Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in South Wales

OpenTable

Updated 05 December 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in South Wales? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The George

4.7

4.7 (294)

£25 and under

British

Chepstow

About the restaurant

The George hotel is a beautiful 400 year old hotel, currently only used as a restaurant. Taken over in 2020, the restaurant is tastefully decorated, adourning wonderful photos of chepstow through the years. The menu boasts an array of fabulous dishes, from the traditional 'pub grub' with our 2 for £16 menu, to our in house dry aged Steaks, cooked to perfection by our chefs or brought out to you on our signature sizzling hot stones. On a Saturday evening, the restaurant comes alive with wonderful live music, starting off with a relaxed vibe whilst you finish off your meal, and a livelier second half to finish off your evening. Finish the week here on a sunday, where we have fast become the place to come for a sunday lunch, with rave reviews and recommendations across the board. With a vast drinks and food menu, the George is the ideal place to come, either for a relaxed lunch for two, an evening out with friends or a large family gathering.

Top review

Jemma

Dined on 6 Dec 2024

Easy to book, shown table quickly, food service fast (maybe too fast), there was a comment about more turkey on the Christmas set menu would have been good. Overall very happy with the table of 6, sure we will return.

Harry's Restaurant & Wine Bar

4.7

4.7 (204)

£25 and under

Contemporary British

Cowbridge

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

Scott

Dined on 12 Dec 2024

Food was incredible. Service exceptional. Highly recommend

Côte Brasserie - Cardiff Bay

4.6

4.6 (64)

£25 and under

French

Cardiff

About the restaurant

Cote is inspired by the brasseries of Paris, serving authentic French dishes all day in our classically designed restaurants. We are committed to producing authentic French classics, freshly cooked to order, from the highest quality sourced ingredients.

Top review

Brian

Dined on 27 Nov 2024

Great attention to detail, especially on the contents of each meal.

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Experience

Festive three-course Set Menu

The Ivy Cardiff

4.5

4.5 (13967)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Cardiff

About the restaurant

The restaurant is situated across two floors with a large bar prominent on both floors, and beautiful private dining room on the first floor.

Top review

Stephen

Dined 6 days ago

Lovely breakfast with excellent service and a lovely ambiance

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Experience

Breakfast Set Menu

Experience

The Ivy Cardiff Festive Afternoon Tea

Experience

Boxing Day Brunch

The Ivy Asia, Cardiff

4.5

4.5 (3128)

£25 and under

Asian

Cardiff

About the restaurant

The Ivy Asia brings beautiful fusion flavours, exotic cocktails and late night entertainment to the heart of Cardiff, every night of the week. Located in St David's Shopping Centre, just a short walk from the city's historic castle and Cardiff Market, The Ivy Asia Cardiff is perfectly placed to provide a stunning sanctuary for shoppers, tourists and locals alike.

Top review

Rob

Dined 6 days ago

Excellent food and attentive service from Bethany, a lovely night for my wife’s birthday.

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Experience

New Year's Eve Experience

Experience

New Year’s Eve Outdoor Booking

Experience

Festive Set Menu

Gaucho - Cardiff

4.5

4.5 (843)

£26 to £40

Steakhouse

Cardiff

About the restaurant

Join us this December at Gaucho, where we’ll be serving up festive dishes and drinks with an Argentinian twist, perfect for corporate celebrations, Christmas parties and family gatherings!

At Gaucho Cardiff, every detail is crafted to enchant. The venue effortlessly blends sleek industrial design with cultural sophistication, creating an atmosphere of sultry glamour that’s both inviting and unforgettable. Whether you’re here for a business lunch, an afternoon cocktail, or an indulgent dinner, the setting elevates every moment.

For those seeking the perfect space to host an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, the top floor offers a stunning backdrop. Two exclusive private dining rooms provide an intimate, refined setting for smaller occasions, while the expansive dining area can accommodate groups of any size. For a truly personalized experience, you can even hire the entire top floor, ensuring your event is as distinctive and memorable as you envision.

Top review

Michelle

Dined 4 days ago

Really lovely. Great service and food! Highly recommend and will visit again!

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The Black Cock Inn Caerphilly Mountain

4.5

4.5 (155)

£25 and under

Gastro Pub

Caerphilly Mountain

About the restaurant

A classic British pub in the heart of the countryside, close to Castle Coch. We offer a selection of ales, ciders and lagers for the thirsty mountain biker. We pride ourselves on home cooked meals with fresh, local produce - our chips have been rated the best in South Wales! With a range of menu items to please every appetite, including our chefs specials that change daily, The Black Cock Inn offers a warm and friendly welcome to those travelling by foot, car or bike!
We have a dog friendly bar area, as well as an outdoor play park and plenty of seating in our beer garden, perfect for the "sunny" Welsh weather.

Top review

Andrew

Dined 7 days ago

Absolutely fabulous sunday lunch, quality and quantity of food was superb. Will definitely book again.

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Experience

Christmas Day

Pho Cardiff

4.4

4.4 (489)

£25 and under

Vietnamese

Cardiff

About the restaurant

Pho Cardiff is a healthy Vietnamese restaurant with loads of vegan and gluten free options. We specialise in pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup, and also serve delicious curries, rice dishes, wok-fried noodles and healthy salads, too. We also have loads of starters that are perfect for sharing with friends and family. Over a third of our menu is vegan, and nearly all of it is gluten-free, so we are a great destination for people who follow those particular diets. We are accredited by Coeliac UK. Aside from our lovely food we offer a brilliant range of healthy juices, as well as delicious wine and beer, and a fantastic cocktail menu too. If you're unable to dine-in, you can click & collect your order, or find us on Deliveroo. We look forward to welcoming you!

Top review

Gabrielle

Dined 3 days ago

It was my first time going to Pho, I went with my mum and dad to finish the last bits for Christmas and we had a fab time! The staff were brilliant and food was amazing!

Aura

4.4

4.4 (32)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

Cardiff

About the restaurant

Aura is the newest addition to Cardiff's restaurant scene.

Top review

Carol

Dined 5 days ago

We booked for lunch but had looked at the website and were disappointed as the Al carte menu wasn’t available

Terra Mare

4.4

4.4 (39)

£26 to £40

Contemporary Italian

Cardiff

About the restaurant

Terra Mare is a contemporary Italian restaurant & bar, inspired by Puglia. Located on High Street and brought to you by the team behind Silures Restaurant, Terra Mare is an authentic Italian dining experience, bringing the heart and soul of Italy right to your table.

Inspired by the vibrant flavours and time-honoured traditions of Puglia, our menu is a true journey through the classic Italian way of dining. From cicchetti (small snacks) to antipasti, primi piatti, secondi piatti, and finally dolce (desserts), Terra Mare invites you to savour each moment, every bite, and every sip. Whether you’re indulging in a few plates or a full seven-course feast, our flexible menu is designed to cater to your unique dining desires.

Top review

Louisa

Dined 3 days ago

We had a lovely time here. Had the Christmas set menu which was good value and great food. Decent size portions. The staff were friendly and attentive without being too overly formal. Drinks seemed quite expensive however that’s the same everywhere! Wine was delicious.

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Experience

Five Course Taster Menu

Experience

Seven Course Taster Menu

Experience

New Year's Eve 5-Course Dinner

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