I'd been to the Zinc in Manchester so thought I'd visit this branch on a trip to London. It was a lot busier than I expected, and I hadn't booked (you don't always have to at the Manchester branch), so I had to wait at the bar for over an hour to get seated. I suppose it was my own fault for not planning ahead but I didn't feel they were bothered about me at all.

Zinc? We had a really pretty evening there, the service was more than average (even though it was crowded) and efficient manager Annette showed us excellent treatment and went out of her way to find us a table even though they were fully booked (but then it was my birthday). The food is great, atmosphere similar to a Soho Brasserie but with perhaps a little more pretention. Zinc is for those who want a bit of style, decent music, and not have lager louts bumping into them at the counter...However (yeah, yeah, there's always a drawback) the menu is a bit bland, drinks are very pricey and will set you back a bit for a 3 course with a bottle of Sauvignon - but at least it keeps the ruffians out (well, most of them anway, though I did have 3 menacing city sickies careering into me with an electric pincushion at one point - but that's another story). Give me a bit of surreal any day with my strawberry mousse and crocodile sandwiches.

So I'll give it a 3 just to give it a bit of a boost on the previous rating.

Znic can be really great fun, particularly if you get a table outside under the canopy in the summer. However, BE WARNED, this place is over-priced and service is generally appalling. In addition, the drunks who also seem a permanent fixure in Jerdan Place can be loud and often distressing. Not what you want when you've paid £25 for a jug of Pimms!