The Courtyard — Restaurant in Portsmouth

LEFT FEELING ROBBED AT BREAKFAST.

On arrival the courtyard looks very inviting with it being in a historic location we had high hopes it would be enjoyable.

Service : fantastic (no complaints here) greeted promptly. Seated straight away and even with the request to change tables it was no problem at all for them.

Atmosphere : music playing in background which was plesent. Decor seemed cheap. Surrounded by plastic ivy and hanging plastic plants which seemed pretty lame. Furniture was grubby and some chairs felt rickety.

Food: now this is where my low rating comes in. Looking at the menu we felt like we were in for a treat with boasts about field mushrooms, fresh doorstop bread, steak and eggs, chorizo stacks etc etc....

We had ordered a full English for £14 and bacon doorstop with an added egg for £10 (which I already felt was shocking having an egg added costing an extra £2!!!)

When the food arrived we were left feeling disappointed. Most of the ingredients used seemed average at best and not worth the price your paying. I hate to say it but you would receive the same food at spoons and pay less than half the price you do here (AND I NEVER RECOMMEND SPOONS!!)

Toast wasn't toasted. Tomatoes hadn't seen the grill long enough. Sausage was cold. Bacon was tough. Egg yolk very pale. Watery SINGLE mushroom. Hash browns were mass produced poor quality.

Bacon and egg door stop...... 2 slices of thin cheap bread with 2 slices of cold bacon with a fried anemic egg served on a wooden bread board in hopes to look fancy. Costing a total of £10!!

5 stars for the tea though. Love a nice cup...

It was my husband’s 30th birthday this past weekend so along with a few friends, we took a little trip to Portsmouth/ Southsea. We stumbled across The Courtyard looking for Bloody Mary’s and cake to please two hungover men and a pregnant lady. (We weren’t sure where to start looking)

We were so impressed! The cocktails were expertly made, the menu was so diverse and the cake was perfect! The atmosphere is lovely, especially now over the holiday seasons. It was such an ice cold day but this place warmed the cockels (did I spell that right?) of our hearts! Absolutely great service, such friendly and accommodating staff and dog friendly!

We had such a great time that we came back that night for more cocktails and small plates. We highly recommend the antipasti platter! You won’t find better food anywhere else, each dish is prepared to perfection and tastes sensational.

You will not be disappointed by this little piece of heaven tucked away in an old castle by the sea.

We had a wonderful chat with the gentlemen behind the delicious food and the fabulous bar tendress at the end of the night, they are such a delightful bunch! We will definitely be back, the 2 hour drive is definitely worth it.

Thank you to everyone who works there for making my husband’s...

I had lunch here with three friends, one of whom was celebrating a birthday. As a vegetarian, I found several interesting choices on the menu and I decided on the Buddha Bowl with chick peas, falafel, avocado, butternut squash, salad leaves and a dip. The waitress said butternut squash wasn't available, so I ordered feta cheese instead. One of my friends had a Ruben Chiabatta, another chose the Gourmet Burger, and another the Pork Belly Burger. It took quite a while for the food to be served, but this may have been because a member of staff went out for some butternut squash so this was added to my Buddha Bowl as well as the feta cheese. Portions of all our meals were very generous, and three of us weren't able to finish our food although it was extremely good. The hot chocolate, tea and white wine were also appreciated, but one of my friends found the coffee a little strong. Service was polite and friendly. I should just mention that the toilets are outside, across the courtyard, but obviously not far. Highly recommended, and I hope I have the chance...