2/5 R B. 3 years ago on Google
I'm
not
one
for
negative
reviews
in
general
but
this
experience
was
only
worth
2
stars
for
the
barman,
and
their
covid
preparedness
-
he
was
a
gent
constantly
apologising
for
things,
and
they
have
a
proper
covid
set-up.
They
lose
a
stars
for
the
booking
experience,
the
waiting
staff
efficiency,
and
the
menu
with
forced
gratuity.
As
someone
who
runs
a
business
myself
I
will
tell
you
the
problems
with
this
place
are
the
way
it
is
managed,
that
much
is
clear.
If
given
the
opportunity,
I
feel
the
staff
would
generally
be
good.
When
booking
I
emailed
The
Chelsea
Drug
Store
politely
requesting
a
table.
The
body
of
the
response
was
"All
bookings
are
taken
through
the
website."
That's
it,
no
further
explanation
although
it
becomes
obvious
you
need
to
pre-authorise
a
credit
card
before
finalizing
a
booking
which
in
itself
is
usually
the
domain
of
high
end
restaurants
and
hotels,
which
this
is
not.
However,
I
understand
that
it's
been
a
tough
year
so
they
need
to
make
the
most
of
the
period
and
don't
want
cancellations
-
still,
a
bit
of
good
communication
and
an
explanation
wouldn't
have
gone
astray.
It
mattered
little
anyway
because
despite
full
confirmation
of
my
table
in
The
Chelsea
Drugstore,
we
were
not
seated
there.
On
arrival
we
were
told
it's
closed
and
were
seated
in
Idlewild
and
told
the
menu
is
the
same
so
it
is
the
same.
All
service
staff
should
know
enough
to
take
orders
from
across
everything
you
offer.
It
infuriates
me
when
waiting
staff
say
they
can't
take
drink
orders
and
vice
versa.
I'm
there,
asking
for
something
that
is
offered
in
your
business
which
puts
money
in
the
till.
Your
staff
should
be
able
to
take
the
order
and
pass
it
on
to
the
person
who
deals
with
it,
because
invariably
if
they
can't
(as
it
did)
it
takes
an
age
for
the
right
person
to
come
along
and
see
to
you,
a
second
time,
for
something
that
should
be
easily
done
in
the
first
place.
If
the
staff
don't
feel
they
know
the
cocktail
menu
well
enough,
or
the
barpersons
don't
know
the
food
menu
wel
enough,
to
handle
questions,
then
this
is
management's
fault.
The
staff
were
personable,
and
not
rude.
They
were
just
incredibly
inefficient.
Finally,
the
list
of
conditions
that
came
with
the
pre-authorization
through
their
booking
process
was
like
an
Apple
Terms
and
Conditions
contract
-
including
cancellation
fees
and
rights
to
take
charges
if
such
and
such
happpens.
Most
notably
however,
it
mentions
a
service
of
12.5%
for
all
tables
regardless
of
size
-
it
is
not
optional.
This
is
very
much
reminded
to
you
in
the
form
of
the
menu
options
being
offered
in
writing
on
menus
as
such:
"Lunch
€23
per
person
+
gratuity"
and
"Dinner
€30
per
person
+gratuity".
I
totally
get
large
tables
adding
service,
but
there
were
two
of
us
and
the
experience
did
not
warrant
a
tip.
The
food
was
not
what
it
once
was
and
after
ordering
a
coffee
it
took
15mins
to
arrive
and
only
came
after
the
sound
barman
noticed
and
had
to
ask
in
The
Market
Bar
for
it.
I
used
to
love
The
Market
Bar
and
have
always
enjoyed
The
Chelsea
Drugstore
and
Idelwild.
Standards
have
dropped
and
it's
more
than
just
covid
etc
There
is
something
wrong
at
management
level
for
a
place
to
be
like
this.
Will
not
be
back.