Fsharpminor's Qype profile

I am pleased to be writing the first review on this very popular restaurant in Greasby, middle of the Wirral (Note the location is some 200 yards east of what is shown on the map). We tend to eat in Heswall (Eg Gustos, see reviews) as we can walk there but my son and daughter in law recommended this to us so the four of us went together last week to celebrate my birthday (and a forthcoming baby /first grandchild in two weeks) .
This restaurant was indeed very good. A very nice old Manor House, but with a tasteful but more modern decor, a pleasant ambience and was about half full on a Thursday night We all had different starters and mains , there being an excellent selection to suit all tastes, and the pace and friendliness of the staff enhanced the occasion. All the food was of a good standard, and nicely presented. Pricing was good for the quality, just a shade under £100 for the four of us – two courses, and some drinks. Highly recommended. We will have to split our loyalties now between those restaurants nearer home, and The Manor. So we will definitely be back.

(edit three weeks later, a beautiful granddaughter born on April 6th !) (Also I have a table for 8 booked Easter Monday – will edit this again after we have been)

Edit Monday 25th April 2011 – Eight of us for lunch, food even better than the first time. This place is really top class for food,ambience, and service, and the prices are very reasonable. 8 three course lunches with some drinks cost me £180 inclusive of tip.
The map marker is still out despite my telling Qype administrators, its about 200 yards east of where indicated.

Edit April 2012.

Again hosted a family lunch here , this time for 11 people + baby. Everything was again first class, food, service and ambience. £230 for three courses and drinks inc gratuities, so slightly less per person than last time. Map marker is now correct

Edit April 1st 2013:-

For the third year running hosted a family get together (11 + 2 babies) first baby referred to will be 2 next Saturday but this year an extra baby 5 months old belonging to my nephew and his wife.The food here continues to be very good indeed, with some interesting choices. Service maybe a little slower than previously but the restaurant was quite full , and I am able to leave the rating at 5 stars.The bill was only £10 higher than last year

Family visit (6 of us) today with age range of  'nearly 2' to 88 (in wheel chair).  even the little 'un was fascinated by the fish and exhibits, and it was also interesting to mother in law. So theres something for everyone.
The exhibits are very well done.
But its grossly overpriced. It cost us £68 (and we had some discount vouchers). We got round the main part in about and an hour and a quarter, without hurrying, and including watching the otters being fed outside. Cafe and junky gift shop were very expensive,  and then they have the temerity to charge you £2.50 for the Car Park. If you go over 2 hrs its another £1. Our parking ticket showed we entered at 1.41, it was actually abou 10 mins later. If the clock in the pay machine had th coreect time, that means you only get 1hr 50 for your £2, seems like a fiddle to me.
I guess I would recommend to go once, but its not the sort of place you would return to with any sort of regularity, maybe 1 in 5 yrs or so.

Living only four miles away, we have now become 'Friends of Ness Gardens' and have been several times already this summer (I retired from work at Easter).   The Management continue to make improvements all the time, and each time we see changes.   If you go three ti,mes or more a year , its well worth joinging the Friends as you will save money.  ITs a bit like asmall version of BOdnant Gardens in N Wales for those of you who know it.

Edit, visited again  13/3/13  with wife , mother in law and grandauaghter. For the first time we had lunch in the cafe, good quality and well presented food, nice ambience.

(January 2013) We have been a couple more times since my first review below, and we still rate the place highly and its extremely good value. usually been family meals sometimes with baby and a frail elderly relative. Nothing is too much trouible to the staff.

This little gem is a large manor house set in large grounds with trees , lakes and plenty of parking. Three years ago we had our sons wedding reception here and they really did a great job for us at a reasonable price, certainly less than the nearby Thornton Hall which is usually abomination whatever you go there for . I had dinner there last Saturday evening in the Conservatory Restaurant with wife, mother in law, son , and his wife. Dinner is fixed price of £18.95 for three courses (Fri and Sat). Same menu is a couple of pounds cheaper during the week. A good choice at each course, and indeed the five of us all had different things, one had duck, one chicken, on the roast lamb, one seabass, and I had the lamb shank. All were well executes as were our differing starters (I had crispy Peking duck with salad, maybe just a touch dry, but certainly crisp). We all enjoyed a dessert, in my case a poached pear with mango sauce (probably the lightest of the desserts, as those who had Nicholls excellent ice cream had very large portions!). Service was polite and attentive, if almost a touch too fast. Bill total inc drinks and service was £120
As this is 1 mile from home, we will be back. It might just take our preference over a previous favourite, Gustos in Heswall

Yet another Edit, family party on 30/12/12. Eleven of us. Standard of service much improved , though it was not as busy as has been previously. Particularly nice Sea Bass , though most enjoyed their selections.
I will revert to four stars

Later edit (30/12/10), its a year since last visit, again for a family party.
Food a little disappointing for some people, eg soup was barely lukewarm, some complained of meat too tough, but again I had the excellent Liver and Bacon !
This time we had starters, and main, one or two had room for a dessert.
Feel obliged to down grade it to three stars now

Had a family party here (12 of us) for lunch on Dec 30th (2009). Excellent food enjoyed by all, and we had different things. I particularly enjoyed the Liver and Bacon. Service was also pretty good despite being quite a few diners. We did wait a while for main course, but thats probably because we elected to havs a main and a sweet , and no starter. It is on the main road (A6068), the symbol on the map is a little ‘out’

Went for lunch today with elderly father and sister.  Two mains for £7 !  Very well cooked piece of gammon served with two fried eggs (pineapple option) good chips, and peas.  Nice thick gammon, not that thin stuff that gets overcooked and comes out like leather.   Sister only wanted a light meal so just had a bowl of thick Leek and Potato soup with roll and butter.  We will be back sometime soon.

Party of 14 of us (not family) for Christmas lunch. Very pleasant indeed . It was a 3/3/3  menu, and all the 9 dishes were had by one of us.  I had prawns and salmon to start, fish main, and a Woodcote Mess for dessert. But the food was of a good standard, and service excellent, though the place was quiet.
It was good enough to encourage me to revisit with family, but just had a feeling it may be less efficient when its busy. 

Had dinner last night , 10 of us amateur classical musicaians after attending a music day at nearby St Marys centre.  The food and ambience were generally good, we just had two large plates of garlic bread to start, most then had pasta of pizza dishes, whereas I had Scallopini di Vitello alla Marsala, well executed, though  the sauce maybe expected to be creamier, and it was a touch over salted. Three had desserts.
I also I think maybe the pricing a bit heavy compared to some places

Had a family sunday lunch with Mrs, her mother, our son, daughter in law and little Anna (18 months)

This place is obviously geared to families with small children as there is an impressive play area for them, Anna loved it.
But the food here is also pretty good and the service prompt and efficient. Son and I had a lamb shank, two had roast chicken, another had chicken on skewers with a spicy sauce, and Anna had fish fingers chips and peas (she can just about manage a fork herself with it cut up.   Portions were rather large (This pub is part of a group called Hungry Horse).   Two Knockerbocker Glories were huge but not as big as the Waffle stack enjoyed by daughter in law and my wife. Anna had a small ice cream tub.
If you are going as adults sit over the opposite side from the play area, as its much quieter there.
The bill for 5 + baby was £62

I was brought up in nearby Keighley and have eaten in the ‘gastropub’ many times.( about 6-8 times since my last review in 2009)
The food, beer (Taylors Landlord!) and service have always been absolutely top class. My favourite main course is the Lamb Shank , and the local pork sausages are also to be recommended.

Dined again with three friends last night, just as good as ever, but the menus had changed and the lamb shank had gone to be replaced by a rack of lamb. I had the excellent local sausages, friends had different things all thoroughly enjoyed. Washed down with Taylors Landlord . The service (always with a smile) by the young staff was first class.
This is really one of my favourite pubs of all time, pity I live nearly 100 miles away.
I am upgrading to 5 stars.

Update Sept 2nd 2012

Had a family sunday lunch for 12 to celebrate my Dads 92 birthday.
General feeling among the group was that the standard has fallen rather. Again I enjoyed my Lamb Shank, but brother in law said his sirloin steak was ‘tasteless like eating cardbord’. Gammon was overcooked and leathery, and there were some minor adverse comments too. Service quite slow compared with normal, but probaly cos it was busier then my last visits which have been evenings. I am reducing back to 3 stars