The Lighterman

We had high hopes for our visit to The Lighterman in King’s Cross, having booked a table a week in advance for a friend’s birthday celebration. The weather forecast looked beautiful, so I specifically requested to be seated outside. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were told that outside tables couldn’t be reserved, despite my prior request. Instead, we were told we could try and find a free table outside ourselves. We did spot an empty table and approached it, only to be abruptly stopped by a staff member, who may have been a manager, who very rudely told us the table was reserved. When we mentioned we had just been told outside reservations weren’t possible, he simply repeated that this table was indeed reserved and offered no clear explanation. His tone was dismissive and unhelpful, leaving us feeling quite unwelcome. This was a frustrating and confusing start to what was meant to be a special meal. To add to the disappointment, one of our party is gluten-free and was excited to order the salmon, which turned out to be unavailable. This significantly limited her options, and again, it felt like an unfortunate oversight for a restaurant of this calibre. Additionally, the facilities were not sufficient for the volume of guests. With only three cubicles on the ground floor, one of our friends had to queue for nearly 20 minutes just to use the toilet. While we enjoyed each other’s company and made the best of the afternoon, the overall experience fell far short of expectations. For a venue that positions itself at the higher end of the market, the service and general organisation simply didn’t match the prices. We spent a considerable amount on food and drinks, and unfortunately, we didn’t feel the experience offered good value for the money spent. We left feeling disappointed and are unlikely to return.

Great atmosphere and lovely food. Rosie was brilliant. I am gluten intolerant, and she knew what I was able to eat without once referring back to the kitchen. This is great service and really makes a difference to the experience. I have children with allergies and with this service would be more than happy to return with my family.