Galvin Cafe a Vin in Tower Hamlets

The food was so good and the staff so friendly. The atmosphere is easy and comfortable. One of our favourite restaurants.

Never again. Very disappointing. “Roast Beef” was served bleeding red and barely cooked (ie cold and sliced hours earlier). I do not eat “bleu” meat and when I asked for it to be served “medium rare” the plate returned red hot and meat overdone and leathery in texture. So it’s obvious they simply nuked it in the microwave. What a waste. Atrocious. Why don’t they say on the menu “our beef is served underdone if you would like your meat medium rare please let us know” So simple but obviously this is impossible for a corporate entity dressed up as a French bistros. Never again and atrocious waste of £33 for set menu

Brilliant french food done classically, at really good value for central London. Lovely outdoor seated area and the bistro feels like you've been transported to France. The French Manager from Alsace is absolutely brilliant even making me feel welcomed though I was wearing a scruffy hoodie. Bon ape!

Great place for a business dinner. The service was excellent.

have always liked this place and other Galvin places. However a recent Sunday lunch with my mum and family was very poor - and the waiting staff agreed. Not enough staff to serve the tables and something going on in the kitchen that meant no-one outside had any food for quite a long time and when it arrived, it was not worth the wait.

Expensive but superb experience.

Stunning food staff handled my allergies without hesitation. My dishes were changed and explained, so I felt confident eating my friends had amazing food as well , and we will definitely go back

Amazing food, a wonderful ambiance and outstanding service from the lovely Lumi - who went out of her way to make all the guests feel special. I had the delicious Confit Duck Cassoulet and the indulgent Tarte Tatin - both of which were fabulous. Highly recommended.

Amazing experience in Galvin Bistrot and Bar! The service was stunning! Lovely staff and the food is super! From starters to dessert! Everything was impeccable! Big thanks to Gwen, Noe and Yodie and to all the chefs!

Sweetbreads where off tasting like made from spoilt meat. Cassoulet was dry and flavourless. Bad food.

The best bistro in the city. Most awesome food. Exceptional service and the most joyful atmosphere. Can’t recommend enough. If you don’t do anything else. Make sure you dine here

Lovely and friendly staff a gem and delicious food

After receiving an email regarding the summer menu we booked here for Saturday lunch. The summer menu sounded really good and we were looking forward to it. However on arrival we were told that as we hadn’t specified that we wanted this particular menu when booking we could not have it. The chef was quite adamant apparently. Even though I pointed out that I could book online for this menu in the next fifteen minutes the waiter would not change his mind. Nowhere when booking did it state that we should ask specifically for the summer menu. Needless to say we took our custom elsewhere.

I very rarely write reviews but felt that others should be aware. After an enjoyable meal (food was acceptable but nothing special) we were presented with our bill and due to time constraints paid and left without fully checking the charges. I checked later and found that we had been charged £72.00 for corkage although this was listed on the bill as two bottles of wine. A member of our family had brought the wine with them from overseas and after being assured that they wouldn’t be charged corkage on this occasion we decided to share the wine with our meal. When I queried the bill the agreement not to charge was dismissed by manager Gwen Leugen. Customers should also be aware that the ‘optional’ gratuity is added to your bill without checking with you first. Therefore it is not an option and in our case an expensive one at over £40.

Superb food. Taste of Summer menu was superb value for money. Great service and relaxing environment. Totally recommend it.

Now the sun was shining but the welcome by Gwen and her team set the scene for a relaxing and enjoyable lunch. Ambience was relaxed and comfortable Food and vino excellent quality and good vfm Definitely a venue on the return list

Boring front "bistro" of a brilliant Galvin restaurant, that provides mediocre, lifeless service. The outside seating is hideous. Tried explaining this to the RM lady, but she just shrugged it off.

It was fabulous from start to finish! We were very welcome, the staff is very friendly, the menu is rather small, but everything was TOP. We can only recommend it. It is also in a quiet location and has a great atmosphere. Again any time!!!

The food was very, very fine. The service was very accommodating, friendly and helpful!! The atmosphere in the restaurant and in the garden is very pleasant.

4 courses and bubbles for only £33pp . Fantastic value for money summer menu. 4 courses and complimentary bubbles for only £33! @GalvinBistrot is a cute and romantic French restaurant and as a part of the menu you will try chilled melon soup, rillettes of sea trout, ballotine of corn fed chicken and to finish, lemon posset with berries. Only until mid September. . 📍Location: Old Spitalfieds 🚇Closest station: Liverpool street 💰Price: £33pp for 4-courses and glass of bubbles

My partner and I came for Friday night dinner; great atmosphere, delicious food and drinks and friendly service really made our evening. We shared olives, delicious fresh bread and also the peach and burrata starter, all tasted fresh with lots of flavour, before gorgeous sea bream for main each and the tarte tatin. Delicious champagne and fab provence. Great meal. We'll be back

A Bit annoyed as my friend had booed the Al la Carte menu and I asked if I could have the set menu. The manager said no as the Al la Carte menu had been booked and I cannot change that! Seriously, I have been to other restaurants where if I want the set menu they would offer it. If it wasn't for the fact I was part of a large group I would have walked out. Also, the miso aubergine needed to be cooked for longer and the miso paste caramelised more . It needs to be served with noodles!

As ever, 5 stars from me (and from our friends). The food, wine and service were excellent at Sunday lunch. Generous portions complemented by the well-curated wine list.

We had the outside garden area for a company event, thoroughly enjoyed everything about the venue

I came here for my birthday, lovely dishes and service was amazing.

This is a destination place attached to Galvin la chapelle. Great food and service. Fresh Czech beer on tap Top notch.

Oh dear. A second rate Father's Day treat here made us all a bit glum. Soggy service (drinks took an age to arrive - after several reminders, we only got them by the time we had finished starters). They failed the kir test (we got kir royale instead, and were still charged for their error, even though they offered a refund), tasteless parfait, hugely fatty pork belly with very little meat and a teaspoon of gravy, another long wait for a reorder with the wrong beer etc etc. Cut our losses after the second course but were hoping for a nice celebration rather than feeling we were battling with the restaurant, which seems more interested in the bottom line than customers.

We have just had an amazing dinner here. Lumi has taken great care of us this evening - she has been extremely attentive, kind, hilarious and kind. The food was incredible - thank you so much for reminding us why date night is so fun.

This was my first visit to Galvin Bistrot. This was a VIP Dinner for customers following a day event. The food was very average and the service appalling. The manager was incredibly rude and unfriendly, a stark contrast to the team at the event venue in the daytime. I don't know if she was having a bad day but considering the size of our party and the money we spent there I was taken aback. I will not be visiting again!!

Went to this resturant with my mother for a birthday lunch, The atmosphere was super, the staff was very friendly and made the lunch extra special and very memorable. The food was super and worth the price with fair potions and excellent taste will recommend to anyone

Fantastic meal, fish and the Escargot lovely 👌 Will be going again.

very friendly staff, delicious food and great setting.

After a reasonable meal the whole experience was ruined by the manager's attitude, a seemingly genuine mistake where we were double charged for a course. We noticed after they had taken payment and were told to wait for the manager to resolve it. After leaving us waiting for 15 minutes the manager appeared and she said to us that she would refund the "£18 in cash as it was easier". I pointed out that we had also been charged service charge on this as she clearly knew, being the restaurant manager and she pointed at the receipt showing the £18 line and tried to push that it was £18. I reiterated that yes it was £18 but we'd also been charged 14.5% service charge on this and we didn't want to pay service for something that we had not had/been overcharged. At this point she said there was nothing she could do about the service charge and she was not going to refund us for this, then decided to insist that she would give us a free drink the next time we came... Sadly we won't be coming back, if you charge someone for something they didn't have then you need to refund them in full, you don't steal the money because it's more convenient for you. Very disappointed with the attitude and being treated like it's our fault they made a mistake, then being refused a full refund for this, left a sour taste and put off a long-term Galvin fan.

Sat outside, and it was comfortable (more so with the help of the heaters), and it had a nice atmosphere. We had a really lovely delicious meal and the service was fantastic.

Had such a wonderful lunch here. It was exactly what I was looking for. The food was so delicious, and my server was really kind and helpful. She gave me excellent recommendations. If I lived in London I’d be a regular. Will definitely go back next trip.

Superb. Great service. A really solid 'french' bistro.

Very expensive. At least as a tourist who is very new, it's kind of difficult to adjust to the rates over here

Great food and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Made my son's birthday extra special

Lovely birthday meal for 2. Easter set menu was delicious and all the staff were absolutely brilliant, very friendly and chatty! Thank you

Escape the hustle and bustle of London and enter this charming French Brasserie for some delicious food! We enjoyed three courses here, all indulgent and tasty. The stars of the show were the chateaubriand for two and the classic creme brulee for dessert. No pomp and ceremony, just French food and wine done well. If you want all the bells and whistles, you can go next door to Galvin Le Chapelle. Expect paper table cloths, pouring your own wine and looking after your own coat. All aspects you might expect to recieve for the price tag, but that doesn’t take the charm out of the place as it is oh so French. The staff were lovely too.

Not only has Galvin's returned to great Ambience and the service is now spot on, but most of all the food is amazing. A more authentic French Bistro tha many in France, with amazing food. Simple sounding offers such as pork chop or calves liver are cooked and presented perfectly.

An excellent well crafted meal with professional service. Everyone in my party enjoyed the choice of food and drinks, along with the lively ambience of the restaurant.

I booked the restaurant for Saturday 3rd February, to meet with some friends who were visiting London. I had seen, at the time of booking, they offered a table d'hote menu and that attracted me to the restaurant, in addition to the generally good reviews on TripAdvisor, a site I use a lot. We arrived and was presented with the plastic encased a la carte very limited menu and, as we were not offered any thing else, assumed this was the only menu available as the restaurant was quiet, being a Saturday in the business district of London. We duly ordered from this menu. I must admit I was quite surprised at having to pay £6 for a few pieces of baguette to accompany the snails when they were £30 for 12. We did, however, enjoy the food! My complaint is that at the end I discovered, behind the coat rack, a pile of table d'hote menus offering a 4 course menu at £32. Something we definitely would have preferred to have chosen from being such good value in an otherwise overpriced restaurant. I asked the waitress why we were not offered this menu and she said she only gives it out if requested. We are hardly likely to ask for this menu if not aware of its existence! My son has told me this practice is becoming more common in restaurants these days. I'm used to a lot more honesty than that so will be more vigilant in future. I complained to the manager who bumbled something incoherent and was unable to even consider a response. I obviously took him by surprise. We paid £24.50 for a pheasant course, £29.00 for liver when we could have enjoyed a good selection of 4 courses for £32. The liver consisted of about 3 ounces of calves liver, mashed potato and a surgically thin, tiny strip of pancetta. I consider this to be very sharp practice, at best, and not something I would expect from a restaurant I believed to be respectable such as Galvin's. I wrote to the restaurant several days ago hoping for some form of comment or even an apology but clearly they are out to ensure they collect as many extortionate costs as they can. Oh yes, while on the point of extortionate, service Charge is 14.5%.

We had a lovely family birthday lunch at the Bistrot. We chose from the set menu and the food was excellent, as was the service.

We went to the Bistro which is next to the main restaurant. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Between us we had 2 starters, 2 mains plus 1 side and 2 desserts. To drink we had water, one pint of beer, bottle of wine and 4 bourbons. The total came to £213 which included a 14.5% service charge (a little higher than the 10=12% norm). A great bistro, the only (minor) downside is that the tables are very close together giving a slightly cramped feel (in summer I would use the exterior tables).

Our goto restaurant when we venture into London. The set menus are a great way to have a wonderful eating experience without totally destroying the bank balance. We drag it out all afternoon before settling into a cinema or theatre

An overly small table compensated for by the big, warm welcome on New Year's Eve from attentive and charming staff. A good menu (for a pescatarian like me). I believe a refit of the interior decor is happening in next couple of weeks. Will definitely visit again.

Delicious food, delicate portions, good service, clean room, reasonable prices, music could be more tasteful 👌

Excellent food and service - not my first time and certainly won't be the last!

Lovely French Bistrot with a nice terrace. Delicious wine and great service. Food was ok, not the best steak I’ve had but not horrible either. However, the fries were great.

Wir hatten mit neun Personen reserviert. Tisch war bereit, als wir ankamen. Wurden freundlich empfangen. Fanden wunderschöne Dinge in der Speise und Weinkarte. Hatten einen total guten Abend. Das Essen ist auf einem tollen Niveau. Wer mehr möchte, kann nebenan ins Sterne Restaurant. Die French Fries zum Châteaubriand waren wunderbar. Die Buttermischungen hausgemacht. Alles in allem ein wundervoller Abend.

The bistro is a small cozy extention to the Michelin star resteraunt. It has two parts, a quiet inner room and a the bar area at the front. The staff are excellent, knowledgeable and very friendly. The bistro has a relaxed informal feel and you are not held to a strict time slot we stayed drank and talked all evening. The food is classic French Bristo food. Call outs for the food was the steak tartar perfect and topped with a raw egg. The chateaubriand was excellent and the ginger creme broulee. Wine is well priced from 34 to 100 for city resteraunt. But the winter cocktail specials were really good. In summary a perfect relaxed evening without the crowds and noise of London.

We had a lovely evening, food and wine superb! Lovely and charming staff made us feel very welcome and looked after us well. Cancellation/no show policy is a little scary but I can understand why restaurants have to resort to it.

Nice welcome, shown straight to table, Servers were attentive to our needs but were not pushy at all. Nice selection of food, and portion size was good, the food tasted even better. Would I recommend- 100%

My 'go to' when around Liverpool street or showing visitors an off the tourist trail a treat. Good seasonal proper British-with-a-twist variety menus, large portions without compromising on delicate layers of flavours, superb seafood, great wine list, fantastic service. Fun fact: Weekly delivery to the unique Pilsner Urquell copper tank includes testing the quality of the lager. Can get a little loud when busy.

Incredible mushroom Veloute/soup for starter. 3 course set menus was absolutely delicious. Maybe offer one more choice for starters mains and dessert. Great ambiance and decor. Wonderful service by Gwen. Thanks for making my partner’s birthday special with a glass of champagne.

Excellent service, very good food. Well worth a visit

Arrived for 18:30 booking. Ordered at 18:45. No Chateaubriand, nor Cote de Boeuf left. Was very sad, but Grant, our waiter, was amazing. He pulled me out of my sulk. Great guy.

Fantastic service and food. The Galvin brothers are so genuine and warm hearted and do so much for others and we’ve always had great experiences at their restaurants. We have been to a few of their places in the past and have always had a great time but we recently came along for a tarte tatin competition and were treated like royalty and our daughter won a complimentary lunch as a prize and recently went along for that lunch. It was wonderful and the staff are just amazing and made our daughter feel so special, the chef even came out for a chat. We will definitely be back here soon and hope to go to the Russell Square establishment too. A big thank you to Abbey and Gwen for being so accommodating and friendly and overall just lovely. We hope the Galvin brothers continue to prosper as they offer great value experiences for a variety of occasions and have recently given our family some wonderful memories. Thank you!

This will be my third or fourth review of Galvin's. They started off full of praise but went seriously down hill for a while. I also had a bad experience with some poor customer relations. But I am pleased to say that that is all in the past. It has now reverted to its splendid best. An authentic Bistro in Spitalfields, good outside space, great for people watching whilst eating, and an atmospheric inside. They are now doing Plat du Jour and today's was moules frites. These were beautifully plump and very tasty mussels. Once again I am pease to highly recommend it. The best semi-formal and relaxed dining in and around Spitalfields.

Service attentive. Tables for two far too small especially if you were having a sharing steak.

We were here last week for the game tasting menu, 5 courses. We had a fabulous evening, with excellent food and paired wines, with the excellent somellier keeping us entertained with his in depth knowledge and friendly demeanor. The food was particularly good, the mushroom veloute was out of this world, a favourite with everyone, as was the partridge. The terrine was beautifully presented and the roast venison was perfectly cooked and so tender. The meal was finished off with a fabulous gooseberry fool, my personal favourite. A great night had by all .

A warm welcome from Marie the manager and her staff. An a la Carte lunch including the signature steak-frites was excellent with super service. Highly recommended.

Very good choice of dishes, delicious to eat, interesting combinations, very carefully considered menu. A selection of specials sounded great as well. We had a fairly light lunch since had a busy evening ahead but our experience here was a perfect start to our day out. The staff were all very good, attentive, observant and willing to chat and help. We like to visit Le Gavroche for lunch when we are in London so we’re a little disappointed that it is to close in January. We were surprised and delighted to see that Michel Roux Jr. is going to attend a special event there shortly. Sadly we won’t be able to attend. We really were very impressed with our visit and will endeavour to persuade ourselves to return to London again in the near future to attend an event but also to eat here again. We have also eaten at Galvin La Chapelle in the past and had a home delivery of lobster ravioli during lockdown. All incredible ! The restaurant has inside seating and an outside space with glass screens to keep the wind out so a good place to people watch. The restaurant is perhaps a ten minute gentle stroll to Liverpool St. Station so very appropriate for catching a train home. We enjoyed our visit so much that we returned for an even lighter early lunch the following day. I cannot think of any negatives

Another month and another dinner and this time did not disappoint. The staff were so accommodating and friendly, the food arrived just when we needed it - no long gaps yet not forced either. The venue is calm yet with lots of tables of groups there was a lot of energy. The set menu was a great deal, perfect to have just the two options and they were so much better than expected. Delicious food. It's also really easy to find, just around the back of Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street station.

Enjoyed the food. Good table by window. Service was fine but watch the 14.5% Service charge!!!

Nice, friendly service. The rib eye steak was cooked to perfection.

We were exploring the area for Art Galleries to show painting by two fine Ukrainian Artists. We then needed a break and something good to eat. My friend spotted this Bistro and she chose well. It was fabulous. Impeccable service from Ruben and great food from the chef. We both had a Lamb Fritters, mine with French fries and my friend's with potatoes. Seeing the delicious looking potatoes made me wish I had ordered the same! The fritters were sublime with red onions on a bed of pesto. If there has to be any criticism, neither of us drink alcohol and in common with most places there was no availability of non-alcoholic wine (I have never liked beers). However tonic water and water was fine for us. A superb place and one I would recommend

Food is incredible, people working there outstanding.

Excellent experience. Superb summer menu light and interesting and the perfect proportions. Pleasant, efficient friendly staff.

Good place to have a drink after work. Place is nice for a lunch and greet. or an after-work glass of wine with some pretty good food. Situated fairly close to everything in Shoreditch too. So you can pop in and pop out easily.

Loved the menu. Excellent value for money, great ambiance and service

Food was okay, but the experience was ruined by one of the waiters tripping and spilling a full pint of beer over me, ruining the clothes I was wearing and therefore making for an expensive lunch. I've never had anything like that happen at a restaurant before and would have expected better from this establishment. Can't therefore recommend the place.

Went for the Bastille Day special menu. Salmo Tartare was OK, Steak and Frites better, and Tarte Tatin the best course. Wine was awful, no bread served (unusual for a French bistro), but the Singer kept the French atmosphere alive.

A lovely experience for Bastille day. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly and the atmosphere will make you feel like in Paris 🇫🇷

Not French aside from the ambience. Very small portions which don't even taste that good. Very expensive.

This is the more casual option to the connected Michelin rated French restaurant. Has a one-page menu that consists of well-prepared dishes that feature meals with the best seasonal produce. Menus change, it seems, by season. We had a memorable dinner with exquisite wine for much lower price than the connected restaurant..

The more casual option to the next door to Michelin star French restaurant. Has a small menu is carefully crafted dishes that features dinners with the best seasonal produce. Menus vary, apparently, by season. We had an excellent dinner with great wine for half the price of the next door option.

Pretty underwhelming and not good advertisement for your Michelin starred place is next door. Went for the 3 course lunch special and was very disappointed. Not good value and nothing to rave about neither. So would I go and risk next door, probably not. Service was not much seen neither.

Pretty underwhelming and not good advertisement for your Michelin starred place is next door. Went for the 3 course lunch special and was very disappointed. Not good value and nothing to rave about neither. So would I go and risk next door, probably not. Service was not much seen neither.

Best Pilsner in town! We tried a few places prior to the Galvin Bistrot and we must say the Pilsner here has no comparison. Ruben is always very welcoming and attentive, he has a great knowledge of the beer and is experienced in how to serve it correctly. This place has a lively atmosphere and we are always happy to come back. Thank you!

Had a lovely lunch for two. Staff were polite and attentive but not overpowering, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Food was excellent, couldn’t fault anything. Not cheap, but worth the money in my view. Highly recommended.

Really attentive staff made this experience absolutely perfect. Wonderful food and excellent wine list. Top of their game.

This is one the City's best kept secrets. The Bistro Garden restaurant is a superb space to drink and eat. The staff are superb and look after you attentively. The food is absolutely superb. You're basically eating Michelin Star kitchen food! (La Chapelle is part of the complex). I have visited this place for years, and will for years to come.

Ordered from the set menu: Heritage Golden Beetroot, Goats’ Cheese, Walnut - wonderful. Maple Cured Pork Rib Eye, Tomato & Samphire Salad - WAY too salty; I couldn't eat. Brie with Carrs’ water biscuit, Apple & Shallot Chutney - perfect. My friend ordered the Truffle Salami, Roasted Red Peppers, Capers, same entree, and Buttermilk Pannacotta, Oakland Farm strawberries, Pistachio. All were perfect except the pork ribeye. Came with a glass of wine for each set for 24£. Can't beat the deal.

Service was great, although the food missed the mark with the Imam Bayildi being a little under cooked and being a bit bland, but the beetroot and goats curd salad was delicious.

Awful attitude from the restaurant staff - very rude, unwelcoming. Reluctantly served us the set menu we booked for. The food was very bland - no strong flavours, quite cold throughout, couldn’t wait to leave to be honest and will not be rushing back.

Perfect food and good service. Recommended. No issues.

we went for teh Coronation lunch - a set menu at a very reasonable price The web site suggested adding wine at a reduced price which I did When we arrived at teh restaurant we were informed that teh booking was incorrect - the wine iupgrade did not apply, despite teh email confirmation stating otherwise The waitress then used her initiative and agreed to go ahead with teh booking with teh wine She was excellent throughout the meal, chatty and slick Her suggestions for teh wine were excellent - we ended up having extra glasses The food, 3 courses, were beautifully cookes and presented, asparagus, beef cheek and a pudding This was a really good food experience supported by exceptional service

My friend and I had a wonderful evening. This was my first time at the bistro and I was pleasantly surprised. It definitely gives that French bistro vibe. The food was great and the wine was amazing. I am already looking forward to my next evening there.

Exceptional food, service and Espresso Martini... Please clean the bar, it's eye level and very dusty x

Four of us went for the five course wine pairing diner. Dry unusual French wines. The sommelier was very good and he explained in detail how the wines are made, and about the different grapes. Found this very interesting indeed. The food was traditional French Bistrot, generally very good. The duck was excellent, although I found the lentil sauce very sultry, almost inedible - but again I use very little salt in my cooking. At £95 a head, including 6 wines, coffee and tip, an excellent value.

Great service, good wine and decent food!

Been a while since we visited the Galvin Bistrot & bar, so my wife and I decided to go for her birthday . A few different faces, but the same Galvin welcome, warm and friendly. Joe, and his team in the kitchen, did them selves proud with outstanding looking and tasting dishes. So glad we returned and can't wait to go again

La Chapelle and the Galvin Bistrot and Bar are both superb - the food is always amazing, the atmosphere is priceless and the staff are so warm and knowledgeable it all adds up to a fantastic experience - thank you!!

Staff and food was very good. The only thing that would have made it better is if the lights in the front room could have been dimmed. Felt a bit bright, especially if you are in the nook. Otherwise thrilled to have found this place.

Great food and service. Menu is a little limited, but the dishes served were very good.

The atmosphere is really nice and romantic. Loved the wine and the service was impeccable. Food was of good quality however the steak was a bit on the small and fatty side, which made the price value not great. Overall a bit more expensive than it should be, however due to the ambience still a good choice.

Food is okay, nothing to write home about. Service was slow and below average, and they somehow think they're worth a default 14% "optional" service charge.

Good food, good ambiance, good value