San Rocco - South King Street

Went for lunch and very happy with the service and food. The lunch menu is well priced at about £10 so you can't complain. Would go again although yet to go in the evening.
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ADAM
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

I went here by mistake, after having had San Carlo suggested to me. I've since been to San Carlo, and it is 10x better than the most insipid San Rocco, which serves bland, ordinary Italian that does nothing to make you want to return. I can think of no reason to go to this place when San Carlo is so nearby, or Restaurant Bar and Grill, which is superb.
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Thursday, May 08, 2008

If you're looking for good food, wine and service don't go for a meal at San Rocco.

The service my boyfriend and I received was very rushed and rude, with no break in between courses. We were made to feel like they were doing us a favour by letting us eat there!! Customer Service training needed. My steak was tough and smothered in sauce and I had to order soggy bland veg separately!! The wine was sour and tasted like it was corked. My boyfriend's Veal was rubbery and tough.

The bill came to £50 for Garlic Bread and 2 mains. Very overpriced and not good quality at all.

Don't make the same mistake!!!
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Cat Ashley
Monday, April 28, 2008

This restaurant was shockingly bad. We booked quite a late table...for 9.30...but considering the resturant was open until 11 or possible later and it was a saturday night...we didn't think this would be a problem as we were only having starter and main. From the minute we got there it felt as if they were trying to get rid of us. The starters were brought out very quickly and then literally as soon as we had finished the last mouthful, the plates were swiped from under us and replaced with our main course. This was awful as we had had quite large starters and a small break between to relax, chat and wait for the food to go down is essential for an enjoyable dining experience.

The food wasn't even that good and the waiting staff we dreadful. Some were even drinking bottle beer and leaning against the kitchen counter waiting for something to do. We felt so rushed and so un welcome. They kept filling our wine glass before the wine had even gone down enough. I have never felt so pressured, this restaurant is absolutely dreadful!
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Claudia - View all reviews by this user
Thursday, January 31, 2008

I myself went to this restaurant with my husband on Tuesday 11th December for a romantic meal for our anniversary. When we arrived we were swiftly shown to a small table and given menus. We ordered some wine and then ordered our food. I asked whether they would make me a specific dish (just macaroni with napoli sauce-nothing too fancy) and was told (in a very stern tone) 'this is the menu!' which obviously didnt have this dish on it. We both noticed that larger group of businessmen and 'regulars' were coming into the restaurant and getting a much warmer reception and not only did we feel unwelcome, but I feel we were treated like second class citizens. Not once were we asked if everything was ok. We waited 45 minutes for the starter and then a further 45 minutes for the main course. We were not offered deserts or coffees and my husband had to ask for the menu to order a coffee. The bill came to £92 and I feel the whole experience was definately not worth the money spent. To top of a disasterous night both myself and my husband were violently sick all night and suffered terrible stomach cramps for the remainder of the next day. I had the worst anniversary ever and wanted to cry at the poor service and welcome. Needless to say we will not be going to SAN ROCCO on king st again.
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Angie Robinson
Thursday, December 13, 2007

Following my mistake in submitting this review to the wrong restaurant (San Carlo near Kendals) - this is the correct restaurant (San Rocco on South King Street) that I want my review to be seen.

We came here on our anniversary on 12th July hoping for a top class meal but was deeply disappointed with the quality of the food.

For starters, it took the waiter 2 attempts to provide me with the correct soup of day which was green pea soup which arrived luke warm. The scollops we ordered were overcooked and we hoped for a better main.

The raw-medium fillet steak was not tender and just did not have the right juices oozing out which suggest that the steak may have been in the fridge for some time. The sirloin medium steak was cooked about right but we were most dissapointed with the vegetables - boiled too long served as they were with no seasoning at all - bland and overcooked carrots/ brocoli/ cauliflour - yuk!

When asked if everything was alright as the head waiter/ manager usually does - we gave a slight embarrassed smile as you do. From that point on - we were ignored for the rest of the meal which we feel is quite disgusting service. No doubt we did not leave a tip and no member of staff saw us out when we left.

I am obviously very disappointed with this experience at San Rocco - as I opted to come here instead of Don Givanni's which received mixed reviews on this website. The ironic thing is I went to Don Giavanni's last week and it was 10 times a better experience that I had at San Rocco.

I can see that there are some similarities between my experience and some of the negative feedback for this restaurant which does echo most of the points that I make regarding food and service.
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Ant - View all reviews by this user
Wednesday, September 12, 2007

brilliant restaurant! always made to feel special and the food is beautiful!! i have had a variety of meals the many times i have been and all have been perfect!!! As someone who due to their job spends alot of time in restaurants eating with clients.. this is definately somewhere i would take them again and again!! Great value for money for a central italian restaurant in manchester! I can only say those who have given this a bad review have obviously been to a different restaurant or have no idea what they are talking about!!
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Elizabeth
Monday, January 01, 2007

I have never been to this restaurant before and I can honestly say I will never be going back! The waiters acted like they were doing you a favour by being there. A lady on the next table asked for a taxi to which the Head Waiter turned around and pulled a face. I had to go and find my own coat at the end of the night and the service can only be described as surley.

When the food finally arrived my pasta was obviously cheap packet pasta with a few bits of salami and what seemed to be a jar of Ragu dumped on top. The side salad was wilted rocket with balsamic vinegar and three old shavings of cheese. My partners meal was not much better - tough overcooked chicken with the same ragu and cheese sauce with a tiny plate of vegatable which had been boiled to mush. As for the potatoes, they tasted like frozen Aunt Bessies!

The surroundings were ok, but very bright. We both felt very on show as the waiter kept walking past scowling every so often.

With two glasses of wine the bill came to £40.00!!!. All I can say is I could have produced a far better meal at home. Why this place is still trading is beyond me as it certainly can't be the same customers returning - dreadful.
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Emma Jarrett
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Truly horrible. I hate to say this, because I see that others have given this place a favourable review....but as a trained chef and lover of good restaurants I can tell you that this is some of the worst quality cooking I've come upon in years.

To start, we had pasta with seafood, and a scampi in cream. The scampi was actually pretty good, and was the ONLY dish of the night about which you could say that. The pasta should have been illegal. Horrid, tired bits of near-spoilt fish that bordered on being inedible....and some pasta and oil. That's it...bad fish, noodles and oil. Wow.

Mid-course we had a minestrone, which was ok....though how could you screw up broth and vegatables?...and "Cream of Lobster". This was the worst Lobster "Bisque" I've ever had...by a MILE. First of all, it was about 1/2 Marsala, and tasted of nothing *but* Marsala. Lobster Bisque shouldn't even *have* Marsala in it...the only booze that belongs in it is brandy and/or sherry...but in any case just a bit is called for. They just half filled the bowl with the innapropriate Marsala, and put in some stock and cream. Horrible.

For main courses we had a T-Bone Steak and a "Veal Marsala" (oh no, more Marsala). The steak, which I ordred Medium rare was solid grey throughout, and absolutely tasteless. As bad as a steak can be. The Veal Marsala tasted ONLY of cheap chicken stock...and I mean they have literaly disolved a stock cube, poured in a bit of Marsala and slapped it on a plate. Apart from the obvious fact that one should use *veal* stock (and good stock, not a 5p cube that tastes utterly synthetic) there was almost no cooking skill evinced in the preparation of this dish.

Quite simply, this kitchen has no skills. The front of the house is great....very friendly and efficient waiters...nice atmosphere. But the food could not possibly be more amateurish. As bad is it gets. Full stop.
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Saturday, August 19, 2006

Went here on a Saturday night and loved it. The steak was cooked to perfection and mussels were exquisite. The atmosphere was vibrant and would definatley roccomend!
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Matt Brotherton
Tuesday, January 24, 2006