George IV — Restaurant in East Hertfordshire

Last night 4 of us dined at George IV and we were really looking forward to the menu which is featured online. We arrived and were seated by the waiting staff who took our drink order, these drinks then took over 15 mins to complete as two drinks were forgotten by the waiting staff who were rushing around and appeared to not been able to keep up with the pace. We ordered our starters and mains and when these arrived the waiter called out what he had including one starter he had “no idea what this is” which was my Arancini. He then proceeded to tip my wife’s drink over with his arm which he apologised for briefly but there was no offer of a replacement. The starters were excellent and I’m not going to make up negative comments when it’s not called for. On to the mains and these were served briefly after the starters which was a good sign, one of our party ordered the steak which they requested be cooked medium/well, sadly this arrived medium/rare to rare in some places and again the waiting staff forgot our 3rd drink order that was taken between the starters and mains. When the waiting staff came to take our dessert order we asked if there were any specials to which the waiter replied “what’s on the menu is what I know”. This particular waiter was very pushy on us ordering more drinks after the meal. As I’ve said the food itself was excellent with the exception of the steak but that can happen anywhere. The real issue was the service and it would be nice to have had an experience that reflected the 20% service charge that is added...

What a 'Hidden Gem'. Tucked away down a narrow lane in Amwell this pub/restaurant was a revelation. I attended this venue for a wedding reception that was held in a room at the back of the main pub.The room was of medium sized with subtle decor and nicely laid out tables. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and they can be quite painful on cold days - and this was one. I only mention this because I find it hard to get a chair to suit when I go out to eat. The staff were wonderful, they went out of their way - above and beyond- to find me a suitable chair for the evening. The service throughout the evening was friendly, quick and courteous. The food was tasty and well presented. They even made accommodation for the children in the group with their own set meal and high chairs where necessary. The toilets were clean and well maintained but I didn't noticed/see a disabled toilet or wheelchair access. The entrance to the building has a rather - for me - high step and another step down into the corridor to the function room where our reception was held. There is outside seating - picnic style tables, which I am sure would be lovely in the warmer/summer days. There's not really a carpark as such, at least not one that I could see, but there is some on street parking. Minicabs don't seem to have a problem finding the venue! I would really recommend this establishment as somewhere to come and celebrate a special occasion, or just to go somewhere different for a pint - the...

Lots of potential location wise so it's even more of a shame that this pub is yet another casualty of gastro culture where everything else a pub can be is hollowed out to prioritise making as much money as possible on way overpriced meals. We went recently and had the lamb shank and roast beef. Now excuse me if I'm mistaken but 'lamb shank' traditionally refers to a cut of lamb leg on the bone, NOT two thin slices of lamb that look more likely to feature on a Findus microwave meal plate. Same with the beef. That's not a 'steak' as billed but two thin slices of meat. Frankly, for over 20 quid a pop this is pitiful. Tasty but so meager a 10 year old would look in askance. But everyone's so middle class they would never complain. They've been accepting this for so long it's taken as given. The staff have been stripped of their souls while on duty too. Everyone's so careful not to offend anyone but no-one's looking at what's (not) on the plate. THAT is offensive mate!

Hi Chris thanks for your response. Yes it was definitely your establishment although it was nearly a year ago that I last visited - I just see a trend in gastro culture that looks like "we're going to give you the absolute least amount we can get away with" which was in full effect at the George IV the last time I was there in Oct 22. If you're portion sizes and/or menu has changed significantly since then I apologise and the best...