Racine

Racine - not bad

Service was friendly and attentive, but not arrogant or too snobbish so very good. Food was also good, lots of interesting / innovative dishes, so very good. Only thing is the atmosphere – they could do much better to upscale the look and also to become a brighter face on Brompton Road.

Une grande catastrophe...

… and it all started so well. Racine has been a fixture on Old Brompton Road for the best part of a decade. At first it was fine dining but when that wore off the owners jumped on the Parisian Bistro Bandwagon and at first it seemed to work. However, a recent repeat visit was hands down one of the worst London dining experiences of the past years. It was nothing short of carnage. At one point I almost started looking for the hidden camera. The staff are extremely unfriendly – like in a comedy sketch looking to (normally unfairly!) poke fun at French waiters. The food was terrible. The setting itself has aged very poorly and given the more than hefty prices could do with a lick of paint, especially on the grimy ceiling. The fish soup (soupe de poisson) had a completely wrong, watery consistency and a taste which could only be described as that of shellfish gone off. I pointed this out to the chap trying to pass as a waiter to cue an educational lecture that it was supposed to be like this and that I should see reason and rather shut up. Period. Trying to hold on to my last scraps of good mood, I consoled myself with that the other starter was forgettable but not a complete disaster, although very, very far from competitors such as Chabrot down the road. The duck main did little to re-establish trust and achieved merely mediocrity. All this was rounded off by lousy and uninspired dessert, a hefty bill and completely insincere apologies by the (stand-in?) manager. I really thought this type of behavior had died out among London restaurant. But I'm sure in the back of their minds Racine are ready for the next stampede of tourists over the Easter break. How useful that Square Meal has introduced “half-stars.” Quelle horreur.

I've been coming to Racine for a few years now, and am delighted at both the consistently outstanding, innovative and authentic food, and the wonderful, unfussy, unpretentious, understated service. It is for me the closest thing to being in Paris without actually crossing the channel. Elegant, sophisticated but – crucially – in today's overpriced, underwhelming restaurant scene, always great value for money, Racine remains for me, ‘une perle rare’. I find it hard to look beyond perennial favourites like their bayonne ham with celeriac, or the signature rabbit in mustard sauce, and have always found the staff knowledgeable when helping to pair wine with whatever we choose. And on most occasions, rather than the inevitable upsell to a more expensive bottle, I am pleasantly surprised to be told that actually, a more modestly priced bottle actually compliments this or that dish better than my first choice. For me the filet and triple cooked chips are magnifique, and the welcome we always receive at Racine makes it a delightful treat for special occasions, business lunches and a spot of Sunday indulgence. Every time I step through those curtains at the entrance I feel like I am entering an oasis of tranquility, class and fine dining at reasonable prices, in the midst of a barren wasteland of over-hyped, unoriginal and exorbitantly priced imitators. The original, the best, and still my favourite French bistro in London town. Gold medal standard guaranteed. Don't miss out!

Visited this lovely restaurant during Olympics week. A vision of the Rive Gauche set down in the middle of busy Knightsbridge. Just what a local French restaurant should be. All that was missing was a game of petanque on
the street outside.
Impeccable service. Very attentive, warm and friendly staff. Every little detail carefully looked after.
Food superb. Rabbit with mustard sauce…mouthwatering. Wines reasonably priced…Picpoul de Pinet went
down a treat. All in all a super day out in town.
For those who persist in complaining about prices…stay at home and have a takeaway! Chacun a son gout.
I would rather spend my money here than anywhere else in London

Racine is quite simply one of the best French restaurants in London. Actually, that's unfair to Racine; it's one of the best French restaurants I've been to, anywhere! The quality of the food is consistently high and the menu is both inventive and interesting and well priced for food of this calibre. Added to which, the quality of welcome, general attentiveness and service from the restaurant staff is extremely professional. They are always on hand to help but never in the way or imposing. I've been coming to Racine for years and can honestly say it's always our first choice for a special meal.

As New Yorkers, we aren't as familiar with London restaurants as we would like to be, but we thought we had done our homework before trying Racine. The online reviews seemed positive, the place looked bustling when we passed it at lunchtime.Our Sunday evening meal couldn't have been more disappointing. There were two specials for the day — at 6:30, only one was available. Skirt steak (the replacement for the lamb special) was slapped on the white beans meant for the lamb. (Not a good marriage.) The meat was barely edible — I left most of it on my plate. The soup was bland and tasteless, the dessert mediocre. Our bottle of wine helped us through this very sad meal, but we were left wondering how and why this place could get so many rave reviews. Our waitress was sweet, as was the hostess, but really — the food was pathetic. We were the only diners in the place, which also struck me as odd, given the location and apparent reputation of the place.

If only you could still find ‘Old school’ restaurants like this in Paris. The interior is not inviting and the service can be a bit stiff and too French but once the food arrives both of these slights can be forgiven. A recent dinner included kidneys in a mustard sauce served with possibly the best mashed potatoes of the year. The sea bass was similarly enjoyed as was a starter of Lardon Salad.

Not welcoming when we (wife and I) dropped in for a latish supper. Very disapointing first visit…never again.

This restaurant has gone from being a French star with greast service to a very mediocre restaurant with poor service. What happened the polished French staff? What happened in the kitchen? Such a shame, as it used to be a regular. Not any more.

Cote-de-boeuf was one of the three best steaks I ever had (the other two were at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and Rockpool Bar and Grill in Melbourne). Excellent!