2 /5 Sarah Daines: We visited for Valentine’s Day, having booked in advance and paid a £20 deposit. On arrival, we were greeted by Steve, who we later learned was the duty manager. We were immediately informed that there would be a two‑hour wait for food and that he was unsure whether a table was even available. When we explained that we had a reservation, his response was simply, “I know that.”
After giving our name, we were asked to wait at the bar while he checked for a table. Once we had ordered drinks, Steve returned to say he had “found” a table for us and led us to an area that appeared relatively quiet, despite the earlier suggestion that the restaurant was extremely busy. At this point, our expectations were low, and had it not been for our waitress, Emily, we may have considered leaving, as it felt as though Steve was hoping we would.
Emily was outstanding—warm, attentive, and genuinely helpful. Nothing was too much trouble, and she kept us updated on waiting times throughout. We ordered the 4 tapas for £28 to start, which arrived promptly. Our main course, a steak dish, took longer, but given the initial warning of a two‑hour wait, we were pleasantly surprised to have finished our meal within that timeframe and enjoyed some cocktails afterwards.
Although Emily completely turned our experience around and provided excellent service, the disappointing reception on arrival has unfortunately put us off returning. We did, however, enjoy both the food and the cocktails.
