Hot n juicy shrimp LDN- Dulwich — Restaurant in London

Food was great - service was much less so. Atmosphere - music was a bit too loud for me, but it suited the ambience of the place, and I have heard much worse in restaurants. As aforementioned, the food could not be faulted, unless one counted the poor value for money. Extremely expensive for the quantity provided, but it was very tasty.

The service, however, left very much to be desired. We were seated and left alone with no menus provided and when several minutes had passed, we finally asked for a menu and were directed to the QR code on the table. No instructions were provided beforehand, nor were we told that this was the process when we were seated. I tried to explain that I didn't trust such processes so wanted a proper menu, only to be told that no menu was available and basically, it was scan the code or eat elsewhere. While I was (very calmly and politely) trying to explain my reasons for not wanting to do this, the waitress simply walked away. That appeared to be that as far as the waiting staff were concerned, so since we had come a long way and we had wanted to try the restaurant for a long time, we attempted to do what was required.

No mobile signal was available in the building, so we were forced to fall back on the restaurant's Wi-Fi, divulging yet more personal details to an unknown recipient. This did not seem to work either but finally, a very helpful waitress came over. I was able to communicate my dissatisfaction with the peremptory manner in which my own particular wishes in the matter of how and when I used my own mobile phone were completely ignored by the restaurant's stringent no-menu policy, and how this totally excluded people who were not that way inclined or equipped - digital exclusion and ageism of the most blatant kind. She was suitably sympathetic, made apologies for the rudeness of the previous waitress, and helped us place our order (which was far from straightforward). From then onwards our meal proceeded in a more regular manner, and the day was saved.

However, I absolutely deplore the implicit dismissal of the rights of individual diners to make choices about the way in which they place orders, and the lack forewarning regarding this. My mobile phone is my property, and I have the right to decide how and when I use it, especially when the only option provided is not without potential cost to me - handing over personal data to an unknown organisation that I have no opportunity of vetting beforehand. One the one hand we are told to be vigilant with regard to cyber security, and on the other hand organisations like this make it extremely difficult to do this. Had I been informed that this was the system, I could have made a choice as to whether I came all the way out to this place, or not. In the end, I was presented with a fait accompli, which was grossly unfair to me, as a paying customer. Strangely enough - or perhaps not so strange after all – when the nice waitress was placing our order on the app, I saw the option of adding a tip (which the waitress passed over very quickly) come up just before the payment section – payment is made at the time of placing your order (at a point where the only person who has actually done any work is you yourself!) Requesting a tip at a time when no service has yet been provided? The world has really gone mad. I am old enough to recall a time when a tip in a restaurant was given to reward good service, but now it seems it is simply a gratuitous addition to a bill, and service has very little to do with it.

Much as I enjoyed the food at Hot ‘n’ Juicy Shrimp, I am not sure if I will return; not sure I can take the stress!

Update: I received an extremely hostile and curt message from Josh of Hot n Juicy Shrimp management in response to my review above. Obviously cannot take criticism. No space for the whole thing to be reproduced, but there are some very unpleasant people connected...

I thought I would try this seafood restaurant as I heard a lot of good reviews. I ordered the Calamari for my starter which was fine. Then I had the mini shrimp boil and then the Mini mussel mania. My mother ordered the Hot & Juicy Classic seafood boil alongside sausages & eggs that she paid extra for.

Our cocktails were fantastic and very strong👌🏽 #Perfect.

However……… Our food was a big, big disappointment! Firstly the Hot & Juicy Classic seafood boil came in garlic sauce when I had asked for my sauce to be separate rather than poured all over my seafood boil. When I opened the bag all I could see was big MASSIVE potatoes with big bits of corn and the crabs legs. I was not given a seafood folk so that I could get the crab meat out. When I asked for one, I was told they had run out and I should use my teeth to crack it 🫣. I advised the waiter that I could not do this, and I said if I was told that this was unavailable for me to use, I would have not ordered this. Suddenly the waiter manager to find me a seafood folk after seeing how displeased I was. I found the Garlic sauce sickening and the food tasteless! I ended up not eating most of the food. I feel like the Classic seafood boil should have come with egg & sausages rather than having to pay extra money for this to be included.

The Shrimp boil was even worse. The shrimp had no taste and just tasted like Iceland shrimps defrosted with nothing on it. Again big massive potatoes and big bits of corn. The Classic sauce was very very hot and the creamy garlic buttersauce was sickening. The Mussel mania was ok. Most things from this boil was not eaten.

I feel like smaller potatoes should be used in the sea food boils and the corn could be cut in half again. The crab legs really had nothing worth eating inside!

I would not recommend this seafood restaurant to anyone I know and I would not be visiting this place again. I literally felt like I wasted my money 🤦🏽‍♀️. This place in my opinion is well OVERRATED!

The Customer service that we received from our waiter was fantastic. Very polite & helpful. Wish I could remember her name. Josh the Manager was ok and he gave me a partial refund (£22.00 from a total bill of £76.00) after speaking to him about how displeased I was with the LARGE AMOUNT OF THE SEAFOOD BOILS that was NOT eaten.

I will definitely be sticking to Shrimp Shack in future where most ingredients are included in their boils, and you don’t have to...

This is my 8th time visiting Hot N Juicy Dulwich and I have to say, I absolutely love it every time! Before they opened their West Dulwich restaurant, I used to travel all the way to their North London kitchen just for takeaway – that's how good the food is. Now that they’ve opened closer to me, it's even better.

The food is consistently delicious, with fresh seafood that’s so well-priced, especially considering how expensive seafood boils can be in London. Hot N Juicy has to be one of the most affordable options, yet the quality remains top-notch. The drinks are strong, flavorful, and always hit the spot, and the music in the restaurant creates such a fun, lively vibe. It's just good energy all around.

Service here is always great, but during this visit, I was served by a new waitress named Nyree and she was amazing. Super attentive, always smiling, polite, and genuinely helpful. All the staff have been lovely every time I’ve visited, but Nyree really stood out with how naturally she works with people. The manager is also great, she is very accommodating and always ensuring the experience is smooth.

If I HAD to mention anything that could be improved, it would be the state of the drink menus. They could use replacing or at least a thorough clean. Being a seafood boil spot, the meal can get messy, and customers have clearly been handling the menus with dirty hands. Also, we came quite early in the day today - just after opening actually and the floor had crumbs and other bits and pieces, which was a bit surprising. I’ve been coming here since it first opened, and I remember it being spotless back then, so I think the wear and tear is just starting to show.

But aside from that, everything else is fantastic. The bathroom is beautiful and spotless, with gorgeous decor. The food comes out quickly, and the overall atmosphere is just a vibe. I’ll definitely keep coming back—Hot N Juicy...