The best restaurants serving British food in East Midlands

Chap behind the counter was on point and that’s the only plus. I guess the cook must be on a very tight budget . Or on holiday. Or had had their taste buds removed. I use the word cook as there is definitely no chef here. I am at a loss how leek and potato soup , which looked quite nice in the bowl, can be devoid of any flavour whatsoever . No taste , no seasoning, nothing . Like warm greenish slop. Cheesy wedges… Been in the microwave that long the cheese was like molten plastic , had to use a spoon to chisel it off the bowl. Simple stuff , I don’t know how you can ruin it ??? If you are visiting here I would recommend sticking to the tea and coffee .

The Fat Cat has undergone a major facelift since I last went there. My memory was of a busy bar that somewhat resembled a greasy spoon cafe but which did a roaring trade in alcohol-based snifters. The 'new' Fat Cat was clearly modelled on the type of bar you'd see in a low-budget 1980s gangster film, which was 'trendy' in 1982 but which, nowadays, resembles more a rather poor attempt to re-create a tart's boudoir - the only thing missing was real carpet on the walls. Having said that, we went there for their much-vaunted '2-4-1 cocktails' offer. "Super," (we said to ourselves), "we'll knock back a few drinks before our dinner reservation at 8. If we start at 5.30-6.00, we can get ourselves nicely lubricated before tucking into a nice bit of Italian food round the corner." Huge mistake. For a start, we were the *only* customers in the entire time we were there - 5.40 to 8.00, on a Friday night, in a town which boasts two large universities. Perhaps those were the early warning signs which we, unaccustomed as we are to enjoying a night out, completely missed. The one young lady behind the bar seemed surprised - nay, terrified - to see us. When we asked for a cocktail menu she spent five minutes searching for one, before giving up and reading the list from the till. Be warned: not all the cocktails they serve are covered by the 2-4-1 offer. When you finally order your cocktails, be prepared for a long - a *very* long - wait for them to be made. Said bar lady obviously doesn't actually know how to make any of the cocktails on the list, and when she finally managed to make sense of the instructions on her cards, must have been under instruction to shake every single one of them, whether or not the recipe calls for them to be shaken. "Make them think they're in the middle of a Tom Cruise movie," she must have been told. (Although thank God she never tried to throw or spin any bottles, as her hand-eye co-ordination clearly wasn't up to such flashy tricks.) Oh, and don't expect to get the cocktail you asked for, either. Unless you ask for a Long Island Iced Tea, the chances of them having any of the ingredients for your chosen tipple is slim to say the least. Innovation is somewhat lacking, too. I thought "I know, I'll ask for a Negroni," and proceeded to explain what it entails (and, let's face it, it's pretty simple). Again that look of frightened despair from the young lady, somewhat akin to a rabbit caught in headlights, or that look you get from a deer moments before your speeding SUV sends it to join Bambi's mother in Deer Heaven. I never quite understood her reply, but it was something along the lines of her not being qualified to follow simple instructions for three equal measures of three common spirits. There is one positive point that I ought to mention, for the sake of balance. They have plenty of crushed ice. We walked back past the place at around 10.15pm. By that time there place was positively heaving - there might have been as many as *three* couples in there, strategically placed in different parts of the bar to make it look busier. They also had a massive posse of two doormen, not quite enough for one per couple, but maybe enough to prevent the inevitable trouble from kicking off as the cocktails of tap water and crushed ice took their inevitable hold of the inebriated monsters who were rampaging quietly in their separate booths. To be fair, I never heard the DJ's set, as we were there far too early for the music set. I can only imagine that, when the DJ started, he/she pumped out such modern classics as "Copacobana" and "The Girl From Ipamena". Nothing like a selection of dated lounge music to liven up the place ... Loved it! And you'll love it too if you have any appreciation of the utterly ridiculous!

Came with our two kids who waited an hour and a half for pancakes and a fish finger sandwich. Next table to us who arrived half an hour later got food before us so assume lost order. Disappointing service

Tables dirty and not cleared, nothing in the "take a number" at the screen. No staff to help you, no cutlery, food takes ages to come and isn't hot. Definitely would not recommend!

The service was so slow that it would have been quicker to go home and prepare it myself. Nearly all the tables were littered with dirty crockery and left over food. It was obvious that they were short staffed but they should have stopped serving cooked food and just carried on with drinks and cakes. It was the most awful experience I have ever had in a restaurant. I will accept that what staff there was did as well as was possible but should not have attempted to do cooked meals. Gordon Bradley

Great food and beer, a beautiful garden our friend stayed and she loved the room and the staff were so friendly and helpful

be very careful if you look underage!! Security asked for ID, was showed Genuine driving licence, but was told that she could tell that was fake as **** and kept it!! Tried to call the venue, but getting no answer. Visiting police station later to see if the so called fake driving licence was handed in as they should have done!!

First time we have Booked the lounge. This will not be the last. We were friendly welcomed at reception explained how it worked. The breakfast there was cereals, porridge, cold and hot fresh food you can go back as many times as you wish. The drinks there was a good selection alcohol or non alcohol, along with a coffee machine. There were no toilet in the lounge area which is a shame. Overall a good experience

Wish I’d read the reviews before we came! My original choice was sold out so chose scampi and chips with salad and my husband had hunters chicken. The wait time wasn’t so bad to say how busy it was but the meal was not worth the money. I was expecting home cooked chips and hot skinny French fries, the salad was a measly but if iceberg lettuce one slice of lettuce and one bit of cucumber! I could have had the same meal in Morrisons for half the price! Will not be returning as very disappointed

Without a doubt, hands down, the worst fish and chips I’ve experienced in the 40 years I’ve been alive. They actually cook frozen chips, the haddock was tiny and the cost of it was disgusting. I was starving, but I still didn’t finish it. If I could give it zero stars I would. Avoid like the plague.

both meals fine, only fault was very hard slices carrots in mixed veg. steak and ale pie very nice. coffee ok. staff polite, we were served by Chloe a polite young lady. also three young men on hand to help. thankyou to all.

The food is very good, but the service is extremely slow, with unhelpful and surly staff. If you are within half an hour of the breakfast menu ending, they won’t serve you. If you are 10 mins too early for the lunch menu to start, they won’t serve you. If you are visiting within half an hour of closing time, they won’t serve you. Seeing a pattern here?I go with my 2 year old granddaughter, and thankfully she is patient, as we have waited over 20 mins for a fish finger sandwich! BUT, it is worth waiting for, as tasty and freshly cooked!

Another in the chain but the premises are a tad disappointing/ The service, and coffee are great . Priced as usual for Costa

Food is OK,service can be slow if you are in a queue,although staff are pleasant enough.The menu is somewhat limited,and some items are not always available.

We stayed next door at the premier And this was connected via a corridor which was great as raining Lovey setting near the canal and obviously very popular as very busy We both had the pie and a pint great prices and full plate of lovely food Staff all very helpful and friendly and wiping tables and keeping everywhere clean Great service lively food and good value for money