Christoff.ai

The Prince

restaurants
London
London

The Prince

14 Lillie Rd, London SW6 1TT, United Kingdom

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Christoff

Christoff's Take

Insider review

Don't be fooled by the modest frontage on Lillie Road - The Prince is London's ultimate sleight of hand. What appears to be just another local becomes a sprawling multi-cuisine wonderland the moment you step through that unassuming entrance, revealing a vast garden room that transforms from sunny brunch spot to DJ-powered party venue.

The Prince: London's Most Deceptive Culinary Playground

A Victorian pub hiding the capital's largest retractable-roof beer garden behind an unassuming Fulham facade

My Honest Review

Atmosphere & Ambiance

The Prince operates as a sophisticated day-to-night transformer, scoring an impressive 7.8/10 for energy levels. The venue's crown jewel is undoubtedly London's largest retractable-roof beer garden, housed within a sprawling Victorian structure that creates an unexpected oasis behind that deceptively simple front bar. During daylight hours, the space channels summer-cocktail garden vibes perfect for leisurely brunching, but come evening - particularly Friday and Saturday nights - resident DJs spin the venue into party mode while the upstairs Loft sports bar keeps the energy flowing with pool tables and sports screenings. Sunday brings live music to complete the weekly entertainment cycle. The smart-casual dress code reflects the venue's flexibility, accommodating everything from casual lunch dates to birthday celebrations. With an 8.8/10 score for social group size and 8.2/10 for uniqueness, this is clearly designed as group-party-central rather than an intimate dining experience.

Food & Drink

The Prince's genius lies in housing three distinct culinary concepts under one roof, creating what they call a 'multi-cuisine playground.' The Tamil Prince anchors the operation with authentic South Indian specialties from Tamil Nadu - think crispy dosa, aromatic aubergine curry, succulent lamb chops, chilli paneer, prawn curry, dal makhani, and fresh naan and roti. Crust Bros operates a dedicated counter crafting Neapolitan pizzas, while Temaki Bros rounds out the trio with fresh sushi and gyoza offerings. The app-ordering system allows you to mix and match across all three concepts, having everything delivered directly to your table. Mains span £11-£28, positioning this firmly in the mid-range bracket. The traditional Sunday roasts hover around £25, while the venue offers bottomless brunch packages ranging £40-50 per person. It's an ambitious culinary juggling act that seems to work, though the 5.2/10 score for experience depth suggests the focus leans more toward variety than culinary mastery.

Service & Experience

Here's where The Prince shows its vulnerabilities. The AI analysis specifically flags that 'service can be slow and inconsistent, especially during peak weekend hours,' and this appears to be the venue's Achilles heel. Despite the clever app-ordering system designed to streamline operations across three food concepts, the original description acknowledges 'occasional service hiccups mentioned in reviews.' With such an ambitious multi-concept operation and the venue's clear positioning as a high-energy, group-friendly destination, it seems the service infrastructure sometimes struggles to keep pace with demand. The combination of multiple food counters, bar service, and table delivery creates complexity that doesn't always run smoothly, particularly when the venue hits its stride during weekend party mode.

Value for Money

At a 2/4 price level, The Prince positions itself in London's competitive mid-range dining scene, but the value proposition extends beyond mere food costs. The venue's trump card is its weekday deal offering 2 mains for £22 Monday through Wednesday, providing genuine value in an expensive city. Bottomless brunch at £40-50 per person represents fair pricing for the London market, especially considering you're getting access to that remarkable retractable-roof garden space. The £11-£28 main course range spans accessible to premium, allowing diners to control their spend across the three food concepts. When you factor in the entertainment value - weekend DJs, live music, sports screenings, and that Instagram-worthy garden setting - the pricing feels justified. The venue clearly understands its positioning as 'special-occasion-worthy' while maintaining 'weekday-deals-available' accessibility.

Insider Tips

Best Time to Visit

Monday through Wednesday for the 2 mains for £22 deal, or Friday-Saturday evenings when the DJs transform the space into party mode. The venue is closed Mondays, operates 5pm-10pm Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-3pm & 5pm-10pm Friday-Saturday, and 12pm-8pm Sundays. Avoid peak weekend hours if you're sensitive to service delays.

What to Focus On

Focus on The Tamil Prince's South Indian specialties - the crispy dosa and lamb chops come particularly recommended. The dal makhani and chilli paneer represent solid vegetarian options. If mixing cuisines, the Neapolitan pizzas from Crust Bros pair well with the garden setting.

Christoff's Insider Tips

Hit the venue during 'golden hour' for those Instagram-worthy sunset shots in the gardenUse the app ordering system to sample across all three food concepts without multiple queuesThe upstairs Loft sports bar offers a different vibe if the main garden gets too crowded

The Final Verdict

The Prince succeeds as London's most unexpected culinary playground, delivering on its promise of being a 'hidden-garden-oasis' with genuine wow factor. The retractable-roof garden alone justifies a visit, while the three-cuisine concept provides enough variety to satisfy diverse groups. Yes, service inconsistencies can frustrate, and the 5.2/10 experience depth score suggests this isn't fine dining territory. But with strong scores for energy (7.8/10), uniqueness (8.2/10), and group friendliness (8.8/10), The Prince knows exactly what it is: a versatile, Instagram-worthy space that transforms throughout the day and week. The weekday deals provide genuine value, while weekend party mode delivers the entertainment factor that keeps locals returning.

Christoff's Rating:
7.2/10

Perfect For:

Groups celebrating special occasions who want variety and flexibilityWeekend party-goers seeking DJ energy with quality food optionsWeekday diners hunting for value deals in an Instagram-worthy setting

Quick Details

1

The Prince

🍺 Gastropub
⭐️ Award winning
⭐️ Victorian charm
⭐️ Split level

This Victorian gastropub earned its Evening Standard Top 50 ranking and 2 AA Rosettes through split-personality perfection. Downstairs buzzes with craft beer energy and Edwardian tables, while upstairs transforms into a refined dining room via spiral staircase. The £28 three-course lunch represents exceptional value for award-winning quality, especially when you factor in the theatrical presentation and seasonal British ingredients. Sunday roasts here achieve legendary status among locals who book weeks ahead. The octopus doughnut starter alone justifies the visit, while the downstairs bar welcomes dogs and casual drop-ins. This is gastropub evolution done right: maintaining pub soul while elevating the food experience.

What's Great

Evening Standard Top 50 ranking with 2 AA Rosettes

Split-level experience from casual bar to refined dining

Keep in Mind

× Spiral staircase excludes wheelchair users from upstairs dining

Christoff

Christoff's Tip:

Arrive at 5:30pm for downstairs bar tables, then level up to upstairs dining at 7pm

Vibe check scores

Trendiness
Sophistication
Noise Level
Uniqueness

Venue details

🕐"Mon: Closed\nTue-Thu: 5pm-10pm\nFri-Sat: 12pm-3pm & 5pm-10pm\nSun: 12pm-8pm"
💷£££

Featured In My Guides

The Prince has been featured in 2 of my curated guides. Here's where you can find more context and discover similar spots.