The Red Lion - Richmond Upon Thames

This was our first visit after the restaurant reopened, and we had a great experience. The service was excellent, and we all had a wonderful evening. It seems like the restaurant is still adjusting to its atmosphere after reopening, but this will improve with time. I definitely recommend paying a visit.

I have celiac disease, so I cannot consume gluten. Most restaurants can accommodate my dietary needs, and I can usually tell from the menu if it's safe for me to eat there. When I ordered the steak, it came with chips that were labeled gluten-free. However, the menu clearly stated that the chips were not gluten-free. When I questioned the waiter, he insisted that they were gluten-free because it was written on the menu. I double-checked with the manager, who confirmed that the chips were not safe for me to eat. If I hadn't been cautious and inquired about the chips, I could have gotten sick due to the misinformation from the waiter. Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant for either food or drinks due to the high prices, low quality, and lack of attention to dietary needs.

Absolutely bizarre evening. We went to the pub for our friends daughters 30th Birthday and had really been looking forward to it. The landlord is an absolute nutter. The bar wasn't particularly busy and he was running around between to three people waiting serving us all at the same time. He wasn't talking he was shouting and as I say it really wasn't busy or loud. I used the card machine to pay and went back my table with my drinks. He'd got the drinks wrong and given me the Vodka, lime and soda twice instead of a gin and tonic. Shortly after he came outside and started shouting at me in front of the entire pub garden and told me I was a liar and hadn't paid!! I went back inside to sort everything out and he told me to leave and started shouting again. It was all very unnecessary but he continued to shout and was joined by another bar man who threatened me. Absolutely bizarre.

So we have been visiting The Red Lion for a few years and always enjoyed the place apart from inept unexperienced management running the place. This normally just caused a smile. Last night however after ordering the sharing platter being sat by the kitchen was an eye opener. The chef doesn't wash his hands so handling raw meat then mixes a salad all by hand. I informed him a piece of chicken I had was not cooked and he just smiled at me. The chef then using a cleaning detergent in a tub washed down chopping boards just by running them under a tap, used a scourer dipped in washing liquid and then wiped them with his bare hands before leaving to dry. Once washed he used a piece of blue roll to dry them and this was the same piece used to dry his hands and wipe the main prep table. I will categorically not eat here again sadly.

Owner treats workers like cr*p. under paid and under staffed on busy days. Owner is a control freak who can’t bare to listen to female staff members and will micro manage them even if they are very experienced bar staff. If you care about workers, do not put money in the pocket of this nobhead who tells his staff ON THE DAY whether they are needed or not, meaning they cannot work anywhere else. this happens to some staff members multiple times a week, meaning they miss out on huge sums of money for rent/cost of living etc. No empathy whatsoever. Do not drink or eat here without tipping bar staff incredibly well