Sef Steakhouse in Cheltenham

Great food great atmosphere great service. Abby looked after us superbly.

I got the beef burger with bone marrow and my family were sharing a big steak together. The meat was lovely and very nicely cooked! The chips were nothing special and the lemon tart was sadly not the best. The atmosphere is nice but it was lacking in coat hanger/bag dropping locations and the service took quite a long time with having to ask to get our plates taken for dessert. The white port was lovely and overall it was nice!

Hell yes!!!!!!! Absolutely fantastic! This will be our new 'special occasion' venue from now on!!!!!!!

This restaurant has really good bones. It appears as a well run establishment, very clean and modern, lots of staff and the atmosphere was great. However the service was not where we would expect from any restaurant, we were left waiting at every stage. Our drinks order was taken after being seated for 15 mins, and late guests to our table were then left waiting even longer, our meal took a good 40 minutes after we ordered. The food was good when it arrived and steaks were cooked correctly for our entire table. It was somewhat annoying that we were only asked if our meals were ok after 3 of our party had finished their meal, and then we had to ask for our bill twice. There is definitely room to improve the service here and I won’t be rushing back.

Fantastic experience, my only comment would be that it would be nice if they included a tiny bit more sauce with the steak. But the atmosphere and service was absolutely fantastic. Absolutely not to be missed if your in Cheltenham!

Really impressed with this place- set lunch menu at £23- excellent quality starters/ steak fries sauces/ drinks- have paid more than twice as much for less before- really good staff and service- proper 5 stars couldn’t fault it give it a go.

Lunchtime menu. First course I had the belly pork bites with apple and fennel sauce. Pork beautifully tender but under seasoned. Sauce tasted neither of apple nor fennel. Mains had a rare rump steak with fries. Steak was perfectly cooked, very tender, and was very tasty. Generous quantity of crispy skinny fries. Good dressing on the green leaf salad. Despite the pork being underwhelming, as I can’t give the experience 9/10, happy to give 5*. £19 for two courses is excellent value for money.

Both the steak and the fish were cooked beautifully. Staff friendly. Excellent mocktails.

I don’t mind spending close £200 on a meal for two, but I do expect good quality throughout. Unfortunately, while not offensively bad, it’s not one I will come back too. Small things like wrong side brought over, took over 5 mins to replace/despite it taking less than 30 seconds to correct, all while food getting cold. I had to ask for water 3 times. Steak not quite on point for its cut, fat not marbled. It was still a good restaurant, but if you want to charge good prices, you need to deliver.

Kabir is Fantastic. Top quality ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ service.

We ate an early dinner at Sef and we were very disappointed in our steaks and how they were cooked and presented for steakhouse being in the name of the restaurant The salads and the meatball appetizer were all very good but the kitchen failed when it came to the ribeye steaks. Our steaks had no marbling we’re very dry and appeared to be New York strip steaks and not realize the kitchen had sliced the steaks and appeared to cook them more, which dried them out even worse. One steak was ordered to well done and it was so tough. It was more like beef jerky. The second ribeye was ordered to medium temperature and it was more like between medium well to well done no pink except on one or two slices. I questioned the waiter why the steaks had been sliced as they were so dried out and overcooked and he advised that’s just how the kitchen prepares them and a well done steak was ordered and a well done. Steak was presented and they offered no refund for the steak that was not eaten. I really do not believe we were served the steak that we ordered. (I’m pretty sure this was a New York strip and not a ribeye and someone just got it wrong at the kitchen). Throughout our 21 days in the UK these two steaks were the worst we had for the entire trip. The Fiket was cooked as ordered and not butterflied, therefore it was still tender and juicy. No visit from Management and our waiter stated that if we would have told him when we got the steaks that we weren’t happy that he would’ve taken them back and re-cooked them (not going to happen as I don’t let my food leave the table to be “re-cooked” a second time). For the price paid not worth the money.

The meal too expensive and small piece of a steak on rocket it’s so bad never go again waste of money

Great steak and starters but oddly controlling waiter who refused to allow us to order a rare steak.

I recently went with a group and had a great farewell lunch for friends at the Sef Steakhouse in Cheltenham with their £19 set menu. I started with the Beef Carpaccio, which was fresh and flavorful, topped with rocket leaves, capers, and a nice Caesar dressing. For the main, I went with the Fish of the Day, which was I really enjoyed and it paired well with the mashed potatoes and chive velouté and a glass of white wine. I also tried some of my friends’ dishes: the Pork Belly Bites with pickled fennel and apple sauce were delicious, and the Cauliflower Steak with black garlic gel and Malabar sauce which was something different and super tasty. The wine and cocktail lists were solid—great choices all around. I skipped dessert from the set menu but instead shared a cheese plate to share and enjoyed a dessert cocktail and a port, which was a great finish to the meal. I’m definitely excited to come back for dinner to try one of the fancier steaks for dinner. However, it’s worth mentioning that none of the 8 oz rump steaks ordered by our group were cooked to the requested specifications—they were all much rarer than we asked for. Nobody complained because we didn’t want to make a fuss, and nobody is perfect, and they just might not have been focused late into a lunch service with the cheaper cuts of steak. The wait staff were super friendly and attentive, as were the bar staff making the cocktails. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and will definitely come back for a lunch and try it out for dinner at some stage.

Walking into SEF Steakhouse feels like being welcomed into a temple of beefy goodness, where the steaks are so tender you’ll start questioning why you ever ate anything that wasn’t perfectly seared and cooked to carnivorous perfection. They say the steaks here are amazing, but honestly, that’s an understatement. These steaks are so good they should come with their own theme song and parade float.The menu is basically a meat-lover’s dream: every cut imaginable, from ribeye to filet, all seasoned so perfectly that you’ll wonder if the chefs have made some kind of deal with the steak gods. If you were planning on ordering a salad, just know that you’ll be deeply regretting your life choices when you see the sizzling platter of steak being carried past your table. (Pro tip: Just get the steak. You’re in a steakhouse, not a lettuce house.)The staff? Absolute rockstars. It’s like they’ve trained under steakhouse Jedi masters who taught them the ancient art of providing impeccable service without hovering awkwardly. They’re attentive without being intrusive, and by the end of the meal, you’ll be so charmed you might even be tempted to invite them to your next family barbecue.As for the location, it’s beautiful enough to make you pause and reconsider your current address. Between the great ambiance and the delicious aroma of steak wafting through the air, SEF Steakhouse isn’t just a place to eat—it’s a place to revel in the joy of knowing that you’re about to have the best meal of your week (possibly your life). Honestly, you’ll probably start planning your next visit before you’ve even finished dessert.So, if you’re looking for a place that will make your taste buds sing and your stomach say "thank you," SEF Steakhouse is where you need to be. Just be prepared to leave with a happy food coma and a newfound appreciation for the finer cuts in life.

I had the chateaubriand which I asked for medium. I presume they cook how the meat should be served for maximum taste as it was rare. Very nice steak. The sides complemented the dish very well and everything was well presented. The only complaint from me is they don't accept Amex. This is a high end establishment and I'd expect them to accept it. Total cost for 2 adults, 2 teenagers and 2 children was £300

Terribly salty poisonous and spicy Sunday roast! When notified waiter said ‘no one else had complained’ and when they do then he’ll do something about it. Got very threatening and argumentative and towered over me in an intimidating aggressive manor when I mentioned I didn’t think his reply was professional. Ruined a special meal with bad food and even worse service! AVOID at all costs!

Honestly, this was the best steak that I’ve had. It was succulent, tender, and flavourful. The service from Abby at Sef Steakhouse was second to none. He really is a credit to the restaurant. It was impressive to hear that the meat is locally sourced from a farm in Gloucestershire, you can tell. I highly recommend this place! You won’t regret going!

Fantastic choice of meat and perfectly cooked. Great service too, we'll be back.

Really nice place! Food was 4/5, it wasn’t the best steak I’ve had in my life but it was good enough for me to go back there again soon! The service was great! We sat outside but the interior looks really nice, on the slightly more fancier side.

Perfect experience. Great food. We'll be back! 😀

Had the roast pork for lunch today, it was nice, but way too much gravy, and the gravy was too salty for me.

Lovely place, Customer service amazing, food out of point 👉

Food absolutely delicious and service from our waitress outstanding.

Absolutely amazing food. Simply delicious!!! Lovely atmosphere and very friendly and professional service 👍 😀 Food was served in very posh way on beautiful plates . Everything was making big impression. *****

Great restaurant in Cheltenham. Excellant food and service.

We had Sunday lunch, it was pleasant but there is room for improvement, the Yorkshire was too over cooked and the beef was quite fatty. Maybe their signature dishes is the steak and we would like to try this.

Our waiter Abbi was a right old fun geezer. We enjoyed his service. Plus the steaks were well cooked too.

Great service. Steak was amazing, so soft and melt in the mouth. We shared the Chateaubriand and it came with 2 sides and 2 sauces. It was the perfect amount of food for two people. Would definitely recommend.

Best steak I've had ,great service and can't wait to go back

Unfortunately the ribeye steak was sinewy & didn't have a lot of flavour compared to ribeyes I've had in the past & the filet steak my wife had was sub standard too. The service was excellent & sitting out & eating on the balcony made up partially for the quality of the steak.

It was a stunning. Food was amazing. Thanks

Great quality beef is air dried to make tasty, tender steaks. Impressive, short wine list with a couple of good South African reds from Buitenverwachting.

Wow what an amazing place! We were absolutely spoilt from the great service, to the amazing food! Would highly recommend, although it look like it doesn't need it as it was already so so busy constantly throughout the evening!

Absolutely delicious meal here with my family. Highly recommend and such good value for money too.

Great steak house in the middle of Cheltenham....we had a great meal with great choice and quality.

Food was really tasty we had the bonemarrow as a starter and a ribay for mains. Steak was beautifully cooked just didn't have any salt on it. That's why the 4 star it's really overpriced in general for don't take the bother to add salt on it. Don't order the prawns as a starter it's really nice but £22 for 3 prawns I think is take the piss at people. Otherwise really good service and clean place.

I was really looking forward to eating at Stefs Steakhouse and I booked it for my birthday meal this year with friends. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to the decor and atmosphere considering steaks are the main show they were not the quality I was expecting and would expect for the price we paid. 😔

Have been going here for a while and returning regularly but have too say standards have dropped dramatically since our last visit. Can you please return it back too how it was not so long ago. Also can we clear up issue that in England Chips are Chips, French fries are fries ! Please return proper chips to accompany a steak.

Another visit, same excellent service, food and atmosphere. About 35 plus a head now. Return visit, better than l quoted last visit, staff exceptionally helpful, the fillet steak perfection, best l had from memory, great wine....Very nice steak house with high quality aged meats.Price on the upper side but made up in the quality of the meat. Service for me was good one waiter was very aware and attentive, a tall Turkish man, other than him it was a little relaxed for what appears to be rum as a high end restaurant. The decor is modern and clean, dark and relaxing. I suspect it's a very busy place at the weekends and evenings. Overall very good quality, certainly l would go back.

First experience as a weekend away and how amazing. Abby K was brilliant, attentive, knowledgeable with the menu and wine.

Fixed price lunch menu, 4 starters and 4 mains. £19 for 2 courses or £23 for 3, was a very good offer.

Visited this afternoon with the wife for the lunch menu. On previous occasions we could not fault this restaurant. Steaks were melt in the mouth delicious and excellent service. Unfortunately not so on this visit. The steak was at best mediocre, quite tough and definitely not melt in the mouth. The service was still good though and maybe we were just unlucky on this occasion. Unfortunately, it only takes one poor steak to put us off visiting again.

Good food and good value set menu.

Difficult day for them as very busy with the Jazz festival and then a lady next to us started to choke but all staff coped very well and still managed to get our meals out! Lunch time special very tasty and good value for money. We'll done to all the staff

Went for a late Sunday roast and could definitely say I’ve had better, but it was okay. Food overall could just do with some seasoning as was quite bland as was the gravy. Service was nice, but atmosphere was ruined a little by them leaving the front door open when we were sat right by it. It was rather cold when we came so just a heads up for future to maybe keep it shut or not have a table so close to it.

A Culinary Delight at SEF Steakhouse, Cheltenham From the moment I stepped into SEF Steakhouse, I knew I was in for a treat. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance between elegance and comfort, making it ideal for both special occasions and casual dining. The standout for me was undoubtedly the bone marrow, which was exquisitely prepared and bursting with flavor. Accompanying the meal, the Piedra Negra wine was superb, complementing each dish with its rich, velvety texture. The sirloin steak deserves a special mention too; cooked to perfection, it was tender, juicy, and richly seasoned. To finish, the chocolate fondant was nothing short of amazing—a decadent, gooey center encased in a perfectly crisp crust, it was the ideal end to a delightful meal. The service at SEF Steakhouse was impeccable. The staff were attentive without being intrusive, ensuring that each course flowed smoothly into the next. I highly recommend SEF Steakhouse to anyone looking for top-quality dishes and a memorable dining experience in Cheltenham. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, this gem is not to be missed.

Kelis was a lovley server , nice meal

A very enjoyable lunch. Staff were friendly, food was good ,would certainly dine here again.

Great good, amazing staff, Beautiful atmosphere. All round Amazing restaurant/Steakhouse

Very good stake, also tried the bone marrow starter which was second to none. The atmosphere was great and the waiter took me to see the different options of the cuts and select which one I wanted.

We have been coming to Sefs since they opened, probably every couple of weeks! We have always been amazed by the quality of the food and the staff are always amazing! It’s a constant high standard, my wife and daughters usually have the fillet which is so tender and I always try something different to fillet and the porterhouse is amazingly tasty! Even my 11 year old son who can be fussy and didn’t eat steak before has the lokum and loves the tender meat! The cocktails are fantastic as is the wine selection. Last night we had an amazing selection of ribeye, lokum, saslick and bone marrow which was so good it made me want to write this review which I rarely do! Keep up the good work Sefs!

What an excellent experience wonderful welcome and Julia was so helpful. Value for money with superb food . I’ll be back .

Very good food, nice atmosphere, very good service. Well recommended.

This steak restaurant is a great addition to Cheltenham. Great service, friendly, swift and professional. The steaks are incredible and come in a variety of cuts and sizes. Amazing chips made it even better. Try it and you won't be disappointed.

The steak was fantastic. Unfortunately the scallops were rather bland and disappointing. The service was pretty good and love the restaurant.

The staff at Sef always provide amazing service. They are happy to help with dietary requirements and make adjustments as required. Food is always great quality and cooked to perfection. Generous portions and very tasty steak - 10/10

Our first visit and we had a lovely evening. A friendly welcome, nicely arranged table, good lighting that’s not too bright and pleasant background music not too loud. The salty butter with the artisan bread as we pondered the menu was so tasty. Excellent service with a friendly waitress. There was a large table in with a big order but they were organised and our food came in good time. Our food was delicious and we were left in peace to enjoy our wine which is always appreciated. Highly recommend and we will return.

Our first visit and it was fab. Lovely drinks at the bar. For dinner, we shared the Sef Special fillet steak dish and it was delicious. Wonderful service from start to finish. We'll be back soon. Wishing Sef all the very best as a great local business

Nice place and nice staff. The service was pretty good and friendly. The food was ok too. We found the portion size small and the quality average. It was expensive considering what we had. I had expected better considering the amount we spent.

We loved it. The starters were very delicious. The meats are legendary. Kids love hamburgers. Cocktails were great too.

warm, welcoming environment! Adem, was lovely and kind- thank you for making the evening enjoyable!!

Adem is a lovely bloke and a fantastic waiter. Food was amazing as always. Only a true bloke can pull off suspenders like that

Amazing service lovely atmosphere Abby was so helpful always there and happy to to anything nothing was ever any trouble. I suggest he needs a pay rise or a promotion.

Abby was wonderful. Great service

Abby was amazing. Friendly and really helpful

Overall I was happy with the food. The caesar salad was excellent. The steak burger was decent, though it needed some sauce (which is an additional menu item) - this is a bit of a sticking point for me, because an £18 burger really shouldn't need anything extra. In general the portions are on the smaller side, so I'd like to see that fixed. The dining room is nice - big tables, comfortable seating, and pleasant lighting. The front door is really strange and bangs loudly, but surely they will fix that. I will probably come back in bit to see if they've ironed the kinks. I feel a bit bad having to give 3 stars, but at this price point the food needs to be better. They also include a service charge for a table of only 2 people which shouldn't be common practice in my opinion. We finally got back to give it another try. Overall it was improved but not enough to move my rating. We got the scallops and Caesar salad as appetizers - the Caesar was nice but the scallops were overdone and rubbery and the flavors of the sauces and garnish honestly didn't complement them well. We both has the porterhouse which was cooked nicely and was good, but at nearly £50 for one plate it just doesn't live up to expectations. For lunch over £100 with no alcohol, I am sorry to say it simply does not deserve a higher rating than 3 stars.

Abby was great. Food came out quickly and very good.

Abby was amazing, very attentive

Abby was a legend very good service and great banta

Sunday roast dinner - Lamb was undercooked Chocolate dessert - Amazing

Similar to Nusr Et. Very tasty Saslik. Top notch steakhouse.

From the get go, Abby has been absolutely amazing. He definitely knows how to deal with his customers one on one ☝️. First time here and will be back not only for the food but to have Abby make us all laugh and smile. Thank you Abby. I am one happy South African who just moved to the uk 🇬🇧

Great service, attended really well by Abby K who recommended excellent drinks! Overall restaurant has a lovely relaxed ambiance. Steak is pretty good and drinks are delicious!

Lovely food and service, would recommend to anyone in Cheltenham. Shout out to Abby who gave us spot on service.

Fantastic steak house. I had the caveman (tomahawk) which was the best steak I've ever eaten. All of the food was excellent, as was the customer service. Would highly recommend

My wife and l went for Sunday lunch. I think it was the worst meal we have ever had it was worse than dreadful. To make it worse lnhad severe stomach cramps when l got home.

Kabir B our server was a delight helped with everything and the most efficient server I have ever had! Brilliant place and brilliant food lovely time for my boyfriend’s birthday!!

Lovely place to go, table of 10 here and perfect timings. Brilliant steakhouse and a wonderful Sunday roast! It's a shame there is only one loo though!

This was the first time I had waygu steak, and my god, it was amazing! The food and service were fantastic. I couldn't recommend this place enough.

Very very good food great service will definitely be going back

Fab night & amazing food! Couldn’t fault it. The service was the best, we had the lovely Abby! He didn’t leave us waiting for our drinks or to take our order & was such a lovely welcoming guy. Will definitely be back!

Having used this restaurant multiple times since it opened, including birthday dinners and long lunches, it is a shame that I have only given 1 star . I called to book a table for 4 ,pre theatre supper at 5 15. Left a message including my number and followed up with an email as the booking on line was not working ( had happened previously ) no response so rang 3 times to ensure our table was booked! Whilst no response , this had happened before so nothing untoward. We arived early and waiting for one more guest , walked in to be greeted with a simple " we are closed until Sunday! ". I asked why no-one had returned my call or email and received just a shrug of shoulders. I explained we had another guest ariving and as it was pouring with rain asked if we could wait in the foyer? No! was the answer so out into the rain we went and ran to the Italian next door to see if we could shelter there . Fabulous service , they accommodated us despite being really full . Fabulous customer care . I emailed Sef and in a polite way asked them to reassure me this was not acceptable ... No response to 2 emails hence this is my last resort . Cheltenham is a small and sometimes fickle town for restaurants . No one is too good to be rude to regular and happy to spend customers , We have introduced numerous customers in the time open, all are now aware of the way we were treated .

Lovely place. Polite attentive staff. Good service. Food average. Expected more for the price

Incredible dinner last night. Had the salmon which was absolutely beautiful. The sauce was perfect! The wine was delicious and the decor was just beautiful.

Lemme start this right. The food, the ambience, the staff was incredible. I highly recommend the steakhouse. I had a Ribeye Steak which was cooked perfectly to my liking, my girlfriend had the salmon and it was made perfectly to her liking. Props to the chefs. The reasons why it's only a 4/5 is because; some of the tables are very close together, it almost feels like you're sat with the people next to you. Secondly, for my dessert I had baklava which overall tasted good but it was too solid to cut through, almost seems frozen. Thirdly, the male restroom is extremely tiny, for a guy on the bigger side the restroom seemed a little claustrophobic.

Exceptional service. A melt in your mouth tomahawk to share. Great wine. We'll definitely return for more.

Lovely restaurant and decor. Abby was the nicest waiter ever!

Me and my partner ordered steaks, I had the porterhouse and my partner had the t bone medium rare both. Flavour was immaculate in the fat of the sirloin however the fillet lacked taste, however accompanied with the peppercorn sauce it sufficed. However in my opinion a fantastic steak should be flavoured without sauce. Nonetheless it was amazing. My partners fries were cold and mine were warm. The sauce was perfect and the steak was seasoned well. Service wasn’t anything to complain about. Only thing I could really raise would be our server kept asking if we were ready to order a bit too abruptly and a service charge was automatically applied. The atmosphere was beautiful, each table candlelit, steaks chilled and on show behind a glass screen was a lovely touch. 8/10 for me.

Abby was an awesome hosts and the lamb chops and drinks were excellent. Will definitely come back if Abby is our waiter.

Served by Abby great experience and very attentive. Will definitely be coming back soon!

Absolutely gorgeous! One of my favourite steak places I have ever tried, and I would definitely recommend booking here to eat if you're around. The Steak was cooked to perfection, and the chicken skewers were amazing! Honestly one of the best steak places I've eaten at in a long time.

Best steaks we've ever had, served in a restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere and excellent service.

First time visitors. Amazing service despite being a busy valentines evening, food came incredibly quickly. We were served by Abby who was fantastic and offered service that means we definitely want to return. Thank you

Family dinner. Delicious food. Amazing, friendly, knowledgeable service from Abby. Thank you. We will definitely be back….tomorrow!

2nd time here and won't be the last. Staff were great and efficient. I let Abby recommend my steak and he knows his stuff. Happy with what he recommended and the steak as always was amazing! 10/10 Abby !

Great food, even better service. Thanks, Abby😊

Great food, Abby was a great waiter and was brilliant throughout the meal.

Amazing lunch time steak and chips - best steak I’ve ever had. Service was attentive and helpful but not obtrusive. Lovely atmosphere. A real find!

Sef’s Steakhouse exceeded our expectations in every way! Addy was really great, the environment was class and the food was cooked to perfection. Can’t wait to return