The Hour Glass — Restaurant in Exeter

I recently visited with high hopes of enjoying a satisfying meal, but unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. Although the establishment boasts an impressive selection of beers, it falls short in other areas, resulting in a one-star rating.

The food was a major disappointment, as my £20 main course of meat pie and mash arrived lukewarm. The portion sizes were shockingly small, as I managed to finish the dish in a mere eight mouthfuls. The baby mash lacked substance and was no more than a tablespoon, while the filo pastry barely covered the minced meat. The accompanying steamed vegetables did little to redeem the dish.

Service was another area where the gastro pub failed to meet expectations. The decision to have bar staff also waiting tables resulted in a disjointed and frustrating dining experience. It seemed as though the establishment was more interested in encouraging patrons to spend on starters, mains, and puddings, rather than providing a quality meal at a reasonable price.

What was most telling was the empty restaurant on a Friday night, a clear indication that other diners have had similar experiences. It would be far more beneficial for this gastro pub to focus on serving solid main courses and treating customers with respect, as this would undoubtedly lead to repeat business.

In summary, while the beer selection is commendable, the lackluster food, poor service, and exorbitant pricing make it difficult to recommend this gastro pub. I hope the management takes note and addresses these issues in order to provide a more enjoyable dining experience for...

We went to the Hour Glass for a meal Easter Saturday PM... Before start I think it only fair to say that I am a lover of good food and not a habitual review writer. I won't generally write an opinion of a place unless I have had an excellent or distinctly bad experience...

The Hour Glass surpassed every expectation - so far as I am concerned it blows all local competition clean out of the water!

The rib-eye steak was undoubtedly the best steak I have had - cooked to absolute perfection!

Staff were extremely friendly and attentive... You couldn't ask for more - except perhaps more of everything!

I will go back without hesitation!

I really cannot stand it when pubs charge through the nose for mediocre food that I could do better at home... So this is a message to all you 'cooks' out there - you know who you are - you have the gall to charge high prices for badly cooked, once frozen, maybe micro-waved, low quality ingredients, even imported junk ingredients or similar - please take a lesson from the Hour Glass: eat there at least once and take notes - they will teach you a...

5 of us went here for Sunday lunch. 2 of our number had the belly pork, 1 the vegetarian option, 1 the beef and 1 the chicken. These were all of the 4 options available. The beef & chicken were absolutely fine, beef spot on. Unfortunately the pork belly was really salty and we should have sent it back, but the waiting staff did not return to ask how our dinner was. The vegetarian option was grilled cabbage with same vegetables and separate gravy. This was overpriced for replacing meat with cabbage. Beer was good at £4.80 a pint but bitter shandy was £5.20, £3 for the lemonade element. There is automatic 10% service charge added. Reported problem with pork when paying bill and was just told they would let chef know. Not really a helpful response, get the chef to try it and then decide whether we should have been charged for it. Would definitely like to go back as lovely ambience and staff were friendly, but £128 and people leaving disappointed will make us...