Curious Pig in the Parlour — Restaurant in Tandridge

Disappointing food and disgusting service

I find it such a shame as have previously been to the Curious Pig and had very good food with pleasant service. I was out with my family for my daughters birthday meal, which was ruined by the appalling service.

(Too long, didn’t read: Staff were rude and apparently lack any training, experience or actual management. 2 main meals didn’t get put through to the kitchen, and so never arrived, following a 1 hour 15 minute wait, with starters and drinks orders being incorrect. Drinks arrived 35 minutes after being seated. Staff accused us of being abusive when we asked for the bill. Blamed the restaurant for being ‘busy’, when only two other tables were taken, whose orders were also sent back. Avoid if you expect the bare minimum hospitality. As locals, we’ll not be returning.)

Firstly, it took 15 minutes to be approached for drinks after being seated, in the restaurant in which only one other table had a single person seated. The waitress didn’t know the menu, and took 3 trips to the bar to remind herself of the 3 draughts offered. We were cheerful and patient at this time, as we thought she may have been new.

They took starter orders, only to come back 10 minutes later they didn’t have 3/5 of them. Starters came 35 minutes after being seated, and the drinks arrived at the same time, one drink being incorrect, and all 3 wines being served with 4 cubes of ice in.

Main orders were taken 10 minutes after the starters were finished, and didn’t come until 1 hour and 15 minutes after being seated. We were then told by a waitress that 2 of the meals ‘didn’t get put through’ and would take a further 20 minutes, which the waitress said over her shoulder, as she walked away. My daughter, whose birthday we were celebrating, didn’t get her main. My granddaughter’s meal wasn’t as described on the menu, with items missing, and the other two meals were okay.

My husband then got up to the bar, to ask for the bill, and was told by bar staff that a manager would be coming out. The staff then proceeded to tell him there was nothing wrong, and that they were ‘very busy’. There were 2 other tables, both with less than 4 people on, whose orders had also been sent back. When my husband raised his voice to tell them he wasn’t ‘incorrect’, and was unhappy with the service, they accused him of being abusive, and said it wouldn’t be tolerated. One waitress made the accusatory comment ‘I don’t even know what table number you are.’ as if we hadn’t made the reservation 2 weeks in advance, and the restaurant was busy. I paid for what we’d had, and left.

Not a single member of staff apologised, or took any accountability for the awful service.

It would appear there’s been a change in ownership/management, and they’re riding on the coat tails of the previously successful staff. I so wish we’d read the reviews, but didn’t see the need to as we’ve previously had fantastic service. Avoid, if you expect the bare minimum...

Service started of ok, my partner ordered a neck oil then was given a cider a completely different name, told the staff and was told that the order said the cider but I heard him loud and clear order a neck oil. Drink was changed, cider was taken, would of thought the drink would have been left there as a good will but obviously understand why it wasn't. Starters were average, not quite sure why lamb koftas were served in tomato sauce? Bit weird and doesn't go with each other at all, nor does the pesto on the hummus, the hummus could of done with more bread and the mushroom arancini was bland but nice texture. Mains were awful, Mac and cheese was just so dry no flavour and supposed to have chorizo in it, only came with like 3 pieces. We ordered our mains with 2 sides of onions rings. One portion of onion rings came. Queried the second and I was told that my spare onions rings were on my friends mixed grill plate? But I ordered a portion, not sure why they came in different portion sizes but cost the same. One lot in a bowl another on a plate. I had to take the onion rings of my friends plate lol wasn't even offered a new fresh portion. as for my steak I sent that back and asked a refund, not edible at all. No flavour definitely wasn't seasoned but so tough and chewy, spat out the two bits I tried. Was honoured the refund, the waitress was understanding of this as well. I only had my dinner refunded not anything that came with it like the onion rings or bernaise sauce which I felt was a bit stingy!! I felt customer service lacked. No one checked in on us during the meal to see how things were or for more drinks. Maybe if someone did I could have raised my complaint sooner and had a replacement meal instead of a refund but I could only let the waitress know when she came to collect the empty plates. My friend politely said excuse me to one other waitress, a young blonde girl and she said to my friend one minute but never came back, at first I felt that was rude but noticed through out the evening she actually looked and sounded stressed and I think that's down to your lack of staff and your current staff being over worked! Considering we had one meal taken of the bill I still can't believe how much it cost for really poor food, and poor service. We was never told goodbye or thank you for coming. The money was taken and she walked off. I understand again she may have been stressed. I don't really want to come back we drove over 30 mins to come to you guys and paid all that money for what. As you know cost of living so going out here and there is a treat and we like to support pubs etc like yourselves but not impressed with thks visit, felt like such a waste. I wasn't going to leave a Google review or anything but received this email asking for my review so...

We arrived for a family meal of 5, we was seated and left for 10 minutes before being asked what drinks we would like they then took a further 20 minutes to bring over our drinks. This was the only time we was offered a drink we ended up being here for 2 hours and 50 minutes and no one took another drinks order from us. Today really was appaling service and food was terrible its really gone down hill. Firstly, they brought out 1 starter and 2 main meals confused I said we ordered starter first the waiter said I know sorry it went through on a different ticket I said so you expect prawn cocktail to be eaten with a roast dinner? He took the roasts back to kitchen we was advised fresh ones would be made for us this wasn't the case. 25 minutes later our food arrived clearly the dinners they have ready previously with the starters and had been left sitting in kitchen, food was all cold, meat was dry and hard and then a family member had a big hair in her food and had to pull it out of the potato the waiter witnessed this apologised and took it back for a fresh dinner to be made then the next meal had raw food on plate and 3rd family member had a cheese burger that was freezing cold and was sent back so our family meal was ruined and all had to eat separately. The 4th dinner was missing potato's it went from bad to worse really. The kids chicken dippers were burnt and peas were uncooked. Our little boy didnt eat anything there today. I was appalled, I felt sorry for the waitress she was running around on her own with no support from her manger. I asked to speak to the manager 6 times but was told to deal with the waitress as she was in charge whilst Manager took a break she was sitting 2 tables away from us after her break she avoided our table. No apology, nothing I felt the manager kept avoiding us and was hiding away in kitchen. Eventually she came over and was very unprofessional and not willing to help just apologised for raw food being brought out, a hair in another plate, cold and burnt food and missing food for all the family I explained as a manager due to the severity of the mistakes made she should have come over not avoid us. She shows no support to her staff team either the poor young blonde waitress was brilliant and was receiving so many complaints all at once to see she had no management support was terrible and we was still never offered a drink. The manager thought it was ok to offer 2 puddings for free as an apology this is unacceptable with the seveity of what happened today that really was a joke to be honest. Unfortunately, we will not be returning again and since leaving 3 out of 5 family members have been sick so not good experience at all. Such a shame this place has seriously gone down hill since...