Balmoral Beefeater — Restaurant in Test Valley

Went inside to order food just after half past six on a Saturday evening. It was busy but not over crowded. Myself, my partner and my two children found a table and ordered food at the bar. This was after being told at the entrance that there would be no tables for at least forty minutes so I said we would just order drinks and wait. When ordering drinks there were other people ordering food at the bar so I asked if we could order food at the same time as we were sat at a table and the barman said that it would be fine. Out came some?? of the garlic bread we ordered, which we ate. Then we waited. Out came the other garlic bread we had ordered. Then we waited.........and waited.......and waited. During our wait we watched the lovely barman with the long hair, work the bar, direct other staff, take out meals, collect dishes and numerous other things all while other staff members did very little and were generally miserable with customers. Then came possibly ??? The female shift manager/ senior staff member to the front of the bar and start shouting to the male members of staff that a female member of staff would be sacked if she didn't get in contact immediately. This interaction went on for some time all while customers where trying to get served/ waiting. It made for a really awkward atmosphere but we were hungry and the children were tired after traveling all day. And we waited.... The barman with the long came and asked if we had received the children's meals, we said no so he brought them straight away. They where overcooked and very crispy (I guess they had been on the hot plate the whole time we had been waiting???) We ate what we could as the children were very tired, tidied the plates to the end of the table. Then we waited......and waited.....and waited. The plates weren't collected. I went to the bar to ask if the kids could get their desserts that came with the meal and eventually they were brought out. If I hadn't have been so tired I would definitely asked for the meals to be recooked as they were virtually inedible. We will NEVER be...

Upon arrival it took a good minute for someone to acknowledge and seat us. No stress there. We parked opposite the premiere inn assuming that the parking is for the restaurant too. Ample parking and vacant spots if you were coming for dinner. To our surprise they had our table reserved, or didn’t but already had a table big enough ti seat the family. Ample spacious tables and walkways. Drinks ordered and one of the drinks was not what we ordered. We ordered from the roast menu, which they gave us, and what we were there for. Sunday roast. I was impressed with the different Sunday roast items on the menu. We placed our order, specifying that we prefer our meat well done. Notified that the food was made the day before and they have no power or say with. Some may be cooked medium or some well done; they’re not sure. In other words, just be happy with what you get. We accepted our fate. Moments later, another waitress, possibly an owner or manager, notifies us that the roast menu is off the table, and that we should order an alternative meal from their main menu. Burgers and chips.

We settled for the double stack burgers, but dearly wanted to sample their brand of Sunday roast at whatever the cost. We arrived at 16:31 pulling in to the parking lot and had only been served our meals 17:37 …. The people next to us,a family just as big as ours arrived after us and got their food before us.

It is safe to say, regardless of how nice the burgers are, just based on service alone. We will not be going back .

I think the only thing I was impressed with was the fact they brought the kids crayons and pictures to draw on. And the chips the fries were perfect succulent and crispy and the burger for the price though is in my opinion not worth its weight in gold.

The kids didn’t finish their burgers and the toddler spat his out.

We also wanted to take our left overs and our pancakes the kids couldn’t eat. And the waiter said they don’t do “doggy bags”.

I am not at all impressed with this business. And don’t recommend in a...

The restaurant advertised it opened until 11pm. We booked a table for 8.30 for 7 of us, admittedly last minute but the booking was accepted. We ordered our starters and mains with no issues. The bottle of white wine that arrived was unfortunately warm. Luckily we noticed before we opened it and a replacement was arranged which was a little cooler, not great but they did their best to accommodate with a pitcher filled with ice which did make it better. Sadly from there things went downhill. In all honesty, I have never felt so unwelcome in a restaurant with the staff so eager for us to leave so they could go home. My daughter didn’t realise she wouldn’t get chips wither her lasagne so we asked if we could order them, I was told ‘we will see if we can’ with a sigh. This was at 9pm. We ordered desserts, which took an age to come, they had obviously been standing as the custard came with a skin over it. I ordered a baileys coffee and was told the coffee machine had been cleaned so no coffee was available. I overheard one waitress tell another member of staff “not to get anything from the cellar as the boss had already counted down there” The table were all put away and the chairs taken away by 9pm. Basically they were looking for a 9.30pm close. If it wasn’t advertised as being open until 11pm that would be different but to be closing down that early when you are open u till 11 is just not on. Icing on the cake was all the music being shut down and staff hovering and chatting round the bar at 10pm - it was just not a good experience and not somewhere I would want to...