The Maltsters in Cardiff

Lovely rooms, this stay we were at the rear of the hotel, which was much quieter than our previous visit but no view, our room that time was at the front, much noisier but looked out over the high street. My one tip would be to request a bath mat for inside the bath - I slipped and fell getting into the bath. All the staff we encountered were lovely and really helpful if asked anything.

We went as a family to one of the cabaret nights. Chris was amazing and sang well known songs from the shows. He has an amazing voice with a witty presentation reminiscent of the West End. The food was excellent as was the drink we had. It was all served by amazing staff headed by Ben. Overall an amazing night we shall definitely return for another show biz evening of entertainment and food. John and Gerry BENJAMIN.

Proper pub,great staff who know how to keep and pour a lovely pint..

Ate here last Saturday, with a special friend who was visiting. We ordered a Curry, and 2 Mixed grills. We were told there were no Mixed Grills- At 5.45 on a Saturday! So we ordered 2 Sirloins instead - and were told there was only 1 Sirloin, so ordered 1 gammon to go with it - lo and behold we were then told The Sirloin was gone!!. After finally managing to order 3 meals, we asked the waitress to light the candle on our table - she just walked off. We asked another member to light it - and He also walked off. Finally a 3rd member lit it. Our meals finally arrived, and I asked for another drink - I didnt see the waitress again - and had to ask her, 20 mins later for my drink. After our meals, the waitress took our plates, without any offer of desserts. We sat waiting for 20 mins, then having to ask somebody for a dessert menu. I ordered Sticky Toffee Pudding, only to be horrified to find what I would describe as a 'piece of wood' approx 10mm long in it. The waiter tried to explain it was a piece of Walnut!! Well I've never nearly broken my teeth on a piece of Walnut before. While our mains, were quite decent, I must say the service we received was diabolical, and it really spoiled what we hoped would be a special evening. Terrible

Thoroughly recommend this pub for food and nice drinks. Delicious food. All items were very well presented and tasty. Portion size was generous but not too much so that there would be waste. Food came out pretty quickly too. Selection of drinks was good. The cider on tap was delicious. Atmosphere is always great, proper old style pub with fireplaces and old style wooden accents. Service is efficient and staff were very friendly. The price is a little higher than other pubs, but everything is of good quality.

We were seated so close to the stair way that people coming up and down the stairs was a constant distraction, and cold, they should certainly consider the seating arrangement within the venue. Large choice of food which in itself is a concern, with regard how much must be frozen. We didn't order a starter, but ordered mains of 2 Mixed Grills, 1 Chicken and Mushroom pie, and 1 fish & Chips. The 2 who ordered the mixed grills left the majority of their food as not only was the food lukewarm, but the pork was so fatty that they couldn't eat it, the lamb chop was cold and over cooked as was the steak, chips were cold as was the mushroom. With regard to the chicken pie, again this was served lukewarm and the pie was so garlicy that it couldn't be eaten so this was not eaten either. After the staff had deposited the food on the table no one came over to ask if everything was okay, and when they came over at the end and asked if we had finished we said yes, they then asked if everything was okay, I'm assuming that this was because on the significant amount of food left on 3 of the 4 plates. We said about the food expecting them to say they would get someone over, but no one came and we were presented with the bill. Maybe an off day for chef but we will not be back I'm afraid

Nice pub, very popular and busy, a tad expensive. Hard to get a table at the bar and even when we did on 2 separate occasions we were told they were reserved despite not having a sign on them. Not ideal for customers if on walk in for a drink as all seemed reserveable

Had a wonderful experience and the staff were really helpful & friendly Great place to watch sport

I had a meal with friends which I enjoyed.

We were all looking forward to a good Sunday roast, after booking in, being seated and ordering drinks the waitress came to take our order. She seemed amazed that nobody told us all roasts were off, even though she was the only person we had spoken with. We quickly drank up (our fairly expensive drinks) and left. Wish we’d gone to the Black Lion across the street.

Staff were very friendly and despite it being a busy night, service was fast and food was very good. Reasonable prices too

Recién regresado de una estancia de 2 noches. El personal es muy amable y accesible, y a diferencia de algunos hoteles que están por encima de los pubs, no te sientes intimidado entrando, incluso en un viernes por la noche ocupado. La naturaleza del edificio significa que los usuarios de sillas de ruedas pueden tener dificultades para negociar el pub en sí y el hotel actualmente no puede alojar a los usuarios de sillas de ruedas. El desayuno de las dos mañanas estaba lleno. Tenga en cuenta que el desayuno se prepara a la orden, así que este hotel es poco probable que se adapte a los viajeros de negocios, pero como me alojé como un viajero de placer me pareció absolutamente bien con esto. Me alojaría de nuevo si en la zona para el ocio.

Our server, Ang, made our visit so much fun! I was there with my partner and my cousins m, visiting from the US - Ang made our visit extremely successful.

Recently returned from a 2 night stay. Staff very friendly and approachable, and unlike some hotels which are above pubs, you don't feel intimidated walking in, even on a busy Friday night. The nature of the building means that wheelchair users may have difficulty negotiating the pub itself and the hotel currently can't accommodate wheelchair users. Breakfast both mornings were filling. Be aware that breakfast is cooked to order so this hotel is unlikely to suit business travellers, but as I stayed as a leisure traveller I was absolutely fine with this. Would stay again if in the area for leisure.

Tan decepcionado con la calidad y el tamaño de las porciones a los precios que cobran. No me importa pagar el precio, pero esperaría mucho mejor comida, tan decepcionado, nunca comerá allí de nuevo

On a Saturday tried booking a table online but none available after 4:45. Go along at 7.30 only to find many tables marked ‘reserved’ and the place half empty. Got a table and ordered food which was reasonable for the price. However lacked atmosphere as by 8pm there were very few people there and the reserved tables remained empty.

Sunday lunch with my partner. Lovely food and great service.

Went for a couple of pints and sat outside. Nice balcony area or sit inside which is cosy. You pay to park, but you get it back when you order,

Family get together with a wide range of ages. Great service from Ben and good quality food.

Very nice afternoon, amazing staff and very accommodating for our dog.

Absolutely fantastic service from Ben as always. Food was also splendid. Staff very friendly. Would highly recommend.

good food and staff very helpful.

The welcome for our Sunday Lunch booking was really friendly and light hearted the service was excellent along with the food. Ben our server was very professional but also entertaining which helped us enjoy our visit had a real good time

Stayed over night Ben was fantastic, and thank you to the handsome chef in glasses who made some of the best poached eggs I have had

We’ve used the Maltsters a few times post Covid and always meant to come back… well I’m sure glad we did! From the moment we arrived we were welcomed by a very cheerful Ben and team, we were swiftly taken care of by Ben and shown to our rooms. Rooms average, Ben top notch. He could not do enough for us he saw us through our entire stay. Rumour has it he also dabbles in the kitchen as he made and served us a superb breakfast with the best poached eggs I’ve ever had! See you in the future we will definitely be back

Met and old friend here for a pint, first time in here for years. It is a very nice clean and friendly pub, and we had a nice evening.

Had a lovely meal here last Sunday, massive Yorkshire puddings, pink beef & amazing gravy, service was prompt without being intrusive. Thank you Gavin & team!

What a fantastic pub, the staff were all very friendly and welcoming and the food was amazing. Will definitely be back.

Harry provided a very professional and friendly service

Lovely always. We’re local and often head to The Maltsters for a relaxed, tasty meal. Harry was particularly welcoming and made a great impression on our visit!

Fantástica visita a los Maltsters. La calidad de la comida era perfecta y una gran selección de bebidas. Gracias Ben por el increíble servicio

I came here with my son for his 10th Birthday to treat him and I actually got a treat myself as well as my son. We had a chicken BLT and it was very tasty, the staff were warm and friendly and always assisting us when needed. My son even got surprised with a small cake and sparkler.🎉 I would definitely be returning again in near future

Great pub. Also offers accommodation. Service is always great. There is the option of a 2 course lunch and dinner menu for a fixed price.

My favorite place for food with great service

Fantastic visit from start to finish! Attentive and friendly staff and great food and drinks! Looking forward to a return visit soon!

Great place. Food is delicious. Atmosphere is lovely. Staff are hilarious. Need to mention Ben as he made sure my food was perfect!!

We were very well looked after by Harry. Very pleasant young man. Thank you Harry

Food ok and 30% off nice. Disappointing glass of wine, served in glass which appeared to have fingerprints etc all over it. Took it back to the bar to point out and ask for clean glass. The remark was dirty? Really? Said yes and held it up to the light. A clean glass (empty) was plonked on the bar and the barmaid walked off leaving me to pour the wine into clean glass. No apology, no offer of a fresh wine. Simply not good enough!!

Food was lovely. However it all came out at different times for some reason? My mixed grill came out about 10 minutes before everyone else. Then three other meals arrived. My son the had to wait a further 15 minutes for his Mac n Cheese? By the time his came, I'd eaten my food!

A lovely meal and great service by Harry!

Staff really polite and very helpful

Went to the Tuesday night quiz. Great fun. The quiz master was fab, so funny! Hooe to go again!

Love the quiz. Chris’ delivery is lively and engaging. And Ben’s service is outstanding.

Poor service - had to get own cutlery, condiments and napkins. Asked for tartare sauce for the scampi and the waitress never returned. Waitress couldn’t open the bottles of ginger beer. Food - ribeye steak was not cooked properly. Requested medium rare - half of the steak was cooked medium and the other half was raw. Scampi was very average and didn’t taste like scampi. Price - used a 30% off voucher but we were still charged £2 too much. Summary: Disappointing. Undercooked and overpriced. Won’t be returning. *In response to the reply below: we were not asked how the food was and the plates were not cleared - almost half of the steak was left as it was raw.

Good service and good atmosphere but double the price of the pub across the road

Booked a table on a Friday early evening. Good choice on menu. Service was good & fast. Esme was our waitress and very friendly and attentive. A very Friendly atmosphere.

What can I say was met by an amazing guy (sorry i forgot your name) im guessing he was the manager? who arranged a table at short notice. He is an absolute asset to the pub. Friendly funny and very attentive. The food was amazing, and nothing was too much trouble. we will definitely be back. The whole experience was a 10 thank you for making my Mothers Day extra special. Best wishes from the runover gang ( a little private joke )

Excellent service from Esme. Food good and prompt service.

Lovely food and environment, Esme was a great waitress!

esme was a welcoming and informative server - really made our meal enjoyable

A very friendly and family oriented environment, although good for couples as well Food and service great

An evening with Chris tonight was absolutely fantastic, the food the singing and the atmosphere amazing

Amazing place for food and entertainment, and brilliant service from Chris 👐

Chris hughes most fabulous singer entertainment and staff

An absolute favourite pub of ours, my dog Phatz's favourite place to be 🐶 All the staff are wonderful, particularly Chris who puts on the most fabulous culinary cabarets!

Cheis the manager is absolutely amazing . Highly recommend coming here .

Harry was brilliant and let us have a table for 8 of us on a whim!

Had a lovely meal,great service,Harry was a delight,8 of us turned up without pre booking and he really looked after us,thanks Harry

Tried to eat here Friday night (16/8/24). Despite advertising on their website that food served to 10pm arrived at 8.50 pm to be told they had stopped serving food already that night! Ended up at the Indian Bayleaf which was great. Can’t review anything as didn’t have a chance to try!

Food was excellent. Unfortunately they were very understaffed and after delivering the mains we didn't see anyone else. No offer of fresh drinks or deserts. Asked for the bill, waited 20minutes and started to leave. Waitress saw us and said she would fetch the manager. Waited another 10 minutes and left.

What a brillliant experience! Great food, really friendly and accomodating staff - especially Ben who made our friend Rhys’ Birthday celebration one to remember. Diolch!

First time I have eaten at this place and was attracted by a 30% off offer on the main course. The food was good and the service was quick and friendly. Definitely will come again.

We are staying at the pub a rooms and food have been great the staff have been amazing. Ben and Hannah have provided a great service.

I had an amazing dining experience at The Maltsters. The rib eye steak was cooked to perfection, truly one of the best I've had. The service provided by Rox was impeccable, attentive, and friendly. I also caught a glimpse of the handsome chef in glasses, who is clearly very talented. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a top-notch meal and excellent service

Smashing place, incredible staff! Especially Hannah she was very friendly and accommodating !

I have to say... my experience at the masters in Llandaff was amazing. Chris was vibrant chatty and welcoming, and gave us a few anecdotes. Rox was beautifully as my server, she was attentive and welcoming. Amazing team...

Great dining experience. Lovely food. The chef Joab is clearly passionate about what he does and always meets high standards. The Sunday roast in particular is delicious. Highly recommend.

Dined at the Maltsters last night with family. Chris was wonderful helpful and really friendly. Will be back!!! Wonderful place & staff!!

Lovely pub and team, food is always amazing thanks to Joab and his kitchen team can’t wait to come back!

Heard about this place from a friend. Nice decor, friendly staff. Our server Rox was extremely helpful.

Come here regularly on a Tuesday for Chris the Quiz, best pub quiz going.

Fantastic local pub with the best weekly quiz ever! Chris Hughes is a great host - makes everyone feel welcome.

Everything seemed nice. 20 pound for mixed grill lamb burn to a tee steak like a shrimp and over done gammon or whatever it was seemed watery and undercooked or boiled no flavour chips standard from basic pubs for quarter the price. Gin lemonade was expesive and got told dash lemonade was 220 😂. Seemed nice at first location good but my god. I find better places in the sticks and half the price. Won’t even go over the sides chicken burger. Her comments alone was kfc would have been better spoiling my treat night. Don’t waste ur time with this over eater place. Completely bland basic food good staff but tried to open tab said they won’t as people leave all the time. Now I know why ? To be honest people do not waste ur time o. This place. Much better places out there half the price better atmosphere and staff reflecting to come over to us half hour after not finishing our food as they knew the quality was a joke. This place shud have no good reviews. After going next door speaking to locals this is not a new thing and the place has now become a dive the chef is bed the food is bad and it’s a struggling place. Rather embarrassing tbf. Will be complaining to the company for a full refund of the door. The drinks where lovely

Visité el pub para algunas bebidas con mi perro y recibí un servicio brillante de Ben, Pip y Hannah! No tuve el placer de quedarme a comer. Sin embargo, sin duda volveré.

Be very careful when visiting this establishment. They have outsourced their car park to a private company which has number plate recognition on entry. I had purchased a parking ticket, however there were issues with a few of our party and getting our tickets through contactless from the machine. Unfortunately, following these issues the purchase of my ticket was different to the time of my entry into the car park. I had a fantastic £100 fine for basically spending money in their venue. On speaking to their staff, they completely washed their hands of any concerns and explained that other customers who have also had the same experience, have had to deal with any issues independently with the parking company. With the rising costs now eating and drinking in pubs, it really does baffle me why they would add additional barriers to what is supposed be a positive experience. For their total lack of care and consideration to my situation I won't be visiting again but I really do hope others don't have the same experience.

Had Sunday lunch with my partner. Beef. Tasted OK. Meat wasn't bad but smallest portions I've ever seen on a roast dinner!

As a solo traveller I experience different attitudes. Unfortunately although very politely treated, the 'care' was missing here. Also, the steak I ordered was tough and very chewy. I left most of it on the plate and although the waitress commented on it and said she'd speak to the chef, no alternative or refund was forthcoming. I do eat out a lot and for the most have a positive experience - not this time!

Ben brings a lovely warm welcome as soon as you step through the door, He is absolutely amazing at his job and the recommendations he gave were unbelievable! I will be returning.

First class service from Pip & Dylan. Came for dinner and drinks last week and will definitely return in the near future.

This is such a great pub to visit in Cardiff. It’s also next level in its entertainment offerings. Christopher Hughes, the manager, greets everyone in a friendly and open manner. He approached me for feedback, wanting to ensure he offered the best customer service. I noticed he brought creativity and passion to events as a manager that you never see elsewhere! He made everyone feel cheery and well looked after with his friendliness, professionalism and a big warm smile. Definitely worth a visit for the food and atmosphere, but further enjoyment is served abundance by the fun entertainment and energy of Christopher!

Christopher hughes brings an amazing warm welcome as soon as you step through his doors, He is absolutely amazing and caring person! People should be more like him! 🙂

My friends and I popped in during the week for some drinks and food. A young man greeted us and looked after us during our time there. His name was Ben. He gave us all the information we needed as one of my friends has an allergy and his knowledge was outstanding so we had nothing to worry about. The food was immaculate and we will definitely be coming back. Thank you for looking after us!

Came in during the week after finding out that they were dog friendly! Young man called Ben spotted we had a dog when we arrived and gave us a bowl of water and some goodies. He was so friendly and make a fuss with our dog. We also had some food and drinks and it was beautiful. We will be returning ! Thank you!

Excellent place. Everything was wonderful- attentive staff, excellent food and service. Christopher was so friendly and we will 100% be returning very soon. Nothing was too much for him. Will be back soon. 😃

Amazing food, the service from Esme was excellent

The staff especially Chris were incredibly welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. The rooms were immaculate and very comfortable. We also enjoyed the delicious breakfast each morning and loved the convenient location close to major attractions

A fantastic visit. Chris was so welcoming to our little girl and made a fuss of her from start to finish. The whole place had a great family atmosphere. We will be back! Thanks again Chris & Team x

Christopher Hughes gives a very warm welcoming to everyone that enters his pub! Highly recommend going 😀

We had an amazing stay Chris was so welcoming and really helpful telling us places of interest for us to visit all the staff we really nice, the food was delicious in the evening and breakfast, we would definitely recommend staying with you and we will definitely come back, thank you Chris and team for a lovely break

Visited this establishment and lost track of the time. Spent 2:39 minutes in a party of 6 who all ate and drank. The bill came to over £300 but little did we know the bonus that awaited us in the post. The car park has a 2hr limit and we were all hit with a £100 fines X4. Reduced to £60 per vehicle if we paid early. We contacted the establishment and were advised that they do not control it and it’s irreversible. We are all local to this place and have told everyone we know to avoid. I hope your lack of customer care pays you dividends.

Love the special touches for the dogs. Staff were lovely. Food was amaizing

It's an upmarket food-orientated pub.

Pie and a pint ...all good ..do that again

Had a lovely meal, and Ben was really fun!

Came for a quick drink on the way home, was served by hannah, gave great recommendations and was super friendly. Simply an asset to the company!! Many thanks, will be back!! If carlsberg did employees…

Once again the service at the Maltsters was great. As usual Ben and Dylan were wonderful and Chris the quizmaster was so much fun. Looking forward to going again soon.

Came in over the weekend for a family gathering instantly welcomed with warm smiles and talked us through on how things work. A young man named Harry a duty manager I believe went above and beyond for our family. Had a fabulous evening and the food was spot on would recommend. Thanks again Harry!

My sister and I stayed here overnight, the food and service in the restaurant was outstanding! Our room was beautifully clean and we had a good night's rest. Special thanks to Ben for taking such good care of us!

Thankyou Ben and Pip hospitality as always warm and welcoming , service spot on

Lovely waitress- very attentive and sweet. Food was ok but I left most of my chicken burger, after I bit into it and something “popped”…🤢 My husband tells me the beer/Guinness here is very hit and Miss and tonight they surpassed themselves. In fact tonight he said his Guinness is the worst he’s ever had- a very dubious compliment, to say the least.