Puffin' Rooms — Restaurant in Liverpool

This is the review that I have just posted on Trip Advisor.

Having been to several cigar bars in the States and also having bought several hundreds of pounds worth of merchandise from the store, I thought I'd pay a visit 5/4/18.

I have to say that the bar and table that I was shown to was very dark, moody and classy in the very best way. I ordered a nice bottle of wine and lay out my cigars on my table which the friendly and professional waitress had seen and commented on in terms of me not being a novice.

The wine arrived and was poured, but when I asked for an ash tray I was told that I couldn't smoke in this room. Although extremely disappointed given the nice surroundings and atmosphere, I was prepared to take my wine to the other room where I could smoke. However, I was informed that I could not use my own cigars and had to buy one. I explained that two of my cigars that I had brought with me were part of an order I had bought from that shop online worth £90 only one week ago.

I was still told that I would have to buy a cigar at the time of smoking if I wanted to do it on the premises.

At that point I politely said that there was no point in my having the wine and left feeling extremely disappointed and frustrated having left my car at home and travelled just under an hour - for nothing.

The way it's sold online entices you to enjoy a few drinks, a meal or snacks and of course a cigar. If only that was true - I would be a regular. As it is I won't even buy cigars from this retailer again.

Just one final question to the owners. Why on earth would you include a smoking cigar on your webpage video of the bar, offer everything from drinks and meals to entertainment, everything that is but the ability to smoke a cigar and call it the puffing rooms? At best it's very misleading and at worse it's deliberate mis...

As a loyal patron of the Puffin Rooms and a frequent visitor to the adjoining cigar shop, I have always appreciated the ambiance and quality these establishments offered. Unfortunately, my recent experience fell strikingly short of expectations due to significant changes in the staff.

The experience began with an unexpectedly cold and unwelcoming reception from the door staff. Once inside, the service only worsened. The waitstaff exhibited a surprisingly poor attitude, marked by rudeness and a distinct lack of accountability when our drink orders were incorrect. There was a palpable sense from some staff members that they would rather be elsewhere, which was particularly evident in how one member addressed my wife.

The small female staff member who served our table was unprofessional and displayed an alarming lack of respect when engaging with our party of four. It was abundantly clear that training and experience were lacking across the board, which greatly impacted our enjoyment of the evening.

Having spent a considerable amount of money over the years at both the Puffin Rooms and the cigar shop, I expected a level of service that matched the reputation they had built. Unfortunately, this experience was enough to ensure that I will not return. I am deeply disappointed to see such a decline and will no longer trust this venue with my time...

A great place with very informed and professional staff with a great selection of whiskeys and cigars, BUT our experience completely spoiled by a rather rude pianist who practically told us to go to the cigar room because we were ‘talking loudly’ ?!?! She then told my wife that she could hear every word of her conversation with her friend which made them uncomfortable enough to join us in the cigar room. Not a great experience for our first time there and the fact we spent a large sum of money on fine cigars, cocktails and whiskey. What’s the point of going to a ‘speak easy’ bar you can’t talk in? I don’t want to go and watch a pianist in silence.

(In Reply to Hayley)

You can dress it up how ever you like, but my biggest issue with that whole ordeal was NO ONE, not even the 'director of music' (who did initially come over to our table to introduce herself), say oh by the way guys this is a quiet area for music. We weren’t being obnoxious,rude or drunk, we were doing what we thought was perfectly acceptable (talking in a bar) and we were made to feel like we were doing something wrong.The girls conversation wasn’t that intimate, they certainly wouldn’t have been embarrassed if anyone had overheard it that's for sure! A polite tip for Victoria - maybe don't play the music as loud and you can have the perfect balance of music...