The French House

The bar staff almost immediately took a dislike to us, I suspect because our group did not fit their preferred clientele profile. They were very rude almost from the outset and one female member of staff was particularly set on making us most unwelcome. Although the doorman was stood approximately 2 metres away and paid us no mind, the aforementioned female member of bar staff (who was at least twice the distance away) started shouting at us to "shush" across the noisy bar room in a very aggressive manner. She was particularly picking out my girlfriend as the source of the entire din in the bar. On two occasions my girlfriend wasn't actually speaking at the time when she was ordered to shush and when she does speak she is softly spoken. A couple who sat near us protested her innocence as they saw she wasn't actually speaking at the time. We were a group of 4 and we were not making more noise than anyone else and we certainly were not being rowdy, she just didn't like us. People do talk in bars but not this one, not unless you want to be confronted by a growling barmaid and thrown out. A second female member of staff followed us out and started shouting at my girlfriend in an attempt to escalate the situation on the street. The place is staffed by unprofessional, aggressive, vacuous, pretentious, wannabees (with the exception of the doorman who was professional and polite throughout). This is the first bar I have ever been in where the bar staff try to start fights. All style, no substance and certainly not the place to go if talking to friends or having a good time is your thing!
Comment on this reader review

steve cruz
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, November 11, 2010

Agree with Jeremy R -- "a shadow of its former self". Also had the chateaubriand and, actually, it was perfectly cooked so did not have such a dramatic disappointment. Rather, it was just the conservative nature of the menu now, very safe, very unadventurous. Service was friendly, if somewhat overly unctuous.
Comment on this reader review

miranda escobedo - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Saturday, December 12, 2009