Reviews of Riftswood Inn, Tamworth
Review by Sean on 29th January, 2013
Add your review Date visited: 27/1/13
Top service and friendly staff as always. I would recommend it.
Review by Tracey on 2nd December, 2012
Add your review Date visited: 12/09/2012
Come on, the good comments on this site are from regulars and friends of Pauline. How the brewery are letting that woman still manage a pub I really do not know. INTENSE CUSTOMER TRAINING COURSE FOR PAULINE PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!
Review by geoff ball on 12th August, 2012
Add your review Date visited: 12/8/12
took my daughters for lunch today,looked after by the crew in their usual way.couldn't ask for more, my girls commented on the excellent service and the choice of menu,it took them ages to choose.hats off to pauline and the crew, 5 star,++.
Review by Tom on 16th June, 2012
Add your review Date visited: 16/6/2012
Well that will be my last visit for sure! as someone who visits this place occassionaly the food just gets worse each time, for a start of how can this place justify making the portions of food smaller and still charging the same price? on a numerous occasions ive walked in with a flat cap on to be told you cant wear caps in here....erm no it states on the wall before you walk in no BASEBALL caps not flat caps!. Today my friend ordered a angus burger to arrive not even cooked properly and swimming in grease the friendly old guy took it back and said would you like a fresh one? my mate replied ''yes please'' obviously the chef cant cook or take instructions as the same burger came back and was this time well over cooked, my friend new it was the same burger as it had stil got the pepper on it from when it first came out. Apart from the friendly old guy i would seriously get rid of all staff and have a shake up the manager my god has to be one of the rudest people ive ever witnessed just utterly shocking constantly whining and moaning, i once heard her saying ''its too busy i just want to go home'' are you serious? if you still want a job dont bloody knock it being busy its plain to see you are not management material! by the way u deal with customers. I just hope whoever is top boss at sizzler pubs or the brewery read this place and take action before all your customers are lost! fix up FAST.
Review by annon on 20th March, 2012
Add your review Date visited: 16/3/2012
We arrived at 7.45pm for a meal. We have had bad service and waited before while one person serves at the bar and the queue is a mile long and staff stand about, but its local so we gave it another chance. We found one table empty and proceeded to sit down. As it is one large room you would not think this would be a problem. Two tables away from a family of 4 we sat and told to move as past a post we are not allowed to sit. But no other tables were available. A kind man and his friends offered us their seats as they were only drinking. So we sat down and chose what we wanted. When we got served at the bar with food eventually it was 8pm. My teens wanted pizzas but we were told they had none. So they had to rechoose and this took time as their was only the manageress serving. My daughter choose A pasta in tomato sauce option and she asked if it was the chicken or vegetarian option -as my daughter has been a vegetarian for about 3 years now we reiterated it was the veg option. Then on the till we noticed a sign saying and hours wait for food. Another sign next to it saying children have to be out by 9pm. I questioned that we would have no time to eat and would we have time -her answer was we will do our best -so what does that mean we will take your money but you have 2 minutes to eat your food. She told us to carry on and order. Eventually as we finally got our food at 9.50pm the veg option had chicken all over it. So I descreatly went up and asked the manageress if she had remembered we ordered the veg option and we had received chicken. It was taken away. about 5 minutes later (before 9pm) as we checked on the time a great deal as being asked to leave was on the cards. So we all questioned why it came back so quickly when it took 50 minutes before. So my daughter started eating and half way through in the middle of the food she found a large pice of chicken and was almost sick.
We inspected the plate and saw you could actually see where it had been scraped on to a new plate. Or slid. We found a second piece of chicken on looking it over. My daughter was horrified she had just eaten this. I olaced a piece in a napkin to go and show the manageress. She apologised and offered us £5 refund! Is that the point? I refused and said that does not even cover it as with peanuts it could be a an allergy and by doing this could make someone seriously ill. I went and sat down and a waitress came over to give me £5 -i again refused. When I went to pay the bill the manageress said she had been and asked the chef and they assured her her meal was made fresh -could not have been! and when the garlic bread was taken off the one plate with the tongs a bit of chicken must have been transfered too. So the garlic bread was the same used in both -so that had sat on top of the chicken ???? but was not made fresh along supposidly the rest of the meal. I think I will leave it to your own opinion as to whether a new meal was made. Beware if you are allergic or a vegetarian!
Review by graham bartlett on 17th December, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 15th dec 2011
regular customers of over 40 years was approached by new ass manager.with more than 15 mins left of drinking up time, they were thanked for spending their money,asked to drink up and to fuck off. these gentlemen are both 70 years plus and have never been spoken to in that way before.i hope this is read by the top brass and action taken to remove this rude,vile man. g bartlett
Review by Adrian King on 17th October, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 10/10/11
not that i have to explain why my son was with me on a school night at all, but we was out for my wifes birthday and we left at 9.15pm not 9,30pm get your watch fixed.and no i wasnt in conservatory at the time, but my wife, neice and her chap were and they all told me how they were asked to leave and given i had experienced the managers attitude at order point i tend to believe them.
your comments have no substance anyway as your a regular and we all know regulars are looked after. crsh course in attitude and manners for the manager wouldnt go a miss!
Review by Donna daly on 14th October, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 10-10-11
Havin read comment from mr king on this website and Facebook was in on Monday on other side of conservatory havin a meal and seen the manageress come over at about 9-30 whilst the quiz was on and apologized about the time and asked would it be possible for children to go home how would u know what was said as u wasn't in there at the time there's was 2 ladies and another gentlemen in there with their children. Seein as there are signs issued by brewery that children have to leave by 9 what's your gripe as my food and service were brilliant. Also my kids would be at home and in bed by 9-30 when school next day. Oh and quiz was great
Review by Mr King on 11th October, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 10/10/11
We have complained about this pub before, and havent been there for sometime, so we made the stupid mistake of trying it again in the hope things may have improved, oh my god how wrong was to believe the brewery would actually have the brains to sort that horrible excuse for a manageress out!!!!
she has the attitude of a spoilt brat that needs to be disciplined. customer service and profesionalism are foreign to this person. we went in for my wifes birthday and as i was at the bar waiting to order, 1 in front of me and her attitude (manageress) was there to be witnessed as she was telling the customer in front of me they couldnt order as she was waiting on a woman to come back with an order, its the way she says it, talks to you like your a piece of dog shit.
Then some guy doing waiteressing came behind bar asking if my group had asked if we could put to small tables together! like it was end of the world. when i came to order it was all huffing and puffing, and was told half of it wasnt available. i didnt rise to it and ordered what they did have.food took ages to come out as the 2 orders before me were cocked up, as was ours, and i coukd not believe how tiny the portions we. we eventually got our mini meals and it didnt take long to eat it, wouldnt have filled barbie or ken.
the waitress guy kept buzzing round us to hurry us up oh and we had no cutlery for 10 mins after food was put on table, had to go up bar and ask for some.
Anyway quiz started and children have to be off premise by 9, why i dont know as i know a lot of people in pub trade and i know its managers discretion and they can stay up to 11pm. so the manageress decided to get the quiz compere to announce children must be off premises by 9pm, so subtle, she eventually told us to leave. will never return there againe while pauline ward is in charge, steer clear this is a LOCALS ONLY PUB, and the brewery should be ashamed they have not acted on peoples complaints. being polite costs nothing. with so many pubs going out of buisness you would think they would appreciate custom. Awful.
Review by Nicola on 11th October, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 10/10/11
I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED with the attitude and lack of communication and customer service received from all members of staff including the manageress!! she should resign! appauling is not the word! We had decided to come to this pub as we have visted a couple of occasions before we always recieve bad treatment but this occasion just topped it off! we were celebrating an aunts birthday and the release of my daughter from intensive care , firstly my uncle was standing at the bar listening to the staff slag us off,we waited a good while for the food for it to come out wrong, then had the cheek to come and kick us out while my son was still eating because it was past 9pm! They brought us our food and was expected to eat with our fingers as they hadn't brought us any cutlery, the manager came and brought us the stick with the table number on, slammed it on the table in a huff and bounced off! we have been to this pub several times and always receive the same treatment and we always give them the benefit of the doubt and revisit! but i can honestly say they have made us feel very uncomfortable, embarrest and humiliated and we will never go back there again! place should either be shut down or sack the rude ignorant staff!!
Review by Andy walker1 on 2nd September, 2011
Add your review Date visited: 02/09/12
Arrived at 8:50 told service finished because ovens already turned off HAD to eat crisps on a Friday night mmmmm then saw bar man take two pints of beer through to kitchens at 9:20 I made comment about I hope they don't get paid til 9;00 bar man said oh yes they finish at 9:30 that's sounds like a nice job bar man then said it was 9:00 o clock no it wasn't yes it was he says oh so I can't tell the time either six people all will to spend about 10 to 15 pound a head ON A FRIDAY night SHOCKING going to write a letter too terrible attitude rude and arrogant
Review by linda T on 14th April, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 13th april 2010
My partner and I visited at 5.30 p.m on a tuesday night to sample there curry night. The manager was not on duty ,leaving the deputy manageress in charge. From the moment we walked in you could tell things was'ent right as all you could hear was screaming and swearing coming from the kitchen,this could b heard by children, with the chef and the kitchen staff acting like idiots!! After listening to all this and watchng through the kitchen hatch the debacle - after a halan hour the deputy manager said our meals may be
late due to the fact there was a new menue and the chef was not used to it.
Our starters and naan breads arrived, then a bit later the waitress came over
and said the curries we had ordered were
incorrect - owing to them being in the wrong boxes!!! We were told they were re doing our meals and that we would have fresh naan breads as they were now cold. I had broken a small piece of naan bread off before I was told this.
When our curries arrived adter 1 hour!!!
The naan breads came a later - but not fresh ones but to our amazement our original ones with a bit missing!!
The chef by this time had taken off his hat and was handling food with bare hands - no glovss or tools!!! What a health hazard. The couple on the table next to us had ordered the same and when
their meal eventually arrived, after they had complained - the naan breads were burnt to a cinder and had been served as if they should be eaten in this manner!! To add to customers suprise a barman whoo had finished his shift sat down and ate his in front of customers who had been waiting over an hour. We left with no apology from the deputy manageress . I have since e mailed Karen Davis Quest Servies of this group - with a picture of the naan bread - but have had no reply - I doubt whether I will- I wouldnt darken their doors again.
Review by miss d d on 5th April, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 30-01-2010
with reference 2 cheryl watkins comments i was in the pub on the night of your comments. you refer to the manageress she was actually off duty that night and only came down to try and sort the situation out as the on duty manageress was in kitchen tryin to get backlog of food orders down hence the reason there was a delay on food. about 5 minutes after u all left food went back as i was also waiting to order but obviously had the patience to wait the manageress came over to all those she knew were waiting and politly and was apologetic told us food was back on we also all got complimentary puddings.
Review by Michael Taylor on 4th April, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 03 April 2010
We really enjoy going to this pub as a family, we are treated with respect and always made to feel welcome, at busy times there can be a delay, but we expect this, as we understand that a food serving pub can be quite hectic during the lunch period. We would not hesitate to return time and time again.
Review by clare on 4th April, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 4th of april
the food wasvery nice and staff the manger was very nice and helpfull thank you so much we will be back.
Review by Donna daly on 4th April, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 2nd April 2010
Went to pub for food and drink despite pub being busy was found a table by staff. Ordered food which came out quick was hot and tasted good. And was value for money.Service was good staff were pleasant and friendly. Would definately visit again and reccomend it to people
Review by Cheryl Watkins on 21st February, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 30/10/2010
Myself and 5 other members of my family had decided to go for a meal at our local, it was quite busy so we got a table by the bar & ordered drinks whilst we waited for a table to come free, the first member of staff told us it was very busy and we probably wouldn’t get a seat, we said we were happy to wait as we were buying drinks but she insisted on saying "its very busy"!!
After 10 minutes a table came free and we sat down, after a few more minutes we were ready to order so went to the bar, another member of staff told us we can’t order because there was a delay on the food. We sat back down and after another 15 minutes went back to the bar, the Manager Pauline took delight in telling us they were putting NO orders through the kitchen as the staff had managed to upset the chef and he had walked out!! No apology or "if you would like to take a seat i will let you know when it’s ok to order again". We ended up leaving and taking our business to The Fox just up the road, which we were then followed by at least 3 other groups we noticed in The Riftswood.
The Manager is not a people person and it astonishes me that pub gets any business at all due to her rudeness, lack of general manners and customer service!! It seems a group of more than 2 people and the pub is under immediate pressure!!
A mystery shopper should be sent in and they would discover first hand how visiting this pub is not a pleasant experience!!
Review by Mr R M on 18th February, 2010
Add your review Date visited: Jan 2010
The food in the Riftswood is not too bad as far as value for money is concerned. Its not fine dining but it certainly fills a hole. The problem in this place is that damn lady behind the bar. I think she is the manageress (how I do not know). Her tone of voice, her manners, her customer service is all absolutely dreadful. Myself and a number of others will avoid this place like the plague while she is in there.
Review by Jayne on 26th July, 2009
Add your review Date visited: Various
We visited the Riftswood on several occasions to do the quiz. The Manageress/chef was rude to us when serving at the bar "what do you want" she snapped. She never said hello, just looked straight through us. When we won the quiz a few times she publicy displayed her anger by huffing and puffing and slamming papers on the bar for everyone to see, this was followed by dirty looks while she talked to her regulars about us. She wanted her regular locals to win it, and as a result started to do the quiz herself and fixed it. One family walked out the pub one night after a dispute and she told another quiz team they couldnt take part in the quiz as there were too many teams already. This woman should not be working on the frontline with customers let alone manage a pub!!! as she has no people skills whatsoever! We reported her to the brewery but the likelihood is that nothing was done. I strongly recommend you go elsewhere for your meals or evenings out!
Review by vicky howe on 19th July, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 18/7/09
me, my partner, 2 small children and uncle visited this 'child friendly' pub yesterday. when we arrived we were told we could not have the pushchair in the pub as it was a fire hazard. we asked where to put it and were told outside, we then asked if any highchairs were provided to which the answer was no. so basically if you have small children they are supposed to eat on your knee? the service was absolutely disgusting and we also witnessed environmental health issues which we will definately be reporting. overall very rude and definately not a child friendly pub i wouldnt wish it on my worst nightmare.
Review by Colin Manton on 12th July, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 11/7/09
It is with regret that as a regular cutomer to this establishmet that i have to go down this road to make a point.Why o why when the one member of staff is not there to look after the "second class"customer that drinks in the bar area of the pub have to wait between 10/12 minuits to get served a drink.But this only happens when staff member Georgina is on duty,it is if she thinks that us people who spend our hard earned cash to pay her wage are second class in this area of the pub.But with respect she will stand in the lounge area and wrap knifes & forks all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review by amanda beadsmore on 8th May, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 07/05/09
we visited this pub at 12 noon there was bout 13 of us of which 2 were children we sat outside in the conservatory there was not enough room for us all round one table so we pulled a chair up to another table to be told we couldnt sit there cause it is a fire hazard so we moved inside the pub,we got our seats in the pub decided wat we wanted and then went to order.we got to the bar and asked 4 chicken nuggets for 1 of the kids to be told thay havent got any they r waitin 4 there delivery then we asked 4 burgers of which we was also told there was none then we asked for salad where again we was told we have not goe any so we than asked wat they do have to be told combos steak and chicken so we ordered piri piri chicken to be told they had no piri piri in stock wat type of place is this then we ordered a lasagne and steaks
our meal arrived and the lasagne was burnt when we told the waitress she said she spoke to the chef and that is how they should be they have to cook then to 75 degrees to make sure they thawed out properly then they microwave them we refused the lasagne and had a 2.99 refund the one little child we was with had sausage and chips and peas ad there was a hir in the peas we told the waitress who said well where is it we said we had got rid of it she said wat 4 we could have matched it up with the chef cookin the peas i really will not be visiting this place again and thanks to them they ruined my bday meal so ty very much riftswood but u have just lost 13 ppls custom cause of us hoddy ways hope ur glad bout that and u need to get staff that r happy and that smile
Review by sp on 2nd February, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 24 jan 2009
six of us arrived early tea-time hoping to enjoy a meal in celebration of my sons birthday, however, this was not to be. We tried to sit at one table only for the manageress/chef to shout across the pub for us to move so we found another table only for her to do the same again. I felt quite embarrassed as the pub fell silent and all eyes were on us as we were being ordered around. We decided to leave and on the way out I told her we were going as we felt very unwelcome to which her reply was "please yourself". I am quite shocked at our treatment in this pub and will definately be contacting the brewery to lodge a complaint.
Review by s preece on 26th January, 2009
Add your review Date visited: 24 1 2009
we went to the riftswood on a saturday teatime to hopefully enjoy a meal and celebrate my sons 11th birthday. He had been promised the "treat" all week and had been looking forward to it. We firstly made the mistake of sitting at a table which I hadn't noticed had been reserved but were we asked politely if we could move? Oh no. The manageress/chef shouted at the top of her voice across the bar "no no no you can't sit there that's reserved for my 8." we got up and proceeded to wander around the lounge looking for a table for 6 but they were all 4's & 2's. I had the brainwave of pulling a 2 next to a 4 but the manageress once again shouted across the length of the room "no no you can't do that" I felt really humiliated because by this time the whole lounge had gone quiet with everyone craning their necks to see what was going on. I asked her what her problem was because I certainly couldn't see one and she said we were too close to her table of 8. We were in fact about six feet away from it and I could feel my blood beginning to boil. I told her that we wanted to sit down and eat too but she said that her 8 "came first". There were 3 members of staff standing behind the bar doing nothing to assist us ie clearing dirty tables and sorting us out a table. the pub was only about a quarter full so it's not as though they were rushed off their feet. At this point we decided to leave and I informed the manageress/chef on the way out that we were going as we felt most unwelcome to which she replied "please yourself".
She has a reputation amongst locals for being unfriendly especially if you have children in tow and I think this may have been the root of the problem as we had four ( well behaved) with us. Anyway I shall definately be sending a letter of complaint to head office it's supposed to be a family friendly pub.
Wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy - then again, maybe I would!
Review by Mrs I Bailey on 18th September, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 18/09/2009
My husband and I have just returned from having a meal with the special offer of 2 meals for £5, not only was the steak cooked to perfection, the chips and extras we ordered were delivered both piping hot and presented very nice, it was an absolutely delicious meal, we noticed that they also do 2 meals for £6.50 during the week between 2 and 6.30pm.
so we will certainly be visiting the Riftswood quite often in the future,thankyou to all the staff who were very pleasant and helpful.
Review by KM on 25th August, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 18.8.08
Me and my partner decided to drop in on the Riftswood after a very long walk with our dog. With health and safety being what it is now a days we decided to leave the dog in the car.
We were just chatting to the bar staff while ordering our drinks and it came about that we had left ours in the car as we would be eating. The staff said straight away that there were special tables at the top of the car park for people with dogs and they do serve food to those tables.
Being pleasantly suprised we took the dog up to the top on the grass and we were automatically brought a tub of water, even though the pub was busy.
We ordered our food and a meal for the dog that was not on the menu, (chicken, cheese, jacket potato and gravy). We all had a laugh while ordering!
Our meals were piping hot and with us very quickly. We had a mixed side salad with our meal. Yes in places it looked a little brown, but then so does fresh salad products from the supermarket. It tasted beautiful.
We all enjoyed our meals including the dog and ordered beautiful deserts. The place was warm and welcoming. The staff exceeded all expectations and were so friendly and pleasant. The dog also liked them!
The food was beautiful. Thankyou to you all we will be back.
Well done.
Review by KG on 31st March, 2008
Add your review Date visited: 13 March 2008
Went in for a friends birthday. Food came out really quick, but presentation was awful. Salad was brown and slimy, but covered up by salad dressing. When the waiter asked if everything was OK, we told him about the salad. He replied "well that's a fresh bag today - we can only serve what the supplier sends us". My friend replied sarcastically "well that's alright then". The rest of the meal was luke warm and not very nice. We all left some of the meal as it wasn't very tasty. We waited ages for the table to be cleared and eventually I took the plates to the bar. I told the manageress that the salad was disgusting and she replied "well we've got problems with the supplier" I told her the rest of the meal was cold, which was obvious as the cheese on the burgers hadn't even melted. At no point did anyone apologise for the inconvenience, everyone was very defensive and virtually argued with us. After a further 10 minutes the waiter came over to the table and said that as we weren't very happy with our meals they were in a position to offer us complimentary tea or coffee, as if they were doing us a big favour. We declined and said that we needed to get back to work. The waiter said "OK then" and still offered no apology. We had actually eaten there every week for the past 3 months, so we expected a nicer approach to the complaint than the one we received. I certainly wouldn't recommend this place.
Review by Giovanni on 18th October, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 21/08/07
It's a wonderful place, good beer, all the staff is great and I met also a wonderful girl called J.W.
It was an unforgettable night
Thanks
Review by chris wood on 16th August, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 12 august 2007
On Sunday, 12th August 2007, four of us visited the pub with the intention of enjoying a sizzling steak and then partaking in the Quiz, which we have done on many occasions. Sadly this was not to be. The first meals arrived steaks not well done but overdone, but noone wanted to spoil the night so table 7 appeared to be happy. We on the same table with a different no. i.e 15 waited and waited, when one steak came it was not fit for a dog, the whole meal was tepid, the second steak was nowhere to be seen. On making a complaint it appeared they had overlooked the booking but instead of admitting the error it was said that the waitresses could not find us. I asked to speak to the Manager but was shown a lady purpoting to be the chef. I expressed my dissatisfaction and demanded a return of the money, which she eventually did. My disgust at the way this matter was handled has not calmed and i cannot believe that it was even thought accepable to bring food to a table which was so awful.I appreciate that it had been a busy day, so maybe the best thing was not to have accepted the order at the outset.I sincerely hope that this read AND DIGESTED.
Brit Quote: |
|
On this day: |