3 /5 10Fold “Mr Rate Escape”: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
6.5/10
533 London - Ilford
533 London is a new lounge-restaurant hybrid, and you can definitely see the vision. The setup is clean and modern… tables are nicely spaced out, and the upstairs area turns into a proper lounge-party vibe later in the evening. It’s something different for Ilford… a mix between dining and nightlife… and they’ve got the potential to make it work.
Food: when the food finally came, it was actually nice. There were four of us in total, and for starters I had the prawn tempura and the calamari… both were cooked well, light and crispy with a good crunch. The lamb chops were well-seasoned and cooked properly, the jollof rice had a good smoky flavour, and the salmon was soft and nicely done.
But the timing was the biggest issue. My sweet potato fries were meant to come out with my lamb chops, but instead they brought out everyone else’s food and served my sweet potato fries on their own… cold. All of our food came out staggered, and once everyone at the table had finished their meals, I was still sitting there with nothing. It genuinely felt like they’d forgotten my order, and I had to ask if my lamb chops were even coming. Around 45 minutes later, they finally arrived. The lamb chops themselves tasted nice… but by that point the sweet potato fries were completely inedible, which really spoilt the experience overall.
Drinks: the 553 Blue and 553 Pink were really nice… creative, colourful and full of flavour. I tried both the alcoholic and virgin versions, and you can tell they put effort into them. But for me, they were on the sweeter side… a little too sweet at times. And again, the wait for drinks was long. I even ordered a drink in the lounge area upstairs to come to my table… it never came.
Service & organisation: the staff were polite and friendly… special mention to Sowmya, who was serving our table in the dining area and stayed helpful and patient throughout. But the service system needs serious work… starters before drinks… food coming out at random times… and no consistency at all.
Entertainment: this was one of the highlights. There was a DJ, a saxophonist, a female dancer, and a host… and together they brought great energy to the night. The music and atmosphere were genuinely good and added a premium touch to the evening.
Security & entry: something to note… everyone gets searched on entry, and you must show ID whether you’re eating downstairs or using the lounge upstairs. On the night I visited, every guest was searched without exception.
Overall: 533 London has real potential… the space looks great, the food and drinks are good, and the upstairs lounge gives it that extra energy. The entertainment was top tier and really helped lift the night. If they can fix the organisation and tighten up the service… this could easily be a 9 or even 10 out of 10 spot. For now, it’s a 6.5/10 experience with a lot of promise