Down the Hatch — Restaurant in Liverpool

We were excited to eat here on a day trip to Liverpool but sadly I feel like our experience doesn't match that of others who have reviewed Down The Hatch on Google. Firstly, we should compliment the enthusiastic young man who served us throughout the evening. He was attentive, polite and a good fit for the role. We didn't catch his name. The food, however, wasn't as impressive. I ordered fully loaded fries with a vegan donner meat style topping, but I was ultimately disappointed with what was presented to me; the donner was completely saturated in oil and had no flavour. It was dumped on top of a small portion of the cheapest possible frozen french fries. It came with a vinegary side salad that saturated the plate and wasn't nice to eat. We got a portion of bbq seitan wings too and they weren't too bad, just a bit dry and the sauce tasted like that cheap chef's larder sauce. My partner ordered a shepard's pie and it was served in a tiny pan. Honestly, it was about 3 X 3 inches, mainly potato, and totally lacking in any vegetables or meat. It was a premium price too so extremely disappointing. I was still hungry so I ordered the "famous" biscoff cake for nearly £8 and I received a stale piece of average sponge with a hint of biscoff flavour. The other aspect of the visit that we found particularly annoying was the seating arrangement. The place was empty when we arrived, and yet, as more customers turned up, they were seated at the tables right next to us, leaving none of us any privacy in a large restaurant with easily enough room to space us all out a bit. The music was also a bit invasive. Sadly, we won't return. I understand that restaurants have overheads to make, but our hard earned money went nowhere...

I arrived just before my partner it was dark and you have to walk down the very dark no light steps and misjudged the last step, grabbed the wrought iron rail (hurt my hand slightly) to prevent me falling. My partner said when I arrived at the table "them steps - nearly fell" I replied, "me too(as above).

3 got 3 starters on offer for £18. The non meat balls were very nice, garlic mushrooms were OK and potatoes bravas weren't great. These 3 portions were quite small (maybe single portions non deal may be bigger)

Partner had the lentil curry / chickpea. The commented how small it was with a small bowl of rice in the centre. Unfortunately, the moulded rice bowl 🍚 upside down was rock hard and remained in its shape and wasn't edible.

We told the waitress and she took the meal back the kitchen.

We heard the chef from the kitchen "just send the chef apologies"

Waitress said something about cooking or using different bowls for the rice. Looked like the rice had been sitting cooked for ages in the bowl but I'm no chef.

By the time her meal arrived which was a better size portion and the rice was edible I'd eaten most my meal.

I'm a meat eater and went for the burger Royal which was a nice crispy pate / texture with fries.

My burger was nice with the only negative was a cold bun like it had come from the fridge.

The wine and service from the waiting team was good and the restaurant is lovely inside with bare brick and nice lighting.

It was my first time at a junk vegan restaurant and worth a visit.

Quite busy at 7.30 added to...

During our visit to Liverpool we had so much fun that I forgot to do my reviews, sorry for the delay but here it is.

Let's talk about a place that's not just a restaurant – it's a whole experience, right in the heart of the city center. Down the Hatch, you've officially stolen my foodie heart! 💖

The uniqueness oozes from every corner – a basement haven that's somehow better than you'd ever imagine. And let me tell you, our lucky stars were shining that day because we snagged a table without the usual hustle and bustle. It made our meal feel like an enchanting journey.

Now, brace yourselves for the food – it's a taste explosion from another universe. Seriously, folks, the flavors were so out-of-this-world amazing that I wished time would slow down so we could savor every bite.

The menu? Oh boy, it's a treasure trove of culinary delights just waiting to be discovered. I'm convinced that everything on it is a slice of heaven, just like what we got to enjoy.

Trust me when I say this: words fall short when it comes to describing how unbelievably good it is. You simply have to experience it yourself, and I promise you won't be disappointed. The vibe inside is absolutely adorable, like stepping into a cozy hideaway, and the service? Top-notch!

So, my food-loving friends, I'm waving the recommendation flag high for Down the Hatch. And oh, don't even think twice – get yourself some loaded fries. You'll thank...