The Botanist Bar & Restaurant Cardiff in Cardiff

Food was amazing couldn’t recommend more. If you get lucky enough to have teddy as ur server you’ll 100% have a great time. He went above and beyond for us.

Beautiful place and drinks, however, drinks are weak and taste like juice.

Went there for my daughters birthday. Over all we enjoyed the vibe of this place and it was fully packed My wife and daughter lived their Kebabs and Calimari. Garlic Prawns and Fish and chips were okay Cocktails are quite expensive around £11 each. The service was done by Lily and she was wonderful.

The place had such a great atmosphere, and the cocktails were top-notch. Shoutout to the bartender, he was honestly the friendliest guy and really made sure we have a good time.

Food was amazing! The drinks were amazing and our server/waitress Millie was superb!

Crap business!! Don’t know how to hire staff…

The Botanist Cardiff is an absolutely stunning venue with a fantastic atmosphere that really sets it apart. The interior is beautifully designed and there is a gorgeous feature that truly makes the experience feel unique, a stage surrounded by a lake, complete with live music, which adds an elegant and lively touch to the evening. It is the kind of place where you want to sit back, relax, and soak in the ambiance. We came here for drinks and food and were really impressed with both. The cocktails were well made and beautifully presented, with attention to detail in every glass. I tried a couple and each one was smooth, flavorful, and nicely balanced. That said, they were on the expensive side, at just over ten pounds each. This is fairly standard for a premium city centre bar, but it would have been nice if the prices were just a little more accessible so more people could discover this place. For food, we ordered the hanging kebabs and they were absolutely amazing. Perfectly cooked, tender, and full of flavor. We also went for the sharing option, which came in at around forty two pounds, but it was more than enough for two people and definitely worth it in terms of taste and portion size. The presentation was eye catching and it arrived at the table looking every bit as good as it tasted. Service was friendly and attentive and everything came out in good time despite the place being busy and rather late. Overall, this is a fantastic spot for a treat or a special evening out. It is not the cheapest option in Cardiff, but the quality of the drinks, the food, and especially the setting all help justify the price. I would happily return and recommend it to anyone looking for a vibrant and stylish night out, just be ready to spend a little more than average. Excellent beer and wine selection also!

LOVE it here!! Gorgeous atmosphere and decor! Food is super tasty and cocktails are so nice!

Portion sizes were small and cold, service was slow and the food and drink were overpriced for what you.receive. The cheesecake also had no taste and the entertainment was too loud. Won't be returning, very disappointed.

Interesting place. The top floor is definitely for the younger crowd. Went on a weekend evening and it was full of the younger glitterati of Cardiff and the local area. Loud banging music and a good atmosphere. Probably one to avoid if you're over the age of 30. The restaurant was more gentile. The food was good. The atmosphere was good. Being aged around 50 I will give it 4 stars only because the upstairs was a demographic I am not acquainted with. If I was under 30 I wouldn't hesitate to give it five stars.

Disappointing experience today....have had excellent service here in the past....but not on this visit....no maitre d upon entering the first floor.... there was a maitre d of course, but I never got to speak to her!....went to the bar and asked a waitress and bar girl if there was a maitre d available....they didn't seem to know what I was talking about!.....maybe they are called greeters nowadays?!.... manager Sian showed me to my table....and she was indeed rather rude and abrupt about it!....she almost brushed shoulders with me in her eagerness to leave!....only the second time that has ever happened to me in a restaurant.... service was efficient but indifferent from the waitress also.... certainly a British standard of service!....no complimentary water....no 'how is your food?'....rather poor I felt....manager Sian was not good....she wouldn't even return to my table to speak to me....in a meeting allegedly....Basil Fawlty service school I'm afraid.... probably give it a while before I return....never mind!

Great food. Brilliant live music and fantastic staff. It was a birthday celebration with just 4 of us and we were made to feel special 😊

Arrived hungry, left hungry. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. Went to the Botanist for my mother in laws birthday. To start with it took a while to be seated. When we were finally seated we ordered drinks and I'm sure they made the drinks from scratch the time it took to get to us. When ordering food it was disappointing that, being vegan, out of the four options on the menu only two were available. When the food finally arrived I initially thought we ordered off the child's menu due to the size of the portion. I ordered the vegan burger, as much as it was tasty it was gone in 3 bites. And the fried were cold. I still can't belive they think it's acceptable to charge over £19 for that Others ordered the Sunday roast and the portion of potatoes and veg was disgraceful. Also the atmosphere wasn't very relaxing with the noise coming from the so called performers. As you have probably worked out by now I will not be coming back. Do not waste your time and money coming here

Highly recommend the Triple Hanging Kebabs (Chicken, Lamb & Halloumi!). Food, Service, vibes were amazing. The decoration is insane, a real nice rustic jungle aesthetic. Highly recommend. The live music is pretty amazing! Went on a Saturday night and it was one of my favourite places to visit!

Cute spot. Watered down drinks. Decent kebabs. Great rosemary sweet potato fries. Terrible service. Bit overpriced.

Went for my partner’s birthday. The food was nice, but nothing special was done for my partner’s birthday and my request was disregarded. A bit disappointing

Live music and a lovely atmosphere. Food was good too

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting our family from Asia at The Botanist, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. I had requested a simple note saying “Welcome to Cardiff,” but what we received was so much more—a beautifully decorated wooden plate with the message thoughtfully written on it, accompanied by a delicious brownie! It was such a heartfelt surprise, and our guests were genuinely touched. The staff were incredibly attentive, professional, and clearly passionate about creating a memorable experience. Every detail, from the ambiance to the service, was spot-on. We’re so grateful for the warm hospitality and can’t wait to return to The Botanist to host more of our loved ones in the future. Thank you for making our day so special!

The staff is kind and helpful, the location is beautiful and suggestive but the cleanliness is relative, we had a chandelier hanging over our table full of cobwebs and dust.... the table was greasy. The dishes we ordered were poor and poorly cooked, both the roast veal (dry and tough) and the pork belly. The bad drinks...

What a beautiful pub. Only popped in for a drink but will definitely try the food on my next visit to Cardiff

Pre-booked a table...kept waiting in lobby for 10 minutes then seated at a table right by the kitchen. The noise level was phenomenal with music amd drunken groups shouting at each other across the tables to be heard. I got up from the table explained to staff member that was leaving due to noise...not even offered a quieter table...of which there were many. Won't be booking again.

My birthday treat, trip to Cardiff. Cocktails in the Botanist. Stunning. Love the vibe.

Attended a Birthday party on a Saturday night. It was very busy and very noisy. I wish I was younger then it would be great. Queuing at the bar for food and drinks was a chore but the bar staff were excellent. The pizzas on the roof terrace were lovely and reasonably cheap.

Lily was my server she was so lovely and polite, best service I've had in a while!

I hate leaving this type of review. Our first night in Cardiff, a Tuesday. There wasnt much crowd in town, so we didnt make a reservation. We walked to The Botanist because it looked interesting and it came down to a choice between a thai restaurant and this place. Turned out neither was a good choice. There was nobody waiting to be seated and very few tables occupied. The hostess asked if we had a reservation, which we did not. She looked down her nose at us and said I can seat you, but it will be at least 30 minutes....you have to come back. I looked over her shoulder at the mostly empty restaurant and the staff twiddling their thumbs and said seriously? We left. Apparently my American money wasnt good enough for them.

Steak was great, lovely atmosphere. Mrs had the chicken kebab, I tried some, it was decent but one of her chicken pieces was hard like a rock. I took a video of her trying to stab it and it bounced around. Wasn't going to complain about this, as most of the food was really nice. The problem is all to do with the service. Waited to be seated, nobody to greet us for a while, but again, wouldn't complain about this, toilet/smoke break or just busy elsewhere, I don't mind too much. After being seated, we were brought menus and drinks orders taken. Then another waiter came to ask if we want to order drinks, which we already had. Again, no issue, this has happened to me when I was a teenager and waiting tables. Order food, as previously mentioned, it was great (mostly) when we had finished, we were offered a desserts menu, which we had accepted. 10 minutes go by, no dessert menu, he's clearly forgotten....now again, I don't mind too much, these things happen, we all forget things. He eventually notices we've been waiting for the menu so brings them over, and just...chucked it on the table over my shoulder and walked away....hmmm that's a bit rude comsidering. But I get it, maybe he's a bit embarrassed for forgetting for such a long time. When he returns, takes the order abruptly, and then returns again a few minutes later and silently the spoons on the table. I didn't order Desert as I wanted to leave by now, but the Mr's had the cookie dough, tried a bit it was okay. Anyway...I asked for the bill, price is good. Now, I ALWAYS tip well, even for average service and worse food than I received today, but I left nothing. So rude, the bill included a 10% service charge, which even that wasn't deserved. Like I've said, I don't expect perfection, I understand things go wrong. I would have still tipped 20% of the bill even though the chicken was burnt. But if you're in a customer service role, have some customer service. It's a shame because I took some photos of the place and the food and sent them to multiple socials, but in the end told people not to bother.

Beautiful food and atmosphere a little slow on service but it was very busy

A refined, intimate restaurant with a relaxed and cozy ambiance

Bottomless brunch is fab as car as the cocktails/prosecco is concerned. Food I would say is OK The staff were amazing , couldn't do enough for us. Thankyou..will definitely return

We had a tremendous time here thanks to ziggy was very accommodating and couldn’t do enough for us. Thankyou!

Went for a quick drink, we asked for a rose spritz which is not what we got however the drink was okay. there was live music which was made for a nice atmosphere

Wow!! I booked the wrong location Cardiff bay instead of Cardiff on a busy Friday night but Kira went above and beyond to get us a table. The bar area for waiting was fantastic and the table became available early. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. From service, food, location everything 100% it’s a must visit.

Beautiful venue with a lovely atmosphere, delicious food with great service. We will certainly be returning!

10/10 amazing staff, great location great drinks, shoutout the staff, yezzzirrr

Nice food, good service and lovely interior

Came out for drinks for a birthday as was a Monday and not a lot available. 1 out of 4 cocktails were okay, the peppered peach, plant pot and electric daiquiri were, and for lack of a better word, vile and undrinkable. The plant pot was worst by far cost £10.95 and refused to drink it as it tasted like a clay face mask mixed with paint stripper. Very disappointed, style over substance unfortunately.... Gutted (Also didn't state on menu allergens in drinks so be careful)

“Avoid The Botanist Cardiff Central at All Costs!” I had the worst dining experience at The Botanist Cardiff Central. I chose this place to celebrate my birthday, expecting a nice evening, but it turned into a nightmare. First, the service was absolutely terrible. The staff were inattentive, rude, and slow to respond, making the whole experience frustrating from the start. To make matters worse, the food was far from acceptable. It was poorly prepared, tasted off, and clearly wasn’t fresh. Unfortunately, the consequences of their low standards became evident later when I experienced severe food poisoning. My birthday was completely ruined, and I spent the next day unwell. I wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone. Despite reaching out to them to address this issue, I have yet to receive a single response or apology. It’s shocking that a restaurant of this reputation operates with such disregard for customer care and food safety. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this place. There are plenty of better restaurants in Cardiff where your health and experience will actually be valued.

One of my favourite restaurants in Cardiff

Really appreciated the help of Sahara!!

Had a fantastic spur of the moment bottomless brunch for my wife's 55th. Excellent food and super service from all of those who served us. Many thanks for an excellent afternoon. We all said it's the best one we have been on. Big shout out to everyone involved.

The best experience I’ve had in Cardiff. I went in the week and it was busier than I thought it would be. Which is testament to how great the people there are. We were really looked after by Daisy, and the rest of the team, who were all just incredible. Genuinely some of the best fries I’ve ever had in my life and make sure you get cocktails. Food was amazing and the people were even better.

Went here for Sunday lunch. Service was speedy & food arrived quickly. Restaurant wasn't that busy but all diners were sat together which I understand from service perspective, but it does make you feel a bit cramped. Food was good. Not really hot enough for my liking. Plenty of meat & veg. We opted for the cauliflower cheese, which was more mustardy than cheesy. Will I rush back, probably not but it's a nice central venue.

Me and my boyfriend came here for a roast for my birthday, the decoration and interior was beautiful and the layout is lovely. We arrived on time but were waiting by the host stand for almost 10 minutes along with another queue of people until finally the host ended up coming over then decided to speak to someone else. Our waitress was lovely, she was a short skinny asian girl (only describing her as I can’t remember her name). We got another waitress that brought our food out and we thought it was a bit grim that she had very bright pimple patches on her face. I ordered a roast beef dinner and my boyfriend ordered the chicken roast dinner. We were disappointed when the food arrived as we had 2 small potatoes each, 1 piece of broccoli each, a few carrots and a load of flat bean things (i forgot the name). My boyfriend said his chicken was amazing and extremely juicy, I cannot say the same for the beef. It was extremely chewy and the outsides tasted really burnt. I had to literally saw through to cut it. But for £19 per plate we did expect a bit more. At the end there was a service charge added on which nobody mentioned to us. We thought it was cheeky considering we were waiting almost 20 minutes for a waitress to come over so we could pay, we even had our coats on and stacked the plates to show we were done and tried calling one over but they didn’t hear us. Won’t return as would probably get a nicer bigger portion at a pub.

Had a great time here! Our server, Sahara, was absolutely lovely—super friendly and attentive. The place itself had a great atmosphere, and the food was delicious. One thing to note is that every dish leaned on the sweeter side, even the ones that were supposed to be more savory, but overall, it was still really enjoyable.

Staff were rude- won’t be returning

Food arrived cold & half our food order was forgotten. Ordered the sharing hanging kebab which arrived at our table cold. The fries were stone cold within a few minutes. The chicken & prawn kebab was so bland & tasteless, was really disappointed. The restaurant it self is clean & a nice place but was so loud me & my husband were literally shouting at eachother just to talk. Staff were nice but seemed a bit confused where it was the busy lunch hour. First time we visited, won't be again.

Service was great, Food was ok nothing special, only issue is had was the starter and main came out at same time, so by the time I finished starter main dish was cold

Lovely food, lovely atmosphere and great service. Deffo go again

Great service loved the hanging kebabs good portions and very tasty 😋. Nice choice of cocktails

Food very good and special, reception great. Strange ending. We just got the bill. Would have liked to have had another 1-2 pints/cocktails and enjoyed the evening as a couple. But then they left without thanks or farewell. There were still a lot of tables available, the waiter probably didn't want us. Maybe because we are tourists. Further discussions via email make no sense. Visiting your restaurant leaves a bad taste from our visit to Cardiff.

Absolutely lovely place! Even better they have their own GF menu!

The food and service was great! Lovely place too. It was our 6 years and did request to decorate the table but they didn’t which is okay. I know some places would do it though. Area a bit loud.

Had great night ,food was exceptional great cocktails staff first class young lady who was back and fore our table making sure everything was ok is a credit will definitely go back big thank you to everyone

Great selection of cocktails, and if you get a sunny day the rooftop is immaculate

Lovely environment and atmosphere with very friendly waiters, tasty halloumi and spectacular looking hangers for the kebabs. Very busy so service was a little slow and there was a small wait to be seated but still a great experience overall. 8.5/10

We had a family Christmas meal on Christmas Eve. We had our own 'room' which was lovely. The venue was nicely decorated. Excellent service, friendly staff who catered for our needs. The food was very good, probably the best Christmas meal I have eaten in a restaurant.

Good food, great atmosphere and drinks were slowly freely. The service was a tad slow for a while but they were extremely busy. Was a bottomless brunch so feel like you want to ensure it is worth the money. Cocktails were fantastic 👌

Amazing cocktails. Great atmosphere and the band were good too.

Good food. Good menu. Nice looking restaurant. My only gripe was we had a table so poorly lit we could hardly see each other!

I went with my boyfriend on his birthday, having been recommended by family. We were served by Tara I believe, though multiple people greeted us and were extremely kind. We both had burgers which were absolutely delicious and filling. The garlic bread was beautiful as well. We were brought out a free brownie with a candle in for his birthday, which was not only delicious but the sweetest thing I’ve experienced at a restaurant. Considering we visited on Boxing Day and expected the place to be chaos, it was the opposite, and the staff were extremely kind and took the time to talk to us as well as being excellent at their jobs. They were super helpful and gave us a really nice night. Definitely coming back!! The atmosphere was so nice, and the kebabs are calling our name next time 😊

The intimate atmosphere and candlelit tables made it a perfect setting for a romantic dinner.

Busy spot with good live music and great cocktails. Book ahead if you want a seat.

Food was ok but long wait times. Booked 5 months in for Xmas dinner to find out there was no turkey.

Service was a big let down, appreciate that it’s Christmas and everywhere is busy but food took way too long and wasn’t hot. Table on the top floor lacked the ambiance of downstairs unfortunately

Best bar i have been to in ages! And i should have put in CAPS! Loved it. Cocktails were good, atmosphere great and the decor was lush lush lush. My new fav bar and i wish i lived closer.

Beautifully decorated for Christmas here. The hanging kebabs are delicious-Recommend the pork belly and chicken kebabs & the cocktails. Plus the service is on point!

I went here for a work Christmas dinner, and the majority of us ordered the Hanging Turkey Kebab, which I could only compare to eating dry pumice rocks! Not only was the meat drier than the Sahara Desert, it had virtually no flavour. The meat was accompanied by some stale roast potato’s and a few oily slices of carrot. To finish off the meal, we were all served a cold slab of brick (AKA the sticky toffee pudding). For £40 each, we were shocked at the dire quality of this meal. Would not recommend! You’ll find better quality food at the local soup kitchen.

Came here yesterday for our work Christmas lunch. Receptionist was rude and unhelpful. Waiters and waitresses were all lovely though.

Great atmosphere and decor. I thought the mezze was great but the calamari was rubbery. The pork belly was dry, so thank goodness for the garlic sauce. Coconut rice was cooked well and tasted great. For the price I was expecting a better quality of cooking but the atmosphere made it a nice experience.

Quite disappointing. Roast dinner was £18 and was served with literally 2.5 deep fried potatoes per person and some oily veg. Ordered a couple of drinks, the diet coke was brought out in a pint glass (with an insane amount of ice to make up the pint!) not sure why it wasn’t mentioned it comes out like this rather than a bottle like the regular version. Also, diet coke was £4.50 despite being the same amount of liquid as the bottle! Pretty sure both were also £2.95 on their menu too. Food came out pretty quick and the festive atmosphere was quite nice. It could have been much better though.

Went for Christmas party Very friendly staff Delicious food Really enjoyed

A lovely brunch with good value for money on food and drinks. But the 5 star experience was made by our server, Ashleigh. She kept our glasses full and chatted away in between servings. A perfect example of what 5 star service should look like.

Worst bottomless brunch ever had- took 20 minutes to take first drink order then constantly had to chase staff for drinks who were rude and uninterested in doing anything. Not once did they come to the table to order drinks- it was as if we were inconveniencing them. Understand it is Christmas period and they are busy, however don’t advertise this if you can’t facilitate it.

Good food, great service. Pre rugby lunch, they managed to squeeze me in, was a sirloin steak and a nice red wine. It’s spoiled only by serving the wine in plastic wine glasses (match day only). The decor is beautiful and if it was a better day, they have a fantastic roof terrace!! Book to avoid disappointment on match days. Will defo make this my no1 stop in Cardiff

Beautiful place , Food was delicious but small portions .disappointing

Toby was fantastic, serving 50 people on his own while manager was out back chilling. Amazing drinks again big shout out to toby great job !!

Atypical and original setting for dinner, ideally located a stone's throw from Cardiff Castle.

Really nice restaurant would definitely recommend. The music was a bit too loud but overall nice experience

Only popped in to meet a friend. Not my sort of pretentious place

I was so soo happy being here!me and my friends visited the restaurant and had hanging sharing kebabs ,the presentation was great and taste yummm! The ambience was beautiful and customer service was excellent our server was Martyna and she is lovely ,it was my birthday and somehow she noticed and surprised me with brownie and ice cream with a candle on it so sweet of her and made my day!! Thankyou

Fabulous place, Good service, good food. Sadly the service charge was already on bill... I'd prefer this to be optional, or leave a physical tip on the table, to ensure our waitress got it. Quite Expensive , but tasty food, that arrived quickly.

Restaurant located in downtown Cardiff. As the name of the store suggests, the interior is full of plants. It feels like you are in a beautifully decorated small garden.

Enjoyed the seabass and a wonderful cocktail, as well as being served by the fantastic Aggy, but all staff we equally as inviting. 10/10 would recommend and will most certainly be returning.

Those were the best roast potatoes I've ever had in my life.

Fantastic decor and interior, great atmosphere. Drinks not cheap but loved it

This pub has a very nice setting for a drink or a meal, musical atmosphere at the end of the week, the staff is welcoming and pleasant.

The view was amazing and we went for a family celebration, food was delicious and service was was good too

Wonderful! The place is beautiful, well located, the food is delicious and the service is great. Super worth it

Really great vibe, great live music and friendly staff!

Food portions small and quality average for price

For some reason, they've imported the US style of tipping with adding in service charges. Also, if you pay with cash, don't expect change, they will just assume it's another tip, good luck finding whoever took that off you. Food was pretty cold as well.

Great food with incredibly helpful staff. Aggy, our waitress, was fantastic and really lovely

Great cocktails and very nice atmosphere.

Once again an outstanding meal and service at the botanist We shall return !

Very nice and expensive but very pleasant surroundings.

Went for food with the family on Saturday night, lovely restaurant, wonderful atmosphere and the food was good, only down side was before we recieved our dessert they put the bill on the table and while we were eating our desserts the waitress came up and asked us to pay it. While I do appreciate there is a allocated time at your table to be asked to stop eating your food to pay for it is unacceptable.

Lovely evening due to company. Was a shame the pizza was not great and the noise level was ridiculous. We wish we were made aware of this before. We booked early for the noise reason.

It's the first time having food at The Botonist. We enjoyed what we had. The Sunday menu is more limited but I found lots to choose from, however, my daughter asked for a child's menu and was told everything is on the Sunday menu which was only a small roast and she isn't keen on a roast and struggled to find anything she liked on the menu. This forced her to try something new and she said it was nice. The staff were pleasant and efficient. The place is lovely and the atmosphere nice.

Pleasant meal but disliked how a lot of the restaurant was empty and we were all seated in the same area, whether it was a rowdy table of 6 or a couple wanting to have a quiet meal. Just my personal opinion, of course. I enjoyed the pan-fried seabass.

Visited for Cocktails- nice surroundings good choice