Behind Restaurant in Hackney

We had an amazing lunch experience. The combinations of taste and textures are sublime. Behind is simply my favourite place to eat in the world.

My wife took me here for my birthday today!, what an absolute treat, a real immersive experience where i was encouraged to talk about the menu and ask questions of the whole kitchen team including Andy. The wine pairing menu was sublime. Relaxed environment, can wait to go back.

Stunning taster menu. Highlights were the trout sushi roll, raw tuna (like nothing I've ever tasted), cod cheek. The cardoman lassi thrown in with the deserts was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.

Behind is the place for all seafood lovers who want to experience a unique tasting menu using only the best products the UK waters have to offer. Behind is not your typical Michelin-star restaurant; it's located in trendy London Fields, but it's not the usual restaurant you'll find in the area. It all begins with an extremely warm welcome by one of the chefs, who will then lead you to your seating area, which is part of a shared seating space in the shape of a long letter C. This design allows all guests to witness and interact with the kitchen. There are a few elements that make this restaurant truly special: - All staff members are chefs, and you'll be served by all of them. There are no kitchen porters, hosts, or runners; it's all the chefs doing everything - which is quite unique! -The kitchen is an immaculate spot where everything is carefully prepared in a seamless way. The entire restaurant is served at the same time, ensuring impeccable timing. -The layout of the restaurant, relaxed atmosphere, and limited capacity create an intimate experience for all. - The seafood tasting menu will take you on a journey from light to meaty flavours. What a fantastic seafood extravaganza experience! Thank you for making our anniversary dinner one to remember

This was an excellent visit for the lunchtime six course tasting menu, with one of these being a palate cleanser if I counted correctly. On our visit, the first course comprised of five small dishes itself, and this was followed by three courses of different dishes and accompaniments, so overall there were many flavours and textures to enjoy. The wine pairing worked well, with five different wines across the six courses for lunch. Its been a while since I've had the chance to do any fine dining, but Behind was an excellent re-introduction and I would highly recommend it. The open kitchen, explanation from the chefs and interaction with them made for a highly enjoyable experience.

My daughter took me here for mothers day and what a gift it was. The food, interaction with the staff and wine pairings were all first class. We loved chatting with the chefs about the food and about them, we loved the 'guess the ingredients' in one of the dishes and thought the dishes were exceptional. I loved the fact that everyone eats at the same time and enjoyed watching the chefs at work.

Best tasting menu experience I’ve had in London, with a very relaxed and personal atmosphere spearheaded by Andy. The menu is a surprise and each course is explained as they come (the kitchen is also open plan so you watch as everything is prepared); it was hard to choose a favourite course, everything was delicious. We really enjoyed the interaction with the chefs and it was the complete opposite of the ‘stuffy’ nature that you get in some Michelin star restaurants. Highly recommend.

We had to cancel our booking here due to unforeseen circumstances. I cancelled 2 days in advance and they still took £80 per person cancellation fee which is 90% of the menu cost. We are a couple who regularly eat out in a wide variety of similar restaurants and we felt this was a wholly unreasonable and excessive cancellation policy and fee. When I explained the circumstances were out of our control and could we at least put some of the fee towards a future booking and rebook I was met with no flexibility. We understand the need to cover costs and the issues hospitality has experienced in recent years. Regardless we will never return and have recommended friends not to visit who agree that this policy is uncommercial and unnecessary.

My friends and I spent a lovely evening at Behind after wanting to visit for some time. Unfortunately, over the following days all four of us experienced sickness and feeling quite unwell. As Behind was the only restaurant where all of us ate together, it made sense that the meal we had enjoyed was unfortunately the cause. What followed however was a more painful experience. The restaurant was initially responsive and sympathetic before taking weeks to follow up. Apparently they asked all the other patrons if they were unwell (no idea if that is true) and apparently we were the only ones who were ill. The tone of the messages and interrogation that followed was unpleasant — clearly implying we were not being truthful. They repeatedly asked us what compensation we would like before not accepting any responsibility at all. A simple heartfelt apology would have sufficed and we had expected much better levels of service from any restaurant, let alone one with a Michelin star.

Fantastic meal mixing creative, complex cooking: the mackerel, trout and ‘crab on toast’, with flawless classics: halibut and scallops, black pudding and cauliflower. Beautiful plates with the care for ingredients and attention to detail that I have seen only in the very best kaiseki. Deserts were also exceptional, even at this level. Wine flight was spot on as well. Service was professional and friendly. The whole team clearly cared about every element of our evening. Could never be called cheap, but definitely good value for this level of cooking. Thank you

Sat at chefs table a truly wonderful experience with great food and super wine pairing, Andy the chef was a stunning host full of knowledge. A must go in London

Unbelievably good. We have been here on two occasions, both excellent. Food is exceptional and the team are fantastic. So lovely to be able to interact with the chefs who are clearly passionate and proud of what they do. Andy is a wonderful host.

My new favourite restaurant in London. I’ve been twice and both times it was amazing. Strikes the perfect balance of being laid back, but also ensuring that you have a special experience. The staff are all very knowledgeable about the foot and wine which all pair extremely well.

Really excellent, imaginative food. The eight courses are quite elaborate, often coming in two or three parts, so some restaurants might claim a much longer menu. There's only one sitting so you're not rushed, and the price is not excessive considering the quality. Definitely going back.

I hugely appreciated my visit to Behind last weekend - what great food and a very welcoming atmosphere. I will definitely be returning!

First and foremost, I would ignore the 1 rating of Terrible given by one reviewer. It is extremely harsh and no way reflects the excellent quality of food and service the restaurant provides. I visited with my wife and we had the 6 course lunch...

Surprisingly we did not enjoy the food in Behind. Despite the quality ingredients and sophisticated cooking techniques the food was not delicious. At least half of the dishes were over salted (cooked in sea water), many combinations were awkward with raw clam in one of...

Sono stato con le mie figlie in questo ristorante stellato ad Hackney, periferia nord di Londra. Menù fisso di pesce...

A great evening in a small friendly Michelin restaurant, the style is very interative with chef Andy Beynon and his team offering a truely interactive experience... if you are interested in the food beyond just eating then this is a great place... it is also...

Friendly sincere staff, superb food, helpful tips on wine, comfortable seating and a pleasant environment. Geographical location may discourage some people but the journey is worth it. There is a no-choice menu of consistently interesting fish dishes and then desserts with optional additional cheese at...

We were recommended by a friend “in the know”. An amazing seafood Resturant, with a great Chef’s table experience. It’s not stuffy in the slightest and the Chef & team serve up culinary delights with a magnificent wine pairing. Very engaging, friendly and a genuine...

An absolutely brilliant meal, from the first morsel it was fantastic. We felt so looked after and every conversation with the chefs was genuine. There’s something very special happening here and the setting perpetuates it’s genuine closeness and provides a frame for longevity which so...

Wow ….we like it here. Predominately fish and more fish. Small plates all prepared in front of you ….for one sitting and for about 16 people (all sat in a semi circle looking at the prep) so it’s small and intimate with just 3 chefs...

Wow! Best meal since Cornerstone which is sort of similar. A young place with only 3 staff who do everything from greeting to explanation to cooking up to departure. Being new they are super keen and far from weary, jaded or sitting on their laurels....

Second visit to Behind, wonderfully creative food and great atmosphere. Highly recommend especially with the wine pairing.

Lunch with friends was just great here. We had the taster menu, so I am not sure if specific courses will repeat on other days. Service was friendly, food was interesting, tasty and, at times, exciting. Minor feelings that the portions were a little small...