Darcy's Bar & Kitchen — Restaurant in England

I’m not the type to leave reviews, and I feel saddened that I need to, but feel it’s a must.

I was prepared to rate Darcy’s a solid 5, because everything was perfect right up until the end of the night.

I hired the venue for my partner’s 30th birthday - surprise - and was given a quote that I have in writing, with a deposit. The venue and the owner was fantastic, really friendly and really helpful. Perfect sized venue for the amount of people we had (estimated 30) and provided food and music.

What was not disclosed, was the £450 food bill (£350 if you take out the £100 deposit I’d paid prior to the evening) given to me as I was leaving midnight Saturday that I ‘had’ to pay. I was in complete shock when I was given the receipt as it had not been disclosed or discussed with me in any of the other previous conversations I had with the owners over Facebook messenger or email - I have receipt of these conversations. The owner then became quite confrontational with myself and his wife, and tried to put words into my mouth that I had never said. To settle this, and now I have massive regrets doing so, I paid £150 towards this bill.

I left Darcy’s feeling very upset and broke down outside of the venue in front of friends and family because we’d had such a great evening, and it really tarnished the evening☹️ friends and family went back inside to try and rectify this because everyone was horrified that the owners had put this blame on me, when it was miscommunication from them. They refused to refund.

Since Saturday, I have had several friends and family reach out to say they had been overcharged for drinks, drink prices kept changing and my friend was charged for a drink she didn’t have, was told it would get refunded, and it hasn’t been. This is unacceptable and felt they really took advantage.

For these reasons alone, I would not...

Our recent experience at Darcy's Bar and Kitchen was nothing short of disappointing. What should have been a wonderful evening was completely overshadowed by hidden charges, inconsistent drink prices, and the unprofessional behavior of the owner.

First, the venue did not disclose additional fees until the end of the night, putting my friend in an awkward position in front of all the guests. Not only that, but the pricing of drinks was baffling. One of our friends paid £39.40 for four Jägerbombs, while another friend paid £10.80 for just one. The math simply doesn't add up, and we have the receipts from our banking apps to prove it. It’s frustrating and feels like we were being taken advantage of.

As if that weren’t enough, the food was mediocre at best, making the overall experience even worse.

To top it off, the owner’s response to my friend’s review was incredibly unprofessional and downright gaslighting. Instead of taking responsibility and addressing the concerns raised, they deflected and minimized the complaints, suggesting my friend "should have expected to pay for food", when this was disclosed in written agreement via social media and made excuses about a "transition" of management. Offering a £50 refund in one breath and then retracting it because of the review was petty and uncalled for. Their dismissive tone and comment about how their daughter "is not stupid" was entirely inappropriate and irrelevant to the situation.

Overall, the lack of transparency, the inconsistent drink prices, and the disrespectful handling of customer feedback make this venue one we will not be returning to. For anyone considering Darcy’s Bar and Kitchen, be aware that what you see on the menu may not be what you end up paying, and don’t expect a professional resolution if you...

Was really looking forward to this as it was the highest rated for Sunday lunch in the whole of Christchurch and Bournemouth but sadly we didn't experience that. Staff were rushed off their feet which didn't make the atmosphere a relaxing one. Being talked over wasn't professional if staff wish to talk best to go up to one another and speak quietly rather than shouting over us. Glasses being plonked at the bar right next to our heads again not professional. Family of 4 being sat on a small table for 2 adults next to a toilet door really didn't do it for me. Food was a real disappointment, expecting quality chicken cut from a roast whole chicken but got a tough piece of chicken breast seasoned with what tasted like jerk seasoning. Not your classic roast dinner. On a positive potatoes were lovely and Yorkshire pudding. But lets put it this way I would of preferred to pay 16-18quid for a toby carvery over the roast I got here. Real disappointment. I appreciate staff were busy but when your paying good money you expect a relaxed atmosphere, professional service and quality food which sadly was missing. Hopefully this will be taken on board and some staff training, and less tables so customers are not crammed in and feeling uncomfortable and rushed. Will then mean that customers are more likely to enjoy the atmosphere and staff less rushed off their feet,and customers will be more inclined to spend more time their and as a result spend more money on deserts and starters and drinks rather than feeling stressed uncomfortable and wanting to just eat and get out of their asap. Less is more. Quality...