Bulls Head, Goring By Sea

Last month we heard that The Bulls Head was open again and decided to give it a try as we use to live nearby several years ago.
For my husbands birthday I booked a table for six.
We arrived to an empty pub at 7.30 pm on a Saturday night. Alarm bells should have rang out then.
We ordered a mixed sharing starter which was great. very enjoyable.
Having taken a little time to eat, we then ordered our main meals. The vast majority of the food chosen was unavailable. On our third attempt to order, I just said "a salad" not wanting to order again and be turned down. 5 mins later, staff informed us that "they were so busy, they had sold out of salad at 8.30 pm!!" to make it simple, we said what do you have available and so all ordered scampi and chips. The food arrived, late and over cooked. One meal did not come at all and nor did we have any cutlery. When the cutlery arrived, it came in a bucket. upon taking out a fork, it had food attached. looking into the bucket, it was rusty, dirty and the cutlery was sitting in water with rotten food at the base! when the final meal arrived, we complained and the poor member of staff was so ashamed. Two of the meals were not touched as the scampi was so dark the fish was like bullets. The landlady came over and said "try next weekend when we have a new menu" no apology at all.
We left quickly and very disappointed with the entire Birthday meal. One round of drinks was taken off our final bill and two of our friends went home without a main meal at all.
Not a good experience, but at least one member of staff - a young man made the effort to come out to our car and say "i am so sorry".

5 Oct 2009 12:28