The Secret Bistro in Lancaster

The food was delicious and the service was really friendly. Honestly Felicity the general manager couldn't do enough for us. Really enjoyed our meal, definitely will be back!

It really is a secret bistro, hidden down a back street in Lancaster where we stumbled upon it by accident. The internal decor of this restaurant is lovely and unique. Really enjoyed our starter and main meals and the staff were attentive, friendly and polite. We both had the turkey dinner for our main and it was delicious with the roasties cooked to perfection. The only reason we wouldn't give it 5 stars is we felt the starter portions were a little on the small side.

Went on a recommendation, everything was beautifully though of and presented tasted great. Would have preferred the consome to be clearer with the crab but it was divine! Very good value for money.

We’ve been coming to this place a few times now but feel its lost its way somehow ,they started off so well . But my past visit will be my last ,after waiting an hour & 5mins for my food with no apology even serving newer customers first. I Came with my family for a celebration and like others with no acknowledgment and told to sit where we liked ,treated very informally which you wouldn’t expect in a restaurant “Guys “ rather than “Sir” or “Madame“ When the food did eventually arrive it was good ,but my father-in-law did have a bad roast potato which was black in the middle, the offer was there to replace the potato but that’s it no apology or discount or anything We had a sweet which was again good and came quickly after the main The menu is rather limited and at times unique on our past visits to the point of being bizarre But on this occasion after having a super day ,we were all extremely disappointed So if you like Quirky,Bizarreness and to wait for your food this is the place

Brilliant Christmas meal :), food was brilliantly priced and tasted brilliant, would definitely come again

Amazing service fast and friendly accommodating for the full hockey team full of banter food and drinks exquisite

Nice food, gravy was really good. Didn't have to wait long for food. Staff really friendly and nice and so is the owner. Its tge right prove for what you pay for.

Lovely little Christmas meal. Well hidden venue with a nice atmosphere, with friendly staff. The food was well cooked and delicious

There was alcohol that made the experience better and the food was glorious making the night better and I asked for more gravy and they provided it

Just had the best meal in a long while at this wonderful local restaurant. Extremely good quality food from the Festive Christmas menu.... 3 courses for £40 including a glass of prosecco. Excellent friendly service as well. My main course was hake and it was really excellent , but starters were delicious too. And then the desert - well my Christmas Pudding Mess was exceptional ... I am not a pudding person but this really was a lovely one ! We are coming back for more for a family celebration in a few weeks time. Thankyou to the wonderful chefs !

Lovely place, staff are very attentive, atmosphere is lovely and relaxed. We had the roast dinner on the Sunday and it was perfect; the beef was so tender and all the trimmings were delicious. Definitely recommend this place and we will, of course, be going back.

So, our first stay in Lancaster and you’re not spoilt for real ale establishments or restaurants.. I didn’t do much research…but we were lucky…again..! I had mussels to start and my initial thought was how am I going to eat the main I’ve ordered..?…mussels were huge ..from Shetland..and the cream and wine soup they were in (I’m not using the right words am I..?) was lovely with some sourdough lightly toasted…couldn’t bear to leave a drop…partner had the pork belly..braised in cider and sherry….it was so nice. Mains my partner had Hake tempura…with a pea mint fritter..we live in Eastbourne so we’re used to fish caught the previous night .. I had game pudding… A limited menu which i far prefer…do what you do and do it well..!! This food was cooked to perfection.. We had a great evening… Good service and a lovely setting… It’s hidden though…you’ll find it.. Do I sound gushing…so be it..! Thanks chef…

I noted when making the booking online that we were coming to celebrate my husband’s birthday and our wedding anniversary. When we arrived there was no acknowledgment of this and we were simply told to “sit anywhere” by the maître d' who did not seem very welcoming. Our waitress however was lovely. The starters were evidently pre-prepared. The shrimp was cold straight from the fridge and the pork belly was tasty but quite dry - the toast both came with was delicious. We both ordered the steak medium rare – when it arrived one was very medium, one was well done. The chips were fab. No one came to check on us until we were pretty much finished. There was no atmosphere whatsoever about the place which was disappointing for a Friday night. Overall a very underwhelming experience and quite an expensive one at that. We would have stayed for dessert and drinks until closing had we been enjoying ourselves – the cost wouldn’t have mattered had the experience been worth it, but this was not. This place has the potential to be really good and I do not like leaving bad reviews (I don’t think I ever have) but this place really let us down on what was supposed to be a very special occasion.

Enjoyed the beef wellington and modern take on retro desserts.

Oh my goodness! What a Sunday lunch, what a beautifully decorated restaurant. All with fabulous friendly and chatty service. We don't have enough words to express how lovely our experience was last Sunday. I have been following the Secret Bistro for so long and I have no idea why it took so long to try it. Off the cuff, we popped in for Sunday lunch and we were welcomed by the team to our beautiful window table. I had a wander around to admire and take photos - this truly is an Instagram/Social Bloggers heaven. If you haven't popped in to sample their beautiful food, or to speak with the team to book your large family or corporate booking, or to admire the stunning, funky, quirky artwork and design, you are missing out. Now, the Sunday platter for 2 was full of flavour, cooked to perfection and very generous portions. We can't wait to come back and bring all of our visitors too. Thank you again for an amazing lunch.

We had not booked, but a table was found for us. The place is quirky, relaxing and welcoming. The food, well, everything we had, was delicious. The scallops, I could have kept on eating till I burst. They were delicious. We had the Wagyu burger, and it was tasty and filling. We plan on visiting again soon to try out some more of their menu. Thoroughly recommend.

We visited for Sunday lunch on 29/10. What a delightful place! The decoration is fabulous and quirky. The atmosphere is relaxed. We had pork belly to start, beef and chicken roast lunch, generous potions and delicious. We then shared the three desserts on offer today - wonderful! The staff are friendly and efficient. Highly recommended and we will be back!

Excellent. Really enjoyed for my surprise 60th birthday party

What an amazing, beautiful restaurant - the setting was perfect for date night! The staff are friendly and welcoming and the food was absolutely phenomenal! Without a shadow of a doubt, this is our new favourite restaurant in Lancaster, and we can’t wait to return! A special shout out to Sam for being wonderful and inspiring x

Outstanding food and service. Highly recommended.

Top Class dining . A Must visit. If you want that Special meal, it's the place to visit in Lancaster and Morecambe . The staff are very attentive and the atmosphere is subtle and comfortable.

Made a booking online. Turned up to find the place closed. Disappointed as booked for a friends birthday.

Foods edible, priced way to high for the quality of it

Went to dinner on Wednesday 20th September for my husband’s birthday. Could not fault this restaurant. Excellent food, compliments to the Chef. Service brilliant. Ambience of this restaurant is fantastic. I would recommend this to anyone. The best restaurant in Lancaster, as far as we are concerned.

We both really enjoyed everything we had here, we are definitely going to come back

Attended for a special occasion, service was fast and prompt. The food was just impeccable and we had a lovely time.

The honest review. Nice place, nice staff, below average food. We paid £26 per main meal and was expecting something to match the price but honestly, I’ve eaten food that tastes a lot better for a lot less so I’m not sure how they can charge these prices. The place and staff are nice, but the menu needs changing and I think they need to invest in a great chefs who can deliver! Otherwise reduced the price by half and then people will get what they paid for.

Came for a bottomless brunch yesterday for my mums 60th and it was amazing! we had such a lovely time, service was fantastic and so attentive. nice atmosphere, definitely the best bottomless brunch in Lancaster

First time visit, will certainly not be the last. We travelled from samlesbury to watch a concert but booked at the bistro. It is one of the loveliest quirkiest bistros ever it was hustle and bustle the atmosphere was buzzing. The food was first class along with the service. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ will be back thank you to all, especially the lady owner who we chatted to and was delightful.

We read the reviews and booked a table last night. I am now left wondering, given the reviews, whether the chef has been replaced in the last couple of months or went on holiday leaving a less competent one in charge. And I do not normally write reviews when they are not so good. But we were disappointed. So, the service is great, really friendly and helpful. The menu looks really good and the prices, while not cheap, are on the moderate side for today’s levels. What else was good? Wines and cocktails. Including their prices. Portion sizes too. And chips. Food though, possibly because the superb previous reviews raised our expectations, was a bit of a disappointment. The starters first. My goat cheese soufflé was somewhat shrivelled and not light or fluffy. It actually felt like prepared earlier and warmed up. The salad dressing on the little salad served with the soufflé was nice. The Marie-Rose sauce served with prawns tasted like it was made with a cheap mayo. Mains. I really don’t know how the chef managed to make a dry, chewy pork chop. Tasty, but the texture wasn’t right. The sides were good, including the already mentioned mighty chips of Gargantuan size but pleasantly proportioned, fluffy inside and golden and crisp outside. Possibly the bright side of the dinner. The chowder was not particularly creamy. It’s texture was a bit like one of a warmed up potato salad with veg, fish and prawns. We were too full to try the puddings. I think the verdict is that we shall return for drinks and look at the food at neighbouring tables before ordering. Who knows, the good chef might return and the place is really pleasant, including the service. I am saying this also because the food photos from a few months ago look better than what we saw.

Wonderful place to eat food amazing, staff friendly, atmosphere brilliant

Had a fantastic day for my friends baby shower. Great customer service and friendly enviroment. Thanks so much Sarah

Lovely Sunday roast dinner, nice friendly staff.

Went at Christmas, it was cosy, intimate and the atmosphere was great. Going again next week (May 23) and looking forward to seeing what's new on the menu

Went for the first time yesterday, food was amazing and staff were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

The Best Sunday lunch ,very generous portions friendly staff. Definitely would recommend a visit.

Had a wonderful meal here yesterday. Food was fabulous, great staff. Will certainly be back. We done guys 👏👏👏

We attended the bottomless brunch and the food was delicious. The cocktails are definitely worth giving a try the Umbongo went down far too easily. Lovely Friendly staff. Great Service. What more can you ask for 5*

Lovely place with friendly staff and great food. I've been for Sunday roasts and everything on the sharing platter is extremely tasty. Will definitely be making this the top option to take people to when they visit Lancaster.

Last night we decided along with Barb and Phil Barton to try this fantastic place. We were greeted by the lovely Robert John Allan who used to be at The Butcher and Tonic, so we knew then we was in for a real treat. The food was fantastic. They have just come up with a new deal, 3 courses and a cocktail for just £30 !! The lady who looked after us was a complete delight attentive and a pleasure to work with, I'm sure. I here they do a cracking Sunday lunch as well so we'll have to give that a try. X

The Sunday roast was lovely but think they forgot to give use broccoli haha was celebrating my sister 60th birthday with her Daughter we all enjoyed our meal

We had the best ever Sunday lunch here. Every item cooked to perfection and tastes amazing. Sticky toffee pudding light as air and yummy. Will certainly be visiting again thank you for a great dining experience

Always bang on why would bother making your own Sunday lunch when you can have the best at a great price

Food is just amazing. Lovely place to eat and drink

Lovely Sunday lunch, great atmosphere, staff were really attentive. The food here is great. Overall a real little gem of a place.

The food here is amazing, the service is great and the place itself is quirky and relaxing. Highly recommended, we had dinner but plan to return for the bottomless brunch and Sunday roast platter very soon.

We came here for valentine’s day and it was amazing! We both had the lamb and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Service was amazing and would definitely recommend this to anyone fancying a meal out!

Brought my partner for her birthday. The food was Amazing and the place it self was lovely & quirkey and staff were great .

The first time there we were impressed from booking table to service on arrival. Staff polite and helpful. Food was excellent and even chatted with one of the owners who took time to explain the quirky interior. Definitely go again. Thanks for a great evening.

Excellent, I went with friends today for dinner and the carvery was amazing! The meat was so tender it just fell to bits, very chilled atmosphere and the staff were so polite and helpful. We will be back for more!

Nice meal, but service a bit a bit disjointed during to only 2 staff on front of house so not able to keep up with amount of people in but they did there best so no complaints but manament need to look at this as it was Friday night

Lovely bistro the interior is great! Service a little slow however they were busy at the time. Food was lovely and staff were very lovely

Good food almost really good food. Music was a little loud and invasive though.

Wow, what a great meal we had here at Secret Bistro. The food was divine and the service was second to none. Highly recommend!

Amazing food and brilliant service.

Food was very tasty, but the portion sizes were overpriced. We were also asked if everything was OK almost as soon as the food was served. Give us time to taste it, please. We visited when the Bistro was located in Morecambe and had a much nicer experience. Think we will go elsewhere in future.

This is definitely a place we'll visit regularly. The food is delicious, the service is really friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed and intimate with nice decor. The menu is not extensive meaning each dish is well thought out and tastes superb with each ingredient complementing each other. It really is a hidden gem. We have already booked for our next visit and are looking forward to trying some of the other dishes.

Absolutely lovely place, as it was quite quirky. The food was lovely and staff were really nice. We had the bottomless brunch and the cocktails were fabulous. Highly recommend.

Sunday lunch 03/07/2022 Excellent meal, nice and pleasant staff. We had the sharing tray of slow roasted belly pork and lamb along with all the trimmings, well cooked and well presented, my only issue was the “Belly Pork” it wasn’t. The pork on the tray was nicely cooked pork loin, if what you have ordered is going to be substituted with something else it would be nice to have been told.

Good food, great atmosphere and a fab night had by all.

Travelled up from Warrington for a birthday meal with a long-time friend who lives locally. Good service, engaging decor, and wonderful food, highly recommended.

6 of us had a birthday celebration meal here last night. Fantastic meal. Very efficient and exceptionally friendly service. This is truly a hidden gem.

Very nice dining experience lovely food great staff good service nice chilled atmosphere Will definitely go back a hidden gem in Lancaster 👍

Small portions and very overpriced. Ambience wonderful snd staff very friendly.

It’s secret for a reason it’s absolutely awful the food tastes of pure grease and there was no steak just pure gristle it’s extortionate not worth the money

Fantastic and friendly staff, and the food is stunning. As a vegetarian, normally a risotto is a boring option, but this was one of the tastiest meals I’ve had in a long time. I’ll definitely be back.

OK Food staff very skitty and not much atmosphere.

Didn't seem organised considering it was mother's day. Massively over prices for the portion size. Quality of food was shocking and the drinks massively over priced. 2 glasses of wine and a bottle of peroni just short of £20. Sorry I won't be returning anytime soon.

Fabulous ambience, went early on a Thursday, the place was packed (understandably!) Amazing food! Highly recommend!

Went here this Evening with my wife and mother and the place is truly beautiful, staff are so attentive and nice. The food was so tasty I would highly recommend the Sunday roast, also the desserts are one of the best I have had out in a long time (orange chocolate mousse), (Crème Brûlée), (sticky toffee pudding) all 10/10. Espresso martini 10/10 and passion fruit martini 9/10 just a little too sweet but just so nice! Price is beyond reasonable for the quality you get, we will be coming back again... and most probably again after that.

Fun Décor, good location, the service was professional, prompt and friendly. There were plenty of people in for a week day night and the atmosphere was warm. I hope the Bistro continues to develop as it really complements Lancaster's restaurant scene. Only one downside: the flavour balance on the mains were a little disappointing (bouillabaisse and pork belly) lacking in complexity and depth.

Quite possibly the best restaurant in Lancaster. We had a table for 2 and a three course meal each. Made a refreshing change to eat out and the meal be perfect. It’s more a place to dine with friends or on a date and wouldn’t say it’s best for people with children. Staff were as friendly helpful and polite as possible. Hopefully the tip reflected that. Food was fresh hot and well presented. Taste was bang on! The pork belly was perfect sometimes pork can be dry this was not. The filet steak was a good size, a nice cut and cooked perfectly. Crem brûlée was also perfect. We will definitely be re visiting. One tiny criticism the knives aren’t very sharp and so struggled to cut the medium steak with a nice clean cut.

Sunday lunch with my daughter. The food was absolutely first class and the service friendly and attentive. We will definitely go again.

Friendly staff, tasty food and generous portions. Worth a visit, worth many visits.

Delicious food definitely coming back

Went for a Valentine's meal on Saturday 12th Feb. Had high expectations and came away very disappointed. Starters were poor - I had the croquette which was described being 'ham hock and italian sausage' but 'potato' was all I could taste. My wife had the poached hens egg and aspargus which was exactly that a tiny egg and two overcooked spears of asparagus. Unfortunately the main courses were even worse. The seafood bouillabaisse was overwhelmed with pickled capers and there was very little seafood in evidence, I found a mussel because it was in its shell but not much else. Do a google image search for seafood bouillabaisse and then imagine it with the seafood replaced with half a jar of pickled capers and you've got the idea. My wifes lamb shank was intimidatingly substantial but otherwise unimpressive - too salty jus, tiny potato rosti and insipid veg that arrived as an afterthought several minutes later. Still it was a night for romance so we didn't complain we even ordered espressos and desserts which we waited more half an hour for. My wife did complain and got her coffee knocked off the bill, although it was still on it when the bill arrived. Luckily, the night was redeemed by a visit to our table by the owner who explained that it was all covid's fault and that we had no right to expect good food or service for more than £100. What were we thinking?!

Amazing restaurant. Could be my new favourite in Lancaster.

Amazing, fantastic little place tucked away from the main bustle of Lancaster centre. Wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, great staff and simply amazing food. Probably the best Sunday roast in Lancashire!

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Lancaster. Their food was tasty ( Seafood Bouillalbaisse ) and I was delighted with my meal! The team are also great, happy and polite. Can’t wait to return and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for somewhere to eat. Thank you 😃 Oh and their cocktails are definitely worth a try!

Me and a couple of friends took advantage of the midweek special menu here. I chose a steak for a small additional cost and it was really well cooked and tasty followed by a fantastic cheesecake.. oh and a sneaky cocktail. The staff were attentive without being fussy and the atmosphere and decor were great. A quality dining experience without the formality of some places. Highly recommended.

Please be aware that the secret here is that they secretly overcharge you...we were nearly overcharged by 15%. That's a lot these days...check your bills wherever you dine in Lancaster...twice in two nights!

The place itself is beautiful, however the Sunday roast was a massive disappointment. Waitress handed the food and had to ask each time for something as she was not willing to listen long enough to see if more than one person wanted salt, pepper or condiments. Food was very bland and no green veg which is pretty unusual!! Beef was rare on the menu, came extremely well done and when I asked the waitress about it, her response was just ‘I’ll tell the chef’ no apology. Definitely wouldn’t recommend

Went for Sunday lunch. Great decor and delicious food. Highly recommend the caramelised onion soup! The roast lamb was also very tender and juicy.

First time visiting this newly opened restaurant in Lancaster. I went with a friend and we both really enjoyed our evening. The menu, although I appreciate it’s down to personal taste, was excellent and the food was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed the cod and the creme brûlée was excellent. Creme brûlée is always my go to dessert and it ranked highly. The decor is lovely and all in all the ambiance was good. I will definitely be going again.

COMEDY OF ERRORS REALLY - RAN OUT OF WINE RAN OUT OF BEEF FORGOT MY MEAL FORGOT TO DEDUCT THE £60 DEPOSIT OF THE FINAL BILL WHEN THE BOUILLABAISSE FINALLY CAME IT WAS LIKE TOMATO SOUP WITH A FEW BITS OF FISH IN IT AND THE CROUTONS NEARLY BROKE MY TOOTH IN HALF. ONLY EXCUSES WERE SUPPLIER PROBLEMS AND ONLY BEEN OPEN 3 WEEKS? THANKFULLY THEY DIDN'T CHARGE ME FOR THE BOUILLABAISSE BUT EVEN SO, VERY POOR.

The scallops were lovely but the rest of the food was very over seasoned. I could feel my blood pressure rising increment by increment due to the huge intake of salt I was consuming. We were a large party and I don’t think the owner could really handle the pressure. She was extremely rude and obnoxious. We were not asked to leave before we had finished our meal so she is also a liar. We chose to leave rather then put up with her for a moment longer. It is a shame as it’s a nice looking restaurant and if they tone down the over salting and make sure the scotch eggs don’t be served snotty it could be very nice.

Average food at a premium price. The owner obviously had a bad night. She got the time wrong for the meal. We booked for 7pm, when we arrived, she said we booked at 8pm.we had to show the confirmation email to prove it was 7pm. Right away she then said our starters were ready (not all the party had arrived and how was it ready when we were apparently an hour early!) the starters were luke warm.14 people for a Birthday meal. Obviously couldnt handle the pressure. Underwhelming to say the least. Far better restaurants in Lancaster, Mad Hunter and Simply French for example. Won't be going back. Spend your money elsewhere. The owner needs to have a lesson in customer service. Awful

A truly wonderful place. Lovely menu always a good sign that theres more focus on quality of items on menu than quantity. We hope to be back before they close in Morecambe as theyre sadly moving to Lancaster (although we will definitely visit the new venue). The lady who owns it was magical. A special place

Loved the food, delicious. Highly recommended.

Amazing food, brilliant service

Had a really good meal here. Food was excellent, the staff were very friendly and helpful and there was a lovely atmosphere. Definitely recommend a meal here.

What a gem, so glad we found the Secret Bistro. We have just enjoyed the most delicious meal. Cannot fault the food and the service. A really nice ambience with views out to the bay. Also, the pub below has a great atmosphere if you fancy a pint before or after your meals.

Tucked away above the Palatine pub, the restaurant offers a great dining location. Very welcoming & friendly staff are on hand. The menu is compact & the choices we made from it were all well prepared & presented & the empty plates that left the table showed we all enjoyed our meals. The bay window table offers great views over Morecambe Bay onto the high peaks in the Lake District.

Pretty little restaurant. Friendly staff. Interesting menu. My partner and I booked for a Saturday night and I had the Bouillabaisse which was quite good and my Partner had the mussels, which unfortunately were off. More than half were unopened when it was served (as were most of the mussels in my Bouillabaisse). This was dealt with fairly and with much apology but we were surprised that the chef had not noticed. The explanation was that mussels are seasonal. So maybe better not to include them in the menu at these times? Probably just unfortunate and I wouldn't write the Secret Bistro off - just a shame it didn't work out for us.