Station Pilot — Restaurant in England

Very poor, this is what happens when you take your mother for a meal. We had a 40 minute wait in an empty restaurant for The cowboy burger and a Hunter's chicken, I have never had a bad one of either until today. The chips were slightly undercooked; look greasy and really dark, they tasted like really strong fish? I'm glad I'm not allergic to fish! The burgers seemed to be ok, but the bun however was very cold with a dodgy/funky taste to it. I told someone that worked there about the bun and she asked me 'weird taste like what?' in a stubborn kind of way, but then offered to change just the bun to a toasted one, which I had to refuse thinking they would just be giving me a similar bad tasting bun. My mother's hunter's chicken looked really anaemic with barely any cheese or bbq sauce on it, the lettuce (the only salad she had on the plate) was gone bad (brown bits all over it) and they forgot her onion rings, which we had to ask for as well, these TWO onion rings turn out badly under cooked! Another staff came to the table a short time after and asked me if everything was ok with the meal, so I replied 'no not really, everything is just awful.' and instead of trying to fix this problem, he replied: 'we have a new chef.' This is now an unrectified problem, which me and my mother are very upset about. Life is too short to be making bad memories with your family, the manager should have sorted this problem or refunded us straight away. PS just in case you were wondering, I did not eat anymore after first tasting; under concern...

"Calling All Dog Lovers Whether you’re getting set up for the day or toasting to the end of a long week, you should be able to do it with your dog at your side. That’s why we happily welcome dogs at The Station Pilot as we firmly believe they’re part of the family too! Sit back, relax, and peruse our great menu knowing your pooch is taken care of!"

This place talks a big game about being dog friendly. The above is taken from their website. They're "dog tolerant" at best.

Dogs are to stick to the tiled area. Which is two booths in the same location as all the kids toys. So already off to a rocky start. The water bowl was not clean and my husband was told he'd need to fill it himself if we wanted water for the dog. Apparently it was the only one they had.

The staff couldn't have been more avoidant of us. We got no eye contact. No check ins with us to see how our meal was (despite other people around us and in the booth next to us having that). A sharp "yes?" when standing at the bar - without the dog - to order. And no acknowledgement or even looking up from their phones when we said thank you when we left.

I'm a qualified dog trainer, I'm very aware of my dog in public at all times. My dog made no noise. He was kept on a short lead right beside us. He didn't get in anyone's way.

It served it's purpose as a place to sit and have some food before making a 4 hour drive home. But that's about it.

Also it's 2024, you probably don't need a quote from a nazi sympathiser in your...

My visit to the Station Pilot was overall a pleasant experience, offering good value for the price paid. While it may not have been anything extraordinary, it was more than acceptable for the cost.

Upon arriving, I appreciated the relaxed atmosphere and casual setting. It's worth noting that you have to go to the bar to place your food order, but the service was prompt and efficient. The food was then delivered to our table, which worked well for our group.

A highlight of the visit was the presence of an inflatable bouncy castle on the day we went. This provided entertainment for the children and added a fun and family-friendly element to our dining experience.

I opted for the mixed grill, and specifically requested the steak to be cooked medium. While the steak was slightly more on the rare side, it wasn't a major issue and still had a decent flavor.

Overall, the Station Pilot offers a good dining option without breaking the bank. It might not stand out as an extraordinary dining destination, but for the price paid, the quality of food and the added entertainment for the children make it a worthwhile choice. If you're looking for a relaxed and affordable meal with a family-friendly touch, the Station Pilot is certainly worth...