York Minster Refectory in York

Visited on Friday evening. Made to wait too long before anyone came to seat us at our table. Should've given me a clue at how appalling the service was about to be. There an hour before we got served our food. Then a starter was missing so 4 out of 5 us had to start. Then requested an additional 2 glasses of wine after 2 bottles with dinner but these never materialised. It made up our mind not to bother with dessert or any other drinks I'd normally tip the staff but I could not do it this time. No apology. Not even a goodbye as we left. The food might be good but I'll never recommend such poor & dismally slow service. Marred the evening & I would not recommend unless you've so much time on your hands that it doesn't matter.

Enjoyed a delicious 7 course tasting lunch menu. Excellent friendly service from Adrianna. Wine pairings perfect Very good value. Highly recommend

We had such a fabulous meal here for my birthday. I had the fish soufflé to start it was 10/10!

Our 2nd visit during York Restaurant Week. Excellent. The lamb bon bons were so flavoursome. Who knew a cauliflower could be so tasty? Dessert was a chocolate heaven. Wonderful service, so pleasant.

Remarkably poor quality food. This was intended as a special night for me and my 84year old mother. She had eaten here before very successfully and wanted to take me out for a special meal. Unfortunately the food was very disappointing. The sourdough bread was delicious but covered in a sticky honey coating that covered our hands and cutlery. My cauliflower veloute was excellent but my mother’s samosa was mediocre. The mains were really poor. The crab dish was inedible and Yorkshire Sirloin steak no better than you get from a supermarket. The chips were heavily over salted. It has to be said the waitress was a delight but on complaining to the manager, she listened attentively but made no real effort to rectify the situation. A shame as it is a wonderful location.

Lovely restaurant and bar. Staff were welcoming,friendly and attentive Food was great, especially the ox cheek starter 👍 ... and an excellent smoking Old Fashioned cocktail 🥃

We were a tiny bit apprehensive about trying the refectory for the first time, as to be honest we are not overly keen on its sister restaurant, we need not have had any concerns, from arrival, the young lady at reception was delightful and helpful, all the staff were efficient and pleasant but , I hope I have spelt this correctly, Alliston was outstanding in every way, knowledgeable and informative without being overbearing at all. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing, we ordered Kir Royale and oysters as an aperitif and were advised against bread, good move, the 7 courses were exceptional, each one nicer than the last, wine was well matched and explained at every course, I discovered that the tasting menu changes monthly, it will be my go to whenever in York.

We came for the 7 course tasting menu during a midweek evening. The restaurant was very spacious and sympathetically renovated, with some of the original characteristics still intact. The drinks menu was varied and there was a choice of non alcoholic drinks too! The tasting menu was fabulous. We enjoyed every dish and were generously plated. The celeriac veloute and coley fillet needed seasoning, but cooked perfectly! We had seats by the window, so enjoyed the Light Show at the Minster! The service was at a good speed and attentive. The tasting menu was good value and will return again!

Came there this evening, very accommodating and staff very helpful with a wheelchair user, food was very nice we was both pleased with the food quality here and recommend visiting, while we did not need to book ahead now as the weather gets better I would recommend booking in. Good selection of food with a matching compliment of drinks both none alcoholic and alcoholic available.

If you like and enjoy chaos this is the place to come. Popped in for a pot of tea and it was clear the staff were overwhelmed and struggling despite seeming to have plenty of people working. Our pot of tea arrived in a broken, chipped and dirty pot that I actually returned for a fresh pot. Wished we had gone elsewhere!

Tasting menu was good, all though it couldn have been half as much food for the same price and itd have been just as good. One of waitress was amazing however the other seemed lost sometimes possibly new which can be forgiven. The reviews we looked at made the place out to be far more but it was quite empty and lacking in atmosphere. Wine pairing was not explained and some of the dishes didn't really make sense or good together as a tasting menu. Have had far fair better experience given the price point.

A unique and relaxing setting with delicious food and great service. We had the February tasting menu with the wine pairing and couldn't fault any of it. All well balanced, locally sourced and tasty from start to finish! I could eat the rhubarb 'cheesecake' all day long! It wasn't very busy (rainy Wednesday) so we were able to sit and enjoy the tasting menu at a very relaxed paced, never felt rushed. Would happily come back anytime.

We enjoyed the excellent tasting menu here, highlights for me were the Oven Baked Coley Fillet with Samphire & Pea Fricassee, Salt and Vinegar Scraps, Tartare Velouté, and the White Chocolate Delice with Rum Crème Fraiche, Toasted Coconut, but all the dishes were amazing. My only constructive comment would be that some of the courses, especially the rhubarb dessert, were full size, they felt too big for a tasting menu and we struggled to finish them even though they tasted great. The service was excellent and the atmosphere in this lovely building was great. This is definitely a place to put very high on the list for eating out in York.

Beautiful little bar area. Haven't been for dinner yet, but the drinks were grand and Rhys really looked after us

Popped in for a cocktail on a Saturday evening and the staff were happy to accommodate us in the bar area. Tasty cocktails and nice atmosphere!

I wasn’t sure as the first entrance looked a bit unprecedented. Towels and magazines lying around. However the dinning room, food and service were great. Smiling waitress and well turned out.

A wonderful dining experience. We had the 7 course tasting menu (there were 7 of us). I am a pescatarian (eat fish but not meat) and they adapted the menu for me wonderfully. Each course was perfectly balanced and well executed. With my favourites being the Roast Celeriac Soup and Curried Cod Cheeks. Wine selection is extensive, and their wine pairing was tremendous. The staff were wonderful, attentive but also in the back ground, so as to not spoil the flow of conversation or be constantly interrupting. We will definitely be returning for their Al A Carte menu as this looked just as special. Couldn't recommend more highly!

This is a stunning location, the restaurant looked amazing from outside. twinkling lights and reflections in the rain. We were greeted by the warmest friendliest team and the service was superb all evening , despite serving 250 covers! Nothing is too much trouble for anyone. The food was outstanding and the six of us enjoyed every course , accompanied by fine wines . Will return soon

Our first time eating at The Refectory and it will certainly be our last. Before I explain why the experience was so negative, I will say that the quality of the food was generally very good. We ate off the Sunday lunch menu with most of our table having the salmon to start (which was delicious) and everyone had roast beef. I did ask how the beef was served before ordering, but the promised mid-rare beef came out more mid-well. I think I was just unlucky with my tough portion as the rest of the table had very tender portions. Unfortunately, our experience at The Refectory was marred by woefully poor service. From the moment we arrived, there was no warm welcome at the front desk, no greeting from the bartender who ignored us initially and eventually opened with the line ‘do you two know what you want?’. Throughout three courses, I think we had one check-back when we had almost finished mains. No further drinks or water was offered. When you’re automatically adding on a service charge of 12.5%, your level of service needs to be much higher than is currently offered. Poor service isn’t a first for me, and I’ve never written a Tripadvisor review before, but it’s what happened as we were leaving which made me open this account. Whilst we putting on our coats and waiting for one member of our group to use the toilet. My partner and I (both tall at 6ft4 and 6ft7) were mocked for our height by the waiter in the red waistcoat with light hair. He walked in between us on tip-toes with what he must think was a comedic walk. Do Refectory staff mock all their customers for their distinguishing features like weight, skin colour etc? Would this waiter have mocked us if we were two dwarves? Needless to say, after this prejudiced insulting ending, we will never return. Refectory management needs to overhaul their staff training and start with some core industry basics as the current service does not match the food and setting.

Such a beautiful venue. It’s a little hit & miss with the service however in general, the staff are very good. The food was excellent and I will definitely return.

A fabulous menu with excellent service. The gravy is literally the best I have ever had.

Overpriced for the portion sizes, but tasty enough

We went for a drink - the service is very professional and friendly, the atmosphere is great, especially during the holidays. Prices are higher than average.

Went with friends for dinner, Staff attentive, kind and friendly. Atmosphere and setting couldn't be better. Wine lovely. I've got to say the food was bang average at best, pork cheek, covered in to much mashed whatever it was, crackling not crispy and the dish wasn't warm enough, fried turkey starter, was just bland. The pan fried seabass was tasteless and bland. The potato fondant was cold and hard. Luckily we're 4 very close friends and enjoyed the wine and company. Please pay more attention to detail on taste and temperature.

Great venue for a Sunday lunch. Close to the Cathedral and attractions but tucked off to the side of Minster Yard so quiet whilst still in the main tourist area. The food and service were excellent. Spacious seating and we didn't feel rushed. Would highly recommend and looking forward to a return visit.

The building and location is fantastic, lovely place for sit and have a bit of dinner, loads of old features still very prominent in the building and a lovely night time view of the Minster. Food is very very good, no doubting the quality of the food itself, only very minor mark is I would like a little bit more - just some rustic traditional vegetables would have finished this off perfectly and for the price, it feels a bit "wrong" to then have to add these on separately. 2 courses are required as a minimum really, main on its own wouldn't be enough for me, but the quality of the food keeps this review at a 5 (JUST!)

Absolutely Superb Delicious food impeccable service and amazing setting

Stopped here for a quick drink Only but really lovely building g and surroundings next to the Minster. Great service from a team madly under pressure behind the bar on a crazy busy Saturday. Stories at a nice table with great heaters to keep us warm.

What a fabulous taster menu. Birthday meal for partner and an amazing meal it was. Every course delicious and the paired wine accompanied it ideally. Highlight for me the prawn toast with a superb lobster sauce. Our waiter Jamie was fantastic and he added to the experience with his descriptions of each course and its pairing. Thank you Jamie. Very much worth visiting for a great York meal

Really enjoyed the tasting menu at York Minster Refectory. Reasonably priced at £45 for 7 courses. The highlights were the roast butternut squash velouté and the fillet of Yorkshire pork. The service was excellent. The building itself is very interesting with a great view of York Minster. Thoroughly recommended.

I was here for my grandmothers wake. The staff was very respectful, the organization was impeccable and the food delicious (they even did a vegan menu for me). It couldn‘t have gone better and I know my grandmother would have loved it. A big thank you to the team!

Fabulous food and service. Highly recommend

Porciones míseras y un enorme margen de descuento en el vino. £ 12 por un vaso de 175 ml cuando la botella se vende por alrededor de £ 16 . Tuvimos red y pudín, nada espectacular. £ 10 por una rodaja de queso y un par de galletas saladas.

Just popped in for drinks, and to warm up, but is a very welcoming and friendly place

What a refreshing change to eat out and NOT feel ripped off. Service great, quality of food great, variety of choice great, value for money great. Will definitely return. Had soup not just soup! and seafood platter, superb.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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…

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!

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

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

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! 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! 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!

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.

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

Lovely views and really good service.

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

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.