Slug & Lettuce - Bournemouth Old Christchurch Road

Slug & Lettuce Bournemouth completely ruined my friend’s 21st birthday. It was hands down the worst experience I’ve ever had in a restaurant. We booked for a group of around 20, and the second we walked in, it was clear they were not ready for us. No table prepared, no staff greeting us, just total confusion. We stood around awkwardly while they tried to figure out where to put us - even though we had booked in advance. After a long wait, we were told to clear and clean our own table. A group of paying guests having to wipe down a dirty table ourselves because no one else was doing it. The table was filthy, and in the process of cleaning it, someone’s leftover food spilled across the table and got on my clothes. Not the end of the world, but still disgusting, and the fact no staff offered to help or apologise made it ten times worse. We finally sat down, and then were completely ignored. No one came over. No drinks were taken. No explanation. When drinks eventually started appearing, they were random orders we didn’t even ask for. It felt like they were just bringing out whatever was lying around. It was supposed to be bottomless, but we only got five drinks over the whole session - if that. Some of us were charged £10, others £15, for the exact same deal. No consistency, no explanation. Over an hour went by before any food arrived, which meant we were already late to everything else we had booked for the night. The birthday girl was literally crying from the stress. Her night was ruined before it had even begun properly. When the food did come, it was a joke. No cutlery. No napkins. No sauces. We had to go up and ask for the basics just to be able to eat. One meal came with four sad little breakfast waffle fries instead of actual chips. How is that acceptable? It felt like no one in the kitchen or on the floor actually cared about what they were doing. And the state of the table just got worse. Rubbish, empty glasses, mess everywhere. I ended up clearing it. I’ve worked in hospitality for over five years, and I completely understand when things go wrong. But this wasn’t a mistake. This was a team that didn’t want to be there, a manager who had no control, and a total lack of organisation, care, or basic standards. To make it even more uncomfortable, we had three security guards posted around us for no clear reason. We weren’t being loud, rude, or difficult. We were just trying to enjoy a birthday, but instead it felt like we were being watched and treated like a problem. It made the whole group uneasy. The only person who showed any decency was Marley, one of the male staff. He was polite and tried his best, and we appreciated that. But he was working in an impossible situation with zero support from the rest of the team. At the end of the night, we spoke to the manager. She gave us a discount - which, let’s be honest, was the bare minimum. But even then, she got angry and defensive when we explained what had gone wrong. No apology. No ownership. Just attitude. And that was the final straw. Management at this place is a disgrace. Whoever runs this venue needs replacing immediately. They are not fit to be running any kind of hospitality business, let alone one taking bookings for big celebrations. We left angry, disappointed, and embarrassed. What should have been a fun and memorable night turned into a complete disaster. Do not book here. Do not waste your time or money. If you care even a little bit about your event, go somewhere else.

Come to Bournemouth for the weekend with my wife and the meal stated it was gonna be a creamy sauce instead it was so sloppy and watery and didn’t taste very nice. So disappointed as I have never wrote a review before and we have eaten in one before and been happy with food.

Had an amazing bottomless brunch thanks to Charlotte! She was super friendly, attentive, and made sure our drinks were always topped up. The food was great, and the atmosphere was perfect. Can't wait to come back!