Cinder in Camden

We've dined at Cinder Belsize Park several times in the past and have enjoyed lovely, memorable meals with friends. This time, excitedly, we went to celebrate a significant occasion with our family and walked away horribly disappointed. There was no welcome greeting as we walked in, service was slow and we had to continue to ask for water, to place a drinks order, etc; we ordered some cocktails to start and the waitstaff joked to their colleague, in clear earshot, 'I have no idea how to make those', whereupon we were served G&Ts which felt like they'd been made with room-temp tonic; food was placed on the table with very little interaction, the service felt disengaged and unfriendly. Meanwhile, Deliveroo deliveries continued to be boxed up and dispatched in the table in front of us, and a chap unloaded storage box after storage box of takeaway containers into the restaurant. Either focus on your restaurant customers and make them feel like they're valued, or by all means go the Deliveroo offering but you cannot charge restaurant prices for a casual takeaway experience. Cinder was neither fine dining nor cheap and cheerful. The food itself was tasty but unremarkable, given the ambience of the place and one plate - the chicken thighs, were two of the smallest thigh pieces we'd ever seen, for an insulting £22. We spent £150 on our meal (2 drinks, no dessert) and were out of the restaurant in 50 mins, which hurt, especially as this was meant to be a significant celebration. The ambience of the place felt more like a takeaway grill. Wish we'd gone anywhere else that night; would've gotten more enjoyment (and value) from a takeaway grill. Will not ever be returning, sadly.

The order from Deliveroo was not met due to error on Cinders side as the potatoes were not put in the bag. The restaurant decided to hide behind the Deliveroo company when the fault was not with Deliveroo but with Cinder Belsize Park Very bad customer service from my local restaurant.

What a shame! How this place has gone downhill since opening the doors to deliveroo We have been cinder regulars since it opened, we live locally and were wowed by the food when we first went. Whilst expensive for what it is, the restaurant had always delivered good food and a good atmosphere. This evening demonstrated a huge change, since the introduction of a deliveroo service. We waited 30 mins for a drink and 90 mins for maincourse, receiving an apology only when it was delivered. In the meantime we counted 9 deliveroo drivers collecting orders… it is clear to see who the kitchen prioritises! Time to find a new restaurant for us. The poor service alongside the now endless noise of mopeds and queue of bike riders in the doorway does no make up for nice ( but not excellent) food with a hefty pricetag!

Went for dinner, waitress gave us the wine menu and said all the wines are 40% off as they are changing menus. We ordered a bottle and then when the bill came we were charged the full amount from the menu we were given. I asked that it should be 40% off and we were told “these are the prices with 40% off already” , very misleading and no apology or recognition offered, despite our whole table thinking we would receive 40% off. We were told sharing plates and the prices reflect this too. We ordered 2 of the fish dishes and both came just one fillet, certainly only enough for one person. We arrived 8pm on Saturday night and when we sat down they said that half the menu had already been sold out. We ordered almost everything that we could from the menu and with spending £70 per person left all very hungry. I asked for just a side of bread and were told that they’d run out of bread too… I had emailed twice in advance to say that it was for a big celebration, however no staff recognised this at all. I was really looking forward to this meal and left very disappointed

The food was good , value for money was off. I think you can eat much better for the same price tag. Having said that, if you are not looking into how much you are spending you are sure to eat well in this cozy venue with great staff

We visited this restaurant in Belsize Park Saturday week ago and it was truly a lovely experience. Great service, friendly staff, fantastic Food. Would advise booking as the restaurant itself is quite small. Looking forward to our next visit already as everything we ordered was delicious… From the starters to the mains. And we chose pretty much a selection of everything. A little pricey, but worth it Highly recommend… Enjoy

We went to this restaurant with couple of friends. It is a Mediterranean/Israel cousine. The chef is apparently famous with his creativity. The grill items were excellent. We tried some side dishes and they were delicious. Definitely a great place if you are close by.

The eggs Benedict and Roulade is to die for! The kindest waiters and service. Atmosphere is warm and feels like a local secret.

Cinder serve good food with jolly service but served so fast that it was not relaxing and three courses were over in just over an hour, which spoiled it. The wine list has virtually no affordable bottles so it was very expensive for what it was.

Fabulous food and great service but you need to book as very popular . Small restaurant so booking is essential

Really very very good. Food was exceptional - it’s a rustic quirky style cooked on an open grill. Menu well thought out, mixed Mediterranean style, clean food well cooked with interesting flavour combinations. Good wine list sensibly priced, very welcoming and professional service from all the team especially Genevieve who was the star of the show! I would have to say one of the best neighbourhood restaurants I’ve been to in a long time and a refreshing welcome break from all the branded homogeneous food that is being pedalled on most high streets these days. Well done. Give it a go!

Enjoyed our visit. Restaurant is rather tiny so not recommended for a large group. 4 people was more than enough. Customer service was very good. I do think possibly a little overpriced for the portion size but the quality was good. Would have wanted a couple more options for vegetarian main dishes.

Delicious food. Lots of excellent and varied dishes. St. Johns Wood finally has a great lunch / dinner spot.

We were seated downstairs in the speakeasy which felt isolated and impossible to hear each other due to terrible acoustics. The staff are very up and down and one gets the impression they want you out as quickly as possible to maximise table covers. Good is ok but overall customer service is very lacking.

Atrocious customer service. The manager is arrogant and rude and rushes everyone through their dining experience. Overpriced with terrible ambiance. Will never go back.

This is a very small room.. we had winter coats and shopping from vintage fair and were very squashed. The food comes out quickly but with water and wine on tiny table it was a balancing act. As I'm vegetarian I knew there wouldn't be alot of choice. The jasper bread with tomato and tahini excellent but the cauliflower was an overcooked bland mess despite the promise of chili there was too much peanut. The new potatoes were far too greasy and without the style of Rovi. The puddings too limited. I left feeling disappointed.

Love this restaurant. We have been meaning to come since reading Giles Coren’s superb review in The Times. It didn’t disappoint. Lovely setting. Very intimate with excellent service to match. Food was beautifully presented and delicious. Highly recommend and we look forward to returning.

The food was incredible, each dish cooked to perfection and taking simple food to another level! yes it is small there but thats part of the experience. will definitely be going back.

What a fantastic evening we had at Cinder. Food was spectacular and service was also great. We can't wait to come back again!

This is an amazing restaurant in north west london. The food is spectacular and the staff are what you would expect from a first class restaurant, especially Anthea and Peter who are top notch. Please put back the lemon posset!!