Mãos in Tower Hamlets

Something unique, a completely different experience to a classic michelin star restaurant. Large wooden table of 16 guests and that's it. Aperitif inside the kitchen admiring live all chefs preparing a special bite for you. Natural flavours and creative presentations. A must go!

Cannot quite believe that this spot only has four stars on trip advisor, when so many mediocre restaurants in London are more highly rated. This place is fantastic. I attended for a birthday dinner with three close friends and thought the experience was brilliant. - the scene itself is a bit spa like, which at first I didn’t love but as the evening went on the experience really came together. The space came to feel quite unique in restaurant terms vs other fine dining restaurants I’ve spent time at. The service is informal but attentive. Sometimes the waiter chat is a bit forced but the effort is appreciated and certainly not detrimental to the experience. - the food is excellent. Naturally over a large tasting menu like this you’re going to have high points based on your tastes. My friends and I really enjoyed the creativity of certain dishes, the freshness of ingredients, the invitation into the kitchen to hear stories directly from the chef and his team at intervals, and the times we were just brought the stories of the dishes to the table. I had loads of questions for the team which were answered enthusiastically, and felt like the staff made an effort to learn about us as the night progressed. Standouts for me were the lobster mochi, a noodle dish and this unbelievable ice cream desert made with blossoms from Holland Park. For me, the pork main needed more going on and the scallop cooking wasn't the best. But overall, absolutely delicious. This is expensive, but creative delicious cooking is an experience worth paying for. I don't write many reviews and certainly do not depend on tripadvisor to find good restaurants, and it was while on holiday (looking for spots) that I decided to see how MAOS is rated here... I felt compelled to write this review to ensure that the quality of this restaurant was accurately reflected because I know a lot of people trust this site. A fellow reviewer below suggests that people show up at MAOS to take pictures for social media. I can assure you that none of my party gave a f*** about the pictures and came exclusively for the food, and left really really satisfied. The birthday boy was super happy too. My friend is taking his parents back at the end of this month. And the party behind us was returning for their second visit. I will likely take my girlfriend in winter to see how the change in seasons influences the menu.

Some of the dishes were good, but not very impress, the others are just mediocre but in small proportion. I think people are coming for pics rather than foods as you see people smelling to cameras or rising their phones all the time. As a foodie, I am quite disappointed tbh.

This was an astonishing experience. The food, wine, hospitality and general fun involved is something I won't forget.

Through a plain grey door in the heart of Shoreditch, like slipping into a secret speakeasy, Maos is a little scented cocoon of Scandi/Japanese style wooden cool. There are only three or four well-spaced tables, with a prep bench at the side where you are shown and eat your amuse bouches, and beyond the kitchen where we ate our sumptuous acorn ice cream dessert towards the end among the chefs. The staff are so friendly and attentive it's more like attending a dinner party than your usual po-faced fine dining restaurant. Appropriate to the winter season, the 11 course menu had themes running through of Iberico jamon, boar fat, mushrooms, garlic and nuts. From the first broth amuse bouche you can just tell you are in for a treat and in good hands, through fish and beef, all the way to the celeriac crumble final dessert, everything was simply superb. We made a smart decision and ordered one wine pairing and one soft drink pairing to share between us. The wines are mainly French and all off the beaten track delicious and the soft drinks often lightly fermented and all imaginatively brilliant. I can say without hesitation this meal was better than some 3 Michelin star restaurants I've been to when they've gotten to the tired complacent stage. If you want to support a young team doing a modern interpretation on relaxed fine dining, just go!

This is a very special 15 course experience. I would happily say that it was one of the best meals that I have ever had ...

This is the worst Gastronomique experience I have ever had. I have been to many restaurants around the world including extreme Gastronomique ones like Noma, the Fat Duck, Faviken and others. I understand that form is a part of the whole experience. But my problem here is that it is only firm with no substance. In fact, even the form is not executed well. The restaurant is a small place with cozy and casual atmosphere comprising of an open kitchen, a dining room with one table and a bar area. Diners can choose to move as they want during the dining experience which is 14 courses taking almost five hours. We survived seven courses hoping that things will improve but after the seventh course we gave up and left. The food without exception had not taste whatsoever. Each course is a small bite which went through a dehydration process with a very poor outcome. In all my dining life I never left a restaurant except in this one and we went to have Shake Shack burger. Service was very friendly and attentive.

What an experience! Definitely a dinner to remember. Throughout the evening (and we've been there for nearly 5 hours!) you're free to wander around: see how chefs are carefully crafting your dishes in the kitchen explaining every detail from origin of produce to cooking techniques, chat to sommelier in wine cellar, or meet fellow 14 guests in a small yet cosy dining room with a shared table. It doesn't get more immersive. A tasting menu of 15 dishes is impressive and has some ingredients which you wouldn't think go together before you try: from flavoursome wagyu beef with shellfish sauce to a dessert of celeriac, shaved truffle and jam, not to mention ice cream infused with cherry seeds that makes it taste very chocolate-y. Each member of staff is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, very approachable, polite and friendly, all making your experience truly personal. Thank you so much!

What a great idea: arty venue, superb food, you watch it being prepared and chat to the chefs, and a select wine list that the staff know and understand. We enjoyed about 17 courses and in-betweens. All were excellent, many were novel and surprising, and about five were gob-smackingly glorious. Please go, if you possibly can, and make sure you take your time!

Viajante to this day has a close place in my heart, intended or not, this for me is it’s spiritual successor. The concept and premise might not be to everyone’s tastes however the food is fantastic, this is my favourite restaurant inside the M25. Bold, striking flavours with that perennial Asian influence that has run through his food for so long. I know a restaurant is good when I’m sat at the table chuckling to myself at how good a dish is; that kind of thing is reserved for the likes of the Fat Duck - it happened plenty of times here. If you love food, you owe this place a visit.

After Viajante, Corner Room, Taberna do Mercado and Chiltern Firehouse (meh) Nuno Mendes finds another approach to great dining. The food is amazing, the crew behind it young and enthusiastic, the setting stylish, minimalist warm and quirky ( bong shaped lighting fixtures anyone?). There’s no dress-code, it starts at 7pm for everyone and without time pressure goes on to 11:30pm and beyond and it’s a communal table. You’re encouraged to explore the space, the kitchen the wine cellar and everyone will help and explain what’s going on. If you want to observe and be dazzled by the cooking you can do that or sit at the table and enjoy one of the most relaxed meals of your life. It’s not cheap but it’s somewhere you want to bring someone you care about to share one of the loveliest evenings imaginable. Tip: if possible don’t go on a school night so you can linger after the meal.

It makes sense: The kitchen should be on the warm side when you are preparing and serving a hot dish, and on the cool side for cold food. That came home to me thanks to the encouragement Maos gives diners to wander into the kitchen any time during the four hours of preparation of the 15 courses, and even to eat some of the courses in the kitchen rather than at the communal table in the dining room. (And yes, they keep the kitchen hot for the hot meals, and throw open the outside doors to cool things down for the chilled dishes.) Maos really does offer a feast for foodies, following on Chef Nuno Mendes’ former Michelin-starred Viajante restaurant. A front row seat at Viajante offered a great view of the kitchen at work. Maos’ invitation to watch the food preparation close-up takes that involvement to a higher level. If you choose to stay at the table, you receive an explanation of each food item as it is served. But I preferred to watch the preparation in action rather than just get a brief summary. I could ask each individual about the food item he was preparing as it was happening, and then see – and savour – the final result. I found hearing about and watching the back story added considerably to the evening’s pleasure. And it was satisfying to see the attention devoted by the young kitchen crew to each stage of the preparation of each ingredient for each dish. Sometimes I tried to guess what the final dish would be – with mixed success. And some of the dishes were indeed quite exotic, like red prawns, langoustines, dried cabbage and perilla (I had to look up that one: an Asian mint herb which can also have “notes” of coriander, basil, cinnamon, anise and citrus). Or bone marrow, beetroot, walnuts and pickled onion. Or reindeer moss, chicken skin and sorrel. Or white asparagus and wild leaves from Sean's farm An extensive wine cellar as well as special non-alcoholic drink creations are available for pairing. Odds are you will have convivial dining companions, people who also appreciate such a foodie outing. This is high-end dining financially, too. But I’m happy to pay for a quality experience I couldn’t otherwise create for myself. Maos offers memorable dining for all the right reasons.