Farmhouse Kitchen, Silkwood Park — Restaurant in Wakefield

Shout out to Niall and Jack for their service tonight. Friendly, helpful and professional.

Mixed reviews from us today. We've been coming to Silkwood fairly regularly since it opened but our last few visits haven't been as good overall as they used to be. We both had a carvery at roughly 4.45pm. No complaints about the meat at all, between us we had turkey, ham and beef and they were all great. However, the veg wasn't great at all. Apart from the cauliflower cheese, that had just come out and was red hot and fresh. The rest of the veg looked dry as though it had been under the lights for ages. Roast potatoes were soft and dry and other veg rock hard. Yorkshire puddings were bought in, soft / soggy.

We ordered puddings later on and each plate was enough to serve 3-4 adults and was delicious!

Atmosphere in the restaurant was fine, few feral (!) children running the stretch between the bar, past the carvery and round the corner to the children's area.

I'm not sure if they were short of staff but there was only one person serving the bar and taking food orders which led to a few customers yelling out for more staff which didn't do the atmosphere much good.

Also unsure if it was due to a fewer staff however the tables

The ladies toilets need sorting out ASAP. One door has no lock at all so a huge hole in the door, the other had a lock that's hanging off and leaves a huge hole on the door to see through. Not ideal. There really is no reason you can't get a joiner in instantly.

The air con was broken too. Has been a while. Apparently the bosses are in no rush to fix it. Well, until some of them came for a meal and were red hot themselves. Again, not ideal. It's only been 10 months since was fixed last with a 10 year guarantee!

The pub gets packed and it's far too warm. Every customer commented on being uncomfortable as did a number of the staff. They were clearly roasting. Unfair working conditions and there's no reason for it to be that way.

Still given 3/5 as everything that was wrong today are easy fixes. Just do it! Book a joiner, call the aircon engineer back in and hire another bar man!

Thanks...

Nestled in a beautifully designed space that strikes the right balance between modern elegance and countryside charm, this new restaurant offers an inviting first impression. The décor is tasteful and cohesive, with thoughtful touches that suggest an appreciation for quality and atmosphere. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted warmly by a friendly front-of-house team, and the overall mood of the dining room was upbeat and welcoming.

Unfortunately, the execution behind the scenes didn’t quite match the polished exterior. While our server was kind and clearly doing their best, they appeared overextended and timid, resulting in slower service. Our drinks sat on the bar for 15 minutes before making it to our table—an oversight that set a disappointing tone early on.

The signature burgers, which we were most eager to try, presented a mixed experience. Cooked well in terms of doneness, they unfortunately lacked basic seasoning and the richness of hand-crafted preparation. The patties were processed, rather than fresh and farm-style, which felt like a missed opportunity given the restaurant's rustic aesthetic.

The flavor combinations also fell flat. The use of sweet brioche buns overwhelmed the patty rather than complementing it, and the addition of button mushrooms and maple-cured bacon felt more like an attempt at flair than thoughtful pairing. The choice of a sugary barbecue sauce only amplified this imbalance, where a tangy, textured relish might have grounded the flavors more effectively.

There is real potential here, particularly if the kitchen leans into a more grounded, rustic concept that prioritizes simplicity, quality ingredients, and bold, balanced flavors. With some refinement and a stronger commitment to consistency, this could evolve into a standout destination. For now, however, it remains a good-looking place with friendly staff and a few culinary missteps that...

Booked a table for 8 people for Saturday 07 12 24. Booked the table two weeks in advance, at the time of booking watched the lady taking the booking select and highlight the table we had reserved. At the same time this lady informed me I would receive an email confirming the reservation and allowing us to pre order individual food choices as we had booked on the festive celebration menu. The email never arrived, and as such I called into the restaurant the following weekend, 7 days prior to the reservation and placed the order in person. Whilst placing the order I again confirmed the table that I had booked. On arrival at the restaurant on the day of the meal we were shown to a table. I explained to the waitress that they had set up the wrong table (this one was in a corner with limited access) and pointed out the table that had been reserved. The waitress said that whilst we had booked a time slot, there had been no specific table reservation made. Again I explained I had actually stood and watched the lady reserve the table at the time of booking and confirmed the reservation the following week, to be told I must be mistaken. I can assure you I was not mistaken and can honestly say that been called a liar by a member of staff prior to starting your meal puts a damper on the whole evening. I will be calling into the restaurant today to see the manager regards this incident and will require an explanation. The food was very nice, but the whole evening was ruined by the total lack of professionalism as far as customer service was concerned right from point of booking. Meal was 18.99 per head plus drinks, hence price stated as between £20.0” and...