Row on 5 in London

What an experience I had when I first walk into the row on five I had high expectations the service was next level. I was excited for the food to come when it came it was beautifully good looking and described well tasty and wonderful stuff all that sauce as good as I expected, the staff were like friendly as if they wanted to be my friend which is a good thing they always do. The atmosphere is really quiet which is good if you want to talk To friends and I recommend you come I bet you you will like it but it your choice whether you like it or not.

Row on 5 is one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in London recently, and expectations were understandably high given chef Jason Atherton’s success with Row on 45 in Dubai. We visited for a special Valentine’s Day dinner and had an overall memorable but mixed experience. The evening begins with a tour of the venue – including the wine cellar, kitchen, and champagne room – before you're seated downstairs for the opening courses. The introduction is impressive and clearly influenced by Frantzén, which unfortunately becomes a recurring theme throughout the evening. Some dishes felt a little too inspired, bordering on imitation. Standout dishes included the langoustine claw, beautifully presented with engraved chopsticks (which we got to take home), and the main of sika deer, which was perfectly cooked and paired with thoughtful, sweet sauces. The seafood courses were strong and well-executed overall. That said, not all courses lived up to the same level — the use of tarts became repetitive, and a few bites (like the brioche and stilton tart) felt underwhelming being listed as an individual course, or oddly placed in the lineup. Service was polished and professional, with personal touches that really elevated the evening — from engraved chopsticks to a personalised menu sealed with wax. It felt special. However, pacing was an issue. We waited too long between courses towards the end, with little communication from staff, and that disrupted the flow of the meal. The wine list is massive — physically and in scale. While there’s a by-the-glass option available, the wine pairings felt overpriced, with “upgrades” on the cheaper pairings that came across as cheeky rather than premium. Charging £220 extra for a single dessert wine on a £145 pairing felt excessive. Desserts were good but again lacked consistency. The petit fours were fun to try, but too many tarts and sweets made the end of the meal feel repetitive and overly sweet. Row on 5 has all the elements of a top-tier fine dining experience — talented kitchen, high production value, polished service, and luxury touches — but it hasn’t fully found its identity yet. The team clearly has ambitions beyond their current 1 Michelin star, and with refinement, they could very well get there. For now, it’s a strong one-star experience with flashes of brilliance. Would I return? Possibly, in a year or two. They're still finding their voice. I have to mention that the £250 price tag is one of the most expensive dinners in London, and is of questionable value in my experience.