Would a vile restaurant review deter you from visiting that restaurant?

I am not criticizing, but I am amazed at the # of board members here and on other boards that believe the reviewer had some sort of agenda with his review and the story is not real.

Does it happen sometimes? Probably. But not enough to doubt a review.

Some people are sheep and others are pioneers.

Pioneers? More like guinea pigs.

Depends on the food the restaurant serves, the number and content of the complaints and who wrote the negative review.

If they have 9 excellent and one vile - that would be a 90% approval rating. I would not let one bad review turn me away - several? there are enough alternatives that I don't need to go there. Having had food poisoning a couple of times I really look around when I enter a restaurant for the first time - including a trip to the washroom. If I don't like what I see I don't stay. An Italian friend of mine elevates it to embarrassing - he always asks to speak to the chef and checks out the kitchen that way.

Some peopple will bitch about almost anything, not to say a fingernail isn't reason to, but I somehow doubt the accusation. I've read stellar reviews on some places and

PJ,as usual, has the best advice if you want to go by reviews, tripadvisor are the most reliable.

This isn't about restaurants, but it has made quite a bit of press on the other side of the pond:


Crime bestseller caught using sock puppets to trash colleagues and hymn his own 'magnificent' work

If 90% of the reviews are favorable, I wouldn't worry about it.

If 90% of the reviews are favorable, I wouldn't worry about it.

I use my judgement. I can read a menu and decide if it is somewhere I want to eat.
No fingernails in my food yet!