OX Belfast in Belfast

Every single dish is not only fresh, beautiful and interesting but tastes amazing. Our second visit and even better than the last. Looking forward to another season for an excuse to visit again. The salt baked golden beetroot, pickled kohlrabi and tomato tea were particularly excellent in their dishes this time. Chapeau.

Food very good but the vibe a wee bit stuffy. Staff excellent but potentially a bit used to having to pander to people who want pandered to too much. It would be better if it was all a little more relaxed to let the food shine.

Had a lovely lunch here today. The people working here are so nice and attentive. The food is amazing we got the celeriac soup and then the duck and both were amazing. A really lovely spot for a special meal. Can’t wait to come back again!

Small cosy place serving good food within walking distance of the new Grand Central Belfast station. The three course menu options at the Lunch time was a great deal to try something from a Michelin star restaurant.

Simply the best restaurant on the island, second to none. If you're a foodie and hold an appreciation for fine wine this is the place you won't be disappointed

Strongly recommend this restaurant. If you are not a big wine fan, they have gone to the trouble to develop a fantastic non alcohol drink flight to go with the amazing tasty food. Will definitely return.

Low key, creative Michelin star restaurant in Belfast. Staff like Faith and Nick made the fine dining experience an outstanding evening to be remembered. Delicious,unusual dishes and wine pairings.

Excellent cosy place with a vegetarian menu on offer :)

Belfast? Bigfish, Titanic and THIS outstanding tasting menu.

We visited Ox to celebrate our 34th Wedding Anniversary on 17 Aug 2024. I find myself struggling to describe the restaurant, it is neither plain nor rustic in its appearance, but it isn’t what I expected for my first Michelin Star restaurant. I certainly don’t mean that in a bad way, but I guess I was imagining all white linen tablecloths and plush seating. What it was, was bright and airy, and the tables were generously spaced apart. The kitchen was open-plan (spotlessly clean of course) and on our arrival we could see the staff being briefed on the evening’s proceedings. We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table, before having the menu explained to us. We opted for the Discovery Wine Pairing to accompany the Summer Tasting Menu. Our evening at Ox from that point on was amazing. Each bite of the food was sensational, each mouthful bursting with freshness, and the flavour combinations were mind blowing. Each wine was presented and described and matched the dishes perfectly. The service throughout the evening was excellent, and without doubt the best I have ever experienced. This was a special treat for us, and the evening was magical. This wasn’t just a meal, and I don’t think I am being dramatic when I say it was more like going to a show. The service was perfectly choreographed, attentive, but not over-bearing or in any way false. The staff seemed genuinely happy to pass time chatting with the guests, which was lovely. The food was like an art exhibition, not only in taste, but also in colour and texture and of course in presentation. All in all, worth every penny, and highly recommended. I would like to personally thank everyone who worked to make our evening so special that evening, and an extra special thank you to James, Ozkan, Grace, Agnes, Tara and Matthew.

Absolutely amazing dining experience in the heart of Belfast, one of the best food and wine pairings I have experienced in a while. The decoration is a bit barren for my taste (I admit I am a Downton Abbey kinda girl), but the staff made more than up for it, every single staff member was efficient, knowledgable and flawlessly polite. Their homemade bread is the bestI have tasted outside of Germany. I loved it so much I will ring them and ask can i order some for home.delivery!

Honestly best service I’ve had, absolutely incredible food, relaxing but exciting atmosphere and a stunning location. Must visit and an experience not to be missed!

By some margin, the best restaurant in Belfast.

Was in the Ox Cave, great wee room and food, service was decent.

Great inventive food using local ingredients, lovely ambience. Recommended.

Staff were so friendly and food was amazing....atmosphere was so good well worth a visit.

Excellent, fully deserved Michelin star

Solid Michelin 1* resto with excellent dishes but the staff and service rate an even higher 2*. Even the printed menu provided at the end is very nice.

Food was very good but the main course of Cote du boeuf was a disappointment in what was a very good dinner.

Absolutely amazing. Friends told us to go here and we didn't even know what it was or even that they had a Michelin star. Top class food and service. Regardless of the fact that I was wearing a band tee and jeans and felt very underdressed 😂 Fair play guys, you deserve every success .

Beautiful bright interior with large windows. Open planned kitchen at the ground level with a mezzanine level over it. Lunch menu -2/3 courses. Had the additional course of the spring bites which was really amouse bouch but paid for , 2 items for £6- cheese profiteroles and the foie grae tartlet- latter was amazing , the former average. Bread was average with butter: standard pre-starter item. The starter of Crapaudine which was pulled meat of a Guinea fowl with a layer of rose film/layer over it with two amazing sauces- Apple green colour- beautiful tasting and looking dish. Mains of lamb was tiny- was on The gamey side with accompanied of two asparagus with a half boiled potatoes and couple of strands of grilled spring onion- good tasting dish but portion size too small. Desert of the honey cake with clove had a honey ice cream and some mead sauce- beautiful dish with a crispy disk. The petit four of fennel snap and pastle was average. Service was good other than when the menu arrived and it was only the long tasting menu! They should offer the lunch menu when. Providing the menu rather than diners having to ask for it. Please be more generous with main portioning.

Great experience, service was excellent and the food was delicious.

The food was delicious. The sommelier very friendly. Some of the waiting staff seemed very cold compared to previous experiences with the Northern Irish people.

One of the best restaurants in Ireland Lots of staff who are very friendly. Some street parking and off-road car parks are also in the area. It's a bit silly to say what is good to eat as the main event is a 7 course Sampling menu. Basically if they put it in front of you, eat it! It's all fabulous. Remember you get what you pay for and what you get is a gastronomic delight...

Four of us celebrated a 25th anniversary here on Saturday night and we were all massively disappointed by the overall experience. First off, I was disgusted that the first course was foie gras, which is disguised on their website as duck liver croustade. There’s no need to be serving this cruel dish at all. Every course was lukewarm or cold and none stood out as being delicious or memorable. The wine was massively overpriced and they apparently ran out of the cheapest bottle (£40) after 2 bottles so we were forced to get a more expensive one. At the end of the meal, the head waiter excitedly told us he had a huge surprise for us. We thought for a moment a family member was surprising us with something. But no, he came and handed us a copy of the menu. We couldn’t believe it - so pretentious and uncalled for. The bill came to almost £600 - In our opinion, £400 more than it was worth.

Amazing food, even to me as someone who isn't a huge fan of the tasting menu style, is to be expected with the reputation. However the service and warm welcome last December for a group of around 20 people from the team (especially a Polish lady whose name I forget sadly) was incredible.

Exceptional night dining on a reccomendation, and exemplary service and food. You cannot go wrong here, showcasing the very best of what Northern Ireland has to offer. James was a standout during our time and helped make it the experience it was. Cannot recommend enough and will be talking about it to everyone I come across.

Calm, peaceful, wonderful explanation of exquisite food and drink from start to finish. Went on recommendation and would go on yo recommend to any and every future diner looking for a personal, caring, but not obtrusive dining experience with a vast variety of carefully curated local produce and matched drinks

Very poor experience. My email of complaint, to which I received no response, summed it up: ‘I am writing to express my disappointment at last night’s experience at your restaurant. From the moment we arrived, when I was interrogated by the receptionist as to why there were only two of us in our party - not four (a genuine error when booking) - which involved me being invited to look at the screen at reception desk, we felt we were dealt with in a peremptory manner. Once seated, we were offered a drink which arrived promptly; before we were finished we had a wine poured and our hors d’oeuvres were put in front of us. This was followed by a further glass of wine being poured before we had had a chance to finish this appetiser course - we had three drinks on the table at this point. I say ‘glass’ of wine, as it was barely a sample measure - as it was throughout the supposed pairing. One course arrived virtually on top of the next, and we felt that we were being rushed through - until the final two dessert courses which took 45 mins. We did mention our disappointment to the manager on the night, and he did offer us a free cocktail - as some form of compensation presumably - but when paying £365 for both the food and experience this was inadequate. As this was my wife’s birthday dinner, this was particularly disappointing.’ Anyway; we had been to Blank on the Malone Road in January - much superior experience (food, wine pairing, service) all round for a very similar price.

Wonderful service from OX team, and food was very good! Highly recommend.

As per usual the food and service was good though I have had better tasting menus in here before. - Unfortunately the wine paring was way of par. to many below average wines from Eastern Europe, which has left us with a sour taste in our mouth, excuse the pun 😂

Not cheap by any means but you get what you pay for. Fabulous food and service

Expectations were high before coming to OX. Obviously with it being a Michelin star restaurant we were expecting exceptional food, wines and service. The team at OX did not disappoint.

Fantastic food, service, atmosphere, attention to detail and general flow of the evening. One of the top spots to dine in Belfast

Fantastic tasting menu, original and different whilst still being focussed on the food. Service and atmosphere great

This was an great experience. The food was beautiful. The service was amazing. The atmosphere was great. Dont go there to be fed, go there to learn and taste delicious food... I was a small bit hungry and the end but I really enjoyed the experience..

The OX restaurant is a Mitchell class restaurant. It's food, wine and service is top class.

I have been to several Michelin star restaurants, but I have to say this is up there with the best I have been to. The attention to detail from the waiters to the chefs was outstanding. They all made us feel comfortable, relaxed and had fun! Wine pairing is a must! Thank you for being the highlight of our day!

Fantastic staff. Decor could improve.

In all honesty the atmosphere and services was absolutely perfect. We started on the bad foot as our sourdough bread was not baked enough. It was wet, sticky on the inside and burnt on outside. We have the 6 course paired with alcohol and a non alcoholic wine. The non alcoholic was a hit and miss but I am giving them the credit for trying.The food was well presented but the taste was not up there with rest of star restaurants we have visited . We will never go back and as far as we are concerned it was not worth the trip . Disappointed really .

Been wanting to go here for so long but it has always been booked up anytime we were up in Belfast. But finally got to go last week! It was a fabulous experience from start to finish. I love not knowing what taste experience was coming next. Wonderful food & presentation. We had a brilliant server who talked us through everything and was so friendly. Highly recommend.

Michelin Starred and definitely Michelin star worth. Extreme attention to detail, absolutely wowed by the ice casing our wine was served in. Most beautiful dishes and remarkable service. This restaurant offers a changing tasting menu from which some of the highlights were the scallop served with a squid ink tuile, venison tartare and the main course filet. Definitely one of the very top recommendations in Belfast.

Everything was perfect! What more can one say?

This was the most amazing experience. Nick, the sommelier, I cannot say how fantastic he was. The food was outstanding and the service was even more amazing. We had the best night and we cannot wait to come back

Absolutely first class experience for the second time. Enjoyed the tasting menu/wine pairings with my partner. She had the non alcoholic pairing as she’s pregnant; the staff were very attentive to her and made her night. Thank you. The food was sublime, the dark chocolate and katamala olive petit four was unlike anything I have ever tasted. The scallop and duck dishes were 11/10. The service and food are something to experience. Needless to say, see you all again soon.

Superb staff, amazing seasonal Irish sourced food .., Delicious wines with extensive menu . Cannot recommend highly enough . Thank you.. Will return when in fab Belfast.

Très bonne formule, cuisine inoubliable, service impeccable et sympathique.

Was a great spot, we had hired out the spot for a private corporate happy hour. Service was great!

Excellent top quality food, presentation and service.

Absolutely amazing restaurant. If you're in Belfast and you want a dining experience then this is the place to go. The dishes are perfect as are the staff. We have the taster menu and loved every course.

For those who want a short answer. I will start by saying a can’t recommend this place more and everything is fantastic. Having been lucky enough to be able to go to a number of nice restaurants including 2 and 3 Michelin star, I will say this has to be up there with some of the best food I have ever eaten. We had the tasting menu with fine wine parings and there was no showy, stuffy, unnecessary extras, things smoking that shouldn’t and trying to re invent the wheel. This was quality, local ingredients cooked to perfection. The simple scallop dish with chorizo, cheese foam and oyster leaf was one of, if not the, best scallop dish I have ever eaten. The cote du boeuf with wild garlic capers was a real treat and was so mouth-wateringly moreish. Whilst the food was amazing there was also the wine. This is THE best pairing I have had that I can remember. The wines were fantastic and complimented the food so well. A small mention to the staff too. Our waiters and waitresses were so lovely and helpful, aswell as being so incredibly attentive and knowledgable about the food themselves. I think they appreciated having two chefs to talk to about the food asking all sorts of questions, which they replied with fantastic knowledge and confidence. All in all, a fantastic trip and I couldn’t recommend it more. I really hope we are able to come back soon because it was just excellent in every way and I have told all of my friends and family about it already.

Lovely food and amazing pairing wine. Highly recommend!

This is the second time I have eaten at Ox and it is just exceptional. The food is just out of this world. But it is the staff that make this resteraunt special.

Wow - what a wonderful location. The service is outstanding, attentive and customer oriented. The food was a dream! Really reasoned combination of ingredients and unexpected well-fitting tastes mixed together. I loved the presentation of the white wine. Eating at the OX is an experience which you should enjoy with enough time and openess to different tasts. Thank you to the whole OX team for that experience.

Considering the Michelin star the understanding of food intolerances was diabolical. The waitress was especially rude referring to my kidney condition I have had my whole life which is treated with a low fat diet as “a diet that I was on”. It’s always difficult to eat out for me but they were made aware months in advance before eating at the restaurant as we were there for a wedding. They then proceeded to ask if oil and cheese had fat in followed by serving a salad with pine nuts in- which are extremely high in fat. They did not take it seriously at all. The apology was “ it was an oversight” which frankly isn’t good enough. Extremely disappointed.

Food was absolutely incredible- almost every dish was a 10/10 with great flavour and range. Deliciously enjoyable meal. We couldn’t help but feel the lights needed to be dimmed, maybe significantly, to create more ambience, it felt very bright which is not common in fine dining.

Fabulous lunch at Ox last friday in advance of seeing the Killers on Friday night. The food was a delight, an adventure all the way. Service was excellent from a pre-lunch drink next door in Cave all the way through to hand-written directions to the concert from one of the Ox team members! We loved it and will be back!

Exceptional food and service. Made our trip to Belfast really memorable.

Loved it all - From the little paper bag the bread arrives in to every plate each course arrives on - it's all wonderful and a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds - the team are great hosts, nothing is rushed - it's one of the most chilled dining experiences and I wasn't disappointed with any course - stand outs were the scallops and the lamb but I could have definitely drunk more of the tomato tea A very memorable meal in a wonderful city - hope to return soon - thank you

10/10 recommend. Love the vibe of this place, and it was a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Wonderful staff, exceptional experience.

There is not a single element of this restaurant that did not exceed expectations. Chef Stephen's dishes are conceptualised around the incredible local produce, and with working alongside the sommelier talents of Alain and Juan (and not forgetting James and his FOH team), we had the most unforgettable evening. Bravo, and thank you!

Outstanding. Food is wonderful, all locally sourced and attention to detail was superb. The price is also excellent comparative to similar restaurants. Atmosphere and service all excellent.

One of if not the best dinner in Belfast. Fantastic service & friendly staff. Excellent dishes. The perfect amount of food.

My husband and I were touring Ireland and planned several nice dinners, including a few that I had to book almost a year in advance. This place was our favorite. The food was excellent, but more than that, the atmosphere was relaxed and casual and FUN. Sometimes fine dining forgets that it is supposed to be fun above all and the Ox walked the line between exquisite, personalized service and a giggly, fun experience that made us feel very comfortable.

We dined at Michelin star restaurants in France and this elegantly understated restaurant was the BEST! Attention to all detail; engaging, knowledgeable team; superb food matched with wines of class.

Gorgeous lunch here, would highly recommend.

Definitely worth dinning at OX. Great food, service and atmosphere .

Outstanding food, amazing service! Fantastic experience overall.

Outstanding service, food and wine.

Absolutely unbelievable, it gets better each time we indulge 🤩👏

Left feeling underwhelmed, some of the dishes were very good but soo small, others were somewhat lacking taste and budget ingredients used in my opinion. I like fine dining, but I need to at least feel like I've had a meal after spending £100/head. Service was excellent but for the price, i definitely wont be back.

Good exquisite both in presentation and taste. Great selection of wines

Fantastic food and service. Tasting menu was really well balanced and seasonal. Well matched wine flight that was reasonably priced compared to some star restaurants we have been to. Unfortunately the acoustics were terrible in the dining area (we were upstairs on the mezzanine). It was a busy Saturday night, we kept having to ask the staff to staff to repeat the food descriptions and spent the evening shouting at each other across the table to hold a conversation. Some effort to manage the noise (we noted there were no soft furnishings in the decor) and it would have been 5 stars.

Dining experience as it should be. Fine food and drink, good unobtrusive service. I thought it a great birthday gift (my partner treated me).

Excellent service and lovely food - whilst menu may be short on choice the food was cooked and presented to perfection

Just an indescribable experience. We went for my partner’s birthday, and we had nothing but positive things to say. Impeccable service. The menu changes weekly, we kept a copy of our menu for the evening.

My wife and I have done a decent number of tasting menus and the spring menu at Ox has been one of our favorites. The first course, main, and desert were especially memorable. The asparagus and truffled soup with egg yolk was delicious. The wine pairing for this course was exceptional. I gave my compliments to the sommelier for this pairing especially. The lamb main was wonderful and Syrah pairing was also spot on. I'm accustomed to most tasting menus having tasty but predictable desserts but I will remember the dessert at Ox for a very long time. It was a baked brown sugar base with a lime ginger foam, over a coconut cream with shaved coconut. It also had a desert wine pairing which truly made the entire dish an experience. Every staff member we interacted with were very friendly and took a genuine interest in our enjoyment. This was a highlight of our visit to Ireland. I would be very happy to dine here again.

Best meal weve had in ages. Went for a belated celebration for my sister in laws 50th and it didnt disappoint.

We had a great experience at Ox. The service is incredibly, probably the best I've ever had in a restaurant. The food was good, absolutely love scallops and lamb courses. I was less fond of the dessert but I'm not much of a sweet tooth. It is expensive but nice for a special occasion.

To be frankly honest, this place is just okay. It definitely didn’t feel like a 1 star Michelin star restaurant. We arrived at the time of our reservation, but we were told that our table wasn’t ready and that we had to wait next door in their wine bar. We ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes. When looking at other table it seems to be their strategy to make you order from their wine bar as most tables were asked to wait. For the price of the restaurant and the length of the experience, you definitely don’t want to be waiting next door for an extra 20 minutes. The staff was extremely kind and attentive. They took great care of us. But the whole service is very very slow. You often have to wait 15 minutes between two courses. Often they fill your glass with the wine from the wine experience but then only bring the dish 10/15 minutes after, so it’s generally very slow. The whole experience lasted around 2h30 for just a six courses menu. Then when it comes to the food, it wasn’t the quality and complex you would expect from a one star restaurant. The courses are not very refined or researched and are quite basic. One of the course was literally a piece of Brie cheese rolled into a slice of beetroot, that’s it, it really felt like a bit of a joke. Generally the food is good, but not exceptional and not worth 80£. It lacked the excitement of having many flavours together and the curiosity of trying to figure out what you are eating. The bread was cold. The dishes were simple and not complex. Finally for a tasting menu, the portions were way too small, we came out still hungry out of the restaurant. The matching wines tasted amazing but the glasses were quite small. The place definitely has a great potential but it needs more to be worthy of a one star Michelin restaurant.

Incredible food, with some of the best food/wine pairings I’ve had — I really enjoyed the way they enhanced each dish. Great service and pretty, minimalist atmosphere. Definitely will return next time I’m in town!

Had a great tasting menu experience yesterday. Amazing food. Great service. We had the Greek wine which was great with dinner. The only downside of the evening was the very loud noise in the dining room and the waiters running around all evening. It just feels chaotic when it doesn’t need to be.

Wonderful experience. Amazing food.

Amazing restaurant. Staff knowledgeable and attentive. I have been a number of times and certainly will be back again.

Every time I come to Belfast I go to the OX Cave. I like to stay there for a few hours and enjoy the tasting menu. The service is exceptional and the manager, Mrs. Marta, has always proved to be very competent in proposing the right wines in combination with the food, revealing not only in-depth knowledge of the characteristics of the wines, but also of the menu offered. Beyond this, Mrs. Marta manages the place in a commendable way. Everything is perfect! Nowadays it is not easy to find such a capable and professional person. I conclude by congratulating all the staff.

This review is based on the Michelin star. There was a huge amount of effort in the presentation of the food. It was magnificent. However, on a few of the dishes the flavour wasn't really apparent. The service was on another level. Pure class. I love people who are passionate for their job and the folks at Ox know their food and drink.

Visited the wine bar component of Ox. Great selection, priced a bit higher than market prices (to be expected) but great quality. If not eating at the restaurant, you'll have to purchase food due to licensing.

What can I say? Popped in for a post court celebratory lunch, all fantastic! Congratulations to Stephen, Alain, Marta, Axel, Maria to name most! Good, wines, service and names! all memorable!

Ox rightfully stands as a pinnacle of fine dining in Northern Ireland with a menu that delights and inspires! When visiting Ox I would most definitely advise ordering the tasting menu to ensure you get the most out of your visit. We ordered the winter tasting menu and the culinary journey it sent us on was second to none. Standout dish was most definitely the beef frankly left us dumbfounded. Ox maintains its high standards not only in its food but also in its service with some incredibly helpful and friendly staff always on hand to assist you. If you are in Belfast and find a this place has an opening, you would be mad not to grasp that opportunity!

Fantastic food and service. Some sound deadening would make conversation easier.

Following Michelin’s recommendation, this restaurant offers the pleasure from the service to cuisine. I tried their lunch course which is great and flavorful especially dessert. The starter is a soup with foam-like sensation. The staff is so talented at persuading and recommending. Recommended if you visit Belfast to experience something impressive. it’s full very quickly so reservation is a must.

Detailed and exquisite food with excellent service and attention. First time but not the last.

Absolutely wonderful food served in a relaxed but elegant space, with friendly and attentive service which made us adults and our young teenage children feel equally welcome. The tasting menu was great value for both the quality of cooking and service on offer - thank you for a fantastic afternoon.

This place never disappoints. I've had the tasting menu on a couple of occasions and the food is always creative and combinations that you wouldn't necessarily think would work. I'm looking forward to my next trip already!!

Excellent culinary experiences!

The food was good rather than exceptional here - some dishes under seasoned and a disappointing port sorbet that didn’t taste of anything. It was also a shame that our table was 15 mins late (no apology), and our waitress took great pains to explain that she would be our server for the evening before we were then served by 6 different people with a mixed grasp of the menu. The wine pairing was nice but not good value for money - two well chosen carafes would be my suggestion.

One of three restaurants in Belfast to hold a Michelin star, Ox is a dining delight. We opted for the 3 course lunch menu rather than the 7 course Tasting menu, which also offers optional wine pairing. We were greeted by James, who ensured an attentive but not intrusive, seamless front of house experience. Ox Somelier Nick provided expert advice as we opted for an excellent Vino Verde. I can only describe our food as sublime and before we reluctantly left, we made an evening reservation when we intend to explore the anticipated delights of Ox Tasting menu

This place is a fantastic lunch spot. Wonderful food, presentation, top-notch service.

Can't recommend this place highly enough. We ate there for the 1st time last night. The tasting menu is world-class and exceptionally good value. Would also like to comend their head waiter / sommelier - nick, a true professional. For anyone planning the ideal night out in Belfast - book yourself into the cocktail bar at the merchant for pre dinner drinks followed by the tasting menu at ox and you won't put a foot wrong....

Been to more than my share of top rated restaurants. This is as good or better than most of them. Very few places can pay homage to the ingredients the way they do here. If you read the menu or try to describe the dishes, words feel trite and insufficient. This place is worth many many visits.