Jamila

I will be in London the last week of November. I've heard the OXO Brasserie is a great place to go for a cheap lunch/dinner with great views of the city of London and Thames. Are reservations recommended or is there not a long waiting time for a table? Is this place located right next to the Tate? I will be with a 13 year old boy. Will he like it?

kim

OXO does have a great view, but how cheap/expenisve it is I don't know. It's been about 2 years or so since I've been there...and yes it is close to the Tate.<BR>Go there with a little caution as it will be wintertime and the glass may get a little foggy obstructing the view.

Jamila

I was hoping lunch would be about $12ish a person (entree and soft drink). Dessert a few bucks more. Anyone know?

david west

&pound;25 with service would probably be more realistic.<BR><BR>It is not a cheap destination.

kate

It is far from cheap, and has a very poor reputation for food. In fact Harden's Guide consistently votes it one of the biggest rip-off joints in London. The only redeeming feature is the view. Do what I do, and drop by for a cocktail instead. Eat elsewhere.

kate

Here's Harden's review, just to back up my argument:<BR><BR>“I’d rather go to the Eye” – even fans of the “fabulous” and “romantic” views from Harvey Nichols’s eighth-floor South Bank eyrie say they “don’t compensate” for the “dull” food and sometimes “appalling” service.<BR><BR>Average evening meal is about 45 GBP (70ish USD?) per head, I don't know if they do a lunch special.<BR>

janis

Definitely NOT cheap. The OXO has a high end restaurant, a &quot;moderate&quot; brasserie, a wonderful cocktail lounge (average cocktail &pound;5-&pound;7) and a free observation deck. The Brasserie is the worst value but if you stick to a salad or starter and one glass of wine it might be worth it to sit out on the balcony and enjoy the views. <BR>

stacy

As Kate and David said, it's not cheap (even at the Brasserie), but I wonder if Kate's reference in the Harden's Guide is actually for the main restaurant rather than the Brasserie (they're side-by-side on the 8th floor). The original reviews suggested that the food was better in the Brasserie than in the fancier restaurant. (Make sure you get the right one, if you book.)<BR><BR>David's estimate of 25 GBP is probably closer to what you would spend in the Brasserie (especially without alcohol), and I've always enjoyed the food there. (It's not a particularly kid-friendly menu, though (a little on the &quot;exotic&quot; side), so whether your son would enjoy the food depends on whether he's an adventurous eater or not.)<BR><BR>You may not need a reservation if you go very early in the evening (I think that they open for dinner at 5 or 5:30), but after about 7 pm it's a madhouse. (We always think it's a miracle that dinner gets served at all - the kitchen is open, adjacent to the dining area, and the servers seem incredibly disorganized, running back and forth - but they're good-natured, and dinner always arrives in good order, so I have to conclude that they know what they're doing! )