The Rye Pub, Dining Room and Garden, Peckham Rye

Went for lunch at the Rye yesterday (Sunday Septemeber 2 2007) and never going again. There was a two hour wait for food. The manageress had clearly allowed through far more orders than the kitchen could cope with, but instead of calling a halt, she went on accepting food orders without warning punters of the delay. By five o'clock - when we were eventually eating food ordered at 2.30pm - there was a queue of fuming punters demanding money back and complaining about food that had been rushed out, partially cooked. Seriously, there was half-defrosted meat going out there - that ought to be one for Southwark Environmental Health. But the wait itself was truly appalling: the worst pub eating experience I've ever had anywhere in London or, frankly, anywhere whatsoever. We eventually complained and after a bitter exchange with the manageress got back the money for the food (three meals at �9 a burger). But I would caution anyone against this pub. Getting your money back is no compensation for a wasted afternoon, rubbish food and a lot of aggro. But it was an interesting experience to watch a pub in meltdown mode, with literally queues of furious punters demanding food, refunds and explanations. God only knows what went wrong - but never again for me.

3 Sep 2007 07:15