The Furnace in Sheffield

I usually never leave bad reviews but this was by far the worst brunch experience i’ve ever had. My boyfriend and I were handed two dirty, disgusting menus full of coffee spills everywhere (I’m leaving pictures attached) and then we were escorted to our table which looked like it had never been cleaned (not only crumbs but also patches of old dirt) despite the clean cutlery placed on it. We first ordered a tea and a coffee, and the tea came COLD. We of course told the waiter, just to be served a cold tea AGAIN! It was at the third that waiter realized that the hot water machine “wasn’t working” and gave me a hot tea, unfortunately I had already finished my meal at this point. We ordered eggs royale and the wait was long despite the place being empty. Both our meals were cold, especially my boyfriend’s (there was no hint of warmth on that plate whatsoever). At the end of this experience we were given the bill, and surprisingly enough we had to pay for the tea as well. Me and my boyfriend feel very awkward complaining, so after the tea situation already embarrassed us enough we didn’t say anything about the other things and just paid. Just to add to all of this, we both also felt quite unwell after eating here. Just don’t go.

On Wednesday the 11th of September I was able to book a table for The Furnace in Sheffield on the website through their booking system, for four people on Saturday the 14th September. As there were no earlier times available I went for the time of 7:45pm. So on Saturday when I arrived at the Furnace, I was asked if I was there for the wedding venue, Which I replied No I’ve got a table booked. Only to be told that unfortunately the venue was not open to the public that evening, and was turned away by the doorman. Upon which I member of staff came out and said, but you can go to our sister restaurant the Botanists. If I had wanted to go to the Botanist I would have booked there in the first place. As you can imagine I was disgusted with the customer service I received, we had friends up from out of Sheffield looking forward to our meal. We then had to find somewhere else to eat. WHY let people book on your website through the booking system, knowing full well there was a wedding venue on that day/ evening. Shall we just say I am not a young lady, and not normally one to complain, but was totally disgusted with the customer service I received on Saturday. When that table was booked, you had no idea, who I was, how far I had travelled, how old I was or if I had any disabilities. Then only to be turned away on arrival, When you knew full well that wedding venue had been booked for a while. I can only imagine that we were not the only people to be turned away on Saturday 14th September.

The good points, the staff are very friendly and helpful with good banter. The beer was nice and cold. Been meaning to come here for awhile, on first impressions it's a lovely place nicely located. The place however was very quiet with only a few tables with customers, so it lacked a little atmosphere. Foodwise was the big disappointment. The menu is a little all over the place from Spanish to Chinese to Greek to Korean, which I don't mind if done well. The metal trays are horrible and the food served on them were dry and bland. The best bit was the Korean chicken

Literally one of the Best meals I have had in the UK. I was in Sheffield with a group of Italian friends and we had a late lunch. The staff were super friendly and efficient (and also very patient as it took us a while to order due to translations!). The starters (fried Halloumi, Arancini and the hummus) were delicious. The mains were also excellent - both the Lamb Kofta and the Vegetarian version were great. Desserts also delicious. Good choice of drinks - and good wine list. Really enjoyed it!

I have been to the furnace a good few times and I’ve always had a good experience, however, today was awful and I won’t be returning. The place was empty which makes sense now! Not one member of staff came over to the table, I had to go up and ask for a menu and then to order the food. We both had the Sunday roast beef which was over done, chewy and fatty. The sausages were pink and undercooked. Even the Yorkshire pudding was burnt. Overall, bad food and 0 service. Such a shame for a restaurant I used to love and would always recommend.

The pizza is awful, it’s not freshly made or hade pulled, i don’t know how they dare claim it on their menu, it’s a blatant lie!! I’ve had better pepperoni pizza frozen from a spar shop..

We visited Furnace for an evening meal and unfortunately our most recent visit was far below expectations. We are cutting the waiters some slack as there were clearly a lot of tables booked for graduations and the staff seemed very over run, but this should have been compensated for with more staff. The positives are unfortunately quite a small list. We had the Korean fried chicken and the houmous for starter, both of which were beautifully presented and tasted amazing! Also, our waiter was very friendly and polite despite the poor service errors. And that is where the positives end. The bar in the next room provides the music, which is more of a thumping bass you’d expect at a nightclub than restaurant music, topped with everyone shouting so that people can hear each other speak. We ordered a bottle of wine for the table which arrived in an ice bucket as expected. The bucket was left on the far side of the table way out of reach, with the dripping wet bottle plonked in the middle of the table for us, before the waitress walked away. Bottle unopened, no first glass poured or a taste, we wiped the soaking table down ourselves and moved the ice bucket within reach, so quite poor service there. Our mains were very disappointing. We ordered the beef skewer with fries and the salmon skewer with rice. The mains arrived before the starter had been cleared away, so the waiter put the mains down to clear our starters, and said he’d grab us some clean cutlery. After a few minutes staring at our mains and finger picking at the already cold chips, I went to grab some spare cutlery from another table as the waiter hadn’t returned, and never did return. The mains were served on metal trays which I’d never seen at this restaurant before, which gave it more of a street food vibe. Compared to some previous visits to Furnace, we were surprised at this, dishes have been much better presented in the past. When ordering, we weren't asked how we would like the beef to be cooked, and wouldn’t expect to be asked either considering it’s a skewer and not a steak. But the beef was completely rare / raw (see photographs). I would have complained, but the restaurant was far too busy and I doubt I'd have been served another main course before my partner had eaten hers. I would usually order a steak cooked medium-rare anyway, so I did eat around a third of the meat that were slightly more cooked, but even some parts for me were far too rare. My partner, who usually orders steak medium-well, would not have been able to eat any of it, as it was all far too rare. There was no check back from a waiter after being served our food to point this out, and when the waiter cleared our plates which were only half eaten, we weren’t asked if there was anything wrong, despite it being quite evident that we did not enjoy our meals. I don’t think we will return here after that experience, the restaurant was lovely when it first opened but we were very disappointed with our most recent visit.

Wow what a wierd experience! Not been into town for a while , guy at the bar looked terrified when I asked to change my drink to a expresso martini - they was no motivation or expression on his face - not welcoming at all - avoid this place -miserable young staff that have no experience:(

Lovely decor, lovely food, a good selection of drinks, appalling service. We were really looking forward to our Sunday lunch here today (I’m writing this whilst still sat here). There is literally ONE other group of four people here, it’s empty- staff: two behind the bar and one girl doing the restaurant side, unfortunately her ‘customer service’ is way below par, not ONCE has she said thank you, she’s just come and taken our starter plate and didn’t say a single word to us, took it and walked off! Before this, it took ages to even be asked what we would like, we had to ask if we can order some drinks…. Yeap. Honestly, we’re so disappointed, it’s really ruined our Sunday off work and dampened our spirits from What was a good day. It’s a shame, but I would honestly recommend you go elsewhere if you want to actually enjoy your dining experience. It’s a shame as we were really looking forward to this, we would leave but we’re blooming hungry so will be waiting for the main to arrive.

Absolutely perfect. From the welcome, thank you Emily 😊, the food, (exquisite) the vibe, live music and ambience, it could not have been bettered. Would totally, totally highly recommend. Thank you.

Unfortunately the breakfast wasn’t very good. We had a full English. My food wasn’t very hot and wouldn’t have another full English here again as I’ve had much better for the same price elsewhere. No black pudding or hash brown that has to be ordered as extra I presume. Ordered a coffee and again wasn’t very hot. Service bit slow although very friendly welcoming staff which I’d like to point out and made a fuss of us. Location lovely if food was better would be such a gem of a place

Came for our wedding anniversary. I have been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile. Sadly, I was really disappointed. The staff were nice and friendly which were a bonus and the reason for the 2 stars. However, the food looked as though it had been reheated and the chicken didn’t taste right. So much so, I spent the next day vomiting. The restaurant is designed nice but do not sit by the window as you will have an awful sight of rats running about. This instantly put me about and, made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

Visited on the 9th April prior to a concert at the city hall and loved it. The food was super tasty - particularly the hummus, the service impeccable and all for a very reasonable price. Shout out to our server, can’t remember his name but he was great. Recommended

The Furnace is a beautiful little gem. Staff are super accommodating, they were willing to change the menu. Cerys was our server and super friendly and helpful. Food was gorgeous and the setting is moden, clean and stylish! Really recommend and can't wait to visit again!

Valentine’s Day dinner sorted. Food is amazing, really good atmosphere. Staff are friendly. It’s a hidden gem in Sheffield. 5 stars.

I came here to the furnace for Valentine’s Day and had an amazing experience! The staff were very professional and while it took a while for food (was very very busy) we always felt looked after. Who I’m assuming was a manager came over and apologised and really helped us out - definitely would recommend to anyone 10/10.

Came here for valentines. Was greeted at the door, host said follow me to a table and then walked off. Not explaining anything whatsoever. We went to the bar, asked about our champagne package we ordered and got lipstick smeared flutes. We didnt get a chance to say anything about this considering the bartender walked off as soon as she put them down. Asked for half a madri and it was left to be poured on its own, balanced on a tower of glasses. takes 5 seconds to pour?? No need to leave it and ask a clearly busy staff member who was making cocktails to watch it. Once we payed for the madri we literally had to reach around the bar to grab it from under the tap because it wasn’t given to us. Such poor customer service here, never wanted to leave somewhere faster. Felt so uncomfortable.

Went for a friends birthday and the experience spoilt it for her. Bottomless brunch was misleading, was told included gin it didn't, only 3 choices of brunch food,1st drink served 15 minutes after been seated, kept having to ask for drinks which then took forever! If you are going to offer Bottomless brunch, you need to understand the concept of how it works! It's not rocket science! Food was served cold. Booked a window table and didn't get one. It wasn't particularly busy, and as customers, we didn't feel looked after or given the service expected in a restaurant. The bill was wrong by a substantial amount, and the service charge added was an insult! Will not recommend it to anyone! Customer service and basic standards are non-existent.

First time visit to this restaurant and it was fab! Food was delicious, plenty of choices to suit all dietary requirements and the atmosphere was very welcoming. Most notable though was how friendly and approachable the staff were. They made us feel welcome from the moment we got there and couldn't have been more helpful. Excellent!

Went for daughter’s birthday as she had been with friends and enjoyed it. So disappointed. The service was slow, food was overcooked and vastly overpriced and they tried to overcharge for items on the bill and added a service charge that was definitely not deserved. Never again!!

The service was unbelievable. We were greeted with Prosecco the food and general atmosphere was amazing. We both had the steak and it was cooked to perfection. Will definitely be back and I recommend anyone to come here! BEST DINING EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD IN SHEFFIELD BY FAR!

Came for Sunday lunch with friends, fantastic meal , not rushed , great atmosphere and superb service from Abbie , all the staff worked so hard and will definitely return 👍🏼

A curious place. It’s a vibrant, modern-feeling restaurant, but the menu feels a little like a chain (as far as I can see it’s an independent restaurant). In a great location by Charter Square. We called in for a family lunch - starters of Arancini and Calamari; mains of the Superfood Salad, Lamb Kofta and Chicken Satay. The food was good - especially the salad and side salads, if a little formulaic, and service was especially attentive. £120 including desserts and drinks - so a little on the expensive side for lunch, but good food, in an interesting, modern setting, served with love. Definitely worth checking out

The me I has gradually gone down hill since it opened, it used to be delicious food, now I’d say it’s not that good at all. The menu was tiny, the satay chicken was fatty pieces of thigh meat, the steak skewer was chewy and fatty, The waitress has been there a while, she is always lovely, I feel sorry for her that the standard of food has dropped so much. I love the venue, location, the decor. Please sort out the menu and improve the quality of food.

Came for my birthday, the food was great and Cerys was amazing. Very attentive and made our visit really enjoyable !

I was really looking forward to trying the Furnace and was left bitterly disappointed. I will always give the benefit of the doubt so maybe this was just a bad night

Great food and environment! Server by the name of Brodie was phenomenal and gave excellent service. 10/10 recommend! Food and drinks were amazing!

Came here with my partner, the food sensational I really enjoyed my calamari starters and ribeye steak. Brodie served us and she was excellent and attentive, kudos to her! The atmosphere is great for couples so would recommend if you want a nice time out...

It was fun to finally try this place, have walked past lots of times. The actual space was even more impressive than I'd realised and I didn't know there is a (large) separate bar area. The satay and affogato were the standouts for me. Enjoyed...

Amazing Bottomless Brunch! Attentive Staff Wide variety of food to suit all. Sharing platters/Pizza/Starters created an amazing little brunch for get together with friends! Brilliant Service :)

Wonderful food and service from Lee. Lee was very friendly and polite; he’s a wonderful staff member

Great food even better cocktails! The passionfruit colada is amazing. Thanks for the great service Lee we’ll be back!

Beautiful food, thoughtfully presented, and lovely, friendly service. It’s so nice to be able to find small plates with a great selection of sides. I have to mention our server, Sarberne- she was delightful. We’ll be back!

Recently visited here for the first time after winning a competition on social media. Absolutely loved it - great service, great food and lovely atmosphere! We all had a pizza, which was very good, other menu choices looked great too Staff were really helpful and...

Wasn’t amazing but wasn’t terrible the cons the food takes forever to come out same with the drinks… the food is very high princed for the portions you get do not recommend the chips they are very crispy the staff are kind though and helpful...

First class establishment, the food and staff was were impressive. A shout out to Abigail and Brodie for making our evening enjoyable. Will most definitely visit again

Had such a nice evening. Food was lovely and great atmosphere! Abigail and Brodie have been absolutely amazing! What an evening, such great service and so friendly! We’ll be back xx

I went for a catch up with my friends. They had some great live music and our waitress Jude looked after us well!

Jude was a great server! Jude went above and beyond to meet our needs and make our experience memorable! Definitely will be returning!!

The furnace is a lovely venue for a catch-up with friends, Lee was a very attentive lovely waiter who helped us have an enjoyable time.

Absolutely amazing service from Sophie! Nothing was too much hassle and a natural and genuine customer service! Been before and would definitely come again. This girl needs noticing for her amazing service!! Thankyou again Sophie 🧡🧡

Great experience with friends. Went for bottomless brunch, lovely food. Sophie was brilliant and never left us without a drink!