Salthouse Restaurant in Ards

I never get a bad meal in the salt house. I always try new and different things on the menu and it is always top class and top class service by ally and all the waiting staff really service with a smile and nothing is ever a bother. Eating everything from steak to sea foods and vegetarian dishes the food is absolutely beautiful lovely warm sea side atmosphere in the restaurant. Definitely give this place a go and prices are so reasonable.

Had a brilliant experience here. Food and service first class.

Window seats have a great view of the Lough. The menu focuses on local seafood (I had the mussels), but there are other comfort food options.

Local restaurant with local people.Good food and service and reasonable prices

Good food and excellent service!

I really enjoyed the food ,especially the seafood.it was mouthwatering,also the service is very good.highly recommended

Absolutely amazing time at the Salthouse Restaurant Portaferry It was the Regatta weekend so we had an amazing meal with a brilliant view of the boats in the Lough And to top it off we seen the dolphins swimming along side the boat The food was excellent with a vast choice catering to everyone Staff were wonderful and so friendly, definitely a hidden gem down the peninsula!

Nice enough wee restaurant and the staff are friendly but is not the place for a steak. Poor quality chewy rump full of inedible fat. Woman at next table the same. Unfortunately will not be back.

Excellent food. Lovely views of the bay from this upstairs restaurant. The staff were very friendly. They served fresh fish and local bread.

I thought the Brie was amazing, but the fish and chips weren’t good. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Last minute choice as we were let down by another local restaurant. The staff were wonderful, the food was excellent, and the surroundings comfortable. All five of us ordered a different option, and no one was let down. We don't be in Portaferry very often, but we'll be booking in advance in future. Well done to all at The Salthouse.

We have wanted to eat at the Salthouse for ages and finally got there! It was worth the wait - excellent menu options featuring the best of local seafood, value for money, attentive pleasant staff and views to die for! This is a must return venue and everyone from the pub staff on the ground floor to the chef was super friendly and accommodating.

Great food service value lovely setting

The service is excellent, the portions are really good size you won’t leave hungry. The menu is extensive with something for everyone. The desert trio is perfect for sharing. Excellent views

Not my cup of tea, designer food, prefer pub grub.

Gorgeous food, very reasonable and the staff were so friendly and welcoming, couldn't do enough for you. First time here but I will definitely be back

This place is a magical little restaurant to dine in with fine food to make your dinner experience memorable, we have eaten here several times in previous years and it always surpasses our expectations from starters to deserts the food will always hit the spot . We visited on a Friday afternoon and although we hadn’t booked they were able to fit us in for a table around 6:30 the chef cooks the food per table and all the food is made freshly and served to the table as soon as possible piping hot , very reasonable prices all washed down with a glass of lovely red or white wine at £4 a glass

Great food and the place is very welcome for people with dogs.

Firstly the Staff are the bestest, from being accommodating because we did not book, very attentive and further more invited us after being seated, to move to a window table. The food was good and portions very reasonable. No one left under feed. I would recommend and Thankfully we arrived on a great afternoon with the tide poring and the sun shining.

you won't eat a steak sandwich as good anywhere in the country. Ali and all the staff know exactly how to look after customers in a restaurant. theres always a friendly welcome when you visit. Also the cod and Prawn Mornay is absolutely amazing. so great food with even better service with views over Strangford lough you are in tp a winner if you decide to book table in The Salthouse!

Very friendly staff and superb food. Special s menu very extensive. We had the chowder and scallops to start and fresh grilled hake and crab claws for main followed by apple crumble and malteeser sundae. All delicious. Definitely worth a visit.

Seafood chowder starter was 80% potato, honey chilli chicken starter was 70% boiled rice but at least both had more taste than the seabass main which was definitely not grilled as the skin was colourless and soggy . Very bland dish below average at best . Would not recommend the dishes we were served at " award winning" restaurant.

Had a very enjoyable family dinner and dessert at this nicely decorated restaurant. Food was great, servers were very friendly and efficient, seated beside a window on a lovely evening and were amazed to be able to watch dolphins playing in the lough. Kids and adults alike loved it! We would be very happy to visit again when staying in the area. Highly recommended. Many thanks.

What amazing food and service . Fresh fish, great potion size and value for money . Excellent ! I highly recommend this restaurant. Can’t wait to come back .

Amazing food and attentive staff. Beautiful views across Strangford Lough and dontvforget the dolphins

Food great and reasonable priced and staff friendly

A lovely casual restaurant, very good customer service which is appreciated, prompt service and good food. An all round very pleasant experience and we have eaten there on a number of occasions

Excellent food, very friendly staff. Well worth a visit. We will definitely be back. Well done Salthouse 😀

Brilliant food, service and location!

Lovely food, really friendly service and a nice view through the window over the water.

Excellent dining experience ! Food was great and served by very friendly staff . Beautiful views of the narrows and even seen the Dolphins ! Highly recommend

A late lunch/very early dinner for us, having spent the morning out on the lough this set us up perfectly for the run back to the Isle of Man. Excellent service, both from the bar and the restaurant (I'd forgotten the bar and restaurant are run as separate businesses). Beautifully cooked and presented meals, we all thought the sweet potato chips were the best we've had for a long time! We couldn't have chosen a better time, there were dolphins playing in the waters across the road from the restaurant, making an unforgettable experience for some of the diners. Please note this not part of service offered by The Salthouse and cannot be guaranteed! Very fairly priced with generous portions all round. Another establishment we'll be visiting again on future trips.

It was cool, quiet and more welcoming than you could imagine. I only asked for a simple salad and was served one that was sumptuous. Wonderful place. Thank you

We ate here last Sunday evening. Have eaten here on different occasions and it never disappoints. Service was a bit slow because they were really busy, but lovely welcoming staff and the food as usual was well worth waiting for. There were 4 of us eating, we chose not to have a starter and all ordered rare sirloin steaks and sides. Can always highly recommend the steaks here. We shared deserts, Malteser sundae and profiteroles. 😋 Coffee and drinks. Can't wait to return

We had a beautiful meal here tonight, the food was amazing and all the wonderful staff were so friendly and professional.

The restaurant is upstairs with beautiful views across to Strangford. We were a party of three, myself, husband and son. I chose not to have a starter but hubby and son both ordered seafood chowder. The chowder arrived with homemade wheaten bread. Both really enjoyed their starters, the sauce was beautiful, the wheaten bread really fresh as it was just out of the oven. My son and I ordered the seafood platter for mains. It arrived, excellent presentation and comprised salmon, smoked haddock,mussels,prawn Mornay and if that wasn't enough also haddock goujons! Every single piece of fish was cooked to perfection. In all honesty I struggled to finish mine but as it was so delicious I was too greedy to leave any. Hubby had seafood linguine which he enjoyed thoroughly. In fact he commented that it was much tastier than one he had in Padstow last summer. Unfortunately we didn't have room for desert. Maybe next time? Service was attentive, warm and friendly. This was our first visit but we intend to return and would have no hesitation recommending The Salthouse!

An impressive range of seafood and everything we had was excellent. Really good staff, very professional and friendly.

Lovely place opposite the water . Mussels are fab..

Amazing food, great portions, lovely staff who couldn't do enough for us. A little hard to find our way in as first timers, though

Really enjoyed the food, huge portions and the burgers 🍔 are very tasty.

Loved the food and friendly atmosphere we were here on a few days break and really enjoyed it. Had steak and scampi

Food fantastic .. Partner had Seafood Chowder and looked / tasted amazing .. and all the other food was really good !

Great food, been many times, and have never had a bad experience. The chef is great.

We have the pleasure of dinning out in the Salt house several times over the summer months & it never disappoints, the food is always amazing lots of choice for adults and kids, big portions and so reasonably priced. We have a pickie eater in our family and the staff and chef always goes above and beyond to ensure that they get to enjoy a beautiful meal out too. The service is always prompt, super welcoming and friendly. The Salt house has that traditional 'family run' feel to it that you just don't get everywhere these days and this greatly adds to the warmth of dinning out here. The views are stunning, strangford Lough never disappoints and the charm of the ferryboat sailing past all adds to the experience. We look forward to returning asap thanks guys for the beautiful meals & fab service x

Ate here on saturday night, it was very busy but well attended to by great staff and had a beautiful view overlooking strangford lough. I had the 8oz steak and was cooked to perfection and the grilled seabass was amazing. Unforgettable experience

On Friday night me and my family visited The Salthouse Restaurant for my dads 60th, from the moment I came in the service was excellent and very attentive. We were seated at the window and the views of the sun setting was fantastic. For starters I had the Brie which was delicious and my family had ribs which just fell of the bone. For mains I had cod and prawn mornay with garlic chips and it was so delicious and despite being full I couldn’t resist the sticky toffee pudding. With a extra touch for my dads birthday the chef made special desert which was such a lovely touch. Excellent service. Excellent food. I can’t wait to comeback.

Went there with the family night out. Staff are so friendly and the food was lovely. Would go again!!!

Love this place food is absolutely amazing friendly staff 😋.

Pleasant and efficient staff. Delicious food.

We ate in the bird's nest right at the top in a little private room with amazing views of the Lough. The service was very good, (fortunately young and fit servers otherwise a lot of stairs for them!!) prompt and attentive but not too much. The food was excellent and plenty, we couldn't manage a pudding!! Very reasonably priced. The only let down was the bar downstairs (sailing club?) which was somewhat underwhelming and rather utilitarian decor wise. The restaurant wine list was extremely reasonably priced (£14 for a bottle of white), but we would have happily paid at least another £10 -£15 for a much better bottle which would have matched the food quality.

A hidden gem! First time eating at the Salthouse Restaurant on Sunday and it certainty won't be my last time visiting. From an initial warm and friendly welcome from staff member Ali, the family friendly atmosphere and attentive service was followed up by amazingly fresh and delicious seafood. The drive from Belfast was 100% worth it for the Prawn and Cod Mornay, chief Colm has a gift, teamed with his staff. I couldn't fault them, the value for money made me do a double take when i received the bill, being used to spending almost twice the amount for the equivalent in Belfast. To top off our trip Ali was able to point us in the best beauty spots to walk off our delicious feed. Can't wait to try what else the Salthouse has to offer.

Meal was beautiful and staff was first class class. Will be back for sure.

Food delicious and friendly, helpful staff

We had a smashing meal in the Salthouse last night. We (4) ate in the Crow's Nest, ideal for a date, great for four, six at a cramped pinch but wouldn't recommend trying more. Fabulous view over the Lough, even in the dark! Lovely to see the ferry with its Christmas lights. Wonderful, delightful staff ran up and down all the stairs and, though we did our best to compress our orders (!), ran up again to make sure we were happy (which we were!). Great food, scampi always a joy, desserts superb, staff really couldn't have been nicer. If I could make one request, it would be if you could develop your vegetarian offerings more. Always the same two (tbh, pretty uninspiring) mains, and my veggie friends are getting a bit sad.

Really good food and not overly expensive , great location looking out on to strangford Loch. Staff were really friendly and service was quick. Would recommend.

Absolutely stunning view of Strangford Lough, while enjoying a beautiful meal. Perfect

Good quality food & big portions Helpful staff We would quite happily return

My best advice is to simply go and enjoy great food in a great setting. Looking over Strangford lough the scenery is beautiful and the sunset ifvyou are lucky enough to catch one can be stunning! It's probably best to book, but when you do you'll be treated to a warm welcome, fabulous food, and a truly lovely culinary experience!

Great night out for big family birthday

Brilliant food yet again. Always enjoy visiting this restaurant when we are here in Portaferry.

Great Service, waitress was so friendly and helpful. Food was outstanding, will definitely be back.

Staff where excellent and the food got 5 stars. I was there for a family lunch and the whole experience was first class and the view is WOW!!

Great food. Only complaint is you have to pay for the drinks separately.

Lovely staff and great atmosphere.

First class meal at the sailing club in portaferry. I couldn’t fault the food and the views of strangford Lough make the experience that extra bit special. Our server Alison was so helpful and lovely. Will definitely be back!

Good choice and great food, lovely view from our table.

The views over Strangford Lough are stunning. I've had the chicken burger, seafood tagliatelle and seafood chowder, would highly recommend them all. Great service from Alison, very knowledgeable about the menu. Don't forget to book.

The food was good and the staff very helpful ! Unfortunately there was no table for us on second floor!!

The best meal in the peninsula. Food is beautiful and staff are brilliant. Would love to eat here every night. Looking forward to next visit. Thank you for fantastic meal

Good for food. Bar is a separate business with not as friendly service.

Excellent quality and variety of food including locally-sourced seafood. Great selection of kids meals. Friendly, helpful staff. Fantastic views of Strangford Lough.

We were here on 5/6/2021 we were a party of 4, the food was excellent we had scampi, steak and a titanic burger followed by sticky toffee pudding, chess cake and profiteroles. We found the place clean and friendly. However the service was disjointed drinks had to be ordered and paid for separately I paid by debit card and my card was taken downstairs to be tapped could not be done at the table I was told. We asked to try the house wine (as we would in any restaurant) and was told this was not allowed. We had many different staff tending to our table (too many) asking the same questions. It seemed there were too many staff. Overall we enjoyed eating here as the food and atmosphere were great it’s a shame the service let it down this time.

Great view from top floor window seat..food was good and well prepared.

Quite outstanding! We dined on the top (3rd) floor, with a stunning sunset view of the Strangford Narrows and Portaferry Marina. The service was attentive, hospitable and cheerful. The food was quite delicious - variously mussels, baked mushrooms and ribs to start, followed by chicken burger, steak sandwich and sea food platter; all beautifully presented and delicious. The bill at the end wasn't painful - about £20/head excluding drinks. Altogether outstanding - we'll definitely be back.

Titanic burger was unreal no photo didn't have time to take a photo lol delicious

Delivery time 15 minutes Starters ( Chicken Caesar Salad )Chicken was nice and juicy Lettuce was nice and crunchy Bacon was also nice And the breadcrumbs were not soggy Overall I rate this a 5/5 (Mains )( 6OZ Rump Steak Ciabatta Sandwich with Tobacco Onions & Peppered Sauce )Steak was cooked so well asked for medium rare and got medium rare Tobacco Onions we’re lovely Sweet Potatoes were not soggy Peppered Sauce was not to thick or thin just right and not over done with peppercorns. Thanks chef will be back again the only reason I made this account was to leave this review this is a hidden jem

A great selection of wonderfully prepared food, if you like seafood this is defiantly the place to go.

A friend and I decided to go for dinner at the Salthouse while we stayed in Portaferry last weekend. We saw on their Facebook page about the crows nest option to dine privately on the top floor with a view of the bayand decided to try it. The staff were incredibly helpful and polite, and the food was amazing. It was a set menu and not only was the food delicious but the portions were huge and it was amazing value. Even though we were dining alone on the top floor the staff were very prompt with orders and food arrival and also made sure to check on us regularly so we didn't feel stranded. Would highly recommend.

My friend and I booked the "Crows Nest" (private dining) for our meal and it was really enjoyable. Great choice on set menu of £30pp and the portions were very generous. Staff couldn't have been friendlier or professional re covid guidelines. Would definitely recommend and will be returning.

Food was amazing and so was the service,very nicely decorated,very enjoyable and ofcourse the company was we were with was fantastic 💯

Was in Portaferry for a few days over the bank holiday and we planned ahead by booking a table for 6pm. Arrived and was told table wasn't ready and had to wait another 15 minutes which was fine. When we eventually got seated, no drink order was taken nor was any menus provided. We were left unattended for about 20 minutes before we managed to flag a waiter down. It was 7.30 before we got our starters. They were okay - I got the seafood chowder which was more like a stew as there wasn't much liquid in it, but the wheaten bread was not home made, nor was it fresh. We had ordered 3 kids meals to come with our starters but they sent the wrong thing out. Everyone else seemed to be happy/content with what they ordered. We didn't get our mains until 8.30 - again most were happy with the food (I got the beef and bird sizzler - pepper sauce was very nice) by the time we got the bill and paid it was almost 9.30 - 3.5 hours after the table booking which is a ridiculous amount of time to be spending in a restaurant (with kids might I add) regardless of how busy they may have been. Lastly, I found the set up of having to pay for alcohol & soft drinks there and then instead of adding it to the food bill. Meant you had to get specific staff for your drinks, which was a bit of a pain.Overall the experience was hit and miss

Fabulous food ,every time. Great young staff .

Fab food and the prices are fantastic. We had the best table with an amazing view. Booking is essential.

Called in for lunch when out driving last Sunday. Great to see restaurants open again and the atmosphere here was brilliant. The location is unreal as your has the full view of Strangford lough. Very friendly staff and the good was great. Food is first class We will definately be back when we are down this way again.

Visited on Friday night and was very impressed. The location is great with beautiful views.The staff are brilliant and very cheerful. Decided to finally have lobster Never had it before, it was first class. Finished the meal of with which was delicious cheesecake.One of our first outings since lockdown and it was made very enjoyable by the staff.

Staff were friendly and welcoming, and food was ok but honestly could be a bit better. Had the soup of the day and there was a fly in it! got served wheaten bread with the starter and didn’t get to eat it as it wasn’t served with a knife to butter the bread. Also, the bar must be separate from the restaurant? As we had to pay for our drinks at the table while we were having our dinner. Seemed a bit pointless and inconvenient. Walked out disappointed, unfortunately. A shame because of the location and the lovely staff.

this is the second time iv,e been here eating and thought i would write a review about the fantastic food served here ., The first time i ate here i thought this is heaven , the seafood chowder was awesome , best i ever tasted with a charred langostine placed on top of mussles and smoked fish all on in a lovely chowder , needless to say i had the seafood pasta and although it too was delicious i had to leave some to make way for the dessert , my compliments to the chef , the wine was priced well below what you would pay in a restaurant of its calibre, but it comes from the bar below the restaurant so you pay seperate for drinks with a small bottle costing £3.50. . You need to book for this place but the wait is well worth it , staff are very attentive and service is excellent , will be back soon,

good food at reasonable prices and nice portions, reasonably priced wine so a pleasant place to spend an evening, without breaking the bank if you find yourself in portaferry.

I have been here a few times now and just seems to get better. This time I had the seafood platter, absolutely beautiful. My wife had the chicken stack and was also impressed. We will definitely be back.

Had lunch here with my family at the weekend. Very pleasant views of Strangford Lough from upstairs. The food was good, but the real star of the show was our waitress: friendly, chatty (just the right amount) and funny. Would definitely return if in the area.

The Salthouse was awarded best restaurant in Co Down in 2019 & deserves this as the menu is great & seafood dishes were tasty with homely feeling. Impressed with friendly staff & service with bonus of having a panoramic view of lower strangford lough. Look forward to returning again for another visit.

We are regular visitors either as a couple or with the extended family. Whether dining in the bar or more formally in the restaurant we are never disappointed. First class for quality and quantity and overall great value for money. Best part however are the happy and enthusiastic waiting staff; nothing is too much trouble and the chef will accommodate any and all reasonable requests.

Beautiful food,fantastic service. Only wish I had known there was a lift but the food was amazing. We will be back.

My husband and I have visited the Salthouse Restaurant on a number of occasions and have been very pleased with each meal. Although the restaurant itself is not particularly fancy, it is clean and comfortable. The views across Strangford Lough are simply beautiful. There is a relaxed atmosphere and the staff are very accommodating. On each visit we have had the seafood chowder for starters and the surf&turf for our main meals. The food is good quality and really delicious. I look forward to my next visit!

It's a little but hard to find as the restaurant is actually situated on the second floor of the Portaferry Sailing Club so that can cause some confusion. Recent renovations have resulted in a lift/elevator being installed so that is great for wheelchair access. Food was good (not exceptional) with a great variety of dishes to choose from and the serving staff could not have been more pleasant or accommodating. Definitely a pleasant spot.

Exceptional restaurant in Portaferry serving delicious seafood, friendly helpful staff , beautiful views over Strangford Lough. What more could anyone want

Came across this place by accident. A beautiful day we were fortunate to get a window seat and the views across the lough were spectacular. The staff were so friendly yet professional and happy for a chat. They all appeared happy at their work. The seafood chowder is honestly the best I’ve ever tasted. The scampi was fresh and the batter was crispy and tasty. I honestly cannot fault this place. We enjoyed it that much that we returned a week later with our children and partners. It is advisable to book and this place is only opened Friday-Sunday

We called here on a Saturday evening as we frequently do. Usual highest standards in relation to food and service. Brilliant all round. The two girls who served us were friendly and efficient. By far the best place to eat on the Ards Peninsula.

The restaurant is upstairs in the sailing club. There are great views of Strangford Lough from the windows. Service was friendly and efficient. Food was excellent

For a place that is only open three days a week this restaurant is superb. Great views, lovely friendly staff and delicious, good value food. You can either eat upstairs in the restaurant or a more limit menu in the bar downstairs.