Inn The Park

I really meant to write to you earlier; but please pass on my belated thanks to your team for our excellent breakfast last Friday. The service was superb (not easy for 19 people), the food was very much enjoyed by all, and the limited menu worked well and all had something they wanted.

I think we will make this a regular feature.
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Helen MacKenzie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, November 04, 2009

I think this restaurant hopes its attractive setting will offset its various weaknesses. On a sunny day a week or so ago I was there for a weekday birthday brunch. The first problem was that the restaurant was chilly and we had to keep our coats on. The food took a little too long to arrive and when it did it was fairly dismal. The plates were cold, both the scrambled and the poached eggs were cold, the latter were also vinegary and trailing unappealing threads, and the large ‘roasted tomatoes’ had been cooked whole so that when you pierced them they just leaked watery liquid over the rest of the dish. The waitress had asked about the required consistency of boiled eggs – the white set and the yolk runny – but they came liquid and still transparent. The manager was apologetic and offered complimentary coffees while things were sorted out but the staff even got those orders wrong – and they were cold too. The management really needs to get a grip on this place as it is a wasted opportunity to run something spectacular.
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BirthdayGirl
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Friday, October 30, 2009

We visited Inn the Park restaurant last week for the first time having been recommended by a friend. Although the restaurant was extremely busy, the staff were attentive and friendly and looked after us very well. The food was delicious, really tasty and lots of it. I would definitely recommend the restaurant to colleagues and friends and can't wait to go back.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, October 12, 2009

A splendid location in St James's Park with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake ... but almost everything else disappointed.

I had a lukewarm soup followed by what was described on the menu as 'salt beef'. The stringy fatty thing that appeared on the plate was an overwhelming disappointment, and coupled with a duck egg and potato salad didn't even begin to justify its price tag of just over £16 (admittedly one of the cheaper main courses here).

The service was abrupt and slow. Our waiter somewhat curtly interrupted the group to take orders, check everything was alright, etc.

I'd recommend coming here for a coffee or beer on the outside balcony simply for the setting ... but would avoid eating here like the plague.
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AB - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Thursday, September 24, 2009

Gristly salt beef (more like a wrongly cooked old steak), a cold duck egg and insipid potato salad. Service, in the a la carte section was swift, but so much so I felt like I was on an escalator pointing directly to the exit. For this privileged, we were seated next to a lady who had purchased takeaway, but had decided sitting down was preferable. She may have been a little aged, hence the staff's relaxation of the rules, but her incessant complaints (“soup too cold, not enough bread/butter/pepper”...) and frequent hailing to friends across the room, transformed a bad meal into a nightmarish experience.
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Dick Taylor
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Thursday, September 17, 2009

Having had numerous recommendations I decided to try Inn the Park in St James Park.

I must say I had a splendid evening, the service sometimes slightly slow, but well worth the wait when the dishes came. The produce was obviously well chosen and the wine list suitable. The ice-creams were great too.

It is a truly amazing setting, I will certainly go back soon..
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, August 13, 2009

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