Bistrotheque

Modern European·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Bistrotheque

Silver Award

Once an insider’s secret on a seedy Bethnal Green backstreet, Bistrotheque has gone on to become a bona fide east London institution. Best known for its weekend brunch service, it’s always packed to the rafters and great raucous fun, thanks to the colourfully coiffed house pianist and decent nosh (plates of pancakes with poached rhubarb and pork chops with layered potatoes do it for us) and even better cocktails. The decor “just stays cool” and the clientele is a veritable Who’s Who of modern east London, with a host of designers, architects, artists and assorted locals using it for nibbles, drinks at the “magnificent” bar (“staff will make sure your glass is never empty”) and lively suppers – perhaps pressed lamb with spring vegetables, cod with romesco sauce, caramelised tomato tart with burrata or “the best steak tartare in the east End”. The food’s good, but the ambience is “amazing”.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Modern European
Ambience
Cool, Fun, Glamorous, Lively
Food Occasions
Brunch
Perfect for
Celeb spotting, Group dining [8+], Special occasions
Food Hygiene Rating

Location

23-27 Wadeson Street, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9DR

020 8983 7900 020 8983 7900

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Sun 6-10.30pm (Fri-Sat -11pm) Sat-Sun 11am-4pm

Reviews

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8 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Anon

29 January 2023  
Food & Drink 3
Service 2.5
Atmosphere 2.5
Value 1.5
Not impressed

Not a great experience. We booked a table with friends at 3.30pm and were not informed the restaurant actually closes briefly until evening in Sundays. They didn’t tell us until we sat down post ordering drinks that basically over half the menu wasn’t available leaving very little choice. We felt they were starting to rush us and asked about the closing time which was in fact 5pm - although we did stay until 5.30. We spent 400 quid over a couple of hours (there were four of us). It wasn’t worth anywhere near this (considering the kind of service and food that amount could normally afford) and how rushed we were throughout our meal and the fact we didn’t really get much choice. Would struggle to recommend this and indeed go back anytime soon which is a shame as I had been before years ago and enjoyed. We really begrudged spending just over a 100 quid per person.

Sally B

28 June 2018  
Beautiful people, food, venue, experience.

Ane-Mari P

24 May 2016  
Lunch or dinner sitting on the magnificent bar stools. The staff will regale you with tales as they prepare and make sure you're glass never empty. Always give little extras. Amazing ambience, decor just stays cool, service is impeccable (even if they are hipsters) and always interesting menu. Best Steak Tartare in the East End.

Aymeric V

03 March 2014  
Food & Drink 3
Service 3
Atmosphere 4
Value 3
some of my friends waited for hours on an only average roast chicken at the bar on a Friday night, but recommended the place anyway for brunch on sunday, because of the piano. we had a nice table at the back, where it is not too noisy or loud. even when it is rainy outside, there is light, and the piano is good for the atmosphere. the waiting is still a bit long I think (even for the bloody mary), and the waiter forgot a tea that we ordered as a second wave, but he was friendly. the food is not exceptional, but not too expensive either, and the place is trendy, definitely worth a visit. overall we had a good moment.

Maria V

13 January 2014  
Food & Drink 4
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4
Excellent
An excellent environment, amazing atmosphere, very good food, and very good service.

vikki L

12 January 2014  
Food & Drink 2
Service 4
Atmosphere 3
Value 2
disappointed
I know the cabaret is no longer part of the set up and the location is supercool but… The good bits are charming service, charming service and charming service. As an ex restauranteur (successful!) that means a lot. HOWEVER, a pervasive smell of chip fat was not a great start. The squash salad with baby spinach had almost no dressing and blobs of cheese ,which though advertised as Brillat Savarin, bore no resemblance to the cheese I have eaten many times under that name. The squash was unevenly cooked, bits were almost raw.One of the other starters we tried, the cured salmon, was very good. Two of us had the cod and chips, one had the burger and the other healthy person, the baked cod. The batter on the cod was soggy, the fish utterly tasteless. I ate about half and left all the batter, most of the chips, which were also soggy and bland, cooked in old oil, and not at the right temperature. The wine was fine, nothing remarkable but we chose it. It was too much of a trainwreck to complain , the others finished most of their dishes, but were unimpressed.Though the staff were charming, they showed no interest in the unfinished food. Disappointed , we skipped desert and coffee and went home smelling of old chip oil.

Mark B

15 August 2013  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4
Value 4
Great place !
Can't fault it we all had amazing food & service !! You must go Selection of snacks for starters definitely the way to go

Jeannette B

10 December 2012  
Food & Drink 2
Service 4
Atmosphere 2.5
Value 3
It was so difficult to find this place – we spent over an hour trudging up and down Wadeson Street and had to phone to be guided in. Our Google map kept wanting to take us to the middle of a housing estate. There was no name outside to let us know we had reached the right place. Upon entering the restaurant pleasantly surprised as it looked inviting even though it was a converted warehouse; however, because the kitchen is in the restaurant area all the cooking smells (especially fat) wafted over to our table and completely put me off my food. I had lamb and whilst it looked as if it had been cooked to my liking (pink in themiddle) – it was really quite tough. The mash was ruined by far too much mustard. Service was good though, but because the fat smell had ruined my appetite, I could not even drink a second glass of wine, which is most unusual!
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020 8983 7900 020 8983 7900

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