I’ve heard lots about Chiltern Firehouse and have wanted to visit for a while. We sat in the hotel bar for an hour before our lunch booking, it was a lovely relaxed vibe, all the staff were really nice (particularly Haben and a friendly female whose name we didn’t catch). The olives and nuts were delicious that came with our drinks! Everything went downhill when we were taken to our table in the inside restaurant. It was absolute chaos - loud, noisy, busy - a shockwave after the peaceful bar atmosphere. There were unruly children running around screaming and out of control, we said to the staff about moving table to which one lady replied a robotic ‘perfect’. We felt the outside seemed quieter when we walked through so asked to move out there and were initially told it was full, despite the majority of tables being empty. I then spoke to a lady in a red dress who was very helpful and said she would go ask the people outside if they could find a table for us, I was then appalled when a blonde lady in a blue dress came over and told the other lady not to help me and that ‘she can go ask them herself’. How rude! It was only once we said we were considering leaving that they found us a table outside. Our starters were nice, nothing out of this world but pleasant. For mains two of us had the cheeseburger which came raw (nobody asked how we’d like it cooked) and also the two portions of chips we ordered never arrived. I had the pancakes which were average despite people saying they’re ‘the best in London’. Overall we had a nice enough time, we also encounted lots of nice staff so it’s a shame about the ones with bad attitude giving everyone a bad reputation. With the number of nice restaurants in London I wouldn’t revisit or recommend it here unfortunately.
Unnecessarily rude staff Good food Won’t be back They couldn’t find our coats so when I went in and got them I got told off abruptly and aggressively by a surly waitress. Ridiculous behavior! Train your staff to be pleasant Breakfast for three 100£ Including 15% service
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Extremely overpriced for what it is. Disappointing food.
Look, it gives me no pleasure whatsoever to write a negative review. Much prefer to write positive glowing reviews which I certainly do whenever an establishment warrants it. However in this case The Chiltern Firehouse was a disappointment. Fair is fair, first the positives, of which there are some: The ambiance was great as was the level of service. The waiter who attended us was helpful, friendly and attentive. Unfortunately however the food was under par. I ordered the Carabinero prawns for a starter and at £42 i was expecting something pretty spectacular but I was completely underwhelmed. The portion size was minuscule and it really wasn’t worth £42! So that was an expensive mistake, first and foremost. I ordered the Pork for a main and again it wasn’t that great, for the price it was. The side order of new potatoes and mixed vegetables were good. My partner ordered the pâté for the starter which was quite good and the Ribeye steak which wasn’t bad. The side dish of a fresh salad was nice. Dessert was the cheeseboard ( a safe bet) and it was nice including enough crackers where in some restaurants they never seem to serve enough. The meringue sorbet was nice. The bill came to £374 including service for two people! Value for money? Most certainly not. The quality of food was worth half that amount but of course you are paying for the setting and the fact it’s a face place. There are many many better restaurants in central London charging similar prices but the difference being the food in many of those restaurants is outstanding. I don’t mind paying high prices as long as i come away at the end of my dining experience feeling highly satisfied and well fed. This wasn’t the case, regrettably, here.
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Fancy american bistro style in a beautiful old firehouse
There is a more casual patio area with heatlamps in March that was completely full. We ate inside in the bistro within the old engine barn, that still had the brass firepole. We were a bit underdressed in jeans and nice shirts. The wait staff was top knotch, a bit overwhelming at times, with more service than usual. The decor was fun. I had an excellent duck and pork pate (£18) as a starter, and Iberian pork (£42) as an entre, that was perfectly cooked and had great taste. Then menu had "French Fries" (£8), but the bill described them as chips. Overall a great night, great meal, with enthusastic service. Highly recommended.
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Amazing food, let down by the service
2/5 by
Liv D on 03/07/2023
I came here with my 3 friends last night to celebrate my 20th birthday. The restaurant is because and the food was absolutely lovely. Unfortunately the service was incredibly poor, I feel our table was overlooked constantly, I think this may have been down to the fact we weren’t spending a huge amount of money, regardless of this, the service should be impeccable, baring in mind the service charge was 15%. No reference to the fact it was my birthday which was slightly disappointing too.
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A lot of hype- and for good reason! This place was very
A lot of hype- and for good reason! This place was very unique, an old firehouse turned hotel and restaurant. Very cool inside and the porch for brunch looks amazing too. We didn't have a reservation, but they were able to seat two on Saturday with no wait. I will say- the service was not the most attentive. They were busy, so it's understandable, but they got my coffee order wrong, forgot a tea order, and our food came out in an odd order (got our main dishes before sides/ appetizers). For the price and the hype, I'd hoped for a bit more. That said, the fried chicken and ceasar salad were SO GOOD.
If I will say that was the worst experience of my life is still to upgrade them! Staff very rude and so unprofessional! Shame
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SECOND TIME FOR ME ..... ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!
I first visited The Chiltern Firehouse with a work colleague from Australia. She’d read so much about the restaurant and couldn’t wait to visit - we both had a super evening. OK, we over-ordered, but we loved it. I knew I would return, so, what a lovely surprise when my CEO bought me a voucher – my husband and I couldn’t wait to go – my husband having been a London Fireman for 30+ years! We jumped off at Bond Street Station, meandered through the streets, and found ourselves outside the Chiltern Firehouse. I’d truly forgotten what an iconic building the restaurant is housed in - absolutely beautiful. The outside seating area wasn’t too busy at 5.45pm, but by the time we left, it was packed. Such a pretty area – alight by heaters, blankets supplied – loved it. Not too many people eating outside, mainly drinking, but everyone looking very happy indeed! The doormen who greeted us were charming, as were the front of house staff. Before we knew it, we were seated in the main restaurant, but with my husband just having had a knee op, the seating was a little too tight, so we asked if we could be moved. We were ushered up to the older area of the restaurant – not as fancy as the main restaurant, but we were more than happy. This area still has the original wall tiling of the old fire station, and is basically opposite the open kitchen. We watched the chefs have their debrief and then the action began – it was great to watch – made a nice change. The music wasn’t too loud, the restaurant feels fun and vibrant, knew we were going to have a nice time. It was a pleasure to meet the Sommelier; Beatrice Bessi. We’ve all met many a Sommelier, but I’d never met a lady Sommelier. Have a read up on her – quite the career! Really enjoyed her advice and chatting to her. She wasn’t pushy in any way – a real pleasure. The restaurant started to get very busy and walk-ins sat up, at the open kitchens, on bar stools. Quite obviously regulars too! For starters I chose the Steak Tartare – everything was already mixed in and prepared, and it was delicious – quite spicy! My husband opted for the Octopus. It was cooked to perfection, and absolutely superb. Mains were rib eye, and halibut (from the ‘daily specials’). My husband’s rib eye came as it said – with a peppercorn sauce – nothing too fancy! My piece of Halibut was massive and probably one of the best pieces of Halibut I have ever tasted. It sat on a bed of roasted celeriac and accompanied by baby spinach, I really didn’t need to order any chips! It was so scrumptious! When reading these reviews and people talking about the restaurant, this isn’t a pompous-looking restaurant – no white linen, perfectly ironing, tablecloths and no perfectly formed carrots or micro veg! Where we sat, we had basic wooden chairs – no fancy velour chairs, but I knew what we were in for – as I say, I’d been before. They do have wooden booths, which are great fun, but I would imagine you would have to request these far in advance. For pudding, we shared a Baked Alaska. We’d eaten so much, we didn’t really need it but, of course, we polished off every spoonful, and it was divine! So, overall, if you are looking for a restaurant with décor to match The Ritz, this isn’t the restaurant for you. If you are looking for chefy-arranged food with blobs of sauces and dots of different coloured purees, this isn’t the restaurant for you. The Chiltern Firehouse is a restaurant that has a great buzz, super staff, low music, a fabulous atmosphere and, for us, the food was just perfect. OK, this isn't a cheap restaurant, but you only need to look at the menu on-line to get an idea. It's somewhere special, which you will never forget. Just make sure to have a little look around, before you miss such wonderful features. Again, such an iconic building! Thank you so much to all the staff. I can’t quite believe some of the bad reviews. I just wish more people would place a review when they’ve had a super time! Can’t wait to re-visit. Maybe next time, in the summer, so we can sit outside before, or after dins, and not have to have a heater – I’m too much of a wimp for the cold! Thanks, again.
Great dinner and lots of people watching in restaurant. Little pricey for what you get even by London standards. You can, however, ease around that by ordering a pizza. Make sure sommelier opens wine at your table and leaves it there the whole time. Don’t let it leave your sight if you’d like to be the group drinking the whole bottle you are paying for.
Everything was good just know it's a little pricy for a normal breakfast spot. Service was friendly and attentive. Sit outdoors if the weather is nice! Green juice was delicious and the Benedict!
Good service. The food was nothing special. Overall, very poor value for money. Lavatories an absolute disgrace.
1/5 by
bob p on 02/17/2023
Shockingly bad breakfast with a work mate yesterday. Porridge like water for my friend; tea cold. Coffee poor. I expected it to be ruinously expensive but not for the food to be so bad.
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Fun and innovative food in a great setting.
The staff are welcoming and knowledgable and the flavors of each dish have real depth.
Landed from NYC and went for breakfast. It was great! Staff friendly. Cappuccino yummy. Food was great. Atmosphere pretty. Can’t go wrong here!!
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Limited menu, mediocre food and extremely overpriced.
They also play games with portions and felt like they were "up-selling" as others have noted.Giving this two stars because we had a great waitress and service was excellent despite the disappointing meal and pricing tactics.
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A first class experience.
From the good, yo the service to the restaurant's atmosphere every aspect was on point. No detail was left to chance by the staff. Service with a smile snd a warm hug at every turn. The pizzas are expertly prepared with the freshest ingredients and served hot and fresh from the oven. The pasta was perfection as the chef knows exactly how each dish should be prepared. Every morsel was perfection!
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Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect.
Knowing it's a celeb hot spot, heard the food can be hit or miss but honestly it was SO GOOD! We walked by it at first cause the main entrance is like a patio and then you walk through (not sure if still like that in winter). We started by splitting a bottle of rose which was so good. I can't remember what it was called, but it was a drier rose which we like. I got the roasted brick chicken which was honestly some of the best chicken I've ever had. My boyfriend got the pasta with truffles which he was also very impressed with and we split a flatbread.Great environment, good vibes, a bit dark, but also romantic.
The outside is adorable with a huge fireplace. The inside is very charming. There are two sides, one by pizza kitchen the other is more intimate. Nice for a date or girls brunch. The bathrooms are very cute and a bit of a maze to get to. The drinks are very easy on the eyes and quite tasty! The lime dip was very yummy and go perfect with chia crackers. The pizza was ok lacked a bit in flavor but nothing salt couldn't fix. Speaking of salt the salt and pepper shaker was the star of the show. Absolutely adorable! You cannot hope that you notice that when you walk in and it is a really nice touch. Anyways back to the pizza. It was light the sauce was sauce was also light which was very nice. If you are looking for something that is not heavy this is a good choice. Now my favorite part was the eggs Benedict they were absolutely fantastic. The sauce was delicious and offering it with ibérico ham was genius!
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It was good! Definitely sceney, definitely snobby, but the
It was good! Definitely sceney, definitely snobby, but the ambiance was lovely. They had fresh candles on every table, nice glassware, etc. the place itself is beautiful - the patio is more casual and vibey and the inside is more romantic and formal. We were seated inside and ordered martinis, which were £25 each (yes you read that right) but was the best I've had in london so far so I mean...I guess I'll allow it? Would maybe go with wine next time lol We ordered a bunch of dishes: 1. the scallop crudo (£14): good but missable. Would skip 2. The tender leaves (£15) much bigger and better than I would have expected based on other menu prices. More of an entree size 3. The devil pizza (£24): really tasty and easily shareable. Also a good "value" comparatively 4. Fries (£8): very yummy5. Potatoes (£10): tasty but a bit greasyIt was possibly too much food which I wasn't expecting. Overall the food seems to be more of a ££-£££ vibe whereas the drinks push it into a higher price tier. It was a bit weird that our drinks were literally half the bill. Service was fine, but they were very clear about limiting tables to two hours (like mentioned it from the beginning) which I thought was weird. Also, I've never been to a nice/expensive place that had a hard mandate on that rule. All in all, it is what it is. I was expecting to think it was wildly overhyped and it was actually better than I was expecting.
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Great Vibe !! Friendly Staff and Nice outdoor seating next
Great Vibe !! Friendly Staff and Nice outdoor seating next to the fireplace !! A definite place to check out in Soho !!
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La comida es excelente! La berenjena cocinada a la
La comida es excelente! La berenjena cocinada a la perfección a las brasas y en madera con sabor ahumado. El ambiente sofisticado y sobrio.
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Excellent Restaurant with Fine Service and Great Vibe
We knew it by reputation and were not disappointed. The Firehouse has an energetic vibe, which was reflected in both our server((see photo) and som. They were very friendly and helpful particularly the som. We had discussed various wines before selecting wine for our mains, and later she surprised us with complimentary glasses of PX we haad discussed earlier. A very enjoyable and satisfying evening.
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Everyone who works here has a vibe and a look and it's
Everyone who works here has a vibe and a look and it's mainly DGAF with a side of Cooler Than Thou but if you just embrace that as part of the experience and package, you'll likely have a good time. It's buzzy, it's trendy, it's posh and despite the way too high prices, the food really is quite delicious. We had a group tasting menu and it was more food than even this gluttonous food hound could have imagined. Top stars: squash blossom pizza, chicken karaage, Iberico pork shoulder (so tender), monkfish on the spine, and chocolate ice cream. Like actually standout plain chocolate ice cream.
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Good experience, but service is indeed weak as reviews had indicated.
The reviews on TripAdvisor we’re very accurate. We had however a very good experience on a sunny and warm day in July. The biggest issue was service, which was very slow. But otherwise we had a good experience
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Disappointing - so many other much better options in London
What a disappointment. Came here for my mums birthday, first time and been booked for ages. It’s a lovely setting and we were seated quickly but it went downhill quickly. Took 15 mins at least to be greeted by waiter and take drink order. Had to ask 3 times for wine menu. Food was ok, nothing special but what really let them down was the service. Just appalling. Not attentive, didn’t clear our plates. Put our wine in a ice bucket away from table but then didn’t top us up. Complained to manager who was apologetic but don’t think he really cared. Then has to ask for bill twice - in meantime waiter came over and asked if we wanted more drinks!!!! We’d been waiting 45 mins to order another drink. Definitely won’t be returning and would really recommend anyone thinking about coming here to lower their expectations. It’s a buzzy atmosphere but that’s where it ends. Don’t waste your time - there are hundreds of other amazing restaurants in London and this is definitely not one of them.
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Unfulfilled Potential - If only they cared a little bit
Very disappointing experience. Went for a birthday dinner on a glorious summer evening. Patio had lots of potential but they crammed a few too many tables in and covered them with a cheap trellis. Food was decent but the service was a massive disappointment. They forgot our water multiple times, forgot a couple of our dishes and generally didnt seem to care at all. One waiter needs to be singled out as being the one who seemed to care. He was from northern England, his father played football. We didnt manage to catch his name, but he was not our waiter - we just flagged him down in desperation to fix multiple errors. He was exceptional. The host introduced himself but only in order to kick us out as the terrace closes at 21:00 - despite us still not having received a dish we had ordered 90 minutes prior. Overall this place has the potential to be an excellent local. But it has decided it wishes to operate (and charge) as if it is on an international scale, but it is very far from that. At 2/3 the price and 1/3 the pretension it is worthwhile. However I cant in good conscience recommend anyone to go there in its current incarnation.
Fantastic lunch date. Food was amazing. Pizzas were light and filled with flavour. Coffee and cappuccino was so good. Atmosphere & decor were great. Temperature was controlled really well. Some of the best sashimi I have ever had. Would highly recommend.
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What a cute cozy place! If you're in London, make a point
What a cute cozy place! If you're in London, make a point to go here before 7pm if you're not staying in the hotel.
Dined in the private dining room as a surprise for my husband’s 50th Birthday. The feasting menu was delicious and our waiter Ivan was exceptional and very attentive, nothing was too much trouble. Will definitely be coming back soon
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Great experience all around!
Great food, great service (Fabio was our waiter!) and great ambiance! Order the green beans, and as much other stuff as you can!
2/5 by
Rosie on 06/21/2022
I took my parents-in-law for Father’s Day, I hadn’t been for maybe 3 or 4 years but I recalled it being quite nice. When we arrived at the time of our booking we were told our table wasn’t ready and we should wait at the bar. At the bar there was simply not space for 4 people to sit or stand, and for 25 minutes we hovered, accidentally getting in the way of waiters and waitresses every few minutes. When we eventually sat down it took some time to get the menus (many of the items were not available I would add), and after we’d ordered the wine, it seems they had forgotten about it and it sat on the side for 20 minutes until we chased. I thought my food was fine (not groundbreaking) however my husband ordered cacio pepe gnudi which was bizarrely extremely lemony, he hated it and we gave the feedback that the dish was not right. I believe it remained on the bill despite him not finishing it and complaining. I will say we had a lovely waitress though, who tried to keep things light despite our complaints. As you would expect it was rather expensive, which is fine, if you get what you pay for. All in all, sloppy. Would I go back? No. Would I recommend? No.
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Disappointing to say the least
2/5 by
KTH16 on 06/06/2022
I was so excited to finally visit TCF...the interior is an absolute dream and I thought the hostesses were really lovely and attentive. What let this place down was the food. Now, I have no problem splashing cash on good food, in fact I will probably pay more for good food than anything else, quite happily. I ordered the Nduja pizza and it was terribly salty, another three girls I was sat with couldn't eat it either. The crust was dry and tasteless. I was with a big group and sadly I was not the only one who was let down by the food. Completely overpriced and for a die hard foodie, I will not be recommending to anyone.
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Good food, average seating
Ambiance lovely. Food very good but not special. Oysters beautiful. Seating at the bar lacked legroom. Mark up on drinks excessive.
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The food is extremely mediocre and wildly expensive.
It has a nice atmosphere with a trendy scene for sure. The cocktails are great but the food is not. Go for the scene not for the food.
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I finally made it to dinner here a few months back and had
I finally made it to dinner here a few months back and had a really nice time sitting at the counter. It was great to watch the kitchen in action. We had a front row seat for the appetizer/salad prep team and the women on that team just did a great job. I started with the salmon tartare which was lovely followed by the Iberico Pork. That is some of the tastiest pig I have ever had. You dont want to wait for it to get too cold and the sauces which come with it are amazing. For dessert, I had to go cheese with the Pedro Ximenes which was a great way to end the night. The menu is not the largest so I'd definitely suggest checking it if you have some picky eaters. It's worth a trip though
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Last Reply by CelebratedStreet63 (03/15/2023 4:29 pm)
5 Replys, 2 comments
Your bid has been “matched” with a reservation. From the time a reservation has been located, the seller of the reservation must connect with moderator to give transfer information for reservation. If the seller;however, does NOT respond to reservation transfer, then your bid is reprocessed and returns to the first step, which is connecting your request to a reservation.
Best answer by EvocativeFold67 (10/02/2021 4:37 pm)