Maharani

The Maharani is not a classic nor a modern restaurant, its..........?? The food is average, the service is less than average. I've eatern there a few times and every time I felt there was something missing. The better choice would be Indian Flavours, which is up near Clapham North tube station. Indian flavours is a much smaller place but you get everything, good food, good service and a good atmosphere. I hope my review is helpful.
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Peter Acorn sw8
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Saturday, March 28, 2009

I can't say I'm surprised to see so many glowing reviews for Maharani, but I am disappointed.

Having moved to the area 2 years ago, Maharani was the first curry house we visited. It was great - delicious food, unpretentious decor, and friendly staff.

On several occasions since this, we've felt that the staff have been rude, the service has been slow, and the food unremarkable. They've also had a refurb wich has taken all the character and charm away.

Last night I went to Maharani with friends for dinner. Despite being empty, it took them about 5 minutes to seat us - with no menus - and when my wife asked if she could hang her wet coat up, the waiter took it and put it on the back of her chair! Several minutes later and still no menus, I asked if we could see the menu and order. The waiter replied with 'In a minute'

We left and won't go back.
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foodface
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, February 03, 2009

We went for an early Sunday night curry with some what trepidation after reading the reviews on this site, but were very pleasantly surprised. Very generous sauces with the poppadums, fantastic spicy lamb wrapped in lettuce followed by an excellent chicken bihrani and lamb chops - spicy, meaty and served with fried onion and pepper. Service wasn't over-friendly but polite enough, and reasonably efficient. Price was slightly more than we expected since we had shared one starter followed by two mains, one garlic nan and one pilau rice with no alcohol (nursing hangovers!) - nearly £40, but overall, a very good experience, and we would return!
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Katie
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Monday, November 03, 2008

You lucky, lucky people. Recently it has become apparent that, where there was one type of curry house, now there are two.

The first (and more 'traditional') has any of the following: Candle powered hot plates, flock wallpaper, linen tablecloth, faded prints from india, floral crockery, lager by the pint as long as it's kingfisher or cobra, an old guy in a toupe behind the bar, sitar muzak, a few cutout newspaper reviews circa 1978 in the window, a menu that never, ever, ever changes from the tikka starter to the after eight mint to the coconut ice that nobody ever buys.

The second has bhangra videos banging out a 42" plasma, expensive bottled indian and other asian beer, "fusion" cusine, white crockery, 'trendy' waiters in black satin and a spice tray that contains things other than mango chutney, lime pickle, onion or that yoghurt that according to the colour chips on my desk is pantone 368c (ask your designer mate)

The Maharani in Clapham is the first type, unpretentious and comfortable and something that should never, ever EVER change. The other type is two doors down so you can leave the rest of us to enjoy a pint and a shashlik in peace.
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Toby
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, December 04, 2007

I'm gobsmacked to see all the brilliant reviews for this restaurant, it is unequivocally one of the worst eating experiences I've ever had. The food was bland and badly prepared; rice undercooked, tikka tasteless and shashlik burnt. The only wine by the glass was 'house' which tasted like martini and gave me a headache. Considering the standard it wasn't exactly cheap, and the poor product made it feel a rip off.

However that is nothing compared to the terrible service. Rude, brusque, ungrateful and at points offensive. If you want to feel like you are inconveniencing the staff and keeping them from something more important then this is the place for you. In almost two hours in the place we didn't see one waiter crack a smile or look in the slightest bit eager to serve.

I never like to write a one-sided review but I honestly cannot think of anything positive to say about this establishment.

Truly, truly terrible.
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Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Saturday, December 01, 2007

I hate Indian food!! Always have done since I was young. One night I was reluctantly dragged to this restaurant by friends and I was amazed that I actually loved this food. Quite simply, delicious, better than any Indian I'd tried before and in fact better than any other countrie's food I'd had before too.

A few days later, after having decided I do like Indian food after all and I'd spent my whole life mistakenly believing I didn't, I ordered some takeaway from a different restaurant close to where I live in Victoria. BANG. disgusting.

Maharani is the only Indian restaurant I will touch in London.... Superb.
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Lui
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, May 17, 2007

I found this restsaurant years ago,they used ta advertise in the E>Standard.

I have returned through the years over and over again. They extended the interior and the food remained well priced and just as good as all that time ago.

Very friendly and well worth the effort. Its my wife's 50th and guess what were going to The Maharani.
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frank baron
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Good service the food is the same standard it is of a much better standard than the Golden curry in my opinion
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j
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

This is one of the best British Indian restaurant I've ever come across so far. We've been there a few times and whenever we think of Indian food, Maharani is always the first choice. There's nothing on the menu that I don't like. There're lots of accolades on the wall dating back to even 80s. The restaurant is run by family. It's always busy on Friday eve and weekend.
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Tina Johnson
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, February 26, 2007