Eight

Just like the movie Se7en or the boy band 5ive, the Allerton Road restaurant Ei8ht has worked out that some letters look a titchy bit like numbers. Good for them.
I wouldn’t recommend coming here if you’re hungry but don’t have time to buy a meal. The gorgeous smells drifting through the air made my stomach want to chew its way out and make a break for the kitchen. The décor is nothing special but if the food is a billionth as delicious as those odours I’m buying a table her forever.
Instead I had to make do with a pint and in precisely zero seconds I’d been accosted by the local bore who proceeded to vehemently deny I came from Liverpool on the basis that my accent wasn’t as strong as his. There’s only so many times you can tell someone the truth and have it dismissed before you want to leave. If he’s never there again, I’d like to try the food here. If he lives here, they should barricade the doors.

Imagine you own a restaurant, going for a lot on your menu can be a risky strategy. At the same time as a foodie diner I love a large selection to choose from, and also if the first visit choice hits the spot it keeps me coming back for more. 1 234 567“EIGHT” have gone for this strategy of making the menu large and wholesome. There’s about 7 «light bites» to choose from with the marinated Chicken Skewers with a small salad & sweet chilli dipping sauce standing out for me at under £6. Then you’ve got about ten starters to chose from, now soup of the day would probably suffice here. I must admit there was a first with this restaurant. Never have I ever felt physically sick at the mere sight of a starter, Slowly Cooked Pigs Cheeks In Oriental Barbecue Sauce with bread!!! (PUKE) I would happily chew on grass from the garden to survive than go anywhere near this monstrosity of a starter.
Multiply 8 by 2 and you get 16 main courses, yes 16!!! Thankfully there is no stomach churning disgusting option here. Of all these options however I would recommend the back to basics option of Traditional Fish & Chips with mushy peas, tartare sauce & hand-​cut chips. Unless you want to go for a Vegetable Thai Red Curry with steamed basmati rice and oriental herbs. What a joke! Thai curry with Indian basmati rice!!! Who came up with that silly idea? Clearly someone ignorant to both Thai and Indian cuisine. Harsh but fair!
Eight is a decent looking restaurant where the décor may trick you into a false sense of fine dining gourmet experience sense of security, which its not really. What it undoubtedly is however, is comfort food glammed up a wee bit. I have been to better restaurants but this one ain’t all that bad. Nothing can however get me back those 5 long minutes which it took me to recover from reading about that starter!

Ei8ht is a swish new restaurant on Allerton Road. Popular with students there is a laid back, sociable atmosphere, comfy sofas, reasonable prices and genial staff encourage this atmosphere.
The menu is impressive and you’re sure to have difficulty choosing! Sandwiches and light bites are available if you just want a tasty snack and there are countless starters and mains on offer; some are a little exotic or weird depending on your palette: slowly cooked pigs cheeks may not, for example may not appeal to all, but there are plenty of other delights. The King prawn and monkfish with chilli jam is delicious and I recommend the mussels in coconut milk and coriander.
Great service, great food, great night.

I’ve recommended Monday night as the best night becasue thats when you can get an 8oz Sirloin Steak and Chips for £11.95 From Monday to Thursday you can get two courses for £12.50 which I think is reasonable. In general it is not really affordable enough to be a regular sports bar hangout as some of the dishes could be cheaper. The cocktails are not overpriced at just over £3 or under £10 for a jug that serves three.
I like the round tables and live sports. It would be a good place to hold your party and there is a private function room available for hire. Despite not opening to nearer lunch time, breakfast with free refills is served until early afternoon.

I have heard a few poor reviews about this bar, but I don’t think it’s that bad. Ei8ht is a fairly new establishment on the Allerton Road front and has a lot to compete with, including Penny Lane Wine Bar just around the corner. I think the huge competition surrounding it left it lacking as it doesn’t really pack a punch.
The interior is pleasant, very chic and cool with huge comfy sofas. People say that «nice» isn’t the best descriptive word and can be kind of icky — but that is how I would describe Ei8ht, it’s food and service.
If you want your night out to include Ei8ht, I would start there early on rather than expect to stay there for the long haul. It tends to attract your typical student and young professional crowd but I don’t think it would hit top of their list either.

Not overly impressed by this contender in the big boy stakes of Allerton Road. Somewhere that I guess is aimed at young professionals and graduates in the area, it tends to bring in the muscular tight t-​shirt brigade with their dolly birds instead.
I ventured over there the night after the grand opening, and once I made it to the bar, asked the barman (who was about my age) for a Martini with lemonade. He turned and looked at the bar shelves, and then looked back at me and asked me to repeat my order. Now then, at this point I sympathised, because I know what its like to get a new job in a new bar and not quite know your way around. So I repeated my request. This time, he looked utterly confused, and started stuttering, so I had to count out how many bottles along the Martini was and tell him on which shelf. It was with all the other types of Martini and really wasn’t that hard to spot. My sympathy dissipated. Judging by the length of time it took my friend to get our drinks when she went, he still hadn’t figured out where the Martini was.
This is not a good sign for a new business. Another warning sign was when I asked a waitress if and when they served food, and she looked at me as though I was speaking to her in Aramaic. Now I know you may think I’m being too harsh, but when the spectacular launch party was the night before, and the glitterati of Allerton had been in attendance, the staff should know a bit about where they are working.
Anyway, apart from this it is a nice bar that seems to be open all the time and will hopefully find its niche before it runs out of business.