Shenhai in Fife

I can honestly say this is the worst Indian takeaway I've had ordered my usual chicken garlic chilli with extra fresh garlic and chillies. It was sweet and sour more like a Chinese dish no sign of fresh chillies or garlic a handful of chopped up spring onions and dull looking coriander the chicken was rock hard, the other dish a chicken bhuna meat was ok but no taste to the dish again a load of spring onions and dull coriander. What a disappointment. I can produce a better dish at home.

Had another fantastic meal here on Saturday, our first visit since lockdown has eased.Our go to place for an Indian whenever we are over in Cupar/St Andrews.Food and service both fantastic, Gary has a great team working there, never anything to fault.Always busy, especially at weekends so best to book.Can't wait until our next visit.

The Shenai (it means 'oboe' ; traditionally, music is played with Indian meals) has been in Cupar for many years and has built up an excellent reputation. The food, takeaway or sit-down, is always good and the prices are reasonable.

Got a take out here in October 2020 which was definitely one of the best Indian meals I’ve ever had. Would very highly recommend!

Visiting the area for a week, arrived late & went looking for food ,decided on this restaurant for a take out, what a mistake I made! The food was soo shocking I ate 3 mouthfuls then binned the rest! No taste all all, bombay potatoes were plain potatoes with no sauce or seasoning, the chicken balti...well that was even worse! Rice was so over cooked as well, a waste of £15I would not recommend this restaurant or take out what so ever.

If I could give it less than a one, I would! We arrived and were seated in a great socially distanced seat from the one other couple and we were very impressed. Unfortunately, that’s where the impressive service ended! We ordered our meal, as did the other couple. After a fairly lengthy wait in which the take away orders seemed to be prioritised, our meal was then taken to the other couple, who handled the chapati and put a finger in our food. They realised this was not their order and the waiter then realised his mistake and took the food straight to us. When we said that we were not accepting that, he asked why. We decided to pay for our drinks and go. They apologised and offered to have us some other time but in these times of covid, I’m afraid we cannot risk dining there again.

We’re on holiday in the area and tried to book a table but restaurant was fully booked. Ordered a take away instead, the two for £20.90 deal. Popadoms were crisp and the onion chutney among the best we’ve tasted. Chicken pakora was plentiful and really nice but the veg pakora were overcooked. Chicken Rogan Josh was less spicy than I’m used to but tasty and loads of huge chunks of tender well cooked chicken. Hubby said exactly the same about his tikka masala. Plain naan included too. We couldn’t finish all the food. Would definitely return if in the area again.

Excellent food, nothing's a problem good choice on menu best in Cupar always busy at weekends better to book.

Always a warm welcome. Food excellent. Always a good experience. The place where we go for family celebrations, which is not to say that we don't take other opportunities to eat here.

Visited with my husband on Sunday evening and had a very nice meal. The staff were friendly, the food was good and the wine was reasonably priced. Special mention for the seafood thali, the prawn dishes in particular were lovely. I had a starter beforehand because I didn't realise just how much food was in the thali and I wasn't able to finish it - not a bad problem to have! I would definitely go back.

This used to be my favorite restaurant, times have changed.The food was good although I found the Nan bread cold and tasteless. The food experience was made worse by the waiter smelling of cigarette smoke.It was a cold night, people kept coming in and going out, every-time we froze. When asked about it, the waiter made a lame joke about locking the door.I won't go back.

Had a lovely meal yet again at the Shehnai restaurant. Food is wonderful and the service second to none. Would recommend if you find yourself in the area. Looking forward to visiting again in the near future.

I just got a delivery and the prices for the korma are horrendous considering you don’t get rice with this! It tastes like a microwaveable meal from Tesco! The chicken pakoras also don’t have much flavour, you get no condiments with it, you get a generous portion of chips which is about the only good thing even though they are very dry! Sticky toffee pudding is also not good!

This was our second visit to Shehnai (we do not live locally). Both times the food has been faultless. On this visit I was a little more demanding (I don't like butter, so asked for our naan bread to only have butter on one half); staff were only too happy to accommodate. The portions are so generous, we asked for a doggy bag. Again, this was not a problem. The beer is cheap, the surroundings are clean, and the staff are friendly and attentive. We will definitely return the next time we are in Cupar.

My boyfriend and I visited this restaurant for dinner and I wouldn’t go back. The service was very poor and the staff quite grumpy, except for the manager and one young waiter. Despite ordering normally very spicy dishes, there was very little flavour and no noticeable spice in either of our meals. Our starter of poppadoms and accompaniments were served without plates to eat them from and the unhappy looking waiter who served them was impossible to attract back to our table to ask him to bring some.

Tried here a few years ago and it was middle of the road. Returned to have another go. Still middle of the road. Lacked heat (I had a madras) and no real depth of flavour adding insult to injury no Gullabs. Nice clean place tho.

Me and my wife were in the mood for a curry on our trip up North and were reccommended this restaurant so of course had to try it. I had the Afghan lamb and mywife had the tandori chicken. Both cooked very nicely but had pretty much identical tasting sauces. Perhaps this is norm or perhaps my taste buds arent what they used to be.Nice friendly staff and a clean restaurant, if you fancy a middle of the road curry, you can't go wrong here.

A nice place to visit for a special meal. Pricier than some but food is good. Service can be a bit overbearing which distracts a bit.

Ate here with some friends whils t on a cycling trip. the food was very good and a nice, pleasant atmosphere with good service.

We have had takeaway dishes from this restaurant on several occasions because the food is absolutely delectable.The fact that we have continued to order from the Shehnai is testimony to the excellent quality of the food.

A very pleasant experience at this restaurant during a short trip to the area. Pleasant, efficient service with a smile. Good and well priced menu (menu quite long but we managed to get through it)

Since my last review in March, we have visited this restaurant many times, both for take-away's and to sit in.

Everyone in our 8 person group ordered a different curry yet when we tried each others to compare heat and spiciness of different ones they all tasted the same. The super hot curries were the same as the mild ones. All very bland. Wouldn't go back!!

Had dinner here with friends and relatives one evening. Menu was extensive and easy to read. Service was fast and friendly. Food quality was great and serving size was good. Gary (local owner & waiter with Indian heritage) was a great host and provided information and suggestions on each dish that made our selections much easier. I would eat here again and highly recommend it to others looking for good quality and well priced Indian fare.

We stopped off here on Saturday for a takeaway, and again we weren't disappointed.

A menu with dishes not on your regular indian menu, really nice and friendly staff who are keen to help you enjoy your visit, favourite indian, beautiful, a must try !!!

The Shehnai offers consistently fabulous food and service. We have been visiting the restaurant for years. We often drift away for a change of scene, but we always return and wonder why we had bothered going elsewhere!! The grass is never greener. This restaurant is very popular, and it is advisable to book a table, especially the weekend. The portion sizes are generous and the naan bread is light and delicious. The lamb dishes are to my taste particularly good, melting meat, well cooked. Gary does a fabulous job making everyone feel welcome.

Wife an I ate here this week with another couple and we all experienced very good quality food and great service. A word of warning the starters arrive on Dinner plates and my chicken pakora had about 16 pieces. I was almost ready to ask for my main course in a box to take away. Very busy even on a Wednesday evening so I was glad I had booked a table.

We visit here a lot both as a couple and with groups of friends and family. Food is always very good along with the service. Always recommend to people when asking for somewhere to go for dinner in Cupar.

Have eaten here a couple of times now when visiting family in Cupar. Both occasions the food has been 1st class, only problem is you leave after eating too much, it is just that good! Service was spot on, even though they were busy on Saturday night, as i believe they are most weekend nights, so best to book ahead.

Last night The Shehnai served me the worst Indian meal I’ve ever had. It was the vegetarian thali. It consisted of some tired, limp lukewarm vegetables that were hanging around the kitchen, a spoonful of dhal, cold boiled rice, samosa and a chapati. Completely tasteless, it was impossible to detect a single herb or a spice. Even a dollop of supermarket curry paste would have made a vast improvement. Shame on them. If I’d been alone I would have sent it back, but the friends who’d invited me to accompany them seemed happy enough with their choices. I got the impression this place has the style of menu that was ubiquitous in Indian restaurants decades ago. You know the kind of thing - lamb, beef, chicken, prawn, vegetables, sitting ready cooked in the kitchen to be added to whatever virulently coloured sauce the customer orders to make the dish a korma, madras, etc. The sheer size of the menu suggests this is the case. I bet the staff don’t eat this stuff but prepare themselves something a bit more authentic. I definitely won’t be back.

My family and I have consistently used the Shehnai for our Friday night takeaway for over 25 years. In all this time we have never had a bad experience. We all highly recommend it for it's polite and friendly service. The curries are well priced, contain plenty chicken and taste amazing.

We eat in the Shehnai on a regular basis and have never been disappointed.

I am pleased to say that I observe discipline when it comes to visits to the Shehnai. I cannot recall how many years it is since I fist set foot in this excellent Indian Restaurant. It is a very popular landmark in the centre of Cupar serving an excellent selection of Indian dishes. My favourite is the Shehnai special birryanni and has been for quite some time. It is however reserved for special occasions and I discipline myself to restrict those occasions to very rare occasions these days. It is an age thing and awareness of rich food that encourage me to be disciplined.

After having takeaways from here many times, I thought we would go here for a nice meal. I was treating my other half as he came out of hospital this week and we walked out before even getting our drinks! Sat down and had drinks order taken straight away, waited 15 minutes in that time another waiter asking us if we wanted any drinks to our reply ‘we already have’ after the 15 minutes (tables served before us who came in after us) we opted out and left the restaurant. Completely disappointed after such nice experience with the company before.

First visit to this restaurant and was happy with the food and service. Main courses are quite large so did not have a starter. Can recommend the chicken jalfreizi and chicken balti. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Tried to book a table last night, whoever answered the phone was rude and so impolite. Heard such lovely reviews about the place too. Was told they were full and slammed the telephone down. Maybe try and work on customer service skills! Won’t even try and book for another evening!

Recommended by our b&b; owner, we had a very enjoyable meal here. Word of warning - the portions are big so you may want to think about sharing a main meal. Would happily go again.

Mixed findings here in previous visits. On this occasion (my birthday again, three in our party) the meal I had was tasteless; when I ordered the proprietor (?) agreed to make the dish 'Madras' hot which it was not - no hint of spice at all. The other two members of our group were both disappointed with their food. The quality of service was also poor despite there being only a few other customers present. The bottom line as always; will I go back and the answer is no.

We were greeted warmly and guided through the menu, however, when I asked for a masala to be cooked mild I was guided to a korma. As my child ate her Korma, she found a metal shaving in it, obviously from the tin that had been opened for the sauce! We were still charged for the dish, which wasn't finished because of the metal shaving.

The service is very slow and poor. The miserable guy on the till is rude and ignorant. When ordering takeaways, he hangs up if he's busy, or just leaves the phone on the counter without responding. Then when you arrive the food is not ready and you have a 30 min further wait. The food is bland and very, very oily. I'll not be going there again as there are better Indian restaurants in Cupar.

You will not be disappointed with the food in Shehnai. We had mushroom pakora and popadoms with chutney followed by chicken royal and garlic nan. I prefer this dish to chicken masala as I find that too mild with too much coconut but this has got a kick and more like massala. Yummy

This Restaurant has been open for 25+ years to sustain that standard and longevity you have to be excellent!

Twice the owner has been rude to me, once on a Friday night when I approached the door, he turned the open sign to closed and turned his back on me and ignored me. We just tried again to order and he was rude to my wife. Avoid!

Excellent food. Can be a long wait so check when you phone or arrive to order as it is Always busy for takeaway.

We had a meal last week (January 2018) and I am sorry to say it was not as good as usual. The food was really average and a bit tasteless. We have eaten here many times before and it has been really good. Also the man taking our order kept putting the phone down on us and cutting us off- we had to phone up 6 times. It was a very unsatisfactory experience and a waste of money. Sorry!

Small friendly Indian restaurant. Good authentic food. Have been there many times over the years and have never had a bad meal.

Had a takeaway from here a few weeks ago and it was as good as our first one. The food and quality was great and so was the service. We haven’t been to the restaurant but I’m sure it’s just as good.

Visited the shehnai with friends for a takeaway. Range of 4 meals all different but tasted similar . Food quality very average with arrogant service from front of house who took the order. Would I eat here again, No

We ate here recently whilst on holiday - we come from Leicester in Midlands where we regularly eat Asian food and have access to ingredients to cook our own curries.... sadly we did not feel that Shehnai matched what we ourselves cook and was below the standard we are used to at a price which exceeded what we expect to pay.

visited here this week for my birthday treat. Not being very impressed on a previous visit we were a little reluctant but decided to try again. Totally different from a previous visit. The proprietor was friendly, helpful and has a sense of humour. All helped to make a pleasant evening for the three of us. The food we had was all excellent - a description I would normally rarely use. The quantities were more than adequate. All in all a very pleasant evening. We will not always choose this restaurant when we eat out in the area. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

In my opinion, the best Indian restaurant in Fife! Food is great. Always busy at weekends so best book. Takeaway is same standard. Recommend to everyone 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

This place is absolutly brilliant. The food is always perfect and the staff are superb, making everyone feel so welcome...

Estamos de vacaciones y pensamos que necesitábamos una solución curry! Tenía un aspecto en tripadvisor antes de salir y pasó por aquí para la cena.

Desde aquí nos tome por 15 personas y era prácticamente perfecto. Su menú parece profesional (es un librito) y es muy extenso. Sugerimos que tome sus consejos si estás importado sea aventurero y quieres sucursal fuera de ti habituales comfort zone: tienen algunos platos tipo pakistaní inusual no ver normalmente en los menús de Reino Unido de la India.

The food here is wonderful, absolutely delicious. I have eaten in many Indian restaurants and this is one of the best. The decor is very faded and needs a lot of refurbishment. The staff seem hard worked and need a bit of enthusiasm, but please go, because the food is worth it!

We have had both 'carry-outs' and 'sit in' meals here. We have never been disappointed with anything. The food is superb and the service is exceptional. Would recommend this to everyone.

Every time I pass by the place has an enticing aroma of spices and herbs went in for the second time this month to amazing and friendly staff who are eager to please and make your meal special it was amazing food huge plates I foolishly ordered a starter and a main thankfully never ordered dessert as I would never of managed it it was out of this world and can't wait to take my family back

We had a lovely meal with family - staff all very attentive and food was amazing - great choices for veggies . Many thanks to all the team at the restaurant- great to have such a wee gem so nearby.

We hadn't been out for an indian meal since moving to the area 18 months ago. Shehnai was recommended to us by a neighbour. Staff friendly, food tasty & reasonably priced. Portions quite large so go hungry! We are delighted to have found an excellent indian restaurant near to home & will definitely be back.

Never beaten over 30 years. Simply the best Indian restaurant in North East Fife. Sit in best option. The takeaway service is good but always very very busy so make sure 90 minutes allowed when ordering takeaway.

First of all, the food was very delicious but we was not ready to be "taught" and "guided" in a demanding way of what to order. So food 4, waiter 2.

Turned up with friends I was visiting in the area, on the offchance of a table, not a large premises but the staff made every effort to accomodate us within a very few minutes, The food, wine and service was magic... Thanks to all.

Great Restaurant and the food was great. The waiters are great they will really get involved and recommend what is the best dishes and give you an insight into may suit your pallet.I would recommend this place and you wont be disappointed, but remember and book ahead of time as it can be busy at the weekend.

Had yet another brilliant meal here on Friday night. Food was exquisite, fresh and so full of flavour. As normal We were met at the door and greeted in person, welcomed by name. Staff very friendly and seem to be able to remember everyone and what their favourites are. Always welcome, better to book a table in advance as they always seem busy. Looking forward to going back soon.

Chicken Tikka starter was excellent. Lots of chicken, salad and sauce.Mains of Chicken Rogan Josh and Chicken Bhuna were very similar and both very bland. Sadly, we shall not use this takeaway again. Very disappointing.

This is a very friendly place with a personal touch as they speak to you by your first names and the food is very good and they also do an never ending supply of Carry out food.

Food is awesome very nice people service is out of this world. Very thoughtful and helpful. They offer a great selection of awesome food.

We've been using the Shenai both as a restaurant and take-away for a number of years and have always been happy with it. The service is good and the prices reasonable.

My local takeaway that also provides tasteful dining too.Gary and staff are great.Best Indian in town however if you want a takeaway order in advance due to them being extremely busy x

Having visited this establishment on a few ocassions we have always been amazed with the quality of the food. The sauces and amount of food served is tremendous. Lots of sauce with the dishes and always fresh and hot. I would highly recommend this place.

The past two times that I have phoned for a take away the person answering the phone was abrupt and rude. I put up with it last time thinking this person was covering for the usual team, even though the same individual was rude to my wife when she went to collect, calling her by her surname. This time however he had the same attitude so I told him not to bother, we won't use this restaurant again.

Recommended by b n b... 3 of us and all thought fabulous.... great service.. Nice ambience and really extensive menu choice.... From king prawn puree to the special curry... everything was perfect.

Very pleasant evening with great food in a relaxing atmosphere. Excellent service and reasonably priced. Good portion sizes. Thanks guys for the evening, I'll be back.

I have been to the Shehnai many times now and the meals and service are constantly excellent.Where these bad reviews come from is a mystery to me as in many visits I have experienced nothing but great food and great service.If you like vindaloo try their lamb tikka biryanni with a vindaloo twist. Superb !

We thoroughly enjoyed our recent visit to this restaurant in the company of a local friend. Service and food were excellent.

The Shehnai came recommended by our B&B host as one of THE best Indian restaurants in Cupar, Scotland. Cupar is a small town in the east cost of (FIFE) Scotland and one would really not expect to find some gems! But the Shehnai was a fantastic surprise. The food was exotic and exceptional. Service great as well! We had gone in late without a reservation. It was almost 9:30 in the evening, they were about to close for the day, there were two other guests. We were intially told that we could only have take away orders but then when we said we had come from Ferrymuir Stables, recommended by Mary Miller, we were immediately received with a lot of warmth, a table set for us and immediately served. We were lucky! The Balti was aromatic, spicy and just the home cooked style we liked it to be, bread was fantastic and very tasty. Superlative, friendly service to boot as well. A 10/10! If ever anyone aches for great Indian food, the Shehnai is THE place to go to!! Highly recommended!

Went here as was 8pm and lots of restaurants had stopped serving. Very nicely seasoned food with loads of meat. Service was okay but not very attentive.

Took a friend here last night for a meal.Waited a short time to be seated which was fine. We ordered drinks the 20 minutes later they took our food order.Well after an hour had passed I had to mention that we had other activities planned for the night when 10 minutes later out food arrived. The rice was like pudding rice my lamb Korma was chicken and my friends hot masala was like yellow custard. I made them aware of the mistake with my dish.I was then offered what I can only described as Korma soup with dried out bits of meat.I was so disappointed we left but were told never to come back.We won't be, Poor customer service, if you want a fantastic Indian meal in Fife try Armritsar in Kirkcaldy.

Quite simply it serves some of the most delicious Indian food in Fife. You are always given pappadoms and onion chutney to snack on whilst you decide on your main course. Staff always willing to help with your choices if you ask. Food is always served piping hot and always seems very fresh. It does a huge take-away trade and the restaurant itself is always very busy at weekends. One minor criticism- it could do with a little tender loving care on the decoration.

We've had several takeaways from here but we sat in recently and the service was great. Comp.starters and food served piping hot, would recommend sitting in as appose to takeaway. Lovely place

This is a restaurant I've visited before, but not for a while, so my wife and I went in early evening and enjoyed a great meal. Usually it is busy, but we went in at 5:30 on a Sunday and it was very quiet. Having said that, there was a constant stream of customers collecting takeaway orders.I tried the Green Herb Chicken and it was delicious, with a more than ample portion.The good food was topped off with some friendly service to make for an enjoyable visit.

Popped into this restaurant for a sit down meal early on, on a Thursday night, (think it was the 23rd June), after looking through the window and seeing empty tables, As we were told it was A FANTASTIC Indian Restaurant, 1 of the best in Scotland. We were greeted rather un-friendily by a fairly elderly Indian Man/Waiter who ranted at us that he "Had NO TABLES"..and virtually bundled us out of the door, very rudely..needless to say we were pretty disgusted and will not be returning to sample their food!...We informed the landlady of Our B & B as well, as she was the one who had recommended the Shehnai, she also said she would not be recommending them again......

Visited this restaurant with friends (one of whom is a regular) recently - the service is very professional (he actually deferred to me [female] for ordering as I was the senior female in the party - I LIKED THAT ) - we had a variety of dishes from extremely hot and spicy to mild and fruity - all delicious and well cooked. The house cab sav was excellent quality and prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend.

8 of us had meal here for a friend's birthday. Service was friendly, efficient and quick. Great food. Spiced onions, poppadoms and nann breads delicious. Plenty to choose from on menu. Nice house wine too. Will definitely return

First visit last night. Service was fabulous. The good was beautiful. Best onion chutney I have had. I had the methi gosht. The lamb was cooked and spiced perfectly. We will definitely visit again

This is our local Indian takeaway, and we are regular visitors. Can be busy at weekends, so recommend phoning early to avoid disappointment

Came for a family birthday, drinks were taken quicky, as was the order for food. Both arrived very fast. The waiter/manager was very friendly and made the experience even better. Will be back.

Have been a customer for many many years, the cuisine is completely on point. Tend to always order the same dish, but it's just done so well! Great portion sizes and really good value for money. Mainly order takeaways to enjoy at home, but have sat in on several occasions in small and larger groups. Fab service. Couldn't recommend a better Indian locally.

The title says it all-we would advise you to book so you are not disappointed, as the restuarant gets very busy.

My absolute favourite Indian. Have had a million takeaways from this place and sat in a number of times too. I have moved from Cupar and still come back just to enjoy their Chicken tikka masala with peshwari naan. It's the best Indian I've had and at a great price. Lovely to sit in, ideal for a small family meal but have also been in a big group for meals with work colleagues. Service is excellent.

We had a meal here this evening, and were looking foreward to our food, though were so disapointed. We had eaten previously and enjoyed our food but found the quality had not reached the previous standard. The food was quite disapointing compared to previous visits, lamb jalfreze being tough and flavoured with tandoori seasoning, very strange. Service of food was very slow taking an hour and twenty minutes to serve our main courses.The restaurant was very busy, but we felt the standards had dropped. We have, over the last few years, eaten in lots of superb Indian restaurants in Glasgow and also Mother India in Edinburgh and felt our Cupar restaurant had sliped in previous standards.

This is where we always choose to go for a curry. Apart from the great food, Gary is very welcoming with a great sense of humour & all his staff are very cheerful & friendly

Friends recommended the Shenhai and we thought we'd give it a try with no real expectations. We hadn't pre ordered take out and the restaurant was very busy. We were offered a drink while we waited(on the house) and the atmosphere was very friendly and bustling.The food was absolutely delicious the flavours were oozed out and I can safely say it's the nicest Indian meal I have ever had. Will try sitting in next time but can't praise this restaurant highly enough.

This is definitely a family favourite never had a bad meal.Gary and Harry make you welcome from the minute you walk through the door. Gary is well versed in his recommendations which are always spot on.If you are in doubt give it a go you are not going to be disappointed

The service we received from this restaurant was great and we only popped in for a carry out!!!! The person who served us was a real gentleman opening the door for my wife on leaving. Very pleasant and helpful. Will be going back with friends for a sit done meal. Oh and the food was great.

It is the most friendliest Indian restaurant I have ever visited and the selection on the menu is second to non and if it is not on the menu they will cook especially for you, nothing is any bother with the staff so helpful and the food exceptional. Complimentary Drinks for the regulars.

Love coming here for a curry. Eat in and takeaway. Staff friendly and accommodating. Would reccomend a visit.

I have had a couple of good takeaways from here.It was very busy on both times I was there.........Both my meals were good......

Was there during the holidays with family and friends and as usual it was brilliant! Staff, food and price excellent.