Comptoir Libanais — Restaurant in London

When you hop off a tour bus and the first thing that greets you is a Lebanese restaurant and you have been dying to try Lebanese food, it’s fate!

The vibe here is very welcoming, and the decor places you in an outdoor restaurant overlooking a desert view except you are inside. Foliage and flowers hang and decorate as well as colorful art and unique furniture. This is a place where I felt like taking off my shoes, grabbing a pillow, putting my legs up with a platter of something warm, drinking mint tea, chatting with friends while the meal was cooking. The hospitality was amazing, and the food even better.

Start with the Mezze Platter, a nice combination of hommos, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, falafel, natural labne, cheese sambousek, warm flatbread, and hot pickles. This pairs well with the Kiara Clos St. Alphonse Rouge and hot Fresh Rose Mint Tea. This meal begins with the eyes, everything on the plate is a work of art, and the mix of flavors is a tantalizing experience for your taste buds.

If you have always wanted to try a Tagine, have the Chicken & Green Olive. It’s chicken, carrots, lemon confit, green olives and I prefer couscous over quinoa whenever I have the option. For those looking for a meat free meal, the Aubergine & Chickpea is eggplant, tomato, onion and chickpeas over quinoa.

My only mistake was not ordering kebabs, I saw them float by and land on other tables and the smell had my eyes following and my mouth watering. Since I would enjoy nothing more than to visit this restaurant on my next trip to London, I will make sure I complete that mission with the next meal.

I really had no idea what to expect, I figured Lebanese food would have some similarities to Persian food but wasn’t really sure, and I am glad we made the decision to give Comptoir a “go” as they say in England!

Yes guys, the service charge is already included on the ticket, but since the hospitality was wonderful, we left an additional tip, but it’s not expected. You will also see VAT (value added tax) included, so no need to question the staff like they are over charging you.

If you are looking to expand your culinary adventures, this is a great place to start. The restaurant is a work of art, the food is amazing, the service staff welcoming and warm. So if you find yourself in London off Gloucester Road desiring something wonderful, check out Comptoir Libanais, and don’t forget to tell them Unnerved Traveler...

I have been to several different branches of CL. I love the food and generally find the service to be okay. However, today I was with five family members at the Gloucester Road branch and while the food was, again, good, the service was less than impressive. The restaurant was not busy, but I had to wave to get anyone’s attention to place an order. When we finally ordered, the food came fairly quickly, but no one came to ask us if all was okay with the meal until we had just about finished eating. Again, I had to wave to get anyone to come to the table to clear the plates and for us to order dessert/coffee. As we needed to leave promptly to attend an exhibition, I asked (twice) for the bill to be brought with the coffee and dessert; however, no bill appeared. Eventually we all got up to leave and frankly, we could have walked out without paying as no one paid us any attention. I went to the till to pay the bill and asked for the service charge to be removed because I am tired of being charged automatically for service when it is very poor. If there is an automatic assumption that customers should pay a service charge, it is only fair to automatically assume that it is good enough to warrant the extra 12.5%; in this instance, it wasn’t. There was a nonchalance and an apparent lack of interest among some of the staff; it was, all in all, very disappointing. This had been a special meal and day out with family members whom I rarely see, so having to make a fuss really spoilt that part of the day for me.

I am very tired of being charged a hefty service charge in the face of shoddy service and will continue to request that it is removed if the actual service proves to be less...

We had just spent several hours on a tour bus and were dropped off nearby. We were going to go to Wing Stop, but it was crowded in there, so we kept walking. We were about to pass this place, but after seeing no other options down the street, we decided to go here. We are so glad we did! This was probably the best food we've eaten in London thus far! We ordered the "Feast to Share," which included the Mezza Platter, we chose the Mixed Grill and Salmon, and finally, Baklava & mint tea. We also got a side of fries for my child. Everything was flavorful, even the fries. This was the first time I ordered Salmon in a Lebanese or any Meditteranean restaurant, and I was very happy. I'm not sure if my Pina Colada had alcohol but I loved it so much that I needed another one.

The decor of the place is so vibrant it makes you feel happy. My child and I went downstairs to the restrooms when we first arrived, and he was drawn to the large fruit baskets on the tables and the cool, colorful hats along the side. Even the restrooms were bright and cheery.

The service was also fantastic at this place. I think the guy that took our order was the owner (he looked like the baby on the picture on the cover of the menu), and he wasn't wearing one of those aprons. So, we had to ask another server for a straw, and he obliged. My husband accidentally spilled his beer, and another server came by with a towel to help clean it up. Great teamwork, and they all were so nice and helpful.

If you want delicious food, a vibrant atmosphere, and friendly service, you...