Swan London in Southwark

We happened to arrive just as jazz was playing

We came for tea in April and had a wonderful experience. Special thanks to Riyas for being a fabulous server! Highly recommend for anyone looking for an affordable but elevated afternoon tea experience.

What a lovely day enjoying Afternoon Tea here. We adored the food but it was made even better by our server Riaz (hope that is correct spelling) He went above and beyond to give an amazing experience to us. Was incredible

Fantastic place, 1 simply spectacular view, a service present with refinement and discretion. I have not been served like this in a restaurant for a long time. The dishes were so well-prepared and graceful! Not "minimalist" but balanced in quantity. The vegetables were cooked so respectfully that they had their TRUE flavor and a bright color. It was 1 beautiful experience that gave a nice memory to my vacation. Thank you!!! 😘

We had an absolutely fantastic experience thanks to Riyas! He was attentive, friendly, and made sure everything at our table was just right. His recommendations were spot on, and he brought such a warm, positive energy that truly made our evening special. Thank you, Riyas, for your excellent service — we’ll definitely be coming back!

We had our first afternoon tea and enjoyed the vegetarian menu, especially the scones. Dinner with a view!

was there for the first time in 2023, became my hideout since then. A must when you come to London. p.s. "love potion" was the best cocktail I've ever had

The service is great! The food is very good. We'll definitely be back!

Went here for afternoon tea and wow the food was excellent service was fantastic and a beautiful location

What an amazing venue. Stunning views across the river from the balcony.

Wow! Great location, great food, great service!!! We spent our last night of our London trip here, no better conclusion imaginable. Big thnx to the whole team, whenever we‘ll visit London again, we‘ll be back!!! Diana & Alexander ❤️

Great historic restaurant. Loads of character, excellent food and a good wine list

We went to celebrate my birthday and Riyas made it a wonderful and special afternoon tea. Thank you for being so kind and helpful. The afternoon tea was beautifully presented and tasted scrummy.

Not a bad spot for afternoon tea. We had a reservation for 6 during their Romeo and Juliet themed afternoon tea. The table they gave us was rather tight since it seemed to be designed for 4 rather than 6, so a couple of us were getting constantly bumped into by the wait staff and other customers. The tea was fantastic but the food was “just okay” compared to other Afternoon tea we’ve had. However, the the price, it is a solid option

It was nice afternoon tea with a window seat overlooking the Thames River and St Paul’s etc. The portion is huge and we cannot really finish the whole set. Maybe better to share one set between two people.

It’s our pleasure to write a 5star review for this place mainly for the friendly staffs and great services. Food was amazing, ambience was great and service, second to none. We had the privilege of having Riyas serve to the table and he was extremely friendly and nice. He took extra care for each of us as we went as a family with children. We all enjoyed our time being in there, it’s surely a place with lovely bunch of staffs who won’t rush you and would love to go back as well for the great service provided by Riyas. In short, we had wonderful evening well-spent with great memories to remember!

It was a disappointing experience. I went with my family for the first time for a Sunday roast. The location is perfect, the service was amazing till 45 minutes later when I asked the staff about the food and they missed the order. They closed the kitchen. The manager didn't handle the situation properly. We left the place hungry, angry and with a really bad impression.

Very busy, fairly pricey, but well worth it, the food was excellent and the staff were lovely

I love the themed afternoon teas! Perfect for any sweet tooth and the restaurant is aesthetically pleasing. Thank you to our server Henry, I always have a great time!

Pre-theatre afternoon tea - easy to book, great welcome, excellent food and drink, and amazing service by Teo

Nice pub. Had a half and enjoyed the view.

We stopped in for drinks and loved the place. The food the other patrons ordered looked delicious!

Lovely experience, proper English teas, lovely service Thanks riyas

Had a wonderful afternoon celebrating a special day. Lovely atmosphere, delicious Sunday roast, very kind staff - especially Riyas who’s the nicest and friendliest.

Here for the first time for our Shakespeare Themed afternoon tea, and it was amazing. From the food to the view till the thoughtful and friendly service of Riyas, we really appreciate his attention to the table and to my condition (I am pregnant). He helped us having a good and safe time as well 😊🙏🏽

The food tastes better in an average restaurant, everything was unpalatable, I am shocked that people indulge in this, probably just to feel fensy... price not commensurate with quality

We had a nice afternoon tea. But the highlight was the service by Riyas. He was professional, attentive and extremely helpful! Thanks a lot!

Lovely atmosphere. Our waiter, Riyas, was very attentive and couldn’t be more helpful! Highly recommend. Went for afternoon tea for my grandmothers birthday. Wonderful!

Nice bar for a drink, next to Globe theatre by the river.

We had a fabulous meal at The Swan today to celebrate an anniversary. The food was exceptional and the service provided by Henry was spot on. He even arranged a small surprise for my parents upon finding it was a special occasion for them.

A great place to take a break from sightseeing or wait for a show at the New Globe.

Our group of 5 had a wonderful time! The service is incredible, especially thanks to attentive staff, specifically Riyas, who went above and beyond to make our visit special and memorable. Riyas’s exceptional hospitality truly enhanced the atmosphere, ensuring that we felt welcomed and cared for at The Swan.

I had a wonderful afternoon tea with two friends, made even better by the fantastic service. Our waitress Teo was kind, attentive, and went above and beyond—especially making sure one of my friends with a shellfish allergy was safe, with no cross-contamination in the vegetarian option. She checked in regularly, made sure we had everything we needed, and even offered to take a few photos of us. The food was delicious, beautifully presented, and great value for money. A lovely experience all around!

An excellent place for lunch or dinner before or after a play at the Globe. Or simply for a good meal out. The cuisine is refined, the service very friendly and attentive ( thanks Teo). We've been before, we'll come again.

The place is wonderful, the atmosphere is magical, and the views are incredible. Anushan is outstanding, his service and recommendations were excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Worst fish and chips I’ve ever had. Greasy, bland, and utterly without charm or love.

I had dinner here last night and it was excellent. The view out over the Thames and the City was spectacular and the food was great. The highlight of the evening, however was our server Nicole who was so kind and attentive all evening. Little things make a huge difference. Would highly recommend to others.

We had tea and puddings: scones and the sticky toffee puddings. Both were excellent! Also the waiters were very friendly and engaged. The atmosphere was also pleasant, just when we entered it smelled like frying fat.

Teo was the perfect server, very thorough, attentive and super sweet, lovely gal! We had the perfect dinner after leaving the Tate Modern. Drinks were the best I have had in London (Lady Macbeth and Espresso Martini). The food was prepared and presented perfectly. The sunset view from our table was fabulous. Beautiful flowers on the table. The experience was 10/10. Thank you Teo!

Wonderful experience at Swan. Food was 10/10, highly recommended the Sunday roast, and Teo was a pleasure, best waitress ever!

Tried the set lunch which was very good. Would be 5 stars except they had to be explicitly asked about this option.

No water served but charged 12.5% tip

After an 11 night stay it was our last night in London and what a memorable experience ! The service, food and very friendly staff all added to the memorable experience. A must do repeat when next back in London. A special thanks to all concerned !

Fantastic experience today to celebrate my birthday with an afternoon tea. The food was excellent and the service was impeccable. We were given so much care and attention, I’m so very impressed and grateful, will return again!

Everything about our evening was truly exceptional. From the moment we arrived, every detail was thoughtfully curated, and the atmosphere exuded warmth and elegance. Our plates were excellent, refined and with a touch of contemporaneity. A special note of gratitude goes to our waiter, Riyas, whose impeccable service and gracious presence elevated the entire experience. His attentiveness, charm, and professionalism made us feel not only welcome but genuinely cared for. Thanks to him, a wonderful evening became unforgettable.

Super friendly service and atmospheric restaurant on the banks of the River Thames.

Riyas was an absolute superstar! My friend and I received the most fantastic service one could possibly get. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. Thank you to Riyas for being such a wonderful waiter!

Lovely tea served by charming, helpful staff.

We had a beautiful afternoon tea here. Excellent value and ambiance. Would recommend to anyone looking for an afternoon tea in London.

Great Sunday lunch, delicious roast chicken and great service. 👍

The restaurant itself is nice and the service was good. My only disappointment was with the afternoon tea, which I found expensive for a few sandwiches and small tarts/cakes.

Riyas took excellent care of us! Lovely place right on the river and excellent food during our tea time. Thank you all!

Wonderful tea time above the pub. Simple and good even famous. If the room service is friendly and helpful, it is disastrous at reception. Waiting 20 minutes despite reservation and grumpy employees.

What an absolutely lovely afternoon. Sharing the experience with a lovely midwife who is retiring from the service. The food was lovely. The service was top notch. Staff are kind, friendly and very understanding. Highly recommend 👌

Fish&chips excelent...old school art....

Good food, amazing service, right next to Shakespeares Globe.

Wonderful location with great service. I was happy to lunch here and would recommend to anyone. My chicken katsu burger (£18) was nice but not the best I’ve had. However the beetroot burger was excellent.

Had a fabulous time at Swan London! The food was absolutely delicious—each dish was crafted with care and packed with flavour. What truly made the experience stand out, though, was the impeccable service. A special shoutout to Riyas, whose warmth, attentiveness, and genuine hospitality made the evening all the more memorable. Highly recommend!

We had an amazing experience thanks to Riyas, who took great care of us during our visit. He was incredibly helpful, guiding us through the menu and recommending the best choices. His knowledge of the dishes and genuine enthusiasm made our meal even more enjoyable. Excellent service and fantastic food—I highly recommend visiting and asking for Riyas!

I've just enjoyed a fabulous lunch with my team at The Swan. The verdict was unanimous – what a great place to enjoy a wonderful lunch in a beautiful room overlooking the Thames and St Paul's. The food was elegant & delicious, the ambience relaxing & welcoming and the venue peaceful & refined - with our visit complimented by great service, delivered effortlessly by our host for the day, Henry. Thank you, Henry, for taking such good care of us all. Thoroughly recommend The Swan to all.

Absolutely amazing afternoon Tea. A trip into London for my wife’s belated 60th birthday. Great service from the professional staff, overseen by an extremely knowledgeable Manager. As you can see from our photos the layout of the facilities and our table over looking the river Thames was great. The presentation, taste and flavours of our afternoon tea with all the extras was sublime. We wanted to stay and finish the whole lot, but, in the end did the sensible thing and got a pack-up to go. Thank you so much guys and keep up the great work. 🤩🌟💙❤️

Excellent Saddle of Lamb with Jersey potatoes— Service was first rate with Riyas at the helm!

This is a gem of a place to eat, enjoy a great view, have great food and outstanding service. Thank you for going above and beyond Teodore - your attention.to detail and care was a big part of a very enjoyable evening.. We had the roast dinner - was delicious.

An excellent place to taste the pub culture while in Central London

Teo was such a wonderful server! We enjoyed our meal and our time at The Swan! Recommend the Sunday Roast

Anushan was an amazing server, he was outstanding, funny, and very helpful. The food was amazing we enjoyed our afternoon tea. Definitely recommend the view is also amazing as well

The service was fantastic & the English Tea Platters were excellent. Riyas was our server and he was beyond superb. He made the experience very enjoyable and he was very hospitable. If you are looking for an authentic afternoon tea experience, highly recommend.

It was my perfect Afternoon Tea😍🥰😍Thank you guys 😘💝delicious😋my perfect birthday, I‘m happy I have chosen you for the tea tradition😍😍😍

I was there for lunch yesterday. Since I was on the terrace, they told me to order with my smartphone via QR code. I opened the menu which does not describe the dishes you order. We ordered olives, French fries and two beetroot burgers. Since it is not specified in the menu, being written "hamburger", we thought it was beef stuffed with beets... instead it was an unpleasant beetroot patty. Without complaining, believing that the mistake could still be ours, we called the waiter and asked if there were any meat burgers: he told us that the only meat burger available was chicken. So we ordered two chicken burgers... and they brought us two sandwiches with fried chicken breast. I am a foreigner and I apologize, but even the English dictionary explains that "hamburger" is minced meat, preferably beef! To top it off, while they were bringing us chicken sandwiches, a local gentleman was telling all the customers sitting on the terrace to leave because a demonstration was about to start at the Shakespeare Theatre. We spent £100 and didn't eat. Shame on you! If you don't put descriptions on the menu, the dishes should correspond to the meaning of their name!

Charming and authentic afternoon tea!

Amazing brunch or dinner and gorgeous views! Perfect for a romantic date

We had a memorable meal at The Swan, overlooking the Thames. The cod was amazing - firm and succulent. Riyas was a superb host, doing everything he could to make our visit special.

We went there to celebrate a birthday. What a wonderful stay. Amazing food. Amazing tea. Super nice and friendly staff incl a nice birthday surprise

We had a lovely afternoon tea at the Swan. Delicious food and drink, and great service from Riyas, who made sure it was extra special for my birthday!

Beautiful views with horrible service and average food. Our waiter forgot to bring our second course… leaving us for over an hour between courses. We opted to skip third course to avoid waiting that long again and then imagine waiting for the bill! No apology was made when we had to ask for our second course to be brought out. My sirloin was to be medium rare and it was beyond medium to my standards. Chef had sneakily flipped it over hoping I wouldn’t notice the overdone side. But if you’re just looking for a view, and not fine dining, you’ll be happy here.

Just don’t brother lol, very empty

We had a splendid evening at the Swan. We enjoyed the 2-Course-Set-Menu and ordered a dessert from the main menu. Special thanks to Riyas, who took care of all our needs and dietary restrictions. We will definitely dine with you again.

We had such a great time dining at the swan last night. Our waiter was Henry and he was outstanding, he really made the experience for us… the food and drink were outstanding as well.

Afternoon Tea overlooking the Thames. Doesn't get much better than that!

I had the Romeo and Juliet inspired afternoon tea at the Swan in London after our tour at the Globe. The food was lovely, even though it was rather pricey. The staff are great. If you want an authentic English experience, I definitely recommend.

Great spot to grab a pint or snack before heading to The Globe right next door. It does get really busy! If you grab a seat there’s a QR code so you can order/pay in advance which was perfect for us as we had less than an hour before catching a play

Good restaurant with a typically English menu. The servers are attentive. It is located right next to the Shakespeare Theater and on the banks of the Thames.

Really nice place, enjoyed it with my family

Serious Physical Injury Due to Negligence – Public Safety Breach Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, all businesses operating in public spaces within the United Kingdom have a legal duty to ensure the safety of the public. This duty has been clearly breached by this establishment, resulting in a serious personal injury. While walking on a pedestrian pathway, I was struck on the leg by a blue barrier located in the restaurant’s outdoor area. This barrier, containing a weighted metal base, had not been secured and was allowed to move freely. Due to wind, it was displaced into the public walkway and caused an open wound to my leg. Photographic evidence of the injury and the scene is available. This incident amounts to negligence, and the restaurant may also be liable under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, which requires businesses to take reasonable steps to ensure that visitors and even passers-by are not exposed to risk. The failure to anchor or remove a heavy object from a publicly accessible area is a breach of this duty and a threat to public safety. When I reported the incident to the staff, no formal apology was given. The situation was handled in a dismissive manner, with only superficial first aid offered. Furthermore, the accident report form was inaccurately and incompletely filled out, failing to reflect the full extent of the incident. Legal consequences that may arise from this incident include: • Personal Injury Claim: The victim is entitled to pursue compensation for physical and potential psychological harm caused by the negligence. • Regulatory Sanctions: The business may be subject to investigation and penalties by local authorities or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). • Public Liability Exposure: This could lead to further legal and reputational consequences if the hazard is not rectified and similar incidents occur. I intend to file an official complaint with the relevant regulatory bodies and to seek legal advice to initiate a formal claim. I urge the public to be cautious, and I call on the establishment to take immediate action to review and rectify its safety protocols.

Great night - had Ryias hosting who gave us the perfect evening. Very memorable!

Celebrated my birthday here with 7 friends. All lovely. A great experience. Sunday roast wad excellent.

A live “band” last Thursday night. Two girls doing some covers. That’s fine - but if they’re acoustic, why not leave it at that? They had their own massive speakers and just in case you couldn’t hear it they’d been plugged in to the main speakers as well. I’m all for music and atmosphere etc but everyone was leaving because no one could hear anyone say anything. If you want to listen to music go to a gig, in the pub people want to chat and have some background stuff. The restaurant upstairs was serving tap water from a branded mineral water bottle - and charging for it. Do it from a jug with ice in it if you’re charging £50 for a steak. Hurried service. When did sides become £7?

Lovely views. Unfortunately, slow service and mediocre food.

Our first visit to the Globe since it didn’t exist on our previous trips a number of decades ago. We were fortunate to get tables on two separate visits (lunch & pre-show dinner). The food was always exceptional and the service staff was warm & friendly. Thank you for memorable experiences.

it combines great ambiance, attentive service, and beautifully presented dishes.

Bustling restaurant by The Globe theater where the food is OK and the staff is friendly and responsive.

Came in for a few drinks to celebrate a friend’s birthday and was blown away by the warm welcome and outstanding service from Valentina (Tina). She made the experience truly memorable—10/10! I’ll definitely be coming back. Jennifer Alejandra x

Came for breakfast and Sunday's Brunch. Excellent!

Everything is a wonderfully wonderful establishment, everything is at the highest level V.C.

Great experience, workers were very understanding and had great communication

Great service , beautiful atmosphere Will surely come again

Very good overall for Globe visitors, staff on top of busy customer volume.

Nice place to visit and enjoy

We were at Swan London for Classic Teatime today, and it exceeded our expectations. The service was exceptionally attentive. We felt very comfortable. The food was excellent, from the sandwiches to the truly amazing scones to the deliciouses special petit fours. Tea can be reordered. There was a birthday surprise for my husband. We would love to come back anytime when we will be in London again. A big compliment from us and many thanks, T+T from Hamburg

Had a fantastic time at Swan London! The location is unbeatable—right next to the Globe Theatre with stunning views of the Thames and St. Paul’s. We went for the Romeo & Juliet-themed afternoon tea, and it was delightful. The staff were attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. A bit on the pricey side, but for the experience and setting, it’s worth it. Perfect spot for a special occasion or to treat yourself.