S&M Cafe (Islington)

This used to be ok, but last night was dreadful and I won't be returning. Tiny sausages, mean portion of mash, indifferent service.

We ordered a marmalade tart for dessert, and a few minutes later we could smell something burning from the kitchen. Shortly afterwards, the marmalade tart arrived at our table. Cutting it in half, we found the inside completely incinerated - literally like there was charcoal inside. Sent it back and didn't pay for it, obviously.
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James
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

I visited this restaurant last night prior to seeing a show in the O2 Arena. The food was cold, tasteless, over priced and the portion sizes were tiny. We had a table near the kitchen which meant we had a good view of the tubs of pre cooked sausages, mash and the vats of gravy which were slopped on top of the tiny portions with a ladle. I could only describe the scene as something out of a slop kitchen!

I my opinion, the only reason anyone eats in this restaurant is because the queues for Frankie & Benny's, Pizza Express and Nando's are too long!

We won't be visiting again.
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Angela Davies
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Saturday, December 29, 2007

I went to the Spitalfields S & M in August 2007 after a recommendation from a london tour guide. The food was overpriced and tasteless. The sausages weren't even as tasty as the mass produced Walls variety, served with a tiny spoonful of mash (which tasted like instant) and smothered in a brown gravy. The service was sadly lacking as was any atmosphere in the restaurant. It was described as comfort food - save your money and do your sausages at home.
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Jaybi - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Friday, August 24, 2007

Went to the S&M restaurant in the O2 centre on Sunday 12 August. I have visited S&M before at Essex Road and Spitalfileds and nejoyed thoses but this time I was disappointed. The problems were:

Small portions of mash - for the price could be 50% more;

Ditto the Cottage pie - a bit mean with the portion size;

The food is served on stone cold plates so that it is cold after a few minutes;

The music was pretty lound on a Sunday at 4.-00pm with few people inside;

It has been open only 3 weeks and it shows in the staff. Lots of people milling around not really knowing what they were doing. They even cleared some of the plates away before everyone had finished!

Positives ? Nice Rioja and deserts not bad.

Overall - will not be rushing back.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I used to go to this place alot but went last week and it was different no atmosphere

staff all different

not very friendly and portions smaller.

:(
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 4
Friday, June 29, 2007

We’d been meaning to visit the S&M Café for ages but never got round to in until recently. Unfortunately, what could be an excellent pit stop really lets itself down with the quality of its ingredients.

You’d expect the sausages to be really high quality but we found them, and the rest of the meal, to be bland. Put it this way, I found it very difficult to tell the difference between a Cumberland sausage and one with pork and cider. The pork, celery and stilton was similarly tasteless – with hardly a trace of cheese in it. You’d find better sausages in any decent butcher, even supermarket “premium” sausages compare favourably.

It’s not even that cheap, we both had 3 sausages and mash, a side (the mushy peas were excellent to be fair) and a glass of wine, which came to almost £30 with service. S&M Café was a huge disappointment - next time we want sausages we’re staying in!
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Gethin - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Monday, January 08, 2007

There are very few good places to brunch in London, so I was dead chuffed to find this place.

Perfect for spending a few hours chatting to friends and eating traditional english grub, it's not haute cuisine but it is fun, and definitely more grown up and more interesting than Giraffe.

I took some French friends there when they came this weekend and they absolutely loved it (rare to get a thumbs up from the French for English restaurants)!

But definitely reserve a table if you are going on a Sunday lunchtime as it was v busy.
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Susan E - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, December 04, 2006

I've eaten in the S&M Cafe twice now, and both times, I have been overjoyed. Breakfast the first time round (which is served all day) was absolutely supreme, hand-cut bacon of outstanding quality, black pudding better than anything I've ever bought from a butchers', and a sterling cup of tea alongside. The next time I had proper sausages and mash, and they went down an absolute treat. The service is always friendly and the waitresses are adorable, the decor is lovely and old-fashioned, the music is quiet enough to hear yourself think and is a lovely 50s/60s/70s soundtrack for your meal. I will be going back time and time again.
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Hotshot - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, December 02, 2006

Just had lunch in the S & M in Brushfeld Street. £12 for two grisly sausages, tasteless mash, and some gravy, a coke in a dirty glass, all served on a dirty table cloth, in a cold damp restaurant.

The Waiter asked if it was ok. I said "It was horrible". He thought I was joking - I wasn't, it was horrible.

Never again.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 3
Friday, September 22, 2006

A gem. The old cafe perfectly revived, complete with all the old fittings and signs, and Dandelion & Burdock on the drinks menu!

Choose any combination from a great selection of sausages (including 3 vegetarian options), add your choice of mash, gravy and side veggies. Try and leave room for some old-fashioned puds, too... and it's licensed. And it's open all the time! And the service is happy and friendly! Hurray for S&M!
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Helen - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, April 18, 2006