HI

Has anybody recently had food here, would like to try

cheers in advance

The last 3 times I've been here the cask beer has tasted off (even though bizarrely it's in the Good Beer Guide). Also been served drinks in dirty glasses twice. So I stopped going.

This used to be my favourite restaurant; the food was always very good and the bar service generally ok.

However we ate here in February and I can honestly say it is the worst restaurant meal I have ever eaten. It was completey inedible.

I was unable to eat any of the courses as the food was so poor. It was sent back, only to be returned in a worse state. I am pretty sure it was not cooked by a trained chef. There was a party upstairs and this seemed to have taken priority to the restaurant.

I made a complaint and to date there has been no response. Until this restaurant replies to the complaint and explain why we had such terrible food and service I will not return.

This is a such a terrible state of affairs, as it was myfavourite place to eat in Sheffield. I will also continue to post about my experience until I have something postive to say.

If you plan to go, check they have a trained chef cooking the food and ask if it has been pre-prepared.

I had a chowder - which was a bowl of cream with the smallest bit of fish, some burnt croutons and a poached egg, which was so hard and dry (despite asking for it runny). I had eaten this dish before and it had been outstanding.

I then had two starters as a main (due to lack of choice on the menu). The posh cheese on toast was on very doughy bread which had not been toasted. The cheese was melted on top but cold in the middle. I had one bight. The beetroot salad had no beetroot, there was not dressing on the salad and the artichokes had been fried.....my husband had pigeon three ways. Some of it was cold and all of it was so chewy it was either overcooked or reheated.

I have made other reviews in the past on this restarant which are very positive.

Yes I have to say my experience is similar to that of Pippadoll :(

Mrs. Bacala and my goodself went out to eat there about four years ago for our first meal in Sheffield and loved it. Went for our anniversary last month and it was very poor. We went on a week night and did a meal deal thingy (two courses for cheap) but it was rubbish! Food avearge and portions tiny! Ridiculous because surely the point of such an offer is to entice people in and get them back on the wkd...but this did the opposite, there's no way I'd go back anytime soon. Shame cos as mentioned, used to be amazing.

I wonder why the slip?

It's quite smart, and they have gone to a lot of trouble in decorating it.
I was in recently on St Patrick's Day [at lunchtime] for the first time for many months.
Beer was fine.
Sandwiches grossly overpriced.
I think I'll stick to the Dog and Partridge

I've heard the chef has now gone according to the telegraph, so they must have got a new one?!?

Yep,

We used to love the Wig and Ped but it seems to have gone downhill recently.

We went down to have some food and a few drinks and ended up walking out since the bar staff left us standing for just over 10 mins without acknowledging us, then prompty went to serve some other people who'd only just turned up after us!

Didn't realise the chef had left too!

M.

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/foodguide/Malcolm-back-on-tap-at.5091981.jp

I am gutted, i love Alex Shaw's food but will give them a chance as i do love the place

We went about a month ago as I couldn't think of anywhere else in town to get a nice steak at 6pm.
We had the duck starter and also the "posh" cheese on toast and then both had sirloin. The duck dish was quite tasteless, but the toast was really nice. The steaks weren't great to be honest, and the whole meal wasn't exactly cheap. Nothing was bad, it was just quite mediocre, and a disappointment as I'd previously heard good things about the place.
I won't be rushing back.

Cheers for the responses, I'll give them the benefit of doubt

I have booked to go over the weekend will report back!

Yep,

We used to love the Wig and Ped but it seems to have gone downhill recently.

We went down to have some food and a few drinks and ended up walking out since the bar staff left us standing for just over 10 mins without acknowledging us, then prompty went to serve some other people who'd only just turned up after us!
Didn't realise the chef had left too!

M.

We had a very similar experience to this when it first opened after the refurb last summer, and I posted about it on here. I've been recently but the bar staff are still shocking. It's a real shame as it's a really nice place.

same here, me and a few work mates met at this bar on a friday night, bought 4 pints of larger and it was warm and flat, left them and walked out.

still the best bar in town..

Cheers for the responses, I'll give them the benefit of doubt

I have booked to go over the weekend will report back!


Well went over the weekend, genuinely not problems at all food good, service good price pretty much what you would expect for 2 people (£66 - 3 courses & bottle wine)
Only observation was it wasn’t very busy but from previous comments we were not surprised but defo recommend

Ta

That's good to hear, I really hope they manage to sort the problems out.

The problem I had with service was when the place was empty which is what made me so mad with the place.

I hope it returns to greatness once more as I used to regularly enjoy going there.

Had a real ale in there about a month ago and it was fine....

I was there with a fairly large group on 1st April.
The 'draught' beer was abysmal...and not cheap
Unfortunately I'm going to a 'leaving' do there on Monday evening. I shall report back and also take a straw poll on how the rest of the group feel etc

I was there with a fairly large group on 1st April.
The 'draught' beer was abysmal...and not cheap
Unfortunately I'm going to a 'leaving' do there on Monday evening. I shall report back and also take a straw poll on how the rest of the group feel etc

Reference draught beer it amazes me that some city centre pubs cant even keep lager right.

I have no problem paying a bit more for beer in town but do have a problem when it tastes crap,ironically although they are one of the cheapest and I am not a fan of the chain wetherspoons beer is always spot on in my experience.

I now avoid pubs in town where I have had poor lager and suspect other regulars do too.

BTW have not had a beer in the wig recently more a genral comment on town pubs.

Reference draught beer it amazes me that some city centre pubs cant even keep lager right.


Maybe it's the pipe-cleaning or general lack of effort on cleanliness. This is what i think ruins cask ales in many places because the beer itself sometimes looks clear and has a nice head etc. Then you taste it and it's essence of vinegar. When you've paid nearly 3quid and made an effort to visit that particular place it does brass you off.

I must say I have to resort to keg stout or lager when that happens - because it's got less chance of tasting off as it's been pasteurised. So if the lager tastes off in some pubs as you say then things must be really bad.

Maybe it's the pipe-cleaning or general lack of effort on cleanliness. This is what i think ruins cask ales in many places because the beer itself sometimes looks clear and has a nice head etc. Then you taste it and it's essence of vinegar. When you've paid nearly 3quid and made an effort to visit that particular place it does brass you off.

I must say I have to resort to keg stout or lager when that happens - because it's got less chance of tasting off as it's been pasteurised. So if the lager tastes off in some pubs as you say then things must be really bad.

Real ale that smells or tastes like vinegar is basically off, normally it's simply a case of it didn't sell quick enough and is past its use by date and has oxidised. If you get a beer like that you should take it back and make them change it for something else. They should then withdraw that cask from sale.

Real ale that smells or tastes like vinegar is basically off, normally it's simply a case of it didn't sell quick enough and is past its use by date and has oxidised. If you get a beer like that you should take it back and make them change it for something else. They should then withdraw that cask from sale.

Yes I always do that, sometimes places are not very happy doing it, but proper pubs change it no problem. But when it keeps happening in the same place you stop going there.

We went to the Wig and Pen about 6 months ago, it was my third time there and our food was of mixed quality. Mine was lovely (and has been every single time I've been there), but my boyfriend's was a bit bland, which was disappointing as they had allegedly cooked it especially for him having phoned beforehand to see if they could do vegan food. However, their puddings are exceptional.

Seems to have nose dived recently. Was meeting a friend there the other week for a coffee and it was not even open - says it opens at 11am! Went in later on and could not get served for love or money. Was busy at the bar, not suprisingly though as only one person serving (he was doing well though in the circumstances). Still love the ale range so will perservere.

Now the sandwiches have no lids - have mercy. Thats not a sandwich really is it. May have to start taking another piece of bread with me for my steak sarnie. Ale going downhill so may just go to HAHA!

I ate there a couple of weeks ago and had been looking forward to it as it was lovely the only other time I've eaten there (before the refurb). While the food we dd have was very nice (venison for me, steak for my fiance) it was slightly marred by the fact that 1) at least 1 option for every course wasn't available (leaving us with very limited choices especially for starters!) and 2) the waiter (and there did seem to be only 1) was constantly running between tables making it almost impossible to get his attention.

Having said all of that - venison isn't something I usually get to eat, it was a lovely change and I really enjoyed it. So the experience wasn't all bad. Lucky though that neither myself or the OH are picky eaters or we might have struggled!

Anything good about the food yet then? I've been in the bar the odd time and enjoyed one or two drink, nice atmosphere. Always thought when I saw menu that I'll try it one day. Not worth the trouble then by the sounds of it....?

Anything good about the food yet then? I've been in the bar the odd time and enjoyed one or two drink, nice atmosphere. Always thought when I saw menu that I'll try it one day. Not worth the trouble then by the sounds of it....?

Food and waiter service was absolutely brilliant when we went a few weeks ago - couldn't fault it to be honest.

Was that in the bar or restaurant? Good to hear somethig positive as used to love it here, maybe it is a blip?

Was that in the bar or restaurant? Good to hear somethig positive as used to love it here, maybe it is a blip?

The restaurant downstairs. :)

I would go and judge for yourself - always the best way.

I dont know why people moan about food in bars ... a bar is a bar or a pub basically ... it is NOT a restaurant however much they dress it up or pretend it to be - if they advertise good as well as beer thats a bonus but really its just an addo n to entice people in ito drink more beer .. whether its weatherspoons cheap meals or the expensive wig & pen tapas I dont moean about any of it - it may be good it may be crap - if you want to eat proper food go to a restaurant NOT a bar or pub ! End of rant !

I dont know why people moan about food in bars ... a bar is a bar or a pub basically ... it is NOT a restaurant however much they dress it up or pretend it to be - if they advertise good as well as beer thats a bonus but really its just an addo n to entice people in ito drink more beer .. whether its weatherspoons cheap meals or the expensive wig & pen tapas I dont moean about any of it - it may be good it may be crap - if you want to eat proper food go to a restaurant NOT a bar or pub ! End of rant !

So, beacuse it's a bar it can serve bad food? (not that I am saying Wig and Pen does serve bad food!!) Wig and Pen prides itself on the food it offers - or at least that is the impression it gives. Furthermore the food is not cheap and is more expensive than a lot of restaurants in town and therefore it SHOULD have to live up to restaurant standard. No-one should excuse bad food when people are paying decent prices for it.

Yeah agree on the whole with the responses. Its not the best and certainly not the worst but it is overpriced. Far better options out there.

If you need to find a new place to go, 'the tulip lounge' just off the street (north church street) is very near the wig and pen and having had a similar experience to you all we tried the tulip lounge and it was great.
The food was well presented and delicious, and everything was well priced.

If you need to find a new place to go, 'the tulip lounge' just off the street (north church street) is very near the wig and pen and having had a similar experience to you all we tried the tulip lounge and it was great.
The food was well presented and delicious, and everything was well priced.

So whats your connection to the place? 5 posts and all of them promoting it? :suspect:

I am just now a regular in 'the tulip lounge' having eaten at the Wig and Pen a few times i was disappointed and after posting about the tulip lounge i found that it was exactly what i was looking for.
I suppose im just a satisfied customer spreading the word.

probably my favourite place for a drink in the city centre, i just love it. I go most fridays after work for a few drinks. The pints are a bit pricey but there is no other way to keep the people you dont want in there out. If it was cheaper you may attract some of the unsociable people who hang around at the back of the cathedral.

great bar!!!

is the tulip lounge a bar or restaurant?

Ate some tapas in the Wig last night. Heard the food had gone downhill with the change of chef, but it was well nice...