Motiraj in Sunderland

Place is disgraceful. Racially discarded and verbally abused. Happily took our custom of 5 people and proceeded to try and take our order in the waiting area as “we would offend other guests”

This restaurant never fails to deliver beautiful tasty food, the staff are so friendly and helpful have visited for many years and will continue to do so, thank you

Absolutely amazing food. Fresh and super tasty. Visiting family for weekend and love to come here, never disappoints. Staff super friendly and just generally a lovely place.

We have been customers here for over 25 years and I can 100% say the food here is always superb. The service is second to none and the atmosphere always great. Prices are definitely in line with all other restaurants serving the same food. The bar area is a great place for pre and post dinner drinks with lots of space and the service always prompt. We have also had take away food and cannot fault it..

My good friends have been coming here for many years., I decided to come here while on a weekend away from Cumbria . I can honestly say this is one of the probably,The best Indian restaurants I have tasted in north east it is relaxing. The staff attentive the food is excellent and full of Flavor well worth a visit 5 stars all the way

This place is not suitable for families with children under 3 years old as there are no highchairs for them. You cannot control your children. I believe all your happiness will be gone

I have been going to the Motiraj for over 20 years and always promoted to everyone how it's the best.... Well NOT anymore. I ordered a takeaway from the restaurant about 2 weeks ago (like I have done for many years), but this time the food wasn't great. I sent the restaurant a kindly worded email to explaon and feedback my disappointment (in case there was a new chef etc). I received a lovely email back from Shafy giving his apologies along with a good will gesture of a refund, which I accepted as £50 is a lot of money (see both my email and the response in my images attached). About a week later I ordered another takeaway from here online, but to my shock I received an email stating that my order was unsuccessful. I called the restaurant and spoke to Mr Islam the "Owner/Manager" who said my ordered was rejected because I complained the week before. He then extremely rudely told me never to order or book with his restaurant again, and the reason.....because I had accepted a refund!!!! I explained to him that in 20 years I had never complained and then even when I do it was more feedback than a complaint, I couldn't have worded by email any nicer. He is the most rudest, obnoxious, and nasty restaurant owner I have ever met. I feel so sorry for his staff, if he talks to loyal customers like that, then God only knows how he speaks to the poor staff, who are lovely, polite, and hardworking people. If I was you, I would go elsewhere and avoid this horrible man!!

Expensive for the small portions served. staff kept asking if we were finished with the table big hint they wanted us out to use the table for someone else. Also, the food was warm. I have been coming here a long time, but sadly, this is my last visit; my family also feels the same. If you want a carefree night with good food, this is probably NOT the place.

Good food as always.However paid the bill and no one in our party of 3 had any change. So sat and waited for change for 20 minutes nothing was brought to the table. Asked staff on leaving the restaurant where our change was and was told we should have told the waiter we wanted our change.£15 was then slammed on a tray. Me and my friend have been going to this restaurant for years. Very disappointed with the attitude in regards to the situation.

Great Restaurant, excellent staff, brilliant menu and very handy if visiting The Fire Station or Sunderland Empire for a concert or show. Mixed Kebab was exquisite, followed by a King Prawn Chingri Roshuni/Garlic Pilau/Garlic Naan, all of which were superbly cooked and utterly delicious. All washed down with a few pints of Cobra lager, what’s not to like? Additionally, I would like to thank the staff and especially the Chef who made sure we were looked after despite the late hour (22:15 on a Sunday evening).

We had a brilliant night with delicious food and excellent service which was second to none We will definitely be back

Arrived literally just after they opened, greeted and seated quickly and pleasantly. Found the table confy to sit at and the dining area well presented. From ordering to receiving the meal really really quick and piping hot 🔥 Really tasty, all chicken succulent with no tough bits. Enjoyed the whole meal and dining experience, thank you

The food was fantastic as per normal, but I was shocked at the price increases from 4 months ago. Thurs and Sunday special was £13.95, now £16.95. Onion Bhajis were £3.50, now £4.95. I'm afraid we won't be rushing back! I wonder if this explains why it was nearly empty when it is usually packed out?

Lovely restaurant to visit for the first time. Absolutely pleasant staff and very attentive. Food was delicious with plenty of gluten free options both for starters and main dishes. Will definitely return in the future.

This restaurant is just superb. I would recommend anyone in the area to go. I cannot fault it. All the dishes we had were fresh and beautifully cooked.

Excellent meals for everyone, food was fantastic. We will be going back. service was very friendly and helpful.

We've loved this restaurant for over40years .However for my main meal I ordered Balti chilli chicken dish, I had four pieces of chicken I found I was looking for more considering they were like the size of nuggets.Very dissatisfied.

We have been meaning to go here for a while, and we passed by one night and booked it. We had heard that it was well worth the visit and have to say we were not disappointed. We arrived a little early but were seated...

Absolutely spot on again. The reason we return time after time is that the food and service never disappoints. The food is delicious, beautifully served with very attentive staff. There is no feeling of being rushed even though it was very busy. Brillliant

We have just got in from this restaurant and have to say it's the best sitting down Indian experience We've had for years, we walked out of a long established Seaburn restaurant a week ago because of the unreadable new menu and the fact they...

Went with a group of 4 on a busy Saturday night. The service was very smooth and efficient with excellent staff. The highlight of this place has to be the amazing food. I got the king prawn bhaji and asked for the puree seperate which...

We as a family visit this restaurant multiple times per year as we tend to visit the Empire, but tonight was my daughters 16th and we decided to dine here rather than our local town Seaham. Food was fantastic however very rushed with the service...

A last minute dash for dinner before theatre - very good service, lovely food and helpful staff - highly recommended by us all

Great restaurant with fantastic food , friendly service, in a great location. Very good menu with dishes you don't find in many Indian restaurants. The prices are really competitive compared to nearby Indian restaurants, so would highly recommend.

We visited Thursday evening for a family birthday meal. Not been hear for a long time because we’ve moved back home. The restaurant was busy and had a nice atmosphere. The service was very attentive and fast. My husband always has his favourite onion bahji...

Been here lots of time .never overwhelming but lively and ok. Meal came out (for four) within 20mins at max ( on a Saturday!)and mine had very little flavour despite being quite top end of menu . Passed opinion to that extent to manager ....

We chose the special menu 3 courses @ £13.95 per head, with soft drinks and a couple of poppadoms the bill came in just under £35, good value for money, fast and friendly service

Visited here before going to show at empire, the staff were pleasant and friendly. The place clean and tables well spaced. Food was hot and well presented and they do gluten free

Not been in years so we decided on a change Food was average,waiters stopped for a chat and decor very good £72 between 3 including drinks starter main each, 2 rice's and nan bread £80 given no change forthcoming so we left

We visit this restaurant every few weeks and have never had a poor meal, poor service or poor drink quality. The Staff here are totally professional and always seem to know when to turn up to top up your drink or when you need the...

I visited Moti Raj with a group of friends after such a long time. To start with, we got a tray of pickles and poppadoms. Crispy and delicious! Then we headed straight to mains and I got Lamb Balti with a side of spicy chips...

food bland not very hot wine not very cold staff looked flat need to step up. not somewhere I would go back to

Recommend this restaurant by friends, I decided to give it a go. This establishment is immaculate clean, an the staff offered us a warm welcoming. The menu is extremely extensive, as well as offering vegetarian meals too. The meal was thoroughly enjoyed. At a reasonable...

First time in years we have been out for a curry and it was lovely. Good value for money, excellent portion size and the food was awesome.

You never get a bad meal here. Always lovely quality. Its certainly one of yhe best Indian restaurants I'm sunderland by a mile. Only thing is the prices seem to have gone up a fair lot. Its also a fiver for a pint of Indian...

Visited many times over the years and one of our favourite restaurants. The food is always top quality. Attention to detail and efficiency of staff is second to none and a big thank you for looking after us yet again. Looking forward to returning soon.

Lovely old school menu, all the classics, Dhansak, Rogan Josh, Vindaloo etc.... I miss these dishes, they even have the Muligataway Soup. Banana Fritters with Ice Cream on request.

I went to the MotiRaj with a group of 4 on a busy Saturday night. Staff was friendly and welcoming, the atmosphere was great and the food was top-tier. I had the juri baja starter and the tandoori bhuna massala (extra hot and asked for...

2 poppadoms each with lots of pickles - ok. No starters. Mains mixed tandoori grill - tasty, lamb tikka was tough but the rest was good. Came with a salad but the lettuce was slightly brown which put me off. Prawn Madras - woeful. Tasteless...

Fabulous little gem of an Indian restaurant tucked away adjacent to the Empire theatre in Sunderland. The Motiraj has been going since 1974 and it’s popularity is not surprising. Great range of Indian dishes with my personal favourite being the Chicken Chilli Balti. Staff are...

Went here for a pre-theatre meal with a friend recently and we were really impressed. Lovely, smiley, welcome on arrival, a beautifully decorated room with atmospheric music playing. Best of all, the food was delicious and the Rogan Josh had a really tasty tomato sauce....

Went on Saturday night for a meal, friendly staff and fantastic food, the naan breads were fluffy and soft and the vegetable pilau was the same. We had kind prawn starters which were were fresh and delicious and topped off with flavourful curries for me...

Saturday night very very busy. Table pre-booked and shown to the table immediately. We did reiterate that we needed to be out by 10pm for transport reasons and every member of the team helped ensure this was honoured despite how busy it was. Swift friendly...

When I lived in Sunderland 31 years ago the Motiraj was one of my regular haunts and my first taste of Indian food. A group of 12 family and friends were going to the Empire and I suggested going to the Motiraj afterwards. I cant...

Very very poor experience at this restaurant just over a week ago, this is solely with the restaurant owner and no detriment to the staff who work for said owner. I am personally writing a review since we can’t comment on a previous reviews. I...

After reading reviews we decided to organise a business meal within this restaurant. When the food was served two of the nan breads were burnt on the underside. This was embarrassing when you are entertaining business guests and I asked for them to be replaced. When the bill arrived I asked them to take the nan breads off the bill and as a gesture of good will to take one of the bottle of wines off. The manager started shouting at me in front of everyone in the restaurant, shouting that I was not going to pay the bill. He then began calling me a liar. I was so astonished and asked to speak with the owner to find out he was the actual owner and manager. I would highly recommend that you should go and spend your money else where as this was not a classy Indian restaurant which I was expecting when entertaining a business dinner. If I could give this a minus rating I would :((

We booked for 17:45 for pre theatre dinner and our table was ready on arrival. We really enjoyed the food - we shared onion bhajis and poppadoms to start and then had a variety of chicken dishes for main with rice and peshwari naan. The only complaint we had was that the service was fairly rushed and we felt like we were out-staying our welcome. Overall meal was really good value for money.

I first went to Motirjah for the first time in 1974. We have returned on many occasions and I can say we have never had a bad meal. Septembers was no exception. Superb food and excellent service and value

Excellent food, combined with friendly and fast service. This restaurant never fails to deliver good food and a lovely experience.

Came to Sunderland Empire- first time visit pre -Theatre. Great Food, great service, great value for money- will definitely go again

Lovely meal with friends, pricing is moderate and the staff were great. I had the Bhubaneswar prawn on puri as my starter and it was delicious.

Good food. Pleasant staff. King Prawn on puri was one of the best I've had. Chicken Tikka sizzler wasn't anywhere near the best I've had. Sliced chicken, must have been marinaded for all of 5 mins. Came on a sizzler with half cooked onions. It be fair it still tasted good - but defo not chicken tikka. Accompanying salad was just ok but lacking in content. Lots of lettuce, half a small tomato and cucumber. My friend said his Chicken Tikka Rogan Josh was fabulous and it looked it. Naan bread was delicious. Would go back but will try next door first (it think it's called Spice Empire).

Just avoid at all costs. 2 of our party had raw chicken in their curry. The staff were cocky and arrogant when we spoke to them. And when I complained about staff to the manager he said his staff were perfect. They did knock the cost of the 2 meals off the bill but I think they gained it back by charging £17 for 10 popadoms, with dips and it seemed like everyone's bill was inflated. After we'd all paid full amount for the rather sub standard bland curries we all had. I was told "not to try it" by the manager while I was questioning his and his staff's terrible attitude. To which I did swear at him but it was the final straw but I did walk away. Would not go back and wouldn't recommend.

I visited this restaurant with colleagues whilst away for work. All of our meals were very tasty. The staff kindly accommodated our requests for slightly different meals. I asked for 'desi' style chicken and it was by far the nicest curry I have had in a restaurant for a long time. The meals were reasonable priced and the staff kindly adjusted our bills to exclude the alcohol!

I often visit Moti Raj but won’t be attending there again after my last visit. Myself and a number of my family members were served raw chicken in our curry dishes. When my father-in-law, who is a butcher, made staff members aware they dismissed the idea of it being raw and claimed, ‘how can it be raw when all our chicken is cooked in one pot?’ Right. We then heard staff members mocking us for raising this issue before later overcharging us on all our meals, with 11 poppadoms priced at 80p each somehow coming to £17. Yes, £17! We then shared our discontent with the manager of the restaurant but again, he refused to show any understanding and stated with a bold smirk ‘I can’t fault any of my staff. They are perfect’. Moti Raj has always been one of my favourite restaurants in Sunderland, but their shambolic lack of customer care and quality of food means I will be taking my money elsewhere in future.

10 of us went out for a curry . Staff got us drinks and to our table quickly , food was lovely , but we got the feeling they wanted us to move along quickly between courses. It was a Friday evening and busy . Staff however were never rude, and always made sure we were happy.

We have visited here many times but decided to go for our wedding anniversary last night, never again, got chicken dupiaza which meat was dry as a bone and sauce had no flavour, same for my husband who got chicken madras.

I often come to this curry house before going to the theatre and literally can't fault it. Came again tonight. Service is always great, all staff are really friendly and can't do enough for you. You're also never rushed at all through the meal. The meal itself was delicious it's all clearly freshly cooked and so tasty. Best curry house in Sunderland for sure.

Visited with my boyfriend for a meal, the food was delicious and beautifully presented. Our waiter wasn’t exceptionally smiley but service was standard and good enough. Would recommend and will be visiting again the the future.

Had a chicken chomo dish to start just because I hadn't heard of it before. Spiced chicken served in a puri wrap and it looked amazing when it arrived with delicately placed blobs of red sauce around the plate. Main was a Chicken Mirchi Massala which was the very hot dish and damn nice too. Served with a chilli naan. Awesome stuff and just the right level of heat for me. Good work lads and lasses.

Stopped over in Sunderland driving back from Scotland. Came here based in a recommendation at the hotel. Really enjoyed it. Good value. A few vegan options which is always good!

Well we havent been to the moti for a while but was shocked how its gone down hill food was average at best prompt n quick but tastless like out of a jar madras i had my partner had chicken tikka massala bland n thick chicken was rock hard no flavour staff never even smile but always been same in there just want you in n out much better food and service down stairs never again

The mark of a good restaurant is being able to try different dishes and never be disappointed. This fits the bill. The Sunday night deal is an absolute bargain. To nitpick, a couple more beers on the menu wouldn't go amiss. It's cobra or cobra.

The food in the was brilliant and the people who served me were very kind and had our food straight away. The interior was really nice,warm and posh. No complaints from me to this restaurant,its fantastic.

Absolutely fantastic food,great service you can’t go wrong .i would definitely recommend this,it is the go to place for Indian food

Came here for my Husbands Birthday meal .It was a group of 7 , 6 Adults a one 14 yr old

Called here on Saturday before going to the empire to see a show, the food was phenomenal, the service was quick and courteous, I can not recommend this enough, I will certainly be visiting here in the future

You read some reviews and feel as though you have been to a different restaurant. Went last Saturday night with friends and could not fault anything. The restaurant decor is lovely. The staff were friendly enough and the service was good. The quality of the Lamb, Chicken and King Prawn was excellent, so tender. The food tasted delicious, and we all really enjoyed our meal. It is a long time since we had been to the Motiraj, but we will not leave it as long to visit again.

I hadn’t eaten here in years and to be honest it hadn’t changed at all. The food was ok - I ate vegetarian and was fine, my husband had chicken and was most definitely underwhelmed by the food.

First time here, reserved via their website. Had a slight confusion about the reservation when we first arrived but that was quickly dealt with.

We discovered this gem on the way to a show at the Empire and were not disappointed! All the food is clearly made fresh and we had some of the best poppadoms, bhajis and curries that we have had in a long time! Staff were very happy to help and the service was just right - not slow but not too quick either. In my opinion the best restaurant in Sunderland!

Been visiting the restaurant for years and the food is always very good and reasonably priced. The owner and staff are very friendly. There is quite a few Indian restaurants in Sunderland but this one has stood the test of time.

I visited this restaurant with my husband and 7 yr old son and it was very good. The service was very efficient and the food was delicious, everything came piping hot and well presented. My son got the chicken tikka on a hot skillet and he ate the whole adults portion - he loved it. The portion sizes were good and a decent menu and not over priced.

Quality food, helpful knowledgeable staff.

Recommended to us a s the best in Sunderland city centre. It was tops, boffo, a nice one. Really nicely cooked Indian food, nice decor, helpful staff. Next time in Sunderland we’ll be back for sure. Well done guys.

Me and my boyfriend visited this beautiful restaurant. After being in it for a few minutes I soon could relate to the negative reviews. Firstly, the coke tasted disgusting and barely drinkable. Secondly the staff spoke extremely quiet and came of really shy that we could barely understandable. Lastly, THERE WAS NO SANITARY BINS! upon entering the ladies toilet there was two cubicles neither had a sanitary bin in but a general bin where you wash your hands. The food was reasonably nice and the presentation and atmosphere was truly beautiful and food came quickly. Its a great place for those not needing a sanitary bins and with immaculate hearing.

9 of us went on a sunday as it was the special night, we werent disappointed, fast service, lovely food and.lots of it, they even let us take in a birthday cake. Always a great night here and all for £168. Will be back.

My husband and I have visited this place for 40 years and were even engaged here back in 1978 and we have never been treat or spoken to by a manager like we were on Sunday 22nd July 2018, our old friend Matab Miah would be ashamed this beautiful 1st class restraunt is now being run like this..we won't be going back again ever!!

We came across this restaurant on a very hot day after seeing the tall ships sail. What an excellent find it was.

He estado para cenar, hemos pedido varios platos para compartir, todo correcto, cantidades apropiadas, buena presentación y todo me ha parecido bueno, tal vez los camareros un poco secos en el trato y el local un poco oscuro con falta de luz.

The restaurant is tucked around the corner from the minster. I had the fish masala starter which was delicious. The mains were equally as good, I settled for balti vegetables and the other half had a chicken Roman Josh. Really good sized portions and the naan bread was so light and fluffy. We normally order too much and have it boxed but not this time, we were determined to finish every last morsel it was that nice. My new favourite spot when I visit Sunderland

Excellent service and excellent food . Definitely the best for miles and never fails to impress . Food fresh and naam breads are fantastic . Really is in a league of its own

good food good value the bhuna prawn on puree was delicious - the service was excellent and the wine not overly priced. they do cook slightly on the spicy side - but don't be afraid to ask them to tone it down - I do and they reduce the heat a touch

Visited on Wednesday with work friends. Food is always lovely and they even brought out a free desert for the birthday girl.

Thought the restaurant is living in its past glory and most of the clients is the older generation which probably used to be here during its heyday. The restaurant need some serious work as it feels like trapped and oily like the air ventilation is not really good. The furniture need some upgrade as well. Ordered an orange juice and it was quarter empty and asked the waiter and he explained it supposed to be that way as they used it from a can or something. If thats the case then they should get a glass that will look more pleasing to the eyes and it the portion was seriously little. As for the food, it was honestly dreadful and the desert is much better but still have a lot of room for improvement. I just hope the management will do better in the future as it will be a shame to see a restaurant with the legacy not performing well. Safe to say we will not be back in the near future

We had a lovely evening at this restaurant, the service was super efficient without feeling rushed.

Visited over the bank holiday weekend and in my opinion is living on its past reputation. Decor is fairly modern but the gents toilets are in serious need of a revamp as they don’t give a great impression. Staff were attentive but a smile wouldn’t go amiss. With regards to the food, Papadums were ok but seemed a little stale and the dips were straight out of a sharwoods jar. Raita was tasteless, limed pickle was vile, mango chutney was as sweet as honey and the chopped salad with onion was awful, all totally unimaginative. For starter I had the sheek kebab which was as dry as kindle wood and my wife had bhuna prawn on purée garnished with a very lonely looking 1/4 piece of tomato which she described as being ok in taste but presentation was pathetic. For mains we had chicken dupiaza, king prawn Sri Lanka, pilau rice and chips. Both curries were uninspiring and looked identical apart from one being very peppery and containing prawns and the other being less hot, swimming in ghee and contained chicken and onions. The rice and chips were ok but if this is allegedly the best Indian restaurant Sunderland City Centre has to offer I would recommend you to do the following: 1. Buy an Indian take away from Sainsbury’s 2. Visit the Calcutta Club in Nottingham. Sorry Motiraj but we definitely won’t be back.

I could not fault their service. Ordering gluten free was so easy. They were really knowledgeable about the dishes. Going through the menu with me to advise what were my options. Diverting me away from a dish that had nuts in which were bought in...

We visited this place whilst on a weekend football trip to Sunderland. One of the locals said it was the best place and right they were.It is tucked away by an old alley and once up the stairs it opens up into a lovely large...

Visited prior to going to a show, we had booked which was just as well as very busy. Food was realy good and service good. Would visit again.

Was recommended this restaurant by one of the receptionists at our hotel , it’s a stones throw away from the Empire theatre. The food was amazing from our Chicken pakora to my Chicken tikka masala , service fantastic and very clean , great price too....

Absolutely love motiraj. Always serves high quality food and take their customers into consideration. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The food is great and always arrives within a reasonable time. Highly recommend, one of my favourite Indians in Sunderland.

Had a lovely evening in the restaurant between 6:30-9PM on 28.1.2018. Very busy. Great food, friendly staff but 1 thing we didn’t see the restaurant straight away as it is on the 2nd floor. Mushroom Pilau rice and Naan bread so delicious. I ordered Chix Sri Lanka too hot for me. Signages and directions weren’t that clear. Overall we enjoyed the visit. Will come back next time. Thumbs up!

First visit to restaurant, came highly recommended by others in our group. Not disappointed, food was excellent, everyone in our group had no complaints, staff were excellent and there was a nice pace between courses. Would definitely re-visit.

This was our second visit to the restaurant and we weren't disappointed. Perfectly placed for a meal before visiting Sunderland...

Attended with 4 other family members. Made very welcome by staff in upstairs restaurant by very accommodating staff who were...

We normally visit the Moti every New Year's eve aswell as as every now and again when we can. Normally...

Consistently great food. I’ve tried other restaurants but always return here, best by far.Staff are friendly and helpful. Reasonable prices.

Simply outstanding as always. Delicious food at a reasonable price. Service is second to none - always feel very welcomed...

I've been coming to this restaurant since I was 15. Back in my home town this year appearing in pantomime I went on Friday at 11 pm hoping they could slip myself and a friend in at the last minute. They refused and I moaned a bit. What unfolded was horrific. The owner, in what can only be explained as a homophobic outburst called me a "worthless piece of s**t" and threatened to throw me down the stairs. I will never return here obviously. None if the pantomime cast will either. They have lost a lot of business