Lucia — Restaurant in England

We recently dined at Lucia to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday and were quite underwhelmed by the experience, especially given the special concierge package we booked.

From the moment we arrived, the experience was confusing and disappointing. We were expecting a welcome drink, nibbles, and our own personal server as part of the package. Instead, we were mumbled at by the receptionist and told to either sit at the bar or go directly to our table. At the bar, we were left waiting for over five minutes with no clear instructions. When we finally received the drinks menu, I had to ask if we could order any drink as it wasn’t clear.

After eventually receiving our first drink and a small serving of bread and olives, we moved to our table. The balloon I requested was there, but we had initially asked to sit on the heated terrace. Finding it too cold, we requested to move indoors and were seated in the conservatory without being given a choice, presumably due to a lack of availability in the main restaurant.

Once seated, we waited 20-25 minutes for a drinks waiter. I ordered a bottle of wine and specifically asked if I could take it home if we didn’t finish it. The waiter assured me it wouldn’t be a problem, yet later, they refused to let me take the unfinished bottle, which was particularly upsetting given its expense.

The delays continued with another 20 minutes before our order was taken and a further 45 minutes for our starters to arrive, followed by another 30-minute wait for our mains. The food was a significant letdown. Our chicken dishes were lukewarm, with nearly congealed sauce and minimal flavor. I chose not to request reheating to avoid causing a stir. Our son’s lasagne, while better tasting, was dangerously hot and bubbling, and all portions were notably small.

Given the special occasion and the premium concierge package, the experience fell far short of expectations. The service was slow and inattentive, and the food quality was disappointing. I believe we are entitled to some form of compensation for the subpar experience on such an...

I’m basing my review on my likelihood to return.

Went today with my partner and son. The food was fantastic, and if I was only rating the food, this would be a good review. There are other places that do a better quality food for the same price, but this wasn’t really an issue, more an observation.

However the service was terrible & staff were uncaring…. We were asked for our drinks order within a matter of seconds after we’d sat at the table, and then weren’t approached for our order again. Staff kept walking past with their heads down and I tried getting attention on a few occasions, with no success. Some time went past, and we had chosen what we wanted to eat, and we were approached for our food order. I asked if we could order drinks as well, and gave our order, but the waitress then shot off before we could order food (despite me being mid sentence on the food side of the order). We finally got everything ordered, and it arrived promptly, and was delicious. But I had ordered a cocktail (we’d ordered a few that were great), and it was terrible… the Summer Bramble tasted unlike any of the ingredients/flavours on the menu, so I asked to swap it. The waitress left it on our table and brought me my new drink. At the end of the meal, I then spoke to another waitress, and explained as it did not taste like the menu described, and what I had been served wasn’t for me, I’d like it to be taken off the bill before bringing us the bill. The waitress said she’d speak to the manager, but then didn’t return. Finally, someone else came to the table and asked us if we were ready to pay, and brought us the bill, with the drink still on. I explained the issue, and was told that the drink was fine and they would not be removing in from our bill. I explained my issue not being about preference, but about getting a drink that wasn’t as described, yet they didn’t care.

In the end, we asked for the service charge to be removed, which was £1 more than the drink. And as a result of the staff being so uncaring and unwilling to admit there was an issue, we won’t...

Style over substance Pros: The marketing scheme is outstanding. This is an Instagrammer’s paradise. Great service; Phoebe was particularly friendly. These two factors are why I’m giving two stars.

Cons: The food is generic and beige. Missing ingredients: I had the Margherita pizza with added mushroom. The pizza was a decent size but mostly tasteless. I had to ask for fresh basil as this wasn’t included on the pizza. I was supplied with this and also told “the basil is in the sauce”. Given basil makes up a third of a traditional Margherita pizza, one would expect this is included and visible. Cheap ingredients: My partner had the seafood gluten free pasta. At £16.95, we were looking forward to a fresh pasta and seafood combo. Alas. The gluten free seafood penne was actually store bought dried fusilli, which costs no more than £1.50 at Tesco. £15 for four prawns, a bit of crab meat and a few mussels is a bit steep. False advertising: The menu lists Coke and Diet Coke on the menu. This isn’t accurate. It’s supermarket own brand cola and it’s a whopping £2.90 a glass for the pleasure. You can get 2L for 50 p at Tesco. Coke and Diet Coke are registered trademarks but this ain’t the real thing. Other diners: On two tables nearby, customisers complained about their food.

This restaurant was fully booked for two evening meals, and we were sad to miss out. Our hopes were raised upon discovering the lunch spot was available. We are now grateful that we didn’t visit this restaurant for dinner, as we would have been left sorely disappointed. As it was, we were able to make amends come our evening meal and really turn the day around.

Bottom line: Style over substance. It’s not that I’m cheap. I just expect the money I spend to pay for quality ingredients instead of funding embroidered blankets. If the food matched the service and decor: you would be...