OXO Tower Brasserie

We took my mum here to celebrate her 70th birthday. It was a party of 7 adults and baby G so we went for a late lunch on Saturday. We were actually quite lucky with the weather as once the rain cleared we had great views across London. Now first thing to say about the Oxo Tower is that the service is really very good. A warm friendly reception from the moment we walked in. There was no issues about taking baby G's buggy into the restaurant and throughout the meal we were very well looked after. There was a little wait for our table but champagne appeared quickly for the birthday girl and we all settled in very nicely.

The room itself was packed but again a good team of waiters made it work. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and there was a nice buzz of conversation which meant the occasional welps from baby G were drowned out. Now the food itself was a different matter. It certainly talked a good game on the menu. I went for a squid salad followed by the ribeye steak to be served medium. The salad was good though quite watery however I enjoyed it. The others enjoyed their starters of prawns , soup and squid so the stage was set for the main course. However on a whole these were dissapointing. My steak was severely overcooked. Normally I would have sent it back but I didn't want to spoil mum's lunch by having to wait for a replacement. At £25 for a main this is a real no no, too long on the pass methinks. My lovely wife had the cod which was nicely cooked but again the kitchen had forgotten to drain the greens properly so they leaked all over the mash turning an initially nice looking dish into a fishy porridge.

The lamb with harissa that the others had looked good and because it was sliced up the kitchen could make no mistake with serving it medium.

Desserts were better I had the chocolate brownie which though good could have done with being a nicer texture. We washed everything down with the lovely house rose champagne, a very good Albarino, a fairly average Shiraz blend and a very good Beaunes de Venises with desert. The bill came to £100 a head which was really going some for some pretty average food. I didn't actually mind the service charge as I thought that aspect of our meal had been good. The Oxo Tower doesn't really cook food it assembles dishes and this shows. Everything looked pretty but I don't know if anyone was checking what was going on the plate. There is no point giving me two lots of delicious sauce with my steak if you are going to overcook the main event. Someone described this sort of food as lego cuisine which is quite apt. So all in all a disappointment, the place looks good and the staff are very professional but someone needs to sort out the kitchen. Having said that mum enjoyed herself which was the main object.
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david ginsberg - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The venue and the service was really good -The food absolutely awful! Both the starter and the main looked fantastic on the plate. the starter was edible but not tasty. I simply could not eat the main, it was that bad! Even the bread was bad, very hard and impossible to chew.
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3 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Friday, September 10, 2010

just had lunch at the oxo food was so good and the service excellant.will be comin back 4 dinner
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cats - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, August 15, 2010

Have been going to the OXO Tower almost since it opened & have always had lovely experiences there. The food is good, not fantastic but OK. The views of course are wonderful and the ambiance has been relaxed, friendly and waiters just right.

I note that on my last two visits we have been given a 2 hour slot which is quite rigourously enforced. I went with a family group on my 60th birthday and were really not given enough time and sent to the bar which was over crowded. We would have preferred to linger a little longer over our coffees instead we had to glug them quickly whilst being pestered to pay our bill. I visited last night and saw the same thing happen to other people.

If you don't mind being thrown off your table or know you can get through a three course meal in 2 hours flat then it's a great place to go. Personally I will think hard before I book again which is a shame when I have enjoyed so many special times there over the years.
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7 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, July 07, 2010

I dined here on Saturday 2nd of May as a surprise from my boyfriend and I was not disappointed. The service was great, the food was OUTSTANDING. The best I have ever ever had. I had the octopus with squid ink, the lamb, then the chocolate fondant. It was truly amazing-perfect presentation. There was a few drops of rain from the ceiling (as the weather was awful) but the manager was there in a second and was so apologetic. I haven't stopped going on about it since I have been! Amazing views!! Can't wait to go again. Expensive but worth every penny!!!!!
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steph
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 07, 2010

I dined at the Brasserie on Saturday 20th March to celebrate my birthday. The staff were freindly and efficient from the start. to the end of our meal. The staff were excellent and the food was out of this world, delicous! every course was lovely. I am planning my next very soon.

I will definetly recommend it to all my family and friends.
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Juliet Stevens - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, March 22, 2010

We had dinner there last night. Very disappointing! Firstly they got the orders wrong so one of the party was waiting for 15 minutes while the rest of us ate our main courses! The staff were ok but not very attentive. My steak was lukewarm and it has to be said that the prices were too much! Overall a disappointing night out !!
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David
2 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Sunday, March 07, 2010

Visited the brasserie last week, this is going to be earmarked as one of my favourite places to eat. The brasserie has the most amazing views, we did not get a window but it did not matter as the whole of the front of the room is glass. The food was delicious with lots of choice, what makes this place really special I'd the staff who are genuinely warm and helpful. Go to the bar afterwards, brilliant cocktails. Roll on the warm weather so we can eat outside on the terrace!
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Ella Whyte
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Meal was very good. The service was first class.

Food was excellent, wine and Champagne was very good and the venue had one of the best views of London I have seen.

All our guests had a very good time and I would use the venue again.

Final bill after drinks etc. which I think was reasonable considering the quality of the venue.
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Kelly
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, January 25, 2010

This review is based on a bar visit, rather than full-on dining but felt compelled to write. My partner and I popped in on a very snowy afternoon... and i would recommend anyone to mark OXO as a place to bookmark for a snowy afternoon. The most amazing view of beautiful London Town covered in snow, great cocktails in the bar - and you can take them out to the viewing gallery, a view of london that is almost 360 degrees to to the situation of bar/terrace. Gorgoeus staff (in many ways...). The South Bank is getting better all the time, and OXO is the perfect place to take a breather (and a drink or two). We only had a couple of bar snacks, they were v. good
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Bee - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, January 10, 2010