Rules Restaurant in City of London, Westminster

Exceptional restaurant. A timeless experience, we find ourselves in our reserved room with two waiters and two cooks for our group. Everything was perfect from start to finish.

We had a lovely lunch yesterday everything was amazing really enjoyed everything about the experience highly recommend 😀

It was expensive but worth it for the atmosphere Service in separate bar room area was a bit slow.Baby Guiness was not available so had Blood and Sand cocktail £18 but nothing special and a bit weak.My cousin had a Bloody Mary, which he said was delicious. Top notch service and atmosphere in the main dining area.Soup and roll were excellent, but the daily special steak was rather fatty, but the flavour was excellent, as was the Irish Coffee we had after.Wine was also excellent but pricey at £69 a bottle. Hope to return around September or October with all my cousins on my fathers side of the family to once again sample this unique historic family run restaurant.

We booked the Graeme Green private dining room for my Dad’s 80th and I would highly recommend. The service was fantastic and the room was perfect for our group of 14 and the table was beautifully dressed. The room faces the street so you get the outside buzz of Soho which adds to the ambience. We opted for a set menu as we were a large group, the highlights were the terrine and the sea bream and I’m told the baked Alaska. It was a day that will be well remembered.

Known as the oldest restaurant in London, the atmosphere and service are very good. The steaks are delicious and the portions are sufficient. Six of us ordered appetizers (oysters, rabbit jelly), and the main dishes are of a very high standard (beef stew, beef rump + York Pudding, steak) are all quite delicious. A must-visit when in London. It is recommended to make reservations in advance to avoid overcrowding (you must reserve your credit card number for online reservations. If you make a No Show reservation, there will be a no-show penalty of 25 pounds per person).

The food was excellent especially the crab, duck and venison. The service was outstanding and welcoming.

A nice place to have a glass of wine and chat along

I visited the restaurant many years ago so this was a very pleasant reunion. Ate typical British food: game (venison) for main course and Stilton cheese for dessert. The main course was very good, but was surprisingly tame in taste. The dessert could not be faulted - the only thing "missing" was port wine in the cheese. A stylish atmosphere in traditional premises + pleasant and service-oriented staff certainly contribute in a positive direction

Special trip to rules. Steak and kidney pudding, gravy, broccoli, apple rhubarb crumble with custard. Satisfying and sleep inducing. Wonderful staff and ambience. £100 for two very satieted diners.

The scallops that were the special menu item that day were so delicious. The Tenkerai-based signature cocktail was also excellent.

This is a very traditional restaurant in covent garden. The food is nice but I came out hungry, as there was nowhere near enough food for me.

A must-visit restaurant in London. To do for the experience. The decor is incredible.

Everything was great except the receptionist, which was not really welcoming. The waiter for our table was very nice and kind. The restaurant is claimed to be one of the oldest restaurants in London. Recommend trying Steak & Kidney pie, the meat and sauce was great, plus the pie came very crispy. Advance reservation is a must.

Wonderful cocktail bar on the first floor. Delicious traditional food, the rabbit and pistachio terrine, steak and kidney pudding, Venison and orange and pistachio cake were delicious. Good selection of wines available. Staff were friendly and professional, thank you for looking after us so well. Kind regards Wayne.

Superb Traditional English Restaurant.

Being the oldest restaurant in London, the staff have done an incredible job of preserving the heritage and keeping a welcoming environment for today. The food was lovely and their service was quick without being overbearing. I would definitely come back!

Absolutely fantastic, an absolute gem and well worth a visit.

Ancient place, which shows its history. Redundancy of trophy hunting antlers, thick carpeting, bathrooms so British that you will pay two extra drops to stay there a little longer. The price complies with everything, including the punctual and rightly somewhat formal service. But it's certainly worth it.

Well made, proper English food with full of flavour quality ingredients.

Had an amazing Easter Sunday dinner. We had the Sunday roast, pork cheek and venison. All were amazing, but the pork cheek was the best. Service was perfect. Just the right amount of attention. The rhubarb dessert with cream was a great send off. Overall, was the best dinner I had in London.

Don't waste your time or money unless ambiance and a smidge of history is all you're looking for. Terrible Food. Snooty Service. Less than average drinks. Worst prepared beef I have ever eaten. Yorkshire pudding was atrocious.

Our family had a very enjoyable lunch last Saturday. I wouldn't describe the food as "cutting edge" but the dishes, especially the game were cooked perfectly, well presented, and expertly served. The comfortable surroundings and seamless service made Rule's a real treat for us and was a breath of fresh air compared to being held "hostage" at the latest celebrity chef tasting experience. Next time we visit we'll plan to arrive early and have a drink at the bar which looked fabulous. Keep doing what you are doing Rule's, this sort of experience is timeless !

Super 34-35 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LB, United Kingdom

Not worth the money. I rarely leave comments like this but after the experience my family and I had today I believe it to be justified. The cauliflower soup we got served was cold and lacked salt and mussels which were supposed to be on top. The rump steaks were lukewarm but the salads were good. Overall, alright food but not as good as expected. The restaurant has a very lovely interior which gave us a good first impression but the service completely ruined everything. We didn’t receive one smile from our waitress when we ordered and we’re impolitely talked into ordering more food. After we ate, we were brought the bill but the waitress was quite literally breathing down our necks and didn’t give us a second to look at the bill before paying. I would find that quite unprofessional normally as well but what took the cake was the fact that they charged us for 4 espressos when we ordered 1. After we brought up the issue the waitress said she’d be right back and we had to wait another 15 min until we were refunded. I believe that the treatment we received was due to us being tourists as we noticed that other guests were addressed much more pleasantly. I find it a shame that my experience has led me to believe that the Rules treats tourists as walking wallets undeserving of pleasantries. Wouldn’t go again!

Restaurant attractive for its history. Very friendly and professional service. Good cuisine at the price level.

This place is also good their toffee stop the pudding is also good this place is not for Muslim

There are a lot of them, rules that is. Avoid if you don't like procedure. Practically have to be taxidermy to avoid standing out amidst these masters of manners. Good luck. Also good food.

Poor service for a famous restaurant. Upon arrival 5 minutes before the reservation time, the hostess said we had the table for 2 hours, as if I asked. Not sure what her motivation was. On the way out I said bye to the wait person but he couldn’t bother to look in our direction. Generally I found the staff not suitable for the caliber of this restaurant or at least its fame. We ordered two fish dishes for main course . Both were lacking in taste, very bland, no flavor. The lemon sole dish was particularly poorly presented swimming in white sauce. Would not recommend this restaurant

A wonderful dinner experience through and through. The staff was impressively professional the entire meal, and was above and beyond accommodating to seat me as a walk-in. Do your self a favor make this a planned stop on your trip.

How did I not know this place existed? It is absolutely stunning. The room itself is quirkily old fashionedly beautiful. Everything about the place has a grace and style that is a cut above. Food is well prepared, presented, and really delicious. Staff are friendly and just the right side of attentive. The wine we picked was very good too. It isn't exactly cheap, but then not that expensive either. In my opinion, it is very good value. All in all, in my opinion, if you can, you should. Highly recommend.

One of the oldest restaurants in central London. The level of service is exceptional. The upstairs bar is ideal to relax while having a classic cocktail in an area surrounded by plants and decorations that make you feel that you are transcending in an other era. The food is typical English food with an emphasis on game and recipes that haven’t changed over a century. I would strongly recommend to visit this place if you get a chance since it’s one of a kind experience.

The steak and kidney pudding is out of this world.

Wonderful food. The pork cheeks were fantastic. Love going to rules

It was a very nice dinner experience! Food is great! The dinning atmosphere is pleasant! Duck salad is very tasty. Lemon sole is tasted very smooth and satisfied! After dinner coffee is excellent!

Still my favourite restaurant after 25 years +

Looks like an old gentleman's club but in a good way. Nice conservatory for drinks. Staff were friendly. The food was excellent, with lots of British standards. One negative point is that the presentation on the plate is extremely plain. Large selection of rather expensive cocktails. I loved the huge steak and kidney pudding and my partner's steak was wonderful. I would definitely recommend Rules.

Exceptional British cuisine! Had my citizenship ceremony here and it was unforgettable. The main course, fillet of lemon sole, was fantastic. Baked Alaska with chocolate sauce was the perfect ending. truly great experience!

To start, the restaurant itself is set beautifully, and the service was second to none, but the food spoke for itself and was amazing. Will be dining there as often as I can to try many different dishes.

Still iconic, still fabulous service, awesome beef rib. A wine list to die for. Thank you

We visited for my birthday and when you walk inside it is like a walk back in time. The waiting staff were all dressed in traditional attire and the atmosphere was grand. I didn't realise they had filmed a scene from spectre (James bond) here. The food was excellent, well seasoned and generous. The drinks were OK, I guess it isn't known for its cocktails but I chuckled when my Guinness was served in a silver tankard. Id love to visit again.

One should visit once in a life time. Epic pleasure and satisfaction.

Good food but had to wait nearly two hours from arrival at restaurant until main course was served. Just as well we were not in a hurry ....

Great traditional food with an occasional twist

A historic restaurant founded in 1798. The interior is also very solid. Children are not allowed during dinner time. You might imagine a formal restaurant, but it actually has a very nice and friendly atmosphere, so you can enjoy your meal. The menu says, ``Some of our wild bird dishes may contain shotgun shells.'' The bar on the second floor is also nice.

Located not far from strand and Covent Garden. The oldest restaurant in London from 1797. Beautiful interior,Rustic, steep in history. Nice tables. Good size menu with some interesting items. Had the oeuf de gelee which was something I haven’t come across previously. Very interesting yet nice dish of jelly broth with a boiled egg with celeriac salad. Shrimp starter was too heavy, cream and butter with nutmeg. The mains for venison was good- tad bit overdone as asked for rare and came medium rare. Chips was excellent, the broccoli with tapanata was good. Dish was on the higher range. The lemon sole- cooked well but sauce was too heavy and tasteless. Desert of pistachio cake was slight dry. The rhubarb crumble was good. Nice custard to accompany. Service was good.

Our favourite London restaurant. Staff were welcoming friendly and efficient. Atmosphere great, food was exceptional. Highly recommend the braised pork cheeks. Venison cottage pie was excellent. Never disappointed at Rules but this visit was the best!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Rules Restaurant, and it was truly an exceptional experience from start to finish. Nestled in the heart of London, Rules exudes elegance and charm from the moment you step through the door. The ambiance is simply enchanting, with its rich history evident in every corner. From the beautifully adorned dining rooms to the attentive and knowledgeable staff, every detail is meticulously curated to provide guests with a memorable dining experience. Now, let's talk about the food. Each dish presented was a masterpiece in its own right, showcasing the culinary expertise of the chefs. The menu offers a delightful array of options, from traditional British fare to innovative twists on classic dishes. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and the presentation was nothing short of perfection. In addition to the exquisite food, the wine selection at Rules is impeccable. The sommelier was able to expertly pair each course with a complementary wine, enhancing the overall dining experience. Overall, Rules Restaurant exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Whether you're looking to celebrate a special occasion or simply indulge in an unforgettable meal, I cannot recommend Rules highly enough. It's a true gem in the culinary landscape of London.

I've been using this restaurant since the mid 1970s and I've yet to be disappointed. The ambiance is incomparable and genuine and the food is unashamedly of the comfort variety. Occasionally, the service can be a little slow when very busy, but even this does not detract from a very special dining experience.

Very nice and memorable. Impressive service and food was some of the best British food I've had too! We had the chicken mushroom and leek pie, rules bellini, some other beef dish, broccoli, and the pear tart with cinnamon ice cream (forgot exact dish names)

Their golden syrup soaked sponge dessert is legitimately the best dessert I've ever had in my life. I'd first had it during a trip in early 2020, and had been dreaming about it ever since. I went back in early 2024 and had it a second time, and it was just as delicious as I remembered.

We finished our lunch and went upstairs for some drinks only to be advised that they would most likely need our table later. Having spent a significant sum of money on lunch we thought this was an unreasonable request!

Traditional British dining in fine ambience. Service was very good. Chose the rib of beef for two, and there wasn't really much meat, but a lot of fat. Tasted good, but for £100 - terrible value I'm afraid. Other dishes looked good and I am sure were lovely.

Staff, were wonderful, lovely traditional British food. Lovely atmosphere really special place. Had an amazing day. Big thank you and recommended the place

Rules restaurant doesn’t get five stars for the food because eating at rules is much more about the experience. The dining room is beautiful a classic look with dark wood and red seats. The walls are decorated with old portraits and dozens of antlers. Upstairs, you’ll find a bar and lounge. The waiters dressed in formal attire are friendly and helpful. The food is traditional British food with a focus on game. at the right time of year, you can order wild grouse with the warning to look out for shot in the meat. I started with an Indian spiced quail, served with apricot chutney. For my main course, I opted for the steak and kidney pudding. This is a dish many people will avoid, but with gravy and sharp, yellow mustard. I really enjoyed it. For dessert I tried the sticky toffee pudding. Pass on this dish and go for the golden syrup sponge, served with crème anglais. It was the best dessert I had in London. I also enjoyed the gin list, including Christmas pudding gin. Bottom line: of all the restaurants I ate at in London Rules is the one I want to return to. Make sure if you are there you take advantage of the chance to eat at the oldest restaurant in London.

It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been to Rules and it was husband’s first time - for his birthday. It did not disappoint, and in the best way it hasn’t changed. Fabulous service, wonderful ambience and the food is phenomenal. Also, we had to change the number of people in our booking, and then let them know we were running slightly late. They were beyond charming and accommodating. One of my favourite places.

Février 2024: toujours excellent avec un service impeccable. Vivement l'an prochain! Février 2023: So British! Ambiance feutrée "vieille Angleterre". Excellente nourriture britannique traditionnelle. Service très professionnel. Accueil de qualité.

I’ve been going to Rules for years, and it never fails to deliver. It’s standards are consistent across all aspects of it’s menu.

Too expensive Must note extra security fee will be added

Such an amazing restaurant. Good English food done extremely well along with a good wine list. No fuss and excellent service. 100% recommend and looking forward to returning very soon.

二階のバーで時間待ちもとても楽しい。飲みかけのグラスも一階のテーブルまで運んてくれる。 格式張らないフレンドリーなレストランです。 ボリューマは凄いですよ！

I have eaten at Rules half a dozen times in my life. It could be half a hundred and I could never grow tired of it. A perfect slice of luxury and relaxation in a busy and humdrum week in London. This, truly, is care through dining. The food is always excellent, and reassuringly steadfast. (I have eaten the syrup sponge every time I've been, it tastes exactly the same every time, and I hope it will always continue to do so) The service is always caring, competent and friendly or professional, to suit your mood. Regardless, the experience is always as near to perfect as you can find. Visit. Visit immediately. If you have no reason, make one up. Thank me later.

Wonderful old fashioned restaurant which makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time as you come in. There are lots of tourists but it’s still a great atmosphere and the service is attentive and professional. The food is delicious and served with great attention to detail. We were sadly too full to try dessert though!

Brilliant game heavy dishes, attentive service, very traditional environment. Guinness and a tankard. Expensive, but great for a special occasion.

Absolutely fabulous, food was great and service was fantastic. Definitely recommend.

fabulous! went with family as inspired by downtown abbey - and the waitress was lovely and gave us one of the tables they used! the prawn starter is amazing, and the pies are unbeatable. the staff r so good and friendly - they don’t feel judgey like in other establishments. always full of ambience and bustling with class - a fab dinner out spot! i always find an occasion to go at least every other month

Fantastic food and excellent service. The beef Wellington was the best I’ve ever had

Up there with the very best in every regard

Rules is an absolutely fantastic restaurant with a superb menu, excellent service and very unique atmosphere. One of the best restaurants in London.

We had a great meal but it is unforgivable that no beer is served in the upstairs cocktail bar

Every time I visit London, I just have to visit rules. It’s a pilgrimage and for good reason. The food is traditional British fair at its best. we always go for a cocktail up in the bar upstairs for an aperitif to set the tone for a lovely meal downstairs. if you like, he will be in a tank and a state and kidney pudding as I do this is the place for you whether it’s just a weekday dinner or a special occasion you won’t be disappointed. it does get busy it is the oldest restaurant in London so be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment.

レトロな店内で内装が素敵でした。 食べ物はローストビーフとキドニーパイを頂きましたが、やや肉がパサパサした印象でした。 おそらくイギリスの伝統的な調理法なんでしょう。

Came with family visiting London for lunch on a Sunday. Rules provides British food at exceptionally high quality which is to be expected given its heritage. The staff were extremely attentive and the food was delicious. The only gripe I had was the slight sense of upselling when it came to starters but this was not too much of an issue since they were delicious when they arrived. Would definitely return, perhaps visiting the upstairs bar next time since it looked very nice also.

Incredibly rude receptionist. We arrived early (5pm) for a dinner reservation (530pm) and was told with a frown of disgust that the table wasn’t ready when there was literally nobody in the restaurant. See my video. Fine we went to the bar first. But then we had to remind them to seat us, which happened 10 mins past my reservation time. Unacceptable for a place that required a deposit and our table back within a time 2 hour frame. At the time of writing it has been 20 mins since we ordered and the food hasn’t arrived so, no pics of food sorry. Edit: “medium rare” rump steak came

A national treasure of a restaurant.

The oldest restaurant in London, complete with it's own James Bond link. Plenty of atmosphere with lots of amusing nik naks on the walls. Food was great as was the service.

This is the best restaurant in the United Kingdom! There is nothing I would change! Exceptional food, drinks and staff! Thank you for being Rules!

Still one of my favourite restaurants in London. It has lost a bit of its fine dining status as other restaurants do it better and the food could be improved. Needs simple things like bread and butter to accompany the meals and mints on paying etc. to improve the experience. Very nice drinks and atmosphere. A must visit.

Rules has been on my “bucket list” for years and I finally got to go and it didn’t disappoint. Everything was superb; decor, atmosphere, service and the food. Only probably was trying to decide what to choose! Fabulous restaurant with some amazing history.

It was my third time and a special occasion but this time Rules failed to impress as it did before. The food was good but nothing special.

As an institution, which also requires deposit, they did not tell me until the day itself that “the gas wasn’t working”. It was my family member’s birthday, and my own honeymoon. In the end I had to rush to find an alternative. If this happens, the restaurant really should inform the guests ahead of time or the situation and let the guest decide ahead of time what to do. The guests and members - we actually flew in from another country (on an early flight for this Sunday lunch) to ensure we made it for the booking at Rules. It’s a real shame as this was meant to be a big highlight.

Lamb shoulder was the best I’ve ever had

Still magnificent... Food and service can't be bettered

Beautiful restaurant cannot wait to return

Really good English restaurant.

It is a great place to eat traditional English food, the staff are great, full of histories within. You will come out with your taste buds for more 😁, a great hidden gem in central London, if you have not already been. Traditional business that has been established seems like forever, way before you were born 😁, so they have lots of time to practice each dish to be cooked to perfection

Upscale dining in an historic atmosphere. Service was formal and very good.

Don't been to Rules for 18 months or so. Was disappointed. Crab not served in its shell.Steak & Kidney Puddings seem to have shrunk in size since last time.

런던의 Heritage restaurant인 Rules입니다. 무려 1798년부터 지금까지 운영되는 식당으로 다녀간 손님들도 역사책에서 봐 왔던 인물들도 꽤 있구요, 역사와 전통을 자랑하는 만큼 내부 장식과 커트러리, 글래스 등 테이블 세팅에 격조가 느껴집니다. 서빙도 복장을 제대로 갖추고 해 주며 드레스코드는 비즈니스포멀로 반팔과 반바지 등은 허용되지 않는다 하나 점심시간 때는 그렇게 타이트하지는 않은 것 같습니다. 그런데 음식의 퀄리티는 기대나 가격에는 조금 미치지 못해서 아쉬웠습니다. 서빙은 입장할 때나 자리 안내 받을 때는 나름 괜찮았는데 음식이 나오고 나서야 우리가 주문할 때 스테이크 굽기 정도를 요청하지 않았다는 것을 알게 되었는데 스테이크는 medium-weldone 정도로 조리되어 나오고 말았습니다. 이에 주문을 받았던 백인 Maid를 불러 확인하니 우리가 주문한대로 주방에 오더 넣었다고 발뺌하는데 우리가 어떻게 구워달라고 했냐고 물으니 답을 하지 못했습니다. 설혹 우리가 그 부분을 놓쳐서 얘기했다 하더라도 주방에 오더를 넣을 때 그 부분 누락되었다면 다시 우리한테 컨펌을 받았어야 하는데 그냥 대수롭지않게 생각한 건 지 Maid 멋대로 주문 진행한 것 같아 상당히 기분이 언짢았습니다. 이에 매니저 불러 달라 해서 상황 얘기했고 Maid는 즉시 경력 있어 보이는 남자 butler로 교체되었고 이후 친절하고 격식있게 서빙 받았습니다. 그런데 그 여자 Maid는 끝내 사과의 말 한 마디 안했네요. 처음에는 외국인이라서 차별하는 줄 알았는데 다른 테이블 서빙하는 것 보니 기본적으로 태도에 문제가 많은 maid 같았습니다. 적어도 Heritage Restaurant이라는 찬사를 받는 레스토랑이라면 거기에 걸맞게 Staff 분들의 attitude도 잘 갖춰져 있어야 한다고 생각합니다. 아무튼 기대가 컸으나 다소 실망스러운 Rules에서의 식사였지만 특이한 "키드니 파이"와 격식 있는 테이블세팅과 분위기 때문에라도 방문을 후회하지 않습니다.

First day in London. Looking for a restaurant for dinner without making a reservation. I was told it would be a 45 minute wait, but they said there was a bar, so I had a cocktail and waited. I ate beef and deer steaks, and the service from the staff was excellent, and the taste was exquisite. I learned about the history of the restaurant and felt that it was a well-established restaurant.

Amazing edwardian restaurant, wonderful and traditional food, it's my favourite British restaurant in London

Officially one of my favourite London restaurants. The old world charm was very elegant. Service was impecable. We went up to the bar until our table was ready and then our waitor came to get us. This is very traditional English food, expertly made. We went for Sunday roast but I had Pheasant instead. The chips and roast potatoes here are the best I have ever had, ever! I see myself sitting on my own at the bar with a drink and chips in the future! 10/10 A big thanks to everyone. This was more than Lunch, it was an experience.

Amazing. Food superb, service excellent restaurant taking you back to another time

Great ambiance food and service. Food choices very limited and lacking in choice of anything non traditional. I know that this is their USP but personally I would have preferred a little more choice. That said a lovely venue. Drinks prices somewhat high even for the location.

Food was good, not sure it was worth the price but the decor/atmosphere was unique and made it feel worth it. The lamb was great!

I could NEVER eat at any expensive restaurant that informs me that I have to give the table back after 1.5 or 2 or whatever hours. No decent restaurant needs to be that desperate - certainly not at these prices. We went elsewhere and had an outstanding meal. Time to stop this stupid practice. As a Hardens reviewer, I will never give 1 star to needy restaurants adopting this anti-social practice. If I want a "quick bite" I'll go to Macdonalds...

Smashing time and would return in a heart beat

Un vrai restau britannique, aux plats excellents.

This restaurant is on another level, it's not cheap but it doesn't pretend to be

Very good British food, nice old venue

Super evening. Definitely return this year.