The Great Court Restaurant at the British Museum in Camden

Very bad customer service! I went there with my mother in law on 4th February. My in law left leg was not very good so we went the museum restaurant at 3/f to hav lunch and took some rest. At first, the lady at the reception said only table with high chairs was available. I said that’s fine for us and later my in law said because of her height, her leg couldn’t reach the ground on the high chair. She wanted to change to another table where she could sit properly and relaxed. And I saw there were 6-7 empty tables. But The waitress said to me all the tables were booked. So we just let it be. While we were waiting for the food, there was a group of people left. Then I asked again whether it is possible to move table. The waitress said that table was also booked. My in law said just finished the food and left. Until we got the food, there was only one table was filled up. The waitress asked me about the food and I said to her I didn’t really enjoy the experience here as they reserved so many tables and no one showed up. And the one who was in need, they didn’t have any mercy. At last, I paid for my bill and still 6-7 tables were empty. The waitress said I should book the table next time and they would reserve the table for me. She said the tables were reserved at 2pm. I was so shocked that the time at that moment was just 12:45. When the time my in law and me arrived was about 12 ish. How do the staff keep the table for so long ? Do u think everyone will stay in British Museum spend the whole day for afternoon tea? There r still lots of tourists just wanted to hav a quick lunch and go around the Museum. This is a very bad way to make the business. The lady at the reception can tell the ppl that they hav the reservation at 2pm so they need to return the table at certain time. Rather than just leaving the table empty for 2 hours. The waitress was very rude to me and kept asking me to book the table next time. She could not do anything right now. Her and other staff were inflexible and no mercy with an old lady who was in need. Although this happened two weeks ago, I was still very cross. Hope anyone who wants to go to British museum with elderly or disabled relatives, needs to pay attention to this restaurant.

We wanted to grab a bite to eat before visiting the museum and went to the food truck in front of the museum. This is part of the museum's Great Court Restaurant. Unfortunately, the vegan hot dog was by far the worst we have ever eaten. A really unappetizing sausage that we took out of the roll after the first third and didn't eat any more. As a side dish there was a portion of fries, the first portion seemed to be from a few hours ago, soft, cold and not at all salty. When asked, there was a fresh portion, which was warm but unfortunately not cooked through and also without salt. Nice food truck, really great location. Modest service and miserable food. Not worth £30!

I just wanted to have desert and a coffee but was turned away because we could either have a full meal or afternoon tea. Otherwise we could go to the overcrowded cafés which served something to go, while we wanted a moment to enjoy our day in this beautiful location.

An exceptional culinary experience with typical dishes

Claudia was really helpful with my allergens, and her service was fantastic. Thank you very much!

I would have liked to have had a light scone, but since it was such a sensitive time, I had no choice but to have a meal or afternoon tea, so I opted for an a la carte lunch. Everything was delicious! It was delicious, but the carpaccio was overcooked and tasted more like roast beef than I had imagined. I regret that I wasn't able to get dessert because the portions were so large. We shared all the dishes, but unfortunately, the dishes were served one after another at once, and even the hot dishes quickly turned cold. I should have added a comment so that they could serve it slowly. They tried to show me a seat inside, but I asked for an aisle seat. The aisle seat was noisier than I expected, so I think an inside seat would be better. The restroom is downstairs at the back of the room. There are several cafes on the first floor and along other passageways, but they are really noisy and there are a lot of people passing by, so I was glad that this one was after peak hours and was empty so I could relax.

A classy elegant restaurant, so you can expect considerate service and wellmade meals. The menu is limited and not for everybody meaning that the portions can be peculiar or let's say original. The pumpkin risotto for example - it was interesting. But no doubt, a good place for a break.

We were in the restaurant for afternoon tea. The selection was plentiful and very tasty. The sandwiches in particular are highly recommended. There is a small point deduction for the tea. We would have preferred unbagged tea instead of the tea bags served.

Fantastic and relaxed afternoon tea,

Really great food! We had braised beef, caesar salad and finally scones. All very good! Super recommended

We went to Great court for lunch and we really enjoyed it! We ordered bread, braised beef, caesar calad and also the scones. Everything was delicious but my favourite was definitely the scones. Exceptional!

The manager is rude and insulting to guests.

We were a large corporate group from Google in London and Federica was very accommodating of a last minute group afternoon tea. Attendees really enjoyed the experience

I really had a lovely time visiting this place, I didnt even realise they had a restaurant above the museum, with amazing food! we had lovely seats with a great view, it does get a bit busy but the staff were really helpful and friendly.and worth it for the atmosphere, will come back next time for the afternoon tea

Nice to have options between the Museum cafe on the ground floor, and a more posh sit-down restaurant outside the Ancient Egypt exhibits on the upper floor. Prices however are on the high side and choices for main courses are also limited (only 4).... it cost £29 for a main course. They also serve afternoon tea.

The slow cooked beef was so good! In fact, all meals were really good and were above expectations. The only disappointment was at the end when we got told that we had to pay extra as the braised beef is in fact the 'steak' that you have to pay extra for with the meal deal. For that reason, I didn't pay the service fee, which I'm not sure what that's for anyone. Otherwise I highly recommend eating here.

A great place for afternoon tea !

Lovely experience, food was great and the team was nice and welcoming

Excellent staff and excellent menu

Perfect service, friendly and helpful staff

The cake stand in my photos includes 2x afternoon tea for £40 each. The very good tea for two people was included in the price, for the service another 10%, i.e. £8, is added to the bill. I think that's fine, otherwise you give tips too. The scones were very good, the sandwiches fine, the little cakes extremely sweet and massive. We enjoyed it very much, but would have been happy if the table had been clean. Edit: Many thanks to the owner for the kind feedback! We would be happy to come back on our next visit.

Unclear charges. Freezing atmosphere. Overpriced food. A tourist trap. There are much better choices in the area.

Way over priced the afternoon tea for 2 was £40 & was told couldn't bring 1 over with 4 sat at a table so had to by 2 so £80. F'ing joke didn't realise we're still in Titanic era 1912 ffs.. will not do that again for sure was barely £10 worth of food, only reason we did was kids were tired n hungry, didn't even have a kids menu. Avoid at all costs..

I never have great expectations for a museum restaurant, so were pleasantly surprised by our wonderful experience at the Great Court Restaurant. We did book a table ahead of time, which I would highly recommend. We requested a quiet table to the side which the staff gladly accommodated. All in all attentive service throughout the meal. We pre-ordered a lunch special with two courses per person, so were able to try out many dishes, and are happy to report that food was surprisingly good. Beyond what we expected. Excellent quality ingredients. Perfectly executed preparations. French bistro inspired dishes. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite., so encourage everyone to explore the menu. In an institution so rich in cultural wonders, this meal made our visit that much more special.

I actually hate to give this a bad review because the staff was nice and helpful. But the food was awful. I got a trout dish that was bland. It was supposed to have a wasabi and lime mayo but it was just plain. The pasta with it was unseasoned. My wife, who never salts anything, had to add salt to her pumpkin risotto. There was no real kid friendly menu items so I got my kid a couple of sides. One was supposed to be rainbow carrots, but they were all just regular orange carrots. When a dish is £25 each, I do expect to at least sort of enjoy my food.

delicious hot chocolate, good tasting food Even though it is a restaurant in the British Museum, it is suitable for resting your legs and relieving hunger when you are tired from walking in the museum. Thank you for opening as a place to stay. Before continuing to look at the items in the museum again. Recommended

It’s our first time having British high tea in London! Cakes and tea are great, just that it’s a bit expensive, the photo is 2 sets, for 4 ppl and it costs 80 pounds in total…

Went Saturday for afternoon tea. Terrible from sandwiches to pastries. Waisted 40 £ +service x2 Dry and old . Butter no taste and marmalade run of the mill. Tea? A tea bag!

It's a fantastic restaurant in the middle of one of the most famous and important museum of the world. The main courses are very gourgeos and the service is really good. Walter is a great chef!!! Thanks a lot for your hospitaltity!!!

It was amazing experience .. food was very tastefull.. Walter is wonderful chef I’am coming back off course

Afternoon tea at £40 per person is totally worthless. The scones at the Japanese afternoon tea cafe were much better. This scone came out hard and cold🥹 Savory is only available in sandwiches. The sandwich bread was dry. All the sweets were too sweet, and the sponge cakes were dry and difficult to swallow. You can't refill the tea either. The quantity is small.

There are a lot of people walking around, not to mention noisy

The care of the store staff is perfect! However, only the tea is delicious. I ordered afternoon tea, but I couldn't eat anything other than scones. Even the scones were passable.

Had afternoon tea here and loved it! There was a huge line outside to get into the museum and we skipped right through it due to our restaurant reservation. The tea was lovely, scones and desserts were amazing. The sandwiches needed more flavor, but everything else was spot on!

Great little restaurant The food was tasty and the service was good just a bit expensive The employees were all very friendly

My dish (tortelloni) arrived lukewarm, which is a shame because otherwise it was good. The service is considerate.

Decided to have afternoon tea here The tea is great .. the food also delicious. Comparing ... I do think you lose some of the mystique when contrasting with the environment of a classic English hotel. Otherwise, a solid choice.

The restaurant is very beautiful, and the service staff is friendly. You can book tickets together when booking tickets to Great Britain online, and you will get a slight discount. The special pork roll of the day is a bit too salty, the side dishes are delicious, and the desserts are also delicious! When you’re tired of visiting the museum, it’s a good time to enjoy some delicious food!

Had a lovely time, food was excellent, the restaurant had a fantastic atmosphere. We were served by Claudia she was a fantastic waitress and she was very accommodating to all of our allergies. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone.

had a lovely tea time, service was quick and friendly, would definitely come back!

This is an excellent location for afternoon tea if you're already spending a day at the British museum and are looking for a more laid back tea experience. Definitely book your spot ahead of time, especially if you're coming on a weekend. Several people ahead of us in line had not booked and were turned away. The tea and food were pretty much excellent (though we thought the roast beef one was a little bland). Come hungry, because they give you a lot of food. Our server was very nice, but it was a little challenging to get her attention when we needed to. The only thing we weren't fond of was the atmosphere. Since the restaurant sits just above the great court, and is open-aired, it can get quite loud in there. But, overall we had a great time, and I would definitely do afternoon tea here again!

I normally don’t leave reviews, but the food here was truly exceptional! Every dish was beautifully prepared, packed with flavor, and exceeded my expectations. Huge compliments to the chefs for their amazing work. I’ll definitely be back!

We enjoyed a fabulous family lunch before visiting the museum and celebrated a birthday too! Lovely touch to receive a complimentary birthday treat - really made my daughters day! Very friendly and efficient service and the food was devine

Great setting and the service and food were first class. A fantastic ending to our London trip.

I came here for the afternoon tea and the service was great. The manager was very attentive and regularly checked that everything was okay and if we needed anything. Would definitely go again

Best food in my life would highly recommend! Would definitely come again!

I recently had lunch at The Great Court Restaurant, and it was such a great experience! The atmosphere was cozy yet elegant. But what really made it stand out was the amazing service, especially from our server. Maisha was so friendly and welcoming, and she made sure we were taken care of the entire time. She had great suggestions for the menu and made sure everything came out just right. It’s rare to find someone who’s not only professional but also genuinely warm. The food was delicious, and I’ll be telling all my friends about it too.

singlehandedly the best place I have been in London 💯 amazing customer service, fantastic! 🙏❤️

Beautiful setting, varied dishes, impeccable service

Everything was so lovely i really enjoyed

Great experience for tea time. The decor was cute and the food was good - tart, the tiramisu, egg & curry chicken sandwiches, AND the scones! Was not expecting the service charge but it wasn’t too bad.

The seats are very dirty, and the glasses were dirty also. Considering the location and prices it was very underwhelming. The tea is weak, early grey bag in a pot. No ramekan for the cream with the Cream Tea. Would not recommend it to anyone considering all the great locations nearby.

Amazing service, had an unforgettable experience with the afternoon. Very friendly hostess and lovely waiter

The staff exuded unfriendliness and looked tired, it was towards the end of the shift after all. The only justification for this I find is the fatigue of the insufficient number of staff and probably the poor pay.

Couldn’t tell you how the food is. You need reservations but the restaurant is half empty.

The service was quite slow; we had to ask three times for a bottle of tap water, which arrived more than 30 minutes after we were seated. One of the cups had a unpleasant odor, and while the plates were aesthetically pleasing, one had a sticky stain. The food was decent, and the ambiance was nice, though the place was quite busy, as expected.

Can't believe we paid £72 (£36pp on line pre booked) for the equivalent of 2 sandwiches a a few bitesize cakes. The sandwiches were obviously pre prepared and kept in the fridge as they were cold and hard. The cakes and scones were good. We chose coffee instead of tea and slugged another £8 when we asked for a 2nd cup. Hello, for £72 you could at least do a coffe top up. The coffee was really good though. So with the £5 per person museum donation and the service charge we were welll out of pocket £100. Staff were lovely, helpful and service was great. Hope staff are paid well. Personally I felt ripped off. This was my first British afternoon tea and I expected something a little special...learnt my lesson.

The attitude of the staff was not very good and the table had stains on it. The food was delicious, but when I asked for a refill of tea, I was served something brewed in a used tea bag. I regret paying so much for afternoon tea.

Very quick and friendly service (I went on a Monday lunchtime). I used the 2 course meal for £26 that you can book through the museum. The trifle was the best thing I ate; everything else was beautifully presented but not amazing to my subjective taste. Nice ceiling view; very spacious

It was a strange experience. The starters were a disaster (we were 3 people). But the main dishes were very good. However, I found it very expensive due to this difference in quality.

Really expensive, food was not great. Sandwiches felt a bit stale and like they’d been sitting out. Coffee sizes absolutely tiny for the price. The quality of the food and amount just isn’t what you’d expect for £40 per portion for the afternoon tea, wouldn’t recommend at all.

came for lunch with the family at a friends recommendation and I must say, expectations were exceeded. Service was fast and friendly, the food amazing too, with the afternoon tea being a highlight. everybody loved the scones and pastries, which we were told are made fresh in house. and cant forget the view!

Poor experience. Service was slow, was misled by the sever on the size of the starters that led to wasted food and more money spent. Starter portions were quite large and when asked about this prior to ordering was told they were typical starter size.

First afternoon tea of my life. The food was delicious and the scones amazing. Also the atmosphere was super nice as well as the service. Super recommended 😊

Food tastes good enough. Tea set is in one-person size and so far so good.

It's inside the British Museum, so you can wear casual clothes, which is very helpful ☺️ The afternoon tea was also quite casual, but I enjoyed the well-balanced taste overall, and just looking at the wonderful British-designed tableware gave me a wonderful feeling 💓 The museum was very crowded due to summer vacation, but this space was very relaxing ✨

Great service, fast food time, lovely atmosphere for the restaurant.

It was my first trip to England and I was looking forward to afternoon tea here. The tea was delicious and the scones were also very good. However, I experienced racial discrimination from a black-haired female store clerk, which left me in despair. Even though I made eye contact with the female staff member, she went out of her way to stop by another seat, asked with a smile, "Is it delicious?", then came to my seat with no expression on her face, and simply left me without any explanation about the afternoon tea set. I feel very sorry that there are people who discriminate against others. Everyone at the other tourist spots I visited was kind, but the staff here had a discriminatory attitude. I recommend having afternoon tea somewhere other than here so that other Asians don't feel uncomfortable.

The food was very delicious but the receptionist was kind of rude when she told us we were over time and when my mum specifically said the food was late she said that it was “impossible” for it to have been late in an hour plus she was staring at my parents so intently and told us that we had to leave in 5 mins since she thought there were no tables at least I think so. But there was LITERALLY a table right next to us, I don’t know what her exact problem is but I do know that nothing is “impossible” such as the food being late like it’s a normal thing. However, the waiters were very nice. And so was the food. Please try the kids pasta if you go. And try the desserts too.

We had our first proper afternoon tea and it was very good.

Tasty food, great staff and very nice atmosphere.

We had made a verbal reservation for 2 p.m. at 12:30 p.m. (The woman at the entrance had also asked us the name and it looked like she had made an entry on the laptop.) When we came back at 2 p.m. we were told by the same woman that she was Although we were reminded that we had not made a reservation. We were completely perplexed and I still can't explain what the "misunderstanding" was. The woman at the entrance didn't let us talk about it and was very dismissive towards us. Therefore only one star.

To be frank, particularly for the price and the esteemed location, the afternoon tea was appalling. It was all dry, sandwiches had the tiniest filling in them. The deserts were clearly mass produced and bought in (suspect it all was to be fair), they were bland at best with no real appeal visually or to taste, your mouth just gets clogged up and you get bored of chewing. If you buy afternoon tea online make sure you are prepared with evidence as the staff take your booking but clearly know nothing about who's paid in advance and who hasn't. That said, the location is beautiful, the tea and drinks were very nice and it's something to do whilst browsing the fantastic museum. If you're a tourist looking for an afternoon tea experience, you'll struggle to do worse than this. It's not authentic, it's not good food, and you can get better far cheaper.

The museum atrium restaurant is where you can dine and have a cup of coffee when you are tired of shopping. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance, as there are many people queuing up on site.

Booked the afternoon tea… maybe I don’t know what to expect, but nothing we ate stood out to me at all. The tea was nice (no tongs for sugar though) and the restaurant is beautiful, but the museum was very warm and stuffy on the 3rd level and sitting for a prolonged period of time was not comfortable. We were not checked on at all after receiving the tea, but the hostess was professional and friendly. The female bathrooms were awful. These were located on the second floor which is accessible from the restaurant. Unfortunately, they were better than those on the ground floor. The sandwiches had very dry rough edges and were soggy in the middle as though they had been prepared waaaaaay in advance. Like something I’d eaten in kindergarten. They also had little bits of egg salad and chicken salad that had gone onto the other sandwiches which I didn’t like (changes the flavor of each sandwich). The scones and cream were ok. The desserts were nothing to write home about, but the carrot cake and lemon meringue were ok. I was really disappointed and wished I had made reservations elsewhere. At 40£ a person, maybe order something else off the menu, or go to a more highly recommended tea room.

Title: Delightful Lunch Experience! Review: I had a wonderful lunch at the Great Court Restaurant at the British Museum today. The chicken dish was delicious, the crème brûlée tart was a perfect dessert, and the soda and cappuccino complemented the meal nicely. The service was excellent, with polite and accommodating staff, and the upbeat mood added to the experience. Though the price was a bit high, the overall experience was well worth it. Highly recommend!

Nice place, nice service, nice meals, what else? Need to book a table before, come 20mn before cause of security checkpoints to access the museum.

Food was bland and service is slow. If you’re going to recycle the sugar cubes from another table, maybe don’t do it in clear view of the customers? I would understand covered condiments and such but those sugars have been sitting out! Toss them and give people fresh ones! Afternoon tea is supposed to feel luxurious and not cheap! Only upside is being inside the museum, but I cannot really recommend this place.

The museum laments that British tea is so enjoyable! Delicious refreshments 👍🌹

I wanted to go to afternoon tea and went without making a reservation, but I couldn't get in as they were fully booked, so I made a reservation the next day and visited again. This time I had cream tea instead of afternoon tea. You can choose from multiple types of black tea, and drink as much as three teacups. The tableware and teacups were beautiful and pleasing to the eye. The scones I was looking forward to came out cold and were too dry for me, so I had to eat just one...(It's a set of two) The scones I had at another cafe were definitely better. I was really looking forward to the authentic cream tea, so I was a little disappointed.

After waiting for almost an hour, no food was served at my table. People nearby had finished their meal at the same time. After asking the staff twice, my food finally served. It really wasted my time. I am not going to come again.

Cream tea was perfect but there's one female staff who is a racist. She took orders except mine. She ignored me when I said "EXCUSE ME!" after several times we had eye contacts and she ignored them. Yes I am Asian woman. I'll never ever visit this place unless she works. Unfortunately(for her) I live in UK and I have many guest who would like to come.

Gotta give five stars. Food was a 4.5 but the staff is very polite and helpful. Totally recommend. Oh and the scones are heavenly

I went in for afternoon tea. The taste was average, but the scones were very tasty. I think it's worth taking advantage of the luxurious afternoon tea inside the British Museum and taking a break after walking.

There was no English Breakfast Tea for us to have, which is ridiculous when the product we want is TEA This Birthday treat for my 82 year old dad was spoiled because of this. My complaining to the waiter about this and also a very chipped plate was met with contempt as ‘it was not his problem’. I should have complained to the Manager but my father didn’t want me to. The food was ok. We liked the cakes. The bread and scones were dry to meThe sandwich fillings were good. I know the price for a cream tea in London is reasonable here, but there is lots to improve on. A British tradition at the British Museum should have pleased an 82 year old.

Service is top notch! I really enjoyed our waitress Claudia and her colleague Sadie :)

I love Sadie Mae Wilcox and Claudia Zoetmulder, amazing service from both of them. Queens.

Best to reserve over weekends to avoid disappointment. I had opted for fish and seafood and it was amazing. The catch felt fresh and the accompaniment was healthy. The starters were amazing. It was a warm day and they served freshly prepared lemonade as well. Service was excellent despite the busy hours. Would have preferred the normal panna cotta (rather than yoghurt). The only thing they can improve on is coffee. Would have preferred artisan or local brew.

My friend and I enjoyed our meal. It was a fresh and light meal. Thanks 🙏 and the place was fantastic!

A simply delicious afternoon tea in an exceptional location. A real pleasure

The afternoon tea was incredible.

This was a really delightful and unique place to have afternoon tea in London! Do plan ahead and make a reservation in advance as it can get busy. It was a terrific break and I had tea as my lunch, after I spent the morning walking around the museum. I loved the Burleigh china service and the selection of sandwiches and petite desserts was nice. The sandwiches seemed a bit nicer than the desserts. I am a vegetarian and they easily adjusted the sandwiches to meet my needs. The Lea Valley cucumber with the black truffle crème fraiche and the Portland crab with why the dill and seaweed mayonnaise were both lovely and tasty. The scones with Devonshire cream and jam were delicious. Of the desserts, the Guinness black velvet cake was the most delicious. The Yorkshire rhubarb and strawberry tart tasted lovely but was an odd color—the filling was a bit brown and unappealing. I didn’t like the carrot and quinoa cake or the English sweet green pea and lemon cake the flavors and textures seemed a little off to me. Tea at the Great Court Restaurant probably falls between four and five stars as the desserts could be better. Service was good and polite but did slow down as they got busier. However, the location is outstanding and very convenient if you are going to have a morning/afternoon at the museum anyway.

Went to this place for afternoon tea last year when we visited London, the experience was not as nice. food and the tea was ok, didn’t enjoy the service, it’s a rather busy restaurant, we waited quite a while to order to get additional utensils and I had to leave my seat to find a waiter for our bill because no one was around for at least 15, 20 mins. and the worse part is that even there are plenty of room/ space behind where I seat I got bumped into by the staff THREE times to the point that I think it was intentional( I moved closer to the table each time I got bumped yet still get bumped again )

Very good afternoon tea in this superb place. The service is impeccable and the waitresses charming. Book in advance!

It's a beautiful place to eat and the staff is great. Their afternoon tea leaves a little to be desired, they serve tea in a bag, and some of the buns taste industrial. They don't have a gluten free afternoon tea option, they do have a vegetarian option but instead of giving sandwiches they give small tacos... it's not the same. Lunch is fine and if you are gluten free and vegetarian they don't have many options. I recommend it for the site and the experience, not so much for the food.

Ignore the negativity, the afternoon tea in the Great Court is fabulous. The tiered finger sandwich, scones & cakes were super fresh and tasty. I defy anyone to be able to eat it all!

The location was right inside the British museum so get ready yo stand in line to get in, so plan your timing to restaurant accordingly. We did high tea experience here. No customization on sandwiches and the bakery items were just okay. Tea itself was pretty normal. Just did for experience and it was good place to take a break during long touring of the museum.

The bread for the afternoon tea was dry which spoiled the sandwiches. The rest was fine, but dry bread isn't what you would expect in a special tea and the price.

Fantastic location, great food!!!

Frederica and Jacob what a two jems. Great service, great food!!!