Some people really love to leave a review after they've been to a restaurant.
Thankfully, most people give credit where it's due and don't find the very smallest things to moan about — or turn up with wildly different expectations from where they're about to eat.
But some people will never be happy and even the very best in culinary excellence will leave them dissatisfied. Of course, TripAdvisor is the most common place to turn, the website viewed as both a blessing and a curse by restaurant owners everywhere.
So even some people who walk into the best restaurants in Wales leave grumpy (all of the reviews from this list relate to our list of the 50 best restaurants in Wales and you can read all our up-to-the-minute food and drink news here ).
Thankfully, all these places have overwhelmingly positive (and mostly excellent) reviews on TripAdvisor, have many awards to their names and get nothing from praise from almost everyone who's set foot in them. But these were the people who just couldn't see things from that point of view.
Heaney’s, Cardiff
Heaney’s is well-known in Cardiff for its small plates and changing menus. It is one of the city's most highly-rated restaurants. The vast majority of reviews on TripAdvisor rate it excellent. One recent diner said their meal was "a delight of different flavours and textures presented as beautifully as they tasted", while another dubbed it a "taste sensation".
Tommy Heaney's Cardiff restaurant offers one of the best tasting menus in Wales Customers love the tapas and small plates which allow guests to sample several dishes. But that wasn't enough to win over one TripAdvisor reviewer.
Rating it terrible, one review said: “Ok you call a plumber. You want the leak fixed, right? So you go to a restaurant and you want to be given enough food to fill you? Luckily there’s a chippy down the road. Great food but you come out hungry.”
It seems that this diner did not check to see what type of restaurant they were visiting beforehand!
The Walnut Tree, Llanddewi Skirrid
With a kitchen headed up by one of the most experienced chefs in the industry, Shaun Hill, The Walnut Tree offers classy and consistent dining.
Awarded a Michelin star, the ultimate accolade, this restaurant provides excellent food and is definitely worth a stop. Diners can expect high quality food rather than large portion sizes, as expected at any Michelin star restaurant. One recent customer said it was the "nicest meal we've had" and they "couldn't fault anything". Another one said the offerings were "exceptionally tasty and beautifully presented dishes".
A third reviewer said: "Easy to see why the Walnut Tree enjoys its reputation. Highly recommended."
But one reviewer was not pleased with small portion sizes. They said: “In my humble opinion, you’re better off getting a bag of chips in Abergavenny and giving the approximate balance of £250 to children in need!”
Bully’s, Cardiff
With hundreds of excellent reviews, Bully’s offers a range of exciting dishes. One recent diner said: "No faults. Excellent food, wine and service. Interesting décor and a somewhat French atmosphere. Reasonable prices. Competes with the best restaurants in Europe at this price level".
Another dubbed it the "best restaurant in Cardiff". Recommended by the Michelin Guide, it has an excellent reputation in Cardiff and beyond.
But one reviewer was not happy with the ambiance or décor. They said: “A simple touch such as music could have improved this. I understood the décor and the theme, however I felt it was not executed to a high standard.
“On our table we had mismatching cutlery and cups of all different sizes, lamp fixtures looked cheap and there was a very heavy Ikea influence running throughout.”
It's not known what this customer thought about the Michelin-recommended food!
The Potted Pig, Cardiff
Located in the heart of Cardiff, this restaurant is in an old bank vault. It is well-known for big flavours and excellent Sunday roast, with a large gin menu too. Customers of The Potted Pig can expect an excellent experience, with the vast majority of reviews reflecting this.
One reviewer said: "There was a great buzzy atmosphere about the place. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will return next time we are in Cardiff. Thank you!"
Another thought the prices were more than justified, saying: "Wow, wow, wow. This was one of our best ever meals. £50 a head with three courses and drinks may seem expensive but the food was to die for."
The “feasting menu” includes a whole suckling pig, a roast rib of beef, and a lamb tasting platter. Like many of Wales’ top restaurants, The Potted Pig offers quality over large portions.
But one hyperbolic reviewer was disappointed, saying: “Just paid £20 for the worst meal ever, 1 sprig of broccoli and a chicken bone!!!”
The Potted Pig has over 1,000 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor.
Nook, Cardiff
Nook scored a mention in the latest Michelin Guide, and has received hundreds of positive reviews on TripAdvisor since opening in 2019.
They sell small plates and when we visited our reviewer raved about the food and wine. One recent TripAdvisor review said: "Absolutely beautiful food, the most flavourful veggie dishes I’ve had. A lovely atmosphere, welcoming, friendly and attentive staff. An incredible experience, I will most certainly be back!"
But according to one TripAdvisor reviewer, the big problem is that it doesn't take cash. They said: “In very quick succession the food that we had ordered arrived all at the same time.
“The burrata was excellent, the quality was superb but unfortunately it went dramatically downhill. The ox cheeks and sardines which we thought should have been full of flavour were bland to say the very least. Upon asking for the bill which arrived promptly. we were told that they did not accept cash. There was a small sign on the window stating the restaurant was cashless.”
It is worth pointing out that this is the only negative review of Nook on TripAdvisor.
Slice, Swansea
A small restaurant in Swansea, Slice has been described as “simply amazing”. 97% of the restaurant's TripAdvisor reviews are four stars or higher.
One recent visitor to Slice said: "I’ve been lucky enough to eat in some of the finest restaurants with one, two and three Michelin stars and let me tell you Slice is right up there with the best. If you can get a table then go for it. You won’t be disappointed!"
Slice is also recommended in the Michelin guide. But one amateur food critic thought the offerings were not up to scratch. They said: “We received an amuse-bouche of hot houmous, braised lamb and harissa (I think I got that right). It was bland and tasteless. If I'd been asked in a blind tasting to identify the houmous I would have said it was under seasoned mashed potato. My starter was quail which was totally overcooked, so dry and tasteless.”
The reviewer admitted that the dessert was nice and the service was five-star.
Llangoed Hall, Llyswen
This luxury country house in the Wye Valley serves up visually stunning, delicious food. As well as standard menus, the restaurant offers a seven-course tasting menu and afternoon tea.
A recent customer said: "Excellent value for this standard of food and service. Imaginative dishes presented well by an efficient & friendly team."
Another added: "Everything from the homemade bread to the cheese board was fantastic, with the Lavinton lamb main being outstanding."
Llangoed Hall is also an award-winning hotel, well known for luxury and beautiful surroundings.
But one customer was not happy with the luxury price point. They said: “Coffee, £5. OK, a bit steep but I have paid up to £5.50 for SPECIALTY coffees before.
“Tea and scone £15!!!! I assume that means the scone was about £12??? I’m used to eating in extravagant restaurants and I don’t mind paying, but I really think the pricing is way off on this.”
Signatures, Conwy
This restaurant was named the best place to eat in Wales at the 2017 British Food Awards.
It is located in the Aberconwy Resort and Spa, and has been named one of the top 100 restaurants in the UK.
There are hundreds of excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. One said: "My partner and I had 3 courses from the vegan and vegetarian menu at lunchtime and we couldn't have asked for more. The service was fantastic and the restaurant environment was welcoming and beautifully decorated (I loved the open kitchen front!) The cocktails we got were great but the real stars for us were the chefs. The food was all fantastic and they even provided a vegan brownie dessert that wasn't on the menu"
But one diner was angry that they couldn’t order their preferred dessert. They said: “Had seen the little Italy dessert on Facebook and was so looking forward to it - ran out!!!! No reduction in bill even though I ate alone. Not the birthday celebration I expected.”
Wright's, Llanarthne
In the heart of Carmarthenshire, Wright’s offers local food that is known for quality and freshness.
Some customers are willing to travel from miles away to visit this venue. One said: "The place has a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere, serves excellent food and drink; and the staff are all very nice and friendly. We will make a point of going back which, given that we live a long way away, is as good a recommendation as I can give."
Since the pandemic started, they have been offering takeaways as well as set lunches.
One reviewer was not happy with the prices of this popular business.
They said: “We went for coffee and cake: the portions of cake cost £6!! NOWHERE (even the Cotswolds) have I seen a very ordinary slice of cake costing £6; it was utterly off putting and so we just had coffee - thinking - Well you cannot go wrong with coffee. My regular cappuccino was very small, again NOWHERE have I seen such a small cappuccino - it was more like a macchiato.”
This customer, fond of using capital letters, did not try any of the outstanding food on offer.
The Harbourmaster, Aberaeron
Located on the colourful quayside, this hotel and restaurant serves local fish as a speciality and has a long reputation for outstanding food and beautiful bedrooms.
Other menu options include steak, risotto, and lamb. The restaurant is so popular that it can be hard to get a table here.
One recent review said: "Excellent staff, really attentive the BEST crab linguine we have ever had! No wonder you can never get in this restaurant unless you book! We will definitely return!!"
Another commented: "We ate here for lunch whilst being on holiday nearby. Lovely restaurant, great atmosphere & the food was lovely. I would highly recommend the chocolate fondant- it was delicious. The staff were professional friendly & helpful."
The restaurant is recommended by the Michelin Guide. However, one diner thought the menu was not up to scratch. They said: “The menu is clearly not aimed at the discerning diner. It is all burgers etc, no real food.”
Despite criticising the burger offerings, this reviewer still decided to select the loaded burger for their meal. They continued: “My burger appeared to have leftovers from the garbage bin dumped on top of it with a slice of rubbery cheese melted on top.”
It appears that this diner was unsure what a "loaded burger" would be like.
Pasture, Cardiff
Pasture’s speciality is their signature tomahawk steak, which is sold per 100g. They also offer dry-aged burgers and lobster toast, along with many more meat-focused options.
Like its sister restaurant in Bristol, all the meat and some produce is sourced from their own farm outside Bristol.
One recent review said: "I don't often feel compelled to write a review on a restaurant, however I believe Pasture thoroughly deserves an excellent review.
"We had been recommended this restaurant by my son and daughter in law who had visited twice already, so we thought we would give it a try. Hands down one of the best meals I have ever had. "
You can read our five-star review of Pasture here.
Despite the exciting food options, one TripAdvisor reviewer did not enjoy the music.
They said: “Like a nightclub. Fantastic food. But the ear-bursting pulsating music made our family meal a nightmare.”
This is one of only three negative reviews that Pasture has received.
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