Clarkes Restaurant at Glen-Yr-Afon House Hotel in Monmouthshire

This place is stuck in an antiquated time warp. I could look past the fact that it has not been updated in the past 25 years, but to serve such poor food and expect a premium for it - just no excuse. Sunday lunch for two cost £130. The starter was overwhelming big - ordered brie - they literally served an entire wedge of brie. Way, way too big for a starter. My husband had pork for main. They served him what appeared to be the end of the joint which looked completely unpalatable - very dry and unappetising. They provide silver service for the veg, so if you think you may get some on your plate to start with and then go in for a bit more later – forget it. The veg was OK, but at £22 for a main course, boiled sprouts and carrots were unimaginative to say the least. Not even a hint of glaze or seasoning other than salt! We had a pavlova for pudding and the fruit was slushy and looked ready for the recycling bin. Won’t be going again in a hurry!

My friends and I went for Sunday lunch. We were put in the bar area. The room was really dirty, thick dust. The starters were fine but the mains !!! My friends both had beef which was chewy. I had pork that was grey, I just left it. The vegetables were terrible, parsnips and carrots burnt black. Boiled potatoes, so hard you couldn’t eat them. Absolutely awful!

Excellent Sunday lunch, the lamb dinners were the best my husband and father had ever had! Service was excellent and staff very friendly. My parents enjoyed it so much that they will be visiting again in the new year. We will definitely go back on our next stay.

Food is delicious, portions are large, chips to die for and excellent selection of fresh vegetables accompanying main course.

The restaurant we were due to take our mother for her 70th Birthday Meal cancelled 30 minutes before our booking time due to a power cut. We were desperately looking for another restaurant on a Saturday evening but after a call to the Glan Yr Afon they were able to fit us in. As we were already on our way to Usk we arrived 45 minutes early but staff were very accommodating and showed us through to the bar so we could have a drink and wait for our table. We mentioned to the manager that our meal was a 70th Birthday celebration and when shown to our table they had decorated the table which was a lovely touch. There was a good selection of main meals and we choose curried cod, ribeye steak with peppercorn sauce and a fillet steak with stilton sauce. All the mains were served with generous potions of chips, new potatoes and seasonal vegetables included with the meal. The steaks were cooked exceptionally well and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. We were also tempted by desserts which were again delicious. The staff were attentive and couldn't do enough to ensure we had an enjoyable evening. I would definitely recommend the restaurant and we will be retuning again soon.

Food choices were varied and imaginative and cooked fresh to order. The wonderful tradition of the addition of a sorbet between starter and main. My duck was a little over-cooked which was a shame, but the flavours were rich and perfectly balanced. Service is professional and respectful, whilst maintaining a friendly approach. Altogether very enjoyable indeed. Will definitely go back as soon as we can

Lovely service as always. Food a little disappointing... pork hugely over cooked and dry. Starters ok. Bill huge. Try the Olway next time

I stayed at the Glen for a week and ate in Clarke's restaurant a few times. The food is top class - homemade from fresh ingredients. There is a range of options to suit all tastes and budgets. The staff are a particular asset - the service is attentive and friendly, without being overbearing. I would highly recommend.

Having had excellent service at my daughter's wedding back in 2014, we decided to go back to the Hotel to try their Sunday lunch. We booked a table last minute for yesterday (29th) We were greeted warmly on arrival and directed to the bar for pre-dinner drinks. Were called through to the restaurant after ten minutes where we were served a 3 course lunch. Fabulous food with excellent service Would definitely recommend a visit for Sunday lunch

My partner surprised me with a weekend away here , I can only describe the experience as 5 star , room , service , food a total luxury experience.

Where to start? The delicious pink gin fizz that we were served on arrival? The friendly staff at reception who warmly welcomed us and took our coats for us? The fabulous entertainment that followed? The delicious veggy option (lentil and nut roast), that as a mushroom-hating vegetarian was music to my ears!! A thoroughly enjoyable evening had by all. Thank you and we're already looking forward to next year!

Visited GAH following recommendations of a friend. e were promptly greeted and thereafter were supplied with stunning service - indeed silver service which is becoming rarer now days. The menu was more than adequate and well balanced and enjoyed, albeit, although perfectly cooked beef, it did lack flavour. Overall an excellent visit and we would come again/reommend.

Whilst staying in Usk we met up with some old friends and decided to treat them to dinner. We booked a table for dinner at Clark’s restaurant for the four of us and we all thoroughly enjoyed the food, service and the pleasant staff. I did think that the whole experience including drinks in the bar somewhat lacked atmosphere.

Having always worked in a client/customer facing profession all my working life, I learnt that the motto that the paying customer is always right was absolutely paramount In ensuring that a high level of service was always delivered, whether or not as a service provider we agree... is irrelevant, as we all have different standards of expectation and as long as the paying customers demands are reasonable then we need to acknowledge we may have not provided food and/or service that was satisfactory for that paying customer. Unfortunately this did not Happen during my visit to your restaurant. I just about managed to eat the chicken but the remainder of the dish was not pleasant.. I didn’t want to create a fuss but when asked if I enjoyed my meal I said that I could not eat anymore. I didn’t want a replacement meal but I didn’t want the waiter serving us to tell me that is how it should be served. Lettuce and croutons literately soaked in dressing is not how it should be served but I agreed to disagree with him as didn’t want to create a fuss. But the more I think about it since my visit and the attitude of the waiter after a friend complained annoyed me. I will reiterate the paying customer is right whether or not you agree with the opinion of the food served. I did not enjoy it and I tried to eat it what I could .. which was the chicken, as the chicken had not soaked up the dressing as much ...but to be told in an email complaint that you spoke with the chef.. dissected the plate of food and you decided that I only left a quarter of the lettuce and left one shaving of Parmesan is infuriating when I hardly touched it as it was not pleasant ... did you count the croutons too......? This is a quote from your email to my friend who complained ... “I would dispute that your friend ate less than half of the meal, because I took it through to the kitchen and double checked the ingredients with the chef. There was one small piece of chicken about a quarter of the lettuce and one parmesan shaving left; the majority of the main ingredient - chicken breast” So on that note I shall not be visiting again but I am sure that does not bother you ... and I have the right as a paying customer to disagree that the food was not upto my expectations. I paid the full price and no further apology was forthcoming from you at the time. If you could have just apologised and offered a discount off a future meal or even a free coffee at the end of the meal ... It might have helped to appease me ... but the attitude was very self righteous both at the time and in the subsequent email. As a result of this ..I hope you will improve your attitude to other customers who may disagree with you in the future

The food was beautiful and was served quickly and piping hot. It was carried out like a military operation with a team of waiters serving each table. Some of our party failed to eat all the meal as it was so genourous in portion size. The deserts were stunning and again big portion sizes. Good value for money and will definitely visit again.

Visiting a friend in Usk, she decided to book a meal here for Sat 17 Feb, early evening. I had read some of the reviews and was really looking forward to a superb meal. The setting and hotel is lovely, however the food was not. I had the lamb that was on the menu - it was served with seasonal veg. The lamb was a quite thin leg steak- tasteless as was the 'jus' that came with it. The seasonal veg was a dish of chips (ok) tho I asked the young waiter for vinegar to go with them that never arrived, there was a bowl of steamed boiled potatoes- no or very little seasoning again tasteless and a bowl of mixed peppers and leeks. I didnt want to make too much of a fuss as my friend was a bit embarressed, but I did say to the waiter that my food wasnt very good - I didnt get much of a response. All in all it was a very disappointing meal.

We stayed at this lovely hotel,nice room,very nice staff and were anticipating good food also. Starter of black pudding croquette were ok,mains of rack of lamb and tournedos Rossini were unpalatable. My lamb was beige and sinewy and had white unrendered fat on it,can only think it was cooked in a steam oven or pre cooked, Steak was over cooked,sliced in half with pate in middle,placed on deep fried crouton which tasted of old oil.Overall was similar to mass catering at a function,steamed dull vegetables and frozen chips. Over use of peashoots on every course. Wine excellent. This is not fine dining in any way.

Had the most fantastic Sunday lunch here. We had our 1 year old too and the staff could not have accommodated him better - they were fantastic. Food and Service was exceptional. We are already talking about when we can go back

We held a family meal here for 32 people for my mum's 80th birthday on 11th August. We had a fabulous evening, the food was really good and the waiting staff excellent. Many thanks also to Matthew who was looking after our party for the evening. Nothing was too much trouble for him or the staff and he made a huge fuss over the 'birthday girl'. They had set up a projector and screen for us as we had made a family video to show, Matthew came to the rescue with extra sound cables and even managed to recover escaped helium balloons from the vast ceilings! All in all my mum and the whole family had a wonderful evening and I would definitely recommend for a special get together.

A superb Sunday Lunch as always been available here - now you can have 2, 3, 4 or 5 courses - depending upon your wishes - all at varying prices starting at £22 per person - which includes Roast Sirloin of Beef - really excellent and tasty. Highly recommended.

Esta fue nuestra segunda visita al restaurante (no residentes), y tan buena como la última vez. Como celíaca, tengo que comer sin gluten es un restaurante que puedes confiar como saben de lo que están cocinando. Pequeños detalles con un amuse bouche de jamón curado y también un limón entre platos para limpiar el paladar.

This was in the hotel we stayed in. The food is beyond compare , absolutely beautiful and service just perfect. We loved every mouthful.

Reservamos una mesa para celebrar nuestro aniversario. Cuando llegamos nos dirigieron a un bar pequeño y servida por un joven muy agradable que nos preguntó qué ocasión era muy fácilmente y conversamos mientras él prepara las bebidas. Nos instalamos en sillas cómodas mientras revisamos el menú y nuestro camarero era muy servicial a la hora de hacer nuestras elecciones. Luego nos llevaron a nuestra mesa y el camarero a cabo nuestras bebidas. Tuvimos un aperitivo, luego los entrantes seguido de un sorbete, nuestro principal campos pronto seguido y por supuesto terminamos con un postre.

Puedo recomendar el almuerzo de domingo muy encarecidamente. Excelente elección de entrada, plato principal y postre. El servicio generosas porciones y es atento y profesional sin ser intrusivo. De primera clase en todos los aspectos.

Teníamos una mesa reservada para las 19:30. Llegamos en el restaurante un poco confundido por cómo llegar debido al caos de una gran boda. Nos condujeron a nuestra mesa y nos dieron un menú, tomado de un orden de bebidas, todo ok. Las bebidas llegaron y después nos fuimos a esperar 30 minutos antes de nuestra orden. Nos dijeron un par de veces que esto era debido a Chef necesitábamos algún tiempo pero nuestros pedidos podría haber sido llevado a grandes menús han permitido la retirada. Cuando empezó a llegar la comida era muy buena, y no nos podíamos quejar de la calidad y porciones. La única decepción fue pan, esperaba hubiera sido fresco, pero parecía ser mala calidad hornear su propio. Aparte de eso nos gustaría utilizar este restaurante de nuevo.

My wife organised her 2016 works Christmas meal for 18 people here. The hotel is a lovely, characterful old building set in pretty grounds, just off the A472 near the bridge in Usk. It does look truly lovely upon approach, especially when sparkling in its Christmas adornments. We live locally and have passed the hotel on a daily basis for years, always meaning to try a meal there, but never quite getting around to it. The building had cast a spell on us. The impression it had made from a distance was enough for us to risk making the booking for the Christmas meal.The place is nicely appointed inside, if a little dated, and the staff were all very helpful and pleasant from the moment we entered the lobby to the moment the door was opened for us to leave. The main reason for our visit, however, was for a Christmas meal, and this meal was truly, unreservedly awful. The illusions I've fostered about this place for the best part of six years have been smashed to smithereens.My ham hock starter was gristly, unpleasant, and almost completely devoid of bits I could recognise as "ham". Similar reports were coming back from around the table. We'd all had a few drinks by this time and although there were grumbles, the general Christmas bonhomie ensured the disappointment was quickly forgotten.The "medium-rare sirloin steak" main course I'd ordered arrived next. Several people had ordered the same. Very recently I was served a Rib-eye steak at a local Harvester which was, at that point, the worst steak I could remember attempting to eat. What was served to me at the Glen-yr-Afon, however, was so bad that the Harvester horror now seems like a fond memory by comparison. It was hard to identify as steak... rubbery, fatty, strangely anemic, and covered in a topping which was even more difficult to categorise. Apparently it was some sort of mushroom sauce, but had the consistency of dental floss, the tensile strength of steel and no more flavour than a headache tablet.The vegetables had taken on an appearance, consistency and taste which suggested that their boiling had commenced in September, whereas the roast potatoes were almost impervious to cutlery and human molars.The discontent rumbled impatiently around the table and mounting reports of unpalatable meals were relayed back to my wife who, by now, was rather embarrassed and regretting her choice of venue.After several complaints to the beleaguered waiter, replacement meals were offered but, after witnessing what the chef could consistently do to a steak, there were no takers. Instead, I received a complimentary brandy, and some bottles of consolation wine also appeared elsewhere at the table. The waiter admitted that "they'd had problems with sourcing the steaks". Why, then, were they still being served? And what the heck were they putting on them?!When the desserts arrived, there was such general suspicion of the food that some were just dissected on the plate, some returned, and I gave mine to the young chap to my right who, upon his own admission, "would eat anything".The meal cost £35 per head and was so poor that had I been dining with only with my wife, I would have demanded a full refund. Lovely venue and amenable staff notwithstanding, the traditional works Christmas meal is all about enjoying good, seasonal food with friends and colleagues during that unique opportunity of the year. The organiser takes a risk on behalf of many other people and places their trust in an establishment to step up to the plate for that one evening. It's hard to imagine how we could have been left more disappointed by the food at the Glen-yr-Afon.Never meet your heroes.

Mi esposa organizó su comida de Navidad 2016 obras por 18 personas.

What a feast! Highly recommend the Sunday lunch for exceptional value and taste . Can easily say this is one of the best Sunday lunches in South Wales with exceptional attentive service .

The quality of the food is amazing; I have never had better steamed vegetables and the chef could get into heaven on the fried potatoes alone. Our first dinner came with an amuse bouche to start, and a sorbet between courses. The second time we dined, we went for one course and still only managed a dessert between us. The breakfasts are equally gargantuan: I took home the remains of my meat and cheese platter and they were enough to provide my husband and me with an excellent supper! So my only advice would be to avoid the place if you're slimming, unless your will power is ten times stronger than mine!

and called in for a drink on Saturday afternoon of the bank holiday. We have never been here before and had a coffee and beer. The coffee was lovely and I would like to mention the young waiter that served us, Rob. Rob was helpful, friendly, chatty, gave us information on the history of the hotel (when I enquired). Service was excellent and he couldn't do enough for us despite us being here for just a drink. So, thank you Rob, you are a credit!!!!One thing I would like to mention was that when I used the loo there was no hook on the back of the door to hang my handbag up.

I have to agree with the poster who commented on the birthday afternoon tea. We took a party of 10 for Sunday lunch to celebrate my sons Christening. We got married at the Hotel last year and have had numerous family meals and afternoon teas there too. However, we won't be rushing back. We were running about 10 mins late and we called the hotel to let them know.The starter and dessert choices were poor. We ordered tomato soup as a starter which was more like the consistency of stock. Then the main course arrived. The waiting staff pretty much threw the food at us like it was coming off a conveyor belt. We were offered the vast(!) selection of veg which consisted of carrots, peas and broccoli. They were sparing to say the least with portions and every one of us had to ask for more. Then the dirty plates were left on the table so long that I stacked them myself. Dessert selection was lame, had to ask for teas and coffees which was like it had been sat there for hours. I don't know what has happened here.Either staff have left or the hotel has got complacent. It couldn't have been more different to the wonderful food we had just a year ago when we got married and subsequent meals since. With a bill of over £300 for Sunday lunch - we won't be in any hurry to go back that's for sure.

After several lovely meals at this restaurant, I booked afternoon tea for my mum's 92nd birthday. It was a special visit from me from abroad and I told them why we were coming. Admittedly, it was a quiet Monday afternoon. But all the reason to give better service. The food was fine, the service ... NOT! Once the teapot was empty, we waited ... and waited ... till I had to get up and go to reception to ask for more tea. Same procedure when we'd finished ... waited .... waited longer ... and finally went back to reception to ask for the bill ! Nobody wished my elderly mum "Happy Birthday", had the feeling were in the way. How sad. We most definitely won't be back for her 93rd.

Stayed overnight (separate review)at this hotel and had our evening meal here. From the time the menus were presented and our orders taken (in the lounge) to the time we left, it was first class all the way. White linen tablecloths always a big hit for us. We were attended to by Javier, an extremely polite and professional man, who made sure we were happy all the way through. There were 5 courses, with salmon and balsamic amuse bouches to start us off. Then a prawn cocktail for hubby and pan fried wild pigeon with a root vegetable mash for me. Both well presented and delicious. These were followed by raspberry sorbets which were sharp and cleansed our palates ready for the mains!! These were duck with cherries ( definitely alcoholic!! ) and fresh beetroot for me, and hubby had belly pork with fresh apple sauce. The accompanying veg was courgettes carrots and asparagus, with new potatoes and crispy thick fries with it. I demolished the fries... just. Javier was so pleasant and friendly, and ensured that the courses were presented in a timely unrushed manner. He suggested a rest before our desserts; which we were glad of, as the portions were huge! When we were ready to continue, I opted for warm Welshcakes with fresh berries and clotted cream, and my other half chose meringue with strawberries and cream. However due to an oversight, hubbys meringue went awol. Javier was so apologetic, and so he brought a lot of extra strawberries and cream instead. I couldn't finish my dessert no matter how I tried. To sum up, a truly outstanding great value meal with large well presented portion sizes. We didn't expect to be fed so well, as other high class establishments normally give you alot less but make you pay more! I highly recommend Clarkes for any occasion. A shame we don't live around the corner or we'd eat there every evening. Well done to all of you and we look forward to returning.

Recently had an excellent afternoon tea. Tranquil setting, lots of fantastic food (savoury and cakes). Copious amount of hot tea and coffee topped of with polite, efficient and friendly service.Will be back soon to try dinner menu which looks very nice.

had a family birthday celebration here. Staff very attentive and accommodating to our families needs. Had prawn cocktail starter which was very tasteless and disappointing. We complained and were offered free coffees. The rest of the meal was great and would go back but will avoid the prawn cocktail..

Arranged a secret birthday meal for my husband. He was under the impression it was just the 2 of us, however family and friends were smuggled in and surprised him. Great organisation and planning and all Glen -Yr-Afon staff were polished and professional throughout . The food was sensational as was the wine choice. The party stayed on dinner, bed and breakfast tarrif which was a great way to enjoy and relax in lovely surroundings. I really recommend this hotel, it really was a real treat.

I tend to book Clarkes for special family meals as the food is always delicious and the service is always spot on - attentive but not intrusive. We've eaten in the main restauramt as well as booking out a room for a private event and am always very pleased with the experience. I'm also usually pleantly surprised when the bill comes as the wine is not overpriced.

We dined here recently and it was one of the most memorable meals we have ever eaten.Good wine list and nice selection of house wines - excellent pinot noir at about £19 bottle1 soup (homemade and brilliant) and a goats cheese to start.Venison for me - out of this world and slow roasted belly pork for my partner - both amazing and served with loads of fresh vegetables. If anything there was just too much food, so much so that we couldn't manage a dessert - although they sounded lovely and from seeing the other diners looked great as well.Good value for money when you get an apitizer, sorbet between courses and all sides/veg included. We have spent more on inferior pub meals elsewhere.We will most certainly be back - and a big thank you to the friendly, attentive waiting staff.

Over the past few years we have celebrated the coming of the New Year at various functions however to celebrate 2016 we decided as a group of eight to try the Glen-yr Afon House Hotel.From the welcome we received entering the hotel, the friendly and efficient staff serving each course prepared and presented to such a very high standard exceeding all expectations. The fantastic sounds of The Elastic Band attracting nearly all to dance and terminating with a firework display in the garden - a most enjoyable and memorable evening - well done to all involved.

Excellent service with an excellent menu, including vegetarian options. All food timely served and at the correct temperatures. All vegetables cooked perfectly. A reasonably good range of wines to choose from. The portions served seemed to be rather large which may suit some. A very minor criticism would be that the fish dishes were "standard" and it would have been nice to see some local more imaginative options.

This was my first ( and last ) visit to this restaurant. Following some top reviews on this site and being a finalist in in the 2015 Welsh Food Awards 2015 my partner and I had great hopes for this culinary experience. Sadly it was not to be. We had booked into the hotel for a weekend including breakfast and evening meal. Positives include polite and attentive staff and brevity of service between courses. The negatives are sadly many. The scallops starter was ruined by someone with no understanding of flavour combinations sadly spearing the juicy sweet things with a raw branch of rosemary. Not only did this combination not work but if you were unlucky enough to get a raw piece of herb in your mouth it completely overpowered the flavour of scallop and left a nasty soapy deposit in your mouth. Also rather oddly nearly every course ( and not just mine ) came with a large tuft of pea shoots thrown on top. Now onto the the main course. I ordered local steak - cooked blue and served with fresh veg. The steak was sinewy and chewy and instead of being seared on both sides on a hot griddle or under a very hot grill looked like it had been par boiled, flacid and grey and tasteless. The veg was average, bordering on being overcooked and the carrots were nasty looking, unclean, unpeeled and looking like they had a bad case of eczema. On the plus side the portions were generous with the pudding being the highlight. The coffee was acrid like and disgusting - thankfully we had an emergency supply of ant acid tablets. Having endured the evening's offering I higher than normal hopes for the so called welsh full breakfast. Oh dear - it was dire. Well at least they are consistent !! The sausages were grey and tasteless ( other diners confirmed my view ) and the bacon cooked within an inch of it's life and cardboard like. The egg was also overcooked and not runny. Well at least I was spared yet another sprinkling of pea shoots ! The following morning's breakfast was equally as frustrating, clearly I was not going anywhere near the welsh fry up. I fancied the smoked haddock or even kippers but then noticed in the small print that there was an additional surcharge of £2.00 for the privilege. I don't see why when you are paying £15.00 for breakfast you should then have to suffer a further charge for something that is on the menu. I settled in the end for a few slices of toast and tea - Great value for £15 !!!! Overall I would rate the food at being no better than poor to average, suggestions that this is a five star dining experience for the cost of a three star meal are utter rubbish. Are you mad ??

What a wonderful restaurant - I had booked an evening meal as a surprise for my husband's birthday. We were shown through to the bar first of all to browse the menu, our order taken, and we were called through to the restaurant as our starters were about ready to be brought out. Our first surprise was a small taster plate of salami and balsamic vinegar - really nice and got the taste buds ready for our starters! A wood pigeon breast on mash with a red current jus, and smoked salmon and crab risotto - rich and wonderfully cooked, both of us cleaned our plates! Our next surprise was the blackcurrant sorbet to cleanse our palate - then on to our main course, accompanied by the most fantastic display of vegetables! How original to line them all along a platter in neat little stacks - really fun and quirky! Welsh Steak with hand cut chips, and a smoked haddock in a rich sauce both polished off as best we could - getting rather full now. One slice of cheesecake and a dessert wine later, we were full to bursting point, but happily so - what amazing service throughout the evening, very attentive staff, not at all intrusive but there whenever you needed them. All round excellent experience, although it looks a little more expensive than you would expect, it is worth every penny.

First visit and definitely not the last , service was excellent, food amazing , beautiful setting what more could you ask for.

Lovely ambience and caring staff as well as coping with a wedding. Food was good but stuffed sardines was a little dry, my wife had venison which was beautifully cooked. Sweets a little unadventurous.

Everything was perfect from the time we arrived right up to departure just before midnight. The whole evening was so relaxed and well organised and those who attended have not stopped talking about it since. The food was - as I expected - of a very high quality and beautifully presented. The service was first class and the whole evening was overseen by Matt whose pleasant and easy going manner was a big hit with everyone. I must not forget to mention that the room looked superb and the unusual flower arrangements on the table added a touch of elegance. The photograph on the front cover of the menu is such a good idea and was certainly a talking point among my guests and a nice keepsake. Thanks to Sarah for her support and attention to detail in the planning process and to all members of staff, particularly the chefs, who helped to make it such a memorable occasion. None of my gusts had been to the Glen-yr-Afon before Saturday, but my guess is they will be back.

At first, my husband and I were served with a drink in the lounge where we were given the menu. The young man who gave us the menu and later took our order was very pleasant, making light conversation. Shortly after our choice of meal was made, we were ushered into the restaurant where the meal and service was excellent. All the staff appear to have been trained very well. There was a wedding party in another part of the hotel but this didn't affect the service that we received.We were very impressed and look forward to visiting again.

Had an excellent Sunday lunch here last week. Lovely setting, relaxing drink in the bar while we waited to give our order. All inclusive price of £28 for starter, main, dessert, cheese and coffee.Had cheese and red onion tart, followed by rare sirloin of beef, berryfruit meringue and coffee (too full for cheese as portions are VERY generous). Service was superb. Traditional silver service (which was a delight), from polite, well-presented staff who were all very professional - even the younger "trainees".Picked up a Christmas brochure and will surely be back soon to sample the evening menu.

My Daughter booked us in for a meal as it was my wife's birthday, I am not going to drag this out but all I am going to say is the food and service was excellent. The male waiter couldn't do enough to keep us happy and all the food was really good. To top it they also came out with a birthday card for my wife....well done it's nice to see that good service lives on.

Sunday lunch at Clarkes restaurant within Glen Yr Afon hotel is something not to be missed.One sitting at 1pm -arrive at 12.30 am and enjoy a drink in the bar- ample staff in attendance to take your order and escort you to your table. I enjoyed a superb lunch with starter of freshly prepared tomato soap, chicken for main, welsh cakes with cream and fresh fruit for desert followed by cheese, biscuits and coffee. Staff extremely attentive and food cooked to perfection. very relaxed atmosphere - a most enjoyable afternoon.

We attended Clarkes again in March meeting up with some friends in Usk. It was a fairly quit Tuesday night but we were made to feel very welcome and pampered by Caroline and Sultan - thank you both.The four of us only had main courses and a bottle of wine this time but they were all cooked to perfection and very filling - 2 Fillets, 1 Salmon, 1 Old Spot & mash & a bottle of good Chilean Merlot came to about £90. We will be back very soon.

having booked in advance & informed the staff that two of our party were vegetarian, I was surprised to find only cheese sandwiches for them & nothing else & that the cheese sandwiches had been piled up with the ham sandwiches. The cake selection was amazing, so many cakes & warm scones , we'd never be able to eat all of them, so we were given the option of taking the leftovers home.The savoury selection of non vegetarian food was good but the vegetarian selection was poor.The restaurant needs to offer more vegetarian choices

The Glan-yr-afon has been consistently well above average for food and events for many years. There is a lovely, warm atmosphere, the service and food are both excellent and I cannot recommend it highly enough (even though it will make it even more difficult to get in, as it needs to be booked well in advance). It is often used for weddings as it is in a nice setting near the river and they don't flap if it is full and busy.

The highest quality ingredients, cooked with flair and attention make meals here a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Courteous and friendly service from staff who know their foods and wines help to perfect the evening. An intelligent, varied winelist will suit all tasts and pockets. Worth a detour - as one guide puts it!

My wife and I were lucky enough to be invited to Clarkes at the Glenyravon in Usk to celebrate a very good friends "significant" birthday.I have to say it was exceptional, pre-arranged drinks on arrival, friendly, chatty staff - special mention to the Maitre'd - Sultan - from the Maldives, a real gentleman and truly professional. The food and service was the best I have had for as long as I can remember. A choice of entrees, my wife had homemade soup which was served in a slanted bowl and was beautiful, I chose local belly pork - melted in the mouth. Main course was roast sirloin of beef for the party, cooked to perfection - pink, very tender with some tasty fat on the edge, just like the good old days. Afterwards a choice of desserts, but I opted for a selection of Welsh cheeses to finish up my wine, my wife had an homemade cheesecake, the best she had ever tasted! A word of warning - loosen your belt and skip elevenses, portions here are very generous.Excellent lunch, beautiful hotel, wonderful staff; we will be back soon.

Lucky to be given a birthday treat of Tea for two at the Glen-yr-afon hotel. We had a brilliant time the setting was lovely & the staff friendly & helpful. Don't eat anything before you go we failed & had a doggie bag to bring home .

went out for afternoon tea last Friday 19/09/2014 very poor and if you want to explode with cakes carry on very few sandwiches not very good I am not a greedy person for what our party had

Excellent food - really good produce used and service excellent.I choose the Vegetarian option for my evening meal and it was delicous and full of flavour.Breakfast - had the traditional full English and again excellent.

I returned here for a meal for my birthday with my partner and it didn't disappoint. The food was perfect along with the service. This restaurant isn't promoted enough in the local area (I'm an Usk resident) as it is more of a wedding or event venue, but it should be as it's excellent. The dining room had a few residents eating but was otherwise empty. I love eating out, and rate this restaurant as one of my favorites for slightly more formal dining.

I am very sorry to have to post a review that is not excellent for this place as I got married here 15 years ago and I have always found it to be excellent. Firstly the staff are amazing but generally the place is looking a little tired and old fashioned. You can't fault the portion sizes, for the £25 paid, I had way too much steak for me to be able to eat, the veg for me was overcooked and wedges were not something I would expect to be present on the table. I would have preferred the chips option, however, the boiled potatoes were fab and I didn't request that the wedges be changed, so if I had asked then maybe they would have been changed.I was a little disappointed that the chef couldn't accommodate a request for a different sauce as I am not a fan of blue cheese.Overall it was ok and I really do hate saying that as it has never disappointed before.

What other restaurant offers you a choice of how you would like your beef served - rare - medium or well. I don't know of one - I only wish I knew this sooner because we would have been many many times more. As always the service is excellent and with a choice of 5 vegetables. Great selection of starters and desserts and then there is a serving of cheese followed by coffee or tea - what more could you want? The staff are very service minded and the great thing is that there are always the same faces there - good to have regular employment locally. I may be biased because I have written about this lovely hotel / restaurant previously. We will be back very soon.

We arrived at 12:15, and were taken to the bar by Matt to get some drinks. Whilst relaxing the menu was brought to us and our choices made. We were then shown to our table and our starters came swiftly. I had the duck starter which was amazing. The main of Sea Bass was cooked to perfection, and the lemon and lime posset was to die for.We had a little break before the cheese and coffee, which helped, because they are not stingy on the portion sides, masses of food.The best thing about this restaurant aside from the food is the staff.. They're attentive without being over the top, and Matt especially was lovely. He took time to make a fuss of my 7 year old niece and made her feel special, she liked him very much.. But all the staff were lovely and friendly and they are a credit to the restaurant.This meal was for my mums 60th and we've never had such a special meal. Love it.

We visited The Glen yr Afon for the third time on Sunday for lunch expecting to have a lovely meal and we were not disappointed. We love the gardens and surroundings of the hotel and also the unusual architecture. And after a generous three course lunch it's very nice to stroll around Usk town. We enjoyed a drink or two in the cosy lounge bar and then we were taken down to the restaurant,we were seated at a table in the corner which seemed to be surrounded by beautiful fresh flowers. Starters were smoked salmon roulade with watercress and chili chicken goujons with honey and soy dressing,main courses were beef and the lamb served with fresh vegetables,new potatoes and proper home cooked roast potatoes and we shared a dessert of creamy crime brûlée. As usual the service here is impeccable and second to none...and very professional. Staff here cannot do enough for you and are cheerful and friendly,and clearly enjoy working at the Glen yr Afon. A perfect Sunday afternoon in beautiful surroundings. This is a professionally run,traditional and cosy hotel with a relaxed ambience. Looking forward to returning for afternoon tea !

We did not stay here but we wanted a proper hotel afternoon tea. It was superb. Huge amount of everything. Smashing plateful of simple sandwiches followed by pita bread stuffed with saled and charcuterie, then scones with thick cream and jam and finished off with a stack of cakes, patisseries and other delicacies . All supported by endless cups of tea. They boxed up all the cakes which we just could not eat. Did not even have to ask.The service was attentive and all in all we don't think you will find a better tea than this within 30 miles. It is much better than the Celtic Manor and much better ambience. Highly recommended

We arranged a family & friends get together to Celebrate a significant birthday. The event was held in the Library , ideal location for a private gathering of 20 or less. Everybody chose of the normal Menu to the extent there where multiple selections of both the Starter & main causes. To the credit of the staff everything was delivered to everybody's satisfaction.The service & food was excellent & a good time was enjoyed by all, Highly recommend the location.

My partner and I attended last weekend for the works Christmas party.I have been to the hotel before for a wedding reception so knew that it would be good. I was wrong, it was excellent! Fantastic atmosphere, very tastefully decorated for Christmas, staff were all smiley and engaging, food was very, very good, clearly very established for catering for large numbers. There was a choice on each course albeit ordered in advance and all presented and cooked to perfection. Live entertainment from the Elastic Band and the dance floor was packed. Excellent choice of wines on the wine list and bar drinks the same price as you would expect to pay in a pub which was surprising and very welcome.Already talking about booking for next years party.

This establishment is easily head and shoulders above the competition in this area, if not Wales. This opinion is speaking from experience, as we have tried quite a number of "pretenders to the throne".We pre-booked lunch a number of weeks ago so that we could celebrate our wedding anniversary this weekend. At that time we were informed that there would be a wedding party taking place on the same day, but they would ensure that it had no adverse effect on our visit whatsoever. How true they were (take note Angel Hotel, Abergavenny!!!). As soon as we walked in through the door both my wife and I were made to feel special. Service in the Clarkes restaurant was absolutely superb, and the quality of the food continued in this vein.All in all a truly delightful experience. Definitely A MUST for any special occasion.

My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful evening at the Glan yr Avon last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel very special and very welcome. I had scallops to start whilst my husband had tagliatelle with mushrooms, both of which were delcious and accompanied by some gorgeous cheese and onion bread. We both enjoyed the steaks for main which were very generous portions and beautifully cooked. As well as our orders we were served a delicious complimentary appetizer and after the starter a refreshing rasperry sorbet. The wine we chose was a chilean merlot which again was delicious . We were so full we couldn't sample any of the delicious looking desserts but instead enjoyed liqueur's on the comfy sofa in the bar area. Our evening was made by our very friendly and professional waiter Javier. We will definitely be returning and will very much recommend Clarkes at the Glan yr Avon for a lovely evening out.

We booked a table for 7.45 and having arrived on time were looking forward to dinner as per the reviews. We left at 8.30 not having been able to order - the loud young man who came in after us promising a large tip if he was served quickly ( and was!) was the last straw. There were 3 couples/groups in the bar area before us but only one man taking orders who appeared to be serving drinks and food as well and whilst we do not expect or want 'fast food' it would have been nice to be able to, at least, order some food in the three quarters of an hour that we patiently waited. We eat out regularly at all different types and standards of restaurants but have never walked out before! What a disappointment but, starving hungry, we made do with a rather good meal at a local 'Table Table' restaurant with excellent service and charming staff.

I visited this hotel in june with my husband and daughter and had a wonderful afternoon tea,so decided to go again with my sister and niece last week .The small baguette rolls were lovely, but the ceasar salad wraps were too full of stringy lettuce,also on last visit we had two three tier cake stands full of lovely cakes, on our last visit one cake stand and the cakes were no comparison at all so disappointing,as i had told my family how good it was and also value for money .It certainly wasn't worth eighteen pounds a head and won't be returning .I cannot believe the difference in quality in a matter of six weeks

Once again, the Glen-yr-Afon Hotel in Usk did us proud. We had a wonderful celebration meal for 18 family and friends in the hotel's library. An excellent meal with pre-dinner drinks in the lounge followed by an overnight stay. You'd be hard pressed to beat this hotel for a special occasion.

Sunday Lunch - for just over £25 for this is well worth the price, starter, main, desserts (as many as you like) cheese board followed by tea and coffee. Best sunday lunch ive ever had.Afternoon tea - Again great value for money unlike some other places ive tried. You get wraps, baguettes, smoked salmon pin wheels, about 6/7 cakes and a scone with jam and cream. Its impossible to eat it all. You are given containers to take home your left overs. Unlimited amouts of tea and coffee.Staff are always so friendly and cant do enough for you.Highly reccomended

Tip top from start to finish. A warm welcome, we were shown through to the comfortable lounge bar for drinks whilst we chose from the menu.There were about 5 dishes to choose from for starters and main courses which doesn't sound much but there was something for everyone and it was quite difficult to make a choice as it all sounded good.I opted for Carpaccio of peppered beef and my wife went for risotto with chicken and bacon; both were beautifully presented and very tasty.We both had roast sirloin of Welsh beef, we offered rare, medium or well done. I had rare, my wife had medium, we both agreed it was the nicest roast beef that we had ever had.Desserts were served from a trolley, ok, this looked a bit old fashioned, but actually it made a really refreshing change to see the choices.The service was very good indeed, very friendly, not rushed with silver service for the main course. If I had one tiny criticism it was that our Pinot Noir didn't arrive until we were halfway through our starters and there wasn't an offer to taste the wine, it was just poured. Saying that it was very busy and at the end of the meal all of the dad's were presented with a gift of a small bottle of Penderyn Whisky.Would we return - most definitely!

We went tonight in this restaurant and I can't find any fault. The meal was superb and reasonable. The ambience is relaxing, and the service is one of the best we had.

Had a 60th wedding anniversary here and they couldn't have been more friendly. They decorated the tables really nicely and nothing was too much effort. We had a lovely time and a lovely meal -loads of options and even catered for two vegans with a choice. The puddings were especialy nice and you could have as many as you like. Just want to thank them for making it special for my amazing grandparents - who really deserve the best!

Had a wonderful meal at the Clarkes restaurant. I live in Usk and have been to many weddings and events at the hotel Glen Yr Afon but have missed a treat by not having the odd a la carte meal here. The service was attentive and the food plentiful and well cooked. I will return.

This is probably a great place for large get togethers, weddings and functions. For a small family or couple, this really didnt tick the box for us. The price for the luncheon was set at 25 pounds and for that yu can eat for Britain but to us it felt like bulk food lacking flare or much taste, just big. For our 8 and 5 years olds we were charged half price but 12 pound each for two smallchildren who could hardly scratch the surface was not the bestvalue for us. The service was a bit old fashioned too... silver service in a restricted space seems a bit over the top - but again, may suit some.

I went with my boyfriend for a meal one rainy Thursday night in January to celebrate a works promotion. The service we received at the Glen-Yr-Afon was outstanding. I think partly due to the weather and partly because there was a function on, we had our own private dining room, and were really spoilt.The food was superb with a complimetary amuse bouche and sorbet also being given. Service was great with a real personal feel. Will definately return!

I went to Glan-Yr-Afon on a works Xmas meal in the afternoon. There were 12 in our party and we could fault a thing about the whole experience. The staff were friendly and helpful and the food was fantastic. I paid £32 and for that I had a wonderful Salmon Roulade to start. I then had turkey with all the trimmings followed by possibly the best chocolate cheesecake I have ever eaten. The food was served promptly with the wait times minimal and the portions were more than enough for all of our party, and we have some people who like their food!5 out of 5 starts!

We are big fans of Clarks Restaurant at the Glen-Yr -Afon House Hotel! There are many reasons - the excellent & varied choice of dishes on the menu! The friendly & professional service that you receive from ALL members of staff! The indisputably glorious location irrespective of whether you go in spring, summer, autumn or winter! I would recommend Clarks restaurant to anyone & everyone to go try at least once! We as a family have never been disappointed with our meal & all its accompaniments! :)

What a very friendly, well appointed family run hotel. I have stayed in 5 star hotels with little of the care and attention given by the staff at the Glen yr Afon House Hotel. When we first arrived to when we left everything was superb. The bedroom was 5 star as was the bath room. The bed was comfortable with crisp clean sheets and pillows, and made for a good nights sleep. Breakfast was excellent with a wide choice available: something to suit everyone. This is a place to relax for a short break and enjoy the scenery, and soak up the atmosphere of the old town of Usk. A definite place to revisit and spend more time.

When you go out with a group, particularly a group of fifty, for Sunday lunch you are never quite sure what fate awaits you! Sunday lunch at this hotel however does restore your faith in the ability of Chef and the staff to take good care of the customer. I was anticipating a menu, with minimal choices, showing the classical roast Sunday menu. This was not to be. From the moment I arrived, with my colleagues, I knew we were going to be well looked after, such was the welcome or croeso we received. When you travel a lot you do, sadly, come across establishments were some staff you first encounter forget that they are all part of the corporate image. There was a choice of five starters, four main courses and five puddings, before cheese and biscuits and coffee came into the equation. I struggled with decision making but abandoned the notion of soup, chicken salad, poached pear and belly pork in favour of a crab and king prawn cake with herb creme fraiche. It was both well presented and a delight to eat. My main course was the roast pork. One could have had beef, smoked haddock or cheese and lentil loaf. Served with a wide and generous selection of vegetables, the meat was succulent and, as should be, the crackling crisp. To complete this feast I opted for the berry fruit meringue roulade and a great choice it was. All those present were delighted with the food and the service. Indeed, by special request, the staff all presented themselves in the dining room in order that they could be thanked in person. With some twenty seven rooms in the hotel this premises beckons you back!

For the last few years, I have organised an annual lunch for around 40 people at the Glen-yr-Afon House hotel, a regular lunch date for a group of retired academics. We have always been offered the ballroom for the event, a lovely airy room with doors out onto the lawn, good for a stroll or pre-lunch drinks when the sun shines. I have always found the staff really helpful and the service at the meal excellent. We have just had another lunch, with a good choice of main courses, to be chosen in advance, and a selection of starters and sweets, chosen on the day, followed by a cheese board. This time, we had sea bass in a nicely flavoured lemongrass and cumin cream sauce or roast lamb, well presented with caramalised shallots and spinach. However, on this occasion, one of our regular members of the group had sent me a proforma to say he was coming, but it had been lost in the post, so he turned up without either me or the hotel knowing he was to be there! So we had two extra people to accommodate at the last minute; the staff were not phased at all, reorganised the tables and offered an acceptable alternative dish to satisfy our additional couple. Pricing very reasonable for good quality food and 4 courses.

We attended a birthday celebration for twenty guests in the Library Room.Although the hotel was dealing with a wedding reception in another room, the attention, presentation, and quality of food was first class.The staff were smart, pleasant and very professional.

Quality of the food and excellent service. There were no disliked

Due to other commitments we couldn’t celebrate Valentine’s at this venue this Tuesday so we decided to take up the Valentines Break on Sunday night.Well we were spoilt – we had the 4 poster room what more could you ask for on such a day?We were pleasantly surprised that for a Sunday evening that the restaurant was quite full just goes to show what a reputation this place has.As always at this Hotel the restaurant is laid out to look special and make the guest feel special (especially the ladies) with a rose and a box of chocolates for the lady.I like the way the food is cooked and served here. The crockery on which it is served is unique and excellent and presents the dishes well.We both started with the King Prawn and Salmon Penne served in a creamy chilli sauce. This was very enjoyable although I must admit that later in the evening that I possibly had too much cream on the day!!.I had the Rib Eye served rare – excellently cooked and very tasty. Christine had the Salmon with a crab and coriander risotto which she said was very good – it was a large portion and she had to leave a little. The roasted vegetables here are always interesting and different and always just undercooked just how I like them. We had asparagus, long cut carrots plus two types of chips potato and squash – these were indeed big and very moreish.Dessert – as usual I couldn’t resist – although I should have done because I had the warm chocolate brownie (very rich but lovely) which was served with coconut ice-cream which again was great but I really shouldn’t have eaten it because it played havoc with my indigestion all night!!!! Christine has the lemon and lime posset with shortbread – she said that was lovely but really she was already full!!!We rounded off a lovely evening with coffee and petit fours.Breakfast here is really good – the meal you remember your last hotel by. Other than the usual breakfast they serve toast which is made of proper bread and is cut in slices that you could call toast even at home wow!!Once again an excellent one night stay.What more can I say other than I cannot wait to go there again whether it is for lunch or dinner (although it is a bit far from home for that) or to stay!!! We will be back.

the ambiance of the restaurant and the quality of the food

We have eaten dinner here, as a family, several times and have never been disappointed. The first and most obvious thing about the place, apart from its lovely setting on the edge of this beautiful little town is the friendliness and professionalism of the staff. They manage to provide quality service without the stuffiness so many other inferior establishments in Monmouthshire seem to think passes for ‘style’. Courteous, friendly, professional and not intrusive. They even serve from the correct side and know how to pronounce ‘Scallop’. The Head Waiter is a charming professional who is attentive, knowledgeable and helpful.The restaurant is well set out with plenty of space between the tables, which are ample in size for a party of four. A significant irritant in so many other places is the size of table and proximity to other diners. The ‘pack em in and pile em high’ ethos of some other places I could mention…. but shall not, is not followed here. The bar is intimate and welcoming with deep comfortable seating, perfect for an aperitif or quiet after dinner drink.On a par with the service is the quality of the food. The menu varies appropriately with the seasons and we have not yet had a single disappointment. The food is not over ambitious and the quality is the result of a really good chef using the best of ingredients. Someone who cares about the food.This is a great, great place for dinner. I recommend it for anyone liking good quality, locally produced and properly cooked and served food. Amazingly the prices are highly competitive and many a pub in Monmouthshire will charge you more for a meal than will the Glen-yr-Afon. The wine list is excellent… many a bottle outside of my price range but many well within. First Class but don’t tell anyone about it because it will get too busy.

I wonder what the AA Restaurant inspectors have against some of the best Restaurants in the area by not awarding them any Rosettes – firstly Charthouse and now Clarkes – yet White Hart Inn just down the road has two rosettes and the food here is just as good but with much better service.The food here is very good and the service was the best we have had in the area, it was exceptional, thank you Javier. It was Saturday lunchtime with just two tables booked, had there been more people I am sure they would have adjusted the staff level accordingly.We had a warm welcome shown into the bar – large leather chairs – showing their age but very comfortable. We were offered drinks and given menus. They were preparing for a large wedding reception but this in no way interfered with our experience.They are obviously renowned for weddings – they have over 100 booked already for next year. This obviously provides an excellent foundation for the Hotel and the overall business.Chrissybabe started with the Smoked Trout and Crab Risotto with rarebit sauce– this is the Chef’s signature dish and whilst I was only allowed a little taste – it was excellent and as I said ‘to die for’. She said it was the best risotto she had ever had and that is saying something. I had scallops on black pudding with celeriac and pancetta – what can I say – it was faultless!.Main course – I had the Rib Eye with Pink Peppercorn sauce. I asked for the steak rare and that is the way it came. I think the sauce should have been served separately so one could pour on the amount required. Such excellent steak needs to be eaten as it is – it doesn’t really need a sauce and if the eater needs sauce then they should be able to decide how much they require. The roasted vegetables that were served with it were very different and most enjoyable. They also served really excellent chips – wow – shouldn’t have eaten them – they were scrummy!!! Chrissy had the Sea Bass which she enjoyed very much. I won’t write too much about that in case she wishes to write her own visit report.Dessert – we were full – however, as always, I was tempted by the Chocolate Cup (so we decided to share!!!) . I shouldn’t have had it – it must have been 3000 calories – however it was excellent even though we couldn’t taste the baileys!!This was our first visit to Clarkes – it will not be our last. We were so impressed with the food and service we have booked for New Year’s eve. We will stay the night so we can enjoy what appears to be an excellent run business where most of the staff have been there for many years.

We visited the Restaurant for Sunday lunch, which is a 5 course set menu, including Starters, Main course, Cheese and Biscuits, Deserts and Coffee and mints.The choice on each course is limited to 4 or 5 dishes.The starters were excellent and the portion size good, beware if you are a small eater as the soup and pasta dish are a good portion. The Salmon and Crab starter was excellent.The main course is Beef with a huge yorkshire pudding or Lamb with optional mint sauce etc.The vegetables supplied individually by staff are well cooked and again plentiful.The Cheese board is the usual mix with some local cheese added into the selectionThe Deserts Trolley will place your belts under strain as the size of the portion depends on you, staff being eager to provide large or second helpings.The only minor problem came with the meats being used for the main course dishes which failed to match the high quality of the rest of the food provided. The setting of this hotel is excellent and the staff very helpful, the bar area can be crowded if large groups arrive but this is only used as a holding area whilst customers are called through to their tables.