Grumbles

This is a very cosy restaurant which offers fantastic value for money. Very good atmosphere and friendly staff, really like the manager of the restaurant as well. The snails are quite superb along with the fish pie!!! A must visit.

We had a very pleasant evening at Grumbles. Both waiters remembered one of the party, despite him not having been there for some time (months, years). Wine was good value – reasonable wine, reasonably priced. We all had steak, which was a little time coming, but cooked exactly as ordered. Again good value at £14 for a nice hunk of tender fillet. That's not bad compared to the Gauchos, Goodmans of the world… Quite old school surroundings/menu, but I liked that. I also liked the fact that we were the only pr@tts in suits in there. Not touristy, considering the proximity to Victoria. A nice neighbourhood restaurant and definitely one I would go back to.

We were looking very forward to trying this rather cozy looking place. I live local.
Three of us visited for lunch during the week. The place was nearly empty at 1:15pm, after experiencing the unfriendly waitresses and school dinners standard food, we understood why. The disinterested staff made us feel we were an inconvenience and were incredibly unhelpful, (we were one of just two tables). We planned on having the three courses from their set menu but instead cut our lunch short to just two courses and headed to one of the excellent gastropubs in the area for dessert and cappuccino. I would NEVER recommend this restaurant, and my friends commented that Grumbles was appropriately named.

My second visit to Grumbles. The first passed pleasantly enough, if not memorably. This the second, was a disaster from start to very swift finish.

I'm afraid I must now consider myself biased as a result: read-on.
I arrived with my friend, looking for a quiet port of call for 1/2- 3/4 hour or so, whilst we waited for the locksmith to let her back into locked-out local pied a terre. We asked if we could stay at the bar to drink; and that we might order some food. Duly seated upstairs, we waited to be served drinks, which followed after a bit a few reminders.

The locksmith apparently on the way, we asked if we could skip the food and finish our drinks. Officious waiter/major domo says no. The place will be booked-up in the hour and so if he is to serve us, he must do so now. I must point out that whilst I understand this is perfectly reasonable, the gaff was approximately 1/5 full, or 4/5ths empty, depending upon your point of view, at the time. I ask if we can order some token food. No sir, says he – you must order a main course – it is not a bar. Fine, say I, I don't mind, we'll order some food, but tbh we don't care to eat it. Officious waiter doesn't like our attitude and asks us to leave. We have been relaxed and polite throughout. My friend was a regular there – no more. I may have visited once or twice in the coming year – no more.

Note to owner of Grumbles: your restaurant was mostly empty at the time. My friend was a true enthusiast for your place; and I was well disposed enough towards it – all the hard work you had made building which, your flouncy pr**k of a waiter (30's male, french, brunette), has, in a moments' poor judgement destroyed. That is a real pity – and shame on him. I doubt he has cost you less than £500 revenue in the coming year.