El Cerdo Tapas Bar, Bourne End — Restaurant in England

Disappointing Birthday Lunch – A Letdown from Start to Finish.

We’re regular visitors at Cedro in Maidenhead and have always enjoyed both the food and service there. Sadly, our experience at this branch was the complete opposite — and it happened to be for a special occasion, my birthday.

Despite the lovely view, which is arguably the only redeeming feature of this location, everything else fell short.

My partner booked a table for my birthday lunch and requested an outdoor seat, since the website didn’t allow online selection. He even noted the occasion in the booking. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty, yet we were seated at one of the worst tables inside. When we asked about our request, the host curtly told us that the outdoor seating was “fully booked” — a claim that didn’t match the reality, as I’ve attached a video showing how empty the place remained during our visit.

Things didn’t improve. We ordered pints of beer, only to be told several minutes later that the tap was broken and bottles were the only option. Without checking with us, the server brought a completely different beer than what we’d ordered. Only after I questioned it did he admit that our choice wasn’t available either — something he failed to mention earlier.

As for the food — it was a real disappointment. Compared to the Maidenhead branch, everything was below average. We typically order starters and then add more dishes, but this time, we stopped after the first round. Nothing was worth continuing for.

When we asked for the bill, we were told the payment terminal was also broken. At that point, we couldn’t help but wonder: is anything working in this place?

To top it off, the restaurant was not clean — the entrance to the restrooms was particularly unpleasant, as shown in the photo we’ve attached.

When we shared our feedback with the staff, we received nothing more than a casual “Oh, sorry.” It felt dismissive and summed up the poor service we experienced.

All in all, this was a thoroughly disappointing birthday lunch, and it’s safe to say we won’t be returning to this location. If you’re familiar with the quality at Cedro Maidenhead, prepare for a very different (and underwhelming)...

El Cerdo Tapas Bar in Bourne End is a delightful discovery that brings a warm slice of Spain to Buckinghamshire. We stopped here recently and were pleasantly surprised by both the atmosphere and the quality of the food. From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel genuinely welcome, offering attentive service without being intrusive. The décor is relaxed yet stylish, with a subtle Spanish charm that instantly sets the mood for a leisurely meal. The menu offers an excellent variety of tapas, and it’s clear that a lot of care goes into both presentation and flavour. We particularly enjoyed the patatas bravas – perfectly crisp on the outside, soft within, and complemented by a rich, slightly smoky sauce. The garlic prawns were another highlight, sizzling hot and full of Mediterranean flavour. Portions are well judged for sharing, which makes sampling several dishes easy and enjoyable. For drinks, there’s a good selection of Spanish wines and refreshing options to accompany the food. Everything we tried paired beautifully with our meal, creating a balanced dining experience. Prices are fair and reflect the quality of ingredients and service. What impressed us most was the relaxed pace. We weren’t rushed, which made it the perfect spot to recharge before continuing our journey. After enjoying our meal, we felt completely refreshed and ready for the trip back home. Overall, El Cerdo is more than just a local tapas bar – it’s a place where you can slow down, share excellent food, and feel transported, even if only for an hour or two. Whether you’re local to Bourne End or just passing through, it’s well worth a visit. We’ll certainly...

Dined here on a lovely Summer evening with my partner and two boys. We ordered the chicken fingers (boneless mini fillets) for my 1.5 year old. In hindsight we dodged a massive bullet here, as my youngest finished 2/3rds of his chicken with a few of pieces left, I picked off his plate whilst waiting for our dishes. I chewed on it and quickly discovered a razor sharp and very hard piece of bone in one of the cut up pieces of chicken. It would have been catastrophic if my son ended up with this piece of bone down his throat. Now I fully understand that these things can be missed when preparing the chicken for cooking, however the upset and disappointment lies within the staff's service and handling of the situation.

Absolutely nothing was done about it. They took the dish away after we brought this to their attention and that was it. No apology, no follow up, no checking in to see if we wanted anything else, not even a replacement dish considering that it wasn't technically finished. Zero acknowledgment of the incident. I'm not one for freebies, but they didn't even knock off the meal from the bill.

A follow up phone call was made by my partner to the restaurant the next day stressing our complaints to which we were met with sarcy comments like "well I guess you wont be returning then..?"

This was unlikely anyway as the food is average compared to the setting and décor - a case of all the gear and no idea.

If you do get roped into dining here, check your food for hazardous objects and expect an average dining experience and...