Ishtar

Having heard some great reviews for this place, my fiance and I finally booked a table for two last Friday night. The ambience was ok, though being seated downstairs, I found the red lighting to be rather painful on my eyes. I must admit the falafel we sampled for starters were very good. However, it all went downhill after that. The menu being limited, I finally settled on the chicken iskender. My fiance ordered the sea bream. By that time we were done with our starters and feeling good. However, the main course took over 40 minutes to arrive and when it did I was disappointed by the small portion I got. The chicken was completely bland, covered in a tomato sauce that tasted like tomato puree. Worse still, the fried bread underneath was soggy and was awful. Aside from this, service was atrocious and it took forever for them to bring us the bill! Neither of us even managed to finish our main course despite the fact that we had spent a better part of the evening waiting for it. It sim[ply wasn't wort finishing.
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N - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, October 03, 2006

My wife and me went there last Saturday (26/08/06) and despite it being very busy, we had another superb meal. We've been quite often since it opened and have alwys found it excellent.

The staff must be some of the best in London.
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David Kitto
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, August 29, 2006

I regularly visit Ishtar and find it an enjoyable experience always. The staff are super friendly and helpful and the food is always fresh, well cooked and the portions plentiful. It's also very competitive price wise and great value for money.

They are child friendly (!) but it's also a great place to go with friends and upstairs or downstairs the atmosphere is always lively, even during the week.

Visit once and you'll definitely go again. You'd be hard pushed to find anywhere else like it in the West End. Thoroughly recommended.
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Melanie, London.
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 06, 2006

My family was on vacation in London from the States and this restaurant came recommended by the manager of our hotel. We visited on June 13, 2006. We loved this place. The sauces which came with the bread were fantastic and we ordered more. Appetizers and main courses were wonderful as well. Pretty good wine list. The staff (including cooks) were very engaging and entertaining and helpful. The only negative was that the restaurant's air conditioner had gone out and this was during that quirky heat wave that London had that week (30 c!). Otherwise, this place is on our list for our return visit.
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Darryl
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, June 20, 2006

I've eaten a few times at Ishtar, in small groups of 2 - 4, always at lunch. On each occasion, we have eaten very well indeed, with or without wine. I think the reviewer of Jan 21 had an unfortunate, one-off experience, but not one that we have ever had. The staff are very friendly and polite, and know when to be around and when to let you enjoy the food in peace. A great find for a good, healthy and tasty lunch.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, June 13, 2006

I went to ISHTAR last weekend with my friends.

Excellent food and excellent service you can try delicious (cold and hot ) meze, fish, lamb......

Atmosphere was lovely, relaxed and staff ploite and friendly

Thanks a lot

I will be going to again
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funda, 20 april 2006
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Thursday, April 20, 2006

went to Ishtar friday night for a friends birthday. we selected it as he wanted to see some belly dancing entertainment and the reviews seemed to give it the thumbs up.

Unfortunately it didn't really live up to the expectations set by the previous diners.

This place really is or should be a bar that happens to have an upmarket kebab shop in the corner. It is not a fine dining experience and the atmosphere (big groups & tables listening to live turkish performances - quality to be judged) is all downstairs.

Downstairs is definently more fun although would seem best suited to large groups after something a bit different.

The food was far from good. We experienced hairs (forgiveable) but also a piece of plastic from a food container (not forgiveable given the prices). Admittedly on approaching the staff with the problem they dealt with it politely and apologetically.

Disregarding the undesirable contents, the starters were tasty (a cold mixed meze and selection of hot starters) and served with a plentiful supply of bread.

The main courses really seemed to drop in quality though. The standard of the meat wasn't what you'd hope for and some of the dishes just didn't seem palatable with at least 3 people in our group (8) leaving over half their meal and these weren't fussy eaters.

Unfortunately the staff were a little too relaxed and language problems meant we did get a number of dishes we didn't ask for or the wrong dish. Given the difficulty with language to start it just wasn't worth the bother to argue.

The surroundings were comfortable although atmosphere was definently downstairs (don't let them swap your table as they did for us. make sure you get a table downstairs if you want something lively.

I suspect if you turned up here for a 7.30 or 8pm booking the food quality would be better but I get the feeling the main drive here is for large groups fed in dimly lit surroundings to avoid anyone really seeing what they're eating.

go there for large groups birthday if you have a reasonably big wallet but DO NOT expect a fine dining experience. this you will not find.

if you do get sat upstairs and fancy some entertainment after your meal, there is a bar downstairs but unfortunately the prices are ludicrous. £30 for 1 coke, 1 glass white wine and 6 sambucas!

a bit of a shame really as this could so easily be a real gem.
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jake
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Saturday, January 21, 2006

nice place, very friendly and warm atmosphere, good food and even the turkish wine was quite satisfactory.
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paolo - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Friday, November 25, 2005

after my 3rd visit in 1 month i must tell people to VISIT THIS PLACE IMMEDIATLEY !!!

very ploite and friendly staffa great you in this wonderfull eatery,the food is spot on and the prices are very plaudable
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JOHN LAMB
Wednesday, October 19, 2005