Dinings SW3 — Restaurant in London

Good food but the experience is majorly let down by the awful service...I would have preferred to share my thoughts directly with management so that they could use it constructively to train staff but as I couldn't find a contact email on their site I felt Google was the next option (I also couldn't find this branch on Zomato...) Basically the service was not at all what you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber and for the eye-watering price. Staff are untrained, sloppy and simply do not engage with the clientele. We might as well have helped ourselves from a conveyor belt. After a lovely, warm welcome from the hostess that's where the service ended. We were seated at the bar to wait for our friends - the barmen who was pouring a drink directly opposite us didn't so much as give us an acknowledgment. Once seated at our table we didn't have a dedicated waiter but rather 5 different servers/ runners. Not one senior person popped by to find out whether we were happy and being well looked after. We weren't offered drinks - we had to ask if we could order. A lonely glass of champagne was bought to the table. Our friend waited politely for nearly ten minutes (letting her bubbles lose it's chill and fizz) until our wine arrived. I'm not sure whether the person pouring the wine was the sommelier (he only came to the table once) but the brand wasn't introduced, and my partner's wine glass was filled by an arm stretched across the table and in between myself and the person opposite me. The wine wasn't sufficiently chilled - I had to ask for ice and glasses weren't topped up regularly. First dish was served - the waitress spilled some of the accompanying sauce over the platter but still placed the dish down on the table (The chefs I know would be horrified). Dishes (and there were several of them) weren't introduced - simply plonked on the table - we had to ask what they were. We informed the one waiter that we had a non-fish eater - they made a 'special' dish for him but he had to sit watching the rest of the party eat our way through three dishes before they brought him his tofu and truffle dish. I understand that the dishes come out one-by-one but when I was a waitress I would have ensured that they pushed through the special request ahead of some of the other dishes to ensure that everyone was eating together. A nice touch was being offered complimentary treats at the end of the meal but the waitress realised that they hadn't included enough items for the whole party so she popped off to grab some extras and simply added them to the presentation box. From an aesthetic and environmental perspective I would consider replacing the disposable wooden chopsticks with beautiful, reusable ones...also some of the dishes such as soft tofu and those with very thin slices are difficult to lift with chopsticks - I would plate these on flat, wide spoons would make them more elegant/ enjoyable to eat. I see that the original Marylebone branch is much loved.... I would suggest giving this franchise...

It takes a singularly appalling experience for me to feel compelled to write such a scathing review of a restaurant, but Dinings SW3 really rose to the occasion.

Said experience began by being unceremoniously ushered in by a young lady who came to embody the most uniquely condescending and dismissive customer service I have experienced in London, a city where conceited hostesses are a dime a dozen. Our initial excitement for the restaurant swiftly dissipated as we were escorted upstairs to the evidently reject sous sol dining room of the restaurant, reserved for washed up French business men and 16-year-old high schoolers loudly discussing their obnoxious club bill from the previous night. The tables here were shockingly uncomfortable due to their awkward height and size. We kindly requested to be moved downstairs only to be told by the same young lady from reception without so much as a glance at us that the tables downstairs were all booked out. Laura, who’s name I managed to find out later in the evening, failed to explain why I was looking point blank at an empty table on the main dining floor. Unwilling to retreat, we waited for a further 15 minutes to ensure the table was not being held for another reservation. We then requested to be moved again and Laura appeared yet again equipped to a t with eye rolls and condescending head shakes. “That table is reserved for the owner you see, he is right outside, it’s the owner of the restaurant” she repeated to ensure we were squarely aware of her opinion on our significance in Dining’s pecking order. This, followed by more eye rolls, an obnoxious “you did not request to be seated downstairs, how are we to know you want to be there” and a rude dismissal of my pleading “I booked over two weeks ago”, brought us to the obvious “If a table becomes available I will move you down”. Tables did indeed become available, 3 of them in fact, only to be filled by people who probably clearly requested “I WANT TO SIT DOWNSTAIRS” on their reservation notes or were somehow related to the owner.

The food in no way made up for this brash customer service and tasted mostly like cardboard with hints of seafood. My tiny eel sushi roll with a mountain of misplaced, trying too hard, foie gras had a bone in it and the potatoes were under seasoned and under cooked. The tacos were tasteless and the only redeeming dish was the wagyu burgers.

In short, I am not sure what was worse, Dining’s food or Laura’s attitude but both cemented one of the worst dining experiences I have had in an up-scale London restaurant. If you are a fan of this genre and clientele march over to Zuma where at least the food makes up for the...

Fine dining of Japanese offerings and well worth it! After seeing this restaurant pop up as top rated with so many reviews we wanted to take a chance of trying to get in. We didn't have a reservation and it was fully booked so we were offered seating at the live sushi bar. After going downstairs and realizing we would rather wait for a table to open up with more comfortable seating (wanting the full experience), the hostess and manager were very accommodating to add us to the list. This place was fully packed on a week night. We went back upstairs and grabbed a seat at the bar while we waited. Our bartenders Ritchie and Sammie were so friendly and we had great conversation about London sites and other travel ventures. I had the Kumamoto Spicy Margarita and the Clementine & Ginger Swizzle, both drinks were exceptionally delicious with craft ingredients. After our table was ready and we were seated, edamame was brought over. For an appetizer, we ordered the Wagyu Beef Steamed Mini Burger Buns that come "per piece" to order. The buns were soft and the beef with a teriyaki marinade was so delicious I could've enjoyed more. We also ordered the TAR-TAR Chips (think it was the Tuna & Wagyu Beef).. also amazing! I was continously seeing orders of the TAR-TAR Chips going out to tables but was unsure of what they were listed as on the menu. Our server Theodore was outstanding with his personality and service and he made sure based off of our interests, that his recommendations would leave us fully satisfied.... he was right! We enjoyed everything he suggested. I also ordered two different sushi rolls (see pics) but I do not recall their names. On the second round of drinks, Ritchie personally delivered us our drinks downstairs and that really made an impression of quality hospitality provided from all staff, while dining there. Everyone was friendly and inviting. This was a nice walk from Kensington and a great way to see what's in the areas nearby. Would highly recommend coming here. A 5-Star...