Canteen - Royal Festival Hall in Lambeth

What a poor experience. Crab starter would have been delicious if it had more than a morsel of crab in it. Mainly filler, cucumber. £33 worth of fillet steak (£39 with a small side of tomato in vinaigrette) was over cooked on the bottom and tasteless. The side of fries were past their sell by date and weren't fresh. My partners Tuna dish Salad Nicoise was poorly presented with the fish overcooked and lacking in flavour. This was so different to other Cote restaurant's construction of a simple dish. Wine was good but overall cost was very expensive for the standard of food. Well below par for a Cote. Avoid.

I was underwhelmed by the quality of the food and think you're paying more for location than anything else. Just okay. Staff were friendly and professional.

Very busy branche with nice atmosphere and pleasant staff. But it was a disappointing meal! Really overcooked steak, even my sharp steak knife struggled to cut it. Very disappointing that a chef could not cook a steak well done without totally destroying it. I usually go to Cote in London Bridge or Sloane Square, and I never experience this problem at those branches. The chefs at the other branches understand that well-done steak means cooked inside (not pink!). It doesn't mean dried out until its inedible! Disappointing experience.

Côte is my 'go to' restaurant that is consistent. I enjoy their fixed price menu. I remember even ordering Côte at home during lockdown. I'm pleased that they have added to their delicious crème caramel with including a Madeleine. Even though I bake cakes and desserts, I have difficulty with crème caramels so appreciate ordering these when I visit.

Excellent service and delicious food

We had a lovely table of six for a family lunch. Alexandra and colleagues looked after all our needs and the service was excellent. The children drank orange juice and lemonade, with French 75, cremant rouge and Muscadet for the grown ups. Crab maison, seared scallops, poulet Breton and rib eye steak were all popular choices. A ten per cent service charge is included, all of which goes to the team.

We stopped on the way to the theatre - you can always count on Cote for a decent meal. The 5 minute steak was juicy and had a lot of flavour and the rose wine was good too. Additionally, we were treated with some free oysters! That was wonderful. Many thanks!

Best Côte in town. Amazing service, delicious food, indeed a great atmosphere.

Great value, good food, good atmosphere.

Fish parmentier and beef cheeks were particularly delicious And. The salted creme caramel with madeline was out of this world

Dining at Cote always feels like a special occasion, while being relaxed, cosy and excellent value for money

We had dinner at Cote after my graduation, and the food and staff were amazing. They were very considerate of our dietary requests, which was a big plus. Our waiter was fluent in Spanish and extremely attentive. My family and I had a great time, and we will definitely go back.

Great date night. Got the baked beet app - was so flavorful. Entrees were the duck and Tuna. We’re both decent. The custard and Madeline cookie were a highlight.

The manager was a disagreeable young man, lacking in charm, courtesy and basic skills in how to welcome and look after customers.

not too noisy, good to meet eat and chat. was not rushed out at all by staff.

I was there with my father a few days ago and we truly loved the place! The food was amazing and service was impeccable. Shoutout to the owner and the young waiter who were very kind and thoughtful. I will most definitely come back when I visit London again.

Amazing experience! We had a NYE dinner at this place and just loved everything. The team was very friendly, attentive and welcoming. Food was also very delicious and fresh. The NYE menu for two, plus extra drinks, and service fee costed us 330£. The menu covered 4courses, aperitif + welcome drink, cheese plate drink and NYE glass of champagne. We also had an amazing firework view. Thank you for making our night unforgettable!🌟

A little disappointed with choice on menu. And not much to accompany the steak. Maybe because it was Christmas time Food was fine.

Truly delightful. My bestie and I met up after months and this was the perfect place to catch up! The food is fresh and vibrant just to look at, then sumptuous with every bite, right up until you wished for more on completion of your last morsel. Waiters were so kind, our teenage boys joined for desert and they were so accommodating setting us a bigger table. I loved the wholesome food and more especially the ethic. Thank you ❤️

My family go out to lunch to Cote RFH every 3 months or so, if we can, as we love the food and service and the location is ideal for us. One of my daughters has an assistance dog. The restaurant staff are always very helpful and supportive in accommodating our requirements with Sparrow, none more so than Alexandra who was again superb last Saturday. She made sure that we were all very well looked after, including complimentary bubbles to celebrate both of my daughter's recent engagements. Many thanks to her and everyone involved. We look forward to being back for more lunches in 2025

Great location and decent, well-priced food for London.

I mentioned on my booking it was our weddings anniversary and when we were seated the manager brought over two glasses of prosecco. Very nice touch, great food and service! Next time we're local we'll be back!

We booked at the very last minute after receiving bad service at another local restaurant, & headed over to Cote instead (literally booking 15 minutes in advance). Despite being the busiest Saturday of the year, the team were friendly, knowledgeable ... rushed off their feet but efficient & our waiter kept his sense of humour. Food quality was great despite the full-house. Overall a great experience ... thank you for saving what could have been a disastrous evening elsewhere!

LOVED Svyat and Barcelona waiters service!!! Plus they’re both very sexy. Thank you so much boys !!!

Terrible terrible service 15/12/24 ordered 2 courses after finishing the first course 25 mins later we asked when are the mains coming, they said another 15 mins later- their reason because the steak (medium rare) would take 15 mins to cook - basically they forgot to process the 2nd (main course) but they lied and said it would take longer to cook because of the steak. If they had said sorry we forgot to process the mains at the same time as the starter then that would of been ok but they lied didn't accept they made a mistake and blamed it taking 45mins to cook a medium rare steak. Avoid this branch (Kingston one is good though)

Brilliant service with great options. The Christmas set menu was lovely. As a vegetarian i was pleased with the options. So pleased I visited another Cote branch the week before to have the same thing.

Delicious food, with attentive and respectful service. An absolute pleasure to eat here. And they are excellent for gluten free which is extremely appreciated.

Beautiful place, great food, friendly staff. Thank you Fernando, Zuza and team

The place was really nice! The waitress gave us good recommendations

Another enjoyable visit to Cote and once again the food and service was brilliant. We were shown to our window table and really well looked after by Shamiya who is a credit to the Cote team. Our meals were delicious and excellent in terms of quality, quantity and presentation. We are already looking forward to a return visit soon.

Overrated and overpriced. £117 for pre theatre dinner for 2 is fine if the food is exceptional. It isn't. We had 2 mains, 2 greens, 3 glasses of wine and bottled water. The ox cheek was beautifully tender but tasted of very little. How about adding salt and pepper when browning? Aromats while stewing? The mash was overworked and gloopy. What a schoolboy mistake. Best were the greens. Personally I'd avoid this place but my friend enjoys this mediocre french fare..

I went to Cote after my graduation ceremony last Tuesday with my family (Mum, Brother, Sister, and Aunt) to have a celebratory lunch. We were served by Dior and his female colleague (unfortunately forgot her name) who served us diligently and flawlessly. Dior explained the menu very well to us, as well as humoring us with jokes etc. I went for the ribeye MW and enjoyed the calamari, as well as, the Fougasse, finishing it off with the Madeleine's. My family were very happy and satisfied with the food and service, would highly recommend.

The flavors of the Breton fish stew were good, rich, and little spicy, just right. What spoilt it was the ingredients mussels were cooked but mushy, 3 previously frozen medium shrimp and a small piece of soggy sad white fish. Accompanied by 2 slices of old dry toasted baguette. Not good. The green salad however was fresh and crisp with a flavorful dressing. All in all a poor showing from a Cote Brasserie. Also they do not take cash which is not posted anywhere that I could see.

Always impressed by Cote.Great food, excellent value and most of all wonderful staff who really go out of their way to make for a thoroughly enjoyable meal.

We had just a short amount of time and asked that we be served quickly. The waiter was incredibly friendly and obliging, the food was straightforward and most delicious and it came very swiftly. There was such a nice convivial atmosphere too. Having recently eaten at Skylon, the beautiful and expensive restaurant inside the Festival Hall, where we found the food was all style over substance, I’d choose Cote for the eating pleasure any day!

Booked but could not find the restaurant after walking around festival hall for twenty minutes! Had to go elsewhere which is a shame as cote is a favourite!

Another great cote. The food and service were good.

Warm, friendly and bustling venue. Steak frite is a staple and is always lovely. Mike and the team all do a fantastic job and really make the place what it is.

I REALLY wanted to like this place as it's got a lovely ambiance & lighting upstairs and the location is great for a post-theatre meal. The staff are also lovely. However, I've come twice now, and on both occasions the management has been a bit shambolic. On our first visit, we took a while to be served, and once finally served and given our order we were told both dishes on the menu we had chosen had actually sold out for the day so we had to pick something else. Surely this is something you'd expect them to tell you sooner! The food was fine, but the tuna steak was served almost cold. The second time we went just recently a week or so ago, we chose dishes from the fixed price menu, only again upon ordering to then be told they aren't serving those at that time - again you'd expect to be told such things earlier, not after you've already chosen what you want to order. The food was okay, average - not bad but not the usual cote standard - and the loos are disgusting, and located quite near the kitchen which is really off-putting. We also would have been appreciated being told the table we reserved was going to be downstairs the second time, as this was another disappointment - the ambiance is not particularly nice downstairs and I probably wouldn't have booked if I knew that's where we would be seated.

Good standard of food nicely cooked and staff were friendly and attentive without being too full on. Good value for money.

This place offers an unforgettable dining experience in the heart of London. The atmosphere is cozy and stylish, with attentive staff ensuring top-notch service. The menu showcases seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, with dishes that are both visually stunning and rich in flavor. A must-visit for anyone looking for exceptional cuisine in London.

I came here for a light lunch. We ordered a few small dishes and they looked beautiful and tasted fresh and interesting but not over complicated. The service was good - lovely place for a bit of elegant food before a show or an exhibition.

Food was good, service quick. The sitting is a bit tight, across the path from the festival hall, but it’s ok

Had an excellent birthday experience here. Service was exceptional, attentive without being overbearing, and were even offered free fizz for the birthday occasion. Prix fixe menu is extremely reasonable for the location and food was excellent. Particularly careful about any allergies. Staff couldn’t have been more friendly or organised. Note card only but they warn you of that on booking which is no issue for me.

Fantastic evening for my partner's mum's birthday! Delicious food and great service. As a coeliac I felt like I was in very safe hands and even had too many food options to choose from (which is a rare problem to face as a coeliac!) with a completely separate gluten free menu. I think this restaurant will become a more regular choice for us.

Delicious food as usual, and great attention from Mahir, definitely recommend

Nice to have the option to still sit outside.. and I loved the vegan option. Delicious! We certainly enjoyed the complimentary cremant. Many thanks.

Nice vegan option and friendly staff.

Everything was lovely, service was quick but attentive so we didn’t feel rushed, food and drinks were great. Had the Camembert and calamari to start which were both lovely. Rib eye steak to share for main - recommended as medium came much closer to rare but we love that so not a problem. Chips, sauce, beans and salad were all lovely.

Food very reasonably priced for a lunch in a good location. 2 courses for £18. Great choice.

I enjoyed a very good meal with a friend at the beginning of August but one thing irritated me. The Kronenbourg lager was marked as 5% on the menu and I assumed it was brewed in France. When it was served I checked the label: 4.6% - for the UK market. I told the waiter that I was not getting what I had ordered and he just smiled. I think you should give customers what they think they have ordered, not UK-brewed adulterated versions.

Warm ambiance excellent dishes and friendly service make this a great place for dinner

Excellent service on Saturday night when we dined as a table of 3 at 19.30. Plenty of space. Great food selection, taste and quality, Hosts and staff where exceptional, Over top scores for their nature

Staff are very pleasant but super impolite manager

A chance booking with a great waiter who turned out to have been at drama school with an actor who we were seeing at the Old Vic that evening. A great character. A good experience.

I booked a table for 13 (reduced to 11) for my birthday at Cote. It had taken me some time to find a central London venue that would take a party of that size at a reasonable price, and it turned out to be the perfect venue. We had a table downstairs, the service was excellent, we were even given a complimentary glass of prosecco each. We were not hurried and the final bill was very reasonable. Highly recommended.

Clean, pleasant place, delicious dishes and excellent service. An oasis. I recommend.

very bad service and the attendant is so rude

Small, overpriced portions of bland food. Certainly didn't expect a £20+ meal to be microwaved.

Shamiah I’m so sorry if not spelt correctly was a delightful lady. Attentive, polite and a credit to your team

A warm welcome by the manager Fernando at the door. A truly ambassador of the brand! Me and my friend thanks to his recommendations we made a fantastic drink and food choices. Highly recommend! Definitely will be back soon! Thank you.

While walking pass in royal festival hall, me and friends we felt right away the friendly atmosphere in the restaurant we decide to stop by. Service was absolutely great. Food very delicious. Best Cote ever, Fernando made the experience even better. Will be back soon!

We had a wonderful lunch today. The food was delicious - two of us had beef bourguignon, one tuna nicoise and one burger. Absolutely delicious! Service was fantastic - from the serving staff to the manager. Highly recommend!

As usual a great choice of food and great friendly and helpful service from Ariadne.

The best experience ever. The food was marvellous and we will definitely be back! The general manager Fernando took care of us and we had an amazing evening! We observed how he was managing the restaurant and how he was supporting all the staff and guests at all times! Very good service and food quality!

Amazing place to dine in with your family or friends on a weekend! The food was just the right combination of all flavours! Along with a very good Sirloin we enjoyed a red bottle of wine Cotes-du-Rhone “Elements Luna” which i think everyone MUST TRY!!! Fernando, the general manager was an amazing host and took care of us the whole evening! The staff were very friendly and polite which as well contributed to our dining experience! Definitely will be back!!!!

A family gathering of first cousins to celebrate a birthday, they made a real fuss of us and gave us a bottle of wine on the house 😍 very generous thank you xxx

We had our friends do/lunch today and I've never had such lovely warm service and great food. Lovely restaurant ambience and waiter was epitome of beautiful French service coupled with warmth and great humour. I'll be going back with my family. The food was delicious.

Dior was our waiter. Thanks for fabulous dinner guys!

I visited this restaurant on May 27th on a whim and was greeted by Shamiya, our waiter. She was an absolutely lovely lady, very attentive and polite. The food was well-prepared, served hot, and tasted great. The atmosphere added to the overall pleasant experience. Highly recommended!

Booked for a family meal to celebrate an occasion. Staff were lovely and made us feel special. Also accommodated a celiac in our party. Food was very good and not too expensive given the location.

After persuading the staff not to shoehorn 7 of us onto a 6 seater table, the rest of the meal was uneventful and typical Cote.

Always love to visit Cote. Food always good and great service.

Went for a fast lunch, nice offers, still same nice quality from 5 years ago, enjoyed the starters, the sirloin was too cooked but the waitress overheard us and deducted it from the bill which was very nice. I enjoyed visiting one of my favourite restaurant franchise in London again.

We had such a wonderful dinner at Cote - we were there for our anniversary, and the staff welcomed us and wished us a happy anniversary, and brought us complimentary drinks. They were so lovely to us in general. Food was really tasty, and the atmosphere was buzzing but gentle. Really idea location for spending the rest of the evening on the south bank. Would absolutely recommend.

The service is nice, and the creme brûlée is very delicious and distinctive 😋, it has a mango and sour taste 😋🥭

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and appreciated that we weren't rushed as we had a lot of catching up to do. Everything was served in good time & the team were attentive but not intrusive.

The service was impeccable. The staff were really helpful. Our daughter was super happy with her meal. Fernando came to our table and made us feel welcomed. Great atmosphere and we are definitely going back again.

We were a large party. We had good food and attentive service through lunch and into the afternoon - very much appreciated.

Lighting is very bad. We went on a sunny afternoon and it was very dark inside. We were seated at a table under the stairs, so 2 people of our group hot their heads when trying to get up. The vegetarian options were very limited. I got the vegan burger, and it tasted awful. I know Côte is known to be expensive, but when you consider what you get for your money at this branch, you realise it is an extremely overpriced bad experience. The only positive part of our experience was the staff; they were very friendly and professional.

The staff were lovely and the service was good, as well as the location being extremely convenient. However, the food was what I can only describe as average. I had onion soup to start which was OK but lacking in flavour. I then had the chicken salad as a main course which was very limited in the selection of leaves/ vegetables and had overly dry chicken, again with little flavour. Followed by a Paris Brest that was rather dry and crispy. I’ve eaten at several Cotes before and never been disappointed so my expectations were pretty high.

Pleasant, friendly and charming staff,tasty food and a good atmosphere.And so very conveniently situated for the South Bank events!

We celebrated my friends birthday and we were beyond please with the service and food. They really treated us and made sure we had everything we needed. Such a great experience and it really made my friends birthday so much better. Would recommend this place!! The atmosphere is lovely and the food is delicious! Thé fougasse (bread) is a must!

Amazing service, great food and really warm atmosphere! The salted caramel tart is top

Hospitality at its best! Ollie and his team made us feel so welcome, and the staff went out of their way to make our friend's 80th an extra special event. There were several birthdays during the course of the afternoon and I noted that the wait staff made a genuine effort for each person. The food was excellent (incl a delicious vegan option) and we hogged our table for a long time with only a totally reasonable nudge to wrap up after several hours! Thank you, Cóte RFH!

Awwwwww so yummmmmmmy 🥹🥹😋😋😋❤️‍🔥

Another amazing experience at Cote - this time at the Royal Festival Hall. Friendly, welcoming and courteous despite me showing at 9.35pm for coffee and desert. Staff make or break an institution. Cote are exceptionally good at recruiting and retaining people with the right attitude. I have been to most of them in London in the last 15 years and many times. Cote also pay their staff above average as far as I know. Whenever I need to dine and there is a Cote nearby, I don't care about the other options. Unless there is an Ivy and I want a slightly more expensive experience.

We were of group of 19 that ate at this restaurant today and we had an absolutely first class experience. The atmosphere, service and food was phenomenal. Everyone commented on how lovely . The mushroom quiche I had was amazing . Considering we were a large group - the service was extremely excellent. I highly recommend this beautiful restaurant and and it’s wonderful staff .

Excellent value for money fixed price menu. Great location before shooting off to yhe theatre.

Everything is very good! I give it 5 stars!)))

As a brand, Cote Brasserie is a wonderful French bistro in London. The menu is varied and the dishes are packed with flavour. This particular Cote is struggling a bit with its identify. Is it a brasserie or a bustling restaurant. Is it a pub or an experience.

Food was poor, unpleasant after taste from pork belly. Toilets pretty disgusting. At over £30 for one main and small glass of wine, one would expect better.

Oleg and the team made our experience at Cote! Had such a great evening and will definitely be back. Try the duck confit it’s delicious 😋

I ended up coming here after a day out and about with friends & and family, and it was the perfect way to end our evening. The team was so lovely to us and so warm and welcoming. They made sure to look after us, and the food lived up to the standard of the service. Was so good we had to speak to the manager Oleg to give our positive feedback, and he was just as great. So far I think this is the best cote that we've been to so far. Thanks, team, and we will sure be back.

What to say about this restaurant? it is definitely the most amazing dining experience I have had recently! The service is top notch and and the food is delicious. I love the environment and atmosphere of the restaurant and it made me feel very comfortable. I super recommend this place and would 100% come back again! Thank you, Cotê! <3

My twin and I were given drinks on the house for our birthday. Service was great and my tartiflette was perfect.

Lovely family meal. Good selection obviously with a French style. All our mains and desserts were very much enjoyed.

very friendly and attentive staff, went above and beyond for us. food was tasty and service was fast. nice atmosphere too! had a lovely time

I had a lunch in this place and I highly recommend to visit. Service was excellent and good delicious! Great location to start your London trip

Great location in the bank of Thames. Genuine French food with great selection of wine. Highly recommend for a date! Service was fast and done in great manner.