We received two free meals from Cosmos to carry out this review. No payment was received and all opinions are my own.
Our visit to Cosmo in Aberdeen took place on a wet Thursday in July, so it was a welcome interlude to the day. We went for an evening meal and I also took along three young adults for their opinions. Youngsters often look for bargains, and an all you can eat buffet is certainly a good option when it comes to meals out and value for money.
In Aberdeen, the location is at the Union Square shopping centre. There are many local buses that drop in there, so driving is fairly unnecessary if there is a bus option. It’s literally 50 steps from the bus to the door of the restaurant.
Being easy accessible was nice for me as an early evening booking as it meant I could head to the local park and ride, leave the car and just chill out on the journey down. They even sat upstairs on the bus, giving me plenty time to browse on the way.
I didn’t have to worry about the younger ones, as with 150 dishes to choose from, even the fussy eater would have no excuse not to have something to choose from.
Types of Food We Saw Available at Cosmos
- Soups
- Salad Bar
- Authentic Indian
- Chinese Dishes (many many)
- Sunday Carvery for Traditional Roast & Trimmings
- Sushi
- Grill to Order, for Steaks, Chicken, Noodle dishes.
- Pasta & Pizza
- Selection of Desserts
- Ice Cream Machine & Chocolate Fountain with Marshmallows
Most popular amongst our bunch were the Chinese / Indian type dishes. There were plenty to choose from. There can’t be anyone who finds nothing to eat here, even if they are right fusspots.
I would have liked some crackers and cheese, but perhaps there were some and I managed to miss finding them. My crew did also enjoy some of the chicken korma and tikka masala, with the gorgeous colours.
The cook to order station seemed to be very popular. I had a well done steak, and could have asked for two or three items at a time to be done. It’s nice to have cooked to order from anywhere and I did enjoy my steak.
Their chefs are highly trained and fairly unobtrusive. I’d recommend booking the full time slot so that you can make the most of having some time between the courses. We deliberately didn’t have lunch so that we could arrive at Cosmos hungry and wanting to enjoy the food.
We chose bottomless soft drink refills, and I think we all had two or three glasses while we were there.
Our Food & The Restaurant
We all had several plates of food. The young ones unfortunately filled their plates high on the first go, so had to pace themselves afterwards.
I’d definitely recommend just having a taster plate to start with and going back up for small amounts in several bite sized courses.
Alcoholic drinks are bar or waiter service, however the soft drink option for refills is just self-serve, with the option of adding ice.
The restaurant is fairly large for Aberdeen, and has the option of tables close to the window or further into the restaurant.
As it was a Thursday night, the time we went was fairly busy at 6pm. It did quieten down as we were leaving, so I think I would prefer closer to 7pm personally to book in.
We did once try to get a table when passing by, but they were fully booked, so I do think it’s sensible to book ahead of time to make sure they can fit you in.
The latest booking in time is 8pm, which might be too late for those with young children, and a perfect time for couples to head for a quiet meal.
Desserts were plentiful, and although many weren’t what I would have chosen, the youngsters were happy with the choice.
The ice cream machine was out of order, so that disappointed my middle boy who was looking forward to it, but the chocolate fountain with marshmallows made up for it.
Opening Times & Prices
Times and prices may vary, depending on where or when you go. In Aberdeen, Cosmo prices are fairly realistic and very competitive when we consider that it’s as many courses as you want to eat. Drinks are fairly comprehensive, and are not included in the meal price.
It was reasonable and about £2.65 for a bottomless soft drink from the drink dispenser machine. I did feel that it was good value, and the young ones did too as they booked in for the following week to take themselves out for a meal. In fact, they were there as I wrote this review, to enjoy their second visit in a week.
Book Tables at Cosmos in Scotland
Booking is recommended. There are 21 restaurants in the UK, and by all accounts they are thriving with lots of return customers, and it’s easy to see why. The links to the Scottish restaurant booking pages are below.
Aberdeen – Union Square Shopping Centre : https://www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk/restaurants/aberdeen
Glasgow – Silverburn Shopping Centre: https://www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk/restaurants/glasgow
Glasgow – St Enoch: https://www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk/restaurants/glasgow-st-enoch
Edinburgh – Omni Centre: https://www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk/restaurants/edinburgh