Harden's survey result
Summary
Old farts lament the good old days at this historic space, ruthlessly rebranded last year (f.k.a. The Dorchester Grill) by the hotel to make it seem more hip and zeitgeisty (with the website proclaiming: ‘From Essex roots to the future of The Dorchester, Tom Booton heralds the next kitchen generation, blazing into our lives with a brilliant new angle on modern British dining’. Wow!). Decor-wise this means a moody, back-lit bar; an absence of the soft furnishings that once characterised the place; and, of course, not a tablecloth in sight. The menu, meanwhile, puts a comfort-foodish spin on a wide-ranging selection that’s more posh brasserie than it is haute cuisine, and which includes small and large plates: from ‘Freddy’s prawn tacos’ to ‘Ribeye for two on the bone’. Feedback is still quite sparse, but all accounts are upbeat and some report exceptional cooking that’s remembered as the best meal of the year. Top Tip – fab lunch deal – three courses for £35 per person.
Summary
This illustrious chamber was closed during our annual diners’ poll, awaiting a May 2023 relaunch under the brand of talented whippersnapper, Tom Booton (who has only just hit 30). It is the first time the grill has had a chef’s name over the door in its 92-year history, and heralds a major change of gear for the space – no longer is it to be a hallowed foodie temple, but now more of a luxe brasserie with ‘Tom’s cheeky personality shining through’ (at least that’s what the press release says). In comes breakfast for the first time (with truffled egg and soldiers and omelette Arnold Benedict); Sunday lunch; a chef’s counter; sharing dishes; and a general culinary ‘tie loosening’ moment with ‘twists on British classics’. As part of this cuddlier style we are also promised ‘playlists hand selected by Tom’; and ‘playful cocktails and artisan English beer’.
Summary
This “stunning and beautiful dining room”, off the hotel’s main ‘Promenade’, inherited its Moorish décor from the 1930s and is currently riding high on the “wonderful dining experience” created by 27-year-old wunderkind chef, Tom Booton’s cuisine: “a serious talent going right to the very top; and a humble and approachable guy whose restaurant reflects this ethos”. Top Tip – “the set lunch is one of the capital’s biggest bargains” and is great on a Sunday here.
Summary
Tom Booton, the 27-year-old head chef, is helping breathe new life into this stately Mayfair chamber, which received nothing but upbeat reviews this year, driven by “modern British cuisine at its best”. This is one of the capital’s grander traditional dinings rooms and, if he keeps this up, deserves to recapture the destination status that’s sometimes eluded it in recent times. In particular, it’s a venue that’s evidently “great for business diners”. But you don’t have to be carrying company plastic to appreciate the “amazing lunch menu”: “at £30 it’s arguably the best value in London”.
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 The Grill by Tom Booton (fka The Dorchester Grill)?
53 Park Lane, London, W1K 1QA
Restaurant details
The Grill by Tom Booton (fka The Dorchester Grill) Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Somehow not a special occasion place - feels like the breakfast room of a hotel - plain unlaid tables. Not really buzzing like you’d expect. Had a brilliant tour of the kitchen - nice evening. "
"Had an excellent lunch at the Grill, which was pretty quiet for a Wednesday lunch. Service was great, receptionist was very welcoming and waiters were friendly and highly professional. Style of food is simple, nothing new or innovative, but was very good. Every dish was well seasoned, and perfectly cooked. Presentation was excellent too. An excellent restaurant."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £35.00 |  |
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| SundayLunch | £38.00 | |
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Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10.00 | £55.50 | £18.00 | £16.00 |
| Drinks |
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|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £52.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £8.00 |
| Extras |
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|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
53 Park Lane, London, W1K 1QA
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑4 pm |
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