Harden's says
This restaurant has also been taken over by Gordon Ramsay (see also The Grill).
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Some tables afford a view of the Thames, while there is some real dining theatre” at the Savoy’s elegant dining room, whose history in the last 20 years has seen many re-treads under differing names (most recently Kaspar’s). Now back under its old moniker but run by Gordon Ramsay, it divides opinion, with some reporters feeling the “very solid” fish and seafood cooking is let down by a space “very much like a hotel breakfast room”, while others see a “very nice room” let down by “unimaginative food at fancy prices”… so a consensus of sorts! For a traditional, grand family meal or business – including breakfast – it has its fans; to others it’s just too uneventful at the five-star prices.
Summary
Three years on from a relaunch under its original name by Gordon Ramsay (it was formerly Kaspar’s), this elegant chamber with Thames views from the window tables has yet to regain the lustre it enjoyed before the hotel relaunched in the noughties. It’s not devoid of fans, but too often its cooking (of mainly fish and seafood) is critiqued for being “overpriced (and in some cases overcooked or over-sauced)”. Sceptics say Big Sweary’s name above the door is a saving grace – “if it wasn’t a Ramsay restaurant they’d struggle”. Top Tip – a good choice for a posh brek.
Summary
Gordon Ramsay’s two-year-old tenure has yet to dazzle at this Thames-side dining room (which, two years ago – when Gordon took it over – returned to the name under which it was launched in 1890 and has traded under for much of the last century). From its days as Kaspar’s (RIP), it continues a fish and seafood theme – now with a fashionable raw bar – and there are also a few meat grills on the menu. But few dishes catch the eye from the somewhat “unremarkable” selection and it can be “difficult to find something you fancy”. And, when they arrive, too often results are “only moderately good” or plain “disappointing”.
Summary
In its heyday, this elegant room overlooking the Thames was one of London’s key options for any kind of major occasion. But its relaunch and rebranding (from Kaspar’s Seafood Bar & Grill, RIP) to this – its original identity, but now under Gordon Ramsay Holdings – in late 2021 inspired surprisingly limited survey feedback this year (and indeed few press reviews). It is sometimes recommended for the top fish and seafood that is its focus, but all-in-all reactions are muted and uneventful for what should be a top destination.
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 Savoy Hotel, The River Restaurant?
The Savoy, 91 The Strand, London, WC2R 0EU
Restaurant details
Prices
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.50 |
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 15.00% |
The Savoy, 91 The Strand, London, WC2R 0EU
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 7 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Tuesday | 7 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Wednesday | 7 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Thursday | 7 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Friday | 7 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Saturday | 7:30 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑12 am |
| Sunday | 7:30 am‑10:30 am, 12 pm‑11 pm |
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