Wahaca Waterloo — Restaurant in London

Visit from April 2022... We revisited this branch as we had a gift card, the waiter remembered us from last time when we mentioned about our allergies.

The waiter was really nice but I felt sorry for him as everyone was asking him to take their orders and he was the only staff member present on the floor.

The food was very enjoyable, we ordered 2 Chicken Quasadilla, 2 Mushroom Quasadillas, 2 Sweet Potato portions and Califlower Wings. We were able to ask for our mayo to be out of our meals and on the sides instead which was great as we could are it as we wished.

It took a long long time to ask for a dessert afterwards, we had to keep trying to get the attention of someone to serve us which took around 20-30 minutes.

At the end we were trying to scan the QR code (like my previous review below the QR code does not work! We tried on three different devices and over three different tables QR!) The receipt shows a surcharge which you can ask for it to be taken off, it would be great for the QR code to work as then you feel like you can take it off if you felt like it wasn't an enjoyable experience, we took the gift card to the till and it took around 30 minutes to sort out! Ridiculous. The staff member was apologetic but it caused us to miss out train, it should be much easier to use a gift card.

Think that's the last time we will visit here as the ending has become too stressful.

Visit from Feb 2022 ... First time visiting a Wahaca Branch.

Staff were very friendly and they asked regarding allergies which is very important.

Lots of Vegetarian options which is brilliant, we ordered the Mushroom Club, Chicken Club, Patatas Bravas and a Halloumi and Pineapple Taco which was free. The Freebie was very very cold, it felt like because it was free they didn't care how it was presented? The Patatas Bravas were luke warm. The rest of the food was really nice especially the Mushroom Club which I would have again. We were going to order two lots of Patatas Bravas but we're adviced just to buy one because of the size.... We wish we had bought two lots as there wasn't enough to share one portion.

Ordered through person but had to pay through QR code which didn't work, so waiter had to do it on their phone which made us feel uncomfortable and stupid... Personally either order through an app and pay at the time or just order through a person and pay through a person, don't do a mixture.

Restaurant was clean and toilets were nice and clean which I always check.

Knocked a star off for the cold/Luke warm portions of our meal and also the QR system not working correctly (Side Note: I have paid via QR codes before so know how they work so I am experienced with them) so think many people will struggle to...

Right opposite the station, the tasty food will satisfy but the service is a bit lacking. The Wagamamas of Mexican food.

The entrance is quite dramatic, a wall of the ends of railway sleepers, some multi-coloured string and then mirrors to make it feel more dramatic and open. It definitely distracts you from the fact you’re basically going into a basement.

Even for a Monday night, it was busy. Some empty tables but it seems advisable to book for any other night. As you sit down the multiple QR code stickers on the table to pay the bill makes it clear this is “get in, pay, get out”.

There seemed to be enough staff but getting their attention to order was tricky. Paper menus had orders circled and some dishes were audibly “plonked” on the table, almost without breaking step on the way to another table.

The food was delicious. You know it isn’t the most authentic, in the way pizza from a chain isn’t really Italian, but it has a good amount of spice and flavour. The Mexican nachos were the perfect sharing starter.

The mains were hearty, looked great and appetising. You have to ask for salt if you’re an addict but it came promptly and without fuss. You can either go for big dishes or a more tapas-like 2-3 dishes per person. Dessert churros were a bit small but coffee was good.

Pair this a Michelob beer or their many others and you’ll be away. I’ve no idea why they have an option to make beer ‘spicy’ or add salt - it’s not a margarita. There were plenty of other options and a small flight of Tequila.

Menu-wise they do have an alarmingly-named Gluten (as in ‘Free’) and Vegan menu. They’re cut down versions of the main menu but add nuances showing they understand not everyone has the same level of intolerance. It’s appreciated.

The decor in the basement did have a bit of “we went to the art college” with metal frames and yellow cord that was either “cool” or “cage” depending on your perspective. They have stripped it back a bit too much though and seemingly forgotten that bare concrete and low ceilings make it very loud.

Nice for a meal with mates, not...

Can good food make up for abysmal service?Short answer, no. Long answer: see below

We walked in, a group of five, without a booking on a Thursday night. Foolish, perhaps, but not entirely unreasonable. The hostess laughed in our faces, in fact she just about laughed us out the door. Forever gracious, however, she offered our two friends a table of two, while us three remaining were told to wait 20 mins. We awkwardly hovered at the bar for 10, before she evidently got sick of looking at our despondent faces and shuffled us off to a table of three seated far away from our friends. Why she did this, I cannot say, because there was a spare table next to our friends. We had to suggest the bright idea that she push the tables together. The table which, mind you, our friends told us had been vacant since they sat down.

When we were finally settled, we found the wait staff were like cabbies; they’d only pay attention to you if you aggressively waved them down. In fairness, when the food and drinks came out, they were delicious. Wait, not when. If. If they came out. My friend ordered the vegan tacos at the same time as I. I got my food in reasonable time, but everyone had eaten, the bill had been dropped, and even paid, before we had to wave down a waiter and ask where it was. Mind you, he did say the food would come out when it was ready. We just didn’t know that would mean he was growing the plantain from seed.

Closing statement: You know the service is bad when you wish there was one of those QR codes on the table. In short, just order it...