Percy French in Down

Went here during my hotel stay with a relative on the 28th March. Booked in at the door. Food was exquisite. Full of flavour, every bite was like fireworks in the mouth. Would have actually went for seconds if I wasn't full, it was that good in my opinion. But my main course (portion size), I could barely eat my dessert - my belly was full by the time I paid and went out the Percy French door! :) Would eat here again, one million percent. Thanks for having me Percy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We have enjoyed eating at the Percy French for many years, unfortunately it has gone dramatically downhill. While in Newcastle today we called in for lunch. We were seated straight away as only a third of tables were occupied. That was the last we saw of any staff member. 10 minutes past and not even a drinks order had been taken. I went to the bar myself ,gave our order, told them were we were sitting and waited and waited ,still no sign of anyone to take our order and still no drinks. Got fed up and left. There was plenty of staff and most definitely not busy. When I told the staff member we were leaving and why they really didn't care. Will not be back.

Amy and Aisling were grand servers! Our family enjoyed the time we spent there and will certainly come back when we visit Ireland again.

We haven't been to the Percy French in years because it had gone down hill in service and food but thankfully we decided to try it this week and loved it. Very nicely decorated in beautiful old style attire. Service was good but sadly we waited for ever for our food, far too long for any restaurant which kind of put us off. Once we got our food it was good but the experience was kind of dampened by the wait. Over all 7/10 only because of the length of wait time.

We were very disappointed with the ambience of the new layout since refurbishment. It seems if you don't have a dog you don't matter.

I used to love going to the Percy French but was disappointed at how they have renovated it recently & I feel it has lost its charm. The food was ok, very limited vegetarian options. They did offer us free wine to apologise for items on the main menu not being available & service was fine but sadly we won’t be back.

Disappointing dinner, there was an outside light flickering which was distracting and took away from the view as hard to look at! We asked for iced water got a warm bottle and no ice charged for the privilege but let it go, however menu was poor, food was Luke warm, too much lemon on tiny piece of fish, and on chicken, dessert menu extremely limited and not one of the 4 were nice., then automatic 10% surcharge for poor service when asked how was your meal and said poor no response and took the money !! Dont normally write reviews but for the cost and the quality would of been better going to KFC saving a packet and better food, steer clear I know we will in future ☹️

No bar staff,had to queue to get a drink,wait 10+min, toilets absolutely disgusting, 3 urinals completely blocked, floor completely soaking, health&safety would have u closed on the spot, 17/3/24,but still charge slive donard prices,ridiculous, staff done there best,not enough seats, regularly customer will be watching, things need to change, i will have no problem contacting h&s,get your act together, mickey!

Nice environment and friendly staff. The food was nice enough but definitely not worth the price. The 'marinated olives' were very disappointing.

lovely place with great views, food and drink is over priced. We had steaks which where fine nothing exceptional, our table was never cleared and no desert menu was offered, we paid the bill and left as we where fed up waiting. the restaurant was empty so no excuse for good service. Definitely over priced.

This is and was thee best dining experience I'd ever received. I had to rewrite this as my gender forms where not correct. The head waitress/supervisor was beyond incredible. The staff where so attentive and personable. The service was worthy of royalty. I've never in my life been treated with such grace. I will be back again. The singer was Insatiable. Beyond perfection. All the staff deserve to be reward for there service. As a restauranter I would count myself lucky to gave them

Food was outstanding as was the service and attention from staff. The building is starting to show signs of needing a refresher, especially noticeable if you've just come down from the hotel.

Would not recommend. Food very poor and tiny quantities for exorbitant prices. They charged us a huge tip as well when they deserved none. No forewarning about the new compulsory tipping system they introduced either. Used to be good a year or more ago. Not since take over by new owners

Would not recommend. Food very poor and tiny quantities for exorbitant prices. They charged us a huge tip as well when they deserved none. No forewarning about the new compulsory tipping system they introduced either. Used to be good a year or more ago until taken over by new owners, American I think.

The food was okay the burger was okay but the meat in it wasn't great and the muscles were a little over cooked. Disappointing menu selection.

Having visited this place a few years back without much enjoyment, we were unsure about returning. However, this time proved to be a pleasant surprise. Firstly, Chrissy and Amy provided exceptional service—friendly, personable, and attentive. We started off with great cocktails, followed by the honey chili chicken starters, which were excellent! For the main course, I opted for the recommended beef pie, which was very tasted, especially paired with the best red wine jus! My partner enjoyed his shorthorn burger as well. Sides were great! Thanks to a package deal through the Slieve Donard, we paid a reasonable £38 for the entire meal. Overall, we left impressed and would gladly return for another visit.

Along with a couple of friends, I had a wonderful experience here today. The service was warm, friendly and very helpful. The staff were great, very attentive but not constantly asking if everything is ok. The food is really very good. Atmosphere was good because a few others arrived for lunch while we were there. The food is a tad on the pricey side but it's what I'd expect for the Slieve Donard. We were easily able to pay our own part of the bill. I'd highly recommend this restaurant for lunch and I'm sure it's great for dinner too.

Excellent pub lunch with added flair and attentive friendly service

Visited The Percy French today. Ordered Caesar Salad with chicken It arrived with the waste Chicken skin from the rotisserie!!! When I asked the waitress “was this the chicken” she replied yes and spun off on her heel. A Short time later the American maitre D asked her was everything ok with our table… she mentioned the chicken and he shrugged his shoulders and made a hand gesture!!! They were both standing directly in front of us!! I am member of the spa at the Slieve Donard and I have defended both the service and the food on many occasions. This service is NOT what we Irish are renowned for at all. Really really disappointed!!!

Food, cocktails and service were perfect, couldn't fault at all. Only complaint was that the table for 2 was very small and barely suitable.

We had a lovely dinner on Saturday evening. The restaurant was immaculately clean. We were sat by the pass and could see into the kitchen and the chefs. Could not fault them or the kitchen. Staff were lovely. Attentive. Very polite and friendly. All without being over the top. Portions were a very hearty size. You definitely wouldn't leave hungry. The food was delicious. My chicken was very moist and not at all dry. My husbands chowder was delightful and his burger extremely tasty. My fish cakes were light and tasty. We were over visiting from England and staying at the Slieve Donnard hotel. The combination of the 2 venues in one grounds is a definite plus.

Would not recommend having a meal in Percy French Restaurant. We had a variety of dishes and none were good. Expensive for quality and presentation.

Beautiful Meal. We had starters &,, Main Course & Desserts We had a Bottle of Wine Not as Expensive as the Hotel Cosy Atmosphere Closed early we were last to leave Would come back Would recommend it

Arrived to our booked table for 4, Saturday evening, thinking as we were seated this newly renovated Percy French does look lovely! We haven't been in The Percy French for a few years so with the reputation of the new American management we expected great things. We were very disappointed! say that the staff were lovely and tried their best, but the food wasn't up to standard, the portions were small, and the prices most certainly were overpriced. We were asked a couple of times if we wanted still or sparkling water for the table, we then opted for still water, unaware until the bill came, a bottle cost £6! Why!!? We were not given an option of tap water which would have been acceptable. The last draw was when we got the bill it had a 10% service charge added, this is an American thing, but not here, we would always tip if the service etc is good, but that's the customers choice! All in all we won't return here, there are plenty of other better options in Newcastle to choose from, being a former local and a regular visitor to family and friends in Newcastle. I definitely cannot recommend The Percy French!

Had an amazing time at the Percy French. From the moment we walked in the staff were nothing but lovely. Myself and my partner were checked on multiple times, staff always ensuring we had a drink in hand, and food came out so quickly and was top quality. In particular Louise one of our servers was so friendly and made the whole experience. To top it off it was my birthday and they really made me and my partner feel so special during our visit. Food was outstanding, it is a bit pricier but in my opinion completely worth it. Will definitely be back. Big thank you to Louise for her kindness, I would come back solely for her service.

Lovely food. Great selection of food & drinks & a beautiful setting in front of the water. We were staying in the hotel & it was just a short dander away from it. Really recommend this restaurant 🙂

A bit quieter mid week but worth a visit.

Could not believe a Baileys Coffee was £11.50. This is the dearest I have paid anywhere

Had a great meal while listening to live music on a Friday night.

Food was amazing plenty of it reasonably priced was fairly busy staff were plesent A star from us thanks 😊

Way overpriced for what we got for lunch for 3 adults.

Friendly helpful knowledgeable staff & good food servived

We’d been here for lunch just before lockdown and it was a pleasant experience. This time the food was lovely and staff very pleasant and attentive. The thing that we object to is the hidden charges. We ordered drinks and were prompted twice about having some water for the table. We agreed but didn’t realise it wasn’t complimentary and at £6 I’m sorry we left at least half behind. The other surprise was that a 10% service charge was added. I worked in hospitality for decades and never came across service charge for lunch and evening meals for parties of 6 or over. We discovered after we left it stated this charge at bottom of menu but we never saw it. We also left a tip on table before paying. If we’d known of service charge which should go to waiting staff we’d never have left a tip. This experience has left a sour taste with us after a nice meal.

As locals nearing Xmas I took my mum for a pre Xmas dinner on a Tuesday 19th Dec, were told to 7pm was booked out and to come an hour early to...a very empty restaurant. Were strangely greeted by disheveled staff to a very tiny table barely big enough for 2 plates and not so we could even face each other. Customer comfort at the expense of maximising space. The selection was standard fare but as a chef I guess they could do just one thing well. After finally waiting for our order taken I had to try the steak medium rare as that's hard to do poorly. The small thing that came out was rare in parts. I told this to the staff but they just said they would tell the chef to do better. All in all it seemed disappointing that the lack of passion from anyone and everyone in the building. We did enjoy the view, outdoor decorations on the lawn and were happy to wave at the kids that came round on the Santa experience every 20 mins. As a Newcastle resident it was almost a decade since I had dishearteningly eaten there and I am happy to report the decor has improved dramatically, unfortunately it maybe another decade before I return if the experience is going to be similarly lack lustre.

Admittedly, I was a bit worried about coming here (it was included in our hotel package) after hearing reviews on and offline. I had absolutely nothing to be worried about. The staff were super friendly and the food was great. The atmosphere was a little lacking, but that’s not a massive deal. The steak was the star of the show and it was cooked to perfection and so unbelievably tender. The chunky chips were so crispy and the peppered sauce was lovely. My starter was the honey and soy chicken and it was full of flavour. The vegetables were so fresh. I’m a huge foodie - and I would definitely return to Percy French. Well done 👏🏻

Haven't been to the Percy French, Newcastle in years! Most disappointed in the decor, atmosphere and the extremely loud live music being played whilst having our meal, we couldn't even have have a conversation over dinner!! Will I be back?? NO!

Nice large gastropub but nothing exceptional. Served food similar to many other similar outlets in Northern Ireland. Friendly staff though and a bit pricey for what it is.

The food here was excellent, Live music, along with the attention to detail from the staff and a dog friendly location this deserves a 10/10. The medium rare steak request was cooked to perfection! Top marks to the chef. Thank you for a great night.

Fantastic atmosphere with a cozy fire for a lovely country feel. Staff are very friendly and attentive to customers and their needs. Top quality pub grub at a fair price. I have visited the Percy French on 5 different occasions and have never been disappointed with the food or the service

Not a lot of choice, but the food is nice. Lacks comfortable atmosphere.

Went for a meal yesterday starters was good but I ordered fish chips the whole plate of stuff came out dried up peas crispy tarter sauce crispy chip hard fish it must have been under hotplate while they were doing her pasta dish which was swimming in oil would not tell anybody to go there after my nightmare of getting bad food never again

Nice decor, pleasant staff, ordered the 8oz Wagyu beef burger with fries, it all tasted fine but the issue was the beef burger was hardly even a quarter pounder never mind 8oz !!! For £21 this meal was totally inadequate.

Dropped in for a booked 2 course evening meal. Amy met us and looked after us throughout the evening. Food was delicious and complementary glass of red as this was our wedding anniversary. 10 out of 10 for all aspects of our visit. Will be...

It was a pretty good experience. The food was great. However, customers were not allowed to sit near the window (with a great view) because they were low staffed and could not manage all the places coefficiently.

A wonderful meal with wonderful staff, Amy, Christine and another waitress who served us were all so courteous, kind and so attentive. The plates were cleared, husband says the best medium sirloin he's had in a very long time. Couldn't fault it whatsoever. Amazing job...

Decor was outdated. Wife chili beef was very dry and the side of rice was hard and dry. My rare sirloin was poorly seasoned and thus bland, however it was perfectly rare. It did not have much of a sear or crust either. One of the best things about any steak is the sear (caramelization), but this has none. They must have cooked it on a low temperature pan and did not use butter to enhance the flavour profile or any herds like rosemary, sage or garlic. My family found their food to be very lacking too. The staff seemed friendly, however forgetful, not remembering what I asked for on a few occasions. They also left the remaining 5 bottles of beers, along with all the empty glass bottle too which left us no room on the table. This shows a big lack of interest to accommodate customers and or care for their time and interest in their place of work. Overrated, overpriced and very underwhelming food. Not impressed. I really expected more from this place. What a shame after spending so much money here.

Gorgeous lunch stop on the beach in Newcastle. Don't forget to ask for and get your Game of Thrones Doors passport stamped!

Loved the new deco in the Percy French. We were welcomed by a lovely friendly girl called Casey. We order the soup which was warm not hot , bland and a weird pink colour. We were in a rush so we didn’t complain . Would return for the setting ,views , fires and friendly staff .

My sister and I were here for a delicious 😋 meal on 21st October. Our waiter was called Amy she was super friendly and had lovely manners. Nothing was a problem, I had gluten-free whiting fish with grilled chip with a portion of mushy peas homemade tarter sauce I like my dinner with plenty of moist so I asked for a portion of Gravy it was all unreal the taste of it was lovely and sweet. For pudding, I had the homemade summer berry trifle it was absolutely amazing. Two clean plates are always a good sign , My sister had the soup, it was a lentil chickpea, and for dinner Joanne had the salmon with baby boils and green asparagus and kale , everything was tasty the only thing was very poor lighting

My partner and I love to frequently go out for dinner and this place was such an amazing find. The food was absolutely delicious, the staff were so lovely and their service was impeccable. I couldn’t find one fault about the whole evening. The view of the sea with the huge open window was so breathtakingly amazing and a lovely added bonus. We will definitely come back again.

My family booked this restaurant more than a month in advance for my mother's 80th birthday. Clearly a very special occasion with family arriving from around the globe to celebrate the event! Only to be told upon our arrival that the table was not yet...

El personal es muy amable, nos recibieron con nuestro perro de una manera muy agradable. La sopa de lentejas es deliciosa al igual que el fish and chips, regresaría de nuevo.

Plus points for being dog-friendly. Live entertainment was good. Food was tasty enough but overpriced and portions arent actually generous. Service was mediocre.

Premises cold toilets are like stables you have to back into them Menu had not got a big choice and was very expensive Will not be back

Really disappointed with the sirloin steaks.. Ordered the £35 Sirloin Steak.. Received a Really thin cut steak that was definitely not what I was expecting.. Then they automatically add 10% to the bill ,, USA style.. You will not get away with this in N...

Service good but vegetarian option not great.

I ate at Percy French's restaurant during a recent stay at Slieve Donald. I asked for water and was brought a 750ml bottle of Tipperary Still for one person - costing £6 (€7 /$7.50). Three slices of bread cost £4 (€5/$5.50) - so £10 for...

This bar used to be a great place. They recently decorated but not great. Tables are all moved and not for the better of the bar! No more comfy seats! Prices through the roof. Very disappointing....£41 for 4 drinks?

My mum and I had a beautiful meal and experience here last night. We were staying in slieve donard for mums 60th birthday present and Ria our waitress was wonderful! From wishing mum a happy birthday when we came in to offering her a drink on the house she couldn't have been more attentive! We also got a table by the window overlooking newcastle beach and the sea. Mum got the vegan burger and i got the battered fish on Ria's recommendation and i have to say its the nicest battered fish I've ever tasted! The cocktails were beautiful too. Thank you very much to Ria and the rest of the staff serving us we will definitely be back!

Nestled in the grounds of the beautiful Slievedonard Hotel lies it’s outpost restaurant, Percy French. It’s just inside the entrance gates and, in all honesty, if it was lifted by a magical ‘air-crane’, placed on the the other side of the entrance, it would have...

The whole place needs a bit of an upgrade. Tired furniture and such a stunning location. The menu had only heavy large meals not really suited for a lunch time meal, unless customers took the starter options. Should offer sandwiches/lighter options.

Great place for the whole family with terrific views of the sea and Mourne mountains lots of indoor and outdoor seating. This place is home to a game of thrones door. We only stopped for a drink but very popular spot.

Absolute appalling service Staff totally uninterested in what they were doing No communication eye contact nothing A smile or a good evening wasn’t even in the thought process of the bar staff Really I don’t know why this should be allowed to happen especially if...

Food was just ok, service and bar staff were delightful. I would go back just for that but would try the food again just in case it was a one off.

Surrounding need updated, food just average, staff had really no interest in the customer service. A really bad experience

Do not visit. Called in for a nightcap. We ordered 4 Irish coffees. Could not believe how expensive. £11 each! Ridiculous. We will never return and recommend avoiding.

Always had fantastic Sunday lunches here but menu is now A la carte 7 days a week. I checked the menu before going to see if it would suit my parents and was happy with the variety and prices. However, on arrival, we were handed...

Percy French [Newcastle, Co Down] Not up to expectations The Percy French has undergone a £1m refit, but unfortunately, last Thursday 17 August 2023, I came away feeling down in the mouth and with a case of the blues. To start with let’s look at...

On holiday in the Mournes. Looked at menu on the Percy French FB page and we thought.. looks good we will go there and booked it. On arrival the table was dirty and extremely sticky. The menu arrived completely different to the one on FB...

Unfortunately was very disappointed with the afternoon tea we had at the weekend. The service was poor, no soup offered even though spoons on the table. No jam, butter or cream for the scones and we where never offered a second pot of tea, we had to ask. Overall the atmosphere was poor and did not have the elegant feel a afternoon tea should have, the quality of the food was also disappointing. Nothing like the service we received last year when we went. Unfortunately we would not recommend for the price (£35! A head) we paid. Hopefully it was an off day and things will change but we will be reluctant to return anytime soon. A shame as it has always been a lovely hotel.

Duty manager showed us to the table. The table had a bunch of crumbs at one side. The Manager swiped these away with her hand and covered the residue with the menu. We ordered 2 mains, fish and chips and Burger and chips along with a bottle of water. Both meals were dripping in grease and tasted foul. This cost £45.00. Have had much better in a cafe. Will never visit again.

Place does look alot better and cleaner ,food was pretty good but if I'm going to pay the prices I would expect portions to be bigger.I had the fish and chips very little food for the price.dont mind £55 for 2 lunches and 2 drinks but not when leaving hungry.

Place is pet friendly and that’s the bonus. Food is tasty and staff is nice. Floors and tables could be cleaner

For a pint of Guinness i enjoyed this place and the friendly service. Well kept place and comfortable. As for meals they looked nice passing by to other customers. Cant comment further as i wasnt in for a meal. Drinks have gone up in price.

Very chilled atmosphere, staff very efficient and friendly ,food was excellent . We could have sat there all day .

Delicious fresh food. Attentive Service and clean environment!

Have dined here before and found the menu great, but since the recent refurbishment they have updated (down graded) the menu. We ate as a party of 9 and all struggled to find a choice of meal that jumped out at us. Not worth the...

Was very disappointed ☹️ this was one of our favourite restaurants to vist. Waitresses were welcoming, found the menu very basic and didn’t really like the sounds of anything on it. So order sourdough and salted butter to start at £4 and 3 tiny places...

Ordered a gluten free chicken dinner , asked for baby boiled potatoes instead of fries (safer to be gf ) potatoes where sliced up and fryed ! Why i asked would you do that ! Staff said thats the way they are , i think...

Really disappointed overall. Arrived at 11.40, we asked when lunch was being served and told 12 pm 'fine, not a problem ' said us. We were told none of the premises are open until 12, so you have to leave and come back in 20...

This was one of our favorite places during our time in Northern Ireland. The view of the ocean and the seafood chowder were amazing.

Poor quality food vegetarian meal was tasteless place was dirty carpet dated and dirty, sticky tables. Eimear was a lovely waitress. Standards have dropped extremely.

Went for Sunday lunch 30 April. Very disappointed. Sunday lunch menu on website no longer available. Much more expensive option. Lamb was chewy. Mashed potatoes way too salty. Decor was Spartan, dining room more like a basic coffee shop. Seats not comfortable, no table cloths....

I cannot recommend this place enough. The staff were so accommodating for 2 soaking wet adults and one hound, from the minute we walked in. They lit the fire so we could dry off, and served us with a smile from start to finish. Compliments...

Food was excellent and well-priced. Staff were courteous and attentive. But.... Floor around our table had a lot of debris. Had to call staff to clean. Main issue... beautiful view spoiled by window "decorated" by birds and a loose cable. Surely this is a major...

The views are spectacular and the location is prime. The food and ambience is something very different. Not really flavorful, not nicely presented and the whole place needs some TLC urgently. The red carpet in one part of the dining room algae multiple bad stains,...

We had dinner here while staying at the Slieve Donard. It is a lovely restaurant. It has a beautiful view of the ocean. All of the dishes we had were very good, pasta, seafood. The dessert was exceptional, don't skip it. Service was OK.

Visited Sunday afternoon, they have no draft beer or Guinness as they ran out of gas. Asked for a Kilmegan cider, none of that either. Every table was dirty with empty glasses and bottles. Settled for two bottles of Peroni at £5 each. Rip off,...

Great start, very friendly, but starters cold, no chips or pepper sauce with main course which was ordered , under table covered in last customers food, no one seemed in charge so didn't complain because staff didn't seem to be guided

Warm friendly staff. Food is really really good. Try the fish and chips for a cost effective dinner. It was beautiful! Guinness is some of the best I've tried. Love this place !

Just back from staying in Slieve Donard hotel with my wife / 2 kids and had both evening meals at Percy Frenches during our stay. The staff were friendly, attentive & excellent with our young children too, nothing was too much trouble. The food was...

We’re do I start , 6 of us came in for a family meal. All I can say is outstanding. The atmosphere was amazing. Out waitress Louise was absolutely fabulous , she was so accommodating to all our needs as we couldn’t make our mind...

Went to restaurant for evening meal. Staff were friendly and helpful and the meal delicious. Atmosphere was warm and relaxed

We ate at the Inn twice during our visit the first meals was excellent, the second meal, I had fish and chips, we alright, the fish was little too greasy for my taste.

We have visited many times and always had a fantastic meal overlooking the sea. The food and service are excellent.

Lunchtime on New Year’s Day, but the restaurant wasn’t too busy when we arrived. It filled up, but never reached the really busy stage. Our waitress was Amy, who was friendly, pleasant & attentive, but it was so slow to get food. From ordering food...

We looked at the menu prior to arriving and had decided we wished to have brie followed by cod however we were disappointed to hear both of these dishes were unavailable. We weren’t seated at a great table - it was just through the door...

We booked Christmas day lunch and it was exceptional! The food and service was 1st class and we thoroughly enjoyed our day

Food & Service was absolutely fantastic. Decided to come into Percy French for a meal as we took the children up too see the beautiful decorations in the Slieve Donard hotel. Manager Chrissie squeezed us in for a meal as it was quite busy with...

Lovely food and amazing staff. Wonderful views across the bay too. Would've been good to see a few "light bites" or similar on the menu, but we were able to order a starter for a light lunch. The menu had plenty to choose from. The...