The Phene

The Phene is a lovely pub and restaurant, a short 5-minute walk from Kings Road. We had a fantastic Sunday lunch. The food was beautifully cooked, good-sized portions and the served beautifully. We all had the roasted artichoke to start, followed by a roast lamb, pork belly, and stone bass. We could not fault anything. All of which was a great relief, as we are heading back to the beautiful Oakley Room for our wedding lunch this summer.

Hmmm where do I start? We waited over 2 hours for lunch today. Several tables around us were served and finished who arrived after us, We ended up walking out. The manager apologized and refunded the money for drinks but really the Fathers Day lunch with all our kids was ruined. Then the ‘doorman’ started to give my wife attitude. I’m pretty astounded as the pub looked lovely and we were really looking forward to it. Not great, to the owner of this place I’d have a word with the team as this was an epic fail - better communication, offering snacks or something to take the pressure off, not arguing and confronting customers. Response to their comments - we were waiting for food for over one and a half hours. Nobody shouted at your staff. Your poor service ruined a lunch for three families. Our group which included many children was surprisingly tolerant but your repeated lies about the service which was admitted only when one of our children saw that the order was not submitted after about one hour of waiting. Your staffs behaviour was aggressive and reprehensible - it was shockingly poor.

In an area steeped with tradition, English culture and beautiful Georgian architecture, I have stumbled across 'The Phene'; a majestic multi-level pub with a picturesque beer garden, an ornate bar area upon entry and numerous eating locations, including the second level function centre which could possibly host smallish wedding functions and the third level table and lounge for groups of 16 or so, hosting a birthday or Christmas bash. The food couldn't be faulted, the service was friendly and professional and the drinks include my newly found favourite beer, Barsham's Pilgrim Pale Ale, albeit, served in a 500 ml bottle and not on tap. All prices are very reasonable for the area. Set down from The King's Gate, along Sydney Place and on Phene St, Chelsea amongst 18th-19th century residential architecture, The Phene, which was originally built in about 1850, is a 'must visit' which I will when I next return to enjoy the English Christmas cheer in December (hopefully still finding the Barsham available, gluten free but who would know). Btw, many items on the menu are gluten free and are nominated as such without searching an annoying QR coded back-menu. Highly Recommended!

We spent the evening in the Oakley room for my sister’s bridal shower and it was so perfect! The staff leading up to the event were very helpful with organising the evening and Robert and Michaela on the night were just incredible!! They were so attentive, flexible with the way the evening was planned to suit our needs, unbelievably helpful in ensuring the bride and all the guests had a fantastic fun evening, I can’t thank them enough! The food was delicious and a lovely selection of wines available. I would highly recommend this space for a private event. Thank you so much to the whole team at the Phene!

Had our wedding reception at The Phene on the 10th September and couldn’t recommend them enough. All the staff (especially Joel & Victor) were fabulous & couldn’t do enough to ensure our day went and smooth as possible. The lead up communication was great & they were so accommodating when we wanting things to arrive the day before the reception. Due to the tube strikes our schedule for the day was completely wiped out but the team ensured the food came out hot & fresh. If you were thinking about having an event or reception here I hope you get to read this review.

Came here for my mother’s birthday - we had an excellent time. There is a really good atmosphere here and the bartender Leo was lovely the whole time and really looked out for my elderly grandfather as well as some excellent cocktails. The man serving us, Ollie I believe, was also superb. Top notch place!

This pub is so charming! The interior has such a vibe! A fabulous evening! Our time was extraordinary and very memorable. Roberto and Fedir looked after us so well. The quality of the food and drinks was top notch and clearly a lot of thought goes into using high quality ingredients. Highly recommended and very keen to return!

My sons and I stopped in while we waited for my wife and daughter to do some shopping. While we only had drinks and appetizers everything was great. The staff was very attentive despite being busy with a party. One bartender even noticed me eating the orange slice from my old fashioned and brought some more over. Apparently, he also enjoys eating the orange slices with bourbon. I wish I lived closer as this is the type of establishment I enjoy frequenting.

Amazing Sunday roast - I got the traditional roast beef and cauliflower cheese (which was to die for!) and my mum got the pork chop which she says was the best gluten free meal she has ever had in a restaurant! The service was great and sitting outside in their garden on a nice summer night added to the experience. Would definitely come again!

Beautiful decor and food, but atrocious service. I wanted to love this place as a friend recommended it, but I literally sat and waited for ages for the waiters to even acknowledge me. The whole evening went on this way in a room that was half full. I almost had to get up twice to get service or a refill on my drinks. I DID have to get up and walk to the bar to pay my tab on a very expensive meal which is not OK. The bathroom was dirty with no soap, or toilet paper which is not OK in Chelsea or at this price point. Worrisome that perhaps the staff is not using soap to wash their hands before returning to work. Sadly, can't recommend and won't be back.

Nice enough gastro pub, tucked down a Chelsea side street. Lots of space outside. Food is good- a word on the sharing platters thou'. They're BIG. Plenty for two, probably more than enough for three. The beer selection is a s**tshow- they've substituted trendiness for quality. Don't even have Guinness. And no, "another stout" is not the same - it's not, by definition, Guinness. Popular with shrill privileged teenagers in the school holidays. Take ear defenders and pity the neighbours.

This place is just lovely! Been here a few times and absolutely have nothing bad to say! It's off the main road which makes it nice & quiet but it draws a lovely crowd all looking for the same thing...! Their garden is just beautiful and cosy and if your lucky enough to get there on a sunny day, it's just delightful! Cocktails are delightful and food is delicious also! I hosted a Christmas Party here last year and everyone was full of compliments on the venue!! It is quite pricey...to say the least! But definitely worth going & treating yourself every once in a while!

Very nice cocktail bar in Chelsea, on a quiet street and with a nice outdoor patio. From the reviews it seems a posh place but it's actually a very relaxed one and you dont really need to dress up that much (even though it's still not a pub!) I had Argentinian wine so I can't really tell about the cocktails but the seemed nice.

The Phene was the location of a wedding reception I attended. I was upstairs in a nice private area. The room fit about 25 people well. The food options were great including starters and a main course. Everyone enjoyed the food regardless of whether they ordered the turkey, beef, fish or vegetarian. They allowed the party to bring in an outside cake and flowers for decor. The service was super friendly throughout the meal and drinks afterwards. They did a great job for a wedding celebration and were accommodating when changes were needed. However, I can't speak to the regular menu or services.

Things started off great. Walked in, great ambience, amazing menu, amazing cocktail menu (almond milk skinny cocktails?!?) and a really chilled looking outdoor area. I was already texting my friends about it and planning a return visit. We however had to wait AGES (almost an hour) for our starters and then another hour after that for our mains .. Which never came! My sister and I had to leave for a party which we ended up being super late for and my entire family left before the mains arrived because they were too hungry and upset with the wait! I will give this place two stars because I wanted it SOOOOO BADLY to be good and I'll hopefully find another chance to come back with friends (I don't think my family will ever step foot in there again which is a shame). The starters we had were very good except for my mums soup which was too salty. This was then confirmed by a waiter to tried it and agreed that it was salty beyond belief! I think they had recently changed their menu and obviously hadn't tried it out beforehand. Possibly why everything was taking so long! Will probably wait to go back a time when they are not so busy and when they've been running the same menu for a while.. If I do.

Lovely Chelsea pub that makes a great Sunday roast. The waiting times are very long and the staff tends to forget you - and man, pints are expensive. It's a cool place, but the quality/price ratio isn't great.

Excellent Gastropub, lovely menu and good drinks. Friendly staff + nice decor both interior and exterior. Please just mind the washroom, it's not exactly spit spot clean and tidy...

I want to like this place, I really do, it's so close to my flat... but in the end it's just ok. It's certainly overpriced, but considering the clientele most people in the place can afford an £18 Sunday roast without blinking. At the Phene you'll probably see some beautiful people (or people who once were beautiful before booze and age took their toll). If it's nice outside go out and sit on the patio, you'll probably have fun and enjoy it, but there are plenty of other options in the area that offer the same thing...

After reading the other reviews I was concerned that this place would be too pretentious and over priced. But after a quick review of the menu online we decided we would give it a go. As this was a beautiful day the garden patio was packed, but the indoor restaurant was pretty quiet with plenty of seating available. Which was nice since we came for the food and not the scene. We started with the large portion of fried squid and it was delicious with a perfect sweet chili dipping sauce, which went great with my glass of prosecco. My husband ordered a bloody mary and was not disappointed. We have both found that a good bloody mary is hard to find in the UK. For the mains I had the salmon with rice and a kind of spicy pineapple salsa. The salmon steak was grilled to perfection and it came with a tzatziki sauce served on top (a bit too much if you ask me, as i removed about 2/3 of it from the salmon) which was a nice compliment to the spicy pineapple salsa. My husband ordered the rib eye with cajun chips and green beans. He asked for it medium and it was closer to medium well, he described it as overcooked and under whelming. As it was the most expensive thing on the menu at 18.50....you would think they would get it right on the temp and cooked to order. All in all I was impressed and had a great meal. I felt that it was a good value for the quality of the food. Would we go back? Maybe...but I will probably go the Orange off Pimlico Rd. before I do.

Love this pub. It is a cross between a pub and a restaurant. Very elegant decor inside and has an outside patio. Very spacious with various sections where you can sit. Good selection of delicious food and very good selection of local London beers.

I wish we could've sat outside but it felt like it was a strange pecking order of how you get a seat out in the beer garden. There is a strange pretentiousness about this place but hey when do I ever mingle with strangers? The food was okay, I think you'll find better gastopubs around London.

Still love the phene, though sadly having now eaten here, I really wasn't a fan of the food. They only had one fish option, which was quite overcooked and not visually or in actuality appealing, and my friend was quite upset he couldn't get their sandwiches (or something off the lunch menu) for dinner. Parents weren't too wild about their food either, so consequently ended up canceling a birthday dinner scheduled here shortly thereafter. Do still love the outdoors, indoors, ambiance in general, and fact it's dog friendly. The lobster dishes at lunch look great, but don't eat lunch, so sadly only had the fairly disappointing dinner menu. Highly recommend the garden on a nice day - or even a cold one, as they have heaters. Also a cozy fireplace indoors, if it's lit.

Ugh. I really hate Chelsea. And I think maybe it is a little unfair because it is a dislike built up over time as a result of constant pestering from my friends about Made in Chelsea and all it's 'cool' characters and all the 'cool' places they go and how we should also go to those 'cool' places in 'cool' Chelsea. Ugh. So this is the attitude I carried with me on my trip to The Phene, a strange little bar and patio buried behind rows of terrace houses in Chelsea. Oh and just in case you were wondering, as seen on Made in Chelsea. The outside area was very nice, even on a cloudy day, but there was no room so inside we went. I personally loved the inside more than outside. We sat in a section with a transparent ceiling so it was ultra-bright and cosy. As expected I felt vastly underdressed as people walked in at 1pm on a drizzly Saturday afternoon in stilettos and full faces of make up. My biggest issue though was that I was there for lunch, but I didn't want anything on the menu, it was a long list of gastropub fail in my (possibly uninformed and potentially unwanted) opinion, so I played it safe with a burger. Which was definitely not worth £13.50. So with that and a 5-way share in two bottles of wine, I paid £26 for an underwhelming lunch at a restaurant I didn't really want to go to. U-G-H and M-E-H. EXCLAMATION MARK.

Yea, a little douchy. But not gonna lie, sometimes I LIKE a little douchy (just a little.) Really swank patio (small) with swinging chairs, heat lamps, and nice patio furniture. On a nice day, I could see this place being very enjoyable. If it is sunny, you're in Chelsea, and you like things that you might find in Los Angeles or on Entourage, this might be the place for you. Otherwise... meh.

Went on a Friday night with a girlfriend to grab some beers, enjoy the sun on their outside patio for the short bit it while it was out and have dinner. Food: My girlfriend and I both ordered the burger. She added the pulled pork and I added the bacon to our burgers. Clearly we know how to eat! Unfortunately being from the states we expected our pulled pork and bacon to taste differently and were both disappointed. The burger itself is yummy as is. Drinks: We ordered two beers with dinner. Price: For two people we paid 45.28 GBP. Ambiance: The outdoor patio is great when the weather is nice. Definitely get there early since it's first come first serve. The space inside is very welcoming and cozy. Service: Everyone from the bartender, hostess and server were all very friendly. Would I go back? Definitely! It's a great spot in Chelsea.

Stellar spot!!! Delicious gastropub. Incredible ambience. Superb service. Peaceful and charming outdoor beer garden. Just a wonderful and quite place off the beaten path and madness of the area.

Lovely gastropub in the middle of Chelsea. Set back from the main road in a small mews the Pub is catering for the well heeled clientele of the area. Nicely furnished inside over 2 floors with an additional outside garden area. There is also a deli counter. We attended a wedding here and was impressed by the pubs charm and their pleasant staff. The food was good - a lovely buffet of italian and English classics - Gnocchi and Roasted Lamb. Delicious. My only issue was the rather draconian rules on noise. They are based in a very residential area and so have obviously had problems in the past with their neighbours. While enjoying a post dinner nicotine hit, we had a doorman standing by our elbow reminding us to be quiet and then hushing us if we went over a meagre decibel - anything over a conversational voice was frowned on. I do feel sorry for them because the local residents are obviously making their life hell. Maybe they should just call time and turn it into a block of flats instead. Another independent pub gone to the wall!!!!

What can I see, the Phene is a pub to be scene (see what I did there).... If you are looking for a chill pub to catch up with a mate or watch some sport, then DON'T go to the Phene....but if you are looking for a spot to spy some cute boys put on a fun outfit and waste away an afternoon then the Phene is the best spot in the neighborhood! I always have a great time here!

Very good food and wine - felt very welcome and the service was immaculate - very happy with a Friday night where we wanted to relax after a long work week:-) Thank you.

The Phene Arms was, for years, a London institution. It featured frequently in Evening Standard cartoons. Famously, it was George Best's local when he lived in nearby Oakley Street. If it was a good enough boozer for George it should be good enough for anyone. I hadn't been there for years and had fond memories of the velvet banquettes, interesting urinals, excellent beer offer, the interesting, eclectic mix of city boys, artists and local drunks, and was looking forward to seeing how things had been updated. As Marlon Brando says in Apocalypse Now, " The horror, the horror". I suspect he had the new Phene in mind. It's hard to know where to start. But let's start with the decor. To paraphrase Churchill, "Never in the field of human hostelry has so much been spent by so few to achieve so little." Clearly, they have gone for a look of unbridled luxury. Clearly they have failed. It might look OK in a Parisian rent-boy's lair, but in a London pub? Nah... The people? The women are the sort of anorexic shopping ladies who glare at you as they sourly prod a lone pea around their plates. They will, invariably be accompanied by a man in a blazer with red cords, swilling a large glass of red and droning on. And on. To lower the average age (and, incidentally, IQ), someone has hired a load of floppy-haired hoorays. No-one is having any sort of fun. Including you. Drinks? You're joking, aren't you? Pint of Pride - from a fucking keg! - served ice fucking cold? Four quid, please. Thanks for that. The garden's all right, if you can avoid the people. But here's a better idea. Why don't you take your hard-earned money and go down the road to the ever-excellent Cross Keys, or the Pig's Ear. Real boozers, run by real people for real people.

The Phene has a nice beer garden which has been transformed for a couple weeks into a themed event, the Midori Chi Garden. It was for this themed event which I traversed the city to experience. Upon approach, and seeing the two bouncers (at 7pm on a Tuesday) stationed outside the front door, I realised I may have made a terrible mistake. But, I was there so I decided to try my luck at cashing in my voucher for a free Midori sour (oh the lengths to which I'll go for a free cocktail). The bouncers let me in easy enough, with a nice smile whilst opening the door for me, but I was ignored by almost everyone else. It was that kind of ignoring which doesn't make you feel invisible so much as simply judged unworthy. I was eye-balled by everyone and then simply dismissed. Apparently, since I don't look like a douche I was obviously not worth anyone's time. The pub is nice looking with a big open space in the front and easy access to the bar. The garden is just on the side. We stood for about 10 minutes wondering what to do: do we wait for a table (they were all full) or is there bar service? It was very unclear. Everyone was at a table with a menu, there were waitresses wandering around, and no one was standing about with drinks. It felt very much like a sit down joint but no one was acknowledging us. We finally just took our vouchers up to the Midori bar, asked the bartender if there was bar service or just table service to which he replied table and to which we said we only wanted to cash in our vouchers for our free Midori sours. He very kindly said he'd make our drinks and then we could try to find a table if we wanted anything else. He made our drinks, we tipped him for his effort, drank our drinks and were outta there. This was not a pleasant experience. I think if the staff had been friendly (not counting the friendly bouncers and bartender) we may have stayed for a bit. If the crowd had been fun rather than douche-y we probably would've stayed for even longer. As it was, we played a quick game of Mock the Douches and left, never to return. The free Midori sour was almost not worth it.

Yummy hummus platter and chicken skewers with tzatziki. Terribly slow service between apps and mains though but I shall forgive it since the atmosphere inside is so cozy and warm with just the right amount of lively energy without overwhelming you. Too bad London weather isn't nicer more often because the heated garden patio is quite charming.

Great food if you have three hours to spare!! Worst service I've seen in London. Took a full hour for a salad to get a salad and they even added gratuity to the bill! Yikes. The chicken was delicious though.

I came here for a friend of a friend's birthday. They had rented the patio out, and it happened to be an absolutely stunning day. I had a great time (was able to enjoy my first Pimms of the season!) and the atmosphere was great. I didn't try the food but a few of the other partygoers did and it looked pretty respectable. Would definitely stop in again on a sunny day for some patio and pimms time

Started by a nice couple of beers outside and at 8:55 on a beautiful Sunday evening we were told we had to move inside and were seated in the dining area because we'd asked about ordering dinner. 10 minutes later we were told the kitchen was closed. So strange.

I haven't ever eaten here so I can't comment on the food but what I will say is that the outside area is one of the nicest I've ever been to. However, there is a downside- the outside area closes at 9.30 and the doormen really harass you to get out of there. We did get told off a couple of times as well for 'making too much noise' when my friends were only having a laugh and giggling at 7pm on a Friday night. It is on the pricey end of things. The only reason I go back is because of the outside area.

Terrible. Food was expensive and unpleasant. Drinks and beer are very expensive. The outside area has plenty of space and is nice in the sun, but the attitude of the pub's security guys ruined the whole afternoon. There were three of them patrolling the area making sure no one was making excessive noise - it was like drinking in a prison. My friend was twice asked not to laugh as loudly as it was disturbing the local residents - and this was at 6pm on a sunny April afternoon. I appreciate it must be annoying for those living near by if the garden is noisy late in to the evening but this was just way over the top, and additionally the security guy was extremely rude about it. The rest of the bar staff were helpful and pleasant however. Toilets were smelly, uncleaned and had pools of urine on the floor - not acceptable for a place that is charging such prices.

Had a great time yesterday: food was awesome (much better than my last visit), friendly atmosphere as usual but the thing which stroke me the most was the security personnel. Oh boy, they are doing excellent job as I could see how professionally they were dealing with the situation. Here, I want to mention one particular security guard (with glasses) at the door, who was very polite and understanding. As he tried to explain the customers the reason the security staff is in the garden is to keep the noise level down due to neighbors' nonstop complaints. I must say he is doing tough job yet very professionally, the guy must have gotten a lot of patience. Lovely place, good food and awesome staff, thumbs up!!!! Will go again I highly recommend everyone going there at least once.

1pm on a rainy day. 5 tables for are available in the main area, but we are proposed outside or in a corridor on sofas. Checked on bookatable, there was no reason to push us there except maybe because we had two kids. Food is average.

Probably the worst service I have ever had in London, or anywhere for that matter. It would seem that this place is run by a bunch of teenagers. I booked this "gastropub" to take two of my close friends to who were in from out of town. What a mistake! From the moment we entered the service was absolutely abominable. The food was so uninspiring in that 4 of us ordered burgers. My friend and I had ordered a steamed artichoke to start with lemon butter dipping sauce. The waiter brought us canned artichoke hearts on a bed of lettuce. What a joke! He did take them off the bill when we complained. When the burgers and chips came, he unappologetically told us they had run out of ketchup! Never in all of my years have I been to a pub/restaurant that has run out of ketchup! The burger was dry and the chips were not the delicious sort that one enjoys eating with out ketchup. The waiter was very rude and this experience was a disaster and disappointment from start to finish. It is a lovely space with a great outdoor space, so it is a shame they haven't been able to get their service in order and I would certainly not call what was on the menu Gastropub food. New management and chef are definitely in order. Save your money and time and go to one of the other very lovely true gastropubs in Chelsea.

I also want to like the phene as it is close by and does look very nice. However, they have ran out of food, toilet roll, drinks etc on so many occasions that it just beggars belief. To be charging their prices and run out of toilet paper is just inexcusable. To run out of mint when the whole bar is ordering mojitos is a joke. On one parituclar night when I was in there I tried to order a dish containing houmus but they ran out of houmus. I then tried to order a cocktail containing berries, but they ran out of all berries. The trouble is that it is not the first time or even the second time! Also on one particular evening they decided to close the bar before the scheduled closing time. The bar man was rude and hostile when I complained. Eventually they did serve us (after I complained to the manger) but it is haphazard and messy. They need to get their act together so that it is busy on rainy days as well sunny days as it is probably only the garden which keeps people coming back. I, for one, would go there so much more if they knew what they were doing.