Reviews on sites like Tripadvisor can make or break restaurants and pubs, and they're not always as straight forward as they seem.
It often boils down to to under-par food or rude staff, but for one place in London, it turned out the confusion was down to something else entirely.
The Red Lion & Sun in Highgate Village, one review saw them rated with only one star and a weird criticism given about why.
Sharing the review several years later, the pub posted on Instagram: "I just had our chimney swept and was reminded of this classic review. It still makes me laugh all these years later."
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The post was accompanied by a screenshot from an online review, which explained why the unhappy customer had given a savage one-star rating.
"I received my bill i was charged £3.60 for sitting near the fire place (Fire side) even though it was a quiet Wednesday afternoon with lots of empty tables, the bar staff failed to tell me about this!" they wrote.
"The food was pretty average pork belly with shredded cabbage and a couple of roast potatoes and a watery flavourless gravy. On the menu it sounded better. I did like this pub will probably go else ware now."
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Now, you might be agreeing that a 'fire side' charge is, indeed, pretty ridiculous, but the pub was able to explain the mystery in an incredible response.
Iit turns out it wasn't to do with where the person was sat, as The Red Lion wrote: "Dear Sir, We DO NOT charge to sit near the fire. I think you will find the £3.60 was for an ale you had to drink called "FIRE SIDE". All our ales are priced at £3.60."
Awkward.
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The post has drawn a few laughs with people adding their own jokes to the comments, as one person shared: "This approach may clear up my confusion from a previous visit where I had been charged for the simple pleasure of dining with my wife Stella!"
"The cost of logs has gone through the roof," joked another.
Another posted: "Take us back to when a pint of ale was £3.60."
Others couldn't get over the humour as one person posted: "It’s a classic."
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Another shared: "Howling."
"Best review ever," said another.
One more wrote: "Can't stop laughing."
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The review was from 10 years ago, so things may well have changed and the price of a pint has definitely gone up.
It's also worth noting that The Red Lion and Sun is rated as number six in the UK's Top 50 gastro Pubs for 2024 and 2025, as well as being included in the BBC Good Food Guide's Best Sunday roast Top 50 in 2024 so the food has been highly praised and recommended.
Topics: Restaurants and bars, UK Food
Niamh Spence