The Sanctuary House pub — Restaurant in London

Convenient location, but disappointing experience

The venue is conveniently located near St James’s tube station, which was ideal for our group. However, the overall experience left much to be desired.

Our party of ten—senior managers from different hospitals—visited last Monday. Unfortunately, the service was poor. One of the waiters, Shahkankumar, was notably rude and impatient with our group. While six of us were ready to order at the food counter, four were still reviewing options at the non-food table. Instead of offering assistance or giving us a moment, he threatened to remove us from the dining area if we didn’t order immediately—even though we clearly intended to.

When the food finally arrived, the quality was underwhelming. Both the linguini and burgers lacked flavor, and we had to request additional seasonings to make them palatable.

To make matters worse, despite the minimal service provided—essentially just dropping off our meals—a service charge was still added to the bill.

Disappointing, especially for a professional gathering. We expected better hospitality and...

My tempura sardines were delicious, hot and fresh, a perfect accompaniment to Japanese Asahi beer. Asahi is a renowned Japanese beer brand, celebrated for its crisp and refreshing taste. Founded in 1889, Asahi Breweries has grown to become a global player in the beer industry, known particularly for its flagship product, Asahi Super Dry, which is less sweet and more refreshing than traditional lagers. This iconic brew features a clean, crisp flavor with a hint of bitterness, making it a favorite for pairing with various cuisines, especially Japanese dishes like sushi and tempura. For a little pudding I decided to order a shot of Tequila Rosé which is a delightful and creamy shot that combines the bold punch of tequila with the sweet, smooth flavors of strawberry cream liqueur. This shot is perfect for those looking to enjoy a dessert-like drink. The pink hue and velvety texture make it visually appealing and enjoyable to sip.

If you would like to watch a video of me eating tempura sardines, please go to my YouTube...

We won't be back. I do not recommend this place if you know better options in central London. We ordered 2 roast which were okay, 1 fisherman's pie which was nice, and 1 kid's pesto pasta with sauce on the side and vegetable sticks which were awful. I asked for redoing of the pasta and vegetables since both looked old and dry. The waiter kindly replaced the latter with the fresh vegetables this time (but no more carrots due to Sunday roast probably), so I assume that previous ones were really leftovers. But the pasta returned the same yellow, dry and oily, like it wasn't boiled properly, but fried instead (I really have no idea how it's possible to spoil such a simple dish)... Unfortunately my daughter completely lost her appetite and mood until coming home for dinner. I understand that the demand is for quick and simple dishes, so cooks go for prepared in advance ingredients or ready to warm up meals, but isn't there another solution than to embarrass everyone by providing dried pasta and veggie sticks for our...