This is a convenient restaurant if you're off to the cinema, and with good food, exciting cocktails and meal deals it's a safe bet.

The Venue
Coal Grill and Bar is in Cabot Circus, next to the cinema. It's quite American inside with booths around the edge and smaller tables in the middle and it has an open and airy feel.

But, as it's a restaurant in a shopping centre, it doesn't have a unique design and it's rather formulaic. There is some terrace seating under the Cabot Circus canopy.

The People
Coal Grill and Bar has a lively feel and is a bustling little restaurant, particularly on the weekends. Although this adds to the atmosphere it can hamper the service. Large groups should expect to be there for a while as meals can appear separately.

The best advice is to eat the food when it arrives rather than trying to be polite by waiting for everyone to be served at once. This delay is probably due to problems in the kitchen rather than a lack of front of house staff.

In fact, there's an abundance of waiting staff and sometimes it can feel like there's a crowd gathering around your table - you can be served by up to three staff at a time.

These are minor annoyances and you have to bear in mind that this is a restaurant in a shopping centre, not exclusive fine dining, and the general feel is fun and vibrant. The crowd who come here are a mix but they're usually young groups and couples.

The Food
The food is fairly standard fare but it's presented with some quirky contemporary twists. Burgers are served on bread boards and the chips and sauces come in bowls.

Salads are unusual and of reasonable size. They include stir-fried beef, bacon, blue cheese and avocado for £6.95 or £9.95 and smoked duck breast for the same price.

Dishes cover everything from pasta to fajitas and the only disappointment is the chicken quesadillas (£4.95) which are very small and would be better suited to a starter than a main course.

An early bird menu is available at £7 for two courses and a similar deal is available at lunch time, otherwise courses start from £4.95 for starters and £7.95 for main courses.

The Drink
Their cocktail range is great with all the favourites such as Manhattans and Mojitos, along with the early bird menu they offer two for one cocktails.

If you prefer a softer approach to your drinks they do an interesting selection of smoothies alongside the regular soft drinks you would expect.

The Last Word
Coal Grill and Bar is a great stop-off if you're on your way to or from the cinema, or at the end of a long day's shopping. It's best to include on a day or evening out, where the emphasis isn't completely on the dining experience, and it offers a fun and vibrant atmosphere with good food.

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