Lawns Restaurant at Thornton Hall in Wirral

Reviewing the restaurant separately from the hotel as there is significant difference. This is a first class restaurant with an excellent chef. Our party had a wide range of appetizers, mains and desserts and everything could hold its place in a Michelin Star Restaurant. Selecting a few items the watercress soup was simple elegant and had incredible flavor. Lamb was tasteful and beautifully presented cooked to perfection. Baked came,bet was well received by everybody, steal prepared perfectly with just the right selection and portioned sides. Would thoroughly recommend.

Due to circumstances I only had one breakfast here, thankfully. The bacon was like cardboard the hash browns greasy and burnt, mushrooms tasteless as if been boiled, eggs hard and sausages cremated. We dined at around 8am and items had obviously been sitting there for quite some time. I have been to many hotels and can honestly say this ranked below the 2 star restaurants I've eaten at in the past. Very disappointed.

Excellent lunch. Lovely terrace restaurant Delightful waiter - so polite and courteous Beautiful food Top marks I will 💯be returning here and will highly recommend to friends

My wife and I were underfed & over charged for Sunday lunch. A half filled bowl of cool soup with no bread or croutons & a chicken parfait, that would not have been chosen had it been better described on the menu or the member of staff who attempted to do so, as starters. The mains were OK but like the starters were not worth the value charged. Charged £37 for a wine that retails at £14. We left without having dessert or coffee & will not be returning. Can not recommend Thorton Hall's Sunday lunch

Outstanding service. Outstanding food. Outstanding staff. Outstanding location. Trying to think of a word to describe how good the Oysters and Steak were this evening as part of a birthday celebration. One has just come to mind. Outstanding. Many thanks to Lara and the team.

Went for the night and this hotel restaurant was great. Lots of choices and the food was fresh and tasty would definitely go back.

Had a lovely festive afternoon tea on Saturday. The quality of the food was excellent and the staff were friendly and attentive, nothing was too much trouble. We have done this for the last few years to get into the festive spirit and we weren’t disappointed!

I booked in for Sunday lunch with my dad but nearly cancelled when I read some of the most recent reviews. But I needn't have worried - everything was really good in terms of food, service, and atmosphere. We had scallops to start and they were perfectly cooked in a delicious garlic sauce. Then we had chicken liver parfait which was incredible - so smooth and rich and perfectly complemented by the brambles and sauce. I then had sea bream and my dad had mushroom risotto. Both very tasty although if I had one complaint I'd say the risotto was a tiny bit salty. The mushrooms (hen of the woods and chanterelle) were delicious. I then had lemon choux which was a lovely flavour bomb - very sweet and sour with complex flavours. Dad was too full for dessert! Our server was (I believe) the restaurant manager and he was exceptionally kind and knowledgeable. Perhaps he'd taken control himself based on the recent reviews? He did an excellent job as did the young women supporting him with the service. Finally the location couldn't be beaten - we had a window seat overlooking the beautiful lawn and trees and were entertained by the squirrels playing and chasing each other. We had a wonderful meal and were so glad we chose this restaurant for our lunch.

I have dined here in the past and the standard of food was high. My review is intended to provide constructive feedback. I appreciate this is such a difficult time for everyone in this industry. The Lawns has great potential but needs to find its identity. The room is lovely and grand. The staff are enthusiastic, friendly, down to Earth. The menu reads well. I feel the prices are fair and competitive. Sadly, the food, for the most part, was poorly executed. For example, unpleasant bread ‘toasted crutes’ served with the chicken parfait (and a nice onion relish). The ‘ crutes’ do not work, on any level. My salmon (overcooked) with noodles (over salted) no pak choi or spinach (as suggested on the menu). Finally a Tiramisu which was the most bizarre interpretation of a tiramisu I have ever tasted. Without wishing to sound dramatic, it was inedible but was very graciously removed from the bill, thank you. Here’s hoping things get better.

It takes a lot for me to want to leave a place a negative review but I feel others should know what they’re up against before coming. We Went here as part of the overnight package with access to spa, you get £30 per head off the meal… No complaints re spa and rooms but the meal was awful! For starters the service was so slow, and if you dared asked for anything outside the menu such as a glass of water.. forget it… Twice I had to go in after requesting water which just seemed to be forgotten about. Food was bland and dry also.. for the price of it £18 for a dry piece of chicken an egg and about 10 chips..no sauce at all. So dry! I wouldn’t go back here again Terrible experience!

Great food and service perfect for meeting friends and family. The menu was easy to order from, will definitely return

Visited here with my 5 sisters (one of whom was treating all of us) and was rather disappointed after looking forward to it so much. The service wasn't the best. Staff seemed uninterested, never interacted with us at all. Food was average, at best. Nothing was outstanding. For £29 per person, I would have expected the tea and coffee to be unlimited but nobody came to ask if anyone wanted refills (we wouldn't have even minded paying extra). The Great Wirral Afternoon Tea is definitely not the description I would use here, sadly. It wasn't awful, just wasn't great and the whole place lacked atmosphere.

A very poor evening meal to go with our stay in the adequate hotel. A weak menu, mostly steak. Very poor service. Seemed confused by a request for vinegar and mustard. We were still waiting when we gave up. Disappointing food. One meal was inedible. Very overpriced, obviously aiming for fine dining but falling woefully short. Fortunately there’s good pub food just down the road.

We visited on a weekend dinner bed and breakfast deal. You get £30 allowance to spend in the restaurant and that would just about you 2 courses if you are having a Sunday roast. There wasn't enough staff to cover the dining room. We waited over 10 mins for someone to take our drinks order, then a further 10 mins to bring them to us. The service was so slow. Our food came out after we had drank our drinks, so we ordered another... that took ages too. The meal was nice, but very small. I got 3 small pieces of beef, 1 carrot! 1 tenderstem and something which resembled a pulp of some kind. 3 roasties and a squirt of jus. It wasn't the best. For desert we ordered a cheese sharing board. It was the most pathetic cheese board I've ever seen. No grapes, 1 small chutney pot and a selection of 2 types of bland crackers. They got the cheeses wrong also. And it certainly wasn't cheap. If you're going to aim to provide fine dining then the service and food has to be good, and it wasnt.

Fantastic food, cooked perfectly and presented beautifully . The staff were friendly and attentive without intruding. Cosy atmosphere. Couldn’t fault it. We’ve already recommended it to others.

Disgusted, think it was the leftovers from a previous days wedding. We had the Roast Beef it was shocking for the price the price. The staff were very attentive I,m sure they must of been ashamed having to serve our meal.

Absolutely loved our stay at Thornton Hall. What a beautiful place. The staff were so helpful and being coeliac was not a problem. The Manager talked me through lots of options and everything was delicious.

We had a lovely afternoon tea at Thornton hall Hotel today. The Food was perfect, lots of variety and the staff were very attentive and helpful (Jake & Emily)Thank you for making a Birthday celebrations so special.

We arrived early and were directed towards the restaurant area by the hotel receptionist, which was through a beautiful carved dark wood hallway. There were hand sanitising points throughout but nearly all of them were empty. One did work though. Then we were pleasantly welcomed and shown straight into the room where we would be eating. It was enormous and nearly empty unfortunately – the actual restaurant room was in use for a private function but we still had high hopes of special experience. The waiter explained the menu (sweet or savoury but not both) and took our orders. We all chose savoury, which was a welcome change from other afternoon teas we've had elsewhere that are almost entirely cake. There was a good range of teas available but the only coffee options were americano, latte etc with no mention of what sort of coffee it was made from or what the options were. Happily the coffee was very pleasant and the leaf teas were presented well enough. About forty minutes later, the food arrived. Portions were on the small side but most of the items were delicious. The cheese scones were a bit heavy, dry and bland but everything else was to a high standard. We weren't offered any refills of the food plates which, for the price, would have been hospitable. When a waitress came to clear the things we had finished with, we asked her for more tea and coffee but she was entirely uncommunicative. I thought about this afterwards – I think the best thing would have been for the waiter to bring her to the table to introduce her. It's good that they're employing her but she needs more support. When we saw the waiter again, I asked him to check that the tea and coffee were coming and they did then arrive promptly. When it came to pay, the bill included a service charge which, given the room and the very slow start, felt a bit cheeky but the waiter was working hard doing a good job so fair enough. So the initial welcome, most of the food and most of the service were excellent. The ambience was made odd by the enormous nearly empty room and some loud depressing background music. Food refills and a description of the coffee would have been welcome, as would an option to add something sweet to the savoury menu and vice versa. Overall a very good but not particularly special experience at top prices.

Very disappointed with the afternoon tea. Service was poor - the waiters did not bring drinks on time and even forgot to ask us to order the tea! We didn’t receive tea or jam menus and the loose leaf tea tasted stale. The sandwiches were hard where they had clearly been left standing without being covered and the filling was minimal. When you pay a premium price you at least expect good service and fresh food!

We have eaten here before during Covid and felt very safe indeed due to the excellent social distance between the tables in the main dining room. As we were about to go into Tier 3 again, which means no restaurants can open, we swiftly booked a table before the lock down. We were offered both the a la carte menu and a Xmas menu. We went for the latter. We started with duck pate and chutney for me and crab cocktail for Barb - very nice indeed. We then both had the braised ox cheek in a deep, rich sauce - really gorgeous. We finished off with a custard tart for me and a passion fruit cheesecake for Barb - lovely. Washed down with a fine Rioja. £99 including a 10% gratuity. A first class meal. Excellent cooking and effortless service. The time between courses was spot on. Overall a fine experience.

We went here for a festive meal. The food was excellent and a good size portion. The terrace was warmer than I expected and very nicely decorated. All the starters were good and both the turkey and beef were excellent. Our only complaint is that we ordered a second round of drinks which never arrived. Would recommend.

Very enjoyable afternoon tea. Very tasty sandwiches, cakes and cream tea scones, jam and clotted cream. Very enjoyable experience. First class COVID security, staff very attentive, all wore face coverings and polite. A difficult time for us all but a very enjoyable tea. Highly recommended

We booked dinner at the lawns yesterday evening whilst staying at the hotel and it did not disappoint! Amazing food and service as always! The Sunday Lunch menu is just delicious and there’s something on the menu for everyone to enjoy. We were served by a very friendly waiter who recommended the pork when we were ordering, I opted for the recommendation and it was absolutely Devine! Highly recommend the Lawns to anyone, we can’t wait to done again! Roll on December

Great hotel really enjoyed my meal and evening stay over but as I left the reception to walk a short distance to my car I must have dropped my wallet which had a fair amount of money in it this has never been seen again. This was on the 1st October 2020. Obviously not all the people who visit here are honest.

Was staying at the hotel over night and had a deal for £30 towards dinner included. Their menu can be a bit pricey but the food is real quality and done to a high standard.For starter I had salmon which was super and then venison for main. Really well cooked and delicious meat. I managed to sneak in a salted caramel dessert with banana ice cream.I must admit the service was a bit slow for example it took a while for someone to come offer a drink and then get the menu and then take our order and then deliver it. Also with the bread. But it didn’t really matter.It was a great meal with quality ingredients.

Arrived shown to table , waited and waited asked at the bar if it was table service, yes it was , lovely waitress, helpful. Waited and waited for starter to arrive, finally after 25 minutes it arrived. Bread so hard couldn’t bite into it Camembert not cooked! Waitress was so apologetic got it taken off bill. Next main courses arrived the prawns really smelt not good unable to eat them, still had to pay for them, flat bread so hard couldn’t cut with a knife!Manager was hyper running around as though he couldn’t cope, and it wasn’t even that busy!We had to wait again for the bill.Young man at the bar sorting bill out then he tried to over charge us by £10.00. So that was the end of an unsuccessful meal.

Just back form lunch to celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary, we only live a few minutes away. Whilst it was tempting to have their famous Afternoon Tea which we have enjoyed before, we decided to have the lunch menu and could sit outside on the terrace overlooking the garden. I started with Thai Fish cake and sweet chilli sauce, and my wife a prawn an salmon salad. Maybe the fish cake was marginally too spicy for my liking, other would like it that way. The 'Sustainable' Fish and Chips (cod today) main was as good as any you will get anywhere. I used to say their near neighbour The Red Fox had the best F&C but this was better, lovely crispy batter, and the chips crispy outside and soft inside, just as they should be. Mushy peas not the best , it was more pea puree, no discernable peas. But I am clutching at straws here , and see no reason to award 5 stars. Service was polite an attentive, and the tempo about right. Highly recommended .

We called into The Lawns for some lunch last Thursday and we were very impressed with the whole experience, it was our first meal out since the lifting of the lock down and we were feeling a little bit uneasy, we needed not to of worried as the hotel have got their covid 19 safety procedures perfect, from the minute we walked into reception we were greeted by a lovely young lady who took our temperature, all staff were wearing ppe and sanitiser was plentiful in all areas of the hotel, they are also doing track and trace. We chose to sit in the out door area of the garden which was lovely as it was a lovely sunny day, the staff were very pleasant and professional and to cap it all off the food was amazing, my husband chose the carbonara tagliatelle which had plenty of chicken and smoked pancetta in and i chose the chicken burger which came with the nicest hand cut chips i have ever had. The atmosphere of the hotel was so relaxing and we felt very safe and we will be calling in again very soon.

Lovely Rural setting in a very special Spa / Hotel . The Bar is small and intimate.THE LAWNS...... well what can I say Beautiful ,no exquisite Cuisine served by a perfectly trained staff with white glove sevice! BRAVO

What a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful location! The staff were so friendly and helpful, and the food was amazing! We will be back

I booked an overnight spa day for me and my girlfriend here which included an evening meal at the Lawns restaurant. I’ve never had a worse experience at a restaurant in my life, we were originally told the meal was included in our package and where served the menu to order from. The waitress that brought our starters out couldn’t remember what was on our plate because she had ‘forgot’. Once we had eaten we were then charged for the food because we ordered from the ‘wrong menu’ (when we were only served one menu..). At the end of the meal we decided to stay for a few drinks in the other room, when my girlfriend walked through the young lad waiter said to me “good luck mate she looks in a right mood” (which was strange because she wasn’t anyway..) and when i asked why he would say something like that he replied by saying “don’t be confrontational”. This is absolutely disgusting service and would not recommend the Lawns to anybody, we spoke to two other couples that were staying at the same time as we were which also state to have experienced similar service from the young lad. Overall, our experience was a shambles and would stay well clear of this restaurant if we were to come to Thornton’s again.

My parents and I enjoyed our experience at the Lawns very much so. The food was outstanding, truly delicious! The staff were attentive and friendly and the atmosphere was relaxing. An all round wonderful experience. We would definitely recommend it to others and we will most certainly return! Thank you.

In 20 years of delivering conferences and training I have never had so many positive reviews from Delegates on fantastic food and facilities. Thanks to Brian the Chef and wonderful training coordinator Can’t reccomend it highly enoughDavid EvansSIS GB Ltd

Birthday lunch treat for my friend, set lunch menu 3 courses for £29.00. Fantastic value as the lunch was real fine dining. Staff were amazing from when we arrived until we left. After our desserts we decided to partake of the cheese board (extra cost but well worth it!). The cheese was wheeled in on a trolley and we were informed that chef would come and talk us through approx 15 or more varieties of cheese. Richard Collingwood, the head chef duly arrived to help us with our choices! What a nice man! So friendly, knowledgeable and obviously a very gifted chef. His food is fabulous, the staff are so attentive, friendly and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch “experience” and this was just lunch.....can’t wait to return for a la carte dinner and to also experience Rich’s taster menu. Next Michelin starred chef on the Wirral I think! Can’t recommend highly enough, go and try!

Spent a wonderful stay at Thornton Hall. We were checked in by lovely receptionist and helped to our room. Later we celebrated my birthday with 16 family members in the Oak Room. The food was amazing. Big thank you to Jake and the team on the bar and Tom and the team who served our meal. All in all a fabulous time was had by all. Well Done and Big thank you everyone who made my birthday special

We visited twice over the festive period. It never ceases to provide a fantastic meal!What I really like is how you can go for a little drink before hand at the bar and be called through when your table is ready. It’s really cosy and warm. I really like the staff, especially the sommelier. Firstly we came for Sunday lunch which was lovely. I had soup and beef. Cooked wonderfully. Really festive. Crackers included! We had a super bottle of wine too.We then came for New Year’s Eve - a 6 course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was such a good night! Each course was very good and the wines were just perfect. We had a singing pianist and were provided with party poppers for the big countdown! A really great evening. Just love this place.

We dined at the Lawns as a party of 4 for Boxing Day lunch, having previously enjoyed our Boxing Day lunch there a couple of years ago.It was nice to enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the adjacent Lounge where complementary canapés accompanied our drinks.We were all very impressed with our food, which all had wonderful flavours and was well presented. I particularly enjoyed my starter of Goats Cheese mousse with beetroot, followed by the Atlantic Cod with shrimp and salt baked celeriac, one of the best fish dishes I have enjoyed anywhere. Two of our group follow a vegan diet, and both said that the food was wonderful. I finished the meal with a selection of cheeses from the trolley, and have to say that the selection was excellent.I understand that the chef on Boxing Day was Nathan, the Head Chef Richard not working that day. We all agreed that Nathan is an excellent chef and a master of his craft, and everything we were served was wonderful.The serving staff and the bar staff were all friendly and attentive, and the only slight negative we encountered was a delay of around 25 minutes between being seated and our order for drinks and food being taken. That said, otherwise service was excellent and I would still describe our experience as excellent.We have dined in a number of 1 and 2 Michelin Star restaurants, and the food at the Lawns compared favourably with some of those.

Went with family for our annual Xmas lunch and we weren’t disappointed. This was our first visit to a lovely restaurant in a nice hotel with very friendly and competent staff, especially Nikki who looked after us. The meal was lovely and well presented and the canapés were a nice touch too. We will return!

My wife and I decided to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary at this venue.Service was just excellent and couldn't be faulted. We were served by two Amy's, their product knowledge was extensive and every item was explained in a very friendly manner. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble.The a la carte menu only had a limited number of dishes to choose from but everything we had from starter to Dessert was a culinary treat both in taste and presentation. The chef's skill and imagination was awesome.The price of our dinner was a little on the high side and bears no relationship to the cost of the ingredients but here you are paying for the ambience of the restaurant,skill and experience of the staff. If you like pie and chips, hunters chicken, fish and chips, mixed grill or sausage and mash, this is not the place for you. It's fine dining at it's best.

A real treat in the Lawns Restaurant. Lots of character attentive and caring staff serving beautiful food and wines.

First the positive. The restaurant is in a lovely building with plenty of car parking. The restaurant is just horrible. Pompous staff doing little other than pretending to be important. The worst is the food. Truly horrible food served tepid. Looking through previous reviews it seems that the management is only interested in replying to positive reviews and ignoring those who are critical. Having witnessed the fayre for myself, I am not surprised. Avoid.

Just dreadful... cold soup, non-existent goats cheese starter and lukewarm dinner,.... 4 star restaurant, I don’t think so .

A slightly strange visit. We went for Sunday lunch and at first everything went really well. Delightful welcome from the staff and an excellent lunch. But when we said we were feeling a bit cold all we got was a shrug of the shoulders. A disappointing experience given the cost.

A wonderful dining experience in a lovely atmosphere - and that’s for fine dining dinner and breakfast too!

A fabulous experience. Beautiful food. Particularly liked the sommelier. Waiters were very attentive and showed a real passion about their role.

Food and service outstanding and an enjoyable meal from start to finish. The canapés, snack and brioche were all lovely. Quail and mackerel starters lovely as were the poached halibut and suckling pig mains. Petit fours and coffee delicious end to the meal. Highly recommended especially for a special occasion!

We visited The Lawns on Sunday to try their new Traditional Sunday Lunch 3 courses and a glass of wine for £29 . We were delighted from the warm greeting we received and the excellent food and service throughout the meal. Traditional doesn't do this lunch justice the food was amazing and beautifully presented. We shared our dishes so we could experience the different flavours and textures. If you want a special Sunday lunch with style this is the place.

Dined here with a group of friends, we all really enjoyed the food along with the service from Hayden and Beth. Everything from the bread, canapes and pre dessert simply delicious! Thank you to the chefs for the amazing food! Relaxed meal in a beautiful setting, we will definitely return in the future! Highly recommend, Thank you!

We were excited to try out fine dining as a treat on our first visit to Thornton Hall. We booked for 7 and our order for a main course only was taken quickly. We were delighted to be given canapes and a 'snack' some time before our meal, which arrived around 8.30. The food was lovely and totally catered for my dietary needs. The only slight negative was that we were unaware that the dining experience would last for 2 hours. If you're looking for a relaxed meal that's excellent quality with superb service this is for you. It's not for you if you're in a hurry! Despite this we would thoroughly recommend.

Wow! I decided to book into the Lawns restaurant for my boyfriend's birthday after hearing rave reviews, and it did not disappoint! Since it was a special occasion, we decided to indulge and treat ourselves to the tasting menu -- amazing! Everything from the canapés while we were seated at the bar, to the decadent cherry and chocolate dessert, every single course was a standout. (The homemade twister pre-desserts alone are worth going for!)

We all had an excellent experience in the lawns restaurant, staff were very attentive at all times.

I dined here for a catch up with friends and was not disappointed. The service was lovely and the staff were very attentive. I was pleasantly surprised with the extras you got as well as the 3 courses I choose. The food was delicious and very tasteful, empty plates all round. I would certainly recommend and be arranging another visit soon.

Upon arrival at the restaurant we were greeted with a warm welcome, we exchanged conversation (in our own dialect!) with the front of house staff and we were seated at the bar area. Shortly after, Canapes arrived and our order was taken for food by the same member of staff. The canapes were as expected and the waitress that presented them to us was clearly happy and content in her presentation to us.

Having not been here before we were certainly not disappointed. From the warm welcome on arrival to our departure a few hours later we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the occasion. The food and presentation was excellent throughout every course. You couldn't beat the lunch menu price at just £29 for 3 courses I was all over that. Just as we was finished our amazing lunch, we was just in time for the Cocktail hour, 2 for 1 cocktails, can I just say the Lawnstar Martini was good!!

We have been to the Lawns for evening dinner , which was acceptable, as a birthday treat i was beng treated to afternoon tea at the Lawns.

We decided to visit the lawns restaurant as we had a gift voucher so thought it would be something a bit different especially as it appears to receive good reviews in all the local papers. Arrived and were seated in the bar area and were served our first drink. The waitress then came to the table with a selection of canapés including a tasty aubergine dip. The problem was it arrived with a few thin sticks for dipping which weren’t substantial enough to dip into anything. We were shown to the dining room and after a rather long wait our starters arrived. I had the beetroot starter and my husband had the asparagus. We ate both but we agreed there’s was nothing you could have praised about both dishes. Next came the mains I had lamb which I can honestly say was quite disgusting raw and fatty and the dish was lukewarm. This was served with a few strange inedible accompaniments. My husband had lemon sole which he described as unsubstantial and mediocre. The waiter then arrived whereupon I told him the the lamb was poor and he said that he would pass my comments to the chef. By this point I was feeling thankful I hadn’t gone for the al a carte menu and had opted for the set menu. Whilst waiting for the desert the waiter surprised us with complimentary champagne for the let down over the meal. I didn’t get the benefit of this as I was driving unfortunately. Deserts again were mediocre with again no substance again you were left with a sense of the experience being so disappointing . My husband also had espresso coffee which he said was the strangest coffee he had ever had. Totally lacking in intensity.All in all nice staff terrible food . Maybe the chef should take himself off to Longeuville Manor Jersey for a few lessons, now that’s what you call fine dining. When we got home we had a bacon sandwich we were that hungry. That about sums it up. In no way measured up to its publicity.

We came for afternoon tea as a family to celebrate two special birthdays and an upcoming wedding.

We decided to come here for Sunday lunch as we’d heard so much about the food and we weren’t disappointed. The dining room itself is very grand, but the service is friendly and relaxed, rather than stuffy, which was welcome. My partner had the traditional beef roast and raved about the onion stuffed with braised brisket. I had the lamb rump and it was so full of flavour and melted in my mouth. I couldn’t resist the caramel tart for dessert whilst my partner opted for cheese. His eyes lit up when the cheese trolley was presented as there must have been around 20 different cheeses to choose from. The server was so knowledgeable and helped guide my partner through the various types of cheese. The only negative to our experience was having to share the dining room with an extremely rude and arrogant man on the table next to us. I felt so sorry for the lady manager having to deal with such obnoxious behaviour but she was so professional and remained calm throughout! She was a star. We’ll be back soon

Starter was fine but overpriced. We shared the steak priced £95 for mains and asked for it medium rare. After 45 minutes waiting for it it was served in front of us and was very well done, not even slightly pink. It was served in a salt slab and was so over seasoned all we could taste was the salt. The accompaniments also just tasted like salt. Very disappointing for such an expensive dish.

The menu was very limited with a choice of 4 starters ,4 mains,4 desserts.

My Daughter and myself took my mum here for afternoon tea, my mum is blind and not too good at walking , we got a disabled parking space which was great as less distance for my mum to walk,the car park was very busy there was a wedding party.

My husband and I visited the Lawns for Sunday lunch last month and it was beautiful! The food was incredible, the restaurant is stunning and the staff were fantastic. We had a lot of questions about the food as we like to eat local produce and the restaurant manager Meg was more than happy to answer everything for us. We have recommended the Lawns to family and friends and we will definitely be back!

We came here for a special meal to celebrate a promotion in work. Having recently stayed at the hotel and being totally overwhelmed it seemed a good excuse to come back! A good choice it was too. From being greeted by the restaurant manager ( I think her name was Meg, apologies if it wasn't) who was friendly, and attentive, through to the chefs who produced the most beautiful food ever! I had duck for starters which was beautifully succulent, lamb which was cooked to perfection and we shared a full cheese board which was plentiful with a good selection. The lawns restaurant is a fascinating room and really sets the scene. Thank you again for a lovely experience.

I had attended at Thornton Hall previously, but, that was for corporate/large party events, held in a large suite in another part of the premises. Our group of six were booked for the early evening, and, upon arrival, at the main reception, were shown to the comfortable Bar alongside the Restaurant, where we enjoyed a drink while perusing the Menu. We opted for the 'Sunday Fixed Menu', at £35pp. Four choices for each Course, with the optional Cheese trolley having an extra charge. I went for the Suckling Pig, the Lamb, then the Chocolate Tart, all accompanied by pleasant Merlot. The food was served at a relaxed pace, and the staff, particularly Hayden, were helpful and entertaining. The Room was furnished in a style that could make one believe it was the 1890's...! Our table was by the really huge, carved, wooden Fireplace, with two almost life-sized female figures supporting the mantle shelf, and, other appropriate adornments. There was a highly decorated, leather panelled ceiling, with two multi-bulbed chandeliers. The room had other classical features, and the overall effect was to create a stylish, relaxing and comfortable setting in which to enjoy a good meal. We did very much enjoy our visit to 'The Lawns', and will visit again...maybe at Easter?

We had an amazing night. We were greeted by the head waitress Gen, who was very polite and helpful, when we arrived. We had a table with a view of the amazing gardens at the hotel. Our food was amazing and we loved the staff. Great night with great company, would 100% recommend a visit.

We had a wonderful meal in this beautiful restaurant. The service from all the staff was first class. The food was outstanding and the lovely little touches of canapés and homemade bread were a treat. We loved the recommended wines to go with each course too. I can’t recommend the Lawns highly enough thank you so much for an amazing evening. We will be back very soon.

When I booked I was asked if it was a special occasion and I told them it was my mum's 70th birthday and this was a big treat, a lovely afternoon tea. They said they'd make a fuss, it'd be special.

We booked afternoon tea to celebrate an 83rd birthday for my mother in law. Myself & my husband are gym members. When I booked because I am a fussy eater I confirmed what in the sandwiches I didnt like, I also asked if we would get the 20% off and if we could use the credits on our gym wristbands.

Overpriced and rather average. The service was reasonable and the tables were well spaced out. Breakfast in this restaurant was good but they ran out of some basics such as Greek yogurt and tomato juice.

Staff friendly helpful and efficient food nicely presented and adequate portions. I asked for extra sauce and this wasn't a problem. Thoroughly recommend the butternut soup.

I dined here with my husband earlier this week and the whole experience was exceptional.

Mrs G and I came here for dinner one evening shortly before Christmas. We had a pre booked table and when we arrived were shown to the bar for a pre meal drink and a look at then menu. There were three on offer, the seven course taster, a la carte and the Christmas menu. We chose the latter. An amuse bouche as we were deciding were were escorted to the restaurant and proceeded to have a thoroughly enjoyable three course meal.

Hi my niece has been staying here with her two boys had a terrible time poor breakfast as no staff or food

We love coming here. Lovely bar area which is small and welcoming to relax in and to chose a nice drink from their menu. All staff are very attentive and friendly.

This afternoon we dined at The Lawns restaurant at Thornton Hall Hotel.

Booked Christmas dinner at £85 a head. Almost exactly half the dishes were disappointing. The terrine was bland, the turkey overcooked and the Christmas pudding underwhelming. On the other hand, the staff were excellent and the beef very pleasant. However, I do feel that, for the money, supplying the absolutely cheapest crackers was ridiculous filled with the sub-penny plastic combs and fingernails that would have been embarrassing to receive in any circumstances. Either do not supply them or spend more than 5p a cracker...

I have just come back from having lunch at The Lawns Restaurant and I just can't fault anything! Excellent service from Genesis the Restarant Manager and 1st class food. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. Thank you for a lovely afternoon

We booked for an anniversary meal for my partners parents and they chose to go to The Lawns restaurant. We were greeted as soon as we arrived and asked if we wanted a drink in the bar first but we decided to go straight to the table. The decor in the dining room is traditional but with a modern quirky twist. There was a choice of menus but we all opted for the Festive menu. Normally we wouldn't go for a festive menu but there were several different options to go for... The canapés were served and everything was explained. They were all different and delicious. The starters appeared and very quickly there were 4 empty plates. And then the same again when the main courses appeared. Only one of us could manage a dessert but again it did look delicious when it appeared. Overall the food was delicious and the service was excellent (attentive but not overly). We all said we would definitely recommend this restaurant and will definitely visit again.

My friends and I decided to have a change of venue this year for our Christmas Meal.

We were married here 15 years ago and dined at the Lawns on our first anniversary and have Anniversary meals here occasionally over the years. We come for the nostalgia, the service (second to none) the beautiful decor ‘then’ the food! To be honest it’s not our favourite dining choice and we always have a giggle over the size portions, what can I say, we are greedy gits! We’ve dined at further ‘fine dining’ establishments and have been give generous portions, especially in regards to the meat selection, but here they are amusingly tiny , however, the amuse-Bouche between courses is always my favourite part and does add that little more in quantity, and much much more in gratificationWe will always return. The staff here are truly wonderful and nothing has truly upset us, ever.

They show a separate price for each course so you don't need to have a full 3 or 4 course heavy meal. We had the Roast beef main.

Superb from start to finish Staff a credit to restaurant Food and service first class Would definatly recommend

The food here is beyond delicious, it is interesting and the mixture of tastes is unbelievable. The staff are all professional and friendly. Chad, the head chef is superb, John the maitre d is so helpful, and our server, Tanith was great.

(Came here last year with my Grandad and family however we only were in the 'bar' section so this was a new 'set up' to us all.) The room itself is amazing and I/we spent ages looking at the ceiling and 'border' that runs all the way round the room. And is an amazing size, has about 30 tables in!

I’d stopped coming here because the service & food had become mediocre but on the basis of this meal I think we’ll be coming more often. The first thing that strikes you is the quality of service which is much improved with arrival of Abbs – friendly, professional & so much better than previously. Then we had our first taste of the new chef - Chad Hughes – and what a pleasant surprise. I thought the smoked eel amuse bouche was simply wonderful - just a shame it was so small but when I mentioned it to Abbs he brought me a second portion which was a very nice gesture. Both our starters were excellent and my salmon was one of the nicest I’ve had in a while – cooked perfectly with a great sauce.The mains were good/very good but not as outstanding as the starters. Overall we saw enough to make us think the new team are making a difference and we will return sooner than planned to try some of the other dishes.

We were given a voucher for their highly acclaimed 'Great Wirral afternoon Tea' as an anniversary present. And what a wonderful occasion it was, tasty , fresh food, as described in the review below from EA1966, so I wont repeat all that again. We had one sweet and one savoury version, so that we could 'mix and match'. My wife also was given a glass of prosecco, and I an alternative soft drink as I was driving. Staff had a lovely balance between formality and friendliness. We will be going back for more, its only 2 miles or so from home. No hesitation in giving a 5 star rating.

My Husband and I were returning to Thornton Hall for our first Anniversary following bwing married there last year.

The people serving were lovely, very kind and friendly. They gave us some free prosecco and taster food as we were celebrating our wedding.

Booked the Great Wirral Afternoon Tea for my Mother's 80th Birthday.

Only booked that morning for me & my friend, the service was brilliant the outlook amazing and the food delicious. What is nice is you get a sweet or savoury option, both coming with lovely finger sandwiches. Also can upgrade with Prosecco or Champagne we had wine instead.

Having booked an overnight spa deal at the Thornton hall hotel, a meal in the lawns restaurant was included in the package.

I booked a overnight spa break which included money towards an evening meal for my wife’s birthday. Was met and shown to our table where there was a lovely card.

We were part of a large group celebrating a significant birthday. Our starters were lovely and the sweets were delicious. Four of us sitting together ordered the roast beef. One of us with thin slices of beef enjoyed his and ate it all, but the three of us served with thick tranches of beef could not eat the beef, as it was so rare and quite bloody especially in the centre, and not so rare on the outside. We did try to eat the beef in order not to offend or upset our host, but it was so difficult to chew and harder to swallow. Even soaking the beef in horse radish had no effect in being able to chew the meat or swallow it. As we just couldn't help retching at trying to swallow the meat we had to leave the beef and go on to the remainder on the plate. The Yorkshire pudding was fine, but the potatoes on the judgment of several were hard, something on the level of roast potato expected at cheap pub buffets. No-one came to ask us whether the meal was fine, as usually happens, probably because the room was too packed to get to us comfortably, but we really would have had to say something quietly had we been approached. After the meal, when the waitress was collecting the plates and noticing the uneaten beef on our plates, we mentioned how inedible the beef had been, but not to make any fuss, as we did not want to upset our host, who had paid a lot of money for the meal. Nonetheless, a gentleman did approach us, obviously notified by the waitress, who offered us a replacement meal, assuring us how important it was that we should have an enjoyable meal. We told him we had told the waitress we didn't want to draw attention to the problem to our host, who must have seen the gentleman talking to us. Receiving a replacement meal would have taken some time to prepare and would certainly have drawn attention to the unsatisfactory meal our host had kindly invited us to at some expense. Then we were offered a free drink of anything we wanted, but we had already drunk what we wanted. We asked the gentleman to go and not draw further attention to the poor meal. He left quietly, although having draw obvious attention to a problem, unable to rectify the fact that the hotel had served such a poor meal.

Attended here with my wife for my birthday. The taster menu although pricey was absolutely fantastic. The restaurant manager Abs looked after us really well and made the evening feel very special. Will definitely be eating here again.

Visited for afternoon tea with my cousin for a girly treat. We pre booked as i believe everyone has to, when we arrived there were 2 other tables of people so it wasn’t very busy which we expected for a Tuesday lunchtime. After we had ordered, we waited an hour to receive the afternoon tea, I don’t understand how that can take so long to make when we had pre booked and it was very quiet. I wouldn’t like to visit when it is busy!

My daughters and I had a very enjoyable Afternoon Tea in the Lawns Restaurant. Presentation, food, surroundings and attentive staff couldn't have been bettered. We have sampled quite a few!

We had a fabulous meal with exceptional service. The food was beautifully presented with surprise amuse-bouches and everything was delicious. Highly recommend if you want a special experience.

Another very welcome break at Thornton Hall. We were warmly greeted and shown to our room which turned out to be the same easy access room we had last year. As the weather was so warm we asked for a top sheet to replace the duvet and the lovely housekeeper came within minutes to replace this,such impressive service. We ate dinner on both evenings in the Lawns restaurant and the food was amazing. Such an innovative menu and Chad, the head chef , explained to us how he likes to source his ingredients locally and uses seasonal produce in new ways and he is certainly an asset to the hotel. We had a great time exploring the areas that we missed last time and will definitely return again in the future to this very friendly hotel.

Wonderful fine dining experience. we would definitely go back. Maitre de was a little creepy - that was the only negative