Inn The Park

Great food but what is the point if you can't enjoy the eating experience because of the truly terrible service:

We ate lunch here one Sunday with our two children. The food is sublime but the service is one of the worst I have experienced.

After being seated with menus, we were left for over 15 minutes before we caught the attention of a waitress. We ordered food at the same time to avoid waiting again only to be told items on the childrens menu were not available - not being told when we were seated and given the menus was annoying.

We had three courses. Time between finishing one course and getting the next was over 30 minutes.

No water was brought to the table - orders were taken incorrectly. Again we had to ask for our dessert order to be taken since we were sick of waiting for spontaneous attention. We did not get served by the same person once during our meal.

Ice cream arrived except my own - after another 15 minutes and another reminder it arrived (the rest of the family had eaten theirs). Forget the cup cakes for a joke gimic - our children got given cup cakes but no one cared enough to listen to the jokes they had prepared.

Many people all around me were complaining, grissly steak, poor service too so it wasn't just us that were dissappointed on that day.

Overall a very disappointing experience - we came out of the restaurant nearly £150 lighter and feeling really let down - what a waste of money!
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Sherria Hoskins
2 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, June 25, 2011

I went to Inn the Park St. James' on a quiet weekday evening.

We both ordered steaks, ketchup, bread, a glass of wine, a beer and table water. The ketchup and bread never arrived, despite reminding the waiter for them both. The chips tasted like they had been reheated, and had a smokey flavour like roast chestnuts (I do like roast chestnuts, but not with a steak). We decided against pudding due to our orders not arriving, and when our bill was brought to us I pointed out it was wrong, as we'd been charged for water and it didn't add up anyway (apparently this was because beer doesn't show up on your receipts). I asked for it to be corrected (to at least remove the water), and it came back wrong again. When I pointed this out you waiter then said, "****, I've brought you the wrong bill again". The steaks were very nice, and the view of the park (which is really why we went) was nice, but the rest of the evening was a massive disappointment.

Evidently from some other online reports (including almost all comments on Foursquare) this isn't an isolated incident. Indeed, the man on the table next to us appeared to be sending his food back as well. I was going to mention this to the greeter / maitre d' on exit, but nobody was to be seen (and the maitre d' who we spoke to on arrival appeared to be eating at a table on your veranda alongside several other guests and I really couldn't be bothered to make a scene).
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Rich B
2 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Monday, May 09, 2011

I was there last Monday after a long time without visiting St James Park. There is now an ice cream van at the entrance of the restaurant. Burgers are also sold there and, despite being a little expensive, both, burgers and ice cream, they are worth of it.

The best, the waitress: Fast, attentive, and constantly smiling despite the constant costumers' flow.

The worst: It is located just next to the container where the restaurant staff throw the glass, making a really disturbing noise.
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Désirée Eadalé
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Friday, April 29, 2011

Feeling a bit groggy, sat outside Inn the Park drinking cocktails and rose. You can really tell winter is over when you finally get to sit outside. This is definitely one of the best spots in London to do that

To be honest I was a bit reticent about going because of some of the reviews down below but I really had a fab time.The food and service were great, the whole thing was really laid back. You would never think you were in central London

I would definitely recommend the sole, really fresh and tasty

I will definitely be going back for more.
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Ian
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Took my wife and 2 year old daughter to Inn The Park today for Mother's Day. Firstly as one of the supposedly busiest days for lunch in the whole year the place was quiet, considering. Secondly, being Mother's Day you might expect a slightly beefed up children's menu, all they were offering was sausage and mash or chips and a scaled down portion of their veggie main course, mushroom stuffed with Stilton served on pearl barley.

My wife is American and therefore a bit of a stickler when it comes to service but even by my mild British standards it was shocking. Whilst always friendly it was completely chaotic, we had to ask for the wine list twice, by the time they had queried our quite simple order for the third time we had finished or main course and no longer wanted any wine. The glasses for our aperitif were still on the table after we paid the bill. Our waitress although very friendly could barely speak English and every request had to be repeated.

The food was generally OK apart from some potentially lethal over seasoning on one of the starters. We shared a roast chicken which was brought to the table un-carved and we had to ask for a carving knife and then a serving spoon. My pudding, a pannacotta, was lumpy, and although assured that it was supposed to be like that it was the first time, in 30 years of eating pannacotta, that I had had a lumpy and curdled one.

We did complain, and to his credit the manager comped the whole meal, albeit with bad grace, swearing at my wife. My advice... give it a miss. At the prices they charge you would expect a way better experience and better value.. There are plenty in London.
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Simon
2 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 3
Sunday, April 03, 2011

Cold restaurant (on a day on which the temperature was 0 degrees, we were told heaters weren't brought in until December). Sitting in a coat, alongside other diners in coats, did not endear me to this restaurant, and nor did the food. Which was...small in portion size, largely tasteless, and also cold.

The manager did knock off over 50% of our bill, which was nice - but also a clear acknowledgment of the fact that his kitchen is serving sub-standard fare at reasonably expensive prices.

A lovely setting let down by the quality of the restaurant built upon it!
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L Bloom
4 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 4
Monday, November 29, 2010

I'm a regular diner at Inn the Park as I work in Westminster and also live nearby. Visiting the restaurant for our monthly Sunday lunch yesterday, I was delighted to find a Farmer's Market being held at the restaurant, which both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed. Well done Inn the Park, and I hope to see the Market again! Despite the fact that the restaurant was busy, we were greeted as always with recognition by a member of staff and seated as quickly as possible as I had not pre-booked. We are bemused by some of the reviews on this site as we've always found the staff polite, helpful and efficient and considering the fabulous location, I did not find 18.50 offensive for two courses. I will continue to visit Inn the Park restaurant as in my experience, the food is fresh, tastes delicious and cannot be enjoyed in a more glorious setting.
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Adrian
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, November 04, 2010

I agree with other reviewers. Just don't eat here. Expensive food that could be nice but isn't. The worst staff in London - nice when you can get their attention, but incredibly difficult to do so.

I am now actively boycotting the place as in two months, I've not received even an acknowledgement of the email I sent them.
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1 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, October 11, 2010

Visiting for the first time and the last, I should have researched this place beforehand. Retrospectively reading the comments of your reviewers since 23 May 2010 nothing has changed. Overpriced, un-interesting food smothered in butter served, eventually by un-interested staff for which we are asked to pay 12.5% service charge. I believe I am right in saying that a partner in this venture is a judge on Great British Menu where he regularly dismisses dishes far superior to what are served here. Comments from reviewers are obviously ignored as this place makes far to much easy money.

If you want value for your money, don't dine here.
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Keith
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Slow service, over-priced, small portions, cold soup, even after sending it back! Should have been lovely. It’s probably good for your average tourist, but as a Londoner I am glad I know of many other places where you get much, much more for your money. It felt like some of the staff just wanted to finish for the night and you were getting between them and their favourite TV show. Lovely location. Whole meal summed up in a word... Disappointing. : (
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Chris
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Friday, September 10, 2010