Great ambiance and great food and drink. Don't miss having the Caesar salad...excellent!

Good: Food Bad: After waiting at least 20 minutes for our first cocktail, the food took longer than 45 minutes to arrive. As observed, there was a lack of attentiveness at other tables for drinks and food and checks. We ordered our second round from the bar as there simply was not a server who ever gave us any eye contact. Once we inquired about the food, it finally arrived and it was really tasty however, the service was lacking. Very nice folks but... the longer we waited for our order, the lights went down and the music went up which felt like an encouragement to go. A strange experience all around. read more

Loved our fancy-ish dinner at The Cloth Ear while visiting Belfast. Lovely service & ambiance & tasty food.

Visited Cloth Ear on Thursday evening, 20th April 2017 and it was extremely busy. We hadn't made a reservation but my dining companion and I were lucky enough to get a table. When I return I will pre-book. A happy vibe and atmosphere permeated with a live band (Acoustic Soul) playing music. Our waiter was excellent informing us of the £14 bottle of house wine and special menu offers. We were there especially to try out the extensive, dedicated Vegan menu which we'd heard fantastic things about. This Vegan menu is automatically handed to patrons along with all other menus, which I really like, as it makes a change from having to ask specifically to see a vegan/vegetarian menu. We ordered a bread selection with tapenade & hummus starter to share plus two Sea Veg & Chips mains. Absolutely delicious food. We loved the main dishes which were served with vegan chunky chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce and a wedge of lemon. Such a novel and brilliant idea to tempura veg with kelp and batter. A really enjoyable, flavoursome, indulgent and satisfying meal. As well as a dedicated vegan menu there are also quite a few vegetarian options on the A La Carte menu. Although I've visited Cloth Ear a couple of times previously, enjoyed it and rated it 4 stars - my most recent visit and the stunning Vegan menu deserves a full 5 star rating. I wish there were more menus like this offered throughout Belfast. read more

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We were skeptical at first just due to the name of the restaurant but we were pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious! We ordered the Free range chicken as well as the Braised Beef. Both dishes were very flavorful. We came on a Monday and got margaritas as it was part of the special. The drinks were great also. Definitely recommend! read more

The Cloth Ear - Braised Beef - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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I really wanted to like this place, but the combination of average food, exceedingly high prices, and horrendously inattentive service just fell quite short. After sitting for some time, I had to flag a server down to get menus. Again, after some time, I had to flag someone down to place the order. After our meal, I had to again flag someone down to request the check. At no point did anyone ever voluntarily bring us anything nor check on us to see if we needed/wanted anything else during our time here. That said, the chicken curry was ok. It wasn't quite sweet and it wasn't quite spicy. The order of fish and chips was huge and I was told it was good. I wouldn't recommend this place, nor will I be returning. read more

The Cloth Ear - Chicken Curry - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

The Cloth Ear is not somewhere I would rush to go to, not that I have anything against it, it's just that it doesn't have any stand out features that would draw me to it. Adjoining The Merchant Hotel and in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter you'd think that The Cloth Ear would be more popular than it is. Whilst doing a little tour of the Cathedral Quarter I decided we would pop in the The Cloth Ear to sample their beers. There was a pleasant, laid back Sunday afternoon vibe to the place. There were a mix of diners and drinkers and those who were just recovering from the previous nights frivolities. With no music, The Cloth ear is a nice place to grab a bite or a quick pint but you certainly wouldn't spend all afternoon there. They show live sport on their multiple TV's and have a great selection of draught beers. The décor is rustic and the bar is spacious allowing in loads of natural light. The food looked great and I'll definitely be back to sample some. As mentioned The Cloth Ear is the definition of 'A-OK' - nothing earth shatteringly good and nothing offensive. read more

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Was in here for drinks for the first time lay night. I have never come in before as I thought it was too expensive. However,it is pretty standard. Love the atmosphere. Nice to have somewhere in Cathedral Quarter more quiet and mellow than other places where you can't find a seat and can't hear people speak. It sort of reminds me of a gentlemans club or an old English sports club house. Will defo be back here if in the area. Loved the chilled atmosphere. read more

The Cloth Ear - Passion fruit daiquiri - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Wow I love this place. The atmosphere, the staff and the food. Always my 1st choice when we're going 4 a meal. I think it's pretty perfect and have no problem recommending it. Enjoy everyone xxx read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

A great place to come and people watch in the heart of Belfast. A nice atmosphere and great for lunch. Had a lamb burger of the street food menu and was decent. Had the chilli fries as a side which were quote greasy but I wasn't complaining. The service was very slow and had to ask to order but was very friendly when we eventually ordered. Note: we did go between lunch and dinner so they were busy preparing for the evening sitting. The cocktail menu had a good selection and weren't overly dear. Overall a nice place to go for lunch in a quaint setting. read more

The Cloth Ear - The lamb tagine burger with a side of chilli fries - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

This place is one of the more chilled out bars in Belfast. As other reviews have noted, it attracts a slightly older crowd, which might explain the relative calm! I love popping in here for lunch while out shopping. The scampi is to die for and the chicken burger is big enough to feed a family of four (or one really hungry girl. Whatever.) There are nice touches all over the place - old theatre posters on the wall, theatrical costumes in display cases, the Star Wars art in the boys toilets (haven't seen it myself obviously...) and the food menus presented in the covers of old kids books. The service can be mixed. There are two waiters who stick out in my mind and if you go, you'll be able to pick them out. One is an incredibly surly man - he's not rude, just not very forthcoming - and the other is one of the nicest waiters I've ever been served by, nothing was too much trouble for him and he earns every penny of his tips! Prices are a little more expensive than average, but I suppose that's to be expected from a bar attached to the merchant hotel. There's an osmosis effect and everything that touches the hotel becomes more expensive! read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

The Cloth Ear doesn't really know where to put itself. Part of the fancy Merchant Hotel but just not fancy enough, and part of the Cathedral Quarter cobbles but not quite street enough, it is a tough one. Because of this it doesn't really specialise in anything. My mum loves it though, which is why we were there for lunch. The food was just ok. Yet again, my mum loved it, but perhaps we have different standards ;-). We both had the brisket burger and chips. The bun was a bit processed, but again, I'm picky. What I will say is their Espresso Martini is wonderful, really packs a punch and for the area the cocktails are pretty reasonably priced. After one of those I didn't really care about the burger. ;-) read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Probably my favorite dining while in the area! We were at the end of a rather long trip and this place hit the spot. The Cloth Ear offers a nice variety of local food and veggies and has a great cocktail and beer selection. Additionally, our waiter Richard was wonderful. Our group is pretty witty and he played right into it and made our night. read more

Great happy hour special! We found this place wandering around the neighborhood. Great local foods and drinks and a band playing Irish music in the corner. It was a wonderful experience! The staff was very attentive as well read more

I'm in Belfast for work. Staying at the venerable Merchant Hotel. One if the options in this fantastic Cathedral district is the Cloth Ear. I came for a second time. The skewers were novel, piping hot and delicious. There is a great selection of beer in tap and bottles. Try the local Harp ice if you like ridiculously cold lager. Do experiment with the upside-down meat skewers. Great job and so delish. Bartenders attentive and fun. read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

We first found the Cloth Ear on a night out to see some live music at the Black Box. The whole Cathedral Quarter are of Belfast is simply unrecognisable from a few years ago - totally transformed. It is one of the more laid-back areas of the city centre, which almost has a continental feel (on the right night, in the right weather). The atmosphere is great - 30s and 40s crowd making it very unlikely you'll ever see drunk students spinning round celebrating A level results! It is well done, without trying too hard (not at all like some bars which you suspect were ordered from theme-bars-are-us. It's genuinely comfortable, with good food that isn't a ridiculous price. Best for? A great place to start a good night out -enjoy! read more

I have been to the Cloth Ear for food once and I have to say that I was vastly underwhelmed. It was on a lunch for a birthday whilst I was on work experience, and I was hoping that my lunch would be a real treat to my otherwise dour Friday morning. Unfortunately disappointment soon befell me. We were a group of ten maximum, so we wouldn't have place too much strain on the kitchen as the place was hardly busy. Unfortunately it took about 45 mins for lunch to arrive, which was good in that we got to go back to work late but it was terrible as I was starving. I ordered the breaded cod and it was only lukewarm at best. The chips were of the same tepid temperature and were not well cooked. Everyone around me seemed to enjoy it but I was really disappointed. The décor of the place is really pretty in my opinion and I was hoping the food would live up to it. Perhaps in a smaller group with a better dinner menu it would have, but this mediocre experience put me off it. read more

A pretty classy bar in Belfast's popular Cathedral Quarter. They also serve food but I've only ever been here for drinks. Whilst most of my girl-friends are pretty laid back and not high maintenance types, it;s nice to get really dressed up sometimes and head to a classy joint like this for some cocktails. The clientele here are aged 25 and over so at least you know you're not going to score anyone who's underage! The atmosphere is pretty laid back, which I like. It;s a place I'd recommend popping into on a night out for one or two. read more

Based in the Cathedral Quarter and attached to the Merchant hotel and is the more upmarket way to get a few drinks and a bite to eat on a night out. The clientelle is a little bit older, I'd say if you're my age (25) you would be amongst the youngest there. So, if you like the older lady or want a bit of a sugar daddy then this is the place for you to go out on the pull. This is not to say that it has a sleazy atmosphere, far from it. It's fun and laid back and enjoyable. The service and staff are standard without being spectacular. The toilets are always clean and are even quite cool, I'm a big fan of the Star Wars figures in the men's toilets. Boba Fett watching you as you take a leak is always a bizarre experience. There is a good selection of drinks and beers on offer, with a good vegetarian selection. I can definitely recommened the portabello mushrooms, which I have had on a number of occassions and they've never disappointed. Comfortable without winning any awards, and pretty good night out. The Cloth Ear is definitely worth checking out, even if you are just stopping off for a bite to eat before you head on elsewhere. read more

The Cloth Ear is part of the Merchant Hotel - for my money, also home to the best restaurant in Belfast, The Great Room. This place, however, has a more modest menu with slightly less wince-inducing prices. When I say that the menu is modest, it's pretty much bog-standard pub fare really. The staff wear the usual Merchant uniforms, very smart. The service can't be faulted, and the place itself is open and bright with a very, very good drinks selection. There aren't many places that serve Hendrick's gin properly. A confession. I have loved certain science fiction films since I was no age, and have regularly been called a nerd. I don't care, all that stuff should be taught in schools. I would just love to have somebody from The Cloth Ear explain to me the reasoning of decking out the gents' toilets in a Star Wars theme. What in God's good name were they thinking? Do we really need a life-size Boba Fett guarding the urinal? Some people have too much time on their hands... Another confession. Any time I've eaten here has been when I haven't had enough money to go into The Great Room instead. read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

I came here alone on a Saturday evening at around 5pm with no expectations...just a tourist from Los Angeles passing through...honestly, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the warm service and delicious food. They have my favorite cider on draught (Magners, which we don't have back in the states), and their seafood chowder is one of the best soups I've ever had. I got sides of seasonal veggies and champ -- both really good! Overall, despite the long wait, I had a good time and would certainly come back! :) read more

This is a really nice bar which is part of the Merchant Hotel franchise and with that association expect to add afew pound onto the price of, well. everything in comparison to everywhere else in Belfast. The bar itself has a really upmarket feel to it and is also surprisingly comfortable to be in so you don't really feel out of place- like you would in upmarket designer shops! The food looked absolutely fab and I was annoyed I'd eaten somewhere else, so will definitely be back for food. But its a really nice place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine (or four). The clientele are more mature so there's little chance of a brawl which makes anice change! read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

I'm a big fan of this place, not as unique as the Spaniard or as 'authentic' as White's Tavern I've yet to have had a bad experience in here. The food is great, the coffees are spot on and there always seems to be a good mix of people in here. There's ample room in the pace so even when it's busy you won't have to wait to long to get served or get a seat. It's also a fun place to come with a larger group of people as there are curved booth areas at the front and on Sundays they usually have some trad music on. The interior is far from trad though and I always smile when I see the'stags heads' on the wall. Pros: Good drinking establishment. Cons: Can be pricey. read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

I have never eaten here before but I hear good reports about the food. I know they are open for lunches and dinners. I have only been here a couple of times on a friday night with friends. Its a little bit more expensive and a bit higher class...you don't really find many students in here just people over thirty. As its right beside the Merchant Hotel and possibly under the same ownership they likely cater for a lot of the same customers. Its nice and definitely worth a stop sometime. With its classy surroundings it has a good vibe that you should enjoy. read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

We had a very good lunch here. My cheese burger was good with tasty pickles. The salad with it was very good. My husband had the shepherds pie it came nice and bubbling hot also tasty. read more

£25 for a Sunday afternoon sharing roast sounded too tempting to pass up really. Arrived around 1pm, no need to reserve a table as it was nice and relaxed inside. Sat beside a roaring fireplace which was lovely on a cold spring afternoon but seats were uncomfortable and not well looked after - they looked like they'd seen better days but did the job. Food was "decent" . Yes it was only £25 for lunch for 2 but the photo on their website really should be updated in my opinion. Tasted very processed but for Sunday dinner style eats I think that's to be expected these days - anyone know anywhere who don't use processed mashed potato these days? When our food initially arrived I was a little disappointed at the size of the beef but to be honest it served us well between 2 for lunch. I'd be more upset if it was dinner but then again, I'd be happy to pay more than £25. Not the quality I would've expected from The Cloth Ear since it's attached to The Merchant Hotel but it's decent enough for £25....I guess..... read more

The Cloth Ear - The £25 beef sharing roast Sunday special - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Such a nice and accommodating staff! Food was great and the ambiance was perfect for dinner!

I love this bar. There is lots of seating, you can sit and people-watch through the windows. The crowd is great, young professionals and the odd local celeb. I love the seats at the very back, up the steps. My only fault is with the toilets. The ladies are away at the other end of the bar from the gents. They have freaky dummies heads behind glass in each cubicle, which freak me out a little. The hand-driers always seem to be broken too. read more

Had dinner in the cloth ear and the food was great!! I recommend the chicken wings and the hanging dessert, outstanding! The place was packed the night we were in and a bit noisy, and the staff were hassled. But, the food would take me back! read more

The Cloth Ear - Hanging dessert is amazing!! Toasted marshmallows, fruit and macaroons hanging over a bowl of ice-cream with choc sauce to pour! - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Food was inventive and delicious. My colleagues had the squash tangine and the goat stew and I had the vegetable aranccini which was stuffed with cheese and came with a side if cooked vegetables made up of broccoli, carrots and green beans. All were presented well and were flavorful. I left feeling full and certainly satisfied. I will certainly come back. read more

So came here for Sunday lunch. I had the club sandwich which was more like a chicken burger in a brioche bun. Was still lovely. What I would like to say is that there service here is amazing. I have never had a waiter be so attentive and his level of professionalism was more than I could have asked if a tasty Sunday lunch thanks! read more

Some bars just have a buzz and an atmosphere conducive to having a good time. This isn't one of them. I found it to be a strangely sterile spot - the decor is fairly uninspiring for what is such a beautiful hotel, theres too much wide open floor space and it was fairly hard to get served despite it not being very busy. Maybe I just caught it on a bad night but I won't be rushing back when there are so many better venues in close proximity. read more

Excellent atmosphere and really great food ! I recommend the chowder and the beef pie !!

I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to the Cloth Ear as I had read a few bad or just OK reviews but I have to say my experience was nothing but good - I dined with a friend and on a busy Thursday evening we were luck to get a table at 5.30pm as most tables were in use, we ended up in a table over beside the toilets and under a very bright light which would be the reason why my review didn't get a full 5 stars. They had a winter menu of 2 courses for £10 which was a bargain as well as an offer for a main with a glass of wine for £12.95 (not always obvious from the menu and only offered when I asked as I had seen a sign on the wall earlier) the down side to this was only a certain wine was available and both myself and friend don't like the wine on offer so we both went with food from the main menu, which was packed with lots of interesting food. I chose the club sandwich (which came with fries) and my friend had 2 starters (bread and pork) as she didn't want a full meal. When the food arrived it did look great although my club sandwich was more like a chicken breast in a bap rather than the layered club sandwich I would of expected, however it was lovely. There was a live band playing in the restaurant which I noticed was not over bearing or too loud that you couldn't hear yourself talk which was a bonus and the staff were pleasant and friendly. Overall it was better than I expected although I would have preferred to be seated in the main bar rather than off to the side, but I will be back to try more of the offerings from the extensive menu as I found it hard to choose as there was just so much - maybe one extra star will be added then read more

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The home of the £700 cocktail! Despite being ridiculously overpriced, the Cloth Ear is alright, although I absolutely fail to see what it has that other bars don't. Ever heard the Belfast expression 'She was all fur coat and no knickers'? This describes The Cloth Ear quite adequately. It tries to be upmarket, but to the owners of the Merchant (the hotel attached to The Cloth Ear), I say: charging £10 for a bowl of stew does not make you posh. read more

Big and unfriendly, unlike Yeti or BFG.

This public bar is attached to the Merchant Hotel, and has a 30s - 40s crowd most nights, I love going here because it makes me feel young! It's well designed, and has a great atmosphere any time I've been, and the cocktails are lovely! My particular favourite is their Stolipolitan, a variation on a Cosmopolitan using Stoli Vodka. Really nice - could have twenty of them, and I have, on occasions! It's got a modern meets old fashioned vibe, with quirky little touches here and there that make it seem a bit different, but I don't like the creepy mannequins in the toilets! The food is good too, hearty comforting pub-grub type morsels that we invariably start ordering when the drinks have been flowing and the munchies set in. There are some nice booth areas where you can settle down with a crowd and enjoy the evening - it's all in all a very comfortable bar, where you can feel at home. They offer speciality beers too, which the other half says are great for a wee change. I would say the Cloth Ear is a good place to start the evening before moving on elsewhere. read more

The Cloth Ear - Pubs Near Me - Belfast, BFS

The Cloth Ear is attached and owned by the Merchant Hotel and tries to position itself as one above the usual Cathedral Quarter crowd. I've never really been all that comfortable with this place - I've been on a dead Tuesday evening with my girlfriend and had the privilege of paying over the odds for a mediocre pint of Guinness. The second time was after a meal out with the family and we were squeezed into a corner while the usual Saturday night 25-35s pushed their way through to the absolutely heaving bar. It's not got an awful lot about it - The Duke of York has atmosphere, history and a great range of whiskey. The John Hewitt has a half decent beer list, comfortable surroundings and feels cultured, The Spaniard has a niche, lots of hip music reference and good cocktails. With this level of competition in the area I'm surprised it does as well as it does. read more

Phenomenal! Gorgeous! Brilliant! Normally don't go in for hotel restaurants but being a hotel guest we were very lucky to snag a table. The beef croquettes as a starter were incredible! Slow braised beef perfectly seasoned and breaded and fried, served with a delicious peppery sauce and a smattering of lovely pickled veg. Our entrees were divine. Mister had the braised beef short rib and I had the duck confit. My lord! Everything on our plates was so good! The manager was amazing and attentive to everyone. Service was surprisingly quick considering the place was packed! Cheers to Shea (manager) and to all those in the kitchen and wait staff. Best meal we had in Belfast! read more

Great pub grub - ideal for a casual bite to eat. Really nice bar is an absolutely beautiful building. Good place for a girls night out - gets a crowd of late 20s and upwards. read more