My family and I have been using Bistro on the Beach for many years both for casual daytime breakfasts, snacks and evening meals. For the last year I have been caring for my father so have not been able to get to one of my favorite places until today.

Whilst eating our takeaway meal (bought from the Bistro) at the tables outside, we kept seeing a man parading up and down. He seemed to be upsetting a lot of people also sitting at tables who then left. We then met 'I am Mario.....I am the owner, who was possibly the rudest and most horrible person I have met. I never thought I could leave a lovely sunny day overlooking the sea in such a bad mood!!

What a difference ownership can make, even if the food was wonderful now I would not set a step inside there again. You should always be polite with people, well that is how I was bought up, but especially if you are running a business with the public. You should also remember that when the summers are not so good, and the winter is upon us, it is your local community that keeps you open.

Be warned about the horrid little man

One of my favourite places in Bournemouth. Excellent service and great food. I've enjoyed many hearty breakfasts with a fantastic view of the sea. Highly recommended

A truly awful experience

We went to this restaurant as part of a group of 10 to celebrate our friend's birthday. The menu was incredibly limited (e.g. popadoms and garlic bread named as 2 of the 5 starters) and the food badly cooked. One person had to send back popadoms that weren't cooked properly (I ask you...) and another sent back a piece of trout that was overcooked to the point of being burnt & chewy and undercooked, hard potatoes. The waiter didn't seemed to care and was incredibly surly so we decided we didn't want to pay a service charge. There then ensued a very unpleasant argument with the restaurant owner refusing to accept this. All I can say in conclusion is don't touch this place with a barge pole...