Savoy Grill — Restaurant in London

I have had the pleasure to visit the Savoy Grill Sept 29th with my mother. My mom’s favorite chef is Gordon Ramsay. She loves everything Mr Ramsay does and so do I. My mom’s other dream was to see and visit the Royal Albert Hall. Doing this got us almost 45 minutes late our reservation. I tried everything to get to the restaurant on time but I am not used to traffic in London unfortunately. When arrived at the S. Grill I apologized for being incredibly late and the lady at the reception was very kind and understanding. The other gentlemen working with her were making jokes so I wouldn’t feel as embarrassed. I felt welcome! After taking our coats, the waiter took us to our table and heard me speak French. He then quickly sent us another waiter who spoke French. Before getting into my experience I want to acknowledge the space around a table for two. If you’ve just been shopping you’ll absolutely have enough space for your bags. Our lovely French waiter made conversation as he handed us our menu. What I appreciated the most was the selection of side dishes. It is a detail that makes the difference. Since I wanted us to try the famous Beef Wellington I ordered immediately and decided to skip the entrée. The preparation takes about 45 minutes. Our waiter said he would check with the chef if he had a little something for us. He asked if there was anything he should know about food allergies. I mentioned my mom’s dislike for fish. Everything felt so organized like we were the only one in the restaurant. He came back with two little cups. He explained that it was a little soup made with so many ingredients I wouldn’t even be able to remember what they were. Our Beef Wellington came and we had decided to go with Truffle mash potatoes. I would like to add that you’re eating with actual silver forks and knives. You get two pieces of Beef Wellington which is quite big for one person to eat. I asked one of the waiter if it was possible to have my leftover wrapped to take it home. No dirty looks were given to me ! We felt like desert would be too much so I ordered 2 cappuccinos. When the cappuccinos came our waiter, Rémy, congratulated me for getting married and moving to the U.S. I looked at him quite shocked and asked how he knew. He politely answered that he knew everything and put a plate in front of me with the cutest little pie and the word “Congratulations” written with chocolate. It was the most elegant thing I had ever seen. My mom explained that while I was gone to the bathroom Rémy came to her and said he felt like this was a special day for us. My mom explained why we were in London for the day and he asked her what he could do to make a little more special. I absolutely had the best time at The Savoy Grill. When you look around while waiting you see the staff running around like musicians playing a symphony. Nothing is left behind. You won’t see a waiter give a dirty look to another one. It’s like they read each other’s mind. I’m a middle class woman who was treated like a Duchess. But I have to give my gratitude to where it’s due. Rémy made our experience as best as it could possibly be. He was so kind and made us feel at home. I was so grateful for his kindness, patience and attention to details. He didn’t have to go out of his way to make us happy. He could have just smiled and done the minimum. Thanks to Rémy I will absolutely go back to the Savoy Grill. I will never go to London without stopping by the Savoy Grill or Hotel. It is a must! If you go there following my comment, whether you speak French or not, request Rémy you...

We arrived at the savoy for our table reservation which had been booked for nearly 2 years due to Covid to find the table not very big for a start. We were then given the menu and explained that we were using a virgin experience voucher. We were told that the voucher could be used for lunch or dinner due to the expiry date being near.

We were made to feel very uncomfortable in the restaurant and were given the Al La Carte menu then they realised that the menu was the wrong one. They replaced it with the lunch time menu with only 3 items on that menu that I could eat due to being gluten free.

We then complained to the manager of the restaurant who then told us that the reservations team at the SAVOY HOTEL had made a mistake with our booking explaining that all booking come through the Savoy reservations, which later we found to be untrue.!

The duck came and was so tough and fatty I asked for the dish to be removed and a new dish replace with fish. Meanwhile my partner was eating his meal which he finished before mine had arrived at the table. Also when my new meal arrived the side dishes were all cold, with no offer to replace them. In the meantime I noticed 2 other tables complaining one being a lady who had to return her Lobster twice and ended up picking an alternative meal.

We then observed all the Coats on the back of chairs when there is a cloak room open in the hotel foyer. We were told it was because of COVID which is incorrect. NO fish fork for the our main dish. No serrated edge knife for the tough and fatty duck dish. We were served champagne as part of our package as a welcome drink which was not to the standard that is expected from a 5 star establishment.

We then came out of the restaurant and a member of staff from the savoy called matthew asked if we were having a lovely evening and we explained what had happened in the restaurant so we then were directed to the hotel manager of the SAVOY to explain what our experience had been like in the Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant on Monday 18th October at 8.30pm.

We spoke to the Savoy night manager who confirmed that all booking for the Gordon Ramsay’s Grill restaurant are made directly with the Gordon Ramsay’s Grill restaurant reservations team and NOT with the Savoy hotel reservations.

The only charge for our meal was a bottle of Pol Roger champagne that we had chosen because all of the food had been paid for in advance 2 years ago with the virgin experience voucher. The restaurant manager explained to us as the Savoy reservations team had given us the incorrect information and messed up our booking arrangements & he felt that it was within his duty to give us the champagne complimentary as an apology for the very poor service that the Savoy had given us.

Never the less the pictures below show that this restaurant has nothing to do with then Savoy & is certainly not the standard of a 5 star Michelin restaurant In the heart of London.

We look forward to your hearing from you with your...

I had the absolute privilege of having lunch today at the Savoy Grill. My experience made it clear to me how Chef Ramsay has cemented his position as one of the best in the world. His staff are a credit to his name and they should all be very proud.

We shared a cocktail in the American Bar upstairs before our booking. The art-deco decor is made wholly un-stuffy with modern celebrity portraits adorning the walls and soft pillows on the banquette seating. The menu was extensive, with a wide variety of non-alcoholic substitutes (we tried the King's Cobbler both with and without alcohol - both were fruity, refreshing, and equally complex). The hostess and server were bright, warm, and extremely attentive. Olives and sweet-spicy crackers were a lovely touch and the atmosphere was comfortable and cool. Communication between the Grill and the Bar was terrific; they informed us when our table was ready but we never felt rushed.

When we sat down for the "Taste of Savoy" menu, it was clear this would be a memorable experience. Again, the staff of the Savoy Grill were friendly, engaged, and highly attentive. It was very clear that communication is strong between the team and there is a high attention to detail and dedication to excellent service.

It's difficult to choose a favourite from the 6-plate tasting menu; every dish was unique and delightful. -The comte gougere had a surprising melt in the mouth texture and the nutty cheese was both matched and challenged by the pickled walnut puree and a sprinkle of hot paprika -The Cumbrae oyster was a play on a Bloody Mary: all the classic elements from vodka to celery along with a sliver of jalapeno (very bright and refreshing). -Haddock souffle was beyond rich and creamy (seriously, this was the technically best-executed souffle we have ever seen) and the chive-speckled cheese sauce could be mopped up with the house-made bread and smoked sea salt butter. -The Wellington is, of course, Ramsay's signature and it was executed brilliantly. The filet was cooked perfectly rare and the potatoe puree was silky smooth. -The chocolate and tonka bean entreme stood out with a variety of textures and the richness cut by a yogurt ice cream that played on the fruitiness of the chocolate. -All rounded off with the softest, fluffiest mini madeleines we've ever had.

Everything is served on china plates with heavy, quality, polished silverware for each course. This is a special meal for a special occasion and we were made to feel special at every step, from checking our jackets to using the washroom. We cannot...