Once again, Yelp reviews come through for me. Started with the potato pancakes (latkes) with salmon. It was plated right in front of me. Owner (?) came over and gave me some sour cream, but it didn't really need it. It also didn't stop me from eating the sour cream. The pierogies showed me what they are supposed to be, light, filling and delicious. This is a GREAT restaurant that should be on your radar if you are ever around South Kensington. Highly recommend. I don't think it serves a wide variety of liquor, but don't let that stop you from coming here and enjoying this restaurant. read more

Absolutely lovely. While contemplating Cold War history (you'll have to do your own research, they don't advertise it), you'll be served a delicate and flavorful cold beet soup by the chef - wonderfully seasoned with green onion and fresh herbs. The wild boar pierogi were delicate and flavorful, the wild boar goulash was melt in your mouth tender and was also brought to the dining room to be plated by the chef. Dessert simply must be the apple turnovers -warm and crispy, not too sweet. The service was among the best we found in London, attentive and prompt. The decor is old world elegant but not fussy and the old hewn wooden floor has seen some serious history. A true delight. read more

Pics@Chopstix2steaknives http://chopstix2steaknives.blogspot.com/2011/09/gessler-at-daquise.html Have you ever read someone's dining experience and it just gets you so excited that you have to head there like almost immediately? This was what happened when I read this on The London Foodie blog. When I was in Poland, we had a nice little lady who cooked lunch for us everyday and it was simple and delicious home cooked food. In fact, I loved her home cooked food slightly more than the restaurants that I went to. So you bet I have fond memories of Polish food. So I was really excited to read about a Polish restaurant and I zipped down there at the earliest opportunity. So it was a group of us who settled in for dinner. First course Pierozki £9.5 A few of us ordered the Pierozki with some choosing meat and some going with cheese. There isn't one that is better than the other; I think it is more a case of which filling appeals to you more. I preferred the cheese version more but it was a mixed vote on the choice of fillings. The dumplings did not have a thick or doughy skin which allowed the flavours of the fillings to shine through. Clean and tasty. Barszcz £6 S ordered the Barszcz and this was well received. Mildly sweet and hearty. Second course Kura w rosole £13 Kaczka pieczona £19 The Kura w rosole is tender cuts of chicken on the bone, served in a slow cooked broth. Dished with home made noodles, lemon sauce and broth vegetables. The Kaczka Pieczona is a roast duck that has been stuffed with apples and served with boiled potatoes, cranberries and red cabbage stewed in red wine with fried fruits It's quite a refreshing change when you get a bunch of waiters coming out to slice, plate and serve you in front of your eyes. I love the theatrical part of it. Like this order of beef tartare and it was made right in front of you. It really adds an element of understated charm. Eating here brought back fond memories of my visit to Poland. This is not fine dining but serves unpretentious honest food. read more

We came here for lunch after watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. When we arrived, not many tables were occupied, and it was nearly 1 PM. In fact, we thought it was closed because it was dimly lit. Waiters were prompt in taking our order and we got our first course fairly quickly. I had the borsche soup. Then came the LONG wait for our food. I ordered the chicken in a pot soup, my husband ordered the schnitzel, our friends ordered the pig knuckle and beef stroganoff. I think it took us over 40 minutes to get our food. The waiter finally came by and told us there was an "inspection" going on thus caused the delay. I don't know if this is typical practice where the inspector just drops in on restaurants. But I was suspicious because other diners who arrived after us all received their orders. Anyway, the food was delicious! Especially the pig knuckle. The chicken soup was good, but the chicken itself was too dry, so I didn't eat it. Then came another long wait for the check. The hostess was tallying the check by hand and it took at least another 15 minutes before we could get our check and get out of there. Efficiency certainly isn't built into this restaurant, but the food is good. So if you have time to just hang out and not time crunched to go visit the museums, then I would come here again. read more

A beautiful food in a great place. I truly loved the attentive and polite service. Also, my Golabki alongside with mashed potatoes were great, it was too pricey though. I was not too happy to hear there was no proper Polish dessert, I mean baked one. We were offered a Sacher cake, pankcakes or a sweet - fruity - version of dumplings...hm, no thank you. However, I will be definitely coming back to see if the pastry chef is back. read more

Fantastic food! Very impressed by the food, absolutely delicious and comforting! Atmosphere is with a twist of a post-WWII times. Very friendly service: feels like coming for dinner to one of your good relatives. When your food is ready, it's served on your plate by chefs themselves - a great touch! Very highly recommended! http://estonianfoodie.com read more

Alan and I first ate here 10 years ago and liked it. Characteristically, I forgot and he remembered. Even when he reminded me, it wasn't until he mentioned its proximity to the South Kensington Underground station that I remembered. We walked over from the hotel w/o reservations, arriving about 6:30, and were lucky to be given a table. Usually people in London eat later than that, but there was a concert in the area and at least three tables were heading to the concert. We were given menus and the cold beetroot soup and the duck stuffed w/ apples on the specials menu appealed to me. Alan ordered an assortment of dumplings to start and the pork tenderloin as his main. Bread was offered gratis and it was delicious, dense and crusty. Butter accompanied it. My soup was brought to the table in a tureen by the chef and was ladled into the waiting bowl. It was a pale pink, probably from sour cream, and full of grated beets. It was a generous portion and it was sublime. I shared some w/ Alan, but finished the rest. Alan gave me a taste of one of his dumplings and it was very good. Our mains arrived, Alan's pork accompanied by gnocchi-like pillows and a grated carrot salad. My duck was accompanied by lovely mashed potatoes and red cabbage. The duck was tasty, w/ crunchy skin and moist meat which contrasted well w/ the soft apples. The cabbage was warm and nicely seasoned. Alan found his pork a bit dry. He liked my mashed potatoes and I loved the taste of his carrot salad, which was intensely fresh and sweet. We chatted a little w/ the concert goers to our right and the two tables beyond them, also headed for the concert, chatted w/ each other and the people next to us. It was the most cross-table talk I can remember seeing in a restaurant. Most patrons seemed to be regulars. The couple next to us certainly were. One woman at a table by the front window, as she left, promised to return sooner than 35 years. It was a very pleasant dinner. read more

This polish restaurant provides a welcome change from the overhyped and overtrendy South Kensington dining scene. Come here for a late and languid Sunday lunch. Unpretentious eastern European food with a Soviet era ambiance, in a good way. Smiling waitresses straight from the mother country. Plastic table clothes. Life doesn't get much better. read more

Simply put: Spectacular. Thanks to the other Yelpers who pointed me here, because otherwise I would have missed out. Friendly, low key, and the food was prepared tableside and excellent. I had the marinaded herring followed by the roast duck stuffed with apples, and it was simply some of the finest food I've had. Everying seems simply prepared with fresh ingredients (I spent my last 10 minutes sipping bison grass vodka, watching a chef prepare steak tartare from a fresh piece of steak - no shortcuts here!) and it really shows in the flavors and textures. I lived in London for 10 years, and am really disappointed that I only now discovered Daquise. read more

I've been to Daquise with 20 Italian friends as per usual, but this time it was for my birthday. I put my birthday present next to me under the table in a little bag and in the general mess it was stolen. When I realized it, I told the owner and we were the last ones left in the whole place, they had just finished cleaning and the staff hurried out of the place without saying anything. Unfortunately it is almost certain that it was one of the staff while cleaning as it was under the table and had a necklace inside, there were few customers besides us and there was always someone at the table, except the one time we were outside to say goodbye and leave, and the staff was cleaning. No customer would go around looking underneath the tables anyway, and grabbing a random plastic bag, especially as they are having dinner in south kensington. Besides us there were very few people, especially while we are all there. Unfortunately they don't even have internal cameras, which means anything could happen in that place but they take no responsibility whatsoever. In all this the manager Ted was of a unique arrogance. He denied everything by refusing to cooperate and laughing at me. When I called him to ask if he had any news, he started screaming at me to overlap my voice, saying he did not care and hung up halfway through the phone call and told me not to come any more as this doesn't change anything for him. Saying that they have no cameras and that the woman we suspect of is working there with her mother and sister, so if anything making it all even less credible on their part and easy to deny. All this to say it was an absurd and frustrating experience, especially given the emotional value of the gift. completely unreliable staff and the manager, Ted, of an immeasurable arrogance. read more

Nice atmosphere, reasonably priced and interesting locale. The food, I believe, is not traditional. The Borscht was tasty but lacked substance and cabbage rolls had fresh dill which was a plus but the sauce they used detracted from the rolls themselves. The service was OK. read more

A new cuisine for us, and a wonderful introduction. The service was exceptionally friendly and attentive. It seemed to me they were wtriving for five star service but were not quite sure how to do it. Rather than annoying, it struck our group as endearing and altogether more attractive than had we been at a true five star venue. The staff genuinely desired to please, and they did. The food seemed traditional to our untutored palates. We enjoyed every dish. We will return! read more

Daquise is comfort. Comfort food in a comfortable environment. When you walk in, you immediately feel like you're part of the family who owns the restaurant. The vegetarian polish plate is a dream come true. I never had anything quite so amazing before. (I was tempted to lick the plate clean.) Happiness is Daquise. read more

Very close to South Kensington station, there are plenty of restaurant options near by. Put this one on the top of your list to visit, the food is great! I had tried to get a table without a reservation, but it wasn't possible, they were too busy, so go on their website and fill out the form (a bit old school nowadays with so many apps letting you book tables easily online). We tried the dumplings (meat and cheese) for starter and they were delicious - I preferred the cheese ones but both were really good. For the main course we all got something different - beef stroganoff which was good (though I'd try something else next time), the schnitzel was very filling and then pork tenderloin mustard & honey with gnocchi. That last dish was the best and I would probably go for that next time. As portions are quite filling, there was no room dessert! read more

Really solid spot. Nice Old World vibe. Great food. Ample portions. Tasteful music. Pretty efficient staff - and friendly. Definitely worth checking out. read more

My first review here and I have to say it's because this place deserves it. I go every once in a while (in the last two years) just because I know that the food is always going to Be amazing. Best steak tartare I have had in london so far. Service is great, ambiance is great, food is mind blowing and price is also great. What else can you ask for? read more

This was more than just good food, but also bit of a dining experience to use that worn cliche. The food was excellent and authentic from my limited experience of Polish food. The way the chefs stroll out of the kitchen to serve the cuisine was a lovely personal touch and memorable. It's the best veal I had in London so far. read more

The food was good, but the service was crap. The food was quite good. I had the pork aspic, mixed pierogis, and the schnitzel. All were well seasoned and prepared. The service was not so good. I was pressured to order literally the moment I sat down. I had no napkin at my table and had to flag down a waiter to bring one well into the first course. I was brought an alcohol menu and when I tried to order I was told their liquor license had expired. Most of the meal it was difficult to get a waiter and once I paid the bill they basically shunned me. I wasn't really feeling the love, I guess. In any case, I'd go again. It could have just been a off night for the staff. read more

Delicious food, awesome service and presentation and we had fun discussing who might be a spy trading secrets. Gessler is on my top 10 list of best meals EVER! I will be back whenever I'm in London. read more

Wow talk about coming across a fantastic restaurant. I have never had Polish food before. This restaurant was a fantastic treat and a hidden gem. The staff and management is extremely friendly and knowledgeable with great recommendations. I will have to say the foods and appetizers that they recommend it was the best. Another unique thing about this restaurant is that they will bring the food to your table and serve it on to your plate. Some of the food is prepared right in front of you like this steak tartare which is one of my favorite dishes. I also loved the duck. My daughter tried the beef stroganoff and it was lovely. My wife tried did venison and it was incredible. Side dishes that accompanied the meals like mashed potato and beets or egg noddles and pasta was out of this world. This restaurant was so good and The food was so tasty, which makes me want to go back this week to try more items. Also we had I Apple Fritters for dessert and it was fantastic.The prices are extremely reasonable . This restaurant also has a fantastic selection of wines and beers,both local and Polish. I also learned a lot about Polish food and the history of this restaurant one of the oldest restaurants in London and the oldest polish restaurant in London.DAQUISE Is the best restaurant experience I've had in a long time. DAQUISE has great ambience and The best food I've tried in London. read more

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Simply the best steak tartare I've had in London!

Don't be fooled by the rather old-fashioned interior, the food is amazing and the service great. The soups especially are a treat, but make sure you have plenty of room for second course as well. Can't wait to try more delights from its menu. read more

I love this little gem by the South Ken tube station. Excellent food - the pierogies are served directly from the pan, and the tender chicken in pot is served with an incredible sauce and nice chewy noodles. read more

Incredible! Absolutely one of the best meals I have EVER had. I went with two friends and even though I was the only one to order the tasting menu, both of my friends were brought (slightly smaller) portions of the first courses as well. Steak tartare was unbelievable, cabbage rolls were delicious, and my venison was tender and tasty. Between us we had 3 first courses, soup, 3 different mains, and 2 desserts and every single thing was delicious. The decor and the waitstaff are warm and welcoming. Really an all-around excellent place. I will be going back again as soon as I can. read more

There might be a part of you that isn't sure about spending this much money in a place that doesn't have a sleek look. Don't listen to that part of yourself. I had a fabulous meal here, and wish I could go back and do it all again. Started with honey and herb vodka. A beautiful Amber color and served in an ice cold glass, I would have gone through more than one if it hadn't been for an early flight the next day. Had pirogies, some with cabbage and some with cheese, which the chef transfers directly from his pan onto your plate. The pirogies were very soft, and happily coated in sautéed onions. I shudder to think about how many I could have eaten. Then the duck. It's served along with sweet apples, which I wasn't expecting much from, but after the first bite I was surprised by just how good they were. Same with the mashed potatoes, which tasted very fresh, and not at all buttery. Had forgotten that mashed potatoes could be more than a forgettable side dish. If the duck wasn't the juiciest preparation I've ever had, it makes for one memorable combination on the plate with the apples and potatoes. Lastly, the apple cake, which they say they make themselves, was the only appropriate end to a very hearty meal. If you have a chilly evening free and an appetite, head right to this place. After your meal you'll walk back out into the night air feeling very content. read more

Based on these reviews me and a friend decided to visit this place for a late lunch. I ordered Chicken Ceaser salad but it wasn't as good as I was expecting from these reviewers read more

Very good food, simple and tasty and well priced. Rather enjoyable. Started with the dumplings which were really good. Then had the rabbit, the pork medalions and veal schnitzel, all of were great. The dessert, apple friters, wow, simple and yet amazing. The order came out wrong, we ordered one portion but two came, they were so good we took the second portion! read more

Just can't give it 4 stars, although the salmon tartar would definitely get 4. When compared to Tatras (5 stars) and Patio (4+ stars) off Shepherds Bush, this is simply a 3. The place is clean, bright and comfortable and the staff is excellent, but the food is simple Polish home cooking. It lacked a uniqueness that sets it apart (except for the salmon). My wife (has Polish grandmother and grew up with this cuisine as her comfort food) concurs. read more

Each visit to Daquise thrills my tastebuds and reminds me of my Polish roots. So happy to know that this veritable South Kensington institution is still thriving! Comfort food meets haut cuisine - on my last visit their wild boar pierogi and placki (potato pancakes) with smoked salmon were just sublime! read more

Husband and I just went to daquise for the second time. We were afraid because some people had said it had changed hands. But I appreciate the care of the new place. They bring a lot of ingredients from Poland and they taste delicious. Best herring I ever ate and the service is an interesting blend of homey and highly personal and elegant. I want the restaurant to succeed. We've had the herring, the duck main dish, yum, the stuffed cabbage which was good. Everyone seems to order dumplings but I think you can do better than the dumplings. Have vodka with your herring read more

I go to Daquise for the atmosphere as much as the food.In the 1970s when South Kensington was home to Poland's Government in Exile Daquise was a hive of Polish political intrigue, and although you can no longer spot a film star of pre-war Polish cinema, the cafe and restaurant retains its atmosphere of faded Ritziness. And still attracts the eccentric-older Eastern Europeans sit sipping coffee whilst slipping pieces of praline gateau to small dogs on their laps and others still argue softly as though settling questions of long forgotten international importance. The restaurant has been little changed in decor over the years and retains a very traditional Polish feel as well as one of faded past glory. Wonderfully atmospheric. UPDATE DEC 2011.Alas this restaurant has now been taken over by a chain and now looks like a hundred others.It has lost its loyal clientele and iconic status.What a shame-one of the great restaurants of South Ken. read more

Great food, attentive staff and a welcome break from the tourist hordes. Dramatically plating the food at the table was OTT but overall experience was very good. read more

Stumbled across the restaurant one night for dinner and it didn't disappoint. Everything was incredibly fresh. Will definitely be back.

coming here for years. food is simple polish done very well and plated at your table. excellent choices include herrings in cream sauce, salmon with pancakes, pierogi various fillings, calves liver, polish eggs and veal main. full choice of polish vodka and beers. honey vodkas go do very easy. service very attentive and not intrusive. highly recommended reasonable prices for high quality. read more

Excellent east European restaurant at a decent price near South Kensington tube station. Been there lots of times in last 2 years or so for Saturday lunch and post Prom meals. Don't expect luxurious interior - it's clean and functional but very acceptable. Services is good. Menu is unchangkng and varied. Not been disappointed by anything yet. As you might expect, there is little by way of vegetarian - though the option they do have is good. For an affordable interesting meal in the area it's a good choice. read more

My favorite place in London. Lovely place to warm up at dusk on a winter night with friends, great pierogis and outstanding soup ladled tableside. read more

I'm sorry to say that I share in the disappointment of these other reviews. I live in the US and have been visiting the Daquise whenever I am London, usually twice a year, since the 1980s. It always had been a delightful experience to dine at the Daquise. It's charm stayed intact over the years and that was so reassuring. The food was wonderful and perfect for a late lunch after visiting the museums. It's a shame that the new owners didn't have the understanding to realize that they were buying a tradition and not just a shell. It was a sad experience to go there and eat overpriced food that wasn't up to the previous standard by any means, and to experience the loss of the once inviting ambiance. Needless to say, I won't be going back. read more

Lovely,enamelled saucepans that come up to your table with the food,big portions-duck was wonderful,as was the herring dish and cabbage dumplings,strange decor--i presume they are not sure what colour to paint the bare walls,maybe they are waiting for polish embriodery to come? anyway it was funny,the old polish guys talking to young indian waiters,super food especially rabbit,duck,cabbage ,carrots,pancakes-super read more

still excellent food for all courses, time tested and wonderful hearty full

This relatively small and historic restaurant is a real gem based on a recent Saturday evening visit. The waiter- recommended wine was excellent, and the salad was fresh, cold and had a nice variety of tomatoes and cucumbers. Despite the waiter's somewhat odd recommendation after we informed him we heard the pierogies were delicious (he countered that we should order the salmon special), we had the potato/cheese pierogies as an appetizer. They were fabulous-not at all heavy but light, lightly cooked and delicious. For main courses, we tried the lamb and a pan fried cod. Both were nicely prepared and also very good. Fortunately, we saved room for dessert and more pierogies-these were stuffed with strawberries and were also fantastic. The waiter was attentive but somewhat standoffish after we rejected his suggestions for appetizers and main, but not enough to ruin a great meal and experience. read more