FOLKLORE — Restaurant in Folkestone and Hythe District

Had a very strange experience here...

To start with we ordered the first round fine and had 4 delightful cocktails, upon ordering the second round things started to turn sour.

After 10 Min of taking the order for the second round we were informed that the barmen who was the only person able to make our drinks had gone to hospital and that we could no longer get our order. We was told that we could finish our drinks but no more would be forthcoming.

When we settled the bill they tried charging us for the second round we hadn't received. Upon quierying this our correct bill was presented. During the time in which we was finishing our drinks, they continued to seat new guests, which was slightly odd. The barman then returned shortly after we paid the bill, and after enquiring whether he was ok, we asked whether we could get our second round, which was taken as the manager had arrived to fulfil orders in the barman's absence.

The manager then came over to our table and asked "are we all cool here, are you going to be okay with our staff" plus other odd comments. This was very perplexing because up to this point we had been having a nice time with friendly staff.

After receiving our second order the atmosphere towards us had darkened and we were feeling that our custom was no longer welcome. Upon speaking at the bar to the manager it transpires that he had complaints from the waiting staff about our table but wouldn't comment further because he was too busy. This was strange because nobody at the time had said anything to us about any problems, and if we had done something to cause offence, they could have told us.

An apology was offered to the waitress for any unintended offence caused, (we may I've made a tongue in cheek joke about a biscuit rim when ordering the delicious apple crumble please cocktail?.. The menu does state a rimmed gingerbread biscuit?!)

At this point we felt best to leave as it was clear we was no longer welcome, having been told by the manager that if we was unhappy we could leave. After shouting across the bar at us, we were again presented with a bill that included several other drinks we hadn't ordered. When questioned he again shouted across the bar, that the drinks were on the house and we should just leave, which we did.

Hopefully they were just having an off night, and this is not their usual level of customer service, but a table of women were also walking out when we left having received a similarly poor level of service. It was a shame as I had been recommended this venue...

I have been to this coffee bar a number of times (twice a year when i take the train down) and even used them as an example of excellent customer service in my training (day job) and recommended a number of friends to visit this place - Sadly, i was treated so badly this week by an unfamilier face working in the bar that i took my partner and my two children out after receiving such poor attitude. I wont use this place again, but i hope others recieve the welcome and lovely service that i have enjoyed in the past - Sadly it wont be given as a great example of good customer service in the future.

oh dear- after my review - you defend immature intimidation by your staff members - well - i can clearly now enhance the information that you require - but this will be dealt with by another medium - Your reply will now be used in my training as a great example of why people worry about giving reviews and how very little notice is taken of feedback - small mindedness never prevails in the long run - I can assure you that the only intimidating was by a member of staff and i was in the corner of the table and the last to leave after saying that i was not going to be expected to pay for drinks whilst being spoken to in such a rude and agressive manner - my partner does not remember apologising, but I am sure you know better. I have now read further reviews and it seems there is a bit of a common theme - THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS AT FAULT - maybe the people reading this will think - why would someone take the time to write a review?? I really hope the staff who have served me before are respected more, for their excellent service than having to be linked to poor Management skills and the odd poor servce. With a shop just up the road crammed full and your shop, rather empty - ;Steep Street Coffee house' seemed far more happy about taking our chatting as friendly and the £30 spent, very much appreciated - looks like many others feel the same - such a shame when I had such high admiration...

There are 5 food items on the menu: 4 types of panini and a cheese board.

When we tried to order paninis the waiter wasn’t sure if they had them. One couple tried to order the cheeseboard (at 11am) and they had run out of the 1 board they had, and the waiter seemed surprised and commented how nobody’s ever ordered that before, as if utterly perplexed by the sheer concept of cheese on boards. (How do you only have one ready? It’s cheese cut from larger blocks?)

Eventually we got told there were limited amounts of 3 of the 4 panini types on offer and ordering devolved into a weird quasi-bartering system of him stating what they had and us doing a show of hands for who was ordering what. We then got informed that he had the wrong info and several of our party had to change their orders.

The waiter also continued to make inappropriate comments including that he thought it was a bit early in the day to be drinking when someone had the gall to order a glass of wine on their holiday.

The paninis themselves were disappointing. The ‘bacon and SMOKED ketchup’ is two pieces of bacon the same texture as a roofing tile covered in basic ketchup. The only thing inventive about it was the idea to charge £5.50 for something you could buy in a service station for £3.

The hummus and sumac panini was hummus in bread with limp spinach - ‘disappointing’ was the motto of the meal.

I would highly encourage you to seek out anywhere else on the street, as we ate in some of them later that weekend and every one of them was better.

They get 2 stars because the coffee we ordered was good, but not enough to redeem the joke that was the rest of...