The Monk's Retreat - Reading

Nice atmosphere, staff were friendly but several of them didn't know how to use the tills and check stock of food (must have been new) and there didn't seem to be anyone in charge helping them out. Food was decent enough, not the nicest meal we've ever had there but fairly prices not the biggest portion but we enjoyed it.

Chritsmas shopping finished with a trip to the Monks Retreat with my Grandma and mum. Very lovely staff and food was fantastic. My grandma ate her whole meal and she's usually fussy!

Looks like a Wetherspoons and feels like a Wetherspoons but it's not a Wetherspoons. It's actually a lot more orderly and tidy with quite an appealing layout. There is a similar cross-section of clientele, most of whom you wouldn't let near the scissor drawer. Real ale seemed well- kept, but the range was somewhat paltry in comparison to W's. The long deep L-shaped bar was closed at the front end when we called in one weekday lunchtime. Consequently, the area at the back was well-populated with all the first choice individual booths taken. Televisions everywhere, with one over every table if adjacent to a wall. Cricket on-screen so quite easy to ignore. The three staff on duty seemed surprisingly pleasant and kept the bar ticking over with ease. Usual glossy menus for all sorts on the table. As expected, all economically priced so orders placed with a degree of curiosity about what might turn up. My pal and I both had gammon steak and chips and upon ordering were told to expect a bit of a wait. It wasn't that long, but more apologies on arrival nonetheless. Not too sure what had happened but the chips and peas were cold, whilst the advertised tomato, onion rings and pineapple were missing completely. However, the gammon steak was fine; hot, well-cooked and no excess rind. For some reason the cutlery was wrapped in sopping wet napkins. Didn't take long to eat and, dispiritingly, the detritus remained on the table for the remainder of our visit. I must admit that my infrequent visits to Wetherspoons involving food rarely end well so it seemed rather par for the course here. So I liked the pub more than thought I would but the food element was about as unreliable as I expected.

Came to watch England v Germany football match. Good atmosphere and easy to order some light bites to nibble on

Prices and food were really good, however the staff had a stinking attitude and clearly didn’t want to be there. After waiting 45mins for my food I asked about it when my friends (who ordered after me) food arrived, she was very rude and told me it was all coming at the same time (which it clearly hasn’t). It’s busy but it’s not rammed so there’s so need for the attitude when we’re just asking where our food is which we’ve been waiting more than a decent amount of time for.