Staff is friendly, efficient and attentive and they all seem to understand that good food alone does not make a great restaurant experience. Weight it all in along with the really nice ambience and the short walk to Waterloo station and you find yourself with a gem of a restaurant. No wonder it is so popular.

Situated so close to the Old Vic, a lot of their business comes from pre and post theatre dinners so they cleverly run offers now and then for ticket holders to get a freebee or discount. You certainly don’t need to use Old Vic as an excuse to go here though, they manage so well to impress on their own. Excellent for business lunches if you want to treat a client to a nice meal around Waterloo.

Lunch and dinner aside, they also on weekends serve brunch all day and traditional roast on Sundays, so whether you just want to get away from the office for a while or want a nice start to your Saturday, this place comes with the warmest recommendations.

Oh, and do try the char grilled squid with chorizo salad. Pure genius.

Above all, the visual appearance of Skylon is amazing. Taking the name from the futuristic looking tower that represented the 1951 Festival of Britain, great care has gone into the design of not only the room and decor, but also the waiter uniforms and furniture. When I say “futuristic”, I of course mean from a 1950′s perspective. The result is a lovely retro feel that makes me think of the Jetsons family.

Central to the restaurant is the stunning cocktail bar. The view and the bar alone makes this place worth a visit. Grab a salad at EAT, sit down somewhere on the bank and enjoy your lunch, then go to Skylon for a cocktail lunch dessert…

Once you make the decision to step inside, passing through the small front room with the takeaway hole in the wall, the impression isn’t changing much. Minty green walls and plastic tables? Well, it has character (photo of visiting celebrities on the wall, check) and it looks neat, clean and tidy… Did we come to the right place? Yes, you did. Which you will be totally convinced of as your food is served and you take the first bite. Undoubtedly they dish out some of the best fish and chips you can find in London.

Servings are big, batter is golden and crispy, fish is flaky fresh (delivered from Billingsgate every day) and chips are crunchy on the outside with a velvety, soft goodness inside. Served with pickled gherkin and onion, this is indeed a feast for kings. Oh, and they always start you off with a small plate with three prawns on it, delicious peeled on a buttered piece of bread.

They serve other food as well, like pies, burgers, salads and soups, but it is all about the fish. Order the Superbite or the Masters Special. And do try the calamari, they are divine.

This is a very good looking and stylish venue, serving excellent cocktails, so also lends itself well for a slightly different after work evening out. They also have a large outdoor patio area right under the arch next to Festival Terrace with lots of smaller tables.

Their dim sum may not be as good as Royal China’s, but service is quick, prices are ok and it is easy to have a good time here. And hey, they have flowering tea!

I really like this venue. Even when full of people (and you most likely will have to share a table with someone else if you come in the evening) the buzz never gets overbearing, despite the clean, almost spartan design and decor. This is the place to go for dishes like sausage and mash, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips or macaroni cheese bake.

They also serve breakfast (although they don’t open until 08:00), and having the most important meal in this lovely venue is not a bad start to the day.

Their beer selection is excellent, and for when summer comes around they have a big outdoor area in front of the restaurant where said beers can be enjoyed while watching all the people going by on their way to South Bank, the National Theatre or any of the other many attractions nearby.