EYNA Basildon — Restaurant in Basildon

It was our 25th anniversary, and my wife and I wanted to celebrate with a special dinner. I had known about this place for a while. I remember when the building used to be a car showroom before it was taken over by a company that transformed it into a Turkish restaurant. I had always planned to visit, but I needed a good reason to do so. Honestly, I can't afford to dine at places like this very often, as it costs well beyond what I'm usually comfortable spending. But, since it was our 25th anniversary, it felt like the perfect occasion for a special night out.

We ended up at this restaurant for an evening meal. We ordered from the menu and chose a selection of kebabs, which were served in a nicely presented manner. The meat was flavourful, but unfortunately, it was undercooked—almost raw, especially the lamb chops, which were far too rare for my taste. Even the chicken was not cooked very well, which is concerning as chicken needs real care since undercooked meat could easily spread bacteria. I still ate them, but I wasn't happy about it. It made me realize that I should have specified that I wanted the meat well done. However, as someone of Turkish origin who is familiar with traditional Turkish kebabs, I believe that the meat should be thoroughly cooked unless otherwise requested.

Overall, my experience at this restaurant was positive, though I found some aspects to be a bit exaggerated. The interior design, especially the sinks, mirrors, and lighting in the restrooms, seemed over the top and unnecessary in my opinion. I wanted to order a Fanta orange, but to my surprise, they didn't have it on their drinks menu. It might be because they prefer to promote fresh orange juice instead of fizzy drinks, which is understandable but still disappointing for those who want a classic soda option.

On a positive note, the napkins they provided were of excellent quality—honestly, one of the most impressive details of the dining experience. As a final note, I doubt I'll be able to visit this place again anytime soon, if ever, simply because it's too expensive for someone like me. I think they should offer more affordable meal deals, especially for families. Also, if they want to be a true Turkish restaurant, they really should include Ayran on their drinks menu, which they currently do not have.

To sum it up, while the experience had its highlights, the food quality could have been better, and the overall cost was a significant drawback for me. A little more attention to authenticity and accessibility would make this place more appealing to a...

Positives: Went there tonight at 8pm for the first time as a group of 11 for my Birthday. It was packed, but nice decor and there was one singer which was one of the reasons why I . Chose to go there. Anyway, service was good and food wasn’t too bad, apart from some of my friends said the food was quite salty. I guess that’s to make you buy more drinks!

Negatives: The singer not long after us sitting at out table finished and then comes on a DJ and BOOM the night becomes a car crash. You could only just about talk to the person sitting next to you. You couldn’t talk to anyone else at the table without shouting at the top of your voice. While your trying to eat. We all pretty much gave up trying to talk to each other. I made the waitress aware and she spoke to some gentleman who was on his phone trying to control the volume and bring it down but the DJ just put it up again. I became so frustrated for both me and my friends, who by the way ended up just looking at their phones because they were sick of shouting and getting a headache. So, I spoke to the manager Who bye no word of a lie had to get so close to my face for me to hear him that I could actually feel him spitting 🥴. (I hope to god I don’t catch anything from him) tried to justify the situation and said no one else has complained. Which actually looking at the other reviews I did see another complaint about the volume of the music. I also pointed out that he should observe people at the tables, as from what I could see, most looked pretty uncomfortable too.

In the end my friends just had enough and said their goodbyes. My birthday was basically not what I intended.

Yes, they seem popular and yes, there will be people going there for the DJ and his loud base music. But, this restaurant needs to think about all the paying Friday and Saturday night customers that just want a social out with their friends. Talking and listening in a normal manner. Wanting to feel relaxed and comfortable. It is a restaurant after all.

The morale: if you want a nice relaxing non shouting ending up with a headache kind of Friday/Saturday night out with your family and or friends I wouldn’t book this...

Disappointing Customer Service, Felt Rushed** Mar 2025 • Family dined at Eyna for a special birthday celebration and was quite disappointed with the overall experience. While the food was decent, the customer service left much to be desired. It felt as though the staff were more focused on turning tables quickly rather than providing a welcoming and enjoyable dining experience. From the moment we were seated, we were informed of a strict 2-hour dining rule, which already set a rushed tone for the meal. Our orders were taken hastily, and the staff seemed impatient whenever we took a moment to decide. This lack of attentiveness made it difficult to enjoy our time at the restaurant. The situation worsened when we were asked to leave before we even had the chance to finish our meal. Despite spending a significant amount of money on the meal, we were ushered out like battery chickens, making the atmosphere quite uncomfortable and uninviting. It was especially disheartening as it ruined what was supposed to be a joyous birthday celebration. For a table of 20, a 2-hour time slot is simply not sufficient to enjoy a leisurely meal and celebrate properly. Additionally, be very aware that the restaurant demands a £20 deposit per head; otherwise, they will refuse your booking. This policy adds to the overall feeling of being unwelcome and undervalued as customers. I believe customer service is a crucial aspect of any dining experience, and unfortunately, Eyna did not meet the mark in this regard. I hope they can improve their service to ensure future patrons feel valued...