To ask what’s the most overrated restaurant you’ve eaten at?

[Hairbrush123]

I think for me, it’s a restaurant called “Tattu”. They’re dotted all around the UK and was so excited to try it but the food was so average yet they charge £100+ for two people based on a starter and main . Everyone who I know has been there absolutely loved it so maybe it’s just DP & I!

What’s the most overrated restaurant you’ve been to?

Nando's

@Lachimolala no we weren't impressed with Sketch, it wasn't terrible but can't remember what I had which isn't great for somewhere like that. All the amazing meals I've had I can remember exactly them exactly.

Really? @NommyChompers we had a booking there in April 2020, looks like it was a real swerve then as obviously didn't get to go an we've now moved to another part of the country.

Nando’s… having a cheeky Nando’s …no you’re having chicken which IMO is as dry as the bottom of a birdcage.

I have so many of these 😂

Jamie's Italian - bland, claggy food. Not cheap considering it was a high st chain.

The Ivy - just uninspired menu, nothing special about the food. Likewise J Sheekey which was not a special experience.

Aqua Shard - food was mediocre at best, you're 100% paying for the view. Save your money, go for a cocktail instead.

Our Martin Wishart experience was badly let down, by being squeezed in at a table right next to the very smelly cheese cart! Restaurant was overcrowded and v noisy and food was totally unremarkable
The Kitchin on the other hand is amazing...been 3 times and just love the whole experience( from decor, to impeccable service) and the food is incredible

I agree about the Kitchin, it was lovely. We've been twice, however sadly we won't be back due to the bad press coming out about Tom, bullying of junior staff in his restaurant and him and his wife keeping tips meant for hardworking staff. Which I know is commonplace in kitchens up and down the country however it has put me off here. Haven't tried his other establishments around the city.

McDonalds.

In the most recent advert the girl looks straight into the camera and says "we all do it". Actually we don't. We really don't. The smell just driving by a McDonalds makes me want to vomit.

How is McDonalds 'overrated'?

It's one of the most slagged off fast food places there is, despite everyone knowing what they do - cheap and cheerful fast food.

It's over rated as everyone says how great the food is.

Went to foxtrot Oscar for Sunday lunch once. Food was lukewarm. Veg over cooked. Meat undercooked. Potatoes also undercooked and didn’t taste fresh at all.

Wouldn’t go back …!

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn

It's over rated as everyone says how great the food is.

Not in my world!

Who is saying that? That's hilarious. When my kids were small we lived somewhere with no McDonald's, and the first time we went to a place that had one, they were so excited to try it. Even though they were able to go maybe once a year, that happened twice before they decided they preferred other places - aged about 8/9 ish.

I don't know anyone that says McDonald's food is great. Cheap, sure.

Do people claim McDonalds is good food? Even people who buy it don’t view it as anything other than what it is. Some people talk about it like it’s on the axis of evil, single handed responsible for the obesity crisis and hell bent on destroying the world.

I had low expectations of Gaucho and they got nowhere near meeting them with outrageously priced food and wine, poor service, in a pretentious environment which couldn't have been any less enjoyable or relaxing than trying to eat dinner on the concourse of Mumbai Central railway station.

But the Oxo Tower has them all beaten. I cannot fathom how this place has the reputation that it does. The food was nothing special and poor value for the price, the bar area was absolutely heaving and in the middle of a heatwave made the entire restaurant reek of BO, not to mention you had to literally push your way through damp armpits to get to the bathroom. We weren't seated until half an hour after our reservation, and the bottles of beer at the bar were warm to the touch.

The service was diabolical. They would not let us have our £140 bottle of wine on the table, insisting that it had to be kept on a sideboard out of our sight, but then trying to get a refill was impossible. After my second time of trying over 10 minutes to get someone's attention I walked over to the sideboard myself - it finally produced a response, which was not a positive one.

I'd have had serious words if I'd been paying, but (fortunately) I wasn't. My CEO was, and at least he had the good grace to look embarrassed.

@RaraRachael

I'd agree about any Hard Rock cafes. Boring bland menu and average food - no idea why people are desperate to go there.

My daughter raves about Miller and Carter, but I've never been that impressed with it. Our one has an annoying waiter who is desperate to give you his life story, but I just want to be served. Other people rave about him on TripAdvisor

I've been to a few Hard Rock Cafes. I don't go for the food, I go for the music, the cocktails and the being surrounded by music memorabilia.

The Ivy, chain restaurant decor, service and food for very high prices

Ah I had a lovely meal at the Ivy in Victoria recently. Also thoroughly enjoyed Benares (so much so I went back a week later to take DH).

Agree with everyone saying Jamie Oliver’s restaurants - the service was always so shockingly awful in all of the ones I visited.

There’s a restaurant near me that does roast dinners everyone raves about. They’re so shockingly pretentious and tiny, I don’t get the hype. I much prefer a hearty roast dinner like a proper pub carvery, not a tiny chicken leg and a sprinkling of kale

@Longdistance

Ellen’s Stardust Diner in NY. Everyone raved about going there. They made us wait over an hour and let couples in. Dumped us upstairs, weren’t attentive, completely false to us, ordered food that was overcooked and dry. Yes, the entertainment was good, but that was it. I could’ve bought tickets to a Broadway show instead. Sorry to everyone that’s had a great experience, but for us it was hideous 🤷🏼‍♀️

Aww, we had a great time there. I don’t think you go for the food & we knew there would be a queue too so we went early. Food wasn’t awful though tbh!

So far, any Corbin & King establishment I’ve been to has been exemplary for customer service.

Good food, convivial hub-bub, stylish comfortable premises, solicitous service & a warm welcome - a winning formula that C&K have mastered.

Why or how other establishments who have this business model within in their reach don’t get this or bother is beyond me.

Rick Stein flag ship in Padstow: incredibly pretentious.
Rick Stein chipper in Falmouth middling, but scored well for attention to GF dishes.

The Ivy, bah even in heyday.

I'd have had serious words if I'd been paying, but (fortunately) I wasn't. My CEO was, and at least he had the good grace to look embarrassed.

Why should he be embarrassed though? He presumably didn’t think, right, let’s pick a restaurant with atrocious service.

The Fat Duck

So overrated. Yes an experience but I was expecting amazing food

Jamie’s chains not sure which one had a burger it’s was pricey for the quality

Bleeding Heart good steak but not overwhelming

Had better more delicious food off street food vendors

Best meals I have had have never been is particularly known restaurants but then I’m not really into fine dinning

I'm literally chuffed with nandos/ wagamama/ zizzis

Jamie’s Italian was just dire.
Indifferent welcome, slow distant service, middling scoff & hard merching of the brand.

Went a couple of times as friends had birthday voucher for freebie bottle of Prosecco. In effect, they paid us to eat there.

@FrangipaniBlue

I'm a bit at people saying Nandos, KFC, Wagamama etc

Did you really go to these places expecting to be wowed???

They're chains, I go expecting mass produced chain type food and nothing more!

I agree, I've never had a decent meal at a chain restaurant.

They're an absolute rip off imo. You generally get better food in pubs these days.

Nobody says McDonald's food is great 🤣. People got there because it's cheap and quick and you don't even need to get out your car if you don't want. The burgers are edible, chips are quite moreish.