The Derby Arms - Epsom

The Derby Arms was highly recommended to us and did not disappoint. The staff were very friendly and could not do enough for you. The food was delicious and very well presented. A lovely place to go after the races or a walk across Epsom Downs.

The restaurant had a diverse menu to suit all tastes, but unfortunately, they were out of most items we requested right away at 7:30pm. It was disappointing and put a damper on our evening before it even began. It would have been easier for them to inform us of what they did have available. I had to send back my ribeye steak due to its high fat content, but the replacement fillet was delicious, though it came with minimal accompaniments for the price. While the service was great, the quality of the food was lacking. Unfortunately, I do not plan on returning, which is a shame as I used to be a regular customer a few years ago and the location was convenient for my daughter and I.

The service at this restaurant was extremely slow, especially considering that it was only half full. The food had a strong flavor of old cooking oil which left a bad taste in my mouth. My salmon dish was completely overwhelmed by the taste of the oil, and the chips were not appetizing. The steak lacked flavor and was unimpressive. Because of this, we decided to skip dessert and coffee. The prices were high considering the poor quality of the food.

I thought that £10.95 for lettuce, 3 croutons, 3 anchovies a tiny bit of dressing and some parmesan was very expensive for what it was. Disappointing.

Despite making a reservation in advance, the waitress refused to allow us to sit at our preferred table, claiming it had been reserved by another party. The table she gave us instead was the same size and had not been requested by anyone else. We were only offered a set three-course menu and were not given the option of a two-course menu at a reduced price. As a result, we had to order three courses even though we did not want them. Additionally, two dessert options were sold out by 2.30pm, leaving us with limited choices. It took a long time to get someone's attention to request the bill, as has been the case on previous visits. Despite there being plenty of staff, they seemed more focused on serving at the bar than attending to tables. While I understand that it was a busy day (Father's Day), this experience has led me to choose another restaurant in the future.