The Anthologist St Peter's Square — Restaurant in Manchester

We were in Manchester for the day and decided to call in here for a drink it was 5pm Saturday eve. We asked where we could sit and was told any tables far end by the restaurant. I was served at the Bar by Roshan great guy and efficient and helpful. We had initially thought of just having one and moving on to get something to eat elsewhere, but decided to stay and eat here as the food looked ok and the atmosphere was good and we were enjoying our quiet drink. I asked one of the waiting staff if we could order food at the table we were at as we were sat in the restaurant and she went away and asked and came back with the full menu but was told to order at bar. So we ordered our food and drinks at 6 and again excellent service by Roshan. Our food arrived and we had just started to eat when one of the staff arrived with a reserved sign and placed it where we were sat and said just to let you know this tables reserved at 7. I checked my watch and it was 6.20. I pointed out that this was offside as at no point had we been told the table was reserved at 7 not at the point of entry or when we had asked if we could eat there 20 minutes earlier and we had now just started our meal and new caraffe of wine. Had we been told the table was required we wouldnt have ordered the food and extra wine. We were told that we could be tried to be seated elsewhere but the place was now busy. We ate and drank our food rushed and was leaving when i stopped a lady who I had seen wandering around and asked if she was management to which she said she was, I explained what had just occurred and most places Ive been to reserved signs are out well in advance not placed 30 mins or so before especially when you let people sat there order food. Her reply was i will pass on your comments and walked off no engagement. So what started as a nice drink and would have earned 5...

Having paid £80 each for our tickets for tastefilm at the Anthologist , we had high expectations for the evening, but unfortunately, the experience fell far below an acceptable standard for several reasons. Firstly, despite being instructed to arrive at 6:45 PM, we were left waiting outside in the cold until 6:55 PM without explanation. This was an uncomfortable start to the evening. The food portions were equally disappointing. As we had chosen the vegan option, we were served a quarter of a waffle with two undercooked veggie sausages, which were also cold. This was neither satisfying nor acceptable. Additionally, the cocktail I was served was spilled all over me, and no apology was made. I was left sitting soaked for the remainder of the event. When the cocktails were finally replaced, they tasted unpleasant and had to be sent back to be remade. The main course of bao buns was poorly balanced, with an inadequate ratio of bun to mushroom, and the dessert was unpalatable, with my sister receiving a noticeably smaller portion. To make matters worse, we were then served a piece of jelly that tasted cheap and distasteful. None of the dishes appeared to align with the theme of the movie, leaving us confused and underwhelmed. The cocktail spillage significantly disrupted the experience, as I had to clean up the mess, missing parts of the film and enduring the rest of the evening in a wet seat. When I raised my concerns about being charged for the cocktail, I was met with a hostile response, which only added to my disappointment. This experience was far from what was advertised, and I am extremely dissatisfied. I was looking forward to promoting this event on my social media platforms, but after such a disappointing evening, I...

A Disappointing Display of Poor Customer Service at The Anthologist!

I visited The Anthologist early this afternoon and witnessed what I can only describe as one of the worst examples of customer service I’ve seen in quite some time.

A beautifully dressed woman had purchased a cup of tea and sat outside to enjoy it. She seemed relaxed and joyful, taking photos and appreciating the space. With a bouquet of flowers by her side, it was honestly a lovely and peaceful moment to observe.

After a little while, she walked toward the front of the restaurant which was tastefully decorated with flowers and began taking a few more photos. That’s when a woman, who I believe to be the manager, abruptly came outside and publicly chastised her for taking photos near the entrance.

The tone and delivery were unnecessarily harsh, and frankly, humiliating. The woman was not being disruptive, nor was she blocking the doorway. She had been there only briefly. It was deeply disappointing to see someone be spoken to that way especially over something so harmless.

And in this dicey climate, it’s worth noting that this was done to an elegantly dressed Black woman who, despite the treatment she received, remained calm, composed, and even kind enough to offer to take a photo of me in front of the very same doorway.

I watched her mood shift from joyful to visibly hurt. It was hard to watch.

There is a better way to engage with people whether they’re paying customers or not. Businesses like The Anthologist should ensure their staff are properly trained on how to speak to others with basic respect and decency. Moments like these leave lasting impressions.

It costs...