The Artichoke is literally just down the road from where we live and we love it. Sitting outside having a flavoursome drink, although not the cheapest bar around, the experience of all the different beers and spirits they offer is well worth it. We arranged a party at short notice without hassall and they were more than accommodating, the food was awesome and the staff were jolly and chatty. Highly recommended

I visited this restaurant on 27th June for a birthday meal with friends. I had booked the table four weeks in advance and specifically requested (as the meal was for an occasion) to be seated in the restaurant area as I did not wish to eat a meal in the bar area which can get quite busy. I went into the restaurant in person (four weeks in advance) to make the reservation and explained the preference to sit in the restaurant area to a member of staff. She said this was absolutely fine and wrote full details of the reservation down with the preference for seating. I called back into the restaurant again a week later just to double check this was all OK and again was told the reservation was fine. A few days before my booking staff phoned me to check that I still wanted the reservation and I phoned them back to confirm this and again checked that we would be seated in the restaurant area and a member of staff assured me that we would be. I was therefore shocked when I turned up with friends on the Friday and (when I tried to sit in the restaurant area) was directed to the bar area. I spoke to a member of staff about this who said that she would check with a manager if we could be moved. She then returned and said that it wasn't possible for us to be moved and that staff had been trying to call me to confirm the reservation! I said that this simply wasn't true as I had spoken to staff four times to confirm the reservation and to confirm where we would be seated (as I also spoke to a member of staff on the day of the booking as well). However, again I was informed that we could not be moved to the restaurant area due to other bookings. This seemed very unfair given that I had gone to the trouble of making the booking four weeks in advance (when at which point there were no other bookings) and also when I had stressed that the booking was for a special occasion. The bar area was busy that night so it was uncomfortable to eat a meal in this setting especially given that staff opened the French windows for much of the evening (on quite a cold night). Furthermore, the stress of trying to sort out the table reservation when we arrived did not get the evening off to a good start. The food was acceptable but not in any way amazing so I am surprised by some of the other reviews on here. I did call into the restaurant the following day to try and discuss my complaint openly with a manager who seemed quite disinterested (although he did say that a 'director' of the restaurant would call me back that day and nobody did). I like to support local restaurants but overall I think that there are better restaurants in Chester who serve higher quality food and who are able to treat their customers in a more respectful way. I did not appreciate the discourtesy which I was shown by staff that evening (on what should have been a special occasion) so I will not be returning.

Booked a table in advance for Sunday lunch and pleased we did. We had the 3 course option and it was very reasonably priced. Went for the lamb for the main and it was very nice, cooked to perfection I might add. The jam roly poly for afters went down a treat aswell !
Well done to the team there, the chefs and also the waiters and waitresses, we never felt rushed at all, not like in some places where they just want you in and out ASAP. Also thought it was a nice setting down by the canal.
Would totally recommend Artichoke.

I mean this in two ways, the food is very good and plentiful but the place can also get full and there is not a great deal of room. This isn't a bad thing though as it proves the eatery is very popular!

Not a good experience booked a table and was put in a back room, asked to be moved so was given a table by the window, only to be asked by staff to move again. To add insult other guests where given the table and to my disbelief they brought in a dog!!
We had a two course meal which we felt was expensive for what it was, salami starter and steak main course. Not the type of high class resturant I expected and not one for special occasions.