Menier Chocolate Factory

I can’t really comment on the restaurant side of Menier Chocolate Factory as I didn’t dine there although after the experience of their theatre I’m not sure that I would want to.
I visited for a preview show of Dinner with Saddam and the tickets were £30 so not the most expensive. My main problem throughout the first half of the production was the seating. It is in a sort of bench layout with padding but for some reason I found it to be incredibly uncomfortable. So much so that as soon as the interval came I spent the whole of it standing up as that was preferable!
Unfortunately worse was to come during the second half. I notice after the play resumed that the theatre was starting to get a lot warmer until the point that I was sweating and a few people around me were the same. I had noticed the air con during the first half was working so went outside to ask for it to be switched on only to be told that it wasn’t working. After trying to explain about how hot it was in there and I was abruptly told that there was nothing she could do. Not the greatest customer service I’ve ever experienced. If there actually was a fault with the system it seems very unfortunate to have happened during the interval and I hope they get it sorted soon. Unfortunately I doubt I’ll be back to find out

The Menier Chocolate Factory, is not actually a factory. It was originally a factory and warehouse for the Minier Chocolate Company of France, when they started to expand overseas in the mid 1800’s. It was listed a grade II building in the 1990’s after being left derelict in the 1908’s. The Menier Chocolate Factory was opened in 2004 in its current incarnation as a small theatre (180 seats), art gallery, theatre bar and restaurant/​café, plus a rehersal space.
I first visited the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2007 to see a show called Take Fight. It was not the best of shows, but I was impressed with the creative use of the space to stage the show. My next visit was at the beginning of 2008 to see La Cage aux Folles starring Philip Quast as Georges and Douglas Hodge, which I thought was outstanding and far better than a previous production I had seen at the London Palladium in the 1980’s.
I’ve since been back to see many other productions, many of which have transfered to the West End and Broadway. My latest visit was last weekend to see Stephen Sondiem’s Assassins. The staging and use of the space blew me away. The cast were so good, and included Catherine Tate, Aaron Tveit and Andy Nyman. It was staged catwalk style with the audience seated either side of the stage. Each production has a different seating configuration to suit the production.
I was fortunate enough to book earlier enough to have their meal deal, which includes a ticket for the show, and a two course meal at their restaurant/​café, all for £40.50, such a good dea (review for this will be under Menier Café).
The theatre retains a casual feel, even though the level of preformers and performances are as good as you would expect at a top show in the West End/​Broadway. They now have numbered seating, which they did not have when I first came here. Also, if you are looking for comfort, you will not find it here, as the seating is padded bernches.
I really love this place so much and have very rarely been disappointed (I’ve seen a few turkeys). But for the price, you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else in London to see productions and top preformers, so close up.

Absolutely disgusted about last night, we had got badly delayed in traffic, so I got out of the car leaving my wife to park the car, I explained to the girl on the door and she said that there would be no problem as our seats were right at the back of the theatre; however, when my wife got there the box office manager would not let her in and was extremely abrupt and unhelpful. Shame as the show was good but we will never go back.

First off, I’m not sure why Menier is listed under «Chocolatiers & Shops». To call Menier a Chocolatier is like calling calling a jellyfish a fish. It’s not a fish, and though it has the word ‘jelly’ in it, and it has gelatinous structure, that’s not really all it’s about.
I’ve visited Menier Chocolate Factory a couple of times before; once for a games night, and once for a play. Both times, we also ate at the restaurant.
The atmosphere of the restaurant has a warm, open feel — high ceilings, and multi level seating to break up the spaces. The tables are well spaced apart, so you don’t feel cramped in, and the staff are very polite and eager to please.
On the games night, we opted to eat from the deal menus, which offered two courses for £14 (Either a starter and a main, or a main and a dessert). The meals were nice, though nothing to particularly shout home about. The restaurant-​wide ‘Guess Who?’ contest was a neat little touch, and overall it was a pretty decent night.
The experience was fun, but the food and drinks menu could’ve had a bit more imagination and creative flair about it, which after all, is the main thing I’m looking for in a restaurant.

Average price 20 pound, with a very nice ambience and a good table service. It looks like a theatre, and I guess it’s because is part of the adjacent building. I tried the meat and I was really satisfied by the portion and the taste. The also have some good red wines and coffee.

If you enjoy theatre and food, then treat yourself to an evening (or matinée) at the Menier. The theatre is small, intimate and great for seeing some excellent shows at a reasonable price, before (a lot of them) then make the big time up West. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere and the food is nice enough — good comfort type food. If you’re going to the theatre, you can get a meal ticket deal which is often very good value. Every time I’ve been to the Menier, I’ve really enjoyed it. Unpretentious, down to earth and welcoming. And hey, it used to be a chocolate factory, so it’s got great history!

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This review is only for the restaurant, I’ve not visited the theatre at Menier.
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Was fairly disappointed with the food at Menier, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It’s below-​average pub food served in a restaurant setting, there was nothing that stood out and the burger was quite poor.
Also, the place has mice, which I pointed out to the waitress, she seemed surprised but was ultimately ineffectual. I’m not bothered about mice particularly, it’s an old building with lots of nooks and crannies, I just hope they’re not in the kitchen.
I would return to check out the theatre though and the building itself looks quite interesting.

The Menier Chocolate Factory is an off-​West End theatre that has been created very much in tandem with the building around it. The restaurant and bar space feel very much part of the fabric of the organisation. It’s telling that on the night we were there, Timothy and Sam West, the father and son starring in the evening’s performance of A Number, were settling down to eat along with members of their audience.
The space is well put together industrial lost and found. Jam jars with tea lights, mismatched furniture, rough hewn wood, exposed pipework and brick. It feels curated, but not affected. The set menu pleasingly changes dependant on the show, regionally relevant to the setting — mood food if you will. Great if you get Aspects of Love, La Cage Aux Folles, or the Italianate thriller the White Devil, but less intriguing if the play is set in modern day London.
Good value at £14, but with only two choices per course. I went for a (slightly too subtle) cauliflower and stilton soup. My guest went for the other starter option, a smoked salmon and chive mousse. Both pleasant enough, but nothing that would set the world alight. The vegetarian main was a treat though. A dense cannonball cake of cloying pumpkin specked risotto was served with a sweet pumpkin purée and courgette spaghetti (well spears in our case, but others looked more accomplished). We finished with an ebullient seasonal fruit crumble, a university rugby player sized portion for a slimfit £3 supplement. It wasn’t the most professional meal I’ve eaten, but there was an enthusiasm and willingness to please that made you forgive mistakes in service, presentation and flavour. Like a meal at a good friend’s house, I wanted to like it more than I actually did. The Menier could take advantage of their captive audience and charge much more than they do. The fact they don’t, and provide good solid food prior to an evening of excellent theatre, means I’d be happy coming back again and again.

I don’t know that I would ever been returning here unless Dame Judy Dench herself was performing here. I live in Washington, DC and through my research I found out that there was a production «Aspects of Love» happening, which I’d always heard about but never seen. Coincidentally having a trip to London planned I went online and purchase tickets. I consider myself a bright guy but getting to this place was a logistical nightmare for someone not familiar with London, particularly that side of the river. I got to tower bridge metro stop, which they recommended on their website and asked for Menier Chocolate Factory… no one ever heard of it but recommended I take the metro up to the next stop which was Southwark. Made sense since MCF was on Southwark street. When I got to that station I asked one employee and he told me that I needed to use the exit at the other end of the station. Upon getting there, again, never heard of MCF and recommended I look try Southwark Bridge Road, which was several blocks down. By this time I’m sweating running around looking for this place that no one in the neighborhood has everheard of… stopped a bicyclist on Southwark Bridge Road and even stopped at a gas station (which ended up a block away) who had never heard of the street or the place. Finally getting to the place five minutes late, with a piece of paper attached to the door that conveyed the message «the show has started and you’re sh*t out of luck until intermission.» Furious, I stood there for about twenty minutes while several people walked by me, no one ever offering any assistance. Finally I asked an employee to get a manager and a woman came and stood in front of me. Never «hello, my name is and my role is»…nothing. Stood there looking at me. I began to convey to her my issues of getting to the theatre and her offering back to me was «I’m not sure what you want me to do.» She offered nothing to say, nothing of anything like «well I’m sorry that you had that problem» but just stared back at me. This whole thing about not letting people in the door until intermission is a load of crap. I was conveying the experience to a friend of mine who is a priest and he said that EVERY WEEK he has to memorize something different and speak in soliloquy to an audience full of people comiing in the door and well as getting up to leave. These theatre people rehearse the same lines for weeks on end prior to a show as well as the weeks of a performance and to present me with it will disturb them, after paying 70 pounds for tickets is not acceptable.

Menier is within walking distance from where I live so I would consider it my local theatre. Some really good shows have been launched here such as the wonderful Sunday in the Park with George, which I would highly recommend if it ever roles back in town.
I had heard that the chocolate brownies on the menu where outstanding but when I went with my sister, we were told we could only have dessert if we were ordering a full meal. That just doesn’t seem right — I am positive it was a miscommunication. Nevertheless I can’t comment about the food.
The interior is all brickwork and cosy. As an independent theatre I prefer being in this space than the commercialism of the West End.

The Menier Chocolate Factory is certainly an interesting little place to visit and is a restaurant, bar and theatre combined in one. I was actually a little sad to discover that it still wasn’t also a chocolate factory! It mainly encourages the SE1 media types during the week and can often be found filled with ‘dahlings’ and ‘sweeties’.
The range of productions they show are of a superb quality and it is nice to not have to make the trek into the West End to see a good piece of theatre. And the restaurant? Well it is slightly expensive for the portions you get but the menu is varied and the surroundings are beautiful — soft lighting, lanterns and lovely brown wood tables and chairs.
The staff are great and Darren is the guy I always ask for. He is super helpful and can’t do enough to accommodate you and make sure everything is as desired. A very nice place for a dinner and theatre combo.