The Drawing Board — Restaurant in Warwick

Close to Christmas we popped in for drinks and were told no tables were available which was fine however we were then chased and seated at the back. We settled down with bags and it was clearly post lunch time at around 3pm and instead of notifying us immediately that the seats were specifically for food only we were told this after looking at the drinks menu. He came back to say I will have to move you if people come in for food and the bar was already complete congested. I said under the condition that you find us a seat at the bar. My brother was visiting. My Aperol spritz was deliberately served in a small wine glass charged full price and my brother would not have ordered a full beer if we were going to be moved. Instead of moving us about 10 mins later a female manager came over to tell us to move? Where to? My brother was drinking his beer by the toilet as we watched a full bar of guests sit awkwardly on tiny seats at the bar. I stood aimlessly at the toilets. When I went to collect the bill I was furious I felt like this member of bar staff was hiding. I said abruptly we have been summoned out of our seats after five minutes with now nowhere to sit. He said do not worry I will sort the bill out for you - I was expecting a discount because I had to watch my brother drink a beer outside of the toilet awkwardly. But instead I was charged what is already a steep drinks bill considering I was only served a quarter of an Aperol spritz. It was very sly to seat us and we should have been notified straight away. Staff were completely unaware of who was coming or going that day as several people were having to ask...

It's a nice place with a good atmosphere, I like the decor and the staff were friendly, helpful and accommodating. It's great they have separate Gluten-free and Vegan menus as well as dishes that cross over both.

Purely on service this would be a 5 star review, unfortunately the food, especially the main corses really let in down and with the price, it was hard to shift the disappointment.

I spent just under £100 on two adults and one child (including the service charge automatically added on) We had tapas and two mains which just about filled us as the portions are on the smaller side.

The tapas was definitely better than the mains but in my opinion, unfortunately still unimaginative, underwhelming and overpriced. The edamame and tofu was quite nice along with the falafel, the fish cakes were tasty but the rest was pretty forgettable. The gin was delicious though, washed it all down a treat, go for the gin.

The mains were just confusing. The seabass was nice but the "chips" that came with it seemed undercooked and bland. The pan fried chicken on coleslaw was strange, it didn't go down well, we all tried some but just ended up picking the chicken off and leaving the rest. Chicken on coleslaw with peanuts for £17.50 that's one to go back to the drawing board in my opinion. (I make no apologies for awful puns or honest reviews.)

I went in to check it out as i was going to book a table for my birthday because of the different menu's and options but i think it's best to stick to drinks there and tapas if I'm particularly peckish but i wouldn't go out of my way to go to eat...

The Drawing Board is a hidden gem which I discovered when working for a few days in Leamington Spa, I really wish it was closer to me, I would definitely make it my local, I love it! Initially when I walked in, it was a pleasant open space, friendly staff greeted me and I found a nice seat. Then, as I started looking around I kept on discovering really cool things, from the eclectic mix of pre loved furniture, framed comics on the walls, to the tiny touches like the seasoned salt and labels on the tables. The food choices are magnificent, and I immediately found two dishes which matched my favourite foods! The octopus on Nero risotto (squid ink) was to die for, a perfectly balanced plate of tastes and textures, it was delightful. The side plate (they have tapas options) I went for was delicious, pomegranate, hazelnuts, quinoa, totally #HealthyYum and so so good! Food fit for a Michelin star restaurant, but not at a Michelin restaurant prices! The attention to detail in decor, food and service is brilliant, I've been raving about the Drawing Board since I went to anyone who will listen to me :D I definitely recommend, if you're local, and if you're not, it's worth...