Soho Wala in City of London, Westminster

Was a little perplexed to find the Couthouse Hotel afternoon tea was set in an indian restaurant. Staff were very Indian (you’re 5 minutes early sir) but did a sterling job. Champagne on arrival, tiered platter of finger sandwiches, scone cream jam, assorted desserts followed by tea/coffee. Pro’s - it was a good experience and we wanted to have a good time. Con’s - bread was poor quality (cheap), felt a little rushed, ambience was noisy but appreciate that was just the other patrons on the day.

My wife received a retirement gift of a Virgin Experience “Champange Afternoon Tea and Thames Cruise for Two”. Unfortunately our experience was not one of enjoyment. Having followed the details on the voucher received we registered and booked the Thames cruise and restaurant (Soho Wala) providing both the serial no and pin code. The cruise was perfect so we made our way to the restaurant for a 13:30 booking. We were showed to our table and given two glasses of champagne. The waiter asked for our voucher and we showed him what we had. He advised that this was the river cruise voucher and not for the afternoon tea. I advised that this was all we were given but that it clearly states on the voucher “Champange Afternoon Tea and Thames Cruise for Two”. He said not a problem I'll speak with the manager. The manager arrived and forcefully told us that we needed to provide the correct voucher, we advised that this was a gift and all we had been given. He then advised that we have two options, pay for the afternoon tea or leave. We were taken back by his attitude and said that the voucher clearly states "Champagne Afternoon Tea and Thames Cruise for Two". This clearly annoyed him and he shouted that we had been rude (we had not) and that we should leave. At 61 and 62 respectively its the first time we have been asked to leave a restaurant. There was no attempt to resolve this issue apart from pay of leave, I would be amazed if this was the first time there was an issue with vouchers. Needless to say we will not be returning to the Soho Wala - can’t comment on the food as we never got that far...

Beautiful afternoon tea, served by Mr Ramadan, who was friendly and polite, and even made us an Anniversary slice of cake, couldn't ask for better service, lovely relaxing surroundings, a great afternoon!

The chaat dishes are ok but in general the food is just not good enough and it had no customers by the time we left at 7.30 and service needs to be improved when so few customers . Look elsewhere I am afraid

Super afternoon tea today and a wonderful surprise of a lovely happy plate with cake and strawberries. It was a birthday gift

Had the pleasure of having champagne afternoon tea here yesterday. It was a Virgin Experience Deal and I must say it was great value for money. Food was very nice and the service from Ramadan was first class. The champagne was a great addition to the tea and coffee. It was quiet in there but we had chosen to eat at one o’clock and when we were leaving there were more people coming in. I would definitely recommend this venue for traditional afternoon tea or an Indian meal.

We went there for my wife's Birthday Celebration Champagne Cream Tea. It looks nothing from the outside, but inside it is plush, cozy, and has a pleasant atmosphere.A lovely warm friendly greeting and the waiting staff were so friendly and made sure we were happy with everything, They couldn't have done more to make us feel special, but saying that after saying it was my wife birthday treat ...they brought out a big slice of chocolate Birthday Cake to share between us. Great food and we were bloated when we left. Special thanks to our waiter who was absolutely amazing

Enjoyed a wonderful Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Soho Wala - Courthouse Hotel - a gift to my husband and I for our 30th wedding anniversary. Starting with a glass of champagne, we tucked into the delicious and plentiful sandwiches, scones, cakes a large pot of tea.

Indian Afternoon Tea with a Virgin Experience voucher. Food was delicious with lots of flavour and presented nicely. Service good and very friendly. The waiter even brought additional desert to celebrate my birthday. Atmosphere a bit lacking and no menu on the table for the Indian Tea - would have been nice to know what things were.

🌼 Ready to level up your tea obsession? Soho Wala’s afternoon tea awaits! The restaurant Soho Wala, located right next to the beautiful Courthouse Hotel Soho, has captured the hearts of Londoners with its explosive and authentic flavours. 📍 Ambiance and Location: Nestled in the energy of Central London, Soho Wala welcomes you to an elegant and intimate setting. Perfect for group dinners or a romantic evening, the restaurant offers a consistently welcoming atmosphere. Its location, directly opposite the legendary Carnaby Street, makes it ideal for a shopping break or a night out. 🍽️ The Menu: From finger sandwiches to desserts, each dish is a flavour-packed delight. I had the pleasure of trying Soho Wala’s traditional Summer Afternoon Tea, accompanied by a glass of champagne. Let me tell you—it was an absolute delight! Here’s what I liked the most: Finger Sandwiches: • Coronation chicken sandwich on white bread. • Smoked salmon, dill and soft cheese on granary bread. Desserts: • White chocolate, mango and lavender delice. • Strawberry tart. • Summer fruits of forest financier. • Freshly baked sultana scones: generously slathered with rich clotted cream and accompanied by a dollop of sweet strawberry preserve… a quintessential treat for my afternoon tea! 💰 Affordability: What surprised me most was the affordability. Soho Wala manages to offer this exquisite spread without breaking the bank. It’s a hidden gem for those seeking quality without the hefty price tag. 🌿 Verdict: Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Soho Wala’s traditional afternoon tea is a must-try. The warm ambiance, attentive service and unforgettable flavours make it a delightful escape from the bustling streets of London. 🇮🇳🍮 Next Stop: The Indian Afternoon Tea! Next time, I’m going for the traditional Indian Afternoon Tea bursting with delight! STAY TUNED for my review 😉

We had a delightful Champagne Afternoon Tea with friendly, attentive and helpful staff who served us chilled champagne followed by warm fluffy delicious scones with jam and cream, fresh sandwiches with varied tasty fillings and tiny desserts which melted in the mouth. We had a choice of tea which was served hot and strong, just as we like it. A lovely couple of hours in pleasant surroundings with great food and service.

Really poor service for our Champagne Afternoon Tea. This was booked for the 21/01/24 at 1pm. Upon arrival we were shown to our table. We sat there for at least 15 minutes before the Waiter came along and placed 2 glasses of Champagne on the table. I did remind him that 1 guest was vegetarian. We then waited a total of 40 minutes before a stand of sandwiches was dumped on the table. During this time the waitress came up to us twice asking if my mum or myself had any allergies and did she eat egg. We had to ask for a pot of tea as no waiter had been around to ask us. I had waited to drink my Champagne with my sandwiches, by which time we had waited so long that it had gone flat. The tea then arrived and this was only big enough for 2 small cups of tea each. This was made with tea bags and not fresh tea, like an afternoon tea should be. I then had to get up and ask for tea spoons as there were none on the table to stir your tea with. The waiter had no clue what was in the vegetarian sandwiches. These were also put on the same plate as the meat selection that I had. Although the food was nice, the whole dining experience was very poor for a London Hotel. My mum and I were deeply disappointed by the service provided.

Great Afternoon Tea, good valve and fantastic friendly staff, a lovely selection of sandwiches, cake and scones at a great price. well worth a visit with a warm welcome form everyone !1

Went as part of a virgin gift experience for afternoon tea. Very disappointed overall. The food served is completely different from the menu on their website. All of the food was poor quality with the bread being stale, scones were hard without enough cream or jam, and the cakes were small. Service was poor, no check back and only 1 drink offered. No one talked to us when we walked in as they were too busy chatting round the corner. Staff were pleasant but didn’t seem to know what they were doing. The atmosphere was unpleasant with very loud music, uncomfortable chairs and menus that were falling apart. The price is fairly cheap but even then it is still bad value. Definitely somewhere to avoid.

This restaurant was part of a Virgin Afternoon Tea experience. They may be a great Indian restaurant, I can't comment, but they should not be serving afternoon teas. The scones were the worst I have eaten, flat, warmed up and hard, with a very small quantity of jam and cream. The cakes were ok, but not particularly fresh and we had to ask for a teaspoon and re fills of tea. A glass of 'Champagne' it was not, at best Prosecco. The ambience was lacking as we were in an area like a very ordinary cafe with chairs from IKEA. Not the experience we were looking for.

Had the Indian Afternoon Tea here this week and WOW!! Huge portions and a great mix of flavours. Absolutely fantastic.

Chilled champagne and sandwiches good but scone was hard on the bottom and stodgy in the middle. Also one of the cakes was like this too. Asked for a spoon to eat the desert cup but never got it. Very disappointing!

Good aftern We turned up at 12.30pm for an afternoon tea and was barely greeted by the waitress who told us to sit down. We then sat there for 20 minutes while other guests came in and not even offered a drink. At 12.55 we called the waitress over and only then we were offered a drink and said they would get us the afternoon tea. I then asked how long the afternoon tea would be as we had been sat for nearly half hour already. They said it wouldn't be long . At 13.15 I asked again as now we had been sat for 45 minutes. The music in the restaurant was loud and offensive, they were playing loud rap music with swear words and offensive language. The table next to us even asked for it to be turned off. At 13.30 after being in the restaurant for an hour the afternoon tea turned up. We were told it had taken so long as it had been cooked fresh. It was cold, not hot at all and the quality was terrible. Parts of it were missing and it was in cheap dry seeded burger buns rather than brioche buns that was suggested. It was visually not appetising either as it was all crammed on one plate not a nice cake stand as photo'd online. We tried a few bites but it was dry, stale and cold so we didn't eat it and left the restaurant. This is the worst restaurant we've been in and feel very disappointed as this voucher was a gift. We feel that the restaurant really needs to review it's afternoon teas and it's customer service as it's appalling!

I strongly advise against patronizing this establishment. Regrettably, it falls short of the standards expected from a reputable restaurant, lacking the presence of skilled culinary experts in their kitchen. Instead, it appeared as though they were merely reheating and serving outdated fare with little attention to freshness. Despite visiting on a Thursday evening amidst the vibrant commotion of the west end, we were dismayed to find the absence of any other occupied tables, resulting in a complete dearth of ambiance. The musical selection was abysmal, and their beverage offerings were limited to solely Italian lager. Moreover, the absence of accompanying dips for the stale poppadoms further contributed to the overall chaotic experience. In essence, it was an utter debacle. Notably, the exorbitant cost incurred for the subpar experience only compounded our disappointment. Evaluation breakdown: Atmosphere: 0 Quality: 0 Service: 3 Value for money: 0

We went for a Champagne tea as part of a Virgin Experience day out (with a Thames cruise). We were a little late but phoned to explain beforehand which was perfectly OK. Wonderful service and a cake stand with dainty finger sandwiches, scones and various small sweet items. Beautifully polite lady waited on us in a very civilised bar with excellent Indian decor.

Very friendly staff whom went out of their way to make us both feel welcome upon our Wedding Anniversary. We had an afternoon champagne tea experience and we loved it. The location was excellent. The food was to die for and plenty of it. The service was beyond approach. Recommended.

Tombés par hasard sur ce petit restaurant ; nous n’avons pas été déçus Les naans à l’ail étaient un pur délice ainsi que notre repas en général Accueil très sympathique Très bonne adresse ; la clientèle en majorité indienne est plutôt un signe ….

Booked for husbands birthday even mentioned it on the booking because it asks what the occasion is. No mention of his birthday, no candle, didn’t even acknowledge or mention it. Bad taste in music, some sort of dance or trance. When the bill was presented it was incorrect so went back twice to be corrected. The waiters were lovely very polite but food is served al ltogether so meant a delay in service when they should have brought the e starters out first. All in all I wouldn’t recommend, quality of food also wasn’t great or authentic.

Delicious food Perfect service Fantastic champagne This was so lovely absolutely gorgeous restaurant no negatives at all

When we booked we should have had our experience in the Silk restaurant which is closed and no one told us. So when we arrived we were put in to Soho Wala which is like a cafe , no tables were cleaned a total mess, food was greasy and a glass of champagne served with a colorant in it. The restaurant is advertised for Indian street food , sorry but it’s ratings says it all.

Booked earlier in the day on Saturday and it now makes sense why they had ample available slots. The staff seem pleasant however clearly not trained for front of house or people management. The front of house lady was visibly rude to the young server who brought out the food to us and seemed very sweet and the only person genuinely smiling although was not allowed to guests much it appeared. However service was overall poor with no one caring about how the food was or the experience - I even said the bhajia was way too oily and the lady could not care less and "only had a couple of pieces herself which were not oily". There was no atmosphere or vibe. There was music in the background that should have been at a bar not an Indian street restaurant. There was sparse poor decor not in keeping with the restaurant type and overly bright lights which all added to the very strange ambiance or lack of. This all can be factored if the food was good but unfortunately this was not the case and the starter to begin with was full of oil. Avoid the bhajia and mirchi chicken small plates despite it being recommended. For the main, the kheema pao was surprisingly flavoursome. Unfortunately the other items were not great - the kali dal was more cream than dal and very watery and the lamb cuts in the lal maas was more fat pieces than actual lamb. The highlight was the khheema pao although there was not much of it and the complimentary pickled onions! The location is great and the idea of Indian street food is fab, Ive been to others out of London and have all been excellent. Unfortunately this place was way off the mark - enthusiastic trained staff with better ambiance and food is whats needed. A real shame and the dishes are not cheap. With so many other eateries, I would not return here.

I was bought a meal for two via Virgin Experience at Silk. This was appropriate based on the career I had been in. When booking I was told Silk was closed so would be relocated to Soho Wala, another restaurant within The Courthouse Hotel. Before I arrived I contacted the hotel and restaurant to add my daughters to the booking. Twice I got notifications to confirm my booking for two! After several phone calls, I got confirmation of the booking for four. Upon arrival we were greeted with surprise there was four of us and relocated to another table in the empty restaurant. The chairs were tiny and table very uneven. The waitress was hopeless and didn’t speak or acknowledge us unless we asked a question. No napkins supplied. When I asked I was presented with a wooden toy taxi with folded up paper tissue. This was more akin to an average ‘greasy spoon’ cafe. When the bill arrived for my daughters meal we were charged full price despite the numerous previous conversations about the additional people to the voucher. Fortunately the more senior waitress applied the discount - much to her disgust. Be aware that if booking with #virginexperince it isn’t as sold. Expensive and average.

We came here on a weekend expecting it to be busy and a fun place to come but it was completely empty, perhaps 2 other tables only. When we got here, I was stood by the front door for at least a few minutes as...

Leaving a review as it doesn’t deserve the bad service reviews. We came early and had a first table discount so maybe it was quieter but the staff were great - kind and attentive. The food was good but not great, we had a 50%...

Boomed champagne afternoon tea at the Courthouse Hotel. And was booked into their Soho Wala restaurant. Food was poor quality and did not look at at all like the pictures on their website No ambience in the restaurant Service poor. Only time we saw a...

Really pleasantly surprised by the flavoursome food and service at this little restaurant! The decor looked a little cafe style and was empty apart from a family who were wrapping up, so weren’t sure what to expect. Food was really nice and service excellent! Would...

The food was great, a wonderful atmosphere and very helpful, friendly staff. The service from the moment we arrived was excellent and I can say we enjoyed the evening in this nice restaurant. I deeply recommend it !

We came into the restaurant at 8pm only to be told at 8:45 they forgot to our order. Then told us it would be ready soon then asked again they said 2 mins again. The lady loomey waitress came to us at 915 laughed at...

This place was totally empty and there also really isn't background music playing so atmosphere is a bit dead. The food was ok for the most part though i didn't like the pre packaged crispy onions on the biryani. The waiter himself was lovely.

The staff is not friendly , they seem like they are in rush when you ask them about the menu ,then when the food came they just put it all over in the middle we ask what was what ??? They didn’t know !! They...

The service was very friendly ... the food was a big let down. The yellow dal (which was served as a curry) was to watery and paneer swam in something which tastet like Heinz tomato soup. The Naan bread was undercooked ! Never again !!!!

Lovely afternoon meal. Food was tasty and reasonably price. Good ambience and service. The food is not as spicy as you would expect in an Indian/Pakistani restaurant - but still very pleasing to the palate.

I'd just like to say that my friend and I thought the lunch was really good and tasty. The staff were very friendly and polite. I had stir fry followed by duck with a glass of red wine what a great deal. Will go back.

This place looks nice inside. Our waitress was lovely and friendly. The dishes were fairly small we thought and we did have to add salt and pepper to the food as it was all spice and no taste. I am fairly sensitive to salt so...

First impressions.. Ambience - sub par, minimal with no decoration to give this a good feel. Service - one person on service - entirely adequate Drinks - no cocktails etc on offer, only soft drinks, beers and spirits available Meal - starters were sub-par, out...

RUDE STAFF. CONFRONTATION & ARGUMENTATIVE. CLUELESS ABOUT DISHES. We arrived yesterday for a meal at the venue. We were barely greeted by a European member of staff who barely speaked English. There was ample space, but she hesitated to place on a table initially. Once...

Terrible service, chicken was raw, generally awful food and they charged me 56 pounds! I've never felt so ripped off. Avoid

We have stayed at the Courthouse Hotel before but never eaten at their Indian street food restaurant. It was a very pleasant surprise. The menu was a little confusing as we did not know what the dishes were or what to expect but the waiter...

Booked afternoon tea through virgin experience for me and my wife at soho Wala, we had the worst experience you could possibly have at an Indian restaurant, we were seated by the window and was moved to the back of the restaurant for some unknown...

Went there for lunch yesterday. Starter was nice, desert average (just frozen items we ordered), main course was awful. Prawn balchao was 4 prawns, tandoori chicken was dry as tinder. Service was appalling; Eastern European waitresses were surly and inefficient, leaving our table for ages...

Definitely worth a visit, directly opposite Liberty shop and a one minute walk from Oxford Circus station.

The food was lovely, but what makes coming to Soho Wala extra special is Ravi! He was very attentive and regularly checked up to see if you we needed anything. And he was all smiles when doing so.

Fed up of waiting at Dishoom we decided to try this nearby restaurant and what a great choice. The food was excellent, superbly spiced and not huge in size so we managed not to over order. Pani Puri, lamb Rajasthani, tadka Dahl and mirchi chicken...

Been at Sohowala a couple of times the staff is very friendly, specially Ravi. The food is great, portions are small, which allows you to try a bit of all. Highly recommend the place

Grest food, nice small plates and very tasty, very like Dishoom but much cheaper. The restaurant needs a better venue, we were there for a pre theatre dinner but there were other customers having afternoon tea. We were there on the hottest day of the...

Came here for my birthday dinner July 2019. Highly recommend getting a bunch of plates and sharing. Everything we ordered was delicious, best in my opinion were pani puri, chicken kati roll, Byadgi Murg, pao bhaji, and chicken chettinad. Service was quick and very attentive....

Perfect street food venue. Small servings mean you can try loads. Authentic, reasonably priced and friendly service too!

It was my first time here. The starters were great but we were all very disappointed with the mains. Our dessert took about 30-40 mins to come after we had ordered. We were not told that it will take that long when ordering. I will...

I'd read the reviews here before going, so was braced for disappearing waiters - and it happened! Truly you wait ages til someone surfaces. The decor is a bit odd, you feel as if you're in a waiting room at a station - it needs...

We visited on a Wednesday afternoon and Oksana went above and beyond and made our experience spectacular. The Indian afternoon tea was so lovely and the chai was so good. ☺️

Arrived at lunchtime, it was empty. We had to wait for a few minutes and walk to a waitress to ask if we could be seated. None of the waitresses knew what they were doing, didn’t seem bothered that we had been waiting for a...

We visited on a Thursday afternoon for a late lunch so wasn’t too busy. Decor was simply and cute. Menu had a great selection of the best Indian street food; I would suggest selecting a few small plates and one big one to share so...

The food was absolutely delightful! It was delicious and is presented in a really quirky manner - great for those instagrams! Order the chaat, it comes out in a very cute looking movable cart. Most importantly however, the service was great! There wasn't a long...

Very good surprise. Nice small restaurant with a simple but nice decoration. Very tasty and good food and surprisingly reasonable prices. Service was a little slow to start with but very friendly. Specially worth mentioning is their excellent Nam bread. Limited choice of wine but...

Me and the wife came for a meal on Friday night, the service started off really well with staff being really attentive. However as the night progressed, the service diminished. After we finished our mains, we decided to order our dessert as we were eager...

Me and my three sisters thought we’d take advantage of their lunch time offer that was being advertised on a banner outside. Upon entering we noticed that the restaurant was completely empty, a bit strange for a Friday afternoon. We were shown to our table...

good food over a meeting, dahi puri amazing. pleasant music and comfortable sitting, attentive service.

I went today 5/1/19, with my friends to Soho Wala. When we arrived, the door was locked and no signs to inform us when it will open. We had to ask around and happen to enter through the back door of the restaurant. No one...

When I got there at 6.20pm for a booking at 6.30pm for a table for 4. Doors were shut and it took 3 phone calls before someone answered and opened the door for me. There was only 8 guests in the restaurant all evening and...

We went during the soft launch. When I made the reservation, they said they would give us a form to fill for feedback. No such form arrived, probably because we didn't like the food at all. The biggest problem I had was that the food...

one of the best indian food in the uk , i love okra , bhelpuri and byadgi murg. cant wait to visit again . if you love good food you must visit .

Had a lovely evening together with my family at Sohowala Indian resturant. Excellent service, staff was really pleasant and welcoming. Food was fantastic especially kukure bhaji and panipur. Would definitely go back again. Worth every penny. Thank you Sohowala team.

We went with friends last week and got lucky with the 50% discount due to soft launch. Menu choices are brilliant and the flavours have been absolutely nailed for each and every dish . Each dish was prepared with care, finest ingredients and of course...

We went for the Soft Launch and even at 50% it was a massive rip off. We ordered the pawns from the tandoor- full price would be £11.50 and it was four prawns. Not four giant prawns but four small prawns. Total rip off -...

The restaurant’s decoration is very basic, nothing special. The food was average and reasonably priced. The service was not great, but they had just opened. Recommendations: - Kurkure bhaji - Papdi chaat - Byadgi Murg - Special butter naan (really good!) Less interesting: - Bhelpuri...

We recently visited Sohowala, amazing new street style food. It is definitely a must try. The starters amazing. Show stopper is mango phirni. Simply yumm. Soul food

Went to this place during soft launch for lunch. Food was lovely and different to the average Indian restaurant. Service could improve a little (waiting over 15 mins for my main meal when others on my table got their food promptly).

Visited during the soft launch on a Friday evening and were slightly underwhelmed seeing a pretty empty restaurant - turned out that we were just early and within 15-30 minutes the place was full and buzzing. We ordered a lot between the two of us...

Soho Wala, the restaurant, the concept, has its own separate entrance into what was probably once a waiting area in Great Marlborough Street Magistrates' Court but long since turned into a luxury hotel. Little could I have thought when, in this building, as a novice...