Hope & Bear — Restaurant in Reading

Because of the excellent reviews, we decided to book a table for the Sunday roast. When I called to reserve on Sunday morning, I was told that not only does the restaurant serve the usual roast beef but they also cater for vegetarians by cooking a nut roast. Perfect I thought and immediately asked to reserve a table for a roast lunch. I was told that the earliest booking would be at 2.30pm which I accepted. We arrived at 2.30pm, hungry and looking forward to a well earned sumptuous Sunday feast. I walked in first while my partner parked the car. I was shown to a table and asked if I could order the roast immediately as we were both ravenous, to which the waiter replied ‘Oh sorry, we stop serving roasts at 2pm’. I said that I had made the reservation on the basis of being able to order a roast. Although apologetic, there was nothing that they could do as it was now half an hour after 2pm. My partner then turns up and joins me at the table. Without any fuss we decide to order from the main menu. A minute later, another member of staff storms over and asks my partner where his face mask is. (My partner is exempt from wearing a face mask due to a medical condition which is clearly stated on a large badge he wears on his jacket.) Without waiting for an answer, the member of staff tells him, in a confrontational tone ‘I will have to escort you out of the building.’ Why the hostility? Is there any reason to speak in this way to a customer? At least give a customer the benefit of the doubt and wait for a valid explanation, instead of presuming them guilty from the offset. I admonish myself for not leaving at that moment. The staff member then sees the badge, apologizes and scurries away behind the bar. Trying to forget the discourteous welcome we received, we then go on to order our food - a shared starter and two main dishes. Fifteen minutes later the main dishes arrive. We asked where our starter was to which the slightly embarrassed waitress replies (after conferring with the waiter who took our order) ‘Um, sorry, he completely forgot about your starter.’ Slightly subdued, we eat our main course, which was good, but the experience had been overshadowed by the poor service. The waitress, came over, apologising profusely and said that our drinks would be paid for due to their oversight. It was very kind of her but I can’t say we will ever return to the Hope & Bear, or even...

Left feeling horrible and regretting coming - Had a group booking as we were visiting Reading for the weekend, I decided to ignore some reviews about a bad experience about service and sadly I was met with the same bad service from one bartender.

As I walked in I asked if he minded if we sat outside and he told me he would rather we didn't as it meant they had to bring food out and he stared me down leaving me feeling very belittled for wanting to sit outside. He made me feel like it was the most inconvenient thing and that it bothered him a lot even for a simple ask while others say outside.

I decided not to deal with him any more and let my husband do the ordering.

He then did not bring our food out and we sat waiting while the rest of my party finished their food. He approached us and said he had no evidence of our order despite my husband having his email of order and having paid over £100 and having waited patiently for our food. He then raised his voice at us and my husband decided to go in to get our food which had been sitting under heat for about 20/30 mins. I wish this was the end.

As my brother went in to order the same guy was sitting on a gambling/gaming machine and ignored him.

I am not the person to review this type of experience and I generally accept that some people have bad days and may be rude but this goes beyond okay as from the second I walked in I was half afraid to meet him again.

The only redeeming thing was the food and other bartenders who apologize for this guy. So thank you to the chef and those who have to work with the other employee

The person in question had tattoos and dark black hair. I can see reviews about him already and would have management seriously consider his employment as I will not be returning and will not be recommending the...

Booked here for a little reunion with two of my friends from uni and our families for two main reasons: Nostalgia - this pub used to be the Upin Arms when I was at uni and I spent a lot (too much?) of time here back then. My friend was over from Malaysia and craving a Yorkshire pudding and the roasts here looked good.

We booked for 12:30 but a combination of traffic and children meant we didn't actually order until 1:30. The server swiftly came out after we had ordered through the QR to say that there was now an hour's wait for food. We asked if they could possibly prioritise the children's food. The server came back and told us that yes, the chef would prioritise the children's food and that the hour's wait was only really an absolute worst case scenario.

In the event, no one received their food until over an hour had passed. In the meantime one of the three families was informed that some of the items on their order were unavailable and they were offered a substitution. This was a little curious a although the items in question were part of all three families' orders, the rest of us weren't offered a substitution.

The last of my friends were served their food after 3:10, 1 hour and 40 minutes after we ordered.

My burger was good, my wife said her chicken was dry.

The children's meals, to the pub's credit, were refunded.

...but my friend's long wait for a Yorkshire pudding goes on, as this was one of the things they ran out of...on...