Great Queen Street

I totally agree with StowEater et al - the dire service in this place absolutely lets it down. I used to rate this place highly . The food has gone downhill in the last few months, but the most noticeable thing is the worst service I've ever experienced. It's so rude and inept, it's almost impossible to get over it whilst you're there - not writing down orders, getting orders wrong (fine so far) but then becoming incredibly rude and indignant when this is pointed out. The trouble is that this approach to customers seems to be led by the Aussie manager, who obviously sets the tone for all the other staff. Genuinely unpleasant.

In short - avoid at all costs. Unless you like a large side of arrogance and petulance with your food, don't bother trying Great Queen Street.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 3
Monday, May 18, 2009

I've been to Great Queen Street twice now and been very impressed both times. The restaurant is set up nicely so it feels comfortable whether you are there as a table for 2 or table for 8.

Great food, especially for sharing - the rib of beef for 2 is some of the best beef I've ever eaten. Haven't tried it, but the beef wellington (for 5) looked phenomenal.

The wine list is priced very nicely with quite a good selection. The rib of beef and a bottle of Priorat makes for a great dinner out.
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NB - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, February 12, 2009

The food is strong and wholesome, and it's always a pleasure to read about a new non-chain restaurant in Covent Garden. They've been lucky to get very positive reviews in The Times and restaurant guides, so when I was there, it felt like it's having its moment of cool.

They do a wonderful chocolate dessert - which is a sort of a lush mousse. However, the staff do make the experience difficult. One of the staff members makes absolutely no eye contact. Another stood by when we were leaving and we got neither an acknowledgement, nor a smile, leave alone a 'goodbye' or a 'thank you.'

There are lots of great places around Covent Garden (such a Joe Allen) where the prices are accessable and the staff are warm and professional. The cold service pulls down the strong food.
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Sorab Shroff
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Sunday, October 05, 2008

What a great place......individual, different, great food, no pretentious surrounding or offhand service, we were a table of 7 and had more food and wine then we should have really had, including some pre and after dinner drinks, cost £41 per person..and the really nice thing, they didnt automaticaly add 12.5% service!...which because the service was very good during a hectic saturday evening we paid anyway...

In essence this is a real gem, lots of the dishes are to share, so go with a few non fussy eating friends and enjoy..
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andy t
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, September 22, 2008

I love this place - I've never failed to have a really enjoyable evening here. The food is great - simple and delicous, and the service is pleasant and well timed, but not intrusive.

I appreciate the fact they swifty bring tap water and a pile of excellent bread, and then will happily advise on anything on the menu you're not sure about.

The people who run Great Queen Street understand food, and you always get the feeling that the dish you choose has been prepared for you with care. If you want a charred steak smoothered in ketchup (as some reviewers seem to!) you'd be better off picking another restaurant.

Prices have crept up a little but it still represents good value - especially considering the quality and location.
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, September 01, 2008

I have been to this restaurant a number of times since it opened and introduced many firends to it, but after my most revcent trip I won't be going back. We got a slot (had to have the table back by 8.15 as usual) and I ordered sea bass to share with my friend and my other friend ordered the wood pigeon. I asked if I could order an accompaniment of chips to go with the bass - it came with nothing (even at £32) and I saw chips on the menu to go with other food. Unfortunately I was told this was not possible as the chips were hand cut ONLY to go with the steak (?). The fish arrived and I divided it between our plates but it was not cooked and smelled not too good either. We sent it back and it then re-appeared 15 minutes later cobbled back together again but this time not raw. We had gone off the whole idea at this point and our other frend had eaten her (nearly raw) wood pigeon on her own while we waited. We made the best of things and ate a some part of the fish then left the rest. I was so surprised when the bill came that they had made no gesture at all for the fact we had to send our food back even though we had said that we hadn't enjoyed it. They said they wouldn't take the fish off the bill 'because we'd eaten it'. Eventually they said they would compromise and take desserts off - but only becuase we made a point of it. It ruined the meal - if they had made a gesture without having to be challenged we would have written it off as a mistake and returned. Then to be asked for our table back sharply when we had been delayed by the fact our food wasn't cooked just topped it all off.
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Stow Eater - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Monday, August 18, 2008

I have to say how confusing I find that people write bad reviews based upon issues like the waiter not smiling enough or other minor details. Great Queen Street is a reasonably priced gastro pub, with very good modern british food in a location where all you find are chains of restaurants that want to rip you off and charge you 12.5% tip on everything.

I have been to GQS 4 times now and everytime it has been great food and a nice relaxed atmosphere. A meal for three yesterday, including some very nice wine, free bread (2 lots), olives and a free plate of smoked mackarel (between courses) came out at £100. Two of us had 3 courses and one had 2 courses. Every course was good quality and service was just fine. I think the people that moan on the smaller things need to lighten up a bit.
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J
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 18, 2008

As this is one of the handful of restaurants in the Holborn area which is not a high-street chain, we thought it would be very promising when it arrived.

I went with several work colleagues last week and while the food was good (though not outstanding), the service was huge disappointment. When we asked to have ketchup to accompany our burgers, we were told it wasn't available. The restaurant doesn't stock ketchup because, in the words of the waitress, "it doesn't go with the food"! If she had said they don't stock ketchup but offer an alternative or even if she had empathised with us and apologised and said it was just restaurant policy, we would have accepted it. Instead, it just came across as snobby. It was clear that she didn't care about any of our feedback; she was so dismissive that we all, even those who initially felt they should be allowed not to serve ketchup if that's what they believe, left thoroughly displeased with the service. The ketchup incident came on top of the generally inattentive, relaxed to the point of bored, attitude when you enter the restaurant and are seated.

My colleagues and I are all in a professional service firm and we bend over backwards to accommodate requests from fee-paying clients. I find it astounding that some restaurants still feel they can get away with such a dismissive attitude. I would not go back again.
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hoffs17 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, August 06, 2008

I was taken there by a business friend from Germany who had read some of the reviews of this place. To my (and his) disappointment, the place did not live up to any good expectations - starting with a friendly but rather useless attitude of the staff, to a number of items not being available the disappoinment was hightend by the Beef Rib.

Apparently the restaurant "ONLY" serves it rare which despite assurance by the waiter that it will be nice and pink, this was a stack of almost raw meat and closer to the french rare - but despite being the paying guest, the only option one can have this dish.

All I can say, at £44 pounds, there was a lot of meat wasted as we could not eat it - the only response from the staff was: oh, it was too rare, OK! On a positive note, the water, chips and the bearnaise were great.
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LMG
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Great Queen Street is one of my favourite London restaurants, so I was alarmed to read a clutch of negative reviews from other readers. What a relief, therefore, to discover on last night's visit that the food is as good as ever, the service as friendly and efficient and the total vibe a total joy. Can't wait for my next visit!! (And if they could only dampen down the acoustic all would be perfect).
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Schuperson - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, July 18, 2008