Benares Restaurant & Bar

We entered Benares with extremely high expectations: it is the first restaurant on our honeymoon, we were tremendously tired after being awake for 30 hours, and it is an Indian restaurant with a Michelen star which at least in the states, is a rare thing.

We were taken to our table and note that at this point there was nothing overly different between this restaurant and the ones we have been to in other countries. The service started right away and was in poor order. It was unclear who was waiting on us and who was assisting. Within five minutes of seating, before a drink order, we were asked to place our whole order in. We told them we needed more time every five minutes. After a reminder we weren't offered drinks, our drink order was taken.

First look at the tasting menu, I couldn't help but feel unimpressed with the options. Meat not usual to Indian cuisine was listed and poorly described. We instead ordered a la Carte which options were quite few. The lamb while well presented was over cooked. The chicken Tikka was good but not in anyway refined. The Naan was inconsistent with some spots extremely chewy whereas other parts crispy. Only one dessert option without nuts.

The experience was lack luster and I am at loss at how this restaurant got a Michelin star after considering the poor service alone. Would consider other dining options in the future.

Was really looking forward to this dinner. Ordered the chicken starter, which is ground chicken in balls. Bit into something very hard. The waiter came over and saw me looking at it. He brought it to the chef. The chef said it was cartilage that shouldn't have been in the dish. Disgusting! BTW, I was still charged for the dish even though their chef admitted it was a mistake. Shocked. I won't be back despite enjoying a few of the other dishes. Just felt wrong and gross.

Amazing food around the park. Lamp chops are some
Of the best I've ever had. Solid option if gym khana is too busy.

Had a great experience at Benares. Their veggie options are limited but the quality was awesome.
Rasmalai was out of the world.

Came here 8 years ago and loved it. In the intervening time I've recommended it to anyone coming to London. But as our reservation approached I started to wonder if I'd built it up too much in my head, maybe it had declined over the years.

No. It was just as enchanting a dining experience as I remembered. We opted for the tasting menu in the wine cellar, which allowed us some privacy as well as a perfect environment to enjoy our meal. Every course was perfect, the drinks were on point, and the service, led by Mukesh, was top notch. Can not recommend it more highly.

I walked in and asked for a table for one, on the recommendation of a friend. They told me they were fully booked for the evening. Ten minutes later I was able to book a table for two at any time I wanted on OpenTable. Liars.

Incredibly rude service - don't get me wrong food was absolutely amazing but as a Michelin this should definitely be an all encompassing experience.

When I was called to remind my reservation, the hostess on the other end was very to the point and more of a "DONT FORGET" than a gentle reminder.

Arriving literally 1 minute late, and steps outside the restaurant, a hostess called me and basically said "WHERE ARE YOU"... and I said well I'm right outside and she's like "HURRY COS ITS THE LAST SEATING"....

When I got in, I didn't get a gentle hello or warm welcome but instead "WE HAVE TO HURRY, COS THE LAST ORDER IS AT 2:45 PM"

And when seated at the table, a waiter was like "WELL WE MUST HURRY because the KITCHEN CLOSES"... and upon ordering a dish (Hake), he sternly corrected my pronounciation.

It did not seem like service was a consideration at all, even by British standards where they don't work for their tips.

Food was a+, service was f-

We had not been for a number of years (so much great Indian cuisine in London) and had a wonderful dinner. We tried the tasting menu and captivating wine pairing. First off we had a revitaliser and gold old fashioned, which were a nice start to the meal. The flavors and textures across the courses were so well balanced with just enough heat to make one want more. We will definitely be back much sooner!

This is a beautiful posh restaurant. I felt special when I checked in because they gave me a beautiful Indian silk scarf as a welcome present! We were a large group and ordered lots of items ala carte including crab, lobster, duck, vegetarian dishes etc. The vegetarian dishes were my favorite. This was a nice place to take clients. The presentation of food was dramatic because they had three people holding it on large silver trays while the waiter put on the table and mentioned each dish. The signature Smokey old fashioned was a smooth end to the evening.

For a one star Michelin restaurant, this place really underwhelmed. The food was mediocre and the service was friendly but abysmally slow. They forgot our drinks twice and we cancelled one of the orders because it didn't come during dinner.