Joe Allen in City of London, Westminster

I do like Joe Allen's, but the prices really are becoming ridiculous. My sister and I had dinner the other night and, whilst the food was good (as was the service), I wouldn't return due to the cost. Two shrimp burger mains, one bottle of wine, one coffee, one additional medium glass of wine, tap water... £120 with service!!! Sorry, Joe Allen, but your price point has pushed me away.

Wonderful place, wonderful service. Cocktails are top tier and the food is just as good.

Atmospheric restaurant with plenty of choices, including for vegetarians. Some of the food was a little cold, but didn't detract from the meal too much.

Excellent food, great cocktails and a wonderful atmosphere. Always a great vibe every time I visit.

We love Joe Allen. It has such a great vibe. The service is superb and friendly, the menu has something for everyone and none of the nonsense that some restaurants insist upon. We recommend the chicken Milanese, steak haché, tempura prawns (we share as a starter), truffle and Parmesan fries, the pecan pie and the £10 negronis!! And if you like rosé wine the Italian is very good too.

Attended on a Saturday night, understandably a busy time. Service was fast, and overall fine. Waitress was polite and well intending, though some unexpected questions such as "would you like to keep the cap to your sparkling water bottle" that gave the impression of new staff. Overall, no complaints. Food was fine, though on the pricier side. Wish that sides were recommended alongside the cod chowder, but perhaps ignorance on our part. Atmosphere in the restaurant was pleasantl, though layout is unfortunate with no apparent easy access from kitchen to bar, and thin passageways between tables resulting in a constant flow of dishware between diners. Lighting is also on the dim side but that's by my preference.

A classic institution that’s been around for years but I’ve never tried it until now. Service was good, food is American classics. We both had bacon cheeseburgers. The cheese soufflé was tasty it looked a tad small but turns out more than enough!! Clearly eyes bigger than my stomach. My friend enjoyed the leek and potato soup. All the food was as you would expect nothing exceptional just done well. We didn’t drink alcohol so couldn’t comment on the cocktails.

love this institution. great staff great food at reasonable prices for the city Wonderful old worldly atmosphere. Keep up the great work!

Honestly...I quite like this place but £18 for a bottle of sparkling water and 2 half IPAs. No doubt the landlords are squeezing the pennies and passing it on the consumer. No consumer....no Joe Allen

The food was awful ..the prawn cocktail had such a strong taste ..the chicken was awful and so was the Macaroni cheese ! When the waitress cleared the starters she didn’t even ask why no one had eaten any food .. you would have thought she might ! Very overrated Restautaht .. not in the heart of Covent Garden and living off old time reviews ! They need to up their game massively !

Went here as a child so wanted to revisit. Think its a different location but still has all the posters. Loved the shrimp burger and apple sponge. Was quiet at 5pm but got busier later on.

Joe Allen never fails to impress. Had a wonderful lunch with friends and they always make us feel so at home. There was a mix up with my booking but was quickly rectified. Food and drinks were wonderful as always. Secret not so secret burger is as lush as ever. Will keep coming back. Keep on being fabulous. Staff make the restaurant.

We had a great dinner after a great show. Staff were charming and professional. Food was delightful and perfectly presented. Cocktails were simply delicious. I will definitely be back next time I'm in town, you can count on it.

The food and cocktails were delicious, lovely atmosphere and great staff. Great location for pre-theatre as within a short walking distance from many of the West-end theatres :)

We loved Joe Allen’s. Very clean with high quality service. The perfect place to have dinner after the theatre. 🎭

I think this place is overhyped‼️Do NOT get the steak - I am warning you! Very average food and I have to say a strange atmosphere, the waiters seem very unhappy and terribly depressed apart from one, not somewhere I'd go back to.

Although not on a par with the old Joe in Exeter Street, the relocated restaurant (now, sadly IMHO, owned by the Strand Palace Hotel) continues to offer good food in pleasant surroundings. On Friday both my (now not at all) secret burger and my wife's salmon were excellent, and the cheesecake to follow, though lacking the traditional biscuit base, was dense, filling and very tasty. Sadly, my one gripe, held over from our last visit 18 months ago, remains unresolved. The last time we visited JA, I wrote in my review "I also have to say that £3.50 for a small tumbler of ice topped up with perhaps 4 mouthfuls of Coke is just taking the mickey", and received a personalised message back stating "I agree about the serving of the coke but it's a short term solution to a supply problem that we are having". On Friday I ordered a coke, at which point my wife said "don't you remember what happened last time?", and I responded "Yes - I want to see if things have improved". Well, I'm sad, but not at all surprised, to say that yesterday's coke was served in an old-fashioned glass, containing 6 ice-cubes, a slice of lemon and EXACTLY three and a half (believe me, this time I counted them) mouthfuls of coke - at £1 per mouthful. So - not a "Short term" "supply problem", but a continuing policy of ripping off the customer "because they can". Disgraceful - especially when it could be so easily fixed. Two stars docked for this sharp practice. I don't think we'll be back, which is a pity, as JA used to be such fun.

Early dinner, Wings, Shrimp Burger & Lemon Pavlova Sundae, well prepared and tasty. Very friendly and young staff, was efficient, as many patrons were in a slight hurry for their upcoming visit for a show in the Theater district of London. All in all a good experience for me

This place no longer has the charm of old. Worse though is that the quality of food and its value for money has fallen seriously. I had tortelloni which you could have used for grouting, and a fish pie which would have been better described as potato & cream pie. The place needs fresh investment and fresh management. It's no longer fun or enjoyable.

Loved the visit to London Joe Allens, food fine, staff so welcoming and attentive. Looking forward to my next visit

Very disappointing, because in its former location this used to be a favourite of mine. Came for a long relaxed lunch with a friend. Despite the fact that the place was only 1/2 full, the plates for our starters were whisked away as soon as we'd finished eating, and the main courses arrived almost immediately, as if they wanted us to hurry up and finish so that we would free-up the table. The food was OK, nothing special. Not good value for about £50 a head, plus drinks, service, etc. In addition to a service charge, a charity donation was added to the bill. Update: I have now lowered my overall rating because I have been getting spam email from them

WHAT IS THEIR MENU BRO, THEY HAVE A SHRIMP BURGER BUT NO CHICKEN, PASTA OR PIZZA. I HAD TO ORDER OF THE FLIPPING KIDS MENU, IK AMERICANS ARE FAT BUT I DIDNT KNOW THEY ATE SHRIMP BURGERS. HENWKWIFUHRHRGFJDDYGRRU6DRGRJRURYHRRJRYFGFHRJRYGFJFIRUTJFIUFUFJFFBFHRHRJJRJDDJ - Yours Sincerely Alpha Male

Great place. Lovely atmosphere and great staff. Food is ok but nothing special - you go for the vibe and for that, I would say it is top. Cocktails are good.

Extremely touristy with average food. Wouldn’t recommend even for a quick dinner before a theatre. Chips were the highlight!

This establishment offers some interesting menu options and the food was tasty and well presented. However, the staff have some of the worst attitudes in the service industry that I have ever encountered and the manager refused to come over and address the issue when requested. Also, make sure you ask in advance if the price listed on the menu is the correct one, before you get billed for something you didn’t order. Apparently this restaurant is not big on disclosure but IS well versed in argumentativeness, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Revisit after many years of working away from London. So happy I had the opportunity to eat here again. Service was the fun, happy, attentive and professional experience I remembered. Still hit the mark with the exceptional burgers. Hopefully it won’t be another 15 year gap. Thank you to the Joe Allen team

Classic show bizzy atmosphere with ditto service. Fun!

Had a fabulous pre-theatre dinner at Joe’s. The staff were great, the food was lovely and we left in a great mood ready for the show.

Great atmosphere and friendly service. We had a burger, T-bone steak, and cocktails – all were excellent. The prices were reasonable. Highly recommended!

Really nice place where to have delicious ribs and a good Mac and cheese!! Highly recommend!!

Joe Allen is a place in New York. I go fairly often for a pre-theater dinner, so I thought it would be fun to do it while I was in London and on my way to a show. Worst restaurant experience I’ve had in a long time. The fact that the place was empty when I walked in should have been a red flag. Server took my order and I never saw her again until I had to chase her down to get my check to leave. Then she had no idea what table I was at or what I ordered. Tried to give me the wrong check three times before asking me what I had. At the beginning, I told her I would order wine with dinner, and she asked me if I wanted a bottle or carafe, which seemed a strange question. Because I was alone I said I wanted a carafe, but she never once asked what wine I wanted at any point. No one asked me if I wanted dessert, no one asked if I wanted anything to drink besides water. Someone cleared my plates and brought me a dessert menu but no one ever came back to ask if I wanted dessert. Sorry to have been such an inconvenience to the restaurant. Not to worry though - I will never be back to do it again. Fast food would have been a better choice. At least they usually say “thank you” when you pay.

It's a bit expensive, especially if you order any of the items that don't have prices listed in the menu, but the food is worth it.

We had a really enjoyable lunch here in one of our favourite places. Martha and Debbie were lovely and took good care of us. The food was delicious and we left very happy and contented!

Delicious food and attentive service. All staff made us feel so welcome but our waiter Max really made our evening - so funny and full of joy, just a credit to the team. Will definitely be back!

Thank Martha and Debbie for your hospitality. You were so friendly and kind to us and made my birthday extra special! I am a regular here and always feel so welcome with such warm people who work here.

We came to Joe Allen for our work Christmas do with 10 people. We were a big party but nothing felt like too much trouble and the service was excellent even though the restaurant was extremely busy. Our server Max was excellent, always smiling and checking to make sure everyone was happy. Our glasses were never empty and the food service was perfect. Thank you Max!

Great atmosphere but the food isn’t what it used to be and one of the management team is a mixed bag between fantastic and completely unprofessional.

Joe Allen hosted ~30 of us for a work meal. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly, attentive, and patient. Highly recommend, and would visit again.

Our waitress was so lovely that I didn't want to wreck her evening by letting her know how disappointed we were with our £70 meal (no drinks/alcohol). To say it was the same as a school dinner would have been a compliment. a tiny piece of cornbread ea, 3 beets, some feta and walnuts to start, soggy Brussel sprouts, carrots? non descript meat or was it stuffing ?, liquid brown sauce, hardly gravy. Were there suppose to be potatoes? And a teeny tiny hard pumpkin tart, the pecan pie was finished. I won't be recommending going to Joe Allen's for a meal.

The food was incredibly good, and the staff was very nice!

Thank you so much Lex for being so fantastic with us during Friday lunchtime, great service and a wonderful lunch!

Went for Thanksgiving lunch, as my companion grew up in the States, and was looking forward to having some turkey, and an enjoyable time. The restaurant was decorated with the Stars and Stripes there was a buzzy atmosphere, - and it was full. We were shown to our table promptly, and the service was friendly and efficient. We chose the fixed Thanksgiving Lunch menu at £70 a head. There were three of us. The smoked salmon starter was meager and ordinary. Three tiny slivers of salmon, and not much more. Then the main course. One of us had steak and chips, which was fine. The turkey wasn't well cooked , and there wasn't much of it. A dollop of cranberry sauce , and brussel sprouts? Definitely lacking in trimmings, and not particularly well cooked. More like a rather mean institutional Christmas dinner. The desserts were the best, and perfectly acceptable, although they were nothing special. Four glasses of wine were drunk, and the bill came to over £300. I have been going to Joe Allen's since it opened in London in the 70s, and often eaten at the original restaurant in NYC. I doubt if I shall bother to return.

Not like the original, but pretty good for a bite.

Lovely quality food, drinks, and staff! Give it a try!

We were delayed getting out of the theatre matinee (due to the show being stopped for a while) meaning we were late for our reservation. I called them and they were able to move it back without any problems. The staff are always brilliant and the service is great. That’s why Joe’s is one of my favourite dining spots in London.

Great spot, perfect for a fast high quality meal before the theatre

A lovely evening - great food, nice vibe, loved our server Max - service was flawless and he was a joy. Highly recommend this place.

We’ve been to Joe Allen’s over the years and it’s been a favourite. We were excited about a return after a good few years. I was confused when I arrived. It wasn’t where I remembered and it seemed different. Turned out it’s moved but has been meticulously recreated in its new home nearby. Still has a fabulous atmosphere but what really stands out is the service from awesome staff, many recently graduated actors. Food is great. The well known Joe Allen menu classics. Highly recommend. Service standard leaves you spoilt - it’s hard to live up to. Can’t wait to return and - yes! Stranger Things was one of the best stage shows I’ve seen Great job.

Had a wonderful meal here with some ladies to celebrate bring 10 years cancer free! Our waitress was wonderful and helped us to celebrate.

Absolutely fantastic venue. The food was excellent and portions were huge! But what makes it so special were the staff. Impeccable and attentive service. They are the stars of the venue.

Had a great time here, was just as Steve Allen described on his LBC show. We'll be back again soon. Went again on the 10th August, they remembered us! 😆 Staff were great especially camp Louis and constable Riley. Food was excellent again 😋

We visited Joe Allen’s as a post theatre treat. The staff were very friendly and polite. The service was excellent and the meal choices were varied.

I had a fab time and experience with my family and the food was amazing and so was the staff !

Great food and service. We felt very well looked after as always!

"We arrived at 4:45 pm. We were not told that the menu for the fixed price was available and we ended up paying way too much for quite a simple meal of a burger and chips. I don’t think it’s good value. I think it’s changed. I’ve been coming to Joe Alan‘s now for about seven years and I think the menu has gone far too much than the chips and burger route, which is a shame ." They also add on a 15% service charge, which is very difficult to opt out of ! The staff were lovely generally, and the location is great for Covent Garden, but I won’t be coming back

Loved the food and loved the service... Ordered T-bone medium rare... Just melted in my mouth... ♥️

This has been my favourite restaurant for about 30 years. I busy less now as I’m not in London anymore. It’s slightly less ‘characterful’ than it was in Exeter Street with the pianist and the resting actors. But this is still my favourite. Good food (American) and cocktails. I had my first ever Caesar salad here 30 odd years ago and my first NY cheesecake.

It feels like home every time I come back to Joe Allen - the food is top quality the staff are excellent. I have never been disappointed.

Horrible place, service was appalling the manager is snotty and confrontational, I have NEVER been in such a poor restaurant. They claim this steak is acceptable and on top charge a service charge for it What!! When I challenge it the manager was very aggressive and when I asked if he had seen the steak he said NO… why would you not check it when a customer complains… AVOID this down market place.

What a terrible place. The food is overpriced and terrible. My steak was 90% fat and when I complained they just said”it’s a Ribeye”. Clearly they haven’t ever had a Ribeye before as that’s NOT what one looks like. When I challenged them the snotty aggressive manager, got VERY confrontational even threatening me. When I asked if he actually saw the state of the steak he said NO! Has to be one of the worst restaurants in the UK ! Avoid.

Classic West End resturant with great food, drinks and staff

I have visited Joe Allen’s on many occasions over 40 years, often for birthday meals or celebrations, sometimes with a group or just for lunch on my own. After a break of some time this was my first visit to the new location. Whatever little nostalgia I may have felt for the old cellar bar was soon dispelled by the ambience of the new venue. The staff and the service were unrecognisable, in a very good way, the food delicious and the cocktails fabulous. The staff were attentive and prompt without being obsequious or suffocating, and their generosity providing a complimentary cocktail and making an old man’s birthday meal so memorable was wonderful. Of course, I shall return, perhaps not as often as I would like to, but as frequently as I am able.

I have visited Joe Allen’s on many occasions over 40 years, for birthday meals or celebrations, with groups or just for lunch alone. After a break of some time this was my first visit to the new location. Whatever little nostalgia I may have felt for the old cellar bar was soon dispelled by the ambience of the new venue. The staff and the service were unrecognisable, in a very good way, the food delicious and the cocktails fabulous. The staff were attentive and prompt without being obsequious or suffocating, and their generosity in making an old man’s birthday meal so memorable was wonderful. Of course, I shall return, perhaps not as often as I would like to, but as frequently as I am able.

First impression good, ambience seemed good, food disappointing and not well cooked, prepared, minimum effort, overpriced. Waste of money.

Delicious food, great service. I also had drinks at the bar and that was fun.

Pre-theatre dining here is always a pleasure - excellent food and service and so much memorabilia - a must for anyone who loves theatre !

Great atmos and service. Good range of cocktails, but be sure too all for ingredients for any of the special cocktails - the Basil Smash was rammed with sugar syrup and way too sweet. Food mostly good but the shrimp cocktail had far too little lettuce.

Great atmosphere and food. Very good service. Perfect for pre or post theatre. York. Always a pleasure Reminds me the one in new

Really enjoyable lunch here. Menu is good US food done well. Hot dog is one of the best I’ve had outside of USA and Po Boy was tasty too. Drinks a bit steep but food very reasonable.

Vinita was amazing in service.very kind very polite full and really respectful as well.

It was a memorable experience along with the many previous visits we have enjoyed whilst in town. We had a great street side table, the service was extra special and they noted it was my wife’s birthday. A great addition to a London Show! Thank you.

Went with 12 friends about 11 nights ago(Friday evening),great atmosphere,great food,great customer service waitress was very helpful and polite,not sure when I'll be back again BUT will definitely recommend it👍🏾

A very enjoyable evening, Louis who looked after us was amazing, so attentive and just had everything covered. Food was delicious along with the drinks. Everyone we encountered were a joy, so thank you. We will be back.

Always wonderful food and second to none service. A true institution.

We really loved the atmosphere of this restaurant - the staff were as friendly as you could get and the food was very tasty. We're not in London much but if we're watching a show at the Adelphi again or just happen to be in the area then this will be the first place we'll check out.

Loved it, wish they served a fillet steak though ! 👍

Delicious, fresh food, warm hospitality and a charming, retro mise-en-scene. Very Manhattan-esque! We came for a pre-theatre meal - the service was quick, efficient with Simon being an excellent host ❤️ I can't wait to return for more!

found this place and we were so glad we did great friendly service and food was perfect. would definitely recommend to anyone who love a bit of new york style eats

Our 4th visit, and still as fabulous as ever. Great cocktails, great service, wonderful food. Don't ever change!

Great atmosphere and food. Our service from Louis / Lewis was excellent, was very helpful and informative and went above and beyond.

Fabulous couple of hours spent here. Louis and the team spoiled us!!

Came as a group of three with a friend from outside of London. We arrived without a booking and were sat promptly in the dining room. The decor was very reminiscent of an nyc restaurant and had some genuine charm. The food was good on the whole; the chicken wings were incredible but the fish cake did leave something to be desired in terms of texture (still tasty though). The menu seemed to cater for a wide range of people making it a good choice for a larger group meal. Our server Louis made our night and was consistently friendly and outgoing across the whole meal. Overall very good and will probably be back.

Decent restaurant / bar with a welcoming atmosphere and staff. Accessible from the strand palace hotel where we stayed and we were able to book a table for the euro final at short notice. Food was good although limited choice I felt. Wine was good, no draft beers though. Staff and service were very good.

Why did I not know about this amazing restaurant until this last Saturday evening?! Introduced to it by friends who have been dining there for years. Amazing buzzy atmosphere, excellent quality food and service that leads the way. Our waiter Louie could not have done more to take care of us, he is hilarious and made us feel like VIPs. So rare nowadays to be so well looked after in restaurants. Louie you're a credit to the business, thanks for all your fun and looking after us so well. Can't wait to come back to see you! Matt, Donna, Keith and 60 year old Nige!

We love this place!! Best cocktails in London!!!! Absolutely delicious! Honestly, you can't go wrong with their cocktails. We keep going back and we are staying I'm Islington. Servers are so nice!!

Excellent everything was 1st class, food really good, staff were pleasant & gave a 1st class service. I will definitely be back

Very nice atmosphere, we ate burgers on the recommendation of a friend. Wasn't the right choice. The burgers were decent but nothing more. The Pisco Sour was good and the service was sensational. Friendly and nice. I had N.Y. for dessert. Cheesecake that deserved its name.

Lively spot, decent food, a bit pricey but not so surprising for central London. The best attentive, friendly service from everyone and tasty cocktails!

Love this place. Food is great, really tasty. Staff are so friendly. Service is very quick. Great atmosphere too

Food and service was very good but restaurant was very quiet for a Friday evening

The old man of theatre dining. American fare.

We always go to Joe Allen’s as food is great, good choice and great value for money with friendly service. However, it went really down hill last year but we gave it another try last week and it was super! Really enjoyed our night out. Couldn’t fault a thing. Thank you!

Still a great experience 40 years on

Great restaurant environment and a lovely staff!

Great place. Asked 3 times for my wine. Then for mayo. It was busy and staff very friendly. Food was OK nothing to rave about.

Nice food, however the wait staff applies the tip amount automatically for you, whilst in other pubs they ask you politely if you want to pay for it or not.

Great night, excellent food, very attentive service.

Great food and staff. Was expensive, but a lovely pre-theatre treat

Our waiter last night was Louie (I think this was his name)He was extremely attentive to all customers last night. Always with a smile on his face and chatted to all tables. His service to everyone never once slipped. A credit to the establishment and made our visit a memorable one indeed. We will not hesitate to go back when we are next in London. The food was excellent and cooked to perfection. We both had the Ribeye steak which was probably one of the best I have tasted.

Brilliant service and excellent food