Restaurant/hotel serving Christmas Day dinner?

FutureGuy

Any recommendations?

The Nal

The Strand do a Christmas Day dinner

eljono

As does The Savoy

naughtysmurf

The Nal wrote: »

The Strand do a Christmas Day dinner

And it's €120 a head,

Mc Love

naughtysmurf wrote: »

And it's €120 a head,

And its literally unlimited food!

The Nal

Mc Love wrote: »

And its literally unlimited food!

Hotel standard food though.

whomitconcerns

The Nal wrote: »

Hotel standard food though.

What’s that mean though?

Seamai

The Nal wrote: »

Hotel standard food though.

That's the problem, the best hotel food tends to be a notch below the best restaurant food, also if they are catering for a large crowd the quality of cooking tends to go south.

The Nal

whomitconcerns wrote: »

What’s that mean though?

Under seasoned, overcooked, bland gravy and sauces, cheaper quality of ingredients.

I've eaten there a couple of times. Its fine. But its a hotel restaurant carvery at the end of the day.

Eire-Dearg

You would like to think hotels serving Christmas Day grub would up their game for the occasion and not let people down who may wish to eat out, or possibly have no other choice but to.

Mc Love

The Nal wrote: »

Hotel standard food though.

Have you been? It definitely is not that bad!

Mc Love

Mc Love wrote: »

Have you been? It definitely is not that bad!

I’d agree. The Strand has lovely food.

MarkR

I was just thinking, it's been awful quiet here recently...

OP did not ask for a discussion on people working through the holiday season. They asked for recommendations on where to eat. Bear that in mind before posting.

The Nal

Mc Love wrote: »

Have you been? It definitely is not that bad!

I have. Enjoyed it. Its fine. Nice restaurant and staff. But €120 quid.....

Seamai

The Nal wrote: »

I have. Enjoyed it. Its fine. Nice restaurant and staff. But €120 quid.....

For €120 I'd be expecting Michelin star quality.

Seamai

Seamai wrote: »

For €120 I'd be expecting Michelin star quality.

I’d say demand is huge, hence the price. A lot of hotels will be booked out for next Christmas shortly after this one.

Mc Love

Its not about the quality for the price, they usually have other things on to entertain the kids, have a band etc, and also the abundance of starters, mains, desserts etc etc. Its decent enough value

naughtysmurf

I know someone who's doing The Strand this Christmas day, for many years she's been chief cook & bottle washer for Christmas day and St Stephens day for her own family of four plus another four in laws & outlaws, this year she can get up around 11, have a shower, throw on her glad rags & head to her 1pm drinks reception & be wined & dined until 7pm, after which she can head home to her clean, tidy & most importantly empty warm home....so there is a reasonable reason for opting for this, it wouldn't be for me at the moment but in the future, who knows

YFlyer

Mc Love wrote: »

Its not about the quality for the price, they usually have other things on to entertain the kids, have a band etc, and also the abundance of starters, mains, desserts etc etc. Its decent enough value

All you can eat? What's story with drinks?

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Seamai wrote: »

For €120 I'd be expecting Michelin star quality.

On Christmas Day?

Mc Love

YFlyer wrote: »

All you can eat? What's story with drinks?

Well I think you have to buy them but I'm not sure

naughtysmurf

Mc Love wrote: »

Well I think you have to buy them but I'm not sure

The only mention of drinks on their website is "Drinks & Canapés reception on arrival" so I'm guessing after that you're on your own,

naughtysmurf

So I spoke to the chief cook & bottle washer, she certainly enjoyed the experience which included her not having to do anything this year & confirmed she'd definitely do it again..... during the meal there was a local singer, think Michael Bublé / Sinatra who they all said was very good providing background music/atmosphere, they were a group of 8, all groups are seated separately so if there are 2 or 4 of you will have your own table

Other that the drinks reception on arrival, you are on your own if you want a pint or a glass of wine so factor that in

They arrived at 12.30 & were wrapped up by 5pm, could have stayed for another hour or so if they wanted

No complaints as regards food quality

Did note that the lads would have happily stayed at home & have dinner served up to them LOL

So for a little under 1k she had a Christmas & St Stephens day (over the years she'd have them over both days) that involved no cooking, cleaning up & entertaining for 8 holed up in her house for hours on end, she felt it was worth it.

mdmix

Went to the greenhills for Xmas dinner. The setup was similar to the strand as outlined earlier, except a live piano in place of a singer. Everything else was completely shocking. 10 of us at dinner (100 per head) and the food was worse than substandard. All food was dried out, must have been cooked the day before. 8 out of 10 couldn’t handle more than a few bites. One of our group sent the steak back because it was overdone and still cold, they sent back a steak that was freshly cooked but must have been a week old as you could smell it a mile off. What completely took the piss was when we ordered coffee after they came out with cups of instant. Had gone for Xmas there a few years back and it was completely fine, this year was so bad I’ve been turned off for good

Mc Love

Had to go for a wedding there once and it was fine, in saying that it was a few years ago too but a mate of mine that delivers guinness said that the kitchens were shocking

dominatinMC

mdmix wrote: »

Went to the greenhills for Xmas dinner. The setup was similar to the strand as outlined earlier, except a live piano in place of a singer. Everything else was completely shocking. 10 of us at dinner (100 per head) and the food was worse than substandard. All food was dried out, must have been cooked the day before. 8 out of 10 couldn’t handle more than a few bites. One of our group sent the steak back because it was overdone and still cold, they sent back a steak that was freshly cooked but must have been a week old as you could smell it a mile off. What completely took the piss was when we ordered coffee after they came out with cups of instant. Had gone for Xmas there a few years back and it was completely fine, this year was so bad I’ve been turned off for good

Jesus that is shocking. Look, no one is expecting Michelin star service and food on Christmas day but, paying 100 a head, one would at least expect it to be cooked to order and be fresh! I hope you, or a member of your party, expressed your dissatisfaction and/or reported it to management. At least all of us on here know to avoid the place in future!

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Mc Love wrote: »

Had to go for a wedding there once and it was fine, in saying that it was a few years ago too but a mate of mine that delivers guinness said that the kitchens were shocking

Has your mate made a complaint to the FSAI?

idwfan

mdmix wrote: »

Went to the greenhills for Xmas dinner. The setup was similar to the strand as outlined earlier, except a live piano in place of a singer. Everything else was completely shocking. 10 of us at dinner (100 per head) and the food was worse than substandard. All food was dried out, must have been cooked the day before. 8 out of 10 couldn’t handle more than a few bites. One of our group sent the steak back because it was overdone and still cold, they sent back a steak that was freshly cooked but must have been a week old as you could smell it a mile off. What completely took the piss was when we ordered coffee after they came out with cups of instant. Had gone for Xmas there a few years back and it was completely fine, this year was so bad I’ve been turned off for good

Did you complain to staff? I was there also on xmas day and have to say we had no issues, hot and tasty food. Service was good, roving dessert trolley. No bother, very nice.

idwfan

Mc Love wrote: »

Had to go for a wedding there once and it was fine, in saying that it was a few years ago too but a mate of mine that delivers guinness said that the kitchens were shocking

Quoting heresay???

idwfan

idwfan wrote: »

Quoting heresay???

Don’t most people?

idwfan

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Don’t most people?

Most definitely. But denigrating a property's cleanliness without first hand knowledge?