Agra Restaurant

I would advise some people to understand Indian food before commenting. I have visited the Agra since I was a student in the early seventies and still go there whenever I'm in London. With perhaps the oldest tandoori oven in Britain, the tandoori food is the best I've tasted - even though the staff stubbornly refuse to give me the marinade recpie!! Although ftrendy fusion restauarnts like Chutney Mary deliver good food, this is the best of the standard Indian locations, and was a by-word to the cognoscenti way back when. Although trendies and hooray-henries may prefer to crowd to the now-ruined Brick Lane (what a good place it was before the what-ho-chaps took over) and crow over third-rate bistros, the lover of Indian food will continue to search for places like this. Service is usually reflected by the attitudes of the customers, and I have always been treated well here. So ignore the ignoramuses who complain because they don't know what they're eating, do yourslevs a good turn and taste the food here. As someone who has been in India and who has cooked Indian food for many years, I can't recommend this place highly enough.
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NIGEL
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 31, 2008

What do Roy Orbison and Muhammad Ali have in common? One answer is they have both frequented the Agra near Warren Street tube (not really Soho at all, as the website has it). And they were right to do so. The tandoori dishes are particularly good, and it is an excellent Indian overall with a wide range of regular customers. The wine list could do with a freshen up, but otherwise this is a knockout.
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Nosher - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 28, 2008

What have Muhammad Ali and Roy Orbison got in common? They have both patronised this deservedly long-standing Indian restaurant that isn't in Soho at all. It is just behind Warren Street. Had an excellent meal there recently, as usual, with the tandoori-based dishes being outstanding. Intersting mixed clientele too; some medics, some commuters getting the late train, and some miscellaneous drunks.
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Nosher - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, February 24, 2008

We went to Agra on Saturday night with some friends and I have to agree with a lot of the other reviews that it was a wee bit tatty and the main waiter was a bit grumpy and emotionless, however this all seemed to add to the charm (and there was one very friendly waiter).

The food was fairly good and there was a lot of choice, but it was a bit annoying that they didn't have descriptions of any of the dishes on the menu and so unless you know exactly what should be in each curry you would have no idea what you were ordering.

We had a good night ...... that was until the bill came and they had charged us approx 40% more on the bar than they should have!

We'd ordered 5 large beers and when we'd finished those we ordered 5 more. However the restaurant seemed to have run out of large beers and so instead gave us the last 3 large beers they had left and 3 defiantly much smaller beers (half the size). We presumed that they would just charge us for what we had had and we didn't make a fuss (though we would've ordered pints or another type of beer given the choice at this stage). We then added an additional small beer to the pile - so you can see 8 large beers @ £3.95 and 3 small beers at something less (presumably) Lets say for the record it was 11 beers at £3.95 (which it was not) and you get £43.45 so we were expecting our bar bill to be around £40. You can imagine our surprise when the bill said £57 and some pence!!!!!!

Despite the fact that a member of our party went and pointed out their mistake not only did they not apologise, but they only reduced it to a mere £47 still a good few quid from where it should have been. At this point we had to go as two of our party had trains to catch and we didn't have time to take this further.

This was a terrible end to an otherwise great evening.
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M Barsby
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 0
Monday, February 18, 2008

I have always found the Agra to be a very nice restaurant - with excellent fresh and reliable food. The service isn't obsequious, but the staff are very friendly when you speak to them. It has a touch of history too - there are photos on the walls of Muhammad Ali / Cassius Clay from when he used to visit. As well as the usual dishes, there are some unusual ones. I have been visiting for 20 years and have never had a dud meal.
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Tim
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Saturday, July 07, 2007

I've been going to the Agra for 10years and for the food it sets the standard for me. It's a bit tatty inside and the service can be hit and miss, but if a few polite words and I've always found the staff friendly. The standard curry is a favorite with many friends, though I prefer something hotter.
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PMG
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, February 26, 2007

I've been going to the Agra for over 15 years now and my parents have since the 1960s. The secret to their success and their loyal following is the Tandoori chicken. The chickens are much larger than those usually used for Tandoori and they use a traditional, rather than gas tandoori oven. It makes heaps of difference to the taste. I have yet to find another restaurant in London which compares.
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Claire
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Monday, February 12, 2007

I honestly dont know what planet loraine was on when she was writing that review

about this restaurant but i have been going to the agra for quite afew years now on regular basis with family and friends we travel from all parts of the country to meet here and enjoy the cuisine

the food is excellent although i do agree khadim the waiter who is part of the furniture in this well established family restaurant does sometimes come across as rushy and not interested but he is ok.

And i am there for the great flavour of the curry.
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quizmaster mike - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 01, 2007

I went here for a xmas meal with work colleagues but did not think much of this restaurant at all. I thought that the food was really poor quality, firstly the popadoms and chutney tasted bland like they were missing essential ingredients. Having mentioned missing ingedients I ordered a chicken korma and was disappointed with what I got, because this did not look or taste like a korma at all! The colour was a dark brown and it tasted quite spicy for a korma, which usually has a mild creamy coconut sauce. I believe that they just threw a load of ingredients together here, thinking that they had a load of girls that would not know the difference. I was even more disgusted with the chicken I got, which was not lean chicken breast, but poor quality fatty pieces of chicken. As for the service, well we were not made to feel very welcome by the grumpiness of the staff and the place was empty, which I was not surprised about at all. They didn't even bring us our change back, thinking that they could keep it as a tip until they realised we were waiting for out change. I certainly won't be eating here again and I do not recommend it to anyone else either.
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Lorraine
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Thursday, January 04, 2007

What a fab location and restuarant populated by attractive staff always with a smile on their face.

Historic.

Alan Blower
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Alan Blower
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, December 06, 2006