Retreat Grill, Bar and Restaurant in Bolton

Booked the Retreat for a small works Christmas meal. Staff were lovely throughout the booking process keeping me informed at all stages. Had one person unable to attend which wasn't an issue for them and then another person who had to cancel on the day so I informed them on arrival at the restaurant but again this wasn't an issue for them. The food was cooked to order and was piping hot and delicious (reasonably priced too). Made to feel very welcome by all the staff. I've been here several times before and it never fails to impress. Thanks to all the staff, excellent work.

One of my favourite spots to eat and drink. Amazing food and drink choices, both alcoholic and non alcoholic. Can’t fault the service, very friendly staff. Great service even when we were in a big group, would highly recommend.

We visited retreat for an anniversary lunch and it was a great experience. We both felt very welcomed and the service was spot on throughout our visit. My partner has a nut allergy and the staff were really helpful in explaining the menu. The food and drinks were delicious. Especially the cheesy garlic bread! We will certainly be returning in the future!

Having visited here last summer, we swore that we would never return! Dirty outside surroundings, but we had to re visit with family for a special birthday celebration, yesterday evening. We weren’t looking forward to re visiting here, due to recent negative, terrible reviews and sadly now I am having to write another negative review. As soon as you walk through the door there is clearly no atmosphere and no one there to welcome you, the place was nearly empty on a Thursday evening and remained this way, for the duration of our visit. We were seated in a booth, with an extremely bright light above us, no ambiance at all. The young lady serving us Amilia, was very pleasant, service with a smile (which could not be said about the other staff). Regarding the food, starters we chose to share calamari which was £7.25, clearly not enough for the price! Mains - my husband opted for a chicken burger, which was very bland and tasteless. I decided to opt for a chicken Caesar salad ( hoping that they couldn’t get this wrong, being so simple). When it arrived it was awful! The chicken wasn’t fresh, looked like frozen pieces of chicken defrosted and some of the pieces were hard on the edges. The dressing was tasteless, I think the only thing that was edible was the boiled egg on it. I left nearly all of it. We chose not to have a sweet. We didn’t make a fuss about the food as we were with family, celebrating. But if me and husband had been on our own, we would most definitely have raised concerns on the quality of the food. I noticed there was a lack of senior management, staff there all seem to be in the 20’s. I am concerned that after reading previous negative reviews (plenty of them 176 poor and terribles) that nobody (management) had bothered to reply to them. Certainly will NOT be returning in the future !

So sad to write this review. This place is such a lovely place and from the outset gives so much. We've been before as a family and thought what a lovely place and concept it is. We booked a pod as we've done before but sadly on approach, we noted how tatty things looked. When we got to our pod, we noticed the beer barrels outside with ash trays were awfully overflowing. Please note, we got there at around 130/2pm, if these ashtrays were so full we would have expected the placed to be overflowing by it wasnt. This was a Sunday afternoon and the place wasn't busy. Obviously ashtrays hadn't been cleared from prev evening We did comment but the manager who seemed blissfully unaware. I'm sorry but come on guys how could you not even notice when you were stood next to it. Your staff are very friendly and helpful but sorry management guidance is seriously lacking. Oh and heating in pods is very poor with no gas to heat the heaters.

Having seen the reviews we booked for 5 and was satisfied with the food . The service however was very poor. Nobody asked if we wanted drinks , we had to find someone every time. Finished plates and glasses were only taken away after we pointed it out , despite waitresses walking past several times. The wrong meal was presented to my partner who then had to wait another 15 minutes for her replacement. A drinks order was incorrect when brought to us. In summary it's the worst service we've ever experienced in an eaterie. The food was fine .

Great meal and atmosphere. We had our anniversary dinner there and the guys made it memorable for us.

I have been to retreat before and know ppl that come here regularly n have never had an issue like this before which is why I am very shocked this has happened to me. I went to retreat with my mum on Wednesday n ordered smoked chicken pasta. I thought the chicken tasted a bit funny (mainly hard n dry) so I left half of it. Few hours later when I got home (didn’t eat anything since that meal) I was vomiting and had diarrhoea. This carried on through the night, I threw up around 7 times… clearly food poisoning and I am guessing it was the chicken. I am only today after two days feeling better. Wish I had never gone ..

Little slow between courses otherwise we had a very enjoyable lunch

Service, is perfect. Venue is a little bit over top for burgers and pizza. Food, the food is OK. Cheese garlic bread was great, korean crispy chicken was delicious but..... the retreat burger. Tasteless over cooked puck. Extra bacon was disgrace. Minted lamb leg was OK, mash and veg OK but roast spuds were disgusting and tasted of old overused oil. Frankly dissapointed with the Retreat. Definitely won't be returning.

Sadly, a massive disappointment which left me feeling very guilty as my best friend offered to treat me to Sunday lunch. We arrived on time (12.30) but had a long wait after ordering. No reflection on the young waiting staff, who were attentive throughout. I ordered lamb roast lunch, which arrived on cold plates, and food only luke warm. The main issue was the meat (which seemed more like beef in fact) but was completely inedible due to being so tough. One soggy Yorkshire pudding served with it, a solid mass of mash, plus totally soft "roast" potatoes. The remainder veg too hard. As a keen cook myself, I felt the chef/cook here needs some basic tuition in many areas. The food had simply just been heated up in a microwave and plonked on a cold plate, so unappealing and unappetising. My friend equally disappointed with her meal. Such a contrast to The Retreat in Bromley Cross, where the standard is constantly excellent. No return visit for us, I'm afraid.

Such a beautiful place to spend time with friends and family whatever the season is, not just during the summer, even during the winter you can surely sit outdoors, they have tables in booths with heating. It is so easy to book over the phone, even for large numbers they don't make a fuss. The staff are friendly. There's accessible parking, and the seating areas inside are also gorgeous! Looking forward to visiting again!

We had our works Summer Do at Retreat Bolton last night and can’t thank the team there enough for making it a fantastic do! It was organised at short notice with Jack the manager who met us on arrival. We had been given a private area for the 30+ of us, our own bar and waitress. We had food provided, a selection of pizzas, picky food and chips and it was all hot, fresh and delicious. We will definitely look to book future events there and highly recommend!

Always have a great time at Retreat. Lovely ambience, great attentive staff, lovely atmosphere and surroundings.

Been to this retreat before no complaints. However this time was very very disappointing. We was seated & not told any information about the soup of the day or the fact the pizza oven wasn’t in use. The second server (didn’t get her name) was so lovely. We ordered a garlic bread for starter to then be told the pizza oven wasn’t working (it was what it was) we then just ordered two mains. When they arrived my chicken burger & chips were completely burnt to a crisp very disappointed. I did send it back and another was brought out however it kind of put me off. My mums arrived & it just wasn’t appetising. As I went to the toilet i could see multiple tables with garlic bread & pizzas which was very frustrating considering we had to change what we was going to order

I arranged my mother's wake at The Retreat due to its proximity to Overdale Crematorium. When I increased the food order the day before the event, I was informed they had no record of my booking, despite being told previously where our group would be seated (on the front patio). Upon arrival, nothing was ready. I had to repeatedly ask four times for tea and coffee to be served and an additional two times for milk. When the food finally arrived, it was placed on a table where our guests were seated, which I found inappropriate, so I had to request it be moved elsewhere. The cold buffet was overpriced considering the small portions, with an unusually large amount of coleslaw, which felt like a cheap filler. When two extra guests arrived, I requested additional chairs, but the waiter informed me they couldn’t provide any. The staff appeared indifferent and uninterested in ensuring our comfort. Given the circumstances, the service was disappointing, and I would neither recommend nor return to this establishment.

All good.. foid good..service good.. lovely interior decor and spacious. Good outdoor area.

Was really excited to go here for tea as we’ve been recommended to go here by friends. Everything was fine at first then the food came out. The pizza did not have mozzarella cheese on it. It was pre grated cheese that didn’t melt properly. The chips weren’t fully cooked still hard on the middle. When asked to take the pizza off the bill the waitress storms into the kitchen and said “What the f**k is wrong with people”.

We visited The Retreat for a family funeral buffet. The food was good and well presented. The staff courteous and friendly. A lovely place to visit for a drink or a meal.

Upmarket bar with lots of outside dining, including gazebos and pods. Beautiful atmosphere. Good service and food is decent although the menu is quite small. Parking out front, although there's not many spaces. Large range of drinks available. Spaces are available to rent for baby showers etc

Arrived here early with the intention of having a beer....presented with a 15 minute queue. Sat down for food at the alloted time and ordered. Waited 45 mins for the starter and when it arrived it was very nice, then another 40 mins for our main course, my partner didn't enjoy her skewer as the lamb was very tough, I ordered the crusted lamb with ratatouille and root vegetable crisps...the root vegetable crisps never surfaced, too hungry to turn it back. Staff very good, the supervisor looked a little stressed because she wanted it all to go well, you can't criticise a member of staff for that. Would I go again? Yes, but when it's less busy......Retreat Bolton is much better than Retreat Adlington. It does make me wonder, are we too forgiving for not getting the service we have paid for.....my meal came minus an ingredient but yet I said nothing for fear of embarrassing staff.

Had a buffet there yesterday after my Mothers funeral. The staff are very attentive and the food was delicious.

Visited to celebrate our daughter's graduation- seven in our party , and all were very satisfied with our individual meals . Service was prompt and smiley, the bill a pleasant surprise! Thank you 😊

My grandson and I had a delicious lunch. Staff were efficient and professional.

It's a smart casual dress code, we came a bit overdressed! Excellent garlic bread with mozzarella, lovely service, great mini-politan, and good retreat signature cheese burger. The chicken burger lacked a bit of seasoning, but it came in a heart shape so all is forgiven :)

Ribs were dusty burger was ok fries were amazing

Previous I dined at the Retreat in Adlington. I was less than complimentary. Today I dined at the Retreat in Bolton. I have to say it was very good. The service could have been quicker, but perhaps that is being a bit picky. The food was tasty and generous portions. I had the nachos to start and pick ribs for my mains. No negative remarks from me it was hot, on hot plates. Excellent. All in our party enjoyed our food. There were plenty of other people dining, so they must be doing something right

It's expensive for want you got

Cosy restaurant located in Bolton neighborhood. There is both inside and outside seating available. Good selection of dishes from menu and served portions are generous. They also have wide variety of drinks including cocktails. Everything was very good and would even say tasted delicious. Highly recommend.

Gorgeous venue xx service a little slow x food fab xx

Works function here and the vegan burger and winter salad were all amazing!

Friendly staff and stylish surroundings. Easily accessible and plenty of on site parking. Outside dining/smoking area.

Great Food Great atmosphere.Great for a lunchtime treat! Just parking can be a little tight at busy times

Visited 29/04/2024, at lunch time parking was available in the limited spots at front of the building. Go in and there is the restaurant part to the right as you go in. The seabass on the potato dauphinois and green beans was very tasty, the side of salt and pepper chips was also nice. Food came quickly and both the staff looking after the group were very attentive and friendly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely amazingly fantastic to be honest

Great place with a nice atmosphere

We went to the Retreat on Chorley New Road Bolton for my wife's 60th birthday. There were 36 people, family and friends. We had a fantastic time. The food was excellent, we can't fault the service, all the staff were very pleasant and worked hard. We were in one of the outdoor areas. It was a lovely area and setting for a private function. We would highly recommend The Retreat and would definitely be going again.

Came to Bolton for a theatre trip, and had to find somewhere quick for food. Stumbled across this place, and hands down the best food me and my girlfriend have had for a long time. We both work in high end hospitality, and was very impressed with how quick and professional the service was. There’s not much to do in Bolton and we joked about how we’ll never be back, but after this, we’ll be back just for this place. 10/10 experience and food, thank you

Nice bar area, warm welcome as I walked in. Lovely bar staff.

The Retreat is a great place! The food was excellent, as was the service and its a place to go with a difference. Book! You will enjoy your visit!

Highly recommended, excellent food, service. Met our expectations and will be visiting again with friends! Had the skewers and my partner had a burger.. worth it for the price. Great gem in Bolton as we've been looking for one for sometime 😀 now..

Decided to go for dinner. Been here previously with friends and we just wanted a simple pub dinner. The visit was simply not worth our time. The food was poor, sub standard. For pre prepped food even that got wrong. It tasted as if left to stand for long, not fresh, chicken wings had a small and the meat just looked off, items were cold, pizza undercooked, the atmosphere and amateur service was not as it should be. The place was unclean with dust showing and chewing gum stuck to the wall which would have been there from the lool for a while… our seats had crumbs which showed poor cleansiness… even glass marks on the table. .. we cant be coming here and be treated like a conveyor system… shame all round..

I have tried here a few times the drinks are diverse and delicious. Comfortable space, good service.

We booked as a family of 8.. The atmosphere is really lovely, the food just isn’t up to scratch, we had wings and ribs to start, they both came cold, ribs were really fatty and not much flavour. Beef brisket meal was dry and again not flavoursome.. pepperoni pizza tasted like pieces of smoked ham rather than pepperoni pieces, didn’t enjoy at all. The goujons were well over cooked on the kids meal, they just ate the chips, seems like they had been cooked then re-cooked before serving. Desserts were on par with the quality of food through the night, not tasteful at all, lemon cheesecake was bland which is shocking for a citrus dessert, kids didn’t enjoy their ice cream and said it wasn’t flavoursome. Such a shame as the ambience is really nice and welcoming, the waiters were lovely although we were told to hurry up as they needed the table back.. service was on the slow side so I felt that this wasn’t really fair, for a £270 bill, I couldn’t justify it at all, I’ve had nicer food for much less price. Second time this has happened so won’t be coming back unfortunately.

Fantastic food and service in outside pod

Really can’t agree with any of the negative reviews. I have been coming here with my friend for quite a few years and find that everything is always great. The staff have always been lovely but recently Jack and David have made the dining experience just wonderful. We never feel rushed -there is always a smile and nothing is too much trouble . Definitely recommend and hopefully you’ll get served by Jack or David to make your dining experience even better. Thank you to the retreat for making me and my friend always feel so welcome.

Great food, fantastic venue maybe just need a few more staff to speed up the service with drinks. Loved it though and would 100% return

Nice food, nice atmosphere and really enjoyed the evening, 2 courses for £16 was an absolute bargain to be honest. The only thing that I could complain about was the service was a little slow. However we all had a good time and would return again.

Food was good, perhaps it come be better but I wouldn't begrudge going back. The service was very slow and disorganised but polite. The atmosphere was very good.

Lovely for lunch! Had lunch & a drink for £10 at retreat today, was a really great menu with lots of options. Quick service, lovely decor and overall great experience.

Service was OK but chips didn't arrive with one meal. Waitress didn't come back at all and check if we wanted drinks. Then, I never came back to take dessert order ended up just paying and leaving .

Bottomless brunch in the outdoor pods . Felt like a private dining experience. Great for an overdue girls get together! Absolutely brilliant value for money fantastic service from all the staff with Jodie our waitress giving her all x cocktails and drink selection and lovely food . Definitely recommend.

Called in for a quick lunch. Food was ok for the price paid (lunchtime specials). Staff were pleasant and very well presented, clean and tidy which was nice to see. There was an overwhelming smell of fish on the approach, which put us off asking for a fish dish... fresh fish shouldn't smell. What let this place down was the general cleanliness. The ladies toilets were filthy and had no toilet roll. Obviously checks had not been made. The restaurant was grubby. Dusty shelving area around the fixed seating, you could have left a message in. The chairs were dirty and needed a good wipe. If you're going to accessories, then at least keep them clean. Finger prints all over the mirrors. This was a lunchtime visit so no excuse, this place hasn't had a good clean in a while!!

Fantastic food great deal and staff very polite

Absolutely amazing food and service, pizza were delicious , fabulous burger and very good atmosphere, staff all friendly, really enjoyed and definitely will come back , highly recommended

Have been a few times, the latest for my 50th Birthday. Always lunch time. Service great and food lovely

The owner, Richard, is the biggest fruitcake in my opinion I have ever encountered in hospitality. Loves causing trouble. Thinks he's more important than he is.

Xmas eve meal, atmosphere in the outside covered pod( well heated☺), service and value for money for the massed family group were brill👍. We expect to repeat our visit 2024 eve☺!

Christmas outing on a week night. Slow braised beef was dry as a bone! Waiting staff were lovely and bar staff rude and paid attention only to their regulars and not who was next to be served.

Visited here many times but won't be returning

Nice place with good food and friendly and attentive staff.

4 adults dined for lunch and I ordered the chicken wings and a salad as a main course. The chicken wings arrived as a starter with the other guests waiting 15 minutes for their main course. I ordered a bottle of white wine and prosecco arrived. The restaraunt was cold and the bill excessive. Will we being visiting again, No.

Very poor and overpriced. The music was very load especially considering we were dining with a party celebrating an 80th. Apart from some of our group enjoying the cheeses and onion pie everyone else were left disappointed. The vegan burger was particularly poor, infact it was inedible. Service slow. My first time visiting and will be my last.

A xmas work event and did not disappoint… thank you to all there. Was very busy but the food was reasonable on time and it was decent food and quaility. The only minor issue was as i had to leave couldnt tip the waiters… the tall guy in glasses… thank you and all the staff being so good and attentive. Some of the team never been here but they thought wow..! Thanks.

What a lovely restaurant Staff very helpful and friendly

We went as a result of one of us having been recently, and even though my wife could not get the menu item she had had, her alternative choice was good, and my fish and chips was quite enjoyable, an all round good experience, though perhaps a little expensive.

Excellent food, very lively atmosphere, a bit noisy but it was Christmas party season, good service.

The food, staff and whole place was fabulous. Four of us had the festive menu. Despite being full, service was excellent and food was superb. You couldn't fault it!!

Took advantage of the lunchtime offer which was great value. Healthy sized portions and great food.

We go every year for Christmas but really not that good this year. Service was poor and food and atmosphere not great.

Staff were really helpful and friendly couldn't do enough for us. were in pod which was great but feet were feeling the cold. Defo needs an app system for ordering food and drink. Overall a lovely time had.

Fantastic staff, food and venue, couldn't have done more for our Christening

Extremely hit and miss. Recent visit wasn’t so great and food was wasted and sent back as not enjoyable. No offer of discount free drink etc from staff so I requested some form of reimbursement. Went to pay the bill however staff did not take off 10% which I eventually received, again unsatisfactory.. Staff then took off the 10% However, when checking my bank balance the original amount had been taken out!! I rang to question this and was told that I had to bring my Bank statement as proof!! Shoddy

Night out with friends. The surroundings and staff great. We ordered the "Authentic" chicken curry. It was awful! It tasted like a bland microwave meal. So disappointed. I have been there before and enjoyed my meal but wouldn't go back to eat again.

Really lovely restaurant in a gorgeous setting. Great meal and service. Will definitely be back.

Cocktail dessert was £8.95 and was rubbish, not worth the price xx

Considering it was dead!! The service was painfully slow!! The food was nice but so not worth the price tag!! Not in a rush to get back…staff just stood around! Not attentive…no offer of condiments….so you are left having to find someone….no table check ….basic stuff….

Thank you for amazing service brillant place made us feel welcome we will be back thank making birthday brillant time staff are brillant so welcoming

We have been a few and found the food was mediocre. The staff friendly enough.

Had a little family do in one of the outdoor covered/heated pegona things. Excellent environment, really high quality, food was beautiful, served timely and with a really helpful attitude.

Great place we went for 18th birthday meal everybody enjoyed it lovely clean place and staff all superb, beer prices a little expensive but would visit again.

Love coming here for an evening meal with my wife. Also love the individual pods on offer (however I had pre booked one well in advance, and even double checked the night before) only to find on arrival we had been moved into and outside space. Luckily the lady greeting quickly changed this for us and apologised. Recent menu change is good but for me the old one had much better offerings but I suppose you have to change things up to keep people retuning.

BEST CHEESE AND ONION PIE ON THIS PLANET ...oh and the cocktails were pretty good too (if a little pricy) .... I loved my meal as always but other member of the party were less impressed, ie the fish pie not good(sounds daft but too fishy and smelly) and the chicken burger overcooked and dry ... honest opinion but I would happily eat the cheese and onion pie every other day forever !!

All good, great night in one of the pods. Food above average, service great. However it was top price and above the average you would pay elsewhere.

Attentive front-of-house and high-calibre cuisine.

Turned up without receiving a table on a Friday evening, and the staff were amazing and found us a table, and every member of staff was amazing. We both had a duck pizza 🍕 😋 and it truly was amazing and filling, so the first time ever we skipped desert and just had a lovely coffee ☕️.Will definitely be returning 😋

It's autumn and we have a cold night out here. Fabulous food and drinks, we do enjoy the night if it's warmer. 😊 Waitress are very polite and we enjoy their service.

Great place to visit sat inside restaurant but the outside booths look great must try one next time

You have to ear quick as you only have 1.5 hrs. Can't stay at your table. The bar area is quite small. The food was OK. Cocktails were the best part of it. Sunday the menu is restricted.

This smart bar and restaurant is walking distance from our house, so we call in for drinks from time to time. This latest visit was late afternoon on a early autumn Saturday and it proved to be really nice. It was quite warm, so we took a table outside in amongst the trees And we found it very comfortable. I think there may be table service but we just bought our drinks inside the lovely bar area and took them out with us. The service was fast and friendly, and they have a good range of drinks at fairly standard prices. Plenty of free parking outside and although we don't eat there they do have an extensive food menu as well.

Food delicious, we ordered 1glass of wine, we were not asked what size so consequently we were delivered a large. Not impressed.

Great food, lots of options, superb friendly staff.

The little family dining huts are a great idea being warm and intimate and the food was delicious. It was also dog friendly so all in all i was very happy indeed.

Our first time with family , we booked an outside pod which was lovely and private , the service was very good and the staff were friendly and happy which made our experience nice , food good and nice red wine and cocktails thank you

I was here for a birthday meal. Managed to seat 13 of us. Very good happy friendly service very attentive. The food came out quickly and tasted very fresh and very flavorful. The menu consisted of pastas, salads, roasts, burgers...plus a delicious desert menu. They also catered for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free. Very full and happy with our visit and would go again.

Halloumi skewers were amazing, pricey but huge portion sizes

I came here for some good friends silver anniversary, help full staff clean good food , can't complain.👍

we visited here for a suprise celebration all meals where pre ordered as it was quite a big party .The meals came out with quite quickly but a few of them were luke warm not good .The food was basic really apart from the skewers everyone who had them said they where delicious the steak for 2 is definitely not worth the money you would expect better quality for the price your paying .The menu is not great however the setting is good and would go back for a drink but not for food .

Great food, though would like more vegetarian choice. Lovely staff who can't do enough for you. Lovely outdoor space. Great value for money! Loved it!

Called in on a Friday night for a bit to eat with friends! Not impressed at all, the menu wasn’t brilliant, we ordered food, 2 meals came out at the same time, I had to ask 3 time for our friends meal, which was just a garlic bread with cheese, we got fed a couple of poor excuses, the dough was off, but another member of our party had a pizza??? Is finally came out when we’d finished ours! Around 30 mins late! Also ordered drinks and again had to ask for them 3 times. When we got our drinks got another weak excuse “we had the change the barrel” not sure why it took another 30 mins to change?? A really poor effort! Considering the restaurant was empty! Should of been a sign!! If you going to the Retreat head to the one In Adlington a far better experience!!!