Alounak (Russell Gardens)

this restaurant used to be so busy and not one customer ever minded waiting for good food and service but unfortunately they employ people and pay them £25 per shift no tips or service charge and for that money you cant expect to get staff thats motivated, happy,experienced or in good command of english. i used to go there many years ago but now prefer to go to restaurants run by their former chefs.
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s - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 3
Thursday, December 15, 2011

I love to go every Saturday with my family to alounak. we love the food and service was good. I tried many restaurant and no one was perfect but we enjoy going to Alounak.
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Daniel - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, October 23, 2011

My recent experience on 10/04/2011 has been very disappointing and frustrating. We went there to celebrate my brother-in-law's parents 43rd wedding anniversary along with my mother who is visiting from Pakistan. We had to wait for an hour for our main courses despite the restaurant being empty on a Sunday night. I had to inquire thrice about our food only to be told that it will be served in a few minutes. No one really knew what was happening. The service was really poor so much so that despite asking multiple times I had to go with the empty jug for a refill. At the till before paying the bill we gave our feedback to the manager/ owner who did not seem to take any notice and said that its usual for customers to wait this long when the place is busy. When we said that the place actually was not busy at all he shrugged his shoulders and showed us a pack of take away orders and said that he had to deal with all these first !!!!!! We did try to put across the message that the in-house customers come first but he was adamant that take away orders had to be dealt first !!!!!!! Rather than listening to us he kept on saying "it is no problem no big deal" !!!!!!!!

We recieved no apologies whatt so ever and refused to pay the forced service charge that is always slapped on the bill.

As a matter of principle will not go there again and will not recommend it to anyone. Its a shame because this used to be a good place and still can be if they get their priorities right.
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Dr Aisha Niaz
4 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 6
Monday, April 11, 2011

I was at Alounak a couple of times .

I am persian and I have to say not all of the food is very authentic. As an iranian restaurant/cook you really need to know how to cook the rice and this was not the case. The rice was every time overcooked and sticky!

We told the waitress and the manager came which was very attentive, but in the end they disagreed and did not do nothing about it. The meat platter was pretty good, but the cholo kebab is never served with herbs and onions, which is a must and when you ask for it they just serve you a tiny portion. The waiters are friendly but quiet unexperienced and do not know much about iranian food.

The starters are good, although not all of them really authentic. The ice cream (safran ice cream with falude) was really good.

All in all it was an experience but I would not go again and I would not recommend it.
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Nana
5 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Sunday, August 29, 2010

Was there last night and as always food was to a good standard and the just-made bread as yummy as usual!

We had the mixed starter and they accomodated us by switching one of them to a more preferred option. The fresh carrot juice i ordered was just that and a good size although it didn't arrive until my main course did.. The kebabs and rice (19)and doner-style kebab (21) and rice for the mains were above average and very filling. And our sweet desserts and Iranian ice cream were the icing on the cake..

Sevice was a bit debatable but not terrible..and they had the same CD on all evening!

Will definitely be back..

Had tried to go to their Westbourne Grove branch on Saturday night and the queue was all the way outside which shows that that branch is popular too..
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Diana
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Monday, August 23, 2010

I visited alounak yesterday and we had a amazing time, actually the food came too early,but it was very delícious.the waitress which was responsible for my table was not from iran but she was very helpful choosing the main dish.it was a some herbs with cod mix.very nice. worth to try it!
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robert
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, May 03, 2010

I agree with the above commets, I had meal there on Friday with my friends, in all cases the food was cold, partly uncooked, and not much taste to it, they have changed the chef, and what a mistake. I never go back there again, felt so embaressed infront of my friends as It was my idea to go there. Funny is when we complained, they offered us a free tea!!!, if the food is bad you should not pay for it, I didn't go there to have a tea. I shall stop going there at any cost. I hope they get themself sorted.
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Mostafa
3 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

The whole thing looks more like a joke rather than a Persian restuarant.

Waste of time and money.
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Hamid Noori
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, April 06, 2010

I never been dissapointed eating there till recently, my loyalty to them still got me going there a few more times dispite couple of bad meal I had there, but meals got worse and worse, last saturday when I took my guest there I was so disgusted to see how far once this beautiful resturant gone down the hill, the food and service was a joke and it seems for the owners and managers the penny hasn’t drop that bad food means no more loyal customers or any customers at all. I will stop going there at any cost, and I hope one day they get their act together before its too late. may be already is too late for them, I have never seen this place be so quite on Saturday.
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Kamran - View all reviews by this user
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Unfortunately this great eating place has totally gone to the dogs. On a Tuesday night we waited more than an hour for our food and there was total panic and confusion among the staff about orders and tables. Several tables simply left in rage as they were not being served. The food was good when it finally arrived but it was not worth the wait.....
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7 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 17, 2010