TripAdvisor and Google reviews for Friars Walk restaurants

Smok’d – which specialised in barbecued food – closed suddenly in June, while Karen’s Diner – with the slogan “great food, terrible service” – is set to close on August 6.

There is still an array of food options available at Usk Plaza (the lower level of Friars Walk which houses the restaurants).

Here are how the restaurants at Usk Plaza – including Karen’s Diner – are rated (based on TripAdvisor and Google reviews and accurate at the time of publication)…

Drago Lounge

• TripAdvisor: 4.5 based on at least 430 reviews;
• Google: 4.4 based on more than 940 reviews.

Drago Lounge is a café bar which offers a variety of breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, and drinks. It tied with wagamama for review scores (4.5 on TripAdvisor and 4.4 on Google), but has more reviews on both platforms.

A visitor to Newport said they would “highly recommend” Drago Lounge praising the “gorgeous” tapas and “very friendly” staff. They added that there was colouring and a quiz to keep the children entertained. A regular customer wrote:

“I always find Drago warm and friendly and the staff are very welcoming.”

A recent Google review praised the “fantastic” options for vegans and vegetarians.

wagamama

• TripAdvisor: 4.5 based on more than 265 reviews;
• Google: 4.4 based on more than 600 reviews.

wagamama is a Japanese-inspired restaurant with a 50 per cent plant-based menu. It tied with Drago Lounge for review scores but based on less reviews.

A diner who visited for a date praised the “stand out” customer service which made their experience “enjoyable” – they wrote: “The food and drinks were all freshly made and tasted great, but ultimately, the brilliant service was something I'll remember.

"I came to have dinner with a date, so it was great that she read the situation and made us both feel at ease, creating a nice atmosphere and going beyond to make sure that we had a lovely night.”

A recent Google review also complimented the “speedy and efficient” service adding that the food was “full of flavour” and that the mains were “huge” portions.

Las Iguanas

• TripAdvisor: 4.5 based on more than 740 reviews;
• Google: 4.2 based on more than 805 reviews.

Las Iguanas offers Latin-American dishes (and cocktails) and has proven popular among fans of food and drink.

Reviewers who visited earlier this month praised the “lovely” food and “fab” service with one adding: “bottomless brunch is the way forward”. Another visitor was pleased by the “warm and welcoming” service at Las Iguanas.

Recent Google reviews from people celebrating a birthday at Las Iguanas praised the “attentive, friendly, bubbly” waitress who ensured they enjoyed “awesome” service at the venue.

Zizzi

• TripAdvisor: 4.5 based on more than 505 reviews;
• Google: 4.1 based on more than 440 reviews.

Zizzi is an Italian restaurant which includes pizza, calzones, and pasta dishes.

Although recent TripAdvisor reviews are a bit negative – with one complaining about presentation and another claiming they got food poisoning – the overall rating for Zizzi is good.

A guest visiting for Valentines Day said the food was “excellent” and “served quickly” despite the venue being very busy. They concluded: "Dessert and drinks were lovely and a bargain at £25 each for a three course meal!”

A recent Google review states: “I enjoyed a delicious lunch here, the food is fresh and tastes good, the restaurant has enough seats, and it is very convenient near the parking lot of the shopping mall.”

Prezzo

• TripAdvisor: 4 based on more than 245 reviews;
• Google: 4.2 based on more than 510 reviews.

Prezzo is another Italian restaurant based in Usk Plaza – it scored slightly better than Zizzi on Google reviews, but less well on TripAdvisor.

A couple celebrated their anniversary there with the staff going “above and beyond” – including flowers and a card on the table when they arrived They wrote: “You can tell making the customers happy is their main priority” and added that the food was “pretty good”.

A recent Google review described their food at “tasty” and “fresh” but would have preferred to have a designated “servant” claiming that they were asked the same questions by different staff members.

Nando's

• TripAdvisor: 4 based on more than 100 reviews;
• Google: 4.2 based on more than 505 reviews.

Nando's is an Afro-Portugese restaurant which is known for its chicken dishes with different spiciness levels available.

A TripAdvisor reviewer said that “more people should go there” and described the food as “da best”. They wrote that the staff are “friendly” but suggest that the chairs at the Friars Walk venue are “worn-down”.

A recent Google review, visiting with a child, praised an “absolutely brilliant” staff member at Nandos but rated the food as three out of five. Another visitor said the service was “amazing” but the food was “the worst” they’d ever had at a Nando's – they claimed “everything was soggy” and some of the food was cold.

Fridays

• TripAdvisor: 4 based on more than 420 reviews;
• Google: 4.1 based on at least 855 reviews.

Fridays (formerly TGI Fridays) offers American food and cocktails; it scored slightly lower than Nando's on Google reviews but has more reviews on TripAdvisor and Google than Nando's.

One happy customer, visiting this month, had a “banging” experience and said they “cannot fault the service and food” at Fridays. Another recent visitor, who went with family, claimed it was “very nice” food with “good value” adding that they were “very full” trying to get through all their meals and that their server was “absolutely lovely”.

A recent Google review states “great food, slow service” while another admits the food is “nice” but “not the cheapest”.

Karen’s Diner

• TripAdvisor: 4 based on at least five reviews;
• Google: 3.8 based on more than 130 reviews.

Karen’s Diner is an interactive experience – with staff intentionally rude to customers (in the spirit of banter) but hasn’t fared as well as other Friars Walk venues in the reviews.

The TripAdvisor reviews are all positive, bar one titled “not a place for children” with the visitor claiming they took a 10-year-old for her birthday as it was “her choice”. They claimed to have left with a child “in tears” after 10 minutes because the staff were “brutal”.

However, a separate review about a visit with a child (also aged 10) states they had a “good time” and “got involved with the fun games” but warned that they do use foul language, adding: “If you’re fine with that and love some banter it’s a fun night out.”

A recent Google review states: “Amazing evening with friends... food was delicious and staff were foul (in the nicest way). Shame you're closing”.