DDS's Qype profile

I’ve always been a Zizzis fan since my uni days, but this branch just can’t seem to get it right. I’ve been twice, and both times we sat downstairs in a huge underground room with bright lights and no atmosphere.

The service is bad. I’m not sure if it’s because of a lack of staff, or whether they are just really slow, but we ordered our wine the other night and could see it there on the bar for at least 15 minutes before anyone brought it to our table - we were tempted to go and grab it ourselves. When we finally tracked someone down to take our order and our food came, it was nice, nothing to write home or complain about, and prices are the usual mid-range pizza joint prices.

During the meal we could smell cigarette smoke, as if someone was smoking out the back - when we told the manager about it later he said it was the wind blowing it in from the street - not sure how that could happen as we were right downstairs…

And when we came to pay, the same manager tried to overcharge us!

If they improve the service in this place perhaps it’ll match up to some of its other locations, but till then not a place to seek out really.

Firstly, let me say, I went here with a guy - and we know how guys shop. Straight to the shop, grab what they want and leave. So there wan't much time for meandering around the wide-aisled shopping Mecca that's Westfield.

We did try all the important stuff, though, and this is what I thought... Food - a great selection of restaurants, and some smaller sandwich/crepe/coffee places, too, both in the main shopping centre and right outside.

Shops - well, it's never going to have everything that Oxford Street/Bond Street can offer, but it's different. It is everything you want under one roof... the big names, a couple of department stores and a designer corner. You're best visiting the website for a who's who of the shops... http://uk.westfield.com/london

Getting to Westfield is easy. It's on the Central Line or Hammersmith and City Line, or you can drive of course. It took us just 40 mins from Islington.

It has a Showcase Cinema and the whole place is open a lot later than the high street.

All in all I liked it, it's spacious, well designed and had a nice atmosphere, too.

This is a cracking pub! Day or night I’ve always had a fun time. Even the bouncers (yep, this place gets packed on a Fri and Sat night - no charge to get in though) will have a bit of banter with you.

On Mondays they do a good value 2 4 1 pizza deal and they’ll cater for parties and private bookings too - they had a wedding here this summer.

The djs play some great music, a real mix of styles and they have tvs for sport watchers, a secret garden out back - not much of a sun trap mind. Real fires to cosy up round and a attract a great crowd.

It’s a friendly, fun, local boozer that’s definitely worth a visit.

Great, authentic Spanish restaurant on Holloway Road. The tapas portions here are delicious and huge! I had three for myself and was stuffed. It’s reasonably priced and they have tasty and good-value daily specials, too. It’s a basic looking place, not Spanish styled like your more run of the mill tapas chain places, and the staff are really informative and friendly. A must-visit eatery if you’re in the area.

It’s a huge venue, and it needs to be as it’s full of American pool tables. It’s a chain place and you can tell by the lack of atmosphere and the not so attentive bar staff. There’s nothing wrong with it per se, but it’s not somewhere I’d pop in for a drink unless I was playing pool.

This is a usually full-to-bursting cafe/restaurant just off Islington’s Upper Street which serves lovely, Mediterranean-style food.

In summer time there are tables lining the street outside and it’s great to sit in the sunshine, eat well and watch the world go by. At this time of year inside is cosy and welcoming, if a little packed downstairs (they have crammed in as many tables as possible, so expect a bit of chair banging as you try and get a table).

There’s a room upstairs which is also available to book privately for groups.

Food wise I’ve never been disappointed. It’s good value, delicious food - the sardines are great, and you’re give a good-sized portion!

Service is friendly, polite and there’s an upbeat atmosphere about the place.

Ha ha, great review guernican… I agree, to a point. I went last night and it was quiet, very quiet, but it was the night before the night before Christmas, so not many places would be packed I don’t expect.

The burgers were ok. I had a Greek lamb burger (£6.95), which was a bit over-cooked, but aside from that tasty. Re the chips, they were standard pub-style chips, and for £3 a bit lame really.

Drinks were EXPENSIVE! £6.50 for a small G+T and a coke!

It’s a pub that looks the part but doesn’t live up to its potential. I think this place needs to up its game if it’s to compete with the overflow of pubs/bars/restaurants on Upper Street.

Excellent risotto restaurant with a really nice choice of dishes, yum. I’m a real fan of risotto so was very pleased when I stumbled on this place in the 'hidden jem’ that is Fitzrovia. Lovely food, and a nice atmosphere.

The drink prices in here are ridiculous. I think I paid about £6 for a small 125ml glass of naff wine. It’s freezing inside too, dingy and dark and didn’t have much of an atmosphere. Maybe you have to have had a few when you arrive here so that you don’t mind. It is open late and there’s a beer garden outside next to the bus stop on Essex Road. I have to admit I have been in worse places, but it’s not somewhere I’ll bother with again. All a real shame as it’s just a hop skip and a jump from my flat.

This is the place that used to be called Kinky Mambo on Upper Street and has been given a new name, new management (?) and a whole new soundtrack: random track of the night last night was The Birdy Song, weird. But don’t let that put you off.

I think the clientel may have changed a bit from its Kinky days, there seemed to be an older crowd in last night, but it has a really nice vibe, the bar staff are smiley, super-friendly and fast and it still had that newly-decorated aroma about the place.

They have a few random ornaments about too - old Ladybird books and a miniature keyboard come to mind - and a projection of a fire on a wall. In fact the more I type the stranger this place sounds. So all in all a 'nice’ place. Suppose it’ll take a few months to develop a bit of identity, but it’s a good place to head if you’re looking for a drink and a dance on a night in Islington. Oh, they do food too, but we didn’t get chance to try it. Beers, wines and cocktails are all your usual London prices.

One final thing, they don’t charge door tax, not even on Saturdays and the bouncers are friendly, they were even dancing the other night - could be 'cause it’s Christmas though!