Visited Hot & Spicy Shrimp in Dulwich and booked ahead using the app. Staff communication was good, but the experience left a lot to be desired.
We arrived 15 minutes early for our booking, but were told we’d need to leave by 9 PM, which felt rushed, especially since other customers appeared to be paying after they ate without the same pressure.
I ordered the Shrimp Fest, and my partner went for the Hot & Spicy Classic Boil. Sadly, my shrimp were not cleaned properly the veins were still in every single one. That’s a basic hygiene and prep step that was completely missed, and since I eat shrimp with the shell on, it really ruined the dish for me.
We added calamari, which was okay cooked fine—but I couldn’t help noticing that other tables got noticeably larger portions, with bigger pieces. That inconsistency was frustrating.
My partner enjoyed his boil more than I did, but personally, I found the seasoning grainy and uneven. While I could taste the Old Bay sauce, the texture and overall balance were off. The potatoes were heavily coated in seasoning, to the point it overpowered the rest of the dish.
Overall, I wanted to like this place, and the idea is great, but for the price and the hype, the execution was underwhelming. I might give it another try, but they’ll need to tighten up on quality control and consistency across dishes.