Octaves

Review summary

1. M

   Michelle

   London

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on 7 December 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   I visited Octaves recently and, unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. We arrived on time and found the restaurant nearly empty, with only two other tables occupied. We opted for the “Eat As You Like” menu at £50 per person. While the chicken soup was very tasty, much of the food that followed was overly salty, making everything taste quite similar. Some dishes, like the oxtail, clearly seemed reheated rather than fresh. The service was extremely poor. We had to repeatedly ask for drinks, and when we inquired about desserts, we were informed there were none available that night—something that should have been communicated earlier. Toward the end of our meal, despite the restaurant being nearly empty, we were told our time slot was finishing soon, which made it obvious they were eager to close up and leave. When the bill arrived, the £20 deposit we had paid was halved, with £10 deducted as a “wastage fee.” When I questioned this, I was told it was because we hadn’t eaten everything. This left a sour taste, especially considering the quality of the food and the lackluster service. Overall, it felt like a complete letdown, especially after driving from northwest London to Stoke Newington. The experience lacked warmth, personality, and the kind of customer engagement that encourages repeat visits. Octaves needs to work on welcoming customers, providing attentive service, and ensuring fresh, high-quality food if they want to build a loyal customer base. I won’t be returning.
   

   1 person found this helpful

   Report
2. J

   Janelle

   London

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined on 1 December 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Service was really good. The team look quite young which is great to see. It creates a different tone/atmosphere. The food...omg! Soo tasty! The curry goat was my highlight. The Mac n cheese! YUM!!! YEAH WE WILL DEFINITELY BE RETURNING SOON
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
3. K

   Katy

   London

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 30 November 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We ordered: grilled salmon, lamb chops, jollof rice, mac and cheese, ackee fried rice, coleslaw and plaintain (excluding the prawn curry and salt & pepper wings we ordered, but they didn't have) Grilled salmon was lovely, along with the mac and cheese and ackee fried rice. The lamb chops were inedible - rubbery fat and tough. I also found the jollof slightly overcooked, which is disappointing, as both the lamb chops and jollof had flavour, but wasn't cooked well...
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
4. G

   Grace

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 14 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I'd been eyeing this place since last year, but finally snagged a table for my sister's birthday last night. As a pescatarian, I was delighted by the variety of seafood dishes. The prawns were a standout. Don't let the small plates fool you, they're deceptively filling! We ordered about 1-2 dishes of each item on the £50 menu between 3 of us and were stuffed. Each dish was a flavour explosion! The chickpea curry was perfect. Our servers, were incredibly attentive and friendly. The vegetarian soup was a comforting blend, while the saltfish fritters were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and bursting with flavor. My siblings raved about the chicken soup as well!
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
5. J

   Jaz

   London

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 8 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I've been waiting to come here with my friends and it definitely didn't disappoint. The food was 10/10 and the staff were really friendly. The rum punch was made to beat us up - exactly what we wanted for a girls night
   

   • 

   Is this helpful?

   Report
6. M

   Melissa

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 3 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food great music great vibes I'll definitely be back
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
7. N

   Natalie

   London

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 19 October 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   This did not meet our expectations. This felt like the kids were cooking dinner for their parents birthday rather than a dining experience. Food was too spicy (we are caribbean people) and staff were quite dismissive and lacked experience hosting and how to handle complaints. Food plates were scolding hot without warning. Oxtail and ackee rice was great. Prawns and chicken soup too spicy. Lamb chops too tough.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
8. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 19 October 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food fantastic service! Fully catered to from walking in the door to going through the menu and serving the food.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
9. A

   Ashley

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 6 October 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Was our first time coming here, really great place and the food is spot on, will be returning.
   

   Is this helpful?

   Report
10. B

    Bruna

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 5 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Amazing food & drinks and the atmosphere and staff were very welcoming and friendly :)
    

    Is this helpful?

    Report