Ibo's Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in North Hertfordshire

If you’re looking for a quiet, intimate dining experience, this place may not be your best bet. I visited IBO’s last Saturday with three friends, and while we had high hopes for the evening, we quickly realized that not all dining experiences are created equal.

First, let me set the scene. The venue itself is small, and I mean small. When we arrived, it was so busy that we could barely squeeze through the narrow passage between the bar and a nearby sofa to get to our table.

Once we were seated, we quickly realized that “cozy” was a bit of an understatement. The tables were packed so closely together that when I reached into my pocket to grab my phone, I somehow elbowed the guy behind me right in the ribs. Oops.

I started with the spicy meatballs, which were certainly spicy —though nothing that left me raving about them. For my main, I went with the chicken shish. It was cooked well enough, but honestly, I’ve had better pub meals in terms of flavor and presentation.

The wait for the main course was a bit of a letdown. While the starter came out promptly, we were left twiddling our thumbs for far too long before the mains showed up. By the time the food finally arrived, I was hungry enough to forgive some of the delays—but still, it wasn’t exactly the dining experience we’d imagined.

But here’s where things really took a turn. The so-called "live" music was, in a word, deafening. Now, I’m all for a bit of atmosphere, but when the volume is so high that holding a conversation is basically impossible, it crosses a line. It wasn't just loud—it was painful. Two days later as I write this, my ears are still ringing and I have earache.

So, was the nearly £200 bill for four of us worth it? Unfortunately, no. While I don’t mind paying for good food and a fun atmosphere, this experience left a lot to be desired. The cramped space, long wait for mains, and ear-piercing music definitely didn’t justify the hefty price tag.

If you're in the area and looking for a lively (and I mean loud) night out, it might be worth a shot—but if you value your eardrums and a little breathing room, I'd suggest...

The first occasion I went here was with a friend at the weekend when it was very busy, loud with music and a couple of birthday celebrations. There were a lot of people just drinking cocktails at the back of the restaurant, too, and coming and going from the bar. We shared various cold and hot mezze dishes on this occasion, which were generous and very nice. The second occasion I went to the restaurant, it was a weekday evening and a lot quieter which was good. We decided to share a starter and this time have a main course instead. The patlican soslu (Aubergine and peppers) was tasty but quite small compared to the initial time I tried it. Bread and dips are served which were good and the bread is very moreish. We both ordered the Monkfish main course but were surprised to see that it wasn't a fillet as expected but chopped into only 6 small cubes and served with chips and salad. The butter sauce I thought would be melted over the fish, but it was served in a small dish which I thought was another dip and was quite shocked when I took a big scoop from it and ate it. The monkfish was overcooked and rubbery, making it very chewy. For £24.90 the dish is overpriced for the small amount of fish that is given. The wine by the bottle prices are slightly overpriced, too, if you choose a semi decent one. The decor is a bit jarring with fake plants but the velvet seating is nice. I noticed a few cleaning products still on display around the restaurant at the back. The staff are polite enough but the service delivered didn't warrant a high reason to comment any further. I would advise if you go here to go for lunch or a weekday evening for mezze and to avoid the loud and manic Friday/Saturday night slot unless you...

I definitely wouldn't return again. The food portions were good, but the halloumi dish I had was absolutely soaked in oil. The resturant was also very loud so you can hardly hear each other, and the way they try to cram everyone into the restaurant is like you are sitting on everyone's lap. The worst thing was the attitude of the manager which was absolutely shocking. 4 people ended up dropping out of our booking last minute and we were only told on the way, but when we arrived we were moaned at for not letting them know, even though I had explained it was last minute. As we had a large booking we also had to do £10 deposit each when making the reservation and was told it will be taken off final bill at the end. We were then told by management when we asked for the bill that the full deposit money won't be taken off because of the people dropping out last minute and we should have told them, they said it was their policy. Nothing in writing to prove this, they could not show us the policy and also not on their website so after discussing for a long time with the manager, she finally returned the full deposit money. Would definitely...