The Alchemist Portsmouth Reviews Summary

Ambiance and Setting

Pros:

• "The place looks very swanky and wouldn't look out of place in London."
• "We sat in the conservatory area with the heaters on and it was very cozy and warm."
• "We were comfortably seated in an all-glass room with panoramic views of the nighttime Gunwarf."
• "The atmosphere is a perfect blend of 'chill' and 'chic,' making you feel like a cocktail connoisseur extraordinaire!"
• "The atmosphere was lovely and calm (we were sat upstairs)."

Cons:

• "It was like eating in a nightclub. However the food was good, the drinks were good (although not much in the glass for the price)."
• "The only letdown was the steaks, while it had a beautiful presentation, the meat was a little bit too tough."
• "We waited 1hr 15 minutes for our food and the music was so loud we could barely hear each other."
• "Sadly downgraded my review. A stroppy greeter would not let us sit in the conservatory even though places were available."

Food and Drink Quality

Pros:

• "The food was delicious and well worth the price. The drinks tasted great also."
• "The drinks were amazing and the extra theatrics that came with them just added to the experience."
• "The appetizers were as delicious as the drinks; I feel obliged to stress the impressive taste of the vegan 'duck' bao buns."
• "Best food I've experienced in a long time! The whole experience was amazing. Cocktails and deserts all look and taste amazing with all the theatricals."
• "This place saved my birthday after being stuck on the road for hours due to a burst tyre."
• "The food wasn’t nice and they messed up our order. It’s a shame as I’ve been here for drinks in the past having great cocktails and really enjoying myself."
• "Food was delicious and well worth the price. The drinks tasted great also."
• "The cocktails were good and very nicely presented. We ordered salad to eat, it was soaked with way too much dressing."

Cons:

• "I’d have expected better for a £15 pound sandwich with a 40min waiting time."
• "The food was awful. They had run out of most things, so went for the steak. It was the worst steak ever."
• "The food is fantastic, flavourful and consistent. It's the drinks that lure me in every time as they all have a scientific twist with smoke and bubbles."
• "The food is incredible, a little pricey, but definitely worth the money. Was served by Reem, she was so lovely and just made the experience that much better."
• "We waited 1hr 15 minutes for our food and the music was so loud we could barely hear each other and not to mention a really piercing alarm kept going off every 30 seconds for 10-15 minutes, not a nice experience at all."
• "Very poor service. We waited 20mins after we sat down just for our drinks order. Then we waited an hour for our food to be delivered (we think they forgot about us)."
• "Sadly, Christmas menu was not good. Prawns were hard, felt like they were cooked frozen and barely defrosted, main was tasteless, and the chicken cage was awful."
• "Went to Gunwharf Quays restaurant whilst out shopping on a busy Saturday. Tempting menu, great friendly service - which is a rarity these days - prompt service, inviting interior, good vibe, and delicious food at a fair price."

Customer Service

Pros:

• "The staff were friendly and explained each drink and how you should enjoy them."
• "Special shout out to Yasmin, she looked after us so well, and helped us with a rude customer sitting beside us, she's a star!"
• "Service was really friendly and professional so we loved our visit."
• "Absolutely fantastic experience. We were lucky to have Lauren as our waitress, she was extremely attentive and really made our experience!"
• "Cheers to the cocktails at this joint they're so creative, they should win a Nobel Prize in mixology!"

Cons:

• "Service charge for each time you even order at the bar?! CRAZY."
• "Ordered a Pina co lava lamp, assuming this would be similar to a Pina co lada, obviously not.... Tasted more like tequila and very watery."
• "The only negative is that they add a service charge to every order, even tables of 2 with a relatively small order."
• "The worst service ever and management attitude."
• "We were visiting Alchemist today evening and it was nice, drinks were amazing however the staff were not very helpful."
• "Very poor service. We waited 20mins after we sat down just for our drinks order. Then we waited an hour for our food to be delivered (we think they forgot about us)."
• "Sadly, Christmas menu was not good. Prawns were hard, felt like they were cooked frozen and barely defrosted, main was tasteless, and the chicken cage was awful."
• "Went to Gunwharf Quays restaurant whilst out shopping on a busy Saturday. Tempting menu, great friendly service - which is a rarity these days - prompt service, inviting interior, good vibe, and delicious food at a fair price."