Smollensky's (Hammersmith)

We were a table of 8 professional business people. I had made the booking even after all the bad reviews that I had seen online, as i cannot base the restaurant on other people's experience. I had to see it for myself. A colleague of mine had been to Smollensky's years ago and in her and my opinion, the restaurant is excellent. Some people go to a grill and bar and expect red carpet service and food. They need to realize that the restaurant is not ' The Ivy'.

My colleagues will definitly recommend the restaurant to other people. The service and food was great.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 18, 2008

After a long search for a restaurant close to the Lyric, we settled on Smollensky's despite having read the negative reviews. this was in part due the high winds and driving rain! We had a very pleasant experience, it seems that Smollensky's have read these bad reviews and have taken notice of customer comments.

We were greeted by a friendly waitress who seated us immediately and was extremely attentive throughout our meal.

The food was excellent, chicken skewers, sweet potato fries, cajun chicken salad with mediterranean vegetables and a cajun chicken burger. The chicken skewers were excellent, juicy, spicy and well presented. Our main courses: Salad and burger arrived promptly, piping hot and very tasty.

It was early on a Friday evening (6pm) and the resturant was practically empty but hopefully this standard of service extends to busy periods.

A thoroughly good meal enjoyed by both, reasonably priced with good service!

Thumbs up!
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jodsy - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 8
Saturday, March 01, 2008

This was probably the worst restaurant I have eaten in. The service was very poor - they just weren't interested in us being there. After waiting an eternity for our food 3 burgers arrived, two lukewarm and burnt and the other cold. The cold one was returned and replaced with a near raw burger. The fishcake was apparently good. No atmosphere in the place, won't go back
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Have eaten here twice recently - once in the early evening and once at lunchtime. I thought I'd gone to a different place after reading the other reviews. My meals were fine - they're not gourmet, so I won't try to rate them that way - they were a good standard and value for money. It seems that they have a new manager and he's trying to bring things back up to the usual Smollensky's standard. I was quite happy - and I'm pretty critical.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Um smollensky's theres a name i havent heard in a while.
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bonj
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Um smollensky's theres a name i havent heard in a while.
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bonj
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, June 28, 2006

My friend and I ate here just after the England V Trinidad game and before a gig at the Apollo. Now, I agree with the other reviews. This place has gone down hill. We ordered cheesy fries and were presented with almost half frozen fries covered in what looked like a baby's possit! The cheese was powdered muck, which didn't smell very good. The waitress even admitted that she did not like it! We sent it back pronto. Even though the restaurant was practically empty we had to wait to be served. Which was very anoying considering we could only order from the Day Menu (as this is all they offer on the days that a gig is on.)

Smollensky's needs to be closed down. It's awful! I will NEVER go again and my friend says the ONLY saving grace is the peanutbutter cheesecake.
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Kay
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Saturday, June 17, 2006

Rarely have i received such appalling service in a restaurant that was struggling to be even a quarter full. The meal was fine, when it arrived, but there was a frustrating wait to even order a drink. The real problem arose when it came to paying. Despite catching our far from over-whelmed waitresses eye every few minutes i eventually asked her directly for the bill, which, after 10 minutes failed to arrive. My guest and I, late for the cinema, put on our coats in readiness. And then our hats. No bill. We stood up. No bill. We made our way to the door. No bill. Happily i would have walked out but my guest decided payment was due. She had to fetch the waitress from the kitchens where she was busily talking to the chef.

We decided to give the place a second go this week. Same waitress. She watched us enter the empty restaurant and look for a menu. When she hadn't moved away from her peephole behind the kitchen door we fled.

NEVER AGAIN!
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Lindsay
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 6
Saturday, May 27, 2006

This was quite possibley the worst meal I've ever eaten?!

We chose Smolensky's as we were going to a concert at the Hammersmith Apollo afterwards and that was the nearest restaurant.

As it was Valentine's Night, there was only a set menu available which consisted of either grilled chicken in a very bland tomato and olive sauce (Yuk, we had to send it back it was that bad?!), salmon (which I'm not a fan of anyway but seemed at least edible) or spinach and ricotta tortolloni (which tasted more like a mushy, microwave meal rather than pasta?!)

On the plus side though, the service was quite good and the manager was very apologetic and even offered us a complimentary bottle of wine to compensate for the dire food. He also stressed that the food on a normal night is very nice. But I can safely say that I will not be going back there in a hurry to find out?!
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, February 15, 2006

What a rip off! We had a burger - that was totally overcooked and chewy - and a couple of beers each. The bill came to £40! Never again.
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Janine Shaw
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, February 11, 2006