Kingsway Valletta — Restaurant in Valletta

I rarely write reviews, but after my recent experience at this restaurant, I feel compelled to warn others. What was supposed to be a pleasant evening out turned into an absolute nightmare.

First Impression - The Wait: We arrived at the restaurant full of anticipation, only to be greeted by an unreasonably long wait time. Despite having a reservation, we were left standing at the entrance for nearly 45 minutes without any explanation or apology. The staff seemed utterly disorganized, and several parties who arrived after us were seated before us. When we finally got a table, our frustration was already through the roof.

The Food - Dry and Tasteless: When our food finally arrived, it was nothing short of a disaster. The main dishes were so dry they were almost inedible. The chicken was overcooked to the point of being leathery, and the beef dish was equally disappointing, lacking any moisture or flavor. It was as if the chef had completely forgotten the concept of seasoning or cooking food to the right temperature. The Bread was terrible dry and without sauce or anything.

Terrible Side Dishes: The sides were no better. The Chips were bland and dry, resembling mush more than anything else. The so-called "chips " potatoes were soggy and tasteless, clearly sitting under a heat lamp for far too long.. We ended up leaving most of the food on our plates, which is something I’ve never done before.

Hygiene - A Bird Pooped on Our Table: As if the bad food and long wait weren't enough, the restaurant's hygiene was appalling. Midway through our meal, a bird (yes, a bird!) swooped down and pooped right on our table. Disgusting doesn't even begin to describe it. When we informed the staff, they seemed unconcerned and just handed us a napkin to clean it up ourselves! No apology, no offer to move us to another table, nothing. This was absolutely unacceptable and beyond gross.

Service - Rude and Unfriendly: The service was the final nail in the coffin. Our server was rude, dismissive, and clearly uninterested in doing their job. They acted like every request was a huge inconvenience and made no effort to make us feel welcome. When we mentioned the issues with the food, they simply shrugged and walked away. We were shocked at the lack of professionalism.

Conclusion - A Horrendous Experience: This restaurant was a complete disaster from start to finish. Between the ridiculous wait time, the atrocious food, the unhygienic conditions with birds flying around, and the downright rude service, I can't think of a single redeeming quality. Do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs. It was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had. Save your time, money, and sanity, and find somewhere...

We used to visit here very frequently. It is perfectly positioned and has seating inside and outside. Some really interesting and unusual choices on the menu which for city centre is rather well priced. The music choice is also nice and fitting for the venue. Well spaced out seating which is shaded outside and is perfect for a cool drink on hot days.

Unfortunately, on this visit we felt rather awkward upon sitting down for drinks. We asked for a menu and were told rather bluntly by the waitress to scan the code. My elderly mother does not have such a facility on her mobile and neither do I and did not want to go through the process of downloading an app when I was baking hot and just wanted something cool to drink. We asked for a list of drinks orally and she said go onto the website and look. Eventually I did this but the website has a food menu not drinks. In the end we ordered simple drinks without knowing what they had on offer or the price of the drinks.

Whilst loving the place I am not sure we will return as there as many restaurants and bars right next door with fans and menus available. Such a shame especially in the current climate when businesses are trying to recover from Covid closures and with service like the waitress on the day gave people may think twice about returning.

UPDATE: The gentleman behind the bar was really friendly and kind. Shame the lady was...

So much potential, but my experience was a little underwhelming.

I ordered ‘The Queen’, which had lots of nice toppings but unfortunately the poached egg was undercooked (cardinal sin of working with poached eggs), and the bread wasn’t fresh. It was crispy and lifeless, to the point of being stale.

The coffee also left a lot to be desired. My flat white was served in a large glass, which was odd. A flat white should be smaller than a cappuccino, approx 150-180ml beverage total. So it’d be nice if they just used their cups instead of the glass.

They also need to reconsider the coffee beans they use. It’s obviously using a very dark Italian roast which again is fine for the local clientele, but if the cafe is really going for an Aussie brunch style menu, they should consider using a light or medium roast espresso bean. Hot tip - pop down to your neighbours at Lot 61 and start serving great Maltese roasted specialty coffee.

But the servers were friendly, and it’s in a nice location. The food was presented well, but unfortunately there were a few small slip ups that prevented this from being a four star or five...