The India Club Restaurant in City of London, Westminster

One our favourite and classic informal Indian restaurants in London. We came as close as we could before the enforced closure. The guy on the door said there was powerful optimism that a proposal to recreate the business, its styles and flavours could be relocated and to keep an eye out. A month on and we’ve heard nothing specific yet.

The India Lounge is an old favorite and an old institution that is closing due to “gentrification’. London needs another empty but exclusive hotel rather than allowing an established and culturally significant cafe to continue. The atmosphere makes the India club. The food was so so. Possibly the least masala dosa, dosa I’ve ever eaten. It was nice to enjoy for a final time. I hope they reopen somewhere else but if they do I hope the food improves.

A great London institution sadly coming to an end. Went with friends for a last hurrah. Three hour waitlist is testament to the regard in which this place is held. The club formerly frequented by Nehru has history seeping out of it but in the most unprepossessing way imaginable. It’s almost as if there is a total disregard for its historic significance and that has always been the charm. The bar is dowdy, slow but clubbable in a rundown but comfy manner. The restaurant is simple, fairly dirty and unapologetically so. However, contrary to other reviews I’d have to contend that the food is good, not outstanding but very reasonable dishes that satisfied not just me but also Indian born and bred. The starters were small, simple but packed with flavour. The mains were no frills but have the essence of what you would seek. All at a very reasonable price. The service was fine, not prompt but sufficient and the experience as a whole was proletarian in the finest sense. I loved the experience and think this kind of unpretentious historic cuisine will be enormously missed in a city that all too often takes itself far too seriously. That it is closing signifies the end of an era and that is nothing to celebrate. Just grateful I was able to experience it before it’s denouement. It was a pleasure whilst it lasted.

So I managed to get to go to the "historic" India Club before it closes down for good apparently (rumour has it they are looking to potentially relocate). Before I lay into it I will say that I appreciate the history of the place and the nostalgia it will evoke for money. But I am afraid that's were my nice comments end. The place was rammed as you would expect wiht only a few days left before it closes for good and the service was shockingly poor, again probably due to it being super packed. Despite the history and legacy of the place, the food was absolutely substandard. The starters were tiny in portion yet overpriced, this was a recurring theme. When the food did eventually arrive it was all at best microwaved/reheated fare (most menu items were 'sold out'). The Butte Chicken was disgusting: it tasted like old tough reheated chicken meat thrown into some supermarket curry sauce. That cost £11.50 and was barely anything it maybe like half a chicken breast diced up. The dosa was passable but not a patch on the many dosa places that do it so much better around London. The King Prawyn Biryani was acceptable, they did make it spicier at my request but it didn't taste at all authentic. None of the food did. This was extremely disappointing. I anticipated for a join with so much history, the food would live up to the hype. But it really didn't. It didn't taste authentic, it wasn't great quality, it was overpriced, the portions were small, and the service was shockingly bad, it just wasn't a great experience. I felt it was both a waste of my time and my money. If it is indeed to relocate it perhaps needs to rebrand itself and overhaul the menu and perhaps a commitment to high quality fare. Honestly and I say this as someone who knows Indian food: I have had supermarket meals better than this. If this is what the food was/has always been like I am surprised the place survived for as long as it did. If this is truly the end of the line for the India Club: then good riddance.

My friend and I were lucky to be able to book a table before the restaurant closes for good on 17th September 2023. I gave been here many times and as an Anglo Asian, I have appreciated the sentiment and the food. The restaurant was full and service was frenetic. We brought a bottle of prosecco (they serve alcohol but allow byo with no corkage charge). We had poppadoms with chutneys followed by chicken curry and lamb bhuna, pilau rice and parathas. The food was outstanding, just like Indian home cooking. So sad to see the end of an institution.

I've been coming here for many years and it's such a shame it seems to be closing. Something of a time capsule, with an atmospheric lounge bar and a small period restaurant right on The Strand. The menu is short, but the food is nicely prepared and the prices, even with recent increases, are still extremely reasonable. It's going to be very busy for the next 2 weeks, so do book ahead if you're going.

Horrible service! We had to wait for roughly 2 hours for our food to be delivered, and the waiter argued that we should have less food than what we paid for. Do not come if you're short on time or expect good service or portions the way they do them in ACTUAL restaurants.

Heard a lot about this restaurant and was keen to eat here before it closed its doors forever. This hidden gem has a lot of history associated with Indian heritage and therefore wanted to try it out. We went there on Saturday and it was jam packed however the staff were friendly, smiling and calm despite the mad rush. There were not much available from the menu in vegetarian option so chose spinach daal. Wanted to order masala dosa, only to be told by the staff they had only ghee dosa available today. So we also ordered that along with butter chicken (chicken makhani). We unfortunately waited for an hour for our food however we were offered complimentary starter as an apology. Food was okay. However the dosa and mango lassi were very nice. Shame didn’t enjoy the rest of the food- probably due to mad rush, food might not have been up to mark on this occasion. And felt a bit disappointed that my next table got masala dosa whereas we were told it’s not available.

I found the India Club far too late as its about to close its doors for good in September. The br is classic faded glory and a delight to be in, whereas the canteen style restaurant uptairs is just fabulous. If you manage to get there before it closes you will enjoy real Indian cooking the way it should be. Be quick - get there now! Losing the India Club will be such a shame.

Last time I ate here must be about 40 years ago so i was interested to return. I was disappointed. The entrance is less than inviting and the stairace equally off-putting. Maintenance is clearly not their strong-point. It has been described as quaint and old fashioned; I think scruffy is a more appropriate word. The meal started well with the pakoras which were tasty. The egg curry was unusual and okay while the Okra was good. The rice was average and the bread below averae. The Gulab Jamun were tasteless. Service was just about okay. All in all a disappointment which I will not repeat.

Yes this place is quaint, aged, steeped in history and in a prime location. But don’t go there to sample Indian cuisine at its best. Friday 6pm, it was jam packed with tourists, so loud we were unable to to hold a conversation, the portion’s size extremely small (in fact even tho we ordered a la carte, I’m sure we were given sample menu sized portions). Expensive ++ for what we had. Service seemed chaotic. I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit, unfortunately I will not return.

I have wanted to visit this establishment for some time and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The food is perfect, the staff are friendly, the service is great and the experience is very authentic. I can’t wait to return.

Great value, exceptional tasting food and very authentic. Not much has changed about the place which adds to the uniqueness. Gets very busy at peak times and the paratha's are up there with the best! Well worth a visit and recommended.

Me and my girlfriend came here after seeing such glowing reviews. We were happy with the experience overall, food was good, service was fast. We did find the overall decor strange! I have never seen a restaurant use fold out chairs but it actually heightened our experience! I have taken a star off because you have to get the rice separately from the main dish rather than including the rice. But overall a great experience in a historic gem with a great location

This place is a gem and a legend which flies in the face of the overwhelming majority of overpriced , commercial , disappointing , transient crap in London . You can feel the history as you walk up the stairs , the ambience in the charming restaurant is buzzing with an eclectic but cool clientele , the menu is short and sweet but with excellent perfectly portioned food and and the BYOB is the icing on the cake . Service was courteous , efficient and prompt even with a very busy dining room . Anybody criticising the India Club is totally missing the point - it has probably been around longer than you . I love love this place for everything it stands for , it is a home from home and long may it continue .

Gem of a restaurant serving very reasonably priced good quality food. Note the entrance is just a staircase lrading to the 2nd floor

As good as ever. We had not booked and it was very busy but they soon found us a table. We had the sharing meal for two. Companion had not been before and was very impressed. This place is unique. No complaints about the food...

I have been dining here occasionally for a quarter of a century, but shall not return. On my prior visit a year and a half ago, I thought the food was just so so and a bit costly for what it was. The mess was...

Was great experience feel traditional social live in London. We were invited from our friend, and really We enjoy the view, attention from the waiters, music and of course the menu.

I have to say that I love this place with a passion. Beautiful, delicious, authentic Indian food. Today, however, the service was dreadful. We waited almost an hour for our main dishes. Still a very reasonable option with some excellent dishes but the service needs...

Five friends visited on a very cold day in London. We went initially for the historic and novelty value. But were we surprised at the quality of the food and service which were outstanding. Authentic cooking serving traditional dishes like Dosa and sambar all at...

Just really good Indian food served in simple surroundings. No frills just gutsy flavours and delicious food.

The India Club is to be found up a tatty little staircase. The eclectic restaurant bar emerges on the first floor, past a rather odd hotel reception desk. You get the feeling you are stepping back in time as you enter a rather tatty, chaotic...

I can only say that reputation must keep this place busy. As busy it was. Queue out the door but got seated fairly promptly. The place is shabby. Really shabby. Not been touched in 50yrs shabby. And there was a massive draft constantly blowing the...

Highly recommended by my elder son, would never have found or heard of this exceptional and idiosyncratic place without him. It’s been operating for about 70 years up a narrow staircase on a couple of floors of an unassuming building beside that pedestrianised bit of...

Not great Indian, probably the worst I’ve had. Staff seemed to have forgotten about our mains. Didn’t give us our chutneys and with the starters, not the poppadoms had to ask for them and got a surprised response. Thought this was supposed to be affordable…...

Once more into the time warp at the Hotel Strand Continental! As you walk up the rather rickety, archaic stairway to the India Club, you can´t help wondering if you´ve come to the right place. When you finally reach the restaurant, you realise your walking...

The place is a bit run down, and pretty basic - not the sort of place for a relaxed, lingering meal. It's clearly very popular, though, and we had to wait for a table even on a Monday night; being popular, it's also pretty noisy....

Bought here for a dinner with colleagues during a visit to our London offices. You have to go up a little staircase, past a hotel reception and up more stairs to a room that looks like it was someone's living room with, filled with tables...

This place is fantastic and held very warmly to those who have been coming here for years. It is authentic, the food is really good (must have is the chilli bhagi) the staff are friendly, food is very good, and exceptionally priced given the central...

We booked to have our last supper before the November lockdown. What a treat. Avoiding the tempting and excellent value set menu, we decided to be more adventurous and explore the rest of the options. I still had a masala dosa to start - can't resist - it's delicious. We also had chilli bhajias.I chose a veg curry and tarka dhal. My partner was raving about the excellent parathas that he had with his Mughlai Chicken.The restaurant does now serve beer and wine - though you can still BYO. Excellent to have the choice. Service was great and we really enjoyed our meal.The decor is basic - the food makes up for it. Overall great value and no frills.

Delicious authentic food, great vegan options, friendly service and good value. The head waiter is an angel. We go back again and again. Well worth heading into central London for.

Four of us visited. It was quiet when we arrived but got very busy. almost full on a Friday evening. The place does need refurbishing, but the staff were excellent, friendly and efficient. The food was very good. We picked the set meal at £19pp, but with drinks etc, this came to £32 including tip.

I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t for a friends advice. It hidden in between other shops. The food is amazing, very tasty and the prices are low for the area where it is located. This is not a fancy place.

In years of working a few blocks from this upstairs restaurant, I must have ambled past it hundreds of times before an Indiaphile friend took me to it. Now I drop in for delicious, good-value meals in the often-buzzing, veggie-friendly restaurant, or the lively bar on the floor below, feeling I have been granted entry to a secret club of cool Londoners and in-the-know students from nearby King's College. Service is fast and there are even coat-hangers and hooks so you can eat uncluttered at the long canteen-style tables. Hindu friends say the whole effect reminds them of workers' cafes in the old country (unfortunately also including the difficulty of access for disabled people: narrow staircases are a formidable obstacle). Under threat of being turned into flats, the venue can only benefit from your custom.

I came here around 1986 and thought it needed redecorating. Coming back today, I realise it has not changed, and is still fantastic. Value, for the location in the Strand, is unbelievable. But, if this place was in a backwater, we would appreciate the vibe and the olde-world feel of this place. The starters are outrageously tasty and you must have the Onion Bhaji and the Pakoras... everything is spot on. This is my new go-to destination.

Unpretentious food, friendly service and a basic decor evoking the 1970s and earlier. It's a piece of Anglo-Indian history. The food is basic, staple Indian cuisine, no frills, but freshly cooked and tasty and modest prices. Ought to be on every tourist's itinerary.

If you go to the India Club, it shouldn’t be for the food. Indeed, the less said about the food, the better. True it’s dead cheap and it looks and tastes it. So why the four stars? Well, look at it this way: you’re bang in the middle of Strand, few doors away from The Savoy, a five minutes-walk to Trafalgar Square in one direction and St Paul’s Cathedral in the other, for the derisory bill at the end, you get to enjoy something unique – a flavour of an enchanted, a by-gone interior of colonial times during the British Raj. There are original photographs and paintings of pre-independence luminaries on the wall, peeling paint on the ceiling, a small L-shaped room with overhanging lanterns; you feel being transported to 1947; to groups of idealised students mapping out a new India. That experience alone is worth every penny. The bar, one floor down, is a bit like to an old-fashioned gentlemen’s club – soft sofas, lovely carpet and magnificent views across the Strand. Go to India Club and wile away couple of hours – maybe for a drink at the bar, and to the restaurant for its atmosphere more than for its food.

Funky. Two flights up. A no nonsense curry house. Food was excellent. Noise a bit much as was filled to capacity. Don't be tempted to order too much, as portions are generous

Pésimo servicio al cliente. En menos de una hora intentaban que nos fuéramos, y después de la quinta vez que alguien se nos acercó, le dije al mesero que nos iríamos cuando terminamos nuestra bebida. Insistió en que nos fuéramos en ese instante y discutió conmigo que necesitaba esa mesa de inmediato. Nunca he experimentado algo así. Especialmente porque la mesa de al lado era un gran grupo de muchachos que hacían mucho ruido, gritaban, cantaban canciones de fútbol, golpeaban mesas, etc., todo lo cual el personal parecía contento. Ciertamente no volvería aquí.

Well, up two flights of stairs in a building located near Theatreland and you arrive at the India Club. It was my first visit but it came highly recommended by a friend who has dined there for years. Onion bhajis were more like pakoras, small bites rather than a round ball or flat fritter The curries were good though, especially the lamb curry. Dal and parathas were also highlights. Well worth a visit if you are passing by. And very reasonably priced.

Sin lujos pero muy sabroso!Apareció después de ver una recomendación como una joya escondida en un sitio web de Londres. Casi no lo encontré, ya que es solo una puerta y sube un conjunto de escaleras.Aunque ciertamente no era lujoso, estaba limpio y cuando informamos al personal sobre las alergias alimentarias de mi esposa, fueron de gran ayuda para guiarnos a lo que podía y no podía tener en el menú.Los entrantes de pakora de pollo estaban bien, pero nada espectacular, sin embargo, el pollo con mantequilla y el bhoona de cordero recomendado eran fantásticos.Entre los platos y las bebidas estábamos un poco más de cuarenta libras. No está nada mal en el centro de Londres.Si buscas elegante, no te vayas. Si buscas sabroso, no te lo pierdas.

What did I walk into!? Going up the stairs to the ‘restaurant’ I felt as if I was in some scary building that you see in some of the American films that lead off a dodgy alley! The building is very run down and it definitely was noticed in the main room. We were sat at the table next to window which was vile, there was dust, paint chippings... we waited a while for someone to take our order and then waited an extra long time for our meal to come, we were close to walking out. The meal it’s self wasn’t too bad, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to return. The staff were miserable and made no effort to see how everything was. We finished the food and off we went!

Decidí ir aquí después de leerlo en Time Out. Las críticas en TripAdvisor y algunas buenas y otras malas. Las dosas tienen un precio razonable y son sabrosas, las verduras biryani y el curry son pequeñas o caras (tú eliges) y son bastante aburridas y están hechas de verduras congeladas, la paratha sabía bien, pero pensándolo bien también podría haberse congelado.Ambiente bueno y tenían cerveza de barril también.

The India club is unique in the heart of the west end it hasn't changed in decades and is totally uncommercial with a bring your own drinks policy and traditional and friendly service the food is average but is really cheap for the west end and is well worth a visit . Food 3* experience 5*

The food was very good, lamb of a high quality, tender and lean. The service was perfunctory but polite, not surprising as they were packed at 6.30 on a Monday evening before New Year. Had some decent cocktails in the bar downstairs first, 2 for £10 a selection of about 10 different cocktails, we had Mojitos and Manhattens. Went upstairs to eat to find the place packed, we were given a little bleeper to call us when the table was ready. Called up after 20 minutes as expected, the food was very good, the portions a little small, but so were the prices. This allows you to have perhaps a couple more dishes than normal, suits me to the ground! We had large bottled beers and the bill for 4 hungry men, with beers, was £75. A bargain certain to be repeated I left very happy with the experience.

My friend and I had lunch at this restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised at how reasonable the prices were for their dishes. The food was very nice and the staff was helpful and attentive.

Unusual location, good social are for drinking (bottled beer only but Cobra and Kingfisher both available), restaurant crowded with large parties, food small servings and not expected quality.

My vegetable curry was incredibly bland and the portion size was tiny! There’s no need for such tiny portions when the ingredients for a vegetable curry are so cheap. I was sitting with friends who picked a combination deal which gave them a range of dishes, whilst I picked from the regular menu. I was told that if I ate any of their food that I would be charged £20 on top of the cost of my meal. I then had to watch a bowl of dahl my friends didn’t want go in the bin - incredibly wasteful. That food was paid for, and they should not be intervening with what you do with it.

Great Imdian restaurant with many classic dishes you won't find in mainstream Indian restaurant.

Pre-reservado un menú fijo caro para 24. Estaba interesado en visitar aquí debido a la historia del edificio. Picante curry sin sabor y lleno de sal. La peor comida india que he tenido, me sentía físicamente enfermo.

I went to The India Club last night and my experience was actually almost laughable. I’ve never felt so compelled to write a review for a restaurant as I do for this place. I ordered a chicken curry, of which the name now escapes me - but the ingredients listed were coconut milk, cashew nuts and a whole host of different spices. I expected it to be creamy and delicious, just like a korma. When it turned up it was honestly just pieces of pre-cooked dry chicken in what tasted like mild curry powder mixed with WATER. No coconut milk in sight. I very rarely don’t finish my food, but this was actually almost inedible. My friends and I had such a bad experience with the waiter whilst ordering that I really could not be bothered to send it back and cause hassle - by that time I had lost the will to live. I will say though that the breads were nice and by far the best part of the meal. The onion bhajis were okay too.

I visited the curry house last night with 6 other friends. The service was very unwelcoming. Myself and 1 other of my friends went to order the special set menu for £19 each which says on the menu it is for a minimum of 2 people. The rude waiter said we weren't allowed to order it at our table with our friends and said if we wanted to order it we had to sit at a completely separate table from our friends.... Where is the logic in that? You have 2 people ordering it as intstructed on the menu and you now have an extra table to clean up and think about. Absolutely awful. The food was not great at all and the portion sizes were small. All my friends thought exactly the same and we left with nothing but negative thoughts. Stay clear of this one folks.

I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. The “food” we were served was cold and bland, however the worst part was the service. The staff were so rude and refused to take our order unless we all sat on different tables which was very bizarre.

Have tried to get here before but never managed it until recently.

I last visited a few years ago and the food was excellent. The best outside of India. However tonight I was really disappointed. The portions were small, the food was bland and it's not a place I will go back to. Such a shame given the excellent food that I have had in the past, too much like every other Indian restaurant.

So disappointed with the food here. The vegetarian food was extremely bland and worse of all, the nan bread is shop bought. Eating in a group on the set menu, they are careful to only give you half a nan as well. I don’t get why this place is so busy, maybe because of location. The food tasted like it was boiled with very little seasoning. Never again.

Came here this evening for my friends birthday dinner. There was some confusion as to whether we could sit down or not, and after some sour faced discussion we were finally led to a table ( you cannot book if there are less than 6 people in your party)

I finally got round to eating here after reading a review on Londonist over a year ago. The decor and ambiance exactly met my expectations - this review is about the food:

Some institutions only need to be visiting once every couple of decades and it's been about 20 years since I last visited the India Club. Food is worse than I remember; the chicken malabar was bland and served in a metal dish, almost looks like something you would put down for your beloved pooch. Dahl, my favourite Indian dish of all time, was so thin (and again bland) it bordered on soup. The one thing you don't want from Indian food is blandness.

Wonderful eating experience, favorite of all meals in London while on holiday. Food was fantastic, flavors blended well, warm welcoming environment. I was craving the meal right after we finished. Cant wait to return for a repeat!!!! Thank you to the lovely gentleman near Big Ben that recommended this restaurant to us.

Writing 2nd review in 50 years.....as this on deserves it.

Centrally located, this retro restaurant serves excellent authentic Indian dishes, good portions in lovely old 2nd floor restaurant with its great bar on the first floor

Fuimos aquí como una recomendación de mi tía. Sirven comida típica de la India, que son promedio en el mejor de los casos, pero definitivamente hay mejores por ahí. El lugar es un poco caro. El biryani fue el mejor plato que tuve, el resto de nuestras entradas estaban bien, pero no totalmente asqueroso.

This place is not fancy, but the food is very good and at a decent price. Service was a bit slow and the volume in the room quite high (to the extent where holding a conversation was getting a bit difficult).

Decided to head there after work as felt it was a place I needed to experience. I was not disappointed and it really was a great place and step back in time. Loved the history and mystique of the place. An unassuming door off the high street, up a flight of stairs to the 1st floor bar where we had to wait 15 mins for a table. Would have liked to sit there longer tbh as was nice, calm and lots of decor to admire and lament over.

He estado viniendo a este restaurante desde que era un niño. Puede que no tenga una bella decoración o una apariencia grandiosa, pero la auténtica comida de degustación, el personal amable, la excelente ubicación y los precios justos son una bocanada de aire fresco. ¡Espero poder traer a mis nietos aquí en los próximos años! Bien hecho

Si . . Los restaurantes indios son omnipresentes en Londres y el Reino Unido. Están en todos lados . . . y con razón.

Food was great - unpretentious and tasty. The feel of the place was pretty nostalgic (70’s/Birmingham balti). Not bad value for the location, good service, only criticism is the portions could have been a little bigger....

This is great food in a place that could be in India in central london. The decore is dated and quaint, the food delicious, masala dosa and dry veg curry. Really really good, for groups in particular, busy and noisy in th evenings but calmer at lunch time.

Had a lovely Lamb Madras with basmati rice, while i was staying at the hostel in the same building. Very efficent service and delicious food. Extremely reasonable prices for Central London as well. Would defiinetely recommend this one.

Reservé con amigos y me decepcionó mucho. Comida normal que no era tan buena como un curry de microondas de M&S.; Pequeñas porciones y no lo terminamos.

This place is in central London and a remarkable relic. Loads of subcontinental independence relevance, with many activists dining here. Admirably, no attempts to modernize (and ruin) it. Excellent simple food, subtly spiced. Good prompt service. Vegan friendly. Good vegetarian options. Good lamb and chicken dishes, good dosas, very hot chilli Bhajias. Several steep staircases to ascend. Loved it!

Absolutely fantastic food! And the ambiance was even better. This little place is a time warp jewel! The best find, and easily the best value of our stay in London.

Popped in on a Tuesday night for a quick dinner after an event, left an hour an half after ordering still hungry with no explanation as to the delay. Really wanted to try the food but just couldn’t keep waiting constantly being told ‘5 minutes’ for another hour!

I am so glad The India Club was saved from extinction. Places like this deserve to be on the map and not swept away like some forgotten part of history. OK, the decor is not what you'd find in some posh place in Mayfair but the prices are great value and the food is excellent - unlike an alarming number of places in Mayfair… !

Food was alright, service from the waiters was not really great, they forgot to bring my starter before the main course.

You could miss this, up a flight of stairs into an informal bar, then up another flight to the restaurant. On The Strand, near Aldwych. Clean, plenty of space, excellent service and food menu/food. It's an experience and atmosphere. Inexpensive.

This is a great little restaurant, very old school with its yellow walls and classic furniture.

Good value basic food, tasty and hearty but don't expect sophistication. Good value and great service on a bank holiday Monday lunch

Visited for lunch last Monday. Our first time. Not impressed really. Was it because it was the beginning of the week? Who knows. Sorry but underwhelmed with the food quality. Lassi not so good either.

No frills dining in a tired old building. It's the perfect surroundings to dine on dishes that have an authentic taste and feel that has not been dumbed down for modern sensibilities. We arrived at the dinner opening at 6:00pm on Sunday. By the time we left @ 7pm, the place was full. Predominantly local Anglos, some South Asians and a small smattering of tourists. The real deal!

The India Club isn't very obvious from The Strand due to its being on the second floor of a budget hotel (The Strand Continental) but it is definitely worth seeking out.

We took family from US for an early Saturday evening Supper. It's fairly basic with a limited menu but food & service friendly & good and really buzzing. The menu is small but probably best in order to be able to keep up with service. Not for anyone who wants a fancy foodie night out but great fun with simple dishes and great prices for central London.

The food is average. I tried butter chicken .. too sweet similar to malabar chicken .. its silly that they have nan on menu when they dont make them fresh .. chapaati may have been better option. Biriyani was good and so was the dosa.

Hidden, yes. A gem, maybe not. The food here is very so-so. Much betterIndian food can be found around London. The main allure of this place seems to be that it's hidden away, two floors up, inside a 2-star hotel. It has the feel of an officers' canteen in colonial India, circa 1920s. So, an eccentric place.

Unique place in Central London. Great for the parties, you can even bring your own drinks. Good food and nice bar below the restaurant.

The India Club holds a special place in my heart and I believe that it is a hidden gem within London. I was captivated by its special charm and atmosphere. The food brought my mother and I a sense Of nostalgia. I particularly recommend getting Poori, the chefs special of Lamb curry and the chicken Biryani. If you are considering a visit DO NOT EXPECT the anglicized food that you would get at most “Indian” restaurants, this is nearer home cooked and in my opinion better. If you are looking for good honest Indian food at a really good price, the India club is for you. Food, good value, history, priceless.

Really loved this place. Great food at a really good price and charming staff. It really is a special place and look forward to coming back.

Recommended to my dinner partner. You can almost miss this hidden gem. A small doorway leading to the 2nd floor restaurant. No frills or background music like other Indian restaurants. This one was steeped in history. Every table was occupied. The buzz of people talking antimatedly. Menu was simple but spot on. Staff extremely friendly. Price was fantastic. Definitely a gem to discover in the cosmopolitan Strand.

I've read some bad reviews, which sit in equal measure with good ones, however, I think they have missed the point. This place is not for you if:

Not the best Indian food in London, but good solid fare at accessible prices for London. A placed seeped in history - hardly changed since it opened. Nice bar attached for a gin and tonic.

Once you've found the hotel (just 200' from the Savoy) tramp up three flights of stairs past the India Club itself - into a dining room straight out of the 1950's.

Food is good but they have a habit of trying to force you down the set meal route. The staff need to try harder to give more choice. The food is good but three visits now and every time the set menu is pushed. Either do one menu or dont give choice.

excelent but cheep food in a old style enviroment. central london but still great value. that's all i need to say, but must use 100 letters ;-)

Thank you for another enjoyable dinner. Three generations of us and, this time, we brought two in-laws, their first visit to India Club. They will be back! For us, the club is very special, yet it seems there are others who don’t share that feeling. A bit like Marmite perhaps, one either loves or loathes it and we were saddened to find here a few really quite offensive reviews. Unnecessary, because mostly they are by people who appear already to have had a clear idea of the unique features that make the club so popular, yet complained when they found the description correct. Showing a little bit of consideration for the staff when the club is busy wouldn’t have come amiss. We’ve always found them very welcoming and helpful. And the menu may not be extensive but is authentically Indian, which might confuse those used to the impossibly ambitious 101 choices to be found in one’s neighbourhood curry house, probably Bangladeshi anyway rather than Indian. Moreover, we’d argue that the prices are very reasonable, it’s in The Strand for goodness’ sake! A bad-tempered review tells one more about the author than the establishment. We will continue to recommend India Club to our friends and look forward to many more visits on our trips to London.

We had read about this restaurant and were intrigued. We gathered it wasn't upmarket but it has an interesting history, with Jaharlawal Nehru, first prime minister of independent India, among its earliest patrons. We looked forward to somewhere atmospheric and to tasty if simple Indian fare.

I really enjoyed it. I happened to be passing and hadn't been for ages so I thought I would pop in for lunch. It was very busy but there was space for me to sit down. I didnt have long and I was a bit worried that the food was going to take a while as there were several large parties ahead of me. It was fine though and I enjoyed my food. It isnt fine dining, its cheap and very cheerful. I like the old fashioned aura - it is like going back in time, in a good way. Nice, friendly. competent staff.

The India Club is in the middle of The Strand so easy to find, there's a large sign hanging overhead outside. On entering the place, going up the stairs it does have a quite tatty, tired appearance, The exhibition is reasonably interesting but it only takes about 10 mins to get the gist.

food tasted just as this place looks- poor. probably worst masala dosa ever had, hard to call it dosa even. place accepts card payments but takes your card away as card reader not portable, no receipt. don’t recommend. if you fancy real india go to dosa and chutney in tooting broadway- cheaper and authentic