XIX Nineteen — Restaurant in London

Dear Manager,

While ago, I visited your restaurant with members of the Stratford Original BID board for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. It was such a positive experience that I looked forward to bringing my family to share in it.

This afternoon, around 4pm, I visited with my wife and three teenage children for tea. When I requested a table for five, I noticed the waitress appeared nervous and called the manager. We were then shown to a table in the corner with five chairs, but one side faced directly into the wall, which would have forced all of us to sit tightly together, facing the wall.

The manager also mentioned, unprompted, that there was a two-hour time limit. This felt unnecessary and unwelcoming, especially as we had not asked about it. At that moment, my family and I felt uncomfortable, as though we were not welcome. As a result, we decided to leave.

This was very disappointing, particularly as I had spoken highly of your restaurant to my family. We were left feeling unwelcome and, frankly, discriminated against. What made the situation even more puzzling was that the restaurant was not busy: I saw only a few couples and a small group, with many tables still empty.

I would like to understand:

Is the two-hour limit a standard policy at your restaurant?

Why were we placed at a cramped corner table facing a wall, when better tables were available?

Is this the way families or groups of five are normally treated?

I want to stress that a great restaurant experience is not only about food and drink but also about the warmth of hospitality. Sadly, on this occasion, the service fell far short of what I had experienced before.

I hope you will take this feedback seriously. At present, I would hesitate to return or recommend Nineteen to my friends and colleagues, though I would be glad to see a change in how guests are welcomed.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours...

This place brings a smile to the face, with its nightclub vibe and blingy toilets festooned with plastic shrubbery and an artificial grass ceiling. Nice waiting staff too, and a friendly bouncer at the door, but spectacularly disorganised in terms of what happens to the orders once taken. After about 25 minutes we realised we'd not had our drinks, so nudged one of the waiters. They appeared quite soon after that, though there had to be a separate trip to provide a glass for one of the beers. The food experience was similar, and again, spectacular is the word I'd reach for in terms of the wait between the two dishes. Yes, indeed, our ultra simple dumpling dishes didn't arrive together, but about 10 minutes apart, so we had to share the first dish, and then the second dish. When the waiter saw we were sharing, she just went and got us side plates to share with -- when what we were doing was eating what had arrived because, after about 45 mins, we were hungry! But this complete lack of coordination is part of the charm of the place, and made being there actually very relaxing. Even the salad side dishes (nicely dressed with pesto) arrived separately. It would seem that whatever gets plated gets sent out, so there's complete disorganisation in the kitchen too -- ie, not to be able to get two dishes of dumplings out at the same time. But perhaps if XIX wasn't this disorganised, it wouldn't be so charming. The Ukrainian and Georgian cheese dumplings were both find, with a nice little pot of sour cream. Would be happy to drop in here again if we were in the area. But just don't go if you're really hungry and want food quickly, and expect everything to arrive in a higgledy piggledy order, from very nice...

XIX Nineteen delivered one of the best dining experiences I’ve had! The food was exceptional, the service was outstanding, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Even my Ukrainian friends, who usually eat homemade Ukrainian food, loved it—proof of its authenticity and quality. I rarely revisit restaurants due to my schedule, but I’ll make an exception for this one.

The owner went above and beyond to ensure our group of 35 had a fantastic time. Before our visit, he highlighted the Ukrainian dishes on the menu and sent us pictures so we knew what to expect. I stopped by the day before, and they happily accommodated a few adjustments, which I really appreciated. On the night itself, the singer/floor manager (whose name I unfortunately didn’t catch) doesn't sing on sunday but saturday evening, but when we finished eating he moved to another area comfortable area with sofas, just to sing Ukrainian songs for us, which was an incredibly thoughtful touch.

The food was incredible! I had the Meat Borsch, which was rich and full of flavor, along with Cabbage Rolls, Chicken Kyiv, and Honey and Ginger Vodka. For dessert, I tried a sweet dumpling dish similar to Syrniki, and everything was fantastic. The Chicken Kyiv and Meat Borsch were my absolute favorites.

The atmosphere was warm and cozy, with soft tones and beautiful indirect lighting—a great design choice. The staff were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and helpful from the moment we arrived.

If I could give this place six stars, I would! Highly recommended for anyone looking for authentic Ukrainian food in a cozy and welcoming...