Babinondas — Restaurant in London

I went originally to Babinondas around a month go with my partner, on a Friday night. We ordered the mini meze. The food quality and quantity for the price of £21.00 per head was excellent.

We returned last week, with 2 friends. Big mistake.

I had made a reservation 2 weeks in advance and specificallly asked to sit, in the restaurant towards the back and not at the makeshift front part by the entrance door.

When we arrived the restaurant was 100% full, there were 3 other groups who also had reservations waiting to be sat down.

Eventually 20 minutes later than our reservation we were offered the only available table at the front corner of the restaurant. There was a constant draft as the makeshift canopy was flapping in the wind. In error, we did not get up and leave, as it was a Saturday night and we felt we may have difficulty in finding another restaurant with availability.

We ordered 2 x Meat Meze and 2 x Fish Meze at £30.00 per head. The waitier suggested he bring us 4 x mixed fish and meat meze to which in error we agreed to.

Basially we were ripped off.

On my first visit, I paid £42.00 for 2 x mini meze. On the second occasion I paid £120.00 for x 4 full meze. The only difference or additions in quantity of food from the first visit to the second visit were -

For the full meze we were brought (in addition to our first visit) 1 x portion of Lountza and Halloumi each and a plate of fish. Otherwise the quantity of dips, meat, chips, salad and other bits were identical to the mini meze for 2 people to the full meze for 4 people.

So it appears you do not get extra food for each extra person, you have the privelage of being charged more, for the amount of people sitting at the table.

As I said, this place is a rip off.

In response to the owners reply. My point is, I was not given double the quantity of food on my second visit. On the first visit we were 2 people and on the second 4 people. The food quantity was not double, just a plate of fish for 2 people. As I...

VILE!!!! This literally has to be the worst restaurant that I have EVER dined at in my whole entire life ! How is this place still going? Why do people eat here??! Im not joking when I say this, I’ve had better food out of the food van in Hainault industrial park. I just don’t know where to start! We ordered the Meze.. £27.50 for bottom of the barrel food. The Greek salad had no olives or feta? Seriously! Just a bunch of wilted leaves and old tomatoes! I mean this is sacrilege ! It’s like serving hummus without the chickpeas!! The potato salad in the Meze was pathetic. The saddest , softest , most tasteless potatoes I have ever eaten. It gets worse, the Calmari , no - wait, I can’t even call it calamari … the rubbery squid deep fried in Oil they borrowed from Dixie Chicken down the road! Rubbery , oily , tasteless! Just thinking of the Calamari in my mouth gives me anxiety. The meat platter was embarrassing! Food i actually wouldn’t even give to my dog! I don’t even have a dog but this is how I feel. Im really sorry I know this is brutal but the disappointment is real. The whole dining experience has given me post traumatic stress! Im Greek , I love food, I respect Greek cuisine and I feel ashamed that this is what people dining here think Greek food is! It isn’t ! I assure you!!! A while ago I dined at Deserie in Cockfosters and honestly I thought it couldn’t get worse than that BUT MY GOD IT DID! It’s really did! As i write this review , two people who are with me and had the Meze are suffering with severe diarrhoea. For £7.50 more you can go down the road to Nissi Mezadaki and experience their incredible Greek Meze. A real taste of Greece. Authentic Greek food , a proper Greek salad! Meat that melts in your mouth. Calamari that makes you feel like you are on a Greek Island! I speak the truth , it hurts , I know but not as much as my stomach after that awful food at Babynondas…. Babynondas, more...

In probably my worst experience in a Greek restaurant, I went to Babinondas one Saturday, booking a table. On arrival, the table was ready but one of the places was stuck next to a column (i.e. not the best way to enjoy a dinner) and not all the people at the table had napkins (2 out of 5 in fact). We ordered drinks (I had very diluted washed down coke) and then opted for the meze (apart from one of the people at the table who got just a main course). The main course dish was forgotten and brought quite late. The meze were mediocre: the dips were satisfactory and the pita was nice and warm, but the mussels tasted old. Next, we got calamari, prawns and a fish: the calamari were pretty insipid and even the rest was not very tasty. Then the final straw happened with the meats: first of all it was more like a kleftico than a souvla, then the chicken was not fully cooked. We sent it back and got promised a fresh batch: we didn't get it, instead we got the same warmed up more. The waiting staff was not particularly helpful, apart from the manager, who is the only reason for a second star, and who listened to us and deducted something from the final bill. It's a shame, but I don't think I would go back or...