Rowley's

Been 3 times this year and always found the food and staff to be of the highest quality.

Only gripe is the unacceptable size of their tables, especially when only 2 of you are eating .Surely if the restuarant is quiet a couple could be shown to a slightly larger table !

Cover charge and 12.5% tip also needs reviewing, taking liberties me thinks !
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Peter.
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, July 26, 2008

I went there with my mum and sister and we all went for the steak followed by two desserts. Drinkwise we had two beers each and I had a glass of wine with my steak. We also got a few side dishes and some bread. Total came in at £150 which I thought was bit pricey and we all felt that the food was tasty without being amazing and left also feeling a bit ripped off. Cant remember the price specifics like the previous reviewer except that the steak were £19 for 6oz and £25 for 10oz I had the 10oz and mum and sister had 6oz. That comes to £63. So that leaves £87 for 2 desserts, 4 beers, bread, green beans, fried onions, 2 deserts and service charges..... Something not right about that...
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Alban
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Thursday, July 17, 2008

Had lunch at Rowley's on a Saturday afternoon, nice interior to the place and the steak was good, wouldn't say fantastic though. The fries could be a bit more original rather than McDonalds Burger King fries even though they were unlimited, rather have limited fries but of better quality.

After that couldn't help but feel rip-up off afterwards after paying for a SIT-DOWN cover charge of £4 for 2 people for bringing business to the very quiet restaurant. Then when paying by chip-and-pin card the waitress' give no choice as to whether to add a tip/service charge or not, all ready added at 12.5% and that’s on the SIT-DOWN cover charge as well, must be the tip for showing us to an empty table. The Quality of food was okay but expensive for what it was and service not great especially with the tip charge added to it all.

It a pity, was a nice place itself, why they make you feel a little ripped off when you leave is unfortunate but wouldn't go back and not good enough to recommend. Plenty of other restaurants with better steaks and much better value for money in better locations than this place.

Rowley's, scrap the cover/seating charge and the service charge and amount should be the discretion of the customer, if the service is good enough to warrant it!!

Lunch

1 starter

1 main course

1 set of cheese

2 glasses of okay wine

1 espresso

Price £65
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M.Steele
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Sunday, February 10, 2008

Three of us had a delicious dinner at Rowley's last night.

The first thing that struck me was the warm and friendly welcome we received. The staff were very attentive yet discrete and worked so well and seamlessly together.

The food was absolutely delicious and perfectly presented. I can recommend the scallops for a starter! For main courses we had the steak, tuna and guinea fowl respectively, all of which we really enjoyed with tasty vegetables, especially the spinach. For desert I had the creme brulee with raspberries which was fresh and very tasty indeed.

The wine list is excellent and we had a lovely glass of Kir Royal to start, followed by a delicious bottle of pink Sancerre.

It was a lovely evening. I really love the ambience at Rowleys with its beautiful interior, friendly and efficient staff and other diners who always seem to be really enjoying themselves as well. This all combine to make Rowleys a very unique and enjoyable experience every time I go. I love to bring visitors to Rowleys because it is a veryspecial London restaurant with its own character which is a rare treat in London these days!
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D. McDonald - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Dined at Rowley's recently and don't know what these people are talking about. The ambience was delightful as it is a really beautiful room. The staff were courteous and attentive and the food really tasty and well cooked.

I have been two or threee times over a number of years and find it hard to choose anything other than their signature steak dish, which is glorious. The menu is limited but in a good way because all the dishes are well done. The wine list is also excellent.

Rowley's represents a bit of old English tradition which delivers what it promises and has not been swayed by passing fashions unlike most other restaurants. On my last visit I thought the clientele looked like regulars and I know why.
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J A O''Connell
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Monday, September 24, 2007

We had a good Steak, with the buttersauce, which I think is to much overpowering the quality of the steak. We where disappointed by the sticky pudding, which we remembered from our last visit. It was tasteless with no spice whatsoever in it just an extremely sweet and dry sponge with not enough sauce to soak it. It was not sticky and the sauce also was different and tasted like buttery soap. However the service was very good and the wine-list is fantastic. Although its pricey. Its not a restaurant to come for the food but if you like wines than you are right here.
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Francis Ortle
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 3
Sunday, July 08, 2007

Food was nothing special. Good steak but extremely salty buttersauce and McDonalds chips. Also tasteless and dry sticky toffee pudding. Good and friendly service, good wine list.
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Hector C Schwarz
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The food and service here are fine, but my bill (for 2 people) was as follows:

£35.00 for 2 mains

£22.00 for a bottle of wine

£7.13 for the 12.5% service

£3.90 "cover charge"

£0.49 for 12.5% service on the cover charge!

So basically £57 for the meal and £11.52 for service. Does this place (or indeed anywhere) warrant a 20% service charge? No. In these days of included gratuities I find it outrageous restaurants have the nerve to add a non-optional cover charge.

So my advice: until Rowley's scraps its cover charge, go to 'Old Express' in Shepherd Market: it's the same menu but significantly less of a rip-off.
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NT - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 29, 2007

We came here for the steak, and that was basically all we ate. Two lots of nicely cooked entrecote (you get a second one for £6 if you're so inclined - as we were), with delicious herb butter. And the (unlimited) chips, which were hot, crispy and delicious. No idea what the rest of the menu was like, but I can't imagine anyone ordering their signature dish and being disappointed (apart from perhaps a Texan). Nice wine, nice service, no atmosphere but then it was 7pm on a Sunday in St. James - hardly a carnival.
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Tim - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 7
Monday, April 30, 2007

Very good delicious prawn tempura, superb and perfect medium-rare cooked Chateaubriand with an excellent meat quality.

Loved the chocolate cheesecake.

The service was friendly but had no knowledge of the food and wine they were serving.

We had a great evening dinner and where thankful to the kitchen staff to change some dishes to our requirement.
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M Lee
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Monday, November 27, 2006