Abracadabra Restaurant

I visited this restaurant on a date, and at first glance the decor was Fabulous, and plenty to look at, very quirky ect ect. Ordered cocktails, which to be honest, tasted like concentrated juices with some vodka, very very over priced for what they were. I did't like much on the menu so decided to play it safe with a Margarita pizza, but when the pizza arrived it looked like the cheapest frozen found in a super market, with a layer of what could only be described as mayo/ketchup on the top, with cheap cheese, then chunks of tomato. Couldn't actually eat it. There was nobody else dining in the restaurant with us on a friday night in central London, Big tell tale sign already. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND.
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Hayley
1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Friday, September 16, 2011

Our dinner last saturday (18.12.2010) in Abracadabra: I booked a table for 16 guests.

The food: We eat delicious Borsh, after then very soft and tender Chicken Kima and great Honeycake with ice cream.

The interior /decoration: Fairyland and cubby place with privacy and extraordinery toilets I love it!:)

Athmosphere: If you like to singing, you can do some Karaoke.:) After 11:00 PM is open the Hey Joe club under the restaurant, where you can dance with nice girls.

I heard or read about some negative feedbacks but everybody is different and me and my group, we enjoyed everything.

Prices: Normal prices which you can expect if you are in the City just you must be carefull when you chosing drinks, because they have bottles for few thousands of pounds...

Service: Finally thanks to the restaurant manager, he was very friendly and hepfull.

I recommend this place for all categories but specially for couples who needs privacy.
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Zoltan
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, December 20, 2010

Where to start...? As soon as we walked down there I knew we were in trouble! But it was an office party so what are you going to do? Lets start with the junior staff being badly treated by the senior staff - doesn't set up a great atmosphere. The food was so utterly appalling I cannot even begin to describe it to you. I know it is Russian and Eastern European but that does not excuse the complete and utter drivel which was delivered to our table. Most of it was so overcooked we might as well have been eating cardboard. The chef would not know refinement if it jumped off the floor and bit him / her on the backside! And the prices they were charging were certainly Mayfair prices - just a shame the food couldn't match it. Completely lacking in atmosphere and our "magic table" moved once in the entire evening - about 30 degrees. If you are going to ignore all of the above then for god's sake heed this warning - do NOT order the dumplings! In fact, don't order anything - go and find yourself a nice restaurant with good food. Even reasonable food would be better than here.
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0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, December 15, 2010

I would not recommend this restaurant. Being located in Central London, I was quite surprised to find that the place was completely empty. I came with a girlfriend for a couple of drinks and snacks on a Friday night. This is very unusual and I think it says a lot about the place. The place was completely void of any kind of atmosphere or ambiance, mainly due to the lack of customers and the sour faced manager and staff.
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Sara
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 2
Friday, August 27, 2010

Abracadabra restaurant in central London is unique.We went with friends last week and I can say that is one of the best russian restaurants I've ever been in London.As russian I prefer russian food and i was happy with the food.The food was delicious and cost it's money - portions are big and food is absolutely delicious.Service was quite good and the overall atmosphere is on high level.

Highly recommended
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Alexander
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, April 16, 2010

my experience at Abracadabra was horrific. I had looked forward to this all week..I'd found it online and thought it sounded like so much fun so I booked me and my boyfriend in...when we arrived the restaurant was empty...with extremely loud russian house music blaring off of a personal stereo. We were shown to our seats and left with the menu which has a Russian option and an English option....when the waiter came to take my order i chose from the English menu to which he told me i couldnt have....and the reason I couldnt have this was because the Russian chef 'Can't cook English food right' ..i then had to choose from only 3 options..all of which sounded horrific..my boyfriend asked for the steak and was told 'No you should have the Russian duck' and the waiter persisted to argue... the portions are TINY and served freezing cold... when we asked for a bread basket we were handed rye bread with a tub of anchor butter and pickled gherkins...the staff are unfriendly and the restaurant was cold and empty.. SUCH a dissapointment I would never ever go back.
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Daisy
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Friday, April 09, 2010

I went to Abracadabra for a friend's birthday party and found the entire experience quiet tedious. We were told 1 week in advance that a deposit of £10 was required for each member of the dining party in order to secure the space and each person was to make their dining selections at this point via email since Friday evenings were quite busy. Despite the fact that there were only two tables other than ours seated throughout the restaurant the service was very abrupt, impersonable and overall unimpressive. As my starter I had a salad but was unaware that to the restaurant's standards this was a teacup saucer serving of sliced onion, sliced tomato, cherry tomatoes and a few baby radishes- all undressed and ungarnished. The main's portions that were served were definately to be laughed at as I ordered the duck meal which equated to four slivers of duck sliced and served in communal portions, accompanied by an excess of red cabbage in cranberry sauce, two steamed halved baby potatoes and four baby carrots. The belini that I ordered for dessert was nice but for some strange reason all the desserts that were supposed to be accompanied by vanilla ice-cream as per the menu came with strawberry instead. The clencher to the experience was after it all they tried to tag on a 12.5% service charge to the bill. As frequent diner in Central London I won't be coming back here or recommending this restaurant to my worst enemy far less friends and family.
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Vincent
1 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, March 23, 2010

I was looking for somewhere a bit different to have dinner with 2 friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time (= potential to be awkward, need for restaurant to be a talking point). I stumbled across Abracadabra and thought it sounded like it could fit the bill, and happily I wasn't disappointed.

The decor was amusing, the service flawless and the food was tasty. We had 3 starters that we shared (meat platter, fish platter and a third russian speciality) all of which were served on slightly naff plates but were fully of flavour. The mains were equally good, and the sticky toffee pudding I rather unimaginatively chose for desert was the best I'd tasted for a long time.

The restaurant was quite empty which I thought was a shame - I'd definitely recommend it for a reasonably priced night out with friends.
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8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, February 06, 2010

Thhis restaurant is certainly unique, It has a loud and colourful style the decor is certainly highly amusing.

The restaurant is also attached to a club beneath it which makes it a good night out after dinner you can venture in the basement for a drink or two.

The food is not 5 star russian cuisine, but the food is moderately good and tasty. We ordered 3 starters, the salad olivieh, the beef borsch and also a ukranian fish dish which were all tasty.

The meat kofteh's were not good at all and the pancakes as a desert did not taste fresh. All in all for the price you pay the food and atmosphere together make it a winner.
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6 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I must say that there's nothing similar in its innovative approach to decor anywhere near the many countries that I have been visiting. Glamorous and inspiring. A piece of art. I heard that it was created by students from Royal College of Arts, London.

I am certain that the people who wrote that the food was less than tasty have no knowledge and apprciation for the authenticity of Russian food. I enjoyed it.

It's deffinitelly worth trying! It's an experience that challenged all my senses.

Luxurious, authentic, unique, eccentric, fabulous decor
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Rebella
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, October 22, 2009