Omar Khayam in Birmingham

They have a big fish in a tiny tank unable to swim around . I cancelled my table booking

This is our go-to Indian restaurant in Birmingham. It has an intimate atmosphere and diners are watched over by a friendly fish in the fish tank. (It’s reputed to be over 25 years old). Staff are most helpful and friendly and go out of their way to ensure the dish you choose is not too spicy or not spicy enough. There is a wide and enticing menu with dishes one doesn’t find readily in other Indian restaurants. Do try the Imli chicken: dark, handsome and tasty with just enough zing

Mmmm. Had a delivery, Wonderful meal. Even the keema naan was loaded, just like the good old days.

Absolutely disgusting customer service, started with a miss communication over popadoms, rather than try and rectify the situation (we were happy to pay for extra) we was left with non while the sad excuse of a waiter went off to try and see what had gone wrong. He then stated that my mate was eating my poppadom so i needed to speak with him, the man at the till shouted over the the restaurant "do you want a job" in a very sarcastic manner! It resulted in me not wanting to eat so i left my friend went to speak with them and they were rude to her and my partner also went to speak with him also rude to him, it resulted in us all leaving and hopefully leaving them with a lot of cooked food that went to waste you would think with a restaurant that had two other people in other than us on a friday night they would welcome custome but apparently they would rather be rude to the customers they do have! Will never step back into this restaurant and would never recommend! Very rude staff

Had a beautiful authentic Indian curry here I have been here plenty of times over the years and never had a bad experience the staff are always polite and nothing is to much trouble always happy to bag up any left over food so you can take it home they have been in Northfield for over 20 years this in itself is a testament to how good this place is

We were staying in Birmingham on saturday and unfortunately for us we don’t live closer because this was by far the nicest food we’ve ever eaten and would 1 million percent recommend. The service was impeccable, the staff were friendly and attentive. The whole experience was faultless. Large portions packed with flavour. Thank you for a lovely evening and hopefully we can return again soon

Great to work with. The team are all so friendly and quick with their responses.

Lovely place and staff. We went there for a meal with our one year old and they where so lovely. Even gave me a stand to put my phone on for my lo to watch her show. Food was brilliant as well

The food here tastes very good. This is my favorite restaurant.

Amazing food. Best in Birmingham (and UK) by far. Brilliant staff, kind and friendly 👍. Madras and pathia are out of this world. If you have never tried it before, have the paneer tikka (insanely good)... Order from here all the time and never had any issues... can't rate them highly enough😋👌🥘 10/10 A********

A visit back to the Omar Kyam,it was good to be able to see familiar faces,and I received a lovely warm welcome.Food was great l like it because it is always hot and stays hot,and of course wonderful service!!!!

Absolutely disappointed. I can't believe the hype this place received in the press about being one of birminghams best. The waiter seems very charming but if your new he's just getting you the order the more expensive dishes. We asked for two starters which were both cheekily put on one small dish but we still paided for two. The place inside is dated and a bit cramped. Theres a poor fish in tank thats far to small for it and appears to be gasping for oxygen. All in all from the starters to the mains it all tasted terrible and the prices are rare from reasonable.

Rubbish talk about being the best in Birmingham I had one bad meal off them phoned them up and now they have stopped me having anything else talk about customer service they deserve to be closed down

I was last in that restaurant 8/12 months ago service was good. Take away was good. I would definitely recommend it.

It’s not very often I’m pleasantly surprised or impressed by a curry (having been an important part of this Brummie’s staple diet for decades), but Omar Khayam has done both. Considering this establishment has been around since 1982, and the family have been running restaurants since the 1960’s, I am a little flabbergasted as to WHY I haven’t been before. Trust me, I’ll be back. Let me tell you why… I chose an old favourite, Nargis Kebab, to start (it’s quite easy to get wrong, so is a good benchmark), and Mr. Dey’s special Ajanta Cuisine for main. The flavour of the Nargis was excellent - not spicy-hot, but a great blend of spices that felt ‘home made’ and not just the same mix used across many restaurants in the sector. Everything seemed fresh and perfectly cooked. The Ajanta Cuisine dish was, if not quite a revelation, then a real winner. This does not appear on their takeaway menu and I forgot to take a photo, so I’m guessing a little at the actual contents, so bear with me… A selection platter arrived with a tasty (lamb keema?) dish, which was rich and with an incredible depth of flavour; a decent helping of pilau rice; a couple of gorgeous fresh chapatis; and the most wonderful lentil side - creamy, garlicky and incredibly moreish (I could probably enjoy a bowl of this on its own). Accompanied by a jug of sweet lassi which had a great flavour and consistency: I think they may have added a subtle cinnamon-based blend of spices which did not overpower (I dislike too much cinnamon) but really enhanced an already tasty beverage. Everything was superb: Well done, chef(s)! I spotted another couple of comments in the reviews about service being a bit slow: Well, that’s incredibly subjective and depends on whether you’re in a hurry or not. The service is indeed relaxed, but that’s no bad thing when you’re not rushing off to be somewhere else. Staff were polite and available without table-lurking. The optimist in me hopes that the longer serving time means everything is being prepared fresh (as their quality mantra suggests), and that’s always worth waiting for. I have already made a list of the other current Dey family establishments, and will certainly give them all a try to see how they stack up against Omar. I hope Mr. Dey continues to be a champion in the sector and his legacy continues for another 60 years!

Never disappoints. Friendly staff, great service and delicious food. Has been my go to place since 2005.

Excellent food, service has gone down a bit, we noticed since our last visit.

We went to the Omar Khayam as we think its the best restaurant in Northfield. The service was excellent, a lovely atmosphere and our food was delicious

Really nice food, we enjoyed it

Not the cheapest, but never disappointed

Just had a takeaway and the food was absolutely delicious and arrived in good time. Will definitely use them again.

I’m easily pleased but I genuinely think this is the best balti in the whole of Birmingham. Been here twice now and it’s been 10/10 each time. The chicken balti is just absolutely perfect. It’s a simple dish but these guys get everything right - just….. extremely delicious. I think I’ll just come here every time now because nowhere has beaten it.

Never fails to impress no matter what I choose. Always has that distinct flavour about the rest, whether it’s a paneer Balti or a chilli garlic. It’s stunning.

Fantastic food, fabulous service.

Highly impressed with everything, came from London for a long weekend break to Birmingham and wanted to try something local. This place blew our socks off. We literally ordered the same meal we had been used to but the quality here was a cut above..kids really enjoyed their meal also. Even the coffees were delicious. Wish this place was located near our home.. will be dreaming about the garlic naan for days.

The best Indian food I've tasted in a long time, would highly recommend! Happy to help customise your order if needed as well! Perfect!

Would be a 4* review if you didn't have the huge fish in a tank way too small. Please resolve this. I'm sure the fish started off small but the fish is at a size that needs a pond. It can barely turn around. Please update if you find a solution for your fishy. The staff were friendly and pleasant. They catered for a medium sized group well, food didn't take too long. Everything ordered arrived. Some theatre with the sizzling plates. Fun but not required, I wouldn't say no if they did it again, but it might speed up service. Clean inside and a good location. My bhuna tasted nice.

Absolutely rude staff. We complained about the food on one occasion in a polite manner. We came again tonight to trt again and the waiter was so rude to us both.

Was recommended by a friend absolutely the best food (indian) I have eaten in a long time, great service and atmosphere whilst dinning. Highly recommended 👌

Service was very slow... Took 10 minutes to order a drink. 10 minutes for the drinks to come and then we had to ask to order food after another 10 minutes. Staff just kept disappearing into the kitchen. Poppadoms and chutney tray were nice. Rice and ban bread OK but the curries had been made with lots of pepper which left a horrible taste in the mouth and gave us indegstion The worst was the chicken jalfrezi it was like eating grit. We had been asked just after the meals arrived was everything alright and at that stage it was as the pepper effect had not kicked in. The all staff disappeared. The next time we saw anyone was when they came to clear away, at which point I told them about the awful pepper taste. Another member of staff came to see us and basically accused us of trying to not pay for the Jalfrezi which was not the case. He was very sarcastic and patronising. When I said about the pepper he agreed that they used a lot of pepper in it and when I said that that is not the way to do it, he sarcastically said 'so you know better than us then' There was no point in any further discussion so we paid the bill, no apology and left and will not return. So beware... Don't give them feedback!

Service was very slow... Took 10 minutes to order a drink. 10 minutes for the drinks to come and then we had to ask to order food after another 10 minutes. Staff just kept disappearing into the kitchen. Poppadoms and chutney tray were nice. Rice and ban bread OK but the curries had been made with lots of pepper which left a horrible taste in the mouth and gave us indegstion The worst was the chicken jalfrezi it was like eating grit. We had been asked just after the meals arrived was everything alright and at that stage it was as the pepper effect had not kicked in. The all staff disappeared. The next time we saw anyone was when they came to clear away, at which point I told them about the awful pepper taste. Another member of staff came to see us and basically accused us of trying to not pay for the Jalfrezi which was not the case. He was very sarcastic and patronising. When I said about the pepper he agreed that they used a lot of pepper in it and when I said that that is not the way to do it, he sarcastically said 'so you know better than us then' There was no point in any further discussion so we paid the bill, no apology and left and will not return. So beware... Don't give them feedback!

Fantastic food as ever, very lucky to have this fab restaurant so near! Really worth a visit and always look forward to our next meal there!

First time having a takeaway from here the food was fabulous and piping hot

We turned up as a group of 4 for girl night out. Had booked a table thinking I had booked the right place but it wasn't the right place but they seated us anyway which was nice of them. The food was nice but we waited over an hour before we had our starter. We then waited another hour for our main. It was well presented and a nice atmosphere. It wasn't particulaly busy but they were also dealing with takeaways and they only seemed to have 2 staff. I would probably not go again due to the waiting time, shame.

Ordered from here for the first time and I was really impressed. The staff were friendly and very welcoming. I ordered a lamb vindaloo with rice and it really was something else. It had lots of tender lamb, was nice and spicy and the sauce was thick and sumptuous. This will be my Friday night curry from now. Thank you to all the staff for a lovely meal. The 5 star rating is well deserved.

Amazing food and service must have been back at least 100 times now overall a brilliant experience

Really enjoyed the food but it's very expensive compared to other Indian restaurants that are very good, that would be the only thing putting me off returning I'm afraid.

Visited after a long time and ordered my favourite paneer tikka daal tarka and shahi paneer. The food was amazing as usual and loved coriander naan it was the best k have ever had.

Paneer tilka was sizzling like a sizzler absolutely loved it, I am a regular at the restaurant and they have never let me down. Shahi paneer, Coriander naan and Tarka daal was awesome.

Very helpful and polite staff who was very happy to help guide me through the menu for the vegan choices the family also enjoyed all the meat dishes would be happy to come here again thanks guys

Très bon, des saveurs parfumées et raffinées. Les portions sont généreuses et le personnel très aimable et prévenant. Attention toutefois, je précise que les prix sont un peu plus élevés que dans les autres restaurants indiens.

I wouldn’t even give him a rating ! Rice was very dry from the night before . His food is very mediocre. Takes very long to serve the food and he is very disrespectful for example if you say how kings the wait in food please he will say “ you can see I am the only one here so wait” I thought he was a cheeky waiter but to discover he is the owner ahahahahaha never ever again . Don’t stress yourself coming here if you are black because he has NO MANNERS ! I have had better customer service at MCCDONALDS . He attitude smells more cheesy than he looks 😫 and that’s bad! I don’t even leave reviews but this one I had to .. if you want nice food local try Weoley castle square or THE GROVE in handsworth , SOHO Tavern is also very fresh food very lovely customer service ! Ahhh well u live and you learn Stick to what you no AVOID !!!!

Excellent service Excellent meal would not eat any where else

I would never go no where else even tho its a little dearer the foods always beautiful and fresh i think even Gordon Ramsey wud agree 👌 well done omar khayam👍

Love the food and the staff, my favourite place to go with my mom and aunty.

The only Indian restaurant that I choose to go for a meal. Excellent food and service by very friendly and attentive staff. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough or the entertainment of George the fish... Recently had my partner's 60th birthday meal. Now living 70 miles away it was the only meal we'd travel this distance for, outstanding. After 2yrs away because of lockdown, the staff still remembered exactly what I like and how it's cooked. Awesome guys and thank you yet again.

Fantastic meal great service would definitely return

Orderd from the omar for a delivery, waited 2.5 hours, (stated delivery time was 1.45-2 hours)phone up to enquire about the order to be told I hadn't ordered even though the guy on the phone confirmed my name and address before I even told him because I've ordered from them before, then told me they would get my order to me within 20 minutes, took 35, and tried to change me more money than I was originally told, their currys are delicious but customer service is s##t, will not order from them again really disappointed with the service was not even apologetic for the poor service, stay away

We normally eat in here as the place has lovely decor and my son likes the fish tank. Main attraction is the food though, which is original and the menu has lots of variety as well as the favourites. Last time we had the Indian fish and chips which was a really good twist on this. I also love the puri and they do a great veggie thali, which you can't get everywhere. Another plus for me is that they don't use loads of oil. The staff are great and will have a chat or leave you to it if you prefer. Great for a family birthday or romantic meal out.

Been lucky to have been a customer for over 30 years and go here even though we have moved to stirchley. We have lots of local Indian takeaways and restaurants but none of them match the taste and quality of food. Lovely atmosphere and service excellent even popping in for a takeaway you are treated special you won't be disappointed

Absolute gem of a restaurant. Quality, not greasy, original preparation and ace staff.

Quality food every time beautiful Chicken Naga perfect.

Lovely as always, polite staff, lovely food, great service. I would recommend the Lasan Lamb 👌🏽

They know my order off by heart ... always as I like it!

Excellent food fresh and well presented best Indian food we’ve had in a long time clean restaurant friendly staff we will definitely return well recommend

Ordered a takeaway from here, it was amazing food was hot and full of flavour, the restaurant forget one of our naans rang them it turned up within 10mins. Brill customer service fantastic food we will order again

Terrible customer service, tried to order food over the phone but was suprised to be told of a delivery charge even though their menu clearly says free delivery. When I questioned that I was told menu was subject to change and that the menu was 3 years old and they have changed their policy but not their menu. Staff was rude and arrogant over the phone. Will go to other places with accurate prices in future. Would not recommend

Very nice and tasty food. Friendly atmosphere and staff.

Amazing local Indian restaurant with excellent, authentic food. The staff are really nice too.

A great Indian takeaway with consistently great food. Although a bit pricey which is the reason for the 4 stars, it is worth it for me. There are tonnes of veggie options and if you ask staff they can easily help you avoid allergens making it so they can cater for gluten free as well as vegan too. Everything that is vegetarian even down to the rice, naan and even the sauces are even marked if they are vegetarian which is great.

Great food, excellent menu choice, really friendly & helpful staff. Top notch

After going here for 25 years we would like to pass on our sincere condolences on the passing of the father of the family. He was a lovely gentleman and always found the time to say hello. He has left behind a wonderful family and a great legacy. Rest in peace. Kevin and Susan.

Every dish is perfectly cooked, the staff are amazing and the atmosphere is great! We eat here as often as we can and always look forward to coming back.

Great customer service,and the methi is the best I have ever tasted, quality ingredients produces quality dishes ,spot on guys, happy days

We always recived a fantastic service and meal . We can honestly say this is the best restaurant in the area.

I will Not be having a meal from them again! Apart from chatting amongst themselves they then decide to take my order. After an hour and a half waiting for the food the chicken was so hard you could break glass with it. I phoned up to politely say I could not eat it. He was not pleased about my comment, saying I was the only one who has complained. And he said if I don’t like it go elsewhere, very rudely! I said please come and collect it and see for yourself. He wasn’t pleased at all but did offer to send another one. I gave back the chicken curry to see for themselves. To be honest I just couldn’t eat the chicken curry they replaced because I started to feel sick. But I did phone the owner up (the man who took my order) and I said will you please check the chicken to prove I was right. He said he would if he gets the time. Obviously he wasn’t bothered because I didn’t get a call back. I will Never order from them again! Bad service, Rude owner and bad food!

I’ve had several takeaways from here and and always been brilliant. Also eaten in when we could and was equally as good. Far better than anywhere in Selly oak. Recommended. Have the shai chicken

5* food every time ordered here for many years best one in Birmingham wouldn't use anywhere else

Absolutely beautiful food, service is always amazing and friendly from the order to the delivery. We highly recommend Omar Khayam to everyone!

We phoned at 6.45pm and after we had gone through our order were told it could take up to 2 hours but it was really unlikely it would take anywhere near that long. It is difficult to say forget it at that point and had been reassured so we went with it. It was 8.40pm when our food turned up. I really hate eating late so only ate some of it. It was such a shame as the food was delicious and really flavoursome, full of ingredients and well balanced. However waiting 2 hours was far too much. The food was worth 4 or 5 balls but the takeaway time a 2 ball experience. Sorry

Been to this place from the year it opened in 1982 fantastic food fantastic service and 5 star restaurant in the all the years standards have never slipped I wouldn't go anywhere else best place in Birmingham as far as I'm concerned so if you are after a fantastic meal and 5 star service this is the place to go

Came here tonight with my boyfriend, was welcomed by a lovely waiter, food was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely as always and we will definitely be back again

Called up to make a order and double check there was no long wait as last week they was very busy and had a 2hr plus wait. He then told me to wait before making a order as he was just doing something which is fair but then when on to chat to his buddy in the background not realising he hadn't muted me. I waited a few minutes and hung up for them to call back and again make me wait to order food. As I was saying my order he cuts me off asking for my name which I give but then he wants my surname n which I politely refuse to give. He then becomes even more rude and snotty telling me I should go somewhere else so I put the phone down as I refuse to be abused by someone I do not know about not wishing to give them personal information. Rude the whole time and I was hesitant to call as my mother who lives in the area told me they are rude which is why she as a 50+ Yr old woman doesn't use them

Had a fantastic evening meal, there was a wide range of dishes to suit everyone's palette. The food i had was spectacular and the service was faultless from start to finish, absolutely the best Curry House for miles. Will be coming back 👌

Had a large take away order last night for 10 Adults, food arrived on time as discussed with restaurant, it was all hot so no reheating required. Staff were polite when ordering and the delivery driver too. We plan to dine in soon as we were well impressed. Thank you.

This restaurant has amazing food full of flavour and good price. We use them alot for takeaway and have it delivered. Have eaten in a couple of times and its been beautiful. Very friendly staff Highly recommend.

First time ordering from here, will definitely again. Food was delicious and staff were very polite. Delivery was fast too. From a very happy customer, thanks Omar's

Omar Khayam is without doubt the very best Indian cuisine in my local area. Their food is excellent and they always deliver chilled items in separate cool box. All the staff are lovely and friendly.

Lovely food. Good staff. Worth a visit or 2.

At a time when we are frightened to go out, we chose to go local for a small family event. I couldn't be happier to have found this Gem almost on my doorstep. The food is amazing.. fresh and tasty - plentiful and simply delicious. I had the Persian Chicken Biryani - the most incredible Biryani I have ever tasted, it melted in my mouth. the presentation was fabulous and the flavour exceptional. I could not fault a single thing, even the papadams were the lightest and tastiest I have had for a very long time. The service was exceptional -the cleanliness of the restaurant and 'facilities' top marks - I hope that they are supported during this difficult time, because I want to continue going there for years to come!

A friend of mine promised me the best Indian meal of my life and boy I was not disappointed. He booked a table for 4 next to George the fish, and from the moment we set foot in the place we were so impressed with everything. The staff where professional, friendly and welcoming and the service was superb. The perfect balance of attentiveness without being intrusive or feeling rushed. A good selection of drinks from the licences bar including kingfisher lager, and a delightful selection of chutneys to accompany our popadoms both arriving soon after being ordered whilst we took time to peruse the menu. 2 chicken tikka masala one garlic chilli chicken and a veggie dish that was asked to be tweaked off the menu was prepared without any hassle. I ordered the garlic chilli chicken and the waiter informed me that it came quite spicy and if this would be ok. When it came it was the perfect blend of hotness and flavour and the rest of the food was at an equally high standard beautifully presented with love care and attention from the chefs who clearly rake pride in everything they do. Fantastic evening, a true gem of a place

Been having my favourite chi tikka balti with naan both eating in and taking away from here for over 20 years. Best Indian food in this area by far! Eating in - the staff are friendly and the service is excellent, the portions are a very good quality and size. Taking away is the same with a speedy delivery so you're stomach isn't rumbling for too long. Only downside for me that I had to order two portions of the yogurt and mint as its so delicious and one is never enough! Highly recommended for a meal out or a night in with a bottle of your favourite tipple!

Great food, lovely ambience and brilliant service - would definitely recommend!

Waited 30 mins before an order was even taken. Another 20 for Poppadoms and another 25 for mains. Food was ok but not worth that kind of wait.

A quaint little establishment, set apart from the hullaballo of Northfield. the squires of the establishment are very attentive and ensure the patrons are made to feel most welcome. All 6 of us who dined were repeat customers, and all 6 left satisfied by the Hearty Fare served. My only criticism is that we were sat at a rectangular table rather than a round one, call me old fashioned, but I prefer round tables. Besides this minor point I left pleased with the food and ambiance.....Recommend!

Great food ,very polite staff, 👍👍

Three of us went for an evening meal. Good food, excellent friendly service.Will definitely be going again.

Frequent visitor ... great for a quick meal and an evening of drinks. Perfect for an evening meal followed by drinks with partner. Romantic setting but great for visit with friends, family too. Great menu options and clean establishment with great food and staff.

Moved to the area recently from London... here on work. First time to the restaurant last Monday. Wowww!

Moved to the area recently from London... here on work. First time to the restaurant last Monday. Wowww! I've been in UK for 5 years and my visit to Omar Khayam was the first time since in arriving in UK that I had some decent Indian food. I have missed my cuisine and on can only cook some limited items myself so this is a lifesaver for me now! Great menu, food, decor and service was great - some young guys working there not sure if owners or staff but they where great - keep it up.

Pedido para la colección anoche. Fantástico servicio, encantador restaurante (interior) y deliciosa comida. De hecho, uno de los mejores curries que he probado en mucho tiempo. Todo era fresco y sabroso. Fuertemente recomendado. No estoy seguro de cómo es su servicio de entrega, pero si se parece a su servicio al cliente en general, será genial.

After three bad experiences the first being delivery with a very burnt nan bread, The second being the rude waiter vacuuming while we ate our main course, third and final chance going to the restaurant after making a telephone order for collection and being told I wont be served because I have previously left a bad review. I understand why on a saturday evening the restaurant is empty. so my advise would be to avoid this place the only reason I gave this place so many chance is because i like to support local businesses but some businesses don't deserve supporting.

Fantastic Ordered for collection last night. Fantastic service, lovely restaurant (interior) and delicious food. In fact, one of the best curries I’ve had in a very long time. Everything was fresh and tasty. Strongly recommend. Not sure what their delivery service is like but if it’s anything like their overall customer service, it will be great.

I've been here 4 times and I've been extremely happy every time, I can even have a bottle of Pedigree with my balti here.

Went for Anniversary meal , Food was delicious & plentiful ,not too expensive either , £68 for 2 3 course meals with drinks ! staff friendly & nicely distant , but attentive when needed. Will definitely visit again

Went to this restaurant with my family and the food was amazing full of flavours just how its ment to be staff where very nice and accommodating the restaurant itself is very clean and very nice decor .price was very reasonable so I will definitely be going back

You know what.. The food is OK, Very overpriced and not worth the prices. Other restaurants do better for less, probably the reason why on a Fri night it was empty. The worst thing about this place is the service. We wanted our bills separately, but when it took 30mins,in an empty restaurant to get them, and I asked four times, apparently it was my fault because we ordered separately and we confused them. Absolute joke, your food is average at best, you charge too much and your staff are rude. Jokers.

Service is somewhat 'slap hazard'. What really lets this place down is their ability to charge top prices (city centre prices) for average food There are better restaurants close by, with better service, better food and better value for money

Very rude and over priced food avoid

Fantastic meal yet again the food is so fresh and most amazing food love coming here look forward to coming back