Park House Restaurant & Wine Bar

I went with my partner for his birthday in February to use a fine dining gift voucher we had. I have to say I was expecting to be blown away but the experience and food but my experience didn’t really meet my expectations. The venue was stunning. We opted for the lunch time 5 course tasting menu and some sparkling wine which was delicious. The restaurant was empty apart from two other tables. The service was quick but staff seemed snobby and rude as myself and my partner were making anecdotes and giggling and were glared at by staff. I didn’t realise it was such a serious place, laughter is a good thing is it not? The staff members also went round and spoke to the other two tables of people but not to us, maybe because we are younger (mid 20s) The food was unique and unlike anything I had tasted before some of which I really enjoyed like the bread and the ratatouille (although it is a cold dish). Some things were not to my taste like the duck with white chocolate dressing. Overall I wouldn’t come back and I wouldn’t recommend it for the price.

Andrew the host was an absolute legend, from the phone call booking all the way up until our time there ended. Excellent service with intelligent conversation mixed with good banter. The decor was lovely and in keeping with the age of the building. The food itself was great. Been a long time since I had a tasting menu but I was not disappointed at all and completely stuffed. No surprise this restaurant is in the Michelin guide 👌🏽

Superb high end dining with impeccable yet friendly service for our large group of friends. Every dish of their 6 course tasting menu was amazing and the experience even further elevated when paired with their matching wines option. All topped off with a beautiful & sophisticated setting within one of Cardiff's classic Burgess buildings. Not cheap, but a real high end treat.

TLDR: Come for the wine. Not the food. Park House Restaurant, a place so grand, I went with my folks, to take a stand, But it was not to be, it was quite bland. We walked in the door, the staff were polite, But the room was cold, not quite right, We should have worn coats, that was quite the plight, Feeling like a fridge, not quite a delight. The view was nice, of the park out there, But the decor was dull, like an empty chair The food and drink, we hoped would save the day, But alas it was not so, it was a disappointing affair, Mains were unbalanced, flavors all askew, Beef and pork served cold, what to do? Turbot was the best, a balanced dish, But not quite worth the price, my wish. So if you're in Cardiff, and looking for some chow, I recommend The Potted Pig, don't go to Park House now. --- Review Park House Restaurant & Wine Bar After reading about this place on Timeout and seeing the historical Michelin stars I was looking forward to a wonderful meal with my parents whom are hard to convince to venture out. Sadly this was not to be. Though the exterior is impressive that is where our positive experiences ended. We were promptly greeted and seated by staff in a room in cold as temperature as it was in decor. I’ve never had to unironically eat in a fine dining restaurant that required me to wear a jumper and coat to be comfortable. Thankfully there is a nice view of the park, but the general ambiance is lacking with cardboard boxes in the corner and uninspired illustrations of grapes on the wall. The place feels tired and unloved. My hope was the food and drinks would make up for a poor first impression. When asking advice for a Rosé wine the first response I got was an unexpected criticism for selecting a “summer drink”. After insisting describing the profile of the drink we wanted I felt the staff were uninterested and continued to suggest the same bottle with little ability to explain its profile or provide alternatives. The wine was good, but the experience of acquiring it not so much. The food felt very unbalanced in its flavours. Bread with over salted and served with salted butter. Starters were sweet to the point of overpowering with little other distinguishing flavours. For the mains the flavours were better but did have a canteen sense of assembly to them with multiple components reused between the dishes. The beef and pork dishes were sadly served cold to Luke warm compounding our hypothermia. The beef dish was reheated and was certainly decent. I personally gave up on the pork dish half way through - it was fatty, salty, sweet mess of flavours. The Turbot was by far the best and most balanced of the mains. Nothing served was quite worth the price of it. I write this because I believe Cardiffs food scene deserves to be better. A place like Park House is so frustrating because it has so much potential but as I mentioned earlier the place feels unloved. If you are looking for a nice nose to tail restaurant I strongly recommend the POTTED PIG.

Food looks better than actually tastes. Tried their tasting menu (9 courses) with wine pairing and it was somewhat disappointing. Dishes were either over seasoned or little seasoned, never be at the right balance. Tweeks on dishes didn't seem to go well with ingredients. Sadly, there was no dish that amazed me. Wine pairing was questionable too. Service was good though.

Visited for my birthday with my family and had the tasting menu. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. The building was interesting and historic and the staff were lovely however that's where the enjoyment ended. The food was really underwhelming. It was presented in a pretentious way, which can be nice on a day out, but it was (mostly) chronically under seasoned and not well cooked. Simple things like, flabby chicken skin. Crab ravioli that tasted more "fishy" than the nice normal sweet flavour of crab, wrapped in a much too thickly rolled pasta. Overall it was disappointing because it's sad to waste a meal out when you could have cooked better at home. It took four hours. FOUR. For a pre-set menu. The furniture was mismatched and the building was in need of some repair and painting.

The food is great…we had 9 course menu with wine pairing…worth it as added to the experience. Staff very friendly and atmosphere very enchanting

Delicious chocolate dessert with 24 carat gold stole my heart. It is generally an elegant restaurant with tasty food, although the waiting time for the dishes was too long. During our visit there were only two other reservations so waiting for dessert 45 minutes was overkill. It is true that we received an additional gift as part of the apology from the chef, but such situations shouldn't take place. I still recommend.

Awful experience and certainly will not be visiting again even if its free Booked a table for one . Not happy with the food , so I complained on the day and nothing was actioned. It was not as if the venue busy , I was the only one dining that evening , the chef did not even show his / her face knowing what awful food was served . So, I wrote to the Director on the 15th July 2022 via 1st class post and also sent them an email . As of 3rd Aug 2022 not had any reply. Called the venue several times and no one picks up the phone , just states mail box is full and cannot take message Some of part extract from the letter : The starter of Langoustine Ravioli was all ok, maybe could have been warmer but well balanced with the broth. The main dish I ordered was Carmarthen Spring Lamb. On the plate it seemed that the lamb was more red than normal, and I thought nothing of it. As I began to cut with a normal dinner knife it became a struggle and likewise was the pork loin on the plate. I then asked for a steak knife which is not what you would request if the lamb and pork were both cooked properly. The pork loin was rubbery, and it clear it was at some point re-heated. Anyway, have having some of the lamb and mouthful of the pork, I really had enough because even the lamb was not seasoned it was bland. I then asked for some salt and pepper. Very rare in fine dining do people use salt and pepper because the food should have been seasoned well enough in the first instance. The waitress (also hosted front of house) bought out the salt and pepper in two medium size bowls with teaspoons in each one of them. . The butter was also equally served in such a large bowl that it was easily enough to butter a whole loaf of bread. Finally, when it came to paying the bill. After everything that I highlighted. I said to the waitress I have no issues paying the full amount but not at all happy with the food and you should take that this into account. She replied, 'I have taken off the service charge' How can she have taken off the service charge if the menu clearly stated the following 'An optional 12.5% service charge will be added to your bill. This is compulsory for bookings of 6 or more' It's clear that service charge is added to covers over 6 or more, not just for one person. So clearly dishonesty from a member of your staff.

The best way to sum up Vanilla Rooms is it's very posh, daahling. A few of my girls and I came here for martinis one Friday evening before heading off to Ten Feet Tall. With the obligatory mood lighting and accompanying ambient music, Vanilla Rooms does everything right in order to establish an elegant and exclusive impression, but there's something about its atmosphere I find strangely off-putting. It's one of those bars where you feel horribly out of place if you laugh out loud. I know not everywhere is like Burger King, but with only a few people scattered around not saying much, the experience would have been a bit dull were it not for the charming company. I will say that we each enjoyed very strong dirty gin martinis, which were the perfect complement to our gossip-fuelled discussions (which is another reason I don't like drinking in too-quiet establishments - people can overhear your conversations!). Admittedly, it'd be a fantastic venue for a private party, as Vanilla Rooms is a modern and sophisticated setting that would comfortably accommodate around 30 of your closest friends.

I was invited to a wedding at the Park House that turned out to be a very lovely occasion. Usually this is a members only club, I'm not quite sure how you end up becoming a member but I guess it involves having to have more money than sense. But anyway it was perfect for the wedding party because its pretty small and keeps everything intimate and friendly while the food really was spectacular. It was a winter wedding and they got lots of pictures next to the open fires and things like that. I can imagine rich people enjoying the lounges and feeling comfort in the old traditional decor that reminds me a bit of something from Harry Potter. I can't imagine what its like to be a private member, but it was a beautiful wedding.

Had a quick bar meal here and wasn't all that impressed... When I eat out I need a sandwich that I can't make better at home. Inattentive staff despite being the only customers present. bonus star for the architecture.

Vanilla Rooms is a fairly chic bar located on the ground floor of the Park House Club, a stylish members-only club for socialising and networking. Vanilla Rooms, however, is also open to non-members, so you can pretend to enjoy a bit of the club's exclusivity without actually paying for membership... although of course you have to accept that you'll be amongst other riff raff wandering in off the streets! Housed in a beautiful Grade I listed building built in 1874 and designed by William Burges, the building itself is a masterpiece in Gothic architectural design. Vanilla Rooms aims to offer a luxurious lounge bar where you can sip cocktails prepared by manager Christos Kyriakidis, who's a bit of an expert - and they do pretty much achieve this. It is a smart place, with price tags to match - and you might feel out of place if you're not dressed up a bit. As you would expect in a high-end venue like this, the drinks menu also features plenty of expensive wines and champagnes, plus more than 200 spirits and liquors. If you have pockets deep enough, this bar offers a fantastic selection of drinks. You can also hire out the whole room for a private function - for between £200-250 a night + VAT (discounted for members).

Personally we think Park House Club has one of Cardiff's best restaurants and the Vanilla Rooms club situated under the Park House has an amazing bar and huge range of spirits (which we like) Vanilla Rooms features Canvas artwork and framed photography supplied by Vesuvio Gallery.. Check it out next time your in Cardiff.. Also check our website with contemporary artwork and photography from global contributors.. www.vesuviogallery.com

The exclusivity of a private member's establishment usually alone levitates the intrigue and romance levels way beyond anything a regular bar could ever muster. Park House Club isn't quite on the same level as leviathans in the field like the Reform Club, but it's a duly stately space within a Grade I listed building. Unless you're a jetsetter, the most likely glimpse inside will come via a wedding or, from personal experience, an invite to a private hire party. All of which makes an actual review tricky, as the club is scarcely the same twice, but highly professional staff maintain an air of sophistication whatever the event.

Avoid this place like the plague!!, I booked park house club for myself and five of my best friends to have dinner one Saturday in November 2010 as I was planning on hiring the Venue for my wedding in 2011 ( and was due to pay the deposit towards the £12,000 function on the following Monday) but when we arrived everything changed instead of the lovely welcome first made to us by the events manager Claire we received a frosty greeting from the restaurant manager who immediately sent us for drinks in the Vanilla rooms bellow as the where not ready for us, when we walked into the bar the bar man barked at us that this was a private club and we could not just walk in off the street , when we explained we had a table booked in the restaurant he then served us showing us the one cocktail menu that they had between the whole bar (baring in mind this is a cocktail bar) then a another bartender who arrived who was really good and made us great cocktails he also showed us up to our table, where things went from bad to worse , we waited 45 min to be asked about drinks 1 hour to be given a menu, then another 20 min to be served the food portions are miniscule and very expensive for the quality, with main courses between £25-£32 and being the size of a starter, through out the staff where rude and dysfunctional, I was so embarrassed to be with my best friends in such a terrible place when I had told them how great it was and that we where going to hold our wedding there, I promptly cancelled my wedding and sent a letter of complaint to which no one has replied, I would not go back and I most certainly would not recommend anyone else to use this venue for any reason dinner or special event

Vanilla Rooms is the little bar attached to 'The Park House,' a members only club that boasts a large restaurant, and upstairs wine bar and a basement nightclub/cocktail bar. Entry to the Vanilla rooms no longer requires a membership so you can pretty much walk in off the street but it's hidden away so unlikely to be filled with too many of the usual Friday night crowd. A year ago this was the very best place to go for a cocktail but since staff changes I can no longer vouch for it. It was friendly, laid back and the place to go for the best cocktail in Cardiff. The mixologists really cared about making the best drinks, I suppose to justify the hefty price tag. A cosmopolitan costs £6.50 and from that point the price just go up and up. I won't even mention the top end, you'd need an ambulance. Since the passionate (and can I add, very attractive) bar staff have migrated and the membership for the bar dropped to encourage more custom the place has really changed. Gone is the relaxed ambience and soothing sounds of trip hop, replaced with orange girls in tiny dresses and a DJ who plays his records at ear splitting volume. I have no idea why, nobody ever dances...

I can only agree with Stuarts' review below. Unfortunately my friends Did hold their wedding there. Although the building is nice, the organisation as a whole is a shambles. On the plus side there was good food in *very* small portions, but served by staff who were less than friendly.