what the critics say

Marina O'Loughlin - 4/5

Feargus O'Sullivan - 4/5
your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne
Excellent as ever food, service and ambiance.looking forward to visit their new site in Oxford circus.
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Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 20, 2010
What an amazing find. We were looking for somewhere in Soho but we're tired of the usual overpriced, underflavoured Soho tourist rubbish. We literally popped in as we were walking by because it was raining. The first thing that hits you is the atmosphere which is exciting, relaxed and bubbly all in one. The greeting we received was lovely and although they were full to almost bursting we were immediately shown to a table with a smile. The menu is just the right size, not a bloated self indulgent "look at how much food we can make" affair. We had the Hommos shawarma, Tabboule' and Lamb Samboussek to start which were fantastic. Great portion size, the food was fresh and perfectly spiced - the taste amazing. For mains we had the shawarmas - lamb and chicken which were spectacular. The meat crispy on the outside, soft succulent and juicy on the inside - fresh off the grill. Served with a paper-thin bread to just hold it all in position and fluffy beautifully spiced rice underneath. As you look around you will see that the servery is heaving with beautiful breads and pastries - both sweet and savoury. The customers are an eclectic mix of Soho types. packed together on the tables are suited office workers, trendy models, shoppers, foreign students and characters from Soho. The staff are brisk, friendly and efficient who rush around with plates of steaming aromatic food adding to the bustling atmosphere. We had to wait barely any time at all for our meal which as well as being amazing was piping hot too. We had a great Lebanese Sauvignon Blanc that complimented the food perfectly and finished with espresso. We could literally not fit any more food in at all (it's rare that I dont clear my plate but the portions are extremely generous - dont overdo the starters) so it was a shame that we didnt try the desserts (great excuse to revisit as soon as possible eh?) The whole meal for two with starters, mains, wine and coffees fit to burst was £48- absolute bargain. The true test is whether a) will we return and b) will we recommend to our friends which a resounding yes to both. I would like to add that my fiance and I both used to live and work in the Middle East and are well used to Lebanese food. A gem of a find, a new "our place" if you know what I mean.
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Heath
Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Great food,lovely service and cheap prices....My first visit to Yalla Yalla and it was excellent experience.i will recommend it and of course visit their second site very soon.
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Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 11, 2010
I've been there twice for dinner. After my first time there, I got two impressions: 1) The food was amazing, and 2) The service was not that great in comparison with the food. Despite, this second impression, I decided to go again and give a second chance to the place. Unfortunately, things haven't changed, the food is still good, but the service is terrible. While waiting for a table, I had a cocktail which tasted like a simple lemonade. I kindly asked one of the waitresses (the same rude one that made my first time there unpleasant) if there had been a mistake. She looked at me as if I was saying the most ridiculous thing in the world, she seemed really annoyed, and said that she had made the cocktail herself and that there wasn't a mistake. When we finally got a table, another waitress, who wasn't as rude as the first one, took the order. Despite asking several times for water, it never came and my friend's main dish was forgotten as well. When paying the bill, the rude waitress mistook the amount in the voucher, when my friend told her it was wrong, she gave him this awful look (the same one I got when I asked if there was a mistake with my cocktail)... In conclusion, the service is horrendous, not just inefficient, but very unfriendly and rude. It's really a shame, because the food is very nice, but with this kind of service I'm not bother to go back again, or recommend this place.
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Lourdes
Overall rating ![]()
Food 8 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Monday, October 11, 2010
Our friend Schwally recommended this place to us and she normally has good taste. Six of us went for lunch and shared a large variety of 13 starters. All had good flavours. So the food overall was good,. Service didn't seem that friendly. But I would recommend the food.
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Brent Harris
Overall rating ![]()
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, October 04, 2010
I love, Love, LOVE this place!! The food is delicious every time (I've been for dinner about 4 times in as many weeks), the atmosphere is cosy ; in Austria we have a word "gemuetlich" which you cannot properly translate, but that's what this place is, the service is slick and friendly, and the bill; well, put it this way, at these prices you can afford to eat out every day! It's no wonder they have queues outside their door Monday to Sunday, non-stop.
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Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Went for lunch on a rainy august afternoon with 2 friends.
YY doesn't take reservations,so there can be a wait.As it was bucketing (ah yes global warming!)the owners moved us quickly inside.
We had a major selection of mezzes(almost all) figuring this was the best way to sample the skills of the chef over the widest possible items.They were ALL delicious.We had a short struggle over one or two(women are truly vicious when fighting over food).The service,though hurried was welcoming ,the lebanese beer was great,and the price was very honest in a London that is generally over-priced.
Well done YY! We will be baaacckk,as Arnie said.
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C.Elder
Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, September 03, 2010
There's a difference between bad service and spiteful service. I have no problem with the former, but unfortunately - and I say unfortunately because I truly wanted to like this restaurant - I received the latter. I can't recall being angry leaving a restaurant. The time I spent at Yalla Yalla - namely, the three hours waiting for food that never came because the kitchen had closed - was enough to make me angry. I strongly urge anyone considering to eat here to reconsider.
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Overall rating ![]()
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 9
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Great find - order lots of starters and give the mains a miss. Very relaxed and not stuffy like so many places in the west end.
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Joe
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Overall rating ![]()
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, May 15, 2010
I took my friend here for a treat and I was very impressed. The venue is rather small, but very cozy! The menu had a large variety of delicious options and the food was presented very nicely. The alcohol was a bit pricey, but if that is the only sacrifice I have to make, so it shall be. I can highly recommend this place to anyone who loves Lebanese food and a cozy atmosphere.
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Asteroid
Overall rating ![]()
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Thursday, April 29, 2010
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