Time Out has teamed up with tastelondon to offer you a fantastic one month free trial
-
Rules
-
-
Rules, established in 1798, is London’s oldest restaurant, and it’s doing a good job of growing old gracefully, mamaging to stay relevant rather than turning into a museum piece. The main, horseshoe-shaped dining room is a symphony of burgundy leather. The walls are decorated with old cartoons, and seating is generously spaced, including some capacious booths. There’s also a spiffingly presented bar. The menu treads a delicate path between generational staples such as liver and bacon and chicken curry, simple potted dishes and cold cuts, and more knowing nods to current Modern British food trends. Service and presentation were impeccable when we visited, yet quality was slightly variable: an asparagus soup was velvety, but a risotto too blobby; a duckling with black cherry sauce was delicious, but a steak and kidney pudding featured a leaden suet casing – poor for a signature dish, however traditional. Still, provenance of the ingredients is impeccable: venison from the Highlands, lobster from the Scilly Isles – Rules even has its own game estate in the Pennines. As you might suspect, desserts are thoroughly British: golden treacle sponge pudding; and, in summer, gooseberry fool with elderflower.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
|
|
Advertisement
Details
- 35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, WC2E 7LB
- Area: Covent Garden
- Tel: 020 7836 5314
- www.rules.co.uk
- Category: British
- Travel: Covent Garden tube
- Times: Meals served noon-11.30pm Mon-Sat; noon-10.30pm Sun
- Price: Main courses £17.95-£24.50
- Credit cards: AmEx, JCB, MC, V
- Services:
- Available for hire: Separate rooms for parties (7379 0258), seating 8, 10, 14 and 18
- Child facilities: Babies and children welcome: children's portions; high chairs
- Dress code: smart casual
Map
Most viewed restaurants
Date of the day
Markswlondon
I am an active, social, confident guy. i enjoy my job and social life. I thought i'd give this a go as i've nothing to loose; hopefully i meet a...
|
|
More ways to enjoy Time Out
-
Weekly London newsletter
The best of London in your inbox
-
Time Out Widgets
|
|
we took friends here last week and the food was superb staff were really attentive
the service was great and we had a really good time well done
We had a fantastic meal here earlier this year. The staff are extremely friendly and accomodating. The food is wholeheartedly British...a window into pall mall clubland dining I would say...and is of an excellent quality. The particular highlight was my main of v
Great fun and wonderful cuisine. We came for the ambience and were very pleased with the excellent menu. Flavours, palette and textures were wonderful. The very pleasant wine cellar didn't hurt either. We did spent a bit of time 'touring' the setting-a treasure. Sorry for the effusive nature of our comment but we will definitely make a point of dining here on future visits to London.
Just came back form rules today
service was good and the artichoke soup devine roe deer ossu was also really good the decor really encourages you to relax and sit back keep it up
the food is lovely very traditional
the staff are good
I went to Rules recently after going to the theatre and have to say that I thought the whole place was excellent, the service was superb, food to die for and good solid british menu! I think the above review is polar opposite to my experience in such a wonderful restaurant which gives the diner exactly what they would want when going out for a rather nice meal.
What a mean-spirited review.
It sounds like you'd made up your mind to come down on the place before you'd even had a mouthful: "The tone was set when we were left to kick our heels in a holding lobby too small for all the would-be diners" - for goodness' sake GET OVER YOURSELVES, why don't you?! Relax! Enjoy the atmosphere!
"Overall this is tourist food at tourist prices". What utter rubbish. Traditional British food is what it is. Rules certainly isn't the cheapest restaurant out there, but is a unique and splendid dining experience. As a born-and-bred Londoner I'll keep returning - I suggest you stick to your Hoxton hangouts, or wherever else your latest food fad may be located.