Arrived to our booked table for 4, Saturday evening, thinking as we were seated this newly renovated Percy French does look lovely! We haven't been in The Percy French for a few years so with the reputation of the new American management we expected great things. We were very disappointed! say that the staff were lovely and tried their best, but the food wasn't up to standard, the portions were small, and the prices most certainly were overpriced. We were asked a couple of times if we wanted still or sparkling water for the table, we then opted for still water, unaware until the bill came, a bottle cost £6! Why!!? We were not given an option of tap water which would have been acceptable. The last draw was when we got the bill it had a 10% service charge added, this is an American thing, but not here, we would always tip if the service etc is good, but that's the customers choice! All in all we won't return here, there are plenty of other better options in Newcastle to choose from, being a former local and a regular visitor to family and friends in Newcastle. I definitely cannot recommend The Percy French!
Cinebobs
Lovely food. Great selection of food & drinks & a beautiful setting in front of the water. We were staying in the hotel & it was just a short dander away from it. Really recommend this restaurant ?
Courtney P
Had an amazing time at the Percy French. From the moment we walked in the staff were nothing but lovely. Myself and my partner were checked on multiple times, staff always ensuring we had a drink in hand, and food came out so quickly and was top quality. In particular Louise one of our servers was so friendly and made the whole experience. To top it off it was my birthday and they really made me and my partner feel so special during our visit. Food was outstanding, it is a bit pricier but in my opinion completely worth it. Will definitely be back. Big thank you to Louise for her kindness, I would come back solely for her service.
Connector797717
We’d been here for lunch just before lockdown and it was a pleasant experience. This time the food was lovely and staff very pleasant and attentive. The thing that we object to is the hidden charges. We ordered drinks and were prompted twice about having some water for the table. We agreed but didn’t realise it wasn’t complimentary and at £6 I’m sorry we left at least half behind. The other surprise was that a 10% service charge was added. I worked in hospitality for decades and never came across service charge for lunch and evening meals for parties of 6 or over. We discovered after we left it stated this charge at bottom of menu but we never saw it. We also left a tip on table before paying. If we’d known of service charge which should go to waiting staff we’d never have left a tip. This experience has left a sour taste with us after a nice meal.
Greig M
As locals nearing Xmas I took my mum for a pre Xmas dinner on a Tuesday 19th Dec, were told to 7pm was booked out and to come an hour early to...a very empty restaurant. Were strangely greeted by disheveled staff to a very tiny table barely big enough for 2 plates and not so we could even face each other. Customer comfort at the expense of maximising space. The selection was standard fare but as a chef I guess they could do just one thing well. After finally waiting for our order taken I had to try the steak medium rare as that's hard to do poorly. The small thing that came out was rare in parts. I told this to the staff but they just said they would tell the chef to do better. All in all it seemed disappointing that the lack of passion from anyone and everyone in the building. We did enjoy the view, outdoor decorations on the lawn and were happy to wave at the kids that came round on the Santa experience every 20 mins. As a Newcastle resident it was almost a decade since I had dishearteningly eaten there and I am happy to report the decor has improved dramatically, unfortunately it maybe another decade before I return if the experience is going to be similarly lack lustre.
HolidayLover2020
Admittedly, I was a bit worried about coming here (it was included in our hotel package) after hearing reviews on and offline. I had absolutely nothing to be worried about. The staff were super friendly and the food was great. The atmosphere was a little lacking, but that’s not a massive deal. The steak was the star of the show and it was cooked to perfection and so unbelievably tender. The chunky chips were so crispy and the peppered sauce was lovely. My starter was the honey and soy chicken and it was full of flavour. The vegetables were so fresh. I’m a huge foodie - and I would definitely return to Percy French. Well done ??
davidlU7821US
Nice decor, pleasant staff, ordered the 8oz Wagyu beef burger with fries, it all tasted fine but the issue was the beef burger was hardly even a quarter pounder never mind 8oz !!! For £21 this meal was totally inadequate.
Andymac1200
Dropped in for a booked 2 course evening meal. Amy met us and looked after us throughout the evening. Food was delicious and complementary glass of red as this was our wedding anniversary. 10 out of 10 for all aspects of our visit. Will be back again soon.
Vickksvapour
A wonderful meal with wonderful staff, Amy, Christine and another waitress who served us were all so courteous, kind and so attentive. The plates were cleared, husband says the best medium sirloin he's had in a very long time. Couldn't fault it whatsoever. Amazing job folks
Kenneth_Butler
My family booked this restaurant more than a month in advance for my mother's 80th birthday. Clearly a very special occasion with family arriving from around the globe to celebrate the event! Only to be told upon our arrival that the table was not yet ready and having to wait for more than an hour before being seated! This was just the beginning to a diabolical evening of horrendous non existent service! The waitress allocated for a table of 18 people had no clue whatsoever and could not cope! Guests had not been offered any starters nor any deserts! We received our meals in drips and drabs from the kitchen along with some waiting for almost an hour for their order! Empty plates were not cleared from the table and just left for the duration of the evening! The meals were a disgrace for the prices charged! A complete 'rip off' evening with no acknowledgment nor apology from management! The disappointment and frustration was immense and felt by everyone concerned! Avoid this restaurant at all costs!
Really disappointed with the sirloin steaks.. Ordered the £35 Sirloin Steak.. Received a Really thin cut steak that was definitely not what I was expecting.. Then they automatically add 10% to the bill ,, USA style.. You will not get away with this in N Ireland... Especially when the food is not up to the standard required.. Very expensive and not a great menu to pick from.. So disappointed
QuailtyAboveAllElse
I ate at Percy French's restaurant during a recent stay at Slieve Donald. I asked for water and was brought a 750ml bottle of Tipperary Still for one person - costing £6 (€7 /$7.50). Three slices of bread cost £4 (€5/$5.50) - so £10 for literal bread and water. I ordered a medium-rare sirloin steak, when it arrived- it was well done - there wasn't even a whisper of pink when I cut into it. It took five minutes to flag down a staff member to have it rectified (aside from this the staff were all very pleasant and welcoming). When the second £35 (€41/$44) steak arrived, it was blu. I didn't have it in me to complain again so I ate it - it was not overly enjoyable. The cut was of extremely low quality, was no more than 5/6oz and was no thicker than a minute steak. I welcome paying good money for quality food, but absolutely nothing about this was quality - it was nothing more than a rip-off. Sadly, despite wanting to like it, I could not recommend Slieve Donard to a friend.
K8778OBjow
This bar used to be a great place. They recently decorated but not great. Tables are all moved and not for the better of the bar! No more comfy seats! Prices through the roof. Very disappointing....£41 for 4 drinks?
850JoeS
Nestled in the grounds of the beautiful Slievedonard Hotel lies it’s outpost restaurant, Percy French. It’s just inside the entrance gates and, in all honesty, if it was lifted by a magical ‘air-crane’, placed on the the other side of the entrance, it would have been put out of its misery years ago. Because, no one would go. It’s that bad…. However, because the Slievedonard keeps linking their stay-packages to this gastronomic ‘repeat-offender’, Percy French doesn’t HAVE to improve, as they have a fresh batch of diners trudging in and out for their inclusive package meal nightly. I said, ‘repeat-offender’?…I’ll explain; I’ve been twice, the first time was awful and the worse dining experience of my life, but on Saturday they beat their own record, it’s got worse!!… The ambience in the restaurant is that of an empty school dinner-hall, the decor is woeful, and lighting as subtle as a low winter sun. Gastronomy here is amateur hour: An uneatable lentil soup that didn’t even taste of lentil!…I still don’t know what it tasted of but it had the emulsive quality of paint. How did they do that?! Lentils are lentils, surely?!? This pushed-aside starter was followed by a chicken and mushroom tagliatelle. Sounds nice? No. Percy French add the uncomplimentary ingredients of sundried tomato and artichoke. It doesn’t work, it was awful too and I gave up half way through. My partners steak was a cinder-fest and managed to make her mouth feel like a sponge as the ribeye desperately tried to retake its lost moisture equilibrium. I told the staff it wasn’t good. They did ask. They looked like they hear this all the time, and offered no resolution but winning smiles. The staff were really nice though.
Gee
Decor was outdated.Wife chili beef was very dry and the side of rice was hard and dry.My rare sirloin was poorly seasoned and this bland, however it was perfectly rare. It did not have much of a seat or crust either. They must have seared it on a low temperature pan and did not use butter to enhance the flavour profile or any herds like rosemary, sage or garlic. My family found their food to be very lacking too.The staff seemed friendly, however forgetful, not remembering what I asked for on a few occasions. They also left the remaining 5 bottles of beers, along with all the empty glass bottle too which left us no room on the table. This shows a big lack of interest to accommodate customers and or care for their time and interest in their place of work.Overrated, overpriced and very underwhelming food. Not impressed. I really expected more from this place. What a shame after spending so much money here.
Arrived to our booked table for 4, Saturday evening, thinking as we were seated this newly renovated Percy French does look lovely! We haven't been in The Percy French for a few years so with the reputation of the new American management we expected great things. We were very disappointed! say that the staff were lovely and tried their best, but the food wasn't up to standard, the portions were small, and the prices most certainly were overpriced. We were asked a couple of times if we wanted still or sparkling water for the table, we then opted for still water, unaware until the bill came, a bottle cost £6! Why!!? We were not given an option of tap water which would have been acceptable. The last draw was when we got the bill it had a 10% service charge added, this is an American thing, but not here, we would always tip if the service etc is good, but that's the customers choice! All in all we won't return here, there are plenty of other better options in Newcastle to choose from, being a former local and a regular visitor to family and friends in Newcastle. I definitely cannot recommend The Percy French!
Lovely food. Great selection of food & drinks & a beautiful setting in front of the water. We were staying in the hotel & it was just a short dander away from it. Really recommend this restaurant ?
Had an amazing time at the Percy French. From the moment we walked in the staff were nothing but lovely. Myself and my partner were checked on multiple times, staff always ensuring we had a drink in hand, and food came out so quickly and was top quality. In particular Louise one of our servers was so friendly and made the whole experience. To top it off it was my birthday and they really made me and my partner feel so special during our visit. Food was outstanding, it is a bit pricier but in my opinion completely worth it. Will definitely be back. Big thank you to Louise for her kindness, I would come back solely for her service.
We’d been here for lunch just before lockdown and it was a pleasant experience. This time the food was lovely and staff very pleasant and attentive. The thing that we object to is the hidden charges. We ordered drinks and were prompted twice about having some water for the table. We agreed but didn’t realise it wasn’t complimentary and at £6 I’m sorry we left at least half behind. The other surprise was that a 10% service charge was added. I worked in hospitality for decades and never came across service charge for lunch and evening meals for parties of 6 or over. We discovered after we left it stated this charge at bottom of menu but we never saw it. We also left a tip on table before paying. If we’d known of service charge which should go to waiting staff we’d never have left a tip. This experience has left a sour taste with us after a nice meal.
As locals nearing Xmas I took my mum for a pre Xmas dinner on a Tuesday 19th Dec, were told to 7pm was booked out and to come an hour early to...a very empty restaurant. Were strangely greeted by disheveled staff to a very tiny table barely big enough for 2 plates and not so we could even face each other. Customer comfort at the expense of maximising space. The selection was standard fare but as a chef I guess they could do just one thing well. After finally waiting for our order taken I had to try the steak medium rare as that's hard to do poorly. The small thing that came out was rare in parts. I told this to the staff but they just said they would tell the chef to do better. All in all it seemed disappointing that the lack of passion from anyone and everyone in the building. We did enjoy the view, outdoor decorations on the lawn and were happy to wave at the kids that came round on the Santa experience every 20 mins. As a Newcastle resident it was almost a decade since I had dishearteningly eaten there and I am happy to report the decor has improved dramatically, unfortunately it maybe another decade before I return if the experience is going to be similarly lack lustre.
Admittedly, I was a bit worried about coming here (it was included in our hotel package) after hearing reviews on and offline. I had absolutely nothing to be worried about. The staff were super friendly and the food was great. The atmosphere was a little lacking, but that’s not a massive deal. The steak was the star of the show and it was cooked to perfection and so unbelievably tender. The chunky chips were so crispy and the peppered sauce was lovely. My starter was the honey and soy chicken and it was full of flavour. The vegetables were so fresh. I’m a huge foodie - and I would definitely return to Percy French. Well done ??
Nice decor, pleasant staff, ordered the 8oz Wagyu beef burger with fries, it all tasted fine but the issue was the beef burger was hardly even a quarter pounder never mind 8oz !!! For £21 this meal was totally inadequate.
Dropped in for a booked 2 course evening meal. Amy met us and looked after us throughout the evening. Food was delicious and complementary glass of red as this was our wedding anniversary. 10 out of 10 for all aspects of our visit. Will be back again soon.
A wonderful meal with wonderful staff, Amy, Christine and another waitress who served us were all so courteous, kind and so attentive. The plates were cleared, husband says the best medium sirloin he's had in a very long time. Couldn't fault it whatsoever. Amazing job folks
My family booked this restaurant more than a month in advance for my mother's 80th birthday. Clearly a very special occasion with family arriving from around the globe to celebrate the event! Only to be told upon our arrival that the table was not yet ready and having to wait for more than an hour before being seated! This was just the beginning to a diabolical evening of horrendous non existent service! The waitress allocated for a table of 18 people had no clue whatsoever and could not cope! Guests had not been offered any starters nor any deserts! We received our meals in drips and drabs from the kitchen along with some waiting for almost an hour for their order! Empty plates were not cleared from the table and just left for the duration of the evening! The meals were a disgrace for the prices charged! A complete 'rip off' evening with no acknowledgment nor apology from management! The disappointment and frustration was immense and felt by everyone concerned! Avoid this restaurant at all costs!
Restaurantji Recommends
Really disappointed with the sirloin steaks.. Ordered the £35 Sirloin Steak.. Received a Really thin cut steak that was definitely not what I was expecting.. Then they automatically add 10% to the bill ,, USA style.. You will not get away with this in N Ireland... Especially when the food is not up to the standard required.. Very expensive and not a great menu to pick from.. So disappointed
I ate at Percy French's restaurant during a recent stay at Slieve Donald. I asked for water and was brought a 750ml bottle of Tipperary Still for one person - costing £6 (€7 /$7.50). Three slices of bread cost £4 (€5/$5.50) - so £10 for literal bread and water. I ordered a medium-rare sirloin steak, when it arrived- it was well done - there wasn't even a whisper of pink when I cut into it. It took five minutes to flag down a staff member to have it rectified (aside from this the staff were all very pleasant and welcoming). When the second £35 (€41/$44) steak arrived, it was blu. I didn't have it in me to complain again so I ate it - it was not overly enjoyable. The cut was of extremely low quality, was no more than 5/6oz and was no thicker than a minute steak. I welcome paying good money for quality food, but absolutely nothing about this was quality - it was nothing more than a rip-off. Sadly, despite wanting to like it, I could not recommend Slieve Donard to a friend.
This bar used to be a great place. They recently decorated but not great. Tables are all moved and not for the better of the bar! No more comfy seats! Prices through the roof. Very disappointing....£41 for 4 drinks?
Nestled in the grounds of the beautiful Slievedonard Hotel lies it’s outpost restaurant, Percy French. It’s just inside the entrance gates and, in all honesty, if it was lifted by a magical ‘air-crane’, placed on the the other side of the entrance, it would have been put out of its misery years ago. Because, no one would go. It’s that bad…. However, because the Slievedonard keeps linking their stay-packages to this gastronomic ‘repeat-offender’, Percy French doesn’t HAVE to improve, as they have a fresh batch of diners trudging in and out for their inclusive package meal nightly. I said, ‘repeat-offender’?…I’ll explain; I’ve been twice, the first time was awful and the worse dining experience of my life, but on Saturday they beat their own record, it’s got worse!!… The ambience in the restaurant is that of an empty school dinner-hall, the decor is woeful, and lighting as subtle as a low winter sun. Gastronomy here is amateur hour: An uneatable lentil soup that didn’t even taste of lentil!…I still don’t know what it tasted of but it had the emulsive quality of paint. How did they do that?! Lentils are lentils, surely?!? This pushed-aside starter was followed by a chicken and mushroom tagliatelle. Sounds nice? No. Percy French add the uncomplimentary ingredients of sundried tomato and artichoke. It doesn’t work, it was awful too and I gave up half way through. My partners steak was a cinder-fest and managed to make her mouth feel like a sponge as the ribeye desperately tried to retake its lost moisture equilibrium. I told the staff it wasn’t good. They did ask. They looked like they hear this all the time, and offered no resolution but winning smiles. The staff were really nice though.
Decor was outdated.Wife chili beef was very dry and the side of rice was hard and dry.My rare sirloin was poorly seasoned and this bland, however it was perfectly rare. It did not have much of a seat or crust either. They must have seared it on a low temperature pan and did not use butter to enhance the flavour profile or any herds like rosemary, sage or garlic. My family found their food to be very lacking too.The staff seemed friendly, however forgetful, not remembering what I asked for on a few occasions. They also left the remaining 5 bottles of beers, along with all the empty glass bottle too which left us no room on the table. This shows a big lack of interest to accommodate customers and or care for their time and interest in their place of work.Overrated, overpriced and very underwhelming food. Not impressed. I really expected more from this place. What a shame after spending so much money here.