Damal Banqueting — Restaurant in London

We went to Damal at 6 pm on a Friday. Pur waiter tried his best to help us and was very honest. It was clear he was familiar with consistent problems within the restaurant and was trying to avoid as many as possible.

To begin with, much of the things on the menu were unavailable. So we were pretty limited in what we could order. We opted for the £99 platter and a few other things. We were told it would taks 20mins for our to be with us. It took us nearly an hour to receive our starters but complimentary soup was given out immediately. The beef hummus was delicious but it is a starter for just one person, even that is me being generous, it was embarrassing really. It was essentially a tablespoon of hummus smeared on a plate with a tablespoon of meat on top and lots of cheap salad on the side.

We were told tap water isn't allowed to be given out. The waiter then insisted and he brought those out for us. We had wanted chips for the children but it was sold out. The waiter suggested the kids eat the complimentary bananas instead, which isn't an alternative to chips!

The main dishes eventually arrived and the lamb is cooked to perfection. The chicken and salmon were delicious too. The rice was a bit bland and as mentioned before the salad was lacking. It was clearly from a salad bag with bottled marinade but as a complimentary item I suppose is OK and they are generous portions.

The space itself is new and clean. The waiting staff were friendly and tried to help as much as possible. I think they should have been more realistic with wait times, especially when there were children with us. Also, stocking problems I felt on a Friday at 6pm, was an oversight on their end, you should not have run out of something simple like chips before the main dinner traffic began. It's also not the most difficult thing to rectify with a Tesco and Sainsbury's walking distance away.

I think if I went back, I would return to the original restaurant and not the new branch we attended. It is nice having more variety in Tower Hamlets, Somali cuisine is doing well here as its a refreshing change from the cuisines that have dominated for the past few decades. Hopefully, this branch...

Lovely new restaurant serving halal Somalian food. Lovely fresh decor but felt a bit overcrowded today on Monday in restaurant. It was very busy and noisy in restaurant lots of people and a few loud group of men who had to shout making it unpleasant for some of us who wanted to eat in peace. Good comfortable decor and two sections in restaurant. Today one side was used by a Women’s party mainly Somalian sisters. I arrived late and my colleagues had already order a platter with 1 whole chicken, lamb shank with rice and drinks. We had to wait around 45minutes before anything arrived. We first got some chips, salad, green lentil style soup not sure what it is called but was tasty, would have liked it to be more warmer as it was a bit tepid only. Good to see them serving Salaam cola and the famous Shani drink everyone talks about. The staff were very friendly but super busy think they need more experienced staff. When our platter arrived it was hot, looked freshly cooked and smelled delicious. The chicken leg and lamb shank were soft to the touch and just tore off easily. Whilst it was dry food several sauces and salad came with food to break up the food. The chicken and meat were very tasty we all enjoyed it but some said it was a bit bland and needed some form of sauce to break down the dish. Anyone I enjoyed the food and drink. The staff offered us complimentary chips due to the delay in kitchen which was a nice touch but it was super busy for a Monday. The bill was fair for the amount of food and drink. When you finish a platter this side and finish it compliment to the chef for the great food. A good place for a large group if you want great food for a great price. Will visit again with friends and family. Close to Stepney Green and...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Damal Banquet in East London for my daughter's graduation, and it was an unforgettable experience. Initially, we were unsure whether to choose Damal Banquet, but we ultimately decided to go for it, and I'm so glad we did.

As I was dropping my family off outside the restaurant to find parking, a gentleman who I believe was the manager approached me. He kindly offered to open the gate at the back for parking, which was a tremendous relief given how challenging parking can be in that area. I was truly grateful for his assistance.

Once inside, we were greeted by a wonderful lady named Mariam (or Maryama). Her professionalism and helpfulness were remarkable. She consistently checked on us throughout our meal, ensuring that everything was to our satisfaction. Her attentiveness and genuine desire to enhance our experience made a lasting impression.

We also had a cake to celebrate, and the staff went above and beyond by setting up a private room for us to cut it. Abdirahman and Khadarwere exceptional in making sure we had everything we needed, from the table setup to the necessary utensils. Their dedication to providing excellent service was evident, and we left feeling incredibly impressed by the five-star service we received.

Our celebration ran longer than expected, but they didn’t mind at all. The food was simply out of this world! Even with 13 of us, the portions were so generous that we had to take home seven takeaway boxes. It was a delightful feast!

I highly recommend Damal Banquet to anyone looking for a clean, professional dining experience with outstanding food and service. Thank you to the entire team for making our celebration...