Chez Patrick

Patrick is a very friendly host, and makes the evening with the way he treats his customers.

The food is always excellant, the crab salad to start was very good, followed by a great tasting veal stew. Others in my group had Dover sole and the Cod, all found the fish cooked just right.

finished with a apple tart and coffee.
All served by friendly french waiters.

We have been going to Chez Patrick for a number of years and can only recommend it to those looking for great value food and a delightful atmosphere in which to eat it.Everything revolves around mine host Patrick,who is always there with a smile and appropiate joke,both for new & old customers.Because of this,always recognise faces seen there before,who,like us,keep coming back for more.
Basic food is French,with leaning to fish though there is a good selection of meats etc. if required.Wine choice is excellent and covers all requirements in that field,both in quality & price.
Atmosphere light and airy & tables are far enought apart to stop any encroachment into conversations.

Chez Patrick, excellent food served with a very niceand friendly service. A french atmosphere with a cosmopolitain touch. Do not hesitate to ask for a nice bavette or onglet.

This place is the epitome of neighborhood charm, and Patrick the owner is the star of the intimate show. He is very attentive and will correct anything if you find it less than perfect.

Impressive food, beautifully made and very, very French.

Old school, and all the better for it.
Give it a try, you won't be disappointed – just don't diss your husband like I did as Patrick will swipe you round the head with a menu!!!

had the set lunch (£12.90) where there were choices for each course
piquino peppers stuffed with brandade of salt cod, salad garnish, the peppers slightly pickled, the brandade soft and creamy, served slightly warm, with a basic garnish of dressed salad leaves.
Followed by
Casserole of venison with mushrooms, carrots, served with wilted spinach and french fries . The venison well cooked and tenderly melting, its sauce tasty and hearty, the spinch perhaps a little over wilted, but seasoned very well and tasty, the french fries were slightly over salted, but hot and crisp.
to finish
Raspberry mousse . Soft and creamy, well set but not rubbery, with a raspberry coulis with good contrasting tanginess. Could perhaps have done with a small shortbread or tuile biscuit.

glass of house wine & a coffee

all for £18.70 (+ tip)

This is a great little restaurant with well cooked food with all the french flavour you want, and different from the normal “pub” lunch you may get for similar cost.
The dishes, portions, presentation and service are akin to a small restaurant you may come across in France. If you are in the area, make a trip there for a meal. I would quite happily eat here regularly if I lived more locally rather than over 200 miles away. Had to dash off for a meeting but could easily have spent longer in relaxing unfussy atmosphere.
My marks reflect against similar of this type, but if comparing to Michelin standard then knock 2 or 3 of each

I went for the fish soup to start which was a hearty, sturdy sort. If Anchovies aren't for you then maybe avoid it. However in these penny pinching times it was welcome – maybe even shocking – to be offered a second helping. For the main I went for the Beef Fillet. Delicious meat but the pepper sauce wasn't for me. Maybe a bit too buttery? Taste it before unloading on the plate. Dessert was a Mousse de Chocolat. The presentation must be tongue in cheek? Tasty nonetheless.

Positive review here as the restaurant was a warm neighbourly place. The starter and main were generous and very good quality. Also the proprietor gets among the diners and is quick with advice. Bon appetit!

I have been to this restaurant on a personal capacity as well as part of an office function and, on both accounts, I haven’t been disappointed. The food is superbly delicious, the service great and to top everything, the host, a rather interesting chap, will go to the length to make you appreciate that homely atmosphere you can only find in certain southern parts of France. You must try it yourself to see!

Patrick hosted my wedding party recently and it was a great success on all aspects. My wife is for ever thankful and our guests promised to reward the restaurant with a later visit to enjoy this authentic french atmosphere. Bravo for the chef and the waitering staff, very dedicated indeed.

Very good restaurant. Patrick is always warm and a great host. I had dinner twice and I encourage you to get there.

Despite living in north London my wife and I regularly go to Chez Patrick's restaurant especially if we have something special to celebrate. The welcome from Patrick himself is always of a very warm nature. The standard of food is excellant with a wide range on the menu. It is well cooked and well presented. The staff are very polite and very attentive without appearing obtrusive. If you want a taste of French living of a high character you can do no better than to spend the evening Chez Patrick.

Very nice local “French” restaurant with a special take on seafood. Friendly and efficient service, especially when the owner “Patrick” is in good form. Food offering is French classic, reliably executed and served in unpretetious surroundings. If you're after a bit of time off to local France, go there, you will not be disappointed.

Fantastic service and very good quality of food ! We enjoyed it very much. A little bit of France in the middle of London.

Great food in the traditional French style make this a restaurant not to be missed. Whether fish or meat it's all beautifully prepared and cooked and great value for money too. And everything is so fresh. For a warm welcome and a great lunch or dinner don't miss it. You'll always want to go back.

Danny Hockman, London.
September 2010

Le top ! Un accueil de qualité et convivial. Un endroit superbe et tranquille. Excellente cuisine. Top! Quality service and friendly. A superb location and quiet. Excellent cuisine.
Thanks a lot Patrick, I will be back soon…

Chez Patrick is a genuine French neighbourhood restaurant but at the heart of Kensigton! For the nostaligics of France, of the Corneille language or those who want to have a taste of it, this is the place. You will be welcome by Patrick, the owner, who will make you feel very welcome and look after you as if you were part of the family. No fancy ambiance or design, but a warm, welcome and quiet place, where you will feel relaxed. Definitely worth a try and you'll surely add it to your favourite places!

Chez Patrick is a little island of Frenchness transplanted to cosmopolitan West London. The service is warm, welcoming and friendly, and diners are well looked after from their first step through the door on arrival and throughout their dining experience. Everyone is treated as an old friend, and each customer is made to feel that they are a V.I.P., at least for the day.

The menu has something for everyone, and reasonably priced wines complement the cuisine. The “patron” is his own head waiter, and greets every customer personally, seats them, takes their order, answers their questions and makes menu suggestions if asked.

Patrick's restaurant is a place I have had no hesitation in recommending to friends, especially to francophiles and (would-be) francophones like myself!

We are with Clementina. We are not paid reviewers but merely visitors to London from the Midlands – we have eaten at Michelin starred restaurants in the UK and abroad, as well as lesser establishments.

We loved the atmosphere and the food was superb. The built in gratuity is something we are beginning to live with though not really liking it.

All we can say is that if Patrick's were closer we would be regular visitors.

My initial reaction on leaving this restaurant after dinner last night was strong resentment on realising too late that I'd just paid a 15% tip, and a feeling that this is a rather lazily-run operation. Although the fish and meat are clearly fresh and well-sourced, the salads were very dull, and the chips either frozen, or left sitting around far too long. I'm happy to eat simple food, but then it must be perfectly prepared.

The owner/waiter is attentive, but has perhaps been doing this job too long, his boredom was palpable. Maybe this is due to having to deal with Kensingtonites, who really are pretty tiresome.

The room itself is pleasant and it has a warm atmosphere, although the tables are small and close together.

I think if we'd eaten off one of the menus I might well have felt more positive. But the a la carte is just too expensive for what's on offer.

And I still can't quite believe that 15% service charge…

This is not yet a review, more an observation in advance. Hence the average 5's through my ratings. My friend and I both live very locally to Chez Patrick have been meaning to visit for some time but have never got around to it. I was thinking about booking a table for next week and therefore read the reviews on Square Meal in advance. I cannot remember the last time I read such extreme divisions of opinion between reviewers each of whom have clearly been moved enough to write at considerable length in well considered detail.

So, what to do? Is Clementina one of those happy personalities that just seem to love and enjoy everything in life despite all else? A near 10 out of 10 does seem almost unbelievably impressive. Or was it indeed paid for by an “overbearing and arrogant” MD who could not bear to read the disappointing truth about his failures? Is the barrage of competing negative comments actually from a collection of old school types who having nothing better to do than complain and are seldom satisfied by anything short of ‘by Royal Appointment’. Kensington has its fair share.

Perhaps we should all aim to include a reference point, so that other readers can judge the nature and stance of the reviewer. For example, if our happy reviewer in this case had also commented, “now I feel like some good old American grub and am off to MacDonalds to enjoy a nutritious portion of fries” then perhaps we would all feel better informed. Or if one of the disappointed customers had actually bothered to reference an alternative that they felt had lived up to their expectations then the rest of us might have a better idea the mindset of the frustrations voiced.

I'm going to take the plunge and report back next week. Benchmarked. Against other restaurants, against how well I get on with my guest and my general mood on the day. It all makes a difference.

I am amazed at some of the negative reviews given to this restaurant as I cannot agree with a single one! (and no.. I am not a paid reviewer!!!).

Having loved Chez Patrick's previous incarnation, Lou Pescadou on the Old Brompton Road, I eagerly followed Patrick to his new restaurant and he does not disappoint. This is a local French restaurant that is simple yet elegant and much like eating in the dining room of a good French home. Prices range depending on your requirements – a daily menu at either £12.50 for 2 courses of £14.50 for 3 as well as the standard menu with mains up to £19 per person, ensure that all budgets and tastes are catered for. The wine list is equally wide ranging, including fantastic value house wine served in carafes.

The meat and fish are always fresh – and being able to seek advice from Patrick himself as to which is best at the time of eating makes the meal all the more enjoyable. I had a wonderful meal there last weekend – quieter than during the week evenings but perfect for a Sunday lunch. I was seriously impressed by a new addition to the starters menu (small squares of foie gras on ginger bread with fresh mango), and my mother thoroughly enjoyed the fish soup which is always a dense and delicious fishy concoction. My husband also loved his crab ravioli – yes this is in a rich sauce, but it is moreishly delicious, fresh fish wrapped in hand made pasta. I had a beautiful piece of grilled sea bass for my main, whilst my father and sister loved a superb chateaubriand – admittedly not cheap at £39 but definitely worthwhile for an incredibly tender piece of meat.

Patrick himself manages the entire restaurant with a sharp eye and equally sharp wit – he enjoys the company of all his clients and personally overseas every table. His charm and warmth are what has made this venue a long term local's favourite – this may not be to everyone's taste, but this is a local French restaurant, not a designer city business venue.

Over priced restaurant not meriting the glowing reviews given by the ‘paid for’ reviewers.

To Restaurant: Serve the same food and charge 20-30% less (on food), and then you'd be worth the reviews. Also professional waiter/waitress service would be better.

On a positive, my sea bass was very fresh and the flesh was beautifully cooked, but the skin was a bit burnt (so added a slight bitter taste)

I wouldn't go back again. Sorry.

we went as part of a group of eight last friday. I had a starter of artichokes and foie gras and the main course was a steak. Both courses were tasteless and even the tarte tatin pudding had a greasy texture. Obviously the chef employed, if that is the appropiate word, has never been taught how to do the job properly. I do not know how this restaurant survives.

“That's the worst meal I have had in London for a long time” said my wife through gritted teeth after a Thursday lunch at Chez Patrick. Having just moved into the area, we had been looking forward to visiting this “local's” restaurant and hoping to discover a hidden gem. Whilst I didn't feel as strongly as my wife on account that my lunch was saved by a high quality sirloin steak (and so it should have been for £19!), we will not be returning.

First impressions: decor is simple and very French. After a while, we began to find things were tired and cheap. The MD (and owner according to Square Meal's own reviewer) is an acquired taste: at first we found him charming and funny but as the time went by he seemed overbearing, arrogant and irritating. I have not marked them down particularly on this as it's “each to their own”, as they say.

Now for the food: for starters, the grilled squid was rubbery and tasteless and my tuna tartare was mixed with a home-made mayonnaise, which meant you couldn't taste the tuna.

Main courses: my wife's crab and scallop ravioli had sounded so promising. Sadly it was swimming in a cream sauce that was far too rich and overpowering. She said it made her retch. My sirloin was “bleu” when it was served (I had asked for it medium rare) and they were quick to sort it out.

Value for money? Not good. 2 starters and 2 mains with a bottle of water came to £47.50 (the sirloin accounting for 40% of this). Scandalously, the restaurant has a policy of adding a “discretionary optional” 15% to the bill. We certainly didn't think the service or the experience was worth this, but entering into what would undoubtably have been a heated argument with a haughty MD would have ruined our day not just our lunch.