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Review No 5
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March 2009 |
Good Points
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Nice Building, cosy looking, Open fire. |
Bad Points
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Service, Staff, management, food.
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Review
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Its been a very long time since I have had a resturant experience so bad that it has prompted me to sit and write about it on a website. The last was in Italy but hey the sun was shining and the weather was fantastic (and I knew I was being robbed)
Well what can i say 6 of us went there last night for my wife's birthday, and my mother in-laws mothers day meal. What we had planned was nice quiet evening with a bit of banter and some good food.
The experience started by having to walk in to the restaurant through the 'Deli' to look at the very over priced food. (Was not interested in the deli had come to a restaurant to eat!!)
We then had to wait for some time in the corridor from the deli to the restaurant while groups of people ordered in front of us. (Waited about 7-8 mins) Once we arrived in the Waiting area (A small area in front of the bar with the blackboards on the wall and waitresses brushing past taking drinks to the tables felt like we were in the way!!) we were told that we were to order drinks from the bar then order food from here. The gentleman in question then proceeded to disappear for a coupe of mins then return and then almost look amazed that we had not decided what we wanted to eat, it had only been 2 mins!!!
After being hurried in a way in which his body manner demanded an answer, we placed our order, and were hurried to our table. (Just so happed to be outside the kitchen doors) The table was laid nicely but was sticky to touch almost as if it had not been cleaned properly.
We sat down and ordered wine, a bottle of £25 wine for myself and my wife (We were not driving!). Couple of beers and some soft drinks. They were bough back sharply and served out. I'm sorry but if you order wine in any restaurant that is worth its money they uncork in front of you and pour the wine and let you taste it. This was dumped at the other end of the table to where we were sitting and the waitress promptly vanished. (I really hate it when they uncork and bring it to you opened) then within 10 mins our starters had arrived, blimey! (Cant complain about speed) they got 5 out of 6 right, apparently garlic bread had turned into garlic mushrooms! So were sent back, then the manager arrived and asked what was the problem, told him, and he looked at us as if we had the nerve to complain!! Garlic bread arrived shortly after. Everyone enjoyed the starters which were very nice.
AS soon as the starters were finished the empty plates were whipped away, not even asking if we had finished. Very, very rude. (Never saw anyone who worked there with a smile). After 15 -20 mins the mains arrived, we had ordered 4 rump steaks, and two lambs. The lambs were presented brilliantly and looked tasty, those who had the lamb said it was fantastic. The steaks however were another story.
The waitress who brought them out did not know which was which. We had to guess by looking and the sauces that we had ordered. Then when they had been put down, we had to swap the sauces around, because they were with the wrong steaks.
SO.. £12.95 for a Pub rump steak (there must have been 25% fat with mine with stringy meat. Tasted average) with an extra £2 for chips (Greasy and over done) to say all 4 were all rump steaks they were all different sizes and thicknesses.
I'm very sorry but I felt I was being robbed whilst I was eating my dinner, not a pleasant experience especially when you know your hard earned money is being wasted. So I decided not to have dessert, my wife had the cheese platter for £5, so a handful of biscuits and 3 really small cheese bits which were nothing special she felt really disappointed with her dessert.
During the evening a table on the other side of the room had complained and had been given a very short sharp reply buy the manager dressed in black. (don't think he was the owner) and so when I paid the £180 bill I was asked was it alright I begrugginlgy said it was average, to which I got the dirtiest look form the manager.
To sum up the place is Pub through and through (No bar though), a variety of small rooms that have tried to be dressed up nicely to look like a restaurant. The staff were short, sad no service with a smile, and not particularly interested in what they were doing. The food was horribly over priced, for what you got and its trying very hard to be a gastro pub, but in my opinion failing miserably. I would suggest they reduce there prices by 20% to fall in line with other much better pubs in the area and try to provide a much better service if they want to survive through this recession.
I will be going back in a month's time to see if this was a one off and will post again to see if the experience has changed at all. |
Cost Per Head
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£20-£30
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How Often Visited
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First Time |
Atmosphere
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Family Oriented
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Service
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3 |
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Quality
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2 |
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Value
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Overall
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1 |
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| Friendly |
No |
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Review No 4
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Good Points
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Bad Points
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| Review |
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Cost Per Head
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Real Fires
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How Often Visited
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Staff. No room to just have a drink. Price
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Atmosphere
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Been here a few times as I like the history that goes with the place and the real fires but all that soon loses it's fascination when you have arrogant staff and owner. Thinks way too highly of itself as an establishment. Food just average but prices definitely not. If you are eating a 'proper meal' (read even more expensive but just as average) then you can sit at a 'proper'table but only a 'proper' table of their choice. If you are only having a drink or a something to eat from the bar menu then be prepared to be shunted into a tiny clostrophobic box room at the side of the bar where you'll share all your conversation with your fellow sufferers whether you want to or not. Not cosy, not quaint just off puttingly small and awkward.
Far better to save your cash and eat some real value for money tasty food with 'real' real ale at The Church Inn at Uppermill where they value their customers and make them feel at home.
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Service
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£ 20 - £ 30
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Quality
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Once or Twice a Year
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Value
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Quiet/Refined
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Overall
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1 |
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| Friendly |
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3 |
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Value
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1 |
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Overall
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2 |
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| Friendly |
No |
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Review No 3
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Good Points
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Nice open fire
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Bad Points
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The staff are very rude and unfriendly. argueing infront of customers etc. very unproffesional.
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| Review |
i wont be going again!!!!
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Cost Per Head
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£ 10 - £ 20
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How Often Visited
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This is First Time
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Atmosphere
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Quiet/Refined
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Service
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1 |
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Quality
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 |
5 |
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Value
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5 |
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Overall
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2 |
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| Friendly |
No |
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Review No 2
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Good Points
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The Building and open fires |
Bad Points
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Management
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| Review |
The Rams Head Inn is in a remote place on the way to the M62 from Denshaw. This very old stone pub has a very welcoming appearance with open log fires when you walk in. We ordered a glass of Merlot at £5.25 and a half of Timothy Taylor?s beer for me, at £1.45. Menus are chalked on backboards and from the £12.50 Three Course Lunch we chose Soup and Pheasant Breast for me and Game Terrine and Liver and onions for Mary. The other menu list seemed to be expensive, averaging around £18 for mains.
The barman dressed in a chefish white, took the order and directed us to sit in the small room nearby. Soon he told us to follow him and said 'sit there' at a small table for two next to the door. It soon became obvious from how the Barman/Dining room man treated his guests that he was on an authority kick? which was quite entertaining if we looked on the funny side.
A polite waiter, dressed in black brought our first course and both the Soup and Terrine were excellent. We complimented the waiter on the food. I ordered another Merlot for Mary and as I had to drive afterwards, a Lime and Lemon for myself.
A couple wandered in and the white man ordered them out, saying curtly place your orders at the bar? and pointed to the door. By this time people at the three occupied tables were giving each other knowing smiles. One lady said?well the food is good.
We caught the white man?s eye and Mary asked that he substitute the mash to chips with her Liver dish. He looked shocked but then said that it was a change to the menu and we would have to pay for the chips. I said ok. But how much do you charge for three penneth of chips? £1.95 was his answer. I mumbled and agreed. Next moment another large domineering man materialised and demanded to know what the problem was. Mary said that it was not normal to pay for a change of potato type. ?This is a business and we don?t work for nothing. We are a thriving restaurant and this is the way we do things.? And stormed off.
As this all seemed very Fawty Towers, with him trying to show us up in front of the rest of the diners, but we thought it was funny. A fearful hushed banter developed in the room.
The mains unfortunately didn't live up to the high standard set by the first course. Mary?s liver and onions were delicious but the chips were sad.
My pheasant was rather chewy but eatable although lacking in taste, my green beans, cauliflower and roast potatoes, cooked too long were soggy and tasteless.
We both chose apple crumble for sweets but these were disappointingly undercooked and short on apples.
The white man collected our dishes and plonked our unsolicited bill on the table.
The bill for two came to just over £40.
We may return someday when we feel like being abused. |
Cost Per Head
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£20 - £30 |
How Often Visited
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First Time |
Atmosphere
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Quiet/Refined
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Service
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5 |
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Quality
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3 |
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Value
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2 |
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Overall
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3 |
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| Friendly |
Yes |
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Review 1
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Good Points
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Cosy, relaxed atmosphere with unobtrusive service. High quality food - excellent and very reasonably priced wine list.
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Bad Points
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Non |
| Review |
Having gone there to celebrate a birthday, we were not disappointed as the food was well sourced, beautifully cooked and paid real attention to flavour and texture. Our respective main courses were pheasant and partridge, re-iterating the Ram's Heads' excellent reputation for game dishes. Overall, brilliant food at a good price!
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Cost Per Head
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£30 - £40 |
How Often Visited
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Once or Twice a Year |
Atmosphere
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Quiet/Refined |
Service
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10 |
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Quality
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9 |
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Value
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9 |
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Overall
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9 |
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| Friendly |
Yes |
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