Ballymena
The Grouse

The Grouse

United Kingdom, BT43 6, Ballymena

Steak • Irish • British • European


"We booked our lunch for 1.30pm and when we arrived we were seated at our table and told that someone would be over shortly to take a drinks and meal order. The waiter came over to take our drinks order but said that he could not take our food order at the minute as the kitchen was backed up and they had been asked to slow it down and that he would be back once they were ready to take our order. Our drinks arrived promptly and the waiter appeared again 20 minutes later to take our order which was a Christmas dinner and the Chicken stack. We waited and waited and we could see that a large table beside us got their starters then followed by their mains and had finished their mains and we were still waiting. Three ladies arrived 30 minutes after us and their meal arrived after 30 minutes and we were still waiting for our dinner. I then called over one of the waiters and explained that we had been waiting for an hour now and that the three ladies that arrived 30 minutes after us had got there meal before us, she said that she would let the kitchen know. Five minutes later another waiter called over to say that the hold up was the party of 24 beside us that had taken time to get out and that there was another large party to be served before us and that they would get to us after that. By 2.45pm and still no sign of our dinner we decided that we had waited long enough and how much longer were we going to have to wait. We went over to the bar and cancelled our meal and paid for our drinks. I know how a kitchen works and the dockets are prioritised as they come in for each table. If you have to many big parties all at once you need to space them out so as to let the kitchen cope and for diners like myself to get our meal at a reasonable waiting time. We normally dine here throughout the year and the service is very good but this time it was just utter chaos, we will remember to give it a miss next year in December."

Fratelli

Fratelli

130 Fenaghy Road, BT42 1EA, Ballymena, United Kingdom

Pizza • Pasta • Steak • Tapas


"Very underwhelming experience. We were staying at Galgorm for a special occasion (shepards hut) which is fab! Having read reviews about the restaurants on site it was a hard choice as they both sounded lovely but being Italian cuisine lovers we opted for Fratelli. I booked a table well in advance of our arrival but upon entering the restaurant we were greeted with a grunt and told to wait at the side until they ‘found’ our booking. We waited for a few moments and then were shown to our table which was situated in a corner in the dark beside all the bins which are on show (not a good look for a 5 star resort) and also where they collect all the glasses at the bar which is super noisy. The service was so slow and very hard to get anyone’s attention. It was like because we were shoved in a corner they had forgotten about us. The waiter kept forgetting our orders also so he kept coming back to ask us what we had ordered again. The food was nice but the portions are very small and for the price it’s definitively not worth it. What annoyed me the most was that even in my request to book a table I mentioned it was a special occasion and not even a little desert or a complimentary drink as a gesture was done. I could over look the price of the food for the potion sizes if the service and attention to my booking had of been looked after but unfortunately I would not recommend going here. I don’t think this restaurant is up to 5 star standards in such a luxurious resort. Disappointing. Wouldn’t recommend."

The Clockhouse

The Clockhouse

United Kingdom, BT42 2AN, Ballymena

Steak • Brunch • British • Chocolate


"Booked a dinner reservation for 31st March to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. From the minute we arrived the service received was impeccable! I was absolutely delighted to receive a complementary glass of sparkling wine a signed birthday card. This was such a lovely gesture the two staff that served us both wished me a happy birthday. How nice was that! The staff in particular must be mentioned. Dragos was so professional, welcoming, calm smiled throughout. The staff overall had great customer interaction didn’t hover yet you didn’t have to wait long for dishes to be cleared or food/drinks to be served. The food presentation was beautiful especially the starters. I had the spiced crab crayfish which was light refreshing. The other party had the wild mushroom tartlet again presented well they both found the dish to be tasty. I had ordered a Bramble cocktail it was so good! For mains we had honey glazed chilli chicken strips grilled cod fillet. For dessert crème brûlée trio of chocolate mousse. Although it was beat the clock menu I chose to have my main dish the size of a starter (for me personally it was the correct portion size it’s just a personal preference) but the staff were very accommodating with my request. We were never made to feel rushed, it was a very relaxed atmosphere. The general ambiance was really nice. You were able to have a conversation with the rest of the party without having to shout above other customers in order to be heard. When we were leaving we were given a 10% discount voucher to use on our next visit which we immediately booked once we arrived back home. I would highly recommend The Clockhouse Restaurant. The wee extra unexpected touches stood out. It was very reasonably priced. I’m surprised its ratings don’t score higher. I hope the restaurant manager passes on my thanks appreciation to the restaurant, bar kitchen team!! As someone who studied worked in hotel management for a number of years it’s important for staff to hear positive feedback. Too often people are quick to complain but not complement so well done everyone keep up the great work!!!"