East India Club — Restaurant in London

One esteemed member of the Club was Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart (1887-1970), late of HM Foreign Office, SIS and the Political Warfare Executive. In his excellent book "Comes The Reckoning" (1947) he relates this tale, amongst others:- "During the first week of the Blitz, a pigeon was blasted into the smoking room of my club through the open window. It was dazed and had a broken leg, but it was otherwise unhurt. One of the valets tended it and mended it's leg. It became the Club pet. In the day time it went abroad, like the members, on it's own business and returned in the evening to take it's place in the smoking room. It was wonderfully tame and friendly, and several times I took it to sleep with me in my bedroom. It was a quieter companion than any cat or dog, sleeping peacefully on the mantelpiece.....paying no attention to the sirens. If a bomb fell near, it would flutter around the room for a moment then resume it's place on my arm or shoulder. Unfortunately, it was not house-trained and eventually the long suffering Secretary (RGF Saunders DSO) banned it both from the smoking room and members' bedrooms. It remained, however, with the valet and lived to celebrate the final victory over all our enemies. To one nervous Scot who did not like to be alone, and who welcomed any diversion in the Blitz, it will always be a pleasant memory."

They say that English battles are won on the playing fields of Eton, but I have little doubt that the strategies were refined inside the smoking rooms of hallowed London clubs such as this one, the East India Club in St. James's...

Attended a lunch for an organisation I belong to. The undeniably superb building with its interior steeped in history is worth a visit, however, the food and beverage segment of the experience was very disappointing.

The tiny bar was understocked and only had one kind of beer on a hot spring day. The starter of smoked salmon was fine, but was then followed by salmon again as a main course, overcooked and smothered in a shrimp sauce.

At least two people were allergic to crustaceans, but on request, the kitchen was unable to produce any without the sauce.

The other option was a beef stir-fry. Someone should inform the chef that the whole point of stir-fry is that it is cooked and dished a-la-minute, and while I'm sure the beef was tender when it came out of the wok, a long sojourn in a chafing dish had not done it any favours.

The bought-in petits fours were fine - fortunately the place knows a good (external) patisserie.

At £55 a head, this was an...

I wrote this review below some time ago and my views have changed somewhat. The Club is still stunning, the staff delightful and the food is excellent. However women are still not accepted as members, only ‘gentlemen’ and most of the gentlemen appear to be mainly white from a certain privileged background. Times are changing and this Club should take a good hard look at itself and follow the example of other clubs around the country.

Beautiful private members club on St James' Square. Wonderful historical building with atmospheric, comfortable communal rooms, including a library and a delightful, large dining room with stunning, high quality food. Alas, you can't just walk in, you have to be invited by a member of the club however members of specified UK clubs and abroad can use the facilities and stay overnight. Once upon a time, it was predominantly a very stuffy gentleman's club however women are now welcomed...