Scott's

Our late February visit was the first for about 8-9 months. In the past, we’ve always enjoyed some very good long Saturday lunches, but unusually for us we went for a Saturday evening.

Scotts attracts a very mixed dining crowd, but is famous for its media and thespian crowd. This could be a bit off-putting, but fortunately they’re all very English and very low key – ie not keen to be noticed like a sad Z-lister. The atmosphere is very pleasantly relaxed, informal and buzzy, which we’ve always liked. The restaurant is invariably very busy.

The décor and furnishing is quite neutral and light, which works well when it is quite crowded. I sense that it wouldn’t work quite as well if it was quiet.

We love their style of very simply cooked very high quality fresh fish. Some may be looking for more sauces or complexity, but we go there because Scotts don’t do that. Just enjoy the fish and the skill with which it is prepared and cooked. At home, for several years we’ve been copying their “in the shell” method of grilling scallops, which really does add to the… More

Without question this is currently the restaurant of choice in central london. Unfortunately everyone else seems to agree making the only difficulty; actually getting a table. The food is of the highest quality and simply but skillfully prepared. Great ambience and excellent value.

It is hard to keep standards up in these recessionary times as indeed those who frequent Gordon Ramsey's restaurants have found to their dismay. Unlike the Ramsey empire, Scott's is a one trick pony. It only needs to produce fresh fish dishes at a consistent level.

Unfortunately this is not always the case. I was fortunate enough to have an almost acceptable sea bass – well the fish seemed fresh but was swimming in a ‘soup’ of butter that pretty much nullified any real taste. Why does Scott's need to do this? Are they incapable of producing simple dishes? My partner had a DOver sole which she proclaimed was the Scott's signature dish. Again, it was swimming in butter. I took one bite, turned the rubbery morsel around in my mouth and proclaimed it to be cooked from frozen.

Can anybody corroborate that Scott's sells frozen fish at these fantastic mark ups?

The service is excellent.

We dined at Scott's recently for a special meal out and really enjoyed everything about the place. The service was very efficient, the waitresses helpful and the food amazing. We chose Scott's because of the countless photos of A-listers falling out the doors in all the London papers and magazines, and also because it was the Square Meal Restaurant of the Year – we had to see what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately, we didn't see any celebs that we recognised, but we definitely saw some people who looked like they though they should be! It was a really enjoyable night.

If you're going to Scott's for a meal and want to splurge, I'd recommend a cocktail beforehand in the nearby Connaught Hotel bar.

Next to J.Sheekey this is the best seafood restaurant in London. The atmosphere in the dining room is very grown-up. It's a place your dad would know from going there for regular business lunches. But the giant comfy chairs and soft colours make it cosy, rather than stuffy. I always have the same: raw & cooked seafood platter, which is shared amongst diners and includes the usual (oysters, clams, prawns, langoustines, lobster, different types of crab etc). However the wine list is very well represented in french whites, but does need to be upgraded in their italian-whites selection.