Zengi

we tried alot of restaurants and zengi is one of the best we tried in the area ,, we ordered the mega mezza which was an endless dishes of lovely food with the beatuful lebanese wine they serve it was fantastic evening only let down by the music which sometimes did not mach the atmosphere ,,, but defently a very good place to go to.
Comment on this reader review

saluma nikolai
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Friday, November 25, 2011

went to zengi last thursday and it was really nice and the decor was amazing so was the food and service ,,, we will definitley go back again.
Comment on this reader review

julian ramaski
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, November 24, 2011

I go zengi all the time and I love it! The food is always fresh and tastes so good. I think a lot of people are quite harsh about what they say. Iv read mixed reviews about this restaurant and when I first came I was welcomed warmly. It was snowing ourtside and they offered me tea to warm me up. They didn't even charge me for it! I thought that was nice. I order lahma ajun (turkish pizza) which is always cooked to order and I now now try a different dish everytime I go there. Their signature dishes of kibbeh- are fantastic. If your passing by try the haleb kibbeh. I gave some to my peers and they loved it.

Yes I'm sure there are better restaurants but ull be paying a lot more. Iv bin all around edgware road and tbh- the food is quite standard compared to what ull eat at zengi

Yes I have had an episode where my food came late, but come on iv bin to many restaurants which are supposed to be 'star quality' and I have had my food arrive late and cold. No names mentioned

Iv have recently had an xmas party there for 20 people, and it turned out great! Yes people do sit in 'caves' and are split up but I find that quite fun and part of the charcter of the restaurant!

Love this place!
Comment on this reader review

Peter
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Friday, January 21, 2011

Our first visit and a delightful experience. Service is friendly and attentive, but not intrusive. Food arrives quickly and is well presented, though we should have asked for a fuller description of some items on the menu. The food was thoroughly enjoyable. It was a little salty for my taste, but I never use salt in cooking. As there were no other customers duting the mid-afternoon lull, it's difficult to judge the atmosphere. Prices are reasonable. The restaurant is applying for a licence, but for the moment bring your own bottle. We'd recommend Zengi and hope to go back to explore the menu further.
Comment on this reader review

Philip
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 16, 2010

I love this restaurant. Staff are friendly and you get a sense of being part of a family when u go in. I think alot of people are being quite harsh in some of their comments actually. Everytime i go there the bread is fresh, and mains are on time. I suggest trying the Arbil kufta shish and any of the kibbeh's, Esp the home-made Haleb kibbeh. A great thing about this restaurant is now and then the owner brings out sample dishes for the customers to try free of charge. Im sorry but that kind of personal touch to restaurants has been lost. Ali, the owner's son provides a great description of the foods listed.

A great, warm restaurant providing middle eastern food. Start off here and then head to one of the many bars in the area.
Comment on this reader review

Michael Roberts
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, April 11, 2010

My friends and I decided to stop by this restaurant last weekend before we headed out to the bars of Brick Lane. We expected a quick bite at most, but found ourselves staying for almost 3 hours!

The food was absolutely delicious and we ended up ordering seconds of the shakshoukeh (aubergine dish) and some of the dips that were served with the tastiest bread ever. The mixed grill was more than enough for us four lads in addition to the various other side dishes we ordered, and found ourselves so full that we stayed in the restaurant long after we ate to have a couple of cold beers and enjoy the busy environment.

Just a moment's walk from the vibrant nightlife of Brick Lane, we'll be coming back next time we have a night out in Shoreditch.

Highly recommended.
Comment on this reader review

Gregory - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 08, 2010

I have to say that I'm completely shocked by some of the reviews on here.

I work just around the corner from Zengi in the financial centre and have recommended this place time and time again to colleagues who have come back with rave reviews of this little gem! I even took a small group of French clients (to show them some authentic Turkish cuisine) who loved the charm and cosiness of the intimate venue.

Of course, it's a relatively new restaurant so some teething problems are bound to be had. On the whole though I find the food fresh and comforting, the service attentive and the atmosphere inviting, and I will definately be returning as it has become somwehat of a local for me!
Comment on this reader review

Sophie - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Visited this place quite recently: Have read many mixed reviews about zengi so decided to make my own decision.

Decor is great, place is warm and u can smell food, which is always a good sign in my eyes.

Service was quick and friendly and the fresh bread with olives was delightfull.

Food was quick and delicious. I ordered the arbil kufta and its one of the best iv eaten. My partner ordered tabouleh and the guvech. She really enjoyed it and loved the saffron rice.

Pricing was great too. Bill came to 35 pounds and we were stuffed. The same food anwhere else would cost u at least 60 pounds if not more.

Zengi is a great little restaurant, which stands out differently to other restaurants of similar cuisine. The continuous fresh bread, the interesting decor with great food and warm welcoming staff makes this place a favorite in many peoples eyes. I will be returning soon
Comment on this reader review

Michael
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, March 25, 2010

I went to Zengi a couple of weeks ago with my husband and a friend. As my husband works in the area, he has been there a couple of lunchtimes so was acknowledged by the owner who must have recognised him. That, as well as the attempt and traditional Middle Eastern décor, was pretty much the only positive note about the experience.

To start, they now serve alcoholic drinks whereas before it was BYOB. This is great, apart from the fact that they seem to have lost quite a lot of floor space for the bar and the introduction of alcohol will undoubtedly put off many Muslim clients, who abound in that part of London. They also seem to have lost half the menu, which may again be due to the new bar. When my husband enquired about their shawarma, he was told by the waitress (who I will discuss in a minute) that they stopped serving it two or three months ago (possibly around the same time they remodelled to have a bar fitted). He told her that he had one a few weeks ago and she shouted (yes, shouted) that they haven’t had shawarma for at least three months.

Suitably chastised, we ordered our mains. We all went for the Zengi burger as nothing else really appealed. I asked for mine rare but was told that they are pre-cooked so only come one way. The burger itself was served in very thick, stodgy bread (kind of a cross between a pitta and a naan) which was difficult to chew and we ended up having to trim off the sides to reach the filling, although the portion of chips that came alongside was huge.

As for the waitress; she was rude, unwelcoming and generally looked miserable. As there was only one other table seated at the time (6.30ish on a Thursday evening), she can’t have been rushed off her feet but still managed to look impatient as she was taking our orders (and she got my drink wrong twice). She also seated us at a small-ish table under the stairs. When we tried to move to a larger table in the alcoves (my husband is over 6ft tall so was just a tiny bit squashed!) she told us that the table was booked for 7 o’clock, although by the time we left at 7.45 no-one else had appeared.

My friend and husband also commented on her dour and unwelcoming demeanour and the experience has certainly put me off going back there.

If you want to try Middle Eastern food (despite what the category says, the restaurant is run by a Syrian gentleman) there are a myriad of other options in London, and not just Edgware Rd. I’m sorry to say that I had high hopes for Zengi from my husband’s description of his previous experiences but I suggest you explore the many other restaurants out there.
Comment on this reader review

3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 4
Friday, February 26, 2010

I was surprised to read Stephen's review as my friends and I, a group of 18, had such a great night at Zengi. We were given warm fresh bread and olive oil as soon as we sat down and our food arrived pretty quickly. Most of my friends had a grilled main with mezzes which were good proportions. We went on a saturday . All in all a great place. I wonder if they have different staff on different days?
Comment on this reader review

Florence
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Monday, January 25, 2010