Shams Restaurant — Restaurant in London

Simply terrible. Dry and cold food and awful customer service.

Came here in July with Mum, excited by the good reviews. However, I was extremely disappointed. The Lebanese bread/pizza we ordered was served cold and bland which we had to ask to be warmed. Our main meal was the Lamb Meshwi. The lamb itself was okay but it was dry and needed sauce (sauce which we had to ask for as it didn't not come with the meal. Portion size was very small, almost like they were rationing the rice. Another issue was the clear lack of cleanliness in that we saw several flies buzzing around our food.

At the end when the bill came, we of course did not feel happy to pay the 12.5% service charge. When we politely refused, he then became irate and said it was automatically added. However that is illegal to add service charge forcibly in the UK. Truthfully, this is probably the worst experience I've had in a UK restaurant and I am very disappointed. Please avoid, there are plenty of better Lebanese places...

I’ve been visiting Shams in Chiswick every couple of months, and it’s always a satisfying experience. The food is consistently flavorful, with Lebanese classics. The portions are generous, and for the quality of food, the pricing feels fair, especially given the rising costs at many London . Shams is one of those places where you feel you get good value for money, and it’s definitely a spot for authentic flavors without breaking the bank.

The ambiance is cozy and welcoming, making it a nice spot for casual dinners and lunches alike. I’ve noticed some improvements lately and hope it’s a sign of new management driving positive changes. If they keep this momentum, Shams will only get better with time. It’s exciting to see a restaurant dedicated to refining its offerings, and I wish them all the best in their journey. I look forward to seeing Shams continue to elevate its service and menu — it’s definitely a gem in Chiswick that deserves...

Just eaten at Shams after a trip to the gin tour at Sipsmiths nearby. It’s a lovely restaurant. Really friendly staff. Service was quick and efficient. The restaurant was clean and attractive. The food was delicious - fresh, well cooked and the portions were generous. The prices were very fair. I had moussaka with lamb stew and rice. It was different from a Greek moussaka, but delicious! The lamb was incredibly tender with no fat. My husband kafta meshwi, a type of minced lamb kebab with Lebanese spices, parsley and pickles which he very much enjoyed. We also had sides of Ful Madames (a type of broad bean puree and some Batata Harra - sauted spicy potatoes that were great dipped in the broad bean puree. Everything was very tasty. Altogether a great atmosphere. The Arabic (mint) tea was lovely to finish, with some complementary pieces of baclava. I particularly liked the olive tree in the middle of...