Went in for dinner on a Saturday evening and sat at the bar. The restaurant was lively and the service was exceptional. Started with the smoked salmon appetizer and had the evening special of venison, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. The food was well above what you would expect at a pub and they maintain personable and timely service with a wide drink selection. Would highly recommend and will be back.
Food was very good and flavorful. Disappointed in the Salmon wrapped scallops. They were very tiny and expensive... I would've expected more. Will not order those again. The lamb curry was delicious, trout was amazing and the eggplant Mousaka is also recommended. But the portions are small and prices high. Alcohol is reasonably priced. Waitress was amazing.
Great food and service! The salmon wrapped scallops are amazing as was the corned beef and cabbage.
In town on my 2nd week of business here and I finally get to try this place since it was closed last week for renovations. I paid this place 4 visits and each time I was able to see why this is the #1 most rated and highest rated restaurant in London, ON. I shall tell you why! Atmosphere/Appearance: Right off of Richmond and across the street from the theater is this place. With a very pub-like atmosphere it's calming, soothing, relaxing and a very nice place to chill on out. It's not the biggest establishment so you don't really feel lost in there. I can't quite remember the kind of music that was playing, but if I don't then it must've been okay. Lol. Service: Brett, Kaptain and one other bartender took excellent care of be during my multiple visits there. I never wanted for anything, they made me feel at home and made excellent recommendations along with great drinks. Food: So I did mention I came here 4 times right? I tried a LARGE part of the menu and they never missed a beat. It was unbelievable and everything was so delicious. I'll go through them in the order I had them including drinks. I started with a Whiskey Sage Smash and it was delicious. It was sweet, sour and had a good kick. That day I also had the Salmon Wrapped Scallops, Lamb Meatballs and Jerk Beef Skewers. Those scallops were incredible. I've never had salmon WRAPPED AROUND SCALLOPS. Do you hear me?! Amazing. They were so good I had them on 2 separate days. The lamb meatballs were good, but they wouldn't be my first choice next time. They reminded me of a deconstructed gyro with the mint, tzatziki sauce and everything! The skewers were great as well, savory, a hint of spice and a bit of sweetness from the pineapple-cucumber salsa. On day 2 I started with the Church Key Negroni and I don't really remember it that well. It didn't stand out to me. What I DO remember was that incredible Corned Beef & Cabbage! It is house cured and cooked for 72 hours with pan juices on potato puree with cider braised red cabbage. AH-MAZING. Day 3 started with the Black Forest Martini, which was a lot smaller than I thought... but was still tasty. It wasn't very strong and felt more like a dessert drink with its chocolaty flavor. I also started with the Spanish Ribs which were really, really good. They were succulent, sweet and meat was literally falling off of the bone. I followed that up with the Whiskey Glazed Salmon. It was a much larger portion than I expected and I was so pleased with the tenderness of the fish. The sides threw me off just a bit since they were potato rosti and a Dijon-apple-fennel slaw served cold. I really liked it. My last day I had the Ocho Fashion. I also don't remember this drink, but it made for a tasty addition to my salmon scallops (yes, the 2nd time) and the Coq Au Vin. I had a hard time figuring out how to pronounce this name, but it's chicken breast supreme prepared sous vide and infused with thyme then it's topped with cremini mushroom & bacon marsala sace served alongside a potato & leek custard. I loved it. All the flavors meshed together so well and the portion was big. This place did not miss a single beat. Value: All prices are in $CAD. Whiskey Sage Smash = $10.00 Church Key Negroni = $11.00 Black Forest Martini = $11.00 Ocho Fashion = $10.00 Salmon Wrapped Scallops = $13.50 Lamb Meatballs = $11.70 Jerk Beef Skewers = $14.30 Corned Beef & Cabbage = $24.50 Spanish Spareribs = $14.00 Whiskey Glazed Salmon = $26.50 Coq Au Vin = $26.50 Not too-too bad, but you get what you pay for and that's top quality food here at The Church Key Bistro-Pub. If you're from America or Europe then your dollar will stretch quite far here and things will seem relatively inexpensive. It makes a great date-night spot or place just to come hang out with friends! In conclusion, I loved this place. I may go out on a limb and say it's my favorite of the places I ate in London. They were firing on all cylinders and really made this place worth of a visit. I
A really great gastropub in downtown London. I took my wife for her birthday and we had a really great time. Our server, whom we believe to be the bartender, was impeccable both for service and for drink making ability. Food was delicious and we both were very happy to finally get out to a restaurant together! Highly recommended.
The fish and chips are good! The service is good for the price and it's a cozy place to hangout with friends.
Scotch egg was crispy on outside, juicy and perfectly seasoned pork surrounding a wonderfully executed egg with no grey around the yolk, the person greeting at the door was lovely, Inviting yet thorough with current covid protocols. The bartender was witty and knowledgeable. A great experience! Can't wait to go back
Late review: Decided to meet up with my family who was visiting for the weekend. They came all the way from Mississauga and this was their first meal and let us just say, they were happy and full! We got a bunch of dishes including their lunch special which was a pork dish (can’t remember the exact name of it), lamb curry and their bistro burger. Everything came together and we’re cooked really well! Our server was also very friendly and helpful!
Late review: Decided to meet up with my family who was visiting for the weekend. They came all the way from Mississauga and this was their first meal and let us just say, they were happy and full! We got a bunch of dishes including their lunch special which was a pork dish (can’t remember the exact name of it), lamb curry and their bistro burger. Everything came together and we’re cooked really well! Our server was also very friendly and helpful!
Wonderful lunch. The beet and onion soup is amazing and the Ploughman’s lunch was a great throwback to the UK staple. A thoroughly enjoyable meal.