Hawksmoor Spitalfields

Our food was nice but to me it just wasn't Goodman's standard. Steak was cooked medium rare instead of medium, sides were tasty but my dessert was very average! I didn't think it had the amazing selection of starters that Goodman's have. I had a tokai based cocktail and that was lovely. Our waiter was very good.
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Krystal Moore
7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Friday, February 08, 2013

Far and away the best steakhouse in London. I've been coming here since shortly after it opened and have been to the others in the chain, and really this is just superb. Yes it's expensive, and i admit that i'm shocked every time we come here, but the meat is the best i've found in London, the service is ok, not phenomenal, but better than average, the cocktails probably are some of the best in London, they have BYO wine on Monday for £5 and £25 during the week,. .It's a relaxed atmosphere and there's a great bar downstairs. I've been to Goodman, Mash and a few others, and every time i come back to Hawksmoor because it's so damned good.
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Edward - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Sunday, January 27, 2013

I came here as a treat for my birthday.. We started off with a nice cocktail in the bar, which was lovely and the barman was very friendly and good. Then we had a starter in the restaurant, followed by a steak to share from the board, which was amazing. Perfectly cooked and the triple cooked chips were amazing. Compared to Gaucho, the steak was much better and the service a lot more friendly. For dessert I had the rolos, which were lush. A lovely evening and lovely food, I'll definitely be returning.
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Champers - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Had very high hopes for Hawksmoor, with it regularly topping best of lists but was quite disappointed.

Popped in for their Sunday roast, thought the place itself was nice, wasn't overcrowded and the staff were helpful. The wine list doesn't really offer much below £35 that is particularly interesting, especially given that it's a beef restaurant.

The meal itself was ok, but it wasn't great - tasty but excessively chewy meat, roast potatoes which was a bit too small and so a little too crisp. That was it really, there wasn't anything else to make it sparkle, no twist to justify the price. At £20 a plate it was decidedly average and wouldn't return- there are stacks of pubs doing great roasts for at least a fiver less.
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John - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Monday, September 17, 2012

We ate at Hawksmoor Spitalifields last night and I am still reeling at the combination of average food, loud and boiling hot room- mediocre to poor service and the expense of it all.

Our steak (T Bone 900gram to share) was good but nothing better than we've had elsewhere. Thrice cooked chips were tasty but anaemic looking and £4 for a tiny portion of Spring Greens was appalling. The wine list is OK but very expensive- we had a good Pinot Noir. Loud music was pumped into the back room we sat in.

Our cocktails, wine and starter all arrived together- after we'd chased them up twice. Not relaxing or even professional!

The hand dryer in the gents loo wasn't working and no towels were provided. At £162 for two people eating steak details like that have to be right.

I'd avoid ever going here again.
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1 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, May 19, 2012

Crab and samphire was fresh and delicious but a bit too lemony. Steak was beautifully charred, medium rare as requested and served with crispy fluffy chips. Great ingredients cooked simply. And that's the problem when the prices are so very eye-wateringly high. I'd love to eat here again but I wouldn't pay for it when you can do almost as well buying quality produce and cooking at home. Good chips though.
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Midlander - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

So finally went to Hawksmoor Spitalfields last night with a few friends. I had heard good things over the past years so was looking forward to the experience.

The meal started off well enough - seated quickly, cocktail orders in - all good. And in fact the starters were enjoyed all round.

Unfortunately the mains for which the restaurant is so well known were poorly executed. Each of us had to scrape heapings of excess salt off our steaks, and even had to return the side order of broccoli because it tasted like a salt cellar. Overall extremely disappointing considering that each steak cost about £30 and each side £4. Unfortunately with those kinds of prices, one expects faultless execution, including appropriate seasoning. Honestly, it just ruined the flavour.

We chose a mid-price bottle of wine at £45, again expecting something incredible and again disappointed. A very average red I'd not want to pay more than £7 for in a supermarket.

Desserts were a bit of a mixed bag, with a rather unusual rhubarb trifle and a delicious chocolate malt pudding.

Service throughout was efficient ... though what one might call 'brisk'. Perhaps more suited to some of the drunken city types in last night.

Overall, the evening was a huge disappointment. The restaurant sets itself up to be an experience in amazing dining, and although the quality of the meat is excellent, the execution does not live up to the prices it charges. It leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Probably salt ...
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PV - View all reviews by this user
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Thursday, May 03, 2012

Really?? Hawksmoor may be the darling of the Sunday press, but seriously? It's perfectly nice-very attentive and nice staff, excellent beef. But a chateaubriand shared between two for 100 pounds (that's for the meat alone, kids....) A wine list that struggles to provide more than a few options at less than 40 pounds? A loud, undecorated, uncomfortable room that comes nowhere close to the New York steakhouse it seems to be aiming for? Out of interest and devilment I googled the price of live steers. I could have bought an entire cow for what we spent on a shared main, a (not very good) bottle of wine and a couple of sides. Next time, go to a classic London butcher like Allen's in Mayfair. Then swing by Berry Brothers to get a nice bottle of wine. Pick up some spinach on the way home. Sod it, take a cab. You'lll still save money, and you'll have something far more authentic and enjoyable.
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barra - View all reviews by this user
4 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Saturday, March 24, 2012

Go in the weekend for a lunchtime burger and you will not be disappointed.

At £15 with a large serve of delicious chips, this is maybe the best burger in London and the kitchen pay attention to how done you would like the meat.
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Gillian - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I'm a fan of a certain steakhouse in Brooklyn and have always thought there was a sad absence of an equivalent in London. Fortunately, the Hawksmoor uses a good product (Ginger Pig) and is the best i've discovered so far. I shared one of their porterhouse cuts which was excellent - accurately cooked and surprised me as i preferred the fillet side. Triple cooked chips were as crispy as you'd expect. An omission is a steak sauce - all good steak restaurants have their own steak sauce!

The restaurant is a touch noisy, some of it from enthusiastic, vigorous cocktail shaking. There's a Monday offer on corkage which is well worth it if you have some decent wine at home and want a better value meal. One thing that's not on the menu is hanger (onglet) steak, HIX is worth a go for this.
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Kevin W
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Sunday, January 15, 2012