Ole Restaurant & Bar (Putney)

Occasion:

I went with my boyfriend to the Ole Restaurant a few weeks ago to celebrate our 1 year anniversary.

Arrival time: We arrived at 9pm, the restaurant was already fully packed, so with no prior booking we requested on how long the waiting time will be. The manager/owner of the restaurant told us about 10 minutes, so we waited and waited and waited some more.

Waiting time:

After 40 minutes we finally got our seats (if I knew that, I would have left in an instant. I understand that they don't want to send customers away (not because they like us, purely because more customers= £££ for them.)

Anyway, the point is, they are completely aware that no table for two will be free in 10 minutes, so why the heck is he telling us lies??? Don't they understand that a hungry customer waiting for 40 minutes will get really annoyed and write them a bad review (hence why I am typing here). I am spending more lines writing about the frustration, than I will about their food.

Still carry on reading, I am not finish yet. Once we sat down, we wanted to order straight away; after all we spend 40 minutes studying the menu. A waiter came and told us, in a moment ... times pass.... it's raining outside.....finally finally (also known as uit eindelik in Afrikaans) at 10pm we ordered our food.

At long last after 25 minutes our starter arrived. Can you believe it, stepping into a restaurant for 1 1/2 hours, before we have our first bite?? Do we really have so much time? Isn't there a saying (time= money). How much money do they owe us?

Food: Ok, one line on food, starter and main are above average. My boyfriend said the same, Will I go there again? Not within the next few years.

Bill: Food bill came to £56 for two (sorry quite expensive for the quality and service in my view).

Service charge: I could see that the waiter was not impressed that we didn't leave him any tips. But, hey I was annoyed; after all we came here to celebrate our love and you let us waiting for so long.... Starvation!

Recommendation: Anyway, would I recommend it to you?? If you have nothing to do and you enjoy waiting, yes go there, after that you can try to book a holiday and go through Heathrow Terminal 5 where they let you wait a bit more.
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Hamgi
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

I find this place very frustrating. I really like being there and the staff and manager are very charming but I wish the was better.
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, November 11, 2007

Went there last night with my boyfriend and another friend. This is the second time I have been there and would definitely return. Staff were very friendly and attentive. The tapas is probably the best I've had in London to this point and I've been to a few places. As it was a Monday it was a bit quiet but the food was great none the less.

The first time we went was with a party of about 10 for a surprise birthday party and the staff were great. They couldn't do enough.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Tapas is a great cuisine to share amongst friends. Booking a table at Ole was expected to provide the perfect atmosphere, good food and gracious service.

As it happens Ole failed to provide even basic courtesy towards diners and displayed an attitude I wouldn’t even expect at a fast food restaurant.

On three separate occasions, with three separate wait staff, we were treated with disrespect, bluntness and insolence. The restaurant was packed and clearly understaffed but the behaviour and manner of these people was still inexcusable. It was truly atrocious. I think the manager noted in a previous review is still employed. When we raised our concerns he simply commented on how poorly paid waiters were and stormed off.

That said, and to provide a full review, the food itself was good and the price reasonable but, it is no understatement to say from a service perspective this was my worst dining experience. I am certain there are plenty nicer Spanish restaurants to try in London before ever going here.
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foodiefan
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
Monday, October 08, 2007

My boyfriend and I tried to go for lunch here on a Sunday. I have never encountered such rude careless and again RUDE staff. Actually it wasn't the younger staff but a man I can only presume to be the manager, who was vile. After waiting over 10 minutes for menus I had to go and find a waitress to take my drink order. She was very busy, but still waiting for my drinks quite a while later I asked the man if he could go and see where they were. He was very very rude, dismissive after snaping at me well what do you want! He did not bother to fetch the drinks himself, and merely walked away muttering.... and we were left waiting again!

Needless to say we left shortly afterwards as we were doing so the old man shouted You go I don't need you I have plenty of customers.

This was the worst dining experience I have ever had, which says something as I eat out on average 4- 5 times a week. It honestly felt as though I was on a comedy stich up programme and someone was going to say his behaviour was all a joke.
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george
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

What a difference to the convivial and friendly atmosphere of Putney's other Tapas restaurants: Destino's and La Mancha.

My girlfriend and I went for lunch on bank holiday monday and were unceremoniously shown to a table in the corner by the Maitre d'. We eventually managed to flag down a waitress to place a drinks order and get the menus and then sat and waited. And waited. And waited.....

Attracting the attention of the Maitre d' we inquired after our drinks and were swiftly put in our places for bothering him - the best moment was when he told us that 'he was very thirsty too'!

We decided to leave, to the shouts of the Maitre d' from behind the bar that 'he had enough customers anyway!'

Considering there were only 9 tables occupied in the restaurant this doesn't bode well for when the restaurant is full!
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James B
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 29, 2007

this is easily the best tapas i have ever had outside of barcelona. went 2 weeks ago with three girl friends, we had a ridiculous amount of tapas, paella, bread, we shared desserts and had 2 medium priced bottles of wine and it was less than £25 each. the spanish staff add to the experience. don't be fooled by other tapas restaurants in putney namely la mancha further up the high street- it's always busy but most of the tapas are bought in frozen. Ole is fantastic.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, April 26, 2007

We celebrated my husband's birthday here recently. We were given a lovely table by the glass wall at the back, and the bottle of posh cava I had requested was nicely chilled at the table on our arrival. The service was very (possibly overly?) attentive and largely friendly. Unfortunately the food was totally unexciting. Over the course of the evening we tried about eight tapas dishes and a mixed salad and, except for the liver which my husband said was very good, we were distinctly underwhelmed. Nothing to complain about but nothing to rave over either - it had a real production line feel. I wouldn't recommend it over the other Spanish restaurant in the area, except in terms of location and decor.
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Saturday, April 21, 2007

Have been here three times in recent weeks, and each time have thoroughly enjoyed the food and the wine. The service is excellent, though the restaurant has never been full and this can detract from the atmosphere. We have ordered from the Tapas and from the a la carte menus and have enjoyed all the selections.

We have also been introduced to some superb Galician wines on the recommendation of the staff.

An excellent venue for parties as they can be catered for on a lower level, and convenient for the mainline Putney station
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GH
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Tried out Ole for lunch just before Christmas (21 December) - sadly the restaurant was empty....don't let that put you off! We were seated at a round table upstairs when, in true Spanish tradition more (Spanish speaking) punters arrived at about 2:30pm.

The restraurant is slpit level. Food is cooked downstairs with flavours whafting upstairs via the open plan staircase...we had great Cipriones (best outside Spain), home made Tortilla, good charcuterie, reasonable olives and manchego, great prawns and a really tasty pan fried pork loin.

My niece went on New Years Eve and really appreciated the food...althoug the restaurant did not seem to be full...even on NY eve!

Make it your Local!
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Werner
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 6
Saturday, January 20, 2007