Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Hertfordshire

OpenTable

Updated 05 November 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Hertfordshire? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Judges Restaurant & Cocktail bar

4.8

4.8 (849)

£26 to £40

Modern European

Potters Bar

About the restaurant

"Judges restaurant and cocktail bar, formerly known as The Sun, is situated in the beautiful village of Northaw on the village green. This landmark Grade II listed building has, over many long months, been lovingly restored to its rightful glory. With a modern eclectic European and British menu, Carlos believes in sourcing local produce from artisan suppliers, where the provenance and quality of the foods are fully traceable. Whether you’re enjoying a glass of something sparkling under one of our chandeliers or having a scrumptious afternoon tea by the log fire, our bar and restaurant mix period features with modern day elegance, creating a memorable dining experience. Our cocktail bar and lounge areas are the perfect space for just popping by for an espresso martini or a light bite. Perfect for a relaxed evening drink with friends and informal eating from our brasserie style menu.
We look forward to welcoming you to CARLOS@JUDGES

Top review

Sharon

Dined on 19 Nov 2024

Judges has a fantastic menu that includes vegetarian vegan and gluten free options there’s a lunch menu party menu and an al a carte food is lovely well presented and the portions are good will definitely be back

Lavish Bar & Grill

4.7

4.7 (1366)

£26 to £40

Mediterranean

Stevenage

About the restaurant

We are a mediterranean inspired grill in the heart of Stevenage Old Town, serving the very best steaks, grills and fresh fish alongside some amazing cocktails.
Our steaks are our signature dish, these are very carefully sourced and cooked by our master grill chefs on the word renowned Josper grill.

Our restaurant is rated no 1 on trip advisor.

We have live music every Friday.

We look forward to welcoming you, please call our reservations team for any further information.

Top review

Steve

Dined 2 days ago

As always the service was great and the food was excellent-beautifully presented and very tasty. One of my favourite restaurants in Stevenage

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Experience

Live Music Fridays

Spark Bar & Kitchen

4.7

4.7 (373)

£25 and under

Turkish

Hoddesdon

About the restaurant

Our Turkish restaurant aims to provide customers with supreme taste, renowned quality of service, a pleasant dining experience, and is determined to become the best Turkish restaurant in Hoddesdon and the UK. Please advised on Friday and Saturday booking before 8pm have a 2 hour time limit.

Top review

Laura

Dined on 21 Nov 2024

A wonderful evening celebrating, fabulous staff and food!

Humo

4.7

4.7 (269)

£26 to £40

Tapas / Small Plates

Watford

About the restaurant

Humo [oo-moh], is a modern firehouse situated in the heart of Watford, serving Spanish inspired meat, seafood, fish, and seasonal vegetables cooked in a charcoal and wood oven.

The furnace reaches temperatures of over 300 degrees Celsius so the produce is seared and smoked in seconds, making sure the flavour sings on your palate, and not on the plate.

The restaurant boasts a beautiful, seated island bar, a peephole into the working kitchen and covers for over 100 guests. The a la carte menu is purposely focused on dishes that dance in the fire, and the specials menu celebrates the produce only available seasonally.

The wine list is carefully designed to pair with the menu and comprises of a sophisticated range of wines from around the world. The bar also features a range of spirits, beers, classic and inventive cocktails for your pleasure.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 28 Oct 2024

The wife and I went for a mid-week date night and had a lovely time at Humo. The staff were welcoming and friendly, the decor and overall aesthetic was very cool and most importantly the food was delicious. It’s a great asset to Watford high street.

Veyso's

4.6

4.6 (54)

£26 to £40

Turkish

Cheshunt

About the restaurant

Award winning Veyso's offers a contemporary Mediterranean dining experience, seamlessly transitioning from leisurely lunches to intimate evening dinners. The expansive dining area sets the stage for both celebratory occasions and private business lunches. Elevate your weekends at Veyso's cocktail bar, where entertainment awaits on selected dates throughout the month, ensuring a memorable and vibrant experience

Top review

Myrice

Dined on 26 Sept 2024

Elegant Restaurant with Impeccable Service I recently arranged a surprise event for a friend with a party of 14 on a weeknight. I called the restaurant a few times in the lead up to the meal to arrange pre-orders and venue setup to maximize the likelihood of surprise. It was very easy to reach the restaurant by phone and email, and the staff were very polite. On the night of the event, the restaurant managed to hide my party really well despite being directly in front of the entrance using an elegant wooden panel partition. The restaurant itself had a very stylish and elegant ambience but this was such a thoughtful touch. My friend was very pleasantly surprised. The food was nothing short of phenomenal — each dish was bursting with flavor, beautifully presented and served in generous portions. There were a variety of orders including lamb chops, sea bass and the shish options, but they were all served simultaneously and in a timely fashion. I had the lamb chops which were perfectly cooked and accompanied by the tastiest salads. Looking around the table, everyone really enjoyed their meals and everyone's plates were emptied. The desserts equally impressed as they were as delicious as they were stunning. Our main server, Ilhan, added a special touch of sparklers to our friend's dessert that we sang happy birthday along to for fun, even though it wasn't his birthday! Having been to the restaurant before, I knew the service would be of high standard and they didn't fail to uphold this even for a much bigger group. All the staff were very friendly and they went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. A huge thank you to Ilhan, our main server, who ensured everything went smoothly for a memorable and fun-filled evening. If you're looking for a place that combines exquisite dishes with exceptional service in Hertford, I 100% recommend Veysos. I will definitely be returning in the future.

Hermitage Rd Bar & Restaurant

4.5

4.5 (2591)

£26 to £40

British

Hitchin

About the restaurant

Set in the impressive former 1930s Hitchin ballroom, on the first floor, Hermitage Rd restaurant & Bar boasts a seasonal, award winning and sustainable premium food offer, from the awarding winning ACI team and a bar renowned for it's bespoke cocktails, quality wine and beer range. Recently refurbished.

We have expanded and very excited to bring to Hitchin a new Oyster and Champagne Bar, featuring the best of British produce, English sparkling of course, collaborating with award winning Nyetimber. In addition to oysters we serve a variety of small plates, perfect for a pre dinner glass/snack. Private hire also available. Located on the ground floor by the entrance to the restaurant, open Friday & Saturdays from 5pm available for walk-ins only.

Our coffee shop has also expanded and offers an amazing space to socialise and/or work, open 7 days a week, offering dine-in or take-away bagels and Hot Numbers Coffee, plus various size meeting rooms for hire.

Top review

Rebecca

Dined 3 days ago

Lovely dining experience, friendly staff & great food!

Craft & Cleaver - St Albans

4.5

4.5 (1622)

£26 to £40

Barbecue

St. Albans

About the restaurant

Craft & Cleaver is an Industrial, Brooklyn-Inspired Barbecue Joint & Bar – bringing authentic wood-fired Barbecue, expertly-sourced Craft Beer & awesome Cocktails to St. Albans.

A great venue for date night, weekend Brunch or any celebration - we've got you covered with booths, restaurant & garden seating.

Proudly independent, open 7 days a week!

Top review

Terence

Dined 5 days ago

Met some friends for drinks and nibbles, so only had the chicken strips and fries which were top-quality. Cocktails were delicious, and the staff were really friendly and helpful - that perfect balance where you're looked after but not too frequently. The venue was less than half full (as we were there 4pm) but atmosphere was perfect : it wasn't too quiet, but conversely the music wasn't too loud that you felt you had to shout to be heard.

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Experience

Bottomless Brunch

The Ivy St Albans Brasserie

4.5

4.5 (5798)

£26 to £40

Contemporary British

St. Albans

About the restaurant

The Ivy St Albans Brasserie brings the familiar luxury of The Ivy on West Street to a relaxed yet sophisticated all-day dining restaurant on Verulam Road.

Top review

Sarah

Dined 5 days ago

Good table with plenty of room for 2. Our waitress was lovely although the supervisor was less friendly. Food was great , service almost too efficient except drinks service which was a bit slow. Good atmosphere for a rainy Sunday evening

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Experience

New Year's Day Brunch

4.4

4.4 (710)

£26 to £40

Indian

Radlett

About the restaurant

SHARED PASSION
For owners Mishal and Sundeep, food has always been a way to bring families, friends and communities together, a way to celebrate life and share stories.
Mishal vividly remembers fragrant aromas and laughter filling the air at garden parties as her father cooked in huge pots over a coal stove. It was here that her passion for food began, inspired by her father’s experimental and creative dishes.
For Sundeep, it’s the childhood trips back to India and memories of eating fresh dhal and fluffy rotis at roadside cafes in Punjab that he savours most. The atmosphere, the aromas and the flavours all evoke a delightful sense of coming home.
And it is his innate understanding of the link between food and celebration that helped Sundeep build a successful banqueting business in the heart of North West London.
It’s this passion, this emotional connection and joy for eating that the couple now bring to Bhageecha.
Friday and Saturday after 7pm, kids under the age of 10 aren't allowed

Top review

Bella

Dined today

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food, service was excellent

Craft & Cleaver - Hitchin

4.3

4.3 (241)

£26 to £40

Barbecue

Hitchin

About the restaurant

Craft & Cleaver is a Brooklyn-Inspired Barbecue Restaurant & Bar – bringing authentic wood-fired Barbecue, expertly-sourced Craft Beer & awesome Cocktails to Hitchin.

Proudly independent, open 7 days a week!

Top review

Steve

Dined on 18 Nov 2024

food was very tasty. all 5 diners enjoyed what they ordered. Staff helpful and attentive. Nice atmosphere

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Experience

Bottomless Brunch

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