Rising Sun Belgravia — Restaurant in London

Venue was on my list following a food blog post.

Visited the venue yesterday, found a same day booking online was excited; called through to make sure it was available. First impressions made me feel unwanted as a new customer, but I continued with the booking.

Attended, was busy and no one asked me if I had a booking; found a member of staff (the manager). He said he would find me a table, 10 mins later was still waiting.

Finally seated, a female member of staff questioned my seating at the table I was at. The manager confirmed he had confirmed my booking. She was quite unwelcoming.

When ordering food, took a long while. There was a possible issue with one order of a Caribbean roast chicken, but they still had some so resolved. Asked for food to come althogther, however my son's chicken wings (from starter menu) came first after 1 hour of ordering. Then the mains of roast chicken and sea bream followed later.

Noticed the sea bream had brown sauce/gravy after taken 1 forkful. Went to ask a member of staff, chef came out and I asked if the gravy was derived from meat e.g. chicken etc. He said yes, I was livid. The meal was a fish dinner, as a pescetarian I was horrified there was meat gravy in the fish. Something I felt they should have simply declared when ordering or written in menu.

I was cooked a new fish after discussion about the matter and offered a refund. I wanted a while for the new fish. It was sent out but by this time the rice and side food was all cold. I was shocked they never considered to either take the rice to keep warm or send a new one. I had to ask.

The chef came and apologised again. We were one of a few tables with issues. So he apologised to try table in front of us. They offered me a free dessert on the house. I picked the cake and custard. They offered the table in front the same but gave us different dessert options. I found this strange.

We then waited a long while for the cake and custard. The table in front went to enquire and discussed with a staff member about them working in a known restaurant and them opening a new one.

Both our tables become tired of waiting and the other table approached the staff first. A female kitchen staff member came out, brought a bag filled with dessert and apologised for the wait. She then looked at me to ask me what dessert I wanted. At this point I was fuming, our table had experienced the issues first and were offered a simple cake and custard first. How could we be asked again for our order after waiting over 30mins.

I told them not to bother and explained my disappointment in the treatment. I could only rationale at that point they didn't remember ours because they were more concerned with making an impression on another business owner.

The business owner did approach me when I was at my car and asked me to take a dessert, which was a kind gesture.

Overall I'm not sure I will go back or recommend...

One year ago, I wrote a 5-star review for The Rising Sun (keeping it attached for reference). Today, with a heavy heart, I can only give it 1 star — and the reason is the new manager, Marco.

The staff are still absolutely fantastic and the only reason we come here (plus the food is amazing!). But since Marco (the new manager) started, everything has gone downhill. He doesn’t know how to do his job, he messed up food orders on Friday, and then took zero accountability. Plus he treats the staff terribly. The atmosphere has changed completely, and as locals, we no longer feel at home here.

It’s devastating to see such brilliant staff and a once-thriving pub dragged down by one bad hire. Thanks to Marco, I’m a local no more. Advice to owners: sack him before this pub loses everything it’s built. I may come back once the new manager has left. Look at your pub!!! No locals on a Saturday? We are done...

The food was great (Caribbean roast is a must!) but the service is SO bad. When I arrived I said we had a reservation and the man working there just pointed to our table without saying anything (pretty rude), then when we were all sat we were there for ages as no one told us whether it was table service or not, so we eventually got up and went to the bar to order, and it took several attempts for the man behind the bar to get our order right when he repeated it back to us - way longer than needed. Food took a long time, people next to us who arrived later than us received their food first, too. No check-in was given, and we had to go up and ask for more gravy which took ages and several tries. Plates were then not cleared (literally not until we got up to leave), so no offer of dessert or anything like that. Overall staff are so miserable and not attentive at ALL. Shame as the...