Cipriani London

The atmosphere is loud sometimes the environment can be uncomfortable. The waiters are very good, and friendly. A place to go for INFORMAL occasions only. The food is not great in fact i found it horrible, however the wines choice is good. Personaly i am not going there again.
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Alexander
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 2
Sunday, January 20, 2008

This is the most ridiculously over rated restaurant I have been to in 15 years. The food was decidedly average at best and for the price was a complete rip off. I defy anyone to call this a worthwhile dining experience. If you want to gaze at stars and celebs eating that is your look out but it won't be long before A listers are not seen here as a result of the poor food and plethora of 'suits' in attendance.

There are so many restaurants nearby that offer better food and experience at much lower prices.

I can do without the moody waiter who clearly had a pressing engagement elsewhere that he felt obliged to serve us at the same speed you might expect in a greasy spoon.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 0
Thursday, January 10, 2008

I went for lunch this week and it was a fun experience. Experience being the word - this is unlike any other London restaurant I can think of. Old style glamour, traditional white table cloths, showy waiters in white jackets and bow ties, belini cocktails and prices to make you gasp. For a Christmas lunch it was great fun. Tasty food (crab salad, sausage pasta which was delicious, coffee and vanilla cream dessert), great people watching - It's December but there were easily 5 people wearing sunglasses!! and I though the service was friendly and attentive.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Thursday, December 20, 2007

I was there with some friends yesterday. Not sure about the stories of the rudeness of staff (depends on how much you tip them upfront) but the chairs and tables are ridicilously uncomfortable and wine glasses are tiny!

The food was mediocre to say the least but the atmosphere and wine were great!
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F. Huseynli
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Thursday, November 29, 2007

“Cipriani Dinner Story” If you have not heard the phrase, or cannot cotton on, then it’s more than likely you have no idea of what this place is about.

In so many ways it is the number one outing you will ever experience, but in so many ways if you go expecting a “Cipriani Dinner” rather than a “Cipriani Dinner Story” you will be disappointed.

This is not to say that the food it bad, the food is excellent; but I’m not going to kid anyone, the prices are just there so that it looks like your in a Venetian tourist haunt. There’re neither legitimate (just as no Venetian would pay those prices in Venice) no regulars at the Chip pay those prices either) nor do they justify the quality of the food. Even the menu states ‘Even pay the bill, if you want”.

Service is an epitome in terms of quality, at least in London. Suffice to say that attentiveness can be lacking. All the quality of serving correctly doesn’t mean they pay attention.

You can just tell that they get all their staff straight from Venice, either that or they know how to train them.

People don’t like it, and I can understand why; all the assertions are true, it’s mind bogglingly expensive even if you carry a Coutts World or Amex Black card. The chairs are small, the wine glasses are small, and you wont be in awe of every dish on the menu.

Yet if you don’t take yourself too seriously, want to enjoy yourself, make a noise with friends, simply smile because the wait staff are charming, and eat good food I have no doubt that you will be Chip defined…

To those who don’t enjoy it, I’m sure Le Gavroche is where you’ll be taking your money; where the food although amazing (and certainly a great deal better and cheaper than the Chip), your idea of good atmosphere must also be eating in a library/doctor’s waiting room/.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 6
Thursday, November 29, 2007

Dont believe the hype.This has got to be the worst most expensive italian restaurant on the planet.

Full of insecure plastic pretenders.

I promise you if you know anything about Italian food you will be disgusted by this food.Terrible arrogant service from start to finish.Dont make the mistake we made.
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Patrick F - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, November 23, 2007

Last week, I went for lunch at Cipriani and frankly speaking I do not understand if that is a restaurant, or a venue to see, and to be seen.

Chairs and tables are so low and uncofortable, with so little space for the waiters to go trough that it is inevitable that every few minutes they bump into you.

Those chairs and tables are good for a cocktail bar of about 40 years ago.

The Bellini cocktail is very good. The service is very attentive and courteous, although I do not like the continue filling to the rim of the glasses, as either be beer, or white wine it gets warmer much faster. A bit pushy.

The dishes used to served the pasta, I had the one with Sea Bass, were like those of an old family Trattoria of 30 years ago, and with no underplate. The pasta was mediocre and in my opinion pre-cooked and with the fumetto (broth) of fish that tasted of nothing. In Italy if they would have charged me € 8 for that pasta probably I would have complained, what I paid there for the overall experience is outrageous.
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E. Marco La Rosa
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

i`ve been there several times and i find that depending on the waiter you have a great or bad night.......i was served by a well spoke italian guy that sounded english very smart and witty...the food was great...trusted what the waiter suggested..and lots of eye candy for male and female.............
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, November 10, 2007

This is my second visit to Cipriani, last night it was with a group of 7 colleagues. This time it was a massive improvement!!

It is a stunning venue - staff are a bit quirky, knowledge of food and wine a bit questionable, but certainly friendly and accommodating!! We added an extra person at short notice and wasn't a problem!!

The food is expensive and quality is dependent upon what you choose - the last time I made poor selections, this time I got it right with the tuna tartar and grilled dover sole - both were absolutely perfect.

I can understand the mixed reviews as it is so dependent on what you select from the menu!!

My only real criticism is the entrance, which is a bit chaotic - the maitre de is right inside the door, right next to the bar and cloakroom. the door is a revolving door which makes it a bit comical gettinig in and out of the place!!
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RalphT - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Friday, November 09, 2007

To be quite honest I’m really not too sure where to start on the most bizarre meal I’ve experienced in a very long time.

Quite frankly the audacity of it all was breathtaking. Luckily we knew what we might be letting ourselves in for having read the other reviews on this place.

Okay, the restaurant.

The chairs and tables were for 5-years olds. So low and so uncomfortable. Naff, children’s-nursery style crockery… dinner plates the size of side plates, thimbles for wine glasses, shabby wooden chairs and linen locked in the 1980s era. And what’s with that porthole with rolling waves video footage in it all about?! Okay, there’s trying to ape an 1930’s liner for Art Deco theme and then there’s just looking sheer naff. Guess where Cipriani fell?

So on to the food.

Yes, the food prices were astronomical but I don’t think I was quite prepared for just HOW awful the meal was going to be. Actually, to be honest, our starters surprised us. I went for simple buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes and it came up trumps but as for my main course… well, think runny cat food. I had the chicken curry and it was both as unappetising to look at as it was to eat. All of it was beige, even the rice which was just plonked on a side plate, and it was completely tasteless. I think even the cheapest supermarket would have done a far tastier tinned chicken curry. The wine was quaffable. That whole sticking-desserts-in-your-face-by-the-waitress thing just isn’t on but perhaps is done as a tactic so that you don’t eat dessert. We didn’t. We did have coffees but the cappuccinos were like lattes – all froth no coffee.

And the people?

The ‘Plastic People’ and the ‘Mutton dressed as lamb’ were out in droves (I had to double-check that one woman wasn’t Pete Burns she’d had so much surgery done!) and the celebs were out in force too… Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Michael Caine and beautiful wife, Michael Winner (dubious celeb I admit) and some B listers. Guess they wanted an evening of feeling they ARE the celebs they are with people rubber-necking them. Why, oh why, if you’ve got their kind of money you’d go there I really, really don’t know.

So, why did we go then? Well, we wanted to tick it off our restaurant list and now that we have we definitely won’t be returning.

So the bottom line?

Do go sometime if not just to say you’ve been and gawped at the audacity of it all and hung out with the loafer/blazer wearing Chelsea types with their mutton girlfriends/wives and I implore you only, only go if someone else is paying and you’ve already eaten a decent meal that day

The best awful night we’ve had in ages!
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AGR
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Friday, November 02, 2007