Places in Lagos| The Observatory

The Observatory is a fusion smokehouse located on Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Though the restaurant is relatively new, the location isn’t. The same space was occupied by another restaurant, BLD by Play, for some time. The building got renovated last year, and the lower floor became housed by a bar called the Man Cave. The upper floor was still being renovated at the time until The Observatory opened officially in December 2020. I stopped by the restaurant in March with my friend, A, and here’s what I think of the place.

AMBIENCE
The Observatory has a “space meets earth” concept going on in the space. Though it isn’t overly big, I love how it was set up. From the seat types to the sitting arrangement, pendant lights, greenery, and overall aesthetics. It’s dreamy and photo-ready. The restaurant has a waiting area, bar area, and the main dining area with both booth seats and regular dining seats.

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MENU
I like how the menu doesn’t have too many things in it. It made it easier for us to make selections quickly. It’s a fusion smokehouse, so most of the meal options are smoked. Have a look at the menu below;

WHAT WE ORDERED
So for the first time in a while, we didn’t order a starter. For drinks, A asked for a Long Island Iced Tea while I chose a Blueberry Mojito. We ordered the Seafood & Poultry full platter and a portion of Cajun Fries for our main meal. The waiter had advised us to go for the full platter because the half wouldn’t do for two. We were starving so we went with his advice.

Our drinks were served quickly, and my Mojito was so delicious that I got a second one while we ate. Before our meals came, we were served a complimentary starter of cornbread and pepper sauce which worked up our appetites.

Everything we ate was a hit back to back. There were no complaints on our end. When we had to choose what we loved most, we both agreed on the fries. I have never tasted sweet potato fries that good before. I don’t know what kind of spices they were garnished with, but it was yummy. It was the highlight of our night. Yes, we ate the whole food in the photo. Every single thing!

SERVICE & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
We had called ahead to make reservations but were told we didn’t need to and could just walk in. However, when we got there, we weren’t seated for about twenty minutes because tables had been booked. It didn’t make sense to us, and I’m happy they found a way to resolve it before we vexed and left. They have a big sofa in the waiting area, so we just sat there while they found us a table. When we finally got our seats, our waiter came by to introduce himself and gave us our menus. He was polite and charming. He was also familiar with the menu and offered suggestions. The wait time for our food and drinks was decent. The manager came by to check if everything was okay and if we had any complaints. The restaurant was busy, though, and people kept trooping in, so once we were done, we had to leave. All covid-19 protocols were obeyed.

DAMAGE
Blueberry Mojito x2 ~ 7000
Long Island Iced Tea x2 ~ 8,000
Sea Food Poultry Platter (full) ~ 20,000
Cajun Fries ~ 2,000
Water ~ 700
The restaurant adds a service charge of 1.5% and a VAT and consumption tax of 12.5% to all bills. So our total damage was N42,890.50

The Observatory will be a good choice if you’re looking for a classy and chilled dining experience in Lagos. If you love astrology, you’ll love the space too. I especially loved the vibes of the restaurant, and I’d easily recommend it to anyone looking to go out to eat with their family, friends, or on a date.

Out of 10, I rate The Observatory a 7. 

Mariam Shittu

P.S. this is not a sponsored post. All opinions expressed were not influenced.
header credit: @theobservatorylagos