The Waterside Inn

This was our second occasion. First time for a big birthday many years ago and this time for an anniversary. It is very much a ‘special occasion’ place. Our room this time was better than previously, lovely balcony overlooking the river but also a very good honesty bar system. It sets you up to relax in you perfectly before supper. Staff were welcoming and professional but unobtrusive. The venue and food is an absolute French classic in classic British riverside setting. The Michelin stars which have been consistently awarded are well deserved. The food and atmosphere is timeless. With that you aren’t going to have the most fashionable or modern experience but that isn’t what you are going for. We went for the tasting menu. Highlights were scallops and raspberry soufflé.

Gorgeous meal, comfortable room and lovely location in the Bray villages, brought down by the unmatchable service. We spend the night at this famous Michelin star inn/ restaurant to celebrate our major anniversary. We’ve always loved classic and modern French cuisine, been to most of the starred restaurants including Le Gavroch and the Ledbury etc. I have to say the food here is just amazing, especially when I ordered the classic French cuisines, they were all cooked to perfections. However, we were very disappointed by their wine selections. The first sommelier was very inexperienced. Not only he wasn’t explaining the wines apart from saying it’s Pinot Noir or Riesling, he kept saying we ordered lamb instead of Veal, which is what we actually ordered. We corrected him twice and still kept saying lamb. There was simply no explanation to what kind of Pinot Noir he has to suggest to our food, and as if there’s ever one taste profile for Pinot Noir. When we feel the recommendations were unclear and confusing, we asked for another more experienced sommelier, who not only recommended the same wines, but also simply defended his junior colleague. We felt very unsupported and looked down at with the tone of speaking. The wine pairing was not a surprise unable to match the quality of the main dish, and I did not feel the tastes were able to elevate the food either. This is the first time we visited a Michelin restaurant and felt let down by the wine choices. Had the restaurant allowed guests to bring their own wines and charge corkage fees, perhaps we will have a much better pairing to the food. We also found the cuisines were very inadequately explained. When we have the main dish Rib of Veal, it was simply brought to us and said “this is the veal”. Apart from a female server who was warm and tending to us, everyone else clearly needs to catch up with the general standard of service for a Michelin 3 star. I hope the restaurant can improve on the service side. It’s simply sad to see these beautiful dishes being dampened by a way too average service.

OVERALL, A BIT OF A LETDOWN 👎 a really shame I had to write this 😕 but just a bit of swing and a miss here. Setting the scene - 3⭐ Michelin stars for 41 years of history. Stunning riverside setting 🌊. I’d like to add that, whilst I’ve visited numerous similar establishments (you can check my other reviews out) I am no means an expert. I couldn’t do 1% that these guys can with food, however stars this high - expectations do need to be set high. And whilst we did enjoy parts of the evening, it never really delivered that true “wow factor” ✨. Some dishes were excellent, particularly the foie gras and Dover sole 🐟 but the service, polish and attention to detail simply didn’t feel at the level you’d expect from a restaurant operating in the very top tier of fine dining. ⭐ Pros 🌊 Beautiful riverside setting overlooking the water 🍷 We opted for the 7-course tasting menu with wine pairing, which is normally our go-to 🇫🇷 Elegant and classic French cuisine throughout 🦆 The foie gras was a standout dish 🐟 The Dover sole was excellent 🧀 The port served with the cheese course was superb 🏛️ Facilities, presentation and amenities were exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant of this calibre ❌ Cons 🍷 On two separate occasions during the wine pairing, we had to call staff over ourselves to pour the wine after the food had already arrived 🍽️ During the first course especially, hot food was left sitting for a couple of minutes while we waited for the wine pairing 🔄 There seemed to be a real lack of communication between staff — after already confirming our order, three separate members of staff came over asking if we were ready to order simply because we’d asked to see the wine menu again (as my partner just wanted to see/read more about the wine). This was especially strange and clearly hit ‘does not compute’ button. 🎂 My partner had emailed ahead mentioning both a birthday celebration and a dislike of orange with the foie gras course, but it was clear neither note had been passed on to the team 👥 The service overall lacked the polish, warmth and confidence I’d normally associate with Michelin restaurant ✨ Compared to other restaurants at this level, the experience felt less refined, less personal and less detail-oriented 🔊The other thing I’ll say is, it was really loud in the restaurant. I think we might have caught the tail end of a wedding, but I would expect a plan like this to be booked out every night. Not as peaceful as others. 📌 Conclusion The food itself was very nice, and I absolutely think the restaurant deserves recognition ⭐. However, compared with other three-star restaurants we’ve visited, including more traditional French dining such as Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (plus Jays, Core, Letberey etc), it simply didn’t feel at the same level in terms of precision, creativity, attention to detail and overall experience. We still had a lovely evening, but unfortunately it just didn’t live up to the expectations that naturally come with three Michelin star.

Overall, the experience was underwhelming, largely because of the significant gap between the expectations associated with a three-Michelin-star restaurant and the reality of what was served. The restaurant itself is beautiful. The dining room offers stunning views, and guests have the opportunity to move outside for tea and petit fours by the river. The setting is peaceful, picturesque, and undoubtedly one of the strongest aspects of the experience. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the surroundings. The seven-course tasting menu felt weaker than most one-star restaurants offer. Of the seven courses, only two stood out positively. The lobster ravioli was excellent—beautifully executed, full of flavour, and the one dish that genuinely raised our expectations for the rest of the meal. The other highlight was the cheese course: a trio of cheeses served with apple chutney and quince. While simple, it was at least enjoyable. The remainder of the menu ranged from disappointing to genuinely poor. Several dishes featured premium ingredients such as foie gras and caviar, but these felt wasted through uninspired preparation and execution. The foie gras, for example, was fried to the point where it resembled an ordinary chicken liver, albeit a much fattier one, losing much of what makes foie gras special. A simple preparation paired with a glass of Sauternes would have been far more effective. The fish course with beurre blanc sauce could be competent but the fish was a bit overcooked and the dish was unremarkable-something one might happily receive in a good non-Michelin restaurant. It also included black caviar, yet the ingredient added little and was virtually undetectable in the overall flavour profile. The meat course was particularly disappointing. It lacked a clear concept, appearing instead as a collection of different meats that were neither exceptional in quality nor especially well prepared. An accompanying pea jelly added an unusual texture but contributed little else, making the dish feel confused rather than creative. The desserts continued the downward trend. A strawberry sorbet was pleasant but entirely ordinary. It was followed by a rhubarb soufflé that lacked structure, flavour, and impact. After the sorbet, it felt weak and oddly childlike, reminiscent more of a simple nursery dessert than the finale of a three-star tasting menu. Food presentation was also quite dull but at least waiters knew ingredients inside. What surprised us most was not only the inconsistent execution and low quality of cooking but the lack of creativity throughout the menu. Apart from the lobster ravioli, there was not a single dish that felt original, memorable, or representative of modern (high-end) cuisine. The experience left us genuinely questioning how the restaurant earned and maintained its third Michelin star. Even viewed as a two-star restaurant, one could argue that a star is awarded for the exceptional location and service rather than the food itself. One bright spot was the wine pairing. The selection was thoughtful, enjoyable, and fairly priced relative to the quality of the wines served. In many ways, it helped carry the meal and was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the evening. Overall, while the setting, service, and wine programme were excellent, the food was disappointing both in execution and imagination. For a restaurant operating at the highest level of fine dining, and for the price asked the experience fell far short of expectations. Do not recommend.

I’m not entirely sure why the staff feel the need to look down on people. The doorman was particularly rude. Spend your money elsewhere, yes it has a nice view of the river, but you can get that anywhere along the Thames. If you’re looking for exceptional food, service and atmosphere, I would advise going elsewhere.