Patara (Greek St)

I went as part of a large group (over 40 people), and the menu had already been chosen, so basically we ate whatever was put in front of us. The food was actually good, the fried fish and the lamb cutlets being the highlights for me. However what upset me and a lot of the people in our group was a £3 service charge on every bottle of wine we ordered. Nowhere did it state on the menu about a service charge, and as we were expected to pay immediately for each bottle we ordered, it was questioned by everyone. The explanation for the charge wasn't suitably explained, but the waitress didn't have great English. As just the small part of the group I was with ordered more than seven bottles of wine, the £3 charge added quite a nice bit of extra cash to the restaurants coffers. A ridiculous charge, and one that has put me off going back there.
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Marcus
5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Friday, December 14, 2012

The food is OK but it is rather a bland restaurant for the money. The tables are close together and, in spite of the oriental decoration (except for the industrial 'toliet' sign outside the loos), it has little character.

The service is adequate but you feel that they don't really care - they got bolshie with us when the other members of the party didn't arrive on time, and managed to tip a glass of beer all over me without doing more than replacing it.

Would I go again? No, I would head for Wagamama's for half the price or find somewhere that had a bit of character.
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James - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Saturday, November 24, 2012

I don't very often wrote reviews on restaurants, but really felt i needed to with Patara. I had read a few reviews that said the place was ok and that portions weren't amazing but the food was very good.

The food was amazing, from the starters to the main right up to the very best dessert I've had in a Oriental restaurant before. The portion sizes were spot on, we had very happy bellies after the meal.

The service was perfect, they really couldn't do enough for you and they gave you enough time between courses, to relax and get ready for the next course.

I will be going back and highly recommend this place.
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Kara Voyce
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, October 28, 2012

I wanted to book a table at the restaurant for my friend leaving London, So I called the restaurant to book the table and the girl answered the phone and when I ask for a table, I was put on hold until the phone was cut off, ”so call again and another girl answered and I was put on hold again and the same thing happens, this was ridiculous and unprofessional for a restaurant of such reputation.

Anyway I decided to go there, so I did go there with my friend and I asked for a table, the girl who is receptionist at the door asked me if I had a booking in a quite impolite way,”I tried to call to make a booking but the phone was cut twice”I told her, I was surprised when she said that’s not possible. I still bared her attitude and asked her again how long after we can get a table, she said “I don’t know”? Just before I lose my manners I told her that we will walk around and come back in half an hour or so. We came back after about half an hour and ask the girl , if they have a table available now, she asked me to wait, “O.K “so were waiting for the table when I hear she telling her colleague “let them wait “good thing my friend didn’t hear this, if it wasn’t my friends last day in London she would have got the best of me. Anyway we got the table near their reception counter, which wasn’t a great table and I was pretty sure with that kind of service and attitude we won’t be able to change, so we order our meal and got on with it, while we are having our meal we can over hear all the disgusting language they are using. We went after our meal and this will be last time I will never go to this restaurant, this was a big disappointment to go to a restaurant which is NOT CHEAP, POOR ENGLISH STANDARDS, NO SERVICE, NO MANNERS, BAD ATTITUDE, USING BAD LANGUAGE where the customers can hear you.

P.S. I understand Thai language
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Sarah - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

I actually found the service to be discraceful. Our waiter/esses could hardly speak a sentence in clear english and seemed disinterested throughout. Poor value for money, the quality of the food wasnt extraordinary as other diners mentioned and the service was slow.
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Tony Galvin
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Saturday, August 20, 2011

I had dinner in a restaurant this week. It included, as is becoming more common, a restaurant service charge of 12.5%. I asked the waitress how much of this she got. She said she got only 22 pounds per night plus service charge around 8 pounds in total 30 pounds per night. I think it is not minimum wage so that mean all of the service charge does not go to staff.

For me this is a disgrace. When I tip I want it to go to the waiting staff, not the restaurant.

Legally you can't be made to pay a service charge, so do what I did. Don't put it as part of the bill. Tip that same amount in cash to the waitress. This is a growing blight. And if it isn't bad enough, restaurants that include service often add a voluntary tip box on the receipt - to make us pay more.
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Tommy
4 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Sunday, March 06, 2011

My husband and I went to this restaurant yesterday evening (12/02/2011) to celebrate his birthday, this was based on the previous reviews on here. However this thai restaurant failed to live up to its previously spoke about reputation.

The food on the whole was of a high standard, however the restaurant was badly let down on it's service, the restaurant set up and the waitress trying to charge us for a desert we never had!! To annoy me further there was a 12.5 service charge, it stated on the dessert menu in very small letters this was discretionary. Upon receiving the bill it did not state the charge was discretionary. This restaurant was incredibly expensive meal for two people. The bill with service charge came to £120, it was not worth that. We've been to many thai restaurants and had much better value for money. The service in particular was bad, they never offered to take your coat, nor did they offer a drink when we sat down. I would not recommend this restaurant.
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J Johnson - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, February 13, 2011

Bad service, really unfriendly staff with a really really bad attitude. Poor food, poor portions really over priced. AVOID AVOID AVOID. You might as well eat in Busba Eat thai the thai food there has actual flavour, staff are friendly and the price is good!
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J
3 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Saturday, December 04, 2010