Jinglepot Pub — Restaurant in Nanaimo

We had heard the pub had reopened and thought we would give it a try. We were there with 2 other couples. The service left a lot to be desired. There was one drink menu and the other couple wanted to order wine so I gave them the menu I was looking at. The server asked what I wanted and I said I still need to see the menu to decide as there was only one. She kind of shrugged her shoulder and said oh well. There was someone we knew at the next table so we asked if we could borrow the menu. We ordered our drinks - my husband wanted a drink in a tall glass and it was repeated twice and I ordered a beer. Our friends ordered a litre of red wine (as per the menu) When his drink came it was in a small glass which we sent back. The wine came in a 750 ml bottle. Our friends said that wasn’t what they ordered but the server said oh the spell check didn’t pick it up but it should have said bottle. Point is - it doesn’t say bottle. If they knew there was an error the server should have pointed it out when it was ordered. Or they could have put a sticker on the drink menus with the correction. The evening just went downhil from here. Our friends ordered an appetizer and when we tried the server ignored us. We tried for 15 minutes to get her attention, and then it seemed an inconvenience. The wings weren’t that great and I am not sure what large rooster wings are - but they were the same size as most pubs but more expensive and portion size was less than other places. When our drinks were empty the server came back, as my husband was driving he asked for a coke. The server looked at him and said so that will be a Diet Coke? He repeated again a coke and she repeated again with Diet Coke. At this point one of friends tried to make light of this by joking that “he was sensitive about his weight and it wasn’t nice to point it out” she just looked at him and with a blank look and I finally said he ordered a regular coke. We ordered our meals and then a guy came up to a Mike that was set up and said it was comedy night. There was no advertisement in the pub or on the door about this (or we wouldn’t have gone that night) our friend went online and looked and found this advertised and a $20 cover charge. We had all agreed if we had to pay we would cancel our dinner and leave. Just after we received our dinners they turned a spot light on for the comedians which shone right into our eyes. A server behind the bar came out and apologized and said she would get the light moved. We also said we could move to a different table but she said she would do what she could. She came back to us and apologized and said they couldn’t move the light. We ended up moving to a different area away from the main floor and comedians. This worked out better since we had no interest in the show. That was also the last time we saw our original server. She never came back to check on us. The pub was busy until the comedians started. It slowly cleared as the different acts came on. It got so bad that some comedians heckled the customers as they left. The food was not good and we left most of it on the plates. But the new server was unbelievably friendly and helpful and made sure we were looked after for drinks and if we needed anything else. We we’re having a good visit until I believe it was the host of the comedy show came up and told us to stop talking as it was disrupting the comedians. That was the final straw for all of us. If we were shouting and heckling I could understand it. But we couldn’t even have a normal conversation. We have since found out that the good server they had was fired because she was trying to make a situation better and give the kind of service she felt customers deserved! Not sure how a place expects to make it when they get rid of a server who actually cared about...

Had an awful experience last weekend with my family. We were a table of four and the pub was not busy at all but there were only two staff members helping the guests, a hostess who couldn't serve drinks and a bartender who was waiting on tables. We ordered two soup and sandwiches and two beef tacos... After 45 minutes my mom and aunt got their food (a taco and one of the sandwiches), then we didn't see anyone for 5 minutes. My dad had to go find the bartender to ask for our bill because our food took so long and we needed to leave soon. He brought our bill, with no mention of where the other two meals were and then left. My food came after about 10 more minutes but we STILL didn't get the other taco? How were the two tacos not made at the same time? They were the exact same item!! My dad had to leave to drive my aunt to the ferry, still not having gotten his food. My mom and I stayed and about 10 minutes after my food came, they finally brought his taco. I know it's not the staffs fault they were working short. It's definitely a reflection of unsupportive and uninvolved management &/or owners. Not good. Definitely won't be returning...

A HUGE RAVE to Natasha, 2 other servers (sorry I didn’t get your names) and the one and only cook at the JINGLE POT PUB on the Sunday July 24 (bathtub weekend). I called so many places for a 70th birthday lunch for my mom with 11 people and nobody would take reservations. When I called the Jingle Pot Pub and gave them a quick heads up we were coming they went out of their way to get us patio seating all together under an awning and accomdate us on super short notice as the other restaurant fell through due to short staffing and a long line. The staff at JP pub were over the top even though they were also short staffed! The food was awesome, the prices were great and the service was spectacular!! Not only did they get everything out in impeccable time, they served with smiles and were incredibly accommodating!! Hats off to al the staff working that day…only 4!! Would definitely recommend!!! Thank you all so SO much for making my mom’s birthday...