Castlegate Harvester — Restaurant in Dudley

16th June 2024

Very busy there today - not surprised - Father's Day - so glad we pre booked. Superbly looked after by Connor - who advised on menu choices, contents, and checked for allergies. His conversation was easy, friendly and appreciated. Service was a little slower than on our visit in April, but that was to be expected given the number of folk there. Food in the main was good - 2 of our party had steaks which as always were good, but chips were barely warm; one had chicken - it was excellent; our grandson had a mix from the Kids Menu - polished off the lot; I had Mediterranean Vegetables in a pie - and as Connor said when I ordered it, the pie pastry had a tendency to be very hard, and today he was right, and it couldn't be eaten - but the veggies inside were superb, and the sweet potato chips were lovely. We had coffees and 3x refillable cokes plus trips to the salad bar - and the bill was very reasonable coming in under £90.00. Easy parking - friendly and welcoming staff - clean and pleasant toilet facilities, and a table with plenty of room for all of us. Thank you especially to Connor - excellent service. We will be back ... 😊

🌿🌾🌿🌾🌿

Our first visit today Sunday 21 April 2024; five of us, and we had pre booked. Met on entry by DANIELLE who introduced herself as our 'server' - she looked happy and professional, and immediately engaged with us, and joined in the humour of my husband's birthday 'party'. After taking our drinks order, and explaining about the salad bar, we were given time to study the menu. We've eaten at some very disappointing venues so far this year, but the menu looked to be quite pleasing and varied to suit all tastes. Danielle took our order - four 'mains', a children's meal for our grandson, and a selection of sides. She asked if we had any food allergies (I appreciated that - due diligence 😊) and we assured her we could eat anything lol! But how refreshing to have someone ask the question, and advise us on the food contents etc. Honestly, in no time at all, our food began to be served; I tend to 'eat with my eyes first', and everything looked so beautifully cooked! After some of the meals served in other venues, this was really REALLY appreciated! Danielle popped back about five minutes after serving to check all was well - we all said how great the food was - and learned that SEAN had been our Chef. Mains devoured - we ordered desserts ... again, they looked superb, and tasted even more gorgeous ... Danielle had even put a lighted candle on my husband's treacle sponge!! And yes - it IS those little attentions to detail that make the experience better, and enables the expectations of the customer to be met. Our menu choices were varied: salad bar bowls, ultimate mixed grill, rump steak, scampi, burgers and a chicken burger combination with sides of onion rings, flat mushrooms and sweet potato fries; great latte coffee, and refillable drinks; treacle sponge and custard, a child's Make your own Sundae, 2 delicious tangy lemon desserts and a chocolate ice cream mousse ... ALL of which were presented perfectly, cooked beautifully and served so very well. This was without doubt THE BEST VENUE of the year so far! Huge thanks to Danielle 💖 - what a lovely young lady she is, she looked after us all so well; huge thanks to Sean - the food was bang on! We WILL be back ... for sure! And ... just to hit the 'housekeeping' box - the toilets were clean and presentable, with good handwashing facilities; the overall appearance of the Restaurant was clean, tidy and welcoming; and there is ample parking spaces right outside on the carpark - with perfectly adequate accessibility for anyone who is challenged by aspects of mobility etc.

EXCELLENT ... we will be back ... Thank you!! Gilly, Andy, Lex, Kat...

A fantastic morning at the cinema with my mom 5,4&2 year old. Booked lunch after here. I have never felt so patronised and annoyed after something that was supposed to be a lovely family meal. To come away feeling really rubbish. We got seated and my mom mentioned to the waitress straight away we had a children eat for £1 code and explained she wanted to pay for her own meal and wanted to check this was ok. The waitress made us feel thick and spoke down to us without actually letting us no that was absolutely fine, she continued to say unfortunately I’m not aloud to let you pay separate for yours it will be on the same bill and my mom confused said what if I went to another table and had to separate bills she said unfortunately not I can’t do that…. It made no sense. A simple question which turned out fine. Making us both feel silly and thick for asking and we had no idea what she ment. It was almost like we were being to much trouble when we only asked. The meal was nice. And plenty. When it was time to pay the bill she came and asked for the code which I presented she let me no that because my husband had sent me the photo in preparation as I had the children with me I couldn’t use it. This was fine but it was her tone again, she then said I will let you but don’t tell anyone, all said with a sturn rude tone and was yet to crack a smile. Next I had the bill she reminded me before I spoke… my mom who was at the toilet wanted to do it to, I let her no I had my moms payment and could we split it. She then said unfortunately I can’t do that … I said I’ve never known anything like this? I thought what’s the problem now. She said she couldn’t split it I had to tell her the figures. So I got my phone calculator out all while being stared at. And split the bill. Everything was too much trouble and made us feel like we were being pains. A really unkind energy and very patronising. I didn’t speak and I just payed and said Thankyou whilst looking at the table. Then… I was waiting for my mom and children to come back from the toilet I turned to look and saw her talking about me to her colleague about the situation with the kids eat for £1 app and she looked annoyed talking about it, she saw me looking panicked and hid behind the salad bar wall. I was furious. I went straight up to her and asked her could you not have this conversation else where I’m trying to enjoy my afternoon and you have been nothing but rude and made us feel like we are not wanted here. She asked me to move to the side to talk and said she was needed and busy and she couldn’t talk to her colleague about it anywhere else. I explained I hadn’t been rude or said anything to her about anything and if she didn’t want to be in work she shouldn’t have come. I don’t need a response to this I just wanted to make everyone aware that visits. Rude lady! I told her service with a smile...

Although our food was lovely and none of my friends complained - we arrived at 7 o'clock to have a meal and wasn't asked if we wanted a drink until 20 past 7. When our waitress decided to come over my 2 friends hadn't decided a meal so she said I'll take your drinks order but I've got to take a phonecall I could be up to 20 minutes. We said that was fine as we was talking. But 10 to 8 came and we thought mmm where on earth are our drinks (2 in which was just refillable so just needed glasses) So we asked someone else in which we got our drinks. By 10 past 8 (well over 20 minutes) our order was taken and food was sent out pretty quickly and it was nice! Then... We waited and waited and waited and noone came to clean the table or ask if we wanted a dessert. We wouldn't of minded if the place was busy but it wasn't, finally she came and cleared half our plates away, again we didn't mind we was talking but then waitress had a chip on a shoulder and seemed quite rude when my friend asked for the desserts menu "kitchens closed" so we asked for the bill and moved outside.

I am obviously open minded to the fact that phone call could of been anything - I'm conscious she could of been having a rough time. But then it's up to the managers to step in and provide the correct customer service and she should of stated to the managers she wasn't right that evening. She didn't have to be rude, we was never rude to her and was completely understanding that she needed to take a phonecall. Were all Human we all have a life but Someone else should of taken our orders whilst she took that phonecall. We should not of been waiting 30 minutes for 4 drinks 2 of which was glasses. Then if the correct service was provided and our food ordered and cleared on time my friends could of had the dessert they wanted.

So I would say when visiting this harvester if you want to badger the staff for them to actually get you food and drinks. It's a lovely place. But to wait over an hour for food to me is ridiculous let alone the attitude we had when we simply asked for a...