Rules Restaurant in City of London, Westminster

An amazing experience private dining in Rules John Betjeman Room. Atmosphere in the room was incredible. Service and food was amazing exceeded all our expectations. Can't recommend enough.

Be sure to visit this historic store in London! I made a reservation for lunch. Because it was the end of the year, I couldn't even get a reservation for lunch, so I checked the internet frequently and found that there were openings. Make a reservation online and visit. Unfortunately, I came to the store with only some strange clothes (sweat black gray pants, blue collared shirt) from my lost baggage the day before, but I was able to enter the store. From the outside, the store has a dignified atmosphere, and when you step inside, it's still decorated for Christmas, with many decorations that give you a wonderful sense of history. Ordered sirloin steak, kidney pudding, and dessert. The sirloin steak was a little tough and dry, and the kidney pudding was delicious with moderately soft meat, but I felt that the meat had a peculiar taste. The dessert looked like baked chocolate and was very delicious. Overall, the atmosphere was excellent, but I felt it was a little disappointing in terms of taste and cost performance. It seemed like it was a high-end restaurant, so I had high expectations for the taste. If you think it's just for the atmosphere, maybe it can't be helped? I think it will be a memorable experience, so I recommend visiting at least once.

The food was fabulous and the service until the end was great. But when we called somebody over and tried to order a cheese course at the end we were told we needed to vacate the table and when we mentioned we had been waiting for somebody to do a check back and take our order the manager told us that was not true Ruined the whole experience and won’t be back

"I had an amazing experience at Rules Restaurant! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a cozy interior and soft background music that set the perfect tone for the evening. The service was impeccable—our server was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu.

Brilliant restaurant, wonderful experience. Great service, very kind and fun, and delicious food. Would recommend.

Food, service, ambiance everything was top notch. Very happy we visited.

Great experience from start to finish. Venison was superb. Well worth a visit. Shall return.

Gorgeous! Honestly, I had a prejudice against British food. I had traveled to Paris via London, but this was my first time touring London in depth. And today, I opened my eyes to the world of British cuisine for the first time here. The Roast rib of beef and Dauphinoise, potatos was super delicious... but I was so full that I couldn't eat the pudding bread. But as you know... I couldn't give up dessert, so I asked her "How about a simple syrup sponge? Isn't not too heavy? " She asked if I wanted the truth and recommended the sticky toffee pudding:) Oh my... I really experienced a new world that I had never tasted before. It was not too sweet, and the harmony of mysterious flavors and the dreamy custard sauce were very luxurious. I want to send a kiss of gratitude to Rules for completely destroying my prejudice. They were even really friendly and humorous, which made the delicious meal even more gorgeous. They were super professional. If you visit England, I highly recommend this restaurant as a must-visit.

A wonderful lunch thanks to Rules. Crucially the food and service matched up to the fabulous interior. Special mention of the eel and monkfish. Delicious.

Delicious food, beautifully presented and extraordinary service !

Food was amazing an staff were so polite an helpful definitely be bk

It's great food taste with nice environment must go place in London

Very nice food awesome i love it

The service was amazing and the staff were all lovely.

The atmosphere was nice and the food was good. The smoked eel was especially delicious! 🥰 Feels like eating at a museum? Luckily, sitting at the table where James Bond was pictured made it even more meaningful! The house cocktail is just not that good so I don’t recommend it!

Polite helpful staff, Sticky toffee pudding is highly recommended

It was great place with good food

The food and service was amazing everything came out quickly even on a Saturday night and all tasted very fresh and delicious.

Great place Great food and atmosphere

It's a very bad place You have the worst food that you don’t care about hygiene

One of the finest places I have visited in my life

I recently had the pleasure of dining at [roles ], and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish! The ambiance was warm and inviting, with tasteful decor that set the perfect mood for an enjoyable meal

Delicious British cuisine the service was super good on the red wine was amazing for the price

It's not one of the best addresses in the city for nothing. It was possible to get a table at short notice - the short-term communication via email went excellently. The atmosphere in the time-honored restaurant is unique. The waiters are friendly and serve personally, but still professionally distanced. We had two great salads beforehand, which were topped by the main course - the duck breast. I have rarely eaten so well and authentically in recent years. Positive note on the side: Everything at Rules is cooked fresh - so it can take up to 45 minutes until the main course is served.

Came here with a friend and was met with excellence service from Paulo! Will definitely be returning. Food was lovely, and the recommendations for wine and cocktails were great.

Just had another meal at this superb restaurant. It's better than ever: my breast of pheasant was divine and my husband's daube of venison was the best we've ever had - it just gets better... Prices are up, however, but it's well worth it. They have their own estate where they get their game/meat and everything is beautifully prepared and totally delicious The staff couldn't be any better and prices, while not cheap, are more than fair. This restaurant was founded the 1700's and feel that it is an institution well worth supporting. The rooms are gorgeous - see website photos - as is everything about this place. So important to keep establishments like this going My favourite historical, traditional restaurant. Room, location, service, history and bar are wonderful - Rules ticks all the boxes! Make time to visit the first floor cocktail bar and have one of Brian Silva's heavenly cocktails. Drinks will never be the same afterwards!

A Perfect Evening at Rules Last night, I took my girlfriend to Rules for a romantic dinner, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by friendly and attentive staff who made us feel so welcome. Their helpful suggestions for both the menu and wine pairing added a thoughtful touch to the evening. The atmosphere was just perfect—warm, cosy, and steeped in character. It felt like stepping back in time, with its charming decor and elegant yet intimate vibe. It set the scene beautifully for a romantic evening. The food was absolutely exquisite. We started with a delightful venison terrine and scallops that melted in the mouth, followed by perfectly cooked mains—the game pie and the roast duck were highlights. Each dish was packed with flavour, beautifully presented, and reasonably priced for the high quality. We ended the meal with a sticky toffee pudding that was, quite frankly, heavenly. My girlfriend and I both agreed it was one of the best meals we’ve had in London. If you’re looking for a restaurant that combines outstanding food, a welcoming atmosphere, and exceptional service, look no further than Rules. It truly made our evening unforgettable, and we’ll be returning soon!

I experienced the best hospitality and it always make me want to come back

An excellent and vibrant spot in the middle of Central London, a variety of cocktails, wines and food/dessert to choose from their menu. Great atmosphere and service. My friend and I went out for a catch up session for dinner and was greatly catered to and served by the amazing Paulo and staff 🙌. Would definitely go again!

Amazing food with 10/10 service

It was a good dining experience, you should try the steak dish

Location is one of the best in London. However this is not fine dining. It is very expensive traditional English food. I also felt that they were ripping the patrons off a little bit with a cover charge of £2 per person (apparently to cover table cloths and napkins, which in my view should be included in their business costs) and a service charge of 12.5%. Would I go again. Sadly, probably not.

One of the worst customer service I have ever experienced. The food is amazing but they have treated us very poorly. It was my sisters birthday and we booked two tables, one of 4 and another of 5, all family. we advised this by email and they not only told us that they would put us in separate rooms but also, threatened us they would ask us to leave if we would go and talk with the other table. furthermore, we called yesterday and said we had luggage and if we could keep it there as some of us where leaving after the lunch. they said it was completely fine but today when we arrived they refused to take them.

"The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was excellent. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I can highly recommend this restaurant to everyone. I hope I can travel to London again and visit this restaurant once more. Unfortunately, there aren’t more than 5 stars to rate it—otherwise, I would have given it 100!"

Very nice food was very good and high quality

Typical English cuisine. Everything we had was delicious. Great service. Moderately priced wines. Very old British style with old works of art and antiques.

Game meat restaurant. Delicious food and attentive service.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS . My card was cloned by a employee 45 mins after I left they used £1000 off it and she got caught the food was cold . The other 9 ppl I was with will give the same review

This the best place ever i love it !!!

Lovely good Excellent all round

Excellent food didnt habe to wait long till food was served. Will definatley go again

Lovely atmosphere great food 👌😋😋

Excellent decor! Delicious meal! I will be visiting again with family and friends.

Its really fantastic and excellent food and service

This restaurant is so good amazing and gorgeous

Dishes served on elegant plates, excellent game, very beautiful environment and you can feel all the British elegance in this oldest restaurant in London

Be careful lots of scam accounts on telegram pretending to pay you only for 5 stars review.

Went there as a special treat for my Partners Birthday, Having been told it was a very good restaurant What a Disappointment Although the restaurant look very good The food was terrible. We had soup that was just warm( no Bread) The Roast Beef dish was a joke It came in a pot 3 small slices of beef and some veg and you were expected to serve yourself at theses prices. And again just was warm and the Yorkshire pudding was stone cold . i gave it to the waiter so he could to see for himself the gravy was also just warm, when the floor manager came over i stuck my finger in it to show him. After all this we were asked to vacate out table in 10 minutes as there was an other party waiting. They never told me when I booked that there was a time limit . Rules is just like many Restaurants. I star quality 5 star Price. I would not go there again . just an all around bad experience.

Visited for late lunch Friday before Christmas having booked months before as Christmas treat. Service was outstanding and the decor beautiful. Sadly didn’t feel the food was that fantastic, soup tasteless and venison rather dry. Very small portions for the price. It was a very enjoyable treat and we knew not that cheap especially the cocktails but still an enjoyable Christmas treat . Not sure would rush back anytime soon as felt food was rather disappointing on this occasion but the venue sells itself on its name and history

Great service and atmosphere. Food was brilliant.

Had one of my best experiences here highly recommend

This has to be the most beautiful festive place to eat over the Christmas period. Stunning decorations and Dickensian food! The portions are huge so I recommend you share a main and add all the sides. Plus you’ll have more space left for the amazing puddings. Service was impeccable.

It's really a good restaurant good service nice food good taste I recommend everybody to must visit there.

Having read some reviews I was a bit nervous that Rules was not going to live up to the expectations however I am so so glad to have been proved wrong!! The decor and atmosphere is wonderful and you really feel like you’re in a special place. We were warmly greeted and well looked after throughout (by our wonderful and helpful waitress Sara). The food was outstanding and so flavourful and very good value for money! The cocktails and wine were absolutely lovely, they aren’t the cheapest but was worth the money for the lovely meal out. We had a really lovely meal out and would definitely return and recommend to anyone who fancies a special occasion meal in central London. To top it all off, we were sat at the same table as the Downton Abbey cast when they filmed here which was the cherry on top of a perfect meal out! ☺️

so succulent food that left me speechless this restaurant has no competition oldest restaurant in London serving real and traditional food. would rate 6 stars.

The service at Rules is impeccable. The staff are knowledgeable, attentive, and courteous, ensuring that every guest feels well taken care of. They are more than happy to provide recommendations and share the history of the restaurant, adding to the overall experience.

They paid to people and ask for 5 star

One thing is certainly clear about this place: that they don't want tourists. The only appreciable thing is that to apologize they eliminated the dish from the bill. For the rest, some waiters are not able to relate to customers who have intolerances, making choices independently without involving the customer and bringing the dish completely modified without even apologizing or explaining the reason. A place with attention to detail but not the same treatment is given to all customers.

This has been my third time going to Rules, albeit up in the cocktail lounge as the waiting list for the restaurant is (quite rightly) months in advance. The team who work the cocktail bar are exceptional and obviously enjoy what they do. Sam has been there each time I’ve been there and he extremely friendly, polite and professional. Their attention to detail is at the top and they treat everyone like royalty as soon as they walk in the door. A fantastic place to be and a beautiful environment that you don’t get to see in any other restaurant / bar. Drinks are not too pricey for such a posh establishment and they give you the best small bowl of nuts you will get in london. Very tasty. Thank you Sam and team again for a special couple of hours.

Lovely food and decent service will deffo be going again thank you

Amazing food and great staff the people working here are very friendly and hard working

Rules has a nice atmosphere and serves delicious drinks, but the experience was let down by the staff, who came across as snobby. The food was fine, though nothing stood out as exceptional. I’d consider returning to try something else, but only if the staff were more welcoming—it really makes a difference in the overall experience.

A truly splendid afternoon starting with cocktails in the Palm Court. We had Vespers named after the Bond character in Casino Royale. Then dinner with selection of traditional options...I had oysters followed by steak and kidney pudding Gigondas wine to accompany

Good old Great Britain. An English grandma still cooks here :-) The best pies we've had the chance to try in London so far. Great atmosphere of a historical place. When choosing your food, you can rely on the recommendations of the very friendly, professional waiters. A place to repeat. The addendum from December 2024: got another delicious classic pie. Only the starters disappointed me slightly this time. The onion soup was served without croutons and cheese inside. Pretty boring. 2 portions of pate are accompanied by a slice of toast - far too little for the amount of pate. We asked for more bread 2 times.

Loved the drinks and the food🫶🏽

Nice dine night out , perfect for all occasions

Completely wonderful (as always) everything was perfect

Visit Rules probably twice a year but always around the festive period to see a show. Booked again for this year and came away disappointed, food portions have decreased in size although nice. Had to send my custard back because it was cold, waited for it to return about 5 min later, my crumble had sat there going cold however ate it as we wanted to move on. No apologies from the waiter who returned it, the staff seemed more interested in having a good chinwag amongst themselves rather than be attentive to the paying customer. Disappointed, Rules you have well and truly lost the touch oh and loose the Santa hats from the antlers it looks more like Santas Grotto than a 5 Star restaurant (of which u are far from).

Absolutely amazing restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere and amazing food would recommend 100%

Always a very nice experience!!

Annual Christmas lunch at Rules for four riends. Convivial atmosphere upstairs in the bar where sadly Brian has now retired. Now overseen by Sam who has continued Brian’s mantra of excellent cocktails and friendly service. Downstairs and into a booth in a beautifully Christmas themed dining room for lunch for the four of us. Dressed crab was ok but lacked crab! Lots of egg white and shredded lettuce, no mayonnaise and could have done with a lot more crab. Potted shrimp and the Leek tart were declared excellent. Mains of Steak and Kidey Pie and Roast Rib of Beef were fabulous - and the accompanying horseradish truly superb. Only disappointment was the service . Although attentive and brisk, it lacks the sparkle of yesteryear in Rules and they’ve forgotten the art of handling the customer. Admittedly it was probably their busiest day of the year with a huge turnover of customers but we felt rushed through - the waiter suggesting we wouldn’t have time for deserts and cheese even though we’d just finished mains and had been sat down for less than 75 minutes. When we complained, the manager insisted it was a misunderstanding but then proceeded to push the point rather than simply apologise and let us continue with lunch. There’s an art to handling people when they feel unhappy about something and on yesterdays experience, Rules has lost that skill. Overall we’ll still go back as it’s a bit of an institution for us (we’ve been going there for over 20 years) but the sparkle of the place dimmed somewhat this year.

Classic elegant dining. Unchanged in the many years since I was last there. Excellent mallard and good selection of traditional deserts with good pairings. Go!

My favourite London restaurant, the rib roast is amazing.

My favorite in London. Elegant, classic, nothing more. The first time I visited, in 1994, I ordered "English cream" for dessert and like the "Russian salad", it is neither an English nor a Russian creation. Now, the maitre d', who was of Portuguese origin, asked me to explain the dessert and in response to my request the pastry chef prepared my "English Cream". I don't give it a score for the mere fact that it has never failed me, everything in its fair and exceptional point.

The food was good but my American palate is not appreciative of the gravy/sauce. The dessert was glorious and wine selection is fabulous. The service was absolutely excellent.

These guys promote the review by fake paying, Also worst place to visit in london.

Nice atmosphere, good staff, tasty food and decent prices, I will go again!

Genuinely one of the most disappointing restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. Starting with the positive, the place is beautiful and feels like walking into a cozy victorian time machine. The upstairs bar and garden area in back is stunning and the drinks were good. Great service upstairs. Now the bad. Our server, Sophie, was genuinely unfriendly and seemed irritated answering simple questions about the menu. Her first suggestion, the crab salad, was basically supermarket canned crab plopped onto lettuce. It was cold and sad and weird. If there was a chef involved, I can only assume they hate both food and humanity. I don’t usually do this, but I did mention that I really really really didn’t enjoy the crab salad and Sophie wryly answered that she would “inform the chef”. Haha…good one. Her other suggestions for the mains, the steak & kidney pie and the chicken pie, were absolutely horrendous and borderline inedible. Bland and lacking any hint of flavor whatsoever. Everyone has a bad day, but spending nearly £190 on a meal for two that was this bland and with service this disinterested and unhelpful does not deserve anything above a 1 star. When people complain about British “cuisine”, this is what they’re talking about. Unless you like spending a couple hundred pounds on a cozy ambiance, do not eat here.

Classically English. Best at Christmas.

the taste of the dishes is very colorful and very interesting, we liked this establishment, I recommend it

Such a lovely place to be around the festive season. It's beautifully decorated and feels so Christmassy. It has an old-fashioned charm. The staff is friendly and witty. We had quite a cheerful waiter, which we loved. We enjoyed our food. It was very well presented and perfectly made. We found the portion sizes filling and left the place absolutely stuffed. We did have 3 courses each though. We also found it quite reasonably priced, considering that we both had 3 courses and were in such an iconic venue. Overall we can definitely recommend this wonderful place. Especially around the festive season.

It's the 1 best restaurant in London. I would love to go back for a special occasion.

Fabulous night out for birthday celebrations Thank you so much for looking after us Food and service was amazing Five big stars from us ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely disgraceful customer service. The manager who was on shift yesterday evening on the roof top terrace behind the bar. The way he spoken to us was completely unacceptable for such a nice establishment and so unaccommodating, confrontational and aggressive approach waving his hands with terrible body language. Needless to say we won’t be revisiting such a shame lovely establishment and feel on entry but an arrogant manager really can ruin an experience. Poor show as really wanted to enjoy our experience at Rules. Goes to show service really is a massive part of an experience.

Londons oldest restaurant.Est 1798

Excellent experience will be coming again.

Medium roast beef was rare; both roast beefs cold. Potted shrimp came as just that, no lemon, no bread. Vegetables uninspiring. The food offering has fallen in standard compared to what was offered in the early 2000's... I suppose that's what generally we should expect. The magnum of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape was great.

The most delicious foods here during our trip in London by far! We had a late luch here, and the kidney pie and lamb were both very good. The sticky toffee pudding was a good ending. I also like the Rule cocktail.

What if you discovered the oldest restaurant in London? As soon as you enter its doors, you are transported into a setting steeped in history: old paintings, drawings, and trophies adorn the walls, creating a cozy and typically English atmosphere. Here, authenticity is there. When you are served wild duck, it is truly wild duck. As proof, a small lead (harmless!) found in a plate testifies to a very real hunt. No pretension in the dishes, but something concrete, tasty, and generous cuisine that delights the taste buds. We strongly recommend the desserts and especially the pudding. The service, for its part, is impeccable, elegant, courteous and faithful to the English art of living.

We had a wonderful evening, thank you so much. Your food and drinks were superb, your staff very welcoming and so attentive. Added to that were our very beautiful surroundings - it was perfect!

Truly a lovely experience from start to finish. Staff were amazing with by 90 year old father and the service and ambiance faultless. Food excellent but (sorry Rules); think my sticky toffee pudding is better than yours!!

Coming across Rules by chance, we were attracted by its claim to be “the oldest restaurant in London”. Whether or not that is true, it is certainly has an unusual décor related in part at least to the nearby theatrical establishments. Although the steak and kidney offerings did call, I opted for pheasant which was perfectly cooked while my companion had the duck (or Mallard!). Along with our cocktails, they proved a perfect combination. She started with the onion and cider soup which was much enjoyed. I omitted the starter so I had room for the apple crumble, a substantial and flavoursome offering; I would have liked more custard though. The service was prompt and friendly, the atmosphere restrained but pleasant and overall, as I would expect at these prices (but all too often do not get), the meal was a pleasure.

My family had a table for 6 people in a booth at Rules, my plans changed last minute I tried to increase this to 7 people 24 hours prior. Unfortunately Rules couldn't accommodate the increase and offered to cancel the whole booking however charge £150 cancellation fee. In the end I wasn't able to attend the family dinner who had travelled from Norfolk for a weekend in London. We were all disappointed, but £150 was too much to forfit. As an Executive Assistant at a large Global investment Bank in the City, I change restaurant bookings constantly and have never heard of such absurd restrictions, very shocked they couldn't accommodate. Will NOT be recommending this restaurant.

Historic perfection in London’s Covent Garden! We enjoyed a wonderful pre-theatre dinner here and felt taken back in time with the beautiful decor, thoughtful menu, and top-notch service. Would recommend trying one of the many wild game entree options, along with saving room for dessert as well. Looking forward to returning again someday!

Still lovely inside but a bit of a faded glory I'm afraid. Very expensive too for uninspiring menu.

It is the oldest British authentic restaurant in England, opened in Covent Garden in 1798, and is visited a couple of times a year on anniversaries or whenever special guests from Korea visit. I usually enjoy a course meal when I come here, and the quality and flavor of the food is excellent considering the price. Although the coffee price is more expensive than the dessert price, the flavor is strong and deep. Dishes such as pheasant, pork cheek, and rabbit meat are usually dishes that cannot be tasted at other restaurants. Even on weekdays, it is so busy that you cannot enter without a reservation. One of the advantages of this restaurant is that there is a special seat for customers who come alone. Although it is a very popular restaurant frequented by many celebrities, there are more older customers than younger customers, perhaps because of the atmosphere or because the prices are a bit high. Maybe that's why it's good because it's not noisy compared to other restaurants even if all the tables are full. It is the oldest English traditional restaurant in England, opened in Covent Garden in 1798, on anniversaries a couple of times a year or whenever precious guests from Korea come and entertain. Usually, when you come here, you enjoy course meals, and the quality and flavor of the food are excellent according to the price. Coffee is more expensive than dessert, but it has a strong scent and depth. Cooking such as pheasant dishes, pork cheeks, and rabbit meat is also a dish that cannot be tasted in other restaurants. I'm so busy that I can't enter if I don't make a reservation on weekdays. One of the advantages of this restaurant is that there is a special place for customers who come alone. Although it is a popular restaurant that many celebrities enjoy, there are older customers than younger customers, perhaps because of the atmosphere or because the price is a little upper. That's why it's good that even if the table is full, it's not as noisy as other restaurants.

What an experience! This was a highlight of our trip to London, Excellent food. All aspects of the meal felt super British. I ate the Grouse and it was really really good. I would come back here for sure in the future. Highly recommended.

Our booking this time was around lunchtime at Rules and it was nice as not so busy. As usual we started off upstairs in the cocktail bar before being whisked downstairs for our meal, I persuaded my friend to have the steak and kidney pudding as she said it’s been years since she had one. Well, I said, this would be the best place to indulge in one. She wasn’t disappointed and neither were we with our lamb. We only needed one course with veg side dishes and that left us full and contented. Looking forward to another visit before Christmas.

Historic London restaurant. Very cozy atmosphere and very good English dishes. We come here regularly during our weekends in London and are never disappointed.

Rules, the oldest restaurant in London, nestled in the heart of Covent Garden, provides a quintessentially British dining experience. Stepping inside feels like entering a piece of history, with its unique decor that celebrates British heritage—playful touches include portraits of crowned heads, detailed hunting scenes, and classic antique paintings. The comfortable banquettes enhance the cozy, inviting atmosphere, making it easy to settle in for an enjoyable meal. The menu offers a variety of traditional British dishes, all perfectly executed with an authentic touch that’s hard to find elsewhere. Their wine selection, though concise, is thoughtfully curated and pairs beautifully with the cuisine. The service is exceptional, with staff that are not only attentive but add a personal touch, making each visit feel special. We return every year, and each time, Rules consistently provides a memorable experience. It’s truly a pleasure to revisit such a timeless establishment.