Shampers

I've been going to Shampers on occasion for around 10 years now, on the basis that it offers good food and a really good wine list at sensible prices in a central London location. Moreover the staff are very friendly. Not much more I need to say: it deserves to thrive for at least another 10 years.
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MarkP - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, August 04, 2008

roast lamb shank on a bed of...baked beans!! says it all really about the food here, absolutely woeful. female staff were pretty obnoxious and only the lively atmosphere in the bar area saved this place from being a total washout
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john sommes
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Thursday, July 10, 2008

I have not eaten at Shampers yet, but I felt compelled to contribute a write-up simply because of the lovely staff, who are cheery, efficient and - a small but increasingly rare thing - always ready with a smile. On the evidence of my two memorably enjoyable evenings there, I fully expect to take my girl-friend for a meal in the near future, just for the atmosphere engendered by the careless, lived-in (but not worn-out) decor and the jolliness of the staff.

I love Shampers for its un-fussy - almost rustic - deshabille charm. It is more akin to a bustling provincial Tabac than a metropolitan bistro. The main entrance (on Kingly street) gives immediately onto the restaurant, which takes up perhaps two thirds of the single, open-plan main area. At the rear, there is a pleasingly higgledy-piggledy wooden-topped bar featuring a very large selection of bottles of wine on the wall behind, original art-works for sale on the walls on the public side and a cheese counter at one end. The restaurant area is a bit more chic and orderly than the immediate vicinity of the bar, though diners might not enjoy the more or less constant flow of drinkers passing through the area.

This isn't a classy joint by any means, and I have to say the toilets are ropey - which does inevitably impact on overall impressions. Nonetheless, distinctively independent establishments like this, with such motivated and pleasant staff, deserve to be supported and encouraged and I would unhesitatingly recommend popping in for a glass of wine and a cheese platter at the bar as a prelude to a return visit for a proper meal. Please note that I have awarded an eight for food but only to avoid distorting the current average food score.
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Sean Kearney
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, April 28, 2008

It was my first time eating at Shampers although I had previously visited to prop up the wine bar and the food always looked great, the tables always filled.

It's a perfect privately owned bistro which does well with its tasty rustic cooking and unstuffy atmosphere. A simple starter of duck foie gras pate with leaves and toast was spot on and I followed that with perfectly cooked (medium rare) calves kidneys with a winey onion sauce and rich, creamy mashed potatoes. I had a very agreeable Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc with the starter and a robust Lebanese red blend with the main. The white could have easily have been drunk on its own but the Lebanese was a bit austere for my tastes and was tempered by the kidneys.

We were too full for desert but managed a mint tea and paid the very reasonable total of £65 for three of us. To conclude, Shampers is the kind of bistro / wine bar you wish was within walking distance of your front door.
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Matt Fearn
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I love this place. Food always good, and very good prices.
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spencer - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, March 03, 2008

This is one of my favourites. Small and intimate with a great atmosphere. Reasonably priced and attentive service that doesn't interrupt the flow of conversation. The owner is incredibly passionate about wine and his recommendations are always right on the money! Have a very enjoyable evening every time, the monk fish is a firm favourite, and the wine list is extensive.
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jpswalsh - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Went for dinner last night as part of a group of 12. Really busy with lots of big tables as it was Xmas, but this didn't seem to delay food turning up. Service was excellent, really friendly - they didn't mind 4 people turning up later than the rest and ordering as and when they arrived. Food was £27 for 3 courses, with wine it worked out at £42 a head which was very good value. Steak & chips was good - cooked to perfection; Lamb shank with mash was lovely as well. All in all, can definitely recommend Shampers.
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Simon
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, December 20, 2007

The buzzy atmosphere and the happy, hospitable service was more than welcome to two foot-weary diners when we managed to secure a table without booking after 9 pm on Thursday. Himself chose squid stir-fried in chilli which proved to be an excellent choice, provoking a degree of envy from me (next time!), however, my safe bet of marinated herrings did not disappoint. Two chargrilled steaks (cooked exactly as asked for), with fries and an extremely quaffable bottle of Malbec brought life back to the old dogs and the obvious pleasure to be of service of the staff made for a great evening. Highly recommended!
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LJB
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Everything was going well; the decor, atmospher, staff all appeared to be great. Even the satisfying freshly baked bread indicated that the food to follow would be excellent. Unfortunately our initial euphoria quickly turned to dissapointment . Our starter of a shared charcuterie platter was a bizzare combination of processed meats and patte's which tasted awful. I ordered a steak which was a case of quantity over quality, my girlfriend ordered sausage and mash - the sausages were burnt and of an exceptionally cheap quality. Needless to say we did not want to perpetuate this sequence of dissapointment by ordering desserts.

Having said all of this the atmosphere in the restaurant was pleasant and the staff were all friendly. However, this cannot hide the inadequacies of some of their dishes.
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

We ate here at short notice at 8.30pm Friday and had little trouble securing a table. The restaurant has a nice feel to it, very intimate and cosy but with a good atmosphere. We were shown to our table by an efficient but not overly friendly waitress where we found an extensive wine list which was reasonably priced and a fairly broad menu. I opted for a chilli and garlic squid starter which was quite fiery but very tasty and we followed this with the grilled skate wing served with mash and mangetout. The skate wing was well cooked but the mains were nothing special. The Riesling we chose complemented the dish perfectly. On the whole I would say we were well satisfied with the keenly priced wine list and the setting. Our only gripes would be the smoke drifting across from numerous lit cigarettes around the room and the reserved service.
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basemess - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Saturday, March 17, 2007