Inn The Park

I don't know where to begin... This morning my partner and I decided to enjoy the April sun at one of the most splendid outdoor spots in London: St James Park. Perhaps our expectations were too high, perhaps the sunny promises of this lovely Saturday morning too voluptuous to be attained. The fact is we were truly disappointed by Oliver Peyton's alpine chalet in the gracious green of one of London's Royal Parks.

On arrival, our solemn waitress took us to not one but three disappointing tables. All of which were next to over-spilling tables while the rest of the restaurant sat forlornly empty. We decided our best chance for a table where we could sit in relative comfort would be the verandah. Once the waitress had safely ensconced us at the worst possible table outside, almost on the laps of a group of 30 whinging Australians that were keeping the alpine trend going with big sporty glasses and bronzed faces, we perused the menu.

Having been given a menu with no drink choices on it we plumped for failsafe cappuccinos. Then, despite three further interruptions from our solemn Polish waitress, while we were clearly not ready, it took another 10 mins before our frantic hand waving could induce any wait staff to take our order. Once ordered up, we sat and enjoyed the pleasant surroundings. And so we sat, and sat, and waited, and waited, and waited. After 40 mins we started to get concerned, until finally after 45 minutes, our breakfasts arrived. His, a meagre but pleasingly edible enough fry up, mine a pathetic slip of pallid white omelette. Where were the egg yolks I asked the confused waitress, who just stared down at my plate of tepid egg white lost for words. Unable to wait for another 45 minutes for another equally drab meal to arrive, we decided to share the breakfast, so that we could ensure a quick getaway. I hate to think what would have happened had the place been even half-full. The breakfast was meagre but adequate, though at £12.50 hardly inspiring.

More than disappointing, the experience at Inn The Park, was the 3rd worst restaurant experience I have ever had. We left so upset by the experience that we had to go straight to the Fountain Restaurant at Fortnum's where thankfully our ruffled feathers were expertly smoothed out. and for less expense. I will never step foot in Inn The Park ever again, and would advise others considering it, to take the lovely stroll through St James and then head straight for The Fountain instead.
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Dee
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Saturday, April 25, 2009

I must just take the time to write a quick note about Inn the Park in regards to one of the previous reviews.

I am a regular customer at the park both in the self service area but more so in the restaurant. I have always thought very highly of this restaurant, it is a place where i bring many clients during the week and at the weekend friends and family. The food and service has always been of the highest level with a wonderful british menu. I find the restaurant itself a fun, mordern and clean place, the toilets mind you can be a slight problem with large amount of foot traffic, i myself have witnessed mass amounts of people using them but the restaurant is located in the heart of one of the most famous tourist areas in London.

I wll continue to spend my money at this restaurant as i find it one nicest places in the area to dine.
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Albert73 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 16, 2009

If the choice had been mine, I would have left within about 5 minutes of arriving here. My husband doesn't like to complain so we stayed.

We booked the Inn on the Park for breakfast as we'd heard it was worth getting up for. The setting is wonderful, the food was OK but:

- Our cups, plates and teapots were all chipped or cracked

- My water glass still had the previous customer's lipstick on the rim

- The whole place was absolutely filthy - I can't remember eating in a restaurant this dirty

- The windows were smeared in unspeakable mess and had clearly not been cleaned for a very long time

- The cutlery was thin, bent and dirty

- Our toast was served on what looked like a discarded piece of wood from the pavement outside and as with everything else, looked filthy

Needless to say I did not finish my breakfast.
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Nim
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, February 04, 2009

We went to this restaurant for our Christmas lunch and were all utterly shocked!

Food was horrible, service was poor, portions were small and then you get presented with a huge bill plus a discretionery 12.5% service charge!

I personally think this restaurant should be closed, they are outrightly ripping people off!
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 19, 2008

I went to Inn The Park yesterday and had a terrible meal. The service was slow ant he food very poor indeed. The portions were very small, the sprouts raw, the chestnuts missing and the dessert was the worst I have ever tasted. It was supposed to be a lemon tart but looked like scrambled egg in a shop bought pastry case and it tasted of old custard. I could only stomach one mouthful. My friends vegetarian option was still frozen in the middle. Everything was overpriced and the staff didn't seem surprised by our complaints.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 19, 2008

Unable to get a table for breakfast at the Wolsley we decided to try Inn The Park.

Things started well when we were taken to a table with stunning views of St James Park but once we ordered things started to slide.

The breakfast was decidedly below average and i have eaten better at a thousand little cafe's around London that would blow this place out of the water if they had the same marketing budget. I was also given a fork to eat my porridge with.

The service is so bad that when i went in search of my bill all the waiters had decided to leave the guests to their own devices and were seated with the maitre d getting briefed on the up coming lunch sitting. When i finally tracked down a waitress she did not understand the word 'bill' ( i tried various variations but no joy).

Mr Peyton should focus less on his media career and put his energy into his restaurants. Maybe then i would get the ' Great British Breakfast ' i spent 92 pounds on ( there were 6 of us to be fair).
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Rob Thomas
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Sunday, August 03, 2008

Visited Sunday 1st June for a special anniversary lunch with my husband.

We were seated at 2.30pm, Ordered starters and waitress returned from kitchen to inform us that they had run out, 2nd choice of starters then ordered and again waitress returned from kitchen informing us they had also run out of this choice. 20 minutes later we were acknowledged by waitress that our 3rd choice of starters had not arrived (as the starters did not involve any cooking, did not know th reason for the long delay in service) they appeared 5 minutes later.

At 3.30pm (one hour after ordering) we had to ask where our main courses were! At 3.40pm the mains arrived without side order of green beans which had (you guessed it ) run out. Dried up Chips appeared on my Husbands plate instead of stated Roast Potatoes without explaination or apology.

We decided not to order dessert, just wanted to leave!

Will not be coming back and do not recommend this restaurant. Very disappointing
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Rose English
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Monday, June 02, 2008

We visited this beautiful building in its lovely setting for breakfast on Sunday. Two other tables were occupied (maybe we are the last people in London to know never to eat here). Choice of two 'full english' breakfasts - almost identical. Both included black pudding. We asked for 3 without black pudding - still arrived with it. And it would have been a challenge even if you liked to eat it - it was hard, dried out and incredibly unappetising. We asked about a vegetarian option and were pointed to the toast. We asked about having things included in the full english - mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs - and were told they couldn't do that at weekends 'too busy'. They wish. I had the 'lighter option' which consisted of virtually an entire box of a Kellogg's granola look-a-like product with some rather unpleasant plain yoghurt tipped into a glass and 2 english muffins which weren't even toasted. I was last to be served despite having the least demanding food and we had to ask for it 4 times. We also had to ask 3 times for preserves. The staff were totally untrained, the food was absolutely disgusting and the whole thing was very expensive. They shouldn't be allowed to operate.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

I visited Inn the Park for dinner on the 26th April. It was fantastic. Everything !

The food , the service and all nicely topped off the views and weather

Brilliant !!!!!
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Jay Natali
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, April 28, 2008

I visited inn the park on 21/04/08 it was the worst experience I have had at any restaurant the service at my local Mc Donalds is better and so is the food better at Mc Donalds. When we received our main my girlfriends plate was so sticky and greasy like it had not been washed......would advise anyone planning to visit Inn the park to please book an alternate place.
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Bindi
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, April 24, 2008