Al Waha — Restaurant in London

I don’t usually leave reviews, but this experience was so disappointing that I feel compelled to speak up — especially for others who value respect, dignity, and fair treatment.

I visited this restaurant and was met with service that felt dismissive, cold, and borderline discriminatory. Despite the mediocre food and lack of warmth from the staff, we remained polite and grateful.

Went there for simple appetizers as we were not that hungry. Then after seeing everyone receiving veggie bowls apart from us i asked if these were complementary but was told “it comes with main dishes”! Never have I seem anything complementary tied to any specifics!

Tho i said its fine she still brought it up after and we were thankful and expressed it tho service felt not the best after such encounters.

At the end of the meal, I simply asked whether the service charge was mandatory — a reasonable question, given that service was far from welcoming. Instead of answering calmly, the server publicly embarrassed me, asking in front of others, “What’s wrong with our service?” and guilt-tripping me by saying, “That’s not nice considering we gave you a full bowl of veggies.” And repeated that over 3 times even tho I kept telling her I would pay it if that will compensate that bowl you’re manipulating me with!

This was a manipulative, unprofessional response to a very reasonable boundary. Kindness that comes with strings attached isn’t kindness — it’s emotional pressure.

No one should be made to feel ashamed for asking a question or standing up for themselves, especially not in an environment where customers are supposed to feel safe and respected.

I left feeling humiliated and deeply disappointed — not just for myself, but for anyone else who may be made to feel small for daring to speak up.

Fair to say thats the worst dining experience Ive had in London so far and I definitely recommend dining elsewhere where costumers...

I've lived many years in Lebanon and love Lebanese food. As my husband is Lebanese I definitely consider I have good taste! Unfortunately the food here is not 'all that'. It could and certainly should be much better, but sadly isn't. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great and Lebanese food is all about being fresh, crisp, colorful, flavorful. We felt there was an apathy towards the ingredients and overall service delivered; such a shame as it appears there are new owners (previous complaints about cover charges and high service charges have been addressed; no more cover charge and a lower (10%) service charge). The 2 staff (no 'Rakan', maybe he no longer works there?) that were there were mostly cheerful, albeit not that attentive. The wine selection is still, like so many, limited to Kefraya and Ksara which are mediocre at best considering Lebanon produces some truly wonderful wines across 70+ wineries these days. The hummus and labneh were tasty but served in the wrong type of dish - different isn't always better!

In summary, for what they charge, this should be...

A well-deserved 5-star. I've read good reviews about this place, and in particular, the Sea Bass. Here for the first time, and the Sea Bass did not disappoint! Had the spicy sauce on the side, so I could taste the fresh Sea Bass sans sauce. It was definitely fresh, tasty (natural freshness taste), juicy, and succulent, yet cripsy on the outside. Perfectly cooked. The spicy sauce on the side was a bit salty though, in my opinion. We were a party of 5 and got to try some of their Mezzas, which were all very well prepared and taste great too. The kitchen crew did a good job. The waiter/host for the night was Ali. He was kind, attentive, and not intrusive. But we later asked him to join us in a short conversation about Lebanese food and culture. Overall, a very pleasant experience, will recommend and go back again. Complimentary bread basket with our meal, and baklava at the end of the meal was a nice touch. Warm Lebanese hospitality and...