El Puerto Restaurant in The Vale of Glamorgan

Lovely food wonderful view tremendous ambience and very attentive staff. It's our go to place for somewhere special and it never disappoints. Going for dinner tonight 8/10/2924 and shall be there again celebrating my wides birthday on 23/11/2024

Had my husbands 70th party this weekend, upstairs in El Puertos. We couldn't have asked for more.The staff were amazing, polite and courteous. Nothing was too much trouble. Food was excellent. As the host I felt very supported during the build up to the party and especially on the day. We all had such a lovely day !

Simply superb. We came here for lunch to celebrate my Wife’s birthday. As a party of 5 we were very warmly welcomed and a table that we requested was waiting for us. The food was very well portioned, cooked beautifully and represented excellent value for money when compared to the competitors,

Visited El Puerto last night for a birthday celebration,the service was fantastic but the food was very disappointing. We opted for hake and Chuleta,both these meals I presume were cooked in the oven as they were dry and slightly over cooked as to the normal way on the charcoal grills which makes them a lot more succulent and tasty.Maybe they were having an off day but we were very disappointed.I have to say that service was good.

Another Fabulous meal, fish soup was amazing, beef koftas, both generous portions for starter. Huge pork chop with lovely crisp fat, succulent n tasty, swordfish steak with gorgeous sauce, perfectly cooked new pots with butter, couldn't resist cheeky portions of cauliflower cheese 😁👍. Outstanding service from all staff. Special thanks to Elliot in the bar for superb wine recommendations and to chef Paul for cooking quality produce. So lucky to have this on our doorstep. 👍😁♥️👏👏👏

I have eaten in restaurants all over the UK and this place falls into the top 10% WORST places for service and accommodation of someone with a disability. I would like to provide a fair and balanced review of the food however the manager felt unable to help and therefore due to my disability I was forced to leave. Shocking approach, you have been warned, don’t bother with this place!!!!!

Delicious food - Awful service. Not just 1 waiter but almost all of them were extremely rude and we felt as if we were inconveniencing them every time we asked for anything such as a drink or how we order, as we had not been before. With an almost £400 bill for our table you would expect better service. I have eaten in their sister restaurants and never had this issue so recommend you eat in one of those instead. This was for a 60th Birthday and we are a family who ask for no fuss, but when you feel like you need to speed through a drinks order or the waiter will get annoyed, you know your in the wrong place. My tip- go elsewhere

There was 9 of us and everyone of us thought their food was delicious and really generous portions. The children’s portions are on the large side just for reference. I had the set menu and can recommend the lasagne it was lush, but everything from the steaks to the fish all looked delicious. Would definitely go back and would recommend.

Brilliant service, 1st class meal The only drawback - draughty fans causing a cold wind, this made it very chilly in the restaurant 🤔😔😔😔😔

I must admit that my family and I have been a long-term fan of The Custom House in Penarth since it opened. The building and decor are stunning, the views over the bay from the patio at the front of the building on a warm sunny day with a nice cold glass of wine served straight from the bottle and the ice bucket is the best place to be in Cardiff. The Martinez Restaurant team are the best in the business for service and the quality and choice of food is always superb. I love the fresh fish selections the most, but my favourite fillet steak is always cooked the way I like, medium rare and ridiculously hard to turn down. My wife and I recently celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary after a great meal we finished the night sharing the absolute best Crème Brulé recipe you will ever try. A perfect ending to any night.

Many thanks to the waiter that refused serving us coffees in the front patio area. We wanted coffee and nibbles there to keep an eye on our electric bikes. It was dead on midday so we would not of been amongst guests taking Sunday lunch. We had previously visited and taken coffee & nibbles a few weeks prior without any problem. C'est la vie but we did cycle to another venue which was not so obnoxious and damn right rude.

Beautiful restaurant in a great location. We stopped by for Sunday roast. The restaurant was very busy. The service was very good and portion sizes generous however unfortunately it was not the best Sunday roast.

Live literally across the road. On an evening stroll took this photo…. Love the custom house, great food, amazing staff…. Very convenient!

How on Earth this place has managed to achieve more than two stars astonishes me. The restaurant is like eating in a cattle market, the food little better than cattle fodder. In the plus side the staff were keen, helpful and polite.The venue is an amazing location in a fantastic building it's just such a shame the food did not live up to expectations.

From the time I entered to the time I left, I felt extremely uncomfortable with the attitude of the male staff (except the older, tall gentleman with glasses who was very pleasant). The man that "welcomed" me (I arrived alone and waited for my friend) by snapping at me when I asked about parking as I had seen previous reviews warning of parking fines in their car park. I couldn't quite hear what the situation was as he had already turned away and started walking off so I had to hurry to catch up with him and ask again which seemed to irritate him further. The gentleman behind the food counter was unhelpful and agitated even though we were the only ones there and there was no queue behind us. This very 80's style of ordering at a food counter is really quite a pain as it doesn't give you the opportunity to casually peruse the menu and ask questions so what should be a pleasant experience feels very rushed. What was eventually a decent meal was spoiled by the aggressive service. We only came here because the Humble Onion was fully booked. Lesson learnt.

Met a friend for lunch here today. Neither of us were overly hungry, so we decided on the Calamari starter, salad bowls, garlic bread and fries. When we gave our order at the counter we were questioned about whether we were planning to have a main course, and when we said we were not, then we were met with 'a look'!! Later at our table another waiter stopped by and again asked whether we were intending to order a main course. This line of questioning made us feel uncomfortable - is there a 'minimum' spend per head operating at this restaurant that we don't know about? If not then perhaps staff should reserve their judgements as to what their clientele are ordering. The food was good, lovely choice of salads and the calamari was really tasty, but that didn't make up for the discomfort we experienced.

The staff were run off their feet, but still made us feel special and provided excellent service. The atmosphere was vibrant and the setting is beautiful. The food and wine was excellent and there was a good choice for everyone. My only criticism was that, due to social distancing, by the time we could see the menu on the wall, we felt rushed to choose what we wanted. I quite liked going up to make my order, but would prefer a printed copy of menu items that areregularly available, so that I could study the menu in a more relaxed way.

Visited the restaurant with friends on Saturday 21st AugustHad Belly Pork as a main course,told it had been cooked by over 5 hours,but it was cold in the middle.On returning home ,early the next morning I was extremely ill,I rang the restaurant later that day to inform them,I was told that the manager would ring me backHad received no call after 5 days,so I rang again to be told I would get a call back,a week later still no callVery disappointed to say the least

Have been to this restaurant numerous times but yesterday had a discouraging visit, tables for 2 were crammed very closely together, for example the waiter was unable to do the usual filleting of fish at our table as there was no room. We realise covid restrictions have been lifted but this was worse than their pre covid seating arrangments. Always a noisy venue but on this occasion the music was overpowering resulting in people having to speak excessively loudly to each other raising the noise levels to unacceptable. We understand they hope to re-open the first floor Marina Restaurant in October. We will wait until then to return.

Been here several times. Never fails to satisfy. Fab food. Great quality. Good service. What more can you ask for. Not cheap but you definitely get what you pay for. Worth every penny. Particularly for a special occasion. Yum yum yum.

Disappointing on a number of fronts.Firstly when ordering the meal I was offered three choices of potatoes. When I asked whether I could have a small portion of vegetable instead the waiter said this wasn’t possible and shoved a little bowl at me and pointed to the salad bar.( at an extra charge of £4) The extra money wasn’t the issue, but the unwillingness of putting a few beans on my plate instead of the potatoes was. I didn’t really feel like a cold salad.This restaurant pretends to be a little up market. My fish main was served with steak cutlery. I asked the server for fish cutlery. One of the managers came to the table and asked me whether this was essential as he would have to go upstairs to get some. I said that I would prefer to eat my fish using a fish knife rather than a steak knife.He returned with a fish knife but to my surprise he didn’t think of bringing a fish fork too! Oh well, perhaps the restaurant isn’t as up market as it would like to believe.My meal was average, After all what can you really do wrong when cooking merluza a la plancha.The restaurant was too busy and at these precarious times I will not be visiting again

We booked here sort of last minute, booked. days earlier, to celebrate my daughters graduation and degree results. What a fantastic night we had. Awesome location, weather helped, and we had luckily asked for table on terrace and they had very kindly kept us one available. With such hot weather it was the best seat in the house.The modus operandi hasn’t changed in I don’t know how long. But who cares, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. It’s always such fun ordering at the kitchen and looking at the specials and latest catch. Kids love the setup and process.Food was up to its best standard, fish was amazing, prawns perfect, steaks succulent and the wine flowed. All so fresh and so perfectly cooked, every time!The staff it has to be said made the night. Friendly chatty, attentive when required but left us to enjoy our celebration and atmosphere. So grateful to them for making it special.I find it’s the little things that matter and they got it all perfect.We will be back 110%

So having read the mixed reviews I was a bit nervous...we had booked as we had a voucher to use...it also happened to be the hottest day of the year! Fully air conned which was a real bonus!Service was great from the moment we arrived with staff clearly explaining the one way system and ordering process.Food was excellent....fresh and well presented.Slight delay between starter and main course but was good staff had noted it as we did and apologised and moved it on.A really lovely experience and good value.We will definitely go back .

I was taking an elderly friend out for lunch in Penarth to enjoy a day at the seaside as he hadn’t seen the sea for a couple of years. I’d been to the Custom House several years ago & thought of going there but was really put off by the negative reviews on Tripadvisor re the service. Fortunately, I decided to take a chance & booked a table online - which was very easy. We arrived on time on a lovely sunny day & managed to get a table outside. The staff were excellent - kind & attentive - & the food was delicious & served very promptly. I cannot recommend it highly enough. My friend had a wonderful day out & the staff at El Pueblo played a large part in that - thanks so much!

We were first time visitors taking a friend who has just moved to the area. The large room is noisy and busy. After having been shown to our table, we were asked to follow the waiter to a large display counter where we were to order our meal. Without the benefit of having seen a menu beforehand, this made the choice of food rather confusing, especially when we asked about sauces and whether vegetables were included - the service was quite surly and so we ordered extra vegetables which were totally unnecessary as the meal arrived with a good selection of veg. We then ordered wine when we returned to the table. The fish was good and well cooked.The confusing service didn't encourage us to stay and order more food or drinks.Our negative impression increased when our friend received a huge parking fine for parking in the restaurant car park (£100 or £60 if paid immediately). As strangers, we were never made aware of the requirement to register the registration number of the car. We are appealing the fine.Potentially a restaurant with good quality food but needs better reception (which was unmanned at the beginning and end of our visit) information and service.

Second time I’ve been here now and I can honestly say the service and attitude from staff is disgusting. After waiting over half hour to be served which we had to make a point of getting someone over we were greeted by a member of staff who quite frankly looked like he hated his job and that really reflected on how he treated us. I asked him if he knew if they did prawn cocktails and he shouted over me going no we don’t do mocktails and started walking away talking before I could correct him again. So so rude I ended up going in side and asking the women who was running around like a headless chicken like all the staff and she said yes they do. Secondly we finally got our wine we waited nearly a hour for and the waiter just put it at the end of our table and told us he would be back to open it and started serving other customers! I took a picture I was that shocked...They talk to you like rubbish and I will never be returning! The fact they don’t even seem to care about the awful reviews on here says it all! The food is way over priced and is the same as most nice pubs in Cardiff!

We visited during the Bank Holiday Monday and went into the Tapas area for some lunch . After a painfully slow 15min queue we eventually ordered a sharing Tapas plate for two. At the Tapas shack. The lunch took over an hour to come and the calamari pitched up cold. Whilst waiting the manager in a blue shirt had a very loud argument with his cooking staff - who were working in a very small hot shack. Rather than help them he berated their service level (loudly so customers could hear)... walking passed all the used glasses and plates without lifting a finger. Poor staff were running around in the hot weather trying to keep everything going whilst management seamed to be doing some pantomime telling off. When the food eventually arrived it was underwhelming and very little of it.. and was definitely not worth the £30 spent. The venue itself is impressive and scenic but the service is shocking and value for money extremely poor. Might drop in again for a or drink but will go elsewhere for food ️ This review is for The Old Custom House, Penarth MarinaPenarthCF64 1TTWales

Probably the best place for a steak in cardiff...my girlfriend and myself had a lovely evening. All the staff were amazing and couldn't do enough

We were really excited about going out for lunch after lockdown and it couldn't have been better. Every care had been taken to ensure everyone was safe. We had a friendly welcome and all the staff were excellent-so helpful and lovely. The food was outstanding. We all had the 2 course £14.95 special. Two soups and two lamb ribs - delicious. Three hake & chips and 1 beef skewers with chips, also all delicious. Look forward to a return visit soon.

Went for Sunday lunch today with a friend and his elderly mother. Our meals were delicious. Unfortunately the elderly lady had a funny turn during our main meal. All the staff were very helpful, couldn’t do enough. Making the situation so much less upsetting. Thank you El Puerto.

The restaurant went the extra mile today to ensure that they were covid secure for an elderly lady that we took for Sunday lunch. The food was superb, best roast beef, perfectly cooked, more than enough vegetables, roast potatoes and delicious gravy. Had a very attractive and delicious starter. The staff were attentive but not too much, just right.Thank you El Puerto for a really good visit and a superb Sunday lunch.

Had dinner here last night .I was surprised how busy it was in these times .Not the friendliest/warmest welcome but seated quickly .Next time I would request a table with view of the bar .Bajun fish cakes to start , lovely Barbados chicken with fries . We would have liked battered cauliflower but they were out of this .Creme brûlée’s for dessert .We had wine too .Overall it’s a lovely classic restaurant .Service was ok ,nothing bad but nothing special either .Quite expensive .

We arrived on time to book in at the restaurant and we were welcomed by a very rude Italian waiter shouting at us to get out of the restaurant and wait outside. He was not clear why we had to wait outside. There were 8 other people waiting to book in as well. We were all in total shock of how we were treated and left the restaurant to go else where. As a result of this you lost a load of customers all because of good manners due to a very rude waiter on the door. The social distancing in the restaurant was very poor as you could see from the window and no masks were worn by the staff. We won’t be going back.

We had an excellent meal here. We all chose from the £21 2 course menu, and were amazed at the quality of the food. Tender beef, pork and lamb. Excellent fish and chorizo kebabs. Great starters. Waiters were attentive and efficient. We all felt safe as the restaurant have implemented very good safety precautions in this Covid era. Sanitiser on every table. Great atmosphere in the restaurant too.

The worst customer service , lovely food and ambient but very rude and arrogant staff. Just not acceptable. Been twice, never again

We visited as a family of four expecting for this popular restaurant to have better social distancing measures in place. No contact tracing details were taken?? Then every table was used with the same layout as when we had been prior to Covid with the exception of a few by the bar left empty. Very few were following the one way ordering system and it felt like a free for all. Another couple were seated literally behind my chair and it seems profit is coming before safety...... the food is very good, and well presented as always but that said but had to ask for drinks order to be taken and the service is not as it used to be. It felt chaotic and to the management - I think you need to look at enforcing Covid guidelines better.

I had the pleasure of going to El Poro last evening. The food was so fresh and deliciously cooked. The steak was perfection. We were a large group but all the food came piping hot and all at the same time. The staff were tentative and extrememly friendly. We had a new waiter and he was excellent even though he had only been with you since the bank holiday a credit to your staff, you would never of known he was new.

Fabulous restaurant with a great outside seating area. Good variety on the menu, food is always fantastic and to a high quality. Great service by friendly waiters/waitresses.

Our first time at El Puerto and definitely the last for a while. On arrival we were sat at a table to the side of the reception, the system of ordering off the boards was not explained to us and we waited some time for the menus eventually we were served with some drinks and the lady explained the ordering system. Due to the fact that there are no menus available gheree is a lot of milling around from both custlmers and staff. The staff were all wearing masks although some in appropriately. After ordering, the starter finally arrived 1 hr 15 mins after our arrival to the restaurant. Granted the food was good albeit expensive. But being sat at a table that easily had the kitchen in view the standard of hygiene in the kitchen was lacking. The restaurant felt less than safe in a pandemic, busy chaotic and very lax. I will not be visiting again anytime soon.

So excited to eventually eat at El Puertos with my Family after so many months away but I have to say I was somewhat disappointed to see, once we arrived at the food counter where food is ordered, that the tariff for a two course meal was marked up by by almost £8.00 from £13.95 to £21.20. The restaurant was far busier than a usual lunchtime and the service reflected this. However food was very good. There were no real savings, if the 2 course meal had been priced as pre Covid19 with no promotional offer. I wonder what the tariff will be for a 2 course meal post the 'Help out and Eat out' promotion. If it is £21.20 our trips to El Puerto will be limited. Previously only good reviews for this restaurant but feel I need to be truthful to my most current visit.

Food was excellent but can’t say we felt very welcome. Not entirely sure they wanted us there! I think you can tell a lot about a restaurant by how long it takes for a waiter to say hello and offer drinks. While the food and surroundings were really good, I think the management team need to concentrate on improving customer service and making customers feel valued.

This was my first time in a restaurant for 5 months. If you are concerned by the pandemic you might want to wait before re-visiting. Tables are as crowded as before, people are sat very close and the order at the counter is a bit constrained for my comfort. There is a one way system on ordering food that I only found out about by asking and it was breached a few times by people walking the wrong way right past me. Staff are wearing masks but some compliance with it was lax. I saw one waiter shaking hands with diners. The prices have been put up and the food is the usual high quality. Given the size of the two restaurants they need to spread service out and use upstairs more before I'll go back.

What a delight to dine back in El Puerto! The restaurant has done everything in its power to make customers feel safe. As always, exceptional food, service and value! Thank you.

It’s open! You have to get inside the building (and many people do without masks or alternative protection) to be able to check in your car for parking. No adjustment whatsoever to just enter the outer section of the restaurant due to the sight DO NOT ENTER! I called the restaurant and asked them to be seated without entering the building. They refused and offered me to have a coffee and tapas at the camping van instead of lunch. We left. Go only if you want to check how ridiculous the restaurant can be in pandemic!

Great business angle, claim £10pp from the tax payers and charge your customers £9 extra for their 2 course daily menu (now £21 normally 11.95).Poor customer relations and unfortunately the staff are the only losers as we were unable to justify leaving a tip and just because we felt let down the service was great

Took my wife for takeaway fish & chips £7.95 each,told we could get drink from bar while waiting for order.At the bar we were told we had to both buy tapas to be able to buy an alcoholic drink,one half pint only per person.Total cost £8The fish was extremely small ( a cutlet opposed to a fillet, the chips were coldIn conclusion not up to the standard I would expect at El Puerto

As the sun was out, we decided to come here for afternoon lunch as the location and setting of this restaurant is just beautiful. There was lots for us to choose from on the menu, and you could tell that the food was all freshly cooked which is something I am keen on. The food itself was so lovely and there was nothing we didn't like about it. The waitors constantly checked back on us making sure that everything was okay and that we were happy. However, we weren't so keen that there was no table service other than this and you had to go up to the counter to order...but this is the only thing I can fault. Would recommend this restaurant...suitable for a causal lunch or for a formal evening dinner.

Attended Sunday lunch with 6 others for my mother’s birthday. Lovely food - a mix of orders from Sunday lunch menu and main menu. Only downside was that we were sat by the salad bar and so there was a constant stream of people walking past. Can’t fault the food, service or value.

Je recommande ce restaurant à 20mn en voiture du centre historique de Cardiff.Excellents produits ,service de qualité et carte des vins irréprochable .Soyez un peu vigilant car l’on choisi son poisson et l’on est facture au poids .comme en Espagne .

Visited for a staff party and ordered salt bakes seabass with jacket potato as trying to be good, it was delicious!! Also added salad bar which had a good selection even though we ate late. Lovely red wine and friendly staff. Would recommend, one of our party ordered the venison which I will definitely be trying next time, all food looked and tasted lovely

We often dine here. The food is always good, the location is lovely and the service is usually good. I would definitely recommend this place!

Lovely meal and great staff and food Great place and atmosphere Lots of choose of meals Drinks are great and well priced as well as food

Once again we had a fabulous meal with great service from everyone at El Puerto's. Even though extremely busy, nothing was too much trouble. Stress free and relaxed with excellent food and service - could ask for no more thank you and a Happy New Year to everyone one there!!!!

Food is okay as long as the waiters don't forget to bring your sides or ask you to wait by the bar and forget about you there. The bartender is fantastic anyway, he often comes over the tables to have a chat and make sure everyone enjoys.

El Puerto Restaurante is located on the ground floor of the Old Custom House. We had a lovely night out here. Excellent food and tasty. Drinks are brought to the table, but you order your food by the kitchen where the fresh meat anf fish are displayed. Excellent service, although the bar staff were a bit moody.A good place for a special event. We had a Duck Breast £17.95, Chicken Fillets £16.95 and Lamb Noisettes £17.95. A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc wine was £17.95 and the sweet was £5.95. Not cheap, but expected prices for such a nice place.If you get a taxi here, then there is a direct line for a taxi from here. Prompt service. If you get here by car, remember to register your car to avoid a parking fine.

Family meal for my dads birthday. Great salad bar and the variety of fish and meat on offer were fantastic.

Visited today for lunch. This was the second visit here. First time was good or we would not have come back

I had Sunday lunch here. The location is lovey, but once your inside it feels very dark and dated. You have to remember your table number and order at the counter, when I asked if the chicken (one of the options) could be removed from the bone I was told no, I then felt belittled by the guy behind the counter for asking, who stated he could not understand why I want it removed from the bone. I opted for the fish pie instead, hardly a Sunday lunch.

Saturday 2nd November - 50th Birthday - 9 people. Firstly, table was rammed in so you have to almost serve yourself. Quality of produce was ok but starters were cold. Main meal was very average - sauce for the Chateaubriand was cold sent it back but it had started to split so couldn't be saved. Steaks were sent back - cold and some undercooked. From start to finish it took 25 mins for all the 9 people to have their meals - but think the restaurant thought it was ok to bring loads and loads of chips (which were hot to make up for it!!) Male waiter was unhappy to the point of being rude. Been coming for many years but will not return. Expensive but wanted a special celebratory evening (nothing celebratory about it) - on a positive note the wine was nice!!

Received a voucher for Christmas, hadn’t realised only valid for 6 months, was a few weeks late and they didn’t accept. Clearly that is what they hoped for and easy way for them to make money

This is a fine dining Restaurant with an extensive view across Cardiff Bay. It is situated adjacent to the Cardiff Bay Barrage. It is a large imposing building with it’s own large car park.

General comments: Great looking venue, especially at night! Staff were friendly and helpful.

Fishes and shrimp are fresh and their cooking is professional. Well done and savourous. Service was done with efficiency and smiles. Wine list is very nice !!! Price are a bit too high but acceptable. I recommend the place

Returned to this Restaurant after many years being away from here,nice Ambience and good value for the 2 courses on the Special menu, had to pay for the Bread,Free at Ceasers lol,the Service was very slow and average, i don't know if this is normal or we picked a busy time,not sure when and if we will return

booked in August...met friends there for lunch haven t been for some time due to ill health...we were running late due to heavy traffic...so did not see sign to register vehicle...on way in helped an elderly lady trying to get into restaurant..staff weren t bothered. meal was poor..did not have mussels ..so had to have ribs...fatty and awful..chose hake....came as a round cutlet on the bone with a jacket potato which was well overcooked.

Fantastic atmosphere, delicious food paired with outstanding wines in the most beautiful location I am fortunate enough to call my home. An exquisite dining experience catered for all.

My husband and I went there last night for my birthday meal. Highly reccommend. It was extremely busy for a Tuesday night and sadly there was no duck left BUT apart from this we couldn't fault anything. A lovely meal, good portion sizes, good and prompt service and reasonably priced.

Good welcome. Fantastic range of dishes. Helpful staff. Enjoyed the atmosphere. All in all, a very civilised experience.

Visited recently with friends for lunch and was very impressed with the location and architecture. I had a reasonable meal considering the prices but felt the food could have been better, I had pork liver pate to start supposedly with apple chutney but saw no apple just mixed dried fruit in a sugar syrup which was much too sweet, for my main I had battered cod and chips, chips were ok fish was cooked just over, it was soft instead of being in nice flakes, or maybe it had been previously frozen. All in all decent value for money would return if only for the location, hopefully food will be better next time.

Delicious food, great service, fresh seafood, the best garlic bread in the world and prices are more than reasonable.

Nous avons passé un dimanche soir très agréable à El Puerto.

Four of us attended on Saturday as a catch-up. The restaurant is always fantastic as is the food and the staff. Venue is superb with views over Cardiff Bay, and the Channel. Well worth a visit especially for a special occasion.

I've eaten at El Puerto twice in the past two months. The location is fabulous (don't forget to log in your car details on the computers at reception !). This is an unusual place ! After being shown to your table and drinks order taken, you're abandoned ! The idea is you're supposed to know that you have to go into a separate area where all the raw meats and fish are displayed for you to choose and order. The prices and options are displayed on big chalk boards but beware - it's confusing ! The fish is sold by weight and you choose the one (or piece) you'd like. Chips or jacket potato are included in the (fairish) price but veg, salad and sauces are extra and quickly add up !! The salad bar is pretty basic and very heavy on raw onion ! Our table ordered the crevettes, a fillet steak, hake and venison and to be fair, all were delicious. The chips and veg (served in big dishes) are tasty but very old school - no triple cooked chips here !!! The asparagus portion was scant at 4 pieces for £6.95 ! My venison was undercooked but delicious anyway. Now onto the staff ...they are mad as a box of frogs. Most don't speak English as their first language (this is only a problem when they don't understand the customers !) and few know the drinks menu resulting in the wrong drinks being served. I also get niggled when staff complain that they're tired because work's been busy . Having said all this the staff are all charming, funny and sweet . For your information the music in the restaurant is too loud ! Sounds like a slightly negative review but we'll be going back - the place has charm (and great views !)

Went to this restaurant in a Tuesday evening after it being recommended to us, on arrival we were greeted by the front of desk and decided to have a drink by the bar, we were shown to our table and ordered our meal, I couldn’t believe how full it was for a Tuesday, the atmosphere was great and the food and service was fantastic, this is a restaurant where you definitely have to book and we will definitely be returning

Bloody awsome, amazing food. You must visit. Attached picture of the best steak...Chuleton.. Ever. Oops sorry ate steak.

Came for a drink at 9.30pm at the Custom House and did not register my car on electronic system in an almost empty car park only to receive a few days later a £100 parking fee demand from New Generation Parking Management -a London based "totally customer focussed parking CCTV solution company " that the Custom House employ.

I'd recommend this restaurant if you want to be completely RIPPED OFF. Duck breast was advertised at £17 and at the counter I was asked if I wanted chips or jacket potato and veg or salad. I picked salad and jacket potato. When we got the bill at the end we were told that we had to pay extra for the salad AND the sauce - what a joke!

We have attended this establishment before for a family birthday and been very impressed. The food is always good quality and there is usually a pleasant atmosphere . However, our night was ruined by the table we were given. When we walked in and told the waitress that we had booked a table for 6, she proceeded to show us to a table of 8 and simply took the cutlery and chairs away from the other 2 spaces. The table was simply too big for the amount of people and left us shouting across the table to hear each other. What totally ruined our evening was where the table was situated. We had people queuing right next to our table. We were made to feel uncomfortable as they stared at us as we ate. One customer even lent on the chair my grandmother sat in as he queued. All this could have been solved by a member of staff simply redirecting the queue in the other direction where no guest tables were. However, it took us to complain a number of times before anything was done. They should have spotted this issue far earlier as it actually made it more difficult for waiters to deliver the food to sitting guests, as they had to make meander their way through the queueing people. Very disappointed as had previously enjoyed this place. I repeat: it RUINED, what was set to be, a celebratory birthday meal!

Me and my partner shared a chateaubriand and the house white wine. Was absolutely beautiful. Special mention to Spencer behind the bar. Recommended some fantastic drinks and service was impeccable. Absolutely lovely bloke. Highly recommend!

Two weeks after having a lovely meal at the Custom House El Puerto restaurant, I received a Penalty notice for Parking at the private car park owned by the Custom House.

The restaurant is noisy and has no appropriate fan extraction which meant that our clothes had to go straight to the washing machine. We have waited over an hour for below average food. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Abbiamo mangiato a El Puerto di sabato sera e non abbiamo aspettato troppo per sederci senza prenotazione.

The food was really good and service (which I have criticised in the past) was much improved. A little expensive, but overall a good place to eat in Penarth

We have alwys had an enjoyable experience at El Puerto but today it did not come up to the mark. One starter was great, the second of calamari was terrible. Not your usual rings but all crispy tenticles. Horrible. The lemon sole was tasteless. The rack of lamb, ordered as medium was red raw and sent back. Even the second time the lamb was tough and fatty. The waitress was mad! She kept coming to the table with a green cloth and wiping it down. It made us uneasy as if she wanted us to leave. We usually love this restaurant but will think twice next time before visiting.

Visited on a Wednesday evening with some friends and even if we called last minute they managed to fit us in as a big group.

Someone had my original review removed on the false ground that it was written about the wrong venue, so that takes this one down from 2 stars to 1.

It's been 10 years since I last ate at El Puerto's and whilst the food was still good, the welcome we received on Tuesday night was just dreadful. I assumed he was the Maitre d (Mark) who, as we arrived, informed us that the restaurant wasn't open until 7pm (we arrived ten minutes early) and it wasn't permissible to sit at the bar and wait for our table. He would have asked us to wait outside in the cold if I hadn't expressed my disappointment at the way he was treating his customers. Needless to say, a terrible welcome and perhaps some customer service training is required for staff like this.

It has been sometime since I have visited this restaurant but it’s pleasing to see that the service and ambience of this place remains high. The restaurant offers a lunch time special for just over £12 and an all day special for £19 which are two courses. Both are good value for money and of good quality. The staff here are very attentive and most helpful. There is ample parking outside but make sure your reg number is registered.

Having beeb to Dinner several times and love this restaurant, we stopped off during our walk for afternoon tea . Unfortunately, it wasn’t great , the bar man appeared as if he didn’t want to really bother serving us unless we drank alcohol and our teas and coffees were from a machine which was hugely disappointing for such a special place , we all felt they would. be sure to serve A range of coffee and tea ,as we were sat outside on the terrace but sadly not, we will stick to dining only in the future .

The fishes are fresh, every things good, the staff are very friendly and kindly. All lovely. I recommend it.

I have had very good meals here in the past (going back five years ago) but last night my meal was very poor. The tuna steak was bland and flavourless, the chips could easily have come from a chip shop (not piping, fluffy or tasty at all) and the vegetables were utterly tasteless, and clearly overcooked. Awfully overpriced, too, and a disgusting disappointment overall. You’d have to pay me to go back!

This is a favourite day trip. Drive to the centre of Cardiff and park near the centre. Walk to the quay and take the ferry to Penarth. Explore the locks. Have lunch at The Custom House which dominates the west end of the barrage. Order at the food bar from the chalk board menus. An exciting range of fish and simple items, such as steak and kidney pie. All very good. I had a glass of Merlot, which I recommend. The town quay is a walking distance back across the barrage. Alternatively the ferry will take you back leaving on the half hour. Recommended.

We were there for my son's birthday and were a party of 5 which included my 2 and a half year old grandson.

Have been here a few times now and have always enjoyed it, despite a few issues with rude staff members and long wait times at the bar. Food is absolutely gorgeous though!

Came for Sunday lunch after Welsh rugby international the day before. Arrived to a very busy restaurant. Ordered drinks but very slow to arrive. The waiter tells us to go to a counter to order.

One of my favourite restaurants in Cardiff, this restaurant has a fantastic selection of meat and fish. Mains are served with delicious chips and I recommend adding the salad bar option as well.

The quality and amount of food was very good, however this was the second visit and the same issues again. Service was incredibly slow, so much so I question whether the food was worth the wait. Problems with the bill also with items that were not ordered appearing on the receipt. Unfortunately I will not be rushing back.

Siamo stati in questo locale molte volte a cena e devo dire che non ci ha mai deluso...bello il banco frigo dove puoi scegliere ciò che farti cucinare.

First class ingredients, fabulous service and all at a reasonable price. The restaurant is also situated upon the Cardiff barrage, with tremendous views over Cardiff Bay and the channel.

i eat here often and have never had a bad meal the staff are very attentive and the food is excellent. Great atmosphere and lovely surroundings