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Ratings and reviews

Travelers' Choice2023
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Steakhouse, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Special occasions, Romantic, Bar scene

MICHELIN Guide's Point of View

Inspired by the steakhouses of New York, Upstairs at the Grill has a chic yet cosy atmosphere, courtesy of its mix of modern and retro elements. Prime ...
Read more on MICHELIN Guide
About
Born in 2002 & inspired by the legendary steakhouses of New York. Reimagined & reopened. Step into the old but feel something new - immersed in the history of one of Chester’s iconic buildings on Watergate Street, we balance tradition with the contemporary for a truly unique dining experience. It's a story of great steaks, classic cocktails, fine wine and unparalleled service delivered in elegant & relaxed surroundings.
PRICE RANGE
$20 - $50
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night, Drinks
CUISINES
Steakhouse
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Wine and Beer, Digital Payments
Reviews (3,083)
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Traveler rating
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All reviews steak haggis fritters chateaubriand triple cooked chips dauphinoise potatoes onion rings sunday roast prawns salad cuts of meat cooked to perfection side dishes special occasion blue cheese bar lounge birthday treat usda
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Reviewed 3 days ago via mobile

We had dinner here on a Thursday evening The staff were friendly and helpful The food was very good and everything was fresh and tasty

Date of visit: March 2024
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 3 days ago

Hi Michael, Thank you for your review! I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed your meals with us on Thursday evening and that the team took excellent care of you. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Many thanks, Rich

Reviewed 4 days ago

This was a great place to eat. Lovely ambience and staff, excellent service. We both tried the steak frites and shared sides of onion rings and macaroni and cheese. We followed up with sticky toffee pudding, tea and coffee. The quality of the food and...standard of presentation was excellent. Would definitely eat here again. Highly recommended.More

Date of visit: March 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 3 days ago

Hi there, Thank you for your review. I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed your meals with us - the macaroni is my personal favourite too! I will pass your compliments along to all of the team and we hope to see you...More

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

Upstairs at the grill, downstairs seating. Beautiful food, great atmosphere and lovely staff. We have been here before with some friends so came back with our daughter for a weekend away. We were not disappointed. Would go again if we lived close by

Date of visit: March 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 6 days ago

Hi there, Thank you so much for your 5 star review ! We are delighted you enjoyed your meal with us and we hope you will visit us again next time you are in Chester. Best Wishes, Rich

Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

I guess you could say “ it’s your own fault “ I saw the website whilst looking for somewhere special to eat and couldn’t resist. I knew going in it was pricey, but if the meal matches the hype I truly don’t mind. On arrival...you get taken upstairs and then go through a process of having the menu explained and specials offered. The staff are friendly and attentive and extremely helpful, can’t praise them enough. Over your drink you also get shown a couple of cuts of meat. I get it, but personally don’t see the need. Choices made you then get to choose sides. I again don’t understand why these places can’t include a portion of sides but I guess the chance to make even more profit can’t be resisted. £5 for a small bowl of chips is impressive though! Wine is pricey as well, and tbh it was in my opinion disappointing. No Malbec, which has to be one of the best pairings with steak. The wine we selected was £40 a bottle, out interest I saw you can buy it for £5.81 online….. and it wasn’t a great pairing. The meal was…ok, my wife chose a slightly smaller steak than me and it only just qualified as “ medium rare”. Both our steaks were slightly too charred but ok overall. The fries come with chicken salt which is very salty but tbf the triple fried chips are very good. Given that by now we had spent close to £200 on 2 pre-dinner drinks and 2 steaks and chips with a bottle of wine and a shared sauce, we didn’t order anything else. Oh, and they add a discretionary surcharge, I don’t mind as long as I know because the service was very good and it’s what I would tip in any case but…. I liked a lot of things about this place but ultimately for me the food didn’t deliver and that was a shame. Charging high prices only works if the experience lives up to the £…..More

Date of visit: March 2024
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 4 days ago

Hi Mark, I am disappointed to hear that you did not enjoy your experience with us. Please could you send us an email for a manager to get in touch to discuss your feedback? Our email address is hello@upstairsatthegrill.co.uk I look forward to hearing from...More

Reviewed 2 weeks ago

We visited Here yesterday 2 March 2024. and from the moment we arrived we Knew we had picked a winner, our Party was twenty-four people, we all had different meals and starters, the feedback I got from my family was 5-star rating for Food, Drink,...Service, & atmosphere, we all would recommend this Fine dining experience, hope to be back soon. Keep up the excellent workMore

Date of visit: March 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 2 weeks ago

Hi there, Thank you for your fantastic review. We're so happy to hear you all enjoyed your experience with us and we really can't wait to welcome you back again soon. Best Wishes, Richard

Reviewed 3 weeks ago

An amazing evening, with amazing food and service. Having lived in Chester for years I have to admit that Upstairs at the Grill has never been on my radar, what have I been missing! Our evening started being ushered to a high table in the...bar area for drinks, this has a French Brasserie feel with an influence of South America and a vast selection of beverages. With a glass of Champagne in hand, we carefully studied the Wine List looking for a bold red to accompany our impending steak selection, we found a rich Amarone from Veneto which was lovingly decanted and taken straight to our table. Next, food...... as you'd expect the menu has an extensive selection of steaks, and plenty of sides to choose from. To start I took the French Onion Soup, which is more like a rich gravy topped with grilled cheese, I accompanied this with a glass of sweet Gewurztraminer what a pairing, my dinner date had the fire-kissed King Scallops, laverbread, tarragon butter & sea herbs. For main course it had to be USDA Prime Delmonico, I love a Ribeye and how often do you get to sample the highest grade of steak with such a great marbling. We accompanied that with bone marrow, triple cooked chips, Heirloom tomatoes and the most amazing Iceberg lettuce with blue cheese espuma and Stilton crumbs, not to be missed. Now you may think this is all about the food, but the service was the crowning glory, since our return from Covid-19 I've struggled with the half hearted shipment of plates we now accept as service. At The Grill my faith has been restored that there are still some bastions left who value the impact of great service - Thank You 10/10More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 3 weeks ago

Hi there, Thank you for your wonderful review! I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience with us and that our team provided excellent service. I will pass your feedback along to them and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon....More

Reviewed 3 weeks ago via mobile

Everything from the booking process right through to leaving the restaurant was perfect. Dined there for my wife’s birthday and restaurant left a personal birthday card for her. Lovely touch. Staff are fantastic. Genuine, knowledgeable (and have passion for what they do). Nothing too much...trouble. Cocktails to start were fabulous, and made us one especially (even though not on menu). This is a steak restaurant and as expected the food was brilliant. Cooked to perfection. Wine recommendation was spot on as well (recommend the Georgian Red). An absolute gem of a place, and looking forward to going back when next in Chester.More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hickory's Smokehouse, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 3 weeks ago

Hi, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback. I am extremely pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us for your Wife's Birthday, everyone deserves to be spoilt on their birthday. We look forward to seeing you...More

Reviewed 5 weeks ago

We went for my 18th birthday. The food was beyond good, everyone said it was delicious. The service was excellent, Elz created a special cocktail for my day and taught me how to make it afterwards. Lewis (our maître d’) showed us the special steak...knives and their history. Overall would give 6 stars if possible.More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded 4 weeks ago

Hi Amelia, Thank you for your review! I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your 18th Birthday celebrations with us and that Elz, Lewis and the team were able to make it extra special for you. We look forward to seeing you again soon....More

Reviewed February 7, 2024 via mobile

Top notch from start to finish. A real symphony of flavours. The presentation in the way everything is served is so nice. The service is brilliant, not too formal, just right. Special thanks to the team who made feel right at home. I even benefitted...from a complimentary dessert as the team said I had to wait too long! Amazing customer service and customer experience Can’t wait to return.More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded February 8, 2024

Hi Linda, Thank you for your review. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your whole experience with us, from your meals to the team making you feel at home. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Many thanks, Rich

Reviewed February 6, 2024

Disappointing steak, I ordered ribeye medium rare , it looked cremated and dry when it arrived,I explained to the waiter but was told that it wasn’t burnt it’s the way it’s been specially cooked . I assumed the steak would be amazing when I read...the menu and reviews , such a disappointment . Sides where nice and the sauce thoughMore

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded February 7, 2024

Hi Jessie, I am disappointed to hear that you did not enjoy your steak with us and I will pass your feedback along to the team. If you wish to discuss your visit further, please send an email to hello@upstairsatthegrill.co.uk for myself to get in...More

Reviewed February 4, 2024

I do like a steak every so often, but more than not, when I've finished eating the most expensive thing on the menu (which a steak tends to be) I feel a little bit let down... well, I can now say this has changed having...eaten here! I had the cheese soufflé for start, my wife the tempura oysters, and we both agreed mine was far superior. It was so soft and delicious. For main, we both had steak - ribeye for the ball-and-chain, and fillet for my good self - which we ordered with two types of butter, thrice cooked chips, salt n pepper onion rings, and creamy bacon and cabbage. My steak was smokey, which I dont recall reading it would be on the menu, but it probably did say it would be. Not that it was a surprise, I liked it, but the wife wasn't too keen. The chips were fantastic, the onion rings the best I've ever had, and the creamy cabbage and bacon... boy, I could have just eaten that all night and been satisfied. We never had desert as we were too full, although saying that, we did get a complimentary ice cream cone each at the end. It was very little, but tasted lovely, and was a nice touch for it to be free. All-in-all, the food was great, the staff were great, and the venue was great. Recommend it in a heartbeat. Yes, it is pricey, but you get what you pay for, and in this case it was well worth it.More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BarLounge Upstairs at The Grill, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded February 5, 2024

Hi there, Thank you for your wonderful review! I am so happy to hear that we were able to change your thoughts on steaks and that you loved the cheese souffle - this is a favourite of mine too and the greatest way to start...More

Reviewed February 4, 2024 via mobile

I visited your fabulous restaurant with my 2 daughters on Saturday 3rd February and each of us was 100% ‘blown away’ with every aspect of our experience. Where do I start? Each and every member of staff was so welcoming and went the extra mile....A credit to themselves and your restaurant. And the food - totally and utterly delicious from start to finish. The venue too was so beautiful - we sat in the terrace - magical. To sum up, all 3 of us enjoyed every moment. Thank you so much.More

Date of visit: February 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hickory's Smokehouse, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded February 5, 2024

Hi there, Thank you for your review. I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed every bit of your visit to us! I will pass your compliments along to all of the team ad we hope to welcome you all back again soon. Many...More

Reviewed January 20, 2024 via mobile

When you call into a restaurant as you walk past and book a table for that same night you expect to just get a meal. We called into Upstairs At The Grill and got a whole lot more. The staff are so welcoming from the...off, the food is excellent with hidden delights and the wine list is mind blowing. Connor served us all evening and he was brilliant. Thank you Connor, Richard, Milo, Jack and all the staff for a wonderful evening.More

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hickory's Smokehouse, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded January 20, 2024

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback. We always try and look after everyone that comes through our doors. I am so glad Connor and the rest of the team made you feel so welcome. We look forward to...More

Reviewed January 20, 2024 via mobile

Visiting Chester with my partner, we found this restaurant. What a place! spectacular food. Service was excellent and the host/ waiters were nice to us. The terrace, covered and warmed with an open fireplace was the cosy touch. Took two Butcher’s block steak sandwiches with...two glasses of wine. We will definitely come back!More

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hickory's Smokehouse, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded January 20, 2024

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us your feedback. The terrace is a fantastic place to eat, and relax. Goes very well with the a glass of wine as you discovered. I am so happy you enjoyed your time with us...More

Reviewed January 19, 2024

Meat expensive and tasteless. Side dishes small and average. Peppercorn sauce small and only warm. Price a rip off. Won't be going ever again.More

Date of visit: January 2024
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hickory's Smokehouse, General Manager at Upstairs at The Grill, responded to this reviewResponded January 20, 2024

Hi there, I am disappointed to hear that you did not enjoy your meals with us. I will pass your feedback along to the team but would like the opportunity to reach out to discuss your experience. Please could you send an email to hello@upstairsatthegrill.co.uk...More

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Questions & Answers
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GeoffC1
October 7, 2020|
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Response from Compass827833 |
It has been announced it is reopening end of May 2022
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Peter T
October 8, 2019|
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Response from Tockyno2 | Reviewed this property |
No they didn’t when I was there
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jacquelineh718
September 20, 2017|
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Response from Nado1984 | Reviewed this property |
Pretty sure they don't have one.
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UPSTAIRS AT THE GRILL, Chester - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Upstairs at The Grill

Upstairs at The Grill is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5