Havin Turkish Kitchen in St Albans

The restaurant always looked good and busy from outside and so we thought we would give it a try. The two staff members were ever so helpful in advising us with our menu choices. The food was great and the atmosphere very friendly. We had a good evening.

Absolutely amazing place the best food I’ve eaten in a long time, faultless service, staff friendly welcoming efficient, stunning cocktails. Can’t wait to go back.

OMG!amazing don’t sum up this restaurant! The food is amazing and fresh. Value for money too. We don’t eat a lot of food in one go so took home the rest. It tasted fab later too! Mahmut thank you for your high level of service and attention to detail. We were looked after extremely well.

Nice looking restaurant and service is ok. It did feel like they wanted us out of the restaurant even though it was mostly empty. I had lamb shank. It was so tasteless swimming in bland liquid. Never had such worse tasting Turkish food. The portion was big and because it was so tasteless I couldn’t finish it. I added chilli sauce but that didn’t help either. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish but I didn’t enjoy the food at all. There are way better Turkish restaurants around.

Service very slow and did not find the food hygienic. Had to send my dish back as it contained hair! It wasn’t busy but wasn’t anything special either.

Havin is absolutely fantastic. Have been many times and the food and ambiance is wonderful. Went last night with a party of 18 and everyone was looked after by the attentive people who take pride in what they do. If you are passing, pop in and try the Octopus starter. The flavours are incredible.

We walked past on the way to a high street chain. Amazing to sit out and very friendly welcome. Food was fantastic - we had a selection of mezze, the salads were superb and fresh - overall really glad we stopped.

Chose this restaurant because the ambience looked good. Solo meal, wife was out with freinds. I had the garlic king prawns as a starter. Excellent. I had the mixed grill. So much food, rice was lovely, the mixed meats were tender, very nice. If I come back I will eat there. Superb service, superb food. I really recommend it.

We went to celebtrate 2 birthdays on a Saturday night. The staff were very attentive and the venue was spacious and clean. We had great starters with a mixture of humus tamara, beef sausage and we shared these with our table of 7. There was no rush to order our mains and we had various dishes of mixed kebab, chicken shish, mixed kebab, mausaka and a couple of sauteed potates too. The food arrived hot and was one of the best turkish meals I have ever had. They even allowed us to bring our own cake and they got the whole restaurant to sing happy birthday. Couldn't fault it in anyway and will be back again soon. Well done to their team, they worked hard, yet it seems so effortless. 5 star rating.

While walking past Havin, we were immediately drawn in by the appealing look of the place, but it was the menu that truly sealed the deal for us. We decided to change our plans and dine there that afternoon. The decision was a resounding success—the food, drink, and service were all excellent. I had the lamb cutlets, and they were cooked to perfection with great flavour. This accidental find turned out to be fantastic, and I am definitely planning to return next time I am in St. Albans. Highly recommend!

My wife and I went to Havin Turkish Kitchen during one day excursion to St Albans. We love Turkish food and this place did not disappoint. It is in a great location close the clock tower and cathedral. There is indoor and outdoor seating and they open up large windows on nice day. The food was very tasty and good size portions. Nice and friendly service. Highly recommend.

Had high hopes for our meal - the menu sounded delicious. We shared starters & can really recommend the halloumi, Borek and king prawns. Unfortunately my main meal was cold which rather spoiled the enjoyment but perhaps I was unlucky However I did feel that we had outstayed our welcome when the bill (not cheap!) was presented without being requested followed very swiftly by a card payment machine and service charge at 12%!

Another fave restaurant in the city. Lovely food, staff and location is great. I also recommend to book the table in advance especially if you are visiting on the weekends. We will be back

Food and flavor wise, nothing to write about. Some burnt meat items and flavor all over the place for pricey food. Staffs are the reason you should come in as their friendliness service is beyond anything we have ever come across, good.

great service that was attentive and friendly...chicken livers (starter) and mixed grill (main) were excellent..good venue and ok value for money... Will be revisiting for their fish dishes...

What can i say ..we love turkish food..we saw this resteraunt while wandering around...The beautiful decor caught our eye...My husband wandered in to take a closer look as it was open,the greeting we got was so warm and friendly,we booked a table for the evening,well the food was beautiful..well presented,wonderful flavours,sublime and all served with lovely smiles,lots of choices on foods and wines and a wonderful ambience...it is a must visit for anyone going to St Albans you will not be disappointed,we will be going back.

Good location in St Albans in the town centre. However the food was poor, quantities small and the prices high. I had the mixed shish- a few cubes of chicken and the same of lamb. The lamb smelt ripely off so i didn't eat it! Came with a very small salad garnish and rice. My friend had chicken cokertime- samll amount of chicken stew on soggy fries. We were brought bread and hummus before the meal which we hadn't asked for and which is common. What's not common is to be charged nearly £6 for it! Drinks expensive too. The waitress was fast and attentive which may have justified the 12.5% service charge that was added to the bill without discretion. Won't be going back!

If you are looking for a Turkish Feast, then this is your Restaurant everything about is place is just amazing. I visited here this week for my 3rd time and I have to say by far its at the top of my list of places to eat. The food is just exceptional, it literally melts in your mouth, the taste of everything we have tried is just something else, I've never tasted food like it, it goes above everytime. The Service also makes the visit pleasant the staff are always very welcoming and polite, They interact with their customers and have great knowledge of the menu, it's a great vibe. Definitely worth a visit and we are going to be booking again soon.

6 of us had an evening meal here and everything was superb. Everyone enjoyed their starters and mains, good portions and advice on the food was on hand. We were very warmly welcomed when we popped in to enquire about a table that evening and when we arrived. The service was brilliant, we couldn't fault anything and would definitely be visiting again next time we all meet up.

Great, tender lamb shish and lovely spicy chicken stew outside watching the world (and some Morris dancers) go by. A bit pricey but food was authentic and excellent, friendly service.

What a ripp off!!!! Barely any food on the plate and way too expensive ! Definitely not coming back! The meniu is so very basic , not too much options ! Not a genuine Turkish restaurant for sure.

Fantastic food we had the mixed grill and it was very good, great atmosphere and plenty of room between tables didn’t have starters of dessert but bet they would have been fab as well 5⭐️

Had a really lovely evening with friends and family - the food was first class and very tasty, the service was friendly and efficient and I was kindly given a little birthday dessert. This was our first visit and we will definitely be back.

Hubby and I have a regular date day where we go to a cinema matinee and then find somewhere to eat. Saw this restaurant and decided to give it a go. Food was excellent! Very tasty and lots of it. Service was great and very friendly. We will definitely be back. Thank you 😊

Havim was recommended by friends and I am so glad they did! I am visiting St Albans for a week and wish I had found this the first night - the food was so fresh and flavourful and downright delicious! We did not have a booking but they gave us a table and the food that followed was spectacular - Lamb! Beef Tartare! I wish had ordered the red wine but I can change that up next time. Located across from the clock tower and with the big window open to the street it felt like a front row seat to Friday night! Wonderful service rounded out a great evening

We had a very fine meal here: excellent cuisine, generous portions and attentive service. However, we found the place very noisy indeed because of large tables of party-goers. There was no attempt to ask them politely to keep the shouting down.

What a great restaurant! The food, service, welcome all excellent. So friendly with amazing staff and definitely worth a visit. My partner who is hard to please said the Halloumi sticks were the best he’s ever had. We will certainly be back!

The food was excellent, the service impeccable and the restaurant is kept immaculate from the the entrance to the bathroom This a great place to dine has a lovely atmosphere above many other restaurants

Had the lunchtime 2 course set meal choosing babaganoush and humus followed by pan fried sea bass. The meal was good but was spoilt by the waiter who had a need to impose his authority. Obviously a lesson needed in customer service. However, the waitress...

They charged us for 3 desserts we never ordered. The floor manager was so rude he refused to listen. He did not want to know about customer service. He was an exceptionally rude.

Wonderful staff and food Highly recommended Big portions Delicious Turkish cuisine Amazing experience Highly recommended

We had a family gathering to celebrate a birthday. The food was excellent, and the service was even better. The staff were friendly, welcoming and accommodating, and made us feel they really enjoyed hosting us.

Good menu with well prented tasty dishes and fairly priced. Friendly atmosphere, friendly staff. Good location easy to find, would fully recommend.

Had a fantastic lunch with friends here. Our party consisted of four adults and four children, ranging from 5 months to three years. We made quite an entrance but staff here was wonderful from beginning to the end. Had a very nice lunch. Good food,...

Went for a late lunch today and was greeted by a friendly waitress and subsequently served by a ver friendly and attentive waiter, top marks for service. Had the lunch time set menu, which had a reasonable choice with something for everyone, fish, chicken, lamb...

We went for the lunch deal which was fantastic, great choices and incredible quality. It is a good value deal as well! Would defo go back and would highly recommend it - the deal is Monday to Friday!

We had a beautiful family dinner for 5 people at the restaurant. The food was delicious and beautifully presented and most importantly it was very tasty and plentiful. The service was excellent and we all enjoyed our hosts hospitality. I can heartily recommend this restaurant,...

Perfect service perfect friendly people also he is Yousef that guy lovely he is really served us really well, he really took care of us, the food was great, the music and the beats were super we will back as soon as possible.. take guys

Great atmosphere,music. The service was excellent. The food was so tasty. Full of flavour and substance. My wife and I thought it was the best Turkish meal we have had.

Super small portion for 20£ plus service charge and delivery No value for money Not accurate order Food was not warm enough when delivered

Fantastic Food & Staff This is the best Turkish restaurant in St Albans. This has been a strong favourite since they opened a couple of years ago. Quality of the food is fantastic and we have gotten to know the staff too. They will also...

It was really average , nothing special , expensive , on top of this the lady owner has been very rude to us and also with her employees , very arrogant owner , avoid

Echoing the experience of a previous 1* Review August 2022. Chicken cockatme with soggy chips buried underneath some mush - the menu states ‘crispy fried potatoes’. I was told it was a very popular dish but at £21.50 I expected some quality food as described...

Was a good experience on a Friday night not overly busy but still had a great atmosphere. The waiter Aydin was really polite and helpful was happy with the service. I thought although the food was flavourful it was prices slightly too high but only...

Disappointing visit for a family member’s birthday (eight of us). Service was unsmiling and unapologetic when orders were wrongly served. We all felt the food was good quality but universally overpriced. Reading other reviews we may have been unlucky but it wasn’t busy so no...

Lovely good and great service. Would return for sure. The manager UFUK was great. We have mixed grills and they were very good.

Birthday meal out, staff were amazing, food was incredible. Went with 7 friends for a birthday. Great evening out Highly recommend

My wife and I had time to kill at lunchtime and, rather than go to one of our usual haunts, decided to eat in Havin. The chicken shish, served with salad and rice, was excellent - moist and full of flavour. The service from Faten...

Visited last night, will not be returning. We had kings prawn & calamari to start, prawns all you could taste was garlic. Far too much, calamari very greasy. Mains I had moussaka (a favourite so really looking forward to it) as soon as it arrived...

We were really looking forward to visiting Havin. However, fairly disappointed with our experience. The food was somewhat pricey for what it was (e.g £10 for a prawn starter which had 4 tiny prawns)- the food overall tasted OK, but nothing special. The service was...

We had the reasonably priced set lunch. The whole restaurant was scrupulously clean. We sat next to the large open sliding windows, overlooking the road. It was cool and airy. The food was cooked well and presented beautifully. The portion sizes were just right for...

Brought my family to Havin for lunch as a treat and it was amazing! I had flatbread wrapped chicken with a lovely sauce and yogurt, “Chicken Beyti”. The view was very nice and you can see the clock tower from inside the restaurant, a very...

Great food, friendly staff and good buzz. Good quality house wines too. We go often for lunch and went for dinner on this occasion. The service was a little slower then usual but understandable as we were a group of 19 and it was jubilee...

Booked here for late lunch/early dinner to meet with family on their way back north. We had the mixed grill and lamb kofta for mains and baklava for dessert. Every bite was cooked to perfection and full of flavour. Staff were great too. It was...

My husband and I were in St Albans shopping and decided to eat at Havin and it was absolutely lovely. The food was delicious, and the menu was different. There were some typical Turkish favourites but also some things I've not seen before. The staff...

Went to havin with my 2 kids and husband the menu is clearly labelled with allergens such as gluten free which made ordering very easy the manger recommend vegetarian guvec and vegetarian mussaka we really enjoyed the food Will be back soon thanks for havin...

Visited with two friends. The interior is absolutely beautiful. Our meals were all delicious. I had sea bass and a shepherds salad, my friends both had chicken kebabs with rice and salad. Their chicken was very tender. My sea bass was a large fish. The...

Loved the food I started with Babaganoush with aubergine peppers and garlic together with some delicious bread. For a main course, Mantar dolma which was with mushrooms, halumi cheese, and many vegetables. As a vegetarian, this was perfect for me. Highly recommended.

A lovely local restaurant in a fab location. The staff are friendly and attentive. The decor and ambiance are lovely. The food was tasty, good quality ingredients and a good portion size. We will definitely go here again and I highly recommend this place.

First visit to celebrate a birthday. The food was outstanding along with the service. The team were friendly couldn't do enough for you to ensure your evening was special. The decor and ambiance beautiful thank you for such a great night .

I booked a table for 4 people on Saturday night to celebrate my husband birthday the restaurant was very busy amazing atmosphere delicious food super star ⭐️ service The manger surprise my husband with birthday cake 🎂 and birthday song 🎵 from all customers 👌fantastic...

Went to havin last Saturday night meet up with friends we had some starters to share following by mixed grill, Adana beyti and kleftiko very testy food lovely stuff Nice atmosphere❤️

Saturday night…Fantastic place to visit lovely delicious food Great Turkish wine& cocktails nice atmosphere Thanks for the manger( milo ) lovely lady waitress for looking after us made the evening much more enjoyable Definitely will back thanks guys

Title says it all really. Will definitely go back. Service was super. Food excellent and great value for money. Had chicken kofte / prawn and aubergine casserole with babaganosh starter.

Really enjoyed my lunch at Havin and the the Manta Dolma was very tasty. Excellent and friendly service.

Mainly delicious food and friendly service- calamari and borek to start mixed shish kebab was simple but nice but didn't enjoy lamb dish on chefs specials section - dry tasteless discs of lamb supposedly on a bed of crispy potatoes but actually skinny fries swimming...

Had wanted to try this restaurant for a while, what a disappointment ! our table was booked for 8:30 we turned up on time only to be kept waiting in the door way for over 15 minutes with other people trying to get passed us....

We had a delicious meal at Havin and the service was very attentive. Will definitely be going back in the future!

Went for dinner on a busy Saturday night. The food was tasty and arrived in good time. The restaurant was full - too full so it was hard to hear and felt a little cramped. The staff were friendly but a little over-attentive - slow...

Stumbled on this and so glad we did! Food was fantastic, lovely decor and the staff were so helpful and attentive. Mido was great. Totally recommend this gem of a restaurant! We will be back.

Spontaneous Saturday evening meal out this evening. We came across this place by sheer luck. We didn't have a reservation and thy happily squeezed us in! We had beautiful food, great wine, service was warm, welcoming and attentive, despite being busy. miclo and the staff...

Had an amazing night at Havin last night with live entertainment from Frank Sinatra impersonator. It was our birthdays the staff couldn’t do enough for us. Highly recommend this restaurant. The mixed grill is amazing as are the lamb chops! Service was excellent (thanks to...

Waited an hour and 20 mins for our mains. Had to chase more than once and were told it was on its way but took another 15 minutes from that. Was disappointed with the portion and taste, was small and pretty bland. Felt like we...

Four of us ate here on Monday night it was excellent we had calamari halloumi followed by kleftiko and mix sh the food was fresh and delicious the whole thing was extremely good we came from liverpool and we found Egyptian mido he is a...

Recently my wife and I were trotting around southern England as a short get-away after living in constant lockdown for 18 months. On our trip to visit friends in St Albans and then heading into town, we were very hungry and came across Havin Turkish...

We visited St Albans when the street festival was on. The weather was good and there were huge queues at all of the food stalls. We had always looked at this restaurant and it was always busy. We were lucky to get a table. Staff...

One of the best food experience,lovely dinner on Tuesday night,the staff were friendly and helpful the food was delicious especially the adana lamb it was amazing and the baklava with ice cream recommended

Sent wrong order To our table. Then tried to see if it was another tables order . This happens sometimes I understand that, then for the table next to us (seated 20-30 mins after us) to receive two full mixed grills, so when we called...

This was our first time at havin the food was incredible the service was brilliant atmosphere was great and i love the music we had fun with the egyptian waiter thank you for the lovely night

Just moved into the area so my dad and i ate here on Tuesday night excellent food and service was great from mido and umar I will definitely eat here again

We are great admirers of Turkish food and have been to many Turkish restaurants both in Turkey and London. the food was poor and the prices higher than in most Turkish restaurants in London of a much higher standard.

Four of us ate here last night it was excellent we had calamari to start, pastourma and borek followed by mixed grill and kleftiko chicken Adana Seabass and finally baklava out of the word also the staff very Friendly❤️Highly recommended

The food was awful. the service was awful. the atmosphere was awful. never coming back here again. The menu needs improving. the food needs more flavour and the restaurant needs atmosphere here are some tips for improvement: - change the chef - change the waiters...

We visited on Saturday evening and was impressed by service. Our waiter Mido was very attentive and answered all the questions we had. Food was very tasty, location is great, but we will definitely come back just to be served by this polite and friendly...

Warm atmosphere, excellent service, thanks to Mido, location is great, I will recommend it and for sure we will come back

Buzzing atmosphere, great space between tables and the opportunity to eat outside. a varied menu with fresh exciting flavours, salad garnishes and a real sense of home cooking from the freshest ingredients. Friendly efficient and professional service. Spoiled for choice! Happy lunchtime and dinnertime visits....

Atmosphere is welcoming and warming and food was served promptly, had a lovely chat with an Egyptian waiter called Mido who helped us with our order. Both me and my partner were very satisfied, another great reason to visit St Albans!

So over priced! Terrible food lacking taste and finesse that you expect. From shocking mojito’s with blackened mint leaves, water glasses with lipstick stains. My sautéed lamb in garlic yogurt arrived on a bed of french fries! No thank you!

My husband and I went on a Tuesday at lunchtime and we were met by Yakup who looked after us during our visit. We ate off the main menu and while chosing we each had an Efes draught beer, which always goes down well. For...

Great food. Excellent service. Husband and wife team. Now 3 Turkish restaurants in a stones throw of each other- lucky us

Nicely decorated Turkish restaurant in a great place to ‘watch the world go by’ . Attentive friendly service. Very nice chicken kebab Asked for meat mousakka but got vegetarian option instead. Not an issue and still extremely tasty . Would return

The place was OK. Food was good, plenty of it. Service was quick and attentive. Shocked at the end to see such a large service charge. May be my fault for not reading small print.

Fantastic food, very friendly and attentive staff, found when mooching around St Albans, highly recommended, we arrived about 7pm by 8pm the place was full.

Positives……beautifully situated with a view to watch the world go by through the bi fold windows. Havin is elegantly decorated and very clean. Couldn’t fault the place at all. Staff are very friendly and I was seated straight away. Negatives…….well, the price! The most expensive...

Great place right in the centre of town. Hummus starter was lovely, halloumi was a little disappointing as was only 3 tiny bits. Chicken shish as a main was very tasty. Reasonably priced and big portions for mains. Will be coming back for sure.

We ordered take away on Uber eats. One dish arrived completely squashed , as had clearly been placed at bottom of bag & half of it ended up in our front garden & items from the order were missing. On calling the restaurant they blamed...

We visited the Havin Turkish Kitchen after being enticed by their weekday lunchtime special menu (2 Courses £12.90, 3 Courses £14.90, available 11am to 4pm). However, we were initially not offered the lunchtime special menu and had to ask – it should be noted that...

What a great culinary experience we had at Havin. All the staff for the lunch were outstanding - so knowledgeable of food and wines - making this a perfect afternoon of delightful food and wine. We can recommend the Baklava!

We absolutely love Havin, always an amazing fresh meal, the meat is amazing. The staff are very attentive and the cocktails are 👌. We are there once a week to either sit out in the sub or inside the beautiful restaurant. You will not be...

Really disapointed with this restaurant. Not really what i would call Turkish. It is not traditional Turkish. The portion sizes were too poncey Starters were all in 3's. Bit silly if your a table of 4 people u have to halve a starter just to...