Sands

The website states that Sands is well known for its afternoon tea sessions. After my experience I can only imagine they are well known for how bad they are. Our afternoon tea consisted of soggy, watery cucumber sandwiches, along with stingy portions of tomato, cheese and ham, and a scone with butter and jam but no clotted cream. A pregnant member of our party advised an ever helpful staff member that she would like an alternative to tea or coffee, but was told that if she wanted anything else (like a mineral water) she would have to pay for it. I found it very overpriced for what you get. The service was slow, and when it did turn up, rather aggressive. The view might be nice but that’s about it. I can honestly say I won’t be going there again.

Oh dear! What an awful place to eat. If you want to talk, bring a megaphone or you won’t be heard as the crescendo of noise was over-powering. The noise of shouting, crashing plates and cutlery being thrown about was just an absolute delight, (not).

However it was delightful to see the young children running about, playing with light sabres and screaming; banging the back of chairs and allowed to continue for the whole meal.
After the staff demanded to know what we wanted to eat. Telling us we wanted a drink and we had to choose a meal tapping a foot whilst waiting. Walked off ran around the table and continued to try and annoy people as much as possible.

The food was not too bad but the menu was very limited and difficult to combine to make a decent meal.

We could not decide whether it was like a prison or mess hall,possibly a gistapo serving us may have been more impressive; maybe alike to the school days of chaos and confusion. If the bombers flew over or the tornado we would not have heard it above the noise.
The food could not be eaten and I myself went to the chippie and got a small cod and chips as they didn`t even have that.

Score for food out of ten highest ten
Food = 1
Service = 0
Ambiance = 0
Music and entertainment = 0

Well must go again then! When hell freezes over.

We were a table of four that booked on a very hot Saturday evening. Unfortunately our experience was not a good one. The setting/views etc are perfect but if you want to book a special dinner and want to eat inside please do not bother. Sands just cannot cope with being busy inside and out. The service was awful. Worse than awful. It all seemed that they were out of control. As the waitresses almost run past us to serve outside there was no eye contact at all. At least an hour wait for our starters which was okayish but avoid the goats cheese tart!!! The chateaubriand was amazing and worth the £50 for two but the duck and noodles although okay for me was so hot my daughter could not eat it and by the time we managed to find someone she didn't want to bother with anything else. As for deserts apart from the cheese and biscuits everything else had chocolate in it. They did take the noodle dish off the bill but it was all such an effort!!!! We would never reccomend it or eat there again.

I had a lovely early morning breakfast in here with my son. Very yummy scrambled eggs and Salmon and not a bad price for freshly cooked food. The staff were very pleasant. I,m going to try one of the evenings with a singer or pianist.

me and my girlfriend poped into sands for a romantic meal on a friday night i had the fillet steak an she had the lamb this is probley the best meal i have eaten in southend the staff are very friendly and the prices are goood for the quilty of food an sevice you are geting have now booked for the sat when they have a live singer

Overall a nice experience: restauranr was nearly empty and quiet, a pianist provided with not loud background music. Food was very very good indeed and the meat one of the best ever tasted in Southend! Not cheap….but worth the try.

A very good restaurant. Good food but not cheap. On the night we were there we had a very good pianist for entertainment. Good sea views. First impression of the restaurant from outside is far different to my experience inside. At first glance you would not think this is a restaurant but it is in fact a little gem.

We have been wanting to try since it opened. We booked for the evening table of 6. The piano drowned out conversation. The kids running around and banging a metal thing near our table was not pleasant. The food was average. It was lacking an ambience there. However the staff were friendly and the place was very clean.Location and views great! Sorry but we all agreed not one to go back to.

A local restaurant selling local foods, with some stunning scenery and sea views.

Whilst the food is good, it is a touch expensive, but when you consider that a lot of it is either home-made, or local sourced, it tastes that much better knowing that you’re putting back into the local economy.

The staff are always nice and helpful, and will be sure to serve your order to you exactly how you asked for it.

Sands is a new restaurant on the esplanade, it is beautifully decorated and has a sea view. We visited in the Winter but this will be a fantastic place for a meal on a Summer’s evening.

The food is all locally sourced and home-made (from hand cut chips to home made ice cream). The menu is quite limited but everything was delicious and cooked to perfection. I recommend the steak and also the home-made bread! The service was also very good.