Loft in St Albans

We booked our wedding 4 months ago at the loft. We were supposed to do a tasting and suggested a date. We called, emailed and even contacted them on social media for 5 weeks and no one got back to us. In the end we had to find another venue for 40 people and 7 weeks to go. We have asked for our deposit back and they are avoiding all communication. Be VERY careful before booking at this venue

Well at least we can laugh about it now…not the special night we were expecting for our daughters 18th. The warning signs were there with the non-matching cutlery and the spelling mistakes on the menu, Halloumi fires, bloody merry or peppercom sauce anyone? The waiter took my beer order and disappeared leaving the rest of my family staring aghast and thirsty as he walked off. My daughter was looking forward to her first legal drink, a cocktail, unfortunately when it came there were a few ants in the drink, maybe off the mint leaves. Obviously we asked then to make a new cocktail. Things went from bad to worse….the replacement cocktail again had a few ants crawling in it, back it went, after ordering Pork Belly Bites starters, the waiter returned 5 minutes later to say unfortunately there were none left, and the two steaks we ordered medium rare tried to crawl off the plates as soon as they arrived, not sure they even said hello to the grill. The steaks were taken off to be cooked properly whilst the others ate their duck, which was fine. The steaks came back fine, albeit three of us had finished. At least the waiter gave the kids a laugh hitting his head on the low wooden beam, not once but three times, perhaps the best value for money of the night. Things sometimes don’t go well, I offered 50% which was accepted with apology and no argument, fair enough, 3 stars for effort!

Lovely restaurant! Food was tasty and staff were lovely, I highly recommend. We went for a celebration meal and they were extremely accommodating! Menu options are amazing! We all wanted everything. 4 star because I feel like it could do with 2 improvements: First - Outside is very unloved, with dead flowers etc and the stairs could do with a clean-up to make it look more inviting! Second - the plates were cold which meant the food wasn’t as hot as I feel it should have been.

Ordered a dish with Tofu, got deep fried halloumi . Asked to change to tofu. Swapped for vegan cheese but didn't tell us - maybe they were hoping we wouldn't notice or would think it was tofu. The poor waiting staff didn't know what to do. Asked to speech to manager - was told they had gone home. Asked who was in charge - was told no-one. Other diner's over heard and said they had the same experience but were to embarrassed to say anything. All this on a busy Valentine's evening. Poor show. Won't be returning.

We were visiting St Albans for the first time and local friends suggested The Loft for dinner on Saturday night. All four of us enjoyed an excellent meal with attentive service. I appreciate that some restaurants can suffer an off-day but I struggle to reconcile our meal with some of the dire reviews posted recently. Would very happily visit again.

I think the staff and chef did really well yesterday. It’s not easy getting hot food out to so many people at the same time. I had the tuna tartare, steak and sticky toffee pud ( not on one plate) and it was all good, sea bass looked great as did all the kids food. The staff did very well and it was a lovely luncheon party.

We came here a few years ago and had a fabulous meal.unfortunately, went last night for a birthday meal and a meal to say good bye to daughter who leaves for Australia today. The starters were good but the main meal was very disappointing, the risotto was so bad it was inedible the restaurant gave us our money back but also the lamb was not just pink but raw. We didn’t make a fuss as we didn’t want this to ruin our night. The chef would of seen how raw it was when our plates went back to the kitchen with the lamb not eaten.The fairy lights on the back wall were not on broken and not replaced. On a positive note the waitress was really nice and so polite.

We went for dinner my husband and I to the Loft, friends recommended the place so we were super excited to come. The place is quirky and looks good. However we felt the staff were a bit lost and all over the place (but not in the right place) food wasnt good, quite blend, we have no choice of our canapes, my main was cold, with eggshells, no taste. The sticky toffee pudding felt like it was from Tesco, felt sandy in the mouth, incredibly disappointing. We were cold during the entire dinner, it was also loud and the lighting was very bright for an evening. Paying £108 for this experience was gutting. we were also stack in a corner completely blocked between people.

Booked a table here for dads 80th birthday. Food was delicious, staff attentive and friendly. The only thing stopping the five stars is it could do with a refurb. But that didn’t spoil our experience. Can highly recommend the tuna tartar starter. And three of the part had the steak main which they were raving about. Highly recommend.

Just don’t bother. The menu was very limited. Had the tuna to start. Baring in mind this was £12 it was the smallest portion of food I’ve ever seen. I then had the rib-eye steak which was a decent size. It was however the chewiest steak I’ve ever eaten. Didn’t even bother with desert. Won’t be going back.

Table of 5 we ordered lamb , liver , duck and halibut All the food was more than nice it was amazing. All waiting staff were great . Our son is 14 and was a little old for the jr meal portion but is fussy , the restaurant was very accommodating and made him a larger burger . will definitely be returning.

just had a wonderful family meal, the food and service were both amazing, highly recommende. Good to support local restaurants and local produce.

What a disappointment !!! Booked for our wedding anniversary which we were really looking forward to as we hadn’t been before . Menu looked amazing so thought it would be good to try somewhere different !! Never again . We ordered tuna tartar and Piri piri prawns which were both ok . My husband ordered the rack of lamb that we had been told by the waitress that it would need half an hour to cook but that was fine as we don’t like being rushed , I ordered the monk fish . When our meals arrived we couldn’t quite believe what had been put in front of us ….. the fat on the rack of lamb was opaque instead of nicely browned and crisp and the meat was raw . The monkfish was also opaque and so overcooked it was like rubber and couldn’t even cut it . It seemed it may have been microwaved !! We never normally complain but this time felt we had to as the food was inedible and expensive . We explained what was wrong and dealt with very professionally and only having to pay £22 but very disappointed and a ruined anniversary meal . Thank you for not charging us but I won’t be returning and I suggest you get a chef that can cook !!

This was my first visit to The Loft, and I had high expectations. On a Friday night the restaurant was only about 25% full, and I found it difficult to believe the claims that they made when they took my £10 non refundable deposit, that "we are turning people away" The food itself was very, very good, but this really didn't make up for the lack of atmosphere and the very poor service. Our waitress just ignored us for a lot of the time and more than once I had to go up to the top where staff were sitting chatting, to ask for a drink, or sugar for my coffee that I had only just asked for, but had been totally ignored. Most unusually, when we were the last in the restaurant at 9.30pm and waiting for our coffee, the staff started moving tables around us. Our table for two had a dirty table attached to it while we were still sitting there, and staff started to wipe down and dress the table right next to us, as if we didn't exist! The man in charge seemed astonished when i pointed out that we were still in the middle of our meal and suggested that he do this job later. Clearly the staff were all desperate to get home before 10pm. I won't be returning. It was a fairly highly priced meal, but I do expect the whole package when paying that price - service, atmosphere, courtesy and good food.

Visted for a birthday lunch . Ths setting is attractive . The staff were helpful and friendly . We were served promptly and the waitress was knowledgable about the menu . All 5 of us enjoyed the food and pricewise it was competive with resturants in the area . Our expierance in no way reflected the recent negative reviews .

We are regular in Loft is such a lovely place with really nice taste of food . We also been in one of the wedding and party was even better . We definitely recommend this place for dinner or party

There were 12 of us booked in here to celebrate a 60th birthday. To start with we ordered drinks for everyone. As I was the last to arrive & drinks had already been ordered, but not mine. When drinks arrived I ordered mine with the...

Distinctly average food but extortionate prices. Distinctly average service. No pricing on the menu for nibbles but we were charge for them regardless, including for smoked almonds that were simply raw almonds and not smoked at all. All in all it was an incredibly expensive...

The food was rather salty, the mains were pretty much cold. Ordered prawns which were not deveined. Service was a bit slow. The meal was edible, but it is very poor value.

What an incredible restaurant nestled in the rafters of a 600 year old building. The service provided by our waitress was brilliant but the waiter, also working during our visit, looked underdressed and this gave a bad impression. The starters were tasty but mine was...

Excellent friendly service. Good tasty food - could have ordered the whole menu. Historic venue - and English food without the stodge. We were recommended and loved it - so recommend it to others.

Disappointing and over priced meal Came here dinner and was expecting a slightly different experience given the menu prices. Starters were fairly good although the soup came with two rather large slabs of bread with melted cheese which were too large and not unnecessary. Waiting...

We went to the restaurant on a Saturday lunchtime, only one other table was eating so not a good sign. We ordered the bread basket, the bread at the top was nice but underneath were some clearly frozen rolls. I ordered the beetroot tarte tatin,...

We had a wonderful family dinner last Friday night in the private room. I had sea bass which was delicious. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. Thank you for making my Dad's birthday a special one!

We had a lovely time at the Loft. The staff were really friendly and attentive, the food was excellent and the wines enjoyable. I highly recommend dining there. The one disappointment was that whilst they have a really yummy looking puddings menu, there is nothing...

We visited on a Monday night so it was relatively quiet. The welcome was warm and friendly and the service throughout our visit was excellent. I had steak with a peppercorn sauce which was cooked to perfection with rosemary fries which were delicious. My wife...

We’ve just had the most incredible afternoon at The Loft i their gorgeous private dining room, literally, in the loft! The setting is so quaint overlooking St Albans Abbey & the timber beams in the eaves really make it so characterful. The food was absolutely...

I'd eaten at Loft before and had a wonderful meal, so booked again for my wife's birthday. Lovely welcome from the staff, but to be frank, the meal was a huge let down, but what was really, really impressive was the Managers response. Sometimes things...

I really wanted to love this place; the website made it look so promising! We came for Valentine’s Day, after having previous Sunday bookings cancelled by the restaurant as we were the only ones booked in (very understandable!). The food was really good and the...

I have wanted to try this restaurant for some time however, why I do not know! Thé restaurant is not on par with other restaurants in the city for the prices charged. Firstly, I believe it to be way over priced for the standard of...

Situated in the courtyard in George Street, can be easily missed as it is set back and 1 level up. Parking is impossible but available in the multi storey car parks nearby A 'vibey' restaurant, nice atmosphere with friendly staff Food was excellent, beautifully presented...

We decided quite late to go out for dinner with friends. The only place with availability was Loft. I have read mixed reviews and on arrival the restaurant was very quiet and i was a little concerned to what the evening would bring. We received...

Hi, I rang yesterday around 7pm to book a table for 4 people for drinks in your bar for today at 8pm ( Thursday 20th Jan) . I asked to book a table and your colleague specifically told me that I didn't need to book...

Having heard good things about this place I had high expectations.... The starters were average Two of us had the rib eye steaks. They were served cold and dry. sides of rocket and parmesan salad, undressed. I asked for some dressing and was told it...

I went here for my birthday after hearing lots of great reviews and it did not disappoint A lovely restaurant, with a great menu. I had seafood to start which was all delicious, followed by a perfectly cooked pork belly which was 10/10. Everyone else...

We booked The Loft for my birthday after being recommend it by a few people. First impressions the room looks completely different to the website it’s a lot brighter and has a more cafe style feeling. Not at all cosy. The tables and chairs are...

We organised a baby shower for 30 people and the staff could not be more accommodating when booking and on the day. The food was sensational. I could not recommend this place enough for your event or a more low key meal. Don’t hesitate in...

I went to The Loft with friends for lunch. I had the tuna tartare followed by cod for the main plate and cheese for dessert. The food really was absolutely delicious and the service faultless. For the quality of food it wasn't overly expensive. I...

Loft in St Albans gets some very mixed reviews - some of which I think are very unfair. I went with my family for an anniversary meal and, despite the restaurant being very quiet on a Weds night, we had a really good time. Friendly...

Very disappointing. Having eaten here previously, we were looking forward to a nice meal with good atmosphere. Instead we had poorly cooked, expensive food, average service and the music made us feel that we were in a club not a fine dining restaurant.

Couldn’t fault the service or food here, all very good. Really wanted to give 5* but we had to send one main back as it wasn’t very warm. No issues however and all dealt with very smoothly

I will point out the few good bits in the hope that you do not read on further. The service was excellent, the young people who looked after us were a credit to their parents. Unfortunately, that's where the good bit ends. The Loft has...

Arrived on time for 8pm reservation on Fri 3rd Sept. Initially wondered if we had the right place as the lighting was much brighter and the atmosphere far less cosy than depicted on the website. We were asked to wait and wait we did, for...

The food is superb and well priced, the starter of scallops and black pudding was fantastic as was the calves liver for main, all perfectly cooked. We didn't have to wait long at all for the food delivery and the service fantastic. Would heartily recommend...

Group of 6 of us had a fantastic night, when I said I had lower back pain I was brought some cushions to make sure my chair was comfortable. The cocktails were delicious and the menu had so many tasty options. I went for the...

8 of us went for a meal to the loft this month and found the whole experience really great. We we’re given the upper loft private dining area and the service was exceptional, especially from Rui . Rui really went over and above anything expected...

More style over substance. Food is fine, nothing particularly novel or different. Lamb was overcooked. Bruscetta a little burnt. Service was fine. Nice decor but outdated 80 music playing. Definitely overpriced. I wouldn't go again but was fine.

I booked here for a 60th birthday and wanted it to be somewhere special to celebrate the occasion. The venue has a lovely atmosphere and on arrival we was greeted, had our temperatures taken (made us feel more at ease and reassured under the current...

Just went for my mum’s birthday celebration. This is an amazing hidden gem, brilliant food and fantastic service- we were especially pleased that they have really good vegetarian options (as well as great meat dishes) so could cater for our varied tastes. Highly recommended.

We really wanted the dining experience in this restaurant to be much better, after reading the positive reviews. Unfortunately we were very much unimpressed with the food, service, atmosphere - just the all-round experience wasn't up to standard. The music wasn't right to start with...

Horrible service. We could only book a 6pm booking and were only 1 of 2 tables in the restaurant. We were literally still chewing our starters when our mains where rushed out. Meal over in 45 mins. Do not charge high prices if you can’t...

Cannot thank everybody at The Loft enough for the most amazing wedding lunch. Everyone was lovely, the service was great, from Howard who had been chatting with my maid of honour to make everything work, Anurag the owner who was so accommodating with our requests,...

This was my second time dining and the food was absolutely wonderful. I had the haddock with pancetta and mushrooms and a couple of sides and it all was faultless. The guy serving was wearing a mask and there was hand sanitiser available upon entry....

Food was ok, but at £34 for a sirloin you could go to prime, Dylan's, and even Darcy's for the same price and enjoy way better food. When you charge that much, the food simply has to be exceptional and this was bang average. Don't...

From start to finish all course were well presented and full of flavour. Loved the Portuguese red wine as well.

Great welcome, attentive service & nice atmosphere. Menu is varied, well written and is inventive and caters for all. Wine list is also varied and well priced. We enjoyed 4 different starters , all of which were lovely and fresh and were of a good...

We visited in August to try The Loft after reading recommendations online. We went for the Sunday lunch menu which was delicious and extremely generous in terms of portion size! The cod was particularly nice. My partner was taken aback by the quality of the...

My partner and I visited this restaurant in August. We had been really looking forward to it as it was touted as a fine dining experience. The food we had was mostly very tasty - the French onion soup was out of this world! I...

We dined here on 5th August. The food was nice, but the waiter was worse than incompetent. Slouching and bored looking, constantly pulling at his t-shirt and touching his face mask, he was difficult to understand and far from friendly or welcoming. For a restaurant...

Booked for a private party in the loft . Best service ever. Very polite towards us . The food was fantastic !!! I had a started of a nice brushetta bread with tomato basil and garlic and a main of pork chop with shrimps. very well presented as well.

Shocking bad! As a restaurant that’s been on our ‘must try’ list for a long time, my wife and I were really excited to dine at Loft, and even better - with the eat out to help out scheme! Or so we thought. From start...

Took our daughter for her 10th birthday. Wasn't expecting fantastic food, after reading the recent reviews but, thought we'd try it because there was limited availability anywhere else due to #eatouthelpout. Website portrays it to be a very high end, fine dining restaurant whereas we found it pleasant, casual and comfortable in a lovely setting. The interior is typical tudor with gorgeous beams. Weirdly, we loved the tabletops.The menu is varied and the food is very well presented.The nicest touch was that they had noticed my daughters birthday badge and (without comment or request from us) brought her ice cream with a candle. It was thoughtful and much appreciated.The waiters were friendly and courteous and we would definitely visit again. If I had to be picky, I'd say the service wasn't as quick as I would have liked. Although they brought us water immediately, it took around 30 mins for us to be asked if we wanted a drink - and that was at the same time as ordering food, whereas, we would have ordered an aperitif almost immediately. That absolutely did not detract from our enjoyment of the evening.Thank you. We look forward to returning.

Firstly on the service they forgot to give us a wine menu so waited 10 mins until someone came to ask for drinks and then realised that they didn't even give us a wine menu.Mislead on the website - There was no set menu #topscamWine was acidic and had a little sour taste.Starters for chicken liver Pate - VERY BLAND with over powering Asian mango chutney. could've just got poppadom and chutney for a lot cheaper to get the same after taste. Main meal - again VERY BLAND. Ordered charred aubergine - is what it said I suppose. I could've just put half an aubergine in my oven and served with sugar snaps and artichokes - meal done. An average pub roast would've tasted a lot better.That was out first and definitely last meal at the Loft. for the price we paid I now wish I went to the Ivy instead and would definitely have got better value there.Having eaten at so many nice restaurants in St Albans this place will definitely not run on repeat customers. For all the potential customer Please just go to the Ivy - similar price but better food!

Absolutely fantastic evening, myself and my girlfriend had missed both our birthdays due to COVID and also had lots of events cancelled meaning we had missed out on making important memories. So we was wanting something very special to make up for these lots times. The food and atmosphere was incredible from walking into the courtyard below we both thought the vibe was amazing. The value for money was second to none going for the set menu on a Saturday night was amazing, the scollop starter and the steak main course was to die for. The hot chocolate pudding dessert was the weakest course but it certainly didn’t spoil the evening... a little too sweet for my taste. The only improvement I would like to see was the front of house staff looked very disappointing in there casual wear, I would have preferred to see all the front of house staff in matching Loft uniforms rather than jeans and a t-shirt, and on one waiter a cap. Overall a real fantastic evening and I would like to thank all the staff at the Loft for the memories me and my girlfriend made on Saturday night.

I took my daughter to the Loft last night. We both really enjoyed the meal and the service was excellent. I am relatively fussy and very rarely bother leaving reviews. The last time I went about a year ago the food was also very good, so I'm afraid I don't understand the negative reviews. The portions were a good size and I thought the food was cooked to a high standard. We shared starters of the tuna and scallops followed by calves liver and lamb, deserts were equally good. We had a lovely night.

Went for my birthday after reading such rave reviews and our experience was worlds apart from what we’d read. The food was overly salty and otherwise bland, tough cuts of meat and a pudding that was part frozen. The rice looked like it was from a packet, and tasted worse than it looked. One of our party has been ill all night due the poorly cooked saddle of lamb which didn’t taste at all fresh. We politely gave one of the waiters the feedback after the main meal, hoping the evening could be rescued. He was apologetic. Unfortunately when one of the desserts was also bad I felt I should give the feedback to the owner. Whilst doing so I realised the chef was looking over my shoulder, I asked if he would mind leaving us, to which he replied ‘I want to hear what you’ve got to say’ (a little intimidating!) I replied please leave us, I’m sure you’ll receive the feedback from the owner. The owner listened but appeared glazed and completely disinterested. We told him we didn’t want to pay for the food, which he agreed, we settled the bill for the drinks and left. The restaurant is in a stunning building in a beautiful location. The furniture was cheap and the service incredibly amateur. We won’t be returning.

Had been looking forward to visiting this place pretty much since it opened, believing it to be St Albans' answer to fine-dining, and a decent contender to Darcy's. Boy was I wrong. I don't think I've been disappointed by the quality of the food since trying Jamie's Italian (turns out he's clearly not) for the first (and last) time.Two of us had the crab and salmon starter - not much to get wrong here and nice enough without being particularly exciting. The scallops and chorizo seemed rather heavy and over-salty for a starter.The main course was an abysmal let-down. The New York Strip was cooked rare as ordered (a rare but welcome event in itself), but apart from being over-salted with way too many lardons, was surprisingly tough - not what I'd expect from a New York Strip. The Monkfish was served with a fiery chilli sauce (no bad thing) but lacked any flavour to follow it up. Any coconut milk used in the sauce was undetectable. The "pilau" rice serviced with it seemed like Uncle-Ben's microwaved from a packet. Although it may have been an improvement if it was.The Saddle of Devon Lamb I only tried briefly - the lamb itself was nothing to write home about but the Dauphinoise potatoes (which I'd almost chosen this dish for - a narrow escape) were - well, if they were cooked the same day I'd have been mightily surprised. To describe them as bland would probably be accurate enough, so I'll leave it there.We explained all this to the waiter, and agreed that redemption is always available and so asked for the dessert menu. My two companions played things safe with ice-cream, but I thought the Black Forest Gateaux looked intriguing (is it homemade? I almost asked, hopefully redundantly). Unfortunately, apart from being way too over-burdened with cherries, the sponge was frozen. Perhaps Walls would have done a better job after all. Of minor concern, the waiting staff were far too conspicuous, met and sat us in a rather amateurish way, and I am I being old-fashioned in expecting the ladies to have their wine poured first? Perhaps.If you ignore the price tag this restaurant may be an intimate contender to Wetherspoons, but a million miles from the fine dining experience I was expecting.

Well we were expecting something special but were surprised.Sent aside the price of around 90 pounds for two for a two course meal including one small glass of wine each and tip, the slow cooked lamb was incredibly dry and the halibut was OK but overcooked and lacked a tenderness that I like. Starters were fine but dissapointed by the mains. Staff were very helpful and took the feedback into account with the bill. They were great and listened to our feedback. But given the high end price it was surprisingly unexciting and disappointing in our view. Sorry but not for us.

Looking for a family-friendly venue for a birthday Sunday lunch we came across Loft whose USP is a supervised children’s play and crafting area. We’d visited the restaurant in a previous incarnation so knew the building. From the welcome at the door on we knew that this would be a special experience. Other reviews have criticised service and food; our experience couldn’t have been more different. Friendly, efficient service, excellent food, great ambience. In particular the way the excellent vegetables were served - sharing bowls - impressed. There was nothing not to like about Loft. We had a truly lovely time - so much so that that birthday outing is already booked. And the children’s area looked great - certainly the youngsters using it were enjoying themselves. The various parents seemed to struggle to get their offspring to come to the table for food!

Had a wonderful evening there tonight. Delicious food served promptly. Excellent, friendly but not intrusive service. Will revisit

8 of us went for dinner last night. Extremely disappointed with the food. 4 of us had the tuna tartare to start. Tiny portion for £12, literally a handful of cubes of tuna. Was more hopeful for the main course but unfortunately this was even more disappointing. At £25 the portion we were all given was disgraceful. If you put the 4 portions of fish together it would only just about add up to one decent portion of fish for one! Mentioned it to the waitress and she admitted that the chef said he received smaller portions than normal! If that's the case then give 2 pieces rather than 1 tiny bit. They took 1 dish off the bill but in hindsight we should have pushed for more than that as it really wasn't worth the money. Had dessert as we were all still really hungry. Thought couldn't go wrong with the chocolate pudding. However there was a very distinct taste of strong cheese! Can only assume maybe same spoon or knife had been used to serve the pudding or ice cream as others on our table had cheese. Very odd.Overall an extremely disappointing meal from start to finish. Shame as the restaurant has a lovely vibe and atmosphere. The only good thing was the cocktails. Even when spoke to the manager he didn't do anything to make things right. Only the waitress took the one dish off the bill. More should have been done. Loft - you really need to do better.

Wish I had done this sooner but we visited with friends in early November and had a fabulous time. The restaurant was full and had a really lovely atmosphere. We had a pre dinner drink in the bar and were then shown to our table. The food was superb and the staff were lovely. We will definitely be making a return visit.

I booked a table here for a group of friends a month in advance. We booked for 8pm for a group of 9 people. I got a call two days prior to our reservation saying they could no longer accommodate us at 8pm, but they could at 9. Reluctantly I accepted as it is a busy time of year and did not think would be able to get a table elsewhere at short notice for 9 people. They offered us some free drinks on arrival while we waited. On the evening, when we arrived there was no welcome, our drinks were served and we waited. When it got to 9.20pm and they had not seated our group, and not really spoken to us. we decided to leave as we didn’t feel welcome and they clearly couldn’t accommodate us in the restaurant despite having booked a month in advance. Very disappointing & completely unreliable. Avoid!

We visited tonight as a group of 10 and the food was terrible! In addition when we left the staff were extremely rude. Definitely will not go back!

My only constructive criticism would be to better train your staff to help support the passion I witnessed in your food. The dishes were unique and very tasty. Lovely folk serving, but knew nothing about the wine nor what vegetables were in the soup. Coffee and bread were forgotten but were then offered for free which was a nice gesture. Perhaps one server per table would have solved the issues with forgotten items from our order. I feel the whole experience would be elevated if they were more knowledgeable and passionate about the food and wine and able to recommend and guide diners. This is what I expect visiting some of your neigbouring competition and it impacts the dining experience overall.

Restaurant is the top floor of a very ancient timbered building, with seating for about 50. We chose for the al la carte menu where starters are £7-14, mains £16-32 and a variety of sides in the £3-5 range. There are 2 or 3 course set menu options available for lunchtimes and weekdays. I had a very tasty french onion soup for starter (could have been a main) and a main if liver and bacon which was cooked to perfection. Others in the party had the daal or duck for their mains bother very good, but they did look on enviously as tempura plaice arrived at the adjacent table - menu envy. Drinks are about the price you would expect from the standard of restaurant but they did serve glass by the wine which is good if not all of your party are drinking. Overall an excellent meal served in a very pleasant setting with good unobtrusive service. Its quite pricey if you have 3 courses on a Saturday night with some sides and drinks, but a great location for a special occasion meal.

You cannot fault the food here, but a restaurant also has to deliver on ambience & service.

This restaurant was recommended to us so we expected a special evening. Firstly they insisted on the phone that the table was for 2 hours only........ our reservation was on a Friday evening and the restaurant was less than half full all night , we stayed for 3 hours , when we arrived and were shown to a table in the corner so 2 of our 4 had to look at the wall we asked for a different table and the waiter was not happy trying to persuade us that we should sit where he said , anyway we moved ourselves to an empty central table that had not been specially reserved for anyone and our original table stayed empty all evening . Why the fuss ! The food was just ok , scallops , tuna tartare , plaice , monkfish and calves liver , we also had 4 bottles of wine between us so we are usually valued customers. On leaving and leaving a generous tip (we just do) there was no goodbye or thank you . Very disappointing.

Visited again last Saturday. This was our 4th visit since it opened last year. Service and food have always been very excellent with a good selection of dishes. Our teenage sons asked to come back and they are the toughest critics In the world !!

Tucked at the back of a small courtyard this unassuming restaurant delivers some of the best food in the area. Having been once before the service was pretty poor, but everyone is allowed an off day. The food however was exceptional and that was really what we were there for. The menu changes so do get upset if you can eat the same thing twice. Try the tuna tartar as it fabulous and having had steak and lamb on different occasions both were of a high quality and cooked to perfection. They have a small private room which is perfect for intimate dinners with friends and I haven’t found any where around that offer an area like it. Definitely put this place on your good to list.

We booked this on a whim, kids were away and we had a free evening. Never even knew The Loft existed until we randomly googled restaurants in St Albans. I love a good surprise and this was awesome. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left the attention and service we received was up there with some of the best Michelin starred restaurants we've been to.

After reading many recommendations, we booked Sunday lunch here and thoroughly enjoyed. The staff were superb throughout (especially Sam) and fantastic with our little boy. The colouring and craft station set up in the corner is a master stroke and made a big difference to the experience of dining out with a toddler. Roast beef was delicious and brownie was exceptional. We will definitely be back.

From the moment Nick returned my call to make a booking, to leaving after our meal, we had a superb experience. The standard of food and service is excellent - we had a wonderful evening and will definitely return.

We had a great night out. Lovely food, my husband's lamb was the best he has ever had. The vegetarian meze starter was delicious. The sticky toffee pudding was amazing. All the food was lovey, the service was perfect and it is a lovely setting. Lovely wooden beams add to the atmosphere. Also the cocktails were great. One of the best restaurants in the area.

We approached Nick at the Loft months ago to host my husbands 60th birthday celebration last month for around 45 people. The attention to details for food, wine and music was second to none. Nick was very professional in suggesting a seasonal summer menu which we were allowed to sample in a earlier tasting session and then on the night execute with accuracy in the style of a top London restaurant. Many of our guests, who appreciate good food either because they are in the business or very well travelled were blown away by the delicious choices and actual quality of the food. The staff, both front of house and also kitchen worked tirelessly to ensure the evening ran smoothly and successfully. I cannot thank you all enough for a great night .

I have visited Loft with friends and with family and have thoroughly enjoyed it every time. The front of house manager (Sam) is just fantastic, taking time to make everyone feel welcome and special and the food is always fresh and delicious. The set menu offered earlier in the evening is fantastic value, especially the kids menu which has food that would please every younger diner. Would happily eat here over and over again. Highly recommended.

hidden down a little mews , great find, excellent food and first class friendly and fun staff. would highly recommend this gem

Thanks to all the team at The Loft for the best post civil ceremony lunch with our very large family! The food was excellent and the service outstanding considering the size of our group. Thanks Nick for organising everything for us! It was a day we will never forget!

We had Sunday lunch on Father's Day (yesterday) and it was superb. The service and food were excellent. It's absolutely inspired that they have a kids corner where they can do crafts - it kept our three year old entertained from the moment we arrived. There was also a very talented face-painter (though I think this may have been especially for Father's Day).

Third visit and I am yet to be disappointed.

Tucked away and ambient Loft is a great place to have a few cocktails and a great meal. My wife and I had a great time in this atmospheric restaurant, great choice of Gin's and house cocktails makes for a relaxed start to a good evening.

Booked Loft for my sons engagement party. 50 guests taking the whole restaurant. Nothing was too much for the staff, all in all a truly memorable evening. Great venue, super food, excellent service, what more can you ask for?

The food was amazing , the staff on point. We are big foodies and really rated this place. High recommend.

I have never been to St Albans before but found a gem... Great staff and warm welcome.. Cheers Sam.. Two menus a la carte and lunch specials.. Lots of choice... Good food... Champers by the glass... Happy bunnies

Went here as a surprise birthday lunch. My husband did the research and was under the impression we could do a la carte for Sunday lunch. Welcome from the staff was great and the interior of the restaurant lovely. We were given an a la carte menu by mistake and when we all tried to order of this we were told it was the other menu. Vegetarians would struggle. Tthe roasts were totally overcooked for our taste and the veg was really boring. Generally the meal was really underwhelming and we could have gone to our local pub for better Sunday roast.

My husband and I recently had our wedding reception at the Loft. We wanted to do a dinner for a reception and having just moved here from the US - I relied on Google/TripAdvisor for assistance in finding a venue - and it did not disappoint!

My son held his wedding reception there on saturday 27th and the whole afternoon was brilliant. Food and staff were first class The day couldn’t have been any better

Visited the Loft last Sunday with a party of ten to celebrate y husband’s birthday and everyone agreed it was great. Greeted warmly and offered drinks either in the bar or at our table in the private room upstairs with beautiful view over city rooftops.

Venue and staff are great, was just pretty disappointed with the food for a £130 (inc tip) meal for two.

Started with some fab cocktails in the bar, all had very flavoursome sirloin for mains and the service was amazing throughout! We’ll be back!