Playfoots Cafe & Bar — Restaurant in Salford

So I only ever write a bad review if it’s really bad as I know how this can impact small businesses, but the experience me and 3 other friends had last night was absolutely shocking and I feel the owners/others need to be aware.

I’ll start with the only positive that the food we thought was good, the tacos were okay but the meat fries were gorgeous, it was the customer service that was absolutely abysmal. We ordered our food at around 6.30pm which was 10 tacos and 2 meat fries across two orders, only 6 tacos and one meat fries arrived at around 7.45pm (we were told a 45 minute wait, which is fine as we were enjoying a drink), we informed the waiter (an older man) of what was missing and the attitude we were met with was astounding, we were bluntly asked ‘Well have you paid for them’ even though you have to order and pay at the till? We said yes to which he so rudely replied ‘well you’re going to be waiting at least another half an hour’ at this time the restaurant had gone quiet with only around 4/5 tables, including us, so we were surprised making 4 tacos would take so long. I explained we had already waited a long amount of time for the first lot of food to come in which he didn’t look like cared at all and said ‘well we can’t find your ticket’ as if it was our problem and to me insinuating to us that we hadn’t ordered what we said. We weren’t the only table having issues and I saw the same member of staff speak to other customers in the same way, I understand it was busy to start with and hospitality can be stressful, but it was just disgusting treatment of customers with absolutely no organisation whatsoever, nobody seemed to know what they were doing. Instead of taking orders by pen and paper maybe invest into a proper till/ticket system which provides receipts? At least then people can prove they’ve paid for a terrible experience.

The remainder of the food came eventually which we ate, then an older lady came with a 3rd bowl of meat fries about 30 minutes after and when we had finished eating, I explained we hadn’t ordered those to which she bluntly replied yes you have you said you had ordered two portions, I pointed to the two empty bowls on the table and she just tutted/huffed and walked away. Seriously rude and again I was failing to see how we were the issue here – we were polite throughout and to be honest more patient than we should have been and to be met with such poor customer service was crazy to me. We had been planning this taco night for ages and were super excited to attend, now I can guarantee not one of us will spend another penny in here ever again, especially when there are so many other brilliant food places on Monton road that don’t treat you this way.

There was a lovely blonde girl on the till who was really nice throughout, so I’d hate for her to be dragged into this, but maybe the two staff members I’m talking about above can ask her for some customer service tips! Two stars are for...

My wife and I, both in the rare possession of a shared day off (the sort of miracle that deserves a proper breakfast to celebrate), decided to treat ourselves to Playfoots in Monton on Friday morning. I use the word treat loosely.

Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted — oh wait, no we weren’t. We were immediately confronted by a sign demanding we stand still like spare parts and wait to be seated. Fair enough, it’s a cosy little place, but on a quiet weekday morning it felt a touch precious. A polite nod or even the universally recognised British eyebrow-raise would’ve sufficed to acknowledge our presence, but alas, we remained invisible until summoned.

Once we did land a table, things perked up marginally. Service was efficient enough, though we were treated to the sight of someone (manager? staff? local vase enthusiast?) fussing about with flower arrangements mid-service — surely the sort of finishing touch one does before the doors open?

Now, the food itself: very good. A hearty full English done well and my wife’s scrambled eggs with nduja were met with nods of approval. If only that were the end of it.

But oh no, dear reader. Enter the Great Sauce Swindle of Monton. When you pay £14 for a fry-up, one imagines a small pot of brown sauce might be included as a gesture of goodwill and basic decency. One would be wrong. Said pot arrived without warning of its premium status, only to slap me with a 50p charge on the bill.

I appreciate margins are tight, but if a splash of brown sauce tips your profit into the red, might I suggest a re-think of the business model? Or at the very least, a polite heads-up when one requests it — I’d have rationed accordingly.

So, Playfoots: charming food, passable coffee, and service that swings between invisible and vase-heavy. But if you’re planning to pop in, do bring your patience, a strong sense of irony — and your own sauce sachet.

3 stars — but one of them is purely...

I've had breakfast here before (full English) and it was probably the best I've had in Monton.

I saw a review of someone raving about the Birria Eggs so decided to go try it.

Can't fault the food, I wouldn't have chosen this dish if it hadn't been for the review but glad I did. Definitely more a lunch meal than breakfast but very tasty with just a nice level of spice.

Also shared some Tirimisu pancakes with my wife, they were OK but wouldn't rush out to have those again.

The only downside was the seating situation, it was very busy so we were asked to go upstairs. Now upstairs there are basically 4 seating areas - Round table for 4, rectangular table for 6, bar stool type seating for 2/3 and finally a lower down table with sofa/relaxed seating (not great for food).

We were asked to sit at the stools, (which is probably the 2nd worst place to sit for food after the low down table), but I completely understand why as there were just 2 of us.

However, before we got drinks another walk in couple were brought up and given the 4 seater table, then after them (we had drinks now) another couple came and were given the 6 seater table.

I just think it would have been nice if we would have been asked first if we would like to have been moved to the proper tables if they were going to be occupied by the same number of customers, as we were there first and the stools weren't ideal for a sit down meal.

Other than this, the staff were attentive and quick, just a shame this spoilt...