Woods Restaurant in Bath and North East Somerset

A marvellous menu with lots of good options. The fish fish was incredible. Staff were very efficient and friendly. The place looks small from the outside but is nice and large inside - and has a nice separate area for small groups.

Having just taken part in the Jane Austen parade we were fortunate to find this lovely restaurant just round the corner from Bath assembly rooms. We had a delicious lunch and a glass of fizz to set us up for the afternoon.

Even though I only had a starter, I have to give a 5 star to this restaurant!! I planned my trip in Bath and reserved this spot far ahead. However, I fell sick right on the day and had little appetite. The restaurant was really understanding and they made me feel welcomed regardless. Was sad that their fish soup was out but their tomato soup was also delicious and made me feel better. There is also complimentary bread and butter. Don't know if I will be back in Bath in the future, but if I do, I will definitely give them another try.

Another excellent lunchtime meal,Woods is by far the best restaurant in Bath in our opinion.Everything about the place is wonderful,The welcome from the staff & owners is always warm,the restaurant is airy and spacious, always so inviting. The food is absolutely delicious, beautifully cooked with the best ingredients, seasonal veg,lovely puddings all homemade.wine &drinks good too. Can't recommend enough,love it there.

Came here for our one year wedding anniversary and were delighted with the whole experience. The service was brilliant, the food was delicious and all in all a wonderful evening out.

We hadn't made a reservation, just 'turned up on the doorstep'; the gentlemen that greeted us was most accommodating indeed. To say the welcome, the quality of the service and the food was absolutely excellent - would be a total understatement! Most convivial environment to spend an evening dining, most relaxed atmosphere, unhurried. An all round exquisite dining experience.

I was only in bath for three days, I came for dinner/lunch here for two of those and I regret not coming on the third. It’s amazing, the staff, the manager, the other people dining- all wonderful. But the food is indescribable- best food I’ve had in a while. Thank you so much for looking after me !

Wonderful food. The owners are lovely. Would definitely go back.

Lovely friendly family business . The owner came over and had a chat with us which was really nice . The food was delicious not a massive choice but never less excellent quality and fantastic service . Highly recommend this restaurant if visiting bath

Went here for a work conference dinner twice, was very enjoyable both times! Food was tasty, came quickly and servers were helpful and polite

Belated birthday treat! To our shame we have not visited Woods for over 40 years (nothing to do with Woods itself!) Place still feels relaxed, though it was lunchtime. Staff welcoming and nice chat with the owner. Service prompt but never rushed. I had the steak, partner had pork cutlet. Beautifully cooked with well cooked accompanying the mains. We plan to return soon!

Outstanding, just one of the best meals has in a long time. Honestly faultless, just fresh delicious and I feel for the quality good value

We enjoyed our meals at Woods, a reliable table in Bath. Always like to support a family owned restaurant that makes an effort to provide a good dining experience. The food at Woods has not changed much over the years, which is not a bad thing. It's a classic British take on French cooking, not trendy or experimental at all. The fish dishes are really well done, though the sauce on my skate main was over salted. A bit off the main tourist areas, it tends to draw from a more local crowd. Nice wine selection.

Wonderfully rustic French cuisine on a picturesque street. A great place to rest your heels, and enjoy a plate of anchovies or tiger prawns, while enjoying the streets of Bath. Staff are welcoming and knowledgeable, and we look forward to visiting again

Excellent food and great service A warm welcome to a lovely venue. Team are friendly, menu is not too big but varied with great specials Nice wine list with lots of choice by the glass Definitely worth a visit. We will be back

A true gem and absolutely going back thank you for the amazing food and wonderful hospitality.

Myself and my partner came to Woods for the first time this evening and will certainly be going back very soon. The food was lovely, especially the main courses. The pork belly was particularly good (my partner ordered a second because he loved it so much!) we were really impressed with the whole experience. Desserts are not pictured because as soon as they came they were devoured. The one thing that could make it even better is potentially more options as starters, but that is incredibly picky as everything we had was great. Service was excellent and you can tell it is a family restaurant which is well cared for and has incredible love behind it. Can’t wait to go back

We held our wedding reception at Woods, and we could not have asked for better. Claude and Gaston were wonderful in helping us arrange our special day. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and they flexed to accommodate our needs. The food was excellent, and we were delighted with the menu choice. Their attention detail was phenominal, and the serving coordination was flawless. Thank you, David, Claude, Gaston, and all of your staff.

Best place I've eaten in a long while. Great service. Food just superb.

Visited Woods with my brother after a long day of sightseeing - was not disappointed with the food or atmosphere. Owner dropped by for a chat which was nice. Great service by the Australian waitress too. Recommended.

Great place, Vath’s oldest and finest. Go.

Wonderful restaurant. I chose the restaurant for my mum's 80th because it was family run and I wanted the personal touch and it didn't disappoint. Every aspect of the meal was faultless, from the service to the food it was all incredibly attentive. Restaurants like this are hard to find; it is a real discovery. Thank you.

Great food, menu, service and surroundings at Woods. Staff were amazing, so glad we booked. Would definitely return, thank you!

I love a family run restaurant, so I booked a table here because it was right round the corner from our hotel. It was absolutely perfect, the food was the sort of British take on French cooking that gets overlooked by a lot of more modern restaurants but it was honed to perfection and every course was delicious! A rich fish soup followed by halibut in butter and caper sauce, new potatoes, fresh greens and an iced chocolate parfait accompanied by boozy macerated cherries. The owner was there to clear plates and to stop for a chat to give a bit of background on the restaurant. He was clearly very proud of the place. Couldn't complain about a thing...well just one thing then...when I came to pay I was asked if the 10% service charge was acceptable. 'Yes' I said '...can I add more?'. The waitress was surprised by the question and didn't know. I didn't have cash so I couldn't add any extra, sorry about that...try and figure it out for next time please :D

Beautiful location and space, sat on the terrace for oysters, prawns and a stunning fish soup. A very special place

Nice restaurant, slightly disappointed with some of the food, but overall good

Had a wonderful dinner here! The owner came by and chatted with us for a bit, our dinner was superb, and the wine was great. Very happy with this experience.

As always friendly and excellent service. Menu never fails to delight and tempt. Our No.1 choice in Bath when wanting a truly great dining experience with friends.

We’ve been coming to Woods for many years -as always an absolute delicious meal with excellent service and the best atmosphere.

A hidden gem. The atmosphere is relaxed and staff were superb with us. Finding the right level of attentivness, which is a skill in it's own right. Food was carefully selected enabling us to explore all the flavoures, well worth a visit if you want a more up market dinning experience in Bath. Will be returning soon.

The most amazing Restaurant in over 40 years even though I live in London,our annual party for 36 have always been outstanding David has created a gem with his family will be back on the first Saturday in February

We booked for 12 after receiving a recommendation - Very helpful and friendly - Food was excellent - Sauce with the steak was the best I can remember - Very happy and will return when next in Bath

The steak was sublime, no complaints from our party of 12.

Beautiful food, lovely surroundings. Great staff. Can't wait to return to sample some more of their delicious dinners..

Nice traditional restaurant. A bit disappointed with my veggie option but all other members of my party very much enjoyed their food.

Lovely restaurant, with a very dignified feel about it. The decor was very tasteful and the staff were very attentive and helpful The food was great, I had cod with pan fried potatoes followed by salted caramel cheesecake which all tasted beautiful. Would recommend this restaurant highly.

We had lunch after the concert at the Assembly Rooms. Staff were welcoming and patient with all of us elderly visitors. The meal, including a superb vegetarian option, was excellent, and service attentive without being intrusive. However busy the restaurant became, our waiters and Front of House staff remained friendly and polite.

Excellent food, lovely people, very comfortable atmosphere.

We had a great meal as usual it was perfect, service was excellent except we were shoved in to a corner to a table which was bare, looking more like a Butchers block. I’m afraid i was disappointed for the price we payed. Max

I was not feeling my best on this day, but I had a call to come over to Woods for lunch and having been here many years ago I accepted the kind invitation and was glad that I had. The owner and staff were of the old school, whose attention and hospitality was just superb and just what was needed to make my day one to remember.

What a terrific find this Bath institution was. Within a second of walking through the doors and seeing the small but well selected fish counter, the eclectically stocked ornate and traditional cafe bar area and the discerning, immaculately dressed octogenarian clientele, we new we had stumbled upon something special. The owners and management of Woods have been doing this for over 40 years and were there on the day still checking everything was ok, which it very much was. This was the calm lunch moment with a glass of wine and oysters for me and a smoked chicken salad for my wife on our 6th wedding anniversary, that we had hoped for. The food, the service, the location, the clientele, the establishment itself, all faultless. We loved it and it, what a gem. We sat in the bar area, but there is a walkway through to a larger restaurant which sounded like it too had a lovely atmosphere. Music played gently throughout, it had a real European Cafe vibe. The oysters were from Essex I believe, but apologies if I've forgotten the true origination. One thing is for sure, I've not tasted better, even by the sea!! Great wine list too and I'm pretty sure I wasn't poured a small!! A magic place with much to enjoy. Thank you very much. I believe we were looked after by the son of the family, we cannot thank you enough

Great place, great food and great people

Fine food. Friendly hosts. Superb chef and team. Now with seafood bar. Great addition. Thanks. Best in class.

We received a voucher for the restaurant which we decided to use on a Sunday lunch. We had been to Woods before but it was around 30 years ago, and no TripAdvisor to report to. The atmosphere did not seem to have changed much, and do recall pictures of horses around the walls. The food was very good, the lamb excellent, my wife loved her Hake. The hosts are great people, showing much interest in their customers. Service very good. A great venue for food in Bath.

Amazing food, lovely stake and the best choclate brownie I have ever had.

Excellent gluten free meal with many options. They were very accommodating to our dietary restrictions. Best restaurant meal in a long time!

The food at this restaurant is exceptionally good, they pride themselves in seafood and we weren't disappointed. My colleagues and I had wonderful meals thank you

I have walked past this restaurant on many occasions and this time, I decided that it was time to pay it a visit! The shopfront is a deli with a small seating area but the main restaurant is through the shop to the right, where I was greeted by a waiter who showed me to a table. The restaurant is quite a large airy room with windows overlooking the street and the Assembly Rooms. There is plenty of space between the tables. My Peroni beer arrived very quickly and I ordered from the set lunch menu priced at £30 for 2 courses; there is also a 3 course option priced at £35. My grilled pork loin chop came with new potatoes, mange tout and baby corn; the chop was tasty and the portion was a good size. My dessert was a creme brulee with a ginger shortbread biscuit - very nice. The waiter was very friendly and pleasant but the service was a bit slow, considering the place was empty when I arrived. A pleasant place for a leisurely lunch if you have the time!

Had my grandfathers wake here on Saturday and it was perfect. Amazingly fresh and tasty food (bad a lot of it!) and staff were so nice too

The food is actually very good, but the usual restaurant disclaimer applies: tiny portions on huge plates. I'd rather recommend choosing a nice pub, in one of the villages around Bath.

Nice room and nice service. But the food is rather old fashioned. Boiled mange tout, baby corn, and tasteless baby potatoes is not really an acceptable acompaniment to main courses at this price point in 2023. It's a shame because my hake was perfectly cooked.

Went to this restaurant on a recommendation - will be recommending it mysef Small restaurant with bar area to eat and restaurant area, a la carte menu Has had same owner for 43 years, has a good reputation. Food very well prepared, full of flavour, not rushed at all Friendly staff

We have been eating at Woods for quite a few years now. It is always our first port of call when visiting Bath, which has been quite frequent over the years. We eat here again last week (20/07/23) for lunch before heading back home to Nottingham. We just both love the food, atmosphere and the great welcome from Gaston, Claude and David. We wished we lived in Bath, then we could eat at Woods every day ! There’s always a nice vibe with a great mix of people. We just love the dress code too. We are always smart, casual, but if you want to dress up, you can, without feeling out of place. We must not forget the kitchen team either. They constantly turn out 5 star food and the presentation and quality makes our visit even more special. Woods is how a restaurant should be. Keep it going for many more years please.

I can't speak highly enough about the fantastic experience we had with Claude and her team at Woods. We were travelling from Windsor and meeting family from the US for our Dad's 90th Birthday celebrations and had been very badly let down by the inflexibility of another restaurant just three weeks before the big day, who failed to understand the significance of our visit or the needs of some of our party. The ease in which our requests were accomodated gave us a confidence we didn't have with our other booking and the whole experience with Woods has been an absolute delight. The 14 of us were seated in the private dining area which we were able to sensitively decorate beforehand which made the whole occasion even more special. The service and attention from Gaston and his team on the night was first class and it was great to meet David too, who brought over Dad's celebratory cake at the end which was a lovely touch. The food was exemplary and the highlight of our weekend. From a 90 year old through to a 7 year old and all other ages in between, we had an unforgettable experience and will be sure to dine again when we are next in Bath. Thank you so much.

Another absolutely delicious lunch at woods,it was faultless,we all had starters,mains and pudding,wine etc.,service brilliant, hospitality as always spot on.Its got tobe the best proper restaurant in Bath.

Pre theatre dinner. Booked table but no need. No atmosphere maybe because we were early. Food very good but portions small

Having enjoyed some great meals in many Bath restaurants over several years, we friends decided it was time to again try Woods. We were very impressed. The whole package was excellent: the setting, the ambiance, the food and the service. After many years, it’s still up there, with the very best Bath has to offer. Long may it continue!

Excellent food. The best lamb I’ve had for years. Very attentive waiter. Kitchen fast. A very pleasant room to sit in with lots of space between tables. We can highly recommend it.

Was here with a group, the meal was delicious. Nice portions. The owners were delightful as was the whole staff. Would absolutely eat here again.

Easily one of the best restaurants I have ever been. Family run business for more than 40 years, the owners were amazing (I had a lovely chat about horses), ambiance great, and outstanding food. On top of that, prices are very reasonable. Unmissable experience if in Bath

We had a wonderful lunch at Woods yesterday. There nine of us and we had a private room - very helpful as our collective hearing is not what it used to be! The food was excellent, service was very helpful and unobtrusive, and you were...

"A Bath institution" is how I have often heard this restaurant described and I was a little wary of venturing inside because of it, feeling, wrongly, that it might be stuffy or been resting sometime on its laurels; not a bit of it! I loved...

absolutely gorgeous! a must visit

The restaurant is located in the center of the beautiful city of Bath. Beautiful and welcoming rooms, friendly and knowledgeable staff. The menu is very good and I would consider it "international", with dishes that can satisfy all types of tastes, well prepared and well presented. The wine list is up to par, with a selection of various states (Italian, French, ..). I cannot define the price/performance ratio as I was a guest, but I think it is medium/high, in any case in line with the type of restaurant.

Thank you to the fabulous Woods for a perfect birthday steak. Looked after us wonderfully & had a happy birthday boy indeed with the best steak in the most gorgeous peppercorn sauce topped off with the wonderful surprise of sparkler birthday cake, which was also...

A bit old style English restaurant but reliable in food and waiting quality.

The best restaurants in central Bath! Perfect atmosphere, food and service. Cook to perfection 🤤 and definitely value of money compare to any Michelin star restaurant with even better quality! Main course, dessert, coffee etc all-around great 💯 Over 40 years history for reasons. Definitely will come back again and again!

Excellent service and food. Highly recommended.

Thank you to David and his team for hosting my birthday party. 57 guests had a truly wonderful evening. Fantastic food and exceptional service. The team at Woods really excelled themselves.

Lunch for 61people for my husband's 80th birthday was simply absolutely perfect in every way. How they managed it all was nothing short of miraculous. Wonderful.

Enjoyed a Christmas/Birthday meal at Woods a party of 10. Food was excellent as well as the service. The Restaurant was decorated so tastefully festive and a really nice setting. Would definitely recommend no doubt best restaurant in Bath.

Nice place well worth the visit nice food freindly staff.

It was a little mixed. The steak my partner had was fabulous, absolutely delicious, and the fish looked good, but the turkey Christmas dinner was a little bit 'school dinner', with precooked roast potatoes, all very 'Aunt Bessie' style. Service was ok. All in all, it was fine, but not particularly memorable.

Went to Woods lunch with my husband. Food is incredible, uncomplicated delicious food. The owner sat with us and we had a lovely chat. This establishment has been going strong for years and I can see why. Keep up the good work.

Great service and food in a very nice atmosphere. They provided a beautiful little cake for my wife's birthday along with a glass of complementary prosecco.

A lovely traditional restaurant with wonderful staff. Well do a pleasure to eat their

Lovely food and very patient staff. Thanks very much.

Pretty gd food. Good ambience. There is a definitely a horse theme going by the pictures at the corner of the restaurant we were seated at .

A beautiful restaurant with dedicated, professional and very friendly staff (the owner David is very knowledgeable in the catering business). We had mains/ desserts and will definitely rebook when returning to Bath in the future!! Also recommended to friends.

Booked in the week and lucky enough to get a table for Friday night. Greeted warmly upon arrival. I felt that there was a good choice on the menu. Provencale fish soup and grilled aubergine to start followed by the mushroom linguine and duck cooked pink. Superb presentation, vegetables included with main courses and bread on the table. A really good selection of wines and we can highly recommend the red from Puglia. The restaurant was cosy with a horse racing theme. This is a family run restaurant and customers appear to be treated as an extension to it. A must visit establishment and one that we will visit again with friends or family. The most unpretentious place we've ever been to. Loved it!!

Very nice lunch and friendly staff. Highly recommended as a place to go to in Bath

Dear David and Claude, thank you so much for hosting our wedding on 22.02.22. It was a fantastic day for everyone. The food was excellent and the staff were all very friendly and accommodating. It was the perfect intimate space for our celebration. Special thanks...

Great dinner last night, very good flavours and dining room, staff were lovely, welcoming and attentive. Will return asap when I’m next in the area.

Super delicious food, excellent wine. Great service. Have booked to return in a few weeks. Cannot recommend highly enough

We celebrated my husband’s 80th birthday yesterday. David, Claude and Gaston Wood, the owners couldn’t have been more incredible hosts. We were a large group of 15, and I can honestly say the food was absolutely outstanding. In fact the Bakewell Tart was one of...

An old fashioned, proper restaurant with absolutely delicious food and great service in the heart of Bath.

We were at a seminar in Bath and went to Woods in the evening. Food great, location a little older, service top. Clear recommendation

Another fantastic evening with top notch food, drinks and merriment - Bath's hidden gem

Great service, very friendly. Wonderful sandwiches and cakes. Thank you.

Excellent evening here with a large group. Everyone's dietary requirements were excellently met, the food delicious and the staff very helpful, efficient and obliging, fielding extra requests with ease. The restaurant was very pleasantly warm on a wet, cold summer's eve! Well done and thank you for a lovely meal.

Very accommodating establishment, we had an issue with a taxi that didn't show, so we arrived 20 minutes late for our table, we did keep them abreast of the situation, but it didn't seem to phase them in the slightest. The staff were all very professional, the food was some of the best we've had in years, the dinning room was very atmospheric, and to be frank the price we paid was a lot lower than expected. That's not saying it's cheap, but three courses with drinks, and it came in at around £50 per head, but look I can't stress enough the quality of food coming out of the kitchen. We would definitely be back and wouldn't miss the place if we were in the area. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area, and you're looking for something exceptional.

A wonderful family owned restaurant. Excellent food and delightful decor. Not far from The Circus and a short walk from the center of town.

lovely front lady, go here to ensure you'll enjoy excellently cooked fish or meat without risk of chewiness. Only qualm would be to have a greater variation of vegetables that accompany the meal, seasonal or atleast away from the standard carrot, broccoli potatoes. A complimentary inbetween course sorbet or accompany amuse booche would be a nice touch for diners. Lovely, calming interior with a pavilion like feel situated away from city centre bustle.

Amazing Food, Great Atmosphere, the staff are fantastic.

Our visit was great. Wunderful dinner in a very nice atmosphere. We booked a table, couldn‘t make the time and there was no problem to get the table. The service was very friendly and the food exceptional. The atmosphere was very nice.

Excellent, really good. Best place in Bath so far.

In Bath for a few days staying near Assembly Rooms - gave this place a try because of the reviews and it didn’t disappoint. Beautiful and elegant interior, not what you’d expect from looking at the deli entrance. Liked the touch of fresh flowers and...

Warning - I am reviewing Woods before I have been. Reason - I cannot wait to get back there! I know it’s going to be perfect, again. Delicious food, again. Great ambience, again. I love this place better than any other restaurant in the UK. My love affair started with Woods when I worked there over 30 years ago running the bar (mad dog incident :)), and it has continued with my infrequent visits over the years. If a friend is visiting Bath, I won’t let them not book Woods! So I know from their feedback that it is still all brilliant, and David and Claude amazing, all these years later. I feel completely comfortable reviewing this brilliant bit of France in Bath even though I have not been for a few years — and I rarely review anything. I’m going back in a few weeks and this will be the highlight of my trip to this fab city.

Friendly accommodating staff. Excellent food

Didn't book as wasn't aware so many places would be booked up in advance.Tried our luck and popped in for a drink late evening and managed to get a table to dine. Owner was there...very pleasant and friendly chap. Had scallops as a starter which...