kettners and I am whisked to an age of extravagance a long time ago. A scene where Oscar Wilde is telling one of his funny anecdotes with a probable motley crew of fellow eccentric artists or laggards. Anyhow, the plush environment sets the scene and I always wonder if I should be wearing attire appropriate for the rooms. There r few places in London which can concoct these feelings of the past in such measures. The food is secondary when u have this type of ambience. Soup was fresh and the beef borboignone was a little to sweet and dry for me. However this is a place were u can only have fun. The cocktails and wine were delicious and I was upset to be leaving again. read more

Classy, arty bar just off Shaftesbury avenue, Kettners is a cut above. Armed with a voucher for a free glass of champagne and a slice of quiche, me and a couple of friends marched down, determined to get our free stuff and leave. Five hours later, and four bottles of wine the drunker, we stumbled out not quite sure what had happened but sure that we'd had a good time. The early free stuff was quickly replaced by later expensive stuff, and nobody could quite remember why, apart from the desire for a debauched night. Inside it's like an old colonial bar. Mix and match regency chairs and Parisian benches are matched with chandeliers and marble. The service is excellent, and the wines not too dear (we got a lovely Bordeaux for £22 a bottle). They also do delicious quiches and champagne. That is, if I remember correctly . . . read more

there are so many other places to eat around this area that Kettners just pales in comparison. Slow service and feeling ignored most of the time. the food was unexciting other than the tart for dessert. To read the complete review, please go to http://chopstix2steaknives.blogspot.com/2010/08/kettner-restaurant-champagne-bar.html read more

Kettner's originally opened in 1867 by August Kettner, who was rumored chef to Napoleon 111. It was one of the first French restaurants in London. It's also said that King Edward VII courted his mistress, actress Lillie Langtry here. There's a beautiful piano bar and champagne bar when you first enter kettner's. It's a french menu that uses locally sourced ingredients for the dishes. There's not much to say about this place besides the fact that it's absolutely amazing and beautiful. What makes your stay even that much better, is the customer service and the willingness of the staff to go above and beyond for their customers. It was my first time here and it definitely won't be my last. Although I'm not quite sure if a Soho House membership is required, I encourage anyone to stay here. It's in the heart of the cutest town in London, with AMAZING restaurants all around. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!!! read more

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If you're looking for a post-work wine fest or fancy some bubbles this is the place. Don't let the fact that it's owned by Pizza Express (there's a pizzeria inside) put you off it's actually a stylish alternative to the All Bar One fraternity, with a champagne bar full of old leather chairs & sofas, giant ceiling fans (very White Mischief) and a satisfyingly long bar. There's also a more modern piano bar across the hall. Perfect for groups at any time although can get very crowded between 6-8pm so those looking for something à deux try later on. Top tip: they give you a free dish of almonds with your drinks, which they'll refill if you ask perfect for keeping hunger pangs at bay. They also serve a mean Kir Royale. read more

Kettner's has to be one of my absolute favourite restaurants in London. I adore the atmosphere; it's upmarket enough to feel like a real treat but the staff are very friendly and the prices incredibly reasonable. Though it's run by Pizza Express the menu is varied and all the non-pizza dishes I've tried have been fantastic. I'd particularly recommend the scallop starter and the burgers. read more

Nice decor, especially highlighted on their site. All very 30s style, and the name in lights outside in a sophisticated moulin rouge-esque way was lovely. However, inside food was fancy without being great: A tarte that was made of some sort of crispy biscuit looked the part but didn't taste it, and Cocktails that sounded lovely but were fruity wines rather than cocktails. A nice enough meal from their spring set met but the staff that kept walking into my chair and the very 'whup banter' crowd let it down. read more

Kettner's - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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My kettners experience was so terrible that I signed up to yelp just to give it a bad review. The only thing worse than the wine was the service. I've never come across ruder waiters in my life. The food was ok and would have been good value if it was a third of the price. read more

One of Soho best restaurants :) We tend to go there everytime we are celenrating something or one needs cheering up and it never fails... Someone playing the piano while you have a good meal is lovely. Waiters are so attentive and ambience is great - Extremely organized and willing to satisfy your every wish. My partner asked them to write something on my desert and there was no objections! read more

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Stayed with them for six nights and found food and service hit or miss. Accommodations are small but lovely. I had a beef filet one eve at bar that was tough and over-cooked. They lost my laundry and dry cleaning; was massively delayed forcing me to wear dirty clothes one day. There were other instances when Townhouse staff did not know what was going on with restaurants and what they were serving at various times of the day. I would give them more time to try and fix the details before rushing to stay. Nothing offered to compensate me for the various experiences. Kristina was lovely and tried to address my concerns but overall they have some work to do as a team. read more

As someone who loves and lives for all things bubbly, how did I not know about this place??? A friend and I stumbled across Kettner's while looking for a place to have a quiet drink on a Saturday night. Having passed by Thirst, Cafe Boheme, Bar Soho and were seriously considering Pizza Express (well, Pizza Express was never really in the consideration set to be honest), we turned the corner and saw this immaculate restaurant. We walked around and discovered Kettner's champagne bar attached to the restaurant - a cozy, intimate lounge with low lighting and lots of seating. And enough champagne to set a girl's heart a-flutter. We ordered a round of rose which was delivered in classic wide-mouthed glasses, and our tab was held with a playing card (ace of hearts - love it). I'm definitely a fan and will go back to try the restaurant next. read more

Kettners claims to be a nice establishment that serves good Champagne. They do indeed have a good champagne list, but they are not at all a nice establishment. In fact, they are downright thuggish. My husband and I and another couple planned to go for some champagne. My husband had to run a quick errand beforehand, so the other couple and I went ahead to get a table and order. When we arrived, the door staff was downright patronizing in the way they asked about "how are the ladies?" The bouncer demanded my ID and also the ID of the other woman, but not of her male partner. They looked us up and down in a very leering and creepy way, not a way that felt like standard door security. I'm 35 years old. It was sexist, demeaning, and inappropriate treatment. Still, we went in and ordered a bottle of Champagne because our friend really likes Kettners and wanted to show it to us. Bad idea. Soon, my husband arrived and Kettners' full thuggishness came on display. The bouncer asked him several times why he was here. He explained that he was meeting his wife and friends, who already had a table. The bouncer said OK, but then as he walked in to meet us, he grabbed my husband's arm and tried to throw him to the floor. He then pulled our friend aside and started interrogating him, saying he didn't believe my husband was part of our group, despite all three of us saying that he was. He rudely asked how long our friend had known my husband (which is none of his business, but eight years - which he said he didn't believe, for some incomprehensible reason). Any establishment that treats customers this way is not a good establishment. I don't care how good their Champagne list may be (and frankly there are plenty of places in Soho with excellent drink lists that do not behave this way). There is no good reason for this thuggish, ridiculous behavior. read more

I went to Kettner's last night with a few friends. The atmosphere is really fun- and would not have expected such a nice place in the middle of what I generally call the "trashy danger zone" on Saturday nights. Kettner's is HUGE. We were in the Brasserie, though I did go into the Champagne Bar at one point to find someone to retrieve my coat. They also have many many private dining rooms upstairs. The decor is light and airy, with many gilded mirrors and candles. The white baby grand piano with a guy actually playing it is a nice touch. We had a bit of a wait while our fourth arrived, but were not rushed to order. I had a starter of Irish oysters, which was fantastic, not that oysters are hard to mess up once you shuck them. Still, they were really nice. Also at our table someone had the cold cucumber soup (and enjoyed it) and the mussels (also enjoyed). I had the duck confit for main and it was perfect. Others had the really really tasty looking pork belly, and beef bourguignon. Dessert was also very good - I had a dark chocolate and raspberry tart that was a perfect way to end the meal. The wait staff were helpful and attentive, bit at the table and the bar. Overall a very pleasant experience, although a bit on the pricey side. read more

I met up with some old friends at the weekend, and Kettners was our restaurant of choice. I booked it the previous week, and on the day before they called me just to confirm the reservation - they even said they were looking forward to seeing us! When we arrived the staff couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. We were seated straight away, and I was pleased to see that the restaurant wasn't cramped at all. The atmosphere was lively, with plenty of waiting staff to look after everybody. The service was unhurried, with no sense that we were on a schedule. The food choices were extensive and it was a tough choice (I opted for the pea and mint soup followed by beef bourgignon). We chatted our way through the meal, taking ages to read the menu and make our choices, but at no time did we feel rushed. In the end we were there for nearly three hours, and for every second of it we were treated really well by the staff, even though I'm sure they must have been willing us to hurry up! When the bill came, it worked out at roughly £40 each, but with a TasteCard discount that price came down to £28 each, which is a real bargain. I don't think I could recommend Kettners more highly. I'll definitely be going back there again soon. read more

The wine list was good and I would recommend to try sea bass. However, there's one problem of a receptionist who can't always get it right when it comes to table booking. Other than that, it was good for a friendly evening but not a quiet one. read more

I've ended up in Kettner's three times in the last year or so for drinks - it's not somewhere I'd usually choose to go, but it's not to say I don't like it. It's a funny place with quite a bit of history having been around since the 1860s and the place revels in telling you all the big names who've been in and out in that time (notably Edward VII). I don't really care much about the 'class' of a place, but I feel that whilst the place likes to present itself as oozing class there's something a little stilted about it. On the other hand, who am I to say considering I've never turned up wearing anything smarter than a t-shirt, so I suppose I'm one of them bringing the entire place down with me. Or something. Anyway. It's predominantly a champagne bar carrying stock from 23 'large' producers (the Perignons, Drappiers, and Taittingers of this world) as well as a decent selection from smaller ones. It's champagne. At a bar. In London. Bring plenty of £50 notes with you if you decide to go down that route. Needless to say, I have not, but I found their cocktails to be pretty decent, if not wholly memorable - I first went on the infamous 2013 Christmas Cocktail crawl in the middle of their Christmas cocktail season (expect cloves, cinnamon, and ginger). At around £9 each the cockatils aren't particularly cheap but I've had worse from more expensive places. Last time I went I totally forgot to RTFM (menu) whilst ordering whisky and ended up spending over £20 on a Lagavulin double (50 ml). My fault kind of, but I was totally stunned that they'd charge that much for a whisky which costs a shade under £50 a bottle in Waitrose. Considering that somewhere like Nightjar charges about half of that price for a comparable drink, I can't help but laugh. In any case, it's a decent place to spend an hour for a drink or two although I wouldn't make a night of it there. It's pretty spacious so it's a decent place to go on the fly on a weekday, although I'm not sure what it's like at the weekends. Just stay away from the spirits. read more

Went with work friends based on reviews here and was grossly disappointed. The place looks nice and the live piano music was great, but the food and drinks were only barely acceptable. My colleagues both sent back their barely cooked chips, my other colleague's pork was completely over cooked and my mash was cold. Would say maybe come for a drink at the bar for the atmosphere but for anything else, go elsewhere. There are so many way better places around. read more

Went here with Mum and Dad last night, and not only have they extended Tastecard so it can be used on the weekend but they've removed the menu restrictions so you can now get all food half price. The service was brilliant, attentive but not too much. The food was outstanding. Started with lobster Mac and cheese then had steak then the Oreo cheesecake. It was all very, very nice. My parents loved their meals too. Will be back, very soon. read more

I loved this place, which apparently hosts more European and American tourists than locals. I don't care. The service was great, the champagne choices were lovely, and I look great drinking champagne in London's West End. read more

We came here for drinks. The coctails and the champagne were great, the ambiance great. On the expensive side for what I consider to be appropriate but certainly a nice atmosphere for a drink or two. read more

Like everywhere else in London, Kettner's is a place of history. Apparently some king would take his mistresses there; something of that sort. I was in London on business and my company held a two-day meeting there, so I became very familiar with the place. Along with the restaurant and bar downstairs they have banquet and event rooms upstairs. The room we had our meeting room was very nice, open and had a lot of light coming through the numerous windows. They provided coffee, tea, and cookies as well as a lunch buffet of traditional English food. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food along with the beverages served during the day and at night. We also had a 3 course dinner there after our meeting. The food was amazing, i highly recommend this place for events or for just a night out. Enjoy! read more

Yummy bubbles and small bites makes this a great spot to hang out at after a long day of walking and shopping. Hubby and I found this place after a day of shopping for Xmas gifts, always stressful and had a couple glasses of champagne as well as mulled wine to relax and enjoy the night. Yes pricey but so worth it as it is a beautiful space as well as attentive service. read more

there are so many other places to eat around this area that Kettners just pales in comparison. Slow service and feeling ignored most of the time. the food was unexciting other than the tart for dessert. read more

This is a VERY posh place and really not all about Italian food and pizza and burgers - in fact, I am really surprised to find that it's run by pizza express. I had salmon and it was fantastic. Great atmosphere, I particularly liked the pianist which was a great touch! My favourite thing about this place was that when I visited, I'd been walking round London all day in the rain and was wearing flip flops, and with it being posh I was worried we'd get looked down on but this was not the case at all - in fact, I would say quite the opposite. read more

can't tell if i loved this place because of the food, atmosphere or the great people i was with, but nonetheless - this place is getting four stars from me. it's a bit loud, but the scene is very posh and trendy. i like. i had the strawberry champagne and st. germaine champagne for drinks - both so good. the risotto was decent - nothing extraordinary, but still acknowledge-able. i had a blast here and i'll come here again just because i know i'll have great memories of this place. read more

Stepping into Kettner's is a bit like stepping into a bygone era! There was a piano player tinkling away on a white grand piano, our waiter was wearing a bow tie, and the powder room (!) has a chandelier. Our waiter was at our table very promptly, and very happy to get us a carafe of tap water (can't stand anywhere that tries to convince me I want bottled water instead!) We also ordered a bottle of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, which at £26 wasn't cheap but was very tasty. We each ordered a starter and main, I had chicken liver pate followed by sea bass on heritage tomatoes. The pate was lovely & smooth, although the toast serving was a bit on the measly side for my liking. Seabass was cooked perfectly, fell apart under my fork, not sure tomatoes would have been my first choice but we'd ordered skinny fries and wilted spinach as sides so that more than made up for it. The reason for the 4 stars is that we had the deal on tastecard, which made it great value, but I don't know if I'd have felt the same if I'd have paid full price as some of the servings are on the small side. But all in all a great evening in a wonderful setting. read more

Kettner's - Chicken Liver Pate - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Great ambience when the place fills up and that's about all I can remember - Kettner's = champagne = munchies = Soho House = sweet oblivion

This glamorous soho institution is smart, elegant and classically sophisticated. It is both restaurant and bar serving quality food and drinks with a range of different private rooms and public spaces of varying styles and design. It is especially lovely at Christmas when it's charming traditional character lends itself perfectly to the Christmas atmosphere. With 140 years behind it, it must be doing something very right in this transient and ever changing part of London. Staff are spot on. read more

Eventually went to the New look Kettners and wished I hadn't. The vaunted decor is a cross between bland and camp chic resulting in DULL & UNINSPIRED. Seared dived scallops risotto, was four rather sad footless scallops (supermarket style) sitting in a row on top of a very bland and rather over wet risotto, which took an eternity to arrive due to trouble in the kitchen. This trouble must have been that all the chefs had gone home leaving someone to open packets and add boiling water as the overall effect was of eating a fairly salty dish that might have been produced by Pot Noodle. The service was faultless, friendly and human, the wine, so-so, the food just plain bad and over priced, avoid this place. A hugely overpriced faux new brit restaurant with none of the fusty charm of the old pizza express palace. The star is for the friendly service. read more

Fabulous three course pre theatre meal. Farfalle was tasty and unique. Service was fast and the waiter was very attentive. I would definitely return! read more

we had been put off kettners food prior to their revamp, and so planned to stay for a couple of glasses of champers only, this turned into a couple of bottles and we decided to try out the new restaurant and menu. we were pleasantly surprised, all courses were well presented, tasty and good quality. service was very good, and we particularly liked the free gold pencils. would return to eat again. only quibble would be that the area behind the champagne bar is rather too dark and moody, didn't stop the bubbly flowing though ;) Update Dec 2010. booked for return family treat and were slightly let down by food this evening, not sure whether kitchen was having a bad night, though the restaurant wasn't that full. 3 of us had ordered steaks and 1 duck confit, the duck and the potatoes it was sitting on were both very dried out - seemed like they'd been reheated, or kept in an oven waiting on the steaks.....there are many better restaurants so will only be visiting for champagne from now on i'm afraid. read more

Having only used Kettners as an impromptu meeting place after having escaped some builders in the office we were using, I can only comment on the coffee and ambiance there. Both did the trick; I'd be happy to revisit for a bottle of wine and some grub. read more

Huge oasis in the middle of Soho. An absolute must if you want some relative sanity on a Friday/Saturday night. We went for cocktails in the lounge which are pricey but good then after the opera went back for dinner. Sadly, the pre/post theatre menu aren't available during December, but I had a decent steak and my partner an ok seabass that seemed to have been hanging about a bit. That said, the value was pretty good, the service excellent and the huge space with pianist in the corner an absolute joy. Looking forward to going again. read more

Absolute quality-was lucky enough to be taken there twice with work only for drinks unfortunately. But to review Kettners as a bar, great service, fantastic buzz about the place on a Friday evening and stunning decor. An absolutely vast range of champagne to choose from, would definitely go back for a fancy drink for an occasion. Great location 5 minutes from Soho etc. highly recommendable read more

Great food, great wine, great service. Especially love the pianist in the Brasserie. A must visit, perfect place for groups of friends or work. read more

I enjoyed a lovely dinner here with three friends last night, and after having a few drinks in the Champagne Bar we went through to our table which was booked for 7pm. We had a lovely waiter who was very attentive and helpful. The food was wonderful, we opted for the Beef with Mash and vegetables and an array of desserts afterwards, the price was reasonable for four guests and at times I forgot I was in Soho as the atmosphere is electric and very buzzy. Our only comment would be that we had to shout to be heard as we were seated near some loud ladies! Great venue, Great Location, well worth trying read more

Place its nice old french classic restaurant, one of the first in London with legendary dishes. But lets talk about the food last years we went for a diner, place looks busy, fully booked. not really the best place to have a diner if you planing enjoy your food. Service was 5\10. Drinks 4/10 Food 6/10. and a bitt Pricey for overcooked stake and dry duck leg. read more

Sadly we had a really awful experience here. It was a friend's 30th birthday and she chose the restaurant very carefully. Most of the party was on time, although some of us were about 10 minutes late - we found everyone tucked away at the back of the bar, we then waited for about half an hour to be seated. There were about 40 of us. In total, we waited four staggering hours for main course food!!! We were told it was because we were late (although we waited a significant period of time when we got there) we were given free wine, which was a little consolation but the staff had no interest in serving us - little did they know we were an eclectic mixture of PR, Marketeers and Actors - who will certainly recommend that others stay away! read more

I had a lovely dinner a couple of weeks back with a friend there. The place looks rather more formal than when you go in just for lunch but nonetheless, very nice. The waiter we had was a lovely chap who took care of us well. The food was enjoyable. All in all, a nice experience. I think they could increase the portion slightly for their lovely Boeuf Bourguignon! Hint, hint! read more

Met with a friend who I hadn't seen in ages and the meal was super at Kettners in Soho. However, it was quite packed, and since we were only two people, we were sitting quite close to the two tables that we were between. Other than that issue, the food was great as was the cocktails! read more