Souk Kitchen, Southville in Bristol, City of - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Unfortunately, shrink flation has hit this once wonderful, independent eatery. Now overpriced and under portioned and with a bit of attitude in the front of house this is no longer a desirable place to dine. Shame.

The food is wonderful, but it's hugely overpriced. We lived in Ashton for 13 years and remember when this place first opened, of course Ashton/Southville has changed hugely over the years but this was always our go to. First time back for ages and amazed to see the same staff working there from years back. The food is fabulous you cannot fault it, wonderfully tasteful but we couldn't not get over the price for the size of the portions. Pork Souvlaki was £15 for one scewer with 4 pieces of pork, the potatoes £7.50 for 6 new potatoes, Halloumi was £8 for one slice and a quarter of a pear. Bottle of average red wine was £34! It has put us off going back, that said it was busy and bustling but with so much choice in Bristol these days and with so much variety unfortunately we probably wouldn't return as left feeling like we'd been robbed and that the cost just does not justify the size of the servings. Such a shame they've gone down the tapas route as previously they did large sharing platters of breads, dips and mixed mezze for reasonable value and main courses for the same price as a small tapa. But I guess that's just the way things have headed in humble North Street!

What a little gem, came for the rugby and will definitely return. Lovely atmosphere, good price, service and DELICIOUS food.

We had the £20 lunch deal, which was great value for money. The dishes were varied, interesting and delicious. This restaurant is exactly the sort we like: simple unpretentious interior where all the focus is on the food. Staff were great too. Highly recommended.

Superb tasty food - full of flavour, 6 of us went through the meze menu all of which was grand. Service was spot-on too - highly recommended. We tasted a few of their white wines which were not the best. Get the Rose.

We go every year before our annual trip across the road to see the Christmas show at the Tobacco Factory. This year, as always, delicious! 6 mains, bread and dips for 4 with a few drinks and two desserts = £140 with tip. Very good value for money, every dish was tasty but short ribs particularly worth mention. See you next year.

Small fun restaurant opposite Tobacco factory in Southville. Lively crowd but good acoustics so chatting was fine. Good very tasty mezze 4 plates between 2 people left room for a delicious spicy apple pie 😋 woukd also be fun for a group dinner out

Gorgeous Food & Perfect Service! The food is absolutely gorgeous, I can't wait to back and work my way through the menu and the service was perfect! I absolutely love this place!

Not been for several years but the food is still full of flavour. The large prawns really were large in tasty tomato/ vegetable sauce. Last time we came the menu had starters and mains so now it’s hard to be sure how small a small plate will be. It worked out fine with 2 fish and 2 vegetable plates but I think I prefer starter/main option. Service was very good.

Wow. What a delicious meal. Great ingredients and flavours and can’t wait to go again. A little on the pricey side but definitely worth it

Had the most amazing time with a large group. The food was delicious and the service was second to non. The peppers and the aubergine were fantastic. Will be back.

Great mezze flavours served in this informal restaurant with a lively atmosphere. We've eaten here a couple of times or so a year for about the last ten years and have never been disappointed. Today the flavours of the dishes we ordered were as vibrant, if not more so, than ever.

A busy lunchtime visit with a good atmosphere however generally disappointing. First off £33 for a bottle of Portuguese red is excessive. I know Southville is the new Clifton but even so. Beetroot salad I enjoyed but was rather swimming in the juice from the orange segments. Sardines sadly tasteless and with an unpleasant slippery texture suggesting they might have come out of tin or defrosted. In all not up to standard expected given the prices they are charging

What a fabulous meal. We tried flat bread, hummus, sea bass, winter salad, potatoes-all excellent. Nice environment.

A delicious meal in a perfect , laid back setting. It’s difficult to choose the best dish from the menu, breads, dips, pickles to sweet scallops, halloumi, melt in the mouth lamb and a pudding to die for. To top it all, the service was also excellent. All in all - a perfect evening.

Food tastes nice, presentation is outstanding. The reason gives 3 stars is the dishes are a little overpriced. For 2 small beef kofta it charged £12.50, the sole doesn’t taste fresh and only a small portion. Also the service was not good, we have asked for water for at least 3 times and at the end have to asked a different staff.

Previously have been a fan- not been for some time, visited with good anticipation for meal- £12.00 for one single small kebab, £8 for small piece of Halloumi with honey?!?!?! Will not be back

Wow, I mean we have been there loads of times, the food is 100% gorgeous, authentic. Sadly this time the waiting staff didn't sile once, not great! shame.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this restaurant, welcoming, excellent service and best of all really tasty food. Vegan and gf Diners were well looked after. Drinks and food were served in a timely manner. There was space between the tables and a warm sense of conviviality. Each dish was super tasty and well presented. All the dishes were excellent.

Great atmospere, staff lovely food even better Was a great experience will definitely become a regular haunt

I had been to their Clifton branch a few times with good results. The Southville incarnation is as good and possibly even more pleasant. The room is bright and airy with an open kitchen, and some items were decidedly better cooked. For example a souvlaky that we found a bit dry in Clifton, here was perfect. And all the rest, roast cauliflower with muhammara and tahini, roast potatoes with toum (Lebanese garlic cream) and harissa, stuffed aubergine and halloumi with honey and black sesame, was colourful and very tasty and just fun to eat. We concluded with a simple but effective roast nectarine with yoghurt and oat biscuit. Service was friendly. Prices are friendly as well.

Excellent all 'round. Our table of five ordered seven main course dishes and four starters. Just the right amount of food. Each dish was exceptional. Highly recommended.

For 10 years I have lived in Bristol and only once have I managed to give my Dad a meal that he found acceptable. Irritatingly difficult to please, he guzzled the smorgasbord of colour and delight like it was his last meal. Cannot recommend highly...

I don’t often feel the need to leave reviews but the standard of the food served at the Souk Kitchen is so high that we felt we cannot keep it to ourselves. This was, quite simply, the finest food we’ve eaten in the last ten...

Found Souk Kitchen when looking for a bite to eat before the Bears rugby game today. Despite having not booked, we were offered a table outside. We shared the butternut squash, pork belly, chicken kebab and chicken thigh. All of it was fabulous and extremely...

Unsure of what to expect after looking at recent trip advisor reviews, however, Natalie looked after us from start to finish, offering us samples of wine to choose as we were unsure, her friendly personality and attentiveness made a huge difference to the whole experience...

First thing: they mistook the time of my booking, and we waited to be sorted. The waiters smile but are unattentive, leaving the plates of food anywhere except in front of the customer. I believe they are overwhelmed. The food looked good, but there was...

Stopped by for lunch. Was a little concerned as no one else eating. Really didn’t need to be - this place is outstanding. Tapas style, all dishes come as small sharing plates. Intriguing flavours - some familiar to any ottolenghi fans. Every dish was a...

Great Mezze, inspired dishes and flavours in decent settings. We had the halloumi, the broad bean salad, the heritage tomatoes and the chargrilled corn. All delicious. Tables outside have a decent view of the hills. Would come here again

I booked a table for my wife and I and arrived with high expectations. These were quickly dashed when we were directed to a shelf in the window. When I pointed out that I had in fact booked a table and not a shelf, the...

Couldn’t fault anything, food was fantastic, service friendly and timely. Prices reasonable - perfect

This was the third time we've been to Souk Kitchen but the first after Covid etc. Obviously been a tough time for the sector and not expecting things to be quite the same. Nonetheless the experience and even food has changed a lot. The menu...

Just been for lunch and the food is great, the service is excellent. The place has a very nice friendly feel to it. We always judge a restaurant not by on how much we've paid but by whether we feel we've had value for money...

After several years I returned to same North St branch, with 3 friends for a birthday meal, on first day people in England were allowed to gather indoors socially etc. It's a laid back and casually furnished little eatery, with friendly and efficient staff. The...

We’ve tried many amazing mezze and tapas restaurants in Bristol but the food in Souk was the best we’ve had for a long time! Flavours were just incredible, portions were so generous and the service was also very attentive. I hope to be back soon...

I've been to souk kitchen many times, and the food was as wonderful as ever. However sadly it is not covid safe in there - people jammed in to a small room, much less than 2m apart. All they need to do is take out...

Hello, I’m not really one to post reviews or complain but I do feel the need to after our experience last night. My partner and I live local and have been very excited to visit souk kitchen for a while, but waited until last night...

Mi hermana no podría calificar este lugar lo suficiente, así que reservé para una cena temprano. ¡Creo que nos avergonzamos de 1 o 2 artículos al ordenar el menú completo!La comida era increíble, cada plato era una delicia. El personal era amable, gran servicio.No puedo esperar para volver a visitar y quizás probar todos los elementos del menú. . . . !

Tenía muchas ganas de comer aquí, ya que mi socio dijo que los almuerzos de trabajo han sido encantadores. Esperamos más de 20 minutos para que nos atendieran para tomar una copa. Otra pareja entró después de que nos sirvieran antes que nosotros. Disfrutamos del hummus y los panes planos, el calabacín no estaba lo suficientemente cocido, los falafels estaban bien. Solo aceptaron efectivo esa noche, creo que debido a una falla con la máquina de tarjetas, pero recibí 2 monedas de libra viejas como cambio (¡solo me di cuenta una vez en casa!) Desafortunadamente, no me apresuraría a regresar porque el servicio no fue excelente, nadie preguntó si disfrutamos de la comida, etc.

This is hands down my favourite restaurant In Bristol! The mezze they offer is incredible and I don’t think I will ever get bored of it...!!

Amazing food, relaxed atmosphere, great service. Went as part of the Eat out to help out scheme but more than reasonably priced. Can't wait to go again.

Mi esposa y yo ordenamos el banquete de entrega a domicilio anoche y teníamos una cita en casa. Una experiencia increíble que me ha motivado a hacer mi primer puesto de asesor de viajes.Todo viene perfectamente empaquetado. La carne y el halloumi deben cocinarse a la parrilla o debajo de la parrilla durante 5 a 10 minutos.Normalmente no optaría por algo como esto, ya que a los dos nos encanta cocinar y, de todos modos, tendemos a hacer mucha buena comida de Oriente Medio en casa. Pero valí la pena al 100% y este es el motivo: 1. Las recetas son emocionantes y atractivas, y absolutamente deliciosas. 2. ¡Todo el trabajo duro eliminado para una gran extensión! Gran variedad y porciones generosas. ¡Nos queda mucho para el almuerzo de hoy! 3. La experiencia fue genial, tener comida de restaurante de primera en casa sin esfuerzo. Nos vestimos y dispusimos todo muy bien. ¡Incluso ponemos música libanesa! 4. El servicio fue excelente y todo fácil.Tienes que probar esto. ¡No te arrepentirás!

We love coming here. The dishes are all so good and the staff are always friendly. Definitely recommend.

Coming extremely highly recommended, I was desperate to try Souk Kitchen. Tucked away on the cool North Street, this middle eastern restaurant was the perfect Saturday brunch spot.Unassuming interiors were scattered with nods to the cuisine style, making for a really relaxing but also engaging ambience. The serving staff were friendly enough, but some did seem like they had better places to be.The food itself was divine. Interesting and unique, the flavours were perfectly balanced and the dishes were texturally diverse. They were served along some traditional Middle Eastern drinks, quite difficult to come across. The portions were great, making for really good value for money. On the whole, a really positive experience and I would highly recommend a visit!

Great meal with friends here. Table ready when we arrived. Friendly relaxed atmosphere. Delicious food. Prompt service. Everything was good

Booked a table for my Birthday with a few friends (7 in total). From the moment we arrived at the buzzing restaurant we were welcomed by friendly faces and amazing smells.Drinks were a little slow to arrive but everything else was perfection. We all shared bread and dips with olives to start which were incredible! For mains I had Chicken Skewers, served with soft bulgar wheat. One of the tastiest meals I have ever had. We were too stuffed for desserts so enjoyed cocktails, I had a date liquor.... TRY IT!!! A great night, amazing food, friendly service - cant wait to return. Told all my friends/family so have plenty of people wanting to join me!

Try the Handmade hibiscus spritzer and the pork, totally worth it! Nice staff as well, booked a table and gave us local tips

Guau, simplemente encantador. Servicio amigable. Visité a un colega para la comida rápida después del trabajo y antes de la fiesta de Navidad de nuestra oficina. No habíamos reservado, pero nos dieron una tabla que demostraba que habíamos terminado en 90 minutos, nos vino muy bien. Ordenó mezze. 4 platos, más papas y pan. Simplemente perfecto. Gran selección vegetariana. Todos los platos tenían un sabor maravilloso. Me encantó y lo recomiendo encarecidamente. Lo más destacado de mi noche!

Absutely amazing restaurant with great atmos.allways propper gurt lush food. Some times the waiters can be a bit gruff but the food allways makes up for it. Have been back many times and still love going.

The next time we come here (as we will), we’ll choose several Mezzes rather than mains. Our mezzes were EXCELLENT. Mains, on the other hand, just a touch disappointing - the Turkish lamb dolma very oily. It’s a small venue with a buzz, which is nice, but the seats on quite a few tables face a wall with cans of tomatoes, olives etc... which is a bit pedestrian... put a mirror along that wall and we could enjoy the view of that restaurant ‘buzz’. Do come - it’s nice, and not costly, but they could easily make it just that bit better. Does the service charge go to the staff?... when we paid with a card, there was no option to add a tip... which is a pity.

Fuimos con una multitud de amigos que reservaban casi en el último minuto y pasamos una velada muy agradable. Todos pensaron que la comida era deliciosa, desde el curry de pescado hasta los diferentes platos de cordero, la única pequeña decepción fue la enorme, ya que era demasiado salada. Todo estaba muy fresco. Lamentablemente, solo teníamos platos principales, pero el menú para entrantes y postres parecía muy acogedor. El servicio fue eficiente y amable y fueron muy pacientes con nuestro gran grupo. Definitivamente volveremos.

A pocos pasos de nuestro be & be y frente a la antigua fábrica de tabaco. El servicio fue relajado y profesional. Los platos se cocinan frescos, por lo que, naturalmente, tardó un poco en prepararse, pero los sabrosos entrantes y la carta de vinos que fue variada y perfectamente elegida para complementar el estilo de fusión se ocuparon del tiempo. Excelentes opciones vegetarianas, prueba la coliflor asada. La presentación de las comidas no podía ser criticada. Bristol tiene una gran variedad de restaurantes para elegir, pero estamos más que felices de volver aquí la próxima vez que visitemos.

Authentic restaurant with a great service and lovely dishes. I've been there probably five times now and every time it has been lush - I'd highly recommend :)

Sometimes we have to be in the right mood to come for this type of cuisine, but every time we come we’re blown away! Especially loved the octopus, and the lamb, and just all the food! Great wine list too :)

Came here for a Saturday morning brunch and couldn’t have been happier with our decision. The food was delicious and reasonably priced/ well portioned. A great way to change up the average cooked breakfast. Staff were friendly and attentive. Can’t wait to come back for the evening menu :)

Delicious food, lovely staff, cool lively venue. It is rightly busy most of the time so good idea to book. Good choice of veggie and meat dishes with a daily specials board.

Right from the booking phonecall, where the member of staff was so happy & welcoming, to our experience on the night ... wonderful & tasty food & friendly service throughout. Would definitely recommend!

So wonderful! The bread and dips were marvelous, especially the babagonoush. For mains the mutton is to die for! Atmosphere was lively for a Saturday night, but not overwhelming. Really shows that people love it. I did, too!

We enjoyed all the varied and tasty food on offer here. The holoumi was lovely. The service was very friendly and efficient. We hope to return to try more of the menu.

Went here a couple of weeks ago, and had a really lovely dinner! The food here is great, we shared the flatbreads and dips for starters which were great! Then we had a lamb shank and harissa chicken which were both delicious!!

I keep coming back again and again! The food really is unparalleled. The flavours are exceptional, the quality of the food is superb, presentation is good and the restaurant is always busy, yet you are not usually left waiting. I come here for almost every special occasion despite the casual vibe, because to eat food like this is a celebration in your mouth!

Suggested as a place to meet up and catch up with a friend, never tried it so thought why not! Friend has been before and highly recommends the place (both Clifton and Southville)

Went for brunch menu and it was really really nice. Food was piping hot, delicious and ridiculously tasty. Kids loved it too. Service was great and the staff were really friendly. More than you would hope for. Absolutely lovely place.

Always good in here. Always busy as food so good. Just wish the extraction was better as I always come out stinking. Still go back though ....

Este lugar era muy animado el jueves por la noche y cuando tuve la comida era obvio por qué.

Best hummus ever, and I'm a chef! Our whole table ordered different things, everyone of us had food that exceeded our expectations. The service was friendly and attentive without being over the top. Will definitely go back

Pre-theatre supper with vibrant and delicious trio of dips with tasty flatbread. Best falafel ever and rich, fragrant prawns ... super service !

Como su nombre indica, este restaurante sirve cocina de Oriente Medio, y con un estándar bastante bueno. Recomendaría prestar atención a la tabla de ofertas especiales si no está muy seguro de algunas cosas en el menú. Pero buena variedad y aunque la comida tiene un precio razonable, encontramos la carta de vinos comparativamente alta en precio. Gran lugar para un tipo diferente de comer.

Really lovely place to eat with gorgeous food. My sister is a vegan and the waitress was really friendly and helpful. Well worth a visit and I’ll definately go back

La comida en Souk Kitchen es encantadora y realmente recomendaría. Desafortunadamente el servicio fue realmente terrible. Tuvimos que preguntar dos veces por los menús cuando llegamos y se fue cuesta abajo desde allí.

Souk is one of my favourites if not the favourite in Bristol. Amazing tasting food full of flavour. Massively recommend.

Whether you want the 'full English' or something a little more Mediteranean this is the place.

I went with a group of 10 for my birthday, and we all loved our mains (chicken shishas with bulgur pilaf, Persian fish curry with basmati) and the chef dips/flatbread starters. I had the lamb stuffed cabbage rolls which were a lovely take on my family's more traditional mono-textured version by cooking the cabbage al dente and introducing some fresh herbs, and the heirloom carrots with zesty za'atar, creamy Tahini and thick, tangy labneh style yogurt was rich and decadent-feeling for carrots. The only let down was the pudding -- I ordered the Persian rice pudding, which I was expecting to be saffrony and jewel-encrusted -- and it was both of these things, with beautiful rhubarb, but the nuts on top were so over-toasted it overpowered the rest of the dish and I found it hard to eat around it; equally I found the tart rhubarb to be difficult to cut through with a spoon, so ended up with great big chunks that didn't quite work with the delicate saffron. What saved the dessert for me was a complimentary birthday ice cream of blood orange and marmalade which made a gorgeously refreshing last bite to an overall exquisite meal!

This restaurant has a great atmosphere, the food was very nice and lived up to its reputation.

Some of the tastiest food I’ve ever eaten. The waitress was absolutely delightful. Everything was freshly prepared. If you’re into poncing about in expensive restaurants to impress your mates, this isn’t for you.

Just had the most amazing Chicken Wings at Souk Kitchen in Bedminster. Got all this for £10!! I cannot recommend this place enough, AMAZING... Will be back very soon... Well Done Chefs for the food and FOH for the great and fast service.

Delicious fresh ingredients used in the ever changing menu. Middle Eastern slant. Lively. Always reliable

No hay mucho que decir acerca de este lugar, simplemente excelente comida del Medio Oriente y también algunas bebidas inusuales. Pedí un plato de cabra como mi comida principal y no estaba seguro de si valdría la pena este apuñalamiento en la oscuridad, pero debo confesar que fue extremadamente bueno.

En una noche muy concurrida, lo que demuestra la bien merecida popularidad de este lugar, tuvieron la amabilidad de encontrarme un lugar para comer, en un mostrador junto a la ventana, y traer la cerveza fría de Efes, rápido. El servicio después de eso fue un poco al azar, pero siempre fue alegre. La comida era absolutamente deliciosa en términos de sabor; pero definitivamente faltaba la presentación: los platos eran demasiado pequeños para el tipo de comida, así que todo se amontonaba, y esto hacía que la comida muy sabrosa se viera mucho menos apetecible. Pero esa es una cuestión relativamente menor, realmente, y volvería a comer y beber aquí en cualquier momento como si fuera un tiro, especialmente cuando estaba menos lleno. .

Have a nice brunch here and also ordered a ‘fresh’ juice which didn’t taste great and when I queried it discovered it had been prepared hours earlier. My friend’s food was over cooked and when we mentioned this the response was disappointing.

Indiscutiblemente la mejor taramasalata que hemos probado, y probamos MUCHO en Grecia. Sin embargo, no es solo este plato el que estuvo excepcional, todos los platos mezze que probamos eran increíblemente sabrosos, inusuales y atractivos. El servicio era amable y el ambiente era estupendo para una noche de sábado. Desearía que hubiera un lugar como este en Londres, ya que no podíamos encontrarle ningún defecto a ningún plato y la relación calidad-precio era genial. Lo hacemos nuestro lugar para ir cada vez que visitamos a nuestros amigos en Bristol.

Tengo que confesar que no me gusta mucho la comida árabe o persa, pero me sorprendió gratamente cuando visité Souk Kitchen. Tuve el pato sheesh que era muy sabrosa y muy bien cocinados. Vale la pena la visita, personal atento y (creo) una dueña iraquí.

Eat here quite often and have never been disappointed! Breakfasts are awesome and you must try the shakshuka with everything. Lunches are also delish, meal portions always pretty big and at decent prices. Love this place.

This is a fantastic restaurant - we take everyone we know! Such tasty food! The manager can appear a little grumpy but is lovely!

I have been a long term fan of this fabulous restaurant. The Souk gin is lush, the food is always amazing and the service is friendly. Love it

Good dinner, very tasty. The place was cosy and the staff welcoming. Portion are discrete for the price.

I have been 3 times and always had exemplary food, drink and service. Highlights include, their G&T; with rose petals, a veggie aubergine dish with tomato sauce and cheese, (deconstructed moussaka maybe) and their hummus with that amazing butter on the top. Up their with my favourite restaurants in Bristol. Well done.

My Wife and I discovered Souk Kitchen on Tripadvisor when we wanted something close to the airport on our way home.

Great food. Mainly mezze obs and it's incredibly good!! Been a few times and never failed to impress. Will definitely be back

Staffs were friendly, food was good. We ordered fish curry, it was a good quality fish! 직원들도 친절하고 음식도 먹을만 했어용 처음먹어보는 맛이었음ㅋㅋ 근데 엄청 맛있어서 또 갈만하다고 생각들진않았어요

We have been here many times for brunch, lunch and dinner. This is actually my dad’s favourite place and whenever they visit we have to go at least once. The menu is great and varied usually Lebanese/ Persian/ Mediterranean inspired. Must have the flat bread.

This is such a great little place! Our food was so tasty and well prepared; my partner commented that the mutton was the best food he’d eaten in a restaurant in a long time. My pork was really good too and the bread and dips were delicious. So many more things on the menu I would like to try - the tapas that the couple on the table next to were enjoying looked great. Highly recommend.

Breakfast here never disappoints! Always super fresh, full of flavour and served by friendly staff. Prices are very reasonable for Bristol but it can be hard to get a table sometimes so may be worth reserving a table, especially for larger groups. Can't wait to eat here again!

The food seems very authentic and the menu changes quite regularly. Every dish has layers of subtle flavour which delight the taste buds. The ambience is down to earth and friendly and the restaurant well echoes the character of this bohemian area of Bristol. We have never been disappointed and I strongly recommend anyone to give the place a go.

Wonderful lunch - we started by sharing the Chef's Flatbreads and Dips which were simply delicious - then I had chicken kebab with couscous and my husband had pork with rice - washed down with a glass of Georgian red and Lebanese White wine - very warmly recommended! We are regular customers and are never disappointed!

The taste combinations here are creative and tasty, whether the selction of pepper, bean dips or the sheesh and havac salatasi. Unfortunately the service was very slow, we waited well over an hour (small group) between ordering and the main dishes arriving. I don't mind waiting if there is some communication but there was no update or checking if we would like drinks.

Could not get enough of the variety of flavours offered. Even the desserts were top class! Definitely a must for those who love middle eastern dishes.

Wonderful beetroot parcels on salad, totally sublime wonderful Tarasmalata and sough dough, halloumi was a bit tough. Ginger beer fab. Great service outside. Love Souk. Decor better in souk on whiteladies and would not recommend large cut halloumi.

I love coming to this restaurant. It's my favourite place to eat, and if I'm given the choice, I always head here. From the quick tapas dishes for a lunch, to a full meal in the evening with a choice of delicious and fragrant with orange blossom desserts - the food is always well spiced and extremely tasty. Have never had a disappointing meal here!

We have been coming to this restaurant for many years, however I think recently the subleties of flavours in the food are not as good as they once were. It is still good but missing that something special it once had! Service is always good in our experience, but can be a bit slow if they are very busy. We are never in a hurry so don't mind. Still worth a visit but book as it is always busy.