CORE by Clare Smyth

Review summary

1. N

   Neil

   London

   4 reviews

   4.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Very good food, but service was far too rushed and passionless; it felt as though there was a conveyor belt at the heart of the operation. It was all over in 2 hours, without time to catch a breath between courses. Severs were well drilled, but there was no passion in their descriptions of the food or wines. On the food side, there was an over-reliance on that twee cliche of waiters pouring the sauce on the various dishes. Unfortunately, while very good, none of the dishes on the Core Classics tasting menu were genuinely memorable; it is pretty telling that my partner and I remember items from the amuse bouche more than the main dishes. Again, there was nothing wrong with the food and the skill and artistry that went into them are commendable but the experience was just a bit lacking in magic.
   

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2. L

   Lynn

   London

   30 reviews

   5.0

   30 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   What a wonderful experience. From start to finish an absolute joy. What a way to celebrate my 60th. Definitely coming back x
   

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3. C

   Caroline

   London

   2 reviews

   4.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Wat een fantastische ervaring! Het eten was geweldig en zag er ook prachtig uit. De bediening was enorm vriendelijk en maakten de avond extra bijzonder Een minpunt is het feit dat ze 2 shifts draaien op een avond. De snelheid waarmee het eten wordt opgediend is niet goed. Enkele keren hebben we gevraagd om dit aan te passen maar uiteindelijk bleek dat onze tafel voor een volgende gast weer nodig was. Dat is een 3 sterren restaurant onwaardig.
   

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4. D

   Derek

   London

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was superb the staff were all very friendly the service exceptional Was one of the best meals we as a family have had Everything was clean and tidy
   

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5. A

   Andy

   VIP

   London

   35 reviews

   5.0

   35 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Exceptional. The best restaurant in London. Wildly expensive but worth every penny.
   

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6. M

   Meike

   Amsterdam

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   Last week I celebrated my boyfriends 30th birthday with him at Core by Clare Smyth. When we arrived we were impressed by the stunning decor and the fact that there seemed to be no shortage of staff. The last however became very annoying very quickly. There were more waiters and sommeliers than customers and they were running around like crazy, creating a very chaotic and stressful vibe. Soon it became clear why they were running: we had the 7 course tasing menu with half a wine pairing p.p. The courses came in an absurdly high tempo, even after I asked the waiter to please slow down in between. I hadn’t even finished chewing my last bite (this is not an exaggeration unfortunately) before they took away my plate. We started at 18.30 and at 20.45 all tables around us had finished and left, followed by the next shift that starts at 21h. This really made it feel like a cheap mass production experience. The wine pairing was unbelievably expensive for the amount of wines you get. We shared a wine pairing and received 3 sips per glass per person at max. When looking over at the other tables next to us we saw that people who had -we assume- had the full wine pairing received only one or one and a half sip more at most per person per glass. Bizarre. In advance I had asked if they could do something with the dessert for my boyfriends birthday, seeing it was his 30th birthday and we wanted to celebrate it in a special way -hence why we celebrated it at a 3 star restaurant.. Per mail they confirmed they would take it into account, but on the day itself they didn’t do anything about it. Then came the finale: the bill. Apparently in London it’s normal to put a 10% service charge on the bill, which apparently is “optional”. However in a 3 star michelin restaurant you don’t expect them to put it on it. Me as a tourist didn’t know it was optional and paid £88 pounds -€100!!!- as a service fee, for a service that was not good at all. What a disgrace to make your money in that way.
   

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7. D

   David

   New York City

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Dinner was perfect. From amuse bouche to the final chocolates with coffee, the food, presentation and service was impeccable. An experience rarely achieved by most top restaurants. 3 Michelin stars greatly deserved.
   

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8. S

   Steve

   VIP

   London

   102 reviews

   5.0

   102 reviews

   Dined on December 10, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   A truly wonderful all round experience. The food, service and ambience were all first class. The staff were incredibly helpful and welcoming. A special experience for a special occasion
   

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9. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Edinburgh

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 10, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Delicious food. Wonderful ambience. Professional staff. Definitely worth a visit.
   

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10. E

    Emma

    London

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on December 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    We ate lunch at Core for my husbands birthday. Everything about the experience was perfect. We had pre lunch drinks in the bar, really nice atmosphere. We were given the chefs table for our party, which was really interesting as we could watch the food being prepped. The tasting menu was fabulous. Every course was a work of art and was absolutely delicious. The wine recommendations were spot on for us and the sommelier listened to what we wanted and liked. All of the staff were friendly and welcoming. This is a fantastic restaurant!
    

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