Lara Grill — Restaurant in London

This was our 3rd visit to Lara Grill. The first 2 experiences were great hence why we returned a third time, unfortunately on our last visit, we cannot say the same.

Firstly, let's start off with the positives. Clean and spacious. The quality of the food was of very good and tasty. We were always greeted with courtesy and smile by a tall older gentleman.

We decided to take my parents, as we wanted to show them this local restaurant. My parents are in their 80s so they do not eat a lot at all and are not big meat eaters. We were greeted by a middle aged female waitress, who we found to be very rude and demonstrated sub standard customer service compared to our 2 previous experiences. When ordered the lara feast costing £97 along with some chips and some drinks, the waitress inclined that we needed to order more??? There was 9 of us (2 - 80 year old parents, 3 young children under 16 and 4 adults).

We were made to feel really embarrassed by ordering this meal. What was supposed to be an enjoyable family occasion, in a fairly good restaurant, turned out to be a very unpleasant evening, especially for me and my parents, who I only see twice a year.

When the food arrived which was in good time and was well presented, my daughter said thank you and the same waitress did not even acknowledge her. How awfully rude was that. When we ordered more drinks she again was abrupt and seemed uninterested. These responses only accentuated the way we now perceived her level of customer service. Another example, was when we asked if there were any complimentary Turkish tea at the end of our meal, which have been offered in the past. Her response, was yet again very rude saying nothing is free now, its all changed.

I am sadden by this and we will not be visiting again or recommending this place to family or friends, which is unfortunate as the food was top notch. We will now find alternatives, there are plenty of Mediterranean grill restaurants to choose from...

Lara Grill in Dagenham is a true gem, offering a fantastic dining experience that combines delicious food with top-notch customer service. From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the vibrant atmosphere and the smell of freshly grilled dishes that set the tone for a memorable evening.

The highlight of our experience was undoubtedly Elif, our waitress for the night. Elif’s level of professionalism, attentiveness, and genuine warmth made our visit exceptional. She went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, guiding us through the menu with a thorough understanding of every dish It’s rare to find someone with such a natural talent for customer service. Elif’s friendly personality and dedication to ensuring our every need was met made it clear that she’s passionate about her role and genuinely cares about the guests’ experience.

As for the food, Lara Grill certainly did not disappoint. Each dish was beautifully presented, flavorful, and made with high-quality ingredients. From the juicy kebabs to the perfectly cooked lamb, everything was seasoned to perfection and served at just the right temperature. The freshly baked bread was a delightful start, and every course that followed was as satisfying as the last.

Elif anticipated every need almost before we could ask, ensuring our drinks were topped up and checking in just the right amount—not too much, not too little. Her presence brought a special warmth and attentiveness that made the whole experience seamless and enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a place in Dagenham to enjoy amazing Turkish cuisine with extraordinary service, Lara Grill is the place to go. Thanks to Elif’s exceptional service, beautiful energy and the delicious food, it’s a restaurant I’ll definitely be recommending and...

This restaurant has had an amazing revamp and is absolutely stunning! It has a very luxe vibe. The stand out of the night was the service, the serving team here are a credit to the Restuarant. Mickeala (I’m sure I’ve got that wrong) and the other two gents who served us were friendly, professional and made us feel like family. Mickeala (again sorry if I have that wrong) put my husband at ease when he spilled his garlic sauce!

The food was delicious. For starters we ordered the salted livers - which were the best I’ve ever had, succulent well cooked calamari. For mains we ordered a mix grill for 2 - 3, there were two of us and we didn’t get through more than half so took the rest away. It was amazing very generous helpings of all the types of meat. I usually don’t like chicken Shiah but Lara grills one was lovely. Everything was great and well cooked. For me the only item slightly lacking was the ribs - purely because I like mine with a bit more marinade/spice but the ribs it’s self were very juicy. The salad that came with the mix grill seemed super fresh. The chilli sauce was fantastic that we took extra away! The complimentary Turkish tea was really nice also.

The only comment I’d make is regarding the toilets, absolutely beautiful with the Restuarant refit, clean also but whilst it’s meant to be disabled friendly the basin is directly in front of the toilet possibly making it more difficult for someone differently abled to use. Also for me the toilets felt really high, I’m 5’1 and my feet were basically off the ground lol.

But that little constructive note had no impact (for me personally) on how amazing...