Absolutely stunning food…..fabulous service and a great atmosphere. Will definitely be going again when in Dorchester.
Bradb90
Dining at Luciano's Brewery Square in Dorchester proved to be a delightful culinary adventure. The evening was marked by a reunion with a long-time business acquaintance, making the experience not just about food, but also about rekindling connections. The star of the meal was undoubtedly the Porchetta. Expertly cooked, it struck the perfect balance between tenderness and flavor, showcasing the chef's skill in handling classic Italian cuisine. Accompanying this dish was the Roast Garlic and Basil Mash. This side dish was a revelation – the garlic's robustness perfectly complemented by the freshness of basil, all brought together in a creamy, smooth texture that elevated the entire dish. But the true showstopper of the evening was the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. It was a masterpiece of sweetness and texture. Each spoonful of this unbelievably moist pudding felt like a celebration of traditional British desserts, making it a memorable end to an already impressive meal. Overall, Luciano's Brewery Square stands out not only for its exceptional culinary offerings but also for its ability to create an atmosphere that's perfect for both casual dining and special reunions. A gem in Dorchester's dining scene, it's a place that beckons for repeated visits
PAYTON C
Went for Christmas Lunch. Appetiser and starter were pleasant but then waited around 45 minutes for our main course. The plate arrived piled high with veg and at the bottom were a few dried up pieces of turkey which were tough, dry and reheated so much the edges were curled up and brown on one or two of the pieces. There was no cranberry jelly as stated on the menu. When I mentioned the turkey to Kyle I was told "it's because it has been reheated in our pizza oven". We had the profiteroles for desert which were supposed to be served with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Found them inedible, the pastry was peculiar not choux. There was no ice cream on the plate just cheap cream from a can and some sort of cheap chocolate sauce drizzled on top. The coffee tasted stewed with no petit fours as stated on the menu and no hot milk as requested. When the bill came I mentioned I had already paid £100 deposit which they disputed. Kyle shouted over the tables that I hadn't paid it, so I was forced to pay the full price for the 2 meals. After checking my accounts I was right I had already paid £100 and there was difficulty trying to get it paid back into my account without having to either visit the restaurant (40 minutes away) or accept some sort of postal order. Kyle was not able to deal with this so I was passed on to David who eventually called me back and reimbursed me over the phone. Before we even got the bill the staff were round the bar inappropriately celebrating. A customer before us left some change as the tip, I suspect on top of the 12.5% service charge that was on the bill, but once the customer left the coins were distributed between the staff who were amused by the tip and started joking around by throwing the coins on the floor in the middle of the restaurant while we were still there. Would not visit again, totally unprofessional, terrible food and the Manager is very rude.
Chloe H
Amazing night out, food was amazing, drinks were 100%, and the staff were absolutely amazing and fantastic!
bridgie47bw
Spent Christmas day lunch here and had a fabulous meal, delicious roast potatoes, great service, lovely staff, very tasty well prepared food, a stress free and enjoyable day. Definitely visiting again soon. Thank-you to all.
Escape18397500839
TL;DR Please, don't. It is a great shame that this restaurant, with its location and decor, has such potential but falls a long way short of any reasonable expectation for quality and enjoyment. The front of house team are friendly and tried their very best to save our evening, but as a fellow diner said 'they'd been thrown under a bus'. I visited for an evening meal with two families as our pre-Christmas celebration. We pre-ordered from the set Christmas menu but left very disappointed and with a deep sense of pity for the young and inexperienced team trying to get things right. I'm not quick to complain and wouldn't usually bother with reviews, but the stakeholders of this restaurant need to step up and help their team do much, much better if they hope to keep any semblance of satisfaction for its customers, staff, and hope for a future. I have never before eaten in a restaurant that I have ranked so poorly (did you know it's not possible to leave a zero star review?). There were so many things that went wrong and the restaurant being empty, save for one other table of four, for the entire evening from our arrival at 7.30pm on the Friday before Christmas, hinted at the experience that was to come. We had to return five baked camembert starters that were each only baked on the surface. These were part eaten, fingered for testing, returned to the kitchen, and delivered back to the guests at random. We failed to identify whose fingers had been dipped into which cheese. The mains came complete with hair but devoid of flavour. Lasagne ranked 6, gammon meat a 7, but all other meals (8 in total) and accompanying vegetables could not be eaten. Deserts were not so bad. The Affogato, Panna Cotta, and brownie were eaten. The tiramisu servings could not be, they had turned sour. The toilets are not clean but I'll leave that description lacking. Dining out these days is expensive but not unnecessarily so. Ingredients, rent, rates, wages, and energy are all at an all time high. We expect to spend a lot to dine out on special occasions, to make them just that, special, but this occasion failed.l in many respects. We did not save our feedback for this review but were constructive with it for the young team doing their best with what they are given, but we shall not be returning and we would not recommend a visit to this restaurant until significant interest and remedial action is taken by its owners and management team. More than our disappointment at a bad experience is our despair for this establishment. Very simply, is not fair nor reasonable to put staff and customers through this and if must do better if it is to survive.
Richard W
Firstly let me congratulate the front of house staff, your service is what’s the star is for. We can honestly say we have now been to a 1 star restaurant. When we arrived at 7:30 there was 1 table of 4 and another couple walked in just after us, they left very quickly and we thought that doesn’t bode well. Why was it so empty on the Friday before Christmas. Parts of the meal was ok but the majority was awful. One tip is don’t go for the tiramisu it was off! Overall not great and we won’t be going back!!
Ryan D
Heard there was a live band and came in for a date night with my partner, ended up being far better than we expected. David and Abin were stellar, recommended us drinks. Very impressed with service, will be coming back to try the food next time! Thanks for a great night!!
janecakebread
What a shame. Staff lovely but food not good at all. We were a party of 6 and the only ones in the restaurant on the Wednesday before Christmas!! Food below par and served very strangely. Unfortunately we will not be returning.
suepW8075CU
The restaurant was completely empty when we arrived, I was there with six friends. My pasta dish was completley tasteless, there was no seasoning what so ever, had to return it, I then ordered a pizza which was a lot better. The ladies toilets were disgusting, they smelt and was absolutely filthy. I will not be returning
Amazing roast dinner!! Food has improved massively! Really good portion and really tasty. Good value and nice atmosphere. Dog friendly in the bar area. Staff are really friendly and nice. Thank you very much. Will definitely be visiting again!
Jethro672
Each time ive visited I've hoped there would be significant improvements - and there have been. I've had a very good steak there and other meals although there have been other issues such as an unacceptable Tiramsu or a poor steak. But what I dislike immensely is being taken advantage of. Charging £7.50 for a pint of Peroni. Not only is Peroni (it's the only draught lager they had) not that great, why would you charge £7.50 for it. I'm not sure I've even paid that in London. So why?
Tracwel
A flavour of Fawlty Towers without the humour! We are not complainers but reading the Manager’s responses to other poor reviews says it all. Rather than trying to deny there is a problem, use these as constructive criticism to sort the problem out and avoid these reviews. We were two couples out for a pre-Christmas meal. We view ourselves as easy going and understanding of the pressures of running a busy restaurant. There was a large Christmas party but only a handful of other small tables and for a large space it felt pretty empty. The negatives: No-one took a drinks order. The wines were listed as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc etc but with no other detail. They may as well just list it as house white. It wasn’t particularly palatable. The bruschetta served with the starters needed a hammer and chisel to break it. The chicken Milanese was off the menu, as was the carbonara (what Italian restaurant doesn’t have carbonara and isn’t this made fresh?) and my husband ended up with an inedible burger. The steak ordered by our friend was just a lump of fat and sinew and also totally inedible. It was sent back and replaced by what I can only describe as a minute steak, also inedible. His meal came out when we had finished ours so he had to eat alone. He eat when he got home as he was so hungry. The positives: The waiting staff were doing their best and one (who turned out to be the owner’s daughter) was excellent. She was very apologetic and tried her best to sort our orders. I hope she reports back to her dad that we told her she was too good for this place! I hope she also tells him that he needs to change his butcher. I don’t think any self respecting restaurant manager/chef would accept the quality of beef served to us. Aside from the steaks and burger, the pork dish was really good. We were given complimentary limoncello and 25% off the bill. At the end of the day it was good of them to reduce our bill but all we wanted was a good meal at the full price. And if the chef can turn out a really decent pork meal he can obviously cook but needs to sort out the ordering and change his butcher if that is his remit. Reading other reviews it seems that not having everything on the menu is very commonplace. It was a disappointing evening and unfortunately we won’t be returning. Lucio’s needs to up its game if it has any chance of competing with the other really good restaurants in Brewery Square.
Anthea G
Had a lovely meal last night which was served in good time with very good service. Waitress was very efficient but also friendly.
Lloyd N
Absolutely fantastic. Hosted our Christmas Party last night and everybody loved their meals and felt really well looked after. Great range of starters, mains and puddings, all cooked brilliantly whilst making adjustments based on requirements of the guests. I personally had the baked Camembert starter, truffle tagliatelle and warm brownie, enjoying all three and recommending others already to book in when they can. Organising the meal was easy and Kyle communicated well over the last few weeks, being very flexible and understanding of me being useless getting people's food choices sorted promptly. Ultimately, they were great. They let me get in slightly early to set up the table with a Christmas Quiz, asking if they could assist with anything without being pushy and delivering a great meal and service throughout the evening. Thank you guys!
Absolutely stunning food…..fabulous service and a great atmosphere. Will definitely be going again when in Dorchester.
Dining at Luciano's Brewery Square in Dorchester proved to be a delightful culinary adventure. The evening was marked by a reunion with a long-time business acquaintance, making the experience not just about food, but also about rekindling connections. The star of the meal was undoubtedly the Porchetta. Expertly cooked, it struck the perfect balance between tenderness and flavor, showcasing the chef's skill in handling classic Italian cuisine. Accompanying this dish was the Roast Garlic and Basil Mash. This side dish was a revelation – the garlic's robustness perfectly complemented by the freshness of basil, all brought together in a creamy, smooth texture that elevated the entire dish. But the true showstopper of the evening was the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. It was a masterpiece of sweetness and texture. Each spoonful of this unbelievably moist pudding felt like a celebration of traditional British desserts, making it a memorable end to an already impressive meal. Overall, Luciano's Brewery Square stands out not only for its exceptional culinary offerings but also for its ability to create an atmosphere that's perfect for both casual dining and special reunions. A gem in Dorchester's dining scene, it's a place that beckons for repeated visits
Went for Christmas Lunch. Appetiser and starter were pleasant but then waited around 45 minutes for our main course. The plate arrived piled high with veg and at the bottom were a few dried up pieces of turkey which were tough, dry and reheated so much the edges were curled up and brown on one or two of the pieces. There was no cranberry jelly as stated on the menu. When I mentioned the turkey to Kyle I was told "it's because it has been reheated in our pizza oven". We had the profiteroles for desert which were supposed to be served with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Found them inedible, the pastry was peculiar not choux. There was no ice cream on the plate just cheap cream from a can and some sort of cheap chocolate sauce drizzled on top. The coffee tasted stewed with no petit fours as stated on the menu and no hot milk as requested. When the bill came I mentioned I had already paid £100 deposit which they disputed. Kyle shouted over the tables that I hadn't paid it, so I was forced to pay the full price for the 2 meals. After checking my accounts I was right I had already paid £100 and there was difficulty trying to get it paid back into my account without having to either visit the restaurant (40 minutes away) or accept some sort of postal order. Kyle was not able to deal with this so I was passed on to David who eventually called me back and reimbursed me over the phone. Before we even got the bill the staff were round the bar inappropriately celebrating. A customer before us left some change as the tip, I suspect on top of the 12.5% service charge that was on the bill, but once the customer left the coins were distributed between the staff who were amused by the tip and started joking around by throwing the coins on the floor in the middle of the restaurant while we were still there. Would not visit again, totally unprofessional, terrible food and the Manager is very rude.
Amazing night out, food was amazing, drinks were 100%, and the staff were absolutely amazing and fantastic!
Spent Christmas day lunch here and had a fabulous meal, delicious roast potatoes, great service, lovely staff, very tasty well prepared food, a stress free and enjoyable day. Definitely visiting again soon. Thank-you to all.
TL;DR Please, don't. It is a great shame that this restaurant, with its location and decor, has such potential but falls a long way short of any reasonable expectation for quality and enjoyment. The front of house team are friendly and tried their very best to save our evening, but as a fellow diner said 'they'd been thrown under a bus'. I visited for an evening meal with two families as our pre-Christmas celebration. We pre-ordered from the set Christmas menu but left very disappointed and with a deep sense of pity for the young and inexperienced team trying to get things right. I'm not quick to complain and wouldn't usually bother with reviews, but the stakeholders of this restaurant need to step up and help their team do much, much better if they hope to keep any semblance of satisfaction for its customers, staff, and hope for a future. I have never before eaten in a restaurant that I have ranked so poorly (did you know it's not possible to leave a zero star review?). There were so many things that went wrong and the restaurant being empty, save for one other table of four, for the entire evening from our arrival at 7.30pm on the Friday before Christmas, hinted at the experience that was to come. We had to return five baked camembert starters that were each only baked on the surface. These were part eaten, fingered for testing, returned to the kitchen, and delivered back to the guests at random. We failed to identify whose fingers had been dipped into which cheese. The mains came complete with hair but devoid of flavour. Lasagne ranked 6, gammon meat a 7, but all other meals (8 in total) and accompanying vegetables could not be eaten. Deserts were not so bad. The Affogato, Panna Cotta, and brownie were eaten. The tiramisu servings could not be, they had turned sour. The toilets are not clean but I'll leave that description lacking. Dining out these days is expensive but not unnecessarily so. Ingredients, rent, rates, wages, and energy are all at an all time high. We expect to spend a lot to dine out on special occasions, to make them just that, special, but this occasion failed.l in many respects. We did not save our feedback for this review but were constructive with it for the young team doing their best with what they are given, but we shall not be returning and we would not recommend a visit to this restaurant until significant interest and remedial action is taken by its owners and management team. More than our disappointment at a bad experience is our despair for this establishment. Very simply, is not fair nor reasonable to put staff and customers through this and if must do better if it is to survive.
Firstly let me congratulate the front of house staff, your service is what’s the star is for. We can honestly say we have now been to a 1 star restaurant. When we arrived at 7:30 there was 1 table of 4 and another couple walked in just after us, they left very quickly and we thought that doesn’t bode well. Why was it so empty on the Friday before Christmas. Parts of the meal was ok but the majority was awful. One tip is don’t go for the tiramisu it was off! Overall not great and we won’t be going back!!
Heard there was a live band and came in for a date night with my partner, ended up being far better than we expected. David and Abin were stellar, recommended us drinks. Very impressed with service, will be coming back to try the food next time! Thanks for a great night!!
What a shame. Staff lovely but food not good at all. We were a party of 6 and the only ones in the restaurant on the Wednesday before Christmas!! Food below par and served very strangely. Unfortunately we will not be returning.
The restaurant was completely empty when we arrived, I was there with six friends. My pasta dish was completley tasteless, there was no seasoning what so ever, had to return it, I then ordered a pizza which was a lot better. The ladies toilets were disgusting, they smelt and was absolutely filthy. I will not be returning
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing roast dinner!! Food has improved massively! Really good portion and really tasty. Good value and nice atmosphere. Dog friendly in the bar area. Staff are really friendly and nice. Thank you very much. Will definitely be visiting again!
Each time ive visited I've hoped there would be significant improvements - and there have been. I've had a very good steak there and other meals although there have been other issues such as an unacceptable Tiramsu or a poor steak. But what I dislike immensely is being taken advantage of. Charging £7.50 for a pint of Peroni. Not only is Peroni (it's the only draught lager they had) not that great, why would you charge £7.50 for it. I'm not sure I've even paid that in London. So why?
A flavour of Fawlty Towers without the humour! We are not complainers but reading the Manager’s responses to other poor reviews says it all. Rather than trying to deny there is a problem, use these as constructive criticism to sort the problem out and avoid these reviews. We were two couples out for a pre-Christmas meal. We view ourselves as easy going and understanding of the pressures of running a busy restaurant. There was a large Christmas party but only a handful of other small tables and for a large space it felt pretty empty. The negatives: No-one took a drinks order. The wines were listed as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc etc but with no other detail. They may as well just list it as house white. It wasn’t particularly palatable. The bruschetta served with the starters needed a hammer and chisel to break it. The chicken Milanese was off the menu, as was the carbonara (what Italian restaurant doesn’t have carbonara and isn’t this made fresh?) and my husband ended up with an inedible burger. The steak ordered by our friend was just a lump of fat and sinew and also totally inedible. It was sent back and replaced by what I can only describe as a minute steak, also inedible. His meal came out when we had finished ours so he had to eat alone. He eat when he got home as he was so hungry. The positives: The waiting staff were doing their best and one (who turned out to be the owner’s daughter) was excellent. She was very apologetic and tried her best to sort our orders. I hope she reports back to her dad that we told her she was too good for this place! I hope she also tells him that he needs to change his butcher. I don’t think any self respecting restaurant manager/chef would accept the quality of beef served to us. Aside from the steaks and burger, the pork dish was really good. We were given complimentary limoncello and 25% off the bill. At the end of the day it was good of them to reduce our bill but all we wanted was a good meal at the full price. And if the chef can turn out a really decent pork meal he can obviously cook but needs to sort out the ordering and change his butcher if that is his remit. Reading other reviews it seems that not having everything on the menu is very commonplace. It was a disappointing evening and unfortunately we won’t be returning. Lucio’s needs to up its game if it has any chance of competing with the other really good restaurants in Brewery Square.
Had a lovely meal last night which was served in good time with very good service. Waitress was very efficient but also friendly.
Absolutely fantastic. Hosted our Christmas Party last night and everybody loved their meals and felt really well looked after. Great range of starters, mains and puddings, all cooked brilliantly whilst making adjustments based on requirements of the guests. I personally had the baked Camembert starter, truffle tagliatelle and warm brownie, enjoying all three and recommending others already to book in when they can. Organising the meal was easy and Kyle communicated well over the last few weeks, being very flexible and understanding of me being useless getting people's food choices sorted promptly. Ultimately, they were great. They let me get in slightly early to set up the table with a Christmas Quiz, asking if they could assist with anything without being pushy and delivering a great meal and service throughout the evening. Thank you guys!