Harden's survey result
Summary
This “big, buzzy faux-Parisian brasserie” in the heart of Covent Garden certainly looks the part, but it “can get very busy” and “extremely noisy” as a result. It provides “lots of classic French cuisine”, but with very mixed results: fans say it’s “executed pretty well” but reviews overall are often jaundiced – for example: “dull food, impossible to chat… really bad experience and a ridiculous bill”.
Summary
“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
“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
“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”.
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 Balthazar?
4 - 6 Russell Street, London, WC2B 5HZ
Restaurant details
Balthazar Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Big buzzy faux Parisien brasserie with lots of classic French cuisine executed pretty well and a lively atmosphere "
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £27.50 | £59.50 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £14.60 | £23.70 | £5.75 | £6.75 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £33.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.75 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £4.25 |
| Service | 13.50% |
4 - 6 Russell Street, London, WC2B 5HZ
Opening hours
| Monday | 11:30 am‑10:45 pm |
| Tuesday | 11:30 am‑10:45 pm |
| Wednesday | 11:30 am‑10:45 pm |
| Thursday | 11:30 am‑10:45 pm |
| Friday | 11:30 am‑10:45 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am‑10:45 pm |
| Sunday | 10 am‑9:45 pm |
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