The Ancient Raj in Wiltshire

A traditional style Indian restaurant – i.e. no frills and candelabras, which is usually a good sign that the food is going to be good and I was not disappointed. I do not know why this restaurant is not busier than it is. There are a number of places to eat in Cricklade, however the food and service here outshines them all. The staff were very attentive and our order was taken promptly with food arriving in a timely manner. I could not fault any of the dishes we had and will definitely return sooner rather than later.

I would recommend this Indian restaurant, food was excellent, very tasty, not oily, we had Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Roshney both dishes were fabulous and piping hot, Garlic Nan is also very good. Staff are excellent.

Absolutely delicious, fresh and on point. Called up with vegan/plant based requirements and the manager suggested dishes I could have. Big flavour and really traditional.

For to long our fredom had been curtailed this was our first night out for a long time madam had the lamb rogan josh I dived into a lamb jalfrezi the meat came in chunks that were full of flavour and quite literally melted in the mouth this will be on the again list

Really enjoyed the food. Good helpings and great flavour. Staff courteous and reasonable value for money. Would recommend.

Had my first meal here, on the first Saturday after eating indoors was given the green light. Lovely food, very generous portions, friendly staff and very clean. Highly recommend if in the area for a stop over (as I was), or if you are more local. Look forward to visiting again the next time I'm in Cricklade.

Had a take away Sun 24.1.21 and was delicious, I always have a chicken Dhansak and mushroom rice and the flavour was just how I remembered it from years ago. Popadoms and extras were fresh and tasty, plenty of spice & flavour, a real treat. Highly reccomended 👍

The Ancient Raj was a lovely place to eat with the family. They made enough space for around 20 of us and were super quick and polite when serving! Highly recommend for large family dinner. They were also super accommodating to our young children, balloons, excitement etc...

I have visited the Raj loads of times and the food is always decent and the service is good. Tried a new dish which was beautiful(can’t remember the name now) but it came with spinach rice. Prices seem to have increased a little and they ran out of draft beer but all in all very good, definitely worth a visit.

Went Saturday night with 2 local friends and my wife booked it the day before staff were very mater of fact with their attitude , we had pickles etc to start they came out as soon as we ordered them all fine took 20 mins to get our drinks then half hour later we were still with no mains ! They seemed to be concentrated on takeaways not the restaurant when the mains arrived well the 3 lamb dishes looked as if they just had a cook in sauce added ,and the salt in the sauce my god . there wasn’t a chilli or onion in sight awful 1 dish was fine but that was the only one .the dishes were lamb tikka masala x2 and a lamb madras we spoke to the manager he tasted the dishes and quickly knocked £20 off the bill but 3 off us hadn’t eaten the food 2 of our party were sick NEVER AGAIN

Needed a pick up during lock down, and the trusted Ancient Raj was just the job. Now, put aside the fact that our meal was delicious as always - my main praise is to the Owner and his staff. ALWAYS polite, smartly dressed and positive. Cant wait to return. Ancient Raj - you guys lifted my spirits, thank you for being wonderfully consistent to your loyal customers ❤❤❤

Enjoyed a really excellent Sunday evening meal, great menu, lovely service, very good value for money. Would highly recommend. Delicious food, nice setting.

The food is decent & service is excellent, lacks just that bit of quality. Always feel a bit rushed....... Don't know why. I like to see Indians with a few different from norm dishes.

Food was perfect, from starter to mains. Service was quick, on the verge of being rushed but we didn’t really mind. Would defo visit again.

Nice and Friendly, clean and prompt service. Food very good, no complaints and very reasonable prices.

Got to the restaurant around 8pm and greeted by a very easy going waiter who showed us to our seats. Drinks order was taken promptly along with some popadoms brought out to the table. Having looked at the menus we had all ended up with chicken tikka - 1. Korma 2.Madras 3.Balti 4.Bhuna. All of the chicken on the dishes cooked lovely, tender, nice sized chunks. Had a spoonful of each curry in the plate with boiled rice & chips ( taste as they should ) nothing special about that. But as for the curries, each dish was full of flavour not overpowered by spices or heat if you know your curry I don’t need to say korma is mild, while madras is hotter. So when you visit just know your going to be presented with a very good curry that will leave you feeling full and happy!! Will be returning for sure!!

I visit Swindon to work 3 to 4 times a year. I like to get a room in Cricklade as it’s a lovely little village within easy access to where I need to work. I have used the A Raj when ever I’m there. But I’ve noticed a gradual decline in quality of the food and attitude of the staff. Visited on 30 July Around 8pm to find the restaurant empty apart from one couple just leaving. One of the staff was playing a computer game on an iPad with a really annoying twanging noise every few seconds. The food was poor, the bread cold and the chicken in my dansak tough as old leather and tasteless. Won’t be eating there again when next in the area.

Service was good, food came out quickly, hot and very tasty. Reasonable price, no complaints, The place was nice and busy when we were there

The food is very nice without being anything exceptional, the service was great nothing too much trouble. Asked for the left overs to be put in a container to take home. Decent Indian but better places to eat like the zaika valley.

The staff could not have been more pleasant or helpful. The food flavour was spot on. However, like a few others, I found the chicken to be dry amid a very good sauce.

Love this place they are always so polite, Excellent food and service. Food melts in your mouth, Take away service is brilliant

The food is amazing in this restaurant. We've eaten in and often get take always. Staff are friendly and the service is quick. Food always comes out hot and fresh. Wouldn't go anywhere else. Definitely recommended.

Just up the road, went here with my wife and a friend. Overall good meal, friendly staff, quick service. 2 vegetarians - good choice for us, our meat eating friend also enjoyed hers

The starters were fine but the chicken in the mains was tough and dry, lots left in the dishes at the end. Not the best Indian I have eaten at to say the least!

Business group earlier in the evenig was followed by this good quality meal in a clean and warm restaurant right on the High Street. Parking is not easy in Cricklade but ance the car is lost this is a great place - good prices too with the Banquet night making a very good meal available for little cash.

The staff were not the happiest! The food was average at best. I’d recommend going into Chichester down the road for a better meal.

This is a small but well presented restaurant - with excellent staff and good menu choices. We had a super meal and were most impressed by all aspects of our visit. Thank you!

Came down to see our friends and chose to have our meal here. We ordered our meal and when it came we realised we should have just ordered for two as the portions were so big. However it was well cooked and so delicious.

Not a great experience overall. The popadoms were a bit chewy like they'd been left around for a bit. My pint of beer was pretty flat, they did exchange it for a bottle, but there was no apology. The chicken in my dish was dry and overcooked. It was a nice enough venue, but just a shame about the food. Also the service was adequate, but we didn't feel especially welcome.

We love eating Indian food, and this is definitely one of the best Indian restaurants I have eaten in. We have visited as a couple, and with the children and we all love it here :)

You are very limited in Cricklade for any eateries. Although the ones that are there do seem to be of good quality.

Had a great meal on Saturday night. Excellent food, friendly staff and lively atmosphere. Reasonably priced including the draft beer. Well worth a visit.

So friendly here and I love the food. Between us all we tried a great number of dishes and all were very well received

First time visit and we found the Sunday night banquet for £14 very good value - in fact, too much food. The breads were excellent; the lamb was big chunky and not fatty with excellent sauces; rice was ok; service was well-paced. All in all, we enjoyed it but wouldn't be rushing back.

Ok but not great. Poppadoms stale. Chicken pakora starter poor. Prawn madras tasty but looked like soup. I’ve had better meals here

Went in early doors on Saturday night and we were a little concerned we were the only ones in there. We need not have done. The menu had some different dishes and I had a nice lamb ginger and onion one that I had not seen before. My wife being vegetarian could not decide so she had 2 small plates. The portions were a good size and the price was very reasonable

Regret to say that having had some excellent food and takeaways from this restaurant in the past, it seems it has all gone downhill. Incomplete order in a takeaway and no apology when we informed them of missing items.

A little gem in the Cotswolds. Good indian food and very good portions unlike some restaurants. Service was quick and friendly.

Had starter, main course then before we finished eating we were given the bill, when we pointed out we were still eating and may want a desert we were told they were closed. my friend pointed out that if they were so eager to close quickly they should have told us they were closed before rushing us. when we told the owner / manager that it was very poor service we were told "DONT CAUSE TROUBLE" and dont come back. They seemed more interested in selling drink to a group of rowdy males. Poor service and terrible attitude.

What more can you ask for a Great Curry, very friendly staff and a cold pint of kingfisher, keep up the Great work Ancient Raj

Table for 6 , no problem, Great service, great food, great atmosphere, this out of the way find proved to be a great venue for our year end celebration.

Pleasant meal with work colleagues after a great year of work. Good food with okay service in okay surroundings

A favourite local that routinely provides high quality meals at a reasonable price. Friendly staff and useful takeaway option. Eat here regularly and always enjoy. Imperious

Service friendly, quantities copious, flavour very acceptable. Two of us ate well for 35 quid- what's not to like???😀I would eat here again.

A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (which my Mum loved!), a Cobra beer for my Dad, poppadoms, a main each and some sides plus rice and Peshwari naan bread. More than enough for four. The service was welcoming and friendly with our coats taken, and promptly...

In many villages you will encounter Indian restaurants. Even so in Cricklade. The decor is convenient, the service is appropriate and the menu is rich in supply, as in so many Indian restaurants. The quality of the food is good, the size is often just too much. Do not hesitate to eat here, you get value for money, but do not expect any surprises.

Working away on business and staying at a local hotel. This is my third or fourth visit and again they didn't disappoint.

Popped in to order a takeaway as we were stopping at the De Vere Hotel and this place was highly recommended! Large choice menu on offer! Initially, trying to get any recommendations of food from the pair behind the bar was as hard as getting blood from a stone!! It was like dealing with the Chuckle brothers! To me, to you! Aftercare while we chose our food and picked it up later. The food was absolutely the tastiest Indian we have had. It was cooked beautifully ! Recommended!

So it's a shame I'm feeling compelled to write this review and the worse thing was telling my 6year old daughter we would never eat in the 'fancy' restaurant ever again. The first thing is I need to educate my daughter on what a fancy restaurant is. But that is besides the point. So why now do I rate it a one...

This is one of our local restaurants and we take family and friends from all over the world when they visit and they still talk about this a year later. We have eaten here many times and the food is always impeccable.

My order wasn't complicated, a couple of main dishes, some rice and some bread. I waited over an hour for my food, but in the end I gave up, demanded a refund and bailed. I would never go there again.

This place has some fantastic traditional dishes alongside the staple favourites.Their portion sizes are very generous, and served full of flavour.There is a stunning prawn starter dish in a hot and sweet sauce.They also do sliced, battered and fried potatoes which make a nice change from the standard rice dishes.

we have eaten in the restaurant and had many take always. Best Indian food around, never fails to please.

I should have read some of the other Trip Advisor comments on here before we went.My colleague fancied a curry and this restaurant is in the centre of town. We booked the table but they had no knowledge of us when we returned. Should have been a warning.We ordered a mixture of curries - all different. All were tasteless, none had noticeable spice but they did have different colouring (bright). I could run through the dishes we ordered, but none of them were particularly pleasant and we left half of all of them. No-one asked us whether we enjoyed the meal or if there were any problems.The table was cleared and table brushed with poppadom crumbs being swept onto my lap.We paid in cash and left and to cap it all the owner chased after us to check whether we had paid because I hadn't paid by card and because we only left small tip, chased after us again to check whether we had left the right amount.I don't normally say this - but def one to avoid. Truly awful.Cricklade deserves better

I usually don't put review but this was so bad I just had to warn others. Was in the area for a weekend away with friends & visited this restaurant as it was near the hotel we stayed at. The food was terrible & was so bland & tasteless. It looked like it had sat for ages & was just heated up. The chicken was dry & the sauce it came in was horrible. The Taka Dhal was thick & gloopy & had formed a skin on top. Only edible item was nan which was ok & boiled rice. Complained to both the waiters. One just shrugged & cleared hardly touched dishes & other told us they have customers who eat it & sorry we didn't like it. Didn't offer any discount. We should have walked out but did the polite thing - Paid the bill in full & left. Would have given no stars if was able to do so. We eat at lots of different Indian restaurants up & down the country & this was by far the worst. Decor was also very dated.

Went for an evening meal after being recommended it, wish we hadn't bothered!! Food was totally bland, and some dishes looked as though they had been re-heated in a microwave!! Went back to our hotel, and told the receptionist not to bother recommending it to anyone else!!

All the dishes were well prepared and seasoned. Some of the most succulent prawns I've had for a while.Easy parking in the high street

Called in mid week, was greeted by a friendly waiter and shown straight to a table. The menu contains the standard fare plus a few delicacies which was the selection I made.The dish was tasty with plenty of meat and spicy which is what I prefer.Service was quick and attentive without being invasive. I only had a main so can't comment on the time (breathing space between courses) but if you want a few minutes between courses I'm sure they would oblige. Overall a nice meal.

An Indian restaurant with a difference. Never had Mozzarella Samosa as a starter before but it worked and so did other odd combinations. The menu also has the usual Indian dishes for the less adventerous diner. Good service in a pleasant surroundings.

We used to be regular customers of the restaurant, however due to a change of circumstances we hadn't been for a while.We were very happy to say the food and service are still very good and the prices are reasonable.

Cannot believe was just in this restaurant after a recommendation but the rudestWaiter I have ever came across had the. Customer service of someone who did not want to work at all. We tried a takeaway because he was not happy we wanted table but in the end left never to return the waiter who worked with him said was stressed but he was just out of order

As a family party we enjoyed an excellent meal here. Tasty curries, friendly service and good value. A busy restaurant with takeaway service. We will visit again.

Visited as a couple with no advanced booking. Was greeted at the door and shown a table straight away. Friendly staff and great food.

Awful curry. Not much taste. Chicken had dark bits inside. Very very greasy naan bread. Service okay. Prices okay.

We love visiting the Ancient Raj in Cricklade, Service is always with a smile and the food is delicious. As a local and quite a regular to this restaurant the waiters know what drinks we have and how we like our pickles, etc. The food is always fab and if we want to try something new the staff are always happy to advise.

Popped in when staying at the pub opposite. Very nice Balti and enormous starter of crab meat curry in puree. Good value but as someone else commented service too quick no time to draw breath between courses.

I went with a few friends after work and I thought mine was very bland. The others liked theirs which is good. However 24 hours later I have now got a dodgy stomach and been up all night. The others have had the same although not as bad as me. I won't be coming back!

Once again a 10/10 meal. Every time i am near i can't help but pop into the Ancient Raj. The service and food were top notch. We were in a group of 8 for a works meal and sometimes in large groups service can suffer, but not here. All food was out at the same time, all piping hot and all correct.Top marks.

In Cricklade we have a number of good places to eat and to demonstrate the high regard we have of this restaurant we may eat there twice or more a month

We absolutely love the Ancient Raj. We often eat here as it serves delicious food, the staff are friendly and attentive, it is unpretentious, great value and has a relaxing atmosphere. My favourite place to eat. I recommend the tandoori dishes.

This is my regular curry place now after giving up on the maharaja in purton. A little tired decor wise but the service is efficient and the food is superb, and reasonably priced. You can park right outside. Not a romantic place but great for grub.

Sunday night, so the restaurant wasn't very busy. Big selection to choose from on the menu, friendly staff and fast service. Food was great too.

Went for our anniversary dinner. The food was lovely but too much and the service was all too quick. Felt very rushed. They need to slow down and halve the portions.

Went with 6 friends for a meal, we all had onion Bhaji starters and poppadom, mains and some had dessert.5 had a round of drinks. This came to under £140My curry was very nice, the service was good and the speed the food from order to table was very good

We are regular visitors to this restaurant and the food and service are second to none. Staff are very friendly and work hard to insure your meal is perfect for you. Nothing is ever too much trouble.

My partner and I are lovers of Indian cuisine, so naturally we've dined at many Indian restaurants in the area, but Ancient Raj always comes up best. The staff are so friendly and the food is perfect. Never had a bad experience in the many times we've eaten here. Always recommend it to friends and family.

This is a great restaurant The food is always lovely Menu hasn't changed much over the years but I suppose if it ain't broke......Please book at weekends You won't be disappointed

Always a great welcome and service from all the staff with a good atmosphere. The menu is very good and will meet all tastes.

This is a big statement and don't just take my word for it. Any one that comes to visit us at the weekend either has a take away or sit in meal with them and everyone goes away raving about it. A good range of meals and sides, service is always excellent they even hold the door open for you (nice touch). The take away always seems to be ready in 20mins which is good and suggest the predictability of my order. My only gripe is with a takeaway you get free popadoms and eating in you don't... But hey not worth deducting a star for. It is known (in a good way) wider than Cricklade which is testament to its quality.

Delicious food and attentive service. Only short drive from Cotswold water park in Crickdale. Would recommend to visit.

We visited Cricklade for a one night stopover and based on our experience during the day (nothing after 3pm food-wise, limited pub food) we were slightly concerned at what we would find for dinner! We needn't have been worried...The Ancient Raj is a small local Indian restaurant punching well above its weight. The quality of the cuisine would not be out of place in Brick Lane in London. On of top of that, the service was excellent and the staff knowledgeable about their fare. We had poppadums, prawn starters (both excellent) mains with rice, naan and a vegetable side, plus a bottle of very nice South African Chenin Blanc. Dinner for two with wine for £55 - outstanding.Definite five stars! I know Cricklade isn't on most people's list for a night out, but if you are in the area, pay them a visit and you won't be disappointed!

We are staying at the watermark holiday houses and have previously tried the Indian in South Cerney but weren't that impressed so decided to try the ancient Raj after seeing some positive reviews. Definitely not disappointed - each of the mains we ordered was excellent. Most definitely worth the extra few minutes drive.

Best Indian resturant i have ever been in me and my girlfriend loved all the food great service u can not beat

2 colleagues and I were here on Wednesday and the food really did stand out. I had something called green curry and it was stunning. They are so generous with how much meat you get and the naan breads are fabulous. 5 star food and 5 star service.

Excellent service and good range of menu choice. Food was hot and tasty. Owner always on top of service and seems to take great pride in delivering great customer service. Seems very clean here. Take away always prompt and good value.

We found this restaurant by chance as we were new to the area as we were staying local to attend a wedding.Great food and service, large portions and reasonably priced.

This is the 2nd time we have been here recently. A mid week visit - nice and quiet. Service is spot on - very timely. Nothing is too much trouble. Over the two visits we have had multiple different dishes and they have all been superb.The portions are - as other people have said- huge. Our first visit we did starters - the 2nd visit we didn't and still I couldn't finish my main course. Everything is lovely and fresh - well cooked and packed with flavour. If you are local to this or have to travel say 10 miles or so you wont be disappointed .

Excellent service, really generous portions and very tasty food. I had lamb shashlik with really tasty lamb and my wife had the chicken biryani and was substantial. Excellent!

Huge portions. Don't overestimate how much you want. I love starters, but they're totally unnecessary given the size and quality of the mains. We had a variety of dishes and they were all fab - even the Korma which normally is too mild for my liking. Couldn't fault it and was slightly ashamed of the amount that remained after we'd all been stuffed. Not a bad price for four of us, neither.Did I mention the portions...? Don't think I'll bother eating, today...

Super Curry. ..always good..love their curries and we come here alot. Good prices...good service...need to book as they are busy

We shared a selection of dishes both hot and mild curries. Everybody enjoys their meal with excellent side dishes. Situated on the high street there is ample parking in the adjoining car park.The staff were attentive and the restaurant immaculately clean and well decorated.

Not been for a while, but was as delicious and tasty as I remember. We had Goan chicken curry and harrey chicken and both were excellent. I would recommend. My only complaint would be the temperature of the restaurant; was a little chilly.

By 8:30 pm the restaurant was rammed, as always on a weekend. The staff fly round the room taking orders and delivering food & drink - no chat, just doing the job. Be prepared to give your order at the first opportunity because if you aren't ready you're likely to go to the back of the queue. I've never had a bad meal here but understand when it's busy its bedlam and very noisy. If you want a quiet, peaceful & relaxed meal go early mid-week. Otherwise it's a case of get in, eat & get out!

You get a good selection of food, the only English food options are french fries and omlettes. Very clean and tidy restaurant. The staff are really friendly and helpful. Wheelchair friendly.

Typical Indian restaurant with a difference, the service was spot on, friendly manager and waiting staff, the food was absolutely delicious and the price was good to.I have eaten in plenty of Indian restaurants around the country, some really good some not so, this is most definitely worth a visit if you are around the Swindon area for sureExactly what I like when eating out one business, it is a good job I don't live in Swindon or I would there a few nights a week , my thanks to the staff and above all the chef !

Been to the AR couple of times. First time we had great food and service and the place to ourselves. The second time was early Friday evening and it was getting busy. The food was still some of the best, nicely cooked with decent portions, but the service was very average. We certainly didn't suffer from long waits and lack of attention. Quite the opposite, feeling we were being rushed to leave. It won't stop us going again, but maybe give a Friday/Saturday evening a miss.

Been getting takeaways and eating here for at least 20 years (through various name changes) and this is the first time I've been given the wrong meal. Maybe partly my fault for not listening when my takeaway order was read out as the bag was handed over but I suspect as I ordered Sag Prawn it was delivered as Sag Prawn. Maybe I should have opened the bag and taken out the cartons to check what was written on the lids. However what I found once home and food on plates was what I took to be small cubes of Paneer the Indian cheese. So I thought maybe just some odd bits mixed in but after searching through the spinach there were no prawns to be found just cubes of what turned out to be diced chicken meat. I had a Sag Chicken. Now you might say why not ring up and let them know but what was the point? I had eaten several mouthfuls, broken up the naan and had some rice and a replacement would have taken time to obtain given a busy Friday night and the rest of the family would have been long finished. So, if the management read this a quality control review might be in order because I know what I asked for over the phone and it's all too late once you are home. The sad thing is that I really like this restaurant, the manager is excellent, friendly and hard working as are the staff too. This wrong meal spoilt my evening but will I eat from here again, probably yes. Somehow I need to come up with a fool proof method of ensuring what I take home is what I ordered without the embarrassment of opening all the cartons at the cash desk.

We are regular visitors and have visited this venue for over twenty years with only one minor disappointment that was speedily rectified.the owner is dedicated to serving the local community and it is obvious that he runs a "tight ship"Whilst the writer is not a great fan of Indian food my visitors from Manchester on this occasion assure me that the food quality and variety compares favourably with similar restaurants in Manchester.

Great food in a quite busy environment. Good choice / range of food at reasonable prices. Many local people treat this as a regular visiting place.

A warm, attentive welcome and good service, with a well prepared, flavoursome meal and some interesting side orders provided a most enjoyable dining experience.