As the New Year opened, it seemed timely to revisit a hard-to-miss hospitality landmark up in our neck of the woods, The Bellevue Arms.
The Bellevue Arms 129 Antrim Rd, Glengormley, BT36 7QS Tel: 02890 777138
It has sat on its lofty perch on the Antrim Road — running from Belfast to Glengormley here and beyond — since the mid-1930s, its huge illuminated sign now impossible to miss from the M2 motorway.
The popular venue enjoys epic views over the city and Belfast lough — the panorama from the upstairs restaurant a ‘belle view’ indeed — and comprises a family-friendly restaurant and deli along with a sports and entertainment bar.
The Bellevue Arms, on the outskirts of north Belfast
Our ‘holiday’ menu was the wholesome, traditional range we have come to expect from past visits. With a dozen main courses and six choices of starters, it boded well.
There was roasted vegetable loaf on offer too, for the vegetarians among us.
My wife opted for the pan-fried salmon king and prawns, served with a wine cream sauce and a choice of sides for just shy of £20, the same price as my choice, the delicious silverside of beef with all the trimmings.
Two large glasses of wine at £8 each went well with the food, while two pre-prandial mixed drinks — adding a further £15 to the bill — for me represented good value in these increasingly expensive times.
There was a great ambience about the place, service was excellent and we hadn’t long to wait for our stacked plates to appear.
Stacked they were, as on previous visits, but alas, the boat hadn’t yet landed the small aquatic crustaceans, i.e the prawns, that were conspicuous by their absence from my wife’s plate.
A minor quibble and slight disappointment there.
Inside The Bellevue Arms
Next up was desserts to round off the meal — cheesecake with cream and strawberry pavlova, both again in generous measure and highly satisfactory.
If you’re looking for the kind of fanfare and razzmatazz that comes with somewhere like The Ivy, you’ve come to the wrong place.
But if you want quality, unpretentious, wholesome and value-for-money food, friendly, professional and well-turned out staff, in a lovely location, then this recently refurbished bar/restaurant ticks all the boxes.
Indeed, the restaurant is a real asset for the proprietors Wolf Inns — who bought it from the long-term ownership of Harry Diamond — and is a jewel in their growing Bangor-based hospitality empire.
And another string to their bow is The Bellevue’s excellent post-dinner entertainment, with the revamped ground floor lounge bar coming into its own on our visit.
Virtually all tastes and styles are catered for, with regular DJ sessions interspersed with a variety of excellent, free tribute bands.
Everything from Abba to country music acts to The Motown Sensations grace the stage throughout the year.
No doubt 2025 will see more of these shows and, alongside the food, guarantees an evening to remember at The Bellevue.
The food
Total £86
The rating