Restaurants

Bill Wyman may have sold his controlling interest to Maxwell’s owner Brian Stein several years ago, but his sticky fingerprints are still all over this squat little space just off Kensington High Street. Wyman’s name remains on the branding, the walls are caked in Stones memorabilia (much of it postdating the group’s glory years), and the front of the menu is a chips-cheap imitation of the Sticky Fingers album cover. From the dated mock-American decor to the efficient service, this is in essence a Stones-themed Hard Rock Café – or, perhaps, a TGI Friday with better music. The similarities extend to the so-so food, prepared by a kitchen that seems to prioritise quantity over quality for the benefit of diners tickled by the challenge of clearing their plates. Buffalo wings come slathered in a fairly unbecoming hot sauce; the burgers are unremarkable in all but size (‘The Mess’ is a half-pounder piled high with chilli, sour cream and pretty decent guacamole); and the chips are entirely forgettable. Ah, well. You can’t always get what you want.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009