Bongow in Brentwood

the food came to our table after one hour, we ordered 2 king prawn korai but the waiter gave us 2 chicken korai absolutely disgusted with the service, the curries were blend never will visit this place again

Our first time visiting Bongow, as we’ve recently moved into the area, with our best friends (who have eaten there and had takeaways a number of times) and we weren’t disappointed! A nice setting, plenty of parking, nice decor and a friendly welcome from Mr Ali. Bottles of Cobra were ice cold and the poppadoms were warm, light and crispy. Mr Ali recommended a special chicken starter for us all to share which was succulent, tender and tasty. For our mains we had 2 king prawn dishes and 2 lots of the lamb chops, accompanied by various breads, rices and sides - all piping hot and a beautiful flavour. The staff were very attentive, friendly and polite - always on top of replenishing our Cobra supply and clearing any empty serving dishes. Considering the dishes that we ordered and the drinks we had, £150 between 4 of us was reasonable in my opinion as the whole dining experience was top notch. Thank you Mr Ali and the team, we had a lovely evening and can’t wait to come back!

Great service and very friendly staff great place to have food And brilliant food and a very clean restaurant

Been here a few times upon recommendation and it was always ok. However this time will unfortunately be my last time. The portion sizes were an absolute joke. Much smaller than on my previous visits. I never understand why they skimp on the rice when it is so cheap?! We asked for our curries a bit hotter than usual and all we could taste was chilli powder. No flavours of the curries, just bland and hot. Didn’t have a problem with the heat, just the blandness. This is not what I’d expect from a professional chef. Will not return or recommend I’m afraid.

I’ve been coming to the bongow for years. By far the best Indian I’ve ever been to. Ali is such a great person to see at the door and welcome us in every time. Brilliant food and great people.

Amazing venue! Friendly staff, excellent food! Would highly recommended to everyone! We have booked to go to one of their live mic nights!

Perfect service, very attentive and helpful staff. Delicious food arrived promptly without us being required to wait much at all!!

A little haiku : Trio dines, one onion-free, In Ali's glow, pure ecstasy, Tinfoil curries, jubilee.

Best Indian in the area. Excellent customer service and superb quality of food. Great value for money

Very friendly staff, Ali recommended an "off the menu" nan, chicken tikka garlic. Absolutely wonderful, could have eaten it on its own! Also recommended a tikka paneer dansak. Was amazing, definitely having that again. All staff very friendly and attentive. Thanks Bongo.

Ali special was amazing yet again, as was the special chicken tikka naan they did for us. A class yet again.

The staff were friendly polite. Food was very tasty and enjoyable with a variety of options. Mr Ali greeted us with a smile and welcoming gesture. The restaurant was pleasant and inviting. All in all a very good night had by all.

Had a lovely evening, food was great. Ali is such a asset to the restaurant, friendly& helpful, highly recommended good value amazing evening. We’ll done Bongow

We are regular visitors to the Bongow for date nights, or with friends/family. As soon as you enter you will be warmly greater and shown to a table. The staff are very attentive but do give you time to order - they aren't pushy at all, if they visit your table fairly often to top up drinks or get orders they will retire if you aren't ready. I really like that when I have finished a starter I'm not waiting ages for the next course . The hospitality extends to complimentary drinks at the end of your meal. They make the effort to know their customers, always make you feel special. Just a great local restaurant I cannot praise highly enough.

food was amazing which matched the service, everyone was really helpful and kind!! peshwari naan was 🤌🏽🤌🏽

Visited on the off chance and was greeted by Mr Ali with a very big smile and a very warm welcome. MR Ali suggested a specials for us asking first what we liked. When the food arrived we were not disappointed. We were extremely delighted...

Top notch food and service. Thoroughly enjoyed everything I ordered. Poppadoms were fresh, crisp and thin. Dips were exquisite. Staff were brilliant. Busy but so friendly. Food came out at a great pace. Excellent value for money too. Will definitely be returning!

Really enjoyed my visit to Bongow, went for a family meal and the food and service was excellent. Definitely will be making this a more regular occasion.

Visited Bongows yesterday evening. Warmly greeted by the Manager who already knew our names. This place was very busy so I knew it should be good. Started with drinks and poppadoms which were fresh and delicious. Really attentive staff who gave advice on my allergen...

We arrived earlier than our booking time to the warmest welcome and greetings. The time taken by the waiting staff and the owner to talk to us and help through the very reasonably priced menu, made us feel nothing was too much trouble. The food...

Regulars at this restaurant … nothing is too much for any of the staff .. love that the chef comes comes out to see if the food is ok and we love the Ali specials … can not fault in any way

Visited for a meal after a trip to the nearby bunker. Amazing service - really top notch. Lovely food and beer. Came away quite happy! Highly recommended, they work very hard to deliver an exceptional experience. Yum!

The food is very nice, the service is great and it’s a lovely vibrant restaurant. Would highly recommend.

Great staff and brilliant food at a reasonable price. Love to come here often with my friends or family

Been coming to the bongow for years and always get top service. Friendly staff, tastey food and great variety. Always first choice when thinking of a curry. Recommend to everyone!

Bongow is the best Indian Restaurant for miles around. We’ve been coming here for years and the food is always amazing. The staff are so friendly and accommodating and can’t do enough to help you. I love this place. Highly recommend. Xxx

Visited with friends for birthday celebration. We felt it was very rushed and a bit manic for us. order was taken and shouted back to us military style, food was chucked infront of us so quick we didn’t know what was what. Food was below...

Another top meal at the Bongow. Kelvedon Hatch. We are very fortunate to have such a high quality Indian restaurant in the village. Ali the Maitre D was exceptionally attentive to our needs. He helped us make good meal selections giving us good recommendations. Thankyou!!!!...

Fantastic Indian restaurant with great staff! Me and my friends are always going here. July is just my most recent visit but we go here very regularly.

Good food and friendly service , always happy to make food that is not on the menu . Could do with some bottled ale as well as lager but that’s just my preference . Always served with a smile.

The food was amazing the service was impeccable had such a nice time wonderful staff!! Couldn’t wish for anything more

My group had outstanding service at Bongow and the food was delicious and excellent value for money. We regularly visit different curry houses both in Essex and further afield, Bongow is right up there amongst the very best.

Honestly the best chicken tikka I have ever had amazing staff and even better environment will be coming back very soon

Ally with the biggest smile as soon as we walked through the door, perfect service throughout our meal! Always making sure we are happy with what we are eating/drinking. This is seriously the BEST Indian meal I have EVER had!

After nearly a year of not going due to covid, this place is still as good as ever. Always willing to cater for my distaste of onions so much so Ali calls me Mr No Onions. Will be back!

First time back to Bongow for a while, food was excellent as always, felt very safe and secure with the distancing and staff were as attentive as always. Thanks Ali for another great meal.

Visited after a long break due to Covid. We were not disappointed - service was excellent, even after such a long break Ali, not only remembered our names, but also our favourite dishes and drinks - thank you Ali for making our evening feel so...

We finally returned to Bongow after a forced hiatus due to the pandemic this week. A few changes; all the staff were wearing masks and gloves, we were spaced out on our table and far away from other guests. One thing that hasn't changed is the...

What a superb takeaway, probably the best Chicken Tikka Rogan I’ve had. Sides were flavoursome and generous portions. The pressure these guys and all hospitality places are under at the moment is too much! Bongow give it 100% - 😊 thank you. Help out local...

On a dark and dismal Saturday in November during second lockdown it was definitely the highlight of our week to get a takeaway from the Bongow. As usual the food was really tasty and amazing. It was a really affordable treat and one we will...

Best Indian around, the food is spectacular😍 Never had an Indian like it.. it’s addictive! Lovely staff always so friendly and inviting. And the food seems to always more then satisfy us... YUM YUM YUM! You have to try! You’ll be very silly not too!👌

Always so happy with my food here, the staff are lovely and we were served quickly, also provided a high chair for my little girl which was lovely. They served our food with a smile and were there promptly whenever we needed anything, the staff;...

We have all visited The Bongow for 9 years and we would never visit another Indian at all, the food is always fresh and tasty. Would recommend the king prawn dansak and the tandoori mix grill. The food is always prepared in good time, and...

Very lucky to have this little gem as our local restaurant. The food is amazing- staff are lovely,it is our absolute fav! Megan, Corrie and Boston x

Love this place and can't wait for my next visit, the food is great and so is the service and the restaurant, looking forward to the next entertainment night, have been to Michael Jackson, which was a really fun night

Another lovely meal at Bongow. As always food and service was excellent.Thanks to Ali for taking care of us - he always remembers what we like to drink and serves them as soon as we sit down. He is always on hand to recommend dishes and will have them cooked to our tastes - nothing is too much trouble.Already looking forward to our next visit.

Every year for the last 4 years my friends and I have visited bongow for a Christmas curry; don't get me wrong we visit many, many times throughout the year - any excuse to visit in fact, I personally travel over 60 miles to visit this curry house from Kent. Ali caters to our every whim, sometimes even creating new dishes, or tweaking existing dishes - It really is that good, you will not be disappointed. You will be elated.

Excellent again. Although we come here all year round i felt it necessary to review following our annual tradition of of a Christmas curry. Mr Ali was excellent as was the food. Best curry in Essex bar none.

Love this place. Always great food, and willing to cater for the fact I don't like onions. A staple ingredient for curries. Another great visit and will be back.

Another lovely evening at the Bongow’s tribute night - Both food and entertainment was very good and, as usual the service was outstanding. Thank-you for a lovely evening

Was recommend to come here . Staff very welcoming and nice atmosphere . Not a large venue, just right . Staff not constantly at your table but knew when to approach .Food , one of the best I have eaten at, food quantity was just right, often you get large portions in Indian restaurants and much of the food gets wasted , however, spot on here in portion size. They often have entertainment here, not experienced this yet.Worth a visit , would go again.

Had a enjoyable meal with friends.Restaurant was busy but not full, service was very friendly and welcoming, only complaint was meal took over a hour to arrive, did get poppadoms and drinks quickly.Meal was tasty but small portions.Nan was very greasy, and the dansak had no heat or spice to it, slightly disappointing. But rest of meal was enjoyable.Nice touch getting complimentary liquor with chocolates.... I don’t like orange chocolate would have liked usual after eight mint.

Excellent food once again . Lively atmosphere. Staff friendly and polite . Nothing too much trouble. Service was excellent. Looking forward to attending a tribute night soon ! If you have never visited I would highly recommend.

Nice inside and comfortable. Friendly staff. The only fault is the portions are small. But very tasty

Good food , good atmosphere, friendly staff. What’s not to like ? The king prawns are superb . Highly recommend.

Ali is back! And on top form. We had a friend visiting and introduced her to the delights of Bongow - she said she'd be a regular if she didn't live in Cornwall. I went with Ali's recommendation, his "Ali's Special Prawn" with light and fragrant spices, after a chat about diet and favourites. The ladies had sizzling dishes which were generous and succulent. I'm addicted to the sag paneer which is creamy and sweet and entirely more-ish.

The lime pickle served with our papadoms was swimming in oil (hardly any pickle) so asked them to change it; the yellow yoghurt dip was tasteless and really runny and probably watered down). The best thing about the main meal, which was nothing to write home about, was the onion bhajis. A nice touch which a lot of restaurants do, was that they gave us a complimentary liqueur at the end of the meal but they maybe should have asked first as they automatically bought a brandy for my partner who was driving – maybe a coffee would have been better. Check your bill payment!! Our bill came to £48.65 but when we were handed our receipt we had been charged £62.13 of which they had automatically charged us a gratuity of £13.48! – over 27%. Of course we queried it and he said he had pushed the wrong button!!!?? He cancelled (we hope) the payment and charged us the proper price. Funny that it happened on the same night to another customer. Needless to say they didn’t get a tip as we felt he was pulling a fast one and hoping we wouldn’t check our receipt. Definitely won’t be going back there – we’ll stick to our local Indian restaurants in future.

Frequented the restaurant many many times, never had an issue until tonight....

Been coming here for years, whether you eat in or takeaway the food is quality. Probably the best takeaway Indian I have had. Very welcoming and will always try to help you out where possible.

We visited the restaurant last Friday June 14 June. It was a ‘get ready for the weekend’ meal at the Bongow.

Haven't been to Bongow for a while and regretted it. Went tonight and wondered why we'd been away for so long.

Went on a Saturday Evening. The Staff are helpful. The food was not good .Every dish of food was Bright Red.Chcken Bhuna was definately not Bhuna. I asked what the dish was and a very curt just try it came from the waiter. Would certainly never return or recommend.

Another visit to Bongow - as always superb service and food excellent. Thanks Ali for another fab meal - very tasty. Looking forward to our next visit

Another great meal at bongows love this place. Ali and all the staff r lovely and always a warm welcome xx

Bongows serves delicious food all the time, never been disappointed. The staff are always so friendly and we are always served very quickly, definitely my favourite restaurant!

Always love going to this restaurant Ali and his team, always go above and beyond with their friendliness and the quality of food is fantastic

Ate here on a competition win and will definitely be back, all the dishes we had were amazing, some bone spicy dishes available. Staff were extremely welcoming and friendly stopping to chat to us. Looking forward to next visit.

Another great example of excellent food, venue and customer service. Ali and team always on top form and best curry around bar none

Must say Consistently good food 🥘 from the bongow team- I’ve been recently for a family’s get together

Great atmosphere, attentive friendly staff.. exceptional flavoured food. Catered to those with allergies. Definitely worth a visit .

We went to bongow on a Saturday night after booking it earlier. We where booked for 9.00 PM.there was a large party there with kids running about,and it was very noisy.we had to wait 30 mins for our table.after a couple of drinks and popadoms the large party left,and it was heaven..from that point we started to enjoy it and could hear yourself speak.we had starters and mains and enjoyed them..the staff where friendly and we got a drink on the house..think our timing was s bit unlucky for our first visit..probably give it another soon....

Bongow was rocking for the New Year's Eve celebration. Packed to the gills, great atmosphere and Elvis impersonator to entertain and get the crowd dancing after a lovely meal served by the most attentive and efficient of teams. Our glasses were always full, the food just kept on coming and the set menu for the evening was a fine array with poppadums and a mixed starter, chicken and lamb and prawn and vegetable dishes with pilau rice and nans, champagne for all at absolutely dead on the stroke of midnight. It was a blast, and shows how the Bongow crew can take it from a pleasant meal out with family and friends and ratchet it up to a genuine party. Thank you once again - you are the hosts with the most!

First tile here after hearing conflicting reviews. I love an Indian and can honestly say a very friendly place to eat with friends with good food. Will be returning and regretting not going there sooner. Thankyou for a lovely meal

We went to The Bongow on a Tuesday evening. 5 of use ate here. All had starters and mains with side dishes and wine. The food was excellent and tasty. The service was good and the price was fair. Perhaps a little bit more time to decide what we wanted to order.

Food is always excellent and always without onions per my request. Already planned next visit with my mates.

My friends and I have been visiting bongo for 3 years I remember the day we walked in from the fantastic pub opposite and sat down for the very first time the owner came over to us and was very courteous and informative, we played it safe and had a chicken madras with the usual accompaniments, the depth of Flavour was staggering, perfectly spiced with a nice kick of heat. We had a fantastic meal and great time, we subsequently visited again and again and again and have never had a bad meal. The owner, Ali always surprises and delights us with a new twist on a classic dish or by enhancing or adding extras to existing dishes. You will not be disappointed.

3 of us visited again, and we allowed the friendly Bongow team to prepare a unique dish for our table and yet again we were extremely impressed. Excellent fresh tasting food and great service once again. Well done team - see you next week.

Another visit to Bongow - as always superb service and food excellent. Thanks Ali for your recommendations for the sides - very tasty

Tried this new special King Prawn dish - lovely blend of spices! As always the service and the craic were absolutely delightful. Kind thanks - will always be going back!

Place looked dirty in the takeaway collection area. Garden a mess and windows full of condensation. Chicken Tikka bright red, massive of food colouring used bucking the trend at the moment for Indian food to be fresh, natural and colour free. Madras well OTT heat wise but simply a use of chilli powder not fresh herbs, spice and chilli. Pathia stodgy, rice old and poppadoms stale. Hardly ate any of it and would not go back. Cleanliness put me off when I pulled up and I wish I gone with my instinct to drive into Ongar to The Mogul.

Had a very tasty meal on Sunday 4th November, have eaten here many times for the lunch special, such good value for money, you must try it, the onion bhajis are the best Very good service and friendly staff, thank you, will be coming back again soon

staff can be a little sharp on occasions food used to be v good now i think the competitors have caught up , they also have an annoying habit of forgetting at least one dish so u get home thrn realise someone has to go without !! me last time

Been here a few times, the food is spot on with great friendly staff who can’t do enough to make you feel welcome. If you have never been before it is well worth a visit. The entertainment evenings are awesome too :)

Absolutely loved this restaurant. The food is so fresh and everything we ordered was so delicious. Can’t believe we live in Ongar and wasn’t aware of this restaurant. This is my number 1 Indian restaurant now and can’t wait to go back.

Both food and service is brilliant - not to mention the freebie tipple given at the end of the meal. Thanks Ali

When you enter the restaurant the waiters are so nice and friendly. The place is very clean, quick service and GOOD FOOD. Nicely cooked food to your taste very good atmosphere. They also have themed nights with singers and dancers also very well run.

A lovely meal on Tuesday - staff always remember our usual drinks and our names - thank you. We’ve visited many times and always receive great service and great food - thanks Ali

I will always love this restaurant, the staff always remember us and Ali looks after us very well which is one of the main reasons we come here very regularly and every time we are blown away by the services here! Would love to be able to give more than 5 stars as this place is perfect! Love the atmosphere, music, food, drinks and great hospitality! Bongows is great!

we’ve visited a number of Indians across Brentwood and surrounding areas and this is by far the best. Ali and his team are amazing, food is authentic and tasty, so welcoming, we come back every week. Would recommend !!

We came in here last week at the end of our holiday fortnight and as a birthday celebration.

Frist time here such a lovely atmosphere and fantastic friendly service definitely be back best lamb chops and chicken

Took my Dad to Bongow for a quiet meal for two and didn't think to book ahead as it was a Wednesday night. The place was jam packed but fortunately Ali and his team found room for us. We soon realised that it was Elvis night - two singers, one the young Mr Presley, the other the more mature version. We didn't get our quiet meal for two but we did get a real and unplanned buzz! We tried a couple of new dishes we hadn't had before - the Balti duck and the Tarka Dall - and can see these becoming firm favourites. As always the welcome was assured and even though there were over 70 people dining and not a free table in sight, the service was attentive and spot on. Thank you once again for making another night to remember/

Recently moved to the area, tried a few different Indian restaurants and finally found Bongow. Bongow definently tops them all, amazing food and brilliant service always.

The food here is amazing and the service is always exceptional. I have never had a bad meal here and every time I visit the meal is amazing and the staff make us feel so welcome.

Back at Bongow again for another family treat on Saturday evening. The wife and I both went for the sizzling dishes, the chicken tikka and the shashlik on the hot skillets with peppers and onions. They were amazing - light, piping hot, just spicy enough and filling. As always our welcome was the warmest; the staff are simply the nicest, most attentive and helpful. Hoping to book one of their legendary live music nights soon.

Very friendly staff - they cannot do enough for you. They remember your favourite dishes and drinks. Service (by Rashid) and food are superb will be visiting often! Try Ali’s special dish - superb!

We ate here a lot of the other Indians around have gone down hill . This hasn’t it’s amazing. Friendly staff as well .and great food . And this has a 5 star good rating. I think one of only in Brentwood.

Fantastic restaurant staff can’t do enough to please you, food outstanding and will even do special requests. Music nights a must!

We’ve been regulars at the Bongow for over a year now, having moved into the area. What a fabulous night out! Great food and fantastic staff, who look after their guests. We’ve celebrated three birthdays at the Bongow, and they’ve always made a big fuss of us, going the extra mile. Staff are really friendly and more than happy to help with menu choices.

Our family have eaten in this Indian restaurant many times, the menu is extensive and tasty. Take away is always hot and the portions are a very good size. The staff are attentive and always willing to help and advise on what dishes to pick. Totally recommend and will be going again soon for the unique and yummy Indian Cuisine.