Friary - Armagh

We went to the hotel for dinner and unfortunately, the staff did not seem to acknowledge our presence. My partner had to go to the bar to get menus. The tables... read more We went to the hotel for dinner and unfortunately, the staff did not seem to acknowledge our presence. My partner had to go to the bar to get menus. The tables were in need of varnishing for a 4-star hotel. We started with a Caesar salad, but the croutons were greasy and there was a strange taste to the dish. The main course was steak, but it was overcooked and tough. The garlic potatoes were also greasy and had the same burnt taste as the steak. We complained and were offered complimentary tea or coffee, but it was still a disappointing experience. The food and service at this 4-star hotel were disgraceful. We will not be returning.

The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. We have visited this restaurant several times and the food always exceeds our expectations in terms of quality. The... read more The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. We have visited this restaurant several times and the food always exceeds our expectations in terms of quality. The prices are reasonable considering the portion sizes. We have tried the set menus for special occasions such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, and have been impressed each time. We are now looking forward to experiencing their Christmas menus. Additionally, we have attended weddings at this venue and the food was outstanding. We even stayed overnight at the hotel for one wedding and the breakfast was delicious. We highly recommend this restaurant.

I visited the hotel yesterday evening for a catch up with 2 close friends, one of whom is a vegetarian. We decided to skip starters and just order mains. Myself... read more I visited the hotel yesterday evening for a catch up with 2 close friends, one of whom is a vegetarian. We decided to skip starters and just order mains. Myself and one friend ordered the lasagne, and my veggie friend ordered the vegetarian pasta (as this was the only veg choice on the menu). No complaints whatsoever with the food, perhaps with the exception that parts of the lasagne were a little dry. Our plates were cleared in a timely manner, and upon request we were given the dessert menu. Up until this point we found service to be efficient, if not the friendliest. This is where our lovely meal took a bit of a turn. Our table and the one other table on the balcony area sat with dessert menus for around 20 minutes without any sign of a waiter coming to take our order. At this point, one of the ladies with the other party went to the bar to ask to place a dessert order. When we eventually had our order taken, we were informed that our waiter had gone on his break! Considering the restaurant floor was well staffed with waiters we found this excuse to be a little lacking, and if I had not been out for a meal with 2 friends who I rarely see we would have declined to order anything else! However, the extremely high quality of the desserts we ordered quietened any rumblings. The apple crumble and white chocolate and raspberry torte were both delicious, served with honeycomb ice cream in a wafer basket. The second waiter we had was also in himself a source of high quality entertainment! The aeroplane noise he made as he set down the desserts was one of the high points in our meal. Overall the food was lovely, and a great evening was had. Our bill came to £45 for 3 mains, 3 desserts, 4 soft drinks and a coffee, which we thought was very reasonable.

Great selection at breakfast, and 4 course meal in evening was as good as it gets. Staff more than willing to see to to your every need. read more Great selection at breakfast, and 4 course meal in evening was as good as it gets. Staff more than willing to see to to your every need.

I find it a bit confusing that TripAdvisor has listed this restaurant as the Friary Restaurant, when most people know it as the Armagh City Hotel Restaurant. Th... read more I find it a bit confusing that TripAdvisor has listed this restaurant as the Friary Restaurant, when most people know it as the Armagh City Hotel Restaurant. The term "steak dinner" is also misleading, as they also offer chicken and salmon as alternatives. The staff is friendly and the food is of good quality and well presented. A tip for steak lovers: visit on a Wednesday or Thursday, as the steaks seem to be thicker those days compared to Fridays.