Menu
CB Ember Inns

The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about Ember Inns

Welcome to our customer reviews and complaints page for Ember Inns. We understand that making informed decisions about where to invest your time and money can be challenging, which is why we've created this platform for our community to share their honest feedback about their experiences with Ember Inns.

On this page, you'll find a comprehensive collection of reviews and complaints from real customers who have used Ember Inns's products or services. Our reviews are authentic and unbiased, providing you with a complete picture of the company, its products or services, and their customer service.

Whether you're considering doing business with Ember Inns, or you've already had an experience with them, our community's reviews and complaints will give you a valuable perspective on what to expect. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about where to invest your time and money, and we hope that our platform will be a valuable resource for you.

Please feel free to browse our reviews and complaints and share your own experience with Ember Inns. Your feedback is an important part of our community and will help others make informed decisions.

ComplaintsBoard
D
1:16 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Ember Inns service/food

Selly Park Tavern – Ember Inns
28/07/2017
Service: was rather shambolic the bar person was not attentive did not smile show any warmth and was not welcoming, lack of eye contact.
Food: apart from the calamari which we enjoyed the rest of our meals was dreadful. The crispy duck was a soggy brown goo in a stall salad, the plaice was served on unappetising slices of boiled potatoes with stringy asparaguses. The Plaice, that did not smell very fresh, was garnished with chewy prawns, all in all a thoroughly unenjoyable meal.
No one checked our satisfaction during the meal and when someone came to clear our plates ‘which were still full of our uneaten meals’ we were asked if we enjoyed our meal. Maybe the full plates were not a big enough clue!
When my wife replied no, the server said thank you, clearly, she was just going through the motion and wasn't really interested.

Read full review of Ember Inns
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
R
7:57 am EST
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

went to the woodmans in Ashtead on Saturday the28/11/2015 for some food with friends wish we had not bothered. after ordering we waited 25 minutes for our starters which came out in two lots, and then between the starter and main we waited 45 min, this came out in three sets over ten min. and then my wife and another wife ordered dessert which did not turn...

Read full review of Ember Inns
ComplaintsBoard
N
5:54 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Ember Inns poor service, lack of staff etc

I went to an ember inn (the gate in northwood, middlesex) for a lunchtime meal on 1st January 2014 at 1.15pm with 4 friends. We hadn't met for about 2 months and we were all looking forward to the meal. We were told when we ordered the food would be a half an hour wait, which was fine. We assumed we would be eating by the latest 2pm. We ordered two sandwich meals and tree jacket potatoe meals. After waiting until 2.15pm we asked where our food was, the poor waitress (the only one on the floor) rushed our meals to us saying she was very sorry but had no help. The sandwich meals were fine but the jacket meals were all cold. We complained and asked for the manager, by this time other people in the restuarant were all complaining of poor service, cold meals etc and being offered refunds. The manager Lisa was upstairs and had to be coaxed down. She then offered us fresh meals by this time it was 2.30pm and I had to leave. The manager Lisa said she was very sorry, however her attitude was very arrogant and when asked why she was upstairs when her only colleague was down serving she said she had been down earlier and wasn't aware their were problems! We then said how can you leave one member of staff to deal with the whole of the floor, all she kept saying was she didn't see it as a problem. She did offer us a refund of our drinks, but her attitude and her inability to manage her staff were appalling. I appreciate she had only been in the position 4 weeks, however what should have been a lovely New Year celebration turned out to be three of the five of us leaving without having eaten. My friends and myself have used this facility many times in the past but this will not be the case now in the future, we shall take our custom elsewhere!

Read full review of Ember Inns
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
W
5:13 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Ember Inns Lack of choice

We visited the ember inn guiseley on Friday the 2 nd of November. We placed our order at 6pm, we were told our choice of starter was out of stock, we choose another, my husband asked if anything else was out of stock, we were told no. After 5mins we were approached and told that my husbands main course was also out of stock, we re ordered. After 10 mins once again approached to be told that main course was also out of stock. We re ordered again. We were offered a free dessert or drink. Our food duly arrived, again after 5 mins a waitress appeared with 2 items of food that had been missed off our plate. I can t believe Thayer so much food was out of stock at such an early time. This is not good enough!.

Read full review of Ember Inns
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
S
1:41 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Ember Inns unauthorised payment taken from card

Myself and my family when in for a meal on mothers day and paid by debit card. Two days latter a unauthorised payment was taken out of my account. I went and discussed it with the manager of the pub and she found the copy of the transaction and it said it had been signed for but not by me. We have not used the pub for years its seems a little suspicious to me especially when the payment was taken on the day off of the manager of the pub. So beware any locals check your bank accounts if you have used this pub.

Read full review of Ember Inns
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
C
11:15 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

As a large family in chiswell green st albans we have been drinking in the three hammers for over thirty years. Recently a new manager has taken over the pub and has been very rude and ignorant to members of my family even to my uncle who is eighty two years of age. Every christmass for as long as i can remember the family would join eachother for a drink...

Read full review of Ember Inns and 1 comment
ComplaintsBoard
Z
12:53 pm EDT

Ember Inns Poor Service, cold surroundings

As a party of four we visited The White Horse, Gtreat Baddow, Chelmsfod Essex on Monday 20 December at
approximately 12.51 pm, your staff were very nice, pleasant, helpful.
However your premises was extremely cold everywhere with just the very basic
of heating facility on. It was particularly cold in the dining area where we
were seated for 90 mins which made it very unwelcoming, some of the staff
were even standing in front of the tiny fire in the bar area!

The food was also of a very poor standard with minimal portions, one meal
was stew & dumplings which was served up in what seemed like a desert bowl,
with 2 small dumplings, the meat was tough, the side served Brussels, seemed
raw but warmed up, my wife's Lasagne was dried up around the edges with such
a tiny serving of lettuce leaves, that it seemed pointless putting it on the
plate, the BBQ chicken ordered was "alright" but small, in the opinion of
the person who ordered it, my own "mixed grill" was acceptable.

We have eaten at this venue on many occasions previously, when the food has
been of a very good standard, with good portions, but we will definitely not
be returning any time soon. We have numerous places to choose from around
the Chelmsford area to dine out, so I am amazed at the very poor overall
performance, bad news travels fast!
I felt particularly bad about this dining occasion, as it was my choice of
venue for the meal, my brother jokingly said as we were departing " you're
getting zero points for that choice". We all pay good money to drink & dine
out & should expect the same value in return, which was certainly not
evident on this occasion

I note your "Guest Satisfaction Survey" on your website can only be
completed when you enter your personal survey number, we were conveniently
not given this, or is this a way of closing your eyes to dissatisfied
clients?
I have to be honest & say, I was at the time of paying asked if "everything
was alright" to which I replied "yes", the reason I carried it no further
was, I did not want to be seen as complaining in front of other members of
the public present at the time or embarrassing your staff, or seemingly
looking as if I was trying to obtain money off our bill. Our total bill was £50.95, customer bill 04428 / 0003 - server Hannah

Not a satisfied client.

Read full review of Ember Inns
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
R
7:36 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Ember Inns Bloody awful

This is the original email I sent making the original comments...
The reason I've been forced to do this is because ALL the emails (5 no) Have come back " undelivered Daemon Failure"
What a great way to treat good/ regular customers?
I wonder now if I'll get a response? I don't think so!
I’m emailing you to advise you of events at “The Sandringham“ Quakers Rd, Downend. Bristol.
As a regular at the Sandringham for many years and being a fairly regular complimentary correspondant to you.
I’m afraid I have to mail you with a very bad report.
I arranged through my sister-in-law, Mrs Julie Heaven, a booking for 14 members of family and some friends, for my nephews 23rd birthday. We had pre ordered our choice from the menu. Starters and main courses in advance and were looking forward to the usual fine food. After what seemed a lifetime the starters arrived, with long gaps between. We all ate them at different times.. Bad wasn't it? Then, after another long wait the dishes were cleared. Another long wait saw the main courses arrive . Again spread over several minutes. Considering all the meals were pre-ordered, what went wrong with the timing? Your reputation has been severely dented. If the restaurant had been busy, I might have had some sympathy, but the place was not busy at all!
I have never felt so embarassed and ashamed at the presentation and quality of all the meals.. From the Sea bass... Dry and tasteless... The roast beef and yorkshire puddings.. Dry as a bone. everything burnt on the edges...Lacking in vegetables and gravy... We had extra gravy and it arrived well into the meal ... The steak meals with the tomatoes, onion rings all burnt on the edges.. I could go on... Your manager asked if everything was OK and I had no option than to tell her that It was, “the worst meal I’ve ever had there”! She did offer us complimentary drinks, which we really did’nt want and then apologised, saying. “There was a trainee chef on duty that night! No supervision? How was the food ever allowed to leave the kitchen at all? Glum faces all around. All very disappointed and left waiting for the dishes to be cleared, a good 20 minutes after the meals had arrived.
I found myself taking photos of some of the food, just to remind me of just how bad it was..
I’m happy to pass these on to you if you wish. I’m sure they will give you a better understanding of my comments.
I would appreciate a reply of sorts to this email... Or perhaps you will decide to ignore it?
I’ll await your reply with anticipation.
Yours sincerely.
Roy Oaten

Read full review of Ember Inns
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
W
12:36 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Ember Inns food

use the dog about 2 / 3 times per month just for saturday lunch, the wife and i just like to have a bite to eat and relax for a an hour, this was always a pleasurable experiance until now, we walked in on saturday 22nd January to find it has changed, now part food part pub (not so friendly now) and the prices had gone up by about 50% which is a joke as the pub had no atmosphere, very cold (the lady next to us sat with her coat over her like a blanket) and then the food arrived, my favorite fish and chips. The food looked great on the plate but fish was full of bones, not just a couple, full and the chips cold and for some reason i got a bowl of minted peas, why? whats wrong with just peas with fish? Outcome is will be finding a new saturday lunch retreat as the pub i always enjoyed is no more! Thanks Ember Inns, do you not know the saying "if it isn't broke, don't fix it"

Read full review of Ember Inns
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
B
8:25 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Ember Inns Vouchers

Don't even bother to print out the vouchers for Mitchell & Butler's Ember Inns, you go into the pub, present your vouchers, and hey presto! You can't use them, because, apparently, the tills have not been set up to accept them. I am getting really fed up with Corporate eating. I have now managed to find out how to complain to Mitchell & Butler (guest.[protected]@mbplc.com). If I get a reply (which I doubt, you don't usually). I'll let you know.

Read full review of Ember Inns and 5 comments
Hide full review
5 comments
Add a comment
V
V
VPH
, US
Apr 18, 2012 4:54 am EDT

No excuse for continuing to serve cold food despite numerous complaints to the management. Have decided to save my money in future and head for the local chippy instead.

J
J
Jenny Hughes
Swindon, GB
Oct 31, 2014 7:34 am EDT

I have already spent time typing out my complaint above

J
J
Jenny Hughes
Swindon, GB
Oct 31, 2014 7:31 am EDT

I received a voucher for £5 off when you spend £20 by e-mail, so we went to Blunsdon Arms Swindon on Thursday the 30 of October for lunch only to be told we should have brought the second page of the e-mail which had a code on it. Nothing was written on the voucher saying this, what was written was and i quote, Print this voucher and bring it with you, or simply show it on your phone, to get your discount. End of quote. Why can i not get in touch with your Head Office to get an explanation of this misunderstanding as it was most embarrassing standing at the bar with the voucher to be told we cannot use it. Also i ordered the chicken and leek pie, i lifted the pastry topping to find only chicken ( lots of chicken) but no leeks, they were hidden under the french beans, not surprised, the leeks were over cooked, so the description on the menu is not what you get on the plate. As there is no way of contacting any one in authority i will not hold my breath for an answer, as you do not know who i am, so have i wasted my time.

P
P
Pineapple12
Manchester, GB
Mar 02, 2014 9:12 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Re Ember Inns
I had the misfortune to visit The 3 Stags in Bebington on the 28th Feb 2014. The restaurant was busy but not overly so. It took 25 mins before someone came to take our food order. We both ordered sirloin steaks medium rare. My companion found it physically impossible to chew the meat ( and she does have her own teeth). Determination and shear hunger led me to eat a third of the meat which was so dry it produced shavings akin to sawing a piece if wood. Frozen chips and soggy onion rings likewise languished on the plate. Working to a damage limitation strategy and based on the fact that the servers were far and few between. We paid the bill with the intention of contacting ember inns with our complaint. As your site indicates, a reply has not been forthcoming. I did not visit this restaurant fir Michelin star food but I did expect to receive something reasonably edible.

K
K
Kenneth tom
, NG
Apr 20, 2012 1:55 am EDT

IS THIS THING FOR REAL PLEASE LET ME KNOW FROM KENNRTH TOM
NIGRR-IA

ComplaintsBoard
B
4:38 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

My wife and myself live in Mablethorpe some 25 miles from the rose &crown grimsby, we have enjoyed many meals in the pub and have always looked forward to going there, but after our meal on friday 26 march it will be along time before we go back. I dont know if the chef as changed but the food was very poorly cooked.

Read full review of Ember Inns and 3 comments
ComplaintsBoard
M
5:25 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Ember Inns Bad food and Service

Once again we visited an Ember Inn, this is 2 visits to different houses in 2 months.

Sad to say the experience was a complete waste of time.

Our recent visit was to The Holyhead Coventry on 22nd Jan at 12.00 . previous visit, already complained about was to The Burnt Post Coventry 16th Dec 2009 12.00

The waitress was at the very best Hostile and Aggressive and reminded me of a Rottweiler .

The order which was printed on a piece of paper and read out to us, was bought to the table with many incorrect items on the order.

The food was either very overcooked, cold, undercooked or forgotten altogether.

Coffees were bought without sugar etc and were tepid so once milk was put in the drink was cold.

This being the second Ember experience that has been a total waste of time and money, we will not be returning to use another Ember establishment.

Read full review of Ember Inns and 4 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
4 comments
Add a comment
K
K
kathmcg
Coventry, GB
Aug 05, 2012 8:28 am EDT

just had sunday lunch in open arms coventry. Horrible is the word! we had to wait an hour for our main meal. Half of the party asked for money back as we had eaten ours by the time their's was ready. The veg was hard, the dinner cold, two small pieces of beef which was tough. Two other tables complained about cold meal, hard veg!. Every body had to ask for each course as they would take away your plates and not come back. When we got out sweet which was an hour and 40mins after we ordered the meal it was neither an crumble or apple pie. It had a pie base and a crumble top. They had served it cold which i found strange, most crumble/pies are served hot especially when you have custard. It was a horrible dinner and would never eat there again!

S
S
S P gardner
Reigate, GB
May 02, 2011 9:24 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We visited the Beehive Reigate last saturday, it was appaling we were a party of 6, 2 meals were delivered one of which was inedable, eventually 3 more meals came the 6th persons meal was forgotten. It finally arrived and later still the one that was sent back. So basically 6 of us went out for a meal together and 3 of us ended up eating on our own. Do you think this is good service!
S Gardner

D
D
d.boyes
Hartlepool, GB
Feb 02, 2011 8:13 pm EST

After visiting the ember inn (tall ships)hartleool on 2.2.2011 i will not be visiting this establishment again for food. After waiting one hour and a half hours for food and then to be told by staff that they did not know what was going on in the kitchen nor did the kitchen staff i would need to be very hungry to ever want to visit this pub again for food.

S
S
soniq
Worsley, GB
Jan 16, 2011 12:04 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We visited the Barton Arms Worsley as it was our anniversary.We ordered 2 rump steaks medium/rare .The steaks where well done and as tough as old leather, I could not eat mine .My partner went to the bar after our meal to get a drink, the lad behind the bar just looked straight thru him, so we went else where to finish our evening.Hope when the decor is done and you have up dated the place at the end of the month you remember that primeraly the service is what brings you clientelle back, the surrounds may look good, but is the staff good enough.Shame as we do like the place, but the service is lacking and the food very dissapointing

ComplaintsBoard
J
2:16 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I visited the Hardwick Arms in Sutton Coldfield with my wife in January 2009. The pub was cold and we over heard a gentleman customer inform the lady manager about this and she told him to go home then. My wife mentioned the food was served warm and not hot. The lady manager who was dresses very untidy grabbed the food off the table and stormed off to the...

Read full review of Ember Inns and 45 comments

Elevating the Voice of the Consumer

Empowering Real Complaints

At ComplaintsBoard, we understand the impact of genuine consumer grievances. Our platform is a dedicated space for authentic voices, where complaints, both positive and negative, are shared with honesty and transparency.

Dedicated to Validating Complaints

We are committed to ensuring the authenticity of every complaint. Our team uses rigorous verification methods to confirm that each complaint stems from a real customer experience, maintaining the integrity of our platform.

Encouraging Detailed Complaint Narratives

We value complaints accompanied by concrete evidence. Be it a photo, a detailed narrative, or additional documentation, such substantiation lends credibility to your complaint, aiding others in making informed decisions.

Balanced and Constructive Dialogue

ComplaintsBoard is more than a platform for airing grievances; it's a community where balanced dialogue is encouraged. We welcome complaints that not only point out issues but also recognize any positive interactions, promoting a fair and comprehensive perspective.

A Free and Impartial Platform for Complaints

Our unwavering commitment is to provide a free and unbiased platform for all complaints. Every complaint is given equal importance, ensuring your concerns are heard and respected, irrespective of their nature.