Table Table Pub Restaurant Review thread

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 80 MNers who were recruited via the MN Research panel (sign up here if you're not yet a member!) to try out their local Table Table pub restaurant with their family.

Each MNer received a £50 voucher towards the cost of their meal and drinks. The restaurants knew MNers would be visiting.

You can find out more about Table Table here

They say "Our stylish, relaxed decor is perfect to get together with a few friends and chill out at the bar, share an intimate dinner for two, or enjoy a meal with the whole family in our contemporary purple dining room. Add to this our great value pricing and we think you'll agree this is one local you'll love. Kids always love our Kid's menu, with everything from Chicken Goujons and Spaghetti Bolognese to Ice Cream and Mini Chocolate Challenge."

MNers visited one of the following locations

Lynton Court in Bournemouth
George and Dragon in Marlow, Bucks
Bowling Green in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Lockyers Quay in Plymouth
Cheadle Royal in Manchester
Mill Lodge in Lincoln
Hunsworth in Bradford South
The Charter in Aylesbury, Bucks

So restaurant goers, please add your feedback below by answering these questions.

Don't forget to add your review to the pub/ restaurant listings on your local pages of MN as well.

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
~ Who were you with?
~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
~ What did your children think of the visit?
~ What was the highlight of the visit?

Any other comments?

Thanks for taking part

MNHQ

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
Cheadle Restaurant - Thursday 17th October about 6pm
I'd not heard of Table Table before this offer and was surprised it was part of the Premier Inn Group. DH arrived separately and couldn't find it at first. He ended up parking in the David Lloyd car park by mistake and walking round. So signage could be a bit better. It has been there for 3 (?) years and I never knew of it.

~ Who were you with?
Me, DH, DD 6 and DS 4

~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
The children had garlic bread between them for starter (enough for small children) and we adults had the sharing platter (we resisted adding chicken wings as thought that would be just too piggy). All the platter was tasty (the calamari was a little greasy - I'm not used to deep fried foods). The blue cheese dip was gorgeous!
Mains - DD had Spag bol with Mash and sweet corn (yes weird we know - we dissuaded her from mash and rice and spag bol!), DS had fish fingers, chips and beans and liked them although the fish fingers were strangely dark brown (the oil they said?), I had Chicken & BBQ Ribs Combo with a side of sweet corn, DH had T-bone steak with peppercorn sauce. DH's T-bone was tasty and cooked just as he asked, peppercorn sauce was lovely. I really liked my rack and chicken but we had problems with the corn on the cob. It wasn't sweet. They took it back and tried cooking some more but it was all the same. I was trying to explain that if the sweet corn isn't really fresh it goes starchy and the cooking can't improve it. They did try though and deducted it from the bill as I still didn't like it.
For pudding DD had strawberry ice-cream, DS had the "Sweetie Sundae" - very yummy and good to be able to make it yourself, DH and I shared a sticky toffee pudding. Really we were too full but who can resist this? And we were sharing!

~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Pleasant enough. Bar area and then seating in nooks around it. Well lit for our meal - I really don't like eating in the dark so was pleased the lighting was adequate. All clean and the nooks made it a bit more cosy.
DH and I remarked that the food was quite like Frankie and Bennie's but without the really loud music and shouting and screaming (other people over the loud music). Don't know if that shows we're getting old but I'd chose Table Table over F&Bs now.

~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Very (except for the sweetcorn). The staff were lovely. Really friendly and attentive enough without intruding. It's difficult to judge how it would have been had they not known we were there to review them - this is a flaw in your way of allocating the vouchers - but the staff we had were kind and as I say lovely to the children - even when DS tipped a whole glass of juice over the table. All mopped up efficiently and patiently with smiles.
DH said he heard the staff serving tables nearby and they were treated just the same as us. The place was medium full so they weren't super rushed but not loads of time to chat either but they treated us well.

~ What did your children think of the visit?
The children liked their meal - ate it all up. They liked being able to chose their side dishes. They were very impressed with the play pack they were given - 3D glasses were a hit! Plus the puzzles and colouring kept them amused between courses. The staff were lovely to them, really friendly.

~ What was the highlight of the visit?
Food was tasty, staff very friendly. Reasonably priced adult food. I thought the children's meals were really, really good value and a great choice. (Was £4 for a child's starter or desert and a main with 2 sides and a good variety.)

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
I visited the George and Dragon restaurant in Marlow this Tuesday at 5pm

~ Who were you with?
My partner, my 4 year old son and his friend

~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?

Two bowls of nachos for a starter ( these are huge!!, a family of four only needs1!), steaks, and cheese and tomato pizza with sides of beans and skinny fries x2!, strawberry sundays and brownies. Love the fact there is a children and juniors menu. Excellent portion sizes

~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?

It was very nice, very friendly, jovial staff and a general good family atmosphere. No glaring! Very warm and cosy as it was a horrible day outside.
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?

Very, very good with the children s questions also.

~ What did your children think of the visit?

they loved it, said it was great, they loved the colouring packs with 3d glasses, these were given to them after the starter which is a brilliant idea. They said the food was amazing. My son was very impressed with the fact that he was able to use the bathroom all on his own, as the sinks were all at the right height

~ What was the highlight of the visit?

Excellent price, excellent atmosphere and brilliant service. My sons highlight was getting a sharing dessert and then eating it all to himself, mine was the fact I had found a restaurant that I would be happy to bring my child or friends into.

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
Table table - the hunsworth, October 2013, Saturday lunchtime
~ Who were you with?
Family; me, husband, 2 kids, 6&3.
~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
Two kids meals, nachos, fish fingers, chocolate brownie; garlic mushrooms, pizza, make your own sundae, two adult meals, mixed sharer starter, steak/burger, Oreo cheesecake and coffees.
~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Fairly typical for chain type gastro pubs, although nicer than a lot we've been to through the years!
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Very
~ What did your children think of the visit?
They loved it, the kids packs on the table we're particularly good, better than most places, as was the variety on the kids menu.
~ What was the highlight of the visit?
Mixed starter particularly good, and our daughter loved the make your own starter. Nice to get reasonably priced refillable drinks as well, my husband had five lime and lemons and the staff we're really attentive to this!

Just to add. My dcs didn't get a children's pack. I don't know why.

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
We visited the Charter in Aylesbury, Saturday 26th October - 6 p.m. sitting
~ Who were you with?
DH, DS 5 years, DD 3 years
~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
DH and I had lamb shanks for main. Meat was cooked nicely and served with mash and cabbage however it would have benefited from more seasoning as it was a little bland.
Both kids had the children's portions of scampi and chips. DS requested salad instead of the peas that came with the meal - and this was accommodated without fuss. Both meals were eaten without fuss - so must have tasted good.
Deserts - DS and I had strawberry ice-cream. It was difficult to tell the difference between the two but mine was £3.49 and DS' was 99p (children's meal). The portion sizes looked the same and they were served in identical bowls! I have no complaint about the amount of ice-cream I was served - it was plenty - just not sure why there was such a difference in price between two identical plates. It tasted very cheap - odd pink colour and quite an artificial taste.
DH had the Bramley apple crumble. He complained that it was very very sweet (the toffee fudge sauce on top probably).
DD had the Mini chocolate challenge which she loved (vanilla ice-cream with a wafer, marshmallows, squares of chocolate brownies, and chocolate sauce).
The desert menu is very stodgy. Big portions, all very very sweet, no delicacy!
~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
The restaurant was perfect for families - not sure I would want to have a romantic dinner there.
The space was split up into lots of little nooks so it didn't feel crowded and we didn't feel like we had to be on at the kids all the time.
The table was a little small when all the plates, glasses appeared - mainly because so much space is taken up with the menus and advertising bumf.
Toilets were clean and nicely decorated.
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Shown to the table by the manager and waiter appeared very promptly to take a drinks order and to give us the menus. He returned quickly with the drinks and the children's packs. The packs kept the kids busy until the food arrived.
Loved the fact that the waiter brought kid sized cutlery over for the children - which meant they were able to eat without danger to eyes and limbs.
Waiter was attentive without being annoying.
Bit surprised to hear they had no steak available (6p.m. on a Saturday evening)
~ What did your children think of the visit?
The children enjoyed themselves. Ate all their food (a real complement). They loved the packs and insisted everything came back with us.
~ What was the highlight of the visit?
Food that the kids liked and ate.

when did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
We visited The Hunsworth Bradford, Friday 25 October 4:45pm

Who were you with?
DH me and 4 ds 7,5,3 and 6m

What did you and your group choose from the menu?
Dh chose the mixed grill platter I had the macaroni cheese ds1 had pop in chicken skinny chips and beans, ds2 had pizza with bacon and Pineapple with skinny chips and beans ds3 had spaghetti bolognese tortilla chips and beans all the DC had blackcurrant fruitshoot.dh had the recipe tasting plate I had the warm chocolate brownie DC all had mini chocolate challenges. The baby had some water and milk he screwed his face up at my macaroni and my ice cream.

How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
It was good, we were seated in a more private area which had a lovely big oval table and more than enough seating, there was quiet music which was pleasant although the speaker was rather dusty. The decor was easy on the eye, the chairs werent worn or damaged there was a dirty child's handprint on the wall though.

How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Very, there was a children's menu which had graffiti on (not pg either) when we brought it to the attention of Pandora our waitress she apologised said they are all checked but there had been a managers meeting in that room so it had been missed, as she went to get the bill dh slipped her a good tip and she seemed very taken aback. The manager came and also apologised a lot and knocked some off our bill, still the service was excellent and they brought the boys some activity booklets with stickers crayons and 3d glasses as soon as we were seated which I thought was really nice. The staff were lovely and helpful and polite, even on our way out they said bye to the boys.

What did your children think of the visit?
Ds1 ate all his and helped his brothers finish theirs, the portions were a good size for the price great value for money, ds2 has just got over a tummy bug so enjoyed his meal but it was too much for him at the moment and ds3 tucked into his making a lovely mess trying to get the spaghetti to his mouth, ds3 wasn't sure about the desert he loved the ice cream but not the brownie bites, they all liked the activity packs best and ds2 said 'when we come next week can I have the sweetie sundae' so he thinks we will be going back next week. We will be visiting again but not next week.

what was the highlight of the visit?
For me having someone else cook for me, the food was delicious, dh thought it would be nice to have a little salad pot with the mixed grill like what was served with the macaroni cheese. The boys loved it all. Dh said the stress free dining and eating as a family was his highlight.

Overall it was very good and Pandora was fantastic.
Dh said that the toilets in the bar area were a total disgrace, there were smokers huddled in the doorway and he thought the decor feels a little tired. The toilet area in the restaurant were much better they were clean and didn't smell, the sinks were a little high but most are anywhere my ds don't like the noise of the dryer so used tissue to dry and there was a little bin in the corner but some paper towels may have been a nice touch. We don't eat out often usually the Toby up the road but this was a real treat we will be visiting again soon.
Thank you to mumsnet for choosing us and to the staff at the hunsworth for a lovely evening out.

Will do the local review tomorrow tablet a pain to type a lot of words in one go.

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?

We booked a table for 5pm,today as part of my sons 14th Birthday celebrations.
~ Who were you with?

We took our four children aged 14,6,3 and 18 months
~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
We had a combo platter,and sharing nachos, for staters,the temperature of the food on the platter was inconsistent. The nachos were unremarkable. The blue cheese dressing had a layer of grease settled on top.

For mains,I had steak and asked for it to be cooked medium, but would say it verged on rare. I wasn't offered a steak knife,and had to ask waiting while the rest of the family tucked into their meal. The peas were crinkly and quite off putting,I left them. I had to ask for the peppercorn sauce as they forgot to bring it!

My eldest son had sausage and mash with peas, again they were crinkly, he enjoyed the three fat sausages,but said there was not enough gravy and the mash was dry,he left most of the mash.

My younger son had chicken nuggets, corn on the cob (one was cooked well, the other overdone?!?) he is a fussy 6 year old and enjoyed it, my 18 month old daughter had chicken chips and peas (crinkly) the chicken looked nice,and my three year old had chicken nuggets, beans and chips, the beans were quite thick and she didn't like them. They all enjoyed the ease of the menu though,and enjoyed selecting what they wanted independently. I did think that the portions were very big for childrens meals, you could say good value but I hate wasted food and there was a lot left over.

My daughters had ice cream one arrived with toffee sauce rather than the raspberry we had ordered but she didn't seem to mind, my son chose the chocolate challenge, although I am not sure what the 'challange' was with a scoop of ice cream, three marshmallows,a wafer,dish of chocolate sauce and three brownie lumps? He did enjoy it though!

How was the general ambience of the restaurant?

Did have the feel of a passing through restaurant for people staying at the hotel, I wouldn't visit it again. The table we had was in an offset booth area, nice if you like a private area, but we go out to be social and felt a bit cut off from the rest of the diners. We had a big light above the table,and two large lamps so it was very well lit! I would have to say there was no ambiance. It felt a bit like closing time, when it was tea time. The staff appeared lack luster and ready to head home!
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?

The lady who showed us to our table was pleasant, efficient my daughter liked her pink hair! The lady who took our order, stood a way off and we were unsure if she was ready to take our order,or busy with another table! She did keep us informed as to where our order was up to, but there was a general air of aloofness, wether they were on their guard as they knew we where 'Mumsnet' reviewers and on edge I don't know, but I have definitely experienced more genuine service at other venues than i felt here.

We also had to ask for a highchair, usually you are offered one when it's obvious you have a younger child,I was then left to navigate the workings of it as the straps had become trapped I was watched by two waitresses struggling before assistance was offered.

Our younger children were not offered any colouring books until after the main course when our waitress could see they were getting restless. It was only at that point that I remembered we had always been offered these at the start in the past. I would also like to add that the stickers irritated all my childrens skin, wether they are meant to be put on your skin or not, the nature of the stickers,glasses,eyes,etc meant they immediately stuck them on their faces, within minutes there were red patches where the stickers had been.

We seemed to be abandoned after dessert and had to go looking for staff to request our bill, the table was not cleared enough (empty drinks bottles left to accumulate) which detracted from the experience. Our bill was incorrect,but to our benefit I had not been charged for one of our drinks. I did inform the staff member, although during the ten minutes we had to wait, and four staff members to credit our bill with the Mumsnet vouchers, I am still unsure if they added it on? Also, I struggled with the gratuity buttons but got there in the end! Overall, we were asked if everything was ok, we were offered a loyalty card and the manager asked if I had any questions at the end, but I wonder if our experience would have been better had we been 'normal' diners! Our bill should have been £75, and I have to say that without our voucher, I felt that we would have been quite miffed given the below average quality of food and service we experienced had we have to pay the full bill.
Of course,it's always nice to eat out, but unfortunately for us it was an unremarkable event for us, and neither one we would recommend or repeat.

In addition, my teenage son was quite aghast at the state of the men's toilets, one in particular was 'soiled', how often are they checked?

Thanks Mumsnet we hope our feedback is helpful x

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
We visited the George and Dragon pub in Marlow for lunch today, Sunday October 27.
Who were you with?
My husband and children, aged 6 and 4.
What did you and your group choose from the menu?
I had the sirloin steak, husband had haddock and chips. The children chose from the children's menu a pizza with sides of mash and chips (don't ask) and macaroni and cheese with chips and peas.
How was the general ambience of the restaurant? We really enjoyed the ambience. It was family friendly and welcoming, but cozy enough to feel a bit upmarket.
How knowledgeable were the staff serving you? They were all very helpful and knowledgeable.
What did your children think of the visit? The kids loved the restaurant and asked if we could go again next weekend - and this before dessert! They liked the big couch we were seated on, the kids' activity packs and especially liked the pictures of the meals and side dishes to choose from on the children's menu.
What was the highlight of the visit? When the server brought over the kids' activity packs and we got a few minutes of peace with the kids involved with them. The desserts were also very good, reasonably priced and tasty!

Any other comments?
The food was good, but not above average. It was very family friendly and we felt everything was decently priced. My husband mentioned there was a problem with the sinks in the men's washroom which detracted from the ambience over all, but in general we were both happy with the atmosphere in the pub. The service was very friendly and helpful. There are plenty of offers and encouragements to go again, which we will probably eventually do.

I was picked by MNHQ to review this product/ service, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?

We went to the Lynton Court in Bournemouth on Friday 25th October. Table was booked for 4.30, though I did ring to say we might be a little late, would that be a problem and was immediately reassured that it wouldnt be. We were actually early, it was only 4.25 but the table was ready for us.

~ Who were you with?

It was DH, DD (11) and me.

~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?

I had from the offer menu, and had breaded mushrooms, gammon steak and chocolate brownie. DD ate from the adult menu and had Nacho's for one, Chicken and Bacon Melt, and a Chocolate and Honeycomb Sundae. DH had French Onion Soup, Scampi and Apple Crumble. I have to say we dont normally do three courses, but DH and I skipped lunch in anticipation of a scrummy meal out, and DD only had fruit salad.

~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?

The restaurant was very clean, and reasonably decorated, although DH nearly fell over a lifted area of carpet. The lighting was okay when we got there, but by the time we came to order dessert DH had to lean over to read by the light from a wall light. Another customer had to get up and go to a standard lamp to be able to read her menu, yet another table had two downlighters above its very small table surface.

~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?

The staff serving us certainly seemed to know there stuff, and Steph, our main waitress, and Candice (who i think was the duty manager that evening) were certainly very attentive and helpful. In fact three different people asked if our main course was to our satisfaction.

~ What did your children think of the visit?

DD really enjoyed it. She hadnt been to a Table Table for a long time. We found out afterwards that they actually class "children" to be 12 and under, so she could have eaten off of the kids menu, and would have done so quite happily.

~ What was the highlight of the visit?

The amount of choice on the menu. DH hasnt seen French Onion Soup on a menu for ages. Also the staff were very helpful and attentive.

Any other comments?

We had a lovely chat with Candice after our meal. DH hadnt eaten his dessert, which didnt taste very nice at all, and the side salad that came with DD's main course was covered in dressing, which she doesnt eat (there was no mention of dressing on the menu) and she took our comments on board. We mentioned the loose area of carpet, and she explained that there were carpet fitters in the hotel attached, and that they were coming in to fix the carpet.

We were keen to go and try this restaurant , as both DH and myself are disabled. I did explain this when i book the table, and they had taken my request for a table with plenty of room on board. I was disappointed in the disabled toilet facilities, as they are right at the entrance to the building, a little way from the actual restaurant. There was no mirror in the disabled loo, and also it doubles as a baby changing room and there were dirty nappies in evidence. Candice explained that the loos were checked hourly, and that perhaps it hadnt been there that long, but DH went to use the facilities when we left, some 2 hours after arrival, and they were still there.

All in all we had a lovely time, and we would definitely go again, and are happy to recommend it to our friends and family.

I was picked by MNHQ to review this restaurant. It cost me nothing, and this review is all my own work.

I visited the George and Dragon in Marlow with my MIL, husband and 2 child aged 4 and 9 on October 22nd.
The children ate from the kids menu and had garlic bread and nachos to start. They loved the kids main course menu choice although it was quite difficult to persuade my eldest daughter not to have a carb, carb and more carb choice! She eventually chose macaroni cheese and the youngest had fish fingers chips and peas. They loved the pudding menu, It really caught their imagination. They settled for the sweetie sundae and the chocolate challenge which kept them occupied for ages building and making their own pudding!
All portions including the children's were generous. The adults ate calamari, mushrooms and sticky chicken goujons. We then ate lamb shanks, a very generous portion of fish and chips and gammon. It was good solid pub food, not haute cuisine but tasty and value for money. The food and drinks were served quickly which was appreciated.
The ambience was nice, the pub is clean, cozy and was full of other families. it was a rainy evening and it felt quite festive inside. The women's toilets were very clean and in good condition ( I can't comment on the men's as I didn't go in).
The staff were wonderful, Iwona is wonderful, happy to spend time explaining each deal in great detail to my mother in law.
The highlights of the visit for the children were the children pack - the 3d glasses were great. They also loved the pudding menu which are wonderful for children. We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. This restaurant would be a good place for a family gathering, there is enough choice to please the most picky of guests, the portions are large so the more thrifty feel they have their money's worth and it isn't too expensive. They also seem to like children which means parents can relax.
Thank you mums net.
I was picked my mums net to review this restaurant and received the service for free. This review is mine and only reflects my opinion.

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
We went to the George and Dragon in Marlow, Bucks

~ Who were you with?
We went as a family. Two adults and two children (3.6years and 10months).

~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
We chose Oven Baked Cod with Apple Crumble; Chicken & BBQ ribs and Choc Fudge Cake; Kids pizza and kids ice cream; Kids pizza and kids Fruit and Choc Fondue. Various drinks including a liqueur coffee to finish. All very tasty and seemed homemade. The children loved the pizza! Fantastic ribs.

~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Very nice atmosphere. Everything nice and clean. Friendly staff. Good activities for the 3 year old and a great highchair for the baby. Good baby changing facilities and toilets.

~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
We didn't really have any questions for them but booking over the phone was easy and the waitress was friendly.

~ What did your children think of the visit?
They had a great time. We were there for 2 hours and they didn't make a fuss at all! Loved the food.

~ What was the highlight of the visit?
The food was much better quality than expected. It has a similar menu to a Beefeater/Harvester-type restaurant but produced in a much better way. Great family restaurant and good value for money.

We went to Cheadle Royal on Sunday 20th October at 5pm. We booked and the staff on the phone were very helpful, offering to get us directions.
We were 2 adults and 2 children.
We arrived and waited in the queue for 5 minutes, which was fine.
We were given a choice of tables which was nice.
We were offered drinks quickly and then ordered our food. Childrens choice was good, both of them went for fish fingers. They both loved them particularly the pudding, chocolate challenge.
My husband and I both went for the steak, we were advised to go for the Sirloin steak as we had ordered medium rare Rump and the waiter said that it wouldn't be great if cooked like that so we took his advice. To be honest the steak wasn't that great but the chips (skinny) were fab.

The staff were attentive throughout our meal.

We visited the Hunsworth near Cleckheaton today, Tuesday 29th Oct, at midday. There were 5 of us, my parents and my 2 daughters.
My parents both had the French onion soup, my daughters and I shared the nachos and the trio of bread sticks. All starters were delicious and polished off quite quickly!
The menu was varied, plenty of vegetarian choices. There was also a Daytime Deal which offered a few items at a reduced price.
For main course, my mum had lasagne and salad, which she really enjoyed, but she couldn't eat it all.
My dad had haddock and leak fishcakes which he didn't really like, said they were a bit dry and tasteless. He should have ordered the haddock and chips he wanted, but changed his mind last minute!
My eldest had spinach and ricotta lasagne which she enjoyed. My other daughter liked her quorn burger and fries.
I had the mushroom risotto, it was very tasty.
Portions were just right.
For dessert, my mum had ice cream and raspberry sauce, I had a delicious chocolate fudge cake, my dad had sticky toffee sponge pudding and my daughters shared the banana split sundae.
The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, the venue was clean, modern and comfortable. We liked the way the room was designed with subtle dividing, it made it more intimate and cosy. The music was faint and unobtrusive.
Diane was our waitress from the start, gave us a choice of tables as she misheard me saying I had booked. We chose a table with a curved comfortable sofa and hard backed chairs for my parents. From then on I realised she didnt know we were the mumsnet reps (!) but I thought that was a good thing as she gave honest and genuine attention. She was very friendly, attentive, popped back to check things were ok, knew the answers to any questions we had. She wasn't phased when my daughters wanted to share a pudding, and happily gave extra spoons. I overheard her being helpful and friendly with a couple of elderly ladies on a nearby table too. When they realised I was part of the survey, Jason popped by to say hello, and Diane seemed a bit flustered ...but she had no need to be, she had given us a genuinely friendly, welcome. We happily left her a tip! (to put towards her next cruise!)
My daughters enjoyed the meal, and appreciated the relaxed atmosphere. They also enjoyed spending time with their grandparents and the fact that it was 'free food'!
Highlights of the meal... the 'free food' (!), the dessert menu and the general pleasant ambiance of the restaurant.
Thank you to the staff at the Hunsworth, they had nothing to worry about. And thank you for letting us take part in this survey :)

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
George and Dragon, Marlow. 1.30pm on Saturday 19 October.

Who were you with?
Wife (28), Me (31), Daughter (22 mths)

What did you and your group choose from the menu?
Nachos to start, chicken and ribs, steak and onion pie, cheese and mushroom pizza, coleslaw, garlic bread, onion rings, sparkling water, Coke, orange juice, cookie cheesecake, brownie and ice cream sundae.

How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Having lunch early into the afternoon on a Saturday, we were expecting the restaurant to be busier than it was. However, this didn't stop our enjoyment if the experience but it seemed out that it wasn't busier than it actually ended up being.

How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
The lady who served us let us know that there were a couple if items unavailable and also recommended something from the menu (unprompted by us). She came back on a frequent basis to make sure we were happy with everything, though it's difficult to tell whether this is the norm or if she realised we were there as part of the review process.

What did your children think of the visit?
My daughter ate everything she was served and, taking the opportunity to try an ice cream sundae for the first time, left with a smile on her face.

What was the highlight of the visit?
The wide range of food on offer was the definitely the best part of our visit.

Any other comments?
Parking was an absolute nightmare. We had to drive around for 15 minutes before finding somewhere that ended up being a 10 minute walk away. It appears that there's only a handful of spaces outside the restaurant which was annoying.

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
I visited The Charter in Aylesbury at midday on Sunday 20th October

Who were you with?
My husband, 21 month daughter, our friends & their 21 month old son.

What did you and your group choose from the menu?
The selection of meals were good and were reasonably priced. I had roast Turkey and apple pie with custard. The roast dinner was nice but there was a large Yorkshire pudding (which I don’t like) so there wasn’t as much as I’d have liked. Also wish there’d been a larger selection of vegetables. The caramel apple pie was lovely though. My husband had a bacon and cheese burger meal, apparently the chips were really nice and the meal itself was good.

Both us & our friends were pleased with the children’s menu as it’s like a pick and mix and you can put a meal together. We ordered sausages, chips and peas for her and she ate every last bit. It was a bit disappointing that her meal was served on a large hot plate. The lip was quite wide so probably would’ve been hard for her to get at all her food. We usually take our own plastic plate & cutlery for her so put the food on this plate. This often happens at restaurants. We went with the sweetie sundae which was icecream served in a sundae glass with 3 pots of different sweets (chocolate covered popping candy, mini smarties & honeycomb). Again the food went down very well but the glass bowl was too tall for her to eat out of so luckily we had brought a bowl of our own (this has happened to us on a few other occasions hence why we come prepared). Other than the plates I think these meals would be perfect for all children from the start of weaning upwards. Although the desserts could do with some more variety (not just all with icecream).

My friends had a roast dinner, a pasta dish and their son had pasta and meatballs. The adults were all impressed with their meals. My friends’ only complaint was that her pint of beer was warm.

My husband and I both had soft drinks and we were happy to see that they weren’t watered down as you often get in these places.

How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
It was busy but the restaurant is split into different sections so it didn’t seem over crowded and it was nice and quiet. It had a really nice atmosphere, very relaxed. The staff were unhurried and it seemed very calm.

How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
When I rung up to book the phone was answered very quickly and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The staff serving us were very friendly and answered any questions we had.

What did your children think of the visit?
I was a little disappointed that we weren’t given the free child’s activity pack (maybe they thought the children with us were too young) but on spotting another child with 1, I asked for the packs & were given them straight away. Although it would’ve been better to have had them at the beginning of the meal as that’s when you really need to occupy your children. The highchairs seemed good. I was glad that had a tray that you could flip back so that my daughter could actually sit at the table with us which I’ve never seen at a restaurant before.

What was the highlight of the visit?
I think my daughter really enjoyed her dessert! My highlight was the apple pie.

Overall I would recommend this restaurant. The food was good, the prices were good and atmosphere was very pleasant.

I visited the Bowling Green, near Clacton, with my 1 and 2 year old and my sister and her 9 and 10 year olds on Saturday 19th October at 5.30pm.

I had tried to continually call the restaurant for over a week but was always left waiting with no answer, eventually someone answered the day before we were wanting to go, though he didn't know anything about the voucher that was waiting for me to use but said it 'should' be fine.

On arrival we waited at the part where it directs customers to wait until seated and although there were several members of staff all walking around and behind the bar (no other customers) we waited around 5-7 minutes for someone to come over. We were shown to a table at the back of the restaurant, almost sectioned off from the rest of the restaurant but the decor was ok, just what you'd expect from a 'pub restaurant'.

To drink we ordered Bottomless Cokes, Yazoo Milkshakes, Fruit Shoots but they took a long time to arrive, which I couldn't understand as there weren't many other customers around at this point. Getting refills took even longer and resulted in us going to the bar ourselves to get them.

We ordered the following children's meals:
3 Chipolata Sausages & Gravy , Chips, Peas (only 2 sausages arrived - this was corrected when pointed out to staff)
3 Chipolata Sausages & Gravy , Rice, Beans (only 2 sausages arrived - this was corrected when pointed out to staff)
Pizza - pineapple and bacon, chips, coleslaw (pizza is more a pitta bread with large chunks of pineapple shoved on and cheese lumped on top, it was hard and my little boy wouldn't eat it)
Pop-In Chicken, Corn, Chips (the chicken was hard but she ate it anyway)

My sister and I ordered:
Gammon Steak with egg and pineapple, chips
Double Steak burger with cheese and bacon (one burger hard the other undercooked!!)

Onion Rings - side

The food was generally ok aside from the bits I've highlighted above but the wait for it all was a bit beyond acceptable.

The children were impatient, bored and hungry. We had to ask if there were any colour packs they could have to attempt to keep them entertained and felt like we were putting them to great effort to get them for us.

For dessert we ordered:
Sweetie Sundae, Banana Splits, Adult Banana Split , Oreo Cookie Pie
these were a bit of a disaster as we had to wait over 25 minutes for the kid's splits and sundaes to arrive - not good!

As the restaurant got busier the staff were looking more and more put out and we could hear other customers complaining about the length of their wait for simple things, it would seem that they are unable to cope when it starts being busy.

The children liked the 3d glasses in the colour packs when they eventually got some and obviously their ice creams when they arrived.

The only highlight was knowing that we weren't footing the whole bill for this otherwise we would probably have left during the first course.

We have visited this venue previously with a not much better experience unfortunately. We thought that maybe they would have had training since then, or at the very least would have made extra effort knowing that we were there to review our experience.

I was picked by MNHQ to review this product/ service, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.

Sorry I'm a bit late

When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
The Bowling Green near Clacton-on-Sea

Who were you with?
DH and 15 mo DS

What did you and your group choose from the menu?
We went a bit mad as the voucher was a lot for just the three of us!
DS had a veg sticks starter followed by a burger and chips from the kids menu.
Me and DH shared chicken goujons and breaded mushrooms to start, then he had the chicken and rib combo, I had a sirloin steak. We had macaroni cheese on the side. Then DH and I had sundaes for dessert. DS had a bit of ours.
We also had wine and beer.

How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Very peaceful for a sunday lunchtime. The restaurant is laid out so we were in a section with maybe 4 other tables which added to this.

How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Very knowledgeable. DH had a nut allergy and they were great with this. However, they seemed to be pushing the boat out for us as we had a voucher and knew we were reviewing them.

What did your children think of the visit?
DS was in a grumpy mood anyway so maybe he's not the best reviewer! He hated the veg sticks but loved the mac cheese and chips. He wasn't too impressed with the burger but ate a bit of the bun. We didn't use the changing facilities (in the disabled toilet) but the ladies was very clean and the disabled loo looked clean when I stuck my head in. Despite his age, a kids pack (crayons etc) would have made the world of difference as he got bored with the toys I'd bought.

What was the highlight of the visit?
We were looked after really well, with the manager taking a special interest in us which was nice but not necessarily a true representation of the place. The wine was really nice, which I sometimes find not to be the case in other similar chains.

Just to add, we visited on Sunday 13th October at 12:00.

As a follow up, we went back to Mill Lodge in Lincoln last night as we had been sent a voucher for a free main course.

Our experience was completely different to our first visit - we were seated next to the toilets right at the back of the restaurant. The waiter was more interested in checking out the young women at a couple of tables through the archway than taking orders. He got my drink wrong and had to go and change it and he got our table number wrong so our food went to the wrong table.
The food was reasonable and the bill only came to £21 for 2 adults and 1 child but we only had one course and 1 alcoholic drink.
The duty manager told us when we mentioned the contrast to our first visit that they were understaffed because he'd had to send a pregnant staff member home due to sickness. I'd have understood if it wasn't for the lack of attention to detail we experienced.

~ When did you visit and which restaurant did you visit?
13th October, Bournemouth
~ Who were you with?
DH (31) and DS (2)
~ What did you and your group choose from the menu?
Starter platter, steak and chips with peppercorn sauce, burger and chips, Oreo cheesecake, ice cream, chocolate sundae
~ How was the general ambience of the restaurant?
Lovely, really friendly and relaxed, soft lighting
~ How knowledgeable were the staff serving you?
Staff were nice, attentive and helpful
~ What did your children think of the visit?
He loved it, it was a lovely treat for him
~ What was the highlight of the visit?
It was brilliant for our son as the kids menu was huge with lots of different choices at a really reasonable price. There was a photo of each option so he could easily see what it was. He was given a kids pack when we arrived, which was full of colouring and stickers and monsters. It kept all of us busy between courses!

We would definitely go back to the Lynton Court Table Table, the food was lovely (but I wouldn't necessarily order steak again, some of the other options sounded very nice). The staff were great, the car park is large and spacious. The decor is nice and welcoming. The highchair was nice and very good quality (but could have done with longer straps). The kids menu really impressed me, as did the activity pack.

Sorry for posting this so late, I thought I had posted it before but as its clearly not here on the thread, I must have had a phone fail!

I was picked by MNHQ to review this product/ service, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.