RestaurantsLondonCovent GardenWC2

survey result

Summary

£85
 ££££
1
Poor
2
Average
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Like being in an old fashioned Parisian brasserie”, this big venue, “centrally located by Covent Garden Piazza”, provides a “hectic but impressive” backdrop to a meal. Many reporters feel “it has a whole lot going for it”, but even they often acknowledge either “seriously poor” cooking, or the trade-offs that a visit entails: “Yes it’s on the pricey side and the food is average really, but it’s still a tradition that we enjoy.”

Summary

£85
 ££££
1
Poor
2
Average
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“An excellent simulacrum of a Parisian brasserie” – this big, prominently situated Covent Garden fixture, just off the Piazza (created by English-born New Yorker, Keith McNally, but nowadays part of Caprice Holdings) provides “good vibes for Sunday brunch or a meal around a show”. But even fans feel “the main draw is the buzzy atmosphere, not the unexciting food” and – especially when it becomes “too busy for its own good” – this is, for its critics, “the worst kind of hell”, with food that’s “absolutely average and poor value for the price”.

Summary

£84
 ££££
2
Average
2
Average
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Comfortable and inviting” – this glam-looking offshoot of the famous Manhattan joint (brought to Covent Garden by NYC founder Keith McNally, and nowadays owned by Richard Caring’s Caprice Holdings) features decent “brasserie-style” cooking. But even those fans who say (slightly ambitiously) that “it’s a place to see and be seen” note that it’s “not as good as the NYC namesake” and can feel a little “robotic”, especially as “staff can struggle with the volume of people”.

Summary

£73
  £££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“This American-style French brasserie” in Covent Garden – an offshoot of Keith McNally’s downtown NYC institution – has a “great atmosphere any time of day”: “love the decor as you enter”. It’s “a large space but a very cosy one”, and, say fans, “not outrageously priced considering its position and what it must have cost to create”. But at times it’s “a victim of its own success – packed, loud and slow, with staff trying heroically to cope”, and “the food is not exactly world-shattering”, just “fine in a ‘here’s one I prepared earlier and heated up’ sort of way”. Top Tip – “it’s very good for breakfast, which is less costly than other meals here”.

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

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Restaurant details

Highchair,Menu,Portions
60
No dress code
150

Balthazar Restaurant Diner Reviews

Reviews of Balthazar Restaurant in WC2, London by users of Hardens.com. Also see the editors review of Balthazar restaurant.
Daniel C
Big buzzy faux Parisien brasserie with lots...
Reviewed 1 months, 12 days ago

"Big buzzy faux Parisien brasserie with lots of classic French cuisine executed pretty well and a lively atmosphere "

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Sue M
Brilliant brasserie in the heart of Covent ...
Reviewed 7 months, 6 days ago

"Brilliant brasserie in the heart of Covent Garden. Great menu that offers something for everyone in true brasserie style. Very good value for money and the quality of the food was spot on. Decent portions, cooked and presented very well. Service was swift and charming and there was a genuine healthy buzz about the place. Other reviews criticise the food but it’s a high volume brasserie- and the food is excellent for the style of restaurant this is."

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Carolyn H
Had the set lunch here which was very good ...
Reviewed 8 months, 7 days ago

"Had the set lunch here which was very good value."

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Linda N
Decor & ambience are the stand outs for thi...
Reviewed 11 months, 27 days ago

"Decor & ambience are the stand outs for this restaurant. The staff are all in smart red and white attire which adds to the feeling of opulence and there are plenty of them so service is good and also very friendly. We enjoyed our early evening meal, the menu has a good choice of options."

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Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£17.10 £31.00 £8.50
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £29.00
Filter Coffee £3.75
Extras  
Service 13.50%
4 - 6 Russell Street, London, WC2B 5HZ
Opening hours
Monday11:30 am‑10:45 pm
Tuesday11:30 am‑10:45 pm
Wednesday11:30 am‑10:45 pm
Thursday11:30 am‑10:45 pm
Friday11:30 am‑10:45 pm
Saturday10 am‑10:45 pm
Sunday10 am‑9:45 pm

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