Reviews in Harrogate

We had the Sunday lunch deal on 25 January 2009. It was good value for money and compared favourably to other Italian restaurants in harrogate. The portions were large and the service was good. We also ordered the garlic bread as an extra and it was delicious.

We have just visited this restaurant after reading a favourable review in a magazine in our B&B. We arrived and went downstairs to the restaurant to find a few tables with guests, but no waiting staff. After what felt like way too long the waitress appeared. Unfortunately the waitress knew very little about the menu and only told us after about 10 mins of looking at the menu that many of the shellfish dishes were unavailable... I ordered a half lobster to start, much of which was so over-seasoned it totally overpowered the taste of the meat. The main course of scallops was so over-seasoned with salt and pepper it was awful and the scallops themselves were overcooked - this is coming from someone who loves salty foods! It's a real shame as it is not often that we treat ourselves to an expensive meal and this could have been so much better. My partner's pumpkin risotto was very tasty and his starter of fishcakes were good, if a bit measly - so not a total wipe-out but we would not visit again.

I'm afraid to say this was the poorest burger I've had since I was burning my own on a camp fire down the river aged 8. Add this to surly waiting staff and you can only wonder how they've survived so long.

A truly awful meal! cheap and tired ingredients, cooked and served with indifference. how anyone can spoil a burger to this extent is beyond me.

Quite a remarkable little place. This special little pub will appeal to those who seek absolute quality! It's not expensive but worth a visit for those with discerning tastes. A Country Inn with a hell of a difference!

What a great way to get lost and unwind in such tranquil settings. This was our fifth visit to the Willow Restaurant and each time our trips just get longer. Margaret and the staff are without a doubt the most heartwarming and welcoming people you could ever wish to meet. It goes without saying that the cuisine at the Willow is as always delightful with a wonderful range of home made treats and locally sourced produce. After such a lovely meal what better way to unwind then heading back to our room with a bottle of the gorgeous Whistling Duck wine from the restaurant. With a gorgeous private living room the accommodation offers the ideal setting to just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet offered by the Yorkshire Dales. We will be sure to return next year for another week of much needed rest and relaxation. Mrs Holmes Devon

We happened to stumble across this hidden gem whilst out walking. Set back off the main busy Pateley Bridge street, the Willow Restaurant is one of the dales best kept secrets. With its traditional setting the restaurant and its staff could not have being more welcoming. The menu was exactly what we were looking for and we waited in the relaxed bar area. Once seated we enjoyed what has to be said the most amazing home made soup and roll myself and my wife have ever tasted. With the such a start to the meal it seemed somewhat hard to beat. Oh how wrong we could have being. I settled for the roast Beef with home made Yorkshire puddings. Well I have to say I have not enjoyed a meal as much in some time. Everything down to the seasoning of the home made gravy was just a delight. My wife’s home made seafood pancake was just as pleasing. With what was a treasure chest of fresh fish. With our plates clean we could only mange the delights of the fresh ground coffee. Great food, great service and at remarkably reasonable prices. We will be certain to call back at the The Willow Restaurant soon and await more true homemade delights. Mr & Mrs Collingham - Cheshire

had a great time food was brill prices good food service fast will go again 7 ladies saturday night 15 november 2008

Let this be a lesson to all diners....don't let the funky decor and misleading menu descriptions fool you into entering this restaurant. The mozzerella and ham starter with tomato sauce was bland and under seasoned leaving me reaching for my glass of water to help enhance the flavour. Following this was the meat cannelloni which contained less meat than a Linda McCartney sausage but a years supply of spinach, enough to keep popeye happy for a while anyway. Maybe more attention should've been to the food than the funky decor when they started this venture. Then to complete my dining experience i was shocked to find that a gratuity was automatically added to the bill. I would never have tipped anywhere that served such bland food but for them to assume that their food is good enough to deserve this is down right ludicrous. To conclude - Lovely surroundings, great decor.......awful food...

i have lived in harrogate for many years and frequent only two restaurants, on thursday evening i was going to the cinema and decided to have dinner at the Phoenix as it is a minute walk away from the cinema. I wondered why i have never been to this restaurant as i really enjoyed my beef in black bean sauce and my friend had the king prawn kung po which was really tasty also the portion size was larger than the chinese restaurant i usually frequent, great food and friendly service will be back next week for my friends birthday.

Called in to the Old Station on a local walk. Very impressed with the warm welcome, a lovely pint of Abbot ale and their fish & chip lunch. Was all very good quality; much better than the average pub. We intend to return.

Visited as a group of 2adults and 4 children during the opening week and the service was really good. For Harrogate, so was the cost! Food was lovely and an impressive menu selection. No children's menu as such but they were happy for the kids to share pizza. we would definitely return. Enjoy!

I ate here as I came here as a child, unfortunately the service was poor, the burgers were no better than McDonald's, it was expensive given it's lack of flavour and most of all long island ice teas are supposed to be a long drink! Poor! Even overheard the staff moaning about tips! Appalling!

William and Victoria's was a fantastic find. We came up from London to stay in Harrogate for the York Ebor race meeting which was cancelled and went to the wine bar for lunch. The food and service was excellent so we returned the following evening! The wine bar has a real buzz and we met lots of people..... who needs racing!

We arrived for our pre-booked table at 8.30pm on Saturday 16th Aug and thought we were in trouble when only 2 other tables were occupied! Bearing in mind there are around 30 tables inside and another 15 outside to say in was quiet is an understatement. Service was fine - not great but fine, wine was reasonably priced but warm! I had to add ice. We ordered French onion soup to start - my absolute favourite soup - but not this time!!! It was thick and black with very little onions!! It actually tasted like beef gravy granules with some onions thrown in - it really was terrible and was promptly sent back. Friends ordered prawns and said they were good. For the main course I ordered salmon fish cakes, when they arrived it looked like a “chicken nugget and chips” type meal. I asked the waiter if they were fresh or frozen out of a box and he said yes from a box in the freezer - after a few bites this was also sent back, this certainly was not was I was expecting. My husbands fish was a very small portion and under cooked, the wrong steak arrived for one friend BUT the Poulet Breton hit the spot for another. All in all a complete waste of money and time and will never go back to a Café Rouge - which is why I have written this review to hopefully stop someone else wasting their cash too!!!

My wife and I have just returned from The Harrogate Brasserie after a three night break. The room was fabulous, the service, perfect. A simply marvelous eating experience. The staff couldn't have been more friendly. I would recommend his hotel and restaurant to anybody. Book now and look forward to the best experience you could wish for. If possible try and book a room at the rear of the hotel. It can be a little noisy from the traffic and late night revellers.

I hated the wretched place. It seemed to me to gorify meat eating, but a heart by-pass perhaps changes ones views. I dont know who runs the place now but it used to be a thoroughly objectionable american who was nasty to both customers and staff alike. I shall not return - and I recommend you to do the same

Good: Reasonable and sincere wine list. Menu that shows great potential if cooked properly. Bad: What arrived at our table on a Thursday evening was not cooked with passion. Salmon was slightly over done, the bed of noodles over cooked to resemble a portion of supernoodles. Likewise my wild boar was dry and the roast potato cake that came with it slightly bland and pointless. As a restaurant that one assumes is amongst the best in Harrogate it needs to pull it's socks up in the kitchen if it wants to continue charging the prices it does.