Meath Restaurant Reviews

The Davestator

Having just moved from Louth to Meath, I couldnt see a 'restaurant review' thread on the Meath forum.
I found the one on the Louth forum great, and once you waded through all the 'one post wonders' saying how great a place x and y was, it was a very good source of info.

Most people dont eat out as often, so unbiased, truthful reviews are more important than ever.

Anyone interested?!

Heres a link to the Louth thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055302804

The Davestator

The only restaurant I've been in so far in Meath is Da Panza, Dunboyne.

I've been there twice so far and love it.
Pros
Food is lovely
Staff are very attentive
Price is OK, not cheap but not too expensive

Cons
Menu is a bit limited in terms of choice
Premises - its a shop unit that has been made look like a restaurant, and it doesnt have the old world feel you get in some places.

As I've said, I've been there twice, and will be back so its a thumbs up from me.

Sgt Pepper 64

http://www.menupages.ie/Meath/meath_central.aspx

this is what I use

wwww.menupages.ie

I like "The Loft", "Thai Orchid".
Bellinter house is fab

Happy eating!

mosey

I really like this place, like the variety and service is friendly, reasonable tool


http://www.redchilipepper.net/

FewToLose

You can't beat the Old Darnley Lodge in Athboy; the food is rarely bad and they serve all day

NufcNavan

FewToLose wrote: »

You can't beat the Old Darnley Lodge in Athboy; the food is rarely bad and they serve all day

Went there a few weeks ago and the service was ****e.

clint_silver

Ashbourne:

la bucca: lovely food
nice atmosphere and staff, daily specials, kids menu with colouring books and crayons. Can't go wrong but I find the menu a bit repetitive. I know the one in ratoath is the sane menu but I prefer goin there.

Ashbourne House: the restaraunt is ok, nice staff, middle of the road stuff. The hotel carvery is quite nice with play stuff for kids on a Sunday.

Ashbourne court restaraunt the anvil: my favorite, chef is great. Great kids menu, I don't understand why it doesnt do better.

Big ciceros: like to say cheap and cheerful but I wan cheerful leaving here 2 weeks ago after paying 6.50 for a baby bowl and half adult mains prices for kids meals. Put a decent kids menu on and I'd eat here a bit more. Food and staff were ok.

Jamuna: bog standard indian, if you've eaten on a decent Indian in Dublin this is not up to that standard. Haven't brought the kids.

Cinnamon garden: another average Indian, bought kids one Sunday afternoon, got fleeced. Won't be back. Why can't restaraunteurs understand that if you have a decent kids menu a a decent price families will go there?

Eatzen: Ive eaten out in Dublin a lot in both high and low brow places but this was the worst standard of Chinese food I've ever eaten. Went twice will not be back. Didn't bring kids. Atmosphere and staff were nice enough and for a night out with friends it looks like a bit of Craic as they have a karaoke room. Just the quality of the food.

Chinese restaraunt by supervalu, don't know the name of it; yea, it's ok, again standard Chinese stuff, I don't mind it here, kids like it. Reasonably priced, been a few times with no complaints.

clint_silver

That should read brought kids to cinnamon garden.

Anyway, the anvil my favorite.

My fav restaraunt in meath is the station house in kilmessan, very high standard of food.

Oh and the Marriott restaraunt is a bit upmarket as well.

Bill2673

I thought Eatzen was decent standard. Surprised you thought it so poor.

Will try La Bucca.

Not a restaurant but....

The Chocolate Shop/ Cafe in the main street in Ashbourne is super. Their hot chocolate is top class altogether.

clint_silver

Bill2673 wrote: »

I thought Eatzen was decent standard. Surprised you thought it so poor.

Will try La Bucca.

Not a restaurant but....

The Chocolate Shop/ Cafe in the main street in Ashbourne is super. Their hot chocolate is top class altogether.

I thought the food in eatzen was akin to an average takeaway. You'll eat it but In a restaraunt you expect better. That was first time, second time I ordered a fish that wasn't cooked properly. Wife likes it though. Maybe it's just me.
I eat in kohs in town a lot though so I judge my Asian meals by that.

The choccy shop is mmmmmm. A walk on a saturday morning down the village would not be complete without a trip in.

Twigster

Franzinis in trim is doing a three course meal for €25, good choice of food on the menu, there's a few quid added on if you go for some of the more expensive stuff, only applies to a few items, but i dont think they've skimped on the quality.

endplate

Dunderry Lodge is very nice. Only problem is it's a little out of the way like Belinter House. Ian the head chef (owner) is very good. The menu usually includes a lot of game which I love. A very close second but definatly tops for carvery is Trim Castle Hotel

Sgt Pepper 64

endplate wrote: »

Dunderry Lodge is very nice. Only problem is it's a little out of the way like Belinter House. Ian the head chef (owner) is very good. The menu usually includes a lot of game which I love. A very close second but definatly tops for carvery is Trim Castle Hotel

How much is the Trim Castle Carvery?

Mr.Applepie

endplate wrote: »

Dunderry Lodge is very nice. Only problem is it's a little out of the way like Belinter House. Ian the head chef (owner) is very good. The menu usually includes a lot of game which I love. A very close second but definatly tops for carvery is Trim Castle Hotel

I wasn't impressed with Dunderry Lodge when I went there about a year ago. We were in the seating area for 25 minutes before our drinks order was taken (we had to call someone over) with no explaination given for the delay. After another 15 minutes of waiting for our wine we ended up leaving and going to a lovely Italian restaurant on Flower Hill in Navan (I can't remember the name but it's next door to the chipper)


The Station House in Kilmessan was nice the last two times we've been and the staff were friendly.

NufcNavan

Aye, didn't like the Dunderry Lodge either. Was kept waiting very long and the food was ok but way overpriced.

kc66

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

How much is the Trim Castle Carvery?

Was there a couple of weeks ago and most things were around €12.70. Food was nice.
The Kelltic in Kells (part of the Headfort Arms) does two courses for €15. I got the bbq ribs and they are the nicest Iv had in years. Going back for more soon.

ibarelycare

clint_silver wrote: »

Eatzen: Ive eaten out in Dublin a lot in both high and low brow places but this was the worst standard of Chinese food I've ever eaten. Went twice will not be back. Didn't bring kids. Atmosphere and staff were nice enough and for a night out with friends it looks like a bit of Craic as they have a karaoke room. Just the quality of the food.

I'm surprised to hear this about Eatzen. I remember reading a review by that food critic that appears on The Restaurant and he said it was among the best Chinese food he'd ever eaten in Ireland! I've eaten in the one in Clonee and found it bog standard Chinese food, but my friend always raves about the one in Ashbourne.

My favourite Chinese in Meath is Tsangs in Littlepace in Clonee. A really nice restaurant setting, very attentive (if not over-attentive) staff, and they have some very different stuff on their menu, including an extensive range of fish. They also do a great all-you-can-eat buffet.

Another good Asian restaurant is The Mix in Ratoath. They do a various range of Asian cuisines, and the food is very tasty and quite different to other Asian restaurants, the presentation is very original and they have a good menu. They also have a karaoke room which is great craic. Decor is quite garish and tries too hard to be modern. Good for nights out with friends.

LaBucca in Ratoath is very good. Not very traditional Italian but I've never had a bad meal there. It is still slightly pricey, although they do a 20% discount on your bill if you go for Sunday lunch. Quite noisy, not great for romantic meals, better for big groups or families.

Venice in Dunshaughlin is a lovely Italian. It's such a pity it's in a terrible location surrounded by empty units because it's a gem of a restaurant. Food isn't overly-spectacular but it's always very tasty and it's cheap and cheerful. They do great early-bird menus, and a fantastic kiddies menu on a Sunday...think it's €5 for a 9" pizza/pasta (large bowl!)/something with chips, plus a scoop of icecream for dessert.

Fontanas on main street, Dunshaughlin...well you'd know it was owned by the Macari family as it is ridiculously overpriced. They are an "authentic" Italian restaurant...with no pizza on the menu. I've only eaten there once, garlic bread for starter was €5.95 and a bowl of pasta was about €15. Prices may have dropped since then but I won't be going back. Rude staff, mediocre food and just not a very pleasant experience.

Atomic Pineapple

I've only ever been to Zucchinis really as a Meath restaurant despite living in Meath all my life! :pac:

I was there recently enough and despite high praise from loads of friends and family I found it to be a bit of a let down.

The restaurant itself is stunning with a very nice layout and design.

The staff were friendly and we were promptly seated and our order taken quickly.

But the food was where I began to feel let down.

I got the soup for starter which was fine, it was very nice and I had no problem with it.

I then got the fillet steak, which while being nice and adequate it just didn't have that finished top quality taste to it. I have no problem paying big prices for top top quality food but the steak in Zucchinis felt like it was over priced for the quality I got.

I then got the apple crumble and custard for desert and had to leave most of it behind because of two reasons, the desert was way too large to serve anyone after they have had a full meal and the desert in itself wasn't very nice anyway, hard apples in an apple crumb are disgusting!

Overall I found it adequate without being anything special, slightly over priced, if it was cheaper I'd probably have been sligthly less fussed about the quality of the food.

pazza

Had the Sunday lunch in Knightsbrook a few Sundays ago - @ €29.50 for each meal, I had the card to "buy-one-get-one-free" and even then @ 29.50 for the 2 I still though it pricy when compared with Trim Castle. I think Knightsbrook is a lovely hotel, but the lunch was way overpriced for what you got - the best selection was in desserts:
Starters - poor selection, prawn-cocktail was bland.
Mains - both dinners were cold (one beef and one chicken)
Desserts - good selection, but actually when samples (the few we did as still hungry) - they were just ok (would have like a "love it" type).

The service was also way off - the maitre-de was almost rude and quiet condescending.

Had lunch the following week in Trim Castle (granded a Friday) and could only say nice things about staff and food.

Anyone else got any good/bad opinions of Knighsbrook - btw - I love their bar-food, and the golf club food is excellent.

Twigster

pazza wrote: »

the lunch was way overpriced for what you got.

The service was also way off - the maitre-de was almost rude and quiet condescending.

Anyone else got any good/bad opinions of Knighsbrook - btw - I love their bar-food, and the golf club food is excellent.

have to agree, anytime i've had food in knightsbrook the service has been sh1te. also it's overpriced.

Skrynesaver

While not the cheapest the food in town I really like the food in the Cinnamon Garden.

niallam

Cinnamon Garden do a happy hour special menu... I think it's €10 for starter and main, no choice on starter and choice of 4 for main course. Not bad value at all but i think its from 5-7 week days and 12-3 maybe on a sunday???

Apart from that the best fine dining restaurant has to be The Forge in Carnaross, well, just outside it. A little off the road but wort it every time i've been there. Amazing food always and very friendly

Carvery has to go to Trim Castle Hotel, always fast, good food and staff very helpful. Seating can be a problem because its always busy but last time we were there in a group of 12 they gave us a small room all for ourselves.

Was never impressed really with Eatzen, never saw what the hype was about.

I've heard good things about Venice in Dunshaughlin but again shame about the location.

China Garden in navan gets my vote for a chinese.

santiago

We went to Zucchinis on a Monday night .Big empty place at 7:30 pm.
It was a family event and we (table of 10)went for A la Carte Menu so we did spent a few quids.Unfortunatly the head chef (owner in the same time) was more or less asking us to leave at 10.
A few weeks ago we went to Venice in Dunshaughlin and everything was fab.
Even that we went for Early Bird the owner offered us a choice of Lemoncello or Sambuca.Much appreciated
China Garden gets my 'points' as well .Always good service and good food!

ljcoolk

I recommend La Bucca highly their chicken wings are to die for my only problem was I couldnt enjoy a drink cause I have to drink to Ratoath, But the good news for me at least is their expanding opening a new restaurant beside Spar in Dunboyne :-) and before christmas aswell

Feownah

It may be bit big for that relaxed dining experience to dine in the restaurant, but for takeaway I have to say I think the Oriental Palace Chinese on Kennedy Road is my favourite Chinese around http://www.orientalpalace.ie/, its yum, fillet of beef is nice and tender, they have good portion of veg in the meat dishes as well which i like. I have dined here as well and staff are friendly.

The Davestator

ljcoolk wrote: »

I recommend La Bucca highly their chicken wings are to die for my only problem was I couldnt enjoy a drink cause I have to drink to Ratoath, But the good news for me at least is their expanding opening a new restaurant beside Spar in Dunboyne :-) and before christmas aswell

They have a sign up on their window for staff, so hopefully they'll be open soon. Dunboyne needs another decent restaurant

bitemybanger

Anyone else here use Yelp?

Great app on the iPhone, tells you what's around you, exatly how far it is from you, contact info and reviews. Write your own after your visit to share.

Dempo1

NufcNavan wrote: »

Went there a few weeks ago and the service was ****e.

Agreed, appalling **** hole.

dixiefly

Khan Spices in Trim are now doing Sunday Lunch. €14.94 for starter, main course, soft drink and popadoms etc. Full menu is available, I think there is a small supplement for Prawns.

We ate there last Sunday & it was very good.

Faddymackshyte

I've eaten in Venice in Dunshaughlin numerous times and love it!!! The food is good and the staff are really cheerful even when you're one of 4 in the restaurant. I feel sorry for them that their location is dreadful, otherwise I think they'd be doing much better.

Has anyone been to that new Mexican place, El Toro Loco in Navan? I want to give it a shot but always prefer a bit of feed back first!!!

sofireland

Was wondering the same re El Toro Loco, the menu looks great! Though want to hear some feedback first, might just bite the bullet next week!