Lemonia

89 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 8UY - View on a map
Telephone: 020 7586 7454

Details
Overall 6.9
Food 6.1
Service 7.8
Atmosphere 7.4
Value 6.2
Based on 9 reviews

your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne

Nice service, great food.
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LIKOURIS MICHALIS
Overall rating 8 stars
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, December 12, 2010

great food, great atmosphere and a great treat every time I go to London
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Graham Sutherland
Overall rating 10 stars
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 25, 2010

really enjoyed our visit at the weekend, we had meze, and were almost too full to enjoy the main course had a nice bottle of pinot noir (gave the retsina miss due to a bad experience in Greece) the only criticism being the tables are too close together. waiters were friendly and efficient
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Mrs A long
Overall rating 9 stars
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, October 01, 2010

I have frequented this restaurant on many occassions. The area & the restaurant itself are attractive. The place is always lively, the waiters friendly & the atmosphere pleasant. The food is not the best, but it has become familiar & enjoyable.
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Robbie G
Overall rating 7 stars
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I'm Italian, and i went there with my family a few days ago...

The place was so nice, the atmosphere was cheerful and we ate very good!

Personally, I took a salad with feta cheese (excellent) and some suovlaki (very good too) and for dessert the staff offered to us a special sweet called Locumia, it had such a good taste!!

To sum up, the service was very good (we found a very nice and funny waiter) we waited a little to sit down to the table but once ordered the food arrived quickly.

I enjoyed a lot there! it is a beautiful restaurant!
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Marianna
Overall rating 8 stars
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I was one of the first through the door when Lemonia opened back in the 80's. I thought it was great then, and I still think that now. The decor may not have changed, the unpretentious menu is broadly the same, and so are a number of the waiters, but so what? This is one of the best brasseries in London, albeit that it serves Greek food. You don't turn up at La Coupole and complain that the same old waiter is still still serving the same old oysters, onion soup and chateaubriand in that tired old fin de siecle decor. Or maybe you do, but just don't sit near me whingeing away. OK, ok, I admit that Lemonia is not quite on a par with LC, but I exaggerate to make a point, or indeed some points.

And the points are that the food is good and tasty and the choice is wide. The service is friendly and professional - they don't employ nitwits. The wine-list is varied and decent enough (although I always have the Retsina - it doesn't make you a bad person). The atmosphere is bubbly. The location is terrific. They don't rush you out of the door - you can linger.

When I lived in St John's Wood, I ate at Lemonia regularly and took my children when they were babies; and now that I live in the country, I make the occasional pilgrimage back with my teenagers, and the welcome is as warm as ever.

The prices are reasonable, in my view (if you enjoy being ripped off, live in the shires), and I am amazed to see criticism from Greek reviewers. For good Greek food, steer clear of of most of Greece.

How many restaurants of this size have been going flat-out full most days and every night for the best part of 3 decades, while maintaining such a high standard. It's possible to have a bad experience anywhere, even in much-lauded 3-star Michelin restaurants in France and elsewhere, as I know to my cost, but your chances of disappointment at Lemonia are slim if you just relax and take it as it comes.
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Martin Saville
Overall rating 9 stars
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Thursday, February 04, 2010

I visited Lemonia again recently for a girlie catch up meal with close friends, chosen because it was local and the first time I went I loved the ambience.

Service was as always fantastic; we were made welcome and even though some of the party were running late due to train problems we were never rushed to order.

The mezze are overall very good, especially the smoky aubergine dip and the halloumi. Pitta breads aren't as good as expected considering these have to be paid for separately and not provided with mezze automatically.

Mains aren't bad. Decent wine list, especially some of the greek wines.

Overall I agree with one of the previous reviewers - food at Lemonia is decent and the reason people come back is for the overall service and ambience.
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SS - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating 8 stars
Food 6 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, January 10, 2010

I went today to Lemonia with my wife but I am very dissapointed. First of all we made a reseveration for 14:30 and didn't get a table until 15:15.

The meze was average quality but definetely didn't worth the high price. Too few plates for the price.

The biggest dissapointment was charging us an additional 50p for every pitta bread ! I doubt there is another Greek Restaurant in London which charges for pitta bread in meze.

Last but not least the restaurant doesn't have high chairs for kids.

As I am Greek and food lover, I wouldn't reccomenend this restaurant.
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Mario - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating 5 stars
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 3
Saturday, January 02, 2010

I am also suprised at the bad reviews for Lemonia.

I find Lemonia a refreshing change from some of the central London restaurants I frequent. The waiters and receptionists are helpful and charming and welcome you like a regular customer. There is no pretentiousness here, the food is good, the prices reasonable, the environment is relaxed, busy and comfortable.

What with so much going on and the delicious food and the good company I was in I did not notice the decor.

As they are always busy they obviously have a fan base of regular customers and the bad reviews do not effect them.

Good luck Lemonia, keep on doing what you do. I'll be there this evening.
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J Hilton
Overall rating 10 stars
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, December 14, 2009

Quite suprised at the bad reviews as go here at least a couple fo times a month. I work in the city and lunch regularly at top end restaurants. I always reccomend this place to colleagues and overseas visitors and they all thank me for the introduction!

I love Lemonia because it provides good honest wholesome food. There's always a good atmosphere. Service is good, sometimes hectic when the place is full to the brim. We wanted a table last Saturday but couldn't get in even from the Monday before so beware.

Some real gems on the wine list you too.
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J Carter
Overall rating 10 stars
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, November 13, 2009


what the bloggers say

Cheese and Biscuits

Cheese and Biscuits - 4/10

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - The taramasalata, fluffy and bright and actually tasting of nice fresh cod's roe instead of the weird pink goo you find in Tescos was fantastic...As for the main course, a mixed grill, I have rarely seen a more carelessly presented and unexciting looking plate of food. There was a single tiny lamb chop, cooked through to chewy grey, a couple of kebabs of bland lamb chunks and (admittedly surprisingly moist) cubed chicken, and finally a single miniscule blackened sausage rolling around at the side, looking like a burn victim's dismembered digit. Most of it was boring if just about edible, but the sausage was mealy and dry and packed with far too many herbs and vegetables, giving it a horrible sweaty feel in the mouth.

Gourmet Chick

Gourmet Chick - 7/10

Monday, May 24, 2010 - Tiny terracotta bowls fill the table so there is almost no room for the wine and water. There is fish roe blended into a pale pink paste called tarama, creamy yoghurt and cucumber based zatziki, chunky chickpea heavy hommus and tahini, a smooth sesame paste. Alongside all of this there is hot mezze of halloumi that verges on being rubbery teamed with tiny spicy sausages and crisp deep fried squid...It's not polished food but the atmosphere is buzzing and Lemonia is perfect for a meal with a group of friends.

The World In 202 Meals

The World In 202 Meals

Saturday, August 29, 2009 - The hot mezes which followed were even better than the cold. Fried calamari was just right, neither too rubbery nor too crispy; grilled halloumi was also on just the right side of the rubbery/soft balance. There were spinach and feta pies, sausages, and yet another round of shrimp, this time fried...After an hour or so of eating we finally got onto the main course, with assorted chicken and lamb souvlaki, small lamb chops and a salad. Sadly the lamb was slightly overcooked and our tongues so drowned in the Cypriot red wine and the tastes from the previous courses that it was hard to tell the different flavours apart.

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