Colson’s Bar & Grill in Exeter

Colson’s restaurant’s food was good to be fair, service was absolutely appalling. Whoever took the bill for us CHARGED US TWICE. It has been close to a month now and they have NOT given us our money back. Lawyers will be getting involved as they are so incompetent they cannot figure out how to give us our money back. Deeply disappointed as it RUINED MY GRADUATION DAY. Hoping for some kind of refund on the original payment as this has been beyond terrible service. AVOID AVOID AVOID!

Absolutely appalling service despite the restaurant being really quiet ( 4 tables, 2 of which had been served). We were a table of 3. It took 45 minutes to get starters and pre-dinner cocktails came with main courses despite me cancelling after 30 minutes wait . Half the wine list was not available so we ended up paying £70 for a very mediocre bottle of wine. Food quality was fair to ok but certainly didn't justify the hefty price tag. We asked to get the £30+ service charge removed but despite this paid £270 for 3 (tiny) starters, 3 mains and a bottle of wine. Then just to add insult to injury we were double billed for the meal (staying at the hotel) and had a right hassle getting this corrected by a manageress who could not have been less interested by our poor experience. If you're prepared to pay these prices then go to The Ivy 5 minutes away which (as always) is impeccable.

Quite dirty floors and tables. Breakfast buffet is limited and service took quite long time. Cleaning table and cleaning floor from split orange just took longer then the whole breakfast.

Had a wonderful evening here last night. The food was delicious, and the waiter ensured we had a lovely time, and was attentive, funny and efficient. Would definitely come back here

Colson's is the definition of luxury! Every dish we ordered was faultless - fresh, tasty and flavourful - the food was stunning. The fillet steak was genuine melt in your mouth perfection - juicy and tender as ever and the fiery peppercorn sauce added an extra little kick to take it to the next level. I also loved the scotch egg! First time trying venison so wasn't sure what to expect but it was so flavoursome and well balanced. Cheesecake is always the go-to dessert for me but surprisingly the salted caramel tart took the top spot of the night. Sweet, creamy and light - an absolute dream if you're into salted caramel! More than just top quality food though, Colson's provide an all-round amazing customer service experience. From start to finish, the whole team were incredible - so attentive, warm and welcoming but special shout out to our waiter Calan who was an absolute angel and looked after us the whole night. So knowledgable and passionate about the wines and foods we were tasting, he truly made the experience a memorable one! An absolute 10/10 knockout night xx

Came a couple of weeks ago. Place was empty. Drinks took 10 minutes though. Starters took forever and were not as described on menu, as many swaps had been made to the essential parts of the dish - parfait with toasted brioche came out as overcooked brown granary bread, thrown at the plate with a few spoonfuls of mushy parfait that had no taste. When staff came to clear dishes we raised this issue and they told us “hopefully the mains make up for it” and walked away. When the main courses came out, they were grey, and lacked the pop and vibrancy expected with a £30 dish. Absolutely disappointing, and when I later raised this issue with management by email, I received a vague response that nothing was wrong with our experience. Very sad that this place was a let down, especially as The Ivy is a short walk away and offers better service at a cheaper price!

A fabulous Sunday lunch and very attentive service. Beautiful decor. Definitely recommend.

A fantastic dining venue, food fresh and very tasty however the prices are nothing short of extortion! Be prepared to take out a small mortgage, £92 for 2 mains and 2 cocktails! Done very well however really pricy!

Fantastic food and nothing was any trouble for me being a coeliac.

My partner and I came in for afternoon tea and it was really delicious. All the sandwiches were very tasty, and we were impressed by the carefully crafted selection, including a mint and cucumber sandwich that was delicious. The scones were fresh and warm, and the servings of jam and cream were generous. The cakes were excellent, and such a lovely treat to have, and we were able to take the ones we didn't finish, as we were so full, away with us to eat later. The staff were all friendly and professional, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was really lovely.

Had a lovely Sunday roast here last weekend after a Spa session at the adjoining " The Retreat". Food was absolutely delicious and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Would definitely recommend.

Slow service. The Eggs Benedicts are great but the Full English left a lot to be desired. They've spent more time trying to make the food look good on the plate than actually making it taste good. For £20 a head I expected more than generic cheap sausages, cheap beans, undercooked mushrooms etc. Thankfully, we got breakfast for free as part of our room rate. There are several pastries and yoghurts with zero signage. I had no idea what any of it was! If we had paid the £20 a head I would have been extremely disappointed in the Full English.

Terrible service. Arrived at just after 8.30pm.Took ages for my order to be taken. I just ordered a main course - this had clearly sat on the pass for a while because by the time it had been brought to me, everything on the plate had started drying out. Asked to see the dessert menu which was brought over to me. I got bored of waiting for someone to come and take my order, so just after 10pm I went up to the bar and requested my bill. I asked for the service charge to be taken off the bill because I wasn't happy with the meal - the staff member didn't even bother to ask why. Sitting there for 1.5 hours to eat ONE course is frankly unreasonable - I have no idea how long I would have been there for had I not got up and asked for the bill. Not good at all considering that the restaurant wasn't busy at all.

Food was just about OK, certainly nothing special. BUT, the service was appalling. Drinks took 45 minutes to arrive. It was 30 minutes before anyone took our food order and 1hr, 15 min to receive food. No one even asked if our food was ok. This is lunchtime and not busy. Plus if you're vegan or vegetarian, forget it. Turtle Bay's round the corner. Pretty poor....wouldn't return

Just popped in with family for a drink, the waitress forgot half our order and to take payment. As you can see from the photo, the first impressions at the entrance weren’t great either! Maybe change the dead plants!

Very disappointed. Very slow service. Whilst starters were very nice, portion size to cost not good. 3 of us dining. My beer battered fish very good, other mains chicken & dauphinois potatoes, chicken over cooked, potatoes in the dauphinois hard. No hot plate, went cold very quickly. The other dish (no starter) so main was flat iron, over cooked and not to her liking. Advised staff who offered a free dessert, which was banoffee waffles which apparently were delicious and I had a free glass of champagne. Service not good so ask for the service charge to be removed. Unfortunately not for us and we won't be returning.

Afternoon tea, good price and generous portions. Service left something to be desired, slow, non engaging and fingers in cups!

Great new hotel, restaurant, and rooftop bar. The beds are very comfortable and the decor is nice. The staff members are great throughout, the hotel, the restaurant (Coldon’s) and the bar (Beckett’s Rooftop), especially Kathia & Ania. They both provided friendly and professional service and we appreciated the solid tips on sightseeing. One caution is that taxis are not allowed to go all the way to the hotel so they will drop you off a block or so away and when you leave you’ll need to meet the taxi at Exeter Central Station. It’s not a big deal as long as you know to plan for the short walk. If walking is an issue I’d consider a hotel outside of the “no taxi zone.” Apple Taxi came through for us we would definitely call them again.

We went to try the new roof top bar at Colson’s on a Friday afternoon around 6pm. Despite there not being anybody there, we were told we couldn’t drink there as we didn’t have a reservation. We assured the bouncer that we only wanted a quick drink before catching a train but no luck. It turned out that there was only one bar person who was unable to mix cocktails. Again, we told them that we’d be happy with wine but still no joy. A real shame as Exeter needs good new bars but we will not return especially given all the other negative feedback.

I took my friend for afternoon tea as a treat for us both and I was very disappointed. The venue was beautiful, I loved the decor, it was comfortable, modern and felt like a treat to be there . However, the service was terrible, we waited 50 mins for our afternoon tea ( which we had booked) and the lady bought it out and just left it on our table and went to walk away, no offer of tea or coffee ( it’s afternoon tea for goodness sakes 😂) No explanation about what was on our afternoon tea caddy, we had to guess what the different sandwich fillings and cakes were. Nobody checked if we needed anything else , or if we were ok. I felt very let down as the setting led you to belive you were going to experience 5* dining and service. The afternoon tea itself was nice but nothing special. Unfortunately, these days £££ don’t always mean good service / experience. All fur coat, no knickers.

I like the understated decor. The first waitress was well-meaning but lacked experience. There was a long wait for the meal. But the staff are friendly and do their best. The fish meal was good and presented well. The bathrooms are new and spotless with a late 1920s decor. Expect prices in the mid-to-top-end tier.

It wasn’t particularly busy - 4 young staff on duty but it took at least 10 minutes for service. The order came it was wrong. Waiting for the additional item took a walk to the bar and another request and a wait as they weren’t interested in serving. And then got the bill completely wrong. Fabulous setting - shame about the service. Get your act together.

An excellent new place to meet for coffee and or lunch. Very comfortable seating, relaxed atmosphere and very good staff. Coffee is excellent and their cakes are fresh and tasty. Not overly expensive well worth the money.

The decor is lovely but the service is very slow…45 minutes after our booked time they were ready to take our order (three steaks and one duck) only to be told that they had run out of steak! There are only 4 mains to choose from and we should have been told prior to sitting down. The table had been booked for a month. We left and had to find another restaurant last minute. The staff were apologetic and waived the bill for the drinks we’d had at the bar, but not a good experience. Hopefully they will improve but at the moment they can’t manage the basics.

Restaurant lacked atmosphere and felt a bit cold but that’s probably due to it being an early sitting on a Tuesday. Not a wide selection to choose from with starters and main. Although the mains we choose were very tasted and cooked well. The deserts were a little disappointing. Staff still seem to being trained in service and although quiet we had to pour our own wine.

Myself and my partner have emailed and called several times over the past couple of weeks, trying to book a table. We've never had a response from the restaurant. Very rude and clearly don't need the business. It's a shame as we were genuinely interested in their menu.

Fantastic service, very good food and super decor. Excellent, venue for Mother's Day today, will be back soon.

What a wonderful Sunday dinner the onion soup was out of this world lamb stunning and as for the cheesecake everyone there thoroughly enjoyed it and the staff were amazing friendly and super efficient thank you all

Absolutely superb cauliflower soup at Colson's for lunch today. Best I've had. Lovely decor with a relaxed, but classy vibe and excellent service. Can't wait to come back.

Having called in a couple of times for coffee, we decided to book for Sunday lunch with friends. Our lunch was perfectly cooked and really delicious. We found the staff very friendly, they did a great job. The setting here is lovely, and very relaxed. A place to pop in for coffee or an early evening drink. Coulson is just getting known, but am sure it will be a great place for people to meet for coffee or food, and so good to see the Dingles store revived into somewhere to enjoy and enjoy.

My wife and I went here for the first time recently and although the service was generally shambolic and the wait between courses interminable (the young couple on the table near us left as they had waited two and a half hours for their main course), the food was very good and we were happy to put this down to teething problems. However, when we got the bill, I noticed that on top of the service charge, they had added VAT to the whole sum. I asked the waiter to bring the menu as I was sure that VAT was included in prices. Instead of this happening, the front of house, who was very pleasant, came and sat with us where she apologized for the error and removed the cost of our desserts, the service charge and the VAT, explaining that there had been a "glitch" on the till. I would have left it there as overall we had had a pleasant evening. My attitude changed though after reading some of the Google reviews. Two other diners had commented on the addition of VAT and although they seem to have paid it, I wonder how many others have been duped in this way. I have checked the menu on their website and it clearly states the VAT is included. I have taken a screen shot of the menu in case it is taken down or amended now. Having a VAT registered business myself, I am well aware of the rules and make no mistake, this practice is ILLEGAL. I will be considering going to the Office of Fair Trading with this but at the very least Colson's should be contacting all the customers who have been overcharged and make appropriate refunds.

Staff were lovely but having to wait 50 mins for food for it to warm and not that nice was very disappointing didn’t expect to have to send food back . Kitchens need to up their game as the place is lovely.

Watching Chef Charlotte Vincent preparing our food was such an educational experience last night. Walked us through the menu and provided a contemporary experience that is simply unrivaled here in Exeter. From the Exmouth Scallops, the Somerset Venison to the Manjari Chocolate she walked us through the flavour profiles in a sophisticated yet non pretentious manner. Everything was exceptionally tasty and always accompanied with the finest wine & cocktails from Kevin 😊 It was easily the best dining experience I've had in some time. 🙌🏻

An excellent restaurant which is perfect for spoiling yourself or a loved one. 😍

About 3 weeks ago my fiance and I came for drinks in the bar area, service was a little slow but they drinks were lovely and the menu looked fab, albeit quite expensive. We ended up booking for what would be our valentines meal and went to Colsons last night. We walked in and you can’t really tell where you’re meant to go to be seated. We approached a waiter and I explained we had a table for 2 booked. I could see the booking system and could literally see my name and the time we had booked but he said “let me get my manager”. The manager comes over, asks how she can help… I explained the same again, she also then looked confused but showed us to a table. We sat down and everything immediately felt very chaotic. Young staff look all look like deer in headlights rushing around besides the odd few that stood around talking to each other which didn’t look very professional. Not even 2 minutes after we sat down, a waiter comes a long with two starters, obviously we told her we hadn’t even ordered yet and she rushed off to find who the starters belonged to. We were given a wine list but no food menu. We asked the waiter to try the chianti, so he rushed off to get who I assume is the Sommelier. He arrives with the wine, to ask us, “what are you going to eat tonight”. We said “we don’t know we don’t have any menus yet”. The young waiter apologised and rushed off again, he could only find us one… about two minutes later the manager appears with another one. We eventually ordered oysters as a snack/starter and the steak and stone bass for mains. It must have been at least 45 minutes and no oysters arrived which was strange as they’re literally served raw on ice… I asked a different waiter if he knew when we can expect our oysters, so he went to check. Our original waiter then came to apologise and said they’d be on the way. Another 15 minutes past, we had finished out bottle of wine and decided to leave. My fiancé got up to speak to the manager, he had explained everything to her and when he came back, he said she was going to come over for a proper chat. She walked past us about 3 times before she came over and said “sorry I haven’t forgotten you!”… we explained again that everything was ridiculously slow and delayed, we had booked this weeks ago, it’s meant to be a special night and it was just awful. She asked what she could do to make us stay, and then came over with our oysters. We explained it was too late, we were hungry and didn’t want to have to wait another 45 minutes to an hour for our mains. She begrudgingly agreed to let us have the bottle of wine for free. It was really a shame, they’ve clearly spent an awful lot of money to make the restaurant/hotel look and feel amazing. It has SO much potential to be a really great place to eat in Exeter. Management clearly needs sorting and staff desperately need training. The one star is just for the time and money IHG have spent to make it look nice, although to give a little credit, the couple next to us did say that the food, when it eventually arrived, was really good. We ended up “celebrating” our valentines meal in wagamamas, couldn’t complain, fast service and good food.

We had a fantastic Sunday lunch here yesterday. Service was great, but not as good as the food! Really well cooked meat and a really lovely time. Happily recommended.

Mixed feelings about Colsons restaurant, lovely decor, refurbished very tastefully. Arrived at 7pm to meet friends for drinks waited over 20 mins for these to arrive, very slow service, which unfortunately continued the whole evening, at least an hour between courses, meaning that we ended up cancelling our desserts as our pre booked taxi was due to arrive! Dinner table booked for 7.30 and main course served at 9.30! Having said that the food when it did arrive was excellent, very well cooked and tasty. Small portions though! There didn't seem to be enough staff to deal with both the bar and the restaurant. Our waiter did his best but was also serving drinks at the bar end. They did apologise and reduced our bill slightly. Hopefully just teething problems but they definitely need to up their game!

So lucky to have this gem in Exeter... The most incredible roast (I think the best I've eaten in a restaurant) with quality evident in every course, every element - from the perfectly cooked vegetables to the delectable sauces. The service was excellent with everyone so friendly and helpful. Cannot wait to come back for dinner soon!

Excellent Sunday lunch. Trout pastrami excellent, the pork moist with crisp crackling and excellent sides, and a lovely honeycomb cheesecake. The wine picked for us was super and the service really good. Great place for a special sunday lunch.

Popped in for a drink. All the atmosphere that you'd expect from a modern hotel lobby with extortionately priced wine and very slow service. Can only hope that the restaurant is better

We would highly recommend that this restaurant be avoided. After seeing Hotel Indigo opened a new restaurant, ‘Colson’s Seafood Bar & Grill’, we were extremely excited, the menu looked excellent. The only availability was at 6pm and 9pm on a Saturday night, this indicated that the restaurant was very busy, a good sign. We booked a table for 6pm. Upon arrival the restaurant was quite empty with only one or two other tables occupied. We were shown to a table that was not very nice, we asked if we could have the nice table in a corner of the restaurant and were told that it was reserved for a “VIP”. We thought that this was a poor choice of words to a customer. We responded light heartedly “are we not VIP’s?” We were then told that it was reserved for a restaurant reviewer that evening. A simple “we’re sorry it is reserved” would have been sufficient. We ordered the chips and cheese dip as a snack – these turned out to be crisps that were overly salty. For starter we ordered the smoked cauliflower velouté rarebit – there was very little cauliflower and the sauce was watery and overpowering in taste, the rarebit did not taste very nice at all. My wife ordered the cured cod with a fried oyster and sauce. The cod consisted of three very small sashimi sized portions and bland. The sauce and oyster arrived only after she had finished the cod, when the waiter finally brought over the sauce and oyster and announced that this was to go with the cod appetizer and it had been sitting on the counter, and they didn’t know which order this went with. Odd, given that there were only a few tables occupied. The fried oyster was cold and under cooked and the sauce was watery. At this stage it was past 7pm and there were only three or four tables occupied. We were wondering why they told us that they only had a 6pm or 9pm table when we booked, as clearly many tables were available. The restaurant was also very cold, we asked if they could turn up the heat, we were told that the heating hasn’t been working properly for a few days, we were given an electric fan heater. For the main course we ordered the cod and halibut and a side of mixed vegetables. The portions of fish were very small. The cod was cooked reasonably well, however, the Halibut was way over cooked and very dry, so much so that it was turning up at the ends. The sauce was not very nice at all ,it was watery and did not smell good. The vegetables arrived only once we had finished the main course. By this time, it was past 8pm and the restaurant was still only occupied by three or four tables. We didn’t stay for dessert. Without alcoholic drinks the bill was over £110, this is compatible with the Ivy and a high price for dinning in Exeter. The core issues were staff training, an overly precious menu that tries too hard and was extremely poorly executed together with the uncomfortably cold ambient temperature. Based upon our recent dining experience we cannot see this restaurant surviving unless a radical change is implemented. This is such a missed opportunity and very disappointing. It is a great location that deserves a high-end dining experience. We will not be returning or recommending this restaurant to anyone except Vladimir Putin.

Everything was absolutely delicious, the service was great. We spent an amazing time. Ps the price are higher in the restaurant than on the internet one.

Sunday lunch. Food was OK. Disappointing to be sat on a table in an empty area next to the loos and the restaurant "serving hatch". Wasn't great to hear staff gossip and be put in that area when the main restaurant wasn't full. Feels very much like a hotel lobby and not a high end restaurant. It would take a lot for me to go back.

Best meal we’ve had in the uk by far, the food was excellent and the staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. Our waiter recommended a fantastic wine based on our order which paired perfectly. The food was well presented and cooked to perfection. Will definitely be visiting again soon.

Very disappointing meal, the restaurant was cold, and the food lukewarm due to the warm not hot plates being placed on cold marble tables tops which cooled the food down. The staff where unprofessional in serving the wine and food considering the empty restaurant it took an hour before we had our starters.

Food is good ......but staff seem to have no training in service i.e. cuttlery plonked in heap on end of table for us to share out .Restaurant very cold. Food cold and overpriced for tiny portions.Saw waitress wipe nose on pink cloth she was polishing cutlery with ! No ambience,

Went for dinner at the newly opened Colsons restaurant in side Hotel Indigo (formerly House of Fraser, Exeter). Firstly the referb was a very high standard ..the've spared no expense contemporary decor with a great relaxed atmosphere. We had snacks to start which were Lobster Scotch Egg and Oysters followed by starters, Scallops and a Beef Brisket..onto mains which were the Hake and Turbot ...all the dishes are complimented with a variety of chicken fat mayo, miso & nduja, beef fat waffle and marrowbone butter.. must say it was all delicious, Head Chef Charlotte Vincent truly has the master touch. Also Charlie (restaurant manager) was outstanding.. few little nigs the servers should know what is in the dishes/sauces as we ordered 2 different ones and he didn't know what sauce was what in saying that he was very polite and attentive. We did feel for my Turbot at £32 we disappointed with the portion size and if you want a side they are extra. To sum up it was all very good and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, one we will be repeating.

The food was amazing and the service was very good. As it was a Wednesday in January it was quiet in the restaurant so the atmosphere was some what lacking, but that was improved by the food and the team. Very good will definitely return

Really disappointed. We were interested in the New Years Day brunch and wanted more information about the menu. I emailed, telephoned and used the contact page on their website, no response. We visited the hotel and the first receptionist knew nothing about the event, eventually we were told it is the enhanced breakfast menu and were given a copy of the standard breakfast menu. We returned home and booked a table for 2 at 11.30 on New Years Day £45 each, brunch and unlimited cocktails. At 9.30pm an New Year’s Eve I received a voice mail to tell me the event had been cancelled for technical reasons! A sceptic might think well how are you managing your New Year’s Eve party, what technical reasons stop you cooking a breakfast? Perhaps they didn’t have sufficient bookings because there was no information or perhaps 1.5 hours of breakfast and unlimited cocktails was not a good business proposition! An absolute shambles