Harden's survey result
Summary
“Wonderful old school charm” oozes from this offbeat Young’s pub, in a quiet Mayfair mews. The public bar at the front is characterful, but it’s the charming and comfortable adjoining grill room (opened in 1952, and significantly extended over the years) that makes this place such a magnet for steak-lovers and business wheeler-dealers. As well as dishes like Chateaubriand, Côte de Boeuf and Sirloin – and sides like Haggis or Ox Heart – there’s a wide variety of traditional dishes and some of “the best pies in town”. After personnel changes last year, ratings took a dive, but it returned to a good all-round performance in this year’s annual diners’ poll and is “now on top form”. Top Menu Tip – “best devilled kidneys ever”.
Summary
“Yes, it is expensive (if not by Mayfair standards) but it is a meat-lover’s nirvana in a great setting” – that’s long been the accepted view on this quirky, grill room (est. 1952) behind a Young’s pub, tucked away in a scenic central mews. “Old fashioned pies, mixed grills and excellent steaks” are washed down with an “impressive, if over-priced, wine list” and served in a quaint, period setting, whose “overcrowded tables are part of the experience”. In the last couple of years, though (even prior to the departure last year of well-known manager Oisín Rogers), ratings have been on the slide. Some “shockingly bad” cooking has been reported, alongside service that’s “so indifferent”; and the current impression is that they are relying ever more heavily on their “captive market” of local business-lunchers.
Summary
“Proper man food!” is to be found at this “very old-school” Mayfair favourite – a dining room behind a well-known Young’s pub in a cute central mews, which feels “like a different century” (est 1952). “If you like steak in a traditional environment”, look no further: “there’s an extensive menu including a mighty mixed grill, a variety of prime grass-fed steaks or tempting traditional pies”. “Best of all, you can then go on for drinks in the attached pub!” No hiding, though, that its performance has taken a knock in these troubled times. While it’s always been “a bit expensive (but completely unique)”, some meals this year badly missed the mark due to service that was “nothing special” or poor preparation (“The Guinea used to be one of my favourite destinations for a sumptuous piece of charcoal-grilled beef, but the rib steak on my last visit was so tough it has hardly fit to eat”). BREAKING NEWS: In July 2022, Oisin Rogers, who has managed the dining room here for the last 6 years, announced he is moving on to pastures new.
Summary
“Superb devilled kidneys” and “the best steak & kidney pies in London” take second place to the high-quality British steaks cooked on an open grill that are the headline act at this venerable Mayfair institution, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Business entertaining goes down particularly well here: “clients love the fact that the Grill is through the pub and hidden at the back”.
For 34 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 The Guinea Grill?
30 Bruton Pl, London, W1J 6NL
Restaurant details
The Guinea Grill Restaurant Diner Reviews
"In only 3 months the quality unfortunately has deteriorated quite substantially both regarding food and service. A pity for such a beautiful location and generally good ambiance."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £49.50 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £4.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
30 Bruton Pl, London, W1J 6NL
Opening hours
| Monday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Friday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
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