Spice Lounge in Norwich

This is a fantastic gem of a restaurant with well versed Bangladeshi style Indian food. Relaxing, good facilities and well appointed. The owner himself is a lovely chap and his staff are happy and attentive. The food is extremely tasty - try the puree starter, yum - well spiced with depth of flavour. The menu promises a choice reminiscent of many dishes I have have gratefully sampled right across the Indian continent. The specials are also a good reflection. Established restaurant. Great service. Shall return.

Disappointing. I don't know where to start. We came in and were seated. An elderly gentleman came over to take our order, he couldn't hear what I was saying, and when I tried to ask about two dishes, he looked irritated and said he didn't understand what I was saying, so I just picked lamb bhuna. He asked if we wanted rice or any more dishes and I replied "no thankyou, that's all for now" he muttered "now or later same thing" and wandered off. Unnecessary comment but I let it go as he was elderly and was clearly struggling to hear me. We had ordered butter chicken, lamb bhuna , fries and 2 naans, the lamb bhuna was average at best, chunks of onion were still visible which shouldn't be the case, the lamb was really tough and chewy. The butter chicken was absolutely vile. Lukewarm, extremely sweet and just not edible. The chicken pieces in the butter chicken were red, they were clearly just the chicken that was meant to be in chicken tikka or other dishes. My daughter is autistic and eats butter chicken wherever she goes, she didn't even touch it, it tasted nothing like butter chicken should. The naans were edible and the only good part of the meal. When we had finished (the butter chicken wasn't eaten) I had to mention it to them as I couldn't leave knowing they would serve that to someone else thinking it was ok. We are southeast Asian and the food they served here was not authentic at all and I can guarantee that if anyone served them that at home they would throw it in the bin. I told the young man that the rest of the meal was Ok but the butter chicken was not nice and did not taste like butter chicken, I also mentioned that the chicken in it was clearly meant to be used in other dishes, to which he responded, well that's chicken korma and that's why it's sweet and the chicken is red. I said well, that's what the issue is then as I ordered butter chicken. He then said actually no it is butter chicken and that it's a mild sweet dish. I said well I'm sorry but it doesn't taste anything like butter chicken and he said "well what do you want me to do about it?" In a rude moody way. I said "I'm not asking you to do anything about it, you can do whatever you think is appropriate, I'm just telling you this dish wasn't nice at all which is why it hasnt been eaten" He said are you done with your meal? I said yes and he started to clear the dishes away. The bill was brought to us by another member of staff and he said that they had removed the butter chicken from the bill. I said thankyou and that I appreciate it. We then left. What was disappointing was the attitude of the elderly man when we came in. We ordered what we knew we could eat, he seemed annoyed that we didn't order starters or rice in addition to our meal. It was also very rude to hear someone say "well what do you want me to do" when I politely gave feedback about the lack of authenticity of the butter chicken, it was said with a bad attitude. The food was really awful. Had myself and my husband not been hungry we wouldn't have eaten the lamb bhuna either. The dish was butchered, edible but only just, very tough lamb and not nice to have chunks of onion in the masala when it should have been cooked through. The butter chicken was the worst curry I have ever had the misfortune of tasting. I wish I had taken a picture. It looked so unappetising, it was gloopy, cold, sweet and inedible. I don't know how they can serve this knowing its not actually what the curry should be like and knowing they would never eat that themselves. It's safe to say we will never be returning.

Great meal here at a reasonable price, clean, smart restaurant

The food is very tasty. The lamb in the madras was particularly lambish and soft. The okra was unusual in that it was cooked in a little butter but presented dry like a tikka and the flavour was fantastic, rather impressive for a fairly quiet restaurant on a Friday night. The keema naan seemed to be very flavoursome too, better than most Indian restaurants in Norwich... and I have tried them all. Their red meat game here is strong! The peshwari naan wasn't anything to write home about like the keema was, but certainly not bad. Criticism: there is no such thing as perfection although in terms of flavour, they weren't far off with our curries. We ordered some poppadoms... they came swiftly with the pickles which DID NOT include any mint sauce. There was also none available on the menu. I don't think I've even been to a UK Indian restaurant where they don't serve mint sauce. The pickles they did serve, were the usual suspects (mango chutney, lime pickle and diced onion) and in good portions too. I ordered some cucumber raita to compensate for the minty coolness that was missing, which did sort of work as a cooling influence but it still wasn't quite mint sauce, (sad face)... it was like inviting Jeremy Clarkson for dinner but having to settle for the postman. On the whole, we thoroughly enjoyed our food. Staff were polite and smiley, although mainly seemed to want to talk to my other half rather than me... which I can understand, she is far more attractive than I am and I'm starting to appear grumpy and unapproachable with age. Mint sauce please. I'll be back...

Went there with my partner, and our main course was oversalted, which made both of us ill later! The starters were ok though. On top of that, the female waitress had scruffy, worn off nail polish on her nails and when giving us utensils she touched the part of the spoon I am gonna eat with!! It's a bad manner, not very hygenic and offputting! Won't be returning.

This was the second time we have visited in recent months. The service and food were excellent. Spotlessly clean . Would happily go again .

A great place to eat great Indian food served quickly, but not rushed by friendly, hardworking staff in a really snazzy designed restaurant. Can be a bit loud but that really is nit picking!

We had a table of 10 reserved for 7:30. We were asked if we could delay until 8:15 due to it being so busy which we agreed to. When we arrived we were kept waiting for a further 30 minutes until being seated. Another 30 minutes before being served food. The table was set out with pickles and poppadoms already so everyone tucked in due to being so hungry by then. Little did we realise that these were to cost us £30 when the bill arrived! It would have been a nice gesture if these were on the house considering how long we had to wait and agreeing to change our booking time to help them out. The restaurant was very busy and very noisy making conversation difficult. The food was of good quality considering how busy it was but I didn't think this made up for the poor customer service we received.

Had a booking here for 5 persons and for a Friday night it was busy and the food was very good. Exception in fact. However, we expected a short wait but it was nearly an hour before the food arrived. When we did finish a waiter came over and asked us to move and take out drinks to the bar as they needed the table! Considering there was no time limit specified and I haven't even been offered chance of a dessert or coffee. I refuse to move and we were then left alone. So an agreed 10/10 for food but customer relations really needs some work I am afraid.

Whilst the decor is contemporary rather than Cultural, the food has all the culture you could want. The food was fab as was the service. The only issue was the noise, it was a busy Friday night so its not to be unexpected.

There are quite a few curry houses in Norwich, most of which are decent but I fancied a change of scenery last night so tried this one out. It was a complete surprise, but I had one of the nicest curries that I've ever tasted. Nicely flavoured and not too heavy or greasy as some curries can be. The Spice Lounge Hash is recommended! Can't wait to go again.

Food was fine and enjoyable. However, when paying our waiter seemed to collapse from illness. I rushed to the nearest waiter to ask for help. The other waiter came over, and continued to try take our payment ans refused to assist his colleague who was visibly in distress. They also stopped us trying to help the Ill waiter. Another diner stepped in to assist the waiter. We were told he does this often and we shouldn’t be worried. Was a traumatic experience

Do not bother. Ordered through just eat for delivery 😩. They failed miserabley. Rang the spice lounge who basically said waiting over an hour to be then told there wasn't anything they could do and they won't deliver themselves. Rudely hung up on me. Myself and family will not be going again so be warned.

Good food and staff Just a small thing, the chicken was very bony and didn't have much meat as a result... other than that. Good.

Sadly for an experience of a nice relaxing evening didn't pan out here. The food was tasteless, not much flavour (a tesco microwave meal is more enjoyable). If this wasn't enough to dampen the mood 15mins after sitting down a large group of drunk yobs arrived. They were seated, served even more alcohol then the yobs started arguing, throwing 'C' bombs with plenty of 'F' bombs for good measure, knocking over drinks, threatening to beat eachother up & shouting not a care for anyone around including women and children. Amazingly the staff did nothing, not even an apology. They just continued serving them beer instead of asking them to leave. We left shortly after as our date evening was ruined. Will never return, very much disappointed with the food and staff.

The chicken tikka from Spice Lounge was far from what was promised. The portion was much smaller than expected, with hardly any onions and only five cubes of chicken. The price was not justified at all, and it felt like I had been ripped off.mpleter he sig °) O

Lovely birthday meal, absolutely brilliant service, nice drinks. Can’t complain at all would definitely come back. :)

Would highly recommend. Lovely food with fast and efficient service. Comfortable air conditioned restaurant with a very pleasant ambiance.

Decent curry - standard for Magdalen St, but with a slightly more eclectic menu, especially for those who like seafood. Slightly limited vegetarian options, but paneer is plentiful and well executed. Starters, broadly speaking, were middling and not singing with flavour. Mains were very decent. Not the hottest (even Madras, Phals, Ceylon), but flavoursome. Nice service. Indian music videos for free

مطعم جميل جدا من حيث النظافة و سرعة الخدمة جربنا من عندهم مسالا دجاج لذيذة و لكن ينقصها كريمة زيادة و طلبنا برياني خضار جاء مع الايدام و نوعين صوص و من المقبلات تندوري دجاج لذيذة مره و المشروبات مانجو و ماء احضروا لنا مناديل معطرة و شوكولا ضيافة عند الدفع

Pre-booked an evening meal during the week. It was outstanding!! From the moment being welcomed to the time we left, the staff were attentive but not overly so. The menu was exceptionally good with a wide choice of dishes that would, no doubt, appeal to just about everone. The prices were very reasonable too. Will definitely return in the near future!

My friend treated us to a. Indian meal. This is the 2nd time we've been..the food is always excellent. Spotlessly clean. Great service. Lovely people . Will be going again at some point. Thank you spice lounge 😁

Excellent experience. Staff are so kind and attentive and so many little extras that make the whole experience so much more special. Food was perfect, hot and full of flavour. Will definitely be back, thank you so much !!

Very friendly staff, delicious food and a very good atmosphere. Would love to come here back!

Excellent service, great food and nothing was too much trouble. Definitely recommend. What a contrast to the service at Rooftop Gardens

Good food. Friendly staff and good atmosphere.

Super warm welcome, friendly efficient staff and great tasting food.

Dined here twice during a weekend break in Norwich, excellent service on both occasions, food served in good time and full of flavour.

First time here. We were going to a performance at the Playhouse and wanted something close by. Have tried other indian restaurants in the area and have been disappointed by the cut down menus. The Spice Lounge has an extensive menu and the food was delicious. Staff efficient and polite, and the food arrived quickly. We will be returning!

Delicious food, friendly staff, good value for money.

We had a fantastic meal. Food was super tasty & authentic & cooked to perfection. Restaurant was very clean and nice lighting. Service was exceptional and especially Hassan on our custom Irish coffees. Can't wait until next time! Thank you Spice Lounge :-)

Superb food, great atmosphere, the staff were very friendly, they had some rowdy customers that they put up with brilliantly

Low-quality restaurant, they didn't ask about allergies. They didn't serve real Indiana food it's not delicious at all.

This restaurant has always been a family favourite and we went here for my son’s birthday. This time was lacking. Food mediocre ( chicken poor quality and lacked taste) and had none of the usual vibrancy to it, service was pushy - staff were clearing plates as soon as your cutlery was placed down. Felt very rushed. Not sure what’s changed but we won’t be rushing back here.

Lovely flavour, nicely spiced curry

Lost for words,,, I sent uncooked food back to the kitchen and was told 30mins before closing time “the kitchen is closed” I was then guised with 2 waiters stood by my table yawning waiting for me to leave,, I literally had to ask them to stop staring at me, very uncomfortable experience, not recommended

Top place is a nice run family business good food

Amazing ambiance, friendly staff and excellent service

Service was quick and efficient . The waiter asked if i would like poppadoms . I said yes thinking these were complimentary . No worries they were on the Bill . I had the Hydrerabadi Chicken with Pilau rice which was very tasty . Would visit again

Food was just OK, and one of the waiters was a bit rude

food arrived 50 minutes late, freezing cold. Upon ringing the restaurant I was informed it was my fault, because I had not input the address correctly. (False) I can only suggest this may have been an UberEats fault, as our home is a new build so may not have populated. However regardless, we have ordered several times from this restaurant on the same account to the same address before. Upon calling the store, I was absolutely horrified by the attitude of the staff member who refused to give me his name and hung up my call. He stated he attempted to ring three times (however no missed calls on either of the devices with numbers listed) he stated he was ‘too busy to deal with it tonight’ and after meeting him with the tone he spoke to me, the staff member simply cleared the line. As a family we have been coming to the spice lounge for the 18 years we have been living in Norwich, it’s clear to see that standards and customer service have slipped since the ownership has changed hands. Such a shame. Foul staff, freezing food.

As the only four guest early on a quiet Sunday evening, I was expecting the renowned courtesy and attentive service that other reviewers had noted. Sadly, despite being outnumbered by the staff, we found ourselves subjected to a truly rude waiter who huffed and tutted as we delayed our ordering until we were ready, and food which can only be described as borderline poor. I'm not a food critic or a passionate describer of a plate of food but the dishes were sad, the staff were unpleasant and the atmosphere was unfriendly. Two of our desserts were returned as inedible, they bore all the signs of freezer burn and were beyond salvaging. I realise that the whole dessert thing is anathema to an Indian restaurant, but if they're offered on the menu they have to be fit for purpose. The staff were apologetic but ineffective, the experience was a salutary and expensive (£40 a head) lesson in where not to eat out in Norwich on a quiet Sunday night.

Five of us went and all had a delicious meal, curry’s hot and flavoursome, the tandoori mixed grill succulent, not all dried up like some I’ve had elsewhere. The waiters are so friendly, helpful and attentive. It is now my favourite Indian in Norwich.

Just had a wonderful family meal here. The staff were so attentive and the food was amazing. Highly recommend this restaurant

Indian restaurant in Norwich Close to cathedral And a few mins walk from 3 pay and display car Large menu, offering very mild to very hot curries Plus usual fayre of poppadoms, nan breads etc Good value, large portions Friendly staff

Nice and not expensive meals. Plus friendly staffs.

Very nice start to finish, staff were very good, food was good

I said I’d never use these guys again but gave them the benefit of the doubt today. Appalling service which resulted in the manager losing his temper and refusing to accept he was wrong. I’m flabbergasted. Don’t bother with this place.

I order from here often and im sure they dont use the same chicken any more... Looks different and tastes different... Looks like that tofu but marinaded in their sauce!!!

Never had onion bhaji so good in all of my life! I enjoying eating out all the time and trying foods from different restaurants. Spice lounge highly impressed me and my brother and we will definitely be recommending.

The food was great and the service was excellent. Now I am not a big curry fan but my wife had chicken biriyani and came with a vegetable curry and it was flavousome. I had the lamb tikka which also excellent. I highly recommend this place for a great dinner venue. Thanks to all the staff.

All six of us in our group had nothing but high praise about everything we ordered. Highly recommended, brilliant food.

Disappointing. Table for 2 not big enough if you have a side/bread with your curry. Food was OK nothing more, small portions, looks better then it tastes. All very mild, poor spicing. Service is good, polite, attentive.

I had visited this place some 4 year ago with a work party. And it didn’t disappoint. Good selection of food. I went for something completely different from my chicken Tikka and it was great. Cold beers to wash it all down with. Will book again soon

Pretty useless. I asked to take home some leftovers, and was presented with an empty tub to fill myself. Pretty basic.

Great service and great food as always

The food is fine - my issue is with the constant bombardment of texts and e-mails advertising from The Spice Lounge once it has your mobile number. I have asked repeatedly for these to stop and be taken off/blocked the number and it hasn't ceased. It's breaking GDPR rules over and over again.

A truly wonderful restaurant. The jalfrezi was fantastic, tender juicy chicken and a delicious sauce to go with. Great service and very attentive waiters, a heart warming experience.

Great food, very tasty. Staff were frequently and attentive. Will be going back again.

Ok, so I haven’t been to every curry house in Nozza but this is the best one I’ve tried, eat in or take away, the food is next level.

We were told our food would arrive at 8:05pm, but it didn’t arrive until 9:45pm. This was over two hours since the order was placed, and we were greeted with a rude reply from the delivery driver who didn’t seem at all apologetic at the delay. Furthermore, we tried calling the restaurant multiple times to no reply during this time. I strongly advise to avoid this restaurant at all costs. EDIT: They replied to my review 4 months later with a generic response which didn't address any of the issues. Good to see the team handling this is as incompetent as the rest of the business.

Went in late last night without booking and the staff were more than happy to accommodate. Great service and great food. Reasonably priced too. Definitely recommend and will go back.

Food good as always, though it took us well over an hour to even get to order!

didn’t get food for so long came even lie right now still haven’t even got food and it’s been 2 hours. not best pleased

Went back to a pre covid favourite. What a let down. Delivery drivers in the kitchen , and waiter was appalling. Food was fair, although prawn dish was not good - over cooked. £100 quid I can spend better , with an atmosphere worthy. Don’t...

Really professional, friendly service, fantastic food. Will be coming again

The food was very nice, the portion sizes were spot on. The staff were very friendly and helpful. It was very a lovely evening

Friendly staff on arrival at restaurant and found us a table as we hadn't booked on Saturday night which was nice. Good choice of dishes and drinks. Food was very good and full of flavour. Would definitely go back

We were visiting Norwich for the first time and walked past this restaurant, based on the menu we thought we’d give it a try. All in all we didn’t have a great experience I’m afraid. The few waiters that tended to us were all a little odd, awkward attempts at humour that we’re just quite rude in the end. We had to return a pint of draft beer because it smelt of drains and despite us all ordering different dishes, they all arrived looking exactly the same and tasting incredibly bland. It’s the only Indian restaurant I’ve ever been to where you cannot smell the spices and heat coming from the kitchen - so it made us all wonder if they are using packet mixes for their sauces or something… we had all had ready meals which contained a more authentic flavour. Based on this experience, we sadly will not be returning.

The food was OK but the experience was completely overshadowed by rude waiting staff, which we experienced at three different points over the course of our time there from two separate waiters. Also had the cheek to presume we were going to leave a tip...

This was a very nice meal. The waiters were a little overrun as far more people turned up on this Sunday evening than had ever turned up on a Sunday before. Despite the challenge they rose to the occasion and even managed a smile. The...

Nice staff,good food.great atmosphere,will return again

Excellent food and service. Good price. Recommended. Enjoy.

Booked a table with no problems, food was lovely, Kingfisher on draught and Bangla beer available from fridge. Chicken Madras was beautiful, we had 3 chicken dishes, lovely flavours, very tender. Garlic Naan bread was also a winner. Staff were very attentive, very nice restaurant...

First time in Norwich and this restaurant was near our hotel. We popped in for evening dinner on spec not having booked and there were plenty of tables on Sunday night and it was not a problem. Staff friendly, efficient and attentive. Meal was nicely...

Not as intimate as I like for an Indian restaurant but the food was fantastic and the staff were polite. I would go again

Terrible, booked table but when arrived they were annoyed because they were full and said they had no room for us!. Eventually found us a dirty table and when they finally took our drinks order it was wrong and then we had to ask 3...

I have been to the spice lounge a few times over the years and have always been satisfied with the service and quality. In my last two visits I have been greeted by pushy and borderline rude staff eager to upsell anything they can force...

Horrendous service, I’ve never walked out of a restaurant in my whole life, we asked for drinks waited 20 mins still haven’t been served and when asked the lady who had been for cigarette breaks in front of us said it’s not my ‘ fing’ problem mate , waited 30 mins and nothing , asked how long and was treated like an inconvenience… I used to love this place , but now I’m never returning

Award winning prawn dish was delicious. The tikka paneer was great too and I would recommend getting a peshwari naan followed by a floater coffee. Great Indian restaurant!

I have dined at the restaurant numerous times in the past and had a pleasant time, but the following experience has ensured that I will not be returning. I placed a takeaway order last night through their website at 6.15pm with a delivery time of 6.50. At 7.20pm I tried phoning the restaurant over and over again but no one would pick up. Eventually after 20+ attempts someone picked up and rather oddly told me to call a different number, which I declined. I politely queried about my order but was told they never received it because quote "the machine was broken" and they had no intention of fulfilling the order whatsoever. They were however happy to take payment for it and continue to allow online orders to be made. I was told they were aware of the issue for a few days (no doubt longer) yet had done absolutely nothing to rectify it of to prevent customers from making online orders through their website. They were not apologetic in the slightest and were incredibly rude throughout. I was told I'd get a refund tomorrow and also told it would happen some time next week. Needless to say I'd lost any and all faith in what they were telling me at this point and I don't expect it anytime soon.

I have dined at the restaurant numerous times in the past and had a pleasant time, but the following experience has ensured that they have lost a customer forever. I placed a takeaway order last night through their website at 6.15pm with a delivery time...

Went here today after hearing many good things, the tables beautifully set, even with fancy table cloths and smart origami serviettes. The starter of mixed tikka meat came out piping hot and fresh and just full of flavour. And all the rest of the food seemed to follow the same trend. Best Indian restaurant I’ve been to. The staff are so attentive and friendly. Can’t recommend enough!!

Went for a lovely meal this evening, food was delicious, staff were very friendly and the restaurant itself was very clean, very Happy and will definitely be returning again.

2.5 hours after order placed food was not delivered. Phone calls to the restaurant are unanswered and met with voicemail only. Strongly suggest avoiding.

First visit to the Spice lounge this evening. A nice restaurant, vibrant and relaxing. Friendly staff. Food was spot on. You cannot beat going out for a curry. Would recommend.

We were told our food would arrive at 8:05pm, but it didn’t arrive until 9:45pm. This was over two hours since the order was placed, and we were greeted with a rude reply from the delivery driver who didn’t seem at all apologetic at the...

Excellent food and service ❤️❤️❤️

45min wait time turned into 2 hours. Food arrived cold. The rice and onion bhaji’s were both very greasy. The poppadoms were stale and chewy, definitely not fresh. Not Happy

Nice decor and staff. Food good too.

Do not order from Spice Lounge. Ordered our food at 7:15, and was told it would arrive at 7:55. Understanding that it was a Bank Holiday, we waited until 8:30 to phone for an update on our delivery; we were told our food was out...

Do not order from Spice Lounge. Ordered our food at 7:15, and was told it would arrive at 7:55. Understanding that it was a Bank Holiday, we waited until 8:30 to phone for an update on our delivery; we were told our food was out for delivery. 30 minutes later, we tried to contact Spice Lounge as our food had not arrived. We were unable to then contact them for the rest of the night until closing + never received any food – even at 10 o clock. Absolutely shocking customer service – despite not receiving any food, we still have not received an apology or even our money back. Avoid at all costs!

Have never been in this Indian restaurant before but impressed by the quality of the food (one of the best biryanis I've had) and the efficient, friendly service. A bit more expensive than some others but worth the extra.

Great meal - great service. Very pleasant atmosphere.

Thoroughly enjoyable meal at the Spice Lounge. Staff welcoming. Didn't need to book. Was a Monday evening so not too busy. Food arrived promptly. Delicious and well prepared. Good portion sizes. Well presented. Clean surroundings. Reasonable prices. Minor point but music rather too loud and...

We went to the spice lounge on Friday 3rd of December 2021. One of our party has a disability. Immediately they questioned whether they would be able to control themselves as it was a Friday night and they are going to be busy. They did...

Asked if a dish had tomato's in it on Saturday night as allergic and was told no. When it arrived it obviously did have from the distinctive red line round the top of the dish, I asked again and was told in had tomato paste...

Used to be superb. We have been customers for many years, but will be going elsewhere. Our last two orders have had missing items, wrong food, poor quality food and been delayed for around two hours. Really sad to see this happen to a once-great restaurant. (To clarify, this update is based on home delivery rather than visiting the restaurant in person).

Last time when I visited this place, the management had got changed and food quality had been degraded, wouldn't recommend this place for anyone looking out for Indian food.

Ate here on a Saturday night. Well laid out and presented restaurant. Staff very friendly and attentive. Food was delicious, great portion sizes and very reasonable prices. Couldn’t fault a thing, When we visit Norwich again we will definitely be back.