Boring place. I'd skip it... Don't go there if you want tea as it comes in a TINY pot and takes ages to appear.

Glorified TGI Friday's. Chicken Burger was ok nothing special. The mud pie for dessert was yummy. Our bottle of wine was irritatingly out of reach in a bucket also. The staff were hit and miss.

Oh dear. Really, oh dear. I was desperately hoping to be able to write a different review to the two immediately below this, but sadly I just can't find the words, or way, to make this sound anything other than woefully disappointing with the most god awful service I have experienced anywhere.

It used to be that Automat did great burgers, a decent steak, baked halibut and a mean steak tartare. They also used to have a brilliant team of staff who were attentive, hard working, dedicated and very friendly and courteous. How big a change is it then that now the staff are just simply the rudest people I've encountered in a restaurant. Totally uncaring, verbally rude and offensive in the way they simply talk over you, talk down at you and dismiss any query you might have with a shrug of the shoulders, a shake of the head, a scowl and a turn of the back, despite you being mid-sentence. Unbelievably rude.

Obviously with such a poor experience already, I was probably not in the mood for things to go wrong. So when the burger turns up the cremated side of crispy, rather than medium rare as I had requested, I was not amused. Even less amused when the manageress turned up and said “Well what do you want us to do about it?” in the rudest, most disgusting tone I've heard.

My answer? “Take it back, before I throw it on the floor because of your disgusting attitude. I'm leaving”

The funny thing is the manageress didn't even care. She just said to another waiter, whilst standing in front of me, “Get him his bill”.

All I could do was laugh, and all this in front of other bemused customers in a packed restaurant. Needless to say I didn't pay – the first time ever I've refused.

Says it all really.

Utterly Rude Manager - do not go! Rude rude rude rude rudei wished I had read these reviews before going. I went for a 730 reservation, found the food to be ok, nothing special, the service was a bit annoying, as they were rushing us a tiny bit, giving 2 minutes between asking for our order on two occasions. But nothing to come home and write a scathing review about. So the meal comes to an end and I pay. We were lingering for a few minutes and about to leave when the manager came by our table to ask if she needed to attend to the bill, upon which I respond, "oh no, we have just paid". She instantaneously said "then I have to ask you to leave as we have another group" in a dismissive tone. This somewhat irked me, if I said "no", she would have had to get our payment, however the moment she knew we had paid, she jumped to kick us off the table. Giving her the benefit of the doubt I mentioned two her two things, I wasn't informed or reminded (which is normally the case on entry to restaurants who give time slots) of the 2 hour slot (i didn't even realize it was 930), and that she came across as rudely kicking us off the table immediately. Her chance to explain he rude comment, now you would think that she would apologies or something along those lines, however she started an argument with me, insisting she wasn't rude and started to say that I was wrong! She continued to talk over me and insist I was wrong and knew I had to leave at 930. I have eaten at many good restaurants and have never been treated in such an utterly distasteful manner, it was unprofessional and just all out rude. I actually tried again in a very calm fashion to point out why she came across as being rude, mentioning that if she had gently and respectfully reminded us we would have kindly left as we were almost ready to leave anyway. She instead talked over me and raised her voice at me and continued an utterly ridiculous and rude argument, mentioning "its your word against mine

Automat is one of the worse restaurants I have ever been to. To start off with, we were told when we made a booking that we absolutely had to be on time as the restaurant was fully booked and we'd lose our booking if we were late. When we got there, the place was almost empty, and remained empty throughout our meal. What a joke. Then we waited for 45 minutes for our food to arrive, which is shocking for an almost empty restaurant, and when the food got here, it was only lukewarm. It also tasted mediocre, mostly bland.

The waitress mostly ignored us (probably because she knew that if she came by and asked how our meal was, we'd have given her a earful), so we couldn't even get a second round of drinks. Anyway, suffice it to say that we won't be going back there. Nobu would have been a better bet for food, atmosphere and service.

I have been going to Automat for several years now , and I must say I have never been disappointed. Quite the contrary it is probably my favourite spot in London! The food has always been really good , and there is always a great atmosphere in there. Sometimes the service can be a bit busy and fussy , but seeing how busy they are , it seems perfectly normal! And even at there busiest , the staff are always as nice as they can be! I would definitely recommend going there for supper before going out or brunch afterwards :)

My friends and I dined there this Sunday afternoon and while the food was ok, the service was absolutely atrocious. The staff are extremely discourteous and rude. They are so keen to get rid of you that they hover around trying to collect your plates even before you have finished eating your food. Then, they try and hurry you out the door because they have another party booked at your table which they did not inform you of at the time of your booking.

My favourite part is the discretionary 12.5% so-called 'service' charge, which I have to pay for crap service. No thank you.

Avoid at all costs.

Three American co-workers and I were not able to make it back to the US for Thanksgiving last month, so we booked a table at nearby Automat for their special Thanksgiving menu. We arrived at 1.15pm as scheduled, and waited 20 minutes to order. (Remember, this is Lunchtime during the week.) By 2.05, our food had not arrived and several of us had 2.30pm appointments back at the office. We inquired, and were told it would be at the table in "3 minutes". At 2.15 we asked again, and the manager said it was taking a long time since it had to be roasted. Imagine that. Having to roast a turkey. What next, they have to boil the water for the coffee? (Don't worry, they didn't have to mash the potatoes, as this Thanksgiving standard was not on their Thanksgiving menu.) I suppose that given the fact that a turkey takes 4 hours to roast, we should have ordered at 9am! We told the manager that we had to leave and he "magnanimously" told us we did not have to pay. Imagine that! Not being required to pay for a product that we did not receive! A total disappointment. Later that day, I wrote an email to Automat, and never received a reply. DO NOT GO TO THIS SHAMBOLIC ESTABLISHMENT. THEY DON'T DESERVE YOUR HONEST HARD EARNED CASH, AS THEY DON'T SEEM INTERESTED IN EARNING IT THE SAME WAY YOU DO.