The Fat Duck in Windsor and Maidenhead

Our trip to The Fat Duck was a 30th birthday surprise for me from my fiancé and parents. In this review, I have broken down the sections that may interest you, as well as adding as many photos to show you the fabulous meals we enjoyed on this Friday evening 12th of July 2024. I did not capture any images of Nitroaperitif (course 1) and Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop (course 11). Arrival The restaurant doesn't look like a restaurant from the outside, although at this point I wasn't sure where we were going. We were greeted by a woman outside the front door who took our names and escorted us in to our table. Our table We were sat in a quiet corner, there may have only been circa 10 tables in total so the atmosphere was small, intimate, and homely. We have been to another Michelin restaurant which felt very high end, almost uncomfortable whereas this experience felt very relaxed. Drinks We opted to do the Curiosity wine pairing at £310 per person. These drinks included were: 1) TFD Martini (The Fat Duck Coctail) 2) Junmai Daiginjo Sake, *Chardonnay, Paul Lato, Le Souvenir, Santa Maria Valley, US, 2018 3) St-Julien, Chateau Leoville Barton 2eme Cru Classe, Bordeaux, France, 2010 4) Vin de Constance, Klein Constantia, Coastal Region, South Africa, 2019 5) Vintage Port, Niepoort, Douro Valley, Portugal, 2017 Food - The Journey, Sensorium #1 Nitroaperitif - A trolley is wheeled over to our table where we were asked to select one of three flavours, in our case I chose French Martini and my partner chose Vodka Sour. A foam is then squirted onto a spoon and submerged in liquid nitrogen for roughly 1 minute and served to you on a spoon dusted in an accompanying dusted powder sprinkled on top. This had a crunchy texture with the flavours light and refreshing. #2 Aerated Beetroot - Now I'm not a fan of beetroot, however this was delightful. to look at it's small, round and porous. Once you pop this into your mouth, it melts away, and leaves punchy flavours behind. #3 Tonic Botanicals - Our first Curiosity drinks pairing accompanied this dish, called TFD Martini. It was sharp and floral which complimented the green herbs, Jerusalem Artichoke ice cream, smoked cumin royale, and edible flowers. #4 Sound of the Sea - Personally, this was my least favourite dish, although I still enjoyed the experience. When the dish arrives, you can smell and taste the sea. The kind of memories you have when accidentally swallowing sea water when swimming! Visually it was stunning, and truly captured the look of sea foam on a beach - very clever. #5 Snail Porridge - Wow. This dish really was a lot more appetising that it looks. Warm and inviting, with interesting textures. #6 Bread and Butter - This was so good, we were offered more and they brought out the same round again! The bread was soft as a cloud with a slightly crusty outer bread, however this had nothing on the butter. The colour was an intense gold colour, so smooth, and had the right balance with a hint of salt. #7 Mock Turtle Soup - Firstly you are presented a glass tea cup which houses a tea pot on top. The tea cup has a what looks like an egg in the centre, surrounded by little cubes of meat. The tea pot has hot water in, and we were given a something resembling a tea bag covered in gold leaf to put into the hot water. We then swished the tea pot around, dissolving this and poured into our tea cup creating a a soup. This was delicious and accompanied with some sandwiches plated on Alice and Wonderland themed plates. #8 Beef Royale - Beef is one of my favourite meats and this did not disappoint. The mushroom ketchup and the reduced beef sauce were superb. #9 Breakfast in a Bowl - You're able to pick from six small boxed cereal, much like you may have had as a child. All boxes contain the same ingredients, however the outer boxes have been designed to resemble popular brands. We kept these as keep sakes of our experience. You are also given a small glass of hot and cold tea. I was expecting something tepid, but what I actually drank blew my mind. One side of the drink is very cold, and the other side was very warm. When I drank this, each half went into each half of my mouth which was the most bizarre experience. After we'd finished with our cereal, we tried the nitro-scrambled egg and bacon. This was a mixture of sweat, salty, warm and cold. A great fusion for a cooked breakfast. #10 Black Forest Gateaux - I can't remember how many layers and types of chocolate are used to make this gratifying cube of rich heaven - but it's a lot! I remember at this point, I was feeling quite gluttonous and full, but wanted to keep going. #11 Like a Kid in a Sweet Shop - I'm gutted that I didn't video or take photos of this. What can only be described as a doll house on a trolley is wheeled over to our table. A crank is then turned, churning the mechanisms which open the hand made sweet shop open, revealing 48 draws. You deposit a coin given to you earlier in the courses and pick a draw. The draw holds sweets inside, including hand made chocolates, and an edible chocolate card. The Kitchen After explaining that we've worked in the service industry ourselves, that's how my fiancé and I met, we were invited to view the kitchen later on in the evening. My fiancé was so excited, two courses after we were told this, he said "I can't stop thinking about the kitchen". He is a health and safety advisor and visits kitchens regularly and obsesses over cooking having been a chef himself. This was truly a magical touch to end a perfect evening.

we visited the fat duck today and we were so looking forward to it as this was a once in a lifetime experience. The staff were amazing but the 10 courses were so strange and not enjoyable apart from the puddings and the bread. I cannot explain how disappointed I am after wanting to go here for years. I always thought I would love to experience this type of food but it has opened my eyes that I must not know anything about food. I'm so disappointed but the weekend with our best friends has made up for it.

Had an amazing time for my birthday… only thing I’d say, maybe too much nitrogen theatre. Other than that outstanding

The Fat Duck exceeded all my expectations! From the moment we walked in, the service was exceptional. The staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, making us feel welcome and well cared for throughout the entire evening. We were lucky enough to try the special Christmas menu, and it was pure magic! Every dish brought back the wonder and joy of being a child on Christmas morning. The flavors, presentation, and creativity were unlike anything I’ve ever experienced – a true celebration of the season. The attention to detail, combined with the team’s ability to tell the story behind each dish, made the entire meal feel like an enchanting journey. The ambiance was warm and inviting, perfectly complementing the festive spirit and culinary artistry. It’s rare to find a place where both the food and service are equally outstanding, but The Fat Duck delivered on all fronts. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a world-class dining experience. I can’t wait to return!

Our kids treated us to an unforgettable evening at The Fat Duck, and it truly lived up to its reputation as one of the best restaurants in the world. The service was impeccable, more like an artful performance than just a meal. Experiencing this during the Christmas festive season added an extra layer of magic, making the evening even more special. We felt truly spoiled and will treasure this experience forever.

Incredible, magical experience. Amazing staff and food.

Really great experience overall with the food presentation and the waiters. However felt like the sommelier was having a bad day and not really want to explain when asking about specific wines.

One undoubtedly would call a visit to the fat duck an occasion, far from day to day treats. We were in strong belief this would be the case. We arrived to a warm welcome and a dining room relatively bustling. The staff were polite in welcome, but simple things in service were missed. Coats were taken after we sat down (confusing?) and the room itself looked like it had seen better days. Still, we wondered on what the evening would entail. Throughout the evening the food was accompanied by some thought provoking ideas. Techniques refined in ways you'd never expect, perception tested on ideas you'd never think, yet an overarching problem existed - the food just wasn't that good. Aerated (and nitrogen poached, I believe) cocktails that, whilst fun, did nothing because the wait between courses was so long that our taste buds had reset. Tiny sandwiches that evoked emotion but were gone in a bite of mediocrity. There were stars amongst the aims, but those stars were overshadowed by food that just wasn't up to standard. Service was average. Our group, squeezed into a corner, seemed to have waiters with arms all over us. At one point we were even requested to pass a dish to another member as the waiter couldn't reach (a clear indication of a logistical problem with the restaurant). Not ideal and certainly not the standards of a restaurant with such prestige. That all being said, the waiters were energetic and fun. The fat duck is definitely different. In some ways good, and in many ways not. It seems that whilst Heston was focused on marvel and spectacle, he left behind a trail of misses. It is certainly one to remember, but spectacle should never come at a cost of the most important thing in dining - what's on the plate. I hope I can come back in a few years and see a different outlook, but for now it isn't worth the investment. Lots of tricks, not so many treats.

A lover of haute cuisine, we dined at ‘The Fat Duck’ in Bray, crowned with three Michelin stars. The setting is cozy, though nothing extraordinary, and the restaurant demonstrates a great deal of creativity with a multi-sensory experience and successful animations that make the moment very enjoyable. However, the level of gastronomy is far from that of a three-star restaurant, particularly in France. The presentation is generally very well done, but finesse and originality are unfortunately not often present, especially for menus that boast record costs exceeding 450 pounds, not including wine, with tea and coffee as extras. The service, moreover, is often in need of improvement. An experience to try, but perhaps not to repeat.

Amazing food and the staff are amazing very friendly, professional and care. The picture is a short rib mince pie the glass is carrot and sherry consume a hard choice to pick a favourite.

🤡The bill was 2700GBP for four people, and all four of them ordered wine pairing. The sake pairing that 2 people drank said it was average and not worth it. Both of us felt numb after drinking the non-alcoholic pairing. . A single order is good. Food: Very average. Portions are very small. Three of the dishes are all desserts, and there is no rice or pasta dish... The girls are only 70% full after finishing the meal, while the boys are only 50% full. Fat Duck's menu doesn't have "duck"... It's because it's Christmas. But I will eat venison. Others: The presentation is beautiful, the formality is sufficient, and the service is super good. The little gifts are quite interesting. The lighting and the small venue are not suitable for taking pictures. PS time budget: Enter the venue at 12 and eat until 4:50pm. It takes almost 1 hour to get to the restaurant from London (train + uber) Summary: ⚠️Have an experience but will not come to this three-star restaurant again. Too Overrated. The main food is just enough to keep me occupied, the wine list is mediocre, the pairing is not well-chosen... and the price is high. Christmas menu Chawuduo 500pp plus pairing 125pp... I personally would prefer to go to ledbury with the same core...

It’s one of the best dining experience I’ve ever had! Love the dining journey and how each plate is created, with loads of surprises!

Disappointing experience service and to end it we were sick after eating here. Definitely not the food service or standard expected. No one has even responded back to our messages.

I had the mystery menu today with cellar experience and it was a very enjoyable culinary experience. However, service lacked attentiveness, and the place was crowded and noise level was high.

Wow! What can i say, but Wooow! From being greated at the door and in the airlock! Cocktails,Moctails, Wines, flavours, textures, story telling, Our TRIP was incredible! I only Wish we could give it a 10! So so special, thank you so much, all 5 of us, absolutely loved it!! xxx

The Fat Duck is not large - if you arrive early, as we did, you can wait in the Hinds Head pub nearby or just stand on the pavement. We went for a 13:15 booking, and left about 4 hours later. Staff were very attentive, there were many of them. Staff communicated well, chatted easily. Descriptions of dishes were sometimes a bit offhand - I guess this happens if you have to repeat the same spiel dozens of times a week. Heston was mentioned quite a few times. The menu is fixed - repeated every day with variations for holidays. We went for the full meal, but not with any wine pairings. The meal was almost like a performance, with a ‘storyteller’ putting cards on an illuminated device that would give a hint at the upcoming course. A big magnifying glass was provided for effect, but also to help read the notes, though we did not bother with this after a while as the notes did not seem to add anything. Lights above our table were dimmed and illuminated at various times in concert with some dishes. In fact the whole Alice in Wonderland theme didn’t really work for us - we all agreed that we would like to just concentrate on the food. Dishes: - A mouse in liquid nitrogen infused with vodka. Less cold than expected, more squidgy than expected. - A beetroot macaroon. Very small, gone quickly, but would have liked it more if it had provided more of a hit and lingering taste. - Sound of the sea. Listening to the sound of waves and seagulls gave a slight reminder of sitting on the beach, but it did not change the taste of the food, which was served on a what looked like a photo frame, the food being a seaweedy thing, a smear of something tasty and a breadcrumb mix made to be crunchy as if getting sand in your food at the beach. - Snail porridge. Tasty snails, I would have liked the porridge to have a bit more substance to it. - A Salad thing, colourful, edible flowers, tiny finely cut vegetables, all very tasty. - Mock turtle soup - an oxtail soup you mix yourself. Served together with a few small sandwiches that reminded one of afternoon tea (the wonky sandwich platter just like the one in Tenniel’s illustration of the mad hatters tea party. Nice soup, sandwiches rather flat with limp bread which did remind me of limp sandwiches at my grandparents when I was young. - Beef, very nicely cooked, tender, with a scrummy mashed potato dollop and gravy, but 3 quite cold mushrooms. We assume this was intentional. - Bread and butter. Nice to have something filling. - Tea which was half cold, half hot vertically. A bit of a gimmick, had a slightly gloopy texture probably indicating the cold part was a recently chilled gelatine thing. - Tasting the wine in the ‘cellar’ with blaring music, flashing white and red light did change the taste of the wine - interesting, but might have tried this at the science museum. - Parsnip flakes in parsnip flavour milk - served in gimmicky small cereal boxes like when we were little - though each box had the same flakes in them. It did feel just like eating one of those selection cereals, but a bit parsnipy. - Black forest gateau was scrummy. - Sweets at the end from a fancy sweet shop doll’s house. Activated by inserting a coin that we had been given earlier at some point, the drawers opened in some sort of pattern with one remaining open. However each drawer contained the same sweets. Of course the sweets were things like tobacco flavoured chocolate. This did feel Alice in Wonderlandish but it was another unnecessary flourish we felt. Some notes were provided that said these sweets took many hours to create each week. Hmmm. - Tea and coffee at the end was optional, but charged separately. Given the overall cost, it seems odd that a cup of coffee would not be included. Total cost £1750 for four which included a bottle of Pinot that was priced at 4 times what one would pay in the shop (and probably 8 times what it would go for in retail). Be prepared to spend a lot more for alcohol if you want any other bottle. Later I met a chef who had worked for FD for a number of years previously, who said that he would spend months repeating the same dish, and the menu barely changes for many years. Having not eaten much for the day before in anticipation, I actually found I had lost a kilo when I weighed myself the next day. We were told by one member of staff that someone had been that day for their eleventh visit, which seemed very impressive, if only for stamina. This had been a bucket list item - we had thought about coming for quite a long time, and looked forward to it, but in the end a bit of an anti climax. I think this is partly because Heston Blumenthal’s innovations have now been around for a while and other places have followed similar methods. We are very familiar with Chinese dishes and could only think that the wide variety of taste combinations, textures, presentation styles of Chinese food make FD dishes seem a little puny.

This is not just about amazing food but it’s the whole experience. From the moment you arrive to the moment you depart it will blow your mind.

Overall food was good quality , service was impeccable, however food was so overated and boring . I thought Heston was going to be far more inspiring and thought provoking . Instead we received dishes with standard flavour combinations. We saw everyone’s food before hand which took away from our experience as it was hardly surprising when we had it . I am fortunate enough to dine in most of the worlds best Restaurants and the fat duck is no where near the standard we would expect normally. It’s a shame because I thought this would have been the benchmark for fine dining. Hardly different or exceptional for the money we paid. Not worth £1390; insane price . I actually Had an additional course of bread to tie me over. If you like your fine food and eat fine food often you’ll be truly bored at this menu , after you leave.

Overpriced gimmicks, poor value proposition. Taste test failed. Service patronising, esp coming from waiters who are not professionals, felt like part time college students giving instructions on life. Atmosphere juvenile. Decor stuffy.

We visited the fat duck on a very rare anniversary menu, celebrating 30 years of it's fine history. Dishes ranged from classics, to classics with new twists, to newer plates. The whole history was showcased in a single meal. It was titled the journey, and we were provided with a map and a magnifying glass. The map detailed our menu for the evening, but hidden across it were much smaller texts, instantly making the experience playful. All dishes were masterfully presented, with plenty of theatre and of course, delicious flavours. Highlights were the full English breakfast masquerading as a bowl of cereal, and the magical floating merengues. Truly wonderful!

Worth every penny and worth the trip. Got the wine / sake / cocktail combination pairing and we just had a total blast. I waited so many years to try ‘the sound of the sea’ and it totally did not disappoint.

Best food, best service, best meal in the Uk. All the waiters and waitresses were phenomal (especially Dan). Thank you for making my girlfriend’s birthday special!

Incredible food and drinks, service was great and just such a unique experience.

We had a fabulous time and a great meal - would suggest a few courses are a little too theatrical, remember we are there for the food. However I am surprised no one mentions that the menu price does not include VAT or service - for a table of 4 a cost of just over £500 unexpected cost upon receipt of the bill ! There is no mention on the website that neither are included. I worry for those on a gift vouchers who end up with unexpected bills- tell the consumer what the real Price is in advance ! Poor show and very unusual for a restaurant .

Each "course" was an unpleasant mix of flavours. Left feeling hungry and slightly repulsed. I am sure some of the good reviews are from people who don't want to admit they have wasted all that money on a gimmick. Someone somewhere is laughing.

Treated to the journey tasting menu for my 40th Birthday. A taxi error resulted in us being 15minutes late but the staff were not phased and made me relax straight away. The entrance is discreet and you are immediately welcomed in a small mirror bound waiting area with holograms. Entering the restaurant is undaunting, it is very relaxed with lovely cosy decor. The staff are highly attentive as you would expect but in a very unpretentious manner. They really know how to make you feel comfortable. The food was amazing as expected although a couple of dishes weren't quite to my taste....a personal thing but they were still edible and I could still respect and admire the complexity of the flavour and the amount of work gone into creating them. The theatre through the culinary journey is incredible. All of your senses are catered for. I won't say anymore as I would not want to spoil the surprises for anyone else. Yes it's expensive. Very expensive in fact. But it's an experience I will remember forever and I don't think you can put a price on that ❤️

Amazing experience from the moment you're greeted at the front door to when you leave.

Insane. Absolutely wonderful. Didnt take pics as its not the done thing. 30th anniversary The Journey menu. Featuring the biggest hits of hestons back catalogue. Sounds of the sea. Cheese and grapes. The breakfast box. Crab ice-cream, Woodland, . There all here with drybice aplenty, and were all miraculous. Service was wonderful and aided a totallly immersive 4 hour lunch. Even the lights above our table changed in time with the courses to aid the atmosphere. Perfect and thank you very much.

Creative food, really interesting concepts, but disfrutar is still ahead by a mile. It is definitely an experience and a show though, and sometimes that can be gimmicky but not here. Service was generally great however my primary server seems a bit solemn and did not describe the dishes as comprehensively as I saw that some other servers did - and it’s important as there isn’t a detailed menu and it’s up to the server to uniquely describe dishes. The setting is quite simple if prefer that, not too much of an ambiance. Overall still a good experience and would recommend.

The Fat Duck has been on our bucket list for a number of years, but with many Michelin Starred restaurants on our door step (Cumbria) we hadn't made the journey until business took us close by. It really is a sensory experience of taste, visuals and sound, which made the experience unique for us. The quirky detail really added to the culinary experience and made for conversation throughout the meal. Service was faultless. Just the right amount of attention and humour. Not in the least stuffy or pretentious. We went for the £185 wine pairing and were pleasantly surprised by the quality and how well matched they were. We only had one course that neither of us enjoyed, either food or wine choice (my husband kindly ate and drank mine so not to cause offence). That was the Counting Sheep course. Visually uninspiring and taste we found unpleasant. It also felt too gimmicky, as once you had seen another table blindfolded until the 'floating pillow' arrived, it had no impact. The accompanying Asti was also not to our taste. Hence the four star rather than five star review. To have one course and pairing which we really didn't rate (and we can accept differing tastes) at such high prices just dropped that star. The Journey menu was priced at £400 per head, cheapest wine pairing at £185 per head and we also paid for the £50 per head drinks to accompany the sweet shop treats (worth doing). So £1400 for two people. I would recommend this experience as there were so many fabulous courses (our favourites were the quail and beef) but hopefully if we are to return, we won't be counting sheep!

DO NOT READ OTHER REVIEWS! Please! You will absolutely destroy your experience at The Fat Duck. And considering the price tag, that's not what anyone wants. My friends and I chose The Trip menu. You can have three extra dishes with The Journey menu, but unless you have starved yourself like a bear in hibernation or have a huge appetite, it's not necessary. We arrived only knowing which menu we had chosen. We had no clue what was going to happen, what dishes we'd get, what the experience was like (except the sweet house at the end which is on every YouTube video about The Fat Duck). This resulted in a wonderful experience. One surprise after another, not just experientially as they make a lot of effort to create the atmosphere, but the flavour combinations and textures. Absolutely wonderful. It's well worth saving up if you have to so that you can experience this once. And if you're well off enough to go to 3 star Michelin restaurants, this should be first on your list. Well done Heston and team. WOW!

We had been really excited to eat here having told many of our friends. Despite emailing the restaurant in advance explaining we didn't drink wine and providing them with our favourite cocktails, we still found ourselves having to read through a 72 page wine list, resulting in us not getting anything to drink until we were nearly an hour into the meal! This did not set the stage for a pleasant start to our evening. We did enjoy some of the dishes, others were less than underwhelming. The use of dry ice and sweet cereal as dessert felt gimmicky. The meal took so long, with so very little to eat that we had to ask for additional bread as we were so hungry. Ultimately whilst we appreciate the efforts of the chefs and the staff we cannot help but feel it was a waste of money and extremely overpriced. There are many other beautiful restaurants in the world we would sooner recommend.

Amazing set up and professional service! Every single dish was out of this world! Amazing selection of wines and spirits!

Fat duck, which has been awarded three Michelin stars for many years Just ask which restaurant, be sure to make a reservation and give it a try. Someone will definitely recommend fat duck to you. The earliest molecular cuisine was very creative and didn’t look like much. I'm really full after eating the fine pieces. This set menu also includes the Mock Turtle Soup from Alice in Wonderland, which is also a famous British dish. The scrambled fake egg ice cream is also very interesting.

This was my second time at the place and the central question was - are the classics identical, is there anything new. This is a three star joint, so level high anyways. So. 1. Many of the classics were improved and developed, so the menu is not a dead one even for the Sound of the sea etc. 2. There were new entries, my favorite was the kinda deconstructed Black Forest gateaux- it was lip smacking delicious. Then the most notable improvement: last time e.g. sake pairings and the wines were OK, but nothing to write home about. This time… the pairings played in the same league as the food. I stole the idea of pairing a dish with a special martini instead of wine immediately to my next home meal, what a genius idea. Service was flawless, our wedding anniversary was met with a card from all chefs and our special guest, a Viking rubber duck named “Olaf, the gourmet duck” was given due attention. I did find the evening a tad pricey though, 750€ of the tasting menu paid beforehand should have contained even a basic set of drinks with food.

This was our third visit and it didn’t disappoint! Alex and his team take you on a journey that is truly remarkable. Your senses are treated to an experience like no other. I would highly recommend a wine pairing too, this elevates the food even further which I didn’t think would be possible. Thank you again Alex and team and we are looking forward to seeing you all again for the Christmas menu. Mr & Mrs Harvey

The Fat Duck is truly a very special restaurant. My wife and I dine out a lot and often visit three-star restaurants, but at The Fat Duck, one could easily add a plus to the three stars. The presentations are very impressive and thoughtfully designed, perfectly coordinated with each course. The dishes themselves are incredibly creative, and you can truly feel the amount of thought and perfection that has gone into them. It's self-evident that everything tastes amazing. The service is friendly, very attentive, and helps to enhance the overall experience. Our visit has left a lasting impression on us and will continue to do so for a long time. We rarely take the time to write reviews, usually only when something doesn’t go well, but in this case, we are writing because The Fat Duck absolutely deserves a positive review. We would like to thank the entire team at The Fat Duck for an impressive and exciting dinner.

Food was delicately prepared but not at all impressive. 80% of the food was cold and the ingredient use doesn’t justify the price of the menu. Considering this is a three star Michelins restaurant advertising a sensory journey, the sensory storytelling experience was mediocre as it rely heavily on the storyteller and not as much on the combination of food and story. What was the disappointment factor was that after knowing it was a birthday celebration by confirmation with email and booking order, there was not any element of birthday celebration from the restaurants besides two birthday cards. Is it not common expectation to have a little sweets or cake with candles when the restaurant has specifically ask if you are celebrating anything?

Did not have the best experience dining at the fat duck. It was one of the most stressful meals I've had due to the fact that my wife was ill on our trip to the UK (occured during the trip), and we were unable to cancel the booking. With such a high price paid upfront, we felt we had no choice but to trek to Bray in the rain for this meal. I appreciate that the team contacted us daily in 'attempts' to assist in reselling the table, though I had no way to verify attempts were actually made. Also, due to my wife's condition we had to avoid all seafood and she had nausea during the trip over and the meal, thus making the meal difficult to enjoy. The food in itself seems executed technically superbly and some very novel items. Hot and cold tea/ soup was very interesting as an example. However, again due to the overall situation we were in, difficult to enjoy given the circumstances. The staff experience varied as well. I felt like a slightly more enthusiastic and theatrical explanations would have significantly helped the dining experience. Most of the food elements are very technical and whimsical in nature, and thus a big part of the enjoyment comes from understanding the items we're eating. However, this was hit and miss, with some team members seeming to be missing on the enthusiasm and detail. I was looking forward to putting the coin into the sweet shop trolley as an example, but that was done for me by the waiter. I was asked upon payment why I asked to cut the service charge but at that point, due to the slightly uncoordinated service, we were informed that our car was waiting for us outside already approximately 5 mins before our bill arrived. Hence this review to explain. Overall, felt like something that could have been a much better adventure for my wife and I on our anniversary, but was just missing that extra spark + the circumstances and the inflexible policy made what should have been a great dinner into a stressful one as we were conscious throughout the trip that we had this big ticket item on our agenda that we had to go to or have paid for nothing.

Good 👍 Nice Very nice 👍 Very good

If you want to enjoy food, inventiveness, and storytelling, then "The Fat Duck" restaurant is the best place to experience an explosion of all three aspects of gastronomic pleasure in one spot! During the three-hour magic, you are discreetly drawn into sections where you move through various natural landscapes, different times of the day, and historical moments. Each part is different but exciting in its own way. Excellent wine/sake pairings with great explanations from an experienced sommelier. The staff is very kind and attentive. A top-notch experience!

I just had to write about this establishment ASAP. What an absolutely phenomenal evening my husband and I had. Firstly the service received was met with smiles and a feeling of wanting. They were all very polite and even thought they do this day in and day out they all give 100% in making sure the experience is absolutely First class for you. They have great passion in what they do and more importantly make you feel so important. Thank you to ALL the staff especially to Tom and Keanu . I did not know what to expect other than to be surprised and that didn't fail one bit. They told a beautiful story about the journey of the foods and paid great detail to the food with the story. Each course was a delight full of surprises. This is not your regular restaurant with 3 courses and out you go...this is a dining experience to be mesmerised by. I certainly have a new found respect for celeriac and rare beef..which I would never have touched before. Go there to experience and explore the passion this establishment was created for and enjoy it. I truly recommend this establishment and can't wait to explore more delights here in the near future.

From being met at the door outside until we stepped back outside three hours later we couldn’t have wished for more. It was like a dream an illusion. Every single item we tasted we smelt and we touched was Topsy Turvey. The food, the staff were outstanding. I don’t ever think I will ever see food the same way again. Knowledgeable staff engaging and excellent story telling with explanations all the way through the lunch experience. We left asking ourselves did it really happen ? I won’t spoil the surprise or magic as it has to be experienced. All I can say is mind blowing and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Very, very nice napkin. The best napkin of my trip. If you are debating between the Journey and the Trip; I recommend the Trip. The additional cost is by no means justified. We ate here in 2010, and to this day I have classified that as a top 5, or top 10, meal in my life. The Whiskey Wine Gums capped off what was a great meal. This was not that meal. The “Sounds of the Sea” from 2024 was one of the worst dishes of my life. It was on both menus. That was followed by scallops with white chocolate, which the server described as an unusual combination. I agree it was an unusual combination. Service was equally unusual.

What can I say about The Fat Duck that probably hasn't already been said somewhere? 4 of us visited to celebrate my birthday. Everything about it was absolutely superb. The food was stunning, and I do mean stunning. On occasion I've felt slightly underwhelmed in some starred restaurants and I was worried the hype about The Fat Duck would result in similar- but I was pleased to be wrong. My favourite dish was probably Sounds of the Sea - absokutely perfect experience of taste, smell, sound, texture. Very clever. The service was brilliant. Very friendly, approachable and very happy to talk and explain things. My wife enjoys playing a game in places.like this to see if she can manage to successfully empty her water glass before a waiter notices and tops it up. She didn't succeed here, which is one of my favourite (nin evidence based) yard sticks for quality of service/attentiveness. This was my first time at The Fat Duck. I'm sure it won't be the last. Thank you for such a wonderful evening.

Good spot and deserving of the recognition

I have been a fan of Heston and would visit dinner by Heston Blumenthal once in awhile for my favourite meat fruit. We made a special trip to The Fat Duck but it was a tad disappointing despite attempts to engage us during the dinner service. My favourite was the part where we’re at the sea/beach. Unfortunately, service felt tired and while a few tables got to visit the kitchen, we had to ask for it. Although they obliged, we ended up watching them clean up and most were just standing around empty tables getting ready to head home. It was also challenging to understand the waiter when my wines were introduced and after 2 glasses, we gave up clarifying. We went to the Hinds Head the next day; the food and experience felt more satisfying.

Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck has been on the top of my bucket list for as long as I can recall and it was well worth the wait! We have dined at many Michelin Starred restaurants all over the world. I do not say this to boast, but to give context for my review. Fat Duck was by far THE. BEST. MEAL. experience we have ever had anywhere. I say "experience" as it was so much more than just food (although the food itself was simply outstanding, of course). The "Sensorium" tasting menu was based on the fact that all of our senses are involved in the enjoyment of food. Even the lighting over our table changed with each course. One course had us listening to the ocean through earphones in a shell while eating "seafoam" and "sand" topped with cockles and fish. The Mad Hatter tea party course had us dipping a pocket watch of edible gold into a teapot. The "breakfast" dessert course consisted of bacon and egg flavoured ice cream made table side in liquid nitrogen and included a cup of tea that was hot on one side and cold on the other in your mouth! I won't give away any more details as we were so pleasantly surprised by every single course which were all served by incredibly knowledgeable and friendly staff. They explained each course with enthusiasm and answered all of our questions with grace. I would even go so far as to say that this was the perfect meal. Everything was flawless start to finish. It is easy to see why Fat Duck earned and maintains its three Michelin stars. I will be dreaming about this meal for a long time to come and cannot wait to return.

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This restaurant is responsible for the biggest ecoli outbreak ever in the U.K. how on earth are they still trading? How does it still have 3 Michelin stars?

I visited when it was a 2 star. It wasn't as strange as it was now, and I enjoyed dinner casually.

A dream come true. Two diners had the vegetarian menu. One had the regular menu. Both menus were out of this world. The perfect mix of theatre and culinary delights. The service is incredible. The room is small but you don’t feel packed in with all of the other tables. A truly unforgettable experience. A wonderful spot to celebrate a special occasion. The sweet shop petite fours live up to the hype.

We had a great time. We’d wanted to visit for a long time but life had got in the way. But I’m so glad we went. Food was great - we particularly enjoyed the snail porridge and beef. Yes, sometimes it was a bit too gimmicky for me but that’s their thing. Service was good, friendly, sometimes a little cheesy. Sommelier needs a pay rise - he was exceptionally knowledgeable and recommended a brilliant wine to us (at a lower price point than the one we originally asked for). Tables not too squished together which was lovely as it meant we could chat and not feel like we were part of someone else’s night out.

Fabulous lunch, wasn’t sure what to expect but learnt to expect the unexpected! A lunch I will remember forever, great tastes, wine & service 🤩

What can you say in a place like this. We had wanted to go for ages and decided lets do it and it did not disappoint. From beginning to end of the however many courses it was, it was an experience you will never get anywhere else. I am not keen on apple so I didn't finish that course and was asked if there was a problem and they wanted to make me something else which I politely declined because I was there for the experience and was not fussy about 1 plate. To finish with his sweet shop topped out experience and a little bag which everything we accumulated throughout was a nice touch when leaving. Just be aware that if you lean to far on your chair, you fall off *ekk* not what I expected but the chair legs are a continuous bend of metal and once you hit a point, you've gone. Luckily we saw the funny side of it! and I am known to be clumsy so our story was very fun to share

What an experience, from beginning to end, it’s simply extraordinary We loved it and couldn’t fault anything at all I was scared to be hungry at the end but not at all. An experience of a life time!!

I was so looking forward to this visit. The Fat Duck has been on my wish list for probably more than 10 years. However, the experience and the food was a thorough disappointment. I think the biggest problem is how everything at the restaurant revolves around Heston. It starts to feel incredibly self-indulgent when one of the service staff tells you yet another story about how Heston came to decide to create this particular food. No recognition of anyone else in the kitchen? The thing that bothered us was that we weren’t that interested in Heston‘s experience of the food, we are interested in our experience of the food and that is completely lacking at The Fat Duck. I guess if you’re a Heston fanboy/girl this obsession with making every course about him might be appropriate. But even accounting for that, the food just didn’t live up to its three Michelin stars. There were a lot of gimmicks (liquid nitrogen, guess which drawer your chocolate is, sound of the sea), but not a lot of substance. In addition, the room was incredibly noisy to the point where we couldn’t hear the different servers telling us about the food. In the end, rather than asking them to repeat, we just smiled and nodded. The room is also very dark and cold. They did attempt to put us somewhere quieter, but somehow we were put by the doorway between two tables of four very loud people. The staff were very apologetic about the situation, which was appreciated. However, it just doesn’t make up for the significant amount of money (nearly £1000 for two) that this cost. In addition, they put on a substantial service fee on our final bill and I had to ask for it to be removed. Again, they were gracious and removed it, but it shouldn’t have been there in the first place because they knew that we were having a really difficult time. This was a celebration of an incredibly important life event and something that was a long time coming, but was so incredibly disappointing. If I was to offer one piece of advice, I would say pull back the focus on Heston and gimmicks, and spend a bit more time on the food.

The project has become too commercial, but that’s fine

The Fat Duck has been on our bucket list for as long as we can remember. We are big foodies and love a taster menu. It was an experience we won't forget. The food was interesting, my favourite was the sound of the sea although my partner would differ ;) (he's never been a fish food fan). It's not a place I see us returning too but we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Loved our experience at The Fat Duck, the food and service were excellent.

The Fat Duck seems to be a victim of its own high expectations. While the first half of the tasting menu showcased remarkable creativity and flavor, the latter half did not maintain the same standard. Dining in a basement setting detracted from the overall experience, and the service felt scripted. The servers delivered their presentations as if reading from a teleprompter rather than genuinely engaging with the diners. This lack of interaction made the experience feel less personal and more like a performance. Despite the rich lore surrounding the restaurant, my pilgrimage to The Fat Duck was ultimately lukewarm.

Ate the Christmas menu in December 2023, it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Everything is planned and arranged and the waiters master being both solemn and informal with a lot of sparkle in their eyes. The venue is intimate and very cosy, which makes you feel like you are part of the meal. The juice menu was exciting and very good. All in all a brilliant experience.

Lived up to its reputation. Most enjoyable experience. Each dish was expertly crafted. and we all loved it.

The food was unsurprisingly spectacular. The service felt personal and unique. The trip to the wine cellar (does it count as a cellar if its upstairs?) was such a fun experience.

Best experience ever! Worth waiting a decade for!

Was disappointed by the food having thoroughly enjoyed Dinner by Heston in London. The majority of the servers were fantastic, but there was a little lack of coordination. I wouldn't return and can't recommend it unfortunately.

I recently celebrated my birthday at The Fat Duck in Bray, and wow, what an unforgettable experience! The meal was like a magical adventure lasting about 3.5 hours. Every course was a masterpiece, with incredible attention to detail and even the lighting changing to perfectly highlight each dish. My absolute favorites were the "Sea" and "Breakfast" courses. I won’t give too much away, but let’s just say they were both mind-blowingly good! The surprises kept coming, and I was smiling the whole time. And the drinks? There are so many pairing options, you'll be spoiled for choice! Whether you're into wine, cocktails, or something non-alcoholic, they've got you covered. In short, I had an absolutely wonderful time and can’t recommend The Fat Duck enough. If you’re looking to celebrate something special or just want an extraordinary dining experience, this is the place to be.

Heston is a miracle worker. Always memorable. Don’t miss it if you can afford it!

Walked into a dimly lit, wonderful place! The whole experience surpassed our expectations! Four hours of loveliness!

I dont think im qualified to comment any further. And why would I? I would want anyone reading this to uncover the mystery themselves. Remember to Question Everything

The Fat Duck is, in my experience, one of the most misleading and overrated restaurants in the world. The high prices only lead to the highest disappointment. Let me elaborate: The ceiling is too low, making the dining room feel like a cellar with poor air circulation. You can smell the breath of the person at the next table, and after three hours, it feels suffocating. The service is poor. The staff behave like robots, reciting details about each dish so quickly that we couldn't understand them. We had to ask them to repeat the information for all 11 dishes. The restaurant seems unable to afford a proper chef, as it appears the waiters are preparing the food, relying on gimmicks like hydrogen air. The quality of the food is comparable to any average restaurant in London. The fourth dish, "Taste of Sound of the Oceans," tasted like sand from the beach. All 11 dishes were poorly made, yet we were still charged a £198 service fee. Instead of confusing guests with incomprehensible, robotic stories about each dish, the restaurant should focus on the quality of the food. The £85 cake was awfully made. We were served poor-quality wine recommended by the restaurant. While this isn't the waiter's fault, it feels like the owner is selling cheap wine at Michelin three-star prices. Many people are too shy or too proud to share their honest thoughts. Given that each guest pays more than £500 (including the service charge) for their meal, they don't want to admit they've been fooled. In summary, The Fat Duck should concentrate on improving the food and service and hire a real chef to cook.

An experience worth trying out at least once in your lifetime.

Had breakfast here with a nice glass of milk

A must go culinary important establishment.

Incredible experience - everything I’d hoped for and more. The food was a dining adventure and the staff took this experience to the next level. Knowledgeable, professional, attentive. Loved every minute (and we were there for 4.5 hours!)

Lots of creative dishes & focus on a comprehensive experience

What a wonderful experience this was. A 4-hour performance where you will be completely pampered. As far as I am concerned, the fact that the food is not central, but the entire experience is what the Fat Duck is all about is something that is central. So a nitrogen cocktail, breakfast for dessert, a sweet shop and eating a meal with headphones make this an unforgettable experience that you should definitely do. But the show is a little more important than the food and of all the dishes that stuck out for me, the sea dish and the mashed potatoes with sweetbreads. But above all the super tasty bread.

Upon booking our first visit to The Fat Duck the celebrate our anniversary I began to worry incase it didn't live up to the decades of hype and expectation. We've been lucky enough to spend the last few years chasing some of the best rated and awarded restaurants around the world and have experienced some amazing and fantastic meals and flavours. However TFD truly blew these out of the water. It was without a doubt the best dining experience we've had. The staff were personal and warm with a keen eye on service. The explanations were detailed and no question was left unanswered. The theme and theatrics were playful and inventive and the food was absolutely delicious. Its a roller coaster of exhilaration through your senses and you walk away not only with little tokens but memories that will stick with you. Now that I've been I know I'll be back for more.

Absolutely amazing gastronomic experience. If you just want to go out to dinner, don't go here. This place is more of an experience. An excellent experience. The food is incredibly imaginative and the effort involved is truly considerable. I loved it.

I don't wish to share too many pictures as I chose not to look before I went to the Fat Duck. The magic is the unknown. The senses and memories were magical, the staff were knowledgeable and friendly. Had an amazing and epic experience.

Although the whole experience is something like nothing else and the theatrics are extremely fun, the food and whole atmosphere are unfortunately not matching. Still great fun though.

Unbelievable dining experience 10/10

Eating at The Fat Duck is a once in a lifetime experience, although temptation is that you'll want to enjoy it more than once. It is not surprising that it would be considered one of the best restaurants in the world. The real surprises come course after course, with food that is as delicious as it is inventive. My only concern was that having been going so long, the unique innovation that it had become known for might not seem so exciting in a world of molecular gastronomy that it helped create. I need not have worried. The skill and showmanship that excited all those years ago is still so thrilling today, as I'm sure it will be forever more. Yes, I will have the egg and bacon ice cream, and the snail porridge, and listen to the sounds of the sea as I eat my fish from a rock pool. It's all bloody brilliant! The restaurant and it's staff are consistently top tier, providing the best service I've ever experienced. Big shout out to Chris (Kris?), our Storyteller who provided explanations and information of the dishes with such passion and care. Also to the sommelier (Raku?) who was so patient and happy to answer my wine questions. Especially given that my partner chose a different pairing selection. He could dual-wield wine and saké bottles amongst the best of them. Ultimately this restaurant deserves all the accolades and reputation it has. Yes, it IS a once in a lifetime experience, but for me I hope it is not, I would love to return to this world again, having eaten here, it has made my world a better place.

SENSational dining experience at Fat Duck! This season's menu is called "Sensorium". How sight, and sound can affect taste! (please check my photo, which Google doesn't let me post together with the review, which I posted separately using Add media, click on "Photo" for this restaurant to see my pictures.)

Feels like the only reason it has 3 Michelin Stars is to pay homage to Heston's contribution to molecular gastronomy. The food is nothing special and is below average from a restaurant of this pedigree. Lack of constant innovation. Attention to detail was also somewhat lacking, one example is the light up menu cutouts not even being aligned.

Excellent experience. Pricey but worth it for a celebration.

So the food is only 4 because of my own fussiness. Probably to people who like sea food would be a 5. It was an amazing experience something we had wanted to do for a long time. The staff really do make it they where great. It was very expensive though and although I do see why with all the details however it's a shame because it really limits the amount of people that can share in the experience.

In a nutshell: it was a great disappointment! No innovation at all (or at least it stopped 10ys ago!), the menu composition is unimpressive (surprise surprise: scallops and beef fillet!!), and the whole "sensorial" experience is half-hearted. We were also very disappointed because it was very dark: it was like having a meal in a castle dungeon without the medieval atmosphere. Note: I love dessert but I could not eat the black Forrest cake. How can you mess up with chocolate and black cherries??

A great experience and super friendly staff.

An incredible dining experience, easily one of the best I've ever enjoyed. The food is exceptional and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. A must-visit for any food enthusiast's bucket list.

Possibly the best meal I've ever had in my life. The experience is truly something else, and honestly makes you question everything! Some may find it a bit too whimsical, but I think it adds to the charm, especially since the food itself was of the best quality and so well made!

Had the taster of the tasting menu. The concept is interesting but nothing impressed me to be honest. I don’t want to be too harsh, but they got our dessert choice wrong twice 😅.

We have been looking forward to our visit at the Fat Duck for a few months. And it delivered. From beginning to the end it was one fantastic culinary ride. The food and storytelling was perfect. Maybe a bit too perfect? The adventure pairing was exactly the right balance between alcohol and nonalcoholic drinks. And every course looked and tasted perfect! The visit to the wine cellar was a nice surprise. The day after we enjoyed our sweets from Hestons candyshop! A big thanks to The Fat Duck team!

When I had COVID a couple of years ago, I temporarily lost my sense of smell. With this gone I also lost most of my taste. I can only think that Heston Blumenthal, or whoever came up with this dissapointing menu, had an equally debilitating condition. We went for a lunch-time tasting menu. There were 10 courses and frankly none of them stood out. The waiters and drinks staff were attentive and friendly. There were some entertaining gimmicks along the way, like the glass of wine in the wine cellar, whilst music blared out and red lights shone down. The food was technically excellent, but tasted awful. The flavour combinations clashed badly, like an orchestra all playing in different keys. The Mad Hatters tea party, that the waiter excitedly explained took two weeks to make, was a particular low point of blandness and mediocrity. The £100 non-alcoholic flight of drinks was also especially poor. Mercifully the mixed alcoholic/non-alcoholic flight was a little bit less disappointing. The experience took four hours in total. It's a small space and the restaurant is bare. By the end we couldn't wait to leave. There were long periods where we were just sat around waiting for something to happen. We got the Elizabeth line here from London, which worked well. My favourite part was the walk from the station to the restaurant, if you come (not that I would recommend you do) - definitely try this. I've been to similar Michelin starred tasting menus and I have been wowed by their food. To say I was underwhelmed by the food here is an understatement. I can only think that Heston Blumenthal has lost his way. Maybe he never knew the way? But he does have three Michelin stars, so I can only think that he must have lost his way. To use a football analogy - he's the chef equivalent of the grumpy Jose Mourinho who led a drab team to failure at Roma, not the exciting and joyous Mourinho who once took on the world and succeeded at Porto. At the end the waiter asked us how the experience was and we were honest. They offered to take the service charge away, which wouldn't have been fair as the staff were wonderful. Perhaps Heston tellls them to do this, because of course his mediocre food couldn't be the problem! If you are planning something special I strongly advise you to give this place a swerve. There are much better restaurants available than this place and there are certainly better value places!

Just incredible - had high expectations and they were exceeded.

Not only is this hands down the best restaurant that I have ever visited, but it's right up there with one of the best evenings I've ever had. I can not recommend the Fat Duck more. From arriving; to being offered help with booking a taxi when leaving, the service is superb. We have never had such comfortable and personal service without a hint of pretence. Everyone in the Fat Duck clearly love their job and are all there to make sure that all guests have an amazing evening. Josh in particular was great and spent a lot of time with us. The food is great and very thought-provoking. Exactly what you would expect from Heston and his scientific approach to gastronomy. This is the first michelin restaurant that I have left, thinking about when I can return next. Everyone who loves food should experience this place.

Undoubtedly an incredible food experience. Is it the finest meal I have ever eaten, I am not sure, but some amazing dishes, flavours and a unique experience. Difficult to justify as value for money, so you have to park your sense of value at the door and understand it’s an experience.

The team at The Fat Duck were just amazing! We went for our wedding anniversary, and had a complete disaster. We married on a leap year, and as such, our first official anniversary was going to be very special. My husband booked, and we were so excited. We'd had our first date at The Crown, so this was really special for us. Unfortunately we both got flu and were too ill to go. Devastated we contacted them, aware we would lose our booking. Martina was simply lovely, and spoke to the Manager who kindly agreed to move our booking to the following week. We just went for lunch and were floored by not only the exceptional food, but the little touches and kindness they showed us. Aisha (hope I've spelt that correctly) was lovely. Our story tellers warm, funny and genuine. We were touched by the whole experience. Every person we met was a credit to the brand. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Unbelievable. Finest dining experience of my life (and by a long way). Would give more stars if available. Amazing staff that were friendly, fun and knowledgeable without being stuck up or stuffy. The whole experience from start to finish challenged my senses in a unique and completely new way. Trying to sum up and review this is like trying to explain the colour blue to someone who has been blind from birth. If you haven't visited the Fat Duck, its definitely somewhere you should place on your 'bucket list '. Sensational cuisine Fat Duck. Thank you for the last a lifetime memories.

Wow! Worth the wait, this experience will not disappoint. Every single second of your visit has been thought off, from the moment you turn up to the moment you leave. Food, excellent, service amazing, experience mesmerising. How they have managed to do what they do is inspiring. The team tell the story and are just as great as the food. You need to visit! I'm definitely going to return.........