The Crooked Spoon - Alton

I visited The Crooked Spoon for breakfast as part of a stay in one of the Enchanted Village Treehouses. This review is solely based on the experience at The Crooked Spoon and not the Enchanted Village Treehouse which was great. Upon arrival, the waitress found our booking, however due to the clear chaos that had been unfolding during the breakfast service, there wasn’t one available – not the best start. What’s the point in a booking system if you’re not actually reserving tables for people? The whole experience was nothing short of disappointing. There wasn’t enough plates or bowls, so we had to wait 10+ minutes just for some crockery. The food was poor quality, cold and really sub-par. The staff were trying to replenish the food and crockery as quickly as possible but it was clear there wasn’t enough crockery or staff to do that fast enough. Unfortunately, if you’re staying at Alton Towers, there is a very limited choice for breakfast as you must go where you are staying. Because it’s included in the price and you can’t go anywhere else, it certainly felt like they’d given up at this point, and it did leave a sour taste after what was an enjoyable night in our treehouse.

The atmosphere is calm, and the staff is attentive. Although the menu has a limited selection, the food is delicious. No reservations are needed—just walk in, and you won't encounter any issues. Overall, it’s an enjoyable experience. I highly recommend that anyone staying at Alton Towers Hotel, pods, or Enchanted Village choose to dine here instead of the Secret Garden; it’s a much more pleasant experience. Service: Dine-in Meal type: Dinner.

Went for dinner here as part of my sister’s birthday weekend away. We were told they could not seat our party of 9 as there were no tables free. We witnessed a suitable table become free but were told it would take a half hour to clear. After offering to clear the table ourselves, so we could sit together, we were bluntly told no and ushered to two separate tables. Menus were dirty and sticky. So much so, you wanted to wash your hands after touching them. No table service. Ordered food and drink at the bar. Which arrived fairly promptly and the quality of the food was good overall but overpriced. We sat surrounded by dirty tables. No tables were cleared throughout our visit. You would expect better service in a fast food restaurant. Given the food was good, disappointing experience and would find it difficult to recommend.

The food was decent, but we had to wait over 45 minutes. When we asked the staff how long it would take, they reacted poorly and responded with bad attitudes. When our food finally arrived, one of our orders, the vegan chicken nuggets, was missing. Although it eventually came, it turned out to be regular chicken instead of vegan. At that point, we decided to leave because of the terrible service. I definitely recommend avoiding this place and opting for one of the hotel restaurants instead. Food rating: 2/5.

Unable to sit a group of nine, even with large empty tables. Apparently takes 30 mins to reset a table. Sat at split tables and given the most disgusting wet and stick menu's to read. Ordered food, food arrived quickly and was fairly good. Sat surrounded by empty dirty tables for most of our meal. Not a great experience give the high prices. Service: Dine in