Ah, the Waterside Bar at Northampton University – a dining experience that can only be described as a rite of passage, like exams, late assignments, and wondering what your life would be like if you’d chosen literally any other university with better food.
Let’s start with the menu. You know how some places boast about “world cuisine” or “farm-to-table”? Well, Waterside Bar leans heavily into the “from-a-freezer-to-the-microwave” genre, which they’ve absolutely mastered. They’re consistent in serving meals that are as bland as that lecture you slept through last week.
The Burger – Or as I like to call it, “The Sad Sandwich.” Picture a patty that’s so dry it could double as a coaster for your pint. The lettuce is limp, the bun is stale, and the cheese? Let’s just say if it melts, it’s probably because the laws of physics have given up. It’s not a burger – it’s an edible cry for help.
The Curious Chilli – A favorite for students on a budget because it’s priced like a student loan-friendly meal. However, it tastes like a mistake. It’s unclear what kind of sauce they use, but I’d say it falls somewhere between watery regret and despair. Each bite feels like you’re negotiating a peace treaty between your stomach and your taste buds. Spoiler alert: nobody wins.
Now, let’s talk about the one shining beacon of hope in this culinary wasteland: the fries. These golden, crispy sticks of salvation are the reason why this bar hasn’t been burnt to the ground in a fit of student outrage. They’re the perfect balance of salty, greasy goodness that pairs well with existential dread and looming deadlines. The fries are so good that you’ll find yourself ordering a plate of them just so you don’t have to face the grim reality of whatever the “special of the day” is. They’re basically the therapy you need after looking at your tuition statement.
The tragedy, of course, is that students don’t have much of a choice. You’ve got a 30-minute gap between lectures, the nearest decent restaurant is a 20-minute walk away, and you’re hungry enough that the Waterside Bar starts looking like a reasonable option. It’s basically a hostage situation where the ransom is...
Read moreme and friends are student at uon so this bar is convenient for us, it’s got great food and a lively atmosphere. We went today for the sunday dinner with illuminated kitchen and feel insulted, we came at 3pm no one seated us we seated ourselves we were told to wait for someone to come over to take our order and waited 45 minutes, moving on the food didn’t come till 5.30pm almost 2 hours after ordering. We know there is a wait for food however every table around us was served in half the time tables that came in a hour after us were being served before us, we were offered any compensation and to add on to this when our food came we were told there were no more yorkshire puddings but that they would be brought over in 20 minutes we waited and they weren’t brought over we asked and got told to wait again by this time it was nearly 6pm the yorkshires were not coming and food was cold, shame as the food was actually very very nice and we would have again however we will not be coming back for these sunday dinners with this...
Read moreOverall: Located in the Riverside Campus of Northampton University, this is a good place for hangout with friends and your beloved, or convenient for Northampton university students to grasp a quick snack during academic terms.
Space: The restaurant has a lot of windows, light and sunshine and from inside you can have the view of beautiful Nene river, green grass and modern pathway outside of Riverside campus. The restaurant has modern decor with wood furniture for people to selfie. The space is clean, open and spacious. Toilets are clean and modern. Parking: There is a parking lot inside or outside the campus with great capacity. Menu: The menu has limited range of food, mostly snack and finger food dishes like pizza pieces and burgers. Price: one digit pound, cheap for students with limited budget. Food: The food is very good compared with the price, food decor is nice. They also provide additional different kinds of sauces such as BBQ, ketchup,...
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