Hardy's Bistro in Northumberland

Nice little hotel bar right on the Main Street of Alnwick I had drink several times during our stay in Alnwick. Margaret had the chilli which she said was nice. I wasn’t hungry so had the potato skins which came with a barbecue sauce and garlic mayo, which were ok but out of a bottle.

My husband and I decided to take our 2 grandchildren to Alnwick for the day. We had a lovely day until we had this terrible lunch. He had fish and chips...fish was so greasy and these chunks of brown potatoes for chips. The childrens meals were really poor, cheesy pasta...tasteless. Pizza and fries shocking, supposed to be a sour dough margarita....no sour dough in sight and it was the size of a saucer. the only decent thing was the sausage i had with the mash(hard mash) lack of onion not to mention gravy. We waited for someone to come and clear the table to give them our thoughts on the meal, because she would have seen the meals were hardly touched.. No one came so my husband went over for the bill, having to interrupt the 3 girls talking at the bar. I told him to just pay it and we would put this review on. Absolute disgrace. we had to take our grandchildren to a bakers to get them a sandwich!! These have to be the worst meals we have ever had anywhere. Sadly we were going to book today for the afternoon teas for our family in the Olympic Suite but decided definately not. We should have realised when we went in there was only one person with a dog having soup...that should have been a warning. Also there was 10% unnegotiable service charge for what exactly???? Our advice to anyone thinking of eating here DONT!!!!!!!!!!!

Part of White Swan Hotel. My wife and I had lunch here 2days in a row. The first day I had a cub sandwich, my wife the cheese savoury sandwich, both of which were huge and accompanied by chips added a side salad. We thoroughly enjoyed both. The second day we both had the cream tea which again was excellent The staff were all very friendly and efficient

Popped in to get out of the rain and stayed for lunch. We both had the 3 tier tapas, six different, of the 9 total, dishes. Excellent price and generous portions. For a snack 3 dishes could easily satisfy 2 people! The food tasted freshly prepared and we shared and really liked all 6 dishes. My wife's favourite was the garlic mushrooms, mine was the vegetable samosa. The service was outstanding, the staff friendly, attentive and informative. Quite an intimate and stylish place, lovely decor and a definite cut above your usual high street chains.

Although the staff were pleasant and helpful, the food was dire. I ordered the fish and chips, the chips were thick, greasy and definitely not chips, the fish was dry and over cooked. Overall not the best experience.

We didnt realise most places are closed on a Sunday so we wwre happy when we walked past here and it was open. The food was OK, we all had lamb roast dinners. Portion was good but the lamb was quite chewy like it had been boiled rather than slowly roasted. Rest of it was fine though and dessert was nice. Staff were friendly and helpful. The place itself however is in major need of TLC. Seems quite rundown.

Seemed that all had been cooked in an air fryer - the meats were dry and chewy and the chips crispy.

Stopped in for a late lunch after visiting Alnwick garden. Very quite and relaxed atmosphere staff were friendly and we were served fast. We both had sandwiches which were loverly and came with chips and salad. a good amount on the menu and all reasonably priced. We will be going back again next time we are in Alnwick

Having looked on website at photographs I was looking forward to lunch at the bistro Website shows clean light area with small dining tables and dining chairs In contrast the bistro was in need of a deep clean and redecoration with coffee tables and dirty shabby armchairs and sofa We had to ask if this was the bistro as it bore no resemblance to website The staff were pleasant and efficient the food struggled to reach average Would not return and wished we had dined elsewhere

Ordered the Club Sandwich and must say it was the poorest example I have ever eaten. Cheap white bread only just toasted. Chips pretty inedible. In an era when there are so many nice breads to serve this low quality cheap white bread is unacceptable. Very disappointing.

I don’t normally give bad reviews, but todays experience was something else. The service was very good in all fairness, but the food was abysmal. My wife and I each ordered soup and a sandwich. When the food arrived, the bread was cheap white sliced bread and was stale. The chicken in one of the sandwiches had a number of bones in. One bone was approx 2 inches long which was dangerous. One of the soups had unidentifiable white lumps in, even though the soup was carrot and coriander. Considering the price that we paid (almost £10 per head) you would have expected a bit of quality, plus a non-hazardous meal. Certainly never to be repeated.

We arrived at 12:40 and after waiting quite a while at the tired looking bar a young lady eventually appeared and informed is that they didn't serve lunch until 13:00. OK, we ordered some drinks in anticipation. 10 minutes later same young lady came and told us that there would be no lunch that day as the chef wasn't doing it! Surely they know whether or not they're going to serve lunch? We noticed there was a private function in the Olympic room so they'd presumably over stretched themselves. We asked for the manager and the lady who came didn't give us much of an explanation but to be fair we did receive a refund for the drinks that we didn't have time for due to having to find somewhere else to eat. As we left more people were coming in and the girl on reception was advising them lunch was available - obviously a big breakdown in communications. The whole place looks very tatty and tired, No obvious care shown for the building or customers.

We had a wonderful lunch in the bistro which is part of the White Swan Hotel. The wraps and sandwiches are filled with good quality ingredients and are served with a lovely side salad in an oil and mustard dressing. The bread was good too. And I washed mine down with a pint of the fine local Alnwick ale. The service was friendly and quick and the pricing was reasonable. A further bonus here is that nearby in the hotel, close the toilets, is the the stair case and a dining suite adorned with decorative panelling from the 1st class dining room of the RMS Olympic - one of the sister ships to the Titanic. If you speak nicely to the reception staff, they might let you peek through the door of the dining suite to catch a glimpse!

Well we didn’t bother staying for lunch or drinks as the ‘greeting’ we got was so rude it bordered on John Cleese in Fawlty Towers. The lady who was on duty was shocking. This was in complete contrast to the other staff who advised us they were aware of this issue. Please do something about this or you will go bust. I operate a number of restaurants and I have never been subjected to this rudeness. Not in keeping with the rest of the Northumberland welcome we have so far received.

My husband and I called in for a drink we were told we couldn’t use cash by a lady because it was company policy then proceeded to fold napkins by hand whilst shovelling sweets into her mouth so if they want to stop people using cash because of covid I hope she hasn’t got it because so will all the folks that are now going to dine their

Well stood for 15 minutes and seen no staff. Guess I should have served myself. Would go elsewhere unless you have an abundance of time to spare.

Lunch menu was small, all our food was fabulous. The bistro was lovely and the staff friendly, helpful, and professional.

Visited Hardy's Bistro which is a side bar to the White Swan Hotel which is in the centre of Alnwick. Debris left on tables.. ordered cold sandwiches which arrived on hot plates. These sandwiches were quite basic without side salad ( but who wants warm lettuce ! ) and pricey too. Visited the bar to pay and found the bar top was grubby !! Popped my head round the kitchen door to shout for the server and saw the kitchen was grubby...Next step was to the visit the gents before leaving. This was in a disgusting state and urgently needs a refurb... Complained to the receptionist about the state of everything..She wasnt interested and continued reading her iphone...The Hotel needs to close down and get the builders in. Avoid at all costs

Visited for lunch today. Menu was limited and overpriced. The lady that served us was rude and abrupt and I genuinely felt that she did not want us there. I asked if it was possible to order a portion of fries for my son as they wasn’t anything on the menu that suited him and she said it isn’t possible and you would need to order a sandwich to come with fries at £7.95! Really would not recommend to anyone visiting Alnwick. There are much nicer places to go and eat it is very overrated for what you get.

The food was ok but the service and overall experience wasn't great. On arrival we sat down as nobody was around to show us to a table. We got menus and they had a breakfast roll special on from 10-12 at the bottom of the lunch menu. The server came to take our order and said food orders didn't start until 12. It was 11.45 at this point. We pointed out the 10 until 12 breakfast and were told "oh, well I can check if you want but I don't think it's on and if you want breakfast items and lunch then you will need to wait until 12 to place the lunch orders". For a bistro that has both on the same menu and has no time on the lunch menu I think this is slightly ridiculous.

We were shown to our table by a pleasant enough chap. It was relatively quiet with a few customers inside. Our table was covered in crumbs and obviously hadn’t been cleaned down after the last customers. Under normal circumstances this isn’t great, but in the...

A return visit having had a previous business meeting and coffee; George was helpful and professional so I was encouraged to return. We enjoyed a bottle of malbec and had 2 x 'superfood' salads with chciken and avocado which were delicious. Lovely surroundings, friendly staff,...

Four of us enjoyed a three course lunch with wine. Service was very attentive from several nice waitresses. Home made soup and pates were the starters. Slow cooked and tender Blade of Beef and Roast turkey with seasonal vegetables were our main courses. Desserts were...

Had a lovey dinner here with family. Children’s menu and vegetarian options available. Would definitely recommend.

Food was good, lots of choice. Very friendly staff. Dog friendly. Reasonably priced for with or without meat.

Called in with my family after a visit to Alnwick Gardens. We were a little early but the lady serving said we could still choose from the bistro menu, which was great. The chap serving was very friendly and engaging. The food we all had...

We ate here over the August Bank Holiday weekend. We hadn't booked, but that was no problem. The food was excellent - the onion rings were the best I have ever had. We also had a look at the Olympic Lounge which was fascinating.

First time here only 1 member of staff smiled that was in lobby waiting in bistro area watching staff behind door chatting away didnt bother to c if we wanted anything then wen they did no smiles bloody miserable while eating food no taste all...

The food was well cooked and presented but generally was more costly than other restaurants nearby. No reason for this as the surroundings were fairly basic and we waited quite a while for the food to arrive at the table.

The menu seems an odd combination of cuisines, but seems to work. I had the Kanto chicken and it was very nice. Service was good and the prices reasonable.

We were lucky enough to get a voucher for afternoon tea. The cost of the tea was more than the voucher so we topped this up to a champagne afternoon tea. We ordered from a very nice waitress. Unfortunately she didn’t listen to our order....

Staff very friendly, breakfast looks nice but terrible quality. The sausages are truly terrible (like supermarket value, a kind of pink paste).

Mixed review. The food was better then edible but not fantastic. The Leek and Potato Soup starter was actually the highlight. Tasty Guinea Fowl, but the broth underneath was average. Dessert was poor- the Pear Tart certainly lacked pear. The savoury courses needed seasoning. Added...

My wife and I visited here on Sunday 3rd March with a Groupon voucher, from the moment we entered the hotel everything was perfect, the service and food was top top excellent. When we are back in alnwick we will sure to go back here....

I am being very kind giving an average score regarding our recent visit. This is down to the extremely polite young lady that looked after us. My meal to be fair was good but my wife was a little disappointed with hers but admits it...

We ate here one evening and had a very good meal. Well served and pleasant environment. Comfortable bistro, part of the hotel.

This was the best part of the swan hotel, but very short of staff so slow service. Food nice, reasobale menu. Drinks menu good. George the barman great,

From beginning to end, this has to be the worst place in which I've ever eaten. I should have known it was going to be bad because there was only one other couple dining and they didn't look too happy! On entering and asking for a table for two, we were told 'Take that one over there rather than being shown to one', and then we had to wait a while before anyone acknowledged our presence and asked if we wanted drinks. Once we'd ordered it then took another 20 minutes or so before the meal arrived. On asking for a jug of water, we were told they would have to pour us a glassful as there weren't any jugs due to there being a party of 50 in another room! The food was neither tasty nor hot (cold pates) and we both left quite a bit. We then waited and waited but no-one came. Completely fed up by this time we decided to leave. We had to go to the bar to ask for our bill so took the opportunity to complain that we hadn't been asked if we wanted dessert or even another drink. The server then said 'Oh. Would you like one now' Needless to say, we paid and left. Having recently paid another visit to Alnwick, I noticed it was mostly empty of customers every time I passed. That says it all in my opinion.

My wife and I were in Alnwick for 3 days to celebrate our wedding anniversary.The highlight was meant to be a meal at this Bistro but turned out to be a huge disappointment..My wife had Lemon and Herb marinated chicken with vegetables. The "vegetables" consisted solely of aubergines and some roasted red pepper and the whole meal was tasteless and poorly cooked. I ordered chicken tikka masala on skewers which was , like my wife's meal tasteless, and quite probably one of the worst meals I have ever had. Needless to say, neither meal was finished.I wanted to complain, but my wife didnt want to make a fuss on our wedding anniversary. We wont be back; I can only assume that it was the chef's night off !!!

For our last night in Alnwick we decided to go up market and visit Hardy's Bistro.

Service was slow - mostly because there seemed to be only one member of staff to handle everything. She did her best and was friendly and courteous. What I was served wasn't quite what was described in the menu. Had a dish consisting of noodles and salmon. While the noodles tasted a bit like instant noodles, the salmon was great. My friend's order was fine.

Hardy’s Bistro is set within The White Swan Hotel. My sons and I chose different dishes and they were all excellent. The service was unobtrusive but efficient. Would definitely recommend this restaurant.

We attempted to eat here over the Bank Holiday weekend as other restaurants were full. Even though the Bistro was by no means busy, after waiting more than 40 minutes for our order and chasing this up, it eventually arrived. The chicken was overcooked as were the chips on my husband's plate, whilst my salmon on a bed of salad with new potatoes consisted of salmon on a bed of shredded lettuce (with an odd piece of cucumber and tomato, with too much onion) and no potatoes. Again we had to try and speak to staff, but by this time I was more than half way through the salmon so asked them to adjust the bill instead, which they did. Tables were slow to be cleared in the Bistro and value was poor.

I visit here everytime I visit Alnwick, it's very comfortable, a lovely atmosphere and the staff are all really nice. A great stop over and time to recharge the batteries

My wife and I had a lovely dinner and was served by a charming young lady who couldn't do enough for us

My wife and I eat here last weekend and the food and service was really good. Both starters and main courses were really tasty.

We had dinner here on New Year's Day. Food was lovely, good menu to choose from. I had feathered beef blade and husband had steak and we both had a dessert. Good choice of wines too. Only negative would be that it was cold in the Bistro, but it didn't affect the quality of the food.

We had been told that this venue had not a good reputation but we had been misinformed. I almost gave it 5 stars but just not quite there due to basic error. The waiter was absolutely brilliant, he was attentive and made pleasant conversation and could not be faulted in any way whatsoever. My wife and me selected the same starter which was haddock fishcake with poached egg atop and it was very nice. We had both decided for steak for our main course and I went for the rib-eye with blue cheese sauce and my wife went for the sirloin. Both steaks were cooked to order and the trimmings were great but the reason I didn't give 5 stars was the quality of the chips. It was unbelievable that meals of such quality were spoiled by the chips. It seemed that two different varieties of potatoes had been used and some were cooked and some were almost raw. Such a disappointment when everything else was almost perfect. I went for the gingerbread/vanilla cheesecake for dessert and my wife opted for the Malteser parfait. Both were delicious. Overall we had a really enjoyable dinner but a shame about the chips.

Four of us went in for evening meal as it was Steak Night. £30 per couple for either ribeye or sirloin steaks plus a bottle of wine. Steaks beautifully cooked to order. Couldn't fault it.

With our friends staying in a holiday rental we spotted their Monday night steak deal - 2 sirloin or rib eye steaks with chips and accompaniments plus a bottle of wine for £30

We came across Hardys whilst visiting Alnwick and so glad we went inside. Four of us ate here for Sunday lunch. Vegetarian options available and our gluten free requests were dealt with swiftly and pleasantly.

We were given a afternoon tea voucher as a wedding present so decided to use it here and combine it with a one night stay in the hotel. The afternoon tea contained sandwiches, cakes, scones and unlimited tea or coffee. We were able to choose two sandwich fillings each which I thought was nice. The bistro wasn’t busy but there were a few other people in having afternoon teas. It took a while for the afternoon tea to arrive but we were not that bothered about the wait. The afternoon tea is nicely presented on a cake stand and everything looked fresh and appetising. There is unlimited tea or coffee available but unfortunately no one came to check on us again so my husband had to go up to the bar to ask for it. The afternoon tea was very nice and we thoroughly enjoyed it but had we had to pay for it I don’t think it was worth the amount they were asking, which was around £16 each I think. I’d recommend Hardy’s for an afternoon tea, but only if you have a voucher to use.

Brilliant range of vegetation choices as well as classic meat and fish dishes. Lovely food and friendly helpful staff.

Now don't get me wrong. We did quite enjoy our meal but, for the price, it should have been better. We started with soup, my wife had sea trout for mains and I was interested in the Spinach and Ricotta Raviola. Now this was advertised as including Parmesan. As that is not a vegetarian cheese I asked for clarification, Was it genuine Parmesan or was it a vegetarian alternative? The waiter not only didn't know the answer but also didn't seem to know what I was talking about. I explained that I was happy to have the dish, provided it was vegetarian (with or without the cheese!).

The staff were very friendly and helpful. We had to wait a while for our meals and got the impression they were short of staff.The steak I had was nicely cooked but the potatoes and vegetables were very very small portions.

Being one of the very few Sunday evening eating options in Alnwick in high season for tourists, you'd think a big hotel like The White Swan would staff its bistro restaurant adequately for the inevitable rush. Instead a young waiter was struggling to cope with the help of just one inexperienced trainee. Not their fault, but very poor management. The inevitable outcome was long delays. The food itself is ok, but nothing special. The ambience is also fine. I'd suggest that Alnwick visitors try elsewhere, but there aren't many viable alternatives. Having a captive audience is no excuse for taking advantage of your customers.

Comfy seats fabric badly stained and should be put in a skip. I ordered the burger with blue cheese as an extra for £1.50. Burger arrived which was actually two small burgers precariously balanced on top of each other, and a microscopic piece of blue cheese that couldn't have been any bigger than my little finger nail!. Mentioned it twice to the waitress when I went to pay, my comments were ignored, when she should have apologised profusely and removed the charge from the bill. Couldn't be bothered to create a scene for £1.50.

Here on a Friday night stop over and had a look around Alnwick and tried Hardy's Bistro within the White Swan Hotel.It was OK, but not great. Had the Duo of Fish which was a strip of battered cod and a strip of battered haddock with chips and peas etc. It was fancy fish and chips, well cooked but you don't get too much fish at around £14 for the main!Four of us ate here and bill for 4 mains, drinks and a couple of puddings was around £70.

Arrived on a day when the Steak and wind deal was on offer, very reasonable and excellent quality. A very pleasant eveing

After visiting the castle decided to have a Sunday lunch. Restaurant/bistro is attached to the White Swan hotel, clean comfortable surroundings, was not busy when we arrived but busy during our visit.There were three meat choices with the Sunday roast lunch, beef, chicken and pork but there was no beef left. The pork was delicious whereas the chicken was just a cooked breast rather than slices from a roasted bird. The Yorkshire pudding was big but the serving of potatoes and vegetables could have been larger.Service was ok and friendly, only two staff members on duty.Prices of drinks and food were reasonable.

I visited last Tuesday 11th July with my husband and mother-in-law. There is little to choose from, sadly, in Alnwick these days. Bari tea rooms are very good and that's where we were aiming for, but it is apparently closed on a Tuesday. So we ended up in Hardy's hoping that it would be good, as The White Swan was the best hotel in Alnwick years ago. Not any more seemingly!There was only one other customer, who was just leaving as we arrived at around 1.40 p.m. The one waitress took about 10 minutes to come for our order. We all ordered BLT type sandwiches with chips and coffee and teas. We asked for our bacon to be crisp. After about half an hour we were getting VERY hungry and asked the waitress when we could expect the food. At this point she hadn't brought any cutlery, napkins etc. to the table. She told us it was ready and that the delay had been because we had requested crispy bacon. Okay - strange that when our meals arrived the bacon fat was absolutely white and barely warmed through! The chips were revolting and totally soggy - and the cutlery came to the table after the food! I had to find salt and pepper myself from another table. It took seconds for us all to agree that the food was not edible. I found the manager at the reception desk and asked her to come and see our meals for herself. She apologised and the food was taken back to the kitchen. I had to ask for some biscuits as I was so hungry and didn't want to trust anything else from the kitchen, but nothing was offered freely without me asking. We paid for our drinks and left hungry and disappointed. The response from the duty manager was as dull as the food and no particular apology was made or any gesture towards keeping our faith. Apparently the head chef was going to be informed when he came to work that evening! Unfortunately someone has bought us an afternoon tea at The White Swan. That should be interesting! My advice - don't do it - buy yourself a nice meal-deal from the local supermarket instead.

Had dinner here while visiting the area. Staff were prompt and very friendly. The food was absolutely delicious. I tried the salmon . Beautifully cooked, presented well and totally gorgeous. Enjoyed every mouthful. Good menu choices. It isn't cheap but was worth every penny. Nice clean restraint. Toilets clean. Staff seem happy. Will be back!

We arrived at this restaurant for a meal having just arrived at Alnwick.No greeting by the surly waiter, it was early evening, hardly anyone there, but told no tables available until later......we left !!

Good menu choice of both meat and fish at reasonable prices. Slightly on the high price for a bottle of wine. Quality of the food was good. Downside of this bistro was a lack of atmosphere and the waiter wasn't a particular "happy chappy".

Good food , well presented, good value. Dined here twice in three day stay in Alnwick, thats how good we found it.

Called in on a Monday night, didn't know it was steak night, but had to make do as there was no other choice on the menu but steak. I love steak, but to me it is gamble in restaurants so very rarely have it when out. Seemed like a good offer, steak and chips plus bottle of wine for 2 for £30. I asked the waitress to recommend the least fatty of the 2 on offer, she suggested sirloin. When the meals arrived they looked great, but half mine was fatty gristle that was impossible to eat, my friends was not as fatty and she enjoyed hers. The guy on a table near ours said " it was the best steak he ever had" So I guess I was just the unlucky one who got the fatty gristly steak. As I said it's a gamble.I told the waitress that it was very fatty and could not eat it, she was very apologetic but that was it, no offer of a discount or a complimentary coffee. So on my experience I would not go again, but then I must be too fussy.

We chanced upon the Bistro within the White Swan hotel in Alnwick by chance and were really pleased we found this place.what led us in was the vegetarian menu as it often difficult to find veggie options. The Bistro itself is elegant in a sedate way the tables are all laid out beautifully the service was excellent our waitress Anna was attentive and very professional. The food was all freshly cooked and prepared by the chef the burger my husband had was one of the best he has ever tasted 2 patties hand made seasoned well in a brioche bun My meal came with home made "proper" chunky chips hubby had fries if there is 1 small quibble he would have liked some salad and not so many chips but that is a personal choice. Then the dessert creamy home made rice pudding with sultanas absolutely gorgeous. Along with drinks and coffees the bill was less than we have paid in Costa or the local garden centre cafe. Excellent value delicious food and attentive service all in all a lovely experience we can't wait to repeat when next in Alnwick.

The food, service and price were all excellent. We were very impressed with everything. It was better than any of the other eating places that we visited in Alnwick

The food was good but the service was awful! It took 40 minutes at the end of our meal to get a coffee and even then that was due to my husband having to go to the bar! They only had a few tables occupied yet they were turning people away. Absolutely no atmosphere at all!

Had lunch here. There was a "soup and sandwiches" option. We asked what he soup was as there was nothing to tell us and the waiter said " Vegetable" which sounded good. What came was a very small bowl of orange/brown liquid which was both luke warm and tasteless. Then came the sandwiches! Mine was ham and mustard and certainly it was however my wife's cheese and tomato consisted of tasteless grated cheese and what looked like tomato paste or ketchup. Both sandwiches were on two slices of cheap supermarket brown bread complete with crusts! The cost was £8.90 each!The food was poor and the cost extortionate for what we had. I would not advise anyone to go to this establishment.

We had one dinner here (for 3). The menu looked promising but was let down by the most basic of cooking errors. The crab cakes (crab is famed in this area) were almost entirely potato (a mere hint of crab)....and were cooked at too low a temperature so completely soggy. The calamari (4 rings only) were also limp although the accompanying ragu was tasty. I had the house burger, 2 burgers stacked up but completely overcooked so dried out. The fries were limp and soggy....... Nothing was so bad as to be sent back, but only just.The (only) waiter asked how things were so I told him, pretty much as I've told you. His only response was that he'd tell the chef.

A lovely spot for a change from pub grub.Don't expect gigantic portions but do expect delicious tasty food which is nicely presented. Lots of choice and options.More realistic portions means you can indulge in a pud. Sticky toffee or crumble are fabulous.Will be calling again.

We were stuck for somewhere to eat on a cold Monday eve but the restaurant found us a table although we had not booked and the food was really delicious and not over priced. Service was very good. Would recommend.

Nice place but the food was average, food temperature variable, fish batter a bit soggy. Generally OK but expensive for what we had.

The food service and beer were all fine. The only drawback with this place seems to be how many are in the hotel restaurant. We were among very few diners but people were turned away as the kitchen was too busy.

Hardy's Bistro, part of the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, holds a 'steak night' on Mondays, obviously to increase business and it is certainly working.We saw the notice and went along, with the idea that if the place was empty we would go elsewhere.However, the Bistro was almost full, some people just having drinks, but the majority were tucking into dinner with every sign of enjoyment, so in we went, to find that there were only two tables free.We ordered a rib eye steak and a sirloin steak, together with a bottle of Merlot.The steaks were cooked as ordered, tender and tasty, accompanied by really chunky chips, onion rings, tomato and a small salad. The Merlot was soft and fruity and just the right temperature to really enjoy it. We were far too full to order a dessert, and the whole meal, including the wine cost the grand sum of £29.95....fantastic value.The members of staff were efficient and pleasant, and this was altogether a very good way to spend a Monday evening.

The exterior of this restaurant looks appealing unfortunately that's where it stops.We had the duo of fish, very greasy and very little fish my wife then had a raspberry and apple crumble, the smallest I have ever seen, a small ramekin of crumble and a small pot of Creme Anglaise.Staff were efficient and polite.Decor and ambience were fair.Cost, a bit on the high side.Overall, could do better.

Both taking the order and then receiving the food took longer than the last ice age. When the food arrived it was OK, but not special enough to be worth the wait.Seemed quite pricey for what it was.

Waitress / barmaid seemed to struggle a little with the whole concept of service so everything was a little bit stilted. Food, when it came, was mixed - burger was huge but the blue cheese was just a lump stuck on top so the whole thing was about 8 in high!Couscous wrap seemed like a great veggie option but the couscous was overly buttered and the chef doesn't know how to grill halloumi.Restaurant itself felt a little chaotic with random chairs everywhere!

Had a perfect burger with chips and salad, huge portion, best burger I've eaten in years, nice comfy surroundings and very attentive and friendly staff, great value for money

We were just passing Hardy's and decided to pop in and see if we could get a meal. The staff member who greeted us was really helpful and sat us at a table and took our drinks order, I think we were just in time as the place began to fill up quickly. Our waitress described the dishes well so we could make our choice which arrived piping hot and beautifully presented. I will definitely eat here again, the restaurant was beautifully decorated and very relaxing..Excellent!

Couldn't believe the couscous grilled halloumi salad! It was absolutely great and satisfying! The service was a bit slow but overall it was an enjoyable meal.

Table for two on a Monday night, pleasantly surprised to find it was Steak night. Two steak dinners plus a bottle of wine for £29.95. I can honestly say that this was one of the best tasting meals I have had. Excellently cooked and good quality food in a well presented dining room. The service was also excellent and non intrusive. Would definitely go back. Take a look in the back room where they have recreated the look of a dining room from the actual furniture and walls, ceiling and floor coverings from the RMS Olympic.

Service and food were both excellent. We had steak, sea bass, a blue cheese and leek strudel, and a chicken and chorizo dish. We arrived just before closing, and they were very accommodating.

Called into Hardy's bistro for lunch while on day out in alnwick with my parents. We all opted for sandwich's. I had the club and it was certainly filling and was very tasty. My parents both had the tuna sandwich's, both were of good quality and well filled. The coffee is very good and service prompt and poilite. Will definitely be back next time I'm in alnwick.

We visited Hardy's last week when on holiday nearby. We had not booked so waited near the bar to ask if there was a table available. After waiting about 5 minutes the barman, who was single handedly managing the bar which was quite busy with what seemed to be residents of the hotel, we were noticed. On asking if we could have a table, the barman showed us to a table and pushed some menus towards us. Then we waited and waited..........After 15 minutes with nobody coming to ask us if we would like to order a drink or food we left. Nobody noticed. We went elsewhere.

To be honest it was a bit of a last resort as everywhere else was booked up. When we asked if they had a table I found myself hoping they wouldn't ! The waiter bless him didn't seem to know a great deal about the menu or drinks as he'd never heard of cinzano, and he also seemed to be the only one on duty. Nothing on the menu claimed to have local ingredients which was disappointing. The food was pricey and not very good the portions were a bit mean. When we needed clean cutlery for our mains mine was thrown at me and I had to retrieve it myself. I didn't bother with dessert, but my companions did and two of them were missing an element of their dessert.

Went to Hardys bar for lunch only to be told that they only did soup and sandwiches that day. Ordered what we thought were 2 soup and sandwich deals (as advertised in the window) to be told (at the end) that because we had 2 soft drinks instead of tea or coffee we would have to be charged full price for the lunch!I asked why we were not informed of this when we ordered but the answer was far from satisfactory and pretty garbled (not in English anyway)Get your act together - this is a large and very prominent hotel in the centre of town!!No wonder it was pretty empty, perhaps the locals know something we dont.

Went for a treat, we live locally but never been in the bistro before. The service was OK, with a solo waitress working hard. The decor was fresh though somewhat dark and depressing. But the food was so disappointing. The menu was standard pub fare, unimaginative. Portions were large, but chips were greasy and tasted of oil. The falafel burger sounded promising, but instead of something crispy and spicy, it was a large, solid, pudding-y lump, soggy and flavourless. Desserts were OK but sticky toffee pudding was just that, no custard or ice cream with it. This place is a wasted opportunity, it should be so much better than it is. The menu needs a total revamp, with a little originality and then well cooked food. I won't be going back.

This is the first review I have ever written, having read thousands.Went for lunch with my wife, as we have passed Hardy's on numerous occasions, but have never gone in until today.I ordered a steak sandwich, my wife had the club. Along with a couple of drinks each, it came to thirty quid. The food was so bland, it is difficult to rate. It wasn't nasty, just devoid of taste. The portions weren't the best...we were both hungry afterwards. Should have gone to Carlo's or Grannies.First time there and also the last.

Not understanding what happened to the food today given the previous reviews....We were unsure whether to order soup and the sandwich deal for £7.95 until the waitress explained it wasn't the sandwiches that were on the menu they would just be sold plain without the chips (they had a fancy name) and salad. We decided to go with the sandwiches on the menu. The "dressed leaves" as they were referred to on the menu was a few sprigs of lettuce no dressing in fact nothing. When we queried this the waitress bought us a bowl with more lettuce leaves some sliced tomatoes with a dressing which was indescribable and not particularly nice. The chips of which there were only a few were just frozen so not understanding the reference to the fancy name and I seriously question whether in fact the ham was home cooked; when I asked I was told it was all prepared on the premises. It had no taste and tasted suspiciously like tinned ham! Certainly not like my home cooked ham! So all in all very disappointing for basically 4 sandwiches two teas and one coffee £39. I expressed my disappointment in the quality of the food to the waitress and she reduced the bill by £8 which made it a little more bearable but still expensive given the quality. It lacked finesse/presentation. Will not be returning and wished we had continued walking passed!!!!

We had a 2 night stay at the White Swan in Alnwick with dinner included on the first night. We had hoped to dine in the main restaurant (The Olympic) but this was closed for the weekend due to a wedding being booked. Instead we ate in Hardy's Bistro and found it surprisingly good - especially after reading some of the comments in Tripadvisor.Starters of pidgeon breast and a scotch egg were very good and the mains of pheasant and vennison were excellent. Deserts were bread & butter pudding and a sponge, both slightly dry. Service was good and friendly.We had not expected to eat at the White Swan on our second night but we enjoyed the first meal so much that we ate in again. This time we had crab and lasagne, both as good as the previous night. Pheasant was ordered again and with a slightly different presentation we thought that it was likely to be a different chef to the previous night. It was even better! Steak was ordered instead of the venison with a request that it was served with the same accompaniments as the venison (instead of chips etc). Not a problem - perfectly cooked and probably the best steak that I've had for years. Afters were creme brulee and a crumble, both excellent.At a cost of about £60 for the food and £30 for a couple of glasses of wine each plus coffees this was not a cheap meal but very good value.Despite the wedding party being in the hotel the staff were very good and attentive. Previous reports suggested that service in particular was a bit "hit and miss" ; in our case it was definitely a hit and we are happy to recommend Hardy's.

Here due to work and really enjoyed the food. Mark the main man in the bistro is a credit to this bistro always polite hard working and attentive. The menu doesn't vary much and is a little bit overpriced. The food is always hot and good quality. Bistro is clean and tidy but in the week I was there not very busy but it was early January so everyone may be recovering from xmas. We will return for sure.

Visited at lunch. Food was delicious from start to finish. Bistro was quiet when we arrived and service was great. However got very busy, completely understaffed which resulted in lengthy waits. A bit disappointing but food was beautiful and I would return

Came here for lunch a few weeks ago, i couldnt find a flaw with the place it was delicious food, great staff and great prices!!

We are local and after a bad experience a few years ago we said we would never go back but last night the menu tempted us in, and wow It glad we did.To start we chose kedgeree with a poached egg and mushroom lasagne. The kedgeree had a great depth of flavour and my lasagne was very tasty with homemade pasta and lots of mushrooms in a rich creamy sauce.For mains I would recommend the monkfish with cauliflower purée, tempura spiced cauliflower, fondant potatoes and asparagus. It was perfectly cooked and I left a clean plate.. The fish and chips with peas and homemade tartare sauce also had a thumbs up.I don't normally have dessert but as the other two courses had been so good i thought why not. What a good decision, both the coffee and amereto cheesecake and the chocolate and orange bread and butter pudding were very moorish but the star was an extra we had on the side. I'm not a fan of trifle which was on the menu but the tarragon cream which it came with sounded interesting. We asked if we could try it and wow it was amazing. We will be back to Hardys and our compliments to the chef.

Enjoyed a very nice meal here with a decent bottle of wine. Service was friendly and efficient. Both our meals were well cooked and served promptly. Definitely worth a visit.

Looked in from the outside and thought it looked nice so ventured inside. The lovely young girl behind the bar seated us and took our order. Nearly died, £4.90 for a pint of Amstel and £5.95 for a glass of wine....ouchhhh!!! Ordered 2 burger and chips and the fish, chips and mushy peas. My burger was raw, there was no salad/coleslaw, some of the chips were black, looked very unappertising to say it was £14 each!! My daughter did enjoy the fish, but think there was only a teaspoon of bland mushy peas under the fish. Paid over £50 for a rubbish meal......

Terrible experience here. No-one greeted us on arrival. When our food arrived, not only were the portion sizes a joke given the price, but it was all cold and incredibly unappetising. Our waitress offered no apology, only saying they could warm our dishes up — we declined and left. Avoid!

Good food but it was a little cool. Tasted delicious, though. We were served by a fantastic waitress who got it spot on with timing, attention and friendliness. Good surroundings and atmosphere.