Most overrated restaurant you've eaten in?

Tom Bombadil · Jan 29, 2017

Notters said:
Plateau is fantastic. One of the best restaurants in Brighton. Never come out of there without being stuffed either; it's very rich food. It's also in The Lanes.

To be fair, I'm amazed at people's poor experiences of Wahaca too. Have been three times and the service and food has been great and very good value. So so much better than La Choza, now that place is over rated.

Went to la Choza a few years ago, wondered what the fuss was all about

Pevenseagull · Jan 29, 2017

Fleet service station mid 90s

It had won an award for the best fry up available on the motorway/ dual carriage way network

It was merely adequate

vegster · Jan 29, 2017

Notters said:
Plateau is fantastic. One of the best restaurants in Brighton. Never come out of there without being stuffed either; it's very rich food. It's also in The Lanes.

To be fair, I'm amazed at people's poor experiences of Wahaca too. Have been three times and the service and food has been great and very good value. So so much better than La Choza, now that place is over rated.

Honest, shared the Seafood platter for two which comprised of two Langoustines, a rectangle of Sea Trout 3"x 2",a rectangle of Hake the same size and two cold fillets of mackerel in a curry sauce which seemed to have come out of a can. This was served on a wooden board with some sprigs of Samphire and scattered with some salad and weird pickles. A side order of some veg in a small dish weighed in at £4.50 plus £4.50 for our 16 handmade chips.....I think I also got tucked up for another fiver for a bottle of very average Belgian beer and of course mrs V had a couple of large glasses of wine.
Our bill as I recall topped out at about £60 with service, although still hungry we both decided that we would not be throwing more money away by buying a pudding as the price of two puddings would have bought two nice portions of Fish and Chips with change to spare.

The Optimist · Jan 29, 2017

Raleigh Chopper said:
The Fat Duck, Bray, maybe Mrs Chopper and I chose the wrong dishes, but we were both very disappointed although the house white was absolute nectar. Compared to other famous restaurants we have been to even the service was not good.
It was many years ago, wished we had gone round the corner to The Waterside.
Strange place Bray, a nice village and a foodies heaven, even the pub has a Michelin star.

I went there at what must have been a similar time. We went for the tasting menu instead of the a la carte and it was very good. Some courses were slightly more novelty, how is that possible (the sardines on toast sorbet had a slightly burnt toast taste) type food rather than that's delicious.

At the time (about 10 years ago) I think it was just under £100 per person for the tasting menu, I've just looked and it's now £265 per person for just the food.

Napier's Knee · Jan 29, 2017

Ok, maybe not a wise choice because I'm veggie, but Bincho Yakatori - could have done the veggie stuff at home. Mind you, Mrs Knee is a meat eater and thought it was excellent.

Raleigh Chopper · Jan 29, 2017

The Optimist said:
I went there at what must have been a similar time. We went for the tasting menu instead of the a la carte and it was very good. Some courses were slightly more novelty, how is that possible (the sardines on toast sorbet had a slightly burnt toast taste) type food rather than that's delicious.

At the time (about 10 years ago) I think it was just under £100 per person for the tasting menu, I've just looked and it's now £265 per person for just the food.

Yep, as I said I think we chose poorly, but it was excellent in those days, chefs from other top class restaurants used to go there to see what all the fuss was about.
We should have had the taster, I can't remember what I had but Mrs Chopper had cod with squid ink and I clearly remember pigs trotters in hay being on the menu.
Shame to spend all that money in one of the best restaurants in the world and be disappointed.

One Teddy Maybank · Jan 29, 2017

Casa Ciro in Worthing. Very average, despite the hype, service very poor as well. An all-round underwhelming experience.

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vegster · Jan 29, 2017

One Teddy Maybank said:
Casa Ciro in Worthing. Very average, despite the hype, service very poor as well. An all-round underwhelming experience.

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Have not been there for many a year. Went once as a work's treat for hitting sales targets and found that my pasta dish was pretty much pasta and very little chicken and mushroom.

dejavuatbtn · Jan 29, 2017

There is one called Breeze in Brighon that keeps winning local awards. I had the worst pasta in my life in there and, like anywhere that I don't get decent service, I won't be going back.

looney · Jan 29, 2017

Billy the Fish said:
I do wonder what people are expecting when they go to a chain restaurant that charges £20 to £30 a head for 2 courses. Cafe Rouge, Ask, Prezzo, Zizzi etc are all places you go to when you want something cheap and cheerful. How can something be overrated when it wasn't rated in the first place!!!

Yep, throw in wagamama(iif it is still going.), witherspoons and various other more spruced up Micky D plastic trough franchises that are standard in most towns these days.

Standards are the managers ability to recruit decent staff and know how to use a microwave. Having said that I had a pretty decent burger in Witherspoons just before Christmas but it is what it is, cheap and cheerful. All the pretentious twaddle in this thread is making my sides ache.

Most of the "top" restaurants are hollowed out money sponges to soak the cash out of the hoi polloi once the top people , chefs and customers have moved on.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Jan 29, 2017

It's all got a bit PRECIOUS aye? In the end it's only food served up on a night out. Write it all up as you see fit. Pretentous? Moi?

dazzer6666 · Jan 29, 2017

looney said:
Yep, throw in wagamama(iif it is still going.), witherspoons and various other more spruced up Micky D plastic trough franchises that are standard in most towns these days.

Standards are the managers ability to recruit decent staff and know how to use a microwave. Having said that I had a pretty decent burger in Witherspoons just before Christmas but it is what it is, cheap and cheerful. All the pretentious twaddle in this thread is making my sides ache.

Most of the "top" restaurants are hollowed out money sponges to soak the cash out of the hoi polloi once the top people , chefs and customers have moved on.

The franchise places are taking over completely........some are ok, some not.....very few any better than 'ok'. Can't beat a decent independent but becoming much harder to find.

Bearable (IMHO) :
-Byron
-Zizzi
-Cote
-Cafe Rouge

Avoid where I can :
-Nandos
-Frankie and Benny's
-Ask
-Pizza Express
-GBK
-Wagamama
-Spoons (although accept prices can be remarkable)
-La Tasca
-any of the 'World Buffet' places (not just the food, they are chaotic and filled with people who seemingly are all involved in food balancing competitions)

SIMMO SAYS · Jan 29, 2017

Has anyone mentioned McDonald's ?

Their pictures of food are magnified X 10

dazzer6666 · Jan 29, 2017

SIMMO SAYS said:
Has anyone mentioned McDonald's ?

Their pictures of food are magnified X 10

Wouldn't be mentioned in a restaurant thread ?

CheeseRolls · Jan 29, 2017

Notters said:
Plateau is fantastic. One of the best restaurants in Brighton. Never come out of there without being stuffed either; it's very rich food. It's also in The Lanes.

To be fair, I'm amazed at people's poor experiences of Wahaca too. Have been three times and the service and food has been great and very good value. So so much better than La Choza, now that place is over rated.

dwayne said:
Agree about wahaca, very average. Was surprised about the hype that got when it opened in Brighton but I guess it just shows how much poorer any other town or city is in England vs London from a culinary perspective.

As for the ivy in London or LA it has never been known for good quality food. The speciality dish is shepherd's pie, which says it all really. It used to be the place for celeb spotting but doesn't even have that going for it these days. In saying that the ivy garden in Chelsea is very pleasant in the summer.

Is that the La Choza tipped in today's Sunday Times as one of the three best Mexican Restaurants? and described in last week's Telegraph as offering "build your own tacos and tostados far superior to high-street chains" Looks like you have a personal winner Notters !

thedonkeycentrehalf · Jan 29, 2017

One Teddy Maybank said:
Casa Ciro in Worthing. Very average, despite the hype, service very poor as well. An all-round underwhelming experience.
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Not sure anyone has ever hyped Casa Siro. It has always been an average local Italian restaurant.

One Teddy Maybank · Jan 29, 2017

thedonkeycentrehalf said:
Not sure anyone has ever hyped Casa Siro. It has always been an average local Italian restaurant.

People used to rave about it being the best in Worthing, which imo it is not.

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GreersElbow · Jan 29, 2017

Jamie Oliver's - now, I know it's a franchise/chain; but if you're a world known chef, you'd want to protect your name. Horrible grub in Nottingham.

The Merry Prankster · Jan 29, 2017

Machiavelli said:
Gordon Ramsay's gaff in Chelsea. Got three stars, there was nothing wrong with it, but you're expecting more than competence. There was nothing to excite.

Any Gordon Ramsay restaurant is over rated in my not so humble opinion.

The Merry Prankster · Jan 29, 2017

Raleigh Chopper said:
As i said it was many years ago, since then The Fat Duck has closed, been sued, opened back up again and has changed its identity many times.
Do you really think i would post on here that we ate there, when in fact i did not, in those days (late 90's) there was a menu although a taster menu was available, I know the way it is run now though. I also know that it has been voted the best restaurant in the world, but it started as a bistro type place, then a restaurant with a menu, and today it is what it is.
As i said, maybe we chose badly, it was very over seasoned.
Over the years we too have been lucky enough to eat in some top restaurants in many countries, but on this occasion we were disappointed.
So no rubbish being talked here, in fact i suggest you have a think before you post, surely you should know that The Fat Duck, considering who owns it, is constantly evolving, changing and inventing new methods, its what he is famous for, like eggs and bacon ice cream.
I assume you think that it was a look at me, I have eaten in the best restaurant in the world, but did not like it, but it was a genuine ( and truthful post)

Correct. I remember when the FD had an a la cartel menu as well as a tasting one.

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