Soul Street Sidcup — Restaurant in London

Tonight, I visited Soul Street in Sidcup. What can I say? I had booked this for my husband's birthday back in February, with the promise of a night filled with entertainment, live acts, and surprises. I have to admit that there were surprises, but not the ones we were expecting.

Originally, our booking was for 8:30 pm, but it was changed to 6 pm a week later without any prior notice. Despite feeling that an earlier booking would be better, upon arrival, we found ourselves amidst a rowdy brunch crowd, which was quite confusing as to why we were asked to come at 6 pm while the daytime sitting was still ongoing. Our table turned out to be barstools placed on a table right next to the restaurant kitchen which was instantly disappointing, especially with an older relative in our party. Despite being told there were no other tables available due to other bookings, my husband and I reminded the staff that we had made the booking in February for his birthday, and the table felt more like a bar setting than a proper dining table. After a few discussions, the manager eventually seated us at a better table, for which we were grateful. However, after 30 minutes, we were asked to move to allow another party access to their table. Our table also shook a lot, adding to the discomfort.

While the staff were lovely, Soul Street seemed to lack a clear identity. The promised entertainment turned out to be a man playing a saxophone with no additional features. The starters were average, and the main dishes were tasteless and overcooked. The chicken and lamb dishes lacked flavour, and the wagyu burger was disappointingly small, with the bun overshadowing the patty. The desserts were okay.

The confusion at the end of the night over the bill added to the disappointment. The deposit money was not clearly indicated on the bill, leading us to leave the restaurant and then return to clarify that we had not overpaid.

In conclusion, Soul Street appears confused about its identity, wavering between a bar, restaurant, or club. It has the potential to be amazing but is poorly executed and managed. I would not recommend or return to Soul Street. It was a total letdown for my husband's birthday celebration....

We booked a table for four on Father’s Day, clearly noting in the online reservation that we’d have two small children with us — a 3-year-old and a 3-month-old. Despite this, we were seated at a high bar table with stools right by the entrance, an entirely unsuitable spot for a young family. When we asked to be moved to a standard dining table, we were told the restaurant was fully booked and no alternatives were available — yet throughout our almost two-hour visit, the restaurant remained noticeably half empty.

Unfortunately, the poor seating led to a serious incident. Our 3-year-old fell off the high stool and cut his lip. Not a single staff member came to check if he was okay. In fact, they seemed more interested in quickly seating us and walking away than offering even the most basic concern or care.

As for the food, the special Father’s Day menu was overpriced: £49 for a modest plate of pan-fried seabass, bruschetta, and a brownie. The portion sizes were small but still very tasty. The kids’ meal — breaded chicken and fries — lacked any attempt at balance or nutrition. Adding a few peas or cucumber slices would have made a world of difference, especially for young diners.

Overall, our experience was disappointing — not just because of the poor value for money, but because of the total lack of empathy and accommodation for families. We expected a warm, celebratory meal, but left feeling let down, ignored, and concerned for our child’s safety.

We would not recommend this restaurant...

experience : Brunch 13th April 2024. I had an unfortunate experience. I must say it was throughly disapointing. Lets start with the food: I was let down , the brunch menu was incredibly limited , no starters, just mains wich wasn't anything specialand the desserts that were shared and one option served in a shot glass and were given table spoons (for soup) and did not fit in the glasses ( waitress brought the dessert spoons when we were paying the bill.) If the culinary dissapointment wasn't enough, the so called entretaiment "live" was the loud music and a man plying an electric violin, over the music. therefore it was NOT possible to chat to my friends. I couldn't help but noticed the lack of diversity among the staff all bing blue eyes and the demographics skewed heavily towards women. To top it all the service was atrorious for the exorbitant prices they charged. In summary if you are looking for a dinning experiece that is anything above mediocre,steer clear of this establishment ! Save your money and your taste for a restaurante/Bar/live music etc that cares about standards and...