The Botanist Newcastle — Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne

One of the worst meal services I’ve ever experienced. We booked an early table to avoid the rush as we had a young child in our group. The restaurant was relatively quiet when we got there and certainly never full as the evening progressed.

It took 45 minutes for our drinks to arrive, despite following up multiple times with different waiters and the host, who were all unhelpful and just passing the buck to the next person.

You’d think given this huge delay a manager would have stepped in to apologise and prioritise our food order coming through the kitchen.

Nope. Our main courses did not arrive until a full 2 hours after we were seated! Again despite following up with multiple staff members to ask where our meals were.

When the food finally arrived, we were then told a few items were missing/not available. The kebabs were poor quality and small portions for the price. The meat had the texture of rubber!

Ordering further rounds of drinks or asking for the bill was also met with massive waits and the staff just disappearing for 20-30 minutes at a time. We also had to clear the glasses and plates from our own table between courses as the staff weren’t taking these away.

After asking for the bill urgently (as our parking was about to expire after 3 hours in the restaurant) this took a further 10 minutes so we tried to pay at the bar so we could leave, and were told this wasn’t possible - you literally have a card machine, it is possible.

When the bill finally arrived, the waiter had the nerve to put service charge on! I think the entire meal should have been comped given how poor the whole experience was.

A special mention - the two hosts on the front of house station were particularly unhelpful. Clearly the dining room was short staffed, while they just stood gossiping and not offering any help on following up on our order or trying to resolve the situation in any way.

If you can’t offer a reasonable service level, you shouldn’t be taking as many bookings. You need a competent manager on the floor in the dining room. Most of the staff were very inexperienced and running around like headless chickens.

Avoid this place. You can get much better food and service at almost any other restaurant...

A really nice venue with lots of indoor and terrace plants, plenty of tables for customers, a vibrant busy atmosphere, and a nice terrace on the upper floor, which has a great view of the town below. However, a big let down of my visit was the lack of bar staff on duty during my visit earlier today. There was one amazing member of bar staff on during this busy afternoon who was serving 7 customers in front of me, who were ordering multiple complex coctails and other drinks for their tables. I don't know if there was supposed to be another bartender on shift, or if they were taking their break, because it was very busy at the bar, and I also noticed another couple members of staff who were purely focused on collecting glasses, who at least one would of been better suited to assist the member of staff who was left alone to serve at the bar. It took a long time to get served because of this. The member of staff serving however had amazing customer service dispite being on their own whilst serving a busy bar. Another let down was when I reached the terrace on the top floor. There was a lot of glasses left on tables and there were covers over some of the sofas, which should have been took off at the start of the day. Also, there were rings on the table showing that it had not been cleaned, and the wooden area next to the table had a lot of stains on, which could have been cleaned before the bar had opened. This didn't entirely ruin the upstairs terrace, as it still had a beutiful view of newcastle below, however, my experience suggests that a lot more effort could go into the maintainance of the venue. I had last visited before the pandemic, and I expected a five star experience. Unfortunately this was not the case, and I hope more effort into better cleaning and better staffing levels can be implemented in future. I will visit again as the venue itself is generally very nice, but my visit today on the whole was...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Botanist in Newcastle, and it was a delightful experience from start to finish.

First and foremost, the building itself is a sight to behold. The decor is impeccable, with a perfect balance of sophistication and coziness. The open space, flooded with natural light, creates an inviting atmosphere. What truly adds to the charm are the abundant plants throughout the restaurant, seamlessly blending with the theme and enhancing the overall aesthetic.

The ambiance at The Botanist is a winner. The music selection sets the perfect mood, making it a great place to unwind and enjoy a leisurely evening. Although I didn't get the chance to visit the rooftop bar, glimpses of it while walking past left me yearning for a sunny day to enjoy its allure.

One standout aspect of the restaurant was the impeccable service. Our server was attentive and went above and beyond to ensure our needs were met. It's refreshing to dine at a place where you don't have to work hard to get the attention of the staff.

Now, onto the food – it was a delightful experience. The menu offers a diverse range of options, and I opted for the cheeseburger and chips. The quality of the food was evident, and it was cooked to perfection. The burger itself was a treat – a well-balanced combination of flavors with a nicely toasted bun. Importantly, it wasn't overly greasy or messy, which can sometimes be the downfall of burgers.

In summary, The Botanist in Newcastle is a gem of a restaurant. From its stunning building and decor to the inviting atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious food, it offers a complete dining experience that's hard to beat. Whether you're looking for a relaxing evening out or a delightful meal, The Botanist is an...