Reviews of Wahaca

Midweek evening we headed to Wahaca on the riverbank only to be told it would be 1 1/2 to 2 hours for a table (at 8pm on a Weds) so we walked over to this new branch on the off chance. We were warned of a 20min wait and directed down to the bar area. 20mins into our drinks and nachos we were collected and given help moving our stuff over to our table. The tables are quite close together but no more than in say Wagamama or similar. We enjoyed quick service, tasty food, plenty of iced water and a bottle of wine. Not a place for a romantic meal but ticked the box for a post-work supper.

I've always thought the food in this place was ok enough. Popped in with a mate midweek, the place was absolutely rammed. Tables are barely even separated. There's just enough floor space for the waiting staff to move around in. I could barely hear my mate when he tried to tell me how cr*p the place was.

We got seated. London restaurants are always horribly overcrowded, putting the tables way too close together, but this one is probably one of the worst I've experienced.

I reckon it's tourist fodder, frankly. We didn't bother to stay to find out what the food was like in this particular branch, although I imagine it's the same as all the others, it's McMexican, after all. Might be ok if you're taking a big obnoxious work crowd who like to shout at each other - in fact you'll fit right in.

Wahaca is part owned by Tomasina Myers the former winner of Masterchef. Then the association with good food ends. This place specialises in under-seasoned oily food in combination with poor service and lots of waiting. This is a real shame as Mexican food is one of my favourite cuisines.

I was really looking forward to Wahaca opening on the Waterloo Road. The Covent Garden(ish) branch is handy for a snack on the way home after the opera, but the queues there and at the South Bank pop-up are ridiculous.

Having walked past several times without seeing a queue snaking up the stairs, I ventured in there for an early dinner before a show at the SBC last night.

We were advised that it would be 20-30 minutes wait for a table and invited to wait at the bar. At the Covent Garden branch, this is not a great area, but has places to sit down and a civilised approach to getting drinks.

The bar area was throbbing with load music, rammed with people and it was impossible to get to the bar without climbing over people or furniture.

We left at this point.

I assume the food is as good as at the other branches, but I can't actually report one way or another, and I'm not going to hang around in a 'tube carriage in rush hour' themed bar to find out.