Cathedral Bar & Grill - Maynooth

Rdwrer

Anyone been to the new Cathedral Bar & Grill in Maynooth? What's it like?

L1011

Its still Mantra, just warmed over a bit.

Orion

Was in there last night for one. Very underwhelming. Pints were ok. Staff were ok. Toilets stank to high heaven. The kicker was when I was coming out of the loo the corridor was lined with lots of food stuffs from the kitchen - sauces, pasta and other things. Right outside the toilets. I won't be eating there that's for sure.

SQ2

The story I repeatedly heard was that "I can't see where they've spent 2 mil!"
I'm not sure what they expect 2 mil to get you, but I can see a lot of work has gone into the place, and haven't been upstairs yet.
I actually like the changes in it, more room and better atmosphere IMO. Outside space hasn't changed a whole lot, but better use of it by opening up the booth seating.

We went to try the food despite the reports, but having met someone there who was eating at the time in a party of 4, they weren't impressed in the least! They'd waited 40 min to get their starter, the chips were definitely greasy/soggy looking and one person who was having a steak suspected the steak had been microwaved (most likely not, but that was their feeling on it!!) another good friend suffered an unfortunately bland burger at the weekend also.
I've seen the various facebook reviews and didn't pay too much heed for various reasons including writing the whole review in text speak, and others bitching about not being admitted with VIP passes, but it's more likely the bouncers just didn't like the look of them!!
But I'd like the place to succeed so I really hope they pull their socks up in the food department to give yet another option. Maynooth already has so many has so many great options for food and far better priced as well, so it has some way to go yet unfortunately it would seem.

Stone Haven got our business in the end which was a visit to the 80's in décor, and prices were late 90's.

Pint of Lager was €5.30 during the day in Cathedral by the way!

L1011

Stone Haven's decor is basically The Orange Tree unchanged as far as I remember - which is from quite a while ago... (http://www.irishtimes.com/news/mixed-bag-at-the-orange-tree-1.257390)

1800

SQ2 wrote: »

Pint of Lager was €5.30 during the day in Cathedral by the way!

Was charged the same, utterly scandalous price in this day and age. The sooner Weatherspoons takes over here and knocks some reality into pub pricing the better. Its certainly different to Mantra, but then again different isnt always better. Its early days so I'll give it a chance but already the Bouncers are acting up from accounts I've heard and seen.

The locals and students are its bread and butter so they need them onside. Its not a high end New York nightclub, this is a small college town in Kildare were talking about so all this exclusivity is not needed and pisses people off like Mantra did.

chocksaway

The toilets are the exact same as mantra. They havent been touched at all. Still have the same broken sinks and dodgy taps and asthmatic hand driers. Food is grand but service was slow the day we were there.

Having said that, the chicken wings are the nicest ones I've ever had. Ever. Anywhere.

MotorMike

Was in a week ago for food!
Initially took 10 mins to be noticed and handed menus, Ordered drinks, Another 10 before they arrived.
I ordered steak which took 40 mins for medium and it still came cold. Paying €26 for a fillet steak in Maynooth and getting 0 sides with it didn't sink well with me. Service poor, Food poor, Overpriced. Could eat in most places in Dublin for similar and not need a torch from your phone to see what you're eating (true story)

Back to the Avenue with me.
Herself was proved correct on the night, Stick with what you know.

1800

MotorMike wrote: »

Back to the Avenue with me.
Herself was proved correct on the night, Stick with what you know.

Thats the thing with food, most people dont eat out regularly these days so when you do venture somewhere you want to know you'll get a decent meal and service especially considering the prices. I dont eat out often but while trying new places is fun I often find myself returning to the same reliable places.

MickH503

SQ2 wrote: »

Stone Haven got our business in the end which was a visit to the 80's in décor, and prices were late 90's.

Haven't been in there in years, is it still good food?

SQ2

Not great, pricey enough too. Service was good though. The mid week steak on a stone could be good though, I think it's €16-€17. But other than that I wouldn't see a return visit in the near future.

Rdwrer

Thanks for the replies. Might give it a miss so

IrishAlice

MickH503 wrote: »

Haven't been in there in years, is it still good food?

I have to say I've never had a bad meal in Stone Haven. The midweek set menu is very good value and the service is always excellent.

ixus

MotorMike wrote: »

Was in a week ago for food!
Initially took 10 mins to be noticed and handed menus, Ordered drinks, Another 10 before they arrived.
I ordered steak which took 40 mins for medium and it still came cold. Paying €26 for a fillet steak in Maynooth and getting 0 sides with it didn't sink well with me. Service poor, Food poor, Overpriced. Could eat in most places in Dublin for similar and not need a torch from your phone to see what you're eating (true story)

Back to the Avenue with me.
Herself was proved correct on the night, Stick with what you know.

Why did you pay? Why didn't you send the food back if not up to scratch? Starving or not, paying that much for a terrible steak is crazy when you could walk across to O'Neills in seconds or anywhere else.

Atomic Pineapple

Is it just a bar and restaurant now and no nightclub? What time does it stay open until on a Saturday night?

Rathkenny

IrishAlice wrote: »

I have to say I've never had a bad meal in Stone Haven. The midweek set menu is very good value and the service is always excellent.

I agree. I really like Stone Haven and find it very good value.

tvnutz

Atomic Pineapple wrote: »

Is it just a bar and restaurant now and no nightclub? What time does it stay open until on a Saturday night?

Didn't end until 3am last Saturday night. In terms of a nightclub, its much better making it one venue, having the stairs in the middle so you can go up an down instead of having two separate clubs like Mantra.

That's probably the only positive, pints were expensive, they pumped 2million into the place and didn't touch the toilets? That was one thing that badly needed doing up, half the dryers don't work, not enough urinals, half the locks on cubicles are broken. Very stupid not to do them up. The upstairs smoking area hasn't been ipen last 2 weeks, downstairs one is pretty much the same except for a new little mini, almost secret bar, not bad if you want a bit of quiet.

Have not been in for food, don't really intend on it. Mad that the pints are that expensive during the day, I can kind of understand it at night, a lot of clubs up the price after a certain time,but during the day? Mad.

Atomic Pineapple

Thanks tvnutz, I have a poker night every so often with a few lads over and we have headed to Mantra afterwards before, I was unsure if it still stayed open late on a Saturday night, thanks for the info.

L1011

Twenty to 1 on a Thursday and it's closed - it's gone beyond being just mantra to being useless mantra.

2ndcoming

Students away in fairness Maynooth is always a ghost town during the summer outside the weekends.

Agree with what most people have said, it's basically just the same as it was. Considering it was closed for three or four months I would have expected a bit more.

If anyone remembers the nightclub in the Setanta in Celbridge, 'The Crooked Steeple', it's almost identical. Gothic churchy theme, big rectangular bar in the middle, lots of wood and big wooden stairs beside the bar.

It's like stepping back in time to 2001, just waiting to hear R. Kelly Ignition for the timewarp to be complete.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Was in twice for food. The first time was their opening week for lunch. The food took nearly 90 minutes to come out and was bad. Really fatty chicken wings with no side. The second time was for dinner where I ordered their burger and pint special for 12.50. The pint was their own brew and by god it was horrible. Couldn't finish it. The burger was frozen in the middle. Its mantra with crap food. If they play to the student market (i.e cheap drink nights) then they will be grand. Unfortunately, they seem to have done a mantra and think that the place should be "exclusive" and "vip". Its a night club in a small Kildare town, get a hold of yourselves lads for jesus sake. I'd give it till Christmas, maybe

Patser

Could be a sign of reality kicking in, or trying not to fall flat.

Signs outside Cathedral today about an All New menu, €5 starters, €10 for Mains.

IrishAlice

They got their marketing completely wrong to begin with.

€10 for a main isn't too bad but after all the reviews I've read I don't think I'd go there for food. It feels like it'd be a wasted treat!

rachel1122

I was in Cathedral last night, their prices for pints have gone down to €4.70 if im correct for Heiniken and €4.50 for guinness. They brand new staff in the kitchen AND all the starters are €5 and all mains €10. Food was great. At the start it may have been bad im just speaking from my experience!!

Moonbeam

http://www.ticketstop.ie/view.php?id=537 Wheatus are doing a gig there:)

IrishAlice

rachel1122 wrote: »

I was in Cathedral last night, their prices for pints have gone down to €4.70 if im correct for Heiniken and €4.50 for guinness. They brand new staff in the kitchen AND all the starters are €5 and all mains €10. Food was great. At the start it may have been bad im just speaking from my experience!!

I'm not being smart but the fact that you joined boards specifically to post this really looks like you're connected to the place!

rachel1122

I am up looking for accommodation for college and i joined boards for the housing in maynooth threads. i went in with my mum for dinner after looking at a house. i dont care what you say about the place but my time was enjoyed

L1011

How do you know the prices have "gone down" if you've never been there before?

rachel1122

because.....Pint of Lager was €5.30 during the day in Cathedral by the way! <<<< this was said?!?! I dont even know maynooth but if this is what ye are all like i dont think i want to!! Im 18 and its my first time moving out of home!!!

2ndcoming

rachel1122 wrote: »

because.....Pint of Lager was €5.30 during the day in Cathedral by the way! <<<< this was said?!?! I dont even know maynooth but if this is what ye are all like i dont think i want to!! Im 18 and its my first time moving out of home!!!

Well, I don't believe you for a plethora of reasons. I know Boards are very strict on shilling, personally it doesn't bother me and it's good to know the prices have come down.

What does bother me is people who lie when challenged.

You registered for the Accomodation at Maynooth thread but didn't bother to go there because you simply couldn't contain your opinion of a pub who according to your story you would never even have heard of before, so that was your only post until you were challenged, 3 and a half hours later you headed to the Accomodation at NUIM thread and posted the completely and utterly vague "I need a place too!".

Right....

rachel1122

ok i dont care if you think that! i actually applied last night for a waitress job in cathedral so hopefully they will see this and hire me! good luck to you all. and by the by.......i got my viewing for accomodation from boards by seeing a phone number on here peace out

IrishAlice

This is too funny, things must be bad if they're getting someone to post on Boards about the new kitchen staff and cheaper drinks!

Patser

Noticed 2 other things today passing through town ;

The new prices are only til August 31st

There's a new Mexican restaurant opening next door soon (Fridas painted on old shop to right of Cathedral) , so yay another restaurant in Maynooth!! Never can have enough.

Also has anyone ever noticed how clustered all the pubs are? McMahons to The Roost is only about 200m but that's all 5 pubs walked by.

L1011

Patser wrote: »

Also has anyone ever noticed how clustered all the pubs are? McMahons to The Roost is only about 200m but that's all 5 pubs walked by.

Mythology in the town was that they ensured there was a side of the road the seminarians could walk down without pubs on it - suspect that is just that, a myth. O'Neills is a very new (just over a decade) addition. The Roost is also less old than the original three (Bradys, LA/Cathedral and Caulfields/McMahons) so it must have been a case of them just opening very close to the town square.

Maynooth until the 1960s was a very small town hence everything on Main Street; and the first major development of houses outside the town - Rail Park, Greenfield Estate and Carton Court in the early 70s - somehow didn't spawn a pub. Newtown Inn was being discussed in the late 1980s but didn't open until the early 2000s.

SQ2

rachel1122 wrote:

I am up looking for accommodation for college and i joined boards for the housing in maynooth threads. i went in with my mum for dinner after looking at a house. i dont care what you say about the place but my time was enjoyed

Did your mum have the pint of Guinness or did you Rachel?

BuffyBot

Folks, leave the moderation to the mods.

The Mulk

L1011 wrote: »

Mythology in the town was that they ensured there was a side of the road the seminarians could walk down without pubs on it - suspect that is just that, a myth. O'Neills is a very new (just over a decade) addition. The Roost is also less old than the original three (Bradys, LA/Cathedral and Caulfields/McMahons) so it must have been a case of them just opening very close to the town square.

Maynooth until the 1960s was a very small town hence everything on Main Street; and the first major development of houses outside the town - Rail Park, Greenfield Estate and Carton Court in the early 70s - somehow didn't spawn a pub. Newtown Inn was being discussed in the late 1980s but didn't open until the early 2000s.

I remember reading this "fact" in The Liffey Champ. just before O'Neills was opened.
It was said there couldn't be a pub or betting shop on this side of the street, to protect the seminarians from temptation.
A nice little story whether it's true or not.

Staplor

The Mulk wrote: »

I remember reading this "fact" in The Liffey Champ. just before O'Neills was opened.
It was said there couldn't be a pub or betting shop on this side of the street, to protect the seminarians from temptation.
A nice little story whether it's true or not.

Well the Liffey Champion is the newspaper of record.

I vote we go with the story, it's one I've always liked.

Orion

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

The pint was their own brew and by god it was horrible. Couldn't finish it.

It's not their own brew - it's Rye River. I had to ask the barman three times before he admitted it was them. I don't like any of the Rye River beers - all sh1te.

Orion

Staplor wrote: »

Well the Liffey Champion is the newspaper of record.

Shilling for the Champion now are we

SQ2

Had the €5 wings earlier on, they were in my opinion, the finest I've ever encountered. It wasn't too busy, but I couldn't fault anything this time around, will definitely be giving them another chance. Main was really good too, will be giving that fillet a go next time around

Moonbeam

The Macaroons are amazing.

They have Prosecco on tap!!

The food was nice too and while it is 5 years for a starter and 10 for a main,it is very good value.

TheBody

Moonbeam wrote: »

The Macaroons are amazing.

They have Prosecco on tap!!

The food was nice too and while it is 5 years for a starter and 10 for a main,it is very good value.

Jaysus, that's slow service!!:D

Moonbeam

Auto Correct:)

Euro

L1011

Sounds about right, time wise, though

dib

I was in there a few weeks back and we got up and left. Service was atrocious and food was inedible.

Apparently they've new chefs in there since, but I'm undecided as to whether I'll give it another try.

Hellrazer

Was in there Saturday--not really impressed.The beer garden is essentially the same and it closed at 2.00 am which was a bit of a downer.
At least with the roost its open until 2.30 or so (that half hour makes all the difference and weve often fallen out at 3.30 if the door staff are in a good mood!!)


Ill stick with the Roost but whatever band was there on Saturday were absolutely useless.

beertons

Moonbeam wrote: »

They have Prosecco on tap!!

McMahon's have that in over a year. Good to see them support a local company though. I believe he's from Straffan.

Moonbeam

oooh \o/

paddythe goat

went to maynnoth for drinks and meal ,all four of us....drinks two pints and ladies were on minerals..no club orange..no 7 up....no cidona....bad bad start....soup for all our to kick off..soup came all cold..bread stale and butter was melting fast cos bread was heated to hide its staleness.....

sent it back.. soup returned hot..thank you...no apology..nothing.....
move on to steak and chips..excellent.....battered onion gave great flavour....well done.....more staff training asap....check temp of soup before it leaves the kitchen....get fresh bread every day..order some quality minerals..forget that splash machine for minerals....décor nice..ceats nice ..good heat on.....hope it does well this time.....will return soon....

L1011

There were builders picketing outside last night about non payment. No idea if they were direct or subbies - if subbies, the venue is unlikely to be responsible for it at all, but it gives a terrible impression.