Oxo Tower Restaurant

So disappointed

After reading through the amazing reviews of this restaurant I am left wondering if there is another Oxo Tower I mistakenly went to. I was really excited to treat my boyfriend on his birthday to an amazing meal with beautiful views. The views are spectacular and I cannot argue with that but I am wondering if the chef working on the night had even taking cullinary lessons for beginners! The night started off with a polite waiter, he alerted us to the fact there was blue lighting and this would make any red meat look blue, I accepted this not realising that when my boyfriends Veal Carpaccio came out it looked like it died of Spanish Influenza is the 1900s. He was brave enough to give it a whirl although I did wonder how he would feel the next day (he was actually fine). I ordered the Lobster Tempura which was fine… if it hadnt been served in a tiny bowl with consume in the bottom. It was very difficult to cut without dunking it in the soup and making it soggy and also without the bowl tipping over. I was left wondering if the chef had attempted to eat this himself. Then to top it off a cold and white, frothy lobster salad on the side. What was that for? The components just didnt go together, It was like serving a seabass with a big mac on the side.
For main I had Lamb three ways, which of course came out looking a nice shade of contaminated blue. The noisette was edible, sorry I have nothing more exciting to say about it, shephards crumble tasted awful and left me with a slight vomit taste and there was liver on the side that left a lot to be desired. My boyfriends duck was over cooked and tasteless which I never would have expected from a place like this. The dessert platter did go part way to salvaging a disappointing evening but when the bill came I was left with a pit in my stomach. I had paid something similar at Rhodes 24 a few weeks earlier for my Dads birthday and didnt begrudge a penny of it, but to pay £184 for 2 people and feel that I would have enjoyed a chinese takeway more left me with a very bitter taste. What's more is the waiter really didn't seem to care that I left half of what was on my plate, promised us a table at the bar but as soon as we had paid the bill and ridiculous service charge promptly told us there was no room.
Maybe I was just there when they were having a bad evening but I wouldn't risk it again. I advise anyone looking for a memorable night with fantastic views and first class food to head to Rhodes 24.

Let's face it, without its location no-one would be be going there anyway (and hence report about it). Sure its massively overpriced for the average offering it has but than again the setting couldn't be much better than this (in particular during the summer if you can manage to sit outside)

Simply stunning.

Pre dinner drinks consisted of world class gins, served by an exceedingly knowledgeable bar manager who was more than happy to pour tasters to sample.

Wines are never cheap at the Oxo and some hidden gems do lurk in the wine list. You can forget the Romanee Conti at £15,000 – those days are over for the time being and forget the Meerlust at £65 ( I had the last of this particular beauty!).

Food was fantastic and the dessert option of the “Waters of Life” which consists of 5 chocolate tasters plus 5 nips of single malt will finish of any meal.

The only thing that let the evening down at all ( and it wasn't much of a let-down) was the table seating plan. If you are going to book a table at the Oxo Tower make sure you ask for one as far away from the bar as possible. The Oxo tower management now let people drink in the restaurant bar and if you are sitting near it (as we were) you get a constant din from the drinkers, not to mention a continuous stream of people shuffling past your table going to and from the loo.
After a few hours it gets a little wearing. Don't worry about getting a table with a view – all the tables have a stunning view of the London skyline

We had lunch at Oxo restaurant and we were really disappointed by the experience. The food was really regular in comparison to the price they charge. 2 course menu cost more than 45 pounds per person not including drinks, then you expect to eat like in any other good gastro restaurant. However, we were surprised by starters and by mains. You can eat better than those in any other restaurant for no more than 30 pounds per person.
We thought, we will enjoy the views, well marketed on the website, however the architectural features of the building do not let you enjoy the view if you sit inside in certain tables.

My wife and I had lunch in the Oxo Tower Restaurant today with dear friends from Scotland. The food was really excellent, the wine lovely and the service friendly and helpful. All in all, we had a memorable afternoon. We have been there 3-4 times before and always enjoyed the food and service. It is not cheap but the prices are reasonable and worth it for the quality. Super.

My boyfriend took there for my birthday a few weeks ago I found the whole experience fantastic and the atmosphere was great, the lights were dim but not so dark that you couldnt see anything it was nice romantic and chilled but it was very nice as it was 9.00pm.
I had the honey roast duck…(or it could of been lamb I forgot) with jersy royals and it came with mango.
At first I thought yuk mango but when the dinner arrived it was fantastic I actually ate everything on my plate the way the food was presented on the plate looked nice also not that somebody had just slammed it down it looked like care and effort was made and the view of the thames was amazing even though I am scared of heights.
The staff were polite and didnt pester constantly like in other restaurants I have been to were they are always asking every two seconds are you ok.
Whilst waiting for your food you are offered fresh bread to eat which it was so fresh it was warm but it was lovely.
I found the experience fantastic and would love to go there again.
I cost my partner around £110 for two meals with two cocktails, even thou that isnt cheap the quality of food and service justifies that.

Visited the Oxo Tower back in April with a couple of business contacts.

As ever, service at the Oxo was first class, polite, friendly and helpful.

We all had different starters and mains, and the waiting staff provided information on the various dishes, to allow us to make better choices.

Only complaint, and not necessarily aimed at the restaurant itself is that the taxi company operating outside are very expensive and quite pushy. Whether they are connected to the restaurant or not, I associate them with the dining experience, and I felt a little uncomfortable with them.

However, that aside, with views to die for, great service, and good food and wine, the Oxo Tower still remains a great destination restaurant in my eyes.

For our wedding anniversary my lovely husband offered to treat me to a night out at my restaurant of choice, which was the Oxo Tower. We were told when we booked into this restaurant that you need to turn up early if you would like a window seat so we booked a cab to get us there 40 mins in advance of our booking with a plan to have a nice leisurely drink on the balcony admiring the views before dining. Unfortunately, the cab driver who picked us up was new to the job and a journey that should have taken just over half an hour ended up lasting double that time and leaving us lost and late. In the end we had to ditch that taxi and hail a black cab. By the time we arrived at the restaurant we only just made it in time for our booking. This evening promised to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

When we stepped into the lift to take us to the 8th floor restaurant I was so stressed I had actually given myself stomach ache, but I shouldn't have worried. We were made to feel welcome the minute we arrived and as we stepped into the restaurant it quite literally took my breath away. The views of London are truly amazing. We ordered a much needed drink and stepped onto the balcony to watch the sun go down and the lights come on all over London. It was soooo romantic. We were then ushered to our table which (in spite of our late arrival) had spectacular views.

I have to say I am a massive fan of this restaurant. I love everything about it. I loved my mini-armchair that I was seated on, I loved the service. The waiters are really knowledgeable and passionate about their fields. We asked both the wine waiter and the food waiter what they would recommend. Listening to them was so uplifting as they described the choice of wine or food, it was more like listening to an artist than listening to a delivery man. Their recommendations were well considered and perfect. What is more they managed to do all this without being in the least bit snooty. When the food arrived each mouthful was a treat. The food was well presented and delicious and the wine was the perfect accompaniment.

By the time we left the restaurant we both agreed that we would treasure the memory for years to come.

I have been to the Oxo Tower restaurant on many occasions and it remains a firm favourite for entertaining business guests, particularly overseas visitors for whom the view of London is quite special. Set high up, on the south bank of the Thames, St Paul’s and the City are shown off along with other landmarks, especially at night. There is a viewing terrace, which can be accessed if your table is not near a window. In good weather tables are set outside on the terrace, which can be good fun. Take some sun-glasses however as the sun sets low in the west and this can be distracting. Recent starters I enjoyed have included: tagliatelle with chanterelles and butternut squash sauce: another time, hot foie gras with lavender and figs. I enjoyed sea bass, cooked nicely and served with chestnut gnocchi and mushrooms. The menu appears to change regularly and offers a good choice of fish, shell-fish, meat and vegetarian options. The service is typically good, although the restaurant can get busy and at times I have had to wait for attention. The one time that I complained however, I received a genuine apology, improved attention and an un-asked for discount on the bill. This brings me to my one criticism, it’s just a little over-priced. The truth is that you are paying a premium for the location. If that is of value then it does deliver on its promise. The atmosphere is conducive to business diners, without being formal or stuffy. It is frequented by couples, although the restaurant could not be described as romantic. However, the food and the views will impress, as indeed will the hefty wine list. The Dog Point sauvignon blanc from New Zealand was a great find!