The National Grande Café

Good for quick lunch, although be aware that menu is based on sandwiches but good ones.
Starters good and good selections for drinks
Atmosphere pretty cool

Went here as a last minute thing last week. It was really quiet and we were all drinking cocktails. Bar man was really friendly and made a mean dark ‘n’ stormy. Good place to start off a night out.

This is genuinely my go to bar lately. Never disappoints and regardless of weather the beer garden is always hiving! Atmosphere is perfect for a few social drinks or a night of wining, dining and dancing!
I love Christmas festive drinks and I’ll definitely go back fot their Winter Tent for turkey burgers and mulled wine
Love

I do like the music, but I reckon the only way you’ll ever get a seat or a drink is by camping out from the night before.
Even outside get’s jam packed. So if you don’t mind playing a giant game of sardines, this is the place for you.

I’ve been here more than i would choose. They do have a lovely beer garden, but overall it feels very void of personality. Long wait times at the bar (even when not busy) and kinda pricey. I had food once, but it was a while ago and i feel i cant really comment on it.

Need to do a wee update here — my last review was all about The National’s daytime offering but on Saturday evening I ventured in to their sprawling Cathedral Quarter Beer garden. The whole atmosphere of the beer garden is excellent, fairy lights twinkle above and wooden seating creates a rustic charm. There’s a lot of bars in this area of Belfast but not many have the same feeling of warmth as the National. I’m not just talking about the heat lamps here, I’m talking about the people the place attracts — don’t be afraid to have a wee bit of banter at the bar.
This place, in my opinion, really is the best of Belfast and a great representation of our new booming Cathedral Quarter nightlife — a lack of space is nothing to us, we’ll squeeze in a bar anywhere — even if it doesn’t have a roof.

Never eaten in The National but I have been in it many times for drinks and really like this place. Nothing much to report about the bar itself décor wise — it’s minimalist and easy on the eyes. Most times when I’m in it I tend to sit outside in their beer garden which is large and has a couple of outside bars, so you don’t need to go inside to get a round of drinks. Friendly, efficient bar staff too. I’ve always enjoyed visiting the National — it has a nice, relaxed vibe — good place.

Absolutely love this place! Great atmosphere and brilliant smoking area that has heaters, shelter and even blankets for if it gets too cold!
Does food and beer and has great bar staff. one even sang me happy birthday!

As soon as I stepped foot in through the door I knew I would like it, and not just because it shares its’ name with one of my favourite bands of all time, but because you are immediately met with a lovely chilled (don’t worry they do have the radiators on) and friendly atmosphere brought by both the staff and the superb décor…
The National’s grey walls with their round porthole-​like fixtures and exposed yellow wall girders, makes it very reminiscent of both the Titanic and the Harland & Wolff cranes (which can be seen in all their glory when you are leaving by taking a glance left) and coupled with the superbly chosen music playlist coming through the speakers, I was in lovely surroundings to tuck into my lunch and avail myself of the free Wi-​Fi to check those all-​important football scores from the night before.
It operates during the day as a hip café that have breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that are completely different to almost everywhere else in Belfast (also available to takeaway) and a very relaxed bar/​restaurant in the evening with food being served until 9pm and the bar offering a wide variety of wines, craft beers and cocktails although they are all quite expensive.
I opted for the meatloaf deluxe sandwich and chips and both were brilliant and came to around £7.50 which I thought was very reasonable and there are many sandwiches to choose from as well as sharing platters, hearty soups and hot pots and while the menu may not be everyone’s cup of tea (£2 and a coffee is £2.10), I thought it was very well executed and will definitely be back.

Being treated to lunch is always nice, which is why I found myself here on a weekday with my ex-​boss. We were early, so it wasn’t particularly busy and were greeted warmly by the trendy-​looking staff. The interior is, I suppose, eclectic (there, I said it) and a bit industrial with a wonderful high ceiling. We were talking so much the staff had to come back a couple of times to see if we were ready to order, but I finally decided on a Croque Monsieur with jalapeños and fries and my friend had a salad and a chicken sandwich. While the menu is mainly sandwiches, it is not boring with plenty of exciting flavour combinations, and mine was delicious. Once the food had arrived the staff did tend to vanish, losing them the sales of a lot more wine we were planning to consume, but I suppose it saved us having a crippling hangover the next day. The place is a little style over substance, but that doesn’t seem to be doing them any harm.

A pleasant surprise to find while strolling around the streets of Belfast! The flat white was terrific along with the pistachio cake. Terrific ambience, I’m enamored with the way this place is presented. Kudos!

How did Belfast become such a hip city and no-​one told me about it? Stopped in for a bite of lunch on the way out of town and left wishing I could be a regular here, like in some sitcom where I meet my pals every day.
The predominantly bearded waiters are super friendly, the entire ceiling is a skylight with plants hanging from it making it almost feel like a courtyard, and the menu had too many delicious choices to agonize over. I went with a meatloaf sandwich on brioche and didn’t regret it. Finding another new Irish microbrew stout was the icing on the cake.
You could probably walk right by this place and not notice it, being crammed into a street with car parks and shops, but it’s worth your while for a delicious lunch that makes you feel like one of the cool kids.

Lunch on a Friday, was quite busy and I did not know what to expect. I was meant to go there a long time ago but this time finally happened.
My lunch was good. A pulled pork sandwich (loads of sandwich options, this one was a daily special) with a drink and a white chocolate cheesecake came to a reasonable price. The staff is friendly and very efficient.
It’s a comfy place inside, with large and small tables, a high ceiling in glass with plants and a really good atmosphere. It’s busy, but without being too noisy and the playlist is wonderful! The outside space is good as the inside. Wood tables and some trees making this garden very appealing for summer.
After such a good experience, I decided to come here a few times for coffee. Again, a nice experience. Gotta love their flat white.