Dee Side Cafe Bistro in Denbighshire

I absolutely love this place! Of all the times we've been to Llangollen, I think we've only managed to get in here two or three times because it's so busy. It's next to the river so it's got a beautiful view. The staff are lovely and the food is great. It is a cash only establishment but there is a cash machine inside! ☺️

We really fancied a good fry up. See Side Cafe certainly served that up. To be able to get a full English breakfast on a Sunday at 4.30pm was fab. Would not hesitate to go again. I will also be recommending it to my friends.

Excellent experience and really fast service. Food was lush and well priced. Pleasant atmosphere.

We weren't told it's cash only, so had to pay by bank transfer. What a load of fuss for their own mistake of not telling us at the entrance!

Nice food and good service. Just a shame staff don’t get there tips as they go all to the owner. Would recommend just wouldn’t leave a tip.

We were served great quality tasty food, make sure you are really hungry when you go to the cafe because the portions are generous

We had a very nice lunch here with ana amazing view. The baguettes are very good.

Nice location being right on the River Dee. Food was fresh and good quality but portions were on the smaller side. Steak pie was padded out with lots of potatoes so was more like meat and potato pie. One thing to note is that they don't take card payments...cash only, however, there is a cash machine that's free to use by the front door.

Lovely little place with good service, food not as tasty as we hoped.

We dined here Saturday 10th October as a group of 8 former University friends all in our 60's whilst on our Offa's Dyke walking weekend. The owner and his staff could not have been more welcoming and even joined in with a prank we organised for one of our party. The food was excellent and very good value. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and we would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a delicious meal in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

Great location right by the Dee and we sat outside. Staff and service good but have never ever had a scone as weird and bad before (plus squirty cream) - seemed to be a sponge recipe. Decided not to send it back but should have.

Only had two slices of lamb ! On the lamb leg menu ! For £16.50 the vegetables was undercooked

Fish and chips was nice, busy place

Really enjoyed the food, brilliant views of the river and the waitress was lovley too just what we needed after a long walk

Had a very nice meal the staff we re ececlent

Good varied menu with good gluten free options available too. Service was fast. Cash only site, has a cah machine in the restaurant. Portions are large. However, I ordered the slow cooked leg of lamb, which was sadly quite tough and not overly enjoyable.

My disabled partner & I visited Dee side cafe on 26/09/2024 at approx. 2:30pm after returning from an enjoyable barge trip from Llangollen to the aqueduct. We asked for a seat with some room next to the window & was led there by the waitress. We were about to be seated before being abruptly informed via the Manageress we couldn't sit there as someone was waiting for that seat, although in truth they could squeeze in an extra 'able bodied' customer in to this seating area. Incidentally the able bodied customers given our seats had been on the same barge trip as ourselves & had arrived at the Cafe after us, and were reading the menu board outside whilst they decided to go in or not. I explained to the staff I was unhappy at the disrespectful way they treated my disabled partner & we were then offered alternative seating which was unsuitable owing to her mobility issues. I'd recommend customers avoid this establishment, as surely respect & equality should not be too much to expect in this day & age, even taking into account the wish to make 'a few dollars more' at the expense of normal standards of service & consideration for disabled people!

Went there a few days ago. Had roast lamb with mashed potato and seasonal veg - food VERY high quality at a really reasonable price (menu had a really good selection, too). Atmosphere was nice and quite and the views of the river from my seat were amazing! All I had to do was turn my head and look down on the river through my table side window! (I’ll post photos) Have been before and will go again.

Had dinner here recently and it was fine. The Bistro was quiet but it is in a lovely spot overlooking the river. The staff are very pleasant and the menu prices are good. It is nothing special but is ok if you do not want to book in advance.

It's the best location just next to bridge overlooking the River Dee; very busy during meal times. The food is freshly prepared and the staff is friendly! The bistro only accepts cash. There's 🏧 at the entrance for withdrawal. It's a nice place for a quick bite!

Nice little dog friendly place alongside the river. The staff were extremely friendly, and the food was very reasonably priced. Highly recommend the lamb baguettes which are delicious!

Great food. Good prices. Polite and helpful staff. Fantastic views.

Didn’t bother eating at this establishment, we are in the year 2024 and they don’t take Apple Pay, they don’t even take card. But they expect you to pay premium prices and use the ATM outside that charges £3.50. To be honest the whole Llangollen experience wasn’t good.

Pie for £15 ,awful was not a pie was meat and patatoes and carrots with a half baked Pastry top , not a pie, Avoid go up the road to people who know what a pie is . Save your money . Also cash only. I do not mind paying £15 for a pie but change your advertising to reflect this is pasty topped meat patato carrot stew.

Very friendly and good good with great views

One of the best meals I've ever had in a bistro cafe, absolutely 1st class quality and presentation of food, followed by home 🏡 made blackcurrant cheesecake and finished off with an authentic Italian 🇮🇹 cappuccino coffee ☕...all at super reasonable prices...it doesn't get any better than this. 👌💗😋😋😋

I'm nearly 50yrs old and I've worked in restaurants bars etc. You don't leave £5.99 on a bottle of wine and expect you to pay 18.95 absolutely disgusting and against the law!! The management were awful and could of handled it more professionally. The girls serving us were lovely so was rhe food

Great value, great choice of food, great Staf, If you want food try this place first

Great food, good fast service, great location on the river, def our fav place to eat by far. Easy access from most accommodation

on Saturday 17 August at about 1pm, My wife and I each had a plain scone with jam and artificial cream. 4 hours later I was violently ill at Llangollen railway station and then 30 minutes later at the Pavillion car park. My wife then started about 8 hours later. Tried reporting to health department.

Don’t take cards only cash. Conveniently they have an ATM in the foyer and £ 20 cash out the fee was £4 . Very good!

On holiday on a narrow boat currently mored in Llangollen. We came for lunch and returned for dinner and again for dinner the following day. Lovely food, quick service and veiws of the river Dee. Cash only but not a problem

Fantastic experience. 9 of us came to eat and loved it.

We sat at a table waiting to be served Some man I can only assume was the manger said have we ordered we said Know he removed the dirty plates Yet he forgot the most important thing to always make sure a table is clean for the customers We watched at least five members of staff standing by The bar with the same man who never cleaned are table yet not one come and cleaned are table Are meals were at long last brought to us I Asked the waitresses can are table be cleaned she apologised then come back with a dirty cloth with know spray are meals were poor the waitresses asked is everything OK I said know . I then watched a waiter clean another table what looked like the same dirty cloth. Definitely won't go back again.

Great little cafe, right by the river. Coffee and delicious home made cakes. Staff very polite and friendly. Cash only .

My partner and I went to this cafe last week and I’ve never been so disappointed by an experience! We asked to order drinks before food, but the waiter told us we have to order all together as it was too busy, we rush ordered the lamb, a beer and a coke. We then realised there were only three tables occupied and three members of staff leant up against the wall having a conversation. The lamb came out dry, with vegetables which seemed like from a frozen bag. When asked how the meal was, we said it was ‘okay’ (due to not typically enjoying complaining) and explained the issue to the waitress. She said she’d tell the chef, we then noticed all the staff whispering and pointing over at us. When it came to paying (cash only), no one came to take our cash and give us our change. Again, all staff were chatting up against a wall. I am presuming this is a practice to try and keep the change as tips, in the hope customers would just leave. Annoyingly, I would usually tip but my experience on this day was so bad I didn’t feel like it!

Very pleasant small eatery, huge menu. Friendly staff, very attentive without being intrusive. Food was excellent but large portions. Serves alcohol. Prices are very reasonable. Definitely going to return.

The food was good, the service was great, the view from the windows is stunning. This picture of view was taken from my seat at the restaurant

I can't fault it. Was the only place we could get in on a Monday night at 6pm. It's cash only, not sure why, but we managed.

Decent food, great staff and service.

Really lovely food that's not overcomplicated. Staff are really friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend :) Also Its cash only which we didn't realise!

Had a lovely lunch at the Dee Side, couldn't fault the food at all, very tasty. They also have oat milk, which is always a bonus for me. The bistro is cash only. They do have a card machine within the premises. The views from the bistro are amazing, as it's situated right next to the river, with great views of the llangollen railway station. I have to only give it 3 stars due to the fact that it lacts amenities for disabled people who are wheelchair users, no toilets, not enough room round the tables, only way in is on a dangerous side road. It's such a shame. Otherwise, it is nice.

Gorgeous place, lovely food and friendly staff! Amazing views. We had halloumi and chorizo paninis and they were lovely and fresh, the chips were lush!

Very poor quality of food. Steak pie meat was chewy and had potatoes in never seen this before. Baked potatoes microwaved then put in oven although tuna mayo was nice but had ordered tuna melt. Cash only but don't worry cash machine in there that's charges for withdrawl Toilets need a clean and inside of restaurant needs a good clean .

It was raining and we were looking for somewhere to catch up with family so we popped into the Bistro. We had a lovely lunch , best meal out so far on holiday. The day we went they took cash only , not a problem for us.They do have a cash machine in the Bistro but I'm not sure if cash withdrawals are free.

Brilliant homemade food. Excellent polite service. Well priced. Great location. Wide selection of food on the menu. Everything you could ask for. Bear in mind it's cash only. If I'm ever back in town, I'm heading here for a casual bite to eat.

Best fish and chips Staff very polite Good service

The food was good. Had Chicken and Chorizo Tagliatelle, Garlic Mushrooms and Chicken Nuggets. All good. Deducted a star as it accepts only cash. And it has a cash machine which charges a pound to withdraw.

Amazing meal yet again only one gripe. I think the smaller tables are slightly too small for two meals as well as drinks, sauces ect. Still 10/10 though. 👍 EDIT 10 months on rubbish curry tasted like a microwave meal, pie was a stew with a pastry on top and breakfast wow rubbish would never go back again!! Indian waitress how was your meal? Curry the chicken was dry. Breakfast the meat was grisly and pie was not a pie ? O ok your meals ok DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY

Lovely lunch at the Dee Side Cafe/Bisto. The meals were really lovely and the portion was really good. The location is great esspecially if you can get a seat by a window. The staff were very friendly and Service was quick despite being busy. Really nice lunch and it only cost £35 for 2 mains and 2 drinks. Remember you cash!!!

Beautiful spot for a cafe. Our waiter went out of his way to fix a window for us so that we could get a window seat and was helpful when it came to gluten-free options.

Really good value for money. Staff very freindly. Great views of the river

We had breakfast here on a recent visit to Llangollen, and I would definitely go back if I’m ever in Llangollen again. The staff member who took our order was extremely friendly and helpful. As a coeliac, it can be difficult to eat out, but this place had a good few gluten-free options available. The food was delicious, too. This is a lovely little spot with stunning views of river Dee, and offers good food and friendly service - well worth a visit!

Came here for dinner on a whim, food was really great. The place is cash only but conveniently has a cash machine in the cafe.

One of the best lunches I have had. Good size portions. Staff very attentive. Reasonably priced. Would recommend.

Ate here on the 10th June 2024 around 1pm. Ok place to eat, food ok and atmosphere ok. Service was ok and quick but don't expect a smile from the staff, they were all miserable as sin. The young girl who serve us was on a major downer, so angry looking. Other reviews have said the same about the staff. Have good food in a great place with no smiles. Oh yes it's cash only here too, a bit strange especially when they have their own cash machine with a £1 charge per transaction.

Lovely little Cafe right next to the Bridge with Riverside windows. We had very good service from the team, the food arrived quickly and was delicious.

Fast, excellent service. Delicious hot cheesy chips!

Firstly this is a cash only establishment but it just so happens that they have a cash machine! A good variety on the menu, good portion sizes for the price but found the burger gristly. The accompanying salad was fresh and chips were home made and well cooked. Other members of our party enjoyed the scampi and chicken special.

Lovely café, lovely staff, amazing view of the River Dee and Llangollen steam railway, equally amazing Turkish lamps, great service, great food and drinks - they have soya and oat milk which is a plus point, great atmosphere, what’s not to like … ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I tried to eat here shortly after arriving in the country from NZ where I live, only to be told they only take cash, no cards. This means I cannot comment on anything apart from the service which is awful. Move into the 21 century and stop being Luddite’s.

Usually I love a trip to Llangollen and always eat here,my favourite little place but soon as we walked in today the atmosphere and everything different. Change of staff,mainly girls who obviously didn't want to be there, food eventually came (cold) .10 mins later had to ask for our drinks,the girl looked at me in disgust.but they were just standing holding the wall up.was asked 3times if I'd finished when iv still got full plate,took longer as cldnt chew the steak.whinge over, all in all won't be rushing back.

We popped in for a late dinner while driving through, didn’t have high expectations but still left disappointed. Frozen vegetables and microwaved mashed potato. The lamb was almost like something from a school canteen - can’t believe it cost almost £20 alone… Drinks were weird too. I guess if you’re sat by the window it compensates for the low quality overpriced food, but if you’re stuck by the wall then it just adds insult to injury. Also pretty inconvenient that it’s cash only in this day and age - although they do have a cash machine inside the restaurant (£1 charge)… Only reason i’m giving an extra star is because of the friendly service…

Quality service, staff are very patient and well trained. Timing of food was perfect, breakfast was very nice and well priced. The coffee is outstanding!

Lovely little place,all home cooked.

Nice cafe. Good, non pretentious food. Popular and usually busy. Cash only but they have put a cash machine at the entrance (£1 fee).

Superb food and views Tried again on another visit excellent food spectacular veiw from our table highly recommended

Great service, food and views. Amazing place worth a visit

Really good food polite and friendly staff. Always visit if in the area. Would definitely recommend. Always good eith my nut allergy.

We popped in for a bit of cake and a coffee. We opted to sit in the little seating area outside as it has lovely views of the river and the steam railway station. The coffee was really good. Cake was.... mediocre. I think probably shop bought than homemade, but it was ok. All in all, a pleasant experience though.

We stayed in Llangollen for 4 nights and had breakfast here twice. They also serve brunch/lunch options and milkshakes etc. The food was delicious and portion sizes good. Every time we walked past it was always busy, so that tells you how good it is. You can choose inside or outside tables; outside was lovely to sit and watch the world go by. Staff were very attentive. Good value for money too. Will be back :)

Unexpectedly lovely, 'light bite' which was enough to keep us going all day. Service was speedy and staff polite and charming. We will be delighted to return - the only possoble probkem was 'cash only' but they provided solutions! Thank you x

Super food, service at reasonable prices.

Nice food, served quickly by attentive staff. Lamb baguette and ploughman's were both very good.

Called in here for our evening meal, both I and my brother had the gammon, wasn't expecting what arrived on the table, a large piece of gammon, with egg, ontop of home cooked chunky chips, good portion of salad, peas & coleslaw, it seemed to go on forever, it beat my brother and I struggled to finish it, everything was 1st class, service was prompt and very friendly, would definitely go back, highly recommended!!!

Ok little place nice view of river

Always great home cooked food. The chicken chorizo is to die for. Just been in for another awesome mega breakfast. Tastes even better when you have it at 5pm. Sat at the table overlooking the River Dee. Awesome spectacle when the river is fast flowing. Just been in again. The river is rocking and rolling and the full breakfast is flowing.

Food lovely and good value. Unfortunately only cash payments and although there is an atm on the premises, this makes a £1 charge so not ideal, hence 4 stars. Apart from that great

Great service and very friendly staff. The food was fantastic and cooked to perfection. Disabled people I would recommend booking a table first before going, there is a door for disabled people could get in and there is another door with steps. I do recommend this cafe to anyone.

Busy, but staff were fast and efficient

Delicious food with sizeable portions very much recommended for a group or a family looking for a great lunch added bonus of beautiful views of the river from inside or the outside of the cafe

Taste not really good but the view is niceee

Definitely one of my favorite places to go and get lunch when in Llangollen. Would highly recommend!!

Been here several times - on our last three visits - Very good quick service, excellent food and stunning views of the River Dee.

The location is perfect, the food is delicious and the staff are pleasant. I would definitely return.

Very good food, nice views from the windows, affordable prices

This lovely cafe has a varied menu at reasonable prices. All the food I saw being served looked delicious. I only had a coffee & a scone but it was good. I plan to go back another day & try some hot food from the menu.

All day breakfast was absolutely flawless A lovely dog friendly cafe bistro with amazing views

We couldn’t ask for any better .We throughly enjoyed Fish chips peas salad tartar service and coleslaw. The service was excellent and we would recommend it to anyone and I’m sure we shall return .,

Really nice place, not too busy (considering), but we had booked! Cash only, which might be a pain, but they do have a machine in the place that charges you to get your own money out...

Called in for a late breakfast with my wife. She had the vegetarian breakfast and I had the bacon, sausage and egg barm with chips. Both meals were excellent and portions were big. The menu had plenty of other choices that looked good. Price was great and the staff were all friendly and very efficient. We will definitely be back. Many thanks.

But unfortunately you lost five customers, because they didn’t like the way you spoke to your staff.

Not very welcoming Cash only Food hit and miss Don’t get fish and chips very bad Needs a refurb

Fab place to eat. Great menu, fab staff and we were all stuffed by the end of our lunch. Highly recommended.

Food was fantastic..all the staff were really helpful and if your lucky enough to get a window seat...the view of the rapids on the river Dee are brilliant... Great place..Great food..Great staff...highly recommended

The only nice thing about this place is the views. Poor quality food and awful service 👎🏼 The place could do with a refurbished as the deco is not very tasteful. Some of the staff could do with learning good manners. ..

Good place to eat, nice views. Unfortunately cash only, not sure why...

Great little bistro really nice food

Definitely my favourite place to eat in Llangollen. Coffee is excellent and the food freshly prepared & homemade. Lovely attentive staff, really can't fault it.

I had the breakfast with a cup of tea who was absolutely gorgeous lovely place and nice people just wondefinitely go well again