Akbar's in Manchester

We found the service to be nice and attentive. Just right, and the food was good.

Brilliant service food was excellent . management bill .

Although we had a booking for 8.30, we had to wait 20 mins to be seated. The restaurant was overpopulated and loud. The tables were so close to each other that we felt like we were sitting at the same table with the ones next to us! But, the food was great and the staff were very helpful and friendly. The restaurant needs to value the customers' time.

Quite tasty but too much oil. Perfect Asian style food to enjoy. I liked it!

Best butter chicken, paneer and chicken tikka . Friendly service and nice atmosphere for birthdays

I went 28/12/24. There were 10 in our group. We had starters and mains along with drinks. The food was of a just below average standard. Pilau rice was beige and oily, the different curry sauces were bland and lacked seasoning. I had seafood balti that was overcooked and arrived as a mush. The basic sauces and rice were without any complex spices, lacked fragrance and were just mass produced for a quick and uninspiring experience. Poor quality street food at best. The bill came to £248. We paid £253 and the person taking the payment said we hadn’t paid enough and tried to hustle us for a stronger tip. There are some wonderful restaurants where we can get top quality curries and Indian food. We’re spoiled by the breadth of decent quality Indian cuisine. Given these facts this will be the last time I’ll ever go to Akbars and I strongly advise others to do the same.

The best Indian restaurant I've ever been to

Thank you so much Ali, zaf and manager sami!

Food is very delicious. Service is perfect. Enjoyed this dinner a lot ❤️

Amazing food however extremely long waiting times for the food to arrive

Just really poor quality, not sure if down to just how busy it was, but I would not return.

After 10 years of being away, did not disappoint! We were served by Noorani thank you!

Went last night on a works do, literally like a cattle market, food was edible but tasted like mass catering, prison hospital styley. Massively overcrowded jamming people in. Had to squeeze past people to get in through door. Rushed us out to get next table in. That packed you have to shout over one another. Not my thing, never again.

I don’t usually write restaurant reviews, but I decided to make an exception this time. I had a great experience! The atmosphere was excellent, and despite the large number of customers, the organization of the place was impeccable. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, and it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it!

So nice is Akbars, the food is great and the service top notch

Awesome curry house. One of the best in Manchester

Long waiting time to get a table about 25mins then took 20mins for starter and another 30mins for the mains after we said we were ready for the main. Appalling service. Although the food was great wouldn't go again due to poor service.

Food is good liver tikka and samosa chaat is delicious but achari veg korma is average in taste.place is very crowded and noisy.

The best chops you will ever have. Feel very rushed in here like they want you in and out. Bit sneaky charging us for the pickle tray when we didn't order this. I just ordered the poppadoms. Just suggest it at the time we order instead of just bringing it and then putting it on the bill. Food was served warm, not hot.

Food portion too small , a bit too pricy , really busy on weekends, had to wait 40 minutes for a table , the food was delicious , the table was not big enough for two people needs more seating space

I usually like any food. But I found the meat karahi was too spicy. The food was asked to be served together but we waited too long and it went cold. The manager then sorted it out after by then we had no apatite so we had the rest to take away. I don't like the fact that after the covid we have to pack our food to take away in all restaurants. The only highlight of the whole visit was the celebration ice cream served for our anniversary 😋.

The most famous place in town by far, food upto its usual high standard. Its unique, rich flavours and original Naan bread are the best. Big shout to the finest Waiter (Regardless of Restaurant) ever. This is not a gimmick. HARRY is the best, fastest, friendliest waiter of all time. Well done Harry, look forward to seeing you soon 👍

Food is always fantastic. Been going for years. The service was pretty poor this time. No greeting, a cold reception, etc. Decided not to leave a tip. The waiter looked like I’d walked into his house on Christmas Day and pissed on his kids.

The food is good with a good variety of dishes. However, it has increased its prices significantly over the last few months and it may be the reason why it's not as busy as it used to be, especially early in the week.

Amazing food....absolutely delicious.

A busy place for early Saturday evening. Service was quiet, prompt and efficient. Food was freshly cooked and delicious. Price was very reasonable. Highly recommended over other Indian restaurants in Manchester, and well worth the few minutes walk away from Deansgate.

Arrived at 10.50pm. They very kindly agreed to serve even though they were planning to close around 11. Service was very good and the seafood balti the best I've ever had.

This is still the best old fashioned curry in Manchester, nowt too fancy just very good food and the service is excellent and very good value for money.

The best curry I've ever had. Very noisy place.

It was absolutely amazing!The food was great, it was so fancy and for the service, Tahir was amazing!When you go there, if you get Tahir, be grateful, because I know I would be!

Wouldn’t really recommend, butter chicken wasn’t authentic. Too much cream in it so you couldn’t taste any of the flavours. Ordered the lamb shank chefs special too, really wasn’t good, the lamb tasted extremely old and was very fatty hardly any meat, the lamb tasted more like mutton. Compared to other options in Manchester, I would save your money and go some where else. But the nan bread was good, but not quite enough to make the restaurant worth a visit unfortunately.

Excellent food and service, one of the nicest Indian restaurants I've been to. Madras was perfectly spicy, dips that came with the poppadoms were delicious. Only advice is to beware of how big the Naan and rice portions are, definitely they are two person portions.

A little loud inside. Food was excellent. Best butter chicken at MCR. Dhanush was a great host.

Booked a table for 8 on a Saturday and after half an hour they couldn't provide one for us, absolute shambles

Absolutely bloody unbelievable! Food was epic. Chicken wings were amazing and the lamb shank was out of this world (think it was called nigari). Highly highly recommended and will definitely return. Update October 2024: Still bloody epic!!

Excellent Food Service and staff everyone is great there, but one person is exceptional 👌 Zain, He is a real gem 💎 of the restaurant. We go there because of his hospitality.

The worst curry I have ever had. Way, way too spicy, unnecessarily spicy. Waited 90 minutes. People behind me in the queue were given priority and shown to their tables before me. Avoid this restaurant.

Go to place for a curry in town, Lamb chops are the best around. Pictures look shit because I have a samsung

Excellent food and service highly recommended 👌

Absolutely delicious food. Had 2 of the specials. We also had the infamous hanging nan. That was delicious! Everyone around was having a great time. Fab service. Thanks all

4 star on atmosphere, only coz it was too loud, not coz it was busy, but rather a man was bit drunk and talking really loud. i guess that doesn't happen all the time, just us unlucky, besides that, one of the best place to have indian pakistani food. the quality of the food was 7 star, service was also good. definitely recommend. if you visit Manchester you got to visit this place, it in centre too.

We recently visited Akbar’s in Manchester, expecting a good meal, but was left thoroughly disappointed. We specifically asked for a home-style meal, hoping for balanced flavours, but what we got was ridiculous! Everything was unbearably spicy with zero flavour balance. We ordered naan, rice, kofta, chicken, and fish, and none of the dishes lived up to expectations. The spiciness overpowered everything, and there was no real taste. To make things worse, the service was terrible. When we asked for yogurt to help cool down the dish, the waiter laughed and said we should have mentioned it after the first bite. It was clear they didn’t care. We’ll definitely be stocking up my visits to EastZEast instead—clearly the No. 1 spot in Manchester for great food. Won’t be returning to Akbar’s!

This restaurant is extremely overpriced and the quality of the food itself does not justify the price. I paid £14 for “Biryani”, which in fact was just pulao rice with chicken cubes in it. We also ordered “fresh orange juice”, we asked the staff if this was fresh, as stated on menu, in fact we were told the juice was from a box, we had paid £4 for it. The service was decent and staff were attentive, but the price of the food is an absolute rip off, there are far better restaurants in Manchester. I was very underwhelmed and disappointed.

One of the nicest restaurants I've had the pleasure of visiting. The food and service is perfect every time.

We had booked a table for 5 people for 6pm and once we had arrived we were escorted to our table which was a really suitable table for ourselves. The occasion was for a birthday . We were then rudely asked by the manager to move seats where he then Forced us to move out the seat and then took us to a cramped booth for 5 people and added a whole other table on to it which was ridiculous. We were then plaved on a table which was dirty and next to the fire exit . Then the manager told us the original table was for a larger party yet the table had 5 seats . The manager was super rude and Unhelpful and we didn’t get a good service from the very beginning .

Excellent service from Tasha and Danny Really good curry, fantastic Naan breads Gets very busy with a buzzing atmosphere

I pre booked a table for 20 for close family back in July. Due to being from Bradford, we were unable to locate parking at this branch. We tried to call to update them of our situation and they wouldn't answer. We had to wait in the reception for over an hour because we were told we were 15 mins late from our booking time. After complaining about the wait we were finally seated. The manager on the day was Zain, he was normal to begin with and offered free poppadoms or a 10% discount. I refused due to the length of time and the didn't feel this was adequate. He told me to take it or leave it, his attitude stunk. I told him I'd leave an honest review about our experience to which he replied well you won't get nothing then and walked off. I was so furious I didn't eat my food. Had my family not come from Bradford, we would have left immediately. Unfortunately I had to feed them. Another manager came along as he noticed I wasn't eating and clearly angry (can't remember his name he wore glasses) was totally opposite, so nice and professional. I explained we loved Akbar's we go to our Bradford branch all the time and Zain has offended me and ruined or day. My complaint is solely about Zain. Food was on point, other staff were excellent and polite. I kept my promise Zain and left you the review you didn't think I'd leave. Your a disgrace to Akbar's. I know the owners well and informed them. I hope everyone else reads this 👍🏻

Beautiful food, good prices and fast service

I visited this restaurant on 28th of August 2024 evening time at around half 6 with my family, firstly i asked one of the waiters when giving my order can i have a mix grill for starters he didn’t have a clue what that is even though he was working in a indian restaurant he called another guy who seemed like a supervisor and this person seemed very rude he had no communication skills what so ever and just looked at me like i was asking for something free didn’t even suggest what alternatives they had just said look at the menu we only have those and buggered off, anyway we had our starters but had us waiting another 50 minutes for the main meal, when i brought this to the supervisors attention he didn’t apologise but asked how long we had waited so i said close to an hour he went away and brought back which looked like a receipt for the time i had placed the order and stated you placed the order this time and it hasn’t been an hour and got very confrontational i said well i did say close to an hour and regardless it has been very long to the point it seemed they had forgotten the order, he again didn’t apologise and just went away with a bad attitude, other customers had come after us and had their orders ready well before and one other customer sat close to us even went and pointed that out to us, the service was shockingly slow that day, when the main meal arrived the naan roti was very cold, i just want Akbars to look into this employee further who lacks communication skills and just doesn’t know how to talk to people, he was supervising on the date mentioned above.

Found food not really good, the taste is below average - will not visit again.

Staff was so rude, been served with cold food that big naan. Very bad staff nature with customers. Highly dissatisfied and disappointed.

One of my friend recommended Akbars and I visited it yesterday. Can’t be more than happy. Food, service, atmosphere everything was perfect. Specially Mr. Zain was extremely helpful and friendly. Will definitely visit it in future. Highly recommend 👍

Best experience ever with staff specially the cooperative manager Zain who recommended some dishes , made a platter for us , His recommended Butter chicken and lamb on the bone was a class Thanks to all Will visit soon with university friends

Tasty food, just so busy / loud it was lacking any atmosphere.

Absolutely diabolical service from the manager Zain. Been coming here since 2006 but never again. Got given a tiny table in a crowded space which my elderly mother was struggling to sit on. A booth became available but I was told as there is only 2 of us we weren’t allowed to sit there. Literally 10 minutes later he sat 2 young adults there. The table was so small they couldn’t fit all our order onto it so I had to have my curry in the lamb chops platter and not even enough room to put a bottle of water on the table! Ended up having soggy curry drenched chips as there was not enough room for a separate plate

First visit to Manchester, looking for halal restaurant. Waw Waw the service from the door to the Seat was professionnel than the gentleman bring the menu out standing smile polite and knowledge about the food . And finally the food is the best Asian cuisine I never had. We will come back for sure . thanks to all Akbars.

Excellent service, 1 order was wrong, but they quickly sorted it out for us. The dessert Galab Jaman and Ice Cream is absolutely delicious 😋

The food is very good and delicious and the waiter was very Nice wajid,Yusra ,Ahmed

I've been going to Akbars for 12 years now and it has never disappointed! A great place to dine in with friends/family/colleagues. Must try their lamb chops!

Excellent service and nice staff

Went for a birthday dinner, food was so good, so was the atmosphere but best of all was the staff all very pleasant and polite, will definitely come back soon. Ps completed the chef challenge

Careful before tasting any food weather it’s fresh or not because butter chicken and paneer next day creates stomachache

I had a highly disappointing experience at this Indian restaurant. I specifically asked for lamb chops, and they told me they were called "meat chops." When I asked the waiter if they were lamb or something else, he said lamb but didn’t seem to know why they were called meat. We ordered two portions, and both looked like they had been attacked by a cat—nothing like a lamb chop at all. We also ordered four main dishes, all of which were bland and tasteless. This was probably the worst Indian food we’ve had in a long time. They claimed it was authentic, but there was nothing authentic about it. The best part of the meal was the chips and mayo. I won’t be returning.

Oh come on, how could you not be impressed with Naan served on a metal hanger, and ours was only a regular one. The family naan is delivered by an HGV. Akbar's has been here a while now, it's still a really good curry house. No pretentious menus, but staff who want to look after you and look happy, food which is freshly cooked and isn't just a "curry", and all for a reasonable price. No wonder on a wet Wednesday evening it was still busy and feeling lively. Enjoy, but don't order too many poppadoms, or (unless you're a big family) a family naan. 😀

One of the best restaurants in Manchester Great food with alot of options

Fantastic food here, the waiter I had tonight did a fantastic job. Super attentive and very polite. Reasonably priced too. Well done to all staff and manager

A great experience. Fabulous food in an attractive restaurant. Great atmosphere, busy with an exciting vibe. The family naans are awesome! Only downside was slow service to get a drink while waiting to be seated but we didn't book so you can avoid that!

Super authentic food! Though the service was slow and the restaurant was loud. All of the food you order here is spectacular, can’t go wrong with anything. Their naans are humongous and made to be shared. The lamb nihari was tender and came with tons of complex spices.

Service was very fast, unfortunately, there are now far better options for food quality in many nearby places. Also, there are obvious items missing from the menu you would expect e.g. more coffee and tea options. The mutton chops were very poor, in that, they were small, chewy and overcooked.

Akbars never fails to disappoint. Lovely food which is reasonably priced and with friendly and polite staff. Can’t wait for our next visit.

Ate here two weeks ago. A top tip is to choose dishes from the "Desi Apna" side of the menu. Authentic food and hits the spot. Will visit again. The food is too good.

It’s always amazing,food service atmosphere All outstanding. Never had a bad experience. Been going since it’s opened. Keep it up.

My friend and I went extremely close to the restaurant’s closing time, which I’m a bit ashamed that we did, but we were starving. Still, the service was excellent and we felt extremely welcomed. The staff is genuinely top tier, they were very accommodating and assured us to take our time with eating. I’ve been twice and I’m going to continue visiting this restaurant, the food is excellent. I also appreciate the variety of dishes in the menu. I recommend the fish pakora and the chicken with spinach karahi.

We had the highly rated nihari and Karahi gosht and spinach and family naan All were the best and usual standards we have to got used to over the years Service top notch too. Bare in mind they have very limited quantity of nihari. Best to call ahead

amazing service from Ali , thanks

I took friends there who were visiting from canada as but this time it was a disaster. The food was below average. Even the garlic naan wasn’t up to the mark. 80 pounds wasted. The restaurant was super noisy. I had to scream literally to talk to my friend. Came out of there with a headache.

Came with my sister in law tonight. The food was delightful. Staff were very friendly and attentive. I will definitely be back to try more of the amazing food.

This place never seems to disappoint. The quality of the food is always on point. The service is first class. Would definitely recommend to everyone

I visited akbar's first time with a group of 5, and this place was the best of all time Very nice starters and then mains butter chicken was the best Recommended for everyone Waiter Usman was very polite , and we wanted to pay separately what we ate , where the cashier Dany sorted for us in a very short time Thankyou your service was the best

The prices are great! The food portions are huge for the prices and every time I go there, there is a great atmosphere. defo would go again!

Shah was a fabulous waiter. Brilliant experience and I would recommend this restaurant, the food, and the staff, to anyone.

Had a meal this evening, with a group of friends, We were served by Dhanush who provided excellent service , food and drinks all served promptly and most helpful and pleasant service, thank you

All food is really nice, I love chips with my meals. Had take out for the first time, chips were sooo bad, stale and greasy, like they refried cold chips left for ages.

Delicious food, unforgettable experience!

Went to Akbars with a few of my friends. Dishes were really nice and spiced. We ordered the seafood balti, lamb chops, chicken and chilli karahi, gosht and spinach karahi and the butter chicken. All very tasty and cooked well. Service was great, especially our table's (no 38) waiter (unfortunately I was not able to catch his name but based off of my receipt it says Kishore) but he was very attentive and well mannered.

Always excellent service and food never disappoints 🙌🏾🙌🏾

Very good food service and staff like Mr Mohsin, will come again thanks

Excellent food, Excellent service, very loud inside yet really authentic

The food was delicious. I could not fault it. It is never hit and miss here. The food and staff are pleasing, to say the least. I didn't look at the bill as I didn't care how much it was. We went back the next day for lunch

Good value for the price. Service is very helpful and present when needed. Given it's Indian food, the spice level can be adjusted. Only regret is that the place's accoustics makes it very noisy, so not good for business dinners

Really great service from my man Abdul. Will definitely be back !!

First visit there and definitely not the last👍 Very kind staff, perfect service with disponibility for good advices about the menu and the size of the dishes ( you must try the gigantic Nan 😝) Quality and very fare prices 👍👍👍 Maybe... But I insist on the "maybe" , just maybe a bit "noisy" when the place is crouded... " La rançon de la gloire" as we say in France 😏😉... Nevermind , still a very VERY good adress 👍👍👍

Poor service, poor food, Dirty looking and tired! Was virtually rushed to get out.

Without one of the finest restaurants if you are looking for Indian food. They have a lot of varieties and are priced very moderately. If you are craving Indian food, definitely give it a try. Also, all the staff are very cordial and helpful. They make sure everyone is having a nice time at the rest

So nice. I can't say enough to justify the deliciousness of every bite. The chicken was succulent tender, tasty and spiced to perfection. If I wore a hat I would take it off to the chef. We would go back weekly. Loved it

Very nice food i'm very good service

We attended for a birthday meal. From the moment we arrived the service was fantastic. All of the staff were smiling and were very efficient at taking our order. The food was delicious and the portions were generous. I am glad we chose Akbars.

Went today event greeted by amazing host who’s name was Jang, very polite making sure we were welcomed. Great service would definitely come again soon.

Food was incredible, albeit a little on the spicy side, excellent value for money, great service

Akbars is a fantastic destination for authentic Pakistani cuisine! From the moment we arrived, we were seated quickly and greeted by an attentive and friendly waiter, which set the tone for a delightful dining experience. The butter chicken was absolutely amazing, rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor. The seekh kebab was perfectly spiced and cooked to perfection, a true highlight of our meal. The naan bread was fresh, huge, and complemented the dishes beautifully. We also tried the Chicken Nambali, which was a bit of a letdown as it was bland and lacked the flavor we were expecting. However, this did not detract from the overall excellent quality of the other dishes. The environment at Akbars is clean and elegant, providing a comfortable and pleasant dining atmosphere. Despite getting busy, the service remained top-notch, and the nearby easy parking added to the convenience. Overall, Akbars is a wonderful place for delicious and authentic Pakistani food. Highly recommend (with a slight caution about the Chicken Nambali)!