The Engineer reviews
After hearing the hype, very disappointed. Cold food and very poor service. I arrived alone and on time. The maitre d' identified our group's booking but told me the group hadn't arrived. I then waited 15 minutes downstairs before one of my friends came down to find me, having been there all along. Our orders were taken by a seemingly hungover waiter who was more interested in drinking coffee than tending the table. No one came to check whether meals were satisfactory (and mine was lukewarm at best), only some brief fawning over the baby in our group from a passing waitress.
Overall, a poor, overpriced experience for a not overfussy diner. I'll be better off next time going for a Sunday roast at a proper pub or a restaurant meal with proper service at a proper restaurant. This was neither.
After years of recommendations, I finally got around to dinner at the Engineer. I went with with a reasonable-sized group of friends to celebrate a birthday. The food was incredible and the service was great. Even though the staff were clearly very busy, nothing was too much trouble. This is one rare time when I would actually have been happy to pay more for such an ace, relaxed dining experience. Incredibly reasonable, highly recommended and my new regular. A real pleasure!
by Moo Moo "top london reviewer" (24 reviews), 23 Jun 2007Food was not bad, but great shame about the service!
Imagine, a vegetarian who dislikes mushrooms and there was just a mushroom risotto on the menu. There was a pasta option with bacon, so my friend thought she'd ask if she could order the pasta dish without any bacon. The reply was no, because the sauce was already mixed in. Understandable I guess, but the pasta dish was £12.00 and you think to yourself, I could have bought an all mixed in pasta dish from Waitrose for much less! There was no attempt to offer any alternative or the initiative to ask the chef if any thing else could be done. A 12.5% 'optional' service charge was added to our bill. I'm ashamed of myself for having paid it!
A friend had her 30th birthday here (a party of 12). My friend's sister had bought a really nice cake but the manager refused to serve it, saying it was not policy. We had already ordered two courses, plenty of drinks and offered to all buy ice cream and coffees, but she point blank refused. Clearly customer satisfaction is of no concern.
by phill2424, 29 Sep 2006Sitting in the garden bar is like being back in the school yard! The staff keep throwing the 'rule book' at you. I think they are all retired school teachers or something of that nature because they seem to like being in a position of telling you how to 'behave'. Definately give it a miss - unless you like being spanked!
by Gebe, 23 May 2006The staff are awful - rude and arrogant. Don't go, you will be disappointed.
by poodle (2 reviews), 31 Aug 2005Not cheap but good food, pleasant decor and friendly staff. Like many "gastropubs" it's actually a restaurant attached to a pub and doesn't really feel much like a pub environment - I'm not even sure if you can eat in the main bar area, but it's handy to meet for a drink before dining. Worth a visit.
by anonymous howard (3 reviews), 17 Aug 2005This has been my favourite gastropub for years. I would highly recommend the breakfast! Great ambiance, friendly staff and fun courtyard.
by Nathaliecomty (2 reviews), 15 Aug 2005One of the best gastro pubs I know in London! Great food with a great presentation and original dishes. The service is also very friendly while remaining very professional.
There is also a large beer garden where you can eat in the summer. Book in advance as it is very popular. A must!
We go here quite often for business lunches, and the food is always delicious, and the service is good. Food is probably a bit on the pricey side, but definitely well worth it. The tequila-cured salmon blinis are superb!
by Clysgrl (12 reviews), 22 Feb 2005A bit pricey. It would be better if they dropped the all organic twist and made it less of a restaurant and more of a pub. Gastro pub does not equal table service and reservations.
by Anonymous, 12 Oct 2004Have we missed a great gastro pub in London? Let us know.
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