Cafe Vaudeville

Location and interior are fabulous, right n the city centre with amazing décor inside. Large high ceilings, chandeliers and pillars, it really looks spectacular.
The bar stocks a large range of different drinks and the bar staff were friendly and helpful and seemed to be very knowledgeable in the products the were offering. The tables were cleared often enough. The cocktail bar seems to take ages to get a drink but the main bar isn’t too bad. The drinks would be slightly more expensive than other city centre bars would be. A bottle of fruit cider cost approx £4.60, house rosé £22 and prosecco £25.
There isn’t any dance floor as such and the main floor area was packed out. Hard to move to and from the bar and you just had to dance where you were. The music was brilliant, a good variety but mainly chart dance music.
They have a very rude doorman, at the end of the night on our way out he was shouting for people to make their way out, which we already were, however he yelled this in the ear of one of the younger girls in our party causing her pain, I stated that it was a bit rude, he replied «tomorrow is Sunday, take yourself to church»…I didn’t realise Café Vaudeville was a religious establishment. Totally uncalled for and unprofessional and has definitely effected my scoring. My pet hate is poor customer service and rude people.

Setting Is awesome. Gatsby sort of style.
Smells like the night after a big club night with the whiff of booze. Floors are also quite sticky.
Customer service could be better.
Food is decent for the price.

More style than substance.
Food at best mediocre.
Somewhere to go to see and be seen rather than have a good meal and it’s also a bit overpriced.
Not for me.
On the plus side its worth a visit just to see the interior and the cocktail menu is pretty good

Café Vaudeville has been around for as long as I can remember and it never fails to impress with its selection of wines and extravagant cocktails.
The décor is as extravagant as the cocktails, with red velvet fabrics and chandeliers dominating the etire place.
If your looking for somewhere to grab a glass of wine and chat the night away with friends then this is the place for you.

Very special restaurant, great ambiance, reminds of an old theater. Food was good, had squid, fried goat cheese and main dish steak… friendly service. would recommend it!

Café Vaudeville could be a 4 or 5 star establishment except for the serious lack of vegetarian options. It’s a shame, because the food is delicious, unfortunately they’re just not catering for vegetarians at all. Staff were amazing and told me the chef could adapt a couple of dishes to suit, removing meat and parmesan cheese etc. However, I really don’t want to have ‘adapted’ dishes, I want proper veggie food and a dedicated vegetarian menu. It’s really not much to ask for, lots of restaurants now offer a small dedicated veggie menu. Literally not a single vegetarian main appeared on the 2 course for circa £15 evening menu. I ended up having a goats cheese starter and choosing 2 sides for my main, chips and side salad from the standard dinner menu. It was absolutely mouth-​wateringly delicious. I can only imagine what a fabulous veggie menu Café Vaudeville could produce — it would be amazing, if only they’d create one! Service was great and the lush, decadent décor was a delight to experience as always. Great cocktails served here too — delicious.

Café Vaudeville is about as central as you get in Belfast, located about a minutes walk from Victoria Square it is perfect place to indulge in a cocktail or a burger after a shopping trip, that’s if you’ve got enough money left over.
Café Vaudeville always strikes me as quite a girly place to have a drink but this may because I consider myself a manly man (no one has ever said that about me — please note I said ‘I consider myself) and they have a wide selection of cocktails, the décor is also quite girly.
Its décor is also incredibly chic, red velvet chairs are matched with antique oak tables and silk drapes cascade beautifully throughout — If you want to feel like you’ve entered a Parisian cabaret club then Café Vaudeville is the place for you.
PS There’s free Wifi for city slickers!

Great special on the night I went. Two course for GBP13. I had a chicken caeser salad and an Irish Beef Burger with a side of Chips. Guinness is delicious as to be expected! Server was nice and had a great sense of urgency. Was kind and educated me as to why they don’t cook burgers any other way but well done. He was kind as he explained it to me. Service was fast on Thursday night.
The Burger was cooked perfectly, not dry or burnt — If all well done burgers were like that in the world, I would order Well Done all the time. The burger had a nice flavor too, not just dull flavored meat with salt, it had some seasoning. The chips… Fantastic!
Too full to try dessert, but the dessert case in the front area was VERY tempting. Look forward to trying something in the future.
The ambiance was nice. There was even a TV screen discretely placed in this elegant looking environment. They did an amazing job converting this location into a restaurant, casual but upscale at the same time.
Enjoyed the entire experience.

I have never dined in this fine establishment just drunk and danced. Although I can’t help but think it is a poor mans Merchant! but not as expensive.
Anyone know why is called ‘Café Vaudeville’ instead of ‘Bar & Restaurant Vaudeville’ or ‘Cougars R Us’…
Well anyways… on a friday and saturday night expect it to be busy and don’t expect to find a seat. Also expect it to be filled with a slightly older crowd (people in their forties or fifties) which wouldn’t really be what I would be looking for. So if you have saved up take yourself to the Merchant, but if you have only saved up a little bit… head on down here.

I was so sure I was going to hate this place. There was a lot of hype when it opened initially and that coupled with the sight of the ‘fabulous’ masses buzzing around the entrance always put me off. After several years of abstinence I was invited out by an in-​law having a birthday drink… first stop-​cocktails at Vaudeville. Imagine my joy.
Anyway, doing the decent thing I pottered down on the assigned Saturday night and to be honest really, really enjoyed the hour we spent there. The crowd seemed a bit older and more civilised, the music was pretty eclectic and the drinks were damn good. Only negative was that it was packed and we couldn’t get a seat but for the short time we were there it certainly did the job.
Much has been made of the interior and I think there are more impressive and definitely original places in town. Not sure if I could hack a whole evening of it but actually not bad at all.
Pros: Killer cocktails.
Cons: Potentially pretentious.

Café Vaudeville wishes it had the class and elegance that The Merchant has.
I’m sorry, I realise that people love this place, but… why? The interior is supposedly classy and plush, but to paraphrase Neil Armstrong, everything has obviously been put together by the cheapest bidder. It is pretentious and I don’t like it. The service, bloody hell… I wouldn’t dream of being patronising enough to ask someone to smile, but they all look miserable in their waistcoats and daft looking shirts.
Saving graces — the crowd that Vaudeville attracts is a bit older than the just-​about-​legal-​enough-​to-​buy-​alcohol crowd that certain neighbours attract. I had a very well cooked fillet of cod with a white bean stew a while ago. That’s it.

This is without doubt my favourite upmarket restaurant in Belfast. Vaudeville really does hold its own and is on par with the merchant for sheer luxury and good taste. The staff are amazing and professional and this is the place where people go to celebrate or for a lovely date. The one thing that separates it from the Merchant is the price, its really competitive food with amazing quality! The crispy Duck spring rolls are to die for and my favourite main course is the steak, its pricey but oh so good! The apple and plum crumble is a must! With food this good and a setting so glamorous it really is no wonder that Vaudeville is a favourite amongst tourists and locals alike.

I went to Café Vaudville just last Saturday night because a friend was over from Cambridge. It’s not usually my type of place and seeing as I didn’t know we were going there, I went out in jeans and trainers so I was certain I wouldn’t get in. To my surprise the bouncers were really pleasant and didn’t mind my very casual attire at all. The place is surprisingly massive! With chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a large dance floor it made for a good night out. There are quite a few bars so getting served was never really a problem and it wasn’t hald as expensive as I thought it was going to be! I’m shocked to be saying this, but Café Vaudville is a nice place to spend a Saturday night.

Yes, yes and yes again!
Before the days of The Merchant this was without a doubt my favourite restaurant in Belfast. I feel a little like a traitor choosing one over the other but this review is simply to advertise the excellent food, reasonable price (compare this with Merchant and it’s oh so cheap) and the decadent surroundings of Café Vaudeville.
Upon entry you’re greeted with a charming smile, maybe a soulful tune from the jazz singer (if you’re lucky and get the usual guy, his voice is bliss!) you’re shown efficiently to your seat and offered any drink of your choice. (Try the house white, it’s beautiful!)
The last time I was here we ordered, for starters, the bread board & the goats cheese fritters (great choice!) then for mains we chose the slow roasted pork belly and the salmon. I can only fault one thing, that the crackling on the pork was overly crunchy and not edible at all.
All in all Café Vaudeville is an excellent restaurant /​bar. If you’re bringing visitors out for a drink in Belfast then 100% bring them here and I know many who have visited who have been totally overwhelmed by the beauty of this bar.

Café Vaudeville is a strange place. It is definitely over the top, both in its food and the atmosphere of the restaurant. It seems to be out of another era. It has massive big statues and ornaments all over the inside which certainly keeps your eyes busy. On its website it actually names itself as a ‘luxebar’, not really sure what that means, but I assume it is their attempt at combining the words luxury and bar for some reason.
I have to say I am not really too fussed about this place. It seems to want to do too much with itself. It is trying to be modern and hip, but what I think they have forgot is that being modern and hip does not just mean charging too much for food and drink. I would suggest going in here to have a look, or maybe have a drink, but beware of the prices if you are planning on spending the evening.

Café Vaudeville is without doubt one of the most beautiful bars in Belfast (the building itself dates back to 1825 and was a Bank in a former life).
The Vaudevillian theme as you walk in is evident. 1920s opulent décor from art deco lights to Egyptian-​inspired tables are everywhere. One corner is covered in bookshelves stacked with (fake) books and looking up, you see the fully restored glass dome of the building — a definite highlight.
There are 3 bars in the place, one is upstairs in the VIP area (they say VIP — call ahead and tell them you want to sit upstairs and they’ll let you), while downstairs there is the main bar and the champagne/​cocktail bar. This is where I tend to be. You have to wait longer to be served as there are usually only one or two servers, but the cocktails are among the nicest in Belfast.
The music is generally cheesy pop with a side of retro classics. It won’t blow your mind, but it will get you dancing (especially if you’ve had enough Bahama Mamas!). That said, there’s no specific dancefloor, so it’s more of a dance-​where-​you-​stand kind of place which can be annoying if you happen to be standing in a walkway…
The crowd is a late 20s — early 30s one and for better or worse, this definitely affects the atmosphere. For me, the bar tends to attract the self appointed beautiful people and Belfast «celebs» and this makes it less relaxed than it perhaps should be.
Having said that, my advice is go in, appreciate the surroundings, definitely enjoy a cocktail or two, but leave before it gets too busy.

Just an update as we went back here more recently in advance of heading out for dinner for our wedding anniversary. Despite it being a really sunny day outside, it was still quite busy on this Saturday evening, and it was fairly early, but there was a real buzz about the place. The clientele seems to have gotten a bit older since I was last there, not that that is a negative point, just commenting! We went to the cocktail bar (don’t know why you cant order them from the main bar and have them brought to the table — that’s my one issue) and there was a bit of a queue but I must say fair digs to the cocktail waiter, he had some job with the amount of orders, but he flew through them and it was really entertaining watching him create these colourful and gorgeous drinks — I had an Apple and Strawberry Martini — yummy. There was a live band playing — they were FAR too loud — but no-​one seemed to think this was an issue. Maybe it’s just me. All in all, still a nice place for a swanky cocktail.

Really not for me, I’m afraid. Whilst as a venue, for a wedding reception for example, it is plush and well appointed the bar itself verges on pretentious and reeks of trying way too hard.
Well situated, just round the corner from Victoria Square, this bar is perfect for those who have overspent on clothes and now want to overspend on drinks to achieve a false sense of glamour and grandeur.
It just seems to me that this is a bar that believes its own hype and thinks by having grand surroundings and a grand name that they can overcharge for drinks. With some pints coming in at almost £4, I would at least expect some good live music. But at all the music that gets paid is the usual rnb and pop trash that I can listen to if I turn on Radio 1.
No good.

Had to be my favorite night club on my recent trip. That place is a trip. I don’t know how often they do the show they did last Friday night, but it was a hoot! Lots of gorgeous people, flowing pints, and old school music.

Oh café Vaudeville I love you. Vaudeville is without doubt the most glam, luxe bar in Belfast. It’s a bar on a huge scale in the premises of a former bank so even the outside is fancy, with big pillars at the door. Step inside the heavy wooden doors and you’re in for a treat for all your senses.
The interior is big and grand, all ornate gold detailing and huge huge plants. There are a couple of massive curving staircases which you can waft up and down pretending to be Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind. Until you are asked to leave anyway.
There are lots of tables for big groups towards the front and the side and back are all little nooks and crannies you can hide in. There is even a huge hanging sofa/​hammocky thing to recline in and feel decadent. Speaking of decadence, there is also the House of Champagne which can be prebooked for private use and guess what? It serves all kinds of champers.
I love dressing up and going to Vaudeville. It never fails to feel exciting and glamorous.