The Waterside Bar, Rooms & Restaurant — Restaurant in Salford

Like being talked to like a naughty school child?

Like bare knuckle fist fighting as a complaints procedure?

Like being turned away on your birthday with no other plans for dinner?

If so, this place could be right up your street!

Told that the kitchen staff were sent home because they’d already served 200 people today and we were ten minutes late

Verbally and physically assaulted in front of the restaurants seated clientele

Highlights of the conversation with the owner included:

“We’ve been very busy so I sent the chefs home”- Not my problem

“I suppose the customer is always right?”- Yes, they are

“I’m sorry for ruining your birthday, but maybe you need to get a new boyfriend”- Totally unacceptable

“I’m using reasonable force to eject you from the premises”- Whilst being chest bumped by the receptionist after I stormed back in to demand an apology for the above comment

If the owners wish to leave a belligerent comment suggesting that I was in any way disproportionately antagonistic then, feel free. I would quite happily stand in front of a jury and repeat every word, which, I think if you are to write down and publish a lie, you might find yourself doing as I would quite happily pursue a libel action.

Does not deserve to be in business. Does not deserve your money. Does not deserve any sympathy.

Genuinely, I have never been treated so badly.

Fawlty Towers but set in the quaint village of Monton, and less amusing.

In response to the owners comments. It was your reaction to the situation that has caused the whole debacle! I have absolutely no inclination to ring you up and discuss anything with you, it would be a futile exercise.

The arrogance in your secondary response should be a warning for any future customer that should darken your door and be inconsiderate enough to have to complain about something!

I understand payroll is a constraint in business, as I was explaining to you last night, before I got talked over, I manage a business and have done so for the past 18 years. However, the £160 we spent at another restaurant we managed to get in to at short notice after you humiliated us, assaulted us and turfed us out into the night, would more than likely have offset that. Either way, if it were I, I would have hedged my bets just in case anyone else walked in. It seems almost as though you have had enough of people turning up late, sent your staff home out of spite and we were the unfortunate couple that were the unwitting target of your vile attitude.

It is worrying that you think any of this is appropriate. Talking to us the way that you did last night, in front of your customers, in front of your staff and for the reasons you presented is not what any reasonable person would expect. So, for you to now chastise me again, for writing an accurate review that you don’t like is the highest level of hypocrisy and frankly, idiotic. Quite why you would think it in any way acceptable to publish your CCTV footage in such a way is also distasteful. It raises genuine concerns that you have little regard for Data Protection. We could have resolved this by me running in front of my keyboard last night as I initially suggested. Again, you felt it appropriate to pursue a vitriolic campaign, in a public forum, against your customers. Incidentally, this isn’t the norm these days. As it stands, I will exercise my right to tell all and sundry about our brief, but memorable, encounter.

I will not be bullied in to letting this go away. I would urge anyone and everyone who has had a similar experience to join me in sharing their feedback with...

Never been treated so badly. It was my birthday and my boyfriend booked a table for 8pm. We were informed the table would be held until 9.30pm. Unfortunately our taxi was a little late so we arrived at 8.10pm. Upon entering we were told the kitchen was closed. Obviously we were annoyed as we had travelled approximately 7 miles in a taxi. It was a very cold dark evening and of course my birthday. We expressed our dissatisfaction and asked for an email address to complain. Had we been given this we would of left and submitted an email to express our concerns (naturally, who wouldn't???) Instead the manager came over in front of paying customers and her staff and said we were 15 minutes late (by this point it was 15 minutes) she basically said it was our fault as we were late. In hospitality I wouldn't say that was right by any stretch!!! Why close the kitchen at 8pm then have your last customers booked if for 8pm??? again we could not understand this!!! My boyfriend got annoyed. Who wouldn't!!! Anyway, as we were walking out the manager said "sorry I have ruined a birthday, but maybe you should get a new boyfriend!! Can you believe this personal attack/ hurtful comment!!!! What sort of vile person would say this??? Anyway my boyfriend walked back in to demand an apology as he was absolutely fuming from what had been said. Not only had we been let down with the table but also personally attacked. My boyfriend was told to leave and chest bumped out. Very very unprofessional company. No customer care what so ever!!!!!! Avoid at all cost.

In response to your comment... We have been to your restaurant quite a few times previously. We were not aware 8pm was the last booking of the evening. Again I reiterate we were informed our table would be held for an hour and a half. The phone rang with no caller ID so we wouldn't answer without a number being shown. You were very rude and have not apologised for your comment which hurt Dave's feelings hence him coming back in to demand an apology. It was you who was unprofessional! Is that how you treat unhappy customers with personal verbal abuse? You are a very defensive person who thinks they can do no wrong!!! Not even got the decency...

There are some things that the waterside does right, but too many things that it utterly fails at.

Aesthetically, the waterside is a beautiful little restaurant and bar sat perfectly beside the canal. On a summers day, there's no question why this place is popular as it's the perfect setting to sit and have a drink, with a great outdoor space.

Unfortunately for the restaurant, my advice would be to go for drinks and enjoy the sun - not the food. The food us utterly too much of a game of russian roulette in regards to whether it'll be worth the expensive prices they ask for. As I said previously, there are some things that they do right, and some things they certainly don't. For example, the 'hand cut' chips are delicious but that fillet steak baguette was certainly not full of fillet steak, and tasted like rubber. It's really disappointing because they have such an ambitious and nice sounding menu, and when you finally eat it you're feeling a bit robbed.

The worst aspect for me about my visit this afternoon was the service, where, I can guarantee you're more likely to find more hospitable and catering services at Wetherspoon's. One of the biggest complaints we had was we continuously had to ask the waiters to clean the table, from the people who were there before us, our starters, and our mains. Not only that, but when they cleared it, it was a half assed job with a roll of the eye. The Waterside also has a system if you're sat outside to cater to yourself for your own cutlery, condiments, etc. I found this frustrating from the fact that I've spent £50 on a lunch of 2 adults, not including drink prices and I have to run up and down whenever I need a lick of salt thats presented for me in a bloody salt sachet.

Overall, if you're looking for something satisfactory I wouldn't go to the Waterside to eat, Monton has plenty of wonderful restaurants that are just on the high street. My advice is sit out in the sun with a beer there...