The Oriental Bar Restaurant

Visited this restaurant after reading a glowing review in Style Birmingham. All I can say is that the magazines food critic must be a relative of the Orientals owner. The service, food and value for money was awful! If you are looking for a genuine taste of the East in Birmingham, give this place a miss.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Saturday, February 27, 2010

Our valentines day meal at the Oriental Bar was disappointing. After reading favourable reviews we expected fantastic service and great food. We found the service indifferent and the food overpriced. The principle disappointments were:

* When we were taken to our table we were not asked if we wanted drinks while we decided what to order.

* Despite the restaurant being quiet, and the menu only having two set valentines day meal options (£25 or £35 per person), our orders weren't taken for nearly ten minutes.

* We had to wait another age for our drinks (the adjacent table needed to ask twice for their drinks)

* They didn't light the candle on our table until mid-way through the meal. (I know I'm nit picking but It's valentines day)

* Despite numerous waiters and waitresses milling around I needed to catch someone's eye to order more drinks.

* When the bill came (for £86) we noticed that an 10% 'optional' service charge had already been added to the total. Needless to say we had it removed.

We will never return to this restaurant and would advice caution to others.
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Marcus Jones
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Monday, February 15, 2010

fanstastic restuarant..the food is truely one of the best thai in the UK and I have been to many. Great place for a date...
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nini ricci
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, January 26, 2010

the service in this restaurant is apalling and disgraceful. one of the worst i have received in my life. rude, unprofessional and arrogant. Don't go there!!!!
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alfonso yufera-ruiz
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Friday, October 16, 2009

I've eaten here twice, one in the evening and once today, for lunch. On both occasions the service was poor. The waiter, a stroppy Chinese man, couldn't care less and didn't ask us how the meal was--a good thing for him, as it was not very good. I tried the Lunch time deal which is 2 meals for £5.95 which amounted to two tiny sesame seed prawn toasts and a scoop of rice with some average green curry. I am sure some of the reviews here are from staff as I can't imagine the service here being good. On my first visit, in a party of 15, the service was slow, discourteous and miserable. The waiters seem to think they are doing you a favour getting you food.
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Nights - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 4
Thursday, September 24, 2009

This restaurant is as beautiful in ambience as it is in food. The food was above and beyond expectation. The staff was genuine and friendly. The menu surpassed all apetite desire, you just wanted to eat all of it! I actually tasted each ingredient, which delighted my palette greatly. On a scale of 1 to 10, they are a 10!!

Try the duck in orange sauce, delicious! The Fish/ seafood was scrumptious! Definitely will be back.
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Truly
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, September 18, 2009

This was our second visit to The Oriental. Our first had been fantastic but the restaurant had been pretty quiet. After reading a couple of reviews saying how bad the service was when the place was busy we risked going on a Friday night. We contacted the restaurant to say we had car trouble but they didn't have a problem keeping the table open for us. When we arrived they asked us if we had fixed the problem and even recognised us from our last visit. The place was busy busy but the service was as good as the first time we visited. The staff are very attentive and could not do more to help us. The food was first class too. Aromatic Duck to start was lovely and moist and more than enough for 4 people. The mains were fantastic too. You won't just find the usuals you old expect on the menu, with the mix of Thai, Chinese and Malaysian there is plenty of choice and specials like Ostrich in Black Pepper sauce. I went for Kari Prawn, basically a creamy prawn curry with a bit of a kick. Mussaman chicken and Panang chicken were also both awesome. Best of all was the Red Snapper Fillet Flambe, who doesn't love watching a flambe? All absolutely delicious. The setting at the side of the canal is fantastic at night and the decor is as good as the food. We can't wait to go back again and again.
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Monday, October 01, 2007

Went to The Oriental on a very quiet Sunday. The service was fantastic, the staff could not do enough to help you. They didn't have the drinks we ordered but were very apologetic and came up with a number of alternatives.

The food was fantastic, the chicken and potato curry was to die for and the crispy duck was lovely and moist.

We will be visiting again soon and would not hesitate to recommend this place. Hopefully our next visit will be a repeat of our first.
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Thursday, September 20, 2007