The Cross Keys — Restaurant in London

Bad food, bad attitude

This used to be a great pub. Now it is not.

Problems started at the bar when the barman didn't know how to open a bottle of wine. He actually didn't know how to operate a cork screw. What's he doing behind a bar?

We then ordered (at the bar because the waiter refused to take an order from the area we were sitting in - at a table in the bar) 3 small plates and some focaccia.

The halloumi came as deep fried chunks with an over sweet pomegranate jam. Neither were pleasant and a favourite cheese was rendered inedible.

We were TOLD by the waitress to ask the jam to be put on the side next time (rather than being spread all over the dish like a child uses ketchup). There won't be a next time. Try getting it right first time.

Calamari was marginally better but rubbery and greasy. And the focaccia was thinly cut and took the form of a cottage loaf meaning that the usual delicious ratio of oily, salty crust to bread was lost, leaving you with a dry, over risen, thin bit of bread. (Some food conventions exist for a reason - challenge them at your peril.)

On raising our dissatisfaction with our over officious waitress we were made to feel as though our expectations of having any decent food were ambitious and that we were the ones at fault. She whipped away dishes like a spoilt child and stomped off.

The one thing I thought was good was that the chef came to our table to hear our complaints directly. He did this very professionally and with experience.

I've had some great evenings in The Cross Keys. Alas, I think my relationship with this pub has come to an end....

A local friend brought us by here after a long day in the hot sun. We noticed it said “closed for a private event” and turned around to walk to another location. As we were walking away a woman exited holding a stack of empty glasses and said “it’s closed but you can come in and head to the back. They’re still serving drinks there” so we reluctantly turned around and went in. Upon entering we were given a proper dressing down by staff and members of the private party. We tried to explain that we were weren’t trying to crash and only entered because we’d been encouraged to by someone who seemed to be working there. The response was to keep yelling at us to get out because it was privatized (in an extremely condescending manner as though we poorly behaved children) even though we were already walking out. We had just felt compelled to clarify that we hadn’t meant any harm and were equally confused why we’d be told to go inside when originally we’d intended to leave and were actively walking away from the venue. It was quite embarrassing and horrible. Although my friend lives just next to this place we will never go...

Just had a two course lunch with my wife. Nice place which Ive known for nearly 20 yrs. First tine eating there for several years though and wow what a change. Service was good and friendly. The atmosphere was also pleasant. The food howveer was exceeedingly mediocre- to be kind. To be more accurate, I think it could be described as piss poor, and overpriced. You certainly won't need to worry about putting on weight eating at the Cross Keys😀. Our salmon starter was just 3 very small slices of salmom with some of garnish dotted and spread around the plate. My main course: A very small fish pie, which could only be descibed as a child's portion. I feed my small dog from a bigger dish! The veg was a pile of limp cabbage. Horrible. My wife ate the ' fish of the day' which she described as bland, and was probably fish out of the supernarket freezer. I'm somone with a modest appetite and certinly not a "foody'. I actually left rhe Cross keys still hungry, and very disappionted. The Cross Keys kitchen needs to ' up its...