Le Mercury

Was dying to try this place and finally got to try it on my anniversary! was not disappointed at all. Food was delicious, prices were reasonable, was well catered for and such a romantic atmosphere with the low lit lighting and candles. We truly couldn't have spent our 2 year celebration anywhere else :) thank you for the memory!

A cosy restaurant and interesting interior decor. Their menu had a good variety of meat and fish to cater to dietary preferences and made this restaurant a good meeting place for small groups, too. Portion size was generous and ideal for sharing. Very good value for money. I particularly enjoyed the pork belly served with sauteed kale, apple, and celariac; that was a beautiful and balanced dish.

Love the atmosphere and the service the most. Food was good, but just not to my liking. Desserts - especially the chocolate tart, was so so good.

Tiny place with lots of character - you can sit in the red booths for more privacy. The food is delicious and the staff were very kind. There is a very good deal for 2 or 3 course menu, so we could try different dishes. We went there in the afternoon so it was only us, but they do serve bigger parties so it would be better to make a reservation just in case, as the place is small.

Loved the decoration and vibes of the place. The food was good and the service. The table we got wasn't the best because it was near the door and it was a bit cool but for the rest everything was great. They offer vegan and vegetarian options and one vegan dessert.

We arrived 5 minutes before our booking, only to arrive to a queue where other people, who also had bookings, had been waiting for while and had still not entered the restaurant. 40 minutes later we were finally sat down. It took 30 minutes before we got served our drinks and a further 30 minutes before we got our starters. My wife and I ordered the beef tartare as the starter, which was severely under seasoned and almost as dry as a Jacob’s cracker. We also ordered the oven Camembert, which never came. After finishing our underwhelming starters, another 40 minutes went by before for our mains arrived. We both went for the beef fillet which was probably the worst steak I’ve ever had. It tasted like someone had just dug it up out of the ground and was as tough as a steel toe cap boot, despite it being “medium rare”. The best part of the meal was probably the sweet potato fries which were definitely frozen, but seasoned well with salt. After having eaten about half of our mains, we decided to leave. Having heard from friends and family that this was a good restaurant, we were utterly gutted at the quality of service and food. Needless to say, we will not be coming back and we don’t recommend anyone come here either.

For the price point vs quality, five stars! Have been several times and does not disappoint in offering classic dishes done really well. Not huge portions, but means you can enjoy a 3 course meal comfortably! Unfortunately did not have zero alcohol beer option but friendly service.

Been here twice, good service. Second time we came here was for a leaving do. They had set up a section for us upstairs which was lovely. There’s a good set menu for groups more than 6. Food was nice, a little bland but not bad. The baked Camembert is really good.

Mercury may be the Roman God of poetry, but Le Mercury is poetry in motion and London's God of value. Off the beaten path, yet worth the hike, take the Victoria Line to Highbury and Islington, turn right out of the station and walk 10 minutes to TravelValue heaven ... HOOAH! Arriving 30 minutes before our reservation, thanks to an extremely efficient Tube journey, we were greeted warmly and seated at a table in the dark, romantic room surrounded by tables with white linen tablecloths each with a large candle on top. We started with bottles of Ochagavia (Chile - £16.95), an oaky, scrumptious cabernet sauvignon, and Hildon sparkling water (750 ml - £2.50). The service impeccable, all starters are just £4.45 ($6.15) and all main courses £10.95 ($15.15 - except the steak which was £12.95 - $18), a bargain for the quality and flavor. My wife ordered the Chèvre Chaud Grilled Goats' Cheese starter with a salad garnish and basil pesto sauce and I had the Moules Marinière (mussels) in a white wine and cream sauce with "shallots, garlic, lemon and parsley". The goat cheese tart was tastefully presented as well as being light, yet savory, and flavorful. My mussels were plentiful for the price, but there was little sauce and what was there was a tad bland with nary a hint of the shallots, garlic or parsley as noted in the description. Still, they were flavorful and a good value. For our main courses, my better half had the Asperges et Cheddar Tart, small cheddar tarts topped with asparagus spears in a balsamic reduction and a sliced avocado garnish in between the two. She did not care for the dish, as I thought might be the case, because of the balsamic vinegar which she is not a great fan of to begin with. I gave her half of my Entrecôte ă l'échalotte (grilled rib eye steak - £12.95), served in a lovely shallot and red wine sauce, along with some of my chips (fries for you Yanks - £1.95) in return her second tart. I thought that the tart was quite delicious, but I am quite fond of balsamic and the avocado garnish was a nice, complimentary addition. I was stuffed, so no dessert for me, but my "sweet"-loving wife (she is "sweet" and "loving too) had to have her favorite, Crème Brûlée (£3.45), which was a bit on the small side, but scrummy nonetheless. At £63.42 ($87.90), including a 10% service charge, we ate like kings and queens, appropriately enough. A comparable meal would have easily set us back $110-$125 in the States. The sole "Bomb" deduction is due to the not-so-flavorful sauce the mussels came in and the damp slice of bread that came in our first basket, which they apologized for and quickly replaced. CombatCritic Gives Le Mercury 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

We've always loved Le Mercury for its food and value. Located basically in heart of the hipster suburb is a plus with quite some street shops around. Not exactly easy to get to but it's just around corner from both Angel and Highbury Islington is always a plus! First of all, I must say this place is just great value! Where else can you get a proper 3 course French meal for £18-22?! No where! And they are generous portion, full of flavour as well! Food is just great here, been to both duxumie and this a number of times and never disappoint! Top notch quality, great variety! I do find their cocktail menu a little lacking but I'm not a big drinker so won't complain! Certainly recommend a try, whether it is a fine dine with the love one or a nice evening with some friends!

Thought I'd save my 400th review for one of my favourite date nights out recently. This place has a cosy warm vibe like it could be somebody's house with all the potted plants dotted around. We'd booked ahead (recommended!) so they'd saved us perhaps the best table in the far corner, meaning we got to enjoy our own little cocoon while looking out onto the street (and making eyes at each other ;), instead of facing inwards and looking at all the other tables. The food was quite basic but well executed, and the service smiley and efficient. The main calling card though is the price tag, with a flat price for all starters (£4ish), another for all mains (£10ish) and another for all desserts (£3ish). I haven't seen that strategy anywhere else in London, and I think it probably makes people end up spending more! I had the starter of grilled goat's cheese and leafy salad which was a very generous size, and the sea-bass fillet main with crushed new potatoes and mint pesto which was simple and tasty. The dark choc tart dessert was a bit meh. Cocktails are limited but the wine selection a bit wider (we made use of both). So Michelin-starred cooking it is most certainly not, but for the romance of French food while saving the pennies I would definitely recommend!

"A beautiful story"...? It has been quite a while since I visited this well known Islington French bistro. I read some reviews that made me uncomfortable but decided to go anyway. le Mecury is a well known Islington Upper Street establishment. I moved to the area in 2007 and have dined here with friends on many occasions. The restaurant was always busy so after a few years they opened another on Upper Street. The novelty of Le Mercury was that all the starters, mains and dessert were for a set price for their category. In 2007 the price was £3.45 for a starter and the portion was on the lower side of generous. Now the price has gone up by £1 and the portions are smaller. However this is inflation for you. After all Islington property prices have skyrocketed in that time. The food in general is good. My terrine was with spicy beetroot relish was nothing novel but tasted good. The salmon with new potatoes was well made. The salmon skin was fried perfectly and was crunchy while the fish was succulent. The creme brule was creamy with a hard sugar coating, as expected, and tasted excellent though maybe a bit smaller than I remembered. My wife also enjoyed her dishes of ravioli for starter, this apparently is the plural and should be raviolo as there was just one piece, and mushroom risotto. However the sticky toffee pudding was not very sticky, maybe best not to have English dishes at a French bistro :-) The service by the waitress was excellent. Yale, originally from Paris, was attentive and was happy to hear my mumblings about living in the area... Hence the title to my review "a beautiful story" which is to quote her. Of course there was no question in Yale's comment but I found it amusing that she used that phrase to describe my uninteresting story. The manager could possibly learn a bit more about a friendly demeanour from her. Is Le Mecury special? It used to be a different place to go in upper Street that was very affordable. Now however it is competing with alot of newer and exotic establishments. The paint and food might be a bit too tired for the younger professionals moving to the area. However I see no reason to disparage this still quaint establishments which is well worth a visit.

STARTERS @ £4.45 / MAINS @ £10.95 / DESSERTS@ £3.45. Exceptional value for good casual French food!!! Went for "Soup of the day""Ravioli""Beef Carpaccio"from starters twice and "Duck breast"from mains once.I don't really remember the first time. But I was disappointed this time. They brought them quickly.But all dishes were served not hot.a bit cold. They must have left them sitting there for a bit even though they were ready to be served. Or did they prepare them beforehand?I wouldn't want to believe that. It was Monday evening. Not busy, only 70% full.How could it happen? Other than that, it was all good! The taste was nice and the portion was good with the amazing price. I would come again and want to see if they are served cold or not. But I wouldn't want to take a risk so perhaps ask them to serve while the food is hot .....

Eating at Le Mercury was a bittersweet experience for me. The bitter part was the occasion - I attended a UYE here to say goodbye to one of my good London Yelp friends, Bea B who is moving abroad The sweet part was dining here. Le Mercury is one of Bea's favourite London restaurants and with 65 reviews already, it must be one of London's most Yelped businesses at this time. These Yelpers, including some of my trusted Yelp friends with good palates, had graded it with a solid 4 stars, so I was looking forward to eating here A perusal of the menu revealed a bistro style line up of French classics. Arriving at the restaurant, I found a setting and ambiance to match that relaxed bistro menu though perhaps, this stepped on the wrong side of shabby in the men's toilets which were in need of some refurbishment We didn't have snooty French waiting staff to complete the French atmosphere but our waiter was efficient if not exactly warm. Le Mercury has a nice pricing plan with all starters costing £3.95, main courses costing £8.45 and desserts costing £2.95. which are very decent prices for this part of London The food arrived remarkably quicky but the speed didn't mean sacrificing elegant presentation or suffering inaccurately cooked food. My roast Barbary duck breast had perfectly rendered crispy skin and moist meat, well complemented by garlic mash and Savoy cabbage with red wine jus. Asking round the table, there were murmurs of approval for rib eye steak and salmon though one of the steaks was a little under cooked. For desserts, I had a rich and decadent chocolate tart and the poached pear was so good that it was half demolished before I could get a photo of it. If Le Mercury was in France, we'd be nodding our heads sagely and admiring how it was produce well-priced and flavoursome food. So, to summarise, I'm nodding my head sagely and saying,"Bravo, Le Mercury!" And lastly, we'll miss you, Bea!!

I can't believe how affordable this place is. For a nice restaurant in a somewhat trendy part of town, most of their mains are under 10 pounds. I came here last week to catch up with a friend and was very impressed. The candlelit atmosphere is dim and intimate with very cool decor. My friend and I decided to split a starter, Ravioli de la Mer, which was a lovely crayfish and lobster ravioli. It's perfect for one person, but since we split it we basically got a bite each. I decided to order the Magret de Canard (duck breast), which was really good. I loved the garlic mash that came with it! My friend ordered the Selle d'Agneau au Romarin (lamb), which was also fantastic! For dessert, we each got our own. I went with the mascarpone cheesecake and he went with the creme brulee. They weren't amazing, but still good nonetheless. I'd say it's the perfect date spot without having the break the bank. Great atmosphere and most importantly, great food!

You get what you pay for. If you have low expectations or came really drunk, you will find this place reasonable or even good. This is not a place to bring your romantic date. Food was below average, my friend's fish dish came uncooked and sauce was a mess. My steak was not medium rare, and the shallot sauce was very questionable. I was fooled by good Yelp reviews and how busy the place was (and maybe also for candles on the table)... Wish I followed my intuition after I saw cheap paper table cloth, paper napkins and that crazy, badly designed cocktail menu on the table. I had to take it away from me because it was literally burning my eyes and ruining my appetite. The only thing I was happy about was the service. The server was friendly and that was about it.

My roommate and I ate here one lazy Sunday afternoon a few months ago and it was fantastic. 4 Starters: Poached pear & salad, mussels, french onion soup, lobster/crayfish ravioli? 1 Entree: Roast duck, mash, something else 20 GBP. Total. Absolutely ridiculous, but absolutely delicious. I have been trying to get more of my friends to try it so I have an excuse to eat there!

This place has a wonderful atmosphere--it's cozy and dimly lit. Folk on a first date would do well to dine at Le Mercury. :) And, for French food, it's really reasonably priced. Other reviewers have mentioned prices, so I'll not reiterate them here. Just know that if you're wanting to go into that area town for a solidly good, well-priced dinner in a place with good atmosphere, then Le Mercury is it!

Really cool spot on Upper St. Loved the food but our waitress seemed a bit out of it at times. We also found a blond hair in our calamari but it was quickly replaced. I want to give this place 4 stars but based on the two items above, I can't justify it. We will have to dine here again and try some of their other dishes so I can update this review. Overall though the food was solid!

A meal here is always great value for money. It's cheap and cheerful and for French food, you will be hard pressed to find such prices anywhere else. Le Mercury is a great stand-by when you want a decent meal for a decent price. The food will not wow you. Everything is a little under-seasoned and underwhelming. And it's a super busy restaurant so don't expect a quiet intimate meal. Although the waitstaff are attentive, there is a sense that they are trying to turn tables.

I booked Le Mercury for a late Saturday dinner, thanks to all the brilliant recommendations from my fellow yelpers ;) Needless to say, I was not let down. What a find on Upper Street. Le Mercury is a great date spot. The ambiance is cozy and romantic, dimly lit. The restaurant was PACKED, all three floors even, so be sure to book. I booked about 4 days ahead and they only had one reservation for the whole evening left. Wowie. Prices are so reasonable! We weren't modest at all, with drinks or food, and our tab only came out to 38 quid! For our starter we had the goats cheese which is absolutely TO DIE FOR. It's a must paired with the French merlot on the menu. Take a nice bite of the cheese with a swig of the wine and trust me, it's divine. For my main I had both the pear salad and the crab appetiser. The salad was lovely, the blue cheese and poached pair were the perfect combination. However, I was not a fan of the crab dish as it was made with mayonnaise, which I hate. I really wished they had clarified on the menu how it was made. BUT it worked out alright because I wanted to have room for desert anyway. My man enjoyed the duck entree, which he said was cooked perfectly and was "out of this world." And yes, only for 6.95! The reason why I didn't give Le Mercury 5 stars is because the service isn't good. But I do personally think sacrificing the level of service to keep the ridiculously cheap prices IS worth it. However, we did always have to flag our waiter down and we weren't greeted at our table until about 15 minutes after sitting. But lets face it, they were packed and this place was hoppin. I understand. Le Mercury is a go! Book for a hot date with your Mr./Ms. and you'll score points!

Cheap, French food? Is there such a thing? Yes, there is. After going to around 7 or 8 SportDirect stores all over London (my brother really wants this particular track jacket), I was exhausted, but it seemed a bit too late for dinner -- 10 pm on a Tuesday. However, I was hungry, and after shopping for the entire day, I really did not have many pounds left. Le Mercury was highly rated on Yelp, and it was still open (I called), so I made my decision. Let me tell you: best decision of that day. For one, they were able to accommodate me. Granted, I was coming in on central London, and I had called around 9 pm to see if there was any availability for one. Once I was there, I easily got a seat. The host and the hostess recognized my voice on the phone (damn my American accent) and were incredibly hospitable. I've eaten at Michelin starred restaurants, but the service I received was just the same -- at fraction of the menu prices. They have a set menu that you can find on the website, so I knew I was going to have the duck, but they also had specials which were written on the chalkboard above the bar. Everything seemed delicious. I listened to their recommendations, which was the seafood ravioli, which I gobbled up in a matter of seconds (I told you I was hungry). I was blown away at the fast service, and I guess the waitress knew the look on my face as she said, "we tend to be fast here". Maybe it was the fact that it was 10 pm, and I missed the rush hour for dinner, but once again, service was top notch. Because I ate every bite of both my meals, I was completely stuffed and could not order dessert. However, I will be back and perhaps give myself a little bit more room for more. Amazing restaurant for the quality of service and food at an incredible price. You can't go anywhere else.

Food is delicious, service is good, bathroom is clean. We tried salad, soup, lamb and duck. For the lunch price 10.95 pound, the portion for both meat dishes were really good. The meat was tender and they broiled the skin somehow so it was a little crispy and fat (just right). Bread came with the lunches. To have French lunch in London with the modest pricing, you got to love it. Too bad they don't make French Onion soup, otherwise the lunch will be just perfect! Enjoy!!

Wow wow wow. This place in my opinion is perfect. The food is amazing. I had the steamed mussels to start, duck as the main, and sticky toffy pudding for dessert! Everything was outstanding. The atmosphere is also very nice--kinda like a nice cafe style vibe. On one hand, it's elegant with candle lit tables and on the other it's not too pretentious. My only complaint is that the service felt a bit rushed. The restaurant wasn't too full and after some deliberating we decided it was because the service was poorly organized. Both waiters/waitresses were very attentive, but since they didnt seem to have control over one area and both worked the whole floor it meant that we got asked twice about everything and didnt get much breathing space. For example, we asked to have some more time to look at the menu, but someone was there asking for our orders two minutes later. This was my only complaint and the reason why they only received four stars. However, overall it was a very good experience at a great price and I wouldnt hesitate to come back!

A really cute and cosy French restaurant! The food was fair - and the price was reasonable. However, the service was excellent, and there was a great atmosphere in there...which is why I would probably go back and give the food another chance. And also to order something with the garlic potato puree! I totally had food envy when I tried some that my boyfriend had...it was to die for. Actually...it's worth visiting just for the garlic potato puree!

Heard heaps of good things about this restaurant, and when my friends and I tried it tonight, it doesn't disappoint! Great food, great service, great ambience, and pretty reasonably priced. The only down side was that they placed us at a bad spot even though there were many other free tables in better spots.

MEH. This place is so average, it's painful. It's basic white girl average. It's white converse average. It's ripped on the knees jeans average. And I DETEST, above anything, spending money on average food. Give me a four figure Heston bill with no fear, but dont you come at me with your room temperature white and ultra fatty pork and claim it to be French cuisine. Aint nobody got time for that. And I wont even begin with the service. Im a nice human, seriously, and I hate calling people out on their shit work, but this establishment is famous for underpaying their staff and it shows! THEY ARE TIRED. and grumpy. and so unhelpful. and there were so many people, and it was stuffy and gross... ugh. Nope, not a fan.

I cannot complain avoid the food, but I will not return. The service was impossible. They would drop of the menu or the bill and vanish for long periods. We sat for almost half and hour waiting for someone to take our finished plates and ask if we need anything -- and not for lake of trying to get their attention. The whole experience was extremely frustrating.

Le Mercury would probably be an awesome place for a date. When I am someday able to trick a girl into going on a date with me, I will be able to verify this for sure. However, the atmosphere, wine, food, and wine all seem to make this a safe bet. I've tried the lobster ravioli, the duck (err... canard), the potato dumplings, the salmon, the sea bass, and a couple of the desserts. All were either very good or great. For some extra Frenchness, they refused my sister's simple meal modification request- no, the sauce could not be had on the side. Authentique! The best part is that it is so inexpensive. Considering how good the food is, 8 quid for a main course is a steal. That means you will have some money left over to treat your special lady to a couple drinks at that most romantic of bars just down the street- Slim Jim's Liquor Store! No way will that date not end well, eh?

I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but when you sit at a buzzy romantic restaurant, drink delicious wine, interact with friendly staff, eat so much French fabulousness you want to le burst, and to top things off you then receive a bill for three people that you'd expect to be for one, you can't resist that big 5. (Seriously: Bottle of wine, two entrees and two starters for under £30 including tax and tip. WORD.) Le yes.

I gave Le Mercury 5 stars because It's great food, well cooked by nice people for an excellent price. That's got to be "as good as it gets". I ordered the goats cheese salad to start, the duck with garlic mash (which i can't recommend enough) for my main coarse and an espresso to end the evening. I would recommend making a reservation if you plan on going on a Friday or Saturday night. It's an extremely busy restaurant, nevertheless they maintain a high standard of customer service (CS)

Yes, yes and yes. And yes. Friendly staff, intimate seating, outstanding food, decent prices, fantastic wine... you can't really go wrong can you? Sure it's not the best french food in the capital, of course it's not, but it is ridiclously good and it tastes even better when you appreciate how little you're paying for it. We had three courses... why the devil not? I might just be in love with their garlic mash. I could marry it. Omnomnomnom.

Brilliant prices. Brilliant prices!! This is the place to be - because it is so very credit crunch friendly..and whats not to like about that! It is warm and wooden and for some strange reason makes me think of a restaurant in a ski village (mostly because it has that 2 door thing going on)..it is candle lit so adds a bit of romance..so be sure to take 'your lovely' there. I was delighted to pay £15 for 2 courses and a glass of wine - was nice nosh too

Le Mercury is a great spot for good-value French food in a cosy, romantic setting. Most striking is the amazingly low price everything is: I had a mains, dessert and wine for just £16, fantastic stuff. The service is quick and friendly and there's a cloakroom where the waiters will happily stow any bags you may have for no charge. Unsurprisingly this is a popular place and though it's spread over several floors, a reservation is advisable. Overall: one of the best-value restaurants on Upper Street and well-worth checking out.

i recently discovered how poorly the staff is treated in this restaurant and since then, I am determined not to come ever again. Surely the core staff members are perfectly happy working there, but there is also a lot of turnover: young recruits are paid under the minimum wage, and tips distribution is utterly scandalous! It can go from zero per shift, to a shocking £20 after covering a couple of months! How can you enjoy sustaining such an embarrassing system? Should we remind them this is London, one of the most expensive city in the world, where rent and food should not be impossible to afford for young professionals? Come on, Mercury, make an effort on this! You can do better! A HUGE disappointment because overall, I really enjoyed having dinner there.

I went here once years ago and it was amazing (!) and then I immediately forgot about it. Why would I forget? Probably there is a curse on the entrees like in a French fairytale that goes like, "The food here will be so great and amazing you will feel like you have found the perfect food, BUT you will forget about its amazingness shortly after digesting it". Curses! But, this is one of my favorite spots in London- so long as I remember it exists. The entrees are delightful. I had pork belly on a bed of (not over cooked) cabbage covered in a berry sauce that my taste buds singing the opening of "The Sound of Music". Actually, I refer to this place as French-ish, because I'm not sure if it is supposed to be totally French (mainly because its such an unassuming and friendly place. Ooooh burn, France!) The most magical thing about this restaurant are the prices.... you will do a double take when you get the bill. I heard somewhere that this place is like a training restaurant for chefs or something but I don't care.... I really don't. I just want to go there again and again. I think I may be in love with a restaurant.... I think it gets pretty busy on the weekends so you may want to make a reservation but it does stay open until 1 so its perfect for a late, late dinner.

I'm no expert on French cuisine, but I am an expert on knowing a damn good restaurant when I run into one. Le Mercury is the total package: the price, the atmosphere, and of course the food. Eating out in London is expensive, too expensive... so I really appreciate Le Mercury that much more. All starters: £3.95. All main courses: £8.45 + side salad or fries or veggies for only £1.95. I ordered: Selle d/Agneau au Romarin (Roast saddle of lamb with grilled courgettes & rosemary jus). Boneless lamb, no fat, medium rare and cooked to perfection. I have to say that I judge a restaurant by how well they cook their lamb because most of the times it's too dry or too gamy. Le Mercury's lamb was perfectly seasoned, no chewy rubber band like parts, just the right amount of meat to sauce balance, I was 100% satisfied. My friend ordered: Boulettes de pomme de terre (Sauteed potato dumplings with baby artichokes, parmesan foam and wild rocket salad). I only had one bite (because I was too busy eating my lamb) but it was really really good as well. Seriously, this place is amazing, I highly recommend it to anyone.

fantastic French bistro amidst the already awesome Islington Upper Street fare. Prices are VERY good considering the quality and variety of the food offered (£7 for main courses, £3 for dessert, a bit more for the daily specials). Went for a flatmate's birthday dinner with a party of about 10 or so, and the service was below average -- we literally asked for a pitcher of water FIVE times before they finally listened ... and it was at the end of a meal. Otherwise, a perfectly good restaurant!

Mmmm....thinking about the chicken I ordered from here puts me in a happy place. My husband pork was equally juicy and tasty. We often have the bad luck of getting served meat that is overcooked and not very flavorful. Not the case with Le Mercury. My chicken was like butta baby. And the cream sauce on it was just enough, not too much or too little. The prices are right but the food is even better. Make sure you book in advance. I've walked in hoping for a seat and have had to walk away disappointed more than once (should have learned the first time!). Oh yeah! Be sure to try their deep-fried tiger prawns as a starter. AMAZING.

A romantic candlelit French restaurant which stands out from the crowd on Upper Street - go there with a good looking person to gaze at over candlelight and unwind with a good bottle of French wine. The best thing about this place is the value for money compared to other restaurants in the area, a glance at the menu may leave you feeling a little nervous about the cuisine but don't be put off by the almost too modest prices. The food would have been excellent if it had been hotter, but this is a restaurant that's packed almost every night of the week and the highly efficient waiters are rushed off their feet to deliver food to all three floors of the restaurant (you will probably have to book - try to get a table on the ground floor). A great place to take someone if you're on a budget - because you won't feel like you are.

The food is delicious, the service is great, the ambiance is wonderful, and the prices are reasonable. What more could you ask for? I've been here three times and I've gotten the Mussels in white wine every time (obviously, I'm a fan). I've had bites of my friends' Crayfish and Lobster Ravioli and Beef Carpaccio, and both were very good as well. For the main course, the first time I went I had the pork belly, which I must admit was a little dry. But I won't hold it against them because the next two times I got the duck, which was delicious. I always get the french fries as a side and it is a good size to share for two. For two starters, two mains, a side, a dessert, and a bottle of wine, you're looking at about £50 for two, which is a good deal for the area and a total dining experience.

After seeing their excellent rating on Yelp, I was excited to go to Le Mercury to celebrate my husband and my 1st year wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, our experience was less than mediocre. First of all, I had made a reservation using their online website and when we arrived they claimed that they had no record of it. They managed to find us a table, but it was perhaps the worst table in the restaurant. We were upstairs in a corner where the windows were completely blocked by plants. Not very conducive to a romantic evening... The only plus side to Le Mercury is that it is very affordable. But the food is cheap for a reason. We started with the ravioli, which was "meh." Then I had the duck, which was the better of the two entrees and my hubby had the rib-eyed steak, which was vastly overdone. All of it was only lukewarm by the time it arrived at our table. The service was terrible and slow. I don't know if they resented having an extra table, but they never refilled our water and only bothered to check on us when they were dropping off our food. Suffice it to say, though I live only a few blocks way, we will not be back.

This is one of those cases when I wish Yelp allowed reviewers to rate with half stars. I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could. It's definitely not the most bomb-diggity French food I've ever had, but for the price and the atmosphere, I think this place is worth a try. I had mussels to start and the lamb for my main. The mussels were good. The lamb was a tad chewy, but pretty good. I only got it because it was recommended to me by the waiter. My friend ordered the gnocchi, which was sub-standard. My other friend had the foie gras and the duck. Due to the only-child syndrome, she didn't offer to share, so I'm not sure how those tasted, though I'm assuming she enjoyed it since she licked her plate clean. All in all, I think this place is a good find just because affordable, decent French food is hard to come by. Just don't expect your taste buds to be blown away.

Not a lot of places you can get a really nice, romantic 3-course meal for around £15. Very authentic French food, great atmosphere and great service. All tables are lit by candle light. What more could you want??

This is a lovely little place, we went before going to see a movie on Upper Street. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, mains were 6.95 - you could have a side dish as well for £3.50, which we didn't have as trying to cut back but the mains were things like pork belly and greens, so obviously if you wanted some carbs with that it would be a tenner for a main.. But good service and atmosphere, and gorgeous food.

I went here with a big party and I was impressed with how patient and efficient the service was. The food was not great though - my crab starter did definitely taste of crab but in a way that made me wonder if it had gone straight from a tin to a plate. Pork belly was pretty good and the dessert was standard. I'm giving it 3 stars because of its incredible value even though 3 courses for £15 in London shouldn't be something of a miracle, unfortunately it is and so thanks Le Mercury for that. But really on food quality it's more like 2 stars, based on my one experience there.

WIN! this place was so cheap and STILL REALLY GOOD! i heard that it's hard to get a seat, but it was open late so we rocked up and they made a bit of a fuss but then they seated us. The atmosphere was so French and romantic, I was a bit embarrassed to come stumbling in after an upper street drink session... but the lights were so dim I don't think anyone noticed. I still can't get over how much food we got for how cheap it was! I think I will come back when I intentionally want to bring a date...

Best food in London! Okay maybe French kitchen wise but it's super good. Nicely priced. Perfect for date night! Also good wines and cocktails. The goat cheese and duck that I had were super! I would definitely go back. Try to make a reservation because it's always busy.

Overall an excellent experience. I came here on a Friday night (with a reservation) with two other people. This restaurant has some sort of "shift" system, I think, where all the diners come in at once. I arrived a little before 9:15pm (for a 9:15 pm reservation) and the place was empty; by 9:20pm it was full and buzzing. I've never seen this system before but I suppose there could be some advantages. The restaurant itself is lovely. We sat on the first floor, where large windows look onto the street. Nicely arranged tables and decor. I would say it seemed a bit noisy at times, but I am sometimes a bit sensitive to loudness. (I loathe most night clubs.) The bathrooms in the basement are a bit lackluster, so I didn't spend much time down there. The servers were good and attentive. We ordered a very nice bottle of merlot and to start shared mussels and poached pear with walnuts and blue cheese; all were very good. I had the roast chicken as entree and it was great, very tender and moist. I sampled my companions' dishes as well - sea bass and duck - and both were succulent to say the least. The portions did not seem like much but the richness of the foods really filled me up. We also squeezed in some dessert - creme brulee and the dark chocolate tort. Delicious they both were. The main draw of Le Mercury, though, has to be the prices. Wine: appx. £15 for a bottle, starters £3.95 each, entrees £7.95 each, desserts £2.95 each. For London these prices really are unheard of. I will recommend this place to everybody, and I hope to go back soon.

Oh how I love having phenomenal restaurants within walking distance from my flat. I took girlfriend here on a Friday night - luckily called ahead and made a reservation. I actually got this establishment off of Yelp - ahh how this website never steers your in the wrong direction. We sat down and ordered a bottle of Rose and their fantastic mussels. It was a long drawn out dining experience, and I cannot think of anywhere else I would have rather spent two hours eating and drinking. For our main courses I ordered their Duck breast while girlfriend ordered their braised shank steak. Both dishes were fabulously prepared to our lofty expectations. When we were complete, another bottle of Rose came out along with their Cheesecake. Two hours and about 2000 calories later - and we were both smiling ear to ear. Bravo Le Mercury.

I had heard many things about this place. Indeed, we got great food, at relatively cheap prices. Service was remarkably fast, although at some points they forgot to bring things we had asked for, like our jug of tap water. Although it's a great location and the room is very spacious and nice, seating is not really comfortable. The food is great though, the meat is perfectly cooked and the fries are among the best I've had in London. Wow !

A starter and a main for little under £12. Splendid. Almost everyone who comes here likes it and I'm afraid I'm part of the crowd now. An intimate and ambient restaurant which spans three floors (apparently anyway, I entered at ground level - as you may expect - and stayed there), Le Mercury does the romance without the finance. The menu isn't particularly extensive but manages variety with main meals like steak, duck, chicken and a couple of fish dishes as well as two or three vegetarian options. I had a goats cheese thing for a starter and a pork belly thing for a main - lovely. There are many drinks choices. A place I'll definitely return to. TTFN, Ian

A new favorite of mine. The prices are surprisingly reasonable. Starters are all under £4 and mains are all between £8-10, and they are really well done! I love this place so much that I have been back twice in the past week... don't judge me... The service is excellent as well. For starter I enjoyed the grilled goat cheese served on a pesto salad and it was perfectly done. Other people in my group seemed to really like their lobster ravioli starters. My husband chose the calamari but it was a little under done for my taste, not crispy at all so I would probably skip that one in the future. For mains my favorite so far is the Salmon served over sauteed spinach with a lobster cream sauce. Delicious! Other popular menu items among my group were the duck, the grilled swordfish, and the pork belly. All in all this was a fantastic meal at a great price. Perfection!

Different and a very simple menu...in a good way. I adore that there is no electric lights...just candle. Perfect for a date ;-) Their menu is meant to be to French, though I would actually think it's more French meets Italian. Their prices are very reasonable. and their wait staff have a great talent of coming in, serving you and then leaving you to it. I would recommend Le Mercury for date as a primary! Also for a small good group of friends that was a cozy nice place to have a great meal for a great price. I wouldn't go here for big groups or business meetings.

I would really like to give this place 3.5 stars. It's good. And great for the price. Three of us showed up at 930 on a Saturday without a reservation, and we were seated despite the place being busy. The service was friendly and fast, and the food was well seasoned. Two of us ordered the duck, while our third companion stuck with a starter. The duck was tasty, and the mash and cabbage it came with were quite good. However, it was realy very overcooked. And it wasn't just mine, it was both of us. Now, at £8, I really wasn't inclined to complain, and I will still go back. As I said, tasty. Still overcooked duck is just not ideal. 3.5 stars it is.

Everyone who goes to Le Mercury loves it. You can't go wrong- brilliant value, for well cooked food and super friendly, attentive staff. Its like the blueprint for a successful restaurant! We went one Monday night with friends. We had a cocktail at John Salt beforehand (2 for 1 until 8pm!) and then headed to Le Mercury. We had an upstairs table and service was great-attentive, but not over the top. We all had three courses (huge treat on Monday) but portion size means you don't feel too full. Between us we tried the moules, ravioli, carpaccio and calamari for starters. The calamari was a little disappointing, but all the other starters were excellent. They all cost £3.95, so pretty amazing value. All mains are £8.95. I had the duck which was served on a bed of garlic mash and with some cabbage. If I had one quibble it would be that the duck was slightly over-cooked, but I understand not everyone likes pink in the middle duck. The garlic mash was amazing- I would've been happy with a bowl of that and a spoon! Other people had the lamb, seabass and rib of beef all were well cooked, and the fries the boys ordered were yummy. For desert I had creme brulee. Not bad for £2.95, but the topping could've been slightly thicker. Others had the cheese platter, the rich chocolate tart and the cheesecake. All plates were practically licked clean. We shared two bottles of a decent cab sav and the bill came a few pounds over £100, pretty incredible value! The food here will never blow your socks off, but it's a dependable neighbourhood bistro and we'll continue to come here regularly. Until next time Le Mercury....

Very disappointing! We came here after several recommendations (and reading the positive reviews here), and found the food mediocre at best. I had the crab and crayfish ravioli and the pork belly, and my wife had the crab and avocado starter and the beef stew special. The crab in both appetisers was imitation crab meat, which was not mentioned on the menu and was particularly noticeable in the special. The pork belly was dry and overcooked and the beef stew was virtually flavourless. The two bright spots were the wine and the sticky toffee pudding (which in my opinion is good even when it's bad). Granted, the prices are extremely generous, but considering you can get 2 courses and a glass of wine for £17 at places like Public House, I wonder if Le Mercury is really that good a deal. Maybe we just went on a bad night or maybe we ordered the wrong items, but will definitely not be returning any time soon, particularly with so many other great restaurants in the area.