Floridita

Booked a table of 16 for a hen do, the table was booked for 9.30. Obviously this is quite a late booking but all in all the service was incredibly slow, with our desserts not arriving until past midnight! The booking staff failed to mention that there was a £6 per head charge for the live band, although this was noted in the teeny tiny terms and conditions, I was very annoyed that this charge was not stipulated at the point of booking.

The 12.5% 'optional' service charge was practically forced upon us with the waiter making us feel very bad about how angry his boss would be if he didn't get it. All in all i was very disappointed with this restaurant, i think they would do better keeping it as just a bar or just a restaurant, or having the 2 areas a bit more separate. It was very squashed, very noisy and very slow service. A big thumbs down for me i'm afraid.
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Dominique
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Monday, June 16, 2008

After reading reviews about Floridita I was in two minds whether to cancel my booking, however we went there on Saturday 26th April. I was looking for faults but couldn’t really find any. There were two of us and we arrived at 8.45pm for a 9.00pm booking and were seated straight away as requested. The service was prompt and drinks arrived quickly. Our order was taken with no problems although I would say that the menu is fairly limited. I ordered the sword fish which was very nice. The music was excellent and we had a table close to the stage. The band had been flown in from Cuba the previous evening. People were dancing and the atmosphere was good. There were quite a few groups of people but also tables of 2. There was no delay in the food arriving. It seemed to get busier as the evening went on and the waiting staff seemed to be more rushed however it did not affect the service we received. We paid £150 for 3 courses, coffee, 2 cocktails each and a £30 - £40 bottle of wine. I don’t think thats too bad considering the location, the venue and the atmosphere.
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Lisa (Northampton)
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

i have been twice to floridita and wouldnt have gone back if i didnt have a great time. it really has a great atmosphere but the food and drinks are really good, though hey are pricey. i took some poeple who had read the reviews some of which are not great, but i love this place for a rocking night out. it was busy both times but the service was great. you must try the mojitos!!
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gary field
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 6
Friday, April 11, 2008

I just have to recommend Floridita as an experience not to be missed. We initially went for dinner but ended up dancing the night away and soaking up that Cuban atmosphere that Floridita have managed to recreate perfectly. The food is tasty and well-presented, not too pricey and served with a smile. The live music is a real treat and I have yet to visit a restaurant in London with this kind of energy and buzz. We will definitely be back for one of their passionfruit Mojitos....or 3!
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Stella
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 10, 2008

hi went with friends for my birthday, it was excellent , food, staff, music could not have been better will go again for sure.

only downside toilets werent that clean.
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steve playford
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, February 24, 2008

We went to Floriditas on Valentines day a set meal was £138 for two. We arrived early to have a drink upstairs. There was a good variety of cocktails which weren't bad. Then we moved downstairs to find that there was a cue of people for a 9.30pm table reservation also. We waited and cued and listened to the band and watched people dancing until 10.30 when we finally go to sit down. Then we ordered our food and drinks. We finally got our food at 11pm after booking for 9.30. The food was delicious, albeit not very big portions.

I went to the toilet and there seemed to be a moody toilet attendant in there waiting for tips. I hate this in toilets and never tip, why you need someone to mother you and turn on and off a tap annoys me.

After dessert we were not given our coffee's as it had turned into a club and they needed the tables empty. We were simply presented with a bill for £220 pounds.

IT SEEMS YOU HAVE TO PAY £12 EXTRA FOR LISTENING TO THE MUSIC. Which we were not told about and had no choice about whilst eating unless you stuff your ears with cheese or your deaf.

We refused to pay for that and the drinks due to our 1 1/2 hour wait and they wouldn't let it rest. finally we had to pay our set meal price + £20 service charge. If I hadn't of given them my card details I would have refused outright,

They had bad people management and were far to busy to pay attention to their customers. And after and full house all night very tight to not let a few free drinks

make up for a Very long wait. We won't be returning or recommending it. It put a dampner on our Valentine night.
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I ate in Floridta on 16th Feb 08, and will not be going back! The food is poor quality for the price and my main dish was cold. Some main courses did not arrive until we chased. The waitress was surly, and took away drinks before they were finished with, and mixed red and white wine the the same glasses etc. Frankly it was so bad it was funny! That was until the bill came and the 12.5% service was already included as well as a charge for live music of £6pp.

Whilst Floritidta may be fun for cocktails and atmosphere do not eat there. You will feel ripped off!
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, February 19, 2008

I have been to Floridita a few times now and love the atmosphere there, however last night was my first time dining. Between 2 of us, three courses and coffee, bearing in mind I was driving and only had 2 drinks, came to £230.

We ordered vegetarian which was nice but not what you'd expect for the price but all would have been forgiven and this review never have written had we not waited 30 minutes past our booking for a table and and over 3 hours for our meals to be served.

We had a nine O'clock booking and at 12.30am when they finally served dessert I was simply bored of sitting at the table.

Not an apology from anyone simply an excuse that the kitchen is slow.
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Richard
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 15, 2008

Well, there are already some dire reviews of Floridita but I must say I don't feel too bad about adding to them!

Like many of the other reviewers below I visited as part of a large group on a Saturday night.

The "Floridita experience" as they call it on their website is hugely overpriced and you don't have to be a gastronaut to notice that the food is awful.

Maybe if you just went for drinks it would be good fun. The decor is lovely and the atmosphere okay. The real let down is the food.

We paid £53 per head excluding drinks for 3 courses, side dishes and coffee.

Including tip this is £60 per head (plus water for the table and wine that works out at £70 - £80 per head). Now for that kind of money I expect some damn fine food....After all that's £20 per course - even the starters!

However, what we got was a choice of soup, avocado salad or crab cakes to start. I went for the crab cakes which turned out to be potato croquettes on a few bits of old looking rocket with some dodgy mayo.

All the main courses looked ropey. The vege option was some mushroom mush, the swordfish came with barely any dressing or accompaniment and the suckling pig looked like it had been re-warmed in a microwave.

At least the dessert was nice!

I cannot work out why we ended up paying more for the dishes overall than they quote in their standard menu. Perhaps we were paying for the privilege of the being a big group. Or maybe the cheesy doughballs and vinegar soaked olives they served up as "a delicious selection of Cuban accompaniments".

There have been a number of bad reviews of Floriditas now. Perhaps it's time their Executive Head Chef Andrew Rose pulled his socks up!
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Sunday, February 03, 2008

A party of five on a Saturday night - table booked for 9.30. I booked in advance on the telephone and their office called on the day to check. We arrived at 9.25 and the table was ready. I thought the meet and greet staff were very helpful. The service was good and quite attentive considering the number of people there. Despite the place being full, waiting time to take the order and deliver the food was quite acceptable. The food was OK - not wonderful, but you go to this type of place for the experience rather than gastronomic delights. We had two bottles of wine between us and didn't get hustled for any cocktails. If you do three courses and hit the wine and the cocktails then it could get up to £70/80 a head with the music charge.

My only complaint was the noise. Of course you expect live music to be loud, and that’s why we went. But between the sets from the band music at the same volume was piped throughout the room though the ceiling speakers, so there was no escape. We had a round table in a corner and it was impossible to hear what the person opposite was saying. The place is jumping with lots of people to look at and the live band was pretty good. But don’t go there if you want to talk.
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Steve
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Sunday, January 27, 2008