Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Swan

    4.1 (299 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Swan Photos

    SWAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Swan

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cheesecake delicious
    Brenda F.

    I was going to see a show at the Shakespeare globe, and needed a place to eat dinner nearby. This restaurant is literally next to the venue which was perfect. The food was top notch. For a while reservations were fully booked, but I kept checking daily. Eventually I got lucky, and a table opened up. It was absolutely worth it. We loved it.

    Atmosphere
    Kristen M.

    The food was really delicious! Everything was made using seasonal fruit and vegetables, and cooked perfectly. We enjoyed the beautiful views, the convenience to the theater, and our attendant was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient.

    White peach tea with cream
    Joshua Y.

    I knew that I wanted to have an afternoon tea experience in London I didn't know which one to choose since there seemed to be thousands of offerings. Did some research, read a lot of blogs and definitely watched a lot of YouTube videos on afternoon tea choices. I wanted someplace that I could take my partner that wasn't overly stuffy where we had to dress up in a three-piece suit. So what I decided upon was the Swan. It seemed to offer a lot of modern elegant design with a comfortable aesthetic. This was a particularly stormy and blustery day and I was appreciative that I could get out of the cold into a warm and welcoming space. We made a midday reservation at 12:30 PM and when we arrived they immediately welcomed us with open arms and were very friendly. They took us to our table and set us up in a very nice spot where we could look over onto the Themes. Our waiter arrived and went over the menu which was themed to correspond to the play that is currently being offered at the globe Theatre, which is right next-door. So this menu was themed around Pinocchio. Our waiter helped guide us on what particular tea would be best for each of us. I chose a peach white tea and my partner chose a peppermint tea. We did go for the full afternoon tea offering with the three tier food service. The tea arrived first and we were able to enjoy this for maybe 20 minutes before the full afternoon service came out. Of course, we started from the bottom and worked our way up. The sandwiches were salmon lox, egg curry and beef. Of course the middle were delicious and very freshly baked scones and the top had a huge offering of sweets. We took our time and just watch the rain pour all over outside onto the river and enjoyed each other as we sipped our tea. By the time we made it up to the top tier, which was the desserts we were already so full. This isn't light offering and if you come hungry, you probably won't even be able to finish as we were not able to. Atmospherically it was beautiful. We enjoyed the colors of the furniture and the lighting scheme and the people were very friendly. Food was scrumptious and delicious and we couldn't ask for anything better. The service was very friendly, but sometimes a little spotty. Often times our server would disappear as they got so busy with other people they forgot to check in with us if we needed anything else. For example, when the tea arrived, they disappeared immediately without offering milk or sugar, and it took me a good five minutes to get their attention so I could ask for that before we could enjoy our tea and I had to go and flag our server down just so we can get extra hot water as they hadn't checked in for well over 30 minutes. All in all, I would come back again for sure. I look forward to coming back to London, where I could enjoy another afternoon tea service with the Swan.

    Rose L.

    Perfect afternoon tea setting on btwn rain showers. They took me with no reservation and it was yummy!!!

    Afternoon tea
    Emily B.

    Came here for Afternoon tea. Was such a great atmosphere and wonderful staff. Did a walk-in right when it started on a Saturday morning with a minimal wait. We ordered the Classic and the Gentleman's. Good amount of food and it was all pretty yummy. Would recommend it as a tourist!

    View from our table
    Lauren P.

    If you want a filling afternoon tea with spectacular views for a good price, look no further than Swan London! The staff was friendly and quick. We came just in time for their holiday themed tea packages. I had the Classic tea and my partner had the Gentleman's tea. Both had a fabulous mix of sweet and savory. My favorites were the eggnog and nutmeg cheesecake on a speculoos biscuit, and the scones with all the fixings. The tea was also lovely - I had the Earl Grey and my partner had the Pear and Ginger. Can't recommend Swan London enough if you're looking for fun, British tradition to partake in. You definitely won't leave hungry or thirsty!

    Classic Tea

    This afternoon tea was AMAZING. it was better than I expected. We were visiting london during easter and wanted to experience the iconic london tea. I believe we got the class london package and it was more than enough. Also the service was incredible. Our server was very attentive and kept offering us more tea. We also had a nice view of the water.

    Victor M.

    We were visiting and walking the Blackfriar section of London along the Thames where the Shakespeare Globe Theatre is located. We wanted to take a break and found the Swan literarily next to the Globe with a nice outdoor patio off the bar and a view of the Thames. The upstairs restaurant was serving afternoon tea so we had to sit in the bar. It was a comfortable and pleasing indoor and outdoor space that overlooks the Thames. We weren't looking to having lunch or dinner, but we ordered a couple of dessert items with our cocktails. I am a sucker for scones so we ordered the homemade scones which were good but a bit doughy. Add the clotted cream and strawberry jam, though, I still enjoyed it. We also ordered the sticky toffee pudding. It was very traditional and exceptional. Swan is a nice place for a refreshment stop and break along the Thames. Service was adequate. I would consider having afternoon tea and/or dinner if I am back in this area again.

    Bruno M.

    Had a lovely afternoon tea here. Location is top notch, great views of the river and the north bank. Service was excellent; no complaints. Scones were spot on, tea was of a high standard. Would recommend!

    Classic "Mucho Ado About Tea" Afternoon Tea
    Ashley S.

    Afternoon tea is a quintessential London experience for visitors. In doing research, I found that Swan is listed in various blogs and so I gave it a try! In summary, this is an option to be considered if you are mindful of budget and are it is an efficient location near attractions. I would not recommend for someone looking for a memorable afternoon tea experience. We'll start on the high note... Pros: - Location - Swan is nestled in among many iconic London attractions. It shares the building with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and is easy to find either by walking - we personally enjoyed the lovely Thames river walk - or you can also arrive via the relaxing Thames Uber boat. - Price - Many afternoon tea locations are upwards of £50. Swan has affordable options at £40. I ordered the Classic Afternoon Tea and left with a full tummy! - Alternate Diet Options - I am not sure if this has become common everywhere, but there were a variety of menus including vegetarian and vegan! - View - It seems like for anyone doing afternoon tea, you get seated upstairs with a view of the Thames and St. Paul's Cathedral across the river. The windows were cracked open to let in a lovely breeze. It was gorgeous and relaxing. Cons: - Food Quality - I am an American and I have to say that the scones tasted like doughy biscuits. Other scones I've had in London were flaky and flavorful but these did not impress. I even asked an English couple next to me what they thought, and they said these scones tasted like the kind you get in a complimentary hotel buffet. The dessert items were fine too, but reminded me of the kind of treats you get from event catering. Compared to bakeries, these treats didn't taste like they were made with craft and care. The sandwiches were 80% bread and 20% filling, but I will admit that I am not sure if that is typical of afternoon tea or not. - Service - For a location that advertises Shakespearean-themed tea, I was surprised that no one did an explanation of the menu or how the items are themed. Seems like a missed opportunity to take this tea from being simply tea to being an experience. In general, service was fine - nothing to complain about and nothing notable. - Atmosphere - It was a pretty place, but aside from a wall of photos of the Shakespeare's Globe plays, there wasn't anything that really themed it to Shakespeare. And if you're still planning to visit here are some other info based on my experience: - Don't forget to book a reservation. But only book if you are sure because there are cancellation fees. - In looking around at other guests while I was there, it does not look like there is a dress-code. This might be a plus for someone trying to do a variety of activities in one day!

    GENTLEMAN'S TEA
    Chie J.

    Beautiful location with the Thames river view right next to Shakespeare's Globe. I am not into sweets so I was happy to see their savory Afternoon tea options (GENTLEMAN'S TEA ) Black pudding Scotch egg Beer battered Scottish haddock and chips Arbroath smokie, horseradish cream toast Slow-cooked pulled Scottish beef, gherkin, Scottish whiskey brioche bun Haggis, beetroot and apple tartlet Isle of Mult cheddar scone with Blue Murder cheese butter Cranachan, raspberry curd and vanilla bean namelaka filled tartlet We were 2 adults and 2 kids and asked our server if there were kids' option. He said no. So we did not want to be rude and ordered 3 regular and 1 Gentleman's afternoon tea. Unfortunately we could only finish 15 % of the food and left 2 towers untouched. I hate to waste food.

    Montage of images from Swan
    Ed U.

    Jamie W. was determined to have fish and chips at least once during our recent brief trip to London. You know...Pip-pip, cheerio and all that sort of rot. We thought we found a place in Borough Market called (amusingly) Applebee's, but the manager was rudely abrasive and kept us waiting outside the restaurant when he had plenty of open tables available. Buh-bye. Applebee's. Hello Swan. We were greeted a lot more thoughtfully here even though they were twice as busy. Without a reservation, we were led to their small lounge where luckily a couple of chaise lounges and a coffee table were ready to be inhabited by us. At first, we didn't see 'fish and chips' on the menu but soon recognized that they spun the name for a more gourmand palate. It was the £18 Curious Brew Battered Haddock which came with 'chunky chips', crushed peas, and tartar sauce. We both ordered it, and they arrived on huge wooden boards that took up most of the coffee table (photo: https://bit.ly/3P580fK). It was just what Jamie wanted, and I liked it, too, because the fish was fresh and flaky and the crust not too overwhelming. The chips were indeed thick steak fries in an aluminum cup, so we asked for a full bevy of condiments -ketchup, mustard, and mayo. The server was responsive and thoughtful with our idiosyncrasies and freely replenished our Diet Cokes without us having to ask. It was also a great location for tourists like us who enjoyed strolling along the Thames on Bankside next to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. FOOD - 4 stars...authentic fish and chips done right AMBIANCE - 4 stars...convivial spot, great location SERVICE - 4.5 stars...the server was aces TOTAL - 4 stars...in hindsight, we're glad Applebee's treated us like dirt RELATED - Exploring London? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx

    Nice lights

    See all

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff N.
    403
    1741
    14567

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rose L.
    134
    1245
    2876

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kym P.
    33
    6
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bruno M.
    4
    88
    188

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Fatphobic. I asked to go to the bathroom and they took my menu away and no waiters came to help me.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Derek S.
    61
    146
    6

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joanne W.

    Joanne W.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Berles C.
    1
    271
    117

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marla P.
    56
    310
    335

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark S.
    0
    40
    31

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Kim
    1
    13
    8

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Juvi G.
    654
    920
    6749

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mel F.
    0
    29
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 8

    Swan Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Swan

    This charming pub situated directly next to Shakespeare's globe is perfect for a pint before or after a show.

    Mentioned in 57 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for British 4,039 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Hawksmoor Seven Dials - The spread

    Hawksmoor Seven Dials

    4.4(455 reviews)
    1.3 miCovent Garden
    £££

    The food is incredible--the steak was cooked to the most perfect rare…read more The sauce for the steak was definitely flavourful and definitely added a POW to the steak The restaurant is classy and clean--I like the vibe it brings to the table. Staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly and definitely on top of things. Highly recommended!

    If you're in the UK on a Sunday, it's a must to do Sunday roast dinner! Hawksmoor was an excellent…read moreplace for a roast dinner. It has a steakhouse vibe. It's two floors. The basement has a bar, lounge and restaurant. It was a little noisy. But we could still talk. The roasted scallops were cooked perfectly. The green sauce was tasty. I love the presentation. The Bill Marrow was also good. It was very rich. There were two kinds of Sunday roast a sirloin and a rump. Three of us had the rump roast dinner and three had the sirloin roast dinner. It was hard to tell the difference. All the dinners came with roasted potatoes greens and of course, Yorkshire pudding. It was all delicious. I have to say my favorite part is always the Yorkshire pudding. I also have a green salad, which is basically just lettuce with a light dressing. It was very fresh. We were too full for dessert. The service was excellent. We were seated right away and given water. In the UK, you can order sparkling, still or tap. Sparkling and still come with a charge. Tap is usually free. Our server was attentive without hovering. It's a good idea to make reservations at Hawksmoor especially for the Sunday roast. We got there at three by the time we left around 4:30 some of the roasts were already sold out. Just a note: Sunday roost is usually a late lunch not a dinner. It's good to go between two and four especially if you don't have a reservation.

    Photos
    Hawksmoor Seven Dials - The bar

    The bar

    Hawksmoor Seven Dials - Sunday Roast

    Sunday Roast

    Hawksmoor Seven Dials - Interior

    See all

    Interior

    Battersea Pie - Battersea Pie

    Battersea Pie

    4.1(87 reviews)
    1.1 miCovent Garden, Strand
    £

    Battersea Pie Station, under the arches of the lower ground floor of Covent Garden's Market…read moreBuilding, serves up proper British grub. Simply look for The Pie Shop sign and pick your pie which is served with silky smooth mashed potatoes and lashings of rich gravy. Every time I eat a pie this place is my benchmark for the best pies ever! The  menu at Battersea Pie Station includes classics like steak and stout, minced beef and onion and chicken and mushroom, plus more creative, veggie options including butternut squash and goat's cheese. The steak and stout is my ultimate favorite! This place is my go to pie place every time I'm in London. I always try to stay in Covent Garden just so I can come here. This is my basis of the perfect meat pie with the pleasingly firm crusts and sides of mash and roasted potatoes are so delicious. The rich red-wine gravy comes separately in a small jug. I smother the pie with the gravy. Ingredient quality was excellent. They have mini pies and the regular sized pies. Even for a counter-service place this little cafe is terrific value - and you will be surprised that for Covent Garden you can eat a reasonably priced and uber delicious meal that makes me full the whole day! 5 stars can't wait to come back!

    Mrs. Lovett has nothing on this place! Perfect for a quick humble meat pie dinner before a fancy…read morepants opera. Every dish I tried was a hit. Minced Beef & Onion: The most popular, apparently. Smooth and moist inside with a buttery flaky outside. Steak & Stout: Same great crust, but with a very distinctive inside, chunks of firm roast and thick gravy where you could actually taste the stout. Probably my favorite pie here. Chicken & Mushroom: A nice variation from beef, but by no means lesser. With it's large chunks and umami gravy, this was like a quick hit fix for when craving a proper chicken pot pie. Mash & Gravy: The mash was smooth and buttery. The gravy was more than plentiful. Kinda lives under the shadow of the delicious pies though. Sticky Toffee Pudding: Good, but not great. The toffee sauce felt a bit too thick and wasn't as warmed as I like it. The sponge cake was alright, but kinda dry, like they just plopped into the toffee sauce puddle. But it did do a good job of soaking up the sauce with a little spoon dexterity.

    Photos
    Battersea Pie - All the pies! Battersea Pie

    All the pies! Battersea Pie

    Battersea Pie - Mince Meat & Onion pie, Battersea Pie

    Mince Meat & Onion pie, Battersea Pie

    Battersea Pie - Pie time

    See all

    Pie time

    Mother Mash - Steak and black heart stout pie. Truly delicious and amazing!

    Mother Mash

    4.3(652 reviews)
    1.8 miSoho
    ££

    A Most Excellent Soho Establishment…read more Having lived in London for upwards of twenty years, and knowing Soho rather intimately, I can say with some confidence that this establishment is a genuine delight. The food was splendid, the service exceedingly proper, and the atmosphere possessed that unmistakable charm which makes Soho such a grand corner of London. I have eaten in no small number of establishments over the years, yet this one has earned a full five stars from me. A thoroughly enjoyable experience from beginning to end, and one I should happily recommend to any gentleman or lady seeking a proper meal in the heart of London. Five stars, without hesitation. -Sir Archibald Beuamont

    the poor rating has to do with the rude staff at this location. i'm not sure if he was the owner or…read morea staff member, but there was an older man who was very rude to us when we arrived. we entered the establishment, as that is what you typically do when you want to dine at a restaurant, and he came up the stairs and didn't even offer a greeting. i mentioned that we had a reservation for that time and he immediately just kept repeating that our table was outside. we went outside to their small patio dining area, and saw that there was a table with a "reserved" sign on it, so we sat down. i thought it was incredibly rude that he spoke to us in that manner, and it seemed like he expected us to somehow know that that table was ours before we had even spoken to any staff. i was seriously considering getting up and leaving but i decided to give this place one more chance. it then took a while, but we were eventually served by a much more pleasant and friendly younger server, who helped make this experience better. i would give this place a lower rating, however i must admit that the food was delicious. as an american tentatively wanting to try british bangers and mash, this exceeded my expectations. we all spoke about how the sausage was plump, snappy, and delicious, definitely one of the best we've ever had. the mashed potatoes were also amazing- cheesy and heavenly, and i'm not even usually a mashed potatoes kinda person. i am glad that we stayed solely for the delicious food, but i would not come back because of our experience with the staff here. the place already was one of the emptier spots on this very busy soho street anyway.

    Photos
    Mother Mash - Inside

    Inside

    Mother Mash - Steak & Ale pie, cheesy mashed, and farmer's gravy!

    Steak & Ale pie, cheesy mashed, and farmer's gravy!

    Mother Mash - Outside patio

    See all

    Outside patio

    The Ivy Market Grill

    The Ivy Market Grill

    3.9(132 reviews)
    1.1 miStrand, Covent Garden
    £££

    The most average, middle-of-the-road institution in London, and the Covent Garden location is…read moreperhaps the true median of the whole lot. It's fine. Your fish and chips will be fine. Your burger will be fine. The duck will be fine. Coming for breakfast and getting an omelette? Your breakfast will be fine. Just getting some chips and a G&T? They'll be fine. The people attending to your meal? They're fine. The interior? Fine-ish. will you be blown away? Absolutely not. Will you be disappointed like you might be by some of the other nearby tourist traps? Probably not. Will you be left with a vague sense that perhaps you should make better life choices? Guaranteed.

    Great place for breakfast with a real British atmosphere! We loved the décor -- it's cozy and…read morecharming. Very pleasant experience overall. We ordered the Royal Eggs with smoked salmon (similar to Eggs Benedict) and an English Breakfast. Everything was delicious, and the egg quality was excellent. I also had a lychee matcha -- the matcha itself was great quality, just a bit too sweet for my taste (I'd ask for less sweetness next time). My husband ordered a coffee pot with milk, which was a very cool experience and great coffee quality too. Our server, a young woman named Tasha, was wonderful -- super friendly and attentive. Highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a great breakfast in the heart of London, not far from Big Ben!

    Photos
    The Ivy Market Grill - Interior

    Interior

    The Ivy Market Grill
    The Ivy Market Grill

    See all

    Swan - british - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...