The Arches cafe bar Glasgow City centre

To set the scene: It was a busy busy day on the week before Christmas. Two mate out for a beer or three were looking for somewhere relatively cheap and with available seats to grab a burger and a pint. So we decided on the Arches.

Worst decision ever.

To start with, impressions were good.The decor and ambience in the place is superb. The staff were smartly dressed and we were seated quickly. There ends the positive part of the review.

After beaing seated, we ordered our drinks, and then our burgers upon the waitresses return. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. The place was relatively quite, apart from a table of eight, who, judging by their glasses, were there for some time before us. Anyway, 45 minutes or so later we had our burgers. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand places can get busy but surely some sort of advanced warning or even COMMUNICATION from the waiting staff if things are lagging behind. We had none of it.

And what burgers they were! My beef burger was bland, tasteless and without any redeeming features whatsoever. Served with seven, (yes, SEVEN!) pale and previously frozen chips, and a pathetic "dip" of what looked like tinned tomatoes mashed into a ramekin. Pathetic, utterly pathetic. My friend's lamb burger was insipid, and utterly awful also.

Total bill - £21.75 for two dire burgers, a furstenberg and a bottle of pear cider.

Did we complain? No, but then, what would the point be?

My advice - avoid the cafe bar at the arches. It's a unmitigated disaster from the minute you order your food.