Le Raaj in County Durham

Decor needs sorting as it feels a bit neglected now. The food is always spot on as is the service. Prices have increased a fair bit lately, but as long as the food quality remains, it's fine by me.

Visited last night with my husband, hadn't planned to visit but staying at nearby travel lodge so decided to eat here for dinner. Food was absolutely amazing, I wasn't sure what to have as I am not a regular curry eater, the waiter was really helpful in guiding me with what to eat. Food arrived hot and fresh and very tasty, generous portions (I didn't finish mine), meat tender and Nan was one of the best I have ever tried. I can see from the reviews people have complained about the price but we didn't find it overly expensive, in my opinion you get what you pay for and this was definitely worth paying for. If we were ever in the area again I would certainly re-vist. Wonderful Indian experience.

Great quick service tonight. It was busy and they were firing the food out. Lovely meal with the family.

Beautiful food and a excellent service ..a menu with prices on it would help though

Food is just average but the prices are ridiculous.. No prices on the menu Thali used to be around £15 he bumped up the price to £25..I actually laughed at the price hike..Not sure how he justifies his prices cos I've tasted better food at a street market... After being a loyal customer for many years I wont be returning. This restaurant is nothing special

great place to eat . High quality food and service is good too.

BEST IN THE NORTH EAST! Came to this restaurant with my mates. was expecting a standard indians however tha changed. the service the food were absolutely incredible. Loved the staff, my favourite being Wasim. such a good young fella with banter. would recommend to anyone who wants a high quality indian food with top notch service

I recently dined here, and it was an absolutely exceptional experience from start to finish. The moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm, friendly service, which set the tone for a memorable evening. The ambiance is inviting and elegant, with just the right balance of sophistication and comfort. The menu offers a fantastic range of Indian dishes, from traditional favorites to more creative options. Every dish we tried was perfectly cooked and bursting with authentic flavors. The butter chicken was rich and creamy, and the lamb biryani was fragrant and tender. I also appreciated the chef’s willingness to customize the spice levels to our liking. The service throughout the meal was attentive without being intrusive, and the staff was knowledgeable about the menu, making great recommendations. We felt genuinely looked after, and the overall experience was seamless. In terms of value, Le Raaj offers excellent quality for the price, and the portion sizes are generous. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner, a family meal, or just a great night out with friends, I highly recommend Le Raaj for anyone in the Sedgefield area. I will definitely be returning soon!

amazing indian cuisine. fabulous service and staff are always great and friendly. food is always tasty . will recommend to anyone who loves indians

I recently dined at Le Raaj, and it was an absolutely exceptional experience from start to finish. The moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm, friendly service, which set the tone for a memorable evening. The ambiance is inviting and elegant, with just the right balance of sophistication and comfort. The menu offers a fantastic range of Indian dishes, from traditional favorites to more creative options. Every dish we tried was perfectly cooked and bursting with authentic flavors. The butter chicken was rich and creamy, and the lamb biryani was fragrant and tender. I also appreciated the chef’s willingness to customize the spice levels to our liking. The service throughout the meal was attentive without being intrusive, and the staff was knowledgeable about the menu, making great recommendations. We felt genuinely looked after, and the overall experience was seamless. In terms of value, Le Raaj offers excellent quality for the price, and the portion sizes are generous. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner, a family meal, or just a great night out with friends, I highly recommend Le Raaj for anyone in the Sedgefield area. I will definitely be returning soon!

Excellent food every time could do with some carpet attention

Everything in this restaurant was amazing. The decor, the food, and the service is all excellent and I'd definitely come again!

This was one of my first experiences with Indian food and I definitely don't regret choosing this place for it. Choice might be a little overwhelming if you're not familiar with all types of food on the menu but you can always ask friendly and helpful staff to tell you a little more about the dish. Curry was beautifully, I really loved it - it was seasoned nicely, spice was also there and it ended up being much more than I have expected. I will be definitely coming back to try different curries, this place made me absolutely adore Indian cuisine. Recommend lots :)

Food, atmosphere and service top notch. You feel at home here, relaxed and the portions sizes are very generous. Food is great and wish I had more room to try more. Will definitely be back.

No prices on the menu or the drinks menu, really this is not right husband got a bowl of chips they were frozen chips we got two starters and three mains and a couple of drinks 121 pound that is ridiculous price will never go back there are other Indian restaurants which is better value and better quality you are out pricing yourselves people Will not pay for this price for a Indian meal

Staff aren't helpful and the wait is ages. Don't waste your time

the food is tasty but the wait for the food is stupid. i waited ages for my order to be taken and then they only brought half of it over, we mentioned this and had to wait around 30 minutes for them to bring the rest of the order. We waited over 2 hours for our main meal so i probably would not come back

Awful service and the wait time is crazy

The best Indian restaurant I have ever been to, the service, flavours of the food, the atmosphere. Was stupidly busy & still very impressed with everything. The onion bhaji with samphire was the best bhaji I have ever tasted.

Good food but the wait is absolutely outrageous. We waited over 2 hours for food and they also had forgotten some of the order, it took them 30 mins to correct their mistake

Gorgeous takeaway from here everytime. The onion bhaji are just fantastic. Only slight criticism is they only take cash for takeaway which is a little frustrating.

We elected to do a take out, and ordered upon arrival. We were politely greeted and the host took our order then offered us a seat in the lounge whilst they prepared our order, they also offered us a drink. The restaurant was quite busy, food preparation was done in good time enough to allow us to enjoy a pint of Cobra beer. The portion sizes were generous and more than we could eat. The food was flavorful and beautifully prepared. On our next trip to the region we will make a point of dining in to enjoy what appears to be a very well organized restaurant.

Food average. Price on the expensive side. Rushed thru in less than an hour. Much prefer a more relaxed atmosphere and time to enjoy friends company between courses.

best indian restaurant i’ve been to so far. the food was spot on and delicious. i’ve been here a couple of times and all i can say is the service from this place never disappoints. The 2 part time waiters Sammy and Wasim were incredible and thoughtful, making sure our stay at this restaurant was the best. overall food was good, service was fantastic and the atmosphere of this restaurant gives you a cozy feeling . would recommend to anyone who wants good food with good services

The curry was fine, but the price was not at all reasonable Just short of £40 per person for a curry and a beer

This place was once the best Indian food in the area- unfortunately it is now a place I would not visit again. It really needs a Thought clean and that’s not good for a restaurant. You stick to the gruby carpet every step you take. Prices have all gone up significantly and service has gone down significantly. Such a shame! Would be the last place I would go for food.

Food was first class 🍴👍 lovely staff

Visited Tuesday 21st May and what a disappointment. The waiter was unsmiling bordering on the surly. There were no naan breads but we were offered chapattis free of charge. My food was not up to Le Raaj usual standard and only counted three pieces of chicken and the tikka masala sauce was watery. I had to ask the waiter to turn the radio down as it was far too loud and made it difficult for us to have a conversation. There were no chocolate mints at the end of the meal. Most important of all this beautiful restaurant is looking decidedly scruffy and is in need of deep clean. There was no hot water in the toilets and the upholstery and carpet need steam cleaning.

Visited at lunchtime yesterday with my sister and husband. New waiter served us and I'm still waiting for him to smile! Not the usual standard of service that AJ provides. No nans available because the oven hadn't been switched on. The furniture is looking decidedly shabby and is in urgent need of a deep clean. Loud music belting out too meant I couldn't hear the conversation. New waiter brought us the bill and I asked for towels and he said they were on order. No chocolate with bill either and AJ always brings the card reader to table but not the new waiter. Very poor service. It will be a while until we return..

Amazing food and amazing service from A.J. he went out of his way to make sure allergy was catered for. When eating out with family or friends, i usually think it is a waster for me, as i could have made better vegan food at home. This is the first time i have eaten out and enjoyed the meal. Will definitely return for a onion biriani.

Fast and friendly service, food was spot on, the lamb bhuna was my favourite dish and they really got the perfect balance of spiciness. Atmosphere is really relaxing, this place is definitely good for larger groups.

Great service great food great place and great atmosphere. Well happy we went here. And apparently I'm batman and one of the waiters is Robin lol.

Been a few times but this time I think they had over booked. Got drinks orders wrong twice and even missed some drinks. And wait was 1 hour 40 minutes. However been a few times and the food when it arrived was exceptional. And when done they knew they had been long on the service so gave us a free round of drinks, hence the not to bad scores. Will go back again and would recommend as tge food is amazing.

NEVER AGAIN. Birthday with family, this was our second visit, last, no issues. Over charged although apparently this is a regular occurrence , service very poor slap dash. When I questioned the bill, they automatically knocked £40 off!!!!! £18 for standard main course, better Indians in area. AVOID!!!!!

Clean, modern restaurant. Quite busy for a lunchtime but in both the Tikka Masala & Jalfrezi, 2 pieces of chicken each in each dish. Rice & Naan only small portions too. A shame really, as the food itself was really good.

Amazing restaurant with wonder food! By far one of the best indian places i have been too. service is immaculate. Wasim was the waiter that sat us down and brought us drinks.What a brilliant young lad. Brought the whole table to laughter and made us enjoy the night even more. HES A COMEDIAN! Love that young lad, hope i do see him again.He said to come back next friday as those are the days he works. i totally will! . I have no complaints to this place, as it’s just a perfect restaurant with amazing service brought from the younger waiters.

Delicious food and great service

Now where do I start!! We booked originally for 10 people but due to unforeseen circumstances we ended up going as a 5 only, but even after knowing we had a table of 10 and not all of us turning up they never said a word! So we were sat at a round table, drinks taking by a lovely waiter and popadom arrived alongside the drinks. Menu is just wow, totally different compared to other restaurants we have been too, so many options, my go to is a lamb chop curry vindaloo hot. I couldn’t see that on the menu, but it was actually there, I then asked a young lad who works there, he helped me and said I wouldn’t be disappointed and in fact that’s his favourite dish too. Once the starters arrived pipping hot I realised that the food is out of this world, the waiter that had served us has a very happy smile, which made our night even better. The main topped it off for me, I was very impressed overall with the experience we have had. I would 100% recommend anyone wanting top level service and top notch food to try this place out, we’ve even booked already for next week!

Welcoming and helpfull staff and always delicious food. My favourite restaurant in the area can not fault.

This place is an absolute gem, everything about this place is top notch, from walking through the door right up until you walk out, the waiters are all so lovely and welcoming, the young waiter who took our order was very pleasant and helping, the waiter who served our was also very charming and a happy chap, will definitely be back. Thank you team Le Raaj for making our night unforgettable.

The food was tasty but a couple of mains served to our group seemed lacking in pieces of meat & lots of sauce. Prices have increased since last visit & service not as good

One and only visit would not return ! Way way overpriced ..plenty of good Indian restaurants in the area a lot cheaper.....Had to ask 4 times for table water after getting normal drinks...very disappointed as celebration for a birthday party...

Lovely restaurant and food however exorbitant prices for Indian food and drinks - maybe in London not in a service station in Co. Durham - Waiter very abrupt taking order with no time to choose ! what has happened to this place it used to be so nice - wont be going back! £11 for poppadom's and pickle tray nearly £20 for main meals with rice and nan additional charge! allow £40 per head minimum -

True review 1st ever order for takeout on Saturday night. The restaurant was very busy and my order was longer than expected but the service & food was fantastic. Got Apology for waiting & lovely gift. Thanks Again 😊 👏

Very nice restaurant and always friendly

Lovely food but unfortunately the drinks were completely overpriced. For that reason we don’t be back as don’t mind paying a reasonable price but £8 a pint is far too expensive, such a shame they feel they have t over charge that much 😬

Very nice place and the food was excellent 👌

We've been several times and perhaps for the past twice the menu has been of great confusion - its the only place where the item cand be 1 of 3 or 4 prices, goodness knows how your supposed to figue that out and know that what comes is what you thought you were getting. Food used to be unlike most Indian restaurants now it's just like most. So, £66 for 2 mains 2, sides, 2 soft drinks perhaps a tad more than I was expecting.

Exceptional service which you cant fault, friendly staff and colourful food. Thanks for a lovely evening 😊

We wanted an Indian Meal for lunch. Hard to find as most don't start serving til after 5pm. Found this wonderful gem! Right off the roundabout for the A689/A177 in Sedgefield. Oh my word! We are so glad none of our usual places serve lunch otherwise we would never have found it. We were met my a wonderful member of staff who greeted us warmly and seated us. Our son is coeliac so, even though he wasn't with us, we asked about the Gluten Free Menu. He was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Giving us such confidence to bring him there on our next visit. The restaurant was warm, bright and so very clean and comfortable. But the food, well, that was the best part! The chicken was soft, succulent and tender, the sauces were vibrant, delicious and flavoursome! We just went for our usuals but they did not disappoint. So, tasty! We went for the lunch menu - £14.95 for two courses, and, as it was lunchtime, the portions were not huge. Just enough and we still left stuffed. The dough butter nan was incredible, and ever so indulgent! The rice was fragrant and perfectly fluffy. But again, the chicken was just utterly magnificent. Great place, pity it's just not immediately next to us! But we will be back!!

Really nice restaurant is a little hidden away behind the petrol station and a roundabout. But it's clear those who know, know it well because it was really busy. Great food well cooked and quick & very attentive service. Will definitely come back here again, we enjoyed it a lot 👍

No prices on the menu (is this legal?) Popadoms and dips were not like any other I have ever had before just bright coloured sweet slop. The main course could only be described as NEON it was so brightly coloured did not taste bad but the meat was not tender or succulent with only 5 cubes of chicken in my dish. I dread to think how many “E’s” were in the meal definitely not authentic .Poor food at inflated prices certainly disappointing and not to be repeated.

Excellent food. Exactly what we needed after a long Christmas and new year. Staff were friendly, service with a smile and a bit of crack. Food was exceptional. Exactly what we needed and will be back soon. Price has gone up slightly which I thought they might do after covid but they didn't. but to be fair, can't fault the quality. Will bring the extended family next time.

If you’re looking for a place to buy Indians, this is the place you need to go! Let’s talk about their service. without us waiting we were able to get a table. the service was perfect and fast. they sat us down and asked about our day (a thing most places don’t do) . They were polite and caring, making sure our night will be great. we ordered drinks and got popodams. POPODAMS R SO DELICIOUS OFC I HAD TO GET THEM. Anyways back on track we ordered our mains. Let me tell you this. the Flavour was wow! The food was exceeded my expectations, seeing a bunch of reviews my opinion was mixed there were people talking about no flavour. Excuse me this is by far the best indians i have ever had! The food portions and quality WHERE AMAZING. I never was a big fan of cleaning my plate, as i always can never eat as much as i ordered. Well today was different I cleaned my plate aswell as everyone else in my table .Once done a young waiter, around 18 came along to check on us, making sure everything was well. Had to tell him to tell the chef i said thank you. We had a little laugh while talking to him, he was able to make the whole table crack up. Anways back on track we where then offered dessert which i had to refuse as i was full. We decided it get more drinks . in the end we all left happy and amazed wanting to come back again. the price was up there but what can you expect, this restaurant offered high quality food with good portion size aswell as fantastic service making you feel at home and comfortable . overall experience today 10/10

Just visited Le Raj tonite for the first time and it certainly won’t be our last , the food was amazing and the staff so friendly, certainly the best Indian restaurant I’ve ever been too

Food was ok. But very expensive my friend adored her choice and the band were gorgeous. However one particular waiter was dining constantly. He was clearly tipsy and smelt of alchohol. Which is shocking for a restaurant charging those prices. He was an older 40ish man and just was saying the most ridiculous things to us. It really was bad another table also noticed and said he was also coughing all over them. Won’t be back drunk staff is a big no no!!

Completely disappointed with the food tonight Been here lots of times and food has always been superb and we recommend to friends However : Onion Bjahi tonight so dry and no flavour Indian fish starter was so small and had absolutely no flavour and this was almost ten pounds for a sliver of fish and dry salad Keema naan bread ‘’ well no filling ‘ nothing else to say Lots of people sat at other tables were complaining Unfortunately will not be back

This used to be our favorite restaurant but the prices have shot up!!! 2x starters 2x mains with a couple of drinks was over £100!!!! The foods always very good but not with this price hike!! They claim it’s fine dining lol it’s a curry for Christ sake…

We have been going to la raaj for many years unfortunately after tonight's experience we wont be going again. Not sure what's going on with the prices but theyve bumped them right up.. A thali is now £25. Used to be £15.. A sag also which had 4 small potatoes £10.95 Absolute rip off.. The prices were not clear on the menu. I feel we have been ripped off tonight ( Christmas eve) We wont be returning

Expensive. Expect to pay £50 per head if in a group sharing the full cost. Be Prepared!

Food has always been amazing here whether it’s takeaway or a sit in meal. Usually frequent this venue once a month a least, staff are always friendly and service is usually good even on a busy Friday night. Can be a bit tricky to get through on the phone line to order a takeaway when they are busy though. I’d highly recommend the Balti here (Balti Garlic Special Chicken Tikka to be precise). Prices have gone up slightly recently but still can’t complain. Would prefer more options for cider/draught. Been here once for lunch with family aswell and was a great atmosphere and discounted food which was fantastic

Visit this restaurant all the time, it is 100% the best indian food around. Staff always make you feel welcome, and service is always top notch. Food gets better each time I visit. Not a bad word to say. 5 Stars.

A group of 17 family went here for a celebration meal. The positives first: Food was very good service was very good with efficient and friendly staff. Great busy ambience with the restaurants being very full and busy. All food was of high quality and...

I travel the country with my work, and I can honestly say the food from this restaurant is top drawer! The food is really well flavoured, with the nan bread super fresh and light! Keep it going Le Raaj! Absolutely brilliant food! 👏

Excellent lunch today, food was amazing, service was very quick and professional, the price was extremely reasonable, 2 courses for £14.95 which included a naan or rice. Will definitely be returning.

Prices have increased way over the top in the last month.The average price increase on my meal was 30%. Will not be returning after being a customer for the last 5 years.

Moved to the nearby area recently and this it the first Indian we are about to try as it was a recommendation from a group. Went on their website and they have 2 lunchtime menu, one was £8.95 pp and the other was £14.95. I...

Attentive staff, excellent service on a busy Friday evening. Very tasty food. Eaten here numerous times, never disappoints.

What a shame, used to be so nice 4 of us £165 last night Was asked to take cash which I did “to help a small business out” They’ve nearly doubled some of the item prices, can’t see prices on menu Hardly any chicken in...

First time here and really enjoyed it. The service was very quick and even got a drink on the house. Excellent service from Shafi! Will definitely be back!!!

A really nice meal. Started with poppadoms whilst choosing main course options. King prawn puree starter was good but it seemed a very small portion , sad to say. Main courses were excellent , the lamb dupiaza, tikka masala, and the chicken hariarly was tasty but a little too green in colour. Keema rice was nice and meaty but not over fatty as can be the case. The bill was a little more than expected but sweetened by the till rounding it down a good few pounds. Would I go back? YES.

Highly recommend for great Indian food. Very friendly staff and a nice venue. Will definitely visit again.

Having moved from Birmingham I have regular currys. The food was good but service below average. Price is extortionate; £11 for a couple of popodoms and pickles and £11 for a side dish. It’s not good enough to charge those prices with todays cost of...

Been before and this time the prices had gone up loads. Starters were lovely and came quickly. The mains, however, the sides arrived but took ages for the curry to come so sides were not as hot. Curry dishes were nice but korma had rubbery...

This review is completely hit and miss, I would say the poppadoms and dips are the worst I had I couldn't even say if 1 was mango. BUT ITS THE BEST CURRY I HAVE EVER HAD !!!! which is hard to say if I would go back because I think the dips are part of the experience. But the best curry I've ever had!!!!

Yesterday’s experience at this restaurant was incredible. I am very happy my husband decided to go here as this was definitely my highlight of the month! So we are new around this area and we felt like going around trying food places. This Indian restaurant...

Beautiful food, fantastic atmosphere and amazing service. Would be 5 stars save for two things. Parking here can be difficult. Finally cost, it's very expensive, well worth it for a special occasion though.

So me and my friends went here last night. Food was fabulous but the service we received that day was amazing! Before I get started I want thank this young man wasim for making this night memorable. The service was on point despite it being...

I would like to say this place is an absolute gem, the service and food is top notch. We visited on Saturday, it was very busy but the service was amazing. The waiters kept checking up on us regarding drinks and food which was the...

Friends night out at Le Raaj great food excellent service.. really friendly staff.. my King Prawn Byriani was delicious 😋 I’d certainly recommend it..

Booked a table and was sat down half an hour late, ok these things happen. Ordered our usual meal and were offered a free drink after we had finished meal, very kind we thought until we received the bill which was about £20 more than...

Wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates a good curry. First class service and food. Good atmosphere too; nothing is a problem. So pleased it’s on our doorstep.

Having eaten here numerous times , we were very disappointed with our meal last night. Serve was bad. Food forgotten, food not served at the same time, food wasn’t placed in front of the guest ordering. Drinks forgotten. Huge price hike for what was not a cheap restaurant anyway . £5 for a naan & also rice . We will be going elsewhere in tge future.

Food is always lovely and this used to be our go to, however they have now put the prices up so it is expensive and no longer good value. This is a shame.

We were a table of 15 out for a special event and love Indian food. The food itself was ok but the service was far from acceptable. From the onset even the basics of customer care were absent. We were told, ‘Your table is over there’. No smiles from any of the waiters at any time. When the food came out it was chaos with food missed, sides missed and food even put down in front of the wrong person. None of the waiters came and asked if everything ok with the food. Clearing after the mains was horrendous, the young lad clashed all the plates together very aggressively to the point rice fired across the table and almost knocked a drink over, no apology given. Even when paying the bill not one person asked if everything was ok. It wasn’t busy and there were plenty of staff working so I cannot understand why the service was so poor. Maybe they don’t like large tables? If that was the case they should have declined the booking. Whatever the reason for the poor service 15 people left and will not be returning.

Over priced , service dire. Visited with family of 3 . Meal came to table in dips and drabs and by time curry arrived , the other half of meal was stone cold . Large increase in prices , lots of staff rushing around ,...

The menu has changed since the last time we visited. It is very hard to work out the prices of items. The item prices have went up a lot since the last time we visited. We waited a very long time to be served. Once...

The food was pretty good BUT....2 starters,2 mains and rice, 2 naans and 2 cobras.......£92!!! Wish I'd queried the bill,all handwritten mmmmm feel was well ripped off....the prices were not really clear...BE CAREFUL.......NOT HAPPY....stick to amaani at the pumphouse in Durham next time....Bill and price CLEAR and interior,ambience and food way much nicer....

First time at Le Raaj and it was lovely, everything, food, service, atmosphere couldn't fault, booked for Christmas day to,

Best night I can’t thank my little friends, Shafi and Wasim for the best service and best looking to serve my amazing food. Well done Le Raaj.

Very nice food and a good friendly service

Absolutely fantastic Indian restaurant I love it the food is absolutely amazing I had chicken tikka with rice and they were better than I expected and it don’t smell too bad it smelt quite good and I enjoyed my food it was so good it was a bit juicy to make it pretty nice I enjoyed the rice aswell I just love it hands down the best Indian in my area

Our favourite restaurant, the food is amazing, the menu has changed,it’s not easy to work out the price of meals, but noticed from our bill that there has been an increase, so maybe not going as regular, the quality & quantity is still very good

We have been 3 times in today. The last 2 times within a week of each other. We noticed a massive price increase of approx 25%. As the last time we had 3 starters and an extra 4 alcoholic drinks and the price this time...

A little gem hidden behind a petrol filling station. Food excellent, service quick and efficient.

We will definitely be back! The food was fantastic and the staff and service were amazing! Would definitely recommend.

Good food, always accommodate personal taste and very good service

Very good service, An excellent dining experience.

It was ok, nothing spectacular. My Chicken Shashlik was pretty much just chicken and onions. Would I make a point of coming back.... Unlikely.

Portion sizes are great, we visited on Monday night after working on the recommendations of friends and we were not disappointed. Very well presented restaurant, staff are very friendly and the food was excellent. The restaurant itself was fairly busy which is always a good...