Wahaca Covent Garden
Wahaca Covent Garden things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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On a recent night out in London, with visiting friends, we decided to catch up early for dinner, seeking sustenance and sanctuary before "The Lion King" roared into our evening. Our friends were a travelling family of two joyously tired parents and their two sons with beaming smiles, full of perpetual joy and contagious energy. We decided the menu at Wahaca looked good, and noted it was a large, busy, family-friendly haven right near the theatre that promised both good food and quick service - exactly what we needed. We grabbed a couple of serves of the guacamole for the kids, these were deliciously simple and were served with tortilla chips. While the kids’ told stories about their exploring of London and a dramatic recent loss of a tooth - I think the adults ate much more of the guacamole. The Mexico City Nachos hit the table, loaded with Trealy Farm chorizo, black beans, and a nice combo of salsas - I was glad to give them a go. I ordered one of the Summer Special "Pea & Mint Empanadas" - I thought they’d be better based on the ingredients and write up, but I was happy to give them a try. We got the Crispy Cauliflower Bites and Sweet Potato 'Bravas', they were good also, but the sweet potato bravas weren’t that crispy, but were still nice, served with jalapeno allioli and hibiscus salsa. For drinks all the adults decided that we were craving coffee instead of booze, but fate intervened cruelly as the waitress told us the coffee machine was broken. This led me to order a Coffee Tequila—a cheeky detour that I enjoyed. For mains, we went with a range of the tacos - chicken, beef and fish - and a chicken quesadilla to share. The kids enjoyed their own delightful bowls from the kids menu. No complaints with any of these and they came out fast as promised. We got the Churros for desert. After we paid the bills and prepared to leave, our waitress walked past us confidently and delivered a round of coffees to the table next to ours. It was a strange, hilarious twist that could not have been better planned or timed. It was a great space and a fantastic pre-show feast which allowed for a good value meal, some nice conversation, good laughs and just the right amount of absurdity before a magical night of theatre.
Jay SullivanJay Sullivan
00
We popped into Wahaca Covent Garden at the last minute without a plan or reservation. They were super welcoming and the venue is pretty huge (for that central location). Nonetheless, the atmosphere was great due to the way the table are structured; even though their were only a few customers. Staff were attentive and helpful asking about allergies which was appreciated. They have dedicated Vegan and gluten free menus, but with ample options. No need to educate the Wahaca team; what a joy. Overall this was a fantastic experience with food quality, price, staff and atmosphere all workings towards an enjoyable dining experience. I had Plantain as well as the Ancho Mushroom Tacos from the street food options. But these were no basic street offerings, beautifully plated and a wonderfully sophisticated range of flavours. Mexican is not within my usual scope so there were a few unfamiliar tastes. But I truly loved eating every mouthful and will definitely return to make my way through the relatively substantial vegan set of possibilities. For dessert, they provided a choice between chocolate ice cream or Churros. I received 6 warm churros with heated rich chocolate to dip. They were tasty and tender; well worth the kcal. The menu is well marked with helpful information like calories, veganisable possibilities and key allergy notifications.
Kael CockcroftKael Cockcroft
10
One of the worst Wahaca experiences I had and because of that my last visit. I used to like it when the owner lady who won masterchef UK back in the days. Nowadays it's just a soulless franchised food concept not any better or worse like Wagama, Costa Coffee or Leon. The welcome was rushed and performed like a robort by a very friendly and chatty guy. After we complied to all health and safety regulations we were ushered to our table. Server arrived and the very charming and friendly lady started her service intro. For some reason she was either very nervous or not well trained. She tried to exain the menu to us on what to order in terms of portion size and variety without great sucess. The daily special were printed on a sticky note and stuck on the table. Drinks order was taken but we had to ask twice for tab water as this was missed when other drinks arrived. Food started to arrive." The favourite menu" was choosen which came for two people only. As we had to order the menu for two people food selection should come in even numbers but instead some of these items were either single portions or came as in theee items. Again we were two people. We voiced out our fustration about portion size to a supervisor lady who was very appologetic but mentiomed that even she could not understand why some items were tasteless( Chipotle lime slaw- which we retruned it was simply inedible) or came in uneven numbers. For the rejected lime slaw she offered us any alternative or dessert item on the house which we declined. At the checkout process, which is card payment only we were asked to insert our table number, but that number was nowhere to be found. At the end we had tonasknthe waiter for it. On top of that we were charged a discretionary service charge for today's experience. Well it goes without saying, we would like to have our money back and shall never return. In all fairness I have to say that the service and the two female staff members were very polite and friendly, howecer this didn't make up for the poor food quality and taste, poor portion size and overall poor experience hence the one star only rating.
HighbarnetHighbarnet
10
This is a Mexican restaurant that has a menu based on the style of street food. Think of this as Mexican Tapas as you need to order many dishes which on the whole are not substantial for a single main course. The restaurant itself is vibrant and well themed. Waiting staff are fantastic, the food is fresh and presented with such care. What let the service and experience down was the kitchen as items which we expected to be brought whilst waiting for the food took a while in coming and one arrived at the end of all the order items arriving. The chaotic arrival of items meant at the beginning half our party had no food watching the others that did! Poor kitchen service, as at least a few items should arrive for all parties as it is not a case of sharing due to half of the party being vegetarian. No parking and outside appeared to be resident permits only. Best use the train should you want to visit as this restaurant is 0.2 miles from Leicester Square underground. Something to note if you require disability access is that their is no apparent lift down to the restaurant, leaving stairs as the only option.
Daren KenwardDaren Kenward
00
Well… Being American, we assume we have the best tacos, because of course America is intertwined beautifully with its Mexican and Hispanic neighbors and their contributions as Americans themselves to a thriving food culture… I was surprised to find the tacos at Wahaca to be so darn good!!! It’s definitely not “traditional” and that’s fine, it’s the modern age; it ought not to be. The melody of flavours in the tacos here are gorgeous! The decor and aesthetic of the space, it’s all charming enough and gritty enough. Maybe a bit too “hip” for its own good, but tame enough to not feel out of place amongst the air of cool vibes… I went to better restaurants while visiting London but tacos are hardly a five star 3 course. This is mostly as good as it gets without being a taco truck on the side of the road in the Yucatán… Drinks are watered down, totally needs to be more generous for the price, it’s quite obviously a money maker for them, and that’s a shame. Don’t believe me drink a few and walk a straight line outside. I’ve been 3 times to substantiate this! Cheers…
Nicholas HoodNicholas Hood
80
Wahaca Covent Garden is an excellent restaurant just off of the Main Street. The paper menus double as placemats, it’s helpful to keep them around as you’ll likely order more than one round of food. The blackberry margarita is sweet with a nice sour element which I found really tasty. The guacamole is simple and delicious - just avocado salt and lime. The pork is the best meat we had, both in the tacos and the burrito. The rainbow is also filling and tasty. Our favorite thing we had was a holiday special of potato esquites. The second time we went on our week-long trip they didn’t have them - what a shame!! We got the sweet potato bravas as. Side dish instead and they were also excellent! The smoky hibiscus dip reminds me of a more flavorful barbecue sauce! This place takes precautions for gluten free/celiac. They change their gloves and put allergy flags so you know what food is safe for you. A manager is also required to take your order to make sure that they’re serious about the allergy. Overall one of the best places we ate at in London!
Charles VegaCharles Vega
10
Nearby Attractions Of Wahaca Covent Garden
London Eye
Trafalgar Square
Covent Garden
M&M'S London
The National Gallery
Primark
Chinatown
Leicester Square
Seven Dials
Leicester Square

London Eye
4.5
(55.8K)Click for details

Trafalgar Square
4.6
(41.3K)Click for details

Covent Garden
4.6
(38.2K)Click for details

M&M'S London
4.3
(20.1K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Wahaca Covent Garden
Circolo Popolare London
Dishoom Covent Garden
Ave Mario
Govinda's Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant
The Top Secret Comedy Club
Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus
Fatt Pundit
Burger & Lobster Leicester Square
Maharaja of India
Brasserie Zedel

Circolo Popolare London
4.8
(11.2K)$$
Click for details

Dishoom Covent Garden
4.7
(8.9K)$$
Click for details

Ave Mario
4.8
(7.8K)$$
Click for details

Govinda's Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant
4.8
(8K)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
66 Chandos Pl, London WC2N 4HG, United Kingdom
Map
Phone
+44 20 3951 9741
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Website
wahaca.co.uk
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Reviews
Overview
4.4
(2.4K reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Mexican restaurant with a lively soundtrack for small plates of market-style food & cocktails.
attractions: London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, M&M'S London, The National Gallery, Primark, Chinatown, Leicester Square, Seven Dials, Leicester Square, restaurants: Circolo Popolare London, Dishoom Covent Garden, Ave Mario, Govinda's Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant, The Top Secret Comedy Club, Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, Fatt Pundit, Burger & Lobster Leicester Square, Maharaja of India, Brasserie Zedel
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