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The Cloth Ear, Belfast,

The Cloth Ear

4.4
4.4
973 Reviews
£26 to £40
Irish

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2 people
19:30
Booked 27 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
The Cloth Ear provides patrons with a pleasing twist on the quintessential Irish Pub. We are nestled in the oldest quarter of Belfast and we’ve woven a rich seam of our wonderful Victorian heritage into what is ultimately a thoroughly modern experience. At The Cloth Ear the welcome is warm and the atmosphere convivial. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the gentle art of conversation.
Our drinks list combines classic creations and innovative ideas. From punch bowls to hoptails and wine by the keg, we’ve carefully crafted an eclectic array of drinks to quench your thirst, tickle your tastebuds and get the conversation flowing.

We are story tellers and we look forward to hearing your story too.
No shaggy dogs, no braggarts, no windbags. Just tall tales,

All Tables reservations are for dining unfortunately we do not take drinks only bookings.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Irish, European
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–8:45 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    028 9026 2719
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress

What 973 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Northern Ireland

    Great for brunch

  • Northern Ireland

    Good for business meals

  • Northern Ireland

    Good for groups

  • Northern Ireland

    Hot spot

  • Northern Ireland

    Great for fine wines

  • Northern Ireland

    Lively

  • Northern Ireland

    Most Booked

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Great for brunch

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Good for business meals

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Good for groups

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Hot spot

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Great for fine wines

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Lively

  • Belfast/Antrim

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Cloth Ear offers a charming dining experience with "delicious food," "friendly and helpful staff," and a "great atmosphere." Standout service from Richard and other team members consistently impresses guests. While some reviews note occasional service delays, the overall quality and ambiance make it a "highly recommended" choice for both locals and visitors.

973 Reviews
  1. Barbara

    N. Ireland

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and friendly staff. Thanks to Richard , Leanne and Lesley

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  2. jackie

    N. Ireland

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a warm welcome, good food and the best service here. Never disappoints.

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  3. Tony

    N. Ireland

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    24/11 Sunday 5 at 5. Food was good. Staff were busy, some more attentive than others. Food portions seemed smaller than last time we were in.

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  4. Kathleen

    N. Ireland

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 22 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    We’d 3 different servers, waited about 25 mins for our food which wouldn’t have been a problem if we’d already got our drinks but had to ask where they were when our food arrived! The food was just ok, but not as described on the menu. After 1hr 10mins we were told we had to be off the table in 50mins!! Had our plates lifted without checking if we were finished and generally felt like they wanted rid of us even though we were still within our 2hr window. Hadn’t been here for a long time and don’t think we’ll rush back, even though it’s a really nice bar.

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  5. James

    New York City

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 22 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Family lunch, chosen on previous enjoyable experience. On this occasion, we arrived ahead of time for our 2.00pm reservation but table not ready until 2.10pm. Fair enough, but we were then rushed off the table at 3.20pm, after just an hour and 10 mins when two hours is usually the norm. We were not given the chance to order dessert or coffee, which was disappointing as the food choices were plentiful, to all tastes, and our selections were excellent. Service was just a bit off, though, with one requested item forgotten and the haste in which were turfed from the table. Poor.

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  6. Deborah

    N. Ireland

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 21 November 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We had a voucher gifted to us so booked the Cloth Ear. Service was excellent but the food was not. Soup and bread was fine nothing to complain about. The pie was very disappointing. I had one piece of steak which was edible, the rest were lumps of fat. I did tell the server and she said she would let the chef know. Nothing further. We decided to pay and leave even though we did feel we wanted to have dessert. I felt the server should have offered a drink or some sort of compensation for the poor quality of the meal. The portion of potato was very small and beans were very hard and broccoli not very warm.

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  7. Cathy

    Dublin

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was amazing. Staff ate just lovely. No complaints here. Lovely meal chilled relaxed atmosphere. Definitely return

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  8. Sharon

    N. Ireland

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely fabulous food and service will be back very soon

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  9. IanH

    Warwickshire

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A lovely, relaxed, lunch in a handsome bar buzzing with vitality. Great food - tasty, beautifully cooked and presented. But what sets the Cloth Ear apart is the staff. Welcoming, warm and genuinely interested; turning a good experience into an exceptional one. Thank you to all the staff front and back and in particular to our lovely waitress.

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  10. RORY

    N. Ireland

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 November 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Most compliant was the main. I ordered the fish and chips. The fish was so well done might even say burnt that the thinner parts of the fish were wafer thin and stuck to the batter. The staff were good very welcoming and attentive. I mentioned the fish to the service staff she said that she would mention it to the chef. Got no reply.

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FAQs

The Cloth Ear is rated 4.4 stars by 973 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:30
Booked 27 times today
Google Map for The Cloth Ear

16 Skipper Street, Belfast, BT1 2DZ

Additional information

  • Area
    Belfast
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–8:45 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Irish, European
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Vegan
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  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
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