Pista House A. S. Rao Nagar — Restaurant in Hyderabad

(tl;dr: God help you if you want to eat in the same room/table as the rest of your family.)

I'm on vacation here in Hyderabad with my wife's family (she's a native to the area). We've come here twice on our trip, and there will not be a 3rd.

Both times they were out of things we wanted. (Not to mention they even straight-up confirmed one of the things they have POSTED ON THEIR WALL is an item they don't even CARRY.)

1st visit, I was assured my item would not be spicy at all. It was fairly spicy. (I know to expect spicy food in India, but if I ASK, I expect to not be lied to.) Whatever, I blew it off, as that happens in the States, too (I have severe trust issues with the word "mild"), and decided to give them another chance.

Today, the family went back. My wife and her parents ordered their meals, and were all eating together. I went to order mine (I stayed at the table at first just to make sure we'd have a place to sit without somebody taking it), and they told me I'd have to order the food I wanted from upstairs instead, for whatever reason. (Same menu, same business.) Okay, I let the family know I'd be right back down. I get upstairs, and they keep trying to make me eat UPSTAIRS, despite my constant, slow & clear emphasis that my family was already eating DOWNSTAIRS, and I wasn't about to eat separate from them. After several minutes of this back-and-forth, they said dine-in ordered upstairs HAS to be eaten upstairs, for some reason (even though I TRIED to order it DOWNSTAIRS in the first place, but they wouldn't LET me, and sent me upstairs to them), so I said fine, I'll just have it TO-GO - whatever it takes to eat it downstairs with my family - which they then said I'd have to order DOWNSTAIRS. -_-; Frustrated, I go back downstairs to order, and the cycle begins anew with them saying I couldn't order it down there TO EAT down there. Apparently, Pista House has some arbitrary rule against eating certain things FROM THEIR OWN MENU in certain rooms/tables. Meaning I had no way of just eating with my family. I thought for a minute maybe this was just a language barrier thing, but no, this was even with my wife translating. I'd finally had enough and left without ordering anything. After I was already out the door, they came out trying to say they'd give me the food I wanted, but by then, it was too late; not only was the rest of my family already done eating by this point, but as far as I was concerned, the damage was already done, and they'd cost themselves my business.

I could understand if it was one restaurant not wanting people eating ANOTHER restaurant's food in their establishment. But when it's literally the same business, same company name, same building, SAME MENU..... why would you alienate paying customers and force them to eat separately from their family like that? ...

The place is located at a very prominent place in A S Rao Nagar and it is hard to miss it. The restaurant is famous for its Biryanis & Haleem.

Here are some of the Positives: The Biryani has wonderful flavor & the aroma, Taste is authentic Hyderabadi The Chinese food (Fried Rice + Noodles) selection is very under-rated. This definitely needs a try. The seating is comfortable & the portion for any dish is good for 2 people (easy) Valet Parking Admin Staff very courteous and kind. Good Seating facility available if awaiting entry to the restaurant.

Negatives: Though centrally located in A S Rao Nagar, its positioning is next to a Traffic Signal. I was very much uneasy for my safety when trying to embark and disembark from the valet drop point. The waiters do not follow instructions very well. My personal experience was that I had to explain my order to the waiters, have them repeat it, correct their mistakes, make the waiters repeat it again and then finalize the order. The Tea was too sweet. Completely kills the flavor of Hyderabadi chai. Falooda packing could improve. Such a fine, artistically textured & eye catchy drink was served in a cheap plastic glass. But the taste lives up to the expectation no matter what. Mutton Biryani had excellent flavor but very few mutton pieces in it. I could literally say it was more bone than meat. Sorry, but it was no value for money from that standpoint. ( But the rice Salan was excellent) There is lift facility available, but for reaching that you may need to climb 10 steps + cross a barricade of bikes . Not wheel chair friendly if entering from the main path of the Restaurant.

Overall:

Ambience: 7/10 Air conditioning: 10/10 Cleanliness: 7/10 ( only because the bathrooms needs to be cleaned more often, else the overall cleanliness of the place is 10/10) Value for...

There was a time, when this was the best place for Biryani and other Indian cuisine. It's so hurting to see that this place went for best to worst. The taste of the food went down, instead of masala.. you'll get spices more. The waiter are so pushy and way they serve is S..H...I..T!!! Apne dhun main rehte hain, one or other guy was okay, but mostly so rude and one guy was chewing paan/tambaku ..almost felt it would drop on my plate/Biryani Bowl. Ordering and getting it on time is a miracle these days, also the time they take for the taste they give, I specifically ordered Paneer Biryani for me and Chicken biryani for my Friend. He served me Chicken, while his attention was a new intern (from North East)who was serving other place...he saying I'm checking she might mess up the order by cross serving, which he did. Doosro ke kaam pe dhyan hain, lekin apna toh hamesha sahi hain. Just before I could explain the incharge ..some manager.. the issues, some other customer(old aged woman) was explaining the manager how the security guy was rude and adamant about the place to park, either he could have said no, or something politely. Nahi hain yaha pe...nikal.

I know Pista House charges well for the food, it was worth it every penny few months or a year ago. Now, I feel No matter what I'll never visit this place or suggest anyone to go.

And my Special message to Pista Team, instead of contacting or replying me for this review, I dare you to become like you shined years ago with taste and quality food, also with good waiters/service ppl who will appreciate the customers presence.

Nawabi shehar main... Nawabi attitude toh rahega hi, lekin service main Hindustani na ho toh, aapka khaana...