Rivington Bar & Grill

After 2 good recomendations, we visited Rivington Shoreditch. Right from the beginning we were recieved with a welcome smile and the evening just kept getting better.

Excellent waiter whom not just served us, discussed the menu in great detail was helpfull and had a greatsence og humour !

I started with the Crab and to my surprise was a whole one, which was 10 times better than the crab that i had at Scotts Mayfair the previous week.

Our only reservation about the restaurant & bar was it was rather smokey, thank God the 1st July is only round the corner.

Can't wait to return.

JK London
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Jonathan Kaiser
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, June 17, 2007

Perhaps The Rivington Grill has made an effort to pick up its service due to bad reviews because the night we went it was exceptional. And the food was pretty jolly good too.

Salt beef salad, scallops, whole roasted sole, and roast suckling pork were delicious. Although the anchovies on toast came in a tin, they proved to be a big hit.

We went with my boyfriend's parents on a Saturday night and the atmosphere was what we were looking for - not too loud for the pares but not too quiet for us either.

Contrary to other reviews, if I had to pick a highlight it would have been the service. Very professional and attentive - the waiter was extremely knowledgable. I'd recommend this restaurant to everyone.
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Diana
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, June 03, 2007

Lunch 01/04/07 Group of 7

After being served Bloody Marys with no ice (can you believe?), waiter spent much time explaining what they didn't have in terms of wine/food. Still managed to catch them out. "Suggest you pop out to the shops, mate".

Food was generally dire, with a couple of exceptions. Smoked mackerel fat and fresh. Onion & cider soup was basically warm cider with shredded onions. Insipid. Nice bread.

Toughest, fatiest piece of lamb shoulder I ever ate (not the cut to roast, anyhow), and 4 of us agreed. Most was left uneaten. Roast potatoes seemed just boilded, and carrots as soggy as tinned.

Service was mercurial, though have had worse. Gents loos bordered on the disgusting.

London needs another pretentious yet incompetent grill restaurant like a tube strike. That it was packed with the excrutiatingly trendy Hoxtonista only goes to show how indescriminating they really are.

Avoid.
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TrevGo - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Monday, April 02, 2007

We ate here recently and were very disappointed. The service was very poor indeed - 15 minute wait for our drinks on arrival and 30 minute wait for our dirty plates to be cleared away. Staff moved tables around us the whole time we were eating. Food was mixed, some dishes were quite good (fish and chips) but others poor (pear and cheese salad started simply tasted of mustard - yuk!). All in all a very disappointing experience.
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peaches
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Saturday, March 10, 2007

Had a really good long lunch here last month with friends; long partly because of the atmosphere - it really does make you want to linger - but also, as others have said, because of the slow/hit-and-miss service. We were also concerned that there wasn't a note of the reservation we'd made - though fortunately we got a (very nice) table. Food was very good - pork, scallops, lobster all received glowing reviews. And the apple crumble and custard was definitely the best I've tasted (sorry Mum). I've paid this much at other places recently and had better service but worse food - I guess you take your pick!
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Mac the Pie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

four of us ate here on sunday (19th november)and the experience was patchy.

the food is good, not excellent but that may be the sunday menu. a couple of the main courses were cold on arrival. the wines were however excellent and good value in the mid list category. it is a pleasant enough place to spend the afternoon and the atmosphere is good.

what really let us down was the service which was appalling. items were forgotten (on 4 occasions!) or didn't turn up but were added to the bill. it was always a question of having to make a big effort to get the waiter's attention rather than anticipatory service as one would expect at this price level. our empty main course plates were left far too long after we had all finished eating.

i put my thoughts to the front of house manager and suggested they employ one more waiter to cope with the demands of a full reataurant, but she seemed uninterested and disagreed - why ask if everything is ok if you are averse to a constructive repsonse?
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david gordon
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, November 20, 2006

I went to the Rivington Grill at the weekend expecting the worst after reading some of the reviews.

Atmosphere was quite good, busy (always a positive sign) and relaxed.

Portions were definitely on the 'diet' side - my small portion of scallops (at almost £12) consisted of....3!

Service fairly slack, onus always on us to call the waiter over.

I'd go again if I were invited, but would not choose it again myself, mainly due to the wide range of other restaurants London has to offer.
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Kate
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Monday, October 23, 2006

I ate at the Rivington, early on a Friday evening, which understandably isn't their busiest hour.

Initial impressions were good, as the place seemed perfect for our intention - a romantic dinner for two. Before dinning I had an elderflower cocktail, which was so nice it seemed obligatory to have another. We didn't have to wait too long for our food - which was fairly impressive. I would happily eat there again.
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Chloe Compton
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Sure the Rivington Grill uses good British produce, but I have walked away feeling a little underwhelmed on 2 occasions. The menu is appealing but in reality it didn't exceed any expectations. OK nonetheless.

The atmosphere is great and while the service is friendly enough, it doesn't cut it when you are paying over £50 a head. I don't expect my glasses to be topped up but I do expect the waiter to do their job and offer me another bottle of wine (or water) when the current one is empty.

It's a shame, but once again another London restaurant does not deliver good service when they feel obliged to charge for it.

While I will go to the bar again for the relaxed comfy atmosphere, I simply can't justify the expense to dine here a 3rd time.
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Gregory
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, July 20, 2006

This was our fist & last visit! Having been recommended the sister restaurant in Shoreditch, we were looking forward to the meal but were so disappointed with the service. Half way to the table, the waiter asked if we wanted bread & water before the meal! The first bottle of wine was corked but the manageress sent 2 messages via the waitress to say that she disagreed. Finally she came up to the table & only at my insistence reluctantly agreed to replace the wine. What happened to 'the customer is always right'??

2 out of 3 starters were collected as one of the party had finished eating and then the main courses arrived whilst this was still on the table. Food was fine, but not anything to write home about.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Thursday, June 01, 2006