Epic dinner at Hawksmoor Seven Dials for our first night in London. The steak we shared was perfectly charred on the outside and medium rare on the inside, the chips were crispy yet fluffly and light, and the sticky toffee pudding we had for dessert was simply heavenly. All in a lovely subterranean location with soft lighting and a warm welcoming atmosphere. Our server was a delight and helped recommend the wines which we also loved. When in London, make time for dinner at Hawksmoor. You won't regret it.

So, in our journey to find the best sticky toffee pudding in London, we landed here. And let me tell you - the reviews that led us here weren't wrong! We literally came for just dessert (and a drink!), and we had an excellent experience. Staff was wonderful, and the place is a total vibe. Dark, moody, and wildly classy. Exactly what you'd expect from somewhere like this. The tiramisu was an add on, as our waitress let us know that it was a new dessert that had quickly risen in ranks among the staff. Truly one of the best I've ever had. The full fat old fashioned was a delightfully buttery twist that complimented the desserts well! The sticky toffee pudding?? My God. Incredible and will knock your socks off.

Reliable British style steakhouse with a great bar and lively vibe. Servers were attentive. Neighborhood in Seven Dials is charming. We had the piri piri chicken and monkfish as mains and the beet salad, scallops and crab dish as appetizers. Nice range of flavors and good wine menu. Recommend for a group.

I had this urge to try British steakhouse beef in London, but I actually went to the Hawksmoor NYC before I came here, so I had a bit of a headsup on what to expect. With half a dozen around the city I chose this because it happen to be nearest my hotel. I purposely tried not comparing it to American Steakhouses because while even the NYC location sources longhorn versus angus, there is centuries of beef tradition and sustainable farming been going on here that really makes the differences more pronounced. Usually I talk about decor and ambiance last since we can't eat those, but it's immediate here they are going for something different for your experience. Dark, cozy, like a cave, less like a cellar. Staff is excellent from their knowledge, attitude and banter. Somewhere between cordial and friendly. Uncommon for brits, sorry. It probably helped that I mentioned I'd been to their NY location already and that I kinda built my trip around places I'd tried in the states that originated here and I'd trying what I called my "roots tour". The concept is simple, raise great beef, serve it simply to showcase it and the skill it takes to amplify everything else. Stick Toffee pudding is thicker than most make it which leads to this great mouth feel. Unctuous without being umami. Where something rich helps cut something richer. The fillet carpacio was really good, the chestnuts were surprising in a god way. The freerange chicken reminded me of the older chickens we prefer in Asian cooking, a deeper, richer taste and I'd never had bernaise with chicken, it works well. They have way more sides than I was prepared for. I chose to go smaller on my steaks as I was coming back for the Sunday Roast. 6 different potatoes, 7 different greens. The chips are large and chunky and crispy. The mash is smooth without feeling overly buttered like the buttered new potatoes which I actually preferred, but that's my american pallette. The mac and cheese was the only disappointment, but the American South just does it better despite the great cheese europe has, it's not nuanced enough. Much bigger wine selection, much higher ranges. Similar corporate cocktails, but more global spirits brands. Steakhouse Martini was my favorite, the brightness came through. The fuller Fat OF wasn't as good because they didn't split the base and added tonka bean which gave it a cola taste. The ribeye again was great. the longhorn beef tastes old world not overly bred and hybridized. It's firm as a whole, but tender on the bite. The strip makes you feel more traditional with it's uniformity of shape. The deep roasted notes are evident and come through even more in the rump sunday roast. The rump was amazing, the spread was divine. The sides actually did feel like Thanksgiving and the ambiance felt like Holiday. I'm committed to try the rump for my holiday roasts over the way more expensive standing rib roast and while I doubt I'll be able to dry age one I can see why this primal works. Price is up there due to the conversion, but there are items that are far cheaper here and some that are far pricier. All in all it's a great steak, great experience and so far different from what we have in the states it's a wonder why the world is so obsessed with Wagyu and Brazilian steakhouses when the English and Italians do some super different and delicious things that turn the American Angus tongue on it's head.

Came by just for the sticky toffee pudding. You can just eat at the bar without needing a reservation. The receptionists were very polite and helpful. The decor is very neat and swanky. The sticky toffee pudding was amazing and it really hit the sweet tooth spot!

Listen. Imagine a bear's cave but that bear has a degree in interior design and doesn't shit on the floor where it lives. Welcome to the Hawksmoor Covent Gdn, Pronouns: He/Him A classy mancave with Parquet floors, exposed brick walls, minimal lighting, pleated glass and lots of action. It's in places like the Hawksmoor you wish they hadn't banned smoking in public because a thick layer of smoke kissing the ceiling would round things off rather nicely thank you very much. It pleases me to imagine a diner with a big fat cigar in one hand, a beef rib in the other. Lost in the moment she takes a big toke on the rib before biting into her Montechristo 2. Damn you nanny state for seeing to that scenario. Still, this cellar and former brewery retains the requisite magic to believe it could happen. The Hawksmoor concept remains achingly simple and unwavering. You come here for big steak. Porterhouse, ribeye, Tomahawk, Chateaubriand. You order chips to go with it and you order a choice of robust sides to go with the chips and you sit there squeezing in cow flesh fearlessly wherever there's still room in the duodenum. It was a hit when it opened in Shoreditch in 2006. It's still a hit now. 18 years sourcing and cooking basically the same thing every day has made them experts in their field. They understand the chasm between medium and medium rare. They know how to carve up a tomahawk so that all you have to do is hover your fork and decide which piece next. The effort of dropping the fork onto the meat and lifting it to the mouth requires the energy you steak provides and therein lies the secret of your perpetual motion. They leave just enough meat on the bone to tempt those who understand life is too short not to grab it like a Rottweiler would if it only had hands. A Porterhouse to share and a ribeye for birthday boy. Chunky chips all round. Sauces of peppercorn and Bernaise. Spinach - creamed for those who need lubrication to get green stuff down - or a simpler lemony version. Mac and cheese for plugging any holes. But before this, just to prime the gut like a Tesla does to its battery before a supercharge, Scallops in garlic sauce and bone marrow on toast. All come in prime condition. Garlic, butter and parsley make a garden snail seem tasty so what's not to like about bathing well burnished scallops in the same brew? Nothing as it turns out. Marrow comes in the shin bone sliced vertically down the middle. Two half pipes. It all slips down very easily. I'm already sweating umami. Steaks come without pretension. The Porterhouse has been dissected, the ribeye untouched. Accompanying sauces stick without cloying. Mac and cheese is unnecessary and they knew this when they devised the menu. For this reason they make it great, just for those brave enough to take it on. Nice touches like the crispy crumb demonstrate the care. When it's this simple it should be flawless and they oblige. The lemon in my spinach wasn't an apology and all the better for it. That's the key to the whole thing. No apologies. Chips are crispy, fluffy and chunky. Is there anything more you could ask from a chipped potato? The combination of these things is eminently satisfying to the extent that eating becomes painful. The machismo and bravado the Hawksmoor dining room elicits in women and men alike turns the meal into a war of attrition. Human v food. Human wins, just. Puddings are taken simply because we want to prolong the evening. The familiarity of sticky toffee pudding and strawberry cheesecake doesn't detract from the enjoyment of each. Again, all present and correct. And it gives us the chance to people watch. Groups, families, couples, tourists, born and bred Londoners. They've all come out out and it creates an atmosphere as big as the Tommahawk. I remember going to the original Hawksmoor in Commercial Rd soon after it opened in 2006. I was taken aback by the quality and simplicity of the fare but less enthralled by the venue. The Hawksmoor group neatly saw to that when they opened the Covent Garden branch. It's big, it's simple, it's powerful. A great night out for tourist and Londoner alike and after 18 years it's still a thrill to descend into this cave, even if the ascent two hours later is something of a heave.

Part of a chain, but solid steakhouse in Covent Garden/Seven Dials area. Dining room is downstairs - dark, atmospheric. Restaurant sells the larger cuts of steak by the gram, depending upon what is available. Started with a Caesar salad and crab on toast to share. We shared a large chateaubriand and some chips. The meat was tender, seasoned, and the chips were crisp. Only problem? It was not enough food for our group so we ordered more steak and tried the "fries". This cut of meat was not as expensive (or as good). The fries were thin sliced, as opposed to the thicker chips (which we preferred). Service was uneven. We had many servers helping us and trying to take plates, but hardly one of them checked in on what we needed. Good for pre-theater meal.

We visited Hawksmoor without a reservation on a Monday night and they sat us right away. I've heard about their Sunday Roast and was sad to not have had the chance to try it, but was excited to try their steak regardless. Also, I did want to try something different than Flatiron Steak and I'm so glad I branched out! FOOD: We ordered the Porterhouse steak, Mash & Gravy, and Garlic Mushrooms. The Porterhouse is great because you get a side of strip loin and one side of tenderloin, leaving you with a more fatty side and a more meaty side. Our cut of steak was cooked medium rare and was well-seasoned without being overbearing. You also absolutely cannot go wrong with the Mash & Gravy as it's a classic side to pair with any cut of steak. As someone who isn't a huge fan of mushrooms, I really loved the flavoring of this side. It has a pesto filling, which made the mushrooms really tasty. Lastly, we did also order the Béarnaise sauce to go with our steak. I'm not generally someone who likes sauce in my steak, but the Béarnaise at Hawksmoor was so creamy, which complimented the steak so well. SERVICE: Absolutely incredible service. Our waiter was extremely nice and was helpful when we asked how much food we should order, especially since we weren't too hungry. I'd return to Hawksmoor in a heartbeat during my next visit to London!