Hawksmoor Spitalfields — Restaurant in London

I recently dined at Hawksmoor Spitalfields, and I must say, the experience was incredibly disappointing. While the food was average, the service left much to be desired.

We booked a table for four on a Friday night, and our initial server was genuinely nice. He was a tall and young guy and allowed us to take our time deciding what to order and provided helpful advice on portion sizes for our group. However, midway through our dinner, another server—who appeared to be a senior and/or manager—approached us with an appalling attitude. This senior who was a guy and wore glasses bluntly informed us that another party was waiting for our table and had been waiting for 15 minutes. We were urged to finish our meal quickly so they could seat the next group. This was shocking, as we were still having our main courses and hadn’t even had dessert or drinks yet.

What made matters worse was that we had not been informed of any time limit on our reservation. The table next to ours (also a party of four) which arrived at the same time, was not rushed at all. The whole mood and atmosphere were ruined by this unwelcoming encounter, especially when the server returned just five minutes later to reiterate that we really needed to hurry up because the waiting party was anxious to be seated.

To add insult to injury, when the bill arrived, I was presented with a donation charge for a charity I had no knowledge of. While the amount was minimal, I firmly believe this should have been communicated either during the reservation process, when we were seated, or at the time of billing. Instead, it felt like an afterthought, handed to me without any explanation, leaving me feeling cornered into making a donation.

After reading other reviews, it seems I’m not alone in this experience—many diners have faced similar treatment. If you’re considering dining here, be prepared to rush through your meals and potentially get kicked out, especially given the restaurant's high prices and average food.

Overall, this experience was infuriating and left a sour taste in my mouth. Our group was left absolutely furious by the service at Hawksmoor Spitalfields, and I cannot recommend it. To those reading this review, proceed with caution if you value a relaxed...

This is my third visit to Hawksmoor, but my first time to the Spitalfields branch.

Me and my partner have a habit of going to play cards with a drink or two on a Sunday in London. This inevitably ends with us desiring a roast dinner but having nowhere booked, which if you’ve ever tried to get a last minute roast in central London then you know the challenge. We called up Hawksmoor who, unsurprisingly, had no space left for the roast. However we were told that we could come and enjoy their regular menu if we’d like to. Maybe it was the pints we’d consumed talking, or maybe it was because it was the week leading up to our anniversary, but we decided to treat ourselves, and so it was off to Hawksmoor we went.

As soon as we arrived it was the excellent service we knew. We were met with a friendly smile, our coats stored away, and we were shown to our table.

We decided to order: Roasted scallops (£21) Potted beef and bacon (£12) ⭐️Chateaubriand for two (£90) ⭐️Peppercorn sauce (£4) ⭐️Bone marrow gravy (£4) Beef dripping chips (£6.50) ⭐️Mash and gravy (£6.50) ⭐️Creamed spinach (£7)

To drink: Shakey Pete’s ginger brew (£14) ⭐️A glass of ‘Quinta de La Rosa, ‘Hawksmoor X La Rosa’ Vinho Tinto 2022’ (£12)

What is there to say other than the food is exceptional. Everything tasted fantastic and the steak was cooked to absolute perfection. The sauces were both wonderful (you MUST try the bone marrow gravy it is unbelievable!). The sides are all fabulous too, I just wish I could have eaten all of them.

The only slight let down would be the starters. I thoroughly enjoyed the potted beef but my partner did not. The Yorkshire pudding it came with was a bit dry and stale which was a shame but the rest was tasty. Then there were the scallops. Possibly London’s most expensive scallop starter I’ve seen, and for the price I am wanting the best scallops. They certainly were cooked perfectly and they were big, I just didn’t enjoy the crumb they had sprinkled on top, but really that’s a minor issue.

There really isn’t much else to say about this meal other than it it absolutely fantastic, however it is definitely one for special occasions, as the bill came to about £200 for two people with service added.

Hawksmoor, I...

I've always wanted to visit Hawksmoor but thought it out of my depth. The soft launch of 50% off gave me the opportunity to come in and see what was on offer and try several dishes. We checked out the menu from home and the one in the restaurant was pretty much the same, give or take one or two things, so we already knew what we'd like to sample. We chose three starters - Potted beef & bacon with Yorkshires & onion gravy, Bone marrow with onions, and Ash-baked beetroot with pickled fennel, horseradish & hazelnuts. I absolutely loved the potted beef option and could have this by itself for lunch easily! The marrow was very nice with the onions being a nice sweet contrast to the savoury, creamy marrow. The beetroot was lovely, so refreshing and like the one I'd had at Blacklock last year. We shared one main - Herb fed chicken - it was a lovely balance of flavours but I thought it a tiny bit dry. Still delicious, though. We also got sides - Dripping fries, Buttered English greens, and the Doddington Caesar salad. The fries were a nod to my dining partner, they were delicious but not special and not many of them. The greens were perfectly cooked. The salad was much bigger than I had expected and I was feeling very full but I did enjoy the presentation and taste very much. Yes, we were almost bursting but did share a Burnt Butter ice cream scoop. This was a fantastic choice - not too much of it, not too sweet and intensely buttery and delicious. I couldn't fault anything I ate. Beautiful.

The service too was excellent. My partner asked if the heat was on and we were cheerfully moved to a warmer table. Each server was attentive and helpful. We heard other tables' occupants being serenaded with patient descriptions of the food too.

So of course the soft launch prices were a big draw. But the big question is - would I go back and pay full price? Easy! Yes! There's...