St. JohnAn Easter MealMy friend and I are backpacking through Europe and I though it was absolutely necessary to at least fine out at a few of the finest restaurants Europe had to offer and I am happy to say that St. John's is indeed one of them. He had the poached chicken with a red wine and I had the rabbit shallot with a white wine. We couldn't have been happier with the minimalist style and the energetic service. It was such a quaint scene.18/05/2013 00:00:00Bones and bitsIf you like food - in all forms - this is the place for you. Pairing everything with the St. John's claret, the marrow baked in the bones was scrumptious, the beets and beef delicious and the roast pork perfect. The best was the lamb sweetbreads and new potatoes. Could not get enough.
Desserts were as expected in the bakery - very good and all traditional recipes. Highly recommended!!!!14/05/2013 00:00:00Lamb sweetbreads with peasPrepared correctly and lightly fried, these little lamb sweetbreads sat like golden islands in the pool of gravy and peas. St.John! No over-fussy presentation, no wierd taste-combinations and delicious. The sweetbreads melted creamily in the mouth and a minimum of chewing adequately despatched them to the alimentary canal. The matrix, the peas and gravy gave a delightful savoury contrast. There was mint, sufficient to detect but not dominate. I loved it. I tried to make it last a long time. But finally I mopped up the last speck of gravy with a piece of bread and it was gone. Planning my next visit now.....13/05/2013 00:00:00Recommended!Good food, excellent service and a very nice feeling about the whole place. Feels like this place is run by professionals. A genuine feeling.11/05/2013 00:00:00Everything was good. A fewEverything was good. A few staff mistakes were corrected immediately and with apologies. Duck was well undercooked and not rested making it actually inedible which was a huge disappointment but everything else we had was fantastic! Great food and a knowledgable, friendly and competent waiter.10/05/2013 00:00:00St John RestaurantI had friend from the USA over and wanted a real food experience. We ate bone marrow, liver, tongue, rabbit and suckling pig meat balls - all truly outstanding. Lovely friendly waitress too.01/05/2013 00:00:00St.John used to be my regularSt.John used to be my regular - went usually once a week. I have then moved and haven't been for quite some time. So my last visit was like coming home. The staff is really attentive, sweet and all natural acting. They know the food, the drinks and how to serve - which lacks in many restaurants. The room could do with a bit a fresh paint but apart from that is was lovely. Thank you for a lovely evening!30/04/2013 00:00:00Great food, attentive service,Great food, attentive service, perfect for pre-theatre.30/04/2013 00:00:00Service and food outstandingHave been there for the second time now. First on a Sunday for brunch which was already great. Now with a business partner for dinner - and we were excited. Thanks to St. John's it is possible to eat food, provided in a particular way and with non-daily ingredients you do never ever find on the menus of the "I find you everywhere restaurants". On top we enjoyed the wonderful service of a great waitress who made you feel at home and where it was more than obvious that you worked with joy and fun as she never put her natural smile away for a single second.
And folks - don't be shy to choose the "unusual" dishes on the menu. They are all worth it - to be eaten and also pricewise.29/04/2013 00:00:00St Johns - just fabIf you want really good food in an unpretentious setting St Johns is for you. Snail salad, followed by kid with rapeseed greens and the already tried and tested home made eccles cake with Lancashire cheese - all to die for. Great wine list too. What we particularly liked was the relaxed atmosphere and the knowledgeable but not in your face service. We'll be back again and again.28/04/2013 00:00:00Great food, great buzzEveryone seemed to be enjoying themselves at St John. The menu was short and meaty, but there were great fish dishes and a vegetarian option. One day I'll come back for the sucking pig.24/04/2013 00:00:00Para Gourmets curiosos e fortesAdoramos nosso jantar, mas o cardápio é difícil para estrangeiros. Miúdos de porco, tutano, Coelho, pomba e por aí afora.
Tudo muito bem feito e saboroso. Não curtimos as sobremesas. Bons vinhos e serviço eficiente e muito simpático.19/04/2013 00:00:00A uniquely English experienceA truly fine meal worthy of its reputation and that of its founder, Fergus Henderson, the St. John restaurant did not disappoint. A very enjoyable experience.16/04/2013 00:00:00Lovely eveningI planned a special dinner with friends visiting London and was pleased with my choice of restaurant. The food was absolutely outstanding. Best of all was the bone marrow & the bread pudding!!
We had a great evening, catching up on old times and enjoying the food. The staff was very pleasant and friendly, upon asking for their recommendations, they were very good with telling us their preferences and guiding us through the menu.
I look forward to going back to St. Johns!15/04/2013 00:00:00My husband's 50th birthdayMy husband's 50th birthday required a good meal and St John did not let us down. A busy Saturday night but a good table for 2 tucked to the side was great as we could still talk without having to shout. The service was slick and the waiter knowledgable advising us on a great wine to go with our main course of breaded veal and lamb sweetbreads. The menu, changed daily, had plenty of choice and the simple vegetables on the side were delicious. For pudding, I had apple crumble, husband the cheese and we were both suitably full and happy with our lot!
Will definitely return.13/04/2013 00:00:00Good foodsFoods is very well. Because guest is too many and crowd. have to wait long time.10/04/2013 00:00:00School Dinners With StyleIt doesn't look like an expensive restaurant on the outside and the dining rooms resembles a school dinner hall, but to be honest I rather liked the unpretentious decor of the place. The main thing is the food, no advance menus because it's all worked out by the chefs on the night, working with the freshest ingredients.
The signature bone marrow and parsley was excellent, as was the veal and beans salad for starter. My main of pigeon and beetroot was well judged, although could have been de-boned. The wide choice of British classic puds was also welcome, with the apple crumble and ginger cake going down a treat.
There's a fine wine and aperitif list to choose from and the service was generally very good.10/04/2013 00:00:00Always greatRelatively simple ingredient led cooking using seasonal produce and more unusual cuts. Fergus Henderson is usually to be seen at lunchtime, a reassuring sight. Look around you, everyone here is enjoying themselves! Not the hushed reverence of a typical Michelin establishment. Superb value.09/04/2013 00:00:00Exceptional, as everYou're never going to be disappointed with St John if you know what to expect. Understated decor to the point of Brutalism and dishes that may challenge some. But they are worth getting adventurous for. Ox liver starter was gorgeous. The snail, sausage and chickpeas main was amazing. Those who had the roast marrowbone weren't disappointed, because that dish is world famous for bloody good reasons.09/04/2013 00:00:00Fantastic DinnerWe are from the US and had heard about the restaurant several times from reviews and on TV and booked our reservations well in advance. We took two local friends and we were all THRILLED with our experience from start to finish! The food, service, ambiance, wine, EVERYTHING was amazing! The value for what we received was incredible and we are talking it up and recommending it to everyone we see while in town. We cannot wait to return to London and come back. Keep up the great work Mr. Henderson! Cheers!09/04/2013 00:00:00Recommended by Anthony BourdainI was introduced to this restaurant by an Anthony Bourdain article claiming that if he had to die with something rolling out of his mouth, it would be at this place. I completely believe him.
The meal was splendid. We ordered three appetizers to share - the bone marrow (great) , fried crispy pork skin (ok), and ox liver salad (great) and all of them were wonderful. The bone marrow was just as promised - soft, savory, crispy with sea salt and the parsley was just the right touch.
For entree we all got the ox heart - good but not outstanding. Horseradish was a bit strong.
And for dessert - the fresh baked madeleines (worth it), chocolate pot (ok) and honey mousse with prunes stewed in bourgemot (wonderful).
Overall a great place. :)08/04/2013 00:00:00Interesting menu with optionsInteresting menu with options not found elsewhere. Meat is the focus but the vegetables that come with it are interesting too, and there are some good fish options. Not for vegetarians. Excellent ingredients treated with respect. Good wine list and serious puddings too.02/04/2013 00:00:00OutstandingDefinitely went way beyond my expectations, the food was simple yet divine. And the pricing was even better. This is how food should be! Are you listening, so-called celebrity chefs of America??02/04/2013 00:00:00Anniversary lunch at St JohnMy husband and I had booked for lunch over the Easter break to celebrate our wedding anniversary and the restaurant telephoned to apologize they were now not open on Good Friday (they did not need to apologize, we weren't working on that day either) and could we move it? We moved the booking to Thursday before Easter. They welcomed us on Thursday with a complimentary glass of bubbly to apologize for moving our booking which was a lovely surprise! We ordered and ate some amazing food e.g. bone marrow salad, sweetbreads and pigeon and drank a lovely St John red. The lovely staff then treated us to another complimentary dish of apple sorbet with a vodka shot, again, a thoughtful surprise. We had a lovely time and would go again, thank you!28/03/2013 00:00:00A place like no other ....A meal at St. John is an adventure - it takes you off the beaten path. Everything is of the highest quality and well prepared by people who are passionate about what they do. You will most likely find something you haven't tried before on the menu.26/03/2013 00:00:00Always ExcellentWe have been to St. John three times now, and it is always excellent. The food is superbly prepared and the service is warm and friendly. This time, I had the Ox Heart with beets and a tasty horseradish sauce. The heart was tender with a nice smoky flavor from the grill. My boyfriend's dish of Lamb's Tongues was so good it moved us all nearly to tears! I had my favorite pudding, the Eccles Cake with Lancashire Cheese. Sooo good. A large portion, and I ate every bite! Absolutely delicious. We will definitely be back, again and again!19/03/2013 00:00:0010 year desireMy husband has wanted to try this restaurant for at least 10 years but we've never managed to get around to visiting. For his 40th birthday I decided we should make the trip. The food and service were fabulous and the dining experience being something different was well worth the visit. thoroughly enjoyed it and will return.16/03/2013 00:00:00Unforgettable eveningYour restaurant was recommended by a german newspaper..
We enjoyed the atmosphere,the friendly staff and the meal so much !
Great evening- we will come back !14/03/2013 00:00:00A taste of heaven...We were a couple of tourist visiting London for few days.
It was my birthday and i wanted a nice restaurant. I was not disappointed.
It was extremely delicious and the service amazing!!! The britain's Kitchen up in grade with the st John's chef.
Thanks all the team...i had a wonderful birthday diner!!!13/03/2013 00:00:00ExcellentCracking food, great service, excellent wine all at a very reasonable price. A real pleasure. They really do all the simple things well here. The ingredients are fresh imaginatively cooked and served by knowledgeable and entertaining staff. Will be back soon.11/03/2013 00:00:00Wow. And double wow.This place is incredible! I want to be buried in the smoked double cream sauce that my haddock special was served in. If it wasn't rude to lick the plate, I probably would have! Everything from the attentive - but not intrusive - staff to the fantastic food and wine was amazing. I've already told a few friends that we need to visit again soon. Thank you!06/03/2013 00:00:00St Johns in St JohnsIt was a very good restaurant to dine out in. Excellent experience and good value for money.
Would recommend it to anyone. One of those few restaurants left where you can hear yourself speak.27/02/2013 00:00:00Good restaurant indeedIn line with the previous reputation, the restaurant serves fantastic food. I came to this restaurant because of the recommendation of my friend, and was really good. The two friends who dined with me also appreciated the reception and food; we ordered fish, ox's heart, and pork, and all were great. Not a very romantic atmosphere, but if you are interested in food, this can certainly be a option of yours.22/02/2013 00:00:00Thanks for a superb afternoon!We had much fun with an excellent meal accompagnied by perfect wines and we were delighted with the friendly and competent service.
We will recommend St. John to all our friends here in Germany.22/02/2013 00:00:00Nose and tailStill a great place to have good food in an pleasant environment. Always busy and lively atmopshare, so if you are up for nose and tail go for it!20/02/2013 00:00:00Second visitFood was excellent as the previous time, and interestingly different. Good friendly service. The two person table was perhaps too close to the wall and the hanging coats.20/02/2013 00:00:00Home cooking gone gourmetI enjoyed a lovely Sunday lunch here, both me and my companion drooled over the menu which listed traditional English food like beef and kidney pie, potted pork or Eccles cakes along with more adventurous fare like chittlings and chips or a pigs head starter. The service was very good, attentive but gave us plenty of time to enjoy the experience and the food was good value considering the quality of what we were served.17/02/2013 00:00:00Not a foody, a lover of good foodThe lighting was a bit dim for us, but the tables were well-spaced and the ambiance was warm, not least because the service by the young staff was exceptionally friendly and attentive. The food was more than merely interesting: I've never been offered braised squirrel before, but it was everything the waitress said it would be, and absolutely delicious too. The lamb's tongues, mussels, pork and sea bass were also excellent. Perhaps £30 was a bit too much to pay for a fairly undistinguished Pinot Noir, but next time I'll examine the wine list more carefully. Overall, the bill came to more than I usually pay for a meal, but it was a celebration and I thought it was worth every penny. Now I want to try the branch in China Town.15/02/2013 00:00:00High hopesBooked st John due to hearing lots of rave reviews.food was good although nt specatular....worth a try.service was helpful14/02/2013 00:00:00Lovely way to spend a SundayWe really enjoyed our meals, eating things we had never tried before, will return to try even more10/02/2013 00:00:00top notchThe St John is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. Great, relaxed atmosphere, wonderful staff, delicious, perfectly cooked and interesting food at sensible prices.03/02/2013 00:00:00Wonderful eveningMy partner and me are both passionate foodies and were really looking forward to our evening at St John's...and we weren't disappointed! Great food, excellent service, wonderful ambience! Truly enjoyable evening...
.30/01/2013 16:00:00St Johns 26 Jan 2013The passion and enthusiasm for the food and the nose to tail concept was clearly evident in the service received which was excellent and spot on in terms of expectations and recommendations. Since we were dining early, it was no surprise that it took a little while for the atmosphere to warm up but we enjoyed a casual and friendly ambience throughout. I wish I could eat here more often.25/01/2013 16:00:00OutstandingAs ever, the food at St John was oustanding, especially the starter of lambs tongues which were done to perfection. I have been eating here for over ten years now and never had a bad experience (although I have been challenged on the odd occassion).24/01/2013 16:00:00Great dinnerSuch a good place. No frills; just really good cooking. Had the ox heart with beets and horseradish. Incredible. Order the strangest things on the menu; they're bound to be the best.23/01/2013 16:00:00Great products and originalThe staff is giving very advice on food and wine, and the dishes are exquisite. Love this place, it was my second visit and I'll definitely come back10/01/2013 16:00:00Fine Bristish FoodExcellent for lovers of offal and creative variations on standard British platters. My rabbit offal was very good. Vibrant atmosphere in converted industrial building close to Smithfield.03/01/2013 16:00:00Everything its cracked up to beMy husband is an amateur chef, always buying cookbooks and trying out new recipes. He bought the nose to tail cookbooks years ago and has always dreamed of trying the 'real' thing one day. On our recent visit to England we 'tried out' three of his dream restaurants. St John's was by far the best. It's unpretentious atmosphere, wonderful service and amazing food was everything its cracked up to be. Thanks St John's for a wonderful evening.02/01/2013 16:00:00excellent, as alwaysFriends and I go there for a good meal and good service, so the categories in 2 are not really relevant. So far as I'm concerned, I'd tick all of them rather than pick out thetypes of occasion I've actually experienced. 'lunch' appears to be missing!01/01/2013 16:00:00Capitally BritishPerhaps the only authentic British Cuisine I have come across London. They not only serve dishes to savour, they savour serving the dishes.22/12/2012 16:00:00