Queens Head & Artichoke

Queen's Head and Artichoke, NW1 4EA

Gaspropub. Casual. Service is usually good and friendly. Food is delicious. Serves a great variety of Tapas with the Jamon Serrano croquettes fresh salads and other Mediterranean selections.

I have been to the Queens Head and Artichoke a few times now, each time now for Sunday lunch. The first two times the place was empty, the food and service good. This gastropub is located just a few yards down from Great Portland Street tube and in the dead mans zone before Camden town. From the outside, it looks like the sort of boozer you dont want to go in to unless you fancy a quick pint and there is nowhere else to venture. However, once inside, the pub has a nice feel although the frosted lead lined windows can make it feel a little claustrophobic.

An interesting menu with a mixture of traditional gastropub fare and a scrumptious tapas menu. The food is good, with all portions verging on too large and almost off putting. Dont eat anything all day if you are coming here as you are unlikely to leave hungry. The tapas menu is as you would expect with dishes suchas patatas bravas, marinated anchovies and squid in chilli. The organic roast beef was nice. It came medium rare but the slices were carpaccio style thin. All the trimmings came with it as well as large homemade yorkshire pub. Fantastic value for twelve quid.

My only issue, which is a big one, is the service. The place was heaving due to the good weather and a two large groups in the restaurant. Management clearly doenst exist here as we had at least four people serving us at different times during the meal. However, service then ceased to exist around half way through our lunch. We had to ask five times for a cappucino, two of these times I got up and went in search of it but to no avail. One of our many waitresses then came over and told us rather rudely that we dont not in fact order a cappucino. Either way – whoever is right – dont dare argue with the customer. We asked to chat to the manager. A tpyical French man sauntered over and announced his arrival by saying ‘Yes?’. His excuse for poor service was that he had been let down by staff at the last minute and that we would just have to wait to be served while everyone was serving at the bar. Charming !

Great food, ok atmosphere, appauling arrogant service from a team that clearly dont care whether their customers return. So I wont.