The Swan Taphouse - Telford and Wrekin

Booked a Sunday lunch with my mum for the 1st anniversary of my Dad 's death. It was very busy as the weather was so nice. We ordered drinks that came in good time. I asked for tap water for the table. Didn 't come. 10 mins later my husband asked again, didn 't come. 3rd time of asking we were told the barman had a few drinks to sort out 1st!! 5 minutes later we were brought one bottle of water. I explained we asked for tap water. Then brought one glass!!!! I explained we asked for 2. So, after 35 minutes we eventually had our tap water! No apology offered at any point Clearly not enough staff Then, it got worse. My roast arrived. We asked for 2 large with crackling. The crackling didn 't arrive. Had to ask again! Eventually 4 tiny bits of crackling arrived. I had some beef but after the 1st mouthful I couldn 't eat anymore. It was seriously 'spicey ' and 'smoked ' I tried the others meals and they were perfect. I was told that it comes smoked. The other members of my table didn 't have that awful taste. It ruined the whole meal. Was offered for it to be changed but didn 't want to wait. When we asked for the bill, the waitress was quite dismissive of us. I have worked in customer service for 30 years and unfortunately management have not trained their staff well. Left feeling bitter, taste wise and that a special occasion was ruined.

Really welcoming from the moment I walked in greeted and shown to table, service was great friendly chatty staff, nothing too much trouble and the food was absolutely delicious will be back again! One of the best burgers around!!

Located in the prime position of Ironbridge, this venue had the potential to attract passing customers, but our lunchtime experience turned out to be average to poor. The staff were welcoming and courteous, with our waitress being particularly good. However, our meal was delivered in a timely manner, but after tasting the potatoes, ciabatta, Yorkshire pudding, and beef, it was clear that only the gravy was hot, while the rest of the dish was lukewarm. When asked about our meal, I mentioned the lukewarm temperature and the oily Yorkshire pudding to our waitress. Unfortunately, nothing was done to address the issue. It's a shame that the pleasant front of house staff were let down by the poor kitchen staff. It was a treat from my daughter, so I didn't pursue the matter further.

As always a great atmosphere walking in, lovely area behind the bar, we were seated in the dining area near the kitchen. Walls, and the kitchen door were scruffy and dirty. Other doors were dirty too. The bell to alert staff is very annoying. The toilets were dirty and I couldn't get hot water, which is not good if the staff have to use them. Staff all very young and need supervision. Had to leave the table and go to the bar for another drink. The dining area was nearly empty so the staff were not busy. Food less than average. By far nicer places to eat in Ironbridge. It requires a visit from environmental health to review hygiene practices.

I had been looking forward to this "treat" but was extremely disappointed. The tea service was lacking, with the smallest teapot in the world and cold tea in the first pot. There was only one tea bag and no spoon provided, and even after asking for a second pot, there was still only one tea bag and no spoon. The waitress claimed they were busy, but it did not seem that way. The food arrived without plates, and we had to ask for them. We were not asked if the food was okay, or if we needed more tea or any other drinks. There were no plates or forks provided for dessert. Overall, we were very disappointed as we had been looking forward to this experience for over a month. We will not be returning as we felt inferior to other diners. If the restaurant does not want to offer Afternoon Tea, they should remove it from their website.