Had not been here for a while and was wondering if it was still as good as on previous visits....It was! The atmosphere was buzzing with all tables occupied as we entered at 8pm, delicious smells were wafting towards us making us hungry - I chose the fish cake stater which was lovely - succulent fish in a light golden breadcrumb, followed by pan fried corn fed chicken with mushroom & Tarragon sauce - beautiful! Hubby had the seafood chowder to start which he proclaimed to be excellent, his main of seabass was perfectly cooked and accompanied by excellent vegetables and baby potatoes. As we were feeling fairly full we said we would share a dessert of panacotta with raspberries - divine and rather difficult to share - we should have got 2!!!!! Coffee was excellent. We were delighted to give this old favourite a try again it did not disappoint! Will be back

I was passing through Rathdrum on my own one evening over the christmas so i decided to treat myself.I have to say it the food was flawless.Seafood chowder to start,as good as i've ever had,very tasty.Follwed that with a beautiful silver hake cooked to perfection.Tight little spot with a lovely atmosphere.I will be back soon for sure,well worth a try.

Dinner with better half, at 7.30. Place was very busy but our table was ready. Nice service and good value menu. I had prawn and scallops lovely dressing, she had the fish cake , alot of fish in it. I had the mixed grill ( two steaks, lamb chop, chicken breast with onions and mushrooms), and she had sea bass. Both very good with chunky chips, mash and side salad. I had cheese board , huge and glass of port lovely, she had toffee pudding. water and bottle of Sho fly shriaz at 23€ was excellent. Great value(103€)hard to fault and very busy. Lovely pint in Cartoon as well.

Again a wonderful experience at Bates, this time for Sunday lunch. All food cooked perfectly to order. Starters were, scrumptious, 3 of us got the fish cakes with delicious butter sauce, one member of our party got the soup which was lovely also. I had the pork belly, which was beautifully presented in circular parcels and all other members of our party had steak, which went down a treat also. I see there is an early bird dinner menu advertised 2 courses for E15.50 - ABSOLUTE BARGAIN!! Cant wait to book and venture to Rathdrum again!!

I went camping with some friends, and we had dinner at the Michelin recommended establishment. We made a good choice. They have both an early bird menu and a value menu, both of which are affordable and tasty. My starter (tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms) was fine, but a little bland. The main, however, (baked aubergine "Parmesana") was very well-cooked and very flavorful. Finally, the tiramisu was divine. I will certainly return to Bates if I ever find myself in Rathdrum again.

Two of us had dinner by reservation.at 20.30 hrs. This was my second visit to Bates. We both eat from the value menu and found the choice and quality really good - we were not surprised to note that all the tables were full. We will be back and will recommend Bates to our friends.

We eat here regularly' the food is great so are the staffand and its in a lovely location. The menu is changed regularly to suit the seasons but some favourites remain on the menu all the time, like the belly pork and seabass which are divine. Another favourite of mine is the smoked cod risotto starter- to die for. I think its one of the best restaurnts in Wicklow

A party of 5 of us went here on a Thursday night. We choose from a combination of the value menu and the Al a Carte menu. The main course choice on the Al a Carte was in my opinion a little poor but very good for the fish lovers; all fish bar duck and steak. I had fillet of beef salad to start and duck for main with a side order of courgette all were excellent. Everyone else was happy with their choices and had very positive comments. The red wine drinkers had a great value Tempranillo from the value menu which was lovely. The resturant was busy and with a large tabel opposite us very loud, thanksfully they finished before we had got to the main course so that was ok. I would book the front of the resturant the next time. Service was a little hit and miss in that some things were slightly delayed but as it was so busy and the staff were friendly that could be forgiven. Would highly recommend and am looking forward to my next visit

My friends and I ate off the set lunch menu but I did think it was a little expensive at €24.50 for 3 courses. My smoked trout starter was delicious. My main course of veal escallopes were a little dry and should have included parma ham but arrived with spinach instead without any explanation. Fortunately I like spinach so I didn't complain. The meal ended on a high note with a lovely rich Tiramisu. Overall, on my second visit to Bates I wasn't disappointed and would be quite happy to return in future.

Myself and a friend went to Bates yesterday evening and it was really good. We had the set menu, starter and main, there was plenty of choice. the breads were lovely, too nice as we probably filled up on them. We had the char grilled chicken salad and goats cheese starters. Both were simple and tasty. For main we both had the lamb shanks. The mash was so yummy, but while the shanks were lovely they were a bit strong in taste for us. The veg was really fresh and so sweet. We will definitely be back again - get location too!

Such divine food. I saw this listed on MenuPages.ie and wondered if the food would live up to the reviews and I've got to say YES that it did. Really exquisite food and just an all round really nice place to eat. I'll be back, soon.

Best restaurant by a mile in wicklow. Great atmosphere.Good service. Great food and great value. Love eating here its always a pleasure!

After hearing excellent reports about Bates we went along on a very special occasion (got engaged) to try it out and have to say that it was one of the nicest dining experiences either of us had in a long time. The food was excellent value off a fixed menu, and the ordinary menu seemed quite good value as well. service was extremely good and friendly without being intrusive and we both felt we had a very good meal, both presentation and value. just slightly marked down (but still worth 5 * on overall value as we thought the wine was a bit pricey, but having said that, it was not compulsory to order wine so we could have kept the price down if we wanted although that would not have looked good when handing over a big sparkler ! We both left very happy and will look forward to repeating the experience and have already recommended Bates to friends.

After hearing brilliant things about this restaurant, we decided to make a special detour to it for dinner and made a reservation. When we arrived, the Maitre D' asked that we come back in half an hour as they had a large table just in. We arrived back to be shown to a nice table at the lower end of the dining room beside the large table. With so much seafood on the menu, it seemed a shame not to indulge so a good selection was ordered. Prawns on toast for mise, scallops for himself and our guests went for the charcuterie plate and the foie gras respectively. All were very good, and decent sized portions. Perhaps too much so, as it was rather daunting to think there was a main course to follow. Himself went for the rib eye and we all ordered the seafood platters. As a passing comment leaving the table, the waiter remarked that he hoped we were hungry. Odd we thought until the platters arrived. Served on huge oval plates, there was brill, monkfish, salmon, sea bass scallops and crevettes. All in full main course size. No sauce accompanied the dish, on the plate or on side and all the fish was chargrilled and a bit dry. The platters could have richly served two people, even three, but served only to curb my appetite at the size. As the fish was blackened by the grill, it gave a rather acrid taste to the fish and the monkfish was cold. I donated my crevettes to my guest and in her attempt to peel them, most of the flesh came with the shell as they were severely under done. This was mentioned to the waitress. Afterwards we opted for coffees and the bill. The coffee arrived, but not the bill. After waiting a respectable twenty five minutes after finishing the coffee, all four of us traipsed to the top of the restaurant to collect the bill. The Maitre D' handed to himself while my friend mentioned the crevettes, to be told in no uncertain terms that the chef had tested them and they were perfectly cooked. It left a sour taste, worse even than chargrilled scallops.

Best restaurant by a mile in wicklow vicinity. I dont need to go into much detail as to be honest this restaurant is excellent. Great atmosphere. Nice quaint setting. Good service. Great food and great value.

I cannot speak highly enough about this truly wonderful restaurant! Had Easter Sunday lunch here with my parents and grandmother. My mother is a coeliac and my grandmother is a fairly plain eater. Nothing was too much trouble for the brilliant waiting staff here and they knew exactly straight away what my mother could or couldn't have. We had 4 filling brocolli soups to start, I had pork belly, my Granny had salmon, my Mother had seabass and Dad had lovely chicken. The mash potato was absolutely to die for, melt in the mouth. Desserts were fab too, I had the vanilla creme brulee and they flame torch the sugar in front of you at the table which was nice touch. My mother had their homemade sorbet, lots of different flavours and they were truly yummy, the waitress recommended them and she was not wrong. 4 beautiful three course lunches followee by 4 cappuchinos fir just under €100. Will deffo be back to bates....

Bates never disappoints, their menu is always seasonal & excellent value. I will keep coming back to this little gem, I always leave planning my next visit. Everything is just perfect!

We came quite a distance to eat in Bates on a Sunday evening after reading good reviews and it was worth the drive. Although with the snow outside the restaurant felt chilly inside we liked the atmosphere and seating. The fab breads and jug of water brought immediately were welcome and the menu was good value with nice choices - we enjoyed seafood chowder and mussels to start followed by pork belly and the duck confit, good size portions but worth having dessert, the apple and cinnamon slice was yum. The only fault was the cold latte served. Definitely a spot worth detouring for and the food and price were excellent.

on a trip back from Kilkenny we decided to take scenic route & stop off at Bates. I’ve wanted to eat here for a long time since it gets great reviews. The alley down to Bates is beautiful done with cut stone. The restaurant is on your right & their cafe on your left. ON entering there was a warm fire burning away. Seated on the lower tier (the other side of the fire so didn’t get to benefit from its flames throughout lunch). The set lunch is quite extensive with about 6 options in each course. A lovely tasty selection of breads arrived with a tomato pate & tapenade. A much better option & taste to butter. I had the chicken with parmesan & green leaves for starter. The chicken was succulent & juicy yet nicely char grilled. My fellow diner had the potato & leek soup which was very hot (a good thing in my opinion for soup, nothing worse than lukewarm soup or beverages). Both very good. Mains he had pork belly & I had steak. Both excellent, I could not find fault. If I had to pick something I would say the chips could have been thinner making them crisper rather than the very thick potato wedges. We had a side of mushrooms, which included 3-4 varieties of mushrooms, were gorgeous. Definitely worth ordering. I was too full for desert so settled on hot chocolate. I asked for it piping hot but it came cold this was the only down point of the meal. But the chocolate itself was very good quality. He had tiramisu which of course I tasted – heaven. Creamy light & rich all at the same time. Service was top notch, very attentive yet not hovering over us. Portions were large which I personally look to see as it helps see value for what you are paying. There were 2 extended family function sitting around us which included up to 8 children so it was a bit manic & noisy. But cannot hold the restaurant accountable for that. Make a trip to Rathdrum – Bates along is worth the travel. Best meal I had in a long time.

I have to give this place five stars in its class. I went with our extended family, including lots of kids, for an early Sunday evening meal. The atmosphere is warm and cosy, the staff are friendly, the menu has something for everyone (including the little ones) and is good value. Often good places need local competition to keep up their standards but Bate's is the only eatery of its type for miles in any direction and is as good now as the first time I went. I definitely recommend it.

Food overall is delicious and portions generous. On my last visit I had the fillet steak for main course and meringue with raspberry for dessert. Steak was cooked perfectly and so tender. Staff are very helpful and friendly. Restaurant is comfortable and cosy. Prices are very reasonable for this award winning restaurant. Looking forward to my next visit.

Fabulous food and friendly and effcient service. We had our 1 year old son with us and staff were very helpful. The value for money is amazing and you'd expect to pay much more for the quality of the food. Will defintely be back.

Having read Paublo Touili recommendation for dining in the Wicklow area in the previous days Irish Independent I and my parents set out on a wet Sunday from Dublin. Upon arrival we requested a table for three and the maitre d asked under what name our booking was under. Alas we had not made a booking however we were accommodated. I could not believe the wonderful two course meal we had excellent value and the food, presentation, and service were top class. Upon leaving I took their business card as we fully intend to return again. It is advisable to make a reservation especially for Sunday lunch as the restaurant was very busy and it would appear to be a very popular location for Sunday lunch.

Top marks all round for Bates and their staff on my visit. We dropped in for lunch (booking advised) and were pleasantly surprised, We had their homemade soup to start with delicious bread. For mains a delicious piece of hake perfectly cooked and presented and roasted chicken. Hot chocolate pudding and ice creams to finish off a very nice meal indeed. Usually with restaurants this good the portion size suffers and what you get is small, but thank God not here.Unfortunately it is a bit out of the way from Dublin, but the food and the service certainly brightened up another rainy Autumn's day.

A group of eight of us went for Sunday lunch to this restaurant and loved it. Great atmosphere, service was excellent and food great. Really nice place to go and set menu was good value I thought

I heard great things about Bates so decided to try it out for Sunday Lunch. Went with my husband and 2 childresn. I looked at the kinds menu and wih my fussy children did not think they would eat anything so I went for the safest dinner which was spag bol for the baby and chicken in sauce for the 8 year old. THey loved it and wanted more. My 8 year old asks when we can go back to the yummy restaurant. I had steak and my husband had veal. They were delicious. It is a beautiful restaurant and can't wait to try the evening menu. The only downfall was when I walked out one of the staff were smoking in the door way. Other than that it is one of my favourite restaurants in wicklow.

A group of 13 of us went to Bates for my mothers birthday party, none of us had ever been before but had all heard great things about the place, and how true were there! The location is lovely, down a little land off the Rathdrum main street. I was very surprised to see the early bird menu available on a Friday night, some of the group were happy to order from this while others ordered from the a la carte. I had the scallops with chili and garlic to start which were amazing and a fillet steak for mains cooked to perfection. They did not give me a steak knife for the fillet, and there was no need, it was so tender and juicy that the knife glided through it. I had the Warm chocolate pudding with hazelnut ice cream which was incredible. Cannot fault the place, great evening enjoyed by all and everyone agreed we will be coming back.

I had originally booked for Sunday night as a birthday treat for my other half.I was keen to try this restaurant as I had heard a few good reviews about it and had read the good reviews it was getting on menu pages too. On the day we decided to change it to Lunch instead and we were more than delighted with our choice. Bates Restaurant is a lovely, cosy little restaurant which oozes charm and atmosphere. Their set menu offered terrific value and choice at just €22.50 each for three courses. Himself opted for Baked Asparagus for starters, followed by the Pork Escalopes, I chose the Buffallo Mozzerella & Vine Tomato starter followed by the Rib Eye Beef ,with chunky chips and peppercorn sauce. We both opted for the warm chocolate pudding with hazelnut ice cream which was well worth the 15 minute wait.As it was a special celebration we had some very nice wine to accompany our gorgeous food. We found the staff to be very friendly and efficient and very patient as we were quite late finishing our lunch. Without a doubt this is one of the nicest restaurants we have visited for some time. It is great to see such quality and value available right on your own doorstep. This was definitely the first of many visits to Bates.

I've eaten in bates several times and always found it to be brilliant! Looking forward to my next visit in two weeks time,

Absolute perfection, food, service and atmosphere. You do have to prebook to get a seat which is always a good sign.

Lovely restaurant overall, nice cosy feel and location in Rathdrum is spot on. Good selection on the menu and nice that they have beer as well as wine. We weren't in a hurry but taking our order and service was slow enough. The waitress was a bit afraid of putting the plates / drinks in front of us but I think it's to do with how close the tables are together in the two seater area. It does feel like you are sitting on top of each other. The bill was a pleasant surprise at the end, thought it was excellent value for money. Definitely will return

This place is amazing! Went for the early bird menu and there was so much to choose from it was hard to pick one starter and one main course. The food is excellent and of such a high quality that is rare for €18. It's head and shoulders over some other very popular restaurants in the area. I'll definitely be going back soon.

Went last Monday (Bankholiday) for a quick lunch, after a great walk in Glendelough! It was great to go back after my last time, a few changes have been made since, they have a take out counter for cold meats and cheeses a lot of them irisch produce, which we took home with us after we had a superb lunch! This restaurant never lets you down, it is constantly improving and the price/value is the best you can get!! Thanks it was great!!

First time in Bates but hopefully not the last. Went for Sunday lunch and can only say it was excellent in every way - food was delicious, service was smiling and informative, nothing was too much bother and quality to cost ratio was outstanding. This is a restaurant which seeks to excel in all areas. There is a lot of effort put into sourcing the best and freshest local produce and this really pays off. Can they keep this standard up? It's well worth supporting them so that they do. There are so many restaurants in Co. Wicklow which could learn so much from Bates.

Have been to this restaurant twice now and am looking forward to my next visit. Service and food/wine outstanding on both occasions.Cannot fault it at all- well worth the trek up to Rathdrum.A 100% jem!!!

Excellent restaurant. Food, service, ambience- all perfect. We arrived for the early bird which had a great variety of choice, €20 for 2 courses, €25 for 3. My friend had the pasta special- this was amazing, as nice as anything in Italy! Everyone in the group left happy- and lovely Baileys coffees to finish the meal, highly recommend this restaurant, I'll definately return.

A real hidden Gem. A fantastic Restaurant, could not fault it in any way. Have been there for dinner a couple of times, top class!! Was in for lunch today, was a bit worried quality would not be as good, again could not fault anything, food fab!! staff attentive and efficient, Wine list great as usual and a warm atmosphere - What more could you ask for!!! Great value for money, Can't wait to go back!!

Wow is all you can say about this restaurant. Everything is to perfection - the menu, the wine list, the decor, the staff. It is a must and at the price of pub food. You must booked in advance because it is really difficult to get a table. 10 out of 10. A real gem

Great Restaurant with excellent food and reasonable prices. We have eaten there about 10 times and never once were we disappointed. The owner takes a personal interest to ensure that evertyhing is as it should be for your table. The food is mainly italian. One visist I was not expecting much becasue it was new years eve but I have to say standards did not slip and it was a great evening. Home made pate and pasta dishes are great. One very minor gripe would be the uneven floors - some table are on a slope but others would argue that this adds to the character of the place. Another thing try the Cartoon inn for a dring before or after - it is a very nice littel pub.

Top restaurant in Wicklow! I am dreaming of their amazing Prawns! Atmosphere was great, New Years Eve and all the staff had time to talk and make us feel at home! The Prosecco was delicious also! Cant wait to go back!

Part of me doesn't want to write a review on this place as it's such a gem I feel like I want to keep it secret. My husband & I ate there at the weekend & both of us were blown away. Firstly, the place itself is gorgeous. The setting off the main street is quaint & charming with a traditional feel, oozing charm & character. The food was extremely delicious and presented in impeccable fashion. The owner clearly is proud of his restaurant and is wonderfully passionate about food. The prices were very reasonable, we actually found it cheaper than our local pub and at least 100 times nicer. We will without any doubt be back to this place over and over again.

Great food, excellent seasonal specials, interesting Italian wine list. The service is excellent from an owner who is obviously passionate about what he does. The place used to be stables by the look of it so it has been decorated realy simply, whitewash walls, dark wood, splashed of red. Its a really lovely place to be in.

Lovely setting, friendly staff who seem interested in what they do, the food was also good, what more do you want!

An exceptional meal, four very satisfied customers. The atmosphere is spot on and toilets very clean.

A truely excellent Italian restaurant. We had a lovely time, a delicious meal served by friendly staff. We went all out and had four courses, all of which were excellent. We asked for a slight delay with the meat course, which was no problem. Overall I would highly recommend.

Quite simply the best restaurant around the Co. Wicklow area..Great food, great staff, warm atmosphere.

Quite simply, divine, hard pushed to find a nicer spot. Could not fault a single thing. I believe it is difficult to get a table for two on a Saturday night, one of the best restaurants Co Wicklow has to offer

This was our second visit to Bates, our first was in June. The menu had changed but both times the food was excellent, there's more fish on the summer menu but still 3 choices of fish in the winter menu, we go there for the seafood, but there's also a good meat choice. The service was very good, the breads were excellent. The atmosphere is very good but the lighting is very bright for a restaurant, especially with white walls. We will be back.

I love this little cozy place hidden down a cobbled lane in Rathdrum. The staff are delightful, offering a very friendly and knowledgable service. The breads are divine. I love the specials board which means that the chef cooks seasonal produce he can get daily. The main point of the cooking is to source the best local ingrediants possible and do as little as possible to it. The pate is so smooth and tasty and I also think the seafood plate is to die for. A friend ALWAYS has the chargrill rib-eye steak. Mains served with lovely crisp veg and rosemary spuds. Usually too full for desserts. The wine list is very good if not a little pricey. They also do a delicious Sunday lunch which is great value for money. Overall, I would highly recommend this intimate restaurant for any special occasion treat where you would like to impress!

Had a great time the night we went here. The service was great and really couldn't fault the food. Try the choclate fondant, out of this world. We were really well looked after and will be back again for definite.