Lavish — Restaurant in Stevenage

UPDATE: Two of us who ordered the Teriyaki Ginger Chicken had an upset stomach the following day. I knew something was off with their chicken tenders. Just NO - never again.

Despite the rude looks and the overall treatment by the manager this evening, the whole time we were inside the premises, I will try to be constructive as much as I can.

First thing we were told by the door was “dress code”, my mate was asked to remove his hat. It was okay, we will never wear hats once inside, but the tone it was delivered, I thought - this lady is not welcoming us at all. It was off putting. Me and my partner are wearing shorts, and we have my darling little toddler with us for this evening meal. I felt uncomfortable after that.

Ambience: Yes I get it, it’s a place for yuppies and the up market crowd. This is not my first rodeo in Stevenage, and there are places much chilled where we don’t have to pretend to be something that we’re not. Great effort with the design, chairs were comfy. As I looked at the behind me, I can see the chefs cooking and moving around. I thought this is good, we may expect something authentically Mediterranean food.

Service: The waiters are very friendly and nice, a far difference from the manager who displayed a personality of a brick. At least the other service members were patient and kind to us despite how we dressed up for this meal. Our requests were handled by the staff well, kid’s chair was provided too.

Food: Plates were cold, and honestly, for Mediterranean fare in the area, the food we ordered all in all are considered mediocre. My request to order starters as main was handled well. Our server gave us an extra plate, she was good in catching that detail. Food tasted okay - but I could tell, for example what the sauces and batter for calamari and prawns, were something I could get and make myself at home, just glorified in that “expensive” ambience. And that teriyaki ginger sauce on a chicken main meal, I thought that was the funniest thing I’ve ever tasted. Tortilla slices tasted like it was freshly opened out of an 8-pack Co op Tortilla Wraps.

Price: as the name suggests, you pay for the ambience. Lavish apparently is the standard. There are far more luxurious places to eat in Stevenage than this, and worth your money too.

Throughout the stay, we noticed already, all four of us whilst eating our meal, that we were unwelcomed and unwanted - received stern looks from the lady manager all the time, she never cracked a smile. We thought we were eating inside a dolled-up prison cell.

We have a little boy full of energy, but as a responsible adult, we took the kid under our care. So a fair warning to families taking their toddlers: LAVISH IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOUR TINY TOTS.

Whilst I was dealing with our little man in the loo, I came back to the table with service clearing our tables - I suppose they were given a nod to watch our table so it can get cleared with immediate effect. This is where I totally lost it, the minute they plastered the dessert menu cards to our faces I said to my mate, let’s get the bill and leave.

We managed to pay for the bill 15 minutes later after the bill was handed to us. It was a busy evening. I was very thankful to the young girl who served us patiently the entire time. Poor you, we noticed how uncomfortable the service staff are towards the manager this evening.

As we went out of the premises, passing by the snooty lady manager, we said our thanks and told her that we will now be out of her hair. I felt like being a nuisance to the business that evening. We will now avoid Lavish like plague.

Having said that, stick to other family friendly places in Stevenage High Street, with a much friendlier service and nicer, laid back atmosphere, with much better quality food that is worthy of your money.

For no pretentious way of dining in High Street Stevenage, stick to Tarla or Rump & Wade....

Last week, we were in London, and some friends highly recommended we visit Lavish. Following their advice turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip! My husband, our 4-year-old daughter, and I embarked on a culinary journey that exceeded every expectation. Under the brilliant guidance of Chef Sertan Çavuşoğlu, Lavish has truly redefined what it means to dine in style and flavor.

From the moment we arrived, the warm and inviting atmosphere immediately put us at ease. Despite its slightly out-of-town location, finding Lavish was easy, and every moment spent there was absolutely worth it.

The evening started with exceptional cocktails that were a delight to sip—crafted with creativity and precision. What impressed us even more was how accommodating the staff were for our daughter. Although she’s only 4, they made her feel like a VIP! They prepared delightful mocktails just for her, even though they weren’t on the menu, and went out of their way to cook a simple yet perfectly made plain pasta to her liking. This small but thoughtful gesture won her heart—and ours.

As for the food, it was nothing short of extraordinary. Every dish was a work of art, blending creativity and flavor in perfect harmony. The white-chocolate baba ghanoush was a revelation, a dish that turned a traditional recipe into something utterly unique and unforgettable. The rib-eye steak was cooked to perfection, juicy and bursting with flavor. The octopus was tender and delicious, while the scallops melted in the mouth. The dynamite sauce, true to its name, elevated every dish it accompanied to another level of flavor.

Beyond the exceptional food, what truly made this experience special was the impeccable service. The staff were not only professional but also genuinely warm and attentive, ensuring that every detail was taken care of.

Lavish is more than just a restaurant—it’s a destination that deserves every bit of praise it gets. Chef Sertan Çavuşoğlu and his talented team have created a dining experience that combines exceptional flavors, creativity, and heartfelt hospitality.

We’re already looking forward to our next visit. If you’re in London and seeking an unforgettable culinary adventure, Lavish is an absolute must. Trust me, you...

Went tonight 5/3/25. Was recommended for nice steaks and the reviews. Booked table online for 5 and said member of party has a stick and needs room. Got there early ish explained only 4 now and one person ill. They put us in the cornor on a booth with a very loud party of girls who kept getting up and down etc. Asked to more to a quieter place and more room for person with stick as stated when booked no problem re sat great. So orderd and the staff was all lovely and serves was lovely. Got the food. And 3 out of r meals was nice. The chips was very very salty with rock salt all over it. A member of my party had a sirloin steak and chips and side of mushrooms. The steak was very very fatty and chewy and the chips and mushrooms was covered in salt. Nice girls asked if was OK I said yes ( I had the lamb) and she went the others never said anything. Then when they came to clear steak barely touched we explained to the server about the steak and chips. She seemed very upset and spoke to manger and took some money of the bill. We thought was all sorted. Orderd desserts and more drinks. Then asked for the bill. And the manager came over when asked was all ok we said staff amazing and explained about the steak as she asked about the problem. And said was we not checked on. We explained yes but only I said lamb was nice and lady went. The manager then infront of us called the poor girl over to have a go at her about not asking. We was very embarrassed for the girl who done nothing wrong and made us look like dicks as far as we was concerned the matter had been dealt with and went said to the manager not to do it and staff was good she got the hump with us. Would not go again very bad manager as if you have an issue with the staff you take them to one side away from customers not make a young girl feel embarrassed etc. Very wrong.would not...