05/11/09

Overrated (clap clap clap)

by aleva8

Went for mother's day. What a mistake. Ridiculously overpriced food. Out of a large group, I was the only one that liked the appetizer. Most of the group took a couple of bites of their dishes and left the rest. One had a cream soup and commented it had the consistency of warm cream cheese.

The Entrees were a slight improvement over the appetizers but not much.

Bottom line, the group entered hungry and left the same only with a lot less money. I would compare the restaurant to Stanford's but with a quieter atmosphere, worse food and triple the price.

For the price it gets 1 star. If I spend $60 for myself on dinner, it better be exceptional and this place wasn't even close to mediocre.

• Pros: the service
• Cons: the food, the prices, the chairs, everything else

11/14/08

Better than the Ringside on burnside

by 2105

I made my reservation on 11-13-08 over the phone for my 26th anniversary at the ringside on burnside. . I arrived at the Burnside location, valet my car, stood in the entrance for about 5 minutes. A pretty lady asked my name then checked the computer for my reservation. Another gentleman approached me and stated The person that took the reservation over the phone did not make them for the burnside location. I stated I did not know there was another location as I always ate here. I asked if they could correct the mistake. I was told no, it would be an hour wait to seat my wife and I. But they could save the reservation for the other location. I declined. I then left quite mad as they ruined my anniversary at this point , it was 7:17 in the evening and I had to find another place to eat . I was driving east down burnside trying to decide where to go. I used my wife?s gps to find my next destination. I called the London grill at the Benson hotel to see if they had a table. The answer was yes . I was pleasantly surprise the food was much better, the service was impeccable. If anyone has the same problem you know where to go

Anthony R.

• Pros: Great food and desert
• Cons: none

11/11/08

Wedding Nightmare

by sff00die

My friend held her wedding and subsequent brunch at the Benson. Brunch was horrific at best. 1 server for 24 people with a horrible back waiter. Server yells asking how many mimosas/bloody marys throughout the entire brunch. I told the Benson event coordinator that some water upon arriveal would be nice. Nothing happened. I told the front desk manager that our concerns about the horrible service were not being addressed. She sent the food and beverage manager. After 15 minutes and more yelling by our server the F&B manager arrived. He said "I just got here" after I explained all my concerns. Sorry for your lack of internal communication but that's not my problem. There should have been another server or at least a professional one. It was like Denny's servers in fancy clothes. I manage restaurants and was shocked at the utter lack of concern that management demonstrated. Food was okay. My over medium eggs were over easy. Those who got eggs benedict were surprised to find hard poached eggs smoothered in thin layer of hollandaise sauce. Food was warm not hot. There were no condiments on the table so after 3/4 of our meal was finished some hot sauce appeared. Hello Benson - maybe with the economy they way it is you should perhaps ask your staff to be a tiny bit professional. Your F&B manager did absolutely nothing to remedy the situation! Perhaps your staff shouldn't yell in a private room - maybe walk around the table and ask people what they would like (like a normal restaurant), if your servers suck-coach them! It's a reflcection of your poor management! Don't hold any special occasion there unless you want an auctioneer on your most special day!

• Pros: None
• Cons: Can you cook an egg?, service, food, F&B manager horrible

11/11/08

No more tableside cooking

by stulynda

No more tableside cooking:

Used to be five stars now four stars. New chef and no tableside cooking is a big change for us. The food is still very good and John Louie is the best waiter in Portland. I hope they bring back the tableside service. That is a big problem for us.

Stu Cook

• Pros: best waiter in portland is John Louie
• Cons: no more tableside cooking

04/21/08

WOW - wish I could afford to go back again :-)

by LAF08

This was my first time at the London Grill. The food and the service was awesome. We ordered the Chateaubriand (beef tenderloin, I had to ask the wait staff) for two tableside. It was so yummy, melt in your mouth. The wait staff (John) was very accommodating. We asked for our salad to be split, it was brought out on two seperate plates. For dessert we had bananas foster table side. I would definately go back again.

• Pros: great food and service
• Cons: expensive

04/25/07

Not worth it for the price

by jherbrand

My husband's grandmother was turning 80 and decided that the London Grill was where she wanted to have dinner. There were 17 people in our party which i understand can be hard to manage but you would think that a restaurant of this calibur would be use to larger parties. When we arrived our table wasn't ready they stated that another party went longer than expected. My advice give yourself extra time inbetween two large groups to make sure everything is ready. After a few minutes they asked for our drink order's. We had decided as a group to just order wine (8 bottles), just because a table is ordering wine doesn't mean that they don't still want there water glasses filled up when they are emptied. I think they came around twice. Once our food started to arrive I noticed that everyone at the table had gotten their dinner excpet myself. The waitress told me that it would be just a few more minutes, which was fine. Then she told me it would be a little longer than they thought. How much longer you ask. Everyone else in our group had finished dinner and was having there plates removed when they brought me my dinner which was overcooked on top of being so late. Being disappointed was an understatement. My dinner was comped without having to say anything. On top of that my husband found a hair in his mashed potatoes, his cousins salmon was under cooked and the waitress was definetly NOT worth the 18% gratuatiy.

• Pros: The wine
• Cons: The service

03/21/07

Fruit Flies swarming our table

by jswerz

Some friends and I went for Sunday Brunch. The Food was great and that's the only positive thing I have to say about the London Grill. We had a huge problem with fruit flies. We alerted our wait staff and they did not seem to care. After swatting at the flies, we disposed of at least 4 flies on our own. Then they came back and tried to make an excuse that was probably the flowers that were causing them to anoy us. They said they told the manager about it, yet the manager never did come out to talk to us, nor were we taken care of in any way (e.g. getting moved to another table,and many tables were still open, not a single meal was comp'd, nor were the flowers that the waitress suggested could be the problem taken away) At least they took a glass of orange juice with a fly floating away after we asked for it to be removed.

• Pros: Great food
• Cons: Beware of FLIES!!!! Insist to talk to a manager if you have a problem

01/07/07

Best 5-star restaurant in Portland

by oregonresident

My husband and I went to London Grill For breakfast and seriously regretted not making reservations for dinner dining. From the fireplace, piano, high back chairs, high ceilings to the wood paneling along the walls, Titanic-like staircase leading down to the restaurant; this is definitely worth a trip to visit.

I had the crepe and my husband had the salmon hash. Both were excellent. Price was approx. $50, including tip.

After talking with waitstaff, we were made aware that for dinner dining, it's definitely a jacket and tie restaurant.

London Grill has ambiance, traditional elegance, and pleasant service. Definitely worth visiting again!!!

• Pros: Two thumbs up for ambience, traditional elegance, and pleasant service

11/02/06

Delish Food and ambiance!

by hockeygrrl22

Went out for a special dinner here and it was fabulous! Our server was very knowledgable and polite. The piano was a little loud but overall a great dining experience. Order the tableside ceaser and steak diane and you get dinner and a show! They make it right in front of you!

• Pros: Food, Service, EVERYTHING!
• Cons: none

09/15/06

Elegant place for dress-up dining

by bandz

My fiance took me here for our anniversary (before we got engaged) and it was the PERFECT choice! The atmosphere, music, food, service - all are getting A+ from me! (and I am not easy to please)

Our waiter was very attending and had the exact amount of humor that was funny but not annoying.

The only thing I didn't like about this restaurant was that they do not enforce dress code.

People, please, if you are coming to place like this, do not wear jeans!!! This is not some fast food joint, have some manners and respect!!!

• Pros: elegance, location, food
• Cons: dress code is not enforced