Reeves stands out as a decent restaurant in Templeogue, mainly because all the other local restaurants are shite. It is just difficult to get fine dining in the suburbs. Anyone with half a brain could see the area had a captive audience just waiting for some decent nosh.... and it seems that the people who run Reeves are actually the first restauranteurs in the area with half a brain.
The food here is fairly decent and good value. Portions are certainly on the large side. We got a three course lunch with tea and coffee for 26.50 each and everyone was astoundingly stuffed after. While not being out of this world the food is a fairly good standard and everyone liked their main, except for the recipient of the steak. But I have come to learn that if you want a good steak in Dublin you have to cook it yourself or go to a really really top notch restaurant. There's nothing exceptional about the food, but it is decent enough. In short it's the kind of place my parents love, but I'm lukewarm about myself.
The service on the other hand was astoundingly slow. It could be that it was mother's day and they were very busy, but I suspect that it was just indicative of a regular problem. We spent nearly 3 hours there, without necessarily wanting to! The biggest wait was between the starter and the main - I think we were in the restaurant for about 50 minutes before the main arrived. We again waited some time for dessert, but as we were digesting our enormous mains it didn't seem as noticeable. The tea/coffees almost didn't come. We had been waiting awhile when my mother reminded a waiter, who just brought her one, and then we had to order again for the rest of us when it became plainly obvious that ours were not going to join hers. At this point the staff were clearing and resetting tables, so it seemed insane to me that we should have to wait even after reminding them. A three course dinner should take an hour and a half to serve, and one would of course leave a little lee-way for busy times, but it took us 3 hours! Luckily my little nephew was in a good enough mood and didn't get too cranky - his usual maximum time in a high chair is about an hour. I think the people who manage Reeves now need to use the other half of their brain training their staff about efficient service. I did wonder why the sitting times were so far apart when I booked. Now I know! read more