Ego Sheffield

So for years I’ve been recommending this place as a ‘go to’ for pretty much everything… a relaxed evening with some cocktails on the terrace, light lunch through the day or a meal in the evening for occasions- anyone visiting Sheffield I’ve always recommended this place. It had been a while since I last visited myself, but the other day me and a friend came in for lunch. We’d seen the promotion giving the option of 2 or 3 courses for a set price on a Wednesday. Wow… The hanging kebabs were included (pleasantly surprised), and the quality and freshness of the food was outstanding. So much flavour! The interior in this place is always bright and feels well looked after. Staff were super attentive and approachable, drinks were (and still are) good quality- not like a lot of the cheap sugary cocktails in other local bars. This place truly never disappoints. I’m so glad I can confidently say it’s a consistently LOVELY place to go in Sheffield.

Visited as part of a group, which probably detracted from the usual experience as I tend to find that the service declines notably for larger groups and this was no exception. The table wasn’t ready when we arrived just before our booked time, and there was a wait while the table was prepared- probably about 15 minutes I would guess. I don’t have a problem with the wait specifically, but more the area where we were asked to wait- the bar. This area is also a very narrow walkway for customers to use and for staff trying to carry food to tables, so you were left constantly dodging people carrying plates and constantly being asked to move for people to pass by and it just felt chaotic and claustrophobic. All the food was very good, but the service lacked any warmth with food being pretty much just called and then dumped in the relevant place with little in the way of pleasantries. Additionally, the food for all the courses was generally carried over 2 plates at a time by one person, so it arrived in dribs and drabs with some people sat with food waiting for quite a while for others to get their meals. It’s basic restaurant procedure that if you have a big table you communicate with your colleagues and a few staff group together to serve a large table together to avoid this. It all just came across a bit chaotic and disorganised from start to finish. I would also add that there is a massive accumulation of cobwebs on the walls above the food serving hatch, which is clearly visible from the opposite side of the restaurant which highlights poor attention to detail. I often think if the bits of a restaurant you can see are dirty, what are the bits you can’t see like? Overall, good food but management need to get a grip on basic standards.

We had an absolutely fantastic experience at Ego! The food was amazing, the service was excellent, and the surroundings made for a really enjoyable evening. We visited as a party of nine and took advantage of their great Wednesday deal — 2 courses for £15 or 3 courses for £30 — which was brilliant value without any compromise on quality. Every dish was beautifully presented and packed with flavour. As we all work in catering, we can be a tough crowd to impress, but Ego exceeded all our expectations. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel so welcome from start to finish. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great food, great value, and a lovely atmosphere. We’ll definitely be coming back!