RestaurantsEssexOngarCM5

survey result

Summary

£74
  £££
4
Very Good
3
Good
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

Established in 1958, this Essex institution is well known for its “excellently cooked fish with some imaginative and well-executed dishes”, served in “generous portions” by “well-trained and extremely welcoming staff who provide great customer service”. It’s “always buzzing with a great atmosphere”“and if you’re lucky you might spot Rod Stewart… a regular”.

Summary

£71
  £££
3
Good
3
Good
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“We’ve visited here and in Wapping many times and we’ve never had less than a hugely enjoyable experience!” – this big seafood brasserie (est. 1958, with its London spin-off of about a decade’s standing) is one of Essex’s brightest culinary features and as such “a regular haunt for TOWIE and other local stars!”. “Wonderful fish” is the main feature of a menu of “always first-class food”. The worst comment? “It can be a bit cramped and noisy!”.

Summary

£67
  £££
3
Good
3
Good
2
Average
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

A “fantastic fish restaurant in the heart of the Essex countryside” (est. 1958), and where “there is something for everyone, including vegetarians” . Being “big but heaving” and “populist in nature”, reporters “recommend sitting upstairs as it is quieter and more homely”. PS – if you're keen, “they have a similar branch in Wapping”.

Summary

£60
  £££
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
3
Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

This “excellent seafood and fish restaurant” features “traditional/classic cooking”, and “its high turnover means the fish is never less than perfectly fresh”. It attracts a clientele of “Essex luminaries including Rod Stewart and Alan Sugar, who once described it as his ‘posh chippy’”: “a lot of the diners are a surprising shade of orange that is rarely observed in nature... but it’s still a confident recommendation for fish lovers!”

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 Smith's Brasserie?

Owner's description

Priding ourselves on our motto ‘Famous for fish’ Smiths Restaurants is a name that has become synonymous with fine dining and quality, attentive service.

Our restaurants are located in Ongar Essex (just off the A414) and Wapping in central London (near Tower Bridge).

Both restaurants boast an extensive menu of fresh fish that we offer to cook in a variety of ways to suit every palate. We also offer locally sourced meat dishes to accommodate those who prefer their food terra firma.

Prices

Availability 2 courses 3 courses coffee included service included
Lunch £32.00 £37.00
Dinner £37.00 £42.00

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£12.30 £39.50 £8.00
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £26.00
Filter Coffee £3.50
Extras  
Service 10.00%

Restaurant details

Yes
Menu,Portions
Yes
22
No trainers
140
10+
Yes

Private dining

Fyfield Rd, Ongar, CM5 0AL
Make A Booking
Number of Diners:
Required Time:
Powered by OpenTable
Opening hours
MondayCLOSED
Tuesday12 pm‑4:30 pm, 6 pm‑11:30 pm
Wednesday12 pm‑4:30 pm, 6 pm‑11:30 pm
Thursday12 pm‑4:30 pm, 6 pm‑12 am
Friday12 pm‑4:30 pm, 6 pm‑12:30 am
Saturday12 pm‑4:30 pm, 6 pm‑12:30 am
Sunday12 pm‑8 pm

The 2024 Harden's Guide

2024 Hardens London Restaurant Guide

"User friendly in price, size and outlook"

Financial Times