The Cadeby Pub & Restaurant — Restaurant in Doncaster

Myself, my partner, my dad and step mum, plus my two dogs chose this place for our once a year Christmas get together, mainly because the food looked incredible and they allowed dogs.

We got there, greeted well, seated, and our drinks order was taken. Once the drinks arrived we waited 15 mins to even see someone to ask to order our food. Fine whatever I guess they're busy.

We ordered our food and also ordered some pigs in blankets for the dogs. We specifically said they were for the dogs. We asked for plain pigs in blankets.

Mine and my step mums starters came, with no sign of the other two starters. So ours went cold as why would we eat without the others eating, it's courtesy when you think the other starters will be out straight after?? Right? No. The other starters hadn't even been put through on the till. They came eventually but our starters were now cold.

My dad ordered a prawn cocktail. It came with no sauce? We complained. They took it back and just threw some on the top and we knew it was the same because he had taken a bite out the bread. Okay fine whatever.

All of the hot starters were cold, even when my partners came out late it was still cold.

Mains. Firstly they brought out the dogs food. PIGS IN BLANKETS WITH BATTER AND CRANBERRY SAUCE ?? Come on. Fine okay the kitchen didn't get the message about the dogs. We can forgive that as they brought regular ones out soon after.

We all then got our food. Mine was the salmon. Lovely, tasted great. Dad got his bangers and mash, fine he enjoyed his. My partner got the Thai red curry, or should I say the whole Malden salt tub in a bowl of cream and some veg and rice. I took one taste and thought my cholesterol would be ruined. We sent it back and asked for nothing instead, she just wanted to leave at that point.

Step mums pie and mash. Something tasted burnt. Thought it was the mushy peas which had a slight burnt bit. Nope. It was the gravy. It was like the pan of gravy had been cooking all day and the bottom had burnt which ruined the whole pot of gravy, or atleast the gravy they gave her as my dad's gravy wasn't too bad.

She ate 3 mouthfuls and left the rest.

We obviously told the staff how bad of an experience we had had the whole time we were there. They only made us pay for the two rounds of drinks and the two mains we had eaten.

My step mum being my step mum still wasn't happy but that's understandable with how BAD the whole experience was.

We were told by the bar staff that they were actually alone and no manager was even on site. As an assistant manager in a restaurant myself and my partner being an ex GM we were appalled. In no way, no matter the business, your service is going to go down the drain if there is no appointed person on site to run the shift. Just because you might be able to do cash up, doesn't mean you can deal with a problem and manage a shift. Absolutely baffled.

What made the night worse was a random woman came and butted into our conversation with what we believe was a manager off shift trying to help, saying we were embarrassing ourselves. I don't know who she thought she was but she should have been told to walk away and not get involved. But she was never dealt with. Clearly a regular. I'll be embarrassed when I feel embarrassed not when someone tells me to.

We were then shoved out the door without paying so that nothing escalated with this random woman.

As a manger myself, I'm not writing this review for potential customers per se, but I am wanting to let the manager/s of this restaurant know how to better yourselves. And how not to serve customers who were so excited to come to this restaurant and were heavily disappointed. I couldn't imagine leaving staff by...

First of all, the pub is a great looking village pub and anyone going for a drink will enjoy the small traditional bar or the alternative gin type bar within the restaurant. Also, all of the staff are very attentive and you do feel very well looked after.

With all that said we have had two very different experiences with their Sunday lunches within a couple of weeks.

Two weeks ago in an early slot of 12:15 we all had the beef and it was absolutely fantastic (the best I've had). All of the vegetables were cooked and seasoned to perfection and the roast potatoes crunchy and well cooked. The beef in particular was thickly cut and pink and cut like butter it was that tender.

I was so impressed I decided I would make this a regular thing and went last Sunday but at a later time of 14:45. When we arrived the pub was very busy and we had to wait about 15mins for our table but that's not a great issue but possibly how busy it was caused quality issues in the kitchen.

We all ordered beef again and the waitress advised us it was very rare this week and for some reason or other they will cut it thinner due to this. We were all fine with this. When it arrived, it didn't look pink at all, but as it was cut so thin and covered in gravy I couldn't really tell. As usual a minute or two into our meal we were asked how the meal was but at that time we had hardly ate anything and two of us hadn't even touched the beef by then so we all said fine, as you do.

When getting to the beef, all four plates had poor cuts. None of it could be cut and we were pulling it apart more than anything. Two of us left the meat but also the roast potatoes had clearly been in a dry heat for too long and became rubbery and thick skinned.

On this meal we all had starters which to be fair were excellent, but the main meal was very poor.

We did plan to have 3 courses but decided against the desert due to this and did complain about the quality of the main when our plates were collected with most of the beef still on them.

A real shame as the place seems hit and miss so we unfortunately will not be going back to spend £110 on poor food in the hope it would be as good as our first visit.

Lastly, it felt afterward the comment of cutting the beef, which clearly didn't seem very rare, so thinly may have been due to knowledge it wasn't a great joint. This could be me being cynical but if that was the case, it would have been better to tell us it isn't great and if we ordered it, that's on us, but we most likely would have ordered one of the other dishes, ended up enjoying it as much as our first visit, and be back next week. Possibly a lesson...

Service was really disjointed and quite poor. I appreciate the staff are young but there was a lot of needing to go back to check things and the lack of drinks menu didn't help. Before service, there should be a team briefing where staff are informed of the "X of the day" and if there isn't a drinks menu then staff should at least have a list in their pinny of what drinks are on offer. Cutlery was also not replaced in good time and we had to remind staff of one of our meals.

The food itself was less than average and quite poor considering the type of establishment Cadeby Inn is trying to be and the price is not what I'd expect to pay for a Sunday Dinner that is worse than the working men's club next to us. The scallops were overcooked, the pork had no crackling, it was salty, the cabbage was either bland and tasteless on one plate or entirely over seasoned and inedible on another. Vegetables were not al dente, they were just undercooked and the portions of the sides considering the price was pitiful. Desserts were fine but a generally poor-mid experience and meal considering the price is hefty.

Response to restaurant: I appreciate this response is more for the sake of those looking at reviews rather than a response to me or my experience. I think, generally, your standards could be much higher for service and food, your value for money could be much better, and you could train and manage your staff a lot better.

We were sat in an isolated part of the restaurant and other than our order being taken, we got a coursery glance in by a manager and I had to get up and check on a main course that was over 5 minutes later than the others.

Your response fails to recognise how awkward and disruptive it is to complain about meals whilst in the restaurant. The options when food isn't up to par are typically to get a replacement which means that some at the table are eating or letting their food go cold whilst others wait for a refire. It can also ruin the mood at the table which is something I wanted to avoid.

Issues like vegetables being undercooked, pork being salty and having no crackling etc are not issues that are quickly rectified. They are things that should not happen in the first place.

Your response fails to show any reflection, rather deflecting to save face for future reviewers. With that attitude, how can you...