Balloo House Bistro in Ards

During lockdown we have been enjoying takeaway meals from Balloo House Bistro - it's been a real treat every weekend- the standard is consistently excellent and always ready on time. First rate service, really good value, thoroughly recommended.

When I am over in Northern Ireland I always try to visit Balloo House - one of the Province’s best neighbourhood bistros.Last week, just before lockdown, I tried to get in but the online booking facility told me it was booked out. Thinking there might be a managers table I called in and the fantastic Robbie sorted us out a table in the bar area. As ever the food and the service from Robbie and the team was brilliant.If you live in (and have not visited) or are visiting the North Down area give Balloo House a try - I would be very surprised if it let you down.

I’m from Belfast and come here all the time which is very out of my way because the food is outstanding! Could not recommend it more the food is delicious

Atmosphere: Cool, Service: Yes, only because they had to.. I presume smiles must be extra ! Food: Never had Chicken wings like it. Luke warm / cold. Soggy pale paste like coating on the wings. Truly terrible. Both starters of wings were the same so it was no fluke. Octopus starter was cool at best and a pure blond, barely cooked batter.Main course was a bit better. Sugar pit Chop was cooked well and tasty. Chicken main was dry but If you were hungry you could eat it. Seabass was cooked well and very pleasant.Dessert: Was fine, nothing to rave about.Manager was apologetic and very understanding. Despite not requesting to do so, he did remove the starter from our final bill..Looking at the other reviews I can only presume this was an off day. Which is a shame. Having read some good reviews we were looking forward to a pleasant meal. Sorry to say, I don't thing we would chance Balloo House / Balloo Inns again

Firstly may I commend Ballo House on their highly professional, knowledgeable and friendly staff. It was so refreshing to witness this last evening when I dined there with my family. The waiters upstairs were so welcoming and attentive. The food was very good, I had the lamb burger that melted in my mouth and my husband enjoyed rump of lamb cooked to perfection. The kids had homemade chicken goujons, they were so tasty we had the leftovers. Upstairs is a lovely setting, it has been a while since we’ve been at Ballo, we won’t leave it long before we are back. Lastly they have extended the eat out to help out offer which was a pleasant surprise when we got the bill.

Have eaten out every week since EOTHO started. So far this has been the highlight! Staff very welcoming, lovely atmosphere and great menu. Everyone loved their meal . Look forward to returning on a cold winter Sunday!

Was fortunate enough to get a table during these very busy days of Eat Out to Help Out. I’ve looked to book again but they are incredibly busy and fully booked through peak hours- and there is a reason why. The atmosphere is causal, comfortable and yet refined. The restaurant has been adapted to follow COVID-19 precautions and it’s evident that recommendations have been followed. My boyfriend and friends feel safer here verses other restaurants we have visited during these strange times. My boyfriend and I shared a selection of in- house homemade breads and delicious homemade black olive tapenade... the kind of food you don’t want to eat before a 2/3 course meal..... but it’s so tasty- can’t resist! Our starter of salt and chilli squid, as well as whipped goats cheese with beetroot and walnuts was ideal. A light but flavourful starter- beautifully presented. To follow, we both had fish- hake and plaice. The plaice was served with langoustines... I paired this with a salad and was a very happy lady. Over all it was a real treat! From experience working in and loving the hospitality industry, it is difficult to find service and care like you will find from the ladies and gentlemen working in Balloo House.

Visited in August 2020. Some staff not wearing masks, Food was disappointing, my husband’s starter of Chowder was way too salty, I had the whipped goats cheese which was nothing special. The Main course of Summer vegetable linguini was really dry, I couldn’t eat it all because of that. I had visited Balloo House a few years ago and the food then was fantastic, in my opinion gone down hill.

I had wanted to try here for a while and took advantage during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme - we definitely were not disappointed! Food was beautiful and the service was great. I was with a pregnant friend and the waitress was very knowledgable about the menu when she asked about specific dishes. I felt very comfortable and safe in the restaurant. Each area had screens that seemed like part of the decor so we barely noticed any difference.

Firstly as always I give a very honest viewpoint The staff and the management here should be very proud of themselves for a seamless service despite having to work under new measures and displaying exemplary COVID practice. There are quite a number of local restaurants that could learn a thing or two from Balloo House staff and management on how to get it right ....Upon arrival we were very warmly greeted by a member of staff who took us to a lovely table separated by screening so it was also fab for meeting COVID measures. Our drinks order was taken and shortly after our food orders were taken too.Starters arrived again by a friendly staff member (and I do want to say all throughout our meal the staff seemed genuinely happy) The starters beautifully presented and very tasty with quality ingredients. Our plates were taken away and we were asked had we enjoyed the food which we said we had. Our main courses arrived piping hot and freshly cooked. The presentation again beautiful.The children opted for ice cream desserts and these were promptly brought to the tableIt was very busy in the restaurant but the staff appeared relaxed and not under pressure despite the Government Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which I’m sure is adding to the volume of diners.Would I eat here again.... 100% yes and I would also happily recommend to family, colleagues and friends too. When looking at restaurants I really want my children to enjoy the dining experience too and they were made to feel very much part of the experience and welcomed by the staff.The previous night we had eaten at another restaurant close by called Daft Eddys and by comparison Balloo House completely nailed it on service, food, ambience and making it such a lovely dining experience, effortless actually by being a place where you’d want to return time and time again.Well done and a big thank you to you all

Exceptional meal. Squid starter was perfectly cooked and really tasty. Both the steak and hake main courses were really excellent. Dessert of sticky toffee pudding ...delicious. Outstanding service and attention to detail. Covid safety measures very reassuring .

Called for lunch today and were given a table straight away . Ordered our food ,which was suppose to be salted chilli beef was absolutely disgusting would not recommend looked like worms and the bits I tasted were pure fat . When waiter came to take the plates away he asked did we not enjoy it , we told him what the problem was but he took plates away and never came back . We paid our bill and left definitely won’t be returning.

We booked for a family reunion of 12 people - we were seated promptly, table was prepared and ready, friendly greeting from staff. Orders for drinks and dinner taken promptly and food served to the whole party quickly. we all had something different, everything looked and tasted good. Great attention to our group from friendly staff. We all had desserts from a wide selection offered.Altogether an outstanding experience, we have no hesitation in recommending to others and we fully intend to return.

Just had the most fab lunch at Balloo House always a favourite but today I thought I have to review this! We had scallops with most divine prawn cream and cooked to perfection seasonal vegetables. Everything about this place is great, casual and friendly but they take their service and food seriously. Top class! Desert menu just arrived so must go!!

Had an amazing lunch. Scallops and delicious beef dripping chips. Our Waitress was amazing as she tweaked the meal we wanted so it was gluten free. All set up for social distancing and lots of opportunities to hand sanitisers throughout the Resturant as well as on the table. Really superb!!! Photo of creme caramel, ice cream and merrange wafer...yum

Been having Balloo take away since it started, food has always been outstanding and we have tried nearly every main course on the menu. It definitely has given us a treat to look forward to in lockdown and now with us having a newborn daughter we can still enjoy restaurant quality food at home.

Booked on their superb reputation so was expecting a lot! Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. Starters consisted of the salt and chilli squid and the fried feta. While tasty it wasn't anything you wouldn't get in a pub anywhere.Our mains were the house special butcher's block and the pigeon on risotto. The butcher's meat was cooked beautifully but it was served with a butter sauce that had split. We didn't complain as I'm not a fan of butter sauces, but for it to even arrive at the table with no one noticing wasn't good.The pigeon was a little tough and over done - as was the risotto.A big disappointment so far.But desert was delicious, can absolutely recommend the black forest gateaux.Overall - the staff were great, the food a real let down. Maybe it's covid but you certainly expect more from a place with a Michelin star and such a reputation.

Our family went there for lunch 2 days ago. We ordered the burger, seafood platter, smoked haddock, fish and chips. From the presentation to taste, everything was spectacular. The desserts were out of this world too, the treacle peacan pie and the sticky toffee pudding were amazing. If you want to go to a pub with a classy menu and not your typical tired old pub food then this is the place to go. I would return in a heart beat.

Nice pub, friendly staff... starters were ok , mains were excellent ... desserts were something of a let down

A lovely place to go for dinner. The venue has charm and character. The cooking is with precision and clarity , yet always delicious. Service is warm, unobtrusive but efficient . Outstanding , one of the best culinary experiences in NI

Hadnt been here for a couple of years but the standard is just as high as before,The seafood chowder was full of haddock an really tasty served with homemade Guinness wheaten bread, wife had fresh salmon flavoured with Hendricks gin, very light an refreshing, both main course was roast sirloin (medium) with a rich gravy, roast and cream potatoes,carrots,kale with cauliflower cheese, absolutely beautful an highly recommend itStaff very helpful an very pleasant.

Just returned home after a most delicious Sunday lunch. Food two courses was cooked to perfection. And the service could not be beaten as usual. Be back soon.

We went for a very special 60th birthday celebration for my wife on New Year's Eve. It was a great choice, ambience is lovely, food was great, especially the crab risotto, the steak was fantastic. Wine list was very reasonable and very good. Service was charming.Thanks for a wonderful evening

Two hours and 45 minutes for 3 course Sunday lunch and at the end of it all had to ask 3 times for the bill. Apart from the soup, the food quality was very average, nothing fancy at all, though from the very lengthy and detailed description of the menu given by the waiter we assumed we were going to be sitting down to a 5 star meal.There simply were not enough staff on duty and the two who were there could not cope. Wouldn't rush back which is sad as I was expecting so much.

Just back from lovely Sunday lunch for my mum's birthday. We choose from the Sunday lunch menu, two chicken roasts and a beef roast. The food was beautifully cooked and excellent portion sizes. I'd advised on my booking that I was coeliac and the staff went out of their way for me throughout the dinner, even making me a separate cauliflower cheese when we enquired if I could eat the one they brought with the mains. I had to fill in an allergy card, which is the first I've ever been asked to do that. Although I initially thought this was to cover the backs of the kitchen for cross contamination, the waiter assured me it was to improve my experience and ensure all staff knew about my allergy. With every course I ordered, the different waiting staff were very aware of pointing out what I could eat. The only disappointment was the lack of gluten free options on the dessert menu. The ice cream was delicious but it was the only sweet I could have and I was very envious of the others in my party who had sticky toffee pudding and crumble. I would definitely recommend the Sunday lunch menu and the cosy atmosphere was perfect for a rainy winters day.

My husband and I were last here for a meal 33 years ago but I wish we had revisited before now!!We have just come home from a really outstanding 3 course meal.I had spiced sweet potato soup, chicken kiev with toasted almonds and green beans and a lovely apple tartlet with cinnamon ice cream. Really delicious.My other half had bread crumbed goats cheese parcels stuffed with olives, beef cheek with lovely side vegetables and then blackcurrant Bakewell tart. All really tasty and a bit different.Service was excellent and the place was buzzing.Will definitely be back. Well done!

My husband and I had a beautiful three course meal at Balloo House bistro last night. It was part of a stay and dine package with a local B and B, Hunters Lodge. Our meal was fantastic. My starter of chorizo and pork 'pasties' was cooked to perfection as was my chicken main course and apple crumble dessert. My husband had different choices from the menu and they were equally delicious. Our waiter was excellent and even organised a lift back to the B and B for us when our taxi didnt work out. We look forward to returning to Balloo House. Highly recommended!!

We opted for the 6/12/6 menu all dishes were delicious good service and good atmosphere must return.

First time dining since new head chef. Food was excellent. Young man who was waiting missed a couple of things, ie forgot beer, no steak knife. However was very pleasant and was new to waiting on tables. There was a large birthday party but still managed a good level of service. Overall lovely relaxed night out.

On my recent review it has been pointed out that CRAB was incorrectly spelt. Yes, it is crab and the starter was excellent.

Had yet another fabulous meal @ Balloo. Danni Barry and team, we popped in for a pint today and stayed for lunch. So glad we did. My fish pie was superb and the fish & chips were perfect .

My wife and I went to Balloo House in Killinchy for lunch. We had a lobster, langoustine and crap starter. Although expensive, it was excellent. I would recommend it.

I haven't been here for years to eat and was so pleased to enjoy a great meal on our return. 2 course sunday lunch offer plentiful and tasty. We all had something different and no empty plates left behind. I am already planning another visit soon!

Booked for dinner Saturday evening. Easy to book online. Friendly attentive staff. Specials menu provided with main menu. For starters we had squid and langoustines. Squid sick and tasty. Langoustines were served in garlic and lemon butter - served cut in half with heads on- lovely and light- would have liked more bread to accompany it. We’d birders for mains - I would have liked steak but the choices were ribeye or flatiron served pink. That said the burger did not disappoint. Succulent juicy Berger with delicious cashew blue cheese, onion rings and beef tomato. All served with skinny fries. We didn’t take desserts or coffee and the bill with one mineral was approx £46. Nice place, well worth a visit- it was a while since we’d been.

Disappointing for a Michelin restaurant! Main course was average ( that’s being generous as my steak sandwich was more fat than meat) but dessert was an overpriced disaster!!!!! Four of us had the strawberry mousse with fresh strawberries and meringue. Mine had no meringue, about 3 strawberries cut into quarters, strawberry ice cream sauce, a small spoon of cream and no meringue. The others has meringue ‘shards’. The mousse was frozen and full of ice crystals, and was 2 spoonfuls at most. For £6:50 this was not only a disgrace but was actually insulting! I asked the waiter was there not supposed to be meringue and told him mine hadn’t. He brought me a cookie and piece of shortbread! I wanted meringue!! And not just a few shards! And no bought ice cream sauce. And a mousse that’s more than 2 spoonfuls and not full of ice crystals. Having brought a party of 17 guests, I wouldn’t return. No one asked at the end were our meals satisfactory. We were asked when the mains came out however. Then I was given a bill with a 10% service charge because we were party over 5! It was explained that it was discretionary.

Balloo House is without a doubt my new favourite restaurant. Everything about Balloo House is wonderful. The restaurant and bar have the welcoming décor of a local pub; rustic and full of charming character.

We wanted to eat very good food in an informal country pub and Balloo House fitted the bill precisely. I have never had such a large, tasty and succulent bacon chop in my life!

Called in here instead of travelling on to Daft Eddies.

We just keep coming back to this superb restaurant. We had friends visiting us from abroad so we booked a table for the six of us. We enjoyed a four course meal which was cooked and presented to perfection. Have you ever been to a place and when asked how could we improve our service to you and your reply is just leave it as is, it’s not broken so leave it alone. I/we have visited this restaurant many many times and I honestly can not fault it if your in the area or even if you have to travel some distance, book a table and give it a go.

Popped in without a booking and the manager was more than happy to seat us for dinner,the early bird menu was great value,Guinness great and white wine super cold.we also noticed the presentation of the starters was fine dining quality,just sorry we left it so long to revisit this little gem,thank you for a relaxing and professional experience

We only get back to Co Down every couple of years but always enjoy a meal (or two) at Balloo. To say we were disappointed on this trip is a major understatement. This trip compared to our last was night and day. It was our last dinner before returning home (and probably my Fathers last visit back) and we'd been looking forward to it for weeks.

My friends kindly took me here for lunch at the weekend. The food was absolutely superb, couldn't fault any of it. Wonderful choice on the menu. Unusually for me there was nothing on the menu that I wouldn't have ordered. Our party ate absolutely everything. I went for the take on the classic prawn cocktail for a starter and then the 35 day aged steak for a main. Both were excellent. Good beer and wine list too.

After booking online, we arrived after a long drive for Sunday lunch. We had two small children in tow, one, a toddler, had gotten sick. in our car. The staff were so helpful and accommodating. After the episode passed we were shown to our table and we were looked after very well. The food was delicious. Service was excellent. I cant praise the place highly enough. We previously dined at Clenaghans iof Aghalee where Danny Barry was previously involved, and we were not disappointed.Really super. Try it out.

was out for a drive with the mrs and just happened to be passing Balloo House and stopped for some dinner.didnt have a table booked but that was sorted.got seated had our order taken and enjoyed our dinner.

Was touring and stopped here on a whim. Food was very nice although the kids were less impressed with the chicken on skewers - perhaps for a kids meal just chicken goujons is sufficient?

This place was absolutely Delicious, delightful staff, can’t rate this place enough, please try here, you will not be disappointed, can’t wait to come back, one off the nicest places I’ve ate in a long time

Great food great service A lovely place, food is beautiful, visit this place often, always booked up

Went for a post St.Patricks day lunch with my other half today looking for some wholesome grub having been impressed previously. Seated promptly and by a friendly lady who greeted us upon entering and we were given a lovely table despite not having booked. Ordered a starter between us and it was delicious (Duck samosa special). Was keeping my appetite for my much anticipated main course (Fish Pie special), but shouldn't have bothered. When it arrived, i nearly choked on my glass of water as it wouldn't have fed a 3 year old child never mind a hungry man. However, I must say it was delicious.The portion size wasn't entirely what annoyed me. What annoyed me was the way my comments were (not) handled by the server who simply said "oh". He did not appear to know what to say or do at all, so I gave up trying to relay my disappointment, whilst pointing out that the quality of the food was, in fact, quite good. When i was presented with the bill, the server said "sorry about the fish pie", however, there was no reflection of this apology on the bill. Whenever the lady who had initially seated us (who appeared to be in charge) took my card payment, and enquired with us about our lunch, I had to mention it again to her, as it transpired it transpired my comments to the server had not been passed on. This left me with a bitter taste in my mouth on an afternoon off work together (which was child free) which is difficult enough to come by. I would struggle to recommend never mind come back.

Me and my sister had an incredible meal here today only issue is the fish ie is v small although delicious recommend to make it more generous amazing well done g

Had food in Balloo recently, still loads of choice & as always the service could not be faulted. The quality & flavour of the food was excellent. I didn’t have a starter & opted for the duck dish which was out of this this world. My husband had a sweet, some sort of peanut & chocolate caramel dish which he said was beautiful. Will be back soon. Well done Balloo! You never fail to please.

Popped in for an early tea on a chilly Monday evening. The restaurant was warm and inviting... and the Guinness was top class! I had seafood pie topped with cheesy mash and served with mixed greens. It was very tasty and totally yummy! My husband had fish and chips. Our tapenade and bread starter was also delicious. Thank you Robbie and Balloo house!

Just After Christmas we ordered a meal which both my partner and my meal was cold. This is the first time had to send food back. Put this down to a bad experience but visited again and walked out without buying anything. The menu came on a sheet of paper and all I read on it was burgers, steaks and fish and chips. Extremely limited menu with all the favourites gone from it. I think they have a new head chef who is obviously from a chip shop background as her menu was beyond appalling. Don’t go there as if they continue on this way they will lose a lot of customers. Drove all the way back to Bangor totally let down, thanks a lot.

We had Sunday lunch for 5 (my wife and I and our 3 kids). The quality of the food was excellent, lovely quaint surroundings and friendly service. My Roast beef was the best I’ve had anywhere. Was also great value at under £80 in totally. Highly recommended.

A lovely experience and a cracking steak. Nothing short of a very pleasant meal and quality food. Steaks cooked to perfection and tasted fabulous. I have never visited Balloo House before but I feel I could become a regular based on this evening's meal. It's easy to see why this restaurant comes highly recommended. Did I mention the steaks?

Attended a retirement event here last night. Almost 40 of us. From start to finish the service was great. Very friendly and efficient staff. Fire was roaring in the bar area.

I’d rather not say how many times we have visited this place and I have to say it’s just the same old place and nothing has changed, that’s because it’s flipping brilliant and doesn’t need to change a single thing. Keep doing what your doing, you’ve got it spot on.

We did a party of 4 for Christmas dinner, OMG the food was excellent. Everything on the menu would make your mouth water, personally I had the Arancini for starters, full Xmas dinner as the main and the cheese cake.

A friend and I went for Sunday lunch and it was fantastic. We had the smoked haddock and bacon chowder, delicious. We both had the lamb for main which was cooked perfectly. For dessert we shared a sticky toffee pudding and an apple and plum crumble. Both were great, special mention for the crumble topping!

Went here for a family meal after recommendation. The home-baked breads were delicious and my husband and sister-in-law thoroughly enjoyed the mixed curry. Two of us ordered the pheasant with red cabbage - not enough sauce to offset a very dry dish and with the red cabbage was more like chutney (I like chutney, but not as a main vegetable). The service was good until it came to wrapping up and paying. Several more senior team members asked if we wanted X, Y or Z, which we didn't, and, having said no once, this felt unnecessary. My elderly father wanted to pay and he wanted to pay the waitress who had done most of the serving to ensure she got the tip. He waited a long time and the manager was hovering ready to take the money straight from her hand. He was quite upset as he was left with the impression the manager had kept the tip and couldn't be persuaded otherwise. Whilst it is up to restaurants to decide how they share tips, in a restaurant of this ilk, I would hope the person paying should be allowed to decide who to hand the money to.

Hadn't been here since around 2012-2013 when it was probably one of the best restaurants in the country. However, went recently despite the reviews and had a very average meal with very average service. A shadow of its former self !

We often go here for family occasions or last minute Sunday lunches and the food is generally of a very high quality. The menu is huge with many options. I had prawn ravioli to start which was delicious and just the right size. I then had a fish dish with gnocchi. This isn't the best main course I have had at Balloo but it was a very very busy service and appreciate that they working under a lot of pressure. Then had sticky toffee pudding for dessert which was extremely indulgent but delicious. To add, they also have an excellent wine list- reasonably priced- and we will be back.

We have dined in Balloo for over 35+ years and this is the first really disappointing evening we have had. We dined last Friday night with family. The first change we noticed was that the usual Friday night Manager wasn’t on, this didnt give us any cause for concern as the greeting was friendly and professional. However things went down hill as it was at least 20 minutes before our order was taken (the restaurant wasn’t overly busy) it then took another 20 before the starters arrived. The starters were fine but not up to the usual standard, my husband and I had the Seafood Platter, a favourite of ours, it was a bit greasy and a lot of the mussels were hard, possibly over cooked. It took a considerable length of time for a waitress to come and clear the starter dishes and even then she only removed the dirty Seafood platter and never came back for the rest! The main courses arrived and the waitress had to be asked to clear the remainder of the dirty starter dishes which she begrudgingly did. At approximately 8:45pm the Friday night live music started at the entrance to the restaurant opposite our table. We had to ask to be moved to another table to have our desserts and finish our conversation without shouting at each other. When the waitress served the coffees she managed to spill the milk all over the table. The whole service experience on Friday night was not what we are used to in Balloo, the wait staff all appeared to be new, untrained and didn’t seem to want to be there. We certainly hadn’t seen them before and there was no sign of the efficent and courteous staff who would normally serve us with the utmost efficiency, a friendly word and a smile. We hope this was a one off bad night, as if we experience another night of service like this we won’t be back, sad after a 35+ year love of Balloo it’s food and excellent service.

Delicious beef shin pie. Whole place makes you feel instantly at home, from the dark woods to the open fires. Very nice on a autumnal day. Cannot recommend highly enough.

We have never ate here before and on Sat nite booked a table for two. The food was beautiful and fresh and am sure local my only compliant had to be everything was rushed. All the younger staff very pleasant and had time to chat however the more mature staff I found rude no time for you it's as if to get you in and out as fast as possible. This has really put us off and it will be a while before we return.I know it's only a small complaint but I feel customer service is very important.

We made a late booking for dinner with family at Balloo house.

went for Sunday lunch today ,both my partner ans i had the three course set lunch ,we began with the pate ,it was pretty basic and very small portion,followed by the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding ,the beef was very good ,however the roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding were very hard and over cooked , ,desert was also pretty basic ,i have had much better Sunday lunches else where and don,t think i will rush back

Was not expecting much from Balloo House, simply because country restaurants don’t often have good vegetarian or vegan options, but I was extremely impressed by their dedicated vegan menu. Staff seemed quite knowledgeable in terms of such food too. Interior is drab, dark and dated in the downstairs dining space, but the food more than made up for this as it was delicious. I had a main of Tuscan Potatoes with sautéed green leafy veg and mushrooms. Very good experience overall and great to have a range of vegan dishes to choose from.

Stopped by for a meal and delighted with the range of tasty local produce in a quaint environment with loads of charm. Superb menu choice with specials at a very keen price. All individually prepared and served with style.

We travelled from Belfast as we had heard great things. It was just ok, not spectacular. Pork Wellington was like a fancy sausage roll and the beetroot soup was horrible, although in fairness they did take the cost of the soup of the bill.

Good Food Good Seating Good Staff Helpful when asking about food for my son who's wheat and gluten free

I have been a long term customer for Balloo House in it's various incarnations over the past 30+ years and have had many enjoyable and tasty meals there during that time. The most recent trip was to the Bistro last weekend, as a couple with my wife. I was looking forward to it, having reviewed the menu online beforehand. We chose to sit in the back portion of the restaurant rather than the new extension. I was surprised to see the fixed price Sunday lunch menu presented to us differed markedly to that shown online (the online version showed appetizing fare whereas the one we got offered rather more basic dishes), and eventually we chose to select from the main menu in order that we would be able to avail of a better selection of desserts. We skipped starters and ordered our main courses - I was rather taken aback that my 'medium to well done' steak was delivered to the table in under 5 minutes and that we were given only a single (small) dish of champ to share. For both meals the other vegetables consisted of a single carrot stick, a single cauliflower floret, a single roast potato cut in half and a couple of leaves of cabbage. All too obviously the meals have been cooked hours beforehand and had been left under a heat lamp; plainly a medium to well done steak can't be cooked in minutes, and the sauces for both dishes were already congealing. This really isn't the standard I would expect of a restaurant at the upper end of the local market. We soldiered on with our meal and it was tasty enough without being exceptional. After the main course we asked for the dessert menu and again were surprised to be presented with the fixed price menu with it's limited range of choices - our whole rationale for choosing the main menu was to get a better range of desserts. My wife's rice pudding suffered the same problem as the main courses - all too evidently made hours earlier and left to congeal on the plate, although it was reasonably tasty. I accept that in a busy establishment all meals can't be freshly made, and that a degree of preparation is required, but it's really not unreasonable to expect that your food should be freshly plated before serving and not already semi dried-out. I can't fault the service - it was friendly and if anything it was too efficient, and the ambience of the restaurant was pleasant. As a final shock we were billed the prices from the main menu, despite the all dishes we selected being available on the fixed price Sunday menu. It was only a couple of pounds difference but left a bad taste in the mouth. I didn't make a fuss at the time so as not to ruin a family trip out - but I was sorely tempted to. For some time I have had a sneaking feeling that standards are slipping at Balloo - a trip there used to be an occasion to look forward to, unfortunately not so much now, and it pains me to give a less than positive review. Will I be back ? Maybe, but more than likely not.

Visited with friends to celebrate a couple of birthdays. Food was delicious. Specials board was comprehensive. Service was good and friendly. Overall, a lovely night out. Would definitely go back.

Visited this country gem for lunch today. It was superb! We wanted to share a platter but also the fish chowder and goat's cheese parcels. Absolutely no problem, 4 small cups of excellent fish chowder and the rest and brought on a sharing platter. Could not fault it. Lovely surrounding food and brilliant service.

Visited the Bistro Friday 6th July, the starter prawns cooked in coconut batter was over cooked luckily we shared a starter, the main course, we both ordered the same —Duo of lamb consisted of a leg of lamb chop and a lamb pie,the Medium / well chop was over cooked necessitating the staff on seeing our discomfort producing steak knives, the stringey stewed lamb in the pie was discusting. The dessert was just ok, and was the better part of the meal. The staff were very friendly and attentive and possibly the reason I did not complain on the night. A disappointing birthday treat after a long journey to get there.

I chose this as a surprise for my wife to celebrate our twenty years together, based both on friends’ recommendations and Danny Millar’s reputation. Lovely dining area, friendly helpful staff and sublime food. The seafood platter starter was scrumptious, particularly the sauce for the Portavogie prawns. My wife had a burger for main and was delighted with it (she’s not a great burger fan normally), I had Peter Hannah’s Short Rib which was the most tender beef I’ve had in many a year. The pavlova was just the best I’ve ever had, rather than a slice of a pavlova or one of these new fangled ‘deconstructed’ things, it was one decent sized meringue (certainly enough for me and I’m no shrinking violet when it comes to dessert!) with cream, fresh fruit and coulis, mmmmmmm.

Despite several interactions with waiting staff during our three-course meal, not one of them told us that there would be a 'charitable donation' added to our bill unless we chose to 'opt-out'. It was only thanks to a member of our party having the sense to thoroughly check the bill, that we noticed this added on.

delicious dinner served in picturesque atmosphere. Food wonderful, service was excellent. Hope I will have opportunity to return.

Great, friendly setting for a restaurant in the middle of nowhere! Lots of choice on the menu and fantastic specials each day. We shared the fish platter and then I followed it with the lobster special. Well worth a visit!

Lovely food here, and good service. We called in on a Sunday afternoon without booking and got a table in a quiet corner. They do excellent "proper fish and chips" and quite a varied menu with something for everyone to choose from. Nice pleasant service too. My husband had an excellent Indian Lamb shank dish.

3rd visit in as many months this time on my own (first two were family visits) the fish special was brill and was delicious , the pear and almond tart is the best I have tasted anywhere and the service was fantastic as always ... looking forward to our next visit already

I have been here a number of times and this time was one of the best. I had the roasted Brill. Friendly with very extensive choice on menu and with lots of specials.

We arrived ten minutes before service began, but regardless were warmly welcomed. The decor/ furnishings are beautiful, I love their peacock wall paper and the music plays at the right level in the background. A vegetarian menu is available on request, there is a specials board and a regular menu to choose from. There is also a children's menu. The staff exude warmth and have achieved a fantastic balance between friendly but professional service. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals which were very tasty. I would highly recommend Balloo House and can't wait to visit again.

The title says it all. Food is brilliant, well cooked, and the menus are full of variety. Service is super; occasionally there is either a new chef or member of waiting staff, and it can take a bit longer to get the correct food that was ordered. But this is rare, and the food is always lovely.

Called by here last week with the family for lunch. The surroundings are lovely and it truly is a little hidden gem. I highly recommend the steak sandwich!

Had dinner here with friends for a birthday treat, food was good and service professional & friendly.

Balloo house bistro always reminds me of our old farmhouse kitchen when we were kids. The owners have retained the feel of the original building and it has the same white ceramic bricks we had around our range at home.

Balloo House Bistro has become one of my regular haunts when in Northern Ireland. Tonight, as ever, it did not let us down. We shared a starter of Strangford Mussels and Chorizo Orzo and then we had Thai Fish Curry and a While Roast Plaice...

I was a bit wary of going to this restaurant as I had read some poor reviews. We had a very nice experience - we had chicken wings, breads, haddock and chips, thai curry and chicken breast. All were very good and we would order again. We had a male waiter and his service was excellent - chicken wings weren't on the menu but he was happy to speak to the chef and confirmed that they could be provided. The bistro was very busy and the atmosphere was very good, we will definitely go back.

Found ourselves in the area around lunchtime and asked a local for their recommendation - glad we listened! We actually...

I have just enjoyed an excellent lunch with five friends. The dining room was warm and welcoming. The food was...

Ate in the Bistro with some friends recently and found the food to be just okay. I had battered cod...

Having not been to Balloo House in a while a few of us decided to go last week, what a good choice we made, both food and service were amazing couldn't fault it at all... Defo can't wait to get back ..

The food was simply sublime, Thai curry can't beat it!however the manager on was unprofessional and frankly I felt like...

Brilliant food, excellent atmosphere and the decor and surroundings are beautiful. The food is always of a high standard (we...

Service was very good - sea food chowder and the pot of mussels were delicious mmmmm the Guinness soda wow...

I normally rate Balloo house as one of the best in County Down, but unfortunately on this occasion it was...

Went to Balloo House recently for a birthday celebration. Had booked prior and was surprised to see so many vacant tables on a Saturday evening. Place was cold, never took our coats off the whole meal. Quality has gone down hill since our last visit. Food was poor! Four in our group and ordered 3 courses each. Each person had a different course at different times! The food was so poor. Everything coming from the kitchen had an appearance of processed food, it was either battered or sliced. Looked and tasted as though it was collected from a chiller and put in a microwave. Will never be back! Need to employ a chef and managers.

Sunday Lunch Set menu was good not bad value , waitresses served ok , draughts were un pleasant bit like eating in a fridge , front door held open , outer door left open , when challenged we got a 10 minute lecture on doors being fire escapes .. One track minded manager / waiter ! Pity sad reflection of a normally good restaurant .

Restaurant très agréable qui est à mi-chemin entre un pub et un restaurant classique. Les steaks que nous avons pris étaient excellents et les desserts très bons. Le service est efficace. Allez-y !

Went for a family Sunday dinner. Food superb. Good choice, could not fault it. Service excellent and staff went out of their way to accommodate. Friendly relaxed atmosphere. Definitely will be back. Would highly recommend!