The Great Chase — Restaurant in London

Welcome to The Great Chase, a delightful restaurant nestled in the heart of Islington, where culinary excellence meets a warm and inviting atmosphere. There was no better way to spend Father's Day than indulging in the mouthwatering Halal Sunday Beef Roast and a selection of delectable desserts.

The Main Course: The star of the show was undoubtedly the Halal Sunday Beef Roast. I savoured every bite of the tender beef roast, perfectly cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection. The accompanying Roast Potatoes, Roasted & Spiced Carrots, Parsnips, and Cauliflower added a delightful medley of flavours to the dish. The Tenderstem and Neeps Puree provided a unique twist, while the stuffing, Yorkshire Pudding (which was not my favourite), and rich gravy brought it all together. It was a symphony of flavours that truly delighted the senses. My wife's choice, the Slow Road Lamb Shank & Harrisa Gravy, was equally impressive, with the lamb cooked to succulent tenderness.

The Mocktail: To complement our meal, we decided to indulge in The Great Chase's Raspberry Meringue mocktail. It was love at first sip! The mocktail was a refreshing blend of sweet and tangy flavours, with the raspberry infusing a delightful twist. Served in an elegant glass, it was the perfect accompaniment to our main course.

Dessert Delights: After such a satisfying meal, we couldn't resist trying the desserts. The Chocolate Mousse was a chocolate lover's dream come true. The velvety texture of the mousse, paired with the Cardamom White Chocolate and Hazelnut Crumb, created a harmonious blend of flavours. The addition of Raspberry Coulis, Orange, and Honey Comb elevated the dish to new heights.

For a lighter option, we opted for the Apple Tartine Lemon. The Cinnamon-poached apples added a hint of warmth, while the Tonka Ganache and Crispy Pastry provided a delightful contrast in textures. The Apple Coulis and Cornflake Gelato added a touch of freshness that balanced the richness of the dish.

Our dining experience at The Great Chase in Islington was truly exceptional. From the tantalizing Halal Sunday Beef Roast to the divine desserts, every element of our meal was carefully crafted and presented with flair. The attentive service thanks to Francesca and the inviting ambience made our visit even more enjoyable. We highly recommend The Great Chase to all food enthusiasts looking for a memorable dining experience...

So disappointed in the experience at this place. This is NOT fine dining.

In short: UNDERCOOKED meat, poor service, stingy portions, lingering bad smell, staff arguing, customers swearing and overpriced food.

We went for an anniversary meal and the second I stepped in I felt uncomfortable. The waiter was frosty and sterile in his ‘greeting’ which felt more like a security check as to why I was there rather than a welcome. I felt like I should leave even though I made an effort to be there!

Things went from bad to worse. It’s a small place so we asked to be moved to the more private area at the back. But things didn’t improve. The place had a lingering faint smell of urine and it’s difficult to ignore.

We went on a Sunday - which was roast day, but they only had two items on the menu. Lamb or beef. I’m sorry but what kind of professional establishment only has two options on the menu - even though they’ve taken in bookings so they know how many customers to expect??!

Once the food came the beef portion was shocking. It was two pink slivers of beef bacon for £30. We had to share our food so we wouldn’t leave feeling hungry. We couldn’t even order any sides as there was nothing on the menu! Such a shame as the lamb shank was decent in taste - just a bit dry.

I had to ask for more gravy seeing as there wasn't enough on my plate - to which I was later surprised to find I was charged £1 for!

The one (blond with glasses) waitress who served us was polite, but the others were inattentive. No-one asked how the food was - which is just standard practice.

We observed another couple had to make a complaint as there was hairs on her food. And we observed another nicely dressed couple sandwiched between a door to the toilet and two young girls who sat there swearing loudly most the time. Why so ghetto? I felt sorry for that couple as I could hear the girls from the other side of the room.

To top it all off the chef decided to go on a ‘break’ and argue with the waitress about it in front of the customers. I felt embarrased for her.

This was such a depressing experience for me AND my husband had an upset tummy the next day. Probably caused by that PINK beef strip they served us.

It’s giving a bad name to Halal...

We were super excited to try this place out, it was my friends birthday and she specifically asked for The Great Chase as it is known for being super halal friendly and a place for a Sunday roast!

I booked a table and requested a birthday style dessert for her. When we arrived the place was cute and moderately busy, there seemed to be a lack of floor staff at first but actually the staff were just not that attentive and did not seem to have any rotation on the tables.

We were sat for around 20 minutes before somebody came to take our order and drinks order. Food and drinks arrived fine, the food was really lovely, a bit expensive for what it was on the meat side, it was not cooked too well, but for the fact you get all the trimmings it was not a bad price. The drinks were amazing!

After we finished eating we did not have a waiter come to clean the table for around 30 minutes. When we looked around dubiously we saw them all speaking and laughing near the bar area but not paying attention to the floor. We flagged down the chef who saw us looking around and he then prompted two people on the bar to see many tables who were waiting. After another 10 minutes they came over, they cleared half the table and took our dessert and tea order.

I went to the toilet and stopped off at the bar to ask the staff to please pop a candle onto the dessert for my friend and they said they would. The dessert arrived…no candle. No mention of a birthday. The sieve in the teapot was broken so the tea was not drinkable. Loose tea leaves all over the place. The desserts were really nice. Was it worth the price? Nope. Did they deserve the 10% service…not even a little bit. We paid it anyway because they all seem young and inexperienced but did not deserve it.

There was no real vibe in there and it all felt a little cold for a steak/roast place. I wouldn’t go back. My partner reviews food for a living so I am well experienced in all sorts of cuisine and experiences when eating in London and this was not at the standard it should be when you take into account the pricing, location and the hype around...