The Only Running Footman

Went there for a dinner. Although this is supposedly a gastropub food was a disappointment. Every dish we ordered from appetizer to desserts was barely edible.

Pheasant was served with a bitter sauce. Steak was tough and tasteless. Pasta was bland, just boiled linguini and 2 boiled mushrooms. etc, etc.

I think they might have had decent food at one time but being that most of their customers are Brits they figured they don't have to try that hard.

I don't patronize restaurants that cook worse than I do, and this place is WAY worse. Sadly this is true of great many places in London.
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Mike
3 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Thursday, January 27, 2011

Truly abysmal. The downstairs bar was completely rammed, had very little atmosphere (none of it good) and the bar staffed by surly and unfriendly barmen. Things get worse when you go upstairs for dinner. The service was dreadful; slow and dismissive. The food was as bad. There were 8 of us there for a friend's birthday, and every single one of us received food that was cold and over-priced; one of us had "chips" that were completely anaemic and little more than slices of par-boiled potato. The wine, although admittedly in the "house wine" price range, was bordering on undrinkable for any self-respecting diner. Never again.
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1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Friday, December 03, 2010

Recently headed to TORF for dinner and drinks with friends on a Thursday night. Arriving at 7pm the bar was packed inside and out but pleasingly we were able to grab a table downstairs. Service in the restaurant was courteous and attentive, although the same can't be said of the bar staff who came accross surly and appeared throughly agrieved just being at work.

The food was a mixed bag, fish & chips were good but the burger my friend ordered arrived marooned on a plate far too large with only a modest handful of chips for company and resting on a white bap that looked like it had come from a (cheap) multipack. Prices for the food are ok for the area (not sure the same can be said about the drinks - I wasn't boozing but £3.60ish for an OJ & lemonade was pushing it) and the atmosphere in the place is convivial enough, although you do have take the pomposity of some the clone-like pinstripe suited 'regulars' with a pinch of salt. I won't be rushing back, but I also wouldn't object if a mate suggested stopping in when passing.
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John
7 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, October 25, 2010

Have been going here really since opening. Never had an iffy meal. Best to eat downstairs if you don't mind a bit of a cramped experience. Always a special board and menu changes pretty frequently.
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Putneybiker - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, November 26, 2009

Wear a suit - I ate upstairs and felt I received inferior care as it was my day off and I was in my Civvies. Little atmosphere and poor general levels of service.
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Simon
3 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I first ate at TORF in Christmas '08 and spent a lazy Sunday afternoon having one of the best prok belly dishes I have ever tasted, with some great wines and a nice cheese board. On the back of that, I took some friends there last night for a reunion dinner.

We ate upstairs and endured the bitterly disappointing combination of warm wine, cold food and thoroughly unresponsive service. Abysmal. And dear. I am embarrassed to have taken friends there for such a damp squib of a meal.

Why didn't we go to the Running Horse? I still ask myself that question today. Extremely unlikely to go back. Even though I am still waiting for the orange juice we ordered. I have downgraded to SELL.
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Dom
3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Friday, September 18, 2009