Derby Arms Epsom — Restaurant in Epsom and Ewell

I'm not sure where to even start. It wasn't a busy time period during our meal, the restaurant was almost empty, yet they had more than enough staff on, and the service provided was appalling. It definitely wasn't the correct amount of money for the service provided. We were greeted by a young bartender who kindly offered to clean a dirty table for us, that was probably the highlight of our visit. As we stood waiting at the bar, a waiter was making a coffee behind the bar loudly complaining right in front of us that it was "brilliant" that there were no cups and then soon after when he found out there was no milk either. The staff took around 20 minutes to just take an order. No check back was provided during starters, mains or desserts. The steak came unseasoned and another meal came with 2 tiny scallops that we didn't order. The attitude from the young waitress was also questionable. When we received the bill, we got charged for the extra scallops that we didn't order and didn't eat but we were so disappointed that we just wanted to leave. During most of our visit, the staff were just standing around chatting and eating, it was as if all of us customers were a burden to them and how dare we come in. There were dirty tables near us waiting to be cleared, and every time a waitress or waiter went to clear it they took 1 glass and went to eat again. It took them almost 2 hours to clean 1 table. There was a table of 4 that came in about half an hour after us and finished before us as we were sat 10 minutes waiting for our bill from the young waitress who decided to start setting up tables when we asked her for the bill the first time. The second time we asked another waiter who sent the young girl again. And another 10 minutes waiting to pay. The supervisor on shift was wearing a black backless top revealing a bright red bra. She shouted loudly at a waiter that he didn't care about his job. She was also constantly on her phone and making phone calls in front of customers. When she was clearing the garden after assuming the whole day, she dropped an entire tray of glasses in front of the fire exit and left it there, bear in mind the customers and the supervisor herself were unable to open the fire exit door after this as the glass was lodged under the door. I'm not sure what happened that night. It was absolutely horrible service and the food was only satisfactory or okay at best. After reading some of the great reviews people left this place, it makes me think that it must be the staff leaving the 5...

This is our usual venue for celebrations both because its local and because usually its a well priced great food - but based on my experience last night I wont be going back for a while. A number of things went wrong, and any one on its own would have just been put down as bad fortune, but all together suggests that the owners of Derby Arms are trying to offer a fine dining experience but not backing it up.

1. I booked online and mentioned the booking was for my wife's birthday, and at no point was this mentioned. In its self this wasn't an issue as she never likes the attention of it, but it does suggest that nobody paid attention to the note made under "special requests and dietary issues" - so does suggest that if I'd made a dietary comment it may also have been ignored here
2. They brought out the wrong starter, firstly the server seemed to be expecting me to accept what he brought out, and then returned to the kitchen to get what had been ordered - which did arrive very soon after. The lady who took our order came to apologise and blamed the kitchen, but given the same item was on our bill it was clearly her error.
3. The waiting staff were very pleasant but not very attentive. This was highlighted best when the server arrived with our main course and our starter plates had not been taken away. A bit of juggling later (thankfully there was a spare table nearby) all was sorted
4. When you order a £30 steak you'd expect decent meat, served well - Not on a wooden block with chips in a cup (very pub styly)
5. Both steak meals had things missing, my wife had no chips and I was missing the extra onion rings ordered. Once highlighted they arrived in good time

When you're paying £75 a head for a pub meal you really expect many of these mistakes not to be made - and there is every chance we were...

So after always visiting the rubbing house for a Sunday lunch we thought we would try the derby arms, what a mistake it was. Our table was booked for 3:30 and as it was a sunny day we decided to get there an hour early to sit in the garden . It was busy but still managed to find a table to sit 6 of us, although it was full of glasses and plates and after 20 minutes it was still full of glasses and plates , we asked a waitress as she walked past if she could kindly clear the table ( she managed a plate and a single glass) . Obviously poorly trained staff as the 1st thing you would like to see is a tidy garden area. We then walked in to sit at our table trying not to touch the broken glass on the door from the newly refurbished restaurant. So onto our dinner experience, the waitress gave us our menus but no menu for my little daughter as they don't have enough. Being a Sunday i thought I'd have a roast dinner but couldn't decide which , then I noticed a trio of roast where you have a selection of each , great I'll have that but I couldn't as the trio of roast had run out. How can a selection of roast run out but the others still be available. Decided to have the cod and twice cooked chips , unfortunately they were 6x cooked chips burnt to a crisp. No condiments on the table and was not even asked if we would like any sauces . It was time to go and chat to the manager who was leaning up against the bar , bit strange with the amount of tables that needed clearing or was it just laziness. The manager had explained that they had had a mad half hour. How on earth will they cope in the summer with a mad 12 hours. Terrible place , do not visit, do yourself a favour and walk over the road to the...