Which hyped restaurants have you found underwhelming?

[Kickinthenostalgia]

Went to happy restaurant london today and I just didn’t get the hype. It was okay as far as restaurants go, but I just found it a little underwhelming considering the hype it gets. DP, DS and my sister absolutely love it, they’ve been about 4 times, dd has been twice, she told me she prefers hard rock and tbh I have to agree with her.
what restaurant hypes did you find underwhelming?.

I’ve never eaten at the Ivy but my nephew works at one (I think it’s in Notting Hill). He said the meals are basically like Wetherspoons ie pre cooked and heated up. If I was paying Ivy prices I’d want them cooked by a chef to order.

Dishoom for me as well, its ok but not as amazing as everyone makes out.

You don’t mean Oma do you? That’s incredible!

Same. I love Indian food and I found it almost inedible. Like they had added tablespoonsful of sugar to every single dish. Never been back. Felt a bit underwhelmed at Dishoom too. I think I prefer the cooking in very cheap bhel poori houses.

More of a cafe/ bakery sorry, but Gail’s 😔. Gail’s is to Gregg’s what The Ivy is (according to PP) to a Harvester

The River Cafe in Hammersmith. I just couldn't fathom the cost for the little amount of food I had. I wasn't paying but I ordered scallops as a starter and I got three scallops, five cherry tomatoes on the vine, and a tablespoon of cannellini beans. That alone came to nearly £40 and that was a decade ago. The main was so memorable that I've forgotten what I had, I think I had lemon tart for dessert, my bill came to nearly £150 for my order, and I called into a chippy on Holloway Road on the way home because I was still hungry.

Dishoom here too. I’d wanted to go to Dishoom for ages. Finally went; the food was nothing special, tables were very close together and it was noisy. Wasn’t impressed.

In the UK Five Guys. In the US pretty much everything.

I was going to come on and ask about River Cafe. Never been - although DH longs to go, because every time I wonder 'maybe for his birthday this year' I look it up and think 'how much???' for antipasti I could assemble myself, a bit of pasta and truly hideous office carpets. Everything about it warns me I'd have a miserable time and resent it at half the price.

Top of the flops is Mowgli. Meh

Miller and Carter is expensive and a bit rubbish.

Five Guys is very expensive and the burgers are too sloppy to eat.

I don't mind The Ivy, £20.99 deal is good and the martini hits the spot. Good service, albeit it doesn't have the sparkle of 10 years ago.

Dishoom- I’d read many reviews, many on here yet it lacked anything special, was just expensive and I can cook better. In fact the fact I can cook better sums up my issues with restaurants more broadly, exceptions being wood fired pizza as I don’t have a pizza oven and fish and chips as I don’t deep fry at home, thankfully I have local restaurants to fill those gaps

Nandos is rank. Don’t get the attraction at all

Personally I like Wagamama’s and Five Guys

Had a great breakfast at Roast in borough market, can’t comment on lunches

Ivy is ok but wouldn’t go there for fine dining.

Generally I’ll never choose a chain over an independent but sometimes it’s nice to know what you’re getting.

100% agreed

Totally disagree about the Ivy . Been many times and it’s been lovely , In fact we went yesterday and we all loved the food , service , ambiance. Lovely experience.

Five Guys. Glorifies McDonalds. I prefer McDonalds

The breakfast club. There always seems to be queues outside but it’s really not worth queuing for. Fair enough if you can go it and be seated right away, but not sure why people bother queuing up to be seated. It’s a basic breakfast place.

Oh and I agree with a poster that Wagamama is flavourless, and all dishes (bowls) samey.

I like The Ivy I’ve never had a bad meal and the service is always excellent, hard to fault it.

I don’t like Nando’s, I’ve tried it a few times and every time I wonder what the fuss is about.

Agree about Five Guys, soggy burgers, very average fries, BK or McDs are better.

Not been but that's because I looked at the menu on-line and wrote it off.

Another vote for mowgli! Looked beautiful inside but the food was underwhelming and it was expensive

I quite like Happy in London though

Yup

Almost everything mentioned here is a chain- which is fine, I don't mind a chain, but my expectations/hype wouldn't be sky high for any of them in the first place.

sketch was poor food for a lot of money, but it clearly focuses on being instagrammable. Same for Duck & Waffle. Sessions Arts Club was okay but definitely not worth the price.

The Ivy. Up there with the worst meal I’ve ever had and it was just pretentious wank.

@Doseofreality I like pretentious wank 😂