A small, cosy Belfast restaurant with generous comfort food, standout Sunday roasts, friendly service and strong value, though booking, menu clarity and allergy communication deserve attention.
Spaghetti Arms wins diners over with generous Sunday roasts and burgers and attentive, friendly service. A compact room that often needs booking ahead can feel cramped at busy times, and one allergy miss suggests confirming dietary needs before ordering. Its dependable comfort food and loyal following make it a standout local favorite, though it stops just short of the very top tier.
Spaghetti Arms is a small, cosy Union Street restaurant with a relaxed, characterful feel and unusually personal hospitality. Diners describe a compact room that becomes more convivial as it fills, while the team is often praised for staying warm and attentive even when busy. One recurring theme is that this is a hidden city-centre gem worth booking rather than simply wandering into at peak times. The cooking is unapologetic comfort food: rich Sunday roasts, burgers, lasagne, fried chicken, loaded chips and playful cross-cultural small plates. The strongest evidence belongs to the roast beef, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, dirty goujons and generous portions, while the menu also reaches into Thai, Asian and seafood flavours. It suits diners seeking hearty, filling food and a lively pre-night-out meal more than those wanting minimalist or highly formal dining. Families are welcome, and reviews describe successful large family meals and children’s choices, while the menu includes familiar burgers, chips, goujons, lasagne and roast dinner components. Vegetarian and vegan options are available, with some dairy-free adaptations reported, but the documented allergy miss means parents and allergy-sensitive diners should confirm ingredients directly before ordering.
Area vibe: Lively, walkable city-centre district known for nightlife, culture, shopping, and independent dining.
Safety: Generally busy and well-lit, though nightlife crowds and occasional disorder warrant normal evening awareness.
What's nearby: Near Belfast Cathedral Quarter, Victoria Square, central nightlife, offices, shops, and major transport links.
The roast beef, Dirty Goujons, loaded chips, and Squid Ink Spaghetti are the clearest standouts, with several affordable options.
Expect a compact room, limited peak-time seating, a possible 10% service charge, and the need to double-check allergy requests.
This is a characterful, cosy city-centre spot that gets livelier as the compact room fills.