Absolute disgusting restaurant with even worse ownership. Prior to leaving for London I had booked a reservation at Rules London. The day before we weee supposed to have dinner there a local told me that they ate there and a rat ran over their foot while they were eating. I immediately called to cancel my reservation - but no one answered. Well - I'm on vacation and have better things to do than call all day to cancel a reservation. So I called the day of my dinner reservation and a man answered. I explained the situation and told him I'd like to cancel my reservation and he started yelling at me. I told him I just didn't want to eat there and he said he was going to charge my card anyway because I didn't cancel 48 hours in advance. I told him that was a bad idea because if he just let us cancel there would be no poor reviews left but he didn't care - he said "FU you American MFer." I hung up and a few days later he charged my credit card. So I called my credit card company, explained the situation and it took only a week for them to rule on my side and return my money. So - do not eat at this disgusting rat infested restaurant and definitely don't give them your credit card number to hold a reservation. read more

I've been looking forward to this restaurant and hyped it up so much to my fiancée. Unfortunately this failed has to meet our expectations. I think this menu is as old as the restaurant (est. 1798) and I wished they were creative in their use for game meat. Service was stiff, awkward and unwelcoming. It's a pass for me. read more

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Rules restaurant doesn't get five stars for the food because eating at rules is much more about the experience. The dining room is beautiful a classic look with dark wood and red seats. The walls are decorated with old portraits and dozens of antlers. Upstairs, you'll find a bar and lounge. The waiters dressed in formal attire are friendly and helpful. The food is traditional British food with a focus on game. at the right time of year, you can order wild grouse with the warning to look out for shot in the meat. I started with an Indian spiced quail, served with apricot chutney. For my main course, I opted for the steak and kidney pudding. This is a dish many people will avoid, but with gravy and sharp, yellow mustard. I really enjoyed it. For dessert I tried the sticky toffee pudding. Pass on this dish and go for the golden syrup sponge, served with crème anglais. It was the best dessert I had in London. I also enjoyed the gin list, including Christmas pudding gin. Bottom line: of all the restaurants I ate at in London Rules is the one I want to return to. Make sure if you are there you take advantage of the chance to eat at the oldest restaurant in London. read more

My wife and I were walking around the area after going to the London Transport Museum and Harry Potter exhibit at the London Film Museum during our London honeymoon. We saw this place as London's oldest restaurant and walked in. It was late lunch/early dinner time at 3:30 and we got lucky since they had a table until 5:00pm. We were very underdressed wearing t-shirts and causal pants day and they still welcomed us. To eat we shared a Steak & Kidney Pudding and a Gratin of braised leg of Rabbit. To drink we had London Pride and Guinness. For dessert, we don't quite remember what we ate but it was delicious and went well with the Rules Royale cocktail. We got lucky to get a table by just walking by, but I would suggest making a reservation. It is like London's equivalent of Old Ebbitt Grill in DC, but several decades older. read more

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I had a drink at the upstairs conservatory at Rules and it was amazing! The drinks and service was excellent! Very knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions and explaining the menu. Yes, the restaurant is nice, just make a point to go to the conservatory before or after your reservation. You won't regret it! read more

Rules - British Near Me - London, XGL

We had a wonderful dinner at Rules. The atmosphere is beautiful. Our server was excellent. Very personable and was very helpful with our menu selections. If we are ever back in the area we will be sure to dine with you again. The food was exceptional. The four of us all had a different entree and we were all impressed. read more

Rules - Outside of restaurant. - British Near Me - London, XGL

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We had a lunch date here on a Sunday afternoon and the service was top notch. I tried the rules cocktail and could have gone for a few more if we didn't have a full day ahead of us. The Sunday special was a roast dinner. Everything on the plate was exceptional. I especially loved the crispy potatoes. My wife had a chicken and leek pie that as also exceptional. There's a lot of cool history in the building and its preserved with great care. Make a reservation and check this place out. read more

Rules - Sunday roast - British Near Me - London, XGL

Service was horrible. We left over half of our food to be taken home and we were told it was placed at the rubbish bin. Never in my life have I experienced such service, and we are foodies who eat all over the world. read more

Rules did not disappoint. Excellent service from all the staff. Sara was our server. She did an outstanding job. Her knowledge of the menu, wine list, and British history made our evening perfect. I loved the halibut entree the most. The golden syrup pudding is a close second. read more

Rules - Bar - British Near Me - London, XGL

Yassss to the oldest restaurant still standing in England established in 1978 and giving me Cheers/Pub/Poldark/Sherlock/very period drama made! We had reservations for dinner (first floor) and missed it but were able to catch some cocktails before our 7pm broadway show ! We were escorted to the second floor which is an Intimate cocktail area with small tables - enough to seat 2-4. Luckily we snagged the Kings table in the rear and ordered the Hemingway (recommenced) and my date asked the sommelier for a scotch recommendation and ended up loving the 15 year aged Glen Livet! Drinks are pricey ~£16+ but you're going for the ambiance, service and Culture in this dark, somber yet mysterious room. Also loved the mixed nuts on the table seriously good! Background: Its called the kings table due to the fact kindly Edward VII used to meet his sidech--- ... I mean paramour- Lille Langtry in the early 20th century . He configuration has changed but there used to be a side entrance leading from the stairs to this section, and there were drapes to provide extra privacy for his majesty. Now it's an open area and the door is sealed. Also- amazing bathrooms. God it puts America to shame :-/ read more

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The food was fresh, well-cooked, and tasty. The salmon was nicely pink and the courgettes were still had nice bite. The service, of course, was attentive but not intrusive. My husband went for the more traditional fare of steak and kidney pudding, it was a generous serving which was nicely flavoured and seasoned. read more

Rules - Poached salmon - British Near Me - London, XGL

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"Our server was exceptional; she gave us good guidance on the wine choice, and we enjoyed chatting with her briefly about her food and travel experiences. Our starting cocktail Gin and That was great - complex and subtle layers of flavour." read more

Excellent! This isn't the oldest restaurant for nothing! Booked this restaurant because they offered Yorkshire pudding and roast beef on their everyday menu! It was fantastic! Service was excellent! read more

When we were setting up our trip to London, my friend wanted to dine at the city's oldest restaurant, which happened to be Rules. Interesting experience. We arrived at 4:30. Started off on the wrong foot immediately. The host really made us feel unwelcome, and made it abundantly clear we needed to be done and out of there by 6:30. We'll, OK then! He seated us at a table for two across the aisle from the bar. As soon as we were seated, a few fruit flies wanted to join us at our table. A couple tables down was a couple that were all over each other. The host didn't seem to mind, in spite of stares by other diners trying to enjoy their dinner. After we shooed them away a few times they left, but still tried a few times to help with our dinners. The food took a bit to arrive, which made me nervous because of the stern warning we got from the host. My lady ordered the chicken pot pie, and I the rump steak. Also, on a lark, we tried the peas with cooked lettuce. We'd never heard of cooked lettuce, but the dish was actually amazing, very well seasoned. I tasted her pie. The puff pastry crust was pretty good, but I found the filling just bland, like no seasoning at all. Then we move on to the rump steak, which I ordered medium rare. When they brought it out it looked quite impressive as you can see. Beautiful sear, lots of herbed brown butter. But on the inside, totally raw. Wait, it gets better. The unwritten rule in the restaurant racket is that the server should check back with the table not more than 5 minutes after the food arrives. So I tried to get anyone's attention that would even look at me. The only ones that seemed at all interested were the fruit flies, until I had gnawed my way through a very tough cut of raw meat and someone came to clear the table and ask how everything was. Keep in mind, we're now 45 minutes in, and she was the first to check in with us! The boss did the right thing and took the steak off the check, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place. As to the condition of the place, granted it's as old as the US Constitution, and there are a lot of artifacts on the walls, to the point where it's almost claustrophobic, dated and dingy. There are spots where wallpaper is actually peeling. There's stuff at the hardware store that comes in a tube that will fix it in a minute.And anytime there are fruit flies around, it comes just from a lack of care and cleaning, more than likely in the bar. Very sad. read more

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Impeccable on all levels. Food was outstanding, incredible space, welcoming and talented staff. Also, I have had an impossible time finding good tequila in London. Not only do they have Ocho, one of the very best on Earth, but the bar manager taught this tequila snob something I didn't know about that brand! Will most certainly return next time in London. Many thanks!! read more

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Dorian had an infectious smile and sense of humour that lended itself most excellently well to occasion of catching up with dear friends. Our compliments to the chef and staff for a delightful lunch. The cuisine was outstanding! The setting unrivalled in its intimacy and warmth. Thank you, Rules! read more

Still every bit the wonderful" Ye Olde English Restaurant" As I said in my previous review, it's not just about the food. This is London's oldest restaurant. Wonderful pictures and caricatures from fictional characters to MPs adorn every surface and there are always people of distinction eating here. And me as well!!! The Wellington was sublime. Perfectly cooked tenderloin in a wonderful light flaky pastry. And traditional British Sticky Toffee pudding. I rolled out of the place rather than walked. No breakfast tomorrow!!!!! read more

I am disappointed in this place. We booked ahead, took a late booking just to get in. The place is beautiful, the drinks are unique (albeit pricey), and the food is very good. And I believe the service is typically good...except for ours. We ordered off the typical menu--no specials or special requests--and our mains took far longer than acceptable. The final straw was watching others who got in significantly after us get their food. I finally complained, and the waiter apologized profusely, and they offered us comped drinks and/or desserts, and we refused them. I cannot say I wouldn't go back, because I did really like the place. But I'm very disappointed. It was a long, expensive ride each way. If I'd known it'd be this way, I would've gone somewhere else. read more

I had this place recommended by a colleague whom I trust. The place was beautifully decorated, very old school. The service was wonderful although at times, in the mid-afternoon, we had trouble locating our waiter for more water or wine. We had great cocktails (Guinness and champagne), appetizers of soup and gravlax. My colleague who recommended the restaurant was insistent on us getting the prime rib so we did for £50 per person and attached the the pic of what we received for £100 ($125) we received 10 bite sized pieces of meat. To say that we were surprised and disappointed would be an understatement. Anyway, our check arrived (once we found the waiter) and we were never asked how our meal was. We like good value and just chalked it up to experience and don't ever have to go back. read more

Rules - Prime rib for two - British Near Me - London, XGL

Great food, service and atmosphere. This is the old fashioned restaurant with high class dining experience. If you're looking for something average with low prices this is not the place for you. read more

oldest restaurant in london. this is my jam. going to restaurants with history that have survived the tests of time. usually there's a reason why a restaurant has stayed around so long. sometimes, i don't get it, but in Rules' case, i got it. started off with my cocktail of choice, vodka martini, which was well crafted. service was prim and proper. my waitress was excellent. i arrived later than conventional dinner time closer to 10pm so the restaurant was relaxed and quiet. i connected to the wifi and reviewed my memories on my phone for the day and soaked in the ambiance of the old restaurant. i didn't recognize many of the dishes so just went by description and ordered the dorset crab as an appetizer, and the chicken mushroom pot pie. the dorset crab was a revelation and excellent. i was kind of worried as i had no idea what the dish really entailed for the crab, but it was refreshing and delicious. think crab/egg salad in shell. not sure my idea of a dinner in a fancy restaurant ever entailed pot pie before, but being in london, i had to have this dish at this restaurant. it did not disappoint. the chicken pot pie was the best i ever had. dough was perfectly crispy and doughy where it was supposed to be. the chicken mushroom filling and gravy were well balanced and not salty. overall, i truly enjoyed my experience at rules and would come back again next time i'm in london. highly recommend. read more

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What can anyone write about Rules Restaurant that hasn't been written. Located in Covent Garden this is London's oldest restaurant having been founded in King George III's reign in 1798. It serves up the best of English cooking in dining rooms filled with old paintings and charm. If you blink for a moment, you might even think you spot some of the characters from Downton Abbey dining here. Even their airy palm-tree filled upstairs cocktail bar is worth seeing and the perfect place to enjoy a Pimms. I began a recent special meal with a friend by ordering the Potted Shrimps on toast points. This dish was probably the only one of the night that slightly disappointed. I guess I like more of a shrimp flavor than was present. My main course of Roast Suckling Pig with a baked-apple sauce was very nicely prepared - tasty and ample. The accompanying green salad was just right. My friend enjoyed very much his braised leg of rabbit with courgettes. For dessert I had to order the old British favorite Arctic Roll with raspberry compote. That's a favorite from schoolboy days. A Languedoc Saint-Chinian wine proved to be the right choice to adorn this feast. I can't tell you that Rules isn't on the expensive side. It is. But for the quality of the service, food, wine, and atmosphere, it's a well-worth-it treat! After all, Rules has been pleasing diners for more than 200 years! read more

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Most amazing dining experience! Started out with cocktails upstairs (gorgeous atmosphere). I had the venison for an entree (delicious), and had the most amazing dessert I have ever had, the cake and custard (total heaven, I could eat that forever!). Our waiter was attentive and service was fantastic. Highly recommended it if your in the area. read more

I have visited this restaurant half a dozen times and make it a destination every time I visit London. Honestly I went back and fourth on if this should 4 or 5 stars. The service has always been great and personable, sometimes hard to find in high end restaurants (which I will never understand). The food has always been great traditional British food and the ambiance is simply historically beautiful. I once had their oysters on the half shell and badly sick - I knew at the time I should not have eaten them and they should not have been served at the time. Spending a lot of time in New Orleans I know oysters and have eaten them many times around the world, but these had been previously shucked and left out, I should have known better, but the wine and the moment got the better of me. But recently I was there with some old friends and their manager went out of his way to help us - so I always appreciate that type of service, especially when they didn't need to. So I will say 4 1/2 stars (but Yelp will not allow this for some reason). As previous diners have mentioned, the food is focused on some game at times - the grouse (when is season), has always been spectacular and they do a roast beef dish for two which is equally good. Also great cocktails. Make a reservation, the place is popular for a reason - oh did I mention it's the oldest restaurant in London...been in continual service since the late 1700's! So I have to believe their doing something right. read more

Please note, this review is based off of having drinks/cocktails upstairs, NOT food downstairs. With that said, I had a wonderful experience, great decor, good service and wonderful cocktails. No reservation needed for cocktails upstairs, but I would certainly check first if coming with a group of 6 or more. Alone you have to come here for it being one of the oldest establishments in London. If you're sitting upstairs, ask to sit in the King Edward VII section. Not going to give it away, but there's a great story behind it! But back to the cocktails. In particular the Rules 98 was very good, which is their version of a French 75. Also we liked the Hemingway which was a rum based drink with various blends of fruit syrup. But not to worry, it's sweet but not candy sweet. Last but not least, they get a 5th star just because of bathrooms and overall cleanliness. Yes I said bathrooms! They're incredibly clean, fresh smelling and simply refreshing. After I left the men's room, I asked my gf to confirm if the women's room was the same. She went in and came out a few minutes later, like damn, you were right their sooo clean. The same can be said for the tables and floors. Which is pretty amazing considering the fact this place opened in 1798. If Im ever back in town, definitely going to eat here. If the bathrooms/tables/floors are any indication of the kitchen, then it's going to be clean & fresh eating. read more

What a wonderful experience. Good food, good service. We had the roast rib for 2, I think 4 could eat it. Just wonderful. The cauliflower soup was amazing. read more

Rules - The roast rib of neef. - British Near Me - London, XGL

We mainly went here since it is the oldest restaurant in London and we thought that was pretty cool. It definitely felt like we stepped back into time with the old fashioned decor and photos. When we made our reservation they were very friendly and our server was nice as well. I had the chicken with mashed potatoes. I almost wish I had less chicken and more mashed potatoes. The potatoes were delicious and the chicken was pretty good. My fiancé had the duck. He enjoyed it but we wish it came with mashed potatoes or a different side. I don't like that they charged us for water and bread. It would have been nice if tap water was offered. We mainly only ordered bread because it was suggested and they told us our food would take at least 45 minutes to prepare. It was also a little stuffy inside the restaurant. For the price I didn't feel like it was worth all the money we spent. The food was good but not amazing. read more

Rules - Duck - British Near Me - London, XGL

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As ever, the staff were superb in both the cocktail bar and the restaurant. Finally, after so many opportunities, I chose the chicken, leek and mushroom pie - sensational! A truly wonderful dining experience. I spent half a day at Rules - it is such a special place and I never want to leave.... read more

Wonderful decor and atmosphere, lots of great history and the servers are polite and knowledgeable but the food was overpriced and disappointing. The scallops were tiny. The beef was okay. read more

Rules - Scallops. - British Near Me - London, XGL

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The food is decent. But it's like in a rush, the service is business-like, not a lay-back style. Frankly speaking I don't think the service is genuinely friendly. Overall is a very nice experience, and there are plenty of good restaurants nearby as well. read more

The maitre d here is incredibly rude and ineffective. He alone is what forces me to give this fine restaurant 3 stars vs. 5. An older Italian gentleman, he almost ruined a very special occasion for us with his unwelcoming and hostile attitude. I've eaten at the finest dining (English Laundry, Per Se, etc.) to the most famous dive restaurants and snack shacks and have never experienced anything like this maitre d! I contacted the the restaurant well in advance to make a reservation for a special anniversary for two and was curtly told by an Italian woman that there was no availibility. We were booked at a 5 star hotel nearby, so I immediately called the concierge who got us a reservation within a few minutes of being told they were booked. Was it my American accent? When we got there, upon checking in, we ran into an older Italian host who acted as though he was doing us a favor by even looking in his book to see our name. We were told our table wasn't ready and we waited 30 minutes. I went back to the host and asked if he had forgotten us (he had) who acted annoyed and then promptly showed us to a table in a dark corner next to the side bar and a service station where waiters were preparing things (silverwear, etc.) in a noisy manner. It was like a hive of bees coming and going. We asked to be moved to a better table and you'd have thought we asked him if we could run naked through Buckingham Palace while wearing the crown jewels given the attitude he gave us about moving. 30 more minutes and after arguing a bit, we were rudely given a fairly okay table a but further away from the loud station. My uncle does business in London and over the last 20 years its no exaggeration to say that he's probably spent in the tens of thousands of gbp at Rules. I should have called him ... and WILL call him to let him know about this experience. Once we got past this rude and chaotic host situation, things improved a lot. Our waitress was absolutely adorable. Her disposition was so sweet and accommodating and she was unafraid to do the number one thing that, in my opinion, makes a great waiter ... recommend not to order a certain dish in favor of another. Nothing is worse than when you ask a waitress, "How is this menu item?" and they say 'good. good. good. everything is great.' She was not afraid to say, 'Have you had partridge before? No? Than try the pheasant. Its less gamey.' 'You are looking at the steak? It's good but we offer a lot of things you can't get anywhere else. Maybe try the beef cheek?' She had tasted most dishes and wasn't afraid to give her honest advice on each. She asked questions about what we were familiar with and what we liked and helped us put together a nice order. I would say she was one of the 5 best waiters I've ever had at a restaurant and I dine out 5 nights per week sometimes for business dinners. And she was only in her 20's!!! Everything we had was fantastic. The menu here is like you'll find at no other place. If you want traditional British food ... game, pies, etc. but don't want a dumbed down tourist spot that serves mass produced overly seasoned versions, Rules is THE BEST spot. We are talking venison pie, rabbit, pheasant, partridge, eel, etc. The only miss here was the oysters which looked like they had been shucked using a lawn mower. The tiny oysters came mangled and basically inedible. Everything else was absolutely incredible from the perfectly made craft cocktails to the perfectly selected sides. If you'll never be invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace, this is the closest you'll come to trying the same foods. Perhaps locals get the royal treatment here ... but we, as diners who consider ourselves lucky to make it to Rules 3-4 times per year, were treated like an annoyance by the older, Italian host. He was beyond rude. Beyond the front of the house, everything gets 5 stars. read more

Exceptional English dining experience. This was our second visit and we enjoyed our drinks and foods, a memorable evening. We had pre-dinner libations in the bar on the upper floor. Nice and attentive bar staff, in a beautiful room. We had a corner table in the dining area, a great place to watch the comings-and-goings. Our waiter was helpful and accommodating. Our main courses were Wild Rabbit and Wild Duck - both superbly cooked and presented. The wine I selected was tremendous too (more by accident than design). English food is alive and well at Rules - thankfully. We'll be back for sure. read more

Rules - The Bar, Rules - British Near Me - London, XGL

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This was a favorite London restaurant but we were very disappointed with recent visit with both the wine and the service. I asked for a recommendation for the wine and was steered towards a featured selection that had the exact flavor profile I said I hated. After the well-chilled bottle warmed up and the flavors came out, we could not drink it. I mentioned this to both the waitress and a manager who visited the table. Barely an apology as they glided away. As I left, I mentioned this to the overall manager. His only response was, 'it is a popular wine.' There were some other minor service issues that should not happen at a top restaurant. A waiter kept singing softly and snapping his fingers. The steak for two was just plopped on the table. When I gave up on the wine and ordered a martini with extra olives, it had only one. There was no response to my email to management. I would hope to have a better experience if I return. read more

We booked our Sunday Easter dinner at Rules for all the reasons one might expect from "classic and elevated (and historical) dining experience" to the great reviews that made me comfortable with selecting for a special family holiday meal. The food was "good", not great. The wine and cocktails (Old Fashion is a must order!) were excellent.. But what dimmed the experience was the below average service. I just expected so much more vs the hurried, monotone/unfriendly staff that greeted us, seated us, and served us. It seemed they all were just really unhappy they had to be there. Maybe it was an off night but when you're an iconic, high end restaurant, you just can't have the staff be so "out of it" ...... you just can't. read more

Waiter was a dick. Oldest restaurant is London. Cute, kitschy decor. Extensive wine list. Yelp won't let me just write "waiter is a dick." Centrally located. Walking distance to the West End, Chinatown, Gaybourhood, Theatre District. Food yummy, look at pics. Worst service I had in London, I don't know if I would go back again, but the food was actually really good. A gratuity was also added at the end of our meal, there was only 3 of us. It was also very odd since the European system is not at all similar to an American system where large gratuity is expected or added to large parties, again 3 of us. We absolutely had that shit taken off, then this asshole basically hovered over our table while we paid. I don't know if management reads or cares about reviews or is even aware of technology since it's "the oldest in London" but this theme of crass behavior is not unfamiliar after reading other reviews. Definitely felt hostility from the waiter, only him not the rest of the staff, and it seemed racially motivated. Waiter still a dick. read more

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A classic old school English cocktail bar and restaurant. This place is like jumping into a Time Machine. Wonderful relaxing cocktail bar upstairs away from the hustle and bustle of the street. The restaurant was busy but the menu was not really to my taste, surprisingly! I had the chicken and leak pie. I didn't enjoy it but that's down to individual taste. I would go back though and try something different but if it's cocktails then this is the place. read more

Supposedly the oldest restaurant in London, dating back to the 18th century, it's more post-Victorian in decor and style than anything else. Service was attentive, and they offered me a newspaper to read while I waited for my food, something that would never be done at a fine restaurant in the States. I had the rabbit braised in saffron. At least as chicken-y as rabbity, it looked very saffron-braised but didn't markedly taste of it. Watercress soup, with bits of smoked trout in it, was somewhat more memorable. read more

Fantastic evening - classic and delightful evening- Sunday roast was top notch. Superb level of attention -- expected from fine dining. Make reservations and take a trip back in time! read more

Wonderful traditional English restaurant, beautifully decorated at Christmas time. We went for the experience having seen it on Downton Abbey. The restaurant is very meat and game centric which I don't eat. Fortunately baked salmon was a choice so I had that and it was fine. read more

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I've known Rules since the 1960s. But this time in October 2023 we were horribly disappointed in the steak-and-kidney-pudding. As this was the main course, the decent fish soup could not make up for our dismay. The suet was hard and tasteless, with minimal kidneys, and not steak at all but some sort of shredded beef, nothing else to add texture or taste, with some watery gravy that could not make up for the poor cooking. The ambience is lovely in this restaurant (better than most of the London clubs I've been into) and the service top notch. But it's hard to believe a chef who knew his/her business would serve such a main course. I never thought I'd be giving only 3-stars to Rules restaurant. read more