Searcy’s at the National Portrait Gallery

Auf dem ehemaligen Speicher der National Portrait Gallery ist ein wunderbares Restaurant entstanden, cool mit geiler Sicht über London durch die Panoramafenster. Es ist nicht leicht zu finden. Erst mal geht es quer durch das Museum und dann die hinteren Treppen hoch. Oben wird man freundlich empfangen — falls man reserviert hat. Ansonsten wird man freundlich wieder weggeschickt: Es ist fast immer ausgebucht.
Wir hatten eine wirklich nahezu perfekte Garlic Soup und dann das Lamm, medium rare, mit einer gegrillten Aubergine. Alles hervorragend zubereitet und fein abgeschmeckt. Dazu gab es einen perfekt temperierten Rioja und später einen nach allen Regeln der Kunst zubereiteten Espresso. Gesamtkosten für 2 Personen: 100 Pfund. Hat sich gelohnt.

Amazing views in a relatively unpretentious setting… ok wait. Not really.
I mean, you’re on top of the national portrait gallery, so you’re bang over trafalgar and it’s pretty cool. But it’s an understated cool, like a Woody Allen scenario, rather than a a SushiSamba type of vibe. The waiters made this experience better than it should have been based on the food alone, as they were all attentive and über-​knowledgeable (and one was smoking hot too, so there).
The food is good, but nothing you haven’t had before. It’s solid and well cooked, but lacks a bit in flavor, inventiveness and value for money.
Go on a date or a gloomy lunch, it will make you feel all sorts of special

Its really 2 stars for the food and 1 for the view and location.
Its quite hard to find this place if you don’t know where to look. Its on the top floor of the portrait gallery, which you can’t really get to by lift from the ground floor. You have to go up the giant escalator to the 2^nd floor and get a lift/​stairs from there.
The view is lovely and the menu looked interesting, but ended up being slightly disappointing. My starter was a good prosciutto and fig salad. My main course was mackerel — served with rhubarb and some sort of creamy-​cheese and a salad with walnuts. The oiliness of the mackerel just did not pair with the cream. Its was like eating two dishes on one plate.
Other than that, service was fine. On balance — I’d go back for a business lunch because its nearby the office.

Would not come back. Veggies soup tasted like canned veggies in hot water. No flavor & fish (I think they called it that) was a ball of breaded mash w drowned in cream sauce. Tasted fishy & terrible. Bread was good as well as the Bellini
! View was so so. service terrible! But, go see the gallery. That was worthwhile!

Was brought here for my birthday and loved it. Just enough glamour to make it feel like a special occasion, without feeling snooty.
Food is great. Wine is great. Views are great. The best part is the service. The waiting staff are superb.
Hidden Gem, what a great find!

Super glamorous. The BEST view of London. Predictably pricey and glamorous. Worth a stop, and a sip.