Baltic

We ate at at Baltic tonight and to say that we were disappointed was an understatement. The rump of lamb was so tough and had to be wrestled with on the plate and was served with an amorphous mass of aubergine puree. My partners chicken was little better. We looked forward to a desert of creme brulee with marinated cherries in vodka - on arrival there was not a cherry in sight in the ramekin.

The lighting is incredibly dim and we had to hold the tealights on the table over our dishes to see what we were eating! The staff were most unreceptive to feedback and we were asked to pay 12% service charge! Overall a most disappointing and unmemorable experience and we will definately not return.
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Ann Watts
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 1
Friday, February 22, 2008

The food is as good as ever - freshly cooked, generous and delicious.

Every meal I have eaten here has been a delight.

The Dill Vodka shots are a perfect digestif after a satisfying and leisurely lunch!
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Mrs. Irene Smith
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, February 02, 2008

I have been a regular at the Baltic for more than 5 years and have been one of its keenest advocates. But in the past two or three months, something has changed. On the first visit before Christmas,I put it down to a one off bad night but it now transpires that the management has changed completely and apparently all the wonderful friendly staff that used to populate the restaurant have gone with them.

Bookings now have to be made cap in hand and I was told for my last visit that I had two choices of times, 7.00 and 9.00 as they have two sittings. When we arrived at 7.10, we were told that our table was probably gone "but they would see what they could do". When I suggested we had a drink at the bar whilst they sorted it out, I was told that we had to wait at the reception desk otherwise we wouldn't be seated at all.

The ordering of pre-dinner drinks when we got to our table was chaotic and we ended up with more drinks than people but the waiter would not take them back because he insisted that is what we ordered.

What was once wonderful food is now very average. The foie gras which historically has been the jewel in the crown for the Baltic came as a shrivelled burnt offering (despite having asked for it pink) and the main courses would not have been out of place in a works canteen.

Service was inconsistent, with main courses arriving for two of our guests and then a five minute interval before the other two mains arrived.

Incidentally, the two sittings policy doesn't seem to be implemented very well and there were a number of vacant tables throughout the evening. I suspect the inevitable decline has begun.
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Ridgerunner - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Monday, January 21, 2008

Have been going to Baltic since it opened several years ago - I love it - the food, the space, the ambience. Unfortunately the last time we went, taking American friends, although the food was as good as ever, the service was pretty awful, confirming the views of other recent reviewers. It was just a stream of incompetence - being asked by three different people about eight times if we were ready to order, wine brought before cocktails, which arrived after our starters, main courses appearing from kitchen before starters had been cleared, side order forgotten, and several other errors. The staff were charming on the whole but they didn't get it right. And no, the restaurant wasn't that busy.

I wouldn't be placing this comment if Baltic had bothered to respond to the email I sent to them directly, by the way.
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Lizzie
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Great food ( love the Polish pierogi),amazing atmosphere,music and the staff . It was incredible busy,but we always were served by the waitress with the lovely smile eventough we could notice that she was running all the time and could not pay attention as much as wish. Anyway the Baltic is a special place and for sure I will come back.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Any time i go to London i can not to miss the BALTIC in Wateroo and say hello to John who recenly is very busy with other restaurants (VODKA in South Kensington ,Chez Krestoph inHammersmith...lovely and unusual atmosphere,very taste eastern european food( can not to say no for the soup made from the beetroot and great service from great staff). Finally after really long time I have met the head chef who is a very kind person and really enjoy the conversation. only one thing that really annoyed me and not the first time was one member of the staff I suppose was (probably and unfortunately) a waiter who thought that he is the wisest person in the universe......just make himself look like a someone who has just left a preson(no hair at all((((( an this face...........((With all respect that I have for this restaurant,he was very inpolite,talk too much and beyond was only served the drinks he stressed all the customers and make them feel uncomfortable.No coment at all.

Besides that person I have enjoyed much,relaxed and planning come back as soon as get to London again ho ping no be served by that strange,unpolite Peter.
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Max
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, December 15, 2007

Saturday 1st December 2007

I suspect I had the misfortune to go on a bad night. Certainly the noise from the other tables was very loud but understandable given the acoustics of the room and the number of large parties going on.

Let me say first off what was good: the food (or at least the food we received) was of a uniformly high standard and the range of vodkas available was exemplary.

The starters (mixed blinis) were good however they'd run out of my partner's original order of polish sausage.

When the main courses were delivered they were missing the side orders. After a few minutes the waitress came up and we explained we were still waiting for side salads. She went off to try and find out what had happened but we never saw her again.

By this time the dishes were getting cold so we tucked in. The venison was good but after waiting for a while hardly hot.

After we'd explained the earlier problems when we came to order desserts we got a complimentary vodka each. A nice touch but it rather failed to satisfy when we had to ask a further three times for more drinks orders to be delivered.

Verdict? Go on a quiet night, but if it's busy don't bother fighting the lack of attention and go elsewhere.
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Cthonus
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, December 04, 2007

This place has a great atmosphere, a real buzz. The food is traditional, a little quirky, and to a very high standard. The Vodka shots are a must; they have a very wide selection. The staff are also very patient especially when the vodka takes hold of you.
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Chris
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, November 16, 2007

Food was lovely and the restaurant is modern and attractive with a good atmosphere. Service was really poor though. The staff were grumpy and unhelpful. They made an error with our booking and a number of mistakes with the orders and not once smiled or apologised. By the end, when we realised our bill was incorrect and we had been (minimally) overcharged, we decided to cut our loses, pay and leave rather than face any more tutting from the waitress. It's a shame though as appart from the service, everything else was spot on!
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Friday, October 26, 2007

Oh Baltic, how I love you... let me count the ways...

This is the first restaurant review I've written so I hope that displays the depth of my affection. I'm so upset (and surprised) that some people haven't enjoyed it here! Oh well I guess it's just different strokes for different folks... But let me say that I am very hard to impress and well-known for sending food back... but I would happily take a bullet for Baltic. (ok slight over-exaggeration perhaps...)

Last night ate at Baltic for the fifth time in two years and was astounded once again. I took my (kiwi) parents there in a hope to impress them with some London cuisine. This is no mean feat as NZ is completely oversupplied with fantastic food. But impressed they certainly were.

Due to the constraints of the NZ dollar, we opted for the pre-theatre menu which is an absolute bargain in anyone's book. Every mouthful was sublime. Fancy, no. But sublime, yes. From the Goats cheese and beetroot salad, to the (oh my god I can't believe something can taste this good) pork goulash, to the praline-encrusted rhubarb and cranberry crumble, I was in culinary heaven. If only I lived closer!

And as for the decor, well it's a matter of personal taste, but I find the calming white walls, warmly flickering candlelight and skyscraper ceilings, balanced with the gorgeously cocoon-like entrance are just to mine. Elegant, whilst still being totally unintimidating.

To be short, I'm so in love with Baltic, if I could have it's babies, I would. If you like good food, please, just go.

(oh and slightly less for the service which wasn't overly effusive, but I have a feeling that could be just a polish thing? Bless).
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Jaim
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, September 04, 2007