The Reading Room — Restaurant in Reading

Update! After a horrible experience celebrating my B-day here, me and my friends have been invited for the complimentary afternoon tea, to re-celebrate my birthday. The Manager has assured, that something what we have experienced isn’t up to their standards. Re-celebration happened 4 months later (due to our busy life commitments). The sandwiches and deserts were really tasty (not too much sugar) and there was a large variety of teas. The service was good this time. We enjoyed spending time together and my friends were happy. Just very sad, that my first experience during my B-day wasn’t as good. However, despite that I will still probably visit again for special occasion.

I wanted to visit this place for a long while.

Finally, I have booked a table for my 36th Birthday to celebrate with my girlfriends.

To say that I was so disappointed and frustrated is to say nothing. From beginning ato the end, we experienced a very bad customer service.

I booked a table at 3pm for a la carte menu. When we sat, we have been told that a la carte menu is closing at 3 pm and we have to order asap. (Why do you give option to book a la carte, if you don’t serve it after 3?).

We been served by at least 5 different people in a very slow way, some of the staff did not speak English or spoke it in the way non of us could understand. Despite I left the notes, that it was my Birthday - no one even said Happy Birthday, nothing at all.

I was very disappointed to pay for a top restaurant and experience appalling customer service. No one asked us if everything was ok, it looked that non of the staff is interested in caring for their customers.

The food was nice, but it does not pay off for the service and experience I received. I was ashamed in front of my guests, that we experienced this. In my opinion in place like that and with prices like this, the customer service has to be a top priority. The staff has to be friendly, polite, smile and know how to go an extra mile if needed (or at least make an impression that they go extra mile). Non of this we have experienced. The way of communication with the guests (us) was appealing.

On arrival we have also asked if there was any chance to change for the afternoon tea and very rudely been answered: “No.” - without any explanations.

We have also been asked in a quite rude way out of the restaurant: “Sorry, I need the table” - that was the indication for us to leave. The waiter did not offer us to move to the bar area. Jus told that he needs a table. I was shocked. At that moment we were waiting for a taxi and actually had to stand outside for 10min in the cold, because we have been kicked off.

Many little things have combined in a horrible experience with a high check I have paid. I was so shocked, that I couldn’t sleep at night and thought about our experience and why it was like that. My B-day with my friends was ruined this year.

My girlfriends advised me not to pay the service charge and one of them told during the payment that we won’t pay a service charge because there was no service. The waiter was not interested at all in what we have said and did not ask any questions about it. When we paid the bill, there was someone coming again to take the payment second time.

There were so many things, which have combined into an appalling experience and ruined my...

Disgraceful, avoid at all costs.

Last evening we booked a table for five for 8 o’clock to celebrate family members’ recent achievements. We arrived at 7:40, as we intended to have an aperitif before dinner. On arrival, whilst there is a bar (it was empty), we were shown straight to our table. With no further interaction from the staff (we worked out there was almost one member of staff for each occupied table, of which there were only 6, so not busy), we flagged a waiter and asked if we could have an aperitif. After no further contact and 10 minutes into the visit an amuse bouche arrived but we explained we had asked if we could have an aperitif first. What followed was another period of unresponsiveness interspersed by numerous requests from us for the wine list. Eventually we were offered the wine list and after further requests we were able to order a bottle of champagne and some waters. Thirty minutes into the visit we were still without champagne, although a waiter at this point asked if we were ready to order and again we explained we were waiting for our champagne. At this point someone brought the waters but still no sign of the champagne. We were starting to feel as though ‘someone, was trying to make a point’ at our expense.

I therefore asked to see the Restaurant Manager and we were told he would be coming. After 5 minutes champagne glasses were put on the table, but still no champagne. We asked the waiter again to see the manager, and he said he was coming, so we waited some more. After a further 5 minutes and having been in the restaurant for nearly 40 minutes at this point and with no sign of the manager or the champagne, the edge had been taken out of what should have been a joyous evening, so we decided to leave. On the way out we bumped into the Restaurant Manager who was still in the reception area and obviously had no intention of coming to see us at the table. When I complained he didn’t have the decency to see an unhappy customer, he said the fault was all ours because we turned up 20 minutes before our booking which was why we were shown to our table and left for 20 minutes! He also said that he thought there were no issues at all with the service that evening. I responded saying that he was there to provide a service and we were the customers, to which he replied, “No, only to people who respect me!” My wife added that the service was disgusting to which he responded “No, you are disgusting”.

In over 40 years of dining in many, many various establishments around the world I have never experienced anything like this. There are many decent restaurants in Reading where disgraceful customer service and rude, pompous staff don’t feature...

Wow what an experience dining at the Reading Room Roseatte. We were looked after the moment we stepped through the door of the hotel and the doorman held open the large wooden beautiful doors. Located in the basement the Resteraunt is a delightful oasis of tranquility where every member of staff goes out of their way to help. We were looked after at our table by a waitress and the supervisor and wow were they amazing. We had the tasting menu and they explained every dish and glass of wine in such detail and so eloquently. They answered any question we had with ease. The food itself was pure perfection and I can’t thank the chef enough for every delicious morsel. The presentation was also outstanding. For drinks we had the flight of wine which I totally recommend and is worth every penny and also a lovely mocktail. All in all it was a superb experience. The only one minor detail I would mention is on entry our table wobbled. Our waitress immediately rectified it by kindly and efficiently placing some paper under the leg but if that could be taken care of before arrival it would be great. But this is such a minor point because the experience from end to end was amazing. Most of all the food was delicious and the waiting staff were incredible and I can’t thank them enough. They went way above and beyond and made the day so special and memorable. I unequivocally recommend the Reading...