Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill

Obviously some of the people that have left some bad reviews below haven't been dining out much in London as I sincerely think that Bentley's is absolutely top class. Most restaurants are expensive nowadays and one should not expect a cheap meal in one of the best fish restaurant in town. I eat out a lot and I always keep coming back to Bentley's where the food is absolutely superb. Last night I had the dressed crab ( a must for all crab lovers) and the special Black Bass with Couscous which was to die for. My friend had the asparagus and the fish pie and she was raving about them.The staff is always very friendly and they made my guest feel very special last night (it was her birthday) by offering us a couple glasses of Champagne for the occasion. Their wine list is far superior than any of the other fish restaurant too (so my husband tells me. He is a wine collector and he recons they have over 250 wines on the list. His favourite is Gruner I think but I usually go for a nice rose when I am out with my friends).

Highly recommended.
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Ruth Elliot
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Walked in off the street last Friday at around 9 oclock. Managed to get one of the last seats at the bar. In fact this was a great place to sit. We found the service very friendly and attentive with the waiters being prepared to offer advice. The overall bill for two was £120. For this we each had a glass of champagne and shared a dozen oysters. They were excellent, fresh, plump and succulent. My partner had fish pie whch was a good size portion, full of fish and not potatoe, and good value. I can confirm this as I had to help her finish. I had the turbot which was fine but nothing to write home about; the samphire and battered prawns that went with it were tasty. The fish and chips eaten by the lady next to me looked great and she seemed to enjoy it very much. The cheapest wine on the list was Muscadet at £21 and it served its purpose. We dithered over pudding as my weakness for good bread, which came readily at the start, got the better of me but decided to share the apricot pistachio tart with vanilla custard. It was really good. As it happened they gave us each a smaller portion and only charged us for one.

We had an enjoyable evening and will go back in the future.
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Alex Biddle.
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Sunday, June 10, 2007

went to Bentleys last Saturday, and had a very enjoyable evening. The food was very good. I had the mussels, which were slightly disappointing, but the Fish Pie was excellent. My boyfriend had the Oysters and then the Lobster and enjoyed both. For dessert I had the lemon& Meringue with chantilly cream.which was nice but not presented very well! My boyfriend had the Jelly and Ice Cream which he said was really good. We had a bottle of wine, and a couple of glasses of Champagne, and the bill was just under £200 which we felt was very reasonable. However service charge was included which I always think is a bit cheeky. We would have given a 12% tip anyway, as the service was o.k. The only negative comment I would make, is that the tables for two people are too close together.

When spending this sort of money on a meal, you don't want to have to listen to conversation from the next table.
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Fiona
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, May 24, 2007

Went for a late lunch with my girlfriend for her birthday last Sunday

Things didn't start well..we were herded into a small table between two other couples...much too close together for any of us to be comfortable

However, things really improved after we requested a move to the bar...started off with a dozen oysters...opened and plated up right in front of us by the barman. Absolutely delicious...and we were given a "lucky" 13th. We also ahared a plate of salmon tartare...which came mixed with small chunks of oyster and a wonderful dressing

Main courses were simple but delicious..fish pie for my girlfriend ("much better than j sheekey's") and fish and chips for me

Not a cheap lunch, C£100 with couple of cocktails before and two glasses of white wine with the food but thoroughly enjoyable. We'll be back
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GH - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, May 15, 2007

My husband took me to Bentleys for our first anniversary as a special treat at the beginning of April 2007. I had lobster pasta to start with and it was so salty and I could not eat it. The second attempt was much better but then my main course, fish pie was far too salty as well. I felt that I could not complain again so tried to plough through it and only managed to eat half of it (what a waste of £25). We were so disappointed that we didnt want to stay for desserts. Just as we were going to leave they turned up with a dessert to apologise but I couldnt eat it as I am pregnant and it contained unpasteurised cheese!
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Sarah Sampher
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Thursday, April 26, 2007

The most overpriced and overated restaurant in the capital. The portions are tiny without being exceptional; the phase "value for money" has no meaning in this extablishment. The service is poor, but I do agree with previous praise for the wine waiter. With so many good alternatives nearby there is simply no reason to waste money visiting Bentley's.
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S Kershaw
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

One of the most disappointing dining experiences in London. The service was fine, particularly our wine waiter. Everything else was hopeless. The atmosphere was comparable to a morgue and the food - well it was simply dreaful, and what a price to pay for such sub-standard fare.
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Niall Farnan
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Monday, April 02, 2007

I went to Bentleys on Friday the 30th of March, I couln't be more disappointed, the service is very poor and the food overpriced, the decoration is no differnet from any other new restaurant, nothing of its glorious past remains, where is the personality in what it was the best Oyster Bar in the UK?

I would not recommend you go Bentleys on an empty stomach as the portions are so small, when you spend £75 per head you may expect a decent night out.
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Jenny Martin
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Saturday, March 31, 2007

We visited Bentleys on Saturday 24 March with our elderly parents. The refurbished bar and dining rooms are immaculate, but the service was amateurish and the food was poor quality: a goats cheese salad arrived with less than a teaspoonful of goats cheese and a massive mound of oily leaves; the eel starter consisted of two small, dry pieces of eel with a gloopy, tasteless dressing; the main courses were not much better - the chips in particular were more like undercooked, partially peeled potato wedges. And for £240 for 4 people, 2 courses and 2 small glasses of wine, there was no excuse for such ropey service: no amuses-bouches; bread plonked unceremoniously on the table; 3 portions of chips delivered though we only ordered 1 portion; charged for 2 bottles of water, though we only ordered 1....the list goes on. The only diners who were enjoying themselves were the table of Russian businessmen, who spent most of their time holding forth on mobile phones; the phones were going off loudly every 10 minutes.

The dining room was half-empty when we left at 7.30, which perhaps shows that punters are voting with their feet.

We would not recommend this restaurant unless you enjoy spending lots of money on sub-standard food.
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Mr and Mrs S
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Although the restaurant has had a good refurbishment, the staff are personable, and the food is good, you can always tell if you are paying too much, and this is certainly the case here.

It will go the way of Wheelers over the road off Duke of York St.

Too expensive.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, March 14, 2007