Harvester - Cooper Dean

The food was good but the service was very slow. We had two toddlers with us who got bored having to wait so long. We realised it was busy but they needed more staff, table booked for 5pm we couldn't sit down as it wasn't ready for us until 5:20. Then we were waiting to order for ages after our meal, and we were again waiting ages to order desserts and it was 7:00pm the children were tired and grumpy. The waitress was in a mood with no people skills and spent ages talking to a couple of ladies on and other table and we were waiting for our table to be cleared and order deserts, then it took ages for deserts to arrive, we all enjoyed the food but the delays were just too long.

Enjoyed our meal

Good ambience and excellent salad bar

great experience

Friendly front of house host. Exceptionally nice waiter. Served with a smile and nothing was too much trouble.

Family meal for 4 generations. Good range of food, enough choice for everyone. Good portion sizes and fresh veg on every plate. Delicious sundaes.

Having been to the Cooper Dean Harvester dozens of times over the years, we are astonished at how poor it was. It appeared clear on our arrival that something was wrong - possibly staff not turning up - and we had to advise that we had already booked our choices, and that we were a Christmas booking. The food was poor (not the salad bar). The soup tasted - inappropriately = as if it had curry in it. The main turkey course which one of us had, the roast potatoes must have been reheated and all of us with our different choices said they were dreadful. No fork could be got into roast potato and frankly the entire course was spoilt for all of us generally. I never leave food but all of us left uneaten items. The most helpful waitress said we could change our original sweet courses, if we wished, and two diners changed to fresh salad. The fruit was lovely and freshly prepared but whoever prepared them was not experienced in food preparation because the pieces of fruit were far too large chunks to eat with a fruit spoon. Again, food left.

We had tea and coffee and remain disappointed that you still do not offer Earl Grey tea. However, that is a very small item. The meal was very poor indeed and we have said that we will not go to a Harvester again. We realise something must have gone wrong, but our daughter and son in law had driven from Brighton to have a Christmas meal together and as they are vegetarian we thought the salad bar would be ideal in addition to Christmas meal.

Thank you very much, and booking us in, we enjoyed the meal we will come again soon.

I was telephoned by staff to tell me that the restaurant had to be closed that because of a leaking drain. I was given telephone numbers of 3 other Harvesters within easy reach. I was able to secure a booking at The Riverside.

Lovely meal. Great service by Wayne.