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This was such an unexpected find. Most everything was pretty great. The food. The electrifying atmosphere. The ambience. It was packed. And the amazing food was a definite plus. The problem and downside is that they were packed and we were upstairs and our server got overwhelmed and then disappeared, plus we were seated in a tight spot with a table next to us that brought in their very excitable dog. I love dogs. We have two. But upstairs at prime time brunch on a Saturday or Sunday is probably not the time to seat then where they did. It took forever to get the check. But the staff was great. Most of the service was great. The food was pretty good, though not perfect. The oysters were not our favorite. Definitely and absolutely would go back. Hi
Delicious food, good drinks, and AMAZING manager! We went on a Sunday night and able to get a table for 2 near the window. Our male server unfortunately did not like tourists and ignored us for several minutes while he catered to locals. We ordered 2 St. Germaines as a cocktail and Tomahawk steak for 2. We knew our meal was going to take some time to prepare and ordered another round of drinks. After waiting for 15 minutes...we attempted to flag our waiter who ignored us (name unknown/brunette male with mustache). My husband then proceeded to the bar and confirmed with the bartender that our order was never placed and the bartender confirmed it with waiter. Our drinks were delivered within 5 minutes from the gracious bartender and our waiter NEVER apologized or acknowledged our table until our food was delivered. We ordered steak, salad, and frites....all were delicious! We requested sauces when our food was delivered and our waiter NEVER returned back until we finished our meal...30 minutes later! Again, my husband went to the bar and requested sauces that were provided immediately! We had been traveling to Paris/London for 10 days and this was the worst service we had received! For the amount of $ we were spending ...we expected more. FORTUNATELY the female manager (who speaks Greek) acknowledged our issue and went ABOVE and BEYOND to apologize and be aware of the poor service! Such a shame that one waiter can taint a dinner that was otherwise, delicious and the restaurant is quaint and lively! Please acknowledge your customers and apologize if YOU did bad. Hopefully you are blessed with better service than we went!
Most important tip from this review: make a reservation! I booked mine weeks before my flight to London. That was a good call because, as we were led to what was probably the last unoccupied table in the whole restaurant, I realized this was quite a popular spot. Even on a regular old Wednesday night? Book ahead! The staff was friendly, if a bit overworked with the crowd (not to mention the stairs!), but we didn't want for anything at our table and they also handled a party table next to ours flawlessly. We started with a scotch egg. Just a little nibble since the entrees were going to be hefty. While the menu calls it "Kedgeree Scotch Eggs" know you're getting one egg, halved. Turns out Kedgeree is not some exotic British sausage, but instead is a curried rice dish. The halves were served with a curried mayo. It was a light bite, tasty enough with a soft yolk, but felt more like a bar snack one would be served 2 of. For entrees we went with The OCB Burger and the OCB Cottage Pie. The burger isn't bad, but for me it was rather dull. The bone marrow fried onions didn't add anything extra, nor did the crackling mayo. The fries were nice enough, but the burger was just filling. The cottage pie, with merlot braised beef, cheddar mashed potatoes, and a gravy boat was my preferred entrée. The beef was tender, the cheesy potatoes were the perfect carb to drown in gravy, and it was just a great dish on a cold rainy evening after a day of touring around. To be honest we weren't sure if it would be worth sticking around for dessert. But there's something said about since dessert is the last bite of the meal that a restaurant wants to be memorable and have you leaving happy. I decided to chance that it would be a good dessert....or worst case it was just okay but I would still have eaten some sugar. I ordered the sticky toffee pudding since I've never had one. In the noise and whatnot I actually ordered two sticky toffee puddings. A happy accident. It really just saved us the time to wait for a second to be brought out because when I tell you this was the best dessert I've had in a restaurant, possibly ever, I'm not exaggerating. Was it just a soft little brown cake that tasted like butter and brown sugar? Sure was. The warm cake melting the vanilla ice cream with the brown sugar sauce swirling around all added up to a magical little plate. Will all sticky toffee puddings in London be so delicious? The answer unfortunately is no. I tried a couple others for science and all. So if you're in town and are a fan of delicious desserts, you should definitely head to Old Compton. I couldn't make it back to Old Compton again during our trip, but the memory of that delicious little pud remains.
OCB is a hip restaurant in a very popular section of Soho. Our server was nice, but the food was the star of our experience. Everything we ordered was packed with flavor, I couldn't get enough of the meals. Our kids had plenty of food to choose from, and everyone was happy and full by the end of dinner. The music was a bit loud, even upstairs, and it got packed by 5:30pm or so. But it's a fantastic restaurant with a great selection of food and drinks.
You're doing yourself a disservice if you're in London and waste the calories and money to eat here. The food is edible, don't get me wrong, but London is a haven of amazing food and this doesn't fit the bill. Service is meh, good luck tracking down your server after you've ordered drinks. The space is pretty but terribly loud. Don't go to dinner with friends you actually intend on talking to. Of course other people are loud and that's out of the restaurant's control, but the music is also turned all the way up. Is this a restaurant or nightclub? The food is simply uninteresting. The scotch egg and nduja mac balls are ok, but very small portions for starters. Don't plan on sharing. The steak frites are bland and not very good beef. The bream was cooked nicely but the potatoes were soggy and unseasoned. The octopus salad was cooked very well but you only get a measly 4 pieces! The seafood linguine is seasoned better than the other 2 dishes but very oily. I can't put into words how utterly disappointed we were with the toffee pudding. I like a stodgy pudding as much as the next person, but that was a gummy mess. The toffee sauce was ok. Cocktails are decent but overpriced (I guess that's SOHO for you).
What a great spot! Vibe was on point, service was impeccable, drinks were amazing and the gluten free food pushed it over the top for me! I have a severe wheat allergy. The server brought out their nutrition menu & guided me through it. When I tell you I gasped seeing that there fish and chips were gluten free, I am not kidding. She told me the fryer was dedicated to gluten free & I felt confident in my choice. I also had the fried artichoke hearts (also in the dedicated fryer) and they were amazing, too! I cannot wait to go back on my next trip.
Date of visit: September 7, 2022 We needed a place to catch a bite between the matinee and evening shows of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Old Compton Brasserie was both close to the theatre and on OpenTable, a perfect combination! The host was very cute though apparently hard of hearing. Once he finally heard my name, he found my reservation and brought us to a fun table on the second level that overlooked much of the restaurant. It gave us a great view of all of the goings on around us, not to mention a perfect perch to see a young could get kicked out (not sure why though; lingering? poor hygiene? Who can say?). Service was about what you would expect in London, land of no tipping, so it's a good thing we had a decent amount of time before needing to head back to the theatre. Our server however, was very sweet if a bit slow. Food was quite good, we both liked our sandwiches (the chicken samich and the OCB burger) and the Sticky Toffee Pudding was good and also very British--if you don't like dates, this probably isn't the dessert for you! The fries were also quite tasty, so save some room for those puppies.
Super great vibe and excellent assortment of traditional and a broader range of dishes. Kids really enjoyed fried chicken BLT sandwiches and we loved the scotch eggs , salmon and sea bass. Really credible spot.
London is no joke ultra crowded around Christmas time. If you think you're just going to walk into a restaurant whenever you want and find a seat for a table of 4 I'm going to disappoint you right now and tell you that it will be quite rare for you to do so. At least on a weekend near Christmas time. After wandering to and from central London, I was fantasizing about sitting at a bar and sipping on a crafty Christmas-y cocktails. But after being told over and over again that there was a minimum of a two hour wait everywhere (even just for one person for drinks only at a bar) I was about to give up until I saw this lovely place which ended up being probably the highlight of my trip. There was just one seat left at the bar and I snagged it. I was so excited as I looked around and saw all of the beautiful decorations. It really felt like the holidays all of a sudden and I was so in the moment as I ordered from their Christmas drink menu. I tried the Snowball Royale and the Royal Flush and they were both amazing. When I say that these bartenders know how to make a cocktail, I'm not lying. Everyone was working their butts off in a very pact room. I also ended the night with the best espresso martini I've ever had. No regrets
Our waiter seemed a little overwhelmed so the service was lacking a bit. However, the food was excellent and the vibe of the restaurant was upscale.
We had lunch here as our first meal on our vacation in London. They had just opened when we arrived, so we were able to get a cute bistro table by the window. I ordered the OCB burger and fries, and hubby ordered steak frites with a flavorful chimichurri sauce. We were interested in their non alcoholic cocktails too, so I ordered the Charles Dickens and hubby ordered Soho Pam. We actually ended up swapping because we each liked the other's drink better than our own. They were both beautifully presented and had very unique yet delicious flavor profiles. Service was friendly and quick due to us being there so soon after opening. Many of their lunch options come with a beer, wine or soft drink, which is a great deal!
Food was amazing. Oysters were delicious. We got fish and chips and a pie. The fish and chips were pretty good, could have had a little less breading, but came with three different dipping sauces which was nice. The pie was amazing!!! Creme brûlée was also super good. Service wasn't great. Started off okay, but then after we put in our food order wasn't checked in on by the waiter until after we had to ask (who appeared to be) the manager for the bill. (After failed attempts of trying to get our waiter's attention.
What an amazing place. We booked dinner here in between the 2 part Harry Potter show, and enjoyed our time thoroughly here. Service was excellent, and the place was hopping Saturday night. Lots of fun people out for the night. The cocktails were out of this world, especially the Kate moss cocktail is over the top - served in little bathtub and served on a mirror tray! The food was tasty - highly recommend the hot honey burrata and the chicken paillard. read more
Found Sarti Spritz's here, reasonably priced for HH and some olives. Entertaining street for sure, great for people watching, characters across the road. Mid June, just walked up and sat at an outdoor table. I do not think I would travel here, but if you are in the area, sure ! read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
This was such an unexpected find. Most everything was pretty great. The food. The electrifying atmosphere. The ambience. It was packed. And the amazing food was a definite plus. The problem and downside is that they were packed and we were upstairs and our server got overwhelmed and then disappeared, plus we were seated in a tight spot with a table next to us that brought in their very excitable dog. I love dogs. We have two. But upstairs at prime time brunch on a Saturday or Sunday is probably not the time to seat then where they did. It took forever to get the check. But the staff was great. Most of the service was great. The food was pretty good, though not perfect. The oysters were not our favorite. Definitely and absolutely would go back. Hi read more
11 months ago
Delicious food, good drinks, and AMAZING manager! We went on a Sunday night and able to get a table for 2 near the window. Our male server unfortunately did not like tourists and ignored us for several minutes while he catered to locals. We ordered 2 St. Germaines as a cocktail and Tomahawk steak for 2. We knew our meal was going to take some time to prepare and ordered another round of drinks. After waiting for 15 minutes...we attempted to flag our waiter who ignored us (name unknown/brunette male with mustache). My husband then proceeded to the bar and confirmed with the bartender that our order was never placed and the bartender confirmed it with waiter. Our drinks were delivered within 5 minutes from the gracious bartender and our waiter NEVER apologized or acknowledged our table until our food was delivered. We ordered steak, salad, and frites....all were delicious! We requested sauces when our food was delivered and our waiter NEVER returned back until we finished our meal...30 minutes later! Again, my husband went to the bar and requested sauces that were provided immediately! We had been traveling to Paris/London for 10 days and this was the worst service we had received! For the amount of $ we were spending ...we expected more. FORTUNATELY the female manager (who speaks Greek) acknowledged our issue and went ABOVE and BEYOND to apologize and be aware of the poor service! Such a shame that one waiter can taint a dinner that was otherwise, delicious and the restaurant is quaint and lively! Please acknowledge your customers and apologize if YOU did bad. Hopefully you are blessed with better service than we went! read more
2 years ago
Most important tip from this review: make a reservation! I booked mine weeks before my flight to London. That was a good call because, as we were led to what was probably the last unoccupied table in the whole restaurant, I realized this was quite a popular spot. Even on a regular old Wednesday night? Book ahead! The staff was friendly, if a bit overworked with the crowd (not to mention the stairs!), but we didn't want for anything at our table and they also handled a party table next to ours flawlessly. We started with a scotch egg. Just a little nibble since the entrees were going to be hefty. While the menu calls it "Kedgeree Scotch Eggs" know you're getting one egg, halved. Turns out Kedgeree is not some exotic British sausage, but instead is a curried rice dish. The halves were served with a curried mayo. It was a light bite, tasty enough with a soft yolk, but felt more like a bar snack one would be served 2 of. For entrees we went with The OCB Burger and the OCB Cottage Pie. The burger isn't bad, but for me it was rather dull. The bone marrow fried onions didn't add anything extra, nor did the crackling mayo. The fries were nice enough, but the burger was just filling. The cottage pie, with merlot braised beef, cheddar mashed potatoes, and a gravy boat was my preferred entrée. The beef was tender, the cheesy potatoes were the perfect carb to drown in gravy, and it was just a great dish on a cold rainy evening after a day of touring around. To be honest we weren't sure if it would be worth sticking around for dessert. But there's something said about since dessert is the last bite of the meal that a restaurant wants to be memorable and have you leaving happy. I decided to chance that it would be a good dessert....or worst case it was just okay but I would still have eaten some sugar. I ordered the sticky toffee pudding since I've never had one. In the noise and whatnot I actually ordered two sticky toffee puddings. A happy accident. It really just saved us the time to wait for a second to be brought out because when I tell you this was the best dessert I've had in a restaurant, possibly ever, I'm not exaggerating. Was it just a soft little brown cake that tasted like butter and brown sugar? Sure was. The warm cake melting the vanilla ice cream with the brown sugar sauce swirling around all added up to a magical little plate. Will all sticky toffee puddings in London be so delicious? The answer unfortunately is no. I tried a couple others for science and all. So if you're in town and are a fan of delicious desserts, you should definitely head to Old Compton. I couldn't make it back to Old Compton again during our trip, but the memory of that delicious little pud remains. read more
OCB is a hip restaurant in a very popular section of Soho. Our server was nice, but the food was the star of our experience. Everything we ordered was packed with flavor, I couldn't get enough of the meals. Our kids had plenty of food to choose from, and everyone was happy and full by the end of dinner. The music was a bit loud, even upstairs, and it got packed by 5:30pm or so. But it's a fantastic restaurant with a great selection of food and drinks. read more
You're doing yourself a disservice if you're in London and waste the calories and money to eat here. The food is edible, don't get me wrong, but London is a haven of amazing food and this doesn't fit the bill. Service is meh, good luck tracking down your server after you've ordered drinks. The space is pretty but terribly loud. Don't go to dinner with friends you actually intend on talking to. Of course other people are loud and that's out of the restaurant's control, but the music is also turned all the way up. Is this a restaurant or nightclub? The food is simply uninteresting. The scotch egg and nduja mac balls are ok, but very small portions for starters. Don't plan on sharing. The steak frites are bland and not very good beef. The bream was cooked nicely but the potatoes were soggy and unseasoned. The octopus salad was cooked very well but you only get a measly 4 pieces! The seafood linguine is seasoned better than the other 2 dishes but very oily. I can't put into words how utterly disappointed we were with the toffee pudding. I like a stodgy pudding as much as the next person, but that was a gummy mess. The toffee sauce was ok. Cocktails are decent but overpriced (I guess that's SOHO for you). read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
What a great spot! Vibe was on point, service was impeccable, drinks were amazing and the gluten free food pushed it over the top for me! I have a severe wheat allergy. The server brought out their nutrition menu & guided me through it. When I tell you I gasped seeing that there fish and chips were gluten free, I am not kidding. She told me the fryer was dedicated to gluten free & I felt confident in my choice. I also had the fried artichoke hearts (also in the dedicated fryer) and they were amazing, too! I cannot wait to go back on my next trip. read more
8 months ago
Date of visit: September 7, 2022 We needed a place to catch a bite between the matinee and evening shows of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Old Compton Brasserie was both close to the theatre and on OpenTable, a perfect combination! The host was very cute though apparently hard of hearing. Once he finally heard my name, he found my reservation and brought us to a fun table on the second level that overlooked much of the restaurant. It gave us a great view of all of the goings on around us, not to mention a perfect perch to see a young could get kicked out (not sure why though; lingering? poor hygiene? Who can say?). Service was about what you would expect in London, land of no tipping, so it's a good thing we had a decent amount of time before needing to head back to the theatre. Our server however, was very sweet if a bit slow. Food was quite good, we both liked our sandwiches (the chicken samich and the OCB burger) and the Sticky Toffee Pudding was good and also very British--if you don't like dates, this probably isn't the dessert for you! The fries were also quite tasty, so save some room for those puppies. read more
10 months ago
London is no joke ultra crowded around Christmas time. If you think you're just going to walk into a restaurant whenever you want and find a seat for a table of 4 I'm going to disappoint you right now and tell you that it will be quite rare for you to do so. At least on a weekend near Christmas time. After wandering to and from central London, I was fantasizing about sitting at a bar and sipping on a crafty Christmas-y cocktails. But after being told over and over again that there was a minimum of a two hour wait everywhere (even just for one person for drinks only at a bar) I was about to give up until I saw this lovely place which ended up being probably the highlight of my trip. There was just one seat left at the bar and I snagged it. I was so excited as I looked around and saw all of the beautiful decorations. It really felt like the holidays all of a sudden and I was so in the moment as I ordered from their Christmas drink menu. I tried the Snowball Royale and the Royal Flush and they were both amazing. When I say that these bartenders know how to make a cocktail, I'm not lying. Everyone was working their butts off in a very pact room. I also ended the night with the best espresso martini I've ever had. No regrets read more
2 years ago
Our waiter seemed a little overwhelmed so the service was lacking a bit. However, the food was excellent and the vibe of the restaurant was upscale. read more
2 years ago
We had lunch here as our first meal on our vacation in London. They had just opened when we arrived, so we were able to get a cute bistro table by the window. I ordered the OCB burger and fries, and hubby ordered steak frites with a flavorful chimichurri sauce. We were interested in their non alcoholic cocktails too, so I ordered the Charles Dickens and hubby ordered Soho Pam. We actually ended up swapping because we each liked the other's drink better than our own. They were both beautifully presented and had very unique yet delicious flavor profiles. Service was friendly and quick due to us being there so soon after opening. Many of their lunch options come with a beer, wine or soft drink, which is a great deal! read more
2 years ago
Food was amazing. Oysters were delicious. We got fish and chips and a pie. The fish and chips were pretty good, could have had a little less breading, but came with three different dipping sauces which was nice. The pie was amazing!!! Creme brûlée was also super good. Service wasn't great. Started off okay, but then after we put in our food order wasn't checked in on by the waiter until after we had to ask (who appeared to be) the manager for the bill. (After failed attempts of trying to get our waiter's attention. read more
2 years ago
Stopped by for a quick lunch and was impressed! Staff was outgoing and food was very good! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Exquisite food in a really warm and inviting setting! My good friend from college picked this spot for a pre-show dinner as it was one of the places participating in London's Restaurant Week. This was fortuitous for us as we got to try more dishes than we otherwise would have on any other given day. We had a reservation and got there within the grace period of 15 min. We were seated about 10 min later at a nice quiet table upstairs. The downside of being way up there in the restaurant was that the only restroom or toilets available in the whole space were two flights down. The LRW meal came with a glass of prosecco so that was a nice touch. I loved the prawn appetizer and thought it was a nice play on tempura shrimp - the aioli paired with it was really good and complemented the dish well. The seabass with sea asparagus or sea beans was fresh and cooked to perfection. I loved the generous helping of seabeans that topped the fish. What a nice surprise to find them all the way across the pond! The strawberry dessert was refreshing and delightful on the palate. I tasted the chocolate truffle cake and found it to be good but not as special as the trifle. I wouldn't have guessed I would prefer a trifle to a truffle ever in my life but this restaurant swayed me! All in all a lovely time here. At one point during dinner it was so dark we couldn't see our food. Luckily someone voiced that same thought to a server and they turned the lights up a bit. It just goes to show you need to advocate for your needs and they are happy to grant your wishes. read more
2 years ago
Best Steak tartar I've ever had. The bread and butter is delicious. And the vibes are great. read more
One of my favorite cocktail places in London! We sat in the bar area, overlooking the streets. It's pretty fun people watching from the window :) I have a weakness when it comes to cocktails, so I have had my fair share. This place has inventive, refreshing cocktails that I LOVE. My favorite is Regina Fong. It comes in a disco ball - super fun! Plus it has pear foam *heart eyes*!!! Definitely coming back again next time we visit London :) read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
6 years ago
The Old Compton Brasserie is a gastropub in Soho which is surrounded by many other restaurants on the same road. The pub has a relaxed feel, it does get busy but not too crowded over weekday lunch, which is perfect for social distancing. The staffs were friendly and enquired whether I was comfortable with waiters and waitresses not wearing face masks. The service was not the most speedy but staff tried to attentive when they can. Tables were all disinfected after each service. I ordered from the set menu of a 3-course meal with a glass of prosecco for £20 which turned out to be just £12.50 with Eat Out To Help Out. For my 3-course meal, I ordered chicken wing, sea bass and toffee pudding. The wings has got a great sauce but a bit dry so wasn't that memorable. A better option might be the charred vegetables with chilli hummus for starter. The sea bass was fresh with beautiful crispy skin, but again the meat could be cooked just a bit less, but the flavour of the dish was really good. The sticky toffee pudding with ice cream just nailed it for me - it is exactly what I needed after 3 months of lock down! Overall I enjoyed the meal and recons I'll come back with friends if the restaurant doesn't get overly busy after lock down. read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
Fantastic Brunch with Eggs Benedict & Latte, followed by a cocktail or two Great Cocktail Menu, Balans has the slight edge on an easy Food menu; but the service in Old Compton Brasserie is so much better. Dora K is a fantastic waitress, really knowledgable and perceptive. Lovely relaxing meal & drinks, lovely to feel unhurried in the middle of Soho. People watching as the world walks by. USB & Mains Sockets below the windows to charge your phone/tablet Not cheap, but without alcohol my bill would have been below £20. Good value for money & will certainly be coming back for more read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
The food was lovely!! Our server Francesco was on point! He recommends the chicken and the pork belly to us when we didn't know what to order, both dishes were yummy and tasty. He came back checked on us a few times just to be sure we are happy with the food. Will definitely go back soon. read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
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