The Donkey Shed - Ashbourne

I went to this restaurant in the morning and found it to be very peaceful. The parking area is large. The employees were incredibly welcoming and kind, radiating lots of positivity and smiles. The food was scrumptious and the portions were generous. The service was quick.

Today, we ordered fresh cod and chips at the restaurant. Unfortunately, the batter on the cod was thick and undercooked, resulting in a soggy middle. The chips were overcooked and resembled fries. Another person in our group ordered chicken goujons, which were also coated in a thick breadcrumb batter that was hard as a rock, making them inedible. Overall, our dining experience was very disappointing and we found the prices to be too high.

The restaurant's staff is extremely friendly and the food is mouthwatering. The ribs are particularly delicious and reasonably priced. The staff is attentive and the overall experience is well worth it. Additionally, you have the opportunity to take a stroll around a small farm at no extra cost.

I visited this restaurant today for the first time with my partner and my 5 year old son, and unfortunately, it will be our last time after the experience we had. When we arrived, it was packed (not a bad complaint) but of course being busy, it was also very noisy. As you enter the restaurant, there is a small area to the right and then a larger area to the left. I seen that there were tables free to the right where it wasn 't so noisy and suggested to my partner that we sit there as our son has SPD and very sensitive to loud noises. The manager then met us at the door and went to take us to a table to the left, so I asked nicely would it be OK if we sat in the smaller area where its not so loud. This seemed to annoy him for some reason and he abruptly said 'well it is a family restaurant ' and turned and walked towards the smaller area. I said nothing and followed him to our table. It was 11.50am and he handed us the breakfast menu which finishes at 12pm, this was not a problem as we were happy to order breakfast. Before we had a chance to look at the menu, the waitress came to take our order, I said we hadn 't looked yet, which she answered 'no problem, I 'll come back in a minute '. Next thing the manager came over with the lunch menu and said if we want breakfast we need to order it now or we will have to order from the lunch menu. I ordered breakfast for me and my son but my partner still hadn 't decided but at this stage he felt completely under pressure that he just ordered a croissant. The food came out pretty quickly after that and was really nice, no complaints at all about the food, but we just felt so uncomfortable the whole time we were sat there. When we were leaving, I felt I had to explain to the manager why I had requested to sit in the smaller area, so I spoke to him while my partner and son waited outside. When I explained that my son is sensitive to loud noises, his reply was 'its noisy in both areas ' and walked away from me. Honestly, I am just so shocked at how rude he was after me trying to be nice and explaining myself to him. I can 't fault the restaurant or the food, or the other staff to be honest but unfortunately, it just wasn 't a very nice experience overall and we won 't be returning again after it as we felt so uncomfortable and like we were being a nuisance for requesting a table in the smaller area. Maybe he was having an off day or a bit stressed due to it being busy, but that 's no reason to treat customers the way he did. Will not be recommending this restaurant to friends.

Had breakfast here for 4 adults and 3 kids and found it expensive. E.g. €7 for 3 items egg, sausage and pudding black or white not both that’s a (mini breakfast) €12.50 for a breakfast but don’t expect bacon