Gillray's Steakhouse & Bar

Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar occupies one of London's most privileged addresses, tucked into the curve of County Hall with Westminster neatly framed beyond the Thames. The dining room mirrors the building's sweeping architecture: high ceilings, warm wood panelling and polished marble. It’s an elegant room, but not a showy one. A sensible move, really; there’s no need to compete with architecture and views like this.

Looking towards Parliament, cocktails feel like a smart bet. The Street Crier, the colour of lemon sherbet, offers a playful take on a Midori Sour, subbing lime for orange and a thick, satisfying drift of velvety foam. To match, we kick off with tender garlic-fried squid served with a rich squid ink mayo for dipping, along with wild mushroom flatbread. The latter might not sound like much, but the kitchen has it nailed: warm, fluffy flatbread, creamy London-made bocconcini, peppery rocket, sweet caramelised mushrooms, and a zingy aged balsamic. Simple, but addictive.

Steak, though, is the clear focus. First, our server emerges with a chest of gleaming steak knives. Weapon selected (a Laguiole blade with its signature bee insignia), a massive T-bone lands, generously marbled, beautifully rested and cooked to a precise medium rare. Like all steaks here, it comes from heritage breeds courtesy of Thatcham’s family butcher in Berkshire, then dry-aged in a Himalayan salt chamber to amp up the deep, savoury complexity.

Dunked into aromatic green peppercorn and brandy sauce, matched with triple-cooked chips (craggy-edged, generously showered in Parmesan and preserved black truffle), and paired with a velvety glass of Mendoza malbec, it’s everything you need. At £79 for two to share, this might feel like a serious purchase, but few central London steakhouses deliver quality at this level.

Elsewhere, sticky toffee pudding marks a fitting conclusion. Sponge studded with finely chopped dates remains light and fluffy, ladled with ample butterscotch sauce and topped with a dense, creamy helping of Cornish clotted cream ice cream.

Gillray’s doesn’t do reinvention for the sake of it. With precise cooking, brilliant sourcing, and Big Ben across the shimmering water, it hardly needs to. The substance matches the spectacle - not something we say about every South Bank restaurant.

Set within the grand surrounds of London Marriott Hotel County Hall, Gillray's Steakhouse and Bar delivers a polished take on the British steakhouse, with one of the capital’s most recognisable backdrops. Positioned along the Thames, the dining room looks directly onto Big Ben and across to the London Eye - it's the kind of view that immediately makes the experience special, whether you're planning a client lunch or enjoying a birthday dinner. 

Inside, the restaurant has an almost members club-like aesthetic. Polished wooden panelling, jewel-toned fabrics and generously sized seating create a sense of comfort that matches its Westminster setting, while statement chandeliers and marble-topped tables bring a more theatrical edge. The bar, seamlessly integrated into the dining room, is a destination in its own right, particularly for its extensive collection of more than 100 gins.

The menu is rooted in British sourcing, with a clear focus on quality meat. Beef comes from Thatcham’s, a second-generation Berkshire butcher, and is dry-aged in a Himalayan salt chamber to deepen flavour and texture. The grill section is the main event, offering cuts such as bavette, flat iron and rump cap, alongside bone-in options like pork T-bone for something slightly different. 

Elsewhere, the menu broadens into bistro territory. Starters look like garlic fried squid with squid ink mayonnaise or baked oysters with luxurious Pommery champagne mustard rarebit, while the steak wedge salad layers sirloin with Barkham Blue and pancetta and sounds deliciously filling. If you don't fancy something from the butcher's selection there's plenty of main plates to get you excited, from braised short rib with Yorkshire pudding and stout gravy, to smoked haddock and scallop fish pie.

Add a few indulgent sides to your order: we like the sound of the tenderstem broccoli with Stilton and walnuts, or parsley-smashed potatoes. As you'd expect, desserts are wonderfully indulgent with options like chocolate and peanut brownie with salted caramel and raspberry and cream milk cake.