Dukes

We took a table in the covered garden with our four dogs, and nobody hurried us along. The staff member who welcomed us was friendly and attentive. You order and get drinks inside, then food is brought to the table. There’s a good range of beers, wine and spirits at reasonable prices. Our fries were hot and nicely seasoned, and the other dishes coming out looked tempting too. Plenty of seating indoors and out, right by the Sidmouth promenade. Worth a visit.

The food was mostly good, but we left a bit disappointed, especially with the desserts and lukewarm coffee. Our server got every course wrong, and service was quite slow, even though it was busy but not packed. It was a letdown for our family visiting from the Midlands.

The fish was beautiful, and the meal was wonderful. I couldn’t finish it, so took some home for later. I’m never disappointed when I visit. The service was so friendly, and nothing was a bother, even when I asked them to turn the music down a little because we were sitting right under a speaker. Thanks for such an enjoyable evening.

We ate at Dukes three times between Christmas and New Year, twice indoors and once outside. The food was very good, and the staff were friendly and courteous. Outside, there was plenty of space, with cushions, hot water bottles and blankets to help with the cold. When it was busy, staff took orders at the tables, so we didn’t need to queue at the bar. The upstairs bar was warm and cosy. Dogs are welcome indoors apart from the dining room, which makes sense to me.