Hellie Flower

Review of SMOKESTAK

Worst service I have ever encountered in London. 3...

Worst service I have ever encountered in London. 35minutes for 1st round of drinks to arrive. An hour following that for a single starter to arrive, followed oddly by all the mains 15minutes after. When we pointed out that we were awaiting 3/4 of our starters they whisked away our mains - to tease or to punish? We eventually got our starters, then the mains, with a single mini ramekin of sauce to share. Our second round of drinks required asking no less than 4 members of staff (let's be honest - no waiter worth their salt would choose to be associated with this rude and disinterested bunch) to bring them, and even then they only got 3/4 drinks correct. They neglected to clear the empty glasses and bottles from our table and at no point appeared to care, much less apologise for their level of "service" (even using the word service is rather a misnomer for what we endured). The food was average but not a competitor even for mass chains such as Bodeans. The decor itself was surly and dark and zero efforts at social distancing or any other Covid-safe measures were in place. Deeply, deeply disappointing experience with zero reasons to ever return.

Amended next day: remembered one positive - the pigs tails in sticky soy molasses were deliciously moreish