Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay - Bishopsgate — Restaurant in London

Visited for the first time on March 22nd for an early dinner date with my two sisters—and we had a fabulous evening! Here’s the rundown…

We kicked things off in style by using the complimentary chauffeur service. A sleek, subtly branded Mercedes V-Class was waiting for us outside the Andaz Hotel. The ride took around two minutes, but it was a nice touch—especially if the weather’s chilly.You can top up your phone on the way (and trust me, you’ll want a fully charged phone for the views alone). Check your email, as I believe this service only runs in the evenings.

On arrival, we were greeted by a cheerful host (he was on that day—no guarantees!), who checked us in before we passed through a quick security screening. Bags checked, pockets emptied, walk-through done, we w collecting our things, then escorted up the escalator to the lift. No buttons to press—just a smooth ride up to the 60th floor. A little ear pop, nothing major—it felt like, it took about a minute.

At the top, the lovely ladies at the front desk welcomed us with smiles, took our coats and bags, and stored them in the cloakroom. And then—the view. Absolutely breathtaking. I’m not great with heights, but the 360-degree panorama of London had me mesmerised. We started with a quick drink before being seated for dinner. Personally, I was relieved we didn’t end up at a window table—definitely one for the brave-hearted!

DRINKS Murasaki Colada – Incredible. Packed with rum (and more rum). Drink it fast though—it loses its magic once the ice starts to melt. Okinawa Margarita – Nice.

FOOD (À La Carte – and we ordered across the menu to share) Padrón Peppers – 10/10 Salted Edamame – 10/10 Oysters – 10/10 (Requested Tabasco and actually got it—score!) Sashimi (Salmon & Yellowtail) – 10/10 Tempura Prawns – 10/10 Bonito Fried Duck Leg Bao – 8/10 (Not enough duck for all the buns!) Egg Fried Rice – 9/10 (Had them remove the raw egg cracked on top—much better without it) Spiced Lamb Chops – 9/10 California & Soft Shell Crab Maki – 10/10 I’m pretty sure there was a salad in the mix too!

The staff were absolutely fantastic—warm, professional, and attentive from start to finish. It was also really refreshing to see such a diverse team—not sure what I was expecting, but it left a positive impression.

And a special shout-out to Rafael, who we have adopted as the newest member of the family (and yes, we noticed the fabulous shoes!). From the moment we arrived to the very end of our meal, we were taken care of. Friendly, attentive, and full of good vibes—we were genuinely made to feel special.

We didn't take many pictures of the food - We were too busy enjoying each others company, the views, food & drink and...Rafael :) Returned on April 16th for a special lunch treat with my 13-year-old, who's been doing brilliantly at school. This time, we ordered from the Express Lunch menu. My daughter has nut and prawn allergies (note: the kitchen doesn't serve nuts), and she really wanted to try the UMI. The chef kindly accommodated her request by swapping out the prawns for Gordon’s Fried Chicken (GFC)—which she loved! I went for the TOCHI, and we both enjoyed mochi and fresh fruit for dessert. Light, tasty, and just right.

We were looked after by Sana, who was absolutely wonderful—she so warm, attentive, and incredibly mindful of my daughter's allergies. She made sure everything was safe and that my daughter felt cared for, which meant a lot to both of us. In fact, my daughter specifically asked me to say thank you—for the kindness, concern, and for making her feel truly special.

She was also thrilled to take in the stunning views, and to top it off, she got to meet Rafael, who welcomed us with the same warmth and energy as our first visit. Rafael remembered me and asked after my sisters—those personal touches really go a long way.

I know I can’t leave two reviews, but I just had to give a special shout-out to Sana and Rafael for their exceptional service. You both...

It saddens me to write this review, as I’m a huge Gordon Ramsay fan and had high hopes for what was meant to be a special evening celebrating my husband’s 30th birthday.

Thankfully, we genuinely enjoyed every dish we ordered. The food was delicious and, while expensive, the pricing was as expected for a restaurant of this calibre. The views were also extraordinary, though unfortunately, we weren’t seated near the edge, so the impact of being 60 floors up was somewhat lost.

The service, however, is what let the whole evening down.

We arrived at our table at 19:15. Despite a warm welcome from staff at the entrance- many of whom kindly wished my husband a happy birthday -things quickly slowed to a crawl. It took 10 minutes for anyone to take our drinks order, and after our waiter offered to show us the set menus, we waited another 15 minutes just to receive them. When we finally opted for the à la carte menu, it took yet another 10 minutes before we could place our food order- around 19:50.

We ordered 7 dishes between the two of us, which seemed reasonable given the waiter had suggested 4-5 dishes per person. He also mentioned that the food would come out gradually, which we expected, but the delays between courses felt excessive - at one point we waited over 30 minutes between dishes.

While we enjoyed our cocktails and wine (which was topped up thoughtfully by another staff member), the overall attentiveness just wasn’t there. Our waiter never once brought a dish to the table- possibly the norm, but it was noticeable. He seemed distracted, often busy chatting with other tables, taking their photos, or escorting guests to the window for the perfect view. While lovely for those guests, it came at the cost of consistent service for others.

At one point, when checking in on us, I told him how much we were enjoying the food and the setting. He cut me off mid-sentence to comment on how “humble” we both seemed - I’m sure this was meant as a compliment, but it felt a little awkward, especially given the circumstances. I mentioned we both work in public service and this meal was a treat - I now wonder if this admission made him less attentive, not more.

After we finished our meal, we were again left waiting, first for dessert menus (another 10-minute delay), and then after deciding not to order dessert due to the late hour, we waited another 15 minutes before having to flag our waiter down to request the bill. Instead, he brought out a “Happy Birthday” plate with two chocolates, which was a nice gesture, but by this point it felt a bit like too little, too late.

We asked for the bill again. And then again. It took three separate requests and over 30 minutes before we finally received it. By now it was past 10 PM, we’d been there for over three hours, without dessert, and most of that time had been spent waiting.

The final sting was the £45 service charge. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t hesitate to pay it -this is London, and I understand how it works. But given the slow, inattentive service, I asked for it to be removed. A different staff member handled the payment, and while he agreed, there was no apology or acknowledgment of the poor service.

We left disappointed. What should have been a magical, celebratory evening felt soured by the lack of care and professionalism. It’s such a shame. We had even discussed coming back in the future for drinks and bar snacks, but after this experience, I’m honestly...

We attended a corporate event this evening—an occasion we had all been anticipating for several weeks. Prior to making the reservation, I contacted the venue to inform them that two guests had specific dietary requirements. I was assured this would not be an issue and that the tasting menu could be adjusted accordingly, with staff happy to accommodate.

However, upon arrival—and despite these dietary needs being clearly noted on the print out used by staff to seat us—we were approached on three separate occasions by three different members of staff, each questioning the same dietary requirements. Each time, the interaction was uncomfortable, and staff gave the impression that accommodating our needs was an inconvenience. Whilst in reality it is a simple swap of one item for another and we were happy to let the restaurant decide on the item.

Considering the establishment’s price point and positioning, this should have been managed seamlessly, not made into a repeated and awkward discussion. If dietary requirements cannot be accommodated, this should be stated clearly on the website, as more transparent venues tend to do. We would have simply booked another venue.

Following these repeated interactions, we eventually gave up and agreed to proceed as is, supplementing the meal by ordering additional items. We came for a pleasant dining experience, not to negotiate every course as though we were foraging for sustenance.

The food itself was mediocre. Dishes were not served in any discernible order, nor were they explained to the table upon presentation. The staff appeared undertrained and ill-equipped to deliver the standard of service the restaurant markets itself as providing. Especially if you are offering a tasting menu option.

After the main course, we were given an appropriate break before dessert was served. Only to be informed once it arrived that we had 15 minutes remaining before we would need to vacate the table. It was yet another example of poor service and disorganisation.

We also had a bottle of wine left to finish and asked three different members of staff to refill our wine glasses—which had been empty for some time. This was the second bottle, following a few pre-dinner cocktails. These staff members however went straight onto carrying plates, clearing tables or loitering nearby. Meanwhile, we were expected to finish dessert, the wine bottle and vacate the table within 15 minutes. When we eventually stood up to retrieve the wine bottle ourselves (which had been inexplicably placed away from the table), the manager intervened and wrestled it from us whilst offering an apology for the delay.

This venue is a textbook example of style over substance: driven by social media hype but fundamentally lacking in service, training, and basic hospitality standards.

To add insult to injury, the experience concluded with guests being escorted down an emergency exit stairwell at the rear of the building—a stark contrast to the curated interior and welcoming scents that greeted us upon arrival.

In summary, this establishment presents a façade of quality, propped up by influencer marketing, but clearly built for one-time visits. There is no sense of customer respect or intent to foster return custom. I cannot imagine any reason why someone would willingly return—even at another’s expense.

Ps if you want an instagram picture of the city - there is a free viewing deck in the...