7Days 7Ways

7Days 7Ways

7Days 7Ways was the first English restaurant and pub to open in Luxor. The Englishmen who ran it, John and John, became almost as famous as their Luxor enterprise. So much so that the restaurant was often referred to as "The two Johns". The restaurant developed an enviable reputation for good English food and was especially famous for its Sunday roasts.

Carol and Billy are very well known and respected Luxor restaurant managers. They earned the Jamboree restaurant, near the northern end of Luxor temple, a huge reputation during their tenure of nearly 7 years.

Carol and Billy took over the running of 7Days late in 2006. The combined reputations of 7Days and its new management promised something really special but Carol and Billy didn't really stay long enough to make a mark. For a while after they moved on the very English 7Ways was largely Egyptian.

Early in 2007 our first impressions after all these changes were that everything was much the same. The walls are still painted brick; the tables in the rather narrow restaurant are still lined up along the walls and dressed in crisp clean cloths; there are still buy-one-get-one-free deals on alcoholic cocktails, the menu was pretty much the same as far as we could recall.

However, the food and ambience were less good. We found the food disappointing and expensive compared with the nearby competition. Non-smokers were irritated by smoking and in such a small restaurant there was really no escape.

Later in 2007 the management changed again. New Manager Laura has made the restaurant non-smoking and has reduced prices by around 20% to compete more closely with other restaurants, of which there are a growing number at this end of town. Now job-sharing with Laura is Theresa and between them they provide an English presence virtually all the time in this resturant known for its Englishness.

Although more competitive, prices are not compelling. Steaks are about the same price as the new John & Johns, at LE45 with a sauce but soft drinks are dearer at LE7.5. A tagin is LE39 whereas most main courses at John & Johns are around LE35. At least the prices now include tax, which hasn't always been the case. Overall, the pricing is a hugely better than it was under previous management and is in tune with the better restaurants, although there are plenty of good nearby restaurants where prices are lower, such as Maxime, New Sunrise and Sinouhe.

For a long time 7Days has been able to depend on two things for its custom. First, there is the reputation - almost fame - that has built up over many years. Second, there is the comfort factor. It is an English haven in a bustling Luxor street and ideal for people who don't want to stay in the hotel to eat, but do not want to venture too far or try anything too different.

These benefits had been outweighed for a while by the smoky atmosphere, the prices and the food, which some reported as OK, but others not, so lets just call it inconsistent.

The recent changes have dealt largely with two of the problems, the smoke and the prices. We think the food quality has improved too, so the venue has an opportunity to become once more a favourite of British visitors. Unfortunately for 7Days7Ways, whilst the restaurant has been going through its transformations, other excellent restaurants have opened up all around and several have English proprietors. Some of them are now run by the two Johns. As a result visitors who are new to Luxor have more options than there were in the old days and even the loyal John & John followers have their allegiance split between 7Days, the original John & John restaurant, and their newer creations.

We don't think 7Days7Ways will ever dominate the way it used to, but we do think that, after a while in the doldrums, it is once again worth a try.