The Gallery

DO NOT GO HERE!!! The food is truly shocking. After having walked past this restaurant many times, we thought we'd give it a go as they were offering a lunch special of 2 courses for £10.95.

We waited 25 minutes for the starters to appear and the place wasn't even half full. Myself and my son ordered mussels to start; a measly pudding bowl arrived containing no more than 10 spongy mussels in an insipid broth and they seemed to have been microwaved. My partner ordered mushrooms and Stilton on brioche to start which was mainly lots of cheddar lumped on top of some mushrooms with a huge slab of stale bread.

The mains were worse. I ordered Caesar salad, which I had to send back. It consisted of lettuce, cherry tomatoes??, 3 stale croutons, a hard boiled egg??, smothered in salad cream and coarsely grated stale parmesan. Anyone who's au fait with Caesar salads knows that the dressing should contain anchovies, garlic and parmesan, and shouldn't contain tomatoes or hard boiled eggs. It was truly awful.

My son's rump steak (which carried a £1 supplement) had to be sawed through and was full of gristle and wasn't presented rare as requested. My partner's chicken and chorizo burger was a minced-up mess of both meats slapped in a bun. Neither of them could finish their food and I didn't replace my main, I just wanted to get out of there.

When I sent back my salad, the owner took it off me and declared, "I only took over the restaurant 3 weeks ago'. What sort of excuse is that? Surely the first thing you do on taking over a restaurant is TASTE the food??!!!

The only positive of this was at least we didn't pay full price!
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Friday, July 29, 2011

Went for breakfast after a recommendation. The food very very average, mushrooms tinned, bacon fatty and salty, hollandaise sauce over powering. What was shocking is the kitchen chef was shouting about who ordered the milk and that it had not turned up. Very embarrassing.
Comment on this reader review

Alex
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Friday, May 13, 2011

Visited early evening (7pm) restaurant almost empty as was the terrace - hence no atmosphere. Service was good but the food was only average and expensive. Would not visit again which is a shame as it is in a nice location. They could do with more choice on the menu.
Comment on this reader review

Ann Marshall
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 3
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tried to eat at the gallery this morning (Sunday). Rude staff and slow service. Waited 35 minutes to be served and a further 40 minutes to be told that the food i had ordered would be a further '29 minutes'. The duty manager (or owner i'm not quite sure), offered a free breakfast if i 'chose to wait'.

I will not patronise the establishment again.
Comment on this reader review

Colin
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Sunday, July 11, 2010

Tried to eat at the gallery this morning (Sunday). Rude staff and slow service. Waited 35 minutes to be served and a further 40 minutes to be told that the food i had ordered would be a further '29 minutes'. The duty manager (or owner i'm not quite sure), offered a free breakfast if i 'chose to wait'.

I will not patronise the establishment again.
Comment on this reader review

Colin
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 0
Sunday, July 11, 2010

Having never writen a restaurant review i am unsure where to start so here goes . . . I stumbled across the Gallery last night with a group of life long friends from Chicester ( who are all be it slightly judgemental of my "brighton ways") who i was keen to impress but to disorganised to book a table anywhere for.

Admittedly what drew us in was the offer of 3 courses and a bottle of wine between two for £25 per person and also i must admit the fact that the restaurant looked busier than most in the area lead us to "follow the crowd" and grab a table upstairs in the back.

Being a vegetarian (difficult i know) i was originally skeptical of the goats cheese tart which was the vegetarian option (and to be honest the standard vegetarian in most restaurants} but my friends seemed taken by the fillet steak and the unusual option of salmon with potato gnocchi, so i decided to cross my fingers and hope the Gallery met my expectiations and it did!!!!

The food we had was exactly as it was described on the menu and my tart was so good i am tempted never to moan about the lack of vegetarian options in restaurants again ( as long as they are to the same standard as what the Gallery delivered for us!)

All i can say is that i was so impressed with the Gallery that myself and my "judgemental" friends have booked a table already for our Christmas get together and the meal for one i have just enjoyed makes me cry out for more restaurants like the Gallery. A must visit!!!
Comment on this reader review

Nick Wilkes
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, November 13, 2009

The Gallery - Brighton We had a delicious meal at this cosy, trendy restaurant in the heart of the historic Lanes. Scallops and pâté were well presented as starters, and mains of lamb cutlets and duck were bursting with flavour. We both remarked on the freshness and good treatment of the vegetables. Desserts were sumptuous and delectable - the cheesecake was beautiful and the fudge-impregnated brownie was truly excellent. We would definitely return.
Comment on this reader review

Lionel Paterson Cooper
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, November 13, 2009

This is the worst restaurant I have been to in Brighton. The food was terrible - 7 out of 8 dishes that our party had were unacceptable. Prawn pasta dish obviously had frozen prawns in it, £17 rare steak was served well done, and all other meals were not worth the money we paid. The service was good, as was the wine (especially with 1 free bottle per couple - they must be clutching at straws!) but I would never go back. No wonder it was completely empty. The only thing this place has going for it is the location. If only the food was good, this could be one of the best places to eat in Brighton. Such a shame. Not even the hefty discount off our bill for complaints about the food has tempted me consider returning.
Comment on this reader review

Elizabeth Thomson
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Monday, November 09, 2009

Nice little restaurant in a good location in Brighton. The menu looked appetising so we went in around 9pm on a Saturday. We were greeted with a strange smell of stale cleaning materials but ventured on regardless. There were a few tables occupied but the atmosphere was very subdued. Staff were friendly and pleasant. Food was nicely presented but was rather disappointing. The vegetables had an odd burnt taste in both the starter and main course. Lamb Shank did not fall off the bone as it is supposed to.

If I had to, I would return but I feel there are better restaurants to explore in the nearby vicinity.
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, March 18, 2009