Toby Carvery Basildon — Restaurant in Basildon

We had a booking for six people—five adults and a toddler in a high chair—at Toby Carvery Basildon. Upon arrival, we were shown to a tiny table that was completely unsuitable for our group size. It was barely big enough for four people, let alone six, and there was absolutely no space to fit a high chair. We aren’t exactly the smallest people, so squeezing into such a cramped space was simply not an option.

We arrived 20 minutes before our booking time, only to be told we couldn’t dine because we hadn’t specified in the booking comments that we needed a high chair. Apparently, this meant they hadn’t set aside a table that could accommodate one. Instead of offering a reasonable solution, the staff member (a woman) condescendingly suggested that our 1.5-year-old “could just use a cushion behind him.” This was completely unacceptable—how could a small toddler be expected to sit safely and comfortably on a regular chair with just a cushion for support? It was a ridiculous suggestion and showed a complete lack of common sense.

When we asked if there was any possibility of switching to another table, we were met with an eye roll and were told that because another group had mentioned a high chair in their booking comments, they would be given priority in 20 minutes. No effort was made to accommodate us, even though we had booked in advance. Meanwhile, our toddler was getting increasingly upset and crying because he was hungry, yet rather than helping us, the staff seemed more interested in getting rid of us. We were then asked for our name so they could cancel our booking and give our table to someone else—someone who had apparently “booked the correct table.”

At this point, we had no choice but to leave. We ended up going to Aroma instead, where we had no booking, yet they still made an effort to seat us straight away without issue. The contrast in service was staggering.

We have been customers of Toby Carvery for years, but this location has only gone downhill. The staff and management clearly do not care about customer service or making families feel welcome. Their handling of the situation was unprofessional, dismissive, and frankly, insulting. If you have a young child and need a high chair, don’t bother coming here—you’ll just be...

The booking system worked well yesterday, we were only a couple of minutes after our booked time. Delightful waitress, really helpful. A small number of pepper mills for the tables might be nice, not everyone like ground pepper. The servery was a disgrace, even for a mega busy Sunday. Chef's knives at the carvery were really dirty and the serving utensils on the veg left a lot to be desired. I wrapped a napkin around the handles to help with the x-contamination! Mixed greens dish was vile, all water and no taste at all. Do we also really need 4 potato option (dripping, non dripping, mash and the bake) AND mac/cheese (yuk!) and only 4 actual veg. £13.50 seemed like a high price for what we had here. Yorkies were like cardboard too, I left mine. Please be a bit inventive with your veg! Also, the slightly older bald man who was clearing tables was rather keen on flicking food remnants off the tables with the corner of the menus and then just popped them back in the menu holder. Nice. I'm in the habit of wiping my cutlery before I eat but now I'm considering I may have to do the same with a menu! Last thing - ladies WC - no soap. A basic legal requirement. Needs urgent attention. Perhaps having a designated staff member to do a daily check?

Personal request too. I use the Thorpe Bay Toby almost weekly midweek - in preparation for the relaunch, could you please ask that the chef's bring clean serving spoons when changing veg dishes on the servery and clean bowls when bringing more table sauces. This is basic food handler's territory. this never happens at this...

Great:- The staff, brilliant. I doubt you can improve, I have complained, and other friends / relatives have complained on many visits to Basildon and Thomas Kemble, we kept returning assuming we were just unlucky on past visits, but have now given up Toby's completely. The food is always somewhere between barely warm and cold. We visited Tony's often , mainly because we were given gift vouchers as presents from family. I will now be telling them we no longer want them. Please accept this is not a complaint in the hope of you giving compensation free visits. We would no longer visit Toby even if all future meals were free. Following this review and having not visited Toby for a long time, my daughter visited us and informs us she has booked Toby for Tues 13th Aug at 12.10, reluctantly we went 5 guests in all. As usual brilliant staff, Bearing in mind that the restaurant had only just started to serve lunch, only one word can describe it " crap". All the food was cold, including the gravy which staff have previously said" pour gravy on cold food, warms it up". Some of the pork was to hard to eat the roasties were to hard to cut, the waitress said after the meal, " if you told me it was cold, I would have "nuked" it. Everyone I know says its always cold I can't understand how you get return customers. Pub carvery and other restaurants manage to serve hot food, something is...