Chiquito — Restaurant in Portsmouth

This review isn’t a reflection of the food we received or the two waitresses who served us, both were excellent. Instead, I’m writing in the hope that someone in a higher position takes notice. Maybe it was just this particular evening but....

We visited on Tuesday, 15th July, around 7pm. Despite it being a late Tuesday evening, the restaurant was quite busy, though there were still several empty tables. We waited around 20 minutes to be seated, not due to a lack of space, but because the two waitresses on duty were completely overwhelmed, handling everything on their own. Two waitresses for whole restaurant!!!!

To be clear, those two waitresses were fantastic, professional and doing their best under pressure. They were managing long wait times, fielding the many complaints for no drinks/ food, and still getting bits out to tables as quickly as they could. They absolutely deserve recognition for how they handled the situation.

In contrast, there was a third woman, presumably the manager (wasn't wearing the blue top) who appeared more focused on looking busy than actually helping. While food orders piled up under the heat lamps and drinks sat untouched on the bar, she was wiping down empty tables, pushing around chairs, and pouring more drinks rather than supporting the clearly overstretched staff. Also ignoring other waiting customers. It honestly became laughable at times. We waited a further 20 minutes for our drinks, 15 minutes of that 20 sat on the bar while this 'manager' walked past them several times. She even poured them!!!

Thankfully, we still managed to enjoy our evening... just, but I’m genuinely surprised there aren’t more negative reviews based on the management or lack thereof from Tuesday 15th 7pm. The frontline staff deserve far better support from management or additonal staff to work if possible at least. Hopefully someone will see this, you cannot run a busy restaurant with only...

Arrived around 13:45 as a table of 3. One special needs child and 2 adults. We waited a long time to be greeted and then I can't say we were greeted with a particularly friendly face! We were seated and shortly after we realised we were right in the flow of the air con. The child with us became very cold very quickly! We asked to move and the waitress said she would check with a manager. She returned to say we would need to either fold the wheelchair we had or leave it at the bar to move to another seat. We said this was not a problem at all and they said they would clean the table. The manager then cleaned all other tables around us before cleaning the one we were waiting for. Both us adults felt like she had some sort of problem with us from her attitude and lack of warm greeting from the start but this just solidified the feeling! Eventually a lovely waitress cleaned the table for us and we were moved away from the air con. Once our food came (which was very nice!) we asked for a glass of water. Waited 10 minutes before going to the bar to get it ourselves as the waitress was busy chatting with a group on another table. Probably won't return and we are a bit gutted as we were torn between Nandos or Chiquitos and I wish we had just...

I decided to go there for my birthday dinner. I had two starters for my mains, the bbq chicken wings and vegan loaded wedges. The wings were the smallest chicken wings i have ever laid eyes on and for £7 something. It's not worth it! Vegan loaded wedges were good - would have them again.

One of my friends had the steak and loved it and another choose something in haste and she didnt like it but our waitress, Becca could tell she didn't like it so came back and checked up on her and suggested she got something she would enjoy - she then got the nachos which you can't go wrong with.

I got a free birthday, brownie - thanks, Becca! It was delicious. I also tried a new dessert - deep fried ice cream wrapped in a tortilla. That was lovely but quite filling after having the brownie would recommend it to those who had not had dessert already and its also vegan.

The drinks - i had the passion fruit something mocktail. I do not recommend anyone gets that please as it was literally just ice, was very disappointed.

The atmosphere was just way tooo loud. Clearly a loved place but it was so loud at the beginning that we couldn't hear ourselves, but that later calmed down as...