Marseille Restaurant — Restaurant in Great Britain

Appalling treatment from management.

I was taken here today, as a surprise for my 21st birthday, by two close friends. We were served by a lovely waitress, who provided our tasty drinks. The starters were delicious.

My 2 friends ordered different dishes but they both had douphinoose potatoes, that they both acknowledged were cold. However one of them was shocked to find that not only was that cold but her duck too. Which was interesting due to the fact that there was not very many customers anyway and none that we saw had hot or much food. Naturally she informed the waitress, apologetically, who then asked what she would like to do to rectify the issue. The friend was fine with it being warmed up, but eventually they decided to order another dish - in hopes that she could still eat with us. OK, we thought that was it.

Her steak was brought out and after a bite, the waitress could see that my friend was not impressed so she prompted her to give her honest opinion. My friend said its fine, she will give feedback after - not wanting to inconvenience then any further that the steak was terribly made. Unfortunately after a couple more small bites she found a HAIR at the bottom of the steak - clearly not just fell on top of it! ( she has afro Caribbean hair, that was braided) we all saw the hair and it absolutely couldn't have been hers, nor ours because no one else had touched her plate. She called the waitress over and showed her that she had hair on the steak, the waitress was seemingly embarrassed and didn't say much. She took the steak away. Not once did the chef come out to see the issue or talk to us. After waiting a little longer she came back out and told that management had decided it was not the chef's hair or facial hair and that my friend was NO LONGER WELCOME at this place!!! We were shocked and asked why, as well as to speak to a manager - conveniently no one came to talk to us. It was then implied that they seemed to believe that my friend was trying to avoid paying for her food - the food she had hardly touched! Extremely humiliating and strange response to someone reporting a hair in their food. We also added up the cost of out food and there is an extra £6.30 added that we...

I want to say nothing negative because on one level I enjoyed the experience.

We were approached originally upon arrival. A polite period of time before we were asked for our order. Food arrived within 15 minutes.

Around that time the gloss dulled.

There were expensive glasses on the table, the whiskey tumbler sort. I presumed they were for water. As it happens I always order water with a meal and was surprised when it arrived in a hi ball glass. No slice of lemon was offered. Why no carafe?

The menu then got confused. Firstly the font is really small and in the dim light was difficult to see. From what I could tell from the prices it was selling itself as a more premium brand with basic meals just shy of £10. Drinks also were more than many restaurants charge for the refillable offerings for just one bottle of Pepsi.

Then this very obviously French place has an Italian crossover hint. Marseilles is nowhere near Italy so that confused me.

I ordered the pasta with seafood. For many they love to leave things like muscles in the shell. Well, if they want to do that then ensure the shell doesn't break and end up being bitten into with the pasta. Likewise, it's fiddly removing shell fish with cutlery but I couldn't use my hand as there was no finger bowl.

The decor was a little confused too and have the impression they had no store room. One cabinet displayed what I presume we tablecloths but actually looked like part of a hair dressers shop with rolled up towels. They've a piano which I presume is used in the evenings. However, someone had left their coat on the chair making it looking like a staff closet. These are simple housekeeping things which don't look attractive and detract from the premium pricing.

The shrimps were the tiniest ever which may have been just the variety of overcoming, just adding them too soon.

Their failings are silly and easily corrected.

I did tell the waiter about the broken shells and she just stood there for an uncomfortable time until I suggested that maybe she just mentioned it to prevent it happening again.

I'll go back, no one visit can define somewhere. Not correcting these silly things though...

If I could give 0 stars I would.

I went here for a baby shower for a family member, there were 18 of us booked with Afternoon Tea planned so I was really looking forward to it as the reviews were great. I really don't know how anyone can give this place a mediocre review, let alone a great review.

Although there were a lot of us, the place wasn't at full capacity, only a few other table than ours and the staff seem to struggle with the orders, so I hate to think what it would have been like if they were full. They were so slow! Each drink that we ordered seem to take them 20 mins to do or forget altogether. Majority of us had tea, which doesn't take much to put hot water and a tea bag in a pot. We had to remind them several times for milk, cups and sugar. The food was disgusting! Every part of the Afternoon Tea was definitely made the day before and left out to dry. The bread for the sandwiches was so hard from being exposed to air for so long, the waffles were rubber (not freshly made), the croissants were shop brought and dry (no chocolate filling as said on the menu), the pancake /cinnamon roll stodgy, what looked like bread and butter pudding slice (which I think was meant to be Tiramisu) wasn't cooked properly, so it was once stodgy but again made the day before left to cool/dry out. I thought they pre-made these to help with the numbers on our table as they knew we were coming but would it hurt to wrap stuff in clingfilm to stop everything drying out?! I think when the whole table barely touched the food that's a massive indication that no one enjoyed it. How can you get cake and sandwiches so wrong?!! Oh, and no napkins served, we had to use our own tissues. I paid £40 for all this privilege.

Another table turned up (without a booking) and ordered an Afternoon Tea, had a few bites and discovered the same problems as us, they openly complained and left, so I get the impression this is the norm, make everything a day beforehand and serve it in hope it will pass. Shame, they could of had 18 new repeat customers, bringing family in the future, not now! I will...