I booked a table for 10 people to eat at Hilal. Unfortunately, it's a season where people get ill so sadly few people cancelled. I contacted the restaurant on the day before our dinner that it will be less of us and they messaged me back that it's totally fine. "Hiya! That's absolutely fine, thanks for letting me know" See you tomorrow. Then on the day, another person dropped out. It's totally not my fault that people get ill, but I was told off like a little kid by the restaurant "owner" as soon as we walked through the door. He said: "Your people are dropping off day by day" but he said it in a very nasty way. His waitress was totally clueless, she had no clue what soup of the day was and if they serve mocktails. Not a single smile for anyone the whole evening. The "owner" started clearing up our places before we even finished at around 6:30pm. Then when it came to paying, he said "Don't forget to pay for the service charge". I go out a lot and this is the first time someone reminded me to pay service charge, we always pay it if the service is right. I started a conversation with him about the poor service and he became very argumentative. He mentioned less of us arriving, he asked me where am I from, he stated one person only ordered a started (yes she did but she ordered 3 starters which are more expensive than one main), he told us we are still sitting there at 6:30pm and he closes at 7pm etc. I don't understand this kind of behavior, I think he was simply rude and all he cared about was how much money he will make and how quickly to get rid of us. Bearing in mind, nobody else was in the restaurant and he still made some good money on us. When Covid hit restaurants were crying for customers, now they have them and they treat them so badly. I won't be coming to this place again. I will wait until Otford Bull Inn reopens their kitchen and I will bring my regular group of 15 people over to the Bull as we are always treated there very nicely. Shame on you!
Tony Brett
Ate here with a friend today at about 5pm. Not a soul inside apart from a family of 4 who arrived shortly after us.. I ordered the Mixed Grill which came as depicted. Very small portions. If I order a Mix Grill that costs £28 I expect a bit more than what I was served. It was tasty, especially the Kofte but there just waan't enough of it. Half a skewer of Lamb Kofte, 2 cubes each of Lamb & Chicken Shish and one Lamb Chop accomoanied by the smallest side salad I've ever seen and a tiny portion of rice. I asked the waiter for some bread to bulk and was charged £3.95 for a basket of plain Turkish Bread. The sauces were not homemade. The ketchup and mayonnaise on the table were the cheapest of cheap in the sachets. Peroni is £7.15 a bottle (after service charge). Honestly, I really feel like I've been robbed. I stopped at McDonalds on the way home and grabbed a Double Cheeseburger as I was still hungry. My experience was a disappointing one. Such a shame as they're in a prime location & the staff/owner is really friendly and genuine. I just feel I need to pre-warn people. I don't mind spending but on this occasion it wasn't good value or even value for money. What you see depicted cost £42.30. Not ideal.
Agata Siembida
Food was good. We had a Sunday roast with chicken and vegetarian Moussaka.Dog friendly restaurant with nice staff and relaxing music.
Tony B
Ate here with a friend today at about 5pm. Not a soul inside apart from a family of 4 who arrived shortly after us.. I ordered the Mixed Grill which came as depicted. Very small portions. If I order's a Mix Grill that costs £28 I expect a bit more that what I was served. It was tasty, especially the Kofte but there just waan't enough of it. Half a skewer of Lamb Kofte, 2 cubes each of Lamb & Chicken Shish and one Lamb Chop accomoanied by the smallest side salad I've ever seen and a tony portion of rice. I asked the waiter for some bread to bulk it out a bit and was charged £3.95 for a basket of plain Turkish Bread. The sauces were not homemade. The ketchup and mayonnaise on the table was the cheapest of cheap in the sachets. Peroni is £7.15 a bottle (after service charge). Honestly, I really feel like I've been robbed. I stopped at McDonalds on the way home and grabbed a Double Cheeseburger as I was still hungry. My experience was a disappointing one. Such a shame as they're in a prime location & the staff/owner is really friendly and genuine. I just feel I need to pre-warn people. I don't mind spending but on this occasion it wasn't good value or even value for money. What you see depicted cost £42.30. Not ideal.
qanid2023
I just been few days ago this amazing place with my friend it was so delicious and fresh food...well done definitely recommended
MartinChambers
Well-prepared Turkish food but expensive. Expect to pay £40-£45 including compulsory service charge for a main course without bread and two drinks.
Passport451715
I recently had a reservation at Hilal Restaurant in Otford, and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. Despite double-checking the reservation through email, we arrived at the restaurant only to be told that our booking had been cancelled due to a supposed system error. This last-minute cancellation left us stranded in a small village with no alternative plans and no public transport available. The manager attributed the mishap to a system error but was unwilling to acknowledge the inconvenience caused. When we requested some form of compensation, the manager's response was disappointingly rude, and we were turned away without a resolution. The lack of professionalism and the manager's refusal to accept responsibility for the mistake has left a lasting negative impression. It's disheartening to have had our evening plans ruined, especially after looking forward to dining at this establishment for years. Despite providing an email confirmation for our reservation, the management failed to rectify the situation in a satisfactory manner. I strongly advise against dining at Hilal Restaurant due to the abruptness and unprofessionalism displayed during our visit. It's regrettable that a business with potential has fallen short in delivering a basic level of customer service. I hope this review serves as a cautionary note for others considering this restaurant for their dining plans.
lukieb2020
5 stars for sure, I wish I could give more stars. Brilliant form start to finish The lovely gentleman even kept the place open whilst I waited for my Mrs just so we could have 1 round together ! I have nothing but love for this man. I believe his name is Saiz but don't hold me to that as I had a few lagers ! He deserves nothing but respect and great fortune ? I'm so lucky to live opposite 'recently moved' He will have my costume definitely + Thank you all ❤️
John H
Didn’t book but greeted with a friendly smile by the owner and shown to a table. The food was fantastic, hot succulent chicken with a nice side salad and rice, washed down with a Turkish beer.
Matt Seldon
What a superb restaurant. Fantastic food and great service. We really need to support our local, independent restaurants, please visit this gem, you won't be disappointed.
I had a delightful experience at Hilal restaurant! The food and wine were delicious. What truly stood out was the host's exceptional hospitality – he went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction, making the evening truly memorable.
Christine S
We had a lovely family lunch, hot and cold mixed mezes, falafel, mixed shish and beef burger. All delicious and generous portions with great service. Hilal is our favourite place for family get togethers.
N B
I had an absolutely fantastic dining experience at the Turkish restaurant! The host was incredibly welcoming and made us feel right at home. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff ensuring we had everything we needed. The food was equally amazing, with authentic Turkish flavors that left our taste buds delighted. I can't recommend this restaurant enough – a must-visit for anyone looking for a taste of Turkey with exceptional hospitality!
Severin Y
It was great food and service lovely little village amazing friendly place ...thank you wery much your hospitality guys
Elly B
We had a lovely meal here, the food and service was out of this world and we will definitely be returning.
I booked a table for 10 people to eat at Hilal. Unfortunately, it's a season where people get ill so sadly few people cancelled. I contacted the restaurant on the day before our dinner that it will be less of us and they messaged me back that it's totally fine. "Hiya! That's absolutely fine, thanks for letting me know" See you tomorrow. Then on the day, another person dropped out. It's totally not my fault that people get ill, but I was told off like a little kid by the restaurant "owner" as soon as we walked through the door. He said: "Your people are dropping off day by day" but he said it in a very nasty way. His waitress was totally clueless, she had no clue what soup of the day was and if they serve mocktails. Not a single smile for anyone the whole evening. The "owner" started clearing up our places before we even finished at around 6:30pm. Then when it came to paying, he said "Don't forget to pay for the service charge". I go out a lot and this is the first time someone reminded me to pay service charge, we always pay it if the service is right. I started a conversation with him about the poor service and he became very argumentative. He mentioned less of us arriving, he asked me where am I from, he stated one person only ordered a started (yes she did but she ordered 3 starters which are more expensive than one main), he told us we are still sitting there at 6:30pm and he closes at 7pm etc. I don't understand this kind of behavior, I think he was simply rude and all he cared about was how much money he will make and how quickly to get rid of us. Bearing in mind, nobody else was in the restaurant and he still made some good money on us. When Covid hit restaurants were crying for customers, now they have them and they treat them so badly. I won't be coming to this place again. I will wait until Otford Bull Inn reopens their kitchen and I will bring my regular group of 15 people over to the Bull as we are always treated there very nicely. Shame on you!
Ate here with a friend today at about 5pm. Not a soul inside apart from a family of 4 who arrived shortly after us.. I ordered the Mixed Grill which came as depicted. Very small portions. If I order a Mix Grill that costs £28 I expect a bit more than what I was served. It was tasty, especially the Kofte but there just waan't enough of it. Half a skewer of Lamb Kofte, 2 cubes each of Lamb & Chicken Shish and one Lamb Chop accomoanied by the smallest side salad I've ever seen and a tiny portion of rice. I asked the waiter for some bread to bulk and was charged £3.95 for a basket of plain Turkish Bread. The sauces were not homemade. The ketchup and mayonnaise on the table were the cheapest of cheap in the sachets. Peroni is £7.15 a bottle (after service charge). Honestly, I really feel like I've been robbed. I stopped at McDonalds on the way home and grabbed a Double Cheeseburger as I was still hungry. My experience was a disappointing one. Such a shame as they're in a prime location & the staff/owner is really friendly and genuine. I just feel I need to pre-warn people. I don't mind spending but on this occasion it wasn't good value or even value for money. What you see depicted cost £42.30. Not ideal.
Food was good. We had a Sunday roast with chicken and vegetarian Moussaka.Dog friendly restaurant with nice staff and relaxing music.
Ate here with a friend today at about 5pm. Not a soul inside apart from a family of 4 who arrived shortly after us.. I ordered the Mixed Grill which came as depicted. Very small portions. If I order's a Mix Grill that costs £28 I expect a bit more that what I was served. It was tasty, especially the Kofte but there just waan't enough of it. Half a skewer of Lamb Kofte, 2 cubes each of Lamb & Chicken Shish and one Lamb Chop accomoanied by the smallest side salad I've ever seen and a tony portion of rice. I asked the waiter for some bread to bulk it out a bit and was charged £3.95 for a basket of plain Turkish Bread. The sauces were not homemade. The ketchup and mayonnaise on the table was the cheapest of cheap in the sachets. Peroni is £7.15 a bottle (after service charge). Honestly, I really feel like I've been robbed. I stopped at McDonalds on the way home and grabbed a Double Cheeseburger as I was still hungry. My experience was a disappointing one. Such a shame as they're in a prime location & the staff/owner is really friendly and genuine. I just feel I need to pre-warn people. I don't mind spending but on this occasion it wasn't good value or even value for money. What you see depicted cost £42.30. Not ideal.
I just been few days ago this amazing place with my friend it was so delicious and fresh food...well done definitely recommended
Well-prepared Turkish food but expensive. Expect to pay £40-£45 including compulsory service charge for a main course without bread and two drinks.
I recently had a reservation at Hilal Restaurant in Otford, and unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. Despite double-checking the reservation through email, we arrived at the restaurant only to be told that our booking had been cancelled due to a supposed system error. This last-minute cancellation left us stranded in a small village with no alternative plans and no public transport available. The manager attributed the mishap to a system error but was unwilling to acknowledge the inconvenience caused. When we requested some form of compensation, the manager's response was disappointingly rude, and we were turned away without a resolution. The lack of professionalism and the manager's refusal to accept responsibility for the mistake has left a lasting negative impression. It's disheartening to have had our evening plans ruined, especially after looking forward to dining at this establishment for years. Despite providing an email confirmation for our reservation, the management failed to rectify the situation in a satisfactory manner. I strongly advise against dining at Hilal Restaurant due to the abruptness and unprofessionalism displayed during our visit. It's regrettable that a business with potential has fallen short in delivering a basic level of customer service. I hope this review serves as a cautionary note for others considering this restaurant for their dining plans.
5 stars for sure, I wish I could give more stars. Brilliant form start to finish The lovely gentleman even kept the place open whilst I waited for my Mrs just so we could have 1 round together ! I have nothing but love for this man. I believe his name is Saiz but don't hold me to that as I had a few lagers ! He deserves nothing but respect and great fortune ? I'm so lucky to live opposite 'recently moved' He will have my costume definitely + Thank you all ❤️
Didn’t book but greeted with a friendly smile by the owner and shown to a table. The food was fantastic, hot succulent chicken with a nice side salad and rice, washed down with a Turkish beer.
What a superb restaurant. Fantastic food and great service. We really need to support our local, independent restaurants, please visit this gem, you won't be disappointed.
Restaurantji Recommends
I had a delightful experience at Hilal restaurant! The food and wine were delicious. What truly stood out was the host's exceptional hospitality – he went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction, making the evening truly memorable.
We had a lovely family lunch, hot and cold mixed mezes, falafel, mixed shish and beef burger. All delicious and generous portions with great service. Hilal is our favourite place for family get togethers.
I had an absolutely fantastic dining experience at the Turkish restaurant! The host was incredibly welcoming and made us feel right at home. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff ensuring we had everything we needed. The food was equally amazing, with authentic Turkish flavors that left our taste buds delighted. I can't recommend this restaurant enough – a must-visit for anyone looking for a taste of Turkey with exceptional hospitality!
It was great food and service lovely little village amazing friendly place ...thank you wery much your hospitality guys
We had a lovely meal here, the food and service was out of this world and we will definitely be returning.