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Bonapartes, Waterloo

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user reviews of Bonapartes, Waterloo

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

What an awful place! The staff have no communication skills and no concept of customer service standards.
We came in on a moderately busy lunchtime and asked the barman for a couple of desserts from the menu. He went on to list out the patisseries they had available twice, before telling us they had none of the desserts on the menu. My friend ordered two pots of tea and a some patisseries, so the barman puts one pot of tea on the counter and one cup. "Er... we ordered two pots of tea?"
"That is two pots of tea!"
We eventually figured out that it was a bigger size pot, and had to ask him again for the second cup!
Next I ordered a burger and chips two two soft eggs on the side, and after running round to the kitchen, the barman asks, "Do you want fried eggs or well done eggs?"
"Er, I would like soft fried eggs."
"No, do you want your eggs fried or well done?"
And so on until eventually getting my order through to him. The guy next to me had to try 4 or 5 times to get the barmaid to understand what a Cheeseburger was!
A whole 25 minutes later my food comes, on a huge plate with rubbery eggs and about 10 chips, so I ask the waiter/manager, "Is this a portion of chips?"
"Yes"
"Are you serious?"
At this point he just walked away, and I had wasted so much of my lunch break that I couldn't be bothered to complain further. The tables, cutlery, and equipment was dirty, the service was pathetic, there wasn't any ketchup, and although the burger itself was OK, it was a waste of �8 and I am never going back. There aren't even any toilet facilities - you have to go out into the station!
captplatonic - 23 Sep 2008 14:44
This is not a pub! It is a bar. No real ale and no bottles worth drinking. Just about good enough for a rushed drink after work but nothing more.
GuideDogSaint - 17 Oct 2007 21:29
I think this is a wonderful pub. OK it's a bit expensive, but it's the perfect people watching pub, especially blind dates "under the clock at Waterloo". Far better than the other pubs on the station which are rather stuffy.
kbauckham - 2 Oct 2007 16:25
Full of fists.
punter80 - 9 Oct 2006 13:28
It's ok for a station bar. I asked for a 'small' coffee and what turned up was quite large. I dread to think what the 'large' would be: one's caffeine fix for an entire day I should think.
Beers are the usual range of lagers and fizz on handpumps, not tried, but I'm quite prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.
beeronaut - 29 Aug 2006 10:34
Ah, Bonapartes Bar, Waterloo B/R Station concourse. What a romantic place to spend an evening, Roger & T.Anderson..!I jest! Its a busy central London train station. Its noisey, its hussle & bussle, its soul-less, its... a bit like a massive train station...!!
Bar 19 i used to call it, 'cos its right opposite Platform 19 at the end of the station concourse.
Stop and have a drink here by all means, but people don't stay much more than 2 drinks. And its not really inducive to relaxing, more just catching one's breath, amid the hubbub! A good place to sit and watch "the station clock at Waterloo station" underneath which many a blind date has rendez-vous'd! But do watch your bag though! And be wary of the inevitable beggar, some of whom appear docile but could be on 'crack' and could get violent without any warning (in this last year I've seen 2 of these urban sponger types do just that with unsuspecting commuters. Best to avoid them altogether).
For an altogether better experience, pop across the road outside to the bar under the railway arches, almost next to the Shell building.. i forget the name of it now.. its late..! (Not the 'Hole in the Wall' the other one, its a bit more tidy & trendy)! TJ
TeeJay - 30 Jul 2006 02:53
Station bar but has more of a continental cafe approach, probably quite apt as it is situated close to the Eurolink terminal. Pleasant enough to use for a meeting place but is hardly a place for an evening although the seating on the concourse provides a good opportunity to watch briefcase laden commuters rushing to miss their train. The beer selection is rather standard and rather disappointingly, they have no Real Ales.
RogerB - 24 Jul 2006 09:29
Staff all seem non English but nevertheless are always friendly. Good selection of wines.
Pubspy1 - 15 Mar 2006 17:19
great place...perfect location for a first date.
tanderson7 - 6 Apr 2005 10:04
Pub in Waterloo train station. Hence, has no atmosphere, and is chav-central outside, what with all the beggars.
Beer is also very expensive and watery than a very watery thing
TheGP - 10 Sep 2004 11:55

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