To HATE those Jamie Oliver Italian restaurant things.

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One of those new Jamie Oliver restaurants opened near my house recently. (Not 15, one of the ones called Jamie's Italian or some such thing). Oh good, I thought, they're meant to be really nice. I have no feelings one way or another about Jamie Oliver to be honest.

So DH and I went one night before Christmas. It was quite busy and the woman on 'reception' gave us a pager thing and said it would buzz when a table was ready (in about 15-20 minutes), and she invited us to have a drink in the bar while we waited. So we did, along with lots of other people waiting, which was fine. We had quite a nice meal (we did think that selling lots of Jamie Oliver themed dishcloths and the like was a bit odd, but hey).

So we came back on 3rd January for another meal. This time, the restaurant was very empty. I expected a table straight away. But the lady on reception gave us a pager and said that a table would be ready in 15-20 minutes and told us to have a drink at the bar. But, I said (not unreasonably I like to think), there are lots of free tables, can't we just go and sit down? No, she said, it will be 15-20 minutes and you can have a drink in the bar. So I sat down at the bar and waited (no one else was waiting). After 20 minutes I'd had enough of the watching empty tables and watching waiters hang around because they had no one to serve so I went up and asked if we could be seated. "Your pager hasn't buzzed" was the response.

at this point I asked if the pager system was solely for the purpose of making sure that people spend money in the bar first and was told that it was! I was really polite (not her fault and not her policy) but how rubbish. Jamie seems to make a big show of how these restaurants are really 'friendly' etc but actually it seems designed to fleece you as much as possible.

Rant over!

Avoid the Bristol offering. The food is poor, the service is sneery & the prices do not reflect the quality of the product on offer. I can't wait for it to go bust, there are plenty of better independent restaurants in the city.

The Guildford one is nice, never had to sit in the bar (if there is a bar), one of the better places to eat here. And I love the Brownie pudding. The staff also know about the food which is better than most places. Must depend on individual managers, maybe they've expanded too fast?

Funnily enough I had the boar ragu in Carluccios - absolutely lush! Sorry

Vixsatis Both irritatingly chummy and gimmicky
Like JO himself!

Pootles

Forgot to mention that the waiter sneered/laughed a bit at me when I questioned what the pellet was in my food. No apology .

We've been to a few and enjoyed them every time. Slightly over-prices but the service has been consistently good.

We went to the one in Birmingham just before Chrostmas when it was rammed but they noticed I was 8 months pregnant and seated us immediately which was unnecessary but a lovely touch.

We've also been to Fifteen Cornwall and I can say less good things about the food there although the service was very good.

YANBU

The Birmingham one left me £68 lighter for a distinctly average meal. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I could have knocked up better food at home. A friend went a few months before me and didn't rate it either so I don't think I just happened to go on an off day.

It's a shame. I do like Jamie and his recipes. I'm just not keen on this little empire he seems determined in having. He's spreading himself too thinly, IMO. The menu at Jamie's Italian didn't appear to have had much input from him, although I am guessing at that.

My Mum and I went to the brum one recently. It was OK, not worth the £50 or so it cost and they didnt have garlic bread.. a sneery waitress told me they "didnt have garlic bread like I wanted" as "italians dont eat garlic bread"

Well, that may be true but what the fuck am i suposed to do with a bowl full or expensive clammy pasta broth with no bread?

We also had te pager thing.

I wouldn't go back tbh.

I had the worst experience ever in Bath. Have told this tale on mumsnet before but will tell again! Ordered drinks and a carafe of water. As the waitress was approaching she dropped the whole bloody carafe in my lap! She then laughed before she apologised, her colleague laughed as she brought a tea towel over to wipe me down.

They then took me to the toilets where I had to completely strip off to dry my clothes under the hand dryer.

Once vaguely dry (although jeans still damp ) and back at the table the waitress came over to take our order and said "I must apologise again.....but these things happen don't they?"!!! Bloody cheek of it, I was actually very restrained when she dropped the whole jug of water into my lap, didn't rant or anything, but I thought that her telling me that these things happen was just a step too far. Surely if I'm feeling generous then it's up to me to say that to her!

And then the food was shit (just to top our lunchtime experience off )

The only time I've been was when a new branch was opening and it was testing week beforehand. The food was meant to be 50% off but when we got there we found they hadn't got their alcohol licence through yet so instead they were offering £15 per person worth of alcoholic drinks free. Unfortunately I was pregnant at the time! Sooo annoying. (They did actually take some money off my food bill instead which was nice). I loved the food and the service was very attentive as they were all fresh and enthusiastic!

I can't beleive anyone would spend money in a place where they are herded like sheep and beckoned via a p0ager when the restaurant is ready.
That's insane.

"My Mum and I went to the brum one recently. It was OK, not worth the £50 or so it cost and they didnt have garlic bread.. a sneery waitress told me they "didnt have garlic bread like I wanted" as "italians dont eat garlic bread""

That's untrue.

My dad is Italian and he loves a bit of garlic bread.

I'm puzzled as to who or what their market is as well. The food's just not nice enough (and neither is the setting) for the amount it costs. People who can afford those prices expect more I thnk.

Where was the waitress from?????
Italians don't eat garlic bread????
DH lives on the bread and garlic, sometimes together and sometimes in conjunction with other things
Cheeky mare of a waitress

I have been to Fifteen in London and two branches of his chain, Oxford and Westfield, I wanted to enjoy the meals I really did but I was distinctly underwhelmed. I don't actually find any of his food that good in his restaurants but some of the recipes from his books are great, definite repeaters. There is a prawn pasta recipe in one of his early books that I cook all the time, it's amazing.

The Guildford one is really good

Ha little bro is chef at Bristol one. Don't think I'll be mentioning that a MNer thinks is food is crap. Shame really, he is really enjoying working there. Settled in a way he has not done at any previous employer. I am therefore not looking forward to the branch goi g bankrupt, he'll be devasted!

I dont like our local one the chairs are the sort you would see in a canteen. If I am eating out I like a nice cushion for my bum. Far too much off a theme for my liking

We had the 20 mins forced wait in a crowded bar thing in Cambridge - and while the food was nice enough, it wasn't exceptional. And they had this insane thing for the kids' menu - one of those viewfinder things so you look at pictures of the meals and pick that way. Except you couldn't work out what the hell the pictures were of, and there was no writing.

Agree that Carluccios is better.

Dreadful place!

DH (who is an italian chef) said that Prezzo or Zizzi were more authentic italian than Jamie's!

And they sprinkled bloody paprika/chilli over EVERYTHING!

Friend went to bristol one soon after it opened. Was raining. They were told by the very rude female meeter/greeter there was no table free and they would have to wait outside, in the rain (weren't allowed to wait in bar). They refused to give any idea of how long the wait would be. Friend asked if they could leave mobile number and go to bar (there are several essentially next door/opposite) and was told no. Her options were to wait in the rain for an unspecified amount of time or leave. She left (with the rest of her party) as did the other couple of people who were told same thing.

Round there there is a lot a competition. maybe 15+ places within 5 minutes walk (many within sight of Jamie's Italian).

Haven't heard anything good about the one in Bath either.

Been to the one in Nottingham, thought it was v average tbh. Although friends have said they've had nice meals there so might try it again. Can't beat a family run traditional Italian restaurant though IMO (rumbling stomach emoticon)

Ahhh is that what the viewfinder thingy was for?!

Mine was broken.

Yes collision! One of my visits was in pregnancy, when I could not eat spicy food and I was really taken aback by the sheer quantity of chilli. I think that might be a JO thing though, as loads of his book recipes are spicy too. Maybe that is authentic Italian .