Bumbles

Whoever said British food leaves much to be desired has obviously never been to Bumbles. I came here during a recent trip to London and left quite impressed. My two dinner companions and I all ordered the two course dinner special, for which you can choose either a combination of an appetizer and entrée or an entrée and dessert. Having a huge sweet tooth, I chose the latter option.
After looking through the menu, I finally decided on the sea bream for my first course. When my entrée came out, I was happy to see that the portion was very sizable. The filets of sea bream were tender and flaky with a nice crispy skin. The dish had many other elements which complemented the bream well, namely the gnocchi and pieces of pork belly. The sea bream tends to be a lean fish so both of those added some richness to the dish. Additionally, I loved the texture from the tiny root chips sprinkled on top.
For my dessert course, I chose the meringue snowball which was accompanied by summer berries. Right before I dug into the snowball, my friend’s chocolate bomb dessert wowed the table as the waitress poured some hot caramel sauce over a chocolate sphere which melted away to reveal a generous scoop of ice cream and a chocolate cake. After witnessing such a scene I was immediately overcome with dessert envy and my snowball dessert, though refreshing, just didn’t seem remotely comparable.
I believe the food is seasonal as I did not see any of the items mentioned in previous Unilocal reviews on the menu while I was at Bumbles this summer. If I were to visit London again for an extended period of time, I wouldn’t hesitate to stop by Bumbles for a reasonably priced meal… but I won’t make the rookie mistake of skipping out on that chocolate dessert!

Just wanted to update-​we ate here again about 3 different times in February-​March of this year. All of our meals were excellent. I especially enjoyed the waffle with grated foie gras and fruit salsa. Now that California has outlawed foie gras I can only dream of dishes like this and anticipate trying them on our next trip.

I’m reall surprised by the good reviews of this place. Dont get me wrong — Bumble’s is CHEAP, and for three courses in this part of town it does seem churlish to grumble. But grumble I will.
I don’t think the food is very good. I had the chicken liver parfait — it looked and tasted like supermarket pâté. Then I had ‘fish and prawn stew’, but was hard pressed to find either of those amongst the rather random other ingredients (chick peas? i think?). Ice cream was one tiny scoop of very icy ice cream, that had no sign of being made with real vanilla — which is what I’d expect if it was restaurant made. Methinks it wasn’t.
This would all be fine — I know, it was all only £10 — except 1) they serve the same stuff to oher punters who haven’t signed up for the deal at far more expensive prices, 2) they are dressed up as a fine dining restaurant and 3) they do make up some of that cost in the very over-​priced wine.
As for the fine dining aspect — the toilets and service belie the fact this is not a fine dining establishment. I was given the wrong menu twice, they’d lost ou booking, and we weren’t given the opportunity to taste the wine.
Great for a tenner but I wouldn’t go full price.

I would give this 4 ½ stars. This review is long overdue and is based on a visit in late September 2012.
I had it on a list of «to eat» places based in part on great Unilocal reviews, and it did not disappoint. We stumbled across it after a visit to Buckingham Palace. The 3-​course lunch for £10 seemed like a steal, and it was a great value.
I had the following:
pear, fennel, and rocket salad
28-​day aged beef rump burger w/​poached egg and chips
ice cream (2 scoops!)
The only «catch» to this deal is that you must order a beverage, but it can be just a soft drink, although I chose to have an alcoholic beverage.
The atmosphere was quaint, the service was good, and the food very tasty. I would definitely return again!

Bumbles does a great job of serving «modern» British food. It’s all rather fancy and in a way gimmicky, but overly we quite liked it. Depending on your stance (american or british), the service was either great or annoying. Either way, they were constantly asking us how things were, if we needed anything, else.
Pros:
— Overall, food was delicious and very clever with their modern twists on things. A seafood lasagne was served deconstructed as a seafood stew in a ramekin with a piece of pasta on top.
— Service was good and always filling water, asking if we needed anything
–It’s bigger than it looks from the outside; there is a huge downstairs dining room (although less cute than the upstairs area)
Cons:
— Deserts were neat, but quite underwhelming in the taste category
— Some of the dishes didn’t quite work; the fried haloumi was no better than what I had at a pub the next day.
— The menu is really meant for set menu. You can order things ala-​carte, but you may find the menu small in that case.

I am staying at a hotel nearby and my company has serious limits on my meal budget. Bumbles was great because it offered a nice meal at a restaurant (not a pub) with good food. Each of us in my party enjoyed the food. I had the vegetarian wellington, which was delicious. My comrades had the duck and the steak. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was a little odd that the concierge at the Intercontinental hotel had never heard of it, but I think that is merely because the main dining space is small. I would definitely recommend for a nicer more pleasant meal of british cuisine.

Went here during lunch hour and found it to be mostly the work crowd. They have a 3 course menu for £10 which is pretty reasonable. I wasn’t too impressed with the food but it was okay. We tried the salad, seafood stew which I believe had fish and prawns, tomato risotto, and vanilla ice cream. I am not a huge fan of overdressed salads but I would say this was very under-​dressed. I barely tasted any dressing at all. The seafood stew looked a bit different than what we expected. It was a thick consistency and came with two potato cakes. The potato cakes were probably the best thing we tried here. Crisp on the outside and oozing mashed potato goodness. The ice cream was not creamy and was unusually icy.

Bumbles is a great place to try British cuisine on a budget. The three course prix fixe menu for £10 is quite a steal in a city as expensive as London. While the décor might be a bit odd and even cheesy at times (butter presented in a scallop shell), the food speaks for itself.
The chicken liver parfait with capers and toast was a tasty appetizer to start off my meal. Having already tried fish and chips earlier for lunch, I decided to order another traditional British dish, gloucester old spot sausages with mash and gravy, locally known as bangers and mash. It’s a simple dish, but I promised myself I would try it ever since I heard a song dedicated to the dish by Infant Sorrow. The fish and prawn stew was an alternative choice for the main course, which had a nice crispy crust. I finished my meal with a satisfying scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cheeseboard is another option for an additional £4 and comes with crackers, a sliced pear, brie, cheddar, and Guinness cheese.
Something to note is that you must order a drink in order to choose the three course menu and there is a 12.5% gratuity surcharge. Sneaky surcharges aside, I was quite happy with my meal; Bumbles is worth checking out if you’re ever in the Victoria Station area.

The best tomato soup I’ve ever had.
Everything else was OK, definitely very satisfactory.
The seats were comfortable, the company was good.
The décor was kinda weird new age contemporary, didn’t make a huge impression but it was subtle and didn’t distract from the food. The staff are quite hands off, they do as needed, and then they disappear. I liked it. It felt purposeful, not neglectful and allowed us to enjoy our meals and conversation without too much interruption.
We went for the 10GBP 3-​course menu, which requires you purchase a drink which we didn’t mind. It was all good value.
As noted, I started with the tomato soup (soup of the day), it was rich, delicious and I wish the sold it by the litre.
For my main course I had what was essentially bangers and mash. It was good, but felt like I could have made it just as good.
Dessert was a brownie with yoghurt, which also came with two dots of meringue, some ice cream and a drip of raspberry sauce. It was good, not great, but I wouldn’t say no to having it again.
Solid restaurant, good value with the 10GBP menu.

#509 As part of our London day trip itinerary, Bailey S. chose Bumbles for our dinner location. I checked it out online beforehand and realized they had a 10gbp 3-​course meal deal. So, of course, we checked that out first when we were seated and handed our menus. The options on the list were pretty limited, but I could easily pick out the courses I wanted. I went with the pear and fennel salad, fish and prawn stew, as well as a cheese board (which required a 4gbp surcharge).
It was only after we put our orders in that we all realized that my friend and I had ordered the exact same thing. It just goes to show how limited the menu was. The boyfriend, however, went with the tomato soup, sausages with mashed potatoes, and the chocolate brownie with ice cream. For his orders, the brownie required a 1gbp surcharge. So, we were already at 25gbp. Plus, their 10gbp 3-​course menu requires that you order a drink with your meal. Throw in a glass of chardonnay and a syrah and we were at 35gbp. Definitely not the cheapest meal. Oh, and they charge you a 12.5% gratuity charge. Bummer.
Regardless, the food itself was delicious. My pear and fennel salad was sharp yet crisp in flavor. They went a little heavy on the fennel, but the spiciness balanced the saccharine slices of pear well. It was a large portion, so I actually had the boyfriend finish some for me. The main entrée — fish and prawn stew — was also impressive, topped with crisp tempura-​like flakes. The portion was deceivingly large and the ingredients were incredibly fresh. The prawns were so soft they practically melted in my mouth. I would definitely eat that again. The cheese board itself wasn’t too impressive and could have done with a little more fruit. I personally don’t think it was worth the extra 4gbp. In retrospect, I should have stuck with the vanilla ice cream, which required no surcharge. Plus, I was so full I couldn’t even finish the whole board!
Altogether, I had a great time at Bumbles. We weren’t rushed at all and had plenty of time to enjoy our company. Despite the fact that I’m not sure I would be a repeat customer, I would recommend that you try it out if you’re looking for a new place to try out for dinner.

We were sat in a semi-​private area, which was perfect for us because we had our 8 month old son.
We asked for the 10 pound menu and had ordered off of the regular and 10 pound menu. The starters were not so good. We had the potato soup and chicken liver pâté. So we were a bit worried about the dinner.
The dinner was amazing. I had the mushroom wellington which was both visually appealing as well as tasty. Delicious! My husband had the seafood with rice which had a slight kick to it but was right up his alley.
Dessert was fabulous. We ordered this pineapple dessert which was divine.
The only advise that I would give it to be prepared for a wait if you go for dinner. Our dinner took two hours. My guess is because it was so busy.

You can’t beat the 10 pound menu. A big wine selection, a small beer selection. Reason 1 for only three stars. We were given the regular menu even though we booked the 10 pound menu. Reason 2 for three stars. We had to ask for that menu. The service was slow and the restaurant was not full. Reason 3 for the three stars. For the dessert on the three course menu, only vanilla ice cream did not cost extra. The other two desserts were an additional cost. It was a kid’s-sized cone. Reason 4 for the three stars. Finally, I did not appreciate the waitress grabbing the dishes off the table and stacking them as loudly as possible next to me. Not a smile, not an «Excuse me» as she reached across the table to grab everything. I was expecting a bit more for a five star Unilocal.But again, the food was very nice.

This place deserves the good reviews that it gets.
The menu has good choices and the food is visually appealing and tastes great.
Service was friendly and efficient.
It’s a small Gem close to Victoria Station.

My wife and I were looking for somewhere quiet and nice but not fussy and came across Bumbles in Unilocal.We made a reservation based on the other reviews and found it to be a wonderful place that is well worth your time to visit.
We had a three course meal, although it was not from the 10 pound menu. My wife started with smoked haddock with a poached egg which was fantastic and I had foie gras which was served two ways– in a traditional sear on top of a seared peach slice and grated (you’ll have to see it to understand). Those were both fantastic. For our main course, we both had beef cooked to a perfect red medium rare and served with mushroom cantelloni. It was superb.
I highly recommend Bumbles. We had enjoyed some of London’s finest offerings leading up to this, including Quilon, The Cinammon Club and even The Fat Duck (which is in a completely different ballpark) and Bumbles competes easily with all of them despite their modesty.
Enjoy!

My husband and I had a dinner at this place on the last day in London. We wanted to eat a really good British food. I had already book this restaurant to check it out for our trip. I am glad to pick this place.
The ambiance is very cozy and romantic. They gave us bread box in a wood.
What I like this place is that the price is very reasonable. We had 3 course menu which is 10 pounds. What a good deal.
The first we had was tomato soup. It was nicely salty and had fresh tomato taste.
The main course was beef skirt. It was very soft. It was nicely seasoned. This was the perfect taste. I have never had soft beef like that before. It was melted inside my mouth. The mashed potato was very good.
The dessert I had was chocolate brownie and yorgurt mousse. It was a fantastic combination.
I am so glad that we came here to have a dinner. I have to tell people that British food is great.

We came here for lunch yesterday before heading out for some sightseeing. It’s a pretty small shop — reminds me of the smaller hole-​in-​the-​wall places in Manhattan — so do book a reservation ahead of time if you’d like to ensure you’ll get a seat (we showed up around 12:30 PM, and the place was filled up by 1 PM). Service was pretty standard here (given that tip is included in the checks here, not much incentive to go above and beyond the call of duty), but the food came out pretty quickly, which was nice.
As for lunch — it was pretty tasty and not at all bad for the price (3 courses for 10 pounds is a good deal here), although you are required to buy drinks — even water — at that price. The fish cakes were delicious, although they definitely had much more potato in them than fish. That said, there were plenty of spices to give it flavor, and the beans were a good complement to give additional taste to the dish as well. I had the 28-​day aged burger with poached egg, which was very, very good and rivals any of the burgers I’ve had back in the U.S. There are some herbs mixed into the meat itself, and the poached egg adds a nice layer of flavor onto the beef that you don’t get elsewhere. I’m a huge fan of this and would recommend it to anyone who’s not sure what to have. My girlfriend went with the fish and chips, which was above-​average in its own right. The fish was a bit more flavored than usual, while the tartare sauce was pretty standard. I do miss having a bottle of ketchup around to dip the fries/​chips in, but they quite a good job here in giving the fries enough flavor so that you’re not just eating tasteless fried potatoes. Dessert was vanilla iced cream for me, which was good but is definitely a bit more on the icy side and has less dairy than what I’m used to.
All in all, it’s a great lunch spot. Be careful when you do eat, as all the food is quite hot when it’s brought out… and since you do have to pay for water, you don’t want to go gulping it all down in one shot. I’d love to come back for dinner at some point in the future if I make it back here.

Well I’m not sure what I can add that other reviewers haven’t! We went to this place after watching a matinée at the theatre (Wicked if you’re interested-​go see it!) and having come down all the way from Leeds and therefore not wanting to go to the usual chains, found this on the fab Unilocal app. Well thank goodness we did check Unilocal because this place really was a gem. After finding the restaurant on Unilocal before going into the theatre, I googled it and made a reservation online for four hours later.
We were overjoyed to find that the table we had reserved was in an alcove which felt very private. The staff were brilliant, attentive and knowledgeable about the food and the food really was as amazing as the other reviewers said. I went for the beer battered halloumi to start followed by rabbit (a first for me!) and earl grey crème brûlée, all for £23.50. Everything was delicious and they gave us a free course of salad in between the starter and main as they thought we’d been waiting long (I didn’t feel we had but there you go!). Even our ‘fussy’ eater was satisfied (the type that says they’re fussy but never tries anything!)
My ONLY criticism is that although the menu is advertised as being seasonal, the dishes served were the same as what other reviewers had experienced some time ago. Fine in a touristy place like Victoria I’m sure. If you’re ever in the area, go there!

No no no.
Under no circumstances should you nearly go somewhere else as it «looks a bit crap from the outside». Yes it’s a stone’s throw from Victoria Station, and let’s face it even the fast food is crap around there… this place is a DIAMOND in the ROUGHROUGHROUGH.
Granted it’s not going to be causing Heston any sleepless nights but they proudly display their awards as you go downstairs to the loo — and they are well deserved. These chaps know their onions (and their sauces and their puddings and how to cook things perfectly).
I looked on jealously as a neighbouring pudding even involved a bit of theatre — a «chocolate sticky toffee pudding»? It looks like a chocolate sphere but hang on they’re pouring hot gloop over it and it’s turning into a melty gooey mush… mmm now that is clever.
Be back here like a shot. Outstanding whilst sub £100 for three including great wine? This is food and wallet witchcraft and in times gone by they would have been burned at the stake.

Ditto the other reviewers: despite its touristy location, this place serves excellent food, even when part of its scarcely believable £10 for 3 courses lunch menu. That’s right: a 3 course lunch for £10. Okay, such is food price inflation that some of the options come with a £1 surcharge, but it’s still amazing value. But this restaurant’s wonders don’t stop at the superb food and bafflingly low prices: the staff are friendly and quick, and the décor is surprisingly stylish. Unquestionably a 5 star joint.

Oh, dear, I was not even remotely prepared for the dinner here. Going in without expectations was my bad. It took days to recover.
To start, the staff is phenomenal — really, truly. Very courteous and nice, and not the judgmental type — unlike some posh restaurants in the area. They were also very helpful when making your drink and food choices.
My parents, who are both picky eaters, loved this place. That, in my book, is worth 5 stars. I loved my mushroom and mozerella ‘Wellington’ truffle sauce — it was so tasty. My dad and husband got the Slow braised lamb shoulder ‘Bolognaise’ and both loved it. Mom got the roasted Aberdeen angus beef and, surprise, loved it. All of our starters were amazing, as well.
Long story short, go here and it will make your stomach happy. :)

Die Ansätze sind richtig das ergebniss ist eher ausbaubar!