Red Lion — Restaurant in Welwyn Hatfield

I have visited this pub a many times over the years, but the last visit was really disappointing. Since the refurbishment they have added more tables and it is far too cramped and squashed in. They've put tables along the walk way and in front of the fireplace and it is just too much and too close. We were shoved into a cramped space even though we had booked a few days before. It just doesn't work. There seemed to be a less crowded place to the left and right as you walk in with hardly anyone seated. I'm not sure why this space was not utilised. You used to be able to walk in and pick your seat in a more spacious area. I went for a Sunday roast yesterday with my family and my food came out cold apart from the vegetables. I told the waitress almost immediately upon receiving our dinner, she was very apologetic and offered to heat it up. About 2 minutes later it came out lukewarm after it had been zapped in the microwave and my Yorkshire pudding was soft and ruined. I ordered the light version and there was hardly any meat. It was extra, extra light. The roast potatoes were hard and so was the cauliflower cheese. The waitress asked how our meals were afterwards and we said as well as it being cold the roast potatoes were too hard. We were told we should have said sooner even though I had ready had to send my food back for being too cold. We also saw other people sending back their food due to it being cold. The waiting staff were very polite but didn't offer any reduction for cold food which I did complain about during the meal. We were only told that the kitchen would receive our "feedback". We saw the manager asking what was wrong as my roast dinner was taken back to be put in the microwave. We received a dirty side look from the manager a few moment later. The Eton mess also had hardly any crushed meringue. It was mainly ice cream and overpriced. Disappointing. Overall it was very disappointing. I used to really like this pub and have visited on many occasions at various times over the years for lunch and dinner, but I will have second thoughts about doing so in the future. It's another pub ruined due to trying to squeeze in too many tables and people. A cold Sunday roast with hard potatoes is not...

The food never seems to be that good here. We went this time for a late family Christmas meal. I didn't finish the starter because they cleared away before I was finished. I had ordered the veg and feta pie for my main - I couldn't eat much of it at all because inexplicably they had poured ketchup over the entire dish as though it were gravy. I don't like ketchup, so I didn't even ask for ketchup on the side, so who knows what they were thinking. Seriously, it was disgusting and inedible. I ate anything that wasn't smothered in ketchup, which included scraping the ketchup off the top of the pie and eating the pie filling. I was expecting a nice cheesy filling like a Greek spanakopita, it was actually egg and veg with no feta at all. The Christmas pudding was also unpleasant.

I've eaten here and been disappointed several times. My experiences include finding plastic in my food and they STILL charged. The only reason I've returned is because my mother in law keeps arranging family gatherings there because extended family know where it is. This latest time I've decided that I won't go back - either the family gatherings will move or I won't go! Lol I refuse to waste any more money at this ridiculous place. Such a shame because it used to...

Annoying that I have to give a rating since not deserved! Disgusted with the wait time for food. Must have been about 45 mins before we confronted the staff to find out where our food was. Anyone would think they've gone to harvest the potatoes for the chips. When the food did come, we were given the excuse of it being because we ordered starters. One starter was ordered between the 4 of us.

Couldn't be more evident this was because of the colour of of our skin as we were the only Asians in there. There was a white couple on the table behind us and their main came within minutes after they finished their starter. Their order was taken first as well even though we called the lady over to order. The cheek as well of the lady serving us (think her name was Sophie) to say she was going to clear our plates earlier but one of us had picked up chip every time she looked over. On leaving we realised clearly trying to get rid of us as approaching dinner time and there was big queue outside. Well if they didn't take forever with our food we'd have been gone ages ago! Food was great but not so special it was worth a 45 minute wait and certainly not coming back if I'm in...