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Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill
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London certainly knows how to revitalise and reinvent its historic fish restaurants: witness the rise and rise-again of J Sheekey and Scott’s. Ever since Irish-born Richard Corrigan and his partners took over this 92-year-old veteran a couple of years ago, Bentley’s has been one of the capital’s most charming and consistent performers. While the first-floor dining rooms are more sedate and well-mannered, the downstairs oyster bar is where the action is – and where there’s a good chance the ebullient Corrigan himself will be holding forth. The menu crawls all over the place like a mad crab, from the traditional (huge fish and chips, old-fashioned fish pie and a richly endowed shellfish cocktail with pink marie-rose sauce) to the modern (meaty stone-bass fillet with chanterelles, and an inventive steamed Cornish fish with Thai flavours). Best spot is a bar-side stool to watch the oyster-openers shuck and flip like sleight-of-hand magicians. Yes, it’s expensive here, but you can’t help feeling that your boat has come in.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009
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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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Details
- 11-15 Swallow Street, Piccadilly, W1B 4DG
- Area: Piccadilly
- Tel: 020 7734 4756
- Website
- Book online
- Category: Fish
- Travel: Piccadilly Circus tube
- Times: Oyster Bar Meals served noon-midnight Mon-Sat; noon-10pm Sun. Restaurant Lunch served noon-3pm daily. Dinner served 6-11pm Mon-Sat; 6-10pm Sun
- Price: Oyster Bar Main courses £8.50-£24. Restaurant Main courses £16.50-£38
- Credit cards: AmEx, MC, V
- Services:
- Available for hire: Separate rooms for parties, seating 14 and 60
- Disabled: toilet
- Dress code: smart casual; no shorts
- Function room: Separate rooms for parties, seating 14 and 60
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What a disappointment. Very expensive for little to show. Fish with so called oyster sauce had no oysters and cost £25.50 Game pie dry meat and overdone pastry. Special pud of rosehip soup completely spoiled by some brick hard biscuit/scone on top. The so called special fish pie is not at all special and at £27.50 the most expensive disappointment I have ever had. Seems to me Mr Corrigan is not keeping an eye on this kitchen - too busy in his new venture. £2 cover charge the last straw. For a special birthday treat it was one big disappointed. Please do not go. I would prefer to give it no stars at all
We had a fantastic meal at Bentley's. The staff were very attentive yet unintrusive. The food was outstanding. We weill definately visit Bentley's again - I wish I had found it sooner!!
Massively disappointing. Went here on a sunday to have a special lunch and it was a disaster. Raw prawns in fish pie, cold in the middle, one meal served 20mins after everyone elses, irritating, smug staff etc etc. Dont bother.
just have been to bentley's and we're not very happy at all.
food is good but expensive (small sized dover sole at £40) apart from mediocre chips.
service is abysmal, starting with poor receptionist, a sommelier who can not recommend wines and admits to not having tasted some of them, waiters who neglect to keep pouring wine or water, far too many different waiters through the evening to keep track of your needs and so on.
what really disturbed us was a £8 cover charge per person on top of the 12.5% service charge. we left £65 for a service we considered all in all quite mediocre.
clearly the restaurant is aimed for people who do not care about overall quality or about value
The Oyster bar is agreat place to eat, and I prefer it in character to the restaurant upstairs, as it's more relaxed and friendly. The Oysters are excellent, service attentive and friendly, wine list sound and affordable - very well worth a visit whether you're there for lunch or dinner. A favourite in London to be visited time and again.
nice spot. however, sunday lunchtime outside, service very poor, all staff seemed new and didn't know what to do. raw garlic in the dish clams-linguini, not enough flavour. there doesn't seem to be anyone in charge. we are locals so won't go back.