Smiths of Ongar in Epping Forest

Me and my wife had dinner on Friday night service food was excellent Definitely will be returning.

Really good food under the new management team - great friendly service too

Always very busy but the staff are superb, welcoming and friendly. The food is excellent and the restaurant has a westend buzzy feel. Great for a special occasion or a treat.

Great restaurant, everything was delicious. Will be returning soon.

Superb lunch time menu. Food absolutely delicious, first class service and whilst it's not the cheapest place around, it's definitely great value for money. Highly recommend.

Excellent food. Service very efficient and staff very friendly.

Absolutely faultless fish restaurant! Some of the nicest cooked fish I've ever had, scallop and pea risotto was generous and so well cooked. Staff are so so kind & friendly, they were so accommodating, especially to the young waiting staff & maitress d were very professional. Really felt at home & incredibly high standard. Mains were delicious, had slip soles and was a really good amount of food, filled me up more than I was expecting! Cannot recommend enough, thank you so much for a wonderful evening 🙏

First time visitors and wasn't disappointed. All spot one....except the round table was just a little too large for a couple. The square tables seemed a little more intimate.

Never a bad meal at Smith's, the food and service are second to none. Always made to feel welcome and nothing is too much trouble. Their staff certainly know what service is about and always with a smile. A lot of restaurants should learn from their standards. Look forward to our next visit.

A great restaurant it was just right ,great food ,staff were great always helpful can't fault it , definitely worth a visit ,we shall be going again soon

I think I just picked wrong, but everything looked so good. I'll try not to be daunted by just selecting the fish I want and how I'd like it cooked. I would go back again.

I went with some friends for dinner and chose off the set menu. It was good to see a set menu with lots of choice and dishes. The atmosphere of the restaurant was really good and the staff and service were good. The only minor issue was that the staff were overly attentive at some points, with different staff members asking the same questions.

The reason Smiths of Ongar has been trading so long is its attentive service, food was spot on , today I had loin of cod, creamy with a light batter. If you have never been check it out, you won't be disappointed!!

While the day I arrived, they only had space for existing reservations -- and I didn't have one -- they kindly made space for me, and I had a fantastic meal of halibut and the shrimp cocktail of both five-star flavor. Crunch with the crispy calamari around the halibut and juicy halibut. Well done. Thank you.

Nice ambience, excellent service, courteous, professional and friendly staff, cracking food well prepared and presented. Have visited before and will, no doubt visit again. Highly recommended.

The whole dining experience at Smiths is exceptional. From starters to mains not one single moan from our party of seven. The staff have the balance just right of not bothering you and attentiveness. Food excellent. No more to say !!

Upscale food in a charming setting, like a modern barn conversion but with mood lighting and discreet chandeliers. The fish was top quality, I had sea bream in brown butter with capers after a seared tuna starter. Loved it.

Smiths of Ongar has the most lovely roast meals of roast beef that is top quality with delicious red wine gravy and selection of potatoes and vegetables . The staff are excellent at serving too and set in smart surroundings and you feel like you are really going out to eat !

first time visit for sisters 60th birthday. Were 13 of us and we were seated upstairs. Very impressed with the welcome and service received whilst dining. Food was cooked to perfection, overall a great experience.

A great lunch had by all. Both the service and food were amazing.

Outstanding food and service. Very Essex in decor but that shouldn’t put you off!

I went with my friend today for lunch, everyone was so welcoming we had the best time, the restaurant looks lovely and is very clean, the food was amazing ,if I could give them more than 5 stars I would . Thank you everyone for making our visit so enjoyable

Fantastic food and service as always.

We went to Smiths for a 60th birthday. A group of 5. What a delightful experience! The food is very pretty (!) and totally delicious . The portions are very generous. The service is amazing. So many staff that are so helpful, knowledgeable and professional. This restaurant gets it right. Good value too. Ok it's not cheap but for the experience it is superb value. A fantastic night out. Well done to all involved. 🏆👏♥️

Probably the third best seafood restaurant in Britain after Scott's and Rick Stein Padstow

Wonderful fish dinners and very good service

The food was absolutely gorgeous There was some nice attention to detail going on like the doorman, the lemon was squeezed through a cloth and when we'd finished our mains, the staff went over the table with a crumb scraper. The decor was ok but nothing special especially the floor but I didn't really care to be honest. My girlfriend was in heaven with the hot seafood platter!

We have been going to Smiths for years, even got married there. Tonight it was awful, the food, it was so tasteless and no love, small things like the cover on your lemon to squeeze was missing, a raw lemon atmosphere was dull, we were frozen at the door but husband said don’t complain keep your jacket on. Service not as good and the vibe just down hill won’t rush back guys for a while

Excellent meal and service, as ever. Only negative is that you can get some loud tables sometimes but perhaps avoid weekends or choose lunch. *5 restaurant. Recommend

Service very professional.. food outstanding.. lovely relaxed atmosphere.. 5☆

Food Great but the experience has some what gone downhill. Do not go if you want to make a night of it. First off you have to book through "Open Table". Not a great experience. Then you have to read reams and reams of T&C. For a restaurant !!! not like your buying a mortgage , however if you miss an important T&C like not getting there no more than 30 minutes before your table is due you get reprimanded by the young person at the desk. Told off as soon as we got there and told to read our T&C. We said we skimmed but so much of it . It was very very unwelcoming and uncomfortable. Perhaps something as important as "Not getting there before 30 minutes " should be highlighted or more prominent. Marched upstairs told where to sit. You get 1 hour 45minutes for a table of 4. So everything is rushed Very very noisy. Used to be a piano player but that has now gone to allow more tables . The doorman used to be smart , bowler hat etc now looks like door man at a nightclub or Phil Mitchel out of Eastenders and just as rude the old one used to talk and be friendly. Every waiter was just 18 which is fine but smacks like cheap labour to me. Made a mistake on our bill then looked at us as if we were trying to rob them of £8. We go at least once a year for our Christmas get together. Unfortunately we will not be going back . Our bill was over £100 per person , not great amount of drink and no dessert. For that sort of money I would expect a betting experience. Think the owner is just trying to cash in and now not caring about the overall experience. Shame . Real Shame Think we will try Alex's next time .

Another fabulous lunch very good food great service always made to feel special.

Very nice meal, well serviced restaurant with good waiting staff. Food very nice.

As always everything was perfect.

Been going to Smith’s for years…. Food amazing, service amazing… always have a great experience. BUT i ordered a voucher (£150.00) for my Son and his GF and when it arrived in the post i was so disappointed and embarrassed. The envelope and the message i asked for, looked like it had been written by a child. I spoke to a very nice gentleman called Ben, who was very helpful and offered to replace the message on a new card but as my son was visiting the next day it wasn’t convenient. I’m unable to upload the images, but i can assure you the writing was so unprofessional. I will continue to eat and enjoy the Smiths experience but will not be purchasing vouchers going forward

We had a lovely dinner at Smiths. The food was delicious and the restaurant catered well for dietary requirements (coeliac & dairy free). The fresh homemade gluten free bread was one of the best I’ve tasted and was a lovely touch. The Parma Ham, fig & walnut salad was my favourite, followed by the Dover sole. The restaurant had a young group of waiting staff who provided exceptional service. The service was absolutely faultless and of a high standard. Staff were welcoming, friendly and had a good sense of humour. Despite arriving later than planned, staff were incredibly accommodating. I would highly recommend Smiths and look forward to dining here again in the future.

I just want to say, the food is amazing. However, the service was phenomenal. Eden was our server and she was great from the start. My boyfriend has allergies but he never felt less than. The choices he picked were instantly checked by Eden. But not only that she brought a great friendliness and professionalism. We will definitely come again to enjoy the wonderful experience.

Beautiful restaurant Amazing food Lovely busy atmosphere

A wonderful meal with very attentive staff

It's probably a little over rated imo. I dined a few times recently The fish they get right, I would give 5 stars had not the veg let it down. A little under seasoned and cooked for my liking and dare I say a little mean on the portion side, be mindful that this is my personal preference. Desserts are enjoyable and the staff well trained. I was hovering between 3 or 4 stars but my conscience tells me 3 as the veg hasn't upped its game.

Great place. Nice food and brilliant atmosphere

First time at smiths, but wow, what a place to eat service was incredible, food was impeccable. It's a little pricey but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend the rump lamb with dauphine potatoes. Already booked my next visit 😌

Fantastic food, service was good too. Thoroughly enjoyed our evening

Fantastic food, wide variety of fish dishes but also a Sunday roast. The young waiting staff are amazing.

Great seafood and collection of wine. Professional and helpful staff. Highly recommended!

30th birthday dinner for my son. Busy friday night so very noisy, could not keep up with conversation around my table. Service attentive. Vegetable side dishes far too small. My scallops in my gratin were not properly cooked, so left to one side. On the whole, good food but over priced.

Great food, great service. A real special place 👍🏻

Celebrated our anniversary at Smith’s in Ongar, and it was perfect! Delicious seafood, great atmosphere, and polite, attentive staff who gave us a lovely table. Highly recommend for a memorable dining experience!

Everything was perfect, save the service which lacked slightly!!

Beautiful food, great friendly service. Beautiful decor, great atmosphere. Perfect for any special occasion.

First time there and I was very impressed. From the food to the staff it was a lovely experience. We had the 3 course set menu ( mussels- prawns- skate wing - teriyaki sea bass with apple and almond tart and lemon cheesecake to finish) which was amazing value for the quality off food. Our servers mimi and billy are just delightful 😁 and made us feel very relaxed and looked after. We will definitely be back

Lovely place with great service and tasty food 😋 vegan friendly too

Just a normal fish and chicken shop. Not that interesting smiths of onger opens and closeing and reopening again not my cup of tea it’s just a normal fish and chips shop

Just fabulous. We had skate and Turbot which were cooked to perfection. The cockles as a pre starter again were fabulous. The service was superb. I have only praise for one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten.

Celebrated my wife's birthday here and we had a very lovely family night. The food was just simply superb, we all enjoyed it so much. The waiting staff are so well prepared on service with no fuss, which was so nice too. We don't go to Smiths as often as we would like but we have never been disappointed on the occasions we have dined here - a place we use because you guaranteed a grand night, thanks to all at Smiths.

2 visits to this wonderful restaurant in a month - once with friends & the other with my partner Superb food - absolutely delicious and exemplary service If had to make any criticism it would be they were a little slow with the wine to be served with the meal but this didn’t detract too much Highly recommend and look forward to returning

One of the best dining experiences I've had for a very long time. The main focus is seafood (I recommend both the garlic prawns and the turbot) but there is also extensive choice if you don't want fish. The vegan/vegetarian menu also has plenty of interesting dishes to choose from. The staff find the right balance between friendly and professional and certainly add to the experience. There's also a decent number of staff so you never feel you are waiting for someone if required. The food all arrived as/when expected and was delicious, only good comments from the 4 of us. The wine list is good and not overly expensive, I'd recommend the English Bacchus which was lovely. I finished the meal with the leftovers of my wife's vegan sticky toffee pudding ... who'd have thought that a vegan take on such a classic dish could be so good, 10 out of 10.

The moment you walk in you know the experience is going to be fantastic and it was! Food was lovely, the set menu was very reasonably priced for the food we were served. The main menu is rather pricey. But where else in this area can you get these high standards. I'm a fan.

Phenomenal robust fine dining. Superb service. Exactly what you want when you want a meal, not a performance. Smiths Ongar holds its own against any of the best restaurants in any capital city globally. As a suburban "go-to" it's just great. We've been going for 12 years and Smiths remained constantly excellent. Great job and we intend to be back soon.

First time here. Really excellent food. Perfect flavours.

We went this evening for our friends 60th Birthday, our treat as her present. The food was very good. However the noise was horrendous, I did ask to be moved, but nobody came back to us on that question either. Way. We couldn’t hear ourselves speak, my husband being hard of hearing couldn’t hear anything apart from a extremely loud group of 4 people sitting on the table 1 up from us, clearly the couple sitting on the next table had the same problem with their continuous noise. They even went outside between courses for a break and they didn’t smoke ! I feel the staff should have spoken to these people to turn their volume down a very disappointing evening. Definitely will not be going back on a Saturday night ever.

Unbelievable is an understatement. The food, the service, the cocktails… impeccable. I will be recommending this to all of my friends and family! there was a young lady and two young men who served me and my family for my dads birthday and they were so lovely, welcoming and friendly! Thank you for having us Smith’s, we will be back xxxx

It was my birthday so my daughter and son in law treated me to lunch. The whole experience was amazing. The food was perfect and we sat at the back by the glass wall overlooking the garden. It's very expensive but worth going as a special occasion. Thank you Smith's!

Great food, great service. But uncomfortable seating where we sat.

As always...perfect food, wine, service and atmosphere...the reason we travel from down from Cambridge

The food was excellent, the customer service as fantastic and the atmosphere was first class. Hightluy recomended. And a special thanks to Ales, who served us.

Once again, it was a lovely experience at Smiths. We went to celebrate my sisters wedding, just 6 of us. The staff made us feel very welcome. They knew it was a wedding celebration. They gave the bride & groom a complimentary Prosecco. The good was outstanding, as was the service. We didn't feel rushed at any time. We have been to Smiths on numerous occasions over the years & have never been disappointed. Yes, you may pay a bit extra, but the food,service & ambience it was worth it.

Alway on point, great food and great service

Great resturant , service was great, very relaxed atmosphere. Meals for 4 of us all served at the same time totally on 👉

Garbage restaurant run by garbage people. Don't give money to these horrific people. It isn't worth it..............

Excellent quality & service as always

Excellent service, ideal for celebration

Not sure how many times we have been to Smiths now but we have always found it a lovely place to eat. The food is always good and I have no complaints about the staff they are helpful and friendly. My husband yesterday tried the roast beef which he said was excellent. We enjoy going there and will certainly be back.

A night celebrating my mothers 90th birthday and the staff certainly accommodated to help to make the the evening enjoyable for the birthday girl. The fish was lovely and cooked to perfection

Service and food were good, but it was too loud in there that I struggled to keep up with the people sitting at my table. It could be more cosy, saying that I still would recommend this restaurant, and I certainly would go back there.

Have been coming to this restaurant for many years and it never fails us. The food is always amazing and the staff very attentive. Highly recommend

Very good to come back again, will return

My family and I want today for lunch, and had a superb meal, very nice all round and lovely service, very highly recommended to all.

Second visit here, great atmosphere nothing too much trouble for the servers. The food is outstanding everything we had, 6 of us, was excellent, beautifully cooked, nicely presented. Fine dining at its best.

Great food superbly presented, exceptional service great attention to detail can highly recommend.

Absolutely fantastic! Celebrated my wife’s birthday with a surprise lunch here..Service, ambience and food were all excellent and the restaurant was full on a Tuesday lunchtime which shows how good this place is…Definitely returning very very soon …

Great trip, lovely food and restaurant. Waiter was a little pushy but maybe we just got the wrong person. Food was 10/10, would return.

Served lobster thermidor with cartilage still in the claw and tried to make out this was normal. Scott’s or J Sheekey wouldn’t dream of it. Poor attitude towards receiving constructive feedback.

From the moment we arrived we were greeted with a very friendly welcome. Staff were very attentive but not overbearing. Food and service were of the highest standard, and we look forward to another visit in the near future.

My partner booked a table for my Birthday and informed the lady on the phone it was for my Birthday. My son who lives in Australia sent me a voucher last year for my Birthday for Smiths so we didn't want to waste it and booked a table for my Birthday yesterday. As soon as we arrived we were shown to our table. The waiter asked us would we like water still or fizzy and what other drinks would we like. we ordered our drinks and asked for still water. Not long after that another waiter came over to ask us if we would like some more drinks. I mentioned to him that I had a voucher and handed it to him and explained to him this was sent to me on my Birthday last year from my son in Australia and because its my Birthday today we don't want to waste the voucher as it expired a year on the day. He said no that's ok and took the voucher and made a note on the til or computer for the voucher to be excepted. After a while the waitress took our food order our starters & main course. The food was nice but we both ordered chunky chips which served in small separate side bowls but we both noticed that the chips at the bottom of the bowl were over done like they were left in the oil too long. We noticed that the staff were very attentive on offering us to purchase more drinks while we but when our food arrived and we started eating after a while no one person came over to us to ask how our food was or is everything OK. after our main course we were asked do we want desserts, coffees but still no one asked us how the food was. we said no thank you for the desserts and coffee. Please Can we have the bill. By this time I said to my partner they know its my Birthday because we informed the first waiter who took the voucher from us and the lady on the phone who booked our table. I was a bit surprised that they didn't he make an effort in making a kind guesture that majority resturants do with some kind of Birthday dessert for the customers birthday. To me that goes a long way and customers really appreciate it. it just gives that personal touch. But no nothing was done until I actually mentioned to the waiter who gave us the bill that this meal was my Birthday today and this was what the voucher was for. I feel I shouldn't have had to do that because the previous waiter who had gone off shift should have made a note and informed the other staff who were still serving. After announcing this to the waiter he then brought out on a plate one scoop of ice cream with a candle in. considering the bottle of still water they charged £5 and that they are very keen for people to spend money on the drinks I thought they would have been more considerate when it comes to customers celebrations like special Birthdays etc, it doesn't take much to do this and I feel customers really appreciate that kind of personal touch. We also noticed that once we paid the bill and ready to leave no one came over to say thank you very much, hope you enjoyed your meal and made an effort as we got up from our table to leave to come over to say goodbye. We actually opened the door and walked out. I thought Smiths isn't just your normal standard Resturant like Prezzo's or Nando's You only have to look how the waiters are dressed and the tables are laid so Surely I thought Smiths management would train their staff to make sure their staff carry out this level of service. The resturant was not busy so it wasn't because they were really busy. Not sure if the Smiths in Wapping has the same level of service as the Ongar resturant but its little things like this that makes a big difference to the customers, This has certainly put me off on trying Smiths again. The staff need to be reminded that these small things mean a lot to the customers and it's not all about the customers spending money on the drinks all the time.

Smiths is awesome. First time visiting on a works di and have to say the food is amazing, staff friendly, super helpful and professional. Lovely restaurant kept extremely well. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend 👌🏻

Fantastic food fantastic service and the prices are the same as other good restaurants,lunch set menu is great and prices are very fair and quality of the food is first class.

Comfortable atmosphere, good food, good parking.

Superb food as always and fantastic service...

Outstanding, food was fantastic and the service was amazing. The waiting staff or train so well and met your every need without having to ask. I really great place I’ll be back.

It has the appearance and feel of an exclusive restaurant with prices to match. The food was generally good but my pork chop was nothing special and fairly tasteless and a little chewy although the scallops that came with it and the sauce were both wonderful. The soup was very good too. The service was of a very high standard but fairly robotic at times and it didn’t feel personal. They are very aware of special dietary requirements and there is a very high standard duty of care here. No options for dessert that are both gluten and egg free apart from sorbet but there is a good range of allergen free starters and mains with a gluten free batter option for fish. Their mushy peas are the best I’ve ever tasted.

Took the parents out for a lunch to Smith's today. We've been before but they hadn't and they were duly impressed. Food outstanding as usual. Great selection on the menu. Can personally recommend the Cornish seabass. Service and staff super attentive without pestering. We were made very welcome. There's not a nicer place for lunch in Essex.

Great dining spot with seafood and great desserts especially the creme bulee.

Excellent staff - attentive, helpful, polite and pleasant. Delicious food. No muzak, or so quiet we were never disturbed. Plenty of parking. Customers in the footballers' wives zone, but not a nuisance. Nice place.

Great food,and great service was a great night out,will be coming back

Always a great experience. Food so good didn’t want the meal to end. Staff are amazing and professional.

I have one complaint. After you wash your hands and dry them, you have to push open a bin lid with your now clean hands and put the paper towel in the bin. May not seem like a big thing, but felt unhygienic to have to touch a bin lid just after washing hands. Either use a bin without a lid or have a foot pedal to open the bin. Other than that, quite nice

I have lived in Ongar for 32 years. Smiths Ongar of 6 or 7 years ago was absolutely faultless, food was faultless along with the service. Not the same today. I went to Smiths Ongar for lunch on Friday. Noise levels are horrendous. Dont try to have a conversation with your partner, as you would be wasting your time. Service was okay but didn't like being spoken to like I was a five year old. The service staff dont make you feel welcome particularly when being directed the table. Staff who wait on the tables are cold with a superior attitude. Salad is tasteless (I so remember their salad from years ago, it was fantastic) and had no dressing! Skate was okay. Thats it really. High prices for a very average experience. There is hardly any seafood on the lunch menu of Smiths Ongar, some on the a la carte menu I notice. I think a better bet would be Smiths Wapping especially if you are an Oyster lover which I am. Wont bother going again. Smiths Ongar has had its day sadly and never thought I would be leaving this review.

Great place for lunch. The set menu is very good value and a variety of options.

We found the Restaurant, Staff and food amazing. This is how all restaurants should be, we will be back. T & J