I've previously given this restaurant glowing reviews. I've loved eating here with my family over the last couple of years and recommend it to lots of people. However, after my experience today with a booking, I'll no longer eat here nor recommend it. I'd had...one issue previously but because I'd visited this place so many times I let it go even though I shouldn't have and we continued to eat here. On that occasion, it was the day or a few days before the winter lockdown and during our meal people, who were obviously known to the staff, were in a queue outside. They were consistently staring through the window at us, and the staff spoke to them and they too kept looking at us, this whilst we'd just started our main meals. When we'd finished, we were looking to order more drinks and desert when a member of staff gave us the bill. Before we had a chance to ask them why they had brought the bill a member of staff came over asking us to pay. My attempts to explain that we wanted more drinks and that they were being extremely rude bringing a bill without us asking was just met with smiles and awkward looks. We had been in the restaurant approximately 40 minutes so it wasn't as if we were hogging the table. Before we were even out the door, the people who had been staring at us, were coming in and attempting to sit at the table. Despite this, we put it down to the impending lockdown and decided to keep eating here.
Fast forward to today. We made an online booking on Saturday for 3.45pm today as the only other time available was 8pm. It was for my son's birthday. My partner then gets a voicemail today from the restaurant stating that the restaurant actually closes at 4pm and the kitchen at 3.45pm so to call them to book a table for either earlier or later which is what she did. The lady at the restaurant then states it's a bank holiday and busy so we couldn't actually book a table as they weren't taking reservations but only walk ins but that it was quiet at lunch time so we could come then. When my partner stated we had eaten lunch so that wasn't an option the lady just repeated that we couldn't book a table and only walk in so basically we would have to hope a table was free. When my partner said that on the voicemail the lady had said we could rebook she just repeated they weren't taking bookings just walk ins.
Absolutely shocking customer service and at such late notice on a bank holiday making it impossible to try and book a table elsewhere. They've ruined a planned birthday meal which is completely unacceptable and just terrible customer service. Completely ruined a day when we could have booked a table somewhere we could rely on and who don't show such a complete lack of respect for customers and their plans. I find it strange that a restaurant suddenly refuses to take bookings in favour of walk ins because it's busy. Read into that what you may. I know my thoughts on why they have done it. We've eaten at this restaurant for some time and when it was new with few customers. To be treated like this when we've spent so much of our money here is galling to say the least. If the last 18 months has taught restaurants anything it's to value every single customer. Disappointed doesn't come close to how we feel. Other good Vietnamese restaurants in the area we'll take our custom to and recommend.More