The River Cafe in Hammersmith and Fulham

UNETHICAL LIARS. We booked for a family birthday, with several people taking time off work to be able to attend. We were promised that the Lunch Set Menu would be available to us. Two days before the booking we called to advise we needed a highchair and we asked to confirm the set menu. We were told that because we were a party of 8 we couldn't have it - but if we were a party of 6 we could. What bollocks. They are clearly just using the set menu to entice bookings only to force people onto the vastly more expensive main menu. When did they plan on telling us? When we arrived and it would be too late to book a different restaurant? Your dishonesty has lead to us cancelling. We used to like the River Cafe but wont be returning and we will be advising everyone in our network to avoid it.

Fun with great staff and delight to be on terrace in the sun ! Blood orange signature cocktail delicious ! Great advice on wine when you do not want to ££££££ worth a visit !

It’s perfect in every way. Amazing atmosphere, delicious food and impeccable service.

Not worth the price you pay. Go to an average Italian restaurant anywhere in London and pay half the price for the same food

The best. Never a bad meal here. And this was no different. Sometimes it can feel oddly formal but this last time was just wonderful thanks to a relaxed and chatty lady at front desk who made us feel immediately welcome. Food was generous and perfect as always. Only down side was my mum ate so much she couldn’t manage pudding!

We came for an Italian friend’s leaving dinner, expecting a Michelin-starred experience worthy of the occasion. We’d heard so much about this place and knew it was considered an institution, so we were genuinely excited. Sadly, it didn’t live up to expectations. The food was simple, the portions small, and the service —while friendly yet professional— was painfully slow, even on a quiet Tuesday night. It started off well: heaters were thoughtfully moved towards our table and blankets offered, which we appreciated on a chilly April evening. But as the night went on, the rhythm dropped off completely and the experience felt increasingly disjointed. My rabbit ragù was decent: comforting and well-cooked, but far from exceptional. The Anjou pigeon was far too heavy. Between our group, we tried over 15 different dishes, and honestly, nothing truly stood out. The crab was probably the best of the lot —nicely balanced and well prepared— but still nothing extraordinary. At £65+ for mains, you’re firmly in the territory of tasting menus at some of London’s most innovative restaurants, where creativity and precision shine. Here, you’re paying that price for simple, safe plates that lack imagination. Desserts were nice, but nothing to write home about. The cheese course came with nothing but a few crackers — underwhelming, to say the least. On the bright side, the wine list was excellent and the pairings well chosen, which was one of the few real highlights. It’s clear the restaurant trades heavily on its reputation. The setting is elegant and it may appeal to a certain crowd, but if you’re coming for the food, it just doesn’t deliver. For £140 per head, I expect something genuinely memorable — not a decent ragù, a sparse cheese plate, and a long wait between courses. All in all, it gets three stars — and not the Michelin kind.

This is for River Cafe Cafe not the main restaurant. Odd, expected a lot. Food ok but very very expensive. Pompous menu intended to look down on clients. Terrible service. People waited 30 minutes for waiter to come to order. Adjacent people waited 30 mins for wine then pudding despite at least 3 reminders. Chaos. They had to get waiter over from main restaurant as so slow and disorganised. In my view decor stark unfriendly, tables far too close . I suppose we were paying for hideous Damien Hirst installed on wall. Been to main cafe before and was good. For 133 GBP this was not.

Horrifically overpriced and overrated. If the food was exceptional I wouldn’t mind paying what I did, but the food was average at best, had much better Italian meals elsewhere in London. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone - save your money and skip!!

So this was probably the best view in all of London for a restaurant. It was a beautiful 60°F and a sunny London day and we had ordered the pasta of the day, the prosciutto risotto and dessert. We both ordered desserts and coffee and this was probably one of the most perfect lunch meals I’ve had in my life.

Fantastic food ,great service,and to see 10 female chefs are amazing 👏 🤩 definitely recommend 👌

The service here is very good. We liked the staff, everything was top notch.

Extremely expensive, less than average food. Sloppy “don’t give a damn” service. Clearly lost perspective, requiring a reboot. Would bother going again.

Nice place, food overall was average as was the service. Not worth the price

On a sunny Spring afternoon who would not like to sit by the window overlooking the Thames and enjoy a top quality lunch? My wife and I have been going to the River Cafe for more than 20 years and it never fails to satisfy . Of course prices have increased and it is expensive but the quality of the food and the service has always been top notch. Yes, the table covering was paper - and I have read complaints, but come off it - is that really such a big deal! On this visit we actually had booked for the Winter Set Lunch and added to it from the desert menu and a cheese course . As always, the food was beautifully served, tasty and satisfying . Stand out for me was the Mozzarella antipasti and the roast lamb secondi. My wife had the chargrilled monkfish which she said was superb! With a bottle of Etna Bianco Superiore and a carafe of Barbaresco plus a glass of desert wine the total bill was £480, and worth it . The restaurant still has that buzz and of course we will be back.

The fact this place has a michelin star says more about michelin, I guess, than the restaurant. The food was mediocre at best, and at least one of the dishes was shockingly bad. Starters: crab (had better at touristy Greek taverns for 1/10 of the price) mozarella (worse than getting it from a shop). Mains: monkfish (someome had emptied a bag of salt on it, first time EVER I consider something unedible at a restaurant, ANY restaurant I've ever been to.) The waitress that served us was rude (slapping the bill on the table without saying a word etc and bear in mind we didn't complain or mention any of the above whilst there), slow, and was wearing a dirty apron. And this place has the audacity to charge £28 for starters and £48 for mains. Would be hilarious if it weren't tragic. But I guess it is a stark reminder of how terrible the food culture in this country is, and specifically in London...

I went to the cafe cafe and had a wonderful time! The ravioli were a delight as were the langoustines. You know, this kind of food and wine that makes you happy? I so come back :-)

What a remarkable restaurant this is. Our Sunday lunch on this sun drenched afternoon felt like a celebratory homecoming. Friendly, professionally, every bite absolutely delicious. Divine.

FINE DINING AT A WEWORK The River Café’s reputation is set in stone, immortalized in cookbooks, reviews, and the hushed reverence of well-heeled diners. It has a Michelin star, a detail that never really swayed me. I thought, for once, I might get a day off from writing a review. I was wrong. Upon arrival, we were guided past the actual café and into the restaurant, where a sweet duo at the door took our coats and bags. My jacket was placed neatly beside a row of striped suit blazers and grey trench coats—a sign of things to come. The interiors? Imagine an 90’s corporate lawyer having dinner next to a colourful iMac G3. Ergonomic ‘office’ chairs, brushed metal surfaces, thick frosted glass, and electric splashes of colour—all housed beneath a perforated metal ceiling that looked like it had been salvaged from a server room. At least there weren’t fabric cubicle dividers. Though, they might have helped, I swear I could hear the ghostly chime of a Microsoft Teams notification echoing across the room. My particularly boujee friend, who I have spoken of before, had booked a private room in the back—a space dominated by a large, shabby wooden table, bravely disguised beneath a white cotton sheet. A projection on the wall displayed a serene garden scene, the kind of thing usually reserved for the mindfulness segment of a corporate away day. Meanwhile, outside, the sky remained a dull, unrelenting grey. And the food? Well, yes, of course, it was good. But I was taken aback by the presentation. They have, it seems, fully committed to the at work aesthetic. The ceramic plates were thick, industrial, and built for survival—clearly designed to withstand the aggressive onslaught of a commercial dishwasher. They reminded me of the ones from my old school canteen, where the priority wasn’t delight but durability. Then there was the pasta. Now, I understand that fresh, handmade pasta commands a price. But when faced with an audaciously modest plate of penne for what can only be described as a corporate salary deduction, the phrase penne for a penny flitted through my mind. A pound per piece would actually be more accurate. No actually. Still, I suppose that’s the River Café experience: timeless, very very simple Italian cooking, served in a setting that makes you feel like you’re about to be called into a performance review. They call it fine dining, I found it to be just… fine dining.

Very good place with cool atmosphere. The meals is so tasty

Good restaurant! I recommend! Incredibly delicious food! I'm delighted!

This has to be one of the worst meals I have ever experienced. The spaghetti vongole had three small clams I couldn’t taste any chilli. The salad was very over salted. Paper tablecloths and uncomfortable chairs. I don’t know when you were awarded a Michelin Star but it can’t have been recently. This was a special occasion birthday lunch and everyone’s food was terrible. The best part of the meal was the excellent waitress. We will not be going back or recommending this restaurant to any friends.

Lovely restaurant with a fabulous atmosphere but average food - nothing to complain about in terms of preparation and execution but average and certainly not worth the price or hype. Staff were attentive polite and friendly but clearly far too many of them - perhaps to justify the outrageous pricing ! What didn’t fit was the disposable table cloth - why ? Such a small detail but set the tone of the evening !

I’m only in London for 3 nights and had made my reservations at this iconic London restaurant over a month ago after reading so many great reviews about it. And probably because I had such high expectations that I’m extremely disappointed by the - at best - average quality of food we were served. One dish in particular disappointed the most and that’s the “whole Dover Sole” which 2 people on our table ordered; the flavor was bland and the dish lacked any character. We also ordered the beef rib eye, a risotto and a pasta dish. All were mediocre at best. This was not one of my best London culinary experiences.

It's an institution and not a restaurant. You probably won't come here to enjoy good quality food at the right price. Instead it is a place to be because the food is okay with traditional Italian dishes with very little embellishments at 3 times the price. Every main course here costs approximately £65 which is the current price for a 3 course lunch menu at any respectable 1 Michelin starred restaurant in London. If you did 3 courses, you'll probably get up to £120 to £150. I always say that the price is not a concern if the context is right, and here at least food wise it is not. I expect a culinary journey of a tasting menu at those prices not a piece of grilled fish with pesto sauce. I'm giving it 3 stars because it is serving a different purpose than a good restaurant. While it will be very appealing for some people, for most it's absolutely not worth it.

I mean it is decent food, good service and solid atmosphere but it is outrageously expensive. 70 pounds for a pigeon dish or 30 pounds for a burrata, I had not been there for a few years and it looked to me like prices had doubled, almost - there was inflation but not that much. 260 pounds total, one cocktail and no wine, for this you get a tasting menu in a 2 Michelin star. Disappointing, I will not come back sadly

Visited on 8 February for the first time to celebrate a very special occasion. On the positive side, the staff were very attentive and pleasant and the wine and cocktails were first class. The food however was incredibly underwhelming and did not come anywhere near justifying the premium pricing. We will not be returning or recommending.

I visited this overhyped establishment today for lunch with my family. Unfortunately I'm really struggling to connect how such sub standard food is matched up with unbelievably high prices. Having had great food and fine dining experience. This place doesn't even come close to GOOD. Firstly the food menu looks like it's been written by a 3 year old, it's not easy to make out all the dishes on the menu, with all of it squeezed in so close together. We started off with a pizza (close to £30), which was a tiny thing, very very standard, nothing special about it, they even missed out the cheese on it! Is it even a pizza? If it was packed with flavour, and something innovative, then no problem. But my local pizza shop does pizza ten times better at a quarter of the price. Now for the mains, most plates costing over £60+. We ordered one of each dish, safe to say no one enjoyed any of it. There was absolutely zero flavour and the amount you get is a pittance. I ordered the chargrilled lamb leg, which comes with 3 tiny bits of lamb, a huge grilled onion(which accounts for 70% of the food on the plate) , and a teaspoon of spinach. I've never been to a restaurant with portions this poor with prices like these. The rest of my family ordered the fish dishes, they were all so poorly seasoned and just generally bland. If they offered stars for bland food this restaurant would get 5 stars. The staff were generally friendly, but we saw too many rolling eyes every time other customers asked them to bring something. Which is completely unprofessional. Overall, we spent close to £500, which is alot for a main each and a shared starter. For this kind of money you can go to a top tier Michelin starred restaurant and have a wonderful meal and experience. Avoid, avoid, avoid if you can, it's just not worth it, struggling to find any value to this place unfortunately.

I and the rest of my family were all extremely disappointed with our lunch experience at The River Cafe. The staff were very nice and helpful but the food was no better than okay and the prices were eye wateringly expensive. At these prices I would expect some nice touches like an amuse bouche or even butter for the bread. The table for 4 was a tight squeeze and was really a table fit for two. There are many better options for lunch in London where you won’t be disappointed, unfortunately the River Cafe isn’t one of them. We won’t be back.

The weekend lunch vibe here is incredible.

Top class restaurant along the Thames path in Fulham.

Fantastic dining experience, well recommend!

The River Cafe in London is truly one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. The atmosphere is fantastic, offering a genuine Italian vibe that feels both refined and relaxed. It’s the kind of place where you can unwind and enjoy the perfect blend of elegance and warmth. I had the pleasure of dining there with my partner for lunch, and the experience was unforgettable. The service was top-notch—attentive, friendly, and never rushed. As for the food, it was exceptional. Every dish was beautifully crafted, bursting with fresh, authentic flavors that take you straight to Italy. Whether you're a fan of classic Italian fare or something a little more adventurous, The River Cafe delivers. It's an ideal spot for a memorable meal with great company. Highly recommended!

Way too expensive. The food was very nice, but it was really just simple and well executed- the sort of thing you’d get from a nice normal cafe or even a good home cook. It was NOT £100+ per head food. For the prices in there, you could get some serious Michelin-star-type fine dining. Very overpriced (I edit this review as I found that this place does actually have a Michelin star- well, you could not tell!) The main that I had was a delicious £66 grilled monkfish with artichoke. It was perfectly executed, but it was not in any way innovative, particularly exciting or unusually delicious. The desserts were very lovely, but again, similar to what you could get in most decent patisseries. It seems this place is just relying on its reputation. The atmosphere was perfectly pleasant and the service was nice.

Consistently excellent food makes The River Cafe a “must visit” dining destination when in London. Could also be the best selection of Italian wines in London. Great to see that they are using Coravin, with a strong selection of whites, reds and bubbles by the glass so you can treat yourself without having to buy a bottle. A glass of 2020 Barolo Riserva was perfect. I had the langoustines followed by the pigeon. Both were excellent. Saving up for my next visit!

Quality food, but nothing to write home about. Atmosphere felt tired, service was rushed. Sadly, I cannot recommend coming here unless you want to show off that you don’t care what you spend your money on.

We visited The River Café in London last January, and even though it was freezing, dining outside with heaters was a memorable experience. The restaurant’s Michelin-star pedigree shines through in every detail—from the welcoming ambience to the impeccable service. We started off with the pizzetta featuring taleggio and castelfranco, plus a delightful granchio. For mains, the taglierini and branzino al forno were both outstanding. Accompanied by great drinks, excellent wine, and an amazing dessert to finish, it was an unforgettable meal. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy top-tier Italian cuisine in London!

Food badly salted. Perfect dishes had added ingredients so the menu price could be raised without adding any complexity or interest to the dish itself

A classic never dies. Food as good as ever. Service efficient but cold. The place has gone more commercial with more tables added. Very pricey ! It is one of the few restaurants in london where the English constitutes the majority of the guests unlike many of the Mayfair restaurants.

We came to River Cafe to celebrate my 50’th birthday. My husband was very kind to make the booking for a special celebration. I must say we were all somewhat underwhelmed at the service. The food is nice but definitely does not warrant the £65 for a main course. Lunch for 4 people with a total of 6 drinks, only 2 had starters came to £550. Pretty hefty. Service was really nothing special. No way does the overall experience warrant these prices. Such a shame. Not much chance we’ll be returning anytime soon

I’m shocked that this place has a Michelin star. The service definitely meets the bar, and the area is lovely. The atmosphere is not great in my opinion, the interior design feels cold and not thought through. The food is severely underwhelming. We had 12 dishes, and there was only one that I would order again (the pear pie dessert). The ingredients were uninteresting, the presentation was lacking, and the taste was average at best. I’ve had better Italian at my local Osteria.

Very average Italian food without anything close to a cozy atmosphere - most likely more beautiful in summer.

Good food, great service. Great wines if you're prepared to spend a lot (more than £100/bottle). On balance I feel it's very expensive, for the sake of being expensive and I won't go again, having been 3 times before.

If I compare this restaurant to the other one star Michelin ones I have been to in London it is hard to believe they will keep it for long. The food was good, but very simple, nothing that would show extra research or innovation in the dishes. The acoustics in the restaurant are awful and it was hard to have an enjoyable conversation while dining. For the price of the food and the status this restaurant holds I would also expect a proper table cloth not a paper one you would find at a cheap roadside trattoria in Italy. I don’t think this place is worth it.

Surprisingly good food. The interior is not particularly attractive, very simple, but brings a strong feeling being in an Italian place. As an esthete I prefer restaurants with a character, but who said this simple style can’t be a character, right?! Again, food is good! So, yes I recommend!

We have always had lunch at the cafe during our visits to London and have always been very satisfied. Excellent product quality, perfectly prepared and a very nice service. We don't understand why the reviews here on TripAdvisor are often so poor. As for the dishes and the way they are presented: the dishes are exactly as you would expect from a good, honest Italian restaurant: the product is the main focus; few ingredients, but the best; no creative puree or sauce plating and no layered "constructions". In other words, exactly in line with the philosophy of The River Cafe. A glance at the The River Cafe cookbooks also confirms that the dishes are presented exactly as they are pictured there. To expect anything else would be to have false expectations. About the prices: Yes, the prices are high. But as far as we can tell, only the best ingredients from the best local traders are used in The River Cafe. It should be clear to everyone that this quality comes at a price. What's more, you only have to take a quick look around the restaurant to see how many service staff looking after the well-being of the guests and the number of chefs cooking. It goes without saying that all these people deserve fair pay, which is then reflected in the prices. For us, the bottom line is: an excellent restaurant with excellent food. We will be back in 2025 and look forward to it!

I've long wanted to eat at The River Cafe -- being from the Berkeley area I sort of think about it as the "Chez Panisse" of London. So when we planned this trip, my husband and I agreed this would be our special meal. Reading some of the earlier comments on Trip Advisor, I started to get a little nervous. And I know from experience that it's easy to build something up in your head and then be disappointed at the outcome. But I have to say that I was 110% blown away -- all my expectations were met. The setting, the food and wine, the service, etc. We loved it. Both of us had seafood antipasti - my husband had squid and I had crab. The starters were stunning to look at, well portioned, and delicious. For primi, we had the artichoke pasta and the mezze with what I might describe as a white bolognese sauce. Both were perfect. Beautiful, simple ingredients, executed perfectly. The portions were more generous than I expected, too. We ended with the chocolate nemesis and lemon tart. Absolutely wonderful and I met the pastry chef as I was trying to decide between the tart and the lemon polentq cake. The wine list is wonderful and I like the grouping of wines by region. A little thing, too, but the tulips and candles in the bathroom were a lovely touch.

This was second time I have visited River Cafe. The first time was good but I went with two friends on Saturday day 4Jan. I was extremely disappointed with the food. The monkfish lack any taste and the texture was tough. The meal for three was unbelievable expensive for completely unremarkable food. The only good aspect was excellent service.

I had expected to be much more impressed. Nothing was horrible, but at the prices you’d expect to feel like you couldn’t make the same thing at home. I wouldn’t call it fine dining in regards to the food, atmosphere or service, but it was all comfortable. I was slightly embarrassed to have hyped it so much to my out of town guest….

By far the best food and service in town. A huge thanks to Dan for making this such a great experience. Thanks again!

Wow. What a dire experience. Crazily overpriced dishes, fresh ingredients but little effort in each that couldnt possibly justify the pricr. Paper table cloths and cheap crockery and cutlery. Lethargic service. Packed in elbow to elbow with other diners in what resembles an airport lounge. We felt like the joke was on us when we paid the bill. Or maybe we just don't get it.

I was lucky enough to have been invited to a wonderful family party in the private dining room. The staff were friendly,helpful and appeared to know exactly what their rolls were.The room decor was simple and what one would expect in a cafe.certainly not silver service. We had five different courses with a fine selection of wines. However the food was not in my opinion Michelin star or certainly not Professional Master Chef standard.The dishes were cooked perfectly to our chosen wishes and the portion sizes were generous.The presentation was un inspiring, there was no 'Wow 'factor,nobody was taking photos' of their dinner or waxing lyrical. I note that 75% of the reviews here for the last 12 months show that the experience was rated Average, poor or terrible. Just two reviews as very good and the other 24% excellent. River Cafe is eye wateringly expensive and whilst my food was very good the management do not attempt on trip advisor to respond to the numerous poor and terrible reviews that their customers are posting. Basically its way overpriced. This makes me feel, 'Do they really care about what their customers are saying' The overall trip adviser rating shows 4 stars when clearly over the last year most reviews are at best 3 stars,average.Will River Cafe retain 4 stars much longer?

We ate the risotto which was ok and the pizza which was really so bad that a cheap pizza restaurant would be ashamed. In General the most overprized restaurant I’ve ever been on.

The service was excellent. The food was good, but didn't meet my expectations for a Michelin star. The meat was well fried, but very tough. The chocolate cake was to die for. Unfortunately, the noise level in the restaurant was very high and the tables are very close together, so you have to go through an obstacle course to get to the toilet. The top tablecloth was made of paper.

I’m a London Taxi driver and have picked up and dropped off numerous punters at this venue over the years. So being a special birthday took the plunge and booked the two of us in for lunch. The location by the river is great. We had a table next to the windows. The service was good. The dining area is as a very upmarket cafe and ambience to match with a continuous hub hub. So if you want a romantic peaceful meal this is not the place for you. The food was full of flavour. I had the lamb dish and my friend had the partridge. The leg of lamb dish was delicious but two thick slices of meat was far too much and just a few small vegetables instead would have been ample. My friend had the partridge. Whilst tasty struggled to get the meat off the bone. Deserts tasted beautiful. For all the dishes there was a complete lack of effort in presentation and not what I expect from a Michelin Star restaurant and from that aspect alone very disappointing. The price was unjustified at £224 for just two main courses, desserts and a karaff of wine. I wish I had had read the reviews before I made the booking. Once bitten twice shy!

It was disappointing for the price. The food was just good, not great and there were some misses that are not acceptable at this price point. They missed a component of my wife's main dish, and by the time we could get our servers attention it was too late for it to be enjoyed as it should have. Really inexcusable for a kitchen of this level and the price, but I get the feeling it wasn't an unusual occurrence. And the other main dish was very mixed, with some of the veal shin being delicious and tender and other pieces being extremely tough and hard to chew. If you want to charge these prices, the attention to every detail needs to be better. Would not return.

Food was bland, tasteless and overpriced. Desserts sub-par. It did not live up to the expectations of a Michelin star restaurant.

We were really let down by our recent visit here. We’ve been quite a few times before, and even had our wedding reception in one of the private rooms, but I was quite shocked with the service this time around. The service is always meant to be casual, but this time felt rushed and careless. We arrived 10 minutes after our reservation slot and get plonked at an empty bar with no menu and no service/offer for a drink for 10 minutes as our table wasn’t ready yet. When we were eventually seated at our table, we were given a set of menus. Five minutes later we were simply asked if we are ready to order - no are you okay with the menu, do you have any questions etc. At this point, we hadn’t even ordered (or had been asked to order!) any drinks, so I was a bit surprised we were going straight in for the food. We ordered the drinks and asked for a few minutes with the menu. Still no offer to run through anything on the menu with us. We ordered two starters, two pastas and one main to share between two of us. Crab was delicious, pizette with truffle was tasty (but overpriced at £74 as you can’t even taste the truffle). Risotto was tasty, whilst the tagliarini with artichoke was incredibly bland. It was the only pasta in our many visits we did not finish. Our main, the pheasant, was overcooked and therefore tough and hard to eat - we left most of it. We finished with an almond tart which is still always one of the best things on the menu. All in, it was £430 for two people. Whilst the food was mostly good, if you spend this much on a meal you expect much better. Sadly this visit is likely to be our last.

I’m a London Taxi driver and have picked up and dropped off numerous punters at this venue over the years. So being a special birthday took the plunge and booked the two of us in for lunch. The location by the river is great. We had a table next to the windows. The service was good. The food was full of flavour. I had the lamb dish and my friend had the partridge. The leg of lamb dish was delicious but two thick slices of meat was far too much. A lot more work on the presentation wouldn’t have gone amiss. My friend had the partridge. Whilst tasty struggled to get the meat off the bone and again little effort had been made on presentation. Deserts tasted beautiful. There were lots of positives about experience. However the price was still unjustified at £224 for just two main courses, desserts and a karaff of wine. I wish I had had read the reviews before I made the booking. Once bitten twice shy!

I had high hopes for river cafe. The staff were really welcoming and the atmosphere was lovely. The wine list is extensive and reasonably priced. The food did not live up to expectations. Some of the bread was really salty and some was not. The pheasant pasta lacked flavour and had a cardboard like texture. The veal shin had a great texture but lacked seasoning and flavour also. The langoustines were delicious and the Dover sole was good so if I had to come back I would only eat fish. Certainly not £400 well spent for a 3 course meal for 2 and a bottle of wine.

Always wanted to visit this iconic restaurant. It was well worth the wait. Everything about it is low key excellent. The food, service and atmosphere is sublime. Elegant unpretentious and chic.

everything is great about this place

*slaps some pink on one of the walls* yeah your lemon pasta is now £89

The perfect long summer lunch spot.

Over priced bland food. Pasta very disappointing.

This restaurant must be the most overrated restaurant in London. I don’t understand how people say that this is one of the best restaurants in London as this is clearly false. If you want actual exquisite italian food, you can just go to Scalini or Signor Sassi. The River Cafe’s food has no flavour, the portions are ridiculously small for the price and it isn’t authentic Italian food. For that price, I’d rather go to an actual Michelin restaurant. The service is okay, you have the owner prancing around and making eye contact with you throughout the dinner to check if you know who he is. Im sure that restaurant was incredible back in the days but at this moment, it gives nothing

So disappointing. The food was mostly bland with a lot dishes just drowned in cheese to hide that. The chillies on the calamari had no spice at all, the pumpkin soup was actually very flavourful, but that was the only dish that was. The meat was overcooked and dry, the monkfish tasted fine (although nothing extraordinary) but was a ridiculously large portion (two people shared it, didn't finish it and both feel like r had too much monkfish) with the tiniest amount of vegetables served with it (which was actually a relief because the vegetables were just an oily mush). The lemon tart dessert was inedible - burnt parts on the top layer, overwhelmingly sour with none of the bright acidity of a lemon, and a crusty that was both undercooked in the middle and burnt on the outside. If this were a local £30 a head Italian it would be fine, but the meal was £130 a head for just food, which is insulting. Or waiter was fanatic - charming, knowledge and attentive.

Service, drinks, very good. Made cocktails not on the menu for me! Partridge was very dry and over cooked! Managed to change to another main.

The food is bland and tasteless, nowhere near Michelin star quality and even below many lower tier restaurants in London. Prices are simply insane.

Fantastic food and service. The flavours were amazing.

"Resting on its laurels" which it thinks it can probably afford to do. Disappointing prima Patti of vongole spaghetti at an extortionate price. It's just not that good.

On Saturday four of us went to The River Cafe for dinner . Over the past 2 years we have been visiting bucket list restaurants and this was one. I’m afraid it really didn’t live up to expectations. Whilst some of the dishes were good the spatchcock partridge was underwhelming and my husband’s calamari over seasoned and tough. We arrived spot on for our 8pm booking but our table wasn’t ready and we were not seated until 8.40pm. The restaurant has certainly made sure it has as many tables as it can fit !! Which does give it a rather claustrophobic feeling . The wine list is expensive which together with an overpriced menu does make it a very pricey evening which unfortunately the food does not live up to. The web site says the restaurant closes at 11.30 and they certainly mean it !!! At 11.30 precisely we, together with other diners, were asked to leave and the hoover was brought out !!!! It’s another one ticked off the list but not one we would return to .

Really wanted to try River cafe and didn't want previous reviews to influence me so I didn't look before perhaps some of us should have and we may have reconsidered. The word I would use to describe the food would be underwhelming, not bad, but certainly not good. When you take into account the price definitely disappointing. We had antipasta, primi and secondi each and sharing desserts with about third or half bottle of wine each (£60 per bottle) and it worked out approx £250 per head. Tried a good selection of the meals between us and in conversation I don't think anyone said wow this is lovely, I was expecting that for pretty much every course! Money aside was it some of the nicest Italian food I have eaten? No definitely not, I would go as fair as to say majority was bland. There were a few people who added salt and pepper to dishes, once again I would expect dishes to be seasoned to perfection. Always get one person who adds seasoning, but rarely most of table. Was the service impeccable? No it was average.. some meals placed in front of wrong people, some wine spilt when pouring, no check in asking if food was good - perhaps they don't want / know the answer! Was the atmosphere good? Yes it was a comfortable buzzy environment. Wil I return? No Would I recommend? No Overall disappointing and I really wasn't expecting to say that. Such a shame

Massively overpriced (2x) compared to any of the best restaurants in London. Food was nice but not worth that this price point. Seemed significantly overstaffed but most of the staff didn’t seem to be doing much and that didn’t translate in great/responsive service.

Lovely food , always busy atmosphere , Rossini must have

I went for a birthday meal & thankfully I was t paying for it but they certainly aren’t giving it away, the food and service was 1st class throughout. Our waitress was Canadian & she was very attentive & even after I had eaten the flourless chocolate cake she made certain to have it comp’d as it was my birthday after all. I shall return in March with my dear friend as it will be their birthday

Fabulous food and the service was excellent, special shout out to Andrew & Veronica, all other staff were great too, would definitely return.

After reading the most recent reviews I nearly cancelled my booking. However I am so glad that I didn’t. The service was impeccable swift but never overbearing. The food was truly excellent beautifully presented and coked. Yes it is quite expensive but as we were there for a special occasion that was ok The restaurant was full and the general ambiance good. Our waitress Myla was a delight

Simply the best as always!!!!!!!!

Very disappointed with our trip to The River Cafe. We had the mindset that we would have a pasta each, then order a main and dessert depending on how hungry we were after that. My partner ordered a pheasant pasta and I ordered the taglierini al pomodoro. I cannot tell you how underwhelmed I was. The dish consisted of spaghetti that looked like it had just been mixed into a tin of chopped tomatos. There was no flavour, it didn't taste like it had been seasoned. No offer of parmesan or even a basil leaf to make the whole thing look more appetising. This cost c.£35. The pheasant pasta had slightly more flavour but again disappointing. We decided not to bother with a main or the dessert and asked for the bill. I would note that the service was good and staff incredibly polite. It just seems this place rests upon its reputation and I would not recommend it to others. A real shame.

A fantastic Italian that combines both high quality cooking with a laid back casual atmosphere. Food is well prepared and cooked. The squid had the perfect texture, the pork ragu was so flavourful and the mushroom ravioli in sage butter was lovely. All the dishes are well thought out and have both a classic side to it with a modern execution. It gets very busy here so booking is recommended. Tables can be quite close together but this adds to the cosy and relaxed atmosphere. Service and staff are brilliant. Very knowledgable and very attentive.

I went to this place with a friend for lunch a few days ago. The food was okay, but the prices were a bit high in my opinion. There was a strong smell of cooking in the hall, which I guess is normal when the kitchen is open. The kitchen had its own oven, which was nice. We had a good view from the terrace. Overall, it's a place you could visit once, but I wouldn't go there again.

Awesome lunch, food very good quality and super tasty. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend

Staff are incredible, food was delicious, unpretentious, amazing setting. Can't say sing its praises enough. If anything I feel like I'm under selling it!

Legendary, and impressive how they manage such a lovely atmosphere for the huge crowds and dense packing of tables; the food is certainly good but not outstanding, and for the price I’d expect better service (like when waiting to be offered a water or not having to pay on exit)

The food was nice, in general, but I have eaten better food in some other Italian restaurants in London and paid half this bill. The desserts were just ok. Overall, overpriced for what you get.

Super nice interior! As well as waiters and atmosphere. The food was amazing which explains why it is a bit more expensive however it was worth it🥰

Lovely location. Staff and service excellent. Would I rate it as a 1 star Michelin…. Sadly no. I thought for a start the food was way over priced for what it was. It lacked flavour and presentation. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant unless you had deep pockets.

Nice food in busy, noisy, restaurant but totally overpriced.

After living in London for 15 years, thought it was finally time to try this much-hyped place. Joined a wait list for a birthday meal and were finally able to book lunch on a Saturday, so we trekked out to the riverside in the middle of a public transport black hole. It appears the cafe's location in an area without many other notable options has been a boon to their reputation over the years. I was surprised to find the decor frozen in time from the 90s, located in a building that looks like an office park. The staff were the best part-- friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. However, prices were through the roof, and our courses took forever, with 20-30 minute long gaps between. We had been told we would need to give the table back in 1.5 hours, which would have been fine if dishes arrived promptly-- but at that glacial pace it was impossible to eat all three courses at a comfortable pace-- by the end we were rushing to get through our mains. To be fair, the food was good-- but nothing special compared with numerous other London restaurants in far more convenient locations, with more stylish decor and enjoyable atmosphere, at half the price. Seems like this place is long overdue for an upgrade, but they are resting on their laurels from past plaudits, before Londoners had so many superior options.

I Went to the river cafe to pick up two bruschettas and one slice of lemon tart to takeaway. I asked for anchovies and Parma ham as extras and was planted with a £45 bill. Complete rip off. The photo says it all…

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to

Very strange disconnect between quality of food and price. Alcohol seems reasonable, £15 for a good quality cocktail in a nice London restaurant is fair. What is not reasonable is charging £35-40 for starters which are perfectly nice but very much the standard of a decent Italian restaurant rather than fine dining. The dining experience is also very strange and feels more like an overfull cafeteria on a cruise ship. Staff were friendly but for the extortionate prices would probably have expected someone to have walked you through the menu on sitting you down. But that is splitting hairs versus the overpricing of the food, which is scandalous

I've been to the River Cafe on more than one occasion. The experience hasn't been great compared to other restaurants of its price and reputation. It's probably the most overrated restaurant in London. The food was nice though I had shell in my crab dish and shattered bones in a meat dish. Our dishes seemed missing some garnishes compared to the same dishes on the neighbouring table. When sitting closer to the bar, the staff would have quite loud conversations above your head and it was quite distracting with some joking around and physically playing with each other. Despite the number of staff around, the service wasn't particularly attentive and other tables were also struggling to get the staff's attention. All of these things make you feel as though you're just a cover.

I was worried about coming here following some of the reviews, but every aspect of our experience was outstanding. The setting is stunning - a brilliant mix of laid-back, cafe style service and beautiful decor sets the tone for the whole experience. Service is attentive, but relaxed. Everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The food was outstanding. The fish was all cooked perfectly, with interesting and varied flavours. The wine list is varied and matched the food well. Don’t let some of the negative reviews put you off - a meal here is a real treat I won’t forget in a hurry

Disappointing food with standard service. The antipasti dishes were nothing memorable, while the mains consisted of fatty, poorly cooked cuts of meat served with uninspiring sides. All three dishes served, the monkfish, rib-eye and veal were chewy in texture. Furthermore, the standard of service gradually dropped as the night progressed and the restaurant became more busy.

We were so pleased with Cheyann’s service today. She was very nice and took great care of us. Thank you for a wonderful experience; we look forward to visiting again. Anna and Mario.

This is the best restaurant for Consistent Great food in London ! By far ! The flavours of produce of the Mediterranean are alive and abundant.

This place is eye wateringly expensive. The food is glorious, but the service should be much better for the price.

Came for lunch and we were very much looking forward to it based on how far in advance we had to book and the reputation/general hype around the place. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the shabby interiors, poor service and terrible value for money. More than happy to splash out on a nice meal but not when you’re paying £33 for 5 overcooked ravioli and £59 for a tough piece of fish. The ingredients seemed fresh and some of the flavours were well balanced but every dish was executed poorly (lemon zest in the tart made it grainy and not an enjoyable experience) so for the prices they’re charged it’s just not worth it. Staff seemed indifferent to our presence which made the 12.5% service charge even harder to swallow. Although this seems standard in London these days and who’s going to ask for it to be removed at a place like this? I would save your money and go a few paces further down the river to Sam’s Riverside - a much nicer experience all round!!

Very delicious food and lovely service. I've come here for lunch a couple of times and always enjoyed myself. The food is top-notch and of great quality. I always opt for the fish dishes, and they never disappoint.