York Minster Refectory in York

Nice place, been several times for drinks and a snack, a little shocked at the £21 bill for a glass of Malbec on our most recent visit however.

Lovely place to sit and have a coffee, drinks or something to eat on a warm day, watching the world go by. Fantastic views of the Minster.

Great atmosphere and excellent service, until I ate a gunshot pellet in my duck main dish. I was told the duck is sourced locally and it’s stated on the menu that the dish may contain pellets. The carrot soup starter and fondant potatoes side were my favourite. Desserts were way too sweet and pistachio ice cream tasted nothing like pistachio although contained the nuts.

Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived, but my friends can't speak highly enough about it.....

We had an early dinner here on a Thursday, and it was very quiet. Service was friendly and efficient, and the food was remarkable. The gin cured trout was beautiful, the chicken dish was perfectly cooked and moist, and the lamb dish was full of flavour. When we return to York, we'll eat here again.

We had the most beautiful dining experience here today, not only was the food absolutely beautiful but the service made our visit extra special. All the staff made our visit very special , but extra thanks to Jamie. Jamie thank you for the extra touches you made for us, it was an unexpected celebration and you made it an extra special memory. Thank you .

We had the most beautiful dining experience here today, not only was the food absolutely beautiful but the service made our visit extra special. All the staff made our visit very special , but extra thanks to Jamie. Jamie thank you for the extra touches you made for us, it was an unexpected celebration and you made it an extra special memory. Thank you .

A warm welcome from all the staff on our arrival was very pleasant and much appreciated. The restaurant is tastefully furnished and has a cosy atmosphere. The menu has something to suit all tastes, the food is sublime and beautifully presented. Our waitress was so friendly and professional. We will definitely return if we visit York again.

Upscale bar and restaurant. Only popped in for a drink, the wine list is solid, a few beers on tap. I enjoyed it here, the setting is beautiful too.

A bit pricey, but a lovely spot with mostly great food. Not sure what's going on with the chicken burger?! Avoid!

Everything about this evening was perfect. Huge thanks to Phillip for looking after us. He was incredibly attentive, professional and made sure the evening went smoothly - from arrival drinks to accommodating some last minute requests. We had 3 courses and each was equally amazing - in taste and presentation. The venue itself was gorgeous with an amazing view of the Minster. Having been to a very expensive restaurant the previous night (which I won't name) this venue was far superior in service and food. Can't wait to come again. Thanks for York Minster

Our first and now last visit to the Refectory. It seems we were the wrong kind of clientele for the staff to be interested in and taking our order. Clearly, this is not the first time after seeing previous negative reviewer comments about the same issue. Sadly, we had to wait at least over 10 minutes to have our order taken and that was after the server had already taken orders from two other parties having arrived after us even though it was clear we were ready to order and it wasn't exactly a busy day in the outdoor seating area, but was impossible to catch the eye of the servers. Overpriced and basic food. After paying and then receiving the receipt, we noticed gratuity had been added on top of our order. Definition of gratuity... is a tip that is given by the customer in exchange for services. This severely lacked on our visit today and we left disappointed. I have worked in a restaurant myself, and I have given better service than I received today! Maybe such a high class and fine dining restaurant should have a closer look at retraining their staff in customer service to ALL kinds of customers.

Popped in after a visit to York Minster. We were met with bright smiles and a friendly atmosphere. We chose to sit outside and were shown how to operate the heaters as it’s a bit nippy out today. Got some drinks and chicken parm sandwich which comes with fries. The food was gorgeous. The fries were seasoned to perfection. Stand out service from Chris who was engaging every customer like an old friend. We’d love to stop by again the next time we’re in York. This is the kind of service everyone dreams of and having spent years in the industry myself, it’s lovely to meet someone friendly and cordial as it is a dying fashion. Thanks a lot guys. Top notch!

Fantastic garden seating area, Food is very nice

Been here several times, one of the best places for a meal,terrific food, service and fabulous setting. Keep eye on offers, currently there is a 7 course set menu for £45! With tasting wines at only £40! Go,go...soon

I want to share our remarkable experience with Georginia, who recently took care of our family of four. In over 10 years of dining out, we've never encountered this level of hospitality. From the moment we sat down, Georginia's professionalism and genuine warmth made us feel immediately welcome. What truly impressed us was her ability to anticipate our needs before we even voiced them. Noticing a slight chill, she promptly turned on the heaters, creating a perfectly cozy environment for our meal. Her attentiveness went beyond what we've ever experienced; it felt as though she was personally invested in making sure we had an exceptional time. Georginia's care and dedication made our visit unforgettable. In all our years of dining, we've never met a server who so naturally combined professionalism with heartfelt service. She is a true gem, and we sincerely hope her outstanding work is recognized and rewarded.

Wow... Wow and wow. The food was seriously next level. The cod and the ploughmans starters were out of this world, the taste and textures omg. The steak and the lamb were even better. If that's possible... The staff are amazing, couldn't help us enough. Sounds snobbish but they were seen and not heard, they didn't fuss and spoil the occasion... and believe me eating here is an occasion. Yes is a little more expensive than other places, but I'll guarantee nowhere in york tastes this good.

Drinks were nice but we didn't have anything to eat

Really enjoyed our night here with lovely food and drinks. The dirty martinis are wonderful and the grouse dish and tartar and Cullen skink amazing. I do think they need to lower prices as it wasn’t busy and was a Friday night. Also I’ve been twice now and there must be a problem with the bakery/pastry chef as the first time the scones were stale and the second time the bread was literally rock hard that came with the seafood cocktail and the vol au vents were cold and stale. The sourdough they serve as a starter is covered in honey and far too sweet as a starter, I much prefer the salted sourdough at the Ivy. There’s also a waiter that is really loud and talks about customers and you can hear everything he is saying as he gives the orders in and not all of it was nice…

Fine dining at its best in a beautiful dining room set in front of York Minster. Our waitress for the evening Claudia was charming and made our experience that much better.

Visited on a Sunday morning at 9:30am ish. As we approached the building a waitress walked towards us we said we were there for breakfast, the waitress said she will go back and check if they are doing breakfast? 9:30am and they need to verify is breakfast is available? which is strange and there is a sign outside stating they do breakfast. Also we weren't given the option to eat inside and were put outside. All other heated lamps were on apart from our table. The vibe I got was because we were with two children they didn't want us there however my children know how to behave in a restaurant and are well mannered and do not mess around. I understand a lot of children do but they shouldn't stereotype like this. I could be wrong but that's the vibe we got. We noticed other couples were greeted more pleasantly and were given an option of indoor or outdoor. Another couple approached with a pram and the waitress then approached them and they ended up walking away. (Again probably the anti child vibe). The male who actually served us was nice enough and the food was decent albeit nothing special. My daughter didn't want an item in her breakfast roll, the server said "it probably won't be cheaper just to make you aware" we weren't expecting or asking for it to be cheaper. Very strange comment. When we went to pay the bill a comment was made asking how the food was and were we occupying the children for a bit. No just feeding them like you do 😂. I understand it's a "high class" restaurant but the pretentious service was evident and with it being a prime tourist destination I understand they would get a lot of families with unruly children but they shouldn't stereotype everyone like this. Will maybe go back but maybe for an evening meal without the children.

Having received a voucher for the refectory, we were excited to try somewhere new and with the possibility of good food to boot. The Refectory is in the heart of York near the Minster in a building dating back to the 1830s, with very friendly and attentive staff. With one of the party clearly stating an onion intollerance both on the booking and on arrival, we were all set. The menu in all honesty is limited and basic (cod, lamb, steak), with some interesting starters and nibbles (including oysters). The prices are not excessive, but like so many restaurants, hiked up because you are in a city. Two crab vol-au-vent for £6 with less crab than vol-au-vent. The wine list is the biggest kicker with over priced bottles, a standard bottle of Tattinger champagne retails at £35, but has a hefty £80 price tag here, there’s mark-up and then there’s daylight robbery. Settling for the mains of Lamb on sweetcorn, jersey royals and courgettes, what could go wrong. Both lamb dishes came out soaked in onion with a massive spring onion on top. Now put to one side the onion intolerance, spring onion and lamb do not go and one kills the taste of the other. The waiter was beside himself with apologies having missed the onion intolerance (we get that places are busy, but in this day and age, one slip has the ability to cause serious harm). Both dishes were taken away and a glass of wine offered while we waited. Now considering we had started dining at 19.15, it was now 20.20 and the food had to go away to be re-cooked. 20 minutes later the food came back out, with one completely clear of onions as requested, however the potatoes were stone cold and the sea of sweetcorn had passed its reheat several hours earlier. We didn’t bother with dessert, given it was past 21.00 and time to move on. In fairness, the restaurant removed one of the meals from the bill before we asked them to. Overall the place looks nice, the staff are friendly, but the food is limited and basic and the drinks are a rip-off. Sorry, cannot recommend this restaurant.

The service was so appalling that we decided to only stay for the wine that we’d ordered and not the food. The attitude of the server was terrible, we were left waiting so long to be served that we even questioned if it was actually table service. Then once ordered we waited 25 mins for the 2 glasses of wine, whilst watching other customers receiving their order before us. We had to ask where our order was in the end. Absolutely would not recommend. Terrible attitude throughout the place!

Excellent food served by great staff. Lovely surroundings and a great place for cocktails with a minster view.

Only stopped for drinks but excellent service & drinks with an uninterrupted view of the Minster. Hidden gem of York

Nice spot for drinks or lunch/dinner.

Its a superb building and room, next to the Minster, with great service. The food however let the place down, I had the seafood platter, it was fine if lackluster, however the fish goujons had been incinerated. My friends lamb was odd, it's was under a heap of odds and ends, including hazelnuts, and sat on something suspiciously like pulled pork, it all looked a bit nasty. Another friend had a sandwich which wasn't great. For the high price the quality wasn't there.

The approach to this bar/restaurant is idyllic. Situated in the shadows of the Minster, it certainly gives off a relaxing vibe. We sat outside for pre dinner drinks on a glorious Tuesday evening in July. The drinks prices are what you would expect in this area of York, not cheap, however a 12.5% service charge added to the bill for just drinks was a little off putting. I was treating my guests on this evening, so I disappeared inside to pay the bill. I told the waitress that I would like to pay our bill for drinks. She asked where we had been sitting, which I told her, and I also told her the drinks which we had. She went away to a till and proceeded to press the buttons. I turned away for a couple of seconds, and in that time she had disappeared outside and was marching to our table with the bill and card machine! I shouted her twice, but she didn’t hear me. The barman certainly heard me, and was amazed when I told him the story! The manager then approached me and asked if there was a problem, which I then explained to him what had happened. As you can imagine I wasn’t impressed at all. At the end of the day this caused embarrassment for not only myself, but my guests as well, the waitress simply got away with her error, and my friends had to pay the bill ( along with the 12.5% service charge…..WHAT SERVICE?) Out if interested I asked my friends what the waitress had said to them when she brought out the bill, her words were, “ I have been asked to bring you the bill!!!”. I felt the manager could’ve intervened more after he had asked me what the problem was, but alas he didn’t. Needless to say I won’t be recommending this venue to any of the local businesses I deal with.

This is a beautiful building in an amazing location but we were slightly disappointed by the overall evening. Maybe my expectations were too high. There was nothing wrong with the food at all, we enjoyed it but it certainly didn’t feel that we were having a special meal - which this was supposed to be. I had some cured trout to start, which came with a granita and some lovely foraged greens. I had it without the ewes cheese curd as I dont eat dairy, so maybe this is why it didn’t quite deliver? It was just lacking something acidic or sharp to cut through the sweetness of the granita. There was a ti my bit of horseradish grated on top which did give it a lift but could have done with something else. My husband had cod loin, which again was a good meal but just really lacking in something. It was described as ‘encrusted’ on the menu which did give us the impression that there would be a crust on the fish. There was nothing crusty, the overall texture of the dish was very watery, so perhaps a different name or description would have helped. The wine was my biggest disappointment, we got a New Zealand Sauv Blanc on the recommendation of the server. I often order Sauvignon Blanc, so maybe I’m just fussy now. It was £40 for a bottle and to me just tasted like a cheap supermarket wine. There was no mineral finish you’d expect with this grape and the overwhelming taste was an unbalanced acidity, which didn’t have the citrus flavour you’d like to go with fish. I had a carrot dish as my main, which had some lovely flavours but the texture became too stogy. The earthiness of the carrots was nice with the fresh veg but once I had eaten these bits on top there was too much of of a salty daal-like element for me. Inside the restaurant my husband commented that the musical instruments on display needed a good ‘Hoover dust’ as he put it. This made me laugh, but he was right! The service was good - attentive, friendly staff but felt a bit rushed. It wasn’t too busy but everyone seemed to be dashing about. It got quite rowdy when a bigger party came in but otherwise there was a good atmosphere in the restaurant. I would say that they could do with some more ‘nooks’ for people wanting a bit of a romantic evening. Every table feels quite open and close to the others. I wanted this restaurant to be good. It just really fell short. It feels like the love and attention isn’t there. It’s so close!

This is a beautiful building in an amazing location but we were slightly disappointed by the overall evening. Maybe my expectations were too high. There was nothing wrong with the food at all, we enjoyed it but it certainly didn’t feel that we were having a special meal - which this was supposed to be. I had some cured trout to start, which came with a granita and some lovely foraged greens. I had it without the ewes cheese curd as I dont eat dairy, so maybe this is why it didn’t quite deliver? It was just lacking something acidic or sharp to cut through the sweetness of the granita. There was a ti my bit of horseradish grated on top which did give it a lift but could have done with something else. My husband had cod loin, which again was a good meal but just really lacking in something. It was described as ‘encrusted’ on the menu which did give us the impression that there would be a crust on the fish. There was nothing crusty, the overall texture of the dish was very watery, so perhaps a different name or description would have helped. The wine was my biggest disappointment, we got a New Zealand Sauv Blanc on the recommendation of the server. I often order Sauvignon Blanc, so maybe I’m just fussy now. It was £40 for a bottle and to me just tasted like a cheap supermarket wine. There was no mineral finish you’d expect with this grape and the overwhelming taste was an unbalanced acidity, which didn’t have the citrus flavour you’d like to go with fish. I had a carrot dish as my main, which had some lovely flavours but the texture became too stogy. The earthiness of the carrots was nice with the fresh veg but once I had eaten these bits on top there was too much of of a salty daal-like element for me. Inside the restaurant my husband commented that the musical instruments on display needed a good ‘Hoover dust’ as he put it. This made me laugh, but he was right! I wanted this restaurant to be good. It just really fell short. It feels like the love and attention isn’t there. It’s so close!

Turned up just before they were closing on a Sunday, they kindly said we could stay for one drink. It’s a beautiful setting. The glass of Prosecco (£9 + service charge) was literally half full. I had to take it back to the bar to be ‘topped up’ to the correct level The topping up came from a fresh bottle - so seems likely they couldn’t be bothered to do this for our served glass.

Great food, menu on the pricier side but that reflects the dining experience, double cheeseburger with skinny fries is £20 but very tasty, good desert selection, extensive wine list set in the York Minster Refectory, stunning place, give it a try.

Great food in a historic location

Went today, and found the waitress very rude and not professional at all. Very bad attitude. Didn't look at us when she came over to take the order and very condescending when I asked about the size of the dishes (whether we needed to order a side or not). Didn't catch her name as we left mid order as I have never had such bad service but she was the only one taking orders at lunchtime and was european..went straight to The Ivy where the service was amazing, so attentive and much better choice. Also as it was a sunny day, couldn't see the minster anyway sitting outside as the sunshade completely blocked the view. Saw a few other people turn and leave also. Would not go here again. Edit - can see from several other reviews that this has been the case for others. Never have I ever felt as judged by a WAITRESS than I have here. If you don't 'look' like you have money you will be treated subpar....fyi we do, but won't be back here to spend it. A couple of older ladies all dressed up Sat opposite got friendly service even though they arrived after us...so yes some training in customer service in dire need.

Super dinner with great service. I chose the steak with peppercorn sauce, chips and added a side order of carrots cooked with other ingredients, so very flavourful too and all to my liking. The menu choices were good as was the wine menu. The restaurant has a lovely ambience and the staff are friendly and helpful We would happily return to this excellent restaurant beside York Minster which still retains so much history in the restaurant of its former life as school for the Minster. Also has a lovely garden to eat and have a drink in.

Beautiful view looking onto the Minster with super friendly staff and great drinks

Night of an England euro semi so probably was always going to be quiet. Very enjoyable food. Great service. Compared to it's sister restaurant the Star Inn the City not as good value. Sl more expensive than the Star Inn too. But more formal. And beautiful building.

A delicious breakfast with exceptional service in an amazing setting. Can’t wait to return to York so we can visit again!

We went with a group for lunch. Two of us had the Ploughman's lunch. It was very disappointing. The cheese was soggy and tasteless. The ''Baguette" was three thin slices of doughy bread ( though in fairness we were brought another three slices to share between us when we asked for more). The price of £17 was extortionate. We won't return.

Wonderful treasure awaits you as well as outstanding views of The Minster. Staff looked after us even though we had only popped in for coffee and pudding as a final stop. What a lovely end to the day.

Do not go here over priced and worthless food wouldn't be going back I recommend you go to any other place then this one such as Olive Tree The only good bit was the service. Abysmal food

My friend and I dined here on the evening of Tuesday 11th June 2024. We ordered the gnocchi, the mackerel and the chicken from the starters menu to share between us with gazed heritage carrots as a side dish. The gnocchi were slightly disappointing however the other dishes were excellent, particularly the glazed carrots. We followed this selection with the baked Yorkshire parkin custard (and two spoons). This was a very unusual and enjoyable dessert. The restaurant is in a historical building and the conversion has been done very well. The premises are light and airy and spotlessly clean. The staff were pleasant and attentive, our only compaint was was that although the place was very quiet we seemed to wait a long time for the food to arrive, or perhaps we were just hungry.

Really great time for a friends birthday, was given the best table available and very attentively looked after by Kayleigh S offering a personalised service. Thank you Kayleigh!

I can't imagine King Charles waited 25 minutes to order a drink, following which he went to the bar himself to collect it. The service offered here is an utter insult to the location and the expectations set. Expect to wait for around 20/30 minutes to be served and likely then forgotten by the single member of waiting staff serving the entire outside area. We have given the Refectory several opportunities purely based on it's location and every single time we have left, feeling disappointed and underwhelmed.

Stunning location, delicious drinks. The food coming out to others looked delicious. The only thing letting the place down was that most of the staff seemed fed up and, in some cases, were verging on rude. Maybe we were just unlucky and I'm sure this does not reflect the usual standard of service. This was a very busy, sunny weekend and perhaps they were just stressed. However, it would have been nice not to have been made to feel like we were a nuisance for just asking for a drink and to pay. This does not apply to the gentleman who greeted and seated us; he was very friendly.

Delicious food, cooked to perfection with very attentive waiters. A perfect birthday treat. We booked for 5pm so it was fairly empty.

Wow, I get it's a pretty building and the menu looks all fancified, but as someone who's eaten at great restaurants all around the world, I'm sorry, it's over priced, pretentious, and none of my dishes were impressive. In fact earlier in the day I'd eaten at a cute little tapas place nearby that was 10 times as tasty, and the prices were about 1/3 what this place was charging. The dessert dish, a savory cheese and rhubarb thing was practically inedible.. in fact it sort of tasted like someone had poured cleaning fluid into it ... and the burning in my mouth from it makes me think that possibly they had. On top of that the waitstaff is badly trained. Not only did my waitress neglect to bring me the daily specials menu, but she was ignorant of any of the dishes, said she'd never tasted them. Ensuring that the wait staff at a fancy restaurant has at least tasted all of the dishes to be served (so that they can speak intelligently about them) is so fundamental that all decent restaurants make sure to always do it before opening for the day. And not only had she not tasted the specials, she said she'd never been given a chance to taste the regular menu items. So apparently they don't do that here. Since she hadn't, I tried other staff members and they were almost as clueless, one bartender said he'd eaten one of the dishes on his OWN DIME, and liked it, so I got that. This isn't how you run a fancy resturant

Superb food and service. Relaxed, sunshine and beautifully prepared cooked and presented meals!

Lovely views and really good service.

Did not eat this time it was a look and see. But real quality even for York

We came for a drink in this place, beautifully located, with an incredible view of the cathedral. The service was perfect; frankly, I recommend without any hesitation; to a well-deserved 5/5!

An absolutely amazing experience, wonderful food, superb service and the most stunning views in York. Highly recommended for a special treat.

Loved the food, here, talented Chefs. Bit different to others using clever classic French and modern English. On the roast beef dish, a second ( even half ) slice ( or a club cut) would have been a kinder portion of protein. The, rabbit, the veloute, and the puddings all deserve praise. The staff were friendly yet professional. Will be eating here regularly from henceforth.

Went with wife and two children and all had a great experience. Very welcoming staff, beautiful setting, smart interior and divine food. Food portions were spot on for all and prices very reasonable for such quality.

We sat outside with a tea and coffee, food looked amazing,a little expensive,

Great to have a nicer restaurant that caters for children, vegetarians and vegans well. This is on the pricey side, but good for a treat / special occasion. The food was well cooked and delicious and the staff friendly. The setting is lovely and the view of the minster stunning (although from our seat in the restaurant we couldn’t see that).

Having been to a number of Michelin star restaurants (which is what this is aiming to be I presume) I couldn’t believe the tiny portion sizes. I got a celeriac main which was tasty but the dish would have been small even for a starter, yet cost £19! This was similar with other dishes such as the pork belly and gnocchi. I don’t expect huge portions in fancy places but I had to order chips as soon as my dish arrived to feel even remotely satisfied. Celeriac is not an expensive ingredient. The service was also poor (not the waitress’ fault who tried chasing the kitchen for our desserts a few times) however we waited over an hour between main and dessert - eventually asking if the kids ice cream could at least be brought over sooner as they’d sat quietly playing for such a long time already. The heat of the restaurant was also really uncomfortable for everyone. This was an expensive meal and really disappointing when I think of similarly priced Michelin star or Michelin guide restaurants in the area.

Beautiful setting, 5 star food and warm service - a real gem right in the heart of York!

Best location and service in york 👌

Enjoyed a quiet lunch from the Light Bite menu, which was perfectly cooked & presented. Staff were terrific & we particularly liked the ‘modern sculpture’ created especially for us.

Called in for coffee and cake. Both were lovely and served by friendly staff in the historic refectory building.

What a stunning building in a most incredible setting, bang across from York Minster. Must be a delight to sit outside in summer. Being a cold February day, we sat inside. It's gorgeous.

Having visited the Minster went to the refectory for a pot of tea. There’s not a lot of ‘service’ in bringing a tray of tea to a table. Very surprised to see a 12.5% service charge added to the bill.

overall this is excellent, the building is amazing=, the setting inside is great, the food is cooked perfectly and presented immaculately. It is on the pricey side but this reflects the overall experience.

Service and food choices excellent. The meal was presented and ate extremely well. The venue is second to none with beautiful outlook on to York Minster. Easy to get to from railway station. I can’t recommend highly enough.

Superb! The building has a fantastic setting, being located adjacent to York Minster, and looks amazing when lit up on an evening. The staff are welcoming and extremely attentive, and can't do enough for you. I was with a large party of 12, and we were accommodated extremely well. The oysters to start with were superb - plump and juicy as they should be, and the vinaigrette complemented them very well. The pollock for main was excellent, perfectly spiced, and well cooked. I finished off with the cheese, and a dram of the 16yr old Lagavulin, which finished the night of in fine style. Overall, I can't fault the place - it was top notch from start to finish!

Met friends here for reunion lunch, tons of atmosphere and extensive menu, we took advantage of February discounts on main dishes. Service was polite friendly and prompt.

It’s fairly new and there are not many reviews online. However, it was perfect from every aspect! Top service, atmosphere and food!

A classy, calming setting for an annual get-together with old work colleagues. My pheasant was pretty good, served with a sausage roll and parsnips. There wasn't much of it, though (perhaps reflected by the £15 price) so I was glad to finish up my companion's copious ploughmans. My other friend had Tandoori pollack with lentils @ £25 which was more substantial than my dish and perhaps a better choice. The cost for each us with one bottle of wine was £46.

Had our post wedding meal here as a party of 9 (plus a little one). Everybody was enormously impressed by the experience. A lot of skill and effort had gone into every element of the dishes from individual components to presentation. Service was wonderful. Bill was extremely reasonable for the standard of food, service and ambience. Strong recommendation.

This restaurant got things exactly right from the moment you walk through the door. The building has been tastefully turned into a restaurant with reminders of its past (Minster School). Greeted with a warm welcome and promptly shown to table. The menu has a limited number of choices, but on the whole, the dishes are not those that you see everyday and have some interesting twists. The carrot velouté was tasty as was the accompanying brioche. The pheasant main was tasty and had an interesting "mini sausage roll" twist. The accompanying truffle potatoes were tasty. No room for a dessert, although some of group did - and they looked excellent. Good quality red wine for the meal and a great cafe latte to round off things. Tables are not too close together and the ambient noise level is low making it easy to have conversations. For the quality and service level (which was attentive but not obtrusive), the price point was good. Will definitely return

An absolutely delicious treat; flawless service, wonderful location and setting and impeccable modern British food with a focus on Yorkshire produce. We're not local but we will be back!

We stumbled upon this beautiful restaurant whilst wandering around York at lunchtime. From the moment we walked through the door the staff were amazing. Very friendly and welcoming. We had a burger and club sandwich and both were very very nice. Portion size is large. Next time we are in York we will certainly be back for an evening meal.

Visited the restaurant with 5 other friends on a Monday evening to celebrate a big birthday. We were given a lovely table and were treated well by our waitress from start to finish. Most of us had starters, all delicious and quite filling , with mains between us of fish, chicken and steak. All the food was cooked well and was very tasty. We loved the ambience and the restaurant was cosy and warm. We also liked the fact that we could talk easily, sometimes restaurants are far too noisy. Had been slightly apprehensive when booking, but should not have been as it was the perfect place to celebrate a big birthday, we hope to return again soon

Very posh. Right opposite the minister in a very beautiful building. We went with my 3 and 1yr old and were still msde very welcome, while Id say its probably not a spot for little ones really

Wonderful food and excellent service from Kris. 5 star What a treat this was. We went and had a 3 course meal. You must get the seafood cocktail for a starter it's amazing. Kris looked after us and really knows his stuff.

Very good food, unusual and feel good. Unfortunately left to flounder when we arrived. not very busy. My personal concern was having to cope with 4 menus, it was too much.

This was a big surprise on a short stay in York . Omens were not good as the sleet came down as we exited the Minster . We made our way to the refectory and found it to be a well restored old building with old school items on display. The surroundings were very comfortable and staff very friendly. The mains were both excellent with local produce in evidence. Desserts were a treat. We both did not realise before how good this place is .

A fabulous lunch on Saturday with overseas family. Everything you'd expect from Andrew Pern's stable - and lovely to see some familiar faces on the team. The food and service was outstanding from start to finish. Baked duck egg started was as delightful, the steak tartare delicious and the must have truffle tartiflette was a stunning side order. Brown butter baked cod was a highlight too. Good wine list with something for everyone. A great place to eat - looking forward to a return visit soon!

This is our second visit to the refectory and both occasions have been excellent. The location adjacent to the Minster in the centre of York can’t be beat. The tables cater to couples, groups and large parties. The starters were all delicious (risotto, duck, seafood cocktail) the mains were all very tasty (steak tartar, Steak, fish, pheasant) the only small critique is we would like more on the plate a few vegetables or some bread to start. We didn’t have desserts this time but previously they were delicious. The staff are lovely and very attentive. Can’t wait to go again.

First time dining here and it was amazing! As a sister restaurant to The Star in the City, I was not disappointed!

Food was lukewarm at best, place almost empty and the quality of food underwhelming for the price. Unfortunate for such a prime location.

My husband and I, along with our 2 young children (3 and 18 months) decided yesterday to try the refectory for a drink, having known nothing about it before hand. It all started well, we told the girl who greeted us that we only wanted a drink, no food - she was helpful, welcoming and managed to find us a table pretty quickly. We sat down and the girl told us someone would be with us shortly to take our order. At this point I realised how fancy this place was, with lots of tables occupied, and bottles of champagne at nearly every table. I tried not to feel out of place. Whilst I looked at the menu my husband went with my 3 year old to the toilet. When he came back I told him noone had been over to see us, although there were waiters walking passed us the whole time, even making eye contact with me but not one said a word. I then took my 18 month old to the toilet, changed her nappy, and when I came back to the table my husband said "shall we just go?" I knew this meant that in the time it had taken 4 people to go to the toilet, and with a nappy change thrown in for good measure, that not one of the waiters had even shown us the time of day. Not even a "i'll be with you shortly." To top it off there was a single woman shown to her table whilst we were already seated, she was given a bottle of water and her order taken almost immediately. Even when we were getting all our stuff to leave (which can take some time with 2 young children) not one person asked if we were okay. Even tho, again, there were numerous members of staff walking passed us, even moving out of our way as we left with the pushchair. All I can think is that we weren't made to feel welcome as our "face doesn't fit" - you wouldn't look at us and think we were going to spend a lot of money, but how would you know? Why is our money any less favoured than anyone else in that restaurant? If this is your policy then shame on you. I would have much preferred to have been told on the door that it wasn't a family restaurant, rather than be made to feel the way you *all* made us feel. We were very happy to take our custom elsewhere. All I can say is, I hope King Charles got a nicer reception than we did.

As a huge fan of the Star Inn the City we thought we’d give the Rectory a try, but we’re hugely disappointed and won’t be back. All 6 of our party preferred the star. Downstairs was closed off and we were seated in a small room upstairs with around 6 tables and no atmosphere despite the surroundings. The waiter was attentive and we were looked after but not outstanding. I found the food very disappointing and more expensive than the star. Between 6 of us we had various choices from the menu, but I found all of mine bland and uninteresting. I really wanted to enjoy the refectory but unfortunately it fell far short of what we expected for the money.

Style over substance, lovely building but cold

This is the first time I've been in, we called in for drinks but we will give it a go for meals soon.

Great looking restaurant but disappointed with bar area. And the welcome we received .

A beautiful venue with excellent staff, fantastic food and great atmosphere. We had a selection of starters to share between 3 people and I couldn’t fault them. It maybe a slightly higher price than some of the other local options but for me it is totally worth it.

We left after the starter. It’s a stunning building, particularly when it’s lit up. It’s less special when you’re held by security in the cold vestibule waiting for your table. We weren’t allowed to go to the bar and wait (we were on time but our table wasn’t) because it was too full. The party of around 6 people after us didn’t bother waiting and barged into the bar. The door supervisor was told by the host that it was ok because they’re regulars. After our wait, we were hurriedly shown (without our jackets being taken) to our table, passing an empty seating area upstairs where we could have waited. We hoped the food would make up for the shoddy welcome. The salmon was terribly salty. The seafood cocktail lacked the promised seafood. We gave up and asked to leave. Our waiter was very good and understanding and insisted we didn’t have to pay. We ate elsewhere and won’t return.

Absolutely superb meal in stunning surroundings, a wonderful atmosphere and a really lovely friendly team attending to our every need. A fabulous evening. This is our first visit but as we are local we are looking to returning again soon.

Host was great, but service was subpar. Took quite a long time to get anyone to even acknowledge us, which was an issue throughout the night. The food was good, the dessert was the best part of the meal. It’s a great building and very pretty from the outside.

Delicious food, lovely surrounding. We had the pheasant which was perfectly well cooked and a good portion size. Extensive menu. Sadly, service was lacking. Took 25 mins from arriving until taking our food orders, despite being sat for 15+ mins with our menu closed. Then,...

Fantastic top class food, three perfect courses, hot and tasty food very well cooked and presented. My gluten free dishes were labelled in the kitchen which is a brilliant idea to prevent any mistakes ( first time I’ve seen that, and it shows the amount...

Really cozy atmosphere and nice selection of wines. The place is better than the photos but we visited in Christmas period that made this place more cozy and charming. The food was really well presented and nice. The staff is really friendly and smiling all the time. Definitely it’s worthy to book with them. We were in a group of 6 people that was nicely arranged in a elevated area of the restaurant. Highly recommended and affordable prices.

We visited for the first time recently having wanted to try this place since it opened. We had the three course Christmas menu, and enjoyed the food very much. I had the salmon fish cake, followed by the turkey and then Christmas pudding. The fish...

Unable to checkout food or service it was closed, but the view up to it was stunning, obviously catering for tourists/students with plenty of outside space/tables. It is open winter time but in the summer will be superb......if you can get a seat!. With the Minster to one side and the superb building itself is a winner.

First and foremost we cannot comprehend the negative reviews left by some, based on our own experience, this was one of the most pleasant dining experiences we have had the pleasure of enjoying. All staff we had the pleasure of dealing with where poliite, efficient and friendly. Food was of the finest quality,. superbly prepared and cooked, Flavours amazing. Enjoyed so much that a meal here will be the centre piece of future visits to York for us. Recommended unreservedly. Thank you for a superb dining experience. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Food was excellent only flaw was no chunky chip or new potatoes but had french ⁰fries the only disappointment Services was excellent too

I have visited twice now, and both times I've thoroughly enjoyed the historic setting, the food, and the very attentive customer service. However, given the price I feel the portion sizes could be a bit more generous, e.g. it wouldn't hurt to get a few...

I’ve visited twice recently (lunch and dinner) and had very different experiences. The venue is beautiful and very nicely converted into a restaurant making the most of its history as a school. It’s beautifully decorated for Christmas. The staff were welcoming and attentive. The food...