Arena Lounge
Quick info
About Arena Lounge
Arena Lounge is a West African restaurant and lounge in Chatham, on High St at number 307, serving Nigerian dishes with cocktails and music. The kitchen cooks abula, amala and ogbono soup, with meat served in the soup. Rice dishes, seafood and grills fill out the rest of the menu, so a table can mix soups with something from the grill. The lounge format puts the food and the bar in one room, which suits an evening that runs from dinner into drinks. The bar pours cocktails and also stocks bottled beer such as Heineken.
Good to know
“Nigeria African and intercontinental dishes and exotic cocktails 🍸 Good foods,good ambience,good music. Uniqueness unparalleled.”
- AccessibilityWheelchair: entrance, parking lot, seating
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention amala, abula, ogbono soup and okra soup.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention amala, abula, ogbono soup and okra soup.
Customer Review Summary
Amala is the dish reviewers praise most, called the best some have eaten, served piping hot with soft meat in the soup and a portion so large one diner pushed to finish it. Abula comes close behind, along with okra soup, seafood, and an Ogbono soup one diner says stands out against restaurants across Kent and London. The grills are described as on point, and the drinks and music also earn mentions. Several find the staff kind and patient. One reviewer, however, reports an extremely long wait for grilled fish with pepper soup, one set of cutlery for two, an unpleasant response from a staff member who said he was the owner, and being told the Trophy beer had run out and to drink Heineken instead. Another diner who has visited for both lunch and dinner says they have never regretted it.
Customer Review Summary
Amala is the dish reviewers praise most, called the best some have eaten, served piping hot with soft meat in the soup and a portion so large one diner pushed to finish it. Abula comes close behind, along with okra soup, seafood, and an Ogbono soup one diner says stands out against restaurants across Kent and London. The grills are described as on point, and the drinks and music also earn mentions. Several find the staff kind and patient. One reviewer, however, reports an extremely long wait for grilled fish with pepper soup, one set of cutlery for two, an unpleasant response from a staff member who said he was the owner, and being told the Trophy beer had run out and to drink Heineken instead. Another diner who has visited for both lunch and dinner says they have never regretted it.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“10/10 costomer service, they were kind, and patient. We had the Abula, great portion size and it was Tasty! Drinks are really good too! Definitely recommend! (Good music too!!!)”
- Google user
“I visited Alpha Lounge in Chatham with my wife on Father's Day at around 9:00 pm. A friend who does not reside in Chatham had spoken to me about the place, so i had decided to try it out instead of driving to London as my wife had suggested (This was my greatest mistake). Surprisingly, we were the only customers in the venue. We ordered grilled fish with pepper soup, but the food took an extremely long time to arrive. When it finally came, we were only given one set of cutlery for two people. When we politely asked for another set, the staff member who served us responded with an unpleasant attitude and began telling us that he was the owner of the business. I'm not sure what relevance that had to my simple request, but it came across as arrogant and unprofessional. What made the experience even worse was the drinks service. Before the food arrived, I ordered a bottle of Trophy beer. Later, when I requested a second bottle, I was told there was no more Trophy available and that I should drink Heineken instead. If I had wanted Heineken, I would have ordered it in the first place, especially since it was clearly available when I made my initial order. Customer service is a huge part of the dining experience, and unfortunately Alpha Lounge failed badly in this regard. The combination of the excessive waiting time, poor service, dismissive attitude, and lack of professionalism completely ruined what should have been an enjoyable Father's Day evening with my wife. Overall, I would not recommend Alpha Lounge to anyone, even if the money was free. If the gentleman who claimed to be the owner is indeed running the place, he should seriously reconsider how customers are treated. We left feeling disappointed, frustrated, and disgusted by the entire experience. UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO OWNER: Thank you for your response. I am disappointed that rather than addressing the specific concerns raised in my review, your reply focuses on making allegations about my wife and me without providing any details or evidence of the behaviour you are referring to. My review was based solely on our experience that evening: the long wait for food , being given only one set of cutlery for two diners, the manner in which our request for additional cutlery was handled, and the confusion surrounding the drinks order. These were factual observations from our visit. If there was a concern about our conduct, it would have been more appropriate to address it at the time rather than raise it publicly after the fact. Neither my wife nor I were abusive, threatening, or disrespectful to any member of staff. We simply expected a reasonable standard of service and expressed our concerns when that standard was not met. Constructive criticism works both ways. As customers, we are entitled to share our honest experience, just as businesses are entitled to respond. However, dismissing customer feedback by making personal accusations does little to address the issues raised or reassure future customers. I stand by my review as an honest account of our experience and wish your business well in improving both customer service and the way feedback is handled.”
- Google user
“Best Amala in town! I've been here twice and it didn't dissappoint. That Amala came out piping hot and delicious, the meat in that soup was soft and scrumptious. Very generous portions, I'll be back!”
- Google user
“Arena Lounge never misses when it comes to food. Great atmosphere, fresh food, good portions and full of flavour. Definitely one of those spots you keep going back to. The grills were on point and the service was proper too. Good food, good vibe, good people.”
- Google user
“Excellent place with great ambience here in Kent. Quality of food is out of this world and we'll dressed friendly staff. Ambience is electrically excellent. Highly recommended”
Amenities
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 2
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Location
Restaurants near Arena Lounge
- DAWAT SPICE4.42870 mi£10–20Vegan optionsVegetarian optionsWheelchair accessible
lamb karai, chicken karai, nehari
- Aden Lounge4.71900 miWheelchair accessible
shisha flavours, tender steak, grilled octopus
- Taze Restaurant4.61,3510 mi£10–30Outdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options
huge portions, leftovers to take home, value for money
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arena LoungeWheelchair accessible | 4.689 | — | — | amala, abula, ogbono soup |
| DAWAT SPICEVegan options · Vegetarian options · Wheelchair accessible | 4.4287 | 0 mi | £10–20 | lamb karai, chicken karai, nehari |
| Aden LoungeWheelchair accessible | 4.7190 | 0 mi | — | shisha flavours, tender steak, grilled octopus |
| Taze RestaurantOutdoor seating · Vegan options · Vegetarian options | 4.61,351 | 0 mi | £10–30 | huge portions, leftovers to take home, value for money |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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