Picante in Southend-on-Sea

Terrible service.. We waited an hour and a half between the starter and the first course and in the meantime they asked us to vacate the table because they were full despite empty tables and people waiting to be served.. First is last time

Ruined mother's day absolute shocking food was 1 hour late then the staff said we had to leave becouse we only had 1 hour 🤣🤣🤣🤣 never again

Absolutely chaotic. Shame I chose to try the restaurant on mother's day and having to wait for over an hour for our food (3 orders were pasta dishes) not only having to wait, but a waitress had the cheek to ask to give up the table when it was not even our choice given we were still waiting for our order! When food arrived it was just bland. Pasta overcooked with not much flavour in the sauce. We were given a discount and free drinks due to the issues but still tainted the mother's day feel. Won't be going again.

Shocking have been sitting here over 1 hour still no mains and for mothers day absolute shocking 😐

A little disappointed after my visit with family today for a number of reasons, I’ve visited previously and it was lovely. I appreciate after a busy weekend, some items may run out, but several things we asked for were not available. Including sprite? 20 minutes after ordering we were then told, the vegetarian in our party could not have his chosen meal? At this point there was only one other table in the restaurant so what took so long to inform us of that. We were given the wrong drinks twice, including a non alcoholic beer after ordering a regular one. This was rectified, but the whole service was just a little sloppy. We paid and even tipped our server out of politeness but honestly I think the place could do with a little shake up.

I’m a big fan of Picante and have been since it opened. I’ve only had good experiences, and have been maybe 5 or 6 times now and will always chose here over sister company The Brunch Co. No reasoning other than I like it better. Food is always great, it’s lovely sharing food and the pizzas are great (these should be served every day!), but the Cockle popcorn, crispy picante chicken and crispy baby squid being the standouts. I’ve always loved the atmosphere and the team are always so lovely, and when visiting for my birthday, the Host & barmen overheard it was my birthday and made me a birthday picante and a candle. How amazing is that? That’s how to be made to feel special! Btw, the picantes (Spicy Margs) are the best I’ve ever tasted. I’d happily go here just for these. Love it.

Cocktails are always so lovely. Great atmosphere and Eva was very attentive.

Great coffee, great food, great service

Lovely eggs and great staff. Will come back for sure

If you want overpriced cocktails and extra charges on your bill; then choose Picante. I would also say that the atmosphere is not too great in comparison to other locals places. This venue is not top of my list at all. On multiple occasions, we have been charged an extortionate amount (£21) per drink, with VAT and service charge added separately our bill came to £80+ for three drinks. Even if this is a lapse in judgement, it should not be happening regularly and I will not take that as an excuse. I believe it to be a scam, and this venue taking advantage of local people who work hard and have surplus income.

Sadly vegetarian mushroom dish was little greasy and poor quality. Although my meat burgers where excellent and succulent. Staff super helpful and was taken off bill and offered free drink. Will go back to see if implemented changes.

I came to Picante back when it first opened and it was amazing food, such great quality and flavour and it felt so well thought out. Although the lovely service has definitely stayed the same, the food has declined quite a lot. This is a photo of the prawns I got in 2022 and the ones I had more recently. Again, the service was lovely, but the food was a bit of the let down for the price, I hope the old menu makes a come back as it was really great!!

Great bar and restuarant, worth a visit

Decided to stop and have a drink and maybe something to etc ..sat out side and took 10 15 min too get menu and ordered just two cocktails only to wait about 30 35 for them to bring them out... even tho it's not that busy when there... didnt order any food as didnt know how long we be waiting if it takes that long just to get one drink... shame

Had a lovely early lunch served by our lovely hostess, Eve. Friendly and very attentive to our needs. Made the whole experience worthwhile. Tasty sliders and a lovely Caesar salad. Very nice cocktails too

Went for dinner and the service was very welcoming and attentive - my glass had a lipstick stain and they kindly got a fresh drink. I ordered the steak (pretty expensive) - it was grilled and just tasted burt (unclean grill) and also very bland. The peppercorn sauce was basically water - very unpleasant. I won’t be going back unfortunately.

Really disappointing. We have been here for breakfast a month or so before and have a lovely time - we were given complimentary toast/condiments & orange juice while waiting with our coffees for our breakfast. This time we were there at 9:30, only to be told they were running late and instead of still seating us and let us wait we were told to come back in 10/15 minutes time. So we carried on having to walk around just to wait to be seated. No complimentary toast/ condiments / orange juice. No sugar with coffee unless asked. Never got our sauces with our breakfast - which was a lot smaller than before - for the breakfast you get 1 tiny piece of bacon, 1 sausage, 1 piece of sourdough cut in half, a tiny pot of beans which was put in basically a sauce dish! And to top it off they have the audacity to add 12.5% service charge on top! £8 service charge for what was around £2!! Food was nice, for what you got if it. First experience was lovely and this experience was that terrible that we are never going back. I know the owners also run BrunchCo which clearly has a lot more attention driven into it and now know why Picante is always quiet. Go somewhere else! So many other lovely places to eat in Leigh with a great customer service.

Had lunch here in the week. The guy serving was fantastic. Wish all establishments offered this level of service and attention. Well done (sorry should have got your name!). Excellent pizzas too. Lovely place.

Me and my wife went for drinks and small plates, we were very impressed with the food especially the sticky picante Chicken! The staff were very attentive and made sure we always had a drink to hand. Overall great food and great atmosphere, will definitely be back!

Randomly found this place on a Friday evening. Everything was great, I have to say. Exceptional service! Which makes the experience a million times better. Good food options too. I want to thank the bar staff for amazing cocktails and our waiter Alex made the whole experience an unforgettable one.

Totally shocked by our visit to this restaurant. The menu was so difficult to choose anything remotely tasty and nice and the prices were direct from London. I decided on the ‘Poussin’ chicken out of complete desperation which was a £22.50 main meal. When it arrived it looked so uneventful and my first bite confirmed that the potato’s and so called vegetables (peas and carrot in a stock type mush!) we’re almost cold so I had to send it back. The chicken was small dry looking and when cut open looked pink and slightly undercooked. The skin was not hot so this chicken had been warmed not freshly cooked. When my meal was returned the potatoes and vegetables had been replaced with smaller portions and were warmer although these were both absolutely tasteless and looked terrible. I tried to not make a big deal out of it but I honestly could not eat the meal after what I had seen, smelt and tasted, it was enough to end my hunger. When the server collected the plate I told him the meal was awful but he would have known this if he had returned again after bringing it out a second time, but he never, which was very poor service. Instead he would not accept any discussion that the meal was at fault and informed me that the chicken is cooked pink and slightly underdone because it’s the chefs style of cooking. I know this to be untrue chicken should always been well cooked I especially realise this now as I had stomach pains later that evening and acute diarrhoea most of the following day! My catch up with a good friend who I hadn’t seen in ages was ruined but it got worse when the bill arrived and I could see that there had been no attempt to take my meal off the final bill. Remember i had sent this back from being cold and had not even eaten 10% of the plate! We felt like we were treated like troublemakers as if we had planned this which is outrageous we are both highly professional people. I never ate this evening and this was because I was served a disgusting meal which was initially cold and overall inedible. I paid the bill it was £84 for 2 mains and a bottle of wine! I even paid the service charge which I should have took back on the basis of the staff treatment towards us but I didn’t want to embarrass my friend any further. Any other time I would not of paid anything for the meal. It was a terrible experience from start to finish and if this restaurant survives the year I will be amazed.

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Leigh. We found the staff very attentive, great atmosphere and the food was great too!!

We visited last night and did not regret it! The food was superb, and well portioned. The specials menu was excellent. All four of us cleared our plates! The staff were really friendly, attentive and professional. I would be more than happy to recommend Picante to anyone and cannot wait to revisit.

It was a disappointing dinner experience, I was asked to wait at the bar although my friend already arrived and just popped in to the loo, and it takes £20 deposit when booking despite a Tuesday night half of the restaurant was empty. We both ordered sirloin steak, it should come with triple cooked chips. Instead it was skinny fries not very well cooked, and the steak was burnt black outside, completely rare inside, I had to ask to recook. Not worth £29 at all.

After visiting today I won’t be back. Told we could have the table for an hour after 25/30 we was told to leave after just getting our food and not even finishing our drinks because they messed up a boooking for 5 girls which wasn’t written down not our fault! No sorry no nothing. Food was bland and had no flavour and the chicken was just like fried chicken in honey! More concerned about serving the stuck up Leigh mob!

This tucked away restaurant has not been noticed by enough people. Believe me, I have eaten in the best restaurants in the world and the food served to myself was the best, most well presented that I have seen. The staff are so welcoming and make the whole experience wonderful. You need to try it to know what it’s like.

Had a delicious breakfast and fantastic service with these guys. Will be back for dinner with the family.

The place was cold so had to keep coat on. Food was OK not the best I've had. Quite expensive for tapas. Wine £40 a bottle a bit steep

Loved it. Friendly staff and a singer on a Thursday. Good on your pockets as well.

We had the most delicious food with lovely ambiance. I had Salmon and my friend had the Poussin. The service was great. Alex who served our food was very attentive, polite and professional. Archie the bar man too was so pleasant and professional. Thank you, we will be back very soon.

Best roast potatoes ever, enough on plate to feed two .Staff were great friendly and helpful. Will definitely go there again.

First visit here and was pleasantly surprised. Food was great and the service excellent. Interesting menu too. Will be back.

Food and cocktails are always fantastic - try the picante pizza, and picante margarita. Came in for a roast today & was equally impressed. Good to finally have somewhere on the Broadway with great roast beef.

Food was mediocre, don’t feel like the food I ordered came up as described on the menu. The music was so loud I couldn’t hear any of the conversation at the table at all - Left with my ears ringing! Wouldn’t rush back.

Food was ok, nothing special. Service was very slow. I also made a request when I came in to book that is was my little girls birthday and when her pudding came out please could they write "happy birthday" on her plate, guess, what pudding came out with no writing on the plate! Normally I would have reminded them but when I came in and booked they had a computer booking system that had a specific " special request section or a comment section" so I assumed they would be on the ball!

First visit and the food was excellent, as was the service, the staff were happy and couldn't do enough for us. Would highly recommend.

What a place, food and drinks were lovely, the people are even better. Highly recommend the Ocean Popcorn!

Cool place and would have given 5 stars but the Chicken Ceaser Salad whilst very tasty, was a little greasy for my liking (Croutons)

Great service, delicious food and good vibes. 3rd visit now and looking forward to the 4th. Thanks. MH.

Ate here on Saturday evening. Busy with some loud groups. Food average, and one steak was not cooked as requested. Waitress said she would change it, but then brought the same steak back. We were not charged for the steak when we complained, but disappointing service.

Thoroughly enjoyed it here. Food & drinks were very good & reasonably priced & would definitely recommend it to friends. Service was quick & friendly. The only downside was there were a few people just drinking on the night we were there & it got very loud & a bit rowdy in there which made it very difficult for myself & friends to talk to & hear each other but all in all a great night had.

Had an amazing time with my friends here. The service was exception and that really makes a big difference and set this place apart from the rest.

Visited today with my daughter for lunch coffee. Such a lovely place. Staff are really lovely. Food great desserts 🍨 lovely will visit again

Misleading menu, says they offer gluten free pizza, however once we’d already ordered drinks they advised they do not serve gluten free pizza (even though the menu says otherwise). Once hearing this information we said we would like to eat somewhere else instead and then was told because we had ordered drinks already we HAD to order food… so overpriced and was charged service when it was definitely not deserved. We paid and left and as a coeliac I will not be returning.

I thought the set menu was good value. I may even be tempted to have a pizza on my next visit. Service was attentive without being intrusive.

Loved the pizza I had, the greens vegetarian pizza was great. Service was amazing, especially from Archie. Coffee was great too and the atmosphere was enjoyable. Thank you so much! Would recommend!

While getting a cab outside the establishment worker came out opened the door and aggressively shouted at me and a friend to get out, now please, just get out now! He then proceed to shout at the cab driver saying this is for George isn’t it - to which the man just said yes. This man then told us to get out swinging his arms about. We expressed we’d had a call from the company and that our car was there hence why we got in. The man kept shouting for us to get out. As two ladies on their own this was disgraceful behaviour and I would like an apology.

The staff was extremely friendly & very welcoming. We enjoyed the food & drinks and would love to return :)

Let's be clear this restaurant may serve cocktails but it is not a standalone cocktail bar We were not told we had to order food until we were sat down and ordered our drinks, this should be made clear upon arrival. So two cocktails ended up coming to £30 because we had to purchase olives (which weren't great) and pay a service charge (for sitting up the bar) The cocktails weren't great we will not be going back again for drinks.

I eat and drink in Picante a lot and I’ve never had a bad experience!! I love all the food, especially the prawns and the lamb cutlets, and they’ve got a really great cocktail menu, tropical dragon being my favourite 😍 Theres a buzzy atmosphere in the restaurant and all the staff are really friendly and efficient. Great addition to Leigh-on-Sea!

The food at Picante is so nice and plenty of choice, the cocktails are delicious too and loved the atmosphere, will definitely be going back soon!

Greeted with a smile. Fantastic menu great staff food is outstanding really lovely decor and relaxing atmosphere. Will definatley be back soon.

Kash and I visited for a quick lunch wanting to try the new set menu. The options on the menu were excellent given the price, I had the prawns followed by the cutlets which were both perfectly cooked. Parmesan fries super crispy and fresh! The seafood popcorn was also a perfect touch to snack on. It is on the pricier side in general particularly with the 12.5% service charge but was more than happy to pay it due to the friendly and attentive service from Lydia.

The service and food were both fantastic! I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves great food. Also, a special shout-out to Lydia who provided us with excellent services! 5*

Mediocre Considering Leigh has a lot of Italian restaurants, I expected a lot more. The food was totally underwhelming. Bland, boring and tasteless. The service wasn’t great either. I wasn’t offered any condiments and I had to go to the bar to get them. The music was awful too. It’s a No from me

Had the Parma Ham salad. Literally Rocket, ham and 2 pickles for £13! Very disappointed in the food. Definitely style over Substance. Would not go back.

Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. Had it not been for the excellent service, I would have mistaken it for a restaurant in London.

Loved having lunch at Picante and I really hope they're here to stay! The service was amazing, our service staff were so helpful and recommended dishes and drinks. The food is really flavourful which is such a nice contrast to a lot of the places in the area. It is also very fresh with the squid being able to be cut with a butter knife. Going to be a regular for sure.

10/10 service from Hamed and his team! The food is phenomenal and very authentic. It is an enjoyable atmosphere and to top it off the cocktails are well worth the reason to visit this place as well as the food! Would definitely recommend visiting.

Nice place to sit and eat. But expensive! 2 peronis, 2 cocktails. 1 starter and 1 desert...£66! I like the place but wouldn't go there again

Unfortunately we feel this restaurant is style over substance. We arrived when the restaurant was maybe 20% full and it took a long time plus several glances towards the staff to finally get them to come over and take our drinks/food order. Our waitress was not the most welcoming/friendly of waitresses, and was very basic with interacting with us. The beer is London prices, £6.20 a pint of Peroni. The pizza however, was the biggest let down, we had been on our way to Ugo’s for pizza when we saw a great table in the sun at Picante so opted to try there instead. We were extremely gutted with our decision and wished we’d gone to Ugo’s. We ordered a pepperoni, chilli, honey pizza & a chicken, chorizo pizza. The pizza lacked any flavour, the toppings you could see were not fresh ingredients, but pepperoni and chicken out of ready cooked packets. A real shame because the decor of the restaurant is lovely and has so much potential, but they need to up their game on the food quality and service. Fortunately for them being in a great location, I’m sure they’ll do well from the passing footfall.

Nice food but portions were small and rather pricy for what they were, I.e the sliders didn't come with chips and they were 6 pound to purchase on top.

Fantastic food a very London feel ! The food was great and reasonable … a great vibe

Fantastic service - our waitress was great! Enjoyed the cocktail recommendations and the food - would definitely visit again.

Only really caters for younger generation. Personality identity complex. Is it a restaurant ? Bar? Or Music venue. Needs to find itself. Too loud music for a restaurant. Ok for a bar or music venue. We were having a meal but had a table of 6 mens shouting and drunk next to us, didn’t feel comfortable, probably won’t go in the evening again.