The Forge Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "Amazing food, really well cooked and presented and lots of interesting choices and twists on original dishes."
• "At The Forge, we had the pleasure of trying their wild venison scotch egg, which was hands down the best scotch egg I've ever tasted."
• "The scallops for starter were definitely the highlight - loved them. Incredible venison for main too."
• "We ordered scotch egg and chicken liver pate for starters, both were really well prepared. Then we tried deer and lamb, and again, full of interesting flavours."
• "We had trout and game bird for starters followed by belly pork and I had ox cheek, it was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten."
• "The food was absolutely tasty, scallops melt in your mouth and the sauce really goes well with the dish."
• "Great to try meats you don't often see on a menu cooked on with an open flame. Huge portion size so you get a great lunch the next day too."
• "The food is outstanding with an accent on aged beef and wild game."

Cons:

• "On the other hand, the sirloin of beef didn't meet my expectations. The fat wasn't rendered down enough, resulting in a chewy texture."
• "Forge is set in the hotel indigo and has a lovely vibe to the place. The food was nice however as with fine dining the portion sizes are very small."
• "Sadly disappointing: amazing food let down by the service."
• "Very disappointing, had to send back a 1.8kg tomahawk steak as it was burnt and inedible."
• "We had high hopes! The mains were actually very tasty but took over an hour to arrive."
• "My expectations were high, but everything was just mediocre."
• "The food was bitter and one of the drinks left an unpleasant aftertaste. The dinners were definitely lacking in spices."
• "Food was very basic for its price. Wouldn't recommend and the pork belly was way to fatty plus the roast potatoes tasted worse than frozen potatoes."

Service Quality

Pros:

• "Nevertheless, the service team was welcoming and friendly, adding to the overall positive experience."
• "I had a wonderful time at Forge, Chester. The staff is very friendly and courteous."
• "Excellent food. Lovely staff. Highly recommended!"
• "We visited for lunch yesterday, Friday 22 September. We were greeted by Helen who remained with us throughout our visit."
• "We dined at the forge for my grandmother's 85th Birthday...... Superb service, delicious food and a great atmosphere."
• "From the moment we stepped inside and greeted we were made to feel right at home."
• "I had dinner here last week to celebrate my wedding anniversary and I honestly can't speak more highly of it. The staff were so friendly and helpful, they made the experience!"
• "What a stunning restaurant run by Michelin Chef Mike Robinson and led by head Chef Curtis Tonge and his team."

Cons:

• "After the dessert the kitchen was being cleared away, staff stood around chatting, nobody asked if we wanted coffee. We had to try and grab someone to ask for the bill."
• "But had big issues with the bill when we checked it."
• "We were eventually shown to our table somewhat late, and waited another 10 minutes before someone took our drinks order."
• "Service was awful. My husband and I were the first in the restaurant for the evening, we were given menus and were left sitting for far too long."
• "The service was also very slow, I ordered a glass of champagne that never arrived."
• "We saw tables come and go whilst we waited and we really felt neglected."
• "Terrible service, waited 40 mins to order and food took forever to arrive, our table was crammed the whole night as waitresses didn’t take empty plates/glasses."
• "We were dissapointed however as it felt like we were in a smoky kitchen and eyes were left stinging."

Ambiance and Decor

Pros:

• "One of the highlights was the captivating open kitchen, allowing guests to witness the skilled team in action."
• "We really enjoyed our short stay at The Forge. The hotel is modernly decorated and has a very elegant atmosphere."
• "Lovely modern hotel located in the centre of Chester within walking distance from plenty of bars and restaurants."
• "The restaurant is stunning! A great vibe, beautiful decor and with an open kitchen...which I love."
• "The atmosphere is quite sublime with intimate seating areas and a beautifully decorated private dining room."
• "The restaurant has a very comfortable and relaxed feel to it. The decor is very pleasant, tables are well spaced."
• "A great dining experience. Great to try meats you don't often see on a menu cooked on with an open flame."
• "We were lucky enough to dine here on opening week. We sat in the Private dining room and all I can say is wow."

Cons:

• "However, there were occasional fumes from the open kitchen that was unpleasant at times."
• "The music played by the DJ is a bit let down. It's not suitable for the room demographic and a conversation killer during dinner due to being way too loud."
• "Forge is set in the hotel indigo and has a lovely vibe to the place. The food was nice however as with fine dining the portion sizes are very small."
• "The Sunday lunch menu needs to be more accurately advertised when booking, this is actually their only menu all day for Sunday dining."
• "The restaurant has so much potential with the food/room in Chester, amongst a modest high end lunch offering in the city, but it needs to get everything else right."
• "Overpriced, a victim of its own success. SO SLOW. Very disappointing."
• "Hideous, horrific service. Ignorant management and belligerent directorship ignorant of issues within the business."
• "Confused.......... After booking the reservation and stating my food allergies, upon arrival these allergies were mentioned but unfortunately by the time we got to the table they had been forgotten."