Minerva Lounge in Chichester

Hemos comido aquí muchas veces a lo largo de los años cuando hemos tenido buena comida y mala comida. Esta vez las opciones fueron buenas (aparte de un miembro del grupo que no puede comer lácteos y encontró los entrantes limitantes) y la comida era generalmente buena, aunque podría haber sido más caliente. El servicio fue bueno con el personal siendo atento. Sin embargo, la pastelería choux para el desierto era seca, dura e insípida. Aprecio el reto que supone para todos salir adelante antes de que empiece el teatro, pero algo de comida parecía haber sido preparada y luego dejada. Anteriormente no era una mala relación calidad-precio comprar, sentimos que para la oferta era caro. El principal beneficio es estar en el lugar para un espectáculo.

Otro show y otra cena temprano después. Muy buena comida, todos disfrutamos de nuestras elecciones junto con un excelente vino para acompañarlo. Servicio amable encantador de nuevo también. Sin embargo, los precios se han disparado y hay lugares de mejor relación calidad-precio en el centro de la ciudad si la ubicación conveniente aquí al teatro no es importante.

We weren’t expecting very much to be honest, and certainly the reception was fairly offhand. After rejecting the poorly placed table, which had been booked a couple of weeks before, we were able to secure a table near the window, which was much more pleasant. After the unfortunate impression given by the Reception lady, some body standing in from one of the offices, I believe, the members of the young staff were extremely pleasant and attentive. A particular mention for Coral, who was especially helpful. We decided to have three courses as we had plenty of time before the matinee. I started with smoked a mackerel rillettes, I liked the idea of the confit of beetroot. Which sadly turned out to be three of the tiniest cubes of ordinary beetroot I should imagine it possible to cut, a leaf or two of chicory and a slice of cucumber surrounding a small heap of mackerel. No toast not even a single slice of sour dough. How is one to eat it? I asked and was told that if I required bread it was an extra £4 for a roll. The main course was ‘roast sirloin of beef’ - sounds good? Two slices of pallid pinkish edible but tasteless long cooked meat - sous vide? Quite repellent. I ate a token amount but could not bring myself to make more of an effort. My companion chose better with the grilled sea bass which looked and apparently tasted delicious. My bad choice, even though not so keen on fish anything would have been better than that pallid tasteless ‘beef’. The lemon posset to follow was acceptable. A small selection of wine by the glass, but well chosen. Around £40 or so each. Not a meal to remember with pleasure.

Pre show dinner so expectations not high since time is limited. However, we all thought menu choices were good and the food was well presented and delicious. Having slated the restaurant under Field and Fork’s tenure, we are now looking forward to returning at future shows.

We booked the Minerva Bar and Grill space for a wake for my mother who had recently passed in late April. Her love of the theatre meant this was a perfect venue. From when I made the first phone call to the delivery of service; Amanda was amazing. She interpreted my needs very well which lead to seamless delivery of service - outstanding service. All of the staff on the day, including Hugo the manager were just brilliant. Attentive and kind, nothing too much trouble. Our guests commented on the food, and service of all the staff, and all of our needs were met beautifully. Would definitely recommend.

After visiting the theatre for a matinee performance in the main theatre on the 11th August l had booked a table for 7 in the Minerva Bar and Grill. Booking for a table in the Brasserie was not an option on that day. Our friends and l had dined there on previous occasions and we had always been pleased with our meal. I need to tell you that we were all disappointed with what was on offer and completed a feed back form expressing our views. The first problem was the complete lack of choice on the main menu…a meat burger or a vegetarian burger. The waitress even had to check with the kitchen that there were actually any vegetarian burgers and this was at 6.00pm. The reply was that there were just two. The quality of these was not of a high standard and neither was the meat burger. As the burger option didn’t appeal to my husband or two of our friends we chose the smoked salmon sharing platter which we found to be a very small amount for two at the high price charged. We didn’t bother with desserts. I must say here that the service throughout was good. We have been regular patrons of the theatre for many years and have enjoyed meals before and after performances. I have been informed that the option to dine in the Bar and Grill is not available at the moment for ‘operational reasons’ The standard of entertainment at Chichester Festival Theatre is recognised as being of the highest quality and l am afraid that our dining experience doesn’t match up to that. I don’t think that we will be tempted to dine here again.

The only reason this has even one star is because of the delightful waiter who maintained his composure in the face of a mass revolt by diners at this place on 5 April 2019. Apparently the bar/grill was officially closed but opened to feed theatre...

Booked a table for pre theatre meal. Arrived at 5pm, waited as not quite ready to open, which was fine. We were shown to the table by a lovely young man who took our drinks order and gave us a board with a menu attached....

It was a limited menu, which is often good, because the chef focuses on what they can do well. But it also meant that there was not much on offer for veggies and vegans. I had the steak, which was a bit chewy. And the...

Brasserie on ground floor & Mezzanine one floor up; on last visit were serving near identical & limited choice menus which was disappointing. Food is usually pretty good, wide selection of drinks, service mainly by students & can sometimes be over keen. Good ambience

Second time we have visited Minerva Brasserie for pre theatre meal. Thought we would try again even tgough previos experience left us feeling underwhelmed. Charged £2.50 for bread we had to ask for to go with soup. Who doesnt provide bread with soup these days?...

Surroundings good .staff polite .could be more on the menu ...food good but small portions .if you want to see a show without traveling from a resterant this is the place to be ...on the expensive side .

We booked for 5.30 to give us plenty of time before the show. We had the 3 course- celeriac soup to start (bread only as an extra), salmon for a main course and ginger pudding and ice cream for desert. We had a glass of...

Well what can I say... The meal was served promptly and all three tasty courses were beautifully presented and served by extremely pleasant staff who were conscious of the fact that we had a show to see afterwards. Would happily return.

The restaurant is trying to be upmarket with a fine dining experience but I’m afraid it misses the mark. The restaurant itself is lovely and well appointed, the staff are extremely smartly dressed and obviously well trained. The lunch menu today was very limited, expensive...

Have dined here on a few occasions (lunch and dinner) and have always been most impressed. VG menus and wine list, and very attentive service. Food always beautifully presented, invariably delicious and excellent value. Combined with a show in the CFT or Minerva Theatre, what...

Had eaten in The Brasserie 2 weeks earlier and found the service and menu much better than the Bar & Grill. The food was OK had the soup to start which was meant to be spicy which is definitely wasn't and lacked any form of...

We visited a few years ago and were disappointed, but thought we should try again. Most disappointing. I had a "hickory sirloin steak" which was very dry and flavourless. We won't rush back. Just cannot understand why such a good theatre persist with such poor...

Called in at no notice 2 hours before performance at Festival Theatre opposite. Obviously a popular place. Service by young waiting staff was first class and food was very reasonable.

We had a lovely pre theatre dinner, good food and service. A relaxed way to eat before a performance.

The food is average but the convenience of the restaurant and the quick service make this an obvious choice for a theatre visit. The downstairs Brasserie has a different menu from the upstairs grill.

Six of us sat down in the early evening to eat before a show at the main theatre. The service was excellent from friendly staff and we were all impressed by the quality and inventiveness of the range of the dishes served.

Convenient and speedy service at the theatre but often average food . If you have the time ..park your car and walk into town ..10-15 mins to one of chichester’s decent restaurants

This is a regular stop off for my wife and I before a theatre performance and once again we thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. The place was buzzing but even so the service was excellent and the food and drinks were too.

Having eaten in The Minerva Bar and Grill a couple of times in the summer when the food was good, some light choice of menu, well presented, we were naturally looking forward to the same standard of food the other evening. Sadly this was not...

We were away for a birthday weekend and wanted to make sure we had a good dinner before the show. The Bar and Grill was a great choice. Lovely food and genuinely superfast service meant we were in our seats with none of the fuss...

There are two restaurants here. Downstairs is the Brasserie and upstairs is the Grill. The menus are slightly different. The food passes muster but the real reason for eating here is proximity to the theatres. It’s an efficient process and most convenient.

Great place for a pre theatre meal with a reasonable menu and wine selection. Service quick by pleasant staff

We had not booked as we were going to look around for.somewhere to have supper but having parked and having had a good meal on our last visit to the theatre decided to try our luck. We were found a nice table in the pleasant...

Four of us ate here before going to see Copenhagen. Staff were excellent and allowed us to take drinks outside so we could enjoy the last of the sun. The sharing platter starters were superb. The mains (poached salmon, mojito chicken and a vegetarian) all...

We booked the restaurant as a pre-theatre birthday treat and were very disappointed. Plus points first: Buzzy atmosphere, attentive and pleasant staff and swift service. Downsides: The starters were very small and unappetising, in particular the Rabbit terrine was insipid and rubbery and the sardines...

We booked a pre-theatre table in the Brasserie restaurant, not the bar and grill -- necessary to ensure a table is available. They are geared up to finish everyone's meal before the theatre starts at 7.30. The staff are mainly young students, but very helpful...

This is a lovely place to have lunch before a show. There are friendly staff, nice decor, calm ambiance, and tasty food. There wasn't a large variety of options, but I was immensely satisfied with the tomato soup, which I found very delicious.

Efficient yet welcoming service, food was excellent and beautifully presented and very pleasant surroundings.

Efficient staff who looked and were the part. Superb wine. Food very good and although limited menu able to mix and match. Relaxed but classy atmosphere and decor.

You have to book as the brasserie gets very busy pre theatre. They do nice gins- always a good choice. I had the sea bass which was over cooked but tasted ok. And we finished with a cheese plate of local cheeses which was nice.

Came here for a birthday treat for my dad. Food was absolutely marvellous, barring the vegan main for one member of our party - which wasn't vegan because there was halloumi on it, so that was changed and she was satisfied with the alternative. The...

The Minerva restaurant is adjacent to the Chichester Festival theatre. Friends I went with had eaten there before and recommended it. It did not disappoint. The food was excellent - lovely soft Sussex lamb well presented and a sardine starter, also very tasty. Just the...

Surprisingly we managed to get a table here without booking, prior to seeing Me and My Girl. However when we looked through the menu there was very little that was dairy free and the chef's solution was to leave out the sauce for my chosen...

Good service, good food, with limited choice due to need to get service over before the performance.

Had low expectations but the fare is surprisingly good! Even the sardine appetizer was well prepared and tasty. The only thing the location could use is less cucumber water and some more air flow as it can get rather hot during a sunny day. Had...

A smooth operation - we were served by a delightful student. The limited menu gave us plenty of choice and the meal was a perfect prelude to the play.

Came here for dinner before seeing a play. Very impressed. Staff friendly and helpful. Food was served quickly and was very well presented. I had the salmon which was delicious and my friends had the chicken which was also very good. The bar was very...

Good food and not too unexpected price considering the location. Food served by charming staff. 2 courses fine for us. Smoked haddock and an asparagus and artichoke tart. Eton Tidy (parfait type) and Pimms sorbet. Out in plenty of time for the performance. Perfect

Three of us booked dinner before attending a play. The atmosphere was great and our table by the window was very inviting. Service was friendly and warm. The menu was seasonal and very pleasant to read! Dishes were described well and all were very inviting....

We had previously eaten at The Brasserie downstairs, so decided to give The Minerva a go. Not sure if this is meant to be ‘posher’ but seemed pretty much on a par to us. Again, great food..we both had grilled radicchio with air dried ham...

We decided to eat at 'The Minerva Brassiere' more so for its convenience due to the inclement weather. We had not booked but were able to be accommodated. My partner and I opted for the 2 course option and quite frankly the food was awful....

We failed to book for a preshow supper but were found a table but informed that we would not be able to have 3 courses. In fact we just ordered a main each, a glass of wine and a beer. The food was excellent, the...

We have eaten here at each theatre visit for some time. Its strength is its convenience for theatregoers. The restaurant is pleasant and airy and the service good if a little too prompt. The food is extremely average and significantly overpriced. Clever presentation makes it...

There are a number of places to eat and drink at the Festival Theatre. The Minerva Brasserie provides mainly food but is an ideal place just for a drink - perhaps to meet friends. On the first floor, I t’s slightly removed from the crowds...

We thought we try a quick pre-theatre supper before seeing Present Laughter. The service was great, attentive and swift. We liked the sharing vegetarian platter to start and the deserts were interesting and well worth a try!

I wrote a review recently for the minerva restaurant in which I was very disappointed. However eating at the Minerva grill (upstairs) was a much better meal altogether. The food was good and hot! Very quick service and of course very convenient for the theatre...

I have been here twice recently for a gin tasting and also a wine tasting. The main theatre is closed at the moment, so the restaurant is putting on events such as these tastings. It was such fun, and I learnt a lot. We had...

Went to celebrate my birthday before a play. The food was awful, Style is Over substance. I can only think that they need to get a lot,of,food,out at,the same time before,the play starts, and that they mostly feed the over 70's , because the food...

My husband and I came here before going to the theatre and were impressed with the speed of service . Dishes came to the table about five minutes after ordering . Food wasn't too hot which for me is a good sign as it means...

The service here is really slick. It's down to a fine art. Booking essential at peak times e.g. Saturday night. The menu changes with each new major show and they offer nice seasonal meals. Right now the sardine starter is splendid. It takes the hassle...

The restraunt is nice and very convenient for the theatre. The service was very quick and efficient. However the food was way below standard. Firstly it was not hot and didn't live up to expectations given the high price. Portions were very small, the coffee...

Not an intimate restaurant, but perfect for a light meal before attending the theatre. Quick and friendly service, tasty food, well presented.

Very reasonable prices two courses for about £26 ,good service and nice atmosphere and the best part just a short stroll across to the theatre

Excellent food with service to match, good choice of cuisine and lovely ambiance. Easy parking, would go with friends and for business.

After many visits to the CFTheatre we decided as a party of 3 to book the Minerva brasserie in preference to the main restaurant as the menu choice attracted our attention on a previous matinee visit ; Welcome , atmosphere & table - all good...

We had dinner here last night before a show in The Minerva Theatre. I had read the reviews and they were pretty mixed but we thought we would give it a try anyway. The setting is nice and the staff were prompt and helpful but...

Came here for lunch before the matinee. Lots of families with children and a lovely festive feel. Our waiters were all charming and service was pleasant and efficient ; however, the food was unremarkable. The menu descriptions sounded much better than what we were actually...

Friendly and relaxing, would happily recommend this restaurant as a convenient place to enjoy a pre-theatre meal. My wife and I enjoyed halloumi and aubergine curry, served by attentive and efficient staff.

Two bowls of lukewarm soup, three small pieces of bread (to share between us) and two white wine spritzers prior to seeing a matinee at the theatre set us back almost £32 (for two)! I felt really ripped off, especially when my friend and I...

We had 2 hours to eat between the second and third Norman Conquests (Ayckbourn) and dining at the theatre seemed a good idea - also one of our party had her birthday on the day and treated us to a bottle of English "champagne" which...

This was our second visit this year and we certainly weren't disappointed. We were served by Archie, who made the experience all the best by his friendly attitude, he was an asset to the place. The menu was great and we had a lovely meal...

The deal here is that you eat very early and finish your meal in good time for the show at 7.30 p.m. Everything is either cold, pre-plated, or heated airline style having been prepared in advance. It's a military operation, and priority is given to...

We tried the restaurant for the first time prior to going to the theatre. The lively atmosphere was a good start, embellished by the excellent food and service. We both had starters , me the ham hock and chicken terrine, my wife the sardine. For...

We dined in the Brasserie before going to a play in the theatre. This place is designed to get you into the show on time, or with time to spare. The service is slick, dishes arrive within minutes of ordering and are artistically presented ....

Excellent choices on a professionally short menu. The food was delicious. First rate and attentive service by formally dressed staff. Busy and enjoyable ambience created by the expectant diners before one of a short run of totally sold out shows. Comfortable cushioned seating with either...

Dined here for a pre-theatre dinner, and I was glad I booked as the place was full. Given the limited time before the show started and the number of covers, service was frenetic although the staff were very pleasant and polite. Not sure about their...

Perhaps it was a bad day! As our bill arrived there was an emergency evacuation of the building (reason unknown) so who knows what was going on behind the scenes at lunch time yesterday. The food was very expensive for what it was. The "home-smoked...

The service here is really slick. It's down to a fine art. Booking essential at peak times e.g. Saturday night. The menu changes with each new major show and they offer nice seasonal meals. Right now the sardine starter is splendid. It takes the hassle...

Booked a table before attending the theatre. The food was very good, well cooked and tasty. The menu was a bit limited, not a big choice. Also a bit on the expensive side, as was the drinks. If you add the cost of theatre tickets,...

On an evening visit booked in easily on line for a pre theatre dinner. Very good value, excellent service and food range of main course dishes. Desserts could do with some work, but there is delicious ice cream for the interval. Impressive selection of gins....

Very pleased that we booked online as the restaurant situated alongside the Theatre became very busy. Very pleasant service, a good choice for vegetarians and vegans our order was delivered promptly and with aplomb, yes, it was that good. Excellent food and drink added to...

Quite a small menu, but not difficult to find something you'd like. The smoked salmon starter was delicious, as was the chicken for the main course. Didn't have time for a pud as theatre beckoned. Staff were efficient and smiling. Comfortable chairs and atmosphere, and...

Arrived at 5.45pm for pre theatre dinner without a reservation but were quickly seated on delightful patio (with heaters). Service was slick and professional. Food was good but not great. Portions were tiny.

The Restaurant has had a refurbishment since last year but it still has the same basis things. I guess if it isn't not broke don't fix it. There is a reasonable choice of food and drink but whereas I am pretty sure that it was...

Very efficient and well managed brasserie. The staff are welcoming and polite. The menu, although not extensive, has a good range of dishes, enabling you to either just have something simple like a starter and dessert or something more substantial. The seating and ambiance are...

It was very interesting reading previous reviews before writing mine and have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed our pre theatre meal at the completely booked out Minerva last night. As usual, the staff were very welcoming and helpful (if you don't appreciate a friendly...

Four of us for a pre theatre dinner. A number of complaints about food and service which would be boring to list, summarised as follows:- Menu uninspiring, service haphazard, we had to chase them up on three occasions, food indifferent, temperature of food warm at...

Having eaten at the Minerva for the first time last year and been pleasantly surprised - good meals, decent portions, nice environment - overall reasonable value for money, returned last Wednesday with my husband (who needed some convincing as he is very cynical about theatre...

We were excited to be eating at the Minerva before seeing Fiddler on the Roof last night. However, our excitement was short lived. Whilst the service and staff were lovely and efficient, sadly the food was a let down. The pate was strangely served without...

We did anticipate a good meal in the evening as chichester theatre is exemplary in all other aspects. What we received was a dreadful, over priced meal which was dry, tasteless and very disappointing. The staff were brilliant and the ambience good but if you...

Massively disappointed with the Brasserie on our first, and last, visit. The service was good and the atmosphere very pleasant but my main course looked distinctly unappetising on arrival. Sadly it lived up to expectations - the beef was dry and the rice tasteless. Fortunately...

We arrived at 12.45 for lunch, we were able to park on a Saturday at that time, and we were in good time for the 2.30 performance. Not an extensive menu, the same as shown as a sample menu on the website. We had the...

My wife and I usually enjoy a meal here before going to the show on at the theatre but on this occasion we were let down by poor, robotic, service. After being seated our waitress did not return to take a drink order and we...

Having eagerly looked forward to a meal with friends before seeing the truly amazing production of 'Fiddler in The Roof', I was so disappointed with the taste, quality and portion size of my two course meal for £20.00. My pork was dry and the puréed...

Having reviewed this last year and were disappointed, we had heard that it had changed hands again so decided to give it another go. Once again, it did not live up to expectations. Two courses were over £20. I had a pate, which was minute....

Visited The Brasserie for a meal before seeing Fiddler on the Roof, a 70th Birthday treat for my friend. Having recently been advised to follow a gluten free diet, I was somewhat dreading the usual limited choice offered when eating out. However, I was delighted...

We enjoyed a pleasant three-course meal for what turned out to be a wonderful evening at the first night of Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester Festival Theatre on 10th July 2017. I forgot to book a window table but the wonderfully efficient manager found...

I ate what was supposed to be lunch here today with a friend. We both ordered a fish dish as our main course from the set lunch menu, followed by a treacle tart type of pudding, plus a glass each of a New Zealand cabernet...

We had small lighter plates and they were good and reasonably priced The dish of the day was very expensive (£19) Throughout there was a strong feeling they were trying to get rid of us. I appreciate the need to help their guests get to...

Pre-theatre dining on a Saturday evening. The service was efficient and friendly but the food was distinctly average and, the desserts aside, lacking in flavour. At more than£25 a head for 3 courses we expected more and given that there are plenty of other restaurants...

Ate there for lunch in January and had the parsnip dumplings. Dry as bone, no sauce to speak of. Bland, bland, bland. Parents had fish which was dry and overcooked. The only salvation was our charming waiter who couldn't do enough to redeem the situation. Sadly, he was unable to change the menu or dishes. Seems like we weren't the only guests to complain about the dishes. Apparently, the chef does not take kindly to negative feedback, so staff are reluctant to tell him! How ridiculous. Come on folks, for the price you command, you can do MUCH better than this please. We've eaten there before and had a very pleasant meal.