The Bucks Head Inn in Down

The most superb food, beautifully presented with very efficient service. A lovely experience in a very special place!

Everything was amazing- but you charged for the water that you offered us. You will not get the chance to do that again. Shame on you.

I can honestly say some of the best food hands down I've ever had. Pricing unbeatable for the quality of food and service second to none. A credit to Alex and his team I will be back very soon.

Second time here. New favourite restaurant. Was very sad when graphite closed in Newcastle but this more than fills the gap.

Can only say one thing, outstanding.

The food was ok but nothing I couldn't have cooked at home apart from the desert which was beautiful. £45 for lobster thermadore was a bit much considering it was served with a few leaves and some chips. I definitely would not drive for 45 minutes each way for this.

As I am coeliac I wanted to compliment the Bucks Head on their gluten free offering today . There was no fuss , the waitress was knowledgeable and helpful . The gluten free bread was delicious , as was everything else . Thank you for making life easy for me .

Very comfortable and relaxing experience topped with excellent food and a great wine list. A super finale to my day in the Kingdom of Mourne.

Amazing experience, food was Devine and our lovely waitress Serena was just the best!! Made our night so special ☺️

Great experience at the Buck's Head Restaurant. The welcome was a little bumpy as the place was packed. We scored a place besides the open kitchen. Watching the crew work, we immediately saw that that's not your average crew at work, but a Michelin Grade Chef. That's also how the food turned out - perfect.

Absolutely first class ! Food excellent and we must mention our waiter Conor .. made us feel so welcome ! Well done to Alex and Bronagh … 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Conal and Heather x

What a gem Dundrum has now! Fantastic menu that we were excited to try and it did not disappoint! The choice, the flavours, the freshness and quality were outstanding. We had something from each course and can’t wait to go back to try the rest. Beautiful bright restaurant opening on to a lovely patio garden. Intimate but not cramped. Love the open kitchen and Alex at the pass was so friendly even though I’m sure he was under pressure - even got a photo! We had a delightfully pleasant waitress, didn’t get her name but she had long dark hair. Made us feel so taken care of. 100% will return! And it couldn’t be soon enough!

We had a wonderful lunch in the restaurant today, probably the best meal we have eaten in Ireland in recent years. A lovely atmosphere, with helpful staff, and what a pleasure watching the crew working away in the kitchen. Well done to Alex and his team, we will definitely be back.

Unbelievable quality from maitre de to sommelier to every waiter/waitress, fantastic service and better food 😀😀

Birthday dinner for a 90 year old and it didn't disappoint. The Mourne Lamb was exceptional. Not cheap but well worth it -

We only visit our favourite place in the world a few times a year, but Dundrum has a fine shining light in the new improved Busks Head. All your favourite food done simply but OMG really well. It’s like The Bear but on silent and no agro. Bravo and thank you. PS yet another restaurant with lots of hard surfaces and insufficient acoustic absorption so gets a bit noisy. The large window out the back with all that sky is wonderful though.

Honestly the best food we have had in quite a while. Every dish was full of flavour, and carefully balanced. The portion sizes were bigger than we anticipated, so we were very full leaving. Staff are very attentive and helpful. Claire helped with dish recommendations, and was very polite. We ate in the bar area, which is nice and relaxed but would like to try the restaurant next time.

Dined in the restaurant with a party of 6. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. Delicious cocktails also. Highly recommend and I will definitely be back.

Beautiful evening in the Bucks Head last night. The food, surroundings and staff were fantastic. Will definitely be back 😊

My brother loved to follow fine dining restaurants and he was very quick to buy a £200 voucher in January to use later in the year at the Bucks head taken over by Alex and Bronagh. Unfortunately my brother passed away in May so myself and my two sisters went for a meal yesterday 11th August as we wanted it to be a celebration 🎉 of his love of this chef. I know for a fact my brother would have been very disappointed in everything about the meal. There were multiple flies at and around our table more than average and requested to be moved to be told this would be the case at any table given the time of year and couldn’t be moved. The service was dire the food was cold and the food was definitely not up to par given the cost of our £204 bill. I never complain but given all the scenarios above I feel there is just cause. No one followed up our complaint and if anything just ignored us. Very disappointing all round.

Sunday lunch with family. Terrible service, check in was dire, 10 minutes wait to find booking on computer. Asked to be seated elsewhere because of flies on our table and in our food, they wouldn't accommodate us, food cold, almost 4 pounds for bottle lukewarm water and 30 for bottle house wine. This establishment is very overrated and overpriced and no worth the money, we certainly would not go back again, better restaurants who don't claim Michelin Star rating

It was our anniversary and it was made extra special by dining here! Food was outstanding, could have licked the plate after every course(but didn't). Atmosphere was lively and service with a smile, nothing too much bother. Will be back !

First class as expected, best Sunday lunch we have had in a long time. We will be back.

Went for Sunday lunch. Food was superb. Service likewise. Lovely modern restaurant. Wish it was closer to where I live. Everything was cooked to perfection

What a dining experience. Savoured every mouthful! Even my margarita mocktail was to die for. Was just sorry I didn’t have room for dessert. The level of service was as exceptional as the food.

Is this now the best restaurant in Ireland? Probably is. An essential restaurant to visit if you love food.

My family and I had an amazing meal here! Would recommend and would love to go again the next time we are passing by!

Really excellent meal last night. We will be back. 2024 - Back for a business dinner recently - under new ownership - still really excellent!

Very good food and lovely bar. We stopped in with our dog looking a small bite for lunch and we were seated in the bar which was lovely and ordered a few small plates. Really impressed but the quality of all of the food for the price it was great we will definitely come back for dinner at some point.

Congratulations to the new owners Bronagh & Alex. We have had the pleasure of dining with them several times and each time it has been a fabulous experience, Wow (the food is amazing) from the presentation and the attention to detail each mouthful was bursting with flavour. With Alex in the kitchen & Bronagh front of house, this makes for an incredible dining experience.

Worst service ever! After 2 previous bad experiences under the old management we decided to give the Bucks Head another chance to redeem itself. Booked a table in the bar for 8pm and promptly seated at our table at 7.55pm. Before we'd even sat down we were asked for a drinks order so asked for water and a few minutes to study the drinks menu. We also chose our dishes at this stage. So we waited and we waited watching the few tables being served and waited on. After 10 mins the lady who seated us came over only to start laying an empty table. Another couple arrived, were seated, and within 5 mins the same lady came back and took their food order. At this point we were beyond upset as we'd been overlooked for 15 mins. We decided to wait 5 more minutes before finally getting up and leaving. My partner spoke to the same lady at reception who came up with the excuse that they were getting our table ready in the restaurant. No, we booked the bar and you seated us at our table 20 mins ago to which she simply said " well I'm sorry". Well so are we as we live in the village and were eager to experience all that Alex and his staff had to offer and we were made to feel like nobodies whilst others were given exceptional attention. Needless to say we will never be back. Had a beautiful meal across the road in Mourne Seafood. Excellent food and service.

Wonderful welcome from Bronagh! Glorious oysters, scrummy, and incredible lobster 🦞 thought I was in heaven. I wish Alex and Bronagh heartfelt success in their new venture. This restaurant is not to be missed by anyone who knows top class food, service and wonderful surroundings.

It’s a relief to know that the ‘new’ Bucks Head is in safe hands with chef Alex and his team. Superb food and service. The lamb and steak were perfect especially with a nice Portuguese red. Can’t wait to be back.

Food average, portion size a little small. The restaurant lacked atmoshere, maybe some background music might have helped. No longer are you able to pop in just for a drink with out food. Overall a little sterile

A tad pricey for lunch but the food is excellent.

Absolutely beautiful food, great service, good pint of Guinness

As regular visitors to the old Bucks Head we were keen to try the new one. It certainly didn’t disappoint. The food was absolutely superb, backed up by efficient and courteous service by all of the staff. The massive changes to the interior layout and decoration have resulted in a really pleasant atmosphere. We’ll certainly be back again soon.

We dined here a few days ago and really enjoyed the evening. For starters, we had chicken liver parfait and crab on sourdough, followed by lobster and John Dory. Everything was beautifully cooked and the meal was delicious. The staff was friendly and attentive. We look forward to eating here again.

10/10 service. The nicest meal I have ever had will be back.

The food was gorgeous!! Great portions lovely exciting menu, and priced well. crab was devine, my duck dish I was never going to share, heaven, would have loved more veg though! Great cool buzz about the place. Could nearly say on the noisy side for a restaurant but we loved it! Looking into the open kitchen was great, for a very busy night the service was excellent. Everything we wanted we got, felt really special thankyou for that x When I booked on line we originally couldn't get booked into the restaurant, so booked the bar (u can still get the restaurant menu) but I put a request in that, if they could find a way to accommodate us into the restaurant that would be amazing.....arrived and they got us into the restaurant! Very good customer service, really pleased! Had drinks in the bar 1st which had very nice decor and then were took on through to the restaurant. Resturant chairs were so comfortable, resturant look lovely!! If I'm going to have a niggle it would be the cocktail....its all I would choose to drink when out. No cosmopolitan which is shame, would love a lychee martini too butvwas happy to try something new for me. At £11.95 a cocktail, u want them to be consistantly great and the glass full. The french martinis did taste nice but we're inconsistent in taste when we reordered the same cocktails, some rounds were stronger then others and then the glass was half full compaired to the exact same last round. Having said that the margaritas were devine but only 3 sips and gone. But I honestly could have drank them all night, amazing. But they were just abit pricy for what u got...sorry i know im sounding a fussy madam but ,i think our coctail bill was over £100 so we tried a few! Food and service 1st glass. We had a fantastic night with another couple. Can't wait to go back!

New team at the Buck's Head producing absolutely top quality, interesting, tasty food all served very professionally and with a warm smile. This really is a destination restaurant .. treat yourself .. soon

Great bar with great atmosphere and unbelievable cocktails. Never tried a better margarita in my life. Cocktails are to die for

We had lunch there today. Everything was first class, so a proper 5* experience! We'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone, and would like to wish Alex and Bronagh every success in their new venture. So at the foot of the dark Mournes, nestled in an area of outstanding natural beauty there is now a restaurant that matches the surroundings. Go and enjoy, it will be a real treat.

Very good but overpriced for portion sizes. A crime to get rid of the beautiful old sign.

Food good but they insisted upon a 10.00 service charge. Very small portions. 8 pieces of scampi the rest of the dish filled with tissue. 33.00 for a steak. About 8 chips on each plate and a bit of lettuce. Nothing compared to the meal across the road!!! Won't be recommending. 100.00 in total 2 mains and 1 bottle of wine.

Not impressed. Scampi in a bowl supported by a paper towel to bulk it. 6 chips. And service charge which they refused to remove.

Called in on a Sunday afternoon. Warm greeting at the door and shown to a nice table in the quiet ambiance of the bar. Menu is compact but offers variety. The food, haddock excellent, lamb outstanding and the John Dory is a joy, flavoursome and you just want more. Deserts crème brûlée and caramel tart just hit the spot. A really excellent meal. The restaurant has just recently reopened after a refurbishment and new management. They have done and are doing fantastic job - good food and proper napkins! I had a look into the main restaurant and it has been refurbished very tastefully and I look forward to revisiting. Great experience.

It was a special family lunch in the NEW restaurant, as we stepped into the welcoming atmosphere where Bronagh greeted us warmly... I made sure to catch Alex before leaving to express our gratitude for the unforgettable lunch experience. Throughout the meal, we were treated to a delightful culinary journey, punctuated by moments of pure enjoyment with each dish. From the delicate fish cake to the succulent lamb main, every bite was a revelation. And that Brownie? A sweet finale to a perfect midday meal. The impeccable service only enhanced our dining experience, leaving us already planning our next visit. We've even booked a table for the whole family in the next few weeks, eager to share this culinary gem with them. It was truly a pleasure to chat with Alex and thank him for such a memorable dining experience.

A dreary cold Monday lunchtime in South Down and the newest restaurant in the area is open for lunch. My wife and 94 year old father in law had previously enjoyed numerous happy meals in the Bucks Head but were keen to try out the refurbished restaurant under new management and with a new chef (Alex Greene ex of Deane's Eipic). The outside looked much as before but inside there has been major redecoration in the Bar. Relaxing browns and greens with comfortable seating and a lovely log fire in the stove. The staff are all new and still becoming familiar with the menu but they were all attentive and friendly. The menu even for lunch is wide ranging. My wife had Baby beets with goats cheese and tomatoes which was apparently delicious . I had a georgeous wild mushroom tartlet with wild garlic and bacon jam while my father in law was very happy with his chicken liver parfait and sourdough. Drinks include non-alcoholic options which was helpful for the driver. Plenty of time between courses for chat and there was a lovely vibe in the room with a number of diners all keen to try out the new arrangements. Main course included Asparagus on a fine herb risotto and a crispy hens egg (very tasty), Roast Brill with wild garlic, and smoked leeks (delicious) and a sweet cured pork chop (very tasty if a little tough). All in all a very good lunch experience in an area where Monday catering is otherwise non-existent. We will be back.

Lovely friendly staff very dog friendly we had a lovely experience food outstanding 😀 😊 staff excellent

Good menu, nice food. Friendly staff

I hope the food is better than their customer service.I called one lunchtime very recently and casually asked if they had a table for four for lunch.I was told very brusquely by a young man that as I had not booked, no table was available.He said this over his shoulder as he walked away from me,back towards the kitchen.I would have been happy to be told that no table was available,but to say so in such an abrupt and rude manner was quite offensive.

Lovely food . Staff were very welcoming to irish visitors holidaying, touring from UK. We didn't have the Grand Crus though at £1990 a bottle. First visit to Northern Ireland. Recommend it for the food and friendly staff. Such a road banner might put off some southern visitors but best ignored.

Went for dinner on Nov 16th 2023. We go to The Buck's Head about twice a month and it's usually great. On this occasion, we were the only people in the restaurant. We ordered our food and wine and everything was great until two men came in and took the table right beside us. As soon as they sat down, they started playing horse racing videos on a phone at full volume. We asked them to turn it off and they refused. We decided to leave before finishing our starters. The waitress who appeared to be there on her own, asked the men to turn off the phone and after an argument she came back to say they would but going back in to sit right beside them would have be awkward and our meal was already ruined. We were charged for the starters and the wine. Instead of asking the two guys to leave, we were let walk away instead. There was no offer of a reduced bill or the offer of anything else. Incredibly disappointing customer service which means we'll be going elsewhere in future.

It is about 10 years ago that I was here with family and the standard has not changed. The food was first class and the setting and decor lovely. The staff were helpful and friendly. Definitely a real treat.

This wonderful place is our “go to” for family events and last nights meal was fully up to (our very high) expectation. From front of house, to serving staff to cuisine , nothing was left to chance. The food was wonderful…. the fish was just off the boat that morning and was a taste sensation! Personally I have a soft spot for desserts and, as ever, they were fabulous! I suspect that I could be the customer from hell as I invariable ask for a tweak or two but they always are accommodating . I didn’t have a cocktail , tho others in the party did. They looked , and I’m told tasted, amazing! If I would give 6 stars, I would!!

Amazing meal as always, I just love the Salmon, crunchy on the outside,melt in your mouth on the inside! Creme Brulee delish

Enjoyed a wonderful evening meal, celebrating cousins world wide! We all had a variety of food: steak, fish, chicken, beef... and the wonderful chef even came up with a veggie alternative for one in our party. Thank you to the kitchen staff and the waiting staff who were super attentive!

I was disappointed with the dinner that my wife and I had recently . The rib eye beef was clearly overcooked and dry. It was smothered in a very over seasoned sauce / gravy. The carrots were hard and inedible and the potato mash was wet . My wife’s fish and chips she said were also tasteless. I think the single biggest step they could take is to taste their food in the kitchen. All in all it was a very disappointing meal for us both. Don’t think I will return.

Excellent food, such high quality! Super staff. The menu was outstanding, great value. Tasty, well presented.

Excellent service and great dishes

The starters were ok, I had the terrine my son the battered mushrooms - pretty standard. the mains were poor the mashed potatoes that come with the Sunday roast were chewy where they had been microwaved, the roasts were dry and also microwaved. My son had the risotto that strangely also included roast potatoes...!!! The deserts choc brownies were super hard and dry this was a massive let down. The customer service great as they took the meals off the bill ...we won't risk it again

It had been a long time since we visited The Bucks Head restaurant but after calling in for a drink one day we decided to go back again for lunch. We ordered a couple of Gins while we checked out the menu. There was a good choice of dishes and we ordered a bottle of Chardonnay from a very extensive wine list. The main courses we ordered were excellent and the desert was superb, worth visiting for it alone. Everything was excellent although the wine was a little on the expensive side. To sum up a lovely restaurant spotlessly clean with a good varied menu. Just one point when we visited a couple came in with a dog and the dog was up on the seating at the bar area, If dogs are permitted they should be controlled by their owners at all times as this would stop us visiting again.

The food was tasty, some gristle on the steak and shell mixed with the oysters. The staff were nice but naive; didn’t spot that drinks needed to be replenished, nor were around to be able to flag them down. When drinks arrived, they were wrong and we had to point at the table for them to be placed correctly. We informed a staff member the service we received was lacking and we got an apology but know nothing will be done with that. Disappointing to be honest as we’ve had lovely experiences previously.

The food was amazing, and the service was great. Food was quickly served and fresh and tasty. When we arrived there was a table available for us

The food was very good and staff helpful and friendly too. Really enjoyed my visit.

Lovely meal the staff were excellent even had a meal made up that was not on the menu the food was amazing would highly recommend a visit

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Returned to this restaurant to check out the updated menu. We had many excellent meals over recent years but were disappointed during an Easter visit. We were warmly welcomed and shown to a table in the conservatory which was bright, airy and buzzing with lots of hungry diners. Having been given our menus, drinks were served promptly. The Guinness was particularly good. We had prawn salads to begin with - served with Marie Rose dressing, pineapple and chilli and mint salsa. Really good quality and the dressings complemented the delicious and plentiful prawns. On to the mains and we had the home made Bucks Head burger accompanied with pineapple chutney, mature cheddar, coleslaw and a generous portion of chunky chips. Really tasty and presentation was very good. Our other main was the seared Irish salmon served with Harrisa spiced cous cous and Orange and Bell pepper relish. Salmon was nicely cooked and all of the accompaniments proved a perfect match. We had a glass of garnacha and merlot which were a real treat. Overall a first rate experience - the updated menu and the always excellent service meant an evening to remember. We will be back shortly to try out the rest of the menu.

We booked for an evening meal and it was great in every way.

Thanks for looking after us at the weekend.

Have been visiting this lovely pub restaurant for years and it never disappoints. There’s nowhere nicer to sit and have a pre dinner drink than in their beautiful courtyard garden on a summer evening. We visited twice this week once for dinner and then a gorgeous lunch in the garden. We particularly enjoyed the homemade bread and the oysters. We even bought some bread to take home….. delicious! This great restaurant is always a highlight when we come to the Mourne mountains. Lovely friendly efficient service as well. Highly recommend.

Great pub, nice selection of drinks and menu is good

Guinness was good but not much of an atmosphere

What a lovely place. Easy parking right outside, nicely decorated and comfortable. Great menu and quality meals. We had a very enjoyable evening, well worth the short drive from our hotel in Newcastle. Better than any restaurant we visited in Newcastle.

This Michelin award winning place offered a wonderful experience with very exquisite and tasty food. The quantity was ample for all dishes and worth the cost.

Our three course Sunday lunch was very. The only shame was that we prefer our beef pink, my smoked salmon was very tasty and our marshmallow meringue pudding was fun but far too sweet. The service was excellent and atmosphere was chilled.

Well presented, tasty and reasonably priced - a few ways in which I would describe our experience here. Who knew breads could be so memorable. Delicious meal, the duck with the orange jus was the best my partner has had. Lovely atmosphere, great staff and quality food. What more could you want. Will be back.

Beautiful food. Dog friendly. Atmosphere a little formal for our taste but service was polite and friendly.

Best place for a beer after walking the mountains

My dad has a place in Dundrum and suggested meeting my foodie pal Matt and me at The Bucks Head for dinner. No argument from me. A pre-dinner pint of Guinness always slides down nicely, and the bar area was a nice place to have it - softly lit, nice The menu had some pleasingly local options - featuring Dundrum Bay seafood like oysters and mussels as starters, Dromara beef and Kilkeel scampi as mains (both just up the road). I opted for a chicken liver parfait which was smooth and flavoursome, and the scampi as a main - crisp and delicious coating with succulent scampi inside. Two of us had the beef which was luxuriously rich and super tasty. One of our party’s scampi was a little undercooked but whisked away and replaced with a whole fresh bowl with haste, showing good service. The wine list is excellent with a few hidden gems. Quite pricey but only because the choices are really good and well away from the standard stuff that so often ruins an otherwise excellent meal in a bar/restaurant. The hidden gems are in fact on a page called Hidden Gems. You’ll find a lovely Toro (Spanish) called Matsu there for a decent price. Irish coffees to finish. A lovely meal.

Friendly and bubbly staff. Food well prepared and presented. Reasonably priced. The restaurant itself is cosy and dog friendly.

Great food today at lunchtime. Really enjoyed our meal. Super tasty and top quality. Service great as well.

Was disappointed with the standard of the food for the price was not as good as last time I dined there

Excellent experience all round. Would draw attention to the desserts. Soo often disregarded and bought in but not here. Beautifully prepared with texture that enhanced the eating and savouring of the flavors.

We had coffee and shortbread. Lovely place.

Apart from the waiting staff who you kind and pleasant the experience of the food was terrible.My partner and I went for an evening meal,we both started with different soups mine was chicken and vegetable,I think someone stole the chicken there was two tiny bits of chicken in it the vegetables were hard there was no taste had to put a lot of salt in it to give it flavour,my partners soup was the chefs special totally flavourless.The main courses turned out to be just as bad I had the burger well if you could find the meat.It was definitely not quality meat for what there was of it,I'm sorry I didn't go to seaside catch chippie a few doors up and got a good burger.My partner had the chicken it was dry,rubbery with no flavour at all.For the prices this place charges for food I think it is a disgrace of the quality of food they provide.

Very good food, slightly slow service. Ridiculous 1.50 charge for beans/peas side for kids meals, that should be included in the 6.50 price.

Food was first class . Will be back again .

We had 2 courses starters and mains the food was absolutely amazing and the service excellent. Would highly recommend

Wonderful food and great setting, thank you

Had a delicious meal with friends earlier today. Mussels in white wine & cream sauce, blue cheese quiche with salad & chips, some red wine, friends had Thai Mussels, oven baked Cod on champ ( today's special) & Scampi & chips all beautifully presented & washed down with some Guinness. Really good food.

Met friends for dinner at Bucks head Great choices and at a decent price It was steaks for all and we were not disappointed Wonderful selection of beautifully cooked veggies and lyonnaise potatoes completed a great main course Desserts to die for Fantastic service Lovely ambience made for a wonderful dining experience We WILL be back

Great food great spot great staff

Lovely food great atmosphere friendly staff would advise booking to save disappointment. Go and try yourselves

Food great, service fabulous and with a smile

Myself and my friends had a fantastic night here, the staff were great!

Standard of food is excellent. Haven't had a poor meal here. Good range of items on menu.

Absolutely delicious Sunday lunch. Everything freshly prepared and so tasty! Can’t wait to return 😀

Food not bad,some things burnt ie yorkshires,very slow service for walk ins.but staff very nice