Pub dining in Cardiff

“The ambiance in this restaurant is first class. Ive dined there twice in the last year and the music selection / vibe was the first thing that I tuned into on both visits. Felt so welcome, special and looked after. The food was super tasty and an intriguing selection (would have been happy with anything on the menu really). Echo the comments in the other reviews on the Spinach gratin and short rib croquette. Cocktails visually decorative and well mixed and went down a storm with our party. Especially in Nightshade. Service excellent - Isabella (Italian)? Was fantastic with us but all staff very attentive. Simply can't wait to return.”

“The food and the cocktails were fantastic and our waiter Clev, was friendly and professional, and made our experience even more special.”

“After a long drive, this was just the ticket. Excellent Big Breakfast with a decent cup of black coffee to wash it down. Enjoyed it enough to have the same the next morning, too. My companion, who is local, will be back, too. Yes, there are better breakfasts out there, but not necessarily better value. They are a lovely couple that run the cafe, too.”

“Simply stunning! We chose the set menu which is great. We ordered prawns, skewers, beef and chicken. This was accompanied by rice and greens Staff were really friendly and the food tasted superb. We loved the venue too, very different and worth a visit”

“Came here with my parents for a social dining evening. The vibe was great, felt like an underground Spanish barn. We had lots of different food, my favourites were prawn bisque rice, Jamon Iberico, ox cheek and Cecina Caesar Will definitely be back”

“Always amazing service at Cote, Cardiff Bay. The food, decor, quick service if going to see a show, friendly staff and French vibe always makes this our go to. A special thank you to Kremena and Melissa!”

“absolutely fab boxing day at boom battle bar Cardiff with my family. all the staff were attentive and friendly, willing to go above and beyond to make our evening perfect. happily accommodating our party activities in between the darts and karaoke, giving us the space in the quieter section of the bar to play party games and eat. only downside was that area didn't have any heating on but understandably to save on the bills when it wasn't planned to be used at the time. the only other unfortunate complaint would be for the prices of drinks, they were a bit high for comfort. however, the experience in all was excellent and better than could be expected. we all had a fab time and are very grateful, diolch!”

“A long way out of town but fairly close to the Cardiff City stadium. And it was worth it. Lovely friendly pub. Loads of real ales. I found some Bombardier again!! It was empty when I walked in but packed an hour later with not enough staff!! Why on earth don't they pay extra staff, organise themselves and get a bumper Boxing day pay out !! After all January won't be busy. It really isn't rocket science. We gave up queuing in the end and went to the Stadium. They really are missing a trick with 3k away fans....considering it is such a lovely unique place...”

“We visited Wed 22nd for a date night. It was sooo nice. The food was delicious, and the staff were great. One sauce top up was slow- But the staff had a difficult table next and the one girl said she was very new, to us so we appreciated them being under pressure. The table next to us were about 8 elderly people. They demanded quicker service as they were going to the theatre. They left saying they had waited 45 mins- They absolutely hadn’t, we were there before them and within 30 mins had ordered, and had drinks and starters. They ate all the bread (without covering any cost) then caused a scene leaving as their drinks were arriving. The staff dealt with it very well. The bourguignon was the nicest I’ve had, and my hubby demolished the mushroom side….. He doesn’t even like mushrooms! I must admit- If it hadn’t been for the Cardiff Devils discount we likely wouldn’t have visited- But we’ll definitely be back!”

“Lovely evening celebrating my son’s 9th birthday. Food was fabulous, served fairly quickly and atmosphere was lovely and chilled. Nick our server was perfect, made a fuss of my son for his birthday, made us laugh and couldn’t have been a better host. Thank you so much!”

“A great place to eat with a very good choice of latino food. Great service from staff and also friendly too. Access from the street was easy and no steps to negotiate. I had the burrito for main and the cheesecake for dessert...delicious! I recommend visiting and I will be back. I suggest you book a table in advance.”

“This pub was close to our Bed and Breakfast place. The food and drinks were good & reasonably priced. It was our first dinner in Wales and we enjoyed our experience. The ambiance in the pub was nice.”

“Buzzing, friendly, lively bar with fantastic beer and great staff. I loved the decor style, and although it was very noisy it was great fun!”

“Bought a gift voucher for the 14 meats experience for my dad for his birthday and for a man that always finds a negative in everything usually, he came from viva la Brazil Cardiff having had the best evening. The food and the server (female, in her 20s working Sunday 4:15 booking on 7/12) was fantastic apparently. Very attentive and happy. My mum has a very small appetite so just had the salah option and said the standard was fantastic very good options and food. They will be back.”

“Made a last minute reservation for 5pm on New Year's Eve. For visit since it reopened as restaurant within The Red Lion. Lively deco , very clean , excellent welcome. Great menu with interesting Indian dishes as well as British and Italian food. We just had a starter and main course with side dishes and it was delicious. Full of delicate spices and not too hot , just right. A thoroughly delightful meal. The staff were attentive but not overbearing and served each dish with a broad smile , making us feel almost at home. The restaurant was fully booked from 7pm but they let us finish our drinks in the bar/ restaurant area up until we left at 7pm. What seemed like a boringly quite evening turned out to be just what we wanted. A return , with friends will be booked very soon. Highly recommended.”

“To call my recent evening at Las Iguanas in Cardiff Bay merely a "meal" would be an injustice. It was an event, a culinary explosion that set a new standard for dining. The atmosphere? Electric! The Latin American flavours in every dish were nothing short of sensational, and the cocktails were masterfully crafted—a true triumph, especially with the phenomenal two-for-one offer. But let me be absolutely clear: the true star, the radiant force that elevated this experience from great to legendary, was our floor server, Sage. Sage didn't just serve; she orchestrated our evening with flawless precision and captivating charm. Her attention was hawk-like, anticipating our every need before we even voiced it. When we had a minor request, she handled it with a confident flourish and an immediate resolution that left us stunned by her professionalism. Her genuine warmth wasn't just friendly—it was magnetic. In a bustling, high-energy environment, Sage possessed a poise and a radiant positive energy that is incredibly rare. She made us feel like royalty, and that level of dedicated, passionate hospitality is priceless. Sage is, without exaggeration, a monumental asset to the Cardiff Bay location, representing the pinnacle of customer service. Do not just visit Las Iguanas; demand to be seated in Sage's section! We will be returning to revel in this extraordinary experience again and again. Five stars is barely enough!”

“Who thought you could ever get excited by onion rings! Really! They're different to any I've had before. Not to mention a Chicken Burger that was so fresh and tasty, double cooked chips and the best pint of Bass real ale you'll find in the area. The staff were friendly, efficient but not over fussy and the Boss opened the restaurant part for us as the rest of the pub was full - on a Wednesday!”

“Visited with two friends and we all loved our experience! I ordered the bbq burger, a side caesar salad, and shared fries, all of which were delicious. We also had some of the £5 cocktails, which were pretty great for the price. Our server was really attentive as well :)”

“Over the years I have stayed at many hotels, each usually with their own restaurant, few are good, some mediocre and many are poor. Out of all the hotels I've stayed at I'm happy to say that the Chefs at this restaurant are why I return and why I'd say it's somewhere within my personal top 3 hotel restaurants I've dined at. The food is always genuinely excellent, a particular favourite is the scotch egg with pea puree and bacon jam... a good reason in itself to return! The pork belly with fennel, cabbage, potato gratin and sage stuffing is another excellent dish, each element is clearly treated with care and skill which absolutely shows in the finished product. Thank you to the chef for making another night away from home a little more tolerable by way of excellent cookery.”

“Special & “an Experience” - there is no other way to describe it except to say good value too. The decor is amazing and the service formal but in a wonderful way. It’s not somewhere to dash in and dash out. Rather it’s somewhere to relax and soak up the experience. Arguably, other places can sell better perhaps but none will rival will rival the range of menu options or the experience. The central bar island is a work of art and the venue loaded with wonderfully tended plants and interesting art. Where else can you have Champagne for breakfast?”

“Nice pub near the football stadium. Good banter before and after game.”

“We got the moussaka, the pastitsio, the saganaki with honey, and the lamb skewer and it was all brilliant! The saganaki and lamb skewer I'd say we're particular standouts but it was all quite good.”

“Had a great experience booking my works Christmas party here for 15 people! Staff were incredibly helpful and engaging. Food and Drinks were excellent. Great vegan options! Highly recommend!”

“We held my sons football team Christmas party here and I have to say they had a great time. The party package was such great value for money and the staff were brilliant. I would really recommend.”

“Had lovely room but there'd been a leak so moved to a suite. Very good stay. I wasn't well, the maids left me peace. Refrigerator was useful so I was able to keep cold water and a sandwich fresh. Only negative there's no light without getting out of the bed in the sitting room. Helpful staff. Free parking. Clean, quiet, 8 minute walk to the Bay.”

“I've stayed here with friends twice for spa weekends. The hotel is excellent. Great location, helpful staff, lovely facilities and rooms are nice. The afternoon tea is great, Spa is lovely and treatments are great. Can't wait to return again!!”

“The location is perfect, as it’s a short walk to all the city center attractions and to Cardiff Queen Street station. The room is comfortable and complete with all the amenities you may need. But what really stands out is the staff. All super nice and helpful. Special praise to Marina, whose amazing service provided an exceptional stay!”

“Charlotte and Jamal both made for a lovely experience. friendly, polite and joys, real credits to the place. Afternoon Tea food and dessert were amazing. Fully recommend for an afternoon out.”

“Fantastic place for drinks and food! The atmosphere here is amazing and the Cuban-inspired food here is delicious and offers something a bit different. Aside from the food choices there are so many great cocktail options. We even got to make some in our own masterclass behind the bar which was so much fun.”

“The food is absolutely delicious and the steak was absolutely stunning. Everything we had was cooked perfectly and I really enjoyed my evening. The staff and service was 10/10 so well done for that. Check my full review out on my instagram page @keemanaans_food_blog”