Reform restaurant in Lincoln

Booked for Mother's Day and told to pre order food . Table was 15 minutes late which wasn't an issue as we sat in the bar. Menus on the table which were different from the one we had pre ordered. Explained to the waitress and she took menus away. We were then told that 1 of the starters we'd pre ordered wasn't available, so why did we pre order🤷🏻‍♂️. Food came and one was tomato soup and not pea. I asked to see the manager and I explained we had pre ordered and her reply "why did you? As if it was somehow our fault. I then explained about the soup being wrong and she said " did you enjoy it and the reply was well yes. "Well that's fine then, abruptly" and walked off We were offered extra gravy that never came even after the secind time of asking. Food was ok but the Manger and her abrupt attitude put a dampener on the experience. It was a special occasion in such a lovely setting and it could have so easily have been a far better experience had the manger been apologetic and understanding. We used to eat here a lot but food deteriated so havn't tried it for several years. We won't be returning 😢

Ruined Valentine Evening... Visiting Lincoln, my wife and I booked this restaurant looking for something special. Reviews and menu and interaction beforehand all pointed to a good choice. The sharing starter was not as expected nor as described on the menu. "Cheese sharing sharer with bread rolls celery and apple". It came with the celery and apple (which had gone brown) and Le Rustique camembert (<£3 from Tesco - still in its wooden box and cloth wrapper and Le Rustique sticker). Bread rolls were four Jacobs Cream Crackers... (?). Not a bread roll in sight. We had to remind staff to bring our ordered bottle of wine, after it had been sitting on the bar for about 20 mins. (It seems staff weren't assigned to tables - so you were always dealing with different staff and also having to attract their attention to get anything). Things went exceptionally south when the main course arrived. Rack lamb for me; at best it was far from being cooked (my description of "uncooked" was not an exaggeration, and not challenged by the manager). It was tepid, the edge fat was un-rendered, and the meat was fully pink/red in the middle - some very slight colour around the edge. This was NOT rare or cooked "to the point", it was uncooked. Chicken and lobster pappardelle for my wife; the pasta was seriously overcooked and we had to hunt for any lobster (one rubbery piece was found). The only saving grace was that there was no argument from the manager that the service was unacceptable. We agreed to pay for our drinks and left (but even then - the final bill was far from being understandable in terms of the amounts and the way the deposit was refunded). It was clear that others in the restaurant that night were having the same issues - with a least two other couples leaving early with the manager again apologizing. One can only hope that there were staffing problems in the kitchen, and I do understand that Valentine's evening is kind of "off-season", but this is as far as I can remember, the worst dining experience I have had. Service staff, the last port of call to the customer, should never have been asked to serve what was served - perhaps inexperience could be at play, but nonetheless - this seems to be a hotel restaurant which "knows what it is doing" going by past reviews. I hope that they manage to work through these issues and get back to the level of service that previous reviews have indicated. For my part from our experience - I cannot, in any way, recommend this restaurant.

Lovely place to eat. Great service. The steak wasn't as good as previous visits.

We attended here for our extended family Christmas lunch.. To summarise our experience, it was dreadful, the worst food most of us had ever been served in our lives and we don’t say this lightly.. The soup was cold and most unpleasant to taste, the main courses were unbelievably microwaved food reconstituted turkey two soggy carrots and no “pigs in blankets” and so it went on and on with the serving staff havin to keep being apologetic.. The reform had our orders 2 months in advance and yet they didn’t have items of our order to serve us.. It was a disaster and ruined what would otherwise have been a very special occasion… It appears to me that on our visit there was no one on duty who could cook food or anyone with the ability to manage a restaurant..

We stayed at the castle hotel for 4 nights. We visit the restaurant once during are stay . The food we had was amazing, I had the Chicken Supreme and my husband had the Blade of Beef. Unfortunately this was the second choice for both of us as are first choice was not available. This was the same situation with the starter. Although the food was amazing I probably wouldn’t eat her again as the restaurant was cold which made it uncomfortable and the amount of food on the menu that was not available is a disappointment , it is such a shame as the restaurant is lovely and the staff amazing, it is just a few things that let it down.

We are fairly new to Lincoln and like to try all the different restaurants. When we first arrived The Reform restaurant was recommended to us. Our experience was fantastic. The place was buzzing, the staff were friendly and enthusiastic and the food was absolutely awesome. Our second visit a few months later was the same. It’s about a year since our last visit and we’re relieved to get a table as everywhere was heaving with pre Christmas excitement, and we hadn’t been able to get a table anywhere else at such short notice. During our hour and a bit there, we were one of 3 tables occupied. It was early so maybe this changed. Angel, the server was excellent, attentive, enthusiastic and efficient. Our meals were very disappointing. My soup was flavoursome, but lukewarm. We both had the ‘Christmas dinner’ which, again, was barely warm. The portion was very generous. Lots of very tender turkey, HEAPS of cabbage piled onto many (now soggy) potatoes, and a small pig in blanket. Why was the cabbage in a heap in the middle on top of what one assumes to have previously been, crispy roast potatoes? Why so much cabbage? We love Christmas dinner and this was our first of this year, it was, sadly, tasteless. Very bland, and verging on COLD!! Also, even though the situation didn’t affect us, our neighbouring table were aghast to discover that the deep fat fryer had broken so no chips, crispy onion rings or Wantons could be served. These things happen and it can take a while to remedy the problem but surely something temporary could have been arranged?

The worse dinner I had in Lincoln. I asked for a rocket salad with feta cheese and they gave me a salad with out rocket and feta. And when I told them they just said sorry and they charged me for it, totally disgrace. The service was really slow, we asked for drinks and they make more than 10 minutes to bring them to us. And for the food we waited more than 45 minutes. Totally disappointed. I'm chef myself and when I read the reviews I thought that is a good restaurant but it was the worse I had been to Lincoln. The table was old and the chairs uncomfortable.

Really disappointed, food wasnt great and one main came out with a long hair in it. Having had that replaced they said they would remove it from the bill but didnt, when questioned we were told that the waitress shouldnt have told us that. Had to get up and get drinks from the bar even though we were told they only did table service as the staff all vanished. Would suggest booking somewhere else at those prices there are better options,

Having had a lovely meal from the bar menu a couple of months ago, we were looking forward to a nice family Sunday lunch in the reform restaurant, oh my goodness what a disappointment ! To start with you CANNOT just order one course, Sunday lunch is set menu of either 2 or 3 courses. Our starters on the whole were ok, nothing to write home about but passable …. The mains ???? Only a choice of 4 items and only one of these being a roast …. Topside of beef …. Which I opted for, the beef was chewy and inedible , veg ok, Yorkshire pudding was so overdone it just all crumbled it was so overcooked, best part were the roasties but again nothing fantastic. For dessert I opted for lemon posset which was served in a glass with some ice cream and fruit, the ‘Possett’ was liquid and literary could be drank through a straw, I said to the waitress it should be more mousse like and she replied ‘ oh yes it should be it’s gone like that cos it’s been made too long ‘ needless to say I sent it back. A very disappointing visit , not cheap , no ambience , will not return.

Had an excellent light lunch sat outside. Fair prices. Would recommend

Nice quiet place to have a lovely meal, I would recommend

Absolutely the best restaurant currently in Lincoln. Why anyone would choose the marcco p restaurant over this one I do not know. We had 3 courses and every one was a fabulous immediate taste sensation. Please use this restaurant in the cathedral area. We don't want to loose a restaurant like this that changes their menu often, and appeals to all tastes. And the value is fantastic. The teriyaki chicken wings starter are the best I've had. The miso/sushi rice option was out of this world. The poached apricot and almond cake dessert was simply divine. My friend had different options bar the miso/sushi rice option and again blown away. This is not pub food but its not pretentious non impressive food either. Get booked!!

The table was booked in advance to celebrate my hubby’s daughter’s early retirement. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly on arrival. We were early so we sat and had a drink first and a catch up etc. Then Jimmy very kindly took us all to our table. A great choice on the menu, there was absolutely nothing I wouldn’t have eaten, it all sounded delicious! Hubby and I chose the fresh fish of the day which was Tuna, with crab and linguine with lemon etc we were absolutely blown away with the quality and flavours, we would definitely eat that again! Also, I forgot to mention the real ale (on draught) Black Sheep was really smooth and tasty. The service was great, we had Katy and Jimmy who were first class! The desserts were to ‘die for!’ We all had a very very excellent evening. Thank you to all the staff involved on this evening xxx

Absolutely stunning, very relaxed atmosphere, brilliant service and one of the best meals iv ever had will definitely be going back

This isn't somewhere I would typically choose to eat out, as a vegan, and it being predominantly a grill based restaurant. However, the rest of the family are meat eaters, and this place was chosen. It is disappointing in 2023 to see so few options and accommodations for vegan and vegetarianism. There were two dishes, one catering to each diet. The sides are all cooked in the same fat as meat, so if you're a vegan who avoids cross contamination, you will struggle to build your meal here, too. The cauliflower steak we had (my partner is also vegan) was well done and enjoyable, but also on the expensive side for what it is and to be a bit brutal, unoriginal. As a stand-out restaurant in Lincoln, I was expecting more. My only other comments are, the beer on draft is incredibly limited and the ale is served so cold, and the restaurant staff had to continually go to the kitchen to ask for details about the menu, which showed inexperience. Besides those things, I imagine this experience is spot on if you enjoy a steak, and two of our party did enjoy it for that reason.

We visited in March 2023, and I choose a steak (can't go wrong with a steak! ) when It arrived it looked great and tasted ok, but the meal was Luke warm at best.. I suspect it had been sitting on the pass whilst my wife's piping hot meal was assembled. I really do expect hot food to arrive hot.. especially in a restaurant with three couples in. I didn't complain whilst eating as my wife finds it all too embarrassing, I did mention it at the end of the meal and the lady was apologetic.

Had a lovely afternoon tea today at Reform. The table was set with pretty crockery and the cakes and savouries were delicious and good quality. The sausage rolls were so tasty. Lots of tea and refills. The service was excellent, we had two members of staff who looked after our table of 10, nothing was too much trouble for them. Would recommend if you are looking for an extra special afternoon tea in Lincoln.

Hadn’t visited here for several years and so when family came to town, 4 of us visited last Saturday. We arrived as requested before our 7.30 booking and were left standing in the reception area. It was suggested we get a drink from the bar which we were happy to do. The tables were cleared but were wet from spilt drinks, nevertheless we took one. The chaps ordered the drinks which were brought to the table and dumped on a tray for us to help ourselves to, again no attempt to wipe the table. 4 times we were asked if we had a booking to dine! At no point were menus offered for us to browse. Eventually 40 minutes late we were invited to the table. At no point was a coat rack pointed out or suggested. At the table we were hurried to make our menu choices. The food was EXCELLENT and the waitress in the restaurant was pleasant and friendly unlike the bar maid who was front of house. We were asked if we wanted dessert repeatedly by the bar maid who was now working in the restaurant. Eventually we said we would call them over if we wanted anything, this was met with a sigh. Clearly the kitchen wanted to close but we had been seated, placed our orders, ate our starters and main courses within 50 minutes. We went out for a pleasant meal not a fast meal. Given our meal was just short of £250 for that 50 minutes we didn’t feel obligated to rush and stayed to finish our wine before departing at 10 to go to another establishment, where we we warmly welcomed. I would also say that I am not a fan of mandatory service charges, this was 10%, but when added it should be clearer on the menu.

We've eaten in the Reform for years and lived the food We've eaten there until tonight. The owners has clearly cut back because until this meal, we always got a selection of different flavoured butters and a choice of bread type to start with which was a nice touch, it's gone. As it's close to Christmas I went for the turkey dinner with a side dish of sprouts and green beans. I received a dish of green beans and black cremated sprouts, I was at a loss as to why the chef let clearly burnt food leave the kitchen, I have to assume he thought we we're blind and our tast buds had failed. As I was eating my main course I sent the side dish back for a refund. After years if dining at the Reform this experience has put me off dining there again.

Came for works Xmas get together. Food was very good quality, but very, very small portions. Not enough bang for your buck I'm afraid

The food was very nice and would recommend for the food and the food alone. This comes with a big however: On arrival you are met by less than enthusiastic staff and throughout the 2 and half hours we where there the staffs enthusiasm did not get any better, they do not do coke on draft so you are kindly offered 2 bottles to make up a pint why would I spend £5 for 2 bottles of coke that nowhere near make up a pint?! We where left waiting 40 minutes from ordering our mains to its arrival at the table when the people who arrived ten minutes after us had theirs starters and finished them before our mains had even made an appearance. There was another half hour wait between ordering desert to its arrival, I was amused at one point as my wife like mint sauce on any meat (best not to argue on this), they had no mint sauce but they did manage to add mint that was not asked for to the “advertised” vanilla ice cream, if we had known there was mint in the icecream this wouldn’t have been ordered. I am not sure how they have the audacity to add a 10% service charge to the bill, I do wonder what service we paid for, the waiting staff where below average at best, not one smile cracked in the entire time we where there, not attentive to the table as we where not asked once if we required more drinks, and just overall slow service. In my eyes it wasn’t even that busy. The food was good though which is it only redeeming but I doubt I’ll return unless they sort out timings and get some happier waiting staff.

We stayed at the Hotel and were very pleased with the accommodation. We decided to try the restaurant on our last night there and left fairly promptly before eating anything. I'm not sure how it has the reputation it does; unless you love steak, the menu choice is fairly limited. We were shown through to the restaurant (doubles up as breakfast room) and sat at a table right next to a radiator. The gentleman behind me had to move his chair in so that I could sit down. The waitress disappeared and when she returned, I asked if we could move to a table less crowded and less hot and she advised that we couldn't sit at our table of choice because it was laid up ready for breakfast!! A strange thing to say to restaurant customers! breakfast was at least 12 hours away! We sat at another table. No atmosphere, no sign of a drink and not impressed with the menu. The waitress didn't know what came with a particular dish, went off to ask and never came back! After a fairly quick decision we basically left in search of somewhere else to eat. I think they were short staffed. The lady in the restaurant appeared to running front of house reception too. A shame.

Ordered a bottle of wine but never got told it was £63. On the wine menu it stated Chardonnay at just £23. Poor service……..

The restaurant has promotional material in the bar area boasting that it is the best restaurant in Lincolnshire. Warning bells rang when the front of house approached a table next to us in the bar and said “I’m sorry are you the seven o clock booking?” We lost track of time (it was 7.20). Our time came and we were told to follow but when we got into the dining room the person disappeared into the kitchen leaving us confused, a waitress took over and led us to our table. When we were asked if we were ready to order we ordered our wine and water as well as our meals. We had a short wait and received our starters but no wine or water. When the waitress came over she saw that we had finished our starters but we didn’t have the wine or water, she went to get it. She came back and said did I want to taste the wine and I said yes but I didn’t want red wine in a white wine glass. The waitress went to get two but came back and said that due to the restaurant being busy they had run out. However there were at least 4 tables vacant and customers were being served white wine in red wine glasses all night. While the waitress was away from the table I had a chance to look at the wine bottle, it was not the wine I had ordered it was French and not the Italian I had ordered. When we received our mains of steak and pepper corn sauce the FOH asked if I required ketchup!! For a restaurant that purports to be the best in Lincolnshire I feel they have fell very short of the standard

3 of us really enjoyed our Friday night meal, The room is well decorated and spacious and the serice was just right, always available but not intrusive. All of us enjoyed our meals & drinks but nobody could fit in a desert, the portions were huge. This impacted on our breakfast too as I think everybody could only manage a bit of fruit from the superb choice of hot, cold food & buffet selection. I should say that none of us are big eaters but if you are hungery this restaurant takes some beating!

Lovely warm welcome. Had a meal in the beautiful bailgate then back to the hotel bar the service was good and the staff engaging in banter. Room was clean and overlooked the cathedral, stunning. Breakfast was superb and once more the service was great. Fully recommend.

We booked afternoon tea about five months in advance for my daughter’s Graduation ceremony. We had the freedom of the restaurant and kicked off with a bottle of Prosecco. The table was set with lovely china cups and plates with some nice big teapots. The...

My wife and I stayed at the hotel in February 2022, and we visited the Reform Restaurant on one evening mid week. The staff in the hotel were all friendly and helpful, and it has a ”family run” feel to it. The food in the...

We had the most amazing evening. The food was incredible and so was the staff! We had three courses, and every single dish was done to perfection. And there was a really good choice of drinks too! What a lovely place, we will definitely go...

This is the second time we've dined at the Reform restaurant at the Castle Hotel. I have to tell you that the first meal was not a fluke. I can say with absolute certainty that the Chef here is first class, top notch, a maestro....

Food was okay. Some of it was only just warm. Service was pretty poor. Took our food to the wrong table, didn't ask if we wanted any sauces/condiments, didn't ask if we wanted another drink, took an hour to get our main course etc. Expected...

Brilliant menu. Really hard to decide what to order. We enjoyed all courses but when I asked my husband what was his favourite course. He said he found it difficult to choose. Goats cheese mouse was exceptional and the dark chocolate fondant with raspberry coulee...

Had an amazing meal here on a Saturday night. Have always been dubious as the hotel bar is always quiet but once we entered the restaurant it was busy which was lovely to see. The menu choice was excellent and the restaurant was clean and...

I cannot comment on the hotel rooms as we were only dining in the hotel’s restaurant REFORM. Food was mostly good but the dining room was so cold and uninviting. Some of the staff seemed inexperienced and didn’t have much knowledge of the food. There...

By far the best food in Lincoln having tried all the other 5 star are Michelin establishments. This beats them by a mile. Wonderful Service and great ambiance in the dining room. Best a la carte meal in Lincoln (from someone who’s lived in Lincolnshire...

Simple lunch turned into a special occasion thanks to really good food and great service. Relaxed atmosphere, nice space made for a really pleasant experience. Will go back again soon.

When I booked the hotel several months ago, I was looking forward to dining in the award winning Reform Restaurant. We were given the new menu, and I really couldn't find much I wanted to eat. In the end I had beetroot and goats cheese...

Thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The haddock in mustard butter was fabulous and perfect with asparagus in a light batter. The desserts were also delicious and the service top notch.

A very pleasant ambiance only adds to the imaginative food at The Reform which keeps us going back. The dishes are well put together and beautifully presented. The waiting staff are there, without being intrusive. We went on Saturday evening and were not rushed to...

Had a fabulous meal here. Delicious food and good wine list in a lovely environment and v friendly service. Reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

We went to Lincoln for an overnight stay recently and, having not been there for many years, we researched a restaurant online and came up with The Reform. We are so glad we did! This is truly an amazing restaurant. It is really hard to...

Absolutely beautiful, food was delish from the ribeye to the salted millionaire desert, nothing could be faulted, nothing to complain about, feel full satisfied and totally enjoyed every moment, not even hurries of the table (I hear some places give you a time limit!!!) Would...

Visited today for outside Sunday lunch. Initially several staff around. Ordered drinks and lunch arrived promptly. Nice meal. Heres the however. No-one checked see if the meal was ok or if more drinks etc. Our plates were still there 20+ minutes after we finished and we had to go inside to ask for the bill where 3 staff were sat about chatting and the 4th doing most of the work. She explained one of the 3 was a trainee so my thought is not a good example to set is it? She apologised very nicely even though it wasnt her fault the others couldnt be bothered. So sad to say 3 stars lunch was OK. The next table also had to go inside to ask for the bill.

We had been looking at different places to eat on a Saturday night and booked this restaurant in advance. The website confirmed that the menu had been changed due to covid restrictions but there was a good choice on the menu. We all enjoyed our meal and the service was great really friendly staff, it was the first night for one of the waitresses she seemed to be doing well and was really friendly and helpful when serving us.

Happened upon this restaurant as it was close to where we parked for our visit to Lincoln. Very impressed by quality of food, service and the safety measures. The menu is brief but included a good range of options.

A nice, uncomplicated and friendly hotel restaurant in the centre of the city, a short walk from the castle. Helpful and friendly staff, very nice food and a quiet atmosphere. All the staff wore masks and the whole place seemed very Covid secure. We enjoyed a very nice dinner. They had a shorter menu than they normally do, due to Covid, it was a bit complicated to work out what was a starter and what was a main but otherwise lovely.

The food on the afternoon tea was amazing, probably the best I’ve had and we were also given a lovely fruit smoothie which was an unexpected bonus. Unfortunately the service did not match up to the meal which was a shame. On arrival we were ignored by 2 members of staff whilst we were waiting. An acknowledgment would have been nice. Staff in the restaurant did seem very rushed and not attentive.

Very smart bar as you enter the hotel and pleasant staff show you through to paneled restaurant. Good food and drink. Only little niggle is staff keen for you to order. I like to have a drink before I eat.Nevertheless this is an excellent place to eat.

We wouldn’t of gone out if it wasn’t for celebrating my mother’s birthday as it was July 4th and the first night restaurants could open. The new normal was strange as nobody knew what to expect however service and food where delightful. Felt very safe and clearly the owners have thought hard how to manage this. Servers wearing masks when handling food, social distancing at other times. Tables well spaced out, no cutlery or menus on table on arrival and even though there was a limited menu, the blue cheese tart for starter and burger for main were beautiful. Can’t recommend it enough.

Fantastic Sunday lunch, the flavours in the food were excellent. Beautifully presented by friendly, well presented staff. Lovely restaurant and highly recommended

My mum and I visited the Reform bar for light lunch and we were incredibly impressed with the delicious food served. The portion sizes were excellent. I had the fish finger sandwich and my mum had the scampi and chips. I would highly recommend this restaurant to my friends and family.

Amazing meal! Cooked presented amazingly taste on each of the courses was perfect, had the beef and cod for mains and the mash that come with the beef was perfect! Husband had the cod and that just fell apart!! Well worth the money to go and will definately go back

We were looking forward to Christmas Day lunch at The Castle, having enjoyed eating there on several previous occasions. However,on the day, we couldn't have been more disappointed. It was worse than any Sunday lunch we'd had at any establishment. The roast turkey lunch consisted of one roast potato (no mashed potato available), no stuffing, no pigs in blankets but a sausage roll!!! and the smallest non inspiring selection of vegetables we've ever seen, green beens, sliced carrots and brussel sprouts! The Christmas pudding, was less a pudding, and more a slice about half an inch thick. Waiting 35 minutes for dessert to arrive probably can't be helped, but after being asked if we wanted it straight away,it was very frustrating to then be advised that there was a delay in the kitchen but we were nearly at the "top of the queue".Our experience of eating at your establishment on Christmas day was an utter disappointment on what should have been a special occasion for myself and my family.In response to my emailed complaint, Julia replied advising me that she would speak to the hotel owners and CHEF. To date, we haven't been furnished with a response or explanation from either party. A very dissapointed customer.

First of all we did try to contact the hotel several times and have been met with rude dismissive staff - I expect a similar response on here to other negative reviews which shows how bad the management are. The management for example David even in their emails admit they had not researched parts of our complaint, for example to see if we had ordered hot starters when we said they were cold. Also getting a snotty response from the owner asking why we needed her to contact us when she was on holiday when we were actually told by staff that the owners would be contacting us (confirmed in writing).However please be aware when booking Christmas Day lunch or perhaps other special occasions that several of the tables are NOT in the reform restaurant as advertised but in the lobby (or bar area as they said in response to our complaint even though it’s completely separate to the bar divided by a wall, directly next to the reception desk, in front of a welcome mat and the hotel front door and also a whole hallway, corridor and door away from the restaurant). The owners response seems the be that their contract is only to serve food - despite the location of it regardless of where you book. This is not correct and after contacting citizens advice they advised we were correct and confirmed that this purchase, or contract is governed by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which states that services must match the description supplied pre-contract, such as on the advert, itinerary, photos, or brochure for example. This means that the service should be carried out in a way which matches how it was described.We followed all the procedures advised and without success our only other option is small claims court which for a £240 bill this hotel can keep! Perhaps next Christmas they will extend out even further into their outdoor terrace in order to ‘utilise their space’ as quoted to us! Great hospitality for you! Here is my initial complaint to what I consider a typical modern day greedy venue trying to cash in on Christmas Day. I can include a photo where you can see the front door and welcome mat right in front of our table. We decided due to a change of circumstances this year in the family to bring our mum out for Christmas dinner. We decided after some extensive looking to book the Reform restaurant due to the good reviews and awards that it had. We booked in plenty of time (months in advance) so it wasn’t a last minute booking. When we arrived we were really excited, taking pictures by the giant bow on the hotel entrance etc. Unfortunately this is where our experience of excitement ended. On walking into the hotel we were advised our table was next to the reception desk and opposite the hotel entrance. Basically a pop up table in the hotel lobby. I immediately said that, we had booked the reform restaurant and therefore expected to be sat in the restaurant - at no time was there any mention of being in another area. The woman said oh well I will check but I think it’s full. There were two really large parties next door in the bar area part who left after 30 minutes meaning there was us and another party of three who were sat next to us. Before the lady had come back from checking and with no drinks as of yet our amuse bouche came which was really odd. It was also odd that our bread rolls had already been put on the tables before we arrived - I didn’t like the fact they were potentially just left out for a few hours and I certainly can’t imagine that’s normal practice. The waitress came back to say unfortunately there were no tables in the restaurant but that she would put music on and that it would feel festive. I explained we were in the lobby right by the entrance mat and right in full view of the front door. She explained it was the bar area but I completely disagree - people entering and leaving were hovering in this area and opening the door which made us really cold and paying for their bills at the desk only a few feet away. As we were complaining the table next to us had just sat down and after the waitress walked away said to us that they were thinking the same thing and that they were also extremely disappointed to be sat in the lobby, this was their first Christmas out in 40 years after loosing their husband/father earlier in 2019. Both of us were really upset and the only positive was that we really enjoyed having a joke about it with each other and the company. We had to explain that we had already pre ordered drinks. Two of our starters were stone cold. Our main was absolutely fine. But my mum was bought over cheese cutlery and we had to explain we didn’t order cheese and again go through and find our pre order to confirm this. When our desserts came the brûlées were served in soup bowls. I cannot express enough how disappointed we were - there was no offer to try and sympathise with us when we explained how we felt - the waitress actually laughed when we said about being in the lobby. Regardless of the quality of the meal which I was really surprised at how slapdash it was and how much like a chain restaurant it was despite us making sure we avoided those - the main disappointed here was how misled this lunch was. The website clearly is for lunch in the reform restaurant which is where we expected to be. We sat with cutlery being polished and general duties by the reception desk, freezing cold with absolutely zero atmosphere. The whole experience felt that the venue had decided to oversell Christmas rather than just accept the capacities it has in the restaurant - it wouldn’t have even been so bad if we were in the bar area and had been advised beforehand. We left quite frankly very upset and extremely disappointed in the experience. If it hadn’t been Christmas Day we would not have stayed and eaten but of course what other choice did we have. We had no choice but to pay our bill. We even moved our taxi forward an hour to be picked up and declined any tea or coffee to get home because we couldn’t wait to get out of the freezing cold lobby. What should have been a lovely lunch which great memories unfortunately turned out to be I would say the worse Christmas lunch experience we have ever had. I did explain that we do not like to leave without making our concerns clear before as I have myself worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years and I also do not believe in leaving reviews without first giving an establishment the opportunity to fix something but we wanted others to know and given some of the other reviews regarding management you are only ok here if you are happy with the food or service!

For my 40th bday celebration and a romantic evening together we chose Reform because reading the website it sounded like the perfect al a carte restaurant and ambience we were wanting. The food was very average and definitely not worth the money...random deep fried lamb...on a bed of lamb rather strange and not as described. And the desserts let the meal down too. Obviously we ate the meals as they were small and we didn't want to head out afterwards on an empty stomach. I mentioned to the waitress about the meal at the time but nothing done...i then wanted to chat to a manager at the end regarding the evening but instead 'she' let a poor very young waitress deal with the complaint. I felt this was bad management seems though the manager was in the vicinity and actually took the receipt out of my hand but wouldn't discuss the matter herself. They weren't going to offer any discounts but did eventually knock the desserts off which made the food more reasonably priced in comparison to its taste....Overall not the meal and atmosphere we were so looking forward too

The restaurant was lovely and the food excellent. We had a relaxed and enjoyable evening which was perfect for our family get together.

My granddaughter is at Lincoln University so wanted to take her and her partner to a good restaurant, after selecting a short list of 5, I opted for the Reform, the thing that swayed it was the linen tablecloths. On arrival we had a very warm welcome and chose to great to table. The lunch menu gave us more than enough choice and we were delighted with the quality, quantity and presentation. The decor is modern and chic but on the day we went it was quiet so cant really comment on ambience. The only slight disappointment was that there were no tablecloths, I have since raised this with the owner who promptly came back to with a more than acceptable explanation. I doubt that you will find a nicer restaurant in Lincoln with great service &amp; food. If you are bothered about the tablecloths it might be worth a call prior to booking. Can't wait to go back

We stayed at the Castle and ate in their Resturant expecting just a Hotel Restaurant, nothing special. We were wrong!! THis Restaurnat is one of the best Ive ever eaten in and we cant wait to go back.

Went for Sunday lunch prior to Xmas, arrived and told we had no booking (even though I had an email confirming I did), anyway let this slip in this instance as we were slotted in and had a great meal.Went back yesterday for Sunday lunch again (with offer of 30% off food for Jan/Feb). When I got the bill told couldn’t have money off food as I didn’t ask for it when booking - which I clearly did? So for context, tried booking 3 times via their online form, got no response whatsoever, eventually called and booked and told “oh online form isn’t working” and did ask about 30% off; again let this slide as we enjoyed the food. Duty manager David service and response was appalling, very dismissive and unhelpful, also pointed out it was his email on previous visit confirming our booking (when we didn’t have a table), his response “doesn’t mean it’s my fault” -WOW......So in summary, spent £85 (champagne prior to meal, very good bottle of wine with meal adding up to over £50), and they refused the 30% off £31 food bill???Such a shame as we certainly won’t go back now (had planned going back in 3wks time again), also going to let others we’d told to go not to bother now. Suggest that if they aren’t going to honour offers they don’t bother publishing them.Nick B

On a Saturday evening in December this place was surprisingly quiet and lacked atmosphere, It's at the upper end price wise but the food is very good and the service was attentive.

The food here is very good and the service also excellent. It is a restaurant in a hotel and as its often the case then lacks a bit in atmosphere. Perfect if you want a quiet dinner with someone

We were staying at the hotel so chose to eat in the restaurant. Myself & my partner chose the Monkfish Chana dish which was absolutely delicious - really tasty. We had 2 desserts both of which were superb, especially the chocolate torte with popcorn - words cannot describe it!

Amazing food, excellent service, and very reasonable prices. A quiet place with relaxing music, it's been such a great experience I almost didn't want to go out to continue my tour of Lincoln. Definitely recommended, definitely will come back!

Wonderful setting and truly delicious food with 1st class service. The menu has great choice with 1st glass ingredients, what more could you want.

Great food and service homemade butter us lovely

I took my parents for a Saturday night treat and we were all very happy with the whole experience. We were greeted by very friendly staff who took us to our table. The dinning room is very cosy and beautifully decorated. The menu is amazing, with plenty of options for all palates. The waitress was spot on from start to finish, always very polite and charming, attentive but without being intrusive. We went for lamb and salmon as starters, followed by duck breast, beef Wellington and monkfish. All the dishes are very clever and tasted incredible, and were beautifully presented. The price is more than reasonable for the high quality of food you get, we will definitely come back soon!

Beautiful food. The midweek 2 or 3 course set menu ( all dishes selected from the superb a la carte) which includes a bottle of excellent wine should have people beating a path to the door, it’s such good value.

You would think that as guests of the hotel we would have been looked after by the staff, but from the moment that we tried to walk into the restaurant all we were met with was platitudes and lies. Your table will be five minutes was the opening gambit, have a seat in the bar.

The staff could not have been more pleasant but they could and should be much better trained. The setting is comfortable and the decor is smart, it is a pleasant place to eat, we had a round table for six. The waitresses didn't know what half the ingredients on the menu were and made frequent elementary errors like serving all the soups but not providing soup spoons. Vegetarian main course options were very disappointing, they clearly hadn't been well thought through, or had just been poorly cooked. Deserts were average and when you consider the prices the overall take away was a sense of disappointment.

Four of us (2 couples) visited here this wet Sunday afternoon to partake of the afternoon tea menu in the Reform Restaurant. My husband and I are great fans of afternoon tea and have enjoyed this traditional British meal in many restaurants, including The Berkeley Hotel, London and Reid’s Palace, Funchal, Madeira.

Delicious meal at Reform, and were happy for us to have a main from the bar menu, and pudding from the main menu. We were seated in the main restaurant which is a very comfortable space. Very helpful waitress.

Really lovely experience. Equal amounts of high praise for the staff, the food and the wine list. We're delighted with all 3 courses and can highly recommend the very easy drinking bottle of Chablis.

We went for afternoon tea, to celebrate registering our baby girl’s birth. The table was presented beautifully on our arrival, including a large ‘drink me’ teapot. There are lots of delicious savoury items including sausage rolls (tasty crispy pork bites, as the gf option), Welsh rarebit (which includes a yummy onion chutney) and a selection of tasty finger sandwiches. There is then an abundance of sweet treats - I especially enjoyed the gf custard tart, dusted with nutmeg. You will not go hungry and if you are gf you are spoilt with delectable options. We had such a lovely afternoon x

Second time we have visited reform as a couple and once again it was amazing. Service was perfect and the food was incredible. The beef literally melted off your fork and so many flavours in each course. We had the salmon and the spring roll to start and both were delicious. Will definitely be returning.

Cuisine raffinée, généreuse, savoureuse dans un cadre d'une grande élégance et tout en sobriété. Personnel chaleureux et à l'écoute tout en restant discret

We celebrated my partners birthday here recently, having not visited for a few years. I am pleased to say the standard of food is still excellent, really delicious, with an inspiring menu.The chef produced some tasty vegan dishes for one of the party, who said her starter was the best she has ever tasted!

We used to come here a lot but it’s been about a year since our last visit. Happy to say as good as ever, we booked for Saturday lunch and it was amazing. Service was provided by a really nice helpful waitress who couldn’t do enough, this was a really nice experience and we will def be back, a 5 star experience.

We had breakfasts there which were delicious and proper Lincolnshire sausages.

This is a date night favourite for my husband and me, the food and service is excellent. We visited again on the 1st June and thoroughly enjoyed everything, truly a little gem!

Had lunch menu very nice. Decor needs refreshing up. Friendly

Set in the Castle Hotel by the Beautiful site of Lincoln Castle, the Reform Restaurant offers excellent food. Visiting for a weekday lunch, I found the restaurant quiet and peaceful. The food was fantastic, and the set-menu lunch was very good value.

If you want an okay meal with okay service then this is the pace to go

We were a party of 25 and the reform restaurant accommodated us well. We had a 3 course meal and were able to bring wine in from a supplier for the evening.

I had the lunch menu, and through my own fault I had to be gone in about 45 minutes. I told the waiting staff this; despite many calls on their time, they were able to ensure that all the stages on the process were speeded up, and I was all done in plenty of time. (This is a great tribute to the kitchen staff as well.)

The menu was both good and varied, but not large. The food was presented well and was freshly cooked. The service was excellent, and the restaurant’s atmosphere was warm. The wine list was extensive, but not overly expensive. Would highly recommend.

We arrived for dinner at Reform not knowing of the new fixed price menu on Wednesday and Thursday. What a bonus! The choices were almost the full range of the normal evening menu and the 2 or 3 course options also included drinks, in our case a bottle of very acceptable French merlot.

Excellent food, service and white Rioja. Wish more people went to generate a little more atmosphere. They don't know what they're missing!

We were pleasantly surprised that the Reform restaurant was offering a Burns night menu on Friday 25th January. The food and service was excellent and the staff had made the effort of producing a whisky menu and an assortment of Robert Burns works that could be read out if your table felt like joining in. This together with the Grace, Ceremonial Address to the Haggis and traditional Fiddle player all added to making this a wonderful evening.

Excellent friendly service and great food

I cannot believe I have been to this restaurant on 3 occasions with thee different people at different times of day and have not written a review. I have had a romantic dinner, a Sunday lunch and a midweek lunch all have been splendid. Service is delightful and food is delicious. My one niggle is desserts do let them down slightly...a version of millionaires shortbread served in a glass was difficult to eat and too large a portion, others may disagree though. My observation that the restaurant has never been particularly busy when I have dined there astounds me.....use it folks before you loose it.....it’s a little gem x

Lovely hotel, great staff. Brilliant location

Another fantastic lunch at the Reform. Once again, good food, fantastic service and a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. This is a really great place for lunch. Can’t fault it.

Me sorprendió que este restaurante estaba tan tranquilo el viernes por la noche. Aunque los entrantes no tenían inspiración, los platos principales eran encantadores. Tuve la hoja de carne y fue cocinado a la perfección. Mi compañero tenía el pescado y lo disfruté a fondo. El precio era muy razonable y la casa roja era hermosa. Volveremos.

Wow que maravillosa noche La comida es deliciosa, el servicio increíble y el ambiente en el restaurante era muy relajante.

Llamado para el domingo almuerzo 28/10/18

Brilliant food every time! The atmosphere is brilliant, the food is brilliant and fast.

Perfect balance of ambience, warm welcome, good selections of wines, quality food, in season, with correct proportions. We throughly enjoyed our 3 course menu, so shall return.

Had a superb Sunday Lunch here. Lovely food and great service.

Great staff and service with excellent food. We had a really good Sunday lunch. It was the first cold day of the autumn and the hot soup was delicious. The bread was delicious. The roast beef and cheese soufflé were so tasty. They must have a great chef and team in the kitchen. For pudding we had dark chocolate sponge which was to die for. Very relaxed and modern decor. Could not recommend enough.

We spent our lunch at the reform for my partners graduation meal. The staff are lovely and polite. The food was delicious, beautifully presented on the plate and freshly made. The restaurant it clean and we really enjoyed our lunch here. Would definitely recommend.