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Balbirnie Bistro

Balbirnie Bistro

Balbirnie Park, Fife, United Kingdom

Cafés • Steak • Pasta • Seafood


"We decided to treat ourselves to a meal for our wedding anniversary's and wish we hadn’t. When we arrived we were told all orders had to be made through the app, so I downloaded the app. I ordered drinks and shortly after a waiter...arrived with drinks. I checked the confirmation email and checked that I had ordered another drink and, after asking for it, it eventually arrived. We had booked the Bistro Al Fresco which looks lovely in the little private gazebos. Again, everything had to be ordered on the app. Two of the other diners also downloaded the app and we passed the phones around the five of us to choose from the menu. A bit impersonal and obviously we couldn’t order drinks while making our choices. We ordered one soup and had tiny bowls delivered, we had to ask for glasses for the water, the music system kept turning off and on and changing volume and song, the ‘bread basket for was slices of plain white bread with some oil and vinegar, the ‘nuts and olives’ were a tiny bowl of olives and a bowl of salted peanuts, hardly award-winning fodder. When I politely asked the waitress what was happening with the music she returned with a ‘manager’ who was condescending, confrontational, patronising and frankly downright rude. She said that the music system was new and that, no sorry it can’t be turned off’ and that the poor bread selection was ‘reflected in the price’... for four small slices of white bread!? When I pay for two starters and five main courses I expect better. Fortunately the main courses were okay, not great but okay. We certainly won’t be recommending it to friends or family, or returning when we can get nicer food and far better service elsewhere."

Deane & Decano

Deane & Decano

537 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT97GQ, BT9 6GU, United Kingdom

Pasta • Steak • Coffee • Italian


"Booked for our daughter’s dinner celebration. Started badly with a surly welcome from the lady (R) at the front desk. When we asked for a change of table so we could sit at the window (which we had requested and confirmed several weeks prior) she begrudgingly “allowed” us to move. That really set the tone. My wife ordered an Aperol Spritz reiterating that she wanted Soda water. An Aperol Soda arrived. When we flagged that we had ordered an Aperol Spritz, Rebecca told the barman to “just throw a Prosecco in there”. We then overheard her conversation with the barman, very clearly discussing how my wife was “another difficult one” and from that point she didn’t come near us. The atmosphere was tense and unwelcoming to say the least. The rest of the staff were extremely professional courteous, attentive, and friendly and our food was equally good. The squid starter was light and extremely tasty, with a hint of chilli heat. Our main courses (prawn risotto and lamb ragu tortellini) were generous, well seasoned and tasty. The wine (Alvarinho from Portugal) was crisp and well priced. Much as we enjoyed the food, and the service from most of the staff, this is not the first time we’ve had a poor experience with front of house here . And from some of the other people we’ve shared our experience with, they have similar feedback. Take note Rebecca the rest of your staff are showing you how to do it."