Bar Rakuda — Restaurant in Plymouth

Well here we are again, I have deleted my previous review as it’s only fair to keep things relevant. My friend and I arrived around 8pm on a pleasant Thursday evening, and although very busy there were a few empty tables. As we walked along the public footpath to sit down at said table, a “door supervisor” who was dressed like Del Boy, reached his arm out across our path and said “where do you think you’re going, if you want to come in you have to go through me” a fantastic start to our visit! I do have the same license as Del and that introduction was certainly not on the course! Would just like to say we are both mid to late 30’s, not teenagers out to get hammered. After being seated by another chap who always wears a “door supervisor” badge holder on his arm with ever changing pieces of paper inside we attempted to order using the app... 15 mins later and the app still not working due to “over use” we asked the manager the next course of action. Manager was pleasant enough, but in the time it took to explain how busy and understaffed he was, he could’ve just taken our order but c’est la vie. At writing I am still waiting for the 5 failed attempts to use app to disappear from my pending transactions. The fries I ordered were actually very good and came within minutes. However the Pizza my friend ordered arrived after over an hour! We spoke to 3 different staff in this time, none of whom came back to give us an answer. The pizza was very very greasy and soggy. The female singer was very good and had most people singing along, but when DJ Otzi-Slim-Harris started that really was...

This was our second visit. Went in on my birthday for cocktails. The young women that served us greeted us with 2 for £14 cocktails, I had a passion fruit martini, my partner had a strawberry daiquiri, brought to us at our table. They were lovely. We went up to the bar to order two more cocktails with the two guys that were serving and got told it was £18. My partner challenged this as it was 2 for £14, to which he was told that’s only on the same cocktails. Fine, but we didn’t have the same cocktails the first time? They followed with excuses of ‘Oh it must have been before 6pm’ to which it wasn’t, followed by ‘it must now be after 7pm’ which it also wasn’t.. The cocktails were then produced, left on the bar, and we were told ‘there you go guys’. My partner half jokingly said, ‘so not only have you over charged us but now you want me to come and get it? The last lady brought them over.’ We got a rude ‘I’ve got other customers’. There were two of you?! But don’t worry, as long as you enjoyed your coffee that’s fine!

So… Firstly, let’s make sure one knows what the other one’s doing. Ie, one member of staff charging one price and another member another price and let’s stop with the excuses. Secondly, sort your attitude out and don’t speak to your customers like that. Thirdly, hope you enjoyed your coffees rather than bringing us...

Currently the outside patio is open as per Covid regulations.. to order drinks you scan a QR code on the table and a menu will pop up on your smart phone to order drinks etc (they dont tell you this when you are seated by a host). A waiter or waitress will bring you your drinks order. You have to stay seated at you assigned table. You also have to have an NHS test & trace app to scan in before you sit down. The service was reasonably fast. There are some patio heaters and a marquee cover to help shield from the elements. I ordered a vodka orange as did my guest. Tbh it tasted very weak so im not sure if there was a full shot of vodka in there but it was nice to experience the 'novelty' of having a drink at a bar with a friend again. I've been here pre-covid and its always been a popular bar and the seated / server bringing drinks is actually a lot less chaotic and you get your drinks a lot quicker so I hope they keep some of those elements. They used to have live music too so I really hope that returns one day. It's in a great location in the Barbican by the water side. If you are looking to have a quiet drink somewhere though be warned it can be...