Watergates Bar in Cheshire West and Chester

Came here for a drink, ordered a pint and a small orange juice. We were charged over £11 for this… the orange came from a large, cheap carton in the fridge, an absolute disgrace!! .Will not be coming here again.

Spectacular pub with amazing history and ghost sightings in this architectural wonder! The stunning entrance and tavern with vaulted barrel brick ceilings, intimate dining spaces and beautiful wooden bar made this a truly memorable dining experience. Great food and libations served by very knowledgeable and friendly staff made this a must see venue for those travellers who are looking for something unique in Chester! After finding out a little bit more of the history of the tavern, we were lucky enough to see a video that the bar manager shared with us showing the glasses fly off the shelf after close at around 3 AM in the morning that was caught on one of their video monitors!

Visited the Watergate Bar on Saturday, the 21st. Popped in for a drink after the races had finished. Found a table and ordered drinks. On the table was the sign saying the table was reserved at 6.45. We thought fine it's only 5.15 so sat down. About 10 minutes in, we were approached by a female member of staff, who was very abrupt telling us we had to move in case the people who had reserved the table turn up early. I declined this, as there was still 45 minutes left on the time that was on the sign. Think you need to teach your staff how to speak to customers. Disgraceful. We left and went to another bar.

Very atmosphetic pub in historic vaulted/cellar. Burger was good, one less point because all 4 casks were out of service.

Good quality food friendly helpful staff. We would visit again.👍

Booked a table to watch football ⚽️ Sophie was a great help 🙌food was lovely ❤️great afternoon watching football ⚽️ Always drop in when visiting Chester 🙌 Thank you Sophie 🙌

Just a pit stop for a drink, but a great vibe about the place.

Had a really nice 3 hour stop in Watergates with friends. Not too busy given Sunday evening. Fantastic service from all staff with particular note to both Josh and Charlotte. Neck Oil and Level Head both very good. Food was standard pub fare but surprisingly very good (burger/ hallumi wrap). Recommend this place 100%.

A swift stop off for a beverageeo

What an absolute great find. A true gem - so good we went 2 nights in a row. This will definitely be our regular place to visit when we are in Chester

Ella is an absolute credit to the place, she was so polite, lovely and you can tell she’s a very hard worker as didn’t seem to stop. The place as a whole is definitely the best Greene King I’ve ever been to.

Cozy pub, serving good drinks, along with an option for buying some tasty food. The staff were approachable and kind. Highly recommended.

Honestly this is a bar that surprised me alot, I was just passing buy looking for a quick bite to eat and a drink or two, and I met buy a lovely lady at the bar, unfortunately I can not remember who name, but she had a massive smile and shown great customer service to all customers and even gave me a great recommendation on food and a drink I had never tried before. The atmosphere was great, and the customer base all seemed to be having a great time, which is props to the running of the pub, so all round great experience, I will be returning and have recommendation this place to my friends, keep up the great work!

Food was amazing at the Watergates Bar, beyond expectations. The building is stunning, lovely vibe & the staff were so good, especially Sophie, Josh & Tom. Would highly recommend & definitely will be back next time we’re in the area.

We came here at 7pm during the August school holidays for food. We had popped in at tea time with our daughter to ask when food was served until, we were told 9pm. Bare in mind this is with our 11 year old daughter who spoke to bar staff with us. We went back to our apartment and picked out what we were going to have for dinner. We returned at 7pm, ordered drinks and sat at our table. The barmaid then came over and told us that under 18s were not allowed in after 7pm. If we had been told this earlier we wouldn't have came along. The pub was quiet. We travel everywhere with our daughter and have never had this issue before. We eat in other chains such as Nicholson's, as well as pubs in York, Newcastle and London and have never had an issue like this before. Such an outdated attitude is surprising and disappointing nowadays, especially when competitors are more accommodating. Considering the Greene King website has a function to search for family friendly establishments, and Watergates is listed on their makes it even worse.

Lovely atmosphere, great service, well worth a visit.

Very nice pub/restaurant for lunch was good food good. It’s situated in a 16th century crypt. Dog friendly to bonus.

First time visiting this place and we were not disappointed! Food was hot and delicious! Staff were very welcoming and friendly and nothing was too much trouble! Would definitely recommend!

Great place to visit for a drink

Just enjoyed a nice relaxing lunch at Watergates Bar to celebrate our wedding anniversary 😊 Amazing food and staff very friendly 😊 Thank you 😊

The food was really good, definitely enjoyed it all. Very pricey but very nice.

Love the staff, great to chat too

We came as a party of 3, 2 ordered food 5 minutes before me, I was told that only I would have to wait for 1 hour. Great way of treating customers that come to have food together.

Very good value for money, set in a wonderful building.

First night out in 5 years this was one of the first stops. Got told I look like a little boy by the bouncer- thanks for the confidence boost! Service was fine. My drink was horrific none of us could drink it. The toilets were disgusting.. literally covered in toilet water. Had to pull and hold my pants up so they wouldn't be soaked. I know people are drinking but at least maintain SOME level of hygiene guys.

Little hidden gem with fantastic service and atmosphere. The girls serving had fantastic knowledge of all the gins and have great advice

Just eaten in there as it opened. Fantastic food, service and the staff are so helpful. Exquisite architecture throughout and plenty of room for large groups. Its a great place to eat before exploring the historical landscape of the city. Thank you so very much.

Brilliant pub and really old pub which is crypt,& great roof garden,service perfect.

Enjoyed it very much, the food was good and the staff were very good.

Who knew there was such a demand for antiques roadshow? Called in at 4.50pm and asked before buying a drink if the football was going to be on at 5pm. The very vacant girl on the bar said "the euros? Yes, that will be on" . We proceeded to buy a pint and sat down. Kick off came and went and we were still sat waiting for the football. After 25 minutes we decided to seek out another bar showing the football. Thank the lord , we came across the leopard. A very friendly and welcoming bar with the most hospitable staff.

Prices are very affordable, The atmosphere is good, okay, But cleanliness, hygiene and service are far below. Classic British pub

Happened across this bar while having a wander around Chester. Stopped for some food and it was lovely! Interesting place with great history, service was great and the staff were all friendly and polite! We had a burger and Mac and cheese which were both delicious

Visited with my partner for a selection of small plates and some wine, both were incredible, very much Instagram worthy. Emma and Laura served us and both were super helpful and friendly! A lovely first impression of the city.

Food and ghosts! Having lunch at Watergates Bar was surreal, as well as delicious. I still think about Karaage Sticky Chicken!

My husband is such a fussy eater and ordered a plain Burger and chips. He said it was the best burger he had ever had. Picture is my dinner and it was gorgeous. Lovely friendly staff. Highly recommend

Incredible food. Service was swift. We really enjoyed ourselves here. Thank you.

Firstly I would like to say we are not the complaining type of people that like to complete reviews but on this occasion we were so disappointed as we have made many a visit to Chester and admired this pub on passing and this time we made it our business to go inside for lunch and drinks. We just loved how it looked inside and out.Unfortunately the food was not good.. We bought our drinks then we both ordered fish and chips, (one of the easiest things to cook besides a burger) a side salad with no dressing and onion rings well done. As the server headed towards us with our food it was already visible that the fish on both of our dishes was in a cremated state so therefore should not have even been served to us. My husband instantly refused his fish and asked for it to be replaced and I reluctantly accepted mine, which in hindsight I should have also refused as the fish was visibly overcooked and on cutting in to it there was hardly any fish remaining beneath the incinerated batter and was just breaking into tiny bits. Not a good start to our looked forward experience at this pub. The side salad was presented to us as having no dressing on it as requested only to find it did and the side of onion rings was inedible as they were rock hard and not crispy as should be if just well done as requested. Sadly the replacement fish served to my husband was also overcooked and not enjoyable so we both left with the knowledge we would not be returning here again.

Great service. Really worked hard to make a great meal and look after me with allergies

Arrived at 12.10pm ordered drinks and was told food orders were 12.30, joined queue at 12.26 and was fourth to do food order. Lots of food was brought out to lots of tables,some who were in the queue behind us. 1.05pm we were told ours would be next out. Two more tables got their food ,then another member of staff told us that they had a backlog in the kitchen but ours would be next ,again. Another table was then brought a lot of food out at which point we asked for our money back but were assured we were definitely next. Our food finally turned up 50 minutes after ordering. Very poor service,not what we are used to from Greene king As you have replied,I would like to state that the staff we spoke to were not "young girls" ,they were certainly not spoken to "aggressively" and no mention of any complimentary drinks or desserts was made to either of us neither was a refund and food,just the refund .

Spent a lovely weekend in Chester and visited here twice. Very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The food was lovely and arrived quickly.

Lovely food and atmosphere went with family really good prices too. Definitely be back .

Such a lovely building so unusual inside. Food was ok but that was due to our own personal taste. Staff were friendly. On a night at the weekend it's booming with a DJ on.

Really nice place to chill and have a few drinks.. the food always looks amazing.. although haven't ordered anything yet.. It is a beautiful setting.. staff are always welcoming and friendly..

This is a gem amd worth the visit.

Amazing pub. Nice food and friendly staff 😁👌👌

A unique place, good atmosphere and very friendly waiters, great atmosphere and good music from a certain time

Didn't eat bit had a few drinks, staff on point,

Recommended and not very expensive, traditional interior.

Nice pub but not very good ale selection (plus, most of it was off) and expensive.

Great historical building Great bar staff excellent and efficient atmosphere loved it

Didn't eat here just had a beer - a bit on the pricey side but interesting architecture - like being in a crypt.....

Friendly and happy staff and are awaiting to give you a welcoming smile and hello. I was informed what was not available from the menu. I grabbed a table and read the menu, ordered at the bar and the food was infront of me in about 10 mins. Pipping hot and full of flavour. Well presented on the plate with a little gravy pan. I enjoyed the meal and drang my larger. A great little pub to fin while walking around in the mid afternoon/evening. Keep up the great work. From the bar to the kitchen staff.

Such wonderful staff very friendly. Great building and history

Cool medevil building pub with good food

Beautiful pub. Great food & drinks and incredibly attentive staff who are all just gorgeous! They must make them differently in Chester ❤️

Good food and very dog friendly. The young lady who served us was lovely.

Fabulous atmosphere and decor. Lovely bar staff, very friendly and welcoming. We didn't eat just had drinks, great selection! Just what Chester should be about but very often isn't. Loved it!

We found this place on a recent weekend visit..it is such an interesting place with a vivid history. Cosy, intimate space with beautiful lighting and friendly staff.

Nice enough, unless you like cask ale - Green King IPA only here

Loads of screens so great for watching whatever sport is on. Only downside is the beer wasn’t great

Despite being a busy pub and having 4 real ale pumps, only a single ale as on offer -a very mediocre Green King IPA. Nice Atmosphere, beautiful interior and polite staff ruined by the very mediocre options for a beverage.

Very quirky place, from the outside it looked promising and cosy inside, but inside we were a little disappointed. Tables and menus were very sticky. It was also very cold inside, we understand it could be the nature of the building, but we just didn't feel comfortable. We just felt it lacked atmosphere and didn't feel particularly welcomed. Our drinks were ok and it is great that water was also on offer on the bar, but we decided to not stay for food. My children enjoyed reading about the history of the place.

nice bar, had to detuct stars for the worst plate of nachos I have ever eaten

Lovely pub, great atmosphere and full of character. Food was great.

Had to wait for a beer...only one bar staff at the time...went to watch YANITED...beer is overpriced tbh...£5.50 for "Guinness cold"...not the best..."standard Guinness is far better"..just a personal view...

Manager refused a party of 12 people attending birthday party who had booked for being 14 minutes late who he rang 3 minutes before they walked in. Being bar owners me and my wife were shocked with his rude non caring attitude

One real ale on tap, the pubs own Greene King IPA 3.6% A disappointing visit.

Good place to watch the 6 Nations

Very good place to drink a pint and eat. I visited Chester for the first time and it was a good decision have a lunch here.

Great alround nice old byilding shame it's a bit chilly

Went in for lunch and had a fab meal in intetesting surroundings

Love this bar, so atmospheric. Visit here every time I come to Chester, never been disappointed.

What a pleasant surprise. Very tasty, very reasonably priced lunch. Extremely friendly service. Highly recommended.

Awesome place with excellent staff great atmosphere and definitely quirky and different, it's the kind of place I love to discover, we had coffee and hot chocolate as we'd already eaten can't wait to go back and try the food though.

Great food great prices fabulous staff

Nice cosy pub in the middle of chester

Fab food and great atmosphere, fab service also.....

Great place for family food and to relax

Traditional pub location good and nice inside. Not sure about food as didn't eat But love the building and history. Also cozy.

Good venue disappointed with the food. The chicken and bacon sandwich was disappointing the filling was fine but the sour dough bread was terrible

We visited for lunch, the food was really nice, but the service was fantastic, really lovely staff. I would recommend this place

Situated in the allegedly oldest crypt in England

Lovely place , food excellent, the steak and ale pie really good

Really lovely pub/bar that in an old crypt which adds to the atmosphere, the food and drink is really affordable and service is quick. The staff are great and we went numerous times during our visit in Chester and will definitely be the place we go back to.

Stopped for drinks and snacks. Ordered at bar. Food the sticky chicken was just fantastic and I would eat this again. It’s a great location with good service.

Had small plates and all of them were lovely. Never been disappointed when coming here for food it’s great

Tremendous food. Lovely pub. Shame they have got rid of the old candles

A Nice pair of cocktails in the crypt.

Just had one drink but really cool old crypt with great decor and a cosy atmosphere. Will eat there next time for sure 👌🏽

Myself , my wife and 11 year old daughter called for lunch . Staff were great . Food was very good really enjoyed it . The bar has lots of character. Defo worth a visit

Came in with a stag do on Saturday. The staff where amazing and the food was lovely. Thanks again for accommodating us

Shared a delicious meal here on Sunday afternoon, food was great, good value too, staff were friendly and the venue looks great. Would highly recommend the Korean Chicken, absolutely brilliant!

Popped into the Watergates on our way to wales. It’s a beautiful pub with a lot of history. The autumnal decorations were lovely. Beer on draft was really good , was nice to see a friendly face at the bar too. First time visiting Chester and this pub is definitely one to visit if you’re in the area. The history plaques were a nice touch to read whilst enjoying your drink!

Food was excellent Sunday lunch. Staff very friendly and attentive.

Great boozer with a wide range and good value cocktails. Tv's dotted around so sports fans aren't disappointed but they also aren't intrusive. Lively crowd but staff great at knowing who is next to be served at the bar. Don't know much about the history of the actual building but it looks like they have kept some of the original architecture.

We have been here before for lunch and it was fine, but yesterday we popped in for a drink with family and ordered some starters as nibbles, the humous and flatbread was disgusting. We told our server when she checked back to ask if everything was okay that the flatbread was so stale it was rock solid and her response was ‘oh was it’! We only wanted to let them know so that they wouldn’t serve the same to anyone else so we just had a laugh about it, finished our drinks and left, but not the best customer service!

Was at watergate Chester last night 16-9 23 with my husband celebrating our anniversary had 1 drink in there and moved on to other pubs in the town . Decided to go back to the watergate for another drink . Bearing in mind it was now 11pm we knew it closed at 12 on a saturday night . There was 3 door men stood at the door 1 of them moved so we could get in and next thing the 1 that looked like stu off coronation street stopped us from going in saying it was closing now . So can you clarify does your pub close at 11pm or 12 pm on a saturday night . We usually go to the watergates when in Chester bit disappointed last night though will be back again christmas dont know if we will bother going again to your pub Mandy North wales

Quaint pub in a historic building. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic.

The venue offers a Blue Light Discount because it's a Greene King's Pub. It's a really great offer and a healthy discount. Unfortunately due to the fact that there is no signal because of the Underground nature of the Pub, which is really cool and lively, you cannot bring up the Bluecard App on your phone. Despite showing our Blue Light Card the Manager refused to provide us with the agreed discount because he needed a Barcode!?! This was more than annoying and I consider it down right dishonest! We didn't let this unfortunate incident put a dampener on our Night but I felt I needed to let other Blue Light Card Holders know in advance should they find the same experience. My advice would be to screenshot the Barcode before entering the premises. My advice to Greene King is to re-educate your Manager to save any other disappointing revues! An unfortunate experience especially when the Pub offers good honest food and a lively enjoyable experience.

Good food and service Friendly staff and very attentive highly recommend the katsu burger And brownie for dessert