Mayflower Brasserie Boringdon Hall in Plymouth

Our dining experience at the Mayflower was mixed, with friendly service but substandard food. Service: The staff were welcoming and attentive, resolving minor issues like smudged glassware quickly and professionally. The bread service was a nice touch, and we appreciated the small details from the staff. Food: Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. My Wagyu Burger (£27) was dry with a stale bun, and the beef short rib (£33) was more like a small, over-seasoned croquette rather than a proper portion. Both dishes felt overpriced for what was delivered. Response to Feedback: When I shared feedback with the staff, the waitress didn’t seem to know how to handle it and left us feeling quite uncomfortable. Although the manager, Mike, later removed the cost of the mains, the experience had already been marred by the poor food quality and lack of service recovery at the time. In summary, while the service started strong, the disappointing food and awkward handling of our feedback made for a subpar dining experience.

Gorgeous food and setting at the Mayflower Brasserie, a truly special evening. The quality of the dishes is incredible, with seasonal produce and lots of incredible detail. Shout out to the head chef Max, and our waitress Lauren who made it feel like such a special night. We'll be back!

We ate breakfast here but I would say I've eaten better for the price and also staff need to be trained on allergens.

A spa evening with friends followed by a delicious dinner in the Mayflower Brasserie. Fabulous food, beautifully cooked and presented. Good value for money for 21/2 hours in the Spa and the dinner. What a treat!

I think the fact that I’m going to be badgering my husband to take me to the Mayflower Brasserie again, very soon, says it all! I went with 2 friends for a Twilight spa and dine package. I knew what to expect from the Gaia Spa (lovely) but had no idea how superb the food would be in the restaurant. We all had the scallops as a starter, which were sublime, possibly some of the best I’ve had and the rest of the meal was also fantastic. It was totally unexpected as when I ate in the Brasserie a few years ago the meal had been pleasant but quite average. The waiting staff were also so very attentive and couldn’t be faulted. A really lovely evening!

Absolutely fantastic dining experience. Very surprised by poor reviews and diners complaints about portion size. We had 3 exquisite courses, couldn't fault anything. Also had a complimentary birthday plate. Thank you chef

Having read up on reviews before this evening, I was unsure on what to expect. The evening, food and service was exceptional. The complimentary extras were delightful. The dining room had a relaxed vibe, whilst still upholding fantastic and personal service. The food was absolutely delicious and plated with precision. The portion size were ample and certainly not on the small side. Looking forward to our next visit and special thanks to the chef

Some not so great reviews floating around online. We stayed at the hotel and booked in and were ever so slightly apprehensive at some of the reviews but could plainly see people had combated them with glowing reviews so were interested to see how it would go. It was near faultless, amazing atmosphere nice and quiet but not awkward, just intimate. Food was stunning, some photos attached (burger was slightly salty but super tasty). Wine was delicious, they have an amazing very extensive wine list, perfect if you know what you're looking at. Lauren was super bubbly and polite, noticed she was very engaging with all guests aswell as ourselves. Ruby was also amazing, when my girlfriend left for the toilet Ruby tucked her chair in and folded her napkin ready for her return which was a lovely polite touch. Both deserve some praise for their work. Three courses and bottle of wine (£55) came to around £150 total, feel it's totally reasonable pricing for the experience. All in all, a brilliant restaurant if you want something slightly fancy but not overbearing, in either price or vibe. Was perfect for a smart/casual night out with some great quality food and drink.

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and a wide wine selection. Food is good nothing brilliant but decent. The issue is the service. I went for lunch and dinner and I got the same service issues and this was not a busy restaurant. Waiters looked lost. One gave the wrong food to a table next to me and they were really not keeping an eye in case I need anything. I got the bread when I was already having my starter and took ages for me to order the bill on the two ocassions as they were not looking at me. For lunch it took a while they noticed me and the same happened at dinner, with 3 waiters and no more than 6-7 tables at its busiest

We just love the food at boringdon this restraunt is fabulous service is friendly and warm nothing is any trouble great selection of dishes and the homemade butter is just the best I have tasted

Staying at the hotel so breakfast here everyday has been excellent. Had a 3 course dinner last night where we both ate different choices and everything was first class. Good ingredients cooked well with fantastic presentation. Not sure why some reviews on here complain about the prices as they aren’t kept secret until after you’ve eaten they are clearly displayed before you book a table.

Went to Borringdon Hall for Sunday lunch, very underwhelmed with the food as the meat was tough, carrots where burnt and limp ,the roast potatoes where burnt, the cauliflower lacked cheese, the tablespoon of gravy was bland and tasteless and the £26 charged is daylight robbery even the pleasant attentive staff did not make my experience satisfactory .

Had wonderful evening at the Brasserie at Borringdon Hall - food was superb, service amazing (special thanks to Tom who looked after us so well) the ambience was terrific and the quality of food for the price was incredible. Well done to the whole team at Borringdon we will definitely be returning.

Excellent service - A La carte food was tasteful but very expensive- small portions but sufficient- It is a “special occasion” restaurant- 85th birthday for mum which she loved

I went for dinner to celebrate a christmas with my partner. The place looks fantastic. The staff were all lovely and professional. The food was similarly excellent. 1 thing let it down though, another guest was allowed in in shorts, trainers and a T-shirt. I was really disappointed the maître 'd allowed him in. Even a relatively realxed dress code would have made for a 5* review.

We visited this place late November 2023. The atmosphere was great, the place was super clean, the service staff were very friendly. But unfortunately we were visiting for lunch and the food was so so bad. We tried a few different dishes but the portions and the quality were poor. We noticed other people complaining about the food too, so it might have been just a bad day. I really hope that they get a better chef for the festive season.

We we’re staying in the hotel on a package that includes dinner in the Mayfair. After reading recent reviews we were a little apprehensive that we wouldn’t enjoy our meal, but I have to say the food was excellent and service top notch. We had a wonderful evening so thank you very much

So so so disappointed. The most expensive roast in Plymouth and isn’t very good. Wish I had read the reviews before coming. Quick summary. Overpriced, under seasoned, under cooked, tiny portions, potatoes not crispy at all. Kids ice cream £6 a portion and 3 tiny quenelles. Disgusting price. Shame as it’s up the road from us

An anniversary gift from our daughter for a two course Sunday lunch. The room is small and fairly dark despite the number of ceiling lights. The menu and wine list is very, very expensive but the quality is nowhere near the price bracket it’s a Michelin wannabe with aspirations above its abilities. The £12 starters were like canapés and my wife had to send back the sadly small piece of braised leek for being undercooked and stringy. The £25 Sunday lunch was generous in size but the beef, despite being tasty and soft was 50% hard fat, which was disappointing. Everything else in the plate had been doused in salt and the teaspoon of salty gravy wasn’t enough to soften the chalky roast potatoes. The service was polite but unbelievably slow. Was not impressed and willl not consider returning any time soon. I would advise either reducing the pricing or increasing the quality.

Went to celebrate an anniversary & left disappointed. I had the starter of brixham crab. When it came out it was the smallest amount of blown brown crab with a high coral taste. This suggests the crab was caught in the early part of the year and frozen ready to be defrosted & plated for September! Considering we have such good quality and local hand picked crab in Plymouth, like the cracking crab company, I was so disappointed. The Wagu burger was okay - however, nothing like the homemade burgers with more taste at Zephyrs! My partner had the bacon back and it was the tiniest portion, he had to eat my chips as he was still hungry. The place is pretty but defined not worth the money. The staff members rush you through the courses and cannot wait to clear your table. We will not be back nor recommending

I wanted to go somewhere nice for my mother's 50th birthday and decided to take both her and my father to Boringdon Hall for an afternoon tea given its alleged reputation, history and 5 star rating. We all left extremely dissapointed, will not be returning nor will we recommend anyone visit. To quickly summarise our experience: - Location and history is idyllic and lovely, unfortunately that's where the buck stops. - Afternoon tea was rather abruptly "dropped off" in a rush and strop, no explanation/presentation, and quickly ran off. - Quality of the food was dissapointing, sandwiches barely had any fillings and were very dry, tiny jar of jam not enough to go around for 1 side of a scone let alone 2 entire scones, raspberries on top of one of the deserts were served well after their best before date and were pale. The scones themselves were rather nice and the only item we ended up enjoying. - I'm happy to pay top price for quality food, but this was anything but quality and extremely overpriced at £32 per person. The wait time was also rather long, arrived at 1:30PM and served at 2:10PM on a Sunday. - General service dissapointing, majority of staff seemed fairly sour with only one or two smiles in supply. Staff did not check on us to see how we were, nor asked how our experience was when paying the bill. - Automatic service charge being added to the bill (we asked for it to be removed); this isn't the US. - Coffee pitchers were dirty and stained. - Cobswebs everwhere.

We were staying at Boringdon hall for our minimoon and dined in the mayflower brasserie each night, the food each night was fabulous and the service even better particularly from the restaurant supervisor we think? Wearing a veteran badge and the lady with a long dark ponytail. Thank you so much you were great. Looking forward to our next stay.

Hustled to the table as we tried to order drinks at the bar..Had checked the menu online as some in party had intolerances but as we came to order food we were told the menu had changed as its seasonal...checked online at the table and found original menu was still on the site..this led to a very dissapointing menu choice and meals..gluten free rolls were inedible but after informing waiter no alternative was offered.waiter was overkeen to interupt rather rudely to tell us the desert menu.the wine was the more expensive merlot not the one ordered.have already send comments to the management but not had decency to reply.£200 wasted on an average meal.Very disappointed and won't be returning.Have dined here on previous occasions and was very happy with the experience.

Visited for dinner in the brasserie hoping to have a drink in the bar before. It took 20 minutes from arrival in the bar to actually get someone to take our drinks order and the place was at most 30% full and a full half hour to receive the drinks by which time we were hurriedly moved to the restaurant (again, not exactly packed). Hardly 5 star service. The main course was an attempt at crab & crayfish fettuccine. The portion size was miserly and the food bland with no crab meat evident at all. I’m Italian, and know my pasta, the chef had clearly know idea how to prepare an appropriate sauce for fettuccine, and the entire experience was more akin to a tiny and bland white fish noodle soup than what was promised. Laughable. The service in the restaurant was however very professional, and although a very atmospheric snd beautiful location, I won’t be using the brasserie for an evening meal again after this experience.

We went here for a treat evening for drinks and dinner. Overall it was quite disappointing. We arrived 30 minutes before our dinner booking in the brasserie in order to have a drink first in the lovely bar area. We were told to take a seat and someone would bring us a drinks menu. We sat down and waited. Over 5 minutes later someone appeared with a drinks menu and said they’d be back to take our order. Ten minutes later we were still waiting, with no drinks, and our dinner reservation looming in just 15 minutes. Finally someone appeared & took the order. We received our drinks 25 minutes after arriving. Hardly the relaxed drink we were planning. The service was incredibly slow. We were retrieved very promptly, however, to be escorted to our table for the exact booking time, and had to finish our drinks in the brasserie. The wine menu was then brought over. We were quite shocked at the prices - the same wine menu is clearly used for both the Michelin starred restaurant upstairs and the brassiere, which we were in. The least expensive bottle of wine was £39. This was not in keeping with the food menu, where mains are around £25-30 which was to be expected. There really should be more affordable wines available for the brassiere. The mains were disappointing unfortunately. The crab and crayfish fettuccine was very soupy and no discernible crab meat at all. Just crayfish. I chose the dish because I love crab so this was a real let down. The portion size for a pasta dish was laughably small - and I have a small appetite so normally I struggle to finish mains. For a brassiere they need to rethink the value they give I think. The floorboards behind my chair were wobbly so throughout the evening as the waiting staff went past it felt as though my chair was being constantly knocked. We only wanted a main course but left feeling like we were not at all full, and a lot poorer. It’s a beautiful setting but there are quite a few things to work on I think.

We had the food package to include breakfast and dinner for two nights. Every meal was utterly delicious and the service was friendly and efficient. I’m vegetarian and the selection of option was perfect, even a vegetarian chocolate mouse for dessert!

Thank you for a wonderful Afternoon tea. Everything was lovely. The food and service were excellent. Very friendly staff. We will definitely be coming back again 🍰☕️

Had an amazing meal in the Brasserie - could not fault the food, the service or the fabulous cocktails, the birthday girl loved it.

Average food and over priced and poor service. Asked for food order before even asked for drinks. Missing side plates Missing cutlery twice Bill incorrect and service charge added when not justified. The food was ok. Goats cheese starter was good. The duck leg bon bons were dry and had little taste. My son enjoyed his burger but the lettuce had a very strange smell. The beef cheek wasn’t that tender and all very rich and soft. We also needed sides with it as it didn’t come with any veg or potatoes and was £30! It also needed to be on a plate and not in a bowl. The mushrooms (which were also soft) over powered it. The chocolate torte was again very average and my son had a bowl of ice cream for £6 that was literally one scoop. We won’t be returning which is a pity as it has so much potential.

Just lovely. Everything was just right.

The service was slow No Prosecco in stock on arrival for a cream tea pre booked for 15! I mean come on!! Who doesn’t want a Prosecco with a cream tea?! The service was slow The vegan and normal cream teas were mixed up and not sorted properly for all the emails to book to confirm. Poor show. This was planned and booked well in advance and should have flowed. The manager came out in the end to offer complimentary drinks but sorry, too little too late. We did accept but the point is we shouldn’t have been waiting in the first place !

Very poor experience of afternoon tea - the chef was not able to cater to dietary requirements, despite weeks of notice and me calling 48 hours before to confirm. They should not accept a reservation if they cannot cater for one of the guests. Do not bother visiting if you are vegan, unless you want salad not sandwiches, and margarine instead of cream. There was no apology or acknowledgement from staff during the meal either. £32 (plus extra for coffee) is too much to pay for that sort of service.

We attended the Mayflower for an evening meal and breakfast as part of our ‘midweek spa break’ package at Boringdon hall. The break included the meals so we did not need to pay out of pocket. The menu for both dinner and breakfast had a great variety to chose from and the food itself was incredible. We left our dinner feeling full but not uncomfortable, which I think is a sign of a good meal. My husband and I had the goat cheese mousse and Spring-roll to start, sea bass and ox cheek for main and orange & polenta cake and chocolate torte for dessert. We also had some cocktails with our meal which were amazing!! The staff made our visit, nothing was too much and we felt very well looked after. It was our 10th wedding anniversary and they did everything in their power to make it feel special. We’ll definitely be back!!

Distinctly underwhelming. I booker a dinner bed and breakfast package for a special birthday celebration thinking it would be a real treat. It was mediocre to say the least. Although we had booked a package, it wasn’t cheap and I can honestly say it wasn’t...

Food was awful. Meat was tough, potatoes were frozen. Worst we’ve had in quite some time.

Completely awful food. Prices are steep so expected it to be quite nice but it was worse than a pub or whetherspoons for a roast :(

We went for lunch on Easter Sunday and were very disappointed with it. Ambience is lovely, staff were nice but not overly friendly and service to be honest wasn’t great. We only had cutlery for one course. Our starter came out and no cutlery for...

Mediocre experience and food. We have stayed at this hotel on several occasions, eaten here on many occasions, as a couple, as a family, and on corporate events. It has always, until now, been a pleasant experience. Today we had the beef roast for lunch..........

Old school dining with a modern twist. Great afternoon tea with excellent service

Went here as part of a package The waiters were friendly and food is very good. The menu is small, meals are well presented and prepared. The staff know there wine list and food and are happy to recommend. They ask about allergies, which I think is great. Will come back again for sure Recommend enjoying the spa too

I'll start by saying I love Boringdon Hall, the spa is incredible and the rooms are lovely. We decided to try the restaurant out on our recent visit (for my 30th birthday) and it was awful. First, we were told our table wasn't ready at...

Have eaten here several times before and have always been blown away with the service and food quality,but today left us not wanting to return. Not once were we asked if everything ok,staff were not interested in any type of interaction and were never offered...

My husband and I visited Boringdon Hall for afternoon tea. The price was £32 per head and it was really disappointing. There were four sandwiches two of ham and two cream cheese both quite chunky, two very small vegetable tarts and a small slice of...

Went for afternoon tea as a family treat - and found the experience rather lack lustre - don’t get me wrong as the location is magical ,exudes character and is a credit to those who have worked on the buildings refurbishment. - but our Tea...

We had our breakfast in the Mayflower Brasserie and it was absolutely gorgeous. Lots of choice. Very friendly staff. Look forward to visiting again in the future.

Firstly, I want to emphasise that I have never written a review on here, so for me to write one, says a lot. We ate at this restaurant this evening and I have to say it was one of the worst experiences I have ever...

Had Sunday lunch with family. Delicious. Smoked salmon starter was a real treat and then the roast beef was cooked beautifully as were the fresh seasonal vegetables. What made it really special was how well everyone looked after us, I had brought my daughter along...

The Afternoon tea was lovely. Left and 2 minutes later I was getting a call to say I had not cover all my bill. I had previously paid for the afternoon tea as it was a treat for my sister. So image how very disappointed...

Sunday lunch was a set menu for either two or three courses. A good selection was on offer and the food was of a high standard and very enjoyable

Boringdon is a lovely hotel and Acleaf a phenomenal restaurant. Unfortunately the high of the first night at Acleaf only left us with regret for not booking twice. Our second evening was a catastrophe. I’m not sure what was going on in the kitchen of...

We left disgusted to have been charged £95 for afternoon tea which included all of what was in the picture plus the worst cup of tea you’d ever tasted and a glass of fizz. We were crammed in a room which was not Covid safe,...

Delicious menu offerings - the fish dishes we enjoyed were excellent and full of flavour. High end food at mid range prices, thoroughly recommended

Set menu prices mean paying £29 for a bean casserole for a main. It's simply extortionate. Great hotel and venue, friendly staff

My wife and I ate here as part of a spa break at Boringdon Hall. We knew we might be in for a treat at its other restaurant (Acleaf) and didn’t have high expectations of the Brasserie. However we loved it… the setting / ambience...

The excellent service was the only thing that gave an overall 2. You know you’re in trouble when the wife says ‘you can cook better than this’! Worse cooked steak ever, not helped by flavourless cut of meat. Dry as a bone and no seasoning...

I recently took my mother for a surprise birthday meal here and have to say that we were definitely not disappointed. The service was excellent with a great atmosphere and high quality food. Will definitely visit again for a special occasion dinner.

Booked for afternoon tea and specified that one would be a vegan afternoon tea. Had to ask for drinks from previous guests were cleared from the table we were shown to. The regular teas were good, but the vegan tea was a hard scone with...

Booked an afternoon tea for mums 70th and sisters 40th in May for July 31st. Had confirmation email, Had phone call from hall on 29th July to confirm booking and discuss it was for a 70th and 40th birthday. Had an email on 30th July...

The dinner was included in the hotel rate and on that basis it was fine. You wouldn’t be that impressed if you had come here as a stand-alone restaurant visit. There’s not a huge amount of choice on the menu so if you stay more...

The staff were very unfriendly & actually very unwelcoming. We don’t go walking round in suits so unfortunately felt extremely judged the moment we walked in, which is a shame. The food wasn’t actually the best either, which, for the price, is kind of a...

I’d give this place a miss if you have the option. The “saffron fish pie” is an unappetising bowl of stodge with no evidence of saffron and a rather mean quantity of fish/prawn. The “ragu” that comes with the cannon of beef tastes like tinned...

Fab meals with wonderful service. We had two breakfasts and one evening meal in this restaurant and all were delicious. Service was great too.

Booked afternoon tea for my birthday treat today- ironically discounted as we had a prior poor experience. No high chair provided for my 9mo. Was given one that was falling apart and had 4/6 straps missing as was told all other chairs were away being...

Booked this place for our Silver Wedding. We had intended to have a party here but Covid put a stop to that. We arrived on time for our meal and had a drink in the bar first. I had a large Pinkster gin and tonic....

The only place where I’ve ever sent food back twice and then given up. In fact, I haven’t sent anything back for many years, I’d rather not make the fuss - but both dishes were inedible - first one burnt and rock hard, couldn’t get...

I ordered the duck this evening and honestly... I could’ve made better at home. The fat on the duck wasn’t rendered down so was chewy rather than nice and crispy. The dauphinois potatoes was more like a potato fondant and was dry with no flavor....

Our booking was for 3pm. We arrived at 2.45pm. This was a Christmas gift that we felt we could finally enjoy. We were shown to our seats and were within 2 feet either side of other visitors. We felt very uncomfortable in these awkward COVID...

We had the full English plus juice, fruit and porride. All served with a smile. Very well cooked and the perfect start to the day.

Soulless atmosphere. A menu that doesn’t have a clue what it is trying to be - with a range from £34 steak to Nachos (£14) - bizzarre ... in addition food absolutely awful. We complained (which is very rare for us) and had the value...

Booked for lunch on Tuesday and were given the option of 12.30pm or 2pm for afternoon tea, So lunch at 12.30 it was and were the only ones in here until about 1pm. It appeared that everybody else that had booked was coming in for...

We really expected more given the setting and price. The food was very average and the service was slow in places. The setting must be the most boring room in the hotel!

Booked to eat here with high hopes of a fancy meal (given the price & location). We were both really disappointed with the atmosphere, decor of the restaurant and the quality of the food. Not worth the price.

My husband and I went for a birthday lunch at this hotel and we're extremely disappointed. Dinning room was dull and with no tablecloths - do not like eating off bear tables As this is rated a five star hotel I expected better presentation in...

Had a voucher gifted to us for Christmas for Afternoon Tea for Two. Opted for the traditional instead of the special edition. Excellent service and the food was very good. Nice to have such a varied choice of teas or coffees. The only thing I...

The whole Boringdon Exspierience was Excellent .we were given A great tour of the Spa and Facilities ,Had Tea And Coffee in the spa Restaurant,Something we will enjoy on our next Visit .

Was given a birthday gift voucher of afternoon tea for 2. Food was ok but service was very poor and it almost seemed that the 2 waiting staff had other commitments outside of the dining room, as they were not particularly attentive. On leaving we...

We have had afternoon tea here in the summer and the gluten free one was awful. We were given a voucher towards another meal here. The tea was a present for my birthday, Today we ate here with our neighbours and we drove an hour...

we ate in the Brasserie and had the fish it was lovely good size portions wait service was excellant couldnt fault it

Boringdon hall, just above Plympton, is an amazing place, hundreds of years old and steeped in history. Its beautiful, both inside and out, with a very relaxed, formal feel. However don't bother eating there. If you do want to go, book in person or over...

Came here on a Saturday for lunch with family to celebrate two birthdays. The building is beautiful, it’s easy to find and there’s plenty of parking. First we had drinks in the Great Hall by the fire which was very atmospheric. The staff were friendly...

We had meal here whilst on a Spa Break. The room did not match up to the rest of the Venue.The menu was moderately priced BUT the food we had was awful The Venison suet pudding was as wet blob of anaemic pastry NOT suet,...

My wife and I booked a table for afternoon tea with some friends, in total a party of five, in order to celebrate the New Year. At the time of booking we were told that this would be served in the Gallery Restaurant. When we arrived, we were taken to the Mayflower Brasserie instead and shown to our table. This was very small and would have accomodated two people comfortably or four at a push (photo of adjacent table attached). The table was laid out for five and it was immediately obvious that this was too small. We mentioned this to the waiter and were told 'this is our standard table for five people'. However, after insisting, he eventually brought another small table and added it to the end. This made all the difference. When the tea arrived with the plates, cakes stands and tea pots it was obvious that all this would never have fitted on the intial table. On our return home, I sent an email afterwards to the manager, expressing our concerns and she had the cheek to say that they would have seated six people on this table. Having given them a chance to admit they were in the wrong I am now writing this report on Trip AdvisorAs far as the afternoon tea itself was concerned, the tea was good, the savouries rather too few and the cakes and scones rather too many. It is very unlikely that we will come again.

We dined here on a Saturday night and were really impressed by the food, the location and the staff. The atmosphere was relaxed and not too formal. The tables were well spaced and the room itself is lovely.

Went here for dinner on my recent stay, and I must first tell you we normally eat at the gallery restaurant within the hotel, which is incredible.

We had a very nice meal in the Brasserie - it was for a special occasion, as the prices here are not cheap and there isn't a very big menu. Apart from steaks and a couple of vegetarian dishes, there are only another 6 more choices on the menu. Several of us chose the chicken and ham pie, which did taste quite nice, although the meat in it was shredded, not chunks of meat. The fish and chips was quite good, but the pulled pork, although a huge amount of meat was rather dry. We had very good service, but would struggle to find something on the menu that would bring about a return visit.