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Awful. The dining area is disgusting. I actually had to wipe both chairs off for myself and my wife. The specials were changed to say there were no mash and it was just boiled potatoes. How lazy is it that you cannot even mash a potato. After waiting for over an hour, we were given a starter salad and our 2 year old's lunch. This was chicken fingers, no veg and a big bowl of boiled potatoes. do you really expect a 2 year old to want to eat that!? After another 30-45 minutes, my wife and I received our mains. Mine, a dry big slab of tasteless meat on a plate. I ordered a medium steak. My wife ordered the roast beef. The color was grey and it was piled on top of a pile of boiled potatoes that looked like an attempt to mash them! I just do not understand how places like this get away with it. Never go unless you enjoy terrible food in a quiet atmosphere. There was no one in the restaurant during Sunday lunch. We should have known from the start there was something wrong. Needless to say we both took a couple of bites and walked out. Was actually charged for the starter salad too!

Date visited: 25-10-09

Review by Kilwarlin & Dunbeg on 11th October, 2009

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We visited the Marquis of Downshire last night and the food was awful. I have a list as long as my arm and am writing a letter of complaint now. They really need to up thir game to compete with like of The Plough. The menu was awful - apparently its a new menu - they even ran out of Bud! I won't be back.

Date visited: 10th October 2009

Review by S Fahey on 17th August, 2009

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Visited this place about 2 months ago,food is still as good as i remember,but one thing that i cannot understand is why its still quiet!!As to F.E Lutker in his review if the food was so bad that you felt no point in complaining, then why go to all the bother of going on every website review that you could find and then complain about it,if you had complained at the time i'm sure that you wouldnt have been charged for the meal

Date visited: 14 August 2009

Review by Gina Fox on 5th May, 2009

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I cannot understand why the Marquis is always empty, the food is great value for money, especially the early bird, they definitely need to advertise more, even though this might ruin our little piece of paradise on a Fri or sat night.

Date visited: regular

Review by F.E Lutker on 28th December, 2008

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Bad service, worse food. Even our drinks were awful; the bar tender served a gin and tonic in a wine glass with no ice or lemon. He did not seem to know or care what he was doing, his interest occupied by his friend who he was in deep conversation with, hardly even pausing to take our orders. My lamb shank was served in what can only be described as school-dinner gravy made from granules, with no wine or herbs added to disguise the ready-made flavour. The roast potatoes were as hard as rocks and tasted like they had been made the day before and shoved in a microwave. Unfortunately the dessert was the worst course of the meal. I chose cheesecake, in my naivety I figured even the most slap-dash chef could get that right. Wrong. The cheesecake tasted like it had been sitting under hot lights all day, and had now curdled into something resembling Stilton. By this stage I just wanted to go home, my companion's dinners were all as equally horrific as mine, so I saw little point in complaining. This is a terrible restaurant and none of the staff know or care what they are doing. Every other restaurant in Hillsborough was booked up that night, but the Marquis was empty so it must be getting a reputation for terrible food already. If you find yourself in our situation with all other restaurants closed except for the Marquis, save yourself from sore tummies and disappointment, go to McDonalds instead.

Date visited: 19/12/2008

Review by PS on 3rd April, 2007

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Most of the staff were friendly, apart from one

Review by A Regular on 9th March, 2007

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Consistently tasty food with pleasant staff. Though, would like the menu to be changed more often.

Date visited: regular