It’s possible this is the best-looking steakhouse in Mayfair.
It’s a swanky room, in a swanky postcode, and MR PORTER – which, just like Mayfair itself, is slick, loud, a little bit flashy – is the perfect fit. The restaurant is the work of Dutch hospitality big hitters THE ENTOURAGE GROUP, which has already launched MR PORTER restaurants in Amsterdam and Barcelona. The concept has been honed, chiselled and refined and it even has its own bombastic text describing who the mythical Mr P (“A companion by day, a hunter by night”…).
But beneath the gloss and the lacquered-Mayfair glamour, there’s a serious restaurant operation at work here. Steaks are, of course, the main attraction – there’s everything from tomahawks to Japanese Wagyu to the eponymous MR PORTER steak (that’s 1100grams plus of cooked cow) – but there’s more to the menu than simply meat. There’s seafood – think grilled lobster, and sea bream in a spicy tomato casserole – there’s a dedicated carpaccio section – everything from mushroom to avocado to ‘zucchini’ – and there’s even salad on offer – including the winningly-named ‘spicy pile of tomatoes’.
Food aside, there’s a jaw-dropping 360° oval-shaped bar, which sits at the centre of the restaurant and serves up punchy house cocktails, including the mezcal picante, the yuzu martini and the superb Mexican punch (which combines Patrón Silver with pineapple shrub, lime, green shiso, celery and spicy bitters), plus flawlessly-made classics and a thoughtful array of grown-up mocktails.
Yes, the restaurant is designed with the ‘gram heavily in mind. Yes, at least four dishes unnecessarily come with caviar on them. But MR PORTER does what it does with both skill and undeniable panache, and it’s difficult not to get swept up in the experience.
If you’re looking for a glitzy, indulgent night out, loaded with quality cocktails and a crowd-pleasing menu, then MR PORTER is a restaurant you’re unlikely to have beef with. Except you almost certainly will.
NOTE: MR PORTER is open everyday from 12pm. To find out more and to book a table, visit the MR PORTER website.
MR PORTER | 22 Park Ln, London W1K 1BE
Looking for somewhere else that raises the steaks? Check out our guide to the best steak restaurants in London.