December 2023 by Gordon Duncan
Disappointed.Have been going to Linkwood Lodge for Christmas Day lunch for many years but 2023 was a complete disaster.Arrived at 1.50pm, waited until 2.45pm for our first drinks to arrive. Then just after 3pm our starters arrived, great we thought we are now on a roll. But no we then waited and waited for more food to arrive.Then we noticed a growing sense of unease among the other diners in the restaurant. Customers were clearing their own tables fetching there own drinks and generally the complaints were getting louder and louder from the assembled customers.We were assured several times that our main courses were only seconds away but nothing appeared.We had noticed many tables around us getting up and leaving before being served but still we stuck it out.At 4.25pm more than two and a half hours after arriving we also decided to give up.To be fair to Brewers Fayre we were given a full refund without any question.The front of house staff were great but obviously something drastic was happening in the kitchen we weren't told what.We felt very sorry for the duty manager who was trying to hold everything together and she was close to tears when we joined the other diners heading to the door.Whatever has gone wrong with this restaurant the owners Whitbread need to get on top of the problems and sort it out.
December 2023 by Wendy Bedford
After booking an early table and finding the place quite empty I really didn't expect to wait over an hour for food. When the food arrived it was cold, unappetising and looked very much as if it had visited the microwave many times. One burger meal was ok but the mixed grill had a 2inch piece of gammon stuck under neath everything else. The eggs were cold and the chicken dried up and cold. This trend carried on as the chips on the other meal, the smothered platter were luke warm and shriveled. I had the festive turkey dinner with "all the trimmings" which was obviously cooked on Christmas day and reheated. Aunt Bessie could have done better!!! I opted for a cauliflower cheese to go with it but I couldn't get my fork in it as it had been heated to death and was not coming out of the pot.As far as I could see there were only 2 members of staff, our waitress being the manager. The place was full and we were not the only ones who were disgruntled. There may have been staff problems but if this was the case why pack so many in??You couldn't cope.Sorry Brewers fayre but we ditched you for a dessert in MacDonalds, At least I got what I paid for!!!!
December 2023 by James Macdonald
Went in here with my partner and her child booked Sunday lunch for 3.00 pm got in and ordered at 3:11 the little one got her starter for her kids meal after 5 or so mins and we sat patiently we chatted amongst ourselves when we realised this is taking a long time checked the receipt 35 mins passed so we agreed leave it another 5 mins which we did and still nothing so went up and stood at bar bear in mind it wasnt busy at all i waited at the bar for at least 3, 4 mins before someone actually acknowledged me ? explained its been 40+ mins and could they check for us. Went back to table and continued to wait another 15 mins before the food came out it wasnt hot in any sense luke warm would be generous. Normally you would get an apology for the hold up or something no didnt even get an explanation. The thing that perplexed me most was the staff none of them seemed to have much of a clue i wont be returning for some time very disappointed. Reading some other reviews seems to be a persistent issue lately.
December 2023 by Suzanne McGinness
Halfway through starter, spicy chicken wings lovely but too much sauce, and main dishes arrived. Oh well, maybe an oversight on staff part. So the chips looked like they had been sitting there under a lamp for at least 20 mins.Chicken burger just as bad, room temperature at best! The side order of chips that they forgot came out a few minutes later, really nice and fresh. Bitterly disappointed! It's such a shame as we are her visiting family on a regular basis. Thankfully, the hotel next door is good.Staff were rude,lazy, and disrespectful. The only exception was John,visiting from Inverness. Attentive and absolute pleasure. He deserved a better team to work with,who actually behave like they want to be here. Thank you, John!
December 2023 by Jack Jill
went for lunch as our car was having a mot. not busy and the order was taken. half an hour later still no food although 2 tables came in after us got their food. we asked a member of staff where our food was? just getting plated up was the response. the food arrived and we thought great. wrong the food was stone cold and so were the plates. asked for our money back and got it after a few attempts on the till , thought they would be used to this after reading other reviews of cold food. brewers fayre dont reply to emails when you complain about this type dinning experience.would rate 0 if we could.Parking: icy
December 2023 by Honor Anderson
States as you enter wait to be seated only 1 staff member on the bar taking meal orders serving drinks and taking orders through to kitchen was acknowledged when waiting asked to wait 2mins as girl was serving however then was about to serve another customer who had just arrived at the bar when eventually seated and order placed at bar after about 15mins we were informed several items from our order had run out. Chips were cold garlic bread was cremated gammon steak was singed overall meal was not enjoyableDietary restrictions: Not alot of options for a person with a restricted diet
December 2023 by Tina Wood
Food was so bad...burnt burgers... literally black! overcooked mushrooms in burnt over cooked bread crumbs! chicken gousions over cooked crunchie and chewy ! so disapointed .. we had to wait 45 mins before half our order came out...ordered a meal burger chips coleslaw.. plate arrived with just burger then had to wait another 15 min for chips!! what a joke!! But the waitress was very friendly and done her best.. I got a refund and spoke to mangeress/ supervisor... I said that they are needing to change there chef as this one burns and over cooks everything! she replied no we don't need to get another chef we just need to give more training!!! at this I laughed..
November 2023 by Frank Heggs
We enjoyed our food but choice was limited as they were running out of menu even as we ordered. It seems as though they were shutting down around us and it was only 9 O'clock.
November 2023 by Sylvia Pascal
My Thai green vegetable curry which was advertised as containing tenderstem brocoli, sweet potato, peas and bamboo shoots arrived with NO brocoli, NO peas, and NO bamboo shoots. It was simply sweet potato in a green curry sauce with a chilli garnish.A single vegetable!It was returned and a male member of staff came to tell me they had NO brocoli, and NO bamboo shoots. I pointed out that they definitely had peas (my husband had peas with his gammon steak, he had wanted haddock but they had none. At least he was told before ordering)A good 20 mins after my husband had finished his meal my replacement dish arrived. It consisted of sweet potato, peas, and spinach. It was OK but surely if the ingredients were not available you take the meal off the menu.Very disappointing.Vegetarian options: A sweet potato curry when the menu specified 4 vegetables makes me feel that veggie lovers should find somewhere else to eat.
November 2023 by Matt Tylzanowski
Cold food after long wait. Hardly enough for a starter. Stakes were dry cold and burnt. Would never go back even if starving. Wanted fish but they run out. Wanted peppercorn sauce but they run out then wanted pint of stella but they run out. Whats the point to even bother going there at all?!
November 2023 by Braveheart34
In one word, it is disgusting and a business that does not understand customer satisfaction. The friend in the kitchen who thinks he is a chef (!) definitely needs training on how to cook medium well. We waited for our main course for almost 1 hour, and after waiting another 30 minutes for my undercooked steak to be cooked again, I had to leave the place saying enough was enough because I could no longer tolerate a business that was so far from customer satisfaction.And my last word is to the friend in the kitchen who goes by the name of chef, how can you cook a steak that you received as an order, which should be cooked medium well, as rare and send it to the customer?? It's such a shame that a business with such a UK-wide name has a branch that has such a 0-point customer satisfaction rating. Shame on you for ruining our whole night. And I never, ever recommend this branch to anyone.....!
October 2023 by Kieran Buchan
Staff shortages can't always be helped but that was the biggest issue.I was first a bit concerned when we walked in and there was maybe 10 people dining within the entire restaurant.The greeter was rather rude and not the best with customers.Starters were okay, cheese topped potato dippers were lovely, my partner had garlic mushrooms which were overcooked.Mains came within 4 minutes of our started being cleared.I ordered the bacon and cheese burger with extra bacon and cheese, my partner got the sausage and mash.The mash was disgusting in look and texture, there was only 3 little sausages, they were stingy with the portions and presentation was horrendous.My burger came and had looked to have been thrown together like a BigMac.Not only that but they forgot my extra bacon and cheese.Overall our experience at this restaurant was bad,Safe to say we won't be getting breakfast.
October 2023 by Tracey Wilson
This place doesn't even deserve 1 star, we went here today and was very disappointed, the entrance for a start !!! Cigarette ends everywhere and it was only 3 o'clock, but thought they may be busy. But on entering hardly a sole to be seen ! Anyway asked to find a table then once we knew what we wanted order at the bar, fine , got to the table no menus and not offered a menu , went up to ask for one , to be greeted by a rude female saying there is one right in front of you on the bar did you not see it !! Held it together , ordered food, came out with starters sat them in front of us then walked away , thought they were coming back with the cutlery but no , looked like we were supposed to try and eat the prawn cocktail with our fingers !!! Went to find cutlery , next I asked for the smothered bbq chicken (baring in mind it is only 3 pm, sorry we have no bbq sauce but you can have it with cheese ! Half the menu had things with the bbq sauce as an option but no bbq sauce, do the staff not know that Elgin is a big town surely Tesco, asda or even Aldi could supply the bbq sauce !!! As it's on half the menu !! Anyway went to get a drink to drown my sorrows, and Ryan the barman walked past me as I walked up to the bar , proceeded to sit on the floor with the legs folded and bum crack showing out of his trousers, continued to fill up his fridge , and had to be shouted on by myself to serve me , still no other customers to be seen, maybe we should have clicked as to why ! Main meals came out and were utter rubbish, husband wanted salt and had to go and search all the other tables and finally found some . So the jist of the story is , don't go and waste your money at this place, obviously don't need the custom as they didn't even try
October 2023 by Martin McGarrity
Limited menu due to staff shortages, slow to get orders out, and food luke warm. The limited staff try their best but would think twice about going here again and certainly not anytime soon.
October 2023 by Rod Blount
Called in for Sunday dinner with the wife, every where was clean and quite, a young man waited on us and was very nice and helpful,the food was hot and the plate had been warmed, so it was good, would I go again yes. This was a Sunday lunch.
