Jump to content

The worst place you have been for a meal


Strummerville

Recommended Posts

Strummerville

In North Berwick for the night. We decided on the rockateer and it was terrible. Surf and turf each for two of us, steak not cooked to our liking and complained but had none left, lobster chewy and chips were basically scraps. By end of it the manager refunded 4 main courses. So jkb what is your past experience of bad meals.. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 132
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • luckyBatistuta

    12

  • Taffin

    8

  • The Real Maroonblood

    6

  • frankblack

    6

Tried the Hungarian restaurant at Haymarket with a few folk from work. It was horrendous. Food took ages to arrive, and when it did it was cold and shockingly bad. 

 

It genuinely seemed like the person cooking the food had no clue what they were doing.

 

The restaurant wasn't even busy!

 

We got refunded for all the food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many places(!)

 

Potting Shed (now closed) up by Potterow was a standout. Served a whole fried chicken that was raw in the middle. No waiting staff came to ask us how we were or if we wanted any drinks or to see the dessert menu or even cleared our table.

Place was full of staff, with about three different managers all swanning about but not actually doing anything.

After half an hour we simply got up and left. Completely oblivious manager who was meeting&greeting by the door even wished us a nice evening as we breezed past.

 

Similar experience at Jekyll&Hyde. Had to wait at the empty bar for 15 minutes for someone to show up so we could pay.

Could have just left that place too.

 

Another shocker was some wee italian restaurant just off Queen St. 

Took forever even to get our drinks order taken, never mind ordering food.

And if you are going to make us wait 45 minutes for our main course of a pizza and a bowl of carbonara to arrive, I really don't expect the pizza dough to be actually raw and the pasta to be a solid congealed lump in the bottom of a cold bowl with what appeared to be nothing but double cream with bits of rubbery bacon sploshed on the top of it.

Made a scene and got the bill cancelled.

 

Forage&Chatter surprised me with how bad the service was, and the food wasn't even anything to merit the rave reviews the place has.

 

Another wee italian place in Newcastle was pish too.

It may have been midweek and quiet, and we may have been the last table in the place (we had to book for 8pm due to work shifts), but that's no excuse for treating us as if we were a pain in the arse.

Again, a total lack of service after our mains arrived.

No requests for extra drinks or to see how the food was.

Had to actually knock on the kitchen door and ask for service and to see the dessert menu.

Staff cleaning down the barista machine, turning lights off at the bar and cashing the till when the closing time isn't till 10pm.

We ordered coffees just to spite them so they'd have to turn the barista back on then clean it again.

If you want to close up early, don't accept bookings for 8pm ya dicks.

 

:seething:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, DG_HMFC said:

Tried the Hungarian restaurant at Haymarket with a few folk from work. It was horrendous. Food took ages to arrive, and when it did it was cold and shockingly bad. 

 

It genuinely seemed like the person cooking the food had no clue what they were doing.

 

The restaurant wasn't even busy!

 

We got refunded for all the food.

 

 

I fancied going there. Was this recently?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been quite lucky and never really had a terrible meal

Worst one recently was in that now defunct Tommy's Bangla place

Prawns in the king prawn curry were tiny straight out of an Iceland bag

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loch Fyne at Newhaven.

 

Girlfriends salmon was raw in the middle and they got arsey when we asked for it to be cooked.

 

The actual "chef" came over and told us that is how it was supposed to be served.  Complete bollocks.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually got food poisoning from Tuk Tuk across from the King's Theatre.

 

Strange thing is, the food was actually great and I really enjoyed it.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tap & Barrel near BC place in Vancouver. Had a Mac & Cheese that was not cooked and had no cheese in it. Just got a free beer as manager was most un-Canadian in his response to my complaint and didn’t want to try any more of their “food”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Real Maroonblood
18 minutes ago, Lovecraft said:

Loch Fyne at Newhaven.

 

Girlfriends salmon was raw in the middle and they got arsey when we asked for it to be cooked.

 

The actual "chef" came over and told us that is how it was supposed to be served.  Complete bollocks.  

Maybe he thought it was a fillet steak rare done. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Cade said:

Many places(!)

 

Potting Shed (now closed) up by Potterow was a standout. Served a whole fried chicken that was raw in the middle. No waiting staff came to ask us how we were or if we wanted any drinks or to see the dessert menu or even cleared our table.

Place was full of staff, with about three different managers all swanning about but not actually doing anything.

After half an hour we simply got up and left. Completely oblivious manager who was meeting&greeting by the door even wished us a nice evening as we breezed past.

 

Similar experience at Jekyll&Hyde. Had to wait at the empty bar for 15 minutes for someone to show up so we could pay.

Could have just left that place too.

 

Another shocker was some wee italian restaurant just off Queen St. 

Took forever even to get our drinks order taken, never mind ordering food.

And if you are going to make us wait 45 minutes for our main course of a pizza and a bowl of carbonara to arrive, I really don't expect the pizza dough to be actually raw and the pasta to be a solid congealed lump in the bottom of a cold bowl with what appeared to be nothing but double cream with bits of rubbery bacon sploshed on the top of it.

Made a scene and got the bill cancelled.

 

Forage&Chatter surprised me with how bad the service was, and the food wasn't even anything to merit the rave reviews the place has.

 

Another wee italian place in Newcastle was pish too.

It may have been midweek and quiet, and we may have been the last table in the place (we had to book for 8pm due to work shifts), but that's no excuse for treating us as if we were a pain in the arse.

Again, a total lack of service after our mains arrived.

No requests for extra drinks or to see how the food was.

Had to actually knock on the kitchen door and ask for service and to see the dessert menu.

Staff cleaning down the barista machine, turning lights off at the bar and cashing the till when the closing time isn't till 10pm.

We ordered coffees just to spite them so they'd have to turn the barista back on then clean it again.

If you want to close up early, don't accept bookings for 8pm ya dicks.

 

:seething:

 

That's a pet-hate of mine: getting over-cooked pasta in an Italian restaurant. If they can't even cook pasta properly then they're in the wrong line of work.

 

11 minutes ago, Lovecraft said:

Loch Fyne at Newhaven.

 

Girlfriends salmon was raw in the middle and they got arsey when we asked for it to be cooked.

 

The actual "chef" came over and told us that is how it was supposed to be served.  Complete bollocks.  

 

Many chefs, including most of the top ones, insist on under-cooking salmon and other fish. I think there are two main reasons for this: the first being aesthetic as they think that the colour contrast between the well cooked skin, fully cooked outer part, and lightly cooked centre looks more appealing (they might have a point with tuna, right enough); and the second being that by under cooking it slightly they can guarantee that the piece of fish on the plate won't be dried-out. A third reason will be that it's fashionable.

 

In my opinion, if the chef's good enough and they're using good quality, fresh, produce, they should be able to cook the fish (or steak for that matter) all the way through - if that's what the customer wants - and for it still to be juicy and tender. Your timing has to be spot-on, but it's certainly possible.

 

The worst meals I've had have been the ones that have given me food-poisoning - I'm now very cautious about where and when I order seafood and shellfish when eating-out, especially in hotter countries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Auld Reekin' said:

 

That's a pet-hate of mine: getting over-cooked pasta in an Italian restaurant. If they can't even cook pasta properly then they're in the wrong line of work.

 

 

Many chefs, including most of the top ones, insist on under-cooking salmon and other fish. I think there are two main reasons for this: the first being aesthetic as they think that the colour contrast between the well cooked skin, fully cooked outer part, and lightly cooked centre looks more appealing (they might have a point with tuna, right enough); and the second being that by under cooking it slightly they can guarantee that the piece of fish on the plate won't be dried-out. A third reason will be that it's fashionable.

 

In my opinion, if the chef's good enough and they're using good quality, fresh, produce, they should be able to cook the fish (or steak for that matter) all the way through - if that's what the customer wants - and for it still to be juicy and tender. Your timing has to be spot-on, but it's certainly possible.

 

The worst meals I've had have been the ones that have given me food-poisoning - I'm now very cautious about where and when I order seafood and shellfish when eating-out, especially in hotter countries.

Yeah, I actually said to him at the time that it wasn't a tuna steak.

 

This was still raw, and it was quite thick, so wouldn't have continued to cook once taken off the heat.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joey J J Jr Shabadoo

Kyloe, went with a group, had to pay a £300 deposit (which they then charged us for again, on the night). Turned up, slightly early, they weren't expecting us. Had to wait while the table was prepared, no drink offered as we waited. Food was average, they then wanted us out, as the next booking was due, even though they were 30 minutes late in sitting us. We then had to find our own coats when we left.

 

Every Wetherspoons meal I've had beats Kyloe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most places down in Weston Super Mare could easily win it for me. Chefs there don't give a crap and hardly any are proper qualified cooks. Food always garbage in the pubs and service is horrendous. 

 

I've also had a terrible steak meal on Fathers day a few years back in the lady nairne beefeater at Northfield/Duddingston. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/10/2019 at 02:46, Strummerville said:

In North Berwick for the night. We decided on the rockateer and it was terrible. Surf and turf each for two of us, steak not cooked to our liking and complained but had none left, lobster chewy and chips were basically scraps. By end of it the manager refunded 4 main courses. So jkb what is your past experience of bad meals.. 

 

Headline news in evening news abou Rocketeer being closed down last month by health and safety 

 

Sorry cant do links 

Edited by theshed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, theshed said:

 

Headline news in evening news abou Rocketeer being closed down last month by health and safety 

 

Sorry cant do links 

Has since been re-opened I think. The article seems a bit confusing, as though they cook the food elswhere?

 

https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/filthy-east-lothian-kitchen-supplying-popular-restaurants-and-hotel-closed-down-by-environmental-health-1-5026673

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never had a bad meal in a restaurant but i've had plenty shan takeaways.

 

Used to love a chicken and beef curry from the Chinese, until once I got a bit of beef that was raw in amongst it. Never had one since.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/10/2019 at 15:16, AW1 said:

Most places down in Weston Super Mare could easily win it for me. Chefs there don't give a crap and hardly any are proper qualified cooks. Food always garbage in the pubs and service is horrendous. 

 

I've also had a terrible steak meal on Fathers day a few years back in the lady nairne beefeater at Northfield/Duddingston. 

mates folks run a chippy down there. Can't remember what it's called though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Real Maroonblood
5 minutes ago, Locky said:

Never had a bad meal in a restaurant but i've had plenty shan takeaways.

 

Used to love a chicken and beef curry from the Chinese, until once I got a bit of beef that was raw in amongst it. Never had one since.

Same here.

Some have been better than others but none you could actually complain about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many years ago...Bar Napoli.

 

Every course took absolute ages.

Drinks order taken 3 times before they arrived.

My starter was a mozzarella ball, sliced, with a sliced tomato and olive oil drizzled over it...which somehow cost about 6 quid?

Main was wrong course (which I kept quiet as was starving)  Skipped dessert. Bill had all drinks orders charged on it....including the ones that never materialised. 

 

2 and a half hours that took.

 

I honestly thought a camera crew would pop out as it was all a prank to see what would make me lose it in a public place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

luckyBatistuta

Had a shocker in The Outsider on George lV Bridge. There was four of us there and all our meals arrived at the same time, but my sister in laws steak was the exact opposite of what a steak should look like. It was a giant lump of fat with a little bit of meat on the edge. We called the waiter over and told him, he said that you will of course get a little fat on your steak. After looking at it horrified, he apologised and then tried to talk her in to ordering something else. She didn’t want to as we would be finished by the time it arrived. In the end she gave in and ordered something. He left the steak in the middle of the table and off he went. He returned five minutes later to tell us that chef says that if we eat any more of the steak, we would have to pay for it. Absolutely shocking behaviour, we didn’t want the thing, he left it. After this, we had no apology, were still charge for everything, including the coffee. I used to put a lot of business there way, but wouldn’t recommend anyone going near the place now. How could he even cook that, never mind serve it.

 

And another thing about the place...when they interview for staff, they are marked out of ten for there looks. If you aren’t good looking enough, you aren’t getting the job...true

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Der Kaiser said:

Many years ago...Bar Napoli.

 

Every course took absolute ages.

Drinks order taken 3 times before they arrived.

My starter was a mozzarella ball, sliced, with a sliced tomato and olive oil drizzled over it...which somehow cost about 6 quid?

Main was wrong course (which I kept quiet as was starving)  Skipped dessert. Bill had all drinks orders charged on it....including the ones that never materialised. 

 

2 and a half hours that took.

 

I honestly thought a camera crew would pop out as it was all a prank to see what would make me lose it in a public place.

Your starter sounds like a standard caprese salad that you would get if you ordered one in Italy.

 

I used to quite enjoy Bar Napoli for the atmosphere. The wee owner guy was a bit of a nut case as I remember it. Be over 15 years since I was there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Toxteth O'Grady

Most recently it’s That pretentious place upstairs at castle street Chaophraya the starters were basically packet food - Thai Fishcakes that were slimy and Chicken satay - both were like something you’d buy from Iceland and I’d be amazed if they were made from scratch on the premises.Then a Thai red curry that was very poor. Add in some overpriced wine, and shite service before being presented with a hefty bill with an extra dish added. I won’t be back 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, luckyBatistuta said:

And another thing about the place...when they interview for staff, they are marked out of ten for there looks. If you aren’t good looking enough, you aren’t getting the job...true

My mate used to work there, she said that the looks thing extended to customers. Only those deemed suitable were seated in the window seats, anyone else was through the back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

luckyBatistuta
13 minutes ago, Alex said:

My mate used to work there, she said that the looks thing extended to customers. Only those deemed suitable were seated in the window seats, anyone else was through the back.

 

Brutal stuff, won’t be getting another penny off me and haven’t since that meal in the window seats😉

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, AW1 said:

Barracuda 

 

Cracking chippy on my road 

Just looked up on Facebook, it's Puffins in Weston that they run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Real Maroonblood
9 hours ago, luckyBatistuta said:

 

Brutal stuff, won’t be getting another penny off me and haven’t since that meal in the window seats😉

:laugh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Kyle of Lochalsh hotel

 

Ages to get served, ages to get the food.. we were the only folk in the place. 

 

Balmoral Chicken.

Rubbery microwave heated small bit of chicken, a round slice of haggis placed on top, tasteless brown gravy poured over the top... No chips, veg .. nothing... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The apex hotel in The Grassmarket. My heart sank when I saw the state of it - carpet patched up with duck tape and sneery looking staff. 
 

Starter of risotto- Al dente to them meant still brick hard. Sent it back.

 

Main course of steak with new potatoes and spring vegetables- it arrived as a steak on its own. Apparently I had to ask for it’s the “side dishes” - just a lump of steak. Got up and left explaining I’m not paying for this. Was apologised to by some spokes weasel and offered a free meal in the future to show them what “they can really do” 😂😂😂😂😂
That was 10 years ago mind, still wouldn’t go back tho.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Салатные палочки

The Abbots Inch in Renfrew years ago.  I had a hangover and although that's not usually the best time to judge food, I ordered a cheese and bacon burger expecting a good pub meal.  The burger was grey, and it had a cheese slice and a bit of cold meat on top of it.  It was absolutely disgusting.  

 

I have had food poisoning in the past but as someone mentioned above, the food actually tasted fantastic.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

William H. Bonney

Bar 38 on George street. 
I ordered fish and chips which came minus peas, lemon wedge and tartare sauce. 
my partner’s lasagne was burnt to a crisp. 
We refused to pay for the meal and decided to walk out. The bar staff tried to prevent us from leaving and threatened to call the police. 
In the end we paid for our drinks and left £5 for the food. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Toxteth O'Grady said:

Most recently it’s That pretentious place upstairs at castle street Chaophraya the starters were basically packet food - Thai Fishcakes that were slimy and Chicken satay - both were like something you’d buy from Iceland and I’d be amazed if they were made from scratch on the premises.Then a Thai red curry that was very poor. Add in some overpriced wine, and shite service before being presented with a hefty bill with an extra dish added. I won’t be back 

Quite like there. Definitely pretentious but  I've never had bad food from there. Service can be quite poor admittedly. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

1 hour ago, hughesie27 said:

Quite like there. Definitely pretentious but  I've never had bad food from there. Service can be quite poor admittedly. 

 

It was excellent when I went a few years ago. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to a Frankie and Benny’s when desperate for options with my toddler.

 

Utterly horrendous. No idea how the chain survives. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, Peebo said:

Went to a Frankie and Benny’s when desperate for options with my toddler.

 

Utterly horrendous. No idea how the chain survives. 

They're closing 80+ branches in the next year or so

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Peebo said:

Went to a Frankie and Benny’s when desperate for options with my toddler.

 

Utterly horrendous. No idea how the chain survives. 

Went to the one at Fountainbridge with work. for lunch a couple of Xmases ago. There were only a handful of other people in, and maybe 14 of us. It took an hour for starters to come out and when the mains started to arrive about 45 mins after that, they were cold. I got up and left before mine arrived, and wouldn't go back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Peebo said:

Went to a Frankie and Benny’s when desperate for options with my toddler.

 

Utterly horrendous. No idea how the chain survives. 

100% agree, over priced and utterly horrendous. I’d never go there again.

 

I had a steak with Mushrooms and chips the last time I went, the steak was over cooked, chips were soggy, I got two mushrooms. They wanted to charge me for the meals 30odd quid, Ieft 15 and walked out. That’s how shite it was.

 

I went to a North African cuisine restaurant called Giza, last weekend, that I had been too twice before after it recently opened.

 

The first two times when the wee manager or owner boy was on the floor running the show, no complaints whatsoever. The service was good, the food was reasonable and a bit different. I went last weekend and the wee guy wasn’t there and it was quite apparent that the place had fallen apart pretty quickly. 

 

Walked in and the waitress bluntly said, how many, I said “table for two” she just pointed to a table. The she took an order for drinks and delivered them by slamming them down infront of us, I was like WTF, then we noticed my Missus’ glass wasn’t even full, mines was and we ordered the same drink. 😂🤦🏻‍♂️ Then another customer complained that the soup she had ordered and received was stone cold and the waitresses reply was “is it”... That was it for me, me and my missus just walked out without paying for the drinks and went elsewhere.

 

Absolutely shocking service and I wanted to complain but there wasn’t a manager on by the look of things. Certainly won’t be going back and I reckon that the place will be out of business within 2 months. 

Edited by Cruyff Turn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Cruyff Turn said:

100% agree, over priced and utterly horrendous. I’d never go there again.

 

I had a steak with Mushrooms and chips the last time I went, the steak was over cooked, chips were soggy, I got two mushrooms. They wanted to charge me for the meals 30odd quid, Ieft 15 and walked out. That’s how shite it was.

 

I went to a North African cuisine restaurant called Giza, last weekend, that I had been too twice before after it recently opened.

 

The first two times when the wee manager or owner boy was on the floor running the show, no complaints whatsoever. The service was good, the food was reasonable and a bit different. I went last weekend and the wee guy wasn’t there and it was quite apparent that the place had fallen apart pretty quickly. 

 

Walked in and the waitress bluntly said, how many, I said “table for two” she just pointed to a table. The she took an order for drinks and delivered them by slamming them down infront of us, I was like WTF, then we noticed my Missus’ glass wasn’t even full, mines was and we ordered the same drink. 😂🤦🏻‍♂️ Then another customer complained that the soap she had ordered and received was stone cold and the waitresses reply was “is it”... That was it for me, me and my missus just walked out without paying for the drinks and went elsewhere.

 

Absolutely shocking service and I wanted to complain but there wasn’t a manager on by the look of things. Certainly won’t be going back and I reckon that the place will be out of business within 2 months. 

 

I can’t imagine soap tasting all that great whether it be hot or cold :D

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, iantjambo said:

 

I can’t imagine soap tasting all that great whether it be hot or cold :D

 

I know, predictive text is annoying on this phone 🤷🏼‍♂️

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Chinese in Larnaca, Cyprus. 29 years ago now, but I'll never forget it. 

 

Also, just in case any of you are ever down this way, whatever you do, never eat in a Don Peperone. It is ATROCIOUS. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, luckyBatistuta said:

 

Brutal stuff, won’t be getting another penny off me and haven’t since that meal in the window seats😉

 

I was there twice befor I was told that, I was through the back both times 😞

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 13/10/2019 at 10:33, Cade said:

Many places(!)

 

Potting Shed (now closed) up by Potterow was a standout. Served a whole fried chicken that was raw in the middle. No waiting staff came to ask us how we were or if we wanted any drinks or to see the dessert menu or even cleared our table.

Place was full of staff, with about three different managers all swanning about but not actually doing anything.

After half an hour we simply got up and left. Completely oblivious manager who was meeting&greeting by the door even wished us a nice evening as we breezed past.

 

Similar experience at Jekyll&Hyde. Had to wait at the empty bar for 15 minutes for someone to show up so we could pay.

Could have just left that place too.

 

Another shocker was some wee italian restaurant just off Queen St. 

Took forever even to get our drinks order taken, never mind ordering food.

And if you are going to make us wait 45 minutes for our main course of a pizza and a bowl of carbonara to arrive, I really don't expect the pizza dough to be actually raw and the pasta to be a solid congealed lump in the bottom of a cold bowl with what appeared to be nothing but double cream with bits of rubbery bacon sploshed on the top of it.

Made a scene and got the bill cancelled.

 

Forage&Chatter surprised me with how bad the service was, and the food wasn't even anything to merit the rave reviews the place has.

 

Another wee italian place in Newcastle was pish too.

It may have been midweek and quiet, and we may have been the last table in the place (we had to book for 8pm due to work shifts), but that's no excuse for treating us as if we were a pain in the arse.

Again, a total lack of service after our mains arrived.

No requests for extra drinks or to see how the food was.

Had to actually knock on the kitchen door and ask for service and to see the dessert menu.

Staff cleaning down the barista machine, turning lights off at the bar and cashing the till when the closing time isn't till 10pm.

We ordered coffees just to spite them so they'd have to turn the barista back on then clean it again.

If you want to close up early, don't accept bookings for 8pm ya dicks.

 

:seething:

Agree re Potting Shed.  It was rank.  Had a kebab skewer thing in there once and it was raining with grease and fat.  Really cheap, shitty cuts of meat as well.  My mate sent his back, told the guy serving us that he hadn’t ordered a hot drink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Governor Tarkin

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society at the Vaults in Leith. The food used to be top drawer in there but I've sent mine back the last twice I've been. Considering cancelling my sub's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Governor Tarkin said:

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society at the Vaults in Leith. The food used to be top drawer in there but I've sent mine back the last twice I've been. Considering cancelling my sub's.

 

Gonnae no give some more details? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...