The Masala Bazaar in Carlisle

Good morning, i am on a soft food diet, i rang 3 other restaurants to ask if they could puree my meal, all said no!! asked the same question Chef said not a problem, just had to order in advance so it could be prepared, not a problem. On arrival the staff were very pleasant, my meal arrived, it was perfect, very enjoyable, my hubbie's meal was very nice. Thank you all for your super effort, all i wanted was an Indian, you achieved this. Thank you all once again, Tracey.

Excellent meal. Super choice of dishes - spicy and hot for me, delicious Korma for my husband. Excellent service and good price.

Delicious food Nice space & ambience. Under £20 is cash only Card payment available over £20

Papadams we're thinner than air. Nan bread was thinner than a chapati. We had the steak...one well done and one medium. Well done was medium rare and medium was rare. No one came and asked is everything was OK so we decided to cut our losses and just pay and go. The lady taking our bill didn't speak one word and just added it up and shoved the card reader in our face. After we got out we realised they had added a tip without our knowledge. We are 54 and 52 years old and that was the worst meal and worst service we have ever paid for. We will NEVER go back.

The last night of a walking holiday found us in Carlisle and desirous of a curry. We bumped into a trio of fellow walkers who told us that this was their second trip to the restaurant and they heartily recommended the food. The menu was so varied that it was difficult to choose but my scallop pakora starter, the lamb with turnip main, onion pilau, Chick pea side and Peshwari naan were all excellent and the various dishes of my friends were all enjoyed. We were the last diners and we felt that we were a little rushed towards the end but overall it was an excellent experience. I have eaten in numerous curry restaurants, mostly in London, but this was by far the best and one that I wouldn't hesitate to visit again to sample many more interesting dshes.

What a lovely restaurant! Delicious fresh food and an extensive menu. The staff are wonderful, attentive and patient (we were a party of 18!). Would highly recommend for a party of 2 as much as a large gathering.

A sensational restaurant, the best Indian food experience I have had in the UK. Menu full of dishes I’ve never come across from different areas of India. High quality food and excellent customer service. I would go back to Carlisle just to eat here

We had a wonderful meal last night, fantastic service, truly authentic Indian food and a great experience. Highly recommended!!!

Sorry to say its a lovely place and staff but food was the worse indian I've ever eaten manage to eat 3 spoons the threw it in the bin

Took advantage of the cheaper 5pm - 7pm meal deal. This was nice but we felt the cheaper prices may have led to small portions. Only 3 pieces of chicken in the korma for example. On the whole not bad value though. Food was tasty and service very attentive. We were charged for a large bottle of cobra when we had a small. About £3 difference which slightly sullied the meal. They refunded us happily when we pointed it out.

Had a meal last night there and it was amazing 😍 and the staff were so attentive loved it

Very disappointed! Didn’t get the correct meal, naans more like pancakes, burnt and cold! Manager was rude and unhelpful! Would not eat here again! Waste of money!

Very disappointed! Didn’t get the correct meal, naans more like pancakes, burnt and cold! Manager was rude and unhelpful! Would not eat here again! Waste of money!

We had a lovely meal on Saturday evening. The chicken xacuti was amazing and the portions were just enough! Good value for money. Service was very fast, the staff were friendly, on top of things and the place was clean and modern. It was very quiet with not a lot of people in the restaurant which was a shame since the food was so nice. I would definitely visit again.

Food was disgusting. Worst Nan bread I've ever had. Chips were fries not thick indian chips. The curries were watery and not traditional. I was asked about 4 times whilst eating my poppadoms whether I was ready to order. In the end I had to say, 'I'll call you over when I'm ready." Overall, the food was really poor, we left our mains and asked for our money back. Worst Indian's I've ever had

Quite a bit bizarre. Not good. Actually, terrible. Went in on a Saturday around 9.40pm. Four other diners. Continually told kitchen about to close. As we eat our meal the lights were being turned off and floor swept. I could have played squash with my chicken meal once I washed the garlic off it.

Beautiful. The amount of chicken is large and the service is excellent.

Food grat as normal. Nothing is too much trouble.

Genuinely great Indian food at reasonable prices. Flavours are interesting and certainly live up to the promise of not serving curry house stereotypes. The Taka Taka Champ (Lamb Chop) was a real highlight. Well worth a visit!

Genuinely great Indian food at reasonable prices. Flavours are interesting and certainly live up to the promise of not serving curry house stereotypes. The Taka Taka Champ (Lamb Chop) was a real highlight. Well worth a visit!

Best curry I have had in a very long time (Goa Fish Curry) - and I eat Indian a lot! Railway Lamb Curry was outstanding, too! Can only recommend to anyone who likes authentic Indian food! 👍🏼 Service was great, too, clean, modern place.

We were there early in the evening, so not many people there. The service was quick, friendly and efficient. The food was delicious with good size portions, we shared some of the dishes. The meal was good value for the price. I would recommend a visit and would like to go back when I'm in the area again.

Truly great food.we are vegans and were given clear advice and guidance through the menu. No winging and guesswork. Ordered 3 mains - dhaal, bindi dish and stuffed aubergine curry with steamed mushroom rice and fine thin chapatis to accompany. The service was super efficient ,courteous,friendly and never annoying or fussy. Reasonable prices all round that hit all the spots for highly seasoned diners. If you're in Carlisle make this perfect place your first stop for food.

We were driving through Carlisle on our way home after a long day, we were hungry and fancied a meal, checked on Trip Advisor and as we were really near we stopped and got a table here. It was a Tuesday evening and the restaurant was almost empty, but the staff were friendly and helpful. We ordered 3 dishes, chicken korma, bhuna ghosht and a tarka dhal, together with a couple of Popadoms and some rice. The portion sizes were very generous and the curries were tasty, though surprisingly the Dhal was very hot/ spicy and the waiter took it away and I somehow made I’d milder but almost tasteless, however, in general, we enjoyed the meal. We’d probably visit again if we were back in Carlisle.

Can't fault this restaurant for the excellent food and attentive staff. It's also very clean and well presented. We are quite picky with food too! Chat started amazing

Stumbled across this place on our way up to Scotland, worth the detour from the M6, lamb curry was fantastic

Such a good restaurant. The first time I visited, I forgot my phone; the second time I forgot my glasses. Both times the food was excellent. Tonight I forgot both my phone AND my glasses and the food was even better. Real subtlety and diversity to the food and a range of tasty dishes available. The service, ambience and restaurant design, combining modern and traditional, are all fine too. Only 90 seconds' walk from Carlisle Central Travelodge, where I was staying - a real gem. Thanks to the friendly staff for making it an enjoyable solo night out.

Contrary to all negative reviews, we had an amazing experience here today. The ambiance, food and service was outstanding. Food quality and quantity was superb. We had both vegetarian and chicken and meat dishes. We were a mix of Indian and White British group and everyone absolutely enjoyed the food. If we are back in Carlisle we will definitely come back again.

The service was brilliant, the restaurant was clean and all of the staff were very attentive . We were a party of four and two of us ordered currys that were not on the menu - there were no issues with this. One curry that wasnt on the menu was the Chicken Tikka Naga curry that I had ordered. For those who like their food spicy, I definitely recommend trying. I found this curry was different to other Nagas i’ve had previously as it wasn’t overly spicy but still very enjoyable. The atmosphere was quiet considering it was a bank holiday, but this made our experience even better as the bank holiday boozers were out in full force in Carlisle! Plus it made the staff very attentive for us. All in all, i would recommend this lovely restaurant to visit.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting this gem of a restaurant while on a trip back up to Scotland. I had read some excellent reviews on Google, which ultimately convinced me to give your restaurant a try. While browsing through the reviews, I came across one that criticized the thin garlic naan. However, I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for this particular aspect of your menu. In my opinion, the thin and soft garlic naan was one of the highlights of my dining experience. The overall quality and freshness of the food exceeded my expectations. The attention to detail and commitment to serving excellent food truly shone through. I will definitely be recommending your restaurant to all of my friends, family, and colleagues who may be passing through your area. Thank you once again for providing such a memorable dining experience. I look forward to returning to your restaurant on my next journey through. Jason

We have enjoyed Indian food throughout the U.K., and around the world. We picked Masala Bazaar because it was close to the station, and needed to catch a train. What a delightful surprise this was! The service was prompt and very attentive, without being smothering or intrusive. Questions were answered quickly and fully. The decor is a huge improvement over the normal dark, stuffy, red flock wallpaper encountered in Indian restaurants. It is bright, energetic and welcoming. The food is exceptional, and I can safely say has not been bettered in the auK in my experience. The service was very prompt, and the bill brought and leftovers packed in just a couple of minutes. We look forward to returning when we have more time to savour the experience.

Great food very friendly highly recommended

Lovely Indian place. We went for a birthday meal. We ended up going to the wrong restaurant but they had space for us and we all enjoyed it. Would recommend

Great food, some interesting dishes, good service

Oustanding food. The mixed grill in particular, is a highlight.

Very good food and great service. Nice, really nice mixed grill which was excellent. Tasty food in a relaxed environment.

We visited this place while we were in Carlisle for a holiday. We are vegetarians, so ordered only that. Overall a very pleasing experience. Food was very good and staff were very friendly and kind. Food quality and hygiene was very good. Definitely recommended if you are passing by carlisle.

Cold! Food was awful. Will never order again!!

Food was lovely, staff accommodated to specific requests and were very polite. Pricing for the portions given are very fair. Would recommend!

Very good food especially the starters and very good staff. The manager was very kind and helpful. Overall had a nice experience.

My husband & I had a delicious meal on Valentines evening. There was a great atmosphere & the staff were friendly & were very attentive.

COLD nothing worse than a cold meal. Main dishes were lovely but starters were cold which was a shame as otherwise really nice. Took 90 minutes to arrive was late by 40 minute

Staff were excellent. Food was amazing. My husband said it's the best Indian he's ever had. Thoroughly recommend it. Nothing too much trouble. Food freshly cooked and loved the open kitchen.

Only 1 word, Excellent. The service was flawless, taste was delicious and came out absolutely over the moon.

Out of this world said Garry, Darren said amazing...best chicken pakora ever, Indian Railway Lamb Curry was so so tasty...melt in the mouth. Chicken Korma and Tikka Masala not on menu, however this was prepared for the young guys and they loved it 👌 Great Service with a smile...

Food was nothing special; garlic naan was very thin, curries were okay (average, I'd say), and chips were not nice at all. Poppadoms, though, were the best I've eaten! The atmosphere was okay, although very quiet, the music made the ambience a lot better. Staff were very friendly and really good. Fairly quick service too, which is always a positive. Overall, the food just wasn't for me and I shan't be returning, but it wasn't the worst I've had!

Me and my brother recently visited Carlisle for the first time and this place stood out to us, the food was fairly priced and very good, the staff were kind and attentive. The resteraunt looked incredible and I'll definitely be revisiting if I ever end up in Carlisle again.

Excellent starters but the main courses were disappointing. Good service from the waiters, who were pleasant and obliging. Lovely surroundings.

Driver called and said he was outside hotel. went down, he wasn't there. called him back, he was a wrong hotel. when I did get the food it was just warm and not a good as previous meals from this restaurant.

My husband, sister and I visited last night ( the 12th of January ) We were seated immediately and given the food and wine menu. The drinks order was taken and served and we ordered our food from a very extensive complicated menu. The starters came almost immediately which is never a good sign and we’d hardly finished our starters when the mains arrived. My husband had a sizzling chicken dish which wasn’t sizzling and was full of undercooked onions and tough chicken. My sister and I had the Rogan Josh chicken and vegetable dishes which were ok but nothing special. The staff basically never left us alone , taking away side plates, empty glasses We were being constantly interrupted unnecessarily and then before we’d finished our drinks the bill was presented. We sent the waiter a way three times as we simply hadn’t finished . It was about 9.15 so not late and the place was fairly empty. We won’t be returning

As always, punctual and efficient. Meal absolutely delicious. Best Indian in Carlisle.

Great food, really tasty and delivered on time.

A really fabulous meal, really couldn’t fault it. The lamb biriani was the best i have had in the UK. it was wedding style, often good Indian restaurants across the Globe and in India have it as their signature dish. This certainly lived up to that. Served with raita and a biriani sauce, it had a heat and complexity of flavours in it that is uncommon outside of the very best Indian restaurants and chefs. The lamb was perfectly tender, slightly spicy and the different rices light and airy. I had mine with the Bindi Du Piaza, which suited it perfectly. I ate the lot and rolled home. I can’t wait to go back.

I wish their was a 0 star rating this is the worse Indian food I’ve ever eat in my life the chicken was pink and the lamb chops was still frozen didn’t even have our mains this food was disgusting!! Please do not go to this restaurant you will get food posing

Absolutely delicious, as always from Masala Bazaar.

Missing naan breads but food was delicious.

Excellent food,great service from lovely,friendly ,attentive staff, what a terrific night we all had , absolutely recommend The Masala Bazaar .

Not your normal Indian. Lots of choices, all of them got compliments from our group.

Good thing: The food is good. Not so good: The staff came to our table at least 10 times in half hour time, interrupting our meal conversation. Very annoying, we end up leaving. Please respect the customers, that was stressful. Expensive for what offered.

Beautiful meal very tasty and delicious

The Biryani was good but the chicken I ordered was old and hard to chew. Tasted very bad

Masala Bazar....is awesome...!!!!!! If anybody is INDIAN Food Lover.. then must go here. After a very long time in U.K we ( my friend and me) eat the delicious and good quality of food. Even our U.K friend also loved it very much. It make feels you, that you having food in INDIA best restaurant. I must appreciate the hotel staff and chef who make our dinner memorable.

We visited at the weekend four adults. We were seated and drinks order taken menus given out. Drinks arrived and food order taken, our starters arrived quite quickly and I had veg pakoras which were good ( I’ve had better) they were nice and hot with a nice dip. For main I had a vegetarian paneer dish with a Nan bread which was really tasty, we were given a complementary veg curry which was a nice touch. My friends had various meat biryani’s which they enjoyed. We all left the restaurant satisfied and the staff were very welcoming and attentive. Overall we enjoyed our evening meal at Masala.

We are the very first customer last weekend and at around 430pm they opened their doors for us to sit and order right away although they usually opens at 5ish. I came with my baby and husband and we just ordered enough food for the 3 of us but it wasnt what we are expecting. It was overloaded and very delicious. You can observe the cleanliness of the restaurant from their floor to the seats and toilets too! All are clean... very fantastic! The waiters and waitress are all courteous and lovely too! We will definitely come back for more!

8 people in party...2 enjoyed the meal 6 didnt. Wont be back...tasteless and chicken way overdone. Funny that happen to us as well...got moved to another table??????

Absolutely loved my meal last night, I just wish the restaurant was in Derby.

Very well placed for the hotel we stayed, so we went for the Early Bird menu (5-7pm), and as we are not very familiar with genuine Indian dishes the menu was explained for us, and it was easy to make decisions on what to order. All the dishes were served beautifully, hot and spicy and very generous portions. My BH decided on the chilli cheese nan and hasn't stopped talking about it he was so impressed. The staff were attentive but not overly so, a fine experience and definately a go to if we are in the area again.

Any time we have been in Carlisle we eat at Masala Bazar which has excellent food. Was there last night and it was even better. The service we got was second to none. Waiters and waitresses could not do enough for us. Food is very unusual but fantastic. Will be back

Amazing just amazing and lovley staff

It’s a great experience. The ambiance is very welcoming and charming. Amazing Indian food and service. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and make great recommendations.

I enjoyed it so much that I went back the following evening! The first night I was quite early so I had the early bird meal offer which was excellent value and good food. The second night I had the Indian Railway Lamb Curry which I'd never seen offered before anywhere. The menu is very good, and away from the standised menu you see in so many Indian restaurants in England. Well worth a visit!

As usual we eat too early for a place to build an atmosphere so can't score that The food and wine were amazing

Wonderful curry the minted lamb is especially good as was the vegetarian dish of okra staff welcoming

Had a lovely meal here . The food was so tasty and big portions . The staff were so kind and attentive. Really lovely . Thank you . This was my first meal here and I will be going back . I highly recommend 👌

Great food and a really good early doors offer.

My recent visit to Masala Bazaar was marred by disrespectful treatment from the manager and staff. Despite requesting a table,we were met with judgemental looks and made to feel unwelcome. When we opted for takeaway, we were forced to sit at an isolated table near the entrance and rushed to order. The staff failed to inform us of a minimum cash requirement, leading to unnecessary arguments and a disrespectful attitude. Overall, this hotel displayed a complete lack of professionalism and customer satisfaction. Avoid at all costs.

I had visited this restaurant two days back and I had a bitter experience. We asked for a table for 3. We wanted to have our drinks(tea) there and food for takeaway. As soon as we told that we wanted take away, the manager shut the menu and and asked us to immediately go to another table that's to order takeaway in the corner, however he didn't bother about our drinks menu, and all he wanted was us to move to another table for takeaway. We did tell him that we are drinking sitting in, though there was no crowd he just rudely behaved and wanted us to move to an isolated table. It felt discriminated and nobody informed about the cash only option as it was written as a tiny note in some corner. I think customers who are willing to just have drinks should be respected the same way as the ones who come to eat. Overall, a rude behavior.

I had a regrettable experience at Masala Bazaar restaurant with my friend. When we entered, we were seated at a nice table, but things took a turn when we informed the staff that we wanted to order drinks at the table and food for takeaway. The manager insisted that we move to an isolated table and gave us uncomfortable looks, which seemed racially motivated. This made us feel unwelcome and uneasy throughout our visit. Adding to our frustration, no one had informed us about any minimum order requirements or the cash-only payment policy, leading to an argument with the staff. Such behavior and lack of transparency are disappointing and not what one would expect from a restaurant. It's essential for businesses to treat all customers with fairness and courtesy. I hope the management takes this feedback seriously and works to create a more inclusive and transparent environment for all patrons.

Poppadoms semi sort. Meal not as nice as last time. Told staff and manager - response - not interested. We were happy to pay but wanted to give our feedback.

Food was average at best! Felt it was batch cooked & not fresh & the staff looked stressed & unhelpful! I’ve been to loads of Indian restaurants and this isn’t my taste sad 3/10 for me

Amazing Service and Fabulous Authentic Food, highly recommended

What a place fantastic food the korma was amazing and tasted so different from most places Iv tried it tasted amazing staff were amazing and a nice extra complements from the chef was a nice touch

Amazing food, excellent staff, good vegetarian options as well

Brilliant food really enjoyed will be ordering again

We were the first people in the restaurant but got the feeling they wanted to serve us as quickly as possible so the table could be free for other customers. We were harassed by the staff for our drinks and food order and as soon as we finished the starter course the plates were whipped away. I had the red curry for my main with a naan bread. The curry was just like a mush and the naan bread was dry and crispy, possibly reheated from the day before. A very disappointing experience.

Hands down the greatest curry I have ever had and now that I know it's only an hour away from me on a train I will always come here when I visit... Hell it's an incentive to visit again. Thank you for being the grand finale on my stag weekend. You helped end it on a high note!

Visited on a Sunday night so fairly quiet. Staff were attentive and service good and quick. Food authentic and really good.

The most delicious curry I've ever had the pleasure to eat! A little Pricey but very much worth it for the quality of cooking. 10/10. Utterly recommended.

Excellent quality food and great service again. Thank you!

Already good in every department.

Fantastic meal at a reasonable price

Food was ok. Atmosphere is very good friendly staff. Taste wise i didnt like. since i am from south india and never saw potatoes in biriyani. And price is little high

Really tasty food will definitely order again

The staff are lovely can't do enough for you it's very clean and there were 6 of us and every one of us enjoyed our meals the food is delicious xxxx

I always order my lamb biryani from this restaurant because they do authentic hyderabadi style biryani which tastes so delicious. The biryani is not overloaded with spices and oil which is a common problem I have with other Asian restaurants. Plus the biryani portions are generous and I got a free large bottle of soda

One of the best places I have eaten at.. amazing food.. ultra friendly professional staff... I will definitely visit again the next time I'm in the area 10/10 in all areas 👌

The food was very tasty. will definitely recommend

The food was absolutely awful we couldn’t eat most of the order

Excellent food and piping hot.

Fantastic food and service! Very calm environment. Would highly recommend u go for food. I'll definitely be back