I visited the punchbowl last night with a group of colleagues for a works dinner. There is an element of truth in all the reviews I've read but I think some people tend to go over the top. Yes - The pub does smell quite awful. Yes- The pub is understaffed and so therefore the service could be better. Also the staff there are under a lot of pressure and so can be quite short, but you can see that they are trying. This is not a place to go if you are on a deadline, this is more if you have time ti kill. The food - Quite nice actually,but expensive for what it is. Then again this place is just off Berkeley square in the heart of Mayfair, so what do you expect? You can get better food at a better price elsewhere in London I'm sure. Ultimately though, this is a tiny little restaurant at the back of a tiny little pub. If you want the full silver service, then you need to go to a silver service restaurant. This is not , I repeat NOT 'The Ivy'!!!It's busy, crowded and loud. You do not get treated like royalty and you are periodically forgotten about. Is it just me or is this what a pub should be like? Lots of things going on at once, lots of people talking over each other and a bit of calamity in the air? Or shall we sit and moan about how everything is not happening in exactly the way we would like it to? As long as you are in good company, having good fun conversation I think the surrounding atmosphere becomes quite nice. And you get shoved a menu and a bottle of wine when the waitress has a free moment, that's okay with me. Actually, maybe it is all the wine I had that makes me think so fondly of the place...My final view on the place? It's alright, nothing that special really when all is said and done. If I was paying the bill I'm pretty certain I'd go elsewhere for dinner. If I happened to be in there having a pint and someone asked me to dine there. Yeah, why not?

There yesterday for lunch and have to say it was the best pub grub we've ever had - well prepared, very fresh ingredients and really tasty. It is more expensive than some other establishments but it's Mayfair and the old adage is right, 'you get what you pay for' - we were £47 for two mains and two pints - we'll definitely be back.

High point:
Nice and quiet location

Low points:
Being asked to move inside by... 8pm!
Waiting at the bar for 15 mins one time, and then 20 mins the second time.
Bar staff useless and have no clue of the order of people arriving at the bar. They literally just serve whoever is in front of them when they look up from the till.
No pint glasses available for some of the evening.
The most disgusting men's toilet cubicle I have ever seen. Excrement smeared around the rim, splattered on to the walls on both side of the loo, and lumps of you-know-what on the floor around the pan. Totally gross.
At £4.50 a pint I expect a better experience.
Went to Shepherd Market afterwards and it was far more enjoyable.

Nice look and feel to this pub, but the staff really let it down. The bouncer was incredibly rude to my friends when we were walking in (I would have left there and then, but they had already entered) and the bar staff were totally clueless and looked like they'd never seen a bar before. Drinks also a bit pricey. The Audley around the corner was cheaper, friendlier and had a much nicer atmosphere.

Head Chef Chris Molloy is a very talented, upcoming young chef. I've previously worked alongside Chris in a Michelin restaurant in central London where he proved to be 'one to watch.' I've also checked out his efforts at the Punchbowl recently and it's obvious he's going from strength-to-strength; as far as cullinary skills are involved... well done mate!

Er no definately the Punch Bowl, and they need to get rid of the sleazy clientele, talk about up market, er no dont think so, maybe you have got the wrong pub.

Sorry meant to give it a one star rating

The pub smelt awful, nothing special at all inside, the barman was looked as if he didn't want to be there, the outside if the pub was filthy, dont know what all the fuss is about, certainly will be spending my money elsewhere.

I went here a couple of weeks back, on a business lunch with a couple of colleagues. We were all very impressed by the high standard of food we received, and were even more impressed to discover that the head chef here is only 26! The food we ate at The Punch Bowl was infinitely better than food I've eaten at some extremely expensive London eateries. The atmosphere was cosy and relaxing; and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We will all be returning in the future.

The new owners have done a good refit of the pub and have improved the food dramatically.

I find lunch is better than dinner as its quieter.

Tends to get very busy later in the week - there are definitely a few hopefuls trying to catch a glimpse of some celebrity or other (sad but quite entertaining.

It's quite a nice place, very relaxed, but it wasn't anything special.

The Punch Bowl is a quiet old pub in the back streets of Mayfair. It's off the beaten track so is a little bit harder to find so is not packed out. The Punch Bowl is a popular place, with a friendly bunch of regulars. It serves a decent pint Speccy, Bombardier or Courage Best, the service is also friendly and they serve lunch.