Reviews in Liverpool and Merseyside

Oh no! Two years ago we had the most fantastic meal here and returned for my birthday on 28 December as a special treat - it's a difficult time of year to celebrate, falling as it does midway between Christmas and New Year and we wanted to be sure of a good experience. Sadly, it was disappointing. As you still say on Sugarvine, it used to be a brasserie and separate restaurant - it is now all combined so, having dressed up (a bit!) and thinking we had booked the smart, more formal side it was a bit disappointing when a very casual group arrived at the next table, hot foot from the sales with many bags and coats (no coats were taken by the waiting staff by the way) for a bowl of soup and bottle of water... But, to the service and the food: we opted for the standard lunch and so it was - standard. The soup was good and flavoursome, the smoked salmon - well, smoked salmon. The main course of brill was mixed - the brill was perfectly cooked but the barley on which it sat was excessively salty and frankly the scatter of salad leaves on top would have been more at home in a gastropub. It was also a rather small portion. We were not asked if we enjoyed it and made a point of saying it was very salty: there was no response at all from the waitress, not even a ‘sorry’. The two waitresses who served us were by turns friendly and taciturn but neither seemed especially well trained, it was certainly not silver service. Our pre-lunch kir turned up in tumblers with ice and a straw - we sent it back for a more traditional treatment. The fact that we were charged £7.50 (or was it £7.90? can’t remember) each for these did not help our post prandial mood. When we queried the charge the waitress said ‘Yes, they are expensive’. We eschewed the bottle of wine and had a glass each as we were beginning to realise this was not the festive, utterly superb, reliable experience we had hoped for, based on our previous meal. In fact, we were not offered a wine list though Sugarvine says there are over 300 to choose from, there was a selection in the back of our menu which we can only assume is now the sum total of the wine on offer. This is not a place to go for a great lunch and it is far from cheap. Overall, service mediocre to poor, food OK but certainly not worth the price paid even for the set luncheon. Maybe we should have gone for dinner - but surely a place with a reputation like this should take more care of it?

Quite simply this place is a gem and the most authentic true thai restaurant in Liverpool. Friendly efficient service, fantastic fresh aromas and flavours and a good selection of reasonably priced wines to boot. Fish cakes and sea bass did it for me!

been to kozi on three occasions before our last disastrous time.paid an exhorbitant amount for tough pheasant and tough beef wont be going again

the staff absolutely amazing friendly, knowledgeable, speedy. The ribs are to die for char sui style lovely atmosphere, reasonably priced, value for money and plenty of it,well worth a visit.

I visited parnells last week and could not figure if it was meant to be a restaurant, bar or cafe. The prices were like a smack in the face! The music was terrible and the service was a little poor i waited up to an hour for my meal. I was a little disappointed as i was recommended by a friend.5/5 for me.

Having lived in Northern Spain for 8 years I feel I am in a great position to recommend this superb restaurant. I have visited the restaurant on many occasions and never been disappointed-I had to wait an hour to be seated once after pre booking, but it was a very busy Saturday night and Liverpools Spanish international Xabi Alonso was not given a table before me, He had to wait his turn. This is not a problem only a minor criticism in La Vina because the ambience is fantastic. I have tried every Spanish/Tapas restaurant in Liverpool and if you want authentic, regional Spanish cuisine this is the best in Liverpool bar none. I would recommend diners to concentrate on the tapas above the paella and be conservative with orders...a little goes a long way! The green beans and choritzo is the best reminder of my life in Spain since I actually returned there on holiday! Simple, beautiful flavors. The red table wine is strong and dark, perfect for this type of food. Overall this restaurant is my favourite in Liverpool despite a plethora of newer, more elaborate and expensive less satisfying restaurants. Try this place or miss out on one Liverpools hidden gems!!!! Superb!

Fantastic. we had our boxing day (2007) lunch there and the meals were great quality. The menu is varied and might appear a bit pricey but the food is cooked well, of high standard or presentation and much more importantly tastes tasty if you know what i mean. Excellent and will be going back there again. Its just a shame we didn't go there for our Christmas meal, which we had at the packet steamer down the road. Dont go there its rubbish.

I have eaten here three times. Boxing Day 2006 and Christmas Day 2007 and another day in 2007. On the first two occasions I felt ripped off by the poor presentation and quality of the food being served. On the other occasion i ate there I felt the same. This pub is overpriced for the standard of quality of food served. You will get much better quality and range of meals at the newly opened Pheasant Inn, Moss Lane off the Formby bypass. We had our boxing day meal there and it was fabulous, and cost us less than the costa packet steamer!

We went on Sunday evening and the food was lovely. The staff were great with my daughter and it was a very pleasant way to spend my birthday

Visited the restaurant on a team christmas lunch. The food was great and the waitress very friendly, considering she had 12 of us to deal with. The service was a bit slow but all the meals got delivered at the same time and as on a christmas treat we didn't mind waiting too much. Have intentions of visiting there again and trying other food off the menu.

Have been to this restaurant a few times for group occasions (birthdays etc) and always found it very good value for money. The food and service have always been great with very friendly staff.

we must have been very unlucky to visit Alma de Cuba this Christmas Eve as the chef's must have been at home waiting for Santa and left the ghosts (said to haunt the place) to cook the meals.......I returned my stone cold, watery, grey coloured pumpkin and cumin soup and another returned their sardines on a piece of rock hard crusty bread....worse to come was the dry cardboard effect turkey!!I can't begin to describe the Christmas pudding ..it had been moulded in a batter baking tray and looked like a mini frizzby and tasted of pure grease....thankfully a few bottles of wine helped.......£155 quid down the drain we won't be going there for food anymore....maybe just drinks as the building is still worth a look.

WENT ON BOXING DAY, LOVELY FOOD AND AS ALWAYS GREAT SERVICE..LOVELY PLACE TO EAT.

Visited here in December with friends & had a fantastic meal with excellent service as usual, despite several large parties where eating at the same time Staff here can't do more to help and the food is beautiful, my mum even asked for extra sauce for the cheesecake which was no problem! Definitely worth a try, fantastic value set meals and also lots of choice on a la carte

The food her is always lovely - freshly made to order and actually tastes authentic! Staff are very pleasant & helpful and there's always a good atmosphere

NICE LOVELY WELCOMING REATURANT I WILL DEFINATELY BE PAYING ANOTHER VISIT

We thought we would give this place a try - as the usual (U.N.I.) was shut. Firstly there was a hair in one of our starters and the salad was old and brown. The main courses were horrible, the rice had a funny smell to it the curry was bland. The only spicy thing we had was the pickle chutney. Would not recommend this place.

What a place! I love Spire, it's probably the best place i've been in Liverpool. It's cosy and the service has always been exceptional. The food is amazing, never had a complaint about any of the dishes i've ever tried. We have booked in for New Years Eve and i'm already licking my lips in anticipation!