Had yet another fine meal here with some friends. My steak was cooked to perfection! The service as always was faultless. To avoid disappointment be sure to book.

Just have to tell you about Star Anise in Bridge Street. Had the most fantastic lunch there yesterday. It is a very convenient venue, so close to Patrick Street. Inside, the colour scheme is just gorgeous, the room bright. The food too is gorgeous and the people you’ll meet are friendly and efficient. Had dinner there a good few months back and so we were expecting a high standard. We weren't disappointed and herself reckoned it was her “best lunch ever”. My starter was certainly the best Tomato and Basil Soup I’ve ever had. This was a darker colour than your normal effort, topped with Parmesan shavings and also a swirl of Olive Oil; it leaves all other such soups in the weakling category. The other starter was Marinated Olives with salad and hummus; another top notch opener, the most beautiful herby/garlic marinade and, if memory serves me right, for just over 3 euro. I always have an eye for the specials as does the other half who went for the Lamb Kebab with Couscous and a Cucumber/Yoghurt dip. Could start wading through the Thesaurus for superlatives but let me just say that it was brilliant. I picked the fish of the day which was fresh Haddock, served with rustic sliced potatoes and haricots verts in the most delightful sauce of Fennel, Tomato and Saffron. Could go with brilliant again or maybe just wow! Presentation all round was excellent. Ended with a selection of desserts (they do a Dessert Plate for Two there) and enjoyed a sample of Vanilla Crème Brûlée, Vanilla Panna Cotta and a New York Style Baked Cheesecake. Finished off with some excellent coffee having had a delicious Chenin Blanc to accompany the earlier courses. What a day: sunshine outside and a taste of the Mediterranean inside.

Had the most amazing pork belly & crackling, couldn't have been better. The duck looked really good also and the crème brûlée was delicious. Atmosphere was lovely and the service was spot on - very friendly, very helpful but not in the slightest bit intrusive.

Lovely atmosphere and even better food, the sea food was excellent, The staff where polite and the food arrive on at a good pace, Would recommed a visit.

Star anise is easily one of my most favorite restaurants. The food is amazing especially their seafood dishes!! They had a pork/black pudding /pistacio terrine on specials for starter the night i was there which my partner got and it blow me away (i am still thinking about it). The staff are so lovely and friendly and more importantly give you space!! I love the cosy atmosphere that i feel alot of the bigger restaurants lack. Can't wait for my next visit!!!

It was my first time in this restaurant and we visited for lunch. They have a soup&sandwich offer and even though it seems great, the main dishes are too tempting to skip them. My friend had a butternut squash risotto that was delicious and I had a prawn and chickpea salad that was fabulous and a very original combination. The only thing is that the prawns were slightly overcooked and therefore a bit hard. They have "mini desserts" which is a fantastic idea and both the vanilla pannacotta and the brownie were very nice. They bring you bread at the start of the meal and the one with poppy and sunflowers seeds was so tasty. The waitress was very nice too.I would definitely go back even though it is a bit pricey.

I really enjoyed visiting this restaurant. Myself and my boyfriend had crab cakes to start which we both thought were lovely. I ordered chicken for my main but there was a mix up with my order so ended up having duck which was very nice. When the waiter realised he had gotten my order wrong he was very apologetic and seemed genuinely sorry. He said I could either wait for the chicken or have the duck which I was mistakenly given. I chose to have the duck as I was hungry! My boyfriend had steak which he really enjoyed. For my dessert I had a delicious vanilla pannacotta and my boyfriend had a passion fruit creme brulee which he loved. The staff were lovely and didn't charge me for my main course as a way of apology. Also, the white wine we had was gorgeous. I'd definitely go back.

A group of four of us ate here for the first time last night and for the most part thoroughly enjoyed it. Great menu, great service, although a tad on the pricey side if you stray from the early bird- which happens to be served all night Tuesdays and Wednesdays- a great offer! My only complaint was that there was a 'slight mix up' with our booking for 4 so we were squashed in between the bar and the toilet. Needless to say, people were squeezing past us all night. Apart from that, all was good- particularly the chowder- beautifully cooked fish along with succulent prawns and even though it was creamy it was not as heavy as other versions. Other hits were the confit of duck, prawn salad with chickpeas, choc and hazelnut brownie, apple tart tatin and the pannacotta. The 6oz steak was a little on the small side for my carnivorous, unadventurous father but it was cooked perfectly! Well worth a visit and I'll return but probably without my father and his huge appetite!

Went there last friday night, opted for the Early Bird as we prefer to eat earlier rather than later, for starters we chose the crab fish cakes w/ wasabi mayo and the tempura artichokes both which we found excellant, mains were Fish of the day (haddock) on pearl barley rissotto with chorizo and Steak on Mash with greens, my co eater had the fish which she thought was great whilst I went for the steak, cooked Blue, it was one of the best Blue Steaks I have got out in a long time lastly on the food, I am not a dessert person but they did have one of my favourites , Creme Brulee , that along with the Pancotta again were superb. On the staff and the service, Service was prompt and efficent, while the Staff were friendly, cheerful and attentive though not intrusive....all in all one of the better meals in all aspects I've enjoyed out for a long time .

I visited Star Anise with my boyfriend for his birthday. It had been recommended to me by a few people so I was looking forward to trying it. When we went in the restaurant was empty and only one other table came in for the night. The waitress seemed genuinely stunned by this and apologised for the lack of atmosphere but it didn't put us off. The food was fantastic. We had the 3 courses for 28.95euro. The selection within this was great. I had the Roasted Pumpkin salad to start, steak for mains and tasty lime cheesecake for dessert while my boyfriend started with Salmon fishcakes, had tandoori chicken for main and the cookie and ice-cream for desert. It was excellent value for money. The waitress was one of the nicest I've ever come across and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Star Anise is well worth a visit. I can't wait to go back!

had a flawless diner here the other night,service and food was fantastic,such lovely staff and the food was to die for,really was.some of the best dishes i've had in cork and great selection in wines,and great price too.defo coming back!

Could have been great... I've being here before, but my experience on Saturday left me disappointed with this restaurant. My girlfriend's meal was not cooked properly in the middle; a fact she noticed only half way through her meal. It obviously mared the dining experience, but was worsened by the server's failure to put things right. The server did apologise profusely, and removed the item from the bill; but no more was offered (or asked for). But courtesy would have indicated that the dessert we shared may have been complimented. I paid the bill and omitted the service. Possibly unfair, and a little passive agressive! However, the welcome from the staff was nice and very friendly, the atmosphere is cosy, but value is missing.

Dreadful. I would never return after my evening here. I booked for a group of 6 and we were given a table for 4 by the door. We were served by different people for each course and It felt like we were being an inconvienience. Also I very much disagree with the owners adding money to the bill for charity (it is optional as in you can ask for it to be taken off) but i think this is backwards. One should not be asked to donate to charity after a meal.

We arrived at 8pm and were warmly welcomed, seated immediately and given the menus, we ordered a couple of ports to ease the evening off while waiting for our two companions. Everything on the menu sounded fantastic from the Rabbit Terrine to the Slow cooked lamb in Filo. ..................... A perfect dining experience ended with numerous glasses of port. Four unanimous thumbs up. A definite 5 Star experience.

Had dinner here last nite with my family including a toddler. The place is very cozy and the food was great. The staff were also very professional and efficient. We will definitely come back here again.

Fantastic food Great service in a friendly setting Just love it!

The two of us were down from Dublin for the night, a Tuesday, had no clue where to go for great food. Heard a nearby restaurant was good, but by the time we got there (late at 9.45pm) it was closed. Discovered Star Anise next door, and am very glad we did. Despite being quite late and having a closing time of 10pm, they welcomed us in and promptly served us up an exquisite meal. Goats cheese, steak, panna cotta, lovely wine, friendly service, and the all night early bird menu was extremely good value for money. Two of us were really impressed. Highly recommended!

First visit and will be back. From the moment we walked in the door the welcome was warm,sassy, lively and professional. We had the early bird and the choice was wide. The waitress gave a great speil on the specials for the night which titillated the tastebuds. I went for the goats cheese (splendid)! and my partner went for the prawn brochette with a tangy sauce (fabulous!). For main course I had the chicken with preserved lemon (astoundng fresh lemony taste)& my partner had the duck which she loved. All in all an exciting dining experience with great cooking, great service and a good atmosphere.

This place never disappoints! Ity always delivers the very best in fine mediterranean cuisine. The service is second to none and the food is to die for. I had the breaded goats cheese salad which was just divine. Tiger prawn salad for main which just danced on my tongue and a beautiful passion fruit creme brulée for dessert, all washed down with a fabulous Lebanese red wine. This place is a must for food lovers.

This restaurant is a gem and has never disappointed. They have a fantastic early bird menu which is what we went for on our last visit. Beautiful prawn bisque and melt in the mouth duck as a mains. We were short on time so had to skip dessert but the panacotta is divine. The staff are slightly reserved but thats not meant as a fault. The restaurant is small so does struggle to have a meaningful atmosphere going on. It was a lovely Summer's evening so the door was open, plenty of atmosphere outside to keep us occupied. Lovely spot overall with interesting and delicious food.

Beautiful restaurnt. Excellent tasty food. Lovely attentive service that was just right.

We were there just before going around the corner to the Everyman Palace. The food was superb. Healthy quantities, just the right amount of attention and the food..... I had the duck cake just the right size for a starter. The cashel blue salad with it just added the right change in taste. My wife had the foie gras terrine again delivered beautifully, the calamari also looked to be barely coated and suptuous. For mains the lam parcels were delicately packaged and crumbled in the mouth. The desert plate shared was far too filling. A case of the eyes being bigger than the belly(which is substantial enough in itself) Great wines too. A lovely tempranillo. Looking forward to going back.

My Favourite restaurant in town. Consistently great Food and Service. The staff are knowledgable on all the food and wines and always make myself and my wife feel very welcome and never rushed. Can't believe they haven't won more awards.. I suppose there not in Dublin!!

Well worth a look. Modern European and prepared to take a risk. I had a cod/caper/crushed potatoes lunch that was excellent, and the cod was so rare I sent it back for a quick grill, great to see a kitchen that errs under - rather than over-cooked. Good coffee too. Recommended, and if you can't get in go around the corner. The kind of restaurant you want to see succeeding, not bland or boring.

As a regular visitor to Cork, this is one of my favourite restaurants. The food is always delicious and the service great. The dining room is a little cramped but the food and service more than make up for this. I would highly recommend a visit if you haven't been here yet.

Great quality food, nice wines, a good evening had by all.

Great restaurant. The food, especially the fish, is excellent and the ambiance of the whole place makes for a really enjoyable evening. Will definitely be going back.

I haven’t stopped raving to all and sundry about the wonderful food in Star Anise. The service etc was good but nothing special. The food on the other hand was exquisite. I was blown away by the scallop starter cooked to perfection and as for the lamb in filo pastry main course - well words just fail me. It was the tastiest dish of food that I have ever had the pleasure of eating! Dessert was a selection plate for us which favoured the chocoholics amongst us but was divine down to the last crumb. The bonus for me was the fact that they stocked my favourite wine Gewürztraminer, which I enjoyed to the last drop! A treat which I will definitely be allowing myself again sooner rather than later!

I regularly visit this restaurant as the food and services are consistently good.The only down side to the place is the dining room itself. I find the menu varied and interesting and the addition of daily specials is a great idea. On a recent visit we enjoyed excellent tempura prawns, scallops and duck shepherds pie. The duck dish was definitely the star of the evening. The wine list is good and contains some very good/interesting bottles such as the David O'Brien produced red from Provence.

Went there last year with a French friend of mine. We stayed much longer than we actually planned but that was due to the fantastic food. I ordered the Morroccan vegetables in Filo pastry. The dish was massive but I couldn't stop eating away as it was one of the best vegetarian dishes (apart from Cafe Paradiso of course ;-). The wine selection is very good and caters for all tastes. It's been too long now, so I have to schedule another date with my friend....

We booked for a birthday party of seven. We had a wonderful evening, however I would have to say that we were disappointed by the selection on the menu. Due to the limited main courses four out of seven had the steak which would not normally be their first choice, having said that the steaks were wonderful. I had the sea bass which was delightful. The other let down is the space. It is very cramped and everyone has to move if you need to leave the table to go to the ladies room.

Ate in this restaurant last night for a family members birthday. Having read the reviews , I was expecting better. There was not much of a choice and it really lacked atmosphere. We were a party of seven and none of us was really delighted with this restaurant.

It's absolutely impossible to get bad food here. Consistently serves food of the highest quality, flavorful and delicious. They are not phased if you bring a Vegan along (our of courtesy I give 24hours notice minimum) and last time I brought a vegan friend, there were 5 or 6 options that they could choose from. VERY impressed with that. The food is SUPERB, the staff are excellent. Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Cork! I just need to clear my schedule and get back there again soon, its been too long!!

We go to Cork each year for the Guinness Jazz Festival in October and one of the highlights would be a visit to Star Anise. For the last 5 years the food has been consistently excellent in a party of 4-8. Some of the dishes tried on Saturday evening were scallops, foie gras terrine, gnocci, duck, veal chop, sea bass, etc. The gnocci was slightly too heavy, but all the other dishes were gorgeous and beautifully presented. A good time was had by all. The staff are very friendly and efficient. In my view this is the best restaurant in Cork city.

Was taken here for my birthday. The food was gorgeous. The selection on the menu was not extensive for my tastes so was limited in my choice. Rarely order steak but was it amazing. Was spoilt for choice for dessert however, but thankfully the offered a selection of the desserts so I didn't have to choose.