The Porcupine Reviews Summary

Food Quality

Pros:

• "Fantastic food (the steak pie was amazing!), and great selection of drinks."
• "Fantastic pub just off Leicester square. Great food, had lovely potato and leek soup followed by haddock n chips."
• "The beef pie was very hot, tasty, and very filling."
• "Their pies are insane, they really hugged a part of my soul."
• "Every aspect of the dish was perfect."
• "Fish pie absolutely superb and the accompanying vegetables perfectly cooked."
• "Fantastic steak and ale pie, obviously freshly made and served with a very creamy mash and roast carrots."

Cons:

• "But as everywhere around that area, very overpriced! For 3 courses and a soft drink, my bill was over £40..."
• "The beef was totally overcooked, the chicken dry, the parsnips were undercooked and weirdly crunchy on the inside but soggy on the outside."
• "The potatoes were diabolical, they looked like they'd been covered in flower on the outside to make them crispy but they were dry and collapsed as soon as we bit into them."
• "The Yorkshire puddings were soggy but also tough, like they'd been frozen, thawed, then left out for a week before being heated in a microwave."
• "We ate here on Friday April 22. the worst steak (completely burned)."
• "The Sunday roast was very disappointing Roast potatoes were not cooked (needed at least another 20 minutes), and the roast beef was small in portions and not that good quality also the whole dinner was soaked in gravy."

Service

Pros:

• "The two ladies serving were very welcoming and helpful, so nice to be greeted with smiles."
• "Staff were 2 young guys that were unbelievably polite and quick to serve."
• "Varun was our server upstairs and was very pleasant."
• "I was served fast, well and attentively by Varun."
• "We were greeted by Dalila who provided truly excellent service."
• "Every staff member I have encountered in here have gone above and beyond customer service."
• "Our waiter, Varun, was exceptional, providing us with the best service, being available to us at all times, knowledgeable on the dishes and always having a smile on his face."

Cons:

• "Firstly our table was wobbly and customers had to keep leaning over my head to pay for their food, as the card machine was directly behind my seat."
• "Grumpy female member of staff serving. Barely acknowledged myself and my daughter."
• "The member of staff we spoke to was unhelpful and unfriendly, she really wasn't interested in us."
• "Rude staff. As one of the examples: I asked for a table next to the socket, so I could charge my phone, but the red-hair waitress said that I have to order something first."
• "Barman had no customer skills at all...I like to be greeted with a smile and a hello at least."
• "The long hair bar man was super rude, he screamed at customers including me."
• "Yesterday, myself and my friends were treated despicably by the passive aggressive member of staff located on the first floor."

Ambience & Location

Pros:

• "Lovely quiet upstairs dining room, which is nice to get away from the bustle of covent garden."
• "It’s warm, welcoming and very festive!"
• "Was very lovely, nice ambience."
• "This is a wonderful place to escape the hustle and bustle of the area."
• "A very traditional and upmarket pub experience in London, very spacious and vibrant atmosphere."
• "Really great example of an old London pub. Loads of originality, it doesn't take much imagination to think if seeing Bill Sykes and Bullseye lurking in the corner."
• "The loveliest pub we have been to in London."

Cons:

• "It's usually a good atmosphere but often crowded, which is to be expected because of its location, but it's also usually quite overwhelmingly hot."
• "Prepare to leave hungry after paying big."
• "Unimpressive as you walk in, decor had a 1940's theme although that was probably the last time it was actually decorated, musty smell."
• "Pub was lovely with relatively good service. Felt a bit weird as we were upstairs and more people were being sent up, yet being told upstairs they they were closed."
• "They have mice running around in the dining room like how bloody unhygienic is that, making People sick, put off my food, I will not be going back there and neither should anybody else."

Price & Value

Pros:

• "Drinks were poured properly and the price was good compared to other pubs around the local area."
• "Prices OK not a rip off."
• "Amazingly, for the West End, the price is right too."
• "Overall decent pub for the area and not overpriced."
• "Prices (considering its Leicester square they were good) and staff made the stay great."

Cons:

• "The price is a bit expensive but the quality is very high!"
• "When we came in no draught beer was served and only bottles were sold. 3 bottles of 0,33€ costed nearly 15 pounds."
• "Limited draught beer choices and a bit pricey (£6.65 for a pint of Peroni) but considering the area not out of keeping."
• "stupidly expensive for what it is pint of lager and small wine was close to 15 quid."
• "1.15£ for a wedge of lemon in our gin tonic??? Wow!"
• "Great pub, which is very busy with typical central London prices. My only issue is the high prices charged for pints in central London pubs generally."