At last! One of my all time fave places in London, Simpsons is open again after an extensive renovation and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner My schedule only allowed me to grab a breakfast there, but what a breakfast! The menu is a veritable catalogue of classic English dishes, including the homage to the Full English, cheekily named "10 Deadly Sins", for the 10 items served on the plate I chose the Smoked Haddock Kedgeree - dish which originated in India during the English Raj, not seen that frequently these days (the English ex-pats liked their smoked fish from home in curried rice = English colonial risotto) Topped with the absolutely perfect poached egg and that's a meal I will gladly travel 4,000 miles for Impeccable service - attentive but not intrusive The Grand Divan (main ground floor dining room) has been lovingly restored to its late 1800s splendor True English white linen service - not just the table cloths, but incredible detail down to the buttonhole napkins Not cheap, but incredible value for what is perhaps one of the best formal meals I have ever had As ever, you do get what you pay for and this is a very special unique establishment which is now in the care of restaurateur Jeremy King and executive chef David Stevens I was delighted - you will be also read more

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The food was fabulous. We ordered bread, mash potatoes and each ordered the roast beef trolley. The beef was a yummy medium rare and was fabulous. It came with a gravy bowl, root veggies, cabbage salad and Yorkshire pudding. We also ordered mashed potatoes. So far this was the best meal we've had on this trip. The service was excellent and we had a nice history conversation with the gentleman craving our beef at the table. Learned his silver rolling cart was 140 years old. Many famous people ate here over the years. Nice sozy room where you can picture Sinatra having dinner with friends. read more

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The food was excellent nice portion and served hot and timely The service very professional and attentive The ambiance is beautiful and classic old world restaurant with a private club feel. read more

We had a celebratory family dinner here and were very impressed with the decor, the service, and the food. When we arrived we had a drink in the bar off of Romano's dining room. This bar room is absolutely gorgeous, and while the martini was tasty and would have been great in any setting, I'm sure it was all the more better for its surroundings. After not too long of a wait we moved into the light filled and airy dining room. Some of my party ordered from the small prix-fixe menu (I think it was 3 courses for 28 gbp) and some ordered a la cart, which was great that the whole table didn't have to pick one option. Every dish was very good, you really can not go wrong! I had the tomato tart to start, with the sole as my main, and a piece of cake for dessert. I think I sampled most of the dishes and would recommend the prix-fixe menu, as it is very reasonably priced and had the best dishes (celeriac salad, mushroom vol-au-vent, creme caramel). read more

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It's been many years since I was at the pre Jeremy King Simpson's. My impression is that it's better than ever. Service last night was perfect, food more than perfect, ambience just wonderful! I tried to think of what I would want differently from my experience last night and I can't think of a single thing. Kudos to Giovanni for making our evening special! And Victoria and Melissa too. Thank you thank you thank you read more

My fiancé and I went here for dinner on our last night in London and I'm so pleased that we did! He wanted a traditional welsh dinner which is typically served on Sunday, but we weren't in London on Sunday and Simpson's was one of only a few who have a traditional roast beef meal during the week. They have a carving station that is cut table side. I ordered the welsh lamb and he ordered the roast beef. The portions are perfect, they cover the plate entirely with meat, for me lamb with mint sauce and gravy. For my fiancé roast beef and gravy. The sides are then served, which were wonderful. With my lamb I had potatoes o gratin and green beans. For the roast beef, he had carrots and the biggest piece of Yorkshire pudding we've ever seen. We were too full for dessert but they brought out a small dessert for us anyway. Apricot jelly cubes, after 8 mints and fudge. The atmosphere was wonderful and so was the service and food! When I return to London, I'll be sure to go back! Make sure to make a reservation as they are quite busy! read more

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I was on a business trip to London and wanted to take myself for a nice lunch on my last day. I heard that Simpson's was London's oldest restaurant, so I ventured here alone, and got to the restaurant 10 minutes before it opened. The staff attended to me immediately, and I told them I didn't have a reservation but was interested in dining there. They told me that I could sit immediately, if I made the table free at 1:30pm. As this was ample time for me to eat, I eat, I agreed, and they gave me a newspaper to read while I waited for them to open. At opening time, the hostess led me into the restaurant, bringing the newspaper they had provided. They brought a copy of the menu and water immediately, and I ordered shortly after. The staff were no strangers to upselling, and I had ordered an appetizer as per the hostess's suggestion, although I had not initially planned to. I had the lobster bisque as an appetizer, and found it to be really overly salty. It was okay aside from this, but I would not recommend this to anyone. For my main dish, I had the Scottish beef cut from the trolley. If you like prime rib, this would be right up your alley. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of prime rib, and the thin cut means that it gets cold rather quickly. For dessert, I had the treacle pudding, which was a sponge-like pudding, drowned in syrup. It wasn't bad, but a three course meal here is quite a lot of food. Three courses here set me back around 75 pounds. Service throughout the meal was outstanding, the best I had thus far during my week in London. The ambience here is sophisticated and chic. I'd recommend this place because of its history, but would have to say the food isn't the best. read more

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It's an elegant restaurant, we had the Sunday roast prime rib, they serve it table side. Almost forgot they have delicious bread, you won't be able to stop after one slice!! Ok back to the main dish, I am normally not a prime rib person but it was highly recommended so I had to try it. It is thinly sliced, serves with fresh horse radish, It was good! Yorkshire pudding, gravy, potatoes and cabbage was on the side. All really good, unfortunately I was so full that I didn't have dessert. read more

If you are in the mood for traditional British fare, I highly recommend Simpson's. From the moment we walked and were greeted by host until we ran back because I forgot my hat, the service was exceptional. I cannot speak highly enough about the quality of service. Everyone was outstanding and took great pride in what they do. The history of the space itself is worth visiting. You can tell that the quality of their food and drink is high. The bar! Yes! The Mineral Martini was the best martini I've had. Was scared to order because I don't like oysters but I'm so glad I stepped out if my comfort zone and got it. It was the perfect and most delicious pre-meal cocktail. #mustlikevodka The trolley cart is a must have. Everything we tasted was delicious. The deviled eggs mayonnaise are a sleeper hit! Get them!! I wanted to eat them all but needed to save space for the main course. I had the 28 day dry aged Roast rib of Scottish beef from the trolley. I was in heaven! The only thing I would have done different was ordered the potato mash instead of the potatoes it came with. Just my own personal preference. Desert was the apple. It was unexpectedly delicious. Don't hesitate, go here and be sure to make a reservation. I will dream of this place and this meal for years to come. Thank you, Simpson's. read more

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We really enjoyed our experience here. Pedrag took care of us for the evening and was a fantastic host. The tartar was our favorite app and we definitely recommend the trolleys - we did both and really enjoyed the beef. It was pretty amazing. It's not our usual style but exceeded our expectations. read more

Simpson's in the Strand - British Near Me - London, XGL

Hello there. Not much to say. A true english classic. No words to describe but one needs to experience it themselves. Proper english feast. The plates were served well. Properly timed ! Scallops with squid ink :) . I had pigeon which was kind of rare but the meat was tender and sides accompanied it well to a point where i was surprised. The roasted beef and Yorkshire pudding with gravy was just marvelous. Roasted potato with duck fat & peas Fit for a king kinda of night. The fare definitely shines a proper feast fit for a king. Its an experience one will remember for a lifetime. I would recommend anyone in a heart beat. Good atmosphere. read more

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Last day so a big treat. This most English of restaurants offers a wonderful varied menu. It's really a struggle to choose one thing. So after a magnificent grilled Prawn starter, I did the most sensible thing. I had three different kinds of meat from the Carving trolley. First a succulent roast beef from cows on a private estate. Then the Dorset Lamb which for me is the best in the world. And then a real English treat, roast pork with CRACKLING...as much as I wanted. Can't find that in the States unfortunately. Probably put my cholesterol up about 5000 but who cares. A fine Chablis with the prawns, A really wonderful 1982 Sociando Mallet with the meat. And a fine white Port with the English Cheese trolley. Thank God I wasn't paying. My host(s) were two famous rich musicians, much more successful than me, whom I have known for years. Great old boys get together. Back to Trumpworld tomorrow. I thought it was just a bad dream but nope, I'll be back tomorrow. read more

It was our last night together in London and my fiance wanted to get me beef wellington on Sunday around 7pm. Not an easy task since most places close early. I was hesitant to go here because I felt I was not dressed but since it was raining and cold, everyone was wearing jeans and a sweater. It was so interesting to see a lot of people get the roast. It certainly is a sight to behold the chef carving it before you. I had the beef wellington and it was absolutely remarkable from the flaky outside to the demi glacé sauce. If I weren't in the presence of others, I would have licked my plate. The portion was on par with having had an appetizer. We also had the scallop appetizer because the welly would take 35 min. I'm not sure what the sauce was, maybe beurre blanc. The scallop was lightly fried. I'm sure there were loads of butter in it but it tasted absolutely divine! We skipped dessert since I couldn't keep my eyes open from so much touring. The ambience was romantic and elegant. I really would have loved to come here in something better than jeans, sweater and sneakers but c'est la vie. This isn't the kind of thing we'd have daily since it tastes too rich with all the butter but it is fabulous to have once a week or so. I'd love to come here several times on our next visit. read more

Went here for Beef Wellington. Located in the Savoy Hotel. Confusing as there is a Strand Hotel across the street. Oh well. Elegant decor with a live pianist who was excellent. Played pop tunes. Service was very good. Beef Wellington was yummy. Desserts were also very good. read more

I always enjoy going to Simpson's In the Strand for a traditional roast and the experience when I'm in London with my parents. The roast has always been spectacular. The Yorkshire pudding is also very good. I like the side creamed spinach as well (additional charge). I'm not a fan of potatoes or cabbage, so those included sides were wasted on me. The service came in waves of timing. It went from quick to very slow by the end of our dinner. If you want a very traditional dinner in a upscale location, visit here. However, a lot of pubs have just as good food. As a side note as regarding the noise level. Our booth was quite pleasant for quiet conversation, but when we had questions about the menu or tried to order all the waiters had trouble hearing and saying how noisy it was for them. read more

Spent the week in London, and sought out the best roast beef dinner in Town. After reading reviews, we came here for lunch. It's all my husband wanted on this trip! Simpson's did not disappoint him! I do wish the website encouraged "nice" dress even if jacket not required. We had on jeans and sweatshirts due to weather and I felt very underdressed in the stunning, old setting. We were told this was the second oldest restaurant in London. Spectacular room! The food is fresh and delicious! The roast beef was cooked to perfection. His only complaint was he got full! One small incident was corrected quickly without any hesitation. Wonderful service! Highly recommend! (And wear the nice clothes you brought! ) read more

It's a nice experience to have Sunday roast here where they have an elegant dining room and meat being wheeled around for carving tableside. That said, the food itself was rather unremarkable. I found the rib roast tender but lacking a lot of flavor (the gravy and horseradish helps a lot). The vegetables were well salted but also lacking any real inspiration or triumph over mediocrity. The service was great. Overall, it isn't a great deal price wise for the food but the entire experience taken together makes it okay and worth going as an experience. read more

A beautifully elegant British dining experience. This is how I imagine old world posh London was. We went as the finale of our own Sherlock Holmes walking tour (Sherlock's favourite restaurant don't you know?) and it was a lovely way to end the day. We were slightly early for our table so we treated ourselves to cocktails in the bar. It's not cheap at £12.50 per cocktail but they were delicious. The bar was pretty empty though so lacked atmosphere. The restaurant is beautiful and we were treated so kindly by all who served us, without it being pompous. We had gorgeous fish starters; me baked crab which was divine and my date smoked salmon which he said was delicious. We then opted for the signature of the restaurant, the roast beef. It's carved by your table on a huge silver tray, and you can opt for how you'd like your meat still. The portion size was good, the beef accompanied by a huge Yorkshire pudding, a dollop of very tasty horseradish (and I've never liked horseradish before!), roast potatoes and Savoy cabbage. The beef was tender and flavour some. Whilst we ate we listened to the delightful piano playing and people watched as the restaurant filled with an array of diners. It was a very enjoyable experience to eat at such a British institution of a restaurant and have such yummy food. It's certainly not cheap, but it's worth it for a special occasion. Sherlock Holmes definitely had good taste! read more

AN ABSOLUTE MUST! Simpson's in the Strand is famous and over 100 years old. It's mentioned in the classic "Guns of Navorrone." The reputation is well deserved. Simpson's started off as a chess club where the owner rolled a trolley of roasted meats and carved them table side so no one had to leave their game. The chess sets are gone, but the roasted trolleys remain Simpson's specialty. I strongly recommend the traditional roast ribs of beef. A medium rare masterpiece served with graded horseradish, Yorkshire pudding, and potatoes roasted in roast beef fat. A British tradition superbly executed. My only regret was that I only could eat there once while in London. Other temptations included pheasant, venison, wild boor and tongue and cheek. Classic offerings on the trolley were roast lamb and turkey. Of course, fish and chips and steak and kidney pie were on the menu. The service was first rate. We had a student from France. The decor was traditional English-very elegant. I will always visit Simpson's when I return to London. I highly recommend that you dine at Simpson's too. read more

This has been a London institution since 1828. The vast dining room, with its dark wood trim, crystal chandeliers, and gold-toned ceiling, looks like the setting for a film set in the 1930s, and the service is impeccable. To start we shared an order of duck liver pate with mulled pears. For our entrees, we ordered two of their signature dishes, roast rib of beef and roast saddle of lamb. Both were served with roast potatoes and cabbage, and the beef was accompanied by Yorkshire pudding as well. For dessert we had the pudding sampler, which is designed for two people to share. Everything was well-prepared and tasty, but nothing was extraordinary, which it should be when you're paying £85 for lunch. There's a three-course fixed price menu for £29.50 served until 7.00pm, although if you order the roast beef for which they're known, you'll pay a £6.00 supplement. Considering how limited the options for each course are, the slight savings probably isn't worth it. read more

Simpson's in the Strand - British Near Me - London, XGL

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have eaten at the House of Prime Ribs many times, so I was very excited to compare the two restaurants. I have been told that House of Prime Ribs is a copy of Simpson's, the original. The decor and serving cart are the same, but the quality of meat so much better at House of PR. Simpson's only serves regular roast beef, English cut. The meat was a little tough. No salad, cream of spinach or corn - just some roasted potatoes, boiled cabbage, pudding, and sliced bread. $60 for the meal, so House of PR is a much better deal. We made a reservation for 6pm, but the restaurant was empty. Don't worry about dressing up, a lot of patrons were in their jeans. read more

Visited October 2008. This was a must visit restaurant of my wife. I loved it too. We had good waiting staff. As it was a belated wedding anniversary gift to ourselves; my son had arranged a bottle of champagne for our arrival. (NOTE: Had already had two bottles when we had visit the show at Her Majesty's Theatre). The waiter said that we probably would need the wine menu. I said that he clearly didn't know us, especially as he offered water to us too. Hence ordering a very nice Australian Shiraz to got with the equally excellent beef. Everyone has written about similar food at the restaurant, and we couldn't find a fault. We selected the option of several dessert tasters. They were all fantastic. Claridges is next on my wife's list of places to visit. This is burning a hole in the mortgage. read more

Three stars, that got you looking. The room is classic. It is the classic restaurant serving the Sunday joint done up fancy. However, compared to the modern incarnations in the States like Lawrys and The Prime Rib, it pales in comparison. Live piano music in the background. The music was the right volume and tempo, but it was odd to hear "House of the Rising Sun" being played. Service was generally excellent, although they had trouble keeping water in the glass. At the price point, and the length of time they've been doing things, it should be perfect. Perhaps it was perfect in the 50's and 60's, but it doesn't match what others are doing. It doesn't really seem to matter how you ask for the prime rib, they just slice it off the end they are working from. I asked for rare. I always ask for that knowing it's going to be medium rare, but it gives them the hint I want the meat from the middle, not the ends where it's more cooked. Unfortunately, I hit them when they were working from the end on a new piece. Indeed when they got to another table later asking for medium, they got the medium rare from the middle since that's where they were at. The horseradish isn't very good. The yorkshire pudding and roasted potatoes were very good. The cabbage, OK. All in all, OK food at best for the price. Good service. A spectacular room. read more

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Ah, Simpson's! I've been dining here off and on for perhaps 30 years, and keep coming back. The food - traditional English - is perfect (the horseradish sauce is the world's best!). I lunched here with five friends in April, and I have one small niggle: the piano is too loud and makes conversation at a larger table difficult for older ears (4 or us were "of a certain age"), and when the pianist sang, it became almost impossible. Dear Simpson's: keep doing what you do so well, but please do something to bring back the quieter experience I remember so fondly! read more

I started with a drink in the 1st floor bar. The barman, Harry, was very friendly, and the OMG drink, based on Churchill, really set the tone for the evening. Downstairs, in the dining room, Roy was very helpful in getting what I wanted, how I wanted it. At the end of the meal, he rang ahead to the American Bar, and had them save me a table. All in all, a fantastic restauraunt, and fantastic staff! read more

Simpson's in the Strand - British Near Me - London, XGL

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Charmingly dated, Simpson's is about as "classic London" as you can get, and I hope it never changes. There is something magical about walking into a dining room that once served Charles Dickens and hasn't changed much since. While the menu is pricey, they are offering a Groupon which is an amazing deal: two courses per person and wine for £39 total. Your mains are either the roast beef or lamb, but considering the a la carte prices for each of those mains is over £30 each, you realize what a tremendous bargain this deal is. The food was very good, and very classic British. The roast beef was tender, and the sides of cabbage, potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding were all done nicely. There is something so neat about being served tableside from a silver trolley. We chose desserts instead of starters for our second course, and thought they were lovely. My treacle sponge was easily one of the best desserts I had while touring the UK, and the sticky toffee pudding was quite nice was well. Service was pretty good. The staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive. Our server was a little slow (sides coming a few minutes after the mains, slow to bring pepper, etc.), but he was very nice. I would definitely dress nicely to come here. I wore nice wool trousers and a button down shirt and felt quite comfortable, but you could be equally comfortable in a suit and tie if you wanted. The only person I saw wearing jeans was a tacky American who was eating his Yorkshire with his hands like it was a baguette. read more

Went for Sunday lunch with the in-laws. Staff were pleasant and helpful - they took a family picture for us in one of the private dinining rooms which was very nice, and made it easy to go with kids. The dining room was losing the fight against the cold outside, we were all sat cold with jumpers on, and the food wasn't much better. Yes the roast beef is nice but it's no better than any half decent gastropub and although the carving at the table is nice the magic has long gone. You can imagine how this place must have been; but on a cold Sunday, empty apart from 3-4 tables of tourists it's really very sad. read more

I read that Charles Darwin and Benjamin Disreali enjoyed frequenting Simpsons in their day. The meal is traditional British and not much has changed since the mid 19th century. The establishment sticks to its British roots with the focus on the 28 day aged scottish beef roast. A chef wheels out a huge rib roast on a cart and carves you slices right then and there. Paired with yorkshire pudding, savoy cabbage and roasted potatoes it is the most classic meal in London. The rest of the "bill of fare" is decked out with a dose of Beef Wellington, venison, roasted leg of partridge, liver and dover sole. If you like english roasts or want to pretend you are a 19th century gentleman, definitely stop by Simpsons. Go to the American Bar in the Savoy for a nightcap. read more

So this place is an institution. The kind of "Winston Churchill drank port here" place. A "as seen in Downton Abbey" locale. They've been serving roast beef with Yorkshire pudding from shiny silver trolley for decades. Wood-paneled traditional. But the best thing is its staff: friendly, interesting, engaging people. So come join the tradition of happy diners. read more

What could go wrong with a 180 year old establishment serving prime rib? Nothing. It was perfect!

A beautiful and classic British restaurant located just opposite of the famous Savoy theatre - perfect for a pre theatre dinner. The place holds a great deal of history as it was originally opened in 1828 as a chess club and coffee house. The service was impeccable and the dining room is very charming. We all ordered one of the signature dishes "Roast rib of Scottish beef (aged 28 days)" with Roast potatoes, Savoy cabbage, Yorkshire pudding & horseradish. We were very pleased with the taste, but even better was that they roll the huge piece of beef out in a trolly and make a show of the carving process. I very much enjoyed that and the food was very good too, especially the horseradish. I gladly recommend! read more

Outstanding restaurant! One must have their specialty: prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. The shaved horseradish and potatoes fried in beef fat were truly delicious surprises. Too many other terrific choices to mention, some unique: pheasant, venison, wild boar, and tongue and cheek. I would recommend the Christmas pudding for dessert. It was rice and intensely flavorful. The service was friendly and attentive. No pompous formality here. Price point was reasonable considering the high quality food and atmosphere. The dining room was traditional British and elegant. Truly the best meal I experienced in London. One can understand why it's been around for over 100 years. An absolute must do in London. read more

We went for a date night and had an overall good experience. We first grabbed a few drinks at the bar upstairs. They had a great menu of gin-based cocktails. I absolutely loved my fruity one, although it did cost £16ish. Bar area wasn't too big or posh, but just the right balance of classy yet down to earth. We then moved downstairs for dinner. I had shrimps on toast for starter then mussels for main. I must admit, their seafood dishes weren't the best I had. Some of the mussels weren't very fresh, and I thought the base broth could have been better. Next time, I think I'll try more of the red meat dishes. Obviously, that's what this place is known for anyway. Service was overall solid. They promptly topped up our water glasses throughout the dinner and had a great friendly attitude. Ambience was excellent. Quintessentially British and posh, but not overly done. Would love to go back to try out more of their dishes. read more

If you are going to go for tradition, this is the place to go. I went to this place as it is a very historical and popular place. Be warned, that the English fare these days in UK and in pubs are great, ever since the breweries took over contol of the pubs. The pub owners had to open up the restaurant parts of their pubs to generate more income and profit. 1. Ambiance - Traditional English. You have to go to this place to be part of the tradition. 2. Service - I found it to be a bit old fashion, but certainly very professional. I believe traditional is more the word. 3. Food - I order the roast rib of beef with all the trimmings and yorkshire pudding. I loved everything, except for the fact that I could not get the rib cooked the temperature that I wanted it. I like it medium rare to rare and the waiter advised me that they were serving it medium. I will go back because I love British food, I want to try their steak and kidney pie, braised lamb shank. and I am excited to try their Oxtail Faggot as a starter. I know, it sound different, if you are not from the UK. GK says, ya gotta go to check this place out for sure. read more

In terms of classic British cuisine, Simpsons in the Strand is definitely among the elite. If you're a beef lover then order nothing else other than their infamous roast beef. It is absolutely glorious and represents everything a perfect roast beef should be. Try it and you will not disappoint. read more

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Quite a big disappointment last night. A lot of things seem to have slipped - from the minor to the more serious. The minor - 1. No towels in the men's' room and towels on the floor. 2. No cocktail stick in my olive. The major - 1. they were an hour late in seating us - although they did offer as a free drink in the bar to make up. We eventually st down at about 9.15. 2. Worst of all, my lamb off the trolley was lukewarm. The plate wasn't hot enough and neither was I asked how much I would like. What is the point of the trolley if the plate is just placed in front of you? I was not offered mint sauce - had to ask for it. 3. Similarly, my friends who had turkey were not asked how much they would like, or which cuts either. It all seemed rather lax. PS On a good note, the piano was not too loud - although the guests were! read more

Just a tremendous dining experience. Food great, wine pairing great, service great...the Beef Wellington OMG! ...all you'd expect of a premium restaurant. Very little much more to say. It lives up to its prices, you'll enjoy! read more

We've only been eating here for 32 years. We've eaten in all the rooms. We've had fish, meat and love the bar and champagne upstairs. It's staid, pricey and good. We've been going for 32 years. You should go for 32 years. read more

Food was great, service was attentive and the atmosphere was superb ! Truly elegant British dining experience. Start with a drink in the bar upstairs. You will have a enjoyable evening. read more

Simpson's in the Strand - Great British experience ! - British Near Me - London, XGL

I don't recommend this place. It was way too hot and stuffy in there, felt like a sauna. Their windows do not open and they do not have AC. Their servers have to wear full suits, so they smell like sweat (I don't blame them, they are required to dress like that). It was hotter than outside. It was so stuffy that it was nearly impossible to enjoy the food. The bottle of wine came very warm - yuck! Do they lack refrigerators too perhaps?? The food was very mediocre. The bread that comes with their steak was pretty good. The beef was just OK, nothing special. The duck breast was very mediocre, the skin very chewy. The duck confit meatball was very tasty. The piano music is nice. The building itself is beautiful, but too bad they lack proper air circulation. Overall, bad experience. We regretted wasting a dinner in London at this place. Don't waste your time here, much better places in London. read more