Anniversary Dinner: Butler's Wharf Chophouse Review

We were landing in London on our one-year wedding anniversary so we wanted to have a nice dinner. Even though I was dying to get to a pub, this could wait. A couple of weeks prior to our vacation we looked for somewhere close to our hotel with good ratings and a good view. After finding out that a few interesting places close to us were full or had menus that didn’t look too appealing, we settled on the Butler’s Wharf Chophouse which looked perfect for the occasion.

The Butler’s Wharf Chophouse specializes in steaks and grass-fed beef in particular, along with modern British cuisine. It is also in Butler’s Wharf and on the River Thames with a view of Tower Bridge. When booking online I requested terrace seating as we wanted to be outside, but I was unsure if it would go through on the third person booking platform.

We got there and the server didn’t realize we had requested to be outside. We let him know that it was our anniversary and that we requested outdoor seating, so after rearranging things and cleaning some tables he got us a nice little spot outside with a beautiful view of Tower Bridge. The terrace is small, so there isn’t a lot of seating out there, but ideally you’ll want outdoor seating if you can; but inside still looks nice and comfortable.

We debated ordering a Tomahawk Steak, one of their specialties, but we wanted a few appetizers and with the exchange rate, it was going to be pricey. We decided to order a few oysters and sausage rolls to start. The sausage rolls were tremendous and not something I’d normally order, but in England they are a classic dish, and they were excellent. The oysters were good too.

As for our main courses, I ordered fish and chips… I know fancy right? But I was craving fish and chips on our first night in London. The wife ordered a ribeye and we got a kids fish and chips for our daughter. The fish was excellent and it was Halibut… most places use Cod or Haddock. This was probably the best fish I had in the UK. The ribeye was done perfect and was a nice cut, but it was the classic variation of steak with little seasoning/spice so you could really taste the meat. We also ordered another English specialty for dessert, the Sticky Toffee Pudding. The pudding was so tasty and it melted in our mouths. After this, we kept ordering Sticky Toffee Pudding for the rest of the trip in hopes of the same amazing taste. We were also given a “Happy Anniversary” slice of cake on the house.

After eating, enjoying the view and a few glasses of wine we were getting tired and ordered the bill. There were only two servers working so the service was quite slow. They must have been short staffed. Despite the slow service, the servers were nice, friendly and accommodating. The server apologized for the delay and brought us two specialty (and complimentary) shots and the hefty bill.

The food was good, and despite being slow (I’m going to guess they were short staffed) the service was good. The meal was pricey, but with all things considered, for the quality of the food and the price of things in London, it wasn’t too bad. If you’re in London and near Tower Bridge/Tower of London and want a nice meal, consider the Butler’s Wharf Chophouse. It is also in a nice area if you want to walk around before or after your meal.