The Fish Eels - Hoddesdon

We were seated promptly and received our drinks quickly, which turned out to be the fastest service we experienced all evening. The staff were genuinely friendl... read more We were seated promptly and received our drinks quickly, which turned out to be the fastest service we experienced all evening. The staff were genuinely friendly and did their best, but it seemed they often forgot about us since we had to approach them several times to follow up on our orders. We ordered the Mezze platter for four, but when it arrived, it was clearly a sharing plate for two. The waitress mistakenly thought we were sharing it among four people. Another platter was ordered quickly, but it took at least ten minutes to arrive. While I appreciate that it was prepared fresh, the warm pitas and other items on the first platter had begun to cool while we waited. Once we finished our starters, the waitress came to clear the plates and informed us that our main courses were ready. She asked if we wanted them held, but not wanting the food to sit and become lukewarm, we requested it be served immediately. Unfortunately, the chips were cold and had to be sent back, while the accompanying vegetables were only barely warm. I ordered the king prawn linguine from the specials menu, but the portion size was very small. When I inquired if this was a starter size, I was told it was the regular portion. The waitress kindly offered to check if anything could be done, and my partner even volunteered to pay for additional prawns if necessary. To their credit, they did increase the portion size without any extra charge. When our desserts finally arrived (we had to remind them we were still waiting), the Eton Mess came out looking like a complete mess, with no fruit as described on the menu. As a gesture of apology for the disappointing meal, we were offered complimentary coffees, but ultimately, we decided we won't be returning.

No record of our booking, bunged on another table with no table service. No one seemed to know what they were doing. Food was standard, nothing special. Looked... read more No record of our booking, bunged on another table with no table service. No one seemed to know what they were doing. Food was standard, nothing special. Looked rushed. Beer was flat and tasteless! However, the waitress that took my bar order was really nice! Other than that. Was ok!

Terrible experience! The food took way too long to arrive, the staff were unfriendly, and many items on the menu weren’t actually available without any prior no... read more Terrible experience! The food took way too long to arrive, the staff were unfriendly, and many items on the menu weren’t actually available without any prior notice. This was my second visit, and I was disappointed again. The only positive aspect was the beautiful location.

We made a reservation for bank holiday Monday, and it was my first experience walking into a pub where two lines of people were waiting to get drinks, which was... read more We made a reservation for bank holiday Monday, and it was my first experience walking into a pub where two lines of people were waiting to get drinks, which wasn’t a great start. After waiting 20 minutes, we were finally shown to our table and told that our waitress would come over to take our drink order. However, we ended up waiting an additional 25 minutes with no one attending to us. Meanwhile, a friendly family at the next table informed us that the staff was short-handed, the menu was limited due to many items being sold out, and they had been waiting for their main course for two and a half hours! With that in mind, we decided to leave and find another place to eat, as did several other tables nearby. I've visited this restaurant many times in the past and have always left satisfied, but this experience was disappointing. My advice to the restaurant is to communicate with your customers about staffing issues, expected wait times for food, and the limited menu rather than just seating them and neglecting them. I won't be returning on a bank holiday again!

Sat outside by the river. The restaurant operates a nonsmoking policy on the terrace and the staff were great about enforcing it. As always tasty food and great... read more Sat outside by the river. The restaurant operates a nonsmoking policy on the terrace and the staff were great about enforcing it. As always tasty food and great service.