Westerns Laundry in Islington

The food was unique, tasty and very well presented but this is a sharing plates restaurant therefore the plates need to be of sufficient size to actually share and in quite a few cases they really aren’t. Shockingly so. We were all hungry after the recommended number of plates and ended up consuming more bread as a result. The ‘cheese’ was a teeny, tiny slice of goats cheese for £8. We genuinely queried if that was it - the waitress acknowledged it was and apologised. The gnocchi was lovely, as were the cod, the leeks and fig dishes. The desserts were all very nice. Very few of the more common drinks are available, the wine is very expensive and the non-alcoholic options are unusual but not necessarily in a good way. One drink smelt like leachate from my compost bin. It depends what you’re looking for but I probably wouldn’t go back. Overall pleasant but not particularly satisfying and overpriced.

Went for a meal for a family birthday. Tasty food and great atmosphere, the staff were lovely and our waitress recommended some great dishes. Finished with the rum baba, can see why it's a regular, tasted gorgeous! Never felt rushed or pressured, lovely evening and will definitely go again.

Dishes well presented but echoing other reviews, we did not enjoy our overpriced wine. Waitresses were rushed and tense. Warmth and personal touch missing

Nice relaxed vibe, contemporary, charming staff, good food, unique menu. Would recommend for sure…. If you want something relaxed and a little different, try this…

I loved everything about this experience, as my parents and siblings did. It’s a lovely way to share food by ordering 8-9 small plates for the table. I actually think that it was reasonably priced considering the level of quality. The service was very good and I loved sitting outside in the courtyard.

The tast of foods is great, the sauces, spices and arrangement of high quality. The starters have miniature size, the main courses insufficient to be satisfied from the quantity. For fine dining the presentation of the food is not sufficient. There is a wide gap between quality of the food and the amount to be satisfied. Unexpected the desserts are huge and oversized. The cheapest bottle of wine "Cattarata" comes open on the table, the taste is a bit strange between applejuice and Retsina. I never had such a strange taste since 40 years. The tradition to open the bottle at the table ensures the customers to have an original.

We were disappointed with some elements of the service. The staff were fairly blunt and un-accommodating. We asked for a bottle of Prosecco and were given a £70 bottle of sparkling wine without being told the price until the bill came. I think they could do more to improve the customer experience

I loved my meal at this restaurant. People have complained about small portion sizes but I thought they were perfect for sharing with a partner. The waitress let us know her recommendation for how many plates and sizes we should get and it worked out well. The wine options were great. I would come back here again.

The restaurant is an open plan dining room and kitchen with a clear industrial workspace feel. The seating is arranged so that we could be sharing a table with “new found friends”. The tapas style menu {the restaurant is a British & Spanish small plates eatery} changes frequently and the central chalkboard shows the food, wine and other drinks on offer. Our waiter advised on the amount of food we should order and the waitress seemed well informed about the background and flavour of the wines although neither offered suggestions as to pairing the wines with the plates that we’d ordered. The sharing plates were interesting but all the “sauces” dominated the main ingredient of each dish. I wanted the mushrooms, the asparagus and the calçots to be the star of the show but were lost. The accompanying sauces were good, especially the spelt over the asparagus, but I wanted to savour the main stars. We ordered 2 of the larger dishes; the trout and the ray wing. The ray wings were very good but my lips were left with a salty glaze which took a while to lose. The trout was possibly the most disappointing dish. Our white wines were left unfinished. None of them were exciting and didn’t really do anything for the meal. A plus for the restaurant, the price per glass was in correct proportion to the full bottle price. Of the 4 desserts on offer, we found that the choice quite simple. It was then only one left after we’d eliminated the other 3. Why dress up a crème brûlée with rhubarb and rose ? A rum baba {this dish seems to be making a bit of a come back} is ok if you like rum soaked cake. A plate of unknown cheeses is always a risk. BUT … wait because we did order the Caramel ice cream choux bun, chocolate & praline which was a success. We also paired this with the Vieille Noix from the “Afters” list. This combination was a success but sadly not sufficient to rescue an overpriced, disappointing experience.

Lovely relaxed setting, super friendly staff. Fab food presentation. The portions were on the small and pricey side but they were all extremely delicious. The wine selection was excellent and even the dessert list, which looked pretty standard on the board, all surprised us when we tucked in. This place has set a new standard for creme brulee 👌🏻

The portions are not only small but lack substance. The cuttlefish I ordered was barely the size of a shrimp cut so small that the chef must have used a scalpel. The mussel risotto was bland and most of the rest was too salty. And obscuring everything in squid ink seems like a grifter's gambit. The wine list is ridiculous - a £10 bottle priced at £60. It's also very noisy. Absurd and pointless .

We had a very good time sitting at the bar watching the service in front of us, the place is small and the service relaxed, so if you want table cloths and silver service this might not be for you. The menu changes daily and we were treated to good octopus and whipped cod roe with beetroot amongst other dishes, The rum babas was a great way to finish the meal. It was the day of the FA Cup game so the place was busy and full but from our vantage point we had a great time. Oh and the bread is very good.

probably the worst service i have encountered in London! decent food, avoid the seabass, avoid the wine (it's all too natural and tastes vile!)

Positives: The food was very good, and there seemed a nice vibe. Negatives: The dishes were hugely overpriced and some dishes came out cold. Service was so bad, the staff seemed to prefer to talk to each other than wait on tables. The white wine was undrinkable so my friends had to go for red and my lager was so small and they had a head on it that took up a quarter of the glass. We were sat next to the door and kept getting a freezing draft as the customers and a member of staff kept leaving the door open. So annoying. Then the waitress seemed to remember we were there when she pestered us to leave as our time was up. Would never go again and do no recommend.

sat at the counter, the waitress was a sour puss but for the rest what an amazing meal. I ordered the Sea Bream,the toast with pork fat and anchovy, the cod salad, the lamb and a cheese plate. All were very simple, not over seasoned but the favor of each dish was amazing, def. worth it to go back

Really disappointing visit, the staff were either too busy or just plain bored to engage with customers. To order food we were advised to take a photo of the blackboard, no printed menus. One starter was sent back as we had the vegetarian pasta option that arrived cold. It was reheated and came back burnt. Main course was sent back as also cold. When sending second course back the waitress response when asked is this acceptable to have to return food twice , I am getting it re-heated what more do you want me to do! Restaurant far too dark to the point you couldn't see the food you were eating. It's ok to get things wrong but it is how you deal with correcting things is the issue. Western Laundry failed miserably on both the quality of food and the quality of service.

Came here with friends and ate a lot of the menu, all of which was fabulous. Atmosphere was great and we had a lovely evening Wine was good and service was very attntive. Highly recommend.

Never again! Very disappointing - our food was cold so it was taken back and microwaved/warmed up which resulted in it now being overcooked, you are crammed in like battery hens on communal tables, it was so dark you couldn't see what you were eating (but I think it's probably beneficial in that you can't see the extortionate bill) the service is appalling and the portions are very small - a very unpleasant dining experience.

Un ristorante disinvolto con grandi tavoli sociali e con un servizio snello. Il menù è fantasioso e va dalle pagelle siciliane alla polenta con verdure della bassa padana ai mackerel e ai monkfish nordeuropei. Interessante il pudding per concludere, meno il babà.

This place presents itself as top end food with a unique take but does not deliver in a very expensive way. Portion sizes are very small even for a tapas type menu. It feels like theyve gotten so into the idea of their own food theyve neglected to consider if they are delivering any value for money. The wines are all low intervention/organic coming with a pretentiously expensive price tag and the chances are you wont be able to find any similarities with the wine you thought you were ordering. I was so looking forward to this place, but have come away very disappointed feeling ripped off. Since leaving ive checked online for other reviews seems the Times and the FT felt the same.

It was better than I thought it would be. The food was lovely, fresh and well presented. I thought it was pricey considering we all had mains plus 1 salad and no starters. Overall its a very good restaurant and I will return to try to some other dishes.

Dined here with my daughter who had been several times before. I’ll admit I was a little concerned after reading some reviews re portion sizes etc. Don't be concerned, ok, it’s not like huge groaning plates of food but boy is it good and very tasty bread and butter is available, as much as you like! Highlights for me were the anchovies and the cod with girolles and pomme purée. I would absolutely return and highly recommend. Thank you for a lovely evening.

I like Westerns Laundry a lot. A member of the micro chain of restaurants that includes Jolene, Big Joes Bakery and Primeur, but with more of a focus on fish and seafood than the others. I have been here quite a bit before and it’s always good if not very good but there is something about it that doesn’t quite hit the same high standard of Jolene in my eyes. I don’t like the food as much but that’s a personal thing. The staff are a bit more aloof, but hey ho, this is Norf London, so to be expected. Food was good blah, blah blah. They also have a really nice outside space so good during the summer. Wine can be a bit natural (eg farmyard, slightly fecal) if that floats your boat, if not suggest you ask as they are quite helpful at finding alternatives for the more elderly like me. Enjoy!

Overrated, unbelievable expensive and really basic. Cold pasta followed by a bizarre array of salads. Located in scaffolds next the the brilliant Emirates - such a shame that this restaurant seeks to RIP you off on pretentious arrogance. £180 for 2? We had 6 salads between 6 of us and they were dull. Follows with some fish - absolutely nothing special and Guinea foul which was loved by some. The bill was Mayfair for a suburbs grill- better value at Harvester.

It’s time someone called a halt to the current trend for small sharing plates. It really is an excuse to overcharge for small portions, very much in evidence here. This restaurant has a small menu of mainly fish dishes and natural wines. The food was decent but not worthy of a bib gourmand rating as being value for money. The natural wines were challenging especially the whites we tasted but I found the Barbera red very pleasant. Desserts were hit and miss. My daughter ordered cheese instead of dessert. What came were 4 small cold pieces of pre cut cheese. It was a miserable offering at £14 The staff were friendly, helpful and patient. However I wouldn’t eat here again as I think it is very overpriced and the natural wines are not to my taste.

Went for dinner last night with friends, and the food was great. The evening was spoiled though as we were sitting by the door. There seemed to be a constant throng of people going out and back in, as well as those arriving and leaving. Most people left the door open (including one member of staff). It was freezing cold outside. I was facing the door and couldn’t stand the cold breeze coming in, so I got up around 10 times to close the door. As I suggested, there should be a sign on the door asking customers to close it behind them.

70th Birthday surprise dinner tonight, treated by our son and daughter in law after Sadlers Wells ballet . Such an unexpected venue that literally was a Laundry, open plan layout with comfy 4 seater banquets and long central tables. You choose as many small plated...

We were staying in a friends apartment for the weekend, across the street from the Emirates Stadium where a certain London football team resides, and this lovely restaurant was recommended to us. It's quite hip and trendy but thats okay, there was quite a broad...

Really lovely restaurant. Cool setting, lovely ambience, a lovely neighbourhood spot off the beaten track that you genuinely wouldn't know existed. I've lived in London for 11 years and I'd never heard of Drayton Park as an area before, despite it being super close to...

Service crisp and concise. Super people! Great ambiance, and a positive vibe. Food unexciting and over promised. Natural wine extortionately expensive, no other options.

I took my wife here on her birthday and we had some fabulous food which was worth sharing with someone special. Would have had 5 stars from me if the menu was easier to read. It's a blackboard on the wall and my sight isn't...

We've been twice with friends and family, and have had a lovely experience trying a medley of interesting foods. We'll be back as the menu changes often, and while it's not a cheap experience, it's definitely a special one.

We arrived at 2.30 for lunch. Ordered drinks and lovley pickles and bread. Then one member of staff appeared and said the kitchen closes in a few minutes you must put your order in. The urgency was not highlighted at the time of booking and...

We have eaten at the restaurant in the South west, which was fab. We use the bakery in Hornsey a lot, which is also excellent. First time we came here, the service was poor, but the food ok. This time a thoroughly disappointing affair. we...

Lovely ambience. Great, imaginative food, BUT very, very small portions, especially sharing as a table of four. Very, very expensive and average wine. Would not visit again for these reasons. Way too expensive for a neighbourhood restaurant.

Very expensive for what you get. I didn't get the sharing concept. They bring new dishes but not cleaning plates from the previous. I had lamb it was like old shoe. People sit an inch away from each other, very claustrophobic. But the chef has...

The restaurant is a little off the beaten track and is quite a unique proposition, with some interesting dishes. The food we had was really good on the whole however, however the portion sizes were very small and not befitting the price. The staff, however,...

Westerns waits for you! I had no expectations as I’d not chosen this restaurant. It sits on a beautiful residential area in Drayton Park. Long tables give a sense of sharing, which is the philosophy of this restaurant - sharing plates are what they do...

Fantastic food with a huge variety of dishes, friendly staff and brilliant wine. Can’t recommend highly enough and will be returning.

First time trying this restaurant and I was not disappointed … wonderful atmosphere and the service of excellent! Watching the kitchen staff prepare all the food was a great experience and to top it all off .. the food was amazing! I will most definitely...

Had the tastiest meal here with a friend. We were sat at the counter, with a perfect view into the kitchen, able to watch the amazing team with together. The food was some of the best we've tasted, and between us we've eaten in a...

A great welcome and exceptional service. The tasting plates were all delicious, the mackerel and crab plates in particular. Excellent wines accompanied each course, suggested by a very knowledgeable manager. We moved outside for coffee and liqueurs by which time every table was full and...

Sat at the bar with a friend - we ate exceptionally well and drank good wine too (and they do a decent negroni). The waiters were lovely - knowledgeable, hospitable, highly competent. The restaurant was full - the atmosphere was really lively and positive. We...

Great space - outside seating, olive trees and then a semi-covered structure that reminded of sukkot with a square dining room behind and an open kitchen. Ultra-friendly service - and great ultra-tasty food. Skate, croquttas. Quail - with rum baba. Rice pudding with cherries abs...

Great ambiance and service. Thought the food was a bit underwhelming and overpriced for what it was. Wouldn’t recommend for dinner , it’s it’s wine with a small side. Perfect!

This place is amazing!!!! This is some of the best food in London. I'm not normally even a big seafood person, but given the reviews and the fact it has a nice outdoor patio I thought we'd give it a go. So happy we did...

good food and decent service but the table seating won't be to everyones liking. book in advance especially at thew weekends as it gets busy.

I had a really pleasant meal the first time I was here a few years ago but unfortunately since then the experience had changed quite dramatically for the worse. I’m going to list out the things that annoyed me through the evening as I was...

What an impressive place to gather for great food, good people and a lovely atmosphere. Reasonably priced. I really enjoyed my visit and look forward to returning the next time I’m in London.

Overal very disappointed. We had one guest that had an intolerance and was advised which dishes he could have. He ordered the Tubot which came with sides however when presented there were no sides as these contained the ingredients that he couldn’t have. He was...

Sadly we booked this restaurant for my wives Birthday. Should have got a takeaway which have been far more tastier! Firstly I cannot understand a restaurant where the lighting is so low you cannot see what you are eating let alone order with most people...

We went here for Sunday lunch as it had been on the restaurant bucketlist for a couple of years. On arrival, we had a really warm welcome and shown to the end of a long communal table. Normally I don't like this style of seating...

wonderful oasis next to a football stadium. beautiful light filled room, long tables, v family friendlly for a sunday brunch. food was simple but expertly done, humble pasta with wilted greens and fried bread crumbs much more than a sum of its parts, pork collar...

I'm afraid I add myself to the list of hugely disappointed diners. I genuinely failed to find a redeeming feature of this restaurant. Wine extortionately priced. Acceptable, but certainly not excellent, food served in embarrassingly small portions at ludicrous prices. We had to call the...

I was a little nervous about going after seeing mixed reviews. The food was absolutely delicious. Every dish we ordered did not disappoint. Portion sizes were generous and dishes were packed with flavour. The only downside was the service, the waitresses didn't give any guidance...

Arrived, had a nice table in the main area and not on stools which I was pleased about. Asked if we could have a gin and tonic outside first, which was fine, but the drinks took about 20 mins to come (we only ordered three)....

Off the beaten track, interesting location; I found the food very tasty but I did find the portions stingy. Restaurants should serve more decent portions for the price, to get people returning... it is such a false economy to serve small portions as people don't...

Beautiful setting and delicious food but felt slightly bullied into ordering more than we wanted it needed which added £30 to the bill. A small plate is like a big starter and a big is like a main. You don’t need one small one large...

We had heard that this should be a good place, specialized in fish. Ordered two vegetariann dishes and two with fish. One including mackerel and the other cod. The taste was ok, but not more. Not much use of spices, but the food certainly could...

Food really quite boring and not interesting, natural wines that did not convince and scatty service that does not make you feel taken care of. It's a place where neither me or my friends felt good. A shame

Great food - polenta dish is out of this world - lovely atmosphere - great service. Not cheap and I feel some dishes are a little overpriced but it’s was a lovely evening. Small plate style eatery. Candles. Wine. Great buzz. Communal and personal tables...

A grumpy waitress soon destroyed the north London cool and a £4 beer of just over half a pint set the scene for small portions at big prices Don’t visit until they realise that service should be with a smile and not a constant hassling...

£26 for a very ordinary bottle of Muscadet and £8 for ricotta and broad beans on toast, compounded by the the rude and surly waitress, who kept pressuring us to order more food and drink.She did not smile once and grew visibly impatient when we...

There was no menu at all, was a chaotic experience but loved it. When we seated down our server provided us with a a4 printed menu, and pointed at the black board, which was the menu basicly We started with salmon and potato courgettes which...

I visited recently with friends. We had a great evening. The service was friendly and just the right amount of checking in and speediness. The menu was not long but had a good range of options to suit most. We enjoyed the food and experience...

Nice staff, not overly friendly but knowledgeable & efficient. The food was lovely, very fresh. I would have given it 5 stars except the portions of meat / fish were quite small, although the quality of ingredients was really excellent.

We had a booking for 3 people, for some unknown reason they seated us at the end of a long table squeezing 3 into a 2 person table. The white wine was truly awful and the red wasn't much better despite asking for recommendations from...

We had a family lunch: portions are small so one has to order many different dishes not to leave hungry, The best was kingfish and monkfish, wines are also good. Blackboard instead of paper menu.

We had an absolutely wonderful Sunday lunch at Westerns Laundry yesterday - great room, service, food, wine & atmosphere! We wish we had somewhere as great as this as our local restaurant!

We had a lovely Saturday evening here. I love the style of the place. Shared tables but enough space / noise / atmosphere for that to be fun rather than annoying. I had read some reviews here about poor service but that was NOT our...

Really underwhelming food and tiny portions. The food was actually really flavourless and we had one dish in particular (the cod) that was underdone. The plates are supposed to be sharing but unless you have the appetite of a small child, there isn’t really enough...

Went here for a date and it was great. Lots of the tables are shared by the way so you can literally hear the people’s conversation both of sides of you - warning in case you don’t like that. I liked the dark lighting and...

Great food, although expensive; great lighting, nice ambience but the whole thing rather let down by nonchalant/surly waitress. Not sure I’ve ever before asked for 10% to be added to the bill without even getting a token ‘thank you’ in reply.

We visited Westerns’s laundry last night with another couple and had a super unexpected evening. The tables are in a long line separated by a chalk line marking your place. The place was bustling full all night with new guests constantly filling up empty tables....

I visited Westerns Laundry for my partner and I's anniversary meal. Whilst I couldn't fault the food or the atmosphere, the service could definitely be improved. We ordered a bottle of fizz which wasn't kept anywhere near our table so half the meal we were...

This place was recommended by a friend who has been there a few times. So we went and absolutely enjoyed the quality of food and service. Glad I didn't read the reviews on TripAdvisor before going since so many people left negative reviews, which comes...

The worst restaurant I have eaten in. The service was poor, a disaster of a concept. The small plates were non existent, the large plates a rip off. It was the first time in over 35 years of eating out in London that I have...

We were at the table nearest the door. With the comings and goings it was often uncomfortable on a November evening. Some of the food is very good, and the value is OK. But the cheapest wine is £27 per bottle (and much is more...

Not a lot of vegetarian options and what there was seemed overpriced for such small portions. It was really busy and the noise/ambiance made it difficult to hear others in our group.

Excellent bread to begin with. Despite the small size of the portions this is a place where you will discover a very creative cuisine. The service is excellent!

Booked for 9.30pm on a Saturday night. It states quite clearly in booking tables are for two hours only. We arrived on time for our booking to find our table was t ready so we are shuffled to a corner to wait and wait while...

`i have visited 5-6 times & the food, staff & wine are always excellent. i'm vegetarian & there is always enough choice. only down side is very noisy in the evenings. lovely outside space for drinks before or after dinner

We went for lunch a couple weeks ago on the strength of rave reviews in the press. Underwhelming food. Some dishes were good especially a pumpkin cream and a beef stew but others were mediocre. A tiny portion of mussels seemed mean as they are...

Despite being based on Drayton Park - a long band of road skirting the perimeter of the Emirates Stadium - Westerns Laundry is certainly worth the diversion from the beaten track. I made the reservation online and requested a table specifically for two. If you...

Our group of three had supper here on a Friday night. The interior is suitably cool, though cramped and noisy, with reflective hard surfaces making conversation difficult. But the food is the real disappointment. We ordered two of the tiny tapas-sized plates each, which barely...

We were seated at the end of the bar on very uncomfortable stools right in the path of all the waiting staff going in and out of the kitchen and overlooking a sink with dirty dishes. After being jostled several times by the waiting staff...

We had a really good meal here, the service was excellent as was the food with a nice variety of dishes all of which were outstanding. The only thing that lets this place down is a very overpriced wine list. There are one or two...

I really don’t get the poor reviews of this place. I’m a TripAdvisor newbie and got caught in the vortex of reading the reviews of some of my favourite places to eat. It’s been entertaining and frustrating in equal measures. Maybe I don’t get the...

Oh dear, it could have been so much better. Poor quality wine at very high prices; small sharing platters, cramped and uncomfortable seating, good but not exceptional cooking, the only menu written on a blackboard twenty five feet from our table ( diners were photographing...

Great food at this local Highbury French restaurant. All the sharing plates that we tried were both interesting and very well executed. There is a nice atmosphere in this busy dining room and the setting is made even nicer by the low level lighting and...

Interesting venue and method of fitting everybody in. Long tables divided with chalk to indicate the demarcation line! There are some tables for two and stools with an eating space. Food was expertly explained and no matter who was serving you they seem knowledgeable. Very...

Having just moved in around the corner from Western laundry I was really looking forward to our visit. I am very pleased to say it didn't disappoint, the atmosphere, service and food were brilliant. The service was spot on, not too over baring. Our waitress...

My experience at the Westerns Laundry, unbelievably over price wines list and most wines on there I would not use for cooking , seriously Food , small plates that you are recommended to shared , share what !! there is nothing there !! Main was...

Food is ok, not creative, very expensive and the place is extremely noisy (very indeed), cramped and expensive for what one gets. I had a good cod (although I asked for mullet which was in the menu) with summer veg in a light broth. Main...

It was surprisingly busy for a Tuesday evening in a neighbourhood restaurant in August. Plenty of buzz on a hot summer night. Our table wasn’t quite ready so we had a glass of delicious Lambrusco in the patio area outside first. We ordered the best...

Yesterday was the second time I've come to this restaurant and the second time I was blown away by the food, especially the croquetas. They change the menu regularly, which tends to have some eastern and southern Spanish touches but is also pretty British --...

Set back from the road just down from The Emirates Stadium and Drayton Park station this fairly new restaurant is clearly not everyone’s ideal eatery if the other TA reviews are anything to go by. The setting is semi industrial with communal type tables -...

The first thing to say is that the setting of this restaurant is fantastic. A simple make over of a ground floor space has an old industrial building with a substantial granite-cobbled courtyard in front. In the current heatwave the courtyard, shaded with two old...

Probably not worth the price you are going to pay here. Food comes in small plates and one has to share amongst the group. Environment was decent but definitely be prepared to leave the place hungry and a significant chunk out of your wallet.

We got a much-appreciated last-minute 7pm reservation here on a Friday night and were pleasantly surprised at how laid-back, friendly and relaxing the place was - due to a few rave reviews we were prepared for a ‘scene’. And the food was equally lovely. The...