Optimist Tavern, Upminsterback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Used to come in here on and off, went in again recently and has gone downhill. On a Friday at around 5:30, not too busy but a good fifteen minutes to get served. Bar staff more interested in chatting than working. Ordered food took an hour to arrive, whilst again the place was not busy. Speaking to the manager this seems to be an accepted thing nowadays there. Will avoid in future.
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Been in a few times over the last few months. Great Building. Clean pleasant decor, well looked after premises. Incompetent but friendly barstaff- no product knowledge, no idea where the drinks I asked for were located on the bar and struggled to retrieve and pour them. Also had no idea how to use the credit card machine. However, good food. Pub has a good friendly atmosphere. Hope to see them get better!
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been in a few times over the last month , mainly for food , which wasnt too bad , first time the chicken was a bit dry but edible , but this isnt a eating website its a pub website
the pub is a chain , not a bad chain , bit of a limited range of beer (fosters , smiths etc etc) , the staff seem ok , but i will agree with a previous poster about the female staff , one is a total bimbo who looks at you like your "strange" when you say what you want , but cant complain too much, a good pint was poured little bit pricey (pint of smiths n fosters a j20 and something alcoholic and coke) �9.50 but it is a nice relaxed place
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Another drab Ember Inn. Beer is well kept but rather predictable and dull (Green King IPA et al) the all female staff seemed to spend a lot of time chatting rather than serving. Had to wait ages in a quiet period, what were they doing? Havnt tried the food but the menu was rather eclectic relying heavily on dishes enhanced with cheese (Im dairy intolerant). I dont think they could cope if there was a rush on. There seemed to be a very low turnover of drinks which meant the 4 fat ladies had plenty of time to converse and put the world to rights.
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The funny thing about this pub, and probably all Ember Inn pubs, is that you see a banner outside proclaiming 'Beer Festival' or whatever, you go inside and all they have on are the usual two or three ales. Saying that, it is quite a cosy pub with a nice beer garden. I've never eaten there and cannot imagine that the food is that great. It used to be great, but went the way of a lot of pubs in this area and got bought out by Ember Inns - the Tescos of pub chains.
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went on monday for a ncie lunch with the family..
ordered quick and got a round of drinks in, over an hour passes and no sign of our food.
i could accept that wait if the pub was busy but it was very very empty, only two other tables eating.
got a free round of drinks by way of apology but not sure when i'll be popping back.
they didnt even get the order right.
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Went here with Frinds last night. Had a really nice time. The food was good, great portions and fantastic prices. Great to see some half healthy options on the menu. I had Cajun Chicken breast with home made colslaw, Jacket potatoe and salad. My friends had steak and gammon and we all cleared out plates. Staff quite friendly. Quiz night looked like fun. I live 35 miles away but thinking about going back for dinner and the quiz.
anonymous - 16 Mar 2007 11:46 |
bit difficult to get to if you dont want to drive.
nice chain pub, food isnt bad, prices are ok, if i remember rightly.
staff were friendly not a bad place to go to.
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another Ember inns chain pub , but the foods not bad here and pretty quick except on sunday lunchtimes when the whole pub is packed , the beer is good , but as i said it does have a tendancy to get busy , the beer garden wasnt bad in the summer , bit of a bugger to get to though as nearest bus is the 193 and then a 5min walk through the racecourse estate
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