Watan Restaurant Tooting — Restaurant in London

DISGUSTED!

1st time we visited was amazing when they newly opened. Now? It’s a joke! They are trying to get as many customers in but fail to serve food to edible standard. Our food came late, cold, uncooked, all slap dashed with poor presentation of what you call a “special platter” as written in your menu. They replaced the raw meat once and same thing again it came raw again. They are rushing so much the food is very poor quality. They seated us in an uncomfortable place regardless of having elderly women and young children, served our drinks right at the end when meal is finished even though we called waiters countless times, and on top served starters right at the end. Absolutely appalled and you have greatly let down your restaurants reputation - I won’t be coming back nor will I be recommending again.

Also your waiters need to be disciplined - one waiter had the cheek to make offensive comments in Urdu - don’t speak in your language and try make offensive jokes at customers! Absolutely disgraceful. The waiter made joke randomly calling my young innocent toddlers “shaitan” ?!!! It wasn’t funny and incredibly inappropriate and rude. He then said he will make up by giving us nice deserts and they bring us the cheapest dessert on the menu - If you have made mistakes and want to make up for it - then serve your best food just as you would host your guests - we are your paying guests!

Absolutely disgusted that’s all I can say.

Just Look at the difference for yourself in the platters and just for reference encase anyone else has a bad experience like myself and family we got :

The Afghan “special” platter - came with cold roti hard and not cooked, Meat raw - I wish I took a picture before that rude waiter quickly took it away - absolutely raw, couldnt break it at all, can’t chew or bite Chicken kebabs - mushy and undercooked] Tomatoes just chucked on whole not grilled properly or cut in half Coriander chunks just thrown on top

DONT RECOMMEND. YOUVE LOST US UNTIL YOU SORT OUT YOUR POOR...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unexpected Find, Unforgettable Flavours

We stumbled upon Watan in Tooting while on the hunt for a good plate of Paya — and we hit the jackpot. For the uninitiated, Paya is a traditional Pakistani dish made from slow-cooked lamb trotters in a deeply spiced, aromatic gravy. It’s rich, hearty, and full of character — and Watan’s take on it didn’t disappoint. The gravy was velvety, full of soul-warming spices, and the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender.

Beyond the Paya, everything else we ordered was packed with bold, authentic flavours. The Afghani mixed grill was a showstopper — a beautifully presented platter (see photo!) of smoky, tender meats, each piece marinated to perfection and grilled with just the right char. It wasn’t just food — it was theatre. The aromas alone were enough to stop conversations at nearby tables.

The dining room was packed and buzzing — clearly a local favourite, with the kind of lively atmosphere that makes everything taste even better. Despite the rush, the team handled it with ease.

Fresh naan came hot and pillowy, the mango lassi was a creamy, cooling counterpoint to the spice, and the kulfi trio — mango, pista, and malai — was pure frozen indulgence. Each flavour stood on its own, but together they were a nostalgic celebration of South Asian sweets.

And then the pista kheer — soft, creamy, and delicately spiced — wrapped up the meal with quiet elegance. Comfort food in the truest sense.

Our server, Bilal, was exceptional — warm, thoughtful, and genuinely welcoming. Even in the middle of a busy night, he made us feel like the only table that mattered.

Best of all? It’s excellent value for money — you can expect to pay around £75 per couple, including a bottle of mineral water, for a full feast that feels far more indulgent than the price suggests.

Whether you're a local or just passing through, Watan is the kind of place best enjoyed with family, friends, and a...

We have been here before and had a wonderful experience. My husband , daughter and friend's family. However I went today in the afternoon and was shocked at the level of service and unfriendliness of the staff. In short Waitress was unhelpful when asking if we can swap naan with rice as we were gluten free. Had to order a dish that came with naan and order rice. It was said in a way which was a bit not understanding. Almost like it or lump it. No flexibility. Ordered dum chicken biryani it was curry and rice with onions basically and rice was not cooked. It was cold so we sent it to be microwaved. Came back quite grainy. Did not eat it. Then malai bot chicken was hard and chewy and seemed old. Asked waitress back and explained that we have had this before and it is not succulent but is hard. She insisted that this is how it comes and rhen I asked her to try it or break it. It was quite burnt. Then she said that in Pakistan the malai both is different. And I had to keep it as that's how it comes. Another waiter changed it to Afghan both amehich was delicious. She said manager would come but didn't. All other food was getting cold then asked another waiter for manager and he said he was on break . Then when he came I asked another emwaiter to call him and manager was very dismissive no sorry and although they warned it up he was arguing that it was not stone cold when the chicken clearly was.

Very disappointed . Felt like we were trouble makers or that they thought we were doing it to get a discount which they didn't even offer. It...