Little Monsters Breakfast at Hard Rock Cafe London: Our review

There are two kinds of Halloween family events. The first involves queuing in the cold, a slightly sad pumpkin, and a plastic cup of squash. The second involves unlimited pancakes, a face-painting station, and a witch so good that twenty children sat utterly spellbound while their parents quietly admired a guitar once owned by a rock legend.

I’m pleased to report that Hard Rock Cafe London’s Little Monsters Breakfast was very much the second kind.

Our party of five: two ‘hot’ daddies, two very excited girls, and me headed to Old Park Lane on Sunday 25 October for the 10am–12pm Halloween special. And from the moment we walked in, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a half-hearted affair.

The Witch steals the show

The entertainment deserves top billing. A witch, and I mean a proper one, in full costume, with the voice and the timing to match, took charge of a room of roughly twenty children who had already been let loose on breakfast. That is not an easy gig. Twenty kids, mid-half-term, running on pancakes and excitement, is a tough crowd by anyone’s standards.

She was superb. Genuinely superb. She had them captivated with games, stories, jokes, the lot and the children were so intrigued by her that you could practically hear the parents exhale. There were Halloween games and activities including a limbo dance, a face-painting station doing a brisk trade in ghosts, pumpkins and various wonderfully weird creations, and spooky cookie decorating, which the girls took extremely seriously.

Fancy dress was encouraged but optional, and plenty of families had gone for it. The atmosphere was properly festive without ever tipping into chaotic.

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The food and the rock memorabilia

Meanwhile, the grown-ups were very well looked after. The unlimited All-American buffet breakfast (with an English breakfast spin, which I loved) did exactly what it said on the tin and Hard Rock Cafe has never disappointed me on the food front. It’s a London institution for a reason, the original no less, standing on Old Park Lane since 1971.

And then there’s the room itself. While the children were under the witch’s spell, the parents had the run of the place surrounded by the most extraordinary collection of rock memorabilia. Guitars that belonged to bona fide stars including my all time favourite Billy Idol, costumes, handwritten lyrics, all beautifully displayed. It’s the kind of thing you’d normally pay museum prices to see, and here you’re looking at it between bites of breakfast while someone else entertains your children. That is a very good deal.

The practical bit

A few things worth knowing before you book for next year:

• Who it’s for: Families with children, and children must be accompanied by an adult
• Accessibility: Unfortunately, the event is not accessible for wheelchair users – worth flagging if that affects your family.

The verdict

A brilliant way to kick off half term. The witch was the star of the show, the children were utterly absorbed, the food was plentiful and good, and the setting gave the grown-ups something to enjoy too. Any event that combines unlimited breakfast with someone else doing the face painting, while you’re surrounded by rock history, is a win in our book.

Our two girls came home with painted faces, decorated doughnuts and a spring in their step. The daddies came home full. And I came home having finally seen a children’s entertainer hold a room of twenty sugar-fuelled kids in the palm of her hand.

We’ll be back next year. Assuming the witch is. But before that, rumour has it there will be a similar event with pre-Christmas entertainment. 

For more family-friendly events in London, visit londonmumsmagazine.com. Got an event coming up? Email me at monica@londonmums.org.uk.