Castle Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in Ireland

A Flawless Experience for a Special Occasion My partner and I chose the Castle Kitchen + Bar for a significant anniversary dinner, and it proved to be the perfect setting. From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for a special evening. The atmosphere strikes a wonderful balance between sophisticated and welcoming, with elegant decor and warm, intimate lighting that feels celebratory without being stuffy. The service was, without a doubt, a highlight. Our server was the epitome of professional: exceptionally knowledgeable about both the food menu and the wine list, offering fantastic recommendations that complemented our meal perfectly. The entire front-of-house team was attentive without ever being intrusive; our glasses were never empty, and they anticipated our needs effortlessly. We felt genuinely cared for and never once rushed. And the food itself was simply sublime. Every dish that arrived at our table was a work of art, both visually and in flavour. My main, a perfectly cooked cut of steak, was rich and tender, while my partner’s seafood dish was fresh, delicate, and beautifully balanced. It’s clear that the kitchen is run with immense skill and a passion for high-quality, local ingredients. While it is certainly a premium price point, the experience delivers on every level. For an unforgettable meal where the food, service, and atmosphere are all a faultless 5/5, Castle Kitchen + Bar is worth every penny. We are already looking forward to finding an excuse to return. Highly...

A quality restaurant nestled in the picturesque Galgorm Castle grounds, an enjoyable experience but not without its flaws. The menu has some real highlights, a selection of starters that caters to most tastes and an excellent array of mains that certainly tantalise the taste buds, the grill section being a particular point of intrigue. The dessert menu on the other hand was distinctly uninspired so I didn't even bother - a real shame as I am most certainly a dessert lover. The main course, I went with the sirloin cooked medium rare - something that so many restaurants are incapable of of achieving - was cooked to absolute perfection. Exactly how it was ordered and also seasoned properly with some tasty grill lines - whoever cooked that meat knew what they were doing! The only downside is the boring forced fried mushroom and tomato. That is phoning in the garnish - you are located on the edge of the countryside, it would be easy to offer beautiful seasonal veg which would be so much better. Truffle parmesan fries were rather good as a side dish and the pepper sauce was bang on though! I had a Guinness to drink and the pour was perfect - if you know Guinness then you will know what I mean! One downside was a less than perfectly clean glass, otherwise it was flawless! So overall very good food and drink in a modern and enjoyable atmosphere. Only let down by some curious menu design flaws and it isn't cheap - fix the flaws and I would be happy to pay for...

Finally, back home to Ballymena for a visit after lockdown and was really looking forward to having dinner here as its been refurbished since my last visit. I am disappointed to say I was very let down. After being seated it was over 40 mins before we were offered something to drink, an excuse was given that they thought we were waiting on other people to arrive, but even if we were I would still expect to be offered drinks. The starter was okay but a very small portion, I ordered a sirloin steak for my main and it was so tough I couldn't cut it, I had to send it back. Thankfully the chef agreed with me and the waitress apologised saying it was a bad cut of meat. The next steak was better but the steak knife wouldn't of sliced butter, they really need to invest in proper steak knifes. My friends meal was okay, she had salted chili chicken for starters and it was slightly burnt and hard but after the issue with the steak she was too embarrassed to complain. The service was slow and not what I expect for the prices being charged. I live in London so I am use to high prices but this is expensive for Ballymena, expecially given the service and quality of the food. The restaurant and the bar decor is lovely so there is a lot...