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Hours
Sun
9:30 - 20:00
Tue
9:30 - 21:00
Wed
9:30 - 21:00
Thu
9:30 - 21:00
Fri
9:30 - 21:30
Sat
9:30 - 21:30
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
Travellers' Choice 2023
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
€15.00 – €22.00
CUISINES
Irish, Cafe, European
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
meals, features
Does this restaurant accept bookings?
Details
About
The Castle Cafe is a fully Licensed restaurant and cafe located at Blackrock Castle, Cork. We serve brunch and lunch 7 days a week and dinner from 5pm Tuesday to Sunday.
PRICE RANGE
€15.00 – €22.00
CUISINES
Irish, Cafe, European
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
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4.5
519 reviews
Excellent
282
Very good
147
Average
54
Poor
26
Terrible
10
GrangeWeb
Cork12 contributions
Dec 2021 • none
My wife and I went to The Castle Cafe for lunch yesterday and were delighted with every aspect. The location is amazing in Blackrock castle but every aspect of the experience was top notch.
We were greeted with courtesy and in a professional manner at the door and lead to a roomy comfortable table. The waiter was excellent and knew his stuff and wasn't intrusive nor did we have to dislocate any limbs flapping to get attention to get his attention for extra water or additional items.
The food was delicious and flavoursome, I had a game stew that was bursting with taste and my wife had hake which she was delighted with as it had superb crunchy vegetables and I tasted to confirm this. I had the famous "chocolate cup" and a coffee and my wife had the brownie again super.
The prices were excellent as well for the super quality provided. We had had lunch the previous day (we are catching up osst Christmas Covid) in another Cork bar restaurant which was more expensive and frankly awful. more expensive and with shoddy service so this cheered us up no end.
The Castle Cafe is a must visit and we will definitely be back again for evening meal as we left smiling, full and relaxed.
Well done to all the team there - take a bow.
Written 10 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mr f
110 contributions
Feb 2022 • family
Went with my daughter recently for lunch.
Chilly day we went in and we're seated immediately. Both had lunch, I had chicken and my daughter had a vegetarian option, both were delicious and piping hot, we both had a couple of soft drinks, tea and coffee and 1 desert all for €46.
Great value, lovely setting and a lovely atmosphere.
Our server was so nice and pleasant and, she was so kind, checking my daughters vegetarian was correct, which it was.
Thank you for a lovely lunch.
Highly recommend this place.
Written 17 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James O
Cork830 contributions
Sept 2022 • none
Firstly the setting is superb located within Blackrock Castle with outdoor dining available when weather permits. The indoor restaurant is a little tight and therefore noisy but acceptable during our meal.
We dined as a table of three and all the food was beautifully presented however it is the service that is worthy of special mention. Service as I have stated many times previously is in my opinion a vital component of any dining experience and is I believe as lasting a memory if not more so than the food. Our server ( who's name I rudely neglected to obtain ) was superb, friendly and attentive yet informal and knowledgably of her menu whilst maintaining professionalism throughout.
As starters we had the beef cheek croquettes, which I though was skilfully cooked and rendered down to a very good texture, however it was for my palate at least, a little over seasoned ( and I like salt ) and chicken liver pate which was a little over set and metallic in flavour.
For mains I ordered the Hake ! I eat a lot of fish and my Hake ( which is a very good middle of the road white fish ) was cooked to perfection. The dish presented as an attractive and balanced plate, with an unusual golden beetroot ingredient, however I thought the dish required the side order of very flavoursome fries, which when added makes the dish a little expensive for Hake.
My partner ordered the Chimmi Curri Beef Salad which was described as flavoursome spicy but not hot !!! Its just as well she ordered it as she likes heat, which the dish most certainly was !
Our companion ordered the steak as blue which he described as adequate, he couldn't really state whether it required more resting or ageing ! the plate looked a little mean and didn't really catch the eye. It looked unfinished and unbalanced with the steak sitting atop a small offering of fried onions and mushrooms. I personally believe a steak plate desperately requires something green like asparagus to add a bit of colour and cut through the heavy set nature of said plate.
The desserts were a chocolate cup, a bread and butter pudding which were adequate and a rhubarb crumble which was far to shallow in the dish to be effective as a crumble and was supplemented by a tiny ineffective offering of ice cream, even though more was requested.
So all in all I would return and believe 4 stars to be the correct rating, our waitress moved the experience from 3 1/2 to 4.
Written 5 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lauren C
10 contributions
Jan 2020 • family
Visited for the first time today for breakfast with my mother. Initially thought the prices were a bit steep but expected a large enough portion for that price. I ordered eggs royale my mother ordered the producer. The royale was fine but for 9.90 alone you would still be hungry afterward. The producer breakfast was awful, the rashers and sausages clearly cooked much earlier and kept warm as they were overcooked and hard, when asked for fresh ones they came immediately and were the same as the first ones. Paying 11.40 you would expect your food cooked to order and tea or coffee included but it wasn't.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emerald Waters
Bantry252 contributions
Jul 2020 • family
First time eating out since early March. Good to see all the staff wearing plastic face guards, tables spaced well apart, disposable menus etc. Lovely location in the courtyard of Blackrock Castle, and pleasant walk by the water afterwards.
I had a chicken salad, which I enjoyed - although I would have preferred a bit less dressing, and perhaps some mango slices for taste contrast. My companion had the fish and gratin which he enjoyed. We shared a delicious rhubarb sponge cake, with pecan crumble topping, and custard. And one sparkling water. Came to around eu40. Friendly, professional staff. Definitely a place I will return to.
Written 10 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma F
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • friends
I went to this restaurant on the afternoon of my birthday and was made to feel most welcome by all staff with one in particular. Our waitress Sim helped my friends to organise a surprise cake and sing song for my birthday celebrations and was utmost accommodating to help them in their endeavours. I’ve never met a server as friendly and personable as Sim, she is truly a credit to the castle cafe and I will most certainly be returning to be in her company again.
Written 3 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MOCKerry
221 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
Had a meal here recently with family party. Attractive menu reasonably priced
Very crowded but there was no delay due to our very excellent server Larry who was most helpful and efficient. Pork chop was outstanding. Will certainly return. Fully recommended.
Written 5 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sinead H
2 contributions
Nov 2020 • family
After a long mid term break in level 5 lockdown we weren't feeling the love to cook our dinner. Ordered for takeaway from castle cafe. Absolutely amazing meal, great portion sizes for kids meals also. Food was gorgeous. All very reasonable prices. Service when ordering as husband has an egg allergy attention to detail was reassuring. It's our wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks and will def be ordering again to celebrate. Keep up the good work!
Written 1 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eve C
Ipswich35 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
Great to see the beautiful redecorations that have taken place, new seating covers, and lights, both inside and out, Great leg room at tables, but even better the menu has been changed too, so many delicious dishes to choose from, right across the ranges, from starters to desserts, not to mention the cocktails!! I don't particularly like Cucumber, but having had a slice floating in the cocktail this has changed my feelings towards this vegetable!!! it was cool and delicious, with a hint of heat in there somewhere too!! I had the Tofu starter, followed by a Black Rice Thi dish,then the Bread and butter pudding , absulutly delicious, there were lots of new faces in the waiting staff too, all very pleasant and cheerful, there is such a welcoming feel as you walk thru the door, and a great choice of seating either indoors or outside. we choose outside as the weather was really pleassant. All in all a nother delightful ex[ericence visiting The Castle Cafe, Thank you all
Written 12 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah
Mallow3 contributions
Jan 2022 • friends
Another super visit to the Castle Café!
A fabulous menu with so much to choose from, my friend & I had a wonderful relaxed Sunday lunch. As a vegetarian, she had plenty of choices, opting for a curried tofu starter & marinated & panko breaded tofu for her main course while I stuck with beef croquettes, the seared steak baguette with the most delicious fries. A honeycomb chocolate brownie & creamy panna cotta for dessert & we were thrilled with our choices. Absolutely delicious & highly recommended.
I also can’t say enough about the customer service of the team, led by Jerry. I had received a voucher for one of their sister restaurants which is also redeemable at the Castle Cafe and Jerry reached out to Elbow Lane to ensure I was able to use the voucher during my visit. A much appreciated gesture & just another example of how they go over & above for their customers.
Written 23 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MatthijsdS
Rotterdam140 contributions
Oct 2021 • solo
If you also like coffee, it's worth the walk from city to the Blackrock Castle. Here they know what a cappuccino is. Where in the centre you'll get a flat white when you order a cappuccino, here you get a real cappuccino. (Yes you can always discuss the beans and grinding degree, but at least they know the milk foaming process.)
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saoirse W
6 contributions
May 2022 • none
The location of this cafe is lovely. I had been meaning to try it for a while but was quite disappointed. The menu looks great but how the food was executed was a different story. I had the chicken salad which was dry and under-dressed. I don't think the strawberries went well and it was bland overall. I got chips too but they seemed to be cooked twice, they were not great, dry and over seasoned with a black pepper salt- there was too much on it. And overpriced for what came out. The coffee was good and deserts looked delicious, I didn't have one but tried a bit of my friends brownie and it was really good. Service was fine, servers were friendly enough. Toilet facilities way too small for the venue, had a long queue the first time I tried to go so came back a second time, they could really do with improving these facilities. Overall disappointing lunch and I don't think I'll return.
Written 19 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Need2travelmore2
29 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
COVID restrictions are lifting and Castle Cafe is now serving take away.
We had delicious Chicken breast on the bone and Massman shredded lamb. These came with a varied and flavorful selection of sides (watermelon salad, broccoli with tahini, and potato gratin). To finish we each had a chocolate pot with raspberries and pistachio cream.
Great to see Castle Cafe back in business.
Written 7 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Windyroads
Kilkenny271 contributions
Jan 2023 • couples
Had lunch here recently. Booked based on reviews and recommendations. We both had a BLT and a portion of wedges. The sandwich was massive, really filling and tasty. We were stuffed after eating and could’ve either shared a sandwich or could’ve just had the sandwich and not the wedges such was the quantity. Might have been nicer toasted but we both enjoyed it. We both had a cappuccino which in my opinion was a bit small. Overall good value for money.
Written 22 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David G
Whitburn507 contributions
Mar 2023 • business
Was at Castle Café a few weeks back for dinner with some work colleagues, this place was recommended by another friend. On arrival the staff were friendly and helpful and our table was ready. The restaurant has a nice outlook, lots of windows so lots of light. The staff explained the menu in detail and I ordered vegetable soup for starters which was really nice and flavoursome. Then for main I ordered chicken breast which was accompanied by vegetables, fries and a gravy on the side. The food was really nice, well presented and tasted good.
Written 2 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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