J Sheekey

I went to this restaurant last Saturday, and had the most delightful meal of plaice, brown shrimp and samphire, I could have eaten it again and again. The service was faultless and the staff were very pleasant, definitely eat there again.
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leonieclarke
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, July 08, 2009

My wife and I stayed up in London for our 1st wedding anniversary and decided to visit J Sheekey's based on the reviews on this website.

I'm pleased to say that we weren't disappointed. We received a warm welcome and the staff were attentive without being overbearing. My wife was on crutches and there was always someone on hand to move the table for her to get in and out easily.

The food was extremely well cooked and presented although the portion of John Dory that I had left me wanting more. No such complaints with the Gilt Head Bream though, it was exceptionally tasty and a good size. The dessert selection was good and I can highly recommend the iced berries with white chocolate sauce.

The only negative is that the restaurant isn't closer to where I live !!!!

Highly recommended.
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Olly - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Loved it. good food, great buzz, efficient service. well done. great place to go with friends or just "tete a tete".
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8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

J Skeekey never fails to deliver outstanding food and a top level of service...I have yet to be disappointed. I often show up without a reservation and they always try their best to find room..even if it's at their fabulous new oyster bar area...sometimes I prefer it there.The oyster bar has a different menu to the main restaurant and the dishes are smaller and size but this was a great idea as it works as most people will have the oysters and two smaller dishes or four if you're sharing.

I've tried most of them...fish pie,atlantic prawn cuury,fish stew,crab bisque are all wonderful! The oysters are beautifully presented.

Their wine list for both the oyster bar and the main restaurant is outstanding and we often enjoy a great quality bottle for under 30.00 pounds.

They have a no music policy...which is perfect after a hard day and you just want to enjoy a nice glass of wine and oysters.

The place is always busy and with the great front of house team and food it's easy to see why.
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Charlene Coleman - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, March 06, 2009

I admit, I like very formal settings, and this is certainly the embodiment of that. It is very elegant in an understated way, rather than being glitzy and glamorous, and the food is good. The menu is very traditional, unadventurous and typical of an English seafood restaurant with starters such as potted shrimps, perfectly cooked Dover sole for a main, and post-entree dishes such as soft roes on toast and Welsh rarebit, but only the best ingredients and freshest fish is used. The waiting staff too are friendly (they particularly enjoyed the look on my face having attempted to be adventurous by going for the jellied eel starter, most certainly an acquired taste and possibly the most revolting thing I have ever tried) and are very attentive.

This is a lovely place for fine English dining which is, of course, very conveniently located for most West End cinemas.
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Tatiana - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Monday, January 19, 2009

Good but not great. My husband and I ate here pre theatre on Thursday evening and although we enjoyed our meal and I'm don't think we would return. As previously mentioned the prices do seem to be on the high side for what you get. I had the roast cod on shellfish risotto. The cod was perfectly cooked and a good size but the risotto lacked any actual shellfish and I only received a very small spoonful. My husband had the smoked haddock which was a much better portion size.

My biggest complaint was that the chips were just frozen french fries and I would have expected proper hand cut chips from a restaurant such as this. We had creme brulee and chocolate souffle for dessert which were both good but nothing to write home about.

We didn't especially enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant and found it to be a little too stiff and formal and the decor was dreadful.
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6 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Monday, January 12, 2009

Incredibly expensive!!! £150 for a lunch for two! Ok, the food was quite nice, although my £10.50 mackerel salad starter lacked any mackerel! My friend had the Risotto to start and for £11.50 it was no larger than a saucer full. I know you dont want a huge plate to start but for the price, it was daylight robbery. I had the fishcake for dinner at £15.50 which I really enjoyed but all side dishes were £4 extra which I felt was really taking a liberty. My friends haddock at £15 was simply that - haddock and a piece of boiled egg with a tablespoon of mash. The choker for me was to pay £12 for one small glass of kir royale. And £3.50 for 4 sticks of truffle to accompany our coffee.

Now let me put anyone straight who thinks that I normally eat at Mcdonalds and cannot handle paying london prices. I eat out regularly in London for business and pleasure and I am quite used to the ridiculous prices, but J Sheekey really pushes the boundaries. It is a nice restaurant with a lovely atmosphere, slightly stuffy clientele but the staff are not snooty and you do feel relaxed. However, I have eaten in far more upper class establishments and paid far less for far better. Take Oslo Court for example. When you order Scallops you get a full plate of them. I noticed at J Sheekey you get 5 on the plate for an astronomical price.

Admittedly the restaurant is always full but mainly with business men who aren't paying the bill themselves. I think the every day clientele will get wise and seek other restaurants offering better quality and quantity.

My last visit I am afraid.
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Tim Church
5 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Saturday, December 13, 2008

Nice restaurant with a very interesting menu, well cooked if somewhat lukewarm food and good service.

But there are some buts, and the main one is price. You can find restaurants in London with menus just as interesting, with wait-for-your-table bar areas that are not so cramped and with more interesting interior designs, that are nowhere near as expensive as this restaurant.

In summary, tender food but tough on the wallet. Our lunch, three courses with a bottle of house wine and a coffee, cost £75 a head.
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P Whynot
6 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Monday, December 01, 2008

I do not understand the negative reviews here.

I took 2 friends out to lunch here on Saturday 22 November for a birthday. We had the Plat de Fruits de Mer, griddled tiger prawns with chilli, 2 hake with white beans and chorizo and one plain grilled dover sole. Followed by the chocolate soufflet, honeycom ice cream and chocolate sauce, and rice pudding with armangac prunes.

The restaurant was completely full, had a lovely atmosphere, the staff were very helpful and attentive, and no one in my party could find any faults. One of my friends dines out several times a week on business and thought it was every bit as good as Scotts, Murano et al. and said he loved it.

There are several lovely cosy rooms with leather banquets and old pictures and photos on the wall. It is crisp white linen on the tables, with a clubby homely feel. The other clientele were not the raucous crowd, nor the tourist brigade nor loud mouthed yuppies flashing the bonuses. It was a friendly but quiet and discrete crowd and was perfect for an upmarket birthday celebration.

The fish was as fresh as it can be. Our Plat de fruits de mer was wonderful with the most fresh and gorgeous oysters, lobster, crab, prawn etc. One of our group had just returned from Nice and said it was as good as any plat they had there. It was extremely fresh. The hake was melt in the mouth and the dover sole very flavoursome. The puddings were delicious- as good as we have had anywhere. I will definitely have the rice pudding and armangac prunes when I go back - it was beautiful! My friend's chocolate soufflet took 15 minutes to make and it was out of this world, served with clotted cream ice cream/cream. Stunning.

Overall I thought it was wonderful and will definitely return. It isn't cheap - but who expects one of the best restaurants in london - the most expensive city in Europe! - to be cheap? And if it was cheap the clientele woudl go down hill. If you find it expensive don't go rather than go and then moan about the cost! There are plenty of cheaper options.

We were at our table from 2.30 - 5.30 with half an hour beforehand in the cosy bar. It was a wonderful afternoon and I think the poor reviewers here are just being churlish for some unknown reason.
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StevenNW3
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, November 24, 2008

Had a very average dinner for four people. Average food, average service though of course above-average bill. Felt as though the staff were going through the motions. A restaurtant resting on its reputation rather than delivery.
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6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, September 29, 2008