Charlie's Bar & Bistro — Restaurant in Galle

What a shame. Undoubtedly the worst customer service I have ever received from anywhere, ever.

We ordered 2 drinks - one from the “signature cocktail” list (complete with ingredient list) and a Garden G&T from the “classic cocktail” list (no ingredient listing here, you would assume because they are “classics”?). The Cocktails arrived. Signature cocktail was fine however the Garden G&T tasted like saltwater - it was undrinkable. We both pondered whether to say something or just share the other decent cocktail between us. We had another sip each of the Garden G&T and confirmed that it tasted like someone had mistakenly made it with 3 tablespoons of salt rather than sugar (not that that is the recipe anyway but we were baffled). It was truly awful. We politely let the waiter know about the salty drink and asked if we could return it for another drink - he seemed uncomfortable about this and said “no”, but that he would ask. Another waiter arrives and we explain again. We are now informed that the Garden G&T has been made with pickle water (why!?) which explains the extreme saltiness. We ask again, politely to return this drink for the same one but without the pickle water this time, or just another drink. Again it is a “no” but with a promise to ask management this time. Management arrives to the table looking moody and also on a phone call - we explain for the 3rd time. “Madam this has been made with pickles...” “That is fine but we would have never ordered that drink had we known. There was no ingredient listing and it was under the classic cocktails list. This isn’t a classic Garden G+T.” “If we could return it or order another without the pickles please, that would be great.” “SIR WE ARE A COCKTAIL BAR, NOT A SHOT BAR…”. At this point, knowing that there would be no resolution, I told them not to worry, that we wouldn’t be drinking it and can we have the bill. I did ask them out of interest: “Have you tried it?” “Not this drink, no - we haven’t been open for long”. (They’ve been open for months). “Ok. Just the bill please.” “Ok you can have another drink.” “No thank you, we are fine. Just the bill. Thanks”.

I recommended to the friendlier, but still essentially totally unhelpful waiter (who couldn’t stop apologising throughout the painful bill process) that they need to replace their menu and add ingredient listings for all cocktails, not just “signature” because their “classic” drinks couldn’t have been further from it.

5700lkr for two drinks is extreme (most of which was inflated taxes) but especially when one was undrinkable combined with rude, aggressive management and unhelpful staff, this is extortion and the experience put a huge dampener on our only night in Galle.

Interestingly, had we not fed back about the salty G&T and not engaged the staff, deciding to suffer one terrible drink and share the other between us, we would have had a better time.

Disgusting. Don’t go here.

We had a far nicer experience going to the Church Street social bar on the ground floor of the Fort...

To be straight to the point, it was the most disappointing customer service ever. They have also restricted your freedom massively by commodification; simply taking a picture with your phone camera with the sunset came with a price tag in addition to the cost of food, which was fyi overpriced and layered with a lot of tax.

It was my friend's birthday and 7 of us wanted to spend some quality time together, when we requested to go to the outdoor seating area where there were ample amount of empty tables, they said we weren't allowed to and offered us one inside, which we didn't mind and accepted. Point to notice, all who were allowed outside the balcony were foreigners. However, things got an unpleasant turn when we went to take some sunset pics with my friends from our phones. What they said was they don't allow it as it "disturbs" other customers but if we pay for it they would let us. (They didn't allow her to cut her birthday cake either) The guy who talked to us was noticeably rude and did not let us any discussion ground and kept cutting us off. The whole experience almost ruined that special day but we're glad we decided on another place in fort who welcomed us warmly.

I've been living in galle quite a while now, and have been on a mission with my close people to explore new places in galle fort. And sad to say, Charlie's has been disappointing in both politeness and reasonable...

We came for breakfast - and the mistake was that we didn't leave after the communication at the reception. We asked if they were doing breakfast and they didn't know. That they weren't sure and needed to find out! Then they called somewhere and went upstairs to ask in the restaurant even the restaurant was full of eating guests their breakfasts. 🙄 That's when the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. Ordering was normal. I ordered a Sri Lankan style breakfast after being promised there would be no chilli. The head waiter promised me that the food is not spicy even with chilli. We then waited for about 40 minutes for our breakfast. And it was full of chilli! It was spicy as hell! We called the head waiter to tell him and he started arguing with us, he was nasty and angry with us! There is no way he and the kitchen will make a mistake and still argue with guests instead of apologizing! He argued that everything lasts in Sri Lanka and that Sri Lankan food is made with chilli. No it's not! I ordered meal without chilli and he promised! They cooked us chilli free food at every corner, just say once! This beautiful hotel has been demeaned by this man to the level of a fifth rate hotel by his treatment of the GUESTS! The reason why I ordered food without chilli was that I am very ill and it makes my disease worst!!!! "Thank you very much" for...