Shaj Tandoori in Northumberland

very disappointing. ordered two curries which were really bland. nan bread was small and not the best . slightly soggy in texture, i am sure i could have made a tastier meal and not used a generic sauce .chef needs training, very very poor,

We had a lovely meal the potion sizes was large and felt guilty leaving some as it tasted so good. The nan bread was fresh out of the oven and was the best I have tasted in a long time. Service was good with friendly staff. Good prices for the meal.

Amazing food the chicken was so soft and full of flavour. They had forgotten one item from my order but made a fresh one up to collect with loads of extra goodies. All beautiful can't wait to return thank you

Curry's have no depth or flavour. Chilli in everything and more amount of meat. My chicken was tough. Chef needs more experience or they need a new one

Crisp Cobra, Sprite and ice-cold water washed down our dinner on 29 June. While chicken pakora and mixed tandoori starters were very well-made, fluffy white rice was let down by floppy naan bread, over-cooked tandoori chicken and an unevenly-spiced chicken jalfrezi. Although we ate everything, inconsistent standards (tandoori starters and main) proved quite infuriating indeed. Even though I am not a professional chef, who would not taste a sauce (and then tweak it) before table service? Puzzling doesn't quite cover it! Friendly team, clean restrooms and reasonable value (our bill was about £50) make this place popular. If only they got more of the small things right.....

Very average. The best things were the poppadoms and chutneys. Starters were ‘ok’. Main courses were bland and lacking flavour.

Excellent food, Excellent service, what else can I say. Visited twice in four days. Would definitely recommend this restaurant

Purchased a take away. Chicken pakora was soggy and the garlic nan was lacking any garlic. Both mains were bland, lacked any seasoning and devoid of any spices. I never leave a negative comment but this is the worst Indian food I have ever tasted. Avoid

One of the nicest restaurants around. Staff are amazing. Food is always fantastic. Prices are good too. Normally we have a takeaway as I don't eat a lot but we sat in Thursday night 5*30 and was served immediately. It was full so we were lucky just to walk in.

The food and service is excellent and the staff are always friendly and attentive and offer good advice on your meal options if you are unsure.

Just returned from the shaj restaurant we've been at least 15 times before and this is the first time we have had a problem, we got our drinks and my wife said her wine tasted like vinegar we told waiter and his response was we sell loads no one else complained, my wife drinks wine all the time and knows if it's bad ,the food was OK but nothing special I had to complain about the nan bread which was not cooked properly still taste the dough,I told the waiter and to be fair was taken off the bill,however when I asked for the wine to be removed the water was quite abrupt with my wife, I was at the toilet at the time but upon returning she was quite upset by his attitude, it was taken off the bill at the end but we won't be in a hurry to return.

Recommended by a local, we needed to book, glad we did. We requested a booth, and got one. The staff were welcoming and promptly got us drinks, and took our order. The curries and sundries were excellent...filling tasty just the right size. Great value! We may return

Proper nice food Proper nice staff Propa friendly staff Propa nice pint of cobra Propa good music playing

Foods always great and staff really friendly. We always visit when in the area but advise to book a table as there’s not many sit in restaurants in Newbiggin.

Usually eat in, but decided on a takeaway for a change. Great food as usual, ready on time, and hot. Recommended.

Friendly staff, great choice & fantastic food quality. Food was really tasty and well priced. Portions were of a good size & exceptional value for money

7.3 out of 10. All round great curry house. Very pleasant food and fantastic staff. The lamb chops were very nice, with the Balti being the star of the show. Great selection of draught beer which is always a great thing. Certainly worth a visit, probably one of the best curry houses in Northumberland, little gem on the coast. Couple of small points that would of improved their score out of 10, -The toilet facility’s we not the cleanest not disgusting but could certainly be cleaner. -They didn’t have enough lamb for our whole party some some had to do without. -no split bill -no variations on the Thursday special even at an extra cost. Over all a great curry house, great beer, great staff and lovely food. Very nice would definitely visit again.

Hadn’t booked for an early Saturday evening, staying in the village for a couple of nights. Fortunately most were watching Newcastle as we were given a table but asked to finish by 8 as it was then full. An excellent meal was then enjoyed by the two of us, including starters and drinks. Very good service too and didn’t feel rushed at all. So glad the game was on when it was!

Great local restaurant, the food was very good, with a wide and extensive menu. The friendly owner and his family provided an excellent service and made us feel very welcome.

Need to book a table here as always busy. Friendly staff, and a great "Indian" menu. Everything recommended. Try to get a table by the window as can get a bit loud at the back.

We were on holiday at a local site and took the opportunity to order an Indian for the family one night. We regularly have Indian as a family so were very disappointed when we ordered three different dishes that tasted all exactly the same (bland). We had the Chicken Tikka Saag, Chicken Rogan Josh and Chicken Dupiaza. All had chicken which was tasteless, watery and frozen and onions that tasted of nothing. Overall for the money a very, very disappointing experience devoid of any taste. Would not recommend! On a positive note the rice and poppadoms were edible.

From the minute we walked in the door, the staff were friendly and funny. We were not rushed and given plenty of time to study the menu. The food was excellent and probably the best we have had.

Really great food at a super reasonable price. The staff were incredibly friendly. Located pretty much in the centre of the town. Defo on my to visit again list.

Like another reviewer, we also thought we must have Covid. Weirdly textured prawns with NO flavour - likewise the chicken bhuna, lamb rogan josh and pilau rice (veg version contained hard, bland chunks). How can onions not even taste of ..well.. onions?! Very disappointing. Don't bother!

Absolutely a great restaurant with lovely food, staff were very patient and professional whilst we looked at the menu. The food was excellent and reasonably.priced. large choice of quality Indian cuisine. Highly recommended

This place was a very pleasant surprise in Newbiggin. The decor is classy, clean and modern and the service was excellent. The waiter clearly knew the dishes on offer as well and the chef prepared the food to just the heat I wanted. The food was uniformly excellent and portion sizes were spot-on. Plenty of locals were in and many were clearly regulars. A real treat!

Decided to visit after reading previous reviews on tripadvisor and we weren't disappointed. Staff very friendly and helpful. The food was spot on. Portion sizes just right. Lovely atmosphere and packed even though it was midweek and very early. Will definitely return in the summer...

Family run business serving delicious bangladeshi food ; genuine distinctive flavours in each dish with the heat just right along with proper tandoor baked breads and soft rice. I particularly like the shatkors dish made with citrus from Sylehti. Very friendly and efficient service along with reasonable prices makes this a real gem to find in Newbiggin.

We recently stayed in Newbiggin by the sea and the Shaj restaurant was recommended to us. We walked in and the place was absolutely packed, the young man who saw us said if we call back in 45 minutes, he would have a table for us. We returned and were shown to a table straight away, the food and service was superb (no wonder this place is so popular). Had a great night in this place and next time we are over this way will definitely book. Thanks again for a great meal, we really enjoyed. Steve & Dee

We turned up without booking and it was packed. Yet the still managed to accommodate us with no fuss. Lovely food, friendly staff and plenty for your money

Went here after seeing reviews and what a little gem. Best food we have had in a long time. Staff very attentive and friendly and reasonably priced. Well worth a visit if staying in the area.

We had been staying in the town, and went for an evening walk, to try and find somewhere to eat. We saw this restaurant and asked if a table was free. They were busy, but a table was cleared for us. The service was excellent,...

Lovely food. Friendly staff. Can’t fault this place. Would recommend. I also need 100 characters to finish this review

An on-the-spur of the moment decision to drop in on a Saturday night without booking left us wanting more... Welcoming staff, a conducive restaurant ambience and fantastic food ensured a great curry experience. We'll definitely be back.

We thought this would be a great Indian as it was so busy, but we were bitterly disappointed. Me, my wife and son are all fans of Indian food and know a good meal when we have one. This was not good. All of our...

My wife and I were staying in Newbiggin-by-the-sea for a couple of nights to attend a family function. On the second night we went for a curry to the Shaj. I ordered the Prawn Madras and my wife ordered the lamb biryani. My madras was...

What a find on our walking trip of this coast. Great warm welcome from the owner and family. Been here 19 years with minimal passing trade so must be doing something right. Food was inexpensive and exceptional first time I have had ginger pilau rice...

Just delicious. Friendly, too - and inexpensive. My wife and I were both raving about how good it was.

My partner and I are local to Newbiggin and decided to visit Shaj to celebrate an anniversary. Since our last visit over 2 years ago, the place has been given a revamp and is decorated to a very neutral standard and isn't very 'Indian' apart...

Could not fault anything about this restaurant would highly recommend plus they have a takeaway as well

The food was the best Indian food I have ever tasted, service was excellent all the staff were welcoming and attentive but not constantly hovering over you. Portion size was large and we actually had a takeout which was just as nice the following day....

Great menu, great curries, and great staff. Gets very busy so if you are a large group it's probably best to book in advance.

What a find, Food is excellent, prices excellent, and the staff are very welcoming. Made to exact requirements, no trouble.

Went out for a family meal as everywhere said they have gluten free options. We booked a table and turned up to find they don’t have gluten free options. They don’t cater for allergies.

Balti night on Sunday… came here with my younger sister, this is my go-to Indian restaurant have been coming here for over 3 years, takeaway and sitting in. Food very flavourful and presented beautifully, restaurant lovely and clean, no wait times at all very attentive...

Shaj Tandori restaurant is very close to the last pub before Norway & Churchpoint caravan site. We visited weekly over a 6 month period in 2020 & the quality of the take - away food ( for us but inside dining available ) & personal...

Wonderful food. We visited twice ce in a week it was that good. They seem to be busy most nights so booking is essential. The staff are really friendly and the food one of the best curry houses we have been to. If we are...

Holidaying at newbiggin by the sea, decided to eat at the Shaj. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Restaurant was very pleasant. Food was excellent. We ordered a takeaway later in the week, food was of the same high standard. Highly recommend this place to...

Another fantastic meal last night staff brilliant as always would highly recommend . Have been eating there for a number of years with no complaints.

Had a few nights stay in Newbiggin and thought we would book a table for the Saturday evening. Was pleasantly surprised on how full the restaurant was as Newbiggin is not a large place. As we settled down to our meal we soon realised why...

Absolutely gorgeous anniversary meal here tonight! From start to finish we were looked after by the very friendly staff. Food was amazing and so tasty - we would highly recommend this lovely restaurant

Visited twice during our stay in the area. Both times the food was excellent and the staff friendly and helpful. The meat in our dishes was tender and tasty. Well wort a visit but pre booking is a must as very popular.

Our stay in New Biggin by the sea was for a one night stop over. We needed a meal and on calling in at 5pm were able to get a table booked for 6.30pm.. It was a Friday night. How lucky we were. Excellent all...

No nonsense curryhouse. Good quick service , good food, great value. Would go back. The Balti and pashwari naan was perfect for me. 👍

My wife and her mother and myself visited the shaj last night and we were pleasently surprised, we arrived around 6.30 and the restaurant was nearly full. We were shown to our table by a friendly staff member who took our drinks order straight away....

Just returned to our holiday accommodation after eating at the Shaj and decided to comment before I forget. The main reason for the prompt response is to refute some of the more negative reviews. Like most people I always check the “poor”reviews before visiting somewhere...

Although we like Newbiggin, unfortunately there is a dearth of good restaurants here, as we have found out. Although not our favourite type of food, we decided to have dinner here during our recent stay. We just felt that there was not enough depth of...

We booked at the last minute and had a great meal. Very tasty food and friendly staff. Good value for money.

A beautiful restaurant with excellent food and friendly service. Highly recommended and will certainly visit again when in the area.

Absolutely gorgeous food, from a beautiful clean and friendly restaurant, definitely somewhere we will go to again

After staying at Newbiggin by the sea in June 2021 decided that the car journey was worth doing to return here to enjoy a meal out now some of the Covid restrictions have been lifted food was amazing & the staff are so nice. Can’t...

Have frequented this place for years. But the service tonight was beyond bad. Still waiting for 2 parts of our meal.

Great food and service, there isn’t a lot of choices in Newbiggin for eating out but this is definitely a gem to try. Reasonably priced it is highly recommended

We have been here in a wonderful caravan for a week. Had a takeaway from here second night and promised ourselves a second on our last night. Could it be as good ? Absolutely it was !! Polite, friendly, efficient staff and lovely food ,...

Had high expectations and the food was ok. The restaurant decor and tables are lovely as well as the staff being friendly but food in my opinion was just ok. Not what I had expected after reading other reviews

A little gem that we travelled from Newcastle to try. It wasn’t the euphoria of being out out for the first time in 15 months. It was the quality of the food, the ambience of the restaurant and the friendliness of this family run restaurant...

Couldn't get a table so had take away. They where quick, friendly. The food was good,but not great.loads of sauce and not alot of meat Sides good value and big portion

Newbiggin is very quiet but this is a really nice restaurant. It is modern and airy inside. Staff are friendly and welcoming and the service is great. Menu is fairly standard Indian - plenty of choice and the food is really nice and well presented....

Myself and wife both really enjoyed this takeaway, muligatawny soup, onion baji, chicken madras, veg korai, pashwari naan, - all excellent, would highly recommend, thankyou shaj 👍

Treated ourselves to a takeaway while on holiday, the food was delicious and we didn’t have to wait long. The vegetable korma was tasty, and the peshwari naan was amazing. Very reasonably priced too, and plenty of food.

Lived in Newbiggin for 3 years and never once had a single fault. Beautiful food always fresh and piping hot. Staff are great really friendly and always make time for you. My parents live 20mins away and now come here for there Indian takeaway.

We ordered meals for three people all different and everyone enjoyed them great service. would recommend.

Had a takeaway whilst staying in a cottage on holiday, the food was lovely and very reasonably priced. Would definitely recommend.

Went here one night while on holiday, you can easy find it as it's where to lovely aroma of India spices is coming from. Very friendly service and the meal was excellent, would recommend and definitely go again.

Visited with my husband and two grown up children whilst staying at Church Point Holiday Park. We all enjoyed our different meals and the garlic nan was tasty. The staff were friendly and helpful and we would visit again if in the area again.

So dinner @ Shaj, second visit. Excellent food compensated for slow service on the 1st visit. This time the food was ordinary at best and the service of glacial speed. 35 mins before starter arrived. 1 hour between arrival and main course.

We were staying local so booked in for a meal on Friday night . Nice friendly place , nice curry.Went back 2 nights later and had another meal .Friendly staff , clean and decor nice .Nice friendly local pub next door for a couple before the meal .

very very much enjoyed a meal here especially as we were feeling slightly nervouse about a meal out. The service was good and the food delicious

We stayed just across the road from here and after sending the kids to bed we treated ourselves to a cheeky indian. Food took about half an hour to prepare but it was worth the wait. Lovely food!

First visit to Shaj since Lockdown. They have elected not to participate in the government’s Eat out to Help Out scheme as they are concerned they would be swamped with customers and wouldn’t be able to maintain their high standards. Despite this, they were almost full on a Tuesday night in August so it demonstrates a good knowledge of their market and commitment to customer service.We ordered poppadoms and pickles, then onion bhaji, Bhuna prawn on puri and chicken tikka to start. All were excellent, bhajis were particularly good, crispy and light, beautifully spiced. For mains we had Kashmiri chicken with onion pilau and lamb biryani with peshwari naan. Everything was delicious, spicing was excellent, meat was tender.The bill with drinks was £40 which was excellent value. Highly recommended

We are currently on holiday in Newbiggin and we decided to go for an Indian. We tried to get in the restaurant at 7pm but it was too busy so we booked for 9pm the same night instead. We are glad we didn’t originally go in at 7 as it was very overcrowded. We ordered poppadoms and onion Bhajis for starter and for mains I had Tikka Masala which was definitely one of the best I’ve ever had! It was very creamy and mild. My boyfriend ordered vegetable Rogan Josh which was also very tasty.The service was great and the waiters were friendly and attentive.Would definitely recommend - also very reasonably priced!

We visited here while on holiday. The food was definitely a 5/5 but the reason it only gets a 3 is because the staff didn’t wear face coverings which every other restaurant we’ve been to have in light of Covid. I’m not sure exactly what the rules are regarding staff in restaurants but this did bother me.

I enjoy Indian cuisine and have enjoyed many meals this has included eating in Leicester and Bradford.The meal I enjoyed this evening courtesy of the Shaj Tandoori was fantastic.I had the Assames Jalfrezi it was excellent. Very interesting meal. I really enjoyed it. The rest of the family also enjoyed their’s. I would certainly explore the restaurant further. Also great service; the value for money is not the main point but worth noting.Excellent.

My partner and myself stayed in a B&B across the road and had gone out for the day. We came back hungry but every where had closed. I saw a couple of the lads at Shaj hanging about and asked them if they were still open. Unfortunately they were closed as they were doing an overnight refurbishment. They were so polite and apologetic however I believe it was the manager came out and asked what we would like and they would open the kitchen just for us and cook us a takeaway. I was blown away by their generosity and customer service and really went a long way towards the enjoyment of our holiday. We asked if we could have a few cutlery items and they gave us a second bag full of extra food trays and cutlery as we were unsure if we had access to any back in our room. The food was amazing and I'm still blown away now how hospitable they all were. I'd give more stars if I could.

Been having this delightful treat weekly since re-opening for takeaway, beautifully cooked good quality , thanks guys:)

Yet another 1st class meal and service from Raz and the staff at Shaj Taondoori Indian Restaurant, Newbiggin by the Sea 👍

Just had a much needed takeaway, fed up with not being able to go out for food I was delighted to hear that Shaj Tandoori had opened for takeaway.What a treat after a month of lockdown and my own cooking. Lovely guys, well done, quick efficient pick up, all rules adhered to ! Well done..

Just had a delicious vindaloo with mushroom pilau rice and masala chips for me and the hubby, so pleased they have reopened, absolutely fab

Have used this restaurant a few times when on holiday in Northumberland really good food and drinks and the staff are excellent service was great and they have a great menu to choose from would definitely recommend this place to eat if you like Indian food

Once again had a lovely meal at Shaj. Food and service great as always and excellent value for money

The worst curry I’ve ever eaten. Bland is an overstatement, the meal was terrible. I will not be revisiting

We visit saj at least 4 times a month. Our friends always ask us when are we going back to your indians they always say they travel all over the country. And always say saj is the best food out of all of them. The staff are really friendly and funny. And Thursday and sunday have 5 course special banquet night for £11.95

Service good, food terrible, bland no taste,so disappointed.I have only been once will not be back..

Coming from the Black Country, I have had many more Indian meals than I care to mention, from many different places. When we leave the area, we always compare with the best the Black Country has to offer, and the Shaj compares more than favourably. I would go as far to say that it was one of the tastiest meals I have has in many a long time. We had 2 courses and 2 mains - garlic chilli chicken and chicken jalfrezi. rice chips and bread, drinks and a kids meal all for under £40. If I return to the area, I will put the Shaj at the top of my list

I've had 2 lovely meals from this Indian meals. And both have been excellent and the best I've had in years will be back again soon

We are used to currys in Bradford but this compared very very favourably. The sauces were spot on and not expensive

We have been here before & always had lovely meals. We holiday at nearby caravan park & phoned in our order to collect. The staff are friendly and polite and the food is beautiful! The smell of the food cooking late afternoon is enough to tempt you! Amazing value too!

My partner and I visited for the first time since moving to Newbiggin two years ago. We were not disappointed. The restaurant had been recommended to us so we booked a table in advance. Arrived at 8.30pm and were promptly escorted to our table. Service was fantastic, staff were polite, welcoming and friendly. Drinks were brought swiftly to the table; Peacock cider (mango and lime- delicious!) for him, a diet coke for me.

Trying to get an evening meal on a Sunday evening in and around Ashington seams to be all but impossible. So our receptionist said the Shaj Tandoori would be open so off we went. It was ok, lacking in flavour and and spices was a disappointment to say the least, the staff were very attentive though even though the restaurant was busy. Would I go back again if in the area NO.

Ordered a take away for collection, food ready for offered collection time, piping hot and very good quality, very reasonably priced.