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    Bodean's

    3.5 (124 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 10:30 pm

    Bodean's Photos

    BODEAN'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Bodean's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Burnt Ends with slaw & Fries
    Elithea H.

    Must say, I wasn't impressed. I'll Make this quick: The Burnt Ends, and fries were okay. Not what we call Burnt Ends in the United States, more soft. Like normal cute pieces of pork. The Maple Glazed carrots were okay. The jalapeño corn muffins were good, as was my he music they played. Nice mix of older hip hop and as well as older R&B. All in all, decent place but not worth the $56 pounds or so we paid AT ALL! My suggestion, It's an Easy pass for something better. Keep looking.

    Mexican Salad with Chicken

    Had a great experience! Friendly staff - very accommodating with our 2 kids for dinner. I got a Mexican chicken salad (yummy) - they do have a kids menu too! Husband got a brisket sandwich. Oh & a highlight was the Mac & cheese balls. A few bourbons available also! Would go back

    Creamy mash
    Jillian J.

    Okay - don't judge me for being an American, going to London, and getting American bbq. The first place (a pub around the corner) wasn't serving food that day for whatever reason and recommended we check this place out. I'll say, overall, I was pretty impressed. The mashed potatoes weren't as good as the ones we've had other places while we've been here, but the fries were great. I thought my pulled pork was delicious and that the burnt ends had a lot of flavor. My highlight was the strawberry ale I had, though, and I'd recommend grabbing that with your meal.

    Jacob's Ladder Beef Rib Meal
    Joe K.

    Who would have thought that I could get great American-style barbecue in London. I have to admit that I was skeptical but after having a meal here, my skepticism turned to culinary joy. There were a few other sit-down restaurants in the area, but then I saw the sign for BBQ and I was immediately curious. After entering the restaurant, we were pointed to the back and downstairs in order to grab a table. Once downstairs, the hostess sat us immediately. We got here at 12:15 PM and there were a few tables that were occupied but the restaurant was quiet. I thought, maybe the food isn't that good and no one eats here. After all, it was lunchtime on a weekday and the restaurant wasn't packed. Onto the food, my wife ordered the Bodean's Cobb salad with Lettuce, Blue Cheese, Pork Burnt Ends, Beef Tomato, Egg, Avocado & Blue Cheese Dressing. I ordered the Jacob's Ladder Beef Rib Meal. Let's start with the salad. The burnt ends were perfectly cooked and were perfectly seasoned. I am not a blue cheese dressing fan... but OMG this dressing was yummy. I love beef ribs but it's hard to find them in BBQ restaurants in the US. There is one place in San Diego, CA that I love to get beef ribs from... but I found my place in London. The meat was fall-off the bone awesome and was so flavorful! After I devoured the rib... I was hoping for more. I'm trying to plan another trip there this week before we head back home to the US. That's how good it was. Food here was totally yummylicious and you can't go wrong by eating here. Love this place!

    Beef rib.  Amazing.
    Annette H.

    Oh my goodness...amazing BBQ in London! We were in the area on a tour of the Tower of London and they gave us some time to grab dinner. There were a few restaurants in this area so we opted for Bodean's and we're so glad we did! When we first arrived, we saw plenty of seats upstairs but thought it was strange that they asked us to go downstairs. But when we got downstairs, we saw several booths occupied so we figured they probably try to fill the downstairs tables first. We ordered a beef rib dinner and a burnt ends brisket salad. Both were incredibly amazing and so much food! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Wish we had a place like this in the US with such amazing beef ribs. (closest is Phil's BBQ in San Diego). We loved it so much, we even went to another Bodean's location a few days later!

    Yummy, amazingly good bbq in London
    June W.

    If someone told me I'd be eating good barbecue in London, I would've said they were crazy. Ok, crazy me then! Previous reviews looked good, so we thought we'd try it. Wow, we were really impressed! It wasn't just good BBQ for England, it was downright good BBQ period. We had the 1/2 baby back rib platter, the pulled pork sandwich, and the 1/2 beef burnt ends/pulled pork. All were excellent, the fries were crispy, and didn't get soggy by the end of meal. Coleslaw was creamy - we didn't necessarily care for that, but it was good coleslaw nonetheless. I was also very impressed by how they served my Diet Coke - in a big glass with ICE! and plenty of it! Yes, American style, haha!

    Nachos
    David W.

    Uhhhhh, it's ok bbq. Average. It's a good place to come for a large group gathering but the food is nothing to come here for. My coworker was dying to come here but I don't know why. I haven't tried too many bbq places in London so this may be one of the best. Compared to U.S bbq though; it's not all that.

    Pork burnt ends & ribs combo
    Caryn M.

    I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised with Bodean's. I didn't quite know what to expect having bbq in London but they did a good job on the typical flavor profiles you'd have in the US. With that being said, I'm not sure anybody who's had US bbq would be overly thrilled. I got the rib and burnt pork ends combo; interestingly I had never seen a pork burnt end offering until coming here. The ribs were extremely small with very little meat on them. They tasted fine but they should use a meatier rib. I'm still not sure what pork burnt ends are. What I got looked and tasted more like dry pulled pork so I'm not sure if I got the right thing and that's just what it is or if they mistakenly gave me pulled pork. I was too hungry to say anything so I guess it will remain a mystery.

    Half-rack of babyback ribs
    Kevin L.

    Shockingly succulent pulled pork. Utterly forgettable babyback ribs... ones made nominally better by a decent house chipotle barbeque sauce. The priciest pint Blue Moon I've ever consumed... and some NFL (American football) on the telly. And really... that's about all one needs to know about Bodean's. No. Seriously.

    Burnt ends
    Valerie R.

    I've been to Bodean's twice now. I think they try to cater to US visitors as they show a lot of US sports on the tvs. I ordered a bottle of Woodchuck cider (from VT) and this is the only time I've seen an American cider in London. The first time I went, I ordered ribs and mac and cheese for takeaway (take out/to go in American speak) and I didn't like either. The ribs were tough and chewy and the mac and cheese was quite dry and not very cheesy. I didn't really plan to go back, but on my most recent trip, my co-workers wanted to go back as it was open later than any of the other restaurants in the vicinity of our hotel. I ordered burnt ends, which came with fries and coleslaw. The burnt ends were better than the ribs were, but were not comparable with good burnt ends in the states. When we had finished, our server didn't come back for quite a while and the restaurant was shutting down. Finally she came over and asked if we wanted the bill and we said yes. She said it was typical for them not to bring the check until we asked for it. But I'm not sure how we are supposed to ask for it when she was nowhere to be seen!

    Best bbq I've had outside the US. I'm from Texas, and I take these things very seriously.

    The bar #LiveLifeLikeLDN
    Karishma P.

    Disclaimer : Just had a drink here, so I can't speak for the food. I LOVE Bodeans. This is one of my 2 favourite BBQ chains in London and I normally visit the OLd Street branch that I absolutely love. We were in a late evening walk and wanted some coffee on Saturday evening. All the coffee shops had shut, but we saw a Bodeans that was open. I adore their espresso martinis and it seemed like a great idea for the caffeine fix we were craving. The hostess at the door, said they didn't have seats. We said we just wanted a quick drink and we're fine with standing at the bar, so she let us in, while a queue formed outside. The bartenders were quite friendly, but service took some time and when the drinks came, they were a complete disappointment. Nothing like the rich, creamy and sweet espresso martini, I am served at the old street branch, the coffee was bad and bitter and had been standing for 2 long and had been diluted. Fortunately with my Bodeans card, I get a free Fireball cinnamon whisky and that helped me get a pleasant after taste. We also decided to use the washrooms downstairs, as we wanted to walk for another couple of hours. We were pointed downstairs and that's when we realised that the half the downstairs was empty and yet there were people being made to queue in the cold outside. It wasn't like they had set aside space for a large party or that they were understaffed. It just left a bad impression overall and we will never go back to this branch.

    Pulled Pork Platter (coleslaw upper right and creamed corn lower right)
    Heather L.

    A little taste of America... yes please! While it is not the best BBQ I have ever had... I think Bodean's makes a valiant effort, more than any other restaurant that does BBQ (that I have been to so far). I was attracted by the Pulled Pork on the menu. If there is one thing that I have missed since living here in the UK, it is a Pulled Pork Sandwich. I'm not quite sure about the interior and it was a little too dark for my taste, but then again I wasn't on a romantic date. Then again, I don't know who would take someone on a romantic date to a BBQ restaurant. A BBQ restaurant is more of a "we've been together for awhile and I'm comfortable enough for you to see me wearing a bib, eating ribs with BBQ sauce all over my face" sort of date, but maybe that's just me. On the table was a wooden condiment holder with ketchup, French's Mustard, Cholula Hot Sauce, and then their three BBQ sauces. There was also a roll of paper towel... which you would find at any respectable BBQ joint in the states. Anyway I noticed a couple of things on the menu that caught my eye: A&W Cream Soda, A&W Root Beer, Iced Tea, Clam Chowder, Cornbread, and creamed corn. While I hadn't tried some of their versions of these items, I was just excited that they had it on the menu and were attempting them. I ordered an iced tea with extra ice... yes, it is because I am American. It is probably a good idea that I had the extra ice because the tea was quite sweet and the extra ice mellowed it out a bit. While I am a big fan of sweet tea, the kind of sweet of this iced tea wasn't quite the same... It took awhile for the waitress to come back and take my order because she thought I was waiting for someone... While waiting there were two large, flat screen t.v.s so I could watch baseball, if I was interested in baseball. I really wanted to try the clam chowder, but thought I probably wouldn't have much room for anything else, so I ordered the Pulled Pork Platter and a piece of cornbread. What was amazing, was the speed at which that plate of food appeared on the table after I had ordered it. While it was nice that it came out so fast because I was hungry, it made me question the quality of the food... When the waitress brought out my food, she did explain the condiments, which was nice and even tried to recommend one for my pulled pork. I tried her recommendation for the vinegar based sauce, but I prefer my sauce to be a bit on the sweet and smokey side with a bit of spiciness to it, so the Smoked Hickory sauce was the one that I opted for. The pulled pork does not come with sauce on it, which is nice if you want to choose your own sauce and how much of it. The pork was tender and juicy, which was a little surprising seeing as how it did not come with sauce. The sides for the pulled pork were coleslaw and creamed corn. You can change the sides, although the ones that cost a little more to substitute are marked. The coleslaw was more like American coleslaw, not as heavy on the mayo, but could've used some seasoning like celery seed/salt as it was a bit bland. The creamed corn... well it wasn't exactly what I was expecting and I was hoping that I would love it, but I didn't. I don't really know how to describe it... you know that pistachio, creamy, jello salad thingy with unknown bits in it that you have probably had at a family reunion... well it kind of had that consistency, but no pistachio, just cream and corn... The cornbread was nice. It came out warm served with butter, and I got two pieces. The waitress checked on me a couple times, which was nice and unexpected. When I was finished, she brought some handwipes out, which should be on hand when you are eating BBQ. Overall, I enjoyed parts of my meal... I would go back, but I would probably substitute sides.

    bourbon wings (2014)

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    Page 1 of 4

    Bodean's Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Bodean's

    Go in hungry and don't waste valuable space on fillers' TOP TIP: Their Burnt Ends are the mutts nuts...

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Duck & Waffle - Duck & Waffle (with a view)

    Duck & Waffle

    (1k reviews)

    £££

    Aldgate

    We came here since the big boss was in town. This was my first visit and our seating area wasn't…read morethe best (we sat in the bar area) but the views were great and the food wasn't too bad either. 3/5 Corn ribs - never had a corn rib before. Good, a bit sweet. Messy to eat. 3/5 Truffle fries - good but average 4/5 Polenta - very tasty, a must. 3/5 Duck and waffle - I expected this to be bigger but it was good. I normally prefer chicken but the duck wasn't bad. All the food was decent and the staff were all nice. It's unfortunate that the walk to the restaurant passes by the smelly toilets. Also there was only one lift working that day so it took a little time to get up/down.

    I've been looking forward to visiting Duck & Waffle for quite some time. The views are incredible,…read morethe space itself is striking, and on paper it promises that perfect London mix of skyline, late-night energy, and elevated comfort food. Unfortunately, our experience was soured before it even had a chance to begin. My girlfriend and I walked in excited, completely amicable, simply hoping to head upstairs for a bite and drinks. We were greeted by the doorman with an immediate, dismissive "Are you good?" -- not in a welcoming or helpful tone, but in a way that felt skeptical and unnecessarily confrontational. There was no warmth, no "welcome in," no attempt at hospitality. It immediately set an uncomfortable tone. He then proceeded to call upstairs as though he were doing us some sort of favor just by allowing us to go up. The entire interaction felt transactional and judgmental rather than gracious. First impressions matter, especially at a place that positions itself as a premium dining destination. Hospitality begins at the door, not at the table. When we finally made it upstairs, the room was filled with visibly drunk, rowdy groups -- which only made the earlier attitude feel even more misplaced. If that environment is acceptable (and profitable), then two polite guests looking for drinks and food shouldn't be met with suspicion at the entrance. By that point, the damage was done. The initial interaction had already rubbed us the wrong way, and the energy upstairs didn't help. We ultimately decided to leave before even sitting at our table. That's how strongly the first impression impacted us. It's difficult to justify staying somewhere when you don't feel genuinely welcomed from the outset. Duck & Waffle has the potential to be memorable for all the right reasons. But someone representing the brand at the very front needs to understand that hospitality isn't optional -- it's foundational. A simple, respectful welcome would have changed everything. I hope management takes this seriously, because no guest should feel judged or dismissed before they even step inside.

    The Fat Bear - Seafood Gumbo 2

    The Fat Bear

    (127 reviews)

    ££

    Blackfriars

    Went here a while back and am just finally getting to my review. This is hands down the best…read morechicken and waffles i've had in my entire life. I could eat this every day for the rest of my life it's that good. The cocktails were ridiculously good, so good i may have to make a trip to london just to have them again. Stop on by if you want some fantastic food in a chill atmosphere!

    I felt a bit like a genius because I was choosing a place for several friends to meet up and we all…read morewanted different things. I wanted something with at least one good veggie option, they wanted something with meat, and it had to be somewhere in-between Camden and Canary Wharf, not too pricey, and ideally close to the city because otherwise our Italian friend probably wouldn't make it. And lo and behold.... THE FAT BEAR!!! It was all we wanted and more! This place is sort of tucked away and up some stairs above a pub. It's really just a room and a half, which makes it super cozy and they have a pretty awesome looking bar. It's got warm lighting which makes the atmosphere really nice. Their cocktails were delightful and the service was excellent. I will make a very strange observation that someone working there had a very drunk friend who just sort of made herself at home. Then more joined and it turned into me watching this table of really really drunk people trying to order food. Two of them ended up just falling asleep. It was super strange. Anyway, me being distracted aside, I really loved the cocktail I ordered- Sloe Boat To China, and everyone else seemed happy with theirs. I was dying to try the pimiento cheese starter and the fried pickles. The cheese was particularly sharp and delicious. The pickles were good, but quite skinny (I mean come on, you're in an American restaurant I was expecting some serious pickles). The vegan gumbo was super spicy and delicious. I was impressed and enjoyed it. My husband dropped the ball and ordered the regular jambalaya (with sausage) rather than the seafood one which broke my heart a little bit, because I really wanted to try it. You know, I guess that means we'll just have to come back. Oh also another bonus, this place has brisket which is really hard to find. I can't say how it tastes but my friend said he defo approves (am I becoming more British with these words, or just more annoying?) Anyway, to finish it off I had the oreo cheesecake which the bomb. I love oreos. And it tasted like oreo. So all was right with the world. A wonderful place to come if you have people who want to try American food, or if you have out of town Americans who are too scared to try other food, or if you have hungry friends that want to try cajun food, or if you just want to try some really yummy food.

    The Hoop and Grapes - Live music

    The Hoop and Grapes

    (64 reviews)

    ££

    Aldgate

    This was a great spot to spend my first night in London. On a rainy Jan night after a 9h+ flight to…read moreLondon, I just needed a spot to energize myself. Fortunately this spot was super close to my hotel. Despite the rainy gloom, this pub was busy and lively! The front end of the pub was mainly for ordering at the bar, but the back end was for proper sit down dining. I got myself a table in the back and the waitress was super nice in giving recommendations for food and drink. I got myself a hard cider on tap (£7 = ~$9 USD), Ocean's fish and chips (£23.50 = ~$31 USD), and sticky toffee pudding (£8.50 = ~$11 USD). The cider came out first and I instantly fell in love with it. Had a nice bubbly fizz to it, but it was incredibly light and refreshing! I haven't had a cider like that in the States, so I was cherishing every drop I had. The Ocean's fish & chips came out next and it was A Lot of food. The fried fish was amazing, as the batter wasn't excessive but still had a substantial crisp to every bite. The fish weren't fishy and tasted quite fresh. The fries were just standard and the mushy peas weren't half bad. Really the fish was the star of the show. I wish I held off before ordering sticky toffee pudding because the fish & chips filled me up. But I'm a dessert (or pudding in the UK) sucker, and it helped round off the meal. Overall very fresh and the ice cream complemented the pudding very well. Good amount of toffee with every bite! Price point mostly felt on par with dining at a standard US restaurant in the Bay Area (fish and chips seemed pricier than what most US restaurants would charge, but it was A Lot), but I left feeling absolutely stuffed but incredibly satisfied.

    Food was nice and the place was busy! I'm pretty sure it's part of a restaurant group as the menu…read morewas the same as a place we ate in Edinburgh. The fish & chips were really good. If you aren't a big eater it's enough for two people. The fish was huge and perfectly breaded.

    Bodean's - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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