Water Margin in Coleraine

Food has gone down hill massively. Always loved a Water Margin, been eating out of here for 30 years, but unfortunately it is now hugely overpriced for the quality and portion size. 3 poor meals in a row. The picture shows a "dish" I was charged £7.50 for 🤣Never again.

Awesome food. A must visit if you love Chinese food.

Used to love this Chinese until tonight. Absolutely terrible customer service and very reluctant to return again after tonight. Phoned in our order just before 6pm and were told it was a 1 hour wait so to come at 7 for pick up, that was no problem and to be expected on a Saturday. Got there at 7pm and gave my name, the woman came back saying it wasn’t ready yet. (This also happened in one previous visit recently where the guy messed up my order and I had to wait extra time so thinking that this was happening again already started to annoy me) 10 mins later she came back asking the name again and order and went back to kitchen. TWENTY minutes later she came back saying she couldn’t see the docket and they would have to place the order again!!!!! Absolutely ridiculous- so had to wait another 15 minutes for it to be ready. If she had told me when I first arrived for pick up that they lost the order, and least it would have been ready sooner but no she decided to wait 20 mins and then finally tell me after going in and out of the kitchen pretending to look. Then the worst part of it all is not one tiny bit of discount or free item. Could have even had one of our noodles or chips for free, but no, nothing and I think that’s terrible customer service not to offer anything for the complete inconvenience. Very poor service and unprofessional for such a well known restaurant. Seriously reluctant to come back and will spread the word that nothing was even done to resolve it or anything offered to us. Disappointing after being our favourite Chinese since we moved to coleraine. Don’t recommend getting a takeaway from here especially on a Saturday night.

Takeaway orders advertised but beware that when they tell you a time to collect, it will be atleast 30 minutes longer and likely up to an hour. The food is good but the service is chaotic.

One of our party is a coeliac so getting properly prepared gluten free food is crucial. They have a very good size gluten free menu. Highly recommend, we all ate off the gluten free menu to make sure there was no cross contamination by us and it really was very very good. Service likewise. Will definitely be back again

I didn't have high expectations but ended up really impressed by our experience there. The setting is unique, class views over the river and the building itself is class inside and outside. All the staff we dealt with went out of their way to help us out, friendly and courteous throughout. I have never experienced a shorter time window between ordering and having food delivered for the whole table, it was unbelievable! With a hangry five year old at the table, it was very much appreciated too! I look forward to returning!

Super location right on the River Bann with it's own car park. Warm welcome and friendly staff contributed to a lovely evening. The food was excellent with quality ingredients and the quantity was plentiful. This was our first visit but we will go back next time we are in Coleraine.

Had a lovely family meal on Sunday. We arrived early but that wasn't an issue. Service and food was fantastic.

As always food was superb. Never been disappointed when visiting here.

Used to be very nice in the past but the last few times, a dip in quality the last few times. Felt as if it was reheated and generally just not as nice as previous visits.

Lovely Chinese food, was in for lunch so was very quiet but food and service very good

Worst takeaway Chinese we have had so far, asked for salt and chilli chips and salt and chilli chicken with no veg, I received plain chicken and chips… no salt and chilli flavour or seasoning. We also ordered an oriental platter which had 1 of each item listed, prawn toast was soggy and somehow also burnt. As well as mixed seafood fried rice, after asking what was in it, no mussels were mentioned yet, there was mussels in the fried rice which ruined the whole meal as my partner does not like mussels, and they left a taste on the whole dish. Plain flavourless and just not a nice takeaway. Previously visited inside the restaurant and it was phenomenal but clearly don’t take as much care for take away orders

called in today for evening meal ,Waitress changed our table for bigger one . service was brilliant and everything was perfect. even sang happy birthday to me Def be back

Ordered duck spring rolls as a starter really missing the duck very disappointed better duck spring rolls at the well known freezer shop.Mains were king prawn fried rice 4/10 not a great flavour from the prawn . My wife had chicken and pineapple with fried rice again disappointed. At 8 o'clock on a Wednesday night there was only 14 people in a restaurant that probably seat 100+ maybe the people of Coleraine know better. Really can't see me back at this restaurant.

Staff were polite and quick, food was absolutely delicious.

Called in for a quick lunch whilst in town. It was really busy given it was a Wednesday. Service and food were excellent. Would highly recommend

I can't recommend highly enough as have an excellent gluten free menu. It meant such a lot to have a menu to choose from rather than just few options. Made me feel so at ease knowing my dietary needs can actually be catered for. The staff are all amazing and so friendly nothing seemed a bother. Most definitely will be paying the Water Margin a visit when next in area.

Called in for the shoppers lunch. Great value excellent food and service. It was fairly quiet so probably did not get the best idea of what the atmosphere might be on a busy evening

Great food, with the added benefit of a full gluten free menu.

Had a brilliant meal been going to here over 25 years and the standard never changes both in service and quality will be back

My wife and two of our friends visited this establishment on Saturday 4th of May. My experience at this restaurant was both good and bad however the bad overweighted the good. We had only sat down and in less than a minute a young man asked us if we were ready to order drinks (we hadn’t even looked at the menu) the same man asked us a total of 3 times within 5/10 minutes if we were ready to order, which made us feel rushed. Our starters arrived fast and we enjoyed them. We had then got warm plates for our main course, however we sat with the plates and no food for about 5 minutes which didn’t make sense as our plates were then cold and noticed that this was a common occurrence within the restaurant as a few other tables seemed to have been sitting with empty plates. The food itself was flavourful and was high quality. The views of the water are beautiful. The atmosphere was lively and staff were friendly however some seemed rushed as the girl who served us our food physically ran back down the restaurant this along with being rushed to order was not polite. Overall our food and drinks were delicious and our interactions with most of the staff was pleasant.

There is nothing authentic about this place. We didn't see a single Chinese person during our visit. The food was obviously prepared in advance and left sitting around too long. The crispy duck wasn't crispy, the soft noodles weren't and when you order beansprouts, they should just be beansprouts and not a concoction of onions, carrots etc. The staff were very polite yes, but not chinese.

First visit to Water Margain, had been recommended by a friend & wasn't disappointed. Food was amazing, staff friendly & service was incredible. Definitely recommend when in Coleraine

Been going here all my life for takeaways and dinners and have never had any issues! Staff amazing, quick and friendly. Food is stunning, and always top quality for low prices. 10/10 recommend

Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. Most memorable, however, was the love and care that Rhonda showed us when halfway through the meal my daughter realized she had forgotten to bring her medication and began to need it. Because we had walked to the restaurant and the pharmacy was some distance away, Rhonda drove me there and back immediately and stayed with us until the episode had passed. Her kindness, genuine concern, and generosity for total strangers will be a memory that we will cherish for years.

Came on a Bank Holiday without booking, but were quickly given a seat and the servers couldn't have been nicer. The menu is excellent with plenty of choice both for food and drinks (Inc. Tasty mocktails). Very reasonably priced, nice view and high quality food. The only downside is the limited parking.

Not the restaurant it should to be. Food was really not good

Sooo busy but still was able to get a table food and service outstanding will definitely return. One of the few restaurants still going all these years.

The staff are friendly and helpful. The place is clean as always

It was a really lovely restaurant, The food was amazing especially the scallops and soft shell crab. Service was spot on. The restaurant was on the river and had a warm inviting atmosphere. It was quiet but it was 8pm on a Sunday evening at the beginning of February. Would highly recommend and will definitely return when we are next in Coleraine.

Food was delicious. Staff friendly and very helpful, were eager to answer any questions we had about the food. Very busy, but service was still quick. Would definitely go back, but probably at a quieter time.

Brilliant place for a cheeky fuel up. Staff enhance the experience of the food and are very friendly. Lots of variety as there are 261 options so you will find something you love. Never disappoints with their chips to top it off.

I called his kind place to place an order for my little 2086 day old child but they rudely declined I cannot get over this if I could advice anything it would be DO NOT ORDER HERE

We where there this evening 25th November. Utterly brilliant in EVERY WAY.......Stefan was exceptional in every way. A credit to himself. Rhonda manager a lovely person......food etc awesome.

An absolutely excellent restaurant with a stunning view. The food is delicious, the staff are very attentive and the service is impeccable. We loved our experience, and the cocktails were amazing too. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Coleraine, it was superb.

The food and service were super, even as it got extremely busy. I can't wait to go back.

Lovely restaurant, arrived with no booking for our granddaughter's birthday Lovely food and great service

We love this place we are a group of girls we are cares for people who have mental health issues we get a break to Portstewart we call here on a Thursday night when we're down staff are so lovely and helpful the food is beautiful and u get plenty the restaurant is so beautiful really a good place we always can't wait to get here we love it our Freinds birthday they brought out her destert with candle light on it and put music on playing happy birthday which was lovely and on excepted the staff down this for her was brilliant I would like to thk them for everything definitely deserve five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and more⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pleasantly surprised by this riverside restaurant, which seems to be one of the few independent eateries open in Coleraine on a weekday evening in the off season. The service was really friendly and the menu has a lot of options, especially in the seafood department. Not all the options are particularly authentic Chinese food (there are things from other parts of Asian cuisine, like teriyaki sauce; while other options seem to have been created for a European audience), but the things that are on the menu are flavourful and there are options for everyone, including vegetarian options.

Spent the weekend up on the North Coast and as you do when anyway you don't want to cook, so we spotted this restaurant earlier in the day and figured we would try it out that night. Trying to figure out their menu online isn't the easiest process, I've since uploaded a photo of the menu for those in the same trap. My review is a little marred and I'll explain. We entered and the place looked lovely so happy with our choice of eatery. After placing our order we were told would take around 20 minutes. We took a seat and watched the hard working staff. We sat and sat and over an hour later our food eventually arrived. Took our selection back to our accommodation and the 5 of us greedily tucked in. The consensus was the food was nice and portion size good but nothing special. Would I go again if in the area? No I'd try somewhere else as nice as it was.

Great place for cheinese food food is excellent as is the service and staff so friendly. Love the place and go there when i am down that way esp as i live in newtownabbey.

Beautiful food, generous portions & excellent value for money. Staff so warm, welcoming and friendly. First class customer service and care 😀👍👍👍

First visit to the Water Margin for a family birthday. There were 8 of us, and the round table was perfect as we could all see and chat with each other. What can I say? Everything was perfect. The service, the food, and such an airy dining area. All the waiting staff were great, especially Rhonda, who gave my mum & Dad extra attention with their food and who definitely made our night so much better. We will definitely be back.

One of the best places you could go to, the food is fantastic.

First visit and def not our last- food was unreal, Rhonda was a delight! Very impressed

Good value standard Chinese menu.

Lovely setting on the edge of the river. Very good food served by well trained staff and all at reasonable prices.

Excellent food & service. A proper upmarket Chinese, best I've had in a long time. Highly recommend.

Food is good food but for the amount of money you spend in the restaurant sauces are pretty small take out is bigger and cheaper, service I will say to one lady blonde hair she is an absolute delight engaged with my daughter just an absolute beautiful person and is an asset to the place! But on the other hand I had ordered a take out and and ice cream for my daughter nearly 2 years old that came with her dinner she was eating away and I was waiting I was asked 3 times did I want any more drinks or did I want a dessert and I was just waiting on my baby finishing her ice cream and a takeout for my parents the next thing I new the bill was put on the table without me asking for it that’s when I knew they wanted me to leave with my bill it give me an in house price and then a side note saying”takeaway” so I had to add that all together, I put the cash in the booklet took my daughter with her Ice cream in my arms and waited for 10 mins for the takeout, so they want you in and out fast, they cater for kids absolutely but aslong as they can eat as fast as adults

Been a customer for a while and been meaning to leave a review, because i’m always so impressed with how good the food is. We just get a collection, and its always so good and they have never got our order wrong. Foods always full of flavour, meat is really good quality which is super important to our family and lovely staff too! We love their King prawn kung po, Chicken satay and their noodles 😋 oh and their honey garlic soy chicken is class too!

Service good. Food. Good .Was five minutes early before open time told to jus wait outside, 😔

Went for dinner and had prebooked a table so it was ready on our arrival. We were served quickly and our server was lovely and very helpful, food arrived quickly and tasted delicious. We did have a little wait before someone approached us to take our dessert order but it didn't ruin our evening.

Excellent food and 1st class service as always from Rhonda and her team - thank you!

Great food, great service and my father loved the prawn crackers!

Upmarket chinese. Nice decor nice views. Pity im not a chinese fan

Best Chinese for a takeaway in the whole triangle area.

The food never disappoints here! Definitely on the pricey side for a sit in meal - takeaway is a little more reasonable but still a little bit more expensive than usual, but definitely worth it.

Always a reliable wholesome eating experience!!

Excellent service friendly staff highly recommend

Food is amazing ,staff are so friendly and view is fabulous if sitting near the windows

Very good service Schezuan was too sweet Soups were really good

Lovely food, in a lovely setting.

So disappointed after hearing great reviews on this place. Beef and black bean sauce tastes,thick with like a jelly type base . Carrots fry,not much sauce,chips and onion rings very greasy in separate bags. Thankfully I’m only hear on holidays wouldn’t be going back here.

We always have great meals in the Water Margin and tonight was no different. Amazing food (and great portion sizes) paired with friendly staff makes for an excellent night out. We have a family member with a nut allergy and the staff are fully accommodating and really understanding. Highly highly recommend. Staff members Rhonda, Zeeba and Stefan deserve special praise. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal!- Sharon N

Came here for family dinner due to restrictions we couldn't get seated at the same table but they managed to put us beside each other which was amazing as some other resturants wouldn't do this. Staff were brilliant kept checking on us to ensure we were okay, Sarah and rhonda especially couldn't do anymore for us. They walked the resturant with lovely smiles on their faces and were just really nice to have serve us. We'll done watermargin, couldn't have had a nicer meal or night out food was excellent quality, however portions of rice are quite small as we had to order extra as we didn't have enough. However enjoyable meal all the same we love coming and will be back before school starts again

Visiting north coast and had this Chinese recommended. The wait time for phone order was 40 minutes which I was happy with as I thought it would be worth it. Food was ok. Chicken curry dish only 3/4 full with about 3-4 bits of chicken in it. Had also ordered sweet and sour chicken balls (in batter) only 4 in box. We are used to different portion sizes back home to share among 4 people. When collecting order the restaurant was busy so perhaps just an unfortunate night to order take away.

On arrival, we were informed that we had 1 hour 10 minutes to complete our meal as the table was needed. The server then proceeded to ask for our drinks order without giving us the wine menu. The server took the order for one member of our table of 3. A separate server then appeared and asked for the drinks order and this time provided a wine list. So in the end the drinks all arrived at different times. The starters arrived promptly but the plates were also promptly removed I.e. within a few minutes of finishing. The mains then arrived a few minutes later. The mains were of poor quality. The servers tried on multiple occasions to clear the plates whilst members of the table were still eating. The desserts were described in a quick fire method and clarification of choice appeared to just annoy the server. Again the plates were cleared within seconds of finishing. The glasses were also cleared within 5 minutes of the meal finishing. There was no offer of tea, coffee or other drinks. The impression given was that the serving staff were given a mandate to get customers in and out as quickly as possible. If I would wanted "fast food chinese" I would went to one of the many takeaway in the North Coast area. The service and food were not to restaurant standard. A disappointing experience for local who returned after many years aboard.

On entering looked a bit " posh".We were shown to our table overlooking the river, which was nice ( watching the rowers). Drinks order taken and served quickly. Food menu browsed at leisure and order taken when we were ready. Unfortunately having placed our order within a few minutes the server returned to inform us that 3 of our dishes were not available! What also was missing were the prawn crackers & dip offered to guests whilst perusing the menu.The food was great, full of flavour, were there to be one criticism it would be the portion size for the price.Will we return, YES.

My friend and I went for dinner and had a beautiful meal, we were given a table beside the river, the assistant Manager Rhonda was lovely very chatty and made us very welcome, she couldn't do enough for us, she is a credit to the restaurant, she kept all the staff on their toes and made sure everyone enjoyed their meal.We had starters and a main meal and enjoyed it all it was cooked to perfection.We will be back and recommend this Chinese restaurant to anyone.

I am not a fan of Asian food at all, in fact I dislike it im general. My better half persuaded me to give the place a try, and since literally no other place in Coleraine had sit-in, I agreed. The place looked very fancy and it was filled with people. The food already looked delicious. There was a three-course meal for 15.45 with plenty of vegetarian options. I loved every single bit of it, and I am not saying that lightly. The strawberry cheesecake must have been the absolute top though. Melts in the mouth. I would go back there just for the cheesecake. Also, the staff had great manners and were very polite. Yes, it was on the pricier side, but sometimes you’ve got to treat yourself.

Fresh and tasty dishes with regular new additions to the menu - the fried dumplings, chicken satay and salt + chilli monkfish being a few of my personal favourites! High quality ingredients and food always accompanied with flavoursome vegetables and garnishes. A great way to enjoy traditional cantonese style dishes.

Where do I begin with The Water Margin?I was greeted by a small, young girl with dark hair, who told me her name was Molly. She was very helpful, ensuring I got the best table for me and my girlfriend. She handed us the menu, with a very impressive selection of food. If there’s one thing I noticed about this young girl, it’s that she has a certain flair in pubic service, and I was certainly shocked when I found out she was not a manager. After what was easily 20 minutes, our order was taken by a tall boy who didn’t seem the slightest bit pleased to be serving us. I don’t know if he had a bad evening at work, but it shouldn’t be taken out on the customer and definitely put a damper on our romantic evening. I ordered the Soft Shell Crab and Pak Choi for side, and my girlfriend ordered the sea food happiness. Both were excellent. However, the same unpleasant waiter brought our food over, and practically threw it at us, without even telling us what the food was. When we asked him to take a drinks order for us, he rolled his eyes and said ‘what do you want’. For this reason, we decided against desserts as we didn’t want to put too much work on him!!

Got a takeaway from the Watermargin on Saturday. The quality of the produce was extremely poor, meat was full of fat and grizzle. Two of the mains left an unpleasant taste into the next day. Definitely not the Watermargin of old, certainly no better than any other Chinese in the area, probably worse !!. Don’t think we’ll be back anytime soon.

Having tried different town to find a different location, in the end, returned to the Water Margin. Tables were available and well separated. Food was as good as before. Lot of young staff running around and helping out.

We stayed overnight in Coleraine and were really looking forward to a meal in the Water Margin. Big mistake.The food was, at best, very average. Bland, tasteless and not very appetising. Service was right up, or down, there with the worst I have ever experienced. The two young men serving didn't seem to want to be there are quite obviously couldn't have cared less. One of them, the taller of the two, seemed to have a serious attitude problem.Overall, a 'poor' rating is being generous. Best avoided, which is a shame as this place used to be fantastic.

Went here last night with our toddler for an early tea. Staff all wearing masks, tables are well spaced out, views over the water were relaxing. They offer an early bird type menu before 730pm (3courses for £12) which has a good variety of menu choices and seems excellent value for money. The children's menu also feels like a good deal - certainly the chicken fried rice was an incredible portion size! Food was tasty, and the staff were all very friendly and accommodating to our wishes, aiming to make our meal an enjoyable experience. Service was quite quick. Would definitely recommend!

My husband and I dined with another couple. Quick and efficient service and very friendly staff as always trying to adjust to a new normal. Delicious food as always. First time back since lockdown. A favourite place for a special night out.

They kept us waiting a while before taking our order but from then on the service was fine. The starters were brill but the mains were goodmbut not amazing. It felt quite safe with good distance between tables and all staff in masks and cleaning down tables beltween sittings.

I've eaten here for years always the same things I eat tonight salt and chilli chips raw onions 1 slice of chilli no Chinese seasoning chips where either last night's or a chef with a bad night awful the mains where fine but I always look forward to my s c c

What an evening we went to the water Tuesday night got a seat really quickley food was amazing really pricey although it was pricey she told us this other menu one proce for a 3 course meal which was really handy, great food, great food really mannerly staff thank you guys xxx

This is a favourite restaurant for us when we’re in the NW. We’re delighted it’s back open. Excellent choice of dishes, prompt service, good value and beautiful setting right on the Bann. Only point to watch is that car parking can be limited.

Had the Duck Curry, wife had the Beef. Both were tough. Had asked for medium spicy for both, mine was weak, wifes was well spiced so no consistency of preparation. Great setting and if you could get past the food nowhere would be better. Including a bottle of the cheapest wine the evening cost £50. Sorry, cannot recommend.

We have just had a takeaway from the Water margin and I can't believe how quick the delivery was. I phoned the order in and the phone was answered straight away and in about 10/15 minutes the food was delivered to our door by a very friendly delivery driver. The food was delicious! Thank you for your prompt service and it was such a treat getting a Chinese meal during this lockdown.

We went here for tea as it is recommended by the locals. We arrived just before 7.30pm so we were able to sneak in under the wire for the specials menu of £15 a head before 7.30pm. We had crispy lamb wit plumb sauce and prawn toast for starters and curry and an assortment of other meals for mains. The starters were great and the curry was great value. We decided to have desserts as they were included in the cost so we had Belgian waffles with Ice Cream with cheesecake for me. Well worth every penny of the £50 we paid including drinks and a beer for me.

Had not been for a while, so are of lunchtime two courses for £10 menu.Friendly staff ,hot food, well cooked.Thoroughly enjoyed .If travi to North Coast great to stop off for lunch.Good portions and very relaxed with own carpark on the Bann bridge beside town centre

I live in London but the Water Margin is one of my favourite things about coming home. The food is always delicious and the staff are extremely helpful - I also have coeliac and it is the best gluten free Chinese restaurant I’ve found (there is nothing that comes close in London). A top class place!

Nice food and good price a bit slow to take the order but was quick after that plenty of choice on the set nighttime menu it was very quiet that night with only a few tables filled

We have been visiting the Water Margin for over 20 years, usually weekly. The food is always really, really excellent and has somehow managed to get even better over the last few months. Staff are always professional and the gluten free options are superb. Lovely restaurant.

Dined here on New Years Eve. Were seated promptly and attended to quickly. Restaurant was nice and warm in a cold night. Food was excellent and service very good. No complaints at all

Wow, after not eating here in a while after being very regular I couldn’t believe the difference in the chicken. Something’s definitely changed, it was disgusting. What set the watermargin apart from the rest was the quality of ingredients but this change in chicken is a huge mistake. I’ve found somewhere else and will not be back, cannot understand why restaurants/takeaways do this, people will simply stop using them and I am one of them.

Me and my boyfriend went here on Saturday and the food took Forever to come out even though the place was completely empty they need more staff to make it business the place is completely dirty looks like the place hasn’t been cleaned in ages the food was over cooked and the price and I had to pay for our meal they were lucky I didn’t complain to them but they need more staff to make the place look busier it looks like a ghost down and the owners look like they don’t give a dam about the place and the fact they don’t have enough staff in to help more but food was the worst I won’t be back here again!!!

Over cooked starter, mediocre main course and over priced! Nice setting but food had little meat and wasn't well cooked

The place needs more staff it looks empty once you enter the building if they had more staff working it would actually make the place look more lively and actually look busy for once

Lovely restaurant on banks of Banner River.

Great location and lovely restaurant with friendly staff. The food.. a little bit too westernised. My wife and I had the same feeling about it, yet we understand everyone has got different feel about unique Chinese food so in general can say that it was good Chinese.

Went here for a takeaway. The food was tasty. We were staying in a hotel and the lady at the counter made sure we were sorted for spare dishes and plastic forks. The staff were really friendly. Would definitely recommend

4 meals, 3 not good, 1 not eaten. Complained no one interested. I’m local and now know why I have not been here for a very longtime. And I t will be a VERY long time again before I, if ever, return.

What a wonderful find, we are in Coleraine for two days and decided to try this restaurant. It was fantastic, from the attentive staff to the fabulous food....a gem in Coleraine.

Nous l'avons trouvé sans saveurs, sans doute au goût irlandais ? Car en cuisine je n'ai vu que des asiatiques, donc pas de raison que nous ne retrouvions pas des saveurs proches.....

OMG I am one very happy camper!! I am allergic to gluten and vegan. Chinese food has been off the table for a long time for me...until we visited my husbands family in Coleraine and came here!