VQ Aldgate

International·
££££
·
Bronze Award
·
London, EC3N 1AH ·Website·Call020 3301 7224

SquareMeal Review of VQ Aldgate

Bronze Award

The original USP of this ultra-modern round-the-clock diner (VQ, Vingt-Quatre, geddit?) was to serve food (and booze) 24/7 – although the Notting Hill and Euston branches call it a night in the early hours. Wherever you hole up, expect indulgence all the way, from buttermilk pancakes or eggs florentine (favourites from the all-day breakfast menu) to gargantuan lamb burgers, beer-battered fish & chips or super-sweet banoffee pie.

It’s tricky to design a restaurant that feels right at any time of day, but the graphic lines and clean, minimalist feel of VQ’s outlets are on the money for both morning coffee and late-night liquor, backed by staff who are adept at shifting gear during busy periods. After more than two decades on the scene, VQ has earned its place as a neighbourhood go-to – you’ll find burned-out party girls and bright-eyed families breakfasting side by side at weekends.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - Under £30
Cuisines
International
Food Occasions
Breakfast, Brunch, Late night dining
Food Hygiene Rating

Location

Ground Floor Dorsett City Hotel, 9-13 Aldgate High Street, London, EC3N 1AH

020 3301 7224 020 3301 7224

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Sun 24hrs

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Anon

22 June 2022  
Food & Drink 0.5
Service 0.5
Atmosphere 3
Value 0.5
Pre-made food with horrible service.

Absolutely horrible and I don’t even know where to start. We stayed at the Dorsett City London and everything started well at check-in but turned for the worst while trying to order room service.

I call room service using the “room service” pre dial button from the hotel room phone (see attached photo). The line was either busy or no one answered, so I had to keep trying for over ten minutes. A male finally answers and seems agitated— he explains that there is no room service but he will transfer me to the restaurant. A female restaurant worker answers and says I would need to come down and order/wait for food. This was extremely odd because this hotel is allegedly a “four star restaurant.” I have never been to any other hotel, let alone a four star hotel, that did not have room service, especially since I found out about “room service” from the hotel information on the TV (see photo attached).

Anyway, I go downstairs and place an order from the menu that is on the “Dorsett City London” website (see attached photo). The lady looks at me funny and says they don’t have any of that food. A male then approaches and says the menu we were using was from another hotel. Thinking I made a mistake, I double check and it WAS from the same hotel/restaurant we were at. We end up ordering from the restaurant menu (higher pricing than online menu)— steak sandwich, burger, dirty fries, and two milk shakes. The food was ready in five minutes as we were told it would be. The food was mediocre at best— steak sandwich was over cooked and contained very little meat, burger ok but soggy, fries were old hard fries that were just loaded with toppings, and one shake was just liquid chocolate and definitely not a milkshake at all (the other was very watered down but had some ice cream in it). For what you pay at this restaurant, just go to a fast food place down the street— it’ll probably have better service and food. I don’t know a single restaurant that can have a steak sandwich/burger/fries ready in five minutes, which means VQ must have their food precooked and quickly put together. This was not four star quality at all.

I end up calling down to the restaurant because the liquid shake was undrinkable. I let the male worker know the issue and he calls me a liar, and that he finds it very hard to believe. He tells me that I could not get a refund for the shake and have to come back down and get another shake. At this point I’m very upset at being called a liar over the phone and return downstairs just to show them the purely liquid drink that they called a “shake.” I was over this entire experience and just left the shake without getting a new one, or a refund.

For background— I work in the customer service industry and have attended the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center Course for private businesses. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU TREAT ANY CUSTOMER. It’s not right at any McDonald’s let alone a “four star” hotel. You don’t offer services on your hotel monitor/phone/advertisement that don’t exist, serve horrible food, call your customer a liar when he informs you about it, and then let said customer leave this upset. It’s honestly a joke in the customer service industry. I will never come back to this hotel and I’m not surprised it has so many 1-star reviews for lack of service. Very disappointed and in shock. I would give zero stars if I could.

Gemma T

22 March 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 3
Atmosphere 2.5
Value 1.5
Work lunch

Nice little place for work lunch, a little over priced for what it was but lots of choice on the menu.

Would like to have seen sides included in meal.

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Call VQ Aldgate to make a booking on:

020 3301 7224 020 3301 7224

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