Mela in Birmingham

Good food (with a few slightly unusual dishes). Pleasant, friendly service. Decent prices and an OK wine list

First time eating in mela restaurant with my sister Wednesday the 4th September 2024 and absolutely beautiful food and staff are very friendly and helpful. Will definitely be going back there as I didnt realise it has been there for so many years of all the time I have been up harborne and in the stores pub as it is situated as a door only with entrance but didnt realise it was a very nice indian restaurant and it was sister who noticed it, so glad she did, king prawn vindaloo very delicious and prawns very tasty and big n juicy.

Exceptional every time whether it’s eat in or take away. Lovely food and staff are such a friendly bunch.

The food is top notch, service is friendly and attentive. The lamb balti has plenty of nice big chunks of tender lamb. Be aware they garnish everything liberally with fresh coriander which isn't to everyone's taste so be sure to ask them not to if you don't like it.

Came here with friends as it was recommended and i got to say the food and service was 1st class

This place now deserves one-star rating; the food was nice once; I'm not sure if the chef has changed. I gave them five stars two years ago. Now the food tastes bland and the taste is like a cheap take away.

First time trying this place and wouldn’t go again. Food was ok. Nothing amazing. Wasn’t terrible. I’ve had much better. Service was not great. The waiter serving us didn’t seem very polite or friendly or said anything about the menu when asked. I asked him about a few things on the menu but he came across as a bit rude and cold as if I shouldn’t be asking. It also felt very rushed and they couldn’t wait to get rid of our dips even though we told them we wanted to keep them to use with the main course. One of the staff was even dressed in a hoodie. It all looked and felt amateruish and thrown together. More like a place you’d pick up food from than a restaurant. A staff member also forgot an item and we had to request it again. He also asked us if we’d like starters even though we had already ordered some from another waiter a minute before! Amateur hour. The order took a long time to come in comparison to other people (bigger parties) who had come in after us. It seemed like the staff were more interested in serving the bigger party and had prepared the place for them than anyone else who was an afterthought. The atmosphere in the restaurant was awful. Honestly some of the worst I’ve come across anywhere it was very noisy. Way too bright. It felt like a big room with lots of tables and seats placed overly lit with no ambience of its own. The big party of 11 that arrived shortly after us were also very disruptive to other people and approaching everyone randomly talking to them?! including us?! The staff encouraged this behaviour and didn’t apologise for any of it. I guess the staff were just interested in getting money and tips from the big party and didn’t care about anyone else here. We wanted to enjoy our meal in peace but the place and atmosphere felt more like a rowdy pub. If you’re looking for a quiet intimate dinner this is not the place to go to. Decor was pretty tacky too. Will not be coming back here again. disappointed.

Came in on a Wednesday night asked for a few beers for drinks came out roasting hot to then later be told the fridge wasn’t working. Food came out and we couldn’t tell whos was which due to the same colour of red curry’s in every curry on the table. Bland and disgusting. Come here if you’re colourblind and enjoy a poor poor curry. Thought Birmingham would have nice curries Glasgow streets ahead of this lot. AVOID.

I have been there 4 times and will go again , very friendly staff and they know how to cook Indian food despite being from other country. I would recommend to try Naga Chutney if you can eat hot food. Their mango lassi ,Daal ,Jungli laal maans have a distinct taste and it’s quite affordable as well . Being an Indian I love the way they cook the food that belongs to my culture and serve, which gives you an amazing dining experience.

nice people nice food and decently priced. thanks a bunch

Excellent Daal. Naga curry was unfortunately quite mild. Bhindi needed much more okra over other ingredients. All very tasty so would order again.

really nice restaurant quality food. portions were generous as well.

Set menu very good value, lovely surroundings & well presented food

Nice place, very welcoming along with very good service. Good selection of very tasty food. Great prices very enjoyable. Looking forward to going back.

As usual, great service and superb food. Will keep on coming back.

Paid £63 and curry’s were cold and watery

Friendly, homely, tasty, fantastic aura. Simply the BEST Asian cuisine you'll find in South Brum by far... don't just take my word for it.

Sadly the only thing that was good was the delivery, I ordered a balti and the sauce was extremely watery, paying over 11.00 for this i expected much better, there wasn't even a free poppadom! Will not be ordering from these again.

It was very busy on our last visit with Christmas parties. We suffered slow service, most likely due to attention given to larger groups. Food was very tasty but delay in taking orders and having to request water on 3 occasions spoilt the enjoyment of our evening unfortunately. We noticed other people being offered hot towels to cleanse their hands after their meal. We were not afforded this luxury. A member of staff did apologise for the delay when presenting the bill. Unfortunately this experience did not encourage us to revisit. However on a quieter night your experience may be better.

Great Indian food, beautifully cooked, well presented Rather bright lighting.

Had a late friday night 10.11 23 Beautiful food great service best curry we have had for a long time

Perfect for a midweek night out with a group of friends. 12 of us had fabulous food and were greeted enthusiastically and waited on by very friendly and accommodating staff. We had pre booked our meals which made it so much easier for all. The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is that despite highlighting on booking that one of the party was gluten free on the night they were unsure of the suitability of some of the ingredients in a sauce and the gluten free order needed to be changed. Despite that the alternative meal was delicious and we all had a great time. Great value for money too we will be back.

Overly sweet (the bit I tasted) oily, paneer dish. Takeaway leaked in my car. The garlic naan was vinegary, however rice was fine. Called to let them know and was adviced that this was normal as it was a buttery dish. I probably wouldn't return.

Fantastic evening with my family. Amazing service and the food was excellent. Great value for money. Thank you to Sham and Shab for taking care of us. We will definitely return!!

Me and my family love coming to this delicious Indian restaurant . The customer service is always a 10/10 same for the food. . The prices are amazing but the only thing that’s a downgrade is I can’t finish it all 😂😂😂 it’s very filling and I’d suggest you’d try there mushroom rice because it really is delicious I’m saying this because I don’t like mushroom rice I only like it from here and you can taste the variety of flavours in there curry’s . A big thankyou to the chefs for making such lovely food ❤️

Great curry nice and fast will definitely be ordering again, delivery was very quick. Thanks

lovely hot delicious food will defo order again

I ordered Hyderabadi biryani and salmon fish It not Hyderabadi biryani it tastes sweet and fish smells bad. It's Not a Hyderabadi stuff don't go blind. Don't waste your money

Food was delivered early, food was fantastic especially the lamb. Would definitely order from here again!

Curry was very quite greasy. No mint yoghurt for onion bhaji every other restaurant has always included this. The chickpea spinach rice was however delicious - highly recommend that

Tasty food, will order from you again.

Taste was ok, nothing great. Food was full of oil floating on the curry, something restaurant needs to look at please. Also flavour of both curries was same which means they are using same base for all curries which defies the whole purpose for having a takeaway..

Amazing food. Nice place. Definitely worth a visit again Only disappointment was the speed of service for main meals, given we were the first booking of the evening.

our first order here and the food was really hot and the portions were large highly recommend ! delicious food will be ordering again thanks

These guys have got it nailed. We placed an order for collection and when we arrived to collect our order, everything was ready and piping hot. The staff member who greeted us already knew that we were there for collection. Timings given by the restaurant were spot-on for our e.t.a. on collection. We got the food home and I must say, it was amazing. Would highly recommend their Chicken Balti and Naan. Their Pilau rice was to die for. I would highly recommend this place as a must-do destination. 10/10

Food was cold. Chips were fried in reused oil the taste was awkward

I have only visited this restaurant once. The food was top quality and the staff were really friendly and accommodating. Keep up the good work 5*

This is my regular curry restaurant the food is amazing and fairly priced the people that work there are friendly and go out of their way to make you feel welcome

Lamb Biriyani, onion bhaji, shrimp start up is awesome 🤩 taste is top Indian ☺️

Always an amazing meal.. book ahead as it is very popular.. I'd recommended the Chicken Hiriyani! It's beautiful!! Also try the masala! With a pineapple slice! Tell them Aussie sent you! 5 stars! JH

Delicious 😋 5 star taste ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

We recently celebrated a birthday at this restaurant. We knew the restaurant quality was good but usually we only eat in small groups. As a party of 16 we wanted to ensure everyone received their meals at the same time and we were a particular awkward group with several members having specific dietary requirements. The team there could not have been more helpful, the service, the organisation and indeed the quality of the food was outstanding. I would recommend Mela for both intimate dining and for larger groups celebrating that special event. Many thanks to Sham and his team.

What a fantastic night out! Treated my finance to a curry night out and the team at Mala couldn’t be more helpful! If we ever go out for a curry we frequently come here, the food is full of flavour and presented beautiful on the plate. The Peshwari Naan is amazing and would recommend, I haven’t been anywhere that does it the same … best around! Staff friend … food brilliant … what more do you want from a night out? Cheers lads, we will be back

Great place. Fantastic food and drinks are reasonably priced. Most of all, friendly and warm service. Highlight of harborne.

Visted mela on a rarely busy sunday evening and it was packed (love too see this) although it was packed we was greeted and looked after well by the waiters all ways keeping us updated smile on faces checking up on us the food/and service amazing full of flavours we all loved it will definitely be back!

Very attentive and hard working staff! A busy night but they were really efficient! A very nice selection of curries too and all taste great! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A watered down curry that is shockingly bad value for money.If this outfit wants to stay in business which it will not it has to provide more than iceland packet curries.I will not order again as the waiter is very rude but lets see how rude when no customers are arriving lol.Watered curry on a level from 0 to 10, 10 being the best -5 no flavour all the dishes taste the same,Sheesh kebabs are finger size.No No No I will not buy again rubbish food at £50 ....£50 squids for what? this crap should cost £10 max it is not indian food and that is being kind.Close the place down if it can't do good food.

Food was fab service 10/10 love the chicken Hyderabadi full of flavours staff very friendly

Finger liking Rajasthani Biriyani☺️ complementary onion bhaji is awesome.

Delicious and very rich in taste. Specially hydrabady biriyani and rajasthani lamb.

Great meal, staff very friendly . Highly recommended

Lovely Indian food in Harborne. Naan breads so fresh and my partner loves the chilli paneer. I had the chicken tikka and very generous portion size . Will recommend !

Had a home delivery (Balti Chicken). This comprised seven small pieces of tasteless chicken in a pot of bland soup pretending to be the sauce. It was virtually tasteless. The complete absence of any other ingredients meant all I faced was the chicken and a thin, bland, forgettable liquid. Easily the worst attempt at this dish I've EVER experienced. Avoid at all costs

Food was fantastic and flavourful. Delivery was on time. Just overall quality. Highly recommend.

Really great menu. Great quality food. Friendly staff. Reasonably priced. What’s not to like? Will definitely be returning

Best curry in Birmingham. I love this place. Super friendly staff. Really reasonably priced. First place I go to when I come back to visit Birmingham

Had a fantastic meal at mela last week the food was amazing..10/10 presentation was awesome 👌was good too see the restaurant nice n packed out! hats off to the boys at mela keep out the good work

Food was cold and left on doorstep

My friends and I dine in several times a year. The food is always great and the service outstanding. We are greeted as friends. Shen knows the names and menu requirements of us all - gluten-free, veggie, vegan. This week, one of my friends left her bag behind and a few minutes after we left, I was called to let me know - this is above and beyond. Thank you for your kindness to all the staff at Mela and hopefully see you soon!

Excellent food. Excellent service.

Food was underwhelming, tasteless and lacking meat.

Food was amazing and hot definitely recommend

Absolutely excellent food, could eat here everyday

Good gf options and friendly staff

Really positive delivery experience. Road was closed however driver parked and walked to us to ensure we got delivery. Very friendly and apologetic even though there was no need! Fantastic food as well!

The food was watery and flavourless. We will never be ordering from here again!

cut a short story shorter, the driver got lost and delivered a cold meal, the resaurant replaced the meal. Chilli Paneer,Naga with Special Rice. wonderful tasting food and a great service?... yeah i think so!

Mushroom Kurkure & Naga. I Enjoyed it.

Delivered on time. Driver very pleasant. Food very good. Will order from here again

Excellent, food is always superb from here!!

2x Cold Mixed Grill = Bin No refund¿

Absolutely unique experience, food is so delicious and staff are so friendly ..

Never been disappointed with the food from Mela, and always served with a smile

We’ve order food from Mela three times now and each time the food has been fantastic! This is definitely our new favourite Indian restaurant/takeaway. Highly recommend

Cold food. Took 30 minutes to arrive once we were told “on its way” for a 5-10 minute journey. Not the best meal

Hardly any chicken in chicken curry which was supposed to be indian but wasn't. Chicken starter which was ordered wasn't available so switched by restaurant when they told me that they didn't have any chicken starter. Delivery guy was lost, had to go out in the rain searching for him.

Small portions and slow service. Salmon starter I ordered was just a dry cut up salmon fillet with little flavour - very expensive for what it was. Everything else was average apart from the onion bhajis which were very good. Overall wouldn’t recommend.

The Mela , “Best tasting food ever” run by the friendliest people and will always be my number 1 restaurant for a curry absolutely delicious food 👍🏻

Great food and service as always Driver always friendly

The samosa was burnt and very dry inside . The Bryani was cold and very unpleasant to eat .

Food is great and the staff love a bit of bantz. We have been here a few times now and we always get looked after.

Portion size was a little disappointing - there wasn't a whole lot of paneer in my curry. Taste was very meh. No urgent desire to try it again

Again , lovely food and definitely will be ordering again . Only thing I wasn’t keen on was the small amount of Prawns in the purée starter , that didn’t seem very good value but still tasted nice

Superb. Will be ordering this railway lamb curry again 👍

Only starter was good. Sadely charged for chutney trey aswl. 99% indian restaurent its come with papadom.

Really nice food , good quantity in the pots as well could have done with 1 or 2 more pieces of chicken but overall really nice . Massala chips were the best I’ve had from a take away . Will be ordering again this week , maybe tomorrow 👍👍😂

This was the first time ordering from this takeaway. i ordered the meal at 18.08 and it arrived at 19.50. Although I waited over an hour the time slot said between 19.8 - 19.30. The delivery driver was not happy. I ordered 2 lamb madras - it was not even madras spicy and was not well seasoned - and the lamb was hard. This is not a very good first impression and i doubt if i will order from here again,

No matter if your eating in the restaurant or having it delivered at home the food and service is 5*, very polite staff make you feel at home. Iv never tasted food that's got so much flavour. I would recommend mela to anyone you won't be disappointed.

Food was reasonable quality, service let this place down. I know we visited on a busy evening but I felt the level of service/speed of service was very poor

Really tasty food, great service and speedy delivery. Thanks guys for the lovely experience

As always brilliant food and service. Staff always excel themselves. Never had a bad meal.Friendly driver

Brilliant service.Great food.Friendly drivers. As always Mela excel in all departments.Well done guys.

Probably the best Indian Restuarnt in the area. Great food_excellent service with friendly staff......eat at your at your own pass.....no rush....fresh food.

We have been to Mela a number of times now and the service is always welcoming and professional. Our food and drinks orders arrived promptly with Abdul the waiter remember who ordered what, which makes the experience that much better. Compliments to the chefs as the presentation on the plate is at a high standard, that has you drooling at the thought before taking a bite, and when you take a bite, well, its simply delicious! We would recommend the Peshwari naan with the chicken jalfrezi as a great tasting combo. Drinks and food are all greatly priced and overall this was another fantastic night out at Mela. Thank you to Abdul and the team.

Love this restaurant one of the best in harborne top class service love the decor food 10/10 we enjoyed every moment and will deffo be back!

I have been here a couple of times. It serves tasty food and the service is exceptional. Highly recommend and will definitely be back.

Yet and other fabulous evening at Mela. If you’ve been - you know you’ll be back. Excellent food, excellent surroundings - always. Thank you!

Mela is superb - we've done sit-downs and delivery and they are excellent. Probably our restaurant of choice in Harborne.

One of the best curries I've ever had. The service was faultless and the staff were friendly and very welcoming. The food was presented very nicely and we really couldn't fault anything.

Been coming to mela for numerous meals wow where do i start we had a pleasant night the staff allways go the extra mile . The food was out of this town! We had chilli panner and my partner had vegetarian platter and she loved it mains was superb i had lamb biryani which was full of flavours lamb was nice n tender and moist lamb melts in ur mouth my partner had vegetable sagwala which was full of flavour... 10/10 plus they have 50% off food every tuesdays Wednesday Thursday well done team mela ... we shall be back very soon keep it up