The Vine Restaurant in Wiltshire

My wife and I decided to celebrate with afternoon tea at the Red Lion. It was a blazing hot Sunday in late June, but we were very thoughtfully guided to a beautiful spot in the shade just at the edge of the courtyard. Our waitress, Angel, was absolutely excellent. She was cheerful, chatty, and attentive but also very professional and not at all intrusive or pushy. The included refills of tea or coffee kept coming as promised, and the atmosphere was both friendly and relaxed. Our compliments to the kitchen staff, too, as the quality and quantity of the food and drink easily justified the price in our eyes. All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend Sunday afternoon tea at the Red Lion.

Meant to be doing Meerkat meals, so took the kids over excitedly, to be told they actually don’t do it (despite being on the app).. 😡

Meant to be doing Meerkat meals, so took the kids over excitedly, to be told they actually don’t do it (despite being on the app).. 😡

This has to be the worse restaurant I have had the misfortune to have visited,firstly we walked in off the street and asked for a table,showed to our table and that was the last we saw of the waiter for the next 5 minutes,finally getting fed up with waiting to order a drink I went to the bar myself only to find no barman,finally he reappeared to take our drinks order,my partners red wine came in the wrong glass and my beer without a glass,we had to ask for tap water which came in a jug no ice or lemon,at this point 2 other couples had came into the restaurant and both left within minutes probably due to the non service,when the waiter came to take our food order he had no answers to any of the questions we had about some of the items on the menu,we gave our order and waited not with any confidence,it came no cuttery no napkins and looking so unappealing we couldn’t eat it,at this point we had had enough we cancel our mains and only paid for the drinks,I would have given the Vine zero if I could have,makes Fawlty Towers look professional

The mind of the waiter at breakfast was obviously somewhere else. He could not take an order for more than one item at a time, nor did he remember to bring something to write my order on. He was breathing on the customers all the time with his mask exposing his nose. This was despite my request to replace it and despite the proud notice in Reception saying staff did wear masks.

Went to the Red Lion to have lunch using Meerkat Meals, but (despite being on the app), was told by 2 separate waiters that they don't accept it here... When we asked the first waiter about an item on the menu, he replied "I don't know, and I'm off home in 5 minutes so I guess you'll have to ask the next person". Poorly run restaurant and would certainly not recommend.

Ate at the Red Lion yesterday, for a Christmas style lunch with a colleague who is in my bubble. Service was good, waitress was helpful and friendly (according to the bill her name was Radi). We ate in the lounge, both of us love turkey so it was great. My friend had the lemon meringue roulade for a dessert and she said it was lovely. I am apple & cinnamon tart which was good.

We visited the Red Lion for friends birthday to have afternoon tea. Not welcoming at all. The woman in charge was abrasive. The waitress was scruffy. And miserable looking. We had a Groupon voucher for the afternoon tea. And what we got wasnt even worth the reduced cost. 4 of us.2 rounds of sandwiches cut into small triangles. 2 of each type of small cake each cut into 2. Service was not good. Save your money and go to Bowood.

Reservamos una mesa aquí para una cena después de una visita al cine. Nos sentamos enseguida por una amable camarera que nos informó que alguien nos acompañaría a tomar nuestro pedido en unos minutos. Esperamos por 15 minutos y finalmente mi esposo fue en busca de una camarera - el restaurante no estaba lleno y éramos las únicas personas comiendo.  Con las disculpas, la joven camarera tomó nuestro pedido y esperamos que llegara la comida, esperando un alto nivel a juzgar por los precios cobrados. Desafortunadamente este no fue el caso; los mejillones en salsa tailandesa no tenían salsa en absoluto y el primer plato de caballa era solo eso, sin ningún tipo de guarnición y ni siquiera un pedazo de pan para acompañar. Ambos entrantes tenían más de 8 y ciertamente no valían la pena. La jarra de agua que pedimos tampoco llegó hasta que salimos a buscarla. El plato principal era un poco mejor y decidimos no comer un postre porque ya habíamos pasado demasiado tiempo esperando por una comida mediocre. Por primera vez en mi memoria no dejamos propina después de una comida en un restaurante. La comida y el servicio cayeron muy por debajo de nuestras expectativas y nunca volveremos.

The meal really would have failed if served up as a school dinner. Dry meat, a splodge of gravy that was almost a ball and mushy veg. Cooking for, and serving 30 people is not an easy thing to get right. However, if you cannot do it, don't advertise that you can.

We only went there for lunch, so cannot comment on hotel stay. The hotel, courtyard and interior all looked very good …. but the lunch. I had Wiltshire ham topped with 2 fried eggs and chips. The ham was fatty, the eggs overcooked and the chips did not look very appetising. Cost around £14. Could have got a far superior and cheaper ham, egg and chips at Weatherspoons. My wife had salmon. Came with a few green vegetables, no potatoes. Quite a small portion for a totally overpriced £16. I do not mind paying these prices or more for a good quality lunch, but not for what you are served here. Will never return.

Yes this hotel has history its bars are interesting and it is near the city centre, but for me that was all it had. We went to a wedding function here last week and what a disappointment the food was. May I suggest that the management take a close look at what is being served up as good food. Chicken very dry, potatoes looked as though they had been cooked 4 hours previously, the same said about the carrot. The portion was tiny (maybe a blessing) What really opened my eyes was when I ordered 3 packets of crisps from the Victoria bar and was stung for £4.50 for them. How can this be correct. Sorry my experience of the Best Western Red Lion was very disappointing over priced and poor quality and £1.50 for a packet of Tyrells. I look forward to the response from the hotel ?

Attentive staff. Good old fashioned service with an extensive menu. The food was delicious so we returned on our second night. Reasonably priced. Lovely decor - old world.

The meal was beyond expectaion, so tasty and presentation was very original. The staff were extremely polite, smiley and their customer service was impeccable.

A very nice building, with a comfortable and presentable restaurant. The food didn't stand out, but was far from bad. We would have gone back, except we were made to feel rushed out of the door. Almost as soon as we had finished, our table was being cleaned and another set of customers we left loitering by our table. The staff kept assuring them that it wouldn't be long and they could have a seat soon. This was in a restaurant that wasn't even half full. We felt hassled and rushed, and won't go back. Perhaps you might have better luck on a different day with different staff.

Hotel restaurants are not always that good. This restaurant was an exception, the staff were efficient and friendly and the food was of a high standard.

Booked a Xmas Lunch for a group of 15 several weeks before the event. On arrival they could not trace our booking and when they did, didn't know which function room we were in, even though they told us over a week before. The room was cold and not decorated so no atmosphere at all. The food had to be brought across a courtyard from the main building. It was not covered and the plates were cold. Therefore the meals and hot puddings were lukewarm. One starter, a Tart, was poor with inedible pastry. Staff continuously left the door open when leaving the room on a very cold day!A very disappointing event, only offset by our determination to enjoy our gathering!

We had our work Christmas lunch at the Red Lion yesterday. All food was ordered in advance from the Festive Menu at £19.95 each. My pan-fried sea bass fillet, crushed new potato and wilted spinach was probably the blandest food I have ever eaten. There was no sauce of any sort and no accompanying vegetables. The people eating the cranberry and sage stuffed pork loin with roast potatoes, braised red cabbage and whole grain mustard sauce also felt short changed because of the lack of vegetables. It seems the only way to get a plate full of colourful vegetables is to order the turkey paupiette with all the trimmings including roast potatoes and winter vegetables. But not everyone likes turkey.

Seemed a bit disorganised! Firstly, we walked in off the street whilst exploring the city and asked about availability for a table that evening, firstly we were told the restaurant wasn't open that evening, but we maybe able to get something at the bar, once at the bar we were told that it was indeed open, but that it was almost fully booked, and that they could perhaps squeeze in a table for 2 at 7.30 (thought this was a bit odd for a Sunday evening). When we arrived in the evening, the restaurant seemed awfully empty for a fully booked dinner service (I think there were 4 tables there) the other customers all looked a bit glum, and I did notice that no-one had any food on their table! After a while we were asked what we'd like (we weren't offered the chance to order a drink!) and told that several items on the menu were off (the 2/3 course menu is small as it is, if I remember correctly I think it was 2 of 6 starters, 2 of 6 mains, and 1 of the desserts that were unavailable. I'm afraid to say we walked out at this point and found a chain restaurant down the road, seemed a lovely place, and the staff all seemed lovely - I hope this was just an off day.

This is a beautiful, historic building. However we had a meal here in the restaurant yesterday and we found the staff very rude. Firstly in the bar, every request for a drink met with a sigh. Then in the restaurant we were not greeted and the waiter was rude from start to finish. He did not offer us wine. Did not tell us two of the mains were off until we ordered them. No water glasses. Food brought out in a Fawlty Towers style, everything too much effort, much flouncing and banging of doors and plates. The room was so cold that the few people in were sitting in their coats and they showed no interest in doing anything about it, even when asked. It was baffling: I have not been treated with such sulky derision since 1970's France. Food was fine but experience terrible!

Had the set 3 course dinner ..food was good but would have liked more veg.

Excellent Fine dining location and food, if alternatively you wish to have an open air informal dinner, you could be served at the courtyard in the open air.

Siempre he estado allí muchas veces bien esta vez terrible. teníamos el Red Lion Burger. Estaba tan seca y la carne dura que no podía comer. Muy decepcionado ya que tratan esto como nuestro local, también es un poco sucia. Venga en Great Western no dejes el sitio! !

Decidimos cenar una noche en el Vine en el Red Lion, que normalmente prefieren salir a comer en los restaurantes locales. La comida era muy agradable y a un precio muy razonable. Los aperitivos estaban bien - salmón ahumado y ensalada de calamares fritos y...

Cenamos aquí mientras en alojarme en el Red Lion. La cena elegir un buen menú estaba bien presentada, caliente y muy buena. El desayuno era estilo buffet y la comida y el servicio era bueno. Bien merece una visita.

This restaurant is attached to Best Western Red Lion Hotel, lovely food and attentive staff at all times

Quality and presentation of food was excellent and good value for money. The restaurant was empty only one other couple present between 7 _ 8pm on a Friday so ambiance somewhat disappointing.

We were a group of about 20 in the restaurant, ordering from a special menu in advance so this may not reflect the exp erience of a regular diner choosing from the main menu. I had red mullet on a layer of mash which was fine, although a bit unbalanced in relative quantity. This was followed by breaded chicken with veg...a bit dry and the beans that went with it were a bit overcooked. The chocolate tart I had for desert (which was preceded by the alarming experience of having the waiter bark "TART!" at me), was far too large to eat all of as it was a large portion (especially in comparison with the small glass of light lemon posset which was the alternative).

Top gastronomy in England, and we liked it, even though it was expensive. But great service.

We have not visited The Red Lion for a while so thought we would give it a try for lunch. We went with or daughter and sat outside in the courtyard. One of us had a ploughmans and the other two had a sandwich. The food was pleasant enough and sitting outside was lovely but the drinks really let it down. We ordered one lemonade and two diet Pepsis. They were all warm and tasted watered down!!

A very nice place, Our special thoughts to the bartender, the manager and Mr. Collins. They make us, my daughter and I, feel so warm, we had have a short but eternal great time, with them and will love to send you the pictures I have and of course to go there and see you again. For ever Aurora&Andrea.

Came here on the Sunday night for a meal with my mum as we were staying in the hotel itself. We were quite surprised on how empty it was even though we booked. We were allowed to sit anywhere and given our menu which seems to be the same as when we came a month back. We both went for the terrine which was tasty and than I went for the cod and salmon which was ok but the salmon wasn't cooked so had to leave. My mum went for the seabass which she enjoyed and than I went for the pudding which wasn't great. It would be nice if the menu was changed every now and again as can get a little boring. The presentation was good.

We dined in this restaurant while at staying at The Red Lion Hotel. The menu was good and the food we had was well prepared and well presented. The service was very good. The waiter on Saturday night and the waitress on Sunday were excellent.The restaurant was well decorated but lacked a bit of atmosphere.Well worth a visit.

Excellent waitresses and waiters... but the manager (an old man with grey hair) was extremely rude.They don't care either about the environment since water was running in the ladies toilet and it was like this for days. I don't even know if they finally fixed it.

Booked for a lunch two weeks before Christmas and at booking was advised a party would be in place at 13.00 so being seated at 13.30 would mean better service. We were immediately seated on arrival, the 'party' was on the far side of the restaurant and as a family affair not at all intrusive.There were four choices for each of the three courses on the Christmas menu. Our service was prompt and we both chose a terrine of smoked fish, very nicely presented and appetizing. Again we both went for the same main of Turkey etc. It was no standard turkey roast and was very enjoyable accompanied by homemade cranberry sauce. Finally Christmas pudding. All in all a very good meal, not too much, not too heavy and as we were in a hurry to get to a Carol service at the Cathedral still un-rushed in an hour. I asked for a bill asap and it was politely produced in a few moments. No sign of the bad service or attitude referred to by other contributors and surroundings un-paralleled for its classic setting.

Hotel restaurant in the Red Lion hotel. The food was fairly good and the atmosphere was nice as one might expect in a very old hotel. The prices were in keeping with hotel dining. Sometimes the service was a bit slow as staff was small but able.

Had lovely food and drink but one of the waiters (or maybe a manger) was extremely rude, when we went to order food he looked us in the eye and completely ignored us, he was giving dirty looks to customers, and just giving awful service was probably the worst waiter I've ever encountered. * Bald man, foreign, quite tall, horrible.

Not the best afternoon tea I've ever had but not the worst by a long way. We had booked in advance and I think they had returned the favour by preparing everything in advance and then leaving it to dry out a bit.

This review is not of the Vine Restaurant, but the lounge bar.I met a friend here for lunch in the newly refurbished lounge bar.Much of the heavy furniture, including the central dresser have disappeared and the room is decorated in creams and greens.It looks very clean and smart, but somehow stark and minimalist, compared with the warm and cosy ambiance of old. Perhaps it just takes a little getting used to.We ordered a sharing platter and this was served on a slate in a perfunctory manner by a man in a hurry. He barely had time to acknowledge us, such was his haste to deposit the food and our plates.The food was tasty, but there was not enough bread to accompany the amount of hummus, tapenade and dip, and at £14.95, this was an expensive lunch for the size of the portion served.When a different waiter came to clear, the fact the meal had been served on a slate instead of a serving plate, meant care was need to prevent the remaining dressing dripping onto our laps. Let's hope restaurants' flirtation with slates is soon a thing of the past and plates make a welcome return.We used to enjoy sandwiches and other light bites in this lounge bar, but these seem to have disappeared from the menu - why?

We dined here while staying up the road in The City Lodge, we went for the 3 course evening meal for £22 and were not dissapointed. A choice on all three courses, excellent wine and a good price. Service and ambience was very welcoming. Would deffinatly eat here again.

very peaceful and calm atmosphere in the restaurant. Great choice of dishes for evening meal and cooked to a very high standard. Lots of choice for breakfast, food very good.

The food was good enough the yard of the hotel is nice to sit out in on a mild evening. The food here is fair value however nothing special.The staff were attentive.

Wonderful and genuine period ambience - a section of the original wattle and daub walling is displayed to emphasise how long this coaching inn has been around. Breakfast was in an adjacent conservatory area with daylight abounding.

I ordered "Beef Brisket". As you can see from the picture it stretched the very definition of beef brisket to its limits. I wouldn't even call it meatloaf. It tasted like and had the texture of quorn - but our waiter confirmed this was their beef brisket. I asked politely for a refund and was politely given one. Nice staff (hence not giving it worst rating) but I wouldn't order food here again.

Came here whilst staying elsewhere in a party of 6. Staff obliging and everyone said it was nicely cooked and a pleasant experience.

Had lunch here today in the bar and it was just incredible. I had a cajun chicken burger which was cooked so perfectly and came with really good chips (I'm not usually a chip fan so big praise) and a fresh salad that was lightly dressed. Seriously so good. And then for pudding I had a chocolate and salted caramel tart with cream and it was just absolutely perfect. I've had a lot of chocolate tarts but I think this is the best I've ever had, so deep and rich and goes perfectly with the little extras. Really good value for the quality. Cannot recommend this place enough, if you're in Salisbury you have to go here for lunch.

My partner and I arrived in Salisbury after a long and tiring drive from North Yorkshire. I was suffering from a sense-of-humour failure after setbacks along the way, but my mood was soon lifted by the excellent service at this hotel restaurant. Matt, our very affable waiter, apologised in advance that we might have to wait 30 minutes until our meal was served as they were having some staff shortage problems in the kitchen, but this was really no problem for us. We enjoyed our drinks until called to our table. The steaks were delicious and done exactly as we had asked (mine medium rare). The house red was also of a better quality than some of the more expensive wines served in other restaurants.

Lovely meal and surroundings Not given top score because of the price of the food and drinks, but would recommend for a celebration meal.

We used to love this restaurant, but it went downhill for a while. Now it's back on form. We love the old-fashioned feel about it and the fact that the waiters/waitresses are so polite and friendly. Now the food is back to how it used to be, It is presented very well and is good value for money. We started with the crispy egg, which I was a bit worried about but it was delicious.. Overall a lovely relaxing place to eat.

Visited on Thurs 18th Sep 2014 for lunch. I see the lady who has left a review yesterday regarding afternoon tea liked the decor, for which I am pleased for the owners. We have been visitors to the Red Lion for many years and always appreciated the slightly faded, cosy and welcoming country house feel of the furniture and the warm, mellow red and gold colours. In fact this is what gave it character in my view. It is good to have a change sometimes though and feel the blue / grey palette might have worked but was spoiled by the startling overhead lighting which gives out a stark and unpleasant glare from multiple bare lightbulbs (lounge). The central bar in this room is devoid of anything attractive and has no personality, perhaps this is a work-in-progress?. Lunch was OK. Pasta a bit overcooked (Cajun chicken dish) and at £8+ would have liked to see something of a small vegetable portion on the plate to cheer it up, but it was tasty and sufficed. Staff pleasant and attentive.

Took the family back to the Red Lion and had a dreadful time. Refurbishments aside, the bar area was dirty, staff seemed all over the place with orders, the food was overpriced and poor. I cannot think that this was just because the lounge was being decorated. Will not be returning in a hurry.

Wir haben das Red Lion per Zufall ausgewählt. - Das Ambiente war richtig englisch und der Riegelbau war von wilden Reben überwuchert. Leider war das Personal mühsam. Bis wir endlich eine Bestellung abgeben konnten dauerte es... eine halbe Stunde später kam eine Angestellte und teilte uns mit, dass sie die Vorspeise nicht mehr zubereiten könnten. Die Crevetten waren ausgegangen. Das Essen war sehr fein. Mit dem Dessert wollte ich warten - Fehler, grosser Fehler. Nach einer STUNDE fragte was denn mit dem Dessert los sei. Es war ausgegangen. Ich bestellte dann ein anderes Dessert und wartete nur noch eine Viertelstunde.

I have travelled far and wide tasting sticky toffee pudding and this ranks as one of the two best I've had (the other in St Ives). It was almost a toffee soup with the pudding and a blob of ice cream floating in it. I also had the fish and chips, which was excellent. Since I stayed in the hotel, I had breakfast, which was also very good. The service is perfect. Very appropriately kind and helpful staff, but not overwhelmingly so.

We went back to the Red Lion as we heard it had changed hands and had a new menu. This is a place we used to like but went off it a while ago as the menu never changed and the food was not as good as we had previously enjoyed. Glad to say that it's now back on our list of places to go. The waiter was friendly and polite and we enjoy the somewhat old fashioned atmosphere. Of course we enjoyed the food too. The main course of pork was delicious and my husband really enjoyed his cheese and biscuits to finish.

Expecting the lovely light Sunday lunches of past visits to the bar at the red Lion, instead we found the "calves'" liver to be full of gristle, tough, poorly cut and basically inedible. The fish and chips seemed to have been warmed over from last night, with some unidentifiable cold green matter smeared on the plate....We should have sent it back...Would not recommend the bar food, despite the lovely building.

We had three meals here during the christmas holidays and they were excellent. I was impressed with the speed of service and the patience of staff.

Red lionJust a quick stop for a pint, I love these old Medieval buildings in salisbury - even the cinema is 13th century -great weather for October so sat outside in the 'picturesque' courtyard/garden with a nice pint of Ringwood best bitter.Friendly service, looks like great food too from the menu and what arrived for the people next to me- although I didn't eat - maybe next time I will.

Have eaten at the Red Lion in Salisbury several times previously. On this occasion five of us went for lunch. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside in the courtyard. Both the food and the service were great. Will definitely return next time I am in Salisbury.

Ate at The Red Lion after purchasing a Groupon voucher. We were given a specific, short menu to order from which was not the same menu displayed on the wall outside the hotel and only had 3 or 4 choices for each course.We had chicken liver parfait for starter which was very nice. Mains of chicken and plaice were also good if a little unexciting. Chocolate torte pudding was very nice (but I'm a chocolate fiend). All in all, food was good.Staff were attentive but not to excess. The only little issue was the restaurant was not too busy and there was no background music or anything so we ate pudding to the sounds of staff setting tables for breakfast (all other diners had left by this time). The decor is also a bit kitch-ey (in a tired way rather than trendy) although it is an old building.

Arrived for lunch at 1215. Ordered lunch about 1240 - quite impressed that waitress did not write anything down seemed to be working on memory. At 1335 enquired about orders (burger, soup & Jacket potato) with waitress who took order. Waitress went into kitchen and did not reappear. Went back to table to join friends x 2. 1345 went back to chase up order and as I was doing so my table seemed to be receiving attention. Manager? left table and five minutes later meals appeared. But soup cold and burger was not cooked (very pink) and had to be returned. Very hungry person thought jacket potato was ok. Manager? insists that we had not been forgotten - do not know why as other orders taken after ours had been delivered. In the end had couple of tea cakes for missing meals as time had run out - on way to carol concert. Manager (?) asked if we had paid implying we might get refund/some sort of compensation? We did not and did not have time to force issue as needed to get on our way. Sorry did not pass anyone's lips. Poor experience - Avoid. Interested to see if Red Lion responds to this with usual 'automated' response. We liked feel of place but really has to be an AVOID on our experience

I have visited the Red Lion several times over the last few years and have always been enchanted with the seclusion provided by it's ivy covered courtyard just minutes walk away from the cathedral and the city centre.The beer is not always the best products but always pleasant and well looked after and the food is very, very good especially the beef which we have had several times.However I think that even if this was not the case the Hotel is worth visiting just because of it's centuries old charm, location and atmosphere.If you don't want to eat just have a drink and chill out.The service has also always been quick, attentive and friendly.

We wanted to impress friends from Gosport, Indiana, and we were not disappointed. After a visit to Avebury and Stonehenge we wanted somewhere to enjoy a traditional English tea and chose The Red Lion, Salisbury. The tea would not have been out of place at The Savoy or The Ritz and the service was first class. Afterwards we were treated to a tour of this very historic hotel which is a time capsule of British history. Mark (The General Manager) could not have been more accommodating and made out visit just that little bit more special.

We went for afternoon tea which included according to the literature champagne, tea,sandwiches cakes, scones, pastries, and biscuits. The rooms are lovely with lots of character. We had pre booked but it wasn't busy. What we received for food was very nice, but there were no pastries or biscuits. We did get some more cake when we queried the missing items. Champagne was warm. Worth £10 each. No.Go again . No. The waiter tried very hard but I feel he was let down by the hotel as we were. I can see why it is so low on the ratings. With a little effort this could be so good. Please sort out the problems and reap the rewards, as it has so much potential

a very exciting menu in a classic decorated restaurant with great service. there are many dishes you would want to order and a great wine list

We visited with friends for a weekend evening meal on a warm summers day. The setting in the courtyard is really very pleasant. Bar staff were very helpful and the bar food comes over from the Vine Restaurant. Food was the most disappointing part of the evening- pork scratchings home made but a real danger to your teeth since too tough to chew, and a starter that seemed to me was brought out before anyone thought to cook it! ( have you ever had uncooked sesame prawn toast?). The steak was difficult to cut through and equally difficult to chew. Although the staff came over to check we were happy with our meal they came almost as the food was on the table and before we worked out how dreadful it was. Beer was reported to be excellent but the house white wine seemed most watery and insipid

I had a voucher for 2 people to have a 3 course meal which is what brought us here... The food was ok nothing special I had the rib eye my other half had the seabass fillet the crushed new potatoes were cold and the rib eye wasn't anything to go by & I had to pay a supplement of £5.00 for it! the cheese board again was ok small and still another £3 supplement. My other half had the chocolate terrine which was great. Customer service was awful... there wasn't any, it was very quiet on a Wednesday lunch time just us and 2 others in there which again had no service really. The background music stopped half way through our starters and no member of staff decided to put it back on so we sat in silence...!! the hoover was left out in a corner same as a cutlery tray they wash it in. I wouldn't be going back in a hurry put it that way!

We asked to set up a tab. The man behind the bar asked what table were we sitting on. We said sorry we could'nt find a number on our table. He said 'follow me'. We went to our table and he could'nt find a number on our table or any of the other tables. He did not apologise. He had a go at another member of staff for not putting the table numbers out. The resturant was quiet at the time with very few people.Our party of five paid for our drinks and left the resturant. We had a nice meal with friendly service at a resturant just up the road.August 2013

We went with a voucher for a 3 course meal but there wasn't any restrictions on what we could have, as mentioned elsewhere on the reviews for this restaurant. Starters- salmon on muffin and a Chicken Parfait. Both beautiful. For main, one steak (huge and cooked as requested) and Sea Bass, again, both well done and puddings were tarte tartin and a panna cotta. The food was very nicely presented and tasted very nice. The hotel was historic (the oldest parts from 13th Century) and have some lovely old items with fabulous stories associated with them. The courtyard was very pretty and an oasis of quiet and greenery in the middle of the city. My only slight negative was the lack of staff attention or availability. I believe they were short staffed, however, there were only 4 tables occupied in the restaurant (to be fair there were a lot of people outside having food and it was a Tuesday evening) but they tended not to come and check whether recharging of glasses were required. One table had to ask 3 times for their table to be cleared (actually knocking on the door to the kitchens the 3rd time). All in all a lovely setting and great food, very well worth a trip.

I meet with some friends regularly, for the last nine years, in The Red Lion. We loved the atmosphere in the bar in winter and the courtyard garden in summer. The menu changed for the worse: mainly carbohydrate based and the prices went up to an amount not worth paying.We did love the place very much and it suited our coffee, lunch, tea day!Sadly we have moved on. We have now found somewhere nearby which suits our needs and the fresh food is tops and not expensive.

Ten of us booked afternoon tea, with one gluten intolerant member of our party. Lots of dainty savouries and cakes were provided for nine, and a with a flourish a special gluten free plate. Within 20 minutes our gluten intolerant friend was sick, had developed a rash and had swollen hands and stomach. When this was pointed out to the waiter there was a mumbled apology but no acknowledgement of how serious their mistake was.

Thanks to 'Living Social' we were able to experience a lovely 3 course lunch at this most iconic of Salisbury Hotels, a lunch we would not normally treat ourselves to.Unfortunately we were the only people in the restaurant, but the staff put on the background music so we weren't left in complete silence!The food was very very good, hot and presented beautifully, and was thoroughly enjoyed by both parties.The wonderful setting for this restaurant only adds to the whole experience of eating in such a beautiful Hotel restaurant.

We had a voucher for 3 courses for two people and were happy enough with our meal overall. The restaurant was very quiet, empty in fact, but we were more than happy with that. the waitress was also very friendly.Our starters, the risotto balls, were lovely! Tiny, but lovely! The main we both chose was steak but unfortunately it had been overcooked and meant it was quite chewy so we left most of it. Shame as the chips were great! Our deserts were both wonderful, sticky toffee and date pudding and chocolate fondant! Overall the restaurant is pricey for what it is but with a voucher like we had, it was definitely worth it.

We received an email offering us a special deal, valid until the end of August, for a 3 course dinner for two plus two glasses of wine for £29. We have eaten here many times and, apart from a period over last December when they had to use an agency chef, the food and service have always been excellent. This special deal was exceptional value for money as we could choose any dish from the a la carte menu.Presentation and quality of the food was first class. I had duck breast and my wife the sea bass, plus good starters and desserts. The included glass of wine was their house wine, but good enough that we bought an additional carafe to enjoy the rest of our meal. Service was very good.There are so many restaurants in Salisbury that many visitors may not find this restaurant in the Red Lion Hotel, but it is well worth the visit to one of the oldest buildings in Salisbury. The courtyard is a wonderful place for a drink or meal during the summer.

The hotel is quaint but in need of a little T.L.C. But the restaurant is what really got me going. I don't think other reviewers have eaten in the same place. The menu looked fabulous, if a little expensive. But what we got was outrageous. Goat's curd Beetroot three ways, first press olive oil, wild rocket: take one teaspoon of fresh goat's cheese, place in centre of interesting triangular plate. Add one sliver of cooked beetroot, two eye-line thick lines of pureed beetroot, one slice of jellied yellow beetroot, three (and I mean three) rocket leaves, and one drop (really) of olive oil, et voila, £5.25 to you madam, no bread or butter to go with it, profit margin around 95%? Aubergine puree with the swordfish... could not see it, another thin line somewhere... asked for the puree, got an egg cup full of yuck... no seasoning on the fish, £15 for that, thank you mam!Complained, got offered complimentary pudding, no thanks, just coffee will do.So here we go again, coffee tasting of nothing... in these coffee-loving times, that's just not acceptable. Coffee was awful at dinner, at breakfast, and in the bedroom, where we tried it in the cafetiere (nice touch, had the coffee been good).Breakfast: three cooked breakfasts, fried egg fried hard on each one... it's just not good enough.So the verdict: Great location (but no parking, and no public parking discount, minus 10), pleasant staff, tired décor, no water pressure in the shower, incredibly slow lift (quaint or outdated? You decide), awful expensive food. Will I go again? No. Best Western, get your act together. This is potentially a lovely hotel in a lovely situation... but you're losing the plot, and the customers.

Using a promotional discount voucher my husband and I went to this hotel for lunch on a cold windy Easter Monday. There was hardly anyone else in the restaurant so the atmosphere was rather dull and quiet but the waitress was very attentive (probably bored). After producing the voucher we were informed that there were only a few things from the menu we could choose from. Luckily we found something we liked and while it tasted nice the lack of choice spoilt the meal as we could only have the cheaper options. Tasty but would not go again. The restaurant is in need of a little tlc and so is the menu. Still it passed away a cold bank holiday

I recently attended a friend's birthday tea at this hotel and on her behalf I was very disappointed, We were put into part of the restaurant, there were no tables cloths on the tables in our part but there was on the other tables. There was not enough chairs or tables so a member of our party had to find some and place them for us I was surprised that tea and coffee was not served by a member of staff but was in a commercial flask near the food. No member of staff came to see if everything was alright In fact I never saw a member of staff .

I came here for my grans birthday. She paid £10 a head for a so called tea party. She was promised one of the larger rooms and tables to be set out. Instead we struggled to fit her and her guests into the room, the tables were not arranged in any formation and the food lacked little to the imagination (as in one/two finger sandwich each. In addition to that the staff seemed to not know what was going on upon arrival or through out. They were pretty much useless through the whole thing. This was not worth the amount of money for my 70 year old granma to pay, and she was so looking forwards to it aswell. Even when she went back and asked for compensation for not getting what she hd been promised, the hotel refused it. So basically poor customer service, over pricing to the max and if you want to hold some form of gathering here... you just as well do it yourself.

We did not dtay here but dined in the Vine Restaurant. The food was exceptional; lovely choices and served beautifully.First class service, staff very polite and friendly and knowledgable about their product.Highly recommended

This was the most disappointing NYE I've ever had. I was really looking forward to it as I hadn't been well and made the effort to attend.Unfortunately, most of the food was very average we didn't get dessert until 10.45pm!! When we finally finished eating we were then subjected to a second rate singer, wailing over an electric backing machine. It was like a bad karaoke night.! I asked the staff on a couple of occasions when the singer was due to finish, and when the disco was due to start, first I was told '15 minutes' then I was told 'no idea'. In fact she went on all night.....and I finally gave up and went before the end.Midnight wasn't welcomed in the usual way with Auld Lang Syne , instead we were subjected to the singer almost forgetting the 'time' then followed by the conga instead! Followed by even more 'singing'. Arrrrgh!!!The only plus point was the ambience in the restaurant. It's a real shame the hotel is full of character and with some attention to detail and good management it could have been a lovely evening.I appreciate it's a busy night for the staff and management and I didn't expect perfection, but it was very amateur and overall a big let down and far from perfect!

Restaurants providing New Years Eve gala dinners can be on a sticky wicket. Firstly staffing has to be geared up on a night when people generally would rather not be working, and prices have to reflect this. So it is an expensive evening and you want it to be right. The Vine restaurant and associated lounge certainly provides an atmospheric venue, with the lighting spot on. Staff were inevitably very busy and did their very best to maintain acceptable levels of table service. With an 8pm start one was not in any case looking for a rushed meal, as on this night one did have all the evening to get through the five courses. The meal provided us two with one excellent starter and one average, one excellent pear tart dessert and one average and we both had the excellent duck. Extra water was provided within seconds and the wine, dessert menu and cheese course all apeared within a few minutes of being requested. The excellent singer with electronic backing provided a varied programme, and many present were encouraged to shake a leg. Requests for the birdy song or the oky coky were politely and mercifully declined. We left just before midnight after a Scottish swirl of pipes was building up to the New Year to catch the televised London midnight fireworks. Allthough the member of staff who kindly escorted us to the gate to ensure that we were not locked in assured us that the Disco would be on for an hour or so after midnight. Not perfect but we certainly enjoyed the evening and appreciated the efforts that the staff had made on this most busy of nights.

Only been to the Red Lion once before and it was okay so a new year celebration seemed a good idea. However the experience this time was as follows - (i) 'Complimentary' drinks were put on a table at the back of the public bar but nobody told the guests. After asking where they were, one of the staff said 'in the bar at the back' as if we should have known!There was a free for all with people grabbing as much as they could and when they ran out we were told 'you only get one free drink' when others clearly had several. Lite bites were brought round very late and not enough. Very poor organisation;(ii) Dinner organisation was abyssmal guests were told to sit and wait in the lounge to be called and nobody bothered, even the Maitre 'd disappeared so we went searching for a member of staff who then sorted out the table;(iii) Dinner itself was very, very slow and late. Pre-ordered menu was ignored and we had to order anew despite being very specific about what we wanted well in advance of the day. We sat down at 8.15 pm and the first food arrived at c9.20 pm and finished at c10.40 pm. Staff were evasive and always looked at the floor and ignored several requests for attention by a number of guests. The food itself was very basic and frankly a school class of five year olds could probably knock up something of better quality;(iv) The entertainment was billed as a 'singer' and 'disco' there was no disco and the singer was very average and did not give any opportunity for requests of music and just basically shouted into a microphone a routine that she was comfortable with.....no regard for the guests;(v) The midnight passing was almost ignored, no build up to the moment. It was as if the staff were breathing a collective sigh of relief that the 'work shift' was over;All in all a shambles of a new year party, the only one I have attended that I have not enjoyed. The 'Manager' clearly needs to go on a training course for basic organisational skills and to be reminded it is the paying customers who come first. Not sure if Best Western are aware how poor it is, I guess as long as they get their 'cut' they are not too bothered?

I took my 75 year old mother(they had lost our reservation), she loved the setting but didn't love waiting 45 minutes in a near empty restaurant for her soup. After a word with the waitress our turkey lunch finally turned up and the veg was so hard, my mother could eat it. To summarise, poor service, poor food, poor value and the portions were not great either.

i have just returned from our annual christmas lunch.a very, very bad experience.the salmon starter was nothing more than 3 small strips arranged in a circle filled with rocket leaves and a massive slice of bread already buttered.my main course,turkey,was presented with something like a false eyelash on the middle piece of the turkey.my pudding chocolate tart with marmalade...a chocolate tart,the middle,heavily shrunk away from the pastry and a massive amount of breakfast marmalade slapped next to it.i took the fork and cut into the tart and this time had a curly hair on my fork!

We went to this restaurant a couple of months ago and thought it had gone downhill, but thought we would give them another go two days ago. Unfortunately I believe they have a different chef than the last time we reviewed in April. The food is not nearly as good. We started with the salad which was very poorly presented and had no taste apart from the smoked cheese of which there was very little. The leaves didn't look fresh and to be honest we only ate it because we were really hungry. My husband left most of the peas and beans because they were so tasteless. Next we had steak, which was just basic steak and fries. We had a mushroom and brandy sauce which also was tasteless. The wine was good, but we won't be going back until they get a new chef. It's such a shame as we love the atmosphere and the service is excellent. We felt we should update our review as we wouldn't want anyone going to the restaurant based on my last review.

Overall the food and service here were pretty good. Went there early in the evening so the place was pretty empty to start but the atmosphere improved as it filled up.The menu is not extensive but everything our group tried was delicious. The service was good and the staff were all cheerful and helpful. The prices were not unreasonable and I liked the option of a half litre carafe of wine.

I was a little disappointed with The Vine Restaurant. It seems to be caught between offering food at a reasonable price and attempting to be a more upmarket restaurant. The service is fairly formal and is delivered in bursts of enthusiasm. We had some issues finding staff on several occasions. There were lots of items on the menu which were not available. a reduced set of alternatives were offered. My partners meal had a couple of items substituted without any comment or explanation. I'm not sure if they assumed we wouldn't notice. We may have caught them on a bad day.Overall the food was OK, but not something i would rush back for.

We enjoyed the first courses of our meal, but the deserts were not of the same standard. Prices were reasonable.

I have not had lunch or dinner at The Vine; but I have had the full tea there twice, and that is my recommendation. The amount of food - finger sandwiches, scones, sweets - is huge and all so tasty. Our server, at our request, nicely packaged what we could not eat so we could carry it with us. The restaurant itself is very pretty, and the inn has an interesting history.

We enjoyed a very relaxing meal in the Red Lion. The staff were very polite and friendly and didn't feel rushed at all. The food was lovely and very reasonably priced. Looking forward to our next visit.

Excellently presented good food in superb old restaurant at a reasonable price and looked after by caring attentive staff. Could do with a more extensive wine list too match food

Loved the ambience, and excellent service. Made to feel very welcome.

We took a client for dinner after a lecture and were expecting a reasonable standard of food in the Red Lion as we have had before - but probably over a year ago. Two of us had the goats cheese starter and one had the soup of the day. No bread was offered and the butter that came with the roll for the soup was rock hard. The cheese was tacky an stuck to the roof of your mouth. For mains we had the halibut and one had the Thai chicken curry. The halibut was over-cooked and tasteless and full of bones. The curry had a congealed lump in it which presumably was the coconut milk. We didn't complain to avoid embarrassing our client, but the whole experience was truly appalling.

What a lovely place. Very old, discreet and with sympathetically updated areas. The menu was varied and reasonably priced and the goats cheese starter and halibut main course was delicious, well prepared and generous portions. You won't be leaving here feeling you need a sandwich to fill you up afterwards. White linen tablecloths and napkins and pleasant, non-intusive easy-going service.There's a nice cosy place to sit before your meal and you can eat in the dining rooms or the lounge bar area. Also a lovely courtyard area outside for just drinks providing weather's fine. Would like to visit again and rated 5 * for the all round experience of a very good meal and relaxed experience in a unique, very old establishment.

My new wife and I ate dinner in the Vine Restaurant whilst staying at the Red Lion Hotel last night. We were treated to a delicious four-course meal for astonishingly good value. The waitress Katie was excellent and the dishes the chef prepared were fantastic. I especially recommend the tarte-tatin for starter and my wife recommends the cheese board for dessert. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a great quality meal in Salisbury at an affordable price.

The food was delicious, served by very friendly waiters but the service was rather slow (but we were a group of 7).

We've stayed at the Red Lion before but this is the first time we've eaten in their restaurant. Food excellent; atmosphere pleasant; service good and unfussy.

We booked a small wedding reception at the Red Lion and from the day we paid a 'recce' visit to leaving after the meal Rachel and the staff could not have been more attentive. Our party's age ranged from 18 months up to 79 and every meal was just right. The staff took all the worry away from our wedding day just operating in the background coming forward as required. It has gone down in the family album as one of best wedding receptions experienced. Thank you.

We had dessert in their sitting area because we wanted a less formal place than the dining room. Great menu. Highly recommend.

A good little lunch menu, plenty of choice. During good weather the enclosed courtyard is a perfect place to eat, gets busy though!

Das Restaurant befindet sich im Red Lion Hotel. Leider sind keine hauseigenen Parkplätze verfügbar. Das sehr stilvoll eingerichtete Hotel hat keine grosse Auswahl an Speisen, bietet aber doch für jede Geschmacksrichtung etwas. Die Qualität des Essens und die Art der Präsentation waren in Ordnung. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich, aber einige wirkten nicht sehr kompetent. Bisweilen hatte man den Eindruck, man wird eine zeitlang absichtlich ignoriert, bevor man bedient wird.