Shrimp Cocktail Shrimp Cocktail

Chilled shrimp served with a zesty cocktail sauce for a refreshing appetizer.

The Star Inn

The Star Inn

Newbury Road, RG20 5TR, Basingstoke and Deane, United Kingdom

Pub • Steak • Vegan • British


"What a horrendous experience. I really don’t know where to start, we work hard all year and finished work on Friday 22nd so booked to go to the star on Saturday to start our family Christmas celebrations. Were had a dreadful year and were looking forward to a nice meal out. Firstly when we arrived the waitress came within minutes to take our order. I asked if we could order drinks and just give us a few minutes to look at the food menu. My son ordered a regular Coke, I ordered the Christmas cosmo cocktail and my husband the zero alcohol peroni. My god this was hard work , firstly I was told they might not be able to do the cocktail, my son was brought a pint of Coke and my husband a pint of peroni? He queried if it was correct as shed checked at least 3 times before what he wanted and was assured it was. However a few minutes later the waitress rushed over to advise it was in fact alcohol!! She then didn’t come back to take our food order for over 30 mins (I’d point out at this point the restaurant was more than half empty) When taking the food order we ordered the cheesy garlic bread , chorizo bites and olives to share as a starter. We were advised they didn’t have any cheese , so the bread would just be garlic bread. We agreed that would be fine. My husband ordered the duo of lamb, sorry no lamb was the response ! Eventually after another long wait our starters came out and omg ! The garlic bread was burnt to a crisp ! Black ! My husband took this back to the waitress and told her to take it back and take off our bill. How on earth any self respecting chef let that leave the kitchen , or a waitress bring that to a customer’s table is insulting. When the mains came we were at the point of giving up. Both my husbands main and my main were cold !! Stone cold. We decided to just eat what we could and get out of there. So we asked for the bill. We waited and waited and waited. All the time all three members of staff were huddled around the til. Obviously having an issue. But instead of coming over and apologising for the wait we were left sitting there. Eventually after calling IT they resolved the issue. On the way out my husband did express how bad the experience was. The manager offered to deduct something off the bill. But that would make no difference to our ruined lunch out. The food is below par, the prices were an absolute rip off!! Nearly £30 for a burger with a pig in blanket screwed to the top. I will not be returning here. It was a shame because 13 months ago we’d had a lovely meal , but this experience was horrendous. Never again"

Black Horse

Black Horse

Windmill Rd Fulmer, Buckinghamshire SL3 6HD, South Bucks, United Kingdom

Pubs • Cafés • Seafood • Mexican


"This was without a doubt the worst dining experience that I have had in many years. Upon arrival we were seated in the dining room which was very quiet with only one other table occupied. We then waited minutes before we were offered a drink. Thirty minutes in our food order was taken, at which point we were told there was no steak'. There were six main courses on the menu, two of which were steak which all three of us had intended to order. Unabashed we ordered two soups and a gravlax starter, were were then told that there was no gas working in the kitchen and that some of our food would have to be prepared in the adjacent farm shop Our starters were OK' at best. When our main courses arrived they were.. Fish Chips, tepid and dry. An over cooked, barely warm burger and a plate of the most unappetising, inedible muck I have ever been given. Ham, egg and chips. I didn't try the ham or the chips, as the eggs were ice cold and rock solid (I was later told that they had had to be cooked in the oven as there was, yes, no gas). Why a restaurant would operate in this way I have no idea. If you don't have the facility to cook, stop seating people in your restaurant and trying to wing it' I returned the food and asked for the bill. When it arrived the H, E C had been taken off, this was the only concession that was made. The waiting staff were very apologetic, the person whom I assumed was the manager, not so much. She seemed genuinely put out that we were unhappy! We received our starters an hour after we were seated and our mains minutes later. I said I would not pay for the main courses as the whole thing was a fiasco which was met with the retort you ate the burger I said that if the mains weren't taken off of the bill I wouldn't pay anything and so they were grudgingly removed This pub/restaurant is far from cheap, but I have eaten a there lot. The food is usually good, sometimes very good, but this was unacceptable in every way"

The Square Fish Café

The Square Fish Café

The Square, Maidstone, United Kingdom

Fish • Full • Wine • Meat


"Fine food and Issues Decided to visit as the reviews were mainly great. Arrived to find it looked ten minutes after due to be open. They were just opening the door. I went in and quickly used the toilet, not flushed by last person that used it! It's a well laid out, well decorated restaurant. I chose the Escargots as my starter, well cooked with a very small amount of sauce sadly no tongs to hold the shell. They were 6 very nice molluscs. The main was an absolutely sensational tasty seafood salad. Interesting dressing on a generous variety of sea food and nice salad. I had ordered a lime and soda, it transpired they had no lime so someone went out to buy some and could only get lemon, which was ok. When it came to the desert I liked the idea of four of them but ordered the lemon tart. A few minutes later the lady running front of house (I later discovered it was her first day in post!! Returned hugely apologetic telling me sadly they had no lemon tart. I chose the cherry clafouti and a few minutes later the young lady came back devastated to tell me they had none of that either! I eventually had a brownie, which she didn't charge me for. Must confess it didn't excite and the supplied ice cream was quite crystallised as if it had been refrozen. The table next to me were told they had no more Escargot, so clearly they opened with only one portion available. Front of house was good, 2/3 of the food I had was great but clearly someone needs to sort out the kitchen too many problems to give customers confidence of availability. Was it worth the trip? Oh yes but they have some serious organisational issues to resolve."