The Wine House — Restaurant in Lichfield

A week ago we had the misfortune to experience The Winehouse. On our first date together since having our child during lockdown, we took a Winehouse gift card given to us at our wedding in Jul 19, which we reasonably expected would still be valid: purchased Jul 19 to lockdown begins Mar 20 (8 months), Winehouse reopens May 21 to our visit Aug 21 (3 months); total accumulated time 11 months. However, after being shown to our seats on a Monday lunch time, having taken a period of leave and arranged childcare, we asked if they could double check the value on the card, as it wasn’t stated on the gift card message (which we had with us). As our starters arrived, we had the on duty manageress tell us that they had changed their gift card system during lockdown and could not validate the old cards. We were told that after opening in May 21, they had given a 2 month period when old cards could be used, and then extended this to 1 Aug. Our visit on 16 Aug was 2 weeks later than this arbitrary deadline, which had not been communicated or advertised. The manageress thus claimed that our wedding gift voucher was invalidated and questioned our integrity (I am a military Officer and my wife is a secondary school teacher). Given our whole date day had centred around a lovely meal out using our wedding gift, this did not go down well with us and we chose to leave immediately. The manageress showed little customer service ability, claiming that she could lose her job, despite being the owner’s daughter (as she admitted). The only decision-makers in the company with any latitude for flexible customer solutions were either on holiday or in hospital. Given the pandemic and the individualistic choices for when one may feel comfortable to visit an indoor-only restaurant (as The Winehouse is), a reasonable offer would be to offer a discretionary reduction in the bill or a replacement card on the new system at a manager discretionary value, but all she could provide was insincere sympathy. Sympathy following a company policy choice to change gift card systems and not maintain a record of the existing cards? Furthermore, her suggestion that we should have visited The Winehouse in May 21 would have meant we would have both been unvaccinated at that time. These characteristics are indicative of other reviews about other incentive system arbitrary changes and hawkish behaviour without consideration for the customer that I’ve subsequently read in other public reviews. The lack of understanding, flexibility or customer service, combined with hawkish policies and centralised dictatorial authority for basic customer service decision-making leads us to strongly advise against giving money to this company: The Winehouse, or it’s sister pubs The Trooper in Wall, and Hoof Beats in Brownhills. The decisions made by this restaurant and it’s team ruined our day, until it was saved by a lovely visit to Ego across the road who provided a very customer facing attitude. It’s fine Winehouse, you can keep our wedding gift….we’ll keep the approximately £250/year we would have spent in your pubs before this disastrous episode.

Footnote: prior to posting this review, I emailed The Winehouse to offer them the opportunity for a dialogue and to reflect on how they handled our situation as detailed by the review above. I gave them a week to respond before proceeding to posting...

If I could rate this 0/5 I would. I have just experienced the worst bottomless brunch I have ever been to.

We were served by who we believe are Chelsea and Matt (although we can’t confirm that as they refused to pass on their names - clearly so pleased to be associated with this service- but these were the names on our receipt.

The day started with us being confirmed we could get a cocktail while still have a glass of Prosecco and then being refused to having that drink brought over. At that point we were informed you could only have one drink, not that they followed that with a singular other table in our vicinity where everyone else had multiple drinks. Further still that staff member apologised and said her colleague should of explained that when we’re sat - which became a theme of the day.

When we were brought our main - both steaks - they came grey and overcooked. We took one tiny bite and to our shock it was horrifying. It tasted sour like cheese, and smelt even worse. We tried cutting into the middle to check if it was just the overcooked parts we had but no the same grey meat met us and that tasted equally awful and we were stuck with the smell of rotting meat in front of us. With only a few bites missing (as seen on picture) a staff member walked over and asked us if we were done, we informed them that the meat tasted awful, was clearly overcooked beyond our requested medium rare and smelt awful. She took this to the kitchen and then came back offering us more steak which neither myself or my food companion could stomach.

When the meal ended the bar supervisor brought over the bill we complained explaining we would not pay the full amount for only a starter and a desert. He went away and said he’d ‘see what he could do’ and then came back explaining that he as the manager could not discount ‘a discount’ even though he was the manager and he had left to check that - and offered us drinks. Personally I don’t really think drinks replace food at any point let alone during a bottomless brunch or an offer of an extra main after completing a bottomless - particularly when they did not offer us that at the time. He refused us any other options so we payed so we could leave.

WOULD...

From the moment we arrived the night was spoilt. We arrived and asked if we could have a drink in the bar area, your staff said you only have your table for two hours so if you want three courses then you'll have to sit down at the table, what a warm and friendly welcome. After informing us of that, the girl then joined her friends around the corner of the bar and resumed their conversation, laughing and joking between themselves. We then agreed to be seated and found ourselves in the corner by the window to the kitchen. We then asked for our drinks which were delivered whilst we looked at the menu. We had teriyaki beef strips and lamb kofta as starters and sea bass and beef medallions for main. The lamb kofta was pretty dry and tasteless and the teriyaki beef portion was extremely small. Whilst waiting for the main to arrive we witnessed your kitchen and waiting staff picking on a bowl of chips with their fingers, in-between preparing and serving food, with no hand washing in sight. The sea bass was left on the pass for 10 - 15 minutes, whilst the beef medallions were prepared and as a result the chorizo under the sea bass was cold. We pointed out that the chorizo was cold when asked by one of the girls, she just half heartedly said would you like me to see if the chef can do anything about that, rather than taking the initiative and just doing something about it. My wife then left the meal half finished and when the plates were collected nothing was said. We decided we had had enough at this stage and asked for the bill and left. We were charged £87 for a miserable evening and will be telling everyone we know to avoid you like the plague. You offer terrible value for money, have inattentive staff, poor hygiene standards and ruined our...