As a vegetarian, whenever anybody suggests a meal in a steak joint a rush of panic floods over me. What will I eat? What if I'm left with a salad!? (I may be a veggie but it doesn't mean I love lettuce leaves!) So when my friends planned Sunday lunch in The Cowshed I sighed a heavy sigh. But I had nothing to fear - with two vegetarian options on the lunch time menu, at least I had something to choose from (Albeit a standard veggie burger or a goats cheese tart - two 'classics') and since this was a restaurant for meat eaters I could hardly complain! My burger was delicious, served with tasty chunky chips and washed down with hearty cider. My friend's roast dinners looked fabulous too. The service was very welcoming and the atmosphere was just what you want on a Sunday - full of fun and laughter. read more

The Cowshed - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

I don't know about you but I'm always a little amused when a carnivorous restaurant advertises using a smiling pig or cow. While The Cowshed's poster mammal isn't smiling it still tickles me so I agreed to dinner here with my steak loving other half. The focus here is all about good old-fashioned British dishes, particularly steak and it's many guises. My partner ordered a steak cooked on a hot stone tablet right in front of him - similar to the way you can get hot plates in Indian restaurants, except this actually allowed him to partially cook the steak himself. As an occasional vegetarian there wasn't a great amount of choice for me to pick a main course but the starters and desserts were divine! It is quite pricey but I would come back for the chocolate mouse alone and my partner can whole-heartedly vote for the sirloin steak! read more

The Cowshed - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

This place specialises in comfort food done to high standards. This means food to warm your cockles and fill you up that also happens to be well presented and delectable. The restaurants got a rustic, almost pubish feel to it, with stone floors and sturdy wood tables. The thought that you might be in a pub is banished by the attentive service who are all smiles and can give you a small essay on each item on the menu. When you come here make sure you get something filling - sausages, steak, something like that. This is what the Cowshed does well. It's not that cheap but you do feel like you're getting value for money - the spiel from the waiter and the juiciness of the steak convincing me. This is high end dining meeting food to warm you up and the match works well. read more

The Cowshed - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

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Yes! This place reminds me of my Devon days. Specialising in excellent quality, locally sourced meat from the South West, The Cowshed will certainly fill you up. There's a lovely atmosphere inside the restaurant, like a country kitchen, and it does well not too look too much like a gastro pub. The restaurant is always full of happy eaters. Currently, they are running and very reasonably priced Christmas Menu, where could be a better place to go for that succulent roast dinner? read more

The Cowshed - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

REALLY GOOD. The steak was perfect and so many sides to choose from. Probably won't be going again in a long time. Went there in October and spent too much for one meal. After that, I guess I just cooked myself some food for two weeks. But it was really good. Highly recommended! I had the rib eye steak and then cauliflower cheese. Awesome! read more

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Absolutely superb. I simply cannot praise the Cowshed enough. The three courses for £10 during the day offer is more than good value for money considering the standard of the food and impeccable service. Even on occasions when it's been busy (always pays to reserve a table) we've not felt neglected. Hats off to the proprietor,simply fantastic place. read more

I was really saddened by my experience here after hearing such good reviews. I was actually sent by my day time job to find the best places to eat in Bristol as all we seem to write about is London. We arrived for our table at 8pm and was made to wait before anyone even noticed we had walked in, then made to wait again for our table. It was over a 10mins wait before we were asked if we wanted drinks. By this time the table next to us had been seated and been served drinks, with bread and olives. After ordering our food, it was a bout a half hour wait before I was told that my steak had fallen on the floor and they were cooking me another, we were then offered olives and bread. Bit too late for my liking. Once out steaks arrived we had been in the restaurant for an hour. We were starving, and my steak wasn't cooked to how I requested, but I ate it anyway as I couldn't deal with any more waiting. Would not go back. read more

Without a doubt the best steak ive ever eaten cooked to utter perfection bit pricey but for how good it was without a doubt worth every penny lovely service and great table ( window seat) really was the most perfect restaurant no rush to eat and generally was a amazing meal mrs was greatly impressed well worth the pennys read more

The Cowshed - Champagne on arrival at request (perfect) - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

Never ever again, having been here before the refurbishment, I was looking forward to visiting again with my friend for dinner. We were greeted at the door taken to the table and from here on the service went downhill. No introduction was made by the Waitress the menu was shoved at us and no mention of any specials. Upon asking she did not even know what the specials were accompanied with. I was asked what I wanted to order but could not order quick enough before the waitress cut me dead and asked my friend for his as I had waited a while for the order to be taken I forgot what I wanted. Finally the order in, drinks arrived 1pt of Orange juice and lemonade at £4.20 and 1pt of cranberry and lemonade at £4.20. The starters arrived I ordered King Prawns at £8.30 my friend ordered scallops at £9.95 (3 on the plate so £3.32 each) very nice but overpriced. The waitress arrived with the main course my friends drinking water glass was moved by her putting her hand right over the top not very hygienic I had Lemon Sole At £17.95 my friend ordered a Rib Eye steak at £22.80 peppercorn sauce at £1.80 this was nearly dropped in his lap as the waitress couldn't carry it she just handed it to him without placing it on the table in front of him. sides were fat chips x £2.50# cauliflower cheese x £3.00 mushrooms x £3.00# mixed salad x £3.00# So the total for his steak was £33.10 # with some of the sides and the sauce the most expensive steak in town! The desserts arrived and although the menu was very limited they were of a reasonable standard chocolate nemesis £7.50 and lemon meringue pie £6.80 We both enjoy eating out and have done so all over the world my friend is a qualified chef and was amazed at the prices charged and the poor hygiene that were practiced at relaying the tables without sanitizing them from the previous customers. We paid the bill but on exit from the Cowshed he asked to speak to the manager he relayed his disappointment an apology was made but no good will gesture. I was furious as it was his birthday and having been there prior to the refurb the menu was 20% cheaper and a much nicer service, so I took upon myself to write to them, that was over 2 weeks ago and I haven't heard a thing, so customer care is not a concern, neither is the enjoyment or standard of hygiene, good luck if you visit! read more

My fave steak house in Bristol by a country mile. It's pricey but top quality so you get what you pay for! Cowshed is the perfect environment for a foody that actually likes food on your plate. The decor is classy yet homely so you can go out for posh nosh without feeling like you can't talk to your friends! It's so good that you used to have to book weeks in advance but they've recently expanded because of its popularity. The meat is locally sourced, so local that it comes from a posh butchers and deli next door. They've hit the nail of the head for me; I don't like the stuffy vibe you can sometimes get from an expensive restaurant but this is relaxed and radiant!!!! read more

Meatalicious Fantastic steak, great ambiance, wonderful restaurant read more

Amazing, went there for my 21st. They were amazing put champagne on the table (my partner booked and said it was my birthday) good choice of sides and the steak was cooked to perfection I didn't feel as I was rushed out as sometimes do in other restaurants. It is pricey but for the quality of service and food money well spent. read more

The Cowshed - This is what they did on my pudding!! - British Near Me - Bristol, BST

As soon as this place opened i was desperate to get in. It appealed not only because of the steak, but because the decor is not quite like anything i have seen in Clifton. It takes the simple air of bare stone walls and wooden floors and adds sophistication to it. this is recreated with their food too, they serve all their dishes on wooden boards. I am converted to their style of eating, there is something incredibly fitting about serving a steak on a chopping board, it appeals to all of my primeval instincts. If you are put off by the price get their early bird menu which runs between 6 and 7, which offers a steak or burger and a pint or wine for a tenner. read more

Very good restaurant to eat a nice steak with friends or even for business lunch. Steak is cooked on order, even rare. Nice boards to share for starters. Menu is vegetarian friendly. read more

I am a steak lover. So was massively looking forward to taking my boyfriend there for his birthday. Had heard amazing things about the place as well. Unfortunately I was not overly impressed with the meal. I felt it was over priced. If I have a nice meal I don't mind paying more for it but this meal didn't live up to my expectations. I didn't think the steak was anything special and have had a lot better steaks from pubs and other restaurants which don't specialise in steaks. The steak didn't come with any sides. Anything else you wanted you had to pay for. The sides were delicious which made up for the very standard steak. read more

I love this place. We've been several times now and it's always great. The menu is all locally sourced which is great to see, and the food is always good. Last time we went we had the sharing plate. The waiter told us that they had run out of one of the ingredients but then talked us though a number of different alternatives we could have instead. I then had a ribeye steak for main which was top notch. read more

We ate here on a Sunday afternoon, having booked in advance, and were very impressed. Good solid British fare, much locally sourced and of very high quality. The menu is a a reassuring one-pager. Meat features large on the menu, though liberal vegetarians won't starve. As it was a Sunday we opted for the roast option - two of us chose Beef and the other two Lamb. Drinks were duly ordered and provided, all very pleasant and welcoming. The food arrived within 10 minutes, which given how busy it was demonstrates solid kitchen management skills. Plates arrived first followed by a large wooden platter containing Lamb and Beef in addition to a selection of vegetables (shredded and al-dente cabbage, roast potatoes, carrot and sweet potato mash, cauliflower cheese, condiments and appropriate sauces). We feel upon the platter with great joy. On seeing that the roast potatoes were disappearing fast we were immediately offered more - gratis. This is a place that enjoys you enjoying the food - how refreshing! The meat, the centrepiece of a high standard meal exceeded expectations of quality . . . . melt in the mouth and flavoursome. We supped of our fill and enjoyed a further half hour of hospitality with more drinks. Service at each turn was smart and to the point but also approachable and relaxed, in the best way. The bill came to a around £22 each (with drinks) and was worth every penny. The loos were impeccable, though as these are positioned down some stairs may be problematic for disabled visitors - though generous seating is available on the ground floor level with the pavement and entrance. I gather there is also a weekday lunch menu for around £10 which also majors on quality and features similarly good-natured, welcoming service. The Cowshed was packed when we ate at around 2.30pm. That said, it didn't feel 'busy' or 'crowded' - seating is ample and generous and there is no sense of being part of a herd. We all loved The Cowshed and will return. Booking is recommended from Thursday onwards as The Cowshed does get v.busy. read more

I've been admiring The Cowshed from afar for years, but since their recent expansion there was no excuse not to go. My fellow diner and I went all out and ordered a delicious pork belly starter and a fantastic terrine - they really whetted our appetites. To follow we both snapped up the same dish: the venison, which was juicy and cooked to perfection and the cabbage side was divine. We couldn't squeeze in a pudding, but as it was my birthday our very friendly waiter brought me a scoop of ice cream, complete with candle, to round off a fantastic evening. We will be back soon to try out a signature steak! read more

A bit pricey but it is a perfect place for a romantic dinner. The food is really nice and the meat is cooked as you like (rare for instance). read more

Four of us went into the Cowshed last night as we've heard so many positive things about the Restaurant. Well, don't believe the hype. The service was appalling, waited 20 minutes to be served drinks, it was then another 15 minutes before we received the drinks, we waited an hour for our meal (Which was average to say the least and pricey for what was served up) and then my wife's was cold. It was apparent that they were struggling to keep up with how busy the Restaurant was. I'm fortunate to eat in lots of Restaurants all over the UK and I don't class myself as someone who's fussy however this was a very unpleasant dining experience and I for one will not be frequenting the Cowshed again. This was also the view of the people on the table sat next to us. There are much better Restaurants in Bristol read more

Really loved this place. Giving it 5 stars just based on lunch is pretty heavy for me but I really enjoyed it that much that I think it deserves it. I love the fact that his place is locally sourced from the butchers next door (unsure if they are the same owners or not) however, we ALMOST didn't make it into the restaurant because of said butcher. Walking up the street this AMAZING aroma of meat was in the air, and then you could hear the sizzling sounds of deliciousness... and then, there it was, steaks and burgers being grilled outside on the street for quick eats on the go. OMG we were salivating and definitely contemplated nixing the lunch and grabbing a burger. Gladly we didn't and good to know this exists for future reference. And by future reference, I mean tomorrow. I have heard really good things about Cowshed and really glad my sis-in-law and I tried it out for lunch first. SUPER good lunch deal of three courses for £10 and these are high quality, very well done, three courses I might add. No, the portions aren't huge, but I like that. I want to feel sated but not gross and overly full at lunch time, especially on great food. We were boring and got exactly the same dishes for our course. We started with a tomato and basil bruschetta, which normally I think sounds a bit boring and overplayed, but, I saw one go out and quickly decided I needed to have it. Simply, a perfect crostini with a tomato and basil topping and a delicious chunk of mozz on top, finished with a balsamic glaze. I could have easily had three more if given the chance, they were that tasty. For our second course, we had the twice baked blue cheese souffle with a walnut salad and it was DELISH. I'm craving it again now just typing about it... very yum. To finish we had the vanilla creme brulee. I love a creme brulee and do find it hard to get an amazing one. This one was very tasty but a run of the mill brulee for me, the best part about it is the size, it is small enough not to feel piggish but enough to really satisfy you. Service was spot on and the place has a really warm vibe inside to it. The rest of the menu looks amazing and we have already made plans to come back for dinner with the men for some steaks. We stopped into the butchers on the way out and again, great service there and a great shop. The butcher has everything you could want at decent prices, a great little cheese shop upstairs, and some wine and other accompaniments you may need. I can just imagine the steaks served at Cowshed from here will be amazing. Can't wait to find out! read more

Outstanding food and great service. Definitely coming back next time we're in Bristol.

We've been there three times now. Very impressed. Consistent quality and service. Very good wine list. Perhaps not the cheapest dinner out, but worth it for that special occasion, for instance the end of the week! As you would expect, they know their meat and how to prepare and serve it. Staff knowledgeable and attentive. Able to deal with intimate dinner for two as well as larger, and noisier, groups due to the three levels of dining. Highly recommended. read more

Great atmosphere, awesome steak, good location, pretty good service.

We went to the Cowshed for a family lunch to celebrate my daughter's 1st birthday. We all had the three courses for £10, which was great value and tasted superb. Initially the portions look quite small but by the end of it we were all stuffed. The only disappointing points were that they didn't have a children's menu but we were able to order our toddler a side plate as a main. The service was efficient but our waitress wasn't very friendly at all, which is a shame as the food was so good. read more

Went for my sons birthday, food was exceptional wish I could say the same for the service. wait 10 mins to be asked if we wanted drinks had to keep asking for more drinks ( we only had 3). Bill for 3 starters and 5 mains nearly £200, over priced for under service I thought. read more

We've been here at least 20 times as a group.The £10 meal is great value.The staff are superb.We now go once a month.roll on Saturday!

***AVOID - DISGUSTING FOOD AND APALLING SERVICE PLACE GONE DOWNHILL*** Visited Sunday 23rd March 14 and despite previous visits this time was a disaster from start to finish and they had the cheek to give us 20% off the bill - reducing the bill from just over £50 down to £42 (for 2x starters, 2x adults mains, 1x child main & 1 soft drink). The disaster started when we were seated at our pre booked table (for 2x adult, 1x child and space for the buggy with our baby sleeping inside the buggy). The table where we were seated was made up of two tables put together and we were asked to put the buggy about 3 metres from where we were sat so we asked if we could move to the table next to where the buggy was to be moved to, they apparently didn't realised that there was a baby inside. For some strange reason, they suggested splitting the same table layout in to two so we only had one small table for us all to sit around rather than two tables like we had where we were originally seated, I assumed they would know what we required and agreed this would be fine (surely they know what food and people they can fit on and around a table right? - wrong as we later found out! Perhaps they are more concerned about squeezing every pound from every table in the restaurant? We ordered food and asked for the beef to be medium cooked but not bloody and to swap the cauliflower cheese for extra mash. The starters came missing the bread, which we enquired about and they brought the bread over as it was missed by mistake. Our mains arrived, they tried to squeeze 3 adult size plates on this single table along with the meat and roast potatoes board. There was no room for all of it on this table so we put the bottle of tap water and fresh flower table dressing elsewhere (on the floor!). The food consisted of very bloody rare beef and there was cauliflower cheese with the sides. We advised the waitress and the food was taken away. When the food arrived the 2nd time it was as we ordered but the beef was incredibly fatty, the middle of the every slice was thick with fat. The temperature of each different food item varied from cold to lukewarm. My husband had to put his plate on his lap so we could fit the meat and roast potatoes board on the table as there just was not enough room. I said to the waitress that the table is not large enough for us and she stood and watched us dish out our food even with my husband having his plate on his lap! We ate what we could of the mains, but felt sick afterwards at the thought of seeing all the thick fat in the middle of the beef and also the bloody beef we were initially brought to our table. Then a waitress cleared the table next to us and managed to drop crumbs all over my husband's lap and arm - she looked around at him and said nothing. When our plates were cleared, the waitress asked if everything was ok, I said not really and showed her the beef which mainly consisted of fat, advised her of all the other issues we'd had in our visit and she apologised. We soon packed up to go, we were expecting the manager to come over to apologise and offer some kind of goodwill but he left this for the waitress to take the brunt. I asked for the bill, not really sure what to expect, but the waitress said they have reduced it by 20%. I said I do not deem this to be fair - why should we pay £42 for a disgusting meal which quite frankly 'Faulty Towers' could have done a better job of than Cow Shed. When paying the bill I said that I will be leaving feedback online and the waitress was ok with this, so here I am!! Any decent business person would not let a loyal customer walk out of their door feeling forced to pay an extortionate amount of money for such a rubbish meal. This place was 'that lovely little restaurant' to my husband and I, we would come for our anniversaries (before they expanded into larger space). Today was for my 33rd birthday! We visited just to make what we thought would be a nice change from lower end chains such as Harvester or Beefeater but I know we could have paid less than 1/2 the price of today's bill and had a great meal with my husband and 2 children! I do hope that this review is read by potential customers so you are aware of the nightmare visit we experienced and strongly suggest avoiding this restaurant like the plague!! - I still feel sick thinking about the food!! I will keep posting review's throughout Google review sites sharing our thoughts of the Cow Shed, Whiteladies Road, Bristol. I will do this every day until I hear from the owner/manager of the Cow Shed advising me of my full refund plus further compensation for such a stressful visit and ruining my special birthday meal plus petrol. I will ensure when potential customers type searches such as 'Cow Shed', 'Cow Shed Whiteladies' etc in to Google our review will come up top of Google search engine. Please email me traceys1981@yahoo.co.uk to confirm the refund and additional compensation reimbursement. read more

Sadly not a great experience..... Whilst the quality of the food is excellent it is no better than many other similarly priced restaurants in Bristol. We were given a table tucked downstairs next to the kitchen. It was noisy and hot ... to be fair we were a party of nine - this was the only table big enough. Not a good place for groups over 4 I would suggest. Service was average although an order of bread and olives for sharing was forgotten and never arrived. This is an expensive restaurant. Expect a 3 figure bill for 2 people if you have just two courses plus wine. If you are looking to spend that sort of cash on a meal then there any many other (in my opinion) superior options. Prosecco in Clifton as example (whilst similar in terms of price) is sooooo much better - a different league in all ways. If you want an expensive steak then the Cow Shed will deliver ....... but so will many other places. read more