Butlers Wharf Chop House

I have often thought of going to The Chop House but been put off by the expense but decided I would take advantage of the current 2 courses for £10 deal.

The only good thing about the whole evening was the fact that we were seated outside and Tower Bridge went up to let a tall boat through, everything else about the place means I will never go back there again.

There are dozens of uptight thin French staff who make you feel as though you are a microbe of unimportance in the infinitely more superior life they are leading and who take 10 minutes to pour a pint of beer. The food was dull - I had a field mushroom with beetroot and walnuts which was just that, nothing remotely special or tasty and my husband had a soup which I tried that tasted like Heinz chunky soup. For a main course, he had a goat's cheese souffle with more beetroot which tasted of plastic and I had a cheese tart which was meant to be made with some special cheddar but honestly I have had better ones from M&S.

Finally, as other reviewers have commented, it was very obvious that none of the food had not been cooked on site - overall, very disappointing.
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alimarcam - View all reviews by this user
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I had booked a table for six people in the evening and was pleasantly suprised sitting over looking the Thames and up at Tower Bridge. A strange thing though, my mouth was not watering at the normal succulent smells of a restaurant that should be emmitting from the kitchen. I then noticed on the menu that all the first courses were cold except the soup and yes, probably were made up on site. Looking at the main course, I new immediately that not one of the dishes were prepared or even cooked in the kitchen, all were either Micro waved or heated up. The Steak & Kidney pies had all been purchased elsewhere, and the Rack of Beef looked plastic.

I hate being 'done' and as I paid £270 for six persons without a sweet I believe that food should be cooked on the premises and not bought in from a large food production factory. Very disappointed with the food but happy with the service for a sunday. Wine list very much over priced. In these hard times I wonder for how much longer they can hope to operate like this with these exorbitant prices.

Perhaps I am just getting old and expect more value for my money!
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PAG
5 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 3
Monday, August 09, 2010

Horrible!!!

If you don't want any service and prefer to be ignored all night then this is the place for you. My boyfriend and I went for coffee and dessert and everything from the moment we sat down was appalling. We told the waiter we just wanted coffee and dessert, and after he took our coffee orders, he didn't bother to wait for our dessert orders and just walked away. So we had to order our dessert with someone else.

We did get our coffee and dessert fast enough but then watched as they cleaned table around us after table while the servers knew we were done and left us alone. 45 minutes later we just walked out...which is exactly what the staff deserved!

BTW, this is our 2nd visit and in the first visit, where we actually ordered full dinner, the appetizer left much to be desired. I ordered the shrimp, and when my plate arrived, there wasn't a shrimp in sight. It was sent back and "corrected", and arrived absolutely frozen and had to sent back again.

Not worth it at all. Avoid this place which doesn't care at al about the word "service".
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2 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Sunday, July 25, 2010

I was expecting a lot from this place, having walked past many times and been recommended many more. It's not Mayfair, but it thinks it is.

My main gripe was with the service. At times pressure-driven. At other times non-existent. This was mainly evident in the bar area, as the restaurant area was run very differently. But, as it's one business, it's one team, so one player spoils it for the others, I'm afraid.

As we arrived, we were asked if we wanted to have drinks at the bar and take them to our table. We declined, only to be asked again. This is unacceptable. When a customer gives you a response, it is your job to go away and respect that response - not to question it and apply pressure to get an answer more to your liking.

After the transfer to the restaurant section, everything went a lot more smoothly. It's just a shame that the food wasn't quite up to the standard that the price implied. Sirloin steak should not be such hard work on the jaws as this was. Furthermore, their chips were most decidedly undercooked. Wine is vastly overpriced. If they want to price themselves squarely in the corporate event bracket, that's fine, but don't expect me to appreciate it. And for the love of.... please find a better cut of beef.

Atmosphere? Yes, fine. You're on the river. You can see the bridge. I was too annoyed by the staff by this point. Have a 6.

Lastly, as we left, we couldn't access the cloakroom for lack of staff! We must have waited between 5 and 10 minutes before we were noticed.

Interestingly, my partner had no problem with anything described above. So do bear in mind that what you've read is only one person's opinion.
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Alan Ingham - View all reviews by this user
5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, June 01, 2010

I can only wonder if I went to the same place owing to the comments below or maybe they have bucked things up/changed management/had a new chef in the last 4 mths?!!

I went with a friend last Friday night and had one of the best meals I have ever had in London. We had the special deal of 3 courses with a glass of wine for £25 which was tremendous value for money and I could not fault one thing - well only the fact that side dishes are £4 a go which is extortionate but that seems to be the "norm" everywhere now!

The service was friendly and efficient and it was lovely and relaxing sitting outside with the view of Tower Bridge. I will definitely go again and have already highly recommended it to both family and friends over the Bank Holiday weekend!
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Natalie Davies
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, May 05, 2010

I have been to the Chop House on a number of occasions. On a recent visit with clients this week, we had a good mix of starters and mains in the main restaurant. While no one complained about the food, nobody was making any noises that affirmed they were eating something special. I think this is my main gripe. I think it was once an outstanding restaurant but the food lacks lustre and the service (this place is well staffed!) lacks finesse. Besides that, the place needs sprucing-up.

This place once had GREAT bread. Now you are offered white brown or wholemeal. It was once sliced moments before you were offered it - now it is in a wooden box drying out.

I had a Prawn Cocktail, which was over £9 as a starter. It was of a similar quality as you would get (and expect) at a Beefeater. The lettuce had been standing (and browning) for quite some time, the tiny soaking wet prawns drowned in uninspiring rose-marie sauce. After working your way down you end up with a puddle of watered down rose-marie and a meagre two pieces of postage stamp sized (in all proportions) non-descript bread.

For a main I had the fillet steak with 6 chunky chips and stilton cream sauce. The steak was really quite good. not WOW! but quite good. The sauce was okay but meagre in portion and the signature marrow bone had little more than fluff in it which saddened me. The rockety garnish actually had many wilted leaves and looked like if graced a tightly clenched fist moments before my plate.

Service was quite attentive but this on a Monday night with few diners. I never like it when waiters take advatage of group tables. 'Still and Sparkling Water Gentlemen?' What really annoys is when your once sipped still water is topped up with sparkling to empty the bottle in the hope of another high-ticket bottle of H2O. As an aside there was a St. Andrew's Day Promotion, which unless you are familiar with such things as Tatties and Neeps, which our Japanese guests were not, could be lost and so warrant interpretation.

The specials were not annuciated by our table waiters - pity.

I made a bad choice with the wine. I am presently going through a New Zealand white phase. My mistake was thinking a £27 bottle of NZ Savignon would be a sure thing. It wasn't. Far far too flowery but I can blame only myself for this selection.

Expect £50++/head at this place.
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KCP-London
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, December 02, 2009

The food is fine, the wine and the service too. The only problem was the noise. We had to yell at each other to make each other heard. Wooden flooring and low ceilings do not help, but not the place to go for a quiet or peaceful evening. And I also have no idea why the digestif is ice cold and the water lukewarm.
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- View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, November 17, 2009