Skylon

Skylon is back again … !! I visited Skylon for lunch recently and what a makeover … stunning ambience, great vibe and not to miss a brand new menu to choose from. A big shout out for the Triple cheese soufflé … it was sublime. Every dish that came to the table had a surprise element. It not only looked pretty but it was packed with flavours that leaves you wanting for more. The cocktails were great too . A special mention about the waiter who was so attentive that it was a pleasure to be served by her . It is worth the visit to enjoy a scrumptious meal and watch the stunning sunset by the river on South Banks !

A last minute meal out and decided on Skylon as hadn't been for quite a number of years. The dining room is large and very comfortable with a nice feature bar. Tables along the river side are in high demand and for good reason. They provide a wonderful view out to the river and north side. The staff were all excellent and a pleasure to deal with. The cocktails were great and the food was pretty good too. It's a little on the pricier side but that's worth it if you have a good table with a view and can enjoy it while you relax and chat!

We enjoyed a lovely late afternoon visit. Great views of the Thames and the London Skyline. Very clean and great service. We loved the fish and chips. The linguine was delicious, too. The deserts were surprisingly delicious.

Arrived and was asked for preference of seating, but since it was so hot we asked not to be right at the window which they kindly obliged. Tap water was offered with ice then someone took our drinks . However they were so expensive, even for London. We ordered grilled chicken breast with Thyme which the waiter advised us to order a side which if you were hungry he was probably right as it came with a small amount of potatoes pieces, leeks, and mushrooms. Orange and chilli linguine with prawns but you had to pay an extra £3 for the prawns and lastly fish and chips. All the meals were delicious but the star for me was the fish and chips as the fish was beautiful and very well cooked, not greasy at all. It’s just a shame they didn’t serve hand cut chips with the fish as they served skinny fries that usually accompany a burger. Saying that the fries were delicious also. The grilled chicken was also very nice and once again perfectly cooked. I was full after my fish and chips but the others ordered a dessert which was Sorbet and my wife ordered the blood orange posset. My wife said the posset was delicious and was accompanied by a beautiful shortbread biscuit. I guess the sorbet was okay but to be honest no sorbet has ever blown me away. All in all the food was great, service good but drinks prices a bit over the top, especially for wine.

Loved every minute of the visit. Food was fantastic, with a large selection to choose and presentation was amazing. Atmosphere was great and not too much noise, so you could hold a conversation. Clean and well kept areas, Service was excellent and not rushed. Will definitely return , prices are also very good considering you are in London.

The atmosphere and food was really nice. For a vegetarian we had the beetroot salad and masala curry which was well seasoned. The orange posset was a light finish to the meal

Drinks on a Saturday afternoon - nice views and a subtle but warm atmosphere. Drinks are pricey but expected at this venue. Service at the bar was great, and this espresso martini was one of the best I’ve tasted. Recommend a side of the truffle fries!

My girls took me here for a birthday lunch. Located right in Festival Hall, it was perfect for taking in the stunning Southbank views whilst enjoying a meal. I ordered the set lunch, royal benedict as a starter and steak for my main. The starter was nice but the waffle was slightly hard. When the steak came, it was cooked so wrong and the peppercorn sauce was thin and watery, even though we raised this the second lot was just as watery, disappointing, had to let the staff know. So they changed it to the cheeseburger, can't really go wrong really, I loved their fries, perfect texture and flavour. Staff were polite and friendly. We sat for hours chatting, at no point did we feel unwelcome or asked to leave. It was amazing. They even surprised me with a cheeky birthday dessert. Toilets are located out of the restaurant, less than a couple of minutes away. Would recommend to others, I'd like to visit again one day. Thank you

A Holiday visit to London. We booked the Christmas Dinner at Skylon. This was an excellent experience with the view of the River Thames! The waitress we had was very personable and a nice person. The food was excellent! A great way to spend The Holiday!

Maryam at the front desk / reception was awesome. Great warm welcome. I was underwhelmed by the food and service. It was rather basic for its prices and the hype I was given by my concierge. I ordered fish and chips which was good but rather basic. The view is spectacular.

The food is mediocre at best, the service is lackluster, and the views are nonexistent (trees and pavement). It appears to be a nice restaurant, but it has absolutely zero substance to make it so. For the price, you would expect every single aspect of your experience to be a lot better.

Skylon is a restaurant located in the Southbank Center. I came here for dinner and it was a very pleasant experience. I started out with the "steak tartare", raw filet beef with egg yolk, pickled radish, Jalapeno Croutons and other spices. It was delicious! I then had the warm roasted violet artichoke with pine nuts, mint and fresh black truffle. It was very good. The staff was very welcoming and provided great service. Overall a great experience.

I went veggie all the way and it was a tasty meal although nothing inspirational. For the price, I expected more. The asparagus with poached egg were well prepared but lacked much vibrancy. The artichoke barigoule was tasty and I particularly liked the red rice. Toothsome with loads of flavour. It was also quite filling which was a surprise given the portion size of the other mains that arrived! Overall a nice meal but not necessarily a standout in any way. That said, it's a nice location and if your looking for something nicer than the fast casual restaurants in the area, it's a good choice.

I've worked in Waterloo for 2 years now, I go to the Southbank Centre all the time. But I've never been to this restaurant, I always seemed to forget it when I was planning special occasions. Sometimes you just want to see a part of London that isn't right next to work! But this time it was a old friend's retirement meal and I saw an opportunity. So I booked in here at the grill - there are the 2 sides to the restaurant and frankly the other side looked incredibly overpriced. Reservation no problems, got there early and got coats checked in (I enjoy the poker chip as the token). So of course what were we to do with half an hour before our reservation? To the bar! We were seated quickly, the waitress was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed but still a bit upmarket. Always nice. So we were seated at our table, with a view over the Southbank across the Thames - personally I don't think you can bit a view like that on a sunny evening in London. One of our party was gluten intolerant and straightaway the waiter was pointing out the issues on the menu and served 3 different varieties of gluten free bread to start (I was forced to put in that there were 3 varieties, she was that impressed!). Menu had a nice variety of choice, with mains between £12 and £25. I had duck terrine and chutney to start, really tasty and good flavour. Then followed tuna steak cooked pink for main with lemon butter sauce and steamed broccoli - really fresh and well cooked, I was more than happy! Now normally I would be all over the dessert menu, and the sound of Bailey's crème brulee was pretty damn tempting. But I refrained (must be on a health kick!) and was satisfied with £40 per person for 2 courses, a bottle and a half of wine each and a pretty amazing view over the Thames. Win!

I've only been here for drinks in the bar area. It has a nice and swanky vibe and drinks don't seem so expensive. Mind you, I only drink soft drinks so I have no idea about alcoholic drinks. Not everyone knows about this place despite its nice location. So I thought it would be worth recommending. In my recent visit, we were welcomed by a very grumpy and whinny waiter. But we didn't mind. It was so bad that it was good. We just laughed at him as a form of entertainment.

Came here for a special meal. We sat in the restaurant area - there are two sections to this restaurant, the restaurant itself and the bar/grill area. We had a table next to the window which provided a lovely view of the Thames and on this occasion also the food festival which was on at the south bank that weekend. The waiter service was prompt, polite and friendly and we were made to feel welcome. We had children with us for this dinner and they were not made to feel unwelcome or patronised either which I find a good sign. Food was great. We had a set meal, which can be a little hit and miss at times however, the start of crab and salmon was lovely and light and my main dish of duck confit was delicious. Dessert was more of a challenge but tasted great also. I would come here again and perhaps try the Grill section.

I came here for the view, but was BLOWN AWAY by the food! It had been a long work week and almost end to our 2 week travel to London. We were wiped. We were fortunate enough to have an angel at work book the reservation on our behalf. When we arrived we were attended to by 4 different people, who times the courses and the check-ins perfectly. The service was ON POINT! Then there was the food. I am not ashamed to say that at each point, i wanted to lick the plate, clean the bones and bathe in the sauces. SOOOO GOOOD! We chose to do a 3 course for 48 GBP each. Here's what we had: Apps: (Me) Seared scallops with a turnip puree & crispy onion (Friend) Salmon tartar with rye crisps Main: (Me) Lamb with mash and sweetbreads over edamame (Friend) Beef with ox tart and mash Dessert: (Me) Apple creme brulee with green apple sorbet (Friend) Dark chocolate pudding with coffee ice cream and cream The pics tell the whole story. The food was artfully plated, seasoned impeccably and made me feel fancy just eating it. If I were staying in London longer and wanted to impress a date, I would come here. The view (not from my seat) but the rest of the place were stunning of the bridge to Embarkment tube and Parliament and we could see the London Eye all lit up. It was a perfect end to our 2 week work adventure together.

A solid 3.5 stars. I came here for a business dinner. The good - nice, spacious restaurant that serves good food. The bad - the service was A-OK at best. The food was quite tasty, albeit on the smaller portion side of things - we were served a delicious soup and a well prepared lamb dish and cheesecake as a dessert. All were quite tasty and well presented. However, the mains (the lamb) was quite cold when I received it. The plates could have been warmer. The service wasn't great at all. I had to wait forever to get served a glass of wine.

views a joke you're just looking at trees and pavement, servers just rush you through the whole experience, wasn't allowed to even order a starter without ordering a main course within 10 minutes of sitting down, don't get the cod it tastes like dishwasher the plate just went through. they are simply pretending to be something they are not, i get the pompous attutide if you've got a Michelin star or a great view but its all a big grand facade. if you're paying that kind of money go somewhere else I recommend the shard if youre gonna splurge, where you get great service and an actual view, and not having to pretend its worth it .

I really rate this place as a place to go for cocktails. After a sweaty couple of hours in the Royal Festival Hall following my graduation, we all trundled up to Skylon for a cool, refreshing cocktail as well as a chance to sit with some relative peace and quiet. Skylon passed on all accounts and although we didn't dine the cocktail list was divine, very imaginative and the service was attentive. I really want to go back when it is a little darker though, as the views across the river are spectacular and there is also more on that list that I want to try. I recommend the Mexican Love if you like watermelon.

I do love this place for special occasion drinks. Ok it was helped by the most dreamy sunset happening outside at the same time, bathing everything and everyone inside in a flattering golden glow and slowly turning the sky pink. A backdrop to make any bar look beautiful! Skylon is swish and pretty already though; we didn't stay for dinner as it's quite spendy and we'd decided to do the drinks splurge/eat cheap combo. We had an excuse to celebrate so the girls had ordered bubbles by the time I arrived, which got no complaints from me! Our doting waiter poured it out quite quickly, and the hazy evening sunshine and comfy sofa seating soon had us order a second bottle (cue giddy heads on the stairs back down!). Note the entrance can be tricky to spot - an unmarked staircase on the side of Royal Festival Hall. You can't book for drinks so I wouldn't take too large a group - the five of us were fine arriving about 6.30ish. It's a classy spot to impress a date too - those views of the sunlight on the river are enough to win anyone over :)

Where do you take your oldest friend to celebrate their 60th birthday and their retirement? I needed to find somewhere iconic, somewhere special and I got it just right with the Skylon Grill. I e-mailed to ask for a table by the window so we could watch the Thames go by so I was initially disappointed to be sat mid-restaurant. However, 10 minutes later we were moved when a table became available. We then relaxed and enjoyed a delicious 3 course lunch from the £25 per head set menu. I thought that this offered good value and couldn't see why anyone would be tempted by the a la carte. We drank tap water served with a flourish and a carafe of chilled Sauvignon. The beetroot and goats cheese starter was a knockout, elevating beetroot to a whole new level. The broccoli, Parmesan and almond pie was a similarly new take on familiar ingredients. Desserts were sweet and the little plate of macaroons and truffles finished off our lunch perfectly. Not forgetting the 'happy birthday' extra. Lunch lasted well into the afternoon and we joined the flow of tourists and workers strolling along the South Bank feeling at peace with the world....and in need of a nap!

Went for the G&T masterclass. It was fabulous and the food was great. Good vegetarian options

I must have gone to a different place to the one reviewed by some people here. I've been to the Skylon Bar & Grill twice in the last month and both times was very impressed by the service and the food. Both times we hadn't booked but they were able to give us a table straight away (with a bit of negotiation the second time as we assured them we needed to be out before 7.30 to see a show). The waiters were attentive without being invasive and the food was lovely. It certainly compares more favourably to the food at the OXO Tower Brasserie which I've also reviewed. The last time (this Saturday) we asked the waiter if we would have time for dessert before leaving for our show he gave us the truthful answer of no and then brought us a couple of sweet nibbles with the bill, which was a nice touch. I love the uniforms that the staff have to wear. Very Space Age and the decor is very modern and stylish. It would be a good place to take a date. The cocktails we ordered were also very nicely done - great to look at and not sickly sweet. So I love this place and highly recommend it. I'm also intending to go back at the first opportunity I get.

Came here for a Saturday brunch. Managed to get a table for 7 the day before when most places were booked. The location is great and had really good views, especially as we had out of town guests. We went for the 2 course brunch for £20 plus unlimited brunch cocktails for £17. This is great value, you can switch between Bloody Mary, mimosas and prosecco and they were really good at making sure you always had a drink so you get your monies worth! The food is good, I had avocado toast and poached eggs which was well cooked. There is a mixture of breakfast type food as well as lunch items such as burgers and fish dishes. I then had the coconut and passion fruit panacotta which was nice, but very large! The downside was the service, it was incredibly slow. It was over 45 minutes before our order was even taken which was fine as we were not in a rush but then at the end they asked us to leave the second we finished as they needed the table...perhaps serve people faster then we wouldn't need to be told to leave! The waiters also tried to take plates away when people were still obviously eating (mid mouthful!) and ignored requests such as well cooked eggs from my friend who is pregnant. I think if they sort the service out this place will be a lot better , especially seeing as they automatically add 12.5% on to your bill! 3.5 stars.

Ate here last night. Really good spot. Stunning location and great fit out. The cocktail menu had the usual fair and a lot of Bellenis. Every one had Belleni's, but I asked if they could do an "Old Fashioned" (not on the menu) and they did no problem. The food was stunning. I had chicken liver foie gras starter and lamb for the main. Really eqsuisite and cooked to perfection. The only down bit was they should have brought the wine earlier and we had to flag them down for this. But they realised they had erred and quickly made amends and grovelled appropriately.

Came here for our Christmas 2013 Work Dinner. Food is very nice although dont expect big portions. We ordered from the set menu which had a nice variety for all. The location is amazing as we had a late lunch and stayed until early evening we got to see the great views. I had the scallops to start and the red mullet for my main which was very delicious and elegantly presented. The drinks menu has a wide range of cocktails. I was in love with the Bellini's i think i tried every flavour...devine! the Raspberry was my most favourite. Overall it was a great sophisticated place to come with work colleagues and the view of london cant be missed.

Had a good lunch at this great place with a beautiful view of the Thames in a not very interesting building. The restaurant inside looks good, upmarked. A lot of suits inside but still an informal atmosphere. Welcomed by the staff we had a drink at the bar first and then moved to the restaurant where we had a very affordable set lunch which was of good value/quality for this very decent price. Staff was extremely friendly. The set menu had some seasonal items like game pie which was very good. Quantity of the food was sufficient. Suggested wines were good.

Skylon is smart, and if you get a seat by the windows the view is great, but the restaurant food was good rather than excellent, and therefore overpriced. A three course meal for two with a single glass of wine each cost us £120. I'd like to go back to the cheaper grill or bar, just to enjoy the setting. I feel into the foolish trap of thinking that the price indicated the standard of the food, and booked a table for my birthday treat. Unfortunately, I now appreciate that the price was inflated because of the location (near Waterloo, Southbank and theatres, on the river). I later gathered that Skylon does pre-theatre menus and is included in London Eye + dinner packages. So it's a fancy touristy place really, rather than somewhere I'd recommend to foodies. In that vein, as soon as we sat down, a trolley of champagnes (with a stand-up sign showing all the per glass prices) was wheeled up to us, and the waiter was ever so slightly pushy in the way he suggested we buy a glass to start our evening. I found that tacky and unwelcome. Service wasn't what I'd expect for the price. Lots of harassed looking staff dashed about and various people served us, in a robotic fashion. After declining the champagne we were left 15mins before I had to ask someone for a drinks menu, and it took a while to get attention when we were ready to order. There was also a considerable wait for food and between courses. The food was mostly nice, and beautifully presented, but nothing made me go 'wow' and the portions were teensy. Yummy bread. I'd planned my starter from the online menu and was excited to experience it, as is sounded like an exciting mix of flavours and textures: Pan fried foie gras, smoked eel granny smith salad,poppy seed dressing, crisp potato galett. Alas, apart from when I got a teeny bit of the tiny portion of apple, all I could taste was fatty foie gras, bland at that. More apple, better seasoning, and citrus in the dressing would have rescued it. The galet was laughable and hardly worth including - a 50p sized, thin, pretentious skeleton of a ready salted crisp. The boy's rabbit and chutney was pleasant , but you could get triple the amount for half the price in a good pub. He had tasty but tedious pork cooked three ways with cabbage. Pork and cabbage work well, so yes, it tasted as nice as expected. No twist. I would have liked to have seen more Scandi influences from the chef on the menu. The most Scandi thing on the online menu was a fascinating sounding salmon dish with lemon verbena jelly, pickled cucumber, egg butter and sweet rye, but alas it was not on the night that we visited. The star of the evening was my aubergine slow-cooked in red wine, served with delicate blobs of mushroom jus, toasted almonds and a thin caviar-filled filo cigarette balanced across the top. It was a rich and deeply savoury vegetarian dish, and it saved the night for me. The dessert menu almost sent me to sleep, and sure enough, despite the fact that it was only 3 weeks ago, I have already forgotten what I had. I recall cutting through a hard shortbread biscuit with my spoon. The boy had something to do with chocolate, which was overpowered by a revolting lavender cream. So, as somewhere to go for a very expensive meal- only worthwhile if you are not paying/not too worried about such things, and not a foodie. As a classy, dimly lit venue with high ceilings, in which you can sip a drink and admire the gleaming cutlery and sparkling River Thames, sure.

This restaurant is in a spectacular location! I had never been to London before and my cousin picked this place on the first night I was there. He couldn't have picked a better place. It was a gorgeous day in London (which I heard very rare) and we took a quick walk across the pedestrian bridge from my flat in Convent Garden. OMG what a view.. AMAZING! I got to see the London Eye, Thames, Tower Bridge and then we were at the restaurant. So about the restaurant.. you have a great view of all the above right outside the window. It was a little hot inside the place but I guess London isn't big on AC. Food was tasty... My friend got this truffle, broccoli and pasta thing I would highly recommend. Looking for an after dinner place... there is a bar outside on the bottom floor.

Amazinnnggggg! The ambience, service and FOOD was out of this world! Can't even say anything else lol, just go there!

I decided I had to look at my other reviews to determine whether I would give this place a 4 or a 5... My sister arranged a supper there for our family, so almost the first thing I did was have a look on here at the various reviews. We were off to the theatre so we all ordered off the set menu, and I think it was really good value. The liver parfait starter were excellent, the onglet steak was fantastic (and there was lots of it which was good) and the desert was yummy (although am not sure if the sorbet was the right thing to accompany the tart). Service was great and the views were lovely. Highly recommended - and after reading some of the other reviews, I need a second round there to check out the drinks in more detail!

I love the bar there as it holds very dear memories to my heart- when I first met my man; but don't like cocktails- think nothing special about the drinks. location is fab., view spectacular (if you were lucky to get a table overlooking the Thames) and service is very friendly I have tried the grill area of the restaurant and food was Ok last night went for dinner in restaurant and for some reason my company didn't feel at ease and this was conveyed to me- couldn't relax I enjoyed the food and drinks- maybe because I didn't check how much each drink was (I learnt the lesson now) overall I enjoyed it - just if I had someone who would enjoy the place and good service will absolutely go back there

I've been coming to the RFH since I was a little boy - a long long time ago! And therefore I have seen most of the various attempts to use the space here for a decent restaurant. Thisis defintiely the best. The bar has a really buzzy atmosphere, and the grill area great views onto the Thames. A definite destination feel about the restaurant overall that raises it above the norm. The cooking is decent - a cod and couscous main course was cooked well without being that exciting. The wine lits is also pretty full. This is a good place to entertain out-of-towners or to meet for drinks when south of the river.

I'm giving this 3 stars because the venue is great and so is the decor, especially on a summer's evening. The food however was ordinary. I didn't think the food had any taste, it was pretty ordinary. I had salmon to start and the hake for mains - neither of which got me excited. The oversized bed of (what at least tasted like) tinned creamed spinach was definitely not ideal and made worse by the fact that the hake dish had no sauce or jus? so was pretty bland and dry. We were also in a group of 11 and had to pre order our food. Who does that? Especially in a restaurant if this size!

I was taken here for dinner last night by my husband for our wedding anniversary and I was very impressed! I didn't notice the brasserie area that people here have mentioned, but we ate in the gourmet restaurant, which was absolutely lovely. I can't really flaw anything. The food (I had a salmon and potato thing for starters and the duck for mains and I was too full for dessert!) was delicious and the service was really great and just how I like it to be in a restaurant of this ilk - attentive but not hovery and also not at all snooty, but warm and welcoming. The place itself is a really wonderful use of this space in Royal Festival Hall. The lighting is ambient and the decour is 60's-esque with some really unique touches. I really want one of those oil burners that were on every table! There was no loud music detectable and the place certainly didn't need it. The din of people enjoying a good meal in a really good restaurant in a beautiful surrounding was a nice enough noise to accompany a special evening. I would definitely go here again and would recommend it for a special dinner. It is on the expensive side, but I felt that it satisfied enough on many levels in order to warrant the prices.

Good place for a night out, particularly to take someone visiting London, because the views are really good and the place itself is great. However, it may bit a bit pricey as the food could be a bit better. It is good, but not as good as its surroundings. I expected more for what you pay. The bar area is great, and worth trying it at least the once.

After working nearly 7 years across the river, finally had a meal at the Skylon grill. Gorgeous view during the day - probably even nicer at night. Interestingly enough can't really get your mind off of work seeing your building in the backdrop! I had a bit of time before the the rest of the group arrived so I decided to check out what everyone was having and looked like burgers and fish and chips were the most popular dishes. We had bread and butter to start. I hate getting such good bread and butter because you end up filling up on it! Luckily I decided to pass on the starter because I ordered the burger with a side of chips. It was a simple burger - no cheese and comes with a roasted tomato with a few stumps of pickles (gherkins) but it was surprisingly good! The thick cut chips were deliciously but way too much for one person - def recommend sharing. Overall, it is a nice experience and didn't think it was too touristy or gimicky.

Festival Hall was almost always someplace I walked by, until Skylon opened. Friends who just bought a flat nearby touted this place, and I now know why. A bit hard to find, but when you do, you'll be so glad you did. Went the 1st time just for drinks before theater, and what great drinks they were. Excellent barmen, excellent drinks. And a app or two makes an excellent evening. Overlooking the dining area from the bar, we could enjoy the river traffic along the Thames and watch the lights come on as the shadows lenghtened. Bliss Which is why we're back the next night, this time for dinner. It's later amd the place is packed to the rafters. The noise level is a bit much, but everyone looks to be enjoying themselves, so we sit at the bar and wait for a table. Did I mention how good the drinks are here? In the center of the bar is a stack of alcohols on offer and part of me wants to start with a drink made from the lowest tier and work my way up...to full on drunker than a skunk I'm sure. Temptered in my desire, I limit myself to the best vodka martini I've had in London in quite some time. Dinner is great, the food on offer excellent, and delicious and well presented. What a treat! Enjoy!

Location: Very Good. Overlooking Thames at Hungerford Bridge - request window table Food: Well prepared but unadventurous Drink: Good selection of wines across variety of price points Service: Indifferent, verging brusque Prices: Average for market segment and location Overall: Room for improvement

I've eaten in the grill portion of Skylon twice. The location obviously cannot be beat. My first time going I went with a friend and we had an excellent view of the Thames at sunset. The food was good and relatively well-priced compared to the restaurant at Skylon (right next to the grill). Once I had ravioli with peas which was delicious and steak on a separate occasion which was also good. Service could have been better, but overall had a positive experience here given ambiance, location, and food.

I went to this delightful restaurant last year for my birthday with big and little people of my family. It was absolutely lovely, the food was amazing particularly my gnocchi started. But what made it so lovely was the fuss the waiter and the manager made of both me (the birthday girl!) and my 6 yr old niece who loved getting dressed up for the occasion! It's in a great location and I would defo go again.

The Southbank Centre divides opinion architecturally, but it's brutalist exterior is a disguise for a softer, more rounded interior, with polished wooden banisters, high ceilings and functional light fittings reminding you of the primary schools of your youth. It was here that we gathered to toast a friend's 40th birthday at the upper level Skylon restaurant. A carefully selected table at the window afforded us splendid views over the Thames and the north bank. We were well attended by the sommelier and our waiter, with the first round of drinks swiftly arriving at our table. Nicely at ease now, we perused the menu, having decided already to eschew starters to make room for a potential dessert option. The tasting menu looked very appealing, but requires a full wallet, so we plumped for a la carte options from a menu stacked with fish dishes - I selected the Mallard option and we added a couple of carbohydrate side dishes - thick cut chips and mash. It did feel a little odd to see chips hiding on our table alongside the notably more sophisticated main dishes. All four of the main dishes were well received, although my mallard choice was definitely the most substantial in volume. The dessert choice was now a requirement, rather than a luxury! As it was a birthday, there was an extremely well decorated chocolate sauce plate for our guest of honour - a touch of class there. Glasses of champagne, a bottle of red, four mains and desserts took us slightly north of £250, so it's not cheap ears by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a price worth paying for fabulous fare, splendid service and a super setting. One for a special occasion.

A restaurant venue of choice when visiting London for a show. Whilst waiting for our table, which we never pre-book, the barman gives us a bowl of nibbles and serves us the most delectable, if not a tad expensive, cocktails. We are well known in there when we visit, cocktails followed by their burger and chips served in the brasserie area. Service is always speedy as they know we have to catch the last train back to Bristol from Waterloo and it gives us a chance to watch the sunset over the Thames and Southbank. Off to the Oxo for my birthday in Nov but brunching here, so will see how they compare.

Fantastic views and brilliant cocktails! But the food seems a bit hit-or-miss. I loved my endive salad as a starter and thought my slab o' steak main was more than adequate. But a few of the dishes round the table on my visit were strictly meh (I'd advise steering clear of the fish dishes). I think this would be a good place to meet up for drinks and nibbles. And if you don't mind meandering round Royal Festival Hall trying to find the right lift (assuming it's working), Skylon is a smart destination to keep in mind when you need to impress some non-foodie out-of-towners with a stunner of a view of the Thames and the London skyline at night.

Skylon is special, with fantastic river views, cocktails to die for and a really buzzy atmosphere. Have knocked back a couple of swanky (and pricey - £12- £15 a pop) cocktails there over the years, I've always been gagging to eat there one day. And, thanks to a cheapo set menu offer courtesy of the Evening Standard (£15 for 2 courses, £20 for 3, incl. glass of wine), last night I did! Myself and five buddies ate early before heading to the National Theatre, but despite the early hour the restaurant already had a good vibe, and service was polite and efficient (question though: why are ALL the servers brunettes?!). The selection wasn't massive with the set menu - only 3 choices per course - but my pumpkin soup was creamy and delicious (and, best of all, PIPING HOT, which is a must for me when it comes to soup. And to my my mum and dad, who will be reading this and will no doubt remind me that my carrot and coriander soup that I served up on Christmas day wasn't hot enough, so YES I'M A HYPOCRITE). My main was duck leg with parmesan polenta and curly cale, which was also Tasty McTasty. I must admit, however, that I always thought I'd easily give five stars to Skylon, but I think I'd have to go back there when I'm willing to spend more money to get the full, extravagant experience.

This is THE place to take visitors from out of town, and American friends love it. It's not the place for credit-crunch eating; don't even think of ordering Pinot by the glass (around £9). If you go here, make sure you get a decent table. If you're at the end of the room, facing a wall, you'll wince at paying £80 per head or so for food that's really good, but not fantastic, wine that's nice, service that's mediocre. But the view is what you're paying for, so make sure you get one.

A street entrance that is slightly hidden, followed by an good walk down a corridor and a confused layout was overcome by a most pleasant welcome. Access is also available from inside the hall. A relaxing room, not too crowded and great service. Set lunch of 2 or 3 courses, at two different price levels helps considerably, and both had attractions. Well prepared good looking food well cooked and satisfying rather than inspired. A good value 3 matching wines offer from a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic sommelier helped to make lunch an above average one.

Grest ambience location and food. We were a small group and had champagne, starter and main and a few bottles if wine. The quality was great and with a good choice as well. Good wine list and great service. Perfect to celebrate professional occasions and stay for a drink at the bar. A bit pricey but we did have a lot of food and drinks!

I remember a meal (large group of us, late at night, celebrating a friend's birthday) with poor service in the less formal section last summer. The more formal (though not stuffy) half is in a completely different league. You get world class food and (slick) service, with stunning riverside views. The South Bank setting provided additional buzz to lift the spirits. This restaurant is a real asset for London.

I am lucky to have this restaurant right near to my place of work and have had a few meetings meeting in the Girll area of the restaurant. As has been publicised on all other reviews the views out across the river are stunning especially in the summer at night time as you can imagine. I have had fish both times i have visited the Skylon Grill and can't fault the swordfish and tuna that was served. As you would expect from a restaurant of this calibre the service is excellent and restaurant feels spacious. I would recommend asking for a window seat when booking but these can be quite close together as everybody asks for these. I am heading there again tomorrow night for my first dinner service experience so watch this space.

Just fancy enough without being overbearingly snobby. It's a single large room, very high-ceilinged so as not to be too noisy. There's a bar in the middle, a "grill" on one side (quite a fancy restaurant on its own) and a fine dining area on the other side. I was at the grill; we were lucky enough to have a table for four right by the window at night, offering great views out over the Thames and the South Bank. Cocktails were nice but very expensive. Food was pricey but portions varied; all were good quality and well-presented. My endive salad was balanced and acted as a true appetiser, getting me ready for more. My pork belly was very large and succulent. One of my companions had a steak that they said was very good too. Two others had a fish dish that - while tasty - was a bit on the skimpy side. For dessert I had the best apple tartin I've ever put in my mouth. Overall it's a really good restaurant for dates and special occasions, if not regular visits.

It is quite hard to resist popping into Skylon after visiting the NFT. The biggest draw of this place is the view. The bar resides on the second floor of the Royal festival hall and gives a stunning panoramic view of the Thames. I've only ever drank beer or champagne so wouldn't know how good the cocktails are here. It is always super busy so I recommend arriving before people finish work if you can. Two more negatives are that the staff wear really ugly uniforms and the toilets are miles away.

Dinner and drinks with an amazing Thames view. Menu was relatively broad, and the food quality was fresh, though nothing worthy of the location premium pricing. I did enjoy the steak sauce selection:

This restaurant is very much a case of Marmite; either you like it or you don't. For London-style prices, you don't get London-sized portions, in that the prices are fairly costly, but the servings are paltry compared to other local eateries. If the portions were bigger, then they'd reflect the price, and I'd be giving this review at least another star, possibly even 2. I'm guessing the portions are to try and make it look like a hip place to be, where fashionistas and celebrities would attent, eat a lettuce leaf, and say they're full, but I'm 6'2", 182lbs, and hungry. Aside from that though, the venue is well decorated, and the staff are always polite and helpful, even if they do sometimes seem to be darting around in a bit of a day-dream. As for the food, it's not overly tasty, but if I was really hungry, I'd consider eating there in a real tight pinch.

Skylon is a must see place in London. The cocktails and the view are not to be missed. Soak up the 1950s style and imagine you are in a swanky film. Get there at the right time on the weekend and you can just watch the river and enjoy the view of London's skyline from Skylon. However, for a Coeliac it poses problems. Having bar snacks with cocktails is tricky as the staff are unaware of what the coating is or whether it contains gluten. Their light snack bar menu has limited options although the meat platter is pretty safe if not a bit - well on the meaty side. Lunch and dinner is also challenging. And gluten free diets for Coeliacs aside if you're not a fan of minimalist food - jog on somewhere else. Why have we reviewed it at all? The atmosphere is unlike any other bar in London and the decor is amazing right down to the staff's space age uniform. You wish that you'd dressed up to lounge around sipping Martinis. Must see: the view Must try: the amazing cocktails Who to take: a date you want to impress Wish: they did more gluten free options.

Wonderful place for special day! Good view and you will definitely enjoy the everning lights around River Thames. The rib eye steak is so tasty that I will never order it in Angus Steakhouse.