The King Stag — Restaurant in Hertsmere

Arrived to a busy pub with seemingly happy patrons but cold, impolite and frank staff for a late Sunday lunch, I was immediately told tables would be an hour as they were fully booked.

Okay, no problem.

Put my name down for a table for 1 (just after a roast dinner) and returned an hour later. After 10 minutes stood at the bar I was sat at a table next to the utility closets for four people even though smaller tables were available considering that staff continually whizzed around murmuring how busy it was.

Once sat down I was informed the kitchen staff were no longer preparing roast dinners despite booking my table for that reason. Annoyed but offering the benefit of the doubt I figured I’d order something else from the menu.

After a couple minutes I was told by a bespectacled woman that there was a pause on food order for 5-10 minutes.

Okay, not great but okay.

Few minutes later another younger waitress informed me that the kitchen staff were in an “aggy” mood and had put a hold on food for 10-15 minutes.

Guinness in hand I sat and waited as I witnessed food being served to numerous tables, some of which were the very roast dinners I was denied.

Another gent came in and received the same treatment. Visibly flummoxed by the process of ordering drinks and food yet offered a table, he retrieved his own menus and when attempting to order ANOTHER waitress told him it would be a 10-15 minutes hold on food orders being sent to the kitchen, after the 15 minutes I was told about already elapsed.

Realising it would be 40 minutes I would’ve sat there before I was even able to order, let alone know my food was being prepared and I able to eat, I finished my drink and left.

For all the good reviews shown this place seemed disorganised, the staff looked ‘over it’ and were either curt or naive and I left to support another local business with...

We had a very disappointing experience at The King Stag on Sunday. We had deliberately booked a late lunch (3pm) to avoid the normal lunchtime rush, but when we arrived our table was not ready so we waited at the bar. We were then shown to our table, drinks were ordered and delivered and after a wait, food orders were taken. Then we waited…….and we waited…….and we waited……..After we’d been sat at our table for an hour I asked a member of staff when they thought our food would be served, and it was explained to us that a large party of about 10 had caused some sort of hold up in the kitchen. Other tables in the pub were being served, one of which had arrived after us, so I’m still not entirely convinced I was given the whole truth of the situation, but the young staff members did seem very embarrassed that we’d been kept waiting so long. After another 15 minutes our food eventually arrived. My slowly roasted pork belly was ‘very’ well done and a little cool. The other roasts though were at least well liked. We then ordered 2 portions of sticky toffee puddings with a toffee sauce that tasted scorched. When I pointed this out to the staff they assured my that this was how it was intended to taste, but she was sorry we didn’t like it……..no offer to remove the £8.50 from our bill though. On leaving, the staff were very apologetic about the delay we had encountered, and they knocked 15% off our food bill, but with an £11 service charge added, which really was not deserved, I felt stung at parting with over £100 for our less than adequate experience. I wish I’d read a few reviews earlier, as long waits for food seem to be a...

Service was really poor. We waited far too long for the food to come out. Dishes were forgotten and others we didn't have were added to the bill. Drinks were missed off the order and we again were charged for a drink we didn't have. Auto 12.5 percent service charge which I should have taken off the bill.

This is a reply to a response from the owner regarding a review, I can't find a way to reply on my app. The party was 12 people, there were eight adults and four children. The adult starters came out following a lengthy delay, the childrens were told the starters came with their main meals?? We were given extra pitta bread while we waited which sort of ruined the children's appetites. We waited well over an hour for the food to be served. We arrived at 14.30 and left around 17.30. Acc. no. 2421. £376.14 The roasts were not hot by the time they arrived. We repeatedly had to ask when food and drinks were coming by going to the bar. When the bill was presented it was wrong, extra items added which had to be discounted as you couldn't issue a refund?? The Estrella was still (and is still) on the bill. It was asked for however you had run out. I did express my opinion to the lady serving and was going to ask for the service charge to be removed however my Wife felt sorry for her as she said sorry about the terrible service which sort of ruined my position. It was meant to be a special occasion as my Brother was visiting from Australia, he has not been up for the last five years. We have eaten here before as a group however I would say this is the worst service I have received anywhere in recent...