The North Star in Cardiff

Volvimos a visitar nuestro viejo amigo el North Star. La decoración peculiar ha sido domesticada en la mediocridad, y el menú interesante ha desaparecido completamente, reemplazados por lo que sólo puede ser descrito como promedio comida de pub. Muy decepcionado; utilizada para viajar por la ciudad para comer aquí

这家店似乎很多肉食，点了一碗牛肉，很好吃，但是量大实在吃不完，盛牛肉的碗也是可以吃的面包，都很好吃。服务员也很热情的介绍有些什么特色，所以按服务员的推荐点了2盘。等菜的时候看到旁边一桌上的巨型汉堡，一个壮汉都没有办法吃完。不过味道很好，服务也很好。

Dishonesty and terrible staff with piss poor management have ruined this once good pub, to be avoided at all costs

Hôtel propre à 10 minutes de O connell Street et 15 à 20 minutes de Temple bar ( à pied)

Otros pueden discrepar, pero son ruidosos pubs irrita de sobremanera. El North Star siempre parece que tienen música en vivo o un concurso en el bar, y mientras que puede ser positivo para algunos, me parece que hace que el lugar ruidoso y autoritaria. Me voy a un pub para tomar algo y charlar con amigos y no puedo recordar una vez que he estado allí y han podido charlar cómodamente con la gente con que estoy, y que mata el ambiente. Si eso no era suficientemente malo, el North Star comete el pecado cardinal de casas públicas - la selección de cerveza y otras bebidas es absolutamente horrible. Lager o desagradable barato Jack Daniels. Eso es prácticamente todo lo que te dan.

Mis amigos y yo fuimos para una cena, sólo para encontrar que toda la comida era 50%... guau.

The last few occasions we have been immensely disappointing. Food quality and choice of wine is not what it was. The card payment facilities often don't work. Such a shame. I've also previously rated.

Es una pena que el sitio Thi ha ido tan lejos bajando la colina. Habiendo visitado North Star en muchas ocasiones, me decepcionó mucho con esta experiencia particular!

I went here because Wales on line said it was good. Arrived to find a local friendly pub, with dirty table cloth and really poor food. Won't go there again and neither should you. Sorry!

Nice selection of beers - try their pizzas. Lovely. An odd location by and large - situated on a busy arterial route into/from Cardiff city centre.

So bad im lost for words. Ive tasted better Sunday lunches from the frozen department in Iceland and im being serious! shockingly bad! And this pub is rated as being in the top 5 in Cardiff for food? Is this some kind of joke? Will never be going back. The only positive out of the whole experience was that the staff were friendly.

Heard some good reviews about this place so gave it a try. We all had different meats, Beef, Lamb & Pork.What I liked:Friendly and helpful staffNice atmosphereQuirky decor Stocky GravyPerfectly cooked Meat Fresh Veg, Carrots, Cabbage, Cauli, Brocolli Lovely presentation Handmade Desserts that tasted like a piece of Heaven!Generous portion of meatsWhat I'd improve:Roasties need to be more rustic, crispier and with more taste, maybe some dripping or goose fat.Would like to see more of the veg, nice combo just more of it. I'd use a different cut or Pork, loin used but Shoulder or Belly is so much tastier and there has to be crackling, it's the best part! Overall happy with the food and service and will be returning to sample the other menus :)

We went into this pub, after hearing great reviews. We came in and the staff seemed annoyed that we had entered the pub at an early 8 o'Clock - even though they serve till 9.The staff were impatient with us, and rude.Further to this, the owner/manager seemed drunk, initially we thought this man was a drunk in the corner of the bar but when we saw he was managing seemed very inappropriate and unprofessional!! The food was ok, but slightly overpriced for what is was especially when the steak wasn't cooked as ordered.If you want a overpriced meal with a unwelcoming atmosphere and a drunk worker this is the place for you!

I don't know where to start, it was that bad!!!! We went for lunch, the restaurant was empty, apart from two lethargy staff propping up the bar. We ordered prawn cocktails to start, we couldn't taste the prawns as they were swimming in the Marie Rose sauce, eventually followed by one Chilli con Carne the portion was small and the chips were far too overcooked, we also ordered two burger meals, however when they arrived, the burgers were a good size but completely dry and cooked to death, with no taste whatsoever, the whole meal was disappointing and overpriced. I will not be returning there again.

It's difficult to explain how unbelievably bad this place is. If you find yourself there leave immediately.Terrible terrible terrible.Can't begin to explain.Just believe me do not for there

Just returned from the North Star having pre-ordered our meals earlier today - food took 45/60mins to arrive - one member of staff to cater the entire restaurant and bar.The food was fantastic as usual but main issue was the 2 4 1 on main meals was withdrawn just for today only by order of owner!! Until it was challenged this is as advertisements still up in the pub! Very poor ownership and sympathy to the overwhelmed staff

Went for Christmas meal. Only two choices for each course which is poor. The meal was booked by others but thought hey give it a go. Starter of pate was fine and at this point I was pleased. Then came Turkey and All The Trimmings. There was no stuffing and no pigs in blankets. Trimmings? Ok there was plenty of food but the main part was the turkey which was as dry as a nuns foof. The rest was tasteless. The dessert of Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Tort tasted not of raspberry but cherry. Ugh! Staff were pleasant. Avoid the grub and just grab a beer and some music!My companion had the only other main choice of a pumpkin and raisin meal. She ate it but said it was disappointing as lacked any flavour. This was my first visit and my last. I am not fussy but this was poor.

We came to the North Star after previous great experiences but not so good on our visit on 4/11/15. The eating area was empty and although a friendly welcome was left with sticky menus and tables and 'yeah sit anywhere'. The rest of our party arrived and we decided on choices to be told at 7.30pm on a Wednesday night there was no steak left.. The food arrived and it was fine nothing to really complain about it was ok nothing to complain about but it was ok ... Actually the garlic bread didnt arrive with the main courses as requested but when it did arrive it was a sliced bloomer loaf with garlic butter toasted only on one side which was a bit odd. Desserts were ok and all in all it was ok but not up to its former standard on a side note hated the wine glasses and the 'disintegrate as soon as you touch them' napkins. A shame, The staff were lovely and friendly wish could score it higher but was disappointed we won't go back.

Considering there was such a large crowd of us the staff worked very hard to serve us all from a very reasonable priced menu. Some mistakes were made i.e steaks over done, but what would you expect in such a large group. Great athmosphere, good music and a nice friendly local vibe.

We visited with friends last Sunday,we were really disappointed: all the meals we ordered (apart from the burger) were just not good enough (e.g. really hard roast potatoes - Inedible!!; overcooked veg, Yorkshire pudding half burnt and very soggy!....the meals reminded us of school dinners!!The service wasn't great either, had to wait ages to order drinks and again to wait to be seated, but there weren't that many costumers in the pub!!This pub could really do with a revamp!

We've been to the North Star a couple of times now, and it never fails to make me smile. The food is astonishingly good value for money - large helpings, delicious, made to order and well presented. The staff are unerringly friendly and helpful. The pub itself is quirky and comfortable and comforting at the same time. Each time we've been, we've taken our pre-teen daughter, and they couldn't be more accommodating. Were this pub ever to change, close or be taken over by a chain, I may well cry genuine tears. I'm a big big fan.

great décor and atmosphere BUT ..... not a good choice of beers/ciders. Unless you having the meal deal two for one, then very over priced. Triple cooked chips were pale and soggy. Steak was as thin as a slice of bacon and tough as old boots. Salad was limp and un edible. Staff serving were lovely, helpful and very sorry. Sack the chef maybe!!

Some friends and I went for lunch at the closest pub to where we were staying and were disappointed from the moment we went in. But we thought we'd give it a go as the decor and atmosphere was pleasant enough. My friend and I had Calamari to start which was delicious and well portioned. The roast dinner was appalling; with soggy vegetables (probably microwaved), dry meat, a soggy Yorkshire pudding and lumpy gravy; I didn't really want to eat it. I had to ask for roast potatoes to be cooked as they forgot to serve them. When the roast potatoes came along for two of us, there were enough to feed a small child. My friend was charged extra for the lamb which looked and tasted more like overcooked beef. At 4am the following morning, my friend and I woke up with terrible sickness and diarrhoea and could only pin it down to what was eaten that day which was a roast dinner and calamari. On the surface; a pleasant pub but in truth a diabolical mistake that ruined a Halloween weekend.

Without a doubt the worse Sunday dinner I have ever tasted, I ordered a roast lamb dinner, and my friend went for the 2 course for a tenner option. The dinner was served quite quickly and by polite staff, and that's really the only good thing I can say about this place. To sum up the food: The lamb was well overcooked and tough, there was enough gravy on my plate to serve most of the people eating in the venue, the cabbage seemed to of had a hiding off a salt cellar, my poor yorkshire pudding had drowned in the gravy, the remaining veg was actually cooked al dente just the way i like it.Overall, I wont be going back, I ate the food simply because we had walked miles to the North Star after checking out The North Star on trip advisor. I noticed the table of women next to us left most of their food behind on their plates too.To add insult to injury they tried to charge us an extra 2 quid each for having lamb, something that hadn't been mentioned when we ordered and 2 neither was it on the menu.Was not a good start to my birthday, will not be going back

Truthfully, the North Star (or Maindy Hotel as it was called when we were growing up) isn’t really the sort of place we’d choose for a meal. But you have to be open minded, so when we saw the pub’s first Groupon earlier this year for a 2 course meal we had to give it a try and used it for lunch just before the voucher ran out. This pub, right on the busy main road, is not exactly pretty and it’s obvious they’re aiming mainly for the student crowd who live in halls close by. Part of the pub seems to be a separate venue and is closed off by metal shutters covering half of an inside wall, which is just horrible. The bar’s dingy and not very inviting, but there is a sort of conservatory area covering a courtyard out back which is a lot brighter and a more pleasant place to eat. But definitely glad we didn’t visit in the evening. As we said in the title, the burgers were fine and for the price we paid, we have no complaints with our meals, but we’re not really sure this should be marketed as gastropub food. Not somewhere we’d come back to, even with the current Groupon offers.

Not a bad word to say about the delicious Sunday lunch I enjoyed at North Star - and a melt in the mouth chocolate torte to finish! Really great, homely meal and friendly service. The whole place has great character and decor. Only downside - hard to find parking, but worth the struggle!

I went for an early dinner to the North Star with a friend yesterday (Thursday 10 September). After ordering the lasagne with garlic bread the food arrived very quickly. The lasagne was lovely, but biting into the garlic bread I realised something was wrong. I turned the two garlic bread slices over and they were both COVERED in GREEN MOULD. My friend and I were put off our food so I asked for a refund and we left. This is not only unacceptable for any restaurant, but also a huge disappointment after coming to the North Star for many years since my student days five years ago.

Great ambience, so relaxing. Wednesday nights have a great open mic night, with some very talented artists which all helped to create a great atmosphere. Will definitely visit on a regular basis .Food available and worth making a night of it. The pizzas looked really nice.

Great starter, Main food was hot, lots of meat { beef },plenty of veg with proper roasties. Pleasant and speedy service. Only slight criticism was the beer was a little pricey.

This is a difficult review to write, because the North Star deserves to be recognised as both a quirky student pub and a relaxingly basic restaurant. As the latter it works, but as the former it unfortunately does not.The restaurant is great. The menu isn't vast, but the speciality pizzas are. They're tasty and reasonably priced, and are available two-for-one on certain days of the week. If pizzas aren't your thing, there's enough standard pub fare on the menu to keep everyone interested.The pub, on the other hand, is hopeless. From the quirky decor it would be easy to race to the conclusion that the North Star is a classy, avante-garde bar, but the effect is entirely cosmetic. In reality the choice of drinks at the bar is terrible - there's a rubbish lager, a rubbish bitter, a rubbish cider and a load of over-priced bottled stuff in the fridges. Even the tripe on tap isn't particularly cheap. Terrible drinks selection is generally a deal-breaker for me when it comes to pubs, but even this I could overlook were it not for the fact that the North Star is always SO LOUD. Every night of the week there is either a crappy live band which is far too loud for the small venue, an intrusive and overbearing pub quiz or loud pre-drink party music. It makes it impossible to use the pub in the way the place superficially suggests - as a suave and sophisticated meeting place for planned catch-ups with friends. As a pub, the nearby Heath is a much better bet.

Expensive drinks, lovely staff, proper home cooked food, great location, cool decor. The garden was a bit of a let down but when the inside is so nice, why go outside!

Ive been to the north star quite a few times, I thimk its a romantic and beautifully decorated estanlishment, its got a great chilled vibe and very accomodating staff, the food I recieved was beautiful and definitely worth the cheap price! If you woild like a quiet drink its absolutely perfect!

Three of us went here last Tuesday, we had a groupon voucher for 4 people, for either a starter and main, or main and dessert. As there were three of us they let us have the 3 courses each, service was slow, only one waitress. Had to remind her for the dessert, otherwise excellent value for money, food was very good value.

We ended up at the north star after reading a review on wales on line giving a list of the best roasts in cardiff and the north star took our fancy. When we arrived we found that they had stopped serving roasts for that day (after 4pm) but still sat down to eat. The menu had a lot of options; from burgers, pizzas, risotto dishes to fish and chips. We were really pleased with our choices (blue cheese and mushroom burger and the ribs) they were big portions and cooked to perfection. We had the sticky toffee pudding for dessert and could taste that it was fresh, we were both impressed. Will definitely go back to the north star only downfall is they don't take card payments and ended up having to run down the road to get cash out.

We have been here on 4 occasions to eat and always had an enjoyable meal in this quirky pub/restaurant , but always , on leaving , wish we had left the car back up the valleys and settled in for a boozy finale to the night on one of their comfy sofas. Next time its EDWARDS coaches doing the driving and it wont be long before we are back , with friends.

Great atmosphere ..lush food ..good time.. quick service ...definitely be back again even if it just for the mushroom brushette :)

This has been the 5th time i have eaten at the North Star, each time i leave so disappointed! I think it is a lovely venue for a drink but the food is so disappointing. I have tried various foods from the menu, the pizza, Sunday lunch and we recently ate there because i had purchased a deal '2 courses for £15' on ncrowd. The starters were poor, my husband received stale bread with his soup and my squid was hardly fresh. We were also left shocked at having to pay a £4 service charge (each!) to eat and that was on top of the deal- hardly a saving at all. They need to re-invent themselves and need to improve the food that they offer- such potential but i have eaten there way too many times to be able to put it down to a bad visit.

We decided to visit here for a change for Sunday lunch and it has to be fair it was lush, great staff, beautiful setting especially as I'm a huge fan on everything vintage and the food was lovely. We epically enjoyed our Sunday roast proper home cooked food and my nieces had off the children's menu and not only was the portions huge it was all home made food, I honestly can't rate this place enough and especially great value for money.

The food here is extremely tasty and of exceptionally good value. The creamy mushroom bruschetta is highly addictive and every dish I have tried here has been cooked and presented perfectly. I have had a steak meal, salmon, a squid ring starter and a Sunday roast - all worth repeating. Today I had a tiramisu for dessert and the portion size was ridiculous - but I'm not complaining! The staff are charming also. Highly recommended.

Great food available and very friendly and helpful staff. Came here to watch Songbirds LBT choir perform and it was a fab LGBT friendly atmosphere. It's what the community in Cardiff needs.

food was good.... service was slightly poor with staff not really knowing what they were doing. could not pay by car, had a coke which was like drinking carbonated water and then after ordering being told they had run out of a starter. could of been more organised. the food was tasty even though i got given the wrong burger after checking with the waitress. but all in all the food was nice.

Having heard about the relaunch and new chef we were excited to try out the North Star to see if it had improved.Sadly we didn't really notice any improvement. As far as we could see the menu was the same as before. The decor was also more or less the same. We were struggling to see what's different.We shared a bruschetta to start - it was very nice - a good start. Unfortunately it was downhill from here.For mains I had the ribs. They were disappointing overcooked, lacking meat and the sauce looked like it had been left on the side for a few hours (see photo). My wife had fish and chips which was ok apart from the non-appearance of tartare sauce.For dessert we had a chocolate slice. This actually tasted very nice but had the consistency of granite meaning we had to use 2 hands to cut through it with a spoon.Overall it wasn't the wasn't an absolutely terrible meal, but it wasn't good either.

After reading various reviews we setted on visiting the North Star for the final night of our holiday. When we got there we were advised we couldn't have any alcohol as there was a problem with the licence which the Waitress said would be fixed tomorrow so we settled on lemonade. We ordered starters and they were beautiful. I ordered fettucine with salmon and it was absolutely lovely. My other half wanted chicken supreme but was told afterwards there was none, so he settled on fish and chips. Portions were huge and I couldn't finish my meal. My other half decided on a sweet and ordered Tiramisu which he was talked into changing to sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. He received the pudding minus the ice cream! No sign of waitress so he ate the pudding. Service was a bit too rushed for my liking but it was a very enjoyable experience and we would certainly recommend North Star to anyone looking for yummy food cooked to perfection.

Stopped by the north star on the way to see a show down the bay.found the staff friendly and helpful. A good selection to choose from we opted for the three amigos .home made burgers .jalapeño s home made chips and salad.a very nice meal.a place we will certainly be calling in again.well done to all the staff set the evening up nicely.see you soon.

Went here for food with my other half. The venue is quirky and eclectic in design and very much to our taste. The table service was quick and friendly. I ordered a pizza for myself and my partner had a sirloin steak and chips. The food was cooked and with us within 15 minutes of ordering and, in all honesty, was fantastic. I was expecting standard pub grub but what we got was well beyond. The steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly, the chips were outstanding (probably amongst the best chips I've ever tasted and I like chips) and the vegetables were still crisp. My pizza (a Diavolo) was better than Bella Italia and Pizza Express, bearing in mind that this is a pub and that they specialise in pizza! It also cost a fraction of the price. We were that impressed that we have booked our evening wedding buffet here in November and we are certain that they won't let us down. Well done The North Star.

Our family have been regular visitors to the North Star since its opening and always enjoyed the experience. unfortunately we had not been able to visit for a while and were saddened to read some of the recent reviews.We heard about the recent relaunch and 3 of us decided to give Sunday lunch another try.The Barman/Waiter could not have been nicer and made us feel very welcome.At £10 for 2 courses it was excellent value.We had delicious Mushroom Bruschetta to start and Roast Beef for the main which melted in your mouth. The portions were generous ,the accompanying veg was bought out on a dinner plate , meaning 6 dinner plates on the table making it rather crowded!!!Perhaps bowls could have been used?We were all full after and could not manage a dessertUnfortunately the waitress was not as people friendly as the barman and actually took the other diners plates away while I was still eating...I am a rather slow eater, making me feel quite conspicuous..Maybe some training needed here...But we will definitely return.

Having recently seen the North Star's twitter posts about a relaunch, refreshingly acknowledging a change was needed, we booked a table and crossed our fingers, hoping we could lose a few hours in what use to be a fantastic pub we could call our local. I live round the corner, use to visit regularly and always promoted the place to friends. Rough on the outside but cool and quirky inside. Sadly food standards have gradually declined, the selection of drinks isn't great, and better local places have opened (Face 11, Gutsy Goose). Today we hoped it would be a return to the good old days but sadly it was not. The menu looked confused. You could see there were attempts at invention but not enough to entice you given the price and past track record of eating here. I know there's a new chef but being the only diners at 8pm on a Saturday, we thought lets play safe. The prices seem relatively expensive and noticeably inconsistent with other dishes. For example the "cheese burger" was £9.80 and the "burger" £12.90. The burger did come with red onion and blue cheese. I asked what the extra £3 got you, the waiter went to find out and the answer was it's a bit more gourmet with red onion and blue cheese! The waiter was attentive and nice but possibly new, which isn't great if the menu doesn't tell you what dishes are, or why they should cost that little bit more. The starter of chicken pate was quite good. But it's a pet hate awkwardly having to ask for extra toast. A decent portion of pate but only one slice of toast, why?! You could spread it both sides and still have half the pate left!The waitress took away the starter and asked if we wanted desserts, seemingly unaware I'd order a main as well, which was funny but kind of in keeping with our visit. Having just returned from Italy I didn't fancy pasta or pizza so went for the burger. It was quite good but unfortunately the waiter brought out the cheese burger, not the gourmet one that I'd ordered, so I spent the first 5 minutes thinking do we say something or not, but given there was no waiting staff in sight, I didn't have much choice. Whilst the burger was alright, surely when working on the menu you have to take account of what the competition are doing? Nearby you've got Got Beef, The Grazing Shed, Pear Tree, Gutsy Goose & Juno Lounge all serving far better burgers for a lot less. Having been there around an hour, the pub was very quiet for a Saturday night at 9pm and we thought we were better off getting a bottle from Tesco and calling it quits. So having given the pub about half a dozen chances, I won't be coming back anytime soon for food. Things used to work brilliantly, keeping it simple. Pub grub with little twists. Some drinks that were a little different. Offers that were enticing, and prices that meant you'd happily walk there if you didn't fancy cooking. Nowadays it's not obvious who the target audience is: locals, students, diners, post grads and young professionals or a mix, but none of these groups can really identify with it, hence being empty on a Saturday night. I've written a long reply because I'm amazed the owners - who have The Meating Place and The Potted Pig in their portfolio - allow this to happen. It's a gem of a building, please stop wasting it's potential.

Myself and my partner along with friends often visit for some gorgeous food and a few drinks, we are also fond of the friendly service. Sadly our last visit was a complete let down. We were rudely served by a blonde lady who we have not previously seen working there so assume she was new. Terrible customer service from her from start to finish, even through to swiping some of our plates away without asking before we had all finished. The other things was the food that day, it is normally AMAZING however we were not impressed, the steak was a lump of fat and the chips were uncooked (usually my fav part of the meal) The place seems to be going downhill a little, even down to that terrible bunting! bring the usual North Star back! WE MISS IT!

Bought a 2 course Groupon deal having read very good reviews. We had to reschedule our first booking as they were revamping and taking on new chef which was no problem until we got there. We were the only diners. The background music was pleasant; the students practising over the music was unacceptable and awful. We decided on a main course and dessert. Very mediocre fish and lamb, cold peas but great chips. So dessert. Um. There was no dessert. We had bought a 2 course meal remember. We asked to see the manager in this empty restaurant and after waiting 10 minutes left. He then ran after us, was very polite. We just said we had wanted dessert but as there was none, we had our drinks instead. Still shuddering at the experience.

I called in the North Star along with my husband, we hadn't pre booked but even though it was very busy they still fitted us in and the service was amazing. I think our waiter was a young lad by the name of Ryan, he was so attentive.We ordered our food which I must say came out much quicker than we expected. I had the Chill Bowl which was outstanding, my husband had the pizza which was equally as good.There's so much going on there at the moment with new decor and a new chef from my favourite country, Spain. I can't wait to go back and sample his cooking it looks stunning.I would thoroughly recommend this venue.It never fails to please !!!

Hi , Steve here GM of the North Star . We have put huge changes in place . From this morning all new furnishings going in .Venue is being redecorated . New head chef started this morning and food is amazing , already tried so many dishes .New layout of the North Star . New wine lists and craft beers will be there by Friday .Kitchen is being refurbished . Our new Head chef flew in from Spain this weekend ! New cocktail waiter starts Friday . Exciting times ahead for the North Star

Enjoy a delicious meal cooked fresh on premises. The North Star has a good atmosphere with the added bonus of live music most evenings.

Very excited for North Star re-launch this coming weekend. I love the place anyway but last night i got to meet the new chef and see some of his food ! Wow can't wait to see and taste his new menu, so excited to see the new look ! This venue just goes from strength to strength !!!!!

Staff excellent, food served well and in a good time frame. Tasted good., made to feel welcome, what more can you want

really bad toilets, decor and quality of furniture. Staff unaware of offers etc. needs a lot of work done

The food at this place is amazing. I have never been unhappy with a meal. So reasonably priced. U can tell the food your eating is home made and fresh. I love this place.

My family and I visited our local pub the North Star for Sunday lunch having eaten here before and enjoyed it. Unfortunately it seems that the pub has been taken over and is not what it used to be. The decor is tired, the tables were grubby and there was no live music as we have enjoyed previously. We ordered from the two courses for £10 menu. The food was school dinner quality at best. The gravy was very watered down. When we went to pay we were told we had to pay extra for the lamb. This wasn't mentioned when we ordered nor was it printed on the menu. We were also told it was 'cash only'. Sounds a bit dodgy to me and we won't be going back. Time to find another local!

I read an article a month or so ago from wales online via Facebook of best places to go for a Sunday meal, I will attach a photo of what was advertised. I made a booking and was told to park in the tesco car park to get there. Me and my young family got there and it was empty and the member of staff had no idea of my reservation. There was a smell of gone off cooked cabbage in the air, we were sat at a run down table and chairs with fixtures half falling off,My wife ordered food and when it finally showed up after 25 mins the food was unedable and the worst Sunday lunch I've seen in my life, I will attach a photo of what I was served. I told them I was not eating or paying for it and left. I complained on Facebook and the manger sent me a personal message via the messenger on Facebook not via the post that he managed to remove. He offered me a free meal that I turned down as this is clearly false advertising

I visited this place with a few friends who had been previously,I was so shocked at the food and decor,it felt as if the owners had not spent a single penny in years on the venue.The food that came out was shocking,when we complained we were simply ignored like naughty school children.I checked in my phone only to discover that this place is rated a one despite a four star rating been on the door....some one needs to look into this......never ever again.....bad service and food......simply a bad place

Beautiful meal here again. We came with a group of friends. All meals perfect and fab interaction with staff

Firstly, no where near suitable for disabled. Secondly, dark, dismal, smelling of cigarette smoke, toilets not in use only one disabled toilet with a burnt out hand dryer.Thirdly, dirty kitchen on full display.Not surprised they've recently had a 1 star food hygiene rating.Didn't attempt to eat in there. I didn't even want to sit on their dirty seats and tables.Looks like squatters have opened an abandoned pub. DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR WEBSITE!

After purchasing a Groupon voucher for this Pub/Club, my partner and I visited last night (27.06.2015) with 2 friends who also had a voucher. We had perused the website and found it looked quite nice, and the pictures of the food were mouthwatering.Although, when we arrived there, we were seated at the table, the music was loud and it was very dark. We also noticed the wallpaper coming away from the wall, the odd decor taste, sticky/dirty menus and broken/ripped dining chairs.We were told to order drinks and food at the bar. My partner ordered a Gin and Tonic, it didn't contain any ice leaving it room temperture in a chipped glass around the rim. And not to mention, a pint of coke was £2.60!! Outrageous. When it came to ordering food, my partner mentioned to a staff member we had Groupon vouchers, to which he said we could not use because there was 4 of us. I then spoke to a different staff member and was told he got it wrong and to order food. There wasn't a lot of choice on the menu, but 3 of us had burgers and I had the carbonara. The food came, the starters were lovely (tomato bruschetta, mushroom bruschetta and garlic bread) but unfortunately the mains were not up to the same standard. The chicken burger was a whole chicken breast in a bun with half a tomato, a peiece of lettuce and no sauce. It was extremely dry, over seasoned and not particularly tasty with soggy, soft and dissapointing 'fat chips'.The cheeseburgers were nice to look at, but nothing significantly good about them with again, rubbish 'fat chips'. And my carbonara wasn't hot, but nothing particularly good or bad about it.After the food, we swiftly left as the karaoke singers started to ruin all my favourite songs.An overall disappointing experience, but we know not to go again!A tip for The North Star: Stick to drinks and kareoke for your regular customers.

Visited here one week night evening with my friend, after purchasing a groupon offer (we basically had £30 value to spend on food and drinks.)First impressions of the inside were that it was very nice and cosy, and we were seated at our table promptly. Our drinks orders were taken, and then our food- both of us opted for a main and a dessert. This was where things started to go a bit downhill....My cheese burger arrived with no cheese- it was simply just a burger in a bun. I was starving by this point so carried on, and although there was nothing wrong with my food, it was a bit plain and boring. My chips were slightly soft, and not as crispy as I would have liked. My friend had the carbonara and said that it was lovely however! We decided to have a break between mains and desserts, and ordered a coffee and tea between us.... Only to be told that none of the staff working could use the coffee machine so all hot drinks were unavailable! Both of us were driving and therefore our options were limited...we opted for another soft drink (our only choice.) Although we were not charged for our second drinks, this could have been down to the lack of organisation between the staff. After a while we asked for our desserts, and were informed they were on their way....a while later they hadn't arrived and we were further re-assured they were coming. The member of staff serving us then came over and advised she couldn't remember what we actually ordered....therefore how could they have been on their way? We re-ordered and they arrived pretty promptly after that.Dessert was nothing special- my sticky toffee pudding was not served with any ice cream or custard, and was quite dry. My friends chocolate dessert looked ok but nothing amazing. All in all, I would have been very disappointed if paying full price for this meal. Although the staff were friendly there seemed a distinct lack of organisation, and the food was just pub grub and not particularly tasty. I certainly won't be rushing back here over trying other restaurants in the Cardiff area.

Came here last week and had two for one pizza deal, pizza was authentic Italian style and tasted fresh. Will definitely return.

We were watching Made in Cardiff this week and saw the North Star competing in a burger challenge - the burger looked good and wanted to try it so after work on Friday my girlfriend and I treated ourselves to the 3 Amigos and a Friend Beef Burger. It was even better than it looked and rather than being hot it was just damn fine tasty. Excellent drinks and excellent service - nice layout tons of atmosphere very friendly staff highly recommended can't wait to come back! and I nearly forgot the chips were to die for - best handcut chips cooked to perfection Awesome!

We last ate it here a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the quality of the food and the ambience. So I snapped up a Groupon offer when I saw it. However the restaurant is no longer what it was, although the decor remains. The menu is now just standard pub food. We enjoyed our starters ( bruschetta ) but the mains ( burger and lasagne) were indifferent. My lasagne was solid, as if heated up, and served with some limp bagged leaves. The garlic bread was a slice of white bloomer, spread with garlic butter and slightly warmed. The choice of beers was poor, and I overheard another customer being told they had run out of rose wine. We were not tempted to have pudding. There was no atmosphere and the music on Spotify was a bit too loud. For what we paid, the meal was ok, but we won't be going back - not when there are so many good eating places in Cardiff.

I am a musician and was booked to play this venue for a sum we agreed prior to me traveling 1 hour to get there. On arrival (bare in mind I brought my whole family with me for a Mother's Day meal before my performance) I was told I wasn't getting paid the amount we had agreed. I was getting paid HALF. The manager was nowhere to be seen, just the staff, and I felt really sorry for them having to break this news to me. I was promised a full PA system on arrival (luckily I brought my own from experience) and all that greeted me was one paint splattered speaker and a bag of random cables. After I got over the payment/PA issue we had food. There was what seemed to be an experienced chef in the kitchen. Our Sunday lunches were horrendous, drenched in the blackest, saltiest gravy possible. My auntie's only vegetarian option was a vegtable pizza - even though we were all sitting there having a Sunday lunch around her. So after a £70 meal of utter rubbish and with three really inexperienced staff trying their best to keep a shoddy establishment together, I did my set and left. I will never return. If you are a singer/eater/decent human being that likes to enjoy an evening or a day out, avoid this place at all costs. Hope it gets shut down soon.

I had a groupon on deal my parents and young child, the staff could not have been more helpful. My son said it was the best pizza he had ever had. I had the chilli con carne and this was properly the best I have ever had. The place is quirky, we will be back.

I can heartily recommend this pub,live music,great ambiance, beer garden and great food. Always have great offers on.Buy one main meal, get one free. My burger and homemade chips were beautifully cooked and my wife's pizza also excellent, she left two slices as it was so big,no problem getting a doggy bag for the pizza, which was delicious the following day.

Just called in the North Star for Sunday Lunch, it's our 2nd visit to this pub and it was just as good as the first.. The gravy was delicious No Bisto gravy here.. Will definitely be going back xx

I recently booked an area for 20 people at the North Star for my birthday. We all ordered food, and plenty of drinks. The service was excellent, the staff are so friendly, they and the manager Steve made us feel so welcome. The food was amazing, all my friends commented on how delicious their meals were and how reasonable the prices are for the quality. We enjoyed so much that we stayed there the whole night rather than going into town as there was a DJ playing later in the evening and room to dance. I cannot thank the North Star staff enough for such a fantastic evening! Can't wait to come back.

Hi , Both my husband and i went to the north star for a meal , i had the fish and chips and my hubby had the burger . it was absolutely stunning . the staff were lovely especially the general manager who couldnt do enough for us , great value for money too! we will be back with our family very very soon thank you to all at the north star for the lovely meal and service .

Went in last Sunday for a treat with my mum.. Fantastic roast, fab service and friendly staff! Food was excellent value and simply stunning.. Will certainly be coming back... 10 out of 10

Send the pizza back to be cooked more as they looked raw.. And still couldn't eat them fairly tasteless. Went home and make cereal.. What a waste of money! And an evening out! Pants

We booked and went to the North Star today 10 May 15, after seeing the pics and review over best Sunday lunch places in Cardiff. Waiting staff where friendly and helpful the decor was very run down, I could smell gone off cabbage and we waited half and our to be served the worst Sunday dinner I've ever seen, the beef was like leather and the veg tasteless, I refused to eat it, even my kids wouldn't eat it. This is what we where given even the roast pots were full of black bits.

The venue itself is lovely-nice and simple decor. The staff were friendly and attentive. However, one relied on his memory to take our order and failed miserably. He got one of our starters wrong and then brought out ribs for my partner instead of chilli. We had a groupon deal and instead of moaning we just got on with it and had them anyway. The starters were lovely and we would have paid full price for them. However, my main, the fish and chips was not worth 9 quid. When you see that price for fish and chips in gourmet pubs, it't usually well worth it. It's not worth it at the North Star. Fish wasn't very nice at all and the chips were huge potato wedges. My partner enjoyed his ribs despite not having ordered them! I would probably go back but only with the 15 quid for 2 courses each deal as it was disappointing.

Was looking for a place to celebrate our engagement,hadn't a clue where to start. Shopped around a bit but most places were really unhelpful, trying to tie us down early to EXACT numbers & loads of added extras. Too many restrictions. Then I remembered here,my old university local. Hadn't been for a while so wasn't sure what to expect. They couldn't have been more helpful. The boss/chef/owner was friendly & enthusiastic, & couldn't do enough for us. Just wanted rough numbers (way more turned up than planned or invited) & gave us the option of hot or cold buffet. In end had a bit of both,he was really flexible. On the night the food & service were amazing & everyone had a great night.....me maybe a bit too much but got nothing but a friendly welcome when I went back for Sunday lunch last week (which was also top class & great value at £10 for 2 courses). Get yourselves there

Excellent food cooked to perfection. Staff are friendly and we received really good service. Would definitely recommend to friends and family :-)

I've eaten here on a number of occasions since its been taken over and never been disappointed with quality and quantity of the food. Very friendly and obliging staff and loads of choice on the menu too.As the owners haven't been here very long I think this restaurant will soon achieve 5 stars once they have left their own personal stamp on it.Would love to see this Pub restored to its original glory and these guys are the ones to do it, in the meantime I'll keep going back. Thanks

My husband and I popped in this delightful pub for lunch. We both chose the burgers which were outstanding value for money and extremely tasty.Will definitely be making a return visit

We visited on Good Friday thinking we'd have a meal and listen to some music as we'd had good reports. The food was far better than I expected, a charcuterie platter was loaded with good quality meats and a nice piccalilli, garlic breads were tasty and on fresh, decent quality bread. Wife's pizza was freshly made and tasty. I had meatballs and spaghetti which was as good as I've had anywhere. The pub makes great play on having a chef rather than a microwave. I take claims like that with a pinch of salt but the food here was honestly of restaurant quality. The serving staff were very pleasant and helpful. We asked to move our table after being seated because we were close to a large party who were having a happy if rather loud time (not in a bad way, just didn't want to be seated with them), that wasn't a problem and staff were friendly, helpful and efficient all night.After the meal we moved to find a table where we could watch the music. The pub wasn't crowded but the layout of the pub meant that not many tables gave a view - the small stage is set at the side of the long front section. It wasn't really a comfortable or welcoming place to sit. To be honest, that part of the pub was a bit bleak. Music was a folky/jazzy/bluesy guitar duo, ok, but no patter or stage presence so just background really; not a show. We stayed about 45 minutes but weren't really comfortable. Atmosphere by this time was a bit off putting, a couple of groups of local lads, nobody out of order but I wasn't keen to stay there. Wife says I'm being unfair. She says it was Good Friday and at any other time she thinks it would have been busy with students and lots of friends and colleagues think it's great. But I can only report on what I experienced. Would I go there again? Yes - I'd certainly give it another go, I liked the food, the staff and the beer, and perhaps the atmosphere will be better at a different time.

The Maindy was a terrible rough pub. When i Heard that this place was taking over i didnt think it would last. I visited when it first opened and it was fantastic, but now, i have then found myself visiting less and less each year. Late last year one of my friends said it was rubbish, this was unfair as it isnt its just not what it used to be. there is a fad man vs food menu now and the food just isnt the standard. saying that the decor is great, one of the nicest places to drink in cardiff, great out door section and the live bands are not overbearing. they used to have a bloody mary station which needs to be brought back. I used to love this place but it has now become very average, with the standard in Cardiff going up month on month i hope this place isnt lost & they turn it into what it use to be.

My wife and I have visited The North Star a number of times in the past and have really loved the place, however We went recently with a voucher for 2 pizzas for 1 and a glass of wine, we could not use the voucher on a Saturday so we went on a Friday. I was a bit disappointed to see that on a Friday, pizzas are 2 for 1 anyway which I thought was a bit cheeky. I telephoned in advance to reserve a table but on arrival there was no table reserved, luckily there was room available. One member of staff was struggling as it was his first shift and other members of staff were a bit haphazard, there did not appear to be a senior member of staff present. We still love the pub and the ale, the food and the entrtainment but we do feel that standards are slipping which is a great shame

Myself and my work mates usually go to the North Star for lunch at least once a week. The service is great- friendly and welcoming and the good is excellent! Decor is quirky and cosy. Everything is cooked fresh to order, not typical fast pub food. Never had a bad meal and I've tried almost everything on the menu. Favourites include the chilli bowl and home made burgers! Will definitely continue visiting.

Excellent place. Great atmosphere (with unobtrusive but engaging live music). Warm, friendly and helpful owner and staff. Good simple, honest and tasty food. Creative decor too, with musical instruments and picture frames turned into light fittings, plus an eclectic mixture of chairs/sofas/seating. Could easily spend all night there.We were in Cardiff for the night and took the chance after seeing it on the internet. Glad we did. Will definitely visit again when back in Cardiff. One point though for new visitors to Cardiff. As we were new to the area, we assumed we could walk from the Radisson - 20 minutes according to google maps. More like 40 minutes. Plus you are deep in students-ville. Which wasn’t a problem in hindsight, but was a bit alarming in the dark as virgin visitors to the area. Get a taxi is my advice (£5).

I had wanted to eat here for quite a while, so when I finally did I was really pleased. The decor inside is quite theatrical, pleasant and warm. I was greeted at the Bar with a smile and took a beer while I read the menu. The menu wasn't extensive but explained that everything would be cooked to order. I chose a Ceasar Salad, I waited only a short time and was served at my table. The food was fabulous, crisp fresh lettuce with moist seared chicken breast strips topped with crutons and a dressing. The food was plentiful but so delicious I could easily have had the same again. I will return to the North Star.

Myself & several of my workmates have been frequenting the North Star for many months - partly due to its location & partly due to the fact that we've never had a bad meal. 2 for 1 offer on a broad menu, good ingredients & lovely big portions what more do you want? I have tried most of the dishes & enjoyed every one; my absolute favourite is the chilli though the burgers are amazing & homemade chips are the best!! Lovely friendly staff & interesting environment... 1 of our group has food allergies & pub are more than happy to prepare fresh food which is not on the menu, provided we book in advance.

The North star used to be great. The menu changed regularly and had great options for both lighter meals and something more substantial, the portion sizes for both were always fantastic considering the prices. There was also a good selection of local ales and the bar service and food service was always on point and despite the prices the service and options always appeared as if the place were a lot more upmarket.The food now isn't exactly bad, but its now just a standard pub menu. The options of local ales are either non-existent or very limited and the service is very slow. The place is also a lot quieter now than it used to be. We used to eat here fairly often because its a 5 minute walk, but we now only really visit if we really cant be bothered to go anywhere else and want a cheap lunch. Bit of a shame to be honest!

My visit to the North Star started off well with friendly faces at the bar, the attentive staff attended our table promptly and made sure we were settled, two of us ordered the Welsh black beef sirloin steak and 2 of us the braised beef, the food was very tasty and well worth the money. The only off putting thing was the middle aged man scratching his genitals as he saw us to our seats

My dining experience here started off well ordering the two for 1 meals was a great bonus. Having come from the cold street I hoped to warm up once indoors this was not the case it was below a comfortable heat level for all who were there we had to wear coats while we ate which would have been avoidable had there been an awareness of the temp door draughts. All the above criticism would frustrating for a chef who produces such good food I had a homemade pizza pieced together with very nice good quality ingredients. Definitely a focus on providing good food shows. Two for one deal you can't go wrong. What would strongly deter me from returning to the North Star is not the food but the unattentive staff who invested nothing into our dining experience. At no point was an offer of further drinks deserts teas coffee forthcoming staff. We were eventually obliged after a 10min wait at the bar !!! Staff preferred to chat amongst themselves rather than attend to finished dining plates that sat on table for at least 20 mins they also failed to attend to customers who were eager to add to their paultry two for 1 bill this inefficiency cost the owner countless upsells of beer and food. Front of house mansgement get you sh1t together until ye do I won't be coming back !!

Went for Sunday lunch - 2 friends had lamb which they said was good, 1 had beef and said it was tough. I decided to try the risotto which had no flavour at all but really creamy - more like a rice pudding really. I've been here before and I was really impressed, but the shabby-chick now just looks worn out. It is also quite dirty with dust and cobwebs, and the gents toilets were smelly. Service was slow too. There was only a few tables but I really didn't feel tended to. All in all disappointing, as I used to love this place.

Not our local, but we walk that extra road to ensure that it is. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is wonderful. The food itself is varied and everything I have eaten there I have loved. Those who do not like spicy food be warned though: the chilli bowl is hot! (I happen to love it) Deserts are amazing and the prices are great compared with what you get.

The North Star retains a neighborhood atmosphere in spite of its location very near Cardiff University student housing at Talybont. The interior decor is, well, different, but the food and service are first-rate. Local music, trivia night, and a real cross-section of clients, located about 30 minutes walking from City Centre, on North Road.

This pub is fantastic. It is quirky and unique with a personality. We sat down in the "restaurant" part of the pub and was lovely. It had tiled floors with stage like curtains on the wall and wallpaper that looks like a forest. Even had trumpets as ceiling lights. It sounds odd but works very well.I could go on about the decor of this pub a lot as I was a fan straight away. (This is not the first time I have been here but first time for food) As we walk up to the bar we were greated by a lovely guy who introduced himself as Steve. Steve showed us to the table and gave us menus.The food is very reasonably priced and all sounded lovely. I ordered the creamy mushroom brushetta for starters and cheese and bacon burger for main.It was all delicious and really good portions the staff checked our meals were ok during each course without being pestering and anytime our drinks were low they offered us another drink. Oh I forgot to mention they have board games!! I love board games!!Everything was brilliant with a great atmosphere and the live music was due to start at around 9pm. Well as soon as the cabaret artist started it felt like we were hijacked and were now sat in a cheesy bar in Benidorm. His voice was lovely but just was too cheesy singing celien Dion and west end musicals and lots of dance tracks. Luckily we were not planning on staying late but if they had better live music we would have definitely stayed later than planned.Overall a fantastic pub with great atmosphere I would highly recommend this place to anyone.

Used to live above this pub and regularly visited, always had welcoming staff and amazing food so didn't hesitate to take family there for a meal tonight. I've never been so embarrassed for recommending this place. We were served by a man who looked like he had no interest in being there, I asked for a dish to be customised due to allergies and it came out covered in the ingredient twice! It was almost as if it was being done purposely as I could tell by his attitude he was displeased, maybe because my request meant that he may have to actually communicate with another member of staff. In the end I requested a refund without an apology. Pizza came out burnt underneath, by this point we were so fed up by the mans attitude that we left without resolving anything. Very disappointed I used to love this pub.

Writing this to ward off future customers from making a similar mistake. Paid good money for a family Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. Place was dirty and shabby. Seems like the bare minimum was produced to the lowest standard possible.The food was shockingly bad, most of it was undercooked and the quality was of a very low standard. Staff seemed to be making the most out of a terrible situation and were the only redeeming factor. The food here makes my memory of crap school dinners seem great in comparison. It's a shocker in my opinion so don't waste your time.

We booked for 7 of us and were told by the manager when we arrived that a temp had mentioned there was a booking for 7, but there was actually no table free that night, and they he couldn't find my contact details to tell me. This completely ruined our plans, and being a Friday night we struggled to find anywhere else. The manager offered no form of compensation but just apologised and expected us to get over it. Not very good customer service!

Pub Christmas meals are usually very mediocre but this one was very good. Friendly service, food freshly cooked so could accommodate my dietary requirements, good choice of beer and wine. Comfortable surroundings.

I heard great things about there sunday dinner but we left disappointed. we arrived at 3.50pm to find out that they had sold out of all there sunday dinners even though they are advertised until 5pm.we were then given the main menu to choose something on that but the two courses for 10pound didnt stand. overall I thought it was poor customer service and no initiative shown by staff.

We took advantage of a pizza and wine voucher deal to eat here with friends. It is a great modern take on a good local pub, and the food was very good value. Suffered a little from a staff shortage on the evening we went, but normally not a problem. As probably our favourite local, we'll certainly be back!