The King Harry — Restaurant in St Albans

Our family of 7 booked a table to eat a late lunch on a Sunday. We ordered sharing starters, and for mains some of us a roast and some of us fish and chips.

We ordered some large bottles of sparkling water for the table however after pouring this we realised we'd been given still water. The staff member refused to replace the bottle that had already been opened which we thought was very poor as we hadn't realised until afterwards and was his mistake when he gave them to us at the bar.

We then ordered a couple of sharing starters for us to all have which were hot and tasty however when it arrived, despite being aware we were all sharing the staff member only provided a few plates so we then had to go inside and ask for more before we could all begin. This is just basic hospitality skill of asking a table if they need more plates so everyone can eat?

We then waited over an hour for our roast dinners/fish and chips. We asked where our food had got to and if we had been forgotten as a similar sized group next to us who had arrived after us all got their food long before us. We were told we had not been forgotten which was hard to believe...

When the food did eventually arrive, those of us who ordered a roast had cold veg/cauliflower cheese/yorkshires, and the beef was dry and rubbery.

When the food was brought out late there was no apology for the delay. As they served the food we asked for another bottle of water and a larger to be told "we dont serve drinks outside but we will this time" which was the nail in the coffin... If you're going to do it then just do it, and if you can't, then say so...dont lecture a table of already unhappy customers. We had also been asked to do a tab which meant carrying 1 bottle of water and a larger out really no bother at all. We didn't complain because quite honestly we had all had enough and had already experienced really low standard customer service so didn't expect to achieve anything from doing so. This was a real shame as had the food been quicker and hotter, and the staff had better awareness of how to serve customers, this could have been a positive experience. In summary, a waste of over £200, and a whole group of usvery unhappy with how we were spoken to and served, and the overall food experience. We will definitely not be returning or...

DISAPPOINTED!

We were driving past and wanted something to eat, from the outside this looked very promising indeed! Got greeted by a brash - although quick - member of staff. Ordered the drinks and asked about the menu, where we were told of the various items that were sold out, which is fine as these things happen. We went to find a table, and after zig zagging we found somewhere to sit, which seemed quite cool. I went to the bar and again got served immediately, to order the food. I ordered the burger and fries for the Boyff, and a side of chips for myself as I wasn't that hungry. Went to the toilets, grim, very grim. More like Yates on a Saturday night where you hover and hope, than a gastro pub. I asked the Boyff to check out the mens, and it was foul indeed. Urine puddles on the floor. Really? This is a Sunday afternoon in what seemed like such a lovely pub. Then the food arrived. The side of chips were served in a metal mug, for £3.50p, this was an utter joke! The burger and fries, were just as disappointing, the burger was rank and the bacon was burnt to hell, any evidence of cheese was visual and certainly not via the taste buds. We were given ketchup and vinegar and that was it, heaven forbid you want a bit of mustard or mayo..... The disabled toilets were towards the back, which would be fine if there was no tight corners, tables in the way and upward challenges (not that I am, but if you were in a chair, good luck you would wet yourself). The WiFi was so rubbish, I swiped my WiFi off on my phone as it was quicker without it. I will never go back here. If I wanted naff chips in a mug for £3.50p, and a less than average burger that I could get a better one at 3am from a burger van, the I would have murdered some...

They have refurbed it and the inside looks a lot nicer and has a really nice heated awning outside.

Unfortunately I used to come here for the wide selection of nice and interesting beers and they have removed a number of taps and got a quite bland selection of mass produced ones in instead, even the craft type are pretty plain from big breweries. Real shame as they used to have loads of great and varied stuff and pre covid seemed to fly through a lot of the different stuff as it was changing very frequently. I tried so many nice beers in this place before.

Food I used to justify the high prices because they sold some quality stuff on a nice menu which seemed well planned and well cooked. Now it seems more expensive and worse quality. And doesn't have the drink selection to justify sitting there for a few hours spending lots on good.

I got chicken schnitzel which wasn't very schnitzeled and had no seasoning in the coating, overcooked so dry inside but still oily on the outside. Chips were overdone as well and no seasoning either. Dry and hollow unpleasant to eat.

Salad was tiny and had no dressing just a bit of hard cheese flakes on top.

Had to ask for salt and pepper as there were none on the tables. The ketchup and mayo were both new and hadn't bothered to take off the seals so when I wanted to sauce up my food and eat it I had to spend time opening up the sauces and peeling off the seals.

All in all a bit disappointing especially compared to what it used to be. But given the location I am sure they will do well. Hopefully they can sort...