Meze Mangal Restaurant — Restaurant in London

I AM REALLY SORRY TO DO THIS. I HAVE BEEN COMING TO THIS ICONIC RESTAURANT FOR THIRTY YEARS. I REMEMBER IN THE SOUTH EAST OF LONDON YOU CAN GET THE BEST LAHMACUNS EVER. I ALWAYS PREFERRED THEM TO ANY NORTH LONDON RESTAURANTS. BUT NOT NOW!!’

THE BUSINESS PREMISES WAS REFURBISHED AND IT WAS LOOKING GREAT AND HAD MORE ROOM FOR MORE CUSTOMERS UPSTAIRS AND THEY HAD A BIG DOWNSTAIRS FOR LARGER PARTIES.

THEN COVID HIT. AND AFTER COVID WHEN WE STARTED GOING, THE PRICES WENT UP TOO MUCH. THE FOOD WASN’T TASTING OR LOOKING LIKE IT USE TO. THE PORTIONS BECAME SMALLER.

THE ACTUAL RESTAURANT LOOKED LIKE IT NEEDED REDOING AS IT BECAME DATED AND NOW IT LOOKS VERY UNKEPT. BROKEN SKIRTINGS, MIRRORS AND CHAIRS. INSIDE LOOKS TERRIBLE. IT’S NOT CLEAN AND WE HAD TURKISH TEA AND THE TINY SPOONS HAD TEA STAINS ON THEM. THE LITTLE SAUCERS HAD TEA STAINS ON THEM AND CHIPS ON SOME OF THEM. WE HAD ONE CUBE OF SUGAR WITH OUR TEA INSTEAD OF TWO. I MEAN REALLY RATIONING! THE MENU’S WERE DIRTY. MY DESSERT RICE PUDDING WAS QUITE A FEW DAYS OLD. THE MILK SKIM ON TOP WAS VERY THICK AND QUITE HARD TO CUT MY SPOON INTO. RICE PUDDING WAS NOT COOKED RIGHT. SOME MOUTHFULS WERE VERY AL DENTAE AND CRUNCHY. SALT AND PEPPER POTS NOT CLEAN AND GREASY TO TOUCH. EVEN THE DISH ON TILL DESK HAD NO TINY LOKUMS. I DIDN’T ORDER KEBAB AS PREVIOUS TIME FELT RIPPED OFF. IT WAS TERRIBLE. WE WENT FOR ALL STONE OVEN COOKED PASTRIES. IT WAS PLEASANT. NOT GREAT THOUGH. SERVER MADE A FUSS ABOUT SWAPPING GREEN PEPPERS FOR ONIONS. I STATED I WAS ALLERGIC BUT IT WENT OVER HIS HEAD.

BABY SEAT PROVIDED FOR TODDLER OF 18 MONTHS OLD WAS OLD AND AND DIRTY. OUR NEPHEW FELL OUT OF IT, WHILST SITTING IN IT. HE HAD HIS BACK TO THE COAL BBQ., AND HEARD THE RUSTLING OF COAL AND TURNED TO SEE WHAT IS WAS AND THE TODDLER SEAT SLIPPED OFF (WHICH I REALLY DON’T THINK SHOULD OF GONE ON THE SEAT WE WERE SITTING ON, AS IT FELT SLIPPERY). BUT WE MANAGED TO CATCH HIM, THANK GOD BEFORE HE SMASHED HIS HEAD ON THE GRANITE FLOORING. THIS MADE ME SO MAD!

THE RESTAURANT WAS LITERALLY EMPTY. WHAT REALLY ANNOYED ME WAS THAT WE ARE REGULAR CUSTOMERS. IT WAS MY SISTERS 60TH BIRTHDAY AND SHE ASKED ME TO TAKE HER HERE ESPECIALLY FOR THE STONE OVEN COOKED SAVOURY PIDES. AND THE GUYS KNOW ME AND THEY COULDN’T EVEN GIFT HER A SMALL TURKISH TEA ON THE HOUSE. IT’S JUST MAKES ME LAUGH!

EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED. EVEN ALL THE QUALITY OF THE FOODS BEING COOKED. IT’S LIKE THE OWNERS HAVE NO PASSION FOR IT ANYMORE. IT’S A REAL SHAME BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID MEZE MANGAL, EVERYBODY IN THE SOUTH EAST OF LONDON KNEW WHICH RESTAURANT YOU WAS TALKING ABOUT AND ALWAYS REALLY AMAZING POSITIVE FEEDBACKS. NOW WHEN YOU SAY THE RESTAURANTS NAME YOU LISTEN TO NEGATIVITY, WHICH IS SAD😞

THE RESTAURANT WAS COLD. HONESTLY IT WAS WARMER OUTSIDE.

I REALLY WOULD LIKE THE OWNERS TO LOOK AT MY COMMENTS AND TAKE IT ON BOARD OR IT WOULD BE...

Went into this restaurant in good faith, ordered my meal, but when it came the chicken shish was raw in the middle.

Obviously I could not eat it so explained to the waiter who didn’t even apologise and told me he would get another for me.

My partner continued eating and finished his dish in the 15 mins it took for a replacement to come (was told it would be 4-5 minutes), so was left eating alone. During this time the waiter came over with a plate of cacik as complementary, but I explained I do not eat it.

The second kebab finally arrived and was completely over cooked, burnt in places and incredibly dry. I ate two bites of chicken, some rice and salad and left the rest as quite frankly, the whole experience turned my stomach.

We were left with the dirty plates in front of us for another 10-15 mins before they cleared them. Let me just add- the restaurant wasn’t at all busy.

I asked for the bill and was shocked to find that my meal was still on there despite the issues. I called the manager over and again explained the whole debacle. He said I needed to pay for the whole meal and he would give me a bottle of cheap wine. I said I don’t drink so he just shrugged it off.

I ended up paying almost £12 for a meal that was TWICE inedible. I totally appreciate these things happen, but rude staff and bad service is inexcusable in my book.

I will not be returning and urge others not to go here either. Truly disappointing experience that has completely ruined my...

I visited the restaurant and was surprised with the customer service that me and my husband received. The car park was full so I called the restaurant to query where we could park and the person on the phone said to me I have no idea where you can park apart from the car park, we found parking on the off street roads. We entered the restaurant chose a table in the corner of the restaurant which was next to the stove and we were given our main food over the counter which I was surprised. We were given our drinks and plain bread at the table by a waiter. I then asked for sauces to go with the bread and was given a chilli sauce I then asked for a yoghurt sauce which I never got but there was a scoop of plain yoghurt on both of our main plates to which we were confused it wasn’t even like the typical yogurt creamy sauce which you would receive at a Turkish restaurant. We then asked the chef where our rice and fries were and his response was did you order it and we said yes we did that’s what we are waiting on. I’m really disappointed as there are a-lot of Turkish restaurants in the area so it’s pretty competitive and we have not had this experience before. My husband works in the food and customer service industry so this was quite...