Flat Iron

I think they should focus on their main product a little more — Steak. I ordered mine medium rare and was given a steak that was tasteless and prepared at a medium temp. I thought the steamed broccoli, Bernaise sauce and salad were better then the actual steak. I ordered a lime and mint fizz that took as long as our dinner to be delivered to our table — I had to ask about it 3 times. Felt that the staff focused on being «cool» rather than actually focusing on customers. Major room for improvement there. Lastly, I think walking in and being flung an iPad by a grumpy hostess, and then waiting 45 mins to be sat is disappointing when the meal wasn’t good. Was really hoping for a better meal after reading all these 5 Star reviews that I’m now suspicious of. I had a 2 star experience at best.

I’m almost embarrassed it has taken me this long to get around to trying Flat Iron. It wasn’t for lack of recommendation, because every steak-​lover I know loves this place. Maybe it was my lack of enthusiasm for queuing…
Dave A and I dropped into Flat Iron on a Friday night before we went to a show (it was Miss Saigon, separate review pending) and managed to time our arrival PERFECTLY. We went through the front doors bang on 6pm and were seated straight away. The service was excellent and our waitress was super-​helpful and incredibly friendly.
I was tempted by the idea of a deep fried burger, but couldn’t be swayed from the Flat Iron steak — I mean really, that’s what you’re there for right! For sides we went with the roast aubergine and chips, as well as the peppercorn sauce.
And before I even get to the steak, I NEED to talk about the aubergine. It was like a little baby lasagna and I could have eaten like ten more after the one that I (begrudgingly) shared.
The steak was delicious. Tender and juicy and beautifully presented on a warm stone plate. It was kind of hard to leave the restaurant and go to the show, because after my meal all I really wanted was to sit in the warm restaurant, drink some more red wine and relax into a puddle of satisfaction.

Mmm, steak.
I like Flat Iron a lot. I like their steak, I like their price (£10 for a filling portion of flat iron steak), I like their laid back vibe.
This isn’t gourmet steak but it’s not fast food either. It’s a nice mix in between.
I first went here when it was just a pop-​up about the Owl and Pussycat years ago and loved it. What I didn’t love, though, was the queue. Damn, it was always so damn busy. So when I learned they were opening up a few more, I was overjoyed. Maybe it would calm the hell down?
The answer is yes, kind of. During dinner or lunch, still packed. But even a little before, you can now get a table, which is a win.
This one is very similar to the others. Friendly staff, very casual, a menu that basically does one thing (steak), but has a special every day too. The last time I was there, they did a nice burger dripping with bearnaise sauce. Yum.
They have some sides for a little more if you want chips or a salad, and sauces for the same (don’t miss the horseradish one, I love that it’s freshly made and damn thick.) Flat Iron is an easy win every time.

Food was delicious, the meat was tender, service was on point. Will definitely come back!

Pre theatre dinner on a rainy London night. We dropped into this smallish (bordering on a little cramped) and busy eatery and were quickly seated without a reservation (not sure if they take them). Clientele were a mix of locals and tourists. We got our drinks order in pretty quickly and prices were reasonable. I had the French Merlot which was quite good. The menu is simple — beef in the form of steaks or burgers from what I could see. It was a little dark down the back and the menus small font was making life tricky. So flat iron steak ordered and some sides to accompany. We did have to wait a bit for the mains but not too bad. When they arrived the steak was perfectly cooked and tender, the fries delicious, the side salad ok but slightly difficult to eat out of the enamel mug, and the greens of the day good. And all very reasonably priced.
Service was ok, our waiter seemed to have disappeared and it took a little too long to flag someone down to get the bill.
Worth the visit for a meal but unlikely to be a regular spot for me.

What can I say that hasn’t been repeated already. This place is heaven for a meat lover like me. Been here twice. First time I had the onglet special, which was amazing. Last time I had just the standard cut and it was just as delicious. It’s a good thing it’s not too close to home or work, otherwise I’d be there every night: D
The sides are simple but also very good. Altogether makes a healthy meal if you skip chips and go for greens (kale, for example). However, I found it rather hard to resist the salted caramel ice cream dessert both times, so there goes my healthy meal. Ah well, no regrets!
The service is excellent, too. All waiters and waitresses are very friendly. The first time the lady who explained me everything even sat down with me on my table, made for a more comfortable and amiable conversation, I enjoyed that. Good recommendations based on my preferences and no pressure on ordering anything in particular.
About the queues… I went there twice on my own for dinner rather late (around 9) and was seated straightaway (I was lucky, I suppose, although last Friday it was just rather empty). I attempted to go with a friend on a Thursday and there was a queue of 1,5 hours, so we skipped it and went elsewhere. So it’s a matter of giving it a try and if no room there’s plenty other restaurants to choose from in the area.
The only negative point for me is the door. People forget to close it and if it’s windy it can get a little annoying. But the waiters are usually on top of this and are quick to close the door again.

Great place for steak but not for those who want a complete meat feast. The size is good for the price (it’s only a tenner!) but I felt that it was a bit too salty for my liking. The sides were okay but the chips were disappointing and soggy. You also have to go there and put your name down first to wait in line. Also, if you find that another friend wants to join during that wait… it’s a no no… unless you go super off peak times; so personally it wasn’t worth it but I guess I’ve ticked that box!

So I finally managed to get here after all the recommendations. I decided to come after the lunch rush as there always seems to be a queue.
Arrived to be greeted and seated straight away. Really friendly and they explained the whole concept as it was my first time. Great meat, cooked simple with simple sides to accompany it.
I decided to go for the special of the day, wagyu beef and side of fries. As part of the welcome they reiterate its good meat cooked just right and advise not to go over a medium rare. I happily obliged as that is also my preference.
Food came out and look good, until I cut into it. The cut was completely over cooked and there was no one around for me to grab, point out and ask them to do another. If the whole concept is about simple cooking, how could they get it so wrong. What topped it off was the fries. The top half was fresh and crispy but the bottom half stone cold and soggy. It was like they had just topped up an old batch of fries that had been sitting there. After waiting a while to speak to someone I ended up just eating, waiting again, paying and leaving. (Visit — 06/​07/​2015 Lunch)

Best cheapest steak I ever ate in my life! The burger my partner had was also so awesome. Had a little bit of caramel taste with the burger and it was just great. Sides like spinach and the chips was also very pleasant. Ambience is also great! Might have to wait awhile to get your table.

A very simple and focussed menu. Good quality food, reasonably priced and excellent service. The service is efficient and good recommendations too. A friendly atmosphere and un-​rushed.

I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. Service was great and friendly, everyone who I spoke to was interested in what I thought about my food and what they were doing.
But the star here is the food. Namely the steak. I had the special of the night, which was Wagyu inside skirt steak. It came out cooked perfectly medium rare and seasoned with a good amount of salt. One of the best cuts of meat I’ve eaten, and cooked with care. The fries (cooked with drippings) were awesome. Wow wow. You need to check this place out, you will NOT be disappointed.

I came here on a total whim but I can say this was my best meal in London, by far. I originally set out for Soho in search of Mexican food. I’m Texan and had been in Southeast Asia all summer so I was dying for it. I got a little lost and couldn’t find the original restaurant I had in mind so I turned to Unilocal for the closest affordable restaurant and it pointed me to Flat Iron. Boy, I’m sure glad I went.
I came on a late Saturday afternoon and the place was quite busy, but I was seated immediately. The interior is dim with exposed brick walls so it feels like you’re in a foundry… a very chic foundry. Very cool.
The menu is incredibly short– the only main listed was the £10 steak but when my server came by, he said that they’re also serving a £10 burger special. I went for the steak and ordered chips on the side. I also ordered a Strawberry and Basil Collins and it was phenomenal– crisp and refreshing. I noticed their cocktail list is incredibly affordable with all of them being between £5−7 each. My food came out within 10 – 15 minutes of ordering.
I had low expectations for such a cheap steak with what is normally a chewy cut of meat. But this £10 steak totally blew me away. I’ve had my fair share of beef– ranging from cheap and tough to obscenely expensive cuts of meat. This is one of the cheapest steaks I’ve had but it was also one of the most tender. I would have preferred more seasoning besides salt, but I do appreciate that they let the natural flavor of the steak show through. Juicy, buttery, and so so tender. And for £10! Maybe because I came without reading the hype, it had no expectations to live up to but this steak was absolutely great. The chips too were perfectly crispy and tasty but they paled in comparison to the stunning steak.
My server was incredibly friendly and attentive– always made sure I was satisfied and didn’t have any questions. I appreciate the free popcorn and carafe of still water– a nice refreshment! The great service, chic ambiance, and amazing food has made this my best (and most affordable!) meal in London so far.

They don’t take reservations but they will put you in a waiting list, and text you when your table is ready. Expect a 30−40minute wait. Walk to the Craft Beer Co. and sink a few back while you wait.
+ Food is primarily steaks sourced regularly from premium British suppliers, ands peculiarly cuts from the market that day/​week. So options other than the central ‘Flat Iron’ do chance. There is not a burger permanently on the menu so don’t come expecting one! One day they’ll have burger, or Wagu Beef Skirt, or an 800g-​1kg ribeye to share.
+ Steaks are seared and placed in sous vide until steaks are cooked perfectly medium-​rare (they really recommend you have it like this, but will do it to your preference). Steak comes sliced, so no need to faff about with the quirky mini-​cleaver*. Served with a decent helping of house salad & dressing (lambs lettuce).
— the fries, made fresh daily by a named person on the menu, are tasty but are nowhere near Honest Burger or Patty & Bun. Best grab some Fred’s Sauce (a wasabi & chill-​garlic blend?)
— Drinks: the cocktails are meh, and the Old Fashioned wasn’t impressive. Too sweet and not boozey enough by far! That said, the wine selection is solid– get the Malbec or everything French. Prefer to get some solid whiskeys to compliment the meat.
+ Dessert: perfectly simple vanilla ice cream in a Sundae flute, with a pot of molten milk chocolate and a pot of molten vanilla syrup for you to pour and mix at your leisure. A great little piece of food theatre and delicious.
Overall: you can eat well on £20 (steak, fries, desert) and £22 plus a glass of wine or a beer, if you fancy waiting. I have one massive bugbear, and some might think it’s stupid:
* The cleavers are blunt as blunt can be. Yes I know it’s a safety issue, and yes I know the serving platters are rock and would blunt or chip the knives if used as a chopping cleaver. Yet it’s massively disappointing when one of your big draws and PR hooks are these cleavers. Ron Swanson would not approve.

After hearing all this «10 pound steak» news for Flat Iron, I was pretty excited to give it a try. A friend and I came here at around 5:15 pm on a weekday and it wasn’t crowded at all. We were seated immediately and given a bucket of popcorn to munch on as we looked over the menu. I was already slightly disappointed by the popcorn because it tasted too buttery and heavy and I couldn’t endure more than a couple pieces. Nevertheless I was still stoked for the steak.
I ordered the steak (surprise surprise), cooked medium rare. It came out pretty quickly and I have to admit the plating was pretty cool. But upon the first bite I was awfully disappointed. The steak was definitely NOT medium rare — it was medium, possibly even medium well for some pieces (yes, different pieces on the same plate were cooked to different states…). As a result, most of the meat was terribly difficult to chew. There were also quite a few salt chunks on the pieces of steak, which I thought was pretty weird. More than a couple times I would have a piece and be overwhelmed by an excessive salt concentration. Most pieces were fairly seasoned, though, and I will say that the taste was generally satisfactory.
Overall, I was not impressed by this place. After hearing all the rave reviews I was definitely expecting better. Even the low price doesn’t justify coming here, in my opinion. I’d much rather pay more and have a better quality steak.

A top quality steak sits pretty highly at the top of my food appreciation list — but to get that quality, it can be pretty pricey. But thanks to Flat Iron, those of us on a budget can get our steak fix without having to eat beans on toast for the next fortnight.
The bare brickwork of the walls combined with a skylight and plants gives it that European ‘al fresco’ feel without having to deal with, y’know, actually being outside with the weather (and pigeons).
Flat Iron’s menu is incredibly simple — the only main course is, as you’d expect, a steak. For £10, you can get the house steak with salad and then add sides — I went for the Dripping Chips, which are some of the most unbeatable chips I’ve ever had in the city. Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside — and the fact that the chef cooking the chips has their name up on the blackboard is a lovely personal touch.
The steak itself is pretty much perfection on a plate (well, a chopping board, because plates aren’t cool these days). Recommended served medium rare, it’s incredibly tender, juicy, slightly seasoned and, most importantly, packed with mouthwatering meaty flavour.
I’d also never experienced dessert at Flat Iron but as a treat, I decided to give the Salted Caramel Sundae a whirl. BEST IDEA EVER. The sundae comes with two tiny pots — one with a vanilla syrup and the other a chocolate sauce. The combination of soft, fresh dairy ice cream with the sauces works perfectly to quell the sweetest of teeth — and as you reach the bottom, a beautiful salted caramel surprise awaits.
In total, I spent £28 (including a tip) on my steak, fries, Salted Caramel Sundae and a couple of glasses of wine. Usually, the only place you’d get a steak meal including drinks for under £30 is good old Spoons, so considering the epic quality of the food, it’s a reasonable price. Plus, if you’re REALLY stretched, the steak and salad and some tap water would only set you back a tenner (plus tip). Total bargain.

Bigger than their Beak Street location and a little less busy, this is my place for steak in London. However, unlike their other location, this one doesn’t seem to have a bar that you can wait in. No matter, they have a really good system that texts you to let you know when your table is available so we headed to Foyles for a drink in their café.
A short while later, the text came through, well before their 45 minute estimate. Heading back there, we were greeted at the door and shown to our table. We ordered medium rare steaks, a portion of chips, an order of aubergine parmesan, and a side of Bearnaise sauce. All were served quickly and to be honest, tasted absolutely divine. They only serve one cut of meat on a regular basis and it shows how much practice they have had doing it. The £10 cut of meat was tender, well seasoned and did not need the béarnaise (although I still used it, I love it!). Who doesn’t love chips cooked in beef fat either (well, probably not the vegetarian/​vegan section of the population…).
Declining dessert we opted for the check, and left. Happy, sated and making a mental note to visit agin.

£10 is a crazily low price to charge for a steak in London. £10 is an even crazier price to charge for a REALLY GOOD steak in London. But, if you do one thing really, really well as Flat Iron has, you can get away with the £10 steak being the only entrée on your menu.
The Flat Iron steak is served up pre-​sliced on a butchery board, hot from the grill and glistening in the lamplight. I recommend nothing past medium for a perfect flavor, lovely pink color, and tenderness. Your tenner also gets you a side salad with a mustard vinaigrette dressing. Sprinkle on some sea salt and try it with classic béarnaise, horseradish cream, or peppercorn sauces — or try Flat Iron’s tangy «Fred’s Sauce» which is almost like a creamier cocktail sauce with a bit of a kick, each costs £1. You’re armed with a mini butcher’s cleaver to attack your steak with, a quirky and fun way to make the mood even steak-​ier.
Sides include creamed spinach, bee-​dripping fries, broccoli and a special asparagus when in season. All the sides are priced between £2.50-£3.50, so I recommend sharing them around the table and just going for the whole spread! Add them to the steak, side salad and a sauce and you’re doing to be well-​fed for around £16. It bears repeating, that price is amazing in central London.
I go into more details about the extras like the burger special, cocktails, and desserts on
, but needless to say, this is an amazing deal for a delicious steak — so much so that you might even want two.

£10 for a Flat Iron steak. To me that already shows fantastic value. But going to the newer Denmark St Flat Iron I realised that not only is their sides (creamed spinach, aubergine) an exceptional accompaniment to this beauty of a steak but they have regular daily steak specials. Often because meat is fresh in and being butchered. So I long to see their specials board.
This like Burger and Lobster is a simple menu with an uncomplicated idea that has a delicious meal to match. Some good Fred Sauce too. You won’t go wrong in value for money here. They know their meat. Just hope they don’t open TOO many branches!

LOVE, LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE! We went to the Denmark St location because it’s apparently not as packed as their Beak St location, and I love it (do I need to say ‘love’ one more time?)
Beautiful décor, lovely staff, and the food was phenomenal. For the prices, you get the juiciest piece of steak and amazing sides to go with it. We got the spinach and aubergine… both are must-​haves.
The dessert was not as good so I suggest you go only for the savoury choices.

A steak, as good as it gets for this price, with crunchy fries and lovely service.
The new Flat Iron restaurant in Denmark Street is the second branch I have visited and just as beautiful as their first restaurant in Beak Street. If you have ever been to the Beak Street branch, you will immediately recognise that this is a Flat Iron restaurant, although they do not yet have a sign outside — they just opened about a week ago.
When I visited, the special of the day was An onglet steak, and as I never had an onglet at Flat Iron before, I decide to give it a try. It came as beautifully presented as their signature flat iron steak with the same delicious salad. Which is a remarkable thing to say for me, but I do actually like their salad, probably mainly because of the dressing.
I ordered my steak with chips and once again I was very happy with that choice. The thin-​cut chips are golden and crispy and all around delicious.
As far as I remember, I had the Macabeo white wine before and I still quite like it. The fresh and dry white kind of works even with a steak.
For dessert, I took advantage of the seasonal offer: strawberries.
Overall, another excellent meal at Flat Iron. Not only is the food tasty and good-​value, but the staff are also really nice and friendly. No question, I will be back soon to check out the other dessert…