Not an inspiring place, no immediate welcome smile until approaching the bar. Slow and disinterested service. Although not very busy the staff, including the manager, were not watching for signals for attention. We later learned the business is closing on 15 February. The food was tasteless and undercooked. One dish had to be returned with the one being just as bad. Not recommended.
Val C
I would have made my comments to a member of staff but no one asked me. The café wasn’t busy. I have eaten here many times before and was looking forward to a croque monsieur. Unfortunately it is not served until midday. I ordered avocado on toast (£7.95) with an extra poached egg. It wasn’t unpleasant but nor will I come back for more. I had one average sized thin piece of toast spread thinly with smooth avocado which had some pink onion on top. The single poached egg (for £1.85!?! ) was barely warm. It was OK but it felt mean and I was left feeling disappointed. My local café at Newlands Corner also serves avocado on toast with poached eggS, admittedly it costs £1 more but is generous and a joy to eat; we are regular customers. My husband had the grand breakfast which for £10.95 was much better value with 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 rashers of bacon, hash browns, tomato, beans etc. Not very French, it’s true, but a very decent breakfast.
Patricia Norris
My 80th Birthday treat on Christmas Eve. My choice of restaurant. Do love it there.Garlic mushrooms then 5oz Steak and Fritters followed by a beautiful Lemon Tart with a Birthday candle. Thank you
finn peter
Amazing service and a nice evening meal. Only thing bad was that they ran out of the sirloin steak which was disappointing but the alternative was delicious and all together good night out.I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others
Pisces232
The Cafe Rouge is in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. It is very busy so it’s sensible to book. There is a reasonable menu with something for most people. Our starters, prawns and Calamari were dry as they had been heated, probably in a microwave oven. Quite noisy because it is large and full of customers. It is very popular. The staff were friendly and efficient. The restaurant was very clean and the toilets are immaculate.
Princess Hindsight
Came here for Eggs Benedict one morning.Ambience and atmosphere was nice, great views and feel to the place.Server was quick to serve me.Coffee was nice. Eggs Benedict came out and it looked ok.The muffin was nicely toasted, poached eggs were cooked well with a runny centre as they should be. Hollandaise was very nice. Only let down was the ham.. it smelt and tasted like cheap York ham. Was thinly sliced from a packet and the taste did not compliment the dish. It was a let down for me.I have had better Eggs Benedict at a weatherspoons!If cafe rouge could change the ham to a thicker better quality ham, then this dish would be very nice.It took quite a while to get the bill. I stopped a member of staff to ask him for this and he never came back. I waited longer but decided to go up to the till and pay there.
John Spilman
Lunch, overall very good, atmosphere, service, food, wine all pretty good. The olives are great. The Cabernet Sauvignon is good. But, if anyone at The Big Table reads this, do please get proper fillet steak. Chewiness in a £29 fillet is bad. At that price it should be spot on, and it wasn't.
Linda Randall
Was looking for a good breakfast venue at Gunwharf Quays and Café Rouge was all we could find. Staff seemed stressed or disinterested. Food was only warm and cold by the time we'd finished and not well presented.Our waitress was lovely although under a lot of pressure it seemed.
Peter Marsden
So wonderful to find a Cafe Rouge again. This one retains all the style and flavour of Rouges of old. Ambience was deemed by there being two large parties in, but that is forgivable in the run up to Christmas.
holidaymad49
My friend and I visited yesterday, we went for the festive set menu, I had the turkey meal and she had the Lentil Wellington. Our food was nice and hot, my turkey was a bit over cooked, the roast potatoes were horrible awful taste so I left them, the carrots were nice, sprouts nice but over cooked. My friend said her Lentil Wellington was nice and it came with a salad with warm new potatoes. We both went for the Warm Apple tart with ice cream, we could have done with a fork as well as a spoon as it was hard to stop it moving about the plate. The atmosphere was nice, service was good, they were very busy and didn't appear to have that many staff working the tables, maybe 3 or 4. Improvements could have been better roast potatoes, food not being overcooked such as turkey and sprouts. This is a processed food restaurant but yes I would give it another try perhaps for the afternoon tea menus as they looked nice.
Set Menu wasn't available despite being listed in the window and this was replaced by a more expensive Festive Menu which was slightly misleading. The food was good but portions were small, so left still feeling hungry. Apart from that the service was good and the restaurant is a pleasant environment.
56Debbie2013
Ordered 2 x The Festive Menu, 2 courses for £19. Dreadful. Potatoes and vegetables in the Turkey meal came from the freezer, probably the turkey and pig in blanket also. My husband’s sirloin steak was inedible. They offered to replace the meals and when we said no thank you they removed them from the bill. The pate starter and cheesecake dessert were fine.
Trevor E
Very enjoyable lunch, with speedy and courteous service. Spoilt to some degree by despite it's French name. No Rose available. Check out any supermarket to see how popular Rose has become. Also again for a French named restaurant no cheeseboard !!
Nigel Parish
It's always a safe bet. We've never booked but they've always fitted us inService is perfect. The food is good and it's clean. Even the toilets are nice.Really well decorated too.Highly recommended
Aurea Bellatrex
Food :Taste like a water ?Soup of the day( leak and potato )Service:15 min waiting for Staff to take a order30 min waiting for order to comeAtmosphere:Setting outside you have beautiful view of the sea
Not an inspiring place, no immediate welcome smile until approaching the bar. Slow and disinterested service. Although not very busy the staff, including the manager, were not watching for signals for attention. We later learned the business is closing on 15 February. The food was tasteless and undercooked. One dish had to be returned with the one being just as bad. Not recommended.
I would have made my comments to a member of staff but no one asked me. The café wasn’t busy. I have eaten here many times before and was looking forward to a croque monsieur. Unfortunately it is not served until midday. I ordered avocado on toast (£7.95) with an extra poached egg. It wasn’t unpleasant but nor will I come back for more. I had one average sized thin piece of toast spread thinly with smooth avocado which had some pink onion on top. The single poached egg (for £1.85!?! ) was barely warm. It was OK but it felt mean and I was left feeling disappointed. My local café at Newlands Corner also serves avocado on toast with poached eggS, admittedly it costs £1 more but is generous and a joy to eat; we are regular customers. My husband had the grand breakfast which for £10.95 was much better value with 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 rashers of bacon, hash browns, tomato, beans etc. Not very French, it’s true, but a very decent breakfast.
My 80th Birthday treat on Christmas Eve. My choice of restaurant. Do love it there.Garlic mushrooms then 5oz Steak and Fritters followed by a beautiful Lemon Tart with a Birthday candle. Thank you
Amazing service and a nice evening meal. Only thing bad was that they ran out of the sirloin steak which was disappointing but the alternative was delicious and all together good night out.I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others
The Cafe Rouge is in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth. It is very busy so it’s sensible to book. There is a reasonable menu with something for most people. Our starters, prawns and Calamari were dry as they had been heated, probably in a microwave oven. Quite noisy because it is large and full of customers. It is very popular. The staff were friendly and efficient. The restaurant was very clean and the toilets are immaculate.
Came here for Eggs Benedict one morning.Ambience and atmosphere was nice, great views and feel to the place.Server was quick to serve me.Coffee was nice. Eggs Benedict came out and it looked ok.The muffin was nicely toasted, poached eggs were cooked well with a runny centre as they should be. Hollandaise was very nice. Only let down was the ham.. it smelt and tasted like cheap York ham. Was thinly sliced from a packet and the taste did not compliment the dish. It was a let down for me.I have had better Eggs Benedict at a weatherspoons!If cafe rouge could change the ham to a thicker better quality ham, then this dish would be very nice.It took quite a while to get the bill. I stopped a member of staff to ask him for this and he never came back. I waited longer but decided to go up to the till and pay there.
Lunch, overall very good, atmosphere, service, food, wine all pretty good. The olives are great. The Cabernet Sauvignon is good. But, if anyone at The Big Table reads this, do please get proper fillet steak. Chewiness in a £29 fillet is bad. At that price it should be spot on, and it wasn't.
Was looking for a good breakfast venue at Gunwharf Quays and Café Rouge was all we could find. Staff seemed stressed or disinterested. Food was only warm and cold by the time we'd finished and not well presented.Our waitress was lovely although under a lot of pressure it seemed.
So wonderful to find a Cafe Rouge again. This one retains all the style and flavour of Rouges of old. Ambience was deemed by there being two large parties in, but that is forgivable in the run up to Christmas.
My friend and I visited yesterday, we went for the festive set menu, I had the turkey meal and she had the Lentil Wellington. Our food was nice and hot, my turkey was a bit over cooked, the roast potatoes were horrible awful taste so I left them, the carrots were nice, sprouts nice but over cooked. My friend said her Lentil Wellington was nice and it came with a salad with warm new potatoes. We both went for the Warm Apple tart with ice cream, we could have done with a fork as well as a spoon as it was hard to stop it moving about the plate. The atmosphere was nice, service was good, they were very busy and didn't appear to have that many staff working the tables, maybe 3 or 4. Improvements could have been better roast potatoes, food not being overcooked such as turkey and sprouts. This is a processed food restaurant but yes I would give it another try perhaps for the afternoon tea menus as they looked nice.
Restaurantji Recommends
Set Menu wasn't available despite being listed in the window and this was replaced by a more expensive Festive Menu which was slightly misleading. The food was good but portions were small, so left still feeling hungry. Apart from that the service was good and the restaurant is a pleasant environment.
Ordered 2 x The Festive Menu, 2 courses for £19. Dreadful. Potatoes and vegetables in the Turkey meal came from the freezer, probably the turkey and pig in blanket also. My husband’s sirloin steak was inedible. They offered to replace the meals and when we said no thank you they removed them from the bill. The pate starter and cheesecake dessert were fine.
Very enjoyable lunch, with speedy and courteous service. Spoilt to some degree by despite it's French name. No Rose available. Check out any supermarket to see how popular Rose has become. Also again for a French named restaurant no cheeseboard !!
It's always a safe bet. We've never booked but they've always fitted us inService is perfect. The food is good and it's clean. Even the toilets are nice.Really well decorated too.Highly recommended
Food :Taste like a water ?Soup of the day( leak and potato )Service:15 min waiting for Staff to take a order30 min waiting for order to comeAtmosphere:Setting outside you have beautiful view of the sea