The Dining Room at the Victoria in Oldham

This is the third time in a row we have been disappointed. Last time they served burnt chips and it was 1hr 40 mins between starter and main. Last night was quicker but ! Starter of oil and balsamic served in one dish and the balsamic was fused to the bottom, despite whisking with fork, balsamic refused to budge from the bottom, probably been sitting in the dish for some time. Both steaks were perfectly cooked, what there was of it, as over a third of each was fat and gristle. The chips tasteless, all bits and different sizes, no taste, think they were frozen supermarket basic. Tables were sticky, needed a good clean. Will NOT be giving them our custom again. So disappointed :(

We booked in for Sunday lunch and from us arriving to us walking out it was just so bad. We arrived to a practically empty restaurant and there wasn't a sole around to seat us so we had to ring the bell on reception, we were told they had no reservation for us dispite booking in over the phone 3 days earlier, not to worry as the place was empty and we were seated quickly. There was one lady who seemed to be doing lots of different jobs from taking our orders to bar service and cooking the food ( we heard the microwave ping a few times, alarm bells were ringing). The food took almost an hour to arrive and when it did it was stone cold and was sent back, the rest of our meals came out in dribs and drabs, a whole 15 minutes from the first meals to be brought out to the last, we had already waited in an empty restaurant for over an hour so we were baffled at what was happening. The meal itself was disgusting, I have NEVER had a meal as bad as this, dried beef, 6 pieces of veg all dried out, frozen dry roast potatoes and the most salty tasting gravy which caused my mouth to sting, it was just appauling and who ever cooked this should be ashamed. We couldn't get hold of the waitress as she was off doing another job so we approached the reception and made our complaint there, they seemed understanding and on reflection they probably knew that something wasn't right in the kitchen, clearly issues going on at this hotel. Unfortunately we left hungry and very dissapointed, we will not return and I would suggest to others to give this place a wide berth.

We went for Sunday lunch which had previously been very nice a few years ago. This time however it really wasn’t. We waited 35 mins for the food to come out and there was hardly any veg, just gristly beef and 3 frozen roast potatoes. The home made Yorkshire pudding was lovely but there was no where near enough gravy. Then we waited another 25 mins for the dessert to come out. It was quiet in there and I know why. Shame really as it’s a nice layout and the staff are lovely but we won’t be returning

Went on the 12th April 2019 for special birthday celebration, the food was not up to our expectations, the chicken madras included boiled chicken very watery sauce and popodoms greasy, steak was substandard and very sparse chips and veg, the soup was weak, the pizza was just put on a plate and was underdone. Was kept waiting for 20 mins for dessert and when I asked the waitress she said it would be another 15 mins?? I asked for the bill as we were very frustrated at this point. Becky the waitress was very apologetic for the food we were presented with and stated that other customers were also complaining. She said that there was no Head Chef and that she was being asked on how to cook and prepare the food!! The waitresses were extremely helpful and working hard but I noticed one lady in particular crying. Please note that the Victoria is welcoming from the onset, but there was also a bad smell in the toilets and the area where we sat in was right next to where the food was being prepared and the glass partition was in need of cleaning. We were compensated by omitting the drinks bill. I hope these faults are quickly resolved so we can visit again.

We had a nice lasagna meal here which we thoroughly enjoyed on a Sunday evening. The restaurant was empty apart from us, so it lacked a bit of atmosphere and then closed a little later at 8pm. However service was good and attentive.

Great choice for breakfast and evening meal was very good. Staff were so friendly with local Lancashire accents!

I don’t know where to start Four adults for a family meal. My daughter ordered pizza which they didn’t have! No pizzas ! My burger was ok but nothing great. Pasta was like a frozen £1 meal. Sweet potato fry’s was not cooked inside. Also fish and chips was ordered, the frozen piece of fish, which was NOT cooked in the thicker end. Absolutely disgusting. They also had no vanilla ice cream. Staff was very unatentive . We also heard a member of kitchen staff say ‘f*** that’ What a complete disappointment.

We stayed at the hotel recently for a large family party. We all had the three caurse Sunday lunch. It was a bit disappointing as the beef was overcooked and dry, hardly any veg and two tiny roast potatoes. The starter and desert were ok but it was definitely not worth the money. Breakfast on Sunday morning was nice when we eventually got it. You order the hot breakfast, the drinks, toast etc is self service and they had run out of most things including juice, glasses, milk, bread etc. They need to employ more staff at busy times

A very poor experience. Waited over a hour for food and when it arrived it was very average. I normally expect this if the restaurant was busy but it was not and we where only a small group of seven. The waitress tried to make the best of the situation to her credit. Also the fixed benches/seats leave little room to relax.

Spent over a hour waiting for my meal, the restaurant was nearly empty and was very unhappy the meal was so small. Best avoid if possible

checked the evening menu but was not impressed every thing was over priced and the choice was not good enough to warrant spending more

Last minute afternoon tea treat for mum. Booked through their website which was easy enough, didn’t disappoint, lovely hotel and lovely afternoon tea! Jordan was very pleasant and looked after us. Couldn’t eat everything, so was told we could take the cakes home. Definitely worth a visit and will most certainly be calling again (this time to treat the hubby) 😊 Thank you for a lovely afternoon

Good service, reasonable price and decent food Could improve by warming the plates (cold plates are a pet hate).

We had an evening meal before we were due to go out to a party, which they accommodated, the meal was very nice, well cooked and well presented, staff were very attentive.

We got married here when the hotel was The Bower and this was the first time back since it was taken over. The meal was delicious and reasonably priced and the waiter was very pleasant and obliging. We know that things have to change but we preferred the hotel and restaurant when it was The Bower.

Stayed at the hotel, so popped in for my evening meal. Good variety on the menu, and midweek offers, on meals before 6. Good food and service. Breakfast was very good, plenty of choice on offer.

Sólo tuvimos el desayuno en el restaurante, que es parte de la Victoria. El desayuno era una mezcla de ambos autoservicio y servicio de camarera. La comida era muy buena, la comida caliente estaba caliente y el servicio witress era excelente. Recomendaría

Me llevé a mi amiga a tomar el té de la tarde como un cumpleaños especial como había disfrutado cuando vine aquí el año pasado y quedé muy impresionado. Por desgracia, aparte de la chica que nos cuidaba que no disfrute el té de la tarde tanto como la última vez que visité, los bocadillos no eran del mismo nivel y me quedé muy decepcionado. El pan era un poco difícil y mucho más pequeño.

Ha sido un par de veces al restaurante el Sr. Brown y cada vez que he disfrutado realmente. Comida absolutamente perfecto, un servicio encantador y limpio y agradable entorno moderno.

Vine aquí para una comida familiar con Groupon. Excelente comida y servicio. Que dividir una comida de adulto para mi hijo menor dos y sólo me cobraron una comida del niño. Mi hijo de 5 años le dieron la miel asado jamón" infinity de 10"! De madera ha sido dispuesto a pagar el precio completo como tan buena relación calidad-precio.

La comida era buena y el personal era rápido y que nos sirven con una sonrisa. Una selección bastante buena de comida en el comedor del hotel. El personal del hotel trató de ser útil para hacer más cómoda su estancia.

We went here for the Sunday afternoon tea and was pleasently surprised.A wide range of Teas and coffee were followed by a stunning selection of hand made sandwiches and cakes.Nothing was to much trouble and can't wait to visit again soon.

The restaurant is well designed with privacy at most tables. The food is excellent in quality and presentation. Do take note that the restaurant is not open most days from 2pm until 6pm but there is a reasonable longe bar menu during these times.

Came here for a friends birthday. The restaurant has been refurbished and is really nicely done. The food was lovely, really nice quality and nothing was too much trouble for the server. Highly recommended

We had dinner at Mr Brown's at the Victoria Hotel.You could feel the aura and sound of the food being prepared by the chef, The menu is quite comprehensive from soups,starters,main course and mouth watering deserts.The staff gives attentive service helping with details in the menu. They got me hot mixed vegetables in place of the cold side dish with a smile without any extra cost.The prices are reasonable as well.

Good value food. Staff very helpful and friendly.Black pudding scotch eggs gorgeous. It is gastro pub food done well. The decorate is Scottish country living. Big fish tank in the middle. Tables arranged in booths.

Out the options of 4 starters they only had 2 avaliable one being soup which when challenged wasn't home made and powdery and black pudding scotch egg. The mains out of 4 no cod no stake burger so again only 2 of 4. So first thing check what they have. Also artisan bread should not be defrosted baguette.

Visited a couple of weeks back with my partner and sat in the cafe type area and ordered a sandwich each. The drinks took about twenty minutes which is a bit daft considering it was dead. The service was extremely slow, the waiters were a bit pathetic and didn't have much about them but the Liverpudilian lady behind the desk was friendly and helpful. Our sandwiches were tiny for the price and they forgot our chips; all six of them-we counted. There was also a hair in my sandwich which was very off putting. It was also very cold, furniture was dated and the tea set was all mismatched? Won't be eating here again.

We recently went here for afternoon tea to celebrate a special birthday. The table was set beautifully,the choice of teas was amazing and the cake stand with the food was arranged nicely.Unfortunately there was no heating in the restaurant. We sat with our coats on for 1.5hrs, at one point we had our hands around the teapot to keep warm. We were served by one waiter wearing jeans and a T. shirt who was also moving boxes in and out of the kitchen. Because of the cold the tea/coffee was luke warm. We put a complaint in at the time and left a phone number and have since sent an E.Mail but nobody has replied. Such a shame as the setting was good.

Had afternoon tea here to celebrate Valentine's Day a day early. Complimentary prosecco on arrival.The choice of sandwiches was good and they were served on rustic rolls with good quality meats. Scones melted in the mouth and the choice of cakes was varied. Mini Victoria sponge, brownie, parkin and cheesecake. Good choice of loose leaf and bagged teasExcellent serviceAnd the best bit was the price!!! Will be retuning

Our over sixties club booked this venue for our Christmas party.We arrived at 12 o'clock lunch time for 12-30 dining.There were 46 of us on the sitting so it got a little hectic sorting out who had ordered what,but the staff did pretty well and coped.However when we finally got our meals they were barel warm,one lady had one tiny piece of cauliflower on her plate two sprouts and hardly any gravy.I got lucky and got three sprouts and my five pieces of cauliflower were floating in gallons of gravy.The turkey was in a roll and wrapped in what we thought was cardboard,turned out to be some sort of ham.The centre of the roll had something stuffed in the middle,still don't know what it was.The soup starter was very good and the chocolate brownie for sweet was gorgeous.When you go for a Christmas lunch you want the Traditional Turkey Dinner.

I will never go back or recommend afternoon tea to anyone. First as my sister poured her coffee from the pot it poured out from all directions as the pot must of had a crack in it. Next the afternoon tea arrived on one big platter for 3. So we would of had to handle the sandwiches to see which ones was which as you have a choice of two buns each. We asked,could,it be served on individual stands as we had all,ordered different choices of sandwiches. They came a while after so then the tea was cold we had to wait ages for the tea. Next my sister looked a little embarrassed as she told me two of her sandwiches, bread, was rock hard and said its a good job grandma did not order these at aged 92 with eating problems. We told the waiter and they replaced them. It was all very embarrassing and uncomfortable. Finally the cakes which looked like they had baked a big tray of them and cut them in small squares. One of the cakes,Victoria sponge, was hard (all 3 of them). The cheesecake base all crumbled because it must of been standing at room temperature for a long time. Then what was a chocolate brownie resembled nothing like it or tasted it. Finally I had to spit a piece of cake out it tasted so disgusting a bit like chocolate parkin. I can eat any type of cake but these cakes where terrible not to mention the scones that tasted of flour and was hard too. The waitress took one afternoon tea off, £14.99 but now after thinking about the whole terrible experience I'm annoyed we had to pay for two teas £29.98. Just absolutely disgusigng and a sign of very bad management. I'm going to email,this review to the manager of the hotel. The only positive thing I have to say is that our first waitress at 3pm was so lovely and a credit to the hotel.

I didn't choose to take my parents and aunty for afternoon tea here - as it is only down the road from where we live and so didn't feel that special - but the Tory conference put paid to my city centre plans and so we ended up at the Victoria Hotel in Hollinwood. Well, am I glad we did! I booked about an hour in advance and when we arrived, the table was set beautifully for us. We were given a complimentary glass of Prosecco each as well as a choice of tea (presented in little jars on the table in various baskets) or coffee and then a choice of sandwiches which were then presented on a stand alongside fresh scone and jam and an assortment of little cakes. The sandwiches were small finger buns (as opposed to sliced bread) which made it all the more satisfying.The service was excellent - friendly but not intrusive - and the atmosphere was formal but not stuffy. We felt we had had something special (which was the reason for having afternoon tea) but had also felt relaxed and welcome.The only slight gripe was that the tea and the coffee were not as hot as we would like and as we all savoured our Prosecco before we moved onto them, they did become quite cold. That said, top-ups were provided on request, as were several sheets of tinfoil for us to take what we couldn't eat back home with us (it seemed such a shame to leave it there!). I hadn't realised how long we actually stayed there (easily a couple of hours) which might also explain the temperature of the drinks but we were having such a nice time that we didn't want to leave!My parents and aunty (although all over 80 years of age and so well versed in eating out) all loved the experience and are keen to come back soon and try the Sunday lunch. I am planning to persuade my husband to try an evening meal there in the near future.The restaurant has certainly changed since my last visit ( easily a couple of years ago) and although the booths can be a bit fiddly to get in and out of, I think the look of the restaurant really works well.And just as an aside - the afternoon teas I was planning in Manchester were ALL more expensive than this was and would have certainly been hard pushed to beat this one.

have a good Burger and chips for 1 evening meal, and breakfast 2 mornings, all food was well presented and the service was good. choice of Full English or Continental or a mixture of both.

6 adults and 3 children in our party good was lovely and the staff were greatWill call again soon Would recommend to friends and family to call

just like to message to inform your management of our experience at your hotel on the 15th august we booked for afternoon tea at 2pm, after being the only table in the restaurant we was not served food till 3pm. our sandwiches were very poor, no sauce on any and 3 prawns on one of the sub rolls, the smoked salmon had a wedge of butter on the bread but no cream cheese. The poor lady who served us looked very pushed, stressed and like she was ready to cry.. but if it wasnt for her service we would of quite frankly just left! Also with your open kitchen we could hear her telling your chef how to make the sandwiches again, not sure if he was new or forgein but he didnt seem to understand the concept of prawns in marie rose sauce.. so i would just like to say that your employee, the tanned lady with the curly hair is a credit to your hotel.. The food and kitchen staff on the other hand are not

have been here before food is lovely went with freinds on saturday for 2 meals for £12.00 it was lovely staff are so friendly just love the place it is so relaxing, will be going back. carole

I was taken to the victoria as a birthday treat from my friend for afternoo arrival we were shown to " mr browns"(little did we know that brown would definitely be the genre of the afternoon)we were seated in a large booth with four other tables occupied.Our waiter came with our champagne and then gave us menus and brought tea,1st water wasn't boiled so tea was very weak(brown) we were not too bothered has we had champagne.2nd we chose our sandwich selection, which was brought to us.I chose chicken with tarragon & lemon mayo and roast beef with horse radish. The chicken look ok but tasted bland has the mayo had no tarragon or lemon.when I came to eat the roast beef it was so tough that I had to cut it with a knife and fork!!! it was like the bottom of a shoes(brown).3rd the high light of the afternoon tea was when we reached for a scone& I was solid ,rock hard,dry(brown).I spoke to the waiter & told him that the scones were stale& hard obviously not freshly made. He informed me that they had been made the day before!!! i responded by telling him that they were older than a day & that in the menu it said freshly made. He said that chef doesn't have time to make them that day!!!He left the table and returned with two equally dried up scones.We decided not to call him back&didnt eat the other offering, both upset by the disasterous experience my friend reaches for a strawberry that can only be discribed has penicillin! brown and full of mold&fur!!at this point my friend was so upset that my birthday treat had been ruined that she asked to speak to the manager.manager insisted that the scones were made that day until we informed him that his staff had already told us that they had not. He then offer us other cakes which were refused, then he offered a refund on one of the afternoon teas until he was presented with the antibiotic (strawberry).to be fair to the manager he did say that it was unacceptable but he didn't even bother to escorts us to have our money returned,which I found rude.

We dined here on our wedding anniversary as our wedding reception was at this hotel when it was The Bower. The hotel looks really good, including the restaurant. Unfortunately the service and food was terrible. Almost all of the menu was not available, the serving staff blamed "agency chefs - don't know what they are doing" and the final insult was being overcharged, it took them three attempts to get the bill right, no real apology apart from blaming the chef.

Excellent meals-the kitchen is open so you can see your meal being prepared.We had our breakfasts and evening meals here and found them to be top class

We visited the restaurant at this hotel I think it is called Mrs Browns and we were really impressed. It was very quiet and as we had been driving round for an hour trying to find somewhere to eat that where we didn't have to wait all night that suited us fine. There was a Sunday offer of 2 courses for £12.9 (bargain) which we all had, the Sunday roast was a bit boring but my husband suffers from coeliac disease so his choice was a bit limited, my mother in laws cod in cheese sauce with mash was plentiful and very nice she said and my burger and chips was great, crispy onion rings very nice. My starter of black pudding with bacon lardons and a poached egg was very nice too. All in all a good experience and the staff were absolutely lovely, the young lady serving us was very patient, also because they didn't have any melon left for the starters I got a free glass of wine, can't say fairer than that. The standard menu looked nice as well.

With just one chef on a quite sunday lunch we had to wait too long for our meal. There was two other tables with us and they had to wait. Sorry will not going back to this place.

My wife and I went to this restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary and enjoyed a lovely meal in pleasant surroundings. We both started with smoked salmon and a potato & mustard salad. My wife a had the slow braised lamb hotpot whilst I went for the rump steak. Both were excellent. We both followed up with traditional apple pie. The two mains for £12 offer meant this was very good value. Staff were friendly and efficient making it a good afternoon.

Went in for a coffee and a cake on Mother's day. No cake available. Had to wait over 15 minutes to be served. Had to wait a further 15 minutes for a coffee. Lack of bar snacks available. afternoon tea not available. Menu's still in bar area offering food/sandwiches/cake/afternoon tea. Lack of regard and customer service. High turnover of staff. People walking out after long services. Owner only interested in what he wants - not what the cusomer wants/needs etc etc. I will not go back again.

Stayed at the neighbouring hotel and enjoyed a fantastic evening meal at this restaurant. great ambiance, excellent food with perfect portions. The waiter, who i believe was also the manager also informed us after taking our order that on Saturdays there is a free bottle of wine for anyone ordering 2 or more main meals and that he forgot to inform us when we ordered, offering this up before our meal came and allowing us to drink it in the hotel lobbyAnother pleasant surprise, as was the hotel

My wife and I had Afternoon Tea in Mr Brown's Restaurant this afternoon.. It did not start well with tea that was very lukewarm but it was quickly put right by the staff and everything was excellent from then on. The sandwiches that we chose were very good and with accompanying condiments made a good start. With scones and an assortment of cakes to follow it was excellent value for money. The glass of Prosecco that was included was a nice surprise. The staff were attentive, friendly and efficient. Fresh boiling water was provided when requested and a box for cakes that we just could not finish arrived without asking. We will certainly return.

We had a delicious meal here last Friday evening. The sea Bream was cooked beautifully, and my husband enjoyed the red pepper risotto. The staff were attentive, and the whole atmosphere was relaxed and happy. We will definitely visit again.

We visited on Valentines Day for a meal in the restaurant. It was busy as to be expected and some nice subtle decorations for the occasion on the table. We sat in lovely seats next to the fish tank which is stunning. The food was very good and so was the service, I had the game mixed grill which was excellent. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone for great food and great service.

We had a beautiful meal yesterday. Altogether there was almost 20 in two groups including 4 children. The was excellent. We could not find fault with any part of it. The presentation was stunning and it was cooked perfectly. The service was faultless also very attentive both in restaurant and in the lounge/bar. We all had a great day. Keep it up and we will definitely be returning soon I hope. John & Family.

We visited the Victoria to celebrate my friend's 40th birthday and Christmas and were stunned by the beautiful redecoration since our last visit. It feels so homely as soon as you enter the building and on a practical note it is very easily accessible from the M60 and car parking is plentiful (compared with my other afternoon visits in town and city centres). The staff were polite and really friendly. The food was gorgeous with not one single weak link (usually I find that there is one cake or sandwich which is not home-made or is a bit past it's best but not at all in this case). I LOVE having tea in an old fashioned teapot with a strainer and a pot of hot water without having to ask for extra... which is what we got. The selection was good and it was very well presented in little jars with a scoop. We were offered more tea at various points and when I asked for my pot to be rinsed out as some had gone cold, (too much chatting!) they replaced it straight away with a new one. We were given our 'leftovers' in boxes to take away and we all had some as the food was so plentiful. I simoly could not fault any aspect of our experience and I am especially happy that it's very local to me! I will be back again very soon for dinner, thanks to all the staff and chefs for a lovely time.

The rating would have been excellent but for the fact that although we had booked for 4 people at 2pm, we had to wait quite a while for our meal. The 'afternoon tea' was delicious when it did finally arrive and we were served copious amounts of tea whilst we were waiting. Our thanks especially to Corrie who was most pleasant and I apologise for my 'niggle' about the wait as I am sure it was beyond his control. No complaints at all about the food. Delicious.

My wife and I visited The Dining Room at the Victoria for afternoon Tea. I have to say that the food was plentiful and delicious and we ended up bring a couple of the cakes home with us. The only disappointment was that we were served with our 'tea' quite a while before our 'Afternoon Tea ' arrived. This meant that our drinks were cold when we were eating. Other establishments offer unlimited 'tea' and on this occasion we were not offered further drinks. It was also strange to receive the 'bill' before our food arrived!

When my husband suggested here for a last min meal out I must admit I turned my nose up. Before we were married & i moved here (im originally a southerner) I used to stay in what was the bower at weekends when I came upto visit my husband & his family. I stayed here out of pure ease as it was close to where I needed to be. As the bower nothing struck me as outstanding. But what a transformation! Now under new ownership and called the Victoria I can't believe the difference! Its bright, welcoming and exactly the opposite of what I remember. We had cocktails and a meal with friends and it was so nice! The staff did everything they possibly could to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. From Julie taking our food order in the bar and letting us know when it was ready to be served (she could obviously tell we were comfy) to AJ making our visit to the resturant a lovely experience. The food portions are massive in my eyes and everything is cooked fresh. No microwave food in sight! They honestly couldn't of done more for us. We will definitely be becoming regulars here thats for sure...

We decided to visit as we liked the sound of the afternoon tea and glad we did it was delicious!It was a lovely treat, the restaurant is very nice and had a good atmosphere. There were a variety of teas - I would recommend strawberries and cream! We had a choice of sandwiches a quite a number of cakes of cakes which I don't think anyone could finish off in one sitting - who can complain at that! The waitress was lovely and didn't mind wrapping up the rest of our cakes to enjoy at home. Wonderful experience and will be going back with friends I'm sure.

Having booked afternoon tea on 14th Aug for 3 people we were looking forward to the experience! We arrived and explained there were 3 of us and we were going to share afternoon tea for 2. This was met with a puzzled look and we were told I ll check with manager but we're not allowed to share them. She disappeared came back and said no it was per head! If there was 3 of us we would be charged per person even if we only ordered afternoon tea for 2! She said we would be charged for 3 as there were 3 of us!!! We explained that the reason for sharing was because due to medication one person only wanted small portion! Even this explanation made no difference and we were told they would parcel up the left overs! We were about to leave at this point until a lunch menu was offered to us. We didn't want lunch really at 2.30pm but we ordered lunch. Later a young boy came past with 2 afternoon teas and stated you want to try these one day look how much you get!! We looked at each other in dismay!The experienced staff member who came on shift later understood our complaint and was very professional! I emailed the hotel directly and to date have had no response! Is this the way to create new business and gain customers through Very strange draconian ideas!

It's a little late for me to write this review as we visited in april, but me and my husband are locals to the Victoria and haven't been in for a while. We knew there was a garden and it was a lovely sunny day so thought we would get some lunch. The hotel has been made up lovely but when we was told the food choices off the waitress we was highly disappointed. The choices were afternoon tea consisting of cakes and sandwiches served in the restaurant. Or cakes and sandwiches served at the coffee bar. We was very disappointed that there was no lunch menu what so ever. We decided to leave as we wanted something more substantial. We found it very strange that a hotel does not offer any sort of menu during lunch time, I had to wonder how the people staying at the hotel get on. It was A big let down.

Just been to visit the Victoriamanchester in Chadderton, what a wonderful experience. We were well looked after and the afternoon tea was just smashing. Lovely place to visit, the food was just great too with some great staff to look after us.We will be back again!