Paternoster Chop House & Tavern — Restaurant in London

Very disappointed with this place. We booked to go as it features on a dating program on tv. It's a shame as it is a let down.

When we arrived it just took me back how tired this place looks. The mess the dirt the beat up furniture. Shame on D&D group.

We got seated at the table and got served promptly. The staff were good and trying hard. Sitting by the kitchen it was not great to see all the mess as it wasn't just a busy kitchen mess. Things on show that you don't want to see like the knife bag hanging of the microwave and baby seats and other items in the kitchen area.

When we ordered our mains they came very quickly. I had the vegetarian dish which was the herb dumplings. This looked like a nice dish but overpriced and the taste was horrendous as I think they split all the salt on it as that's what I could taste. It took a long time for a member of staff to notice I wasn't eating as no one came to check. I explained to them what was wrong and they changed my meal to a no better one, a pumpkin and potato cake. This was really disappointing as well as there was no flan as stated but a square omlete looking piece. Nothing good about it at all.

The staff didn't check on this until the end to which I said I was disappointed and the other person had there meal which it spoilt as they had to eat slowly to wait for mine. They did offer to pop it under the heat lamp, but as this was fish decided not to.

So not a great experience at all. And to top it off the manager in a suit didn't really care to help and came to the table and asked if I wanted anything else and my meal was taken off the bill. We said no we don't want anything and he forced to get the bill without choice as It looked like it was closing. I still had half a drink a didn't feel welcome. Not great at all. They should have cancelled the whole bill to be honest and they even charged service charge.

Well I can only say they need to check the dishes and be more accommodating.

Not a great restaurant for a TV show.

Where is the...

A must-have experience for first dates fans. The food was amazing, if on the pricey side. But this is the middle of London and the restaurant is as famous as they come.

Edit: went back for a second time, this time in mid-April and a little bit later than our first visit - bang in the middle of the lunch hour. The restaurant was much fuller than on the previous occasion and it was much more difficult to get a sense of it as the first dates restaurant. It seemed extremely popular with groups of women who were gollupping down cocktails. I must own up that we had had a Pornstar Martini ourselves, and it was excellent.

For lunch I had the Bone Marrow. I chose badly. It’s not a big starter, which is fine, but there was absolutely zero taste. That’ll teach me not to go out of my comfort zone! My wife had the crab starter, which was by comparison packed with taste. Things picked up with the main course. This being largely a steakhouse you’d expect the fillet to be excellent and it was. As it should be at £35 JUST for the steak. If you want a sauce, chips or veg with that it will cost you extra. Here you are in a cleft stick, because if you don’t order any sides you will just get a lump of meat. And as perfectly cooked as it was, it crosses ones mind that this restaurant is cashing in on its incidental first dates fame.

I had Red Mullet for my main, which was divine, but again if you want any sides they are separately priced.

Dessert disappointed too as it seemed as if it was “bought in”. Now I might be maligning them unjustly here as I’ve no evidence to support this theory, but if it is freshly prepared I have to say, chef, that you are making your sticky toffee pudding too dense and too perfectly moulded. I’ve had better....

We decided to visit for our anniversary after seeing the show on the First Dates show. It's in a great location in the Paternoster Square right next to St Paul's Cathedral. It was pretty busy when we arrived and looks popular with office staff who work in London. We had a drink at the bar before our meal and was asked if we'd booked a table so we was able to set up a tab. We had to wait quite a while before our meal arrived but they were apologetic I had the pollock and chips but had to ask for the fish to be changed as I felt it had been undercooked which meant my husband was eating alone while I waited and I was once he'd finished. We decided to share a selection of ice cream for dessert and having tried salted caramel frozen yoghurt at SNOG we opted for salted caramel ice cream and vanilla. The salted caramel was ridiculously salty and made it very unpleasant to eat so most of it was left. The manager did give use 4 free truffles as compensation. My husband had Angus steak & we were surprised that the cost only included the meat and a small pot of sauce. Any vegetables or fries are extra. It's the 1st restaurant we've been in that do this. His steak looked small but tasted nice and was cooked well. The restaurant was quite noisy and it didn't feel it was a romantic setting as you are seated very close to the next table. They obviously take tables out for the show. None of the staff featuring in the show were there. Dont think we'd eat there again but it looks like place for a drink if you're in St...