The Cow Pub & Restaurant in City of London, Westminster

I think the term “neighborhood pub” fits the bill quite well. Not the classic pub you would imagine, more of an alternative café. The waitress was probably on her first day in service and had brought each of the four drinks individually. Safety first. We didn't eat anything, but we didn't like the atmosphere.

What a jolly, interesting and unique establishment! I’ve been a patron for the last 4 years and never had a bad experience — great staff, delicious and hearty food, and good company all round. A must visit for those visiting London for an authentic, independent pub experience. The Cow is filled with character, from the artworks, décor and patrons.

As somebody who has reviewed many an establishment in my time, I usually give ratings be it postive or negative based of how I felt at the time when at an establishment. However, my very poor rating and review for The Cow comes some weeks after many reasons. Being new to London I've been excited to try her numerous restaurants, canteens, bars, and market stalls to eat and drink everything humanly possible. So when 2 very close friends suggested a trip to the famous Cow in Notting hill, I jumped at the opportunity. I was told some of the best Guinness and chicken Kiev the city has to offer. The first issue came after being seated upstairs of the Irish pub to find that it's a seafood restaurant (yes I understand you're just as confused as me), and they despite there being the one kitchen, it was somehow physically impossible to order the chicken Kiev because god forbid it travel up a flight of stairs? Now, I'm not in the restaurant business but I would have thought one kitchen making all the food would then be able to evenly distribute the the food across the establishment clearly not. Dismayed at the inability of the Kiev to journey up the 12 steps, we decided on ordering seafood, as one does when at a seafood restaurant above an Irish pub in west London. Being Australian I am well versed in the art of seafood, and safe to say just about everything we ordered was very sub par, ESPECIALLY Considering the prices. After enjoying the company of my friends and partner (not the food), we paid our expensive bill and left a tip and parted ways. Feeling let down by the whole experience I decided we could strike the cow off the list of places to go back to. Simple, right? Scratch it from the memory for good, and get on with our lives. But alas, this cow had a few more kicks left in as we soon discovered. At approximately 4am both my partner and i woke up in unison a raced each other for the toilet where we proceeded to be violently ill, watching each other expel our overpriced meal from the cow wasn't how we planned to spend Saturday morning and the next few days. We then spoke to our friends who had the exact same experience as us, very unpleasant and glued to the toilet. Food poisoning is something that occurs in life and guess what, it happens. Our friend reached out to the Cow to let them know what happened, it wasn't a coincidence that 4 of us all got sick, that was the only place any of us had been in the previous 3 days. And despite the cows best efforts to avoid any from of blame, the fact of the matter is: we got food poisoned whilst eating at their restaurant. The communications with the cow were rude, as they absolvoed themselves of any blame, and refused to acknowledge our sickness as their fault and simple gave us the 'all the best'. No apology, no compensation, not even a free Guinness on your next visit. I don't love to rip into small businesses, and I wouldn't have written this review if it wasn't for the abhorrent communications with the cows team afterwards. Shame on them all and I can only assume that if they treat their kitchen like they treat their customers, there will be many more of these reviews to come out of the woodwork. Do better cow, if you can stomach the bill you might struggle with the food.

I met up with my girlfriend and two friends at The Cow on a Thursday night to eat kiev. I've had the kiev before upstairs and enjoyed it. However, this time I was told I wasn't allowed the kiev upstairs. After trying and failing a number of times to get the kiev, I was guided to the seafood. Apparently, it's all about the fish at The Cow upstairs now... So, we relented and ordered oysters, crab pasta, fish of the day, mackerel, and the harissa chicken (as it was the closest thing to the kiev). The food we ate was unremarkable and overpriced, aside from the Guinness. As we left, we caught glimpses of kiev being enjoyed downstairs... Feeling quite happy to be away from the kiev chat that caused a lot of defensiveness from the staff, we said goodnight and went our separate ways. I thought that was that, a disappointing and expensive evening, but it could have been worse. But that wasn't that... Weekend break in the countryside for me and my girlfriend, we splashed out. We had a good dinner on Friday and went to bed. I'm going to speed up what happened next - a severe bout of food poisoning. The things you would expect plus the trimmings of being bedridden, fever, shivering, aching. It persisted for 5 days. Weekend completely ruined, money down the drain, and time wasted. We thought it was Friday night, until we received word from our two friends that they were suffering the exact same thing. The Cow was the only real explanation as it was the only place we'd all been and symptoms started at the same time. I have huge respect for hospitality businesses and contacted The Cow, anticipating a sympathetic response and some degree of compensation. I was met with more of the kiev defensiveness and a form to fill out, which I did. A couple of days later, 3rd party findings determined that because no fecal specimens were available - there was no chance of catching those! - then there wasn't enough evidence to say The Cow was responsible. So for The Cow management, that was case closed, which is why I'm sharing my unfortunate experience. My take is that the people of The Cow are not good folk, confirmed by other reviews. The Cow seems to think it's above this. To me, The Cow has never been about fish, so just let people have the kiev.

The Cow is truly special in every way a pub can be.

Authentic English pub, warm and welcoming

Larger than life personality... this is the vibrant place to soak in some atmosphere on a hot summers evening. Refreshingly cold lager (Paulaner to the rescue) and a fascinatingly simple dinner menu that excels on a cold seafood platter (choices of oyster, whelks - wow, and prawns from the 1970s). This place equals conviviality and a satisfying meal. It comes highly recommended!

How all pubs should be! Thank you for a great Sunday dining experience <3

We visited on Thursday to have lunch . The way I was spoken to was disrespectful and it make me feel uncomfortable. This was by the man that was booking tables so rude - I would not recommend this place to anyone . We will not be returning It was so bad the security man said he was sorry for the way he spoke to me

Excellent service, very friendly

The food was delicious and fresh, we were surprised for the flavor and the quality of the food. The stuff is so kind and servicial.

Great Sunday Lunch with friends in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Food was well cooked and good service. Excellent value for money

Went for lunch. Food and service 5* Proper portions, the pie was awesome, Guinness perfect too.

Really awesome event - the deluxe seafood buffet was incredible.

Great pub 👍🍻fantastic atmosphere and service⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Delicious food 😎, thank you for accepting me and especially greetings to Petro 😎

Great service! Great food and perfect drink

Great food. Service between slow and absent. Great old school pub feel and atmosphere

Serving the dream combo of Guinness and Oysters. Great table service.

Best pint of Guinness in London - I love it.

Great local pub that serves big portions of amazing seafood, not to mention decent pints of Guinness.

Hands down the best roast I’ve had in London…and I’ve had a few

An incredible find! Some of the best oysters I’ve had with a super friendly and inviting staff. The cow special is an incredible deal and the entire seafood menu is fantastic.

2 weeks ago super sunny day and they don’t served beer unbelievable, food downstairs is much much better then upstairs, atmosphere super

Proper pub. Old school vibe, service and food. Can't go past the Irish oysters and Guinness. Only ate downstairs at the bar but would love to get back and see what the restaurant is about

Wow! What a treasure this place is. A select and refined menu and wonderful service - Cameron was attentive but not intrusive - exactly what you want. If you have a chance to eat here, make sure you don’t miss out on a rare treat.

Had a wonderful meal here - my second. Are upstairs in the lovely intimate dining room. The food was delicious and the service, delightful.

Guinness straight from the udder.....fresh and pure.

Very good French experience in London

Great staff, great recommendations.

came the other day for dinner and drinks and it was great! lotta served us and she was so so nice 💕💕

Great food and atmosphere . You will definitely bump into someone famous here...

Decided not to take lunch some can't comment on food ... Guinness not matching the quality I'd expect at the price point or if I were having the oysters, but was acceptable. Likewise the house wine... fairly ordinary. The welcome wasn't fab, a staff member working away at a table and on a mobile, but us being told to sit near the door if we weren't eating, in a quiet pub. The shocker was being asked for the best part of £3 for a bag of Taytos.... Saying they had to be specially imported (they are the ones from Northern Ireland, not Ireland, so not importing anything)... Might be worth stocking up with the multipacks of six, available from most good supermarkets at £1.85 😂😂

£30 for 6 oysters and a Guinness, not cheap, but London prices I guess. They were served on ice and they were far too cold to have their taste potential. Why not give customers the option of tasting very good quality oysters at 13-15 degrees. Hence I was pretty disappointed. The rest was brilliant, service, welcome, staff, banter, bustling pub. ox cheek pie superb.

We have been here a few times actually, since we live around the corner. Each time it is packed and we think we won’t ever get a seat in the back. We have since learned to chill out, because the Cow has your back! We always get a table within a few minutes. Have a Guinness and shut up. Let the staff take care of you. Go outside and have a smoke. Once seated, there is no wrong choice on the menu. Oysters? Yes please. Shrimpies in a pint jar? Of course ma’am. Snails? Well, gee, by golly give it to me. You have all the rest of the reviews to look at photos. You know what you like. What I liked is the fish stew. Asked the server, two different types of fish in that soup! Won’t tell you which, or I would ruin the surprise!!! Best fish soup of our lives. I became the sea during this meal. Their bangers and mash are a smash as well. Just go here. Do it. EDIT: I have returned to the Cow. I have edited and downgraded my review, since it needs to be made plain that the upstairs will not accommodate the downstairs menu. I want meat pie, I made a reservation to eat meat pie. I understand not walking up the steps with pie, it’s dangerous, but we were given no choice but to leave the pub. Now we are shamed to come, we moo no more.

This pub is very hit and miss for people. Great atmosphere, lovely place and good people, both customers and staff but it does get packed. I’ve been here a lot of times now. Guinness is not well poured at all, you’re paying £7. We were sitting by the stairs and some diners were leaving saying the food was outstanding and some were leaving saying the food was awful, one couple walked out. The is now becoming a place of style over substance. Some customers are becoming obsessed to be photographed and have their faces on the faces of the cow instagram account. It has a very small drinking area, overall it seems like the cow pub doesn’t know what it is. Is it a gastro pub, is it a drinkers pub, is it a party pub, is it trying to appeal to tourists who want to ‘get off the beaten track’. I know will be returning, the atmosphere is just fantastic but they need to go back to the basics and do them well.

Excellent gastropub on the edge of Nottkng Hill

Good food, I think they cast Made in Chelsea here.

A well worn and much loved pub sitting on a corner close to Westbourne Park. The Cow, with a Welsh flag hanging proudly over the door, ahead of the Six Nations Rugby game against Ireland! Great to see. The Cow is a small place but packs a big punch, offering a great menu with lots of fishy things including three versions of oysters available. Other foods also available! A great place to visit.

Great food and wonderful service. Lovely wine too. Its a must visit.

Our waitresses were amazing, Maddie and Dani were super helpful and delivered our Oysters and Guinness, which were out of this world. Service with a smile and great food! Top banana!!

The best pub in west, great food , great service. Dannie and Maddies service is always impeccable, the epitome of service with a smile ❤️

Downstairs saloon bar. Walk in only. Came here at 17:30 on a Friday. What a vibe! 6⭐️ for atmosphere. 7🌟 for everyone who was there and including their outfit and all the staff. 1⭐️ for my photos that don’t do justice. Loud, buzzy, busy, great local pub. 90s music 🎵 We had: 🍤Half pint of prawns and mayo (literally, shell-on prawns packed in the glass, takes a while to get through and these were great) 🥖Terrine and toast 🌶️Fish soup (bouillabaisse?) 🍝Crab pasta 🍨Tarte tatin with ice cream 🥃🍺🍸🍺🥃🍸🍺🥃🍸💃🏻 Loved every bite. SO SO GOOD.

Maddie and Danny top top service from lovely girls. Welcome a great atmosphere and friendly service.

great pub! especially maddie, who is the sweetest waiter i ever met! thanks for all xx

Danni is amazing. The best waiter I've ever had! Would come back again!

Muy buen local para tomar una birra/copa y escuchar música en directo

Love this place... vibrant... variety of clientele... food is 5*

Amazing pub but the best part was the service , Jimmy and Petro make the experience unique

The best mussels in London, if you’re into that. The vibe here is a little cliquey, you feel that you’re walking into a real local pub and that everyone knows each other but nonetheless one of our favourite pubs in Westbourne Park and great for a Saturday afternoon stop.

The food is always spot on! Even the children love it and the ambience is chilled and relax.

Fishy business practices, and I'm not talking about their dusty oysters. 48 hour cancellation policy (get over yourself, you're not in that high demand). Cancelled in ample time due to illness. Never received a personalized response, just an automatic cancellation email, followed by a $38.47 USD charge to my credit card for the privilege of having held a single seat on their books. Lame. I hope they get crabs.

Great local, but really loud and busy!

What a great place! Excellent Irish atmosphere, just the right music, great staff, joyful customers!

Excelente lugar para pasar un rato muy agradable..

A great fun place for fab British pub food and a few too many drinks! Local crowd

Brilliant service and atmosphere.

So busy Buzzing Always attracts a good crowd that are our to have fun

Had a wonderful experience in your establishment, Maddie and Dani were very pleasant and helpful can’t wait to come back.

Friendly staff with great Guinness!

Casual local spot for excellent seafood (incredibly fresh tasting Carlingford oysters) as well as other food in a low key pub/gastro setting. Friendly service.

Irritable barman serving mediocre Guinness and oysters.

Overrated and Disappointing Sunday Roast £29 for a poor Sunday roast with literally 2 roast potatoes, one spoon of cauliflower cheese and a fork of cabbage. Mine and my boyfriend’s roast came with burned Yorkshire pudding so I asked to the waiter if it was possible replace them. He came back after 5 minutes said that ‘the chef is very sensitive about that’ and he couldn’t replace them. Unbelievable. I would not return.

Great place for food and drinks! Grab a pint of Guinness and some bone marrow.

£29 for a poor Sunday roast with literally 2 roast potatoes, one spoon of cauliflower cheese and a fork of kale. Mine and my boyfriend’s roast came with burned Yorkshire pudding so I asked to the waiter if it was possible replace them. He came back after 5 minutes said that ‘the chef is very sensitive about that’ and he couldn’t replace them. Unbelievable. I would not return.

the best Bavette steak i have had in London

We had a really rubbish night here - and I can’t remember a time where I felt more ripped off. Firstly they take credit card details with a 48 hour cancellation policy and £30 per person charge for cancellation or no show. I’d never dream of no- showing a restaurant reservation without letting them know, but this feels extreme, even for Notting Hill. We arrived half an hour early for our table, had a drink downstairs in the pub (where a single bag of Tayto crisps are £2.50!!!!!). Our reservation was at 6pm so I went up at 5:50pm to see if they’d seat us early. The place was empty bar a table of 9-10 adults and children. I was told they couldn’t seat us yet and to come back up 15-20 mins later. Right. Back downstairs. Waited another 20 mins, until around 10 past 6pm. They said they were just setting our table, which was a table of 2 right next to the big table. Every other table was empty, so I asked if actually we could sit away from the group and pointed out all the empty tables. We were told this wasn’t possible. We sat down to a wobbly table and got on with looking at the menu. Then we asked if we could have the chicken Kiev (the whole reason we came as we’d heard how good it was by a friend who’d had it years ago when they lived in the area) - we were told no, that’s only available in the bar. It’s priced at the same price point as mains upstairs so I asked if they could make an exception and was rudely told no. Even though it all comes out of the same kitchen and we’d have starters and desserts as per the menu up here. Just no. Starters were just about ok at the time just about - I had the pint of prawns but felt very ill the next day. My partner had the Barnsley chop which was so tough it was borderline inedible - in fact he didn’t eat it. I had the fish stew but there’s no chips or fries on the sides menu - so I was sold mash instead. A lump of cold, dry potato turned up on the table. While we were eating another table sat down in the corner and throughout the meal my partner was asked to move out the way so they could get to that table, or push his chair in so they could get past - madness when he was literally just sitting normally as anyone would?! Our bill was £150-odd so for pub fare it’s not cheap. We came away feeling so frustrated and actually just really pissed off at how rude the staff were and how ripped off we felt. A crap experience. What a shame!

Don’t bother, Guinness isn’t great, they don’t even serve it in proper glasses. The oysters are gritty and dirty.

The Cow is a hidden gem - a delightful blend of nostalgia. It is a relaxed bistro ambience and old-shool vibes. The proof is on the walls - pictures of none other than David Beckham and Tom Cruise grace the place. Rub shoulders with the stars at The Cow pub, where even celebs drop by for fresh oysters paired with a perfect pint of Guinness and bottles of Prosecco. And lets not forget about their divine porcini soup. A heavenly concoction. I'll be back...

Didn’t have any roast beef at 3 pm Sunday and the atmosphere was so loud and stuffy that even the air felt spent. Found a place nearby to serve a Sunday roast without having to stand 40 min. for a table

Amazing food. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend. On the pricier side but absolutely worth it.

Everything about this pub is just amazing. The staff is incredible. Food , drinks & atmosphere is something unforgettable. Kristi & Jimmy are top team.

Cracking Food, best pub steak I’ve had in a long time, lovely pint of Guinness which is always difficult to find. Would highly recommend popping in to this place, I’ll definitely be coming back

Excellent service with the most delicious food. I also have to recognise the staff Issy and Cyd. Will definitely be back!

delicious oysters in a small London pub. The service and beverage however are found wanting.. there is a general apathy in serving guests, at least ones who aren't regulars, who were greeted warmly and enthusiastically.. the rest of us, received a cool greeting. at best. and it didn't warm up after that .

WARNING. Even if you cancel your reservation EARLY in the day, even if you had just made it that very morning, they charge $75. Yikes! Read the fine print and know they are gouging. That’s a lot for pub food you did not eat. Ridiculous policy.

The best pub in London by far. Go if you want a fun night and like Oysters.

Worst restaurant I’ve ever seen in my entire life. The waitress is rude, uncommercial and disrespectful. Worst restaurant experience in my entire life.

Birthday meal for my son. Food all great but my fish stew was the best ever including s of France! Service good and they know all about the food they are serving. Wish it was my local!

Went there for a specific pint but it wasn't on, disappointed on that front but otherwise and interesting little pub.

Atmosphere was fun... great Irish bar. But the restaurant!! 45-minute wait for a bowl of soup and a salad. No bread, no service, no concern until we said we were walking out. The soup was over seasoned with pepper... the gnocchi unrecognizable, the lamb chop...blah. I will give a restaurant the benefit of the doubt if service is good and food ordinary. This time, no mercy. The chef needs to get off his high horse and stick to pub food because he is over his head. Management needs to do some serious service training. They comped the starters, but after those main dishes, we should have followed our instincts and walked. Only terrible experience in seven days in London. Dishes recommended...none....other than the Guinness in the bar.

Had the best night in quite a long time…one of our favourite locals.

Top food in a local spot. Cozy. Worth a visit for the fish stew

We went here last Saturday, the food was good enough and the atmosphere nice but we have been due £60 credit to be refunded after we could not make a booking a couple of weeks prior. What is disappointing and frustrating is that management are dragging their heels as to refunding us...leaving a bit of a sour taste. On this basis I wouldn't recommend. Please can you get a mooove on The Cow and refund us our credit..

Great atmosphere and fantastic food 👌

Celebrated my 24th birthday here with my family. Tried oysters here for the 1st time & the prices weren't ridiculous despite being on the edge of Notting Hill. I mentioned that I was celebrating my birthday in the booking notes however my sister had to remind the staff & a complementary dessert with a candle was kindly presented. We enjoyed dining here.

England rugby match was on, so maybe that spoiled it a bit for me, only one ale in the hand pumps, but proper tankard glasses. Music was okay and clientele was rowdy, posh but polite. Didn’t eat, which is obviously one of their big pulls. #8 #27

A little anecdote from here tonight. Out drinking Guinness at the bar with three friends. Being my usual clumsy self, accidentally tipped the half pint I had remaining over the bar which unluckily spilt over the manager, Jimmy, on the other side as he was walking by. After profuse apologies I was ready to leave with my tail between my legs. However before I could move a muscle, another full pint of Guinness was waiting for me on the bar courtesy of Jimmy who had poured it on the house with Guinness-splashed trousers and without a shadow of irritation. I have been extensively researching London pubs for 30 years and have never experienced exemplary customer service like this. Do yourselves a favour and come here to eat or for a beer or two. You won’t be disappointed.

Great atmosphere. The food is definitely worth the trip. One of my favourites!

My wife got food poisoning! DO NOT GO! Additionally, food quality has gone down significantly.

Went on August 3rd for my birthday. Got food poisoning from the fish stew. I’ve complained several times, every time they say they’ll call me back and nothing. It was pretty serious food poisoning and their customer service is a joke.

Still owed 60 pounds from an emergency cancellation and they have been avoiding my emails / calls for the past 10 days!

Emmanuel is the best chef he’s amazing!

Very good food and bar! A nice atmosphere and the food is nice and fairly priced.

Delicious Sunday Roast. Very pleasant service.

Best Sunday roast in And comfort food in London

🚇Westbourne Park 🍺 £6.70 Guinness ❤️ Great grub, Great Guinness. . The Cow is located on a quiet backstreet in Westbourne Park. The nearest tube is Westbourne Park which is a five minute walk, Royal Oak tube is also close by. . This pub was built in 1858 as the Railway Tavern. In 1992 the pub was renamed The Cow, rumour has it the new name was the nickname of the previous landlady. The pub is owned by Tom Conran, the son of famed designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran. . The pub has essentially three areas. On the ground floor is the Saloon bar which has a dining area at the back and a drinking area at the front, upstairs is a cosy restaurant. The decor here has the feel of an Irish bar which is a little rough around the edges. There are some lovely touches here, the Guinness signs, the red leather topped stools, the standout feature is the vibrant mural up the side of the stairs. . The beer line up was good and had two cask ales available. This pub is famed for its Guinness so I thought I’d give it a try. My Guinness was great and lived up to the hype, it was a little pricey though. This pub is also famed for its seafood and British pub grub classics like sausage and mash with onion gravy. To accompany my pint I ordered a few oysters, a little squeeze of lemon and down the hatch, as fresh as you like. . I arrived just after midday on a Saturday back in May. There were a few other punters in, a group dining at the back plus a couple of solo imbibers. The atmosphere here was calm an relaxed with a soulful soundtrack playing in the background. The service was good, the chap who served me was pleasant and courteous. The Cow is a popular destination for celebs, don’t be surprised if you see Arsenal legend Ian Wright quaffing a Guinness or two. . @thecowlondon was an absolutely superb visit. I loved the ambience here, this pub was so easy to settle in to and such a relaxing place to have a pint. This is an Irish pub at heart with superb Guinness and top notch food. This is a must visit pub and one of my favourite pubs I’ve visited this year. . ℹ️ Info correct 13.05.23

Do not reserve a table at this place! They charged my card even tho I honoured my reservation and spent over £300 on a dinner there. All my attempts to communicate with them per email and also turning up personally (with the bill as a proof) didn’t lead to a refund. Robbed just like that. They are desperate, and relay on some ancient visits from random actors and a fish stew to keep the place alive.

Appalling experience, extremely rude manager who incorrectly charged us £90 cancellation fee. Terrible customer service.

Incredible bar near Paddington, didn't eat but it looked great, lovely friendly atmosphere and people

Ate so much shrimp ! I turned into a red shrimp the next day but if I can be as tasty as the Cow’s shrimp, I will let myself be one all day everyday