De Hems, Soho

I booked a table of 4 in this pub for yesterday - Sunday evening - to reunite with former Dutch colleagues who came into town for work. It seemed like a perfect place to get together for beers and some food. After not hearing anything from the pub despite website notification that someone would call, I called myself the day before and spoke to a friendly staff member who confirmed the booking for 8pm. Since on the day of the booking, my former colleagues were delayed due to work, I notified the pub 4 hours before which I think is more than polite (not all guests even think of calling).
This time, the staff member was pissed off and when I asked if it was ok to push back reservation to 9pm, he said "well, I have no other choice, haven't I? Now I have to keep the upper restaurant part open, but I wanted to close it at 9pm!" To which I suggested we could just cancel and eat elsewhere, if that was such a problem for him. The kitchen is supposed to be open until 10pm.
He was a bit more accommodating then and suggested we could eat downstairs in the pub area if we wouldn't mind. Well, of course we wouldn't.
But when I arrived in the pub (my ex-colleagues hadn't arrived yet), I was greeted with the same unfriendliness from the two bartenders. I again said that we could eat downstairs, and one of them really said "Yeah, it is really a p.... that you come so late!" Both bartenders made us feel as if the delay which we had announced 4 hours before with the option to simply cancel, was a personal offense against them. I found his reaction outrageous and ridiculously emotional, but I said calmly that we could eat elsewhere, no worries. To which again he got friendlier.
My first order of beers was nevertheless executed by the bartender with a pouting face. This is ridiculous behaviour of an adult, called passive-aggressive behaviour. It should not happen if you work in the hospitality business, especially not if you have paying customers.
I was very embarrassed to have brought my Dutch colleagues to this supposedly Dutch-style bar. It felt unwelcoming. The staff could have just said 'no' when I called earlier, or just get on with it, instead of this childish attitude. Unfortunately since my ex-colleagues were on their way and I couldn't reach them via phone, I also couldn't leave right away. Which I normally would do.
The food served was just about average (small, but decent selection for pub food: burgers which is also normal in Dutch pubs and some bitterballen). The beer selection was rather international with Franziskaner (German) and some Belgian beer in bottles. I should add that both bartenders managed to smile later on with us and even asked if we needed more beer, after they found out that we were actually well eating customers.
What I found weird, was the gong for the last beer order. Officially this pub closes at 11pm on Sunday, but the last gong came at 10.15pm. Is that normal? It was getting quite hectic, not because of the guests getting up to order, but of the bartenders rushing everyone with at least two more gongs prior to 10.30pm.
They then came over at 10.40 and asked us to leave. The pub was empty at 10.45pm.
In my Dutch years, I always thought Dutch customer service was bad. But at De Hems in London, the experience was worse. Impoliteness and unwelcoming behaviour of the staff are two of the worst mistakes you can make in the gastro business.
There are certainly better pubs that make less fuzz about their image and are much better in overall customer service. This is not really a place to return to soon. I also won't recommend it any other one who is looking for a nice experience.

12 Sep 2011 08:42