Covent Garden, American Restaurant Guide

“Well done!” – “The move from Exeter Street to nearby Burleigh Street looks to have paid off” for this famous and “fun” Covent Garden veteran, forced to relocate a year ago. “The iconic Joe Allen atmosphere has been almost totally recreated, with the help of most of the original fixtures and fittings from the old place”. “Service has moved up a notch or two” and while “the food can still be a bit hit ’n’ miss”, it’s actually rated as much more consistently dependable now. Top Menu Tip: the “hidden off-the-menu burger” is still the top menu choice.

A “terrific buzz” helps justify the presence of Keith McNally’s “bustling” NYC import, as does its “handiness for Covent Garden”. Opinions differ over its performance relative to the Manhattan original, but there’s some agreement that here in WC2 “the service is only just OK, the bistro/brasserie food is very average, but it’s the ambience which makes it bearable”. Brunch is a good way to give it a whirl.

The “stunning interiors”, “great cocktails” and “wonderful central location” have made this smart American outfit, in a gorgeous and grand Covent Garden townhouse, a key destination for more than 25 years. Diners are divided over the quality of the food, although the “excellent sirloin steak” is recommended. Another plus: “it’s never too busy at lunchtime, so good for business”.

“Guilty-pleasure comfort food” served in a “crowded but fun atmosphere” have made this “so authentically American” BBQ and crabshack a King’s Road fixture for 27 years (and it underwent a major upgrade in 2018). Now with offshoots in Covent Garden and Canary Wharf, the outfit can seem “very corporate” and is “probably best for large groups or office parties”.

NYC star-restaurateur Danny Meyer’s global operation was founded as a hot-dog cart in a New York park in 2001 and has found success in London, as elsewhere. “Admittedly the burgers are pretty good”, but ratings support those who feel “they are not that amazing versus others” and likewise that “there’s nothing in the decor to make you want to hang around”. Recent openings include Cannon Street and a new outlet is scheduled at Boxpark Wembley in late 2018.