Levant

If not taken too seriously, this joint can be great fun… from blonde belly-dancers, often racous clientele, cool dj-music, reasonable nosh & deranged staff… I always left feeling somewhat entertained!

It's difficult to rate Levant as a restaurant as it totally depends on the reason you've come here. It's perfect for hen dos, stag dos and work dos where the distraction of a wibbly wobbly belly dancer wielding a white snake in the manner of a young Britney Spears (although the effect is weirdly more Ganesh elephant god) will provide a valuable talking point for people who otherwise have nothing in common. It would be a disastrous choice for meeting the in laws for the first time. There is something of an Alice in Wonderland otherworldly magic to the place as you pass the hooker smokers, duck into the tucked away entrance, slip down the atmospherically lit stairs and step into this dim cavern. Atmosphere is created here by turning the lighting down and the music up: the Arabic tunes are generally loud enough to drown out conversation but the volume gets blasted up for when the entertainment comes out. The food is actually pretty good. If you go for a set menu veggie or meat “feast” it will be just that: we were feeling satisfyingly satiated after the mezze which covered the usual range of hoummous like dishes (and a particularly delicious aubergine paste); fatly full after the skewers and moussaka; and finally sickeningly stuffed after the glamorously presented 4-tier baklava/fruit/cake plate. At £50 a head (including glass of prosecco, shared bottle of something Lebanese between 4 and some much needed digestive mint tea) I think it was quite good value really. You could get just as decent North African food cheaper elsewhere in London but nowhere else in our capital embodies the Beiruti “When the bombs start falling, we turn up the music louder” attitude like Levant.

I dined here with my family and would never recommend it to anyone. Ridiculously overpriced, I could have served the same at less than half the price. The music was far too loud, I could only hear what the person next to me was saying – doesn't make for a very sociable evening. We had an issue with the bill and a tastelondon card – if anyone is booking with one I would make extra clear when you book that you have one AND ask if it's valid. Despite booking directly through the restaurant and stating that I had a tastelondon card they refused to accept it. After a lengthly discussion they didn't even offer any sort of good will – not how you run a successful business. You've been warned…

I took some friends to this restaurant for their 40th birthdays – and I have to say, we didn't have the best time. The atmosphere is busy (too busy) with belly dancers, incense, great decor with a loud party feel. On seating, we were told that we could only order from the preset menu at £40 per head and so we did not really have much of a choice. Secondly, we had 3 vegetarians and 1 meat eater and were initially told we could only have 2 veg and 2 meat set meals – after some debate, they finally allowed us to have 3 veg, 1 meat. For £160, we had a few tasty dishes (meze style) – all fresh and well presented but rather small – moussaka and lamb main dish, again tasty but not hot – a rack of deserts, fruits, nuts and mint tea. We also purchased some wine which was too young and fizzy and asked for this to be changed – the staff seemed rather surprised! At £21 a bottle, I would say I expected a good wine. Overall, the food is great but grossly over priced and the lack of choice in individual dishes (because they said they were just too busy) is a real con forcing you to spend £40 each. The service is poor, unfriendly and reinforces that this place is set up to make money and not to provide customer value and service. I personally would not recommend this place.

I don't know if it is a commonplace concept to have belly dancers and club-like North African music pumping in a restaurant, but so far, I've only experienced this at Levant. It should be said that this restaurant is not a place to bring a first or second date, as the music and ambience can sometimes be deafening, almost literally, (maybe a relief for possible embarrassing silences..). That, and the fact that there will be a lot of semi-naked belly dancing going on might make it a better venue for a group of friends or maybe a third date? The one thing that has amazed over the 3-4 times I've been there is the amount of food I've been served. I've almost literally had to roll home after a full meal there. Last week, however, they seemed to have adjusted that, unfortunately without any price adjustment. The food is good but not outstanding, especially given the price, as mentioned, but the real reason you would go there is for the atmosphere. I keep coming back as it is a fun place to take people visiting the city. Also, I've always found the service to be friendly and accomodating.

Levant is a beautiful and expensive venue and i've never really seen anything like it around London. I have been here twice now and certainly one of the loveliest places to go, like a hidden arabian coven in the midst of Marylebone/behind Selfridges and designed as authentically as it can be. To me, its far better designed than any other middle eastern haunt but the food doesn't quite measure up as highly as the decor. We went as a small group and had normal starters (nothing amazing – humous, falafel etc) but then for my main i had a delicious spiced lamb shank type dish with pilau nut rice, absolutely mouthwatering…that itself makes me want to return as it was a delicious dish which i did not want to share as did my companions who had varying types of mixed grills and scoffed these down happily too. There isnt a huge choice of meals though and i'd say they tend to encourage expensive set menus to be purchased. Desserts again was simply creme brulee type things or mousse but nothing outstanding to shout about as was the pleasant so so service. The plus sides of such a place, its an amazing setting for a party or a group looking for a funky boho venue. The food is good and has a slight twist so caters for most palettes. The downside, extremely expensive for someone like me – £45 per head for shared starters, single mains and shared desserts and non alc drinks. Also, they seem to freely advertise the fact that tables must be returned within the 2 hour time limit, which rules me out booking a group table on a Saturday for my birthday any time soon. It does also advertise having belly dancers and fire eaters though i havent had the pleasure of seeing either. In short, there is definitely better food in Al Waha in Queensway or Ozer in Oxford Circus but in terms of something different, relaxed and boho, definitely worth a look in.