The Old Star — Restaurant in London

Be prepared to wait at least 1.5 hours for food. Don't take kids there. Don't take elderly people there. Don't take people who have not been to English pubs before there (tourists will never want to go to a pub again and will remain with the very wrong impression). Be prepared to climb 3 floors at least a few times (to (not)find table, to order, to ask why the delay).

Unfortunately, we received a really bad service here. We were 5 people including a child and an elderly person, and at first nobody from staff could tell if there were tables available, which was the reason people were constantly going up and down the 3 levels checking for seating. This was not the worst though. When we finally found a table, we couldn't order online as we were underground with no reception, so we had to order at the bar, where there were two tills and the person went away, leaving us to watch how people at the other till were ordering away. Staff didn't even know the table number or where the table was at all! The worst was that we then had to wait for more than 1h 30min for food, not being informed about what was going on, until we started asking. When we decided to eventually go, having wasted a significant amount of time on our day in London (instead of what we were there for), they came with the plates and not a single sign of curtesy to the fact that we received the worst service in the country. Taking a starving kid and a person with diabetes who needed to have food at certain times - this was a horrible experience to me personally. I went through a great spectrum of negative emotions and I paid the full top location price for it. We all had ordered Fish&Chips and on the positive note, fish was delicious (hence one star from me), but to this day I can't tell if it was because it was well cooked, or because we were left starving for so long. I suspect that a single slice of bread would have achieved the same effect, considering the state we were in. A good host could have probably offered something simple to keep us alive for that 1.5h (while they catch that fish and bring it cooked to...

Unfortunately I wish I could write something more positive. I work at a Greene King Urban brand pub myself and it is experiences like the one myself and my partner had at the Old Star that gives Greene King a bad name.

We visited for a quick bite to eat whilst visiting London for the weekend. When we first entered, I liked the atmosphere inside and we managed to find a table tucked away to the side. However when I went to order at the bar, the members of staff working did not seem very friendly at all, but I do realise working in the same industry that everyone has stressful days at work so I just put it down to that.

The food was relatively quick coming out, I had the hummus and flatbread and the honey mustard sausages and my partner had the BLT sandwich. The presentation of the hummus and flatbread was not the greatest but it tasted nice nonetheless. However my partners BLT could have been one of the worst sandwiches he has ever received in a pub. When it arrived, the bread was quite literally falling apart, making it almost impossible to pick up to eat. The chicken was so dry that it was almost rock solid and my partner had to pretty much leave most of it. How the chef was happy to send out a sandwich looking like that and the staff were happy to serve it, I do not know. Safe to say we did not stay around for long after receiving the food.

I understand that the pub is located in a touristy area and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the demand but some of these things really do...

Unfortunately the worst experience possible. I booked a table for NYE for drinks and dinner. I received confirmation on my email and then also a reminder about my booking. At the arrival manager on duty had no idea about my reservation. And told me that kitchen is closed . And I can only order food if I know what I want because chef is really upset already. No menu. Nothing. She told us that she had no idea about our reservation. Nobody ever bothered to call about early closing. So unprofessional. It was NYE. Not just a normal day. She also said that everything around is closed wich wasn’t true because we went to w pub across the street and they welcomed us with dinner. After last orders another women came, i think someone who work there, as she came behind the bar and took a bottle of beer. Even though I was seating just next to them manager on duty was talking about me. She said that I just didn’t want to order food. But how could I, if I didn’t even see a menu. And obviously she was talking about me. Honestly it’s unbelievable to me how come you can treat your guests like that. I work for hospitality myself. And taking care about guests and their plans and celebrations it’s the most important...