Queens Head — Restaurant in St Albans

We use to enjoy popping in for a bite to eat or just a drink but unfortunately the pub standards went downhill end of 2023 to beginning 2024. We last visited the pub in February 2024 at 8pm only to be rudely told by the assistant manager Jess that she was closing early we could have 1 drink but no food. To add insult to the rude greeting Jess was overheard on the phone confirming her evening plans whilst sat doing her makeup.

We took our drinks outside because the we had our dog with us but unfortunately we short time afterwards we had to leave because a group of teens seen talking with the assistant manager came outside and made there way to the back garden gates. It was clear they were smoking cannabis the smell was so overpowering and the group became louder and louder and her language was appalling.

My partner emailed the pub after our visit but we were totally ignored.

I have never been one to leave negative reviews and believe and in second chances. After another spontaneous visit we could see little had changed. The only positive change is the pub was open and Jess was properly dressed and they did offer food. There was also no smell of cannabis but Jess was clearly not in charge.

If you like smoking pot and are clearly not bothered by your surroundings or being told you can have one drink this is the pub to go to.

If you want a relaxing pint and great atmosphere with decent service I recommend you visit any of the other pubs in Harpenden.

Never coming to place unless we hear a change in certain staff members has happened.

Harpenden is not Amsterdam I strongly advise families with...

Awful! Food was extremely poor: DO NOT ORDER BBQ ribs - I literally could not eat any of it - they were over cooked (burnt) covered in some sort of spicy 🌶 peppery spice and smoother in BBQ sauce. It comes with what looked to be a nice salad which to my horror was a spicy jalapeño salad so spicy 🥵 it was awful, no mention of this in the menu.

Children ordered burgers, the buns were covered in sesame seed clumps (yes clumps)that had been toasted and burnt so my kids had to scrape them off the bun. Chips were frozen and fried too quickly so you could taste they had not been cooked evenly.

Service was slow (1hr wait and not even an apology) Service was very poor: the waiter gave us the menu no mentioned of missing items.

We were first sat next to the toilet so every time someone goes to the toilet you get a waft of the urinal’ smell.

The beer was nice 👍🏽

Overall, terrible, not a nice pub to have food, service was poor, very inexperienced staff and they simply...

35 mins to get our drinks we asked twice in this time . One of our parties food arrived - our roasts followed 20 mins later the beef was frankly not edible broccoli not cooked and everything just about warm , also arrived with some strange brood beans I can only assume they ran out of peas , we asked for extra kale , we were told there wasn’t any so would be replaced with broccoli - we never received our sides ! We paid in full and left as I know hospitality struggles in January . I know now why it was the only place I could get a table ! We will not return sorry , your waitress needs some serious customer service training she claimed not to know what came on a roast plate or how the chicken comes ( on the bone for any one wondering ) . Your staff were made aware of the issues and offered nothing to make the situation...