Russell's in Bolton

We wanted a meal while we were in Bolton today and spotted this place. It's downstairs. Very nice staff. Simple food well cooked and nicely presented. The prices are great. We had minced beef &onion pie for 2 for £11.50 (Aug 2024) and they didn't skimp on the portions. Service was quick. Don't expect a posh restaurant because it isn't. I've no doubt we'll visit again though when we're in town around noon. They do children's meals and a pensioners' fish and chips. There is quite a good range on the menu so we were spoilt for choice.

This lower ground cafe is dated and tired looking but clean and excellent value for money. Staff are pleasant and helpful. Where can you get Jacket potato, beans coleslaw and salad, plus americano coffee for £7.34!

This review just scraped an “average” rating as the food was edible and piping hot. Dark and dingy and looks like it was last tarted up sometime in the 1950s. My wife noticed on the menu that they have a place in Rochdale too and said “I wonder if that’s in a dungeon too?” My wife wanted to eat in a town centre fish and chip restaurant (named after a famous Greek mountain) but for some unknown reason I suggested Russell’s. It took forever to arrive (the reason I think it was so hot was it had been under the lamps as basically it was drying up). The long awaited fish and chips seemed to be cooked from frozen, not some freshly fried battered delight that we would have had at The first place we thought of. Grumpy woman kept shouting out what she’d just brought out of the kitchen. When some diners didn’t respond immediately because they were sitting in the area near the till and not in the main bit, she started huffing and puffing. Seriously madam, if you dislike your job that much go and work somewhere else. Utterly dismal. Won’t be going back…ever.

Just had a really nice bacon and egg barm and a cup of tea. Decor is a little dated, but the food was really tasty. Can't fault it really.

Had 2 English breakfast for the price extremely poor rubbish sausages hard bacon cold beans customer service unheard of spoiled my morning

Use to go here when I was younger with my mum and gran after a shopping trip into bolton. So decided to go with my husband today while we where in town. I had a hot chocolate which was nice and a Russell’s club sandwich and my husband had the full English. Mine arrived and it was all cold and the ‘chicken and bacon’ on the club sandwich was a cheap sandwich filler slapped onto some toast and served. It was really bland and some of the lettuce on my plate had turned brown. The grated carrot was full of water so there was a puddle left on my plate from that and the really cheap coleslaw they had put on. It really wasn’t very nice and for £6 you would expect the chicken and bacon to be freshly grilled and not a cold cheap sandwich filler. My husbands ‘full’ English was really disappointment the sausages where really cheap and gristly and there wasn’t really much on the plate again the ingredients were really poor and cheap. Their prices are quite high for cheap food. The lady with the blond hair who served us was quite rude and in a rush to put them down and just told us cutlery is over there if you want sauce you’ll have to ask at the counter’ that was it really, they didn’t even say goodby as we left. It was quite a cold reception. I’m Disappointed as I had always gone when previously shopping but this place has gone really downhill and won’t go back as I know there are much better cafes in bolton. I wouldn’t waste your money and would go elsewhere.

we found this little place by accident this morning we were looking for somewhere to eat its down a flight of stairs but dont let it put you off we were greeted with a smile and excellent service, the food was served quickly and hot the quality was really goos as was the coffee , on leaving we were thanked for our business , this is one little gem we will return to

Decided to nip into Russell’s as we have previously been here a few years ago. The Cheese and Onion Pie “special” was something worse than a school dinner... pie was not homemade, peas and carrots was from a tin. The only thing half decent was the fresh chips. Disappointing to say the least!

Went for lunch today, ordered a cheese sandwich and a hot chocolate, both were lovely. Friendly staff always service with a smile Prices more than reasonable Will definitely be back!

Was a little surprised we had to go downstairs as I have arthritis and find going up and down stairs difficult. To add to that it had been absolutely pouring with rain all day which made the descent more awkward as the stairs were wet. We stayed for hot drinks in a lovely little cafe, it was warm and inviting and the staff were lovely

It's a cute little cafe with a bit of atmosphere. Order at the till and food is brought over. Bit dated but charming.

I went to Russell's cafe for brunch. The staff was friendly, and gave a prompt service. There was good variety of food on the menu, at very reasonable price. It had a friendly atmosphere. It's a great cafe for breakfast, brunch or lunch.

Good food, but less able or those with pushchairs, arnt able to get down the stairs, its basicly underground, but good range of food spotlessly clean good service.

Great food... brilliant staff! Nice little cafe! Glad we popped in for a quick bite! Definitely return!

Russell's is a small restaurant, in a basement, on a busy shopping street in Bolton town centre. I understand that it has been in the same location for many years and it is still owned by the same family. Menus and prices are displayed at the street level entrance, so one can see what meals are on offer, before one goes down to the restaurant. Upon entering, menus are displayed near the counter. Meals are paid for and drinks collected at the counter, the servers bring the food to the table. Food available includes: Sandwiches, hot sandwiches served with chips and salad, a range of hot meals, plus a choice of deserts. I chose battered haddock, chips & peas which came with a slice of bread & butter and a pot of tea. This was at a special price of £5.25. Even though the restaurant was filling up quickly, my meal arrived in less than 10 minutes. The food was hot and freshly cooked and I enjoyed it. The haddock was obviously from a pack of frozen fish but was tasty. I considered the meal to be good value and I would recommend Russell's to anyone looking for a quick lunch in Bolton town centre.