Queens at Bollywood - Greenbelt — Restaurant in Makati

"Queens by Bollywood: A Feast for the Eyes, But Not Quite for the Palate" Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5)

Valentine’s Day calls for a memorable dining experience, and with a name like Queens by Bollywood, we expected a vibrant, flavor-packed evening. Nestled in Greenbelt 3, the restaurant certainly sets the stage for a lavish and theatrical experience, but as the night unfolded, it became clear that something was missing.

Ambience & Entertainment – Glamorous, But Not Immersive Walking into Queens by Bollywood, the first thing that catches the eye is its stunning interior. The blend of modern elegance and traditional Indian aesthetics creates a space that feels both upscale and inviting. Dim lighting, tasteful décor, and comfortable seating give it a sophisticated yet playful vibe, making it a great setting for a special occasion.

Adding to the spectacle were the belly dancers, an exciting addition that certainly gave the evening a touch of Bollywood glamour. Their performances were captivating, but despite their energy, the overall ambience felt oddly flat. The restaurant had the looks of a grand Bollywood production, but it lacked the soul and warmth that makes Indian dining truly special.

Food – Decent, But Fails to Justify the Price For our meal, we ordered:

Butter Chicken – A classic Indian dish that should be rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor. While the texture was smooth and the chicken tender, the flavors felt muted. The expected depth of spices and smoky undertones were missing, making it taste more like a mild, Westernized version of the dish rather than an authentic Indian preparation.

Garlic Naan – Well-prepared, with a pleasant chewiness and a hint of garlic, but nothing particularly remarkable. A good naan should be buttery, slightly charred, and aromatic, but this one lacked the smoky crispness that makes freshly baked naan irresistible.

Paneer Tikka – This should have been the standout, as grilled paneer with a medley of spices is usually packed with flavor. However, while the paneer itself was soft, the seasoning was underwhelming. The dish needed more charred edges, more tanginess, and more spice to bring it to life.

Overall, the food was not bad, but at this price point, we expected bolder flavors and a more authentic execution. Given that there are several Indian restaurants in Manila offering more flavorful versions of the same dishes at a much more reasonable price, it was hard to justify the premium.

Service – Efficient But Lacking Warmth The service was polite and professional, but it felt detached. A restaurant with this level of presentation should offer a more engaging experience, perhaps with recommendations, insights into the dishes, or just an overall sense of hospitality that makes guests feel special. Instead, everything felt transactional, which contributed to the missing magic.

Final Verdict – Style Over Substance Queens by Bollywood succeeds in creating an aesthetic and visually impressive dining space, but when it comes to food and overall experience, it falls short of expectations. The butter chicken lacked punch, the paneer tikka needed more depth, and the naan, while decent, wasn’t enough to make up for the underwhelming flavors. While the belly dancers added a nice touch, the experience didn’t have the warmth, excitement, or authenticity that would make it truly memorable.

If you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy restaurant with a luxurious setting, it might be worth a visit. But if you’re after a truly satisfying Indian meal that delivers on both taste and value, there are better and more affordable options in the city.

Would we return? Maybe, but not...

Went to this restaurant with family friends during our vacation in Manila. The food was decent but still left the restaurant with a bad taste in the mouth - both literally and figuratively.

In service industry, customer satisfaction is paramount. It doesn't take much to make a customer happy, especially me. After spending in excess of PHP 5000 on food for 4 adults, we decided to finish it off with Sheesha and drinks. The "Orange-Mint" Flavoured Sheesha tasted very strange from the first puff itself. After 3 puffs each by me and my friend, we concluded that the Orange flavour is nowhere to be found and the weak mint flavour is accompanied by a ''musty' taste which was repulsive to say the least.

So, we called the waiter and raised our concern. He tried the Sheesha and dismissed our concern in a nonchalant, almost dismissive manner and walked away without waiting to hear back from us. It felt like he has just stopped short of saying "F**K You, if you don't like it, it's your problem not mine".

The Manager was an Indian Lady in her 50s, who I suspected to be owner (not sure though). Her apathy to our coccern and unwillingness to resolve it was shocking. The "F**K You" Sheesha in-Charge (from the previous paragraph) came running behind us and stubbornly kept repeating, quite defiantly, "The flavour is fine". Instead of investigating our claim, the Manager adopted a very "Hands off" approach with statements like, "He (the Sheesha in-Charge) is our Sheesha expert", "I wouldn't know since I don't smoke Sheesha".....

To put an end to the ongoing embarassment of almost being called 'liars' by the restaurant manager and staff, we decided to politely settle the bill and leave. We, at least, had the satisfaction of having tried to provide a constructive feedback.

What could the Staff and/or Manager have done differently? First of all, a simple offer to replace our Sheesha would have been nice. It would have been the most "profitable" decision. To put it in perspective, the cost of Sheesha was less than the tip we left that evening. This incident brought our Saturday evening to an early and abrupt ending (loss of business for them). Secondly, the Manager's leadership felt pretty weak. The behaviour of the staff towards customer in the presence of their Manager, just wasn't appropriate. I am certainly never going back to a place where I am made to feel like a liar or ignorant (giving them the benefit of the doubt).

So thats my experience at "Queens at Bollywood", Greenbelt, Makati. By the way, the local belly dancers showed some groovy moves on Bollywood numbers. If you don't mind a little bit of a bad taste in the end, do pay them a visit on the weekends just to see those...

After reading a few reviews, I thought Ill give this restaurant a try. I was the only guest around noon today, later 2 other couples arrived before a large group arrived around 2PM. Food and Drinks I ordered Non Veg Samosa, Mutton Seekh Kebab, Dal Tadka and Pulao Rice. All the food items were either cold or lukewarm at its best, except the rice. All the dishes were bland and tasteless, even I asked the food to be cooked spicy when the server asked me for the spice level? Since I was hungry I ate 1 samosa, a bit of the kebab, rice and dhal. Later the Manager asked me how my food was, I told him cold and tasteless. He insisted to change the kebab to spicy version in 5 minutes. 15 minutes passed, no signs of the kebab so I finished my meal. Manager was smoking (I think) and chatting with a bunch of the staff in the outdoor Shisha area. Later on my server brought the kebab, it looked fresh from the tandoor, compared to the previous order. Sadly the taste was no better, other than it was hot. I just ate 2 small pieces and left the rest. Since I was still a bit hungry I ordered a Dosa, which was better tasting than the previous dishes. I spent PHP2,725.39 for my uneventful meal. Service There were a lot of staff who didn't do much until the large group arrived. The 2 servers who were always on the floor were helpful, courteous and knowledgeable. The menu is very confusing to read and understand what is being offered. My usual go to place for consistent tasty Indian food is down Bolanos Road, I will be going...