wagamama bedford — Restaurant in England

Called in to order something for collection over the phone. Wasnt given an order number or asked for my name or number until I asked before the call ended if they needed my name. I gave them 20 mins which matched the 15-20 min collection time given. When I arrived I told a server I was there for a collection. I was asked to sit down but my name or what I ordered was never asked. 15 mins passed and no one came back to me. 20 mins passed and no one came back. At 25 mins past arriving (45 mins after my phone order) I tried to get a servers attention - he realised what I was trying to do and swiftly turned the other way so he wouldn't have to deal with the person that had obviously been waiting a while but no one was taking accountability for. At 30 mins the lady who originally asked me to take a seat realised I was becoming restless and even she turned the over way to avoid me!

I'm not a difficult customer. I gave ample time to let them serve others who were eating in, while I waited politely. I appreciate restaurants are busy and can't serve everyone at the same time, but being turned in to the difficult customer is just rude. I could have potentially been sat there all night if I hadn't purposely walked up to the lady who asked me to take a seat to ask her what was going on. She saw me approaching her and immediately got the attention of another server/possibly a manager and said 'this lady's been waiting a while' - so she was aware the whole time, yet did nothing to find out why or keep me updated, but simply avoid me like a problem customer.

To give credit where credits due the manager was so apologetic and was very honest with me to let me know that for some reason the order hadn't gone through. She also offered for the meal to be made as a priority, free of cost and offered any drink of my choice while I waited. This is a lot more than other restaurants would offer so I can really appreciate the lengths she went to in order to resolve the issue.

As I'd already been waiting for much longer than advised, been made to feel uncomfortable by the two servers and had no more spare time on my hands to wait I declined the food being made. Instead the manager insisted I leave with 4 x sides vouchers, which again I really appreciate.

Over all it was just a bit disappointing. I did think, for a second, that I was getting pranked to see how long it would take for me to get annoyed. I also don't like that I had to make a scene in the restaurant in front of the other servers, so I now look like the complaining customer.

Don't go unless you have loads of patience and spare time on your hands. Don't go if you're super hungry. And don't sit there and let them get on with other things - it doesn't do you...

Honestly such a let-down of an experience. I usually really enjoy wagamama’s however, this Bedford branch is just trash. I’ve been here twice and each outing has been more disappointing the other. The first time we went here, we waited at least 15mins at the door for anyone to even notice us (it wasn’t a busy night and there was plenty of staff walking around seemingly aimlessly. The waiter took a very long time to ask us if we were ready to order. In general the atmosphere of the restaurant is quite cold and not very welcoming. The drinks and food also took absolutely forever to come- and when the food did come, it was lukewarm at best and very greasy. I’ve eaten and loved Wagamama’s at different branches (e.g. the ones in M.K.) but the food and service here is sub-par at best and horrible at worst. The waiters have very little to no knowledge about the food and very unhelpful to someone who isn’t familiar with the cuisine. One of the times we went there, we waited at least 40-50mins just to pay for the bill- it’s honestly outrageous. What I’m the most upset about though is today’s visit. I asked for a vegan dish with tofu, the waiter couldn’t even remember which dish this was and what it contained. I was then informed that they had ran out of tofu and that I could have the dish with “just the vegetables instead”, I accepted the offer expecting slightly more of the food to be served or the price lowered. You can probably imagine my disappointment when I was served my plate of noodles and bean sprouts at a normal volume and below average quality and temperature. The service was very slow once again. The drinks were way too cold and diluted with ice, there is such a clear inconsistency in quality between this branch and the ones in Milton Keynes. As well as that the silverware (and glasses) were absolutely filthy- so grossed out by this. The restaurant was nearly empty at the time we went and yet the waiter decided to seat us right by the entrance to the kitchen, (despite there clearly being plenty of other tables available) this meant that we constantly had people rushing past us which was very distracting and uncomfortable. I don’t mean to sound pretentious but no one even said “goodbye” to us as we were leaving, just adding insult to injury. After paying £9 for a plate of bean spurts and unnecessarily greasy noodles I can safely say that I will not be eating here ever again. I left hungry, disappointed and set back by £25, no apology was ever issued for the poor service and food, the staff really need more training and a change...

Wagamama’s Chilli Chicken Ramen is a standout dish—a fragrant, spicy broth with tender chicken, springy noodles, and crunchy veggies. The heat is bold but not overpowering, and the portion is generous. The Yasai Gyoza (vegetable dumplings) are crispy and flavorful, perfect for sharing.

For a lighter option, the Chicken Katsu Curry delivers crispy breaded chicken with a rich, mildly sweet curry sauce and sticky rice—comfort food done right. The Ebi Katsu (prawns in panko breadcrumbs) are also delicious, though the portion feels small for the price.

Service is efficient and friendly, though it can get hectic during peak hours. The open-plan, communal seating gives Wagamama a vibrant, casual vibe, but it’s not ideal for quiet dinners.

Desserts like the Chocolate Layer Cake are indulgent but skip the Mochi Ice Cream—it’s often too hard.

Pros: ✔ Fresh, flavorful dishes ✔ Good vegan/vegetarian options (like the Vegan Katsu Curry) ✔ Consistent quality across locations

Cons: ✘ Some dishes are pricey for the portion size ✘ Noisy atmosphere

Rating: 4/5 – A reliable spot for tasty Asian-inspired food, best for quick, casual meals. Would recommend booking ahead...