The Olive Lounge Ltd — Restaurant in Rotherham

We visited yesterday. I booked in the morning for me and my husband and our 8 month old using the website. I booked for one of the available slots at 5pm.

When we arrived at 4:30pm the owner (who had just sped past us on his bike on the way) approached us (and without us even knowing he worked at the olive lounge) said 'you can't go upstairs yet, you haven't booked until 5pm'. We explained that we were aware of what time we had booked and because it was a nice day had come early to buy a drink and sit outside. He seemed abrupt and unfriendly and immediately put us on edge. Regardless we bought a drink and sat outside until our 5pm booking.

At 5pm we went upstairs and the owner opened the doors to us and the first thing he said (again in a very unfriendly manner) was 'if you are bringing the little one in future you need to book for 3 people'. I explained that we haven't been before and only 2 of us would be eating so I had booked a table for 2 and then in the booking notes I had requested a highchair for our baby who would also be coming. He said his booking system doesn't work like that and he had had to change tables around (even though we were the only ones in). Again we felt very uncomfortable and unwelcome. I actually booked it this way because I didn't want to book a space that an adult who would be eating could haven taken.

He then took us to our table and walked away without explaining anything about our menus or where the drinks menu was. We spent a good 5 minutes trying to work out how to fasten our son into the broken high chair that was left for us and the owner saw and said 'don't ask me how to use them, we don't use them very often'. He then walked off and we didn't hear from him for the rest of our meal (thank god).

Thankfully a lovely young lady then came over and could see us struggling with the highchair. She looked and confirmed it was broken and swapped it. She asked us if we wanted any drinks and we explained that we didn't have a drinks menu. She then showed us where it was and asked if anyone had explained how we were supposed to order (by circling what we wanted on the menu). We explained not and I asked who the man was who had taken us to our table and thats when she confirmed he was the owner.

The only reason we have given 3 stars is because this lady was lovely and the food was amazing and very good value for money. What a shame the owner ruined our experience. Many people had recommended this place to us and we would have had a lovely night had we not sat there feeling very uncomfortable.

I can only think that the owner was annoyed we had booked on the day and for an early slot, meaning he had to race to work earlier. If you don't want on the day bookings or children visiting your establishment then change your website. Or maybe even add a high chair option when booking if it causes such problems. If I did do the booking wrong then maybe say hello first before lecturing me or possibly even wait until after our meal to kindly explain for next time.

Maybe Mr money bags needs to stay behind the scenes and leave his lovely staff who understand how to cook and treat customers...

Don't take your kids. Double double check your card payment BEFORE paying !

Sadly , I have to write a public review as there is nothing but a postal address to discuss with management our experience. And who posts letters now a days ? We booked a table for 8.30 and pre ordered food - a party of 11 of us, mums and teenage girls. At 8.40 they served our food, as we were finishing around 9pm we were told under 18s were not allowed in the restaurant after 9pm

We had no knowledge of this and , having ordered drinks and meal it was not verbally mentioned before we were served . We were of course upset about this and questioned it. We were told we could order one more drink!

Why oh why is there simply not this information on the booking page? Basic communication. Or why didn't the staff tell us when we arrived with only 30 minutes to sit drink and eat and pay for a meal? It's really not on, it's very very poor service.

We would have stayed ordered puddings and more drinks !

The bill arrived and we spilt it between the adults. Asking to each pay £20 on cards, one friend putting £20 cash down in front of the waiter.

Twice my friend told the waiter £20 each per card. He can not possibly have not heard this! This amount covered the bill (as we have pre paid a deposit).

As our cards tapped we each noticed the transaction was Keyed in at £3 more each. Not bank breaking but wrong.

Now yes we should have double checked, I should have put my "readers" on, but you do tap on trust of telling someone twice £20 and expect it to be £20. We obviously felt this was completely utterly wrong. Steeling almost ? We asked for our extra £ 3's each back. They gave us this in cash ,with no apology from the waiter that made the "error" . Rude, at best.

All in all I won't be back . You have been warned don't take kids and double double check what you tap for card payments. Such a shame for what was once a...

Really slow bar service. The drinks where great but the bartenders where so slow. They spent more time talking to each other rather than acknowledging customers and keeping track of who’s next. At one point despite there being six behind the bar only one boy served me and my friend for two separate orders while the others stood around talking. It’s a shame the service was so bad as it’s a lovely venue. I used to work in a cocktail bar and the first thing we was taught after learning the cocktail spec was timing. We had to be quick and know the cocktails off by heart but unfortunately these bartenders where running round like headless chickens on one occasion pouring my drink back into the shaker three times to redo it because it was short. On more than one occasion customers who arrived at the bar after me where served first. On average I spent 15mins waiting at the bar to be served and an extra 15mins waiting for the drink to be made. We ended up leaving and going to another bar. Also would like to point out that we arrived midday and the bar wasn’t busy at all. A maximum of 5 customers at the bar at a time with 6...