Ramsay's top restaurants are panned by Tatler

Gordon Ramsay's two flagship London dining rooms have received scathing criticism in a new guide.

Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's is censured in Tatler's 2008 restaurant guide for having "duff" service.

Although the venue is commended both for its setting and food, the guide concludes that diners have to contend with poor waiters and staff. It complains: "The real duff note here has to be the service, which can be inelegant.

"We encountered a snappy Slav racing through the specials as though she were rushing to catch a train and other inexperienced staff who managed to embarrass both host and guests."

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea is damned with faint praise.

The guide says that it "continues to please but not to wow", while "there's something 'by rote' about many of the familiar dishes". It concludes: "Nothing is exactly wrong, but the whole is no greater than the sum of the parts."

To make things worse for the TV chef, not one of his seven UK restaurants makes it into Tatler's "hot list" for the year, which includes Le Caprice, Cipriani and The Wolseley.

Ramsay has suffered a string of negative ratings from critics in recent months, including Zagat and Harden's guides, which are among the most respected in the industry.

Peter Harden, co-editor of Harden's, which stripped Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Royal Hospital Road of two of its three top awards this year, said Ramsay was spending too much time on TV and not enough in his kitchens. "It tends to be that people don't dip down and come back up again. Maybe he has enough talent to do that but he may have run out of steam," said Harden.

Ramsay was also snubbed in the Time Out awards when his new Limehouse gastropub The Narrow was beaten by the Rosendale in West Dulwich.

But the Tatler guide does give better reviews to some of his other establishments, including Maze in Grosvenor Square, under chef Jason Atherton.

The highest praise is reserved for Scott's, the Mayfair seafood restaurant whose "magnificent revival" has established it at the "top of the A-list".

TATLER'S HOT LIST

Le Caprice, SW1 - "This old-timer has class in spades."
Chez Bruce, SW17 - "Voted the hottest joint in London - with very good reason."
Cipriani, W1 - "Hedge-funders, moguls and EU roués still queue three-deep at the bar for Bellinis."
Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire - "Fight to get a reservation."
The Ivy, WC2 - "Simply a very good restaurant of its class, ineffably discreet, with good food and wine at reasonable prices."
Nobu, W1 - "Still a scene. That scene has changed over the past 10 years but it is still palpable." Scott's, W1 - "Very classy and top of the A-list."
The Wolseley, W1 - "Busy from morning through to night."
Zuma, SW7 - "Zuma is sexy, leggy and proud of it."

OTHER WINNERS IN TATLER'S 2008 RESTAURANT GUIDE

Best hotel restaurants
Brumus, Haymarket Hotel, Suffolk Place, SW1
Butler's, Chesterfield Hotel, Charles Street, W1
Cheneston's at The Milestone, Kensington Court, W8
Cookbook Cafe, InterContinental Hotel, Hamilton Place, W1
Foliage, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knighstbridge, SW1
The Grill at Brown's, Brown's Hotel, Albemarle Street, W1
Grill Room at the Dorchester, Park Lane, W1
Lanes, Four Seasons Hotel, Hamilton Place, W1
Refuel, Soho Hotel, Richmond Mews, W1
The Ritz Restaurant, Piccadilly, W1

Best British restaurants
The Ambassador, Exmouth Market, EC1
Boisdale of Belgravia, Eccleston Street, SW1
Canteen, Belvedere Road, SE1
Dining Room at the Goring, Goring Hotel, Beeston Place, SW1
Green's, Duke Street, SW1
Hereford Road, 3 Hereford Road, W2
Le Cafe Anglais, Porchester Gardens, W2
Magdalen, Tooley Street, SE1
Rhodes W1, Great Cumberland Place, W1
Roast, Floral Hall, Borough Market, Stoney Street, SE1
Rules, Maiden Lane, WC2
St John, St John Street, EC1
Wiltons, Jermyn Street, SW1

Best alfresco and parks restaurants
Belvedere, Abbotsbury Road, W8
The Garden Cafe, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, NW1
Hush, Lancashire Court, Brook Street, W1
Inn the Park, St James's, SW1
La Famiglia, Langton Street, SW10
Manicomio, Duke of York Square, SW3
Orrery, Marylebone High Street, W1

Best for brunch
Automat, Dover Street, W1
Cecconi's, Burlington Gardens, W1
Fifteen, Westland Place, N1
Kensington Square Kitchen, Kensington Square, W8
Le Pont de la Tour, Butler's Wharf Building, Shad Thames, SE1
The Rivington Grill, Bar and Deli, Rivington Street, EC2
Sonny's, Church Road, SW13
Wahaca, Chandos Place, WC2

Best for fish
Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill, Swallow Street, W1
Fish Club, St John's Hill, SW11
Fish Hook, Elliott Road, W4
J Sheekey, St Martin's Court, WC2
One-O-One, Knightsbridge, SW1
Tom's Place, Cale Street, SW3
Zilli Fish, Brewer Street, W1

Little gems
Andrew Edmunds, Lexington Street, W1
Angelus, Bathurst Street, W2
Assaggi, Chepstow Place, W2
L'Autre Pied, Blandford Street, W1
Clarke's, Kensington Church Street, W8
Morgan M, Liverpool Road, N7
Napket, Kings Road, SW3
Oslo Court, Charlbert Street, NW8
Les Trois Garcons, Club Row, E1
Petersham Nurseries Cafe, Church Lane, off Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10

Best eco and organic
Acorn House, Swinton Street, WC1
Bumpkin, Westbourne Park Road, W11
Daylesford Organic Cafe, Pimlico Road, SW1
Konstam at the Prince Albert, Acton Street, WC1
Leon, Brompton Road, SW3
The Natural Kitchen, Marylebone High Street, W1
Whole Foods Market, Kensington High Street, W8

Best gastropubs
Anchor and Hope, The Cut, SE1
The Brown Dog, Cross Street, SW13
Crescent House, Tavistock Crescent, W11
The Fat Badger, Portobello Road, W10
Great Queen Street, 32 Great Queen Street, WC2
The Greyhound, Battersea High Street, SW11
The Narrow, Narrow Street, E14
The Only Running Footman, Charles Street, W1
The Rosendale, Rosendale Road, SE21
The Stonhouse, Stonhouse Street, SW4
The Temperance, York Street, W1
The Wells, Well Walk, NW3
William IV, Shepherdess Walk, N1

Best in City/Docklands
Axis, Aldwych, WC2
Bonds Restaurant & Bar, Threadneedle Street, EC2
Curve, London Marriott West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, E14
The Gun, Coldharbour, E14
Hawksmoor, Commercial Street, E1
One Lombard Street, Lombard Street, EC3
Pearl Restaurant & Bar, High Holborn, WC1
Plateau Restaurant, Bar & Grill, Canada Place, E14
Ubon by Nobu, Westferry Circus, E14

Best eat-in, take-out
Baker & Spice, Elizabeth Street, SW1
La Fromagerie, Moxon Street, W1
Ottolenghi, Ledbury Road, W11
Villandry, Great Portland Street, W1

Best brasseries
Almeida, Almeida Street, N1
Bellamy's, Bruton Place, W1
Bombay Brasserie, Courtfield Close, SW7
Boxwood Cafe, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, SW1
Chelsea Brasserie, Sloane Square Hotel, Sloane Square, SW1
Cheyne Walk Brasserie, Cheyne Walk, SW3
Chez Kristof, Hammersmith Grove, W6
Electric Brasserie, Portobello Road, W11
Harrison's, Bedford Hill, SW12
High Road Brasserie, Chiswick High Road, W4
Quaglino's, Bury Street, SW1
Sam's Brasserie & Bar, Barley Mow Passage, W4
Searcy's at St Pancras, St Pancras International, NW1

Best steak and chops
The Butcher & Grill, Parkgate Road, SW11
Gaucho Grill, Sloane Avenue, SW3
Paternoster Chop House, Warwick Court, Paternoster Square, EC4
Rib Room, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, SW1

Best in-store dining
1707, Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, W1
Brasserie at Peter Jones, second floor, Sloane Square, SW1
Cafe Liberty, Liberty, Regent Street, W1
Emporio Armani Caffe, Brompton Road, SW3
Fifth Floor, Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, SW1
Meals, Heal's, Tottenham Court Road, W1
Sotheby's Cafe, New Bond Street, W1

Best for children
Frankie's Italian Bar & Grill, Yeoman's Row, SW3
Giraffe, Blandford Street, W1
Smollensky's Bar and Grill, Strand, WC2

Best for burgers
Hamburger Union, Dean Street, W1
Lucky Seven, Westbourne Park Road, W2

Best for views
Bincho Yakitori, second floor, Oxo Tower, SE1
Coq D'Argent, No1 Poultry, EC2
Galvin at Windows, Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, W1
Oxo Tower, Bargehouse Street, SE1
Rhodes 24, Tower 42, Old Broad Street, EC2
Tamesa, second floor, Oxo Tower, SE1

Best dining at museums
Court Restaurant at the British Museum, WC1
National Cafe/National Dining Rooms, National Gallery, WC2
The Portrait Restaurant, National Portrait Gallery, WC2
Rex Whistler at Tate Britain, SW1
The Wallace, Wallace Collection, W1

Best late-night dining
Cocoon, Regent Street, W1
The Gallery at Sketch, Conduit Street, W1
Joe Allen, Exeter Street, WC2
Orso, Wellington Street, WC2
St Alban, Regent Street, SW1
Vingt-Quatre, Fulham Road, SW10

Best modern Euros
11 Abingdon Road, Abingdon Road, W8
Arbutus, Frith Street, W1
Atrium, Millbank, SW1
Bibendum, Fulham Road, SW3
Bluebird, King's Road, SW3
The Forge, Garrick Street, WC2
The Greenhouse, Hays Mews, W1
Kensington Place, Kensington Church Street, W8
La Noisette, Sloane Street, SW1
La Petite Maison, Brooks Mews, W1
La Trompette, Devonshire Road, W4
Launceston Place, 1a Launceston Place, W8
The Ledbury, Ledbury Road, W11
L'Oranger, St James's Street, SW1
Maze, Grosvenor Square, W1
Notting Hill Brasserie, Kensington Park Road, W11
Odette's, Regent's Park Road, NW1
Papillon, Draycott Avenue, SW3
Pied a Terre, Charlotte Street, W1
The Square, Bruton Street, W1
Trinity, The Polygon, SW4

Best French
Aubaine, Heddon Street, W1
Aubergine, Park Walk, SW10
The Capital, Capital Hotel, Basil Street, SW3
Club Gascon, West Smithfield, EC1
Galvin, Baker Street, W1
Hibiscus, Maddox Street, W1
La Poule au Pot, Ebury Street, SW1
Le Cercle, Wilbraham Place, SW1
Lecture Room & Library at Sketch, W1
Le Gavroche, Upper Brook Street, W1
Mirabelle, Curzon Street, W1
Petrus, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, SW1
Racine, Brompton Road, SW3
Roussillon, St Barnabas Street, SW1

Best Italian
Alloro, Dover Street, W1
Brunello, Baglioni Hotel, Hyde Park Gate, SW7
Carluccio's, Garrick Street, WC2
Carpaccio, Sydney Street, SW3
Daphne's, Draycott Avenue, SW3
Edera, Holland Park Avenue, W11
Enoteca Turi, Putney High Street, SW15
Franco's, Jermyn Street, SW1
Giardinetto, Albemarle Street, W1
L'Incontro, Pimlico Road, SW1
Luciano, St James's Street, SW1
Lucio, Fulham Road, SW3
Mulberry Street, Westbourne Grove, W2
Olivio, Eccleston Street, SW1
Olivio Mare, Lower Belgrave Street, SW1
Piada, Frith Street, W1
Quirinale, North Court, Great Peter Street, SW1
Raviolo, Balham Station Road, SW12
Refettorio, New Bridge Street, EC4
Riva, Church Road, SW13
River Cafe, Rainville Road, W6
Sardo Canale, Gloucester Avenue, NW1
Sartoria, Savile Row, W1
Semplice, Blenheim Street, W1
Trenta, Connaught Street, W2
Via Condotti, Conduit Street, W1
Zafferano, Lowndes Street, SW1

Best Spanish & Cuban
Barrafina, Frith Street, W1
Fino, Charlotte Street, W1
Floridita, Wardour Street, W1
La Bodeguita del Medio, Kensington Court, W8
Moro, Exmouth Market, EC1
Tapas Brindisa, Southwark Street, SE1
Tendido Cero, Old Brompton Road, SW5

Best south-east Asian
Awana, Sloane Avenue, SW3
Benja, Bleak Street, W1
Eight Over Eight, King's Road, SW3
E&O, Blenheim Crescent, W11
Gilgamesh, The Stables, Camden Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1
Haiku, New Burlington Place, W1
Mango Tree, Grosvenor Place, SW1
Nahm, Halkin Street, SW1
Nobu Berkeley, Berkeley Street, W1
Patara, Greek Street, W1
Roka, Charlotte Street, W1
Suka, Sanderson Hotel, Berners Street, W1
Suzie Wong, Old Compton Street, W1
XO, Belsize Lane, NW3

Best Chinese
Bar Shu, Frith Street, W1
China Tang, The Dorchester, Park Lane, W1
Hakkasan, Hanway Place, W1
Kai Mayfair, South Audley Street, W1
Mandarin Kitchen Seafood Restaurant, Queensway, W2
Pearl Liang, Sheldon Square, W2
Royal China, Baker Street, W1
Royal China Club, Baker Street, W1
Snazz Sichuan, Chalton Street, NW1
Yauatcha, Broadwick Street, W1

Best Japanese
Atami, Monck Street, SW1
Chisou, PrincesStreet, W1
Dinings, Harcourt Street, W1
Saki Bar & Food Emporium, West Smithfield, EC1
Shogun, Millennium Hotel, Adams Row, W1
So, Warwick Street, W1
Sumosan, Albemarle Street, W1
Umu, Bruton Place, W1
Viktor, Knightsbridge, SW1
Yakitoria, Sheldon Square, W2

Best Lebanese & Moroccan
Fairuz, Blandford Street, W1
Kenza, Devonshire Street, EC2
Momo, Heddon Street, W1
Noura Brasserie, Hobart Place, SW1

Best Indian
Amaya, Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, SW1
Benares, Berkeley House, Berkeley Square, W1
Chutney Mary, King's Road, SW10
Cinnamon Club, Great Smith Street, SW1
Indian Zing, King Street, W6
Masala Zone, Earls Court Road, SW5
Mint Leaf, Suffolk Place, Haymarket, SW1
Painted Heron, Cheyne Walk, SW10
Rasoi, Lincoln Street, SW3
Tamarind, Queen Street, W1
Vama, King's Road, SW10