Frommer's 2006 London guide describes the Criterion Restaurant as follows: "Designed by Thomas Verity in the 1870s, this palatial neo-Byzantine mirrored marble hall is a glamorous backdrop for a superb cuisine, served under a golden ceiling, with theatrical peacock-blue draperies. The menu is wide ranging, offering everything from Paris brasserie food to "nouvelle-classical," a combination of classic French cooking techniques with some of the lighter, more experimental leanings of modern French cuisine. The food is excellent but falls short of sublime. Still, roast skate wing with deep-fried snails is delectable, as is roast saddle of lamb stuffed with mushrooms and spinach." The place is historic, certainly, and the setting quite stunning. They get a lot of pre-theatre traffic through here, so service (as in most pre-theatre restaurants) is not at its best. The modern French-British cuisine can be quite good, but is also a bit uneven. You can do better if you're going out for a leisurely meal. If you're headed for a show in the West End, this is probably the best bet in the neighborhood. LON0611-39819CR-CriterionRestaurant(est1874)

Frommer's 2006 London guide describes the Criterion Restaurant as follows: "Designed by Thomas Verity in the 1870s, this palatial neo-Byzantine mirrored marble hall is a glamorous backdrop for a superb cuisine, served under a golden ceiling, with theatrical peacock-blue draperies. The menu is wide ranging, offering everything from Paris brasserie food to "nouvelle-classical," a combination of classic French cooking techniques with some of the lighter, more experimental leanings of modern French cuisine. The food is excellent but falls short of sublime. Still, roast skate wing with deep-fried snails is delectable, as is roast saddle of lamb stuffed with mushrooms and spinach." The place is historic, certainly, and the setting quite stunning. They get a lot of pre-theatre traffic through here, so service (as in most pre-theatre restaurants) is not at its best. The modern French-British cuisine can be quite good, but is also a bit uneven. You can do better if you're going out for a leisurely meal. If you're headed for a show in the West End, this is probably the best bet in the neighborhood. LON0611-39820CR-CriterionRestaurant