Livebait (Covent Garden)

I visited Livebait Covent Garden this week (Tuesday 20th April) following a number of visits in the past year and after reading previous reviews i wonder if they are eating in a different restaurant to myself and my wife !!!

We booked as always over the phone for a table before our show and was given exactly the time we required. On arrival we were greeted by the manager and a lady on reception, both of whom were pleasant and welcoming.

We had a quick glass of champagne at the bar and shared some oysters, as we were early for our table, this was quick and barman was talking to us and other guests with a smile.

We were served by a young lady who was nothing less than proffessional throughout and clearly knew the menu enough to guide us through the specials and wine menu.

Dishes were served exactly on time for our schedule, starters were lovely crab cakes and fish soup, mains, fish pie and lobster risotto were GREAT !!!!

Our manager (Dominic) checked our food was correct and invited us back for desserts when leaving for our show, which we did exactly that and were given the same experience whilst sharing a toffee pudding.

What I know from my experience is that the food and service were great and we will shorly be returning again and would recommend this to our friends or family !!!
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8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Friday, April 23, 2010

Sorry but a new manager has not made a long term impact.

Like many a reviewer here we had had some lovely meals at Livebait iin the past and in particular this branch. However on Saturday February 20th our experience was so poor it truly has put us off for good.

I am not prone to complaining on sites like this but if I thought complaining to the restaurant itself would have an impact I would have done so as to make real change I believe the direct approach to be best but no one at this restaurant gave the impression that my optinion was was wanted or that it would be listened to.

We were kept wating at least 15 minutes for our pre-booked table being told 'we want to make sure we get you a good table'. Assuming the restaurant was full, when we were brought into the main restaurant we were suprised to see a lot of empty tables: so why the charade of the 'good table' line. Not being picky but its was a very ordinary position - nothing too special.

So the food: when I complained that the fish soup was too salty the person I took to be the manager (the most senior member of staff that night at least) who took the dish away said 'oh OK' and that was it....we saw nothing of him for the rest of the night. OK so moving on I would like to say the food got better but it simpy didn't and as the night progressed the service became non existent.

Now I could bore you reader and pull apart our meal bit by bit but would only be repeating much of what fellow diners who have reported on this site before. My big issue is why charge so much money for second rate service and food. You may be in the West End but you have no right to rip people off. Cafe Fish, a sister restaurant in the same group was at least honest in its delivery and execution. You knew what you were getting and the price reflected it. Unfortunately Cafe Fish appears to have gone to the wall and at the risk of sounding bitter I do hope Live Bait go the same way and hopefully someone along the line will learn a lesson or two.

Such a shame.
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0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, March 31, 2010

We visited Livebait on January 16th after a disasterous evening in November 2009 [we had been invited to return at another time]

Dominic the newly installed manager was most helpful and made our evening

most enjoyable lovely food ,excellent wine,will definitely continue to use Livebait

in the future and wish all success to one of my favorite haunts.
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Juliet Bendell
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Sunday, February 07, 2010

We went to Livebait after many many years on Sat 23rd Jan, 2010. In the past it was a firm fav. However, our experience in Saturday was completely lack lustre:

Atmosphere - lacking. Completely understaffed with one lady waiting on nearly all the tables, it took 2 or three goes to get some water!!! I do not blame the waitress in anyway she was going 100miles and hour training to keep everyone happy so was compelled to leave a decent tip.

Food - Bread and butter basket (which is included in the £2 per person cover charge)

Stale - had been cut and left for most of the day no doubt, labelled 'fresh' it was not. It was a mass produced nasty baguette. The butters - very runny the anchovy butter was liquid.

Starters - Crab fishcakes - and a sauce that couldn't be described! burnt and greasy. Scallops - ok could have done with a twist of lemon. Both lukewarm

Main - Seabass on saffron rice, seabass was bland - in fact felt as if I has choosen health option with a complete lack of flavour and seasoning. The rice - saffron is a beautiful product fragrant and alluring, here it seemed to have been confused with yellow food colour or tumeric...no saffron had seen met with this dish. The rice was served as a gloopy mess with water - revolting. Smoked haddock, egg and mash - no flavour, no seasoning. No notes on the menu about the sustainability of the fish or the wether the eggs were factory or organic. At the price we paid I would expect sustainable and organic, Both mains tepid.

Toilets - shared with the theatre next door, so if you get caught out during a theatre break be prepared for very cold food on your return.

The tables next to us complained about their food the waiter apologised - but no manager came over.

We tried to explain on all occasions about the food to the waitress, the language and the pressure she was under made it difficult for any change.

We paid full whack for an awful meal, it ruined our anniversary won't be going back its a complete rip off targeted it seems at tourist and not returning guests.

Its a shame, many a happy night has been had here in the past.

Should anyone from livebait wish to discuss this feedback would be happy to discuss, I do not want to seem unfair - but I tried on the night.
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1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, January 24, 2010

Saturday 12th December was my fourth (at least) visit to this restaurant and unfortunately my most disappointing one, had it been my first I do not think that I would bother again. Service was good, atmosphere was good - we know it is not a quiet place, but the food was disappointing. We chose from the set menu- the avocado was like a rock. the fish pie had only salmon in it (no sign of any sauce) with a small amount of mash on top. The risotto was salty.

We did point out these short comings to the waiter, who was very apologetic, but that was as far as it went.

I feel cheated as I have always enjoyed this restaurant in the past and have even recommended to others but I wish I had tried somewhere else.
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Susan Livermore
5 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Monday, December 14, 2009

I have had the misfortune to eat here twice in the last two months once as a family and once with friends and on both occasions we were due to go onto a show. With over one and a half hours to eat I thought we might be able to get a meal - unfortunately we were kept waiting both time for over an hour before our food came - and on the last occasion it cam at 7.15 with the show due to start at 7.30. To watch other diners complain and express their dissatisfaction was the only comfort that this was not personal - and the food was distinctly poor on one occasion. The worst bit is trying to register a complaint - Livebait and their parent company have done a brilliant job in looking as though they want feedback but making it impossible to speak to a real person.

This restaurant should be boycotted until they work out how to run it as a professional venue
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Robin Hutchinson
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Friday, December 04, 2009

We ate at Livebait last night and we won't be going back. We had booked for 5.30 pm as we had a theatre booking. After arriving promptly a waiter quickly brought us bread, our apperitifs and took our order. Then we waited... and waited ... and waited watching other tables that had arrived after us receive their starters. Eventually 45 mins after our arrival with still no sign of them , we asked where our meals were and explained we had a theatre booking.Our starters arrived 5 mintes later having been promised within 3 - just in time as we were about to leave for a big mac.

The starters were OK - my husbands prawn and advocado made up of the tiniest prawns or chopped prawns we' d ever seen with almost as muched chopped tomato which he hates. My fried calamari whitebait and prawn was more whitebait than calamari and prawn so a good job i like whitebait. Thankfully our mains were not delayed but they were very disappointing. my husband's fish was nice but the mushy peas and chips were almost cold the latter also a bit hard and my fish pie was awful - should have been advertised as salmon mush pie - with one or two of those miniscule prawns - no chunks of fish, no prawns to speak of no velvety sauce and really poor non creamy mash - thank heavens it was only a small portion or I'd have left it. No time for desert because we had to get to our show. the bill came quickly enough and the manager did knock off our apperitifs as an apology - we'd rather have paid in full and had a good dining experience - still plenty of other restaurants in London.
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Karen
3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, October 28, 2009