The Merchant Pub Co. — Restaurant in Upper Harbour

Wished I had put in a review this time last year when I had my birthday there. It was fab. Have been a few times and enjoyed it.

Today, with my 89 year old parents, a booking and a birthday, waited to be seated while 2 girls at the till chatted in front of us. After getting their attention we got our 'booked' table pointed out to us (over the back there), so found our own way to it. Waitress did come over eventually and fill up our glasses with water, except she filled up both my parents and then a random one at another placing that wasn't occupied (people hadn''t arrived yet). So I wasn't taken care of. I then discovered my glass was dirty (had a large smudge on mouthpiece) so got up and took it to one of the same girls, who were back again talking to each other, she took glass from me and then said, I will bring you one in a minute. Then carried on talking to each other again (in front of me) . Our final guests arrived and we got served, my sister asked for Caesar salad without the egg and could she have something in its place, so it was agree on avocado. She was also told it came with tomatoe. The waitress then came back and asked if she would like chicken instead of avocado so she agree. It came out with neither tomatoe, avocado or chicken.

I asked if I could have a half order of the Merchant breakfast at which they said no. I then ordered a squid and salad dish which if you bought accompanied with fries cost more, so I ordered without. When mine was delivered I was told it was the entree size. It was very small. The main size was the one with the fries. There were no entrees on the menu because I looked for them.

After drawing attention to these issues, suddenly a male waiter took over, offered to correct thngs and then bought my sister avocado and chicken (which looked like reheated shredded) and I got offered a serving of fries at no cost.

However, the damage was done, and my elderly parents decided they wouldn't come back. We felt dissapointed at the lack of interest in the customers. I have never seen a waitress talk so much to someone on staff with so little investment in the job at hand. Whatever the reason (new or untrained or neither) is no excuse in the food industry. We are your bread and butter so to speak. Without customers there is no job. Needs to be a big change in attitude. We may not...

Genuinely have never been so angry at an establishment in my life. A week prior the evening, my friend booked a reservation for her birthday dinner online. One night before the event, she was called and told her reservation was cancelled as the restaurant she booked at (Mama Loco) was booked for a private event. She was offered a reservation at the restaurant next door (the Merchant) and free drinks as compensation. When we ordered our drinks, we specifically asked if they were non-alcoholic, as we're all under 18 and told YES. However, when they were put on our table, the waitress informed us that she'd allowed alcohol in three of the drinks as a treat since it was a birthday dinner. (please note that none of this complaint is directed at the waitress, our anger lies with the management). When we paid, we were charged for the three alcoholic drinks so some of my friends and I returned to collect a refund on this as we felt we were not at fault as we had specifically ordered non alcoholic drinks. The manager there, Lara I think her name was, told us that she was going to give us our refund in the most condescending tone I've ever come across but not before she told us that it was our fault for drinking the alcohol when we were under 18, as if her kitchen had not just served us alcohol like we were adults only to be spoken down to like we were children. She claimed it was a mistake on the kitchen's behalf and when I corrected her, telling her that her staff knowingly served us alcohol, her feign politeness immediately disappeared and she talked down to me like a toddler, telling me not to 'get hissy.' Clearly, someone's pride is not up for having a 17 year old correcting her assumption that this was a simple mistake on her kitchen's behalf that we were getting 'hissy' about. Then I was lectured on the apparent irresponsibility of my friends as we're 17 and 'know better than to drink.' Yes, we are minors and should not have drank alcohol we knew was existent. However, this issue was rooted with the restaurant themselves and being talked down to for correcting someone is unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour on the manager's behalf.

I would strongly advise against going to this restaurant and will be letting everyone I know about...

Went here for lunch on a sunny Saturday as my sister recommended it as they have a allergen menu. The place wasn't busy so the waitress told us to sit anywhere, so we picked a place outside under some shade. We waited 15 minutes with no menus or water on the table. We had to get her attention to get her to bring menus over to us. Then another 15 minutes before she came and took our orders. My sister ordered the fish and chips as DF and GF, she asked if we had dietary requirements and we said yes. She informed us that they couldn't guarantee they couldn't make the food safe as it was a working kitchen. Why have a menu for people with food allergies if you can't enforce it? She took our food order and said she will tell the chef we have allergens and to make it as safe possible. She then makes us pay before our food arrives which I found a little strange. Twenty minutes later our food arrives. My sister loved her food and I started my way through my squid. It was ok, cooked nicely but not a lot of seasoning. I got most of the way through it when I found two pieces of plastic in one of the pieces. I got the waitress over and showed her the plastic. She apologies and offer to remake it which I said no to then offers me a free drink, which I again turn down. She leaves and my sister finishes her lunch. The waitress then comes back with my dish and said the chef looked at it and it is squid bones. Squids don't have bones! And she tries to put it back in front of me to eat! I say please take it away and I don't want it anymore. She leaves and we are not approached again by any staff and we leave feeling very...