Gokyuzu Restaurant Finchley — Restaurant in London

ASTAGFIRULLAH

Gökyüzü Restaurant in Finchley is a popular Turkish dining spot, well-known for its authentic and flavorful Turkish cuisine. Located on the high street, it's a convenient option for both casual diners and those celebrating special occasions. Here's a detailed breakdown of what you can expect when dining at Gökyüzü:

Ambiance and Setting

Gökyüzü Finchley offers a modern yet traditional Turkish restaurant vibe. The interior is spacious and well-lit, with a blend of contemporary decor and Turkish cultural elements. Whether you're coming with a small group or a large party, the restaurant accommodates both equally well. There’s a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes you feel welcome the moment you step in. However, it can get quite busy, especially during peak times like weekends or evenings, so reservations are highly recommended.

Service

The staff at Gökyüzü are known for being attentive and friendly. They are quick to greet guests and provide recommendations if you're unsure what to order. Even when the restaurant is bustling, they manage to maintain a good level of service, ensuring drinks are refilled and meals are served promptly. The servers often go out of their way to make sure that diners are comfortable and enjoying their experience. However, during busy hours, there might be a slight wait, but the food quality usually makes it worth the wait.

Food and Menu

Gökyüzü’s menu is extensive, offering a wide variety of Turkish dishes that cater to different tastes. The mezze platters are a great way to start, offering an assortment of dips, bread, and small bites like hummus, cacik, and baba ganoush. The bread served with the mezze is freshly baked, warm, and delicious.

The grilled meats are the star of the show here. Whether it's lamb, chicken, or beef, the kebabs are cooked to perfection, juicy, and full of rich flavors. The Adana kebab and mixed grill are particularly popular choices. Each dish is served with fluffy rice or bulgur, fresh salad, and often with grilled vegetables. The portion sizes are generous, ensuring you won't leave the restaurant hungry.

For vegetarians, there are also several options like grilled halloumi, falafel, and stuffed vine leaves, which are equally flavorful and satisfying.

Desserts such as baklava are also highly recommended, offering a sweet and flaky finish to your meal. For a refreshing end, try their Turkish tea or coffee, which pairs perfectly with the desserts.

Value for Money

Considering the portion sizes and the quality of the food, Gökyüzü offers great value for money. The prices are reasonable, especially given the generous servings. It's a great place for those who want a hearty meal without breaking the bank. For large groups or families, the sharing platters offer a cost-effective way to sample a variety of dishes.

Cons

The main downside some diners have pointed out is the noise level during busy periods. Since Gökyüzü is a popular spot, it can get quite loud, making it difficult to have quiet conversations. Additionally, parking around the area can sometimes be a challenge, especially on weekends.

Overall Experience

Gökyüzü Finchley is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a high-quality Turkish dining experience. The combination of flavorful food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere make it a go-to spot for many. Whether you're visiting with family, friends, or even for a date night, Gökyüzü is sure to leave a lasting impression. Just be prepared for a lively environment and possibly a short wait during peak...

I've visited this place 3-4 times over the past couple of years. As others say parking in small, so park at finchley leisure park opposite then walk.

The service has definitely gone downhill. We had a reservation and arrived on time, but still had to wait 15 minutes because no tables were ready, and we were treated the same as walk-ins. What's the point of making a reservation if it doesn’t matter?

The woman at the entrance who managed seating was rude and unprofessional. She made it seem like we might not even get a table and asked us to waiting the corridor by the exit.

When we were finally seated downstairs in a noisy area, it felt like the staff were rushing us. The waiter asked for our order right after we sat down, before we even had a chance to look at the menu. After our starters, the waitress started clearing everything, taking our plates before our mains had arrived. When we told her we hadn't received everything yet, she gave back the dirty plates and mixed them up between tables.

The starters were fine, but the mains were disappointing, with too much fat on the lamb. The price of the food definitely doesn't reflect the quality. In the past, when we came as a couple, we were given complimentary bread and salad. However, as a group of four, it was disappointing to receive the same portion as when we were half the size. The staff did not even offer to provide more bread as they have before

Throughout the meal, the waitress repeatedly asked if we were done, even though we still had food left.

We came to celebrate a birthday and brought a cake. We handed it to the staff at the beginning, but in the end, we decided to leave and take the cake home due to the poor atmosphere and staff behavior. They also handled the cake poorly, causing damage, even though it wasn’t served to us, which was completely unnecessary as it wasn't even...

I'd give 3.5 stars if I could. This place could be fantastic, but the service from the general waiting staff really lets this place down.

Overall, I would recommend it. Positives: it has its own car park, ample space for large groups and parties over the restaurants two floors and the food was very tasty. One of our party had a severe food allergy and the manager was very accommodating and reassuring about this.

Negatives: the waiting staff in general (hopefully there are a few exceptions!) seem cool, unfriendly, disinterested and monosyllabic. When we asked for a couple of chairs to be wiped free from crumbs and for the table to be wiped down (even though it had been done already when it was set up) just to be sure to remove traces for the allergy sufferer, the waiter could not have looked more annoyed and argued with me about doing it. In the end, after quite a lot of unnecessary discussion, he incredibly reluctantly did the absolute minimum, cleaned one of the three tables and ignored the chairs. Ordering anything was similar in that there was no friendliness or warmth - it felt like they were doing us a favour being there. I had a similar experience when I tried to call to speak to the manager regarding the sesame allergy. The answerphone is not checked so no one picked up my message and when I left a message with someone, she didn't pass it on to the manager to call me back.

This one (in my book, quite big) negative is a real shame for this restaurant, because it has so many other good things going for it and the manager was delightful over the phone. If the service charge was not included in the bill, but was made optional and actually based on the service received, perhaps this would provide an incentive for the waiters to at least pretend to care about their clientele and ensure they feel...