Zizzi - Lakeside — Restaurant in England

Met friends for drinks and food early yesterday evening (Saturday 6pm). Decided to go to the new Zizzi in Lakeside that has recently opened. After being shown to a table, we were asked for our drinks order which arrived quite quickly. We placed our order for food, and then happily chatted amongst ourselves whilst waiting. My partner ordered calamari, our friend ordered some sort of mushrooms on bread, and I ordered garlic bread with cheese and caramelized onions. The calamari was a decent size for a starter, but apparently not the best. The mushroom / bread thing was soon eaten and enjoyed. As for my garlic bread with cheese and caramelized onion, at least 3 or 4 inches all the way round the edge was just dry bread. No garlic, no cheese, no caramelized onions, just dry bread. The cheese and onion was only in the centre. When I complained, all I was told was that I could request another one. I didn't want another one, I just wanted what I ordered. Main courses came. Our friend had caneloni, my partner had a salad, and I ordered calamari as a main course (along with a a side of mashed potato). The caneloni seemed ok, the salad was edible, but the calamari was a joke. The calamari arrived on a plate with a little metal bucket in the centre. This bucket contained the calamari. There was also a small piece of lemon, and a small bowl of dip. I tipped the calamari onto the plate and all I saw was a few small pieces of calamari, even less than my partner got as a starter. I queried it with the waitress, who tried to tell me the portion size was correct for a main course. I asked if she thought what I had on my plate was worth £12.95, she agreed that the food didn't justify the price. Eventually a manager came over to me, and the first thing she asked was if I had eaten any of the calamari. I told her that I hadn't and stated that I think it was not acceptable to serve that as a main portion ( I would have objected if it was my starter and only received that amount). All that happened was that I was given another option of calamari. No real apology, no offer of discount, just got given the bill . I did pay the bill, complained once again , and vowed to make sure my complaint gets heard as they really didn't seem to care. Would definately not recommended the restaurant, especially as opposite there is Prezzo where the service is great and the staff are...

Very disappointed. Zizzi’s is usually a reliable go to for a quick but delicious meal. Our experience yesterday was anything but. After a warm welcome, we had to ask a waiter to come and take our drinks orders, then after 15 mins, to bring our drinks order, then after another 15 mins yup… to come and take our food order. The calamari was chewy, bland and tasteless, not like it usually is… then after another 30 mins we had to chase them again to bring our mains which they admitted the kitchen had forgotten about. We are very ‘British’ and hate complaining but this was a really bad experience. It wasn’t especially busy in the restaurant and the food was very average compared to the usually high standard at Other Zizzi’s. When the mains did come the pizza was hot, fresh and delicious but my favourite rigatoni pasta dish was very over cooked this time. They offered a complimentary round of drinks to apologise for everything which was appreciated, but sadly they don’t understand how a taste card (2 for 1) works either so next time we will avoid this zizzis at lakeside in favour of one of the many other restaurants there. The young waiter who toward the end of our meal was very attentive (I think he had only just come on shift) even tried to explain to his manager how a taste card worked but she just didn’t understand and thought it was just fir one person who had the taste card who got 2 for 1 in a group of 4 people. We were 2 hours 30 mins for a ‘quick...

We recently had the pleasure of celebrating a friend's daughter's birthday at Zizi Restaurant, and we couldn't be happier with the experience.

From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfectly suited for a family celebration. The decor was charming and created a festive mood that added to the joy of the occasion.

Our waiter, Jacek, was exceptional. He greeted us with a genuine smile and made sure we felt welcome right away. Throughout the evening, Jacek was attentive and accommodating, ensuring that our needs were met without being intrusive. He offered great suggestions from the menu, which were appreciated by both adults and kids alike.

The food itself was delicious, and Jacek made sure that our orders were accurate and served promptly. He even went the extra mile to help us surprise the birthday girl with a Birthday cake, which was a delightful touch that made the celebration even more memorable.

Overall, our experience at Zizi Restaurant was fantastic. Jacek’s excellent service and the restaurant's inviting atmosphere made the birthday celebration a success. We highly recommend Zizi for any special occasion, and we look forward to returning for another wonderful...