Chakra (Kingston) — Restaurant in London

Now I am far from a hoity-toity diner but this restaurant has some work to do to meet its full potential - of which there is plenty.

Positives: Vegan menu, very good flavours.

Negatives: Price, staff attitude, no large Cobra bottle option, cold food, cramped tables.

I visited with a friend and we asked for bottled Cobra like we do in every Indian restaurant in the World because most keg beer in restaurants isn't very good, but Charka only do tiny bottles for which which we were charged an outrageous £4.95. The menu was ambiguous about the serving size and the staff unapologetic about the confusion, the lack of option or the price.

My friend's meal (Rogan Josh) was in his words "very average and just tepid". He said that I'd have sent it back and I have no doubt that I would have.

We asked for well done garlic naan. The naan was very small and not that well done so we ordered a second which came even less well done than the first.

My meal was actually very good but while we ate and drank a predictably very-average pint of keg Cobra (same price as the tiny bottle) we witnessed staff (who were hardly rushed off their feet) ignore (step over) a fellow diners coat several times before finally bringing their attention to it. Meanwhile there seemed to be plenty of "senior" people about "overseeing" things.

We didn't pay service and won't be rushing back.

A great shame because I would have liked to try the other menu options on offer. Front of house needs a boot up the behind and the kitchen just need to pay attention to their customers' wishes and the food temperature.

If you do choose to visit request a table for more people than in your party because the tables are tiny. As a party of 2 there was barely room for everything to fit on the tiny table we were at. Other tables looked...

The location is the highlight here — a lovely spot by the river that feels perfect for summer weather. Outdoor seating is limited but cozy, and the indoor space, where we sat, is small yet accessible.

Unfortunately, the experience went downhill from there. Service was disappointing from the start. The staff gave off unwelcoming vibes, and even after taking our order, they left the menus cluttering the table until the food arrived. Despite confirming our order multiple times, they still managed to get it wrong.

The meal began on a positive note: the starter — lamb chops — was flavorful and easily the best part of the evening. But once we finished, the dirty plates sat on the table until the mains were ready. While the mains did arrive quickly (a plus for anyone who wants to eat and go), the execution left much to be desired. Dishes were mixed up — items meant to be dry came drowned in sauce, while those that should have had sauce were dry. To make matters worse, we discovered a hair in one dish. When we raised this with the manager, the explanation given was that the sauce “came from the warehouse,” not homemade, which was hardly reassuring.

Adding to the poor impression, much of the staff — including the manager — spent the evening outside by the river, leaving the front unattended. Reserved tables were also given away, leaving other parties stranded inside waiting awkwardly for space.

Overall:

• Food: 4/10 – Fast service but lacking in flavor and quality, with little sign of being freshly prepared.

• Atmosphere: 6.5/10 – Great location, though poorly managed.

• Service: 3/10 – Disorganized, inattentive, and unprofessional.

With so many positive reviews, I had high expectations, but my visit was a letdown. Sadly, I...

I was so excited to be visiting Chokra having heard great things about their original branch in Kensington. I started to follow them on Instagram and the images looked amazing! Then walking past the restaurant a few times only added to my desire to eat there. We were then seen to and ushered to a table,.My first impression s were that the restaurant it looked nice and inviting but wait. ...Out table was NOT a table . Imagine a really high breakfast bar for 2 ! 🤧I looked at the manager and told him that is not where we would like to sit. Looking flustered he took us to another table which was virtually at the front door. No thanks. There were 2 tables set out so we asked for the other table and told it was reserved. Are there different types of reservations?? We were then asked to wait by the bar whilst a suitable table was cleared. A friendly bar man asked to take our order and promptly forgot to bring my partners drink. After a few minutes we were led to a nice cosy table and my partner reordered her drink. The starters were nice . Keema naan and a tasty chaat dish. The mains very bland ! I have tasted better supermarket curries. The garlic naan has no garlic in it. Needless to say we didn’t order dessert. Chokra are trying to portray a cool relaxed vibe but they were very chaotic. In this competitive world they need to step their game. Go to...