The Red Lion in City of London, Westminster

Busy on the Sunday, good service.

Outrageously overpriced,as with all pub's in central London.

I had the unfortunate experience of dining at this restaurant, and I can confidently say it was one of the worst meals of my life. The food was absolutely disgusting – cold, bland, and clearly not fresh. My dish tasted like it had been reheated multiple times, and the smell was downright off-putting. The service was just as terrible. The staff was rude, inattentive, and seemed annoyed when we asked basic questions about the menu. It took forever to get our food, and when it finally arrived, half the order was missing. Avoid this place at all costs – it’s a complete waste of time and money.

Excellent staff, excellent service, excellent food! Had steak and ale pie with mash, top quality. Will definitely be back if we can get in!

Very bad doesn't respect his customers its food is terrible and discussting and the price is too expensive i won't visit this place again

Sämst. De har ingen respekt och personal är rasister. Såg hur de behandlade en brittisk kvinna som hade på sig en liten palestinsk flagga och lät inte henne att komma in

In October, I arranged two group lunches at the Red Lion, and I had the pleasure of joining the meal on the Wednesday. The feedback from my group was extremely positive, and I can confidently say I had a great experience as well. The food was excellent, and the service were efficient and friendly. We had a tight schedule with visits booked after the meals, but the team were very accommodating, ensuring we stayed on track and didn’t run late. I was really impressed with the private room we had - it was exactly what you'd expect from a classic English pub. Sofia, the General Manager, was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, making sure everything ran smoothly. She was flexible and responsive to any last-minute changes, even right up until the day before. A big thank you to the team for making these two group meals such a success!

Sorry I can't give a review for the food as when I'm out it is liquid only very good beer Fullers ESB the best nice atmosphere and friendly staff always pay this establishment when in London please pay it a visit 😀🍺🍻🥂🍾🍷🥃

Great historic pub, great food & atmosphere, recommend you get reservations to avoid a long wait.

Central location in Whitehall. It's small inside but does have seating outside on the pavement area. The Male toilet is very small, added to which only one urinal is in operation, chaos.

So lovely to just sit and people watch

This food was absolutely phenomenal. Everything we ordered was out of this world. Don't forget the sticky toffee pudding

Such a classic pub in central London. Staff are so helpful, and a grate vibe and cider. Thank you for looking out for your customers.

Excellent service and great food!

Complete tourist trap awkward layout not much space Great for Americans wanting fish and chips but not a place I will re visit

Great spot near Big Ben, but very small, restaurant upstairs

Great place, great friendly service. The beef brisket "chicken nuggets" were super good and very flavorful.

Old school pub with good beer and great service. Food is pretty good too.

Just had the most delightful experience at The Red Lion on Parliament Street, London. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm smiles and friendly banter from the staff. Their genuine hospitality made me feel right at home. The food was top-notch! I opted for the fish and chips, and let me tell you, the portion was generous, to say the least. The fish was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, just how I like it. Located just a stone's throw from Parliament, the pub offers a fantastic spot to unwind while soaking in the historic charm of the area. If you’re in London and looking for a great meal with a side of friendliness, The Red Lion is your go-to. Cheers! 🍻

Great place for a catchup with friends. Tasty food. Pie and mash to share was great

The best Fish and chips I've ever had😭😆

Almost impossible to get a table. Literally packed.

Awful place, definitely my first and last visit. There are far better options in the neighborhood. Save your money and stay away from this place; it’s not worth the time or effort. The service was poor, the atmosphere was unwelcoming, and the overall experience was disappointing. I expected more for the price, but instead, I left feeling let down. You’re better off exploring other places nearby that offer better value for your money and a more enjoyable experience. Don’t make the same mistake I did by giving this place a try.

Absolutely awful service and appalling food , this is a real tourist trap but the food and service isn’t an indication of English pub food . They are rude to serve you if you ask for a drink and then the food is inedible. I have been to many Sunday lunches and although i didn’t eat one here I wouldn’t recommend it based on the food that I tried and wanted to throw away . Poor performance for London

Visited this bar with some friends before catching a show near by. Had some apps, over salted and dry food. Very loud and rowdy patrons, fight nearly broke out near us. Bathrooms were in terrible condition. Won’t be going back.

Bad very bad and bad more then bad Bad very bad and bad more then bad Bad very Bad very bad and bad more then bad bad and bad more then bad

I'dont recommend it at all so Terrible service and the stuff are racist people I hope the manager is aware of this and take it seriously

Loved this pub. Ordered the steak and ale for two. Everything was yummy. Service Great.

This is a racist restaurant, my God

Bad food and service. Filthy rest room . Food came cold and not freshly prepared. I strongly do not recommend it . Avoid it , Tourist trap

Very bad food I don’t recommend this place

Very cozy and authentic, super friendly reception and good food.

Great lunch in a very historic place.

Small but nice. Super friendly service, nothing to be taken for granted. Every guest is taken care of as if you were the only one. Original toilet entrances!

We were a bit worried about finding a table when we saw all the people in the alley drinking, but there was a door to the left up to the dinning room where we easily found a table for 3. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent.

Lovely staff and nice environment. Food is also yammmy.

Always visit this place every time I'm in London, brilliant boozer and staff first class with the amount of stress they get off visitors, treat em well, they'll look after you...

Great location to sit outside and see the world go by. On the food front would have tried their pie but only came with mash, had to give it a pass. But staff lovely and good beer range

I really enjoyed this bar! The food was amazing and everything was well organised. Shoutout to Jaybob for being awesome and helpful. I really appreciated all the recommendations.

I only had a Pint which was the best Pint of London Pride in London

Abrupt bar and door staff. Acting like they see customers as an inconvenience. £20 for a portion of fish & chips. A tourist trap. Find a better more honest British pub.

Great atmosphere, with good food and service. The food was priced fairly and everyone seemed obliging. Upstairs catered well for eating while downstairs was suitable for those enjoying a drink.

Great pub style atmosphere. Had lunch here on a Sunday. Before to arrive before 12pm if you don’t have a reservation, it gets full quick. BUT know that no alcohol is served until AFTER 12pm on Sundays. There’s a downstairs pub which has lots of activity, and upstairs dining floor that’s a little more chill, and outdoor patio. I got a meat pie and my husband the fish & chips (with curry sauce) all excellent. Some chip places don’t really fry up crispy chips, but this pub did a good job. Would definitely come back. Manager David did an excellent job accommodating us during the noon rush.

I'm so glad the Red Lion is open again, the ESB is nectar! Do please train your staff that if they go slowly on the last pull of a pint, they can more easily give full measure without being asked for a top-up.

A tourist trap with some of the worst service I have ever received in London.

Best fish&chips I’ve had in London. The pub is in a beautiful and historical location and the food is great. The only complaint is that the kitchen closes earlier than stated here, last orders are taken by 21.30. It would be best to write it on the website/google account.

Ordered the Pie and Mash to share. The portions could feed 3-4 individuals. Came out quickly and is delicious. Served with cabbage squash and green beans. Highly recommend if in Westminster.

Best pint of ESB I've had in years, congrats to the cellarman or cellarwoman

It's 11.40am. They say they're open at 11am. And it's still not open. Even though they're inside!

Crowded, and although pretty early (15?) they'd run short on some items on the menu. But nice, historic and a pub well worth a visit. Good service, they did what they could, and always with a smile.

Really nice pub friendly staff nice atmosphere

Good pub-stlye food in a traditional pub setting. Friendly staff, clean restrooms. If you make a reservation, if you are seated upstairs, there is a narrow stairway, and there is no handicapped access. If you want food, I suggest a reservation. They offer drinks directly from the bar inside and outdoor seating, which spills over to the alleyway! Great experience drinks and dining, easy walk from Westminster station.

The worst pub I've ever been in! Started bad with one way system Then the prices & rudeness from staff wowzers!!! Then after we'd had afew drinks they tried to steal chairs we were using claiming someone had reserved them lol unreal, avoid!

A friend brought me to this place where I had a Sunday roast! Luckily, the window seat was empty, and I was able to enjoy a Sunday roast in the warm sunshine!!! The chicken is really delicious. You must try the chicken roast.

My partner and I loved our dining experience here. We were fortunate someone was leaving as we arrived so were seated outside on a great evening for it. The host and the servers were all very friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and highly recommend their version of a pina colada! If you really want to eat here, I suggest making reservations, we will be the next time!

Enjoying a nice pint however was rudely interrupted by bar staff who deemed watching boxing highlights on my phone was distracting to the bar staff who couldn’t concentrate on serving beer. Totally understandable if the bar wasn’t playing music and I was stood on top of his head with my phone.

Really loved everything we had. The fish was so buttery (and huge!) and the steak&ale pie was rich in flavor. Definitely worth it to go here. You may want to reserve a table in advance.

Traditional decor in a historic area. Good beer, friendly staff.

Great looking old pub, very awkward service, sharing plate was not really enough for one person and presentation was lacking. Good selection of beer.

Good but pricey as you can imagine!

I’m guessing this is a tourist trap and so I get it, but I have no idea how it gained over a 4-star rating. They like to cram in the guests that’s for sure. The service was lackadaisical at the best, indifferent at its worst. After roughly being nodded in the direction of our table, we and a lot of the other tables were mostly left to substantial waits between brief table visits. It didn’t help that they only had one person handing “the dining room”. And this wasn’t “order from the bar” territory. The menu boasted a revolving series of cask ales and specials. When asked about this, we were advised that there was London Pride and ESB. That’s not really a revolving selection in London. We ordered a cheese burger, the vegetarian shepherd’s pie, nuggets and a side of chips. While we were waiting, a couple next to us received their scones and clotted cream that they had been waiting for 45 minutes. I’ve never seen someone have to use a knife to saw the scone that was so clearly hard. The force required nearly chipped the plate and sent a part of the scone flying off across the table. The chips that came with the burger were the best thing about that dish. The nuggets were cold. The side of chips didn’t arrive. The shepherd’s pie was fine, but clearly not freshly-made. The loos were abhorrent. The gents had an overflowing toilet. Both gents and the women’s stunk. I get it, this close to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square, one shouldn’t expect too much. This met that standard and maybe a little less. Avoid. Avoid avoid avoid.

Stop in for a quick drink, really good service and lively atmosphere.

Great English pub. We sat at the bar and the staff was wonderful. Food and pints were great!

Beautiful place to eat, the service was excellent so was the food

Fantastic food, lovely atmosphere.

Busy bustling pub across the way from Whitehall. Little wait to be seated but service and food was worth the wait. Sadly, the toilets were filthy, which I put down to the drinkers and not the pub itself.

Very reasonable price given the location and very good fish'n'chips. Counter service, with a small but very pleasant terrace

Didnt have food but beer an service and atmosphere was very good really enjoyed it there

Was there with a friend having hot beverage and soft drink and what an opener to be at this place over 300 years old where the MPS go there love the old decor and furniture and the history of it right near the parliament amazing experience

It is eaten quite regular and expensive.

We were excited to visit such a historic building, wasn't too busy but then the wheels fell off - Bathrooms were beyond disgusting and dirty. Had to rush at 750pm to order food as we were told it was being cut off at 8 and then watched multiple people come in and order food with ease for another hr. Stood at bar and watched as a female wait staff told a customer "don't you see I'm serving someone else right now?" If that was us we would have walked out. Very disappointed experience, luckily wasn't our first night in London so won't base that negativity on how the rest of our visit has been but for those who just landed probably not so much. Many people walked out.

Excellent option and not so expensive (being London) to eat something typical like Fish and Chips, in one of the most touristy areas (close to Big Ben)

To focus on the positive first- the decor is historic, the location to attractions in the Westminster Abbey/ Parliament area is appreciated. That's the end of 'positive'. We had a bit of a tight schedule in the morning/early afternoon of the day we visited so we made a reservation ahead of time knowing they open at 11am and food service starts at 1130am per their website- we wanted food so made our reservation for 1130am which was giving us plenty of time. We got to the pub a bit early (1115am) only to be told by management they weren't ready to open but would be in about 20 minutes. Ok still within our reservation window. When we did get in there was a rush as a line had formed already. Now we are at 1135am, ordering drinks and planning to order food, but guess what now- the kitchen isn't opening until 12noon so they won't take food orders. By now the pub is packed. Can you imagine all these orders coming into the kitchen at the same time now once it opens??? Another reason we picked this pub was to try some traditional British pies which are on the menu. When we did put our order in at about 12noon we were told that the pies would take at least 20 minutes if not longer- no guarantee. At that point we would have already been there 1 hour based on our reservation. Instead of what we wanted we just ordered BLT sandwiches thinking it would be easy and we'd still be on time for our next scheduled visit. The sandwiches did arrive somewhat quickly, the bacon was way under cooked, the bread was over toasted. The service was basically nonexistent (at pubs you have to order everything yourself at the bar and all the staff do is deliver any food). This experience was such a disappointment. They need to update their website so it is true to their business practice. If they don't have enough staff, then they need to manage that too. If they can't do this location or not they might not be in business too much longer. The summer tourist season is here.

The restaurant was very good, the food was very good but the staff was very rude, I didn't like the treatment they gave us at all.

We had a reservation. They treated us very kindly, they gave you the time you needed to eat. All very very good. I recommend Chichen leak pie. Water a little expensive (£5.80) and they charged us £5.53 for service 2 feet + water =

Typical pub experiance with afordable prices in a great environment.

Awfully rude staff here would not recommend visiting here The irony of this sign as there is no ‘wonderful’ hospitality at all. As someone who has visited many pubs in London and around the UK genuinely my worst experience

Popped in for a drink and the staff were so helpful ended up booking to go back later for late lunch. The food was lovely I had steak and ale pie and mash but it all got a big thumbs up. Dining room perfect. It is easy pickings to charge over the odds and serve sub standard food when there are lots of tourists around but this place definitely doesn't do that. They offer a great service atmosphere and food and were hugely supportive of the member of our party with mobility and health issues. I would like to make special mention of the Portuguese member of staff who was so helpful . A real 5 star place thank you

Had fish and chips for lunch, nicely cooked. Great pub, good staff and friendly atmosphere

Great location. Very small and crowded. Reserve in advance.

Pretty good pub to find friends and have a drink!

A very good place to go, specially to try their steak & ale pie.

Rude bouncer and rude Asian waiter at the door. Will never come back here again. Plenty of better pubs in the area don’t recommend coming here.

Always visit when I visit London

We went to eat there because it was one of the few restaurants close to the area. My experience was DISFASTIC!! It took MORE THAN 1 AND A HALF HOUR!! in putting food on us. We demanded the food several times until finally a girl listened to us. We would have left but we had already paid for it

This place is super busy, I suspect because supposedly Churchill used to drink here on occasion. I was unable to secure a table to eat here twice, so I’m insure how honestly anyone was able to get a table. I did grab a pint and thought it was a bit overpriced. There is also not a lot of room outside to sit and enjoy the area. All in all I don’t think it would be worth going here as I realize now it’s a tourist trap.

We love The Red Lion! The Red Lion is now my go to when in London with my family in tourist mode. This pub is convenient to many Westmintser area attractions and is cosy and welcoming to families and hosts a ton of history too. You can get a great pint of proper beer (not that funny fizzy stuff although it is available) and there is an admiriable selection of savory pies and lots of traditional pub grub. They recently revamped their menu and the pie sampler is a must for the curious and/or hungry.

Really enjoyed the steak and ale pie, along with the cheese and onion straws. The staff were friendly also.

The manager and staff at this place other than a couple of young barstaff are the rudest I've ever experienced. When I enquired as to a drink being different prices every time I'd ordered the same drink (3 times). I was treated like a piece of dirt. Bellowed at and belittled by the bar manager. The prices are way over the top £2.30 for a dash of Pepsi max. £9.95 for halloumi fries which there were 6 x 2 inch pieces in the middle of a saucer. Obviously because of the location, original features and history of the pub, it will always be busy and they can charge top end prices. This does not mean that it's ok to be heavy handed and humiliate customers though. Ruined my day out to London

Lugar concorrido, mas conseguimos uma mesa sem necessidade de reserva. Não há serviço de mesa. Eh necessário pedir no balcão, inclusive a comida. A bebida vc mesmo leva, e a comida, depois de uma certa demora, eh servida na mesma.

Seated and served quickly during a busy, rainy time of day. Fish and chips $ burget were very tasty.

Very nice place with good typical dishes including excellent and very generous fish and chips! Very good beer

Very disappointed. Food was discussing

Average pup food, but convenient location. Dining room is upstairs.

Typical English pub, very friendly staff

We went to this restaurant in November, following the suggestion of a video on TikTok. We had a great time! Positioned in a convenient and central area, warm and welcoming atmosphere, 10/10 service. Very good beers and pies.

Reasonable price at given location. Fish and Chips was good.

Very uncomfortable situation; There was confusion with the number of strollers we had and when we went upstairs they told us that with two it was impossible. Putting objections, that it is something that could be seen on their website (at no time had we entered it) that they cannot do renovations due to the age of the establishment, while we explained to ourselves, telling us to move aside to make way for other clients.. We went up because that's what they told us to do at the bottom and when we got to the top we wanted to leave because of the treatment that later, for whatever reason, was softened. Even the waiter on the ground floor came up to complain that he had not told us anything about bringing 2 carts, something that in my opinion was totally unnecessary (with one who said it enough) Average food, it was our first stop and there were much better places. And halfway through the meal the manager: "Calm down?" and that with politeness and without disrespecting anyone at any time. We all ended up calmer, yes, you too. (In case you read me)

Great traditional British food: meat pies and fish and chips. Great ambiance and service.

I fell in love with mushy peas served with fish. It was delicious and I will ask for the recipe ;p The atmosphere of the place is very nice ;D