Joe Allen

13 Exeter Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7DT - View on a map
Telephone: 020 7836 0651 (Special offers are available exclusively through online booking – see below for details)

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Joe Allen Restaurant In London
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Overall 5.1
Food 5.9
Service 4.0
Atmosphere 5.6
Value 5.0
Based on 7 reviews

special offers

2 courses £16

...from a set menu (3 courses £18) includes coffee and tea. Includes Vat, excludes service. Click for more details

2 courses and quarter litre of house wine or a glass of Prosecco £19.50

...from the pre fixe menu (3 courses £21.50). Includes Vat, excludes service. Click for more details

Pre-theatre set menu: 2 courses £16

...from a set menu (3 courses £18). Includes filter coffee or tea, VAT, excludes service. Click for more details

Weekend Brunch: 2 courses and a drink £19.50

...from a set menu (3 courses £21.50). Drinks are: a Bloody Mary, Bucks Fizz or a glass of Prosecco. Includes Vat, excludes service. Click for more details

Joe Allen Special Breakfast: £9

...a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, filter coffee or tea and a bacon and fried egg sandwich on whole wheat toast with brown sauce. Includes Vat, excludes service. Click for more details

your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne

We dined here because of the hype about JOE ALLEN, we ordered 2 cocktails (didn't have the usual well known cocktails, but was told if you know the ingredients I will make it!) Biggest disappointment of the night, we could not even drink them, they were that awful and served in the smallest glass (almost like a sherry glass) for 8.00 each (a complete rip-off) no fruit or fancy bits at all!

The food was good, the service lacked in enthusiasm, friendliness and you had to keep reminding the staff for things you wanted.

A disappointment overall. ' Not good value for money' and would try another restaurant next time we visit London.
Comment on this reader review

Mrs Karen Brown
Overall rating 6 stars
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Friday, January 27, 2012

I was really disappointed with our visit to this much acclaimed restaurant. The food was just ok but the staff were unfriendly; bordering on rude. The worst thing was the coffee - luke warm and bitter (completely undrinkable). I decided not to complain but am unlikely to visit again.
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Overall rating 3 stars
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Friday, January 06, 2012

We have just returned home after eating at Joe Allens - what a massive disapointment. It was a meal to celebrate my sons 21st birthday and after reading good reviews we decided that this would be a great place to go to. Did we miss something; our waitress was ok, but the food was absolutely the worst food we have ever eaten. It was so basic and uninteresting that after finishing the main course we decided to call it a day and cut our losses and left. We don't eat out very often these days and I feel we have just wasted our hard earned money. Needless to say it was the first and last time we will be going there.
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Overall rating 2 stars
Food 0 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

I like the food at JA but why are the staff so rude and give off the attitude that they are doing you a favor all the time? They aren’t skilled and lack basic manners yet swan around like they are the doyens of London!

The manageress is quite possibly the rudest person working in a London restaurant. She constantly ticks off patrons for standing at the bar, return times, seating at an angle, not being ready to order etc She needs to stopping being constantly menstrual and do her job which means being civil and pleasant to people.
Comment on this reader review

Will
Overall rating 5 stars
Food 8 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Sunday, August 28, 2011

What a disappointing evening. Food ok although two tables near us were making polite but firm complaints about their food and wine. Our food was OK but soggy chips with the steak and a shockingly poor mousse sold as cheesecake. Pouilly fume is usually a reliable wine but was not up to standard. No-one seemed that bothered what the diners thought. We had a succession of different waiters and eve paying the bill involved 3 different members of staff. Finally they obviously never bothered to update their chairs since I visited a quarter of a century ago. Still Rick hard school type chairs - makes sure you don't want to sit there too long!
Comment on this reader review

coral
Overall rating 3 stars
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Saturday, August 13, 2011

Perfect evening at Joe Allen. We had the restaurant recommended by the taxi driver and did not know what to expect when we walked down the stairs. The atmosphere was really relaxed and the staff was friendly yet highly qualified.

The menu showed a surprising variety with a lot of interesting starters and main courses. And every dish was a perfect experience in taste. Someone in the kitchen clearly knows what he is doing!

"Thank you" to the London taxi driver for pointing us to Joe Allen!
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Claus Poulsen
Overall rating 9 stars
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, April 24, 2011

My family had a meal in November and as always it is a great atmosphere. The burgers and ribs were as always great.
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Miriam Sahdala
Overall rating 9 stars
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 10, 2011

I had read such good reviews of this restaurant that I went along expecting a really good experience. I was severely disappointed. The food was good, but there are plenty of restaurants in London where you can eat better for MUCH less money. But the real let-down was the service. No one seemed to be in charge. There was a sort of Maitre D' but he spent most of his time sitting at the bar, and was never there when needed (that includes a long wait when we arrived - we stood around waiting for someone to notice us). Our waitress misinformed us about dishes, took our order, came back some time later to say the wine we had ordered was not available (why hadn't she been briefed?), served the starters and then abandoned us completely. We waited for ages and eventually a waitress from another table, noticing our impatience, came over with a dessert menu. It was total chaos. I definitely wouldn't go there again.
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Nicholas de Lange
Overall rating 2 stars
Food 6 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Joe Allen on Sat night was great - and a huge thanks to Cathy for the champers for me and my date ....it was a wonderful evening, food and service fantastic. Thank you.
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clare catford
Overall rating 10 stars
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, November 01, 2010

I have been eating in Joe Allen regularly for 25 years.I have celebrated birthdays there and always find the food excellent and the service superb. Kathy, Rachel and Emma always give you a warm welcome, and although always busy, its buzzes with an atmosphere of excitement.

I love it and often wonder what I would do if it closed........... My favourite casual Restaurant in London by far

The midweek and lunch menus are great value for money too.
Comment on this reader review

Mark Genet
Overall rating 9 stars
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Sunday, August 29, 2010


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