Gong in Southwark

Nice view, sushi & drinks are good, but the vibe was kinda ruined by the fact the waiter repeatedly reminded us of how long we had the table for - made us feel rushed/unwelcome 🥲 We get it! 1 hour and 30 minutes, no need to keep providing updates.

Called for some cocktails with the wife. Cool experience but definitely overpriced. Staff were friendly and obviously the view is great.

Beautiful views over all of London and surrounding areas! The atmosphere is good and the service is of a high standard. The cocktails were of very good quality. It's pricey, but you get an unforgettable experience! Really enjoyed the Gongbar!

Very disappointing food and service Not a restaurant- more like a lounge Been to another restaurant at the shard last year and it was much better This is more like for dates and drinks

It was a really nice experience, a fantastic view, high class but still cozy, so all in all amazing. Only point would be, that 1.5hrs are a bit short for one bottle of Champagne and sushi, that should be minimum 2 hrs, but we were kindly allowed to stay seated a bit longer due to the bar not being fully booked. Nevertheless thank you for this real great experience (and the perfect Manhattan Cocktail)!

An experience to live once in your life, the view is truly splendid, the service is top notch. However the food is good but clearly not worth the price.

Went on a Sunday late Eve to show my friends a good view of London. The Asian lady at the reception downstairs and the guy working on shift with her gave us the worst possible start of the experience. We had a nightkey code which they had previously advised us to just “pop in”. They first said they had no spaces/ the guy said they weren’t accepting walk ins. Then they said they’d let us go on the condition of spending £30 per head. Bar was empty- no one came after us either. Ridiculous service, won’t be going back nor advise anyone to go there. Mediocre at its finest. Your toilet on the 32nd floor offers better ambiance then your bar staff

Splendid food and view of London , friendly service but not very prompt

Cocktails are expensive at £26 but superb. View is the best I’ve seen in London.

Great little experience, wouldn’t really return not a lot of food options for me mainly had drinks and a few small dishes. Great for view though!

Great service and the beautiful view only from some of the tables, the cocktails are overpriced though

Very good bar, at the top of the shard building, incredible views and good cocktails.

Went on a Monday night when it was not crowded. Didn't have a reservation so the front desk on ground level turned us away "not accepting walk ins". So we stood there and made a reservation on my phone for right then, and suddenly we could go up. Whatever. The place is plush, good music, cozy seating, good but exhorbitantly priced cocktails, of course. The view is stunning, looking over Tower Bridge.

The bar at the Shangri-La high-rise hotel at The Shard It has a beautiful view, and the whole of London can be seen in front of you. I ordered a few drinks and they were all good. When the weather is nice, it will be perfect when it comes at dusk Average consumption per person is about £20

We made reservations so I am not sure if walk in is recommended. The view was great from the bar but I wished the cocktails was a good as the view. They were decent and reasonably priced though. Would recommended to experience it once. Wished there was more variety to the cocktails.

We had an incredible experience last night for our anniversary. We didn’t get food just cocktails, plus endless olives and nuts, I think the most delicious olives I have ever eaten. Immediately when we came in staff were warm and welcoming. Our server Jon was incredible, checked on us regularly, was warm and entertaining, very friendly. He made the experience so much better!

I went to Gong with my partner for some drinks and the nice views. We reserved a table which was not ready upon our arrival. They told us they would love us to a table once it cleared up. About an hour passed and we were still seated at the bar. We asked about our table and the waitress acted confused. Anyway, we were moved to a table. We wanted to get another drink and there was no waitress around to help us so my partner had to get up and order at the bar….as if we were in a cheap pub or something…. Terrible service, even those drinks took about 20 minutes to come even though it was a simple Aperol Spritz and Mojito. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL. You are better off spending your money somewhere else than this bar with subpar service.

Shout-out to staff member "Jon" who was hilarious and made the experience very fun. Only went for drinks, which were fantastic, and the view was great!

Didn’t do food - just stopped by for a few early evening drinks. The view was amazing, the drinks were good, but Jon the server completely made our experience that much better. Cracked jokes, made the vibe chill and was very personable. Great experience!!

I’m shocked by the low ratings for this place. It was wonderful. The staff were so attentive and even moved me to a better table by the window when it opened up. The sushi roll and goyza were super tasty and I loved the creative and inventive cocktail Menu. Of course the views were stunning. I would definitely return !

one of the best views in london, service is good, drinks not so memorable

Overpriced rubbish. The view is great but apart from Adam the service was dreadful. “You must spend this much, you only have this long”. In order to meet either criteria someone has to take your order! Oh, and get it right when they do

If you think visiting The Shard is too expensive, think again! Be confident, dress smart-casual, and you’ll be just fine. Many dream of going to luxurious hotels, restaurants, and bars, but often think they can’t afford it. Let me clear that up for you. We went to Gŏng for our first anniversary. We booked in advance with a cover charge of £60 for two people which is £30/pp, which you pay whether you go or not. This £60 can be used towards your table, and if you spend more, you’ll just need to cover the extra. Our goal was to enjoy the experience while sticking to a strict £60 budget, proving that it’s possible for those who think they can’t afford it. We ordered two lagers, one cocktail, and fries—great portions, by the way. I forgot to take a picture of the bill, but I promise to do so next time. For anyone wanting to visit such places on a budget, this is the way to go. I’ve attached pictures of the lager, cocktail, and fries. I highly recommend this place. We chose a 4:00 PM slot, although we booked for 4:30 PM, and they allowed us in early. Gŏng opens at 4:00 PM, so if you arrive early, they’ll let you explore. You can enjoy the view from the 32nd floor at the Ting restaurant’s lobby, and then head to the 52nd floor, home to the highest bar in Western Europe. Isn’t that fancy? Why not experience it for yourself instead of just taking photos from the outside? Our total was only £54, with service tax bringing it to £62. We really enjoyed our time there. The only downside was the service—it wasn’t busy, yet we were given a corner table, which didn’t feel special for an anniversary. The staff service was slow; even when we made eye contact with the waitstaff, they ignored us. I’d say the service was average. On the plus side, you’ll get complimentary olives and nuts, and you can ask for more without hesitation—it’s free! Despite the service, I’d definitely return for the view and ambiance. While the food was good, I hope the service improves in the future. For those concerned about cost, remember, it’s just £60-70. You’d spend nearly that much at a local pub or restaurant, so it’s worth the experience here. I’ve also attached a photo of the lobby. The pictures might not do it justice since I was focused on taking my own photos. Shangri-La’s turquoise and gold decor, celebrating its 10th anniversary, was stunning—I absolutely loved it. I’ll definitely be back. Thank you for an amazing experience🥳🥂

It’s a 30 pound minimum per person to sit and eat. One cocktail will get you there. Yeah seems expensive, but if you think about it…. It’s 32.50 pounds a person for the Shard observation deck, and no drinks included. Also probably dealing with the crowds. If you want value this is where it’s at. Have a drink in a classy atmosphere, plus get the views. Wasn’t crowed around 5pm on a Wednesday. You take the first elevator to Shang ri la reception on the 35th floor. Super fast elevator from 0-35th floor. Maybe less than 1 minute. Then on the 35th floor you take another elevator that takes you the 52nd floor of the Gong restaurant. Also just as equally fast.

We visited GŎNG bar for the first time for my husbands bday last night. I am out of words to describe the experience . Exceptional hospitality, amazing food & drinks. More than anything the view of London city night view is impeccable.

Ordered the mystic moon. Bar drowned it in lillet. I asked for it to be remade with less lillet and was told that wasn’t possible because I had already tried the drink. Told the server to take the drink away as I wasn’t prepared to drink a cocktail that was 60% lillet and promptly left.

Incredible luxury experience with stunning views of London from the 52nd floor. Would definitely recommend if you're willing to spend the extra money

The views are spectacular and the food is very good but the person I am really writing the review for is Jon, a super friendly waiter who has been able to recommend us very well, the others have also been attentive and polite. Jon, greetings from Elena and Diana “Las Madrileñas”

Good service and nice atmosphere. The view is amazing good spot for start your night in central london. If you have special request the bartender is more than happy to make signature or classic cocktails.

Have been here many times, but not for a couple of years. I previously had a 5 star review (below), but this time the staff were less than polite, wouldn’t make eye contact and seemed entirely disinterested. The view is, of course, still great. Previous review: Staff were amazing. Of course the view was also, but it’s the staff that I’ll remember!

A beautiful bar with food located on the 52nd floor of the Shard. Food very well. View of the nadherna. Only sometimes unnecessarily noisy environments.

Took visiting friends for a few drinks and the views they loved it great food drinks and a nice vibe.

The view is amazing, but comes with a price tag. The menu is quite expensive, drinks being 25-40 pounds each.

Wonderful and magic experience!!

Fabulous ! An unforgettable moment !

Beautiful place, love the view the food was a little bit of a let down, do it for the gram

Horrible and rude stuff. When you coming for a dinner you wouldn't expect staff arguing and shouting to you. Don't recommend if you don't want to get shouted at :)

Nice little treat, great for a special occasion! Views are beautiful.

Very beautiful place with an amazing view. The staff is very helpful and polite. Whenever I am in London, I always go there.

We had a wonderful time here. The food and drinks were excellent and the service was outstanding.

Totally not worth the £250 plus 15% service charge for 2 people. You get one bottle of champagne to share then 2 tempura prawn, 2 dumplings, 2 rice sushi and 2 salmon sashimi each. This amount of food in any Japanese restaurant would normally be £40 for two. The afternoon tea in the aquashard beforehand on floor 32 was far better value, with a great team of people and a lovely atmosphere. Upstairs was highly disappointing. Might be 20 floors higher up but not higher on a satisfaction scale. And the view was the other side of the Thames so nothing much to see. Despite it being my guests 30th birthday apart from them saying happy birthday on entry there was nothing extra for a memorable day.

Delightful place. We were very well attended to, they placed us at a table by the window. We ordered a great rosé wine and the truffled salmon, which was delicious. The view is wonderful

For the best views in London, head to the Gong at the Shangri La Hotel. It is recommended to book early as the place fills up really fast. It is popular on all evenings. The views are stunning and on a clear sunny day, you are in for a treat. The cocktails are alright, not the best in town. Service is professional, but there seem to be few servers for the number of tables.

Walked up to the front desk and we saw a lot of empty tables in the lounge and at the bar. The hostess was busy in her laptop and didnt even look at us to help. Another person then walked up to us and asked if we had a reservation; we didnt. He said we cant take any walk ins even though there were a lot of empty tables and he allowed another couple to enter as well without a reservation. He was a little arrogant and rude and just ignored us when we tried to converse with him. To be honest we felt a little discriminated and did not expect this from a renowned bar in an amazing location and hotel.

Amazing views of London on the river. Food and atmosphere is high end and top draw. Everything was delicious. Staff upon arrival downstairs are awesome and really helpful. The staff at the restaurant however are average. We had to ask a Manager two times to order things as our waiters kept going missing. It wasn’t even that busy. The Manager however was on point just would’ve expected the wait staff to be more present and attentive when we are wanting food and drinks. I’d probably go again on account of the food but I hope the overall service improves.

I have been here a few times and its been ok but when I went yesterday i was shocked at how rude they were. Right from when i walked into the building they just say "reservation" without a hello or anything. We didn't have one so the guy called up infront of us and we could hear everything they were saying about us (rude). They then said no you cant go so we left...Perfect example of what not to do in hospitality.

Amazing place for some food or a drink. This place offers an incredible view of the skyline of London. The cocktails aren’t that special and you need to order for at least £50 here in order to get a place. Price / quality is poor

Visited bar yesterday, was expecting much better service. We arrived on time, on the reception we were mentioned straight about 1 hour 30 minutes stay. The table was ready and we started enjoying our evening. The staff was pointing on our table too many times to take an order. I think they wanted to make us rush a bit, but it was 3 minutes after out reservation time. When we ordered a wine , the waitress even didn’t give us to try, just put straight a lot in the glasses. The food doesn’t worth the price and portions are quite small. So during the evening we were mentioned twice that they need table back. And the brilliant end of this evening it’s dropping the bill exactly at 9 pm by themselves. I was sitting alone on the table just waiting for my partner come back. And the waitress “nicely” put it on the table. So, the view is amazing but service should be improved.

We came for drinks and views. Cocktails are pricey but still cheaper than the viewing platform at the top of the shard. About 25 pounds per cocktail but they weee good. The atmosphere was second to none.

I had higher expectations from this place. The cocktails were ok, but not special. I was shocked to see the chairs look like this in such a high class place

Excellent drinks and what a view. Better to pay for drinks with this view than like riding the London eye

Soul sucking, new money, depressing dark spot without any redeeming qualities. Money better spent burning at least then you wouldn't freeze. Very rude staff, trash cheap cocktails for minimum 28 pounds, AI generated music. Just don't come near this dumpster of a "cocktail bar".

Food is very delicious, good wines , amazing view and atmosphere- definitely wanna come again!

The experience was amazing! Shoutout to staff who made the experience so special especially the guys in bar section ✌🏻🫶🏻

Perfect view with special cocktails 🍹🍸

High up drinks with stunning views of the City in a lit up Tower bridge 👌 expensive drinks but worth it for the unique view.

Superb view, beautiful cocktails!!

Charged cancellation fees despite attending my booking. I have attempted to resolve this with them directly, through phone calls and emails and no one is willing to help me. Disappointing end to a nice dining experience, someone needs to contact me to sort out the issues with my reservation.

I was tempted to score this review higher on account of the view, which was impressive, however if it’s a view of London you want then London Eye blows this out of the water. Also the London Eye doesn’t charge £7.50 for two small glasses of (tap?) water plus a 15% service charge, so there’s that. And the London eye staff smiled a lot more and didn’t consider tourists visiting in a busy period to be quite such an inconvenience. Can’t comment on the food as it was a meal there or my monthly mortgage payment but the cocktails were okay. Couldn’t really score them as outstanding for quality but they were fine. As for quantity, well I’ve attached a picture of my £21 cocktail with the ice cube removed and I make it about three tablespoons. When we left I made a joke to the waitress about how nice said ice cube was. My joke was met with a blank unimpressed stare. They’d have got it at the London eye.

It was a fantastic experience to have cocktails and food on the 54th floor with breathtaking views of London. The cocktails are very unique, beautiful, and tasty. We had the Gong special with sashimi, rolls, and shrimp tempura, which was delicious. The view from the bathroom is another breathtaking experience that you don't want to miss. The service was attentive and quick. I highly recommend it, especially if you want to visit with your loved ones.

You gotta go to this place. The view from the 52nd floor is amazing!🇬🇧🤩

Our experience was really great. The staff was really friendly, fast and with great recommendations. Food was delicious and the view is priceless.

Best rooftop bar I’ve ever been by all means. The view is incredible and the staff so welcoming and warm. Definitely a great place to visit!

Excellent view Excellent food Excellent service Excellent drinks Did not get a window table at first, but as people we get the opportunity by the staff to change table. Before was finish first drink we got window table with view of Tower Bridge.

Always a good service and atmosphere. Friendly nice staff. Nice cocktails.

Incredible experience, but at a very high cost. Visiting the View of the Shard is much more affordable and has a much better view with drinks and ice cream available too, for those who just want to enjoy the view.

We traveled quite a distance and were excited about enjoying a pleasant evening at Gong. Unfortunately, we were unable to enter because we hadn't reserved drinks, which we weren't aware was necessary. However, my main issue was with the doorman, who was incredibly rude and made us feel unwelcome. It's clear that the doorman could benefit from some training in how to communicate respectfully with patrons.

What a beautiful place for a drink. Skip the shard experience and head here for lunch or dinner. I cannot recommend it enough.

Tower Bridge’s view is amazing 😱❤️ The best skyscraper in Europe ! The way that we were treated and the quality of the food made all the difference 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Lovely experience having sushi and drinks here, would recommend. Vege platter was delicious.

Highly recommended - drinks and atmosphere were amazing, the view is out of this world

Everything was perfect, unfortunately they don’t have really comfortable chairs!

Next time I visit London I'll go there again I really loved the place

Great views of London, bar food was very tasty

It was okay, initially really good and friendly service. After an hour we were aggressively told we have 30min left. After another 15 minutes someone cleared our table in a really aggressive and rude manner. The vibe was terrible, it all screamed “your time is up leave now”. We left with 5 minutes of our “time” left and 4 members of the wait staff were standing at the bar staring at us. I mean seriously we just had some drinks and left with 5 minutes to spare?!. This could be a high quality place but the service and management are lacking. Didn't feel welcome, wont go back. Just as a note the place was empty, if it was packed i would have more understanding. But to rush us out rudely at 7pm with half the tables empty…..

Posh View of London with different experience.. though there were only very few vegetarian options, it was enough for the amazing cocktails and mocktails served in the 52nd floor. Definitely, a different viewpoint to be not missed 😀

The food was good, but what really made it a memorable experience was the fantastic service, atmosphere and of course… the gorgeous view. Lovely for a special occasion with the SO.

We went to the Gong Bar for some nice cocktails after a lovely dinner in the city. While the staff downstairs were kind and helpful, the staff at the Gong Bar were inattentive and not very welcoming. They weren't rude but didn't make us feel welcomed either, appearing quite tired. After finishing our first round of drinks, we were left unattended for a good 15 minutes. So, when a waiter finally appeared, we just asked for the bill and left. Generally, in a place where drinks cost £25 or more, you'd expect decent service, including being offered water without having to ask for it. The biggest letdown of the evening was the lack of atmosphere. It was just dull, making me feel tired. The music playlist was inconsistent, and the quality of music was lacking. We arrived after 10pm, and the place was simply too bright, with lights not dimmed. Apart from the view, there was nothing positive to say about this place.

Excellent view, good weather and very good service!!

The price is only for the place and the view outside the window. Nothing special. Delicious wine, nice staff.

Great experience and absolutely stunning location with the best views in London. Went for a special birthday and we felt very special! Extremely friendly and efficient staff throughout our 1.5hr stay. Yes, it’s pricey but so worth it.

We were impressed with the service even before we arrived as we had to reschedule and they were accommodating. Views are obviously the main attraction but the cocktails were surprisingly good - good innovative flavours though could be bolder (especially the spicy ones) and by that I don’t mean more alcohol but more of the strong flavours. Complimentary nuts and olives were a welcome touch (table water would have also been welcomed).

Definitely not good value for money. They rush you through the 90 min you're allowed at a window table. Food and drinks are less than average quality.

Booked a slot for 1.5 hrs at lunchtime and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. As a one off with friends we splashed out on a bottle of fizz at a whopping £125. Coo eee very pricey but hey ho you only live once. Didn’t get an excellent because I thought our female server was not friendly at all!! In fact a bit surly. If visiting there is a min 30 pound per head spend per person.

Entry to The Shard was easy. We took a lift to the 35th floor then another one to the 52nd floor where the Gong bar is. We were greeted by a friendly receptionist and shown our window side table. Our waiter was Kyle, very nice and friendly chap, he made us feel home. The food and drinks were so delicious. View was magnificent!

No response to complaints. Ruined Valentine's Day!

Food, drinks and service all in top quality! World class bar. View of the bridge and the London city is breathtaking! Hope to be back there soon

We had a lovely table with amazing views on the 52nd floor of the Shard. We did not prebook a table as we went early. They do not have a paper menu you are presented with a QR Code to scan to get the drinks menu. The service was very slow and not what I was expecting at a 5 star hotel. I had to go up to the bar as we wanted to order drinks and same to oder the bill as no waiter was in sight. To get someone’s Attention was impossible. Cocktails are min. £25 plus 15% service charge, which is added automatically to the bill even so the service is poor. You are paying for the view. It’s lovely for a special occasion. The ambience could be improved with some nice background music. Don’t expect good service but enjoy the views.

We met dear friends at the gong for dinner and drinks. The service was excellent the view was excellent the food was delicious the cocktails were excellent. What else can I say. Thank you for an excellent time.

You're paying for the view, and very little else.

Very nice spot for a drink, amazing views and nice ambience. Prices for drinks are higher than your regular pub, but overall in line with more upscale cocktail bars and cheaper than a visit to the Shard sky terrace. I'd consider it good value for money overall. The place is in demand so you might need to leave the table. We were welcomed to the bar to continue our stay. Recommended if you want to have a nice drink with someone and enjoy an amazing view - probably not if you want to get drunk.

Great view, just felt a bit tacky - plastic tea light candles, ripped chairs and uncomfortable stools. Lovely staff, average cocktails in taste, horrifically expensive for what they were.

Siamo stati qualche sera fa in questo stupendo locale, location fantastica, vista su tutta Londra, camerieri troppo gentili. Abbiamo preso 2 drink alcolici e un piatto di nigiri consigliato dai camerieri. Conto sulle 75 sterline. Posto stupendo consigliato

It was amazing!!! All good!! And the waiter was very good at the service smiling and happily if I remember correctly his name is Louis!!!!!

The best place in London for drinks and sushi. The cocktails are amazing. Panos (manager) was very friendly and helpful, with his help we tried the best cocktails

We were celebrating a special birthday and booked, you must book because we actually saw people being turned away. Great views, expensive cocktails average around £30 plus service, we sat by the window and a had two rounds of drinks, did not feel rushed, a fantastic view and quick service. We enjoyed the evening but as some other reviewers have said the food menu was not really enticing. Big disappointment was the standard of the toilets, chipped marble sink and cheap handwash in stainless steel containers, like at a service station. Come on Gong you can do better than that.

Had: Sashimi platter, Gong platter

The view is unbeatable, worth the experience but the cocktails are pricey.

Cocktails at Gong was to be the finale of an epic, surprise birthday trip arranged by my student daughter. After being greeted with 'happy birthday' when we entered the Shard and then at the bar we were shown to a window seat with amazing views. Before ordering the waiter came over and apologised saying there'd been a mix up with the cake and would I be happy with vanilla instead and they'd waive the charge. My daughter works in a restaurant and told him not to worry it wasn't the end of the world. Our cocktails arrived but no cake. Because of the £30 minimum charge per person the now 'free' cake meant we'd not met the threshold. After a wait to order, round 2 arrived but still no cake. We slowly sipped our second drinks joking they're going to come out with a cake any minute now but after nearly 2 hours we agreed it wasn't coming and asked for the bill. I went to the ladies, passing the original waiter and when I returned to our table we saw him go past carrying what looked like a scoop of ice cream. A few minutes later a waitress plonked it down on the table saying here's your cake then returned with 2 small plates, no sorry, no happy birthday, no apology, nothing. For a 5* venue the experience was marred by the poor customer service. My daughter was upset that the day she'd planned was spoiled - the cake was especially important to her because my husband always forgets now she's not at home to remind him and throughout the day kept saying 'don't worry there'll be cake'. BTW the mouthful we got was exceeding nice but not worth the wait!!

Our experience was exactly what we expected - amazing food, delicious drinks and great service. Initially we were seated in the centre of the room, but we were kindly moved to a window table without having to ask - we were grateful for this. The nibbles we received at the start of our experience were lovely, and overall an amazing experience.