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The Retreat Bistro

157 Hagley Rd, Oldswinford, Stourbridge DY8 2JJ United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Open Today: -

Quick Facts About The Retreat Bistro

The Retreat Bistro has received a mixture of positive and negative comments, providing insights into its strengths and weaknesses. In this analysis, we will explore these comments and discuss the overall strengths and weaknesses of the restaurant.
Starting with the strengths, one of the recurring themes in the comments is the friendly and helpful staff. Wayne and his team were able to cater to a large party and received praise for their excellent service during a busy Saturday night. This indicates that the staff at The Retreat Bistro are capable of providing attentive and efficient service, which contributes to a positive dining experience.
Several comments also highlight the delicious food at the restaurant. Customers mentioned that the Sunday roast was one of the best they had ever tasted, and the tapas and desserts were also highly praised. This suggests that the chefs at The Retreat Bistro have a solid understanding of flavors and are able to create dishes that are enjoyable and satisfying. The food quality and taste are important strengths for any restaurant.
The decor and atmosphere of The Retreat Bistro were also positively mentioned in one of the comments. Customers appreciated the lovely spot and great atmosphere, which made them want to stay and enjoy the ambiance. This indicates that the restaurant has created a warm and inviting environment for its patrons, which is essential for a pleasant dining experience.
Another strength mentioned is the pricing. Customers found the prices at The Retreat Bistro to be reasonable and decent, indicating good value for money. This is important for attracting customers and building a loyal customer base.
Now, turning to the weaknesses mentioned, one comment highlighted that the food was not very authentic Spanish tapas. This suggests that the restaurant may not fully deliver on its promise of offering an authentic tapas experience. For customers seeking a truly authentic culinary experience, this could be a disappointment.
In contrast, another comment pointed out that The Retreat Bistro does not serve tapas on Sundays. While this may not be a major issue for some customers, those specifically looking for tapas might be disappointed to discover this limitation. It is important for the restaurant to clearly communicate its offerings and ensure that customers are aware of any restrictions.
Parking was mentioned as a weakness by one customer. Lack of parking can be a deterrent for potential customers, especially those who are not local and might be unfamiliar with the area. This could negatively impact the foot traffic and overall customer experience.
Lastly, one comment highlighted a significant weakness in the service. The customer experienced long wait times, forgotten orders, and poor responsiveness from the staff throughout the evening. This indicates a lack of efficiency and attentiveness, which can greatly impact the overall dining experience and leave customers feeling unwelcome and dissatisfied.
In conclusion, The Retreat Bistro has several strengths, including friendly staff, delicious food, reasonable pricing, and a pleasant atmosphere. However, there are also weaknesses to address, such as the lack of authentic Spanish tapas, limited Sunday offerings, parking limitations, and poor service. The management should focus on addressing these weaknesses to ensure a consistent and positive dining experience for their customers.


Best TL Reviews

Lovely restraunt with good decor and a friendly barmaid but the food didn't wow we had 5 tapas dishes including scallops camembert and patatas bravas decent selection menu wise and came in at pretty decent price
Wayne and the team were able to cater for a party of 10 adults and six children for Sunday lunch. Staff were friendly and helpful. Everyone agreed that the roast was one of the best they'd ever tasted. That included the beef, pork and lamb. Delicious food and the deserts were just as nice. Will look to go back and try the tapas menu soon!
Food was ordinary not very authentic Spanish tapas pricing was good and the service wasn't too bad..
Great food - word of warning, they don't do tapas on a Sunday. Good news is the Sunday lunches are very, very good. Vegetarian wife was also very impressed! Will be going back during the week to sample some of the tapas as it sounds fantastic.
Lovely spot to stop and have a drink with a great atmosphere. You check the menu and get tempted as we were and so you haveca bite to eat. Lovely place and although I'm not local I will return next time I am in the area. You should too.
Love the food and atmosphere here. We had tapas and a desert and it was all really delicious. The only downside is the lack of parking, but that won't put me off going again soon.
Have been here many times in the past and loved it. Not sure if there's been a big change in staff but the service was honestly terrible. We were waiting almost an hour before anyone came to take our order and unfortunately this slow service continued throughout the entire evening. Many of the orders forgotten, no check backs at any point and when we appeared unhappy with the service the staff seemed either not bothered or actively hostile towards us.
I left feeling really unwelcome and unhappy having spent money on such an uncomfortable evening.
Such a great staff Xmas party last night.
Catered for 18 of us on a busy Saturday night and everything was perfect!
Brilliant food, excellent cocktails and great atmosphere!

The Retreat Bistro Info

Amenities

Service options
  • Outdoor seating
  • Dine-in
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Offerings
  • Coffee
  • Healthy options
  • Small plates
Dining options
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
Amenities
  • High chairs
  • Toilets
Atmosphere
  • Casual
  • Cosy
  • Romantic
Crowd
  • Groups
Planning
  • Reservations required
  • Accepts reservations