Shaheens Indian Bistro in County Durham

Food and service were excellent.

Ordered chicken tikka and onion bhaji starter, peshawar naan. Chicken korma and mushroom pilau rice. Every bit of it was inedible. Disgusting. And on top of that, stone cold! Chicken tikka starter was processed chicken cubes that were pure white, served with onion and pepper and not been near a tandoori. Korma was processed chicken cubes in a red stone cold oily sauce. The onion bhaji's were also stone cold. Tasted of oil and pepper. The mushroom pilau rice was also colourless flavourless and stone cold. Only eaten here in the restuarant. Not sure if this has new owners but a ready meal would be better than this. It was revolting and the whole thing went in the bin.

In short all five of us feel scammed following our meal at Shaheens last night. We're not the kind of people to make a fuss at the scene so this feedback follows a period of reflection afterwards. Shortly after entering this uncomfortably cold restaurant (temperature) we were served half portions of curries which cost the full price. Our curries each equated to a mere three mouthfuls yet one of them cost almost £18. Was this blatant profiteering or the sign of a business in deep trouble? The curry and rice were served in the cheapest imaginable dishes, white £1 bowls from Ikea perhaps? My curry appeared and tasted far from fresh and everything had a greasy look and taste to it - curries, rice and naan. This restaurant has experienced a tragic dip in quality since we last ate here. I can only imagine that a change of management/ownership has taken place.

I agree with all the 5 star reviews and totally disagree with the one star one. We have never been disappointed when we've eaten here. From the quality of the food to the friendliness of the staff it's second to none. Tonight's meal was delicious, as always. If it wasn't we wouldn't keep returning. Would definitely recommend.

This was possibly the worst meal I have had in recent years. Please look very carefully at the reviews; they are not genuine. it's totally impossible for this place to have such reviews. Sadly that's why i went, but don't bother. The food was awful, the restaurant was scruffy and dated, and there were only a few people there. This is a truly horrendous level of food—I should have trusted my gut and walked out. The place is stuck in the late '80s or '90s.

An excellent meal , the food is fresh and perfectly cooked . Portion sizes are perfect . A lovely family run restaurant with very attentive staff . The family should be very proud of their great restaurant.

Fantastic restaurant in the heart of the city. We booked the Sunday evening meal on line The quality of the food was exceptional., Fish Machli balti & Lamb tandoori , Bombay potatoes and a coriander Nan (We were not disappointed) The host extremely attentive and friendly. We could not fault this place, family run business and they've got it right 👍 Thanks!! We see you soon!

A hidden Gem really enjoyed are meal last night great food and service

A great meal with very hospitable, friendly staff. Highly recommended.

We manage to get to Shaheens around eight times a year and every time we go we are reminded how poor the other curries we have are. We simply cannot fault the service or the food.

If you love naan, you have to try theirs! Tan provided top-notch service, Shaheens just become my go to.

Tan was an excellent staff member who served the food superbly. The Chicken Tikka Masala and Sag Paneer were excellent.

We had walked past this restraunt a few times while wondering around Durham over the years and it was some where I really fancied trying. Although quiet, as was the rest of Durham, as it was the evening before New Years Eve the restaurant and the owner did not disappoint. The host was really friendly and welcoming and shared his knowledge of the dishes. When he overheard us discussing our 5 year old son's meal and what he would eat from the menu he took the time to ask him what he liked and offered multiple suggestions and serving suggestions to ensure that he had the best chance of enjoying his meal. My son really enjoyed his choice. The food was freshley cooked, tailored in spice level and delicious and good sized portions. We very much particularly enjoyed the nan bread was also clearly freshed cooked and clearly not pre made nor greasy like some places. The wife and I thoughly enjoyed our meal and will be back.

A fabulous small restaurant. The knowledge and guidance given by the owner is perfect. Making dishes to suit our tastes was fantastic and highly recommended.

We're in Durham every New Year and we always go back. Delicious curries, friendly and professional service and fair prices. Well worth a visit!

Great location in the North Bailey, amazing food, excellent service. Defo recommend the Balti was delicious will be back

Amazing vibe .. Amazing food .. I am a regular customer at this restaurant and i can tell you the taste here will satisfy every taste bud and atmosphere and vibe is also amazing ..

Food was fingure licking good . I don't usually write reviews but this restro got me . It was just fab . Will visit again 🩷

Had an amazing meal at Shaheens. The lamb vindaloo was incredible, and Tan's service made the whole experience so much better

Shaheens’ kebabs are phenomenal! Tan was friendly and attentive, and we had such a lovely experience here.

Shaheens is my new favorite! Tan made our experience wonderful, and every dish was packed with flavor

Loved the garlic naan and tikka platter! Tan's friendly service added to the experience. Shaheens is a hidden gem for me and for you if you consider it!!

I ordered the paneer tikka, and it was fantastic! Tan was great, and the ambiance at Shaheens is perfect for a relaxed dinner

Shaheens’ veggie dishes are phenomenal! Tan’s service was friendly and attentive. We’ll definitely be back

"The chicken tikka masala at shaheens was incredible! Tan's service was spot on and every dish was a delight . Definitely recommend this place! "

There's something special about Shaheena . Tan's service was so friendly and food was exceptional

The dal and rice combo was simple but delicious! Tan’s friendly service made us feel so welcome. Shaheens is a great find😋😋

Worst Indian I have ever had. Had to set our own table as waiter just plonked crockery and cutlery on the table in a pile. Chicken tika sizzler was abysmal and way over priced at £18. Chicken was rubbery, tasteless and swimming in water and the onions were raw. Three of our party have been ill today.

The garlic naan is addictive! Tan made sure we had everything we needed. Shaheens has incredible food and amazing service.

Tried the paneer tikka, and it was bursting with flavor! Tan’s service was just as good – Shaheens never disappoints

Had an amazing meal at Shaheens. The lamb vindaloo was incredible, and Tan’s service made the whole experience so much better."

"Incredible experience at Shaheens! Tan’s service was the icing on the cake, and the food was memorable."

Shaheens is a total winner! Great food, and Tan’s service is just fantastic. Definitely a place worth visiting

Shaheens is a total winner! Great food, and Tan’s service is just fantastic. Definitely a place worth visiting

Tan is the boy, he serves curry like no other, he also absolutely loves the lads.

We had a great food experience here, and the service from Tan was absolutely beautiful! Highly recommended.

Tan at Shaheens = amazing vibes. He’s so attentive, and the food was absolutely insane. 10/10 experience

Tan treated us like family, and the food was pure magic. Shaheens, you’ve got our hearts

We felt like VIPs at Shaheen thanks to Tan’s stellar service. The food was out of this world toos..

Shaheens is a total winner! Great food, and Tan’s service is just fantastic. Definitely a place worth visiting

Beautiful food. Beautiful service from Tan. Highly recommended

Shaheens has some of the best food in Durham, hands down. Tan’s friendly service was the icing on the cake!

Shaheens deserves all the hype! Tan was super friendly and took care of every little detail. Food was pure fire

Best food and enviornment ever time atleast one te u visit

Shaheens is a total winner! Great food, and Tan’s service is just fantastic. Definitely a place worth visiting.

Tan at Shaheens = amazing vibes. He’s so attentive, and the food was absolutely insane. 10/10 experience

Not just great food, but a great vibe thanks to Tan! Shaheens really has it all.

S whole vibe! Tan took such good care of us, and the food was absolute flames. Shaheens deserves the hype

"Food was 10/10, and Tan made sure everything was perfect. Shaheens is such a vibe – you gotta check it out!"

The food was great and the services especially tan was quite accommodating and it was a great experience overall

The lamb biryani was delicious! Tan was so friendly, and Shaheens made us feel like we were part of the family.

"The food is delightful, and Tan’s attentive service made it perfect."

The food was great and the staff service especially by tan was also good.

I've been a regular customer at Shaheens for many years, and I can attest that the quality of food, service and overall experience is always consistently excellent. I often enjoy a meal here with my family, and I regularly bring business visitors from overseas who are left with a fantastic impression of the culinary magic that is on offer at Shaheens. special thanks to Tanmay for recommending good food.

"Amazing Indian cuisine with authentic flavors that leave you wanting more. The experience was made even better by the excellent service from the staff. Special thanks to Tan for the fantastic recommendation—truly a memorable dining experience!"

"The chicken tikka masala at Shaheens was incredible! Tan’s service was spot-on, and every dish was a delight. Definitely recommend this place!"

One of the best places to experience authentic Indian cuisine! The staff is exceptionally welcoming, especially Tanmay. A must-visit spot for all food enthusiasts!

Overall great experience and delicious food! staff service is also good especially by tanmay. would definitely recommend 👍

A fine dine in indian restaurant. As an Indian I love the initiative by the restaurant. Not forgetting about the staff service a special thanks to Tan for recommending amazing food.

Absolutely amazing! Especially tanmay's service... Thank you for an amazing experience

A delicious indian cuisine and to put a cherry on top excellent staff member behaviour.Thanks Tan for the great reccomendation.

Staff service Amazing especially by tanmay

Amazing food, amazing service especially by tanmay!

Had a great experience at Shaheens with delicious food and outstanding service. I was served by Tanmay who gave me outstanding recommendations and I was very delighted by his hospitality. Overall it was an unforgettable experience and the service by Tanmay especially was a cherry on top.

Best place for Indian food. Period. Tanmay was amazing. Excellent service standards.

Best curry you can get in Durham…jalfrezi and peshwari naan is goated and Tan is a great guy to have as your server. Cannot recommend more!

great food and especially tanmay’s service was exceptional!

Best place for trying Indian cuisine .Amazing staff service especially by Tanmay . A must try for all food lovers

Great restaurant, very good authentic indian food. Ambiance is amazing, and Tanmay’s service was also incredible. Will definitely visit again soon

Dinner for two on a quiet Monday evening. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Delicious food. Our waiter gave us great recommendations.

probably the best in town, they offer excellent services especially tan, will recommend more

Absolutely 5 stars!!! Shaheen’s Indian delivered a fantastic experience when I came with friends. Our waiter Tan showed fantastic commitment to delivering a sensational experience. The curry was SPICY, just how I like it, many compliments to the chef for that absolute SIZZLER. I will be visiting again and tackling an even more HARDCORE dish. Absolutely amazing, thank you for being so accommodating. P.S the toilets were very clean and luxurious.

Super tasty Indian food, and great service - thank you. Great variety of dishes and fab service from Tan. Would recommend

Food was very greasy and the service was really poor. Expensive for what it is

First time visiting here on Friday night with my boyfriend. Had the chicken tikka starter, which was absolutely beautiful, and we'll presented. I went away from my usual dishes for my main and picked the balti special with coriander pilau rice due to the great advice from the waiter. I liked the fact that you could also pick how spicy you could have your meal. Great food and service 👌 and polite and friendly staff. We'll definitely be back .

Visited for the 1st time on Friday night, very impressed, the food was absolutely banging and a great friendly atmosphere, staff were helpful and made to feel very comfortable will definitely be returning and would recommend with confidence 👍

Great curry. Top service and staff

Shouldn't sell alcohol if halal, food was bland not much masala in the jalfrezi like watered down curry.

Attentive service. Delicious food. Allergies well labelled.

The food here is great (best Indian in Durham if you ask me), and the staff is super friendly and attentive!

Adam was really cool :) The food is always amazing as well!

Hadn’t been for years and used to love this place. It has no atmosphere when we arrived and we were greeted by a solemn man. We ordered food. The pickle tray was a good indicator that the food might not be good as it seemed to be out of a supermarket, bland and overly puréed chutney. The mains were completely bland, I got the lamb jalfrezi, it literally tasted of nothing. The Bombay potatoes were bland and it was as if the potatoes were added at the last second so weren’t coated in any of the bland sauce. The onion rice was 50% rice 50% onion which isn’t very nice. The naan bread was flat and was more like a pizza than a naan. Gutted to be writing this review but it just was awful.

Been to going Shaheens for years and never had a bad experience. Our go to Indian, a hidden gem and the best in Durham. We often eat here as a family, and sometimes in large groups with friends, nothing is ever too much and we have always received brilliant food and service. Adham always goes above and beyond on front of house to make sure everything is spot on and in the kitchen his mother's cooking is always brilliant. An excellent family run restaurant. Will always recommend shaheens and since taking friends, this is now their go to Indian as well.

Delicious and a great menu with something for everyone. Nice and attentive staff and still owned by the same family, now in the second generation with Mum still cooking!

Bland food and not very authentic - something I can attest as an Indian ethnic person and a fairly decent cook. The naans had huge swathes of frozen butter just simply scraped on top and the coriander naan had raisins in it for some reason. The gravy/curries were surprisingly small portions, under spiced and barely had any salt. The mango lassi was the saving grace. Quite underwhelming on the whole. Update: 18 Sep 2024: The management at the restaurant have responded to my review. See below. They claim that I ordered the peshwari naan which is impossible considering that I know that naan does contain raisins and I prefer my naan not sweet. Therefore, they even got my order wrong. Besides, when we were ordering, I asked the staff member if one curry would be enough for the amount of bread we were ordering and was told that it would suffice. We ended up having to order another one later. Thanks to the management for deciding to promote healthy eating by not flavouring their food with salt. However, slathering the naan with frozen butter and the curries floating in oil probably defeats the purpose of their claim.

First time trying and definitely not the last. Chicken Tikka Balti was the best I've ever had. Wife also said the same. Really friendly owner which is great. Going to re book for next weekend. 10/10

It was a Lovely meal, the staff were great and super friendly, definitely worth a visit. The owner was really helpful and made us feel super relaxed.

Wonderful food and fab staff (Adham). I had concerns about my allergies to nuts and seeds, and he was able to put my mind at rest as they use neither in the kitchen. First time I've had an Indian meal in years because of allergies. Wonderful staff, friendly and well informed about menu

My friends and I came for dinner after seeing the excellent reviews and the food certainly did not disappoint. I had the chicken and paneer masala which was creamy and delicious and a peshwari nan was the perfect accompaniment. So many options here to cater for all and the staff were very accommodating with quick and friendly service. Highly recommend!

Had a great meal at Shaheen’s in Durham! The food was absolutely delicious – the butter chicken was full of flavor, and the garlic naan was perfect. The staff were super friendly and made us feel really welcome. Cozy atmosphere, great service, and amazing food. Definitely worth a visit!

I've been a regular customer at Shaheens for many years, and I can attest that the quality of food, service and overall experience is always consistently excellent. I often enjoy a meal here with my family, and I regularly bring business visitors from overseas who are left with a fantastic impression of the culinary magic that is on offer at Shaheens. The care taken by Adham who looks after front of house is truly exceptional, and in the kitchen under his mother's expert leadership, many a fantastic dish is created. My own favourite is the Kashmiri Malayan - a hybrid fusion of flavours. In terms of experience, and under the strapline, "Best Bhaji for miles", a few years ago, my son was really interested in how the Onion Bhaji was made. Adham's mother took time out of the kitchen to explain this and this is only one example of the personal touch which is highly appreciated. In my view, you should look no further and book Shaheens today!

The only authentic indian in the north east, great food, always a laugh, 10/10 in every aspect, really well looked after (get the chocolate cake)

Genuinely the most unpleasant staff I have ever had to deal with. Flat lager and boring food too.

Two of us visited for food last night for someone’s birthday. Opted for a main each, chips to share, rice and a naan bread. The food tasted nice but the portions were tiny and we both came away hungry, which is rare when you go to an indian. I wouldn’t recommend or come back for what you pay. There’s better options nearby.

The place looks very good, and the food is AMAZING, but the courtesy of the staff makes this place an even bigger success! Shout out to Adham for being so welcoming with us - the Italian psychologist and fambam

Rang the wrong Indian for take away by accident but thought I’d chance it the reviews looked good . This was honestly the worst Indian iv had the chicken tikka masala was sour you could see the clumps in the sauce It had so much oil on the top if I didn’t live so far away I would have taken it back . The bread was poor and the rice was tasteless It’s the most expensive takeaway iv thrown away

Went on a Monday night, food was great, portion size was great, not too big or too small. Very flavourful.

Absolutely delicious curry, which you know is going to be good, when you're asked how you like it :) Obviously all home made. Really tasty. Definitely recommend 100%.

Party of seven, the staff welcomed us on a busy Saturday evening. Service was very good & food excellent. The interior had been refurbished since my last visit & was very smart & clean. Highly recommend.

The food did not meet expectations. The garlic naan bread was burnt, and the special balti chicken was also burnt at the bottom of the wok.