Every year when the sun shines for about a week and the girls peel back there duffel coats to revel there white skin I get the opertunity to cook.
My style of cooking is simply, prepare it and cook it, the BBQ code for beginners nothing fancy.
Now, I’m not a well known Scottish chef or even the person in my home that makes the dinner most nights but I can muster together a mighty fine burger, not had that many complaints over the years and I’ve never charged a dime for it.
Today, 9 of us from the office decided to try a new pub for lunch called Lebowski’s in Finnieston, it looks good, a bit trendy for lunch but worth a try. What a mistake that was, since waking up this morning Nick has been going on about getting a real good burger, he had us all enthus’d about getting this good burger. A quick call to some friends that have been before for a quick review and off to Lebowski’s we went.
Not a man, a way of life:
1 hour to make 3 burgers, is this acceptable? McDonalds can knock them out every 4 minutes.
So after such a long wait and patientions being lost should it deserve a harsh review? Well simply, YES!
Burger was under cooked, the wedges to my amazement where black on the outside and raw in the middle. They should make a youtube vid about how to do it, amazing. No condiments and then charged full wack at the end, the other table of guys from the office got comp’d a free round of drinks but they had been waiting an hour and a half and the same message is coming throught from them.
Sorry to say none of us will be back, simply not good enough for the £10 a head charged.
Time to call Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares.
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Yep - I concur it was rubbish. It didn’t have the look of a business that was going anywhere.
posted on February 8th, 2008 at 2:59 pm - #726When we arrived the cellar door - next to the seat I was apportioned was open - nice. Always good to have a health and safety issue as you walk in the door.
Small dog was passed over bar later on which always helps with the old hygiene aspect was again lacking - though the dog was a cute wee thing so plus points for it.
Burger was undercooked, salad was covered in some sauce which was tasteless and appeared to have mustard in it - though couldn;t taste anything. The Salt and Pepper grinders were good - hugely effective at grinding and milling my condiments - as none were offered to us and we had to ask for them.
I would not be at all surprised to see this place being featured on an up and coming episode of Gordon Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares. I’m fearing this as if the front of house was this bad god knows how bad the kitchen is…
All in all this place could benefit from being run as a business rather than a couple of friends messing about pretending to be entrepreneurs.
Ghastly , ghastly truly bloody awful. It is a stain upon my soul to even have visited.
Lebowskis - Wouldn’t be surprised if someone did come in and piss on their rug - purely because they couldn’t make it to the toilet as they’d waited twenty minutes to find out where they were.
I was there as part of the group, and I made a point of having a word with the manager about the delay. I explained to him that we didn’ t have an hour to wait for the food - we had an hour to wait, eat, pay and get back to the office (drones that we are).
To be fair to him, he did shout us all of our drinks (two rounds, one alcoholic and a round of cokes with the food) and you can’t ask more than that. My one complaint though was that we did ask how long the food would be in advance and were told 20 minutes - blatantly false. And the food? Certainly no complaints at our table. I don’t mind waiting for good food like this - just be honest up front.
posted on February 8th, 2008 at 3:04 pm - #727I’m blown away by peoples comments and sorry for their experience - was this just a bad day as they are both on the same day 8th Feb!? I say sorry because I bring my work team in here weekly, my girlfriend nearly every weekend, and a nicer more friendly place I have never seen. The guys at the bar are complete professionals, and have only ever treated us with the highest care. As for the food, its the reason we keep going back, nothing porocessed, its all scottish and the flavours are fantastic. i can honestoy say I have never had a bad meal at this place, the food is amazing. As for the comments on mcdonalds, if thats peoples preference then stay away form this place as its good wholesome natural food without any crap in it. I suspect the fact that absolutley everythings freshly prepared and cooked to order would result in the delays on a busy day - if i wanted a burger in 4 minutes i’d worry about what i was eating! I’ll keep going back and my colleagues bring their friends and family too. A true gem of a bar in a sea of bland pubs banging out microwaved processed junk food. To not visit this place wouuld be to miss out on a great local experience! Keep up the good work guys!
posted on March 4th, 2008 at 4:37 pm - #731I find it extremely hard to believe your experience of Lebowski’s was a bad one. I have nothing but great things to say about this place the food, freshly prepared and the service friendly yet proffesional - what a breath of fresh air!
Briggs, I would like you to tell anyone how to open or run a successful business let alone have the balls to do it! I know how much hard work my friends have put into opening their own businesses so I can only assume these guys must have worked hard to achieve what they have - a great place to eat, drink and chill out! Maccy D’s does a 4 minute burger because it is wafer thin and pre cooked but if thats what you want then by all means go there Boydie. But I would rather know where my food came from.
Every place has it’s bad days,I have yet to experience one at Lebowski’s. I would never write such a great place off, based on one bad experience. Next time I am in I am going to tell the guys about your reviews, I wouldn’t be suprised if you got in touch with them that they would invite you down to try out their new menu. Genuine nice guys, give it another go!
posted on March 4th, 2008 at 8:26 pm - #732Hey Rachel. I’m glad you’ve been having a great time down at Lebowskis. My experience was completely different to that which you’ve enjoyed. It could be a one off - and I’ve only written how I felt.
posted on March 5th, 2008 at 12:43 pm - #733On the McD Vs Lebowski Burger it is likely that a well cooked Lebowski burger has the potential to be far greater than a rat burger. However potential isn’t something to base repeat custom on.
Based on your opinion I think it would only be fair to go back down and see how far Lebowskis has come.
Can you reccomend what I should have to eat next time?
Hi Rachael, Thanks for your opinion of Lewbowski’s, as you can see from most of the other reviews we’ve done not that many are bad.
posted on March 5th, 2008 at 12:54 pm - #734I appreciate that it might have been a bad day and we went there on a recommendation of a friend who loves the place, hopes raised.
But our opinion was that of poor service and quality. I personally don’t believe that there service and food is like that most days but as this blog proves, every customer is a critic, and as we work in online marketing it probably wasn’t that great for Lebowski’s to provide this group of people poor service and not the best food.
I will however go back in the future and edit my post based on that event, and if it changes I will post accordingly.
[…] was your standard pub stuff… I’d already decided what I was going to have based on this review of the same restaraunt. So my order for the Lebowski burger went to the […]
posted on March 8th, 2008 at 5:11 pm - #735I can honestly say that the bad experiences noted above can only be explained as an anomoly. I’ve been to Lebowski’s on several occasions and have never had a bad experience whether my visit was for food, drinks or both. Atmosphere, service, presentation, taste and overall satisfaction have always been top notch. Speaking specifically to the burger, I’m from the US and originally grew up in Los Angeles, the unofficial capital of the states for phenomenal hamburgers. I consider myself to be something of a burger connoisseur as they are one of my favorite food stuffs. I consider Lebowski’s to be the best burger I’ve had in the UK thus far, and I’ve tried quite a few. I urge those of you who have had a bad experience to give them another shot.
posted on March 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am - #740Boydie and Briggs - sorry you had a terrible experience. I am one of the owners and I would like to invite you both back and have a complimentary meal with drinks on me. Then go back and write another honest review. If it is bad then say it is but if it is good then….well, say it is.
I dont want to be ‘prepared’ for your visit and therefore get a great review. No just pop in the next time you are going for lunch and get the ‘real’ experience
Thanks - Sam
posted on April 7th, 2008 at 10:58 am - #746What an absolute Gem of place!!!
An incredible find if i do say so myself. I find it extremely hard to believe i am writing about the same place that these heathens above have slated, they obviously don’t know or realise a haven when they see one.
Food: 11/10. Portions: Huge. Service: Non pretentious, friendly and very welcoming, and what an attractive and wide selection of drinks to choose from their back bar. This is a true barmans bar with a great warming atmosphere to boot.
Keep up the good work guys, don’t listen to the nonsense above, they don’t know what the hell they are talking about!!!
posted on May 5th, 2008 at 9:27 am - #758Oh, what a wicked review in the List also, i see they gave you 1 of their extremely precious stars too!! Just goes to show that the TRUE EXPERIENCED critics rate you very highly, and so they should too!!!
Have you guys yet been back to the Bowski’s to try the new menu? Again I am another person who has nothing but massive praise for the jewel of the place. I moved to Glasgow 3months ago and its a fab place that has become a treasured local and meeting place. The guys are fantastic and the burgers (and steak, wedges, salad, bangers and mash) are awesome. Portions are big so take it easy on the brekkie so you can wolf it all down. Given it is a new business and you admit yourselves everyone has an off day (especially given when you are in startup mode) isn’t it time to take yourselves down there and give them another go and then review your writeup. A place like this deserves support (which it has from its increasing legion of faithful locals). Who wants another bland indetikit bar with bland menu etc?? Support Lebowski’s a bar with character, individuality and a good heart! M
posted on May 6th, 2008 at 10:16 pm - #759Guys - when ru going to change this site its old and out of date, as are the comments about lebowksis? Its about time you gave the Lebowskis place its dues. Great Food, good prices and great atmosphere. I should get the guys at lebowksis to pay me for biggin up the place, but every once in a while a place comes around that deserves great recognition and having this over the top dig (that boydie and briggs have written - hardly subjective and rather more personal attacks, isn’t it guys) appear when you search for the place is plain wrong in my view. The major national publication that is the LIST Magazine has just rated Lebowskis as outstanding - its on their Hit List and featured in the magazine.
posted on May 10th, 2008 at 4:49 pm - #760Great idea you guys seem to have but you need to keep up with things!
I agree with Andy, surely this site needs to be updated.. maybe you guys could see if this was just a one off and pop in again… the remarks seem quite personal and unbefitting of a place that delivers on service, atmosphere and quality? Thankfully, it hasn’t put me off visiting the place, and now, on a regular occassion. The service is fantastic and friendly, the food is fresh and tasty and they know how to make a mean french martini.. what more can you ask for? The guys who run this place are really passionate about what they do and it comes across in the way they interact with customers… give them another chance!
posted on May 11th, 2008 at 4:35 pm - #761I know everyone has an opinion……….some just aren’t as nice as others!!! I love Lebowskis, so much so that my friends and I have called ourselves the Lebowski Ladies and meet up every Friday and go and chill wilth a few bottles of wine or cocktails and a nice bite to eat. Since moving to Glasgow I have found it really hard to find a pub that has a great atmosphere, is friendly not pretentious, you can wear what you want (dressed up or down), feels comfortable (even walking in myself and I don’t do this anywhere else!!) and serves non fussy but really good food. Lebowskis ticks all the boxes. It’s a gem of a place and the guys are really nice and chatty and always look after us. It’s a hard thing to set up business and especially challenging when you are friends but they can definitely give themselves a pat on the back. Keep up the good work and I look forward to many more laughs in Lebowskis.
posted on May 12th, 2008 at 4:31 pm - #762Hey guys. Thought I better update this thread - I’ve just logged in for the first time in a while and am amazed by how much reaction there has been.
posted on June 2nd, 2008 at 3:29 pm - #774We have not been back to Lebowskis yet - and that’s purely because Boydies changed jobs and his works way out of the city - as such I’m recruiting new bodies to get involved. I promise by end of June I’ll be along with at least one other person and re-review Lebowskis.