Giraffe — Restaurant in London

🌟 HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES AT GIRAFFE SOUTHBANK🦒☹️

We tried to visit yesterday around 2pm with our group of six adults, a toddler, and two prams with sleeping newborns. The restaurant had plenty of seating both inside and outside, so we kindly requested an indoor table due to a nearby event with loud music. A waitress led us in, and that’s unfortunately where our experience soured.

We were greeted by a man—presumably the manager—who repeatedly asked how many we were, despite us clearly saying several times and explaining we needed the prams and standing as a group in front of him. He spoke around us rather than to us, treating us more like a logistical challenge than guests. When we offered to leave if it was too much trouble, he waved us toward tables and began rearranging them with noticeable reluctance.

The seating layout was awkward, and after placing prams at either end, we were told one had to be moved. We politely suggested shifting the tables slightly to the right to a clear gap nearby which he had started to make, which would accommodate the pram and avoid blocking the walkway—respecting what may have been fire regulations. Despite acknowledging this, the manager continued to repeat himself rudely and stood back unhelpfully while we began moving the tables ourselves. At this point several members of the group now felt uncomfortable with his manner. The lack of warmth and welcome led us to abandon our visit. One sympathetic waiter did apologize as we left, sharing that he has children and understood how we were feeling. He even acknowledged that the manager is often rude and uninviting to families... As someone who's visited other Giraffe branches and had lovely experiences, this felt like the exception. But if you're dining out with children, I strongly recommend steering clear of this location. Giraffe brands itself as family-friendly—this branch needs serious retraining and, in my opinion, new management to live up to that promise.

We ended up at Las Iguanas nearby and had one of the best meals and customer service experiences, which I’ve reviewed separately. A complete contrast—and a reminder that family-friendly dining can and should feel welcoming from the moment you walk...

What on earth has happened to this restaurant chain?! We used to take the kids circa 6-7 years ago to one near us which ended up closing. The food was always fairly reliable and prices not too bad.

Fast forward to today, when we went with the kids and the only thing familiar about the experience was the logo.

The food was absolutely dreadful. I am so surprised to see so many people giving this place 5 stars. I can’t imagine that these reviews are legitimate because pretty much all of it was convenience, reheated or fried crap. Nothing freshly prepared, various items on the plate either served lukewarm or cold.

I had to send the duck noodles dish back. It was £16 for a plate of undercooked, rubbery egg noddles covered in the most disgusting amount of sickly sweet hoi sin. Honestly, inedible.

To his credit the manager offered to swap for something else on the menu so I chose the brunch, which seemed the least risky given the absolute state of some of the other plates I saw being presented to other diners. However even that was poor. The scrambled eggs were like rubber and the hash brown had absorbed so much the rank oil from the fryer that they may as well had served up a dipping pot of oil instead.

What’s more, considering the poor food and portion sizes the price they are charging (outside of the kids menu, which is now the only thing they’ve got going for them) is absolutely absurd. I also noticed that they hit you with a service charge on the at-table ordering device (which cannot be removed), and then sneakily ask to add a tip on the next step after the service charge has been added. It’s an absolute piss take.

This location obviously benefits from the footfall to keep the crowds coming in and from tourists who don’t know where else to go (I noticed other chains like Strada and Wahaca were other options nearby).

However, based on this experience, it’s really not a surprise that Giraffe has struggled to survive in other locations where there is more obvious choice and variety, as I cannot imagine anyone wanting to visit twice.

Certainly we will not...

The food is good, but the service at Giraffe South Bank was so awful that walking across the promenade and launching myself into the Thames felt like the only way to get their attention for service, or at least put an end to the excruciatingly long wait for it.

The Restaurant was only at about half capacity so not even an excuse of being overly full. Just a simple order of eggs benedict and a cappuccino.

After some time out came my breakfast, "sorry sir, I also ordered a cappuccino"

Breakfast almost finished Again, "sorry sir, I ordered a cappuccino"

Breakfast fully finished "excuse me sir, I ordered a cappuccino" Bewildered look "uh, what?" "yes, sorry I ordered a cappuccino with my breakfast, which I've finished eating now. Could we also please get some water for the table?" Waiter huffs and walks off.

20 minutes elapse. Cappuccino arrives.

Further 25 minutes elapse. 2 further prompts for water.

Finally water arrives. "May we please get the bill?"

Shocker, they have changed me for 2 cappuccinos.

I ask that waiter to please remedy the error. Further huffing. So I also request that he remove the service charge from my bill as the service would have been better if i had gone into the kitchen and made my own breakfast.

I tell the waiter to tap my card for the amount of the bill and he proceeds to take the liberty to add on a tip for himself.

Do yourself a favour, and find somewhere else with a river view to save...