Hawksmoor Seven Dials

One of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Very good service, they take the time to explain to you the difference between the cuts. Relaxed. Definitely worth trying. Think about reserving a couple of days (or weeks) ahead.

I compare most high-end steaks to those i ate in Argentina a couple of years back, and only Hawksmoor/Gaucho compare for me in London. I've had the T-bone and Fillet here, both superb with fantastic sides also. Atmosphere is spot on, service was attentive without being overbearing and would recommend to all.

The original Hawksmoor in Spitalfields is a great bar and grill – but this newer branch is a truly sensational one. The entrance is a bit hidden, despite the Covent Garden location, but once inside it’s a real beauty of a basement which looks as if it’s been there a century – in fact, it only opened as a restaurant at the end of 2010. Although the meat’s better quality, and better cooked, than at many Mayfair steak restaurants!

Great hamburgers of all kinds. Good drinks deals as well. Kinda empty the night we were there and the service was still slow.

I went to Hawksmoor the week after it opened in Seven Dials, quite by co-incidence. The steak was absolutely first class and the service was top-notch. Friendly and informal, it was a superb experience.

However, I’ve since been back and it’s suffered a bit in its popularity. The meat is still very good, but not quite as good as it once was – you feel as though the busyness of the restaurant has affected the pride and quality that the chefs dedicate to the meat, which in all fairness, is still very good.

The service is a little rushed, and the wine list has become (in my uneducated eyes) rather average. For a restaurant that has a wide range of wines, £50 for a very basic Malbec is simply too much.

As I’ve said, the atmosphere here is still good and the food is still very good – the fillets and sides especially – it still feels like a fairly special experience, but it’s a lot less special than it once was.

Just off Covent Garden, at the bottom of Langley Street (a New York-style alleyway, only lacking subway steam and a nunchuck weilding gang) sits Hawksmoor Seven Dials. Just as you get to the bottom of the alley, when you think there couldn’t possibly be any kind of thriving business, save one of the less than salubrious establishments Soho is famed for, let alone one of London’s pre-eminent and widely praised meat restaurants there it is. This is one of London’s worst kept secrets, and a meat shrine at which first timers and regulars alike, worship.

The heavy, black wooden doors swing open to reveal a low lit reception, and a bevy of Maître ds efficiently deal with coats, bags and lead you down to the bar for drinks and a wait until your table is ready. It’s dark, luxurious and just the sort of place to gain the reputation it has.

The scene is set for Burger wars. The classic Hawksmoor burger vs the Kimchi burger.

Whilst the classic burger fought well, there are a couple of technical errors in style that let it down – the bun disintegration, the raw red onion, the dry triple cooked chips. 8.5/10

The Kimchi burger is the clear winner on the night – great composition, complementary toppings and a great smokey, spicy flavour, and the beef dripping chips are pretty special too! 9.5/10

It’s definitely on of the Best Burgers in London: http://www.hamburger-me.com/2011/12/hawksmoor-seven-dials...

Excellent steak, great atmosphere, I’d recommend the beef dripping chips and plum pudding ribs. If you like steak it’s a must and good value to boot.

My Favorite Steak place in London was Hawksmoor at Seven Dials the this branch opened and not only did it have the fabulous steaks and service I had come to expect at Seven dials but the most amazing venue to add that has made this firmly my favorite steak restaurant in London.

As you will read in all the other reviews, this place is well worth a visit, and does the best steaks in town. We used to go to Gaucho all the time, but I have to say, Hawksmoor is far better. The staff are excellent. Friendly, helpful and laid back, but you still feel like you’re being spoilt. (if that makes sense). The cocktail bar is a great stop before sitting down. Champagne Charlie is one of my favourites. We’ve been a couple of times now, and it never disappoints. My only one wish would be that they have a ‘ladies cut’, as both times I’ve not been able to finish my portion ;-)
Can’t wait to go again.

When Hawksmoore Seven Dials opened last year, it was really a struggle just to make reservations at a decent time. I finally managed to and have been back a few times ever since. I always love a good burger and was looking forward to this one upon hearing so much about it.

The first time, my friend I both ordered the Hawksmoor burger with chips at £15. This is on the bar menu and not in the normal menu. It isn't a problem to request for the bar menu as I have done so many a time.

The beauty of eating with a friend is the opportunity to try more stuff and it was a perfect arrangement of her ordering the triple cooked chips and me the chips with beef drippings. I also ordered my burger with Colston Bassett Stilton cheese and my friend the Ogleshield cheese.

Our orders finally arrived. Apologies for the dark photos, it really was quite dark in there. The meat was utterly delicious! Juicy and bursting with flavour, you can definitely taste the difference when you get meat from a good farm and butcher. As much as I love my cheeses and don't have a problem with blue cheeses, the xxx got a bit too much for me. Maybe I'm not such a huge cheese lover after all. But if you are, you would love this.

The burger with the Ogleshield cheese was easier on the palate. Creamy and melting into the meat, it was messily good.

How were the chips? Crisp, crunchy and yummy. They were both good but my favourite has to be the triple fried chips.

The kimchi burger on the menu has also piqued my interest and on my next return, it was kimchi burger time.

I really don't know if this will actually work. I mean, kimchi is a Korean staple and is cabbage that is pickled and spicy with texture that is soggy and crunchy at the same time.

When the kimchi burger arrived, you definitely know that it is kimchi. The smell is strong and hits you straightaway.

To my surprise, it actually works in a strange kind of way. It may not be my favourite burger combination but I actually like this.

I do applaud Hawksmoor for offering something so different and out there.

There are a lot more protein options on the menu for those who don't like burgers. I should try them too the next time, if I can tear myself away from the Hawksmoor burger that is!

I think the burgers and chops combo is great value and we should have more places like this which serve high quality food.

You could give it a 4 out of 5 when you want to reserve the 5 out of 5 for the one really special experience, but when it comes to Meat - Hawksmoor is for me a 5 and I am only considering the food.

Slightly upscale (meaning a lot of suits), not cheap - the burger is not on the Restaurant Menu, but on the Bar menu, just ask for it and is fabulous. When I was there, they had a monthly burger special - this is the most cost effective option for Hawksmoor anyway.

Then there are the steaks, I had a 800g Prime Rib and it is just meat Nirvana. Accompanied by a Cabernet, Domaine Du Haut Bourg just perfect.

When you feel your heart struggling with that combination of meat and wine, have a dessert is will certainly kill you, but with a smile on your face.

The food? The drink? The atmosphere? Hawksmoor Steak and Cocktail house has it all. And more. The Seven Dials branch, is located opposite Pineapple Studios, about 5 minutes walk from Covent Garden tube. It’s well known for its British meat, supplied by the North York Moors butchers, the Ginger Pig, and for how they cook it simply over charcoal.

We got a whiff of delicious charred meaty goodness as we approached the understated entrance doors of the converted brewery, which itself is steeped in brilliant steak related history Its first owner, Alderman Combe, hosted an annual steak supper club back in the 1800′s, a members, secret high society sort of affair that catered for those lucky people who preached ‘beef and liberty’ (hence the fabulous sign on the way down to the bar). I doubt I would have made the list back in the day, but last week, when we were welcomed into the low lit funkily decorated cellar bar by friendly laid back staff who seemed to wear whatever what they liked, I felt like the place was on the casual side of special, minus any of ponce you can get in some London places.

The restaurant is partitioned from the bar and still retains some stunning architectural features including a vaulted brick ceiling and huge cast iron columns. If you don’t fancy a full blow out meal, the bar area is open for their booze and the famous Kimchi burgers (a traditional Korean dish of fermented vegetables – for more info go have a read of some reviews by Eat Like a Girl, Young&Foodish, Going with my Gut).

The cocktail menu is HUGE and ranges from both classic drinks to down right eccentric concoctions, including Juleps, Tweaked tikis, Punches and Cups and Bridging drinks, a concept for those Victorian young men who had nothing to do after lunch other than drink cocktails and wait until dinner time came round. Shame. Feeling like I wanted to find out exactly what those crazy kids were enjoying so much, I went for the Bridging drink ‘Champagne Charlie’, a mix of gin, lemon juice and homemade seasonal fruit syrup (blood orange), charged with champagne. Absolutely delicious, sweet and bubbly, yet with the underlying dryness of gin. My boyfriend had the Boulevardier which was a very manly bourbon based cocktail, but unfortunately it was missing the bourbon-soaked cherry promised on the menu, he didn’t seem to mind though.

We weren’t rushed into the restaurant at all, but went through from the bar when we were ready, a nice and relaxing touch. Unfortunately we couldn’t sit on our original table next to the wine cellar because the legs were wobbly and there was a brick that looked like it was about to fall out of the ceiling (dangerous much?), so we got moved to a new section with a waiter who was absolutely hilarious. We swiftly made bets with him on when the brick was going to drop. Probably quite bad taste in hindsight, but he continuously made us laugh whilst providing flawless service.

We decided to go for starters. I had read A LOT about the Tamworth Belly Ribs, there was no way I wasn’t going to try them. And they didn’t disappoint. Left on the bone, they were tender, juicy, sweet and sticky. I could have eaten them all over again with their charcoal bbq flavour and crunchy red cabbage. Actually incredible.

Mike had the bone marrow and slow cooked onions and he loved them. Spreading the marrow and onions on thick chunky bread (of which there wasn’t quite enough), he oohed and aahed at every mouthful. For me, the presentation was a bit much but the flavour was all there. The rich meaty marrow and sweet onions was served in the bone. I drunkenly said to the waiter as we chatted after the course that they were ‘boney in the look’ at which he broke into huge laughter and informed us that he’d once been dumped for much the same reason…ahem.

On to the mains. Well, we could’t fit everything onto the table despite not ordering greens (shame on me). We went for the Porterhouse as I’ve never tried one, a T-Bone steak consisting of two cuts of beef, fillet (tenderloin) and shortloin. I also really wanted to get our waiter to cross our 900g portion off the chalk board which the team use to monitor how much of what is left. The simple things!

The meat was heavenly. Smokey, tender, full of flavour and rich meaty juices. Sliced in the kitchen, there were a couple of bits that were a little bit overcooked, a shame when you pay such a premium, but overall it was fantastic. Alongside we chomped down on what are truly the kings of all chips, fried in beef dripping, crunchy, fat, fluffy and undeniably unhealthy, we dunked them into an order of the stilton hollandaise sauce which was tart yet deep and creamy, and we pretty much didn’t speak until we were all done. Feeling very fat and very satisfied, what would any sensible couple do? Call it a night and make sure you catch the last tube home. But no, we had to have the sticky toffee pudding, and I’m so glad we did.

Our waiter bought it over and gave us a tuneful and very happy rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ encouraging other diners and waiters to sing along. With a huge grin, I wanted to dig in and guess what? This is a steakhouse that can do dessert! It was SO good with a honey sauce, a rich sugary yet light textured pudding and a dollop of clotted cream.

When it was finally time to go home, yes we couldn’t move, and yes we missed the last tube and I fell asleep on the hour long night bus but it was worth it. My boyfriend might not think it was worth every penny of the £150 (!!) it cost for the two of us, but I did, three hours of dinner, three courses, two cocktails and a bottle of delicious red wine.

Next time I will listen to whomever the tweeter of Hawksmoor is and not wear a belt when dining. I’m 100% eyeing up the sharing breakfast plate at the Spitalfields branch so will bear his advice in mind when I dig in.

As other reviewers have said, The Hawksmoor Seven Dials is the perfect place for a steak lover. The wine list is extensive, the steaks fantastic, the service professional and desserts delicious.

The sauces to accompany the steaks are quite large, probably enough for two to share if you're only getting standard size steaks and not one of their kilo steaks!

My only comment, which is actually a compliment, is that the menu is mostly steak, and doesn't offer a lot of vegeatrians, but as long as you like steak, it doesn't matter!

Hmm this is a difficult review to write as I don't really want to be a dissenting voice but my experience of Hawksmoor was very diasppointing. I ordered the set menu of the 250g ribeye and while I accept that this is one of the cheaper cuts its just wasn't up to the standards I was expecting. The meat did not have the depth of flavour I would expect it to have from good sourcing and ageing and it had quite an acrid almost burnt char. The home made ketchup did not have the right balance of vinegary and sweet and frankly Heinz is better. The side of roasted winter vegetables was just a few cheap bits of leeks, carrots and squash. The nicest bit of our meal was the cornflake sundae which was lovely but I don't think by itself would be enough to get me to return. I will be going to Goodman for my steak fix from now on.

In my humble opinion this is probably the finest "steakhouse" in town. I was treated to dinner here on Saturday night, many thanks to B, and it was a wonderful experience in every respect.

We kicked off our evening by grabbing a couple of stools at the bar and settled in for a cheeky cocktail. After a brief consultation with the very affable fella tending the bar I plumped for Shaky Pete's Ginger Beer while B had the Marmalade Cocktail, both from the Anti- Fogmatic section of the very extensive drinks menu. Excellent drinks, expertly made and lovingly presented, they certainly lifted the spirit and put us in the mood for the soon to come meat feast. At £7.50 a throw I thought this was pretty decent value given the location.

After finishing our drinks we wandered through to the main room which is a very impressive "industrial" type space with exposed brickwork and blackboards dotted about showing the sharing cuts of meat and the weights that are available (be warned the smaller sizes where getting crossed of pretty quick).

We kicked off by ordering up some sparkling water which B thought would help with the digestion of the beast we planned on devouring later. We also had a 500 ml flask of the Torrontes Finca La Linda, Luigi Bosca 2010 from the very well put together wine list which had plenty of decent bottles at under £25.00 (trust me for this kind of place in central London that’s good pricing). This was a lovely fragrant floral white that went down well when paired with the oysters and the very tasty little beef sausages we shared as a starter.

The main event was a 900g Porterhouse bad boy from Longhorn cattle reared in the lovely county of Yorkshire. To my mind the Porterhouse is probably the finest cut of beef and we ordered it medium rare as suggested by our lovely waitress Isabella. We paired this up with a 500ml flask of the Moulin Montarels Syrah 2008 which was nice easy drinking and went down very well.

When the beast arrived it was a joy to behold, with a great looking char and vivid red flesh. The smell wafting up from serving dish was divine and I was sorely tempted to grab a chunk and eat the thing by hand. Going with the advice of Isabella we shared a portion of the Stilton Hollandaise which, as she suggested, was more than enough for two. On the side we had a portion of the beef dripping chips and also the triple cooked chips. These were pretty good but not quite the standard of chip that we had at "Dinner" a couple of weeks ago.

However, that’s a very minor quibble because the steak was fantastic and I would say it was the best I have ever had in London. If you are a fan of good steak I would recommend this place without hesitation; if you like the Gaucho chain I would definitely give Hawksmoor a try because in the steak world this is very near the top of the premier league.

Somehow we still managed to squeeze a dessert in and we shared a portion of caramel ice cream and peanut butter shortbread which was very toothsome indeed.

Thoroughly stuffed by this point we retired back to the bar, which was pretty heaving by now and was playing host to some very “happy” people. We had a couple of the Square Mile coffee martinis, a great way to get a caffeine and alcohol hit at the end of the meal, and spent a fun hour chatting and people watching.

This is not a cheap night out by any means, but I think that overall you get pretty good value for your hard earned cash. You will be treated very well by the casually attired but very professional staff and any special requests you have regarding particular cuts of meat etc will be met if you let them know in advance.

I'm already looking forward to going back to spend an evening in the bar and try one of the legendary Hawksmoor burgers.

The roast with the most

From their first location in Spitalfields, Hawksmoor have peddled top-end steaks perfectly prepared, proving along the way that if you can do something perfectly you can charge as much as you want and people will pay. The first location’s exposed brickwork and dark wood speak to the New York approach they take with their meat, a Smith and Wollensky come Quality Meats combination - and long a winning combination for them, albeit one in a slightly cramped East End location.

The Seven Dials / Covent Garden location is new, but reminiscent of the first location, although a clear improvement upon it. Gone is the lack of space - from the start, the high-ceilinged entrance hall let’s you know that you’re in for something big. The staircase leading down into the restaurant is wide and gentle, setting your expectations for the proportions of the experience to come. The cocktail bar is a low-lit, high-stooled experience in anticipation. The cocktail list is substantial, inventive, and not as pricey as it could be. The cocktails themselves are everything they should be, entirely satisfactory, and a great match with the smells from the dining room proper and the dishes that whisk past on waiters’ trays. The dining room itself is an old brewery, and exposed red brick, with a high arched brick ceiling, supported on massive iron pillars. Whilst entirely without windows, the indirect lighting is such that you couldn’t care less. There are relatively few establishments where you don’t feel like you’re underground, or at least where you don’t care a bit about it. This is definitely one exception.

Our visit to Hawksmoor was for their highly affordable roast, but resisting ordering one of their fantastic steaks was an effort, as was resisting one of the many starters. How filling could half a dozen oysters be after all? Maybe we could share a small Chateaubriand on the side with our roast? And whilst we clearly couldn’t, and would have made very little headway against it, I do wish we’d tried anyway.

The roast itself arrived on a plate the size of a small table, with the single slice of meat itself taking up most of the plate. About as thick as a thumb, and as red as a slapped cheek, the meat was tender, juicy, and everything you’d hope from such beef experts as Hawksmoor. More impressive yet, the rest of the roast was as exceptional - the cabbage full-bodied, the Yorkshire pudding crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. The gravy was rich, whilst the carrots and roasted onion melted in the mouth. The unexpected roasted head of garlic was beautifully delicate in flavour. The only quibble I had was with the potatoes, an unfortunate combination of too tough on the inside and not crunchy enough on the outside - but even this was barely noticeable in the context.

Hawksmoor has a fine selection of desserts, with more than a hint towards a boarding school inspiration - blancmange, ice-cream sundaes, toffee pudding, etc. Whilst the few we had were delicious, and there was a wide enough range of alternatives to appeal to most tastes, it is a rare slip of the veil of sophistication.

The service was, with a few exceptions, ideal - at once relaxed and attentive. The beers - sourced from a few select micro-breweries - were full of flavour, and more than strong enough for the ⅔ pint glasses they were served in. The wine list was predictably extensive, and not something we even scratched the surface of. The after-dinner spirits were inventive, and as far as the rums went were a revelation. Best of all, for what is otherwise a high-end restaurant, the meal was surprisingly affordable. Highly recommended.

Adding a review to the numerous superlative filled descriptions below seems almost pointless.

However, our dinner was of such a high standard that I feel compelled to add to the sentiments expressed so far.

It is, first and foremost, the best steak I have ever eaten. Rich, packed with flavour, but also perfectly cooked. We were a stag party of 13, with varying preferences, and every single steak was exactly as ordered without exception.

A charred outside yielded to a pink, succulent inside and it was perfectly seasoned, not one of us reached for salt or pepper.

In addition our sides and starters were similarly excellent, beef dripping chips gave me what can only be referred to as a 'mouthgasm'. My apologies now for anyone's dinner that this spoils!

I should also make special mention of the service. We were in the private dining room and from beginning to end the service received was attentive and informed, but never fussy or obtrusive. In addition all the staff were lovely and blissfully unaffected by the many plaudits the restaurant has received.

From the first bite to the last, our whole experience was flawless. Believe the hype, if you love steak, this place should be your Mecca.....

Walking in to the place I was immediately impressed. Loved the huge black doors, dark wood, hidden coat closet, giant greenish wall to the right as you walk down the stairs, and the dim lighting and dark wood again throughout the restaurant. We had cocktails in the bar before and the bartenders/waitstaff were awesome! They had perfect recommendations and were so nice.

• Wine list was affordable and impressive. I’m from California and it was nice to see some Californian wines on there!
• Starters: Oysters with sausages (so tasty), salmon (yummy!), bone marrow (my absolute favourite... never had such a big portion!), and scallops (they were huge, but only 1 -- would have been nice to have one more)
• I shared the porterhouse with a mate and all of it was incredible. Loved the sauces too. And the method of choosing your weight on the chalkboard was fun
• Triple cooked chips were amazing (we ordered a second round) and ketchup was the best I’ve ever had
• Mushrooms and spinach weren’t that impressive, but not bad by any means
• Salad with apples and cheese was lovely (probably some of the best apples I’ve ever had too!)
• We shared two desserts and both were luscious. The lemon curd with shortbread and the chocolate puddings were the best way to finish it all off.

Photos at www.grumblinggourmet.com

Ok, so rocking up at ten on a Friday night after a few lagers wasn't going to be the best introduction to the meaty joy that should be a night at Hawksmoor but, having been to a recent and successful Steak Club at their older brother in Liverpool Street, at least one of the gang knew what to expect.

We went expecting the finest burgers, perfect post pub fodder, and were drooling at the description of the Third Burger, a rotating option aside their classic hamburger and the Kimchi Burger, a spicy Korean melange attracting Marmite-like attention from the reviewing community. This month's Third Burger was enthusiastically sold to us by our bubbly server, and promised a topping of pulled pork rib topping the Longhorn and bone marrow patty, enthusiastically moulded from the best the Ginger Pig has to offer.
After that description we were sold. Draft brew (slightly too floral) arrived in pint pots which, along with the communal bar tables and the uber-friendly staff gave the reservation free bar area the feel of an up-market American frat bar.

At this point our server, mortified, appeared from the kitchen to inform us of the end of the burgers for the night. Made fresh, the fridge was bare, and the burger had to wait for another day. Instead we went for the bone-in Prime Rib and the Porterhouse. Two full kilograms of meat serving to sate three hungry (slightly drunk) men. Minimum sides needed, the steak was sufficient.

Many have tried to describe these steaks, I can't really see the point. Cooked perfectly, they're sweet and meaty joy. Start by imagining the best steak you remember tasting. Now imagine the steak that steak wanted to be when it grew up, and then you're part of the way there. The triple cooked chips were a little lacklustre and passed hardly noticed, though the bone marrow went alongside the steak perfectly.

It's not the cheapest night out. A kilogram hunk of the finest steak will set you back around £65, though that should feed two (normal) people and you get a pretty decent list of smaller cuts, at around the £20 to £25 mark.If you're a fan of culinary subtlety (or heaven forbid, vegetables) then Hawksmoor isn't the most obvious place to come. And while I plan on bringing my other half here, it's not the most obvious place for a date night. Bring your friends instead, grab a hunk of prime rib, and settle down for a dose of the meat sweats.

Everyone and their neighbour seems to have been here and reviewed it by now but I'll throw mine in as well just because it was so good.

I had a day between jobs and decided to go trying the kimchi burger people been raving about. In short, I can see why. I had it for lunch and am already dreaming of going back there again to have another. Even though I was utterly stuffed leaving the place.

After entering the place you go downstairs and either into the restaurant for a meat fest or to the bar for the bar menu. I went for the bar as I wanted to try the burger. The place was pretty much deserted around the time (1.30 on a Monday) and the staff were quick to take my order. Overall, the service I received was excellent. I couldn't believe how quickly the served me my order, the kimchi burger with triple-cooked chips. After the first bite I instantly understood the rave reviews. Succulent burger with fresh, crunchy kimchi and smothered in cheese. Maybe not good for you but when it taste so good then who cares?

In short, the burger is all people make it out to be: outstanding. Go. Eat. Now.