Bistro @ The Swan at Hay in Powys

Stayed for 4 nights lovely room clean and tidy. Staff very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was lovely. Would stay again

Truely one of the worst meals we’ve ever had. The vegetables were over salted and simply boiled. The chips were undercooked and tasted like oil. The pizza was not wood fired, white like a sheet of paper and came from a freezer. Our pies could have come from a service station for all we know. The chicken was so tough and dry, as if it had been cooked 12 times before being added into the pie itself. The only saving grace was the gravy - without this we would not have been able to stomach our meals. We will not be coming back here.

We spent one night here in May. Our room was very comfortable and relaxing. Breakfast was plentiful and delicious and served in a lovely dinning room.

A lovely, comfortable and welcoming hotel very well positioned for the shops in Hay. Has good sized bedrooms and cosy lounges plus a beautiful garden for sunny days.

Sadly The Swan is rather disappointing. We booked it for a special treat but it really wasn't! Our twin room was £165 which would've been fine had there been something a little more special about it. Not even a herbal tea bag! Custard cream and bourbon biscuits!! You'd expect a lovely little home made shortbread in a hotel like this one. Polite staff and clean comfortable rooms (some are really small for the price).

A mediocre meal fussily over decorated, but would be adequate despite costing nearly £100 if we were not required to pay for a very poor rice pudding which we had to send back. Very poor customer sensitivity & we were told “there was nothing wrong with it”, well there certainly was & the lack of staff customer awareness was actually shocking.

Had a fantastic stay at the Swan, we needed a last minute booking, the staff couldn't have been more helpful and welcoming. Room was lovely, food was lush, but it was the staff that made our stay, we'll be back. Highly recommended.

Had a couple of drinks. Really enjoyed chatting with Jeff!

Long time since I have been here ... dropped in for lunch ... service was lovely and the food was fabulous

Very scrumptious food, especially the Buddha bowls, excellent service and menu selections!! Dog friendly, staff are very nice and happy to adapt meals!

Excellent gluten free options, so really enjoyed my dinner. Clean, lovely building, lovely garden. Good service.

Beautiful hotel Great food Relaxed atmosphere amazing rooms Lovely bath in mine!

Lovely hotel. Room was clean,had everything you need from towels,iron,hairdryer, kettle tea coffee sugar. The staff were lovely. Nothing was too much trouble.

Positively wonderful, literally the best holiday I've had in years. The staff are beyond friendly and helpful, prime location if you're a book-lover, and the room was coma-inducingly comfortable. Will definitely be back.

Lovely hotel in Hay-on-Wye with lots of history. Ideal for couples holidays, a quick drink in the Garden or lunch/dinner. Highly recommended for couples coming to visit Hay or see the Festival.

Rooms very comfortable and clean. Staff very friendly and helpful. The bar area feels a lttle dated but very welcoming. Breakfast and afternoon tea were really excellent my personal favourites were the ham and piccalilli sandwiches and the freshest fluffy scones I've ever eaten

Spent a nice couple of days at The Swan. The rooms were lovely and well equipped and of a high standard. We had breakfast one morning and it was lovely (though I think the cooked breakfast could have been a little bigger, cutting black pudding in half does seem a little bit mean). We had an evening meal and the duck was really tasty with a very nice sauce and red cabbage. My father said the fish and chips were the best he has had in a long time. Cheese board for afters was good also. We had a few drinks in the bar afterwards and this was a nice place to be, special shout out to Rhodri who manned the bar as he was very friendly and accommodating.

What pleasant people and such a lovely, warm and cozy hotel! Every single person we interacted with was kind and helpful and they made a huge fuss of our dog. The food was simple but delicious, and our bed was super comfortable. So nice to have one's expectations exceeded. Very happy.

For a family meal in a beautiful garden setting on a very hot day, this was excellent. We had vegetarians in our party and we were adequately catered for. Try the blue cheese and cheddar ploughman's, it's gorgeous. Staff were more than helpful. We would return here.

Evening meal was expensive;food was ok but could have been better.I found other restaurants/pubs in Hay on Wye which I thought offered better food and service at a much more reasonable price and with a little more atmosphere

We had dinner here on the first night of our stay in Hay on Wye. The service was good and the food really nice. Would recommend.

Perhaps the place cannot help its antiquated feel ('Like the fifties only without the charm,' as my wife put it) and the meal was mediocre at best (half-warm fish). But what put the cherry on the cake was an unforgivable act of staff discourtesy. Having settled the bill and finished our drinks, as we reached for our coats we were accosted by a young woman demanding loudly in front of the other diners: 'Have you paid?' Restaurants don't get much ruder than that. Appalling.

Uo here for a pre-xmas meal. The Pate starter was excellent as was the two steaks, cooked to perfection! The deserts of sticky toffee pudding and three scoops of sorbet were also excellent! Thanks to Adrian for making us so welcome! Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to all at The Swan! Hope to see you in the New Year!

Had lunch there today, had prawns sandwiches, salad, crisps and a bowl of chunky chips. Although the sandwiches were ok the salad was just leaves, not what I call a salad. And the chips were actually wedges. The room we sat in looked to have comfy armchairs and settees but on looking closer they looked as though the hadn't been cleaned for months. They looked to be covered in white hairs. I don't know if they let dogs in but they looked like dog hairs. I turned my seat over before I sat on it. The tables didn't look, clean either. Such a shame, the young man was very attentive and the food came promptly. Haven't been in the Swan for years but I don't think I will be going again.

We ate at the restaurant as the options in town seemed very limited. Food was decent, had a tuna steak with salad and fish and chips. Service was good. Prices very reasonable. Served outdoors which was nice

Lovely little place in Hay. We stopped for lunch on a lovely warm day and sat outside. Such a pretty garden, tables well apart but plenty of space. Service was excellent. Food very good, decent sized portions, well presented and served quickly. Toilets clean and well signed. Hotel adhering to Covid regs so we felt quite happy inside as well as out. Would recommend, certainly for lunch.

Had lunch here but I am not sure I would recommend as the food is average and the manager is especially miserable. Don't ask any information about the menu as he can barely mutter a few words. Asking for the bill then be prepared to simply be ignored! it is a shame as it is a nice venue but then the food and service needs to improve. We noticed on our way out their food hygiene rating is appalling!

Sadly we were disappointed. It was lovely sitting in the garden but the food was pretty average and portions small. I had the beetroot ravioli which was dry, with a small goats cheese salad. My husband had sirloin steak which was below par. This is the area for great Herefordshire beef. My mum enjoyed her burger and Dad his lamb. The brownie and sticky toffee pudding were good. It was my mum’s 85th birthday and I had asked if a small cake could be provided but was told that ‘cakes weren’t their thing’ which was fair enough but some mention would have been a nice touch.

So pleased that the Swan has now reopened following the lockdown. Service is at present in their beautiful gardens with tables safely positioned to allow social distancing. As from next week I understand the restaurant will also be open. Last week we had their gorgeous Sunday lunch which we found faultless. The roast beef was succulent and served to the customers’ liking. Plenty of fresh vegetables and piping hot gravy make my meal perfection. Today we tried their new pizza which were large and delicious. I would always recommend the Swan, the food is great and you will be guaranteed the warmest welcome from Adrian, Vanessa, Dave, Meg and gang.

We live locally but had not eaten here for some time. We were a party of 4 and visited for Sunday lunch to celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday. Prices are reasonable with 2 courses for £15 or 3 courses for £18. Two of us had prawn cocktail starter, while one had soup and other pork croquette; all good. We then had either beef or pork main courses which was served with fresh seasonal vegetables and my favourite cauliflower cheese, all fantastic! For dessert, I had their mango cheesecake served with pineapple jam and coconut icecream; absolutely delicious! Other had the sticky toffee pudding which was also lovely. The waiter then bought out a platter for birthday boy which was a lovely touch! The lunch was an excellent experience. Food was delicious and the service wonderful. We will be visiting again very soon and I suggest you give it a try.

First visit to Hay on Wye and the Swan en route to a wonderful holiday cottage. A beautiful Hotel, where all Staff were welcoming and helpful, the menu was varied and interesting. All three of us thoroughly enjoyed our lunch which was good value for money too.

We've been in Hay for a few days and had several nice meals out, but this one was the highlight. The garden is beautiful, staff were attentive and friendly and the food was excellent. Reasonably priced too: lunch for two, plus a pint and a half of cider and two medium glasses of wine came in at under £40. Highly recommended - and we wish our lovely waitress the best of luck on her catering management course (and hope she has a great 21st!)

The Restaurant in The Swan at Hay has an excellent menu and the food was fabulous. The flavours were excellent in all three courses for both of us and the team of staff were very good. We would definitely recommend this restaurant. Compliments to the chef.

We arrived and had drinks in the bar. The staff were very attentive. Our meal was lovely and again the staff were helpful and checked all was ok with our meal. They were particularly good with my son even giving him small toys to play with. Will definitely be back.

We have visited a few times now and feel we should share some positives about the Swan, it has a lovely garden and is a relaxing place to visit and enjoy lunch. Having eaten out in the evening here it was not the most organised of occasions but the food is good and also very good value. The staff are pleasant but just a little bit chaotic and you do have to chase them to take orders for food etc. The manager is very passionate about his job and appears to be very knowledgable about food and drink. We love their fries served with truffle oil and parmesan.

Thursday evening - lovely weather so went to The Swan and had a drink in the garden which is a nice space. We had booked the restaurant although there was no real need. One other table of 8 then another 2 people came in. The room is very nice and the chap who got us our initial drink to have outside was friendly. When we came into the restaurant to our table we were ignored by the waitress. In the end we called her over as she passed through and asked for a drink and some tap water and then ordered a main each. Fish was fine with potatoes but undercooked broccoli. My partner had the burger which was shocking - cheap burger and cheap bun, very small pot of chips. Bearing in mind that the number of mains on the menu is so limited they should be good and they weren't!My partner ordered a glass of pinot noir but the waitress came back to say they didn't have it. The table of 8 ordered a second bottle of white. A lad brought out a different bottle because they had run out to the group's first choice. Disappointed. An efficient waitress came to attend to us at the end and was fine. Totally underwhelmed and would not eat there again.

Really enjoyed a 3 course meal at The Swan. All portions were excellent and the food was cookednto perfection. The best steak i have ever had, was so tasty and tender. Great crockery which was pottery and quirky.Starters were great, and not your usual, again good sizes and scrummy.We both had the sticky toffee pudding which was heavenly.Service was very attentive whilst not being too much.Not sure about red chairs, carpets and walls, certainly the red room!Thank you for a super meal.

Myself and a colleague were staying at the swan and ate in the bar area from the main bistro menu. I had the rib eye steak which was cooked perfectly and good quality. My colleague who is not easily impressed really enjoyed the salmon. The service was friendly but needs polish and further training. Breakfast the next morning was in the garden room ( lovely setting). A very good range of cooked options which was a nice touch.

Great,quirky quality bedroom with a sitting room above.The bathroom was adequate.but in need of refurbishment (room 6).Good range of drinks,local ale, well kept,restaraunt food was tasty imaginatjve and well presented.The staff were friendly and efficient had a lovely stay

Went with work for Xmas party night, expected a great night with good food - how disappointing!

We were at the Hay-on-Wye winter festival which is a delight. Went to The Swan for a book signing after an event. Knowing This hotel for years we were having a quick look at the bar and restaurant area to probably take a drink and lunch. We were approached very abruptly by a young man who offered no service apart from Bookings and residents only. The place looked in total chaos anyway so we would not have been stopping.

We went as a couple for lunch recently. Very nice restaurant to sit and enjoy the garden views. Food was nice, not amazing but thought that drinks were expensive .

Cannot get served in this place if more than one activity is on. Have been to dinner dances in the past and although the food was ok and I mean just ok, the service was bad

Bueno brecon cervezas locales en el proyecto y un excelente Rioja con la comida. Plato de salmón ahumado era maravilloso pero me caper lite, otras tenían más, nada peor que envidia caper!

Lo mejor, es decir, el requisito principal es que la comida era muy buena. El personal es muy amable, pero todavía inexperto. Cuando llegamos nos ofrecieron diferentes menús incluso antes tuvimos la oportunidad de sentarnos, que tomó un tiempo para concretar y demasiado tiempo para corregir. Cuando les pregunté qué lado de greens el orden sería, nos dijeron que sería algo así como el brócoli y coliflor' el camarero tenía que ir a la cocina para encontrar! Nuestras sillas en el comedor recientemente reformado fue el asiento/suelta como las articulaciones de las piernas estaban flojas. La habitación es un poco austera y necesidades acabando - tiene una alfombra y dos de las 4 ventanas tienen cortinas, las otras dos grandes no tienen nada y no hay fotos/cuadros u otras decoraciones. Espero que todo se arregle antes del Festival de heno el mes próximo.

Nos alojamos aquí por una noche, desayuno y cena. Todo precioso, el personal es muy amable, la comida genial y hermoso jardín. Sin duda volveré.

¿Por dónde empiezo? Nos alojamos en una casa local hermoso con todas las de la familia - 6 de nosotros. Reservamos la comida de Navidad en la recomendación de la dueña de la casa como estaba previsto, el Cisne había sido tomada por Llangoed Hall, y sería fantástico! ! Qué decepción! No era divertido, personal inexperto, mala comida, sin verduras, brotes como balas, que costaba 50 libras por cabeza (insistió en pago por adelantado) y ni siquiera cocinar un buen asado! Podría seguir. No nos gusta hacer un alboroto en el momento que otras personas que estaban en la misma habitación al lado que nosotros (el uno con el radiador frío de piedra). No he enviado este comentario hasta ahora como mi marido envió un correo electrónico al hotel y no han tenido la cortesía de responder. J W

I was here with a group of local people for our annual dinner. All the food was pre-ordered. My soup starter was good and the bread was great. However my main course of roast beef was dreadful...a thin slice of leather, with woeful yorkshire pudding and cold vegetables. Word gets round in our town and they are not doing themselves any by serving up this dreadful food. The chefs who cooked it up and doled it should be ashamed of themselves. And despite everyone sitting at our table being a mixture of genders and all fairly "senior", the waiter referred to us as "guys".....as in "everything here ok guys"....

Beautiful dining room, attentive service, amazing garlic froth ...wow... generous portion of smoked salmon starter, tasty roast dinner, great to see the swan being reinvigorated...looking forward to a return visit...!

A friend of mine very kindly took me for lunch here today (17th August 2016) as she had been in previously to ask about the menu. The young man behind the bar told us that the salad platters were made with local ingredients from a local organic farm shop. He couldn't have been further from the truth. Smoked salad platter = cheap smoked salmon (almost a small packet full) and a 'side garnish' of pre bought supermarket mixed salad, and a sprinkling of capers. That's it! My sandwich of smoked salmon and crème fraiche duly arrived, loaded with cheap salmon, and not a fleck of crème fraiche within 10 paces.....And more crisps than salad garnish. The only saving grace for the lunch was the locally sourced bread. Service was incredibly slow, I had to ask for knives and forks, then napkins, then mayonnaise, all took ages to come and although I asked for them all together they were eventually brought one at a time. Heaven help me if I had to ask for salt and pepper! The price of the lunch (with 2 sparkling waters) £23.50. Considering I could have put this lunch together for under £10 using the same ingredients. The owners and management of The Swan have a captive audience at Hay on Wye throughout the tourist season, but with poor service and poor quality they would never return, and the locals will stay away during the quite out of season times. Would I recommend it? Nope, not in a million years.

It was our friend's suggestion. We hadn't eaten here for some time and it has changed hands. Lunch time on Sunday and the dining room was empty. This is very unusual in this area. I ordered pigeon followed by belly of pork, my wife: pigeon followed by breast of chicken. Our friend stuck to fish (a wise decision)We were not sure which pit of the pigeon we were eating and it tasted raw meat (tiny amounts) with delicate blobs of some jam on top. So overall taste was blood and jam.The belly of pork was unforgettable. The vegetables were swimming in a sea of oil and salt. After a few mouthfuls I realised this dish was inedible and then had to find the manager to send it back. He replaced it with the fish dish and said he would not charge for this. How this plate ever emerged from a kitchen with a trained chef is a mystery. My wife tried a mouthful of what was on my plate and agreed that this could not be eaten.The dish looked awful but that is minor. Vast amounts of salt in a dish can be a health issue and that is important.The owners should close this aspect of the hotel till a properly trained chef is found or they will gain a reputation that will have lasting damage.We want The Swan to succeed. Hay on Wye with it's significant literary festival needs the Swan to be reliable and excellent and not the embarrassing shambles we found on Sunday. Whilst the structural refurbishment is going on the restaurant should close.

This is probably the worst meal we have had in the area. We went for dinner but were very disappointed with our meal. We both ordered lamb with Jersey Royal potatoes, when it came we were served 3 small nougats of lamb, the size of a small hen's egg but less than a centimeter thick. We did not have Jersey Royal potatoes we had 3 slices of a small Jersey Royal potato - less than one whole potato. Whilst I do not dispute that the food was tasty and well cooked and the staff were lovely, I do object to paying £21.00 for dinner when there was less food than is normally served for a starter!! We were served a number of small dishes and we were offered lots of bread but this was not what we wanted - we wanted dinner and we got canapes! If you want a grossly over priced snack then eat here if you want dinner go somewhere else.

We ate the vegetarian meal here - a leek risotto with freshly made bread and a vanilla brulee with rhubarb sorbet - and it was one of the best meals I've had this year. The chef hasn't been in post long but he is clearly Michelin-inspired. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food, and the ambience was calm, warm and welcoming the Tuesday night we were there. Highly recommended.

We met friends for a light lunch which was quite nice, although we were the only people there. However, major refurbishment is underway, so would put many off. We shall look forward to returning, particularly to try the food as this should be excellent as it is now in the same 'family' as Llangoed Hall.

We had lunch at the Bistro during a day trip to Hay-on-Wye. It was the perfect venue for a lovely lunch on a cold and somewhat wet day. The food was superb, the service was courteous and efficient, and we and our guest thoroughly enjoyed the meal. It's an attractive venue, and the excellent food is complemented nicely by a good wine list. We will definitely return when we are next in Hay-on-Wye.

We were a party of 11 and were on an Offa's Dyke walking week.Our organiser had booked, in December 2014, for us to have dinner here in September 2015....and had received a confirmation email.He reconfirmed our booking in August 2015....a month before we were due to be there! and, again, received a confirmation email from The Swan.As we all turned up in September the look of horror on the Manager's face was painful to witness! Somehow, BOTH pieces of correspondence had not been logged....and, there was NO RESERVATION as far as they were concerned!To his endless credit Craig, the Manager, redeemed the situation!We had a drink in their lounge area whilst a table in a separate, private dining area was set up for us.It WAS a little chilly in there....perhaps because it had not been used for a while BUT with Craig acting as head chef, potato peeler, main host, waiter, wine pourer etc etc we did enjoy a FABULOUS meal!How he managed to pull that off I know not....but, he DID and I hope the management of The Swan recognised this and rewarded him well!As another reviewer has written about bookings going AWOL I suggest that the management look, quickly, at their booking system!Congratulations again to Craig....he performed magic that night in September!

Had a great Rib eye Steak here, and the service was excellent.The actual Bistro inside is plain but scrupulously clean.Had the Wimbury Tart for pudding and oh dear!Far too much sugar used and it was an OPEN tart!If the chef wants to learn the proper way, go to Merthyr Vale and ask some of the older miners' housewives to show you!

They fitted 9 of us plus 2 dogs in their back room for a late Sunday lunch. The restaurant at the front was dog free. Food varied and everyone enjoyed their lunch. The accompanying veg was extra yummy and none was left. 5 different puds were all delicious. We would go again.

Delicious food attractively presented, menu for main courses/ vegetarians a little limited, but enough choices for our three night stay. Local produce sourced.

small,quiet,reasonable selection of wines by-the-glass.Prompt service.Also where the hotel serves breakfast,which was hearty.

Lovely lunch here! little bit pricey but very nice home made food! Great friendly atmosphere! Recommended!

The beer was nice BUT, the ploughmans lunch at £10 consisted of two pieces of cheddar, two very small slices of dull white bread with a salad and a little coleslaw. The salad was unimaginative and with no dressing and the bread came with no butter. Won't be returning there!

This is a really cute hotel bistro. We rocked up without a booking, on a Friday evening, and the only other diners were hotel guests. Service was great; we were walked to the bar and brought a drink while the waiter took our order, and we were shown to our table once our meal was ready. My husband had cod and I had duck; both were nice enough.

Slightly concerned by some poor reviews , who writes these reviews !! - we were a large party of ten , with an 85 year age span - new manager who was very attentive , as were the bar and waiting staff - food excellent and on time - amazing value for money - we will return . If you want quick food stay away from Hay - they have refused to allow McDonalds into the town

Very high quality, excellent presentation..food could have been served a little hotter. Selection was limited, but adequate. Staff attentive.

I came over from London to perform a gig in Hay, and stopped off for lunch at the swan. the vegetarian options whilst being a bit limited were really tasty, great quality, and really good sized portions. the service was great, the staff were polite and attentive but not too obtrusive. overall a really good meal with reasonable prices and the place itself was very well kept. I'd definitely go there again!

I was a party of four coming in for lunch and had booked well in advance and just before wanting to leave to go to the swan I was mortified to read how bad an expierence we could be in for. I was tempted to cancel but one of our friends who recommened the place said not to worry that they had a good time.So we went and I kept worring about the service but instead found the staff diligent and very freindly. So after ordering (with no apparent hitch yet) we expected our food. The resteraunt had a few people in but the starters came very quickly and I was very relived to see that the meals didn't look like a mess but very nicley presented and in fact were absoultely delicious! Straight after finishing, our plates were quickly cleared and the mains brought in a few moments after. The food was very good we all agreed. The staff where really kind and I kept looking about to see if other guests were having the same expierence. I was honestly confused by what I had read earlier. I stopped worrying and enjoyed the expierence. I really wanted to ask the waiter about the review but felt like I shouldn't so instead asked about the puddings, he informed me that he would have to tell me the list of puddings which was fine and I wanted to ask if the chef makes the puddings. He informed me that the chef makes them but that he would prepare the decoration and plating up. The chocolate fondant (my choice) was lovely. We all stayed to have coffee and after thanked the the staff for a wonderful dinner.I was so grateful that the last reviewers expierence hadn't been my own and really felt that I should write this review to help vindicate the swan. I was a little annoyed that I had spent the start of the meal worrying and expecting the worst but it had been the total opposite!

service was so slow wine list was missing prossecco during Xmas period.wrong food orders kitchen got confused between fish stew and fish & chips!!slow service and average foodthere was no manager in the place at all!!

Visited whilst staying in Hay for a few days. We chose to eat in a rear bar as that way we could watch the rugby. Staff were most pleasant and attentive but not obtrusive. Four of us chose individual mains and all professed satisfaction. Prices OK and only complaint, at that very minor, could do with more biscuits with the cheese platter (but that was my fault for not asking for more as when we requested ample sourcough bread with the starter they piled it up!).

This is a true gem. The menu is always changing and offering a wealth of local produced bended with a "je ne sais quoi".

Myself and my partner are staying in the hotel and decided to eat here on the 1st night of our stay, the service was excellent and the food was fantastic! I had king prawns with chorizo to start followed by the duck, it was faultless.

Part of the Swan Hotel, the Bistro is really just the bar area of the hotel. We were staying at The Swan and found the Bistro furniture, food, service, prices, totally uninspiring. There is no atmosphere there whatsoever and we would have been better off going to the local chippie rather than spend £110 on a load of rubbish! There was one young waitress trying to look after about seven tables, ( plus the barman tried to help out when he wasn't serving drinks) and consequently the service was abysmal and the food was about the same quality. NEVER AGAIIN !

We decided to go to The Swan for a meal as it was a lovely evening and we know they have a delightful garden as we have eaten there before. Unfortunately most of the tables and chairs were covered in bird poo and they seemed to be short on staff. Stupidly, we still ate there and the meal was mediocre at best. My husband had tiger prawns to start - these had been incinerated beyond belief and there was hardly anything left to eat. The service was poor and we had to go looking for someone in order to pay the bill. There are plenty of nice places to eat in Hay and we certainly won't be returning to The Swan.

I'm feeling ambivalent about our experience here. The bistro lacks atmosphere and has a very limited menu. There was no music and the service was rather perfunctory. On the positive side, the food we ordered was good if not as described on the menu, eg the duck with puy lentils was served with mash instead with no forewarning from the waiter. The duck fat was not well rendered so I couldn't eat it which was disappointing but the dish was otherwise very tasty. The smoked salmon starter was delicious and the portion generous; the ham hock was very good but the portion was small. Customers for the bar kept drifting through the bistro and the waiting staff would disappear for long periods. Although we enjoyed dinner, we wouldn't go back. This is a hotel but the feeling is that the bar is the core business and dining is a sideline.

We had the wonderful opportunity to stay at The Swan at Hay for 2 nights. And the great chance to have one of the best meals of a month long trip, cooked by Harry Machintosh. It was beautifully prepared and truly enjoyed. And the hotel is charming...pay a little more and stay in room 3.

We met some friends for a meal here and the food was rather good! I had a salad nicoise - they had remembered the anchovies and it was tasty. My companions enjoyed their broad bean risotto and fried chicken. My Bellini was over heavy on the peach juice but water and sparkling water arrived rapidly with ice and lemon. Slightly frustrating that the special was on the blackboard but unavailable (come on -apply the blackboard rubber if you have run out) and the poached pears were 'orf' - really? However pleasant experience - and I would go back.

If you're looking for a good meal and a half decent bottle of wine after a day walking around the Hay Literature Festival, then there aren't many better places in Hay to get a bite.

Uncomfortable atmosphere, awful cheesy 80s music in the bistro restaurant. Food very disappointing. Liked.......umm.....two very sweet waitresses aimed to please and worked hard in light of the waiters seen larking about.

The food I had was quite nice but overpriced for what I got. Not a lot of choice on the menu. It was well presented and hot and overall not too bad although my friend was less than impressed with her meal.

Don't know what it's usually like for service, but we stopped in the Bistro at around 12:30 on our way through Hay-on-Wye, searching for a good, gluten-free meal. Hard to find in Hay! We were early and had the bistro to ourselves. Lovely meal in sort of shabby-chic surroundings. Could have been cleaner (crumbs on the table, dustwebs on the window), but still a welcome change from eating in a dark (atmospheric?) pub. The food was delicious. I had the partridge pot roast and Gary ahd the goat cheese and pear tart. Plan to return.

My daughters booked this bistro as a surprise for my 50th birthday. We arrived to be told by the receptionist/ waitress that they had no knowledge of the booking, even though my daughter had the reply email on her phone confirming this. We were shown through to the restaurant, where three of us were seated on a cramped bench opposite the draughty door (with fluorescent exit sign). A waiter, who definitely needs more training in his people skills proceeded to lay the table for us, he gave my husband and my Dad a knife and fork, the rest of us just got forks, then he went back to folding his napkins behind the bar.....it was like Fawlty Towers. I complained to the receptionist/ waitress, who then re seated us at a better table. No one takes your drinks orders, my husband had to go to the bar, he asked for a bottle of wine with our meal, the barman/waiter picked up a three quarter full bottle and had to be told we would prefer a full bottle, he then had to go to fetch this from who knows where. I ordered a pate for starter which was supposed to come with chutney, instead came with three gherkins. We had rib eye steak for main course (the only steak on the menu) which was very nice.We passed on the dessert, bread and butter pudding was £9. We were only staying in Hay on Wye for two nights but would have not returned here. Staff definitely need some training.

I think the staff are manning the reception as well as the bistro in this fairly central Hay location. Nobody manning the bar gives a slightly deserted feel to the place, however, food when we got it was tasty and satisfying. A great range of local cider and perry add an attraction.

Fawlty Towers lives and breathes and is in Hay-on-Wye. I have rarely been in a more disorganised and charmless restaurant/bistro. Admittedly it was during festival time and the place was very busy, but that was no excuse. You order at the bar and have a table number. When food arrives, it seems to invariably go to the wrong table. One poor couple had their order spilt, meaning that the man was still eating his soup when his main course arrived. This seemed to be happening to all the tables around us. When the food arrived, it was pretty tasteless. I had a very fatty porcetta, which bore no relation to its flavoursome Italian cousin. It came with French beans. This wasn't mentioned on the menu which meant I had ordered them as a side. When I pointed this out to the waiter, he left them on the table and said he would check the menu and come back to us (was I lying, that was the implication). Surprise, he didn't return and we were charged anyway. We didn't leave a tip and won't EVER be back.

We had intended to eat here on our first night at Hay, but the food and the service was so wonderful - we decided to eat here on the second night too! It would have been nice to try some of the other restaurants in Hay - but the Bistro would have been a hard act to follow! Wonderful choice of freshly cooked and tempting food!

We had waited for a table on a busy night so would have happily waited 30 seconds longer for our table to be properly ready. When we sat down it was unappetisingly dirty from the previous occupants and it took another 2 minutes for it to be cleaned.We weren't even asked what we wanted to drink when our order was taken, and had to ask for a drink order.The fillet steak we ordered was unavailable, we were later told, so we went for a cheaper steak.The food was very tasty, however, when we returned home we realised that we'd been charged for the more expensive out of stock steak! So they owe us somewhere between £2-£5...Overall, we were happy with the food and ambience but the service left a bitter taste.

Came here very last minute as our hotel's dining room was uninviting. The food was very good and the wild boar a real treat. Atmosphere was excellent with a roaring fire and a brightly lighted room. Good selection of wines, beers etc.

Lovely place, friendly attentive staff, cosy bar with a roaring fire. Good quality food and coffee. Looks like an excellent place to stay although we were booked in elsewhere, we will come here next time we visit Hay.

There are no simple lunch bites. Everything on the menu looked like a long affair. They are trying to market it as an upscale bistro, but it isnt that. It needs to reflect what the market is asking for, not what the owners want to offer. Otherwise, it wont succeed.Simple things to change:Simple lunch menus. this can be a great place for a quick lunch for all tourists.A reasonable afternoon tea offering. Why not?Most importantly, prices need to drop. They are asking London prices for little Hay!?!?

We had lunch in the bistro and dinner in the restaurant during our recent stay. The quality of the food was excellent in both and the wine list is well chosen and value for money. Service was friendly and efficient . The beer is well kept too!

Good menu choice. Food was delicious and service was quick.

A young and enthusiastic staff worked very hard to please but they had to cope with a system that did not seem able to cope during Festival week. A booking taken but 40min wait for a table, once seated, kitchen stopped taking orders for 15mins at a time. Limited menu of average food. Paying by credit card required going to Hotel reception as they 'only had one card machine'. Still the wine was nice.

cannot comment on value for money as both my dining experiences here were included as part of an overall package trip, but the food I had was excellent, particuarly the sea bream, and the puddings are to die for. The decaff coffee at the end of the meal was instant, which was a little disappointing, but overall, delicious.

We chose to eat here having read the good reviews, but were very disappointed. The Swan is a lovely building in the heart of Hay-on-Wye and, as the weather was beautiful, we had our meal in their pretty garden. The service was very good and the staff were very polite. However, the food was terrible. I had sea bass linguine which consisted of a small amount of linguine with large pile of french beans in the middle, and 4 small pieces of sea bass (somehow they manged to over-cook it but still have a soggy skin). My husband had spring lamb, which consisted of two mouthfuls of lamb, some virtually raw vegetables and chips that were so over-cooked they were rock hard on the outside and empty on the inside.

....well, at least of the three restaurants we tried during our visit. We ate in the Bistro, which was sadly lacking in custom in a rainy April Thursday. However, seated near the fire (gas, but cheering) we found the atmosphere, service and menu promising. We shared a slate plate of brasseola to start, with local beer and Merlot for me and my wife respectively. A good start, but there was better to come. My wife's wild mushroom linguine was pronounced excellent, but my duck, with roast potatoes roast parsnip and green beans was beyond excellent. All cooked to perfection, the duck was tender, the new potatoes soft and delicious, the beans perfect al dente and the parsnip it out question the best I have ever tastes, all served with a very tasty and right amount of gravy and well displayed.I finished with creme brûlée and home made shortbread. A perfect end an enjoyable three days in Hay.

Lovely food and at sensible prices. Good selection on the menu. Nice surroundings with good service.

Although the menu wasn't huge, the food was excellent as was the service

We felt it was rather expensive for the quality of the food but there are few other options locally and we really didn't want to drive! The atmosphere was pleasant though and the staff could not have been more helpful.

I took 7 friends for dinner during the Hay Festival and I was SO impressed at the service (especially during such a busy period). They were attentive, kind and efficient. The food is absolutely brilliant. Everyone was very happy!

We visited for Sunday lunch in the Bistro, for the second time, maybe the restaurant would have been better, both places are nicely presented as is the lovely garden.We all had carrot and corriander soup, very enjoyable with organic bread, followed by the pork tenderloin. This was served on a bed of mash with chives and accompanied by red cabbage. All these meals were barely warm and cooled considerably further while we waited and waited for the accompanying vegetables. The pork was considerably overcooked and dry. When we asked for apple sauce to alieviate this, they stated that they had run out of it!!!! Maybe the offer of coffe or something else by way of apology would have tempered our disappointment with this meal. All in all not up to the standard expected for the price charged. This was our second visit, the jury had been out following the first, there are other more inviting venues in Hay.

Starter of scallops (£8.50) consisted of 4 barely-seared puny scallops, say, the size of a 50p coin, and a small handful of blandly-dressed leaves. The 10oz rib-eye actually contains about 4oz of bone! For £21.50 I would have expected no bone and when challenged the staff seemed to believe that all rib-eyes were butchered with a chunk of bone on! Maybe that's the case in Wales but not in England. The Bearnaise sauce had been sitting for hours and had separated.My wife's sea bass was cooked but the skin was not browned so that part was inedible. This dish came with what was risibly called risotto. This was dry and had the semblance of it having sat for hours. It had no discernable taste, and when I mentioned to the staff that I could detect no parmesan cheese, she offered to show me a chunk of parmesan from the kitchen, as if this would be incontrovertible proof that it was used in the dish and that I could not smell or taste. There was a greasy taste to it.We obtained a £5 deduction from the bill.