Leonardo's in Epping Forest

First visit to this restaurant and sadly the last!Totally under staffed both in the kitchen and front of house resulted in deficiencies in both service and standard of food.The lady that greeted us was friendly and very nice, but as it got busier she became swamped and service unsurprisingly went rapidly downhill.The menus did not include the “specials(which are hidden away on a back board or mention deserts/coffee(and these were not offered).As to the food itself the 3 tiny , over cooked Scallops were served with an overpowering tomato/mushroom sauce which did little to enhance them.King prawns were not much better, tasteless, chewy with a greasy, tasteless sauce.The bland chicken was over cooked and greasy served with a tasteless, lack of sauce Bolognese The lobster ravioli was much to thick with bones/shell still present and another thick overpowering tomato sauce.Unable to get another drink, more water and a long wait to pay the bill.All in all not a great dining experience and with the restaurant only just getting busy as we left, the standard of service and food were only ever going to go one way!

We had a lovely meal at Leonardos and are regular visitors to this restaurant. The service is excellent and the food is delicious and cooked from fresh .This is a small restaurant with an intimate atmosphere and we would have no hesitation recommending it.In particular , the fact that Leonardos offers such good value for money should be highlighted and the generous portion sizes . This is a real gem of a restaurant

My family and I are regulars at Leonardos and have always had a great experience. The food is traditional Italian with a diverse menu (no pizza though). The portions are really generous. I’d say I’ve visited in excess of 20 times and tried a number of different dishes and enjoyed my meal every single time. My favourites have been the lasagna, the halibut and the pollo Milanese. The potatoes and zucchini are also delicious accompaniments. The prices are really reasonable with only the fish dishes being on the pricier side. The owner does all of the serving by herself so when it is particularly busy you may need to be patient. However generally service is by no means slow. You definitely won’t ever be disappointed with the food!

We regularly go to Leonardos Restaurant Buckhurst Hill. The food is always fresh and excellent quality. We hope to go again soon and support a local family restaurant.

We came here to take advantage of the eat out to help out scheme to support our local restaurants, and we weren’t disappointed: The dishes my husband & I ordered were delicious and great portion size. The place is also kept very well & clean with screens to divide sections of the tables to reassure customers. The service was efficient & we didn’t feel rushed. We will definitely be returning and would highly recommend.

Been here many times but the eat out to help out scheme has made it very confusing here. Ate starter and main, that we were then charged more on the lunchtime menu that was more expensive! We did point this out but by then had lost the will to live and been charged service charge on top before any reduction from Rishi. Probably couldn’t be bothered to revisit. Food ok.

Love the food. Its really nice. Very welcoming and it never disappoints. Went with my family and they all loved it

Had our first meal out last night since lock down and went to our regular haunt of Leonardos in Queens Road, Buckhurst Hill, Essex. The owners must be congratulated on the Covid19 safety measures that have been put in place. Hand sanitiser on entry, non touch temperature checks and great partitioning that almost gives you your own small dining room. Food and wine was great as always.

I have been many times to this restaurant, and each time it has been good. It is small, but cosy. The wine is very reasonable, and the food, cooked by the owners daughter, is excellent. It has tablecloths, and the rolls are hot and made internally.[ Nice touch to soak up the wine ] The menu selection is adequate, and the mixed vegetables are generous. The quality of the meals are excellent, and the portions above average. The sweet is satisfying, but we normally have coffee, as we are well full by this time.The tip of 10% is included in the presented bill, so be aware.This should not be a problem, as most people tip this amount anyway.All in all, a satisfying experience, and not too expensive.[ I HAVE PROBABLY SHOT MYSELF IN THE FOOT, BECAUSE, AS THIS IS A SMALL RESTAURANT, AND IF THIS BECOMES TOO POPULAR, I WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN BEING ACCOMMODATED !!! ]

Enjoyable lunch yesterday. Good fresh food. Service fine. Midweek so restaurant not full. Only downside fresh bread rather than hot roll would be better.

We’ve been here a few times in the last few months, the food and the lovely owner/waitress are just perfect! We feel relaxed and just know that we will get amazing food and brilliant service every time! The food is delicious, the prawns, lasagne, arrabbiata, bolognese and calf’s liver just to name a few that we’ve tried. The wine is lovely too and the complimentary bread roll is sweet. It’s priced very well for an Italian restaurant and I would say it’s the best!

If you would like to meet possibly the rudest waitress ever, then this is the place to come!! We had booked but she told us they were full & went to shoo us out before even checking if we had a reservation! Our table was cramped behind the door. (Very small restaurant). The food was ok but it probably depends on what you order. No lovely fresh rolls... just frozen white rolls heated up so they are hard. The food was virtually thrown on the table in front of us! I asked for Parmesan - she leaned across the table & grated it over the plate, the table & my lap!!! It was a Friday night & there was a long table with a very loud & raucous group (taking up half the restaurant, which made it hard for us to have a conversation across our table of four. We actually booked in thinking it was a small, quiet place. On a positive note it’s reasonably priced. But unless you take joy in being served by a very rude woman, I wouldn’t recommend it! Although we were laughing by the end of the meal at just how awful she was!

Very enjoyable lunch. Definitely recommend the Bean & Pasta soup. Very warming. Would give 5 but it was a bit cold in the restaurant.

Went to this little restaurant last night and had veal milanese with spaghetti Napoli. It came piping hot and was very tasty indeed.

We had a lovely dinner at Leonardo's. Food was piping hot; portions were generous and food was very tasty. Nice friendly and quiet ambiance. Family run restaurant … we'll be back for sure next time we visit Mum in Buckhurst Hill.

very good food, well prepared, served promptly and generous portions, and pleasant 2 ladies present, and well populated, so,obviously good reputation

Leonardo’s serves up quite good food at a very reasonable price . Nothing fancy and although the decor has been upgraded this to me is an odd but ok place . I believe the mother runs front of house on her own which isn’t really great when she is trying to deal with more than two tables and I believe the daughter does the cooking . I eaten here a couple of times. The last time I did feel as though I was possibly sitting in an old people’s home . It’s ok , they do try but unfortunately the front of house lets down the food and that really doesn’t make me want to run back a third time. I’ve been generous with my score because it’s a family run business and they try. It could be much better.

This is the least Italian restaurant I've ever been to. My meal was actually ok but friends didn't eat much of theirs. Not cleanest place and decor very dated. Run by non Italians should be a dead giveaway. Food practically thrown in front of us and our drink were carried to us with lady, not dressed very smart, didn't resemble any waitress we've ever seen....had her fingers inside glasses to carry to table?! Would never return

Tried a few Italian restaurants in north London this was one always wanted to try! Lovely atmosphere, yes just one waitress but very attentive! Food was very good, great rich sauce on the spaghetti bol!

My parents and I visited Leonardo’s for dinner, and we enjoyed our meal overall. It’s a quaint, no frills restaurant with reasonable prices. The caprese salads were fresh, and our chicken and veal dishes were quite good. For the price, it’s an above average meal. We would return.

We go regularly to this restaurant, at least 3 times a month

We went to Leonardo' s Saturday May 11th.

Not been here in years. We weren't disappointed.

Well Leonardo's doesn't have many negative reviews on here so it suggests to me maybe we just had an off night.

My Vongole was one of the best I have had and the veal limon was excellent. My expresso coffee was not up to Italian standards but would love to visit again.

This is actually our second visit and what an amazing find! Not sure how we’ve gone for so long without ever visiting this gem of a restaurant (having lived in the area for 29 years!) The service is wonderful, the owner is very friendly and welcoming. The food is excellent - all freshly cooked to order and the portion sizes are very generous! The prices are extremely reasonable too. You won’t be walking out hungry!! I highly recommend visiting!

Brought here by my sister-in-law who has been here a couple of times. We had an early table at 7 and got in just before a large table, so that was lucky. We parked a little further up the hill in order to secure a parking space, and walked down past a few other bars and restaurant 's. It has a limited number of tables and it looks like there could be tables outside in the summer.

First time, we did not know what to expect, but the food was quite enjoyable, the waitress has been knocked a couple of times on here, but I think she doesn’t mean to be rude, it’s just her way, I was a bit upset they did not have any Asti, I did expect that wine would for sure to be there, but overall pleasant, but we will be going back, very reasonable price’s

The menu is not extensive, but most traditional Italian dishes are on offer. It appears to be family-run with those involved working desperately hard. The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed. Parking can be difficult, particularly if the nearby Waitrose is still open. Later bookings are probably the best solution.

Lovely little local restaurant with a fabulous selection of food. Excellent service and great food, a very enjoyable experience

Not so friendly atmosphere,food average. After our meal my friend asked if they have a take away menu and she was curtly told ,"no, use the website and we don't deliver okay !" Made us feel really uncomfortable. We'll not come back

This is a tiny, lovely local restaurant run by the wonderful Marley and her daughter. The food is cooked to perfection - I’m not a steak eater but am assured by friends who are that the steak here is amongst the best they’ve had anywhere, the desserts are all homemade and the tirimasu is heaven.

Our friends told us about this Italian restaurant run by a Chinese lady and her daughter. To be honest, as a foodie, I laughed as I didn’t expect very much. I have to eat my words as even though the restaurant was deserted on this particular night in the week, it gave us a chance to hear ourselves speak and savour this fantastic food. The Parma ham and melon was delicious and huge and the amazing chicken pizzaiola was fabulous. There was no room for dessert as I was completely full. Well done ladies, I can’t wait to return and thank you for the massive bowl of chocolates served at the end with our coffee.

We have had Dinner in this Restaurant many times with friends, and decided to have our Celebratory Anniversary Lunch here.

I was totally surprised, since it is very moderately priced, I didn't expect much, but they have table cloths and linen napkins, which is quite unusual, and the food is really nice, they make everything fresh and the staff is super attentive, if you want to change something, they are extremely helpful. The only downer were the prepackaged bread rolls, doesn't seem to go with the rest of the experience.

We have been to Leonardo's so many times without a single problem, the owner and her daughter work so hard keeping customers happy and its just a very friendly place to go for great food which is very reasonably priced, nothing is a problem and even if something is not on the menu they will still do their best to make it for you.

We have eaten here 3 times now and have always left very happy (and full)! The food is delicious and well-executed - a mix of interesting specials and classic dishes, all at very reasonable prices. You could easily pay twice as much for food not half as good in central London. The sides are great too - no-nonsense hearty fare like potato Lyonnaise and bacon and peas. With all the chains taking over the high street, it's nice to have such a lovely independent alternative. Go once and you'll keep going back!

I visited this restaurant quite a few years ago and didn't enjoy the experience. However I thought that I would give it another try. My experience was totally different - FANTASTIC FOOD, SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE. Love it and can't get enough. Thank you.

First time to this restaurant and I was not disappointed. We were greeted by the lady owner and shown to a nice table by the window. The tables were nicely laid out with a fresh rose on each table and nice table cloth and napkins. The food we had was excellent and very tasty and was served piping hot and plenty of it. The ambiance was nice as it is a small restaurant so not too noisy. We would recommend will be going back. A little gem!

I come back yesterday to leonardos nothing change still excellent the food and atmosphere Welcoming is to busy thanks for your good service.

Hands down the worse restaurant I've had the misfortune of eating in!

We are regulars at this wonderful little restaurant, please read my other reviews on it.

Excellent tasty Italian food ( but served just a little too hot ) Good portion sizes and really reasonable prices. The one waitress does a great job looking after everyone. Worth a visit. Book a table if at the weekend.

I use this restaurant mainly at lunchtimes and have always enjoyed the food which is always served piping hot. I like the fish dishes from the 'specials board'; I can recommend the vegetables which are reasonably priced and perfectly cooked for me, and are very generous sized portions. The bread rolls aren't very good quality but that isn't too much of a problem for me.I like that there are table clothes and linen napkins which is unusual in a reasonably priced restaurant.

Recommended this family run restaurant but have to say very underwhelmed. It was quiet but the one member of staff appeared disinterested in customers and was watching a foreign tv program on a tablet for most of the evening. Got the impression the premises were tired and although the steak was ok the rest of the meal was not up to much. Wouldn't return or recommend.

What a great experience that I have been in this week. My friends and I have a great dinner in this restaurant and we all have nice hot food and friendly manners service in very reasonable price. We coming back for more.. see you soon.

Arrived. Ignored. Informed her who I was and I've booked. She just pointed to a table.Looked around. 3 Tables in service. 3 Tables uncleaned from the previous sittings.Butter in wraps. Not Ramekins. Grissini in plastic packets.Only ONE obnoxiously rude, oriental waitress the whole night!!!No water glasses on the table.She didn't take the wine glasses. Even though we didn't order wine.Very over-powering Maitress-D. Borderline Scary!!!For some strange, unexplained reason she wore a Grey Glove on her right hand all evening. ???All of a sudden, 2 Volcanicly hot (ICELAND) bread rolls appeared. (ICELAND - the frozen foods company, NOT the Country!). Cremated on the outside, still doughy on the inside. (Get me my Gaviscon NOW!!!!!!)Over 20 minutes after we were seated, the 3 dirty tables were still untouched!Main Course - Tagliatelle Lollobrigida (Clams - 1st item on the menu).NO CLAMS. Almost Zero squid. All seafood previously FROZEN.When told, maitress said it they DON'T DO CLAMS. It was the OLD MENU.She claimed the Mussels were taken out of the shells. A BLATANT LIE. They were frozen and chopped!!! I really couldn't eat it. Just a few mouthfuls consumed.When shown the website page AND the CURRENT MENU I WAS GIVEN. She mumbled under her breath.I asked for the bill and she came over making a big song and dance that she was taking off £2.50 from the total bill.The only thing Italian about this place is the name. Do yourself a favour. DO NOT EAT HERE.There is more Italian-ness in a Domino's Pizza.Positives:Real Rose on the table.Starter nice.

Went here for lunch - was such a lovely place.the food, service and drinks were delicious.amazing customer service and from the minute walking in to leaving made us feel so welcome.will definitely returnThank you

Lovely friendly little restaurant. Great food that is reasonably priced. Will definitely return again as the ambience was great .

We arrived early on Saturday night and was lucky to get a table.We were made to feel at home from the moment we arrived.Great atmosphere nice and cosy, I always feel totally relaxed when I come here. The food was amazing, authentic Italian cuisine but not overpowering like most places.My husband had large grilled prawns in a butter sauce, I had the Calamari which were delicious the batter was so light and delicate.For mains my husband enjoyed 4 lamb chops from the specials board. I had the Polo alla pizzaiola (chicken breast in a pizza sauce) which was a very generous portion The mains come with fresh Veg of the day with a choice of potatoes.This restaurant is run by mother and daughter team with mother Merly front of house and serving with her daughter Krystal the Chef.We wanted to thank Krystal for the wonderful food she cooked for us, I do hope she gets some time to read this.They both do an amazing job, I am looking forward to coming back very soon. Thank you!

I have visited Leonardos several tmes over the years and it is consistently good, we were a party of 12 and despite only the team of mother waiting and daughter cooking it was great. Generous portions, really good service and as a lovely touch each couple received a panetone to take away as it was the run up to Christmas

A lovely little place, tasty food and friendly service. Also good value for money, especially considering how hiked up prices can be in this area. It's small so you really need to book ahead, especially for a weekend. It felt like we were sitting in someone's front room. Mother and daughter team - mother serving and daughter cooks. Just feels really warm and comforting. Will definitely be back.

Had a lovely evening at Leonardos, the food was lovely and there was a nice cosey atmosphere. A friendly clientele and hard working staff. Everyone of us enjoyed our food. Hopefully will visit again soon.

This restaurant is an excellent Italian restaurant. Food is excellent quality. Restaurant is very small so booking is advised. Do need an extra member of staff Friday and Saturday evenings.

Been coming to this restaurant for many years - food is excellent - good choice on menu - no room for a dessert as ample portions - service very good -

Amazing, The meal was wonderful, The staff great. 4 of us went for an early evening meal We all had starters 2 of us had Scallop's with Bacon in Mushroom and tomato sauce, 1 had Calamari and one had Prawn cocktail. we all had lovely hot fresh rolls as well. we all had seafood mains which were lovely unfortunately no room for pudding but we will have to forgo starters next time and have room for pudding. Highly recommend we only found it last night on Trip advisor such a great find.

Here for a pre-wedding meal with family. The restaurant is small and intimate. The food - scallops in particular - were superb. The lady serving was a little whirlwind! Would recommend without reservation to anyone. Ideal for all occasions.

We visited for the first time. Food was tasty and HOT. Could not fault it. Service was excellent. Great find will definitely be back. Highly recommended.

We had a great time at this small and friendly Italian restaurant. The food was superb with a great choice from the menu and extras on the board.The lady who owns the restaurant is like a whirlwind,serving at tables and getting the drinks.The dishes are large and if you manage to get to dessert your doing very well.

Every time web visit it is full of friendly local people who have obviously been going there years and all know each other! Big parties too from as far afield as forest gate and Romford tonight!Amazingly flavoursome authentic food! Really delicious and generous portions, didn't need a sauce with the calamari, the flavour of the delicate batter shine through, delicious! I later had the scampi aka provinciale with rice and a delicious garlicky oregano sauce!Even had dessert and purchased something different from the wine list, which was top notch and not the same old wines! Super! :)

Always a delight to eat here, one of Buckhurst Hill's best kept secrets, ideal for a family meal or with friends.

Lovely little Italian restaurant. A good choice of dishes (no pizza). Everything tasted very fresh, prices are good and the service was attentive. I was eating alone but didn't feel out of place. Recommended.

Leonard's is probably the best Italian restaurant in area. Great food, very good service and a friendly atmosphere.

We have been coming here now for over three years.Its so comfortable, the lady owner is amazing, she can fix you anything you like.All the food is cooked fresh, and most meals already come with sides so they don't try to up your bill.We have never had room for dessert.This is the place to take your mum and dad, family.My daughter, (who lives in London) says, if this Little Gem was in London, they would be queuing outside to get in. Its not loud so you can hear yourself talk.

Hello. I would like to say thank to the owner for the wonderful food and bottle of wine for our Dinner. We had an amazing time. the food at Leonardo's absolutely tasty (we ate two meals ) Our waitress was just wonderful. Looking forward to come back with my relatives in the future. What a great place!

Hello. Please give our thanks to the Manager and for the wonderful food and bottle of wine for our Anniversary. We had an amazing meal. The table was so comfortable, the food at Leonardo's absolutely amazing . Our night was just wonderful. Looking forward to come back in the future. What a great place!

I am new to the area so thought it would be good to try one of the local Italian restaurants. I went with a friend. We walked to the back and waited patiently for a waitress to show us to a table. The woman in question was sullen and made no attempt to be friendly towards us at any point during the evening. Once sitting down my friend asked if we should leave as she had a bad feeling about the place as it looked pretty run down inside we noticed. Unfortunately we decided to stay. We ordered the arancini to share which were greasy and tasteless. For my main course I had lasagne which was spectacularly hot, but again tasteless and presented in a sea of tomato 'gravy'. Grim. A couple of women then arrived, sat down at a table and within 5 minutes got up and left saying they were going elsewhere! This spoke volumes. The bill was cheap, but you get what you pay for. Definitely won't be going back unless it's under different ownership.

This is a lovely looking restaurant and we visited for lunch. We chose the lunch menu which was very good value. I had penne and my friend lasagne for our main. However it was quite obvious that the food had been put into a microwave as it came steaming hot and bubbling to our table. We had to wait many long minutes to be able to eat the food. It tasted ok but not marvellous. There was only one waitress who did not have much of a personality but fortunately for her there was only two tables to serve. Don't think I'll visit again.

This is a small Italian Restaurant. The food is OK as well as the service and price. On a hot day, it could do with Air Con here, in these times!

Ate here tonight with my husband, 1st time we've ever been. Well, I'm blown away!!! Food, service and settings were all totally amazing!!! We will definitely be eating here again, and very soon!! Husband had chicken Kiev, and I have chicken pompodoro, BOTH were blumming amazing!! 2 glasses of wine and 2 beers, totalling under £40!! Bravo, fantastic!!!With parking outside too, this is an amazing place to eat with a lovely waitress to serve you. Loved it!!!!

we enjoyed our meal very much. The service was excellent.We will come again. the food was very fresh, and you could taste it.

Over the past twenty plus years we have been here in its various guises. Generally the food has been okay, unfortunately this has taken a downward spiral. Reference to my mother is that she recently admitted that she didn't enjoy cooking. A slab of veal covered by supermarket slice of ham and plenty of sauce does no constitute a restaurant meal; with vegetables to match. Hottest day of the year and the house sauvignon blanc was not ice cold. Now saying all of this we would go back on another fine day, eat some basic pasta and enjoy the view sitting out on their very small patio. This is Buckhurst Hill and there is plenty of people watching to be had; even the odd TOWIE.

We enjoy our time in this place. We had amazing meal in every reasonable price. Quite enough to have a conversation with friends. We will be back soon.

The resturant is unattractive from the road, upon arriving you are greeted with dead plants, peeling paintwork and a dirty old canopy. Wiring for the lights run from the property next door!!The menu never changes. It is not cosy, there is no ambeounce and the staff are not exciting or warm. I fear the website is more than misleading. Drive by before booking.

Thanks to leonardos we celebrate the birthday of my dad last Saturday all food is so delicious the service is good .all thing is excellent.

Went on a Tuesday evening at 7pm with high hopes. It was a very cold evening and when we arrived there were only 2 other people there, so ambience was lacking but we were still hopeful. Unfortunately as the restaurant had been closed the day before it would appear the heating had only been on for an hour. It was freezing even though we were sitting over a radiator.When the food arrived it was beautifully presented with lots of nice vegetables and it was good and tasty. But and a very big BUT the nice hot food was seved on very chilly plates so after a couple of minutes the whole meal was cold and totally spoilt. I did complain but nothing was said.We left after the main course and had our desert and coffee at Prezzos a few doors away. There it was nicely warm and much ambience.What a shame. I can't understand any chef who can create excellent tasty meals ruining them by not bothering to use plate warmers. Sadly he is not alone. Won't be going there again!!!

We had a nice meal in lunch time this last Sunday. We enjoy every thing from the food to the wine and dessert, then we go back last night we got same experience, my wife and I was thankful that we found this place. Next time we going to take my friend with us.

Great food and wine in very reasonable price. I couldn't find another restaurant like this. I will come back for more.

If you like overpriced food and wine and a long wait for food, this is the place for you. When we dined the restaurant was almost full to capacity but there was only one person serving and it would appear that there was only one person doing the cooking. The food, when it eventually appeared was of an average standard and flavour but the long gaps between courses rather took the edge from our appetites. Do not think that we will be returning.

We went here for our anniversary lunch as it was highly recommended on trip adviser. The restaurant was small and could have been cosy .. if there were any other customers. Being the only customers the service was very good and the waitress very smiley and friendly but, unfortunately the food was very average, disappointing when we were expecting very tasty. We didn't order any pasta dishes instead we went for an assortment of starter dishes and one main dish of fried Calamari. The Calamari was tender and crispy, the best dish of the four we ordered, the Beans with Tuna looked like they were thrown straight onto the plate from a tin, the Mozzarella wasn't buffalo mozzarella so was pretty tasteless, the tomatoes with it were large and watery and on the Bruschetta they used the same watery tomatoes. We had two glasses of wine with four dishes we ordered and our bill came to £42. We would personally choose to go to our local supermarket and buy better quality food and prepare it at home, maybe everyone realised that and that's why the place was empty lunchtime. We won't be going back for lunch but if you want it quiet and don't mind about pretty average food, you could give it a try.

Four of us went there midweek after booking and there was only one other table in use. Suddenly the restaurant was full and the poor waitress was on her own and had to cope with the sudden influx of people who hadn't booked. I felt quite sorry for her although she was cheerful and friendly. The food was very good and reasonably priced and although the service was obviously quite slow, it didn't bother us and we all enjoyed the evening. We shall definitely return when hopefully it's not so busy.

Looking at historical reviews one wonders if the chef has changed. The starters (bruschetta and Parma ham with melon) were quite large and the main courses were reasonable sized portions but the standard was nothing spectacular. One wonders why reviews have been "fantastic" and now are only "average"? Disappointed and won't be returning.

It's very nice to have a local Italian you can depend on. It's a cosy place, no frills restaurant, serving good homely Italian food. Not very expensive but needs to stay that way to balance the price against the food, decor and service.

Dinned at Leonardo's on Saturday for first time restaurant was quiet when arrived. Greeted nicely and got seated, bought a bottle of rose for 19.99 thought was bit pricey Especially when bottle arrived to see it was identical to the wines in tesco that are 4-5 pound but never the less bottle arrived then asked if we would like ice bucket, we said yes we got given a blue plastic looking bin with no ice bone dry , have no idea why blue bin was on table lol, but food was great and very tasty the whole place could do with make over as you feal you are sitting in a cafe but staff and food great but just didn't feal I had eaten at out experience oh also it could do with air con as it gets very hot inside and felt uncomfortably not sure if would return

We love Leonardo's, for us it is a "special occasion" restaurant as the prices can be bettered elsewhere but the quality and service easily make up for that. The specials board is always worth considering but the standard menu is consistently good. They have some wonderful Veal dishes which are my personal favourite. One of the best things about this restaurant is they are flexible, and will adjust a dish to your individual taste so that you know that everything is freshly cooked when you order it. They have some classic paste dishes on the menu with man size portions, don't look for pizza! They don't have any, but then why go to a great restaurant and not take advantage of what they have to offer. Go there soon you, you won't be disappointed.

Great food, very reasonable prices. Lovely, attentive service from this family run restaurant. Would definitely go again. Excellent value.

We visited this restuarant as a group of 8 in order to celebrate a friend's 50th birthday. We had not been to this restaurant and came on the basis of other reviews. It was a small cosy restaurant and was fully booked. The atmosphere was very cosy. The food was really excellent. The steak was faultless and the tiramisu to die for. There was a good choice of vegetarian options. We will be definitely coming back in the future.

Both my wife and I love Leonardo's. There is always a friendly welcome and the food is consistently excellent. We have taken family and friends yo the restaurant and they all agree.

Always friendly, good food and good value. Good choice on the menu, specials are always delicious. We'll worth a visit.

This is a small, friendly restaurant. The lady who owns it is very friendly and can not do enough for you. I have a gluten and dairy free diet and she accommodates me no problem. She specifically bought in gluten free pasta for my last visit. The food is very generous for the price especially the pasta. We will definitely be coming again especially as my parents are there all the time!

It started with trying to book a table I phoned twice and left 2 messages and had no return call this should of been the warning sign 3rd time of calling a lady answered I then was able to book a table.On entering the restaurant the door did not shut behind it was held together by a piece of folded card.There was one waitress who served the whole restaurant We ordered our drinks and food to which the waitress brought my husband white wine after he asked for red.The waitress flustered between tables. To try and serve everyone in a reasonable time.The main dishes arrived we had ordered veal milanaise looked and tasted nice was served with pasta that was vile it had hardly any bolognaise and was luke warm. My husband had calves liver small pieces to make it look larger than it was laid side by side and was served with sauté potatoes and broccoli that were pinged in the microwave.We ordered desert my daughter and I shared chocolate fudge cake it arrived with 2 pieces on one plate we only ordered one portion when we asked she said it was two layer cake it was also disgusting.This restaurant does not serve homemade food as it states on its site, they need to go back to the drawing board and start a fresh.Very disappointed customer

Extremely good restaurant good food cosy restaurant even small but you cannot disappointed to the service is the best restaurant in queens road.

This place is a very comfortable restaurant. My family and I was shock on someone bad review about not having a home cooked food, that was absolutely false. This restaurant cooked a fresh food and they serve a very hot food .I didn't have any bad experience in anytime I visited this restaurant. Solo or with someone.Food and wine are excellent . Prices are very reasonable.

This is a lovely very comfortable little restaurant.Great home cooked food, good prices and very caring personal service at it best.You can spend as little or a much as you want, very reasonable pasta prices.Most main meals come with the veg and potatoes of the day, so no need to pay for sides.This is a one off restaurant, not a chain,your offered warm rolls and butter, bread sticks.All ways a great specials board, we never have space left for sweetMy family and friends all love this place, they don't try to rush you out as some restaurants do.I always leave this restaurant feeling very happy and content.Buckhurst Hill station, is only down the road so no need to take a car, enjoy the wine.

We have been our countless times and we love it!! We live on queens road and its great for a quick dinner! Very reasonable prices and love the informal personal service we get every single time we pop by. If you like seafood try the gorgeous 'Valentino' with king prawns and scallops or the very yummy 'Leonardo' with beef and tomato sauce for meat lovers! V generous portions! Go-you won't be disappointed!

Leonardo's in Buckhurst Hill, Essex is a small family run Italian restaurant. The husband cooks and his lovely wife waits on you and does it all. The food is excellent. There is a very varied menu. They do all the usual pasta dishes, great steaks and lots of veal, chicken and fish dishes. I've now been there four times and I cannot fault the food or the excellent friendly service. It is a very small restaurant and I would suggest that you book before you go to avoid disappointment as they are always packed. It is not overpriced and well worth a visit. They certainly don't fault on portions and the specials board is worth looking at before you make your choice. Looking forward to my next visit.

I have been here many times and it is the best place to eat in Buckhurst Hill. Lovely South East Asian lady front of house, charm itself and she always remembers me, and it has a very cheery atmosphere. However the food to be frank is not the best, the ingredients are great but somehow the execution is lacking.

I have been a regular customer at Leonardo's for several years and I really do not recognise the the restaurant described by "londonsilverlady". If it was anything like her description, I would not see customers whom I have come to know as they come back time after time. Nothing is too much trouble, the food is very good and the service is friendly. Only yesterday one of my friends was working, unexpectedly, very late, but they readily agreed to cook a meal for her even though nearly everyone had by that time left the restaurant.

Having read all the reviews for Leonardo's we chose to go there for a family celebration.It was a big mistake. To start with when I rang to book I was told they were too busy to speak to me and would I phone back in 4 days time!When we arrived we were shown to a very cramped table, barely big enough for the number in the party.The décor was not up to much. On one wall there was a very offensive Tea Towel hanging up which would be more appropriate for a Greasy Spoon Café.There was only one person serving. She could not speak English and we found it very hard to communicate. Her waitressing skills were non existent, breaking every rule in the book. It was a complete mess.No thought was given to the presentation of the food, which was vastly over cooked and lacking in flavour.The bill was presented scribbled on a tatty piece of paper and nothing was itemised and they had the audacity to add a 10% service charge.The toilets were in need of updating and decorating.All in all our experience there was dreadful and I would say is the worst Italian restaurant in the area.I would certainly not recommend it to anyone.

Jut been back there today for my Mum's birthday and as usual couldn't fault anything. There is nothing over the top about this restaurant it is comfortable, clean and the food is brilliant. The restaurant is run by a husband and wife, the husband does the cooking and the wife is front of house, although she is on her own she is very efficient and very polite. The menu is very varied and there are always specials. Not expensive - very good value for money good size portions but not so much that you can't eat it. Will definitely be going back.