Cottons (Islington)

Just got back from having a meal with my brother. Despite the bad reviews below I thought let's give this place a try... I have to say the bad reviews are valid and here is another one to add to the list.

Initial Reception - Even though it was fairly quite (3 other tables active) we had to wait around 20 minutes before having any type of service, to be honest we had to call the waitress over so we could order drinks. When a restaurant is not busy you would expect much better service and attention to customer needs, this did not happen.

Meal - For starters I ordered the salt fish fritters which were pretty good and my brother ordered the Jerk Chicken Ceaser Salad which he said was okay. For the mains we both ordered the signature Jerk Platter which was really bad. To be blunt it was a variety of tasteless carcass's drenched in what tasted like a cheap bottled (not home made) jerk sauce served on a plate with over microwaved rice and peas, there was additional plantain which was the only nice thing about that dish! It was really really bad both i and my brother left a majority of the food on the plate.

Dessert - After the bad main we didn't want to go any further.

Service - The waiters and waitresses looked lost, there was no real coordination between them. We had to keep calling for service and when the service arrived it was delivered with a half hearted attitude.

The bill came up to just under £70 for the both of us, most definitely a waste of money.
Comment on this reader review

Rob London
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Friday, February 11, 2011

What a shame: we could well do with a decent Caribbean restaurant - as opposed to take away - in our neck of the woods. We went last Sunday on the spur of the moment to celebrate my son's fantastic PB (personal best) in the indoor 60m. He said he would like to eat in a Caribbean restaurant. As it happens, I knew of Cottons in our neighbourhood of Clerkenwell, but had never visited despite having been meaning to for years.

I do realise that, as a wheelchair user, it is wise to check in advance whether establishments are complying with current legislation about access, but there was no time so we risked it. Having just returned from a long athletics meeting and a long trip on the motorway, I was understandably in need of a bathroom. I was extremely disappointed to find that the toilets at Cottons were down a long staircase, so I had to hold on in order that my son could have his desired meal. Very, very uncomfortable.

Sadly, the food was unremarkable, which was a shame at those prices. Our waitress was charming and - when prompted - quite attentive, but the rest of the staff were engaged in loud conversation with each other.

At the end of an unimpressive meal we were charged what was described as a "discretionary" service. Ordinarily I would have paid this without a word, but the whole experience was so uncomfortable unpleasant that I queried it. I chickened out in the end and left the waitress - at least I hope it went to our waitress- £5, but felt cheated and angry. I explained that I had a most uncomfortable experience and that I would have left on learning that there were no toilet facilities for me had it not been for my son, who so fancied a sit-down Caribbean meal to celebrate his sporting success. I told her I realised that it was not her fault and so I would still leave about £10%, but I was unhappy at the service reserved to people with mobility difficulties and I asked her to bring the matter to the manager's attention. What can I say? Personally, I won't be setting foot (wheel, rather) there again. My son, too, was not impressed with the food. The rice and peas was nice and very "coconutty", but the rest was utterly forgettable. As I said: what a shame.
Comment on this reader review

CharmPersonified
2 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 11, 2011

Hi to those who are after a good night out as standard. I have had the privilege to dine for a forth time at COTTONS @ Islington,every meal I have eaten has taken me on journey of food delight. We had a lovely Saturday night, the restaurant was lively the food is tasty and filling the service was friendly and timely. The delight I found was in the sauteed butter fish. the portions are heavy the price of 3 course for 3 was reasonable and the portions could feed the largest/hungryest of appetites. COTTONS is fine dinning for all wallet sizes I recommend to anyone the food is caribbean and the atmosphere electric. So i will be back again COTTONS.
Comment on this reader review

Dessie
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, February 10, 2011

What a great experience! I went to Cotton's last week and will definately be back for more! The curried goat was delicious, the atmosphere electric and the service was exemplary. Oh, and Usher was seated at the next table.

A very satisfied customer!
Comment on this reader review

10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, February 08, 2011

i went down to cottons islington on friday had a great meal fantastic service i will be back
Comment on this reader review

toby mason
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, February 07, 2011

Don't be conned in to thinking this is in any way Caribbean food .I only pray that people do not eat here and think this is the type of burnt , unseasoned food that we Caribbean s have to offer. I've had better quality ready meals.

The service was a complete joke. With the staff acknowledging that we did not have a drink then walking away to talk behind the bar.

The rice used resembled twigglets and the fish tasted like the burnt part of an old pot which is a skill on some level. The overall experience was shocking!

If you need to go to Cottons then go to the one in Camden unless the same owner has got his hands on that branch too and run it into the ground. To be on the safe side go to Hummingbirds on Stroud Green Road, in all the decades it has been open it has never produced a poor meal.
Comment on this reader review

0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, December 19, 2010

What a total disappointment!! Saltfish fritters without saltfish, half cooked dumplings, jerkless, in fact seasonless chicken and of course let's not forget to mention the food was cold. In fact the restaurant was cold - air con in the middle of Nov?! The final insult was mango fruit fool aka slop!

As for the chef - well if you can't take constructive criticism - what is there to debate about half cooked and cold food?

Next time I want to blow £400 I think I'll treat myself to a handbag and pair of shoes!!
Comment on this reader review

3 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Sunday, November 21, 2010

Ate there tonight and was overall disappointed. Myself and my girlfriend ordered a main each and some side dishes which took over twenty minutes to get to us, I lived with that cos we were chatting. However, the food was served to us in individual dishes but no one brought us any plates!! We had to start eating out of the dishes as both the waiters went awol. One of them finally came back after about ten minutes and we got our plates so we could put our food on them, but come on forget to give us plates to eat from? He did apologise to be fair. When it came to paying I told the waiter Im not paying the whole price cos, for one I wasnt happy with the plate situation and two the service charge was more than 10% of the bill. He just stood there and said Im not going to stand here and argue with you about a couple of pounds which I found very rude. I don't think he realises that the service charge is optional and to be honest I shouldnt have paid it at all.
Comment on this reader review

Andy
5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, November 02, 2010

I have to say this is with out a doubt the worst place I have ever eaten. We were 7 people out for a work lunch. To start with half of the menu wasn't available. We ordered soft drinks, which were all flat. We had them changed and they came back exactly the same. We ordered 1 course which took over an hour to arrive (we were the only people in the whole place). When the food came we had to send some of it back as it was cold. It reappeared 5 minutes later after it had clearly been microwaved. Some of the food was average and some was plain awful.

The service was very poor. This was down to the fact the only person in the place one waitress who was very new to the job, clearly not her fault but the fault of the management who had left her on her own to deal with everything while they were know where to be seen.

Avoid this place!!!!!
Comment on this reader review

0 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, October 29, 2010

Had dinner last week and i must say our main courses were both over cooked, and god the staff is so rude and unfriendly.

Will never go back there!!
Comment on this reader review

tom
3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Monday, September 27, 2010