Castle Kitchen + Bar in Ballymena

A superb lunch/dining experience. Good choice of food good food and great friendly staff. Been a few times and will definitely go back. Good parking outside. Great scenery too.

We dined here for my Girlfriends birthday, staff were very attentive and made her feel special. Food was excellent, the lamb was cooked perfectly !

I am a business owner and I regularly attend the restaurant for lunch and sometimes evening meal. I normally entertain customers for lunch before heading out to play golf but also eat with family and friends at the Castle Kitchen restaurant. The varied customers that I host at the restaurant would regularly comment on how nice the food is and how spoilt we are to have such a good restaurant at the golf club (not your normal clubhouse restaurant). The atmosphere is always peaceful and I find the staff very attentive, especially Claudia greets you with a smile and is very chatty and helpful, along with many other of the staff. Thankyou and I will continue to return. I do eat out in a lot of restaurants both in business and socially and definitely Castle Kitchen is up there.

Food was tasty and the staff were lovely.

Food was tasty and the staff were lovely.

Me and my fiancé went for food and drinks in the evening, service for food was slow to start but picked up pretty quickly. The food itself was delightful and we would happily eat there again. The highlight of the evening was without a doubt the young bartender Adam in the barn. He provided excellent service, was chatty and made us feel welcome, as well as being a phenomenal drink maker, watching him work was a sight to see and I would happily return to the barn for drinks if everyone could show his level of hospitality. Kudos Adam for being a true professional in all senses of the word.

I was nervous about coming here as my previous experience a few years back but pretty poor. As a vegan it's hard to find somewhere where the chef has an imagination. Well I was in for a fantastic surprise. There was a vegan/vegetarian menu, and I have to say to crispy mushrooms starter and the roast cauliflower main was absolutely stunning. Pureed beans and asparagus just fab. The service from all the staff & maitre'd was so lovely and attentive. We will definitely be back as I have a whole menu to tray. 💜😁💜😁💜😁 Just wish I'd got the recipe for the roast cauli.

I was nervous about coming here as my previous experience a few years back but pretty poor. As a vegan it's hard to find somewhere where the chef has an imagination. Well I was in for a fantastic surprise. There was a vegan/vegetarian menu, and I have to say to crispy mushrooms starter and the roast cauliflower main was absolutely stunning. Pureed beans and asparagus just fab. The service from all the staff & maitre'd was so lovely and attentive. We will definitely be back as I have a whole menu to tray. 💜😁💜😁💜😁 Just wish I'd got the recipe for the roast cauli.

The staff are extremely quick, attentive and polite. Couldn’t fault them. For the starter I had the chicken wings which were the best I’ve ever had. My partner had the Prawns- I wasn’t a fan but he loved them. For my main I had fish and chips- the fish was huge, it was hanging off the plate so you definitely got your moneys worth. The actual fish however was pretty good but nothing outstanding. My boyfriend had the burger- it was huge but he did say it was a bit dry but still lovely. The chips were great too.

Our booking was actually in the Barn - due to current Golf tournament being on which was fine, however when we arrived place was empty and zero atmosphere in the place - greeted by a very friendly Staff member which helped. Only 2 other tables in our 2 hours of sitting ! yet our food order still took 45minutes - waiting staff didn’t offer any reason why or apology really- Menu had 4 options (!!) Food was just ok one of my group said the chicken was ‘chewey’. The desert cheesecake had no taste. Overall disappointing and the smell of the firewood is too much. Usually we go to the restaurant upstairs which we hope to go back too. Staff were pleasant but food in kitchen needs improving. The coffee was nice though!

I really love the decor and atmosphere. The food was absolutely beautiful and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. The one thing letting it down is the service . Upon being seated , we requested water for the table stating that we'd order more drinks upon deciding on our food. The water didn't arrive but a different waiter approached us to go ahead with our food order without noticing or remarking on the absence of beverages on the table. I asked for more time and if we could please have the water we asked for. The original server came back to take the food order and was very helpful regarding dietary requirements etc. The food was delicious for all of us and with 3 of us going for the early birdie deal, it was great value for money. We all wanted to try dessert and waited so long for the servers to come back and take our order that one of the party complained that he just wanted to get up and pay so we could carry on with the rest of our evening. There seemed to be plenty of staff around but trying to catch the attention of any as they passed by was almost impossible. I tried resting the dessert menus on the table in various poses , even holding them aloft at one point, to signal that we were finished with them and were ready to order. Eventually I flagged down the passing Ryan and the desserts were ordered. I don't think I would return based on the waiting times but the food is worth trying and staff with personality like Ryan are rare gems in the hospitality industry. A real treasure.

We booked Sunday lunch for my sons 21st Birthday, the staff were absolutely fantastic so attentive especially as we were a large group exceeding all expectations. All of the team were first class and nothing was too much trouble. Quality of the food was outstanding with a great choice. Great atmosphere and buzz we thoroughly enjoyed the day. Thank u to all the amazing staff it was so appreciated!!!!

We went for a friends 50th birthday we went for lunch and dinner and have to day everything we got throughout the day was amazing the staff was fantastic and nothing was a bother thank yous again for a lovely day will definitely recommend and look forward to visiting again

We had our wedding here on Friday, the staff and service were next to none, they really made the day and nothing was too much for Georgie who has helped me plan this for the past few months. We rented out the small room and had it decorated, serving just 15 people. It was small and intimate and would highly recommend here if your planning on having a small but beautiful wedding overlooking the golf course. We then headed downstairs to the barn where they had live music on and we hired a Dj for after which they helped us get , we got friends to join us after the meal and everyone had a great time! Everyone commented on how lovely the food, venue and staff were! Would highly recommend.

A quality restaurant nestled in the picturesque Galgorm Castle grounds, an enjoyable experience but not without its flaws. The menu has some real highlights, a selection of starters that caters to most tastes and an excellent array of mains that certainly tantalise the taste buds, the grill section being a particular point of intrigue. The dessert menu on the other hand was distinctly uninspired so I didn't even bother - a real shame as I am most certainly a dessert lover. The main course, I went with the sirloin cooked medium rare - something that so many restaurants are incapable of of achieving - was cooked to absolute perfection. Exactly how it was ordered and also seasoned properly with some tasty grill lines - whoever cooked that meat knew what they were doing! The only downside is the boring forced fried mushroom and tomato. That is phoning in the garnish - you are located on the edge of the countryside, it would be easy to offer beautiful seasonal veg which would be so much better. Truffle parmesan fries were rather good as a side dish and the pepper sauce was bang on though! I had a Guinness to drink and the pour was perfect - if you know Guinness then you will know what I mean! One downside was a less than perfectly clean glass, otherwise it was flawless! So overall very good food and drink in a modern and enjoyable atmosphere. Only let down by some curious menu design flaws and it isn't cheap - fix the flaws and I would be happy to pay for the experience!

On our recent visit for our complimentary meal in castle kitchen we came away very disappointed from the Galgorms Resturants once again. From start to finish the quality of the food was terrible. My Starter of chicken wings had dead flies in it. Main roast beef dinner was tuff and so chewy it was not even eatable. Dessert - Shell chocolate orange moose just tasted of pure sugar. So all in all we came away still hungry and not satisfied with the quality of the food & service. No alternatives were offered all was said was “Apologies about that” from one of the waiters. This is not what we expected for our complimentary meal after coming home the last time with food poisoning from the Galgorm. Email & photos of the food had been sent to higher management of the issues with the meal. Nothing was offered just an apology. The Galgorm Resort is not what it used to be. Avoid eating in any of their restaurants unless you want food poisoning or dead flies in your meal! Wont be back

Great for a night out, far on more stylish than other bars/nightclubs in ballymena. Was absolutely packed but bar staff excelled in getting everyone served. Young barman Kyle was fantastic at his job both at serving drinks and dealing with customers

I took a business visitor for lunch. Chicken Schnitzel was excellent as was the prawn sandwich with fries. Service relaxed and efficient. Always a great atmosphere.

It was my first time dining there. I decided to go with an early bird menu. Starter was very nice. I just needed a little more goat cheese. The burger was very disappointing. Very, very dry little over cooked. For the size of burger, the cheese, etc, was very scarce, unable to even taste it. I should have sent it back, Service was good, and my partner enjoyed his soup and chowder pie.

Burger was so dry and tasteless. Spent longer waiting to go there and back than actually there

I chaired a business lunch at The Castle. Although quiet the staff were poor around timings of taking orders etc and delay on sweets and coffees even though we observed all sitting ready to be served. (Coffees subsequently arrived cold). In such a competitive industry within these fiscal times very disappointing and would certainly flag a massive training issues identified. Very disappointing, reinforcing the importance to maintain standards around Quality as opposed to Quantify.

The kind of place you would go to for your birthday after your mid thirties

Delicious meal. Friendly attentive staff. Beautiful inside and the food was excellent. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend.

This is an excellent restaurant, wonderful food, good service and very nice atmosphere, its great to be able to see what’s happening it the kitchen. Great venue for larger groups as well as couples. It is on the pricy side but it is special place also

4 star trying to be 5 star but only achieving 3. Great food although experience ruined with poor service overseen by an unwelcoming mood hoover manageress.

We have tried all three restaurants at Galgorm and this is our favourite. Food is always piping hot and served as it states on the menu . The shuttle down is both convenient and speedy and the drivers are fantastic . We will definitely be back .

Reasonable menu at a very good price. Lovely surroundings and the restaurant/bar has a great atmosphere. Service was good as was the menu. Good value for money. Definitely will be back.

This spot is ideal for a leisurely lunch, not suitable for anyone watching the clock. There is a reasonable selection on the lunchtime menu with the option of one, two or three courses including a drink . The staff were aware that my husband requires gluten-free options and we're knowledgeable and helpful in advising on his options . My only issue with the dessert selection was the amount of dishes with ice cream , which I don't like. I chose the Elderflower Panna Cotta only to have the waitress return to advise that there wasn't any and had been replaced with Lemon Posset, as I'm not a fan I settled on the cheese and crackers. This was a good choice - only one cheese but it was fine. The accompanying chutney was excellent The service was slow to the point where I was going to go to the bar and retrieve my glass of wine which sat there for quite some time . In general the service was slow with long delays taking orders, delivering the food, clearing and taking orders die next course. Also, there was no wait staff assigned to the table so a variety of staff were serving each table. The restaurant is in a lovely setting (Galgorm Golf Course) but vest to avoid during or immediately after a major golfing event I'm happy to recommend a visit

A lovely thought out design makes this restaurant along with very helpful and friendly staff. We had steaks all good although the chunky chips were not as fluffy or crispy as I would have liked. That said the speciality butter on the rib eye was so tasty.

Beautiful Sunday lunch……food and service was excellent. Superb all round value. We look forward to next time. Thankyou.

Our experience began with a 15 minute wait just to be seated even though we had booked a table and made eye contact with several staff that were doing nothing. Starter was good, waited half an hour for two cocktails, mains were poor, desserts also poor (also had to wait 15 mins just to get the dessert menu). Finally when asking for the bill that also took 20 minutes and we only got sorted because we left our table to go to the desk to pay before we’d got it. The dinner lasted 2 and a half hours. Was very slow and not worth the time.

Nice place, food ok a bit limited on choice.

High quality tasty food with plenty of nice vegan options. Pricing seemed a bit admiss though as my omnivore husband ordered a meat dish and got a good size portion. My vegan dish was the same price but needed a side dish to make it a full sized dish meaning my vegan meal (roast cauliflour) was more expensive. Seemed very odd. Good surroundings though so overall a good meal out.

Food is second to none. Decor is lovely and relaxed.

Had a wonderful meal. Went for the hugh tea 2 courses. Burger was huge, juicy ansd the caramelised onion was on point. The focacia with humous, feta and honey was incredible and you can't go wrong with buffalo chicken wings.

Fine restaurant at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. We had dinner there from the guest menu.Felt range of menu wasn't great but food we ordered was very good.Staff were very friendly and helpful.Good views of the golf course from the restaurant which is on the second floor.

Went with a large group. We had lunch on the terrace. The food and service were excellent. I would highly recommend Castle Kitchen.

Visited Fri 16th June. Setting is beautiful - decor and lighting on point! Warm welcome and offered a lovely table. Staff very very friendly and professional. Food was excellent. Steaks were both a little overcooked, but we seemed to be the last booking of the night and it was quite late so didn't want to cause a scene. Our order was last from the Kitchen. Still very flavoursome. Sauces & Sides also very good! Special mention to our Waiter Saureen (sorry if spelling is wrong). An absolute gentleman. So well mannered, friendly & professional. A real asset to the place!! Luxurious Shuttle Bus from Galgorm with a true gent of a Driver - thankyou! Highly recommend!

Limited food selection and small portion sizes unfortunately.

1st visit here and wont be the last. Lovely lunch 👌

Good food and friendly helpful service. The food was very good this time.

The food was good, but horrendously overpriced for what it was. Drinks very expensive too. Don't order the trout unless you're on a diet. 8 tiny pieces of gnocci is not enough as a side! All the other dishes (pork chop, burgers) in our party of 35 came with bowls of chips. Those who ordered trout went home hungry. Service was however very good and the surroundings are lovely.

Dined for the first time with friends .My food was tasty ( I ordered mac and cheese ) The staff were friendly although service was slow.

A new venue for our monthly family meet, lovely venue and attentive and considerate staff. The menu has varied choices to cover all tastes.

Excellent vegan food. The sticky toffee pudding was the best pud I've had in a very long time.

Great atmosphere for eating, although still more expensive than surrounding restaurants in Ballymena.

Food mainly good. Service mainly not good. Staff nice but it all felt like a bit of a shambles.

The best restaurant at Galgorm Resort in my experience. The staff were great and engaging from arrival to helping us leave on the resort bus and we felt treated like regulars, thanks to them all. The menu is varied and interesting and the food delivered.

Absolutely amazing meal here. First class service as we were time bound and our meals came out super promptly. Highly recommended.

Amazing food. Had the Aged ribeye and it was great! Staff were very attentive and helpful with recommendations etc!

Excellent food, with attentive staff

Love here, although I was here at the weekend and got the chicken caesar salad, I was disappointed as there was a minimal amount of chicken for the price paid. Other than that all other experiences here have been amazing. Would recommend here to anyone.

Again I know I sound old, but the acoustics are so off. Do the architects who design these places never think about how it will be to eat there.

My wife and I wanted to try the Castle Kitchen + Bar as this seemed to be a new and upcoming option as opposed to Gillies and Fratellis at Galgorm Resort and Spa. The food was incredible, lovely location/building with a 15 min free shuttle mini-bus for the Galgorm Resort. Food choice is good with a good vegetarian menu. Staff were very helpful and courteous. Would definitely recommend!

I have never eaten as much in all my life! It was so good you just couldn't stop. One of the nicest stakes I have had. Compliments to the chef and all the staff! So nice and warming.

Delicious food, staff can't do enough for you. Goats cheese & Beetroot salad and Pan seared duck with dauphinoise was fab. Highly recommend.

Although I am not a vegetarian the Warm Roasted Butternut squash salad was ‘mouth-wateringly’ described on the menu and I couldn’t resist to see if it was THAT good. (Forgot to take a food photo🙄). It did not disappoint and if scored would give it 10/10…..absolutely amazing food in an equally amazing restaurant served by the friendliness of staff. A lovely experience and my friends who came up from Belfast can’t wait to go back. Well done to the whole team.

This is our second time dining at the Castle now, and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint. A truly well crafted menu that highlights the best of local seasonal produce. Easy reservation and greeted from the second you enter. We had 3 courses and every single course was of an excellent standard. I must give a shoutout to the venison pie in particular. The decor and service was amazing as always. A smooth, attentive and delicious experience. The Castle is not the cheapest of places you will find to eat in Ballymena… but in my humble opinion it’s one of the best. You pay for what you get. We’ll be back.

Food was fantastic , staff very pleasant and special shout out for Tegan who made whole experience, excellent 😀

Great food was there for a family lunch will be back 😋

Had a wonderful relaxing and atmospheric afternoon. Busy but pleasant and cosy.

The food was excellent 👌 Staff was great

We come here quite often and usually love it however boxing day didn't go as well as expected or to their usual high standards. When shown to our table we weren't asked for a drink until 20 mins later, then another 15 mins later we had our drinks. Then Christmas turkey and ham dinner was nice however half a sprout 2 small carrots, small amount of mash, and one small roast potato was pitiful. ( £50 for four courses) we also didn't get asked for tea and coffee as part of the package. Also no dessert arrived for our child after we had eaten ours it was only ice cream had to ask for it. Another thing was false advertising for kids it states visit from Santa, well there was no Santa and you ha to ask for the present on the way out. Definitely won't be back for a Christmas or boxing day dinner at Galgorm. Service wasn't good this time.

Food great and staff good but too few?

Visited on Friday night, really average menu and food. The cocktail I ordered was spilt as it was set on table and then mopped up with a tissue... Also extortionately priced side portions - £5.50 each. The whole restaurant stank of cooking - we left with our clothes and hair smelling. Will not be back and will dine in Gillies or Fratellis when visiting Galgorm Resort in the future.

Had my 1st Christmas lunch yesterday and was a great experience. Beautiful scenery, great atmosphere and decoration. The food was amazing. Chose from the regular lunch menu. Had the flat bread followed by the iron steak and had the panacotta for desert. Everything was great loved all flavours. Totally worth a visit !!

We regularly visit and have never had a bad experience. From the quality of food to the friendly and chatty staff - and now the great addition of the Castle Barn bar downstairs - we cannot fault this place! We will continue to visit on a regular basis :-)

We arrived at the restaurant on a Friday evening around 7.30 for dinner. As we were slightly early for our booking we were invited to have a drink at the bar. The initial reaction is the place was busy and it had a great atmosphere. There were plenty of staff and the were very busy. When we were shown to our table it was explained the menu was obtained by scanning a bar code. This required you to download an app and initially was a little confusing but we got there in end (I suspect it was brought in due to covid precautions as they had as much "hands free" as they could). We ordered the food which came very quickly and we could see directly into the kitchen from our table and the kitchen staff where really busy. My wife had pork Wellington which she said was superb. My son had cod which he enjoyed and I had scampi which was tasty. For dessert my son and I had baked alaska (something you rarely see on a menu). It did what it said on the tin. When I received the bill I was pleasantly surprised as from experience I would have expected it to be higher given we had extra drinks. Thank you to all of thr staff who served us as you were all so friendly and attentive.

Purtroppo non mi ha entusiasmata, ambiente molto caotico e rumoroso. Il nostro tavolo era incollato a un termosifone. Eravamo ospiti del Galgorm percio' la cena di 3 portate era inclusa nel pacchetto. Nulla da dire sulla qualita' del cibo, forse pero' io il bacon con i fagioli e le cozze come contorno del merluzzo non lo proporrei. Infatti, da buona Italiana, ho ancora gli incubi! Va bene osare, ma questo e' un po' troppo...

We had Rebecca as our waitress and she was amazing! 5 stars for her service. Watched her with other tables too and was so lovely to everyone! Will be back! The food was great too!

An excellent spot to enjoy some refreshments after a round of golf at Galgorm Castle golf course. The food was very good and the staff are very friendly

Good grub, friendly atmosphere, staff very friendly

Excellent service, lovely atmosphere. Great quality food - plant based options are very good and my son said he had the best dessert there (baked alaska!) Thanks for a lovely meal

My colleague and I had a great time as ever at the Castle recently. We were well looked after by our concierge who I apologise I can't remember the name of now. Bit of chat from him which is always good. Seemed to adapt quickly to the type of people we are. Everything was explained impeccably as to what the soap and pie were. Along with the fact that there was no steak available but this wasn't an issue for us. It is nice to know though at the beginning because it takes the pull of getting a steak out of your mind. Service was in good time, it was very busy but we definitely weren't sitting looking at our imaginary watches wondering what was going on. I personally had chicken wings with hot sauce and blue cheese sauce. Unreal. Would of usually got the deep fried brie but this was a welcome change now that the cheese is off the menu. Please bring it back though alongside the chicken wings. The hot dog I had was thoroughly tasty though I probably wouldn't order it again simple for the fact that I enjoy eating my hot dog like an animal and had to pick up the knife and fork for this one. That's on me though. Overall love it and wil be back again for probably the sixth time in the not too distant future.

Great night out location and atmosphere

Absolutely exceptional from start to finish. The staff were wonderful, Stefan is a gem! I had flowers with me and he offered me a vase for them while we ate so they wouldn't dry out. The other waitresses were lovely as well. Food was excellent, the complimentary nachos to start were a nice touch, the steak was cooked to perfection, the cocktails and desserts were out of this world. Honestly one of the best meals I've had out in a long time, will be back soon.

Atmosphere was great and friendly service, which masks a bigger issue. Food is little more than average and seriously overpriced.

We went for a family dinner and had a really lovely meal. The tomato salad starter was really delicious as was the chicken supreme main all very fresh and so full of flavour and freshness. Dessert was baked alaska and was so good! Lovely staff and quick service despite the restaurant being busy. My daughter is vegetarian and there was a full menu for her to choose from I am gluten free and again a full menu of choices when normally in other restaurants there is only one or two options max!

Wow! Incredible food all cooked to perfection, my wife and I had a beautiful 3 corse dinner, we had different orders throughout so we got to try 6 different dishes. I had the most incredible steak, really excellent cut of meat cooked medium/rare and it was perfect. Starters, sides and deserts also where perfect. Cocktail/Drink selection is excellent. Great menu if you like your meats but other options for those who don't, only thing i would add to the menu would be a chocolate option for desert. Staff where very helpful and friendly. May be a little on the expensive side but you most definitely get what you pay for.

Great food,great service and very nice place to eat.

Had an evening meal here for our 34th wedding anniversary. Great food. We had the tempura fish and chicken goujons. Really enjoyed it. Really lovely staff, very attentive and professional. The waitress who served us during the evening, she went the extra mile, meeting my specific request for dessert. Thank you all for a lovely dining experience 😀

Good location and really nice, busy atmosphere. Food was pretty good, cocktails looked good from afar.

Pleasant and cheerful place which will not disappoint on the food they serve.

Great place ,excellent service. Will come again.

Food was delicious, staff are so friendly. Cocktails were so good. My bill was mostly drinks 🙈

Pleasant environment with good food at a reasonable price. Shared car park with golf club, so expect to walk a distance when golf course is busy. Visited again on a Saturday night (first visit was lunchtime on a weekday). Very different experience. Loved the food and staff were very friendly, but the evening was spoiled by the "background" music at ridiculously high level. Our server actually asked for it to be turned down because she was having bother hearing us to take our order.It was ok for a while but within 15 - 20 minutes was back up to the same high level. I went to have a meal and conversation with friends - the meal was great - conversation was impossible. Note to management - if customers are shouting at the person across the table, it's too loud!

Love it here! Food and drinks are amazing in a very relaxed atmosphere.

Really good restaurant in a beautiful location. Went here with the family and I have to say that the staff were very accommodating of all of our needs + the chefs cooked exceptional food so I would highly recommend you eat here especially If you are staying at the Spa. My only recommendation for Spa goers is book your shuttle back sooner rather than later as you can end up waiting if a lot of other spa goers are there too.

Monkfish kebabs were delicious! Portions too big however!

Fabulous food. Staff were excellent. Didn't catch my server's name, but he was top class. He's the guy with the red beard, thoroughly attentive and good craic, without being overbearing! Had the steak and it was melt in the mouth stuff, as was the garlic bread starter! 10/10 dinner....

Lovely food and friendly staff. Really nice atmosphere with one half a bar and the other for dinning.

Lovely food and great atmosphere

Lovely food and great atmosphere

My sisters and I took our mum out for weekday lunch. We had the 3 course lunch which was amazing. Good choice of starters, mains & desserts. Every course was delicious. The staff were very polite and attentive. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Lunch menu excellent value. Great food and good atmosphere when it's busy..

Ambience is OK but the food very average. On the plus side the Mojito cocktail was spot on.

4 of us girls had a lovely time @ the castle. Atmosphere always buzzing. Food is OK. The new menu is pretty basic. No frills. Non us would reorder what we had so that’s a bit disappointing. Service was very good.

Great night and many thanks to all the staff especially Kurtis and Ben

Breakfast was great ,all you can eat and great variety

1st time eating from the new menu. Absolutely love the menu range and totally loved my main of Sweet cured Bacon Chop…..fantastic! My friend had Seafood chowder pie and it looked amazing too. I can’t wait to go back (booked for next weekend!). Attentive service throughout. Well done.