The Clerkenwell Dining Room and Bar

I had the special offer lunch at this restaurant (3 courses for £20) and was really blown away. The food is genuinely exceptional at this price, beautifully presented, great flavours and wonderful ingredients. The only downside was that the restaurant was half emtpy which staggers me as I can only think people don't know about it.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 03, 2008

Went for lunch yesterday and was absolutly thrilled by the whole experience.

From the moment we were greeted untill the moment that we left, nothing was left to chance.

i was alittle nervous by some of the previous reviews, but i found that these were totally unfounded.

The food is too die for, from the generous freebie soup,to the exemplory oxtail tortellini with scallops, the succelant rost lamb with tender braised shoulder,

and then to finish an excellant tart tatin with pears and caramel sauce.

all the food was faultless, and extremley well executed.

We had an excellent pinot noir which was well priced for a restaurant of this calibre and the wine waiter is to be complemented on his understandind of customer requirements.

all in all an excellent restaurant.
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Tony
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, February 29, 2008

The Clerkenwell Dining Room is an excellent venue for a taking friends for a meal. A warm, friendly but not too overly cosy atmosphere. Attentive staff who don't over attend. Food although not cheap was well presented and the steak excellent. The wine kept flowing (the Pinot is to be recommended). Having perhaps stayed late into the evening there was no sense of expectation that we should leave which helped to make the whole occasion memorable.
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ML - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, February 26, 2008

We've eaten here many times befor e but dinner last week was probably the last .

What has happened to The Clerkenwell?!

Tough ravioli, salty salad.

Desserts never were the stronger side of this restaurant, but this time was just unacceptable.

I am realy sorry to say that cause we used to love this place

Staff unknowledgable!

A specially remember rude waitress while everyone was running between tables she was just looking into the sky.Helpless even when we've been waving to her to ask for drinks she ignored us.

coupple sitting next to us wasn't happy to, they has to wait a 45 minutes for each course.

we may come back in few months to see if anything has changed but not very soon.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, February 14, 2008

We tried Clerkenwell Dining Room at the beginning of February 2008 and it was the worst ever experience we have had. The service was extremely sour and unacceptable. Manager tried his best to recover the situation but it had already deteriorated to an abysmal level. The wait for first course was 1 hour. The main course (or what we thought was our main course) was delivered after 1.5 hours - but then wisked away again and given to another table! Finally, our main course arrived and, although the quality of the food was good - one of the meals (Rib-eye steak) was nearly cold! We declined to choose a dessert (and to have to wait for longer) - in any case, our appetite has disappeared and we couldn't wait to get out of that place!
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, February 03, 2008

went there for dinner last night, and with there current offer it is outstanding value for money. the service was excellent and sebastian in particular took extremley good care without being over bearing, and the food was simply irresistible,. the combination of flavours and textures was second to none and quite simply, i think this is one of the best chefs in london at the moment. go there soon offer of no offer!!!
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Alex T
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, January 25, 2008

I love the restaurants in Farringdon. But the Clerkenwell Dining Rooms is an embarassing blot on this foodie landscape. Our meal there last nigth ended up with my highly affable and courteous dining partner rowing with one of the waiters who seemed to think we were not the best judges of the inedible main course of Roast Port Belly, which we sent back to the kitchen because you could not physically chew it. My main course of Halibut was dry and would leave Tiny Tim still looking gaunt and hungry, served as it was in a tasteless curry sauce with sad, limp vegetables - sorry to get you up chef. Our starters had been a little better, but oversized and rather clunky in texture and presentation. The waitresses were, however, fabulous, immediately taking the main course off our bill and apologising profusely. How they work with that jumped up waiter who thought that he knew better than two customers, who are not only rather obsessive lovers of food but were also paying upwards of £130 - oh yes - for a meal that my grandmother would have turned her nose up at during the inter-war years. His aggressive line - 'well we have been rather busy this evening' left us gobsmacked. Hey, we've only worked all week and were looking forward to a meal that we are going to pay handsomely for, but don't let that get in the way of your busy kitchen. So. Avoid fork rage, save yourself your hard earned cash, and quite possibly, your teeth.
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Lou - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, November 09, 2007

Dined here last Friday and it was not particularly busy. We were not sat in the main dining room but in the side space with 3 other couples - had assumed the main room would be full up with other reservations (but it wasn't - we were there til after 10pm) . Everyone was on the 50% off deal - but can't knock it. It's a great way to try a new restaurant.

Service was warm attentive and professional. No problems here.

The pre-dinner chef taster, a rich & yummy girolle mushroom soup, was an unexpected surprise. I had a squid starter and halibut & pork belly main course. It was a first for me to see the fish meat combination but it did work well..

I have to agree with other reviews on this site that the number of ingredients is a little high for every dish. There was a lot going on with each course.

But quality was good, wine list was okay (though I am by no means an expert).

I wouldn't turn down another chance to go again but will remember to ask to be seated in the main dining room next time.
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LoveGoodFood - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, October 02, 2007

I went with my wife and another couple on Saturday 1 September. Only 3 or 4 tables full when we arrived but was probably 70%full by the time we left.

Service was fine, if not hightly skilled and I was brought a jug of tap water without demure, which is always a good test.

Starters were large:my octopus was a little lost in the various accompaniments, I snatched a tasty tempura prawn and the tomato consomme with garden veg was particularly appreciated.

Mains were equally ample, if again with a few too many ingredients. My halibut was much better than the last ime I'd ordered it (20,July at Inside SE10), though I would have sooner had more fish and done without the oxtail ravioli. Everone else seemed happy enough though some comments in the same vein from the rabbit eater in the group.

Obviously 90% on the Saturday night i.e. non-business customers are here on 50% off the food deals. My personal taste would be to have things 50% simpler and charged on a straightforward basis. Don't refuse an invitation to eat there though.
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John McNally
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Monday, September 03, 2007

My wife and I had dinner at the clerkenwell on Saturday night; we both thought the food was fantastic, excellent combinations of favours and the menu was very diverse in choice. We will surely be back offer or no offer.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 12, 2007