Waterman in Belfast

My family and I were aware that there was a dining time limit, which we completely understand and respect. However, the overall pace of service was very slow — it took a considerable amount of time for our food to be served. As a result, although we were seated well within the allotted time, we were only just starting our desserts when we were handed the bill and soon after, asked to leave. We had barely begun eating our desserts when one staff member told us we needed to vacate the table. While we were still eating, another member of staff came over and repeated the same message, stating that the next guests were waiting. We found this approach quite discourteous, especially as we were still in the middle of our meal and the delay was due to slow service, not us exceeding the time limit. We believe that if time limits are strictly enforced, the restaurant should ensure that food is served in a timely manner to allow guests to enjoy their meals properly. Communication and service should also be handled more professionally in such situations.

My husband and I took mother and pops in-law out fur dinner. We all have very different pallets , but everyone agreed it was the nicest meal we’ve had in a long time. I tasted everyone’s meal cos I have to. I very rarely have three courses But, I had to try everything. The staff were so attentive and welcoming.The only thing I didn’t like was the colour of the walls and the lighting , it was too pale it needed to be a bit cozier. Some natural raw wood and some warmer lighting, But I’ll allow that as the food and service was so good.

Food was just superb. Service was very nice and very friendly. Felt a tiny bit rushed at the end with the bill presented to us without having asked for it. Upstairs toilets did need a good bit of attention and a freshening up but the rest of the premises was very clean

Great service, and the food was amazing. Can't wait to go back.

Was as good a meal as I've ever had

Good meal meal, in a pleasant room. Servers were friendly but maybe a little inexperienced. We were advised to order multiple small plates, and a sharing main. The amount of food was correct BUT we were really surprised when 4-5 dishes arrived together immediately. Our night out was shaping up to be over within 20 minutes! There wasn't really room on the table, and we felt quite rushed. We politely asked for a pause on our final 2 dishes, but they still came not that long after, and we weren't asked if we were ready. Overall we felt like we were being pushed out the door. A shame because aside from this, lovely meal. We would still go again but would probably be more proactive about asking to stagger dishes.

Excellent menu food very tasty well presented. Busy but attentive staff.

Unfortunately didn't have good experience with food starters ok but mains arrived warm , out of four, three had to be sent back , staff dealt with the issue professionally, from previous visit not good value for money. Side orders required with every main, small portions served. Disappointing as there is a cookery school on the premises, which should really show in the restaurant. Would I return, no not in the near future .

Had Sunday lunch here and was so nice!!

It was our first experience, we was seated by staff close to exit, not perfect - but okay. We have booked a table before one day, probably they overbook that why we received table next to exit. Food is perfect, huge choice of dishes without a meat. Prices is alright - dishes are really nice and tested good. We made good choice: crab& pasta and squid& Bolognese , traffle chip's and Irish cheese plate. Cheese is absolutely perfect👌 tap water is for free, sparkling water cheap- around 3 euro. We also tried deserts- Brew Brown something😁 ice cream- Yami and Madelines - also tasty. ✅ Place is good, food is perfect, big choice, prices are normal, can't say that it was overpriced, it is cost how it is cost👌 Thanks for unforgettable food experience❤️ probably we will back once

I came out very satisfied. It’s fancy enough that it could feel like a nice date or special treat. The food was all very good. A bit eclectic maybe. Our dish selection might not have been the best. There were some things we chose that were deli-like which can make it hard to really appreciate the cooking and prep that goes into a dish. The main courses were pricey but faultless cooking on the venison and potatoes. Great puddings as well!

Fabulous food and atmosphere, it has some great vegetarian options. The fried polenta main course and the Parmesan arancini really stand out. The wine was perfect.

Visited with a friend for lunch. Had Parmesan Arancini with Truffle Mayo as a starter which were nice. Then had Turkey and trimmings. Pretty good however they don't provide any roast potatoes or sides with it so you have to purchase those separately. Dissapointing upsell technique. My friend ordered a large pasta dish which didnt look large portion-wise. Had a lovely Gingerbread Ice Cream to finish. The wine prices are prohibitively expensive. Service was pleasant but another place with a 10% discretionary service charge. A few things let it down from what was generally good food.

Very nice food. Definitely recommend. You won't be disappointed.

Very overpriced considering food quality and portions.

It's a pleasant enough space though it could do with acoustic dampening especially when the "Ladies Who Lunch" are 2 bottles of wine into their performance. Service was fine and not intrusive. However, the menu is limited - not in itself a bad thing - but a little more variety would be appreciated. Starters were verging on microscopic and the duck rillette was bland and served too cold. It also bore an uncanny resemblance to a small slab of thick carpet underlay. Main was a failsafe dish - venison rigatoni - large portion (apparently) - had to ask the waitress if it WAS a large portion and, to my surprise and disappointment, it was confirmed as such. Again, the dish was largely tasteless - the venison had no flavour having been left stewing for too long, and I suspect, being the dregs of that day's batch scrapped off the pot - it would explain so much about it. Dessert was delightful - freshly baked Madeleines with - again, taste-free Chantilly cream. Don't even consider purchasing a bottle of wine unless you're on an expense account, but they do have a decent selection albeit at exoribtant prices. Expect the 10% service charge "automatically added for your convenience" - another aspect which grates, this is not America and at those menu prices the staff should be paid well enough. In short - go for show and appearances, go to be seen, just don't go for hearty or flavoursome meal. N.B. this was not the Set Lunch option - that may prove better value for money

Beautiful lunch at the Waterman restaurant on Friday for three ,we had the venison

The service here was really very good. I had a meal there on Wednesday 27/11/24. The staff were very friendly, particularly the guy at the front of house, showing guests to their seats. Food was reasonably good and in the average price range. There was 2 course and 3 course set meals and they were a fair enough price. Location is really good; right in the heart of town next to the most iconic pubs. Atmosphere in the place was good, it was fairly busy and people were enjoying themselves. I had 3 course myself (not from the set menu) and an alcoholic beverage.

The food was bland and overpriced and wasn't as beautiful as the photos. They have different menus on weekends and weekdays. It was mostly like a bar, not a restaurant, very noisy and crowded.

We couldn’t have had a lovelier lunch! One of our friends had booked the cinema room upstairs for a private birthday lunch. It was outstanding! The venue itself is beautiful; the tables was a large square rather than a long table which made the conversation flow as well as the wine. The waiter for our room, Aoife, could not have been more attentive nor more knowledgeable.not only did Aoife allow us, she suggested we try the wines until we found the one we loved. It was her suggestion, and we ended up having a second bottle (between two). The menu is fantastic; it covered everything that I truly love. The food came promptly and perfectly! I’ll allow you to peruse the list yourself but I couldn’t have been happier! The entire afternoon was bliss from start to finish, and it’s topped my list for suggestions to friends. I don’t have a single negative thought or word, and I will absolutely return again.

Excellent restaurant and couldn't fault it. The food and the service were great and would highly recommend it.

I messed up my booking on Opentable, yet the guys accommodated us on a busy Saturday evening and sorted a table. Top class service, food that followed was amazing - big plate of buttery/capered/seasoned scallops followed by monkfish tail and STP madeleines. Cracker meal

Delicious food, good service but there were 2 weddings and a full dinner service on at the same time which meant we were waiting quite a while for our food and felt we had to rush as we only had our table for 1.5hr. Think there was just too much happening at one time but we'll definitely be back. Food was delicious and would highly recommend to anyone visiting.

Excellent food!! Their house focaccia is one of the lightest and most decadent starters ever! The rigatoni with butternut squash and smoked sage gives total autumn vibes and their brown bread icecream with Guinness cream is absolutely delicious! One of the best restaurants in Belfast with decent prices.

First time there last night and certainly won’t be our last. Food was soooo good! We went for the small plates which as a great way to try a few different things. They were all amazing. Crab spaghetti was probably my favourite! Cocktails were good too and a good wine selection too. All the staff were so friendly and helpful. And the best part was it was very reasonable for the quality of the food. 10/10

The front of house team are wonderful and really good craic! The food is so ridiculously good, every dish has a little bit of inventiveness that lifts but the simple things are also done incredibly well. It’s so obvious everything is made in house!

Exceptional food, I was so delighted! Also, really good value for the quality!

Disappointing experience all round. Staff were weary, the menu is already small and two of the mains were not available, the service was slow and awkward. Very different than last experience.. maybe just a bad day?

We visited with a group for a friends birthday and it was very disappointing. Our server was lovely but the food took a very long time to come out. Several people ordered one of the fish dishes only to be told the kitchen weren't happy with the quality of the fish. Something you would have thought they would spot during afternoon prep. The vegan dishes were appalling. Literally a dish of tomatoes with radichio and a plate of beetroot with truffle oil and lollo rosso. The others food was underwhelming and although the dishes were edible I was told they lacked seasoning and creativity. Notably the birthday cake which had been requsted and supplied was inedible. To think this establishment runs a cookery school would be laughable if it weren't so depressing. Neither my husband or will be back.

A real gem. Spectacular porchetta. First rate service

The food is nice but the lighting is oppressively bright and the service was slow to the point of rude. We had cocktail drinks from before dinner left on the table until after our mains. Not a great one.

One of the absolute BEST restaurants in Belfast. The food is amazing. The staff amazing! Staff are so accommodating and friendly! Some plates do a choice of big or small, which means you can get two small plates for your main (which I love because who doesn’t love to try lots of different food at once?!). Can’t fault this place. Cocktails, amazing too!!

Attended the cookery school with Niall amd Clare hosting. Wonderful experience, great fun and managed to learn a thing or two!!! Will definitely come back as it was so much fun. Great for couples or corporate events and a wide range of types of cooking.

We had high hopes for Waterman after a recommendation, so with our one night in Belfast chose to book a table at 7pm on a Sunday. The staff were accommodating and welcoming despite being the last sitting of the weekend. The wine selection is great, a lovely organic Rioja and an Alvarino went down well. We started with with some small plates - the crispy squid bolognese was fresh and in a delicious ragu. Next came a freshly baked round focaccia with a confit tomato butter, a crumpet with fresh light local crab, and a bright heirloom tomato and cherry salad. The chicken supreme was brilliant, crispy skinned juicy breast on the bone with artichokes, and a rich mushroom sauce. We probably didn’t need the truffle chips but they were fresh and light nonetheless. The dessert was a real standout - brown bread ice cream with Guinness caramel, and sticky toffee madeleines which were some of the best things we’ve eaten this year. Finished with a chilled Irish coffee, it was a brilliant end to a rainy Sunday in Belfast. Highly recommend getting some of the smaller plates rather than focusing on the mains. Superb.

Last minute visit to this restaurant. Staff were great, friendly and efficient. Price point was reasonable, but the important bit the food...simply outstanding. Home made everything, from the butter to the pasta and brilliantly put together. Blown away by the quality of the sauces and overall cookery.

Great staff really friendly, lovely food too, lamb is a must

Small and cosy Bristol with friendly staff. Chicken & mushroom tagliatelle was delicious with a flavorful cream sauce. Must try their homemade ice cream & Guinness caramel which is not too sweet. A hearty dinner❤️

Thanks for a wonderful evening! It was a pleasure to stay with you.

One of the best dining experiences, consistently great food, great atmosphere and outstanding service. We’ve had causal last minute lunches, date nights and family birthdays here every time exceptional!

The lamb was totally delicious and cooked to perfection. Naked & famous cocktail 🍹 was excellent 👌

Food was delicious. Service was attentive.

brilliant, friendly service. food cooked to perfection, goats cheese was amazing. chicken and squid cooked to ridiculous standard of perfection.

Wow. What an excellent meal. Outstanding in fact. Meal was balanced. Intense flavours. Perfect portion size. Outstanding service, not over bearing in any away perfectly attentive. Loved the ambience too.

Very central, great prices and friendly staff

Service, staff, atmosphere were great. Food was just below average for the price. And I don’t recommend the hanger steak or squid.

We were told by our tour guide that this was a restaurant that was run by Michelin star Chef, who wasn't charging Michelin prices. Now whether that story is true or not, I don't know, but it was Michelin quality food, and it was not Michelin prices. I would definitely go back there again, and I would choose the two course or three course menu.

Loved everything about our Meal at Waterman. Emily and the rest of the team looked after us very well. Will definitely be back.

Slightly disappointed by the whole experience. When we arrived our table went ready. We stood for 15 minutes waiting whilst others came in and got seated straight away. Our server never once told us the specials. We overheard from another table after we had ordered. It was a rush to get our food finished as the table was due back yet we ordered quickly but had to wait on the table. The ice cream was also hazelnut which we were not informed off. This could have been very dangerous with allergies. Thankfully the food save the day as it was nice however the experience itself was awful and we were treated so differently to other guests.

Delicious food, available as small plates or large. Highly recommend the cauliflower.

The starter and main were absolutely exquisite, but the dessert paled in comparison. The staff at the restaurant were kind and friendly, although they could have been more attentive to our needs. Unfortunately, they served the food while some of our group were away from the table, which resulted in the food becoming cold by the time they returned. Additionally, we found it challenging to get in touch with the staff when we required their assistance. The decor was in desperate need of an upgrade. It looked basic and inexpensive, which did not live up to the high standards of the food. To top it off, the wine was a complete letdown, especially considering it cost over £13 for a glass. I wish they had offered a taste before serving a full glass. Although there were some good things, I don't think I would be in a rush to come back to this place.

This was the worst Belfast experience ever. Food is prepared by a chef “oh la la” come on. They didn’t include us in the daily menu arguing we arrived after the time (we ordered 18:32, while we spent few minutes leaving the coats and getting to the table, so technically we were before time). Despite the effort of great waitress, the chef said “no”. Almost little food, regular quality, quite high prices. Sorry, have eaten better in McDo.

Everything is great but a small complaint about the lady who brought the card machine over didn't remind us of the tips already included, we mentioned we want to add a tip, instead of remind us tips is already included, she just add another 10% to the card machine. Not nice.

One of the best restaurants I've been to for long time. The Cathedral Quarter is really buzzing these days and this is a brilliant addition. We went for lunch on a Sunday and I remember a time when belfast was locked down on a Sunday, so great to see this place buzzing and full of energy. A lovely space. Great, simple decor, really good attentive and knowledgeable staff and brilliant food. Lots of fish and seafood: mussels, prawns, seabass, monkfish, lobster, crab. Really exciting wine list too: great German and Portuguese whites. Lovely cocktails as well. This must be one of the best restaurants in Belfast. Ideal for a special lunch.

Excellent Châteaubriand and sides, lovely value wine list and friendly knowledgeable staff.

I’ve been to the waterman a handful of times now, and each time is better than the last. Last night we were celebrating so went for the chateaubriand for two, which was priced fairly (£65 including 2 sauces) and served beautifully. Great drinks selection and delicious side dishes (we had the cabbage with crispy chicken skin and confit potato). The only let down was the lack of dairy free dessert options. Our server told us that there were no dairy free desserts, then a short time later returned to say the chef would whip something up - which was much appreciated.

Lovely roast lunch - had the two course set menu for £24,50. Absolute bargain, great portion size. Such fluffy potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.

We had a really nice meal at Waterman. My favourites were the starter dishes we had; the squid with bolognese and arancini. Wine selection is nice and the restaurant itself has a lovely look and feel.

I recently celebrated my 40th birthday at Waterman, and the overall experience was terribly disappointing. While the food was mediocre, the service was shockingly poor. Despite our 15-minute delay, the main course took an additional 35 minutes to arrive. To add insult to injury, we were abruptly kicked out before even having the chance to enjoy the birthday cake we had brought with us. The explanation given was that the table was booked after us. This was undeniably the worst dining experience I've encountered. I won't be returning, and if it were possible, I would give them a rating of zero.

One staff member was highly unpleasant will not be going back. If I could give them zero I would.

Excellent meal with stellar service. Enjoyed a dinner with some of my family. I had a small gnocchi plate for main which was delicious. Then the venison haunch which was lovely. I also had the gingerbread ice cream which was beautiful and delicate, with the perfect flavour of gingerbread. The service was top notch. Extremely pleasant, helpful, and efficient. My wife dropped a fork and a new one was presented to her rapidly and without asking which was a lovely touch. Great atmosphere in the restaurant and in an excellent part of town to go for some drinks afterwards. Would highly recommend and would definitely go back.

Incredible food. Less in love with the room but my starter (house spaghetti) and main (venison ragu) more than made up for it. I would return to Belfast just to eat here.

Over-priced for the end result. The venison haunch was a tiny portion and served on barley which made the plate taste of vegetable soup. The whiskey truffles did not taste of whiskey and the gingerbread ice-cream barely tasted of gingerbread. The Madeline was fantastic. The bread and onion butter was fantastic. This was not a bad meal, it just did not deliver what it said it would. One staff member was great the others seemed exhausted to the point of dumping a plate on the table while saying "Squid is it?" which to be honest I found funny. There was no atmosphere tonight bar the cacophony of very drunk women, but hey, it's Decemeber.

Eaten here before and it was fabulous but Christmas party- set menu . Food was served what can only be described as luke warm and took a long time to be served. Arrived 2pm first course served Soup - luke warm at 3.15 approx . Turkey was luke warm roasties where hot though. Very disappointed. Later found out the power went off in the kitchen x 2. Flavours and Presentation where good - staff where pleasant ..

Really good lunch young lady serving was fantastic

Absolutely stunning. Brilliant staff and brilliant food at a reasonable price. We loved it and could not have been made more welcome. The service was exceptional. And the carrots...how do you do that with carrots? A great experience.

Booked for 4.30pm. Nice buzz in the restaurant at this time. The sharing bread was excellent and the starters/mains were really good too. Staff were attentive without being overbearing and contributed to a great dining experience. Looking forward to a return visit in the new year

Excellent place, every one i came with talks highly about it

Food and wines are outstanding! The steak and vegetables are stunning. Perfect place for a small wedding.

Modern and welcoming , enjoyed the experience

Great vibe and food. Attended with a group and we were not rushed on time for table back. Service very good. Would recommend. Mid price range.

Great food, beautifully presented. Friendly staff.

Beautiful meal spoilt by bad steak

Booked a private dining room to celebrate my friends birthday. One word WOW. Everything from the exceptional service (special mention to Diego and Conor) the outstanding food and the unreal cocktails. We can’t wait until the next time we visit Waterman.

Absolutely perfection. Every single dish was SO delicious. The service crew was really friendly, warm and thoughtful. It was simply a joy dinning in. Our family had an amazing time! The atmosphere is really cozy, quaint, perfect for an evening meal. Highly recommend ✨ What we got: Lamb, Confit Potato side, House Spaghetti, Hanger Steak (Course meal - parmesan arancini & truffle Mayo is so good) Overall: 100/10 !

Excellent quality/value for money dining we’ve experienced in Donegal and Northern Ireland in the last 2 weeks. 2 courses for £18.50 in this standard of restaurant what’s not to like. Oh the cocktails are 💯!

Ne vous fiez pas à la déco minimaliste, les plats sont recherchés, originaux et à des prix tout à fait raisonnables ! Une véritable surprise ! Délicieux !

For starter we ordered focaccia bread. It came with a butter. It was meant to be caramelised onion but it was so heavily salted, it really just was salted bread and salted butter. The bread itself was a lovely texture and good quantity for sharing. But the salt really overpowering. For mains, my husband had the sirloin 'medium'. This was cooked much more well done and very tough in places. For £26 without side, this was extremely disappointing. My main was the smoked cauliflower. I couldn't finish this as it was very raw - charred but I could hardly cut into it never mind digest it. In honesty, for the price we paid, it vastly missed the mark. Won't be back.

Had a wonderful lunch: great ingredients, spot on flavours, really interesting menu. Couldn’t be more pleased by discovering a new place in Belfast. Lovely project, I’ll be back very soon!

came back fkr an evening meal....oh my word...wish I had come sooner Starter...Spiced Carrot and Ajo Blanco - got receipe from Chef! Main...N'juja with ricotta Ravioli with peas carrots and herbs Had to try the cheese.....Grommit! Totally accidental, but perfect fkr vegetarians! 💜 Thank you Sean 👏👏👏 Had the most delightful simple lunch...Cauliflower soup and foccaio..delicious...hit the sweet...so looking forward to coming for a mea spotl in the evening

Nice venue but food lacking. Would not recommended the gnocchi at all. More like burnt pieces of potato cake. Staff are very friendly. Malbec was very good. But ultimately a restaurant should be about the food.

You know the food is truly exceptional when you cannot decide which was your favourite, they were all great.

Was at a private function in one of the upper rooms. Very impressive.

Ce restaurant sort de l'ordinaire sur skipper street pour des prix tout à fait raisonnables (18.5£ pour 2 plats). Il s'agit d'une excellente alternative aux traditionnels repas servis à Belfast. La nourriture était excellente, la cuisson de la viande maîtrisée et le choix des textures réussi! Mention spéciale pour les arancini à la truffe, un vrai delice! Allez-y les yeux fermés !

My husband and I recently had dinner at the Waterman. The food, service, and atmosphere were excellent. I highly recommend the Ravioli, quite spicy but delicious. Thanks to Sean and the team for a great evening.

Tempting menu with good value set choices and interesting wines by the glass.

Absolutely Delicious Sunday Lunch In WATERMAN Very Friendly And Totally Professional Staff Can Highly Recommend

Such a lovely place and amazing food I would definitely come back 💕

Great food, cocktails, wine and service. Recommended.

The best restaurant I’ve tried in Belfast so far! The food and the cocktails were great. Everyone was very helpful and polite. I had the crispy squid and the pasta with shellfish and spiced butter, but i’ll definitely go back for the steak!

We had a company do here last night and it was so good. The service was excellent, everyone was so accommodating and friendly. The food was really tasty too. Thank you!