Banana Tree West Hampstead — Restaurant in London

I visited the restaurant on 18/07/2025 at around 10:30 PM, and while some of the food was enjoyable, the overall experience was incredibly disappointing and left me genuinely concerned about the service and management practices.

We ordered two starters — Bang Bang Broccoli and Crispy Vegan Gyozas — but were instead served Sweetcorn Fritter Balls. I politely mentioned the mistake, but considering it was closing time, we accepted the dish. To be fair, the starters were actually quite good.

For the mains, we ordered Banana Tree Spiced Noodles with prawns and a Veggie Pad Thai. The Pad Thai was very nice, but the noodles tasted off, and the prawns in particular seemed like they had gone bad. We raised this with the staff member, who appeared to be the closing manager. He was understanding and replaced the dish with another Veggie Pad Thai, which again was fine.

The real issue started when we received the bill, which came to £40.68. I placed a £50 note on the table while we were still eating. The manager took the cash without saying anything. After we finished our meal, I asked for the change, and to my surprise, he claimed we told him to keep it — which we absolutely didn’t, as our mouths were full when he took the money. He then told us the restaurant doesn’t accept cash, despite having just accepted it. I asked for the cash back and offered to pay by card, at which point he returned the £50 note and said the bill had already been voided and not to worry about paying.

Feeling uncomfortable about the situation, I left £35 in cash at the till anyway, but he told me not to and suggested I give the money to someone in need. It seemed clear to me that he had planned to pocket the cash by voiding the bill. The entire situation was mind-boggling — I’ve never experienced anything like it at a restaurant. I usually don’t complain or leave reviews, but this time I felt it was necessary.

Best way to describe him was brown man and had Amblyopia

I hope the management team sees this and takes appropriate action, because situations like this damage trust.

I respectfully ask that you:

Investigate this incident thoroughly, including checking the till records, transaction voids, and CCTV...

I recently dined at Bananatree at west hampstead and had a mixed experience. The ambience was pleasant, but the background music added more noise than atmosphere, making conversations a bit challenging.

The service was polite but somewhat indifferent. When I asked my host for recommendations, I was met with a vague response, leaving me to guide the selection myself. The menu displayed outside had initially caught my interest, but once seated, I forgot what I had in mind—perhaps a small reminder or suggestion from the staff would have been helpful.

For starters, the golden fried prawns were excellent, well-cooked, and complemented by a flavorful sauce. However, the edamame beans were disappointing—lacking freshness, with chewy skin and seasoning that needed better balance (too little salt and an overpowering sprinkle of herbs and spices).

Service timing felt rushed. Within two minutes of receiving the starters, I was asked if my mains could be brought out. I requested some time, yet when my main course arrived, it had already lost its optimal temperature, suggesting it had been sitting off the heat for a while. The beef rendang dish leaned too sweet and lacked depth in flavours, while the broccoli missed the mark on texture, lacking the expected crunch.

One key improvement would be staff engagement in promoting menu items, especially new or standout dishes like the steak. A simple suggestion or introduction to these options could enhance the dining experience and help guests make better choices.

Thankfully, the meal ended on a high note with the pancakes and ice cream, which were absolutely delicious.

Overall, while there were some enjoyable elements, the dining experience could be improved with better attentiveness, service pacing, and a more proactive approach from the staff in guiding diners...

As a long time resident of Chelsea, where we seem to stay in our own bubble...I ended up for the 1st time in West Hampstead with a friend. She suggested we have our meal @ Banana Tree West Hampstead..and I was curious about the name..Why did i think Bananas grow on bushes? Somehow my brain was hot wired due to hunger...but happy to end up in this amicable casual restaurant. When we saw a neighbouring table dining on a king's feast the friendly atmosphere encouraged us to ask what was on their magnificent plates. So we ordered the same dish and when it arrived the portions were so generous that it could feed a family of 4! As a matter of fact I did the crazy "American" thing and requested a doggy bag and can say it made a great lunch today....that is how fresh the grilled duck in hoisin sauce and coconut rice was!! A feature not on the menu was the Manager ROB, who completely charmed us with his banter and chat..it was like we were sitting in his cozy living room "chewing the fat"..no pun intended-- it was a relaxed and enjoyable social atmosphere. The Banana Tree really put West Hampstead on the map for me, and I truly think that Chelsea should make space for a new and welcomed visitor and open a branch here. In the meantime as Arnold Schwarzeneger said:...