I visited this place on a Saturday evening with a couple of mates as some of friends were leaving sydney for good.
For starters we ordered lamb kebabs and chicken tikka which were very tender and cooked to perfection. Although the quantity was bit less for 4 people I would recommend ordering 1 starter per 2 people.
For main course we ordered alamgiri tikka masala and akhbari murg angari with akhbari naan. The curries were good but there was nothing too special about it. The naans were really good as it was quite different from the normal butter and garlic naans. I would definitely recommend trying the naans.
Paying$23-25 doesn’t really do much justice to the quantity of the curries but I’ll still visit this restaurant every once in a while whenever I get a bonus to spend by my employer. Hahah!
Food quality: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Repeatable: Yes
Expensive food: Yes
really nice! I like the lamb curry and chicken curry very much. And also the naan.
Back at Zomato after a very long time. And I wanted to start with one of the popular eateries in the suburb. I have to say I'm not disappointed at all. Because of the COVID-19, didn't want to sit down at the restaurant, hence took a take away. Went in lookin for Ramadan spl, but they didn't have any. Just had day's spl. Ordered garlic naan, chicken handi(day's spl) and haleem.
The Naan, even thiugh it had cooled down by the time I was ready to eat, was so soft that I could tear with my three fingers. Haleem was perfect. Light on palate. The showstopper was the chicken handi. The chicken soft and curry aromatic and flavourful. Just perfect.
Compared to the other places with same cuisines, the portions were generous.
Food was decadent and delicious! Especially the tikka dishes
Second time we came back from Melbourne just for the food here!
Probably one of my fav restaurants in Sydney. The cheese naan is to die for. We’ve been there numerous times but have never had a dish that was not outstanding. Also quite good value for money and byo
Hands down one of the highest quality Pakistani food I've had in Australia. A huge menu, each item true to tradition. Very impressed with staff and service too.
Most authentic Pakistani and Indian food in Sydney. Love it, it’s the freshest and great service by all staff.
Great business for the community as it has been around for a long time in Surry Hills now
Nice place with lovely ambience. food was tasty and affordable to the pocket. staff was quick in service. recommended for small get together
The place is small and cozy but the food tastes a million bucks. Must try the chilli cheese naan. It's a meal in itself. For the starters we tried, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Tikka and Cauliflower with mint sauce.
Mains were loaded with mutton, Chicken Biryani, naan(breads) and Malai Kofta ( cottage cheese in found balls).
The food is a bit spicy but savoury. Perfect blend of herbs.
The staff is a little rude. However, it worth going back for the food. Would rather go to the Darling Hurst outlet.
Nice place..always busy. We went as late as 9:00 and we sat outside primarily because it was buzzing inside the restaurant. The place is clean,spaced well and has a good crowd visiting.
We ordered Aftabi Tandoori Phool. It's a cauliflower roasted and steak serving. It was Innovative way of gurnish and taste and looked really alluring.
We ordered Jahangir zalfrazi which was good to taste but could have been much more better as the zalfrazi was not enough soked in into the chicken cubes. Finally we ordered the dumpukt biriyani and it was a showstopper. It meat melted in the mouth, the aroma was so smoky of the dum. The quantity was good for 2 and a half feed. It really felt like the taste of Pakistan.
Food was different from other Indian restaurants and tasted really good. For entreé, we tried kurkuri anarkali, lahori chatkhare, tandoor paneer, a special chicken starter that was not listed on the menu. For main course, we tried chicken biryani, some rotis, gosht maharaja, paneer karahi, dilbahar zafrani kofta and akbari murgh angari. For dessert, we had rasmalai and kulfi. All the dishes were very good. The rasmalai was outstanding.
Situated in surry hills, this indian pakistani didn't disappoint me. We ordered paneer handi and dal makhani with lacchha paratha , naan and roti. Service was super quick and taste amazing. Only the biryani was average in taste.
They were playing classic indian music which made the evening even better. The portion sizes were really good.
Visited this place for Valentines Day, Loved the way they had lit up the place perfect for a dine on Valentines Day.
Food was fantastic, but service was really below expectations.
Apart from it the place was good, worth a try for food lovers!
Global Foodie & Filmy
+3.5
The flavours and taste are more Pakistani than Indian. Very creamy and heavy dishes but good flavours and authentic. Polite and prompt service.
The best Indian food i have ever had!
I tired the Noorjahani Makhan Masala curry with cheese cubes and i must day I have been back a few times ordering the same dish, simply because it's too good! Super creamy and beautifully balanced. I highly recommend this dish for korma lovers.
I got the saffron rice for the side but it doesn't come with any saffron, just onions and peas. In case you're after the saffron rice you might wanna know.
My sister also had the famous rice dish and it was so big that even two hungry people couldn't finish it!
The naans are also amazing. Indian food can't get any better!
Heard a lot about special malai (cream) tikka boti of LalQila. Unlike the common Indian food places, the restaurant and the food did not let me down. Everything was perfect. Starting with royal ambiance mimicking Indian Mughal culture, we were attended by nice friendly staff. They ensured us that all items are halal, presented the specials and even agreed to make a few amendments to the plans on menu. The tikka took a little longer to come but it was definitely worth the wait. The tender barbeque was paired with mint chutney to balance the hot flavor of meat. Overall it was an incredible experience. Would certainly recommend trying this place.
New Favorite Indian Restaurant!! Nothing like I expected it to be. Most Indian restaurants serve the few basic Indian dishes with monotonous spicy taste but not Lal Qila. The menu was all halal yet very extensive and has a variety to choose from. When our order arrived, the staff greeted us in a friendly manner. The food was wonderful. Each dish had a main element whose flavor was elicited with a garnish or a dressing. For desserts we had gulab jamun – a highly sweet dish of warm and soft dough balls, leaving us feeling happy and full.
Great comfortable environment with nice and friendly staff. The Indian food is hands down delicious. Prawns dishes were prepared with an acerbic twist giving sea-food a taste like never before.If you’re in search of discovering unique flavors and especially Indian cuisine in Sydney, Lal Qila is just the right place!
Enjoyed the Goat Biryani. The quantity was generous and really tasty. Raita is not served with the Biryani and has to be ordered separately. We got the half roast chicken. Very tasty and a tad dry. Would have benefited from some mint sauce to break up the dryness.
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Lal qila, like it's exotic name dished up an exotic cuisine. We went to this place on diwali and had a reservation for 8:30 but got seated at 8:50 despite empty tables. Waited another 15 minutes for someone to take our order. The lady attending to us was rude and not at all helpful during the order process and even during reorder, we had to request the manager to appoint a different server to our table.
Coming to the food we ordered decent mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. The starters were exquisitely plated and looked delicious but the taste let down the appearance. The main course was a delight, the portions were good for 2-3 people, the taste was up to the mark and it certainly made our visit worth it.
Recommended dishes- lal qila biryani(Bbq chicken), butter paneer, dal makhni, butter chicken and the standout bread- Lahori kulcha
The only reason I give them 3.5 is due to the service and attitude of staff present. The food certainly makes lal qila worth a visit but not with the attitude of the current staff members.
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I'm becoming a bit of a fiend for this cuisine and the food at Lal Qila is just fantastic. I have a general aversion to rice but the goat biryani (Dumpukht Biryani $16.90) was divine. Light and fluffy, flavour packing a punch and the goat was incredibly tender and softer in the rich meaty flavour that's usually expected with lamb or goat. Yes, there are pieces of cloves, star anise and the like floating around but in my mind if you can't look past it, you're not enjoying enough. The serving size is clearly fit for a whole family, and really overshadows other dishes in size.
I enjoyed my crisp kalonji paratha ($4.50) but in hindsight I should have gone with a softer bread. Palak Paneer ($14.90) was again full of flavour as was our Kakori Gosht ($17.90) which had some beautiful notes. Instead of pieces of lamb this was minced and in turn a much dryer curry.
Service could be a little better as we were seated right in the central section yet it really took some time to order, otherwise the whole experience was fantastic.
As someone coming from Dubai, this Lal Qila was actually a lot more delicious than what I have tried in Dubai itself. The staff was friendly as well. Loved the variety of their Biryanis. This place is a must visit for anyone who misses home or wants to tantalize their flavor buds with the mouthwatering food they have.
Dinner was brilliant!
The quality could not be faulted. I'm a sucker for curries and these were some of the best I've eaten. The shop was absolutely packed, a clear indication that I'm not alone in my thoughts.
The atmosphere is extremely relaxed. The lighting and decor perfect for dinner.
Only two small issues though... Obviously an Indian restaurant but after walking 7 blocks home... I could clearly still smell the food on my clothes! Then there was the service. The food arrived quickly but the front of house staff were run off their feet.
Home of Indian and Pakistani non-veg food! Lal Qila continues to impresses us tikka lovers and has not once disappointed us. Best to go out with a gang of buddies which will let you sample many of the tandoor items and curries. Staff try to go out of their way to please.
Ordered delivery from Lal Qila and loved it! Everything was bursting with flavor. A terrific option for a night in with spice-laden comfort food.
Superb meal. Went in late in Saturday night. Place was packed. Got a table quickly and were well looked after right away. Great service and awesome recommendations. Will be back.
Went there last night after checking all the positive reviews and didn't get disappointed at all by the food.
I can simply call this by far the best Indian food in Sydney, Yes it is that good.
Ambience is ok, sitting arrangement isn't very spacious and lots of noise around because of that but food is reasonably priced and damn delicious which makes up for the other things.
If they can offer same price and quality at King wharf that will be amazing food with experience.
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If my tummy wasn't so sensitive to spice, I'd visit restaurants like Lal Qila far more often, I love them! South Asian flavours are just fantastic and the food Lal Qila served up last night was deeply flavourful and aromatic.
The garlic naan was brilliant, a little crispy on the outside, soft, tender and fluffy on the inside. Tandoori chicken was adequately spicy and carried a lovely charred aroma from the tandoor oven. The king prawns (Mahtab-e-Daria) in tomato coconut sauce were rich and creamy, a perfect accompaniment to the biryani rice we ordered. The diced lamb (Gosht Maharaja) cooked in tomato, ginger and onion was a flavour explosion, literally!
The chicken biryani was buttery, meaty and loaded with flavours. My only complaint -- the biryani was full of stone fruits and the seeds were left in the rice along with pieces of cinnamon bark and bits of chicken bone. I imagine this is the traditional way of cooking it -- which I don't mind -- but it would have been nice to have a warning from the wait staff. My mum almost lost a tooth chewing into plum stone.
Service was a little erratic, being neither here nor there and on the inattentive side. You can't forget water three times. This being said, when the wait staff did come around they were very hospitable. The vibe of the restaurant was atmospheric and warming, the right feel to go with the warming food.
Overall a nice experience.
PS - Forgive the darkness of the photos, the restaurant was very dimly lit and I was shooting with my phone.
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This place sells Authentic Pakistani and Indian cuisine. Which I would have to agree to an extent.
I love the flavours in the food and the menu is a bit tricky to read, but I've been to a lot of Pakistani / Indian restaurants (and have family around that culture too) so it's not really much of a struggle. However the staff are very friendly and can always help describe the dishes on the menu for you.
The chicken saag was delicious, and probably one of my favourite Indian dishes! Something I highly recommend! The biryani rice was nice and had great flavour, however one thing that really ruined for me was every spoonful I took, I kept eating the clove spices they left in the rice. If it wasn't there, It would have been amazing. The Papri Chaat was absolutely delicious! It's definitely the best dish I've had there.
For dessert we ordered kulfi which is a frozen milk and pistachio type of ice cream, generally a very well known Pakistani treat, normally sold as street food. It was really delicious and I personally could eat at least 3 or 4 sticks to myself!
All in all, I had a pleasant experience here!
Don't Believe The Hype
+4
Tasty indian food and if you go with a big group the bills ends up realtively cheap for amount of food you get.
Food 4/5 (assuming you like Indian food and aren't expecting it to be fancy)
Venue 2.5/5
Service 4/5
Value for money 4/5
Was in dire need of some Indian as our local has been closed for renovations. This place did not disappoint. Everything was delicious! Had the lamb entree special- Phenomenal. Paneer special- phenomenal. Chicken korma- phenomenal. Cheesy garlic naan- phenomenal. Fantastic BYO restaurant, will definitely be going back. Call to book our online reservation didn't work!
When I travel outside India, I rarely eat Indian food but when I do, I really want it to be perfect. Our meal at Lal Qila on my one of my trips was one such experience. We loved the food - mutton achari with just the right level of spice and not too much garam masala was heavenly, mango lassi was not too sweet and the paneer handi was perfect. The naans and rotis were soft and not at all chewy. Overall a great experience - worth the 30 mins of the chaotic wait outside.
Just when I thought I won't be going to this place anymore because they had lost the taste, I was proven wrong.
Didn't particularly like the food on 2 previous occasions before I friend took me there for his party. I wasn't really complaining because I wouldn't be paying ;-) but didn't have any hope as well.
But then I was proven wrong. Lal Qila still has it. The taste was fantastic. We ordered chicken handi, goat masala, chicken biryani and "some" vegetables. Non-veg fare: Sumptuous.
Would visit again.
Cheers!
I have only ever ordered online but is by far one of my favourite Indian restaurants, if it travels well to my door I'm sure it would be even better eat in I'm still yet to try, butter chicken is my dish of choice with the freshly made garlic and cheese Naan
I am so impressed with Lal Qila. I went there to get take away, but I would love to done in there because the interiors are beautiful and the vibe is great, it was very busy for a Tuesday night too. The lady at front of house was so lovely and helped us with recommendations. The food was authentic and full of flavour.
All those Indian restaurants along that stretch on Cleveland Street, between Bourke and Crown, are tasty enough, and inexpensive, but none has ever stood out to me. Instead, I’ve been a number of times to this crowded Pakistani restaurant, with one of those menus that goes on and on with hundreds of items, and I’ve found it delightful.
I went there with few friends on Sunday night, food was so good and service was even batter. we had Goat and BBQ chicken it was very soft and spicy. I will go back soon for lovely food.....
What a lovely food and great service, Thank you for your great hospitality. See you soon Lal Qila. Keep it up Lal Qila. Highly recommended..
Have to try the biryani in here. Best in town! I love their food, authentic and full of spices. This place has a special ambience. And the menu is broad so there are a lot of selection.
Amazing food with amazing Service. Have been coming here for ages now and food is one of the best Pakistani & Indian you would find in Sydney. Highly recommend
I Realy enjoyed my visit to Lal Qila. Food was lovely and enjoyable. Service was extremely good, excellent balance of being friendly and accommodating while at the same time being professional.
You will need to book at the weekend because it fills fast.
This is a restaurant passionate about food. They take care in what they do and hand prepare the ingredients for their menu. I was able to sample a large selection of food including appetisers, mains, desserts and even BBQ. If my full belly is any indication, the food is amazing and well worth travelling for. The large selection of Pakistani special are well worth checking out also.
Another great indicator that this is the place to come is the line up outside the restaurant on weekend. There was constantly a long line of punters waiting to get in for a table. It's certainly a hit with the locals and I'll be coming back again myself very soon.
This is worth booking a table for. If you don't have a booking and walk in, it's still worth the wait. We tried the Pakistani special in a delicious BBQ, the Goat karahi & Chicken Handi. Soooo good! Will go back....
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I have many Indian workmates who all recommend Lal Qila, so when I happened to drive past this evening I stopped for a takeaway.
Wow. 3 dishes ordered, all terrific.
- Tandoori Seekh Kebab - minced lamb with coriander, chillies & spices. Intensely tasty and, I don't know how they did it, quite light in texture, not rubbery like most grilled mince meat can be.
- BBQ chicken Biryani - instead of a takeaway container, this came on a big foil-wrapped plate. I'm an average female eater and there's enough for me 3 times over. Quantity wouldn't count if the quality wasn't there, but this was amazing.
A riot of yellow & gold really long grain rice amalgamated with big chunks of really soft smokey & slightly charred BBQ chicken meat. Fascinating and delicious! It's a complex dish, including big pieces of cinnamon, cloves, things like olives/prunes & more.
I've had biryani before and never understood what the fuss is about, but this is one of the nicest rice dishes I can ever remember.
- Last dish was a dessert, rice pudding with pistachios. rich cardamon flavour & plenty of nuts on top.
All dishes are very highly flavoured, which I love, though if you like unadventurous bland food it may be a bit challenging. But if you're bored with the standard cloned Indian restaurant menus you really need to try Lal Qila. It's slightly dearer than standard Indian - a bit over $40 for the three dishes above - but totally worth it for the quality, plus I have enough left over for a couple of lunches.
They have some great-sounding other dishes - tandoori cauliflower and crisp deep fried okra.... I'm already planning my next visit, I'll be back with a group because I want to eat everything on their menu!
29/11/15: Also tried: Tandoori cauliflower, delicious & who said cauli had to be bland?
Black lentil dahl - so-so. Butter chicken, better than avg...
Had never tried Pakistani food until I came here and I can definitely say I'm converted! The food is light, fresh and full of flavours - similar to Indian but dare I say - even better!! Lal qila absolutely aces every dish and makes sure you're slapped in the face with bold flavours that will make you come back for more and more!
Has to be one of the more authentic Indian joints in Sydney. Some of the dishes are just sublime; the butter chicken(murgh makhan), the mutton biryani, lamb with spinach(hara bhara bakra), Alamgir tikka are some of the favourites. Still exploring their extensive menu. Some of the veggo dishes are pretty decent like the egg plaint and the cottage cheese(paneer) dishes.
I love this place! The food is amazing. The tandoori chops are the best. There naan is always fresh and tasty. All the dishes are good. Its local to my erea so have been many times over the last few years. Sometimes the service is a bit slow on busy nights but the food is always good so its worth a wait. My favourate is the shagwala( spinach dish) its the best I have had anywhere!
Best Pakistani restaurant in Sydney. Best food ever with a great service. Love there food.
-----25 Mar, 2015-----
Authentic Five star and a real gem. Have eaten here a few times, and always enjoyed a very solid meal at Lal Qila restaurant. The service was fantastic as was the room. The food was very good with wonderful flavours. All in all it was a very good experience and good value. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.....
Does My Bomb Look Big In This
+4.5
A late-night conversation with a Sydney taxi driver led me to uncover this inexpensive, lesser-known, ethnic eat. It offers up a blend of Indian and Pakistani in a comfortable (but not too fancy) Cleveland Street locale. Watching them cook in the tandoor took me right back to childhood meals in Strathfield’s Surjits , where the chef would allow me to peer down into the hot, clay hole. However the Aftabi Tandoori Phool ($12.90) of grilled cauliflower in garlic, ginger and spices that they’re cooking here was delicious (and totally new). I skipped traditional tandoori chook for the lighter and creamier Qutabi Malai Tikka ($12.90) . It was moist and succulent, though the accompanying Kalonji Paratha ($3.90) and Akbari Naan ($3.50) had perhaps spent a moment too long in the oven – it’s a fine line between pleasure and something too dry to provide curry relief. I didn’t miss out on tandoori chicken entirely; the curry I selected - Nawabi Murgh Laveeza ($16.90) - combined it with l
Our go to Indian place. Whether it is delivery or in the restaurant, the food is awesome, the prices are right, and we just keep going back. Big up for the tandoori prawns!
Great place. It's my local and it's a great place couldn't be more happy. The options are large and varied, very nice staff also.. Weird when people here say it is shabby, do they expect luxury when ever they pull money out for food.. Are you a princess?
The food is great! and cheap. also it's BYOB
Butter Chicken!. Best butter chicken I've ever had, the service is wonderful too. The atmosphere is neither too loud nor too quiet. Just right.
Raakhee Nagaonkar-Suneet
+4.5
I liked the food... But it's ok! Won't say the best I have had.
For some reason though accoustics of this place are off the chart! Every one around talking are soooooo freaking loud that at one point you just want to get up and ask those people to shut up!
Amazing service, delicious home style food. It's a romantic little place with really lovely staff and the food was perfect. Would recommend it to anyone!
Amazing food.....can't fault it no matter how hard I try....
In sydney for holidays Lal qila was recommended to us by our friends as best Pakistani restaurant and we were not disappointed the staff was friendly explained all the specials portions are generous rightly priced lamb boti and goat karahi was amazing the menu was realy authentic and so was the ambience
Highly recommended keep it up guyz:-) we will be back
Amazing, Fantastic & Good Value. We went this restaurant after reading the reviews on Urbanspoon but still did not know what to expect. We love Indian food and this place is truly fantastic.
First and foremost the staff were an absolute delightful - friendly and happy to provide recommendations. We went with our waitress recommendations and O.M.G we are so glad that we did - the food was amazing and truly delicious
Trust us, check it out for yourselves as you won't disappointed - a great experience and a must visit for lovers of Pakistani-Indian food.
We highly recommend this place and it now is definitely one of our favourite.
Great food!! The menu has so many options it’s amazing to read how many different things they can make you. Full of flavour and so yummy I recommend to everybody. Staff are happy to help with explaining different dishes and are very friendly. Great place if your looking for something different.
Good experience dining here. I have visited a few times and the food and service is great. It doesn’t taste authentically Pakistani like many restaurants in Melbourne in terms of spices and flavour intensity but it’s still very delicious.
Good food and good service. Waited a bit too long to order. But once ordered, it all came to table very nicely and tasted really good. Very polite and kind employees. Definitely worth trying their food. Will be back to try others dishes.
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Matching our lockdown takeaway eating to items we can’t cook at home, we hit up Lal Qila in Surry Hills. This Pakistani restaurant, which has a second, fancier-looking restaurant in Darling Harbour, makes great use of the tandoor. Plucked from an extensive menu, Naramdil Galafi Seekh ($17.90) are spicy minced chicken kebabs served on a simple selection of cooling salad with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Aftabi Tandoori Phool ($16.90) gives tender florets of charred, golden-hued cauliflower flavoured with garlic, ginger and spices. From the range of tandoor-cooked chicken dishes we opted for the Pakistani favourite, Murgh-e- Musalam ($20.90), where yoghurt, vinegar and spices gave an almost creamy surface that contrasted well with the chook’s charred edges.
Cooked on the side of the cylindrical oven, the fluffy garlic cheese naan ($5.90) here is a contender for Sydney’s best. Khumb Pulao ($7.90) and Zafrani Mater Pulao ($7.90) are simple rice dishes, respectively dotted with mushrooms and garden peas. We saved the bulk of them to freeze for a curry night later in the week. A generous Shouq-e-Nawab (BBQ Biryani) ($24.90) rounded out our meal. Well-separated long-grain Basmati rice coloured with saffron hides plentiful hunks of tandoor-cooked chicken. We tried it for dinner but kept the bulk of this spicy rice dish for lunch the next day, with an accompanying cooling, home-made mint raita. Not a bad outcome for a takeaway meal for two that cost fewer than a hundred bucks.
Every time I visit this restaurant served with delicious food and great service. The extremely friendly and courteous staff will come back again for another amazing experience.
Authentic Pakistani restaurant,
Try dakni tikka and kulfi
Darling harbour branch is nice and clean.
However, we found Surry hill branch taste more better compare with darling harbour
We enjoyed Ras malai, dakhni tikka biryani and mango lassi
Delicious entree and vegetarian food. I tried chicken tikka, bihari kebab, goat kadahi, handi paneer and chicken kadahi. Goat and chicken was too dry for my liking however everything else was a winner. Handi paneer is a must try if you're vegetarian. I would love to go back!
This place has the best Pakistani and Indian food I have ever had! The menu is big with many choices (everything I have tried I have loved so it is hard to decide what to eat!) I have been to this restaurant I think around 10 times and every single time I enjoy myself there. The staff are always lovely and attentive and the owner is a great guy! He works on the floor speaking to customers and advising food choices haha
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