Palm Banjara is a well-known restaurant in Hyderabad that specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine. With its inviting ambiance and reputation for authentic flavors, it has been a popular choice for food lovers. My first visit to this restaurant was nothing short of exceptional, primarily due to the outstanding service provided by a captain named Noor. However, my second experience was a complete letdown, with multiple issues that left me extremely disappointed.
First Visit – An Impressive Experience
During my first visit, everything was perfect. The food was flavorful, the service was efficient, and the hospitality was remarkable. Noor, in particular, ensured that we had a seamless dining experience by being attentive, polite, and knowledgeable about the menu. The dishes were prepared with care, and everything we ordered matched our expectations. This visit left me excited to return for another great experience.
Second Visit – A Major Disappointment
Unfortunately, my second visit was a stark contrast to the first. From questionable food practices to poor service, it was a frustrating experience. Re-served Cancelled Food – One of the most shocking aspects was that we were served food that had been canceled by another customer. This is completely unacceptable for any restaurant, let alone one with Palm Banjara’s reputation. It raises serious concerns about hygiene, food safety, and customer ethics. Incorrect Soup Order – We specifically requested our soup to be served as “1 by 2,” meaning split into two portions. Instead of honoring this request, the restaurant served two full portions, which was not what we ordered. This felt like either a deliberate upsell attempt or sheer negligence in taking orders correctly. Stuffed Cheese Garlic Naan – A Misleading Experience – One of my favorite dishes from my first visit was the Stuffed Cheese Garlic Naan. However, this time, instead of being stuffed as the name suggests, it was simply topped with grated cheese. This was a major letdown, as it completely changed the dish from what I had previously enjoyed. • To make matters worse, when we checked the bill, the item was listed as Double Cheese Naan, which was not on the menu and was charged at almost double the price. This felt like a dishonest practice and left a very bad impression. Billing Issues & Payment Argument – When it was time to pay, we faced another frustrating situation. Despite Palm Banjara being listed on Zomato, the staff outright refused to accept payment through the platform. Instead of handling the situation professionally, the staff argued about it, which further soured the experience. A simple clarification or alternate solution could have made this process much smoother.
Final Thoughts
Palm Banjara has the potential to offer a great dining experience, as evidenced by my first visit. However, the drastic inconsistency in service and food quality is a major concern. The unethical practice of re-serving canceled food, incorrect billing, and lack of attention to customer preferences make it difficult to trust the restaurant again.
Pros: ✅ Great ambiance ✅ Noor’s exceptional service (during the first visit) ✅ Authentic Middle Eastern flavors
Cons: ❌ Inconsistent food quality and presentation ❌ Dishonest billing practices (overpriced “Double Cheese Naan”) ❌ Poor service and lack of attention to customer requests ❌ Argumentative approach to payment issues
If you’re lucky to get good service, you might have a pleasant meal, but based on my second experience, I would strongly advise the management to address these issues to maintain their reputation. Customers deserve consistency, honesty, and respect—things that were completely missing during my...
Read moreIf you’re a fan of Arabic cuisine, The Palm Banjara is a must-visit culinary destination. This is one of the iconic restaurants in Hyderabad which serves arabic dishes.
I had the pleasure of dining there recently, and the experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Here's a breakdown of the three standout dishes that made my meal unforgettable:
Charsi Tandoori Chicken
This dish was an explosion of flavors. The chicken was marinated to perfection with aromatic spices and grilled until tender. Each bite had a smoky, juicy essence that transported me straight to the streets of the Middle East. 9/10
Gosht Nalli Bara
The Gosht Nalli Bara was the highlight of the evening. Slow-cooked mutton shanks in a rich, flavorful gravy, the meat simply fell off the bone. The spices were balanced beautifully, making it both hearty and indulgent. 10/10
Mutton Shank Mandi
The Mandi rice paired with the mutton shank was a masterpiece. The long-grain rice was delicately spiced, complementing the juicy, tender mutton perfectly. The flavors were authentic, reminding me of traditional Arabian feasts. 8/10
Parking - This restaurant is just near the main road where u can't park your vehicle in front of it. But there is a small lane near to this restaurant where u can park your vehicle.
Cleanliness - 7/10. Needs to be improved.
Price- a little higher but 200% worth..
Overall, the dishes were not only beautifully presented but also mouthwateringly delicious. The Palm Banjara excels in bringing authentic Arabic flavors to life, making it a place I’ll definitely revisit. Highly recommended for food lovers looking for a unique and flavorful...
Read moreAbsolute worst place to be. Please don't ever visit this sad excuse if a restaurant. We were served by a female server here. Firstly she gave us dirty plates which had stains of dried gravy on the base, even after requesting her to change the plates, she gave us the same damn plates. We just ended up taking different plates from another empty table altogether. Now, the same woman took our order and assured us that we'll get our food as soon as possible. We waited for 30-40mins, even after confirming twice about order, we were assured by the female server it will come in 5mins. After waiting again for 10mins we went straight to the kitchen area where they told us our order hadn't been placed yet. At this point this female server saw us and frantically started to panic. We just took our bags and left that godforsaken place. I will never recommend this restaurant to a single person, and if you guys want to improve your standards please fire that useless female waiter. It is a grave sin to purposely keep someone hungry and failing to do the only job you have that is to take the order and serve. We realised she did this purposely because she smirked as soon as well got up to leave. I would request The Palm Banjara to fire this type of server if you guys want to be in the...
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