Mara

Flawless tasting menu with the perfect pairing of wine. A must try! We ended the dinner feeling happy, satisfied and not overly full, which is always a risk with this type of food experience. We found the pace to be perfect. We never had a dull moment. There was a perfect cadence of: bring the wine, explain the wine, allow a few minutes to enjoy it, bring the new course, explain the course, taste the course, clean, bring the new glass & restart. Toward the end of the dinner we started noticing how they adapted seamlessly to the pace of every table so that it felt they always left exactly the same time in between stages while they clearly weren't. Very smooth. Luis has great storytelling and a very good sense of humor that brought lightheartedness to the dinner, something that we always like and made us feel super comfortable. In fact, while it's clear there a lot of work went into preparing the dinner and then in serving it, I would never call this a "fancy dinner". It just didn't feel so, which means bonus points for me. All the 7 wines served were very interesting and tasty. Some were even surprising (like the first, which was a sweet wine!). All the courses were an explosion of flavour, often presented in surprising ways and the base ingredients were clearly very good. If I have to call out one single area of improvement, I think the finale could be improved. I found the mini madeleine of the petit-fours underwhelming. I then lacked a strong taste to end, something like coffee as they don't have decaf (they said they are getting a new machine) or a spirit (I think they only have wine & dessert wine)

Mara is a lovely, intimate restaurant that really stands out in the city’s dining scene. We chose the à la carte menu and paired it with a crisp Albariño. The meal began beautifully with a mini brioche and Guinness bread served alongside an exceptional miso butter—so good we immediately asked for more. Starters Beef gunkan: A delicious twist on beef tartare, served over warm rice. Bouillabaisse: Rich, flavourful, and generously filled with prawns and fresh fish. Mains Miso haddock: Light, flaky, and perfectly cooked, served with tender broccoli. Picanha steak with chimichurri: Full of flavour and wonderfully tender, paired with roasted baby potatoes. Dessert Basque cheesecake: Creamy, comforting, and the perfect finish to the evening. Everything from start to finish was excellent, and the interaction with the staff was warm, genuine, and attentive. We noticed other diners enjoying the tasting menu, and they seemed just as delighted with their experience. Mara is a refreshing change from many other options in the city. Luis and his team are doing something special here, and they truly deserve the support. Highly recommended.

Unique dining experience! Professional in every aspect. It shows that the owner puts all his wisdom and talent into every meal! Perfect wine pairing for the courses! I recommend this place with all my heart! 💖

Most disappointing 3 course meal our group had in memory. (a mix of ok - what happened here? plates). What was unforgivable was no seasoning, raw rice, an unseasoned tin of beans with parsley, incinerated dry pork belly and a dry slab of baclava that tasted of fish. We informed the waitress of the issues each time which received a feined "I'll tell the chef" (3 times). However she was running the entire front of house and only spent a maximum of 10 seconds at each table. Given the reviews I was expecting something similar to the standard of the previous restaurant but this wasn't even close. *Whoever made the cheesecake, you earned a star.

Great experience at Mara - we went for the 10-course tasting menu to celebrate a special occasion and can't speak highly enough of the food, venue and especially the service...the waitress was incredibly attentive and obliging considering she was largely on the floor by herself, playing a blinder on introducing all the dishes with enthusiasm and very knowledgeable when follow up questions asked. Food was fantastic, all dishes tasted amazing with genuinely great value for money as some would be considered mains-sized portions in other venues! Something that can't be said for some other tasting menus I've had at times but you really will be full afterwards, we were rolling home afterwards 😄 Venue is very nice as well, like other reviews, have to acknowledge the small but cosy space created by the team - can't help but think they could fit a few more seats/tables in if they wanted but not complaining as it feels spacious but still welcoming for patrons presently. 5 star experience and we will be back 👍

Excellent service, tasty and creative food. Definitely worth the visit. It's also very reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. My favourite must have been scallops and various breads at the start. I think venison I got was a bit overcooked and the same for pork, but that could just be my personal preference. The wine pairings we got were excellent and I can't wait to come again.

Wow, what an experience! First time going under the new ownership of Luis Martin - who has kept the Old Couch alive in Waterford. Would definitely recommend - a great experience with the 10 course tasting menu. You have the table for the whole night with really attentive service. What a gem for Waterford. Some incredible food & wonderful team. Can't wait to book in again with friends!!

Great food journey in the heart of Waterford. Food was amazing, and each step on the way faultless. Thank you Luis Martin for a memorable evening. Highly recommended.