The Red Lion Hotel

Got there with a booking, no table was reserved. When I showed I had a booking it was brushed off. Sat down at table in the front area just in-front of the main bar. Ordered meals and entree, of which it all came out at the same time? Sat there looking at the plates then had to get up and go get knifes and forks from a public bucket where anyone can just touch 2-3 forks trying to pick up one. On top of that when I got over there no steak knife’s were there told staff behind bar,, then they brought out a bucket with plenty of cutlery all individually packaged. I got 2 beers and my wife some drinks, once we were finished the drinks just sat on the table for at least 10 mins empty… before bar staff moved them. I find the public knives and forks disgusting in this day and age.… all in all not a bad place, just need to get on top of somethings and change the way your eating utensils are handed out. Toilets are clean ✅ Nice atmosphere ✅ Family friendly ✅ Well priced food and drinks ✅

I did email Red Lion and after 7 days of NO response, I decided to post a review. After visiting Bistro by Manu #The Red Lion for the first time Friday night 28 Nov 2025 I was sadly disappointed, read on. While we were excited to dine at the restaurant, unfortunately, the evening did not meet our expectations. Here are some key points: • Initial Service: Upon arrival, we requested to sit in the foyer area, wait for our friends and ordered a cocktail and a glass of wine. The waitress did not acknowledge the order and walked away. • Menu & Ordering: We were asked for our order almost immediately after receiving the menu, before learning about the specials. When we requested another glass of the same wine, the young waiter was unsure what we had previously ordered and asked if he could check the system under our table number. • Food Presentation & Practicality: The steak tartare was served in the centre of a bone placed on rocks. While visually striking, it was impractical—pieces of Tartare fell onto the rocks and were difficult to impossible to retrieve, and chips broke when trying to pair them with the tartare. • Main Course Issues: o Two duck specials and one chargrilled pork cutlet were ordered. Later, we were told only one duck was available, so I changed my order to chargrilled octopus. o My octopus dish arrived well before the other mains, I politely asked the young waiter why and he said he had no idea, so I asked if I could have my main at the same time everyone else received theirs. About 10mins passed and the other 3 mains were served. I received back my octopus (from earlier) which was warm but sadly dry and chewy, so I didn't end up eating much of it. o My friends chargrilled pork dish was mistakenly served as beef. When corrected, the pork was not chargrilled, and the fat was not rendered, making it very fatty and unpalatable. • Closing Experience: We decided to skip dessert and finish our drinks, but the bill was presented immediately, making us feel rushed to leave. The highlight of the evening was meeting Manu and having our photo taken, which I truly appreciated. However, overall, the experience fell short of expectations, and I felt embarrassed for the friends we invited—they found the night more comical than enjoyable. I wanted to share this feedback because I am a big fan of Manu and had high hopes for the evening. I hope this helps improve the experience for future guests.

Manus bistro had friendly staff and the meals were very nice. Didn’t love the rice in the risotto, it was more so grains, not rice - which is why I didn’t give a 5 star - but the flavour was there. The bread and butter was amazing & the steak was so juicy and tender. The mash was a let down with zero to no flavour. Overall, we’d be back!

When we entered last night we thought the musician was a 6 7. When we sat down to eat our meals as always, hot and delicious. The musician ended up being a 10+ playing music which suited the crowd- awesome music and icy cold beers! The red loin never disappoints!

Met here for a pre Tiger's game counter lunch. Had the pork - superb! Beautifully presented - cooked to perfection. Nice atmosphere - interesting selection of beers on tap - worth a visit!