Swinger's West End - Patty+Bun

Set in a back street of Oxford Street, one of London’s busiest areas, Swinger’s West End isn’t much to look at, but the interior is a sharp juxtaposition to the modern Oxford Circus. Based off the 1920’s British seaside, think: Helter Skelters, a bandstand (bar) and a promenade; nevertheless, it is cute but cramped; four bars, two courses and several mini restaurants does not leave much space to breathe…

The mini restaurants, set along the promenade, shared a seating area which were more several park benches and tables than could fit – not reminiscent of the seaside – and were cramped. The food itself, however, covered a range of cuisines including: Patty & Bun: a burger bar, Made of Dough: pizzeria, Breddo’s Tacos: Mexican; and finally, Hackney Gelato; Italian gelato. Between them, there are also a range of sides available ranging from brisket nuggets to ~adult~ milkshakes, as well as vegan options - Swingers is an 18+ venue and therefore child-suitable portions are not offered.

Electing for a ‘Smokey Robinson’ burger each, from Patty + Bun, advertised as containing “an aged beef patty, streaky bacon, Montgomery cheddar, lettuce, ketchup, special sauce, brioche,” it was by no means a disappointment… The bun was slightly glazed and crisp, the patty succulent and tender, and the special sauce was an appetising addition – although I couldn’t tell you what it was! The burger was served wrapped in patterned paper, which helped keep the burger juicy and the cheese gooey – although this did make it slightly stickier and more difficult to eat. The only downfall to the Smokey Robinson would perhaps be where the lettuce was greatly overpowered by all the flavours and textures, and when smothered in sauce and tightly packaged this made the leaves fall limp and subsequently a less appealing component.

'Smokey Robinson' from Patty+Bun, Swingers West End

Our service from Patty + Bun was prompt, and after placing your order you are able to take a seat whilst waiting for your order number to be confirmed as ready on the screen outside the restaurant shack. Following this, you are then expected to collect your meal; with the limited seating this can pose an issue if it is very busy. Swingers operates four bars around the premises and each of these are appropriately decorated; unfortunately the tenders working these are less pleasant and we experienced a wait before being able to request our drinks, which were served not as we ordered; whether this be the barman’s ignorance or the loud, overbearing music thundering around the grounds – this is something to bear in mind.

Food and service aside, we found Swingers to be very overcrowded – long waiting times between each hole – and cramped; ideally, each location (one in West End and one in the City) could have had one, larger mini-golf course on each with more holes and therefore more spacious and pleasant to play. Undoubtedly, our Smokey Robinson burgers from Patty + Bun were the best part of the evening, and it may be worth paying them a visit direct (check out their website) and skip the overrated Swingers…

Location: 5/5 Menu: 4/5 Food+Drink: 5/5 Service: 2/5

Total:16/20

https://swingersldn.com/home/west-end/ 15 John Prince's St, Marylebone, London W1G 0AB