Harden's says
A second restaurant overseen by Cliveden House executive chef André Garrett arrives at the impossibly grand Thames-view country house, named after the Astor family, who owned the house from the early 1900s.
Harden's survey result
Summary
A “lovely location – the converted stables on the Cliveden estate”, the Astor family’s Italianate country mansion where Christine Keeler famously frolicked in the pool, to the delight of War Minister John Profumo, is sadly let down by its number two restaurant, in the former stable block – “the main dining room was closed during the week so we ate in the Astor Grill, but the disappointing menu and even more disappointing food led me to wish I had waited a few years until my wife’s birthday fell on a weekend. Suggest you do the same. My only excuse is that you don’t turn 80 every day!”.
Summary
Former stables have been converted into a “wonderful dining room” for the cheaper eating option in the “amazing setting” of Cliveden, the Astor family’s country pile forever famous for hosting the scandalous 1961 pool party at which war minister John Profumo met showgirl Christine Keeler. “Service is friendly and fun” but the food can seem rather “ordinary” – which is “disappointing given the excellent location” (“the menu has the usual staples such as fish ’n’ chips or burger” plus an array of more ambitious brasserie items, but is “not much better than you would get in a pub”).
Summary
“A walk around the Cliveden estate afterwards is a bonus” if you visit this luxe brasserie in the stables of this famous Thames-side mansion, which is the property’s ‘affordable’ option. “Nice seating in booths is very private” and regulars say it’s “better out of doors in the summer”. Its cooking is rated as “good, if not a bit expensive”.
Summary
Located in the stable blocks of this famous Thames-side mansion, this luxurious brasserie provides the opportunity to eat within this historic estate in a more relaxed (and rather cheaper) mould than in the main house. On the flipside, reports stop short of a ringing endorsement and it can seem a tad pricey nonetheless.
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 Astor Grill?
Clivedon Road, Taplow, SL6 0JF
Restaurant details
Clivedon Road, Taplow, SL6 0JF
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | CLOSED |
| Saturday | CLOSED |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
International restaurant in Taplow
British, Modern restaurant in Maidenhead
British, Modern restaurant in Bray
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
International restaurant in Taplow
British, Modern restaurant in Chiswick
Italian restaurant in Bayswater
