The Lonsdale

I’m sad to say the food at the Lonsdale has gone a little downhill since my previous visits. The quality of the food wasn’t as good as I’d experience on other occasions and portions were definitely smaller. The fillet steak, as well as being smaller wasn’t the best quality and had quite a lot of sinewy bits in it, I’d also asked for it blue but when it arrived it was more like medium-​rare! Needless to say I think it’ll be a long time before I venture back to the Lonsdale.

You’ll notice the positive reviews for the Lonsdale are all largely from 2010 and earlier. There’s a reason for that.
The Lonsdale was, for many years, rightfully known as a hidden gem off the beaten track in Notting Hill. A stellar cocktail bar, staffed with brilliant bartenders, and a kitchen creative enough to be amongst the best in London.
I say all this because I’ve been a regular at both the bar and restaurant sections for a couple of years now, and have long enjoyed and admired the establishment.
But unfortunately in the last eight or so months, the Lonsdale has gone from a ‘hidden-​gem’…
…to being a place where one would, sadly, be embarrassed to take a friend or a date.
This evening I did the latter, and took a date to the Lonsdale for dinner. I was hoping to make a good impression, and the Lonsdale had always delivered in the past.
The present, however, is a much different story.
Ultimately, I was so mortified at the service and food that we returned our main courses untouched, cleared our check, and walked out:
Something I’ve never done in more than 20 years of dining.
I assume, behind the scenes, that management has undergone dramatic change recently; or else the place is flirting with insolvency, or perhaps both.
It’s otherwise hard to explain the very visible degradation of the class of clientele; it’s hard to explain the new, bland, room-​temperature horsdervs.
It’s equally hard to explain the «50% Off» offers on what should be a prime dining night,
And the absolutely shocking degeneration of customer service seems inexplicable entirely. Here is a summary of our recent evening:
We were seated for our meal by 7:50pm. Our orders were placed by 8PM.
The starters arrived at 830PM. They were cold.
Fifteen minutes later, at 8:45PM, the Maitre’d interrupted our conversation and made it plain in no uncertain terms that he expected us to vacate the table for an incoming reservation. By 9:15PM.
With the tact of a bouncer yelling last call at a pub, w, bear in mind, whilst our main courses were not even on the table as of yet.
We politely but firmly stated that we found it inappropriate to strong-​arm customers who’d barely just sat down out of their table in such a brusque fashion, as if we’d been laying about ordering icewater for hours on end.
His proposed remedy was to offer us a table at the crowded bar where we could continue (or rather start) our meal. Hardly the stuff of romance or dinner.
We said we found the proposed solution to be in no way acceptable, and stated that it was a truly inexcusable way to treat longterm repeat customers of many years standing. We were then criticized for «not working with him» towards a resolution.
My position was that the entire episode was inexcusable; that they had clearly overbooked the evening, and that had they been aware of such a shortage of seating, they should never had sat us at the table in the first place.
This point fell on deaf, uncaring ears; something that was made quite plain in both content and tone
After forty or fifty dinners at the Lonsdale over the past two years, I’m very sorry to say I will not be returning.
Even among all the exceptional restaurants and lounges in Notting Hill, the Lonsdale was for many years a standout establishment.
I find it personally painful to say it of a favorite restaurant, but the truth is that the heyday of the Lonsdale has passed into history.
If you’ve fond memories of the old Lonsdale, do yourself a favour and keep the warm memories intact by staying away from it’s current incarnation.
And if you’ve never been to the Lonsdale before now… you should make an effort to keep it that way.
The long and short of it: stay far, far away. Though I suspect you won’t have to stay away for long. Restaurants exhibiting these sorts of signs are usually very close to ceasing operations for one reason or another.
Still, for those of us who remember another Lonsdale, in a bygone era:
What a terrible, terrible disappointment.

I came here with my sister for a special treat during her visit to London. I booked through the Top Table offer of 50% off food on Friday and Saturday nights. The food was delicious, although portions were small. Its worth dishing out for an extra side. The mashed potatoes were absolutely delicious and my steak was done to perfection! When we arrived, we were one of two couples in the restaurant until a bigger group came in at the end of our meal. With an offer like that, I was surprised that the restaurant was so quiet. I will definitely go back for that offer. It’s not very often you get an amazing steak dinner for 50% off in expensive London.

I came here to have dinner with my friends on my birthday and it was the perfect choice. The ambiance is elegant and swanky and certainly makes you feel special. I like that it is hidden out of the way on a residential street, although they don’t want you talking loudly out front, it has a nice feel to it, as if you’ve found something hidden away.
The staff were friendly and very helpful. The food was well prepared and presented and good quality. The steak and chips were decent, but I think the best was the gnocchi and the duck, which came with a really delicious lentil and vegetable side. I didn’t really like the duck pâté appetiser but the miso broth with dumplings was delicious. I actually was not a fan of the sticky toffee pudding either and would not recommend it.
It was a really lovely and relaxed night just to spend time with your friends with some good music and good food in a nice place. With such great music it’s strange that it’s not really a place with dancing. Even though I saw a few people trying while they sipped their drinks, nobody really got into it.
I also appreciated that they had a set menu, as not everyone wants to spend a lot. It keeps it flexible for when you have a lot of people and everyone will be different. Some of my friends showed up later as well, but the staff was accommodating. Definitely a great place for a fun night out!

We came to this swank and hip spot on the recommendation of a few gents in a bar down on the main drag in Notting Hill. Leaving the strip, we were quite unsure where we were stumbling and the reviews on Unilocal were so-​so but this may have been our favorite meal in London!
We were asked for reservations when we walked into a nearly empty restaurant at 6:30pm on a Friday but they somehow accomodated us Americans as long as we promised to be out by 9pm! :) We didn’t tell them that that was our typical bedtime with all the work and walking we had been doing in the city.
The drinks were good. The décor and music was amazing. I felt like I was in a Bond movie (not present on any screens that night).
It’s been a few months and cannot remember the details of our meal other than it was well presented, proportioned, and spiced. The service is excellent and you have to indulge yourself with a desert order of the Sticky Toffee Pudding. It’s not what your expecting and really quite wonderful.
Can wait to return; this time with a booking (reservation)!

I like the atmosphere of the place but not impressed by the rest. I do like two cocktails a friend and I ordered, The Black Bison and something about a Mule (sorry, I can’t remember but it’s got raspberry in it). For starter I had the Chicken Liver Parfait, which was very good. I think tho you have to like liver, so tread lightly. I got the steak — and in my mind, it’s hard for you to mess up steak for me. If I can make a decent steak, i expect when i pay for it to be such as well. (Melty buttery steak, now, that will win my heart.) I order my steak medium (i know, i know, medium rare is the way to go. sue me.) but really it was well done. If the sauce that came with the steak wasn’t redeeming, i would have sent it back.
Anyway, the service was eh. We had a pretty good size party and a friend requested for mash instead of chips. Should have been an easy request but was met with resistant bc if he did it for him, the rest of the table might want to do the same and heaven forbid it might get too complicated! After dinner we moved to the lounge area. It took forever and a day to get a drink. enuf said.

Spent nye here… reasonable cover and decent atmosphere

The tunes ROCKED! well they lounged, they housed, they hip hopped and they reaggaed all night! amazing music!
BUT
waaaaayyyyy tooooo cramped! seriously everybody wants to hangs on to the bottle neck. wtf, can’t move. and you’re always in the way of something or someone.
Good crowd, very european and not sleazy. which is a bonus in London town :)
too bad it closes at 1am on a sat night :(
cocktails seem strong, and the coke is flat. pretty pricey for what you get. but it’s the original lonsdale on lonsdale road…
way cool!
coat check seems to be free, and the attendant was the sweetest EVER! but on a busy night be prepared to take coat with you, as there is limited space in the coat room.
also, tables are free, so an early entry will probably guarantee you space, which in this place does not come easy!
see you around the neighbourhood

This place was cool and chic. The staff seemed friendly and attentive and the music was great. Went here one night with a couple friends. They had a two-​course special going on. The drinks were amazing… They must have a well trained bartender and the food was delicious. I had the Salmon, it tasted very fresh and light. Nice presentation as well. The desert was a perfect finish. I believe I got a toffee pudding. I would definitely like to go here again!

Under new ownership, this famed cocktail bar (I’d first heard of its impressive drinks menu from bartenders working at other bars around town) is now a tad swishier for its Notting Hill trust fund flock and is to start offering a comprehensive steakhouse menu taking advantage of select cuts from the highly esteemed butcher, Allen’s of Mayfair. It’s a hip as anything west of Shoreditch could ever be and probably one of the best places for a proper cocktail in all of London. The crowd may or may not be to your liking, but if you like people watching you’ll love it!

I went to an engagement party here last night in the private room upstairs which, although quite small, was very cool.
I probably only say this because of the mirror ball walls and the fact that James Bond movies were being played on the big screen.
I was DEFINITELY imagining that I was a spy, just a shame I don’t have the money that a spy does at £4 per bottle! Sting.
Pro’s: Music, Décor, 007.
Con’s: Price, Location (on a residential street), Speed of service.

After an evening at Beach Blanket Babylon, we stumbled into here to finish the night in a more lively fashion. Upon arrival, we were asked to only go into the upstairs bar. Having gone upstairs and taken one look at the dour faces inhabiting this small gloomy space, we thought that we should chance our arm at the downstairs bar.
What a difference! The lively atmosphere hit me immediately and the lounge décor made for a stark contrast when compared to the upstairs bar.
After a fairly long wait at the packed bar, we commenced the drinkery. The bar staff were helpful and the drinks were OK.
I would like to return for cocktails at some point soon — preferably on a weekday when it is a little quieter. Well, actually a weekday evening… the idea of drinking cocktails during the day would be a bad thing! Mind you… who’s buying? You or me? Ahhh… you talked me into it.

The Lonsdale is one of my favourite bars in Notting Hill, simply because they’ve really hit the nail on the head with their stylish lounge bar and an exceptional cocktail menu. I’ve been for quiet drinks on a weekday evening and on the much busier weekends and it’s always guaranteed a session of sophisticated fun.
You might think that the décor, which seems to be an odd mix of 60’s/futuristic style, wouldn’t look good, but the smooth ambiance hits you as soon as you enter. This might have something to do with it’s snazzy location or just the fact that Lonsdale is very confident about what it has to offer, and quite rightly so.
They have an encyclopedic list of cocktails, especially ones of English origin and the menu highlights their history, anecdotes and where it was first conceived alongside each listing. These guys know what they’re talking about. Being a fan of cocktails I’m still working my way through the pages and pages of their menu, trying something new each time I go along with the old favourite, the to-​die-​for, super smooth, super sexy (think exotic beauties with smokey eyes) little number, the Espresso Martini, or as it was first known (the menu informs) the ‘Pharmaceutical Stimulant’. Mmmmmm mmmmmm!
If you’re all a bit stumped by the huge selection the bar tenders approach you with a glint in their eye, asking what gets you going and before you know it they’re shaking up whatever they think suits. They’re have such an energetic passion for mixing that it rubs off on the whole place. If you have a drink here, I guarantee you’ll be ranting about whatever you choose for days.
So, bottoms up, here’s to Lonsdale’s London.

A pretty nice little lounge/​bar/​restaurant joint in the Notting Hill area right smack in the middle of a residential area. If it weren’t for the absolute faith I put into my mobile google maps, I wouldn’t have believed I’d find The Lonsdale where I did since it was almost literally in the middle of people’s homes.
Very nice décor, smooth and groovy with the perfect touch of upscale. There were plenty of bartenders working, so despite the bar being packed and me being jostled, it didn’t take very long to get my drink order in.
There was also a DJ playing a nice mix of R&B, hip hop, dance, and pop music (nothing too cheesy though – the music went well with the groove of Lonsdale).
Things I did not like: a lack of air conditioning and the price of drinks. It was an inferno from the first moment I stepped in and just became progressively worse until they closed at 1 AM. Mind you I was not really dancing (no room really, though you can do some bootay shakin’ if you are determined and certain songs did indeed make me determined), yet I was positively and thoroughly drenched about an hour into being here.
Price of drinks: I had a mojito for £8 which seemed to be on the pricey side (and in all fairness I still convert everything to USD and a $ 13 mojito would be found at high end club and not at a lounge bar).
Overall, I probably would hit up this place again if I’m in the ‘hood. It was a 10 min walk from the Westbourne Park tube stop and there are several other tube stops and bus lines in the area, so it’s more accessible than it appears on the map.

Where do you want to continue your eve after a good dinner? Lonsdale is open until late and therefore a good bar to dress up. Unlike other places this bar does not require a guest list but placed in the heart of Notting Hill.
I recommend the guys to wear a shirt and no sneakers and the girls dress up there — it is more fun — dress to impress! Even in big groups you are let in, which is a big plus.
Inside there is a lounge upstairs which has a surrealistic look to it — it is small but more private. On the ground floor there is a more clubbing atmosphere — even though I miss the dancing. That might be the down point.
Even though I am usual a red wine drinker — not there — I am sipping on a Mojito all night long. That is actually not true — I ordered last time a Wodka Martini with a big green olive, with this drink you better not dance as the cocktail glass shape is a task alone not spilling anything.
If you are a smoker, there is a patio outside the building where you can smokalise!

While I have not eaten here, I have been here on a few occasions for the cocktails which are some of the best in the area. The décor is modern and funky and in the summer there are a few seats outside which are great if you can grab them. It’s a perfect stop to add to any cocktail crawl in Notting Hill.

The Lonsdale is a super chic restaurant in bar which is perfectly located in Notting Hill. These days there seems to be few places where you can really get dressed up so it’s refreshing to visit The Lonsdale.
I can get really glammed up and not feel out of place in the sumptious surroundings. My favourite cocktails are the Russian Spring Punch and the Raspberry Mule which I have never had anywhere else.
At the weekends The Lonsdale gets very busy so it’s worth getting there early.
A truly stylish evening is guaranteed at The Lonsdale.

A pretty trendy Restaurant and Bar in Notting Hill, The Lonsdale does what it does very well. The cocktails are numerous, alcoholic and mixed by professionals. The food is creative, stylish enough and tastes pretty good with the cocktails. I really like the Raspberry Mule, it’s refreshing and uses ginger beer imaginatively. Not something one can always say.
I went recently on a Friday night and it was packed out — all the tables in the restaurant gone and it was hard to move in the bar area. There was a DJ and if people weren’t really getting down to his tunes it was probably because of the aforementioned space issue rather than any slight on his selection.
The crowd is the usual mix in this area of tourists and locals, some of whom are inevitably annoying posers. We had a group of 16 year olds near us who fitted into that category but the staff were pretty good at telling them to shut up when they started singing what sounded like their school mating chant. Good for pre-​clubbing if you have just been paid.