Giggling Squid - Harrogate — Restaurant in England

Disappointing first visit. After reading the online reviews and seeing they were opening a branch in Leeds city centre we had high hopes for our first visit to the harrogate restaurant. The restaurant was very busy and decorated lovely but unfortunately things got off to an auspicious start after being seated at the far side of the restaurant near the accessible toilet. Our table backed on to the kitchen/glasswashing area, albeit separated by some trellising but still felt strange sat within arms length of the sinks and dishwasher. Service was slow at best, a good 15 minutes before being asked for drinks order. Once they came (first time, not what was ordered) they were rather thrown down on the table. Starters were adequate but certainly worlds away from other thai restaurants we have visited. My partners main course was OK but lacking any decent amount of chicken, unfortunately the sauce whilst tasty was far too spicy to be enjoyable. I ordered the Sticky chicken and to be honest tasted like chicken I would cook in the oven for the kids at home. Certainly didn't warrant the £15 price tag and wouldn't recommend. The sticky rice was OK. The egg fried rice was completely tasteless, was more like a plain basmati if anything. Total bill including 2 x beers and 1 x wine was £73 + 7.5% discretionary service charge. In a rush to catch our train home so didn't bother trying to have the service charge removed but certainly didn't feel it was deserved. Overall for the price they charge and what they actually deliver it's well below par and certainly more style over substance. Wouldn't recommend and there are certainly much better Thai restaurants that offer better...

I’ve been here 4 times and always ordered a starter and main. The interior is nice, and the staff have been attentive on each occasion. They are on top of taking orders and clearing the table. However, I have two criticisms. I ordered a vegetable Pad Thai with tofu thinking this was vegan and it came with egg on. I asked the waitress if I could have it without, and I meant like just take it off the top (it comes like a big web in one piece) and she started questioning if I had ordered from the vegan menu. I said I didn’t know there was one (this was my third visit, and I always order vegan and never seen a vegan menu), she kept repeating it as though I had done it on purpose. Was a bit embarrassing in front of my colleagues. I said I’m sorry, I thought I had ordered a ve option and she finally took it away and they brought me another. So I don’t know if I did by mistake, but I just wanted them to take it off the top, I didn’t want a whole new dish making, or for it to be a big issue and interrogation. On my last visit, I invited some friends. My partner ordered a fried noodle dish, and I have never seen anything like it! It was like a little side dish of noodles with a few veggies on top for over £10. I was dying it was so funny. While we tucked in, he ordered a second main of curry and rice to make it a meal. The waitress was very nice and helpful, and they had the curry along pretty fast. A £1 can of coke is also £3.50 which grinds my gears. Over £70 for two of us with one coke each. But anyway, nice food, nice place, small portions for the price. I don’t think we will be rushing back...

Have been to the giggling squid several times before after first going in London and went for lunch today in Harrogate branch. Frustrated today when the bill arrived with a 10% service charge applied which I asked to be removed from the bill. We had a party of three adults for lunch and the bill was already £85 + for what is essentially a glorified Thai version of Nando's. Drinks prices are absolutely ridiculous at £7.50 for a single pint of Singha, and they want me to add another 75p on top of this to make it £8.25 for a single pint . . . . Worst part was once I had asked for the service charge to be taken off, the staff where whispering and sniggering to each other at the till to the extent members of my part told me 'their not happy you haven't paid the tip'. ABSOLUTLEY OUTRAGEOUS. Who do you think you are? Current state of the economy and your adding 'DISCRETIONAL' service charges to the bill when the service was questionable in the first place to then make patrons fell less than because they don't want to add extra to a bill of already inflated food / drink prices.

Absolutely will not...