Log in to My Time Out for your personalised guide to what's on in London. It's fast, easy and FREE!
Follow Beach Blanket Babylon to receive updates on special offers here.
What is 'following'?
Restaurant: Modern European
Local alternatives
You might also like...
Latest features
-
The 100 best horror films
Voted for by over 100 experts including Simon Pegg and Roger Corman
-
Abandoman freestyle 2012's biggest comedy shows
The hip-hop impro duo work 2012 comedy highlights into a freestyle rap.
-
World Shakespeare Festival 2012
The Shakespeare Olympics begin April 22 at the Globe
Time Out says 4 Users say Rate it
Our two visits to BBB were an education in how hospitality should not be done. Which is a shame, because it's a gorgeously designed open-plan bar and restaurant, with a first-floor art gallery due to open shortly, and a roof terrace in time for next summer. The floor staff on our visit looked as though they had stepped straight out of a modelling agency's books. The room was their catwalk - too bad for anyone who wanted, say, their table cleared, or to order a glass of wine. Even the manager walked past our beckoning table to sit with his friends. Only the greeter at the door seemed to know what she was actually there for. The catalogue of mistakes ranged from simply staring through our hand-waving to not bringing cutlery. Our waitress struggled to remember the three desserts on offer, and another waiter didn't know if they had been brought in or made on site. And given that the staff weren't terribly busy serving, couldn't one of them have given the stairs a quick mop? Or deigned to clean the Ladies'? Despite all this, the food was, mostly, quite good. My roast chicken soup starter was a warming, flavoursome bowl. Poking around didn't reveal the promised parsley dumplings and the waitress, under duress, went off to check, eventually reporting back well into our mains that the kitchen had run out of dumplings. The serrano ham was delicious but let down by watery, weak melon. My main course of sea bass with a winter salad seemed small, but the fish was cooked to perfection, and the fennel, pine nut and sultana salad was beautiful. The excellent Argentinian steak came blue, just as it had been ordered, the creamy parsnip mash was a delight. With some staff training, this could be a fantastic addition to Shoreditch. Until they sort this out, however, don't bother.
Special offers
50% off from the a la carte menu
when ordering a minimum of 3 courses, excluding items from the grill. ....excluding grill items. Includes Vat, excludes service.
Offer valid until Jun 8 2012
Please book this offer through the booking panel below.
50% off Set Menu
when ordering all three courses. Includes Vat, excludes service.
Offer valid until Jun 10 2012
Please book this offer through the booking panel below.
Book now
Beach Blanket Babylon details
Follow Beach Blanket Babylon to receive updates on special offers here.
What is 'following'?020 7749 3540
Open Wed 12noon-1am, Thur-Sat12noon-3 am, Sun 12noon-1am
Meal for two with cocktails and service: around £90
Beach Blanket Babylon map
Restaurants & cafés near Beach Blanket Babylon
See all restaurants near Beach Blanket BabylonBars & pubs near Beach Blanket Babylon
See all bars & pubs near Beach Blanket BabylonComments & ratings 3/5 (Average of 4 ratings)
A friend reserved an area for her birthday. We were told there was a minimum £700 spend which didn't seem unreasonable or unachievable as there was around 40 guests. However, we were given a waiter who not only had very limited English but was also very disorganised. People waited for over half an hour for drinks that they had ordered and he kept bringing the wrong bills to people and not giving people the correct change. We also were expected to collect up all the receipts and give them to the waiter so that they could keep track of how much had been spent. Surely it is the staff's job to keep track of the money not the guests? The waiter was also nowhere to be seen for most of the evening. The service was absolutely appalling from many of the staff and it felt as though we were constantly being hassled about how much money had or had not been spent. To top it all off there was an automatic 12.5% service charge added to all of the bills despite the lack of service.
There was a nice atmosphere and the music was good but I definitely would not recommend reserving an area to anyone. There are plenty of other places to go in London with equal atmosphere/music that would probably also be a lot cheaper - £7.50 for a gin and tonic is pretty hefty. I will not be going back.
Food was delicious but the service was extremely slow. There were 8 of us and the desserts took 15mins in total to come out, with the custard and cream the last thing to come out. This was also about 40mins after our mains were cleared. We all spent £60 each in total (£30 on a two course meal and the rest on wine). Having spent so much you expect better service. The toilets had no paper in them all night even though we told the staff. I would not go back.
Now I like listening to a good beat just as much as the next person, but this place really takes the mickey. I could not hear myself think far less hear what my dinner companion was saying, and she was practically sitting on my lap at one point. Not enough negative words can be employed to explain how distressing this was, not to mention the mammoth head-ache that surfaced. So overwhelming was the level of music, that it completely drowned out any possibility of a fun, enjoyable evening. Not good, in any way you look at it. Guys don't go there if you value your hearing!!!
We went to eat last night and found it to be one of the most charming buildings i have seen in east london, lit up with twinkly lights and sexy decor, we had the most amazing food off the set menu, i had the goats cheese to start and it literally melted in my mouth, a ten out of ten. my partner had the salmon as a main and was perfectly pink in the middle just how she likes it and it sat upon a bed of bean sprout salad with a sweet soy sauce and lime dressing, totally to die for.
I will be coming back for my birthday as it also looks likes a really fun place to party.
The wind of change finaly hit Beach Blanket Babylon. New Head Chef Rex from Big Brother in back the kitchen and seriously the food is amazing. We had a good night & the service improved.
I heared that there is new management in place. Let's see.
Nice interior , bad air con system . This is my second time in this place and they still haven't managed to sort out the air flow which was a problem first time they've opened.
If u like to sweat and fill like you r in a sauna, go there otherwise avoided.
Shame to see that this place haven't improved in years. Don't know how they r still working :)
One of the worst culinary experiences I have ever had. The service is bad, but the food is even worse - they have not use the risoto rice for the risoto meal even! The fish was overcooked (overkilled) and floated in an oily puddle...Do not go there!
The worst restaurant experience I have ever had. Spend your money elsewhere - they don't know what 'service delivery' means - i get better service at McDonalds.
Time Out guides and magazines
Useful links
Things to do in London
- London restaurants
- London events
- London theatre
- London bars and pubs
- London clubs
- Film listings
- London tickets and offers
- Alternative London
- London museums
- London music
- London art
- London shopping
- London Olympics
- Gay and lesbian London
- London cabaret
- London comedy
- London for kids
- Books and poetry
- Dance in London
- Festivals
- London hotels
- Classical music in London
London by area
- Brixton guide
- Borough guide
- Bermondsey guide
- City of London guide
- Dalston guide
- Mayfair guide
- Camden guide
- Clapham guide
- Covent Garden guide
- Greenwich guide
- Stoke Newington guide
- Hammersmith guide
- Hampstead guide
- Highgate guide
- Holborn guide
- King's Cross guide
- Islington guide
- West End guide
- Hackney guide
- Marylebone guide
- London Bridge guide
- Little Venice guide
- Richmond guide
- Shoreditch guide
- Soho guide
- South Bank guide
- Wimbledon guide
- Notting Hill guide
Time Out Worldwide
Get the latest news from Time Out
Share your thoughts