Black Olive - Hartlepool United Kingdom

I made a reservation for Mother's Day two weeks in advance, as I was going with picky eaters and wanted to check the menu beforehand. I called at the time of booking and the day before to confirm that the website menu was accurate, and was told there was no special menu. However, when we arrived, we were given a special menu with no vegetarian options and double the prices of the regular menu. The food was of good quality, but the service was terrible. We were seated in a side room and waited 20 minutes without receiving menus. I had to find the waitress myself, who said she would come when she could. Eventually, we were given menus but not a drinks menu. After asking about red wine, the waitress couldn't provide information and didn't offer a menu. We had to wait a long time for dessert menus and eventually had to order from the kitchen door. When we wanted to pay, there was nobody around, and we had to ask multiple times before finally getting the bill. If it weren't for my elderly mother, I would have walked out. The quality of the food was great, but until they improve their service, I wouldn't return or recommend this restaurant.

I made a reservation two weeks in advance for Mother's Day and went with a picky eater who wanted to see the menu beforehand. When I called to inquire about the menu, I was assured that there was no special menu and what was shown on the website was correct. However, upon arrival, we were given a special menu with no vegetarian options and all items were double the price of the regular menu. The food was good once it arrived, but the service was terrible. We were seated in a separate room and waited 20 minutes for a menu, which I had to seek out from the waitress. We finally received menus for 4 people, but no drinks menu. After another long wait, I had to locate the waitress again to inquire about wine options. The service continued to be slow and disorganized throughout the meal. When we were ready to pay, there was no one available to assist until I approached the kitchen. The waitress seemed distracted and took a long time to process the bill. If it weren't for my elderly mother, I would have left earlier. Despite the good quality of the food, I would not return or recommend this restaurant until their service improves significantly. If you're looking for a place to simply grab a drink at the bar, this might be a better option.

By far the best bar in the city in terms of distance, with friendly staff, impeccable service, and cleanliness that is truly a delight.