Life Boat - Hastings

This restaurant serves the best fish and chips in all of Scarborough. The old school style and homemade quality make it worth the wait.

Having lived in Hastings for many years, we returned for a visit and decided we had to have fish and chips at the life boat, knowing it was the best in town- NOT ANY MORE. The outside tables and chairs where we sat were dirty and sticky. The owners/staff were only interested in their phones. The portions were small and pale and the added long hair in the fish batter was just a step too far. Avoid disappointment don't bother eating here.

My family and I tried the fish and chips at the Life Boat, and it's one of the best I've ever had. The fish was fresh and the batter was perfectly crispy. They do leave the skin on the fish, but it's easy to remove. The mushy peas were just the right texture. I saw many locals dining there, which speaks volumes about the quality. I highly recommend it.

Been here a few times in the past but wish I'd read recent reviews before spending 19 quid on 2 fish and chips that were disgusting. Frozen fish (I asked) that was mushy, tasteless black skin on it and not very crispy batter ....

20/3/20 2/8/20 Times are difficult with Covid at the moment. I was recommended this chippy as the best in Hastings by a friend who said all the locals go there, including fishermen themselves. I went with him on one occasion by chance the day before restaurants were ordered to shut! He reminisced of taking his mum there a few months before, before she passed away at Christmas (we were there to sort the house sale . We sat and ate lunch in an empty restaurant for lunch and the fish and chips were extremely good. The owner was a bit downbeat as trade had dropped off markedly over the few weeks by the time we had arrived. He was not looking forward to closing the restaurant. That lunch was very good indeed. On another visit to sort the house we had fish and chips lunch again from there to take away. It was empty again, so sad. We waited for the meal to be freshly cooked and took the open bag over the road. We had the delicious meal in the bus shelter nearly opposite, whilst being 'serenaded ' by the seagulls (apparently they are feeling the pinch too! . A few weeks later I went down with friends for a break as he restrictions were being gradually lifted. I persuaded them to get the food there and we would drive towards St Leonard 's and eat on the beach. We arrived for a late lunch to find the owner still down in the dumps, with no queues or people eating outside or waiting. We made the order and waited for a while whilst he cooked it all, salt and special onion vinegar in and wrapped it all up for the takeaway in effect. We drove off, found the lifeguard hut, sat and opened the bags. Unfortunately and naturally any crispness was now soggy so my friends were not impressed. That is the problem, and to be expected. Moral of the story is keep the bag open and eat ASAP! If you like vinegar add it yourself! Another time we passed by to give them a second chance but we were in a hurry and it was empty, the owner saying it would be a ten minute wait at least. We could not gang around and went to The Codfather nearby which seemed busier and a quicker turnover. Their fat vats must have been at maximum heat longer I expect. We saw people enjoying their meal at The Lifeboat on the tables outside later in the day. Obverse it is a very good place. It needs more custom to keep those oil/fat vats very hot. People tend to gravitate to busy places obviously. This place is worth making busy!