Demiro's — Restaurant in Wales

Firstly we have been to this restaurant/bar before, just for drinks on a Sunday afternoon, before Covid times when the 'theme' outside was 'Verve Clicquot' so we knew it was a bit quirky. The lady that seemed to have a vested interest was sat outside back then with a group on her friends having a lovely gin and tonic afternoon, and she was on the ball, without being intrusive chatting to people as well as being with her friends - and it was fab to watch her assess the customers passing, guiding her staff to make the most of the spaces that became empty, without anyone noticing this happening - So last Saturday we were in Cardiff Bay for my birthday and headed straight there. The outside had changed into a Caribbean type bar, which we went to before our table was ready at Demiros. I am NOT a cocktail person, but everyone there seemed to enjoy the atmosphere and drinks that came with it. There were 2 bar tenders, one chilled with dreadlocks and the other was so happy, practically bouncing off the palm trees and dancing along to the songs playing. Both absolutely perfect for that type of bar. From what I could see, the drinks seemed expensive for what was in the plastic palm tree glasses - tiny measure on the bottom to the first ring, topped up with half blue and then half pink slush, then another tiny measure drizzled on the top, pop the straw in, Bob Marley fist pump, and £10 a pop, which in these times a tap of the old debit card and it's easy to see why the bar does it. The sip of alcohol at the bottom must instantly hit the spot, finished off with the bit at the top, very quick sale and onto the next. I did see some cocktails being shaken so no idea with the quality or pricing of that, although I was offered to try this chap's mango colada which was nice - I stuck to my half a dragon beer, which again was served in a pint plastic glass - not the best way to have a half drink. A small plastic glass would have been better, I looked at the drinks menu and it very straight forward - this is what we have, this is what you pay. Wine, red, white or rose - no choice of brand - although when we went across to the restaurant there was a good wine list. Having said this, the atmosphere was buzzing outside, with lots of empty plastic palm tree glasses so fair play if people love it then why not sell it. The same lady from 3 years + was enjoying her friends company again and looked amazing as she did before. Demiros is very theatrical and I loved it! The crooner that came around singing was fab, absolutely looked the part, with his drink and loose bow tie, white crisp shirt and polished shoes. My meal was lovely, I have to speak as I find, I had no complaints whatsoever, my chicken wasn't dry and my husbands salmon was cooked to perfection, wine very chilled, staff very efficient and friendly. I think if you go with an open mind (perhaps not book for a special occasion unless you know the type of evening you will have) you will have a ball. There seemed to be a lot of customers that were regulars or friends. Lots of laughing and chatter, just brilliant - Thank you for making my birthday meal lovely. We will definitely be back on our next visit...

Do you like slow service? Awful food, slow service and a longing desire actually weep quietly into a paper napkin?. If so this is the restaurant for you!!.

.We spent over 2 hours to be severd 3 courses. With only one starter 2 mains and 2 puddings.

What went wrong? ....Opening the doors to the public....

Staff will not acknowledge or give eye contact. I waited 10 minutes before I ended up nabbing a staff member and asking for a seat. Then we spent another 10 minutes at the table before my partner had to ask a staff member if we could order another drink. This took another 10 minutes. Half an hour for seating and a drink. On a quiet Sunday afternoon. Asked for a menu, took another 15 minutes with a waitress going out of her way to ignore us,before we gave up and actually asked if we could order. . When she did take our order, no smiles, no eye contact. Head down in a pda, and straight off. Quite frankly there was more drive and enthusiasm in a clapped out motor car.

Our meal... tired, bland and uninspiring... would recommend you hire a new microwave technician, because the word chef...is grosley overstated. If he ever breaks his finger... you could be in real trouble...

Dessert.... again had to wait ages before nabbing a staff member for a dessert menu. He came back 5 minutes later with a 2 for 15 pound main menu. I cant remember baked sole, ever being placed up there with the chocolate fudge cake.. but hey ho. Asked again, someone else. Finally received it and the staff member yet again wandered off. ...

Drinks... you shouldnt be able to get a glass of coke wrong. However in keeping with the fine dining arrangements that treated the guests.. it just kept going...

Watched several members of staff strut up and down and keep the Houdini trick up by disappearing behind some magic curtain... shame no one knows how to look up, smile, or actually apply any kind of customer service.. ( the clue is in the title. ) with one lady looking like she was more interested in impersonating pulp fiction.

Dessert... absolutely awful.. when it finally decided to show up. Cant decide if it was meant to be a tiramasu disguised as some sort or stale bun from Gregg's or a pot of Philadelphia that's overdosed on chocolate dusting.

Carlsberg dont do restaurants but if they did. This one would be bulldozed. . ...

All for the bargain price of £70!!!!!!

Needless to say. We wont be...

Went a couple of weeks ago for a work Xmas meal, there was 14 of us on a Tuesday night, restaurant was dead. I had also booked a festive menu, upon arrival I was told the menu I expected to have wasn't available to us because we didn't pre order. This info wants given to me when I booked and paid a deposit so we were given another festive menu to choose from instead. Which luckily did still cater to dietary requirements. I then ordered a cocktail which arrived 35 minutes later and was poor, I make them better myself. My next drink was a glass of wine, I ordered a medium and was given a large which I was charged for. We had 3 courses which was mediocre at best. My starter or procuitto wrapped asparagus was a few sad looking stalks of asparagus with a bit of bacon wrapped round the middle served on some pretty generic salad leaves. My main of festive chicken parcel with trimmings was a little chicken breast with a bit of bacon wrapped around it, the veg was average. Finally the desert was a baileys creme choux bun, absolutely no taste of baileys with what I assume was canned squirty cream. One of my colleagues with me ordered fish which was described as having some kind of sauce, it came with no sauce, when she asked where the sauce was she was told it had 'sunk in' to the fish. I mean... The wait staff didn't seem to have a clue what was going on, we chased for drinks on more than 1 occasion and when we were asking questions about food we got blank looks half the time. At the start someone in my group asked what the soup of the day was, the waiter had to go into the (empty) kitchen, open a pan and guess what it was. No chef in the kitchen until we started ordering so I assume some microwaving or re heating was done. Then when we got the bill we totalled up the cost of the set menu items they all came in at £2 less than the set amount but they were absolutely fine to still take the full amount from everyone. We were the only 14 people in the restaurant for majority of our dinner and they struggled with that. Shame, wouldn't...