The Wolseley

I was there yesterday for the Sunday afternoon tea. An absolute delight. No wonder one has to book in order to be sure of a sitting. Despite my ringing too late for a conformed table I was informed that a few tables are always kept back for customers off the street, as it were. So we got there early and were so well looked after that I cannot praise the staff highly enough. The elegant doorman, the maitre d', the barmen and all the waitng staff all have just the right blend of friendliness and approachability backed up with the highest of professional standards. This together with the attractive art deco surroundings and a scrummy high tea of finger sandwiches, several small cakes and a couple of scones and clotted cream and jam makes one feel there is still a bit of Great left in Britain.

There always seems to be a nice bunch of customers in too which is an added bonus.

It was a birthday treat for my energetic 99 yr old mother. They really made her feel special and she says she has added incentive to make it to 100 now for a return visit.

Thank you The Wolseley!
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Julian Lloyd-Hitt
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, April 19, 2010

Went to the Wolesley for dinner last night and enjoyed every minute of it.

Very attentive service, unpretentious food but done very nicely and what a room.

Pure glamour. Will definitely go back
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James
8 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Fantastic location, great atmosphere, service, once you can get the waiting staff's attention is great, but I can't help but feel every time I visit here that the staff are overworked and the food is overpriced. The prices are inflated by a charge for sitting in the restaurant and although the food is good, the price is always too high for what you get. Still, if you want to be seen, you have to pay for it !
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Streatham Mum
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Monday, March 29, 2010

Went to The Wolseley on Friday evening. Place was buzzing as it was full to the brim. Had steak tartare to start which was served two small pieces of dry toast. The steak was underseasoned and had very little taste. The dry toast was dry! They would have been better to have served it with melba toast. Main course was duck confit which was very salty, I suspect an overseasoning of the skin was the reason and served with spinach which was great. Overall I was really disappointed in the dining experience here and would not recommend this to any one else.
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Graham Webb
6 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 4
Monday, March 22, 2010

A friend was in London from out of town, and breakfast at the Wolseley was the perfect way to start a special day out. The interior is truly awe-inspiring. We had a great seat on the balcony to enjoy the surroundings, but it doesn't look to me like there's a bad seat in the house. I loved that my filter coffee came in a silver coffee pot. They mixed a fine bloody mary, and the girls said their Champagne was nice. The menu has pretty much everything you could ask for, from porridge to grilled kippers. I opted for a bacon sandwich, which was better than the ones my wife makes (normally hers win). Everyone else had eggs benedict. The hollandaise sauce didn't have enough lemon for my taste, but they all cleared their plates despite the large portion, so I know they enjoyed it. Service was efficient and friendly, and special requests were handled perfectly with a smile.

Beautiful surroundings, faultless service, good food, and fair prices- I could happily eat there once a week, and I get the impression some people do.
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Dan
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Monday, February 22, 2010

Took my partner to the Wolseley recently for a birthday lunch and had a very enjoyable experience. Service was excellent and on the mention of the birthday, in passing, complimentary glasses of champagne were immediately offered. The food was excellent, there was a good buzzy atmosphere and the reputation for celebrity was fulfilled by Jeremy Paxman eating only a few tables away. And all for less than £100 including a bottle of wine. We will definitely go again.
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crustyoxford
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, February 09, 2010

I recently had the pleasure of eatting with a group of friends at the Wolseley. After reading so much about it and hearing so many recommendations from friends-I was eager to try it. This is a unique restaurant in London and is spot on in terms of bringing continental bistro dining to the city. The atmosphere is wonderful and the service was fantastic eventhough the restaurant was packed and there seemed to be quite an eager line of people waiting. We were all quite excited to see quite a few recognizable faces in the crowd. I started off with the Quail's egg which is a MUST-absolutely delicious with a yummy avocado dressing. I then had their bacon cheeseburger which was honestly one of the best burgers I've ever had-and let me tell you-I've eatten burgers across the states including Daniel's famous NY foie gras burger and this was still better. A pleasant suprise finding a true hamburger in London! For dessert we ordered a couple of options for the table including the pot au chocolate, the cheesecake and an eclair-all divine. I cant wait to return and will make sure to tell all of my friends to stop by. A wonderful experience overall.
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Angela Navarro
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Saturday, January 30, 2010

Impressions from my first visit are almost all positive. The tiny bar wasn't really up to the job on a busy evening, though service was fast and friendly, and the dining room itself is impressive, if somewhat crowded..

Prices were less of a shock than might have been expected - even on the wine list - and the meals fulfilled all our expectations. Only one hiccup when service appeared to go missing between starters and main courses. Our cheerful waitress spotted the delay and explained that our dinners had apparently been served to another table with an identical order. Chips hadn't been ordered at all for one of us but the situation was remedied before it became a sigificant factor and the chips were removed from the bill.

Overall, I'll certainly go back.
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Kentishwanderer - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, December 31, 2009

I have never written a review before but I felt compelled after taking my husband to the Wolesely for his birthday dinner a couple of weeks ago. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, lovely wine, however, I have never been somewhere with quite frankly such revolting food. I had fish on a bed of potatoes and vegetables which was saturated in salt, so much so that I was actually grimacing when I ate it. My husband's stew on the other hand was bland and tasteless. The bottom line was we should have complained but now I would never dare to go back again.
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Vicky
5 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 2
Thursday, December 31, 2009

This is a grand place to dine, where the food is dependable and the staff often do their best to maintain a reasonable quality of service. However, we ate there with our family last night for our 6th or seventh time and were disappointed in the service --for example our water was never filled without asking and sometimes even then, twice or three times. it was still fun, but given the prices, there are many dozens of places where the food and service will be far superior in a more intimate or regal setting. We are going to stick to breakfast or lunch from now on.
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6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 5
Thursday, December 31, 2009