Sofra (Oxford Street)

Booked a table just before Christmas for lunch. It was very busy, but the table had been kept. We had our usual "Healthy lunch" - the 13 course meze. It was excellent and the service was fine, even though the restuarant was very busy.

We have been eating at the Sofra for over 5 years and this was probably the best lunch we have had over these years.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Truly awful. Have been a fan for many years but this has really gone downhill and the prices have been hiked up hugely. £13.95 for a two course meal isn't a bad price but service was awful and my chicken fillet was clearly thigh and not breast fillet and very fatty. Avoid- there are plenty of good lebanese or turkish places to eat-Sofra really is just for the tourists now- shame!
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Gemma Slade
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Don't go here if you like some sort of service when you eat.

Have been here a few times before over a period of about five years and usually service and food is ok. However, yesterday was a different matter. We were made to sit inside even though there was a free table outside. From here onwards it went from bad to worse.

We had to wait about 10 minutes before we were given a menu and that was only because we asked for one. Service was awful. I was made to feel like I had done something wrong when I brushed some bread crumbs off our table, waiters talking to each others whilst serving us our meals (no eye contact was given at all as they talked all the way throught the service) and at one point I had my plate pushed to one side to make room for our order. We then had to wait for about 15 minutes to get so someones attention to get the bill. Then there came another 10 minute wait for them to take the payment (I decided to walk up to the till). The food was ok but the final blow was when we got the bill they added service charge and still left a space at the bottom to add a tip. Will never go back again.
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hp5al
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Sunday, September 24, 2006

Decided to eat here on a whim on a lovely saturday lunchtime for an outdoor table (as we do not like carluccios - average food with moments of genius).

The head waiter and one of our waiters were friendly, helpful and accomodating. However, there was one particular waiter going by the name of 'mehmet ali' who was awful and made us feel really unwelcome - we were practically thrown off our table after we finished! The irony was that his badge said something like 'You will always get service with a smile from me' - fat chance.

On to the food... was reasonably priced, ok portions, not bad all in all. Instead of having any of the mains, we chose to have a large number of mezes - calamari, spicy sausage, skewers of lamb and chicken, meatballs, falafel, babaganoush, fried mussels etc accompanied by nice free bread. All were relatively tasty, calamari had good batter. However the falafel were quite horrible (overrun by sesame seeds!). A nice touch though, was that everyone gets complimentary bread, houmous (albeit not the best) and really good huge olives.

So, if you are here with a smallish group of people, thus provided with good company, and are prepared to wait a while for the food with a nice jar of Pimms (quite cheap at £10), this place is no problem. But if you want good service and great food, probably best to look elsewhere!
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Mae Ying, London - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, June 04, 2006

I can honestly say this is actually the WORST restaurant I have ever eaten in. The resturant itself looks like its about to be ripped out- there are bare white walls, no decor, stark lighting and no music. It took 15 minutes to even acknowledge we were there in order to get a drink, and when they finally did come, apparently we took too long deciding and the waiter went away again!!! The staff are the rudest I have ever experienced, their own brand Sofra wine was undrinkable, some of the food stale. We spoke to the manager and demanded a 50% reduction, he was very rude, didn;t even apologise and kept us there a good 15minutes in what can only be described as petty arguing in broken english. We got our discount and left. DO NOT EVER VISIT THE RESTAURANT!!! There are many gorgeous restaurants in the area.. pick somehwere else!
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 3
Friday, May 26, 2006

We had been to London recently and eaten at Carluccios next door to the Sofra but werent able to get a table this trip so we went to the Sofra, despite being busy they found us a table for two. Starter was ok and brought fairly quickly but after that the service went downhill. We practically had to beg for the bill on the way out. Food was lukewarm, small portions and just not representative of Turkish food that we love. Next evening we went to Tas Pide near the Globe Theatre, that place could teach the Sofra a thing or two! Would never visit this place again.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Monday, May 15, 2006

I have eaten at Sofra Oxford Street several times. I have always found the waiters helpful. The food is always delightful and the restaurant although busy and slighty cramped, has a nice atmosphere. Maybe I've just been lucky. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
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Jacqui
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Food's ok, but the staff are incredibly rude and unhelpful. We won't be going back!
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JM
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Do not go here if you are in a group of five or more, because you’re barred from ordering any of the “specials” on the menu.

Our group of eight stumbled upon this place just after 5.30, so it was quiet – just a couple in the corner. The restaurant was pleasant enough – although the walls were bare, giving the place that “just painted look” which, as it soon translated, complemented the “couldn’t-be-bothered attitude.”

Initially we were offered a very expensive “Party Menu” – one choice and poor vegetarian options – so we asked for the standard menu. This looked great, with lots of tempting specials. After much discussion, we decided to order the Winter Warmer (two courses for a set price).

It was just before 6 o’clock, during which time we’d ordered wine, water and dipped our bread in some bland humus, when the waiter returned to take our order. And at this point only we were told for the first time that groups of five or more weren’t allowed any specials.

So it was a no to Winter Warmer 1, Winter Warmer 2 and all the rest of the specials, because we were a group of eight people; we were four too many to be allowed more choice. If we wanted a special we could have the “Party Menu”, which was about £10 more than anything else.

Now desperate for our Winter Warmer – we’d spent time and money on drinks to get to know this menu – we asked if we could split into two groups. It would be easy to nudge the tables apart and split the bill between four, so we could actually eat what we wanted. Nope, not allowed, says our waiter, with the response to one colleague: “Madam, this is a business".

Now we were angry and pointed out that we should've been told about the “five or more rule” much earlier, and it should be at least printed on the menus.

So as a large group we decided to make a stand and asked for the bill. We paid the £40 for a glass of wine and bit of bread and found a lovely restaurant around the corner, who liked lots of people coming into their restaurant.
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, March 02, 2006

Had a very late lunch (bordering early dinner really!) on Saturday with husband. Treid the meze, with our own selection of 5 dishes. Food generally good, only the calamari left something to hope for. Service was a total let down, a smile doesnn't cost anything and goes a long way, however, the waiting staff seemed completely unable to perform a simplest friendly gesture, no matter how polite and nice we were to them.
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Mrs T
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Monday, February 06, 2006