Reds Bar and Grill

We first tried this restaurant's £5 lunch menus in the Spring and were very impressed: choice of a nicely dressed salad or really good home-made soup plus one of three (excellent) mains. Everything carefully thought through (the salad was served at room temperature, not straight out of the fridge, for example). We were very impressed and, as locals, decided to visit regularly.

However, each time we went, we were offered a vegetarian main, cajun chicken or beef stew. Whilst all were good, we just didn't want to have the same meal every other week! They claimed they changed their £5 every week but we didn't find that to be the case, except for the soup (which was always surprisingly good).

Since mid-July they have changed the £5 menu. It is not so much the choice as the execution that we object to now. The chips were over-spiced, the Mexican wrap option was over-cooked and dry and the burger was disappointing.

Almost worse, although the menu clearly said the food was free if we had to wait more than 20 minutes, and although we pointed out we had been waiting more than 25 minutes, there was no attempt to comp us. We decided not to take the point for a mere £5 each but it will be a long time before we go back again.
Comment on this reader review

exotissima
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I recendly enjoyed a night out at this lovely resturant,I found the staff to be friendly which these days is hard to find.I ordered a rump of lamb what i have to say was brillant,my friend had a huge burger which looked amazing,we ended up sharing a dessert which was just to good,I will go back for sure,with a little t.l.c this resturant could be the best thing in putney for a long time!Keep

an eye on this place
Comment on this reader review

peter
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, February 27, 2007

As the crumple-faced birthday boy so eloquently referred to below, I would like to echo the sentiment’s expressed by my good friend in the previous review.

I understand that it is tempting to exaggerate to emphasise a point, but this was genuinely the worst meal that I can ever remember having ingested. There is no need to repeat the horrors that other reviewers have so fluently expressed. However, I would like to add that this restaurant seemed to think it acceptable to play what appeared to be some kind of greatest-dance-album-in-the-world-ever monstrosity. It only served to magnify what was already proving to be a miserable dining experience.

Please, for the love of all that is good and pure, avoid this place like the plague.
Comment on this reader review

Colin Walker
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, January 25, 2007

This was, without doubt, the most galling, mind-boggingly over-priced excuse for food I have ever had the misfortune of regurgitating.

I asked for potato skins to start with - usually a tasty but reliable bar snack. I ended up with three flacid lumps of spud rind covered in greasy splurge, highly reminiscent of cat or dog vomit - I forget which. Meanwhile, my friend across the table was tucking into a generous helping of badly presented duck salad that looked like it had just run the London Marathon in a wacky but unbearably warm novelty outfit. It occurred to me the main theme of the restaurant’s food was grease - and lots of it.

But the main course was a revelation. I had lamb (about £12 - £13) which was drowned in lumpy thick, black Bisto-like gravy . It looked like one of my housemate Kieran’s barely edible concoctions.

While I ingested some of my meal to make sure my stomach was at least lined for an evening of drinking I looked across at my friend sitting opposite me, whose birthday we were celebrating. It was strangely satisfying to see he had fared even worse than I had.

He had decided to treat himself to a medium 10oz "prime rump steak" - the steak to end all steaks - for the princely sum of just under £18.

The look on the poor wee man’s face when the plate was unceremoniously dumped before him was priceless. I saw him prod at the charred remains of skin and bone (admittedly, it probably did weigh about 10oz). He eventually managed to identify an edible meat morsel and chewed it for what seemed like an age. Face crumpled with disappointment, he then reached for a chip and, having gobbled a couple of the dry, starchy and overly salted blighters he decided he could take it no longer.

Goaded on by the rest of us, he mustered the courage to complain to the waitress who agreed reluctantly to take the meal back.

Returning 10 minutes later with the charred skin and bones of a slightly smaller beast my friend was informed that he had just had the dubious pleasure of being given the last 10oz rump steak in the restaurant!

We left the “restaurant”, pockets lighter, and headed to the pub to take the bad taste out of our mouths.
Comment on this reader review

James Salmon
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, January 04, 2007

As a local in Putney I dont like to put local restaurants down but this I have to do.....

Drinks average and overpriced

Food greasy cold and poor quality

Service when it just oppened was quite good but now rude and clueless(including managers).

Would I recomend NO!
Comment on this reader review

Andy
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Thursday, August 24, 2006

As a regular customer, I have to differ with the previous comments. Whenever you come for a drink or something to bite, the staff have always made us feel welcomed and offered an exceptional service. I do agree with the toilets, but having a close relationship with both the managers they informed me that they are\in the process of being refurbished. I also have to disagree with emmas comment on the manager being rude, as they are both liked by many of the clients and know many of them on a first name basis which is a rare thing in london nowdays. Prices might be slightly on the high side, but thats the choice you as a customer makes before you go into any establishment. I would highly recommend Reds especially for a place where you can come and meet friends over a drink or something to eat and on sundays they have live music.
Comment on this reader review

unknown
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, May 20, 2006

Having just moved to the area, and having little in the way of furniture, cutlery etc, we spent the first week sampling the local eateries.

This was by far and away the worst establishment visited.

We ordered 2 x burgers and fries. The burgers themselves were OK - nothing to merit the £9 price tag (excluding fries), however the waitress, who admittedly spoke limited English, must have misunderstood the order, as the burgers turned up 20 minutes ahead of the fries. Call me a traditionalist, but I like to enjoy the two together rather than as a carnivorous starter followed by a farinaceous main.

I was looking forward to scratching a self-awarded tip from the bill, but to their credit they didn't tip themselves.

A rude, unpleasant and sub-standard establishment, that can't last the pace given the quality of the local competition.

Avoid.
Comment on this reader review

DW
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Friday, April 21, 2006

A nightmare toilets that make you sick (new refurbished restaurant they told me ) a rude young blonde manager of some kind who looked miserable(smoking at bar) and plain rude.....what is this place...Went in for a drink with a friend and was thinking of eating there...

Maybe NOT......
Comment on this reader review

Emma
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 5
Thursday, April 06, 2006