Lal Qila in Manchester

Been coming here with my extended family.. Authentic Asian food, freshly prepared, quickly served.

Been coming here and when Lal Qila was a restaurant for 2 decades. Food has always been really great! But in recent visits it has declined, to top it off when walking out with the takeaway I seen several large rats going into the building next doors vents. The Karai chicken and lamb was both bland despite asking for it to be spiced up (apna style). The yoghurt sauce was off and fizzing, salad was stale and not fresh. This place won't be getting another chance from me no more.

I used to love this place back in my uni days. The sheikh kebab and chicken donner was always fresh and of outstanding quality. My past few visits have been unfavourable. The staff customer service skills have been lacking, the sheikh kebab is no longer the thick juicy kebab it used to be. Chicken donner did not taste fresh. I think this place has begun to go downhill. Standards are slipping, portions are shrinking and food lacks oomph and juice, yet the price is increasing significantly!!! It's just an Okay price now like many others who just offer basic edible food.

Great food and best pakoras in Manchester...quality as always

I’ve ordered chicken tikka wich was really good but burned to much, salads wasn’t fresh looks like been there from opening hours, sauces they offering looks like coloured water, the place isn’t looking tidy,seats tables and tube sauces was so sticky.

Don't be fooled by the outside, the traditional food is lovely!

Bought 10 nan bread pay £12 withn hours reach home I can’t Evan eat such a bad quality believe me throw to the bird all nan not happy. Call to restaurant and and they agree to give me more nan is depending on me when I go to Manchester again but I will never buy again from them inshallah. Program warrrr gaya

Bought a large portion of lamb donor which is less then a small portion and charged me 7 pounds and the naan is tasteless aswell

It's ok, not what it used to be 20yrs ago

Tasty food always get seek kebabs and chicken pakoras very tasty and salad is fresh aswell

Lamb chops Chicken korma and a Donner kebab Waitied 40mins and still waiting Constantly getting looked at atmosphere extremely ignorant Left as it was soo uncomfortable and went to Saajan 💯🙌🏾💕 whare we were treated within 18mins and with Respect

Bit dated on the inside but nice authentic food, classic menu and decent prices. Good seating area. Avoid peak times and you should be ok. Parking can be a nightmare though as per usual for the area

Had apnea style lamb madras. Garam masala. Guys there was something about that lamb strange dodgy taste but not all of it. Next day I’m still tasting it. Hope that wasn’t prepared by Jeffrey Darmers lamb.

Got a chicken donner on nan and it was nice The chicken donner had a good flavour and the nan was so soft and fresh However the service was slow maybe they need to employ more people Also the place looks abit run down

Great food got some good customer service food was warm

By far the best lamb sheekh kebabs, I've ever tasted. The consistency and quality hasn't changed in over 30 years. To compliment the sheekh kebabs, the nan is nice and fluffy. Always a pleasure to get a quick bite to eat whilst in Manchester!

Get what u pay for, nice simple cheap food. Service is quick and nice and food is good.

Chicken seek kebabs are the daddy. Chicken donner is great taste but too much food colouring makes my fingers orange for days lol

I bought Samosa yesterday that was smells they using old oils the council should take a step on this restaurant

Food and service is super good!

Lal Qila has catered for a few work events. Repeat business because the food is incredible, as is the service. Massive portions.

First discovered this place back in 1999 whilst at uni in Manchester. Visited this place after approximately 3 years and unsurprisingly, whilst the rest of Wilmslow Rd businesses have changed. Lal Qila is one of a handful that have stood the test of time and change in taste. I am not surprised at all that after first having their sheekh kebab in naan 23 years ago, even till now it has the same flavoursome authentic taste. I will go as far as to say I have never ever had a more satisfying sheekh kebab unless it's from here. One of my core uni/Manchester memories.

I’ll tell you what. This place is alright you know. I used to go to Sajaans across the street but they put me off seekh kebabs for a while. I came in here and what a lovely bunch of gentlemen. And their food was top notch too. Had a seekh kebab of course and tried their daal with roti. It was really really tasty and well worth coming back for. One thing is the daal was a bit expensive (but what isn’t these days) it was yummy. Oh and they take card unlike some places around this neighbourhood. Thank you Lal Qila

Kebabs not fresh all the time. But ok

Google maps has our location review mixed up. We didnt eat here, we ate at Massarats, which is connected to Lal Qila express. The food is always great but we were fasting and were advised a 15 min wait which ended up being 1 hour 30. The waiters didn’t write down our names and allowed others to be seated before us. They didn’t offer any small snacks whilst we waited for food considering were fasting all day. No real apology, whilst I used to go here often the service has really put me off.

Very busy...not great hygiene standards and not great quality if food..alright people

Nice and quite place to sit with family

The food is spot on… but it gets a 1 star as the toilets are absolutely beyond vile for a food outlet.

Not the fanciest looking place, but it's these places that have thee most banging food around, been coming here for years and years.

typical dhabha if you looking for that, and good food with reasonable price.

Been over 10 years since I been here, and the kebabs tasted just as good as they were then.

Been using this takeaway for over 20 years and come for the chicken kebabs and onion baji's, delicious

Nan seekh kebab sandwich 🥪😋🤤🤤🤤 delicious I'm a hard man to please normally but cannot fault it good quality kebab clean no after taste perfect amount of salad and a nice combination of sauce on a bed of fresh nan really hit the spot will definitely be coming back even though I ordered a garlic nan and got a plain one I'm not even complaining that's actually how banging it was!

Great food, great portions, it was good to get out. Not a great decor place but yhe food us exceptional

The food is very nice and tasty and the service is very good.

Arguably the best seekh kebabs on Wilmslow Road. Though their customer service does leave a lot to be desired.

Food gives you runs not cooked properly Lamb was abit raw and so was the chicken

Always a pleasure to visit and eat at Lal Kila Express. Raza has been there for believe 24 years and every time the food he prepares and serves is simply well cooked, spiced plus moist and amazing to eat. We normally have grilled and snacky foods and so ordered kebabs, chicken thikka, meat samosa's naan and roti's. All amazingly fresh, moist and highly delicious.....as always. Will go for lamb & chicken karahi dishes next time round. All the staff at Lal Kila Express are a great credit to Mr Mussarat's leadership and long may that remain. Will be visiting again many times again. Treat yourself plus family there. It's street food at its best!

Came here for an anniversary with my girlfriend and the food was great.

The chicken dinner was full of hard bits and fat. Absolutely put me off the food Ended up goin across the road to saajan for chicken donner was delicious

their donner meat is disgraceful and disgusting, it's not even the right texture. They need cooking lessons on how to make donner meat.

Best Lamb Bhuna by far! Been going this takeaway for over 20 years. They even let me pay next time if I've ever not had enough money on me.

Disappointing. Ordered via an app and several items were missing on delivery. Food was just OK, not great on quality or flavour. On contacting the takeaway to report the issue with the order, the person answering denied any knowledge, despite us clearly having an itemised phone order and hung up. Terrible customer service.

Good value for money. Traditional seek kebabs. Fresh baked naan. Enjoyed it. Very few remaining traditional pakistani takeaway on Wilmslow road. Sauce could do with some improvement.

not cheap but the food was very nice

Excellent Food, great freindly staff

Good quick service. Only cash payment.

Can't beat a nice chicken tikka or kebab sandwich from this old Manchester fav!

Fantastic food i love enjoy my food

Never had a bad meal from here always bob on Service with a smile

No good gone down in quality of food staff ok but dirty place poor hygiene

Delicious kebabs, friendly staff and good prices

Great food and very polite staff

Great food, would definitely recommend. Kebabs, chicken pakoras, chicken donner/karhai👍

Late night can't find a place to eat while you are on munchies this place is open till 4am and it's a delight you're welcome.

Food is nice the hygene needs looking at also the fish masala portions have seals and sharp bones so beware but food is nice

Right, I don't know what's going on here but, thus place is not in Wilmslow Rd and it isn't the same place that you are seeing in the pictures here. We went here this morning for a nihari because nihari is the best breakfast on the planet and also, our usual haunt is closed during Ramadam!!! I had seek kebab starter, lamb nihari, naan bread and a mango Rubicon. I can not complain about the food. It was excellent. The seek kebabs were cooked fresh upon ordering and came with a nice little salad and a tray of half n half sauce. The naan was also baked upon ordering and was piping hot and soft and pillowy. I prefer a more harshly cooked naan with big old burnt bubbles on it but, that's a personal preference, this naan was still top notch. The nihari was also, excellent. I've had lots of nihari's over the years and this one was good. Plenty of lamb in there and clearly slow cooked over a long long time. It just falls apart. I didn't see any bone marrow but I'm sure it's in there due to the gelatinous texture of the gravy. They also ask how spicy you like it. Which is a nice touch. The spiciness will relate to how many freshly chopped green chillies they throw in there. So, all in all, the food was excellent and I would happily eat it again. However, I wouldnt HAPPILY, pay for it again. This place is not very competitive from a price point, point of view. My usual haunt in Longsight, a mile or two down the road comes in at under a tenner and its to die for. This breakfast was over £14!!! Which is a bit steep, in my humble opinion. But hey, the food is good. So of your stuck for a nutritious, delicious, fulfilling and life giving breakfast during Ramadam, then this is your spot. If it's not during Ramadam, get yourself to Lahori in Longsight!!!!

We drove all the way from Denton as we went on Monday and was absolutely beautiful today we went was stale meat and not the meat we ordered awful after taste fumin honest must be a different chef this does not meet the standards of quality this should be. Staff that works THURSDAYS should be reconsidered.

Love their Lamb karahi and seekh kebab sandwich،😋😋 and fish pakora

New name, food could be better. Service was good

Visited the express for years. Great food and worth the 20 mile round trip drive

I had the lamb Karahi with nann. To be fair tasty for a dish that they have been making for years. Allway a good shout for a no fuss curry. You can ask for more hotness with more green chillies. Good price and allways busy..... A good sign

Good kebab, fresh naan. Not spicy.

Best place for me, do not be deceived by the looks of this place, they serve proper food that tastes like hoke made. Highly recommend

Great chicken salan and amazing lamb seekh kebas good as well at affordable prices.

Honestly speaking, it’s not inviting when you look at the decor and location but they make the best Naan kebab I’ve ever tasted!! Mouth-wateringly delicious. Every time I’ve been I’ve never been disappointed. The staff are so friendly and always make the experience perfect. The dining area could do with a good redecorate and maybe a bit more of a clean. I always opt for a take out anyway. Well done guys keep up the flavours of Pakistan coming..👍

One of my friends took me here for their seekh kebabs and I can honestly say that they lived up to the hype. The real surprise for me was how good the naan were as well. Definitely a hidden gem worth checking out.

Lal Qillaaaa! This is one of Manchester’s hidden gems. Tucked away on a side street just of wimslow road, reasonably priced authentic Pakistani food review! My go to spot for seekh kebabs

hair in the food and very off service was very slow and bad . rats in the toilets and when I complained I was pushed by a member of staff and was told to leave

Always a pleasant experience worth your time and money!

Donna was off to get away with it they put more vinegar inside when I tasted it will tasted completely 🤢

Name change Mussarat. Ordered beef steak - they didn't ask me how I wanted it cooked just gave it to me well done. The drinks waiter needs to look at his personal hygiene. Isn't nice to smell body odour when they come close to you to give food or take payment. The water bottle wasn't opened for us. It would have been nice as my hands were hurting but also adds that touch to such a beautiful looking restaurant. They don't do poppadums which i was sad about. They took ages to take our food order. Although it was empty on a Tuesday evening. They seemed to be more interested in the photo shoot that was happening. I don't usually complain but I didn't really have the best of experience. Also, pepper sauce for the steak was bland. Tarka daal and pilau rice was bland. But each to their own experience. Hope I haven't put you off but this was my experience.

Went there to eat biryani, I was served some rice with weird chutney/sauce for an expensive price taking into consideration of its small serving size and little chicken included. Some of the items have good value for money, but the biryani was a total rip-off; No way on earth was that even close to biryani, and none of my friends finished it because of its weird taste.

absolute vile disgusting food that is not cooked, makes u ill the next day uncooked horrible dirty food u need to be super drunk to be able to bear it ewwww never again i remembered now why i hadnt been in 5 yrs plus customer service is rude aswel

Seekh kebabs are best and good customer service 👌

The curry was absolutely horrible and the food is horrible I recommend people not to go there give you bad stomach mate and customer service absolutely poor they only know about money so don't care about customers bad experience

Staff tried to give me kebab from yesterday and warmed up in microwave infront of me then got angry when I questioned it and threw it in the bin and said everything is from yesterday, AVOID AVOID.

Absolutely disappointed with these lot ! I do no recommend going here I ordered a chicken tikka on naan with salad and sauce and turns out I got naan with only chicken tikka that was dry as anything !! No salad or sauce ! Horrendous service . Unhappy customer!!

I don't think they have a clay oven, their naans look and taste like they were made on a pan. Peshwari naan tasted weird it's supposed to be full of coconut and powdered sugar but it was red and tasted nothing like coconut. Garlic naan was full of raw garlic. I've never come across a garlic naan that was full of chunks of raw garlic. I also bit into a few pieces of bone in the garlic naan. Or maybe it was wood. Either way it was inedible. I had the food as takeout and was given sauce in a small plastic bag. Not a tub of sauce in the bag, the sauce was in the bag like water when you carry a goldfish.

Named changed to Mussarat 🙄 Busy place but still good service and tasty food. Reasonable price. Not sure why but only sell soft drinks 🤔 Lots of families eating, would recommend 👌

Best place for kebabs, honestly love this place. I don’t think I have every had a better kebab. The lamb chops are a must as well as the lamb tikka. I have seen many customers get their curries but for me it’s all about their starters.

Avoid at all costs Absolutely disappointing experience. At the beginning of our meal we have to make repeated trips to the counter to get half our meal, eventually a waiter bought out the other half. The portion are small we order chips for the kids and they waiter had his hands in the chips spacing the chips out, the salad was half put in by hand and the other half using utensils. Both our main dishes were small portions, they put the mains on long oval plates to give the appearance there's a sufficient amount but there really is not enough. The naan's were nice and the house made spicy sauce is awesome but for a £40 bill expect alot better than what we received. Strongly recommended to avoid this place. Will certainly never eat here again.

Delicious food, friendly staff and a great place to meet & eat with friends.

Everything was good except sitting place not enough for big family..... food was superb 👌

Good food, reasonably priced. It's not anywhere fancy, but it's reliable and consistently good

The food here is so fresh and tasty! Not like other normal takeaways - at affordable prices as well. Would defo recommend

Food was made carelessly , no taste , guy on the counter was however very welcoming and well behaved

Lovely food 5 out of 5. Tried mixed donner on naan. friendly staff. Fast service aswell. Would definitely recommend.

Quality of food has dropped in standards, very disappointing

Always amazing food love love love this place

Was called LAL QILA few years ago, now name been changed , wel food is definitely delicious as usual.

Went to collect takeaway Saturday night at 20 people in all inside small takeaway restaurant nobody but myself wearing face mask

My friend told me I saw a cockroach on my own eyes running on our eating table I thought it could happen but when I had curry takes out it was stink,and that confirmed his claim about cockroaches in lalqilla so if you want to be healthy stay away from these smelly curry houses!

Really nice food reasonable price and it was fresh good service and quick excellent

Absolutely unacceptable uneaterble curry's spice all we coud taste marsallah an chilli powder this was not spicy but horrible no 0ne coud of eaten a mouthful promise a family of 6 were disappointed cannot even apology apology from owners

Meat/Meats - Finally proper D, not drenched in sauce like I keep seeing on here, thinly cut (a must) proper tasty, reminds me of the donner from saajans fallowfield back in the day...really good Too many places cut it thick and tastes too meaty and lost the essence of what D is Impressed 9/10 Bread - freshly made...quite thin but deceptively strong and tasty...not the best I’ve had but nice 7/10 Accompaniments (Salads & Sauces) - Fresh salad, but no pickled chillis (unless I didn’t see them) Sauces, yoghurt and chill (they also had mango but I’m not a fan of that on a bab) Nice sauces, chilli sauce is different, it’s yoghurty and a bit sweet, not too hot but nice, but I prefer the hotter chilli sauce from camel one/RC 6/10 Value - £4.50 pretty standard I’d say!! 8/10 Eatability - Held up really well, didn’t drop anything and no splits in the bread...no car clean required 😂 9/10 Overall score- 39/50 Conclusion- This would make a cracking hybrid bab Kobeda from RC then portion of donner from here and your into a winner This will be my new go too for a quick donner

Fantastic kebabs. Love this place.

Food is ok but service and hospitality is horrible. Sometimes they are impatient with requests and ignore them.

Second time they've sent us chicken instead of paneer, and my family is vegetarian. How hard is it to just follow an order?

Lovely food, came all the way from Doncaster for a drive and ended up buying food from here, lamb balti was amazing 👍