Franco's

I had lunch here today and must say it was distinctly average. The bacon, spinach and avocado salad starter had absolutely no style about it for £7.75. The veal chop apart from being small was tasteless. Although we arrived early the service was rushed and the overall experience was poor. There are too many good restaurants in London to consider returning there.
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Andrew Lea
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

I feel bound to correct the headline average price of "£ 30" on this site- we had a starter and main each, two side dishes, one bottle of water, 2 coffees and a good bottle of wine (£30)- no dessert- and it came to £67 a head. The venue is pleasant enough and the service very good and friendly, but I would reluctantly have to agree with reviewers who described the food as rather ordinary- for those kind of prices, you expect something really memorable: I'm afraid it wasn't. The tortellini were nothing special, neither was the crab salad starter (a shocking £14).

A place best visited on expense accounts. To be fair, it is Jermyn Street after all, not Old Kent Road.
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Nick
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

We have been seriously impressed with Franco's.

We went to a private dinner party for around 20 people to celebrate the birthday of a friend the other day. The room has an air luxurious decadence and is perfect for either intimate meals or functions.

The food itself was superb. I had a warm crab, avocado and tomato salad followed by a fillet steak with porcini mushrooms which was memorable and cooked to perfection. The wines were fabulous and the service impeccable. Friendly without being overly so and discreetly efficient.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, November 30, 2007

I continue to find this a real gem in central london. The food is always excellent and the service very strong. The menu is well rounded and the wine list now that the manager has taken ownership of it is deeper and more befitting food of this quality. The hidden treat is the deserts though that remain as good as any we have had in london and often at significantly higher prices.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 29, 2007

I accidently stumbled across this restaurant a few weeks ago and it's one of the best things I've done! They were very happy to oblige us with a table late on a Friday night after a late theatre and still provided us with an excellent post theatre deal. The spaghettini with clams was simple yet superb and chocolate fondant heavenly. I've since been back and had the ossobuco which was deliciously tender and just falls off the bones. Although the prices for the regular a la carte menu were a little high, they are well justified.

Staff are very friendly and knowledgable however are very discreet. They were so accomodating on the late friday night, it was such a nice change to most service in london.

I can recommend this restaurant to anyone and I will be back.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

On our last visit we had wonderful fresh and pungent white truffle shavings with our pasta. It was truly sublime. We wanted a quick snack after the theatre and were given a warm welcome although we only wanted one course each. However, we could not resist the pan fried sea bass or the turbot which were both delicious. There were several tempting specials on the menu and we look forward to returning soon.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Not great. A real parson's egg frankly. My starter of crab meat and avocado was as simple as it sounded, just a mush after 15 seconds. The meat dish, of a name lost to me, was fine but plain, no sauce, just cut meat and a real grind to eat. Frankly all four of us were disappointed with restaurant: oddly light, full but mostly tourists and after a series of neither fish nor fowl remarks as above, the one thing it certainly turned out to be was...expensive. I mean two drinkers having had perhaps two glasses each, one pudding & one coffee, a lot of water (two non-drinkers) and the per head charge was £57!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This meal was insipid. Not bad, nothing shoddy nor strictly wrong but so boring and tame, so monotonous that I remember wishing I was at home when in fact I was with three close friends. I think that is the real conclusion and I think the management are wasting a prime site.
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ANONYMOUS
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Friday, September 21, 2007

Oh dear, I feel sorry for the reviewer below as we had the most wonderful meal. The scallops were one of the best dishes I have ever had - perfectly cooked, sweet and succulent. We had the Vitello Tonnato and thought it superb. The rest of my table (6) had almost everything off the a la carte; lamb, liver, seabass, pasta and all declared it excellent.

The service was swift and the wine waiter was particularly professional and well informed.

Highly recommended.
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Brian Clivaz
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, July 29, 2007

I went to Francos for dinner. The food was tasteless which was annoying given the price of it. The Vitello Tonato had no flavour and they were miserly with the capers. The grilled seabass was cooked well but tiny. I ordered the fennel as a side dish to supplement it but it was totally tasteless. The waiter brought the the wine with the wrong year on it twice. My friend has rack of lamb which was very good. But I'm afraid I would never recommend this place.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Friday, July 20, 2007

Went to see 'The Importance of Being Earnest' at Jermyn St Theatre (wow it's small in there) so I thought I might as well go to a restaurant on the same street for convenience. I have to say I was really impressed by the lovely decor but more importantly the food was fabulous.

I had the lamb shank for my main course which was melt in the mouth gorgeousness. For dessert I had a carpaccio of pineapple with a mint & melon frappe and a raspberry sorbet absolutely delightful. My friends had salmon and cod for their mains and fruit tart and profitteroles for dessert which they were very pleased with too.

The ladies toilets were very nice, Floris hand wash and cream. Service not overly attentive in a good way. I will definitely be going back.
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Tessa Williams
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, May 07, 2007