Reviews Isibani

Isibani is a small quaint resturant on Knightsbridge  Green, serving a small menu of cuisine from Nigerria and Ivory Coast.  it has a nice  clean interior ableit small, with dining over 2 levels. I've been to a number of African resturants around london . Given the postcode, I expected Isabani to be more on the pricey side,  so took the opportunity to dine here during  their recent soft launch. My table purchased the beef suya which my friend said  was underwhelming - just ok. For main we purchased  2 x  Egusi Soup and the Attike dish. My guests  found the egushi soup with assorted meat (though one contained quite a bit of Shaki) to be authentic and flavoursome.  Portion sizes aren't huge for the £25 price tag and it does not come with any accompanying sides which is an extra £9. However my guests found their meals to be quite filling. In contrast, the Attike cous cous dish came with an assortment of sides incl in the £34 price. A nicely presented dish with a half serving of well cooked talapia, a portion of attike and plantain. My only qualm was the pepper sauce , while  delicious was rationed, served in a very small  ramekin sized dish and was not substantial for the meal. One thing to note, having ordered a starter and drinks while we waited for one guest to arrive,  the waitress came and put  2 fresh puff puff donuts with a serving of caremel sauce on our table, mentioning something about cover charge which we couldn't quite understand.  We therefore took it to be a complimentary amouche bouche.  They presented this again when my friend arrived, this time saying nothing so again we thought this was a nice touch. However when our bill came, I noticed £6 'cover charge' was added. We queried this and was told it was for the puff puff? As I write this review, I have rechecked the menu and noticed in small text that there is a £2 cover charge per head...so essentially we paid  £6 to walk through the door,  not really for the 4 x puff puff. I eat out frequently and have yet to encounter CC even at some high end resturants. Given the prices, and size of the establishment,  i'm not sure a cover charge is warranted. Overall service was good, staff were quite attentive. Our drinks did take a while to arrive, especially as the resturant got very busy as the evening wore on. The cocktail menu is limited, drinks could do with a bit more alcohol and less ice (we had to request less ice in our second round) but they were decent and priced average for london. Our bill  for 3 people incl 6 cocktails, 1 starter and 3 mains, 2 x sides came to £211. This was £188 plus 12.5% service and the additional cover charge. With 50% of food we got a discount of £57, so in the end it was somewhat worth it. However, the venue lacked ambiance for me. They packed too many tables into such a small space that it felt less relaxing as the evening proceeded.  I would suggestand one less table as it felt quite claustrophobic. I would also suggest playing African chilled lofi/afrobeat etc music  in the background rather than rnb, and some mood lighting as its an intimate space.  A few tweaks to this place could make a difference.

Nice little restaurant, decent food overall. I liked the suya skewers, not too spicy. On the other hand, the fisherman's soup is like a large bowl of bisque, VERY spicy, fish tasted good. Currently running a 50% off food promotion until the end of Feb, only if you make a reservation on OpenTable

This is the first time I've tried African food and I can say I loved it. We had beef pastry for starter, steak and yasa for our mains and buff buff for our dessets. All the dishes were made from high quality ingredients, perfectly sized portions and I was so pleased at how hot the food was when it arrived at our table. The dishes were freshly prepared and lovely presented. The venue is cute, I loved the artwork on the walls and the staff were friendly, providing a service with a smile. On a plus, the entire menu is halal. Isibabi is a hidden gem. Please do go and try their food, you won't be disappointed!

Our experience at Isibani Restaurant was one for the books! Right from the first phone call, Isibani provided a unique, warm, and world-class service that would be hard to compare with any other establishment of similar heights and calibre. The ambience and atmosphere truly in touch with the West African spirit, meant that the group had a glorious time—and the food (served by their amazing staff) was in essence an elevation and re-invention of old and new flavours borne out of Nigeria and beyond. All to say, this restaurant comes highly recommended, and it exceedingly justifies itself as word-of-mouth sensation!

Sincere apologies for the lateness in leaving you a review. Isibani, is a niche, unique concept of African cuisine in the metropolises of London, especially in the affluent part of this city. The occasion was to celebrate a special woman in my life for her birthday. This was on a Sunday, 18th September. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves, I mean literally. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a warmness that was very welcoming and receptive of a positive vibes throughout the dining experience. My partner and I were given a complimentary dish, these being the 'Mackerel Croquettes' ...these were exploding with flavours and a good tone to start with what was expected to be of a culinary, cultured dining experience The food was exceptional, what stood out for me was the Seafood pepper soup, asked for extra spicy, and it did indeed deliver with the umami flavours; spicy, strong seafood broth, etc. The winner for me were the Jerk Chicken Tacos and an off the menu item, which were the chicken skewers. Sshhhhh, don't let them know that I told you ;) From front of house, to hostess and kitchen staff, they were absolutely flawless. They made that evening very personal and for this, I'm forever eternally grateful. The head chef and sous chef even went out of their way to greet my Queen and I and I feel privilege that a head chef will go out of his way when permitted to do this. That is what defines a great chef and the connection that they put into their dedication to the art of great food making and to speak with its diners. What'd even capped the evening was the birthday cake that was given to my partner? This was complimentary, neither expected nor had foreseen this happening. If you are looking for a beautiful cosy date night for couples, a group of friends or to celebrate an occasion. The people here will look after you as if you're their family. If weather permits, they have alfresco dining at the top floor, which will be nice during the warmer seasons, or a suggestion is perhaps outdoor heaters, if capacity is needing to be fulfilled. This review is not endorsed by the restaurant and is an accurate, honest account of my experience at this beautiful restaurant. And please get your website updated to show the amazing menu that you have to offer.