Glasses of drink are not permitted to be left on bar side for even a minute. Management said they are preventing your drink from being spiked. Disappointed in an initially friendly environment. read more

The Anthologist - New American Near Me - London, XGL

The servers worked very very hard and were wonderful!!! The ambience was horrible. Distorted music way too loud made it impossible to have a conversation without shouting. We just sat there looking at each other shrugging our shoulders. If we had something to say, we had to step outside. The drinks were so weak. The food was bad on a whole 'nuther level. Just fancy names for food that seemed to come out of cans (for the most part). read more

Everything was amazing from the host to the waiter and food. Service was fast and friendly and the atmosphere was perfect.

Great spot for a lively night out with friends! One word of caution: the environment was a bit challenging. The dance floor/bar area is right next to the dining area, and the music and crowd are loud. We ate here later in the evening around 8pm and honestly I don't really care that it's loud, but just be aware before you head there in the evening. All in all, the food was enjoyable and fun. I had a vegetarian pasta dish, which was tasty and combined some cool flavors. The bar was a blast! Lots of fun dancing and interesting people. The space is really nice and the bartenders were attentive. I recommend stopping by here if you're in east London, you won't be disappointed! read more

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Round two at The Anthologist but this time I was armed with an empty tummy! Hand on... tummy, it works! The food is fantastic and at very reasonable prices. The portions are generous and packed full of flavour. Overall I was super impressed, and like the name says they've taken a science and made it into an art. Bravo. read more

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I would not be opposed to going back for another meal or even just drinks, but I wouldn't be devastated if I didn't make it back. If I were just rating on the ambiance of the place, it would get five stars because it is a nice setting. It is rather large inside, so you don't feel like you are sitting on top of each other. The lighting was a bit too dark and reading the menu was a bit problematic. The decor is nice, but beware, sometimes the plants on the table catch fire from the candles on the table... true story. The menu has a nice variety of interesting dishes as well as some staples. And the price is reasonable, more toward the inexpensive side of the spectrum. We had made a reservation and to be honest, the staff were really flexible when I had changed it a few times and it even changed when we showed up. I chose to have the Crispy Duck Noodle Salad. Everyone else at the table seemed to be pleased with their food (Fish Finger Sandwich - 'a bit posh', antipasto sharing platters, flatbread, risotto, and another sandwich). I thought the presentation was cute: a box on a big wood platter. The crispy duck was awesome, but the noodle salad itself could've used more seasoning and dressing. I still enjoyed the food, but if I were to go back, I'd choose a different dish. The toilets are nice... even candy is available. The restaurant part of the place did not seem quite as busy as the bar area. It seemed to be popular for after-work drinks. Overall, it was a nice and inexpensive dinner. read more

The Anthologist - Crispy duck and noodle salad - New American Near Me - London, XGL

I'd say more 3.5, I love the lightbulbs in this place (no, seriously, they look like or might be the old Edison bulbs!) I first came here before I joined yelp for lunch with a friend who works in the city. I ordered the pork belly sandwich which was huge and very nice. It wasn't massively busy as it was a Monday, but despite this the service was a little laid back. I came here again last night, this time for a friend's leaving drinks. It was pretty packed as it should be on a Friday night in the City. We had a little area reserved but the bar was so busy I ended up leeching off my friends wine until it died down. Good points: Bathroom decor Random swinging bench Cool lightbulbs. Nice food. Bad points: Too busy in the evening. Took ages to be served at the bar. Bartender did not know what a pink gin & tonic was. I'd definitely come back for some food here, won't be in a rush to come back for after-work drinks though. read more

The Anthologist - Pork belly sandwich. - New American Near Me - London, XGL

Called the restaurant last minute to book a team lunch for a colleague birthday and they were kind enough to accommodate us. The ambience is lively and service was friendly and quick. The food was good but nothing particularly special. The rice served with the green curry was woefully under cooked. it's a great location and the service is lovely even with big groups so I'd recommend for office lunches! read more

A modern and spacious bar/restaurant/deli. I have been here on a Thursday evening after work and the place was packed with people. Be sure to book a table if you are a big group. Service was surprisingly quick and we never waited long at the bar. Being a fairly big venue we did eventually manage to grab a table/seat and had a great night all round. read more

A burger the size of your head. A cocktail list that other cocktail lists would be jealous of. A massive number of tables. A very large bar with great selection. Several great secluded areas. Tasty food. An amazing downstairs private room. These are just the starting points of what makes this new bar/restaurant in the heart of The City special. The staff is super friendly, accommodating and helpful. The food is spectacular and you by no means get shorted in your portions. The soft opening just happened and this place was already packed. The word is out with the locals in the area, now it's your turn to go get your nosh on here! read more

I was unsure of this place as soon as I walked in. Maybe it says something that we spent most of our time stood outside drinking? On a cold October night that is. It was heaving at 7pm, but what did we expect? It's the City. Low lighting, a bit too low really, and some high tables that we couldn't get close to for the masses. Very industrial and Meat-Packing district. The seating area for the restaurant looked cozy and inviting - I think if I come back here again it'll be to try the food. I've heard good things (and Chris was clearly impressed). Perhaps it'll be more an inviting place on a quieter night - because at with that many people squeezed in and £4 pint prices, it just felt like another City twat-bar. To be continued... read more

Still relatively new on the scene, The Anthologist is certainly no stranger to drawing in a crowd. My goodness, if I wasn't in the most "it" after work bar ever, I'm not sure what it was. Luckily, they have a set up that caters to a range of crowds, so there's standing room for you and your work buddies with long tables by the bar, a restaurant bit if you want to sneak away from the action, and they're going to license for a larger outside standing area I've been told so you'll be able to flow out to the streets and soak in a bit of sun if you've been trapped inside all day. The cocktails were great, and they even have a "skinny" cocktail range complete with calorie guide for those that can take the accountant out of work but not the work out of the accountant and are keen to count up and keep tally on their health goals. Personally, I'll take my calories where I can get them and went with a mango mojito, and sipped my friends botanist (cucumbery and refreshing!), which were both quite reasonable at around 5.95 a pop considering cocktails around here can easily climb into the 7's and 8's. I saw some boards of potato wedges fly by my face and I've made the pact to venture back down and try some food when they're less busy. read more

This was the perfect choice for a large work lunch (13 people). I managed to book a table just 90 minutes in advance after my colleagues decided they didn't like the initial dining choice. The decor is much like the other Drake & Margan venues - quirky but feminine decor in a large, airy space. The large group tables in the middle of the dining area use a combination of armchairs and park benches. I found the service to be very good. They're clearly well drilled in large lunchtime groups. The menu has a wide range of international dishes, which means it caters for most tastes. They are trying to present the food in an interesting way but it feels a bit dated now. Thankfully my burger came on a plate (somebody must have read Sanj M's review), but the chips were in a plant pot. The food tastes good and the Roman fires are are delicious upgrade from normal chips. If you like The Folly or The Happenstance you're sure to like this place read more

I love, love, love the Anthologist. Been several times mainly with work colleagues, and even had my birthday party here! It's a great after-work haunt in the City, which, from my experience, is the least City-ish. Good selection of cocktails served in quirky ways, but honestly the wine list is better. It is beautifully designed and very comfortable, even the toilets look chic! The menu is varied and crowd-pleasing, and you can't really go wrong. The sharing flatbreads are great and a good first call if everyone is hungry (should have ordered two!). The main event here is probably the steak options, which are quite to die-for. My favourite eating experience here was the 'champagne surf and turf' with lobster, steak and glass of bubbly, which was phenomenal but sadly just a limited-time special. YES, it does get rammed, mainly immediate after work drinks on Wednesdays-Fridays. I always book a table in advance (easy to do and very welcoming when you arrive) if I'm bringing a large group or wanting dinner. read more

A very very busy, loud, and unpleasant atmosphere with a conveyor belt feeling. The whole experience felt like trying to have a picnic on the London underground during rush hour. We went there for a company Christmas party, when we arrived, we were a little early. the place was super busy and there was not enough space to stand at the bar and wait. The noise in the place was almost unbearable, and we waited for far too long past our reservation to be seated. when we were seated wine was bought out and we waited for food. Since our reservation was shortly after lunch many of us hadn't eaten but by the time we were sat with the food we were starving. Eventually, the food came, portions were small and it wasn't the worst food I'd ever had. Finally, just before dessert, they bought out water to the tables, and before we knew it we were being shooed off the tables to make way for the next Christmas party, some of our party had yet to be served their desserts. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this place, at least certainly not during busy periods, and don't book this as a Christmas party venue. read more

I was impressed by how airy this place is, with really high ceilings, high bar, high tables, and high jars in which pims is served.... REALLY?? creative? yes. functional? not so much... regardless... it sure adds to the charm, and is a chance to show off pouring skills. Friendly vibe (and not just the alchool) and def want to try the restaurant bit... it really looked inviting under the low but intimate lighting, maybe a little too intimate for a night out with colleagues, but certainly would be perfect otherwise. Will def make a come-back here! read more

I went to the Anthologist on a thursday evening. Here are my findings: Atmosphere? Electric! Service? Prompt Food? Yummy! Need I say more? read more

I'm surprised by the mixed reviews for The Anthologist as I found it to be one of the best places in the City of London. It ticks a number of boxes such as good food, good beer and natural light flooding in through the windows. I had the skinny burger (i.e. the meat without the bread) with chips served in a plant pot. It was a rare lunchtime where everyone in our group was satisfied with the food, drink and service therefore I will hope to become a fixture at this venue in future. read more

Was taken to The Anthologist today for a working lunch/meeting with a supplier I'd never even met before today so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a lovely, cute and sophisticated restaurant/bar in the heart of the city and within an eavesdrop of the mighty Bank of England! Busy around 12:30 and therefore a little lively but still able to chat etc without being overheard. Service was prompt and attentive. Food was delicious. I had a Chicken Club Sandwich and my co-diner had an oriental- style beef salad with noodles. Desserts were awesome - I especially liked my White Chocolate and Raspberry Creme Brûlée which was served in a dainty porcelain tea cup - as I said, cute! Will definitely come back again and try more dishes before awarding a 5* . read more

What a fun place after work! The restaurant is beautiful-- decorations, lighting, food presentation, and all. The fish and chips were fabulous, the salmon salad I had was amazing (though I wish there were more greens in it), and the drinks were great. Service was friendly, and I would definitely come back. read more

Well, as my rating says - I love it. Sometimes I wish I was working closer to this place so getting there on a Friday night wouldn't require a cab. It's nice and straightforward City drinking place. It has decent cocktail menu with reasonable London prices. They are farily quick in serving them too - about 5 minutes waiting time - they have a few bartenders and only once I had to wait 20 minutes, but that's life. I had my birthday drinks here too - and I booked a whole lounge area + table in the restaurant. I would strongly recommend this place for events like that - you can book as large or as small are as you need - they have a variety of those. The food is nice too and very decently priced for its taste, the location of the place and the setting as well. The crowd is - well...City peeps. I would therefore definitely recommend Thursday and Friday nights if you like that kind of people, I'm one of them - so I like it :) I was told that this is the same owner as The Folly, but to be honest, it's neater than Folly and a bit more upscale - so I like it more. read more

The Anthologist is a pretty decent bar that has a few key things going for it: 1) it's open on the weekends when the rest of the City turns into a dead zone, 2) it has live music (DJs and bands) on Saturday nights and 3) the drinks are sold at only mildly outrageous prices compared to the standard ridiculousness. I've been a few times (and been a slacker on reviewing it) so I'm going to aggregate those experiences into one write up. During the week, the Anthologist is a pretty good place to go for a bite to eat and catch up with a friend or have an awkward first date (I've done both). Food wise, you are limited to the staples with nothing really special. They have a full bar and cocktail list but I've found the bartenders to be hit or miss depending on who you get. I think they may also have a fairly high turnover as I've never seen the same person twice, but then again after a few drinks everyone looks like a very similar blur. Saturday nights, especially those hosted by London Groove, are pretty sweet with live music (usually RnB or something similarly mainstream) blasting out a bespoke sound system. The line at the bar tends to be short as they up the staffing level which I definitely appreciate. It's a mixed bag of people with some nights being a sea of brown faces and others the typical mix for London. I would note that you should aim to get in before 11 and they will still charge you a £10 cover most weekends. Also, if you leave (not to smoke, but say to run down the street for cash or locate a friend), they rarely let you back in which I find uber annoying! Overall, a good place to keep in mind if you live near the City and don't want to trek to the West End. read more

So we went this time for drinks and dinner at Anthologist last night....the one thing I'll say is the cocktails are amazing however the service seemed to be lacking last night. i ordered a skinny porn star which was a delish drink and my friend ordered a glass of red wine, which i'm sure was equally good. When we ordered dinner however, I am sad to say that I wasn't completly in love with it this time. My sister and I split the fish and chips, which we had high hopes for since London is famous for this dish but without the tartar sauce (which was quite tasty), the fish was VERY fishy. My hubby had a burger which was eh, and friend had the pumpkin risotto, which was good but too heavy. Anthologist--good for drinks and lunch, but not a great bet for dinner.. read more

Came here with coworkers and customer for dinner and drinks. The service is ok, a bit slow for our 10 people table. They kept forgetting our drinks order multiple times. One waiter dropped a whole beer on our customer's head. Omg what a disaster. Food quality is generally ok but nothing outstanding. read more

I'm often in this bar after work, and to be honest, feel like it's largely style over substance. It's always extremely busy, and it's a classy bar and venue, but is far too expensive for what it ultimately offers. A small bottle of beer for £6? No thanks I've yet to eat here, but judging from friends' experiences and the price of the menu, it won't be something I'll be trying any time soon. Go to the close by Slug and Lettuce or quite literally anywhere else, for much better value for money. read more

Quick glance: + inexpensive meals + great for big group + open kitchen - clumsy service - heavy, wooden platter as plates I came to this modern gastropub with my colleagues for lunch. We pre-booked a table for 8 and were seated at what looked like the chef's table right by the open plan kitchen. This usually speaks well of the quality of cooking. The restaurant is massive and had around 150 patrons on Friday lunchtime. Pre-booking is not absolutely necessary, but recommended for weekday lunch given its central location to City offices. I ordered the potted pork with homemade mustard and toast for my starter, a reinvented east London classic. It was unfortunate that there was only one portion remaining and one of my colleagues who also ordered this dish conceded and had to pick something else. Five of the eight starters arrived together, but it was another 5 minutes before the remaining three arrived (after we questioned the waiter), reflecting poorly on the service. The starters were interestingly presented. Some had the chicken satay, which came in Chinese bamboo dim sum trays lined with lettuce. Another had the "prawn lollipops" which were whole prawns skwered on bamboo sticks. The taste of my starter, however, did not match up to the visual appeal. The potted pork itself lacked seasoning, and the homemade mustard lacked kick. For main, I had the rib eye steak cooked medium rare, which comes with side salad and chips. I replaced my chips with the truffled chips with parmesan and rosemary, and I also ordered a peppercorn sauce for my steak. The dish (like any other dishes ordered at the restaurant) comes on heavy, wooden platter that serves as plates. While it is novel, they take up a lot of room and made the meal for 8 rather cosy despite the big table. Because the platters are flat, sauces cannot be poured over the food so my peppercorn sauce had to be used as a dip. The steak was cooked to perfection, although the chips with extra goodies were lacking imagination, as though the sous chef had forgotten to prep the dish and went for a last minute sprinkle of parmesan, rosemary and truffle oil over a small cauldron of chips. For dessert, I had the chili chocolate martini which came in a decorated martini class and had the consistency of a chocolate milkshake, with a slight hint of chili that was rather nice. With 3 courses and about half a bottle of wine for each diner, the bill came to roughly £40 a head which is good value given the amount of food we had at such a central location as the heart of the City of London. The service was quite clumsy, though, with at least 3 occassions where the waiting staff had knocked over or dropped items near our table, with small collateral damage suffered by my boss's shiny black shoes at some point. (I wonder if that had impacted the price of our meal?) The quality of ingredients is commendable and presentation appealing, but the dishes themselves were mediocre. I would recommend it for large group as it had great atmosphere and good lighting, especially throughout the rest of the venue which had tall tables and booths chairs. read more

Came here for a christmas party last week. Pretty large venue which was good as there were hundreds(?) of us; the food was good, and beers and cocktails plentiful and generally I had a pretty good time! Will come back for lunch on a 'normal' day. read more

My former manager from my former employer was visiting London, so I took her out to lunch near my current workplace. I chose Anthologist, because it looked reasonably fancy and the menu seemed balanced for any taste as well; my guess turned out to be right. I ordered the crab and crayfish linguini, and it hit the spot. There was plenty of crab and crayfish to make the meal fulfilling, and the pasta was done just right as well. My former manager got fish and chips, and she said hers was good as well. On a different note, the ambience was both cute and sophisticated, making it appropriate for a reasonably important lunch meet-ups. Last but not least, I thought the service was acceptable with the waitress coming to ask if we needed anything else at least twice throughout our meal. Overall, I highly recommend the place for nice lunches and/or lunch meetings near Bank and Moorgate. read more

A crazy crowded bar full of local bankers and businessmen. Great drinks, from a selection of wines to cocktails. It is not a place to go for a date as it's too loud and you'll be waiting at the bar for a while to grab your drinks. But if you want a lively place, full of interesting people, then this is the place to go. If you reserve a place to stand or sit, then it's a much better option, as a waitress will come to serve you there. Otherwise it is a tad impossible and I'd suggest grabbing a few drinks at a time. It's a decent place for breakfast or lunch, though not the cheapest or best in town. Still, it's a fun place to go with a group to hang out for a drink after work. read more

I've only ever been to the Anthologist for work drinks on a Thursday or Friday evening. On these nights it's packed with city suits so unfortunately turns into just another soul-less watering hole. If you're planning drinks for a Weds-Fri night it's imperative to reserve an area in advance, and note that the areas are often on the small side in comparison to the group size. We've previously been given an area for 40 people (the agreed number) that was only suitable for 20 max. I won't deliberately avoid The Anthologist, but it's not a favourite either. read more

Had the smoked salmon & scrambled eggs for breakfast. The salmon was okay but the eggs were a bit gross - they were a bit grey and somehow there were whole dense chunks that were fully cooked (like pieces of a frittata) mixed with some runny egg...the photo says it all. To make things worse, I found a few bits of ham in there...probably accidentally transferred from a previous dish they were making. The dish also came with some toasted plain white bread...given the price point and appearance of this place, I would have expected something better, or at least a choice of something a little healthier and less artificial. In sum, the dish looked and tasted like it could have been served at some second-rate diner. The two stars are for the flat white, which was actually good - nice flavour, not bitter, and the perfect temperature. Service was underwhelming - no one ever checked on us, our water was never refilled, and it took us a while to track down someone for the bill. read more

The Anthologist - New American Near Me - London, XGL

Lovely atmosphere, a bit too noisy great cocktails

Hardly worth the money or wait. So full of themselves. Asked what was good, no knowledge of the menu, no smile when serving. All on top of waiting 20 minutes before we even were asked for our drinks. 10 minutes later to get said drinks and they were wrong. Will NOT come back. Terrible experience. read more

The servings are large and full of flavour. You will surely satisfy your craving. I love the place, the service, and most especially the foods. Really top notch and greatly recommended read more

Typical City after-work-drinks style place. Soulless, but looks pretty, way too busy and loud for my liking (in the afternoon/early evening at least)... read more

Nice venue, excellent food and drinks, busy at anytime, really cool afterworks and charming staff! Like! read more

I love this place! Aside from the great location (and the fact that it's literally down the street from my gym), I love the atmosphere. This place, like many in the Bank area, is raining men. The service is top notch and the drink selection is quite good. Also, the cocktails are really nice, although if you're a woman at the bar ordering a cocktail, be prepared for the dirty look from the male clients, as they hate nothing more than a bartender taking 20 minutes to make the perfect cocktail. I haven't eaten here but a good friend of mine has advised me that the food is good, especially for breakfast. Sometimes the wait time can be long (once I waited almost a half hour at the bar) and the prices are not cheap, you're paying for the location and the ambiance. I know I'll absolutely come here again. read more

We went on a Friday and it was an R&B night. I'm not the biggest fan but the DJ didn't seem to have the crowd's attention and there were a couple screw-ups through-out the night. There's nothing that stood out for me about this place and I didn't understand the massive line to get in. The only bright spot here was that the drinks were reasonably priced. read more

I love this place. It's whimsical and modern and upbeat yet not too fast-paced. The cocktails list is lengthy, delicious and affordable. The food contains lots of modern classics but also the type of delectable finger foods you sometimes have to have when you're out drinking during the early evening (try the chips trio and then try not destroying friendships to get your share). This may be my new "oldie but goldie" after work drink spot. read more

had dinner here in the back of the pub the atmoshpere is really great with all the hanging small lights good food also for a decent price - we had fajitas and a great slice of caramello cheese cake read more