Simon
£16 for steak and 6 potato wedges! I have been going since the place opened and used to rate it, however it has been gradually going downhill. On this occasion we complained and the waiter told us to ask for more in future when we order. Left feeling cheated and humiliated, although the food we did get was nice.

John
Went the other night for a mates birthday. Had an outstanding mushroom rissotto to start - perfectly cooked in a good stock with just a tiny bit of the firm texture remaining - well seasoned too. Had a huge ribeye steak with potato wedges and a dressed rocket salad. Well above average bar/cafe food in a very comfortable setting. Going back tonight with partner and mother! 20/12/05

Steve
Fantastic food and drink. Not top restaurant quality but better quality than every cafe we've ever been in. We frequent Thyme Cafe about 30 thymes a year and have never been disappointed, and we do have high standards. We're amazed by some of the reviews here because we've never had a problem with the bar staff and the one time we had to complain (they told us the dish had gone off the menu 15 minutes after we ordered it) we got a free meal. Top marks for Richard Smith.

Ally
I agree that the food is ok but it is a bit pricey for what it is. The main thing about the place that puts me off though is the very, very, very annoying Scottish bloke who never left us alone the whole time we were there, "everything ok guys?" every bloody two minutes! For god's sake man, leave us alone and let us eat!

Adrian
Well it has it's good points; good atmosphere, nice old school style chairs and tables, but the Menu is often really heavily weighted to one type of food - means there's choice, but it's all a really similar syle and not much vegge stuff either. The food is definately over priced for what it is - huge mark up on all of it, but it's well presented (except for the burger being served on a bread board). The service has never been that great i've stood at an empty bar for 10 minutes trying to place my order while the staff mumpmed around chatting and moving bits of paper around, with no apology for the delay. Think on the whole it's not up there on my list.

Norah
I thought the food was 'comfort food' rather than a gastronomic experience, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The reason I'll never go back or recommend it is because the waiters were so rude.

Laura
I went for lunch for the first time + it was gorgeous! Really really yummy. We had chicken ceaser wraps and fries, and I loved how the fries came in a little bucket. My friend is allergic to eggs so asked for one without the mayonnaise; the waiter came back to say that the chef thought it wouldn't be a very nice combination without the mayonnaise + offered another suggestion, which we thought was really thoughtful + welcoming. He was really friendly throughout our meal. Even when there's people queueing you aren't pushed out of your seats, and there's a great mixture of people here. Sometimes I get the impression from peoples' reviews that nothing would actually impress them!!!

Emma
I regularly eat at Thyme as I never get round to booking somewhere and so providing I get there early I know I can get a table. I think I would reflect a number of the reviews. I have had some delicious meals there and some not so delicious. I agree they are slipping - the menu choice doesn't seem to be as varied as it has done. I also once asked for my chips to be well done as I spotted the anaemic ones of a fellow diner and was told I'm not sure if we can do do that. Now even I know you just leave them in the pan an extra couple of minutes - I thought they were michelin type chefs but can't even manage to brown a chip!! All in all tho my experience has been good (lovely wine as well) and on the occassion my friend wrote and complained that she thought it was disgraceful to charge £15 for a tiny fishcake (with no accompniaments) they did offer her a free meal.

Emma
I regularly eat at Thyme as I never get round to booking somewhere and so providing I get there early I know I can get a table. I think I would reflect a number of the reviews. I have had some delicious meals there and some not so delicious. I agree they are slipping - the menu choice doesn't seem to be as varied as it has done. I also once asked for my chips to be well done as I spotted the anaemic ones of a fellow diner and was told I'm not sure if we can do do that. Now even I know you just leave them in the pan an extra couple of minutes - I thought they were michelin type chefs but can't even manage to brown a chip!! All in all tho my experience has been good (lovely wine as well) and on the occassion my friend wrote and complained that she thought it was disgraceful to charge £15 for a tiny fishcake (with no accompniaments) they did offer her a free meal. 28/04/05

Phil
Went for the first time a couple of weeks back. My wife and I ordered a couple of sarnies for lunch. We were the only people in the place and they still mest it up. The freshly baked bread rolls tasted like they were bought the week before. Don't believe the hype!!!

Rosie
I went to lunch here with a friend recently and was badly disappointed; we ordered the soup of the day and the mushroom risotto; hardly exotic. We had two hours for lunch. We waited for 1hr 30 mins for our food to arrive (while watching all the other diners around us who arrived after us served before us) and then when the food arrived, with apologies, we had to gulp it down and run, no time for the compensatory coffee they offered us when we mentioned we'd been waiting rather a long time. Not keen to risk lunch there again! 30/03/05

Eileen
A mixed bag of comments - makes me want to visit to make my own mind up! If you love it there - then you'll love the Owner/Chefs cookbook "Thyme after Thyme" + their new place at the Druid Inn at Birchover, near Matlock - similar food by the sounds of it, good location,friendly service. Prices may be a bit 'steep', but quality and presentation of food well worth it. 28/03/05

Miss V
I've been a regular at Thyme cafe since it opened, don't get me wrong I love that place and the whole concept, but their standards (like many other places) are starting to slip, on a few occasions I have overheard people not entirely happy with their food complain in a polite manner only to be shot down from a great height and to leave deflated. So what is the world of Thyme cafe coming to when you can't even make a constructive complaint? All in all, great food, although slightly pricey at thymes (get it...?)a reduction in the bread and dips would be a good start, great staff although at thymes (sorry couldn't resist) deal badly with stress, try it, you'll probably love it!

Graham Jenkinson
Having visited here twice, I can recommend it thoroughly. I had steak most recently and it was cooked to perfection, the dessert was equally delicious. The scottish head waiter made it really enjoyable, ensuring great service (although it isnt the place for a quiet or peaceful meal). It is slightly expensive, but worth it in my opinion.

Carolyne
The second time we ate hear (we had the parents with us)the service and food were appalling. I would never recommend this restaurant purely due to the fact the waiter was so rude and the food was awful. My boyfriend and his mother both ordered the lamb, which came undercooked. I ordered the pork which was also undercooked in the middle and by the time I realised I had already eaten the edge of it. The same with the lamb by the time they realised they had already eaten half of it. When my boyfriends mother (who's a nurse) pointed out the pork was under cooked the waiter looked at us in disgust told us that's the way it's always cooked (as he was a trained chef) didn't apologise, said if we'd have noticed it sooner he would have put it back under the grill. Also in relation the the lamb we did point out if they are going to serve lamb undercooked then at least ask the customer beforehand if that's how they would like it. I don't know anyone who would want undercooked food and to be told we knew nothing and that's the way it's always cooked is just appaling. When you pay the money they command you would have expected the customer to have some sort of say, well with Thyme Cafe you'd be wrong. We never did get an apology which I should have got, or a discount for the half eaten food (the other half obvously wasn't edible)You should never serve undercooked pork you're just asking to be shut down!! I will never go back - it's the worst meal/service I have ever had!!

tony
Reasonable food but a bit stiff price wise .... burger + fries a tenner!! Prices seem to go up every time I go .... which is about once/month. I think Cafe Ceres is much better value and better food if not so glamorous!!

Alex
We really love Thyme cafe. The food is really nice and i love the layout and the rustic charm of the benches and tables etc. They also earned extra brownie points because they cater for my husband's gluten-free diet. I highly recommend it - although i do agree that it gets very busy at times and so it's not always easy to have a lengthy, laid back meal.

Roddy
Went to Thyme Cafe for the first time the Monday after New Year. It had been highly recommended to us by several people. It was heaving and we got the last table for two. The menu was extensive and varied but after all the excesses of xmas and new year, we settled for the burger. Which was the best we've had anywhere and came in a ciabatta roll with fries and salsa dip. The wine was rather nice too. Service was friendly, lots of families with kids, relaxed atmosphere was conducive to staying all day with the papers but you couldn't coz people were queueing to get in. Two burgers and two glasses of wine came to £25.

Nick
It's pricy but the food is excellent. Often busy and you can't get a seat so you need to go early.

Jo
love it love it love it love it! have lost count how many times I've been now, never had anything less than fab, feels like a real treat to go still, could do with a couple more veggie options. leave room for pudding!

Catie
I really liked the Thyme cafe. Four of us went for Sunday lunch, the service was friendly and relaxed, the portions were huge, the food tasty, and the wine very good. Wished we could have settled down there for the afternoon with drinks and newspapers, but we had things to do! There should be more places like this!

Steve H
Not impressed at all. Burger was £7 plus and served on an old wooden board - think of the bugs.The chips looked and tasted as though they had been refried a few times and were awfull and very few of them.The serving staff had mucky aprons. Was a lunchtime and we wished we had ordered sandwiches. The overall experience, just a rip off.

Gav
Been twice, quality on both occasions. Unlike the restaurant in Crosspool which is overpriced and overrated.

ian
Reading the reviews which are mixed to say the least, I think people should just go and make up their own mind. I’ve been twice and enjoyed both occasions, its nice and relaxed and informal eating. Even though they always seem to be busy I didn’t get the feeling that I was being rushed. The two things that I don’t like about the place is having to place your orders at the bar and paying b4 you’ve eaten and the fact that you can’t book, so if you want to eat at say 8.00 go about 7.30ish and put your name on a list (which is sort of booking isn’t it!). ps I also have fond memories of Fat Jacks, a great place to go when my kids were little, remember the charity jukebox

Karen
The menu changes on a regular basis which means that you always get new choices to feast upon. The service is always friendly and efficient and the head waiter is indeed very competent, as mentioned above. Food is freshly cooked and imaginatively presented. On the down side, it is often difficult to get a table if your group is more than 2, but that is probably indicative of Thyme Cafe being a victim of its own success! Discerning customers should be willing to spend more for good, well-prepared food, however prices are definitely still on the high side - if your budget will stretch, I heartily recommend a visit.

Pete
Overrated & overpriced. Tried to tell me that linguini was the same as spaghetti. I think the French expression is: "Faux pas".

Vaughan
We had a late (2:30)lunch here last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd recommend the mighty blue cheese burger, and a pint of the beer produced especially for Thyme by local brewery Wentworth washed it down spendidly. But what impressed me more was the way the place was run. They were due to close at 3pm, and at about 2:50 a party of seven (including kids) turned up! However, rather than the predictable "Sorry we're just closing" ( or even minus the "sorry") the Scottish chap sorted them out with a table, advised them that they ought to be reasonably prompt with their orders but reassured them that "we won't be chucking you out in ten minutes" and sorted drinks out separately to ease things along - all done in an up-front, friendly manner. So full marks to Thyme Cafe for putting the customer first in a manner which I witnessed often in the USA, but is still not usual enough in our country, where staff seem to find customers an irritating interruption to their personal chit-chatting. (End of rant.) I just hope the Thyme staff got the generous tip they deserved!

Bez
If this is the place I'm thinking of then I wasn't impressed. My girlfriend took me after hearing how wonderful it was and to be honest the food was poor and the service was slow and with a bored expression. I'd really much rather the place was still 'Fat Jacks' now there was a great place for really good burgers and the like. Do NOT confuse this place with Thyme in Crosspool, which I have been to a couple of times since going here, the restaraunt is great, but the spinoff cafe is pathetic.

Dominic
the food was very good and reasonably priced. good place to impress the ladies.

Andy Holliday
I've been a few times to Thyme Cafe, and I think it's a brilliant place. The food is consistently excellent, and the service friendly. The head waiter (the Scottish chap) is always on the ball, and the atmosphere is relaxed. If you’re looking for somewhere to lunch, which isn’t a pub, but not as formal as a restaurant, give Thyme Café a shot.

George
I agree with Naomi I went with high expectations but was badly let down. The food was very middle of the road and when we complained about our meal not fitting the description on the menu we were shot down by our waiter. Poor show all round.

naomi
I have eaten twice here. The first time was so good I couldn't wait to go back, the second time was so bad I couldn't wait to leave. The head waiter was extremely rude and arrogant and the food was on the whole mediocre - the bread and dips were particularly poor. It's a shame that one of the better restaurants in Sheffield can be so inconsistent.