Went to the Refinery again because it was close and it was raining. We ordered the rainbow trout, a lamb and mushroom pie and a rump steak. The trout was a little different than we were used to, tasted more like salmon. But still very good. The pie had a flaky crust and lots of filling. Very good as well. The rump steak had great flavor and lots more tender than I imagined a rump steak. We all enjoyed our meals. read more

The Refinery - Trout - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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An excellent breakfast While others were still catching up on sleep after our long trip from the States to visit London, my son and I ventured out for breakfast. We had spotted The Refinery the night before while exploring and headed over. It is a large place with lots of indoor and outdoor seating, we sat inside. I ordered Eggs Benedict, a familiar item I saw on the menu. It was very good, the Hollandaise sauce seemed a bit sweeter than I usually find, and although small, the slices of ham were like real slices and not some preprocessed formed stuff. I could clearly identify the saltiness. An observation, my Benedict did not come with any sides, unlike in the US where you would expect a pile of potatoes and maybe slices of toast. No one topped off my American coffee either, another observation. Service was great, loved the place, and the meal did not take too long. read more

The Refinery - Benedict Tamworth ham - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Our hotel was nearby, and we kept passing by this cute place, we loved the ambiance at night and their vibe and decor. We stopped by at night for desserts, and sat at the patio.. we informed the waiter inside but no one came out for like a long time.. then my husband went inside to order, things took time, but we enjoyed their patio so we didn't mind. We had brownie with ice cream and their sticky toffee cake.. both were so good, we also got halloumi fries in case we got too sweet! We had a mint tea which was great.. a lovely end to our day for sure read more

Beautiful interior, very nice cocktails but very poor food quality. Burger arrived with a dry cold bun and overcooked thick dry beef patty. No juice left at all! Tasteless and very disappointing. French Fry Trio had obviously been precooked and reheated. read more

This was a nice little restaurant. The atmosphere inside is very trendy! The wait staff were nice. I ordered their breakfast tea and avocado toast with scrambled eggs. It was good! Overall a cute place to have a meal! I would come back but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. read more

The Refinery - Breakfast tea - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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Visited refinery for a post work drinks with my colleagues. It's quite near where I work and looked more modern and hence different from other joins in around which are more 'traditional' if you could call that. The ambiance is pretty nice, modern and lots of energy but in terms of the fare there is nothing really unique was my view. The standard drinks, the food was not bad and not great too and the staff were friendly. I felt that the space was bit cramped for a large group, which we were. I also felt that the portion sizes were not very generous considering the price (around £20 for a sharing platter, check out the photo) Overall pretty ok experience but if you are looking for someone different from other businesses in and around London Bridge / Southwark then you are better off heading somewhere else. read more

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Stopped in with the boys from the office on an insanely packed Friday. It's no wonder - the sun is out and the Londoners are loving it. I left LA to escape the sun and it has somehow followed me here. Argh. The venue is almost all glass and steel. I suppose they're going for the industrial yet homey feel. It works. It's spacious, too, ideal for hosting large parties. The lunch menu is enormous. From what I recall entrees start at GBP 7.00 to upwards of GBP 13.00, depending on whether you're in the mood for some dead cattle on your plate. Orders are served to you on iron skillets placed atop wooden planks. Cute. The pork sausage with sweet sauteed onions on mash is definitely a boy's dish - it's hearty, hits the spot and, most importantly, an animal perished for it. The coworkers sent for a steak sandwich and some sort of Thai noodle delivered in a brown take-away box (again, the restaurant is trying to be cute with their plating). In all a good lunch experience. Useful tip: reservations are taken for inside seating only. Outside tables are first-come-first-served only and are not serviced by waiters. read more

The Refinery - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Seduced by a tomato. Yes, a fruit called by any other name is still a fruit! This tasty, sweet, drenchingly good friend to us all, had its wicked way with me. Unsuspecting me, sitting quieting waiting for my companion to arrive, unbeknown to me, it came in the form of a pressed delight crowned with the King of the ocean. Caesar was his name and my first encounter was delectable, spicy and seasoned within an inch of its life... Ketel one vodka, clamato juice, tabasco, salt, pepper, lemon juice, celery stick & king prawn garnish w/ a celery salt rim I suggested marrying your Mary to an afternoon sit-in with a paper and some brunch, because even though it tastes like juice it has a cheeky kick that could leave you a bit rosy! If you do nothing else this weekend, try this twist on a traditional Bloody Mary, but don't blame me for whatever happens next. read more

The Refinery - Bloody Caesar - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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The Refinery has very recently opened so I was very much looking forward to sampling the lunch on a Friday afternoon. It is a spacious bar with a simple metallic type decor and an all day food menu with an emphasis on organic ingredients. I thought it would be nice to organise a work lunch which I have to say, I wasn't too impressed with. After speaking with the staff on a number of occasions prior to the day, I had arranged for a selection of mixed platters and emphasised that everyone would be quite hungry! On arrival, we had an area reserved but no table and the food wasn't nearly filling enough for the party - most people bought chips on the way back! The staff however are very attentive and friendly and I was really disappointed that the lunch wasn't too great. On an evening, I also feel that the bar lacks atmosphere - as a result of aiming to be ultra modern and chic, the Refinery consequently doesn't have an ounce of character or charm. read more

The Refinery - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Suuuuper cute atmosphere. The food is great and well priced but the ambience is enchanting. Come for the food. Stay for the aesthetic. Waaay more bougie looking than it's priced as. read more

The Refinery - Bathrooms were immaculate. - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

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Like the other reviewers mentioned, it's solid food in the area. My server was super attentive and made sure to come around to check up on me. I sat outside for a leisurely brunch and people watched while enjoying my coffee, scotch egg, and crispy duck salad. I really like the duck salad, the sweet hoisin sauce with the crispy duck and greens made it refreshing for the hot sunny day. Some drink offerings were almost enticing me to order. Maybe next time I'm staying in the area. read more

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I went here on a work lunch and boy were my expectations exceeded. I'd ordered the pork and mash, and despite being a simple dish, it was executed delightfully. Great sausages, with absolutely no gristle. Then the Mac n Cheese. I forgot to snap a picture of the beauty, which is unlike me... Anyway it was the best Mac n Cheese I've ever had in London. It was served in a small cast iron pan. And there were garnishes of leak and bacon in there too. The cheese melted perfectly on top. And this was only a side but, actually the side of some mains in other restaurants! I may have had my issues with food at the Refinery in the past, but I think it's certainly something they are actually addressing as the chicken burger I had a few months earlier was also of decent quality! I wonder whether the fact I came with a big party the first time (20+ persons) why the food was under par... read more

Situated on the ground floor of the Blue Fin Building at the corner of Southwark Street and Canvey Street, this new bar is part of the Bankside Mix shopping and dining area. It's bloody lovely to boot with plush, contemporary furnishings (bookable booths), an open kitchen and outdoor seating which was decked out in Wimbledon fauna and foliage for devoted fans to put their feet up and watch the action. read more

The Refinery - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

If they put as much effort into the food as they do the decor they would be far better off. The squash soup I started with was quite good, very tasty. The Old Fashioned I had to drink was also very good, albeit maybe a bit too sweet. The buttermilk chicken sandwich however, was bland and tasteless. The piece of buttermilk fried chicken was lukewarm at best and quite dry. I saw them take it out of the warming oven so it did not appear to be cooked fresh but rather reheated, quite poorly I might add. The bun was falling apart and the only thing in the sandwich was a piece of lettuce and a glob of mayo. In watching the kitchen while eating, since my seat faced it, I noticed they use bagged (aka, frozen) fries so I would assume that extends to a lot of other things as well. The restaurant looks amazing and feels cozy and modern but the food needs significant help. The cooks seemed more interested in their phones and dancing than the food they were making. read more

On a gloomy day in London, The Refinery is simply a solid brunch spot. Not a game changer and not so much a scene that it's going to redefine your weekend breakfast routine, but without a lot of options in this area on a sleepy Sunday, it satisfies. The decor is like a midcentury meets minimalist mish mash. Not everything matches and it lends to an eclectic look. Food wise I went with the bangers and mash. It was a little pricier than the more pedestrian versions of this famous British dish, but it was also elevated enough to justify the jump in cost. Added a Bloody Mary and it was just the thing to start the day. If you're staying somewhere in the 'hood (Citizen M hotel, for instance), you'll find plenty to warrant a quick bite. read more

A year or two ago I would have given this place 4 stars but it has lost its sparkle since then. This used to be a great place to go on a sunny evening after work for a game of bowls and a tangy Orangina teapot shot. The servers were friendly, fiesty and always making the rounds. Now it's like the fun has been sucked out of the place. It is still a good place to have a drink with friends but it has a more subdued atmosphere. Bring back the teapot shot and I'll be back in there! read more

I gave this place a try. A manager sat me at table and took my order and delivered my wine. Another person (not my waitress) delivered food. No one bothered to check on me. Finally got "my" waitress for the bill. No one checked on me throughout entire meal. No water refill, not even asking if I wanted another glass of wine. They were not busy and felt completely abandoned. I spoke to the manager about my experience. She listened to what I had to say and took off the service tax. I would not go back to this restaurant. read more

Ok, this place is great for dates--quiet enough for conversation, open and elegant. We went for drinks...but the guys at the bar had no CLUE how to make the drinks on the menu. Pulled out a recipe book....still got it wrong. They didn't know what they put in the drinks they served us. At least the drinks were strong and nobody kicked us out when we were the last customers left there! read more

I really love the Drake and Morgan bars/restaurants and this is no exception. I think they are the cutest and prettiest bars I've ever been to! With vintage decorations, plants, teapots, candles, cute china, cocktails in mason jars and beautiful props around it's just a really lovely place to go with a lovely atmosphere. It's a little pricey but not excessively so. I've not eaten here but I've heard the food is great. The cocktails are outstanding and they have a decent wine list too. There's a nice area outside to sit in the summer too, just get there early as it does get busy. If you're not around London Bridge/Southwark, check out The Folly near Monument or The Parlour in Canary Wharf. I think they might have another one too but I'm not sure off the top of my head. read more

Only been in London 4 days and already we have been here twice (and I would love to go again and again). The menu is spectacular, the atmosphere is amazing, the service is impeccable and the food, well, the food is the best part. We had sausages and mash, seafood risotto (a special), the Sunday roast and fish and chips. Prices may be a bit high, but for what you get its well worth it. Can't go wrong! read more

Great food and service! No problems with service what so ever. I'm glad I didn't take the previous yelp reviews into account as we had a great evening at a location I would certainly come back to. The flatbread starters are delicious and definitely worth the try. read more

Just had an early dinner at The Refinery. Haddock & Chips first rate. Roast Chicken Salad first rate. Summer Pudding first rate. Lemon Tart first rate. Service excellent and friendly. Decor an interesting mix of rustic and Eames. Highly recommended. read more

The Refinery - Haddock & Chips - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Tl;dr. Good cocktails, eclectic decor, friendly staff... *terrible* food. -- So we ended up here yesterday due to it's proximity to the Tate Modern. On arrival the staff seemed really friendly and accommodating and it was good to get in from the rain. I noticed on the way in that all of the tables on the outside had little fleece blankets which I thought was a really thoughtful touch. The place looks cute on the inside, a big open space cross between the whole 'thrown together' aesthetic and a bit warehouse-y. We both ordered a cocktail - I had the skinny superfood collins and my husband had the blueberry margarita. No complaints there. Looking at the menu, the food is pretty much traditional pub food, but more expensive. We ordered the steak and chips (£15) and I had the market fish and the scampi (£10ish.) Unfortunately this is where they let themselves down. With my scampi and fish although the batter was light, it was still very greasy and left me feeling a bit queasy and the chips were horrible. A bit chewy and just not, well.. very nice tasting, cheap. The steak wasn't tender and had a lot of fat on it, in fact almost a third of it was fat. A noticeable weight in our pocket to take home to the dog... Unfortunately after our unappealing food, my opinion on the place changed a bit. My food was served on a chopping board, in a small imitation fry basket with a muslin cloth tied lemon. The steak also came on a board, with a small old fashioned style milk jug for the sauce and the chips came in a.. plant pot. The ladies next to us, I'm not sure what they had, but one of their starters came in a rather sizeable picnic hamper! I think that unfortunately it's a case of style over substance. If they paid as much attention to the quality of their food as they did in the eccentric and eclectic way they served their food they'd go along way. Their attention to detail seems to bypass the actually quality. Anyway - what's wrong with a plate? We spent £50 and it just was not worth it. There's a chance I'd go back for cocktails if we were in the area again, but I would never waste my money eating there. read more

I was at The Refinery last night for a couple of work drinks. I had heard a bit about it before hand from other friends who loved the place but it wasn't anything too special. The beers on tap are quite varied and allow a lot of choice and the work and presentation the bar men and women put into mixing a short or cocktail is quite amazing. Be prepared to pay a pretty price though. That all being said there were some downsides. The place itself is very dimly lit and the music is pumping out to the point where you think you should be in a club and not a bar/restaurant. This on top of guys that felt the that they can walk across our table to get to their mates and staff that paid no attention to our complaints about it made the overall atmosphere and night quite disappointing. read more

Yep another yummy option for spiffy little Canvey Street. The Refinery is an attractive place with an equally good looking menu. I went here for brunch (http://londonist.com/2009/08/review_brunch_at_the_refinery_bar.php) and really enjoyed it. Proper eggs Benedict! I'm certain to return (soon I hope) because it was a hard choice with lots of other items tempting me. Great coffee too. Aside from the food, I really like the eclectic decor and spacious setting. It felt like a very comfortable place to hang out for awhile over good conversation and a few beers while still retaining a quality dining atmosphere. read more

Great little Italian restaurant! The staff are very friendly and the space in itself is very open and super clean. The food came out in less than 5 minutes and it was very tasty, although my granddaughter ate all my plate! I definately recommend the risotto. read more

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The Refinery has become a bit of a regular haunt. I've had lunch there, with friends, several times and the food, on the whole is always very good. I've tried many of their regular dishes and most recently, sampled a gorgeous mushroom-stuffed, mini-pumpkin affair. Nice use of season produce too. Haven't yet moved onto the dessert menu though! Wine list is good but has no NZ options (my fave), that I recall. Service is always friendly and efficient. The decor is warm, the space uncramped and it's very easy to spend time there. Great value for money too. read more

Visited The Refinery in early Jan 2011 for a friend's birthday drinks with a group of about 40 people. Had one of the best night's out in a long time, the music was fabulous (we specifically went for the 80s soul night), the crowd was fun-loving with no bad attitudes on display at all. The bar prices were pretty reasonable for a venue in London, in fact, I was stunned at buying at round for about 8 people and thinking I'd expected it to have cost double the amount I paid! Door staff and bar staff were all friendly and mega efficient. We had a reserved seating area but didn't order food as we were out for drinks and dancing, but I wish we'd sampled some of the food as everything else was so good! Toilets were clean and lots of them - I hate it when you go to a large venue and there are too few toilets! The smoking area was one of the coolest I've experienced in my life. There were high tables and stools and a couple of sofas but the best bit was the fact that they'd put out pashminas and scarves for people to keep warm when going out for a cigarette! The most considerate bar/club I've ever been to where smokers are concerned! read more

Absolutely the worst service I have encountered in years. I'm not exaggerating when I say it took the staff over a half hour to take our very first drink order, and the drinks (some of them incorrect) arrived exactly ONE HOUR after we had first sat down. Things only went downhill from there. Not one person's order was executed correctly. I have a pretty high tolerance for mistakes - no one is perfect. But what I cannot tolerate is attitude. On top of shocking incompetence, our main waitress rolled her eyes at every single request we made. "Could we have more water, please?" elicited an eye roll. "Could I please see the drinks menu again?" got us another eye roll. It never stopped. She was rude, dismissive, and gave the clear message that we were a significant annoyance to her. And my group is full of respectful, low maintenance people who have all previously held wait-staff jobs, so we go out of our way to be polite and easy at restaurants. Of all the fantastic restaurants in London, I'm disgusted that we wasted a rare sunny afternoon at this restaurant. Never again. read more

Loved the vibe, awesome wait staff ( you get several servers it seems) we especially loved Jessica who seated us. I had a flatbread with duck. And for dessert... Chocolate brownie with ice cream.... Plate dusted with powdered sugar and three fresh raspberries and to top it iff hot fudge sauce in a little cup to pour in yourself. Come and open a branch in Juneau, AK! read more

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Came here for a work lunch with 5 colleagues and had a good time. FOOD Great, simple, tasty. and fresh. Had the fish pie, side of tomato salad. Colleagues who had the burger said the patty was dry. Others who had the salmon and the chicken said it was really good. DRINKS I had the flat white and it was not good. Way, way to milky for a FW. Some others had the juice of the say and said it was good. SERVICE Great service for lunchtime. Only saw 3 servers for the whole restaurant so they must do a good job although wasn't too busy. Food came out in a good time. ATMOSPHERE Nice interiors. Boho chic. Like the long picnic tables and the bar area. Would like to try it out for drinks. OVERALL Great food for what you pay, good service, and hopefully good cocktails. I want to visit again - just won't be my work-break coffee joint. read more

The refinery is a good local watering hole in Southwark so we recently decided to try it as a lunch spot too. The service was attentive and they have plenty of menu options to choose from. Personally I would choose this again as a group lunch option as the quick service and delivery of food mean it would be perfect for large work lunches. read more

The Refinery - Wine Bars Near Me - London, XGL

Had full English breakfast/brunch with great americano coffee and vanilla latte! Very filling and traditional English food! Would definitely recommend! Great service with tip included. Cute location and nice outdoor seating!! Wanted to try some of their fancy liquor drinks but we were too full!! (And on our way to Tower of London) also great location close to everything! Not as pricey as we thought it would be to be honest. Not even 30£ total. It seems to be even fancier at night. read more

Perfect spot for after work drinks and a bite to eat. The Refinery has a good selection of snacks and do good cocktails too. Good atmosphere for a big group of friends. read more

Great funky place to go and eat. Really good atmosphere. good bar with some good cocktails! Food was nice too. It looks like it gets really busy so I recommend booking. Staff are super friendly. Im going there again for a party of 30 and they have been really helpful by offeriing a pre-order service and/or set menus. read more

In the area for business, and The Refinery was a good reliable place I had no problem visiting twice in a week. The wine was good, the food quality was good, the service was good, and the food presentation was very nice. I'm a fan. read more

A nice, comfortable bar to catch up with friends at. I like the decor and there is lots of space in and outside with a range of seating options, all of which are comfy. The staff are very friendly, helpful and always willing to suggest a cocktail. On that note, here are my top two tips to enjoy the Refinery: first, try the cocktails, plus the wines and beers are also good, but I'd avoid the food as it's not always up to scratch. Tip number two is avoid peak times - this place can get very packed, so my favourite time to visit is Saturday after lunch or another off-peak time. read more

We came here tonight after the place we initially tried to go to (across the street) was closed even though they advertised they were open. This place was such a joy to be at! The old fashioned that I had was the best I have had in London so far and we just moved here from NYC. Bangers and mashed were on point as were the chicken sand which. Really lovely staff, great atmosphere, reasonable prices! I would 110% recommend this place. So happy the other place falsely advertised so we could find this gem! We will be back very soon as we just moved here and are looking for our new "go to" spot!! read more

Popped in for a quick lunch. Had the chicken BLT sandwich which was a solid choice. Nothing mind blowing but good quality. I chose the Cowboy fries as a side which were excellent. They are honey garlic fries, actual French fries, that have a sort of honey BBQ flavor. One thing that stood out was the choice of fountain Diet Coke. Most places locally have bottles or cans but no fountain drinks. If that's a selling point for you, this is the place read more

Other than an impressive decor, none of the 3 of us had a good meal nor did we have any semblance of good service. This was mid-afternoon on a weekday, the place was not busy and they had plenty of servers so there was no excuse for this. This was the only bad food/service experience we had during a one week stay in London. read more