Goodman City

We took my Mum to Goodman City for her 92nd birthday on 18th December. Goodman restaurants are the only restaurants where she can enjoy a fillet steak (her passion!) as they are so very tender. We had the most amazing evening. We were greeted with happy birthday wishes from several of the staff and were each given a complimentary glass of champagne. Towards the end of the meal we were told that the Chef was buying my Mum's meal! We could hardly believe it and asked to thank him at which point he appeared and there were hugs and kisses all round! Every member of staff was so sweet, kind and caring. No money could ever have bought the experience they gave us. My Mum (and of course my husband and myself) were touched beyond words. None of us will ever forget such a memorable evening.
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Linda
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, December 20, 2012

A very firm favourite for steak! The new Hawksmoor nearby may have fluttered my heart but this is my true love. Everything is spot on, atmosphere, service and food fantastic.

Best to book but usually can be accommodated if you wait at bar.
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Alexsb - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, March 05, 2012

Was up in the city a few weeks ago to meet up for a crafty Friday pint with my old friend Stuart. After spending a very long time locating the hidden Boris bike bays, we caught and enjoyed a nice couple of pints in Leadenhall market. The beer had made us both peckish so we decided to upgrade the after work pint to dinner. We wondered around the city a bit aimlessly until I remembered Goodman had a city branch which turned out to be close by. We tried to secure a walk in table but they were full but asked us to wait at the bar and they would try and get us a table. As it turned out we only had to wait 30 minutes and the time was well spent having a couple of drinks.

We were then shown to our table and ordered a couple of house rib eyes and a nice bottle of cab sab. The food was a good as the Mayfair branch, perfectly cooked steaks served with the best chips in London. This is bigger than the Mayfair branch so a bit more is made of the bar and the meat hanging room is visible. I think with a bit more room they have added to the theatre of eating a steak. It is dark and atmospheric with light of the open kitchen at the rear. Service was very good our waitress was very friendly and helped us choose a desert wine that would go with our cheese we greedily had after our steaks..

We weren't rushed and really enjoyed our meal. It was a more mixed crowd than Mayfair which is very male. The fact it was full on a Friday night when the city usually thins out is testament to it's quality. Goodman steaks are so good I won't order steak at any other restaurant they never come close. Stuart kindly treated me to dinner and I know it isn't cheap here but you do get a fantastic meal for your money.
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david ginsberg - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I had a midweek semi-business lunch at Goodman recently, and to paraphrase the eminent food critic Tracey Jordan, the steak was so good I wanted to take it out the back and get it pregnant.

With one eye on the various reviews of Goodmans already in circulation, my expectations were sufficiently raised prior to the meat-fest. Praise be to Goodmans as these expectations were met with aplomb.

The steak had a fantastic taste, and there are a variety of cuts to choose from (or have cut for you especially, as was the case for us). It was served grilled perfectly to our instruction. In any event, you’d be well advised to listen to the staff if you are in any doubt as to how best to enjoy a particular cut.

The service when we ate was prompt, knowledgeable and faultless. And here is where I risk the ire of the PC police – but I must come out and say it – I found the female wait staff extremely attractive. Now let me qualify, before the uproar begins. Whilst these girls were also attractive in the traditional sense, I specifically mean that any girl who can confidently discuss the merits of dry aging meat for 20 minutes, along with the best way of cooking a variety of cuts is just plain hot. When your petite waitress expresses her disappointment with the number of customers that do not pick up the bone and finish of the delicious morsels that cling to it, then you know you are in a great establishment.

I particularly loved how the waitresses were decked out in chef’s whites rather than polo shirts with a logo or some such attire. It was if to emphasis their credentials.

The dining room evokes a classic Manhattan steak restaurant down to every last detail, and along with the excellent service and perfect steak, it was these memories which led me to the conclusion that this is mostly likely the best steak restaurant in London. Formerly the benchmark of a top steak in London was firmly set by Hawksmoor, and there is not much that separates these two - who sit firmly atop the London steak scene mountain, some distance above their rivals.
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Lenoir
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Just awesome. Steak was perfectly cooked, with a lovely "just off the barbeque" flavour to it. Quite honestly the best I've ever had. Easily better than Gaucho.

You go to a steakhouse to eat steak. If you order something else you're probably going to be disappointed, and yes it is full of city wideboys in dodgy jeans-and-brown-shoes combos, but otherwise I can't recommend this place enough. Great service too.
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Steve
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Friday, July 01, 2011

Went there for dinner on Wednesday with a friend, the place was packed with City banker boys, there were only another two ladies in the place. Not sure I am at all impressed, there was limited spirits unless you liked every whiskey there is going. The pork belly starter was ok at best but it was overcooked and dry. The steak was good but no better than Gaucho but a lot more expensive. The final bill was £250 for two of us. Not worth it.
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Caz
4 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Saturday, April 02, 2011

Lunch on a friday ,and the place was packed. Very few women were there,and this is a "guy place".

Service was excellent. The food- our starters were mediocre at best.

The calamari were nicely fried and not heavy,but the calamari were too rubbery.In prep these should be whacked a few times,before they are sliced,and most importantly they should be scraped with a sharp knife(before slicing) to get that slightly slimy skin off.As neither was done,rubbery,and slightly slimy calamari under the coating resulted.The Caesar salad was poor.Some desultory leaves including spinach leaves(a big no-no);no croutons;2 tiny slivers of anchovy i.e. one small anchovy sliced in 2;a poor dressing,and miniscule parmesan shavings-given the price the ingredients should have been more generous,and if you can't get the dressing right-don't even put it on the menu.

The steaks were great-a perfect NY sirloin; and a a perfect UK ribeye."Hand cut" chips were very good too,but the creamed spinach was cold and not nice at all.

We passed on dessert.Wine list is extensive and marked up-there are no bargains on the list.

So, they get the steaks right and that ,I suppose is the key thing.These are worth a 9 out of 10 rating.The starters are worth a 4 out of ten rating,as is the spinach.

I have not averaged these ratings,as the meat is more important.

More efforts on the starters are not difficult- come on Goodman get these fixed.
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C.Elder
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, February 21, 2011

My calamari starter was nothing special, but this place is all about steak and the three served to our table, all cooked differently, were top notch. Chips and sugar snap peas were also great and I'm told an extremely unhealthy looking dessert hit the spot as well.

Our French and Italian servers were great fun without sacrificing efficiency and the sommelier offered to bring another bottle if we didn't like his first suggestion. Happily there was no need to this to the test.
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Kentishwanderer
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, September 13, 2010

Went along in the first week of September for a lightish lunch(!) of a burger.

Probably the best burger I've ever had (certainly a league or two about the likes of Gourmet Burger Kitchen). The meat was very succulent (medium rare) and was clearly made from top quality steak. The £12 was very reasonable when you consider that any extras (we limited ourselves to cheddar and mushrooms) are included along with some decent chips.

I'll certainly be back when the diet permits!
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Alex Lake
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, September 10, 2010