the moorish lounge in Croydon

I highly recommend the restaurant for it authentic Moroccan cusine and atmosphere. The food is fresh and the flavours are wonderful. The chef is really pleasant and accommodating. You need to allow time for the food given that it is freshly prepared. Well worth the wait! Went back within 6 days for a second try of dishes. I definitely will be going back, so will the friends we went with who are not local to the area.

Went with friends. Had Lamb & Chicken Tagine. Food was 4/5 but the behaviour of staff was 2/5. A bit rude & offensive. Tagine was fine. Would recommend only if you can bear the rudeness.

Amazing food, lovely welcoming owner! Will definitely be returning

Amazing experience at the Moorish Lounge the tajine was delicious! and the chef/owner was really kind, will come back soon.

Lovely, cosy restaurant with delicious food and BYO . Will definitely be back 😊

Wonderful owner and the food was incredible, all home cooked and flavourful. Great service and a brilliant place to dine.

Amazing food and service! Would recommend Tagines especially. We had one person with a nut allergy and the chef took the time to explain all the dishes to us.

I recently dined at a Moorish Lounge and had a delightful experience. The food was excellent overall, with a special mention for the Lamb and Chicken Tagine which was truly delicious. The hummus was good, although not exceptional. The restaurant provided a great Moroccan culinary journey, and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors and ambiance.

Hadn't visited London since before pandemic - I love North African tajine, and so stopped by this place in croydon. Have visited once before. now it's become a french moroccan hookah lounge more than restaurant -- tajine was disappointing, pastille pretty dry. . better go to edgeware road i would say or Khamsa., algerian place. moorish lounge is ok. but the cook/owner is one unpleasant, rude fellow (rude chap, as londoners say) - rude to clients - scowling, snapping, short with visitors who have come from far away. Be polite and smile, mister - you'll find it's good for business.

Asked for menu and got a A4 page with a limited menu, at this point i had reservations and thought it would be rude to walk out so stayed.... Best decision i made! Food was so delicious (lamb tegine and chicken wrap) Food came fresh and hot so be careful! I thought i would give it a try as been past a few times over the last 10 years but on a whim tried it. Beautiful authentic tasting food, even thr bread was really nice. Do not be decieved by the unassuming exterior and interior, want a awesome meal, you will definitely get that. The chef was really polite and hard working. Try it you wont be disappointed!

Food was piping hot and freshly made. The bread and hummus was delicious and the morrocan tagine had an authentic taste.

A real hidden gem, real authentic Moroccan food.

One of my favourite places to go with friends and families for the best food

Amazing quality food and lovely hospitality but the owner who I believe is also the chef. Will definitely be coming back here!

Great food as always. Been here countless times. Authentic Moroccan cuisine! Very welcoming, hospitable and a great chilling atmosphere. Chef and owner, Ahmed, has a passion for making every dish to perfection! Genuine guy that's had this wonderful family business for 10 years! Food is seasoned and flavours are mixed to enlighten your taste buds! My favourite is definitely the Chicken Bastilla. The mixture of almonds, chicken and other ingredients make this pastry coated dish a delicacy to enjoy and remember! Not to forget, the honey and cinnamon that's sprinkled on top! Yummy! Also on my favourites list is the lamb shank, lamb skewers, chicken supreme and Lamb with Prunes! Genuine Moroccan food in the heart of Norbury. A big thank you to chef and owner, Ahmed, for making every visit of mine an experience to enjoy!

First time visiting, and the food here is phenomenal. Compliments to the chef, absolutely outstanding. Bare in mind, he is the only one cooking, so show some patience- the wait is worth it!!!!

Unassuming spot we passed by and so grateful we did; delectable, flavourful, and the best tagine outside of Morocco. The chef was amazing, taking orders and cooking and serving all with a smile on his face, a one man culinary machine.

Great food at reasonable prices in a cozy setting. We got four starters, four mains, and two desserts between four people and spent less than £30 per person for some very tasty Moroccan food. Lamb shank and nicely char-grilled stuffed aubergine were especially good, as were the desserts. Hours were not 100% accurate - it says opens at 5pm, but we got there at 7:15 and it was just opening (possibly was holiday hours due to New Years Eve) - so call ahead if you're arriving early. Service was reasonably fast once things got going, and food was worth it. It's BYOB as an added plus. Will definitely be going back!

The food was absolutely amazing and the service was even better. Loved the atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this place if your looking for excellent customer service and delicious food!

Been here a few times and it’s one of the best restaurants we go to. Great food, great service from Ahmed the chef and very reasonably priced.

Fantastic food, tagine was very tasty! BYOB. A little quiet for a friday night but we'll be back. Thank you.

Very enjoyable humble home cooked food. I grew up with this style of cooking from my nana when I was young growing up in South London to North African grandparents. Delicious tagines, merguez which is full of flavour. The owner/chef/waiter is a one man army that delivers high quality exceptional food. Be patient and you’ll be satisfied. No corkage fee which is very rare to come by, so you can bring you’re own wine/beer. A little gem in Norbury where I’ve lived for 10 years, and sadly there isn’t many decent places to eat like this place. Places like this need more local support as they deserve it. Otherwise high streets like this one will just be full of replicated Indian restaurants. Ratings to the chef.

Great Morrocan Experience! Great little restaurant in Norbury with amazing food. The dessert was epic and the mint tea topped it off perfectly.

Probably serves good food, but “the toilet is only for the customers due to… covid regulations(???)”

What a wonderful restaurant! Hummus and tagines were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend the pistachio Crete brûlée too! Thank you Ahmed for a lovely evening. We will be back!

Magnifique Ahmed! Best food we've ever had at a shisha spot. Warm fresh bread and hummus, merguez and kofte starter was great, lamb rack with the ratatouille and sautéed potatoes banged, and my friends loved their mixed fish special and tagines. Perfect spice levels and flavours on point. Lovely mocktails and shisha too. Everything came reasonably priced in an intimate atmosphere. Owner/chef/waiter Ahmed is a legend, proper example of why we should all support our local independents! Will definitely be returning

The best tagine in London. Great service. Thank you

Lovely food from a warm and generous host. His crème brûlée with pistachios was terrific. Thank you!

Unique cosy Amazing atmosphere, feeling like iv been transported to Morocco, food is always amazing very authentic.

What a gem of a place! The best Moroccan cuisine around, we ordered an array of food and everything was exceptional. The calamari and the lamb shank were exceptional topped of with a crem brûlée. The chef was also very warm and welcoming, definitely recommend.

The best Moroccan experience in London! Excellent customer service and lots of options to have. Highly recommend the lamb shank. Will definitely be coming back with my family.

Fantastic food great friendly service highly recommended place to go to.

One vegetarian and I non-veg diner. The food was fabulous and the service warm and welcoming. This cosy local restaurant is a great gem!

A great local restaurant that deserves our support The Moorish Lounge is open and we had supper there last evening - but it was quiet so maybe people need to get back in the habit after covid. This must be one of the best restaurants in Norbury, and we should all be supporting it. We had two different lamb dishes for supper, both of which were succulent and delicious. Alcohol is on a 'bring your own' basis, but we chose not to, tempted by the interesting range of non alcoholic drinks (Mocktails) on offer. I had a date almond and coconut juice which was very good indeed. The Moorish Lounge is a one person operation, and the welcome feels personal. The cooking is excellent and the restaurant is very nicely appointed with lovely tiled walls and exotic Moorish lampshades. Please go and see for yourselves. This place is very good.

I notice this is the first review since Covid started. The Moorish Lounge is open and we had supper there last evening - but it was quiet so maybe people need to get back in the habit. This must be one of the best restaurants in Norbury, and we should all be supporting it. We had two different lamb dishes for supper, both of which were succulent and delicious. Alcohol is on a 'bring your own' basis, but we chose not to, tempted by the interesting range of non alcoholic drinks (Mocktails) on offer. I had a date almond and coconut juice which was very good indeed. The Moorish Lounge is a one person operation, and the welcome feels personal. The cooking is excellent and the restaurant is very nicely appointed with lovely tiled walls and exotic Moorish lampshades. Please go and see for yourselves. This place is very good.

AHMED YOU AMAZING MAN AND BEAUTIFUL COOK LOVEEEEEEE IT HERE!

Such a hidden gem! I always love the food and the atmosphere in this place :) Ahmed is always nice, approachable and always cooks amazing food. I've been here for birthdays, anniversaries and weekly dates with family and friends so it's definitely for everyone.

Best food better taste very friendly staff

Love the place. As soon as you walked in the door the owner of the restaurant welcomed you. Very friendly atmosphere. Food was amazing. Lamb shank was the best l’ve ever had. Value for money is given, great portion size. Definitely coming back to this place. Highly recommend!

Quality food and service very reasonably priced

Amazing food by an amazing chef, owner. Taste of Morocco in South London.

We went out as a group of 6 friends. Food was fresh and service was great. Highly recommend the place.

Beautiful food and great atmosphere. I had a lovely lemony tagine. It's one guy doing literally everything so don't come starving! But it's well worth the wait. Byob and good value.

A very interesting, unique restaurant with special dishes you won't find anywhere else. You will need to go and experience the place for yourself. A tad bit underwhelming when you enter the Norbury main road restaurant. But be patitient, put your order in and expect to be blown away by the dishes. A must visit!

Delicious food - we had the lamb shank and the mixed grill, with baba ganoush and calamari as starters. Super friendly staff.

Amazing food amazing hospitality. Gem of South London

This is a wonderful place to spend a relaxed informal evening. The food is excellent, the chef-proprietor is very friendly and welcoming and it is even BYOB! I would happily come back many times over.

I'm really happy to have found this place, it really is a gem. The food is fabulously good and the prices are really affordable (contrary to a previous comment). The menu is very varied, including some great North African classics like Harira soup, briwats, tagine, couscous, and some (South) European desserts like creme brulee/ crema catalan and tiramisu. All this is cooked amazingly, with the perfect dose of spices and infusions, and served by a lovely chef. I fully recommend this place.

Pysznie, klimatycznie, rodzinnie.. nic dodać nic ująć.. knajpka dla ludzi potrafiących czerpać radość z jedzenia, z atmosfery ...100 % polecam 😉

Cosy, cheap but nice shisha and good food. What else could you ask for.

We went as a group of 14. Set menu with plenty of choice. Food was tasty. Atmosphere was nice and staff were friendly. Service was a little slow but not many staff for quite a big group so understandable.

Amazing place .. truly a hidden gem in South London. Authentic Moroccan food with such a beautiful homelike atmosphere. The owner is lovely and I can’t praise this place enough! Favourite.

Great food in a very small but intimate surroundings. Chef/owner definitely serves great food with great taste. Shisha is also available. Would definitely recommend for a local treat and value for money.

Perfect food, wonderful spiced and very authentic!

Me and my family dined here for Iftar and it was a wonderful experience. The Pasta dish was by far one of the best dishes i have ever had in terms of flavor. To finish off we ordered the mint tea which was just right. I recommend that for large orders you call in advance but other than that everything was perfect, cosy and full of flavour.

Amazing cooked food, cosy environment, community feel atmosphere. Mint tea and shisha is a common sight of social.

I enjoyed the food from the started until the amazing fresh mint tea which is on the house at the end of the meal. The couscous was so soft and well made that it was like eating a cloud with flavour. The merguez was moist and very tasty. I really recommend this place. I will go back soon!

Great food but slightly overpriced. Lamb with mushroon sauce is the best treat you can have!

Food was delicious and the portions were good.

If you have a few hours this restaurant is a must. Small and cosy with a basic interior. The food is amazing, cooked to order. If you have limited tine it's a good idea to book and pre order your food. You can bring your own alcohol.

This place never lets me down ive been going there since 2010 the best lamb shank in town I would highly recommend this place nice and cosey place sheesha available too .

One of the very few places in London with indoor sheesha. Tea and food aren't bad and prices are reasonable as well. The host / owner is friendly and hospitable. Stays open late and the place is quite cozy. Service is within acceptable time frame. Parking could be a little difficult thought, but easier at later hours of the night.

The food was amazing I ordered some lamb chops it was cooked perfectly. Costumer service was good the chef was very friendly I looked at the menus and they had a large selection of food. I am definitely going to be recommending this to my friends and family

By far the best Moroccan restaurant in London (IMHO). Menu changed slightly, for better, rack of lamb - pure delight. Finally proper deserts are on the menu. Creme brulee knocked my socks off!! Creamy, subtle, full of flavour with perfect caramel crust on top. I know it sounds simple but in simplicity the skill shines through, you can't mask anything. It's either good or bad. This one is exquisit

I found the food lacking in taste. Small and intimate if you like this kind of restaurant, Owner/chef very warm but not for me.

worst experience of my life with any restaurants, the menu is a piece of scruffed up white paper in plastic wallet and it add service charge in the payment so its not your choice. The place is not as any of the pictures look they even said it hasn't been updated since 2006 so don't just go there because of the pictures i did and worst thing ever. The chef start swearing and throwing abusive language because me and a group of my friends didn't see this as an adequate place.

This little restaurant in the heart of Norbury SW16 is wonderful - the food is simply amazing - the chef come waiter is brilliant does it all how I do not know but the food must be eaten to know what I mean - if more than 2-4 people best to make an advance booking so not to be disappointed as it only seats around 26 a big thank you to Armed for my birthday party at his wonderful gem.

The owner takes great pride in the dishes he serves and for what you pay, it is well worth the money. No shortcuts are taken when it comes to the dishes served here and as a fellow Moroccan would recommend this place to family and friends.

Ok...here's the thing: I did not give 4* because the food was so good, but because of the attitude and kindness of the waiter (and chef in the same person...)the place is small, the chairs are fairly uncomfortable related to the table's height (and the backrest is large or high enough). So it looks like our waiter was actually the chef as well (I started wondering: maybe he is the owner too). After waiting quite long for the food, my chicken supreme arrived. It was pretty good, except for the potatoes were bland, no salt or seasoning and too little for the amount of chicken. The plating was nice. Prices a bit higher than expected for the area/restaurant class and interior. But the guy was nice, kind and approachable. I would return.

Nice place, delicious morocain food and good service, nice family place

Really good food freshly cooked. Good sized portion. It's BYO great local restaurant

Moorish lounge is exactly what it claims to be, the chef's lounge. Come in here and expect to be treated like a guest, not a customer. So please behave like guest. Don't be late, don't be rude, don't be demanding. The host mostly does all the work, from welcoming you in, all the way to clearing your table. If you come into his house, he will serve you the most incredible food he can make. And I promise you, the food is 5 star. I've been to Casablanca and eaten in good places, and frankly the food at Moorish Lounge is better.

Wonderful having a great and friendly Moroccan restaurant in our doorstep. It's very informal with good food at a reasonable price. Don't expect speed though. Everything is cooked to order by the proprietor - or at least on the days we've been! Popular with the local (and also friendly) Muslim crowd who drop in for a coffee or tea.

You can't get better Moroccan food better atmosphere or service anywhere else in London. All the dishes are amazing been coming here for years.

High quality great tasting food, small and cozy restaurant, Ahmed the chef and owner is brilliant. Great service and again 'Moorish' food

Food was LOVELY and the owner is so nice, ended up staying extra long and genuinely did NOT want to leave! Definitely going back here. Nice and cosy too.

Delicious food, Ahmed is a top chef!

Fantastic and authentic morrocan tasty food. Highly recommend. Book in advance for large groups. Local secret.

A hidden gem. The food is nothing short of outstanding; some of the best I've had in the last few years. No alcohol so BYOB. The owner/chef is very friendly. A great night out.

Ordered a Lamb sharka, and the meat was burnt and very hard on a minority of the meat. Chips were average. Same sauce was used in other dishes too (friend ordered a chicken supreme and everything was the same except it was chicken). And I think they should pay me the 10% service charge because the waiter needed a hand too often. Long wait times too. Don't want to sound too unfair but in all honesty, there's much better places for your money.

Excellent and friendly service, very good food and generous portions. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience on both occasions that I have visited so far. I will definitely return here.

Used to go here occasionally and was always a nice change. Food was okay. The other day I went with my wife for some tea and dessert. When I went in and said we wanted to sit down for some tea, despite the restaurant being largely empty, to my surprise, the owner said "We are a restaurant, not a cafe" and that I couldn't sit down if I was only ordering tea. I said I would order a side dish like chips too but he still refused! We ended up going to Afghan Spice in the end who were much warmer and their food was better anyway. Doubt I'll be visiting Moorish again, as a matter of principle.

Moorish is incredible. The food is always amazing. The lamb ravine with apricot is delicious as is the mixed grill. Even the vegetable pastry is packed full of flavour. Ahmed is very hospitable too. Try the mint tea after dinner. The only thing people have mentioned when I have brought them to Moorish is the eating. As some of the seats are like stools, nice stools! But they are quite low as are the tables so basically if you have a bad spine it's not ideal. I myself don't find the seating a problem and if there was room, I don't doubt that you would be accommodated at another table. Don't let it put you off, the food is wonderful and Moorish is open late too.

Wonderful authentic Moroccan food in a setting that feels like a home, and you will be welcomed like it is one too. One of my favourite restaurants of all

We go there on every occasion with friends, family and visitors to impress them with this place and of course food. Chef is such a heart warming, welcoming person, he cooks with passion and I think this is what makes his food magical. top!

Estive nesse restaurante para comemorar meu aniversário, e foi, sem dúvida, uma das melhores experiências gastronômicas da minha vida. Um cardápio perfeito, com preço justo, ambiente extremamente agradável, aconchegante e familiar, não vende bebidas alcoólicas.

I have been coming here for a couple of years now. Always welcomed with a friendly smile. And the food is simply brilliant. The Marrakech Tagine is of the same standard or better than all of the tagines I had when I visited Marrakech. I have brought family and friends here and the feedback is always the same....superb.

It depends what you are looking for. If you expecting posh restaurant you would be surprised ;) It is an amazing place with delicious food! When you come in, it feels like you were moved to some Moroccan restaurant in Morocco. All decoration and atmosphere is so different comparing to all British restaurants. The place is really small and cozy. Food has so much flavour and it is all prepared by the lovely owner of the place. He is so polite and chilled out ;) If you fancy going on holiday to Morocco without actually going - this is a good option ;))

Ordered the Rif Tagine - veg Tagine with goat cheese. really tasty. The service was really good,many the meal came to £60 for four people who is really good value. We had ordered starters and mains, several sides and tea. You can bring your own booze.

The location and atmosphere for this restaurant is not brilliant, presentation could be improved and for this reason I feel the prices are too high for a meal for two - starter and main (no drinks) we paid £44. The food however is delicious, unsure on whether I will return.

Just left the Moorish Lounge after sharing a Tagine Marrakesh, with lamb, apple, prunes and onions; and a Tagine with chicken, potatoes and olives. In a word it was outstandingly good. It's easy to find the place, buses to Croydon stop at the door.. It was fairly quiet. I like the decor, it has character. It's a BYO. Staff are really friendly. The highlight of the night was the food; it really was special and the prices are at bargain levels. This is a place that you must try, you will love it

I tried this place on a recommendation of a friend , it doesn't look that great from the outside and the interior is very tired but the food is absolutely fantastic , it's home made with fresh ingredients and arrives at your table piping hot . You will need to take your own alcohol as they do not have a license . I can not recommend this place enough give it a try and I bet you will be raving about it too !

Fuí con un grupo de amigos, entre los cuales había tres chicos marroquís que nos llevaron a este restaurante. Cuando lo ves desde fuera te parece el típico sitio de kebabs cutres y la decoración no es gran cosa, pero cuando pruebas la comida, ahí cambia la cosa.Yo me pedí el típico Tajin de cordero y no pude haber hecho mejor elección. La carne era de excelente calidad, tierna, se separaba del hueso casi soplándole y se derretía en la boca. La ración era muy abundante y acabé llenísimo. De acompañamiento nos sirvieron una ensalada con dos tipos de humus y unas frituras que estaba muy buena también, especialmente la de salmón.Eso sí, la comida tardó en salir casi una hora, ya que éramos muchos y solamente hay un cocinero, pero mereció la pena.

This is about the forth time we've been to this little gem in Norbury.Food is cooked to order so its a time before its served,but when it comes boy is it worth it.A place worth returning to time and time again.

Hello Judy here again, we went to the Moorish Lounge in Norbury on Tuesday 30th June with our Grandson James and his girlfriend Rebecca, for our starter we had the Humus with Tahina (chick peas puree, with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic) very nice and the bread was amazing, for our main myself and Rebecca shared the 'Tagine Alhambra' (Mouthwatering cinnamon chicken, with dates, confit onions, raisins, honey lemon and thyme sauce)we also asked if we could have some potatoes and the chef said no problems, and it was delicious and stayed hot till the end, Steve had the Tagine Fassi (Marinated chicken breasted cooked with olives, preserved lemons, baby potatoes in coriander and chilli sauce) Steve said he was very pleased that the meal stayed hot till the end, but would have liked more flavour, but did enjoy it, James had the Tangine Marrakech (Tender lamb cooked with prunes, onions, caramelised apples topped with almonds) which he said was delicious and very tasty and he thoroughly enjoyed it, we brought our own drink and the staff provided glasses they do not do alcohol, this keeps the price well down. The restaurant is very Moorish in design with tiles on the walls comfy bench seats along the walls with cushions to relax on also little chairs on the other side which were very comfy, toilets need a bit of work but Hey Ho was not eating in there, staff were very nice and food fab décor needs a little touch up but we enjoyed our food and the ambiance,and not rushed at all, will be going back again.Tip : If like us you drink wine I would suggest you take a bottle cooler as they do not have ice buckets and in this weather my Cava and Steve's wine got warm very quick so next time we will be taking a cooler.

This place is quaint. Little restaurant with only half dozen tables. Whilst Sat inside you tend to feel like you aren't Sat on a busy high street in south London - obviously aided by the decor - however mostly by the owner/chef who stands in the open kitchen behind plates pots and tagines - piled higher than gravity should allow.The food is flavoursome. Reminded us of our holiday to Morocco which can't be bad. Being frank we weren't that impressed with the hummus. However the royal cous cous and the tagine Marrakech were fantastic - and huge in portion sizes.Recommended for Moroccan cuisine in south London.

Food is superb - bring your own alcohol. The guys will supply glasses.Cosy, friendly and a hidden gem. More like eating in someone's living room than a restaurant thanks to the low tables and low upholstered seats.

Went to the Moorish Lounge as one of a party of eight. A less prepossessing frontage you couldn't imagine! North African themed interior was interesting, though one or two of the taller members of the group found the tables a wee bit uncomfortable on the knees when sitting on the bench seats against the wall (the individual seats were fine).The food was amazing, and that's what counts. The lamb shank (my choice) was just drop-dead gorgeous. The chicken supreme got a huge thumbs up, and the various tagine dishes equally so. Starters were great, and varied, with the filo parcels and the lamb kebabs gaining particular praise. Sweet choice is very limited, a chocolate cake and a crème brülée. the latter being and extremely smooth and creamy.Service was excellent - attentive and courteous. The 'bring your own drinks' policy is (for me) always a bonus, with individuals able to drink their own personal favourites. Yes, we'd definitely go again - relaxed and informal, and suited us well. And the food was the star of the evening..... as it always should be!!

The Lamb Shank is definitely one of the best items on the menu. You will not be disappointed. I agree with the other reviewer the mixed grill was far from dry. It was full of flavour and tender.I'll definitely be going back very soon.

Excellent and honestly, its morocco in London.