Harden's survey result
Summary
Were it not still considered “outrageously expensive” in over 40% of reports, it might be easier to recommend this “well-located”, old-faithful brasserie (est. 1976). When it was relaunched under new ownership in late 2021, it was widely derided for its poor standards. But even though its cooking is still too often dismissed as “standard fodder”, overall feedback on its food improved this year, with fans praising its “menu to suit all tastes, including many traditional and down-to-earth dishes”. And anyway, cost-be-damned, it’s “still the haunt of the business lunch crowd” thanks to its “long-established, buzzy ambience” and handy location near The Ritz.
Summary
“Not the old Langans by any means” – the relaunch in late 2021 of this treasured old-faithful brasserie (est. 1976) near The Ritz has proved “a little mixed” to say the least, and a return to its A-list past now seems a very distant prospect. One or two fans do “love the entire experience” of this business favourite and its plutocratic comfort food. But more common are those whose “excitement turned to huge disappointment in the face of abysmal service and astronomical prices” for staple dishes, to the extent that some diners loath the place: “arguably the most overrated restaurant in central London, made clear by all the Z-list celebrities I assume they get to dine for free…” – “should be rated zero zero zero!”
Summary
A new era beckons for this once-legendary brasserie. Created in 1976 out of a partnership between actor Michael Caine and the late Peter Langan, it was the A-lister magnet of its days (and the cradle for the careers of some of London’s leading restaurateurs, including Christopher Corbin & Jeremy King). In recent years, it risked sinking into self-parody as an old-school haunt for senior business suits loyal since its glory days. Now – from mid-October 2021 – it’s to relaunch with each of its three floors having a completely new identity from designer and ‘master of metamorphosis’ Peter Mikic. The new owners are Graziano Arricale and James Hitchen – the former includes a stint as operations director of Birley Clubs on his CV, while the latter is a former chief executive of East Coast Concepts.
Summary
“Determinedly old-school” – this “lively”, former A-list brasserie near The Ritz was opened by the legendary Peter Langan in partnership with Michael Caine in 1976. To true believers – the firm majority of its clientele – it’s “an institution that always performs” and “great fun for a business meal in a boisterous setting (even if the bill ends up at more than expected… but that’s life when the wine flows)”. Others, though, complain of “classics done with not quite enough panache or vibrancy”, and see it as “an out-of-towners kind of place harking back to the good old days when Mr L was about. He isn’t and it’s a shadow of its former self”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Langan’s Brasserie?
Stratton Street, London, W1J 8LB
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 15.00% |
Stratton Street, London, W1J 8LB
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑9:30 pm |
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