Pontio Lounge — Restaurant in Wales

Time to update my review! This place has matured into a really good option in Chepstow. Really friendly service team, good food, and a nice atmosphere.

Previously:

So, hopefully I'll be able to change this review at some point. However, for now:

We came in on the second Friday after opening. Second visit actually. When we got our first round of drinks, the server spilt an entire pint over the table, sofa, and a bit on me. He was obviously very panicked. He very slowly cleaned it up with paper towels completely on his own, pushing most of the liquid on the floor or over me. An apology from him, nothing from senior staff. Second round, a different server spilt another pint on the sofa, table, and a bit on our coats. She was very lovely, clearly very tired, very apologetic, and brought us is one free drink. Again, no help from anyone else.

At one point point later, before we left, someone senior (didn't introduce himself) came over and moved some cushions to dry. I lightly mentioned what had happened, and he said: "Oh, I didn't know that.", and left.

No other apologies, no checking if we were OK. Nothing. The actual events didn't bother us, we were just pretty surprised that management didn't address it at all.

Other things of note: food seems nice, decor is standard fare but nice. Seated and served quickly. You are very packed in to small rooms, so very loud, and...

Was visiting the UK recently and decided to hit Wales soil after visiting Stonehenge earlier in the day. Decided on going to Chepstow just being close to the border and having to get back to London afterwards.

Had actually planned to go to The Funky Duck but it was closing when we got there. After that, checked on other places and landed on Pontio lounge. Very pleasantly surprised!! And happy it turned out that way - Funky Duck didn’t look as nice.

It’s a chain lounge cafe but Pontio is the Chepstow one. Met Freddie the bartender and Karen the server. Freddie is not Welsh, Karen is - but she doesn’t speak Welsh which is what I really wanted to hear!!

Both were fun, friendly, and helpful. The one thing I find weird & different from Canada is ordering at the bar rather than having a server come to the table.

The menu is crazy, so many different plates! Which sometimes can be bad but everything we tried was amazing! Some good beers but no Welsh or local ones unfortunately.

The place is littered with pictures on the walls - over 200! But it looks nice how it’s done. Apparently it was a department store way back in the day which gives it a bunch of different areas to choose to sit. Very nice and would highly recommend going! I just need Freddie to tell me which picture he put a hole in on his first...

Sometimes pop in here for a beer or beer and lunch when in the locale....guess it's considered one of the swankier places on Chepstow's high street!....seems to have a mostly middle class type of clientele perhaps.... always appears to be full also....as usually seems to be the case with these lounges decor and general atmosphere is reaching for a kind of bohemian sophistication I suppose one might say....kind of a New York Greenwich village feel.....if that doesn't sound too pretentious....anyway....beers are around £6....which is the case many places nowadays.. food seems good....I particularly prefer the lounge eggs as a light repast....a variation on eggs Benedict I suppose....service is usually acceptable....often friendly and welcoming....I would certainly give a general...