The Gay Hussar

As a Hungarian I was very disappointed with the food at this restaurant and I would not recommend it to anyone. For me it was obvious that everything was from the fridge (you can not prepare a starter in 5 min for 7 people). Some food taste different when it is fresh (like galuska). Some of the food was not what I expected like Cigany gyors tal, instead of smoked salami – which is a Hungarian delicacy- they served cheap fried sausage. Snitzel with potato which is Hungarian Sunday lunch, but they served it without any salad and it was not fresh either, which again would have been important.
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Edit Darabos
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Friday, November 16, 2012

I did not read any reviews before going to the restaurant. I wanted to see for myself, I did not want to be influenced. So, I paid the price of food as the "optional" service charge of 12.5% I refused to pay. It took a long time for food to arrive at the table, and this was a reason why it was cold. Wine - high price for house wine, nothing special. Some paper tissues pinned to the wall - decorations ? And the hygiene - very low standard. I will not go back and will not advise even the hungry ones to go there. The pre-theatre dinner attracts a discount but I was charged a full price.
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Elizabeth
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Saturday, October 13, 2012

I absolutely strongly disagree of what certain individuals are trying to convince the public "with their own fairy tale stories",what I've learned is that never belive wrong stories of what one stupidly creates ,first of all hungarian resaurants in comparison with english ones they show up to be better,secondly I do not belive they do serve bad quality wine however South Hungary has got a wine region(see Tokay region),traditional goulash is served as traditional ,chefs are well trained,and finally why should a hungarian restaurant look like a pub ? I think there are plenty of english pubs around the UK where you can get plenty of pints,you can see drunken men and women at the same time....and I would be able to continue my review till the next day ,but anyway personally speaking been to this restaurant had a very nice meal,I mostly liked hungarian waitress attitude, nice atmosphere!!!!!!
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9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, March 10, 2012

I have not been to the Gay Hussar for 7-8 years , and having read the reviews I can say I was a bit concerned that all of my great memories having been there many times in the past, may be spoilt.

We went on a weekday lunchtime and fortunately it was just as I remember. Do not believe any of the bad reviews.

The portions are as hearty and " home cooked" as ever. I was with my Hungarian aunt and uncle and they take some pleasing (!) but we all left vowing to return in a few weeks.

Lunch menu for £22 per head is unbeatable.

If you want somewhere more lively then go to Jamie's latest fad restaurant. If you want great food, well cooked, in a traditional, and historic setting go to the Gay Hussar.
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Karoly
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, October 17, 2011

On booking the stern booking staff seemed only concerned with what time we would leave the resturant. He then said we had to leave in 120 minutes of our arrival. My main did not come with the rest of the groups meal. We all had to wait adtditional 20 mins to tuck in, by this time their food was growing cold. The staff were blunt, rude unfriendly unwelcoming, awful decor, very cold ambience. the restaurant was tiny, we were shoved in the corner and hurried out. they refused to serve us dessert as they stated our "time was up". appalling customer service. They even refused a group of people away even though half the resturant was empty. The food was filling fresh with big portions but THE SERVICE WAS ABSOLUTELY APPALLING..WOULD NOT RETURN EVEN IF THE MEAL WAS FREE. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE
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mary ford
5 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 10
Sunday, August 28, 2011

Not good at all

very small portions for the money no atmosphere at all.

We went in august 2011 on a tuesday night it was very quiet night now we know

why. The wine was very expensive as well would not recommend to anybody The Gay Hussar.
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anne burton
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, August 25, 2011

Despite a lot of bad reviews on the internet about the Gay Hussar we tried the restaurant anyway. Big mistake. The portions were tiny. The goulash soup consisted of 3 pices of potato and 2 pieces of meat for over £6. The Wiener Schnitzel was mainly breadcrumbs, it was hard to find the meat in it. Again overpriced at £16. We had to wait 90 minutes for our main course to arrive. And having been in the restaurant so long I had to use the rest rooms. The door didn't lock and the towel holder fell apart the moment I took out a paper towel.

Don't go there. You will be disappointed! Maybe it was a great meeting place one day but it's certainly not any more!
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1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Thursday, August 04, 2011

I popped in for a lunch with a friend of mine, we had a wonderful restaurant experience. Very attentive, friendly service and delicious food. Great experience from the moment we entered the place, we were extremely well looked after.The decor and table set up was clean and traditional. We enjoyed our meal in a refined atmosphere with the added charm of classical hungarian music. We would return gladly next time.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Friday, July 29, 2011

The irony of this place is that most of the group left hungry. The ambience is something akin to a wake. The decor, where do you start? The only colour was in the doilies stapled to the wall, which were last seen in a charity shop in Skegness, along with the ageing political autobiographies which stare down at you throughout. Onto the food, and the Hungarian hors d’oeuvres were worse than Iceland’s own frozen specialities, despite their association with Kerry Katona. Most of the mains were returned barely eaten, for reasons from “it tasted like leather” to “it was basically a Hungarian fry-up but stodgier and flavourless”. We topped off the meal with the Hungarian liquor Unicum, which was the highlight despite tasting like stomach bile. Walking out the restaurant made me feel like Nicholas Lyndhurst in Goodnight Sweetheart, as I walked out of the 1940’s and back into the modern day. Not recommended.
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2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 25, 2011

First mistake, misunderstanding what ‘traditional Hungarian food’ really means on the online reviews. What we learnt, Hungary is truly shocking at food. Second mistake, staying for longer than 5 minutes after justifying to ourselves it will be an experience and broaden our horizons. What we learnt, not all experiences make your life better. Third mistake, asking the waitress for a recommendation. What we learnt, the waitress has obviously never eaten at her own restaurant. Fourth mistake, ordering Hungarian wine. What we learnt, Hungarian wine perfectly compliments Hungarian food. Final mistake, after not being able to finish the starter or main course opting for Unicum as a liqueur. What we learnt, its actually worse than it sounds and it was worryingly fizzy, however it’s easily the best thing we ordered! In summary, would I go back? No. Would I recommend it to anyone even if they were from Hungary and hadn’t eaten in 3 days? No. Do I understand why Mo Mowlams autobiography was used as decor and she stared at me for the whole meal? No. Have I ever felt the need to write a review before? No. Am I confident said Unicum was less than 10 years old? No. Will I remember the lessons learnt from this experience? Yes.
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Graeme
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Friday, February 25, 2011