The Parade Tea Rooms — Restaurant in Portsmouth

I have been a customer at the Parade Room since 2017 and I usually cannot get enough of the place.

The cakes are absolutely scrumptious and the lunch menu is fantastic – especially Jane salad, which is my favourite.

Yes, I would agree that is a bit more expensive than other coffee shops around the area, but is a Tea Room and not a coffee shop, so that has never been an issue as you always get fantastic service.

I have always recommended the Tea Room and when we have friends and family visiting, we take them there because of its lovely environment overlooking the park, it is kid friendly and the choice of heavenly cakes and food is fantastic.

Yesterday however, I decided to go for a little afternoon brunch with my husband and I cannot express how awful this was….

Usually, it’s a seat yourself service unless there is a sign advising to “wait at the sign”. Nobody was there and there was no queue or anyone around, so we walked in to have a look at the vast selection of cakes, getting even more excited about the upcoming brunch.

As we were approaching the refrigerator display, one of the team members approached us and told us to wait at the sign as there were no available tables at the moment, without even asking if we wanted to sit in or have something take-away. Anyway, fair enough we did as we were told.

My husband decided to go to the gents while I was waiting to be seated and I turned around and asked if it was possible to have the menu, so we could decide what we wanted whilst waiting to be seated.

The team member gave me the menus and as I was turning to walk back to the sign, she pointed out with a finger and asked me to “wait at the sign” with the worst attitude and tone I could possibly imagine from anyone really, which was absolutely unnecessary.

So, I responded that there is no need for her to tell me that and she could calm down a bit.

It got even worse as she snapped at me that she is calm and I am being rude – well, how could someone be rude by asking for the menu while waiting?

I went back at the sign waiting for my husband and decided not to stay there at all – not a friendly welcome at all and I did not see why I should spend my money somewhere I am not welcomed.

I simply wanted to give her back the menus and asked where could I complain and if possible to talk to the Manager – at this moment she got very angry and ironically stated “I am the Manager, you can complain to me” with the same arrogant attitude with obviously no experience at all of how to talk to customers. Then I asked if I can speak to the Manager who is above her at which she responded that the other Manager is on holiday and she turned her back on me and walked off.

This was the worst experience I’ve ever had in my life , and I have never felt more humiliated when all I wanted was to have a good quality brunch!

It is a family run business, not a chain coffee shop where people come and go every day and it is really sad to see that the customer service is...

I went here with my partner last year when visiting Portsmouth to see family. We where so impressed with the service we actually booked our apartment locally so we could visit again. We visited for a late breakfast yesterday and took the children, it was absolutely perfect. All day breakfast cooked to perfection and the kids loved their pancakes! We decided to visit again for lunch, service not as good. Food looked just as good on the plates and the girl serving was very helpful, as usual. Only part way through our all day breakfast and 2 out of the 3 breakfasts ordered consisted of undercooked sausages. They where pink in the middle. I asked another member of staff to cook the sausages a little longer. I wasn't abrupt, it was busy and sometimes mistakes happier, it's absolutely fine. You would usually expect an apology and for the sausages to be reheated. Only the girl didn't apologise but decided to argue with me. Nothing wrong with the sausages, all our food is probed and cooked to 75'c she went on to explain the sausages are pink due to the colour of the meat... think she expected me to shut up complaining and feed our children raw meet. Anyway, moving forward, the meals where changed. I ate most but I had lost my appetite and we didn't stay for the cakes! On this occasion. I except sometimes, mistakes are made, in any restaurant. My issue is now not necessarily the under cooked food, but how this particular issue was handled. 1 member of staff inparticular could benefit from a lesson in...

Travelled across town to buy a couple of slices of cake, arrived well over half an hour before closing, seen the cake we wanted in the display cabinet and asked for two pieces please! We were told that we couldn't have any of that cake as it was for tomorrow? We said but it's right there all you need to do is cut it! Answer no! We were then directed to the dry bits of other different cakes that were on display in the same cabinet. But we don't like them we like that one there next to the ones you say we can have? No you can't have it! Needless to say we left empty handed and a 1 hour round trip wasted . Went back today and got the cake we wanted, while there explained to the so called manager about our previous experience and how crazy it was and how dissatisfied we were , explained we are regulars, spent a lot of money here as well and they seemed totally disinterested and walked off! Well we weren't offered an apology just well it's company policy? I can't believe that? Still as they have raised the price to £9 for two slices we will not be going back...