Indian Ocean in North Down

Indian Ocean is probably Northern Ireland's most well known Indian restaurant and with good reason. A group of us went for a meal on a Friday evening and whilst the restaurant was really busy, the service was excellent. Indian Ocean Holywood has a great, varied menu and everyone was able to find something they liked (loved!!!) Can't remember what everyone ordered, but I got Murgh Tikka for starters and Jalfrezi Ghosht for mains. Wine list was fab as well. Highly recommend!

Wow! We came here on recommendation from a friend and it certainly lived up to expectations. We have three main courses which was very good but no competition of chicken Razela dish. the meat was so tender and tasty. Plenty of rice and good size of portions .The service was lovely and the Resturant was busy, but service was quick. We loved dining here and left with very full bellies

If looking for Indian takeaway, AVOID this place! £80.80 for 4x main courses, 2xbahjis & 1 peshwari naan BLAND, OVER PRICED, LACKING in QUALITY INGREDIENTS

Great experience and amazing staff and food was beautiful , had friends over from London and they said it was probably one of the best Indian restaurants they had eaten in, thank you for setting the bar so high guys.

This was my 3rd time eating at Indian Ocean Holywood with guests from abroad. It must be said that this is a truly stylish and modern Indian restaurant. Upon arrival I was met by a most pleasant and well presented member of staff and was quickly taken to my table. Started off with drinks and of course the must have nibbles of popodoms and dips absolutely delightful with a cold beer and wine perfectly chilled. Onto the starters and it was onion baghi for myself and my good lady was most impressed with the prawn puri starter served in a very modern updated way with bite size puri and that Indian tapas twist - absolutely beautiful- our guests had the veg pakoras with a banging chillie sauce - mains the tandoori chicken trio - chicken tikka masala - chicken tikka patia - murg masala - pilau rice and some nans - now for the clarification - the nans definitely cooked in a tandoori oven - the masala was as it says on the tin sweet creamy and delicious- I noted a previous review which does not accurately reflect the quality of the food and the days of having a meal for £2 are clearly well gone - on that note this restaurant represents excellent value for money and the food is outstanding - highly recommend this restaurant - you get what you pay for these days folks - it’s 2024 - this is a must try Indian restaurant you won’t be disappointed.

I’m a regular here and the food is just delicious It always tastes freshly prepared..can be expensive but I feel it’s worth it.,

We booked for Sat nt and the food wasn’t bad. Hygiene was good and all staff well prepared and social distances maintained. My problem tonight was the portion size and prices. When I compare say 6 months ago to now, we’d much less meat in the dish and I left still hungry. It has put me off and it will be back to Tulsi next time.

I was here for dinner on the last night of the eat out to help out scheme. The new social distancing measures are great with Perspex dividers between some of the tables. It makes it much more private. The food was excellent and plentiful. The peshwari naan bread was the nicest I’ve ever had! Service was good too despite it being so busy.

Best Indian Restaurant I’ve been to in the UK! The food and service is unbelievable. Well worth a visit.

This place is outstanding. Amazing food & helpful staff who make you feel welcome. We will definitely be back.

We ordered from this beautiful restaurant over the weekend. The food was fantastic, absolutely delicious, even my fussy teenager loved it. The staff were so helpful. Would highly recommend!!

Our 1st night out after Covid lockdown and a belated birthday meal for my wife food was absolutely amazing my whole family had a great time the staff couldn’t have done enough for us and a nice touch from the owner sending a bottle of Prosecco over to my wife as a birthday treat thank you so much for a wonderful time well worth waiting the 3 months for a night out I and my family would highly recommend this absolutely amazing restaurant

First night out for dinner after lockdown and it did not disappoint. The food was fabulous, the service was first class. This was the first our friends had been here and they were full of praise for the staff at how fabulous a job they were doing. We have dined here many times before and couldn’t wait to get back. From start to finish it was the best treat! I would definitely recommend Indian Ocean, gorgeous decor, delicious food, wonderful atmosphere and fantastic staff.

Ordered my collection on Saturday evening and was given a specific time for collection. When I arrived I was extremely pleased to see the excellent social distancing measures in place. Can I just say for the record the takeaway prices at this establishment have been the same for some time long before COVID 19 so to suggest that they are profiteering during a pandemic is completely misleading. A fabulous well run business who are Leaders on producing quality food - you get what you pay for folks - I highly recommend this restaurant for collection.

I ordered a take away from the menu but when I collected it they increased the price by 2 pounds. It's expensive in comparison to other Indian restaurants but to increase the price in these times is profiteering. On principal will not go back.

A beautiful authentic Indian restaurant in the little town of Hollywood county down .. great staff , great atmosphere and delicious menu .. totally recommended

Without doubt best Indian restaurant I've visited in UK Been several times, never disappointed. Selection of wines excelkent.

Fabulous food and fabulous staff, highly recommend. Couldn’t fault it at all, will definitely be back.

Lovely Indian restaurant,very friendly staff indeed, Nice atmosphere and the food and service were excellent 👍 This is a restaurant we've been in a few times now and will be back again 👍

My husband and I were staying nearby before flying back to Canada. We stopped in last Friday night and were warmly welcomed. The food was wonderful and I recommend the Monkfish. Our server was most helpful in guiding us through the menu. Prices are good. Again lovely people.

Called in for a bite to eat on a Wednesday about 5pm. Enjoyed the food - all tasty and well presented. Relaxing atmosphere with attentive but not intrusive staff. Would recommend.

Fantastic food last night in the Indian Ocean. Friendly staff Probably the best Indian meal we have had . Looking forward to going back

We were in Holywood and felt peckish so decided on Indian food. Tulsi was closed so we walked on to the next place on our list.. how glad I am we did. Fantastic food and service and everything was so clean and shiny. The guy who served us was so friendly and helpful, this place is our “ go to” from now on. We will DEFINITELY be back.

Great food and great service from Sy, will come again. I would highly recommend a visit to this fantastic Indian restaurant.

I have eaten here a number of times. The restaurant is well set out and always clean. The food is always delicious. The staff are very friendly and helpful and always engage in a conversation with my young son which he enjoys and makes for a pleasant dining experience. Would highly recommend.

Ate here with a friend and booked a table at short notice - not an issue. An extensive menu with lots of choice. The waitress who was very friendly recommended we have the tapas style starter instead of two individual staters and it was good advice. However, the selection was huge....so be careful with ordering additional sides with main courses as we couldn't finish what we had ordered. it was also not a problem for us to have a break between starter and main course and we were able to sit and chat without feeling we were being rushed. Even when we finished we were not rushed out and as it turned out we were the last to leave the restaurant and still the staff were friendly.

Best Indian food for miles around. Beautiful restaurant, spotlessly clean. The standard and selection of food is absolutely superb, try the chilli garlic lamb! The staff are so friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Treat yourself and give it try

We have eaten here often enough and I've never bothered to leave a review. Shame on me. This restaurant has never served us food that wasn't just delicious - we have never had a bad meal here. Tandoori meats packed with flavour obviously straight from the oven, every time. Slow cooked lamb that melts in your mouth, every time. Service with a smile - and good attentive service. Perfect spicing that is subtle and not overwhelming and a lovely varied menu. We're lucky to have this wonderful restaurant on our doorstep. Keep it up guys. You're doing a fantastic job.

Excellent food, service and staff. We wouldn't go anywhere else. Super food Kamir as always! Mahinder we love you and your staff! Stephen and Jo.

We called at short notice and had a fabulous meal at Indian Ocean in Holywood. the food was beautifully cooked and presented on lovely plates, plenty of vegetarian options and they even obliged with a vegetarian puri which wasn't on the menu but we would strongly recommend. Good reasonable wine list, hot plates, everything was impeccably clean and a very polite and friendly waiter. Look forward to returning on our next visit to Belfast and recommending to friends.

I Have frequented this restaurant many many times .... the food has always beed terrific.... but yesterday when I was there it was simply outstanding , not sure if the chef has changed or not... the food was delicious.

Lovely dinner with helpful and pleasant staff. Cost very reasonable and the food was fab. Looking forward to returning.

lovely restaurant really enjoyed the food, it was a quick service and food was hot and delicious, very nice staff who had time for any question's you may of had on any dish which was to me was so helpful as I wouldn't be certain on which dish was really hot and which one was mild, will be back again thank you

Very attractive restaurant, spacious (relatively). The staff was very friendly, although they took their time getting the order. Food was delicious. Don't trust the stars (for how hot the meals are) - I think that four stars is more Madras than Vindaloo

The service is excellent from start to finish. The menu comprehensive and the food faultless. We didn’t have a reservation but, despite the place being very busy, we were seated immediately. Just faultless throughout.

Ordered takeaway and was pleasently surprised that it took only 15 minutes to have food ready for collection.However the quality of the food was very disappointing.The onion bhagee was dense and felt reheated instead of light and crispy.The chicken biryani was mainly rice and not a lot of chicken,the sauce was watery and lacked taste.(hardly any vegetables)The chicken Kashmir was the best dish but wasn't anything to write home about.We paid £31.05 which was expensive for what we got and we will be trying somewhere different next time.Disappointed.

Last night we ate here for the 2nd time this month. The staff are very friendly and welcoming to our two young daughters. Tonight we had the pre theatre menu and everything was delicious! My lamb balti was just full of flavour, such tender lamb. Hubby meal was just as good. We particularly liked that our 7 year doesn't like chicken and the kids meals are with chicken but it was no issue to swap this for lamb and it was refreshing to see no surcharge for the change. Would definitely recommend this beautiful restaurant the interior is stunning, with amazing food and friendly staff!

Food good Waiting area poor, for size of restaurant Staff are not allowed to take tips, as Management keep these. Overcrowded on a Friday evening.

Was driving past Holywood this evening with my family and needed a restaurant for dinner. Looked up TripAdvisor and chose this one as it’s the first highly rated restaurant we came across.....and the exterior was very appealing.

Had a recent meal here with my wife, daughter and son in law to celebrate another candle on my birthday cake! Everything about this restaurant we found to be first class. Premises, staff, menu, food, wine, service - are all really good. We hope to be back soon.

I recently visited Indian Ocean Holywood - the jewel in the crown of the Indian Ocean group - Goan fish curry is a must have, no frozen fish served here, fresh cod fillet cooked and served to perfection. Beautifully presented and tasted even better. My friend had the chicken tikka patia this was mouth watering to such extent I almost licked the bowl however the packed restaurant full of diners prevented me letting myself down. This is what you call an Indian restaurant, finished to a high standard this place has spared no expense on its interior design and even the plates I noted are Vileroy and Bosh - very professional and polite staff this Is an Indian food lovers paradise.

I was there last week with some of my freinds and the food was top of the world and the best atmosphere so far for an Indian restaurant. The service was quick and the staff is really nice. Highly recommended.

Pleasant service and very nicely spiced tasty food - a top class Indian restaurant. The breads are especially good

Nice relaxed atmosphere great if want nice relaxing meal.If love Indian food a must.If want something not on menu just ask staff and they will sort you out

And I've had a lot... From start to finish superb: welcome, service, cleanliness and food so colourful and full of flavour... Great job, see you again soon!

Spot on, South Indian food, great fish dishes, fantastic Vindaloo. Friendly service, excellent surroundings, well worth a visit.

Called in and was well recieved. Good food and wine and service was exceptional by the young arentive local staff. Place was quite busy but again staff waited and cleaned tables etc.

First time here while visiting from England. A really lovely restaurant, the staff were very friendly and service was excellent. Our meals were superb we will definitely visit again on our next visit to Holywood.

I called and tried to give my order but the staff appeared to be serving another customer whilst on the phone to me. I kept repeating I was gluten free and kept getting ignored. I eventually hung up and called back 5 minutes later when I had her full attention. My boyfriend went in to collect and double checked with the staff it was gluten free. The staff appeared confused and called the manager who was quite rude and abrupt. He said everything on the menu is gluten free apart from the bread (well, obviously not the bread) my boyfriend explained that I was allergic and gave him another chance to admit it wasn't gluten free. The manager eventually got fed up and literally directed him to the door.

Booking is recommended at this great Indian in Holywood, County Down. The decor and ambiance is up there with the best. The food was plentiful and the six of us really enjoyed the experience. The staff were attentive and everyone cleared their plates. A great night out and great food at reasonable prices.

First time here. Went with friends and their two young children. Warm welcome from floor manager Vic. Excellent service and food. Warm friendly place. As good an Indian as you will get.

We visited this restaurant as part of our Eid celebrations as we had been there before and is a favourite of the kids! All dishes we ordered were excellent and most importantly the staff very friendly and eager to please! Really tasty food and welcoming atmosphere! Last but not least, the restrooms were really clean and well looked after- an important consideration for families with children and not only!!!

Another amazing meal at the Indian Ocean - consistently great food and friendly service - they never let you down!

Mott a big fan on Indian food but went here with friends from Canada. Now I'm a fan of Indian food. It was amazing. I had dopiaza which was out of this world and the popadoms for starters was oh so tasty. Staff were so friendly and were very tolerant to novice Indian food eaters. We will definitely be back.

Aways excellent food, reasonably priced, great friendly service, THE BEST CHICKEN TIKKA MASALAH IN THE WORLD!!!!

Had a great dinner with all the family. Staff were very helpful. Hard to get food that is healthy and nice.

Please note contrary to previous reviews Indian ocean is still there! It has not been replaced by tulsi which also exists nearer to the crossroads in Holywood.

Recommended to this restaurant by business friends who had been recommended by their sons. We were all delighted to find that the restaurant was in good decorative order, had well trained friendly staff and produced really good food. I had the Chicken Balti Exotica (£10.95) medium hot which had peppers. tomatoes, garlic and chilli sauce. Others had Goa Fish Curry (£14.95) based on fresh haddock or Murg Methi Malia (£12.45) a low spice chicken dish. All very good but we really enjoyed the side dishes of Tarka Dall (£4.75), Chana Bhajee (£5.45), Saag Bhajee (£5.45) and Aloo Govi (£5.45) which so enhanced the main courses. The plain Naan (£2.65) and Peshwari Naan (£3.20) were hot and fresh so also added to the meal. This was a first class Indian meal and much to be lauded in an area which is not famed for such cuisine.

Indian ocean has closed. it is now Tulsi, another fine Indian in Holywood. Friendly staff, swift service, and great food.

Went here with friends about 2 weeks ago. And its fine but I'm a simple guy who loves his Indians and in my view this place is more geared towards the upper market persons who would not normally attend an Indian restaurant.

Went here for the first time and I must say I have never been a lover of Indian food from past experiences.

We tried some different dishes on our weekly visit tonight.

Met with friends last night and had a fabulous meal. We all thought the food was top notch. We regularly eat indian and this is definitely up there as the best.

By far, the best Indian restaurant in Co Down...maybe even in Northern Ireland. Staff are attentive, without being intrusive. Food is delightful and well presented. Pricing is mid-range and worth every penny. They even offer a 'digestive' on the house.

This is place is busy for both lunch and evening meals. The restaurant is situated over two floors and the dining area is pleasant and afforded good natural light during daylight hours. Food is fantastic and extremely popular with carry out customers

Always have great food at this restaurant, great staff lovely surroundings. This is one of my favourite restaurants , keep...

I hadn't been to Indian Ocean in over 3 years, for various reasons, however I was not disappointed. I went...

Great buzz in the restaurant. Food was delicious - had the monkfish special and would highly recommend it.

This was a first visit. Seems to serve the standard 'Indian' classics. I rated average, not because the food is, but because it offers nothing outstanding. The price, amount and taste of the food was all good . But it's just another good everyday ''Indian'' .

Staff extremely friendly and service was efficient. We each had different meals including chicken, lamb and vegetarian. Great variety of how each were prepared was available. Wine selection was limited but good.

Myself and my wife frequent here.

Very smart restaurant with parking at rear and limited parking in front. We had the best Indian food we have had for years here. We had Goan fish curry and my husband dislikes hot curries so he had a mild version whereas mine was medium. The asparagus in it was perfectly cooked, the rice excellent and we had Naan bread and onion bajees too. Couldn't fault it. Wish we could take it back to Australia with us! Large helpings so sadly could not finish my meal.

I had free popadom and sauces.For mains I choose lamb shaslik tandoori with mushroom rice.It was fine though I think for me too much of a mixture.Mango chutney which they charge for. Glass of wine.Coffee with cream finished off.Around 25 is normal for evening a la carte meal.Will go back sometime.Staff nice Nepali.

My husband and I usually get take away from this restaurant but with a few hours without the children we decided to eat in. The restaurant is gorgeous inside and the staff are friendly and helpful. The food is always amazing! The early bird special is great value. The meal was deliciousand we will definitely return!

Have ate here on a couple of occasions and have had takeaway many times. The food is fantastic. Flavoursome and fresh with good portions. Staff are always helpful and friendly...

We ordered four main dishes with rice, a naan and chips and it was forty two pound. It included poppadoms. The restaurant was nice to wait in, the staff friendly and food was excellent and in large portions. The vindaloo was hot and korma sweet and creamy. I would definitely visit again.

I didn't eat Indian food until I ate here. Delicious food. Great atmosphere and lovely staff. Highly recommended.

Car park at rear doesn't have many spaces and the rear of the restaurant belies the standard of furnishings within.Having discovered the Indian Ocean, I have brought guests to it on several occasions. All said they would be back - no better recommendation!

This is the second time eating at this lovely Indian restaurant, once again we were very pleased with our meal . It was a Saturday evening so the restaurant was very busy with a lovely atmosphere , the staff were friendly and the food was delicious, would recommend this restaurant if you're in the area , I would recommend booking especially if going on Friday or Saturday evening .

excellent lovely restaurant attentive staff delicious meal and good service a great evening to enjoy with friends with either sitting in restaurant or a take away on a Friday or Saturday pm

We went here with friends with home we often head out for an Indian meal. We were all agreed that this was one of the best. The food was great and staff were friendly and attentive. It was a Saturday night and was very busy. Certainly not a place for a quiet dinner. Also advisable to book at weekends.. Heading back in a couple of weeks.

Called here on way for ferry bank holiday. Place was empty but what a nice place. Parked outside in front. Nice table and service was good as only takeaway time really at 5.30pm. Food was in short excellent. Good portions and good quality. Gripe was drinks are expensive. Would recommend you go and opt for water.

Regulary we buy take aways from this fine establishment but lately we found that the portions have got considrably smaller this is a pet hate of mine.I find a place that serves excellent food and then after a while they loose their way.Cmon Indian Ocean bigger portions as their is plenty of competion in your area.

Had a tasty mid week lunch in the Indian Ocean. They have a lunchtime deal that is great value for money and portions are really good. Restaurant is really nicely decorated and has the bonus of a few parking spaces out back.

I just love the food here. We quite often get takeaways but have sat in a few times as well and the food is always delicious. They have a starter for 2 which is just glorious. I love the chicken Karahi.

First time in this restaurant and it won't be the last. Excellent food and great service. Good value too.

We were in Carrickfergus for a wedding and didn't fancy eating at the hotel we were staying at, so we went on tripadviser to look for somewhere close that could accomodate a large(ish) party and Indian Ocean came up with good reviews. We were not disappointed, the service was second to none, even though only half our party initially went, the rest turned up as the night advanced and the staff looked after everyone like they were royalty, helping out with extra seating and preparing meals, disposing of dishes and glasses out of sequence. We weren't the quietest bunch either. Not only that, but the food was 1st class, I really enjoyed my time there.

Had the korma and have to say this place has reinvented itself very successfully. The chicken was tender. Also the lamb biryani was moist, tender and delicious (please note Eastern Tandoori) the management have definitely made positive inroads. Only downside no cards taken for purchases under £20 (not even switch) which I guess is a move to hide real takings from HMRC. Switch for the record has no charge to the merchant.

The staff and service was second to none. I like the minimalist idea that they have. I think Western culture could learn a lot from them. The food is amazing. This is one of my favourite places to go when i'm in Holywood.

Lovely foodAttentive, friendly staffGreat decor and atmosphereMy families favourite spot for an Indian!Yummy!

Whether its for the midday offer or the evening meal the food here is simply delicious. The restaurant itself is very stylish and the service is excellent. We have tried many Indian restaurants but we have found this one to be a firm family favourite by far. The carry out menu is extensive and pricing wise it is excellent. You certainly will not be disappointed.

We called in on a Tuesday evening and were pleasantly surprised. Lovely lay out / very attentive staff and good food. Mixed starters (onion bhajee and pakoras) followed by CTM and Jalfrezi hot and spicy all hit the mark. Two very satisfied customers.

Myself and my wife have tried most if not all the Indian restaurants locally.The Indian Ocean is by far the best.The chef won Best Chef at the Irish Curry Awards, need I say any more?I like my food super spicy and what I order most times isn't even on their menu!! PhaalMy wife prefers the chicken tikka chilli masala which is really good too.Mahendra is very helpful. You just have to ask if you're not sure and he will advise.In fact all the staff are friendly and helpful.The Indian Ocean is wheelchair accessible

Visited this restaurant with friends to be pleasantly surprised. My last visit was in 2015 so I was pleased to find that they had upped their game! The starters were delicious and reasonably generous. The main courses were piping hot and enjoyed by all. The only disappointment was the Peshwari naan which was a bit soggy. All in all a much better experience.

Went with my bf for a treat. Food and service is faultless. Totally recommend the sharing platter for starter. Great atmosphere for couples, families and parties. Love, love, love this place

After being dragged around ikea I thought it's time for a treat ..... and what a treat . Drove over to Holywood thinking I was going to the bhokara , no longer there but now The Indian Ocean . After walking in there was a sign saying Gold Medal Award Winning chef , N Ireland curry awards and they are definitely not wrong , that has to be one of the most delicious , flavourful curries I have had the pleasure of eating . Special Tikka Khazana for me and Lamb Tikka Saag for the other 1/2 , 2 pilau rice . Nothing left in either plate and nothing left to say but get over there and delight your taste buds . Definitely worth more than 5 STARS . SUPERB ******

Indian Ocean has benefited from a relevantly recent modern refurbishment giving well above average levels of comfort while the staff are all courteous and very efficient. However the real star of the show is a great selection of good quality Indian classics , fish curry available at the weekends are wonderful , sauces are not puddles of oil but rather expertly crafted to reflect some of India's regional cuisines . A tandoori oven produces excellent Naan bread and complementary Poppadoms are provided with delicious dips at the beginning of your meal .

My husband, daughter and myself were fortunate to visit this excellent restaurant with a large group of friends last week and were joined by the lovely owners Kabir and Maria - excellent hosts - who recommended and ordered a huge selection of dishes for the 12 of us. As lovers of Indian food we enjoyed every dish brought to the table trying new dishes we wouldn't normally order. I even managed to really enjoy the lamb dish Kabir ordered despite not liking lamb at all!! The flavours were truly amazing, the staff extremely friendly and efficient, the decor beautiful and a fabulous night was had by everyone. Despite living a long way from Hollywood, we will definitely be back and soon. A very big thank you to every one of the hardworking staff.

This restaurant is very stylish. The food is very good and the £7.95 lunch which consists of two courses is excellent and filling. Because the Indian restaurant which had been in the same spot for a long time, was so friendly and felt like home from home, this restaurant is a little more stiff. The waiting staff are very nice but seem to be encouraged just to do their and not to be too friendly. A sha shame!

Thanks Adam for being the tonic we needed this eve. Food was so so good. Much better than Manchester ;)