Butlers Wharf Chop House

I really struggled to review this – partly as the experience was so mixed.

Went on Friday night with my girlfriend and booking online was simple although we didn't get the window table I'd asked for, despite some being free.

When we arrived we got the wrong menus to start with (the dessert ones) and when replaced we still only got one main menu and yet another dessert menu.

Drinks were a little slow to arrive and bread had to be asked for rather than offered. Main courses arrived and my girlfriend sent hers, the roast beef, back as it wasn't hot (my roast pork was), but a replacement turned up in very short order together with new side dishes that were so hot the plates took the varnish off the table. Food was good but not exceptional by any means. Dessert choices were simple (we'd had ample oportunity to browse) and quite tasty – poached pear with winter fruits and chocolate mousse and a melt in the middle chocolate sponge. Staff were polite and apologetic about the mix up.

Value for money not bad at around £75 for 2 courses and drinks before a tip.

Its one where you'd have to rate it as an almost – some really simple changes could make this very good, but its not quite there now.

Me and my girlfriend ate here through an Evening Standard offer so expectations weren't exactly high but we were pleasantly surprised as we hadn't eaten at Butlers Wharf Chop House before. We were impressed by the choices on the menu and didn't leave hungry like you sometimes can on these things. I had pork with crispy crackling and my girlfriend had wild seabass. We had a great table on the terrace infront of Tower Bridge and our Italian waitress was really bubbly. It's amazing what a smile can do!

I'm quite surprised to see so many negative reviews of this local, as my dining experiences at Chophouse have been nothing but satisfactory. Service is swift and polite with glimmers of quintessentially British professionalism. The menu which changes seasonally is full of well executed and fresh ingredients brought together on the plate with great skill (I've observed their daily deliveries many a time). Even the simplest dishes of fish and chips impress.

My most recent trip consisted of a lip smacking whole lobster with hand cut chips and elderflower champagne cocktail for a most valuable £27.50. All in all, a great lunch or dining venue.

Lucky I had lunch, the portions are small the menu has changed not as good at it use to be . I asked for the smoked Goose breast ( there were 4 of us I was the only one to have a starter we received 4 ), 3 piece if wafer thin slices of goose the salad was nice but not worth the £9. this was in the main resturant, will not go there again sorry to say .

We tried the bar side (as opposed to the restaurant itself), where there is a restricted version of the full menu. Nobody came to receive us, so we sat at a convenient table. As it was early evening, there were just a few diners. Nevertheless, rather than a welcome when the head waiter appeared, we were interrogated brusquely about our booking status and whether we were intending to dine. Though we decided to stay, the staff remained unfriendly but also inefficient: a sherry ordered as aperitif came only after a reminder and well into the first course; vegetables were forgotten and had to be found, again on reminder (no apology). The main course was tepid – a waiter problem, for there was nothing wrong with the basic quality of the food. A shame that they seem to think they don't need to try too hard, in a location where punters will always be dropping in.

Having being a regular at the Chop house I have to say that the new menu leaves a lot to be desired (The head chef changed around three months ago). No longer are you able to order sumptuous steaks (not one on the menu) or some other true Brtish classics. Amazing considering the restaurant name and its heritage.
In my view the chop house has now joined the long list of gastro pub style restaurants with reasonable food but nothing more.

Bread – where has the famous bread gone – now only a small selection.
Overall no one complained about the food but we all felt that there was nothing special and you could find this style and competence of food in thousands of restaurants across the country.
We didn't stay for dessert .

We were also originally placed in a table that was situated in a position whereby the door being opened meant an icy blast across the table, chilling all to the bone. Even the restaurants own staff said they would not dine on a table like that !!! Having complained we were moved but after many conversations and around forty five minutes. Not a good start to the evening.

Its a shame, what was once one of my favourite resturants for a casual evening meal has now become one that I will not visit again. On a positive note, the view of Tower bridge remains stunning.

i went to the Butlers wharf for xmas; i thought it would be my xmas heaven and i was happy to pay a whooping
85pounds. Me and some friends were excited on the way but when we got there, te xmas spirit slowly desintegrated!
1) it was cold in the restuarant and we needed to keep our coats on- we had dressed up nicely but we had to cover up!
2) We had 3 hours allocated to our table, and we were happy to take our time and eat slowly but the waitresses kept coming back and asking if we were done with our plates and we tried to send them away politely but we felt pressurised and soon as they took the plates they would come back with the next course!! i wanted breaks in between and i expected them to give us that kind of service and not to have to keep asking and sending the waitresses away
3) They took the orders for all the courses at the beggining and though there was mention of mince pies they did not offer them till our time had ran out! i felt like if you didnt know your rights and what the menu had said the you didnt get it, dissappointing for this kind of restaurant
4) I chose venisen for main course which came with some creamed potatoes of some sort (i hate creamed potatoes) so i requested to have parsnips or roast potatoes instead which was served with something else- THEY REFUSED claiming that it was a set Xmas menu!!! i could nto believe it!!! its not like it wasnt on the menu for that day and it was Xmas…Damn!!! on xmas day i had venisen with veggies only! NOT FAIR
5) obviously i wasnt going to tip them much! but guess what? The service charge was 15% ADDED TO THE BILL;
The whole xperience was not xmassy !!! the music was boring and not xmassy! i was cold and not happy
obviously im NEVER EVER GOING BACK!!!

Took my partner and 4 teenagers as a final treat for my partners birthday weekend. I would have to agree with previous writers that the establishment lacks atmosphere. I would also agree that the service was indifferent. The biggest disappointment for us all was the average but overpriced food. The teenagers in our party proved amusing in their criticsm when they agreed as a group thet they could have eaten better at the local JD Weatherspoons and at a fifth of the price. Oops!

Avoid at all costs !!

As a local resident we have tried to walk in for Sunday brunch on several occasions and been turned away, when half the tables are empty! They advertise brunch served until 12, however you will be lucky to be given a table after 11.30. Do yourself a favour and walk 100m further to All Bar One for a cheap and cheerful breakfast with the same view, or for an early lunch Cantina (same group as Chop House) where the staff are friendly and the food is better.

The arrogance of the management at Chop House is incredible in the current climate, hopefully this restaurant will go under and be replaced by something better!

Used to be great – not been back since they “poisoned” my girlfriend … (she lived) …

You complain and they smoke screen – tedious.

Sadly, I don't think I can recommend this restaurant on. My son took me in March 2008 for Mother's Day and it was excellent so, thinking I'd like to treat my sister, brother-in-law and the rest of my family to a very nice lunch, I took them yesterday. I wish I'd saved my money. The restaurant lacked atmosphere, the staff were pleasant enough but nobody made you feel that little bit special. The starters were very average, small in portion and the tongue was tasteless. The main courses weren't bad, most of us had roast beef or pork, but you could get a roast dinner equally as good or even better in very many ordinary British pubs and pay a lot less. We had coffee but no puddings and we went on our way. Come to think of it nobody even said goodbye, thank you for coming or asked if we enjoyed ourselves. To sum up in two words – very disappointing. I won't be going back. Sue G, January 2008

The Chop House used to fantastic, a brilliant place for everything from a romantic meal, a first date, somewhere to do business, somewhere to go for a celebration – you could take kids there… they had it nailed with great food to boot.
Now however it has gone dramatically downhill.
The last 3 times I have gone (in the vain hope this great place would be back to standard) some of the following have happened;

Late seating
Waiting half an hour before drinks orders (pet hate) Waiting over an hour for starters – and then they were wrong
Main course are lukewarm.
Incorrect bill – by which stage you pay anyway as you are so fed up you just want to go home.

So why go?
Because once it was totally amazing. The pork can be the best roast pork going, with just perfect crackling and no fat at all. The lobster was out of this world. And so on, and so on. But it's not any more. It's appalling.

I would redirect you to Roast in Borough Market instead now.

Not worth a visit at all.

Took 3 attempts to bring a medium rare steak.
Mushy peas are anything but mushy – dry and shrivelled up.
Bubble and Squeak portion was tiny.
Carrots and Mash was cold when served.
Terrible value at £50 per head even after our complaints!