Sargeant's Mess in Tower Hamlets

Sargeant's Mess is a British restaurant just in front of the Tower of London and adjacent to Tower Bridge. Created by celebrity chef Mark Sargeant, the restaurant serves unmemorable food in a fairly bland atmosphere buttressed by one of the most spectacular locations in London. The food concept behind Mess is to offer traditional British fare at a high quality. Frankly, it is just average. The food is the weakpoint of the restaurant. The concept just seems to have fallen away with for instance the only vegetarian dish in the main course even using the American name Mac N Cheese. It is ok but it is just macaroni cheese so there's a clear ceiling to how good it can be. A large part of the menu is burgers. Not exactly traditional British fare. The vegetarian burger was not bad because it had an avocado in it. Otherwise not the kind of a quality a specialist upmarket provider might generate. Dessert options are fairly limited though the Eton Mess is ok. Service was not that great unfortunately. The faux accent was jarring in its articulation. Chips as an accompaniment to a burger were served without question as to whether a condiment could be offered then an over the top response was generated to a question asking whether such a thing could be provided. Price is high considering the fare. The location does demand a price like that but the food does not. Sargeant just has failed to generate interesting eating. One real shame for a December lunch was that it turned out the Christmas menu was not on offer. It was a real disappointment and made the whole place feel like a let-down. The plus is absolutely the magnificent location. Nestling in the shadow of the Tower and next to Tower Bridge the views are incredible. Looking out at the Thames is beautiful here although the number of window seats is quite small. However, going outside while waiting for food for instance offers a terrific perspective on some of London's finest buildings. Admittedly it is perfectly possible just to walk along the Thames and get the same view. Sargeant's Mess is ultimately a disappointment. The food is flavourless and too simple. Nothing interesting about it at all. No creativity or flair. The price reflects the location and so is too much for the quality of the eating. Service is not great and it was such a shame to find the menus advertised on the website did not exist in reality. The plus is the magnificent location, one of the very best anywhere in London.

Very good cafe adjacent to the Tower of London. We just had a cake and a coffee which was £13 but the lemon drizzle cake was very good. Although the ToL was busy we were able to get a table in the cafe without too much trouble.

Cadre parfait, sous les remparts de la tour de londres, vue sur la Tamise. Plats très bons et prix plus que corrects pour un endroit aussi touristique. Je recommande

Ambiente increíblemente relajado, personal amable, alegre y atento. ! Muy recomendable Comida deliciosa

Didn't get what I ordered...but was told it couldn't be changed as it had been prepared So unhelpful!!!

Booked table for lunch at Sargeant's Mess for my dad's 75th birthday, after visiting the Tower of London. The location was perfect within 3 mins walk from the Tower and directly at the foot of Tower Bridge. We arrived half an hour early - didn't need to wait as our table was ready and we were welcomed and seated. Emma made her way over to introduce herself to me and the family, once she heard it was my dad's birthday immediately offered him a drink on the house and myself as the organiser, nice surprise! We ordered mains and desserts, food came in time, servers were helpful and professional. We all enjoyed our meals, food was tasty, well presented and perfectly proportioned. I had the chicken pie which was perfect and the Eton mess which was lovely. The view from the restaurant is quite amazing as you can see the bridge and the river is literally a stone's throw away. I felt that Sargeant's Mess was fantastic value for money - food was tasty, restaurant was clean, light and airy, location spot on and service impeccable. Would recommend going for a casual, friendly meal in a fantastic setting. Would like to thank Emma and her team for their welcoming manner and giving our family a lovely meal and experience for my dad - he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Next to most tourists activities this bar got space, good food for the price and waitresses are super helpful with a big smile ! I recommend to refuel the batteries without killing your budget !

We were in that restaurant at noon last Saturday It has been a good pleasure to be there Nice people to welcome you Delicious food Simple but cosy furniture Finally spent a really good time Thanks a lot

As the review title, it was reasonably good but a bit dear I thought, we saw prices and decided only to have coffee and a snack, only average quality, service reasonable, toilets a bit in need of a good seeing to, good views of river / Tower Bridge .And they can't spell Sergeant! Only Sarge with an A! Perhaps they'd have been better with the old fashioned Sarjeant?

Quick lunch stop after the Tower. Wondered how it would be because of location, but found the service to be quite pleasant. Split an order of Fish and Chips which was good allowing us to order dessert. Sat outside and the whole experience was definitely good

Didn’t want to walk so we stopped here because it was the first place we found. They sat us quickly. It has NON Smoking tables outside which was lovely. Ordered the battered chicken sandwich with fries and it was delicious. The service and view of the Thames River and Tower Bridge ere spectacular

We stopped here for a quick drink and snack before setting off toward Westminster through the city. It was just after main lunchtime, and we were surprised at how quiet this place was considering it is right next to Tower Bridge. Maybe we found out why.... A sign said "wait to be seated". We did, a few staff ignored us before one asked "eating or just drinking ?". When we said just a drink and maybe a cake, she waved an arm in the direction of seats and said "order at the bar and sit anywhere". The bar staff were equally as attentive, eventually taking the order but not once making eye contact. When I asked if we should wait or would someone bring the drinks the answer was to wait. We picked the least grubby and empty plateless table outside, under a pleasant sunshade which was keeping out the hot sun. Not for long, as someone opened the blinds not long after we sat down. Fortunately, you can't go far wrong with a pot of tea, scone, muffin and bottle of beer, other than it cost nearly £16. Toilets were not particularly clean and welcoming - the Wife was desperate; "you will have to be" was my reply.

We stopped here on the way back to our hotel and were delighted to have found it! The staff were really friendly, the food and drinks well priced and the location just idyllic. Two for one cocktails between 5 - 7 pm - with very generous measures. A perfect little find and we will definitely be back. :)

Halifax, Nova Scotia is my baseline for excellent fish and chips. Pleased to say that The Sgt's Mess fish and chips is absolutely, every bit as good. Also HIGHLY recommend their Scotch Eggs, wonderful addition to a fish and chip meal. Our friendly and patient server Sarah was prompt and curious, making the entire meal a simply wonderful experience. Definitely will return when I'm in London again.

La comida estaba muy buena y su terraza es realmente agradable. La camarera que nos atendió, Jessica (habla español), fue muy amable y muy atenta. Estuvimos muy a gusto.

Fantastic location along the Thames. Stood at the door waiting for seating, then for a table to be cleared. The food was worth the wait, but couldn’t get a servers attention for ketchup or the bill.

You could easily walk right past this on your way from the Tower Bridge to the Tower of London. It's a great little restaurant with great service. Get the Fish and Chips and mushy peas!

Visited here after going to the Tower of London. My family enjoyed some fair British cuisine, nothing outrageously good but none of us were disappointed. The Mac and Cheese was a good homemade meal for kids, and the Fish and Chips was nice too. They...

Sargeant's Mess is located just under the Tower Bridge. The menu included a variety of soups, salads and main entree. Service was fast and courteous and the prices were reasonable. Will highly recommend.

Saw a lot of bad service reviews, this was not our experience. Maybe because we ate lunch at 2:00. Mac and cheese, sausage and mash and fish and chips were all good, with the exception that the fish was a bit mushy, but the batter...

It took over 30 minutes to have our food served. The restaurant was short staffed. Five families came, ate and left before we had our food. The fish and chips were good, but not the best. The restaurant is close to the Crown Jewels and...

Stop off after walking all day around London. Nice beer in the sun and people watching. They have a beer benches for drinks only customers with a great view.

I understand it’s right on the Tower of London so we should have expected it to be expensive. We had fish and chips and roast chicken leg and tiny salad. One coke and one ginger beer. It was the equivalent to $90 AUD. Just didn’t...

It’s written “bar - restaurant - cafe” but when you get in and ask for a table to have a nice cup of coffee and an ice cream, they say you have to get it on the bar! Even with kids! Tables are for lunch...

Almost empty here, but still took them 10 minutes to make four Irish Coffees. When we finally got them, they were watery and bland. No taste of whiskey what so ever. Walk on, there are plenty other places where you can get a decent drink!

Ate early evening, 5pm so not too busy. Starters arrived before drinks, had ordered a shandy as my niece who had arrived before us had one and on a hot evening it looked refreshing. Eventually discovered they couldn't make it as they had run out...

As a tourist near London Tower and Tower Bridge you would expect a restaurant establishment like Sargeant’s Mess to be very expensive and poor customer service. But Sargent’s Mass far exceeded my expectations. They have a very friendly and customer focused staff and run a...

Great location but long wait for cocktails and then they ran out of glasses..... if you are going to do happy hour have enough staff and glasses....wont be back

This place offers standard British pub fare, reasonably priced, and is conveniently located between the exit from the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Despite the throng of humanity inside the Tower (and presumably at the cafe inside), we were able to get a table...

The service was very good, the food was delicious, and the wait time for the food was about 10 to 15 minutes. Overall a very good place. 10/10 would recommend

located near the london tower, it was rainy day & the place looked nice so we stepped in. the staff is nice, but rhey serve you cola drink with 200cc and not the usual 330 cc. we ordered the buttermilk chicken & got some tastless...

We visited here on Friday- it was a lovely setting underneath tower bridge of which we had a lovely view. It was busy when we visited. Let down by a few things such as being served a soda and gin instead of a gin and...

Popped in for a coffee, the place is built under the Tower bridge so has some history. They are not making enough of that history, but a quick drink and cake is ok 👌. Right by the ward, so a lovely walk outside past the...

A bit on the noisy side and the hamburger was nothing special. Ok if in a rush otherwise I’d look elsewhere.

Called in here after visiting the Tower of London. Very good position , right outside the exit to Tower of London and literally next to Tower Bridge.We were going to the Shard afterwards (kids day out ) so this was a perfect stop gap for...

My family and I visited this restaurant a few weekends back and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. We went with 5 children and all were looked after and given colouring pencils and paper to entertain them. Laetitia the manager especially made us all very...

Our dinner experience was very average. Service poor and the menu variety was unusual. It's okay that a menu item isn't available but when it's a small menu this makes a difference. We did peruse the menu prior to entering, but being exhausted after a...

We needed somewhere where we could get off our feet (after four hours of walking / standing in the Tower) and sit down to eat, and this was the closest option. They did manage to seat us immediately, but staff were extremely slow to offer...

Whith two children seen how our lunches not came... and other tables were served... more than an hour waiting...

We went to the Sargeant's Mess after visiting the Tower of London. They have a good kids menu with really good fish and chips and other real food options for kids. I had the adult portion of Fish and chips and was very pleased. The...

Rude, lazy and dismissive staff, not read up on the menus, dirty tables, no greeting, and no bloody service. walked out after being ignored for 15 minutes without being asked for a drink.

Had a fish and chips for me lunch, it was excellent!!! Fantastic venue by Tower of London. Good service. Great atmosphere and this fish! Lovely!!!

Stopped for lunch at the Sargeant's Mess surronded by the historic walls of The Tower of London - and close to Tower Bridge Service and food 5 star and we couldn't fault it

If you're visiting the Tower of London and don't feel like battling the crowds inside for a bite to eat, this restaurant is located right outside the gates along the Thames. A little expensive, but the food was good and the service was attentive and...

Went here on 22 Feb after spending the morning in the Tower of London, we are a family of 5. Kids were hungry and thirsty and we didn't use the Café in the Tower of London (but only because it was jam packed) Walking along...

Came here after visiting the Tower of London. was so happy we did. The view was amazing even if it was rainy and dreary outside. the food was delicious, and the service wonderful. Felt bad it was far away from where we were staying or...

Poor service, waitress gave the impression we were invisible, very limited menu. Forgot 1 drink that was offered while leaving. Prawn cocktail was 85% lettuce. Asked for discount was offered my forgotten drink. Terrible place don’t go

I booked my birthday brunch here and the manager Josh went above and beyond to make it fun memorable afternoon. would deffo recommend going there and will be re visiting myself

Enjoyed a lovely lunch with my wife when in London for our wedding anniverary. We were very well looked after by the friendly and attentive staff, the food (and wine) was delicious and the view of Tower Bridge was fantastic. A wonderful place for a...

Nice bar/bistro and I called in for a drink-pit stop. Friendly greeting and Bar staff professional friendly and efficient. Great location, the place has big potential would be better served with plusher appointments (restaurant has a slightly canteen feel) and the closed-down Cafe should be...

Very good restaurant with great food. Pretty quick service and staff very pleasant. Not to mention the awesome location just next to the Tower of London! Perfect for family lunches or couple lunches. We’ll come back!

Fish and chips and a lamb curry. Food is good location right next to Tower of London. Just what we hoped for. Curry said as medium was medium to chillie spicy hot but that said was very tasty.

We were so hungry after visiting the Tower of London and this is the first restaurant we came across. Fish and chips and cheeseburgers were very good and served quickly. Food choices were limited and kitchen closed shortly after we arrived because they ran out...

The food was great but the wait was way too long. We were left waiting for at least 30-40 minutes after ordering before the food arrived. The staff were fairly pleasant though.

Roel is the BEST!! Comes up with creative cocktails and creates a vibrant environment! Don't come here if you want to have a bad time.

Had an amazing time here today the food was great and the cocktail's were even better. The mixologist Roel was amazing he was so much fun to be around such a great host I'll be back just for him!!!

Excellent Roast beef dinner and cocktails mixed by Roel. Great friendly service from Alice and team. Varied menu at reasonable prices.

What a fab place! After a tour round The Tower what better way to round the afternoon off than a cocktail made especially for me by the wonderful mixologist - Roel, I think he should call this one ‘The Daisy C’. Great dining service too...

Popped in for a quick bite to eat en route to Beyond the Deepening Shadows. Oh. My. Word. The food is amazing, fantastic menu with a special Remembrance menu, service is first class, staff super helpful and reasonable prices. Will definitely return when I have...

What a fab venue for Friday night cocktails. Happy hour every night and delicious cocktails from a very enthusiastic team. Great views of Tower Bridge too.

Friendly bar with good beer and food. Plenty of interesting colours on the walls of various regiments. Well worth a look.

This place is an embarrassment. Do not eat here. We ate here on a Saturday afternoon. I had the fish and chips, they do not have malt vinegar (according to our server), the mushy peas were cold and the fish was soggy. It took 20...

Ordered 4 drinks, 3 drinks arrived, 4th drink was being “made”, a glass of Prosecco!! 35 minutes later it finally arrived, we would have left,but our drinks had arrived. While we were waiting 2 other tables left as they too were suffering the same shambolic...

We stop here for lunch after The Tower of London as it was raining heavily. Staff were polite and assisted you but some of them looked like they needed to smile a bit more. Food was very good but a little bit pricey especially when...

After a long morning at the Tower of London, we stopped in to have a bite of lunch in mid-afternoon. We had a wedge salad and a chicken burger (chicken on a bun). Food was good not great but certainly edible. Soda was expensive at...

Situated right outside the Tower of London exit and the base of the Tower Bridge, the main reason for visiting is for a bite between seeing the two sights; which is exactly what I did. So treat it like you would a cafe within an...

Fantastic location outside the Tower of London, with great views of Tower Bridge. Set on the Wharf by the river, the views of London are extraordinary during the day and in the evening and there’s always something going on. Staff are friendly and hard working...

Food was ok for the money and staff friendly. But they add a service charge on the bill and dont bother to tell you.... I would have preferred the choice of leaving a tip.

We had the brunch menu my friend and I. I had the smoked haddock kedgeree, but styled like arancini and a poached egg on top. It was delicious, not too fishy and seasoned wonderfully. My friend's idea of a brunch is a burger. Hand made...

Just an average London restaurant with a nice view. The food is average and you can get the same to a lower price somewhere else. Friendly staff.

We were cold and wet after a visit to the tower and had very low expectations. We had a very happy suprise and a lovely meal - totally recomend the Scotch egg.

- Was given a table only to be told it was reserved by someone else - Waitress didn’t know the menu or how to pronounce certain drinks - Took forever to be served - Took forever for the food/drinks to come - Attitude of staff...

Walked in for a drink and couldn’t find a table in the outside area that wasn’t covered in dirty dishes. Napkins and paper on the floor and one waiter running around doing not much. Waiter barely cleared the space we were at (left a half...

Every time we go to London we make sure to stop here for some fish and chips. It is located very near the river and the Tower of London. It is a great place to sit outside and watch the people. Overall it seems that...

My friend and I went along to this restaurant last night, having booked via the phone and explaining that we wished to use the our Tastecard which provided a discount. This was confirmed as acceptable and the booking was made. Our waitress was lovely and...

We knew we were about to get taken at such a touristy place, but we were hungry and thirsty so stopped anyway. The menu wasn't appealing so we opted for a quick snack. We ordered a cheese plate, water and a pepsi and it was...

We booked a family lunch for ten here. I really wish we hadn't. It was bitterly disappointing. We asked for the set menu, which no one seemed to know about. They had to print it off their website for us. Orders got mixed up, roast...

Went to have breakfast before going to the tower. Good meal, Lovely & clean, good staff, very friendly & polite too.

Having visited before, I treated my adult daughter to a drink at Sargeants Mess. Service and drinks were ok if the hot chocolate weak but.... at the end of our visit we went to use the toilets. Absolutely disgusting. Wet floors, leaks, and used tissue...

What a great service, hostess was amazing and efficient, waiter was very friendly and helpful, menu is easy to choose from. Quick, tasty, our little ones loved it too! Definitely coming back!

Met family there. Food interesting. Restrooms clean and very welcome. Very hot so drank as much water as they could bring. Like its location. Under the Tower of London walls, beside St Katherine’s dock. By Tower Bridge. Handy for the water bus. Great location.

Great lunch today.. fish & chips and a curry with drinks all served within 45 mins and then back to the office.. service efficient and with a smile with great views of the bridge.

We visited for a late lunch after having done the Tower of London. We were seated fairly quickly but after that service simply did not exist. And neither did we. I actually got up and got us menus. We waited over 15 minutes and no...

Food was good but took ages to be served. We asked for a second round of drinks, never got them but they were included in the bill.

Food was average when it finally arrived. Service was terrible. Server was pleasant but clueless. We had to chase up the drinks and the food (when it came it was only for one person out of 4) multiple times. The only thing we didn't need...

Looking at the location I half expected this to be a typical tourist rip-off place, but with two increasingly vocal hungry kids we had to take a chance... Know what ? I was wrong, and would happily go there again 😋 We skipped starters; kids...

Our tour guides chose this location for lunch after we visited the Tower of London. I ordered the fish and chips because I was sure they would be good in England. My fish was very uncooked, almost raw inside. It took me awhile to track...

Seems to be all over the place with people's experiences. Mine was fantastic. I found the staff to be cheerful and pleasant, and we interacted with at least 4 staff. Food was less expensive than I had expected - it's right on the river between...

Visited here on Saturday whilst in London. Good location. Absolutely appalling service and miserable staff. Took ages for the menus to be brought out. Ages to take an order. The staff were very sullen. Like they didn’t want to be there and certainly didn’t want...

First, let me say that the overall restaurant service in London was poor during our trip. It may be that Americans gave different expectations, for example, I hated having to ask for the bill, paying table side, and not being regularly checked on. That was...

Near Tower of London with directional sign as you exit Tower. Didn’t expect much and didn’t get much. The food and drink were passable at best and the service was extremely slow. Prices were high. You shiukd return to Tower entrance where there are several...

Terrible customer service, we had to ask for menus and the manager was extremely unfriendly. They forgot to bring brown sauce to table when asked to do so and when I brought up the issue at end of meal they did not provide any substantial...

After a terrible experience with a cruise on the river this establish could not do more to help us out! 12 hens looking for a place to get some food and drinks with no booking seemed near on impossible until we walked into this place....

After City Cruises leaving without our hen party of 12 ladies we were all a bit battered and bruised, upset, angry, shocked and in need of food and a drink. The Manager (?) possibly, welcomed us with open arms and made sure he found a...

Bull! Walked in at lunch time to an interior that was 2/3 empty with a family of six and we were told that they were only serving food on the outdoor terrace which was piping hot and nearly completely lacking in shade. What a crock!...

Just watched Tower bridge road deck open up to allow a French tall ship to pass through. Sargeant's Mess seemed an ideal location to sample a G&T. We sat out side on a bench, on the menu there was a fair selection of gins to...

Good points 2 for 1 cocktails were really nice Perfect location next to Thames and Tower Bridge. Outdoor seating Casual and friendly Nice Staff Good range of options on the menu Could be improved Service was hit and miss. Had to ask twice for most...

As a professional tourist guide I brought an American family here for their first experience of Fish & Chips, and was delighted to find possibly the best I've had in a long time. Super-crispy batter, not too thick; perfect chips and very good mushy peas....

I am obligated to complimented on the Atlantic Cod dish which was cooked to perfection . It has one of the best texture and the sauce was equally complimenting & delicious. One other highlight of this outlet is the marvelous view of both Tower of...

Excellent food and service at a very good price. I had the lentil salad and my husband had the roast chicken. A lovely rlaxing afternoon. We will definitely be back.