Black & Blue Steakhouse (Borough Market)

Shocking! Shocking! Shocking! Visited on Saturday. The food was over-priced and the service was an absolute joke.
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NL
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Monday, July 11, 2011

This is one of those really annoying places that has a great location and because of this it will probably never matter that a) their food is well below par, b) it is terribly overpriced and c) the service is virtually non existent.

It will continue to harvest south bank and bankside tourists who are looking for a meal and setting that is going to be supposedly better than one of the pubs along the river. I only hope they do look online before they visit London and are spared the experience which I, and by the looks of it many others, have experienced at this so called restaurant.

Now I know this place is a chain, but it’s no large scale chain like a Frankie and Bennies. Black and Blue’s website says: “At Black & Blue we aim to provide the best steaks and burgers in London in seven different elegant and central locations. To create the best possible dining experience we have refined our philosophy as follows”

Honestly. What a statement to have on your website and then not follow up when it comes to the crunch.

Nigel Tottman and Alan Bacon who plaster their name across this restaurant chain need to take a long hard look at this particular establishment and give it some serious thought, especially if they ever want to be proud of it again.

Anyway, we got a seat, outside, in the afternoon on Saturday. After 20 minutes the lady who said we could sit outside hadn’t turned up. No problem – she’s probably forgotten – these things happen. She then walks outside. I try to get her attention (not by waving my menu around rudely or doing backflips on our table). I simply raised my hand. What response do I get? She looks at me and wags her finger and then walks away. WAGGED HER FINGER! It was like I was 12 years old again and had just launched my slice of tomato (which tasted like cardboard by the way) across the restaurant. No problem I thought, they’re busy, roll with it…..she comes back out, I say “excuse me” this time. Nothing. Another waitress walks out, “excuse me” (not loud or rudely I might add, but definitely audible). Nothing. I'm now genuinely thinking we might be invisible.

So 25 mins later, no drink, no order, but with a partner who likes the location and her sunny outside seat, I go through and try to order at the bar. “oh, you're busy today aren’t you” I said in a jovial manner trying to make light of the current situation. I get a grunt, and a “your order??” comment. Nice.

I'm a firm believer that it doesn't matter how slow the food is, or how busy the restaurant is, all the staff need to be is polite, considerate and apologetic. Every restaurant has its bad day, but there are ways to deal with this. And they certainly don't include rude waitresses.

30 mins later we get the food. Two burgers (£13 each). We got soggy bread bases, bloody as hell meat (asked for medium), full of little gristly bits the size of small ball bearings and salad on the bread that looked like it had been shot out of a cannon. The fries weren’t fries, they were chips. McCain frozen oven chips I’d say, but then they should be easy to cook, even if not very tasty. Anyway these chips were bad. Luke warm and undercooked on the inside.

The mayonnaise I concede was tasty (I dipped my knife in it to try). It may even have been homemade, but I doubt it.

If you know this place and are thinking of going for dinner in the area, don’t. It’s just not worth it. If you know of someone in the printing business who can do you a few placards to put outside Black and Blue to warn unsuspecting tourists not to go in there, do it.

I really do feel sorry for anyone that goes in there. I can only hope they might see this review, which is the first and only one I've ever written and avoid this place like the plague.
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LH
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Monday, July 11, 2011

Went to the Black & Blue at Borough - great setting, but that's about it. We came here because our first choice was packed. But I like a good burger so seemed a good choice. The food, for the price was just BAD. Started with chicken wings - I think about £6 or maybe £8 for some tiny wings which were too salty - bad start. Then the classic burger, at £11 is steep but fine if the burger is top quality - it really wasnt. We also ordered some prawns which were ok, but not that great. The meat had no flavour. You pay £2 for cheese or anything else that would actually make the burger taste better. I paid £2 for the tiniest pot of guacamole (again too salty). The chips were not that tasty either - they were quite hard - not crunchy like frites, or fluffy like really good oven chips. Just really poor quality - I get a better feed for a hell of a lot cheaper at Burger King.

None of my 3 other friends were impressed either. One ordered a goats cheese salad - in terms of effort by the kitchen, probably a 1 out of 10 - tonnes of lettuce leaf, some tomatoes and 2 blocks of goats cheese - it looked like an allotment patch with cheese - honestly, couldn't they have actually mixed it up, cut it into smaller slices, maybe put some nice dressing on it - maybe then it'd have been worth the money!!

The only redeeming part of the meal was the apple and almond tart and the glass of wine.

The service was not much good either - I asked for some extra condiments and the waitress just flung them on our table with a sulky expression. One of our orders was wrong - ordered a burger and it came without a bun. Then ordered a diet coke (repeated the order to the waitress about 4 times) and then got a normal coke. Didn't fancy paying the £15 service charge which was added to our food bill (12.5%)

I would not come back here to eat ever again. I'm upset I even paid for the mains or starters, they were such a disappointment. £35 for tasteless burger and tasteless chips and too salty chicken wings, fairly nice wine and dessert - just not worth it.
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SK
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Thursday, June 23, 2011

I am currenty sitting at a table in the Black and Blue restaurant Borough. It is the first time. It will be the last time. The sirloin (when it arrived with an apology >45mins after ordering) was 260g of gristle, cooked incorrectly (sent back once, coming back still wrong) and tasted bitter. And things only got worse from there. I was in the area and wanted a steak. Given the food pedigree of Borough Market in which it sits and being surrounded by epicurian stores and cafes I assumed it would be good eating. I thought maybe the kitchen was having a bad night so I checked the reviews here. Seems my experience is not uncommon. (I so should have come to this site first.) I have informed the waitstaff of my dissatisfaction, was offered no redress or explanation. I am leaving without paying. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
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Darren S
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Poor service. Poor food. Not to be recommended.
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2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Friday, March 25, 2011

I went to Black & Blue on Saturday evening with a group of girlfriends and I can not recommend this restaurant at all. Two steaks did not arrive as they had slipped off our order and when all steaks did finally arrive, they were very disappointing. The chips used are frozen, the salad totally uninspired and the steak just borders on average. Also, all meals were 'luke warm.' The only thing that this place has going for it is the location.
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Caroline - View all reviews by this user
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Monday, August 16, 2010

Shocking restaurant. On a par with motorway food (sorry the burgers and chips anyway). Went on a busy Saturday as we were craving a cheese burger night. It is always packed. The burger came quite quick and it looked terrible. The bread was absolutely awful, soggy & cheap. The chips were frozen & pretty awful too. The wine, 22 pounds, very average. In fact we left half of it. All in all very bad. Will never return and can't recommend it whatsoever.
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nick crispin
5 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Sunday, April 18, 2010

Simple review: steak good, chips bad.
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5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Thursday, February 04, 2010

I phoned Black & Blue at Borough yesterday to make a reservation and was told they only take bookings for parties of six or more and that I should just turn up. My girlfriend and I arived at 7:40pm on Thursday evening to be told that they were full and we could wait in the bar for half an hour. I began to explain to the woman at front of house that I had called earlier to try to book when I was rudely and aggressively interrupted by a man (the manager?) who told me that it's "First come, first served. What's supposed to have changed since you called this morning?" When I tried to speak he again interrupted,began moving into my personal space and behaving as you would if you were rowing with someone in a pub, not listening to a customer. We left and went to Gaucho Grill near Tower Bridge where service was polite and attentive and the food was fabulous. I will be going back to Gaucho. Neither I nor my friends will ever go to Black & Blue again.
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Simon
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, September 18, 2009

We met up with some old uni mates at Black & Blue Borough market and we had a nice time. Most impressive was the service which was really friendly and helpful which is also what we found at the Notting Hill Branch. We had a nice drink in the bar brefore going through to the restaurant. Our booth was a little cosy for 5 people but we managed. I went for medium rare sirloin steak that turned up medium which was a shame and underseasoned. I think I have been a bit spoilt by the great steaks I have regularly at "Goodmans". having said that the others liked their meals especially the burger with guacamole. I also thought the french salad with walnuts was a nice touch.

I had a very nice glass of Cab sab with my steak and we all had desert to follow which were very nice. My lovely wife and I both went for very nice ice cream sundaes. It has to be said Black & Blue is a fun place to go. Even on a relatively quiet Sunday it had a nice buzz. Maybe the food is not as good as the top end steakhouses but it is a really good place to hang out with friends. The one in Notting hill is always busy so they must be getting something right. I think if a restaurant makes you feel welcome like they do it goes a long way.
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david ginsberg - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, September 14, 2009