Life Boat - Hastings

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

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!

This was my favourite place for freshly cooked, quality fish Chips went last night and had the most awful meal, grey fish, supposedly Cod with thick Black skin left on, chips that looked re heated what on earth has happened in only...a few months!!! I ordered a large Cod and Chips as well as a medium when we unwrapped them at the car the large Cod was two floppy medium fish usually cooked to order, these were already cooked in the cabinets so goodness knows for how long. The Fish truly was awful, soft soggy batter and really grey fish grand total of !!! I won’t be going back, how sad and disappointing

Large cod and chips .... ****... i.m a local.. visit numerous fish and chips along the seafront.....was the worst ever eaten,,,,thin, grey and tasteless ,,, walk along the road to the others....in a word ,,garbage

My family had fish and chip shops and the Life Boat is one of the best I have visited. The fish was fresh and the batter crispy. They do leave the skin on the fish but it is easily removed. Mushy peas were just the...right consistency. I noticed local workers eating there. Highly recommended.