Ben Madigans Bar & Kitchen
Quick info
About Ben Madigans Bar & Kitchen
On Cavehill Rd in Belfast, Ben Madigans Bar & Kitchen is a bar and grill built around table service and a menu that runs from fish and chips and a smash burger to seafood linguine, scampi and chicken carbonara. Sunday brings a dedicated dinner menu with choices such as nut roast or beef, served in large portions alongside the Sunday Roast Platter, sized for four people sharing. Desserts round out the meal with sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble. Seating is walk-in, though Sunday lunch can be booked ahead. The bar sits within a residential neighborhood, and a sign at the door asks customers to keep noise down for local residents. Dogs are welcome inside.
Good to know
- ReservationsWalk-in only
- AccessibilityWheelchair: entrance, restroom, seating
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention smash burger, sunday roast platter, fish and chips and seafood linguine.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention smash burger, sunday roast platter, fish and chips and seafood linguine.
Customer Review Summary
The smash burger draws the most repeat praise, described as juicy and, for one visitor marking a family celebration, the best they'd ever tried. Close behind, the Sunday Roast Platter and a separate Sunday dinner get singled out for generous, hard-to-finish portions, alongside mentions of scampi, seafood linguine, chowder, and desserts like sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble. Staff are repeatedly called friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere is described as welcoming and congenial. Complaints center on inconsistency: one reviewer found chicken carbonara rubbery and chewy despite flavorful chicken strips, another reported a long wait and fish that cut "more like a steak" than fish at a cost they felt was too high, and a regular diner found salmon tiny and tasteless with a beef and Yorkshire pudding dish dry and short on gravy, adding that a previous menu item, seabass, should return. Pricing draws occasional pushback, though most describe portions as generous and service as quick, with one diner noting they'd booked ahead for Sunday lunch.
Customer Review Summary
The smash burger draws the most repeat praise, described as juicy and, for one visitor marking a family celebration, the best they'd ever tried. Close behind, the Sunday Roast Platter and a separate Sunday dinner get singled out for generous, hard-to-finish portions, alongside mentions of scampi, seafood linguine, chowder, and desserts like sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble. Staff are repeatedly called friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere is described as welcoming and congenial. Complaints center on inconsistency: one reviewer found chicken carbonara rubbery and chewy despite flavorful chicken strips, another reported a long wait and fish that cut "more like a steak" than fish at a cost they felt was too high, and a regular diner found salmon tiny and tasteless with a beef and Yorkshire pudding dish dry and short on gravy, adding that a previous menu item, seabass, should return. Pricing draws occasional pushback, though most describe portions as generous and service as quick, with one diner noting they'd booked ahead for Sunday lunch.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Really good Sunday dinner, huge portions too, I couldn’t finish my nut roast and my friend got a huge piece of really tender beef, service was really friendly and very reasonably priced”
- Google user
“Oh wow, first time visitors here and will absolutely return, great for family's, very good choice of meals all cooked and served with perfection. You can't leave without trying the desert option. Fantastic table service, super friendly atmosphere.”
- Google user
“I would not recommend this place went in at 14.05 got table wasnt busy took order for drinks waited 15 mins then another 15 for food order then around 30 to 40 to get your food .when recived the fish looked big But when you start to cut into fish it was as though i was trying to cut a steak it was more batter then anything else the potatoes etc in the other meal were lumpy at £56 pounds i would expect better food service etc. They are dog friendly thats why we went but will not be back.”
- Google user
“I love here and normally the food but I was actually pretty unhappy with it y'day. The salmon was tiny and tasteless and the beef & yorkie was dry as hell with basically 0 gravy. Still left the same tip, but I feel a bit cheated and I felt the kitchen should know. New menu doesn't seem great. Bring back the seabass!”
- Google user
“Delicious chowder. Unbelievably good. Vegan curry got good report also. Staff are delightful. Atmosphere is congenial. Everyone welcome. Singles, couples, groups, families. A great venue. Great location also. Go there after a workout in the Waterworks.”
Amenities
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 2
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Location
Bar And Grill near Ben Madigans Bar & Kitchen
- Muriel's Cafe Bar4.41,3382 mi
art deco decor, no service sign incidents, bathroom accusations
- The Rusty Saddle4.21,9012.2 mi
live performer, smoked haddock, jamaican burger
- The Bellevue Arms4.21,5492.6 mi
steak cooked to perfection, cocktails, scampi
| Place | Rating | Distance | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Madigans Bar & Kitchen | 4.5941 | — | smash burger, sunday roast platter, fish and chips |
| Muriel's Cafe Bar | 4.41,338 | 2 mi | art deco decor, no service sign incidents, bathroom accusations |
| The Rusty Saddle | 4.21,901 | 2.2 mi | live performer, smoked haddock, jamaican burger |
| The Bellevue Arms | 4.21,549 | 2.6 mi | steak cooked to perfection, cocktails, scampi |
The 3 nearest bar and grill by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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