Grand Central American Bar and Grill in Ipswich

Went to Grand Central for lunch today. I ordered cheese and chive potato skins as I'm vegetarian. They served me cheese and ham potato skins. When I queried it they went to remake it. It came out very quickly, this time with cheese and spring onion on, not chives. The potatoes were still hard in the middle and I couldn't eat it all. For £5.95 it was a tiny portion too. When we told the waiter he took 59p off and said that's all he was allowed to do. When I said I didn't feel that was enough he then said he could take 25% off. Considering nearly half of the food was too undercooked to eat, I was not happy. Will not be returning.

1st time I've been and we enjoyed the food and service, fries are amazing and ribs are tasty!definitely visit again!!

Chose to eat here before a night out with family, nice looking place and very clean inside. We all ordered the Angus burger meal and a side of wings .. well you get no more than about 10 chips on your plate and the extra sauce I ordered for in the burger and paid extra for was non existant. For a £12.00 meal the portion size was tiny, you can pay less and get much more down at our local pub !! They then got our order wrong with the wings and bought us out beans which we asked to be changed but then didn't actually receive it until 10 minutes after we had all finished eating and were ready to go. If it wasn't for us still being hungry from our small portions I would have turned them away.

I came here when it first opened (3 years ago) and it was average. Cold chips and hectic service. Etc etc...

I expected more food was poor and I expressed my disappointment,the manager didn’t have the decency to come and discuss it

My boyfriend took me for breakfast here, was my first visit! The food was lovely and I’d definitely come again! Maybe even try dinner next time!!

Went here for a birthday meal and it happened to coincide with the England game so the place was packed. We had booked weeks before. Have to say the staff were pleasant. Unfortunatley thats it. Food was not great, slapped on a baking tray no presentation. and the only saving grace was the processo was half decent.a little tip thou wash the floor as walking on it and your shoes stick to it, Not a pleasant experience. Shame because it's a good location .

Venue clean, location nice BUT food completely awful. Kids ribs same portion size as adult but inedible as totally burnt, meat dry - we’d waited 8 mins longer than rest of table to get the ribs, clearly they had continued to cook. What was described as “Chilli & mango crab stack burger: Crispy soft shell crab, loaded with fresh mango & chilli salad in a charcoal brioche bun with smokey bacon mayo and jerk fries. Was 2 soggy crabs, guts included, no mango no chilli salad on a standard white roll. Also tasted disgusting - sent back to kitchen. Chef should be embarrassed serving such poor quality food. Fresh strawberry sundae , sorry no fresh strawberries - come on! This is a shambles. Staff very nice, discount given & no charge for main meals but what about the disappointment. Eating out should be a treat. I would not return or recommend.

A little underwhelming, considering American cuisine is fairly basic and hard to get wrong. Yet, our corn dogs were not corn dogs (they were saveloys dipped in a little bit of crispy batter). The Caesar salad was just lettuce and no bacon bits, croutons etc. The burger had no bacon bits. Felt a little novice to be honest. Aside from that, the staff were friendly and drinks were reasonable. Maybe worth management googling what a corn dog should be like, before claiming to be an American style restaurant.

Visited here for my wife's birthday and had starters, main course and desert which were all beautifully cooked and piping hot. Service was prompt and with a smile. Great relaxed atmosphere and great location on Ipswich's waterfront.

Properly disappointing. Undercooked steak, which was put under a grill in an effort to cook more. Wings were uninspiring. Generally all the food was underwhelming. Very quiet for a Friday night, so assume everyone else knows about this place. Won’t be returning I’m afraid.

Waited over 30 minutes for a simple breakfast order we had to ask when it would arrive? Arrived stone cold asked for it to be reheated ! Worst tasting eggs ever whole experience terrible. Couldntblame assistant but chef’s in the wrong trade.

Very friendly staff, clean but was not very impressed with the food. Nice outside area for this hot weather.

Whats the golden rule for restaurant eating, (never order the steak it's never going to be what you expect) that was the first mistake and because everyone else ordered burgers they all got their order first. My steak arrived 15 minutes later looking awfully lonely on a massive plate with a handful of chips and a small thimble full of coleslaw, the steak itself was so thin I think it was meant to be for a steak sandwich?

4 of us went bank holiday Sunday ran out of most of the starters. Three of us had the quesadilla , on the menu it says it's filled with chicken & bacon. Well I don't think 1 small piece of chicken & a very small piece of streaky bacon counts as filled. Chicken was tough best thing was the chips. So many better places in Ipswich to eat.

went for a meal for a friends birthday, was her choice, had facebooked them in morning and they suggested they would put balloons on the table and she could have candles in dessert as a surprise. It was very quiet and i had to ask for balloons which had been out on another table......food was ok.....shame everything comes on a metal tray. I only had a handful of sweet potato fries which i paid extra for and no onions in hot dog. The 2 quesadillas came out wrong so had to be re-done and when they arrived hardly had any filling in and should have been spring onion and was red onion. Bit disappointed.

we went here after Ipswich's last game of the season. it was quiet when we got there. we ordered drinks and had to wait ages to get these. food was ordered and not all orders were correct as well as having to wait a long time for food. if you are looking for a quick meal, this is not the place

Visited last week with friends on Friday evening . Restaurant was half empty and 20 minutes later we still had to ask if we could order drinks . My wife ordered steak , and as well as them initially forgetting her peppercorn sauce and onion rings , she literally couldn’t eat it as it was so full of fat and chewy , however it was still on the bill at the end , so had to dispute that . All in all , poor service and overpriced food . A big shame as in a nice setting along the harbour .

When we first went a year ago we were upstairs and the place was buzzing. My kids loved the unlimited coke. This time however the upstairs was closed and it was almost empty. Unlimited drinks are no more. Disappointed kids. Waited half an hour to get our drinks. Waited over an hour for food. Food arrived. All burgers were not as ordered. Chicken came as chilli chicken not cajon chicken and had to be returned. Chicken was dry and had to ask for sauce. Burgers were dry. Won’t ever be returning. Doubt this place will last.

Went there with my father. He told me that he was here in 2015 and had a best stake of his life.

Went on a Saturday with live music. Most acts good although a bizarre pick at the end. Very quiet - no public it seemed, just was family and friends of the acts. Drinks very nice but fairly pricey (£5.20 a pint!). Nice atmosphere though and decour. Would go again if slightly cheaper

Food was as to be expected at a diner, fairly limited choice and a very very unusual black burger, but still tasted nice all food came out quickly, but the highlight for us was the wonderful waitress, she was amazing and nothing was too much trouble, the cocktails were yummy, will definately visit again :)

Visited on Sunday for lunch should have realised what we were in for given how quiet it was. I can honestly say this was the worst food I have had in a very long time we started and finished with a sharing platter that was hardly edible. I don’t know how I brought myself to pay the bill. The chicken seemed like it had been reheated and was very dry and the skin was disgusting. Every thing else was either frozen or reheated and tasteless. Very disappointed with our visited the menu looked right up my street but we won’t be going back.

Our daughter had requested that we eat here on our stay in Ipswich having seen it on Google Street view and the internet prior to us travelling. Although the waitress who served us was pleasant enough the place lacked atmosphere and the food and drink was average and on the expensive side for what it was - £48 for a hot dog, fish & chips, quesadilla and drinks. We would not be tempted to go back.

Although staff were very good and friendly the food left alot to be desired. It was mainly the meat that disappointed. The ribs were terrible so dry as was the chicken in the fajitas. We did tell them and staff gave some discount. It was unfortunate as we had travelled a long way to see family and it spoiled the night somewhat. I wouldn't eat there again.Maybe a word with the chef as I notice similar comments made.

The resturant is lovely, ordered lots of starters all of which were lovely but especially the pork belly bites. Meat feast for main the biggest portion of food i have ever seen and all cooked perfectly. No room left for dessert just cocktails. Staff were very friendly and polite. Will definitely be visiting again

That's a nice, friendly place, with some surprises on the menu. I strongly recommend the pork belly bites, slowly cooked and perfectly seasoned. The service could be faster, but over all it's a good choice for lunch.

me and my partner went for a valentines meal at the grand central well what can i say good value for money the food was cooked to perfection my partner had the juicy burger and i had the dogzilla and we could not eat it all the staff were friendly and the service wes quick and the drinks were 2 for £10 on the cocktail we had so well worth going down and would go again

Service from the waiter was good but the food was awful starters ordered notchos very and not much flavour other than cheese flat iron mushroom not cooked and still raw in the middle.

Went with hubby to meet another couple of friends. I had squid starter, but as my main and it was fine, the chips were also ok. Hubby had the burger and really enjoyed it, chips were deemed ok. The waiter Sam was really lovely, attentive but also knew when to leave us be so we could talk. The cocktails were on offer so my friend and I took advantage. Margherita's were top notch, I wasn't so fussed about the mojito or the mule, and my friend loved the espresso martini's. All in all a good night out, nice atmosphere great service.

I think the fact the place is nearly always empty speaks for itself it could be

Grand Central is an American Themed restaurant in the heart of Ipswich Waterfront it’s got the standard foods you’d expect...

I have to admit that i had heard mixed reviews about Grand Central in Ipswich, However after being persuaded by...

Had mine and my friends annual Christmas meal here. Food was overpriced in my opinion. I ordered what basically is...

Had the misfortune to visit here with a number of colleagues. The roasted peppers were served raw, the soup was as cold as a milkshake, the roast turkey was luke warm and rather dry, the Christmas pudding was served with ice cold custard. I could go on but you get the gist.

Had a work party here with a large group. All food was severed at the same time and nice and warm. Staff where helpful and very accommodating.

Was recently here for an office party. The food was good, and the staff were attentive and friendly.

I've been to Grand Central several times. On the whole, the food is generally nice though the portion size isn't huge like I would normally associate with the US! The beers are quite good, though there isn't a huge selection. My general impression is that it's slightly more pricey than I think the experience really warrants. That said, the place is cavernously huge so it should be reasonable to expect it to handle even the largest of parties.Most recently I went with my team from work for our Christmas meal. The price per person actually seemed very reasonable. I was a little disappointed with the turkey feast I ordered. The traditional roast dinner seemed much nicer from what I could see others having chosen. The staff were very accommodating - as a very large group they gave us a whole section of the restaurant to ourselves for the whole afternoon which was great. The food was somewhat slow to come out even even considering the large size of our party. It took most of the afternoon to get through lunch but, at the end of the day, I think everyone had a good time which is the important thing! The crackers were pretty low quality but, again, probably not a big thing.I'd quite happily go back again, and I imagine it would be a great place to go with kids, as there is plenty of space and lots of booths. The American theme decor is especially well done!

We had our work Xmas party at Grand Central and it was a great time. The food was nice, the Christmas Feast Burger and Chocolate and Peanut Butter Fudge cake being particularly good. Big group of about 45 meant they gave us our own big area downstairs. Once we finshed the meal we stayed to play some games in the bar and took advantage of the great 2 for £10 cocktail deal. Only slight issue was the Christmas Pudding portion was pretty small.

Had a Christmas do here recently and found the food and drinks to be very good and reasonably priced with attentive staff.I would go here again.

Wonderful service and great food at a reasonable price for our Christmas event. The staff couldn't do any more for us and the turkey burger was delicious

Came here for an office Christmas party. We had a large group but the staff were very accommodating and had everything sorted. Food was good and reasonably priced and the bar area was great for after dinner drinks and activites

A good Christmas meal for a large group of us. The food was good - it was noticeable that the vegetables weren't over cooked as is often the case with meals like this. The flavour was excellent.

Attended with a large work group for a Christmas outing with preordered menu. Food was fine, nothing exceptional, but all arrived reasonably promptly and correctly. Staff were friendly and organised. No complaints.Venue itself has a New York theme, with photos of the city and a streetmap mural. All seemed clean and presentable.

We were at the Premier Inn adjacent to this bar which was open after a very late check in. Good beer and there was live music on a Saturday night. It was a pleasant place for a drink that stayed open later than normal. A good vibe with the live music. Would go back again.

We had a meal on a Saturday so got to enjoy a live band which was thoroughly enjoyable. The 6oz House steak & sweet potato fries was perfection. However, it has to be said a lot of the menu was over priced. Steak sauce shouldn’t have to cost extra either. We were a big party as it was a birthday meal & sadly there was very little service given to us. No one came to take drink orders, not even the for the second round of drinks. This was especially problematic when we ordered The Freak Shake (a milkshake with cheesecake on top) and had to carry it back to the table at the back of the restaurant, needless to say it was a complete mess, but thankfully very tasty. Considering all meals were chosen in advance to the booking, the staff (some of whom were stood behind a desk for the entirety of our visit) could have at least taken some drink orders! There was also only one person serving at the bar & she was unpleasant & clearly didn’t want to be there. You have a beautifully designed restaurant & the live band will continue to draw people in. Unfortunately the staff need more customer service training & the menu prices need a revisit. I look forward to visiting again, not in a big group & hopefully more service will be given.

Spent my birthday with my family here. Staff very polite and attentive - Very nice american themed restaurant - Burgers Fries, Shakes etc and reasonable priced - yes, I would go back.

Went with a group of 8 here at the weekend, mainly for convenience as was right across the road from our hotel and prices were average.... nicely decorated, disabled friendly, reasonable menu choice, and bottomless soda's.... Ordered our drinks 1st, then ordered an assortment of meals between us, from chicken to ribs to salmon... but took soooo long to be served once ordered... we ordered our food at about 7.15 and got served at 8.30 the waitress said it's because all cooked fresh to order, which if that was the case, my half chicken would have been cremated!! the food was OK, and hot, but nothing to write home about..only 3 of the 8 were drinking, and only had 1 alcoholic drink each, and price worked out at £18.50 per head, so not exactly cheap If you're staying in the Prem INN and want somewhere local other than there, it's an option... but TBH doubtful we'd return... sorry

Called in on a recent Friday night and was surprised how quiet it was, but the staff were very friendly indeed. I ordered the ribs and I have to say they were very nice, well served etc. In fact better than the ribs I had in another similar national chain restaurant a few weeks ago. My wife is Coeliac and whilst the choice wasn't vast it was comparable with other restaurants. However, despite it being quiet they couldn't supply the GF burger as "not enough had been made in the morning". This of course means the normal burger has breadcrumbs in it !!Having said that, the staff knew all about the condition and offered suitable alternatives.The wine we had was not very pleasant (neither the Malbec or the Chardonnay) by the glass. It had been open too long.So overall fodd was as expected and not overpriced, but I wish I drank beer!

Came for a family members birthday, and there were only about 8-10 covers although it was a weekday evening and there was a quiz on. They’d changed the menu since I last came, I went with the Go Yankee bbq chicken with sweet potato fries. The rest of our party ordered two more Go Yankee’s (with normal fries), a smokehouse burger and the ribs. Good reports on the burger and the go yankees from the others, the ribs were dry and over cooked. My bbq Chicken was lovely but the sweet potato fries were at room temperature which was less than enjoyable. I did not report any of this to our waiter, as we were out for a family celebration and we had to complain last time we visited. I didn’t want to cause a fuss. It also took a very long time for the food to come, despite there being so few tables in operation at the time. I know a couple of my other family members enjoyed what they had, but for me sadly Grand Central hasn’t changed since we visited over a year ago.

we stayed across road from the hotel party of 4 adults with sign outside 2 for 1 cocktails we also ate food was ok but mine wasn;t quite right told the waitress who told the manager and they dealt with this correctly all was fine re-ordered my food and we ate after our night out in town we cam back and had few more drinks the live band were excellent

The starters were pretty decent (I really enjoyed the chilli nachos) but it was all downhill from there.All of our mains were dreadful. Dry chicken breast, dry burger meat, cold and undercooked chips.This restaurant is very expensive for what you get; I expected much better quality and service.We will definitely not be returning.

Staff here were lovely. They were efficient with the service and always on hand to check that everything was ok. The waitress that served us even made a great suggestion on ordering starters that saved us money. The food was great and very generous portion sizes too. Also very good value for money with meals for four people with starters and several drinks costing about £80. The only criticism I would have is that, as a vegetarian there wasn't a great deal of choice but the three carnivores with me were very happy!

Went to your restaurant during the maritime festival. sat outside to eat/drink. We were served by Connor, really great service and friendly. Food and drinks were enjoyed and I think the place is great to visit, will definitely return again.

We went here one Sunday, whilst the Ipswich Maritime festival was on. The place was pretty dead considering the crowds outside. We ordered our drinks, which were served in plastic cups even the cocktails which wasn't very impressive. We were told by the grumpy waiter without any explanation that child's meals weren't a £1, cocktails weren't 2 for 1, and the 2 for £22 offer wasn't on either, even though it was Sunday. We just presumed it was due to the festival, we'd understand if it was a bank holiday weekend, but there was no small print on the menu about them being unavailable at times. The food was OK, but we all thought it was overly priced for what it was, and all agreed that we wouldn't come back in a hurry. Milkshakes were nice though!

We wandered past on an impromptu Saturday night out, looking for somewhere to eat on the docks. Everywhere else was packed, so against our better judgement we decided to try Grand Central. We arrived at 8, and were seated upstairs. There were 2 other couples upstairs and a party of 11 downstairs. We were seated at 8, and not even checked on for 25 minutes, when our order was finally taken. Starters didn't arrive until 9, and really weren't worth the wait, gristly ribs, cold nachos with cheese that was probably melted at one point, but had gone all dry and rubbery by the time they made it to our table, and nasty wings in a congealed sauce, also cold. We then sat and waited for the mains until gone 10. The couple next to us didn't even get their starter until 9:30, and were really kicking up a fuss. I believe they walked out. I wish we had. My partners steak, which was bloody expensive, was so dry and tough that he couldn't even chew it enough to swallow. I'd ordered the hotdog, but it was so late by then, I wasn't hungry and had had enough and just wanted to go. I had a couple of chips and left the rest. When we complained to the waitress, she spoke to her manager who said they could take 15% off the mains. Stupidly, we paid. The bill was around £60, for an evening of being ignored, waiting and substandard, overpriced food. Never again.

I wrote a review of this place in 2015 not long after it opened and had a dreadful experience then, and walked out without paying..I vowed never to go back again..However I was "persuaded" by a friend to give it another chance...Oh dear why did I not stick to my principles!!..Mid week, not that busy, plenty of tables.Met by a smiling helpful waitress, then dumped upstairs and forgotten about for 20 minutes..There were servers gathered in little groups around what is a very big restaurant and once again like last time, none of them seemed to know which area they should be covering.By this time my stomach thought my throat had been cut and was waiting to be fed...I was dehydrating due to lack of any refreshment..Then out of nowhere, with no apology for the wait, a server came to take our order...Now I am not one to spread unnecessary rumours but all food is fresh?...hmmm I would have my doubts about that...The starter was far from fresh and Iceland must have done a roaring trade that day!..Themain meal of chicken was dry and the salad limp and tasteless..never got as far as a dessert as my wallet was groaning already at the money it was going to have to part with..Overpriced drinks, overpriced ,insipid food. No atmosphere and staff who did not really care about creating an impression...This time I did not walk out without paying, but being mugged for near on £50 is not my idea of a good night out....I am sticking to my guns this time and never going back again

We came here as a group of six, was quite quiet when we turned up but soon got a bit busier. Food was amazing. We had 'the Superbowl' which you could pick to share between 2 or 4. We had the 4 to share between 6 and it did not disappoint! More than enough food as a starter for 6 of us. BBQ chicken wings, potato skins, chicken tenders, fried pickles and nachos. It was lovely.We then all had a main and wish we realised how large this was as we was basically full up already! Mains were lovely though, and the waitress put some in a takeaway box for us as we had so much left!Would defiantly recommend.

Have walked pass Grand Central a few time but as we were early thought give it a goWaitress very nice and helpful so was the manager very chatty Wife had a cocktail buy one get one free great deal she so enjoyed them my beer no complaints My steak the best I've had for a long time wife veggie food no complaints with that price good as wellHappy to go back next time in Ipswich

Our birthday party chose this place for a celebration dinner a few months ago, service, food overall was BAD,...but decided to give it another try, just in-case it was an OFF DAY last time there... no such luck...no point in telling staff of your complaint as don't really seem interested if food is enjoyed or not...yet again, very sloooow service once sitting down,...ate 1/2 meal...could not see the point in wasting more money here...paid left never to return...so wish it could have been better for you, for us...but I think you need to overhaul your service, food and customer service skills...

Was welcomed by a friendly member of staff and promptly ignored. For twenty minutes. Like completely ignored. Maybe short staffed maybe not. Not my problem. Anyway we got up and as we were walking out one of the waitresses said 'thank you' (!?) so maybe she was glad she didn't have any more work to do. So we went next door to Pizza Express, where we were seated, ate, drank, paid our bill and left a tip.

I always walk past the bar with curiosity and it's always been on my agenda to check it out. It was a Friday evening and I wasn't yet ready to go home, so I thought I'd sit down and try their 241 cocktail offer whilst catching up on some work.I approached the bar to check out the drinks menu and order a couple of cocktails. There was a young man standing behind the bar, seemingly oblivious to my presence to the point that one of his colleagues at the bar had to alert him to my presence. I ordered my two cocktails from this young man who seemed quite rude and really lacking in enthusiasm, it was honestly as if he's been forced to be in his job. I honestly felt like telling him that it's not my fault he's in a job he doesn't like. Unfortunately he didn't know how to make the Pina colada and had to ask his colleague for the recipe. It seems odd to me that someone would choose to work behind a bar in a role that requires mixology specialism, but then be lacking in the passion that's required to be a good mixologist. The cocktail was awful, it wasn't even cold, it was really just room temperature; I've never had a Pina colada not served over ice or crushed ice and this was a first. To top it off, one of the cocktails was served in a dirty glass, as shown in the picture. There's nothing good I can say about the bar, so definitely will not be visiting again.

Visited with friends on Saturday night. Ordered squid for starter, followed by classic burger and ice cream for dessert. All of the food was prepared well, tasty, decent portion sizes and hot.Service was very good. The band playing were talented but so loud that our group, seated in the eating area, found ourselves shouting across the table and we eventually left for quieter surroundings. The craft beer selection was poor, there's so many to choose from now, need to try a bit harder with that. I would make a return visit for the food.

We had a birthday meal with about 12 people a few months ago and there was all sorts of problems. We thought, as we couldn't get in another restaurant on the harbour, we'd give it another go last week, as we had family visiting. There was 10 of us this time. Firstly, we ordered 2 rounds of drinks that never came, we had to go to the bar and order them again. The main meals came about 20 minutes apart. Some had finished theirs before others had come. The chicken was too dry to eat. I ordered steak & Salad, which I usually have in restaurants and say, no potatoes, just salad. In every other restaurant, they fill your plate with salad. Not here. I got a steak and a tiny side salad and a big gaping hole where chips would normally be. So I only had half a meal but was charged the full price. Will not be going again.

Went here last night with my wife for dinner, she had rib eye steak ( sirloin ) I had ribs.Not great but edible, four hours later my wife was violently throwing up.Contacted them direct today to give them a chance to answer, NO RESPONSE.This is why I am now putting it public, and it was £48.00 I know why it was empty...

Well a 45 minute wait for food when they only managed to get 2 out of 5 meals halfway decent is awful.Having to chase the waiter for a refill of our drinks...TWICE!All this and it cost of £80, shocking service at a shocking price

Visited on Friday evening with a group of eight friends for drinks and food. Should have really suspected something when it was practically empty yet other nearby places were busy. We ordered as a group including drinks and given the size of our group expected a slight delay, however after 15 minutes and with no customers at the bar, we were still waiting for our drinks. When I queried this they apologised and began producing them. When the food was brought out eventually I noticed they had missed out part of my starter (potato skins). Again the staff apologised and brought them out after about 10 minutes, only for me to find them stone cold! When I brought this to their attention they said it would be removed from my bill and they were sorry, yeah fair enough but not good customer service. I guess if you want to go and have a few drinks there, fine, its a great location, nice choice of beers etc. The staff are friendly and helpful, but the customer service and food is unacceptable.

We found ourselves hungry at Ipswich Marina yesterday and, whilst queues abounded all other venues, we were surprised that Grand Central was near empty at 8pm. We were shown to a booth, now I am not a big chap but to say it was a squeeze really was an understatement. Whilst the servers were polite and enthusiastic, the food was an absolute disappointment. My partner ordered fish and chips, the fish was absolutely dripping with oil - I ordered the house 12 oz steak with a side or bearnaise sauce. The steak was great however the large mushroom was nowherw near cooked through, the accompanying tomato was all but uncooked (not the biggest problem) but also there was a cup of COLD bearnaise, straight from the fridge... I mentioned it to a server that it should have been a warm/hot accompanyment and he took it away bringing back another yet was still fridge cold! Although the sauce was dropped from the bill I am altogether disappointed with food that quite frankly doesnt even meet the standards of cheap discount highstreet branded venues. I now understand why, on probably one of the busiest saturday nights of the year, that Grand Central was near empty.

Great venue with fantastic owner and staff. Great food and value for money in the beautiful Ipswich quayside. Particularly good service from Connor and Marie

Good service by Sam, seemed new to the job but was very polite and made us feel welcome. Give the Dudefoods ago if you enjoy a challenge

Visited with a colleague who was visiting the area on a Thursday evening. The restaurant was pretty quiet but mid week after 8pm I wouldn't expect it to be heaving.Service was very good, food was great, price was pretty reasonable.I couldn't finish my portion it was so big!

We had dinner in the Grand Central on Saturday night. The location looked great from the outside and we got a lovely table for two in the middle of the balcony. I ordered a large milkshake, mushrooms and stilton for my starter and the sizzling chicken fajita for main my partner ordered mushrooms and a Big Juicy burge with Mozzarella. After about 40 minutes and still no starter we asked what was happening, a waiter went to check and said our food would be with us in two minutes- about 8 minutes later our food did arrive but it was the mains not the starters. We were hungry so it was pointless waiting another 20 minutes for a starter so we just had what was given. We were told the mushrooms would be taken off the bill and they hinted at putting things right. The burger didn't have the mozzarella and the fajita wasn't sizzling on a hot plate it was just a chicken and vegetable stir fry with tortilla bread that was burnt on one side, cold on the other yet warm in the centre!I only managed half my fajita it just wasn't nice and my partner left half his burger. We were asked if everything was ok but when we said no the waiter just said "so sorry guys" and left. We got the bill and the mushrooms had indeed been deducted. Then another bill appeared five minutes later with a further 20% reduction. I noticed then that I had been given a regular not a large milkshake as I had ordered. It's a lovely location but getting so many things, so badly wrong spoiled a nice night out.

Why does everyone assume you want a discount? Is that want social media has made the hospitality business? All we wanted was a nice meal. We didn't want to have the first offering to be replaced. Get it right first time. Learn from your feedback and don't dismiss us all as discounters.

My family and I came to Ipswich tonight and were visiting from London. It was our first trip to this town. On this fine evening we were walking on the Ipswich docks and enjoying the lovely weather. As we walked past this restaurant Named Grand Central which looked very nice and lit up, it attracted us to view the menu but the restaurant look very quiet and that seemed to put us off a bit. A young man saw us outside and approached myself and my family as we started to walk away. he greeted us with a very warm, energetic and well mannered approach. So my first question to him was, can I ask why is the restaurant so quiet? He replied actually Sir we do have guest seated in the restaurant its just that they have the front area as a bar section and have a more closed off section for families and couples to sit down and enjoy there food. He then followed by asking if we were looking for something to eat, and said we should come in and try some of the lovely food that Grand Central has to offer. As we walked over to a table where he arranged for my family to be seated. I introduced myself, I'm James and he replied, I'm Duane lovely to meet you James and your family. I just have to say the service we received was amazing and was the best I have had personally in a long time. An attitude like that is a such an important asset to the business, from bringing us in and making my two daughters and my wife feel very comfortable with a great smile and the energy that just makes you smile back. The food was lovely service smashing 10 out of 10. would definitely return to this place for a meal anytime I am in Ipswich and hope to find Duane to serve me or my family again.

Friendly bar staff downstairs, a bit slow to serve but nothing to be concerned about. However upstairs was another matter. We had a group booking on Saturday night, we arrived early, around 7.15 and had a few drinks downstairs first.We went upstairs about 7.45 and were eventually asked for our order about 8. Our food arrived about 9.20.I personally ordered a rare steak, £19. when it was served, it resembled the sole of an old boot. I was however so hungry, that I couldn't be bothered to complain or send it back. I didn't want another hour and 20 wait. My colleagues ordered a salad which was inedible, and another friend ordered fish. Both were returned without charge.I had a report that the chicken burger was nice.

So went here for the first time yesterday and had a very good experience, very friendly and efficient staff, didn't have to wait too long for the food and the food itself was excellent. Had a starter and main corse unfortunately was too full to try any of the desserts but im sure they would be as good as the rest of it. The prices are maybe a little high but it is good quality food and so was happy to pay the amount. seems to be a very well maintained restaurant and is clearly suited to the whole family, would recommend this place to anyone! Go enjoy, I shall definitely be going back.

Had a really good night here on a Friday. It is super quiet in general (as in, not busy) but I'm honestly not sure why! The staff are lovely (shout out to Sandra who made us awesome cocktails!) and really chatty. Haven't tried the food yet but we'll definitely go back to try some because the menu looks awesome. Really, just go. It's quiet, but I don't think it will be for long because it's a really nice restaurant and has a great range of drinks, food and cool decor.

I had walked past the "Grand Central" on a previous visit to Ipswich, and liked the look of it. First off, for what you get the food is a little expensive. Unfortunately my main course was undercooked. I was offered an alternative and I excepted the offer. I was not charged for ever dish. There were 4 of us and I was the only one with an issue with my food. The staff were very friendly and attentive.

Dropped in for breakfast whilst in the area and wasn't disappointed.The establishment is well presented and spacious. The staff were very friendly and efficient.The portions could have been more generous but was delicious nonetheless.Would definitely drop in for breakfast again.

Took hubby daughter and some friends and was very pleased with the food it was a generous portion and steaks cooked to requirement ..the puddings great too..the manager was very friendly and served many tables..my only critism would be only go when not in any rush yo go anywhere ie to see film or show as we did wait a while for the food to arrive but that is not a complaint as food was cooked great just you need time to relax and enjoy here ..we will definately visit again.

We were on a geography field trip at the Waterfront and Christina let us shelter from the cold wind. Five of us were wheelchair users and staff moved benches and chairs so we could all sit together at a big table. We ordered delicious hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and mocha. (One of the best ever.) Christina made it really fun and two of the girls were given balloons. It was very clean and the toilets were great. We liked the music and the soap and hand cream. The TV was massive.

the good points. Place and decor are great, were shown to our booth very friendly and efficient. Placed orders 3 of us dining having had breakfast there the day before we were looking forward to our meals.two starters voodoo hot wings nice kick to them but not hot enough from. son had bbq wings well cooked very tasty all good still happy.mains had been ordered and this is where things started to go wrongbbq ribs and sweet potato fries. ribs were so well done you have to use a knife to separate them and ordinary fries instead of sweet potato . meal two. medium steak arrived looked good but rare bits in the middle. dogzilla with smothered in hot chilli and onions rings. onion rings were only warm surpassing seeing as there meant to be freshly cooked and well overdone. dogzilla basically a big hot dog in a big bun with smallest amount of chilli, smothered in cheese. not hot not spicey.dessert two portions of warm fudge cake. cake tasted nice but was cold sent mine back son ate his. Then to be told they had thrown mine away and had no more so no pudding for me.very apologetic and did knock a small amount off the bill. These things happen but this many mistakes in one sitting not good. Will i go back i doubt it average at best stick to arbuckles

Came with friends for a work do I was not impressed lovely place but so empty The food was just ok very overpriced I had salmon and rice and salad this was £14 which is a lot.. the salmon was a bit dry and very crispy underneath rice was so so and salad looked a bit sad My starter which was potato skins and salad was very tasteless Looking at what the others had I can't say I was very impressed very over priced burgers and hot dogs Service was ok but I will definitely not go again

The lovely lady Christina took our order and always spoke to us politely, friendly and bubbly.The food was giant and tasty; really enjoyed our 'Coney Island Dogs' - would normally order desert but i don't think i can fit anything else in!Will come again for sure. Thanks.

Attended recently as part of a big party (20+) on a night with one other quite large group but the place was by no means full. 2 of our party had starters but for the rest of us we got our main (and only) course delivered after around 60 - 90 minutes. Difficult to remember but we sat down by 8:15 and we left after 10 pm in the evening. When the food arrived the finch fries at my end of the table were underdone and some of the meat was overdone including a steak and some my burger that was a chore to eat. There was a lot of food left at then end which is a sign. One of our number did return his meal twice! and left with a doggy bag.The price of the food was also relatively high for what it is.The staff where friendly enough and the environment is fine but it does not make up for the long wait, poor quality and high prices.

Seriously, I booked in 11 people for a group dinner at the end of the trip, having eaten here before and had a decent experience. Well sadly this time I cannot say the same, completely ruined our evening. First I had to pay a deposit, so they knew they had a guaranteed booking, but then it started to go downhill. We were sat at our table, served drinks given menus and everything started well, drinks served and the chat started. Everyone had chosen from the menu and then it happened. The waitress came over and said sorry to let you know, but basically 75% of the menu is unavailable as we have run out of food. 30 minutes in, drinks on the table and no food, seriously. I ask to speak with the manager and find out that no manager is on shift, only a supervisor. So basically the management are so useless and then unable to face the wrath of the clients they leave junior staff to take the complaints. We booked at Pizza Express next door and had a great time and 25% off voucher as well..... Result. So do yourself a favour, forget Grand Central and go to Pizza Express, at least they have food. Management, you should be ashamed.

Visited here again last night with my family....this is my second visit and it didn't disappoint, really lovely food and service was fantastic, the only thing I could fault was my desert (cake) was slightly dry but still tasted good, will be going very soon

Had to wait a long time for food to arrive - when it did it was obvious that it had been sitting under the hot lamps for a while as there was a skin on the coleslaws and sauces. Sides were forgotten and had to be asked for. Cocktails appeared over iced so were watery. Would not recommend. Very poor - there are so many better places to eat.

We visited this place yesterday as we stumbled across it whilst looking for a restaurant , we had done a lot of walking and we're starving so tried this place, big mistake the food was awful and the service was poor , the food is clearly just frozen items warmed up , no taste and very bland ! It was peak time on a Saturday afternoon and the place was almost empty , now we know why ! Avoid at all costs as the prices are pretty high considering how poor the food is

Anniversary meal...We had identical meals ..potato skins starter's. ..mains steak ..plus desserts. ..restaurant was very quiet for Thursday. .but we were made extremely welcome served by very good staff. .food cooked to order and hot ..a very nice evening ...thanks guys for helping us enjoy our anniversary evening. ..A C Blake

We had never been here before and although it was a Friday night, tables were available. Straight forward food, piping hot with a bottle of wine. Very clean. Slightly overprice for what it was but just what we wanted that evening so no complaints really.The only reason I didn't give it 5 for service was that the waitress had to come back and check which wine we ordered after she had written it down.Also as I had a starter, I had used the knife and fork on the table so when my main course arrived the waitress was going to leave without replacing them and I had to ask.

We went in on a busy Saturday and received excellent consistent service. We received guidance with the menu and the food was excellent and plentiful. The children meals are a very good size.

My partner & I visited here for the first time. We walked into an empty restaurant (it was 3pm & a Tuesday) but having the restaurant to ourselves wasn't a problem. However, this allowed us to hear the staff having personal conversations whilst walking around doing jobs (unprofessional!) I didn't order any food just a drink of Diet Coke, which comes from a plastic bottle, so god knows how long it had been open for! My partner ordered the 'nocho's' and a hot dog. The 'nocho's' arrived, which actually weren't nacho's, just tortilla's deep fried in grease with a slip of guacamole on top and a side of salsa - soggy! The drinks were bottomless so by this time we had finished our drinks. On clearing the nacho's the waitress did not offer our drinks to be refilled despite empty glasses..... until the hot dog arrived. It was at this time I was glad I had not wasted money ordering food. The hotdog arrived on what looked like a defrosted, squashed hot dog roll, no condiments offered (nothing on the tables) to compliment the meal & considering we were the only people in there, we were not checked on. When asking for the bill & being asked if everything was ok when paying we did say we were disappointed and the waitress apologised. However, nothing else was said as to what we didn't like, that could help other people. Some may read this review & think we were being fussy, however, having waitressed for over 10 years, there are simple steps that you don't have to go out of your way for to make a customer happy. Unfortunately we will not be going back. Just pleased that we had a little lunch (well him) rather than an evening meal & the night being spoilt. Considering this is a chain, I would've that there would be some expectations that the company would have from it's staff & the food that is served, after all we eat with our eyes!

Having read some not so good reviews about the burgers here, I decided to try breakfast here. Good range of options including the full English in New York, but I chose a lighter option - the south bronx scrambled eggs with additional bacon. Pretty nice and did not wait too long. Service was ok.

Visited here over the weekend and was really good. Service was excellent and food was great, will definitely be visiting again

Visited Saturday night, what a mistake!! Went upstairs for a table and ordered food and drinks, 1 cocktail had no alcohol within at all, food came mentioned about the cocktail she said as she wasn't our server she will send someone over to help, it got changed but put in a warm glass. Took over to the bar for the bar man to give a horrible attitude and saying how "the first one had alcohol in it but ill change the glass". Was he doing me a favour? Very defensive for someone who was certain the drink was ok. Food came, 1 was cold, sent back to be reheated and when looked further it was pink still. Finally manager came over, told us "this is not up for discussion" did not want to hear anything we had to say, very rude and disappointing. 100% need training in customer service as i didn't hear 1 staff with manors.

I've been in many places, but here you find the best coleslaw salad! Thank you Maria for your services! I will be back.

This place is thoroughly awful, what a soulless building... had it not been for the fact we were in a large party (part of reason for being here) I would have walked straight back out and that was before we even tried the food! And this was on a Saturday night, it should have been buzzing but then of course it isn't is it, because it is just so terribly over priced for such awful food. The bar area is actually ok but the restaurant was cold and soulless. My "salt and pepper" squid starter barely tasted of anything let alone any salt and pepper. They were supposed to be crispy but weren't and not very hot either. My husbands wings were passable at best, not crispy though, a bit insipid. The prices are ridiculous for what you get, my husbands main course ribs were so anaemic and uncooked they had to go back. My burger was ok but overcooked and the roll wasn't fresh. The chips I think were the worst bit, how can you screw up chips? Anyway, they did - chips came with everything, there were masses of them and they were undercooked. Genuinely I'd have got a better burger and chips at McDonalds. Sort it out Grand Central, this is daylight , or evening robbery!

Food was good, service was swift and friendly. We just couldn't escape that it is a little expensive for what it is.

Typical American style food, nothing outstanding but a good place to go if you're looking for a different type of cuisine along the waterfront. I'd recommend the ribs for dinner. Sweet potato fries were underdone which was a shame! The breakfasts here are good, especially their sausages and pancakes.