, even with some irate guests. The hotel is about a ten-minute walk from central Dunbar, with lovely views over the coast and golf course and a coastal path beside it. The grounds could use some tidying, but the hotel itself was clean and tidy. Reception wasn't staffed all the time and there was nobody overnight, which didn't bother us. Our room was nice enough and comfortable, with a good shower and plenty of hot water. We'd definitely return.

We turned up for lunch at the last minute and they found us a table, though I'd recommend booking ahead. The portions were just right, the food was really tasty and the service was excellent. They boldly say they have the world's best olives. Can't speak to that, but they were very good!

The setting was beautiful, the menu upscale, and the food deserved five stars. Service gets three. Both servers were keen to help, but inexperienced and not well trained. They'd each been working for less than 15 days, and our starter arrived at the same time as the mains instead of beforehand. One server kindly offered to fix it, but we didn't want to waste food, so we went with what had been served. I'm sure service will improve with time. It was the one blemish on an otherwise lovely evening.

The restaurant manager and staff were welcoming and friendly, and the smart, tasteful decor made the evening. Sadly, the meal didn't live up to the high-end prices. They'd run out of wine under £26 except for one bottle. The cullen skink was okay, though it had no cream and the potato needed more cooking. My wife liked the seafood starter, served in a bucket, but I wanted it crispier and better seasoned. The recommended burger was a decent size, but the patties were rubbery, overcooked and underseasoned. I've had too many pub burgers like that, so I should know better. The fries were great. The fish curry was okay, but not worth £18. It was mostly vegetables with a few bits of fish, possibly the smoked haddock that seemed to be in everything. At that price I'd expect king prawns, or even a crab claw. The rice was very overcooked and mushy. To the restaurant's credit, they replaced it quickly, but the second serving was mushy too. They offered us a couple of quid off the bill or a free dessert. We took the dessert, a nice and welcome gesture. The sticky toffee pudding was decent enough, but didn't blow us away. I know this is a long, moany review, but I felt it needed saying. The restaurant has a good Google rating and gave us high hopes, but at those prices it didn't deliver. I heard it's under new ownership, which may be part of it. The menu needs work, and more fish choices that aren't smoked haddock would be welcome.