The Black Lion Inn

Great food bit pricey but very nice.....

We ate dinner at The Black Lion and had a lovely evening. The staff were very friendly and the food was delicious

I've been here before and it was OK, so I felt it was worth giving the place another go and I was very glad to get a table at short notice on a Saturday night. The place is bright and clean, with a good atmosphere and attentive staff (particularly the excellent young waitress) but something behind the scenes must have been 'wrong' on Saturday, because the place was relatively quiet for all the time we were there (right up until nearly 9.30) yet the lady behind the bar was turning away passing trade, saying they were 'full tonight'.

Then there was the beer - a local golden ale brew and Timothy Taylor, both on hand-pull. The temperature of the first I tried (the local brew) was right, but the pint was so obviously 'at the end of the barrel' (incredibly cloudy and reeking of yeast) that any barman worth his salt would have rejected it immediately. However, the bar staff didn't, so I had to do it for them - twice, when they bought me a second pint of exactly the same thing, even though I'd rejected the first pint and asked to have it replaced by a pint of Timothy Taylor. To be fair they didn't charge for either of the bad pints and I did eventually get the Timothy Taylor. However, it wasn't in much better condition either, I'm afraid. Perhaps I should have rejected it too, but by that time it was getting a bit awkward, so I let it go and ended up drinking lager and water. Before you think this is just a matter of taste, I am old enough to have drunk Timothy Taylor the length and breadth of the country, from Cornwall to Durham and this was quite possibly the worst example of it I have ever tasted.

On to the food and it was OK, but nothing spectacular - which would be fine, except we ended up paying nearly £40 a head for two courses and a few drinks (no bottle of wine). That is 'restaurant pricing' and I'm afraid for that sort of money, I expect better.

I'd give the Black Lion another go if we visit the area again, because there is a chance we just experienced it on a bad day. If not, then I'm afraid it is not going to fare well, with excellent alternatives like the Black Seal at Trearddur now available.

All in all I was disappointed. The food itself was not bad in summary, and the atmosphere was amazing... But there were just a lot of little things that built up to really annoy me during my dinner. Firstly the chips were certainly not handmade or freshly made at all, and were not particularly nice. Secondly the dessert portions were either too small to enjoy or so large that you were either sick of them by the end or had to leave some of it because you couldn't bring yourself to eat it.
This being said, my burger was pretty good, the locally sourced meat was delicious and the garnish was very fitting. Plus they had these great little Anglesey sea salt pots on each table, really clever.

Enjoyed drinks outside on a sunny evening. Friendly Welsh-speaking staff. Didn't eat but restaurant has a good reputation.

Can't fault the food or the setting. But, and maybe I'm being a little harsh, it seemed haphazard. They were very busy though, which may explain it.

Such a shame. The pub is beautiful however food is only offered for two hours a day and there is no lingering. The owners will start shutting up shop around you at 8.45! If you happen to be early you will be treated as though you have done a great disservice and be made to wait for an hour for your waiter to even come to the table. Then the next table will loudly be offered a discount for their delay (they arrives at the same time as us) and others will not. We arrived at 7.30 got our food at 9 pm and were hurried out the door at 9.15. Overall it was shameful.

Food was great and staff were welcoming and eager to please. Even offered to 'bag up' leftover food for our toddler to take home. Friendly atmosphere, would go again.

Food was very good and staff were friendly but we did have to chase them for a couple of items we'd order but not received. Overall, very enjoyable