Manackjee Rustomjee Parsi Dharamshala — Attraction in Kolkata

Visited this place recently and here is my feedback. If you want to have an amazing dining experience, DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE. The reasons being :- Food, which is prime purpose of our visit, was not at all upto the expectation. All the food tasted very bland. The chicken in Chicken Farcha and the fish in Patrani fish were very smelly. When asked whether the fish is fresh or not, they completely denied their fault, giving some lame 'It is fresh. I can show you the bill' type excuses. Salli Mutton was full of salt. It lacked the essence of mutton. Instead some vanilla kind of flavour was coming out of the curry. I think the bakery did a better job in making the bread that was served with the mutton. Oh, did I forget to mention? The bread was served without being grilled. Chicken Dhansak was exactly the opposite. It was served almost without salt. The thing that I could actually eat a bit was their Laga nu Custard. You can order that dish. Customer service :- Shakespeare once said, meals are best served at home but when someone comes out to eat, 'Tis given with welcome'. The manager, Mr. Bulsara really needs to know this. From the beginning itself, I have been facing problem in communicating with him, as it seemed he is very annoyed in answering my questions. Whether it is about the food or about booking this place or the directions to this place, he attends his customers unwillingly, sometimes leaving their questions unanswered. Not to forget, whatever he mentions, it can be insufficient information if you are trying this cuisine/place for the first time. Sometimes their words (if you are customising your food) does not match their food. He is very rigid to talk to and never offers a humble approach towards the customers, being an actual inappropriate one in customer service. Hygiene :- Not much to say, other than the place leading to the dining area was shady. The things (toaster, sink, water purifier) kept in the dining area, the plates and the spoons were not clean either and on top of that the boy who served the dishes was also not appropriately neat and tidy. The sight of the kitchen was also not pleasing from outside. So I felt a bit unhygienic there, so much so that after a point I was only trying to get through the dishes, only to pay and leave the place.

All in all, maybe it used to be a good place (as per the previous reviews), but today's reality is that after taking the pain to book this place (along with the menu) which you need to do atleast prior to two days of visit, the food and the behaviour was a complete disatisfaction and I would never visit the place ever again. Overall rating :- 1/5

P.S. I always click pictures of food but here I somehow did not feel like...

If you’re craving a taste of old-world charm and authentic Parsi cuisine in Kolkata, look no further than Manackjee Rustomjee Parsi Dharamshala. Established way back (possibly when Queen Victoria was still figuring out her empire), this guesthouse has been a quiet guardian of Parsi heritage in the city.

Parsis, originally Zoroastrians from Persia, are a small but vibrant community known for their contributions to India’s culture, business, and—most importantly—food. While Kolkata’s Parsi population isn’t as large as in Mumbai, this Dharamshala keeps the flame (literal and spiritual) alive.

Forget trendy decor or fusion plates. This place is as homely as your best friend’s grandma’s kitchen—if she happened to be a Parsi culinary wizard. The owner and staff are warm, welcoming, and passionate about what they do. Expect stories about Parsi traditions with your meal if you’re lucky.

Sundays here are legendary. Send your order in by Thursday (this is serious business) and prepare for a feast that feels like being adopted by a Parsi family for the afternoon. The Patrani Machhi—fish steamed in banana leaves with a heavenly green chutney—might just change your life. Their Dansak, a slow-cooked lentil and meat curry, is comfort food on steroids. And the Lagan Nu Custard? A dessert so rich and satisfying it could moonlight as an emotional support pudding.

The portions are generous, the flavors are unforgettable, and the experience is refreshingly personal—worlds away from Kolkata’s usual restaurant hustle. Don’t just come hungry; come curious. This isn’t just a meal—it’s a cultural deep dive served with a side of nostalgia. You’ll leave with a full belly, a happy heart, and maybe even a new understanding of Parsi hospitality. Would I recommend it? Like a Parsi grandmother recommending second...

We went there on a Sunday afternoon with extremely high hopes of having delicious parsi food. Unfortunately, we were EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED & DISAPPOINTED.

Firstly, the rude behaviour of the manager, very harsh, not polite and not at all conversable. You need to preorder your items 2 days prior to your visit and you cannot change ur menu later. The food; We ordered Chicken Farcha, Fish Patrani, Salli Mutton and Chicken Dhansak & Laga nu custard. To start with, their menu looks alienish as you would not have a clue as to what the food would be like before ordering.

The Chicken Farcha was a piece of chicken leg marinated with a thin layer of coating which tasted out of this world but in a weird manner. However the chicken piece was tender. 2/5. The Fish Patrani was a disaster, the man serving us confirmed it was bhetki but it had the worst foul smell I have ever encountered. 0/5 The Mutton Salli was very dissatisfying as the mutton pieces were not at all chewable. The taste was bland. They gave two pieces of bread which was not grilled and the smell of that bread was torturing with the mutton dish. 1.5/5 Chicken Dhansak. They served long grained jeera rice with a bowl of two chicken pieces cooked with daal and God knows what. The rice is something I would like to forget and the chicken dish is something I cannot forgive. 1/5. Laganu Custard. The only and the only good thing about this place. 3.5/5

This is an experience I would like to forget not because it is memorable but because it is unforgettable. It was a complete waste of money and time....