Went for a hangover lunch last Saturday 2.4.11. We were regulars and used to slow service at Ha! Ha! so weren't hugely surprised to be told that there was up to one hour's wait for food. We said 'okey dokey and thanks for telling us' but please bring the 'houmous and flatbread' earlier while we waited for a burger and three tapas dishes, to which he agreed.
In that hour we were greatly amused by every single table around us either complaining or walking out. Blimey, then it happened to us. Our Houmous never turned up and after an hour and fifteen minutes we asked our waiter to find out where our food was and he told me to calm down and pointed at the people behind us and said that they had been waiting for an hour and a half. Trouble was, I was a bit hungry by then so that made me a bit cross. Ten minutes later he hadn't returned so we went and bought a sandwich at Waitrose.
The GM was in the kitchen, fire-fighting (literally), the Dep. GM (ex Ha! Ha!) was doing his best and was charming as ever but has been clearly dealt a very dud hand by his Head Office. I lay the blame at the feet of Mitchell's and Butler who should be ashamed of themselves. The restaurant was CLEARLY understaffed, what staff they had were dangerously under-trained and the kitchen is clearly not built to accommodate the covers they've crammed in to max out their profits. And PLEASE at least train your bar staff that if customers order Champagne don't try and sell them Prosecco instead - and teach your waiters that just as Prosecco ISN'T Champagne, neither is Cava so don't tell me it's the House Champagne. That's bar business hara kiri. So is having the ONLY beefburger as a 'Beef and Coriander burger served with Camembert' - WTF? What's wrong with a bleedin' Bacon and Cheese Burger......I'm HUNGOVER Goddamit!
This place is shocking: Back-chat waiters, no service, bad menu and a general air of bad feeling and panic pervaded the whole place. Apologies, can't review the food...never got it. AVOID. read more