Café Rouge - Portsmouth in Portsmouth

Loved our lunch in Cafe Rouge at Gun Wharf Quays in Portsmouth. Ambience, food and service excellent 🤩 However devastated to find out Cafe Rouge is closing forever next week to become a Thai restaurant 🥺. We have so many fond memories of our family visits to Cafe Rouge and my son even worked in the Chichester branch when young which we frequented regularly. So sad it’s closing for good 🥺

Lovely Mushroom Omelette, complimented by a nice glass of Rose. Would highly recommend a visit.

Wonderful welcoming staff very well presented and so attentive food was exceptional too

I like that it's close to the shopping quarters but also not too close to become overcrowded. Lovely place to have cake and tea.

A large family birthday evening meal - food was good and our waiter and service was excellent. All meals came out together (there were 10 of us) and our different drinks orders and requests were met with little issues or fuss. Unexpected bonus was the 50% off mains promotion that is currently running.

Pleasant surroundings, good service and good food. Was dubious about going in as previously had been put off by intrusive background 'music'. This time just the muted background chatter of happy customers.

Great value and enjoyable experience at all times.

Family party of mum and three 20 something student children. Used 50% main voucher in Jan on Friday 12th Jan. This was brilliant idea and got us out for a great evening. Spend was £75 for 4 which is affordable at the moment.

The service was very bad and racist. The waiter did not allow us to sit in the elevated area on the other side, although the tables were completely empty and there were not many customers, because of our race and the fact we had a child. We were forced to take a table right by the entrance and exit, but I refused to sit and left.

Prob the worst fillet steak I have eaten, grissley could barely cut thru with a steak knife at one end. Wont be rushing back, had some Tesco vouchers to use up.

I would have made my comments to a member of staff but no one asked me. The café wasn’t busy. I have eaten here many times before and was looking forward to a croque monsieur. Unfortunately it is not served until midday. I ordered avocado on toast (£7.95) with an extra poached egg. It wasn’t unpleasant but nor will I come back for more. I had one average sized thin piece of toast spread thinly with smooth avocado which had some pink onion on top. The single poached egg (for £1.85!?! ) was barely warm. It was OK but it felt mean and I was left feeling disappointed. My local café at Newlands Corner also serves avocado on toast with poached eggS, admittedly it costs £1 more but is generous and a joy to eat; we are regular customers. My husband had the grand breakfast which for £10.95 was much better value with 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 rashers of bacon, hash browns, tomato, beans etc. Not very French, it’s true, but a very decent breakfast.

The chicken liver pate starter was a pat of pate, two small pieces of bread and a dollop of chutney on a very small plate. That was literally it. I half expected it to be served covered in cling film. This cost £8.50! Half chicken was literally just a piece of fried chicken on a pile of chips. No garnish and the chicken certainly hadn't been marinated as the menu described. Just pub chicken and chips. Except this cost £15.95. Cafe Rouge used to serve such lovely food and now it's just mass catering. It's so sad!

GOOD FOOD, POLITE STAFF AND A GREAT ATMOSPHERE.

My 80th Birthday treat on Christmas Eve. My choice of restaurant. Do love it there.Garlic mushrooms then 5oz Steak and Fritters followed by a beautiful Lemon Tart with a Birthday candle. Thank you x

Amazing service and a nice evening meal. Only thing bad was that they ran out of the sirloin steak which was disappointing but the alternative was delicious and all together good night out. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others

Traditional Afternoon Tea was pretty poor. Sandwiches were thick warm with minimal filling

Lunch, overall very good, atmosphere, service, food, wine all pretty good. The olives are great. The Cabernet Sauvignon is good. But, if anyone at The Big Table reads this, do please get proper fillet steak. Chewiness in a £29 fillet is bad. At that price it should be spot on, and it wasn't.

Came here for Eggs Benedict one morning. Ambience and atmosphere was nice, great views and feel to the place. Server was quick to serve me. Coffee was nice. Eggs Benedict came out and it looked ok. The muffin was nicely toasted, poached eggs were cooked well with a runny centre as they should be. Hollandaise was very nice. Only let down was the ham.. it smelt and tasted like cheap York ham. Was thinly sliced from a packet and the taste did not compliment the dish. It was a let down for me. I have had better Eggs Benedict at a weatherspoons! If cafe rouge could change the ham to a thicker better quality ham, then this dish would be very nice. It took quite a while to get the bill. I stopped a member of staff to ask him for this and he never came back. I waited longer but decided to go up to the till and pay there.

Was looking for a good breakfast venue at Gunwharf Quays and Café Rouge was all we could find. Staff seemed stressed or disinterested. Food was only warm and cold by the time we'd finished and not well presented. Our waitress was lovely although under a lot of pressure it seemed.

So wonderful to find a Cafe Rouge again. This one retains all the style and flavour of Rouges of old. Ambience was deemed by there being two large parties in, but that is forgivable in the run up to Christmas.

Set Menu wasn't available despite being listed in the window and this was replaced by a more expensive Festive Menu which was slightly misleading. The food was good but portions were small, so left still feeling hungry. Apart from that the service was good and the restaurant is a pleasant environment.

Lovely food and really friendly staff what a lovely team.

Excellent service, friendly staff. Food- bland. Expensive for what we got.

Enjoyed rouge afternoon tea ,sandwiches delicious . Service was excellent on a very busy afternoon, friendly helpful waitress

attentive and friendly staff, food hot and delicious, very enjoyable experience and will visit again

Stopped in for a few drinks with friends. Super accommodating after a busy lunch. Erika was fantastic. 10/10.

Lovely place. Food was excellent

Wonderful staff, food was amazing. 10/10 whole experience

It's always a safe bet. We've never booked but they've always fitted us in Service is perfect. The food is good and it's clean. Even the toilets are nice. Really well decorated too. Highly recommended

A lovely location, very accommodating to dietary needs, delicious food, friendly staff

Always have a lovely meal here. Service is very friendly. We go for our Anniversary every year. Love it.

Dreadful food :£ 8 +for the worst onion soup i ever tasted ,main courses same dry poulet,wrongly cooked steaks(tasteless )total waste of my money avoid ,and presented with service charge i had it taken off

Lovely staff, all very friendly & attention to detail. Great quality food, we all enjoyed our choices. Restaurant & toilets clean. A really lovely place to eat or have a drink. Thank you xx

Same as all other Cafe Rouge, but staff exceptional

We visited yesterday to celebrate my Sisters Birthday. There were four of us in our group and all our meals were really nice! The service was great - our waitress Sara was very smiley & friendly 💖 I personally had never visited a Cafe Rouge before but will absolutely come back again!! Really good experience and ALL the staff we interacted with were very lovely!

Cafe Rouge Port Solent has been one of our favourite places to eat for years. Always a joy to visit!

Shocked to see how empty the place was at lunch time. Other restaurants were busy. Sirloin steak was full of gristle and fat. Sea bass fillet was small and served with loads of potatoes. Overall food was disappoinying.

Food was like warm and tasted like xxxx my mate did not like it so that says something as he loves food would never go back worst breaky ever

The duck was the best I ever had . Fell apart . Well done chef

Nice place and atmosphere but portions are a bit small and overpriced

The unkempt wooden window boxes containing obvious fake plants along the front of the building sums up this Cafe Rouge. Waiting staff were pleasant enough, but service was slow. The toilets were particularly bad. No lock on one door and the majority of toilet paper on the floor. Not maintained or looked after. Cafe Rouge is tired and in need of management that focusses on the customer and customer experience. The food was.... just okay. I have no reason that would make me want to visit this establishment again.

Our third visit, noisier than we remembered but not so that we couldn't hold a reasonable level of conversation. Good atmosphere and lovely food. Recommended.

Prices, portions and quality seem to be matched to the 2 for 1 offer that most tables around us were using I.e. tastecard. Effectively, the menu items are overpriced to offset the offer.

Location nice (outside seating), food and service poor

Just thought I would mention that serving duck (which was beautifully cooked, as always) does not work in the new strange shaped bowls, both for access and the fact that the gravy swamps the saute potatoes that do not remain crisp.

We stopped by for a mid week lunch, it was quite busy at times and we had a couple of problems with our order, but that was resolved as quickly as they could. Staff were all friendly and the food was good. Overall, it was good and we'd go there again.

A favourite haunt of ours, we've celebrated many an occasion here including our daughter's graduation. Never disappointed.

Expensive as its sister's pussy but they finally made a good Expresso

I ordered sirloin steak with salad but got chips instead. The steak was sinewy, and the salad was a pinch of wilting rocket. A 10% tip was added to the bill that was apparently optional, so why add it....???

Very slow service not many customers in there . Staff where friendly, the food was cold and horrible sausages were cooked then microwaved all in all very disappointing will never go back

My wife and I had a lunch in Cafe Rouge today and it was absolutely fantastic. We were greeted by a very friendly man who was polite and happy for us to sit in the lower level, which was cooler than the higher level. The waitress who was very attentive and professional and ensured we were happy with everything, but did not over bother us. The food we ordered was excellent, very good ingredients cooked excellently. I don't think it could have been any better. Maybe the staff in Cafe Rouge can help the Liquorist staff with some customer service training?

Great calamari starters and duck for main. Friendly staff

Stopped in for a little dinner with my partner, the restaurant was neither full nor busy, my mojito came without mint, my chicken was dry and at no point did our waiter check back on our meal, despite giving other tables close to us check backs.

I am French, and this restaurant does not live up to its claims, dishes without any taste, however the bill is steep

We went in early Aug, one evening. Really nice food, nice atmosphere, affordable menu. We asked for a little extra bread and they were happy to give it free. It feels more upmarket than a typical restaurant, perhaps because it’s set on different levels.

Great food, great service, great price :)

Foodnwas cold ansnnot very nice.

Disappointed with breakfast service, despite many staff and few customers it took a long time to receive hot drinks, had to remind waitress to bring condiments. Waitress didn't seem interested. Breakfast was average, bacon and sausages good, but poached egg was cold.

Service was a little slow and food was decent - luckily we had a set lunch which made it more value for money. Other than that, the location is still ok (near the outlet store area).

Lovely place to eat in gunwharf quays good food and quality beers

I was looked after professionally, good service, prompt delivery of food. Good simple food, well cooked and tasty. What more would you want!

Excellent service. Food and plates were hot, keeping food warmer for longer seeing as doors were open on a colder windy day. Reasonable prices on freshly prepared, tasty meals .

Enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea with great service. Thank you!

Hadn't visited for a year or so when the experience wasn't so good. This time it was great. Food fantastic with attentive and friendly service. Well done.

Visited on the 5th July, booked a table but arrived early after noticing it closes at 9pm. Given a table immediately and the service and the food was excellent. Restaurant was not very busy but had enough people in to create a nice atmosphere. Very enjoyable experience.

Found the menu choices quite limited and disappointing. Opted for the chicken and chips, but the meal was so basic, nothing to write home about at all. Would not recommend. Staff and atmosphere very pleasant though.

Came here today for an afternoon tea received as a gift. Went for the traditional option and thoroughly enjoyed it, a good selection of savoury and sweet treats with unlimited hot drinks. The place was quite busy (lunchtime) but didn't have to wait long at all to be served. Staff friendly and efficient throughout with no request appearing too much trouble. Will gladly return when next in Gunwharf!

Yet again a great lunch here. We always try and sit outside even in winter as it's a fab area 😁

I been here many times and always the service was excellent! Big portions, tasty food, nice staff... I'd recommend it to anyone!

Used a buy a gift voucher for an afternoon tea, it was easy to book on the website. Arrived to a busy restaurant but we were greeted and shown to our table straight away. Our order was taken and drinks brought. After a short wait our traditional afternoon tea arrived. The toasted sandwiches were lovely and the selection of cakes delicious. We were there for approx 1 1/2 hours thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had a lovely afternoon. We will return when we can , lovely staff, restaurant and food.

Had the fixed price menu for our party of three on 6 July. Soup good, Pate tasty but all served with a slice of not-very-fresh baguette (or it was pre sliced) No butter. We asked for butter but it was rock-hard. Two had minute steaks, which was acceptable but nothing to shout about. Unfortunately, our friend chose the chicken burger, which was totally dry and tasteless. Very disappointing. But the waiting staff were pleasant and did their best. If we go to a Cafe Rouge again, we'll definitely have food from the main menu.

A lovely restaurant although I feel a little overpriced for the atmosphere which isn't the best but all in all its a nice place for a meal or drink

Highly recommend this spot for a nice afternoon tea experience! And unlimited drink refill 😜

Love it here esp in gunwharf quays I was really looking forward to their lovely beef bourgunon but they didn't have any , so opted for steak the seating outside in the sun made us feel we were abroad

Guys! Up your game. Myself and my family come here since more than a decade . We always thought of you as a great option for eating out when visiting Gunwarf. Today we came to try your afternoon tea. Ordered 2 mocktails, one shandy, kids main and one , I repeat one afternoon tea. We were served 6 olives, 3 slices of salami , 2 slices of bresaola, some broken pieces of prosciutto crudo , half a pear finely sliced over the meats, half a baguette cut in 2, one camembert cheese and 6 macarons. Oh and 2 portion of fries. When the bill was presented it was for 2 afternoon teas. And hidden service . Guys , management, whoever is up there reading. I understand that the inflation has hit us hard, however we cannot start to charge people double just so we make our covers. They " rectified" the total and the young lady said that the drinks were taken out as discount for the misunderstanding. You didn't do me a favor you did me a disservice. Will i go back ?Not soon. And for sure not for the misleading .

Food was ok but very overpriced portions very small

Beautiful atmosphere presented lovely but stone cold food, hard eggs, sausages hard, the whole breakfast today was not very good, pot of tea was lovely

Very nice food, with both a great atmosphere and location.

I enjoyed the hot chocolate here 😋 and staff were amazing :) you can ask for more powder for your hot chocolate to catch your taste :)

Nice cosy Cafe. Great food options, just wish they put more in the sandwich. And the guy didn't tell us that it costs extra to have fries. He made it sound like it comes with the sandwich. But I did like the atmosphere.

Great Service, Standard of food good, and pretty authentic as a French Restaurant.

Very nice place to sit for a coffee and a light bite. Good service. I really like the atmosphere, it's relaxed. I liked it.

Nice food in a relaxed atmosphere. Would recommend.

Lovely food, delicious dessert. Friendly staff. Worth a visit.

Lovely food, very good service in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Nice atmosphere for a pseudo French restuarant chain. Had my normal French Onion soup followed by Bouef Bourginone,enjoyed both.

Was delicious breakfast,all was fresh, friendly stuff,we always comeback there many times when we are around.

Ordered with 2 different waiters waited 5 min and walk off. Service no!

Cafe Rouge? Cafe Don’t Bother! Went today. Lovely weather. Quite busy, with half the tables being used. Had to wait for a table, which then wasn’t wiped clean. Eventually, by getting up a grabbing someone, got served. After 30 minutes from sitting down finally got our coffee and scone. Didn’t come with the flavour of jam we’d been promised. Scones under cooked. Had to again go grab someone to ask to pay and they had the audacity to automatically add a service charge. Grrrr. Won’t be going back.

Unfortunate experience, Lack of staff, they were doing their best, totally overwhelmed.. Possibly the same in the kitchen as the food was terrible!! Stale brown salad! Meat 🥩 served on cold plate, with tepid chips .. It’s extremely rare for me to complain or send food back as it ruined our lunch & Experience..

Lovely meal with great service at the waterfront in Portsmouth. Could not ask for anything more.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Caffè Rouge in Portsmouth Harbour, and let me just say, the food was absolutely incredible! From the great starter of king prawns to the juicy and flavorful burger with camembert and bacon, every bite was pure bliss. But it wasn't just the food that impressed me. The atmosphere was lovely, creating the perfect setting for a delightful evening out. The restaurant was cozy and welcoming, with attentive staff that added to the already charming ambiance. In addition, the service was incredibly fast and efficient, which made for a stress-free dining experience. I was particularly impressed with the waitstaff, who were attentive, polite and friendly. They really made us feel welcomed and looked after from start to finish. Overall, I would highly recommend Caffè Rouge in Portsmouth Harbour to anyone looking for a delicious meal in a warm and inviting setting. With its exquisite food, good ambiance, and attentive service, it's definitely worth a visit!

Went there on a Saturday for lunch. Ordered off the set menu. 2 courses for £17.95. Service was very slow and the place was, nearly empty... Food looked like I just went into my own kitchen and served up... Literally no frills... Or effort. Chicken pate and bread. 2 chunks of french bread, a dollop of chutney and a slice of pate... As you would cut up at home and throw on a plate. Half a chicken and fries.. Exactly that and a small side sauce, no garnish. Chicken and sauce was good at least. £4.25 for a side of onion rings a bit steep. Chicken burger again, only served with fries, nothing else, no onion rings, no garnish, no coleslaw or salad. Needless to say we removed the service charge and still at £70 for 3 of us... It wasn't well spent. ( 1 soft drink each). We won't be returning.

Exceptional service and brilliant food.

Nice quiet venue. Good service, food was nice. I got the half chicken, it was a bit over cooked as I’m sure it sits there for a good few hours, needs to be cooked with some herbs also, but never mind. Would come back for sure. They do 25% blue light discount selected days!!!

Helpful and friendly staff and excellent food

Had lovely afternoon tea for my daughters birthday, couldn't fault the food

Great location, sat outside with a view of the Spinniker tower. Unfortunately, let down by slow service and overpriced food with small portions

We had a fantastic lunch, what a lovely place, full of atmosphere, well done

The steaks were outstanding this time. Pricey but nice.