Mayfly — Restaurant in Folkestone and Hythe District

Me and my Mrs paid our second visit here today (10th June) for a carvery. We got there a bit early and the place opened at 12, so we waited, then entered the empty pub when the doors opened. We stood behind 3 or 4 other couples, then we're asked if we'd booked? We hadn't, so despite the restaurant area being empty, were told politely that we could only have a high table in the bar, so we gratefully accepted that. The young lad at the bar was friendly and helpful. He took our order for two carvery meals and we stood in the line to get our food. Again, the two fellas who served us were great and the food was pretty good. However, we were sitting by the door and despite just one or two pre booked couples sitting in the restaurant part, everyone who entered the pub was told the same as us. The empty restaurant was basically out of bounds because people had booked the tables for 12.45 and 1pm meals. I thought it incredible. Some people accepted the high tables, while several families and older, less healthy people declined and walked away. One woman said she'd been trying to ring and book, but had no luck, though I'm not surprised. The phone rang almost constantly while we were there and wasn't answered once. Another couple had booked online, but we're told that the booking had somehow not been relayed to the staff there, so they were also unable to get a place in the still empty restaurant. If that's the way it is, that's the way it is, but to me as an outsider, when the food is so good and the staff so friendly and helpful, it seems nuts to turn people away from an empty restaurant because people are...

CHRISTMAS DAY - ABSOLUTE SHAMBLES. Arrived at 1.15pm (booking was for 1.30pm) but no other sittings on 'our' and therefore no reason why our was not ready or dressed staff had to push two tables together! Not the best start but hey its Christmas right!

Advised on arrival that starters pre ordered were not available and alternative offered - this was ok. - starters arrived at 1.45pm apx) also one of the mains had also had to be changed.

Fast forward to 3.30pm still waiting for main course. Two very hungry children and 4 adults losing patience. I had to ask 4 times when our lunch would be out!! Answer its coming!!! I would like to add the chap serving looked as in the dark as we were. Not his fault!

3.25pm 1 plate of food comes out.. looks ok! Then the main event.... 1 more plate comes out... 2 slices of what looked like rotten turkey, 1 old potatoe, 3 sprouts, 2 batons of carrot and a rock hard yorkshire pudding.. I ask the server is that it... he replied i will go and ask... yes it was!!! Now when i say the food was inedible i am being polite and exercising some Christmas spirit.

The manager did seem bothered

We walked out.

My family drove from sussex to kent to see me and my son. I felt embarrased no motified i had taken to eat here.

I would like to add our group were not the only group to leave in utter disgusted 3 families with older and younger members in there group left...

This is, without exception the worst place I've ever eaten at.. upon arrival we were shown to our table, we weren't given menus so had to source them ourselves, we also weren't told how we needed to order. Chose nachos and then we waited for an age for our food to arrive. When it did, a scruffy member of staff came out and dumped our plates down, he then didn't ask if we wanted any sauces etc. We had to ask. The nachos were absolutely disgusting, they came out cold. The cheese was the cheap rubber cheese that you put on burgers, the salsa didn't really have anything in it, it was just a tomato sauce, and there was no soured cream, it was a synthetic sauce from a squeeze bottle, the guacamole was OK though. I had to leave most of mine as it tasted so awful. There were tables next to us that hadn't been cleared from the previous diners and remained this way the entire time we were there. We were the only people in there eating so no excuse. My daughter had scampi and has been really poorly this evening. In all of the previous (and many) poor reviews, the reply has been to email them to sort the issue, this has been the standard reply for months and even though management are reading these negative reviews and asking disgruntled customers to contact them, there have clearly been no improvements made. You need to invest in employing staff who can actually cook and train your staff in...