Jamies Italian

Overrated celeb chef serving a not very exciting menu with poor service. Expected more so tried a second visit with same result.

Had a lovely meal there and was very impressed with the selection of drinks and appetisers. The steak I had was delicious; it was a perfect mix of juicy and crispy. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the restaurant is in a prime location: only 2 minutes from the market and 2 minutes from the Rose Theatre in the other direction. In addition, for such a busy restaurant, the service was very impressive.
My only complaint would be that the main course section of the menu seems to lack some Italian classics; I couldn’t find pizza or risotto on the menu! While this was disappointing, the good factors of the restaurant far outweigh the bad. 4 stars!

Certainly a disappointment since I expected more from a Jamie Oliver restaurant. If you keep his name out of your expectations, this place can definitely be worth the visit!
To summarize my one and only experience (which was consistent with my sister’s previous experience):
the good–
–reasonable prices
–cozy and rustic atmosphere
–friendly servers
the not so good–
–small kitchen really slows down the service
–food was better on the menu than on my palate.
Decent place but I don’t think it was worth the wait!

Wow what a great place for a lovely birthday meal. Had a gold card so got free crab Arancini appetisers to begin. Waitress was brilliant and sorted me out a bottle of prose I free for my birthday then got 50% discount on all food! Atmosphere noisy without being too deafening. A really nice laid back buzz all evening.

We had a family meal for 4 here and it lived up to expectations! The waiter we had was incredibly friendly and clued up about the food so answered all our questions easily.
Food was very good quality so I would recommend!

I really love my pasta prepared in an Italian way. Jamies manages to deliver a very high quality food for as much as a tenner. Last time I was here I decided that this would be the time to write a review. I ordered the Signature Porchetta and I can say I was almost sent to heaven and brought back when the plate was empty in front of me. Despite it was not a classic Italian dish, the pork belly was smooth and so delicious, it literally melted inside my mouth. I think both me and my friend had a wonderful night, being served by some top quality staff.

Nice and friendly staff
Not too expensive
I had a great rainbow trout!!! Enjoyed it very much! The brownie was okay, but i have had better ones (matter of taste probably).

Overall the food was great. Above average in fact. Definitely with the Jamie Oliver slant on things. We had the Marinated vegetables, Tricolore Salad and Black olives to start with followed by a nice spinach and walnut pasta and a truffle tagliatelle as a main. The main courses were great. But what is it with the whole olive thing? The black olives arrive on a silver platter (all nine of them) on a bed of ice. The waitress then pours a little jug of boiling water into the centre of the platter where some dry ice melts to induce a mini volcano. All this is designed to disguise the fact that I just paid £3.50 for nine olives. They weren’t even very good olives. They lacked any real flavour. Next day, Jamie, I paid 4 quid for some much better olives in Brentford market. Four quid for a full 300 grams of really tasty, rustic, huge black olives. Possibly about 40 olives in all. Nah mate! The whole presentation and quality was not good. The rest of the food was fantastic. The reason for the three out of five rating was that the music was a bit loud and not ideal for pleasant conversation and the poncy olive fiasco.

«Please Sir Can I Have Some More…»
Left Hungry, bill in my hand, palate unsatisfied and wallet a little lighter than the night before was the conclusion. Jamie how can you have gone so wrong? The first time I saw Jamie on TV, I was most intrigued, though baffled every time he picked up the oil bottle to say «just a little drizzle on top» 2 minutes later he puts it down. Hmm. My drizzle calculations may be off, but I’m sure even Snoop Dogg would agree when I say «he’d be making it rain with oil». Meaning a thorough drench.
A friend, who’d recently gained another years notch to his bed post, was lured to the venue. The idea was simple, much like Jamie’s recipes, enjoy a nice meal and catch up in the truest of no boundaries manners. No topic was ruled off, for the nights conversation. Spirits were high and joyous. And here’s were its all went to the scraps…
Waitress Alert; She heads towards the table, eyes glaring and smile hinged for her tip– «Hello guys, Ill bring you all some TAP water and here is our menu!» Hold up! Did you even ask if we’d like still or sparkling? Or did we look like «tap water» people? compliment or insult? Simple or cheap? hmm…
Birthday boy, polite lifts up the water glass placed on the table, with orange bits stuck inside and smudges. Asks the waitress «I’m sorry but may I get another glass». Waitress’s million dollar answer «Oh there’s no need, its just scratches and perfectly clean. Do you still want me to change it?». My friend appalled by her answer bit his tongue and remained silent. Which Waitress on this planet argues with changing dishes on request? Oh dear I wish I could say this was it…
But wait there’s more! Along came Polly, no I wish. Id like to take this point to emphasize a few things. All members of the rectangle table are healthy, fit, young and equipped with healthy appetites. Secondly when you order meat boards or «planks» expectation for portions would be relatively high. To our horror and our stomach’s amusement, it’s equivalent held the same net weight as a tablespoon of honey. Ridiculous, a friend 6ft6″ in kindness remarked cleverly «Oh yes, this tasting sample was good, Ill have more of that for my starter please». The Irony, doesn’t Mr Oliver preach about value for money and £5 meals? Ha!
My turn, Crab and Avocado Bruschetta, a nice Italian dish served like the old testament in all restaurants. It arrives, what appeared to be a burglar weapon, thing and long. I’ve had rock candy softer than this. My dental bill would have gone straight to Jamie. There was nothing sweet you could say about it. The taste? what taste? Celery has more flavor.
Wow, I’ve appeared to reach my fifth point already. My fingers are on fire. I am oozing disappointment. Main meals held no delight. Friends became tiresome of their dishes. They held little joy, a slab of meat on a plate with little else but a fried egg on one of the dishes– what a joke. The birthday boy further sinking in his seat. He had to order a extra side to entertain his taste buds.
He may be a good merchandiser, TV face and american school ball buster but he fails to serve our nation. Smart businessman, poor judge of character for hiring staff. But what would he care? He’s made his millions and sadly to say I’ve contributed to his wealth. So Jamie Oliver How do you plan to correct this?
Read more from me at

Excellent service, recommendation and good! Have the rabbit pasta dish. Amazing!

I ordered a chickpea dish and it arrived undercooked, grainy and tasteless. Returned it and asked for a broccoli dish. This one arrived mushy, overcooked and also tasteless.
Won’t be returning anytime soon.

Small portions, had to wait for 40min to be seated.
Extra service charge at the end was a very cheap tactic.
There are plenty of Italian restraunts out there which are better than Jamies.
sorry but its true

Pros:
the food was excellent!
The price was less than I expected it to be!
The presentation was excellent
really innovative way to put together tastes. i had the grilled vegetables and the stuffed mushrooms! Both delish!
Cons:
My waitress was non-​existent!
I had to flag 2 other people down to get help & the bill!
Combination of bad service and understaffing at the restaurant!
I was in a hurry and 2 tables came in left in the time I waited.

OK I’ll admit I went here because my family wanted to go but I was pleasantly surprised, I expected high prices and pretentious food I got reasonable prices GREAT service and good, tasty, creative & well cooked food. I had a rabbit pasta dish which was stunning.
a would go back!

Jamie’s is still classed as quite new to Kingston and has not yet lost any of it’s charm since opening nearly 3 years ago.
There is always sure to be a queue outside the restaurant and tables filled with happy customers.
Food is well seasoned and the range of pasta is lovely! Really enjoyable place to eat — definitely a place to go when possible. Food isn’t too expensive, although I imagine you could spend quite alot in there when having 3courses and wine.
Waiters are always well prepared and can answer any questions poses about the dishes on the menu — this is always find very reassuring, as you know they have most probably tried the different dishes on the menu.
Really would recommend it.

Man kommt rein, muss nur einmal einen tiefen Atemzug nehmen und fühlt sich sofort wohl.
Man wird freundlich empfangen und vorbei an der offenen Küche zu einem Tisch gebracht. Ich musste bis jetzt nie warten, um einen Tisch zu bekommen.
Das Ambiente ist wunderbar. Man sitzt an nett gestalteten Tischen, auf orangenen Stühlen und kann sich unzählige Bilder von Jamie’s Besuchen in Italien anschauen.
Die Karte ist übersichtlich und die Entscheidung fällt trotzdem schwer.
Ich empehle auf jeden Fall die ‘crispy polenta chips’ als Vorspeise. Die haben es mir besonders angetan. Allerdings kann ich alles, was ich bis jetzt gegessen habe, weiter empfehlen!
Als Abschluss AUF JEDEN FALL den Brownie probieren!
Wasser gibt’s umsonst und die Preise sind angemessen.

I’m breaking my Unilocal fast because of this restaurant. Jamie’s Italian was too good not to review. I’m telling you, it’s worth a visit — just make sure you go early (both in the week and in the evening) because even on a Monday night, the place was a zoo. (Meanwhile, Wagamama down the street was barren).
The main reasons for loving Jamie’s Italian so much were twofold:
1. The prices are super reasonable, considering the quality of food you’re getting.
2. The food and wine are superb, with a real sense of variety on the menu.
Okay, I’ll admit it, I went here with a friend who works for the Jamie Oliver company. But if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t: a) know this branch even existed and b) know it was so good! So I give her complete credit. While I was waiting for her to arrive, I ordered a glass of the house white. Their house white just happens to be an organic chardonnay. No big deal. I’m not usually a chardonnay fan, but this was far better than your average.
My friend made some suggestions of what we should order, but by and large (since she has pretty much tried everything on the menu once), I was on my own. We ended up splitting starters — green olives on ice (best green olives I’ve ever ever eaten) — and a vegetarian antipasti platter. This is great — it comes out on a wooden board, propped up on your table by two cans of chopped tomatoes. Adorable, and an idea I’m definitely stealing for my next dinner party. Antipasti was great — just enough for both of us, though I imagine if I was hungrier it wouldn’t have been enough. But again, this is definitely quality over quantity.
For my main, I went with something on the specials menu; a fennel salami salad (supposed to be a starter for two to share — but I scoffed it myself). The salami was beautiful and thinly sliced, topped with rocket, fennel, orange, and a simple dressing. It was just right.
My friend had the chicken caesar salad, which arrived with the salad in a little bowl and a pile of freshly cooked, tender pieces of chicken on the side, still steaming.
I would happily dine here again, or at any of the other 9 locations. Just be aware that they don’t take bookings and, because it’s Mr. Oliver, the crowds don’t care what day of the week it is. But that man knows what he’s doing.

My friend Mark is an enthusiastic foodie both by inclination and profession, so as he was visiting London recently a meal at Jamie’s Italian was essential. A party of us went to the Kingston branch.
Due to Jamie Oliver’s celebrity the restaurant has been reviewed widely, but the reviews I read were mixed. Mark’s passion for all things new and foody in London meant we had a look at Jamie’s other new culinary project, Recipease. Although I cannot fault the quality of products in this shop or their presentation, I have my doubts about the basic mercantile premise. To me it feels too much like a pre-​crash conceit; it’s not right for straitened times now.
So I approached Jamie’s Italian with low expectations, not at all alleviated by the massive queue outside at 8pm. No booking is accepted, one has to wait and queue. We were told it was going to be an hour’s wait before we got inside. It turned out to be 40 minutes. And I have to say no-​one left that queue — in an area where there are other restaurants very readily available nearby.
They sent out a lady with a tray of tasty treats for us as we waited — a very nice touch. And once inside, we were given a table very quickly. The girls in our party spotted a better table apparently free (in fact, the best table in the whole restaurant) and upon asking we were immediately led to it — no trouble at all.
The staff’s attitude was perfectly pitched — friendly, efficient, helpful and knowledgeable, but not in your face the whole time. They’re around when you need them.
Jamie’s Italian offers classic Italian dishes — spaghetti bolognese is offered, for instance — interspersed with some interesting unusual things such as chickpea popcorn and the best olives in the world — peppery and meaty, almost neon-​green giants served with crisp flat breads and a black olive tapenade. You’ll find it hard to select from the menu — there are so many tempting things available!
We opted for a spread of starters — the olives, bruschette with four different toppings, a sensational broad bean salad, the chickpea popcorn (gently spicy and indeed, with a slight popcorn texture — very moreish), and polenta chips. I’m not a fan of polenta but these had a light open texture and a cheesy finish which went down very well.
I struggled to choose between crab pasta and a steak for my main course, eventually opting for the steak. It was superb. Perfect thick chips accompanied it. Tracey had grilled chicken –if possible, this was even better. I always feel it is the mark of a good restaurant to do something seemingly simple dazzlingly well.
Our meal came to under £30 a head — not all of us had pudding (pannacotta, ice-​cream scoops), but some had cocktails to start and we had wine and water. Jamie’s offers really superlative service and food in a wonderfully buzzy atmosphere at a very affordable price.

Yum yum yum yum yum…
Yummy yummy yum…
Yum yummy yum…
I know it’s a nightmare to get a table at this place but ‘WOWWEE-​WOWWEE’ the food is goooooood! Like the décor, like the atmosphere, like the food, like the bar area, like the staff. Only thing I don’t like is waiting outside in the cold until there’s enough room to get in for a pre-​nosh drinky!
ps. I was pretty determined not to like this place as well — just because of it being a Jamie Oliver gaff.

Jamie’s Italian is a great place for a meal with friends. Six of us got there shortly after 12 noon on a Friday and were extremely lucky to be shown straight to a table. About 20 minutes after, we realised that the restaurant was now full and that there were a line of people waiting at the bar for a table.
Our waiter was friendly and efficient, obliging one member’s request for the strongest, largest cup of coffee they could provide (as she was recovering from a late night out) before taking the rest of our orders.
The food was decent, and definitely more affordable than I expected it to be. It was £20 per head inclusive of service for three shared starters of bread and olives, three sides of salad, one main each and a bottle of prosecco. I’d recommend the olives; they’re served on a bed of ice along with a dish of ‘music bread’. Presentation-​aside, they’re also delicious. On another note, I would not recommend the side of the salad with yogurt dressing. The dressing was tasteless and the greens a little too cold for my liking.
Jamie’s doesn’t take reservations for groups of less than eight, so if you don’t fancy waiting, it’s best to get here early.

OK Londoners, you always get all the fun. When ever a hot new restaurant or bar opens up, it always seems to be in Central or East London. Whilst down in Surrey, we have to make do with another branch of Zizzi’s opening. But not any more — we trump you! Jamie Oliver has just opened a branch of his new venture, Jamie’s Italian, in Kingston. I came here for the first time last Sunday and had such a stunning meal that I was momentarily sorry that I will be moving into Central London in the new year.
The premise of this restaurant is simply, Italian food done well. And the menu can’t be faulted. So first — a little information about the restaurant. You can’t book. You have to just turn up and hope for the best (Unless you are a party of 8 or above, then you can reserve a table). Somehow they do seem to manage to squeeze everyone in though, it is on large premises. While you wait, you can have some nibbles and cocktails at the bar. The bar staff are attentive, helpful and mix a sublime apple martini. My sister couldn’t decide which Italian wine to choose so they gave her samples of about five different reds to try. The place was full — surprising seeing that it was a Sunday evening, and packed with a young, chatty crowd who probably have been waiting too long for a place like this to open around here.
Then we were shown to our table and made our choices for dinner. Our party of four made the best decision, I feel — we ordered all the smaller antipasti plates and sides to share. This enables you to get the best out of the menu. You can also order smaller portions of the pasta. So here is what we had; An antipasti cheese and roasted vegetable plank, crispy polenta chips with sea salt and rosemary, bruschetta with ricotta and two types of pesto, soft canellini beans with garlic and olive oil, crispy squid with red pepper aioli, baked wild mushrooms with smoked scamotsa cheese, a portion of pumpkin ravioli with Rosemary and cream sauce. It was all magnificent; faultless. We topped off this feast with a bottle of Montepulciano, and cappuccinos which were so good, they didn’t need sweetening.
Service was fast and friendly, the waiters all knew their proverbial onions. My only small complaint — I didn’t like the music; it was cheesy pop. Sort that out Jamie, and you will have pulled together a masterpiece in KT1.