Reviews in Liverpool and Merseyside

Sushi is a risky proposition when eating out. Pizza, even when done poorly, is usually edible. Bad sushi can ruin your whole week. Good sushi, well, that's what I had a Etsu, outstanding in fact. The restaurant itself is quite utilitarian, with the typically, slightly spartan, clean lines one associates with Japanese culture. That said it's still a very friendly atmosphere and the owner seems to feel passionately about providing an authentic experience of high-quality Japanese cuisine at a very reasonable price, rather than the usual dog and pony show that accompanies often overpriced, greasy food at a typical Teppan-Yaki restaurant. The party I was with had a wide variety of Sushi and Negri, shiro misu (soup), curry and interesting desserts. Given the often poor quality of Liverpool dining I would say that this is a definite departure from the norm. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu and were able to make informed recommendations. The quality of the Sushi is amongst the highest I've ever experienced anywhere, being neatly and tightly made, fresh and delicately flavoured. The choice was excellent and, considering the price, superb value for money. The quality of the ingredients was obviously high. A good marker of a chef, in my experience, is how they handle a simple dish like a soup. In this case, the simple miso soup (beancurd, bean paste, spring onion etc) was delicious. For a desert, we tried: Green tea ice cream - refreshing; a pear tart - delicious; and a purple, roasted sesame ice cream -- weird, nutty, sweet, creamy, very more-ish! Overall, the meal for four was excellent value for money and represented a refreshing change from typical eating out in Liverpool. If I were to be critical at all, I'd say the portion sizes were on the large side for some things. I mentioned this to the manager who told that they had started out even larger! They are also authentically Japanese in their liking for high-tech. They have an electronic toilet that does some interesting things and the loudest hand dryer in the universe that dries your hands instantly. The attitude of "customers come first" is evident and provided that Liverpudlians want a true experience of Japanese cuisine performed as it should be then Etsu should do hugely well.

Enjoyed a lovely dinner here last night, arrived without making a reservation and was quickly shown to a table. the place was booming for a Saturday tea time. skipped the starters and went for a pasta dish and my partner a lasagna. mine was delicious. i also like the atmosphere in here-would deffo recommend

I would not recommend the carvery at the weld blundell. It is always cold and each time I have been the 'chef' always makes every attempt to give you the minimum amount of meat possible. I went tonight 22.03.08 and the vegetables on offer were appalling. Apparently they were restocking and I can only presume they were using up old stock. The only thing I could recommend was the coffee. I like to give venues a few trys before I finally decide not to go again. Tonight I decided not to go again!

I have recently discovered a little gem of a find for sushi lovers. When i arrived there was a friendly welcome with good lighting and a well designed lay out. the staff were very friendly and the service was exceptional and don't let me mention the food which i have got to say was out of this world i cant begin to tell you what to try its all fantastic but i will mention the chef special its so unique you cant go without trying it and all of this at a great price YOU JUST SIMPLY HAVE TO TRY IT.

Horrendous.. Have visited this restaurant lots of times since it became a carvery and it has been superb but after visiting it today I will not be returning. When arrived today I was informed that it was now a 2 for 1 ,I should of known then to leave. After being told that there was lots of things on the menu that weren't available was ordered and were told that all meals were 2 for 1 which when the bill arrived wasn't the case. We received the wrong drinks then wrong meals then meals with things missing not explaining until we asked that these things were out of stock. Basically don't go there

This pub is no longer an O'Neills pub, its name has reverted to the Hoghton arms and is being run as family business, it has been refurbished to make it light and airy and offers good food from 12:00 until 18:00, with darts, pool, quiz nights, TV, and guest ales...and the staff are very friendly.

I first went to Bistro Jacques with friends. It's now becoming a bit of a regular. The food is amazing - would strongly recommend fillet steak or sea bass - the price is just as amazing. The staff are friendly and efficient. Would strongly recommend this restaurant to Michelin.

I was impressed as soon as i entered the restaurant, It had a really relaxed ambience. the staff were very friendly and were more than happy to assist the diners in our party who were less familiar with the menu. The food was delicious and very well priced. There were 2 Japanese chefs working there, who create every sauce from scratch (i was told by the charming waitress who assisted me on one of my visits) i have been back a couple of times since and have been just as impressed each time. I know it's not polite to talk about toilets but you got to try them out, i'm like a child who has to go each visit somewhere new, ha ha. I can't wait for better weather and enjoy the outdoor terrace, it looks so inviting! you must give ETSU a try

Simply the best restaurant in Liverpool. We've only been going for 3 years because we'd never heard of it til we accidentally came across it, never had a bad meal there, lovely atmosphere, fantastic food, good service

Attractive bistro style restaurant on two floors(paper tablecloths seem a bit basic). Very attentive staff and interesting menu which was good value. Particularly good range of fish dishes. My wife had a problem with one dish which they were keen to resolve. Enjoyable evening and we will certainly return.

Eaten at Pionner twice, the first time we had tapas which was excellent. The second time the food improved, the staff and manager were lovely, especially when the free bottle of wine arrived

I stayed at the Lord Nelson in February 08 and they told me about the Maharaja. I went there and had the most wonderful 3-course meal plus a bottle of wine for less than £30, as recommended by the owner. It was wonderful! I was on my own, but I was made to feel welcome and comfortable, and the courses were served at MY pace. I'm trying this method of cooking, without the ghee, as the flavours really do come through. When I visit Liverpool again, the Maharaja will be the first place I'll go to! Can't praise it highly enough. Excellent!

A real let down! i am a regular visitor of the gulshan and there is now way anybody could compare these two restaurants, they are a world apart. Anyone reading this, go the gulshan next door

Ate their with a few of my friends this evening, one of the best Indians we've had. All in all we had a lovely BFE.

The service was excellent, and the decor and location were very special indeed. However ... From personal experience, my internal alarm bells go off when I see geometric shaped porcelain dishes and balsamic vinegar sprayed liberally all over the food. It says to me that the chef/restaurant are lacking in confidence and do not really know what they are doing. Sure enough, the alarm was going off when we were presented with our main courses. Large white rectangular plates, which were stone cold, and vinaigrette lavishly sprayed across everything. That the plates were cold was very important, as the vegetables were small and thin. The portion size was small (more on that in a moment). Consequently, from the very moment the plates were set on the table, the food was cold. Everything... completely cold... One dish was the "Duroc iron age" pork, the other was the sirloin of "Bowland charlais beef". One the plus side, the vegetables were perfectly cooked, if completely cold. If you think of it as a salad, then you will be quite satisfied. The Duroc pork was dry and very, very chewy. I'm used to this breed of pig giving a succulent and very tasty meat. But this was bland, and tough work too! In a similar fashion, the beef was if anything even chewier! I know the tendancy is to hang this meat for up to 20 days, which will have the tendancy dry out moisture, but this was quite extreme. If it had been over-hung, making it too dry, then I would be happy to experience a more intense taste (hanging increases flavour). But this beef was dull and bland. Had the meat been frozen for a long time, I wondered. Another poor point was the portion size, which has been mentioned elsewhere. For 20 pounds I recieved two pieces of pork, one the length and breadth of a tablespoon, the other smaller. Not much for your cash. The beef was also a small two piece arrangement, this for 24 pounds. And both the pork and beef were cold. And i do not mean luke-warm, i mean cold. If this was they way they preferred to serve dishes in the London Carriage works, they really should mention it in the menu. Perhaps our jaw muscles were grateful for the small portion size, but my wallet felt empty, and my stomach cried out for more! Regretfully, we did not complain, because my partner does not like a scene. It really was a case of presentation above quality and taste. Seeing the other glowing reviews here, I can only hope that this was an off-night. -And I hope other diners have a better experience.

This place rocks. Great food at the right price. We ate from the pretty pea menu.........what a deal!

If you like a relaxed atmosphere, excellent service, reasonable prices and great quality fantastic food. Then like me you will love ETSU, because simply it is all that. Try it! Once you go once believe me, you will be back for seconds. (i have)And the toilets WOW.

A number of work colleagues and myself decided to try out the lunchtime menu at the Panoramic. Entrance to the restaurant is suitably impressive as you are greeted by spectacular panoramic views of Liverpool City Centre and beyond. The restaurant certainly lives up to it's name in this respect. This raised our expectations and on first impressions, the staff's polite and helpful manner appeared to live up to this. As expected with restaurants of this genre, the food was minimal but delicious until I found a hair in my main meal. I reported this to the waiter however after that I heard no more about it. I did not pursue the matter as we were celebrating a colleague's birthday and I didn't want to spoil the day. In addition the waiter was initially eager to ensure we did not pour our own wine however we were then left waiting with empty glasses and ended up refilling the glasses ourselves. This is not normally a cause for complaint as far as I am concerned but I felt they were trying to offer a standard they just could not maintain. Also as this was a lunchtime menu in the midst of the office quarter of the city centre, we expected the service to be much more speedy. However meals were delivered at a decidedly leisurely pace which resulted us in being 30mins late back to the office! Also for someone who normally is sated with a sandwich or jacket spud for lunch, after eating a 3 course meal I was still left feeling hungry! I am not averse to fine dining but for £17.50 I wanted to feel full up! In summary, although it was an experience, it was more show than substance and I probably won't bother again unless it is to show guests/visitors the view.