Michael (8 November 2007)

If you have money to waste and a good sense of humour go to Brasserie Rocque. You’ll probably have a good laugh. If you want a meal and expect the minimum standards of customer service, avoid.

It’s a place going through identity crises. It doesn’t know what it wants to be: a bar, a pub, a restaurant, a club. I don’t recall a worse experience and I eat out very often, probably four to five times a week. Its service is bad. The staff, including the manager, they all walk around slowly and aimlessly without showing any interest in customer satisfaction and looking bored, as if they don’t know what to do. They look like nice people with potential; the problem seems to be the total absence of leadership.

I went for dinner with a friend and we couldn’t believe that such a bad customer service was being delivered in the heart of the City of London. We were totally ignored. We needed more drinks, cutlery, water, bread etc., I ordered a medium rare rib eye steak and I got a well done sirloin steak. The waiter didn’t offer to change it because he said the chef confirmed it was a medium rare rib eye. The staff passed by our table trying their best to avoid eye contact. It was so bad that it went beyond making us angry so we ended up having a good laugh. The only way to persuade me to go back in there would be a good offer of money.