The Parakeet

Featured reviews

• G

  Google user

  ·2 months ago

  “We visited Parakeet because it’s so highly recommended in countless London food guides and “best Sunday roast” lists. Given its reputation, our expectations were understandably high. Unfortunately, the reality couldn’t have been more disappointing. The meal started well. The chicken liver pâté was genuinely excellent – rich, smooth and full of flavour. The Margarita was also perfectly respectable, so we were feeling quite optimistic. Then the mains arrived. We ordered two Sunday roasts with a side of cauliflower cheese. The roast potatoes were an absolute disgrace. They were so hard they could have been used as building materials. One actually got stuck in my teeth, and chewing them was genuinely painful. By the end of the meal my jaw was aching from the effort. I’ve had croutons softer than those roast potatoes. The beef itself wasn’t much better. It was unbelievably tough – like chewing on the sole of an old boot. A Sunday roast should be tender and comforting, but this was anything but. The vegetables were equally disappointing. Apart from a few carrots, the plate looked miserably sparse, and the greens were completely devoid of flavour. It all felt like an afterthought. To make matters worse, the dining room was unbearably hot. For such a large space, there appeared to be just one small air-conditioning unit, which was nowhere near adequate. By the bar area, the air felt completely stagnant. It became so stuffy that I actually started feeling light-headed from the lack of fresh air. It made an already disappointing meal even more uncomfortable. It’s a real shame because the starters and cocktails suggested the kitchen knew what it was doing. Unfortunately, the mains and the dining conditions were so poor that they completely ruined the experience. For the prices being charged, this simply isn’t good enough. We certainly won’t be rushing back.”

• G

  Google user

  ·2 months ago

  “This place blew up on social media and it’s so clear why!! Lovely staff who were very friendly and great for recommendations. We went on week day and you absolutely need to book! Highly recommend getting a few dishes but at the top should be the leeks and the potatoes and the steak!!”

• G

  Google user

  ·2 months ago

  “What started as a moment of awe as I walked in, unfortunately ended up becoming sour due to the apathetic, lazy, and highly unstructured service. The dining area, the food, the vibe, it all makes sense - comes together well, and somewhat justifies the bill (some would still argue that £36 for chicken is pushing it in a gastro). Nevertheless, the essence of a good restaurant is its service - waited for more than an hour for mains, were asked to rush our orders, were served dessert whilst being asked to leave in 10; on being questioned we were told “this is how it works”. I’m no expert in kitchen operations, but surely this is not “how it works!!” Maybe it was a bad day, worth a try, maybe they’re nicer.”

• G

  Google user

  ·5 months ago

  “So glad we found another fantastic gastropub in north London. Food was amazing — highlight of the night was the beef tartare on shiso tempura. 10/10. Servers were l very attentive and kind, which makes the dining experience even more enjoyable. The interior and decor is gorgeous as well. We will surely be back and try a different menu.”

• G

  Google user

  ·5 months ago

  “Beautiful space to be fair, came for a Sunday roast. Overall the dishes looked than they tasted. Even the potatoes were quite hard and dry (would be much better substituted with an actual mash) which wouldn’t have been as big an issue if ketchup or mayo were available (they weren’t). Also what was confusing was the service provided by all different waiters and still sporadic—we had to order dessert twice. But the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate mousse were faultless and if the service hadn’t taken as long, we would have stayed in the pub for a drink after the meal.”

• G

  Google user

  ·5 months ago

  “even i had a reservation, waited for the table for 25 mins. then been seated in front of the door near the busy bar with kids, it was not like anything like a reserved table. Smoked butter was perfect, Sides were all perfect. the roast was tough secondary cut of beef and it was cold. Chicken was cold too. dessert was good. could be a better experience.”

• G

  Google user

  ·5 months ago

  “This £12 cheese plater made us cry. They have a wonderful cocktail menu. Lots of different margarita kinds, only they didn’t have any lime juice so 10 out of 12 cocktails could not be ordered. Quiz night started an hour late and was 70% crowd work, left half way as it was dragging on so much. Staff were all super nice but hardly a favourite or even a second visit worth.”

• G

  Google user

  ·6 months ago

  “An absolute favourite of mine. Have eaten here multiple times, from both the Sunday and regular dining room menus and have never been disappointed. Can get busy so would recommend booking ahead. As food is cooked on a smoker the meat is always a highlight! The bar area serves great cocktails, wine and snacks (oysters with jalapeños are the BEST) if you’re looking for somewhere to stop for a drink vs a sit down meal! 10/10 every time!”

• G

  Google user

  ·6 months ago

  “Gorgeous pub, pretty solid roast, minus 1 star because the quality of the beef wasn’t fantastic - very chewy and fatty, and difficult to cut, which was a shame, and they initially forgot one of our meals we ordered which was disappointing. Desserts were lovely. Service was pretty good apart from the aforementioned!”

• G

  Google user

  ·7 months ago

  “The restaurant is beautiful. I would’ve given this place 4 stars if it weren’t for the fact that the team did not bring us the side of greens that they provided for every table… the lack of attention to detail there was quite disappointing. The quality of the roast beef was lower than I expected. Not much flavor coming through from the gravy. I also had an extremely overcharred piece of garlic that got into the mix and was quite unpleasant to eat. The caluflower mash was good, not great, and wouldn’t need to get again. As for the potatoes, Some are too roasted, others not enough. If coming for a roast, I recommend the lamb instead. I would say the sticky toffee pudding was quite nice, but not the best I’ve had either. I would consider giving this place a second try, especially since the roast felt incomplete (literally, without the greens). Nevertheless, I appreciate the cordial and kind nature of our waitress. Props to her, despite the missing parts of the dinner.”