Maharaja of India
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Quick info
About Maharaja of India
Maharaja of India is an Indian restaurant in London at 19A Charing Cross Road, just off Leicester Square, serving Indian cuisine since 1960. The menu covers curries, tandoori dishes, biryanis and breads, with Chicken 65 and onion bhajis among the starters and lamb karahi among the mains. A pre-theatre offer gives diners a two course meal of a starter and a main, and the main comes with pilau rice and naan, which suits anyone heading to a show. Tables can be reserved through The Fork. The restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner.
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Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention ruby chicken, onion bhaji, pre-theatre menu and naan.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention ruby chicken, onion bhaji, pre-theatre menu and naan.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often single out the Ruby Chicken, called excellent and very soft with rich, creamy sauces, with the onion bhaji, chicken 65, lamb karahi and butter naan close behind. One reviewer found the biryani tasty but closer to a pulao than a traditional dum-cooked version, with a small portion. Reviewers also praise the chicken tikka and chicken korma from the pre-theatre two-course offer, and a toffee dessert. The waiter is the other recurring theme, described as attentive, friendly and quick with recommendations, and one says he looked after a partner's gluten-free requirements. Reviewers describe the room as warm and welcoming, though one found it rather warm on a hot summer day while another praised the comfortable seating and air conditioning. A few mention choosing a medium spice level, and one visitor returned two days in a row because the food tasted like home.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often single out the Ruby Chicken, called excellent and very soft with rich, creamy sauces, with the onion bhaji, chicken 65, lamb karahi and butter naan close behind. One reviewer found the biryani tasty but closer to a pulao than a traditional dum-cooked version, with a small portion. Reviewers also praise the chicken tikka and chicken korma from the pre-theatre two-course offer, and a toffee dessert. The waiter is the other recurring theme, described as attentive, friendly and quick with recommendations, and one says he looked after a partner's gluten-free requirements. Reviewers describe the room as warm and welcoming, though one found it rather warm on a hot summer day while another praised the comfortable seating and air conditioning. A few mention choosing a medium spice level, and one visitor returned two days in a row because the food tasted like home.
Featured reviews
- Salt&Light_Woman
“Nayem was a great host, very attentive and great personality! Food was amazing too, I had the pre theatre 2 course meal offer and I chose the chicken tikka as a starter and chicken korma as my main dish which includes pilau rice and naan. Flavours were bursting and I have left feeling happily satisfied! Will be back for sure :)”
- Suchitra Nayak
“Visited the place two days in a row. The food was excellent, similar to what you would get back home. Nayem’s service and food recommendation were outstanding too, making the entire experience pleasant. Thank you! Definitely recommend!”
- Ron Burnside
“I have enjoyed Indian food all over the world - Canada, China, Luxembourg, England and of course India. I must say, the food at Maharaja of India is good as I’ve had anywhere! The Onion Baji was fantastic, and the Ruby Chicken - which I had never tried before - was excellent! And the quality of the service was on par with the quality of the food. Nayem was friendly and attentive. Overall - a great experience. I’ll definitely be back.”
- Meg
“Great atmosphere and comfy sittings with air conditioners. Nayem was great waiter helping me on everything. I ordered chicken 65 as a starter and it was nicely crispy and spicy. For my main I had Lamb Karahi with garlic naan.Both were nicely seasoned and flavoured. Service was great and friendly. Recommend to anyone looking for Indian in central London”
- Christopher Cosier
“Tucked just off Leicester Square, this was the perfect pre-theatre treat. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm and welcoming, and our waiter, Nayem, was both attentive and knowledgeable, making sure my partner’s gluten-free requirements were well taken care of. The food certainly deserved a standing ovation. The onion bhajis were wonderfully soft, the curries packed with rich, vibrant flavours, and the butter naan was gloriously fluffy and delightfully squishy – exactly as a naan should be! We somehow found room for the toffee dessert, and we’re very glad we did – a sweet finale worthy of an encore. The only thing missing was a little more cool air. On a hot summer day, the restaurant felt rather warm, and a stronger breeze would have made the atmosphere absolutely perfect. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable experience and a wonderful way to raise the curtain on an evening in the West End. ⭐⭐⭐⭐”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
“Maharaja of India is an Indian restaurant at 19A Charing Cross Road, London, just a short walk from Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square and the West End theatres. Serving Indian cuisine since 1960, our restaurant offers traditional curries, tandoori specialities, biryanis and freshly prepared breads. Join us for lunch, dinner or pre-theatre dining before a show. Open daily from noon until midnight, with table reservations, takeaway and Click & Collect available.”
- AccessibilityWheelchair-accessible car park · Wheelchair-accessible entrance · Wheelchair-accessible seating
Amenities
- Wheelchair-accessible car park
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 3
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Location
Indian restaurants near Maharaja of India
- Hungama Indian Street Food4.84,4150 mi
garlic naan, vada pav, chicken tikka masala
- Colonel Saab Trafalgar Square4.82,1220.1 mi£30–80
tasting menu, rasmalai milk cake, chandelier decor
- 0.1 mi£20–30
king prawn puri, hot wings, lamb shank
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharaja of India | 4.719,721 | — | — | ruby chicken, onion bhaji, pre-theatre menu |
| Hungama Indian Street Food | 4.84,415 | 0 mi | — | garlic naan, vada pav, chicken tikka masala |
| Colonel Saab Trafalgar Square | 4.82,122 | 0.1 mi | £30–80 | tasting menu, rasmalai milk cake, chandelier decor |
| The India - Leicester Square | 4.9416 | 0.1 mi | £20–30 | king prawn puri, hot wings, lamb shank |
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