Warm, laid-back eatery dishing out hearty burgers & tacos plus street corn, cocktails & beers.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 46 Church Ln, Belfast BT1 4QN, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 28 9023 3282
Website: http://bootleggersbelfast.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Bootleggers Belfast
Bootleggers (@bootleggersbelfast) • Instagram photos and videos
Bootleggers – Belfast Restaurant Week
Reviews
Place was packed, and silly us for showing up without a reservation. We put our name on the list and were seated 30 minutes later.
I had the Argentinian burger which was great and the a simple fries to compliment whilst my friend has a classic burger and loaded tater tots. Really really enjoyed the burger and would order the same again.
On my first visit I ordered an Outcider which arrived at my table with a bug in it. When I brought it back to the bar I was told “it’s your fault, you’re sat outside” despite the fact I was sitting inside. I then watched the staff member pour the same drink into another glass and try to hand it back to me. I had to argue with the manager just to receive a fresh, bug-free drink.
Another visit for food was equally frustrating. Our food took roughly 50 minutes to arrive, despite several tables who ordered after us being served first. When my meal finally came out, it was completely the wrong order. I then had to wait an additional 15–20 minutes for the correct food to be brought out.
The way the situation was handled made things significantly worse. While raising the issue, the manager repeatedly stood extremely close to my face (less than 10cm away intimidating) even as I stepped backwards multiple times to create space. It was very uncomfortable and felt extremely unprofessional. I mentioned that she was standing a bit close, but she continued to step forward during the conversation.
Once the manager stepped away, instead of calmly resolving the situation, another staff member then came over and began arguing with me about my order as well. Being confronted by multiple staff members when simply trying to correct a mistake made the situation unnecessarily confrontational.
I was eventually given a voucher, but the overall handling of the situation was extremely poor.
The most concerning part happened more recently. I briefly stopped into the building to use the bathroom while meeting a friend who was nearby. As I was leaving and already walking away from the building, the same manager came outside and stopped me to confront me about a review I had left.
Being stopped outside a business by a manager to confront a customer about a review is extremely uncomfortable and completely unprofessional. It did not feel like an attempt to resolve anything it felt like another confrontation.
Situations like that reflect very poorly on the management of a hospitality venue and are not something customers should have to deal with.
I have worked in hospitality myself and understand that mistakes happen. However, the consistent pattern here seems to be staff *including management* arguing with customers rather than resolving issues calmly & professionally.
After multiple poor experiences and being confronted outside the building about a review, I will not be returning.
I hope this feedback is taken seriously, as no customer should feel uncomfortable simply raising an issue or leaving a review. The argumentative and confrontational approach shown by management may also explain why similar behaviour appears among some of the staff, as standards and culture in hospitality typically flow from leadership in my experience.
I wish you all the best as a business but will not be back.