Housed in The Mandeville Hotel; Reform Social and Grill is quintessentially British and brings a chic touch to the Marylebone area; I was about to get in touch with the bare dining bones of the place.

The Venue

As you enter the restaurant, the dim lighting and dark interiors clearly transport you back in time to an era where gentleman’s clubs were the height of leisure. The interiors are sleek, subtle and stylish; with plush leather sofas and a flats-creen in the lounge area for those who are just seeking a few drinks after work. The restaurant itself had an array of large and small tables to accommodate any size group, and a selection of booths for those seeking a quiet meal in cosy settings.

Classic British dining doesn't get much better than Reform.

The Food & Drink

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the food selection here, from your ‘home comforts’ to the good ol’ British steak, and let’s not forget the vast selection of yorkshire puddings; with both a sweet and savoury offering.  

I’m a food addict, and when I head out to eat I love to know that I can leave truly satisfied; Reform Social & Grill certainly left me fulfilled and more. To begin with it was a salmon overload as I opted for the cleverly adapted Hendrick’s Gin Salmon (£7.50), whilst my friend devoured the Smoked salmon scotch egg (£8); both were nice and reasonably packed with seasoning, but I was initially a tad disappointed with the portion size. A couple of bites and it was gone - albeit it was tasty and definitely a good choice.

Onto the next course and I realised why the starters were so minimal; we needed to save space for the real temptation. I stayed away from the yorkshire puddings and went for the Butcher's steak (£16) which was delicious; if like myself you like steak in small and approachable doses then this is the one to go for. The steak was thinly sliced and came with a side order of thickly cut chips that really blew my mind. As a self confessed chip-o-holic I can truly say that these were some of the best that I had tasted in a long time (the simple pleasures in life). My friend opted for the Toad in the hole (£12.50), which was huge and undoubtedly filling. 

Despite the huge portions, I made sure I saved space for the best part of the meal; dessert. Of course my eyes were bigger than my belly, and the Classic Eton Mess (£6.50) that I opted for won the battle of food versus my stomach. My friend chose the good ol’ British favourite Treacle sponge (£6.50), which went down a chunky, and rich treat. Reform Social and Grill have clearly managed to curate an understated and refined British menu, with plenty of choice and variety.

Yorkshire puddings are seemingly the star of the show at Reform in Marylebone.

The Atmosphere

We arrived around 7pm; a little earlier than the after-work city folk, and the evening guests from The Mandeville Hotel next door. This meant that the restaurant was relatively quiet, apart from the odd few enjoying tipples in the bar/lounge area.

The atmosphere was very relaxed and laid back, and we were pretty pleased to have the place to ourselves. The service was exceptional and nothing was too much trouble for the staff; bartenders and waiters were knowledgeable and were more than happy to recommend dishes. Come 8pm, when people began strolling in they remained highly attentive and friendly.

Humble and honest, Reform keeps the restaurant and bar buzz both authentic, and classic.

The Summary

Reform Social and Grill is clearly popular for after work drinks and catch ups over a nice simple dish. Not only did they really shine in the British dining department, they proved to me that authentic food can come as humble, heartwarming and wow-ing all at the very same time.