Waterman Restaurant in Belfast

We went here for the first time for an early dinner (a wee while ago we had been for a cookery night which was great) before going to Les Miserables. For starters we had the arancini and the beetroot and goat's cheese, followed by hanger steak and the ox tongue with risotto - all of the food was absolutely delicious and we will definitely go back. The staff were all friendly and efficient - especially Connor. Thank you to the chefs and staff for a wonderful experience.

Having pre-booked a table we were looking forward to our 1st dining experience at Waterman. We arrived 5mins early, entering a dining room with the same acoustics as a school dinner hall. We were seated at an end table opposite the door to the kitchen, which was a main thoroughfare, the door was wedged open. We were offered water on arrival, which never materialised, 10 mins later a waiter came to take our drinks order. Another 10 mins passed before our food order was taken. The starters arrived within a reasonable time, the Arancini balls were good, the squid with ragu was bizarre and overly salty. 20mins after our starters were finished our mains arrived, slammed down in front us by a surly waitress. Tiny piece of cod served on beans, and chicken supreme, again overly salty. We then ordered some madeleines to share for dessert. When they arrived, again after a lengthy wait, they were dark brown i.e. burnt! The toffee sauce just about saved them. Usually the staff compensate for a poor dining experience, but at Waterman the staff added to the disappointment. They seemed to be inexperienced and lack the attention to detail expected for this supposed level of restaurant. I feel the level of restaurant is in question here, trading on name and reputation of a sister establishment but this simply doesn't cut it in a competitive market. If we had been held to the required 1.5 hour, before the table was required to be returned, we would have had no chance of finishing our meal! Sorry, but Waterman, simply did not live up to the expectation.

I attended my sons wedding reception here August 15th. I will start by saying we had on the whole a great day. The food served was excellent. The downside to our day was that drinks were continually lifted from the table before being finished. There was too many drinks to list. My daughter who had bought a gin £14 took two sips turned her back and it was gone. My wife had three gins lifted and I had bottle of cider lifted. On speaking to other guest the same thing had happened to many of them I went to the bar staff twice to alert them to what was happening. The second time I was told that they were aware of it. Obviously it had been reported to them previously. Drinks here are not the cheapest £6 for a bottle of beer for example. Therefor having to replace drinks continually made it an expensive day. I only write this review as I contacted the Waterman via their website but received no reply.

Had a fantastic meal here on Saturday night. The staff were extremely helpful and attentive. The goat's cheese starter with beetroot was superb. We had main courses of lamb, chicken supreme and chateaubriand all of which were top class. We finished with baked alaska and pavlova. Couldn't recommend the Waterman enough for food, service and atmosphere.

Really awful meal. Small portions and refund for one meal due to an unwanted hair. I am sure this place will not last too long.

This was our fourth visit, everything is going downhill. We were sat in between another 2 & a 4 in a half empty dining room. When the 4 left another walk in 4 were seated in there place. So the only guests in the dining room were all sitting on top of each other. It would be fine in a nice open breezy space but Waterman is cramped and small. When waiting staff take orders and serve they have to squeeze in between all a bit awkward and uncomfortable for no reason. Food was ok. Hanger steak was a little overcooked. Focaccia was delicious as always. Squid was a little chewy and tiny. Confit potatoes were salty and bitter from the fryer oil. Wine by the glass is not poured at table, such an easy service basic. At £12+ a glass the customer deserves to see the label. All in all poor, much better places in town with good service and better food.

Food and service were outstanding, loved the courgette flower with goats cheese and truffle honey and the cocktails were the best I’ve had in a long time.

This was our first visit and our last. We didn't read the reviews before going, that was a mistake. Firstly the staff are great. No faults at all with them. Our starters of squid and rice balls were OK. The squid was overcooked and rubbery. Mains were Monkfish and Lamb. My Monkfish was dry and overcooked. The Lamb was OK but bland. Our desserts were Baked peach melba and Mandelines. The mandelions as you can see from the picture were overcooked again. The wine was nice and the potatoes. There is also a 10 percent charge on top of your bill. We paid it and asked the lovely girl who served us does it go to the staff. She confirmed it did. The acoustics in the restaurants is awful so it can be very noisy.

If a restaurant like this is going to serve a ragu with pasta, then it has to be the best. Mine was bland under seasoned and watery. Lovely Irish cheese and crackers!

I used to love Hadskis and have been in their other restaurant Jame's street too, which I highly rate. But this new Waterman doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be . A bit strange choice of starters,so we went for foccacia bread and it was lovely, soft crispy, almost brioche type and butter was delicious too. We also had waffles with chorizzo and honey . My peace had no honey on it at all, chorizo was just basic out of package you can buy in tesco and waffle something I make for my kids at the weekend . This dish should never be on the menu at fancy restaurant. Chateaubriand was nice, although one of pieces was very rare , and one very well done. But it was nice, but compared to other places I have had nicer Chateaubriand before. Side order of cabbage was lovely and chips , top ones were nice, bottom ones were very overcooked, so didn't eat them. Staff members were lovely, girls are very polite and really nice. Coctail i had was very nice too, cant remember the name of it but it was something with cinnamon. I would suggest to close kitchen door, as I don't fancy seeing chef scratching mustache or cleaning up spillages. Would I come back....hmm I don't know....maybe not any time soon as I rather prefer their sister restaurant

I don’t really review unless it’s excellent or I would like others to avoid a bad experience Arancini & the chicken main were very nice and well enjoyed The cocktails were also lovely The pork belly starter stated that it was cured - I had still expected hot & crispy, not 4 wafer thin cold cuts Unfortunately the chorizo & meatball pasta was tasteless & badly undercooked. They did bring me a fresh plate & some Parmesan but it meant my partners meal was finished by the time I started On the other hand I could not have faulted the staff in any way. That being said I won’t be Back

Really disappointing, food ok, dessert awful and staff training really poor. Recommended a white wine that was poor, did not know what was in a dish when asked. Overall poor. N Ireland food and service really is not up to standard and prices are high, definitely will not return as did try it out one before

A menu that read well, warm welcome to an empty restaurant on arrival, understandable at 17.00pm. Staff helpful and engaged. Food very good. By 18.00pm there was a nice buzz and we were happy to sit on and enjoy the vibe before heading to the cinema. A great wine and pasta offer as well as a set menu available, we dined on a Wednesday. Would return & thanks for a lovely experience!

Great restaurant and atmosphere. All of the staff were very attentive and the food was beautiful. Couldn’t fault anything that we had and will definitely visit again.

Food and service very bad. Food salted, arancini like a musch potato and terrible service. I was there last year and it was significantly better.

Loved our evening here - great food and well looked after by Jason. One bit of feedback - we were on the table facing the corridor - some nice blinds or artwork so one didn’t have to look into a nondescript corridor. Not a complaint, just a suggestion. Thx

Sunday 17th December 2023. Atmosphere electric, superb food, fantastic service, a huge shout out to Sean & the professional staff, for going above and beyond. The starter scallops, squid, arancini and smoked salmon all excellent. Mains; turkey & ham, steak, stone bass and pasta dishes, were absolutely delicious. The Parmesan Truffle Fries are a MUST!!! Well worth a visit, faultless in every way, we will be back.

Worst meal we have ever had in Belfast. Overpriced food, it’s all a bit snug and the menu was wrong. Ordered spaghetti with prawn and it came with mussels on the top. I don’t eat mussels and my husband is allergic! They said it was a misprint! Didn’t seem overly bothered - asked if I wanted it re plated without the mussels and then came out to say - we will do you a new one like it was a favour - meanwhile hubby eating on his own whilst I wait! Also, I think I was given a small portion but charged for a large. If it was the large I got the small wouldn’t feed a toddler! Husband said his bass was nice but the soggy vegetable underneath couldn’t even be cut. He doesn’t even know what it was. He had to eat it all at once and it was just a soggy chewy thing - not pleasant. Soggy chips and husband ordered his favourite dessert - Christmas pudding but said it was awful. Honestly, there are loads of great places to eat in Belfast but this isn’t one of them. I even overheard the lady at the next table say “it wasn’t all bad” to try to cheer the waitress up. It was so bad I am shocked!

Private business dinner The restaurant was amazing, opened especially for our international conference group, food, service , friendliness and ambience all perfect. Would definitely recommend

Wow ! 5 star food and service . Every dish was delicious . Great service from everyone lovely Canadian girl and Conor all other staff were so attentive . Food is really superb great variety and very fresh

The food and drinks were very good and reasonably priced. This was to celebrate our anniversary and we got complimentary glasses of prosecco, v appreciated. The big turn off unfortunately was how rushed we were made to feel. You have 1.5 hours on your table and we were definitely put under pressure to get going and get ordering, this theme continued throughout. It took away from the experience and we didn't have enough time for the cheese board we'd eyed up for dessert. Whilst they inform you of this in your booking, most restaurants don't enforce it strictly. It'd put me off returning at peak times to be honest as with any meal you want to savour it and not be put under pressure to order, finish up and leave.

A wonderful gem in the middle of Belfast, nearly opened, serves exceptional food. Service very good.

If I could design the perfect restaurant, this would be it. Simply Outstanding in every way. Great staff - really great, low key, professional, smart, friendly, efficient. Stunning design / decor. Very simple but at the same time cosy. They could probably dim the lights a tad but hey, thats nit picking. I went for the 2 courses for £18.50 on a Wednesday evening before my ferry home. The food was stunning. The coffee at £2.50 was frankly way too cheap as it was sublime. I cannot recommend this place enough. they also have meeting rooms, private dining rooms and a cookery school. It is my new favourite place. Bravo.

Outstanding from start to finish - we visited on a busy Saturday night, the service was faultless it was by far the best service we received throughout all of the places we visited in Belfast. Cocktails were great, food was amazing, would highly recommend everything from the bread to the steak to the seafood - everything was fantastic, thank you so much!

A great spot for lunch…Always look after us so well..An excellent front of house manager who really does a great job..My husband had the special- Partridge..delicious he said..I had slow cooked beef which was so tender..We shared another special Padron peppers as a starter..definitely as good as we get in Spain!!Lucy was a great waitress & although restaurant was a little quiet on Friday afternoon still a very relaxing welcoming atmosphere..Will be back very soon.

The experience starts when you walk through the door. The waiting staff are outstanding and you are made to feel at home as soon as you arrive. The restaurant has a lively atmosphere, but it is still easy to chat. To start we had scallops...

This place is mind-blowing! From the min we arrived the service was perfect great craic from our server (forgot his name had too much wine.) Firstly we started with some wine a pinot noir and a vino Verde both delicious. Seafood spaghetti was so ridiculously...

Very well made, cooked aa light as possible to let the flavour speak for itself. The prices are also remarkably affordable.

4 of us for a birthday dinner on Saturday night. Great atmosphere to the restaurant and lovely vibe. Very attentive & friendly staff and nothing was to much trouble. Food was amazing and good portions inc sides. My only negative of this restaurant (sorry) is...

What a lovely restaurant. Food was fabulous, staff excellent, attentive but not over the top. Had the three course set menu and it was fantastic value. Only little gripe would be the cost of the wine.

First time in the Waterman Restaurant, and it was fantastic. Food was delicious, I have lived and worked in London for several years but I can honestly say, this was one of best meals I have had and not expensive! Service was great, great night...

We went on spec for a Sunday lunch and were left delighted with the food. I rarely choose fish when out eating, especially for Sunday lunch but was tempted by the cod. It was perhaps the best fish dish I have ever eaten. y wife...

Really enjoyed Friday lunch here yesterday..Cod was beautiful and hanger steak so tasty..Busy and bustling but service was perfect..Charming waiter Diego had loads of personality and did an excellent job… Will most certainly be back soon..

We had a lunch serving over 100 people. The food and drink were fab. We had first-class service from the manager, Conor McHugh. It was lovely to meet Niall too. A very down to earth guy. A great day all around - thank you!

The atmosphere, service and quality of food is nowhere near that of James St South the sister restaurant.

We were a large party of 12 for a retirement celebration for a works colleague and dined from the a-la-carte offering. The house focaccia and whipped brown butter were quite simply delicious. Plus the local Irish cheeses were also in the same category. I would...

We went to the Waterman to celebrate my sons birthday. We were greeted with a smile and taken immediately to our table. The menu wasn't extensive but we able to make a choice without great difficulty. The order was taken quickly and advice given when...

Let the food do the talking, Fantastic rustic restaurant in Belfast serving traditional Irish good with a touch of class. Great service, friendly staff, cool wine list and beautiful food, a great addition to the James St family. Congratulations Niall and team on the additional...

Fantastic restaurant What a fantastic restaurant. A great welcome smile will await you Simple fresh food cooked to perfection with great wine. What could be better? Highly recommend.

Faultless. We were first wowed with the focaccia and brown butter - both the bread and butter were stunning! (I realise how ridiculous that sounds - it's just bread and butter right?..... But no it was a real talking point of our meal) We treated...

Nestled in between two of the busiest bars in Belfast, this is a buzzy, relaxed restaurant serving up delightful food. The scallop special, shellfish pasta & lamb were all stand outs. Get the side potatoes, they’re sensational. The waiters were all lovely too. 100% recommend.

We were wondering around Belfast and found this gem of a place for Sunday lunch. My husband had the fabulous spicy carrots for starter followed by roast beef for both of us and I followed it by Rhubarb Baked Alaska. The most outstanding dessert I...

This was my first visit and it didn’t disappoint. The food was delicious. I had the set menu which was very good value and of a very high standard. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and the staff were excellent.

My husband and I really looked forward to trying this restaurant and weren't disappointed. A lovely setting with a stunning art piece which from a distance I was convinced was a birds eye photo of Belfast, when in fact it was an impressionist style painting!...

Had lunch in Waterman today for the first…We have eaten in James Street very frequently Interesting and good in many ways..Scallop starter absolutely delicious…At the end my husband asked for literally a tiny bit of bread to mop up the lovely sauce…response was No…..unless we...

The flatbread and hummus with spicy seeds for starter was amazing. I would have been happy to have just had this with a glass of wine. However my main course was amazing too. As I'm quite small, I had a starter portion size which was...

Underwhelmed by my visit tonight, the service and drinks were excellent but the food was poor. I had arancini to start and it was tasteless, just like balls of deep fried rice pudding. My venison ragu had no depth of flavour and was a basic...

Visited this restaurant after hearing and seeing a you tube video promoting the area. A very modern minimalist design. Great atmosphere with very attentive staff. We had pork belly with black pudding, lightly battered squid and arincini followed by the venison, steak and stone bass...

The food was terrible. Overcooked venison with some tasteless, watery sauces at £26.50 a plate. A pasta dish that was completely inedible. It's hard to really convey how bad this dining experience was. Never again

Niall McKenna is a talented chef. But presumably he was busy doing something else the day I visited, a week ahead of Christmas. I mention Christmas because perhaps Chef brought in some trainees from his cookery school next door: the lunch I was served, and...

Outstanding service and delicious food made for a memorable meal in this restaurant gem situated in the heart of the Cathedral quarter.

Very enjoyed our first meal in waterman . Small ,but cosy restaurant , fantastic service and good quality tasty food . Pork belly starter was amazing ! Defiantly will be back.

6 of us were so looking forward to trying Hadskis reincarnation as Waterman but were very disappointed. We were squashed into a small round table in the middle of an extremely busy and noisy restaurant, we could not hear ourselves the noise was so bad....

What a lovely restaurant! The food was delicious. The beetroot starter and stone bass were delicious as were the squid and spaghetti! Great service and subtle background music. Highly recommended!

We couldn’t wait to try this restaurant as it came highly recommended . We were greeted by waitress who sat us very close to another table along the window considering the middle of restaurant was empty . However after taking my coat off I put...