Old Rogue’s Retreat

[davidge]

This restaurant is near the top of Soi 5 Pratumnak. There have been lots of rave reviews of the breakfasts on the Pattaya Food Groups on FB so I went with 2 friends this morning to try it.

We arrived just before 10 and the place was full. A group were just leaving so we got a table in a few minutes. It was busy throughout though there were a couple of empty tables by the time we left.

Service was dreadful. It took a while for our orders to be taken and then food arrival appeared pretty random. People ordering well after us got served before us, one of us eventually got our food then another about 5 minutes later then the last of us a good 10 minutes after that. Waitresses kept taking food to the wrong tables, and didn’t know who had ordered what.

Two of us ordered the Large English Breakfast at 165 baht. It comes with tea or coffee or juice and 2 slices of toast with butter and marmalade.

The scrambled eggs were good, the hash browns Ok but slightly undercooked, the tomatoes and mushrooms average. Beans were ok as well. I didn’t particularly like the sausage, a bit ‘dense’ for me and very greasy. The bacon was very over cooked and like shoe leather. 
Friend found his Big English to be just as bad and ate less than half of it. The other friend ordered cornflakes and fruit salad but said it tasted of onion.

I have no idea why it gets so many good reviews on FB as both food and service really was bloody dreadful. 

[LASportsNut]

I have been about 3 times before with mixed results.

They just remodeled and reopened this or last week.

I wonder if the table numbers changed and the staff is confused.

I any event, I will probably try them again in about a month after they sort out the kinks.

Edited June 27, 2023 by LASportsNut

[LoneCelt]

 

Old Rogues is excellent for dinner as well. 
Have not been there since the remodel but before that it was consistently the best food in the local area, IMO. Prices were very reasonable too.

It's is quite clubby, so perhaps not as welcoming to new faces as they could be but of course that does not affect the food.

[jimboh]

Overall, I like the place. Their food is good, well priced, missus likes their Thai food too. Never had a problem with service.

Decent selection of draft beers.

Only drawback, there is a resident village idiot hangs out there, small Scottish bloke, sits outside thankfully. Total rocket, cant believe he is allowed pollute the place. 

[davidge]

Well, 24 hours on and if anything I think I was too generous with my review. Quite honestly, the bacon wasn’t fit for a Soi dog and the sausages weren’t much better. The breakfast (what I ate of it) sat very heavily for the rest of the day and the unmistakable taste of stale cooking oil and grease repeated on me throughout the afternoon.

Thinking of the service and delay in getting our food, I’m now pretty certain that at least part of it was deliberate. A couple came in about 20 minutes after us and were obviously regulars from the way the waitress greeted them. They ordered the same Large English with scrambled eggs as two if us had and got their food in about 5 minutes. Pretty obviously the waitress gave them our meals because she knew them and decided we would just have to wait, and wait, as we weren’t really important as we hadn’t been there before.

This place is now firmly on my list of restaurants that I will never set foot in again under any circumstances. The fifth restaurant to make the list.

 

[az89]

I went there about 5 or 6 times for breakfast in March and found the omelette very good and service was OK , obviously it’s changed since then.

I also went a few times in the night and found the place very “clicky” but ok to watch sport , on the last occasion a couple of racist Irish guys who were obviously regulars didn’t stop swearing and insulting other nationalities, so I never went back.

[az89]

Davidge , what are the other 4 if you don’t mind saying?

[davidge]

4 hours ago, az89 said:

Davidge , what are the other 4 if you don’t mind saying?

I’ll mention them but won’t go into details or get into a discussion because I reviewed them at the time and see no need to repeat criticisms of businesses again now. Some on my list are very popular with many but I won’t enter again.

The other 4 are: Natan’s, Cafe des Amis, Dom’s and a Thai restaurant on the top floor of Central Festival - the name escapes me.

[az89]

Thanks, I doubt if I would go to any of the three you mention anyway, although I did spend a few days in a room above Dom’ s last year.

Although slightly over priced Sands at the bottom or Pratamnak Soi 5 I found Ok for a relaxed lunch.

[jimboh]

Had another few excellent meals here recently.

Swedish meatballs was good, Cottage pie also.

Went Thai last week, the spaghetti  kee mao talay plenty seafood and spicy.

No issues with service, actually find service staff cheerful, I know a few from Tara Court bar where they worked previously. 

Draft beers very reasonably priced, as is the food.

[davidge]

On 01/07/2023 at 08:45, davidge said:

I’ll mention them but won’t go into details or get into a discussion because I reviewed them at the time and see no need to repeat criticisms of businesses again now. Some on my list are very popular with many but I won’t enter again.

The other 4 are: Natan’s, Cafe des Amis, Dom’s and a Thai restaurant on the top floor of Central Festival - the name escapes me.

I’ve realised that there are 5 others not 4.   Pan Pan is also on my no go list.

[simon1]

Thanks for warning , iffy service and racism , not for me