The CriterionFantastic Location & Food is greatWe went to The Criterion for Sunday Lunch. The menu was very interesting with lots of interesting combination of ingredients. For Sunday, the place is not busy, so it is fantastic for catching up with friends. The restaurant is really beautifual with amazing ceilings. The food is wonderful. Presentation is fabulous. The waitresses there is very attentative. We do not need to ask for anything. The waitresses/ waiters seems to understand our needs. Would definitely come back again.12/05/2013 00:00:00The Criterion was a good choiceThe Criterion was a good choice for our lunch, but then I knew what to expect - we'd been there before. I think that says it all.11/05/2013 00:00:00Great AtmosphereI was absolutely amazed by the interior design of The Criterion when I walked into the restaurant, not expecting such a hidden gem at all right next to Piccadilly Circus. With the toptable deal it was great value for money, not only that, but the food was very good and service attentive and friendly. Definitely recommend!11/05/2013 00:00:00lovely surroundings and fab serviceHad the set price 2 courses £19 with a free glass of Prosecco via top table in fabulous surroundings so I thought it was really good value. Excellent service. Slightly small portions but delicious and you can always fill up on the bread which was delicious and came in 3 varieties. PS If you bought a bottle of wine it would be £20 - £30 but its a really nice restaurant in central London and they have a good range by the glass £7 - £9.10/05/2013 00:00:00WestEnderThe improvement in service since our last visit was very noticeable from the friendly greeting, through a smiling, welcoming manager; knowledgeable and helpful waiter; very professional wine waiter, who, when asked for advice, suggested wines we had not previously known - and did not push more expensive ones - which perfectly complemented the food we had chosen. We are two old friends, both over 80, who have been lunching in the West End for over 40 years, and we agreed
This was probably one of the most enjoyable meals we had ever had. My only complaint was that my Eton Mess was not big enough, but I am greedy!09/05/2013 00:00:00Sunday lunchGreat Sunday lunch.
I booked a table for 6 as a birthday treat. Great food and excellent service.
Just perfect.05/05/2013 00:00:00Great food - a good selectionGreat food - a good selection on the a la carte and the set menu had an excellent range of dishes. Service very good. Welcoming staff. Excellent option in central London.03/05/2013 00:00:00Impeccable, friendly serviceFrom the confirmation phone call to the reception and waiting staff, service was friendly and professional. Good value on the set menu, especially for our party of 10. Looking forward to coming back for the a la carte!03/05/2013 00:00:00Dinner at The CritrionHad the 3 courses for £25 with a glass of Prosecco which was great value. Decent selection of dishes available, all of which sounded very appetising. Attentive and polite staff, and very decedent surroundings make you forget you are at the heart of Piccadilly! Well recommended.30/04/2013 00:00:00Pre theatre dining in styleThe Criterion is a lovely restaurant and they do a good pre theatre deal with prossecco. Sadly we didn't fancy any of the items of the special spring menu so we switched to another menu with more traditional dishes (salmon, lamb, pork chop). The food was of a good standard - wonderful pea and garlic soup for instance - and the style impeccable. We were with a friend from Singapore who was very impressed.30/04/2013 00:00:00Great Pre-TheatreFood was good, service excellent all within a lovely old school environment creating a perfect setting for pre-theatre dinner.30/04/2013 00:00:00Criterion dealHad the Toptable deal at the Criterion and enjoyed it very much. The restaurant is like stepping back in time. Cocktails were good. Disappointed in the Sav Blanc selection, the one we had tasted more floral than fruity and not that cheap. The Prosecco that was included in the deal was ok. Not as good a deal as when they used to include a glass of Champagne.
All in all a good evening.29/04/2013 00:00:00Good Night Out In The Heart Of WestThis was our second time at this venue. As usual very good all round. Highly recommend it. E29/04/2013 00:00:00The CriterionOne is transported back in time with the impressive decor. the space and design is wonderful. food was lovely, service was good. i would recommend for special occasions.28/04/2013 00:00:00Beautiful food and settingSuch a convenient per theatre location with yummy food and good service25/04/2013 00:00:00a good dinner at the CriterionI'd enjoyed lunch several times at the Criterion, but this was my first experience of dinner.I was not disappointed.
We had the deal of 2 courses and a prosecco for £20. However, we had 3 courses, a bottle of red wine and coffee, so the bill for two of us, including service, was just under £100. If we'd had the A la carte, it'd have been much more expensive.The food was very good (although the choice is quite limited), and the wine was lovely (although this is where the price begins to creep up). The ambience and service were lovely, as always.
We stayed 3 hours and no one put pressure on us to leave.It was great to feel so relaxed.
I'll definitely eat here again - it's a delightful place in every way.25/04/2013 00:00:00Perfect for Pre-theatreFood was served very promptly allowing plenty of time for a pre-theatre dinner. Qauility food at a reasonable price. Attentive service.23/04/2013 00:00:00Perfect in every way!We had a fantastic pre theatre dinner at the stunning Criterion. 11/10 for food, service, ambience. Can't wait to go back23/04/2013 00:00:00Good service, disappointing foodWe ordered a dessert with rhubarn and we all found the rhubarb is not fresh. Taste of vinegar and chewey. Disappointing from a good restaurant.23/04/2013 00:00:00Beautiful restaurantBooked early table for pre theatre. Could have spent longer here enjoying the stunning restaurant. Food was delicious and service good. Would definitely return for more. Slightly pricey but lovely for special occasion.19/04/2013 00:00:00Hidden gemThe restaurant is a hidden gem. Sitting in the heart of London with the neon lights outside you step back 100 years when you walk through the door and forget where you are. The food was fantastic. My study of pork was one of the best main meals that I have ever eaten anywhere in the world. Pianist playing beautiful music sets of an outstanding location. The decor of the building amazing. Please give this gem ago.19/04/2013 00:00:00spring menuI visited the Criterion with my son and daughter prior to going to see The Book of Mormon.I have had pre-theatre dinners there before but this was the best ever.£20 for 2 courses from a set menu,plus a glass of Prosecco,delicious breads in the bread basket,plus petit fours.This has to be London's best value deal in the most beautiful dining room.18/04/2013 00:00:00Beautiful CriterionThe Criterion is probably London's most beautiful restaurant, with its golden mosaic ceiling. We went for dinner after a debate, and had the £15 for two course menu - very nice food and excellent value. The menu is £20 with a glass of prosecco, but you can choose your own wine, and then take £5 off for the prosecco.18/04/2013 00:00:00Another lovely dinnerWe chose to go to the Criterion for post theatre dinner on the TT deal. Really good value, lovely 3 course dinner with a glass of procecco for £25 + service. Really good, we'll be back.18/04/2013 00:00:00Birthday DinnerWe had a perfect family birthday dinner. The staff were really welcoming, the cocktails were worth the visit by themselves, service was prompt, smiling and helpful, the building was beautiful, the food was well presented and the steaks perfectly cooked; the duck and its sauce was delicious. We didn't have deserts as the youths wanted more cocktails instead, but I'm sure they wouldn't disappoint. My daughter was surprised with a happy birthday candle, sung by a well-tuned waiter. My husband paid the bill, and he left smiling too. All round, I'd recommend it to parents with student offspring as a great place to meet up - it's easy to find, and really quite special.17/04/2013 00:00:00Criterion criticismSide tables too close together, Set menu a tad lacking in choice. Food and service though very good.16/04/2013 00:00:00Good food and serviceI thoroughly enjoyed dining at the criterion. The food was exquisite and very good service14/04/2013 00:00:00As foodies, we are alwaysAs foodies, we are always unsure when trying new restaurants as to how good the food will be. We were not disappointed.
We were a group of 7, booking for 8 p.m. The food came out on time, was delicious and of high quality. The only negative point was that the service was slow, so it is not a place to be when in a hurry. Highly recommend.13/04/2013 00:00:00Great place to eat in LondonI love coming here - the atmosphere is relaxed and the decor is fantastic - staff are always friendly and the toptable menu always good value - highly recommended.13/04/2013 00:00:00A lovely afternoonI booked this for a late Saturday lunch for a special occasion. The decor of this beautiful room was the reason for choosing the Criterion, but it did not disappoint with regard to food or service. The food was great and portion sizes were bigger than expected - most of us only managed two courses! The service was very attentive and not intrusive. I would certainly go back for another special occasion.13/04/2013 00:00:00Dodgy start ... but brilliant meal!Going through the revolving doors of this brilliant venue is like entering a different world ... just a shame you practically fall into the diners they have placed right up to the door! We were kept waiting whilst three receptionists dealt with one customer, but once our coats were taken and we sat down it was brilliant service, brilliant food and brilliant ambience. The live pianist gave a relaxed but unobtrusive background to the whole experience. The TopTable offer made all the difference with price and although only three choices per course it was more than enough to keep me and my guest satisfied. Would thoroughly recommend.12/04/2013 00:00:00Team LunchThis is the second time we have visited The Criterion for a team lunch. And once again they did not disappoint. Excellent food, fantastic service. And just a really nice place to be.11/04/2013 00:00:00lovely setting - a real gem.lovely setting - a real gem. I've completely missed this walking passed eros so many times.
Amazing value11/04/2013 00:00:00CriterionThe interior is stunning, beautiful blue and gold mosiac ceiling, grand windows and arches. Execellent top table deal, set menu was delicious and at a fantastic price for the quality. Lovely ambience, live pianist. All members of staff were very pleasant, helpful, friendly and efficient.06/04/2013 00:00:00Great experienceWe had a really lovely evening meal at the Criterion - a set menu of 3 courses + glass of Presecco was £25 - great value and the food was very good indeed. Service was great - not too in your face but still attentive and when there was a small delay, an apology and explanation was given. Pianist playing and singing which provided lovely relaxed atmosphere, and the surroundings are simply stunning.06/04/2013 00:00:00Great food in a beautiful locationA birthday meal. Beautiful space - gold mosaic arched ceiling with marble walls. Lots of gilt. Staff were very friendly and attentive throughout. Table was 3m away from the piano player which in hindsight was a bit close - he was good but a bit too loud for easy conversation. Food was very good though, at the price, not outstanding hence four stars. I had steak and my wife had duck - both cooked as we asked and with plenty of vegetables. Starters and desserts were inventive and tasty. A decorated candle with the staff singing "Happy Birthday" was a nice touch. Recommended.05/04/2013 00:00:00Great value, lovely room,Great value, lovely room, good service but the chairs need replacing as they are uncomfortable.04/04/2013 00:00:00Delicious mealHad a great meal pre theatre with my daughters who had never been to the Criterion before. They were very impressed by the decor, service and of course the food. The set meal is fantastic value, with plenty of choice. In fact after looking at the a la carte menu we decided we preferred the choice of the set menu.
This is always my restaurant of choice when we are in this part of London.30/03/2013 00:00:00lunchWe visitied the Criterion after the Manet exhibition for a late Saturday lunch. 5 of us had the £20 for 2 courses and a glass of Prosseco. The food was excellent value for money.
Our waiter, Kevin, from Spain was delightful and helped to make the lunch a memorable affair. We were unrushed and felt very welcome by all the staff.
The restaurant is beautiful and we would all love to visit again30/03/2013 00:00:00Introduction to fine dining.I took my two young great-nephews to their first "posh" restaurant and they could not have been better treated anywhere,the staff put themselves out to be helpful. It is an experience two eleven year olds will remember for the rest of their lives, as I remember my first visit over 70 years ago.29/03/2013 00:00:00Excellent mealA group of 10 of us went here for a birthday party, the venue is stunning, although the toilets could do with a better refit, the food was excellent, the service was great, we could certainly come again.29/03/2013 00:00:00A lovely evening, great foodA lovely evening, great food and a fantstic atmosphere29/03/2013 00:00:00Golden surroundings!A real treat the decor adds to the sense of occasion. Service and food top. Wine list rather expensive, but the special deals on offer are very good. And right in the centre of London. We will go again.28/03/2013 00:00:00one of my Fabouirte RestuarantsI have been here several times - This did not dissapoint. great value on top table deal book it now28/03/2013 00:00:00The CriterionOnce again we had a really lovely evening at the Criterion. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Meal was delicious and value for money. Beautiful restaurant. Would certainly recommend to friends.28/03/2013 00:00:00Calm oasis from Central LondonThe Criterion is an amazing setting right opposite the Eros statue and the hords of tourists but step through the art deco doors and peace is returned. I find I can rely on The Criterion to serve a great standard of food which includes classic menus and some new surprizes - tarragon & pepper sorbet with chocolate cheesecake was a real winner!!
Service is professional and prompt without being overpowering so is ideal if you are heading off to a show. We had the Toptable offer which included a glass of Procesco and at no time were we hassled by the staff to purchase other drinks which is a welcomed change from many restaurants26/03/2013 00:00:00Criterion another great mealOnce again, we booked a set meal at the Criterion. The food, service was excellent. We so far have never been disappointed. Thank you26/03/2013 00:00:00Elegant DiningI have been here quite a few times and it never seems to disappoint; from the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly staff and feel like you are in somewhere special. The service was quick and the food looked and tasted great and even on the three course set menu we found there was enough for us to choose from. Will defitely consider here again if I have another occasion that requires something a little bit more special23/03/2013 00:00:00Great pre-theatre optionPerfect location for a pre-theatre meal. Stunning interior. Spacious enough in the upper dining room that the noise of near-by tables doesn't even register; comfortable for a private conversation. Modestly-priced set menu, duck confit was pleasing. No complaints, except the house white wine was so thin it was like drinking water. The bottled red we ordered was lovely.23/03/2013 00:00:00High Victorian blingLove the Criterion and its unique Victorian decor. Great atmosphere and service, very accommodating staff. Food is good, chef tries some challenging flavour combinations for dessert which are pulled off with varying success, but are always edible and enjoyable! One thing to note, am not sure how you'd get a wheelchair to the facilities.22/03/2013 00:00:00