Indian Garden in Orkney Islands

Takeaway. I had chicken tikka garlic chilli with a garlic naan and onion bhajia. The bhajia were very obviously made in advance then reheated - probably in a microwave - so were soggy outside and rubbery inside. Many Indian places do this but they're not that difficult to make fresh. Flavour profile ok. The garlic naan was standard fare. The curry had sliced garlic and onions, a nice touch. The flavour profile was a bit basic. The chicken tikka was obviously cooked in advance then reheated in the sauce, rather than freshly made in the tandoor. Bit of a stale taste which is unacceptable. Again, many places do this and, again, it's not that hard to do tikka fresh. Overall from me, the laziness and lack of attention to detail earns two stars. Sub-par, almost "just okay". Doubt I'll go back. Update to this review - March 2024. Initial review above from 2023. We ordered 2 pizzas for takeaway (despite saying in my last review I probably wouldn't go back). Very poor effort. Can't tell if the dough made on premises but not a good dough, very soggy. Far too much greasey cheese and pizza sauce from a can. All very lazy. Mushrooms seemed fresh but surely that's a given.

Food was very nice, good size portions with good prices

Being an Indian I can definitely say that's not what Indian food taste like. It was just color and weird taste and smelled quite old. They just say Indian food. But nothing matched with India. I can bet they are fooling with that extended menu. Way disappointed with the service.

Fine Indian restaurant, in an area with not that many options 👍

🚨AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS! THE WORST CURRY IVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!! 🚨 As a South Asian myself, i am extremely disappointed with this so called "curry". I ordered a Chicken Mahkani (an incredibly simple and easy to make curry) and i received a tub with chicken tikka bits and what looks like any old sauce flung on top of it.... and to top it all off... MOZZARELLA CHEESE on top of the curry!?!?! Never in all my life have i seen such nonsense from an "authentic indian restaurant". This place would be laughed at in other parts of the country! Ignore all previous reviews stating this establishment does good food, it is simply not true! Genuinely better off with a microwave meal from Tesco. Dont waste your time or your money on this place, it should be shut down immediately.

Used this for takeaway, was not sure how it was going to be as they have a very mixed menu. The Indian menu was fantastic, food was hot and there was plenty of it.

Absoluty first class. Excellent food

Excellent food that is reasonably priced.

I have to update this review as the business has gone downhill, I dont know if they've lost a chef but the standard of the food has dropped off a cliff, very poor. old review "Lived all over the UK, the Indian Garden in Kirkwall is the tastiest indian takeaway I've ever experienced. Consistently producing dishes to a high standard."

Had the chicken sag with garlic fried rice.. beautiful, 👍 Don't miss eating there.

Very fresh and tasty dishes, fast service and friendly staff

I don't order from here very often but I've never been disappointed. The passanda and coconut rice are divine, the chicken just melts in your mouth. I also love their online ordering, easy to navigate and pay. Highly recommend

Amazing food ,not your ordinary restraunt, far superior with everything bursting with flavour. Great friendly staff and fantastic value in immaculate surroundings.

I did look at the reviews before ordering some pizzas for a kids movie night, but realised that the majority or people had left reviews for curry. I kid you not, the Tesco value pizzas would have been better than these. The base was flat as a pancake, the tomato sauce has red food colouring and sugar added and the cheese was sliding off the flat base. They didn't use a mozzarella mix, it tasted more like a cheddar. Honestly, I've never seen 10 kids faces drop when I opened the boxes at home. I wouldn't order pizzas from here again. Terrible.

Have eaten in this restaurant 4 times since moving to Stromness, absolutely beautiful food,excellent quality, lovely service Definitely recommend and definitely go again,maybe a dozen times now,food fabulous as always

Staff was friendly and service was quick. Atmosphere was average. Now to the food. Oh boy. This is the weirdest "Indian" food I've ever tasted. It was so sweet!! And was just coconut. The tikka masala was red, so red, but couldn't taste one tomato and did not have a yogurt base. Some pieces of paneer were overcooked resulting in rubbery edges. Asked for medium spicy and there was zero hint of any spice whatsoever. The korma was the right color, but only tasted of coconut. Not savory at all. Lamb was cooked find. Meat samosas were flavorless. Naan and rice was fine. I read some of the other reviews...curious to see if the owner tells me I'm wrong. Sorry, but I've had Indian food around the world. Heck, I am Indian. This is....a travesty. Maybe change it to Indian inspired. Not to be mean, but can only guess the high ratings are from folks inexperienced with actual Indian food.

First meal in Scotland. This was one of the few places open on Sunday at 5pm. Even though the place says it is Indian, it is actually more akin to Bangladeshi food. I wasn't quite sure of the etiquette or how to order or what I was ordering, so I chose aloo gobi. That's not what I got though. I got a dish loaded with vegetables like zucchini and snap peas that taste like nothing in the United States. It was serendipity at its finest and unbelievably fresh. My wife had food loaded with garlic and it was amazing. One of my head the naab was some of the best I ever had. Rich, fresh, full of flavor. 100% recommend.

Huge menu just the dishes didn’t seem too fresh. And maybe that’s the problem with the long menu, you lose quality. Chutneys were very sugary, quite unauthentic experience. Tasty naan. Sadly just 2 stars

Listen the food is top tier and by far the best indian and takeaway place in orkney. My only concerns are about the pizza. They used to be really well made but recently they’ve been a bit slap dash. Like the toppings, cheese and sauce proportions haven’t been great. More care and attention is needed but the ingredients are great.

We love indian food and while travelling in Great Britain we tried to visit a lot of indian restaurants every year. The "Indian Garden" in Kirkwall is one of the best restaurants! Every dish is cooked perfectly and very delicious. And everyone is very friendly, the service is amazing. We will come back!

Very Beautiful Restaurant Warm Welcome Busy Atmosphere Food Is Excellent AND The Service is Not to Mention 100% Back Again..

Friendly staff good food and inexpensive this is a bring your own alcohol place which is great. Makes for a good meal out without spending a fortune on alcohol

Ordered a few curry dishes but was completely unhappy with the quality of the food, after voicing my concerns to the owner he was completely ride and dismissive of our concerns and told us to leave if we weren't happy. I'm definitely gonna avoid the place after that insult. Never been disrespected that much in my life.

A very poor representation of indian food, it's as if they were playing chinese whispers with the recipes. Would not recommend the place.

Not entirely sure what cuisine the food was supposed to represent but it most certainly wasn't indian food. The food was about as authentic as the indian ready meals sold at tesco. It somehow managed to vacate my body faster then it entered. Not my finest dining experience.

Amazing food! 👏 Service was excellent and the place was clean and tidy.

Great food and service friendly staff

Food was terrible we are tourists and we was treated horrible When it came to starters we knew we was in the wrong place and main was worse Desert was nice to be honest but we qas not happy at all AVOID AT ALL COST ITS NOT WORTH IT WE WAS RIPPED OFF BOSS SAYS RECEIPTS NOT WORKING AND WE HAD TO LEAVE STRAIGHT AWAY AFTER WE PAID

recently visited an Indian restaurant in my neighborhood with high hopes of enjoying a delicious and authentic culinary experience. Unfortunately, my visit turned out to be quite disappointing, leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth. First and foremost, the service was extremely slow and inattentive. Despite the restaurant not being particularly crowded, it took an eternity for the waitstaff to acknowledge our presence and take our orders. Throughout the entire meal, it felt like we were being completely ignored, with our requests for water refills and additional condiments going unnoticed. The lack of basic courtesy and attentiveness was a major letdown. Moving on to the food itself, it was far from the authentic and flavorful experience I was hoping for. The appetizers lacked the distinctive spices and intricate flavors that are characteristic of Indian cuisine. The samosas were greasy and lacked the crispy texture they should have had, while the chicken tikka lacked tenderness and tasted bland. It seemed as though the kitchen had taken shortcuts and failed to put in the effort required to create well-executed dishes. The main courses were equally underwhelming. The butter chicken, a popular Indian dish, was disappointingly watery, lacking the creamy texture and rich flavors I had anticipated. The biryani was undercooked and lacked the aromatic blend of spices that make it a delight to eat. The portions were also smaller than expected, especially considering the relatively high prices on the menu. Moreover, the restaurant's ambiance was nothing to write home about. The decor felt outdated, and the overall cleanliness left much to be desired. The lack of attention to detail in maintaining a pleasant dining environment added to the overall disappointment of the experience. Given the slow service, lackluster food quality, and subpar ambiance, I cannot recommend this Indian restaurant to others. It fell far short of delivering the authentic and enjoyable experience I had hoped for. There are certainly better options available in the area that offer superior service and more flavorful Indian cuisine.

food was really cold and the owner was rude not happy

The food is ok, but watch when collecting as the 10% isn't always taken off when ordering £20. I did question the guy on collection but he insisted it was, upon checking again it definitely wasn't. It's also not the 1st time that's happened.

Great meal , very friendly and affordable.

Good food,excellent surroundings but quiet mid-week.

Lovely restaurant, nice food, good atmosphere.

My friend and I had eaten late on in the day so couldn’t manage dinner at “dinner time”, by the time we were hungry a lot of the restaurants were closed, which was when I thought about the Indian garden. Don’t think I’ve been so grateful for a spur of the moment meal in my life. Upon entry I apologised because it was so late (almost 9pm) and asked if there was a chance we could sit in. There were no tables available but the staff member cleaned a larger table and split it off for the two of us, grabbing menus and having us sat within a few minutes. My Lamb Bhuna was absolutely delicious, the Tikka (I think? Maybe Korma) was also left with a glowing review. Thank you so much for a lovely evening, will be back again soon

Delicious Achari and garlic/chili Naan. Very quick and personable service. Good prices.

Takeaway. Our main dishes were more akin to chicken stew, I think that they forgot to include the spices. Similarly the pilau rice. The starters were fine, as were the nan breads. I cannot recommend this place.

Great Indian. Wonderful food and fantastic service! There was a mistake with my order but got correct straight away!

Lovely food, lovely choices and welcoming atmosphere

Another really really good meal here. The service was very good, the food was delicious and served in hot plates. What more could you ask for!

The Kebab i bought wasn't nice .they reheated the meat which made it like leather

Went with a group from work, lovely meal.

If you are an Indian looking for good Indian food in Kirkwall - AVOID this place. Guess they don't seat indians (I am an Indian) in the main section. Even though the place wasn't half full - he made me sit in a dark corner behind the bar. Out of sight of all the other 'patrons'. And the street. Maybe we are bad branding. Said there were reservations for the other tables. When I asked how they could reserve a specific table - he pretended not to understand English. When I asked again if that was a no-indian section, he said "you don't like it here so leave" I was so disgusted but hungry. So had him pack up my food to go. Food is mediocre. Not sure who is raving about the food on reviews here. They've obviously never had even decent Indian food in NYC or London or Mumbai!!

Halal Indian food. Great options and taste

Picked up a large pizza and some cheesy chips. It was all apparently very delicious as it all disappeared in record time, without so much as a murmer of conversation between bites...

Delicious Indian food. Some of the best I’ve had in Scotland in a while. The madras was the perfect spice level for myself and you could taste the spices, an indication of a proper curry dish. Really enjoyed the food.

Food was very good and traditional

Excellent meal (Prawn Pasanda) and good service. Went with a Curry aficionado who was impressed. Unlicensed but you can bring your own alcohol.

Muy buen servicio. Volvería seguro, aunque cuidado con el picante!!

Fantastic food,great service, absolutely definitely recommend this place

Attentive staff, amazing freshly cooked food and a nice ambiance. I'd be back.

Fatta ordinazione online e ritiro al ristorante. È molto semplice ma difficile decidersi, il menù è grandissimo. Solitamente online molti ristoranti danno solo alcune opzioni quindi poter avere un menù online dettagliato è stato fantastico. Cibo molto buono. Grazie per il vostro eccellente servizio. Abbiamo anche provato successivamente il ristorante. Il locale è molto bello ed il personale molto gentile. Ottimo il cibo.

Amazing service! Great food and really friendly. Totally recommend !

One of the best Indian takeaways I've ever had. Definitely recommend. Very friendly staff especially Latvian.

Picked up a takeaway from here as had a cottage round the corner on a week's holiday in Kirkwall, very simple online ordering system, food was ready to collect at stated time and was top quality food

Quick and friendly service for my carryout. Great value for money and great food.

Small restaurant with limited seating... Welcome was very neutral and we had the impression the patron had very limited English skills.. Comprehensive menu.. Note they do not a license for alcoholic drinks. I ordered a mixed pakora starter followed by a lamb vindaloo. With boiled rice and peshwari nan bread.. The starter was average and was served without a sauce.. The vindaloo was very dry and lacked taste.. Probably the worst I have ever tasted.. The peshwari nan was excellent.... The whole experience was spoiled by an in your face television playing loud and repetitive Indian music and dancing... Whist some background music is okay constant, loud music is not.... Overall opinion - I'll not be going back .

Very nice meal. Chicken tikka rezala was delicious, garlic naan excellent.

Very friendly and helpful staff good choice of curries and reasonable priced.

Delicious curry, in a contemporary style restaurant. Service was friendly and attentive. Poppadoms were fresh and tasty. We ordered paneer shashlik and garlic chilli vegetable balti as main courses, with plain rice and garlic naan. Everything was fresh and delicious. The balti was full of flavour and spicy hot but not too much so, the paneer was generously cut chunks and beautifully tender. The naan was soft and crispy. Great food.

Excellent, fresh food and a nice change from the usual kitchen. The staff is friendly, but sometimes a bit forgetful - maybe also due to the staff shortage at the moment. Reservations are recommended, especially if you are a party bigger than two. I had the King Prawns with the homemade tiger sauce which was fantastic - it could have been a tiny bit more, but that's complaining on a high level.

Kitschy cheap decor, with stained seats. Not the friendliest of welcomes. Huge confusing menu (the same dishes seem to appear multiple times). Overcooked chicken. Spicy but bland curry. Expensive for what you get.

Amazing quality food, we ate here twice as it was so nice. Just make sure you bring a bottle as its not licensed.

A very extensive menu. Delicious high quality take away.

Very good meal and efficient service

Loved this restaurant, food was fantastic. The peshwari nan was the best. Very welcoming, very attentive and good value. I would certainly recommend this place, so much we're booking it before our return to mainland Scotland. Thank you Indian Garden Orkney. 👍🏼👍🏼

Best Indian I’ve had in a LOOOONG time❤️❤️

Friendly staff and great meal. Would happily return, it’s is bring your own booze so if your going take a bottle. No corkage though.

Another great meal at the Indian Garden, good service and always friendly, did I mention the food was fab!

Best curry I've had in a long time. Good prices, big portions and generous amount of tasty lamb in the dish I had. Highly recommended.

Went to this restaurant twice last week. Good service, friendly and a good menu. Couldn't fault anything

Really appreciate, Halal and testy food, recommend to try

Lovely staff, great food. The lamb was fantastic. Very generous portions.

Lovely atmosphere, attentive staff and excellent food. Will go back.

Fantastic experience. The food was incredible, the nan bread the most fresh I've ever had, chicken beautifully marinated and authentic atmosphere. Manager of the place is also very lovely and kind.

Food was horrible, No garlic on , garlic Nan, Lentil was not cooked and no spice at all. Young age Waiter was so rude keep laughing No manners , There is Zero professionalism, Papdom was not crispy . Quality of awfull, We did not enjoy food , I did not eat much ,my wife eat bit of . I been another Indian restaurant DIL SEY in high street, THERE food was amazing There is another Indian restaurant,

Lovely place and nice curry. Unlicensed.

Extensive menu listed. Unfortunately not clear on it that the premises don't have a liquor licence. That's ok, but good to know before hand so can know to take your own. Went on their Wednesday offer night, again listed on the menu. Again, not made clear that it is based on a limited menu offer. Again, ok if it is known beforehand, so was a bit disappointed. Food ok and staff helpful.

We did a walk in after reading positive Google reviews We weren't disappointed. Very friendly staff, wide menu choice. Food arrived promptly and was delicious. Thanks.

Gorgeous 😍 Indian food, very tasty 😋. On holiday in Orkney in Kirkwall. Found this little gem. We'll worth trying if you're in the area.

Excellent food and service Male toilet needs a badly needed upgrade

Excellent.. loved the food, really tasty food, friendly staff. Overall a very good experience. Many 😊 Thanks

Great food and plenty of it. Friendly and efficient service

Good food, but no alcoholic beverage available. We didn't know this at the time of booking, so had to run to tesco for some cobra beer before the meal. Friendly staff, Worth going, just remember to bring your own bottle.

Not the best Indian the chat was more DIY and quite crispy also I felt rushed between courses! Pleasant staff however.

Great service, tasty food and really lovely staff. Highly recommend.

Had the mixed kebab with chips. It was quite large and great flavour. Was only £9.00, which I thought was a good price. Comes with a wooden fork too and napkins.

Swift service and was given a table despite not having booked. The food was lovely and service matched that.

Excellent quality indian takeaway. Large portions. Well spiced. Best chapathi i have had in a while. Lovely dhal. Succulent prawns. A treat !

Lovely food, excellent service, good size portions and reasonably priced. No alcohol licence so take your own.

Simply stylish interior (great to have some Bollywood music playing at a respectful level). Extremely attentive staff, interesting and varied menu with plenty of non meat options. All our choices of food were utterly delicious and impressively presented. Overall a great choice and prices are extremely reasonable.

Group of twelve, all very pleased. Very friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Delicious food. Excellent value. Portions so big I had to take some home in a doggy bag (to nice to waste).

It was ok. Portions are definitely smaller. Quality not as good as it used to be

Food exalent, service fantastic the hole experience very good loved it Craig and Carlotta

Good food and friendly staff!!!

Friendly and the food was plentiful and tasty

Used to love the pizza, finally got chance to go back and pizza base has changed and seems the sauce has too. Got a kebab aswell very oily, and the wrap wasn't toasted. A bit disappointed. 2 stars as service was friendly, and used to be my favourite place to go. Also left this review on fb but seems to have disappeared.

Dobre jedzenie w rozsądnej cenie

Good food, friendly service and reasonable prices. I use the takeways and there is a handy preorder and prepayment app which works well.

I had a lovely meal at the Indian garden. Great tasting food. Great service and a very attentive staff member called Vasil. I will certainly be back when I return. Top job guys.