RestaurantsLondonMayfairW1

Harden's says

This grill-led restaurant that will take over the Mayfair premises of Pollen Street Social – where Jason launched his entrepreneurial career after quitting Gordon Ramsay 15 years ago. Pollen Street Social closed in July 2024. Mary’s will consist of a main restaurant, with the Blind Pig cocktail bar from Soho transferring to take over the former bar at PSS. Meanwhile, the old chef’s counter will serve smash burgers to walk-ins. In an added twist, the whole operation is scheduled to close down completely from January to April 2025 for a major refurb that will see the burger bar moving downstairs into a new ‘speakeasy-style’ basement.

survey result

Not enough people have commented yet

Our reviews are based on an annual survey of ordinary diners which runs in Spring each year. But this establishment has not yet gathered enough feedback for our editors to write it up.

Do you think it deserves to be better known?

Write a quick review now using our restaurant diary service. That way it might catch our attention. Next survey, you can transfer your diary entry into our survey system. Everyone who contributes 5 or more reviews in our survey will qualify for a free guide.

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).

Have you eaten at Mary's?

8-10 Pollen St, London, W1S 1NQ

Restaurant details

12
60

What the Newspaper Critics are saying

The Guardian

Grace Dent headed to Pollen Street in Mayfair, where the prolific Jason Atherton has cast off the trappings of “Michelin” (aka fine) dining at his former Social flagship, replacing it under a new name and casual “come-one come-all, pre-theatre, boozy-treat, long-lunch vibe” – thereby “pricking the bubble of those who adore pomp and small portions” and “annoying people who like telling you that they’ve experienced this pomp everywhere from Dundee to Dubai”.

“The paper tablecloths, the soft-serve ice-cream sundaes, the offer of curry mayo on the two-course £29 prix fixe are all daggers to the heart of fancy diners.” Mind you, Grace added, “chef Alex Parker’s menu is still secretly fancy”, with its Lyonnaise onion agnolotti, Orkney scallops with ajo blanco, rabbit leg with lovage persillade butter and Cornish brill with surf clam pil pil.

Finishing off with a Calvados doughnut from a puddings list that’s “a menace to public health”, Grace was all in favour of the transformation.

Grace Dent - 2024-09-29
8-10 Pollen St, London, W1S 1NQ

Best restaurants nearby

Little Social
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
£80
 ££££
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
3
Good
Goodman
Steaks & grills restaurant in Mayfair
£89
 ££££
3
Good
4
Very Good
3
Good
Kanishka
Indian restaurant in Westminster
£103
£££££
3
Good
2
Average
2
Average