Megan's on the High Street Restaurant (Kensington) — Restaurant in London

Possibly one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in a long time…

Visited Megan’s by the Castle in Guildford earlier this week for dinner and had a fabulous meal, attentive service and great atmosphere (even for a mid-week night). The experience here made me want to return later this week whilst in London to another Megan’s so we chose the Kensington High St restaurant for a birthday meal this evening whilst in the city.

Started downhill as soon as we arrived when we were ignored with avoidance of eye contact by 2 staff as we entered, no warm welcome whatsoever. The manager then came over after they ignored us and asked if we wanted a table where we then got seated. (Had made a reservation but clearly not needed as very quiet).

Got seated and a waitress who seemed totally away with the fairies unable answer questions about the menu we asked (we asked, are these cocktails here included in the happy hour - she had no idea, we had to talk her through the menu and how it seemed to work…) got there in the end…

Drinks took forever to come around.

Finally got our first drinks, order taken, the food took an uncomfortably long time to come out… I mean… for a restaurant which was a quarter full, it was just annoying.

Staff spent most of the time standing by the bar chatting, ignoring all tables that had people on and only really coming over when the manager seemed to point out things need doing or they hadn’t been over for ages.

Finished a starter which was just left on the table that nobody collected for a good 20 minutes.

Mains then came out, extremely greasy (had ordered the same dish earlier in the week) nothing like it was before. Couldn’t finish it, made me feel sick. Had asked for another drink with the main (just 1 coke and 1 wine) and we’d almost finished the meal by the time this came over, and we had to remind someone…

The white wine we’d asked for then came over as red wine… said sorry we’d asked for white… no apology, just took it away and then spent 10 minutes bringing back a white wine. Food was done by then.

The waitress we had at the start was just not with it. We had said earlier on, she will drop something at some point as she was just careless and clumsy almost knocking someone else’s wine over we’d seen. Alas she dropped glasses everywhere right next to our table and the glass chipped and flew everywhere. The worst efforts made by 2 of them to clean it up I’ve ever seen. (FYI - sitting down whilst sweeping is not effective). No apology whatsoever for the smashing in and glass now scattered all around our feet and others.

Looking at other recent reviews of this Megan’s it seems that the replies and statements from whoever is responding advising they take feedback seriously and things will be put in place are not true. Management clearly have no control over this establishment.

Plenty of other Megan’s in London and looking at other reviews that seem to be in line with their usual standards. You’d think a chain would be consistent, but this wasn’t the case at all.

I’ve never once felt like I would ask for the service charge to be removed… first time for everything!

Just do not understand how it could be so poor, despite being so quiet… could have an element of understanding if they were rushed of their feet - I get it, I’ve worked in restaurants, but this was exceptionally neglectful. Terrible service, nobody asked once how the food was on both courses and sad atmosphere for a Friday evening.

Overall a disastrous choice for dinner and made even more sad with it being a special occasion. Would return to Megan’s in Guildford, but I would play serious caution on visiting another now… and definitely wouldn’t...

I don’t usually leave reviews for places, let alone negative ones, but I walked away from this restaurant with a bad taste in my mouth (and not from the food).

We chose to have dinner at Megan’s after looking at the menu and thinking it sounded nice, was reasonably priced (for London) and the interior looked beautiful. The food was delicious and arrived very quickly, but unfortunately we were rather surprised when the bill arrived after eating.

Before choosing our mains the waitress asked if we would like some bread whilst we waited - I thought about asking if this was free but thought it a dumb question, as usually if you’re offered bread in this scenario it’s a small amount and is complimentary. We were unpleasantly surprised to see this was almost £14 on the bill. When choosing our mains she asked if we would like chips or a side salad with our kebabs - again this was presumably included with the meal as why ask if we specifically wanted that? £4.90 each for a side salad that was more vinegar than lettuce. We also asked for tap water to drink - at the end the waiter said he would get us some more water as we’d finished the bottle, except this time it was sparkling (which we did not ask for the first or second time). We were then charged £3 for that sparkling water.

This all felt very deceptively asked in a way that made us spend more than we thought, I was very clearly trying to make the most of the deals and drinking tap water to keep costs down. As someone who’s not very confrontational and was also in a rush to get a train, I didn’t challenge it at the time but looking at the receipt at home made us realise how much extra they had either added or deceptively got us to spend. Even though the food was nice I would not eat here again as the tactics of the staff was really off putting, and it made what was supposed to be a nice meal into something that was really expensive. I’ve eaten at plenty of restaurants in London and never felt like I had to question what I was paying for, clearly we need to be more careful in the future but it’s disappointing to experience this and then have to pay a nearly £9 service charge for such poor...

A Turkish Brunch Delight at Megan's High Street Kennington

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Megan's High Street Kennington today, and I must say, it was an unforgettable experience. From the moment we walked in, the warm and inviting atmosphere set the tone for what was to be a fantastic meal. The service by Luka was impeccable—attentive, friendly, and genuinely committed to ensuring we had a great time.

But the real star of the show was the food. We decided to try the Turkish brunch, and it was nothing short of spectacular. The presentation alone was a feast for the eyes, and the flavors were even better. The dish featured an incredible selection of delights, including shakshuka, fromage fondue, grilled halloumi, flatbread, and hummus. Each element was perfectly cooked and seasoned, creating a harmonious balance of tastes and textures.

The shakshuka was rich and flavorful, the grilled halloumi had the perfect amount of crisp on the outside with a soft, melty interior, and the hummus was silky smooth. The fromage fondue added a deliciously indulgent touch, tying everything together beautifully with the flatbread. It was clear that a lot of thought and care went into each component of the dish.

I can't recommend Megan's High Street Kennington enough, especially if you're looking for a unique and satisfying brunch experience. This place has quickly become one of my favorites, and I can't wait to return and explore more...