A fantastic place - best food I've had for ages ,Halibut was delicious and could have had a second serving at this price!Great wine list and huge selection of whisky and lovely people. The atmosphere alone would keep me coming back - it's so hard to find a place that's intimate and also lively without it being rammed. Perfect for any occasion - feels like a local favourite already - go!

Nothing like it. Nothing like an absolute top notch steak falling away from the knife. Nothing like eating it from a stunning old bank building on Trafalgar Square. Nothing like the whisky that followed it. And then there's the staff. Can I just say: there's nothing like you, Alma!!!

excellent food, great ambience with relaxed and friendly service. Highly recommended.

JL

An odd evening of pluses and minuses. On the plus side, the staff are charming and attentive and the food is pretty much OK. The major minus is the fact that this has to be the noisiest place in London. The restaurant is in the bar and the deafening din from a bunch of beer-swilling M&S-suited oiks quite ruined the evening for us.

Took my partner there for dinner on their birthday having previously very much enjoyed lunch at this restaurant. I won't be going again.

The Albannach seems to be losing the plot.
The service was below average - and the below stairs chaotic.

The restaurant area merges into the bar and the music was banging. Is it trying to be a bar or a restaurant? It's not a comfortable place to dine and talk.

Individual lapses - chipped wine-glass, out of order toilets, filled refuse bags and wedged open fire doors downstairs could all be forgiven if the food had been more pleasing. As it happened they all added to the feeling that the place wants managing.

My starter (Gressingham duck pate) was dry and tasteless. The mains were slightly better although the portion sizes are modestly sized but extravagantly priced. (But this is the West End!). The overstretched waiting staff seemed unable to cope and so the food was tepid by the time it got to table.

Overall what was meant to be a special occasion was made memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Came here with my bf. Usually this place would be way out of my price range, but we had the tastecard which gives you 50% off.
Portions are rather small, but everything we ordered (and that was a lot) was delicious!
Staff were very friendly and made us feel very welcome.
Also the interior is quite interesting and creates quite a nice atmosphere.
However the music was a bit too loud (club like), and with the mix of lots of people talking it was hard to understand eachother sometimes.
But all in all a very pleasant dining experience.

Had a lunch meeting in the private dinning room the service was excellent, I had the lamb which i was asked how I wanted it cooked which is a 1st with lamb, and they didn't disappoint. I had one glass of wine and would of had more but everyone was keeping it to one glass, which meant i couldn't take advantage of the red wine:-)

My partner & I visited Albannach last night since we have a taste london card that gets us 50% discount. The decor is modern with hints of scottishness . I particularly like the stag like lighting. The waiting staff were friendly although it took them a good while longer than I think is acceptable to initially take our food orders. I had scallops as a starter- they were delicious. light and sweet and in a delicious butter sauce. my partner had the sausage platter. It was very tasty and certainly not too small on the portion sizes. For mains, I had the black face lamb which was cooked to perfection (rare at my request)- it certainly was very tasty lamb and it came with a garlicy mash which was scrumtious. My partner had the haggis which he enjoyed but said he'd had better. we both really enjoyed our meals although there was nothing that I would consider exceptional or overly memorable. We didn't have dessert since we were both full (showing that even though the portions don't look huge, they certainly do fill you up).
Overall, we enjoyed it but considering the cost (which is reasonably expensive), I'm not sure its worth it, simple because it was pleasant but it wasn't the best food I've tasted and I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It just hasn't stuck in my memory as anything other than a meal....

Don't go there they are dishonest!

In last december I paid the cloakroom for my coat and my jacket and they lost both.
They told me that it was a mistake and that I will be of refunded...

Of course, more than 3 months after now, no news from them in spite of my emails, and I think they will never refund me!

Bar has very good atmosphere but will not be returning for food.

Seven of us went for dinner on a Saturday night. We had a drink in the bar to begin with and there is a good selection of cocktails and other drinks; although bar men looked very serious about the whole thing.

Went upstairs for dinner. Some of the waitress staff were delightful, although a little slow to take an order for drinks. Starters were all enjoyed though presentation of the odd dish was somewhat lacking.

Main courses were very mixed. Steaks were very good, but totally unaccompanied as there was no salad garnish. The chunky chips on the side were lovely. 3 of us ordered 'neeps and tatties' - these arrived cold and when sent back, they returned 10 minutes later even colder, when much of the steaks had already been eaten. One of our friends though received her meal 15 minutes after the rest of us even though her side dish was brought with the rest of the food and we were a bit sceptical about the story that her meal was 'in the lift' for well over five minutes. We also ordered the wild mushroom tortellini which was interesting: it seemed to be homemade pasta but was extremely thick. There was a small filling of what we think was feta cheese which was very unexpected as it had not been mentioned on the menu and the 'wild mushroom' was limited to a rather tasteless sauce drizzled on top.

One of the waitresses was clearly embarrassed by the level of service however until that time the speed of service had been very slow. The manager came over and apologised about our stone cold side dishes which they duly took these off the price of the bill although the meal for which we had to wait a long time stayed firmly on the bill along side the 'optional' 12 1/2% service charge - which I am afraid to say we only paid about 5%.

I had dinner there with firends (9 of us) My scallop starter was superb and the lamb was well cooked, however those who ordered the steak medium, have received it really rare.

The service was very slow, so we didn't send the steaks back as it took 55 min for our starters to arrive and another 40 minutes for the main courses.

The waiter had an attutude, plus halfway through the dinner they started to play very loud music downstairs so we had to literraly shout to be able to hear each other.

The bill came up to £47 per person. I have to admit though that the place looks good, but this is not enough to bring us back... I won't recomend it.

Last night attended one of the whisky masterclass events and have to say I am now a confirmed fan of whisky!

Having been on a few tastings for a variety of things I have to say this has been the most enjoyable and actually learnt something about whisky.

I got to try 5 different types and they were quite generous with pouring that I did have to be careful on how much to consume but the tasty finger food at the start did help!

My only criticism would be that it was not long enough but then again I don't think I could have handled any more whisky..

... A great night and will be back for the others they offer. Ben

Me and my friends went to Albannach restaurant to have a dinner..everything was great..food was amazing..staff was very friendly.

.even if it was very busy two girls managed to look after everyone..even smile and have a chat..its quite rare in London..was really impressed..going to recommend this restaurant to my friends..and if you going there order haggis taster..its amazing!!!

Plus its quite hot in the restaurant, just don't know why...maybe because of those two hot girls working up there..:)or something wrong with the air conditioners..we had a lovely evening gonna come back for sure..to try all the whiskeys.

Do not go here on New Year's Eve! We attended Bond Ball 2. It lacked the Bond theme in the basement and was badly organised. The cloakroom was a state which resulted in most people's coats being lost and having to wait 45 mins. As a result people started arguing and management were not helpful at all!

My girlfriends and i had a great time here, it was my 30th birthday party so its was a special occasion. i would recommend this place to anyone, even if it is just to see the tall dark and handsome man in a kilt at the door.........i liked him alot! x

Fantastic venue! You can have pre-dinner drinks, dinner and end up the night dancing!! It was fantastic value for money compare to all the crappy bars in the west end! They use really good quality ingredients and the staff very friendly and happy to chat withouth being intrusive. This place is highly recommmended for people celebrating with friends or for an event. I can't wait to come back.

Staff just so friendly, cocktails just so good, food scrummy!!! Personally want to thank everyone there for looking after me, partner and all our friends so well - attention to detail, attentive and fun all in one. Our party went like clockwork.

Just came back from Albannach and witnessed how security guy - some Eastern European, was insulting two tourists (well dressed and smart looking girls) just because they wanted to enjoy their drinks at the tables outside. It was disgusting. The girls looked really shocked. Lets avoid this place. I would not want my girlfriend to be treated that way... George.

I had to pay £100 deposit for a table after running The London Marathon. I was told that there would be food available and as long as I turned up the money would not be debited from my card. On arrival I met my friends and looked over the menu's (still on the table). When I went up to order I was told that food had 'finished'. I then proceeded to get out some jelly babies and a mars from my goodie bag and was told off rather aggressively by a waitress. The bar then stopped serving. A thoroughly disappointing visit. NOT RECOMMENDED and nothing like the website!!!!!

Would not recommend this place.



Group of 10 thirtysomethings of us went there for a birthday. One wasn't allowed in - dressed in shirt, trousers but they objected to him wearing flip flops. What utter toss. When the rest of us were spending over £700 you would have thought they could have been flexible!



Pushy manager - really irritating.



Veg main course rubbish.



Declined to serve us jugs of tap water.



Good waiting staff. Good ambience.



We actually had a great night, but despite the place.



I would never go there again - and judging by how few people were in Doon, the bar downstairs, other people think the same.

Albannach means Scotsman, or so I was told by the waitress when I was in the other day. A friend recommended the place (he's Scottish) and to be honest I was intrigued, if a little wary about a Scottish bar and restaurant. Tartan, bagpipes and Brigadoon sprang to mind so you can imagine my initial delight at finding it in no way stereotypical.



It's a Scottish bar and restaurant with a contempory twist, I was told by the young lady wearing a pinstriped kilt, who was extremely friendly, helpful and dare i say it, attractive.



The decor is trendy but in a classic understated way. The bar is well stocked (loads of whisky as you'd expect I guess), well manned and well long. It needs to be to hold all the whisky! I enjoyed an extremely Scottish pint of a French beer and then we headed up for dinner.



As I expected and dreaded, haggis was on the menu, knowing my friend would try and force it on me. I opted instead for some Buccleuch beef. It was delightful and accompanied by some rather nice wine. My haggis eating friend however did insist I try some of his, and I'd love to say it was anything but delicious but that's exactly what it was. I can only assume the chef did something impressive as the knowledge of what haggis is didn't allow for it to taste the way it did.



We enjoyed a couple more drinks, paid the bill which was very reasonable and then made our way back home. Overall Albannach was an excellent evening out and I shall certainly be returning at some point - I may even try the haggis. The level of service and quality they offered was top notch and I think the Scots have got it just about spot on.

I went to Albannach for a Christmas work party. We hired a private room, and it was nice. But it's definitly more beautiful than fun.


Unfortunately, we were a very large group at Albannach, and only had one, at the most two, waitresses, and the food wasnt all that fab. Although, the dessert was amazing! We then moved down to Doon, which was awesome.

Ah, Albannach is a wonderful place. If you like your whiskeys then it is the best place in London to drink as they have an amazing selection of the best on offer. The prices aren't cheap but when you're being offered the quality that Albannach has you really shouldn't worry about that.

I have to agree with the most recent review. I was at Albannach for a work function recently and thought it was a lovely venue. The downstairs bar is cosy and full of character while the upstairs bar is bright and open. The quality and variety of the cocktails and the sheer talent of the bartenders was impressive, and I've seen a fair number of up market venues.
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The food was impressive too. I found it to be interesting and of a high quality. I thought the staff were friendly and helpful. If I worked in the area, Albannach would become a regular haunt and I certainly plan on returning with friends for both the food and drinks.

I had a great time at Albannach a few nights ago with a few colleagues of mine. I was quite surprised at the relaxed atmosphere and attentive service we received as I had read some rough reviews on the place. So I had no expectations of Albannach prior to my visit - except that it may not be that good. But contrary to previous reviews I found the place to be a hidden gem.



We had the pre-theatre menu which surprised us even further as it was reasonably priced for such high quality, well prepared food. Overall, I enjoyed the selection of cocktails I sampled and the gentlemen I were with definitely enjoyed the Scottish Whiskey.

Just come across this site and I've looked up my regular haunts. It seems a lot of reviewers have no taste at all.



I find it astounding that Albannach could be rated so harshly, especially seeing as I started going there at the time of the prev reviews. I'm friends with the staff and customers, eat there regularly, and have been wading my way through the massive Malt Whisky list for months.



My wife and her friends work around the corner from Albannach and go in for after work cocktails more nights than not. The cocktail list is wholly original, she now drinks whisky cocktails, and I drink pink things with leaves and fruit in.

Albannach. What can I say? Well, I will start with "poor".

Last evening my girlfriend and I visited the Albannach to celebrate her birthday. We arrived at 8.30 and were sent to the bar for 45 minutes. When we were eventually seated we were offered bread rolls and menus and were then left 30 minutes without anyone taking our order.

There were plenty of staff running around Albannach looking busy on a very quiet Wednesday evening. I would hate to know how they cope on a busy evening. We grabbed our coats, and went for a curry at the Strand Tandoori (which I can recommend).

If you want excellent Scottish food, a great venue and some of the friendliest and most attentive service in London, I would suggest Boisdales.

I totally agree with your staff review. Albannach is an attractive enough place but the food is stubbornly ordinary and appallingly expensive.

Albannach is a great venue. However I walked out in disgust.

Wanted to buy a bottle of port to drink in the bar and the manager wanted to charge twice the price of the per glass cost. When challenged dropped it to the by the glass price and then said that they wanted a good tip because they were doing me a "favour".

What a load of nonsense, I will definitely not be going to Albannach again and will advise all my friends not to go either. Enjoyed the excellent bottle of Calon Segur I had at the Sofitel down the road instead.

The brilliant bar Albannach serves outstanding food and is the coolest bar for miles, in a great location. It's swish and stylish on the ground floor, dark and debauched downstairs. The upstairs restaurant is small and intimate and the food is top notch. I wouldn't be surprised if this place achieves Michelin Stars in the not too distant future. Well done Albannach.

Albannach is a unique and stylish experience - an oasis of calm and sophistication attracting a non-pretentious professional set right in the middle of Trafalgar Square. There is nothing remotely comparable in the area, the drinks are great, the food is affordable and the ambience is relaxed and comfortable.
I give Albannach 5 out of 5.

I have to admit that I like Albannach - it's new, interesting, out of the ordinary and a whole lot of other things that London needs! Besides, they have fabulous whisky!

This is a strange restaurant, in fact there’s a question mark over whether it’s a restaurant at all with only a few dining tables on a mezzanine level above the bar. Having said that, the food is good with excellent ingredients well-prepared and presented, the beef and salmon being a case in point. Sauced dishes may be a bit rich for some tastes but that will be a throwback to the Auld Alliance! Sadly, the Crème Brulee does not live up to the general standard but the squares of tablet served with the coffee put Proust’s madelines into a deep shade for me.

The ground floor bar is light and airy, the cellar which houses the DJ is cosy and bedecked in tartan, with plenty of antlers in each. Individual volume controls in the arched booths are a plus if you want to chat! Drinks include an interesting cocktail list – I had the cherry amaretto sour - and a phenomenal range of upmarket whiskies – try some if your only experience is blended rotgut, but remember to add a spot of highland water...

On the downside, service was a bit erratic and although individuals were helpful the cohort was not well organised and the team has not yet been challenged by the crowd pressures that force front of house staff to perform. If the management can get this right it should be a roaring success, in the meantime it’s still a handy place for a quiet drink or a quick bite near the west End. I certainly expect to be back.

I visited this exquisite venue on a Friday evening. The atmosphere was fantastic. The food was some of the best I've had in London...and presentation was top notch. I would recommend the fillet.

There is an endless choice of whisky for the connoisseur as well as a lovely assortment of cocktails.

We started with a drink at the main bar, which was buzzing with professionals and classy people of that sort. Moved up to the restaurant bit for dinner, where the chairs are very comfortable. It is spaced out well so that you don't feel crammed in.

We finished our evening in the lower level bar which has a selection of booth coves for a bit of privacy but also a larger open area suitable for larger groups and even a bit of dancing if you want.

This is a place suitable for a nice night out, or a place to treat clients.

Thanks for bringing a bit of Scottish culture to London in an upmarket venue.