Thompson at Darcy's in St Albans

Great food and reasonable service but for 2 adults and 2 young children the bill was around £600 and at that price point it just lacked the wow factor for us. The headline prices seem ok but by the time you add wine pairing service charge, mocktail for kids etc it felt we were paying London Michelin prices for an experience that fell a little short of that. It was a shame as we had come several times but were put off going back with prices having gone up.

PRIVATE PARTY - 20th wedding anniversary. 20 people. 5-course tasting menu. Truly excellent in every way. As the manager, Nick could not have been more accommodating in the months leading up to the party. Number changes, layout of the tables, room decoration, he made it very easy. We are not strangers to fine dining in and around London and abroad, and on the day, the food was as good as we have come to expect having eaten here quite a number of times over the last 5 or 6 years, even though we have to come out here as a destination as we live in North London. Our guests also appreciate good cooking and good service and are possibly better references than my wife and I. Unanimously, a wonderful evening with many discussions about which of the 5 courses was the best and all good comments. Thank you so much.

Geweldige ervaring! Heerlijke lunch met geweldige bediening en heerlijke wijnen! Prima ontvangst door Nick! De locatie is geweldig!

Positives: we chose the 7 course tasting menu. The food was excellent, very well presented and full of great and exciting flavours. Brilliantly done by the cook. To be improved: we chose the wine pairing menu. The wines were nice although none stood out in any particular way. The reds were served way too warm (well above 20 degrees) and when mentioned to the head waiter he completely ignored and dismissed the feedback and no action was taken. Service was nice and friendly but not as attentive as you would expect at a restaurant that plays at this level. They served the courses quickly explaining what was being served, but for the rest we were completely left to look after ourselves. The food is a 5 score but the rest only deserves a 3 score hence an overall score of 4 although borderline to 3.

We have visited Thompson for many special occasions, and they never disappoint! The food is always top quality and absolutely delicious and the service is always fantastic. The staff there are all so welcoming and nothing is too much trouble. The restaurant is a really easy walk from the main train station (St Albans City) and is definitely a must visit if you are anywhere near the St Albans area.

We went with the family for lunch. We were expecting a nice relaxing environment, but unfortunately we were sit with other two big tables in a room. They were so noisy that we could barely speak to each other. Certainly not the type of ambience we were expecting! The food was good, but the experience was not what we expected.

It’s was my birthday and I chose Thompson St Albans for my special treat with my family. On arrival we were greeted by Marc our waiter and we decided on a drink in the bar before moving to our table to eat. The dishes we chose from the menu were fabulous, tasty and in my opinion of the finest quality. Marc our waiter was friendly, helpful, informative and professional at all times. Thompson’s StAlbans is not a cheap place to enjoy an evenings dining but the experience is well worth the money.

Had the 9-course tasting menu with wine flight on Saturday 6th April - I'm still in 7th heaven. Thanks Phil Thompson. This made my birthday that extra special.

The food was OK but probably not as nice as you would expect for the price. Very little choice and tiny portions. The sea bass tart tasted overwhelmingly of Coleman's french mustard (the brown stuff in a little jar). The pheasant was overcooked. The afters were nice. The waiter (Marc) was lovely. Wasn't sure about being phoned beforehand asking for a deposit.

Marc and the team went above and beyond to make the evening special. Food, service and atmosphere top notch for such a special occasion celebration.

Let me start off with the good: the service was excellent. Our waiting staff were very attentive from the moment we walked in. You can’t fault them in that.However the food was below par for a Michelin starred restaurant, and I don’t feel it was worth the £130. We had the 9 courses and I’d say 2 were good. The rest you could see the potential but it failed to deliver. Some was bland, under seasoned, and some just did not work. I hardly touched my pudding for example, and noticed that some other diners did the same. This left me really disappointed.However, some of the most aggravating things about this experience was the wait between dishes. We were there for 3 hours, and at times we were waiting close to 20-30 mins for the next course. That really wasn’t necessary and just ruined the experience for me. Perhaps if the dishes packed a punch I wouldn’t have minded, but I was getting quite vexed by the end. I won’t be returning unfortunately.

We had dinner at Thompsons and it was great. The food was superb - well prepared and perfectly executed. The service was great. The owner and chef is extremely friendly. Highly recommended.

Average at best. Service and atmosphere was flawless; food has good intentions, but didn’t deliver. I’d like to see more punch in the dishes as many of them were bland, and as a result, the extortionate price did not sit well with me at all. Won’t be visiting again, unfortunately.

We had a mixed experience. Service was 5 star but food was inconsistent. Some dishes were good. Other mediocre at best. The bread we were served was subpar. For 130 pounds per person we expect more. Much more.

Absolutely out of this world 7 course tasting menu with wine flights.great variety of tip top quality innovative cuisine.beautiful setting in the conservatory and great empathetic service.will go again and soon as!

I’d heard good things about this restaurant but sadly it did not live up to expectation. The food is terribly overpriced and frankly, nothing special, accompanied with wine which was generally average at best.The service was excellent but the food itself was an incredible let down 3 of the 4 of us that went had a day of Diarrhea the next day! We most certainly won’t be returning!

We had a lovely evening at Thompson’s in St. Albans. We were there to celebrate a special occasion and Thompson’s was just the place. I had 9 courses (with wine pairing) followed by coffee and petit four – the meal took 4 hours (that passed very quickly). The wine paring was interesting, with the waiter explaining each wine as it was served. My top three dishes were (in order of taste):1) Chef’s Choice (Linguine, parmesan cheese and freshly grated truffle)2) Truffle Infused Baron Bigod with homemade Garibaldi biscuit and truffled local honey3) Birds’ Liver Parfait (particularly liked the beer and breadcrumb crisps) The Chef’s Choice and the Truffle Infused Baron Bigod are available as a supplement on the cheaper tasting menus – but these two dishes were the best of the evening.

We were celebrating my wife’s birthday and we had a truly memorable evening. The food was deliciously inventive and all our allergy and dietary quirks were dealt with. We shall return!!

During a 2 hour power cut for the whole area Thompsons managed to cook their usual tasting menu on camping gas stoves and serve all courses beautifully by candlelight. Staff were totally unfazed by the lack of power and calmly continued to serve 2 tasty amuse bouche courses, a delicious little serving of smoked trout, a succulent red meat course and a superb dessert. Definitely to be recommended for special birthdays as a real treat to the taste buds. Wine available by the glass, not necessarily from wine pairing menu. Candlelight was a great bonus for us both!

Excellent cocktails and table service, strong wine list at acceptable if not slightly expensive prices, great cookery but more substance and depth required, setting pleasant. More umpf please.

This was my first visit and we had the seven course taster menu, plus cheeses, and accompanying flights of wine. The service was excellent and unobtrusive. The food was also good. I was served a meat parfait when I had asked for the vegetarian alternative and my friend had a substantial [and unacceptable] amount [over 50% of the dish] of basted fat with her slow roasted sirloin.

Booked into Thompson’s for their 9 course tasting menu and we were blown away by the quality of food, wine and service, all exceeded what were high expectations. Every morsel of every course was consumed and enjoyed and every culinary question asked as answered. No negatives, nothing even close to a negative. We live 140 miles away but will be back, for sure.

We have dined in many first class restaurants in many different countries but feel that this will remain one of our highlights. The 7 course tasting menu (with extras) was delicious, and it would be difficult to identify any particular highlight without appearing to downplay one of the other excellent courses. We found the portion sizes and gaps between courses to be just right for us, so that we were able to enjoy every course without feeling stuffed at the end. Service was also excellent.

Excellent food, been fortunate to go to a few Michelin starred restaurants and this was right up there. Special highlights were the beef dish and the liver parfait. Wine pairing was also amazing. Warm welcome and attentive service in a modern, non stuffy / relaxed atmosphere. Would definitely go again and would recommend.

Fabulous restaurant which met our high expectations. The welcome was warm and friendly, the service first rate and the staff very attentive. Then there’s the food!! We had the 5 course taster menu with wine pairing, plus an additional course of Scallops. Seated in the private rear room we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves without having to keep the noise at a minimum to not disturb other diners. The food quality was very high, beautifully cooked and presented and although the individual servings didn’t look large, all 5 of us had more than enough to eat and couldn’t have managed another course! The wines were also top rate and matched the meal perfectly. Not the cheapest place on the planet, but worth every penny. Great for special occasions or even just a cheeky night out. Enjoy

Absolutely gorgeous food, fantastic service and a beautiful location, We all left happy, content, full! and feeling like we had a special evening. The tasting menu and service makes it feel like much more than just going for a meal. Perfect!

Having read the reviews, we decided to book for a 9-course tasting menu to celebrate birthdays. I was shocked by the entire experience! Having dined in Michelin -starred restaurants recently, I was surprised by the portion size and lack of flavour with certain dishes with a hefty price tag charged! The wait between dishes was also disappointing. We were not prepared not told that the experience will take over 3.5 hours. We both left the restaurant hungry (as it took forever for the dishes to arrive) and underwhelmed by the response when we shared our concerns. I would not recommend a visit.

We enjoyed our visit to Thompson, the first time we have tried the Tasting Menu. Some of the dishes were particularly good, such as the fish and the desserts. It was ideal for a celebration evening. However, the service was really rather too slow. After being served with our bread, we waited a long time for the first little starter course. It would have been better to have had it together. All in all, we had some brilliant food.The wine was extremely good too. It was a special treat.

We come here quite a lot for our birthdays and it never fails to disappoint. The tasting menus paired with wine are always delicious and change every now and then. They used to give us birthday cards too for our birthdays! The staff are extremely good and friendly, we always have a lovely time when we visit. An absolute gem in this area for fine dining!

My wife and I enjoyed a lovely meal recently at your restaurant. I would highly recommend Thompsons as a proper treat to anyone planning a special night out. We were very well looked after by Charlie our host and enjoyed a wonderful taster menu. So thanks very much to all of the team.

Fantastic evening celebrating New Year with friends last night. We had a relaxing start to the evening with cocktails in the bar before moving to our table. The 9 course tasting menu was superb from start to finish - every course was tasty and delicious and beautifully presented on stylish plates and bowls. The chefs took a 10 minute break just before midnight so all the staff and diners could congregate in the bar to see the New Year in. If you’ve not eaten at Thompson’s before and are thinking of going then book up - you won’t be disappointed!

Excellent for a special treat. This was our second visit. Lovely, friendly, helpful staff. Very nice atmosphere. Very nice bar to have pre dinners drinks. Presentation of the food is excellent, and the taster courses are a good way to try something new.

We went to Thompsons for their 9 course Christmas special with wine pairing. It was exceptional. Great flavour combinations, 9 completely different foods and largely excellent wine pairings. One was a bit odd, but hey, these things are worth trying. Our waiter was also excellent and good with his explanations. I would thoroughly recommend it.

Excellent experience, very welcoming team. Drinks arrived quickly in the lounge area before being shown to our table. Lovely, busy place, really nice ambiance. Great variation of dishes on the 7 course tasting menu. Some of the pairing wines weren’t to my taste but still a great evening. Nothing was too much trouble as some of my party swapped dishes on the menu. Food arrived in good time. Overall really nice place with lovely food.

I went here for a family birthday. We both enjoyed the experience from start to finish - wonderfully attentive and friendly waiting staff, AMAZING food and flavours and a great expereince in the bar after (where I was introduced to a lovely Japanese single malt...). Cannot recommend highly enough. Brilliant!

It is easy to see why Michelin chose to award a recommendation to this superb restaurant, and I had a meal of near- star standard. A five course tasting menu is £59 and is, frankly, a bargain. I wish I lived nearer.....

I was so disappointed with this meal. I want to start off by saying I've been to quite a few michelin Starred restaurants and more specifically had quite a few tasting menus. They are meant to be exciting journeys of flavour showcasing the creativity of the chef...each course different to the last. I had the 9 course tasting menu and of these 9 courses 3 of them were cheese dishes (of which 2 had mushrooms too) not much creativity there but it should be said that the parmesan custard with mushrooms dish we had was one of the 2 dishes I really enjoyed.The good: The chocolate dessert was actually really nice, came with a lovely sorbet and was really enjoyable. The parmesan custard and mushroom dish was also really nice and had some nice parmesan crisps for texture. Lovely. The ok:The parfait, you can't go wrong with parfait and it was alright. The reason I class it as "ok" is most parfaits I've had in restaurants have been better. The beetroot sorbet, was interesting. I was particularly grateful for it's palate cleansing abilities after the venison.The bad:I really didn't like the artichoke foam with cold cheese inside. The prawn dish, the prawns had a soft slimy texture as if they'd been boiled, and the consommé was incredibly bitter and not that pleasant. The blue cheese soufflé wasn't pleasant and could have had more than 5 slices of grape to cut through the richness. The stone bass dish with pumpkin again was really bland. The worst:The venison dish. I don't know what happened here but there was something wrong with this dish. This is the one I'd been waiting for but we started eating it and it just tasted a bit...off. It was the only dish on the menu that wasn't actually finished and there was definitely something off with it. After the meal we both felt slightly ill and went for a walk in the cold air for 15 mins before calling a cab. We then continued to feel ill later into the night. Unless something out of the ordinary happened and we caught this place on a bad night - I have absolutely no idea how it has a good reputation. It really was a huge disappointment and the meal cost a lot of money! I think I'll be going back to London for my meals in future.

It is difficult to believe that the chef manages to pack such a lot of flavour in each of the dishes in the five course taster menu which we had.. Each ingredient work in perfect harmony with one another in texture and mouth-feel as well as taste. The only slight criticism was that the sauerkraut which accompanied one of the courses was slightly too salty for me although my wife thought it was fine.We have had the two or three course menu on previous visits at £25 and £29.50 which is an absolute steal for this standard of cooking.Our waitress Charlie was very pleasant and professional. This place deserves more recognition.

Vegan fine dining tasting menus are hard to come by, particularly outside of London. So we were quite surprised to find a seven-course offering in St Albans! And this place didn’t disappoint. Every dish was gorgeously presented, seasonally inspired, and very tasty. Excellent vegan cheese too. Service was excellent and staff were very knowledgeable about the food (no vegan trust issues here). Lovely ambience. Highly recommended for a special occasion, particularly for the plant munchers amongst us!

Of the 7 course taster menu, two of the courses were nice, the rest, just ok. And for £75 per head, this is really quite unacceptable. Went for a special occasion and the staff were lovely, but the food and atmosphere being as substandard as it was means we absolutely won’t be going back.

What can I say.. Exquisite food, outstanding service that catered for all our dietary requirements and covid anxieties and offered a delightful relaxed ambience. The mid week treat is fabulous value as well. As a non meat eater I was able to make x and match the main menu with the vegetarian and vegan menus. Such a lovely evening.

From the staff to the food the whole experience at Thompson St Albans is great. The attention to detail and amazing menu make it a truly enjoyable experience.

What a treat! We have seen this restaurant a few times on our trips into St Albans and we where intrigued to try it, we managed to get a table today on a Saturday which is really unusual, but we where so glad we tried! Gosh it was wonderful, a fantastic range from a set lunch menu to a 9 course taster menu - we wimped out and just went for the set lunch menu, which was a very wise move as each course was plentiful, tasty, and a full feast for the eyes. Every single course was served with style and friendly/helpful advice from the waiter, we where made to feel very welcome from the second we stepped in the restaurant to the second we left, the food was exemplary so hats off to the kitchen staff! We will be back but this time for taster menu! Keep up the good work team

Visited last night for the first time and it was wonderful. The staff are so welcoming which was lovely. We had the 8 course tasting menu , on arrival of each course it was explained what each dish was. It was all beautifully presented and was delicious, so many different flavours. It was our anniversary and they gave us a card and then to finish a plate decorated with a chocolate happy anniversary and some petit fors. Can’t wait to return.

Had a surprise birthday meal for my Wife with some friends last week, again a stunning performance from Phil and Team. No surprises, everything just as expected from a top quality dining experience.It is an absolute pleasure to be back post pandemic, a treasured find in Hertfordshire and without comparison.

After visiting Thompson during the summer, I returned to try the Autumn tasting menu, and I really was not disappointed. Every course is just an incredible combination of flavours and always cooked well.The parfaits here are always delicious and this occasion was no exception.The cheese board with wine pairings was also a nice touch.

What an absolute gem of a restaurant. My husband and I experienced a 9 course taster menu with accompanying wine. On arrival we were greeted like old friends despite having never visited before. We were made to feel incredibly welcome and enjoyed a delicious glass of champagne whilst the tasting experience was carefully explained to us. The anticipation of what was to come made our mouthes water.Each course was carefully served, exquisitely presented and expertly explained along with the wine that had been selected to complement the flavours within the dishes. The photo is of ‘Allotment baby pumpkin risotto special.’ It really was very special as it was served on a bed of smoking leaves.Tania looked after us during the evening and was extremely knowledgeable. Many members of the staff team chatted with us during the evening which made the evening enjoyable. Their passion for the food being served clearly shone through and the connection with Phil’s Father in laws allotment added to the very personal evening. Our evening was not just a meal but a whole experience to tantalise all senses. If you’re looking for a night of culinary indulgence then you have found exactly the right place to go.We are looking forward to many more visits with family and friends.

Went for an impromptu lunch which was wonderful as usual. We had the 3 course set lunch with a glass each of the recommended wine to go with it. Service and food were first class.

I enjoyed a wonderful night at Thompson’s to celebrate my milestone birthday. We were so well looked after from drinks in the bar to start, to candles in my cake to finish. And some absolutely impeccable food and wine and cocktails in between! If you are thinking about coming here, I would not hesitate. Best place in St Albans. Thanks to all the team for such a fab night x

Phil Thompson is one seriously talented Chef (Wizard!). We visited on Thursday and had the seven course tasting menu. The amount of work that must have to go into each and every element of the dishes is just incredible. This was by far the best meal we've ever had in a Michelin restaurant (and we've had a few). Beef from local suppliers, great wine selection. Incredibly reasonably priced for what you get and the service is second to none, served with pride and deservedly so! Thank you Thomson St Albans!

Fabulous evening, eating and drinking Argentina’s best food and wine. Great service, great atmosphere and looking forward to our next visit.

Another wonderful, raxed, evening at this great restaurant. As always, great food, service and atmosphere. Mid-week treat indeed!

I've eaten in the restaurant a couple of times and to be honest I forgot to leave a 5* review both times. Funny how people forget when they have an amazing experience and yet never forget if the slightest thing goes wrong (which it didn't). I was only reminded to leave a review after yet another spectacular pub in the park experience. Top quality food, service, staff and experience. Can't fault Phil and his team.

Thompson’s just keeps on getting better. The 7 course taster menu was perfectly paced and the portions allowed us to get to the end of the meal with elegant sufficiency having eaten every dish completely . The food was outstanding with varied textures and flavours whilst dealing with a couple of food allergies and a vegetarian. Thank you team Thompson!

I had high expectations but unfortunately they totally missed the mark. When paying £100s you expect a lot more than this place can offer. Whilst the food was tasty, it wasn’t particularly innovative or exciting. For a tasting menu you want a bit of a culinary experience. This is not it. We were also left hungry as the portions are so tiny.The wine pairing is a bit of a waste of time. Glasses plonked on your table without the course and at times no description of what the wine even is!! Not acceptable!There was also such a hard up sell that left a sour taste in my mouth. It felt rushed and I won’t be going back.

My wife and I had lunch here. The staff were attentive.The dining room was plain but we expected that having checked the restaurant's website. In terms of food, we enjoyed the 7 course tasting menu. We felt however the waiting time between each course was slightly inconsistent, and in some cases, perhaps a bit too long. It can however be hard to get the balance right as we have had tasting menus where it was like a conveyor belt approach.

Oh dear, missed the mark by a mile. Over familiar staff, bland upstairs dining room with no ambience, waiting staff who yawned and said they were tired. No tempo to the 7 course tasting menu and raw scallops served for course 3. We were moved downstairs where the dining room is better. Service obviously then went over the top and whilst they realised they had fallen short of standards, it didn't really matter by then.Disappointing, should and could do a lot better.

A long awaited treat to visit this restaurant. We had the 7 course tasting menu paired with wine . We were not disappointed. The food was excellent. The staff were friendly , knowledgeable and provided a relaxed dining experience . Thank you to our waitress . Service certainly came with a smile .

My wife and I had the pleasure of trying their 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing.. It was superb, every course was so refined and delicious. The wine pairing was fantastic too. The waiting staff make you feel special and this is by far one of the best fine dining restaurants in Hertfordshire! Keep up the good work Phil and team!

Our first meal at Thompsons. The ambience of the ground floor room was pleasant, despite the currently- trendy grey eveywhere. First impressions were a little rocky - both of our knives had dirty marks on them, as if they’d been lifted straight from the dishwasher and not given a polish. We were immediately offered water, so asked for sparkling water, which arrived promptly. All well and good, but I had to ask three times for the second bottle to arrive. The menu offered 5 or 7 dish tasting menus (we took the latter), or a 4 course weekday menu for £42, but I wish they had a longer a la carte menu - my partner didnt really like any of the dishes on offer on the £42 menu, so we had to go for the taster menu. However, we enjoyed it very much. The sweetcorn mouse starter with apple and spring onion certainly excited the palate and got us ready for more. The plaice with shredded burnt leeks was very good. The beef was rare, tender and delicious, though I’m glad we supplemented it with an additional dish each of new potatoes and veg (though we had asked for french beans but got brought marrow!). At £6-50 a throw, I feel these sides are rather over-priced. Also, we were offered the opportunity to add an 8th course of risotto with chicken oysters - which we took as it was a birthday celebration - for £10, plus an extra £5 for grated Australian truffle on top. Extremely tasty, but £5 for a bit of grated truffle per person? This wasn’t snail porridge at Heston’s - c’mon! There was a complimentary glass of chilled red ‘truffle hunter’ wine included with this dish, but we had to down tools and wait to attract a waiter’s eye to get these delivered to the table. Final two courses were a lovely mango mousse and a superb bitter chocolate thing with a quenelle of sour cherry sorbet on top. With our added veg sides, we had a substantial meal. All in all, a lovely unhurried meal that worked out at about £100 a head before wine (we were there for about three hours, though when you book online it says you have the table for two hours). Asked for a taxi and they readily obliged, but a pity the service let it down a bit at times: attracting the attention of a waiter was definitely rather hit & miss and I know I’m a fast drinker, but my glass was often empty for a good five minutes before anyone noticed. Three and a half stars (“good”) in my books. But we will be happy to go back - it really was good food.

We dined at Thompsons on 14th August and were really looking forward to a lovely menu. Unfortunately due to a confusing website, we were told that the only menu was a tasting one at £69 a pop per person. The restaurant insisted on taking an £80 deposit so we were faced with a tricky situation. Lose the deposit or stay. The tasting menu was underwhelming. In particular, the starter which consisted of a sweetcorn form with spring onions and apple. It was frankly unpalatable. We have all dined in restaurants all over the world and we were extremely disappointed. The rest of the food was okay but when we had the duck we were told we had to pay an extra £6.50 for potatoes and £6.50 for vegetables. We left the restaurant starving and a veritable dent in our wallets.

We celebrated 2 birthdays and our anniversary here with 13 of our family members on Saturday lunchtime and had sole use of the upstairs. From the initial organisation of the event, Will was really helpful and accommodating. It was a bit tricky knowing whether everyone would be able to attend due to Covid and so many people having to isolate but we were very happy with the flexibility offered by the restaurant. The food was (as always), top notch. We had an adapted tasting menu and were able to pick our favourites from the 5 and 7 course options, plus cheese. Everyone was impressed with the food and the wine pairings with each course was delicious. The service was very friendly without being over the top. Nick and Alex were both really informative about the food and drink and very helpful. One of our guests didn’t like the main element of one of the courses - without him even asking, it was whisked away and replaced with an alternative without any fuss at all. We really believe this is the best restaurant in a very large radius and we’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Catching up with a friend, we had a wonderful, leisurely lunch. We chose the 5 course tasting menu. Each course was delicious and so well presented. We were very pleased that we had chosen the 5 course option and not the 7, as it was more than sufficient. The atmosphere is always great here and the service from Will and the team is second to none! I really do think this is great value. I look forward to being back soon.

I came back with a friend yesterday as we had been to Thompson's in December for a lovely meal.We were shocked at how small the portion was for the lunch time menu. I wish I had taken a picture to show. You need to purchase sides because the main meal is absolutely tiny - appalling value for money and will not return.

I booked this for our wedding anniversary. It sounded very exciting and we signed up for the 7 course taster menu. We were accommodated well at the front door and enjoyed a drink at the bar. It all seemed very promising. We were sat in the upstairs part to begin with which felt like I was back at work in an office. Terrible interior design. It needs a complete overhaul to justify the style of restaurant that it is. We asked to be moved downstairs.The courses then began. Many were good and interesting but not amazing. I would expect at least 2 to 3 of them to be knock out dishes. This is imperative for a tasting menu to justify the small quantity per course.Although a very nice evening we both left feeling slightly hungry and not overwhelmed by the quality of the food. The dent in the wallet was also quite substantial. For £120 per head including tip I expect better.The staff were excellent and couldn’t be faulted. Nearly there but not quite. I wouldn’t return any time soon.

Thank you for making my mum's birthday so special. She said it was the best meal and experience she has ever had. We felt relaxed and welcome from the delicious pre-dinner cocktails. Then the tasting menu with wine pairing was amazing, so well crafted, delicious ingredients and cooked and presented to perfection. The service was wonderful. And the cheese and wine pairing at the end was amazing. I'm still dreaming of some of the flavours days after! Cannot recommend highly enough.

It was a wonderful evening. We have started with cocktails at the bar and proceeded to the dining area to have a wonderful experience. The food is exceptional (as expected) and the staff absolutely wonderful. We had to bring our 2,5 yo as babysitter bailed last minute. All the staff were supper nice to us and the little one . Can’t wait to go back.

We booked a restaurant in Kensington for my 40th birthday three months before the date, but they cancelled on the day due to no air con and it being 30 degrees. Called Thompson and spoke to Will who was very relaxed and moved things round to fit us in. Pre dinner cocktails were great. Food was very, very good, service was faultless. A huge thanks to will and all the team for saving my 40th... we should have just stayed locally in the first place!!

Another fabulous night at Thompson’s wonderful atmosphere. Staff so friendly and attentive. Exquisite food Totally recommend this restaurant

We are a vegan couple and had dinner here as a birthday treat.We left very happy.The truth is that the dishes were very good. Yes, some of them could’ve been a little more flavourful, but overall this was a really excellent effort from the chef in a restaurant that is not purely vegan.The staff were friendly and professional. I would like to mention especially the sommelier lady, it was her first day and she was knowledgeable, warm and friendly. If you are vegan in St Albans, and you are looking for a fine dining experience in town, this is the place. Thank you for making this birthday so special. We will be back!

I visited this restaurant for a birthday lunch. The food, drink, service and decor were all fantastic; Will and the inhouse team really went the extra mile to make it a special occasion for us. I will definitely be coming back to Thompson again soon!

We last visited Thompson St Albans in 2017 and had reason to return for a special event.We were greeted by the general manager who helped us select cocktails to start with. He was extremely knowledgeable of the entire menu, and the wine pairings. In addition, the cocktails were amazing. In particular, the ginger / chilli / litchi / bubbles cocktail (his own creation) is worth trying.We opted for the 7 course tasting menu. We also followed the recommendation for the wine pairing to be split between the 2 of us. (We normally avoid wine pairing simply due to the quantity of alcohol, but sharing it made sense.)It's difficult to use words to describe how amazing our experience was. The flavours, presentation and service were incredible. The wine pairing was outstanding.Thompson kept up the great work in the kitchen - improving since the last time. But they have also invested heavily in improving the overall ambience of the restaurant. Expect earthier tones in the restaurant, candle lighting and a generally friendlier environment.They will be a thoroughly deserving recipient of a star one day. A visit is highly recommended.

As a treat for my husbands 60 th birthday I booked the tasting menu and the pairing wines menu.It was superb, the food was out of this world with highlights such as Turbot fish, the amazing liver parfait which we would easily eaten again, to the cheese board and then the strawberries.Each wine was knowledgeably presented and well matched.We did not know such a fine place was on our doorstep.We will return - soon.Thank you for an amazing evening

We celebrated my daughter’s 30th birthday at Thompson a couple of nights ago, and it was absolutely fantastic. We had the 7-course tasting menu and it was a marvellous experience, especially tailored to our individual tastes and adapted for my husband who is coeliac. We were so impressed: we had a warm welcome at the door, the service was very friendly and knowledgeable, the food was exquisite, and we had specialist advice on each of the wines we chose. Congratulations and a huge thank you to the whole team for creating unforgettable memories of a very special evening!!

We had the 7 course tasting menu; each course was faultless and absolutely delicious. Definitely deserves a Michelin star! Thank you for a beautiful lunch.

I enjoyed the 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was ridiculously good. Nothing comes close to Thopson in St Albans. It was so great to finally be able to visit my favourite restaurant again.

We had lunch on Father’s Day and it was even better than I remembered. We all had beef Wellington which was quite simply the best we have ever had. From the warm greeting on our arrival to our departure the whole experience could not have been better. The food, service and ambience were superb. The whole team are to be congratulated. Well done all. We have booked three more meals in the next few months already and can’t wait for the dates to arrive.

Had a wonderful evening celebrating a 45th wedding anniversary, and 2 of us reaching retirement age. The personable Will talked us through the Mid-week Treat menu. Pre-dinner drinks outside and dinner in the conservatory. Food,  drinks, and service all excellent.  Add the great, relaxed, atmosphere and the nice touch at the end, to make a wonderful, memorable evening! Great value! Can't recommend this place enough. I'll be visiting again soon,  just to celebrate it being there!

Brilliant meal, food was amazing, we’ve been to a number of Michelin starred restaurants and this was on par. Lovely tasting menu complimented with the wine pairing. Will serving front of house was a pleasure and we hope to see him on our next visit. 10/10

My girlfriend is a celiac & Pescatarian, so sometimes struggles to find delicious varied food in finer restaurants we visit, that are sometimes not very accommodating. However that wasn’t the case here at all, Nick our fantastic waiter, who was kind and patient, took time to explain that they can basically make a gluten free version of practically every dish and she could substitute in dishes she fancied of other menus, and more importantly, that it wasn’t any hassle or bother for the kitchen. The wine pairing menu she had perfectly complimented all of her dishes and substitutes. I was the designated driver so could only have one drink and opted for a lychee martini, which I’ve been trying to perfect at home but just can’t seem to get the balance right. Nick came out to show me the different bottles used so I could replicate at home. No more martini troubles here. And it was delicious.It was our anniversary and the whole night felt special from start to finish. It was a warm night so we ate outside in the courtyard which had an al fresco European vibe to it. The desert was probably my favourite dish as I have a guilty sweet tooth, the chocolate mouse against the mint ice cream with all the little goodies around it just melted away. And the midweek treat menus we had with a complimentary glass of Prosecco was exactly what it said on the tin, a treat, and a very reasonably priced one at that. Thank you.

I must say I was very impressed having not been to Thompson’s before, the food was brilliant, not a bad word to say. The atmosphere was lovely and our waitress Charlie went above and beyond for us, making our experience that much better. Would definitely recommend.

This restaurant combines superb food with outstanding customer service. Drinks on the patio followed by an amazing taster menu. Its difficult to write a review of each course without just saying superb. Add the cheese course as it sets the deserts up nicely. All the staff are happy, positive and attentive. Clearly a great employer that encourages that culture. Birthday "boy" was made to feel special and loved the evening. Welcome back and thank you.

Enjoyed lunch with our daughter and son in law, on their first day reopening, well worth the wait.... Great service, great food, pleasant surrounding and good value. Looking forward to booking an evening meal so we can go for the taster menu's 5 or 7 courses look great.

This restaurant was amazing. As soon as we walked in the staff are brilliantly attentive. The 7 course taster menu and wine pairing was just perfect. It was cooked to absolute perfection. We couldn't fault the quality and service. Will be coming back.

Brought my two daughters for dinner, food was excellent, atmosphere and service was superb. Thank you to our waitress Charlotte she was really helpful with the menu, wine pairings and a lovely waitress! All the food on the 7 course taster menu is top notch would definitely recommend.

First time ive been to thompson, food was amazing definitely recommend the 7 course taster! Our waitress charlotte was lovely and she made the whole experience that much better. Nice to meet the chef thompson at the end too!

Amazing food, brilliant service will be back after lockdown

A wonderful experience. Service and food were spot on. Looking forward to visiting again when we can!

Perfect! Wonderful! We walked in the door and we’re taken care of from start to finish! We had the tasting menu with wine paring. All the staff are so friendly and fabulous. The cocktail bar is a must.....It’s just as important to us as the dinner part for the amazing cocktails and quite frankly the hilarious and really entertaining Barman. They just get us in a really happy mood before we’ve even started with our meal part! We used to come here for Special occasions and now it’s starting to become a regular as it really gives us that extra special treatment in such a trying year 😊. If you’re looking for a evening out with family or friends you need to visit! You will feel special from start to finish! (Coming from soon to be regulars!) Jo and Jim (Harpenden)

My wife and I managed to just get in under the Tier 3/4 Covid wire. So glad we did; we had the 7 course tasting menu which was delicious and the wine flight matched it. We preferred the venison to the beef (not that the beef was poor, just the venison even better). Excellent service rounded off a lovely pre-Christmas treat.

If I could give 10 stars I would. The food is amazing.

Delicious food and lovely setting

Nothing negative to say here. Absolutely fab - u - loud!

A lovely experience for a special occasion. The staff were attentive, but not pushy. The food was excellent and the flight of wines were great with the 7 course taster menu. A lovely meal. Good luck as you enter this latest lockdown!

Superb 7 course tasting menu (actually on the night we were given one extra!)

We celebrated my birthday with the December set lunch menu, which was excellent, both in terms of food quality and value. They had just been informed that St Albans was to move into Tier 3 so they would have to close down shortly and cancel all the Christmas bookings, which was of course devastating for them, but this did not prevent them from offering us friendly and helpful service. They provided good gluten-free bread for my coeliac husband and were well-informed about what was available for him. We have eaten at Thompson before and have never been disappointed with the food or service.

The food was delicious and the five course tasting, just right for lunch. Service was attentive without being imposing. Thank you

A fantastic dining experience with knowledgeable staff. Food was great quality and the whole dining experience a pleasure.

Tasting menu with the wine pairing was excellent in joyed every course Staff on knowledgeable and friendly service was excellent Slightly expensive to go every night but would highly recommend going Slightly expensive to go every night but would highly recommend going

Thompson’s never disappoint , we had the most fantastic lunch , superb food , great service and a lovely atmosphere . David and I had a 2 further bookings over the next 10 days and sadly with closures we cannot go. Hopefully we ll be back with the wonderful Thompson Team as soon as they open again in January . I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough . Always fabulous. Merry Christmas all of you.