The Booking Office in Camden

A number of people might have been inspired to visit on the basis of Grace Dent's review in The Guardian, but my experience of the place was not the same.Yes, the decor is wonderful, with a gorgeous bar as the centerpiece, and you can easily imagine it being the venue for a long, lost afternoon, a first date, or a relationship rekindled.It all started pretty superbly. The oysters were superb, the tuna skewers excellent, the old fashioned reasonable.But what was missing were some of the basics. A main course that took 90 minutes to arrive. The sight of an empty glass should be an invitation to ask if you would like another. An adjoining table being told that broccoli had run out at 7pm. A fried fish sandwich which, perhaps informed by my increasingly sour mood, seemingly resembled a more elaborate Fillet o' Fish, accompanied by excessively salted fries.Credit to the serving staff - including the very sweet Mihaela, a delight - who at the very least recognised the issues and wiped the main course from the bill and added a free glass of wine for the inconvenience.Nonetheless, it's such a pity. This could be one of London's best destinations, or given the location the launchpad to a fabulous trip elsewhere. But until they sort out service, an issue which clearly seems to have been a problem given the reviews, cancellation might instead be the recommendation.

Absolutely loved our experience there: food was amazing, even simple dishes like burrata had an interesting twist of flavour, staff was attentive and was able to advise on point, and interior is stunning. Place worth noting for a drink with friends or a date night.

The location and atmosphere is great. However, I was sorely disappointed with what they had in offer for vegans. They only have one thing marked as vegan in their menu which is in fact vegetarian. They say they can make vegetarian items vegan but just taking out eggs and cheese without replacing them with something else shouldn't be acceptable in this restaurant's price range. £18 for 1/2 of roasted butternut squash sprinkled with pomegranate is disappointing. No creativity or nutritional consideration given to this menu item. It was boring and lacked any kind of taste or texture. If I wasn't invited to a party, I would not chose to go there. I hope they step up their menu and have a bit more impressive selection. Even Gordon Ramsay has a vegan eggplant steak recipe.

The place is a sight to behold. It's not as bright as in the pictures, but still, those tall ceilings and palm trees look absolutely amazing.The service was super attentive. I was looking for cocktails in the wine menu, and one of the members of staff noticed this and brought the right menu without even asking.We ordered the lamb shoulder for two, and it was well prepared, and frankly, would be enough for 3 persons.The blackberries trifle dessert was lovely as well. So what the Malbec wine.

Such an enchanting place! Being there definitely feels like in a movie. The staff is amicable, and the dishes are incredible. If you want to celebrate something special or take your SO on a fancy date, I recommend this lovely spot.

Incredibly posh and exceptionally professional. The staff were extremely helpful and top-class service.Pricey drinks (as is to be expected) and an incredibly beautiful environment of architecture/decadence. Cider will cost you £7 😉

A beautiful interior and great cocktails. We enjoyed the music the DJ was playing. We had a seat at the bar which was comfortable and gave us a nice view of the room. Friendly, welcoming staff.

"Atmosphere and food was lovely! Service and waiting time for food and drinks need improvement. Had a good time overall. The lamb is superb."

A great new eating venue in London! We liked the decor and ambience, and the quality of the food was spot on. There was a decent wine list and the service was attentive and friendly. We shared the lamb shoulder main course and it had more than enough meat for 2 people! We were celebrating a birthday and the team made the effort to bring over macroons with a birthday message. Price wise we spent £230 for 2 people so it’s not the cheapest but standard for London with great ambience, and it did include oysters that were very well presented! Tables were turning over up until 2200 so booking on busy nights will be essential. We were able to charge the bill to our room with no issue since it’s part of Renaissance hotel. Overall a lovely dining experience and a well trained team with a clear direction on delivering great service.

Loved my recent visit to the newly-reopened Booking Office. Atmosphere was just right with excellent music, staff were attentive and food delicious - I recommend buret (partner had chicken terrine), lamb to share was fab and great for us meat eaters. I don't usually do desserts but the donut was amazing and I am told the espresso cocktail was perfect. Only gripe was not being able to order wine by the bottle, settling for a glass or a 500ml carafe, but definitely recommend!