Afghan & Pakistani Restaurant Illford - Watan - (Near Redbridge, South East)

5 /5 Jagjit Ryatt: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Fantastic! I had an amazing experience at Watan! The food was bursting with authentic Pakistani flavors — rich, perfectly spiced, and beautifully presented. Every dish tasted freshly made and full of depth, from the tender kebabs to the flavourful Chicken Karahi. The staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, creating a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. You can really tell they take pride in their cooking and hospitality. If you’re craving genuine Pakistani cuisine, Watan is an absolute must-visit. I can’t wait to go back!

5 /5 Mohammad Marzan: The food was fresh, tasty, and full of flavour. A special mention to Sana for her excellent customer service — friendly, attentive, and made the visit even better. Highly recommend!

5 /5 Isaac Hollander: The restaurant was absolutely buzzing when we arrived. It was packed, but we were seated after about a 10-minute wait, which was reasonable given how busy it was. We ordered the mixed platter, a chicken karahi, and some extra naan and roti to share. The food was incredible! The lamb and chicken tikka were perfectly cooked, tender, and full of flavour, while the kofte kebabs were delicious and juicy. The rice was seasoned really well, and there was easily enough food for five people. Everything served was truly a 10/10 with generous portions, great taste, and excellent quality throughout. Would definitely recommend Watan for anyone looking for authentic, well-cooked dishes and a lively dining experience.

1 /5 tilly milly: What an underwhelming experience. Ive heard a a lot of hype about this place and finally decided to visit. First of all we called to ask if we needed to make a reservation and were told no just walk in. We asked about parking and the man on the phone was very unhelpful and said he didn’t know. We arrived and found parking on a side road. We walked into the restaurant and it was jam packed couldn’t even open the door as people were all lined up blocking the door. A bold man came after a few minutes and said that we needed to order at the door and then he would get us a table. We were completely rushed. We finally got a table but were left waiting for ages to order drinks. We had to call someone over who didn’t even bring a drinks menu and just asked us what we wanted. The waiters kept barging into me as I sat at the table which was so uncomfortable. The food was not the best. Very bland. The karahi goshath was bland, the biryani was bland the mixed grill was too chewy. The service was awful. The toilet was disgusting and the sink outside the toilet to wash your hands in was disgusting and wobbling all over the place. Over all what an absolute shambles. The food was not worth the price. Once it was time to leave we couldn’t get out of the door and nobody helped as it was still so busy with people blocking the door. The service and atmosphere were awful. Will never go again.