Macs Spice Route in South Ayrshire

Traveled out from East Kilbride to try this restaurant as I’d heard good things about the place. Nice clean and comfortable family owned restaurant with spacious tables made for a great start. The owner who was a lovely guy, introduced himself and asked what kind of food we would usually order from a curry menu and then offered us some ideas on what to try as the menu is not a standard curry restaurant menu. They really do different dishes and we had some starters and a few main dishes to try which was a first time trying and all of them were stunning. We had the Bhel Poori which was pulses, nuts, red onion and coriander in a tamarind chutney served with mini poppadoms, so fresh with a slight lime zing. We also had what was called a ‘65’, chicken (also available as cauliflower) marinated in garlic, chilli and curry leaf with butter and cream, very like a pakora, which was stunning! For mains we had the Chicken Chettinad and the Lamb Passanda served with rice and an Onion Kulcha bread. Again - stunning! The lamb was so soft and the depth of flavour in the Passanda was dynamite. Couldn’t leave without trying their dessert menu and we had Ferrero Rocher Ice cream and a Pistachio ice cream. My wife who’s an ice cream connoisseur, said it was probably the nicest ice cream she’s ever tried. All really great quality ingredients cooked faultlessly. The price was very fair considering the outstanding quality of every dish. Highly recommend taking a trip to this restaurant for amazing curry that differs from the norm. I’ll be back next week to try more! 🤌🏼👌🏼♥️ (“,)

Fantastic food and service. Will definitely visit again.

Food always delicious, varied and waitresses friendly and helpful.

Great tasty food. Would highly recommend a visit. Great choice & Great service.

Very poor service. Poorly trained young people.

Little gem of an India restaurant in Kilmarnock. Good service and food. £30 with a drink. Google map didn't get me there. Need to turn off before the restaurant.

My partner and I often have takeaways from here but we had a family meal in the restaurant for his birthday and had such a great experience. The staff were very friendly and happy to answer any questions or advise on dishes. The owner helped us choose our food and regularly checked in to make sure we were enjoying our meal. The portion sizes were perfect and the food delicious. I felt well catered for as a vegan. The restaurant is no longer Spice Route and has gone back to Balbir’s.

Owned by Balbier, this is Indin cuisine at its best. Reopened after lockdown, Spice Route is as good as ever, if not better. Has a great menu which suits the majority of customers, a lovely welcome and informative service, explaining the dishes and specialities. Also has a banquet option and meal deals for two. If you like Indian cuisine, I would highly recommend you give Spice Route a go, for me it's five stars all the way 👍.

Food was amazing. The owner came over after we had eaten and was asking how hot we could take our food. Recommended what we should try the next time we go. Really rated it in here

First time with new owners Loved the food A bit of attention given to table about menu Surrounding okay Price okay

Another fabulous meal at Spice Route 77 this evening. Food is fresh and delicious and the restaurant has a lovely atmosphere with warm, welcoming staff.

There is a lot of confusion over this restaurant, and many of the web-site links still take you to a previous restaurant, which was actually Chinese (and poor). It is now an extremely good Indian restaurant, with a limited but interesting menu, I particularly recommend their 2 street-food starters, which are excellent, and I have not seen anywhere else. The service is good, although it is a little on the pricy side in my opinion. The real problem, particularly if approaching from the Troon direction, is actually getting over to the right side of the dual carriageway, and finding the entrance !

Did not have an extensive menu, but what we had to eat was very good and the staff were very attentive .

Excellent food with outstanding service. More people need to discover this place to ensure it thrives

Just in the door after been here for a dinner for the first time and can’t praise this place anymore staff were amazing and attentive but not annoyingly so and the food speaks for its self me and my partner had the banquet which was absolutely amazing value for money and a great way to taste so much all the food was cooked to perfection

Food is absolutely amazing, absolutely loved it, staff are great and very helpful making time for everyone

Very helpful and pleasant staff, food was excellent and restaurant had a nice atmosphere

Family meal for six of us. 3 generations. Food superb and excellent friendly service.

Absolutely would go back again a bit pricier than we would normally be but worth every penny !!

Absolutely superb. Wonderful food, friendly and attentive staff, and a lovely countryside setting.

Food was fantastic service was also good worth a visit 😀

Fantastic meal can’t wait to get back!! Children loved it and they are picky, great options be back soon

Nice friendly staff, great service.

What a wonderful experience. Food, atmosphere and staff were all excellent. You can tell they really care about authentic food, coupled with authentic people. The menu was concise and varied with understandable descriptions and the food was delicious. If you go there, definitely try something other than your usual at a take-away! When I couldn't choose between menu items, the lovely lady gave me her personal preference, and asked me questions on my personal tastes. Huge thanks to Mr Balbir, who was extremely welcoming and kind throughout our visit. Another huge thanks to all the staff members, who obviously care about their guests experience. Only thing I would say is, get a grip on your Google page! The number that shows up when you Google the place doesn't go anywhere, and the directions on Google maps does not direct you to the entrance (which is round the rear).

Great choice of vegetarian dishes for me and friends i was with ,we all had something different and were all very happy, and service was very good, definately go again

Excellent food friendly staff Best place to go for Indian food .

Meal for mothers day, beautiful banquet, would highly recommend

We were regulars at this place some years ago and had to give up since the standards were getting poor. The pandemic is behind us and we heard that there was a change behind the walls. We decided to give it a try and were very happy with the quality of food put in front of us. Fish Pakora was perfect as well as the chicken 65. We had both fish on the menu the Monk Bengali and the Goa fish both were excellent perfectly cooked and treated with respect. Tandori Roti was exceptional. We will definitely come back

Such amazing food! We got a takeaway and it travelled well. Delicious.

Went for dinner last night, had been wanting to try here for a long time. Certainly wasn’t disappointed. Staff were lovely and very attentive without being too much. The food was the best Indian food I have ever tasted. Both left stuffed and very reasonably priced for the food you receive, good portions. Still haven’t been able to face breakfast this morning :-)

Great meal very tasty friendly staff

A very pleasant dining experience with very attentive staff and excellent Indian food in this family owned and run establishment. Besides the normal Indian dishes they have some street food offerings. My favourite were the lamb chops, unbelievably tasty and the Gulab Jamin made fresh by the owners wife were the best I have tasted Well worth a visit, we shall certainly return.

Delicious food, served by friendly courteous staff, namely Branagh and Paige, both were very attentive, checking that everything was to our satisfaction, and genuinely wanted us to enjoy our visit. It’s a lovely, spacious restaurant, but such a pity it is not easily reached from the main road - you really need to know where you are going.

Amazing food and service as always

Mediocre food and unhelpful staff.

I have Indian family and have travelled widely in India on many of occasions. Believe me, if you like Indian food give this place a try! The place is fine and staff are great, but it is the food that will make you want to go back!

Delicious food 😋 too good! Friendly staff

Brilliant food excellent service 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

We have literally just arrived home after dining here on Saturday night. Arrived at 5pm and table was awaiting us. We enquired about the Banquet dinnig experience, and after some questioning about our likes, dislikes and allergies we were then served with the most amazing meal we've had in a long time. From appatizers that consisted of a "crisp" ball, stuff it yourself with chickpeas and drizzle a tamarand shot over it and swallow whole. Known as Pani Puri. Delicious. Moving onto the starters, three dishes, one with the most amazing bread with warmed chickpeas. Chicken 65 is just to die for. Although, the Tandoori Salmon is something to write home about... And given some time to digest that lot, we were served with the best sweet nann ever to grace this earth. Served with tender rice and then three dishes, lamb rogan josh that the meat just melted in your mouth. A bowl of butter chicken which was awesome, and finally a chicken dish we didn't quite catch the name of but certainly hit spot. We cleared it all, but that wasn't thru lack of portion size, it was more a determination (aka greed) to not leave anything 😂 Finished off with a lemon sorbet to clear the taste buds. The banquet meal is a great way to taste the delights of this restaurant. First time to eat in here and will most certainly be back, staff were amazingly friendly

Really poor customer service, read on.... ordered food for collection after hearing under new management. Ordering chicken tikka is normally a straightforward affair but seems difficult with this restaurant. Consequently, we were given no sauce and purchased additional rice as were told no rice included with dish. Basically the chicken tikka was simply pieces of chicken! Phoned and spoke to manageress who frankly made excuses and advised next time to speak to her. I then decided to give the benefit of the doubt and placed another order. The compensation for the dry chicken tikka and the unused rice was a free nan bread which was frankly insulting!!! Unsurprisingly I cancelled the order as I will be going elsewhere in future. Worth mentioning portions decidedly smaller than other Indian restaurants and more expensive. In summary, poor customer service and dry chicken tikka with no sauce is the order of the day!

Fantastic food lovely surroundings and nice friendly service

Back to it usual self very good meal plus the restaurant was full so if going ar weekend book

The service was excellent as was the food

A very pleasant experience and a great Indian Meal would recommend

Great to have this restaurant open again. I have enjoyed their banquet style experience many times over the years, and can say it was actually even better than I remember it. It was a busy but pleasant atmosphere and the staff were really friendly.

Great place , Great food and really friendly staff

Now known as Route 77 again. Back in the very capable hands of Balbir and his family. Food was fabulous, can't praise it enough. Decor and atmosphere was a big 5star. Well worth a visit 🙂

Balbir and family are now back running the restaurant. Good food and service

Always a very tasty meal, take away is prepared quickly with good portion sizes. The staff are always happy to help, and very pleasant and welcoming. I will be using this indian restaurant regularly

Don’t be fooled by the name as this restaurant is under new management and thank goodness for that 🙏🏻 it is known as Spice@route77 now! A new shortened menu takes you from south to north India. You can enjoy a Goanese fish curry or a Hyderabad Biryani (my all time favourite). Service was enthusiastic with some young staff keen to work. Loved my time there tonight. You should not hesitate to go…call 01563 593 366 as number on website is wrong! This area needs this great restaurant to succeed IMO.

Called the Spice Route to check if they are opened; some sites say they are closed and some say they are open. Someone picked up the phone, and despite my hearing people talking in the background, they just hung up on me without speaking. I think this type of behaviour says it all about how this lot feel about customers. I will not eat there again, as if they do not have the courtesy to politely engage with human beings trying to give them business, I hate to think how they feel about the food they are serving us. Just my opinion.

I can't give this place a fair rating because it is closed. We made an online booking at lunchtime today and our booking showed as done but when we turned up to honour our booking the restaurant was closed.

Had a takeaway delivered last night and as usual it was absolutely superb. Please pass my compliments to the chefs, especially for the channa poori & chicken dhansak which were really delicious. We've been enjoying your food since right back in the Halfway house days through to Balbirs & now to Spice Route and the quality has always been right up there. Keep up the good work.👍

Recommended restaurant to my son as he was visiting my caravan in Prestwick with his fiancee. I now wish I never bothered they said takeaway they got was an absolute disgrace hard pakora tasteless runny South Indian garlic chicken and a traditional chicken curry where the chicken was tough and tasted like microwave food.She also suffered an upset tummy next day .I have no axe to grind as I ate here6months ago and enjoyed it but it seems standards have slipped greatly.Maybe takeaway is not there thing and if so then don't provide that option as on my recommendation my son had a nasty experience and wasted his money on food that ended up where it belonged in the bin.

Amazing food. Delicate tastes of yesteryear. Huge helping - after eating our starters we took the main home for later! Great service, clean and comfortable restaurant. Highly recommend.

My wife and I visited Mac’s Spice Route for the first time on Valentine’s Day. After a warm and friendly greeting we were shown to our table and a drinks order was taken while we looked through the menu. My wife opted for the Lamb Pasada while I chose the Lamb on the Bone - we asked for a Pea Palau Rice and a Garlic Naan to share. The food was amazing - wonderfully prepared and beautifully presented - simply faultless. The restaurant was busy and had a lovely atmosphere. Service was excellent and attentive without being in any way intrusive. Living literally half a mile along the road from Mac’s Spice Route we have often passed and said that we really must visit - I genuinely can’t believe we have only now visited for the first time - but we will definitely be back!

Fresh and lovely well worth a vist

My husband, stepson and I have been visiting almost once a week now for over a year. The service is first class and the food never disappoints! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend! All the staff are lovely and it’s definitely worth a visit.

Best Indian food in Ayrshire if not the country!!!

Been a while since had take out from Spice Route and realised what I have been missing. Fantastic, great tasting food

Great Indian food superb friendly service and plenty of space between the tables,probably the top Indian restaurant in Ayrshire,we will definitely return.Keep up the good work.

Saturday night curry with her indoors. A wee drive down the A77 to Macs Spice Route which I haven’t been to in years. Thankfully we booked a table as the restaurant was very busy. Quick service and went for the table banquet. Your asked if you have any allergies and your preferences ie fish chicken lamb etc and what strength then it’s up to the chef.. First to arrive was the popadoms with sliced onions and a sort of Bombay mix.. both very large portions. Next up was a Chana puree of chick peas and bread. Next was tandoori salmon with chicken in a spicy sauce and onion badji. Three mains followed of chicken lamb and vegetables with rice and nan...... Big portions so you need a big appetite. Wonderful flavours and all fresh... Staff were all great... Try and go enjoy it’s well worth it

Good value, quick service, lovely food.

Love sitting in at this place. It’s great. Takeaway delivered look warm. Now I’ve got the runs. Cause and effect? No idea.

Spent a great night with friends and we werent dissapointed.Food fantastic and service first class.If you enjoy a good curry this is the place.

Great curry great service can't fault it at all.

...curry I have had in Ayrshire. From the pakora to the naan to the main, everything tasty and cooked to perfection. Would not hesitate to recommend.

Excellent food, great service..

Had a fantastic meal on Friday evening. It was a nice change from the average as there was a great range of fish and vegetarian dishes. Portions were generous and service was excellent. It was our first visit but we will be back.

We regularly get a take away from here, really enjoy the tea time special, the Garlic Chilli Chicken is in my view the best for miles around, well worth a visit and/or a take away

Fabulous food. First class service.

Wonderful tasty food, never fails to delight. Starters are starter sized (small by 'kebab shop' standards) but main courses are a good size and overall it feels like a good feed! Food tasty and dishes all feel very different. Recommend a visit.

The best meal in ayrshire service excellant

Extremely tasty meal served by very friendly and helpful staff.

Eight people enjoying the Indian banquet had a fabulous evening. Three diners did not look forward to Indian food - somewhat scared of spice. We all had the banquet which offers three consecutive starters of fascinating flavour and then our own choice of curry(choose the meat, and then the strength of the spice)

Haven’t ever sat in here as the take out menu/deals are fantastic. - starter from a choice, main of any choice and a side all for a tenner. Really cannot complain. Big portions too which easily does two people and depending on what we pick at times can have leftovers. In the past I have opted out this deal and chose from the carry out menu in general and again have never been disappointed.

Been coming to this restaurant with family as often as possible (we lived too far to come regularly, they do live nearer and do go more often) since not shortly after it opened. How it’s decor had changed since it’s first opening!

Fantastic food. Fresh, great menu options, really really nice staff. We collected meals to feed 4 and there was more than plenty. Can’t wait to return.

Great food provided by friendly staff. If you like Indian cusine you will NOT be disappointed, its worth the shory detour of the A77

We as a four some like to eat out regularly. As a result of which we 'get about a bit'. We have again eaten @ Macs Spice Route & yet again thoroughly our evening as the food was excellent, as ever,consistently good. That is why we go back. It is that good. We are very particular about where we go & would not go anywhere that was not constantly presenting food & service to a high standard. I have never eaten Asian food!!

Great food great service will be back

Just had a fabulous dinner, meticulously helped being picked by our lovely waitress Morven, who was super attentive and pleasant... we're on our 3rd day past our due date, and came for some hot food :) just like last time we visited, the food was delicious and the service compliments it in every way... we will definitely keep coming back!

Great food, second time this week. 🤗

Very good fresh and well cooked will be back

Read reviews thought ad try , but sorry was very dissapointed , nan bread was very dry and broken up as if someone had been eating it which makes me wonder if it was reheated, the chicken chatt was lovely , chicken korma did not taste like korma if i had wanted a spicy korma id av ordered spicy sorry not for me 😫

Excellent service and good food highly recommend this place

I have been to this restaurant on many occasions before and thoroughly enjoyed it, however when I visited last night the service was poor having quite some wait between starters and main course. Staff could clearly see we had been waiting some time with most avoiding eye contact. Unfortunately when the main course came one of the meals was wrong and therefore we were not served at the same time. There was no apology from main waiting staff and no inquiry if we had enjoyed. Very disappointed.

Great food beutifull views fantastic service was a breath of fresh air

This is a pretty decent Indian restaurant, but hard to get too with the road layout

Food was amazing and service was very good and fast. Would have been an amazing visit but we felt quite uncomfortable the whole meal as there were 4/5 staff members stood staring at us the whole time we were there, felt like they were just waiting on us finishing for something to do.

Top level Indian grub, highly recommended.

First time trying Macs- was always a fan of Balbirs so was eager to try. Macs doesn't deliver so you have to pick up takeaways but it isn't easy to get there. Don't follow google maps directions- there is no direct entry from the A77 & avoid taking the awful road from Dundonald! You need to come off A77 at Symington, take the flyover across the A77 towards the Tarbolton road but turn down the deadend road signposted 'Whitelees.' After the trauma of finding the place- the reception could have been more welcoming. Tea-time meal.deal is good & gives you alot for £9.95. Food was mixed: Lamb desi (homestyle on the bone) was: fresh, tasty, rich, spicy and had a good kick of ginger & chilli. Jaat Paat-sweet & spicy drumsticks had a nice tandoori char, were moist, tasty and were drowned in sweet & spicy sauce; swimming in crunchy onions & fresh herbs. Veg pakora- only 8 pieces and they were quite dry & floury inside. Saag Paneer was bland, had an overpowering flavour of burnt onions & was sparse with the indian cottage cheese. If i was passing- i'd maybe stop in for a Lamb desi again but i'll reserve final judgement on Macs till we try a few more dishes

Omg its fab the food is just bril would recomend it

Popped in for a takeaway on Saturday at tea time. Ordered 2 tea time specials Prawn Poori, Chicken Tikka Chasni (best I've tasted yet and it's my fave dish) & Pilau Rice the other Channa Bhatura, Garlic Chilli Chicken Tikka & Pilau Rice and a Garlic Naan as extra. Hadn't been in a while for a takeaway and can honestly say it was the best meal I've had from here, every dish was so fresh and tasty, will defo be coming back more often now!

Had a delicious meal here tonight. Starter and main course. They do smaller portion sizes, which means I could manage two courses - just! Would highly recomend this restaurant.

We decided to do things differently this Christmas Day and went to Mac’s Spice Route, near Hayes Garden World off the A77 at Symington. This is a regular haunt of ours but we didn’t know what to expect this time. We needn’t have worried. A five course banquet meal made with a twist on the traditional one usually served throughput the year. Course after course of exquisitely cooked food, served with warmth and friendliness from all the staff. Starters of Bel Poori (sorry about the spelling Mac!) and spiced onion, chickpea and shredded chicken in a tasty sauce and the lightest pakora of salmon, onion rings, chicken skewers and vegetable patties, followed by lamb and chicken curries made to our particular taste with chicken fried rice, raita and two types of naan. Dessert was two types of chocolate cake and a cheesecake brought to the table (my only request here is could we get to choose our own out of the three next time as there was some serious negotiation about who got the cheesecake?). We thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas meal, and Mac’s Spice Route on the A77 will definitely remain our favourite Indian restaurant. Thanks Mac and team.

As always, very good tasty food with freindly service.

We had a nice meal and good service

Fantastic meal and good value. 5 cleared plates says it all!!

5 minutes late for the t, time special, never offered us it, food was OK..