Zagatos At The - TUNBRIDGE WELLS

We went for a special birthday lunch with a guest who is very hard of hearing. A table in a quiet alcove had been booked to cater for his disability. When we arrived, on time, this table had been given to others, seriously detracting from the experience. Whilst the staff on duty were friendly and helpful, there were not enough of them; the service was slow. Apart from the main course fish, the portions were very small. This particularly applies to the thimbleful of mushy peas served to my wife. The expense of refurbishment of this restaurant was wasted. The venue is letting down the reputation of Tunbridge Wells. We will not visit again.

Here we go...........Have eaten at the Zagatos Bar Brasserie three times over the past year as a guest of family and friends. The Bar Brasserie is situated on the ground floor of the The 4 STAR Spar Hotel. Each experience lunch dinner has been disappointing for a number of reasons service quality of food. Guess what ?... I had a mad idea for some reason and took my partner there for lunch a short time ago. What happened you say ?????.......Ans.....Nothing has changed I am very sorry to say. I do not take pleasure in writing negative reports BUT this time I have to say something. The Good Points : Varied menu wine list with a range of options to suit most tastes. The staff, polite, welcoming and smartly dressed. Lovely dining room full of character. Now the not so good : Our table was not fully clean water food marks on it, plus, black pen marks on the wooden table top. Bearing in mind we are now sat in a 4 Star Hotel Brasserie Bar. Asked for a spicy tomato juice with all the trimmings to start with..... Sorry sir we don 't have tomato juice and we don 't have any spices . So went for the lime and soda which came with hardly any ice and you could not taste the lime juice and was slightly flat. Partner had no starter but I had the Tiger prawn cocktail with avocado. This presented in a Gin Tonic like glass. Only a few prawns and not Tiger small. The avocado was mashed in with the lettuce at the bottom of the glass and no taste very poor. For the main course we had the beef with all the trimmings which was OK but nothing special. Infact, when the meal arrived it came without roast pot 's. Waited a while for the waiters attention and asked for the missing roast pot 's which took five mins to arrive. Yes, I could have made a big fuss and asked for a reduction in my bill etc..etc... BUT I placed myself and partner in the Bar and Brasserie in knowing that it was not that good BUT hoping things may have improved. Not the case.

Just returned from a disappointing lunch at the Spa Hotel. Having chosen the fishcake for my meal, I was disappointed the filling consisted of a lot of sauce, some potato and not much fish. However, as I was finishing I encountered an unexpected addition to the usual recipe a piece of non recyclable plastic the size of a 50p piece. When the waiter came to clear the table, and asked if we had enjoyed our meal, I politely said that it was fine except for the piece of plastic. He looked a little surprised, removed the plate and said he would speak to the chef. I never saw him again! Good service? I don't think so. Value for money? No.

We visit Zagato’s regularly either for drinks or for a meal. The food is of a consistently high standard with a comprehensive wine list and we know we can always count on a friendly welcome from Costi, Stephen and the rest of the knowledgeable and friendly team.

I am an occasional visitor to the bar and Brasserie. The food has always been consistently good and I had no reservations in taking friends to Zagatos for an evening meal. We were not disappointed. .The Spa Burger and especially the chips were a great success but I really feel I must highlight the service we experienced. From the minute we arrived until the bill was paid Costi and his team looked after us with great attention and willingness to please. Costi went that extra mile to make our evening so enjoyable and I greatly appreciated his assistance in pairing our food with wine which complimented each course.. Costi was a star. Thank you.