Royal Oak Havant — Restaurant in Havant

Booked a late 14.45 spot for Sunday lunch on a busy bank holiday my birthday lunch for 5 adults. This is a lovely pub in an outstanding location and although we booked this over the more obvious Ship Inn and wanted to love it we’ve never eaten here. Arrived at 14.30 orders taken quite quickly that is about the only positive from there on in it was all downhill delivering the worst dining experience we all have ever had. Drinks took about 30 minutes to arrive. 30 minutes later all drinks downed we had to flag someone down for more drinks and still no starter over an hour in by now. No complaints to the staff though at this stage 1hour and 15 minutes later starters came we all had the prawns and chorizo well cooked and very tasty. Another 30 minutes go by you get the gist more flagging people down for drinks still no mains after 2 hours of arriving main course still not arrived. We had to ask now where is the main course. Duty Manager came over 10 mins later apologised profusely offered us 15% off for the wait and a free pudding. We weren’t really after discounts just wanted some food. Main course came 5 minutes later all roast dinners. The menu proudly proclaims all their beef is served pink. Great. Well my beef was a deadly shade of pink aka black two very small slices of black beef. Everyone else’s looked ok at least not black but definitely pink either. I still insisted to my party I didn’t want to make anymore fuss and would plough through (while in the meantime queuing at the bar for a portion of mustard and horseradish -(PLEASE NOTE ROYAL OAK STAFF you really should offer the condiments as a matter of course when the mains are served rather than have to find already overworked staff to get them while meal goes cold) returned to table 5 minutes later everyone looked crestfallen not saying anything. I poured the gravy on my roast - absolutely disgusting layer of skin had formed with gloop underneath) still ploughed on thought rather than tackle the beef would try veg first the carrots tasted nice ureka. Then got to the bullets sorry peas and thought oh no next was the roast potatoes they looked rather pale and anaemic and on closer inspection were all stuck to one another tried to slice through - the potatoes weren’t having it. The parsnips were as burnt offerings as the beef and the waitress approached and asked how everything was and then I cracked no sorry it wasnt it was all completely unacceptable inedible beef and she rushed away and came back and said that beef gets cooked like that in one piece and the ends get burnt like that(!) she was apologetic but I just gave up. The Duty Manager was by now dealing with another disgruntled table behind us. We waited for that to dissipate then called him over. To be fair to both him and the waitress they were very apologetic and didn’t treat us like idiots and agreed it was unacceptable they couldn’t really say anything else especially when I showed him how the potato would just not give. Pointed out the whole lot of our main courses had to have been sitting underneath some hot plate for at least an hour and half. He Said we would not have to pay for any food at all now (fair enough because apart from starter, I’d eaten 2 small carrots) and the 15% off still stood on the drinks bill. He dealt with the situation in the correct way. Thanks but we are quite hungry now. We are all very sanguine about the whole experience now we are home and tucking into sandwiches and crisps that’s all I’ve got in - all shops are closed (how I wish I’d booked The Ivy in Chichester) However I had to write this review to say to the pub please do not overbook/understaff/undercater your restaurant and please do not let your staff (think she was another female manager with dark hair) sit in the front of the pub happily eating her lunch while we were still waiting 2 hours later for the now infamous black burnt dry inedible roast. I bet hers didn’t taste like ours did - not fit to feed your dog, unfortunately. Drinks and view are good. Cannot...

It's a real shame when old friends fall out, but that's how I feel about my most recent visit to this place.

As a previously happy customer I took my wife here for our wedding anniversary....... and wish I hadn't.

I asked for a wine list at the bar and the lady (who I later discovered was in charge) told me there was one on the table.

I found the wine list and went back to the bar to order a bottle of red wine..... only to be told the price on the list was wrong and the wine was now more expensive.

I accepted this, not wanting to spoil the evening but as I'd already ordered food I asked the bar person (not unreasonable under there circumstances) to check that the food was in fact the correct price as on as on the menu.

This sent the bar person into a melt-down with a passive/aggressive attack on me as though I was the one to blame.

This resulted in the lady in charge being summoned and a resume of what had happened being given.

Most places I know would have honored the price of the wine on the menu.... but not here. But we did confirm the correct price of the food.

So then the food ..... Hunter's Chicken arrived. It had obviously been made earlier and re-heated.... to a ridiculously high temperature whilst the chips were partially cooked.

Did I complain at the time? What do you think,? Our anniversary...... already tarnished,so no I didn't.

Go there and judge for yourself hopefully your experience will be better than mine.

Or don't take the chance and go...

Would give no stars if possible. Absolutely disgusted by the staff here! I took my mum today for a lovely walk all the way from Waterlooville down to here. As it is her birthday and I wanted to treat her to lunch by the sea. We arrived at 14:30, The place was not as busy as it has been on sunny days like today. We found a table easily and sat down. My mum went to order our food whilst I fed my baby. Only to be informed that they only serve food to reserved tables at weekends. No where have I ever seen this stated any where there before and there was no sign up nor anything on there website. The where three tables that had reserved and were currently eating. My mum very politely stated it was her birthday and we had come a long way just to go there. The bartender (a large young lady) very rudely stated they basically didn't care as she had not booked. My mum got us a drink each and we drank quickly left in a hurry. Whilst there for that ten minutes seven other people asked to order food and were met with the same rudeness. My mum was devestated. And actually cried. I am so shocked at how the staff handled the situation. My mum was so excited this morning when we left. To see she face as she turned away from the bar broke my heart. I will never go here again and I hope everyone else I tell this story to will boycott this place too.. There was simply no need to be so mean to another...