Le Pont De La Tour

a really nice place to eat especially now the summer is here.....the new food is wonderful.....we had the seafood platter to share with.....oysters in jelly, potted crab, prawn cocktails in shot glass's and more was definatly the highlight.....but the mains and desserts were all good and memorable....service did look a little stretched but when we asked we did get attention...and the staff were polite and attentive just on asking.....the wine we had ,matched well with our summer mood and the whole evening was just really enjoyable.....a little to expensive to be a regular but i'm definatly gonna check out the new sunday menu at £26 for 3 courses as i find it hard to find a descent roast beef and yorkshire pud....hope it wont diassapoint
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dean chodean
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, May 16, 2008

Had been a fan for many years. Ate here often in the late 90's. Even wrote some nice reviews, but hadn't visited for ages. Special guests from the US in town, good weather, what better place to visit? Unfortunately, answer was "anywhere". Heard dodgy reports from friends in the City but wasn't prepared for the sheer amateurish service and indifferent food. Shown to table 15 mins late by surly hostess, and then only because made a fuss. Table had clearly been ready for a while. No menus until we begged for them. Were asked for wine order before we had menus, and no wine list, then two turn up together. Waiter was asked about the Dover sole, said "nothing special" ! Wine came (Meursault 1 Cru) so cold bottle had ice on it. Smoked eel starter was good, but he was right about sole! Much vaunted sea bass signature dish small and dry. Most Americans will think portions small ( I don't mind that). Not good when you have to apologise to guests for poor restaurant choice.

What is going on ?? Mr Conran, you may be selling up, but don't let things go to pot in the meantime. I had my first date with my wife at this restaurant, all those years ago, but we wont be going back. A very sad experience.
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The following review is for the bar & grill not the main restaurant.

Been here over a dozen times over the years but I doubt I’ll be back for a while.

The food choice and quality have taken a nosedive and the service is going the same way. If a restaurant is going to charge me 12.5% service on my £30 bottle of wine then they should either make sure my glass is topped up or they should leave the bottle next to my table so I can do it myself, not 10 feet away.

As for the food it's not bad it's just a bit bland and boring. What we ate was fresh and well prepared but you need more choice: 2 types of steak, 2 types of chicken, 2 types of fish in breadcrumbs, 1 other fish dish, lobster and a veg option.

The one area that I cannot find fault is the atmosphere. Always a nice buzz and the pianist is great. The hustle and bustle of the bar is the main reason I eat here rather than the main restaurant.
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Chris - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Sunday, April 13, 2008

We have eaten at this fabulous restaurant on two occasions. The service is impeccable without being ostentatious. The food is to die for. Try the fixed price Sunday lunch menu, simple but so good. The Yorkshire puds must be the best on the planet.

The new chef is passionate about his food and if you are lucky you will have a chance to talk to him.
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Peter Coxall
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Thursday, March 27, 2008

I went to the Pont de la Tour on Saturday 15th March 2008. Myself and four others dined there , the service was superb as were the starters and wines, however the main courses were not, my Chateaubriand was cold as were the side dishes. I did inform a member of staff but no one returned to the table to ask further.

we ordered a taxi for the party of 5 and were told to wait at the bar, 20 mins later a man arrived to take us to the taxi only to find (in the pouring rain I add) that he could only take 4 people, 2 returned to the restaurant for a further 20 mins. The staff in the restaurant were not at all interested and ignored the 2 people until it was time for them to leave. Bearing in mind we had spent £500+ we were miffed to say the least.

If the food had been amazing I would probably not have bothered writing this.
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margaret guppy - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Monday, March 17, 2008

The most bland food i've ever eaten!

Even at £20 for 2 courses this place is not worth visiting. I went with a party of 4 last weekend all of us are "foodies" and enjoy great food. I ordered pumpkin and sage soup to start which was actually ok, then I opted for a rib eye steak and it wasn't even seasoned at all, it was the most tasteless steak i've ever eaten.

2 others in our party had the steak also and thought exactly the same. The fourth person in our party had pork belly and it was a very small piece he finished it way before we finished ours.

The service left alot to be desired as well. Whilst paying the bill the waiter was looking around so much he gave the card machine back to the wrong person and didn't even say "thank you" when we'd paid.

We'll never eat here again, it was really packed and I can only think it must have been full of tourists as it's on the river.

Save your money do not go here if you're into food and good service!
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Karen
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Monday, January 14, 2008

My favourite restaurant in the world!

I am a very picky eater and was not sure that I would be able to find anything on the menu that I would really like. I was very suprised to find many items on the menu that I wanted to sample. The food quality is outstanding and the atmosphere makes you feel right at home. The waiters are very friendly and genuinly want you to enjoy your time there. I am from Australia and was keen to try a wine from France, but I had no idea what to pick. Our waiter selected a wine based on the dishes we had ordered and it was supurb.

From the moment I walked in the door to the moment I walked out I was very impressed. Fantastic atmosphere, fine food, brilliant service and the overlooking tower bridge. I would never have expected for a restaurant like this to be in my price range. Excellent value for money.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, October 09, 2007

We visited this restaurant on (2007) August Bank Holiday Saturday evening and enjoyed the views across the Thames. However the rest of the experience was dreadful. The tables outside are crammed so close together that if you sit next to someone who is obese you are constantly being barged by their movements. The younger probably more temporary staff were friendly but service delivery was poor. We waited for over forty minutes after our starter for our main course to arrive. We even had to prompt for this several times. When it arrived my veal was tepid, my partner's fish pie was microwave hot and her son's steak arrived lacking the necessary sauce. The French fries......well they were just soggy. The salad was fine. Their prices do not reflect the food's quality. To be honest I have enjoyed better quality food, served with more savoir fair at half the price in my local Dog and Duck. If you are this way for the day I seriously recommend that you try one of the many other eateries near by...................you must surely find something better than this.
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Richard Kimberlee
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Lovely place, great people and good food.. what else?
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Mike
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, August 17, 2007

I went to Le Pont De La Tour with colleagues for a celebratory dinner and was so disappointed by the experience.

The service was superb but the food was seriously disappointing - flavourless dressed crab, small and very fatty lamb and school dinner style side orders of swiss chard and potatoes.

Way too expensive for such appalling food
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 0
Monday, August 13, 2007