Mayfair can become grand very quickly. Embassies, private clubs, discreet fortunes, and immaculate townhouses fill the neighborhood, along with some of the most polished and affected people on earth. During a work assignment in London, I spent my days inside that world and many evenings at The Footman, the pub that defined the chapter. Its name always felt perfect: the working figure moving through the machinery of wealth, then finally stopping somewhere warm for a pint. What I still love most about London is the seriousness of pub culture. Someone would have a beer with you on almost any night of the week, including Monday, and The Footman became our regular place near the office. We occasionally drifted over to The Punch Bowl, then co-owned by Guy Ritchie and naturally a little flashier, but The Footman felt more functional, local, and authentically ours. It never needed celebrity ownership or manufactured exclusivity to feel important. Outside, especially during the colder months, groups gathered with large beers while the evening air sharpened around us. For a few hours, titles and career trajectories lost their importance, and we became ambitious young friends from different countries learning about one another. The London office felt far more internationally varied than the professional environments I knew in New York, where even diverse groups often shared the same universities, neighborhoods, and assumptions. Those conversations gave the assignment much of its richness, and The Footman created the conditions for them without forcing anything. Inside, dark wood, worn leather, generous windows, fresh flowers, and highly capable bartenders give the pub real warmth. The red brick exterior and black awnings suit Mayfair perfectly, while the room feels cared for rather than polished into lifelessness. I remember the pints far more clearly than the food, although I probably ordered chips at some point to steady the evening. This was a proper working pub, but never a gloomy or neglected one. Relative to its surroundings, The Footman also performs an important civic function. Mayfair has no shortage of members-only rooms and venues where a drink can become a declaration of wealth, while this pub asks only that you arrive, order something, find your people, and talk. It operates like a town square where colleagues, locals, and visitors can exchange ideas without having to purchase status. No fund performance, promotion, family name, or club membership can buy a more convincing version of belonging than that. Historically, the running footman handled errands and messages for wealthy households, which gives the name a social meaning that I have always loved. I spent years running around cities doing things for powerful people, and I later returned to London to run the marathon for a charity supporting children in Africa. I will always be a footman rather than a blue-blood aristocrat, and I am proud of that designation. The role suggests movement, usefulness, endurance, and proximity to power without confusing proximity with ownership. Years later, I still think of this place whenever I remember that extraordinary London chapter. The Footman absorbed the triumphs and disasters of the workday without letting either define the people standing at the bar. It gave working people a handsome, fairly priced place to take the edge off and become human again after a demanding day. The Footman was my local in London, and I remain deeply grateful that a pub this real continues to thrive in one of the most moneyed neighborhoods in the world. read more

This pub was just around the corner from our hotel what an absolute great experience they have such excellent food coming from a corner pub. My husband had the aged beef burger, and I had the Sunday Roast, we also had the wedged salad. The price was amazing as was the staff. We just stopped in and they were able to accommodate us. read more

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We simply loved the upstairs of the footman! We went as soon as we got off the Eurostar, and before we checked into our hotel. Our server was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and nice. The restaurant has a pub sort of feel downstairs, but upstairs was more like a small intimate restaurant. And the food was Incredible! We had the fish and chips which were large enough to share. We ordered scallops for an appetizer, and they were extremely delicious! The broccolini was delicious. We ordered two of those. I highly recommend this place and would return next time I'm in Mayfair. read more

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Upstairs at the Footman is an upscale restaurant in a pub setting. The food was a level or two above your average bar grub. The atmosphere was also pub like but another level above. Our delicious dinner included red pepper and sweet potato soup, beetroot and endive salad, duck confit and pistachio terrine, cider-battered sole, malt glazed chicken, and cod supreme with lobster. Does that sound or look like your typical pub meal? It was delicious! And service was spot on! read more

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Great food. Upper dining room Roasted scallops, curried cauliflower pure, almonds, capers - delicious Beer battered cod, minted peas, tartare salad, curry sauce, triple cooked chips - excellent Footman game pie, mash potato, smoked bacon jam, Jerusalem artichoke - flavorful, delicious read more

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Delicious food and great service! Definitely a must when visiting this side of London! Typical ambiance for an English pub with a bit of class! read more

Great food and the staff is super friendly and helpful. The fish and chips was perhaps the best I've ever had...

Phenomenal. My mother and I stumbled upon the footman while walking through the area mid January. The ambience was exquisite, full of friendly faces and interior decor that would make a Restoration Hardware catalogue swoon. We had a wonderfully attentive and funny waiter (so important!). Splitting a bottle of wine was the perfect choice to their extensive, seasonal menu. We are both pescatarian (no red meat or poultry, truly), and there were SO many options. The manager was amazing to meet and talk to as well. If we didn't live in California, I'm sure we would be regulars. So warm, so inviting, so delicious. GO here, trust me! read more

The Footman - Can't wait to come back! - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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The BEST fish and chips! I've tried fish and chips at so many places in London but this place was a HIT! The service was also great. While we were there they had a little issue with their soft drinks but I let our waiter know immediately and he fixed the issue (with a smile of course). Everyone was very attentive and seemed like they really enjoyed their job which made my experience even better. read more

This place has THE best fish and chips! I thought I had found my favorite fish and chip place long ago in Ventura County in California, but I was wrong. The batter is so tasty and the chips are incredible! Now I know why England is known for their fish and chips! read more

On a recent trip to London, my friend and I were looking for a casual night out with some good pub food. The concierge of our hotel came to our rescue with The Only Running Footman as a recommendation so we set off to walk the 10 blocks or so to Mayfair to check this place out. Located in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, the Only Running Footman was a treat indeed. First of all, the place was packed as there were football playoffs on at the time and the locals were all rooting for their second choice favorite since their local team had already gone down in defeat. We opted to sit in the more casual pub area although there is a "fancier" restaurant upstairs as is often the case with pubs in London/ We scored a great seat by the window letting us look out on the street and perused the menu. There were several specials of the night but we opted for the fish and chips (yeah- I know- how touristy of us) and the stew. That and a couple of pints and we were extremely happy with our choices as the food was good and the beer cold. We ended up talking to a couple of the people next to us who actually worked at another place owned by the same people and they proceeded to close down the place with us. Friendly staff, good service and food that scored almost as many points as the Italians did that night! Next time I'm in London, I'll definitely stop back in. read more

This gastropub is a 10 minute walk from the Sheraton Park Lane and is probably the closest decent food to the hotel. We went for brunch on a Sunday (served until noon I think) and liked it enough that we went back again during the week for breakfast, same menu. The food was quite good, showing how far pub fare has come in the last few years since I was last in London. There is a nice dining seating area so it's more of a restaurant with a bar attached than a pub. We sat at a table by the open window and enjoyed the breeze. We had the french toast, which was fine but unremarkable (note that it's served with jam and creme fraiche rather than syrup, and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs, which were very good. Service was good, though the waiter was a bit absentminded and kept forgetting things. The second time we went back, the waitress was efficient but a bit cold. Not enough to affect our meal though. They serve a daily menu for lunch and dinner. It was not crowded at all when we went but when I passed by in the late afternoon it was absolutely packed with an afterwork crowd quaffing ale. read more

It is surprisingly difficult for a tourist to find good English food in London. To this end, I definitely recommend the Footman. I went on a Wednesday evening, and the place was packed with business men and women looking for an after-work drink. It was loud and slightly difficult tot get a table. The waiter was very nice, but misunderstood my drink order and gave me Italian beer rather than vodka. When I did get a vodka with orange soda, it was in fact vodka with orange juice and seltzer. We both had the fish & chips, which was served with smashed peas. It was wonderful! The "tartar" sauce was more of a creamy onion sauce and the peas weren't the sweet peas that I am used to, but I loved them both. Two thumbs up for food, middle of the road on the other fronts. read more

The Footman - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

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After asking around I was convinced by the consierge of my hotel to try their fish and chips. Absolutely delicious and paired with great service provided by Cristina. We will be back and thank you. read more

Mayfair is a bit of a too-tidy wasteland when it comes to pubs, but TORF seems to keep busy by keeping the pretense low, the drinks flowing, and the menu not too far removed from its Brit pub roots. Highs: - surprisingly good (as in quality + inexpensive) wine list for an after-work shared bottle or dinner; - venison pie very nice; - fish and chips respectably good and -- especially for Mayfair -- authentic without killing you in oil; - If you're the sort to grab a beer and stand around and drink, there's typically an after-work crowd spilling out from the bar onto the sidewalk, drinks in hand, chatting and laughing so long as it's not raining too much The beer menu is limited, so if you're looking for a 40-ales-of-the-Isles pub, TORF is not for you. If you're in Mayfair for business, or staying in a nearby hotel, highly recommended. read more

IF you happen to be an American homesick for a great burger, you can find it at the Only Running Footman. If you, more likely, are not an American homesick for a great burger, but do still want a good Mayfair pub, you can find it here as well. My friend (who is an American living in London) brought us here while I was visiting a few weeks ago. The menu is a great blend of typical pub fare and more upscale and unique options: there is something for everyone. Immediately upon sitting down, my friend declared that she wanted the "excellent" burger, but if you want to try something different, be sure to have a glance at the chalkboard on the wall - that is where they write the specials. In all, it was a delicious and fun meal, and I can see how this place would be great for everything from a drink with coworkers to an evening out with friends. read more

It was busy at the pub which clearly meant it was a popular place to eat/drink. If you're coming here for dinner, I highly suggest making a reservation which is pretty easy using Yelp! The food was good, but not as good to rave about. I had the lasagna which was tasty and filling but pretty standard. read more

This is a good pub as pubs go. Excellent service and a really kind waitstaff. Great chicken sandwich and my boyfriend had fish and chips. Both were excellent! Love the atmosphere too and as a bonus, ran into John Malkovich out front. Cool! read more

Well, on the last day of the Jubilee weekend, we were out and about with some visiting friends, and I decided we should go have dinner at a place I'd been wanting to try. So we went to Green Park, walked to the restaurant, to find that it was closed. Alas, no Burger and Lobster for me this time. However, The Only Running Footman was just around the corner, and thanks to the high Yelp rating, we dashed over here in the rain to have a few drinks and dinner. It's a gastropub, so it's trying to be a bit posher than your standard pub food. So, we all started with the foie gras and liver pate. It was delicious! I had the burger, and while it was a tasty burger, it wasn't anything special. The person who got the fish and chips raved about it (so much she ate it all without sharing). The person getting the pie said it was quite good. We also got dessert. I had the rhubarb crumble and it was fantastic. The cheese plate looked nice. The pavlova looked like the meringue was store bought (unfortunately). But the berries looked nice. There was a decent selection of ales (Green King IPA, Young's Bitter, and Bombadier) so things on that front were nice. If I were in the area, and we felt the need for a bit of gastropubbing, this would probably be the place we'd go! read more

I came here last week for dinner while visiting a friend in London and have been craving the meal I had ever since. Most of the menu looks like standard pub food, but they had interesting specials posted on the wall. I got the poached smoked haddock special with colcannon mashed potatoes, a poached egg, and hollandaise. Oh my...it was good. One of my friends got the rump steak, which looked a little boring but she said it was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. My other friend got the burger, which looked phenomenal. The service was very nice and the prices were reasonable. I hope to come back next time I'm in London! read more

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I always make it a point to hit this gem of a pub when I'm in London, and bring my colleagues along. I can't say enough good things about their fish and chips - especially on a cold day! Beer selection is a bit limited but I always find something I like. The last time I was in, an apparent keep favorite "John" was hanging out. John was VERY drunk for 6pm and didn't quite get the hint that I didn't have any desire to talk to him. Despite the obvious signs the keeps kept defending him saying "Oh, you don't know John, John's a great man"...if he was so damn great he'd leave me the hell alone! Stop in for some fish and chips, and be weary of John - don't say I didn't warn you! read more

It was the day of the big presentation. My reason for coming half way around the world to my new favorite European city (changing by the month these days). And I rocked it. In fact, everyone involved with the conference rocked it. It was time to celebrate. I was hoping I'd get a proper pub experience while here, and while celebrating with the team, oh did I get it. Shortly after going up to the bar I made a new friend. Drinking since getting off work and quickly picking up on my American accent, we got right into it: - He and 25 of his friends, ah, make that mates are going to a stag (bachelor party in our version of English) in Las Vegas next year. He wanted some advice. My advice to Las Vegas: you have no idea what's coming. - He accused me of drinking water. After convincing him it was a gin & tonic, we were best mates. - He then accused me of bringing "like" and "totally" across the pond. I absolutely did not, and of course slipped in a "like" while defending myself. Fail. - We were back to best mates after another round. Some other pub character almost spilled a drink on me while waiting for my beverage. See proper experience, wanted, above. Thank you. - We ended the conversation bonding over Armin Van Buuren (he had just seen him, mind was blown) and sharing my jealousy he was seeing Above & Beyond in a few weeks. I think my music passion finally won him over for good. I can talk dance music with the best of them. So I got my proper pub experience: A celebration. A new mate. A drink almost spilled. A vibe that is uniquely London. To my new friend: I'll be back for that third round soon. read more

Excellent sunday roast with the biggest Yorkshire pudding! Nice small pub atmosphere and good service. Would recommend this place

Thanks Yelp, another great find in London. We made reservation with TopTable only to find that it was for the ritzier upstairs. No worries, they let us sit in the more casual pub down stairs by the bar. Awesome service, very un-pub like in that way. Three of us shared the fish and chips. We loved the fish and the mushy peas, chips were average. But then on a whim we shared one order of their sticky toffee pudding! One was not enough, it was the best I ever had. Many puddings are way to sweet to eat more than a bite. This sticky pudding was perfectly addictive. I would return for this alone! read more

Set on a quiet corner in Mayfair (and thus frequented by hedge funders and the like), The Only Running Footman used to be a classic, dark lost-in-time boozer, complete with tatty red carpeting and the smell of old beer. It's since been restored and now operates as a smooth and classy gastropub plus event space plus cookery school. The food has gotten good reviews - you can eat in the ground-floor bar or upstairs in the stylish dining room - and while I haven't had a chance to have a meal here, having a drink in the bar is a much more comfortable affair than in the past. It can get horribly crowded and noisy, but the room feels considerably brighter and less stuffy (wish I could say the same for the clientele). In the summer, it's also nice to relish a pint curbside. read more

The Footman - www.themeredithgroup.co.uk - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

We got the shareable appetizer plate/meat board. It was huge and could have prob been our meal. Followed up with an order of "fish & chips" each. We should have only ordered 1 to split after that board. Food was good. Service was attentive but not the friendliest read more

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Wow....if you come here....do yourself a favor and order 2 things....the creamed spinach and the foie gras (pate). OMG. Both are heavenly. Who woulda thunk, in the middle of Mayfair? Yum!! The staff is super sweet also. Fab!!! read more

What an interesting find this place was. We popped in here for lunch and had a sandwich and a chicken pie. The pastry on the pie was deliciously flaky but I have a pet peeve about pies that have no bottom crust. This one did not and it needed it! The gravy inside was really flavorful though and the chicken had a tenderness to it that was nice. Steak sandwich was good but nothing special. The nice addition was the fries (not chips, i.e. thin fries!) which were super crispy. Wouldn't go back for the food but they do pour a fine Guinness which I would certainly return for and their real ale selection was also noteworthy. read more

Found this pub as we were roaming the streets of London looking for a pint. This place looked poppin' so we decided to drop in. The pub was crowded with young people just getting off work and still in their work clothes. As the evening went on, the pub got more and more crowded where folks were drinking outside in the winter cold. We decided to do dinner there and I ordered the fish and chips with mushy peas while my husband got the pheasant. Fish and chips were so good. Batter was light and crispy, fish was juicy. Pheasant was overcooked and dry. Service was pretty much nonexistent and if you wanted to order anything you really had to wave someone down. Overall, fun place to hang out. read more

The Footman - fish and chips w/mushy peas - Pubs Near Me - London, XGL

We are in the upstairs dining room. We started with the oysters... Delicious. For main courses my wife ordered the beet ravioli and I ordered the seafood linguini. Really nice overall. Zero disappointments. If in London you should try this place out for sure. Sticky toffee pudding with ice cream? Oh my Jebus. read more

This is nice gastropub tucked in Mayfair and they do a pretty good Sunday Roast. We sat on the second floor (or first floor in British terms) and had the floor to ourselves on a Sunday evening. It was nice as we brought our two young kids who had an absolute mess and were a little noisy! The staff didn't mind and were very accommodating to our messy girls. I enjoyed the roast, although thought the potatoes could've been a big more crispy, but otherwise a good meal. read more

Good selection of ales for a pub that is essentially a restaurant. Good traditional fayre, friendly service nice atmosphere. read more

This pub was recommended by the concierge at our hotel and a taxi driver and we were not disappointed. We went for a late lunch on a rainy day and when we walked in the door the staff could not have been more welcoming. Our waitress was super friendly (young woman from Budapest), I had fish and chips, my husband had the special of the day and we both were happy with the quality and the quantity of the food. It was a nice mix of locals and tourists. Our lunch with one glass of wine came to $85US, which was pretty standard for our lunches in London. I would definitely recommend. read more

In short this was a nice place with nice food almost ruined by one shit waitress. We went on a le cool walking tour and I'd already read about this place and was excited to try it out. The pub is quite upscale almost to the point where it's a restaurant with a bar on the side. They had a small television and even changed the channel for me so I could watch some rugby. Couldn't flag down a waitress so went up to the bar to order and immediately didn't care for the waitress. She had an elongated sigh that lasted the entirety of me ordering but I thought hey, everyone has an off day. Just when the food was arriving I was away from the table and came back to find that the venison pie I ordered was actually chicken. I called the same waitress over and asked if this was venison and she told me it was. I said it doesn't look like venison and she picked up the plate and walked away without saying anything. A few minutes later the manager came over and said sorry they're out of venison and the waitress should have said so I told him chicken was fine. They brought the plate back out which was now a cold pie and mash. He gave us a free drink, or rather he gave another drink and we left without paying for it. Overall this place is too pricey to be a gastropub and too uptight to be decent enough for a few drinks. A shame as it was nice and they had some good menu options. Just not in stock. read more

Good prices good food, though it does get busy by 12:30. Pro-tip, book a reservation online and then you can be sure to get a table for lunch. read more

Compared with the other offerings in this super touristy, super hotel chain area, this place is satisfactory. However, based on the prior reviews, my dining companion and I were expecting a better meal. For example, my friend's savory pie was composed of a not-well-baked top crust and a super runny interior. The amusing part of our dining experience was that we seemed to have infiltrated the secret meeting of the league of extraordinarily douchey gentlemen, where the preferred uniform of choice was pink shirts, cardigans around shoulders and/or navy blazers accessorized with fake tans and perfectly coiffed hair. I can't guarantee that your dining experience will involve such an amusing crowd, but my friend and I were pleasantly entertained. read more

We stopped into this pub at the suggestion of the concierge at our hotel. We were extremely pleased we did! TORF is more of a gastropub with great food and the room itself was bright and cheery - the pints were great too... We sat down to order a late lunch and I had one of the best plates of fish and chips I've ever had. My wife also loved her food and we were both very impressed with the place. There was a good mix of people there from the suit and tie crowd winding down their day to the casual visitors/tourists dropping in. I made a point to eat there again on our trip and would highly recommend it to anyone. read more

We started our day in London traveling here and about mid afternoon headed out to The Only Running Foot Man Pub and ordered the best fish and chips I've ever had. It was actually the couple we met in Paris that highly recommended it. Wow, can I tell you...it was so good! I mean I have had fish and chips before, but this...this was the best I've ever had! Oddly, it tasted really light, and crispy. It was really good. I got the Turkey dinner but ended up eating half of Matt's s fish and chips, soooo good, mm mm mm... read more

Came here my first night in London and according to everything I read this was a good choice for a gastro pub in the mayfair area. It was good- I had the fried fish and my boyfriend had the burger. Both dishes hit the gastro spot. We came a little late (surprised that they only serve food until 10pm) so we didn't get to enjoy the food and the atmosphere as much as we would have liked. If you go I would say 8pm is a really ideal time to get a meal there and then hang out and drink. This pub introduced me to Steffe beer which I have now come to really love! Cheers! read more

I have only had beer here. The selection I felt was limited and the service is not that great. I have been here twice and pretty much the same feeling both times. In a very quiet section of Mayfair, but always a large crowd. read more