Frankie & Benny's — Restaurant in Portsmouth

From start to walking out before mains arrived was a complete shambles! Totally shocked at how awful our experience was. So booked a few days before for a Friday night dinner at 8pm. We arrived at 8.03pm to be told we had to wait for them to clear and clean our table. We had to then dry our own table with napkins as it was still wet. We eventually got a drink at 8.30pm and starters at 8.45pm! These actually were very tasty, we chose chicken wings, garlic bread and also the meatballs. At 9.20pm we were getting frustrated that in 80 mins after arriving we'd had such poor and slow service and we couldn't see any sight of our main course, we'd all put our coats back on too as we were all very uncomfortable with how cold it was in there. I then took it upon myself to decide we wouldn't wait any longer in such a cold, uncomfortable place for our mains and that we'd take our business elsewhere that would also be pleasant to sit in with some warmth. I spoke to whom i presumed to be head of the restaurant who didn't really apologise, just remarked "you still waiting on your mains? They won't be long" it was then I said, please cancel them, I'd like to leave and then proceeded to explain why and that also I'd noticed most of the restaurant guests had their coats on. We didn't get an apology or even a gesture of good will, no discount or offer of rectification. We will not be returning and I'd suggest if you're thinking of trying here, think again and go to one of the many lovely, good serviced restaurants that gunwharf have to offer. Shame as we frequent gunwharf, living locally and thought it may be good to try. Never mind, lesson learnt and we went on to have a very...

Update October 2021. We went for a meal on a Sunday afternoon and it was disappointing. Service was slow, looked like only 1 woman taking orders. While she was taking our order another staff member said to her that someone else was ready to place their order - clearly waiting. Ordered drinks to be told the soft drinks on draught wasn't working and could only have bottles or water. Ordered a starter, that wasn't available. Ordered mains, all OK. Hubby had the double beef burger and he offered me some and the meat was disgusting. Really cheap and rubbery. I had the chicken burger and that was OK. Very overpriced for what you get, service is poor and overall quality and experience is awful. Never going again.

3 years ago - Food is OK but the service is awful. Went yesterday, 3 adults and a child. The waiter bought the adult meals out to then tell us they didn't what we ordered for the child's meal left. What a time to tell us....when you've served up everyone else on the table. We thought he was joking but clearly wasn't and when we were annoyed he kept saying it wasn't his fault. We then had to order something else even though the child didn't want it. We then had to get up and ask for a 2nd time for our side order because they kept forgetting to bring it over. So slow yet it wasn't overly busy for a...

I went here tonight with my 2 children and a couple of friends. My 12 year old was unhappy with his meatballs. He called the waitress over and held his meatball out on a fork and said try this it is horrible taste it.. Now my son is autistic, and the way the waitress dealt with it was unprofessional. She moaned to her manager about my son infront of the customers. She then went around telling all other staff about the incident infront of other customers and my family. People need to be aware that autism is a thing and he is a child and that if you want to moan about an incident at work you do it in your own time. My son and myself were quite angry and upset that she had made something so minor into something so big. Just be more mindful is what I am saying.. Having said this the manager himself was amazing. He made my son feel more than welcome he gave him a couple of treats to cheer him up and he was very generous and apologetic about what had happened,he gave excellent customer service to us and was a real pleasure to have had his support...