Likya Turkish Restaurant — Restaurant in London

I am writing to formally express my deep dissatisfaction with the appalling service received during our recent visit to your establishment. It was our first time dining with you, and the occasion was a special one… my nephew’s 1st birthday. We were a group of ten and had expected, at the very least, a courteous and welcoming experience.

Unfortunately, the service fell shockingly short. Our waiter, an older gentleman with glasses and combed-back hair, was unapproachable and appeared visibly unhappy to be serving us. From the moment we arrived, his tone was curt and dismissive.

After ordering food for the two children, we politely requested the complimentary breads and dips. His blunt response – “you have to order first” – was unnecessary and rude, especially given that we had already had the children’s food on the table. We then attempted to complete our main order. When one of our guests asked if she could substitute the bread in her meal for a salad, the waiter snapped, “It comes with bread!” – in an aggressive tone that was completely unacceptable.

I addressed this with him directly, explaining that as first-time guests unfamiliar with the menu, he should be offering guidance and accommodating where possible, not reacting rudely. Rather than apologising, he tried to justify his behaviour. I ended the discussion to avoid escalating the situation further.

It must also be said – and this was a sentiment quietly echoed among our party – that we could not help but notice a stark difference in the way our group, of mixed Black heritage, was treated compared to other non-Black tables around us. The courtesy, tone, and general attitude shown to other guests stood in sharp contrast to how we were spoken to and dealt with. While we do not make such observations lightly, the disparity in treatment was troubling and impossible to ignore.

Despite proceeding with the order, it became clear that we no longer felt comfortable dining in your restaurant. I informed the waiter to cancel the food and bring us the bill instead. He did so without apology or any attempt to remedy the situation. A different staff member brought us a bill – which was not even ours – and again, no one came to acknowledge what had gone wrong.

When we eventually paid and left, one of our guests commented, “your service is very bad,” to which one of the staff members dismissively gestured towards the exit. This final gesture summed up the complete lack of professionalism and care shown throughout.

We went a few doors down to another Turkish restaurant, where we were warmly welcomed and looked after by the owner himself – a stark contrast to the disrespectful treatment we received at your venue. That restaurant will now receive our business and recommendation.

You lost a £400 sale today due to one waiter’s poor attitude and a team that made no effort to turn around a clearly negative experience. We will not be returning, nor will we be recommending your...

I have a lot to say about this restaurant. I wanted to write to you about a mistake that should be solved easily but instead look what a person's excess ego does.

Yesterday I've ordered some take away foods from this restaurant. My order was; çöp shish (should be lamb meat cut into small cubes should be grilled) chips, tabule, filo pastry. However, when I received my meal (in my opinion, due to wrong packaging) the juice of the cooked meat had spilled over the other packages. The meat was so cold. Chips were stale. The pastry was just too oily and uncooked. There was no any sauce in the tabule. (While it should be olive oil and pomegranate sauce) Also, for me they sent lamb shish not a çöp shish. And unfortunately everything I ordered went to waste. I could only eat a little of the tabule by adding the sauces what I have at home.

I immediately called the restaurant and said that I wanted to speak with the manager. The gentleman on the phone named H. told me he was the owner. I explained the situation to him. Fortunately, he accepted the situation and apologized and said that I could come tomorrow and get the same order from the restaurant without any charge. Thank for him.

Unfortunately, when I went to the restaurant today, the bad and rude behavior that the chefs showed me was unbearable. They broke me harshly. They behaved so badly that I left an entire order there and walked out. I don't even want to pass in front of that restaurant again because of this behaviour. Do you think I can eat the food that was given to me like it was thrown on my head? Who can eat like that ? Every mistake has an compensate. But what they did was a great rudeness.

What I want to say is a warm smile that makes a meal beautiful. Owners of this restaurant can be polite. But the important thing is that the person needs to be polite who cooks the food and serves it to the customer. It's impossible for me to eat this food when you saying something to my face really rudely while you prepare this food.

Sorry, Likya's owners, but in my opinion, these chefs are undermining your business. Especially one of them. Who is wearing a glasses.

I just threw away some money. But this way, I think you lost. Today me, tomorrow other customers. Of course, if this is important...

Where do I even begin.

I went with a friend of mine who received food poisoning from a takeaway order of chicken doner kebab and ezme salad. He complained immensely and called the management on the phone, they told us to come in and eat on the house to give them another try. Therefore, we went last night to do just that.

Upon arrival and a quick check in to inform them who we were, we were seated. As we were eating on the house, we didn’t want to go over the top with ordering and cause a problem. we ordered one hot starter, and a mixed kebab to try all the different meats.

After our order we quickly received the usual complimentary bread basket with chilli and garlic sauce, our starter (grilled onion salad with herbs and chillis and a pomegranate sauce. Then a huge salad arrived, the usual Turkish salad with feta and olives. Both the salads had nice ingredients but were laced in oil so we couldn’t taste much else. We ate a light serving to leave room for the main course.

Then our “mixed kebab for 2” arrived, and I was at a loss for words. One piece of chicken shish, 2 chicken wings, 2 lamb ribs, a portion of lamb shish, and 2 pieces of Adana Kofte. That’s a portion for 1, not 2. The chicken shish was overcooked and no marinade, the chicken wings were burnt to a crisp, the lamb ribs had more fat than meat, the lamb shish was over salted and you couldn’t taste anything else, and the Adana kofte was either marinated in cinnamon or cumin and had an appalling after taste, as well as being slightly undercooked. The overwhelming taste of salt in my mouth couldn’t even be washed away with my pint of Efes Beer.

Then we saw all other tables being offered Turkish Chai and a piece of baklava, which would’ve been the perfect sweet note to end a bad experience. But nope, as time went on, no offering, which prompted us to get up and leave.

If the management had any remorse, they’d offer us again to have a free meal and make sure to cook the food properly and impress us, so we could bring all our friends and family in future.

If you want good Turkish in London, go to Green Lanes in Haringay, proper Turkish hospitality and no chance of food poisoning.

Disappointed is an...