Avoid Raglan Road - It was horrible in every way

[stemikger]

I just got back form my 10 day trip and it was my first time on the meal plan. The only horrible and I mean horrible meal I had while I was there was Raglan Road. First let me say, the atmosphere is amazing in there and it is a great place to sit at the bar and watch the band and have a drink, however, do not have dinner at this place. We were a party of six and we are not very picky and no one was happy with their meal. They make everything look pretty, but it is really bad food and service.

I ordered the scallops for an appetizer and they were tiny and came out cold and they tasted fishy. I never had a fishy scallop before. I ordered the steak and asked for it well done and it came out rare. I usually don't like to send food back, but I couldn't eat it that rare. I send it back and it came back 15 minutes later and it was just as rare? No one liked what they ordered, everything came out cold and we basically left most of the meal. I pretty much left the entire steak on my plate. If I wasn't on the meal plan, I would have asked for my money back.

And to make a bad meal even worse, our waiter was horrible. Slow and not too friendly. I am writing this before all my positive experiences, because I don't want anyone to have the awful experience I had there. It's a shame such a cool looking place served such bad food and service.

 

[TINKB72]

I just got back form my 10 day trip and it was my first time on the meal plan. The only horrible and I mean horrible meal I had while I was there was Raglan Road. First let me say, the atmosphere is amazing in there and it is a great place to sit at the bar and watch the band and have a drink, however, do not have dinner at this place. We were a party of six and we are not very picky and no one was happy with their meal. They make everything look pretty, but it is really bad food and service.

I ordered the scallops for an appetizer and they were tiny and came out cold and they tasted fishy. I never had a fishy scallop before. I ordered the steak and asked for it well done and it came out rare. I usually don't like to send food back, but I couldn't eat it that rare. I send it back and it came back 15 minutes later and it was just as rare? No one liked what they ordered, everything came out cold and we basically left most of the meal. I pretty much left the entire steak on my plate. If I wasn't on the meal plan, I would have asked for my money back.

And to make a bad meal even worse, our waiter was horrible. Slow and not too friendly. I am writing this before all my positive experiences, because I don't want anyone to have the awful experience I had there. It's a shame such a cool looking place served such bad food and service.

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience there. I had been debating making an ADR there for our upcoming trip in December but didnt end up making it and went for somewhere else. I think if we do go check out RR it'll only be for drinks.

 

[amyy]

Maybe we were there the same night... Wed night of this week. The atmosphere is amazing. I couldn't believe how slow the service was. On the other hand we didn't feel rushed. We were there over two hours. I had the chicken and I did think it was dry. I don't remember the name of my dessert but it was chocolate. It was the only dessert that I didn't finish during our trip. It was more of a personal preference I think. My BF is a picky eater and he had the pork and thought it was very good. Worth checking out but I think I would go just for drinks next time.

 

[kirrrby]

Although we haven't dined at Raglan Road yet, we've been sort of skeptical about eating there. My friends father went there on there trip to Orlando about four weeks ago, and he said it was terrible. Another bad review makes me not want to try it.

 

[kvogel11202]

We went last October- had a wonderful meal and a wonderful time. It's all a matter of opinion. I find that a lot of times people from different areas have VERY different likes as far as food goes. My uncle lives in the midwest and when we were visiting him he took us for steaks - we thought they were kind of gross- he loved them. Same steaks - same place- different opinions. My folks and brother and sis in law were there in May- loved it. I take all reviews with a grain of salt, not because I don't believe the reviewer but because we are all so different.

 

[diesel]

oh no I'm sorry to hear that the food was that bad. We ate there last october and really enjoyed it. We were thinking of going back this October but might make other plans if we keep hearing negative reviews.

 

[TiggerTails57]

Sorry you did not have a good meal at RR.............we were just there in July and had a great meal the 'Pie in the sky' was delish!

 

[pmiranda]

oh no I'm sorry to hear that the food was that bad. We ate there last october and really enjoyed it. We were thinking of going back this October but might make other plans if we keep hearing negative reviews.

I've never been so I can't comment on food/service. However, on the same night with even the same server, people's experience can vary quite widely. I've had terrible experiences at some restaurants, and gone back again to have a wonderful time. Every cook/server/host makes a mistake at one time or another during their shift. I'm sorry the OP seemed to have gotten the brunt of it, that night. It doesn't mean you shouldn't try it for yourself, though.

Another thing to remember, and this is simply a generalization, for every one negative review, there are probably a couple dozen positive ones. People are MUCH more likely to write about their negative experiences, but when things go right, they typically just move on.

I'd never miss out on trying a new place because of a negative review. There'll always be some people don't like the joint, and if no one liked it, they'd probably be out of business anyway!!

 

[stemikger]

I understand about different tastes and I totally agree, but I really can't understand why when I sent a very rare steak back, it came back 15 minutes later just as rare. When one of the people bringing our food (not our waiter) saw how they brought it back, he was shocked. My waiter saw the steak just as rare and saw I wasn't even eating it and he didn't even acknowledge how they dropped the ball again. If I wasn't on the meal plan I would have made sure they didn't charge me for that meal.

I too take the reviews with a grain of salt and I have to say one of the surprises on my trip was Mama Melrose. I saw several bad reviews, but we really liked it.

Like I said I understand different tastes, but there really is no excuse for not being able to cook a steak well done. I even said don't worry if it comes back extra well. Also, we were there almost three hours because the service was so slow. I didn't feel rushed, but 3 hours is pushing it.

Like I said before we were there for 10 days and I can't say one bad thing about all the wonderful meals we had, so just to show how we are not complainers or picky eaters, this place really was that bad.
My favoriate meal of the trip was Le Cellier. The steak came out perfect the first time and the waiter was just awesome. I give this place a 10 plus. And as far as buffetts The Crystal Palace and BOMAS were really exceptional. All the other meals were very good also.

 

[kvogel11202]

I understand about different tastes and I totally agree, but I really can't understand why when I sent a very rare steak back, it came back 15 minutes later just as rare. When one of the people bringing our food (not our waiter) saw how they brought it back, he was shocked. My waiter saw the steak just as rare and saw I wasn't even eating it and he didn't even acknowledge how they dropped the ball again. If I wasn't on the meal plan I would have made sure they didn't charge me for that meal.

I too take the reviews with a grain of salt and I have to say one of the surprises on my trip was Mama Melrose. I saw several bad reviews, but we really liked it.

Like I said I understand different tastes, but there really is no excuse for not being able to cook a steak well done. I even said don't worry if it comes back extra well. Also, we were there almost three hours because the service was so slow. I didn't feel rushed, but 3 hours is pushing it.

Well that's an issue with a poor waiter, not the whole restaurant. At that point I politely ask for a manager to come to the table, point out the issue, and get results. Even on the DDP you paid for the meal. I'm sorry you had a bad time, but it seems like you did nothing to help yourself while you were there, and you apparently were there for quite some time, but instead decided to complain here about the whole establishment? Am I missing something here? Like I said, I don't doubt this happened just as you said, I just don't understand why you wouldn't complain to someone who could do something about it?

 

[Bichon Barb]

No offense, but I wouldn't take advice from a person who orders their steak well done.

We were there in October--six of us--and we all loved it. I wish I could remember what everyone ordered. My FIL had the shephards pie, my husband had a pork dish, and I think I had a pork dish with leeks over mashed potatoes. I thought the meal was better than the meal we had a few days earlier at Rose and Crown (stew which was salty and over priced fried fish).

And the beer flight was fun.

 

[stemikger]

Originally posted by kvogel11202
Well that's an issue with a poor waiter, not the whole restaurant. At that point I politely ask for a manager to come to the table, point out the issue, and get results. Even on the DDP you paid for the meal. I'm sorry you had a bad time, but it seems like you did nothing to help yourself while you were there, and you apparently were there for quite some time, but instead decided to complain here about the whole establishment? Am I missing something here? Like I said, I don't doubt this happened just as you said, I just don't understand why you wouldn't complain to someone who could do something about it?

The truth is I really don't like to send food back. I heard too many horror stories. For me to send it back once was a big deal. I definitely didn't want to send it back a second time. And the fact that no one in a party of six didn't like their meal makes me think it is something wrong with the establishment. One bad meal is a mistake, six (I think there is something wrong).

I basically just wanted to leave and because we were on the meal plan, we didn't want to go through the hassel of having to get an extra meal, because on that plan, they feed you enough. The last thing we wanted was more food. So how else would they have compensated us. That is why I felt there is nothing I could do. If I had to pay for that meal, I would definitely have made it an issue, but because of the meal plan, I just wanted to chalk it up as a bad meal. I really don't care if you want to take this advice, I just wanted to give people who might be paying their hard earned cash to eat there a fair warning.

 

[holcomb-mania]

I ordered the steak and asked for it well done

 

[Maliki2]

The truth is I really don't like to send food back. I heard too many horror stories. For me to send it back once was a big deal. I definitely didn't want to send it back a second time. And the fact that no one in a party of six didn't like their meal makes me think it is something wrong with the establishment. One bad meal is a mistake, six (I think there is something wrong).

I basically just wanted to leave and because we were on the meal plan, we didn't want to go through the hassel of having to get an extra meal, because on that plan, they feed you enough. The last thing we wanted was more food. So how else would they have compensated us. That is why I felt there is nothing I could do. If I had to pay for that meal, I would definitely have made it an issue, but because of the meal plan, I just wanted to chalk it up as a bad meal. I really don't care if you want to take this advice, I just wanted to give people who might be paying their hard earned cash to eat there a fair warning.

I don't blame you for being mad about the steak. This is another person that loves his steak well done. If I wanted it still walking, I'd own my own cow. I'm just like you I don't like sending food back, but I sure wouldn't eat a rare steak. I mean how hard can it be to cook a steak well done....just leave on the grill!

 

[jenelope]

Another thing to remember, and this is simply a generalization, for every one negative review, there are probably a couple dozen positive ones. People are MUCH more likely to write about their negative experiences, but when things go right, they typically just move on.

For instance, I've had dinner at Raglan Road three times so far, and I've enjoyed my meal every time. The first time, I was dining solo, but on the second and third time, all of the people in my party loved eating there and remarked how happy we were that we ate there instead of somewhere else. Of course, I never gave it an official positive review. (<- at myself, naturally) The first time I was there, I witnessed some exceptionally good service from my server. At one table, she saw that a teen wasn't eating her entree and recommended a different dish. At another, she followed up with a young man trying a new beer, and recommended a different one when he confessed he didn't like it. I think she actually brought him a small glass to try before committing to an entire pint. I've also had service that I would consider "iffy" there, however.

I realize that my impressions of Raglan Road may be influenced by my love of rare steak and a good Half and Half, though.

 

[aclov]

Went there last Aug and practically had to hunt someone down to seat us, but I think this was because we got there after 9pm. But than we had to hunt someone down to serve us. And service was very, very slow. The food was okay.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Yikes. I will be eating there this weekend.
Hope I have better luck.
I am not much of a steak eater, so will pass on that. I seldom eat steak out as I like mine WELL done with even a tad of charcol.

 

[amyy]

In my earlier post I forgot to say I did enjoy the mac & cheese as a starter. Also the sauce that you did the Irish Soda Bread in was good. I may try it again for a drink and a starter.

 

[delswife]

Well that stinks. Sorry you had a bad time.

I can't send food back either. I've heard the horror stories too!

 

[tinkandpan]

We've eaten there three times now. The first time Food and Service was excellent. The next two times- food was very good but the service was awful. If I go with the kids, I might skip it again becasue it took way too long- but if it is just adults- i would go back. I just love that bread and butter pudding and the diffferent beer flights. Good laugh- both times the service stunk, we got our entrees before our app's. I say it's hit or miss but def worth giving a shot.