Mi Chaii - Ilford in Redbridge

Jabel is always kind and friendly. His customer service is impeccable. We ordered the Tawa grill platter today and I have to say, for a chai shop I'm so impressed with the quality and taste. Great value for money and definitely not just a social media hype, genuinely great food! I come out of my way to get tea from this shop because its warm and welcoming.

Lovely food as always. Customer service on point. Try their Karachi bun kebab and french toast 😍 and obviously karak chai 🤌🏻

had a great experience with family.

Customer service lacking, in fact rather rude server.

Food was lovely but would have been nice if the restaurant played Nasheed instead Bollywood songs, come on the founder is Muslim Mahboob Hussain.

Good place to chill out with freinds with light refreshments

Very nice tea and pleasant experience

Very nice people good food and welcoming experience.

Best halwa puri on Ilford lane specially puri so crispy and light as it should be, enjoyed 🤤🤤

A very nice layed out restaurant with very friendly and helpful staff. The food was very good and very reasonably priced, but has always they start to use cheap ingredients, got the butter chicken it was like they got the cheap bottle sauce and used that it was very bad had to leave it. Please try the hot doughnuts stack with nuttella and ice-cream the doughnuts are made onsite and are very warm and nice.

Very delicious loaded fries and desi breakfasts fast survace and kind workers

This place is amazing!!! Definitely try the Tawa for 2. Thank you 10/10

very good and nice food! one of the best spots for chai. highly recommend to come and eat here with friends or family.

Great vibes, desserts are on point. Breakfast is nice.

The waiters were very hands on, they made me comfortable and were very nice throughout. The food came out quickly & was all freshly cooked. Overall good food, service & atmosphere.

Great brunch place, with tasty food and good service

I had the omelette bagel with extra onion, chili's and peppers. Was really nice and the people behind the counter very friendly and understanding when I was asking what certain items on the menu consisted of. 100% recommend 👌

Kashmiri and Karak tea was superb. Place was neat and well maintained. Omelette was little bit on a bland side and could be improved by spicing up a notch.. Staff was welcoming.

I recently visited Mi Chaii and I must say, it’s an absolute gem! From the moment we walked in, we was greeted with the warm, inviting aroma of chaii and fresh donuts and the friendly smiles of the staff. The ambiance is perfect—cozy yet modern, with comfortable seating and a relaxed atmosphere that makes it the ideal spot for everything from a quick chaii break to a leisurely afternoon of work or catching up with friends. Now, let's talk about the masala chaii. It is simply outstanding! Each cup is brewed to perfection, with a rich, smooth flavor that is truly a treat for the senses. Whether you’re a fan of a classic masala chaii, karaka chaii, a creamy latte, or one of their unique seasonal specialties, every sip is a delight. I also have to give a shout-out to their desserts and snacks—freshly made and absolutely delicious, the perfect complement to their stellar chaii I highly recommend Mi chaii to any tea/coffee lover or anyone simply looking for a great place to unwind. It’s the kind of spot that once you’ve visited, you’ll want to keep coming back to. Five stars, without a doubt!

The best brunch spot on Ilford Lane, this place stands out with the finest chai among numerous options. Offering good service, affordable prices, and a quick dining experience, it's a top recommendation. Don't miss out on their karak chai – guaranteed satisfaction awaits. Jabel was very nice and hospitable and made sure to recommend us with the best food

The best chai place in London. The paratha was outstanding, fresh, fluffy and crispy. The dhal was lovely, amazing breakfast. I'd say chaiwala has a better karak chai.

It is in a very good place. There is plenty of seating inside and it is clean. And the customer service is very good, their food test is also good, the karak chai is very tasty. Ilford Lane is very busy and parking is not easy. Sometimes you find a place where you can park your car but you can pay. We would go again.

Place is definitely busy. Food, decent, but not as good as chailwalla. It is seriously overpriced for the area, which has a large community of casual labourers and foreigners earning very little. Decor is nice and place is clean Lots of options on menu. But like I said, not as good as other options selling the same stuff.

Yum! Can't fault it. Good snacks and chai . Would recommend the keema nachos, loaded chips, chicken rolls. and karak !

Mii chai has been rather an emotion than a cafe but it’s so disappointing to see the quality of food going so down their masala chips used to be the best me and my friends used to come over all the time for our project works but today is rather a big disappointment the masala chips was neither saucy nor nice crunch it was some chips with coriander and chili sauce verryyy disappointing I would rather prefer desi Brunch from down the road not coming to MI CHAI again Very disappointed to see how low the standard has come to

All i will say is that this place is better than Chaiiwala.

It's a food place for all age groups, my friends and I ordered the Afternoon tea which was wonderful. I expected small plates for the desserts would have been nice instead of eating from the same plate as the food I was eating from. My friends enjoyed the teas karachi and kashmiri tea. The samosas and kebab rolls wrapped in paratha was my favourite. Alhumdulilaah it is halal. Came back here after a year as my friend's really enjoyed the tea's here and ordered some desserts.

I always used to go to this place, but all of a sudden I went there one day with my friend, and we ordered the English breakfast and we wanted to change some bits out of it as we always do but suddenly on that day they couldn’t do it, it was really weird when we’ve always changed something from the English breakfast. Every time we’ve come in the managers never there it’s always been his staff members which would do for us on that day. The manager was serving and he was telling us that we can’t change it which did not make sense and I said to him I have receipts I can show you, but no he should be training his staff not to do such thing then absolutely stupid.

Place has gone down alot over the past few years. Karak chai was not what it used to be and kashmiri tea was so pink and extra sweetend that it was un-drinkable. Doughnuts use to be fluffy and nice bit they were too thick and they wanted to charge extra for any sauce you add. Most disappointing was the fact that they were forcing families to share tables with other customers they did not know due to the lack of seating options - NO PRIVACY AND TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE !!!

never have i had food poisoning but after having the masala chips and biryani here yesterday this can’t run. Don’t get me wrong the service was really good but clearly it was off bcs my stomach right now is not giving.

We stopped at Mi Chaii for a quick snack. Staff are friendly (and accommodating of my indecisiveness!) and the service swift. Really enjoyed the chilli cheese sandwich. The butter chicken parata could have done with a bit of sauce (slightly dry imo) but that's a matter of preference. I've never been a fan of coffee, but the iced white chocolate mocha was amazing. Not strong, and didn't leave that horrible coffee aftertaste - the perfect heatwave drink. I have been converted 🙌🏼 Among the ample options on the High Road, Mi Chaii is definitely worth stopping at. I'm going to return with my children.

Lovely staff We were three families that came from Scotland and Germany and they treated us so well Made us feel like home! I definitely recommend

The service was very nice as well as food…i was looking for desi food from so long but today i got it with lovely surroundings and even the three girls on the shift was so nice…they guide me with the menue…and was very pleasant with me…loved it…and will definitely come back again…with all my friends…Inshaallah ☺️✌🏻

Very nice service by the three girls…will definitely come back…its Monday but they were fresh and was ready to serve…👌

Lovely staff!! Raman, Pooja and Manpreet were really kind and treated us with a lot of respect. We were three families and they served us all so quickly!!! Will definitely be coming back Recommend them lots 🩷

Only had karak chai. It was luke warm. Bit pricey for a small cup.

Was a very good place would recommend please go and try you won’t regret

Very very dirty. Service is appalling

Delighted by the welcome, delicious food and drink. Really lovely inviting atmosphere and decor.

Really disappointed with this place. I’ve gone here for tea multiple times, however, the last visit left me speechless. I had a friend coming down from the north, and we chose MiChaii as the meet-up point. My friend is actually travelling and came from the Emirates, which means she did not have a UK Sim card or access to Internet. On arriving at the shop, she requested to be connected to the Wi-Fi, and this was rejected. She asked if she could briefly hotspot one of the workers in order to send messages to myself and her brother (who was also meeting us there), and this was also rejected. She then asked if she could use their phone to make a phone call to myself or her brother, and the workers did not allow this either. The manager came and confirmed that they do not allow people to connect to the wifi or allow phone access - I meant WHAT?! Absolute nonsense! Not only do I find this completely absurd, but their lack of care, and consideration really invigorated me; the lack of humanity they showed is unbelievable. There could have been an emergency, and they did not help her at all. Not going there again!!

the restaurant was scorching hot! It must have been around 28 degrees inside. We asked our server about the air conditioning, she just gave a dismissive nod and walked away, leaving us to sweat through our breakfast. The breakfast was unfortunately quite bad. The mushrooms, which are usually a highlight, were greasy and oily, ruining the entire dish.

I am visiting from USA - I asked for tea and it was stale ! Had to ask to reheat it! The man at counter stated it’s 10 minutes to close and I should take it to go! The bathroom was closed as they had cleaned it even before they closed! When asked I was told I could go next door! I would not recommend this place!

Good food but they have reduced the portion size particularly Halwa, which is a shame. Increase the size as was before. Karak tea and coffee have too much sugar.

I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the portions and quality of the dishes ordered. The price does not correspond to the quantity supplied. The biryani was very small in size, and the tea seemed to be just colored water with no real flavor. Also, the portion of chana dal was insufficient compared to the two parathas, which does not justify the asking price. Thank you for taking these comments into account in order to improve satisfaction.

Okish place. The Karak chai was more like cardamom tea (not recommended). The ambience is fine; you get what you pay for.

Awful food : tiny portion served for the money paid. The worst coffee I have had in my life. The staff is unfriendly , not attentive. Very poor service. I do not recommend this place.

Came in on Monday for brunch with friends, no one to seat us upon entering, I’ve been here before so I knew where to find menus myself🤷🏽‍♂️. Sat ourselves down, at the till the young boy had great service when taking our orders💯, however when the food came no cutlery was given, couldn’t find any at the little desk in the middle of the shop, so went back to till different guy was there looks about 28. He looked at me then continued his conversation with the other female worker about some staff gossip laughing and chatting, I was just a bit confused on the lack of customer service😂. So I asked for some knives and forks specifically for all of us, he gave me a single spoon and a used fork🤢👍🏽(we ate the traditional way 🙌) Overall food was good hot drinks late as always, and we left . I know this place is decent but fix that guy out - it really pissed me off

We go here quite a lot, so that’s a sign of a good place I guess. We’ve had the odd issue where food is taking too long to come or the chips are undercooked, but overall it’s a pleasant experience. The brunch menu is nice and filling, milkshakes are great and of course the tea is lovely. Would recommend, I especially like that the interior is clean.

Overall, it was a good experience. The chicken tikka sandwich was good, and so was karak Chai, french toast nice. Halwa puri was good also. Spacious, the booth sit was low so anyone over 6 foot may find height low. Happy noise level wasn't bad. Ambient space and decor were good.

Tea here is one of the best in the area, their food is good in quality. And they have nice ambience as well 😁

Lovely chai and great atmosphere

Worst customer service I’ve ever experienced in a cafe. The staff at the front counter appears to be too rude and unprofessional. I would have rated -10 for their customer service. It’s a basic ethical rule to welcome your customer with a smile as this is the first impression when you enter any restaurant or a cafe. I would never be visiting this place again and WILL NOT recommend anyone who value customer service more than anything. Food was ok, not the best though, therefore plenty of other and much better options available nearby such as Cha Sha and NaanStaap.

Now this is karak chai and the coffee is pretty good too. Food and service quality. They still got it best in London

The Chaii and desi, English breakfast was really tasty.

Pathetic and rude staff especially a bangladeshi guy who was being rude and served with such an attitude.

My first experience at Mi Chaii and it was a very pleasant one. It’s nice to see a good alternative to Chaiiwala. The butter chicken was delicious, the Chana Chaat was equally as good. The tea I preferred to Chaiiwala. It was ever so slightly stronger. The only complaint is that it’s extremely busy and when you go up to order people come and take your seat. It needs to be managed more accordingly. Second experience: Deghi Ghost, Kebab Roll, Keema Nachos and Masala Chips. The chips were a little dry and nachos I wouldn’t get again. The kebab was full of flavour and sauce.

Been there a few times Got there early, 30 min wait for the table 5 mins after being seated the waiter was asking for the table back ??? Very RUDE .......My friends had been delayed by 10 mins and at that time were parking up. Music is always too loud, GUYS DESI shouldnt mean overuse of Chillis food this time around was very hot too many GREEN CHILLIS ....Would be nice if the cold drinks arrived before the food not 10 mins after to help stop the chilli burns. Waiting staff should be akin to hosts but customers must feel they are a burden to the staff .Food is reasonably priced I guess but doesnt liook like th photos : ) Sorry but this time around was very unhappy with the food the service and the ambience. Turn the music down people like to chat not shout

Nice decor, cute place to stop whilst shopping or meet a friend for a small bite. The somosa chat flavours were okay, I think the keema paratha roll was a let down, had a strange chemical like smell. The limbu pani was refreshing though

My 1st visit and no lie I was disappointed. So busy Toilet was absolutely disgusting Food was a soggy cake The 2 points are for the nice pink tea Overall not happy

We had been here for breakfast however we had a bad experience with staff at the counter staff because we asked for Tap water and the person gave us a small cup We just requested can he give a big cup and he started saying we have to charge you for the cup .We asked him is there any charge mentioned in the menu for a empty cup and he said no .However we paid 50p for the cup and took it to drink water .Please review your service as it was not upto to standards . Good food though

One of the best Karak Chai’s. Slightly expensive but it’s nice so worth it. Was served instantly and is served boiling hot.

Noon chai was nice, but I tried falooda and it is tasteless, and the seviyeh in the falooda were brittle and not authentic.

Service is good, atmosphere also good for asian community who likes hangout with friends and want to pass time. One of the best milk cake in london. Highly recommended.

Milk cake and masala chips are so tasty

The last time I was here, I had some excellent Karak coffee, vegetable samosas, and meat (which I highly recommend). Although I have had better samosas in my life, these ones were really good. The location is a little run-down, especially the seats, It is still pleasant.

Excellent service n food. Thank you Jabbar the young man who served us. Very polite and fast

Best french toast Ive ever had. Their Karak Chai is almost as good as Chaiwallahs'. Interior decor very elegant.

Really enjoyed the desi breakfast, simple yet so good and the Karak Chai is always perfect

The food was not want I expected they say fresh paratha but it was frozen paratha I was very disappointed after coming from a long way from home I will never eat here again everything is dry

Pathetic staff pathetic people. don't waste money here . Un cooperative and stupid staff waste of money and time

Cafe But has other foods as well Small size restaurant

worst service i have seen in my life , the guy said 15 minutes food came after 29 minutes i even told the fella he just said ok no remorse or being sorry this place wasn't even busy and they acting like this food was cold but the tea was good that about it .came all the way from north london.

A great place for family dining. Very consistent with their quality and service. Certainly one of the best chai in town- highly recommend the Deghi Ghost, chicken Boti Roll and meat somosas. Staff are professional and very friendly.

The food was lovely 😍 the Desii breakfast was delicious 😋 and the tea was brilliant 👏 👌 I am coming back again 😋 😀

This is the second time I have been to Mi Chaii - this time I took my family. Again, it didn't fail to impress! The service and staff's attitude are welcoming and efficient. The place is clean and spacious. Food: the Desi breakfast and chicken sausage roll - delicious! Food comes hot and fresh. Plenty dessert choice and they are tasty too. Drinks: Kashmir Chaii and Karak Chaii - so tasty I bought 2! Definitely will be coming again.

The decor is very nice, spacious, warm and comfortable, the portion sizes are a bit small and the hot drinks are absolutely shockingly small. Over all 1 off visit and doubt I'd rush back. It's not very different to all the other chaii places across the UK.

Management at the Ilford Mi Chai is terrible. The manager was rude and unprofessional, making the dining experience unpleasant. Would not recommend this place if you value good customer service.He was shouting like illiterate man.

I have tried tea in many places, but to be honest, this is the best tea I have ever had. I highly recommend it for a tea lover like me. ❤️

I just want to start off, saying that I am really disappointed with the service with unprofessional behaviour from the manager. How could you be so ignorant with so much attitude don’t think you should be that manager of this place if you’re gonna act like that just came to eat something quick and from the menu, there was something that I wanted to change all of a sudden you can’t do that now and replace it with something else, but I’ve been coming like 4/5, all of a sudden this rule has changed. It’s not that hard to do something that has been done before, and I don’t wanna believe any of your lies to be saying oh, we can’t change this When you previously have done so completely lying to us.

I ordered the desi nasta the parata was very chewy and dry .chana was bland not very desi taste needs a bit of Indian taste it tasted sweet maybe next time try different option. Overall service was good just need to improve on the food .

Food wasn’t great, came after 45 minutes. Ordered the afternoon tea with Kashmiri mirch, it didn’t come with nuts, you have to pay extra apparently which we weren’t told about. I ordered doughnuts and white chocolate and strawberry for takeaway. Paid extra for the strawberry’s came home to bring them to my husband and they’re strawberry less. Two young girls were rude to us. My aunty is a regular there and always praises it. Wasn’t good overall

We visited the place after a long stroll in the area so any ordinary cup of tea would be enjoyable but the overpriced cup of tea was very bad and bitter. I would avoid this place

Food and service was excellent. Much better than I was expecting in all honesty. The desi breakfast and Karak chai was delicious.

I did not love this place, I ordered the parota and chick peas, just didn't enjoy it, I was expecting a lovely parota made with atta flour, instead I got a weird lacha parota made with plain flour, very doughy, no flavour, hasn't agreed with my stomach. The tea had a strange taste like it had been boiled for hours, my friends seem to enjoy their food so you will need to try it for yourself and decide. I did enjoy the halwa, very nice taste.

Food portion tiny, butter chicken was in a stingy bowl size. Also butter chicken was more like chicken curry would not come again

I finally found the best spot in Ilford. You must check them out, and if you’re looking for afternoon tea, this is the place to be 👌 thank you Jabel for the amazing service

Very tasty food and nice clean restaurants

9 of us went for a evening catch up and enjoy tea. The music was on full blast so we requested it to be turned down a few times. The waitress advised us she will . We sat and browsed the menu, when we went to order I reminded the waitress again. She now advised that it's not in their policy to lower the volume and that its password protected by the manager? We definitely didn't opt to visit a night club that night, if people can't hear each other in a tea joint then it is a big issue. I'm sure they don't need our business, but that's bad experience for 9 people. And these 9 people will tell others.

Nice food but small portion. Food tase and appearance much better than chaiwala.

The service was just great Monday bank Holiday! They didn't mind us messing around taking selfish abd the food was fantastic! Wud never have considered it but the place we went first was too busy so ended up here! So glad we did

Karek chai was one of the best we had, English breakfast was nice though we had nicer and tastier in other restaurants, loud indian music didn't like that as we barely could hear one another, overall good I would go back for the tea, parking is an issue pay n display if you can find one

I visited Mi chaii today and have been here many times before, but today the overwhelming smell of bio and a mix of sweaty odors hit me upon entering. The ambiance has taken a different turn, with one table hosting 10 men sipping on an excessive 20 cups of tea. Stinks of sweat, b o and masala mixed together. Unfortunately, the sticky tables and lack of hygiene standards among some “people” made the experience less than pleasant. Despite the establishment serving the best tea (Mi Chaii), the unbearable odor made it impossible for me to enjoy my drink, I was gagging and had to leave. I felt like I had to take a shower that very moment, I won't be returning, and I suggest the management address the hygiene issues for a better dining environment. ( Before anyone comes at me with negativity, I’m South Asian myself, I've noticed that some Indian men lack proper hygiene standards. I suggest providing deodorant at the entrance or including it on the menu to enhance the overall experience.) 🤢

Chai here is smaller than other chai places around the area but has a good amount of cream. Shop is very well decorated

Food was just OK. Kebabs from frozen, parata from frozen. Pokarai and Somasai better. Somasa chaat a tiny portion. plastic cups given for water, had to ask for them. To improve... Make fresh food and serve in proper China plates together with glasses and jugs of water. not metal thalli. You'll get better class of customers who are willing to spend more and enjoy your food. AND return. We won't be coming back!

I used to frequent this establishment regularly. However, today when I arrived, I noticed that there was no available two-seater table. Upon seeing a staff member seated at a two-seater table, I politely inquired if she was staff and if she was using the seating, as my party consisted of two individuals and only four-seater tables were vacant. Regrettably, the staff member responded rather brusquely, stating it was her break time. Following this interaction, I observed her return to the till. Subsequently, I proceeded to place my order. Typically, a waiter would present the menu; however, on this occasion, I had to retrieve the menu and approach the cashier. When I requested a donut stick, the cashier attempted to clarify by showing me pictures and mentioning two sauces, despite my explanation that the menu indicated one sauce. Although I overlooked this discrepancy, upon reviewing the bill, I noticed an additional charge. Unfortunately, the cashier seemed to struggle with English and exhibited impatience and rudeness. The current staff's demeanour significantly detracted from the overall experience. My suggestion is to ensure the recruitment of competent staff and provide them with adequate training in customer service. P.S. The Kashmiri chai was previously satisfactory, but it now tends to be overly sweet. As per receipt CLERK 62 WED 24 APRIL 2024

The attitude and behaviour of the Man may be he is the owner or manager is very very rude. I order my takeaway and told Him that I am gonna sit there until the order is ready .he just shrugs off his shoulder, no, eye contact no, smile nothing.Please learned to be polite and customer orinted.

I bought two cups of tea that is approximately 7 pounds and 10 p I took large cup but when I opened both cups were half and then at the end there was lots of black stuff . That was not first time I took three four times same thing happened then I have to comment here

I ordered a mint tea and green tea nothing special its actually from a box that you can buy Sainbury or Tesco.

So disappointed, just a waste of my time and money. Karak chai is too sweet, it’s like I’m drinking honey. Only good things are the desserts. The savoury and other things are a waste of money. Decor is beautiful, but service is poor - two of the waiters were really lazy and had a lot of attitude. Had to ask few times to get a table cleaned.

Visited today for breakfast and really liked it. Staff member Munpeet served us very professionally.